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Guardant Health

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FY2022 Annual Report · Guardant Health
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Annual  
Report

$450M

$293M

2022

523% 
GROSS  
PROFIT 
(in millions)

395% 
GROSS  
REVENUE 
(in millions)

$91M

$47M

2018

Comparison of Five-Year 
Cumulative Total Return

GH

IXIC

NBI

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, DC 20549
_____________________
FORM 10-K 
_____________________

(Mark One)
☒

ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES
EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022 

☐

OR
TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES
EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the transition period from 

 to 

Commission File Number: 001-38683 
_____________________

GUARDANT HEALTH, INC. 

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)
_____________________

Delaware
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)

45-4139254
(I.R.S. Employer
Identification No.)

3100 Hanover Street 
Palo Alto, California 94304 
(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (855) 698-8887 

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act: 

Title of each class

Trading Symbol(s)

Name of each exchange on which registered

Common Stock, par value $0.00001

GH

The Nasdaq Global Select Market

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: 

None
___________________

Indicate  by  check  mark  if  the  registrant  is  a  well-known  seasoned  issuer,  as  defined  in  Rule  405  of  the  Securities 

Act.    Yes  ☒  No  ☐

Indicate  by  check  mark  if  the  registrant  is  not  required  to  file  reports  pursuant  to  Section  13  or  Section  15(d)  of  the 

Exchange Act.    Yes  ☐    No  ☒ 

If securities are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act, indicate by check mark whether the financial statements 
of  the  registrant  included  in  the  filing  reflect  the  correction  of  an  error  to  previously  issued  financial  statements. 
Yes  ☐    No  ☒     

Indicate  by  check  mark  whether  any  of  those  error  corrections  are  restatements  that  required  a  recovery  analysis  of 
incentive-based  compensation  received  by  any  of  the  registrant’s  executive  officers  during  the  relevant  recovery  period 
pursuant to § 240.10D-1(b).    Yes  ☐    No  ☐ 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the 
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to 
file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.     Yes  ☒    No  ☐

Indicate  by  check  mark  whether  the  registrant  has  submitted  electronically  every  Interactive  Data  File  required  to  be 
submitted  pursuant  to  Rule  405  of  Regulation  S-T  (§232.405  of  this  chapter)  during  the  preceding  12  months  (or  for  such 
shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files).    Yes  ☒    No  ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a 
smaller  reporting  company,  or  an  emerging  growth  company.  See  the  definitions  of  “large  accelerated  filer,”  “accelerated 
filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

Large Accelerated Filer

Non-accelerated Filer

Emerging growth company

☒

☐

☐

Accelerated Filer

Smaller reporting company

☐

☐

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition 
period  for  complying  with  any  new  or  revised  financial  accounting  standards  provided  pursuant  to  Section  13(a)  of  the 
Exchange Act. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management's assessment of the 
effectiveness  of  its  internal  control  over  financial  reporting  under  Section  404(b)  of  the  Sarbanes-Oxley  Act  (15  U.S.C. 
7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report. ☒

Indicate  by  check  mark  whether  the  registrant  is  a  shell  company  (as  defined  in  Rule  12b-2  of  the  Exchange 

Act).    Yes  ☐    No  ☒

The aggregate market value of the voting and non-voting common equity held by non-affiliates of the registrant, as of the last 
business day of the registrant’s most recently completed second fiscal quarter was approximately $4.0 billion (based on the 
closing price of the registrant’s common stock on the Nasdaq Global Select Market on June 30, 2022 of $40.34 per share).

As of February 17, 2023, the registrant had 102,663,734 shares of common stock, $0.00001 par value per share, outstanding.

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

Portions of the registrant’s definitive proxy statement relating to its annual meeting of stockholders to be held in 2023, or the 
2023 Annual Meeting, to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, within 120 days after the end of 
the  fiscal  year  to  which  this  Annual  Report  on  Form  10-K  relates,  are  incorporated  herein  by  reference  where  indicated. 
Except  with  respect  to  information  specifically  incorporated  by  reference  in  this  Annual  Report  on  Form  10-K,  such  proxy 
statement is not deemed to be filed as part hereof.

GUARDANT HEALTH, INC.
FORM 10-K

For the Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2022

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PART I

Item 1.

Business

Item 1A. Risk Factors

Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments

Item 2.

Item 3.

Properties

Legal Proceedings

Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures

PART II

Item 5. Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases 

of Equity Securities

Item 6.

[Reserved]

Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk

Item 8.

Item 9.

Financial Statements and Supplementary Data

Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure

Item 9A. Controls and Procedures

Item 9B. Other Information

Item 9C. Disclosure Regarding Foreign Jurisdictions that Prevent Inspections

PART III

Item 10. Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance

Item 11. Executive Compensation

Item 12.

Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder 
Matters

Item 13. Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence

Item 14. Principal Accounting Fees and Services

PART IV

Item 15.  Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules
Item 16.  Form 10-K Summary
Signatures

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FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This  Annual  Report  on  Form  10-K,  including  the  sections  titled  “Business”  and  “Management’s  Discussion  and 
Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” contains forward-looking statements regarding future 
events and our future results that are based on our current expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections about 
our  business,  our  results  of  operations,  the  industry  in  which  we  operate  and  the  beliefs  and  assumptions  of  our 
management. Words such as “believe,” “may,” “will,” “estimate,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “would,” “could,” 
“should,”  “intend”  and  “expect,”  variations  of  these  words,  and  similar  expressions  are  intended  to  identify 
forward-looking  statements.  These  forward-looking  statements  are  only  predictions  and  are  subject  to  risks, 
uncertainties  and  assumptions  that  are  difficult  to  predict.  Therefore,  actual  results  may  differ  materially  and 
adversely from those expressed in any forward-looking statements. Factors that might cause or contribute to such 
differences include, but are not limited to, those discussed in Part I, Item 1A,“Risk Factors,” of this Annual Report 
on  Form  10-K  and  elsewhere  herein,  and  in  other  reports  we  file  with  the  U.S.  Securities  and  Exchange 
Commission,  or  the  SEC.  While  forward-looking  statements  are  based  on  the  reasonable  expectations  of  our 
management at the time that they are made, you should not rely on them. We undertake no obligation to revise or 
update  publicly  any  forward-looking  statements  for  any  reason,  whether  as  a  result  of  new  information,  future 
events or otherwise, except as may be required by law.

Each of the terms the “Company,” “we,” “our,” “us” and similar terms used herein refer collectively to Guardant 
Health, Inc., a Delaware corporation, and its consolidated subsidiaries, unless otherwise stated. 

RISK FACTOR SUMMARY

Our  business  is  subject  to  numerous  risk  and  uncertainties,  including  those  described  in  Part  I,  Item  1A.  “Risk 
Factors”  in  this  Annual  Report  on  Form  10-K.  You  should  carefully  consider  these  risks  and  uncertainties  when 
investing in our common stock, including the full discussion of risks included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. 
The principal risks and uncertainties affecting our business include the following:

• We have incurred significant losses since inception, we may continue to incur losses in the future and we 

may not be able to generate sufficient revenue to achieve and maintain profitability.

• We may not be able to generate sufficient revenue to achieve and maintain profitability and our current or 

future products may not achieve or maintain sufficient commercial market acceptance.

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

Our  operating  results  may  fluctuate  significantly,  which  makes  our  future  operating  results  difficult  to 
predict and could cause our operating results to fall below expectations or any guidance we may provide.

New product development and commercialization involve a lengthy and complex process and we may be 
unable to develop or commercialize new products on a timely basis, or at all.

Our current revenue is primarily generated from sales of our tests and we are highly dependent on them for 
our success.

If our products do not meet the expectations of patients and our customers, our operating results, reputation 
and business could suffer.

If we are unable to support demand for our current and future products, including ensuring that we have 
adequate  capacity  to  meet  increased  demand,  or  we  are  unable  to  successfully  manage  our  anticipated 
growth, our business could suffer.

If  we  cannot  maintain  our  current  relationships,  or  enter  into  new  relationships,  with  biopharmaceutical 
companies, our revenue prospects could be reduced.

If  we  cannot  compete  successfully  with  our  competitors,  we  may  be  unable  to  increase  or  sustain  our 
revenue or to achieve and then sustain profitability.

• We  have  experienced  challenges  attracting  and  retaining  qualified  personnel  due  to  competitive  labor 
markets  and  may  continue  to  do  so,  and  may  be  unable  to  manage  our  future  growth  effectively,  all  of 
which could make it difficult to execute our business strategy.

• We  rely  on  a  limited  number  of  suppliers  or  sole  suppliers  for  some  of  our  laboratory  instruments  and 

materials and may not be able to find replacements or promptly transition to alternative suppliers.

1

•

The  COVID-19  global  pandemic  and  the  worldwide  attempts  to  contain  it  have  adversely  impacted  our 
supply chain and other aspects of our business, as well as our results of operations, and could continue to 
do so.

• We conduct business in a heavily regulated industry, and changes in regulations or violations of regulations 
may, directly or indirectly, reduce our revenue, adversely affect our operations and financial condition, and 
harm our business.

•

•

•

•

•

•

Certain of our tests are currently marketed as laboratory developed tests, or LDTs, and future changes in 
FDA  enforcement  discretion  for  LDTs  could  subject  our  product  offerings  to  more  significant  regulatory 
requirements.

If  third-party  payers,  including  commercial  payers  and  government  healthcare  programs,  do  not  provide 
coverage  of,  or  adequate  reimbursement  for,  our  tests,  our  business  and  results  of  operations  will  be 
negatively affected.

Our billing and claim processing are complex and time-consuming, and any delay in submitting claims or 
failure to comply with applicable billing requirements could hinder collection and have an adverse effect on 
our revenue.

Issued  patents  covering  our  products,  services  or  technology  could  be  found  invalid  or  unenforceable  if 
challenged.

The price of our common stock has fluctuated substantially and may do so in the future, and you may not 
be able to resell shares of our common stock at or above the price at which you purchased them.

Our indebtedness could expose us to risks that could adversely affect our business, financial condition and 
results of operations or result in dilution to our stockholders.

PART I

Item 1. Business

Overview

We are a leading precision oncology company focused on helping conquer cancer globally through the use of our 
proprietary tests, vast data sets and advanced analytics. We believe our tests can transform cancer care by unlocking 
insights that will help patients at all stages of the disease, including at its earliest stages, when it’s most treatable. For 
patients  with  advanced-stage  cancer,  we  have  commercially  launched  Guardant360  laboratory  developed  test,  or 
LDT,  and  Guardant360  CDx,  the  first  comprehensive  liquid  biopsy  test  approved  by  the  U.S.  Food  and  Drug 
Administration, or the FDA, to provide tumor mutation profiling with solid tumors and to be used as a companion 
diagnostic in connection with non-small cell lung cancer, or NSCLC, and breast cancer. We have also launched the 
Guardant360  TissueNext  tissue  test  for  advanced-stage  cancer,  Guardant  Reveal  blood  test  to  detect  residual  and 
recurring disease in early-stage cancer patients, and Guardant360 Response blood test to predict patient response to 
immunotherapy or targeted therapy eight weeks earlier than current standard-of-care imaging. 

We also collaborate with biopharmaceutical companies in clinical studies by providing the above-mentioned tests, as 
well as the GuardantOMNI blood test for advanced-stage cancer, and the GuardantINFINITY blood test, launched in 
September 2022, which is a next-generation smart liquid biopsy that provides new, multi-dimensional insights into 
the  complexities  of  tumor  molecular  profiles  and  immune  response  to  advance  cancer  research  and  therapy 
development. Using data collected from our tests, we have also developed our GuardantINFORM platform to help 
biopharmaceutical  companies  accelerate  precision  oncology  drug  development  through  the  use  of  this  in-silico 
research platform to unlock further insights into tumor evolution and treatment resistance across various biomarker-
driven cancers.

In  May  2022,  we  launched  the  Shield  LDT  test  to  address  the  needs  of  individuals  eligible  for  colorectal  cancer 
screening. From a simple blood draw, Shield uses a novel multimodal approach to detect colorectal cancer signals in 
the  bloodstream,  including  DNA  that  is  shed  by  tumors.  In  addition,  in  December  2022,  we  announced  positive 
results from ECLIPSE, an over 20,000 patient registrational study evaluating the performance of our Shield blood 
test  for  detecting  colorectal  cancer  in  average-risk  adults.  We  also  expect  to  expand  into  lung  and  multi-cancer 
screening with our investigational, next-generation Shield assay.

2

Our strategy

Our  objective  is  to  be  the  leading  provider  of  precision  oncology  and  screening  products  for  cancer  management 
across all stages of the disease and drive commercial adoption of our products. To achieve this, we intend to:

•

Increase awareness of our products by:

▪

▪

▪

▪

building awareness of liquid biopsy and pioneering a blood-first paradigm for genotyping cancer patients;

educating biopharmaceutical companies, key opinion leaders, or KOLs, and advocacy groups;

advocating for inclusion of our tests in treatment guidelines; and

expanding access to our products globally through direct investment and by leveraging our global network 
of partners.

•

Expand clinical utility and increase reimbursement for our products by:

▪

▪

▪

▪

working with private and public payers to establish coverage and reimbursement for our tests;

investing  in  clinical  evidence  directly  and  through  relationships  with  academia  and  biopharmaceutical 
companies to establish expanded indications for use;

demonstrating improved clinical utility and health economics from use of our tests to patients, physicians 
and payers; and

pursuing  FDA  and  other  regulatory  approval  internationally  of  our  tests  to  facilitate  reimbursement  and 
global market access.

•

Strengthen our relationships with customers by:

▪

▪

▪

demonstrating  the  utility  of  our  products  in  connection  with  standard  of  care  treatments  thereby 
encouraging clinical adoption;

developing  and  seeking  approval  of  our  products  as  companion  diagnostics  for  targeted  therapies  and 
immuno-oncology therapies; and

providing earlier insights into emerging clinically relevant biomarkers.

•

Expand our product portfolio by:

▪

▪

▪

▪

▪

using  our  commercial  engine  as  a  force  multiplier  of  returns  on  research  and  development  investment  to 
generate data and analytical insights to enable development of new products;

taking a disciplined and systematic approach to product and market development, by starting with therapy 
selection and then expanding sequentially towards early cancer detection;

utilizing  our  data,  sample  biobank  and  insights  into  biology  of  circulating  tumor-related  biomarkers  in 
blood to develop our new products;

building  on  our  regulatory  and  commercial  infrastructure  to  accelerate  new  product  launches  and  drive 
commercial efficiencies; and 

using  our  strategic  relationships,  including  our  partnerships  with  European  cancer  centers  and  research 
organizations, to drive global commercialization of our products. 

Our products and development program 

We  have  launched  various  products  and  programs  using  our  digital  sequencing  technology,  which  is  enabled  by 
robust, high-efficiency biochemistry at the front-end, next-generation sequencing and a machine learning augmented 
bioinformatics  pipeline.  We  believe  our  product  portfolio  could  address  the  full  continuum  of  cancer  care  for 
selected indications, and has utility in both the clinical and biopharmaceutical markets. 

3

Therapy Selection

Guardant360 CDx Test

We believe our Guardant360 CDx test was the first comprehensive liquid biopsy test approved by the FDA, and is 
the market leading comprehensive liquid biopsy test, based on the number of tests ordered. Our Guardant360 CDx 
test is a 55-gene test to provide tumor mutation profiling to be used by qualified health professionals in accordance 
with professional guidelines in oncology for cancer patients with any solid malignant neoplasm. Our Guardant360 
CDx test has also been approved by the FDA for use as a companion diagnostic to identify NSCLC patients who 
may  benefit 
(amivantamab-vjmw), 
LUMAKRASTM  (sotorasib)  and  ENHERTU®  (fam-trastuzumab  deruxtecan-nxki),  and  breast  cancer  patients  who 
may benefit from treatment with ORSERDUTM (elacestrant), marketed by biopharmaceutical companies. Additional 
gene content and immune-oncology biomarkers (e.g. microsatellite instability, or MSI) are reported in a professional 
services compendium to the FDA approved CDx report. Results are typically delivered within seven days following 
receipt of sample and delivered by a clinical report. 

(osimertinib),  RYBREVANTTM 

treatment  with  TAGRISSO® 

from 

Guardant360 LDT

The  number  of  personalized  therapy  options  for  advanced  cancer  patients  continues  to  grow,  giving  patients  who 
may  have  cycled  through  standard  of  care  therapies  additional  options.  Focused  on  addressing  patient  care 
throughout  the  diagnostic  journey,  we  launched  an  updated  and  expanded  version  of  our  LDT  to  support  new 
guideline-recommended biomarkers. Our Guardant360 LDT test measures 80+ cancer-related genes, and has been 
used  over  300,000  times  by  clinicians  to  help  inform  which  therapy  may  be  effective  for  advanced  stage  cancer 
patients  with  solid  tumors,  without  the  need  to  obtain  archival  tissue  or  subject  the  patient  to  another  invasive 
biopsy. Results are typically delivered, ten days following receipt of sample and delivered by a clinical report. 

Guardant360 Response Test

Our Guardant360 Response test, launched as an LDT, is the first blood-only liquid biopsy that enables doctors to 
view  molecular  response,  or  changes  in  circulating  tumor  DNA  (ctDNA)  levels,  from  a  simple  blood  draw  to 
potentially gain early insight regarding patient response to treatment. For doctors, knowing early and confidently if a 
patient’s  treatment  is  working  is  critical  in  deciding  whether  to  continue,  stop,  or  explore  other  options.  Studies 
across cancers and therapies show the Guardant360 Response test predicted treatment response eight weeks earlier 
than current standard-of-care radiological and imaging scans.

Guardant360 TissueNext Test

To complement our liquid biopsy-based products, we launched Guardant360 TissueNext as an LDT, our first tissue-
based test which is designed to identify patients with advanced cancer who may benefit from biomarker-informed 
treatment.  Tissue  genotyping  is  currently  widely  available  to  physicians  and  patients.  We  believe  many  tissue 
genotyping products currently available to physicians and patients have experienced long delays in getting results to 
physicians and high failure rates because of the inability to obtain enough tissue or high-quality DNA for analysis. 
Such delay or inability to produce results from tissue genotyping can adversely affect providing the right treatment 
to  patients  at  the  right  time.  We  therefore  believe  our  Guardant360  TissueNext,  together  with  our  liquid  biopsy-
based  products,  have  the  potential  to  help  address  the  challenges  with  tissue  genotyping  products  currently  in  the 
market.  

4

Recurring Monitoring / Minimum Residual Disease

Guardant Reveal Test

In the management of early-stage cancer, current tools do not identify all high-risk patients who will benefit from 
adjuvant therapy or detect recurrence early enough when it is most curable. We plan to address this need, first in 
early-stage  colorectal,  breast  and  lung  cancers,  with  our  Guardant  Reveal  test  launched  as  an  LDT  for  residual 
disease and recurrence monitoring. We believe the Guardant Reveal test has the potential to enable oncologists to 
improve  the  care  of  early-stage  cancer  patients  by  correctly  identifying  more  high-risk  patients  than 
clinicopathologic  review  alone  and  by  detecting  recurrent  disease  months  earlier  than  current  standard  of  care 
methods like imaging carcinoembryonic antigen tests. We believe the Guardant Reveal test can improve turnaround 
by simultaneously interrogating both genomic and epigenomic signals from a single blood draw without the need for 
tissue.  Similar  to  our  data  development  effort  for  our  Guardant360  tests,  we  are  investing  heavily  in  establishing 
clinical utility for the use of Guardant Reveal in adjuvant treatment settings. We also believe our Guardant Reveal 
test  may  help  biopharmaceutical  companies  identify  new  drug  development  opportunities.  In  return,  these 
relationships  could  help  us  establish  clinical  utility  for  our  tests  and  create  new  testing  opportunities  related  to 
emerging therapies.  

Screening

Shield Test

According to American Cancer Society: Colorectal Cancer Facts & Figures 2020-2022, it is estimated that only 66% 
of adults at 50 years and older are screened despite compelling evidence that routine cancer screening can reduce 
colorectal cancer mortality, the second leading cause of cancer death. Therefore, we believe that there is a critical 
need to develop products to expand precision oncology to earlier stage cancer settings. These products could enable 
clinicians to precisely detect, and intervene in the disease evolution when the disease is more likely to be curable, 
key to significantly improving patient clinical outcomes. In order to systematically address this need, in May 2022, 
we launched the Shield LDT test to address the needs of individuals eligible for colorectal cancer screening. From a 
simple blood draw, Shield uses a novel multimodal approach to detect colorectal cancer signals in the bloodstream, 
including DNA that is shed by tumors. Our research and development results to date indicate that somatic signatures 
alone  may  be  insufficient  for  detection  of  early-stage  cancers  with  high  sensitivity.  For  this  reason,  we  have 
incorporated epigenomic signatures to enhance the performance of our Shield assay in these settings. In addition, in 
December  2022,  we  announced  positive  results  from  ECLIPSE,  an  over  20,000  patient  registrational  study 
evaluating the performance of our Shield blood test for detecting colorectal cancer in average-risk adults. The test 
demonstrated  83%  sensitivity  in  detecting  individuals  with  colorectal  cancer.  Specificity  was  90%  in  both 
individuals without advanced neoplasia and in those who had a negative colonoscopy result. These results exceed 
the performance criteria set forth by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, or CMS, for reimbursement. 
This test also demonstrated 13% sensitivity in detecting advanced adenomas. Based on these study results, we plan 
to complete our premarket approval, or PMA, submission to the FDA in the first quarter of 2023.  

We  also  expect  to  expand  into  lung  and  multi-cancer  screening  with  our  investigational,  next-generation  Shield 
assay.  To  clinically  validate  the  performance  of  our  next-generation  Shield  blood  test  in  detecting  lung  cancer  in 
high-risk  individuals  ages  50-80,  in  January  2022,  we  enrolled  the  first  patient  in  a  nearly  10,000-patient 
prospective, registrational study, which we refer to as the SHIELD LUNG study. The study is anticipated to run in 
approximately  100  centers  in  the  United  States  and  Europe.  We  believe  that  developing  a  blood  test  for  early 
detection of cancer requires a vast amount of molecular and clinical data across all stages of the disease in order to 
better  understand  the  biology  and  clinical  relevance  of  tumor-specific  biomarkers  in  blood.  While  we  believe  the 
benefits  of  early  detection  on  clinical  outcomes  are  widely  known,  early  detection  may  also  benefit 
biopharmaceutical  companies  by  identifying  a  much  larger  at-risk  population  who  may  benefit  from  early 
therapeutic intervention or from preventative medicines.

Biopharmaceutical Offerings

GuardantOMNI Test

Our GuardantOMNI test has a significantly larger genomic panel footprint than the Guardant360 LDT test and has 
achieved  comparable  analytical  performance  in  clinical  studies,  including  for  translational  science  applications  in 
collaboration  with  several  biopharmaceutical  companies.  It  covers  500  genes,  including  genes  associated  with 
homologous  recombination  repair  deficiency  and  biomarkers  for  immuno-oncology  applications,  such  as  tumor 
mutational burden and microsatellite instability. 

5

In  order  to  preserve  performance  characteristics  of  our  Guardant360  LDT  test  across  a  broader  gene  panel,  we 
implemented additional enhancements to the assay efficiency and bioinformatics analysis to improve the sensitivity 
of our GuardantOMNI test. These enhancements are critical in the context of using the GuardantOMNI test in the 
retrospective  testing  of  clinical  study  samples  for  translational  science  applications  in  collaboration  with 
biopharmaceutical customers, as those samples are often available with only a limited volume of plasma.

Validation data indicates that the GuardantOMNI test exceeds the Guardant360 LDT test’s sensitivity for detecting 
clinically  actionable  biomarkers.  At  the  same  time,  broader  panel-wide  performance  of  small  variants  is  roughly 
similar to that of Guardant360 LDT test. The broad genomic footprint of our GuardantOMNI test enables accurate 
measurement of tumor mutational burden. 

GuardantINFINITY Test

In September 2022, we launched GuardantINFINITY, a next-generation smart liquid biopsy test that provides new, 
multi-dimensional  insights  into  the  complexities  of  tumor  molecular  profiles  and  immune  response  to  advance 
cancer research and therapy development. Our GuardantINFINITY assay provides a more comprehensive molecular 
profile of tumors than earlier assays, giving researchers access to novel genomic and epigenomic insights to provide 
a simultaneously deeper and more complete understanding of a tumor’s biology, its system-wide interactions and the 
associated  immune  response  in  a  range  of  applications,  from  therapy  selection  to  molecular  response  and 
longitudinal monitoring. The assay’s extensive methylome panel helps identify the unique methylation pattern that 
each tumor delivers, providing an important new dimension of research insights that has been largely unexplored in 
clinical development to date. GuardantINFINITY is available as a single modular assay with flexible configurations 
that can be tailored to fit a current application, along with the ability to unlock additional content modules at any 
time,  without  incurring  the  burden  or  delay  of  additional  sample  collection.  The  core  module  offers  genotyping 
coverage of more than 800 genes with sample-level methylation detection and tumor fraction score for biomarker 
discovery, clinical research, therapy selection and response monitoring.

GuardantConnect

Because  cancer  patients  often  exhaust  standard  of  care  treatment  options  as  the  disease  progresses  and  guidelines 
recommend clinical studies for cancer patients, clinical study matching is an acute need in oncology. At the same 
time,  biopharmaceutical  companies  need  to  fill  clinical  studies  that  require  screening  hundreds  of  thousands  of 
patients.  Despite  these  needs,  clinical  study  enrollment  in  oncology  has  severely  lagged,  with  only  approximately 
8%  of  cancer  patients  enrolling  in  clinical  studies.  GuardantConnect  is  our  integrated  software-based  solution 
designed for our clinical and biopharmaceutical customers, seeking to connect patients tested with our assays with 
actionable alterations with potentially relevant clinical studies. 

GuardantINFORM

In  June  2020,  we  launched  GuardantINFORM,  our  real-world  evidence  platform  featuring  an  extensive  clinical-
genomic dataset of advanced cancer patients. The GuardantINFORM platform is intended to help accelerate research 
and development of the next generation of cancer therapeutics by offering biopharmaceutical partners an in silico 
resource  that  combines  de-identified  longitudinal  clinical  information  and  genomic  data  collected  from  our  tests. 
This robust dataset offers real-world insights into anti-cancer therapy use and associated outcomes, and molecular 
drivers  of  treatment  response  and  resistance  for  over  60  advanced  cancers  including  non-small  cell  lung,  breast, 
colon, and prostate. Applications for the GuardantINFORM platform cover research and development, clinical study 
planning and modelling, and commercial applications.   

Smart Liquid Biopsy Platform 

Our smart liquid biopsy platform drives significant research and development efficiencies and operating leverage, 
which  supports  performance  improvements,  cross-development  of  new  applications,  cost  savings  and  improved 
turnaround time. While products continue to evolve by leveraging commonality in equipment, reagents, and staffing, 
this platform also provides a foundation for future product evolutions and data integration. We expect to migrate our 
products to the platform and we believe our smart liquid biopsy platform has the potential to unlock the power of the 
epigenome, broaden the view of what drives cancer biology, and provide industry leading high-sensitivity genomic 
and epigenomic detection at ultra-high specificity and low cost. 

6

Guardant Galaxy

Our Guardant Galaxy suite of advanced analytical technologies have been developed internally and through outside 
partnerships to enhance the performance and clinical utility of our portfolio of cancer tests, and to power the next 
generation  of  biomarker  and  drug  discovery.  The  first  application  in  the  Guardant  Galaxy  suite  is  an  AI-backed 
digital  pathology  platform  developed  by  Lunit®,  for  the  enhanced  Guardant360  TissueNext  PD-L1  test,  which 
improves detection of the cancer biomarker compared to manual pathologist interpretation in NSCLC cases. Future 
planned  applications  include  deep  learning-driven  genomic,  epigenomic  and  spatial  biomarker  discovery  via 
collaboration  with  biopharmaceutical  partners  and  integration  with  GuardantINFORM  real-world  clinical  data 
platform.

Clinical Studies and Publications

The goal of our clinical development with our tests is to support its use for comprehensive genomic profiling across 
multiple  tumor  types,  including  as  a  preferred  alternative  to  tissue  testing  to  inform  first  line  treatment  right  after 
diagnosis  and  at  time  of  disease  progression.  We  publish  peer-reviewed  studies  in  order  to  influence  treatment 
guidelines, to educate clinicians and other oncology stakeholders about the value proposition of our test and to set 
the  stage  for  reimbursement  with  private  and  public  payers.  We  have  over  90  targeted  therapy  outcomes  studies, 
more  than  300  peer-reviewed  publications  and  more  than  700  scientific  abstracts.  We  are  proactively  pursuing 
studies to support the use of our tests as a preferred alternative to tissue testing to inform first line treatment right 
after diagnosis, with the goal to provide evidence that our tests detect genomic alterations at a similar rate compared 
to standard of care tissue testing in the United States, Europe and Asia. Such a strategy is predicated on the tests’ 
ability  to  offer  accurate,  reliable  and  fast  guideline-directed  comprehensive  genotyping  for  all  adult  solid  tumors 
without exposing patients to invasive biopsy procedures’ risks, delays or chance of failure. 

Commercialization

Successful  commercial  adoption  of  our  tests  by  clinicians  and  biopharmaceutical  companies  is  critical  to  our 
business. For clinicians, endorsement by KOLs, utilization by academic centers and inclusion in national treatment 
guidelines  are  important,  especially  for  adoption  in  the  local  community  setting  where  80%  of  cancer  treatment 
occurs. We believe that our relationships with key stakeholders across the oncology space have helped facilitate the 
use of our tests by over 12,000 oncologists, who have collectively ordered our Guardant360 LDT test over 300,000 
times, and over 150 biopharmaceutical companies.

U.S. clinical commercial efforts

We sell our tests to clinical customers in the United States through our targeted sales organization. Our clinician-
focused  sales  organization  in  the  United  States  is  engaged  in  sales  efforts  and  promotional  activities  primarily 
targeting  oncologists  and  cancer  centers.  Our  sales  representatives  typically  have  extensive  backgrounds  in 
laboratory  testing,  therapeutics  and  oncology.  We  have  supplemented  the  team  with  clinical  oncology  specialists 
with extensive medical affairs experience for molecular information support in the field.   

Our  clinical  commercial  efforts  are  focused  on  driving  adoption  with  academic  research  institutions  and  with 
community  oncology  practices,  including  through  leading  physician  networks.  As  we  continue  to  grow  our  sales 
organization, we are also expanding our reach to include large community practices, community oncology networks, 
integrated delivery/ payer-owned systems and government medical facilities that are looking for a reliable partner 
for comprehensive molecular information testing. 

Biopharmaceutical commercial efforts

Our business development team is focused on enterprise selling to biopharmaceutical companies in the United States 
and  internationally,  and  we  believe  we  can  support  our  biopharmaceutical  customers  across  many  applications, 
including:

•

•

•

•

discovery of new targets and mechanisms of acquired resistance;

retrospective sample analysis to rapidly identify biomarkers associated with response and lack of response; 

prospective screening and referral services to accelerate clinical study enrollment; and

companion diagnostic development to support the approval and commercialization of therapeutics. 

We also expect to be able to capture other commercial opportunities from our genomic data, which can be used in 
combination with clinical outcomes or claims data for multiple applications, including novel target identification.

7

International commercial efforts and expansion 

A component of our long-term growth strategy is to expand our commercial footprint internationally, and we expect 
to  increase  our  sales  and  marketing  expense  to  execute  on  this  strategy.  We  currently  offer  our  tests  in  countries 
outside the United States primarily through direct contacts with insurers and hospitals, distributor relationships, and 
laboratory partnerships. Specifically, we have already demonstrated the ability to deploy our technology to partner 
laboratories such as cancer centers, for the development of test assays based on our technology platform. We believe 
that this capability will be important in accelerating adoption of our platform and the performance of our testing in 
certain countries. We are conducting studies in various jurisdictions and have started efforts to secure reimbursement 
in  several  countries.  As  these  studies  progress  and  we  near  commercial  opportunities  there,  we  are  seeking  to 
establish in-country laboratories and direct sales organizations. 

In May 2018, we formed and capitalized a joint venture, Guardant Health AMEA, Inc., with SoftBank, which we 
refer  to  as  the  Joint  Venture  or  Guardant  AMEA,  relating  to  the  sale,  marketing  and  distribution  of  our  tests 
generally outside the Americas and Europe and to accelerate commercialization of our products in Asia, the Middle 
East and Africa. In February 2021, an affiliate of Guardant AMEA, submitted an application to Japan's Ministry of 
Health,  Labour  and  Welfare,  or  the  MHLW,  for  regulatory  approval  of  Guardant360  CDx.  In  December  2021, 
MHLW granted regulatory approval of Guardant360 CDx as a companion diagnostic for identifying patients with 
metastatic  NSCLC  who  may  benefit  from  treatment  with  LUMAKRAS™  (sotorasib).  In  March  2022,  MHLW 
granted regulatory approval of Guardant360® CDx in patients with advanced solid tumors. MHLW also approved 
Guardant360  CDx  as  a  companion  diagnostic  to  identify  patients  with  microsatellite  instability-high  (MSI-High) 
solid tumors who may benefit from Keytruda® (pembrolizumab) and patients with MSI-High advanced colorectal 
cancer  who  may  benefit  from  Opdivo®  (nivolumab).  In  February  2022,  we  received  CAP  accreditation  for  our 
laboratory in Japan where we expect to commence processing samples following receipt of additional certification 
for processing In Vitro Diagnostic, or IVD, samples and reimbursement approval. 

As part of our international expansion and to obtain full control over operations throughout the Asia, Middle East 
and  Africa  region,  in  November  2021,  we  exercised  our  call  right  contained  in  the  joint  venture  agreement  with 
SoftBank  to  purchase  all  of  the  shares  held  by  SoftBank  and  its  affiliates  in  consideration  for  the  payment  of  the 
aggregate purchase price to be determined based on an independent third-party valuation. Upon our exercise of the 
call right in November 2021, SoftBank no longer had the option to exercise its put right. In June 2022, we purchased 
all of the shares held by SoftBank and its affiliates in consideration for a cash payment of the aggregate purchase 
price  of  $177.8  million,  as  determined  by  an  independent  valuation  firm,  which  resulted  in  $99.8  million  of  fair 
value adjustments to the noncontrolling interest liability for the year ended December 31, 2022. 

In  June  2022,  we  signed  a  strategic  partnership  agreement  with  Adicon  Holdings  Limited,  a  leading  independent 
clinical laboratory company based in China, to offer our industry-leading comprehensive genomic profiling tests to 
biopharmaceutical  companies  conducting  clinical  studies  in  China.  We  expect  the  partnership  to  help 
biopharmaceutical companies bring the next generation of cancer therapies to patients in the region. 

In  preparation  for  wider  commercialization  in  the  European  Union,  or  the  EU,  we  obtained  a  CE  mark  for  our 
Guardant360  CDx,  Guardant360  LDT,  and  Guardant  Reveal  tests.  In  December  2020,  we  signed  our  first  public 
private partnership agreement with Vall D'Hebron Institute of Oncology, or VHIO, one of Europe’s leading cancer 
research institutions, and in May 2022, the first blood-based cancer testing services in Europe based on our industry-
leading  digital  sequencing  platform  became  available  at  the  VHIO  testing  facility  in  Spain.  In  October  2021,  we 
signed a partnership agreement with The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, a premier cancer center within the 
United Kingdom for patient care, research and teaching of all types of cancer. We expect these partnerships will lead 
to the establishment of our testing services at the partner laboratories, using our digital sequencing technology, as 
well as generation of clinical and economic evidence to support commissioning in other areas of Europe. 

8

Payer coverage and reimbursement 

Commercial payers

Payment from commercial payers can vary depending on whether we have entered into a contract with the payers as 
a “participating provider” or do not have a contract and are considered a “non-participating provider.” Payers often 
reimburse  non-participating  providers,  if  at  all,  at  a  lower  amount  than  participating  providers.  When  we  contract 
with  a  payer  to  serve  as  a  participating  provider,  reimbursements  by  the  payer  are  generally  made  pursuant  to  a 
negotiated  fee  schedule  and  are  limited  to  only  covered  indications  or  where  prior  approval  has  been  obtained. 
Becoming  a  participating  provider  can  result  in  higher  reimbursement  amounts  for  covered  uses  of  our  tests  and, 
potentially, no reimbursement for non-covered uses identified under the payer’s policies or the contract. As a result, 
the potential for more favorable reimbursement associated with becoming a participating provider may be offset by a 
potential loss of reimbursement for non-covered uses of our tests.

We  have  provided  testing  services  to  patients  covered  by  commercial  payers  with  many  cancer  types  and 
indications,  some  of  the  time  as  a  non-participating  provider  through  2022.  We  received  reimbursement  for  tests 
across  the  spectrum  of  these  patients,  though  for  amounts  that  on  average  were  significantly  lower  than  for 
participating providers. Because we are not contracted with these payers, they determine the amount that they are 
willing  to  reimburse  us  for  any  of  our  tests  and  they  can  prospectively  and  retrospectively  adjust  the  amount  of 
reimbursement, subject to statue of limitations.

Our tests are currently covered by various commercial payers and our reimbursement is directly impacted by their 
policies.  We  have  experienced  situations  where  commercial  payers  proactively  reduced  the  amounts  they  were 
willing to reimburse for our tests, and where commercial payers have determined that the amounts previously paid 
were too high and sought to recover those perceived excess payments by deducting such amounts from payments 
owed to us.

In addition to our existing contracted payers, various laboratory benefit managers and evidence review organizations 
working with commercial payers have endorsed coverage of our Guardant360 test.

We  are  actively  engaged  to  expand  coverage  among  existing  contracted  payers  and  to  achieve  coverage  with  the 
remaining  key  commercial  payers,  laboratory  benefit  managers  and  evidence  review  organizations.  This  includes 
addressing variable coverage requirements and evidence required, and the need for enhanced guideline support. 

As  we  broaden  our  coverage  amongst  contracted  payers  to  include  additional  tests  of  ours,  we  may  begin  to 
experience increases in average revenue per test performed; however, we cannot make any assurances that we will 
be  successful  in  broadening  our  coverage  on  a  timely  basis  or  at  all.  Similarly,  as  we  have  experienced  with  our 
existing  contracted  payers,  we  cannot  assure  that  the  addition  of  new  contracted  payers  will  increase  our  average 
selling price or revenue. 

Government payers

Medicare coverage is limited to items and services that are within the scope of a Medicare benefit category that are 
reasonable and necessary for the diagnosis or treatment of an illness or injury. National coverage determinations are 
made  through  an  evidence-based  process  by  the  CMS,  with  opportunities  for  public  participation.  Medicare’s 
National  Coverage  Determination,  or  NCD,  for  Next  Generation  Sequencing,  or  NGS,  provides  coverage  for 
molecular diagnostic tests such as our Guardant360 CDx test, if, among other criteria, such tests are offered within 
their FDA-approved companion diagnostic labeling.

9

In  March  2020,  we  began  to  receive  reimbursement  from  Medicare  for  claims  submitted  with  respect  to 
Guardant360  clinical  tests  performed  for  qualifying  patients  diagnosed  with  solid  tumor  cancers  of  non-central 
nervous system origin other than NSCLC. In May 2020, Noridian issued a coverage article and confirmed limited 
Medicare  coverage  for  our  Guardant360  test  for  qualifying  patients  diagnosed  with  solid  tumor  cancers  of  non-
central  nervous  system  origin  who  meet  the  criteria  of  Medicare’s  National  Coverage  Determination  for  Next 
Generation  Sequencing  established  in  March  2018.  Under  Medicare,  payment  for  laboratory  tests  like  ours  is 
generally made under the Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule, or CLFS, with payment amounts assigned to specific 
procedure billing codes. In April 2014, Congress passed the Protecting Access to Medicare Act of 2014, or PAMA, 
which  included  substantial  changes  to  the  way  in  which  clinical  laboratory  services  are  paid  under  Medicare.  On 
June 23, 2016, CMS published the final rule implementing the reporting and rate-setting requirements under PAMA. 
Under PAMA, laboratories that receive the majority of their Medicare revenue from payments made under the CLFS 
were  required  to  report  to  CMS,  beginning  in  2017  and  every  three  years  thereafter  (or  annually  for  “advanced 
diagnostic  laboratory  tests”  (ADLTs)),  commercial  payer  payment  rates  and  volumes  for  each  test  they  perform. 
CMS  uses  this  data  to  calculate  a  weighted  median  payment  rate  for  each  test,  which  is  used  to  establish  revised 
Medicare  CLFS  reimbursement  rates  for  the  test.  We  are  subject  to  reporting  requirements  under  PAMA  and  the 
Medicare  rate  for  our  tests  will  be  calculated  based  on  our  private  payer  rates.  On  December  10,  2021,  Congress 
passed  the  Protecting  Medicare  and  American  Farmers  from  Sequester  Cuts  Act,  which  delayed  the  next  data 
reporting  period  by  one  year  and  prevented  any  reduction  in  payment  amounts  from  commercial  payer  rate 
implementation  in  2022.  On  November  2,  2022,  CMS  published  its  final  rule  for  the  Medicare  Physician  Fee 
Schedule  for  calendar  year  (CY)  2023,  including  changes  for  clinical  laboratories  that  take  effect  on  January  1, 
2023.  Changes  include  updated  regulatory  definitions  to  specify  the  data  collection  period  for  the  data  reporting 
period of January 1, 2023 through March 31, 2023; revisions to indicate that data reporting is required every 3 years 
beginning  January  2023;  and  to  confirm  that  for  CY  2022,  payment  may  not  be  reduced  by  more  than  0%  as 
compared  to  CY  2021,  and  for  CYs  2023  through  2025,  payment  may  not  be  reduced  by  more  than  15%  as 
compared  to  the  amount  established  for  the  preceding  year.  On  December  29,  2022,  Congress  passed  the 
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023, which prevented any reduction in payment amounts from commercial payor 
rate  implementation  for  2023;  delayed  by  one  year  data  reporting  requirements  for  tests  other  than  ADLTs;  and 
extended the three-year period in which payment may not be reduced by more than 15%, to CYs 2024 through 2026.

Current Procedural Terminology, or CPT, coding plays a significant role in how our tests are reimbursed both from 
commercial  and  governmental  payers.  In  addition,  Z-Code  Identifiers  are  used  by  certain  payers,  including  under 
Medicare's  MolDx,  to  supplement  CPT  codes  for  our  molecular  diagnostics  tests.  Changes  to  the  codes  used  to 
report to payers may result in significant changes in reimbursement. If their policies were to change in the future to 
cover additional cancer indications, we anticipate that our total reimbursement would increase. In January 2021, a 
PLA code was issued for our Guardant360 CDx test with an effective date in April 2021. Additionally, based on this 
new PLA code, we applied to the CMS for our Guardant360 CDx test to become an advanced diagnostic laboratory 
test, or ADLT. In March 2021, CMS approved ADLT status to the Guardant360 CDx test, based on which Medicare 
paid us at the lowest available commercial rate per test, from April 1, 2021 to December 31, 2021. Effective January 
1,  2022,  Medicare  has  started  to  reimburse  Guardant360  CDx  services  at  the  median  rate  of  claims  paid  by 
commercial  payers  and  this  rate  will  apply  until  December  2023.  In  March  2022,  Palmetto  GBA,  the  Medicare 
administrative  contractor  for  MolDX,  has  conveyed  coverage  for  our  Guardant360  TissueNext  test  under  the 
existing  local  coverage  determination.  The  policy  covers  our  Guardant360  TissueNext  test  for  Medicare  fee-for-
service  patients  with  advanced  solid  tumor  cancers.  In  July  2022,  Palmetto  GBA  conveyed  coverage  for  our 
Guardant Reveal test for fee-for-service Medicare patients in the United States with stage II or III colorectal cancer 
whose testing is initiated within three months following curative intent therapy, with an effective date of December 
2021.

State Medicaid programs make individual coverage decisions for diagnostic tests and have taken steps to control the 
cost, utilization and delivery of healthcare services. We believe that additional state and federal health care reform 
measures may be adopted in the future, any of which could have a material adverse effect on the clinical laboratory 
industry and our ability to successfully commercialize our tests. Any of these or other changes could substantially 
impact our revenues and increase costs. We cannot predict how future healthcare policy changes, if any, will affect 
our business and financial success.  

Other Considerations

Where  we  are  not  reimbursed  in  full  or  at  all,  we  may  elect  to  appeal  the  insurer’s  underpayment  or  denial  of 
payment or seek payment from the patient. However, insurer appeal and patient collection efforts take a substantial 
amount of time and resources and are often unsuccessful. We cannot guarantee future success of, or any payments 
from,  appeals  of  reimbursement  denials  by  payers.  Historic  success  and  payments  are  not  indicative  of  future 
success of and payments from such appeals.

10

Due to the inherent variability and unpredictability of the reimbursement landscape, including related to the amount 
that payers reimburse us for any of our tests, we estimate the amount of revenue to be recognized at the time a test is 
provided  and  record  revenue  adjustments  if  and  when  the  cash  subsequently  received  differs  from  the  revenue 
recorded. Due to this variability and unpredictability, previously recorded revenue adjustments are not indicative of 
future revenue adjustments from actual cash collections, which may fluctuate significantly. Additionally, if coding 
changes  were  to  occur,  payments  for  certain  uses  of  our  tests  could  be  reduced,  put  on  hold,  or  eliminated.  This 
variability and unpredictability could increase the risk of future revenue reversal and result in our failing to meet any 
previously publicly stated guidance we may provide. 

Operations

We currently perform our tests in our laboratories located in Redwood City, California, and San Diego, California. 
Our Redwood City laboratory is CAP-accredited, CLIA-certified, NYSDOH-permitted, and licensed in California, 
Florida,  Maryland,  Pennsylvania  and  Rhode  Island,  and  also  achieved  ISO15189  accreditation.  Our  San  Diego 
laboratory  is  CAP-accredited  and  CLIA-certified.  In  addition,  our  Palo  Alto,  California  laboratory  is  currently 
operated as a center for our research and technology development. In February 2022, we received CAP accreditation 
for  our  laboratory  in  Japan  where  we  expect  to  commence  processing  samples  following  receipt  of  additional 
certification for processing IVD samples and reimbursement approval.  

The  proprietary  validated  methods  utilize  robust  semi-automated  workflows  designed  for  high  throughput  sample 
testing. This methodology allows for rapid scaling of testing volume without impacting performance metrics. Our 
testing process includes sample collection, laboratory processing, analysis and reporting. All major processing steps 
utilize quality control to ensure consistent and reproducible results. 

Supply chain

We utilize industry leading vendors for our supply chain. Most reagents and materials are sourced from a limited 
number of vendors and would require qualification to transition to a different vendor. To mitigate risk, we employ a 
multi-month,  multi-lot  safety  stock  strategy  to  ensure  an  uninterrupted  supply  of  reagent  and  materials  to  our 
laboratories.  In  the  event  that  a  latent  defect  is  identified,  the  lot  of  material  in  use  is  expected  to  be  timely 
quarantined and changed for a new lot that has been previously qualified and released for use. The experience with 
our vendors has provided us confidence in their ability to produce consistent and quality instrumentation, reagents 
and materials.

In  September  2014,  we  entered  into  a  supply  agreement  with  Illumina,  Inc.,  or  Illumina,  for  Illumina  to  provide 
products  and  services  that  can  be  used  for  certain  research  and  clinical  activities,  including  certain  sequencers, 
reagents,  and  other  consumables  for  use  with  the  Illumina  sequencers,  as  well  as  service  contracts  for  the 
maintenance  and  repair  of  the  sequencers.  The  initial  term  of  the  supply  agreement,  as  amended,  continues  until 
January  2033,  and  automatically  renews  for  additional  one-year  terms  thereafter  unless  either  we  or  Illumina 
terminate the supply agreement for the other’s uncured material breach, bankruptcy or insolvency-related events, or 
in the event a regulatory authority notifies such party that continued performance under the supply agreement would 
violate applicable laws or regulations. We may also terminate the supply agreement for convenience upon 90 days’ 
prior written notice.

Competition

Growing understanding of the importance of biomarkers linked with therapy selection, response and early screening 
is  leading  to  more  companies  offering  services  in  genomic  profiling.  The  promise  of  liquid  biopsy  testing  is  also 
leading  to  more  companies  attempting  to  enter  the  space  and  compete  with  us.  Our  main  competition  is  from 
diagnostic  companies  with  products  and  services  to  profile  genes  in  cancers  based  on  either  single-marker  or 
comprehensive genomic profile testing, based on next-generation sequencing in either blood or tissue. 

Our competitors within the liquid biopsy space for therapy selection include Foundation Medicine, Inc., which was 
acquired by Roche Holdings, Inc. in 2018; Roche Molecular Systems, Inc., Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc., Illumina, 
Inc.,  Qiagen  N.V.,  Invitae  Corporation,  Caris  Life  Science,  Tempus  Labs,  Inc.,  and  Agilent  Technologies,  Inc.  In 
addition,  NeoGenomics  Laboratories,  Inc.,  Natera,  Inc.,  and  Exact  Sciences  Corp.,  among  others,  are  our 
competitors  in  minimal  residual  disease  testing.  Additionally,  our  competitors  in  the  early  screening  testing  space 
include GRAIL, Inc., Exact Sciences Corp., Freenome Holdings, Inc., Delfi Diagnostics and InterVenn Biosciences.

11

Competitors within the broader genomics profiling space based on tissue include laboratory companies such as Bio-
Reference Laboratories, Inc., Laboratory Corporation of America and Quest Diagnostics, Inc., as well as companies 
such  as  Myriad  Genetics,  Inc.,  and  most  if  not  all  of  the  competitors  within  the  liquid  biopsy  space  for  therapy 
selection, that sell molecular diagnostic tests for cancer to physicians and have or may develop tests that compete 
with our tests. In addition, we are aware that certain of our customers are also developing their own tests and may 
decide to enter our market or otherwise stop using our tests.

In addition to developing kits, certain diagnostic companies also provide next-generation sequencing platforms that 
could  be  used  for  liquid  biopsy  testing.  These  include  Illumina,  Inc.,  Thermo  Fisher  Scientific  Inc.,  Pacific 
Biosciences  of  California,  Inc.,  Ultima  Genomics,  Inc.,  Oxford  Nanopore  Technologies  Limited,  and  other 
companies developing next-generation sequencing platforms that are sold directly to biopharmaceutical companies, 
clinical laboratories and research centers. While many of the applications for these platforms are focused on research 
and development applications, each of these companies has launched and could continue to commercialize products 
focused on the clinical oncology market. These tests could include FDA-approved diagnostic kits, which can be sold 
to the clients who have purchased their platforms. 

Furthermore, many companies are developing information technology-based tools to support the integration of next-
generation  sequencing  testing  into  the  clinical  setting.  These  companies  may  also  use  their  own  tests  or  others  to 
develop an integrated system which could limit our access to certain networks.

The promise of liquid biopsy is also leading to more companies attempting to enter the space and compete with us. 
Over  the  last  year,  that  has  included  new  and  accelerated  development  programs  by  a  number  of  potential 
competitors, and increasing levels of merger and acquisition activity by both existing and new competitors.

We believe key competitive factors affecting our success are the price and performance of our products, evidence of 
clinical  differentiation,  support  by  KOLs,  commercial  competitiveness,  turnaround  time  and  scope  and  quality  of 
payer  contracts.  Our  competitive  landscape  may  change  over  the  next  few  years  as  a  result  of  new  competitors 
entering through investment and acquisition activity.

Intellectual property

Protection of our intellectual property is fundamental to the long-term success of our business. We seek to ensure 
that investments made into the development of our technology are protected by relying on a combination of patents, 
trademarks,  copyrights,  trade  secrets  (such  as  know-how),  license  agreements,  confidentiality  agreements  and 
procedures, non-disclosure agreements, invention disclosure and assignment agreements and other contractual rights 
and obligations. 

Our  patent  strategy  is  focused  on  seeking  coverage  for  our  core  technology,  our  digital  sequencing  platform,  and 
specific  follow-on  applications  and  implementations  for  detecting  and  monitoring  cancer  or  other  diseases  by 
determining genetic variations in patient samples. In addition, we file for patent protection in connection with our 
on-going  research  and  development  activities,  particularly  those  related  to  early-stage  cancer  detection,  including 
those based on pattern recognition based on analyzing our extensive patient blood sample database, among others. 

Our patent portfolio includes owned and licensed patents and patent applications, generally falling into three broad 
categories:

•

•

•

issued patents and patent applications relating to our digital sequencing platform, including claims directed to 
methods  for  sequencing  cell-free  DNA,  identifying  CNVs,  SNVs,  indels  and  fusions  in  cell-free  DNA  and 
techniques for enriching nucleic acid samples;

issued  patents  and  patent  applications  relating  to  detecting  and  monitoring  cancer  and  other  diseases  by 
determining genetic variations in biological samples; and

issued patents and patent applications relating to early-stage cancer detection.

Issued U.S. patents and their international counterparts currently in our patent portfolio that relate to various aspects 
of our technology and products are expected to expire between 2026 and 2039.

We  also  bolster  our  proprietary  technology  by  acquiring  or  in-licensing  technologies  developed  by  third  parties. 
While  we  developed  our  digital  sequencing  platform  internally,  we  believe  the  technologies  we  in-licensed  from 
third  parties,  which  mostly  relate  to  improvements  to  next-generation  sequencing  technologies,  are  potentially 
valuable and of possible strategic importance to us or our competitors. Under some of our in-license agreements, we 
are obligated to pay low single-digit percentage running royalties on net sales of the product or service where the 
licensed technology is used in, subject to minimum annual royalties or fees for certain of the in-license agreements.

12

Our customers and partners recognize us as being a leader in the liquid biopsy field. Thus, just as patent and trade 
secret protection is essential to protecting our technology, we believe that it is equally as important for us to protect 
our  brand  and  identity.  We  have  filed  for  trademark  protection  in  our  name,  logo  and  products  globally,  in  the 
United States, Australia, South America, Europe and Asia.

We  intend  to  pursue  additional  intellectual  property  protection  to  the  extent  we  believe  it  would  advance  our 
business  objectives.  Despite  our  efforts  to  protect  our  intellectual  property  rights,  however,  we  may  not  be 
successful  and  our  intellectual  property  rights  may  be  invalidated,  circumvented  or  challenged  and  found 
unenforceable. In addition, laws of various foreign countries where our products are or expected to be sold may not 
protect our intellectual property rights to the same extent as laws in the United States.

We  also  rely  on  trade  secrets,  including  know-how,  to  protect  our  unpatented  technology  and  other  proprietary 
information, and to maintain and strengthen our competitive position. We have determined that certain technologies, 
such as aspects of our sample preparation methods and some bioinformatic analysis techniques, are better kept as 
trade secrets. To mitigate the chance of trade secret misappropriation, it is our policy to enter into nondisclosure and 
confidentiality agreements with parties who have access to our trade secrets, such as our employees, collaborators, 
outside scientific collaborators, consultants, advisors and other third parties. We also enter into invention disclosure 
and  assignment  agreements  with  our  employees  and  consultants  that  obligate  them  to  assign  to  us  any  inventions 
they have developed while working for us.

Government regulations

Federal and state laboratory licensing requirements

Under CLIA, a laboratory is any facility that performs laboratory testing on specimens derived from humans for the 
purpose  of  providing  information  for  the  diagnosis,  prevention  or  treatment  of  disease,  or  the  impairment  of  or 
assessment  of  health.  CLIA  requires  that  a  laboratory  hold  a  certificate  applicable  to  the  type  of  laboratory 
examinations it performs and that it complies with, among other things, standards covering operations, personnel, 
facilities administration, quality systems and proficiency testing, which are intended to ensure, among other things, 
that clinical laboratory testing services are accurate, reliable and timely. 

To renew our CLIA certificate, we are subject to survey and inspection every two years to assess compliance with 
program standards. Because we are a CAP accredited laboratory, CMS does not perform this survey and inspection 
and  relies  on  our  CAP  survey  and  inspection.  We  also  may  be  subject  to  additional  unannounced  inspections. 
Laboratories performing high complexity testing are required to meet more stringent requirements than laboratories 
performing  less  complex  tests.  In  addition,  a  laboratory  that  is  certified  as  “high  complexity”  under  CLIA  may 
develop,  manufacture,  validate  and  use  proprietary  tests  referred  to  as  LDTs.  CLIA  requires  analytical  validation 
including  accuracy,  precision,  specificity,  sensitivity  and  establishment  of  a  reference  range  for  any  LDT  used  in 
clinical testing. The regulatory and compliance standards applicable to any testing we perform may change over time 
and any such changes could have a material effect on our business. 

CLIA provides that a state may adopt laboratory regulations that are more stringent than those under federal law, 
and a number of states have implemented their own more stringent laboratory regulatory requirements. For example, 
state  laws  may  require  that  nonresident  laboratories,  or  out-of-state  laboratories,  maintain  an  in-state  laboratory 
license to perform tests on samples from patients who reside in that state. As a condition of state licensure, these 
state  laws  may  require  that  laboratory  personnel  meet  certain  qualifications,  specify  certain  quality  control 
procedures or facility requirements or prescribe record maintenance requirements. Because our laboratory is located 
in the State of California, we are required to and do maintain a California state laboratory license. We maintain a 
current  license  with  NYSDOH  for  our  laboratory.  In  addition,  our  laboratory  is  licensed  in  a  few  states  where 
nonresident  laboratories  are  required  to  obtain  state  laboratory  licenses  under  certain  circumstances,  including 
Florida,  Maryland,  Pennsylvania  and  Rhode  Island.  Other  states  may  currently  have  or  adopt  similar  licensure 
requirements in the future, which may require us to modify, delay or stop its operations in those states. 

Failure to comply with CLIA certification and state clinical laboratory licensure requirements may result in a range 
of enforcement actions, including certificate or license suspension, limitation, or revocation, directed plan of action, 
onsite  monitoring,  civil  monetary  penalties,  criminal  sanctions,  and  revocation  of  the  laboratory’s  approval  to 
receive Medicare and Medicaid payment for its services, as well as significant adverse publicity.

13

CLIA  and  state  laws  and  regulations,  operating  together,  sometimes  limit  the  ability  of  laboratories  to  offer 
consumer-initiated  testing  (also  known  as  “direct  access  testing”).  CLIA  certified  laboratories  are  permitted  to 
perform testing only upon the order of an “authorized person,” defined as an individual authorized under state law to 
order tests or receive test results, or both. Many states do not permit persons other than licensed healthcare providers 
to order tests. We currently do not offer direct access testing and our CLIA tests may only be ordered by authorized 
healthcare providers.

Regulatory framework for medical devices in the United States

Pursuant to its authority under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, or the FDCA, the FDA has jurisdiction 
over  medical  devices,  which  are  defined  to  include,  among  other  things,  IVDs.  The  FDA  regulates,  among  other 
things,  the  research,  design,  development,  pre-clinical  and  clinical  testing,  manufacturing,  safety,  effectiveness, 
packaging, labeling, storage, recordkeeping, pre-market clearance or approval, adverse event reporting, marketing, 
advertising  and  promotion  activities,  sales,  distribution  and  import  and  export  of  medical  devices  to  ensure  that 
medical  devices  distributed  domestically  are  safe  and  effective  for  their  intended  uses  and  otherwise  meet  the 
requirements of the FDCA. Unless an exemption applies, each new or significantly modified medical device we seek 
to  commercially  distribute  in  the  United  States  will  require  either  a  premarket  notification  to  the  FDA  requesting 
permission for commercial distribution under Section 510(k) of the FDCA, also referred to as a 510(k) clearance, or 
approval  from  the  FDA  of  a  PMA  application.  Both  the  510(k)  clearance  and  PMA  processes  can  be  resource 
intensive, expensive, and lengthy, and require payment of significant user fees.

Device classification

Under the FDCA, medical devices are classified into one of three classes-Class I, Class II or Class III-depending on 
the  degree  of  risk  associated  with  each  medical  device  and  the  extent  of  control  needed  to  provide  reasonable 
assurances with respect to safety and effectiveness.

Class I includes devices with the lowest risk to the patient and are those for which safety and effectiveness can be 
reasonably  assured  by  adherence  to  a  set  of  FDA  regulations,  referred  to  as  the  General  Controls  for  Medical 
Devices,  which  require  compliance  with  the  applicable  portions  of  the  FDA’s  quality  system  regulation,  or  QSR, 
facility registration and product listing, reporting of adverse events and malfunctions, and appropriate, truthful and 
non-misleading labeling and promotional materials. Some Class I devices also require premarket clearance by the 
FDA through the 510(k) premarket notification process described below. Most Class I products are exempt from the 
premarket notification requirements.

Class II devices are those that are subject to the General Controls, as well as special controls as deemed necessary by 
the  FDA  to  ensure  the  safety  and  effectiveness  of  the  device.  These  special  controls  can  include  performance 
standards,  patient  registries,  FDA  guidance  documents  and  post-market  surveillance.  Most  Class  II  devices  are 
subject  to  premarket  review  and  clearance  by  the  FDA.  Premarket  review  and  clearance  by  the  FDA  for  Class  II 
devices is accomplished through the 510(k) premarket notification process.

Class  III  devices  include  devices  deemed  by  the  FDA  to  pose  the  greatest  risk  such  as  life-supporting  or  life-
sustaining  devices,  or  implantable  devices,  in  addition  to  those  deemed  novel  and  not  substantially  equivalent 
following the 510(k) process. The safety and effectiveness of Class III devices cannot be reasonably assured solely 
by  the  General  Controls  and  special  controls  described  above.  Therefore,  these  devices  are  subject  to  the  PMA 
process, which is generally more costly and time-consuming than the 510(k) process. As part of the PMA process, 
the applicant must submit data and information demonstrating reasonable assurance of the safety and effectiveness 
of the device for its intended use to the FDA’s satisfaction. Accordingly, a PMA typically includes, but is not limited 
to,  extensive  technical  information  regarding  device  design  and  development,  pre-clinical  and  clinical  study  data, 
manufacturing  information,  labeling  and  financial  disclosure  information  for  the  clinical  investigators  in  device 
studies. A PMA must also provide valid scientific evidence that demonstrates to the FDA’s satisfaction a reasonable 
assurance of the safety and effectiveness of the device for its intended use.

14

The 510(k) clearance process

Under  the  510(k)  clearance  process,  the  manufacturer  must  submit  to  the  FDA  a  premarket  notification, 
demonstrating that the device is “substantially equivalent” to a legally marketed predicate device. A predicate device 
is a legally marketed device that is not subject to a PMA, i.e., a device that was legally marketed prior to May 28, 
1976 (pre-amendments device) and for which a PMA is not required, a device that has been reclassified from Class 
III to Class II or I, or a device that was previously found substantially equivalent through the 510(k) process. To be 
“substantially equivalent,” the proposed device must have the same intended use as the predicate device, and either 
have the same technological characteristics as the predicate device or have different technological characteristics and 
not raise different questions of safety or effectiveness than the predicate device. Clinical data is sometimes required 
to support substantial equivalence.

After a 510(k) premarket notification is submitted, the FDA determines whether to accept it for substantive review. 
If it lacks necessary information for substantive review, the FDA will refuse to accept the 510(k) notification. If it is 
accepted for filing, the FDA begins a substantive review. By statute, the FDA is required to complete its review of a 
510(k) notification within 90 days of receiving the 510(k) notification. As a practical matter, clearance often takes 
longer, and clearance is never assured. Although many 510(k) premarket notifications are cleared without clinical 
data, the FDA may require further information, including clinical data, to make a determination regarding substantial 
equivalence, which may significantly prolong the review process. If the FDA agrees that the device is substantially 
equivalent, it will grant clearance to commercially market the device.

If  the  FDA  determines  that  the  device  is  not  “substantially  equivalent”  to  a  predicate  device,  or  if  the  device  is 
automatically  classified  into  Class  III,  the  device  sponsor  must  then  fulfill  the  much  more  rigorous  pre-marketing 
requirements of the PMA approval process, or seek reclassification of the device through the de novo process. The 
de  novo  classification  process  is  an  alternate  pathway  to  classify  medical  devices  that  are  automatically  classified 
into Class III but which are low to moderate risk. A manufacturer can submit a petition for direct de novo review if 
the manufacturer is unable to identify an appropriate predicate device and the new device or new use of the device 
presents  a  moderate  or  low  risk.  De  novo  classification  may  also  be  available  after  receipt  of  a  “not  substantially 
equivalent” letter following submission of a 510(k) to FDA. 

After a device receives 510(k) clearance, any modification that could significantly affect its safety or effectiveness, 
or that would constitute a new or major change in its intended use, will require a new 510(k) clearance or, depending 
on  the  modification,  could  require  a  PMA  or  de  novo  request.  The  FDA  requires  each  manufacturer  to  determine 
whether  the  proposed  change  requires  a  new  submission  in  the  first  instance,  but  the  FDA  can  review  any  such 
decision and disagree with a manufacturer’s determination. Many minor modifications are accomplished by a letter-
to-file  in  which  the  manufacture  documents  the  change  in  an  internal  letter-to-file.  The  letter-to-file  is  in  lieu  of 
submitting a new 510(k) to obtain clearance for such change. The FDA can always review these letters to file in an 
inspection.  If  the  FDA  disagrees  with  a  manufacturer’s  determination  regarding  whether  a  new  premarket 
submission  is  required  for  the  modification  of  an  existing  510(k)-cleared  device,  the  FDA  can  require  the 
manufacturer to cease marketing and/or recall the modified device until 510(k) clearance or approval of a PMA is 
obtained  or  a  de  novo  request  is  granted.  In  addition,  in  these  circumstances,  the  FDA  can  impose  significant 
regulatory fines or penalties for failure to submit the requisite application(s).

In  addition,  over  the  last  several  years,  the  FDA  has  proposed  reforms  to  its  510(k)  clearance  process,  and  such 
proposals could include increased requirements for clinical data and a longer review period, or could make it more 
difficult  for  manufacturers  to  utilize  the  510(k)  clearance  process  for  their  products.  For  example,  in  September 
2019,  the  FDA  issued  revised  final  guidance  describing  an  optional  “safety  and  performance  based”  premarket 
review pathway for manufacturers of “certain, well-understood device types” to demonstrate substantial equivalence 
under  the  510(k)  clearance  pathway  by  showing  that  such  device  meets  objective  safety  and  performance  criteria 
established  by  the  FDA,  thereby  obviating  the  need  for  manufacturers  to  compare  the  safety  and  performance  of 
their medical devices to specific predicate devices in the clearance process. The FDA has developed and maintain a 
list  device  types  appropriate  for  the  “safety  and  performance  based”  pathway  and  continues  to  develop  product-
specific  guidance  documents  that  identify  the  performance  criteria  for  each  such  device  type,  as  well  as 
recommended testing methods, where feasible.

15

The PMA process

We  currently  market  our  Guardant360  CDx  test  pursuant  to  an  approved  PMA.  The  PMA  process  is  more 
demanding than the 510(k) premarket notification process. In a PMA, the manufacturer must demonstrate that the 
device  is  safe  and  effective,  and  the  PMA  must  be  supported  by  extensive  data,  including  data  from  preclinical 
studies and human clinical studies. The PMA must also contain a full description of the device and its components, a 
full  description  of  the  methods,  facilities,  and  controls  used  for  manufacturing,  and  proposed  labeling.  Following 
receipt of a PMA, the FDA conducts an administrative review to determine whether the application is sufficiently 
complete to permit a substantive review. If it is not, the agency will refuse to file the PMA. If it is, the FDA will 
accept the application for filing and begin the review. The FDA has 180 days to review a filed PMA, although the 
review of an application more often occurs over a significantly longer period of time. During this review period, the 
FDA  may  request  additional  information  or  clarification  of  information  already  provided  and  may  issue  a  major 
deficiency letter to the applicant, requesting the applicant’s response to deficiencies communicated by the FDA. 

Before  approving  or  denying  a  PMA,  an  FDA  advisory  committee  may  review  the  PMA  at  a  public  meeting  and 
provide  the  FDA  with  the  committee’s  recommendation  on  whether  the  FDA  should  approve  the  submission, 
approve it with specific conditions, or not approve it. The FDA is not bound by the recommendations of an advisory 
committee, but it considers such recommendations carefully when making decisions.

Prior to approval of a PMA, the FDA may conduct inspections of the clinical study data and clinical study sites, as 
well as inspections of the manufacturing facility and processes. Overall, the FDA review of a PMA generally takes 
between one and three years but may take significantly longer.

If the FDA evaluation of a PMA is favorable, the FDA will issue either an approval order, or an approvable letter, 
the latter of which usually contains a number of conditions that must be met in order to secure final approval of the 
PMA. When and if those conditions have been fulfilled to the satisfaction of the FDA, the agency will issue a PMA 
approval  letter  authorizing  commercial  marketing  of  the  device,  subject  to  the  conditions  of  approval  and  the 
limitations  established  in  the  approval  letter.  If  the  FDA’s  evaluation  of  a  PMA  or  manufacturing  facilities  is  not 
favorable, the FDA will deny approval of the PMA or issue a not approvable letter. The FDA may also determine 
that additional tests or clinical studies are necessary, in which case the PMA approval may be delayed for several 
months or years while the studies are conducted and data is submitted in an amendment to the PMA, or the PMA is 
withdrawn and resubmitted when the data are available. The PMA process can be expensive, uncertain and lengthy 
and a number of devices for which the FDA approval has been sought by other companies have never been approved 
for marketing.

