UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 10-K
(Mark One)
(cid:0) ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021
or
(cid:0) TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the transition period from to
Commission File No. 001-38800
Harpoon Therapeutics, Inc.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
47-3458693
(I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)
131 Oyster Point Blvd, Suite 300
South San Francisco, CA 94080
(Address of principal executive offices)
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (650) 443-7400
SECURITIES REGISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(b) OF THE ACT:
Title of Each Class
Common Stock, par value $0.0001 per share
Trading Symbol(s)
HARP
Name of Each Exchange On Which Registered
NASDAQ Global Select Market
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes ☐ No ☒
SECURITIES REGISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(g) OF THE ACT: NONE
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act. 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, smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth
company. See 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
☐
Accelerated filer
☐
Non-accelerated filer
Emerging growth company
(cid:0)
(cid:0)
Smaller reporting company
(cid:0)
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.
Yes ☐ No (cid:0)
Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). YES (cid:0) NO (cid:0)
The aggregate market value of the voting and non-voting common equity held by non-affiliates of the Registrant, based on the closing price of the shares of common
stock on The Nasdaq Stock Market on June 30, 2021, was $263,042,761.
The number of outstanding shares of the Registrant’s common stock, par value $0.0001, as of February 28, 2022 was 32,961,664.
DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
Portions of the definitive proxy statement, or the Proxy Statement, for the 2022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders of the registrant are incorporated by reference into Part III of this Annual
Report on Form 10-K. The Proxy Statement will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission within 120 days of the registrant’s fiscal year ended December 31, 2021
PART I
Item 1.
Item 1A.
Item 1B.
Item 2.
Item 3.
Item 4.
PART II
Item 5.
Item 6.
Item 7.
Item 7A.
Item 8.
Item 9.
Item 9A.
Item 9B.
Item 9C.
PART III
Item 10.
Item 11.
Item 12.
Item 13.
Item 14.
PART IV
Item 15.
Item 16
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Business
Risk Factors
Unresolved Staff Comments
Properties
Legal Proceedings
Mine Safety Disclosures
Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities
[Reserved]
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk
Financial Statements and Supplementary Data
Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure
Controls and Procedures
Other Information
Disclosure Regarding Foreign Jurisdictions that Prevent Inspections
Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance
Executive Compensation
Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters
Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence
Principal Accountant Fees and Services
Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules
Exhibit Index
Form 10-K Summary
Signatures
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SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This Annual Report on Form 10-K contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. All statements other than statements of
historical facts contained in this Annual Report on Form 10-K are forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements
by words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “contemplate,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,”
“project,” “seek,” “should,” “target,” “will” or “would,” or the negative of these words or other comparable terminology. These forward-looking statements
include, but are not limited to, statements about:
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the timing of the initiation, progress and expected results of our preclinical studies, clinical trials and our research and development
programs, as affected by various factors, including patient enrollment, rate of dose escalation and available drug supply, including impacts on
the manufacturing supply chain due to the COVID-19 pandemic;
our ability to advance product candidates into, and successfully complete, preclinical studies and clinical trials;
the timing or likelihood of regulatory filings and approvals;
the commercialization of our product candidates, if approved;
the pricing, coverage and reimbursement of our product candidates, if approved;
the implementation of our business model, strategic plans for our business and product candidates;
the scope of protection we are able to establish and maintain for intellectual property rights covering our technology platforms, including
TriTAC, ProTriTAC and TriTAC-XR, and our product candidates, including the projected terms of patent protection;
our ability to enter into strategic arrangements and/or collaborations and the potential benefits of such arrangements;
our ability to retain the continued service of our key executives and to identify, hire and retain additional qualified professionals;
our estimates regarding the market opportunity for our product candidates;
our estimates regarding expenses, capital requirements and needs for additional financing and our ability to obtain additional capital;
our financial performance;
the potential effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business and operations, including impacts on the manufacturing supply chain,
results of operations and financial performance; and
developments relating to our competitors and our industry, including competing therapies.
These forward-looking statements are based on our management’s current expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections about our business and
the industry in which we operate, and management’s beliefs and assumptions and are not guarantees of future performance or development. These forward-
looking statements are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including those described in the “Risk Factor Summary” below and
under the heading “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Moreover, we operate in a very competitive and rapidly changing
environment, and new risks emerge from time to time. It is not possible for our management to predict all risks, nor can we assess the impact of all factors
on our business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any
forward-looking statements we may make. In light of these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, the forward-looking events and circumstances discussed in
this annual report may not occur and actual results could differ materially and adversely from those anticipated or implied in the forward-looking
statements.
In addition, statements that “we believe” and similar statements reflect our beliefs and opinions on the relevant subject. These statements are based
on information available to us as of the date of this report. While we believe that information provides a reasonable basis for these statements, that
information may be limited or incomplete. Our statements should not be read to indicate that we have conducted an exhaustive inquiry into, or review of,
all relevant information.
You should not rely upon forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the
forward-looking statements are reasonable, we cannot guarantee that the future results, levels of activity, performance, or events and circumstances
reflected in the forward-looking statements will be achieved or occur. We undertake no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements for
any reason after the date of this report to conform these statements to new information, actual results or changes in our expectations, except as required by
law.
Unless the context otherwise requires, references in this Annual Report on Form 10-K to the “company,” “Harpoon,” “we,” “us” and “our” refer to
Harpoon Therapeutics, Inc.“TriTAC” is a registered trademark and “Harpoon Therapeutics,” “Harpoon,” the Harpoon logo and ProTriTAC are among
the trademarks owned by Harpoon Therapeutics, Inc. This report also contains trademarks and trade names that are property of their respective owners.
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Investing in common stock involves numerous risks, including the risks described in “Item 1A. Risk Factors” of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Below
are some of these risks, any one of which could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.
RISK FACTOR SUMMARY
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All of our product candidates are in preclinical or early-stage clinical development. Clinical drug development is a lengthy and expensive
process with uncertain timelines and uncertain outcomes. If clinical trials of our product candidates are prolonged or delayed, we or any
collaborators may be unable to obtain required regulatory approvals, and therefore may be unable to commercialize our product candidates
on a timely basis or at all.
Interim, topline or preliminary data from our clinical trials 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.
Our TriTAC, ProTriTAC and TriTAC-XR platforms are unproven, novel classes of T cell engagers and may not result in approvable or
marketable products, which exposes us to unforeseen risks and makes it difficult for us to predict the time and cost of product development
and potential for regulatory approval.
Results of earlier preclinical studies of our product candidates may not be predictive of future trial results.
We depend on enrollment of patients in our clinical trials for our product candidates. If we experience delays or difficulties enrolling in our
clinical trials, our research and development efforts and business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially adversely
affected.