In approving a PMA, as a condition of approval, the FDA may require some form of post-approval study or post-
market  surveillance,  whereby  the  applicant  conducts  a  follow-up  study  or  follows  certain  patient  groups  for  a 
number of years and makes periodic reports to the FDA on the clinical status of those patients when necessary to 
protect  the  public  health  or  to  provide  additional  or  longer  term  safety  and  effectiveness  data  for  the  device.  The 
FDA may also approve a PMA with other post-approval conditions intended to ensure the safety and effectiveness 
of  the  device,  such  as  restrictions  on  labeling,  promotion,  sale,  distribution  and  use.  New  PMAs  or  PMA 
supplements  may  also  be  required  for  modifications  to  approved  diagnostic  tests,  including  modifications  to 
manufacturing processes, device labeling and device design, based on the findings of post-approval studies. Failure 
to comply with the conditions of approval can result in material adverse enforcement action, including withdrawal of 
the approval.

Certain  changes  to  an  approved  device,  such  as  changes  in  manufacturing  facilities,  methods,  or  quality  control 
procedures, or changes in the design performance specifications, which could affect the safety or effectiveness of the 
device, require submission of a PMA supplement. PMA supplements often require submission of the same type of 
information as a PMA, except that the supplement is limited to information needed to support any changes from the 
device covered by the original PMA and may not require as extensive clinical data or the convening of an advisory 
panel. Certain other changes to an approved device require the submission of a new PMA, such as when the design 
change  causes  a  different  intended  use,  mode  of  operation,  and  technical  basis  of  operation,  or  when  the  design 
change is so significant that a new generation of the device will be developed, and the data that were submitted with 
the  original  PMA  are  not  applicable  for  the  change  in  demonstrating  a  reasonable  assurance  of  safety  and 
effectiveness.

16

The IDE process

Clinical studies are almost always required to support a PMA or a de novo request, and are sometimes required to 
support  510(k)  submissions.  All  clinical  investigations  of  devices  to  determine  safety  and  effectiveness  must  be 
conducted  in  accordance  with  the  FDA’s  investigational  device  exemption,  or  IDE,  regulations  which  govern 
investigational  device  labeling,  prohibit  promotion  of  the  investigational  device,  and  specify  an  array  of 
recordkeeping,  reporting  and  monitoring  responsibilities  of  study  sponsors  and  study  investigators.  If  the  device 
presents a “significant risk” to human health, as defined by the FDA, the FDA requires the device sponsor to submit 
an  IDE  application  to  the  FDA,  which  must  become  effective  prior  to  commencing  human  clinical  studies.  If  the 
device under evaluation does not present a significant risk to human health, then the device sponsor is not required 
to  submit  an  IDE  application  to  the  FDA  before  initiating  human  clinical  studies,  but  must  still  comply  with 
abbreviated  IDE  requirements  when  conducting  such  studies.  A  significant  risk  device  is  one  that  presents  a 
potential for serious risk to the health, safety or welfare of a patient and either is implanted, used in supporting or 
sustaining  human  life,  substantially  important  in  diagnosing,  curing,  mitigating  or  treating  disease  or  otherwise 
preventing  impairment  of  human  health,  or  otherwise  presents  a  potential  for  serious  risk  to  a  subject.  An  IDE 
application must be supported by appropriate data, such as animal and laboratory test results, showing that it is safe 
to test the device in humans and that the testing protocol is scientifically sound. The IDE will automatically become 
effective 30 days after receipt by the FDA unless the FDA notifies the company that the investigation may not begin. 
If the FDA determines that there are deficiencies or other concerns with an IDE for which it requires modification, 
the FDA may permit a clinical study to proceed under a conditional approval.

Regardless  of  the  degree  of  risk  presented  by  the  medical  device,  clinical  studies  must  be  approved  by,  and 
conducted  under  the  oversight  of,  an  Institutional  Review  Board,  or  IRB,  for  each  clinical  site.  The  IRB  is 
responsible for the initial and continuing review of the IDE, and may pose additional requirements for the conduct of 
the study. If an IDE application is approved by the FDA and one or more IRBs, human clinical studies may begin at 
a specific number of investigational sites with a specific number of patients, as approved by the FDA. If the device 
presents a non-significant risk to the patient, a sponsor may begin the clinical study after obtaining approval for the 
study  by  one  or  more  IRBs  without  separate  approval  from  the  FDA,  but  must  still  follow  abbreviated  IDE 
requirements,  such  as  monitoring  the  investigation,  ensuring  that  the  investigators  obtain  informed  consent,  and 
labeling and record-keeping requirements. Acceptance of an IDE application for review does not guarantee that the 
FDA will allow the IDE to become effective and, if it does become effective, the FDA may or may not determine 
that the data derived from the studies support the safety and effectiveness of the device or warrant the continuation 
of  clinical  studies.  An  IDE  supplement  must  be  submitted  to,  and  approved  by,  the  FDA  before  a  sponsor  or 
investigator may make a change to the investigational plan that may affect its scientific soundness, study plan or the 
rights, safety or welfare of human subjects.

During  a  study,  the  sponsor  is  required  to  comply  with  the  applicable  FDA  requirements,  including,  for  example, 
study  monitoring,  selecting  clinical  investigators  and  providing  them  with  the  investigational  plan,  ensuring  IRB 
review, adverse event reporting, record keeping and prohibitions on the promotion of investigational devices or on 
making  safety  or  effectiveness  claims  for  them.  The  clinical  investigators  in  the  clinical  study  are  also  subject  to 
FDA’s  regulations  and  must  obtain  patient  informed  consent,  rigorously  follow  the  investigational  plan  and  study 
protocol,  control  the  disposition  of  the  investigational  device,  and  comply  with  all  reporting  and  recordkeeping 
requirements.  Additionally,  after  a  study  begins,  the  sponsor,  the  FDA  or  the  IRB  could  suspend  or  terminate  a 
clinical  study  at  any  time  for  various  reasons,  including  a  belief  that  the  risks  to  study  subjects  outweigh  the 
anticipated benefits.

17

Expedited development and review programs

Following passage of the 21st Century Cures Act, the FDA implemented the Breakthrough Devices Program, which 
is a voluntary program offered to manufacturers of certain medical devices and device-led combination products that 
may  provide  for  more  effective  treatment  or  diagnosis  of  life-threatening  or  irreversibly  debilitating  diseases  or 
conditions.  The  goal  of  the  program  is  to  provide  patients  and  health  care  providers  with  more  timely  access  to 
qualifying devices by expediting their development, assessment and review, while preserving the statutory standards 
for  PMA  approval,  510(k)  clearance  and  de  novo  classification.  The  program  is  available  to  medical  devices  that 
meet  certain  eligibility  criteria,  including  that  the  device  provides  more  effective  treatment  or  diagnosis  of  life-
threatening or irreversibly debilitating diseases or conditions, and that the device meets one of the following criteria: 
(i)  the  device  represents  a  breakthrough  technology,  (ii)  no  approved  or  cleared  alternatives  exist,  (iii)  the  device 
offers significant advantages over existing approved or cleared alternatives, or (iv) the availability of the device is in 
the  best  interest  of  patients.  Breakthrough  Device  designation  provides  certain  benefits  to  device  developers, 
including  more  interactive  and  timely  communications  with  FDA  staff,  use  of  postmarket  data  collection,  when 
scientifically appropriate, to facilitate expedited and efficient development and review of the device, opportunities 
for efficient and flexible clinical study design, and prioritized review of premarket submissions.

FDA regulation of laboratory developed tests

Although the FDA has statutory authority to assure that medical devices, including IVDs, are safe and effective for 
their  intended  uses,  the  FDA  has  generally  exercised  its  enforcement  discretion  and  not  enforced  applicable 
regulations with respect to in vitro diagnostics that are designed, manufactured, and used within a single laboratory 
for use only in that laboratory. We believe certain of our diagnostic testing products qualify as LDTs subject to the 
FDA’s enforcement discretion. 

Legislative  and  administrative  proposals  to  clarify  or  amend  FDA’s  oversight  of  LDTs  have  been  introduced  in 
recent years and we expect that new legislative and administrative proposals regarding the regulation of LDTs will 
continue to be introduced from time to time. It is possible that legislation could be enacted into law or regulations or 
guidance  could  be  issued  by  the  FDA  which  may  result  in  new  or  increased  regulatory  requirements  for  us  to 
continue to offer our LDTs or to develop and introduce new tests as LDTs. For example, in recent years, FDA has 
stated its intention to modify its enforcement discretion policy with respect to LDTs. Specifically, on July 31, 2014, 
the FDA notified Congress of its intent to modify, in a risk-based manner, its policy of enforcement discretion with 
respect  to  LDTs.  On  October  3,  2014,  the  FDA  issued  two  draft  guidance  documents  titled  “Framework  for 
Regulatory Oversight of Laboratory Developed Tests (LDTs),” or the Framework Guidance, and “FDA Notification 
and  Medical  Device  Reporting  for  Laboratory  Developed  Tests  (LDTs),”  or  the  Reporting  Guidance.  The 
Framework Guidance stated that FDA intends to modify its policy of enforcement discretion with respect to LDTs in 
a  risk-based  manner  consistent  with  the  classification  of  medical  devices  generally  in  Classes  I  through  III.  The 
Reporting  Guidance  would  have  further  enabled  FDA  to  collect  information  regarding  the  LDTs  currently  being 
offered for clinical use through a notification process, as well as to enforce its regulations for reporting safety issues 
and collecting information on any known or suspected adverse events related to the use of an LDT. 

On November 18, 2016, the FDA announced that it would not finalize either guidance document to allow for further 
public discussion on an appropriate oversight approach to LDTs and to give Congressional authorizing committees 
the opportunity to develop a legislative solution, and the FDA issued a discussion paper on possible approaches to 
LDT  regulation  in  January  2017.  The  FDA  could  ultimately  modify  its  current  approach  to  LDTs  in  a  way  that 
would subject LDTs to additional regulatory requirements. Moreover, legislative measures could likewise result in a 
change  to  the  approach  to  FDA’s  regulation  over  LDTs,  including  a  requirement  for  premarket  review  of  LDTs, 
among other things.

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Research use only or investigational use only devices

Some of our products are currently available for research use only, or RUO, or for investigational use only, or IUO, 
depending  on  the  proposed  application.  An  RUO  device  is  an  IVD  that  is  in  the  laboratory  research  phase  of 
development. RUO devices must bear prominent labeling stating: “For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic 
procedures.” An IUO device is an IVD that in the product testing phase of development.  An IUO device must bear 
prominent labeling stating: “For Investigational Use Only. The performance characteristics of this product have not 
been  established.”  Neither  RUO  or  IUO  devices  may  be  used  in  clinical  practice,  and  such  devices  cannot  be 
advertised  or  promoted  for  clinical  or  diagnostic  purposes.  Devices  that  are  intended  for  RUO  or  IUO  and  are 
properly  labeled  as  RUO  or  IUO  are  exempt  from  compliance  with  many  FDA  requirements  discussed  above, 
including the approval or clearance and QSR requirements. A device labeled RUO or IUO but intended to be used 
diagnostically may be viewed by the FDA as adulterated and misbranded under the FDCA and is subject to FDA 
enforcement activities. The FDA may consider the totality of the circumstances surrounding distribution and use of 
an RUO or IUO device, including how the device is marketed, when determining its intended use.

FDA Regulation of Companion Diagnostics

If safe and effective use of drug or biologic depends on an in vitro diagnostic, then the FDA may require approval 
or  clearance  of  that  diagnostic,  known  as  a  companion  diagnostic,  at  the  same  time  that  the  FDA  approves  the 
therapeutic product. In August 2014, the FDA issued final guidance clarifying the requirements that will apply to 
approval  of  therapeutic  products  and  in  vitro  companion  diagnostics.  According  to  the  guidance,  if  the  FDA 
determines  that  a  companion  diagnostic  device  is  essential  to  the  safe  and  effective  use  of  a  novel  therapeutic 
product for that indication, the FDA may will not approve the drug or new indication if the companion diagnostic 
device is not also approved or cleared for that indication. Approval or clearance of the companion diagnostic device 
will  ensure  that  the  device  has  been  adequately  evaluated  and  has  adequate  performance  characteristics  in  the 
intended population. 

Our Guardant 360 CDx test has been approved by the FDA for use as a companion diagnostic to identify NSCLC 
and breast cancer patients who may respond to certain therapies marketed by our biopharmaceutical customers.

Pervasive and continuing FDA regulation

After a device enters commercial distribution, numerous regulatory requirements continue to apply. These include:

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establishment registration and device listing with the FDA;

the FDA’s QSR, which requires manufacturers, including third-party manufacturers, to follow stringent design, 
testing, production, control, supplier/contractor selection, complaint handling, documentation and other quality 
assurance procedures during all aspects of the manufacturing process;

labeling regulations, unique device identification requirements and FDA prohibitions against the promotion of 
products for uncleared, unapproved or off-label uses;

advertising and promotion requirements;

restrictions on sale, distribution or use of a device;

PMA annual reporting requirements;

PMA approval of product modifications, or the potential for new 510(k) clearances for certain modifications to 
510(k)-cleared devices;

• medical device reporting regulations, which require that manufacturers report to the FDA if their device may 
have  caused  or  contributed  to  a  death  or  serious  injury  or  malfunctioned  in  a  way  that  would  likely  cause  or 
contribute to a death or serious injury if the malfunction were to recur;

• medical  device  correction  and  removal  reporting  regulations,  which  require  that  manufacturers  report  to  the 
FDA  field  corrections  and  product  recalls  or  removals  if  undertaken  to  reduce  a  risk  to  health  posed  by  the 
device or to remedy a violation of the FDCA that may present a risk to health;

•

•

recall requirements, including a mandatory recall if there is a reasonable probability that the device would cause 
serious adverse health consequences or death;

an order of repair, replacement or refund;

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•

•

device tracking requirements; and

post-market  surveillance  regulations,  which  apply  when  necessary  to  protect  the  public  health  or  to  provide 
additional safety and effectiveness data for the device.

The FDA has broad post-market and regulatory enforcement powers. Medical device manufacturers are subject to 
unannounced inspections by the FDA and other state, local and foreign regulatory authorities to assess compliance 
with the QSR and other applicable regulations, and these inspections may include the manufacturing facilities of any 
suppliers. Failure to comply with applicable regulatory requirements can result in enforcement action by the FDA, 
which  may  include  sanctions  such  as:  warning  letters,  fines,  injunctions,  consent  decrees  and  civil  penalties; 
unanticipated  expenditures,  repair,  replacement,  refunds,  recall  or  seizure  of  our  products;  operating  restrictions, 
partial  suspension  or  total  shutdown  of  production;  the  FDA’s  refusal  of  our  requests  for  510(k)  clearance  or 
premarket approval of new products, new intended uses or modifications to existing products; the FDA’s refusal to 
issue  certificates  to  foreign  governments  needed  to  export  products  for  sale  in  other  countries;  and  withdrawing 
510(k) clearance or premarket approvals that have already been granted and criminal prosecution.

Foreign regulation of medical devices

Medical  devices  (including  in  vitro  diagnostic  medical  devices)  are  subject  to  extensive  regulation,  such  as 
premarket review, marketing authorization or certification, by similar agencies or notified bodies in other countries. 
Regulatory requirements and approval or certification processes are not harmonized and vary from one country to 
another. International regulators and notified bodies are independent and not bound by the findings of the FDA.

Regulation of Medical Devices in the EU

The EU has adopted specific directives and regulations regulating the design, manufacture, clinical investigations, 
conformity  assessment,  labeling  and  adverse  event  reporting  for  medical  devices  (including  in  vitro  diagnostic 
medical devices). 

In  the  EU,  there  is  currently  no  premarket  government  review  of  medical  devices  (including  in  vitro  diagnostic 
medical devices). However, the EU requires that all in vitro diagnostic medical devices placed on the market in the 
EU must meet the essential requirements of the EU In Vitro Diagnostic Medical Devices Directive (Directive 98/79/
EC),  or  IVDD,  including  the  requirement  that  an  in  vitro  diagnostic  medical  device  must  be  designed  and 
manufactured in such a way that it will not compromise the clinical condition or safety of patients, or the safety and 
health of users and others. In addition, the device must achieve the performances intended by the manufacturer and 
be  designed,  manufactured,  and  packaged  in  a  suitable  manner.  The  European  Commission  has  adopted  various 
standards  applicable  to  medical  devices.  There  are  also  harmonized  standards  relating  to  design  and  manufacture. 
While  not  mandatory,  compliance  with  these  standards  is  viewed  as  the  easiest  way  to  satisfy  the  essential 
requirements  as  a  practical  matter  as  it  creates  a  rebuttable  presumption  that  the  device  satisfies  that  essential 
requirement.

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Compliance with the essential requirements of the IVDD is a prerequisite for European conformity marking, or CE 
mark,  without  which  in  vitro  diagnostic  medical  devices  cannot  be  marketed  or  sold  in  the  EU.  To  demonstrate 
compliance with the essential requirements laid down in Annex I to the IVDD, medical device manufacturers must 
undergo  a  conformity  assessment  procedure,  which  varies  according  to  the  type  of  medical  device  and  its  (risk) 
classification.  As  a  general  rule,  demonstration  of  conformity  of  in  vitro  diagnostic  medical  devices  and  their 
manufacturers with the essential requirements must be based, among other things, on the evaluation of clinical data 
supporting the safety and performance of the products during normal conditions of use. Specifically, a manufacturer 
must demonstrate that the device achieves its intended performance during normal conditions of use, that the known 
and foreseeable risks, and any adverse events, are minimized and acceptable when weighed against the benefits of its 
intended performance, and that any claims made about the performance and safety of the device are supported by 
suitable  evidence.  Except  for  (general)  in  vitro  diagnostic  medical  devices  (i.e.,  all  in  vitro  diagnostic  medical 
devices other than those covered by Annex II to the IVDD and in vitro diagnostic medical devices for self-testing), 
where the manufacturer can self-declare the conformity of its products with the essential requirements, a conformity 
assessment  procedure  requires  the  intervention  of  a  notified  body.  Notified  bodies  are  independent  organizations 
designated by EU member states to assess the conformity of devices before being placed on the market. A notified 
body  would  typically  audit  and  examine  a  product’s  technical  dossiers  and  the  manufacturers’  quality  system 
(notified  body  must  presume  that  quality  systems  which  implement  the  relevant  harmonized  standards  –  which  is 
ISO 13485:2016 for Quality Management Systems – conform to these requirements). If satisfied that the relevant 
product conforms to the relevant essential requirements, the notified body issues a certificate of conformity, which 
the  manufacturer  uses  as  a  basis  for  its  own  declaration  of  conformity.  The  manufacturer  may  then  apply  the  CE 
mark to the device, which allows the device to be placed on the market throughout the EU. We have obtained CE 
mark for our Guardant360 CDx test and the non-CDx blood collection kit. 

Throughout the term of the certificate of conformity, the manufacturer will be subject to periodic surveillance audits 
to  verify  continued  compliance  with  the  applicable  requirements.  In  particular,  there  will  be  a  new  audit  by  the 
notified body before it will renew the relevant certificate(s).

All  manufacturers  placing  in  vitro  diagnostic  medical  devices  on  the  market  in  the  EU  must  comply  with  the  EU 
medical device vigilance system. Under this system, incidents must be reported to the relevant authorities of the EU 
member states, and manufacturers are required to take Field Safety Corrective Actions, or FSCAs, to reduce a risk of 
death or serious deterioration in the state of health associated with the use of an in vitro diagnostic medical device 
that is already placed on the market. An incident is defined as any malfunction or deterioration in the characteristics 
and/or performance of a device, as well as any inadequacy in the labeling or the instructions for use which, directly 
or  indirectly,  might  lead  to  or  might  have  led  to  the  death  of  a  patient  or  user  or  of  other  persons  or  to  a  serious 
deterioration  in  their  state  of  health.  An  FSCA  may  include  the  recall,  modification,  exchange,  destruction  or 
retrofitting  of  the  device.  FSCAs  must  be  communicated  by  the  manufacturer  or  its  legal  representative  to  its 
customers and/or to the end users of the device through field safety notices.

The advertising and promotion of in vitro diagnostic medical devices is subject to some general principles set forth 
by EU directives. According to the IVDD, only devices that are CE marked may be marketed and advertised in the 
EU  in  accordance  with  their  intended  purpose.  Directive  2006/114/EC  concerning  misleading  and  comparative 
advertising  and  Directive  2005/29/EC  on  unfair  commercial  practices,  while  not  specific  to  the  advertising  of 
medical  devices,  also  apply  to  the  advertising  thereof  and  contain  general  rules,  for  example  requiring  that 
advertisements are evidenced, balanced and not misleading. Specific requirements are defined at national level. EU 
member  states  laws  related  to  the  advertising  and  promotion  of  medical  devices  (including  in  vitro  diagnostic 
medical devices), which vary between jurisdictions, may limit or restrict the advertising and promotion of products 
to the general public and may impose limitations on promotional activities with healthcare professionals.

Many EU member states have adopted specific anti-gift statutes that further limit commercial practices for medical 
devices  (including  in  vitro  diagnostic  medical  devices),  in  particular  vis-à-vis  healthcare  professionals  and 
organizations. Additionally, there has been a recent trend of increased regulation of payments and transfers of value 
provided to healthcare professionals or entities and many EU member states have adopted national “Sunshine Acts” 
which impose reporting and transparency requirements (often on an annual basis), similar to the requirements in the 
United  States,  on  medical  device  manufacturers.  Certain  countries  also  mandate  implementation  of  commercial 
compliance programs.

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In the EU, regulatory authorities have the power to carry out announced and, if necessary, unannounced inspections 
of companies, as well as suppliers and/or sub-contractors and, where necessary, the facilities of professional users. 
Failure to comply with regulatory requirements (as applicable) could require time and resources to respond to the 
regulatory authorities’ observations and to implement corrective and preventive actions, as appropriate. Regulatory 
authorities have broad compliance and enforcement powers and if such issues cannot be resolved to their satisfaction 
can  take  a  variety  of  actions,  including  untitled  or  warning  letters,  fines,  consent  decrees,  injunctions,  or  civil  or 
criminal penalties. 

The EU regulatory landscape concerning medical devices is evolving. On April 5, 2017 Regulation (EU) 2017/746 
of the European Parliament and of the Council on in vitro diagnostic medical devices and repealing Directive 98/79/
EC and Commission Decision 2010/227/EU, or IVDR, was adopted to establish a modernized and more robust EU 
legislative  framework,  with  the  aim  of  ensuring  better  protection  of  public  health  and  patient  safety.  Unlike  the 
IVDD, the IVDR is directly applicable in all EU member states without the need for member states to implement 
into  national  law.  This  aims  at  reducing  the  risk  of  discrepancies  in  interpretation  across  the  different  European 
markets. On October 14, 2021, the European Commission proposed a “progressive” roll-out of the IVDR to prevent 
disruption  in  the  supply  of  in  vitro  diagnostic  medical  devices.  Consequently,  if  the  European  Parliament  and 
Council adopt the proposed regulation, the IVDR will fully apply on May 26, 2022 but there will be a tiered system 
extending  the  grace  period  for  many  devices  (depending  on  their  risk  classification)  before  they  have  to  be  fully 
compliant with the regulation.

The  IVDR  will  become  applicable  five  years  after  publication  on  May  26,  2022.  Once  applicable,  the  IVDR  will 
among other things:

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strengthen the rules on placing devices on the market and reinforce surveillance once they are available;

establish explicit provisions on manufacturers’ responsibilities for the follow-up of the quality, performance and 
safety of devices placed on the market;

establish explicit provisions on importers’ and distributors’ obligations and responsibilities; 

impose an obligation to identify a responsible person who is ultimately responsible for all aspects of compliance 
with the requirements of the new regulation;

improve the traceability of medical devices throughout the supply chain to the end-user or patient through the 
introduction  of  a  unique  identification  number,  to  increase  the  ability  of  manufacturers  and  regulatory 
authorities to trace specific devices through the supply chain and to facilitate the prompt and efficient recall of 
medical devices that have been found to present a safety risk;

set  up  a  central  database  (Eudamed)  to  provide  patients,  healthcare  professionals  and  the  public  with 
comprehensive information on products available in the EU; and

strengthen rules for the assessment of certain high-risk devices that may have to undergo an additional check by 
experts before they are placed on the market.

Regulation of Companion Diagnostics 

In the EU, in vitro diagnostic medical devices are regulated by the IVDD which regulates the placing on the market, 
the CE marking, the essential requirements, the conformity assessment procedures, the registration obligations for 
manufactures and devices as well as the vigilance procedure. In vitro diagnostic medical devices must comply with 
the requirements provided for in the IVDD, and with further requirements implemented at national level (as the case 
may be). 

The  regulation  of  companion  diagnostics  will  be  subject  to  further  requirements  once  the  IVDR  will  become 
applicable on May 26, 2022. The IVDR introduces a new classification system for companion diagnostics which are 
now specifically defined as diagnostic tests that support the safe and effective use of a specific medicinal product, by 
identifying  patients  that  are  suitable  or  unsuitable  for  treatment.  Companion  diagnostics  will  have  to  undergo  a 
conformity  assessment  by  a  notified  body.  Before  it  can  issue  a  CE  certificate,  the  notified  body  must  seek  a 
scientific opinion from the European Medicines Agency, or EMA, on the suitability of the companion diagnostic to 
the  medicinal  product  concerned  if  the  medicinal  product  falls  exclusively  within  the  scope  of  the  centralized 
procedure for the authorization of medicines, or the medicinal product is already authorized through the centralized 
procedure,  or  a  marketing  authorization  application  for  the  medicinal  product  has  been  submitted  through  the 
centralized  procedure.  For  other  substances,  the  notified  body  can  seek  the  opinion  from  a  national  competent 
authorities or the EMA.

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The aforementioned EU rules are generally applicable in the European Economic Area, or EEA, which consists of 
the 27 EU member states plus Norway, Liechtenstein and Iceland. 

Brexit

Since  January  1,  2021,  the  Medicines  and  Healthcare  Products  Regulatory  Agency,  or  MHRA,  has  become  the 
sovereign  regulatory  authority  responsible  for  Great  Britain  (i.e.  England,  Wales  and  Scotland)  medical  device 
market  according  to  the  requirements  provided  in  the  Medical  Devices  Regulations  2002  (SI  2002  No  618,  as 
amended)  that  sought  to  give  effect  to  the  three  pre-existing  EU  directives  governing  active  implantable  medical 
devices, general medical devices and in vitro diagnostic medical devices whereas Northern Ireland continues to be 
governed by EU rules according to the Northern Ireland Protocol. Following the end of the Brexit transitional period 
on  January  1,  2021,  new  regulations  require  medical  devices  to  be  registered  with  the  MHRA  (but  manufacturers 
were given a grace period of four to 12 months to comply with the new registration process) before being placed on 
Great Britain market. The MHRA only registers devices where the manufacturer or their United Kingdom, or UK, 
Responsible  Person  has  a  registered  place  of  business  in  the  UK.  Manufacturers  based  outside  the  UK  need  to 
appoint  a  UK  Responsible  Person  that  has  a  registered  place  of  business  in  the  UK  to  register  devices  with  the 
MHRA in line with the grace periods. By July 1, 2023, in Great Britain, all medical devices will require a UKCA, or 
UK  Conformity  Assessed,  mark  but  CE  marks  issued  by  EU  notified  bodies  will  remain  valid  until  this  time. 
Manufacturers  may  choose  to  use  the  UKCA  mark  on  a  voluntary  basis  until  June  30,  2023.  However,  UKCA 
marking will not be recognized in the EU. The rules for placing medical devices on the market in Northern Ireland, 
which is part of the UK, differ from those in the rest of the UK. Compliance with this legislation is a prerequisite to 
be able to affix the UKCA mark to our products, without which they cannot be sold or marketed in Great Britain.

An MHRA public consultation was opened until end of November 2021 on the post-Brexit regulatory framework for 
medical  devices  and  diagnostics.  MHRA  seeks  to  amend  the  UK  Medical  Devices  Regulations  2002  (which  are 
based  on  EU  legislation,  primarily  the  EU  Medical  Devices  Directive  93/42/EEC  and  the  IVDD),  in  particular  to 
create  a  new  access  pathways  to  support  innovation,  create  an  innovative  framework  for  regulating  software  and 
artificial intelligence, or AI, as  medical devices, reform IVD regulation, and foster sustainability through the reuse 
and remanufacture of medical devices. The regime is expected to come into force in July 2023, coinciding with the 
end of the acceptance period for EU CE marks in Great Britain, subject to appropriate transitional arrangements. The 
consultation indicated that the MHRA will publish guidance in relation to the changes to the regulatory framework 
and may rely more heavily on guidance to add flexibility to the regime.

In  addition,  the  Trade  Deal  between  the  UK  and  the  EU  generally  provides  for  cooperation  and  exchange  of 
information  between  the  parties  in  the  areas  of  product  safety  and  compliance,  including  market  surveillance, 
enforcement  activities  and  measures,  standardization-related  activities,  exchanges  of  officials,  and  coordinated 
product  recalls.  As  such,  processes  for  compliance  and  reporting  should  reflect  requirements  from  regulatory 
authorities. 

Under the terms of the Northern Ireland Protocol, Northern Ireland follows EU rules on medical devices and devices 
marketed in Northern Ireland require assessment according to the EU regulatory regime. Such assessment may be 
conducted by an EU notified body, in which case a CE mark is required before placing the device on the market in 
the  EU  or  Northern  Ireland.  Alternatively,  if  a  UK  notified  body  conducts  such  assessment,  a  ‘UKNI’  mark  is 
applied and the device may only be placed on the market in Northern Ireland and not the EU. 

Other foreign regulations

In February 2021, Guardant Health Japan, an affiliate of Guardant AMEA, submitted an application to the MHLW, 
for  regulatory  approval  of  Guardant360  CDx.  In  December  2021,  the  MHLW  granted  regulatory  approval  of 
Guardant360 CDx in patients with advanced solid cancers. The Guardant360 CDx test was also granted approval as 
a  companion  diagnostic  to  identify  patients  with  microsatellite  instability-high  (MSI-High)  solid  tumors  who  may 
benefit from Keytruda® (pembrolizumab) and patients with MSI-High advanced colorectal cancer who may benefit 
from Opdivo® (nivolumab). The MHLW additionally granted regulatory approval of the Guardant360 CDx liquid 
biopsy test as a companion diagnostic for identifying patients with metastatic NSCL cancer who may benefit from 
treatment with LUMAKRASTM (sotorasib), a KRAS G12C inhibitor developed and manufactured by Amgen.

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To  be  sold  in  Japan,  most  medical  devices  must  undergo  thorough  safety  examinations  and  demonstrate  medical 
efficacy  before  they  are  granted  approval,  or  “shonin.”  The  Japanese  government,  through  the  MHLW,  regulates 
medical  devices  under  the  Pharmaceutical  Affairs  Law,  or  PAL.  Oversight  for  medical  devices  is  conducted  with 
participation  by  the  Pharmaceutical  and  Medical  Devices  Agency,  or  PMDA,  a  quasi-government  organization 
performing many of the review functions for the MHLW. Penalties for a company’s noncompliance with PAL can 
be severe, including revocation or suspension of a company’s business license and criminal sanctions. The MHLW 
and  PMDA  also  assess  the  quality  management  systems  of  the  manufacturer  and  product  conformity  to  the 
requirements of the PAL. We are subject to compliance inspections by these agencies.

We will seek approvals in other countries as may be required in the future.

Federal and state fraud and abuse laws

We  are  subject  to  federal  fraud  and  abuse  laws  such  as  the  federal  Anti-Kickback  Statute,  or  AKS,  the  federal 
Eliminating Kickbacks in Recovery Act, or EKRA, the federal prohibition against physician self-referral, or Stark 
Law,  and  the  federal  false  claims  law,  or  the  False  Claims  Act,  or  FCA.  We  are  also  subject  to  similar  state  and 
foreign fraud and abuse laws.

The  AKS  prohibits  knowingly  and  willfully  offering,  paying,  soliciting,  or  receiving  remuneration,  directly  or 
indirectly, overtly or covertly, in cash or in kind, in return for or to induce such person to refer an individual, or to 
purchase, lease, order, arrange for, or recommend purchasing, leasing or ordering, any good, facility, item or service 
that  is  reimbursable,  in  whole  or  in  part,  under  a  federal  healthcare  program.  A  person  or  entity  does  not  need  to 
have  actual  knowledge  of  the  statute  or  specific  intent  to  violate  it  in  order  to  have  committed  a  violation.  In 
addition,  the  government  may  assert  that  a  claim  including  items  or  services  resulting  from  an  AKS  violation 
constitutes a false or fraudulent claim for purposes of the False Claims Act.

The  EKRA  prohibits  knowingly  and  willfully  soliciting  or  receiving  any  remuneration  (including  any  kickback, 
bribe  or  rebate)  directly  or  indirectly,  overtly  or  covertly,  in  cash  or  in  kind,  in  return  for  referring  a  patient  or 
patronage to a laboratory; or paying or offering any remuneration (including any kickback, bribe or rebate) directly 
or  indirectly,  overtly  or  covertly,  in  cash  or  in  kind,  to  induce  a  referral  of  an  individual  to  a  laboratory  or  in 
exchange  for  an  individual  using  the  services  of  that  laboratory.  The  EKRA  applies  to  all  payers  including 
commercial payers and government payers, and EKRA violations result in significant fines and/or up to 10 years in 
jail, separate and apart from existing AKS regulations.

The  Stark  Law  and  similar  state  laws,  including  California’s  Physician  Ownership  and  Referral  Act,  generally 
prohibit, among other things, clinical laboratories and other entities from billing a patient or any governmental or 
commercial  payer  for  any  diagnostic  services  when  the  physician  ordering  the  service,  or  any  member  of  such 
physician’s immediate family, has a direct or indirect investment interest in or compensation arrangement with us, 
unless the arrangement meets an exception to the prohibition. 

Other  federal  fraud  and  abuse  laws  to  which  we  are  subject  include  but  are  not  limited  to  the  federal  civil  and 
criminal  false  claims  laws  including  the  FCA,  which  imposes  liability  on  any  person  or  entity  that,  among  other 
things,  knowingly  presents,  or  causes  to  be  presented,  a  false  or  fraudulent  claim  for  payment  to  the  federal 
government,  and  the  federal  Civil  Monetary  Penalties  Law,  which  prohibits,  among  other  things,  the  offering  or 
transfer of remuneration to a Medicare or state healthcare program beneficiary if the person knows or should know it 
is  likely  to  influence  the  beneficiary’s  selection  of  a  particular  provider,  practitioner,  or  supplier  of  services 
reimbursable  by  Medicare  or  a  state  healthcare  program,  unless  an  exception  applies.  Under  the  FCA,  private 
citizens  can  bring  claims  on  behalf  of  the  government  through  qui  tam  actions.  We  must  also  operate  within  the 
bounds  of  the  fraud  and  abuse  laws  of  the  states  in  which  we  do  business  which  may  apply  to  items  or  services 
reimbursed by non-governmental third-party payers, including private insurers.

In  addition,  the  Physician  Payments  Sunshine  Act  imposes,  among  other  things,  reporting  requirements  on 
manufacturers  of  certain  devices,  drugs  and  biologics  for  certain  payments  and  transfers  of  value  by  them  and  in 
some  cases  their  distributors  to  physicians  (defined  to  include  doctors,  dentists,  optometrists,  podiatrists  and 
chiropractors), certain other health care providers such as physician assistants and nurse practitioners, and teaching 
hospitals,  as  well  as  ownership  and  investment  interests  held  by  physicians  (as  defined  by  the  statute)  and  their 
immediate family members. Manufacturers must submit reports by the 90th day of each calendar year. Because we 
manufacture our own LDTs solely for use by or within our own laboratory, we believe that we are currently exempt 
from these reporting requirements.

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Efforts to ensure that our business arrangements with third parties comply with applicable laws and regulations will 
involve  substantial  costs.  If  our  operations  are  found  to  be  in  violation  of  any  of  these  laws  or  any  other 
governmental regulations that may apply to us, we may be subject to significant civil, criminal and administrative 
penalties, damages, fines, imprisonment, exclusion from government-funded healthcare programs, such as Medicare 
and  Medicaid,  disgorgement,  contractual  damages,  reputational  harm,  diminished  profits  and  future  earnings, 
additional  reporting  or  oversight  obligations  if  we  become  subject  to  a  corporate  integrity  agreement  or  other 
agreement  to  resolve  allegations  of  non-compliance  with  the  law  and  the  curtailment  or  restructuring  of  our 
operations, any of which could adversely affect our ability to operate our business and our results of operations. If 
any physicians or other healthcare providers or entities with whom we do business is found to be not in compliance 
with applicable laws, they may be subject to criminal, civil or administrative sanctions, including exclusions from 
government-funded healthcare programs.

In January 2022, we received a civil investigative demand, or CID, from the United States Attorney for the Northern 
District of California in connection with an investigation under the False Claims Act. The CID requests information 
and documents regarding billing government-funded programs for our panel of genetic tests known as Guardant360. 
We  are  fully  cooperating  with  the  investigation.  At  this  time,  we  are  unable  to  predict  the  outcome  of  this 
investigation.  See “Commitments and Contingencies – Legal Proceedings” in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for 
more information.

Data Privacy and Security

Numerous  state,  federal  and  foreign  laws,  regulations  and  standards  govern  the  collection,  use,  access  to, 
confidentiality and security of health-related and other personal information, and could apply now or in the future to 
our  operations  or  the  operations  of  our  partners.  In  the  United  States,  numerous  federal  and  state  laws  and 
regulations,  including  data  breach  notification  laws,  health  information  privacy  and  security  laws  and  consumer 
protection  laws  and  regulations  govern  the  collection,  use,  disclosure,  and  protection  of  health-related  and  other 
personal information. In addition, certain foreign laws govern the privacy and security of personal data, including 
health-related  data.  Privacy  and  security  laws,  regulations,  and  other  obligations  are  constantly  evolving,  may 
conflict with each other to complicate compliance efforts, and can result in investigations, proceedings, or actions 
that lead to significant civil and/or criminal penalties and restrictions on data processing.

Cybersecurity

In  the  normal  course  of  business,  we  may  collect  and  store  personal  information  and  other  sensitive  information, 
including  proprietary  and  confidential  business  information,  trade  secrets,  intellectual  property,  information 
regarding  study  participants  in  connection  with  clinical  studies,  sensitive  third-party  information  and  employee 
information.  To  protect  this  information,  our  existing  cybersecurity  policies  require  monitoring  and  detection 
programs,  network  security  precautions,  encryption  of  critical  data,  and  management  of  third  party  risk.  We 
maintain  various  protections  designed  to  safeguard  against  cyberattacks,  including  firewalls  and  virus  detection 
software.  We  have  established  and  test  our  disaster  recovery  plan  and  we  protect  against  business  interruption  by 
backing  up  our  major  systems.  In  addition,  we  periodically  scan  our  environment  for  any  vulnerabilities,  perform 
penetration  testing  and  engage  third  parties  to  assess  effectiveness  of  our  data  security  practices.  In  addition,  we 
maintain insurance that includes cybersecurity coverage.

Our  cybersecurity  program  is  led  by  a  team  of  cybersecurity  professionals.  The  program  incorporates  industry-
standard  frameworks,  policies  and  practices  designed  to  protect  the  privacy  and  security  of  our  sensitive 
information.  Our  cybersecurity  team  reports  to  the  full  Board  of  Directors  annually  on  information  security  and 
cybersecurity matters, or as needed. Our Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, which is comprised of 
several  members  from  our  Board  of  Directors,  has  oversight  responsibility  for  our  data  security  practices  and  we 
believe  the  committee  has  the  requisite  skills  and  visibility  into  the  design  and  operation  of  our  data  security 
practices  to  fulfill  this  responsibility  effectively.  Five  members  from  our  Board  of  Directors  have  cybersecurity 
experience, including AmirAli Talasaz, Vijaya Gadde, Meghan Joyce, Samir Kaul and Myrtle Potter.

Despite the implementation of our cybersecurity program, our security measures cannot guarantee that a significant 
cyberattack  will  not  occur.  A  successful  attack  on  our  information  technology  systems  could  have  significant 
consequences  to  the  business.  While  we  devote  resources  to  our  security  measures  to  protect  our  systems  and 
information,  these  measures  cannot  provide  absolute  security.  See  “Risk  Factors  –  General  Risk  Factors”  for 
additional  information  about  the  risks  to  our  business  associated  with  a  breach  or  compromise  to  our  information 
technology systems.

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U.S. healthcare reform 

In the United States, there have been a number of legislative and regulatory changes at the federal and state levels 
which  seek  to  reduce  healthcare  costs  and  improve  the  quality  of  healthcare.  For  example,  in  March  2010,  the 
Patient  Protection  and  Affordable  Care  Act,  as  amended  by  the  Health  Care  and  Education  Affordability 
Reconciliation  Act,  or  the  ACA,  became  law.  The  ACA  substantially  changed  the  way  healthcare  is  financed  by 
both commercial and government payers and contains a number of provisions expected to impact our business and 
operations, some of which in ways we cannot currently predict, including those governing enrollment in federal and 
state healthcare programs, reimbursement changes and fraud and abuse.

Since its enactment, there have been efforts to repeal all or part of the ACA. On June 17, 2021, the U.S. Supreme 
Court dismissed the most recent judicial challenge to the ACA brought by several states without specifically ruling 
on the constitutionality of the ACA. Thus, the ACA will remain in effect in its current form. Further, prior to the 
U.S. Supreme Court ruling, President Biden issued an executive order to initiate a special enrollment period from 
February 15, 2021 through August 15, 2021 for purposes of obtaining health insurance coverage through the ACA 
marketplace.  The  executive  order  also  instructed  certain  governmental  agencies  to  review  and  reconsider  their 
existing  policies  and  rules  that  limit  access  to  healthcare,  including  among  others,  reexamining  Medicaid 
demonstration  projects  and  waiver  programs  that  include  work  requirements,  and  policies  that  create  unnecessary 
barriers to obtaining access to health insurance coverage through Medicaid or the ACA.

In addition, other legislative changes have been proposed and adopted since the ACA was enacted. On August 2, 
2011, the Budget Control Act of 2011 was signed into law, which, among other things, reduced Medicare payments 
to providers, effective on April 1, 2013 and, due to subsequent legislative amendments to the statute, will remain in 
effect  through  2032,  with  the  exception  of  a  temporary  suspension  from  May  1,  2020  through  March  31,  2022, 
unless additional Congressional action is taken. 

We anticipate there will continue to be proposals by legislators at both the federal and state levels, regulators and 
commercial payers to reduce costs while expanding individual healthcare benefits. Changes in healthcare coverage 
landscape could impose additional limitations on the prices we will be able to charge for our tests, the coverage of or 
the amounts of reimbursement available for our tests from payers, including commercial and government payers.

Employees and Human Capital

Our Employees and Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

As of December 31, 2022, we had 1,793 full-time employees, of which approximately 1,685 are in the U.S., with the 
remainder in Asia, Europe and Canada. We have also engaged and may continue to engage independent contractors 
to assist us with our operations. None of our employees are represented by a labor union or covered by a collective 
bargaining  agreement,  except  as  required  by  local  laws  such  as  in  some  European  countries,  and  we  have  never 
experienced  any  employment-related  work  stoppages.  We  also  track  voluntary  and  involuntary  turnover  rates, 
conduct frequent employee engagement surveys, and consider relations with our employees to be good.

As part of our mission to conquer cancer, we continue to advance our environmental, social and governance efforts, 
including enhancing the diversity and inclusiveness of our workplace. We believe that diversity of backgrounds and 
ideas  inspires  creativity  and  helps  us  create  the  innovative  technologies  that  patients  need.  We  appreciate  one 
another’s differences and strengths and we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate 
on  the  basis  of  race,  religion,  color,  sex,  gender  identity,  sexual  orientation,  age,  non-disqualifying  physical  or 
mental  disability,  national  origin,  veteran  status  or  any  other  basis  covered  by  applicable  law.  All  employment  is 
decided  on  the  basis  of  qualifications,  merit,  and  business  need.  Further,  we  have  policies  in  place  that  prohibit 
harassment of all kinds. We maintain an inclusive culture where all employees feel empowered to be their authentic 
selves. We respect and appreciate each employee’s unique perspective and experiences, and value their contribution 
to  our  mission.  It  is  important  that  we  celebrate,  encourage  and  support  similarities  and  differences  to  drive 
innovation for the benefit of our employees, patients and community.

We are proud to employ a diverse workforce that, as of December 31, 2022, was 57% racially/ethnically diverse and 
55% female. For leadership positions across the company, which is defined as director level and above, 34% self-
identified as racially/ethnically diverse and 40% self-identified as women. As of December 31, 2022, women held 
50% of the independent director seats on our Board.

26

Culture, Compensation and Benefits

We strive to recruit, hire and retain a talented and diverse team of people who align with our values. Our employees 
are supported with training and development opportunities to pursue their career paths and ensure compliance with 
our  policies.  Our  compensation  and  benefits  team  strive  to  develop  and  implement  policies  and  programs  that 
support  our  business  goals,  maintain  competitiveness,  promote  shared  fiscal  responsibility  among  our  employees, 
strategically  align  talent  within  our  organization  and  reward  performance,  while  also  managing  the  costs  of  such 
policies  and  programs.  In  order  to  ensure  that  we  are  meeting  our  human  capital  objectives,  we  regularly  utilize 
employee  engagement  surveys  to  understand  the  effectiveness  of  our  employee  development  and  compensation 
programs and where we can improve across the company. We also regularly evaluate our compensation programs 
with  an  independent  compensation  consultant  and  utilize  industry  benchmarking  in  an  effort  to  ensure  they  are 
competitive compared to similar biotechnology and biopharmaceutical companies with which we compete for talent, 
as well as fair and equitable across our workforce with respect to gender, race and other personal characteristics. 

We are committed to rewarding, supporting, and developing the employees who make it possible to deliver on our 
strategy. To that end, we offer a comprehensive total rewards package that includes market-competitive fixed and/or 
variable  pay,  broad-based  equity  grants  and  bonuses,  access  to  medical,  dental,  vision  and  life  insurance  benefits, 
disability coverage, fertility subsidies, retirement savings plans, paid time off and family leave, caregiving support, 
fitness, cellphone and internet reimbursements, and mental health and other wellness benefits. 

Available information

Our  website  is  located  at  https://guardanthealth.com.  Our  Annual  Reports  on  Form  10-K,  Quarterly  Reports  on 
Form  10-Q,  Current  Reports  on  Form  8-K,  including  their  exhibits,  proxy  and  information  statements,  and 
amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Sections 13(a), 14, and 15(d) of the Securities Exchange 
Act  of  1934,  as  amended,  are  available  through  the  “Investors”  portion  of  our  website  free  of  charge  as  soon  as 
reasonably practicable after we electronically file such material with, or furnish it to, the SEC. Information on our 
website  is  not  part  of  this  Annual  Report  on  Form  10-K  or  any  of  our  other  securities  filings  unless  specifically 
incorporated  herein  by  reference.  In  addition,  our  filings  with  the  SEC  may  be  accessed  through  the  SEC’s 
Interactive Data Electronic Applications system at http://www.sec.gov. All statements made in any of our securities 
filings, including all forward-looking statements or information, are made as of the date of the document in which 
the statement is included, and we do not assume or undertake any obligation to update any of those statements or 
documents unless we are required to do so by law.

27

Item 1A. Risk Factors

Risk Factors 

Our operations and financial results are subject to various risks and uncertainties including those described below. 
You  should  consider  carefully  the  risks  and  uncertainties  described  below,  in  addition  to  other  information 
contained in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, including our consolidated financial statements and related notes. 
The risks and uncertainties described below are not the only ones we face. Additional risks and uncertainties that we 
are  unaware  of,  or  that  we  currently  believe  are  not  material,  may  also  become  important  factors  that  adversely 
affect our business. If any of the following risks or others not specified below materialize, our business, financial 
condition and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected. In that case, the trading price of our 
common stock could decline.

Risks related to our business and strategy

We have incurred significant losses since inception, we may continue to incur losses in the future and we may not 
be able to generate sufficient revenue to achieve and maintain profitability.

We have incurred significant losses since our inception. For the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020, we 
incurred net losses of $654.6 million, $384.8 million and $246.3 million, respectively. As of December 31, 2022, we 
had  an  accumulated  deficit  of  $1.7  billion.  To  date,  we  have  financed  our  operations  principally  from  the  sale  of 
stock or convertible securities, and revenue from precision oncology testing and our development services. We have 
devoted substantially all of our resources to the development and commercialization of our current products and to 
research  and  development  activities  related  to  our  future  products,  including  clinical  and  regulatory  initiatives  to 
obtain  marketing  approval  and  sales  and  marketing  activities.  We  will  need  to  generate  substantial  revenue  to 
achieve and then sustain profitability, and even if we achieve profitability, we cannot be sure that we will remain 
profitable for any period of time. Our failure to achieve or maintain profitability could negatively impact the value 
of our common stock.

We may not be able to generate sufficient revenue to achieve and maintain profitability and our current or future 
products may not achieve or maintain sufficient commercial market acceptance.

We are currently not profitable. Even if we succeed in increasing adoption of our existing products and services by 
physicians,  obtaining  additional  coverage  decisions  from  commercial  and  government  payers,  maintaining  and 
creating  relationships  with  our  existing  and  new  biopharmaceutical  partners,  and  developing  and  commercializing 
additional  products  and  services,  we  may  not  be  able  to  generate  sufficient  revenue  to  achieve  or  maintain 
profitability.

We  believe  our  commercial  success  is  dependent  upon  our  ability  to  continue  to  successfully  market  and  sell  our 
current  and  future  products,  to  continue  to  expand  our  current  relationships  and  develop  new  relationships  with 
clinicians and biopharmaceutical customers and to develop and commercialize new products. Our ability to achieve 
and maintain sufficient commercial market acceptance of our existing and future products will depend on a number 
of factors, including:

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

our ability to increase awareness of our tests and the benefits of liquid biopsy;

the  rate  of  adoption  and/or  endorsement  of  our  tests  by  clinicians,  KOLs,  advocacy  groups  and 
biopharmaceutical companies;

the  timing  and  scope  of  any  approval  or  certification  by  regulatory  agencies,  including  the  FDA,  or  notified 
bodies for our tests;

our ability to obtain positive coverage decisions for our tests from additional commercial payers and to broaden 
the scope of indications included in such coverage decisions;

our ability to obtain reimbursement and expanded coverage from government payers, including Medicare;

the impact of our investments in product innovation and commercial growth; 

negative publicity regarding ours or our competitors’ products resulting from defects or errors; and

our ability to further validate our technology through clinical research and accompanying publications.

28

We cannot assure that we will be successful in addressing each of these criteria or other criteria that might affect the 
market acceptance of our products. If we are unsuccessful in achieving and maintaining market acceptance of our 
products, our business and results of operations will suffer.

Our operating results may fluctuate significantly, which makes our future operating results difficult to predict 
and could cause our operating results to fall below expectations or any guidance we may provide.

Our quarterly and annual operating results may fluctuate significantly, which makes it difficult for us to predict our 
future operating results. These fluctuations may occur due to a variety of factors, many of which are outside of our 
control, including, but not limited to:

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

the level of demand for any of our products, which may vary significantly;

the timing and cost of, and level of investment in, research, development, regulatory approval or certification 
and commercialization activities relating to our products, which may change from time to time;

the volume and customer mix of our precision oncology testing; 

the start and completion of projects in which our development services are utilized;

the introduction of new products or product enhancements by us or others in our industry;

coverage and reimbursement policies with respect to our products and products that compete with our products;

expenditures that we may incur to acquire, develop or commercialize additional products and technologies;

changes in governmental regulations or in the status of our regulatory approvals or certifications or applications;

future accounting pronouncements or changes in our accounting policies; 

developments or disruptions in the business and operations of our clinical, commercial and other partners; 

the impact of natural disasters, political and economic instability, including wars, terrorism, and political unrest, 
epidemics or pandemics, including the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, boycotts, curtailment of trade and other 
business restrictions; and 

the effects of high inflation or other general market conditions and other factors, including factors unrelated to 
our operating performance or the operating performance of our competitors.

Additionally, it is difficult to predict the amount we are able to collect for our tests from commercial payers. We 
receive reimbursement for our tests from several commercial payers for whom we are not a participating provider. 
Because  we  are  not  contracted  with  these  payers,  they  determine  the  amount  they  are  willing  to  reimburse  us  for 
tests. We have provided testing services to patients with many cancer types and indications, some of the time as a 
non-participating  provider  through  2022.  When  we  have  received  payment  as  a  non-participating  provider,  the 
amounts, on average, were significantly lower than for participating providers. Even when these payers have paid a 
claim,  they  may  elect  at  any  time  to  review  previously  paid  claims  for  overpayment  against  these  claims.  In  the 
event  of  an  overpayment  determination,  the  payer  may  offset  the  amount  they  determine  they  overpaid  against 
amounts they owe us on current claims. We have limited leverage to dispute these retroactive adjustments and we 
cannot predict when, or how often, a payer might engage in these reviews. A significant amount of these offsets by 
one or more payers in any given quarter could have a material effect on our results of operations and cause them to 
fall below expectations or guidance we may provide. Our efforts to become a participating provider of a number of 
commercial  payers  may  not  be  successful.  Even  when  we  have  obtained  positive  coverage  decisions  for  our  tests 
from  commercial  payers  and  entered  into  agreements  with  them,  such  agreements  typically  are  standard  form 
contracts  and  may  allow  payers  to  terminate  coverage  on  short  notice,  impose  significant  obligations  on  us  and 
create additional regulatory and compliance hurdles for us.

As  part  of  our  reimbursement  operations,  we  appeal  denials  from  payers,  and  if  successful,  we  receive  payments 
from these appeals. However, due to the inherent variability of the insurance landscape, we cannot guarantee future 
success of, or any payments from, appeals of reimbursement denials by payers. Historic success and payments are 
not indicative of future success of and payments from such appeals.

29

Due to the inherent variability and unpredictability of the reimbursement landscape, including related to the amount 
that payers reimburse us for any of our tests, we estimate the amount of revenue to be recognized at the time a test is 
provided  and  record  revenue  adjustments  if  and  when  the  cash  subsequently  received  for  a  test  differs  from  the 
revenue recorded for the test. Due to this variability and unpredictability, previously recorded revenue adjustments 
are not indicative of future revenue adjustments from actual cash collections, which may fluctuate significantly.

The  cumulative  effects  of  factors  discussed  above  could  result  in  large  fluctuations  and  unpredictability  in  our 
quarterly and annual operating results. As a result, comparing our operating results on a period-to-period basis may 
not be meaningful. Investors should not rely on our past results as an indication of our future performance.

This variability and unpredictability could also result in our failing to meet the expectations of industry or financial 
analysts  or  investors  for  any  period.  If  our  revenue  or  operating  results  fall  below  the  expectations  of  analysts  or 
investors or below any guidance we may provide, or if the guidance we provide is below the expectations of analysts 
or investors, the price of our common stock could decline substantially. Such a stock price decline could occur even 
when we have met any previously publicly stated guidance we may provide.

New product development and commercialization involve a lengthy and complex process and we may be unable to 
develop or commercialize new products on a timely basis, or at all.

Products that are under development have taken time and considerable resources to develop, and we may not be able 
to complete the development and commercialization of the such products for clinical use on a timely basis, or at all. 
For example, there can be no assurance that we will be able to produce commercial products for early detection of 
cancer. Before we can commercialize any new products, we will need to expend significant funds in order to:

•

•

•

conduct substantial research and development, including validation studies and clinical studies;

further develop and scale our laboratory processes to accommodate different products; and

further develop and scale our infrastructure to be able to analyze increasingly large amounts of data.

Our product development process involves a high degree of risk, and product development efforts may fail for many 
reasons, including:

•

•

•

failure of the product to perform as expected, including defects and errors; 

lack of validation data; or

failure to demonstrate the clinical utility of the product.

Our  development  plan  involves  using  data  and  analytical  insights  generated  from  our  current  products  as  a  force 
multiplier of returns on research and development investment in our future products. However, if we are unable to 
generate  additional  or  compatible  data  and  insights,  then  we  may  not  be  able  to  advance  our  products  under 
development as quickly, or at all, or without significant additional investment.

As  we  develop  products,  we  have  made  and  will  have  to  make  significant  investments  in  product  development, 
marketing  and  selling  resources,  including  investing  heavily  in  clinical  studies,  which  could  adversely  affect  our 
future cash flows.

Our current revenue is primarily generated from sales of our tests and we are highly dependent on them for our 
success.

Our ability to execute our growth strategy and become profitable is highly dependent on the continued adoption and 
use  of  our  tests,  which  accounted  for  almost  all  of  our  revenue  in  the  years  ended  December  31,  2022,  2021  and 
2020. Continued adoption and use of our tests will depend on several factors, including the prices we charge for our 
tests,  the  scope  of  coverage  and  amount  of  reimbursement  available  from  third-party  payers  for  our  tests,  the 
availability of clinical data that supports the value of our tests and the inclusion of our tests in industry treatment 
guidelines. In addition, many biopharmaceutical companies have existing relationships with companies that develop 
molecular diagnostic tests, including our competitors, and may continue to use their tests instead of ours. Despite our 
business  development  efforts,  it  could  be  difficult,  expensive  and/or  time-consuming  for  biopharmaceutical 
companies  to  switch  diagnostic  tests  for  their  products,  and  our  tests  may  not  be  widely  accepted  by 
biopharmaceutical companies, if at all, which could in turn hinder the growth of sales of our tests. If we are unable 
to  achieve  commercial  success  for  our  tests,  our  business,  results  of  operations  and  financial  condition  would  be 
materially  and  adversely  affected.  We  cannot  assure  that  our  tests  will  continue  to  maintain  or  gain  market 
acceptance, and any failure to do so would materially harm our business and results of operations.

30

If our products do not meet the expectations of patients and our customers, our operating results, reputation and 
business could suffer.

Our  success  depends  on  the  market’s  confidence  that  we  can  provide  reliable,  high-quality  precision  oncology 
products  that  will  improve  clinical  outcomes,  lower  healthcare  costs  and  enable  better  biopharmaceutical 
development.  We  believe  that  patients,  clinicians  and  biopharmaceutical  companies  are  likely  to  be  particularly 
sensitive to product defects and errors in the use of our products, including if our products fail to detect genomic 
alterations with high accuracy from samples or if we fail to list or inaccurately include certain treatment options and 
available  clinical  studies  in  our  test  reports,  and  there  can  be  no  guarantee  that  our  products  will  meet  their 
expectations.  Furthermore,  if  our  competitors’  products  do  not  perform  to  expectations,  it  may  result  in  lower 
confidence  in  our  tests  as  well.  As  a  result,  the  failure  of  our  products  to  perform  as  expected  could  significantly 
impair  our  operating  results  and  our  reputation.  In  addition,  we  may  be  subject  to  legal  claims  arising  from  any 
defects or errors in our products.

If  we  are  unable  to  support  demand  for  our  current  and  future  products,  including  ensuring  that  we  have 
adequate capacity to meet increased demand, or we are unable to successfully manage our anticipated growth, 
our business could suffer.

As our volume of test sales grows, we will need to continue to increase our workflow capacity for sample intake, 
customer  service,  billing  and  general  process  improvements,  expand  our  internal  quality  assurance  program  and 
extend our platform to support comprehensive genomic analysis at a larger scale within expected turnaround times. 
We will need additional certified laboratory scientists and other scientific and technical personnel to process higher 
volumes of our precision oncology products. Portions of our process are not automated and will require additional 
personnel to scale. We will also need to purchase additional equipment, some of which can take several months or 
more to procure, setup and validate, and increase our software and computing capacity to meet increased demand. 
There  is  no  assurance  that  any  of  these  increases  in  scale,  expansion  of  personnel,  equipment,  software  and 
computing  capacities  or  process  enhancements  will  be  successfully  implemented,  if  at  all,  or  that  we  will  have 
adequate space in our laboratory facility or be able to secure additional facility space to accommodate such required 
expansion.

As we commercialize additional products, we will need to incorporate new equipment, implement new technology 
systems  and  laboratory  processes,  and  hire  new  personnel  with  different  qualifications.  Failure  to  manage  this 
growth  or  transition  could  result  in  turnaround  time  delays,  higher  product  costs,  declining  product  quality, 
deteriorating customer service and slower responses to competitive challenges. A failure in any one of these areas 
could make it difficult for us to meet market expectations for our products and could damage our reputation and the 
prospects for our business.

If  we  cannot  maintain  our  current  relationships,  or  enter  into  new  relationships,  with  biopharmaceutical 
companies, our revenue prospects could be reduced.

Biopharmaceutical  customers  collaborate  with  us  for  analysis  of  whole  blood  or  plasma  samples  for  multiple 
applications  primarily  to  support  clinical  studies,  including  patient  identification,  companion  diagnostics  and 
retrospective  testing.  In  the  years  ended  December  31,  2022,  2021  and  2020,  revenue  from  our  top  five 
biopharmaceutical  customers,  including  their  affiliated  entities,  accounted  for  18%,  18%  and  27%  of  our  total 
revenue, respectively. The revenue attributable to our biopharmaceutical customers may also fluctuate in the future, 
which could have an adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations. In addition, the termination 
of  these  relationships  could  result  in  a  temporary  or  permanent  loss  of  revenue.  Adverse  speculation  about  our 
existing or potential relationships with biopharmaceutical companies may be a catalyst for adverse speculation about 
us, our products and our technology, which can adversely affect our reputation and business.

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Our future success depends in part on our ability to maintain relationships and to enter into new relationships with 
biopharmaceutical  customers,  including  offering  our  platform  to  such  customers  for  companion  diagnostic 
development,  novel  target  discovery  and  validation  as  well  as  clinical  study  enrollment,  and  growing  into  other 
business opportunities. This can be difficult due to many factors, including the type of biomarker support required 
and our ability to deliver it and our biopharmaceutical customers’ satisfaction with our products or services, internal 
and  external  constraints  placed  on  these  organizations  and  other  factors  that  may  be  beyond  our  control. 
Furthermore,  our  biopharmaceutical  customers  may  decide  to  decrease  or  discontinue  their  use  of  our  current 
products and tests, or our future products due to changes in their research and product development plans, failures in 
their  clinical  studies,  financial  constraints,  or  utilization  of  internal  testing  resources  or  tests  performed  by  other 
parties, or other circumstances outside of our control. Continued usage of our tests by particular biopharmaceutical 
customers may also depend on whether the partner obtains positive data in its clinical studies, is able to successfully 
obtain  regulatory  approval  and  subsequently  commercializes  a  therapy  for  which  we  have  partnered  with  them  to 
develop  a  companion  diagnostic,  or  other  administrative  factors  that  are  outside  our  control.  Some  of  our 
biopharmaceutical customers have contracted with us to provide testing for large numbers of samples, which could 
strain  our  testing  capacity  and  restrict  our  ability  to  perform  tests  for  other  customers.  Furthermore, 
biopharmaceutical companies may decline to do business with us or decrease or discontinue their use of our tests 
due to their broad strategic collaboration with any of our competitors. In addition to reducing our revenue, the loss 
of  one  or  more  of  these  relationships  may  reduce  our  exposure  to  research  and  clinical  studies  that  facilitate  the 
collection  and  incorporation  of  new  information  into  our  platform  and  tests.  We  engage  in  conversations  with 
biopharmaceutical  companies  regarding  potential  commercial  opportunities  on  an  ongoing  basis.  There  is  no 
assurance that any of these conversations will result in a commercial agreement, that the resulting relationship will 
be successful, or that clinical studies conducted as part of the engagement will produce successful outcomes. If we 
cannot  maintain  our  current  relationships,  or  enter  into  new  relationships,  with  biopharmaceutical  companies,  our 
product development could be delayed and revenue and results of operations could be adversely affected.

Our payer concentration may materially adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.

We receive a substantial portion of our revenue from a limited number of third-party commercial payers, most of 
which have not contracted with us to be a participating provider. If one or more of these payers were to significantly 
reduce, or cease to pay, the amount such payer reimburses us for tests we perform, or if such payer does not reach or 
maintain favorable coverage and reimbursement decisions for our tests, it could have a material adverse effect on 
our business, financial condition and results of operations. We have experienced situations where commercial payers 
proactively  reduced  the  amounts  they  were  willing  to  reimburse  for  our  tests,  and  in  other  situations,  commercial 
payers  have  determined  that  the  amounts  they  previously  paid  were  too  high  and  have  sought  to  recover  those 
perceived excess payments by deducting such amounts from payments otherwise being made. If commercial payers 
were to decide not to include us as a participating provider, cease paying us altogether, drastically reduce the amount 
they  were  willing  to  pay  us  or  attempt  to  recover  any  amounts  they  had  already  paid,  it  could  cause  significant 
fluctuations in our quarterly results and could harm our business and results of operations.

In  September  2018,  we  began  to  receive  reimbursement  from  Medicare  for  claims  submitted  with  respect  to 
Guardant360 clinical tests performed for NSCLC patients. In March 2020, we began to receive reimbursement from 
Medicare  for  claims  submitted  with  respect  to  Guardant360  clinical  tests  performed  for  qualifying  patients 
diagnosed with solid tumor cancers of non-central nervous system origin other than NSCLC. Revenue from clinical 
tests  for  patients  covered  by  Medicare  represented  approximately  45%,  45%  and  42%  of  our  precision  oncology 
revenue  from  clinical  customers  for  the  years  ended  December  31,  2022,  2021  and  2020,  respectively.  Revenue 
attributable to Medicare accounted for more than 10% of our total revenue in each of the years ended December 31, 
2022, 2021 and 2020. In addition, pursuant to CMS regulations, we cannot bill Medicare directly for tests provided 
for Medicare beneficiaries in some situations. CMS adopted an exception to its laboratory date of service regulation, 
and if certain conditions are met, molecular testing laboratories such as us can rely on that exception to bill Medicare 
directly,  instead  of  seeking  payment  from  the  hospital.  If  this  exception  is  repealed  or  curtailed  by  CMS,  or  its 
laboratory date of service regulation is otherwise changed to adversely impact our ability to bill Medicare directly, 
our revenue could be materially reduced.

If we fail to obtain or maintain coverage and adequate reimbursement from third-party payers, we may be unable to 
increase our testing volume and revenue as expected. Retrospective reimbursement adjustments, such as deductions 
from  further  payments  and  clawbacks,  can  also  negatively  impact  our  revenue  and  cause  our  financial  results  to 
fluctuate. In addition, as part of our reimbursement operations, we appeal denials from payers, and if successful, we 
receive payments from these appeals. However, due to the inherent variability of the insurance landscape, we cannot 
guarantee  future  success  of,  or  any  payments  from,  appeals  of  reimbursement  denials  by  payers.  Historic  success 
and payments are not indicative of future success of and payments from such appeals.

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If we cannot compete successfully with our competitors, we may be unable to increase or sustain our revenue or 
to achieve and then sustain profitability.

Growing understanding of the importance of biomarkers linked with therapy selection, response and early screening 
is leading to more companies offering services in genomic profiling. The promise of biopsy testing is also leading to 
more companies attempting to enter the space and compete with us. Over the last year, that has included new and 
accelerated  development  programs  by  a  number  of  potential  competitors,  and  increasing  levels  of  merger  and 
acquisition  activity  by  both  existing  and  new  competitors.  Currently,  our  main  competition  is  from  diagnostic 
companies with products and services to profile genes in cancers based on either single-marker or comprehensive 
genomic profile testing, based on next-generation sequencing in either blood or tissue.  This may change over the 
next few years as a result of new competitors entering through investment and acquisition activity. 

Our competitors within the liquid biopsy space for therapy selection include Foundation Medicine, Inc., which was 
acquired by Roche Holdings, Inc. in 2018; Roche Molecular Systems, Inc., Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc., Illumina, 
Inc.,  Qiagen  N.V.,  Invitae  Corporation,  Caris  Life  Science,  Tempus  Labs,  Inc.,  and  Agilent  Technologies,  Inc.  In 
addition, NeoGenomics Laboratories, Inc., Natera, Inc., Exact Sciences Corp., among others, are our competitors in 
minimal residual disease testing. Additionally, our competitors in the early screening testing space include GRAIL, 
Inc., Exact Sciences Corp., Freenome Holdings, Inc., Delfi Diagnostics and InterVenn Biosciences.

Competitors within the broader genomics profiling space based on tissue include laboratory companies such as Bio-
Reference Laboratories, Inc., Laboratory Corporation of America and Quest Diagnostics, Inc., as well as companies 
such as Foundation Medicine, Inc., Myriad Genetics, Inc., and most if not all of the competitors within the liquid 
biopsy  space  for  therapy  selection,  that  sell  molecular  diagnostic  tests  for  cancer  to  physicians  and  have  or  may 
develop tests that compete with our tests. In addition, we are aware that certain of our customers are also developing 
their own tests and may decide to enter our market or otherwise stop using our tests.