We may not have sufficient supply of HPN328, which could temporarily delay generating additional dose escalation data in that program.
Our product candidates may have serious adverse, undesirable or unacceptable side effects or other properties which may delay or prevent
marketing approval. If such side effects are identified during the development of our product candidates or following approval, if any, we
may need to abandon our development of such product candidates, the commercial profile of any approved label may be limited, or we may
be subject to other significant negative consequences following marketing approval, if any.
Monitoring safety of patients receiving our product candidates is challenging, which could adversely affect our ability to obtain regulatory
approval and commercialize.
We may not be successful in our efforts to use and expand our technology platforms, including TriTAC, ProTriTAC and TriTAC-XR to build
a pipeline of product candidates.
We are an early clinical-stage company and have incurred significant losses since our inception. We expect to incur losses for the foreseeable
future and may never achieve or maintain profitability.
We will require additional funding in order to complete development of our product candidates and commercialize our products, if approved.
If we are unable to raise capital when needed, we could be forced to delay, reduce or eliminate our product development programs or
commercialization efforts.
We depend heavily on the success of our current product candidates, and we cannot guarantee that any of these product candidates will
receive regulatory approval, which is necessary before they can be commercialized. If we, or any strategic partners we may enter into
collaboration agreements with for the development and commercialization of our product candidates, are unable to commercialize our
product candidates, or experience significant delays in doing so, our business, financial condition and results of operations will be materially
adversely affected.
Our limited operating history may make it difficult for you to evaluate the success of our business to date and to assess our future viability.
Raising additional capital may cause dilution to our stockholders, restrict our operations or require us to relinquish rights to our technologies
or product candidates.
Our business operations and current and future relationships with healthcare professionals, principal investigators, consultants, vendors,
customers and third-party payors in the United States and elsewhere are subject to applicable anti-kickback, fraud and abuse, false claims,
physician payment transparency, information privacy and security and other healthcare laws and regulations, which could expose us to
substantial penalties.
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The development and commercialization of biopharmaceutical products is subject to extensive regulation, and the regulatory approval
processes of the United States Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, and comparable foreign authorities are lengthy, time consuming and
inherently unpredictable. If we are ultimately unable to obtain regulatory approval for our product candidates on a timely basis if at all, our
business will be substantially harmed.
We are subject to stringent and changing obligations related to data privacy and security. Our actual or perceived failure to comply with such
obligations could lead to regulatory investigations or actions; litigation; fines and penalties; disruptions of our business operations;
reputational harm; loss of revenues or profits; increases in the costs of our products; reductions in the use or adoption of our products; and
other adverse business consequences.
Please refer to the section titled “Risk Factors” below for additional discussion of the risks summarized in this risk factor summary, as well as other
risks that we face.
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Item 1. Business.
Overview
PART I
We are a clinical-stage immunotherapy company developing a novel class of T cell engagers that harness the power of the body’s immune system to
treat patients suffering from cancer and other diseases. T cell engagers are engineered proteins that direct a patient’s own T cells to kill target cells that
express specific proteins, or antigens, carried by the target cells. We are developing a pipeline of novel T cell engagers using our proprietary TriTACs,
initially focused on the treatment of solid tumors and hematologic malignancies. We have nominated our first clinical candidate using our proprietary
ProTriTAC platform, a prodrug version of our TriTAC platform, designed to expand the target space for T cell engagers and bring the benefits of TriTACs
to a broader number of patients. We also recently introduced our TriTAC-XR platform, which is designed to minimize cytokine release syndrome by
releasing an active drug from an inactive prodrug, thus introducing an element of temporal control to TriTAC activation.
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A summary of our TriTAC product candidates are as follows:
HPN328, currently in a Phase 1/2 clinical trial for the treatment of small cell lung cancer, or SCLC, and other DLL3-expressing tumors. In
March 2022, we received orphan drug designation for the treatment of SCLC. We plan to present initial interim clinical data in 2022. We intend
to identify a recommended Phase 2 dose by the end of 2022.
HPN217, currently in a Phase 1/2 clinical trial targeting B-cell maturation antigen, or BCMA, for the treatment of multiple myeloma, and the
subject of a Development and Option Agreement with AbbVie Biotechnology Ltd., or AbbVie. Under our agreement with AbbVie, we are
responsible for conducting the Phase 1/2 clinical trial of HPN217 and we have already received an upfront payment of $30 million and a
development milestone payment of $50 million, as we dosed our first patient in the Phase 1/2 clinical trial of HPN217 in April 2020.
Additionally, we are eligible to receive future payments totaling up to $430 million upon AbbVie’s exercise of an exclusive license option and
achievement of certain development, regulatory, and commercial milestones, in addition to receipt of royalties on commercial sales. In January
2021, HPN217 received orphan drug designation for the treatment of multiple myeloma. In March 2022, HPN217 received fast track designation
for the treatment of relapsed, refractory multiple myeloma. We intend to identify a recommended Phase 2 dose for an expansion phase in the
first half of 2022.
HPN536, currently in the dose-escalation portion of a Phase 1/2a clinical trial for the treatment of ovarian and pancreatic cancers and other
mesothelin-, or MSLN-, expressing solid tumors.
On March 10, 2022, we announced the discontinuation of our clinical development program for HPN424, our PSMA-targeting TriTAC, and will
prioritize our resources to our other clinical programs for the remainder of 2022. We have explored HPN424 in the dose-escalation portion of a
Phase 1/2a clinical trial for the treatment of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer, or mCRPC, seeing modest activity with a tolerability
profile that has been challenging. We will continue to treat and support those patients that remain on study for the course of their therapy.
A summary of our ProTriTAC product candidate is as follows:
HPN601, currently in preclinical development, is the first drug candidate from the ProTriTAC platform. HPN601 targets the epithelial cell
adhesion molecule, or EpCAM, and is being developed for the treatment of multiple solid tumor indications. We plan to submit an IND for
HPN601 as well as identify a second IND candidate from the ProTriTAC platform by the end of 2022.
Nomination of an IND candidate from our TriTAC-XR platform is expected in the second half of 2022.
Our TriTACs are designed to advance the therapeutic potential of T cell engagers, a therapeutic approach with an established and proven mechanism
of action. We developed our proprietary TriTAC platform to incorporate the strengths of proven, commercially-available T cell engagers and improve upon
their critical shortcomings, such as a short half-life. We believe our TriTAC platform offers the following features for the discovery and development of
novel immunotherapies to treat a wide array of diseases, including cancer:
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Active at Low Levels of Target Expression. We designed TriTACs to be active at low levels of antigen expression where other treatment
modalities lose efficacy. In our preclinical studies, TriTACs did not require high levels of target antigen expression to engage T cells to kill
disease cells.