Some  of  our  competitors  and  potential  competitors  may  have  longer  operating  histories;  larger  customer  bases; 
greater  brand  recognition  and  market  penetration;  substantially  greater  financial,  technological  and  research  and 
development resources and selling and marketing capabilities; and more experience dealing with third-party payers. 
As a result, they may be able to respond more quickly to changes in customer requirements, devote greater resources 
to  the  development,  promotion  and  sale  of  their  tests  than  we  do  or  sell  their  tests  at  prices  designed  to  win 
significant levels of market share. We may not be able to compete effectively against these organizations. Increased 
competition and cost-saving initiatives on the part of governmental entities and other third-party payers are likely to 
result  in  pricing  pressures,  which  could  harm  our  sales,  profitability  or  ability  to  gain  market  share.  In  addition, 
competitors may be acquired by, receive investments from or enter into other commercial relationships with larger, 
well-established  and  well-financed  companies.  Certain  of  our  competitors  may  be  able  to  secure  key  inputs  from 
vendors  on  more  favorable  terms,  devote  greater  resources  to  marketing  and  promotional  campaigns,  adopt  more 
aggressive pricing policies and devote substantially more resources to product development than we can. In addition, 
companies or governments that control access to genetic testing through umbrella contracts or regional preferences 
could  promote  our  competitors  or  prevent  us  from  performing  certain  services.  If  we  are  unable  to  compete 
successfully against current and future competitors, we may be unable to increase market acceptance and sales of 
our tests, which could prevent us from increasing our revenue or achieving profitability and could cause our stock 
price to decline.

In addition to developing kits, certain diagnostic companies also provide next-generation sequencing platforms that 
could  be  used  for  liquid  biopsy  testing.  These  include  Illumina,  Inc.,  Thermo  Fisher  Scientific  Inc.,  Pacific 
Biosciences  of  California,  Inc.,  Ultima  Genomics,  Inc.,  Oxford  Nanopore  Technologies  Limited,  and  other 
companies developing next-generation sequencing platforms that are sold directly to biopharmaceutical companies, 
clinical laboratories and research centers. While many of the applications for these platforms are focused on research 
and development applications, each of these companies has launched and could continue to commercialize products 
focused on the clinical oncology market. These tests could include FDA-approved diagnostic kits, which can be sold 
to the clients who have purchased their platforms. 

Furthermore, many companies are developing information technology-based tools to support the integration of next-
generation  sequencing  testing  into  the  clinical  setting.  These  companies  may  also  use  their  own  tests  or  others  to 
develop an integrated system which could limit access for us to certain networks.

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The sizes of the markets for our current and future products have not been established with precision, and may 
be smaller than we estimate.

Our estimates of the annual total addressable markets for our current products and products under development are 
based on a number of internal and third-party estimates, including, without limitation, the number of patients with 
late-stage,  solid  tumor  cancer,  the  number  of  individuals  who  are  at  a  higher  risk  for  developing  cancer,  and  the 
assumed  prices  at  which  we  can  sell  tests  for  markets  that  have  not  been  established.  While  we  believe  our 
assumptions  and  the  data  underlying  our  estimates  are  reasonable,  these  assumptions  and  estimates  may  not  be 
correct  and  the  conditions  supporting  our  assumptions  or  estimates  may  change  at  any  time,  thereby  reducing  the 
predictive accuracy of these underlying factors. As a result, our estimates of the annual total addressable market for 
our current or future products may prove to be incorrect. If the actual number of patients who would benefit from 
our products, the price at which we can sell our products, or the annual total addressable market for our products is 
smaller than we have estimated, it may impair our sales growth and have an adverse impact on our business.

The  precision  oncology  industry  is  subject  to  rapid  change,  which  could  make  our  current  products  and  any 
future products we may develop, obsolete.

Our industry is characterized by rapid changes, including technological and scientific breakthroughs, frequent new 
product introductions and enhancements and evolving industry standards, all of which could make our current and 
future products obsolete. Our future success will depend on our ability to keep pace with the evolving needs of our 
customers on a timely and cost-effective basis and to pursue new market opportunities that develop as a result of 
scientific and technological advances. In recent years, there have been numerous advances in technologies relating to 
the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. There have also been advances in methods used to analyze very large amounts 
of molecular information. We must continuously enhance our platform and develop new products to keep pace with 
evolving  standards  of  care.  If  we  do  not  update  our  product  offerings  to  reflect  new  scientific  knowledge  about 
cancer  biology,  information  about  new  cancer  therapies  or  relevant  clinical  studies,  our  products  could  become 
obsolete and sales of our current products and any new products we may develop could decline or fail to grow as 
expected.

We  have  experienced  challenges  attracting  and  retaining  qualified  personnel  due  to  competitive  labor  markets 
and may continue to do so, and may be unable to manage our future growth effectively, all of which could make 
it difficult to execute our business strategy.

Since our inception, we have experienced rapid growth and anticipate further growth in our business operations. Our 
future  growth  could  create  strain  on  our  organizational,  administrative  and  operational  infrastructure,  including 
laboratory operations, quality control, customer service and sales organization management. We expect to continue 
to increase headcount and to hire more specialized personnel as we grow our business. We will need to continue to 
hire, train and manage additional qualified scientists, laboratory personnel, client and account services personnel, as 
well as sales and marketing staff, and improve and maintain our technology to properly manage our growth. 

However,  we  have  experienced  challenges  attracting  and  retaining  qualified  personnel  due  to  competitive  labor 
markets and may continue to do so. In this competitive environment, our business could be adversely impacted by 
increases in labor costs triggered by regulatory actions regarding wages, scheduling and benefits, the need to attract 
and retain high quality employees with the requisite skill sets, and the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. 
In addition, if our new hires perform poorly, if we are unsuccessful in training, managing and integrating these new 
employees  or  if  we  are  not  successful  in  developing  and  retaining  our  existing  employees,  our  business  may  be 
harmed.

In  addition,  we  may  not  be  able  to  maintain  the  quality  or  expected  turnaround  times  of  our  products,  or  satisfy 
customer demand as it grows, and  our business may be harmed. Our ability to manage our growth properly will also 
require  us  to  continue  to  improve  our  operational,  financial  and  management  controls,  as  well  as  our  reporting 
systems  and  procedures.  The  time  and  resources  required  to  implement  these  new  systems  and  procedures  is 
uncertain  and  could  be  demanding,  and  failure  to  complete  this  in  a  timely  and  efficient  manner  could  adversely 
affect our operations.

We may not be able to successfully market, sell or distribute our products, and if we are unable to expand our 
sales organization to adequately address our customers’ needs, our business may be adversely affected.

We  may  not  be  able  to  market,  sell  or  distribute  our  products  and  tests,  and  other  products  we  may  develop 
effectively enough to support our planned growth. We currently sell to clinicians in the United States through our 
own sales organization and to biopharmaceutical companies through our business development team. 

34

Each  of  our  target  markets  is  large,  distinctive  and  diverse.  As  a  result,  we  believe  it  is  necessary  for  our  sales 
representatives  and  business  development  managers  to  have  established  oncology-focused  expertise.  Competition 
for  such  employees  within  the  precision  oncology  industry  is  intense.  We  may  not  be  able  to  attract  and  retain 
personnel or be able to build an efficient and effective sales organization or business development team, which could 
negatively  impact  sales  and  market  acceptance  of  our  products  and  limit  our  revenue  growth  and  potential 
profitability.

Our expected future growth will impose significant added responsibilities on members of management, including the 
need  to  identify,  recruit,  maintain  and  integrate  additional  employees.  Our  future  financial  performance  and  our 
ability to commercialize our products, to increase our sales and to compete effectively will depend, in part, on our 
ability to manage this potential future growth effectively, without compromising quality.

Outside the United States, we established Guardant AMEA for sales of our products throughout Asia, the Middle 
East and Africa. If the sales and marketing efforts for our products in those regions are not successful, our business 
would be materially and adversely affected. In other territories, such as Europe, we sell our tests primarily through 
distributor  relationships  or  direct  contracts  with  hospitals.  Locating,  qualifying,  engaging  and  maintaining 
relationships with distribution partners and hospitals with local industry experience and knowledge will be necessary 
to effectively market and sell our products outside the United States. We may not be successful in finding, attracting 
and  retaining  distribution  partners  or  local  hospitals,  or  we  may  not  be  able  to  enter  into  such  arrangements  on 
favorable terms. Sales practices utilized by any such parties that are locally acceptable may not comply with sales 
practices standards required under U.S. laws that apply to us, which could create additional compliance risk. If our 
international sales and marketing efforts are not successful, we may not achieve market acceptance for our products 
outside the United States, which would materially and adversely impact our business.

We rely on a limited number of suppliers or, in some cases, sole suppliers, for some of our laboratory instruments 
and materials and may not be able to find replacements or promptly transition to alternative suppliers.

We rely on a limited number of suppliers or, in some cases, sole suppliers, including Illumina Inc., or Illumina, for 
certain  sequencers,  reagents,  blood  tubes  and  other  equipment,  instruments  and  materials  that  we  use  in  our 
laboratory operations. An interruption in our laboratory operations could occur if we encounter delays or difficulties 
in  securing  these  laboratory  equipment,  instruments  or  materials,  and  if  we  cannot  then  obtain  an  acceptable 
substitute. Any such interruption could significantly and adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of 
operations  and  reputation.  We  rely  on  Illumina  as  the  sole  supplier  of  the  sequencers  and  as  the  sole  provider  of 
maintenance  and  repair  services  for  these  sequencers.  Any  disruption  in  operations  of  Illumina  or  other  sole  or 
limited suppliers or termination or suspension of our relationships with them could materially and adversely impact 
our supply chain and laboratory operations and thus our ability to conduct our business and generate revenue. These 
limited  or  sole  suppliers  could  engage  in  diverse  types  of  businesses,  including  selling  products  or  providing 
services in competition with us, and there can be no assurance that we can continue to receive required equipment, 
instruments or materials from them.

We believe that there are only a limited number of other manufacturers that are capable of supplying and servicing 
the  equipment  and  materials  necessary  for  our  laboratory  operations,  including  sequencers  and  various  associated 
reagents,  and  potentially  replacing  our  current  suppliers.  The  use  of  equipment  or  materials  furnished  by  these 
replacement suppliers would require us to alter our laboratory operations. Transitioning to a new supplier would be 
time-consuming  and  expensive,  may  result  in  interruptions  in  our  laboratory  operations,  could  affect  the 
performance specifications of our laboratory operations or could require that we revalidate our tests. There can be no 
assurance that we will be able to secure alternative equipment, reagents and other materials, bring such equipment, 
reagents  and  materials  online,  and  revalidate  our  tests  without  experiencing  interruptions  in  our  workflow.  In  the 
case of an alternative supplier for Illumina, for example, there can be no assurance that replacement sequencers and 
various associated reagents will be available or will meet our quality control and performance requirements for our 
laboratory  operations.  If  we  should  encounter  delays  or  difficulties  in  securing,  reconfiguring  or  integrating  the 
equipment  and  reagents  we  require  for  our  products  or  in  revalidating  our  products,  our  business,  financial 
condition, results of operations and reputation could be materially and adversely affected.

The  COVID-19  global  pandemic  and  the  worldwide  attempts  to  contain  it  have  adversely  impacted  our  supply 
chain and other aspects of our business, as well as our results of operations, and could continue to do so.  

The global outbreak of coronavirus 2019, or COVID-19, and the various attempts throughout the world to contain it, 
have  created  significant  volatility,  uncertainty  and  disruption,  which  has  and  may  continue  to  impact  the  global 
economy, disrupt our supply chain, and create significant volatility and disruption of financial markets. 

35

We have experienced significant reduction in access to our customers, including restrictions on our ability to market 
and  distribute  our  tests  and  to  collect  samples.  Our  partners,  vendors,  suppliers  and  customers  have  similarly  had 
their  operations  altered  or  temporarily  suspended.  Due  to  impacts  and  measures  resulting  from  the  COVID-19 
pandemic,  we  have  experienced  and  could  continue  to  experience  unpredictable  reductions  in  the  demand  for  our 
tests  as  healthcare  customers  divert  medical  resources  and  priorities  toward  the  treatment  of  the  virus.  Our 
biopharmaceutical  customers  are  facing  challenges  in  recruiting  patients  and  in  conducting  clinical  studies  to 
advance  their  product  development  pipelines,  for  which  our  tests  could  be  utilized.  To  the  extent  the  COVID-19 
pandemic  continues  to  cause  severe  disruption,  vendors  of  equipment  and  reagents  for  our  operations  could  also 
reduce  productions  or  even  go  out  of  business,  resulting  in  supply  constraints  for  us.  For  example,  movement  of 
supplies  has  been  significantly  curtailed  worldwide,  which  has  caused  supply  shortages  for  certain  of  our  major 
suppliers.    Disruptions  caused  by  the  COVID-19  pandemic  have  adversely  affected  the  quantity  and  quality  of 
certain sequencers, reagents, blood tubes and other similar materials that are critical to our commercial and research 
and development programs. We currently have a limited amount of stock of these components. Failure in the future 
to secure sufficient supply of critical components could materially and adversely affect our ability to manufacture or 
supply marketed products and product candidates or complete our ongoing research and development programs on 
the timelines previously established. Our ability to enroll suitable patients in clinical studies has also been negatively 
impacted and could continue to be adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The full extent to which the COVID-19 pandemic and the various responses to it impacts our business, operations 
and  financial  results  will  depend  on  numerous  evolving  factors  that  we  may  not  be  able  to  accurately  predict, 
including: the duration and scope of the pandemic; governmental, business and individuals’ actions that have been 
and  continue  to  be  taken  in  response  to  the  pandemic;  the  adverse  effects  on  our  manufacturing  operations  and 
supply  chain,  which  may  impact  our  ability  to  produce  and  distribute  our  products,  as  well  as  the  ability  of  third 
parties to fulfill their obligations to us and could increase our expenses; the possibility that third parties on which we 
rely  for  certain  functions  and  services,  suppliers,  distributors,  logistics  providers,  and  external  business  partners, 
may be adversely impacted by restrictions resulting from COVID-19, which could cause us to experience delays or 
incur additional costs; the availability, cost to access and effectiveness of COVID-19 tests, vaccines and medicines; 
the effect on our customers and customer demand for and ability to pay for our tests; restrictions on the ability of our 
employees and the employees of third parties on which we rely for certain functions and services to work and travel; 
disruptions  related  to  the  distribution  of  our  tests,  including  impacts  on  logistics  of  shipping  and  receiving  blood 
collection  kits;  and  any  stoppages,  disruptions  or  increased  costs  associated  with  development,  production  and 
marketing  of  our  products.  During  the  COVID-19  pandemic,  we  may  not  be  able  to  maintain  the  same  level  of 
customer outreach and service, which could negatively impact our customers’ perception of us. We will continue to 
actively monitor the issues raised by the COVID-19 pandemic and may take further actions that alter our operations, 
as may be required by federal, state, local or foreign authorities, or that we determine are in the best interests of our 
employees,  customers  and  stockholders.  It  is  not  clear  what  the  potential  effects  any  such  alterations  or 
modifications may have on our business, including the effects on our financial results. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has also led to uncertainties related to our growth, forecast and trends. Our historic results 
such  as  revenues,  operating  margins,  net  income,  cash  flows,  tests  performed,  and  other  financial  and  operating 
metrics, may not be indicative of our results for future periods. Any past increases in the number of clinical tests 
and/or biopharmaceutical tests performed by us may reflect the acceleration of growth that we have experienced but 
may  not  see  in  subsequent  periods  given  the  COVID-19  pandemic.  Even  if  government  and  other  restrictions  are 
relaxed, our growth may slow or reverse, including due to a slow recovery. The COVID-19 pandemic and its future 
developments present uncertainties with respect to our performance, financial condition, volume of business, results 
of operations, and cash flows. Due to the uncertain scope and duration of the COVID-19 pandemic and uncertain 
timing of any recovery or normalization, we are currently unable to estimate the resulting impacts on our operations 
and  financial  results.  In  addition  to  the  impacts  to  our  business,  the  global  economy  is  likely  to  be  significantly 
weakened as a result of actions taken in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. To the extent that such a weakened 
global economy impacts customers’ ability or willingness to pay for our tests, our business and results of operation 
could be negatively impacted. As a result, we expect our revenue and results of operations to be adversely affected 
until testing, treatments and vaccines substantially eliminate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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If  our  existing  laboratory  facility  becomes  damaged  or  inoperable  or  we  are  required  to  vacate  our  existing 
facility, our ability to perform our tests and pursue our research and development efforts may be jeopardized.

We  currently  derive  the  majority  of  our  revenue  from  tests  performed  at  a  single  laboratory  facility  located  in 
Redwood City, California. Our facility and equipment could be harmed or rendered inoperable by natural or man-
made disasters, including war, fire, earthquake, power loss, communications failure or terrorism, which may render 
it difficult or impossible for our laboratory operations. The inability to perform our tests or to reduce the backlog 
that could develop if our facility is inoperable, for even a short period of time, may result in the loss of customers or 
harm to our reputation, and we may be unable to regain those customers or repair our reputation. Furthermore, our 
facility and the equipment we use to perform our research and development work could be unavailable or costly and 
time-consuming to repair or replace. It would be difficult, time-consuming and expensive to rebuild our facility, to 
locate and qualify a new facility or enable a third party to practice our proprietary technology, particularly in light of 
licensure and accreditation requirements. Even if we are able to find a third party with such qualifications to perform 
our tests, the parties may be unable to agree on commercially reasonable terms.

We carry insurance for damage to our property and disruption of our business, but this insurance may not cover all 
of the risks associated with damage or disruption to our facility and business, may not provide coverage in amounts 
sufficient to cover our potential losses and may not continue to be available to us on acceptable terms, if at all.

We are dependent on third parties for the collection of blood samples for our tests.

We rely on third-party phlebotomy providers, including physician offices, to collect blood samples for our tests. Our 
current third-party phlebotomy providers may refuse to continue to collect samples for us in the future, in particular 
if  they  have  agreements  or  arrangements  with  one  of  our  competitors  to  collect  samples  for  their  tests,  or  if  the 
phlebotomy provider is owned or controlled by a laboratory that offers tests that compete with ours. There has been 
a  trend  towards  consolidation  of  independent  phlebotomy  providers.  Independent  phlebotomy  providers,  once 
acquired by our competitors, may terminate their relationships with us. If our patients are unable to readily access a 
phlebotomy  provider  to  collect  a  blood  sample  for  our  tests,  we  may  be  unable  to  compete  effectively  with  other 
laboratories  that  have  greater  access  to  phlebotomy  providers  and  our  business,  financial  condition  and  results  of 
operations may be harmed.

In  addition,  if  third-party  phlebotomy  providers  fail  to  adequately  and  properly  obtain  and  collect  viable  blood 
samples  from  patients  and  to  properly  package  and  ship  the  samples  to  us,  our  patients  and  their  physicians  may 
experience problems and delays in receiving test results, which could lead to dissatisfaction with our tests, therefore 
harming our reputation and adversely affecting our business, financial condition and results of operations. Similarly, 
our  contracts  with  physician  owned  phlebotomy  providers  to  collect  blood  could  be  scrutinized  under  federal  and 
state healthcare laws such as the federal Anti-Kickback Statute, or AKS, and the federal law prohibiting physician 
self-referral, or Stark Law, to the extent these services to us are deemed to provide a financial benefit to or relieve a 
financial  burden  for  a  potential  referral  source,  or  are  subsequently  found  not  to  be  for  fair  market  value.  If  our 
operations are found to be in violation of any of these laws and regulations, we may be subject to administrative, 
civil  and  criminal  penalties,  damages,  fines,  individual  imprisonment,  exclusion  from  participation  in  federal 
healthcare programs or from coverage of commercial payers, refunding of payments received by us, and curtailment 
or cessation of our operations, any of which could harm our reputation and adversely affect our business, financial 
condition and results of operations.

We  rely  on  commercial  courier  delivery  services  to  transport  samples  to  our  laboratory  facility  in  a  timely  and 
cost-efficient manner and if these delivery services are disrupted, our business will be harmed.

Our business depends on our ability to deliver test results quickly and reliably to our customers. Blood samples are 
typically  received  within  days  from  the  United  States  and  outside  the  United  States  for  analysis  at  our  Redwood 
City, California facility. Disruptions in delivery services to transport samples to that facility, whether due to labor 
disruptions,  bad  weather,  natural  disaster,  terrorist  acts  or  threats  or  for  other  reasons  could  adversely  affect 
specimen integrity and our ability to process samples in a timely manner, delay our provision of test results to our 
customers,  and  ultimately  our  reputation  and  our  business.  In  addition,  if  we  are  unable  to  continue  to  obtain 
expedited delivery services to transport samples to us on commercially reasonable terms, our operating results may 
be adversely affected.

International expansion of our business exposes us to business, regulatory, political, operational, financial, and 
economic risks associated with doing business outside of the United States.

We  currently  have  limited  international  operations,  but  our  business  strategy  incorporates  potentially  significant 
international expansion, including through Guardant AMEA, which we formed to accelerate the commercialization 
of our products in Asia, the Middle East and Africa.

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We  plan  to  maintain  distributor  and  partner  relationships,  to  conduct  physician  and  patient  association  outreach 
activities,  to  extend  laboratory  capabilities  and  to  expand  payer  relationships,  outside  of  the  United  States.  Doing 
business internationally involves a number of risks, including:

• multiple, conflicting and changing laws and regulations such as privacy regulations, tax laws, export and 
import  restrictions,  economic  sanctions  and  embargoes,  employment  laws,  regulatory  requirements  and 
other governmental approvals, permits and licenses;

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•

•

failure by us, our distributors, or our local partners to obtain regulatory approvals or certifications for the 
use of our products in various countries;

presence  of  additional  third-party  patents  or  other  intellectual  property  rights  that  may  be  relevant  to  our 
business and may potentially block our expansion;

complexities  and  difficulties  in  obtaining  intellectual  property  protection  and  enforcing  our  intellectual 
property rights;

difficulties in staffing and managing foreign operations;

complexities  associated  with  managing  multiple  payer  reimbursement  regimes,  government  payers,  or 
patient self-pay systems;

logistics  and  regulations  associated  with  shipping  blood  samples,  including  infrastructure  conditions  and 
transportation delays;

limits in our ability to penetrate international markets if we are not able to perform our tests locally;

financial risks, such as longer payment cycles, difficulty collecting accounts receivable, the impact of local 
and  regional  financial  crises  on  demand  and  payment  for  our  products  and  exposure  to  foreign  currency 
exchange rate fluctuations, currency controls and cash repatriation restrictions;

natural disasters, political and economic instability, including wars, terrorism, and political unrest, boycotts, 
curtailment of trade and other business restrictions; 

public health or similar issues, such as epidemics or pandemics, that could cause business disruption for our 
offices  in  Japan  and  Singapore,  and  make  it  more  difficult  to  sell  our  tests  in  the  affected  countries  or 
regions, and 

regulatory and compliance risks that relate to maintaining accurate information and control over sales and 
distributors’ activities that may fall within the purview of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, or FCPA, 
its books and records provisions, or its anti-bribery provisions.

Any of these factors could significantly harm our future international expansion and operations and, consequently, 
our revenue and results of operations.

We could be adversely affected by violations of the FCPA and other anti-bribery laws.

We are subject to the FCPA, which prohibits companies and their intermediaries from making payments in violation 
of  law  to  non-U.S.  government  officials  for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  or  retaining  business  or  securing  any  other 
improper advantage, as a result of our international customers. Our reliance on independent distributors to sell our 
tests  internationally  demands  a  high  degree  of  vigilance  in  maintaining  our  policy  against  participation  in  corrupt 
activity,  because  these  distributors  could  be  deemed  to  be  our  agents  and  we  could  be  held  responsible  for  their 
actions. Other U.S. companies in the medical device and biopharmaceutical field have faced criminal penalties under 
the FCPA for allowing their agents to deviate from appropriate practices in doing business with these individuals. 
We  are  also  subject  to  similar  anti-bribery  laws  in  the  jurisdictions  in  which  we  operate,  including  the  United 
Kingdom’s Bribery Act of 2010, which also prohibits commercial bribery and makes it a crime for companies to fail 
to  prevent  bribery.  These  laws  are  complex  and  far-reaching  in  nature,  and,  as  a  result,  we  cannot  assure  that  we 
would not be required in the future to alter one or more of our practices to be in compliance with these laws or any 
changes in these laws or the interpretation thereof. Any violations of these laws, or allegations of such violations, 
could  disrupt  our  operations,  involve  significant  management  distraction,  cause  us  to  incur  significant  costs  and 
expenses, including legal fees, and result in a material adverse effect on our business, prospects, financial condition 
and results of operations. We could also suffer severe penalties, including criminal and civil penalties, disgorgement 
and other remedial measures.

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Risks related to our highly regulated industry

We conduct business in a heavily regulated industry, and changes in regulations or violations of regulations may, 
directly or indirectly, reduce our revenue, adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition, and 
harm our business.

The  clinical  laboratory  testing  industry  is  highly  regulated,  and  there  can  be  no  assurance  that  the  regulatory 
environment  in  which  we  operate  will  not  change  significantly  and  adversely  to  us  in  the  future.  Areas  of  the 
regulatory environment that may affect our ability to conduct business include, without limitation:

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

federal, state and foreign laws applicable to test ordering, documentation of tests ordered, billing practices and 
claims payment and/or regulatory agencies enforcing those laws and regulations;

federal, state and foreign health care fraud and abuse laws;

federal, state and foreign laboratory anti-mark-up laws;

coverage and reimbursement levels by Medicare, Medicaid, other governmental payers and private insurers;

restrictions on coverage of and reimbursement for tests;

federal, state and foreign laws governing laboratory testing, including CLIA, and state licensing laws;

federal,  state  and  foreign  laws  and  enforcement  policies  governing  the  development,  use  and  distribution  of 
diagnostic medical devices, including laboratory developed tests, or LDTs;

federal, state, local and foreign laws governing the handling and disposal of medical and hazardous waste; 

federal and state Occupational Safety and Health Administration rules and regulations; 

HIPAA, and similar state or foreign data privacy and security laws; and

consumer protection laws.

In particular, the laws and regulations governing the marketing of clinical laboratory tests are complex, and there are 
often  no  sufficient  regulatory  or  judicial  interpretations  of  these  laws  and  regulations.  For  example,  some  of  our 
clinical laboratory tests are actively regulated by the FDA pursuant to the medical device provisions of the Federal 
Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, or FDCA. The FDA defines a medical device to include any instrument, apparatus, 
implement, machine, contrivance, implant, in vitro reagent or other similar or related article, including a component, 
part  or  accessory,  intended  for  use  in  the  diagnosis  of  disease  or  other  conditions,  or  in  the  cure,  mitigation, 
treatment  or  prevention  of  disease,  in  man  or  other  animals.  Our  clinical  laboratory  tests  are  in  vitro  diagnostic 
products that are considered by the FDA to be medical devices. Among other things, pursuant to the FDCA and its 
implementing regulations, the FDA regulates the research, design, testing, manufacturing, safety, labeling, storage, 
recordkeeping,  premarket  clearance  or  approval,  marketing  and  promotion  and  sales  and  distribution  of  medical 
devices in the United States to ensure that medical devices distributed domestically are safe and effective for their 
intended uses. In addition, the FDA regulates the import and export of medical devices. If we do not comply with 
these requirements or fail to adequately comply, our business may be harmed.

Certain  of  our  tests  are  currently  marketed  as  LDTs,  and  future  changes  in  FDA  enforcement  discretion  for 
LDTs could subject our operations to much more significant regulatory requirements.

We  market  some  of  our  tests,  Guardant360,  Guardant360  Response,  Guardant360  Tissue  Next,  and  Guardant 
Reveal,  as  LDTs.  LDTs  are  in  vitro  diagnostic  tests  that  are  intended  for  clinical  use  and  are  designed, 
manufactured, and used within a single laboratory. Although LDTs are classified as medical devices and the FDA 
has  statutory  authority  to  ensure  that  medical  devices  are  safe  and  effective  for  their  intended  uses,  the  FDA  has 
historically exercised enforcement discretion and has not enforced certain applicable FDA requirements, including 
premarket review, with respect to LDTs. While we believe that we are in material compliance with applicable laws 
and regulations, we cannot assure that the FDA will agree with us. If there are changes in FDA policy, or if the FDA 
disagrees that we are marketing our tests as LDTs within the scope of its policy of enforcement discretion, we may 
become  subject  to  extensive  regulatory  requirements  and  may  be  required  to  stop  selling  our  existing  tests  or 
launching  any  other  tests  we  may  develop  and  to  conduct  additional  clinical  studies  or  take  other  actions  prior  to 
continuing to market our tests. This could significantly increase the costs and expenses of conducting, or otherwise 
harm, our business.

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Legislative and administrative proposals proposing to amend the FDA’s oversight of LDTs have been introduced in 
recent  years  and  we  expect  that  new  legislative  and  administrative  proposals  will  continue  to  be  introduced  from 
time to time. It is possible that legislation could be enacted into law or regulations or guidance could be issued by 
the FDA which may result in new or increased regulatory requirements for us to continue to offer our LDTs or to 
develop and introduce new tests as LDTs.   

In  addition,  the  FDA  and  Congress  have,  for  over  the  past  decade,  considered  a  number  of  proposals  to  end  the 
FDA’s enforcement discretion policy for LDTs and subject LDTs to additional regulatory requirements. 

Even  if  the  FDA  does  not  modify  its  policy  of  enforcement  discretion,  whether  due  to  changes  in  FDA  policy  or 
legislative  action,  the  FDA  may  disagree  that  we  are  marketing  our  LDTs  within  the  scope  of  its  policy  of 
enforcement  discretion  and  may  impose  significant  regulatory  requirements,  including  the  requirement  for 
premarket review and subsequent marketing authorization. We may also be required to conduct clinical studies to 
support our currently marketed products or planned product launches.  If we are required to conduct such clinical 
studies  delays  in  the  commencement  or  completion  of  clinical  testing  could  significantly  increase  our  test 
development  costs  and  delay  commercialization  of  any  currently-marketed  tests  that  we  may  be  required  to  cease 
selling or the commercialization of any future tests that we may develop, which could harm our financial prospects.

There is no guarantee that the FDA will grant 510(k) clearance or a premarket approval of our products or that 
similar foreign authorities or notified bodies will grant premarket approval or certify our products and failure to 
obtain necessary clearances or approvals or certifications for our products would adversely affect our ability to 
grow our business.

Before we begin to label and market our products for use as clinical diagnostics in the United States, including as 
companion  diagnostics,  we  may  be  required  to  obtain  either  510(k)  clearance  or  a  premarket  approval,  or 
supplemental premarket approval, or respectively, PMA or PMA supplement, from the FDA, unless an exemption 
applies or FDA exercises its enforcement discretion and refrains from enforcing its medical device requirements. For 
example,  the  FDA  has  a  policy  of  refraining  from  enforcing  such  requirements  with  respect  to  LDTs,  which  the 
FDA  considers  to  be  a  type  of  in  vitro  diagnostic  test  that  is  designed,  manufactured  and  used  within  a  single 
laboratory. 

The process of obtaining a PMA is a rigorous, costly, lengthy and uncertain process. In the PMA process, the FDA 
must  determine  that  a  proposed  device  is  safe  and  effective  for  its  intended  use  based,  in  part,  on  extensive  data, 
including, but not limited to, technical, pre-clinical, clinical study, manufacturing and labeling data. In the 510(k) 
clearance process, the FDA must determine that a proposed device is “substantially equivalent” to a device legally 
on  the  market,  known  as  a  “predicate”  device,  in  order  to  clear  the  proposed  device  for  marketing.  To  be 
“substantially equivalent,” the proposed device must have the same intended use as the predicate device, and either 
have the same technological characteristics as the predicate device or have different technological characteristics and 
not raise different questions of safety or effectiveness than the predicate device. Clinical data is sometimes required 
to support a substantial equivalence determination.

In order to sell our products in member states of the EU, our products must comply with the essential requirements 
of the EU In Vitro Diagnostic Medical Devices Directive (Directive 98/79/EC), or IVDD. Compliance with these 
requirements  is  a  prerequisite  to  be  able  to  affix  the  European  Conformity,  or  CE,  mark  to  our  products,  without 
which they cannot be sold or marketed in the EU. All medical devices placed on the market in the EU must meet the 
essential  requirements  laid  down  in  Annex  I  to  the  IVDD  including  the  requirement  that  an  in  vitro  diagnostic 
medical device must be designed and manufactured in such a way that it will not compromise the clinical condition 
or  safety  of  patients,  or  the  safety  and  health  of  users  and  others.  In  addition,  the  device  must  achieve  the 
performances intended by the manufacturer and be designed, manufactured, and packaged in a suitable manner. To 
demonstrate compliance with the essential requirements we must undergo a conformity assessment procedure, which 
varies  according  to  the  type  of  medical  device  and  its  (risk)  classification.  As  a  general  rule,  demonstration  of 
conformity of in vitro diagnostic medical devices and their manufacturers with the essential requirements must be 
based, among other things, on the evaluation of clinical data supporting the safety and performance of the products 
during normal conditions of use. Specifically, a manufacturer must demonstrate that the device achieves its intended 
performance  during  normal  conditions  of  use,  that  the  known  and  foreseeable  risks,  and  any  adverse  events,  are 
minimized and acceptable when weighed against the benefits of its intended performance, and that any claims made 
about the performance and safety of the device are supported by suitable evidence. 

40

Except for (general) in vitro diagnostic medical devices, where the manufacturer can self-declare the conformity of 
its  products  with  the  essential  requirements  of  the  IVDD,  a  conformity  assessment  procedure  requires  the 
intervention of a notified body. Notified bodies are independent organizations designated by EU member states to 
assess the conformity of devices before being placed on the market. The Notified Body would typically audit and 
examine the product’s technical file and the manufacturer’s quality system (notified body must presume that quality 
systems which implement the relevant harmonized standards – which is ISO 13485:2016 for Quality Management 
Systems – conform to these requirements). If satisfied that the relevant product conforms to the relevant essential 
requirements, the notified body issues a certificate of conformity, which the manufacturer uses as a basis for its own 
declaration of conformity. The manufacturer may then apply the CE mark to the device, which allows the device to 
be placed on the market throughout the EU.

The aforementioned EU rules are generally applicable in the European Economic Area, or EEA, which consists of 
the 27 EU member states plus Norway, Liechtenstein and Iceland.

Any delay or failure to obtain necessary regulatory approvals or clearances or certifications would have a material 
adverse effect on our business, prospects, financial condition and results of operations.

The FDA and foreign authorities or notified bodies can delay, limit or deny clearance or approval or certification of 
a device for many reasons, including:

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•

•

•

our inability to demonstrate to the satisfaction of the FDA, similar foreign authorities or notified bodies that our 
products are safe or effective for their intended uses;

the  disagreement  of  the  FDA,  similar  foreign  authorities  or  notified  bodies  with  the  design,  conduct  or 
implementation of our clinical studies or the analysis or interpretation of data from our pre-clinical or clinical 
studies;

serious and unexpected adverse effects experienced by participants in our clinical studies;

the  data  from  our  pre-clinical  and  clinical  studies  may  be  insufficient  to  support  clearance  or  approval,  or 
certification where required;

our inability to demonstrate that the clinical and other benefits of any of our tests outweigh the risks;

an  advisory  committee,  if  convened  by  the  FDA,  may  recommend  against  approval  of  our  PMA  or  other 
application for any of our tests or may recommend that the FDA require, as a condition of approval, additional 
pre-clinical  studies  or  clinical  studies,  limitations  on  approved  labeling  or  distribution  and  use  restrictions,  or 
even if an advisory committee, if convened, makes a favorable recommendation, the FDA may still not approve 
the test; Similar requirements may apply in foreign jurisdictions; 

the FDA, similar foreign authorities or notified bodies may identify deficiencies in our marketing application, or 
certification  application  and  in  our  manufacturing  processes,  facilities  or  analytical  methods  or  those  of  our 
third-party contract manufacturers;

the  potential  for  approval  or  certification  policies  or  regulations  of  the  FDA  or  similar  foreign  authorities  to 
change significantly in a manner rendering our clinical data or regulatory filings insufficient for the clearance or 
approval or certification; and

the FDA, similar foreign authorities or notified bodies may audit our clinical study data and conclude that the 
data is not sufficiently reliable to support a PMA or other applications.

If we are unable to obtain clearance or approval or certification for any tests for which we plan to seek clearance or 
approval or certification, our business may be harmed.

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Modifications  to  our  FDA-cleared  or  approved  products  may  require  new  510(k)  clearances  or  premarket 
approvals, or may require us to cease marketing or recall the modified products until clearances are obtained.

For  any  product  approved  pursuant  to  a  PMA,  we  are  required  to  seek  supplemental  approval  for  many  types  of 
changes  to  the  approved  product,  for  which  we  will  need  to  determine  whether  a  PMA  supplement  or  other 
regulatory  filing  is  needed  or  whether  the  change  may  be  reported  via  the  PMA  Annual  Report.  Similarly,  any 
modification  to  a  510(k)-cleared  device  that  could  significantly  affect  its  safety  or  effectiveness,  or  that  would 
constitute  a  major  change  in  its  intended  use,  design,  or  manufacture,  requires  new  510(k)  clearance  or,  possibly, 
approval of a new PMA. The FDA requires us to make this determination in the first instance, but the FDA may 
review and may not agree with our determination. If the FDA disagrees with our determination and requires us to 
seek  approvals  or  clearances  for  modifications  to  our  previously  approved  or  cleared  products,  for  which  we 
concluded that new approvals or clearances are unnecessary, we may be required to cease marketing or distribution 
of our products or to recall the modified product until we obtain the approval or clearance, and we may be subject to 
significant regulatory fines or penalties.

Similar requirements apply in foreign jurisdictions. For instance, in the EU, we must inform the notified body that 
carried  out  the  conformity  assessment  of  the  devices  that  we  market  or  sell  in  the  EU  and  EEA  of  any  planned 
substantial changes to our quality system or substantial changes to our in vitro diagnostic medical devices that could 
affect compliance with the essential requirements laid down in Annex I to IVDD or cause a substantial change to the 
intended use for which the device has been CE marked. The notified body will then assess the planned changes and 
verify  whether  they  affect  the  products’  ongoing  conformity  with  the  IVDD.  If  the  assessment  is  favorable,  the 
notified  body  will  issue  a  new  certificate  of  conformity  or  an  addendum  to  the  existing  certificate  attesting 
compliance with the essential requirements and quality system requirements laid down in the Annexes to the IVDD.

If  third-party  payers,  including  commercial  payers  and  government  healthcare  programs,  do  not  provide 
coverage of, or adequate reimbursement for, our tests, our business and results of operations will be negatively 
affected.

Our revenue and commercial success depend on achieving coverage and reimbursement for our tests from payers, 
including both commercial and government payers. If payers do not provide coverage of, or do not provide adequate 
reimbursement for our tests, we may need to seek payment from the patient, which may adversely affect demand for 
our  tests.  Coverage  determinations  by  a  payer  may  depend  on  a  number  of  factors,  including  but  not  limited  to  a 
payer’s  determination  that  a  test  is  appropriate,  medically  necessary  or  cost-effective.  If  we  are  unable  to  provide 
payers with sufficient evidence of the clinical utility and validity of our test, they may not provide coverage, may 
provide  limited  coverage  or  may  terminate  coverage,  which  will  adversely  affect  our  revenues  and  our  financial 
condition. To the extent that more competitors enter our markets, the availability of coverage and the reimbursement 
rate for our tests may decrease as we encounter pricing pressure from our competitors.

Each payer makes its own decision as to whether to provide coverage for our tests, whether to enter into a contract 
with us and the reimbursement rate for a test. Negotiating with payers is time-consuming, and payers often insist on 
their standard form contracts. There is no guarantee that a payer will provide adequate coverage or reimbursement 
for our tests or that we can reach an agreement with the payer on reasonable terms without being subject to 
additional regulatory and compliance risks. In cases where there is no coverage, or we do not have a contracted rate 
for reimbursement with the payer, the patient is typically responsible for a greater share of the cost of the test, which 
may result in delay of revenue, increase collection costs or decrease the likelihood of collection. We maintain a 
financial assistance program, the Guardant Access Program, under which we assess patient financial need and offer 
provide discounted or no cost tests to certain patients. This may result in scrutiny by payers of our Guardant Access 
Program, and this could result in recoupment actions or termination of coverage of our tests.

Our  claims  for  reimbursement  may  be  denied  and  we  may  have  to  appeal  such  denials  in  order  to  get  paid.  Such 
appeals  may  not  result  in  payment.  Payers  may  perform  audits  of  historically  paid  claims  and  attempt  to  recoup 
funds years after the funds were initially distributed if the payers believe the funds were paid in error or determine 
that our tests were medically unnecessary. If a payer's audit of our claims results in a negative finding, and we are 
unable to reverse the finding through appeal, any subsequent recoupment could result in a material adverse effect on 
our revenue. Additionally, in some cases commercial payers for whom we are not a participating provider may elect 
at any time to review claims previously paid and determine the amount they paid was excessive. In these situations, 
the  payer  typically  notifies  us  of  its  decision  and  then  offsets  the  amount  it  determines  to  be  overpaid  against 
amounts it owes us on current claims. We do not have a mechanism to dispute these retroactive adjustments, and we 
cannot predict when, or how often, a payer might engage in these reviews.

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When we contract with a payer as a participating provider, reimbursements by the payer are generally made pursuant 
to a negotiated fee schedule and are limited to only covered indications or where prior approval has been obtained. 
Becoming  a  participating  provider  can  result  in  higher  reimbursement  amounts  for  covered  uses  of  our  test  and, 
potentially, no reimbursement for non-covered uses identified under the payer’s policies or the contract. 

Although  we  are  a  participating  provider  with  some  commercial  payers,  certain  other  large,  national  commercial 
payers,  including  Anthem,  Aetna  and  Humana,  have  issued  non-coverage  policies  that  consider  tissue  and  liquid 
CGP  testing,  including  our  Guardant360  test,  as  experimental  or  investigational.  If  we  are  not  successful  in 
obtaining coverage from such payers, or if other payers issue similar non-coverage policies, our business and results 
of operations could be materially and adversely affected.

Medicare’s National Coverage Determination, or NCD, for Next Generation Sequencing, or NGS, first established 
in  2018  and  subsequently  updated  in  2020  states  that  NGS  tests,  such  as  our  Guardant360  test,  are  covered  by 
Medicare nationally, when: (1) performed in a CLIA-certified laboratory, (2) ordered by a treating physician, (3) the 
patient  meets  certain  clinical  and  treatment  criteria,  including  having  recurrent,  relapsed,  refractory,  metastatic,  or 
advanced stages III or IV cancer, (4) the test is approved or cleared by the FDA as a companion in vitro diagnostic 
for an FDA approved or cleared indication for use in that patient’s cancer, and (5) results are provided to the treating 
physician for management of the patient using a report template to specify treatment options. The NGS NCD also 
states that each Medicare Administrative Contractor, or MAC, may provide local coverage of other next-generation 
sequencing  tests  for  cancer  patients  only  when  the  test  is  performed  by  a  CLIA-certified  laboratory,  ordered  by  a 
treating physician and the patient meets the same clinical and treatment criteria required of nationally covered next-
generation sequencing tests under the NGS NCD. An NGS test is not covered by Medicare when cancer patients do 
not  have  the  above-noted  indications  for  cancer  under  either  national  or  local  coverage  criteria.  In  July  2018, 
Palmetto  GBA,  or  Palmetto,  the  MAC  responsible  for  administering  Medicare’s  Molecular  Diagnostic  Services 
Program, or MolDx, issued a local coverage determination, or LCD, for our Guardant360 test for NSCLC patients 
who  meet  certain  clinical  and  treatment  criteria.  Subsequently,  in  2018,  Noridian  Healthcare  Solutions,  the  MAC 
responsible  for  adjudicating  claims  in  California,  where  our  laboratory  is  located,  and  a  participant  in  MolDx, 
finalized its LCD for our Guardant360 test. In September 2018, we began to  receive reimbursement from Medicare 
for claims submitted with respect to Guardant360 clinical tests performed for NSCLC patients. In December 2019, 
replacing its prior NSCLC patient LCD, Palmetto GBA finalized its expanded LCD for our Guardant360 test that 
provides  limited  Medicare  coverage  for  use  of  the  Guardant360  test  for  qualifying  patients  diagnosed  with  solid 
cancers  of  non-central  nervous  system  origin.  In  May  2019,  Noridian  also  issued  an  expanded  draft  LCD  for  our 
Guardant360 test consistent with the expanded draft LCD issued by Palmetto in March 2019. In May 2020, Noridian 
issued a coverage article and confirmed limited Medicare coverage for our Guardant360 test for qualifying patients 
diagnosed with solid tumor cancers of non-central nervous system origin who meet the criteria of the NGS NCD. 
Noridian  also  retired  the  expanded  draft  LCD  issued  in  May  2019  as  being  superseded  by  the  coverage  article. 
Future actions taken by Noridian or Palmetto may change Medicare coverage for our Guardant360 test. In March 
2020, we began to receive reimbursement from Medicare for claims submitted, with respect to Guardant360 clinical 
tests  performed  for  qualifying  patients  diagnosed  with  solid  tumor  cancers  of  non-central  nervous  system  origin 
other than NSCLC.

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Under  Medicare,  payment  for  laboratory  tests  like  ours  is  generally  made  under  the  Clinical  Laboratory  Fee 
Schedule,  or  CLFS,  with  payment  amounts  assigned  to  specific  procedure  billing  codes.  In  April  2014,  Congress 
passed the Protecting Access to Medicare Act of 2014, or PAMA, which included substantial changes to the way in 
which clinical laboratory services are paid under Medicare. Under PAMA, laboratories that receive the majority of 
their Medicare revenue from payments made under the CLFS are generally required to report to CMS, beginning in 
2017  and  every  three  years  thereafter  (or  annually  for  “advanced  diagnostic  laboratory  tests”,  or  ADLT), 
commercial payer payment rates and volumes for each test they perform. CMS uses this data to calculate a weighted 
median payment rate for each test, which is used to establish revised Medicare CLFS reimbursement rates for the 
test. Laboratories that fail to report the required payment information may be subject to substantial civil monetary 
penalties.  We  are  subject  to  reporting  requirements  under  PAMA  and  the  Medicare  rate  for  our  tests  will  be 
calculated in the future based on our private payer rates. For clinical diagnostic laboratory tests furnished on or after 
January 1, 2018, their Medicare CLFS reimbursement rates are established upon these reported private payer rates. 
On December 10, 2021, Congress passed the Protecting Medicare and American Farmers from Sequester Cuts Act, 
which  delayed  by  one  year  the  next  data  reporting  period  and  prevented  any  reduction  in  payment  amounts  from 
commercial  payer  rate  implementation  in  2022.  On  November  2,  2022,  CMS  published  its  final  rule  for  the 
Medicare Physician Fee Schedule for calendar year (CY) 2023, including changes for clinical laboratories that take 
effect on January 1, 2023. Changes include updated regulatory definitions to specify the data collection period for 
the  data  reporting  period  of  January  1,  2023  through  March  31,  2023;  revisions  to  indicate  that  data  reporting  is 
required every 3 years beginning January 2023; and to confirm that for CY 2022, payment may not be reduced by 
more than 0% as compared to CY 2021, and for CYs 2023 through 2025, payment may not be reduced by more than 
15%  as  compared  to  the  amount  established  for  the  preceding  year.  On  December  29,  2022,  Congress  passed  the 
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023, which prevented any reduction in payment amounts from commercial payor 
rate  implementation  for  2023;  delayed  by  one  year  data  reporting  requirements  for  tests  other  than  ADLTs;  and 
extended the three-year period in which payment may not be reduced by more than 15%, to CYs 2024 through 2026. 
If  we  are  unable  to  obtain  and  maintain  favorable  reimbursement  rates  from  commercial  payers  for  our  tests,  this 
may  adversely  affect  the  tests’  Medicare  reimbursement  rates.  It  is  unclear  what  impact  new  Medicare  pricing 
structures, such as those adopted under PAMA, may have on our business, financial condition, results of operations 
or cash flows.

Some payers have implemented, or are in the process of implementing, laboratory benefit management programs, 
often using third-party benefit managers to manage these programs. The stated goals of these programs are to help 
improve the quality of outpatient laboratory services, support evidence-based guidelines for patient care and lower 
costs. The impact on laboratories, such as us, of active laboratory benefit management by third parties is unclear, 
and  we  expect  that  it  would  have  a  negative  impact  on  our  revenue  in  the  short  term.  Payers  may  resist 
reimbursement  for  our  tests  in  favor  of  less  expensive  tests,  require  pre-authorization  for  our  tests,  or  impose 
additional pricing pressure on and substantial administrative burden for reimbursement for our tests. We expect to 
continue to focus substantial resources on increasing adoption of, and coverage and reimbursement for, our current 
tests  and  any  future  tests  we  may  develop.  We  believe  it  may  take  several  years  to  achieve  broad  coverage  and 
adequate  contracted  reimbursement  with  a  majority  of  payers  for  our  tests.  However,  we  cannot  predict  whether, 
under what circumstances, or at what price levels payers will cover and reimburse our tests. If we fail to establish 
and maintain broad adoption of, and coverage and reimbursement for, our tests, our ability to generate revenue could 
be harmed and our business and prospects could suffer.

44

Our products may in the future be subject to product recalls. A recall of our products, either voluntarily or at the 
direction  of  the  FDA  or  another  governmental  authority,  or  the  discovery  of  serious  safety  issues  with  our 
products, could have a significant adverse impact on us.

The FDA has the authority to require the recall of commercialized products that are subject to FDA regulation in the 
event of material deficiencies or defects in design or manufacture. The authority to require a recall must be based on 
an FDA finding that there is reasonable probability that the device would cause serious, adverse health consequences 
or  death.  We  may  also,  on  our  own  initiative,  recall  a  product.  The  FDA  requires  that  certain  classifications  of 
recalls be reported to the FDA within ten working days after the recall is initiated. In the case of our FDA-approved 
tests,  a  government-mandated  or  voluntary  recall  by  us  or  one  of  our  distributors  could  occur  as  a  result  of  an 
unacceptable  risk  to  health,  component  failures,  malfunctions,  manufacturing  errors,  design  or  labeling  defects  or 
other deficiencies and issues. Recalls of any of our products could impair our ability to produce our products in a 
cost-effective and timely manner, which would have an adverse effect on our reputation, results of operations and 
financial condition. We may be subject to liability claims, may be required to bear costs or may take other actions 
that may have a negative impact on our future sales and our ability to generate profits. Companies are required to 
maintain  certain  records  of  recalls,  even  if  they  are  not  reportable  to  the  FDA.  We  may  initiate  voluntary  recalls 
involving our products in the future that we determine do not require notification to the FDA. If the FDA disagrees 
with our determinations, the FDA could require us to report those actions and take enforcement action for failing to 
report  the  recalls  when  they  were  conducted.  Similar  requirements  apply  in  foreign  jurisdictions.  A  future  recall 
announcement could harm our reputation with customers and negatively affect our sales and financial condition.

If we initiate a correction or removal for one of our tests, issue a safety alert or undertake a field action or recall to 
reduce  a  risk  to  health  imposed  by  the  test,  this  could  lead  to  increased  scrutiny  by  the  FDA  and  our  customers 
regarding  the  quality  and  safety  of  our  tests  and  to  negative  publicity,  including  FDA  alerts,  press  releases  or 
administrative or judicial actions. Furthermore, circulation of any such negative publicity could harm our reputation, 
be  used  by  competitors  against  us  in  competitive  situations  and  cause  customers  to  delay  purchase  decisions  or 
cancel orders.

Clinical development involves a lengthy and expensive process with an uncertain outcome, and results of earlier 
studies and studies may not be predictive of future study results.

Our ongoing research and development and clinical study activities are subject to extensive regulation and review by 
numerous  governmental  authorities  both  in  the  United  States  and  abroad;  and  by  notified  bodies  in  some  foreign 
jurisdictions. Clinical testing is difficult to design and implement, can take many years, can be expensive and carries 
uncertain outcomes. The results of nonclinical and clinical studies of our products conducted to date, and ongoing or 
future studies of our current, planned or future products may not be predictive of the results of later clinical studies, 
and interim results of a clinical study do not necessarily predict final results. The data and results from our clinical 
studies does not ensure that we will achieve similar results in future clinical studies. Failure can occur at any stage of 
clinical testing. Clinical studies may produce negative or inconclusive results, and we may decide, or regulators may 
require us, to conduct additional clinical and nonclinical testing in addition to those we have planned before we are 
able to seek marketing authorizations or certifications for our products or product candidates.

We may experience delays in our clinical studies for a number of reasons, which could adversely affect the costs, 
timing or successful completion of such clinical studies.

Patient enrollment in clinical studies and completion of patient follow up depend on many factors, including the size 
of the patient population, the nature of the study protocol, the proximity of patients to clinical sites, the eligibility 
criteria for the clinical study, patient compliance, competing clinical studies and clinicians’ and patients’ perceptions 
as  to  the  potential  advantages  of  the  product  being  studied  in  relation  to  other  available  products.  In  addition, 
patients  participating  in  our  clinical  studies  may  drop  out  before  completion  of  the  study  or  experience  adverse 
medical events unrelated to our products. Delays in patient enrollment or failure of patients to continue to participate 
in a clinical study may delay commencement or completion of the clinical study, cause an increase in the costs of the 
clinical study and delays, or result in the failure of the clinical study. In addition, the target enrollment for certain of 
our clinical studies, including our ECLIPSE study, is based upon our estimates that a given percentage of enrolled 
patients will have a specified disease or condition, and we cannot be certain that these estimates will prove correct, 
or that our clinical studies, even if fully enrolled, will produce data sufficient to support the submission of a PMA or 
other marketing application to the FDA or a comparable regulatory authority. If our clinical studies do not enroll a 
sufficient number of patients to support submission of a PMA or similar marketing application, or if the number of 
patients  enrolled  with  the  target  disease  or  condition  is  lower  than  we  estimated,  we  may  be  required  to  enroll 
additional  patients  in  our  clinical  studies  or  conduct  additional  clinical  studies  before  we  are  able  to  seek  and/or 
obtain marketing authorizations for our product candidates, which may result in significant additional expenses for 
us and could delay or prevent us from bringing our product candidates to market.

45

In addition, we may find it necessary to engage CROs  to perform data collection and analysis and other aspects of 
our clinical studies, which might increase the cost and complexity of our studies. We may also depend on clinical 
investigators, medical institutions and contract research organizations to perform the studies, and would control only 
certain  aspects  of  their  activities.  We  would  be  responsible  for  ensuring  that  each  of  our  studies  is  conducted  in 
accordance with the applicable protocol, legal, regulatory and scientific standards, and our reliance on third parties 
would  not  relieve  us  of  our  regulatory  responsibilities.  We  and  our  third-party  contractors  are  required  to  comply 
with good clinical practices, or GCPs, which are regulations and guidelines enforced by the FDA, and comparable 
regulations  enforced  by  foreign  regulatory  authorities  for  products  in  clinical  development.  Regulatory  authorities 
enforce these GCPs through periodic inspections of study sponsors, principal investigators and study sites. If we or 
any third-party contractor fails to comply with applicable GCPs, the clinical data generated in clinical studies may 
be deemed unreliable and the FDA or comparable foreign regulatory authorities or notified bodies may require us to 
perform  additional  clinical  studies  before  clearing,  or  approving  our  marketing  applications  or  certifying  our 
products. A failure to comply with these regulations may require us to repeat clinical studies, which would delay the 
regulatory clearance, approval or certification process. 

If there are delays in testing or clearances, approvals or certifications as a result of the failure to perform by third 
parties, our research and development costs would increase, and we may not be able to obtain regulatory clearance, 
approval, or certification for our tests. In addition, we may not be able to establish or maintain relationships with 
these  parties  on  favorable  terms,  if  at  all.  Each  of  these  outcomes  would  harm  our  ability  to  market  our  tests, 
generate revenue or to achieve sustained profitability.

Interim, "topline" and preliminary data from our clinical studies that we announce or publish from time to time 
may change as more patient data become available and are subject to audit and verification procedures that could 
result in material changes in the final data.

From  time  to  time,  we  may  publicly  disclose  preliminary  or  topline  data  from  our  preclinical  studies  or  clinical 
studies,  which  is  based  on  a  preliminary  analysis  of  then-available  data,  and  the  results  and  related  findings  and 
conclusions are subject to change following a more comprehensive review of the data related to the particular study. 
We also make assumptions, estimations, calculations and conclusions as part of our analyses of data, and we may 
not have received or had the opportunity to fully and carefully evaluate all data at time of disclosure. As a result, the 
topline  or  preliminary  results  that  we  report  may  differ  from  future  results  of  the  same  studies,  or  different 
conclusions or considerations may qualify such results, once additional data have been received and fully evaluated. 
Topline  data  also  remain  subject  to  audit  and  verification  procedures  that  may  result  in  the  final  data  being 
materially different from the preliminary data we previously published. As a result, topline data should be viewed 
with caution until the final data are available.

From  time  to  time,  we  may  also  disclose  interim  data  from  our  preclinical  and  clinical  studies.  Interim  data  from 
clinical studies that we may complete are subject to the risk that one or more of the clinical outcomes may materially 
change  as  patient  enrollment  continues  and  more  patient  data  become  available.  Adverse  differences  between 
preliminary,  topline  or  interim  data  and  final  data  could  significantly  harm  our  business  prospects.  Further, 
disclosure of such data by us or by our competitors could result in volatility in the price of our common stock.

Further,  others,  including  regulatory  agencies,  such  as  the  FDA,  may  not  accept  or  agree  with  our  assumptions, 
estimates, calculations, conclusions or analyses or may interpret or weigh the importance of data differently, which 
could impact the value of the particular program, the approvability or commercialization of the particular product 
candidate  or  product  and  our  company  in  general.  In  addition,  the  information  we  choose  to  publicly  disclose 
regarding a particular clinical study is based on what is typically extensive information, and you or others may not 
agree with what we determine is material or otherwise appropriate information to include in our disclosure and any 
information  we  determine  not  to  disclose  may  ultimately  be  deemed  significant  with  respect  to  future  decisions, 
conclusions, views, activities or otherwise regarding a particular product, product candidate or our business.

If the interim, topline, or preliminary data that we report differ from actual results, or if others, including regulatory 
authorities, disagree with the conclusions reached, our ability to obtain approval for and commercialize our product 
candidates may be harmed, which could harm our business, operating results, prospects or financial condition. 

46

Our  “research  use  only”  and  “investigational  use  only”  products  could  become  subject  to  more  onerous 
regulation by the FDA or other regulatory agencies in the future, which could increase our costs and delay our 
commercialization efforts, thereby materially and adversely affecting our business and results of operations.

In the United States, some of our products, including our GuardantOMNI test, are currently available for research 
use  only,  or  RUO,  or  for  investigational  use  only,  or  IUO,  depending  on  the  proposed  application.  We  make  our 
RUO  and  IUO  products  available  to  a  variety  of  parties,  including  biopharmaceutical  companies  and  research 
institutes. Because RUO and IUO products are not intended for use in clinical practice and cannot be advertised or 
promoted for clinical or diagnostic claims, they are exempt from many regulatory requirements otherwise applicable 
to  medical  devices.  In  particular,  while  the  FDA  regulations  require  that  RUO  products  be  labeled  “For  Research 
Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures,” and that IUO products be labeled “For Investigational Use Only. 
The  performance  characteristics  of  this  product  have  not  been  established,”  such  products  are  not  subject  to  the 
FDA’s pre- and post-market controls for medical devices.

A significant change in the laws or policies governing RUO or IUO products or how they are enforced may require 
us to change our business model in order to maintain compliance. For instance, in November 2013 the FDA issued a 
guidance  document  entitled  “Distribution  of  In  Vitro  Diagnostic  Products  Labeled  for  Research  Use  Only  or 
Investigational Use Only,” or the RUO/IUO Guidance, which highlights the FDA’s interpretation that distribution of 
RUO  or  IUO  products  with  any  labeling,  advertising  or  promotion  that  suggests  that  clinical  laboratories  can 
validate the test through their own procedures and subsequently offer it for clinical diagnostic use as an LDT is in 
conflict  with  the  RUO  or  IUO  status.  The  RUO/IUO  Guidance  further  articulates  the  FDA’s  position  that  any 
assistance  offered  in  performing  clinical  validation  or  verification,  or  similar  specialized  technical  support,  to 
clinical laboratories, is in conflict with RUO or IUO status. If we engage in any activities that the FDA deems to be 
in conflict with the RUO or IUO status held by any of our products so labeled, we may be subject to immediate, 
severe  and  broad  FDA  enforcement  action  that  would  adversely  affect  our  ability  to  continue  operations. 
Accordingly, if the FDA finds that we are distributing our RUO or IUO products in a manner that is inconsistent 
with  its  RUO/IUO  Guidance,  we  may  be  forced  to  stop  distribution  of  our  RUO/IUO  tests  until  we  are  in 
compliance, which would reduce our revenue, increase our costs and adversely affect our business, and results of 
operations. 

Even if we receive regulatory approval or certification of our products, we will continue to be subject to extensive 
regulatory oversight.

Medical  devices  are  subject  to  extensive  regulation  by  the  FDA  in  the  United  States,  the  MHLW  in  Japan,  the 
European authorities, EEA competent authorities, and comparable regulatory agencies in other territories where we 
do business. If any of our products are approved by the FDA, the MHLW, or other comparable foreign regulatory 
agencies or certified by notified bodies in foreign jurisdictions, we will be required to timely file various reports. If 
these reports are not filed timely, regulators may impose sanctions and sales of our products may suffer, and we may 
be subject to product liability or regulatory enforcement actions, all of which could harm our business. In addition, 
as  a  condition  of  approving  a  PMA,  the  FDA  may  also  require  some  form  of  post-approval  study  or  post-market 
surveillance,  whereby  the  applicant  conducts  a  follow-up  study  or  follows  certain  patient  groups  for  a  number  of 
years and makes periodic reports to the FDA on the clinical status of those patients when necessary to protect the 
public  health  or  to  provide  additional  safety  and  effectiveness  data  for  the  device.  The  product  labeling  must  be 
updated  and  submitted  in  a  PMA  supplement  as  results,  including  any  adverse  event  data  from  the  post-approval 
study, become available. Failure to conduct or timely complete post-approval studies in compliance with applicable 
regulations, update the product labeling, or comply with other post-approval requirements could result in withdrawal 
of approval of the PMA, which would harm our business and revenue.

The  FDA  and  the  Federal  Trade  Commission,  or  FTC,  also  regulate  the  advertising  and  promotion  of  medical 
devices  to  ensure  that  their  promotional  claims  made  are  consistent  with  the  applicable  marketing  authorizations, 
that  there  are  adequate  and  reasonable  data  to  substantiate  the  claims,  and  that  the  promotional  labeling  and 
advertising is neither false nor misleading in any respect. If the FDA or FTC determines that any of our promotional 
claims are false, misleading, not substantiated or not permissible, we may be subject to enforcement actions and we 
may be required to revise our promotional claims and make other corrections or restitutions. Similar requirements 
apply in foreign jurisdictions.

The  FDA,  state  and  foreign  authorities  have  broad  enforcement  powers.  Our  failure  to  comply  with  applicable 
regulatory requirements could result in enforcement action by the FDA, state or foreign regulatory agencies, which 
may include any of the following sanctions:

•

adverse publicity, warning letters, untitled letters, fines, injunctions, consent decrees and civil penalties;

47

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

repair,  replacement,  refunds,  recalls,  termination  of  distribution,  administrative  detention  or  seizures  of  our 
products;

operating restrictions, partial suspension or total shutdown of production;

customer notifications or repair, replacement or refunds;

refusing  our  requests  for  clearances  or  approvals  of  new  products,  new  intended  uses  or  modifications  to 
existing products;

withdrawals of current clearances, approvals or certifications, resulting in prohibitions on sales of our products;

refusal to issue certificates needed to export products for sale in other countries; and

criminal prosecution.

Any  of  these  sanctions  could  also  result  in  higher  than  anticipated  costs  or  lower  than  anticipated  sales  of  our 
products and have a material adverse effect on our reputation, business, results of operations and financial condition.

In addition, the FDA may change its clearance and approval policies, adopt additional regulations or revise existing 
regulations, or take other actions which may prevent or delay approval or clearance of our current or future products 
under  development.  For  example,  on  February  23,  2022,  the  FDA  issued  a  proposed  rule  to  amend  the  Quality 
System Regulation, or QSR, which establishes current good manufacturing practice requirements for medical device 
manufacturers, to align more closely with the International Organization for Standardization, or ISO, standards. This 
proposal  has  not  yet  been  finalized  or  adopted.  Accordingly,  it  is  unclear  the  extent  to  which  any  proposals,  if 
adopted, could impose increased costs of compliance, or otherwise negatively affect our business. Additionally, in 
September  2019,  the  FDA  issued  revised  final  guidance  describing  an  optional  “safety  and  performance  based” 
premarket review pathway for manufacturers of “certain, well-understood device types” to demonstrate substantial 
equivalence  under  the  510(k)  clearance  pathway  by  showing  that  such  device  meets  objective  safety  and 
performance  criteria  established  by  the  FDA,  thereby  obviating  the  need  for  manufacturers  to  compare  the  safety 
and performance of their medical devices to specific predicate devices in the clearance process. The FDA maintains 
a list device types appropriate for the “safety and performance based” pathway and continues to develop product-
specific  guidance  documents  that  identify  the  performance  criteria  for  each  such  device  type,  as  well  as 
recommended testing methods, where feasible. The FDA may establish performance criteria for classes of devices 
similar  to  ours,  and  it  is  unclear  the  extent  to  which  such  performance  standards,  if  established,  could  impact  our 
ability to obtain marketing authorization or otherwise create competition that may negatively affect our business.

In  addition,  FDA  regulations  and  guidance  are  often  revised  or  reinterpreted  by  the  FDA  in  ways  that  may 
significantly affect our business and our products. Any new statutes, regulations or revisions or reinterpretations of 
existing regulations may impose additional costs or lengthen review times of any product candidates or make it more 
difficult  to  obtain  marketing  authorizations  for,  manufacture,  market  or  distribute  any  product  candidate  we  are 
developing. We cannot determine what effect changes in regulations, statutes, legal interpretation or policies, when 
and if promulgated, enacted or adopted may have on our business in the future. Such changes could, among other 
things,  require:  additional  testing  prior  to  seeking  marketing  authorization,  changes  to  manufacturing  methods 
recalls, replacement or discontinuance of our products or additional record keeping.

The  FDA’s  and  other  regulatory  authorities’  policies  may  change  and  additional  government  regulations  may  be 
promulgated that could prevent, limit or delay marketing authorization of any product candidates we develop. If we 
are slow or unable to adapt to changes in existing requirements or the adoption of new requirements or policies, or if 
we  are  not  able  to  maintain  regulatory  compliance,  we  may  be  subject  to  enforcement  action  and  we  may  not 
achieve or sustain profitability.

The  EU  regulatory  landscape  concerning  medical  devices  (including  in  vitro  diagnostic  medical  devices)  is 
evolving. On April 5, 2017 Regulation (EU) 2017/746 of the European Parliament and of the Council on in vitro 
diagnostic medical devices and repealing Directive 98/79/EC and Commission Decision 2010/227/EU, or the IVDR, 
was adopted to establish a modernized and more robust EU legislative framework, with the aim of ensuring better 
protection  of  public  health  and  patient  safety.  Unlike  directives,  the  IVDR  does  not  need  to  be  transposed  into 
national law and therefore reduces the risk of discrepancies in interpretation across the different European markets.

The IVDR will become applicable five years after publication (on May 26, 2022). However, on October 14, 2021, 
the European Commission proposed a “progressive” roll-out of the IVDR to prevent disruption in the supply of in 
vitro  diagnostic  medical  devices.  Consequently,  if  the  European  Parliament  and  Council  adopt  the  proposed 
regulation, the IVDR will fully apply on May 26, 2022 but there will be a tiered system extending the grace period 
for many devices (depending on their risk classification) before they have to be fully compliant with the regulation. 

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These modifications may have an effect on the way we conduct our business in the EU and the EEA. 

Changes  in  funding  for,  or  disruptions  caused  by  global  health  concerns  impacting,  the  FDA  and  other 
government  agencies  or  notified  bodies  could  hinder  their  ability  to  hire  and  retain  key  leadership  and  other 
personnel, or otherwise prevent new medical device products from being developed, authorized or commercialized 
in a timely manner, which could negatively impact our business.

The ability of the FDA, foreign regulatory authorities and notified bodies to review and authorize the sale or certify 
new products can be affected by a variety of factors, including government budget and funding levels; its ability to 
hire  and  retain  key  personnel  and  accept  the  payment  of  user  fees;  statutory,  regulatory,  and  policy  changes;  and 
other  events  that  may  otherwise  affect  the  FDA’s  foreign  regulatory  authorities’  and  notified  bodies’  ability  to 
perform routine functions. Average review times at the FDA have fluctuated in recent years as a result. In addition, 
government  funding  of  other  government  agencies  that  fund  research  and  development  activities  is  subject  to  the 
political process, which is inherently fluid and unpredictable. Disruptions at the FDA, other agencies and notified 
bodies  may  also  slow  the  time  necessary  for  new  devices,  including  in  vitro  diagnostics  to  be  reviewed  and/or 
authorized or certified for marketing by necessary government agencies or notified bodies, which would adversely 
affect our business. For example, over the last several years, the U.S. government has shut down several times and 
certain  regulatory  agencies,  such  as  the  FDA,  have  had  to  furlough  critical  FDA  employees  and  stop  critical 
activities. 

Separately,  in  response  to  the  global  COVID-19  pandemic,  the  FDA  postponed  most  inspections  of  domestic  and 
foreign  manufacturing  facilities  at  various  points.  Even  though  the  FDA  has  since  resumed  standard  inspection 
operations  of  domestic  facilities  where  feasible,  the  FDA  has  continued  to  monitor  and  implement  changes  to  its 
inspectional  activities  to  ensure  the  safety  of  its  employees  and  those  of  the  firms  it  regulates  as  it  adapts  to  the 
evolving COVID-19 pandemic, and any resurgence of the virus or emergence of new variants may lead to further 
inspectional delays. Other regulatory authorities may adopt similar restrictions or other policy measures in response 
to the COVID-19 pandemic. If a prolonged government shutdown occurs, or if global health concerns continue to 
prevent  the  FDA  or  other  regulatory  authorities  from  conducting  business  as  usual  or  conducting  inspections, 
reviews  or  other  regulatory  activities,  it  could  significantly  impact  the  ability  of  the  FDA  to  timely  review  and 
process our regulatory submissions, which could have a material adverse effect on our business.

In  the  EU,  notified  bodies  must  be  officially  designated  to  certify  products  and  services  in  accordance  with  the 
IVDR.  Only  a  few  notified  bodies  have  been  designated  so  far  and  the  COVID-19  pandemic  has  significantly 
slowed  down  their  designation  process.  Without  IVDR  designation,  notified  bodies  may  not  yet  start  certifying 
devices in accordance with the new Regulation. As only a few notified bodies has been IVDR-designated they are 
facing  a  heavy  workload  and  their  review  times  have  lengthened.  This  situation  could  impact  the  way  we  are 
conducting or intend to conduct our business in the EU and the EEA. 

Failure  to  comply  with  federal,  state  and  foreign  laboratory  licensing  requirements  and  the  applicable 
requirements of the FDA or any other regulatory authority, could cause us to lose the ability to perform our tests, 
experience disruptions to our business, or become subject to administrative or judicial sanctions.

We are subject to the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments, or CLIA, a federal law that regulates clinical 
laboratories that perform testing on specimens derived from humans for the purpose of providing information for the 
diagnosis, prevention or treatment of disease. CLIA regulations establish specific standards with respect to personnel 
qualifications,  facility  administration,  proficiency  testing,  quality  control,  quality  assurance  and  inspections.  Any 
testing  subject  to  CLIA  regulation  must  be  performed  in  a  CLIA  certified  laboratory.  CLIA  certification  is  also 
required in order for us to be eligible to bill state and federal healthcare programs, as well as commercial payers, for 
our tests. We have a current CLIA certification to perform our tests at our laboratory in Redwood City, California. 
To  maintain  this  certificate,  we  are  subject  to  survey  and  inspection  every  two  years.  Moreover,  CLIA  inspectors 
may make random inspections of our laboratory from time to time.

We are also required to maintain a California clinical laboratory license to perform testing in California. California 
laboratory laws establish standards for day-to-day operation of our clinical laboratory in Redwood City, California, 
including the training and skills required of personnel and quality control. In addition, some other states require our 
California laboratory to be licensed in the state in order to test specimens from those states. In addition to California, 
our  laboratory  is  licensed  in  Florida,  Maryland,  Pennsylvania,  Rhode  Island  and  New  York.  Although  we  have 
obtained licenses from states where we believe we are required to be licensed, it is possible that other states we are 
not aware of currently require out-of-state laboratories to obtain licensure in order to test specimens from the state, 
and that other states may adopt similar requirements in the future.

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We may also be subject to regulations in foreign jurisdictions as we seek to expand international utilization of our 
tests  or  as  such  jurisdictions  adopt  new  licensure  requirements,  which  may  require  review  of  our  tests  in  order  to 
offer  them  or  may  have  other  limitations  such  as  restrictions  on  the  transport  of  specimens  necessary  for  us  to 
perform our tests that may limit our ability to make our tests available outside of the United States. Complying with 
licensure  requirements  in  new  jurisdictions  may  be  expensive,  time-consuming  and  subject  us  to  significant  and 
unanticipated delays.

Failure to comply with applicable clinical laboratory licensure requirements may result in a range of enforcement 
actions, including suspension, limitation or revocation of our CLIA certification and/or state licenses, imposition of 
a  directed  plan  of  action,  on-site  monitoring,  civil  monetary  penalties,  criminal  sanctions,  inability  to  receive 
reimbursement  from  Medicare,  Medicaid  and  commercial  payers,  as  well  as  significant  adverse  publicity.  Any 
sanction  imposed  under  CLIA,  its  implementing  regulations,  or  state  or  foreign  laws  or  regulations  governing 
clinical laboratory licensure or our failure to renew our CLIA certification, a state or foreign license or accreditation, 
could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. Even if we were 
able to bring our laboratory back into compliance, we could incur significant expenses and potentially lose revenue 
in doing so.

In order to test specimens from New York, LDTs must be approved by the New York State Department of Health, or 
NYSDOH, on a product-by-product basis before they are offered, and our Guardant360 test has been approved by 
NYSDOH. We will need to seek NYSDOH approval of any future LDTs we develop and want to offer for clinical 
testing  to  New  York  residents,  and  there  can  be  no  assurance  that  we  will  be  able  to  obtain  such  approval.  As  a 
result, we are subject to periodic inspection by the NYSDOH and are required to demonstrate ongoing compliance 
with NYSDOH regulations and standards. To the extent NYSDOH identified any non-compliance and we are unable 
to implement satisfactory corrective actions to remedy such non-compliance, the State of New York could withdraw 
approval for our tests. 

The  College  of  American  Pathologists,  or  CAP,  maintains  a  clinical  laboratory  accreditation  program.  While  not 
required to operate a CLIA-certified laboratory, many private insurers require CAP accreditation as a condition to 
contracting  with  clinical  laboratories  to  cover  their  tests.  In  addition,  some  countries  outside  the  United  States 
require CAP accreditation as a condition to permitting clinical laboratories to test samples taken from their citizens. 
In 2014, we obtained CAP accreditation for our Redwood City, California laboratory, and in order to maintain such 
accreditation, we are subject to survey for compliance with CAP standards every two years. Failure to maintain CAP 
accreditation could have a material adverse effect on the sales of our tests and the results of our operations.

We  are  subject  to  numerous  federal  and  state  healthcare  statutes  and  regulations;  complying  with  such  laws 
pertaining to our business is an expensive and time-consuming process, and any failure to comply could result in 
substantial penalties and a material adverse effect to our business and results of operations.

Our operations are subject to other extensive federal, state, local and foreign laws and regulations, all of which are 
subject to change. These laws and regulations may include, among others:

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the  AKS,  which  prohibits  knowingly  and  willfully  offering,  paying,  soliciting  or  receiving  remuneration, 
directly or indirectly, overtly or covertly, in cash or in kind (e.g. provision of free or discounted goods, services 
or items), in return for or to induce such person to refer an individual, or to purchase, lease, order, arrange for or 
recommend purchasing, leasing or ordering, any good, facility, item or service that is reimbursable, in whole or 
in part, under a federal healthcare program. The term ‘‘remuneration’’ has been broadly interpreted to include 
anything of value, such as phlebotomy kits. Although there are a number of statutory exceptions and regulatory 
safe harbors protecting certain common activities from prosecution or other regulatory sanctions, the exceptions 
and safe harbors are drawn narrowly, and practices that involve remuneration that are alleged to be intended to 
induce referrals, purchases or recommendations of covered items or services may be subject to scrutiny if they 
do not qualify for an exception or safe harbor. Failure to meet all of the requirements of a particular applicable 
statutory exception or regulatory safe harbor does not make the conduct per se illegal under the AKS. Instead, 
the legality of the arrangement will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis based on a cumulative review of all its 
facts  and  circumstances.  Several  courts  have  held  that  if  any  one  purpose  of  an  arrangement  involving 
remuneration  is  to  induce  referrals  of  federal  healthcare  covered  business,  the  AKS  has  been  violated. 
Moreover, a person or entity does not need to have actual knowledge of the statute or specific intent to violate it 
in order to have committed a violation;

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the  EKRA,  which  prohibits  knowingly  and  willfully  soliciting  or  receiving  any  remuneration  (including  any 
kickback, bribe or rebate) directly or indirectly, overtly or covertly, in cash or in kind, in return for referring a 
patient or patronage to a laboratory; or paying or offering any remuneration (including any kickback, bribe or 
rebate)  directly  or  indirectly,  overtly  or  covertly,  in  cash  or  in  kind,  to  induce  a  referral  of  an  individual  to  a 
laboratory or in exchange for an individual using the services of that laboratory. The EKRA applies to all payers 
including commercial payers and government payers;

the Stark Law, which prohibits a physician from making a referral for certain designated health services covered 
by  the  Medicare  or  Medicaid  program,  including  laboratory  and  pathology  services,  if  the  physician  or  an 
immediate family member of the physician has a financial relationship with the entity providing the designated 
health  services  and  prohibits  that  entity  from  billing,  presenting  or  causing  to  be  presented  a  claim  for  the 
designated health services furnished pursuant to the prohibited referral, unless an exception applies; 

the  federal  Civil  Monetary  Penalties  Law,  which  prohibits,  among  other  things,  the  offering  or  transfer  of 
remuneration  to  a  Medicare  or  state  healthcare  program  beneficiary  if  the  person  knows  or  should  know  it  is 
likely  to  influence  the  beneficiary’s  selection  of  a  particular  provider,  practitioner  or  supplier  of  services 
reimbursable by Medicare or a state healthcare program, unless an exception applies;

federal  and  state  “Anti-Markup”  rules,  which,  among  other  things,  typically  prohibit  a  physician  or  supplier 
billing for clinical or diagnostic tests (with certain exceptions) from marking up the price of a purchased test 
performed  by  another  physician  or  supplier  that  does  not  “share  a  practice”  with  the  billing  physician  or 
supplier;

the federal Physician Payments Sunshine Act, which requires certain manufacturers of drugs, biologicals, and 
kits, medical devices or supplies that require premarket approval by or notification to the FDA, and for which 
payment is available under Medicare, Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program to report annually 
to CMS, information related to (i) payments and other transfers of value to physicians (as defined by statute), 
certain  other  health  care  professionals  such  as  physician  assistants  and  nurse  practitioners,  and  teaching 
hospitals,  and  (ii)  ownership  and  investment  interests  in  such  manufacturers  held  by  physicians  and  their 
immediate  family  members.  Failure  to  submit  required  information  may  result  in  significant  civil  monetary 
penalties  for  any  payments,  transfers  of  value  or  ownership  or  investment  interests  that  are  not  timely, 
accurately, and completely reported in an annual submission, and may result in liability under other federal laws 
or regulations;

the federal government may bring a lawsuit under the False Claims Act, or the FCA, against any party whom it 
believes  has  knowingly  or  recklessly  presented,  or  caused  to  be  presented,  a  false  or  fraudulent  request  for 
payment from the federal government, or who has made a false statement or used a false record to get a claim 
for  payment  approved.  The  federal  government  and  a  number  of  courts  have  taken  the  position  that  claims 
presented in violation of certain other statutes, including the AKS or the Stark Law, can also be considered a 
violation of the FCA based on the theory that a provider impliedly certifies compliance with all applicable laws, 
regulations,  and  other  rules  when  submitting  claims  for  reimbursement.  An  FCA  violation  may  provide  the 
basis  for  the  imposition  of  administrative  penalties  as  well  as  exclusion  from  participation  in  governmental 
healthcare programs, including Medicare and Medicaid. A number of states including California have enacted 
laws that are similar to the federal FCA. Private individuals can bring FCA “qui tam” actions, on behalf of the 
government  and  such  individuals,  commonly  known  as  “whistleblowers,”  may  share  in  amounts  paid  by  the 
entity  to  the  government  in  fines  or  settlement.  When  an  entity  is  determined  to  have  violated  the  FCA,  the 
government  may  impose  civil  fines  and  penalties  for  each  false  claim,  plus  treble  damages,  and  exclude  the 
entity  from  participation  in  federal  healthcare  programs.  In  January  2022,  we  received  a  civil  investigative 
demand, or CID, from the United States Attorney for the Northern District of California in connection with an 
investigation  under  the  False  Claims  Act.  The  CID  requests  information  and  documents  regarding  billing 
government-funded  programs  for  the  Company’s  panel  of  genetic  tests  known  as  Guardant360.  We  are  fully 
cooperating with the investigation. At this time, we are unable to predict the outcome of this investigation.  See 
“Commitments  and  Contingencies  –  Legal  Proceedings”  in  this  Annual  Report  on  Form  10-K  for  more 
information;

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the  HIPAA  fraud  and  abuse  provisions,  which  created  federal  criminal  statutes  that  prohibit,  among  other 
things, knowingly and willfully executing, or attempting to execute, a scheme to defraud any healthcare benefit 
program, including private insurers, knowingly and willfully embezzling or stealing from a healthcare benefit 
program,  willfully  obstructing  a  criminal  investigation  of  a  healthcare  offense,  and  knowingly  and  willfully 
falsifying,  concealing  or  covering  up  a  material  fact  or  making  any  materially  false,  fictitious  or  fraudulent 
statement in connection with the delivery of or payment for healthcare benefits, items or services. A person or 
entity  does  not  need  to  have  actual  knowledge  of  the  statute  or  specific  intent  to  violate  it  in  order  to  have 
committed a violation;

federal and state laws related to, among other things, unlawful schemes to defraud, excessive fees for services, 
unlawful  trade  practices,  insurance  fraud,  kickbacks,  patient  inducement  and  statutory  or  common  law  fraud 
restrict  the  provision  of  products,  services  or  items  for  free  or  at  reduced  charge  to  government  or  non-
government healthcare program beneficiaries. These laws and regulations relating to the provision of items or 
services for free are complex and are subject to interpretation by the courts and by government agencies;

other  federal  and  state  fraud  and  abuse  laws,  such  as  state  anti-kickback,  self-referrals,  false  claims  and  anti-
markup laws, any of which may extend to services reimbursable by any payer, including private insurers;  

state laws that prohibit other specified practices, such as billing physicians for tests that they order; providing 
tests  at  no  or  discounted  cost  to  induce  adoption;  waiving  co-insurance,  co-payments,  deductibles  or  other 
amounts owed by patients; billing a state healthcare program at a price that is higher than what is charged to 
other payers; or employing, exercising control over or splitting fees with licensed medical professionals; and   

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similar foreign laws and regulations in the countries in which we operate or may operate in the future.

As a clinical laboratory, our business practices may face additional scrutiny from various government agencies such 
as the Department of Justice, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, or 
OIG, and CMS. Certain arrangements between clinical laboratories and referring physicians have been identified in 
fraud alerts issued by the OIG as implicating the AKS. The OIG has stated that it is particularly concerned about 
these types of arrangements because the choice of laboratory and the decision to order laboratory tests typically are 
made or strongly influenced by the physician, with little or no patient input. Moreover, the provision of payments or 
other items of value by a clinical laboratory to a referral source could be prohibited under the Stark Law unless the 
arrangement meets all criteria of an exception. The government has been active in enforcement of these laws against 
clinical laboratories.

Numerous states have enacted laws prohibiting business corporations, such as us, from practicing medicine and from 
employing or engaging physicians and other medical professionals (generally referred to as the prohibition against 
the corporate practice of medicine), which could include physician laboratory directors. These laws are designed to 
prevent interference in the medical decision-making process by anyone who is not a licensed medical professional. 
For  example,  California’s  Medical  Board  has  indicated  that  determining  the  appropriate  diagnostic  tests  for  a 
particular condition and taking responsibility for the ultimate overall care of a patient, including making treatment 
options available to the patient, would constitute the unlicensed practice of medicine if performed by an unlicensed 
person.  Violation  of  these  laws  may  result  in  sanctions  and  civil  or  criminal  penalties.  It  is  possible  that 
governmental  authorities  may  conclude  that  our  business  practices,  including  our  consulting  and  advisory  board 
arrangements  with  physicians  and  other  healthcare  providers,  some  of  whom  receive  stock  or  stock  options  as 
compensation  for  services  provided,  do  not  comply  with  current  or  future  corporate  practice  of  medicine  or 
healthcare fraud and abuse statutes, regulations, agency guidance or case law.

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The growth and international expansion of our business may increase the potential of violating applicable laws and 
regulations.  The  risk  is  further  increased  by  the  fact  that  many  such  laws  and  regulations  have  not  been  fully 
interpreted by the regulatory authorities or the courts, and their provisions are open to a variety of interpretations. 
Efforts to ensure that our internal operations and business arrangements with third parties comply with applicable 
laws and regulations will involve substantial costs. Any action brought against us for violation of these or other laws 
or regulations, even if we successfully defend against it, could cause us to incur significant legal expenses and divert 
our management’s attention from the operation of our business. Any of the foregoing consequences could seriously 
harm our business and our financial results. To the extent our business operations are found to be in violation of any 
of these laws or  regulations, we may be subject to significant civil, criminal and administrative penalties, including, 
without limitation, damages, monetary fines, individual imprisonment, disgorgement of profits, possible exclusion 
from  participation  in  Medicare,  Medicaid  and  other  healthcare  programs,  contractual  damages,  reputational  harm, 
diminished  profits  and  future  earnings,  additional  reporting  or  oversight  obligations  if  we  become  subject  to  a 
corporate  integrity  agreement  or  other  agreement  to  resolve  allegations  of  non-compliance  with  the  law  and 
curtailment or restructuring of our operations, any of which could adversely affect our ability to operate our business 
and pursue our strategy. If any of the healthcare providers or other parties with whom we interact or may interact in 
the future, are found not to be in compliance with applicable laws and regulations, they may be subject to criminal, 
civil  or  administrative  sanctions,  including  exclusions  from  participation  in  various  healthcare  programs,  which 
could also negatively affect our business or revenue.

If the validity of an informed consent from patients regarding our test was challenged, we could be forced to stop 
offering our products or using our resources, our business and results of operations will be negatively affected.

We offer our tests to physicians and to biopharmaceutical companies in connection with clinical studies. We have 
implemented measures to ensure that data and biological samples that we receive have been collected from subjects 
who have provided appropriate informed consent. We also act as a sponsor of clinical studies in connection with the 
development of our tests, which are frequently conducted in collaboration with different parties. We seek to receive 
approval from an ethical review board, or institutional review board, or IRB, or other reviewing bodies for projects 
that meet the definition of “human subjects research,” which includes review and approval of processes for subject 
informed  consent  and  authorization  for  use  of  personal  information  or  waivers  thereof.  We  and  our 
biopharmaceutical partners could conduct clinical studies in a number of different countries. When we are acting as 
a  vendor  in  connection  with  a  clinical  study  sponsored  by  our  biopharmaceutical  partners,  we  rely  upon  them  to 
comply  with  the  requirements  to  obtain  the  subject’s  informed  consent  and  to  comply  with  applicable  laws  and 
regulations.  The  collection  of  data  and  samples  in  many  different  countries  results  in  complex  legal  questions 
regarding the adequacy of informed consent and the status of genetic material under a large number of different legal 
systems. Those informed consents could be challenged and prove invalid, unlawful, or otherwise inadequate for our 
purposes. Any such findings against us, or our biopharmaceutical partners, could force us to stop accessing or using 
data  and  samples  or  servicing  or  conducting  clinical  studies,  which  would  hinder  our  product  offerings  or 
development. We could also become involved in legal actions, which could consume our management and financial 
resources.

We may be subject to fines, penalties, licensure requirements, or legal liability, if it is determined that through 
our test reports we are practicing medicine without a license.

Our  test  reports  delivered  to  physicians  provide  information  regarding  FDA  or  foreign  regulatory  authorities-
approved therapies and clinical studies that oncologists may use in making treatment decisions for their patients. We 
make members of our organization available to discuss the information provided in the reports. Certain state laws 
prohibit the practice of medicine without a license. Our customer service representatives and medical affairs team 
provide  support  to  our  customers,  including  assistance  in  interpreting  the  test  report  results.  A  governmental 
authority or other parties could allege that the identification of available therapies and clinical studies in our reports 
and  the  related  customer  service  we  provide  constitute  the  practice  of  medicine.  A  state  may  seek  to  have  us 
discontinue  the  inclusion  of  certain  aspects  of  our  test  reports  or  the  related  services  we  provide,  or  subject  us  to 
fines, penalties, or licensure requirements. Any determination that we are practicing medicine without a license may 
result in significant liability to us, and our business and reputation would be harmed.

Our billing and claim processing are complex and time-consuming, and any delay in submitting claims or failure 
to comply with applicable billing requirements could hinder collection and have an adverse effect on our revenue.

Billing  for  our  tests  is  complex,  time-consuming  and  expensive.  Depending  on  the  billing  arrangement  and 
applicable law, we bill various payers, such as Medicare, Medicaid, health plans, insurance companies and patients, 
all of which may have different billing requirements. Several factors make the billing process complex, including:

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differences between the list prices for our tests and the reimbursement rates of payers;

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compliance  with  complex  federal  and  state  regulations  related  to  billing  government  healthcare  programs, 
including Medicare and Medicaid, to the extent our tests are covered by such programs;

differences in coverage among payers and the effect of patient co-payments or co-insurance; 

differences in information, pre-authorization and other billing requirements among payers;

changes to codes and coding instructions governing our tests;

incorrect or missing billing information; and

the resources required to manage the billing and claim appeals process.

These billing complexities and the related uncertainty in obtaining payment for our tests could negatively affect our 
revenue and cash flow, our ability to achieve profitability and the consistency and comparability of our results of 
operations. In addition, if claims for our tests are not submitted to payers on a timely basis, or if we fail to comply 
with applicable billing requirements, it could have an adverse effect on our revenue and our business.

In  addition,  the  coding  procedure  used  by  third-party  payers  to  identify  various  procedures,  including  our  test, 
during the billing process is complex, does not adapt well to our tests and may not enable coverage and adequate 
reimbursement  rates.  Third-party  payers  usually  require  us  to  identify  the  test  for  which  we  are  seeking 
reimbursement  using  a  Current  Procedural  Terminology,  or  the  CPT  code.  CPT  coding  plays  a  significant  role  in 
how  our  Guardant360  test  is  reimbursed  both  from  commercial  and  governmental  payers.  The  CPT  code  set  is 
maintained  by  the  American  Medical  Association,  or  AMA.  In  cases  where  there  is  not  a  specific  CPT  code  to 
describe a test, such as Guardant360 test, the test may be billed under an unlisted molecular pathology procedure 
code or through the use of a combination of single gene CPT codes, depending on the payer. The Protecting Access 
to Medicare Act, or PAMA authorized the adoption of new, temporary billing codes and unique test identifiers for 
FDA-cleared or approved tests as well as advanced diagnostic laboratory tests. The AMA has created a new section 
of CPT codes, Proprietary Laboratory Analyses codes or PLA, to facilitate implementation of this section of PAMA. 
In addition, CMS maintains the Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System, or HCPCS, and may assign unique 
level  II  HCPCS  code  to  tests  that  are  not  already  described  by  a  unique  CPT  code.  New  CPT  codes  are  issued 
annually and new HCPCS codes are issued as frequently as quarterly. Payers’ acceptance of the new code could be 
delayed, and transition to the new code could result in a decrease in reimbursement for our tests, both of which could 
potentially  reduce  revenue  from  commercial  and  government  payers.  In  addition,  Z-Code  Identifiers  are  used  by 
certain payers, including under Medicare's Molecular Diagnostic Services Program, or MolDx, to supplement CPT 
codes for molecular diagnostics tests such as our Guardant360 test. Following the FDA approval of our Guardant360 
CDx test, a new Z-Code Identifier was issued in August 2020. In January 2021, a proprietary laboratory analyses, or 
PLA  code  was  issued  for  our  Guardant360  CDx  with  an  effective  date  in  April  2021.  Additionally,  based  on  this 
new PLA code, we applied to the CMS for our Guardant360 CDx test to become an advanced diagnostic laboratory 
test,  or  ADLT.  In  March  2021,  CMS  approved  ADLT  status  to  the  Guardant360  CDx  test,  based  on  which, 
Medicare  paid  us  at  the  lowest  available  commercial  rate  from  April  1,  2021  to  December  31,  2021.  Effective 
January 1, 2022, Medicare has started to reimburse Guardant360 CDx services at the median rate of claims paid by 
commercial  payers  and  this  rate  will  apply  until  December  2023.  In  March  2022,  Palmetto  GBA,  the  Medicare 
administrative  contractor  for  MolDX,  or  MAC,  responsible  for  administering  Medicare’s  Molecular  Diagnostic 
Services  Program,  or  MolDX,  conveyed  coverage  for  our  Guardant360  TissueNext  test  under  the  existing  local 
coverage  determination.  The  policy  covers  our  Guardant360  TissueNext  test  for  Medicare  fee-for-service  patients 
with advanced solid tumor cancers. In July 2022, Palmetto GBA conveyed coverage for our Guardant Reveal test for 
fee-for-service Medicare patients in the United States with stage II or III colorectal cancer whose testing is initiated 
within three months following curative intent therapy, with an effective date of December 2021. Due to the inherent 
variability  and  unpredictability  of  the  reimbursement  landscape,  including  related  to  the  amount  that  payers 
reimburse us for any of our tests, we estimate the amount of revenue to be recognized at the time a test is provided 
and  record  revenue  adjustments  if  and  when  the  cash  subsequently  received  for  a  test  differs  from  the  revenue 
recorded for the test. Due to this variability and unpredictability, previously recorded revenue adjustments are not 
indicative  of  future  revenue  adjustments  from  actual  cash  collections,  which  may  fluctuate  significantly. 
Additionally, if coding changes were to occur, payments for certain uses of our tests could be reduced, put on hold, 
or eliminated.

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Use of coding for billing our products that does not describe a specific test, requires the claim to be examined to 
determine what test was provided, whether the test was appropriate and medically necessary, and whether payment 
should be rendered, which may require a letter of medical necessity from the ordering physician. This process can 
result in a delay in processing the claim, a lower reimbursement amount or denial of the claim. Because billing third-
party  payers  for  our  tests  is  an  unpredictable,  challenging,  time-consuming  and  costly  process,  we  may  face  long 
collection cycles and the risk that we may never collect at all, either of which could adversely affect our business, 
results  of  operations  and  financial  condition,  and  we  may  have  to  increase  collection  efforts  and  incur  additional 
costs.

Changes in healthcare laws, regulations and policies could increase our costs, decrease our sales and revenues 
and negatively impact reimbursement for our tests.

In  March  2010,  the  Patient  Protection  and  Affordable  Care  Act,  as  amended  by  the  Health  Care  and  Education 
Affordability  Reconciliation Act, or the ACA, became law. This law substantially changed the way health care is 
financed  by  both  commercial  payers  and  government  payers,  and  significantly  impacted  our  industry.  The  ACA 
contains a number of provisions expected to impact existing state and federal health care programs or result in the 
development  of  new  programs,  including  those  governing  enrollments  in  state  and  federal  health  care  programs, 
reimbursement changes and fraud and abuse. Our business and operations could be affected by the ACA, including 
in ways we cannot currently predict.

Since its enactment, there have been efforts to repeal all or part of the ACA. On June 17, 2021 the U.S. Supreme 
Court dismissed the most recent judicial challenge to the ACA brought by several states without specifically ruling 
on the constitutionality of the ACA. Thus, the ACA will remain in effect in its current form. Further, prior to the 
U.S. Supreme Court ruling, President Biden issued an executive order to initiate a special enrollment period from 
February 15, 2021 through August 15, 2021 for purposes of obtaining health insurance coverage through the ACA 
marketplace.  The  executive  order  also  instructed  certain  governmental  agencies  to  review  and  reconsider  their 
existing  policies  and  rules  that  limit  access  to  healthcare,  including  among  others,  reexamining  Medicaid 
demonstration  projects  and  waiver  programs  that  include  work  requirements,  and  policies  that  create  unnecessary 
barriers to obtaining access to health insurance coverage through Medicaid or the ACA. 

In addition, other legislative changes have been proposed and adopted since the ACA was enacted. On August 2, 
2011, the Budget Control Act of 2011 was signed into law, which, among other things, reduced Medicare payments 
to providers, effective on April 1, 2013 and, due to subsequent legislative amendments to the statute, will remain in 
effect  through  2032,  with  the  exception  of  a  temporary  suspension  from  May  1,  2020  through  March  31,  2022, 
unless additional Congressional action is taken.

We  anticipate  there  will  continue  to  be  proposals  by  legislators  at  both  the  federal  and  state  levels  and  in  foreign 
jurisdictions,  regulators  and  commercial  and  government  payers  to  reduce  healthcare  costs  while  expanding 
individual healthcare benefits. Certain of these changes could impose additional limitations on the prices we will be 
able  to  charge  for  our  tests,  the  coverage  of  or  the  amounts  of  reimbursement  available  for  our  tests  from 
commercial and government payers.

Because of the breadth of these laws and the narrowness of their exceptions and safe harbors, it is possible that our 
current practices are challenged under one or more of such laws. The scope and enforcement of each of these laws is 
uncertain  and  subject  to  rapid  change  in  the  current  environment  of  healthcare  reform.  Federal,  state  and  foreign 
enforcement  bodies  have  increased  their  scrutiny  of  interactions  between  healthcare  companies  and  healthcare 
providers, which has led to a number of investigations, prosecutions, convictions and settlements in the healthcare 
industry.

Our  collection,  use  and  disclosure  of  personal  information,  including  patient  and  employee  information,  is 
subject  to  privacy  and  security  laws  and  regulations,  and  our  actual  or  perceived  failure  to  comply  with  those 
laws and regulations or to adequately secure the information in our possession could result in significant liability 
or reputational harm.

The  global  data  protection  landscape  is  rapidly  evolving,  and  we  are  or  may  become  subject  to  numerous  state, 
federal  and  foreign  laws,  requirements  and  regulations  governing  the  collection,  use,  disclosure,  retention,  and 
security of personal information. We collect, process, maintain, retain, evaluate, utilize and distribute large amounts 
of personal health and financial information and other confidential and sensitive data about our customers and others 
in  the  ordinary  course  of  our  business.  Concerns  about  and  claims  challenging  our  practices  with  regard  to  the 
collection,  use,  retention,  disclosure  or  security  of  personally  identifiable  information  or  other  privacy-related 
matters, even if unfounded and even if we are in compliance with applicable laws, could damage our reputation and 
harm our business.

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Numerous federal, state and foreign laws and regulations govern collection, dissemination, use and confidentiality of 
personally identifiable information and protected health information, or PHI, including HIPAA, as amended by the 
Health  Information  Technology  for  Economic  and  Clinical  Health  Act  of  2009,  and  regulations  promulgated 
thereunder, or collectively, HIPAA; state privacy and confidentiality laws (including state laws requiring disclosure 
of  breaches);  federal  and  state  consumer  protection  and  employment  laws;  and  European  and  other  foreign  data 
protection  laws.  Implementation  standards  and  enforcement  practices  are  likely  to  remain  uncertain  for  the 
foreseeable future, and we cannot yet determine the impact future laws, regulations, standards, or perception of their 
requirements may have on our business. This evolution may create uncertainty in our business, affect our ability to 
operate  in  certain  jurisdictions  or  to  collect,  store,  transfer  use  and  share  personal  information,  necessitate  the 
acceptance of more onerous obligations in our contracts, result in liability or impose additional costs on us. The cost 
of compliance with these laws, regulations and standards is high and is likely to increase in the future. Any failure or 
perceived  failure  by  us  to  comply  with  federal,  state  or  foreign  laws  or  regulation,  our  internal  policies  and 
procedures  or  our  contracts  governing  our  processing  of  personal  information  could  result  in  negative  publicity, 
government  investigations  and  enforcement  actions,  claims  by  third  parties  and  damage  to  our  reputation,  any  of 
which could have a material adverse effect on our operations, financial performance and business.

HIPAA establishes a set of national privacy and security standards for the protection of PHI, by health plans, certain 
healthcare  providers  that  submit  certain  covered  transactions  electronically  and  healthcare  clearinghouses,  or 
‘‘covered entities,’’ and their ‘‘business associates,’’ which are persons or entities that perform certain services for, 
or on behalf of, a covered entity that involve creating, receiving, maintaining or transmitting PHI. We are a covered 
entity under HIPAA and therefore must comply with its requirements to protect the privacy and security of health 
information and must provide individuals with certain rights with respect to their health information. If we engage 
a  business  associate  to  help  us  carry  out  healthcare  activities  and  functions,  we  must  have  a  written  business 
associate  contract  or  other  arrangement  with  the  business  associate  that  establishes  specifically  what  the  business 
associate has  been engaged to do and requires the business associate to comply with certain safeguards and other 
requirements under HIPAA.

Entities that are found to be in violation of HIPAA as the result of a breach of unsecured PHI, a complaint about 
privacy  practices  or  an  audit  by  HHS,  may  be  subject  to  significant  civil,  criminal  and  administrative  fines  and 
penalties and/or additional reporting and oversight obligations if required to enter into a resolution agreement and 
corrective  action  plan  with  HHS  to  settle  allegations  of  HIPAA  non-compliance.  HIPAA  also  authorizes  state 
Attorneys  General  to  file  suit  on  behalf  of  their  residents.  Courts  may  award  damages,  costs  and  attorneys’  fees 
related  to  violations  of  HIPAA  in  such  cases.  While  HIPAA  does  not  create  a  private  right  of  action  allowing 
individuals to sue us in civil court for violations of HIPAA, its standards have been used as the basis for duty of care 
in  state  civil  suits  such  as  those  for  negligence  or  recklessness  in  the  misuse  or  breach  of  PHI.  A  person  who 
knowingly  obtains  or  discloses  individually  identifiable  health  information  in  violation  of  HIPAA  may  face 
additional fines and up to one-year imprisonment. The criminal penalties increase if the wrongful conduct involves 
false  pretenses  or  the  intent  to  sell,  transfer,  or  use  identifiable  health  information  for  commercial  advantage, 
personal gain, or malicious harm. In addition, responding to government investigations regarding alleged violations 
of these and other laws and regulations, even if ultimately concluded with no findings of violations or no penalties 
imposed, can consume company resources and impact our business and, if public, harm our reputation.

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Further,  various  states,  such  as  California  and  Massachusetts,  have  implemented  similar  privacy  laws  and 
regulations, such as the California Confidentiality of Medical Information Act, that impose restrictive requirements 
regulating the use and disclosure of health information and other personally identifiable information. Laws in all 50 
states  require  businesses  to  provide  notice  to  individuals  whose  personally  identifiable  information  has  been 
disclosed as a result of a data breach. The laws are not consistent, and compliance in the event of a widespread data 
breach is costly. States are also constantly amending existing laws, and creating new data privacy and security laws, 
requiring attention to frequently changing regulatory requirements. For example, the California Consumer Privacy 
Act, or CCPA went into effect on January 1, 2020, and creates certain data privacy rights for California residents. 
The  CCPA  increases  the  privacy  and  security  obligations  of  entities  handling  certain  personal  information,  and 
provides for civil penalties for violations, as well as a private right of action for data breaches that has increased the 
likelihood of, and risks associated with data breach litigation. Further, the California Privacy Rights Act, or CPRA, 
generally  went  into  effect  in  January  2023,  and  imposes  additional  data  protection  obligations  on  covered 
businesses,  including  additional  consumer  rights  processes,  limitations  on  data  uses,  new  audit  requirements  for 
higher risk data, and opt outs for certain uses of sensitive data. It has also created a new California data protection 
agency  authorized  to  issue  substantive  regulations  and  could  result  in  increased  privacy  and  information  security 
enforcement.  Additional  compliance  investment  and  potential  business  process  changes  may  be  required.  Similar 
laws  have  passed  in  Virginia,  Colorado,  Connecticut,  and  Utah  and  have  been  proposed  in  other  states  and  at  the 
federal  level,  reflecting  a  trend  toward  more  stringent  privacy  legislation  in  the  United  States.  These  laws  and 
regulations are not necessarily preempted by HIPAA, particularly if a state affords greater protection to individuals 
than HIPAA. Where state laws are more protective, we may have to comply with the stricter provisions. In addition 
to  fines  and  penalties  imposed  upon  violators,  some  of  these  state  laws  also  afford  private  rights  of  action  to 
individuals who believe their personal information has been misused. The interplay of federal and state laws may be 
subject to varying interpretations by courts and government agencies, creating complex compliance issues for us and 
our clients, and potentially exposing us to additional expense, adverse publicity and liability. Further, as regulatory 
focus  on  privacy  issues  continues  to  increase  and  laws  and  regulations  concerning  the  protection  of  personal 
information  expand  and  become  more  complex,  these  potential  risks  to  our  business  could  intensify.  Changes  in 
laws  or  regulations  associated  with  the  enhanced  protection  of  certain  types  of  sensitive  data,  such  as  PHI,  or 
personally  identifiable  information  along  with  increased  demands  for  enhanced  data  security  infrastructure,  could 
greatly  increase  our  costs  of  providing  our  services,  decrease  demand  for  our  services,  reduce  our  revenue  and/or 
subject us to additional risks. 

Furthermore,  the  Federal  Trade  Commission,  or  the  FTC,  and  many  state  Attorneys  General  continue  to  enforce 
federal and state consumer protection laws against companies for online collection, use, dissemination and security 
practices that appear to be unfair or deceptive. For example, according to the FTC, failing to take appropriate steps 
to keep consumers’ personal information secure can constitute unfair acts or practices in or affecting commerce in 
violation  of  Section  5(a)  of  the  Federal  Trade  Commission  Act.  The  FTC  expects  a  company’s  data  security 
measures to be reasonable and appropriate in light of the sensitivity and volume of consumer information it holds, 
the size and complexity of its business, and the cost of available tools to improve security and reduce vulnerabilities. 

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In addition, the interpretation and application of consumer, health-related, and data protection laws, especially with 
respect to genetic samples and data, in the United States, European Economic Area, or EEA, and elsewhere are often 
uncertain,  contradictory,  and  in  flux.  We  operate  or  may  operate  in  a  number  of  countries  outside  of  the  United 
States whose laws may in some cases be more stringent than the requirements in the United States. For example, 
EEA  member  states  have  specific  requirements  relating  to  cross-border  transfers  of  personal  data  to  certain 
jurisdictions, including to the United States where our laboratory resides. In addition, some countries have stricter 
consumer  notice  and/or  consent  requirements  relating  to  personal  data  collection,  use  or  sharing,  more  stringent 
requirements  relating  to  organizations’  privacy  programs  and  provide  stronger  individual  rights.  Moreover, 
international privacy and data security regulations may become more complex and have greater consequences. For 
instance, the General Data Protection Regulation, or GDPR, went into effect in May 2018 and imposes stringent data 
protection requirements for the processing of personal data of persons within the EEA. The GDPR applies to any 
company  established  in  the  EEA  as  well  as  to  those  outside  the  EEA  if  they  collect  and  use  personal  data  in 
connection with the offering of goods or services to individuals in the EEA or the monitoring of their behavior. The 
GDPR imposes strict data protection compliance requirements including: providing detailed disclosures about how 
personal data is collected and processed; demonstrating that an appropriate legal basis is in place or otherwise exists 
to justify data processing activities; granting rights for data subjects in regard to their personal data; introducing the 
obligation to notify data protection regulators or supervisory authorities (and in certain cases, affected individuals) 
of  significant  data  breaches;  defining  pseudonymized  (i.e.,  key-coded)  data;  imposing  limitations  on  retention  of 
personal data; maintaining a record of data processing; and complying with the principal of accountability and the 
obligation  to  demonstrate  compliance  through  policies,  procedures,  training  and  audit.  The  GDPR  provides  that 
EEA  member  states  may  make  their  own  further  laws  and  regulations  limiting  the  processing  of  personal  data, 
including  genetic,  biometric  or  health  data,  which  could  limit  our  ability  to  use  and  share  personal  data  or  could 
cause  our  costs  could  increase,  and  harm  our  business  and  financial  condition.  Failure  to  comply  with  the 
requirements  of  GDPR  and  the  applicable  national  data  protection  laws  of  the  EEA  member  states  may  result  in 
fines  of  up  to  €20,000,000  or  up  to  4%  of  the  total  worldwide  annual  turnover  of  the  preceding  financial  year, 
whichever  is  higher,  and  other  administrative  penalties.  Failure  to  comply  with  the  GDPR  and  other  applicable 
privacy or data security-related laws, rules or regulations could result in material penalties imposed by regulators, 
affect  our  compliance  with  client  contracts  and  have  an  adverse  effect  on  our  business,  financial  condition  and 
results of operations.

European data protection law also imposes strict rules on the transfer of personal data out of the EU to the United 
States.  These  obligations  may  be  interpreted  and  applied  in  a  manner  that  is  inconsistent  from  one  jurisdiction  to 
another  and  may  conflict  with  other  requirements  or  our  practices.  In  addition,  these  rules  are  constantly  under 
scrutiny. For example, in July 2020, the Court of Justice of the EU, or the CJEU, limited how organizations could 
lawfully transfer personal data from the EEA to the United States by invalidating the Privacy Shield for purposes of 
international  transfers  and  imposing  further  restrictions  on  use  of    the  standard  contractual  clauses,  or  SCCs.  In 
March  2022,  the  United  States  and  EU  announced  a  new  regulatory  regime  intended  to  replace  the  invalidated 
regulations;  however,  this  new  EU-US  Data  Privacy  Framework  has  not  been  implemented  beyond  an  executive 
order signed by President Biden on October 7, 2022 on Enhancing Safeguards for United States Signals Intelligence 
Activities. European court and regulatory decisions subsequent to the CJEU decision of July 16, 2020 have taken a 
restrictive approach to international data transfers. As supervisory authorities issue further guidance on personal data 
export mechanisms, including circumstances where the SCCs cannot be used, and/or start taking enforcement action, 
we  could  suffer  additional  costs,  complaints  and/or  regulatory  investigations  or  fines,  and/or  if  we  are  otherwise 
unable to transfer personal data between and among countries and regions in which we operate, it could affect the 
manner  in  which  we  provide  our  services,  the  geographical  location  or  segregation  of  our  relevant  systems  and 
operations, and could adversely affect our financial results. 

Further, from January 1, 2021, companies have had to comply with the GDPR and also the United Kingdom GDPR, 
or  the  UK  GDPR,  which,  together  with  the  amended  UK  Data  Protection  Act  2018,  retains  the  GDPR  in  UK 
national law. The UK GDPR mirrors the fines under the GDPR, i.e., fines up to the greater of €20 million (£17.5 
million) or 4% of global turnover.  

We  are  also  subject  to  evolving  EU  privacy  laws  on  cookies  and  e-marketing.    In  the  EEA,  informed  consent  is 
required for the placement of a cookie or similar technologies on a user’s device and for direct electronic marketing.  
The GDPR also imposes conditions on obtaining valid consent, such as a prohibition on pre-checked consents and a 
requirement  to  ensure  separate  consents  are  sought  for  each  type  of  cookie  or  similar  technology.  Any  of  these 
changes to EU data protection law or its interpretation could disrupt and harm our business. We rely on a mixture of 
safeguards to transfer personal data from our EU business to the U.S., and could be impacted by changes in law as a 
result  of  a  future  review  of  these  transfer  mechanisms  by  European  regulators  or  current  challenges  to  these 
mechanisms in the European courts.

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In  addition  to  government  regulation,  privacy  advocates  and  industry  groups  have  and  may  in  the  future  propose 
self-regulatory standards from time to time. These and other industry standards may legally or contractually apply to 
us, or we may elect to comply with such standards. We expect that there will continue to be new proposed laws and 
regulations  concerning  data  privacy  and  security,  and  we  cannot  yet  determine  the  impact  such  future  laws, 
regulations and standards may have on our business. New laws, amendments to or reinterpretations of existing laws, 
regulations,  standards  and  other  obligations  may  require  us  to  incur  additional  costs  and  restrict  our  business 
operations. Because the interpretation and application of laws, regulations, standards and other obligations relating 
to  data  privacy  and  security  are  still  uncertain,  it  is  possible  that  these  laws,  regulations,  standards  and  other 
obligations may be interpreted and applied in a manner that is inconsistent with our data processing practices and 
policies  or  the  features  of  our  products.  If  so,  in  addition  to  the  possibility  of  fines,  lawsuits,  regulatory 
investigations, public censure, other claims and penalties, and significant costs for remediation and damage to our 
reputation,  we  could  be  materially  and  adversely  affected  if  legislation  or  regulations  are  expanded  to  require 
changes  in  our  data  processing  practices  and  policies  or  if  governing  jurisdictions  interpret  or  implement  their 
legislation or regulations in ways that negatively impact our business, financial condition and results of operations. 
We  may  be  unable  to  make  such  changes  and  modifications  in  a  commercially  reasonable  manner,  or  at  all.  Any 
inability  to  adequately  address  data  privacy  or  security-related  concerns,  even  if  unfounded,  or  to  comply  with 
applicable  laws,  regulations,  standards  and  other  obligations  relating  to  data  privacy  and  security,  could  result  in 
additional  cost  and  liability  to  us,  harm  our  reputation  and  brand,  damage  our  relationships  with  consumers  and 
harm our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We  make  public  statements  about  our  use  and  disclosure  of  personal  information  through  our  privacy  policies, 
information  provided  on  our  website  and  press  statements.  Although  we  endeavor  to  comply  with  our  public 
statements and documentation, we may at times fail to do so or be alleged to have failed to do so. The publication of 
our privacy policies and other statements that provide promises and assurances about data privacy and security can 
subject us to potential government or legal action if they are found to be deceptive, unfair or misrepresentative of 
our actual practices. Any concerns about our data privacy and security practices, even if unfounded, could damage 
the reputation of our business and harm our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Although we work to comply with applicable laws, regulations and standards, our contractual obligations and other 
legal obligations, these requirements are evolving and may be modified, interpreted and applied in an inconsistent 
manner from one jurisdiction to another, and may conflict with one another or other legal obligations with which we 
must  comply.  Any  failure  or  perceived  failure  by  us  or  our  employees,  representatives,  contractors,  consultants, 
collaborators,  or  other  third  parties  to  comply  with  such  requirements  or  adequately  address  privacy  and  security 
concerns, even if unfounded, could result in additional cost and liability to us, damage our reputation, and adversely 
affect our business and results of operations. 

Risks related to our intellectual property

If we are unable to obtain and maintain sufficient intellectual property protection for our technology, or if the 
scope  of  the  intellectual  property  protection  obtained  is  not  sufficiently  broad,  our  competitors  could  develop, 
manufacture and commercialize products, services or technology similar or identical to ours, and our ability to 
successfully develop, manufacture or commercialize our products, services or technology may be impaired.

We  rely  on  patent  protection  as  well  as  trademark,  copyright,  trade  secret  and  other  intellectual  property  rights 
protection and contractual restrictions to protect our proprietary technologies, all of which provide limited protection 
and  may  not  adequately  protect  our  rights  or  permit  us  to  gain  or  keep  any  competitive  advantage.  If  we  fail  to 
obtain, maintain and/or protect our intellectual property rights, third parties may be able to compete more effectively 
against  us.  In  addition,  we  have  incurred  and  may  continue  to  incur  substantial  litigation  costs  in  our  attempts  to 
enforce or restrict the use of our intellectual property rights against third parties or defend ourselves against third 
parties claiming that we are infringing upon such third parties’ intellectual property rights.

To the extent our intellectual property rights offers inadequate protection, or is found to be invalid or unenforceable, 
we  would  be  exposed  to  a  greater  risk  of  direct  competition.  If  our  intellectual  property  rights  do  not  provide 
adequate coverage of our products, services or technology, our competitive position could be adversely affected, as 
could our business. 

59

As  is  the  case  with  other  biotechnology  companies,  our  success  depends  in  large  part  on  our  ability  to  obtain, 
maintain  and  protect  the  intellectual  property  we  own  or  we  have  licensed  from  others.  We  apply  for  patents 
covering  our  products,  services  and  technologies  and  uses  thereof,  as  we  deem  appropriate.  However,  obtaining, 
maintaining and enforcing biotechnology patents is costly, time-consuming and complex. We may fail to apply for 
patents  on  important  products,  services  or  technologies  in  a  timely  fashion  or  at  all,  or  we  may  fail  to  apply  for 
patents  in  potentially  relevant  jurisdictions.  We  may  not  be  able  to  file  and  prosecute  all  necessary  or  desirable 
patent applications, or maintain or enforce patents that may issue from such patent applications, at a reasonable cost 
or  in  a  timely  manner.  It  is  also  possible  that  we  will  fail  to  identify  patentable  aspects  of  our  research  and 
development  output  before  it  is  too  late  to  obtain  patent  protection.  Patent  prosecution  process  can  be  time-
consuming  and  expensive.  We  may  not  have  the  right  to  control  the  preparation,  filing  and  prosecution  of  patent 
applications,  or  to  maintain  the  rights  to  patents  licensed  to  us  by  third  parties.  Therefore,  these  patents  and 
applications may not be prosecuted and enforced in a manner consistent with the best interests of our business.

We own or license numerous U.S. patents and pending U.S. patent applications, with international counterparts in 
certain countries. It is possible that our or our licensors’ pending patent applications will not result in issued patents 
in a timely fashion or at all, and even if patents are granted, they may not provide a basis for intellectual property 
protection  of  commercially  viable  products,  services  or  technologies,  may  not  provide  us  with  any  competitive 
advantages,  or  may  be  challenged  by  third  parties  and  be  invalidated  or  found  unenforceable.  It  is  possible  that 
others  will  design  around  our  current  or  future  patented  products,  services  or  technologies.  Some  of  such  patent 
rights are being challenged, including at the United States Patent and Trademark Office, or USPTO, in post-grant 
proceedings, at the European Patent Office, or EPO, in opposition proceedings, and some of such patent rights may 
be challenged in the future. We may not be successful in defending any such challenges made against our owned or 
licensed patents or patent applications. Any successful third-party challenge to such patent rights could result in their 
unenforceability  or  invalidity  and  increased  competition  to  our  business.  We  have  challenged  and  may  choose  to 
challenge the patents or patent applications of third parties. The outcome of patent disputes or other proceeding can 
be uncertain, and any attempt by us to enforce our patent rights against others or to challenge the patent rights of 
others  may  not  be  successful,  or,  if  successful,  may  take  substantial  time  and  result  in  substantial  cost,  and  may 
divert our efforts and attention from other aspects of our business.

The  patent  positions  of  life  sciences  companies  can  be  highly  uncertain  and  involve  complex  legal  and  factual 
questions  for  which  important  legal  principles  remain  unresolved.  No  consistent  policy  regarding  the  breadth  of 
claims allowed in such companies’ patents has emerged to date in the United States or elsewhere. Courts frequently 
render  opinions  in  the  biotechnology  field  that  may  affect  the  patentability  of  certain  inventions  or  discoveries, 
including opinions that may affect the patentability of methods for analyzing or comparing DNA sequences.

In  particular,  the  patent  positions  of  companies  engaged  in  the  development  and  commercialization  of  genomic 
diagnostic  tests,  like  our  current  products  and  tests,  and  our  future  products,  are  particularly  uncertain.  Various 
courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court, have rendered decisions that affect the scope of patentability of certain 
inventions or discoveries relating to certain diagnostic tests and related methods. These decisions state, among other 
things,  that  a  patent  claim  that  recites  an  abstract  idea,  natural  phenomenon  or  law  of  nature  (for  example,  the 
relationship between particular genetic variants and cancer) are not themselves patentable. Precisely what constitutes 
a law of nature is uncertain, and it is possible that certain aspects of genetic diagnostics tests would be considered 
natural laws. Accordingly, the evolving legal and administrative standards around the world, including in the United 
States may adversely affect our ability to obtain patents and may facilitate third-party challenges to any owned or 
licensed patents. The laws of some foreign jurisdictions do not protect intellectual property rights to the same extent 
as the laws of the United States, and we may encounter difficulties in protecting and defending such rights in foreign 
jurisdictions. The legal systems of many foreign jurisdictions do not favor the enforcement of patent rights and other 
intellectual property protection, particularly those relating to biotechnology, which could make it difficult for us to 
stop the infringement of our patent rights and other intellectual property rights thereunder. Proceedings to enforce 
our patent rights and other intellectual property protection in foreign jurisdictions could result in substantial cost and 
divert our efforts and attention from other aspects of our business.

Changes in patent law in the United States and other jurisdictions could diminish the value of patents in general, 
thereby impairing our ability to protect our products.

Changes  in  either  the  patent  laws  or  in  interpretations  of  patent  laws  in  the  United  States  or  other  countries  or 
regions may diminish the value of our intellectual property rights. We cannot predict the breadth of claims that may 
be allowed or enforced in our patents or in third-party patents. We may not develop additional proprietary products, 
services, methods and technologies that are patentable.

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Assuming that other requirements for patentability are met, prior to March 16, 2013, in the United States, the first to 
invent  the  claimed  invention  was  entitled  to  the  patent,  while  outside  the  United  States,  the  first  to  file  a  patent 
application was entitled to the patent. On or after March 16, 2013, under the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act, or 
the  America  Invents  Act,  enacted  in  September  16,  2011,  the  United  States  transitioned  to  a  first  inventor  to  file 
system  in  which,  assuming  that  other  requirements  for  patentability  are  met,  the  first  inventor  to  file  a  patent 
application will be entitled to the patent on an invention regardless of whether a third party was the first to invent the 
claimed invention. A third party that files a patent application in the USPTO on or after March 16, 2013, but before 
us could therefore be awarded a patent covering an invention of ours even if we had made the invention before it 
was made by such third party. This will require us to be cognizant of the time from invention to filing of a patent 
application. Since patent applications in the United States and most other countries are confidential for a period of 
time after filing or until issuance, we cannot be certain that we or our licensors were the first to either (i) file any 
patent  application  related  to  our  product  candidates  or  (ii)  invent  any  of  the  inventions  claimed  in  our  or  our 
licensor’s patents or patent applications.

The America Invents Act also includes a number of significant changes that affect the way patent applications will 
be  prosecuted  and  also  affect  patent  litigation.  These  include  allowing  third-party  submission  of  prior  art  to  the 
USPTO  during  patent  prosecution  or  post-grant  proceedings,  including  post-grant  review,  inter  partes  review  and 
derivation  proceedings,  to  attack  the  validity  of  a  patent.  Because  of  a  lower  evidentiary  standard  in  USPTO 
proceedings  compared  to  the  evidentiary  standard  in  United  States  federal  courts  necessary  to  invalidate  a  patent 
claim, a third party could potentially provide evidence in a USPTO proceeding sufficient for the USPTO to hold a 
claim invalid even though the same evidence might not be sufficient to invalidate the claim if presented in a district 
court action. Accordingly, third parties have used and may continue to use the USPTO proceedings to invalidate our 
patent  claims  that  would  not  have  been  invalidated  if  first  challenged  by  the  third  party  in  a  district  court  action. 
Therefore, the America Invents Act and its implementation could increase the uncertainties and costs surrounding 
our or our licensors' prosecution of patent applications and enforcement or defense of issued patents, all of which 
could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

Issued  patents  covering  our  products,  services  or  technology  could  be  found  invalid  or  unenforceable  if 
challenged.

The issuance of a patent is not conclusive as to its inventorship, scope, validity or enforceability. Some of our owned 
or  licensed  patent  rights  have  been,  are  being  or  may  be  challenged  at  a  future  point  in  time  in  opposition, 
derivation,  re-examination,  inter  partes  review,  post-grant  review  or  interference.  Any  successful  third-party 
challenge to our patent rights in this or any other proceeding could result in the unenforceability or invalidity of such 
patent rights, which may lead to increased competition to our business, which could harm our business. In addition, 
if the breadth or strength of protection provided by our patents and patent applications is threatened, regardless of 
the  outcome,  it  could  dissuade  companies  from  collaborating  with  us  to  license,  develop,  manufacture  or 
commercialize our current or future products, services or technology.

We may not be aware of all third-party intellectual property rights potentially relating to our products, services or 
technology. Publications of discoveries in the scientific literature often lag behind the actual discoveries, and patent 
applications in the United States and other jurisdictions are typically not published until approximately 18 months 
after filing or, in some cases, not until such patent applications issue as patents. We, or our licensors, might not have 
been the first to make the inventions covered by each of our or our licensors’ pending patent applications and we, or 
our licensors, might not have been the first to file patent applications for these inventions. To determine the priority 
of  our  inventions,  we  have  participated  and  may  continue  to  participate  in  interference  proceedings,  derivation 
proceedings or other post-grant proceedings declared by the USPTO that could result in substantial cost to us. The 
outcome  of  such  proceedings  is  uncertain.  No  assurance  can  be  given  that  other  patent  applications  will  not  have 
priority over our or our licensors’ patent applications. In addition, changes to the patent laws of the United States 
allow  for  various  post-grant  opposition  proceedings  that  have  not  been  extensively  tested,  and  their  outcome  is 
therefore uncertain. Our licensors may also license patent rights to others, and we may not be aware of such licenses 
before they are granted or such licenses may be subject to disputes or uncertainties that affect patent rights licensed 
by  us  or  could  limit  our  ability  to  enforce  such  patent  rights.  If  third  parties  bring  actions  against  our  owned  or 
licensed patent rights, we could experience significant costs and management distraction.

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In patent litigation in the United States or abroad, defendant counterclaims alleging invalidity or unenforceability of 
plaintiff’s patents are common. Grounds for a validity challenge for invalidity could be an alleged failure to meet 
any  of  several  statutory  requirements,  including  lack  of  novelty,  obviousness  or  non-enablement.  Grounds  for  an 
unenforceability  assertion  could  be  an  allegation  that  someone  connected  with  prosecution  of  the  patent  withheld 
relevant information from the patent office or made a misleading statement during prosecution. Similar claims may 
also  be  raised  before  patent  offices  in  the  United  States  or  abroad,  even  outside  the  context  of  litigation,  through 
mechanisms  including  re-examination,  post-grant  review  and  equivalent  proceedings  in  foreign  jurisdictions  (e.g., 
opposition proceedings). Such proceedings could result in revocation or amendment to our patent rights in such a 
way that they no longer cover our products. The outcome of patent litigation or patent office proceedings following 
assertions of invalidity and unenforceability is unpredictable. With respect to the validity question, for example, we 
cannot be certain that there is no invalidating prior art, of which we and the patent examiner were unaware during 
prosecution. If a defendant were to prevail on a legal assertion of invalidity and/or unenforceability, we would lose 
at least part, and perhaps all, of the relevant patent that protects our products, service or technology. Such a loss of 
patent protection could have a material adverse impact on our business.

We  and  some  of  our  licensors  have  initiated,  are  currently  involved  in,  and  may  in  the  future  initiate  or  become 
involved  in  legal  proceedings  against  a  third  party  to  enforce  a  patent  covering  one  of  our  products,  services  or 
technology. 

Defendants in such proceedings could counterclaim that the patents covering our products, services or technology 
are invalid or unenforceable and could institute legal proceedings to challenge such patents both in court and before 
patent offices. Any assertion of invalidity and/or unenforceability against the patents covering our products, services 
or technology, even if not successful, could be time-consuming and expensive to defend, damage our reputation in 
the marketplace and the prospects for our business, and divert our management’s attention.

We rely on licenses from third parties, and if we lose these licenses then we may be subjected to future litigation. 
If we cannot license and maintain rights to use third-party intellectual property rights on reasonable terms, we 
may not be able to successfully develop, manufacture and/or commercialize our products, services or technology. 
Our licensed intellectual property rights may lose value or utility over time.

From  time  to  time,  we  may  identify  third-party  technology  we  may  need,  including  those  related  to  develop, 
manufacture or commercialize new products, services or technology. We may also need to negotiate agreements to 
in-license  patents  or  other  intellectual  property  rights  from  third  parties  before  or  after  introducing  a  commercial 
products,  service  of  technology,  and  we  may  not  be  able  to  obtain  necessary  licenses  to  such  patents  or  other 
intellectual property rights. We are a party to various license agreements, including royalty-bearing agreements, that 
grant us rights to use and practice certain intellectual property of third parties, including claims included in issued 
patents, typically in certain specified fields of use. We may need to obtain additional licenses from others to advance 
our  research,  development,  manufacture  and  commercialization  activities.  We  may  be  unable  to  enter  into  the 
necessary  license  agreements  on  acceptable  terms  or  at  all,  which  could  have  a  material  adverse  effect  on  our 
competitive position, business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects. In return for the use of a third 
party’s  intellectual  property  rights,  we  may  agree  to  pay  the  licensor  royalties  based  on  sales  of  our  products, 
services or technology. Royalties are a component of cost of products, services or technology and affect the margins 
on  our  products,  services  or  technology.    If  we  are  unable  to  negotiate  reasonable  royalties  or  if  we  have  to  pay 
royalties on technology that becomes less useful for us or ceases to provide value to us, our profit margin will be 
reduced and we may suffer losses.

Our  license  agreements  impose,  and  we  expect  that  future  license  agreements  will  impose,  various  development, 
diligence, commercialization and other obligations on us, including obligations to making payments to our licensors 
upon achievement of milestones.

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In spite of our efforts, our licensors have asserted and may in the future assert that we have materially breached our 
obligations under such license agreements and could therefore seek or threaten to terminate the license agreements. 
If these licenses are terminated, or if the underlying patent rights fail to provide the intended exclusivity, our ability 
to develop, manufacture and commercialize products, services and technology covered by these license agreements 
would  be  limited  or  lost,  and  our  competitors  or  other  third  parties  might  have  the  freedom  to  develop,  produce, 
manufacture, seek regulatory approval of, or to market, products, services or technology identical or similar to ours 
and we may be required to cease our development, manufacture and/or commercialization activities in connection 
with our products, services and/or technology. Our actual or potential licensors could take action with respect to our 
licensed intellectual property that may decrease the value of such licensed intellectual property. Any of the foregoing 
could have a material adverse effect on our competitive position, business, financial condition, results of operations 
and prospects. Moreover, disputes could arise with respect to any aspect of our license agreements, including:

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

the scope of rights granted under the license agreement and other interpretation-related issues;

the  extent  to  which  our  products  or  product  candidates,  services,  technology  and  processes  infringe  on 
intellectual property of the licensor that is not subject to the licensing agreement;

the  licensing  of  patent  and  other  rights  controlled  by  our  licensors  or  developed  under  our  collaborative 
development relationships to others;

our diligence obligations under the license agreement and what activities satisfy those diligence obligations;

the inventorship and ownership of inventions and know-how licensed to us or resulting from the joint creation 
or use of intellectual property by our licensors, us and/or our partners; 

the validity, enforceability or priority of licensed patent rights; and

the amount of royalties and other payments we are obligated to pay under the license agreement.

If  we  do  not  prevail  in  such  disputes,  we  may  lose  the  rights  under  any  of  such  license  agreements,  the  license 
agreements  may  not  be  meaningful  for  our  business  and  operations,  and  we  may  be  subject  to  unnecessary  or 
additional payment obligations.

In addition, the agreements under which we currently license intellectual property or technology from third parties 
are  complex,  and  certain  provisions  in  such  agreements  could  be  susceptible  to  multiple  interpretations.  The 
resolution  of  any  such  contract  interpretation  disagreement  could  narrow  what  we  believe  to  be  the  scope  of  our 
rights  to  the  relevant  intellectual  property  or  technology,  or  increase  what  we  believe  to  be  our  financial  or  other 
obligations  under  the  relevant  agreement,  either  of  which  could  have  a  material  adverse  effect  on  our  business, 
financial  condition,  results  of  operations  and  prospects.  Moreover,  if  disputes  over  licensed  intellectual  property 
impair  our  ability  to  enforce  licensed  intellectual  property  against  third  parties  or  use  it  to  defend  ourselves  in 
litigation, the value of such licensed intellectual property may be diminished.

If we fail to maintain our current licensing arrangements on commercially acceptable terms, we may be unable to 
successfully  develop,  manufacture  and  commercialize  the  affected  product,  product  candidate,  service  or 
technology,  which  could  have  a  material  adverse  effect  on  our  business,  financial  condition,  results  of  operations 
and  prospects.  If  any  of  these  license  agreements  is  terminated,  if  the  licensor  fails  to  abide  by  the  terms  of  the 
license agreement, if the licensor fails to enforce its intellectual property rights licensed to us against third parties 
that infringe upon such intellectual property rights, or if the licensed patent or other rights are found to be invalid or 
unenforceable, we may be unable to achieve our business goals and our results of operations and financial condition 
could be adversely affected. Absent the license agreements, we could infringe patents and other intellectual property 
rights of the licensors subject to those agreements, and if the license agreements are terminated, we may be subject 
to litigation by the licensor. Litigation could result in substantial costs and be a distraction to management. If we do 
not  prevail,  we  may  be  required  to  pay  damages,  including  treble  damages,  attorneys’  fees,  costs  and  expenses, 
royalties  or,  be  enjoined  from  selling  our  products,  services  or  technology,  including  our  tests,  which  could 
adversely  affect  our  ability  to  offer  products,  services  or  technology,  our  ability  to  continue  operations  and  our 
financial condition. 

Any intellectual property rights licensed by us may lose value or utility, including as a result of a change of in the 
industry,  in  our  business  objectives,  others'  technology,  our  dispute  with  the  licensor,  and  other  circumstances 
outside our control.

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We may not be able to protect or enforce our intellectual property rights adequately throughout the world.

Filing, prosecuting and defending patents and other intellectual property rights covering our products, services and 
technology  in  all  countries  throughout  the  world  would  be  prohibitively  expensive,  and  our  intellectual  property 
rights in some territories outside the United States can be less extensive than those in the United States. In addition, 
the laws of some foreign countries and regions do not protect intellectual property rights to the same extent as the 
laws  of  the  United  States,  and  we  may  encounter  difficulties  in  protecting  and  defending  such  rights  in  foreign 
jurisdictions.  Consequently,  we  may  not  be  able  to  prevent  third  parties  from  practicing  our  inventions  in  all 
jurisdictions,  or  from  selling,  making  or  importing  products,  services  or  technology  by  practicing  our  intellectual 
property  rights.  Competitors  may  practice  our  intellectual  property  rights  in  jurisdictions  where  we  have  not 
obtained  patent  protection  to  develop,  manufacture,  sell  or  import  their  own  products,  services  or  technology  and 
may  also  export  products,  services  or  technology  that  infringe  upon  our  intellectual  property  rights  to  territories 
where we have patent protection that do not provide strong intellectual property or enforcement rights as strong as 
that  in  the  United  States.  These  products,  services  or  technology  may  compete  with  our  products,  services  or 
technology. Our patents or other intellectual property rights existing outside the United States may not be effective 
or sufficient to prevent third parties from competing with us. Similarly, intellectual property rights may be exhausted 
in certain situations, and others could import our products sold abroad and compete with us domestically.

Many companies have encountered significant problems in protecting and defending intellectual property rights in 
foreign jurisdictions. The legal systems of many other countries and regions do not favor the enforcement of patents 
and other intellectual property protection, particularly those relating to biotechnology, which could make it difficult 
for us to stop the infringement of our patents and other intellectual property rights in such jurisdictions. Proceedings 
to enforce our patent rights and other intellectual property rights in foreign jurisdictions could result in substantial 
cost and divert our efforts and attention from other aspects of our business, could put our patents at risk of being 
invalidated or interpreted narrowly and our patent applications at risk of not issuing, and could provoke third parties 
to assert claims against us. We may not prevail in any lawsuits that we initiate and the damages or other remedies 
awarded to us, if any, may not be commercially meaningful. Accordingly, our efforts to enforce intellectual property 
rights around the world may be inadequate to obtain a significant commercial advantage.

If we are unable to protect the confidentiality of our trade secrets, the value of our technology could be materially 
adversely affected and our business could be harmed.

In  addition  to  pursuing  patents  covering  our  products,  services  and  technology,  we  take  steps  to  protect  our 
intellectual  property  and  proprietary  technology  by  entering  into  agreements,  including  confidentiality  and  non-
disclosure  agreements  with  those  that  have  access  to  our  confidential  and  proprietary  information  including 
employees,  independent  contractors,  academic  institutions,  corporate  partners  and  our  advisers,  and  invention 
assignment agreements with our employees and independent contractors, and when needed, our advisers. However, 
we cannot be certain that such agreements have been entered into with all relevant parties, and we cannot be certain 
that our trade secrets and other proprietary information will not be disclosed or that competitors will not otherwise 
gain access to our trade secrets or independently develop substantially equivalent information and techniques. For 
example,  any  of  these  parties  may  breach  the  agreements  and  disclose  our  proprietary  information,  including  our 
trade secrets, and we may not be able to obtain adequate remedies for such breaches. Such agreements may not be 
enforceable or may not provide meaningful protection for our trade secrets or other proprietary information in the 
event of unauthorized use or disclosure or other breaches of the agreements, and we may not be able to prevent such 
unauthorized use or disclosure. If we are required to assert our rights against such party, it could result in significant 
cost and distraction.

Monitoring  unauthorized  use  or  disclosure  is  difficult,  and  we  do  not  know  whether  the  steps  we  have  taken  to 
prevent such use or disclosure are, or will be, adequate. If we were to enforce a claim that a third party had illegally 
obtained  and  was  using  our  trade  secrets,  it  would  be  expensive  and  time-consuming,  and  the  outcome  would  be 
unpredictable. In addition, courts outside the United States may be less willing to protect trade secrets.

We  also  seek  to  preserve  the  integrity  and  confidentiality  of  our  proprietary  information  by  maintaining  physical 
security  of  our  premises  and  physical  and  electronic  security  of  our  information  technology  systems,  but  it  is 
possible that these security measures could be breached. If any of our confidential proprietary information were to 
be lawfully obtained or independently developed by a competitor, absent patent protection, we would have no right 
to  prevent  such  competitor  from  using  that  technology  or  information  to  compete  with  us,  which  could  harm  our 
competitive position.