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MHC Independence. We designed TriTACs to specifically direct T cells to kill target cells independent of major histocompatibility
complex, or MHC expression. Tumor cells frequently acquire mutations that change the MHC molecule or reduce the level of MHC
expressed on their surfaces, thus making the tumor cells less susceptible to being killed by either endogenous T cells or engineered T cells
that require MHC recognition. We believe that because TriTACs do not require a T cell clone with specific T cell receptor or MHC
recognition to kill tumor cells, they will be able to generate greater and more durable therapeutic responses than MHC dependent approaches.
Extended Half-Life and Stability. We designed TriTACs to be stable in the bloodstream and to have a long-serum half-life in order to
achieve efficacy without requiring the continuous IV administration that is a limiting requirement of other T cell engagers.
Small Size and Tissue Penetration. TriTACs are small in size, and we believe this is critical for their efficient penetration of, and diffusion
within, solid tumors.
Modularity. The TriTAC structure is modular and its antigen binding domain can easily be switched out to enable the rapid discovery and
development of new TriTAC product candidates across a wide variety of targets.
Safety Design Elements. We designed TriTACs to enable T cell engagement while minimizing off-target toxicity and the potential for
cytokine release syndrome, or CRS, which is a potentially lethal reaction of the body to the hypersecretion of inflammatory cytokines.
Conventional Manufacturing. TriTACs are “off-the-shelf” therapies, the manufacturing of which is significantly less complex than that of
personalized or cell-based therapies.
We seek to selectively collaborate with leading biopharmaceutical companies to leverage our technology platforms. For example, in November 2019
we entered into a Development and Option Agreement with AbbVie, pursuant to which we granted to AbbVie an option to license worldwide exclusive
rights to HPN217. We will be responsible for developing HPN217 through a Phase 1/2 clinical trial. Upon exercise of the option, which AbbVie may
exercise following delivery by the Company of a specified data package arising from the Phase 1/2 trial, AbbVie would be responsible for all future clinical
development, manufacturing and commercialization activities. The Development and Option Agreement represents a potential transaction value of up to
$510 million in upfront, option and milestone payments, of which $80 million has been received to date, plus royalties on potential global commercial
sales.
In addition, in November 2019, we expanded our existing collaboration with AbbVie by entering into an Amended and Restated Discovery
Collaboration and License Agreement, or the Restated Collaboration Agreement. The Restated Collaboration Agreement, amends and restates the
Discovery Collaboration and License Agreement we had entered into with AbbVie in October 2017, or the Original Collaboration Agreement. The
expansion of the collaboration grants to AbbVie the right to select two further targets and an option to select up to four further targets, in addition to the two
targets previously selected by AbbVie under the Collaboration Agreement. Consistent with the Collaboration Agreement, we and AbbVie will conduct
certain initial research and discovery activities for each designated target, after which AbbVie will be solely responsible for further development and
commercialization efforts. We have received a total of $37 million of upfront payments under this collaboration to date.
COVID-19 Impact
Our assessment to date continues to support that we have not experienced any material delays or significant financial impacts directly related to the
pandemic other than some minor disruptions to clinical operations, including some disruptions in our manufacturing supply chain that affected and may
continue to affect our drug supply, patient enrollment in some of our clinical trials and delays in collecting, receiving and analyzing data from patients
enrolled in our clinical trials for due to limited staff at our clinical trial sites. We will continue to monitor the overall impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on
our business, assets and operations, including our personnel, programs, expected timelines, expenses, third-party contract manufacturing, contract research
organizations, supply chain and clinical trials.
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While we are currently continuing our clinical trials we have underway in sites in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Europe, we expect
that COVID-19 precautions may directly or indirectly impact the timeline for some of our clinical trials, as a result of potential delays or difficulties in
enrolling or assessing patients in our clinical trials, clinical site initiation, diversion of healthcare resources away from the conduct of clinical trials,
interruption of key clinical trial activities, disruptions in our manufacturing supply chain that affected and may continue to affect our drug supply, among
other factors. We could also see an impact on our ability to interact with regulators, ethics committees or other important agencies due to limitations in
regulatory authority, personnel resources or otherwise. In addition, in response to the ongoing spread of COVID-19, we have established testing protocols
for personnel access to our headquarter offices and laboratory. The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic could adversely impact our business, assets,
operations and clinical trials, particularly if the COVID-19 pandemic continues and persists for an extended period of time. See “Risk factors—Our
business could be adversely affected by the effects of health epidemics, including the recent outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic
is ongoing in many parts of the world and may result in significant disruptions which could materially affect our operations, including at our headquarters
in the San Francisco Bay Area and at our clinical trial sites.” for more information regarding the potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our
business and operations. We continue to actively monitor this situation and the possible effects on our business and operations
Our Pipeline
We are leveraging our proprietary TriTAC, ProTriTAC and TriTAC-XR platforms to discover and develop product candidates to treat cancer and
other diseases. The following table summarizes key information about our product candidates to date, all of which were developed using our TriTAC
platform. We own the intellectual property rights to our TriTAC, ProTriTAC and TriTAC-XR platforms and the underlying critical components of our
product candidates.
Our Strategy
Our strategy is to harness innovations in immunotherapy and protein engineering to rapidly advance our novel TriTAC product candidates through
clinical development, regulatory approval and commercialization, with an initial focus on cancer. This strategy encompasses the following key elements:
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Advance our TriTAC product candidates directed at clinically validated targets from discovery through clinical development and regulatory
approval. We have developed a robust and efficient internal research effort that is focused on advancing a portfolio of therapeutic product
candidates from initial discovery through clinical development, and ultimately, to treat patients suffering from cancer. We currently have
discovered and advanced three product candidates to the clinic, to
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treat solid and hematologic malignancies. These programs are directed against targets that are both clinically validated and which are ideally
suited for our TriTAC platform due to limited expression on healthy tissue.
Expand the pipeline of oncology candidates for our TriTAC, ProTriTAC and TriTAC-XR technology platforms and develop other novel
platforms. Our current research efforts are focused on evaluating potential new product candidates based on our TriTAC technology. In
addition, we are actively exploring new technologies, which may improve the safety of certain therapeutic approaches or expand our ability to
address therapeutic targets with increased specificity to diseased tissues.
Leverage our novel technology platforms to target a broad range of disease. Our TriTAC and other platforms may have the ability to address
disease targets outside of oncology. We intend to evaluate opportunities to expand our research to other therapeutic areas, such as autoimmune
diseases and anti-infectives either internally or through strategic partnerships.
Selectively collaborate with leading biopharmaceutical companies to leverage our platforms, expand our portfolio, advance our product
candidates and maximize their commercial potential. While we intend to retain significant ownership of our current pipeline product
candidates, we recognize the benefits of collaborations. We seek collaborations that can:
1) Broaden the reach of our technology platforms to other novel targets in oncology or other areas that are not a focus for our
company. For example, we entered into a collaboration with AbbVie in October 2017, which was expanded in November 2019,
that widens the utility for our TriTAC platform by developing candidates against novel soluble T cell receptor, or TCR, and
antibody targets for the treatment of cancer.
Provide us with strategic access to clinical and commercial capabilities, particularly in geographic areas we are unlikely to pursue
on our own. For example, multiple myeloma is an indication with several therapeutic approaches competing both clinically and
commercially. AbbVie has an extensive presence in hematologic malignancies, including multiple myeloma, which can benefit us
as we develop a clinical plan that best positions HPN217 for commercial success.
Expedite commercial presence and distribution of our products, if approved. Utilizing an existing commercial marketing and
distribution organization may be more cost effective in certain indications and geographies we are pursuing, rather than building
our own commercial infrastructure.
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Our TriTAC Platform
Our proprietary TriTAC platform offers the potential to develop drugs that could dramatically change the way in which we combat a variety of
diseases. It is well accepted that the immune system can be harnessed to eradicate and prevent the proliferation of cancer cells. Recent successes using
immunologic approaches have revealed methods of modulating a cancer patient’s immune system to battle the growth and spread of tumors. In most cases,
T cells have been central to this approach, and the pathways to unleash the tumor-killing properties of T cells have resulted in multiple recent drug
approvals.
We designed our TriTAC product candidates with three primary components: a CD3 binding domain for T cell engagement, a proprietary half-life
extension domain and an antigen-bonding domain. TriTACs consist of a single-chain polypeptide designed to bind to a cancer surface antigen, human
serum albumin and the CD3 epsilon subunit of the TCR. Tumor-targeting and albumin-binding are achieved by single domain antibodies, or sdAbs, while
CD3 is bound by a single-chain variable fragment, or scFv. When TriTACs simultaneously bind cell surface antigens and T cells, they induce the formation
of a cytolytic synapse that mimics the natural interaction between TCRs and MHCs. This interaction activates T cells to kill target cells, as demonstrated in
the figure below.
Our TriTAC Product Candidates
HPN328: DLL3-Targeting TriTAC
We are developing HPN328 for the treatment of SCLC and other neuroendocrine tumors associated with DLL3 expression. DLL3 is a protein highly
expressed in a majority of SCLC tumors and cancer stem cells, but not expressed in normal tissue. This selective expression makes DLL3 an attractive drug
target for T cell engagers. In January 2021, we announced that the first patient had been dosed with HPN328 in a Phase 1/2 clinical trial as an
investigational treatment of SCLC and other tumors associated with DLL3 expression. In December 2021, we provided a clinical update on our ongoing
Phase 1/2 clinical trial. As of the December 2, 2021 data-cutoff date, 15 patients had been enrolled in dose cohorts ranging from 15 µg to 7200 µg per week
in both fixed and step dose cohorts administered once weekly by intravenous infusion. Fifteen patients with a median of 2 lines (range 1 to 5) of prior
therapy have been enrolled and eligible patients include small cell lung cancer patients who have relapsed after platinum chemotherapy and patients with
other malignancies with high grade neuroendocrine tumors associated with DLL3 expression. HPN328 has been well tolerated with Grade 1-2 CRS
reported in 33% of patients. No dose-limiting toxicities, or DLTs, were observed and a maximum tolerated dose, or MTD, has not been reached. Among
four patients with small cell lung cancer receiving the two highest doses tested to date, 1215 µg fixed dose and 3600-7200 µg step dose, three had target
lesion reduction, including one confirmed response evaluation criteria in solid tumors, or RECIST, partial response or cPR. The patient with a cPR
experienced a
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target lesion reduction of 53% at week 10. In March 2022, we received orphan drug designation for the treatment of SCLC. We plan to present initial
interim clinical data in 2022. We intend to identify a recommended Phase 2 dose by the end of 2022.
Market Opportunity
Approximately 30,000 patients are diagnosed with SCLC annually in the United States, representing 10-15% of lung cancer diagnoses. The five-
year relative survival rate for patients with Stage I, II, III and IV SCLC is approximately 31%, 19%, 8% and 2%, respectively. T cell targeting checkpoint
inhibitors, such as Tecentriq and Imfinzi, have been approved for use in SCLC patients, supporting immunotherapy as a new treatment alternative for
SCLC. We believe there is still a significant unmet need remains for new therapies for these patients.
Preclinical Data
In October 2019, we presented data on HPN328 for the treatment of SCLC at the AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference on Molecular
Targets and Cancer Therapeutics. Pharmacokinetic data indicate that HPN328 was well-tolerated in cynomolgus monkeys at 1 and 10 mg/kg and support
the potential for once weekly dosing. When administered to mice bearing human SCLC xenografts and human T cells, HPN328 eradicated the tumors.
HPN217: BCMA-Targeting TriTAC
We are developing HPN217 for the treatment of multiple myeloma. HPN217 targets BCMA, a clinically validated target. BCMA is a tumor necrosis
factor receptor super family member and is a receptor protein expressed on nearly all multiple myeloma cells. Early data from CAR-T and ADC have
clinically validated the target.
In December 2021, we announced the interim results of ongoing Phase 1/2 clinical trial of HPN217. As of the November 10, 2021 data cut-off date,
37 patients have been treated in ten cohorts with fixed doses ranging from 5 to 2860 µg/week or a step dosing regimen of 1620 µg priming dose followed
by a 3240 µg/week target dose. Premedication to minimize CRS includes dexamethasone and other standard therapies. Enrolled patients had a median of 7
prior therapies. The most frequent treatment-emergent adverse events, or TEAEs, occurring in greater than 20% were anemia (17 patients or 46%), fatigue
(12 patients or 32%), and transient CRS (nine patients or 24%), No grade 3 or higher CRS was reported and one dose limiting toxicity, or DLT, was
reported, grade 4 AST, which resolved. MTD has not been reached.
Clinical benefit was observed in the patients receiving higher doses. In eight disease evaluable patients enrolled at 2150 µg/week, an overall
response rate, or ORR, of 63% was reported (five out of eight patients) consisting of one stringent CR, one very good partial response, or VGPR, and three
partial responses, or PRs, including one patient with prior BCMA-targeting therapy exposure. The disease control rate, or DCR, was 88% based on seven
out of eight patients. For the 2860 µg/week cohort consisting of five evaluable patients, the ORR was two out of five (40%) including a VGPR (previously
reported as an unconfirmed CR), with a DCR of 60%. As of the November 10, 2021 data cutoff, all responders remained on study treatment.