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We may be subject to claims that our employees, consultants or independent contractors have wrongfully used or 
disclosed confidential information of third parties or that our employees have wrongfully used or disclosed trade 
secrets of their former employers.

We  have  employed  or  engaged  and  expect  to  employ  or  engage  individuals  who  were  previously  employed  at  or 
associated with universities or other companies, including our competitors or potential competitors. Although we try 
to  ensure  that  our  employees  and  independent  contractors  do  not  use  the  proprietary  information  or  know-how  of 
others  in  their  work  for  us,  we  may  be  subject  to  claims  that  our  employees  or  independent  contractors  have 
inadvertently or otherwise used or disclosed trade secrets or other proprietary information of their former employers 
or other third parties, or to claims that we have improperly used or obtained such trade secrets. Litigation may be 
necessary to defend against these claims. If we lose, in addition to paying monetary damages, we may be deprived of 
valuable  intellectual  property  and  face  increased  competition.  A  loss  of  key  research  personnel  or  work  product 
could hamper or prevent our ability to develop, manufacture and/or commercialize products, services or technology, 
which could materially adversely affect our business. Even if we are successful in defending against these claims, 
litigation  could  result  in  damage  to  our  reputation  and  substantial  costs  and  be  a  distraction  to  management  and 
affected individuals.

We may not be able to protect and enforce our trademarks and we could infringe others’ trademarks.

We have not yet registered trademarks in all of our potential markets, although we have registered Guardant Health, 
Guardant360 and GuardantOMNI in the United States. If we apply to register additional trademarks in the United 
States and other countries, our applications may not be allowed for registration in a timely fashion or at all, and our 
registered trademarks may not be maintained or enforced. In addition, opposition or cancellation proceedings may 
be filed against our trademark applications and registrations, and our trademarks may not survive such proceedings. 
If we do not timely register and enforce marks used in connection with our products, services or technology, we may 
encounter  difficulty  in  enforcing  them  against  third  parties,  and  if  these  marks  are  registered  by  others,  we  could 
infringe  such  trademarks  and  may  have  to  defend  ourselves  to  continue  the  use  of  our  trademarks,  which  may  be 
time consuming and costly, and we may be unsuccessful.

We  may  be  subject  to  claims  challenging  the  inventorship  or  ownership  of  our  owned  or  licensed  intellectual 
property.

We or our licensors may be subject to claims that former employees, independent contractors, collaborators or other 
third parties have an interest in or right to our owned or licensed patents, trade secrets or other intellectual property. 
For example, we or our licensors may have inventorship disputes arise from conflicting obligations of employees, 
independent  contractors  or  others  who  are  involved  in  developing  such  intellectual  property.  Litigation  may  be 
necessary to defend against these and other claims challenging inventorship or ownership of our owned or licensed 
patents, trade secrets or other intellectual property. If we or our licensors fail in defending against any such claims, 
we  may  lose  exclusive  ownership  of,  or  right  to  use,  valuable  intellectual  property.  Even  if  we  are  successful  in 
defending  against  such  claims,  litigation  could  result  in  damage  to  our  reputation  and  substantial  costs  and  be  a 
distraction to management and other employees. Any of the foregoing could have a material adverse effect on our 
business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

We are and may continue to be involved in litigation and other legal proceedings related to intellectual property, 
which  could  be  time-intensive  and  costly  and  may  adversely  affect  our  business,  operating  results  or  financial 
condition.

We  have  been,  are  currently  in,  and  may  also  in  the  future  be,  involved  with  litigation  or  USPTO  actions  with 
various  third  parties.  We  expect  that  the  number  of  such  claims  may  increase  as  the  number  of  our  products  or 
services grows, and the level of competition in our industry segments increases. Any infringement claim, regardless 
of its validity, could harm our business by, among other things, resulting in time-consuming and costly litigation, 
diverting  management’s  time  and  attention  from  the  development  of  our  business,  or  requiring  the  payment  of 
monetary damages (including treble damages, attorneys’ fees, costs and expenses if we are found to have willfully 
infringed) and ongoing royalties.

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Litigation  may  be  necessary  for  us  to  enforce  our  intellectual  property  and  proprietary  rights  or  to  determine  the 
scope, coverage and validity of the intellectual property and proprietary rights of others. We are currently engaged in 
lawsuits and in proceedings before the USPTO in relation to certain such patents. The outcome of such lawsuits, as 
well as any other litigation or proceeding, is inherently uncertain and might not be favorable to us. Further, we could 
encounter delays in introductions or interruptions in the development, manufacture or sale of products, services or 
technologies,  as  we  develop  alternative  products,  services  or  technologies.  In  addition,  if  we  resort  to  legal 
proceedings  to  enforce  our  intellectual  property  rights  or  to  determine  the  validity,  scope  and  coverage  of  the 
intellectual property or other proprietary rights of others, the proceedings could be burdensome and expensive, even 
if we were to prevail. If we do not prevail in such legal proceedings, we may be required to pay damages, and we 
may lose significant intellectual property protection for our products, services or technologies, such that competitors 
could copy our products, services or technologies. Any litigation that may be necessary in the future could result in 
substantial  costs  and  diversion  of  resources  and  could  have  a  material  adverse  effect  on  our  business,  operating 
results or financial condition.

As we move into new markets and applications for our products, services or technologies, incumbent participants in 
such markets may assert their patents and other intellectual property or proprietary rights against us as a means of 
slowing our entry into such markets or as a means to extract substantial license and royalty payments from us. As 
our business matures and our public profile grows, we may also be subject to an increased number of allegations of 
patent  or  other  intellectual  property  infringement,  whether  by  our  competitors  or  other  third  parties,  both  in  the 
United States and throughout the world wherever we seek to manufacture, commercialize or import our products, 
services or technologies. Our competitors and others may have significantly larger and more mature patent portfolios 
than we have. In addition, while we can assert our own patents or other intellectual property rights during litigation, 
our own patents or other intellectual property rights may provide little or no deterrence or protection against third 
parties.  Therefore,  our  commercial  success  may  depend  in  part  on  our  non-infringement  of  the  patents  or  other 
intellectual property rights of third parties and on our success in defending ourselves in litigation.

However,  our  research,  development,  manufacture  and  commercialization  activities  are  currently  and  may  in  the 
future be subject to claims that we infringe or otherwise violate patents or other intellectual property rights owned or 
controlled by third parties. There is a substantial amount of litigation and other patent challenges, both within and 
outside  the  United  States,  involving  patent  and  other  intellectual  property  rights  in  the  biotechnology  industry, 
including  patent  infringement  lawsuits,  interferences,  oppositions  and  inter  partes  review  proceedings  before  the 
USPTO, and corresponding proceedings before foreign patent offices. Numerous U.S. and foreign issued patents and 
pending  patent  applications,  which  are  owned  by  third  parties,  exist  in  the  fields  in  which  we  are  developing, 
manufacturing  and/or  commercializing  products,  services  or  technologies.  As  the  precision  oncology  industry 
expands and more patents are issued, the risk increases that our products, services or technologies may be subject to 
claims  of  infringement  of  the  patent  rights  of  third  parties.  Numerous  significant  intellectual  property  issues  have 
been litigated, are being litigated and will likely continue to be litigated, between existing and new participants in 
our existing and targeted markets, and our competitors have asserted and may in the future assert that our products 
or services infringe their intellectual property rights as part of a business strategy to impede our successful entry into 
or  growth  in  those  markets,  and  we  may  enforce  our  owned  or  licensed  intellectual  property  rights  against  our 
competitors and other parties. 

Third parties have asserted and may in the future assert that we are employing their proprietary technology or trade 
secrets without authorization. For instance, Foundation Medicine, Inc. filed a lawsuit for patent infringement against 
us in May 2016, which we settled in July 2018. We are also aware of issued U.S. patents and patent applications 
with  claims  related  to  our  products  and  services,  and  there  may  be  other  related  third-party  patents  or  patent 
applications of which we are not aware. By interacting with us, our licensors may learn more about our business or 
technology and could assert additional patent rights against us, such as patent rights that are not currently licensed to 
us or patent rights that may be obtained by any such licensors in the future, which may occur if such patent rights are 
not available for licensing or if they are not offered on acceptable or commercially reasonable terms. Because patent 
applications can take many years to issue and are not publicly available until a certain period of time passes from 
filing, there may be currently pending patent applications which may later result in issued patents that our current or 
future products, services or technologies may infringe. In addition, similar to what other companies in our industry 
have experienced, we expect our competitors and others may develop or obtain patents with our products, services 
or  technologies  in  mind  and  claim  that  making,  having  made,  using,  selling,  offering  to  sell  or  importing  our 
products, services or technologies infringes these patents.

We could incur substantial costs and divert the attention of our management and technical personnel in defending 
against  any  of  these  claims.  Parties  making  claims  against  us  may  be  able  to  sustain  the  costs  of  complex  patent 
litigation more effectively than we can, for example, because they have substantially greater resources.

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Parties making claims against us may be able to obtain injunctive or other relief, which could block our ability to 
develop, manufacture, commercialize, sell and import certain products, services or technologies, and could result in 
the award of substantial damages against us, including treble damages, attorney’s fees, costs and expenses if we are 
found to have willfully infringed. In the event of a successful claim of infringement against us, we may be required 
to  pay  damages  and  ongoing  royalties,  and  obtain  one  or  more  licenses  from  third  parties,  or  be  prohibited  from 
developing,  manufacturing,  commercializing,  selling  and  importing  certain  products,  services  or  technologies.  We 
may not be able to obtain these licenses on acceptable or commercially reasonable terms, if at all, or these licenses 
may  be  non-exclusive,  which  could  result  in  our  competitors  gaining  access  to  the  same  intellectual  property.  In 
addition, we could encounter delays in product, service or technologies introductions while we attempt to develop 
alternative products, services or technologies to avoid infringing third-party patents or proprietary rights. Defense of 
any  lawsuit  or  failure  to  obtain  any  of  these  licenses  could  prevent  us  from  developing,  manufacturing  or 
commercializing  products,  services  or  technologies  and  the  prohibition  of  developing,  manufacturing  or 
commercializing of any of our products, services or technologies could materially affect our business and our ability 
to gain market acceptance for our products, services or technologies.

Furthermore,  because  of  the  substantial  amount  of  discovery  required  in  connection  with  intellectual  property 
litigation, there is a risk that some of our confidential information could be compromised by disclosure during this 
type of litigation. In addition, during the course of this kind of litigation, there could be public announcements of the 
results of hearings, motions or other interim proceedings or developments. If securities analysts or investors perceive 
these results to be negative, it could have a substantial adverse effect on the price of our common stock.

In  addition,  our  agreements  with  some  of  our  customers,  suppliers,  vendors  or  other  entities  with  whom  we  do 
business require us to defend or indemnify these parties to the extent they become involved in infringement claims, 
including the types of claims described above. We could also voluntarily agree to defend or indemnify third parties 
in instances where we are not obligated to do so if we determine it would be important to our business relationships. 
If  we  are  required  or  agree  to  defend  or  indemnify  third  parties  in  connection  with  any  infringement  claims,  we 
could  incur  significant  costs  and  expenses  that  could  adversely  affect  our  business,  operating  results  or  financial 
condition.

Obtaining  and  maintaining  our  patent  protection  depends  on  compliance  with  various  required  procedures, 
document submissions, fee payments and other requirements imposed by governmental patent agencies, and our 
patent protection could be reduced or eliminated for non-compliance with these requirements.

Periodic  maintenance  fees,  renewal  fees,  annuity  fees  and  various  other  governmental  fees  on  patents  and/or 
applications will be due to be paid to the USPTO and various governmental patent agencies outside of the United 
States at several stages over the lifetime of the patents and/or applications. We have systems in place to remind us to 
pay these fees, and we rely on our outside counsel to pay these fees due to non-U.S. patent agencies. The USPTO 
and  various  foreign  governmental  patent  agencies  require  compliance  with  a  number  of  procedural,  documentary, 
fee payment and other similar requirements during the patent application process. We employ reputable law firms 
and other professionals to help us comply, and in many cases, an inadvertent lapse can be cured by payment of a late 
fee  or  by  other  means  in  accordance  with  the  applicable  rules.  However,  there  are  situations  in  which  non-
compliance can result in abandonment or forfeiture of the patent or patent application and thus loss of patent rights 
in the relevant jurisdiction. Such an event would allow our competitors to enter the unprotected market and have a 
material adverse effect on our business.

Patent terms may be inadequate to protect our competitive position for an adequate amount of time.

Patents have a limited lifespan. In the United States, if all maintenance fees are timely paid, the natural expiration of 
a patent is generally 20 years from its earliest U.S. non-provisional filing date. Various extensions may be available, 
but the life of a patent, and the protection it affords, is limited. Even if patents covering our products or services are 
obtained, once the patent life has expired, we may be open to competition. Given the amount of time required for the 
development, testing and regulatory review of our new products, services or technologies, patents protecting them 
might expire before or shortly after they are commercialized. As a result, our owned and licensed patent portfolio 
may not provide us with a sufficient exclusivity period to exclude others from commercializing products or services 
similar or identical to ours.

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Risks related to our common stock and indebtedness

The price of our common stock has fluctuated substantially and may do so in the future, and you may not be able 
to resell shares of our common stock at or above the price at which you purchased them.

The market price of our common stock has been volatile and may fluctuate substantially in the future due to many 
factors, including:

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volume and customer mix for our precision oncology testing;

the introduction of new products or product enhancements by us or others in our industry;

disputes or other developments with respect to our or others’ intellectual property rights;

our ability to develop, obtain regulatory clearance or approval for, and market new and enhanced products on a 
timely basis;

product liability claims or other litigation;

quarterly or annual variations in our results of operations or those of others in our industry;

• media exposure of our products or of those of others in our industry;

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changes in governmental regulations or in the status of our regulatory approvals or applications;

changes in earnings estimates or recommendations by securities analysts; and

the effects of high inflation or other general market conditions and other factors, including factors unrelated to 
our operating performance or the operating performance of our competitors.

Sales of a substantial number of shares of our common stock in the public market could occur at any time. These 
sales, or the perception in the market that the holders of a large number of shares intend to sell their shares, could 
result in a decrease in the market price of our common stock. 

In recent years, the stock markets generally have experienced extreme price and volume fluctuations that have often 
been  unrelated  or  disproportionate  to  the  operating  performance  of  those  companies.  Broad  market  and  industry 
factors  may  significantly  affect  the  market  price  of  our  common  stock,  regardless  of  our  actual  operating 
performance.  In  addition,  in  the  past,  class  action  litigation  has  often  been  instituted  against  companies  whose 
securities have experienced periods of volatility in market price. Securities litigation brought against us following 
volatility in our stock price, regardless of the merit or ultimate results of such litigation, could result in substantial 
costs,  which  would  hurt  our  financial  condition  and  operating  results  and  divert  management’s  attention  and 
resources from our business.

Because  we  do  not  anticipate  paying  any  cash  dividends  on  our  capital  stock  in  the  foreseeable  future,  capital 
appreciation, if any, will be our stockholders’ sole source of gain.

We have never declared or paid cash dividends on our capital stock. We currently intend to retain all of our future 
earnings, if any, to finance the growth and development of our business. In addition, future debt or other agreements 
we may enter into may preclude us from paying dividends. As a result, capital appreciation, if any, of our common 
stock will be your sole source of gain for the foreseeable future.

Our indebtedness could expose us to risks that could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results 
of operations.

In 2020, we sold $1,150,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 0% convertible senior notes due 2027, or the 2027 
Notes.  We  may  also  incur  additional  indebtedness  to  meet  future  needs.  Our  indebtedness  could  have  significant 
negative  consequences  for  our  security  holders,  business,  results  of  operations  and  financial  condition  by,  among 
other things:

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increasing our vulnerability to adverse economic and industry conditions;

limiting our ability to obtain additional financing;

in  the  event  interest  accrues  on  the  2027  Notes  or  additional  indebtedness,  requiring  the  dedication  of  a 
substantial  portion  of  our  cash  flow  from  operations  to  service  our  indebtedness,  which  will  reduce  the 
amount of cash available for other purposes;

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limiting our flexibility to plan for, or react to, changes in our business;

diluting the interests of our existing stockholders if we issue shares of our common stock upon conversion 
of the Notes or additional indebtedness; and

placing us at a possible competitive disadvantage with competitors that are less leveraged than us or have 
better access to capital.

Our  business  may  not  generate  sufficient  funds,  and  we  may  otherwise  be  unable  to  maintain  sufficient  cash 
reserves, to pay amounts due under the 2027 Notes or any additional indebtedness that we may incur. In addition, 
the 2027 Notes contain, and any future indebtedness that we may incur may contain, financial and other restrictive 
covenants that limit our ability to operate our business, raise capital or make payments under our indebtedness. If we 
fail to comply with these covenants or to make payments under our indebtedness when due, then we would be in 
default under that indebtedness, which could, in turn, result in that indebtedness becoming immediately payable in 
full.

The conditional conversion features of the 2027 Notes, if triggered, may adversely affect our financial condition. 
Conversion  of  the  2027  Notes,  to  the  extent  the  2027  Notes  are  not  redeemed  or  repurchased,  will  dilute  the 
ownership  interest  of  existing  stockholders,  and  even  if  anticipated,  may  otherwise  depress  the  price  of  our 
common stock.

In  the  event  the  conditional  conversion  feature  of  the  2027  Notes  is  triggered,  holders  of  the  2027  Notes  will  be 
entitled to convert their 2027 Notes into shares of our common stock upon the occurrence of certain events. If one or 
more holders of the 2027 Notes elect to convert their 2027 Notes, unless we satisfy our conversion obligation by 
delivering  only  shares  of  our  common  stock,  we  would  be  required  to  settle  all  or  a  portion  of  our  conversion 
obligation  through  the  payment  of  cash,  which  could  adversely  affect  our  financial  condition.  In  the  event  the 
conditional conversion feature of the 2027 Notes is triggered, the conversion of some or all of the 2027 Notes will 
dilute the ownership interests of our existing stockholders to the extent we deliver shares of our common stock upon 
such  conversion.  The  2027  Notes  may  become  in  the  future  convertible  at  the  option  of  the  holders  of  the  2027 
Notes prior to August 15, 2027 under certain circumstances as provided in the indenture governing the 2027 Notes. 
Any sales in the public market of shares of our common stock issuable upon such conversion could adversely affect 
the price of our common stock. In addition, the existence of the 2027 Notes may encourage short selling by market 
participants because the conversion of the 2027 Notes could be used to satisfy short positions, and even anticipated 
conversion of the 2027 Notes into shares of our common stock could depress the price of our common stock.

The convertible note hedge may affect the value of the 2027 Notes and our common stock.

In  connection  with  the  sale  of  the  2027  Notes,  we  entered  into  convertible  note  hedge,  the  2027  Note  Hedge, 
transactions  with  certain  financial  institutions,  or  option  counterparties.  The  2027  Note  Hedge  transactions  are 
expected  generally  to  reduce  the  potential  dilution  upon  any  conversion  of  the  2027  Notes  and/or  offset  any  cash 
payments we are required to make in excess of the principal amount of converted 2027 Notes.  

The  option  counterparties  and/or  their  respective  affiliates  may  modify  their  hedge  positions  by  entering  into  or 
unwinding various derivatives with respect to our common stock and/or purchasing or selling our common stock in 
secondary market transactions prior to the maturity of the 2027 Notes (and are likely to do so during any observation 
period related to a conversion of the Notes, or following any repurchase of the 2027 Notes by us on any fundamental 
change repurchase date (as provided in the indenture governing the 2027 Notes) or otherwise). This activity could 
also  cause  or  avoid  an  increase  or  a  decrease  in  the  market  price  of  our  common  stock  or  the  2027  Notes,  which 
could  affect  note  holders’  ability  to  convert  the  2027  Notes  and,  to  the  extent  the  activity  occurs  during  any 
observation  period  related  to  a  conversion  of  the  2027  Notes,  it  could  affect  the  amount  and  value  of  the 
consideration that note holders will receive upon conversion of the 2027 Notes.

The potential effect, if any, of these transactions and activities on the market price of our common stock or the 2027 
Notes will depend in part on market conditions and cannot be ascertained at this time. Any of these activities could 
adversely affect the value of our common stock and the value of the 2027 Notes (and as a result, the value of the 
consideration,  the  amount  of  cash  and/or  the  number  of  shares,  if  any,  that  note  holders  would  receive  upon  the 
conversion of the 2027 Notes) and, under certain circumstances, the ability of the note holders to convert the 2027 
Notes.

We  do  not  make  any  representation  or  prediction  as  to  the  direction  or  magnitude  of  any  potential  effect  that  the 
transactions described above may have on the price of the 2027 Notes or our common stock. In addition, we do not 
make any representation that the option counterparties will engage in these transactions or that these transactions, 
once commenced, will not be discontinued without notice.

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We are subject to counterparty risk with respect to the 2027 Note Hedge transactions.

The option counterparties are financial institutions, and we will be subject to the risk that any or all of them may 
default under the 2027 Note Hedge transactions. Our exposure to the credit risk of the option counterparties will not 
be secured by any collateral.  If an option counterparty becomes subject to insolvency proceedings, we will become 
an unsecured creditor in those proceedings, with a claim equal to our exposure at that time under our transactions 
with that option counterparty. Our exposure will depend on many factors but, generally, an increase in our exposure 
will be correlated to an increase in the market price and in the volatility of our common stock. In addition, upon a 
default  by  an  option  counterparty,  we  may  suffer  adverse  tax  consequences  and  more  dilution  than  we  currently 
anticipate with respect to our common stock. We can provide no assurances as to the financial stability or viability 
of the option counterparties.

Provisions in our corporate charter documents and under Delaware law could make a change in control of us 
more difficult and may prevent attempts by our stockholders to replace or remove our current management.

Provisions  in  our  amended  and  restated  certificate  of  incorporation  and  our  amended  and  restated  bylaws  may 
discourage, delay or prevent a merger, acquisition or other change in control of us that stockholders may consider 
favorable,  including  transactions  in  which  our  stockholders  might  otherwise  receive  a  premium  for  their  shares. 
These  provisions  could  also  limit  the  price  that  investors  might  be  willing  to  pay  in  the  future  for  shares  of  our 
common stock, thereby depressing the market price of our common stock. In addition, these provisions may make it 
more  difficult  for  our  stockholders  to  replace  current  members  of  our  board  of  directors  or  add  new  members 
thereto. Because our board of directors is responsible for appointing the members of our management team, these 
provisions  could  in  turn  affect  any  attempts  by  our  stockholders  to  change  our  management  team.  Among  others, 
these provisions include that:

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our board of directors has the exclusive right to expand its size and to elect directors to fill a vacancy created by 
the expansion of the board or the resignation, death or removal of a director, which prevents stockholders from 
being able to fill vacancies on our board of directors;

our  board  of  directors  is  divided  into  three  classes,  Class  I,  Class  II  and  Class  III,  with  each  class  serving 
staggered three-year terms, which may delay the ability of stockholders to change the membership of a majority 
of our board of directors;

our stockholders may not act by written consent, which forces stockholder action to be taken at an annual or 
special meeting of our stockholders;  

a  special  meeting  of  stockholders  may  be  called  only  by  our  board  of  directors,  its  chairman,  or  our  co-chief 
executive  officers,  which  may  delay  the  ability  of  our  stockholders  to  force  consideration  of  a  proposal  or  to 
take action, including the removal of directors; 

our  amended  and  restated  certificate  of  incorporation  prohibits  cumulative  voting  in  the  election  of  directors, 
which limits the ability of minority stockholders to elect their director candidates;

our board of directors may alter our bylaws without obtaining stockholder approval; 

approval of the holders of at least two-thirds of the shares entitled to vote at an election of directors is required 
to  adopt,  amend  or  repeal  our  bylaws  or  repeal  the  provisions  of  our  amended  and  restated  certificate  of 
incorporation regarding the election and removal of directors; 

stockholders  must  provide  advance  notice  and  additional  disclosures  in  order  to  nominate  candidates  for 
election to the board of directors or to propose matters that can be acted upon at a stockholders’ meeting, which 
may  discourage  or  deter  a  potential  acquiror  from  conducting  a  solicitation  of  proxies  to  elect  the  acquiror’s 
own slate of directors or otherwise attempting to obtain control of our company; and

our board of directors is authorized to issue shares of preferred stock and to determine the terms of those shares, 
including  preferences  and  voting  rights,  without  stockholder  approval,  which  could  be  used  to  significantly 
dilute the ownership of a hostile acquiror.  

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Moreover,  because  we  are  incorporated  in  Delaware,  we  are  governed  by  the  provisions  of  Section  203  of  the 
Delaware General Corporation Law, which prohibits a person who owns in excess of 15% of our outstanding voting 
stock from merging or combining with us for a period of three years after the date of the transaction in which the 
person acquired in excess of 15% of our outstanding voting stock, unless the merger or combination is approved in a 
prescribed  manner.  Furthermore,  our  amended  and  restated  certificate  of  incorporation  specifies  that,  unless  we 
consent  in  writing  to  the  selection  of  an  alternative  forum,  to  the  fullest  extent  permitted  by  law,  the  Court  of 
Chancery  of  the  State  of  Delaware  will  be  the  sole  and  exclusive  forum  for  most  legal  actions  involving  actions 
brought against us by stockholders; provided that, the exclusive forum provision will not apply to suits brought to 
enforce  any  liability  or  duty  created  by  the  Exchange  Act  or  any  other  claim  for  which  the  federal  courts  have 
exclusive  jurisdiction;  and  provided  further  that,  if  and  only  if  the  Court  of  Chancery  of  the  State  of  Delaware 
dismisses  any  such  action  for  lack  of  subject  matter  jurisdiction,  such  action  may  be  brought  in  another  state  or 
federal  court  sitting  in  the  State  of  Delaware.  We  believe  these  provisions  may  benefit  us  by  providing  increased 
consistency in the application of Delaware law by Delaware courts, particularly experienced in resolving corporate 
disputes,  efficient  administration  of  cases  on  a  more  expedited  schedule  relative  to  other  forums  and  protection 
against  the  burdens  of  multi-forum  litigation.  However,  these  provisions  may  have  the  effect  of  discouraging 
lawsuits brought against us and our directors and officers by our stockholders. The enforceability of similar choice 
of forum provisions in other companies’ certificates of incorporation has been challenged in legal proceedings, and 
it is possible that, in connection with any applicable action brought against us, a court could find the choice of forum 
provisions contained in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation to be inapplicable or unenforceable in 
such action.

Our  amended  and  restated  certificate  of  incorporation  also  provides  that  the  federal  district  courts  of  the  United 
States of America will be the exclusive forum for the resolution of any complaint asserting a cause of action against 
us or any of our directors, officers, employees or agents and arising under the Securities Act. However, a Delaware 
court held that such an exclusive forum provision relating to federal courts was unenforceable under Delaware law, 
and unless and until the Delaware court decision is reversed on appeal or otherwise abrogated, we do not intend to 
enforce  such  a  provision  in  the  event  of  a  complaint  asserting  a  cause  of  action  arising  under  the  Securities  Act 
against us or any of our directors, officers, employees or agents.

General Risk Factors

We  may  acquire  businesses,  form  joint  ventures  or  make  investments  in  companies  or  technologies  that  could 
negatively affect our operating results, distract management’s attention from other business concerns, dilute our 
stockholders’ ownership, and significantly increase our debt, costs, expenses, liabilities and risks.

We  have  made  acquisitions  of  businesses,  technologies  and  assets  and  may  pursue  additional  acquisitions  in  the 
future. We also may pursue strategic alliances and additional joint ventures that leverage our industry experience to 
expand  our  product  offerings  or  distribution.  We  have  limited  experience  with  acquisitions  and  forming  strategic 
partnerships. We compete for those opportunities with others including our competitors, some of which have greater 
financial  or  operational  resources  than  we  do.  We  may  not  be  able  to  identify  suitable  acquisition  candidates  or 
strategic partners, we may have inadequate access to information or insufficient time to complete due diligence, and 
we may not be able to complete such transactions on favorable terms, if at all. If we make any acquisitions, we may 
not be able to integrate these acquisitions successfully into our existing business, and we could assume unknown or 
contingent liabilities. Difficulties in assimilating acquired businesses include redeployment or loss of key employees 
and their severance, combination of teams and processes in various functional areas, reorganization or closures of 
facilities,  relocation  or  disposition  of  excess  equipment,  and  increased  litigation,  regulatory  and  compliance  risks, 
any of which could be expensive and time consuming and adversely affect us. Integration of an acquired business 
also  may  disrupt  our  ongoing  operations  and  require  management  resources  that  we  would  otherwise  focus  on 
developing  our  existing  business.  In  addition,  any  acquisition  could  result  in  the  incurrence  of  debt,  contingent 
liabilities or future write-offs of intangible assets or goodwill, any of which could have a material adverse effect on 
our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. We may also experience losses related to investments 
in other companies, which could have a material negative effect on our results of operations and financial condition. 
We may not realize the anticipated benefits of any acquisition, technology license, strategic alliance or joint venture.

To finance any acquisitions, joint ventures or investments, we may choose to issue shares of our common stock as 
consideration,  which  would  dilute  the  ownership  of  our  stockholders.  Additional  funds  may  not  be  available  on 
terms that are favorable to us, or at all. If the price of our common stock is low or volatile, we may not be able to 
acquire other companies or fund a joint venture project using our stock as consideration.

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We may need to raise additional capital to fund our existing operations, develop our platform, commercialize new 
products or expand our operations.

We  may  consider  raising  additional  capital  in  the  future  to  expand  our  business,  to  meet  existing  obligations,  to 
pursue  acquisitions  or  strategic  investments,  to  take  advantage  of  financing  opportunities  or  for  other  reasons, 
including to:

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increase  our  sales  and  marketing  efforts  to  drive  market  adoption  of  our  current  products  and  tests,  and 
address competitive developments;

fund development and marketing efforts of our products under development or any other future products 
we may develop;

expand our technologies into other types of cancer management and detection products;

acquire, license or invest in technologies;

acquire or invest in complementary businesses or assets; and

finance capital expenditures and general and administrative expenses.

Our present and future funding requirements will depend on many factors, including:

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our ability to achieve revenue growth;

our  rate  of  progress  in  establishing  payer  coverage  and  reimbursement  arrangements  with  domestic  and 
international commercial payers and government payers;

the cost of expanding our laboratory operations and product offerings, including our sales and marketing 
efforts;

our rate of progress in, and costs of our sales and marketing activities associated with, establishing adoption 
of and reimbursement for our current products, including our tests;

our  rate  of  progress  in,  and  costs  of  our  research  and  development  activities  associated  with,  products  in 
research and early development;

the effect of competing technological and market developments;

costs related to our international expansion; and

the  potential  costs  of  and  delays  in  product  development  as  a  result  of  any  existing  or  new  regulatory 
oversight applicable to our products.

We  may  seek  to  sell  equity  or  convertible  securities,  enter  into  a  credit  facility  or  another  form  of  third-party 
funding, or seek other debt financing. The various ways we could raise additional capital carry potential risks. If we 
raise funds by issuing equity or convertible securities, dilution to our stockholders could result. Any preferred equity 
securities issued also could provide for rights, preferences or privileges senior to those of holders of our common 
stock. If we raise funds by issuing debt securities, those debt securities would have rights, preferences and privileges 
senior  to  those  of  holders  of  our  common  stock.  The  terms  of  debt  securities  issued  or  borrowings  pursuant  to  a 
credit  agreement  could  impose  significant  restrictions  on  our  operations.  If  we  raise  funds  through  collaborations 
and  licensing  arrangements,  we  might  be  required  to  relinquish  significant  rights  to  our  platform  technologies  or 
products or grant licenses on terms that are not favorable to us. These alternatives of raising additional capital may 
not be available to us on acceptable or commercially reasonable terms, if at all, or in amounts sufficient to meet our 
needs. The failure to obtain any required future financing may require us to reduce or curtail existing operations and 
could contribute to negative market perceptions about us or our securities.

As  a  result  of  adverse  geopolitical  and  macroeconomic  developments,  including  economic  inflation  and  the 
responses  by  central  banking  authorities  to  control  such  inflation,  the  global  credit  and  financial  markets  have 
experienced extreme volatility and disruptions and there has been increasing uncertainty about economic stability. If 
the  equity  and  credit  markets  remain  depressed  or  further  deteriorate  as  a  result  of  this  global  uncertainty,  it  may 
make any necessary debt or equity financing more difficult, more costly and more dilutive. Any of the above events 
could significantly harm our business, prospects, financial condition and results of operations and cause the price of 
our common stock to decline.

72

Our ability to use our net operating loss carryforwards and certain other tax attributes may be limited.

We have incurred net losses since our inception and we may never achieve or sustain profitability.  Under the Tax 
Cuts and Jobs Act, federal net operating loss, or NOL, carryforwards we generated in tax years through December 
31, 2017 may be carried forward for 20 years and may fully offset taxable income in the year utilized, and federal 
NOLs we generated in tax years beginning after December 31, 2017 may be carried forward indefinitely but may 
only  be  used  to  offset  80%  of  our  taxable  income  annually.  Under  Sections  382  and  383  of  the  Internal  Revenue 
Code of 1986, as amended, if a corporation undergoes an “ownership change,” generally defined as a greater than 50 
percentage  point  change  (by  value)  in  its  equity  ownership  by  certain  stockholders  over  a  three-year  period,  the 
corporation’s ability to use its pre-change NOL carryforwards and other pre-change tax attributes (such as research 
tax  credits)  to  offset  its  post-change  income  or  taxes  may  be  limited.  We  have  not  completed  a  study  to  assess 
whether an ownership change for purposes of Section 382 or 383 has occurred, or whether there have been multiple 
ownership changes since our inception. For purposes of Section 382 or 383, we may have experienced ownership 
changes in the past and may experience ownership changes in the future as a result of shifts in our stock ownership 
(some of which shifts are outside our control). As a result, if we earn net taxable income, our ability to use our pre-
change NOL carryforwards to offset such taxable income will be subject to limitations. Similar provisions of state 
tax law may also apply to limit our use of accumulated state tax attributes. Therefore, if we attain profitability, we 
may be unable to use a material portion of our NOL carryforwards and other tax attributes, which could adversely 
affect our future cash flows. 

Changes in tax laws or regulations could harm our financial condition and results of operations. 

Changes in tax laws or regulations, or changes in interpretations of existing laws and regulations, could materially 
affect  our  financial  condition  and  results  of  operations.  For  example,  the  Biden  administration  and  members  of 
Congress  have  proposed,  and  future  U.S.  presidential  administrations  may  propose,  various  U.S.  federal  tax  law 
changes,  which  if  enacted  could  have  a  material  impact  on  our  business  operations  and  financial  performance.  In 
addition,  many  countries  in  Europe,  as  well  as  a  number  of  other  countries  and  organizations,  have  recently 
proposed or recommended changes to existing tax laws or have enacted new laws, including as a result of the base 
erosion and profit shifting, or BEPS, project that is being led by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and 
Development, or OECD, and other initiatives led by the OECD or the European Commission. Due to the expanding 
scale of our international business activities, these types of changes to the taxation of our activities could increase 
the amount of taxes imposed on our business. Any of these outcomes could harm our financial position and results 
of operations.  

We expect to incur significant additional costs as a result of being a public company, which may adversely affect 
our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We  expect  to  incur  costs  associated  with  corporate  governance  requirements  that  are  applicable  to  us  as  a  public 
company, including rules and regulations of the SEC, under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street 
Reform  and  Consumer  Protection  Act  of  2010,  and  the  Securities  Exchange  Act  of  1934,  as  amended,  or  the 
Exchange  Act,  as  well  as  the  rules  of  Nasdaq.  These  rules  and  regulations,  including  those  applicable  to  a  large 
accelerated  filer  such  as  us,  significantly  increase  our  accounting,  legal  and  financial  compliance  costs  and  make 
some activities more time-consuming. These rules and regulations also make it more expensive for us to maintain 
directors’  and  officers’  liability  insurance.  Accordingly,  increases  in  costs  incurred  as  a  result  of  being  a  publicly 
traded company may adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

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If our estimates or judgments relating to our critical accounting policies are based on assumptions that change or 
prove to be incorrect, our operating results could fall below our publicly announced guidance or the expectations 
of securities analysts and investors, resulting in a decline in the market price of our common stock.

The  preparation  of  financial  statements  in  conformity  with  accounting  principles  generally  accepted  in  the  United 
States  of  America,  or  GAAP,  requires  management  to  make  estimates  and  assumptions  that  affect  the  amounts 
reported in our financial statements and accompanying notes. We base our estimates on historical experience and on 
various other assumptions that we believe to be reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the 
basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets, liabilities, equity, revenue and expenses that are not 
readily  apparent  from  other  sources.  Actual  results  could  therefore  differ  materially  from  these  estimates  under 
different  assumptions  or  conditions.  In  connection  with  adopting  and  implementing  a  new  revenue  recognition 
standard, FASB ASC Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, management has made and will continue 
to make judgments and assumptions based on our interpretation of the new standard. The new revenue recognition 
standard is principle-based and interpretation of those principles may vary from company to company based on their 
unique  circumstances.  We  also  adopted  a  new  lease  accounting  standard,  FASB  ASC  Topic  842,  Leases,  which 
involved  significant  judgment  and  assumptions,  including  the  estimation  of  incremental  borrowing  rate  used  to 
discount our lease liabilities and the assessment of risks associated with the specific economic environment of our 
leased  assets.  It  is  possible  that  interpretation,  industry  practice  and  guidance  may  evolve  as  we  work  toward 
implementing these new accounting standards. If our assumptions change or if actual circumstances differ from our 
assumptions, our operating results may be adversely affected and could fall below our publicly announced guidance 
or the expectations of analysts and investors, resulting in a decline in the market price of our common stock.

The  loss  of  any  member  of  our  senior  management  team  or  our  inability  to  attract  and  retain  highly  skilled 
scientists,  clinicians,  sales  representatives  and  business  development  managers  could  adversely  affect  our 
business.

Our  success  depends  on  the  skills,  experience  and  performance  of  key  members  of  our  senior  management  team, 
including  Helmy  Eltoukhy  and  AmirAli  Talasaz,  our  Co-Chief  Executive  Officers.  The  individual  and  collective 
efforts of these employees will be important as we continue to develop our platform and additional products, and as 
we expand our commercial activities. The loss or incapacity of existing members of our executive management team 
could  adversely  affect  our  operations  if  we  experience  difficulties  in  hiring  qualified  successors.  Our  executive 
officers signed offer letters when first joining our company, but do not have employment agreements, and we cannot 
guarantee  their  retention  for  any  period  of  time.  We  do  not  maintain  “key  person”  insurance  on  any  of  our 
employees.

Our research and development programs and laboratory operations depend on our ability to attract and retain highly 
skilled scientists and technicians. We may not be able to attract or retain qualified scientists and technicians in the 
future  due  to  the  competition  for  qualified  personnel  among  life  science  businesses,  particularly  near  our 
headquarters  in  Palo  Alto,  California.  We  also  face  competition  from  universities  and  public  and  private  research 
institutions  in  recruiting  and  retaining  highly  qualified  scientific  personnel.  In  addition,  we  may  have  difficulties 
locating, recruiting or retaining qualified sales representatives and business development managers. Recruiting and 
retention difficulties can limit our ability to support our research and development and sales programs. All of our 
employees are at-will, which means that either we or the employee may terminate their employment at any time.

If we experience material weaknesses in the future or otherwise fail to maintain an effective system of internal 
controls  in  the  future,  we  may  not  be  able  to  accurately  report  our  financial  condition  or  results  of  operations 
which may adversely affect investor confidence in us and, as a result, the value of our common stock.

As a result of becoming a public company, we are required, under Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, to furnish 
annual  reports  by  management  on,  among  other  things,  the  effectiveness  of  our  internal  control  over  financial 
reporting. This assessment needs to include disclosure of any material weaknesses identified by our management in 
our internal control over financial reporting. A material weakness is a deficiency or combination of deficiencies in 
internal control over financial reporting, such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of a 
company’s annual and interim financial statements will not be detected or prevented on a timely basis.

If we identify one or more material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting, we will be unable to 
assert that our internal controls are effective. The effectiveness of our controls and procedures may be limited by a 
variety of factors, including:

•

•

faulty human judgment and simple errors, omissions or mistakes;

fraudulent action of an individual or collusion of two or more people;

74

•

•

inappropriate management override of procedures; and

the possibility that any enhancements to controls and procedures may still not be adequate to assure timely 
and accurate financial control.

Pursuant  to  the  Sarbanes-Oxley  Act  and  the  rules  and  regulations  promulgated  by  the  SEC,  we  are  required  to 
furnish in this Annual Report on Form 10-K a report by our management regarding the effectiveness of our internal 
control over financial reporting. The report includes, among other things, an assessment of the effectiveness of our 
internal control over financial reporting as of the end of our fiscal year, including a statement as to whether or not 
our  internal  control  over  financial  reporting  is  effective.  This  assessment  must  include  disclosure  of  any  material 
weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting identified by management. While we believe our internal 
control over financial reporting is currently effective, the effectiveness of our internal controls in future periods is 
subject to the risk that our controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions. Establishing, testing 
and  maintaining  an  effective  system  of  internal  control  over  financial  reporting  requires  significant  resources  and 
time  commitments  on  the  part  of  our  management  and  our  finance  staff,  may  require  additional  staffing  and 
infrastructure investments and would increase our costs of doing business. 

In addition, under the federal securities laws, our auditors are required to express an opinion on the effectiveness of 
our internal controls. If we are unable to confirm that our internal control over financial reporting is effective, or if 
our independent registered public accounting firm is unable to express an opinion on the effectiveness of our internal 
controls, we could lose investor confidence in the accuracy and completeness of our financial reports, which could 
cause the price of our common stock to decline.

Our disclosure controls and procedures may not prevent or detect all errors or acts of fraud.

We are subject to the periodic reporting requirements of the Exchange Act. We designed our disclosure controls and 
procedures to provide reasonable assurance that information we must disclose in reports we file or submit under the 
Exchange Act is accumulated, communicated to management, recorded, processed, summarized and reported within 
the time periods specified in the rules and forms of the SEC. We believe that any disclosure controls and procedures, 
no matter how well-conceived and operated, can provide only reasonable, not absolute, assurance that the objectives 
of the control system are met.

These inherent limitations include the realities that judgments in decision-making can be faulty, and that breakdowns 
can occur because of simple error or mistake. Additionally, controls can be circumvented by the individual acts of 
some  persons,  by  collusion  of  two  or  more  people  or  by  an  unauthorized  override  of  the  controls.  Accordingly, 
because of the inherent limitations in our control system, misstatements due to error or fraud may occur and not be 
detected.

75

Our employees, principal investigators, consultants and commercial partners may engage in misconduct or other 
improper activities, including non-compliance with regulatory standards and requirements and insider trading.

We are exposed to the risk of fraud or other misconduct by our employees, principal investigators, consultants and 
commercial partners. Misconduct by these parties could include intentional failures to comply with the regulations 
of  the  FDA,  CMS  and  non-U.S.  regulators,  comply  with  healthcare  fraud  and  abuse  laws  and  regulations  in  the 
United States and abroad, report financial information or data accurately or disclose unauthorized activities to us. In 
particular, sales, marketing, and business arrangements in the healthcare industry are subject to extensive laws and 
regulations intended to prevent fraud, misconduct, kickbacks, self-dealing and other abusive practices. These laws 
and  regulations  may  restrict  or  prohibit  a  wide  range  of  pricing,  discounting,  marketing  and  promotion,  sales 
commission, customer incentive programs and other business arrangements. Such misconduct could also involve the 
improper use of information obtained in the course of clinical studies, which could result in regulatory sanctions and 
cause serious harm to our reputation. We currently have a code of conduct applicable to all of our employees, but it 
is not always possible to identify and deter employee misconduct, and our code of conduct and the other precautions 
we take to detect and prevent this activity may not be effective in controlling unknown or unmanaged risks or losses, 
or in protecting us from governmental investigations, lawsuits or other actions stemming from a failure to comply 
with these laws or regulations. If any such actions are instituted against us, and we are not successful in defending 
ourselves  or  asserting  our  rights,  those  actions  could  result  in  the  imposition  of  significant  civil,  criminal  and 
administrative  penalties,  including,  without  limitation,  damages,  monetary  fines,  individual  imprisonment, 
disgorgement  of  profits,  possible  exclusion  from  participation  in  Medicare,  Medicaid  and  other  federal  healthcare 
programs or from coverage of commercial payers, contractual damages, reputational harm, diminished profits and 
future earnings, additional reporting or oversight obligations if we become subject to a corporate integrity agreement 
or  other  agreement  to  resolve  allegations  of  non-compliance  with  the  law  and  curtailment  or  restructuring  of  our 
operations, which could have a significantly adverse impact on our business. Whether or not we are successful in 
defending against such actions, we could incur substantial costs and expenses, including legal fees, and divert the 
attention of management from the operation of our business.

If we were to be sued for product liability or professional liability, we could face substantial liabilities that exceed 
our resources.

The  marketing,  sale  and  use  of  our  products  could  lead  to  the  filing  of  product  liability  claims  were  someone  to 
allege  that  our  products  identified  inaccurate  or  incomplete  information  regarding  the  genomic  alterations  of  the 
tumor or malignancy analyzed, reported inaccurate or incomplete information concerning the available therapies for 
a certain type of cancer, or otherwise failed to perform as designed. We may also be subject to professional liability 
for  errors  in,  a  misunderstanding  of,  or  inappropriate  reliance  upon,  the  information  we  provide  in  the  ordinary 
course  of  our  business  activities.  A  product  liability  or  professional  liability  claim  could  result  in  substantial 
damages and be costly and time-consuming for us to defend.

We  maintain  product  and  professional  liability  insurance,  but  this  insurance  may  not  fully  protect  us  from  the 
financial  impact  of  defending  against  product  liability  or  professional  liability  claims.  Any  product  liability  or 
professional liability claim brought against us, with or without merit, could increase our insurance rates or prevent 
us from securing insurance coverage in the future. Additionally, any product liability or professional liability lawsuit 
could  damage  our  reputation  or  cause  current  clinical  customers  to  terminate  existing  agreements  with  us  and 
potential clinical customers to seek other partners, any of which could adversely impact our results of operations. 

76

Cyberattacks,  security  breaches,  loss  of  data  and  other  disruptions  in  relation  to  our  information  technology 
systems, as well as those of our third-party service providers, could compromise sensitive information related to 
our business, prevent us from accessing it and expose us to substantial liability, which could adversely affect our 
business and reputation.

In  the  ordinary  course  of  our  business,  we  collect  and  store  sensitive  data,  including  PHI  and  other  personal 
information, credit card and other financial information, intellectual property and proprietary business information 
owned or controlled by us or other parties such as customers and payers. We manage and maintain our applications 
and data utilizing a combination of on-site systems and cloud-based data centers. We utilize external security and 
infrastructure vendors to manage parts of our data centers. We also communicate sensitive data, including patient 
data,  through  phone,  Internet,  facsimile,  multiple  third-party  vendors  and  their  subcontractors.  We  depend  on 
information  technology  systems  for  significant  elements  of  our  operations,  including  our  laboratory  information 
management system, our computational biology system, our knowledge management system, our customer reporting 
and  our  GuardantConnect  software  platform.  Our  information  technology  systems  support  a  variety  of  functions, 
including  laboratory  operations,  test  validation,  sample  tracking,  quality  control,  customer  service  support,  billing 
and reimbursement, research and development activities, scientific and medical curation and general administrative 
activities. Our information technology systems store a wide variety of information critical to our business, including 
research and development information, patient data, commercial information and business and financial information. 
We face a number of risks related to protecting this critical information, including loss of access, inappropriate use 
or disclosure, unauthorized access, inappropriate modification and our being unable to adequately monitor, audit or 
modify our controls over such critical information. This risk extends to the third-party vendors and subcontractors 
we use to manage this sensitive data or otherwise process it on our behalf. 

Cyberattacks, security breaches, computer viruses, malware and other incidents could cause misappropriation, loss 
or  other  unauthorized  disclosure  of  confidential  data,  materials  or  information,  including  those  concerning  our 
customers  and  employees.  Increasingly  complex  methods  have  been  used  in  cyberattacks,  including  ransomware, 
phishing, structured query language injections, social engineering schemes, and distributed denial-of-service attacks. 
A  cyberattack  can  also  be  in  the  form  of  unauthorized  access  or  a  blocking  of  authorized  access.  The  risk  of  a 
security breach or disruption, particularly through cyberattacks or cyber intrusion, including by computer hackers, 
foreign  governments  and  cyber  terrorists,  has  generally  increased  as  the  number,  intensity  and  sophistication  of 
attempted  attacks  and  intrusions  from  around  the  world  have  increased.  Our  information  technology  systems  and 
those  of  our  third-party  providers,  strategic  partners  and  other  contractors,  subcontractors  or  consultants  are  also 
vulnerable  to  attack  and  damage  or  interruption  from  telecommunications  or  network  failures,  natural  disasters. 
employee theft or misuse, human error, fraud, denial or degradation of service attacks, sophisticated nation-state and 
nation-state-supported  actors  or  unauthorized  access  or  use  by  persons  inside  our  organization,  or  persons  with 
access to systems inside our organization. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and continued hybrid working 
environment, we and our third party service providers and partners may face increased cybersecurity risks due to our 
reliance  on  internet  technology  and  the  number  of  our  employees  who  are  working  remotely,  which  may  create 
additional  opportunities  for  cybercriminals  to  exploit  vulnerabilities.  Furthermore,  because  the  techniques  used  to 
obtain unauthorized access to, or to sabotage, systems change frequently and often are not recognized until launched 
against a target, we may be unable to anticipate these techniques or implement adequate preventative measures. We 
may experience security breaches that may remain undetected for an extended period. Even if identified, we may be 
unable  to  adequately  investigate  or  remediate  incidents  or  breaches  due  to  attackers  increasingly  using  tools  and 
techniques  that  are  designed  to  circumvent  controls,  to  avoid  detection,  and  to  remove  or  obfuscate  forensic 
evidence.  We can provide no assurance that we or our vendors will be able to detect, prevent or contain the effects 
of such attacks or other information security risks or threats in the future. 

The  costs  of  attempting  to  protect  against  the  foregoing  risks  and  the  costs  of  responding  to  a  cyberattack  are 
significant. Large scale data breaches at other entities increase the challenge we and our vendors face in maintaining 
the  security  of  our  information  technology  systems  and  of  our  customers’  sensitive  information.  Following  a 
cyberattack,  our  and/or  our  vendors’  remediation  efforts  may  not  be  successful,  and  a  cyberattack  could  result  in 
interruptions, delays or cessation of service, and loss of existing or potential customers. In addition, breaches of our 
and/or  our  vendors’  security  measures  and  the  unauthorized  dissemination  of  sensitive  personal  information  or 
proprietary information or confidential information about us, our customers or other third-parties, could expose our 
customers' private information and our customers to the risk of financial or medical identity theft, or expose us or 
other third parties to a risk of loss or misuse of this information, and result in investigations, regulatory enforcement 
actions,  material  fines  and  penalties,  loss  of  customers,  litigation  or  other  actions  which  could  have  a  material 
adverse effect on our business, prospects, reputation, results of operations and financial condition. In addition, if we 
fail  to  adhere  to  our  privacy  policy  and  other  published  statements  or  applicable  laws  concerning  our  processing, 
use, transmission and disclosure of protected information, or if our statements or practices are found to be deceptive 
or misrepresentative, we could face regulatory actions, fines and other liability.

77

The secure processing, storage, maintenance and transmission of this critical information are vital to our operations 
and  business  strategy,  and  we  devote  significant  resources  to  protecting  such  information.  Although  we  take 
reasonable measures to protect sensitive data from unauthorized access, use, modification or disclosure, no security 
measures can be perfect. We and certain of our service providers are from time to time subject to cyberattacks and 
security  incidents.  For  example,  in  the  past  year,  we  identified  security  incidents  involving  an  unauthorized  actor 
obtaining access to our email system and sending phishing messages.  Despite the precautionary measures we have 
taken  in  response  to  such  incidents  and  to  prevent  other  unanticipated  problems  that  could  affect  our  information 
technology  and  telecommunications  systems,  failures  or  significant  downtime  of  our  information  technology  or 
telecommunications  systems  or  those  used  by  our  third-party  service  providers  could  prevent  us  from  performing 
our comprehensive genomic analysis, preparing and providing reports to pathologists and oncologists, billing payers, 
processing  reimbursement  appeals,  handling  patient  or  physician  inquiries,  conducting  research  and  development 
activities  and  managing  the  administrative  aspects  of  our  business.    While  we  do  not  believe  that  we  have 
experienced any significant system failure, accident or security breach to date, if such an event were to occur, the 
information  stored  on  our  information  technology  systems  could  be  accessed  by  unauthorized  parties,  publicly 
disclosed,  lost  or  stolen.  Any  such  access,  breach,  or  other  loss  of  information  could  result  in  legal  claims  or 
proceedings, and liability under federal, state or foreign laws that protect the privacy of personal information, such 
as HIPAA, and regulatory penalties. Notice of breaches is required to be made to affected individuals, the Secretary 
of the HHS or other state, federal or foreign regulators, and for extensive breaches, notice may need to be made to 
the media or State Attorneys General. Such a notice could harm our reputation and our ability to compete. Although 
we have implemented security measures and an enterprise security program to prevent unauthorized access to patient 
data, such data is currently accessible through multiple channels, and there is no guarantee we can protect all data 
from breach. We continue to prioritize security and the development of practices and controls to protect our systems. 
As  cyber  threats  evolve,  we  may  be  required  to  expend  significant  additional  resources  to  continue  to  modify  or 
enhance our protective measures or to investigate and remediate any information security vulnerabilities, and these 
efforts may not be successful.

We  have  contingency  plans  and  insurance  coverage  for  certain  potential  claims,  liabilities,  and  costs  relating  to 
security  incidents  that  may  arise  from  our  business  or  operations;  however,  the  coverage  may  not  be  sufficient  to 
cover all claims, liabilities, and costs arising from the incidents, including fines and penalties. It could be difficult to 
predict the ultimate resolution of any such incidents or to estimate the amounts or ranges of potential loss, if any, 
that  could  result  therefrom.  If  we  cannot  successfully  resolve  a  security  incident  or  contain  any  potential  loss,  it 
could materially impact our ability to operate our business as well as our results of operations and financial position. 
We  maintain  cyber  liability  insurance;  however,  this  insurance  may  not  be  sufficient  to  cover  the  financial,  legal, 
business or reputational losses that may result from an interruption or breach of our systems.

78

Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments

None.

Item 2. Properties

Our headquarters are located in Palo Alto, California, where we lease approximately 249,500 square feet of office 
space. The lease for the Palo Alto office was entered into in July 2020 and has a term of 12 years with an option to 
renew  the  lease  term  for  an  additional  10  years.  We  also  have  approximately  200,000  combined  square  feet  of 
additional  office  space  in  Redwood  City,  California,  and  San  Diego,  California,  and  these  leases  currently  have 
expiration  dates  ranging  from  2025  to  2029.  Our  CAP-accredited  and  CLIA-certified  laboratories  are  located  in 
these two facilities, where testing for both clinical and biopharmaceutical customers is performed. We also maintain 
domestic leased office spaces in Spring, Texas, and Seattle, Washington, and international leased office spaces in 
Japan  and  Singapore.  While  we  believe  our  existing  facilities  are  adequate  to  meet  our  current  requirements,  we 
expect  to  expand  our  facilities  as  our  operations  grow  over  time.  We  believe  we  will  be  able  to  obtain  such 
additional space on acceptable and commercially reasonable terms. 

Item 3. Legal Proceedings

The  information  under  the  caption  “Commitments  and  Contingencies  -  Legal  Proceedings”  in  Note  10  to  the 
consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, concerning certain legal 
proceedings  in  which  we  are  involved,  is  hereby  incorporated  by  reference.  The  resolution  of  any  such  legal 
proceeding  is  subject  to  inherent  uncertainty  and  could  have  a  material  adverse  effect  on  our  financial  condition, 
cash flows or results of operations.

Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures.

Not applicable.

PART II

Item 5. Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of 
Equity Securities

Market information for common stock

Our common stock is traded on the Nasdaq Global Select Market, or Nasdaq, under the symbol “GH.”

Holders of record

As  of  February  17,  2023,  there  were  37  holders  of  record  of  our  common  stock.  Because  many  of  our  shares  of 
common  stock  are  held  by  brokers  and  other  institutions  on  behalf  of  stockholders,  we  are  unable  to  estimate  the 
total number of stockholders represented by these record holders.

Dividend policy

We  have  never  declared  or  paid  any  dividends  on  our  common  stock.  We  currently  intend  to  retain  all  available 
funds and any future earnings for the operation and expansion of our business. Accordingly, we do not anticipate 
declaring or paying dividends in the foreseeable future. The payment of any future dividends will be at the discretion 
of  our  board  of  directors  and  will  depend  on  our  results  of  operations,  capital  requirements,  financial  condition, 
prospects, contractual arrangements, including any limitations on payment of dividends, and other factors that the 
board may deem relevant.

Unregistered sales of equity securities

None.

Purchases of equity securities by the issuer and affiliated purchasers

None.

Securities authorized for issuance under equity compensation plans

The information required by this item with respect to our equity compensation plans is incorporated by reference to 
our definitive proxy statement relating to our 2023 Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be filed with the SEC within 
120  days  after  the  end  of  the  fiscal  year  to  which  this  Annual  Report  on  Form  10-K  relates,  or  the  2023  Proxy 
Statement.

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Item 6. [Reserved]

Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

You should read the following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations together 
with the consolidated financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-
K.  This  discussion  and  other  parts  of  this  Annual  Report  on  Form  10-K  contain  forward-looking  statements  that 
involve risk and uncertainties, such as statements of our plans, objectives, beliefs, expectations and intentions. Our 
actual results could differ materially from those discussed in these forward-looking statements. Factors that could 
cause  or  contribute  to  such  differences  include,  but  are  not  limited  to,  those  discussed  in  Part  I,  Item  1A,  “Risk 
Factors,” of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

The  following  generally  compares  our  results  of  operations  for  the  years  ended  December  31,  2022  and  2021.  A 
detailed discussion comparing our results of operations for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020 can be 
found  in  Part  II,  Item  7,  “Management’s  Discussion  and  Analysis  of  Financial  Condition  and  Results  of 
Operations” of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021.

Overview

We are a leading precision oncology company focused on helping conquer cancer globally through the use of our 
proprietary tests, vast data sets and advanced analytics. We believe our tests can transform cancer care by unlocking 
insights that will help patients at all stages of the disease, including at its earliest stages, when it’s most treatable. For 
patients with advanced-stage cancer, we have commercially launched Guardant360 LDT and Guardant360 CDx, the 
first comprehensive liquid biopsy test approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or the FDA, to provide 
tumor mutation profiling with solid tumors and to be used as a companion diagnostic in connection with non-small 
cell lung cancer, or NSCLC, and breast cancer. We have also launched the Guardant360 TissueNext tissue test for 
advanced-stage cancer, Guardant Reveal blood test to detect residual and recurring disease in early-stage colorectal, 
breast and lung cancer patients, and Guardant360 Response blood test to predict patient response to immunotherapy 
or targeted therapy eight weeks earlier than current standard-of-care imaging. 

We also collaborate with biopharmaceutical companies in clinical studies by providing the above-mentioned tests, as 
well as the GuardantOMNI blood test for advanced-stage cancer, and the GuardantINFINITY blood test, launched in 
September 2022, which is a next-generation smart liquid biopsy that provides new, multi-dimensional insights into 
the  complexities  of  tumor  molecular  profiles  and  immune  response  to  advance  cancer  research  and  therapy 
development. Using data collected from our tests, we have also developed our GuardantINFORM platform to help 
biopharmaceutical  companies  accelerate  precision  oncology  drug  development  through  the  use  of  this  in-silico 
research platform to unlock further insights into tumor evolution and treatment resistance across various biomarker-
driven cancers.

In    May  2022,  we  launched  the  Shield  LDT  test  to  address  the  needs  of  individuals  eligible  for  colorectal  cancer 
screening. From a simple blood draw, Shield uses a novel multimodal approach to detect colorectal cancer signals in 
the  bloodstream,  including  DNA  that  is  shed  by  tumors.  In  addition,  in  December  2022,  we  announced  positive 
results from ECLIPSE, an over 20,000 patient registrational study evaluating the performance of our Shield blood 
test  for  detecting  colorectal  cancer  in  average-risk  adults.  We  also  expect  to  expand  into  lung  and  multi-cancer 
screening with our investigational, next-generation Shield assay. 

We currently perform our tests in our laboratories located in Redwood City, California, and San Diego, California. 
Our Redwood City laboratory is certified pursuant to the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988, or 
CLIA, accredited by the College of American Pathologists, or CAP, permitted by the New York State Department of 
Health, or NYSDOH, and licensed in California and four other states. Our San Diego laboratory is CAP-accredited 
and  CLIA-certified.  In  addition,  our  Palo  Alto,  California  laboratory  is  currently  operated  as  a  center  for  our 
research and technology development. In February 2022, we received CAP accreditation for our laboratory in Japan 
where  we  expect  to  commence  processing  samples  following  receipt  of  additional  certification  for  processing  In 
Vitro Diagnostic, or IVD, samples and reimbursement approval.

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We generated total revenue of $449.5 million, $373.7 million and $286.7 million for the years ended December 31, 
2022, 2021 and 2020, respectively. We also incurred net losses of $654.6 million, $384.8 million and $246.3 million 
in  the  years  ended  December  31,  2022,  2021  and  2020,  respectively.  We  have  funded  our  operations  to  date 
principally from the sale of our stock, convertible senior notes, and revenue from our precision oncology testing and 
development  services  and  other.  In  June  2020,  we  completed  an  underwritten  public  offering  of  a  total  of 
4,312,500 shares of our common stock, through which we received net proceeds of $354.6 million after deducting 
underwriting  discounts  and  commissions  and  offering  expenses  payable  by  us.  In  November  2020,  we  issued  our 
convertible  senior  notes  with  an  aggregate  principal  amount  of  $1.15  billion.  As  of  December  31,  2022,  we  had 
cash, cash equivalents and marketable debt securities of approximately $1.0 billion.

Factors affecting our performance

We  believe  there  are  several  important  factors  that  have  impacted  and  that  we  expect  will  impact  our  operating 
performance and results of operations, including:

•

Testing volume, pricing and customer mix. Our revenue and costs are affected by the volume of testing and 
mix of customers from period to period. We evaluate both the volume of tests that we perform for patients on 
behalf  of  clinicians  and  the  number  of  tests  we  perform  for  biopharmaceutical  companies.  Our  performance 
depends on our ability to retain and broaden adoption with existing customers, as well as attract new customers. 
We believe that the test volume we receive from clinicians and biopharmaceutical companies are indicators of 
growth in each of these customer verticals. Customer mix for our tests has the potential to significantly affect 
our results of operations, as the average selling price for biopharmaceutical sample testing is currently higher 
than our average reimbursement for clinical tests because we are not a contracted provider for, or our tests are 
not covered by clinical patients’ insurance for, the majority of the tests that we perform for patients on behalf of 
clinicians. Revenue from clinical tests for patients covered by Medicare represented approximately 45%, 45% 
and 42% of our precision oncology revenue from clinical customers for the years ended December 31, 2022, 
2021 and 2020, respectively. 

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•

Payer coverage and reimbursement. Our revenue depends on achieving broad coverage and reimbursement for 
our  tests  from  third-party  payers,  including  both  commercial  and  government  payers.  Precision  oncology 
revenue  from  tests  for  clinical  customers  is  calculated  based  on  our  expected  cash  collections,  using  the 
estimated variable consideration. The variable consideration is estimated based on historical collection patterns 
as well as the potential for changes in future reimbursement behavior by one or more payers. Estimation of the 
impact of the potential for changes in reimbursement requires significant judgment and considers payers' past 
patterns of changes in reimbursement as well as any stated plans to implement changes. Any cash collections 
over the expected reimbursement period exceeding the estimated variable consideration are recorded in future 
periods  based  on  actual  cash  received.  Payment  from  commercial  payers  can  vary  depending  on  whether  we 
have  entered  into  a  contract  with  the  payers  as  a  “participating  provider”  or  do  not  have  a  contract  and  are 
considered  a  “non-participating  provider”.  Payers  often  reimburse  non-participating  providers,  if  at  all,  at  a 
lower amount than participating providers. Because we are not contracted with these payers, they determine the 
amount that they are willing to reimburse us for any of our tests and they can prospectively and retrospectively 
adjust the amount of reimbursement, adding to the complexity in estimating the variable consideration. When 
we contract with a payer to serve as a participating provider, reimbursements by the payer are generally made 
pursuant to a negotiated fee schedule and are limited to only covered indications or where prior approval has 
been obtained. Becoming a participating provider can result in higher reimbursement amounts for covered uses 
of our tests and, potentially, no reimbursement for non-covered uses identified under the payer’s policies or the 
contract. As a result, the potential for more favorable reimbursement associated with becoming a participating 
provider  may  be  offset  by  a  potential  loss  of  reimbursement  for  non-covered  uses  of  our  tests.  Current 
Procedural  Terminology,  or  CPT,  coding  plays  a  significant  role  in  how  our  tests  are  reimbursed  both  from 
commercial  and  governmental  payers.  In  addition,  Z-Code  Identifiers  are  used  by  certain  payers,  including 
under  Medicare's  Molecular  Diagnostic  Services  Program,  or  MolDx,  to  supplement  CPT  codes  for  our 
molecular diagnostics tests. Changes to the codes used to report to payers may result in significant changes in its 
reimbursement.  If  their  policies  were  to  change  in  the  future  to  cover  additional  cancer  indications,  we 
anticipate that our total reimbursement would increase. In January 2021, a proprietary laboratory analyses, or 
PLA code was issued for our Guardant360 CDx with an effective date in April 2021. Additionally, based on this 
new  PLA  code,  we  applied  to  the  CMS  for  our  Guardant360  CDx  test  to  become  an  advanced  diagnostic 
laboratory test, or ADLT. In March 2021, CMS approved ADLT status to the Guardant360 CDx test, based on 
which Medicare paid us at the lowest available commercial rate per test, from April 1, 2021 to December 31, 
2021. Effective January 1, 2022, Medicare has started to reimburse Guardant360 CDx services at the median 
rate  of  claims  paid  by  commercial  payers  and  this  rate  will  apply  until  December  2023.  In  March  2022, 
Palmetto GBA, the Medicare administrative contractor for MolDX, has conveyed coverage for our Guardant360 
TissueNext test under the existing local coverage determination. The policy covers our Guardant360 TissueNext 
test  for  Medicare  fee-for-service  patients  with  advanced  solid  tumor  cancers.  In  July  2022,  Palmetto  GBA 
conveyed coverage for our Guardant Reveal test for fee-for-service Medicare patients in the United States with 
stage II or III colorectal cancer whose testing is initiated within three months following curative intent therapy, 
with  an  effective  date  of  December  2021.  Due  to  the  inherent  variability  and  unpredictability  of  the 
reimbursement  landscape,  including  related  to  the  amount  that  payers  reimburse  us  for  any  of  our  tests,  we 
estimate the amount of revenue to be recognized at the time a test is provided and record revenue adjustments if 
and  when  the  cash  subsequently  received  differs  from  the  revenue  recorded.  Due  to  this  variability  and 
unpredictability, previously recorded revenue adjustments are not indicative of future revenue adjustments from 
actual  cash  collections,  which  may  fluctuate  significantly.  Additionally,  if  coding  changes  were  to  occur, 
payments  for  certain  uses  of  our  tests  could  be  reduced,  put  on  hold,  or  eliminated.  This  variability  and 
unpredictability  could  increase  the  risk  of  future  revenue  reversal  and  result  in  our  failing  to  meet  any 
previously publicly stated guidance we may provide. 

•

Biopharmaceutical  customers.  Our  revenue  also  depends  on  our  ability  to  attract,  maintain  and  expand 
relationships  with  biopharmaceutical  customers.  As  we  continue  to  develop  these  relationships,  we  expect  to 
support a growing number of clinical studies globally and continue to have opportunities to offer our platform to 
such customers for development services, including companion diagnostic development, novel target discovery 
and validation, as well as clinical study enrollment. For example, our tests are being developed as companion 
diagnostics under collaborations with biopharmaceutical companies.