HPN217 demonstrated a dose proportional increase in Cmax and area under the curve, or AUC, with a median serum half-life of 74 hours (range of
38 – 197 hours), confirming half-life extension. Half-life, clearance rate, and volume of distribution were dose-independent, suggesting linear PK kinetics.
Pharmacodynamic analysis shows a dose-dependent, transient increase in serum cytokines and chemokines (IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, TNFα).
In January 2021, HPN217 received orphan drug designation for the treatment of multiple myeloma. In March 2022, HPN217 received fast track
designation for the treatment of relapsed, refractory multiple myeloma. Patients continue to be enrolled in the escalation phase of the trial, with a goal to
identify a recommended Phase 2 dose for an expansion phase by end of 2022.
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In November 2019, we entered into an exclusive worldwide Development and Option Agreement with AbbVie for HPN217. Under the terms of the
agreement, we granted to AbbVie an option to license worldwide exclusive rights to HPN217. We will be responsible for agreed-upon development
activities of HPN217 through an initial Phase 1/2 clinical trial. Upon exercise of the option, AbbVie will be responsible for all future clinical development,
manufacturing and commercialization activities. AbbVie may exercise its license option at any time during a period commencing on the effective date of
the agreement and expiring after a specified period following delivery by us of a specified data package arising from the first Phase 1/2 trial for the
HPN217 Products. AbbVie paid an upfront payment of $30 million and a development milestone payment of $50 million triggered upon dosing the first
patient in the Phase 1/2 clinical trial within a specified time period. If AbbVie exercises its option, AbbVie will pay us an option exercise fee of $200
million, and potential future payments of $230 million for the achievement of certain development, regulatory and commercial sales milestones for
HPN217 Products, along with high single-digit to very low double-digit royalties on commercial sales.
Market Opportunity
Multiple myeloma is a type of blood cancer formed by the accumulation of malignant plasma cells in the bone marrow, crowding out normal plasma
cells that play an important role in the immune system. Multiple myeloma is the second most prevalent blood cancer after Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
There are approximately 229,000 people living with myeloma worldwide, with approximately 114,000 new cases diagnosed and approximately 87,000
deaths each year. The American Cancer Society estimated that, in the United States in 2020, approximately 32,000 new cases would be diagnosed and
approximately 13,000 deaths were expected to occur from multiple myeloma. Despite advances in the treatment of multiple myeloma over the past decade,
we believe there remains a significant unmet need as the five-year survival rate is only approximately 50%.
Preclinical Data
In December 2021, we presented "The Effects of BCMA Expression, Soluble BCMA, and Combination Therapeutics on the Anti-Tumor Activity of
HPN217, a BCMA-Targeting T Cell Engager Against Multiple Myeloma” showcased translational studies to examine factors that may impact the
therapeutic efficacy of HPN217 at the 63rd American Society for Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting and Exposition. These factors include the target
BCMA, in membrane-bound or soluble form, and concomitant or combination therapeutics such as gamma secretase inhibitor, or GSI, and dexamethasone.
Preclinical data from this presentation for HPN217 demonstrated:
•
•
•
In a patient derived cell culture system, HPN217 was able to mediate multiple myeloma cell killing by autologous T cells in 80% of the
cultures.
Presence of dexamethasone appeared to have limited effect on the anti-tumor activity of HPN217-redirected T cells.
GSI increased the expression of BCMA on multiple myeloma cells and enhanced the effect of HPN217.
Preclinical evaluation of HPN217 in combination with approved and experimental multiple myeloma therapeutics is ongoing.
HPN536: MSLN-Targeting TriTAC
We are developing HPN536 for the treatment of ovarian cancer and other MSLN-expressing tumors, which include mesothelioma, pancreatic
carcinoma, non-small cell lung carcinoma, or NSCLC, and triple-negative breast cancer, or TNBC, among others. HPN536 targets MSLN, a cell-surface
protein whose normal expression is largely restricted to mesothelial cell layers lining certain organs. MSLN is attractive for target-based therapeutics
because it is expressed on a wide variety of tumor cells but has limited expression in normal tissue. Early signs of clinical efficacy generated by other
treatment modalities have validated MSLN as an attractive tumor target, but therapies with improved efficacy are required to treat MSLN-expressing
tumors. In 2018, we completed an IND-enabling, multi-dose GLP toxicology study in animals. HPN536, which has been observed to bind to cynomolgus
monkey MSLN with comparable affinities as human MSLN, delivered clear histological evidence of target engagement. In April 2019, we initiated a Phase
1/2a, multicenter, open-label dose escalation and dose expansion trial of the safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetics of HPN536 and are actively recruiting
patients with ovarian and pancreatic cancer in the dose-escalation portion of the trial. In December 2021, we provided a clinical update on our ongoing
Phase 1/2a clinical trial. At the time of the December 2, 2021 data cutoff, dosing had occurred across nine fixed-dose cohorts of 6 to 280ng/kg and three
step dose cohort up to 1200ng/kg. Tumor types treated included late-stage ovarian and pancreatic cancers and mesothelioma.
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As of December 2, 2021, HPN536 appears to be well tolerated. One CRS grade 3 occurred in the absence of dexamethasone premedication
treatment. The CRS resolved, and the patient continued on in the study with dexamethasone premedication. As of the December 2, 2021 data cutoff date,
no new DLTs had been observed other than the two previously noted from the May 31, 2021 data cutoff. An MTD has not been identified and escalation to
higher doses is underway. We recently opened and are actively recruiting a 7200 ng/kg cohort.
Market Opportunity
MSLN-expressing tumors include ovarian cancer, NSCLC, pancreatic carcinoma, mesothelioma and TNBC, among others. While MSLN is found in
approximately 30% of all cancers, these specific cancers have particularly high levels of MSLN expression. The following table shows the MSLN
expression level of, and the number of patients diagnosed in the United States in 2020 with, each of these cancers:
Cancer Type
Ovarian Cancer
Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
Pancreatic Carcinoma
Mesothelioma
Triple Negative Breast Cancer
* Represents MSLN expression levels across all lung cancer types.
** Calculated as 15% of SEER-estimated breast cancer incidence.
*** Calculated as 85% of SEER-estimated lung cancer incidence
New Patients Diagnosed
in the United States
21,750
194,000 ***
57,600
3,000
41,000 **
MSLN Expression
Level (%)
60-65
60-65 *
80-85
85-90
34-42
Ovarian cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer-related death among women in the United States, and is the deadliest of gynecologic cancers,
with more than 70% of patients diagnosed with an advanced stage and over 14,000 patients dying from the disease each year. According to the
Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results Program of the National Cancer Institute, or SEER, the five-year survival rate for women diagnosed with
ovarian cancer is approximately 49%. NSCLC is the most common type of lung cancer, estimated to comprise 80-85% of all lung cancer diagnoses. The
five-year survival rate for NSCLC is about 20%. Pancreatic cancer is one of the most fatal cancers in the world. In 2016, the seven major markets (the
United States, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom and Japan) saw 149,780 new cases of pancreatic cancer and in 2020, there were
approximately 57,000 new cases in the United States. SEER estimates that fewer than 9% of patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer survive five years.
Mesothelioma is a rare and aggressive cancer that affects the lining or membrane covering and protecting certain organs in the body. Effective treatment
options for patients with mesothelioma are very limited. TNBC is referred to as “triple-negative” because it is ER-, PR- and HER2-, and is unlikely respond
to hormonal or HER2-targeted therapies. TNBC accounts for 10-20% of all breast cancers and is more aggressive and likely to recur compared to receptor-
positive breast cancers. The five-year survival rate for TNBC is 77% as compared to >90% for other types of breast cancers.
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Our ProTriTAC Platform
ProTriTAC—An Expansion of TriTAC’s Capabilities
In order to expand the universe of addressable targets and indications, we are actively developing our proprietary ProTriTAC platform. Our
ProTriTAC platform applies a prodrug concept to create a therapeutic T cell engager that remains inactive until it reaches the tumor. ProTriTACs therefore
have the potential for additional tumor specificity and enhanced safety profiles because they are designed to have limited interaction with their molecular
targets in healthy tissue, allowing us to target tumor-associated antigens that may be more broadly expressed. When a ProTriTAC penetrates a tumor,
tumor-associated proteases cleave off the blocking domain of the ProTriTAC, thereby enabling the engagement of T cells to subsequently kill tumor cells.
This activation process also diminishes the half-life of the resulting T cell engager so active molecules that leave the tumor are rapidly eliminated from
circulation without causing off-tissue side effects.
Our ProTriTAC Product Candidate
HPN601
HPN601 is currently in preclinical development, and it is the first drug candidate from our ProTriTAC platform. HPN601 targets the epithelial cell
adhesion molecule, or EpCAM, and is being developed for the treatment of multiple solid tumor indications. EpCAM is a tumor antigen that is broadly and
uniformly expressed in many solid tumors; however, expression on some normal tissues has hindered its potential as a therapeutic target due to on-target,
off-tumor toxicity as observed in clinical studies from past EpCAM targeted T cell engagers. The goal of developing HPN601, a conditionally active T cell
engager, is to target all EpCAM-positive metastatic tumors by systemic administration and have an acceptable safety profile. We plan to submit an IND for
HPN601, as well as identify a second IND candidate from the ProTriTAC platform by the end of 2022.
Market Opportunity
EpCAM is a tumor antigen that is broadly and uniformly expressed in many solid tumors. Thyroid, small cell lung cancer, non-small cell lung
cancer, prostate, ovarian, endometrial, pancreatic, gastric, gallbladder, biliary, esophageal, colorectal, and breast cancer all have greater than 70%
prevalence for EpCAM expression. These cancers combined represent approximately 345,000 patient deaths in the United States each year.
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Preclinical Data
In November 2020, we presented preclinical data on HPN601 for the treatment of solid tumors at the 35th Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer
(SITC) virtual annual meeting. The oral presentation described in vivo studies demonstrating the expansion of therapeutic index of our EpCAM-targeting
ProTriTAC over a non-masked T cell engager control when anti-tumor efficacy and clinically relevant toxicity endpoints were assessed simultaneously in
the same tumor-bearing animal. HPN601 was also demonstrated to have improved tolerability in non-human primates compared to a non-masked T cell
engager control and exhibits potent anti-tumor activity across multiple EpCAM-expressing tumor models. IND-enabling activities for HPN601 are
currently ongoing.
Our TriTAC-XR Platform
TriTAC-XR is Harpoon’s newest inducible T cell engager platform. While the TriTAC platform was developed to address off-target toxicities, and
the ProTriTAC platform was developed to minimize on-target tissue toxicities, TriTAC-XR is specifically aiming to reduce on-target cytokine release
syndrome, or CRS. On-target CRS can occur when high concentrations of T cell engager, T cells and target cells are in the same biological compartment,
which can be common for instance in the treatment of leukemia and lymphomas. In those scenarios, CRS can require dose reductions and ultimately limit
efficacy. TriTAC-XR is a protease activated prodrug form of a T cell engager, whose active form is half-life extended and is slowly released by systemic
protease in all biological compartments. This is intended to lead to better tolerated treatments with potentially more efficacy in certain indications. Harpoon
is also exploring ways to employ this technology in non-oncology indications, such as autoimmune or inflammatory diseases.
Preclinical Data
In November 2021, we presented preclinical data on TriTAC-XR at the 35th Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) annual meeting. The
poster presentation demonstrated the efficacy of the platform in vitro and in rodent models, and showed in non-human-primates that TriTAC-XR can
produce PD effects similar to a TriTAC with significantly lower cytokine release than a comparable TriTAC.
We intend to nominate a product development candidate from this platform by the end of 2022.
Collaboration and License Agreements
Development and Option Agreement with AbbVie Biotechnology
On November 20, 2019, we entered into a Development and Option Agreement with AbbVie in connection with our HPN217 program, which
targets B cell maturation antigen, or BCMA. Pursuant to such Agreement, we granted to AbbVie an option to a worldwide, exclusive license under our
patents and know-how applicable to the HPN217 program to develop, manufacture and commercialize products arising from the HPN217 program
targeting BCMA, or HPN217 Products. Under the Development and Option Agreement, we will file an IND for HPN217 and conduct development
activities pursuant to a mutually-agreed development plan, including conducting a Phase 1/2 clinical trial of HPN217, in order for AbbVie to determine
whether it wishes to exercise its option to take a worldwide, exclusive license to such HPN217 program.
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Under the Development and Option Agreement, AbbVie may exercise its license option at any time during a period commencing on the effective
date of the agreement, and expiring after a specified period, following delivery by us of a specified data package arising from the first Phase 1/2 trial for the
HPN217 Products. Following AbbVie’s exercise of its option, and except for completion of certain development activities by us under the development
plan, AbbVie will be solely responsible, at its cost, for the development, manufacture and commercialization of HPN217 Products and any other HPN217
Products. AbbVie is required to use commercially reasonable efforts to develop and obtain regulatory approval for one HPN217 product, for at least one
indication, for use in each Major Market (as defined in the Development and Option Agreement).