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•

•

Research and development. A significant aspect of our business is our investment in research and development, 
including  the  development  of  new  products.  In  particular,  we  have  invested  heavily  in  clinical  studies  as  we 
believe  these  studies  are  critical  to  gaining  physician  adoption  and  driving  favorable  coverage  decisions  by 
payers.  With  respect  to  Guardant  Reveal,  in  October  2021,  we  initiated  a  1,000-patient  prospective, 
observational,  multi-center  study,  which  we  refer  to  as  the  ORACLE  study,  designed  to  evaluate  the 
performance  of  our  Guardant  Reveal  liquid  biopsy  test  to  predict  cancer  recurrence  after  curative  intent 
treatment,  across  11  solid  tumor  types.  In  addition,  with  respect  to  Guardant  Reveal,  in  December  2022,  we 
entered into a partnership with Susan G. Komen®, the world’s leading breast cancer organization, to bring the 
patient  perspective  to  the  development  of  clinical  studies  that  help  identify  early-stage  breast  cancer  patients 
who are at high risk of disease recurrence and may benefit from additional monitoring or therapy. With respect 
to  Shield,  in  December  2022,  we  announced  positive  results  from  ECLIPSE,  an  over  20,000  patient 
registrational  study  evaluating  the  performance  of  our  Shield  blood  test  for  detecting  colorectal  cancer  in 
average-risk  adults.  The  test  demonstrated  83%  sensitivity  in  detecting  individuals  with  colorectal  cancer. 
Specificity  was  90%  in  both  individuals  without  advanced  neoplasia  and  in  those  who  had  a  negative 
colonoscopy result. These results exceed the performance criteria set forth by the CMS for reimbursement. This 
test also demonstrated 13% sensitivity in detecting advanced adenomas. Based on these study results, we plan to 
complete our premarket approval submission to the FDA in the first quarter of 2023. In addition, to evaluate the 
performance  of  our  investigational,  next-generation  Shield  assay  in  detecting  lung  cancer  in  high-risk 
individuals  ages  50-80,  in  January  2022,  we  enrolled  the  first  patient  in  a  nearly  10,000-patient  prospective, 
registrational  study,  which  we  refer  to  as  the  SHIELD  LUNG  study.  The  study  is  anticipated  to  run  in 
approximately 100 centers in the United States and Europe. We are continuing to enroll more patients for these 
on-going studies, and have expended considerable resources, and expect to increase such expenditures over the 
next few years, to support our research and development programs with the goal of fueling further innovation. 

International expansion. A component of our long-term growth strategy is to expand our commercial footprint 
internationally,  and  we  expect  to  increase  our  sales  and  marketing  expense  to  execute  on  this  strategy.  We 
currently offer our tests in countries outside the United States primarily through distributor relationships, direct 
contracts with hospitals or partnerships with research organizations. In May 2018, we formed and capitalized a 
joint venture, Guardant Health AMEA, Inc., with SoftBank, which we refer to as the Joint Venture or Guardant 
AMEA, relating to the sale, marketing and distribution of our tests generally outside the Americas and Europe, 
and to accelerate commercialization of our products in Asia, the Middle East and Africa. In November 2021, we 
exercised our call right contained in the joint venture agreement with SoftBank to purchase all of the shares held 
by SoftBank and its affiliates in consideration for the payment of the aggregate purchase price to be determined 
based on an independent third-party valuation. Upon our exercise of the call right in November 2021, SoftBank 
no longer had the option to exercise its put right. In June 2022, we purchased all of the shares held by SoftBank 
and  its  affiliates  in  consideration  for  a  cash  payment  of  the  aggregate  purchase  price  of  $177.8  million,  as 
determined by an independent valuation firm, which resulted in $99.8 million of fair value adjustments to the 
noncontrolling interest liability for the year ended December 31, 2022. Upon completion of the transaction, we 
obtained full control over operations throughout the Asia, Middle East and Africa region.  

In  December  2020,  we  signed  our  first  public  private  partnership  agreement  with  Vall  D'Hebron  Institute  of 
Oncology,  or  VHIO,  one  of  Europe’s  leading  cancer  research  institutions,  and  in  May  2022,  the  first  blood-
based  cancer  testing  services  in  Europe  based  on  our  industry-leading  digital  sequencing  platform  became 
available at the VHIO testing facility in Spain. In October 2021, we signed a partnership agreement with The 
Royal  Marsden  NHS  Foundation  Trust,  a  premier  cancer  center  within  the  United  Kingdom  for  patient  care, 
research and teaching of all types of cancer. We expect these partnerships will lead to the establishment of our 
testing  services  at  the  partner  laboratories,  using  our  digital  sequencing  technology,  as  well  as  generation  of 
clinical and economic evidence to support commissioning in other areas of Europe.

In June 2022, we signed a strategic partnership agreement with Adicon Holdings Limited, a leading independent 
clinical  laboratory  company  based  in  China,  to  offer  our  industry-leading  comprehensive  genomic  profiling 
tests  to  biopharmaceutical  companies  conducting  clinical  studies  in  China.  We  expect  the  partnership  to  help 
biopharmaceutical companies bring the next generation of cancer therapies to patients in the region. 

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•

•

•

The success of our international expansion strategy depends on a number of factors, including the internal and 
external  constraints  placed  on  our  international  laboratory  partners  and  biopharmaceutical  companies  in  the 
context of broader global, regional and U.S. economic and geopolitical conditions. For example, deterioration in 
the  bilateral  relationship  between  the  United  States  and  China  may  impact  international  trade,  government 
spending,  regional  stability  and  macroeconomic  conditions.  The  impact  of  these  potential  developments, 
including  any  resulting  sanctions,  export  controls  or  other  restrictive  actions  that  may  be  imposed  against 
governmental  or  other  entities  in,  for  example,  China,  may  contribute  to  disruption  of  our  international 
partnerships  and  instability  and  volatility  in  the  global  markets,  which  in  turn  could  adversely  impact  our 
operations and weaken our financial results.

Sales  and  marketing  expense.  Our  financial  results  have  historically,  and  will  likely  continue  to,  fluctuate 
significantly based upon the impact of our sales and marketing expense, increase in headcount, and in particular, 
our various marketing programs around existing and new product introductions. 

General  and  administrative  expense.  Our  financial  results  have  historically,  and  will  likely  continue  to, 
fluctuate significantly based upon the impact of our general and administrative expense, and in particular, our 
stock-based  compensation  expense.  Our  equity  awards,  including  market-based  and  performance-based 
restricted  stock  units,  are  intended  to  retain  and  incentivize  employees  to  lead  us  to  sustained,  long-term 
superior financial and operational performance.

COVID-19 Global Pandemic. The global coronavirus 2019, or COVID-19, pandemic has negatively affected, 
and  we  expect  will  continue  to  negatively  affect,  our  revenue  and  our  clinical  studies.  For  example,  our 
biopharmaceutical  customers  are  facing  challenges  in  recruiting  patients  and  in  conducting  clinical  studies  to 
advance their pipelines, for which our tests could be utilized. In addition, disruptions caused by the pandemic 
have adversely affected the quantity and quality of certain sequencers, reagents, blood tubes and other similar 
materials  that  are  critical  to  our  commercial  and  research  and  development  programs.  We  currently  have  a 
limited  amount  of  stock  of  these  components.  Failure  in  the  future  to  secure  sufficient  supply  of  critical 
components could materially and adversely affect our ability to manufacture or supply marketed products and 
product  candidates  or  complete  our  ongoing  research  and  development  programs  on  the  timelines  previously 
established, which could materially and adversely affect our business and future prospects. The severity of the 
impact on our business will depend on a number of factors, including the duration and severity of the pandemic 
and  the  impact  of  any  variants  of  the  virus  on  us,  our  customers,  and  our  suppliers.  In  August  2020,  we 
launched our Guardant-19 test and received the FDA’s emergency use authorization for use in the detection of 
the novel coronavirus. The test was being offered to our employees and to select partner organizations via our 
CLIA-certified  clinical  laboratory.  Effective  August  2021,  we  have  discontinued  offering  the  test  to  third 
parties. 

While each of these areas presents significant opportunities for us, they also pose significant risks and challenges 
that  we  must  address.  See  Part  I,  Item  1A,  “Risk  Factors”  of  this  Annual  Report  on  Form  10-K  for  more 
information.

Components of results of operations

Revenue

We derive our revenue from two sources: (i) precision oncology testing, and (ii) development services and other.

Precision oncology testing. Precision oncology testing revenue is generated from sales of our tests to clinical and 
biopharmaceutical customers. In the United States, through December 31, 2022, we generally performed tests as an 
out-of-network service provider without contracts with health insurance companies. We submit claims for payment 
for  tests  performed  for  patients  covered  by  U.S.  private  payers.  We  also  submit  claims  to  Medicare  for 
reimbursement  for  our  Guardant360  CDx,  Guardant360  LDT,  Guardant360  TissueNext  and  Guardant  Reveal 
clinical  testing  performed  for  qualifying  patients.  Revenue  from  clinical  tests  for  patients  covered  by  Medicare 
represented approximately 45%, 45% and 42% of our precision oncology revenue from clinical customers for the 
years ended December 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020, respectively.

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Development  services  and  other.  Development  services  revenue  primarily  represents  services  that  we  provide  to 
biopharmaceutical companies, large medical institutions and international laboratory partners. We collaborate with 
biopharmaceutical companies in the development and clinical studies of new drugs. As part of these collaborations, 
we  provide  services  related  to  regulatory  filings  to  support  companion  diagnostic  device  submissions  for  our  test 
panels.  Under  these  arrangements,  we  generate  revenue  from  progression  of  our  collaboration  efforts,  as  well  as 
from  provision  of  on-going  support.  In  addition  to  companion  diagnostic  development  and  regulatory  approval 
services, we also provide other development services, including clinical study setup, monitoring and maintenance, 
testing development and support, GuardantConnect and GuardantINFORM. Other revenue includes amounts derived 
from licensing our technologies, and kit fulfillment.

Costs and operating expenses

Cost  of  precision  oncology  testing.  Cost  of  precision  oncology  testing  generally  consists  of  cost  of  materials, 
including inventory write-downs; cost of labor, including employee benefits, bonus, and stock-based compensation; 
equipment and infrastructure expenses associated with processing test samples, such as sample accessioning, library 
preparation,  sequencing,  and  quality  control  analyses;  freight;  curation  of  test  results  for  physicians;  phlebotomy; 
and license fees due to third parties. Infrastructure expenses include depreciation of laboratory equipment, rent costs, 
depreciation  of  leasehold  improvements  and  information  technology  costs.  Costs  associated  with  performing  our 
tests are recorded as the tests are performed regardless of whether revenue was recognized with respect to the tests. 
While we do not believe the technologies underlying the third-party licenses are necessary to permit us to provide 
our tests, we do believe these technologies are potentially valuable and of possible strategic importance to us or our 
competitors. 

We expect the cost of precision oncology testing to generally increase in line with the increase in the number of tests 
we perform, but we expect the cost per test to decrease modestly over time due to the efficiencies we may gain as 
test volume increases, and from automation and other cost reductions.

Cost of development services and other. Cost of development services and other primarily includes costs incurred 
for the performance of development services and other requested by our customers comprising of labor and material 
costs including any inventory write-downs. For development of new products, costs incurred before technological 
feasibility has been achieved are reported as research and development expenses, while costs incurred thereafter are 
reported as cost of revenue. Cost of development services and other will vary depending on the nature, timing and 
scope of customer projects.

Research  and  development  expense.  Research  and  development  expenses  consist  of  costs  incurred  to  develop 
technology  and  include  salaries  and  benefits  including  stock-based  compensation,  reagents  and  supplies  used  in 
research  and  development  laboratory  work,  infrastructure  expenses,  including  allocated  facility  occupancy  and 
information technology costs, contract services, other outside costs and costs to develop our technology capabilities. 
Research  and  development  expenses  also  include  costs  related  to  activities  performed  under  contracts  with 
biopharmaceutical  companies  before  technological  feasibility  has  been  achieved.  Research  and  development  costs 
are  expensed  as  incurred.  Payments  made  prior  to  the  receipt  of  goods  or  services  to  be  used  in  research  and 
development  are  deferred  and  recognized  as  expense  in  the  period  in  which  the  related  goods  are  received  or 
services are rendered. Costs to develop our technology capabilities are recorded as research and development unless 
they meet the criteria to be capitalized as internal-use software costs. We expect that our research and development 
expenses will continue to increase in absolute dollars as we continue to innovate and develop additional products, 
expand our genomic and medical data management resources and conduct our ongoing and new clinical studies.

Sales  and  marketing  expense.  Our  sales  and  marketing  expenses  are  expensed  as  incurred  and  include  costs 
associated  with  our  sales  organization,  including  our  direct  sales  force  and  sales  management,  client  services, 
marketing and reimbursement, medical affairs, as well as business development personnel who are focused on our 
biopharmaceutical  customers.  These  expenses  consist  primarily  of  salaries,  commissions,  bonuses,  employee 
benefits,  travel  expenses  and  stock-based  compensation,  as  well  as  marketing,  sales  incentives,  and  educational 
activities  and  allocated  overhead  expenses.  We  expect  our  sales  and  marketing  expenses  to  increase  in  absolute 
dollars as we expand our sales force, increase our presence within and outside of the United States, and increase our 
marketing activities to drive further awareness and adoption of our tests. 

85

General  and  administrative  expense.  Our  general  and  administrative  expenses  include  costs  for  our  executive, 
accounting  and  finance,  information  technology,  legal  and  human  resources  functions.  These  expenses  consist 
principally  of  salaries,  bonuses,  employee  benefits,  travel  expenses  and  stock-based  compensation,  as  well  as 
professional  services  fees  such  as  consulting,  audit,  tax  and  legal  fees,  and  general  corporate  costs  and  allocated 
overhead  expenses.  We  expect  that  our  general  and  administrative  expenses  will  continue  to  increase  as  we  incur 
additional  costs  to  support  the  growth  of  our  business.  These  expenses,  though  expected  to  increase  in  absolute 
dollars, are expected to decrease modestly as a percentage of revenue in the long term, though they may fluctuate as 
a percentage of revenue from period to period due to the timing and extent of these expenses being incurred.

Interest income

Interest income consists of interest earned on our cash, cash equivalents and marketable debt securities. 

Interest expense

Interest expense consists primarily of charges relating to amortization of debt issuance costs. 

Other income (expense), net

Other  income  (expense),  net  consists  of  foreign  currency  exchange  gains  and  losses,  fair  value  adjustments  of 
marketable equity securities, impairment of other assets, non-recurring payments due and received in relation to the 
settlement  of  license  and  patent  disputes,  net  of  credit  losses,  and  the  relief  fund  grant  from  the  Department  of 
Health and Human Services, or HHS, under the U.S. Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, or the 
CARES Act. We expect our foreign currency gains and losses to continue to fluctuate in the future due to changes in 
foreign currency exchange rates.

Provision for income tax

Income taxes are recorded using an asset and liability approach. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for 
the future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing 
assets  and  liabilities  and  their  respective  tax  bases  using  enacted  tax  rates  in  effect  for  the  year  in  which  the 
differences are expected to affect taxable income. Tax benefits are recognized when it is more likely than not that a 
tax position will be sustained during an audit. Deferred tax assets are reduced by a valuation allowance if current 
evidence indicates that it is considered more likely than not that these benefits will not be realized.

Our tax positions are subject to income tax audits. We recognize the tax benefit of an uncertain tax position only if it 
is  more  likely  than  not  that  the  position  is  sustainable  upon  examination  by  the  taxing  authority,  based  on  the 
technical merits. The tax benefit recognized is measured as the largest amount of benefit which is more likely than 
not to be realized upon settlement with the taxing authority. We recognize interest accrued and penalties related to 
unrecognized  tax  benefits  in  its  tax  provision.  We  evaluate  uncertain  tax  positions  on  a  regular  basis.  The 
evaluations  are  based  on  a  number  of  factors,  including  changes  in  facts  and  circumstances,  changes  in  tax  law, 
correspondence  with  tax  authorities  during  the  course  of  the  audit,  and  effective  settlement  of  audit  issues.  The 
provision for income taxes includes the effects of any accruals that we believe are appropriate, as well as the related 
net interest and penalties.

86

Results of operations

The following tables set forth the significant components of our results of operations for the periods presented.

Revenue:

Precision oncology testing

Development services and other

Total revenue

Costs and operating expenses:

Cost of precision oncology testing(1)
Cost of development services and other
Research and development expense(1)
Sales and marketing expense(1)
General and administrative expense(1)

Total costs and operating expenses

Loss from operations

Interest income

Interest expense

Other income (expense), net

Fair value adjustments of noncontrolling interest liability

Loss before provision for income taxes

Provision for income taxes

Net loss

(1) Amounts include stock-based compensation expense as follows:

Year Ended December 31,

2022

2021

(in thousands)

$ 

392,049  $ 

304,312 

57,489 

449,538 

148,199 

8,126 

373,807 

299,828 

163,956 

993,916 

69,341 

373,653 

110,396 

12,516 

263,221 

191,881 

206,640 

784,654 

(544,378)   

(411,001) 

6,069 

(2,577)   

(12,778)   

(99,785)   

3,930 

(2,577) 

25,178 

— 

(653,449)   

(384,470) 

1,139 

300 

$ 

(654,588)  $ 

(384,770) 

Year Ended December 31,

2022

2021

(in thousands)

Cost of precision oncology testing

Research and development expense

Sales and marketing expense

General and administrative expense

$ 

5,498  $ 

26,630 

25,442 

37,115 

Total stock-based compensation expense

$ 

94,685  $ 

3,468 

18,907 

15,479 

113,595 

151,449 

87

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Comparison of the Years Ended December 31, 2022 and 2021

Revenue

Year Ended December 31,

2022

2021

Change

$

%

(in thousands)

Precision oncology testing   

Development services and other  

Total revenue   

$ 

$ 

392,049  $ 

304,312  $ 

87,737 

57,489 

69,341 

(11,852) 

449,538  $ 

373,653  $ 

75,885 

 29 %

 (17) %

 20 %

Total revenue was $449.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2022, compared to $373.7 million for the year 
ended December 31, 2021, an increase of $75.9 million, or 20%. 

Precision oncology testing revenue increased to $392.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2022, from $304.3 
million for the year ended December 31, 2021, an increase of $87.7 million, or 29%. 

Precision oncology revenue from tests for clinical customers was $298.1 million for the year ended December 31, 
2022, up 26% from $236.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2021. This increase in clinical testing revenue 
was driven primarily by an increase in sample volume related to our Guardant360 CDx and Guardant360 LDT tests, 
and revenue from products launched in 2021, including Guardant Reveal, Guardant360 Response and Guardant 360 
TissueNext.  Total  tests  for  clinical  customers  increased  to  approximately  124,800  for  year  ended  December  31, 
2022, from approximately 87,600 for the year ended December 31, 2021. 

Precision  oncology  revenue  from  tests  for  biopharmaceutical  customers  was  $94.0  million  for  the  year  ended 
December 31, 2022, and $67.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2021, respectively. This increase in revenue 
was primarily due to an increase in sample volume, including our GuardantINFINITY test launched in 2022. Total 
tests  for  biopharmaceutical  customers  increased  to  approximately  26,000  for  the  year  ended  December  31,  2022, 
from approximately 18,600 for the year ended December 31, 2021, primarily due to an increase in the number of 
biopharmaceutical customers and their contracted projects. 

Development  services  and  other  revenue  decreased  to  $57.5  million  for  the  year  ended  December  31,  2022,  from 
$69.3  million  for  the  year  ended  December  31,  2021,  a  decrease  of  $11.9  million,  or  17%.  This  decrease  in 
development  services  and  other  revenue  was  primarily  due  to  the  change  in  collaboration  projects  with 
biopharmaceutical  customers  for  companion  diagnostic  development  and  regulatory  approval  services,  and 
discontinuation  of  our  Guardant-19  tests  in  August  2021,  partially  offset  by  revenues  earned  from  licensing  our 
technologies, and providing data services during the year ended December 31, 2022. 

Cost of Revenue

Year Ended December 31,

2022

2021

Change

$

%

(in thousands)

Cost of precision oncology testing

Cost of development services and other

Total cost of revenue   

$ 

$ 

148,199  $ 

110,396  $ 

8,126 

12,516 

156,325  $ 

122,912  $ 

37,803 

(4,390) 

33,413 

 34 %

 (35) %

 27 %

Total cost of revenue was $156.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2022, compared to $122.9 million for the 
year ended December 31, 2021, an increase of $33.4 million, or 27%.

Cost of precision oncology testing was $148.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2022, compared to $110.4 
million  for  the  year  ended  December  31,  2021,  an  increase  of  $37.8  million,  or  34%.  This  increase  in  cost  of 
precision oncology testing was primarily attributable to an increase in sample volumes, resulting in a $16.7 million 
increase  in  material  costs,  a  $11.2  million  increase  in  production  labor  and  overhead  costs,  and  a  $10.0  million 
increase in other costs, including costs related to kits, freight and curation of test results for physicians.

88

 
 
 
 
 
 
Cost of development services and other was $8.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2022, compared to $12.5 
million  for  the  year  ended  December  31,  2021,  a  decrease  of  $4.4  million,  or  35%.    This  decrease  in  cost  of 
development  services  and  other  was  primarily  due  to  a  decrease  in  labor  and  material  costs,  related  to  the 
discontinuation of our Guardant-19 tests in August 2021, and the change in companion diagnostic development and 
regulatory approval service contracts, partially offset by costs associated with providing screening testing services 
and licensing our technologies. 

Operating Expenses

Research and development expense

Year Ended December 31,

2022

2021

Change

$

%

(in thousands)

Research and development   

$ 

373,807  $ 

263,221  $ 

110,586 

 42 %

Research  and  development  expenses  were  $373.8  million  for  the  year  ended  December  31,  2022,  compared  to 
$263.2  million  for  the  year  ended  December  31,  2021,  an  increase  of  $110.6  million,  or  42%.  This  increase  in 
research  and  development  expense  was  primarily  related  to  continued  investment  in  the  development  of  our 
technologies and products, and our clinical studies, resulting in an increase of $48.8 million in outside service fees, 
an  increase  of  $36.4  million  in  personnel-related  costs  for  employees  in  our  research  and  development  group, 
including  a  $7.7  million  increase  in  stock-based  compensation,  an  increase  of  $25.3  million  related  to  allocated 
facilities  and  information  technology  infrastructure  costs,  an  increase  of  $5.2  million  in  post-acquisition  related 
contingent  consideration,  and  an  increase  of  $4.1  million  in  depreciation  and  amortization,  partially  offset  by  a 
decrease of $11.5 million in material costs. 

Sales and marketing expense

Year Ended December 31,

2022

2021

Change

$

%

(in thousands)

Sales and marketing   

$ 

299,828  $ 

191,881  $ 

107,947 

 56 %

Selling  and  marketing  expenses  were  $299.8  million  for  the  year  ended  December  31,  2022,  compared  to  $191.9 
million for the year ended December 31, 2021, an increase of $107.9 million, or 56%. This increase was primarily 
related to commercial infrastructure buildout and marketing activities to support existing products and new product 
launch,  resulting  in  an  increase  of  $74.0  million  in  personnel-related  costs,  including  a  $10.0  million  increase  in 
stock-based compensation, an increase of $14.2 million related to marketing activities, an increase of $9.8 million in 
office administrative costs, and an increase of $9.4 million related to allocated facilities and information technology 
infrastructure costs. 

General and administrative expense

Year Ended December 31,

2022

2021

Change

$

%

(in thousands)

General and administrative   

$ 

163,956  $ 

206,640  $ 

(42,684) 

 (21) %

General  and  administrative  expenses  were  $164.0  million  for  the  year  ended  December  31,  2022,  compared  to 
$206.6  million  for  the  year  ended  December  31,  2021,  a  decrease  of  $42.7  million,  or  21%.  This  decrease  was 
primarily due to a decrease of $76.5 million in stock-based compensation, as the market-based restricted stock units 
issued  to  our  Co-Chief  Executive  Officers  were  fully  expensed  as  of  June  2022,  partially  offset  by  an  increase 
of $17.6 million in professional service expenses related to outside legal, accounting, consulting and IT services, an 
increase  of  $7.1  million  in  personnel  costs,  in  line  with  our  business  expansion,  and  an  increase  of  $5.5  million 
related to allocated facilities and information technology infrastructure costs. 

89

Interest income

Year Ended December 31,

2022

2021

Change

$

%

(in thousands)

Interest income   

$ 

6,069  $ 

3,930  $ 

2,139 

 54 %

Interest  income  was  $6.1  million  for  the  year  ended  December  31,  2022,  compared  to  $3.9  million  for  the  year 
ended December 31, 2021, an increase of $2.1 million, or 54%, primarily due to higher U.S. treasury interest rates, 
partially offset by a decrease in cash and cash equivalents and marketable debt securities balances.

Interest expense

Year Ended December 31,

2022

2021

Change

$

%

(in thousands)

Interest expense

$ 

(2,577)  $ 

(2,577)  $ 

— 

 — %

Interest expense was primarily attributable to the amortization of debt issuance costs related to our convertible senior 
notes issued in November 2020, for the years ended December 31, 2022, and 2021.

Other income (expense), net

Year Ended December 31,

2022

2021

Change

$

%

(in thousands)

Other income (expense), net   

$ 

(12,778)  $ 

25,178  $ 

(37,956) 

*

* 

Not meaningful

For  the  year  ended  December  31,  2022,  other  income  (expense),  net  was  primarily  related  to  $7.8  million  of 
unrealized  loss  recorded  for  our  marketable  equity  securities,  and  $5.3  million  of  impairment  for  the  rights  to 
purchase  one  of  our  non-marketable  security  investees.  For  the  year  ended  December  31,  2021,  other  income 
(expense), net primarily included $25.0 million related to the one-time payment pursuant to a settlement and license 
agreement entered into in December 2021. 

Fair value adjustments of noncontrolling interest liability

Fair value adjustments of noncontrolling 

interest liability

* 

Not meaningful

Year Ended December 31,

2022

2021

Change

$

%

(in thousands)

$ 

(99,785)  $ 

—  $ 

(99,785) 

*

Fair  value  adjustments  of  noncontrolling  interest  liability  for  the  year  ended  December  31,  2022  was  made  as  a 
result of the Joint Venture Acquisition completed in June 2022.

Provision for income taxes

Year Ended December 31,

2022

2021

Change

$

%

(in thousands)

Provision for income taxes   

$ 

1,139  $ 

300  $ 

839 

 280 %

The  change  in  the  provision  for  income  taxes  between  the  years  ended  December  31,  2022  and  2021  was 
insignificant.

90

Quarterly results of operations

The  following  tables  set  forth  our  unaudited  quarterly  consolidated  statements  of  operations  data  for  each  of  the 
eight  quarters  in  the  24-month  period  ended  December  31,  2022.    The  information  for  each  of  these  quarters  has 
been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America and on 
the same basis as our audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 
10-K.  In  the  opinion  of  management,  reflect  all  adjustments,  which  include  only  normal  recurring  adjustments, 
necessary  for  the  fair  presentation  of  our  results  of  operations.  This  data  should  be  read  in  conjunction  with  our 
audited  financial  statements  and  related  notes  included  elsewhere  in  this  Annual  Report  on  Form  10-K.  These 
quarterly  operating  results  are  not  necessarily  indicative  of  our  operating  results  for  the  full  year  or  any  future 
period.

December 31, 
2022

September 30, 
2022

June 30, 2022

March 31, 
2022

December 31, 
2021

September 30, 
2021

June 30, 2021

March 31, 
2021

Three Months Ended

(unaudited)

(in thousands)

Revenue:

Precision oncology testing  ....

$  113,797  $  102,054  $ 

92,062  $ 

84,136  $ 

88,707  $ 

79,272  $ 

72,604  $ 

63,729 

Development services and 

other     ....................................

13,094 

15,350 

17,082 

Total revenue   ...................

126,891 

117,404 

109,144 

11,963 

96,099 

19,401 

108,108 

15,507 

94,779 

19,497 

92,101 

14,936 

78,665 

Costs and operating expenses:

Cost of precision oncology 

testing  .................................

Cost of development 

43,706 

39,434 

34,375 

30,684 

32,254 

29,665 

24,887 

23,590 

services and other      ...............

3,415 

1,062 

2,352 

1,297 

1,168 

1,151 

5,040 

5,157 

Research and development 

expense     ...............................

Sales and marketing expense   

General and administrative 

expense     ...............................

Total costs and 
operating 
expenses    ......................

106,578 

81,423 

100,017 

80,370 

85,455 

73,603 

81,757 

64,432 

73,021 

59,599 

70,968 

50,228 

63,724 

47,716 

55,508 

34,338 

37,888 

41,121 

43,680 

41,267 

40,274 

50,055 

48,376 

67,935 

273,010 

262,004 

239,465 

219,437 

206,316 

202,067 

189,743 

186,528 

Loss from operations  ...............

(146,119) 

(144,600) 

(130,321) 

(123,338) 

(98,208) 

(107,288) 

(97,642) 

(107,863) 

Interest income    ........................

Interest expense     .......................

Other income (expense), net    ....
Fair value adjustments of 
noncontrolling interest 
liability   ................................

Loss before provision for 

income taxes    .......................

Provision for (benefit 

from) income taxes     .............

2,150 

(644) 

5,281 

1,754 

(644) 

(18,389) 

1,387 

(645) 

378 

778 

(644) 

(48) 

653 

(643) 

25,898 

689 

(644) 

(187) 

1,037 

(644) 

(243) 

1,551 

(646) 

(290) 

— 

— 

(99,785) 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

(139,332) 

(161,879) 

(228,986) 

(123,252) 

(72,300) 

(107,430) 

(97,492) 

(107,248) 

602 

115 

446 

(24) 

11 

96 

83 

110 

Net loss       ....................................

(139,934) 

(161,994) 

(229,432) 

(123,228) 

(72,311) 

(107,526) 

(97,575) 

(107,358) 

Adjustment of 
redeemable 
noncontrolling interest  ........

Net loss attributable to 

Guardant Health, Inc. 
common stockholders  .........

Net loss per share 
attributable to 
Guardant Health, Inc. 
common stockholders, 
basic and diluted    .................

Weighted-average shares 
used in computing net 
loss per share 
attributable to 
Guardant Health, Inc. 
common stockholders, 
basic and diluted    .................

— 

— 

— 

— 

(18,600) 

— 

— 

(2,300) 

$  (139,934)  $  (161,994)  $  (229,432)  $  (123,228)  $ 

(90,911)  $  (107,526)  $ 

(97,575)  $  (109,658) 

$ 

(1.36)  $ 

(1.58)  $ 

(2.25)  $ 

(1.21)  $ 

(0.89)  $ 

(1.06)  $ 

(0.96)  $ 

(1.09) 

102,516 

102,289 

102,047 

101,853 

101,697 

101,420 

101,172 

100,955 

91

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Liquidity and capital resources

We have incurred losses and negative cash flows from operations since our inception, and as of December 31, 2022, 
we had an accumulated deficit of $1.7 billion. We expect to incur additional operating losses in the near future and 
our operating expenses will increase as we continue to invest in clinical studies and develop new products, expand 
our sales organization, and increase our marketing efforts to drive market adoption of our tests. As demand for our 
tests are expected to continue to increase from physicians and biopharmaceutical companies, we anticipate that our 
capital expenditure requirements could also increase if we require additional laboratory capacity.

We have funded our operations to date principally from the sale of stock, convertible debt and through revenue from 
precision  oncology  testing  and  development  services  and  other.  As  of  December  31,  2022,  we  had  cash  and  cash 
equivalents  of  $141.6  million  and  marketable  debt  securities  of  $869.6  million.  Cash  in  excess  of  immediate 
requirements is invested in accordance with our investment policy, primarily with a view to provide liquidity while 
ensuring  capital  preservation.  Additionally,  we  have  investments  held  in  marketable  debt  securities  consisting  of 
United States treasury securities that can be immediately liquid.

Based on our current business plan, we believe our current cash, cash equivalents and marketable debt securities and 
anticipated cash flows from operations, will be sufficient to meet our anticipated cash requirements for more than 12 
months from the date of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. We may consider raising additional capital to expand our 
business,  to  pursue  strategic  investments,  to  take  advantage  of  financing  opportunities  or  for  other  reasons.  As 
revenue  from  precision  oncology  testing  and  development  services  and  other  is  expected  to  grow  long-term,  we 
expect  our  accounts  receivable  and  inventory  balances  to  increase.  Any  increase  in  accounts  receivable  and 
inventory may not be completely offset by increases in accounts payable and accrued liabilities, which could impact 
our working capital balances.

If our available cash, cash equivalents and marketable debt securities and anticipated cash flows from operations are 
insufficient to satisfy our liquidity requirements including because of lower demand for our products as a result of 
lower  than  currently  expected  rates  of  reimbursement  from  our  customers  or  other  risks  described  in  this  Annual 
Report  on  Form  10-K,  we  may  seek  to  sell  additional  common  or  preferred  equity  or  convertible  debt  securities, 
enter into a credit facility or another form of third-party funding or seek other debt financing. The sale of equity and 
convertible debt securities may result in dilution to our stockholders and, in the case of preferred equity securities or 
convertible debt, those securities could provide for rights, preferences or privileges senior to those of our common 
stock.  The  terms  of  debt  securities  issued  or  borrowings  pursuant  to  a  credit  agreement  could  impose  significant 
restrictions  on  our  operations.  If  we  raise  funds  through  collaborations  and  licensing  arrangements,  we  might  be 
required to relinquish significant rights to our platform technologies or products or grant licenses on terms that are 
not favorable to us. Additional capital may not be available to us on reasonable terms, or at all.

Cash flows

The following table summarizes our cash flows for the periods presented:

Net cash used in operating activities

Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities

Net cash used in financing activities

Year Ended December 31,

2022

2021

(in thousands)

$ 

(309,463)  $ 

(209,017) 

149,816 

(189,093)   

(63,155) 

(66,824) 

92

 
 
 
Operating activities

Cash used in operating activities during the year ended December 31, 2022 was $309.5 million, which resulted from 
a net loss of $654.6 million, partially offset by non-cash charges of $283.6 million and net change in our operating 
assets  and  liabilities  of  $61.6  million.  Non-cash  charges  primarily  consisted  of  $99.8  million  of  fair  value 
adjustments  of  noncontrolling  interest  liability  in  connection  with  the  Joint  Venture  Acquisition,  $94.7  million  of 
stock-based compensation, $36.0 million of depreciation and amortization, $28.6 million of non-cash operating lease 
costs, $7.8 million of unrealized losses on marketable equity securities, $5.3 million of impairment on the rights to 
purchase one of our non-marketable security investees, $4.6 million of amortization of premium on marketable debt 
security  investments,  $4.3  million  of  revaluation  adjustments  to  contingent  consideration,  and  $2.6  million  of 
amortization of debt issuance costs. The net change in our operating assets and liabilities was primarily the result of 
a $60.3 million increase in accounts payable and accrued liabilities, primarily due to increase in purchases of goods 
and services, increased personnel and increase in accrued and other liabilities, a $20.4 million decrease in prepaid 
expenses  and  other  current  assets,  primarily  driven  by  a  $25.0  million  one-time  payment  pursuant  to  a  settlement 
and license agreement entered into in December 2021, a $11.7 million decrease in other assets, and a $9.9 million 
increase  in  deferred  revenue  primarily  due  to  upfront  payments  from  international  laboratory  partners,  partially 
offset by a $20.9 million increase in inventory, net due to forecasted higher testing volumes, and increased inventory 
level to offset potential disruption in supply chain, and a $20.2 million payment of operating lease liabilities net of 
receipt of tenant improvement allowance.

Cash used in operating activities during the year ended December 31, 2021 was $209.0 million, which resulted from 
a net loss of $384.8 million and net change in our operating assets and liabilities of $40.5 million, partially offset by 
non-cash  charges  of  $216.2  million.  Non-cash  charges  primarily  consisted  of  $151.4  million  of  stock-based 
compensation,  $24.7  million  of  non-cash  operating  lease  costs,  $22.3  million  of  depreciation  and  amortization,  
$12.8 million of amortization of premium on investment, $2.6 million of amortization of debt issuance costs, and 
$2.4  million  of  revaluation  adjustments  to  contingent  consideration.  The  net  change  in  our  operating  assets  and 
liabilities was primarily the result of a $44.4 million increase in accounts receivables driven by increased sales to 
clinical  and  biopharmaceutical  customers,  and  royalty  revenues  earned  pursuant  to  a  settlement  and  license 
agreement  entered  into  in  December  2021,  a  $35.8  million  increase  in  prepaid  expenses  and  other  current  assets, 
primarily  driven  by  a  $25.0  million  one-time  payment  pursuant  the  above-mentioned  settlement  and  license 
agreement,  a  $8.0  million  increase  in  inventory,  net  due  to  higher  testing  volumes,  and  a  $4.2  million  increase  in 
other assets, partially offset by a $34.8 million increase in accounts payable and accrued liabilities, primarily due to 
increase in purchases of goods and services, increased personnel and increase in accrued and other liabilities, a $14.2 
million  payment  of  operating  lease  liabilities  net  of  receipt  of  tenant  improvement  allowance,  and  a  $2.8  million 
increase in deferred revenue.

Investing activities

Cash provided by investing activities during the year ended December 31, 2022 was $149.8 million, which resulted 
primarily from maturities of marketable debt securities of $555.0 million, partially offset by purchases of marketable 
debt  securities  of  $303.8  million,  purchases  of  property  and  equipment  of  $77.5  million,  and  purchases  of  non-
marketable equity and other related assets of $24.0 million.

Cash  used  in  investing  activities  during  the  year  ended  December  31,  2021  was  $63.2  million,  which  resulted 
primarily from purchases of marketable debt securities of $900.8 million, purchases of property and equipment of 
$75.0  million,  and  purchases  of  non-marketable  equity  and  other  related  investments  of  $39.4  million,  partially 
offset by maturities of marketable debt securities of $952.1 million.

Financing activities

Cash used in financing activities during the year ended December 31, 2022 was $189.1 million, which was primarily 
due to consideration payment for the Joint Venture Acquisition of $177.8 million, payment for the tender offer in 
connection with the Joint Venture Acquisition and acquisition related costs of $14.2 million, and taxes paid related 
to  net  share  settlement  of  restricted  stock  units  of  $7.9  million,  partially  offset  by  proceeds  of  $9.3  million  from 
issuances of common stock under our employee stock purchase plan, and proceeds of $2.6 million from exercise of 
stock options.

Cash used in financing activities during the year ended December 31, 2021 was $66.8 million, which was primarily 
due to taxes paid related to net share settlement of restricted stock units of $83.8 million, partially offset by proceeds 
of  $9.8  million  from  issuances  of  common  stock  under  our  employee  stock  purchase  plan,  and  proceeds  of  $8.1 
million from exercise of stock options.

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Critical accounting policies and estimates

We have prepared our consolidated financial statements in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted 
in the United States of America, or GAAP. Our preparation of these consolidated financial statements requires us to 
make  estimates,  assumptions  and  judgments  that  affect  the  reported  amounts  of  assets,  liabilities,  expenses  and 
related  disclosures  at  the  date  of  the  consolidated  financial  statements,  as  well  as  revenue  and  expenses  recorded 
during the reporting periods. We evaluate our estimates and judgments on an ongoing basis. We base our estimates 
on  historical  experience  and  on  various  other  factors  that  we  believe  are  reasonable  under  the  circumstances,  the 
results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying value of assets and liabilities that are not 
readily  apparent  from  other  sources.  Actual  results  could  therefore  differ  materially  from  these  estimates  under 
different assumptions or conditions.

While  our  significant  accounting  policies  are  described  in  more  detail  in  Note  2  to  our  consolidated  financial 
statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, we believe the following accounting policies to 
be critical to the judgments and estimates used in the preparation of our financial statements.

Revenue recognition

We derive revenue from the provision of precision oncology testing services, as well as from development services 
and  other.  Precision  oncology  testing  services  include  genomic  profiling  and  the  delivery  of  other  genomic 
information  derived  from  our  platform.  Development  services  include  companion  diagnostic  development  and 
regulatory  approval,  clinical  study  setup,  monitoring  and  maintenance,  testing  development  and  support, 
GuardantConnect and GuardantINFORM. Other revenue includes amounts derived from licensing our technologies, 
and  kit  fulfillment.  We  currently  receive  payments  from  third-party  commercial  and  governmental  payers,  certain 
hospitals and oncology centers and individual patients, as well as biopharmaceutical companies, research institutes, 
international laboratory partners and distributors.

Revenues  are  recognized  when  control  of  services  is  transferred  to  customers,  in  an  amount  that  reflects  the 
consideration  we  expect  to  be  entitled  to  in  exchange  for  those  services.  FASB  ASC  Topic  606,  Revenue  from 
Contracts  with  Customers,  provides  for  a  five-step  model  that  includes  identifying  the  contract  with  a  customer, 
identifying the performance obligations in the contract, determining the transaction price, allocating the transaction 
price  to  the  performance  obligations,  and  recognizing  revenue  when,  or  as,  an  entity  satisfies  a  performance 
obligation.

Precision oncology testing

We  recognize  revenue  from  the  sale  of  our  precision  oncology  tests  for  clinical  customers,  including  certain 
hospitals,  cancer  centers,  other  institutions  and  patients,  at  the  time  results  of  the  test  are  reported  to  physicians. 
Most  precision  oncology  tests  requested  by  clinical  customers  are  sold  without  a  written  agreement;  however,  we 
determine  an  implied  contract  exists  with  our  clinical  customers.  We  identify  each  sale  of  our  test  to  a  clinical 
customer  as  a  single  performance  obligation.  With  the  exception  of  certain  limited  contracted  arrangements  with 
insurance carriers and other institutions where the transaction price is fixed, a stated contract price does not exist and 
the  transaction  price  for  each  implied  contract  with  our  clinical  customers  represents  variable  consideration.  We 
estimate the variable consideration under the portfolio approach and consider the historical reimbursement data from 
third-party commercial and governmental payers and patients, as well as known or anticipated reimbursement trends 
not reflected in the historical data. We monitor the estimated amount to be collected in the portfolio at each reporting 
period  based  on  actual  cash  collections  in  order  to  assess  whether  a  revision  to  the  estimate  is  required.  Both  the 
estimate  and  any  subsequent  revision  contain  uncertainty  and  require  the  use  of  significant  judgment  in  the 
estimation of the variable consideration and application of the constraint for such variable consideration. We analyze 
actual  cash  collections  over  the  expected  reimbursement  period  and  compare  it  with  the  estimated  variable 
consideration  for  each  portfolio  and  any  difference  is  recognized  as  an  adjustment  to  estimated  revenue  after  the 
expected reimbursement period, subject to assessment of the risk of future revenue reversal.

Revenue from sales of precision oncology tests to biopharmaceutical customers are based on a negotiated price per 
test or on the basis of an agreement to provide certain testing volume over a defined period. We identify our promise 
to  transfer  a  series  of  distinct  tests  to  biopharmaceutical  customers  as  a  single  performance  obligation.  Precision 
oncology  tests  to  biopharmaceutical  customers  are  generally  billed  at  a  fixed  price  for  each  test  performed.  For 
agreements involving testing volume to be satisfied over a defined period, revenue is recognized over time based on 
the number of tests performed as the performance obligation is satisfied over time.

Results of our precision oncology services are delivered electronically, and as such there are no shipping or handling 
fees incurred by us or billed to customers.

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Development services and other

We perform development services for our biopharmaceutical customers utilizing our precision oncology information 
platform.  Development  services  typically  represent  a  single  performance  obligation  as  we  perform  a  significant 
integration  service,  such  as  analytical  validation  and  regulatory  submissions.  The  individual  promises  are  not 
separately identifiable from other promises in the contracts and, therefore, are not distinct. However, under certain 
contracts, a biopharmaceutical customer may engage us for multiple distinct development services which are both 
capable  of  being  distinct  and  separately  identifiable  from  other  promises  in  the  contracts  and,  therefore,  distinct 
performance obligations.

We collaborate with biopharmaceutical companies in the development of new drugs. As part of these collaborations, 
we provide services related to regulatory filings to support companion diagnostic device submissions for our testing 
panels. Under these collaborations, we generate revenue from achievement of milestones, as well as provision of on-
going  support.  For  the  companion  diagnostic  development  and  regulatory  approval  services  performed,  we  are 
compensated through a combination of an upfront fee and performance-based, non-refundable regulatory and other 
developmental  milestone  payments.  The  transaction  price  of  these  contracts  typically  represents  variable 
consideration. Application of the constraint for variable consideration to milestone payments is an area that requires 
significant judgment. We evaluate factors such as the scientific, clinical, regulatory, commercial, and other risks that 
must be managed to achieve the respective milestone and the level of effort and investment required to achieve the 
respective milestone. In making this assessment, we consider our historical experience with similar milestones, the 
degree of complexity and uncertainty associated with each milestone, and whether achievement of the milestone is 
dependent  on  parties  other  than  us.  The  constraint  for  variable  consideration  is  applied  such  that  it  is  probable  a 
significant  reversal  of  revenue  will  not  occur  when  the  uncertainty  associated  with  the  contingency  is  resolved. 
Application of the constraint for variable consideration is assessed and updated at each reporting period as a revision 
to the estimated transaction price.

We recognize companion diagnostic development and regulatory approval services revenue over the period in which 
biopharmaceutical  research  and  development  services  are  provided.  Specifically,  we  recognize  revenue  using  an 
input method to measure progress, utilizing costs incurred to-date relative to total expected costs as its measure of 
progress.  We  assess  the  changes  to  the  total  expected  cost  estimates  as  well  as  any  incremental  fees  negotiated 
resulting from changes to the scope of the original contract in determining the revenue recognition at each reporting 
period. For development of new products or services under these arrangements, costs incurred before technological 
feasibility  is  reached  are  included  as  research  and  development  expenses  in  our  consolidated  statements  of 
operations, while costs incurred thereafter are recorded as cost of development services and other.

We also recognize revenue from other development services, in addition to companion diagnostic development and 
regulatory  approval  services  noted  above,  such  as  clinical  study  setup,  monitoring  and  maintenance,  testing 
development and support, GuardantConnect, and GuardantINFORM. These revenues are generally recognized over 
time based on an input method to measure progress in the period when the associated services have been performed.  

In  addition,  other  revenue  includes  amounts  derived  from  licensing  our  digital  sequencing  technologies  to  our 
domestic  customers  and  international  laboratory  partners,  and  kit  fulfillment.  For  the  licensed  technology,  we  are 
compensated  through  royalty-based  payments,  non-refundable  upfront  payments,  guaranteed  minimum  payments, 
and/or  sample  milestone  payments.  Depending  on  the  nature  of  the  technology  licensing  arrangements,  and 
considering factors including but not limited to enforceable right to payment and payment terms, and if an asset with 
alternative use is created, these revenues are recognized in the period when royalty-bearing sales occur, when the 
technology  transfer  is  complete,  or  during  the  technology  transfer  period.  Kit  fulfillment  related  revenues  are 
recognized when such products are delivered.

95

Contracts with multiple performance obligations

Contracts  with  biopharmaceutical  customers  and  international  laboratory  partners  may  include  multiple  distinct 
performance  obligations,  such  as  provision  of  precision  oncology  testing,  the  above-mentioned  development 
services, and digital sequencing technology licensing, among others. We evaluate the terms and conditions included 
within  our  contracts  with  biopharmaceutical  customers  and  international  laboratory  partners  to  ensure  appropriate 
revenue  recognition,  including  whether  services  are  considered  distinct  performance  obligations  that  should  be 
accounted for separately versus together. We first identify material promises, in contrast to immaterial promises or 
administrative tasks, under the contract, and then evaluate whether these promises are both capable of being distinct 
and distinct within the context of the contract. In assessing whether a promised service is capable of being distinct, 
we consider whether the customer could benefit from the service either on its own or together with other resources 
that  are  readily  available  to  the  customer,  including  factors  such  as  the  research,  development,  and 
commercialization capabilities of a third party as well as the availability of the associated expertise in the general 
marketplace.  In  assessing  whether  a  promised  service  is  distinct  within  the  context  of  the  contract,  we  consider 
whether we provide a significant integration of the services, whether the services significantly modify or customize 
one another, or whether the services are highly interdependent or interrelated.

For contracts with multiple performance obligations, the transaction price is allocated to the separate performance 
obligations  on  a  relative  standalone  selling  price  basis.  We  determine  standalone  selling  price  by  considering  the 
historical selling price of these performance obligations in similar transactions as well as other factors, including, but 
not limited to, the price that customers in the market would be willing to pay, competitive pricing of other vendors, 
industry  publications  and  current  pricing  practices,  and  expected  costs  of  satisfying  each  performance  obligation 
plus appropriate margin; or by using the residual approach if standalone selling price is not observable, by reference 
to  the  total  transaction  price  less  the  sum  of  the  observable  standalone  selling  prices  of  other  performance 
obligations promised in the contract.

Variable interest entity

We review agreements we enter into with third party entities, pursuant to which we may have a variable interest in 
the entity, in order to determine if the entity is a variable interest entity, or VIE. If the entity is a VIE, we assess 
whether or not we are the primary beneficiary of that entity. In determining whether we are the primary beneficiary 
of  an  entity,  we  apply  a  qualitative  approach  that  determines  whether  we  have  both  (1)  the  power  to  direct  the 
economically  significant  activities  of  the  entity  and  (2)  the  obligation  to  absorb  losses  of,  or  the  right  to  receive 
benefits  from,  the  entity  that  could  potentially  be  significant  to  that  entity.  If  we  determine  we  are  the  primary 
beneficiary  of  a  VIE,  we  consolidate  the  statements  of  operations  and  financial  condition  of  the  VIE  into  our 
consolidated financial statements. Accounting for the consolidation is based on our determination if the VIE meets 
the definition of a business or and asset. Assets, liabilities and noncontrolling interests, excluding goodwill, of VIEs 
that are not determined to be businesses are recorded at fair value in our financial statements upon consolidation. 
Assets  and  liabilities  that  we  have  transferred  to  a  VIE,  after,  or  shortly  before  the  date  we  became  the  primary 
beneficiary are recorded at the same amount at which the assets and liabilities would have been measured if they had 
not  been  transferred.  Our  determination  about  whether  we  should  consolidate  such  VIEs  is  made  continuously  as 
changes to existing relationships or future transactions may result in a consolidation or deconsolidation event.

In May 2018, we and an affiliate of SoftBank formed and capitalized the Joint Venture for the sale, marketing and 
distribution of our tests generally outside the Americas and Europe. The Joint Venture was deemed to be a VIE and 
we were identified as the primary beneficiary of the VIE. Consequently, we had consolidated the financial position, 
results of operations and cash flows of the Joint Venture in our financial statements and all intercompany balances 
had been eliminated in consolidation.

96

Prior  to  November  2021,  the  noncontrolling  interest  held  by  SoftBank  contained  embedded  put-call  redemption 
features  that  were  not  solely  within  our  control  and  had  been  classified  outside  of  permanent  equity  in  the 
consolidated  balance  sheets.  The  noncontrolling  interest  was  considered  probable  of  becoming  redeemable  as 
SoftBank had the option to exercise its put right to sell its equity ownership in the Joint Venture to us on or after the 
seventh  anniversary  of  the  formation  of  the  Joint  Venture,  on  each  subsequent  anniversary  of  the  IPO  and  under 
certain other circumstances. We elected to recognize the changes in redemption value immediately as they occur as 
if  the  put-call  redemption  feature  were  exercisable  at  the  end  of  the  reporting  period.  In  November  2021,  we 
exercised our call right contained in the joint venture agreement with SoftBank to purchase all of the shares held by 
SoftBank and its affiliates in consideration for the payment of the aggregate purchase price to be determined based 
on an independent third-party valuation. Upon our exercise of the call right in November 2021, SoftBank no longer 
had  the  option  to  exercise  its  put  right.  In  connection  with  exercising  the  call  right,  we  reclassified  $78.0  million 
from  redeemable  noncontrolling  interest  to  noncontrolling  interest  liability.  In  June  2022,  we  purchased  all  of  the 
shares  held  by  SoftBank  and  its  affiliates  in  consideration  for  a  cash  payment  of  the  aggregate  purchase  price  of 
$177.8 million, which resulted in $99.8 million of fair value adjustments to the noncontrolling interest liability for 
the year ended December 31, 2022.  

Stock-based compensation

We  measure  stock-based  compensation  expense  for  stock  options  granted  to  our  employees,  directors,  and 
nonemployee consultants on the date of grant based on the fair value of the awards and recognize the corresponding 
compensation expense of those awards over the requisite service period, which is generally the vesting period of the 
respective  awards.  Compensation  expense  for  stock  options  with  performance  metrics  is  calculated  based  upon 
expected achievement of the metrics specified in the grant.

We estimate the fair value of stock options granted under the 2012 Stock Plan, the 2018 Incentive Award Plan, and 
under  the  former  Guardant  Health  AMEA,  Inc.'s  2020  Equity  Incentive  Plan  for  the  Joint  Venture  (see  Note  12, 
Stock-Based Compensation), and stock purchase rights granted under our 2018 Employee Stock Purchase Plan on 
the grant date using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model. The Black-Scholes option-pricing model requires the 
use  of  assumptions  regarding  a  number  of  variables  that  are  complex,  subjective  and  generally  require  significant 
judgment to determine. The assumptions used to calculate the fair value of our stock options were:

Fair Value of Common Stock

The fair value of our common stock is determined by the closing price, on the date of grant, of its common stock, 
which is traded on the Nasdaq Global Select Market. The board of directors of the Joint Venture determined the fair 
value  of  common  stock  of  the  Joint  Venture.  The  grant  date  fair  value  of  the  Joint  Venture’s  common  stock  was 
determined  using  valuation  methodologies  which  utilizes  certain  assumptions  including  probability  weighting  of 
events,  volatility,  time  to  liquidation,  a  risk-free  interest  rate  and  an  assumption  for  a  discount  for  lack  of 
marketability.  In  determining  the  fair  value  of  the  Joint  Venture’s  common  stock,  the  methodologies  used  to 
estimate  the  enterprise  value  of  the  Joint  Venture  were  performed  using  methodologies,  approaches,  and 
assumptions  consistent  with  the  American  Institute  of  Certified  Public  Accountants  Accounting  and  Valuation 
Guide, Valuation of Privately-Held-Company Equity Securities Issued as Compensation.

Expected Term

Our expected term represents the period that our stock options are expected to be outstanding. The expected term of 
stock options issued to employees, directors and nonemployee consultants is determined using the simplified method 
(based on the mid-point between the vesting date and the end of the contractual term), as we do not have sufficient 
historical data to use any other method to estimate expected term. 

Expected Volatility

Prior to the commencement of trading of our common stock on the Nasdaq Global Select Market on October 4, 2018 
in connection with the IPO, there was no active trading market for our common stock. Due to limited historical data 
for the trading of our common stock, expected volatility is estimated based on the average volatility for comparable 
publicly traded peer group companies in the same industry plus our expected volatility for the available periods. The 
comparable companies are chosen based on their similar size, stage in the life cycle or area of specialty.

The Joint Venture derived the expected volatility from the average historical volatility over a period approximately 
equal to the expected term of comparable publicly traded companies within its peer group that were deemed to be 
representative  of  future  stock  price  trends  as  the  Joint  Venture  does  not  have  any  trading  history  for  its  common 
stock. 

97

Risk-Free Interest Rate

The risk-free interest rate is based on the U.S. treasury zero coupon issues in effect at the time of grant for periods 
corresponding with the expected term of the stock option grants. 

Expected Dividend Yield

We  have  never  paid  dividends  on  our  common  stock  and  have  no  plans  to  pay  dividends  on  our  common  stock. 
Therefore, we use an expected dividend yield of zero.

Black-Scholes Assumptions

The  weighted-average  assumptions  used  in  our  Black-Scholes  option-pricing  model,  including  the  Joint  Venture, 
were as follows for stock option granted to our employees, directors and nonemployees for the periods presented:

Expected term (in years)

Expected volatility

Risk-free interest rate

Expected dividend yield 

Year Ended December 31,

2022

2021

2020

5.50 – 6.10

5.49 – 6.06

5.50 – 6.10

63.3% – 67.6%

63.6% – 66.7%

63.6% – 73.3%

1.9% – 4.4%

0.3% – 1.3%

0.3% – 1.6%

—%

—%

—%

For  market-based  restricted  stock  units,  we  derive  the  requisite  service  period  using  the  Monte  Carlo  simulation 
model.  The  estimated  fair  value  of  the  market-based  restricted  stock  units  was  determined  using  a  Monte  Carlo 
simulation  model  which  requires  the  use  of  assumptions  regarding  a  number  of  variables  that  are  complex, 
subjective  and  generally  require  significant  judgment  to  determine.  Stock-based  compensation  expense  will  be 
recorded regardless of achieving the market conditions or not. If the related market condition is achieved earlier than 
its expected derived service period, the stock-based compensation expense will be recognized as a cumulative catch-
up expense from the grant date to that point in time in achieving the share price goal.

The assumptions used to calculate the fair value of our market-based restricted stock units were as follows:

Fair Value of Common Stock

The fair value of our common stock is determined by the closing price, on the date of grant, of its common stock, 
which is traded on the Nasdaq Global Select Market.

Expected Volatility

Due  to  limited  historical  data  for  the  trading  of  our  common  stock,  expected  volatility  is  estimated  based  on  the 
average  volatility  for  comparable  publicly  traded  peer  group  companies  and  implied  volatility  of  publicly  traded 
options in the same industry plus our expected volatility for the available periods. The comparable companies are 
chosen based on their similar size, stage in the life cycle or area of specialty.

Expected Term

The expected term represents the derived service period for the respective tranches which has been estimated using 
the Monte Carlo simulation model. 

Risk-Free Interest Rate

The  risk-free  interest  rate  is  based  on  the  U.S.  Treasury  rate,  with  maturities  similar  to  the  expected  term  of  the 
market-based restricted stock units. 

Risky Rate

The risky rate represents our cost of equity.

Expected Dividend Yield

We do not anticipate paying any dividends in the foreseeable future and, therefore, uses an expected dividend yield 
of zero.

98

Discount for Lack of Marketability

The discount for lack of marketability represents the discount applied for post vest term restrictions and has been 
derived using the Monte Carlo simulation model.

The following assumptions were used to calculate the stock-based compensation for market-based restricted stock 
units: a weighted-average expected term of 0.83 – 2.07 years; expected volatility of 65.5%; a risk-free interest rate 
of 0.53%; a zero dividend yield; a risky rate (cost of equity) of 16%; and a discount for post-vesting restrictions of 
10.4% – 14.5%.

We recognize stock-based compensation expense net of forfeitures as they occur.

We  will  continue  to  use  judgment  in  evaluating  the  assumptions  related  to  our  stock-based  compensation  on  a 
prospective  basis.  As  we  continue  to  accumulate  additional  data  related  to  our  common  stock,  we  may  have 
refinements to our estimates, which could materially impact our future stock-based compensation expense.

Recent accounting pronouncements

Not applicable.

Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk

We are exposed to market risk in the ordinary course of our business. Market risk represents the risk of loss that may 
impact our financial position due to adverse changes in financial market prices and rates. 

Interest rate risk

We  are  exposed  to  market  risk  for  changes  in  interest  rates  related  primarily  to  our  cash  and  cash  equivalents, 
marketable  debt  securities  and  our  indebtedness.  As  of  December  31,  2022,  we  had  cash  and  cash  equivalents  of 
$141.6 million held primarily in cash deposits and money market funds. Our marketable debt securities are held in 
U.S. government debt securities. As of December 31, 2022, we had short-term marketable debt securities of $869.6 
million.  Our  primary  exposure  to  market  risk  is  interest  income  sensitivity,  which  is  affected  by  changes  in  the 
general  level  of  the  interest  rates  in  the  United  States.  As  of  December  31,  2022,  a  hypothetical  100  basis  point 
increase  in  interest  rates  would  have  resulted  in  an  approximate  $4.2  million  decline  of  the  fair  value  of  our 
available-for-sale securities and a hypothetical 100 basis point decrease in interest rates would have resulted in an 
approximate $4.2 million increase of the fair value of our available-for-sale securities. This estimate is based on a 
sensitivity model that measures market value changes when changes in interest rates occur.

Foreign currency risk

The majority of our revenue is generated in the United States. Through December 31, 2022, we have generated an 
insignificant amount of revenues denominated in foreign currencies. As we expand our presence in the international 
market,  our  results  of  operations  and  cash  flows  are  expected  to  increasingly  be  subject  to  fluctuations  due  to 
changes in foreign currency exchange rates and may be adversely affected in the future due to changes in foreign 
exchange  rates.  As  of  December  31,  2022,  the  effect  of  a  hypothetical  10%  change  in  foreign  currency  exchange 
rates would not be material to our financial condition or results of operations. To date, we have not entered into any 
hedging arrangements with respect to foreign currency risk. As our international operations grow, we will continue 
to reassess our approach to manage our risk relating to fluctuations in currency rates.

99

Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data

Guardant Health, Inc.

Index to Consolidated Financial Statements

As of December 31, 2022 and 2021, and

For the Years Ended December 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm (PCAOB ID: 42)      ....................................

Consolidated Balance Sheets    ................................................................................................................

Consolidated Statements of Operations ................................................................................................

Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Loss     ................................................................................
Consolidated Statements of Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest and Stockholders' Equity      ..............

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows   ...............................................................................................

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements   .........................................................................................

Page

101

103

105

106
107

108

110

The  supplementary  financial  information  required  by  this  Item  8  is  included  in  Part  II,  Item  7  under  the 
caption “Quarterly Results of Operations”, which is incorporated herein by reference.

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Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

To the Stockholders and the Board of Directors of Guardant Health, Inc.

Opinion on the Financial Statements

We  have  audited  the  accompanying  consolidated  balance  sheets  of  Guardant  Health,  Inc.  (the  Company)  as  of 
December  31,  2022  and  2021,  the  related  consolidated  statements  of  operations,  comprehensive  loss,  redeemable 
noncontrolling  interest  and  stockholders’  equity  and  cash  flows  for  each  of  the  three  years  in  the  period  ended 
December 31, 2022, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the “consolidated financial statements”). In our 
opinion,  the  consolidated  financial  statements  present  fairly,  in  all  material  respects,  the  financial  position  of  the 
Company at December 31, 2022 and 2021, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the three 
years in the period ended December 31, 2022, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.

We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United 
States)  (PCAOB),  the  Company’s  internal  control  over  financial  reporting  as  of  December  31,  2022,  based  on 
criteria established in Internal Control-Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations 
of the Treadway Commission (2013 framework) and our report dated February 23, 2023 expressed an unqualified 
opinion thereon.

Basis for Opinion

These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an 
opinion on the Company’s financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with 
the  PCAOB  and  are  required  to  be  independent  with  respect  to  the  Company  in  accordance  with  the  U.S.  federal 
securities  laws  and  the  applicable  rules  and  regulations  of  the  Securities  and  Exchange  Commission  and  the 
PCAOB.

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and 
perform  the  audit  to  obtain  reasonable  assurance  about  whether  the  financial  statements  are  free  of  material 
misstatement,  whether  due  to  error  or  fraud.  Our  audits  included  performing  procedures  to  assess  the  risks  of 
material  misstatement  of  the  financial  statements,  whether  due  to  error  or  fraud,  and  performing  procedures  that 
respond  to  those  risks.  Such  procedures  included  examining,  on  a  test  basis,  evidence  regarding  the  amounts  and 
disclosures  in  the  financial  statements.  Our  audits  also  included  evaluating  the  accounting  principles  used  and 
significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. 
We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

Critical Audit Matter

The  critical  audit  matter  communicated  below  is  a  matter  arising  from  the  current  period  audit  of  the  financial 
statements that was communicated or required to be communicated to the audit committee and that: (1) relates to 
accounts  or  disclosures  that  are  material  to  the  financial  statements  and  (2)  involved  our  especially  challenging, 
subjective,  or  complex  judgments.  The  communication  of  the  critical  audit  matter  does  not  alter  in  any  way  our 
opinion on the consolidated financial statements, taken as a whole, and we are not, by communicating the critical 
audit matter below, providing a separate opinion on the critical audit matter or on the account or disclosure to which 
it relates.

101

Precision Oncology Revenue (testing services provided to ordering physicians)

Description of the Matter

How We Addressed the 
Matter in Our Audit

For  the  year  ended  December  31,  2022,  revenue  recognized  from  Precision 
Oncology was $392.0 million. As described in Note 2 to the consolidated financial 
statements,  the  Company  recognizes  revenue  from  the  performance  of  precision 
oncology  tests  for  clinical  customers  upon  delivery  of  test  results  to  the  ordering 
physician. As most precision oncology tests requested by customers are sold based 
on  a  physician  requisition  form  without  further  written  terms  and  conditions,  the 
Company  determined  an  implied  contract  exists  with  its  patients  and  estimates 
variable  consideration  to  be  received  for  these  services.  Management  estimates 
variable consideration based on historical payment data from third-party payers and 
patients adjusted for known and forecasted changes in payment patterns and subject 
to a constraint such that revenue recognized is not expected to be reversed.  

Auditing the Company’s estimate of total consideration expected to be received for 
the  precision  oncology  tests  is  complex  and  requires  significant  judgement  to 
evaluate  management’s  estimate  of  payments  to  be  received  for  the  tests.  This 
estimate  is  affected  by  assumptions  on  coverage  of  the  tests  for  the  patient  and 
experience with collection from third-party payers.

We  obtained  an  understanding,  evaluated  the  design,  and  tested  the  operating 
effectiveness  of  internal  controls  that  address  the  risks  of  material  misstatement 
relating to the measurement of precision oncology revenues based upon estimating 
variable  consideration.  This  included  testing  controls  relating  to  management’s 
review  of  the  significant  assumptions  described  above  and  inputs  used  in  the 
determination of the estimated amount that would be collected for tests performed 
during the period.  We also tested controls over the current and historical data used 
by management in determining this estimate of variable consideration, subject to a 
constraint, including the completeness and accuracy of the data.

Our  audit  procedures  over  the  Company’s  precision  oncology  revenue  included, 
among  others,  assessing  assumptions  and  inputs  described  above,  testing  the 
completeness  and  accuracy  of  the  underlying  data  used  by  the  Company  in  its 
analysis, including the constraint applied. We agreed the terms and conditions of the 
type  of  test  (i.e.  lung,  non-lung,  etc.)  to  be  performed  to  the  requisition  forms 
submitted  by  the  physician.  We  compared  the  significant  assumptions  and  inputs 
used by management to the Company’s third-party payer collection trends and other 
relevant  factors.  This  included  testing  inputs  to  the  calculation  by  comparing 
historical information to source documents and evaluating the historical accuracy of 
management's estimates by comparing such estimates to actual results.

/s/ Ernst & Young LLP

We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2015.

San Mateo, California
February 23, 2023

102

Guardant Health, Inc.

Consolidated Balance Sheets
(in thousands, except share and per share data)

ASSETS

Current assets:

Cash and cash equivalents

Short-term marketable debt securities

Accounts receivable, net

Inventory, net

Prepaid expenses and other current assets, net

Total current assets

Long-term marketable debt securities

Property and equipment, net

Right-of-use assets, net

Intangible assets, net

Goodwill

Other assets, net
Total Assets(1)

LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

Current liabilities:

Accounts payable and accrued liabilities

Noncontrolling interest liability

Deferred revenue

Total current liabilities

Convertible senior notes, net

Long-term operating lease liabilities

Other long-term liabilities
Total Liabilities(1)
Commitments and contingencies (Note 10)

As of December 31,

2022

2021

$ 

141,647  $ 

869,584 

97,256 

51,598 

31,509 

492,202 

440,546 

97,652 

30,674 

53,052 

1,191,594 

1,114,126 

— 

167,920 

174,001 

11,727 

3,290 

61,453 

698,034 

124,461 

189,443 

14,207 

3,290 

60,938 

$ 

1,609,985  $ 

2,204,499 

175,817 

— 

17,403 

193,220 

105,361 

78,000 

11,326 

194,687 

1,137,391 

1,134,821 

210,015 

9,179 
1,549,805 

226,053 

3,933 
1,559,494 

103

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Stockholders’ equity:

Preferred stock, par value of $0.00001 per share; 10,000,000 shares 

authorized, no shares issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2022 
and 2021

Common stock, par value of $0.00001 per share; 350,000,000 shares 
authorized as of December 31, 2022 and 2021; 102,619,383 and 
101,767,446 shares issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2022 and 
2021, respectively

Additional paid-in capital

Accumulated other comprehensive loss

Accumulated deficit

Total Stockholders’ Equity
Total Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity

As of December 31,

2022

2021

— 

1 

— 

1 

1,742,114 

1,657,593 

(19,522)   

(4,764) 

(1,662,413)   

(1,007,825) 

60,180 
1,609,985  $ 

645,005 
2,204,499 

$ 

(1) As of December 31, 2021, the Company's consolidated balance sheet included $20.4 million of assets, that can 
be used only to settle obligations of Guardant Health AMEA, Inc., the consolidated variable interest entity, or 
VIE, and VIE’s subsidiaries, and $4.3 million of liabilities of the consolidated VIE and VIE’s subsidiaries, for 
which their creditors do not have recourse to the general credit of the Company. Guardant Health AMEA, Inc. is 
no  longer  a  VIE,  after  the  completion  of  the  Joint  Venture  Acquisition  on  June  10,  2022.  See  Note  3,  Joint 
Venture.

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

104

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Guardant Health, Inc.