AbbVie paid an upfront payment of $30 million and a development milestone payment of $50 million in June 2020 as we dosed our first patient in
the Phase 1/2 clinical trial of HPN217 in April 2020. If AbbVie exercises its option, AbbVie will pay us an option exercise fee of $200 million. Following
option exercise, AbbVie will be required to make further payments to us of up to $230 million in the aggregate for the achievement of specified
development, regulatory and commercial sales milestones for HPN217 Products. We will also receive tiered royalties on net sales by AbbVie, its affiliates
and sublicensees of HPN217 Products at percentages ranging from the high single digits to the very low double digits, subject to specified offsets and
reductions. Royalties will be payable under the Development and Option Agreement on a product-by-product and country-by-country basis commencing
on the date of first commercial sale of each HPN217 Product, and ending on the later of expiration of all valid claims of specified licensed patents in such
country, expiration of regulatory exclusivity in such country, or ten years following first commercial sale of such HPN217 Product in such country.
The Development and Option Agreement will terminate upon the date of the expiration of all AbbVie’s royalty payment obligations in all countries,
or upon expiration of the license option period and the failure of AbbVie to exercise its license option. The Development and Option Agreement may be
terminated by either party immediately for the insolvency of the other party or on 90 days’ written notice for an uncured material breach of the
Development and Option Agreement by the other party. AbbVie may also terminate the Development and Option Agreement in its entirety or on a country-
by-country basis for any reason on 90 days’ written notice to us.
Amended and Restated Discovery Collaboration Agreement with AbbVie Biotechnology
On August 16, 2021, the Company entered into Amendment No. 1 to the Amended and Restated Discovery Collaboration and License Agreement
with AbbVie, or the First Amendment, which amends the Amended and Restated Discovery Collaboration and License Agreement entered on November
20, 2019, between the Company and AbbVie, or as amended by the First Amendment, the Restated Collaboration Agreement. The Restated Collaboration
Agreement amends and restates the Discovery Collaboration and License Agreement entered into between the Company and AbbVie, dated October 20,
2017 and amended April 3, 2019, or the Original Collaboration Agreement. Pursuant to the First Amendment, the Company and AbbVie agreed to include
the ProTriTAC technology within the Restated Collaboration Agreement. Pursuant to the Original Collaboration Agreement, the Company granted to
AbbVie worldwide exclusive rights to develop and commercialize products that incorporate the Company’s proprietary TriTAC technology together with
soluble TCRs provided by AbbVie that bind to targets accepted by the parties. Under the terms of the Original Collaboration Agreement, AbbVie was
granted the right to designate up to two targets for development of TriTAC constructs, which it selected in 2017 and 2019, respectively. Pursuant to the
Restated Collaboration Agreement, AbbVie is permitted to designate two further targets, with an option to select up to four additional targets, selected
during a specified period following the effective date, to be the subject of activities under the collaboration, and is granted a worldwide, exclusive license to
develop and commercialize products that incorporate either the Company’s proprietary TriTAC platform technology, or (as a result of and pursuant to the
First Amendment) its ProTriTAC platform technology, to pursue available T cell receptors, or TCRs and/or antibody targets. Such products may
incorporate antibodies provided by AbbVie or by the Company. During a period of up to four years following the date of AbbVie’s designation of each
target for the products, and subject to confirmation of target availability, the Company and AbbVie will conduct certain research and discovery activities
under a mutually agreed discovery and research plan in connection with the creation and evaluation of constructs comprising the Company’s proprietary
TriTAC or ProTriTAC technologies, as applicable, in conjunction with the soluble TCR or antibody sequences directed at the agreed upon targets of
interest. The Company may not, including through any third party, develop or commercialize any competing product that binds to any of the included
targets. As was the case under the Original Collaboration Agreement, following the discovery phase, AbbVie will be solely responsible, at its cost, for the
development, manufacture and commercialization of the products that arise from the activities under the discovery plan. AbbVie is required to use
commercially reasonable efforts to develop and commercialize one such product directed to each target for which the discovery activities were completed
in each Major Market (as defined in the Restated Collaboration Agreement).
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In addition to the upfront payment of $17.0 million already paid under the Original Collaboration Agreement, the Company received an
upfront payment of $20.0 million under the Restated Collaboration Agreement for AbbVie’s right to select two further targets and an option to select up to
four further targets. AbbVie will be required to make payments to the Company, upon target selection, of $10.0 million for each target, for up to four
additional targets selected by AbbVie. For each of the up to eight targets selected, the Company is eligible to receive up to $300.0 million in the aggregate
for the achievement of specified development, regulatory and commercial sales milestones for licensed products indicated for human therapeutic or
prophylactic use. The Company will also be eligible to receive tiered royalties on net sales by AbbVie, its affiliates and sublicensees of licensed products at
percentages in the mid-single digits, subject to specified offsets and reductions. Royalties will be payable under the First Amendment and Restated
Collaboration Agreement on a product-by-product and country-by-country basis commencing on the date of first commercial sale of each product, and
ending on the later of expiration of all valid claims of specified licensed patents in such country, expiration of regulatory exclusivity in such country or ten
years following first commercial sale of such product in such country. If licensed products are developed and commercialized for diagnostic or veterinary
use, or certain screening or monitoring uses, the parties have agreed to negotiate an appropriate reduction in the economic terms applicable to such non-
therapeutic and prophylactic applications.
The Restated Collaboration Agreement will terminate upon the date of the expiration of all AbbVie’s royalty payment obligations in all countries.
The Restated Collaboration Agreement may be terminated by either party immediately for the insolvency of the other party or on 90 days’ written notice
for an uncured material breach of such agreement by the other party. AbbVie may also terminate the Restated Collaboration Agreement in its entirety or on
a target-by-target or country-by-country basis for any reason on 30 days’ written notice to the Company. In addition, AbbVie may terminate the Restated
Collaboration Agreement immediately in its entirety or on a target-by-target basis if AbbVie considers in good faith that there has been a failure of the
discovery or development efforts with respect to such target, or that further development or commercialization of products directed to such target is not
advisable as a result of a serious safety issue.
License Agreement with Werewolf Therapeutics, Inc.