Consolidated Statements of Operations
(in thousands, except per share data)

Revenue:

Precision oncology testing 
Development services and other 

Total revenue

Costs and operating expenses:

Cost of precision oncology testing

Cost of development services and other

Research and development expense

Sales and marketing expense

General and administrative expense

Total costs and operating expenses

Loss from operations

Interest income

Interest expense

Other income (expense), net

Fair value adjustments of noncontrolling interest liability

Loss before provision for income taxes

Provision for income taxes

Net loss
Adjustment of redeemable noncontrolling interest
Net loss attributable to Guardant Health, Inc. common 

stockholders

Net loss per share attributable to Guardant Health, Inc. 

common stockholders, basic and diluted

Weighted-average shares used in computing net loss per 
share attributable to Guardant Health, Inc. common 
stockholders, basic and diluted

Year Ended December 31,

2022

2021

2020

$ 

392,049  $ 

304,312  $ 

236,324 

57,489 

449,538 

148,199 

8,126 

373,807 

299,828 

163,956 

993,916 

69,341 

373,653 

110,396 

12,516 

263,221 

191,881 

206,640 

784,654 

50,406 

286,730 

74,769 

17,766 

149,862 

106,513 

192,770 

541,680 

(544,378)   

(411,001)   

(254,950) 

6,069 

(2,577)   

(12,778)   

(99,785)   

3,930 

(2,577)   

25,178 

— 

10,171 

(4,766) 

3,641 

— 

(653,449)   

(384,470)   

(245,904) 

1,139 

(654,588)   

— 

300 

(384,770)   
(20,900)   

379 

(246,283) 
(7,500) 

(654,588)  $ 

(405,670)  $ 

(253,783) 

(6.41)  $ 

(4.00)  $ 

(2.60) 

$ 

$ 

102,178 

101,314 

97,504 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

105

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Guardant Health, Inc.

Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Loss
(in thousands)

Year Ended December 31,

2022

2021

2020

Net loss

$ 

(654,588)  $ 

(384,770)  $ 

(246,283) 

Other comprehensive (loss) income, net of tax impact:

Unrealized (loss) gain on available-for-sale securities

Foreign currency translation adjustments

Other comprehensive (loss) income 

Comprehensive loss
Comprehensive loss attributable to redeemable 

noncontrolling interest

(13,158)

(1,600)

(14,758)

(5,769) 

(1,692)

(7,461)

1,131 

455 

1,586

$ 

(669,346)  $ 

(392,231)  $ 

(244,697) 

— 

(20,900) 

(7,500) 

Comprehensive loss attributable to Guardant Health, Inc.

$ 

(669,346)  $ 

(413,131)  $ 

(252,197) 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

106

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107

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Guardant Health, Inc.

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
(in thousands)

OPERATING ACTIVITIES:

Net loss 
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating 

activities:

Depreciation and amortization 

Non-cash operating lease costs
Charge of in-process research and development costs with no 

alternative future use

Re-valuation of contingent consideration

Non-cash stock-based compensation 

Amortization of debt discount and debt issuance costs

Amortization of premium (discount) on marketable debt securities

Unrealized losses on marketable equity securities

Impairment of other assets

Fair value adjustments of noncontrolling interest liability

Credit loss adjustment and others

Changes in operating assets and liabilities:

Accounts receivable, net

Inventory, net

Prepaid expenses and other current assets, net

Other assets, net

Accounts payable and accrued liabilities

Operating lease liabilities

Deferred revenue

Year Ended December 31,

2022

2021

2020

$  (654,588)  $ (384,770)  $ (246,283) 

35,962 

28,585 

— 

4,305 

94,685 

2,569 

4,595 

7,793 

5,261 

99,785 

21 

375 

(20,926) 

20,444 

11,698 

60,328 

(20,228) 

9,873 

22,271 

24,661 

— 

2,380 

16,065 

5,567 

8,500 

(120) 

151,449 

144,113 

2,564 

12,849 

— 

— 

— 

47 

4,729 

4,016 

— 

— 

— 

7,151 

(44,353) 

(7,957) 

(35,753) 

(5,463) 

(7,535) 

(6,077) 

(4,182) 

(19,326) 

34,796 

14,205 

2,776 

505 

(6,042) 

(3,727) 

Net cash used in operating activities

(309,463) 

(209,017) 

(103,927) 

INVESTING ACTIVITIES:

Purchase of marketable debt securities

Maturity of marketable debt securities
Purchase of non-marketable equity securities and other related assets

Purchase of property and equipment 

Purchase of intangible assets and capitalized license obligations

(303,757) 

(900,808) 

(1,125,575) 

555,000 
(23,966) 

(77,461) 

— 

952,110 
(39,422) 

(75,035) 

— 

562,548 
— 

(36,173) 

(17,886) 

Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities

149,816 

(63,155) 

(617,086) 

FINANCING ACTIVITIES:

Payments made on finance lease obligations 
Proceeds from issuance of common stock under employee stock 

purchase plan

Proceeds from issuance of common stock upon exercise of stock 

options

Taxes paid related to net share settlement of restricted stock units
Joint Venture Acquisition
Tender offer issued in connection with the Joint Venture Acquisition 

and acquisition related costs

Payment of contingent consideration
Proceeds from public offerings of common stock
Payment of offering costs related to public offerings of common stock

(71)

(146)

(174) 

9,316 

9,753 

7,095 

2,625 
(7,878) 
(177,785) 

8,112 
(83,759) 
— 

(14,235) 
(1,065) 
— 
— 

— 
— 
— 
— 

9,528 
(3,447) 
— 

— 
— 
355,730 
(1,130) 

108

Proceeds from borrowings on convertible senior notes, net
Payment of offering costs related to borrowings on convertible senior 

notes

Purchase of convertible note hedges

Year Ended December 31,

2022

2021

2020

— 

— 
— 

— 

  1,132,750 

(784)   
— 

— 
(90,045) 

Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities

(189,093)   

(66,824)    1,410,307 

Net effect of foreign exchange rate changes on cash, cash equivalents 

and restricted cash

(1,600)   

(1,693)   

455 

Net (decrease) increase in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash   

(350,340)   

(340,689)   

689,749 

Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash – Beginning of period   

492,288 

832,977 

143,228 

Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash  – End of period   

$  141,948  $  492,288  $  832,977 

Supplemental Disclosures of Cash Flow Information:

Operating lease liabilities arising from obtaining right-of-use assets

Cash paid for income taxes

Supplemental Disclosures of Noncash Investing and Financing 

Activities:
Purchase of property and equipment included in accounts payable and 

accrued liabilities

Property and equipment acquired under finance leases
Vesting of common stock exercised early   
Reclassification of redeemable noncontrolling interest to 

noncontrolling interest liability

Debt issuance costs included in accounts payable and accrued 

liabilities

$ 

$ 

$ 
$ 
$ 

$ 

$ 

4,073  $  171,382  $ 

13,123 

1,331  $ 

393  $ 

331 

8,291  $ 
—  $ 
8  $ 

8,892  $ 
238  $ 
52  $ 

1,986 
47 
52 

—  $ 

78,000  $ 

— 

—  $ 

—  $ 

784 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

109

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Guardant Health, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

1. Description of Business

Guardant Health, Inc., or the Company, is a leading precision oncology company focused on helping conquer cancer 
globally  through  the  use  of  its  proprietary  tests,  vast  data  sets  and  advanced  analytics.  The  Company  believes  its 
tests can transform cancer care by unlocking insights that will help patients at all stages of the disease, including at 
its earliest stages, when it’s most treatable. For patients with advanced stage cancer, the Company has commercially 
launched Guardant360 LDT and Guardant360 CDx, the first comprehensive liquid biopsy test approved by the U.S. 
Food and Drug Administration, or the FDA, to provide tumor mutation profiling with solid tumors and to be used as 
a companion diagnostic in connection with non-small cell lung cancer, or NSCLC, and breast cancer. The Company 
has also launched the Guardant360 TissueNext tissue test for advanced-stage cancer, Guardant Reveal blood test to 
detect  residual  and  recurring  disease  in  early-stage  colorectal,  breast  and  lung  cancer  patients,  and  Guardant360 
Response  blood  test  to  predict  patient  response  to  immunotherapy  or  targeted  therapy  eight  weeks  earlier  than 
current standard-of-care imaging. 

The  Company  also  collaborates  with  biopharmaceutical  companies  in  clinical  studies  by  providing  the  above-
mentioned  tests,  as  well  as  the  GuardantOMNI  blood  test  for  advanced-stage  cancer,  and  the  GuardantINFINITY 
blood  test,  launched  in  September  2022,  which  is  a  next-generation  smart  liquid  biopsy  that  provides  new,  multi-
dimensional  insights  into  the  complexities  of  tumor  molecular  profiles  and  immune  response  to  advance  cancer 
research  and  therapy  development.  Using  data  collected  from  its  tests,  the  Company  has  also  developed  its 
GuardantINFORM platform to help biopharmaceutical companies accelerate precision oncology drug development 
through  the  use  of  this  in-silico  research  platform  to  unlock  further  insights  into  tumor  evolution  and  treatment 
resistance across various biomarker-driven cancers.

In May 2022, the Company launched the Shield LDT test to address the needs of individuals eligible for colorectal 
cancer screening. From a simple blood draw, Shield uses a novel multimodal approach to detect colorectal cancer 
signals  in  the  bloodstream,  including  DNA  that  is  shed  by  tumors.  In  addition,  in  December  2022,  the  Company 
announced positive results from ECLIPSE, an over 20,000 patient registrational study evaluating the performance of 
its Shield blood test for detecting colorectal cancer in average-risk adults. The Company also expects to expand into 
lung and multi-cancer screening with its investigational, next-generation Shield assay.

The  Company  was  incorporated  in  Delaware  in  December  2011  and  is  headquartered  in  Palo  Alto,  California.  In 
May 2018, the Company formed and capitalized Guardant Health AMEA, Inc., or the Joint Venture, in the United 
States with an affiliate of SoftBank Vision Fund (AIV M1) L.P., or SoftBank. Under the terms of the joint venture 
agreement, the Company held approximately 50% ownership and controlling interest in the Joint Venture. In June 
2022,  the  Company  completed  the  purchase  of  all  of  the  shares  of  the  Joint  Venture,  or  the  Joint  Venture 
Acquisition,  held  by  SoftBank  and  its  affiliates,  and  issued  a  tender  offer  to  purchase  the  Joint  Venture's  Class  B 
common stock issued and issuable upon exercise of vested Joint Venture's stock options held by the Joint Venture's 
employees. Upon completion of the Joint Venture Acquisition and the tender offer, Guardant Health AMEA, Inc. 
became  the  Company's  wholly  owned  subsidiary  (see  Note  3,  Joint  Venture  and  Note  12,  Stock-Based 
Compensation).

2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Basis of Presentation

The  Company’s  consolidated  financial  statements  have  been  prepared  in  conformity  with  accounting  principles 
generally accepted in the United States of America, or GAAP. The accompanying consolidated financial statements 
include the accounts of Guardant Health, Inc., its consolidated Joint Venture (see Note 1, Description of Business 
and  Note  3,  Joint  Venture),  and  its  wholly  owned  subsidiaries.  Other  stockholders’  interests  in  the  Joint  Venture 
were  shown  in  the  consolidated  financial  statements  as  noncontrolling  interest  liability  before  the  Joint  Venture 
Acquisition  was  completed.  All  intercompany  balances  and  transactions  have  been  eliminated  in  consolidation. 
Certain reclassifications of prior period amounts were made to conform with the current period presentation.

110

The Company believes that its existing cash and cash equivalents and marketable debt securities as of December 31, 
2022 will be sufficient to allow the Company to fund its current operating plan through at least a period of one year 
after  the  date  the  accompanying  consolidated  financial  statements  are  issued.  As  the  Company  continues  to  incur 
losses, its transition to profitability is dependent upon a level of revenues adequate to support the Company’s cost 
structure. If the Company’s transition to profitability is not consistent with its current operating plan, the Company 
may have to seek additional capital. 

Use of Estimates

The  preparation  of  consolidated  financial  statements  in  conformity  with  GAAP  requires  management  to  make 
certain estimates, judgments and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and the related 
disclosures  at  the  date  of  the  consolidated  financial  statements,  as  well  as  the  reported  amounts  of  revenues  and 
expenses during the periods presented. The Company bases its estimates on historical experience and other market-
specific or other relevant assumptions that it believes to be reasonable under the circumstances. Estimates are used 
in  several  areas  including,  but  not  limited  to,  estimation  of  variable  consideration,  estimation  of  credit  losses, 
standalone  selling  price  allocation  included  in  contracts  with  multiple  performance  obligations,  goodwill  and 
identifiable  intangible  assets,  stock-based  compensation,  incremental  borrowing  rate  for  operating  leases, 
contingencies, certain inputs into the provision for (benefit from) income taxes, including related reserves, valuation 
of  non-marketable  securities,  among  others.  These  estimates  generally  involve  complex  issues  and  require 
judgments, involve the analysis of historical results and prediction of future trends, can require extended periods of 
time  to  resolve  and  are  subject  to  change  from  period  to  period.  Actual  results  may  differ  materially  from 
management’s estimates. 

The  severity  of  the  impact  of  the  COVID-19  pandemic  on  the  Company's  business  will  depend  on  a  number  of 
factors, including, but not limited to, the duration and severity of the pandemic, and the impact of any variants of the 
virus, the extent and severity of the impact on the Company's customers and suppliers, the continued disruption to 
demand for the Company's products and services, and the impact of the global business and economic environment 
on liquidity and the availability of capital, all of which are uncertain and cannot be predicted. 

Segment Information

The  Company  operates  as  one  operating  and  reportable  segment.  The  Company's  chief  operating  decision  makers 
are  its  Co-Chief  Executive  Officers,  who  review  financial  information  presented  on  a  consolidated  basis  for  the 
purposes of making operating decisions, assessing financial performance and allocating resources.

Cash and Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash

Cash  equivalents  consist  of  highly  liquid  investments  with  original  maturities  at  the  time  of  purchase  of  three 
months or less. Cash equivalents include bank demand deposits and money market accounts that invest primarily in 
U.S. government-backed securities and treasuries. Cash equivalents are carried at cost, which approximates their fair 
value.

Restricted cash consists of payroll withholding related to the Company's enrollment in certain voluntary disability 
insurance  plan.  Restricted  cash  balance  was  $0.3  million  and  $0.1  million  as  of  December  31,  2022,  and  2021, 
respectively, which was included in other assets in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets.

Marketable Debt Securities

Marketable  debt  securities  consist  primarily  of  high-grade  U.S.  government  and  agency  securities  and  corporate 
bonds. Marketable debt securities with original maturities at the time of purchase between three and twelve months 
from balance sheet dates are classified as short-term marketable debt securities and those with maturities over twelve 
months from balance sheet dates are classified as long-term marketable debt securities. The Company classifies all 
marketable  debt  securities  as  available-for-sale,  which  are  recorded  at  fair  value.  Unrealized  gains  and  losses  are 
included in accumulated other comprehensive gain (loss) in stockholders’ equity. Any premium or discount arising 
at purchase is amortized or accreted to interest income or expense. 

111

The Company periodically evaluates its available-for-sale marketable debt securities for impairment. When the fair 
value of a marketable debt security is below its amortized cost, the amortized cost is reduced to its fair value if it is 
more likely than not that the Company is required to sell the impaired security before recovery of its amortized cost 
basis,  or  the  Company  has  the  intention  to  sell  the  security.  If  neither  of  these  conditions  are  met,  the  Company 
determines whether the impairment is due to credit losses by comparing the present value of the expected cash flows 
of the security with its amortized cost basis. The amount of impairment recognized is limited to the excess of the 
amortized cost over the fair value of the security. An allowance for credit losses for the excess of amortized cost 
over  the  expected  cash  flows  is  recorded  in  other  income  (expense),  net  on  the  consolidated  statements  of 
operations. Impairment losses that are not credit-related are included in accumulated other comprehensive gain (loss) 
in stockholders’ equity.

Non-Marketable Securities

The Company acquires certain equity investments in private companies to promote business and strategic objectives. 
The Company's investments in non-marketable equity securities do not give the Company the ability to control or 
exercise  significant  influence  over  the  investees.  The  Company's  non-marketable  equity  and  other  related 
investments  totaled  $25.0  million  and  $39.4  million  as  of  December  31,  2022,  and  2021,  respectively,  and  are 
included in other assets, net on the accompanying consolidated balance sheets. Non-marketable securities are subject 
to  periodic  impairment  reviews  and  adjustments  for  observable  price  changes  from  orderly  transactions.  The 
Company's  evaluation  of  impairment  of  such  non-marketable  securities  is  based  on  adverse  changes  in  market 
conditions  and  the  regulatory  or  economic  environment,  qualitative  and  quantitative  analysis  of  the  operating 
performance  of  the  investee;  changes  in  operating  structure  or  management  of  the  investee;  additional  funding 
requirements; and the investee’s ability to remain in business. Pursuant to one of the investments in non-marketable 
securities  purchased  by  the  Company,  the  Company  acquired  rights  to  purchase  the  investee  at  a  pre-determined 
price subject to additional adjustments based on the performance of the investee, on or before December 31, 2022. 
In  September  2022,  the  Company  decided  not  to  exercise  such  rights  to  purchase  the  investee  and  recorded  an 
impairment of $5.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2022 based on an independent third-party valuation, 
which has been included in other income (expense), net on the accompanying consolidated statements of operations. 
No  other  impairment  or  downward  adjustments  to  the  carrying  value  of  non-marketable  securities  have  been 
otherwise  recorded.  In  addition,  pursuant  to  another  investment  in  non-marketable  securities  purchased  by  the 
Company,  the  Company  acquired  rights  to  purchase  the  investee  at  a  pre-determined  price  subject  to  additional 
adjustments  based  on  the  performance  of  the  Company,  on  or  before  October  1,  2023.  In  July  2022,  one  of  the 
investees completed its initial public offering, or IPO, subsequent to which, the Company started to account for the 
investment in the investee at fair value on a recurring basis (see Note 5, Fair Value Measurements, Cash Equivalents 
and Marketable Securities). 

Concentration of Risk

The  Company  is  subject  to  credit  risk  from  its  portfolio  of  cash  equivalents  held  at  one  commercial  bank  and 
investments in marketable debt securities. The Company limits its exposure to credit losses by investing in money 
market funds through a U.S. bank with high credit ratings. The Company’s cash may consist of deposits held with 
banks that may at times exceed federally insured limits, however, its exposure to credit risk in the event of default by 
the  financial  institution  is  limited  to  the  extent  of  amounts  recorded  on  the  consolidated  balance  sheets.  The 
Company performs evaluations of the relative credit standing of these financial institutions to limit the amount of 
credit exposure.

The Company also invests in investment-grade debt instruments and has policy limits for the amount it can invest in 
any  one  type  of  security,  except  for  securities  issued  or  guaranteed  by  the  U.S.  government.  The  goals  of  the 
Company’s  investment  policy,  in  order  of  priority,  are  as  follows:  safety  and  preservation  of  principal  and 
diversification of risk; liquidity of investments sufficient to meet cash flow requirements; and a competitive after-tax 
rate of return. Under its investment policy, the Company limits amounts invested in such securities by credit rating, 
maturity, investment type and issuer, as a result, the Company is not exposed to any significant concentrations of 
credit risk from these financial instruments.

The  Company  is  subject  to  credit  risk  from  its  accounts  receivable.  The  majority  of  the  Company’s  accounts 
receivable arises from the provision of precision oncology services and development services and other, primarily 
with biopharmaceutical companies and international laboratory partners, all of which have high credit ratings. The 
Company  has  not  experienced  any  material  losses  related  to  receivables  from  individual  customers,  or  groups  of 
customers. The Company does not require collateral. Accounts receivable are recorded at net amount. 

112

A significant customer is any biopharmaceutical customer, clinical testing payer, or international laboratory partner 
that represents 10% or more of the Company’s total revenue or accounts receivable balance. Revenue attributable to 
each significant customer, including its affiliated entities, as a percentage of the Company’s total revenue, for the 
respective period, and accounts receivable balance attributable to each significant customers, including its affiliated 
entities, as a percentage of the Company’s total accounts receivable balance, at the respective consolidated balance 
sheet date, are as follows:

Revenue

Accounts Receivable, Net

Year Ended December 31,

As of December 31,

2022

2021

2020

2022

2021

*

 30 %

*

*

*

 29 %

*

*

 10 %

 25 %

*

*

 12 %

 11 %

*

*

*

 13 %

 10 %

 13 %

Customer A 

Customer B 

Customer C

Customer D

*

less than 10%

The  Company  is  also  subject  to  credit  risk  from  its  other  receivables  and  other  assets.  The  Company's  other 
receivables and other assets include payments due from a third-party in relation to the settlement of a patent dispute 
reached in August 2020 for $8.0 million payable over a period of 6 years. In December 2020, 2021 and 2022, the 
Company received the first, second and third installment payments of $1.0 million, $1.1 million and $1.1 million, 
respectively. The Company has evaluated and recorded a credit loss for the remaining $4.8 million considering the 
third-party's credit worthiness and lack of financial history.

The following table presents the receivable and the related credit loss amounts:

Prepaid expenses and other current assets:

Gross Amount
Allowance for Credit Losses
Net Amount

Other assets:

Gross Amount
Allowance for Credit Losses
Net Amount

As of December 31,

2022

2021

(in thousands)

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

—  $ 
— 
—  $ 

— 
— 
— 

4,800  $ 
(4,800) 

—  $ 

5,900 
(5,900) 
— 

The following table summarizes the allowance for credit losses activities for the years ended December 31, 2022, 
2021 and 2020:

Prepaid expenses and other current assets:

Allowance for credit losses—Beginning of period
Charged to (reversed from) other income (expense), net
Reclassification
Allowance for credit losses—End of period

Other assets:

Allowance for credit losses—Beginning of period
Charged to (reversed from) other income (expense), net
Reclassification
Allowance for credit losses—End of period

113

Year Ended December 31,
2021

2020

2022

(in thousands)

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

—  $ 

—  $ 

(1,100) 
1,100 

(1,100) 
1,100 

—  $ 

—  $ 

5,900  $ 
— 
(1,100) 
4,800  $ 

7,000  $ 
— 
(1,100) 
5,900  $ 

— 
— 
— 
— 

— 
7,000 
— 
7,000 

Accounts Receivable, Net

Accounts  receivable  represent  valid  claims  against  commercial  and  governmental  payers,  biopharmaceutical 
companies, research institutes, international laboratory partners and distributors, including unbilled receivables, and 
royalty  payments  due  from  third  parties  for  licensing  the  Company’s  technologies.  Unbilled  receivables  include 
balances  due  from  biopharmaceutical  customers  related  to  development  services  and  other  revenues  that  are 
recognized  upon  the  achievement  of  performance-based  milestones  but  prior  to  the  achievement  of  contractual 
billing  rights.  As  of  December  31,  2022  and  2021,  the  Company  had  unbilled  receivables  of  $5.4  million  and 
$5.7 million, respectively.

The  Company  evaluates  the  collectability  of  its  accounts  receivable  based  on  historical  collection  trends,  the 
financial  condition  of  payment  partners,  and  external  market  factors  and  provides  for  an  allowance  for  potential 
credit losses based on management’s best estimate of the amount of probable credit losses. As of December 31, 2022 
and 2021, the Company had immaterial allowance for credit losses related to its accounts receivable.

Inventory, Net

Inventories  are  stated  at  the  lower  of  cost  or  net  realizable  value  on  a  first-in,  first-out  basis.  Inventory  consisted 
entirely of supplies, which are consumed when providing tests, and therefore the Company does not maintain any 
finished goods inventory.

In order to assess the ultimate realization of inventories, the Company is required to make judgments as to future 
demand  requirements  compared  to  current  or  committed  inventory  levels.  The  Company  periodically  reviews  its 
inventories  for  excess  or  obsolescence  and  writes  down  obsolete  or  otherwise  unmarketable  inventory  to  its 
estimated net realizable value. If the actual net realizable value is less than that estimated by the Company, or if it is 
determined that inventory utilization will further diminish based on estimates of demand, additional inventory write-
downs  may  be  required.  Amounts  written-down  due  to  unmarketable  inventory  are  recorded  in  cost  of  precision 
oncology testing and cost of development services and other, as appropriate. 

Property and Equipment, Net

Property  and  equipment  are  recorded  at  cost.  Depreciation  is  computed  over  estimated  useful  lives  of  the  related 
assets using the straight-line method. Leasehold improvements are amortized using the straight-line method over the 
estimated  useful  lives  of  the  assets  or  the  remaining  term  of  the  lease,  whichever  is  shorter.  The  Company 
periodically  reviews  the  depreciable  lives  assigned  to  property  and  equipment  placed  in  service  and  changes  the 
estimates  of  useful  lives,  if  necessary.  Maintenance  and  repairs  that  do  not  improve  or  extend  the  lives  of  the 
respective assets are expensed as incurred.

Estimated useful lives for property and equipment are as follows:

Property and Equipment

Machinery and equipment

Furniture and fixtures

Computer hardware and computer software

Estimated Useful Life

5 years 

7 years 

3 years 

Leasehold improvements

Lesser of estimated useful life or remaining lease term

Asset Acquisition

If an acquisition of an asset or group of assets does not meet the definition of a business, the transaction is accounted 
for as an asset acquisition rather than a business combination. An asset acquisition does not result in the recognition 
of  goodwill  and  transaction  costs  are  capitalized  as  part  of  the  cost  of  the  asset  or  group  of  assets  acquired. 
Transaction  costs  allocated  to  in-process  research  and  development  technology  with  no  future  alternate  use  is 
expensed as incurred. The total consideration is allocated to the various intangible assets acquired on a relative fair 
value  basis.  Cash  paid  in  connection  of  purchase  of  in-process  research  and  development  technology  in  an  asset 
acquisition is presented within the investing section of the consolidated statement of cash flows.

114

Goodwill and Intangible Assets, net

Intangible  assets  related  to  in-process  research  and  development  costs,  or  IPR&D,  acquired  in  a  business 
combination  are  considered  to  be  indefinite-lived  until  the  completion  or  abandonment  of  the  associated  research 
and development efforts. If and when development is complete, the associated assets would be deemed finite-lived 
and  would  then  be  amortized  based  on  their  respective  estimated  useful  lives  at  that  point  in  time.  Prior  to 
completion of the research and development efforts, the assets are considered indefinite-lived. During this period, 
the assets will not be amortized but will be tested for impairment on an annual basis and between annual tests if the 
Company becomes aware of any events occurring or changes in circumstances that would indicate a reduction in the 
fair value of the IPR&D projects below their respective carrying amounts. In connection with the launch of Shield 
LDT in May 2022, the Company's IPR&D of $1.6 million was reclassified as an intangible asset with a useful life of 
2 years.

Goodwill  represents  the  excess  of  the  purchase  price  over  the  fair  value  of  net  identifiable  assets  and  liabilities. 
Goodwill  is  not  amortized  but  is  tested  for  impairment  at  least  annually  during  the  fourth  fiscal  quarter,  or  if 
circumstances indicate its value may no longer be recoverable. The Company continues to operate in one segment, 
which is considered to be the sole reporting unit and, therefore, goodwill is tested for impairment at the enterprise 
level. As of December 31, 2022, there has been no impairment of goodwill.

Intangible assets are carried at cost, net of accumulated amortization. The Company does not have intangible assets 
with indefinite useful lives other than goodwill. Amortization is recorded on a straight-line basis over the intangible 
asset's useful life, which is approximately 2—12 years.  

Impairment for Long-Lived Assets

The Company evaluates its long-lived assets, including property and equipment, finite-lived intangible assets, and 
right-of-use assets, for impairment whenever events or changes in business circumstances indicate that the carrying 
amount  of  the  asset  may  not  be  fully  recoverable.  An  impairment  loss  would  be  recognized  when  estimated 
undiscounted future cash flows expected to result from the use of the asset and its eventual disposition are less than 
its carrying amount. Impairment, if any, is measured as the amount by which the carrying amount of a long-lived 
asset exceeds its fair value.

Post-acquisition Contingent Consideration 

Post-acquisition  contingent  consideration  is  recognized  over  the  service  period,  subject  to  meeting  the  respective 
service requirements and performance metrics. For the year ended December 31, 2022, the Company recorded post-
acquisition  contingent  consideration  expense  of  $5.2  million  in  research  and  development  expenses  on  the 
accompanying  consolidated  statement  of  operations.  The  Company  did  not  record  any  post-acquisition  contingent 
consideration expense for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020.

Leases

The  Company  determines  if  an  arrangement  contains  a  lease  at  inception.  Operating  lease  right-of-use,  or  ROU, 
assets  and  operating  leases  liabilities  are  recognized  based  on  the  present  value  of  the  future  minimum  lease 
payments over the lease term at the commencement date. ROU assets also include any initial direct costs incurred 
and any lease payments made at or before the lease commencement date, less lease incentives received or receivable. 
The Company uses its incremental borrowing rate based on the information available at the commencement date in 
determining the lease liabilities, as the Company's leases generally do not provide an implicit rate. Lease terms may 
include options to extend or terminate when the Company is reasonably certain the option will be exercised. Lease 
expense is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term. The Company also has lease arrangements with 
lease and non-lease components. The Company elected the practical expedient not to separate non-lease components 
from lease components for the Company’s facility leases. The Company also elected to apply the short-term lease 
measurement and recognition exemption in which ROU assets and lease liabilities are not recognized for leases with 
terms of 12 months or less.

115

Convertible Senior Notes

In  accounting  for  the  issuance  of  the  convertible  senior  notes,  the  Company  separated  the  notes  into  liability  and 
equity components. The carrying amount of the liability component was calculated by measuring the fair value of a 
similar liability that did not have an associated convertible feature, using a discounted cash flow model with a risk 
adjusted yield. The carrying amount of the equity component representing the conversion option was determined by 
deducting  the  fair  value  of  the  liability  component  from  the  par  value  of  the  notes  as  a  whole.  This  difference 
represented a debt discount that was amortized to interest expense using the effective interest method over the term 
of  the  notes.  The  equity  component  was  not  remeasured  as  long  as  it  continued  to  meet  the  conditions  for  equity 
classification. In accounting for the transaction costs related to the issuance of the notes, the Company allocated the 
total  amount  incurred  to  the  liability  and  equity  components  based  on  their  relative  fair  values.  Transaction  costs 
attributable  to  the  liability  component  were  netted  with  the  liability  component  and  amortized  to  interest  expense 
using the effective interest method over the term of the notes. Transaction costs attributable to the equity component 
were netted with the equity component of the notes in additional paid-in capital in the consolidated balance sheets. 

Upon adoption of ASU 2020-06, Accounting for Convertible Instruments and Contracts in an Entity’s Own Equity 
on January 1, 2021, the Company reclassified the carrying amount of the equity component of the cash conversion 
feature  including  the  allocated  debt  issuance  costs  from  additional  paid-in  capital  to  convertible  senior  notes,  net. 
Convertible  senior  notes  are  accounted  for  as  a  liability  and  measured  at  their  amortized  cost.  Transaction  costs 
related to the issuance of the notes are netted with the liability and are amortized to interest expense over the term of 
the notes, using an effective interest rate method.

Revenue Recognition

The  Company  derives  revenue  from  the  provision  of  precision  oncology  testing  services,  as  well  as  from 
development services and other. Precision oncology testing services include genomic profiling and the delivery of 
other  genomic  information  derived  from  the  Company’s  platform.  Development  services  include  companion 
diagnostic  development  and  regulatory  approval,  clinical  study  setup,  monitoring  and  maintenance,  testing 
development and support, GuardantConnect and GuardantINFORM. Other revenue includes amounts derived from 
licensing  the  Company's  technologies  and  kit  fulfillment.  The  Company  currently  receives  payments  from  third-
party commercial and governmental payers, certain hospitals and oncology centers and individual patients, as well 
as biopharmaceutical companies, research institutes, international laboratory partners and distributors.

Revenues  are  recognized  when  control  of  services  is  transferred  to  customers,  in  an  amount  that  reflects  the 
consideration the Company expects to be entitled to in exchange for those services. FASB ASC Topic 606, Revenue 
from  Contracts  with  Customers,  provides  for  a  five-step  model  that  includes  identifying  the  contract  with  a 
customer, identifying the performance obligations in the contract, determining the transaction price, allocating the 
transaction  price  to  the  performance  obligations,  and  recognizing  revenue  when,  or  as,  an  entity  satisfies  a 
performance obligation.

Precision oncology testing

The  Company  recognizes  revenue  from  the  sale  of  its  precision  oncology  tests  for  clinical  customers,  including 
certain  hospitals,  cancer  centers,  other  institutions  and  patients,  at  the  time  results  of  the  test  are  reported  to 
physicians.  Most  precision  oncology  tests  requested  by  clinical  customers  are  sold  without  a  written  agreement; 
however,  the  Company  determines  an  implied  contract  exists  with  its  clinical  customers.  The  Company  identifies 
each sale of its test to a clinical customer as a single performance obligation. With the exception of certain limited 
contracted arrangements with insurance carriers and other institutions where the transaction price is fixed, a stated 
contract price does not exist and the transaction price for each implied contract with clinical customers represents 
variable  consideration.  The  Company  estimates  the  variable  consideration  under  the  portfolio  approach  and 
considers the historical reimbursement data from third-party commercial and governmental payers and patients, as 
well as known or anticipated reimbursement trends not reflected in the historical data. The Company monitors the 
estimated amount to be collected in the portfolio at each reporting period based on actual cash collections in order to 
assess  whether  a  revision  to  the  estimate  is  required.  Both  the  estimate  and  any  subsequent  revision  contain 
uncertainty  and  require  the  use  of  significant  judgment  in  the  estimation  of  the  variable  consideration  and 
application of the constraint for such variable consideration. The Company analyzes its actual cash collections over 
the expected reimbursement period and compares it with the estimated variable consideration for each portfolio and 
any difference is recognized as an adjustment to estimated revenue after the expected reimbursement period, subject 
to  assessment  of  the  risk  of  future  revenue  reversal.  For  the  year  ended  December  31,  2022,  2021  and  2020,  the 
Company  recorded  $8.8  million,  $19.3  million  and  $26.0  million  as  revenue,  respectively,  resulting  from  cash 
collections exceeding the estimated variable consideration related to samples processed in previous years, including 
revenue received from successful appeals of reimbursement denials, net of recoupments.

116

Revenue from sales of precision oncology tests to biopharmaceutical customers are based on a negotiated price per 
test or on the basis of an agreement to provide certain testing volume over a defined period. The Company identifies 
its promise to transfer a series of distinct tests to biopharmaceutical customers as a single performance obligation. 
Precision oncology tests to biopharmaceutical customers are generally billed at a fixed price for each test performed. 
For agreements involving testing volume to be satisfied over a defined period, revenue is recognized over time based 
on  the  number  of  tests  performed  as  the  performance  obligation  is  satisfied  over  time.  Results  of  the  Company’s 
precision oncology services are delivered electronically, and as such there are no shipping or handling fees incurred 
by the Company or billed to customers.

Development services and other

The Company performs development services for its biopharmaceutical customers utilizing its precision oncology 
information  platform.  Development  services  typically  represent  a  single  performance  obligation  as  the  Company 
performs a significant integration service, such as analytical validation and regulatory submissions. The individual 
promises  are  not  separately  identifiable  from  other  promises  in  the  contracts  and,  therefore,  are  not  distinct. 
However,  under  certain  contracts,  a  biopharmaceutical  customer  may  engage  the  Company  for  multiple  distinct 
development services which are both capable of being distinct and separately identifiable from other promises in the 
contracts and, therefore, distinct performance obligations. 

The  Company  collaborates  with  biopharmaceutical  companies  in  the  development  of  new  drugs.  As  part  of  these 
collaborations, the Company provides services related to regulatory filings to support companion diagnostic device 
submissions  for  the  Company’s  testing  panels.  Under  these  collaborations,  the  Company  generates  revenue  from 
achievement of milestones, as well as provision of on-going support. For the companion diagnostic development and 
regulatory approval services performed, the Company is compensated through a combination of an upfront fee and 
performance-based, non-refundable regulatory and other developmental milestone payments. The transaction price 
of these contracts typically represents variable consideration. Application of the constraint for variable consideration 
to  milestone  payments  is  an  area  that  requires  significant  judgment.  The  Company  evaluates  factors  such  as  the 
scientific, clinical, regulatory, commercial, and other risks that must be managed to achieve the respective milestone 
and the level of effort and investment required to achieve the respective milestone. In making this assessment, the 
Company  considers  its  historical  experience  with  similar  milestones,  the  degree  of  complexity  and  uncertainty 
associated  with  each  milestone,  and  whether  achievement  of  the  milestone  is  dependent  on  parties  other  than  the 
Company.  The  constraint  for  variable  consideration  is  applied  such  that  it  is  probable  a  significant  reversal  of 
revenue  will  not  occur  when  the  uncertainty  associated  with  the  contingency  is  resolved.  Application  of  the 
constraint for variable consideration is assessed and updated at each reporting period as a revision to the estimated 
transaction price. 

The  Company  recognizes  companion  diagnostic  development  and  regulatory  approval  services  revenue  over  the 
period  in  which  biopharmaceutical  research  and  development  services  are  provided.  Specifically,  the  Company 
recognizes  revenue  using  an  input  method  to  measure  progress,  utilizing  costs  incurred  to-date  relative  to  total 
expected costs as its measure of progress. The Company assesses the changes to the total expected cost estimates as 
well as any incremental fees negotiated resulting from changes to the scope of the original contract in determining 
the  revenue  recognition  at  each  reporting  period.  For  development  of  new  products  or  services  under  these 
arrangements,  costs  incurred  before  technological  feasibility  is  reached  are  included  as  research  and  development 
expenses  in  the  Company’s  consolidated  statements  of  operations,  while  costs  incurred  thereafter  are  recorded  as 
cost of development services and other.

The  Company  also  recognizes  revenue  from  other  development  services,  in  addition  to  companion  diagnostic 
development  and  regulatory  approval  services  noted  above,  such  as  clinical  study  setup,  monitoring  and 
maintenance,  testing  development  and  support,  GuardantConnect  and  GuardantINFORM.  These  revenues  are 
generally  recognized  over  time  based  on  an  input  method  to  measure  progress  in  the  period  when  the  associated 
services have been performed. 

In addition, other revenue includes amounts derived from licensing the Company's digital sequencing technologies 
to its domestic customers and international laboratory partners, and kit fulfillment. For the licensed technology, the 
Company is compensated through royalty-based payments, non-refundable upfront payments, guaranteed minimum 
payments, and/or sample milestone payments. Depending on the nature of the technology licensing arrangements, 
and considering factors including but not limited to enforceable right to payment and payment terms, and if an asset 
with alternative use is created, these revenues are recognized in the period when royalty-bearing sales occur, when 
the  technology  transfer  is  complete,  or  over  the  technology  transfer  period.  Kit  fulfillment  related  revenues  are 
recognized when such products are delivered. 

117

Contracts with multiple performance obligations

Contracts  with  biopharmaceutical  customers  and  international  laboratory  partners  may  include  multiple  distinct 
performance  obligations,  such  as  provision  of  precision  oncology  testing,  the  above-mentioned  development 
services,  and  digital  sequencing  technology  licensing,  among  others.  The  Company  evaluates  the  terms  and 
conditions  included  within  its  contracts  with  biopharmaceutical  customers  and  international  laboratory  partners  to 
ensure appropriate revenue recognition, including whether services are considered distinct performance obligations 
that should be accounted for separately versus together. The Company first identifies material promises, in contrast 
to  immaterial  promises  or  administrative  tasks,  under  the  contract,  and  then  evaluates  whether  these  promises  are 
both capable of being distinct and distinct within the context of the contract. In assessing whether a promised service 
is capable of being distinct, the Company considers whether the customer could benefit from the service either on its 
own  or  together  with  other  resources  that  are  readily  available  to  the  customer,  including  factors  such  as  the 
research,  development,  and  commercialization  capabilities  of  a  third  party  as  well  as  the  availability  of  the 
associated  expertise  in  the  general  marketplace.  In  assessing  whether  a  promised  service  is  distinct  within  the 
context of the contract, the Company considers whether it provides a significant integration of the services, whether 
the  services  significantly  modify  or  customize  one  another,  or  whether  the  services  are  highly  interdependent  or 
interrelated. 

For contracts with multiple performance obligations, the transaction price is allocated to the separate performance 
obligations  on  a  relative  standalone  selling  price  basis.  The  Company  determines  standalone  selling  price  by 
considering  the  historical  selling  price  of  these  performance  obligations  in  similar  transactions  as  well  as  other 
factors,  including,  but  not  limited  to,  the  price  that  customers  in  the  market  would  be  willing  to  pay,  competitive 
pricing of other vendors, industry publications and current pricing practices, and expected costs of satisfying each 
performance obligation plus appropriate margin; or by using the residual approach if standalone selling price is not 
observable,  by  reference  to  the  total  transaction  price  less  the  sum  of  the  observable  standalone  selling  prices  of 
other performance obligations promised in the contract.

Deferred revenue

Deferred  revenue,  which  is  a  contract  liability,  consists  primarily  of  payments  received  in  advance  of  revenue 
recognition  from  contracts  with  customers.  For  example,  development  services  and  other  contracts  with 
biopharmaceutical customers often contain upfront payments which results in the recording of deferred revenue to 
the  extent  cash  is  received  prior  to  the  Company’s  performance  of  the  related  services.  Contract  liabilities  are 
relieved as the Company performs its obligations under the contract and revenue is consequently recognized. As of 
December 31, 2022, the deferred revenue balance was $21.2 million, of which $3.8 million is considered long-term 
and  was  recorded  within  other  long-term  liabilities  on  the  accompanying  consolidated  balance  sheets.  As  of 
December  31,  2021,  the  deferred  revenue  balance  was  $11.3  million.  Revenue  recognized  in  the  year  ended 
December 31, 2022 that was included in the deferred revenue balance as of December 31, 2021 was $7.6 million, 
and revenue recognized in the year ended December 31, 2021 that was included in the deferred revenue balance as 
of December 31, 2020 was $8.3 million, respectively.

Transaction price allocated to the remaining performance obligations

Transaction price allocated to remaining performance obligations represents contracted revenue that has not yet been 
recognized,  which  includes  deferred  revenue  and  non-cancelable  amounts  that  will  be  invoiced  and  recognized  as 
revenues in future periods. The Company expects to recognize substantially all of the remaining transaction price in 
the next 1-2 years.

Costs of Precision Oncology Testing

Cost of precision oncology testing generally consists of cost of materials, cost of labor, including bonus, benefit and 
stock-based compensation, equipment and infrastructure expenses associated with processing test samples (including 
sample accessioning, library preparation, sequencing, and quality control analyses), freight, curation of test results 
for  physicians,  phlebotomy,  and  license  fees  due  to  third  parties.  Infrastructure  expenses  include  depreciation  of 
laboratory equipment, lease costs, amortization of leasehold improvements, and information technology costs. Costs 
associated  with  performing  the  Company’s  tests  are  recorded  as  the  tests  are  performed  regardless  of  whether 
revenue  was  recognized  with  respect  to  that  test.  Royalties  for  licensed  technology  calculated  as  a  percentage  of 
revenues  generated  using  the  associated  technology  are  recorded  as  expense  at  the  time  the  related  revenues  are 
recognized.  One-time  royalty  payments  related  to  signing  of  license  agreements  or  other  milestones,  such  as 
issuance of new patents, are amortized to expense over the expected useful life of the applicable patent rights.

118

Cost of Development Services and Other

Cost  of  development  service  and  other  primarily  includes  costs  incurred  for  the  performance  of  development 
services requested by the Company’s biopharmaceutical customers and other revenues included as noted above. For 
development  of  new  products,  costs  incurred  before  technological  feasibility  has  been  achieved  are  reported  as 
research and development expenses, while costs incurred thereafter are reported as cost of development services and 
other.

Research and Development Expenses

Research  and  development  expenses  are  comprised  of  costs  incurred  to  develop  technology  and  include 
compensation and benefits, reagents and supplies used in research and development laboratory work, infrastructure 
expenses,  including  allocated  facility  occupancy  and  information  technology  costs,  contract  services  and  other 
outside  costs.  Research  and  development  costs  are  expensed  as  incurred.  Payments  made  prior  to  the  receipt  of 
goods or services to be used in research and development are deferred and recognized as expense in the period in 
which  the  related  goods  are  received  or  services  are  rendered.  Costs  to  develop  the  Company’s  technology 
capabilities are recorded as research and development unless they meet the criteria to be capitalized as internal-use 
software costs.

Advertising

The  Company  expenses  advertising  costs  as  incurred.  The  Company  incurred  advertising  costs  of  $8.9  million, 
$2.4 million and $1.2 million for the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020, respectively.

Stock-Based Compensation

Stock-based  compensation  related  to  stock  options  granted  to  the  Company’s  and  the  Joint  Venture's  employees, 
directors  and  nonemployees  is  measured  at  the  grant  date  based  on  the  fair  value  of  the  award.  The  fair  value  is 
recognized  as  expense  over  the  requisite  service  period,  which  is  generally  the  vesting  period  of  the  respective 
awards.  Compensation  expense  for  stock  options  with  performance  metrics  is  calculated  based  upon  expected 
achievement of the metrics specified in the grant.

The Company uses the Black-Scholes option-pricing model to estimate the fair value of stock options granted under 
the 2012 Stock Plan, the 2018 Incentive Award Plan, and the Joint Venture's 2020 Equity Incentive Plan, and stock 
purchase  rights  granted  under  the  2018  Employee  Stock  Purchase  Plan.  The  Black-Scholes  option-pricing  model 
requires  assumptions  to  be  made  related  to  the  expected  term  of  an  award,  expected  volatility,  risk-free  rate  and 
expected dividend yield. The board of directors of the Joint Venture determined the fair value of common stock of 
the Joint Venture. Forfeitures are accounted for as they occur.

For  market-based  restricted  stock  units,  the  Company  derives  the  requisite  service  period  using  the  Monte  Carlo 
simulation  model  and  the  related  compensation  expense  is  recognized  over  the  derived  service  period  using  an 
accelerated  attribution  model  commencing  on  the  grant  date.  Stock-based  compensation  expense  will  be  recorded 
regardless of whether the market conditions are achieved or not. If the related market condition is achieved earlier 
than  its  estimated  derived  service  period,  the  stock-based  compensation  expense  will  be  accelerated,  and  a 
cumulative catch-up expense will be recorded during the period in which the market condition is met.

The Company measures the grant date fair value of its service-based and performance-based restricted stock units 
issued to employees based on the closing market price of the common stock on the date of grant. For restricted stock 
units  with  only  service-based  vesting  conditions,  compensation  expense  is  recognized  in  the  Company’s 
consolidated statement of operations on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period. Compensation expense 
for  restricted  stock  units  with  performance  metrics  is  calculated  based  upon  expected  achievement  of  the  metrics 
specified in the grant, and is recognized in the Company’s consolidated statement of operations using an accelerated 
attribution model over the requisite service period for each separately vesting portion of the award. 

Income Taxes

Income taxes are recorded using an asset and liability approach. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for 
the future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing 
assets  and  liabilities  and  their  respective  tax  bases  using  enacted  tax  rates  in  effect  for  the  year  in  which  the 
differences are expected to affect taxable income. Tax benefits are recognized when it is more likely than not that a 
tax position will be sustained during an audit. Deferred tax assets are reduced by a valuation allowance if current 
evidence indicates that it is considered more likely than not that these benefits will not be realized.

119

The  Company’s  tax  positions  are  subject  to  income  tax  audits.  The  Company  recognizes  the  tax  benefit  of  an 
uncertain tax position only if it is more likely than not that the position is sustainable upon examination by the taxing 
authority,  based  on  the  technical  merits.  The  tax  benefit  recognized  is  measured  as  the  largest  amount  of  benefit 
which  is  more  likely  than  not  to  be  realized  upon  settlement  with  the  taxing  authority.  The  Company  recognizes 
interest  accrued  and  penalties  related  to  unrecognized  tax  benefits  in  its  tax  provision.  The  Company  evaluates 
uncertain tax positions on a regular basis. The evaluations are based on a number of factors, including changes in 
facts and circumstances, changes in tax law, correspondence with tax authorities during the course of the audit, and 
effective  settlement  of  audit  issues.  The  provision  for  income  taxes  includes  the  effects  of  any  accruals  that  the 
Company believes are appropriate, as well as the related net interest and penalties.

Net Loss Per Share Attributable to Common Stockholders

The  Company  calculates  basic  net  loss  per  share  attributable  to  common  stockholders  by  dividing  the  net  loss 
attributable  to  common  stockholders  by  the  weighted-average  number  of  shares  of  common  stock  outstanding  for 
the period. The diluted net loss per share attributable to common stockholders is computed by giving effect to all 
potential dilutive common stock equivalents outstanding for the period determined using the treasury stock method 
or the as-if converted method, as appropriate. For purposes of this calculation, stock options, restricted stock units, 
shares  issuable  pursuant  to  the  employee  stock  purchase  plan,  shares  subject  to  repurchase  from  early  exercised 
options  and  contingently  issuable  shares  under  the  convertible  senior  notes  are  considered  common  stock 
equivalents  but  have  been  excluded  from  the  calculation  of  diluted  net  loss  per  share  attributable  to  common 
stockholders as their effect is anti-dilutive.

3. Joint Venture

In  May  2018,  the  Company  and  an  affiliate  of  SoftBank  formed  and  capitalized  the  Joint  Venture  for  the  sale, 
marketing  and  distribution  of  the  Company’s  tests  generally  outside  the  Americas  and  Europe,  and  to  accelerate 
commercialization of our products in Asia, the Middle East and Africa. 

Under  the  terms  of  the  joint  venture  agreement,  each  party  held  an  approximately  50%  ownership  interest  in  the 
Joint  Venture  and  two  seats  on  the  board  of  the  Joint  Venture.  In  June  2020,  the  board  of  directors  of  the  Joint 
Venture  authorized  the  adoption  of  the  Joint  Venture’s  2020  Equity  Incentive  Plan  pursuant  to  which  4,595,555 
shares of Class B common stock were reserved for issuance.  

Put-call arrangements

The joint venture agreement included a put-call arrangement with respect to the shares of the Joint Venture held by 
SoftBank  and  its  affiliates.  Under  certain  specified  circumstances  and  on  terms  specified  in  the  joint  venture 
agreement, including timely written notice, SoftBank had the right to cause the Company to purchase all shares of 
the Joint Venture held by SoftBank and its affiliates, or the put right, and the Company had a right to purchase all 
such shares, or the call right.

Additionally,  each  of  the  Company  and  SoftBank  may  exercise  its  respective  put-call  rights  for  the  Company  to 
purchase all shares of the Joint Venture held by SoftBank in the event of (i) certain material disagreements relating 
to the Joint Venture or its business that may seriously affect the ability of the Joint Venture to perform its obligations 
under the joint venture agreement or may otherwise seriously impair the ability of the Joint Venture to conduct its 
business in an effective matter, other than one relating to the Joint Venture’s business plan or to factual matters that 
may be capable of expert determination; (ii) the effectiveness of the Company’s initial public offering, a change in 
control  of  the  Company,  the  seventh  anniversary  of  the  formation  of  the  Joint  Venture,  or  each  subsequent 
anniversary  of  each  of  the  foregoing  events;  or  (iii)  a  material  breach  of  the  joint  venture  agreement  by  the  other 
party that goes unremedied within 20 business days. Unless the shares of the Joint Venture are publicly traded and 
listed on a nationally recognized stock exchange, the purchase price per share of the Joint Venture in these situations 
would be determined by a third-party valuation firm on the assumption that the sale is on an arm’s-length basis on 
the date of the put or call notice. 

Prior to the completion of the Joint Venture Acquisition in June 2022, the Joint Venture was deemed to be a VIE, 
and the Company had been identified as the VIE’s primary beneficiary. As the primary beneficiary, the Company 
had  consolidated  the  financial  position,  results  of  operations  and  cash  flows  of  the  Joint  Venture  in  its  financial 
statements  and  all  intercompany  balances  had  been  eliminated  in  consolidation.  The  Company  had  concluded  the 
Joint  Venture  did  not  meet  the  definition  of  a  business  upon  consolidation  as  it  lacked  the  processes  required  to 
generate outputs. Upon consolidation no liabilities were assumed and other than cash, any identifiable assets were 
related to intellectual property rights that the Company transferred to the Joint Venture shortly before it became its 
primary beneficiary and therefore such transfer was treated as a common control transaction.

120

Prior  to  November  2021,  the  noncontrolling  interest  held  by  SoftBank  contained  embedded  put-call  redemption 
features that were not solely within the Company’s control and had been classified outside of permanent equity in 
the  consolidated  balance  sheets.  The  put-call  feature  embedded  in  the  redeemable  noncontrolling  interest  did  not 
require  bifurcation  as  it  did  not  meet  the  definition  of  a  derivative  and  was  considered  to  be  clearly  and  closely 
related  to  the  redeemable  noncontrolling  interest.  The  Company  elected  to  recognize  the  changes  in  redemption 
value immediately as they occur as if the put-call redemption feature were exercisable at the end of the reporting 
period.  The  carrying  value  of  the  redeemable  noncontrolling  interest  was  first  adjusted  for  the  earnings  or  losses 
attributable to the redeemable noncontrolling interest based on the percentage of the economic or ownership interest 
retained in the consolidated VIE by the noncontrolling parties, and then adjusted to equal to its redemption amount, 
or  the  fair  value  of  the  noncontrolling  interest  held  by  SoftBank,  as  if  the  redemption  occurred  at  the  end  of  the 
reporting  date.  The  adjustment  of  redeemable  noncontrolling  interest  was  recorded  as  an  adjustment  to  net  loss 
attributable to Guardant Health, Inc. common stockholders in the Company's consolidated statement of operations.

In November 2021, the Company exercised its call right contained in the joint venture agreement with SoftBank to 
purchase  all  of  the  shares  held  by  SoftBank  and  its  affiliates  in  consideration  for  the  payment  of  the  aggregate 
purchase price to be determined based on an independent third-party valuation. Upon the Company's exercise of the 
call  right  in  November  2021,  SoftBank  no  longer  had  the  option  to  exercise  its  put  right.  In  connection  with 
exercising  the  call  right,  the  Company  reclassified  $78.0  million  from  redeemable  noncontrolling  interest  to 
noncontrolling interest liability.

In June 2022, the Company purchased all of the shares held by SoftBank and its affiliates in consideration for a cash 
payment of the aggregate purchase price of $177.8 million, which resulted in $99.8 million of fair value adjustments 
to the noncontrolling interest liability for the year ended December 31, 2022. 

4. Consolidated Balance Sheet Components

Property and Equipment, Net

Property and equipment, net consist of the following:

As of December 31,

2022

2021

(in thousands)

Machinery and equipment      ......................................................................................... $ 

95,764  $ 

Leasehold improvements      ........................................................................................

Computer hardware     ................................................................................................
Construction in progress(1) 
Furniture and fixtures       .............................................................................................

   ........................................................................................

Computer software       .................................................................................................

99,781 

29,744 

20,598 

8,367 

1,797 

63,022 

38,702 

16,685 

55,873 

3,683 

1,320 

Property and equipment, gross       ........................................................................ $ 

256,051  $ 

179,285 

Less: accumulated depreciation     ..............................................................................

(88,131)   

(54,824) 

Property and equipment, net        ........................................................................... $ 

167,920  $ 

124,461 

(1)  As of December 31, 2022 and 2021, $2.2 million and $45.8 million of construction in progress was related to leasehold improvements, furniture and 
equipment for the office in Palo Alto, California, respectively. Starting from February 2022, part of the Palo Alto office has been put in service and 
related construction in progress has been transferred to fixed assets. 

Depreciation expense related to property and equipment was $33.4 million, $20.2 million and $14.1 million for the 
years ended December 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020, respectively.

121

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Accounts Payable and Accrued Liabilities

Accounts payable and accrued liabilities consist of the following:

As of December 31,

2022

2021

(in thousands)

Accounts payable      ...................................................................................................... $ 

68,911  $ 

Accrued compensation    ..............................................................................................

Operating lease liabilities   ..........................................................................................

Others     ........................................................................................................................

55,788 

21,878 

29,240 

38,517 

42,496 

12,856 

11,492 

Total accounts payable and accrued liabilities     ................................................... $ 

175,817  $ 

105,361 

5. Fair Value Measurements, Cash Equivalents and Marketable Securities

Financial instruments consist of cash equivalents, marketable securities, accounts receivable, net, prepaid expenses 
and  other  current  assets,  net,  and  accounts  payable  and  accrued  liabilities.  Cash  equivalents  and  marketable 
securities are stated at fair value. Prepaid expenses and other current assets, net, and accounts payable and accrued 
liabilities  are  stated  at  their  carrying  value,  which  approximates  fair  value  due  to  the  short  time  to  the  expected 
receipt or payment date.

Fair value is defined as the exchange price that would be received from sale of an asset or paid to transfer a liability 
in  the  principal  or  most  advantageous  market  for  the  asset  or  liability  in  an  orderly  transaction  between  market 
participants  on  the  measurement  date.  The  identification  of  market  participant  assumptions  provides  a  basis  for 
determining  what  inputs  are  to  be  used  for  pricing  each  asset  or  liability.  A  financial  instrument’s  classification 
within  the  fair  value  hierarchy  is  based  upon  the  lowest  level  of  input  that  is  significant  to  the  fair  value 
measurement.

A  fair  value  hierarchy  has  been  established  which  gives  precedence  to  fair  value  measurements  calculated  using 
observable inputs over those using unobservable inputs. This hierarchy prioritized the inputs into three broad levels 
as follows:

Level 1 - Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.

Level 2 - Inputs other than Level 1 that are observable, either directly or indirectly, such as quoted prices for similar 
assets  or  liabilities;  quoted  prices  in  markets  that  are  not  active;  or  other  inputs  that  are  observable  or  can  be 
corroborated by observable market data for substantially the full term of the assets or liabilities.

Level 3 - Unobservable inputs that are supported by little or no market activity and that are significant to the fair 
value of the assets or liabilities.

122

The Company’s financial assets and liabilities subject to fair value measurements on a recurring basis and the level 
of inputs used in such measurements were as follows:

Financial Assets:

Money market funds

U.S. government debt securities

Total cash equivalents

December 31, 2022

Fair Value

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

(in thousands)

$ 

3,104  $ 

3,104  $ 

—  $ 

14,987 

— 

14,987 

$ 

18,091  $ 

3,104  $ 

14,987  $ 

U.S. government debt securities

Total short-term marketable debt securities

$  869,584  $ 
$  869,584  $ 

—  $  869,584  $ 
—  $  869,584  $ 

Long-term marketable equity securities

$ 

18,291  $ 

18,291  $ 

—  $ 

Total

$  905,966  $ 

21,395  $  884,571  $ 

— 

— 

— 

— 
— 

— 

— 

Financial Liabilities:

Contingent consideration

Total

$ 

$ 

6,430  $ 

6,430  $ 

—  $ 

—  $ 

—  $ 

—  $ 

6,430 

6,430 

December 31, 2021

Fair Value

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

(in thousands)

Financial Assets:

Money market funds

Total cash equivalents

$  357,785  $  357,785  $ 

$  357,785  $  357,785  $ 

—  $ 

—  $ 

U.S. government debt securities   

$  440,546  $ 

—  $  440,546  $ 

Total short-term marketable debt securities   

$  440,546  $ 

—  $  440,546  $ 

U.S. government debt securities   

$  698,034  $ 

—  $  698,034  $ 

Total long-term marketable debt securities   

$  698,034  $ 

—  $  698,034  $ 

Total

$  1,496,365  $  357,785  $  1,138,580  $ 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

Financial Liabilities:

Contingent consideration

Total

$ 

$ 

3,625  $ 

3,625  $ 

—  $ 

—  $ 

—  $ 

—  $ 

3,625 

3,625 

The Company measures the fair value of money market funds based on quoted prices in active markets for identical 
securities. U.S. government debt securities are valued taking into consideration valuations obtained from third-party 
pricing services. The pricing services utilize industry standard valuation models, including both income and market-
based approaches, for which all significant inputs are observable, either directly or indirectly, to estimate fair value. 
These  inputs  include  reported  trades  of  and  broker/dealer  quotes  on  the  same  or  similar  securities,  issuer  credit 
spreads; benchmark securities; prepayment/default projections based on historical data; and other observable inputs.

123

 
 
 
 
In July 2022, one of the Company's equity investees completed its IPO, subsequent to which, the Company started to 
account for the investment at fair value on a recurring basis, and classified the investment within Level 1 of the fair 
value hierarchy as the investment is valued using the quoted market price. The Company is subject to a 2-year lock-
up period from the IPO date, during which the Company shall not transfer the investee's shares between accounts, 
establish or cancel pledges, sell, or withdraw such shares, without approval from the local securities and exchange 
commission. As of December 31, 2022 and 2021, the balance of the investment was $18.3 million and $26.1 million, 
respectively, included in other assets, net, on the accompanying consolidated balance sheets. 

There were no transfers between Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3 during the periods presented.

Acquisition-related contingent consideration is measured at fair value on a quarterly basis and change in estimated 
contingent consideration to be paid are included in operating expenses in the consolidated statements of operations. 
The fair value of acquisition-related contingent consideration is estimated using a multiple-outcome discounted cash 
flow valuation technique. Contingent consideration is classified within Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy, as it is 
based on a probability that includes significant unobservable inputs. The significant unobservable inputs include a 
probability-weighted estimate of achievement of certain commercialization milestones, and discount rate to present 
value the expected payments. A significant change in any of these input factors in isolation could have a material 
impact  to  fair  value  measurement.  As  of  December  31,  2022,  the  Company  recorded  contingent  consideration 
liability of $6.4 million, net of payment made in September 2022, of which $4.9 million is considered long-term and 
was  recorded  within  other  long-term  liabilities  on  the  accompanying  consolidated  balance  sheets.  As  of 
December 31, 2021, the Company recorded contingent consideration liability of $3.6 million within other long-term 
liabilities on the accompanying consolidated balance sheets.

As  of  December  31,  2021,  the  fair  value  of  the  noncontrolling  interest  liability  was  considered  to  be  a  Level  3 
measurement  and  was  determined  based  on  an  annual  internal  rate  of  return  of  20%  on  the  initial  amount  of 
$41.0 million invested by SoftBank in May 2018, to the date of Company's exercising the call right in November 
2021. In June 2022, the Company purchased all of the shares held by SoftBank and its affiliates in consideration for 
the  cash  payment  of  the  aggregate  purchase  price  of  $177.8  million,  which  was  determined  by  an  independent 
valuation firm using a combination of the income approach with consideration of discounted future cash flows and 
the  market  approach  with  consideration  of  comparable  publicly  traded  companies.  The  noncontrolling  interest 
liability was fully paid by June 30, 2022.

The following tables summarize the activities for the Level 3 financial instruments for the years ended December 31, 
2022, 2021 and 2020:

Contingent Consideration
Year Ended December 31,
2021

2020

2022

Fair value — beginning of period

Increase (decrease) in fair value 

Settlement

Fair value — end of period

(in thousands)

$ 

3,625  $ 

1,245  $ 

1,365 

4,305 

(1,500) 

2,380 

— 

(120) 

— 

$ 

6,430  $ 

3,625  $ 

1,245 

Noncontrolling Interest 
Liability

Redeemable 
Noncontrolling Interest 
Year Ended December 31, Year Ended December 31,

2022

2021

2021

2020

Fair value — beginning of period

Increase in fair value 
Net loss for the period
Settlement
Reclassification of redeemable noncontrolling interest to 

noncontrolling interest liability

Fair value — end of period

$ 

$ 

78,000  $ 
99,785 
— 
(177,785) 

(in thousands)
—  $ 
— 
— 
— 

57,100  $ 
27,244 
(6,344) 
— 

49,600 
12,934 
(5,434) 
— 

— 
—  $ 

78,000 
78,000  $ 

(78,000) 

—  $ 

— 
57,100 

124

The  Company  considers  the  fair  value  of  the  Convertible  Notes  as  of  December  31,  2022  to  be  a  Level  2 
measurement. The fair value of the Convertible Notes is primarily affected by the trading price of the Company's 
common stock and market interest rates. As such, the carrying value of the Convertible Notes does not reflect the 
market rate. See Note 8, Debt, for additional information related to the fair value of the Convertible Notes.

The following tables summarize the Company’s cash equivalents and marketable debt securities’ amortized costs, 
gross unrealized gains, gross unrealized losses and estimated fair values by significant investment category:

Amortized 
Cost

December 31, 2022

Gross 
Unrealized 
Gain

Gross 
Unrealized 
Loss

(in thousands)

Estimated Fair 
Value

Money market fund   

U.S. government debt securities 

Total

$ 

$ 

3,104  $ 

901,342 

904,446  $ 

—  $ 

8 

—  $ 

(16,779)   

8  $ 

(16,779)  $ 

3,104 

884,571 

887,675 

Amortized 
Cost

December 31, 2021

Gross 
Unrealized 
Gain

Gross 
Unrealized 
Loss

(in thousands)

Estimated Fair 
Value

Money market fund   

U.S. government debt securities 

Total

$ 

357,785  $ 

1,142,172 

—  $ 

2 

—  $ 

357,785 

(3,594)   

1,138,580 

$ 

1,499,957  $ 

2  $ 

(3,594)  $ 

1,496,365 

The following table presents the estimated fair values and gross unrealized losses of the Company's marketable debt 
securities that have been in a continuous unrealized loss position as of December 31, 2022. None of the Company’s 
investments  in  marketable  debt  securities  had  been  in  an  unrealized  loss  position  for  more  than  one  year  as  of 
December 31, 2021.

December 31, 2022

Less Than 12 Months
Gross 
Unrealized 
Loss

Estimated 
Fair Value

12 Months or Greater
Gross 
Unrealized 
Loss

Estimated 
Fair Value

Total

Estimated 
Fair Value

Gross 
Unrealized 
Loss

(in thousands)

U.S. government debt 

securities    ....................... $  170,975  $ 

(2,958)  $  685,754  $ 

(13,821)  $  856,729  $ 

(16,779) 

Total    ....................... $  170,975  $ 

(2,958)  $  685,754  $ 

(13,821)  $  856,729  $ 

(16,779) 

There  have  been  no  material  realized  gains  or  losses  on  marketable  debt  securities  for  the  periods  presented.  The 
Company determined that it did have the ability and intent to hold all marketable debt securities that have been in a 
continuous loss position until maturity or recovery and the loss position was temporary due to market volatility, thus 
there has been no recognition of credit losses in the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020, respectively. 
The  Company  recorded  $7.8  million  unrealized  losses  on  marketable  equity  securities  for  the  year  ended 
December  31,  2022,  included  in  other  income  (expense),  net  on  the  accompanying  consolidated  statement  of 
operations. The Company did not record any unrealized gains or losses on marketable equity securities for the years 
ended December 31, 2021 and 2020.

125

 
 
 
 
 
 
6. Patent License Acquisition

In January 2017, the Company entered into a license agreement with a biotechnology company, KeyGene N.V., or 
KeyGene.  An  arbitration  was  initiated  between  the  parties  in  2018.  In  March  2020,  the  Company  and  KeyGene 
entered  into  a  settlement  and  patent  license  agreement,  or  the  SPLA,  to  resolve  the  dispute  and  to  acquire  an 
extended  worldwide  non-exclusive  license  to  certain  patent  rights  with  respect  to  KeyGene’s  Next  Generation 
Sequencing technologies along with certain covenant rights and research and development technology for a one-time 
payment of $18.5 million, ending all future royalty obligations to KeyGene. This transaction was accounted for as an 
asset  acquisition  as  the  purchase  did  not  meet  the  definition  of  a  business.  The  total  consideration,  including 
$0.6 million of certain capitalizable transaction costs, was allocated to various components of the SPLA.

The Company allocated $9.4 million to the patent and covenant rights granted under the SPLA, which have useful 
lives  in  the  range  of  6-12  years.  The  Company  allocated  $8.5  million  to  IPR&D  technology,  which  have  no 
alternative  future  use  and  was  included  in  research  and  development  expenses  for  the  year  ended  December  31, 
2020. The remaining $1.2 million was allocated to the settlement of the prior dispute between the parties and was 
included in general and administrative expenses for the year ended December 31, 2020.

7. Intangible Assets, Net and Goodwill

The following table presents details of purchased intangible assets as of December 31, 2022 and 2021: 

December 31, 2022

Gross 
Carrying 
Amount

Accumulated 
Amortization

Net Carrying 
Amount

(in thousands)

Remaining 
Weighted-
Average 
Useful Life

(in years)

11,886  $ 

(3,579)  $ 

8,307 

5,100 
1,600 

(2,747)   
(533)   

2,353 
1,067 

7.8

2.9
1.4

Intangible assets subject to amortization:    ................

Acquired license  .................................................. $ 
Non-compete agreements and other covenant 

rights   ..............................................................
Acquired technology    ...........................................

Total intangible assets subject to 

amortization    ..............................................

18,586 

(6,859)   

11,727 

Intangible assets not subject to amortization:     ..........

Goodwill      .............................................................

Total purchased intangible assets   .............. $ 

3,290 
21,876  $ 

— 
(6,859)  $ 

3,290 
15,017 

December 31, 2021

Gross 
Carrying 
Amount

Accumulated 
Amortization

Net Carrying 
Amount

(in thousands)

Intangible assets subject to amortization:    ................

Acquired license  .................................................. $ 
Non-compete agreements and other covenant 
rights     ...................................................................

Total intangible assets subject to 

amortization    ..............................................
Intangible assets not subject to amortization:     ..........
IPR&D     ................................................................
Goodwill      .............................................................

Total purchased intangible assets   .............. $ 

11,886  $ 

(2,473)  $ 

9,413 

5,100 

(1,906)   

3,194 

16,986 

(4,379)   

12,607 

1,600 
3,290 
21,876  $ 

— 
— 
(4,379)  $ 

1,600 
3,290 
17,497 

Remaining 
Weighted-
Average 
Useful Life

(in years)

8.8

3.9

Amortization of finite-lived intangible assets was $2.5 million, $1.9 million and $1.8 million, for the years ended 
December 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020, respectively. 

126

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The following table summarizes estimated future amortization expense of finite-lived intangible assets, net:

Year Ending December 31,

2023

2024

2025

2026
2027
2028 and thereafter

Total

8. Debt

Convertible Senior Notes

(in thousands)
2,747 

2,219 

1,670 

1,212 
1,107 
2,772 

$ 

11,727 

In  November  2020,  the  Company  issued  $1.15  billion  principal  amount  of  its  0%  Convertible  Senior  Notes  due 
2027, or the 2027 Notes. The 2027 Notes do not bear interest, and the principal amount of the Notes will not accrete. 
However, special interest and additional interest may accrue on the 2027 Notes at a rate per annum not exceeding 
0.50% (subject to certain exceptions) upon the occurrence of certain events such as the failure to file certain reports 
to the Securities and Exchange Commission, or to remove certain restrictive legends from the Notes. The Notes will 
mature on November 15, 2027, unless repurchased, redeemed or converted earlier. 

Before August 15, 2027, holders of the 2027 Notes will have the right to convert their 2027 Notes only under the 
following circumstances:

•

•

during any calendar quarter (and only during such calendar quarter) commencing after the calendar quarter 
ending on March 31, 2021, if the last reported sale price of the Company's common stock exceeds 130% of 
the  conversion  price  for  each  of  at  least  20  trading  days  (whether  or  not  consecutive)  during  the  30 
consecutive trading days ending on the last trading day of the immediately preceding calendar quarter, or 
the sale price condition;

during the five consecutive business days immediately after any ten consecutive trading day period, or the 
measurement period, if the trading price per $1,000 principal amount of the Notes for each trading day of 
the  measurement  period  is  less  than  98%  of  the  product  of  the  last  reported  sale  price  of  the  Company's 
common stock on such trading day and the conversion rate on such trading day; or

•

upon the occurrence of specified corporate events

From  and  after  August  15,  2027,  holders  of  the  2027  Notes  may  convert  their  2027  Notes  at  any  time  at  their 
election until the close of business on the second scheduled trading day immediately before the maturity date. 

The Company will settle conversions by paying or delivering, as applicable, cash, shares of its common stock or a 
combination of cash and shares of its common stock, at the Company’s election. 

The  initial  conversion  rate  is  7.1523  shares  of  common  stock  per  $1,000  principal  amount  of  2027  Notes,  which 
represents an initial conversion price of approximately $139.82 per share of common stock. The conversion rate and 
conversion  price  will  be  subject  to  customary  adjustments  upon  the  occurrence  of  certain  events.  In  addition,  if 
certain corporate events that constitute a “Make-Whole Fundamental Change” occur, then the conversion rate will, 
in certain circumstances, be increased for a specified period of time.

127

 
 
 
 
 
 
The Company may not redeem the 2027 Notes at its option at any time before November 20, 2024. The Notes will 
be  redeemable,  in  whole  or  in  part,  at  the  Company’s  option  at  any  time,  and  from  time  to  time,  on  or  after 
November 20, 2024 and on or before the 25th scheduled trading day immediately before the maturity date, at a cash 
redemption price equal to the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid special interest 
and additional interest, if any, to, but excluding, the redemption date, but only if the last reported sale price per share 
of  the  Company’s  common  stock  exceeds  130%  of  the  conversion  price  on  (i)  each  of  at  least  20  trading  days, 
whether  or  not  consecutive,  during  the  30  consecutive  trading  days  ending  on,  and  including,  the  trading  day 
immediately before the date the Company sends the related redemption notice; and (ii) the trading day immediately 
before the date the Company sends such notice. In addition, calling any Note for redemption will constitute a Make-
Whole Fundamental Change with respect to that Note, in which case the conversion rate applicable to the conversion 
of that Note will be increased in certain circumstances if it is converted after it is called for redemption.

If  certain  corporate  events  that  constitute  a  “Fundamental  Change”  occur,  then,  subject  to  a  limited  exception  for 
certain cash mergers, holders of Notes may require the Company to repurchase their 2027 Notes at a cash repurchase 
price equal to the principal amount of the 2027 Notes to be repurchased, plus accrued and unpaid special interest and 
additional interest, if any, to, but excluding, the fundamental change repurchase date. The definition of Fundamental 
Change includes certain business combination transactions involving the Company and certain de-listing events with 
respect to the Company’s common stock.

Since the 2027 Notes were not convertible as of December 31, 2022, the net carrying amount of the 2027 Notes was 
classified as a long-term liability.

The following table sets forth the net carrying amounts of the 2027 Notes as of December 31, 2022 and 2021:

Liability component:

Principal

Less: debt issuance costs, net of amortization

Net carrying amount

As of December 31,

2022

2021

(in thousands)

$  1,150,000  $  1,150,000 

(12,609) 

(15,179) 

$  1,137,391  $  1,134,821 

The total estimated fair value of the 2027 Notes was $0.7 billion and $1.2 billion as of December 31, 2022 and 2021, 
respectively. The fair value was determined based on the closing trading price per $100 of the 2027 Notes as of the 
last day of trading for the period. 

The following table sets forth interest expense recognized related to the Notes:

Amortization of debt discount

Amortization of debt issuance costs

Total interest expense recognized

For the Year Ended December 31,

2022

2021

2020

$ 

$ 

— 

2,569 

2,569 

(in thousands)
$ 

— 

2,564 

2,564 

$ 

$ 

$ 

4,593 

136 

4,729 

Effective interest rate of the liability component

 0.2 %

 0.2 %

 5.2 %

Note Hedges

To minimize the impact of potential economic dilution upon conversion of the 2027 Notes, the Company entered 
into convertible note hedge transactions, or the 2027 Note Hedges, with respect to its common stock concurrent with 
the issuance of the Notes. The 2027 Note Hedges cover, subject to customary adjustments, the number of shares of 
common  stock  initially  underlying  the  Notes.  The  strike  price  of  the  2027  Note  Hedges  will  initially  be 
approximately  $182.60  per  share,  which  represents  a  premium  of  75%  over  the  last  reported  sale  price  of  the 
Company’s common stock of $104.34 per share on November 16, 2020, and is subject to certain adjustments under 
the terms of the 2027 Note Hedges.

128

The  2027  Note  Hedges  will  expire  upon  maturity  of  the  2027  Notes.  The  2027  Note  Hedges  are  separate 
transactions and are not part of the terms of the 2027 Notes. Holders of the 2027 Notes will not have any rights with 
respect  to  the  2027  Note  Hedges.  The  shares  receivable  related  to  the  2027  Note  Hedges  are  excluded  from  the 
calculation of diluted earnings per share as they are anti-dilutive.

As these transactions meet certain accounting criteria, the 2027 Note Hedges are recorded in stockholders’ equity 
and are not accounted for as derivatives. The Company paid an aggregate amount of $90.0 million for the 2027 Note 
Hedges, which has been recorded as a reduction to additional paid-in capital and will not be remeasured. 

9. Leases

The Company has entered into various operating lease agreements for office space, data center, lab and warehouse 
use, with remaining terms ranging from 1 year to 11 years some of which include one or more options to renew. As 
leases  approach  maturity,  the  Company  considers  various  factors  such  as  market  conditions  and  the  terms  of  any 
renewal options that may exist to determine whether it will renew the lease, as such, the Company does not include 
renewal  options  in  its  lease  terms  for  calculating  its  lease  liability,  as  the  renewal  options  allow  it  to  maintain 
operational flexibility and the Company is not reasonably certain it will exercise these renewal options at the time of 
the lease commencement. In July 2020, the Company entered into two lease agreements for additional office space 
in  Palo  Alto,  California,  or  the  Palo  Alto  Lease,  and  in  San  Diego,  California,  or  the  San  Diego  Lease.  The  San 
Diego Lease has a term of 8 years with rent payments commencing in May 2022.  The Palo Alto Lease has a term of 
12  years  with  an  option  to  renew  the  lease  term  for  an  additional  10  years  which  has  not  been  considered  in  the 
determination of ROU or the lease liability as the Company does not consider it reasonably certain of exercising the 
renewal option. After the initial payment of $0.9 million in February 2022, the remaining rent payments for the Palo 
Alto Lease commenced in July 2022. Both leases consist of fixed and variable payments and are being accounting 
for as operating leases. The Company took possession of these facilities in March 2021.  The Company estimated 
the incremental borrowing rate to determine the present value of lease payments for the San Diego and Palo Alto 
leases using trading data of the Company's convertible debt adjusted for credit rating and market yield curves.

Operating lease expense for the year ended December 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020, was $28.6 million, $24.7 million 
and  $5.6  million,  respectively,  which  includes  both  lease  and  non-lease  components  (primarily  common  area 
maintenance charges and property taxes).

Weighted-average remaining lease term (in years)

Weighted-average discount rate

As of December 31,
2021
2022

9.1

 3.93 %

10.0

 4.01 %

The  following  table  summarizes  the  Company's  future  principal  contractual  obligations  for  operating  lease 
commitments as of December 31, 2022:

Year Ending December 31,

2023

2024

2025

2026

2027

2028 and thereafter

Total operating lease payments

Less: imputed interest

Total operating lease liabilities

Finance leases are not material to the Company's consolidated financial statements.

129

(in thousands)

$ 

$ 

$ 

30,361 

32,856 

32,220 

27,715 

24,479 

125,157 

272,788 

(40,895) 

231,893 

 
 
 
 
 
 
10. Commitments and Contingencies

License Agreements

The Company has patent license agreements with four different parties. Under these agreements, the Company has 
made one-time upfront and milestone payments, which it has capitalized and is amortizing to expense ratably over 
the useful life of the underlying patent right(s). Under some of these agreements, the Company is obligated to pay 
low single-digit percentage running royalties on net sales where the licensed patent right(s) are used in the product 
or service sold, subject to minimum annual royalties or fees in certain agreements.

Royalty expenses were included in cost of precision oncology testing on the accompanying consolidated statements 
of operations. The Company recognized royalty expenses of $0.7 million, $0.7 million and $1.1 million, or 0.2%, 
0.2% and 0.4% of precision oncology testing revenue in each period, for the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021 
and 2020, respectively. 

Indemnification Agreements

The  Company  has  entered  into  indemnification  agreements  with  certain  directors  and  officers  that  require  the 
Company, among other things, to indemnify them against certain liabilities that may arise by reason of their status or 
service  as  directors  or  officers.  To  date,  no  such  matters  have  arisen  and  the  Company  does  not  believe  that  the 
outcome  of  any  claims  under  indemnification  arrangements  will  have  a  material  adverse  effect  on  its  financial 
positions, results of operations or cash flows. Accordingly, the Company has not recorded a liability related to such 
indemnifications as of December 31, 2022.

Legal Proceedings

In  addition  to  commitments  and  obligations  incurred  in  the  ordinary  course  of  business,  from  time  to  time  the 
Company may be subject to a variety of claims and legal proceedings, including claims from customers and vendors, 
pending  and  potential  legal  actions  for  damages,  governmental  investigations  and  other  matters.  For  example,  the 
Company has received, and may in the future continue to receive letters, claims or complaints from others alleging 
false advertising, patent infringement, violation of employment practices and trademark infringement. The Company 
has  also  instituted,  and  may  in  the  future  institute,  additional  legal  proceedings  to  enforce  its  rights  and  seek 
remedies,  such  as  monetary  damages,  injunctive  relief  and  declaratory  relief.  The  Company  cannot  predict  the 
results of any such disputes, and despite the potential outcomes, the existence thereof may have an adverse material 
impact on the Company because of diversion of management time and attention as well as the financial costs related 
to resolving such disputes.

The  Company  and  its  affiliates  are  parties  to  the  legal  claims  and  proceedings  described  below.  The  Company  is 
vigorously defending itself against those claims and in those proceedings. Significant developments in those matters 
are described below. If the Company is unsuccessful in defending, or if it determines to settle, any of these matters, 
it may be required to pay substantial sums, be subject to injunction and/or be forced to change how it operates its 
business, which could have a material adverse impact on its financial position or results of operations.

Unless otherwise stated, the Company is unable to reasonably estimate the loss or a range of possible loss for the 
matters described below. Often, it is not reasonably possible for the Company to determine that a loss is probable for 
a claim, or to reasonably estimate the amount of loss or a range of loss, because of the limited information available 
and  the  potential  effects  of  future  events  and  decisions  by  third  parties,  such  as  courts  and  regulators,  that  will 
determine the ultimate resolution of the claim. Many of the matters described are at preliminary stages, raise novel 
theories of liability or seek an indeterminate amount of damages. It is not uncommon for claims to be resolved over 
a  number  of  years.  The  Company  reviews  loss  contingencies  at  least  quarterly  to  determine  whether  the  loss 
probability has changed and whether it can make a reasonable estimate of the possible loss or range of loss. When 
the Company determines that a loss from a claim is probable and reasonably estimable, it records a liability in the 
amount of its estimate for the ultimate loss. The Company also provides disclosure when it is reasonably possible 
that  a  loss  may  be  incurred  or  when  it  is  reasonably  possible  that  the  amount  of  a  loss  will  exceed  its  recorded 
liability.

130

Intellectual Property Disputes

In August 2021, TwinStrand Biosciences, Inc., or TwinStrand Biosciences, and the University of Washington filed a 
patent infringement suit in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware alleging that the Company 
infringes  U.S.  Patent  Nos.  10,287,631;  10,689,699;  10,752,951;  and  10,760,127.  The  Company  answered  the 
complaint in October 2021, denying TwinStrand Biosciences’ allegations and asserted counterclaims of invalidity, 
unenforceability  due  to  inequitable  conduct  and  infringement  of  four  of  the  Company’s  patents.  Discovery  in  the 
case is ongoing and trial is scheduled to commence in November 2023.

In March 2022, Illumina Inc., or Illumina, filed suit in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware 
against  the  Company  and  its  Co-Chief  Executive  Officers,  Drs.  Helmy  Eltoukhy  and  AmirAli  Talasaz,  or 
collectively,  the  Defendants,  alleging  that  Illumina  is  the  owner  of  certain  of  the  Company’s  patents  and  patent 
applications, and that the Defendants allegedly misappropriated Illumina trade secrets. Illumina also alleges that Drs. 
Eltoukhy and Talasaz breached various Illumina employment contracts, company policies, and implied covenants of 
good faith and fair dealing as part of their former employment with Illumina prior to starting the Company. Illumina 
is requesting unspecified compensatory and punitive damages, attorneys’ fees, and specific performance in the form 
of a declaration of ownership and assignment of intellectual property filed for or obtained by the Defendants that 
derives  from  the  alleged  misuse  of  Illumina  confidential  information.  The  Defendants  deny  the  allegations  of 
misconduct,  and  have  moved  to  dismiss  the  complaint,  and  discovery  has  been  stayed  pending  resolution  of  the 
Company's motion. 

False Advertising Dispute

In May 2021, the Company also filed a lawsuit against Natera, Inc., or Natera, in the United States District Court for 
the  Northern  District  of  California,  wherein  the  Company  alleged  that  Natera  is  misleading  healthcare  providers 
about the performance of the Company’s new oncology test, Guardant Reveal, by suggesting the test is inaccurate 
and/or insensitive, and inferior to Natera’s Signatera assay.  The Company is seeking an injunction to prevent Natera 
from continuing to make false and misleading statements and to require Natera to take corrective actions. Natera has 
asserted  counterclaims  of  false  and  misleading  statements,  false  advertising,  unlawful  trade  practices  and  unfair 
competition. The Company moved to dismiss Natera’s counterclaims, and in January 2022, the court granted in part 
and  denied  in  part  the  Company's  motion  to  dismiss.  The  Company  and  Natera  have  both  moved  for  summary 
judgment on various claims and the motions are pending. Trial is scheduled to commence in July 2023.

Civil Investigative Demand

In January 2022, the Company received a Civil Investigative Demand, or CID, from the United States Attorney for 
the Northern District of California in connection with an investigation under the False Claims Act. The CID requests 
information and documents regarding billing of government-funded programs for the Company’s panel of genetic 
tests known as Guardant360. The Company is fully cooperating with the investigation. At this time, the Company is 
unable to predict the outcome of this investigation.

11. Common Stock

The Company’s common stockholders are entitled to dividends if and when declared by the Company’s Board of 
Directors, or the Board of Directors. As of December 31, 2022 and 2021, no dividends on the Company’s common 
stock had been declared by the Board of Directors.

The Company’s common stock has been reserved for the following potential future issuances:

Shares underlying outstanding stock options   

Shares underlying unvested restricted stock units

Market-based restricted stock units    ...........................................................................
Performance-based restricted stock units    ..................................................................

Shares available for issuance under the 2018 Incentive Award Plan
Shares available for issuance under the 2018 Employee Stock Purchase Plan

As of December 31,

2022

3,402,574 

3,687,888 

2,260,764 
341,713 

5,438,296 
1,118,311 

2021

2,624,974

1,498,553

2,260,764
374,596

5,231,624
1,426,264

Total     ..............................................................................................................

16,249,546

13,416,775

131

 
 
 
 
 
 
Follow-on Offering

In June 2020, the Company completed an underwritten public offering, in which it issued and sold 4,312,500 shares 
of  its  common  stock  at  a  price  of  $84.00  per  share.  The  Company  received  net  proceeds  of  $354.6  million  after 
deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and offering expenses payable by the Company.

12. Stock-Based Compensation

2012 Stock Plan and 2018 Incentive Award Plan

In  June  2012  and  September  2018,  the  Company’s  Board  of  Directors  adopted  and  its  stockholders  approved  the 
Company’s 2012 Stock Plan, or as amended and restated, the 2012 Plan, and the Company’s 2018 Incentive Award 
Plan, or the 2018 Plan, respectively, under which the Company may grant cash and equity incentive awards such as 
stock options, restricted shares, stock units and stock appreciation rights to its employees and non-employees. Stock 
options granted may be either incentive stock options or nonstatutory stock options. Shares issued under the 2018 
Plan  may  be  authorized  but  unissued  shares,  or  shares  purchased  in  the  open  market  or  treasury  shares.  Upon 
effectiveness  of  the  2018  Plan  in  connection  with  the  IPO  in  October  2018,  the  2012  Plan  was  terminated  and 
508,847 shares reserved under the 2012 Plan were forfeited. Any outstanding awards granted under the 2012 Plan 
remain outstanding, subject to the terms of the 2012 Plan and applicable award agreement, and further cancellation 
of awards granted under the 2012 Plan are not available for grant in the future. No further grants will be made under 
the 2012 Plan.

132

Stock Option Activity

A summary of the Company’s stock option activity under the 2012 Plan and the 2018 Plan and related information is 
as follows:

Options Outstanding

Shares
Available for 
Grant 

Shares 
Subject to 
Options 
Outstanding

Weighted-
Average 
Exercise 
Price 

Weighted-
Average 
Remaining 
Contractual 
Life (Years)

  2,726,225 

  4,494,889  $ 

10.90 

7.7

Aggregate 
Intrinsic 
Value

(in thousands)
306,392 
$ 

  3,689,000 

— 

(127,590)   

127,590 

— 

  (1,446,843)   

20,370 

(74,455)   

81.78 

6.59 

12.13 

(823,454)   
103,742 

  (3,391,148)   

— 
— 

— 

Balance as of January 1, 2020
2018 Plan annual increase(1)
Granted

Exercised

Canceled

Restricted stock units granted
Restricted stock units canceled
Market-based restricted stock units 

granted

Performance-based restricted stock 

units granted

Balance as of December 31, 2020

2018 Plan annual increase(1)

  1,819,223 

  3,689,000 

(377,922)   

— 
  3,101,181 

— 

15.80 

6.9

350,670 

Granted

Exercised

Canceled
Restricted stock units granted
Restricted stock units canceled
Market-based restricted stock units 

canceled

Performance-based restricted stock 

units granted

Performance-based restricted stock 

units canceled

Balance as of December 31, 2021
2018 Plan annual increase(1)
Granted
Granted in connection with the Joint 

Venture Acquisition

Exercised
Canceled
Restricted stock units granted
Restricted stock units canceled
Performance-based restricted stock 

units granted

Performance-based restricted stock 

units canceled

Balance as of December 31, 2022
Vested and Exercisable as of 

December 31, 2022

(345,774)   

345,774 

119.82 

— 

(693,074)   

65,523 
(873,916)   
315,988 

558,254 

(52,917)   

(128,907)   

— 
— 

— 

— 

— 
56,243 
  2,624,974 
  5,231,624 
  3,689,000 
— 
  (1,051,466)    1,051,466 

(15,128)   

15,128 

— 
56,391 

(228,311)   
(60,683)   

11.19 

47.51 

29.17 

6.5

193,014 

44.86 

4.90 

6.29 
90.84 

  (2,995,533)   
490,525 

(26,935)   

59,818 
  5,438,296 

— 
— 

— 

— 

  3,402,574  $ 

34.34 

6.8 $ 

39,749 

  2,056,695  $ 

19.88 

5.2 $ 

38,837 

(1)

Effective as of January 1, 2020, 2021 and 2022, an additional 3,689,000 shares of common stock became available for issuance under the 
2018 Plan, as a result of the operation of an automatic annual increase provision therein.

133

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Aggregate intrinsic value represents the difference between the estimated fair value of the underlying common stock 
and the exercise price of outstanding, in-the-money options. The total intrinsic value of the options exercised was 
$12.2  million,  $83.5  million  and  $120.0  million  for  the  years  ended  December  31,  2022,  2021  and  2020, 
respectively.

The weighted-average grant date fair value of options granted was $28.61, $70.25 and $48.99 per share for the years 
ended December 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020, respectively.

Future  stock-based  compensation  for  unvested  options  as  of  December  31,  2022  was  $45.0  million,  which  is 
expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 3.0 years. 

On  December  31,  2020,  the  Company  modified  one  of  the  performance  based  awards  issued  to  a  nonemployee 
which resulted in reversal of expense of $0.7 million due to options not vested. There was no such modification in 
2022 and 2021.  

Restricted Stock Units

A  summary  of  the  Company’s  restricted  stock  unit  activity  excluding  the  performance-based  and  market-based 
restricted stock units under the 2012 Plan and the 2018 Plan and related information is as follows: 

Restricted Stock 
Units 
Outstanding

Weighted-Average 
Grant Date Fair 
Value

Balance as of January 1, 2020

Granted

Vested and released

Canceled

Balance as of December 31, 2020

Granted

Vested and released

Canceled

Balance as of December 31, 2021

Granted

Granted in connection with the Joint Venture Acquisition

Vested and released

Canceled

496,131 

823,454 

(97,188) 

(103,742) 

1,118,655 

873,916

(178,030)

(315,988)

1,498,553

2,902,217

93,316

(315,673)

(490,525)

Balance as of December 31, 2022

3,687,888

$ 

82.08 

96.39 

81.43 

79.72 

92.89 

123.36 

92.14 

97.79 

109.72 

45.04 

38.24 

96.36 

90.52 

60.70 

Future stock-based compensation for unvested restricted stock units as of December 31, 2022 was $190.4 million, 
which is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 3.0 years.

Performance-based Restricted Stock Units

Since November 2020, the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors started to approve, and the Company 
started  to  grant  performance-based  restricted  stock  units,  or  PSUs,  under  the  2018  Plan.  The  PSUs  granted  to 
employees consist of financial and operational metrics to be met over a performance period of 1.5 years to 4 years 
and an additional service period requirement of six months to one year after the performance metrics are met. The 
PSUs granted to a consultant consistent of operational metrics to be met over a performance period of 4 years. The 
PSUs  are  expected  to  be  expensed  over  a  period  of  approximately  2.5  years  to  4.5  years  subject  to  meeting  the 
respective performance metrics and service requirements. As of December 31, 2022, a significant portion of these 
PSUs  are  not  expected  to  achieve  the  related  performance  metrics,  and  therefore,  no  stock-based  compensation 
expense was recorded for the PSUs that were not probable to vest.

134

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
A  summary  of  the  Company’s  performance-based  restricted  stock  unit  activity  under  the  2018  Plan  and  related 
information is as follows:

Performance-
based Restricted 
Stock Units 
Outstanding

Weighted-
Average Grant 
Date Fair Value

Balance as of January 1, 2020     ..........................................................................

—  $ 

Granted   .........................................................................................................

Balance as of December 31, 2020      ....................................................................

Granted   .........................................................................................................

377,922 

377,922 

52,917 

Canceled   .......................................................................................................

(56,243)   

Balance as of December 31, 2021      ....................................................................

Granted   .........................................................................................................

Canceled   .......................................................................................................

Balance as of December 31, 2022      ....................................................................

374,596 

26,935 

(59,818)   

341,713 $ 

— 

113.40 

113.40 

135.94 

113.40 

116.58 

37.50 

114.94 

110.64 

Stock-based compensation recorded for the PSUs for the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020 was $1.3 
million,  $1.3  million  and  $0.1  million,  respectively.  Future  stock-based  compensation  for  unvested  PSUs  that  are 
probable to vest as of December 31, 2022 was $2.9 million, which is expected to be recognized over a weighted-
average period of 2.1 years. 

Market-based Restricted Stock Units

In May 2020, the Board of Directors approved and granted 1,695,574 market-based restricted stock units, or MSUs, 
under the 2018 Plan to each of the Company's Co-Chief Executive Officers, which is subject to the achievement of 
market-based share price goals established by the Board of Directors. The MSUs consist of three separate tranches 
and  the  vesting  of  each  tranche  is  subject  to  the  Company's  common  stock  closing  price  being  maintained  at  or 
above a predetermined share price goal for a period of 30 consecutive calendar days. The share price goal can be met 
any time during the seven-year performance period from the date of grant. Upon vesting, the MSUs must be held for 
a period of six to twelve months depending on the time of vesting within the seven-year performance period. The 
vesting of the MSUs can also be triggered upon a change in control event and achievement of a certain change in 
control price goal, or when there is a qualifying termination or in the event of death or disability. Any MSUs that 
remain  unvested  at  the  end  of  the  seven-year  performance  period  will  automatically  be  forfeited  and  terminated 
without further consideration. The following table presents additional information relating to each MSU award:

Tranche

Price Goal

Tranche 1

$120 per share

Tranche 2

$150 per share

Tranche 3

$200 per share

Number of 
RSUs

565,192

565,191

565,191

The grant date fair values of the MSUs were determined using a Monte Carlo valuation model for each tranche. The 
related stock-based compensation expense for each tranche is recognized based on an accelerated attribution method 
over the estimated derived service period. If the related share price goal is achieved earlier than its expected derived 
service period, the stock-based compensation expense will be recognized as a cumulative catch-up expense from the 
grant date to that point in time in achieving the share price goal. The derived service period is the median duration of 
the successful stock price paths to meet the price goal for each tranche as simulated in the Monte Carlo valuation 
model.  The Monte Carlo valuation model uses assumptions such as volatility, risk-free interest rate, cost of equity 
and dividend estimated for the performance period of the MSU. The weighted-average grant date fair value of the 
MSUs was $67.00 per share and the weighted-average derived service period was estimated to be in the range of 
0.83 – 2.07 years. 

135

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
On January 1, 2021, Tranche 1 of the MSUs became vested because it had met both service requirement and market-
based performance metrics as the predetermined share price goal of $120 per share was achieved for a period of 30 
consecutive calendar days. A summary of the Company’s market-based restricted stock unit activity under the 2018 
Plan and related information is as follows:

Market-based 
Restricted Stock 
Units 
Outstanding

Weighted-
Average Grant 
Date Fair Value

Balance as of January 1, 2020     ..........................................................................

—  $ 

Granted   .........................................................................................................

Balance as of December 31, 2020      ....................................................................

Vested and released     ......................................................................................
Canceled (1)

    ...................................................................................................

3,391,148 

3,391,148 

(572,130)   

(558,254)   

Balance as of December 31, 2021      ....................................................................

2,260,764 

Balance as of December 31, 2022      ....................................................................

2,260,764 $ 

— 

67.00 

67.00 

70.58 

70.58 

65.20 

65.20 

(1)

Represented shares withheld by the Company for MSU holders' tax obligation upon release of vested MSUs.

No  MSUs  were  granted,  vested  or  canceled  during  the  year  ended  December  31,  2022.  The  MSUs  were  fully 
expensed  as  of  June  30,  2022.  Stock-based  compensation  for  the  MSUs  for  the  years  ended  December  31,  2022,  
2021  and  2020  was  $16.1  million,  $99.2  million  and  $111.9  million,  respectively,  which  was  recorded  in  general 
and  administrative  expenses  on  the  accompanying  consolidated  statement  of  operations.  Any  MSUs  that  remain 
unvested  at  the  end  of  the  seven-year  performance  period  will  automatically  be  forfeited  and  terminated  without 
further consideration. 

AMEA 2020 Equity Incentive Plan

In August 2020, the board of directors of the Joint Venture approved its 2020 Equity Incentive Plan, or the AMEA 
2020 Plan, under which the Joint Venture may grant equity incentive awards such as stock options, restricted stock, 
restricted stock units, stock appreciation rights and cash-based awards to its employees and non-employees. Stock 
options granted may be either incentive stock options or nonstatutory stock options. Incentive stock options may be 
granted  only  to  employees  of  the  Joint  Venture  or  its  affiliates.  Nonstatutory  stock  options  may  be  granted  to 
employees, directors and non-employee consultants. Stock options may be granted at an exercise price of not less 
than  the  fair  market  value  of  the  Joint  Venture's  common  stock  on  the  date  of  grant,  determined  by  the  board  of 
directors of the Joint Venture. Options generally vest over 4 years and expire as determined by the board of directors 
of  the  Joint  Venture,  provided  that  the  term  of  options  may  not  exceed  10  years  from  the  date  of  grant.  For 
individuals holding more than 10% of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Joint Venture, 
the exercise price of an option will not be less than 110% of the fair market value of the Joint Venture's common 
stock on the date of grant, and the term of the option will not exceed 5 years. A total of 4,595,555 shares of the Joint 
Venture's Class B common stock were initially reserved for issuance under the AMEA 2020 Plan, and the number of 
shares may be increased in accordance with the terms of the AMEA 2020 Plan. 

In June 2022, in connection with the Joint Venture Acquisition, the Company issued a tender offer to purchase the 
Joint Venture's Class B common stock issued and issuable upon exercise of vested Joint Venture's stock options, at a 
price  of  $4.44  per  share  determined  pursuant  to  an  independent  valuation.  In  July  2022,  the  Company  settled  the 
tender  offer  with  the  39  grantees  for  a  total  amount  of  $13.7  million.  In  addition,  in  connection  with  the  Joint 
Venture  Acquisition,  the  unvested  Joint  Venture's  stock  options  were  cancelled  and  such  grantees  received 
replacement awards covering a number of shares of the Company's common stock. The replacement awards, valued 
at  $4.1  million,  are  subject  to  the  same  vesting  schedule  that  applied  to  the  unvested  Joint  Venture's  stock  option 
immediately  prior  to  the  close  of  the  Joint  Venture  Acquisition  transaction,  to  be  recognized  over  a  weighted-
average  period  of  2.2  years.  The  Company  accounted  for  this  as  a  modification  which  resulted  in  an  immaterial 
incremental stock-based compensation expense. After the settlement of the tender offer in July 2022, the Company 
cancelled the AMEA 2020 Plan. 

136

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
A  summary  of  the  Joint  Venture's  stock  option  activity  under  the  AMEA  2020  Plan  and  related  information  is  as 
follows:

Options Outstanding

Shares
Available for 
Grant 

Shares 
Subject to 
Options 
Outstanding

Weighted-
Average 
Exercise 
Price 

Weighted-
Average 
Remaining 
Contractual 
Life (Years)

Aggregate 
Intrinsic Value

(in thousands)

Balance as of January 1, 2020

Shares authorized

—

4,595,555

— $ 

—  

Granted

Canceled

(4,062,224)

4,062,224  

8,889

(8,889)

Balance as of December 31, 2020

542,220

4,053,335  

Granted

Exercised

Canceled

Balance as of December 31, 2021

Exercised

Canceled
Canceled in connection with the 
Joint Venture Acquisition

Balance as of December 31, 2022
Vested and Exercisable as of 

December 31, 2022

(826,667)

826,667  

—

625,375

340,928

(602,408)

(625,375)

3,652,219  

— (2,051,645)

82,407

(82,407)

(423,335)

(1,518,167)

—

— $ 

— 

— 

0.58 

0.58 

0.58 

0.58 

0.58 

0.58 

0.58 

0.58 

0.58 

0.58 

— 

— $ 

— 

0.0 $ 

— 

9.6  

— 

8.8  

— 

0.0 $ 

0.0 $ 

— 

— 

No stock options were granted under the AMEA 2020 Plan for the year ended December 31, 2022. The weighted-
average grant date fair value of options granted under the AMEA 2020 Plan was $0.33 and $0.33 per share for the 
years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively. 

Stock-Based Compensation Expense

The following table presents the effect of employee and non-employee related stock-based compensation expense 
including the Joint Venture:

Year Ended December 31,

2022

2021

2020

Cost of precision oncology testing

Research and development expense

Sales and marketing expense

General and administrative expense

(in thousands)

$ 

5,498  $ 

3,468  $ 

26,630 

25,442 

37,115 

18,907 

15,479 

113,595 

122,971 

1,839 

10,024 

9,279 

Total stock-based compensation expense

$ 

94,685  $ 

151,449  $ 

144,113 

137

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Valuation of Stock Options

The  grant  date  fair  value  of  stock  options  was  estimated  using  a  Black-Scholes  option-pricing  model  with  the 
following weighted-average assumptions including the Joint Venture:

Expected term (in years)

Expected volatility

Risk-free interest rate

Expected dividend yield

Year Ended December 31,

2022

2021

2020

5.50 – 6.10

5.49 – 6.06

5.50 – 6.10

63.3% – 67.6%

63.6% – 66.7%

63.6% – 73.3%

1.9% – 4.4%

0.3% – 1.3%

0.3% – 1.6%

—%

—%

—%

The determination of the fair value of stock options on the date of grant using a Black-Scholes option-pricing model 
is  affected  by  the  estimated  fair  value  of  common  stock  of  the  Company  and  the  Joint  Venture,  as  well  as 
assumptions regarding a number of variables that are complex, subjective and generally require significant judgment 
to determine. The valuation assumptions were determined as follows:

Fair Value of Common Stock

The  fair  value  of  the  Company’s  common  stock  is  determined  by  the  closing  price,  on  the  date  of  grant,  of  its 
common stock, which is traded on the Nasdaq Global Select Market. The grant date fair value of the Joint Venture's 
common stock was determined by the board of directors of the Joint Venture. The grant date fair value of the Joint 
Venture’s common stock was determined using valuation methodologies which utilize certain assumptions including 
probability  weighting  of  events,  volatility,  time  to  liquidation,  a  risk-free  interest  rate  and  an  assumption  for  a 
discount  for  lack  of  marketability.  In  determining  the  fair  value  of  the  Joint  Venture’s  common  stock,  the 
methodologies  used  to  estimate  the  enterprise  value  of  the  Joint  Venture  were  performed  using  methodologies, 
approaches, and assumptions consistent with the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants Accounting and 
Valuation Guide, Valuation of Privately-Held-Company Equity Securities Issued as Compensation.

Expected Term

The expected term represents the period that the options granted are expected to be outstanding and is determined 
using the simplified method (based on the mid-point between the vesting date and the end of the contractual term) as 
the Company has concluded that its stock option exercise history does not provide a reasonable basis upon which to 
estimate expected term.

Expected Volatility

Prior  to  the  commencement  of  trading  of  the  Company’s  common  stock  on  the  Nasdaq  Global  Select  Market  on 
October 4, 2018 in connection with the IPO, there was no active trading market for the Company’s common stock. 
Due to limited historical data for the trading of the Company’s common stock, expected volatility is estimated based 
on  the  average  volatility  for  comparable  publicly  traded  peer  group  companies  in  the  same  industry  plus  the 
Company's  expected  volatility  for  the  available  periods.  The  comparable  companies  are  chosen  based  on  their 
similar size, stage in the life cycle or area of specialty.

The Joint Venture derived the expected volatility from the average historical volatility over a period approximately 
equal to the expected term of comparable publicly traded companies within its peer group that were deemed to be 
representative of future stock price trends as the Joint Venture did not have any trading history for its common stock.

Risk-Free Interest Rate

The risk-free interest rate is based on the U.S. Treasury rate, with maturities similar to the expected term of the stock 
options.

Expected Dividend Yield

The  Company  and  the  Joint  Venture  does  not  anticipate  paying  any  dividends  in  the  foreseeable  future  and, 
therefore, uses an expected dividend yield of zero.

138

Valuation of MSUs

The  estimated  fair  value  of  the  MSUs  was  determined  using  a  Monte  Carlo  simulation  model.  The  valuation 
assumptions used were substantially consistent with the assumption used to value stock options with the exception 
of the following:

Expected Volatility

Due to limited historical data for the trading of the Company’s common stock, expected volatility is estimated based 
on  the  average  volatility  for  comparable  publicly  traded  peer  group  companies  and  implied  volatility  of  publicly 
traded options in the same industry plus the Company's expected volatility for the available periods. The comparable 
companies are chosen based on their similar size, stage in the life cycle or area of specialty.

Expected Term

The expected term represents the derived service period for the respective tranches which has been estimated using 
the Monte Carlo simulation model. 

Risky Rate

The risky rate represents the Company's cost of equity.

Discount for Lack of Marketability

The discount for lack of marketability represents the discount applied for post vest term restrictions and has been 
derived using the Monte Carlo simulation model.

The  following  assumptions  were  used  to  calculate  the  stock-based  compensation  for  MSUs:  a  weighted-average 
expected term of 0.83 – 2.07 years; expected volatility of 65.5%; a risk-free interest rate of 0.53%; a zero dividend 
yield; a risky rate (cost of equity) of 16%; and a discount for post-vesting restrictions of 10.4% – 14.5%.

2018 Employee Stock Purchase Plan

In September 2018, the Company’s Board of Directors adopted and its stockholders approved the 2018 Employee 
Stock Purchase Plan, or the ESPP. A total of 922,250 shares of common stock were initially reserved for issuance 
under the ESPP. Effective as of January 1, 2020, an additional 942,614 shares of common stock became available 
for issuance under the ESPP.

Subject  to  any  plan  limitations,  the  ESPP  allows  eligible  employees  to  contribute,  normally  through  payroll 
deductions, up to 10% of their earnings for the purchase of the Company’s common stock at a discounted price per 
share. The price at which common stock is purchased under the ESPP is equal to 85% of the fair market value of the 
Company’s common stock on the first or last day of the offering period, whichever is lower. The ESPP provides for 
separate six-month offering periods beginning on May 15 and November 15 of each year.

Shares  of  common  stock  purchased  under  the  ESPP  were  307,953,  110,227  and  96,040,  for  the  years  ended 
December  31,  2022,  2021  and  2020,  respectively.  The  total  compensation  expense  related  to  the  ESPP  was  $4.6 
million, $3.5 million and $3.0 million, for the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020, respectively. 

The fair value of the stock purchase right granted under the ESPP was estimated on the first day of each offering 
period using the Black-Scholes option pricing model. The valuation assumptions used were substantially consistent 
with the assumption used to value stock options with the exception of the expected term which was based on the 
term of each purchase period. 

The grant date fair value of the stock purchase right granted under the ESPP was estimated using a Black-Scholes 
option-pricing model with the following assumptions: 

Expected term (in years)
Expected volatility
Risk-free interest rate
Expected dividend yield

Year Ended December 31,

2022

2021

2020

0.50
81.8% – 92.0%
1.5% – 4.5%
—%

0.50
46.5% – 50.8%
—% – 0.1%
—%

0.50
45.7% – 73.2%
0.1% – 0.2%
—%

139

As  of  December  31,  2022,  the  unrecognized  stock-based  compensation  expense  related  to  the  ESPP  was  $2.8 
million, which is expected to be recognized over the remaining term of the offering period of 0.4 years.

13. Net Loss Per Share Attributable to Guardant Health, Inc. Common Stockholders

The following table sets forth the computation of the basic and diluted net loss per share attributable to Guardant 
Health, Inc. common stockholders:

Net loss

Adjustment of redeemable noncontrolling interest
Net loss attributable to Guardant Health, Inc. common 

stockholders, basic and diluted

Net loss per share attributable to Guardant Health, Inc. common 

stockholders, basic and diluted

Weighted-average shares used in computing net loss per share 
attributable to Guardant Health, Inc. common stockholders, 
basic and diluted

Year Ended December 31,

2022

2021

2020

(in thousands, except per share data)

$ 

(654,588)  $ 

(384,770)  $ 

(246,283) 

— 

(20,900) 

(7,500) 

$ 

$ 

(654,588)  $ 

(405,670)  $ 

(253,783) 

(6.41)  $ 

(4.00)  $ 

(2.60) 

102,178 

101,314 

97,504 

Since the Company was in a loss position for all periods presented, basic net loss per share attributable to Guardant 
Health,  Inc.  common  stockholders  is  the  same  as  diluted  net  loss  per  share  attributable  to  Guardant  Health,  Inc. 
common stockholders, as the inclusion of all potential shares of common stock outstanding would have been anti-
dilutive. The following weighted-average common stock equivalents were excluded from the calculation of diluted 
net loss per share attributable to Guardant Health, Inc. common stockholders for the periods presented as they had an 
anti-dilutive effect:

Year Ended December 31,

2022

2021

2020

(in thousands)

Stock options issued and outstanding (1)
Restricted stock units      ........................................................................

MSUs    .................................................................................................

PSUs      ..................................................................................................

ESPP obligation  .................................................................................

Common stock subject to repurchase     ................................................

Convertible senior notes   ....................................................................

Total  ...........................................................................................

2,799 

2,342 

2,261 

354 

105 

— 

8,225 

16,086 

2,715 

1,208 

2,357 

397 

45 

7 

8,225 

14,954 

3,830 

687 

2,031 

60 

37 

18 

961 

7,624 

(1)  Excludes stock options of 3,652,219 and 4,053,335 shares of the Joint Venture's Class B common stock granted under the AMEA 2020 Plan as of 

December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively.

14. Income Taxes

The components of loss before provision for income taxes were as follows (in thousands):

United States

Foreign

Total

Year Ended December 31,

2022

2021

2020

(in thousands)

$ 

(659,757)  $ 

(384,976)  $ 

(246,463) 

6,308 

506 

559 

(653,449) 

(384,470) 

(245,904) 

140

The components of the provision for income taxes are as follows:

Current:

State

Foreign

Total current tax expense

Deferred:

Federal 

State

Foreign

Total deferred tax expense

Total provision for income taxes

Year Ended December 31,

2022

2021

2020

(in thousands)

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

127  $ 

4  $ 

1,248 

118 

1,375  $ 

122  $ 

18  $ 

108  $ 

3 

(257) 

(236)  $ 

1,139  $ 

20 

50 

178  $ 

300  $ 

5 

242 

247 

184 

34 

(86) 

132 

379 

Deferred income taxes reflect the tax effects of temporary differences between the carrying amounts of assets and 
liabilities for financial reporting purposes and the amounts used for income tax purposes. Significant components of 
the Company’s deferred tax assets are as follows:

Deferred tax assets:

Net operating losses carryforwards

Capitalized research and development costs

Property, equipment and intangible assets

Accruals and reserves

Research and development credits

Stock-based compensation

Lease liabilities

Other

Total deferred tax asset

Deferred tax liabilities:

Section 481 (a) adjustment
Right-of-use asset

Other

Total deferred tax liabilities

Less: valuation allowance

Net deferred tax assets

As of December 31,

2022

2021

(in thousands)

$ 

294,757  $ 

232,657 

89,084 

7,422 

12,917 

49,865 

16,507 

59,757 

4,378 

— 

13,233 

10,326 

33,977 

10,217 

59,465 

948 

$ 

534,687  $ 

360,823 

— 

(44,825)   

(316)   

(305) 
(47,130) 

(14) 

(45,141)   

(47,449) 

(489,040)   

(313,125) 

$ 

506  $ 

249 

141

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The following table presents a reconciliation of the income tax expense computed at the statutory federal rate and 
the Company’s income tax expense for the periods presented:

Tax at the statutory federal rate

Other nondeductible items

Stock-based compensation

Research and development credits

Change in valuation allowance

State taxes, net of federal benefits

Other

Year Ended December 31,

2022

2021

2020

(in thousands)

$  (137,276)  $ 

(80,739)  $ 

(51,639) 

1,795 

7,905 

1,399 

1,354 

786 

(13,382) 

(15,738) 

(14,956)   

(7,890) 

175,916 

106,227 

81,395 

(28,522) 

(14,998)   

(11,119) 

(2,941) 

2,013 

2,228 

379 

Total provision for (benefit from) income taxes

$ 

1,139  $ 

300  $ 

The Company’s actual tax expense differed from the statutory federal income tax expense using a tax rate of 21% 
for  the  year  ended  December  31,  2022,  2021  and  2020,  primarily  due  to  the  change  in  valuation  allowance,  state 
income taxes net of federal benefits, research and development tax credits, and stock-based compensation expenses.  

As of December 31, 2022 and 2021, the Company had a net operating loss carryforwards of $1.2 billion and $1.0 
billion for federal purposes, and $871.4 million and $542.0 million for state and local purposes, respectively, which 
may be subject to limitations as described below. If not utilized, these carryforwards will begin to expire in 2031 for 
federal, and 2023 for state and local purposes. Federal net operating losses incurred in 2018 and in future years may 
be carried forward indefinitely, but the deductibility of such federal net operating losses is limited. Some but not all 
states conform to the federal treatment of net operating losses.

As of December 31, 2022 and 2021, the Company had research and development tax credit carryforwards for federal 
tax  purposes  of  $32.7  million  and  $21.4  million,  and  state  research  and  development  tax  credit  carryforwards  of 
$21.8 million and $15.9 million, respectively. The federal research and development tax credit carryforwards will 
expire  at  various  dates  beginning  in  the  year  2032.  The  Company’s  state  research  and  development  tax  credit 
carryforwards do not expire.

Utilization  of  the  net  operating  loss,  or  NOL,  carryforwards  and  credits  may  be  subject  to  a  substantial  annual 
limitation due to the ownership change limitations provided by the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and 
similar state provisions. The annual limitation may result in the expiration of NOL carryforwards and credits before 
utilization. Current laws impose substantial restrictions on the utilization of NOL carryforwards and credits in the 
event of an “ownership change” within a three-year period as defined by the Internal Revenue Code Section 382, or 
Section 382. If there should be an ownership change, the Company’s ability to utilize its NOL carryforwards and 
credits could be limited. The Company has not performed a Section 382 analysis.

Realization of the future tax benefits is dependent on the Company’s ability to generate sufficient taxable income 
within the carryforward period. Due to the Company’s history of U.S. operating losses, the Company believes that 
the recognition of the deferred tax assets arising from the above-mentioned future tax benefits is currently not more 
likely than not to be realized and, accordingly, have provided a full valuation allowance against net U.S. deferred tax 
assets. The net change in total valuation allowance was an increase of $175.9 million, an increase of $188.7 million 
and a decrease of $0.8 million for the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020, respectively.

The Company has not recorded a provision for deferred U.S. tax expense that could result from the remittance of 
foreign  undistributed  earnings  since  the  Company  intends  to  reinvest  the  earnings  in  its  foreign  subsidiaries 
indefinitely.

The  Company  has  made  an  accounting  policy  election  to  treat  Global  Intangible  Low-Taxed  Income,  or  GILTI, 
taxes as a current period expense rather than including these amounts in the measurement of deferred taxes.

Uncertain Tax Positions

The  Company  records  unrecognized  tax  benefits,  where  appropriate,  for  all  uncertain  income  tax  positions.  The 
Company  recorded  unrecognized  tax  benefits  for  uncertain  tax  positions  of  $29.6  million  and  $20.1  million  as  of 
December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively, which, if recognized, would not affect the effective income tax rate due 
to the valuation allowance that currently offsets the deferred tax assets. 

142

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
A reconciliation of the beginning and ending balance of total unrecognized tax benefits is as follows:

Year Ended December 31,

2022

2021

2020

(in thousands)

Unrecognized tax benefits - Beginning of period

$ 

20,100  $ 

11,269  $ 

Increases related to current year’s tax positions

Increases related to prior years’ tax positions

9,233 

301 

8,223 

608 

6,543 

4,666 

60 

Unrecognized tax benefits - End of period

$ 

29,634  $ 

20,100  $ 

11,269 

The  Company’s  policy  is  to  recognize  interest  and  penalties  accrued  on  any  unrecognized  tax  benefits  as  a 
component  of  income  tax  expense.  During  the  years  ended  December  31,  2022,  2021  and  2020,  the  Company 
recognized no interest and penalties associated with unrecognized tax benefits. There are no tax positions for which 
it is reasonably possible that the total amounts of unrecognized tax benefits will significantly increase or decrease 
within twelve months of the reporting date.

Due to the net operating loss carryforwards, all years remain open for income tax examination by tax authorities in 
the United States, various states and foreign tax jurisdictions in which the Company files tax returns. 

15. Employee Benefit Plan

The  Company  sponsors  a  401(k)  plan,  and  pursuant  to  its  terms,  eligible  employees  can  elect  to  contribute  to  the 
401(k)  plan,  subject  to  certain  limitations,  up  to  the  lesser  of  the  statutory  maximum  or  100%  of  eligible 
compensation on a pre-tax basis. For the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020, the Company contributed 
$6.7 million, $4.5 million and $2.8 million, respectively, to match employee contributions as permitted by the plan. 
The Company pays the administrative costs for the plan.

16. Segment and Geographic Information

The Company operates as one operating segment. The Company's chief operating decision makers are its Co-Chief 
Executive Officers, who review financial information presented on a consolidated basis for the purposes of making 
operating decisions, assessing financial performance and allocating resources.

The following table sets forth the Company’s revenue by geographic areas based on the customers’ locations:

Year Ended December 31,

2022

2021

2020

(in thousands)

United States     ...................................................................................... $ 
International(1)     ....................................................................................

420,618  $ 

352,561  $ 

264,657 

28,920 

21,092 

22,073 

Total revenue    ........................................................................... $ 

449,538  $ 

373,653  $ 

286,730 

(1)  No single country outside of the United States accounted for more than 10% of total revenue during each of the years ended December 31, 2022,

2021 and 2020. 

As of December 31, 2022 and 2021, 99% and 98%, respectively, of the Company’s long-lived assets and right-of-
use assets are located in the United States. 

17. Related Party Transactions

As  discussed  in  Note  3,  Joint  Venture,  in  May  2018,  the  Company  and  an  affiliate  of  SoftBank  formed  and 
capitalized  the  Joint  Venture  to  accelerate  commercialization  of  its  products  in  Asia,  the  Middle  East  and  Africa. 
Prior to the completion of the Joint Venture Acquisition in June 2022, the Company had consolidated the financial 
position, results of operations and cash flows of the Joint Venture in its financial statements and all intercompany 
balances had been eliminated in consolidation.

143

Item 9. Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure

None.

Item 9A. Controls and Procedures

Evaluation of disclosure controls and procedures

Our management, with the participation of our co-chief executive officers, or Co-CEOs, and chief financial officer, 
or CFO, has evaluated the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 
15d-15(e) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or Exchange Act), as of the end of the period 
covered by this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Based on that evaluation, our Co-CEOs and CFO have concluded that 
as of December 31, 2022, our disclosure controls and procedures are designed at a reasonable assurance level and 
are effective to provide reasonable assurance that information we are required to disclose in reports that we file or 
submit under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized, and reported within the time periods specified 
in  the  rules  and  forms  of  the  SEC,  and  that  such  required  information  is  accumulated  and  communicated  to  our 
management,  including  our  Co-CEOs  and  CFO,  as  appropriate,  to  allow  timely  decisions  regarding  required 
disclosures.

Management report on internal control over financial reporting

Our management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting, 
as such term is defined in the Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f). Under the supervision and with the participation of our 
management,  including  our  Co-CEOs  and  CFO,  we  conducted  an  assessment  of  the  effectiveness  of  our  internal 
control over financial reporting based on the framework in Internal Control Integrated Framework (2013) issued by 
the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission. Based on the results of our assessment 
under  the  framework  in  the  Internal  Control—Integrated  Framework  (2013),  our  management  concluded  that  our 
internal  control  over  financial  reporting  was  effective  as  of  December  31,  2022.The  effectiveness  of  our  internal 
control  over  financial  reporting  as  of  December  31,  2022,  has  been  audited  by  an  independent  registered  public 
accounting firm, as stated in their report included in Part II, Item 8, “Financial Statements” of this Annual Report 
on Form 10-K.

Changes in internal control

There  was  no  change  in  our  internal  control  over  financial  reporting  identified  in  connection  with  the  evaluation 
required  by  Rule  13a-15(d)  and  15d-15(d)  of  the  Exchange  Act  that  occurred  during  the  period  covered  by  this 
Annual Report on Form 10-K that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal 
control over financial reporting.

Inherent Limitations Over Internal Controls

Our internal control over financial reporting is designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of 
financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with U.S. GAAP.

Our internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that:

(i)  pertain  to  the  maintenance  of  records  that,  in  reasonable  detail,  accurately  and  fairly  reflect  the 
transactions and dispositions of our assets;

(ii)  provide  reasonable  assurance  that  transactions  are  recorded  as  necessary  to  permit  preparation  of 
financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP, and that our receipts and expenditures are being made 
only in accordance with authorizations of our management and directors; and

(iii) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, 
or disposition of our assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.

Management, including our Co-CEOs and CFO, do not expect that our internal controls will prevent or detect all 
errors and all fraud. A control system, no matter how well designed and operated, can provide only reasonable, not 
absolute, assurance that the objectives of the control system are met. Further, the design of a control system must 
reflect the fact that there are resource constraints, and the benefits of controls must be considered relative to their 
costs.  Because  of  the  inherent  limitations  in  all  control  systems,  no  evaluation  of  internal  controls  can  provide 
absolute assurance that all control issues and instances of fraud, if any, have been detected. Also, any evaluation of 
the  effectiveness  of  controls  in  future  periods  are  subject  to  the  risk  that  those  internal  controls  may  become 
inadequate  because  of  changes  in  business  conditions,  or  that  the  degree  of  compliance  with  the  policies  or 
procedures may deteriorate.

144

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

To the Stockholders and the Board of Directors of Guardant Health, Inc.

Opinion on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

We have audited Guardant Health, Inc.’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2022, based on 
criteria established in Internal Control-Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations 
of  the  Treadway  Commission  (2013  framework)  (the  COSO  criteria).  In  our  opinion,  Guardant  Health,  Inc.  (the 
Company) maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 
2022, based on the COSO criteria.

We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United 
States)  (PCAOB),  the  consolidated  balance  sheets  of  the  Company  as  of  December  31,  2022  and  2021  and 
consolidated  statements  of  operations,  comprehensive  loss,  redeemable  noncontrolling  interest  and  stockholders’ 
equity and cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2022, and the related notes and 
our report dated February 23, 2023 expressed an unqualified opinion thereon.

Basis for Opinion

The  Company’s  management  is  responsible  for  maintaining  effective  internal  control  over  financial  reporting  and 
for  its  assessment  of  the  effectiveness  of  internal  control  over  financial  reporting  included  in  the  accompanying 
Management's Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on 
the  Company’s  internal  control  over  financial  reporting  based  on  our  audit.  We  are  a  public  accounting  firm 
registered with the PCAOB and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the 
U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and 
the PCAOB.

We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and 
perform  the  audit  to  obtain  reasonable  assurance  about  whether  effective  internal  control  over  financial  reporting 
was maintained in all material respects.

Our audit included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a 
material weakness exists, testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control based on 
the  assessed  risk,  and  performing  such  other  procedures  as  we  considered  necessary  in  the  circumstances.  We 
believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.

Definition and Limitations of Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

A  company’s  internal  control  over  financial  reporting  is  a  process  designed  to  provide  reasonable  assurance 
regarding  the  reliability  of  financial  reporting  and  the  preparation  of  financial  statements  for  external  purposes  in 
accordance  with  generally  accepted  accounting  principles.  A  company’s  internal  control  over  financial  reporting 
includes  those  policies  and  procedures  that  (1)  pertain  to  the  maintenance  of  records  that,  in  reasonable  detail, 
accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (2) provide reasonable 
assurance  that  transactions  are  recorded  as  necessary  to  permit  preparation  of  financial  statements  in  accordance 
with  generally  accepted  accounting  principles,  and  that  receipts  and  expenditures  of  the  company  are  being  made 
only  in  accordance  with  authorizations  of  management  and  directors  of  the  company;  and  (3)  provide  reasonable 
assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company’s 
assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.

Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. 
Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become 
inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may 
deteriorate.

/s/ Ernst & Young LLP

San Mateo, California
February 23, 2023

Item 9B. Other Information.

None.

145

Item 9C. Disclosure Regarding Foreign Jurisdictions that Prevent Inspections.

Not applicable.

146

PART III

Item 10. Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance

The information required by this Item 10 of Form 10-K will be included in our 2023 Proxy Statement to be filed 
with  the  SEC  in  connection  with  the  solicitation  of  proxies  for  our  2023  Annual  Meeting  of  Stockholders  and  is 
incorporated herein by reference. The 2023 Proxy Statement will be filed with the SEC within 120 days after the end 
of the fiscal year to which this Annual Report on Form 10-K relates.

Item 11. Executive Compensation

The  information  required  by  this  Item  11  of  Form  10-K  will  be  included  in  our  2023  Proxy  Statement  and  is 
incorporated herein by reference.

Item 12. Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder 
Matters

The  information  required  by  this  Item  12  of  Form  10-K  will  be  included  in  our  2023  Proxy  Statement  and  is 
incorporated herein by reference.

Item 13. Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence

The  information  required  by  this  Item  13  of  Form  10-K  will  be  included  in  our  2023  Proxy  Statement  and  is 
incorporated herein by reference.

Item 14. Principal Accounting Fees and Services

The  information  required  by  this  Item  14  of  Form  10-K  will  be  included  in  our  2023  Proxy  Statement  and  is 
incorporated herein by reference.

PART IV

Item 15. Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedules

(a)

(1)

Documents filed as part of this report

All financial statements

See Index to Consolidated Financial Statements in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

(2)

Financial Statement Schedules

All financial statement schedules have been omitted since the required information was not applicable or was not 
present in amounts sufficient to require submission of the schedules, or because the information required is included 
in the consolidated financial statements or the accompanying notes.

(3)

Exhibits required by Item 601 of Regulation S-K

The exhibits listed in the following Index to Exhibits are filed, furnished or incorporated by reference as part of this 
Annual Report on Form 10-K.

147

INDEX TO EXHIBITS

Incorporated by Reference

Exhibit Description

Form

File No.

Exhibit

Filing Date

Filed/Furnished 
Herewith

Amended and Restated Certificate of 
Incorporation

Amended and Restated Bylaws

Description of Registrant’s Securities 
Registered under Section 12 of the Exchange 
Act
Indenture, dated as of November 19, 2020, 
between Guardant Health, Inc. and U.S. Bank 
National Association, as trustee

Amended and Restated 2012 Stock Plan

Form of Notice of Stock Option Grant and 
Stock Option Agreement under the Amended 
and Restated 2012 Stock Plan

2018 Incentive Award Plan

Form of Stock Option Agreement under the 
2018 Incentive Award Plan

Form of Restricted Stock Award Agreement 
under the 2018 Incentive Award Plan

Form of Restricted Stock Unit Award 
Agreement under the 2018 Incentive Award 
Plan
Forms of Performance-Based Restricted Stock 
Unit Award Agreement under the 2018 
Incentive Award Plan

8-K

8-K

001-38683

001-38683

3.1

3.2

10/9/2018

10/9/2018

10-K

001-38683

4.1

3/2/2020

8-K

S-1

S-1

S-8

001-38683

4.1

11/20/2020

333-227206

10.3

9/6/2018

333-227206

10.4

9/6/2018

333-227762

99.2(a)

10/10/2018

S-1/A 333-227206

10.9(a)

9/21/2018

S-1/A 333-227206

10.9(b)

9/21/2018

S-1/A 333-227206

10.9(c)

9/21/2018

10-K

001-38683

10.3(d)

2/25/2021

Exhibit 
Number

3.1

3.2

4.1

4.2

10.1#

10.1(a)#

10.2#

10.2(a)#

10.2(b)#

10.2(c)#

10.2(d)#

10.3#

2018 Employee Stock Purchase Plan

S-8

333-227762

99.3

10/10/2018

10.3(a)#

10.4#

First Amendment to 2018 Employee Stock 
Purchase Plan

10-K

001-38683

10.4(a)

3/29/2019

Executive Severance Plan

S-1/A 333-227206

10.13

9/21/2018

10.4(a)#

First Amendment to Executive Severance Plan

10-K

001-38683

10.5(a)

3/29/2019

10.5#

Non-Employee Director Compensation 
Program, effective as of June 12, 2020

10-Q

001-38683

10.1

8/6/2020

Form of Indemnification Agreement between 
Guardant Health, Inc. and its directors and 
officers

Lease, dated November 1, 2014, by and 
between the Registrant and Metropolitan Life 
Insurance Company

First Amendment to Lease, dated October 17, 
2017, by and between the Registrant and 
Metropolitan Life Insurance Company
Sublease Agreement, dated July 31, 2020, by 
and between Guardant Health, Inc. and 3000 
Hanover, LLC

Supply Agreement, dated September 15, 2014, 
by and between the Registrant and Illumina, 
Inc.

Amendment to Supply Agreement, dated 
August 11, 2015, by and between the Registrant 
and Illumina, Inc.

Amendment #2 to Supply Agreement, dated 
December 24, 2016, by and between the 
Registrant and Illumina, Inc.

Amendment #3 to Supply Agreement, dated 
August 14, 2017, by and between the Registrant 
and Illumina, Inc.

Amendment #4 to Supply Agreement, dated 
June 26, 2018, by and between the Registrant 
and Illumina, Inc.

S-1/A 333-227206

10.8

9/18/2018

S-1

333-227206

10.2

9/6/2018

S-1

333-227206

10.2(a)

9/6/2018

10-Q

001-38683

10.1

11/5/2020

S-1

333-227206

10.7

9/6/2018

S-1

333-227206

10.7(a)

9/6/2018

S-1

333-227206

10.7(b)

9/6/2018

S-1

333-227206

10.7(c)

9/6/2018

S-1

333-227206

10.7(d)

9/6/2018

10.6

10.7

10.8

10.9

10.10§

10.11§

10.12§

10.13§

10.14§

148

Exhibit 
Number

10.15§

10.16#
10.17#
10.18

21.1

23.1

24.1

31.1

31.2

31.3

32.1

32.2

32.3

101.INS

101.SCH

101.CAL

101.DEF

101.LAB

101.PRE

104

Exhibit Description

Form

File No.

Exhibit

Filing Date

Filed/Furnished 
Herewith

Incorporated by Reference

Amendment #5 to Supply Agreement, dated 
January 1, 2021, by and between the Registrant 
and Illumina, Inc.

Form of letter agreement relating to certain 
time-based equity awards held by Helmy 
Eltoukhy and AmirAli Talasaz
Form of Waiver Letter Agreement
Form of Capped Call Confirmation

List of Subsidiaries

Consent of Independent Registered Public 
Accounting Firm

Power of Attorney (included on the signatures 
page of this Annual Report on Form 10-K)

Certification of the Co-Chief Executive Officer 
pursuant to Rules 13a-14(a) and 15d-14(a) 
under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as 
adopted pursuant to Section 302 of the 
Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

Certification of the Co-Chief Executive Officer 
pursuant to Rules 13a-14(a) and 15d-14(a) 
under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as 
adopted pursuant to Section 302 of the 
Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

Certification of the Chief Financial Officer 
pursuant to Rules 13a-14(a) and 15d-14(a) 
under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as 
adopted pursuant to Section 302 of the 
Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

Certification of the Co-Chief Executive Officer 
pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted 
pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley 
Act of 2002

Certification of the Co-Chief Executive Officer 
pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted 
pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley 
Act of 2002

Certification of the Chief Financial Officer 
pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted 
pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley 
Act of 2002

Inline XBRL Instance Document - the instance 
document does not appear in the Interactive 
Data File because its XBRL tags are embedded 
within the Inline XBRL document

Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema 
Document

Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation 
Linkbase Document

Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition 
Linkbase Document

Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Label 
Linkbase Document

Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension 
Presentation Linkbase Document
Cover Page Interactive Data File (formatted as 
inline XBRL with applicable taxonomy 
extension information contained in Exhibits 
101)

10-K

001-38683

10.19

2/25/2021

10-K
8-K
8-K

001-38683
001-38683
001-38683

10.19
10.2
10.1

3/29/2019
5/27/2020
11/20/2020

*

*

*

*

*

*

**

**

**

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

___________________________
Filed herewith.
*
Furnished herewith.
** 
Indicates management contract or compensatory plan.
# 

149

§ 

Portions  of  this  exhibit  (indicated  by  asterisks)  have  been  omitted  pursuant  to,  a  request  for  confidential 
treatment  pursuant  to  Rule  24b-2  under  the  Securities  Exchange  Act  of  1934,  as  amended,  or  Item 
601(a)(5) of Regulation S-K.

Item 16. Form 10-K Summary

None.

150

Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly 
caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

SIGNATURES

Dated:

February 23, 2023

GUARDANT HEALTH, INC.

By:

/s/ Helmy Eltoukhy

Name: Helmy Eltoukhy

Title:

Co-Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board

By:

/s/ AmirAli Talasaz

Name: AmirAli Talasaz

Title:

Co-Chief Executive Officer and Director

Power of Attorney

KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below constitutes and 
appoints Helmy Eltoukhy and AmirAli Talasaz, his or her attorneys-in-fact, each with the power of substitution, for 
him or her in any and all capacities, to sign any amendments to this Annual Report on Form 10-K, and to file the 
same,  with  exhibits  thereto  and  other  documents  in  connection  therewith,  with  the  Securities  and  Exchange 
Commission, hereby ratifying and confirming all that each of said attorneys-in-fact, or his substitute or substitutes, 
may do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

Pursuant  to  the  requirements  of  the  Securities  Exchange  Act  of  1934,  this  report  has  been  signed  below  by  the 
following persons on behalf of the Registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated:

151

Signature

/s/ Helmy Eltoukhy
Helmy Eltoukhy

/s/ AmirAli Talasaz
AmirAli Talasaz

/s/ Michael Bell
Michael Bell

/s/ Ian Clark
Ian Clark

/s/ Vijaya Gadde
Vijaya Gadde

/s/ Steve Krognes
Steve Krognes

/s/ Meghan Joyce
Meghan Joyce

/s/ Samir Kaul
Samir Kaul

/s/ Myrtle Potter
Myrtle Potter

Title
Co-Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board
(Principal Executive Officer)

Date
February 23, 2023

Co-Chief Executive Officer and Director 
(Principal Executive Officer)

February 23, 2023

Chief Financial Officer
(Principal Accounting Officer and Principal Financial Officer)

February 23, 2023

Director

Director

Director

Director

Director

Director

February 23, 2023

February 23, 2023

February 23, 2023

February 23, 2023

February 23, 2023

February 23, 2023

152

CORPORATE 
INFORMATION

Common Stock 
Guardant Health, Inc. common stock 
is listed on the Nasdaq Global Select 
Market (ticker symbol “GH”)

Investor Relations
Quarterly and annual reports as  
well as other corporate documents  
are available on our website at  
https://investors.guardanthealth.com/. 

2023 Annual  
Stockholder Meeting
Guardant Health, Inc.’s 2023 Annual 
Meeting will be held on Wednesday, 
June 14, 2023, at 9:30am Pacific Time 
via live webcast that will be available at
virtualshareholdermeeting.com/GH2023

DIRECTORS  
AND OFFICERS 

Board of Directors

Helmy Eltoukhy, Ph.D. 
Chairperson of the Board, 
Co-Chief Executive Officer, 
Guardant Health, Inc.

AmirAli Talasaz, Ph.D.
Co-Chief Executive Officer, 
Guardant Health, Inc.

Ian Clark
Former Chief Executive Officer,
Genentech Inc.

Vijaya Gadde
Former Chief Legal Officer,
Twitter, Inc.

Meghan Joyce
Independent Advisor

Samir Kaul
General Partner,
Khosla Ventures

Steve Krognes 
Former Chief Financial Officer,
Denali Therapeutics Inc.

Myrtle Potter
Chief Executive Officer, 
Sumitovant Biopharma, Inc.

Musa Tariq
Chief Marketing Officer,
GoFundMe

Corporate Officers

Helmy Eltoukhy, Ph.D.
Chairperson of the Board, 
Co-Chief Executive Officer, 

AmirAli Talasaz, Ph.D.
Co-Chief Executive Officer, 
Guardant Health, Inc.

Michael Bell 
Chief Financial Officer

Craig Eagle, M.D. 
Chief Medical Officer

Christopher Freeman 
Chief Commercial Officer 

Kumud Kalia
Chief Information Officer and Chief 
Operating Officer, Oncology

John Saia
Chief Legal Officer and 
Corporate Secretary

Andy Ament
Senior Vice President, Operations

Darya Chudova
Senior Vice President,
Technology

Bill Getty
Senior Vice President, Commercial 
Screening

Amelia Merrill 
Senior Vice President, People

Darl Moreland
Senior Vice President, 
Regulatory & Quality 

Jennifer Higgins
Vice President,  
Public Affairs

GUARDANT HEALTH, INC.
3100 Hanover Street
Palo Alto, CA 94304
guardanthealth.com