In March 2018, we entered into an assignment and license agreement, or the Werewolf Agreement, with Werewolf Therapeutics, Inc., or Werewolf,
a portfolio company of MPM Capital, Inc., a holder of more than 5% of our capital stock. Dr. Luke Evnin, a member of our Board until June 2020, is also
the Chairman of the board of directors of Werewolf. Under the Werewolf Agreement, we assigned certain patents that relate to certain inducible
polypeptides (and binding moiety for conditional activation of certain polypeptides) to Werewolf and granted to Werewolf a non-exclusive, royalty-bearing,
sublicenseable license under certain other patents owned by us and relating to certain proteins, to make, use and commercialize products that are covered
by such patents in the field of molecules comprising a certain polypeptide. Werewolf assigned certain patents to us relating to adoptive cell therapies and
binding moieties for conditional activation of immunoglobulin and non-immunoglobulin molecules. Under the Werewolf Agreement, Werewolf paid us an
upfront fee of $0.5 million. If Werewolf commercializes products covered by the licensed patents, then beginning on the first sale of such products,
Werewolf will be obligated to pay to us a royalty on net sales of such products by Werewolf, its affiliates and licensees at a percentage in the low single
digits, subject to an obligation to make a minimum annual royalty payment at an amount in the low hundreds of thousands of dollars.
In December 2019, we and Werewolf amended the Werewolf Agreement by entering into a Second Amended and Restated Assignment and License
Agreement, or the Amended Werewolf Agreement, to include the grant to Werewolf of an exclusive, royalty-bearing, sublicensable license under certain
patents owned by us and relating to certain proteins, to make, use, and commercialize products that are covered by such patents in the field of molecules
comprising a certain protein. This license provides Werewolf with certain rights to enforce and defend these licensed patents. If Werewolf commercializes
products covered by these licensed patents, then beginning on the first sale of such products, Werewolf will be obligated to pay to us a royalty on net sales
of such products by Werewolf, its affiliates and licensees at a percentage in the low single digits, and this royalty cannot be added to any other royalty owed
to us under the Amended Werewolf Agreement. In addition, each party granted to the other a non-exclusive, royalty-free, sublicensable, perpetual license
under certain other patents relating to a certain binding domain of a certain protein, to make, use, and commercialize products that are covered by such
patents in a field defined by a certain type of molecule for each party. The Amended Werewolf Agreement also includes a mutual release of claims
regarding certain patent prosecution matters.
Royalties on net sales will be recognized when the underlying sales occur. No royalty revenue was recognized under the Werewolf Agreement as of
December 31, 2021.
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Asset Transfer Agreement with Maverick Therapeutics, Inc.
In December 2016, we entered into an asset transfer agreement, or the Asset Transfer Agreement, with Maverick Therapeutics, Inc., or Maverick.
Under the Asset Transfer Agreement, we transferred one provisional patent application (and any subsequently filed patent applications that claim priority to
the provisional patent application) and certain know-how to Maverick solely for use in connection with a specific type of conditionally active T cell
engagers having an activation mechanism that we believe is not used by the T cell engagers that are incorporated in the products that we are developing
(such permitted use by Maverick, the Maverick Field), and Maverick assumed liabilities from us relating to this transferred intellectual property and other
transferred assets. Maverick granted back to us a royalty-free, non-exclusive, sublicenseable license under this transferred intellectual property for use in all
fields outside of the Maverick Field, which include all fields in which we are developing products. We further granted Maverick royalty-free, exclusive and
non-exclusive licenses to certain other patents that we own, in all cases solely for use in the Maverick Field. In consideration for our transfer and license of
such intellectual property, Maverick issued a promissory note to us in the amount of $6.8 million, which we collected in full in January 2017, and all of its
outstanding capital stock, which we then spun-off to our stockholders. The Asset Transfer Agreement includes a covenant not to compete, which provides
that we will not directly or indirectly research, develop, manufacture or commercialize products in the Maverick Field until December 2020. The Asset
Transfer Agreement is not terminable and all rights transferred or licensed by a party to the other party under the Asset Transfer Agreement are irrevocable.
Agreements with AGC Biologics, Inc.
In October 2015, we entered into the AGC License Agreement with AGC, pursuant to which AGC granted us a non-exclusive, worldwide license
under its proprietary Chinese hamster EF-1 protein expression technology, or the CHEF1 Technology, which is used in connection with the manufacturing
process for HPN536 and our other current preclinical product candidates, or collectively, the Products, for use in connection with our development of the
Products, including our clinical trials. Subsequently, in July 2016, we entered into a development and manufacturing services agreement with AGC, or the
Manufacturing Agreement, under which AGC conducts current good manufacturing practice, or cGMP, manufacturing of the Products utilizing the CHEF1
Technology. Under the terms of the AGC License Agreement, we have an option, exercisable for each Product, to be granted a non-exclusive license to use
the CHEF1 Technology in connection with the commercialization of such Product for human therapeutics or diagnostics. If we exercise such option during
a specified period, we will make a one-time upfront payment in the mid tens of thousands of dollars to AGC (solely in connection with the first Product)
for such commercial license for the first Product, or if we exercise such commercial option after the expiration of such period, our commercial license will
be subject to the payment of a higher option exercise fee.
We retain the right, at any time, to manufacture the Products using the CHEF1 Technology ourselves, or through an affiliate or third-party
manufacturer for development purposes, and subject to exercising our commercial option, for commercialization purposes.
Under the terms of our agreements with AGC, so long as AGC is the exclusive manufacturer of our Products, we will not owe AGC any milestone
or royalty payments to AGC under the AGC License Agreement for the use of the CHEF1 Technology. However, if AGC is no longer our exclusive
manufacturer for the Products, and we still use the CHEF1 Technology, we will owe AGC specified development and regulatory milestones of up to
$350,000 per Product, and a royalty on net sales of Products of less than 1%, payable for the longer of ten years from first commercial sale of such Product,
or the expiration of the patent rights in the CHEF1 Technology covering such Product in the relevant country, subject to a reduction in the event of no
patent coverage. If we are not using AGC as our exclusive manufacturer of a given Product, such that we owe a royalty to AGC, we have an option,
exercisable at any time prior to the end of the first royalty period in which a royalty is due for such Product, to buy out our royalty obligations in lieu of an
ongoing royalty payment, by making a one-time payment to AGC in a dollar amount in the mid-single digit millions.
The Manufacturing Agreement can be terminated by either party in the event of an uncured material breach by the other party, or in the event of
insolvency. We have the right to terminate the Manufacturing Agreement or any portion of the services at any time on 60 business days’ notice, and AGC
has the right to terminate the agreement on 60 business days’ notice if it reasonably concludes that the services are not scientifically or technically feasible
despite its commercially reasonable efforts and after we and AGC attempt to resolve the scientific or technical problem in good faith. The AGC License
Agreement expires on the later of the expiration of all licensed patents or our use of trade secrets relating to the CHEF1 Technology or manufacture of
Products. The AGC License Agreement terminates immediately in the event of either party’s insolvency, and AGC may terminate the AGC License
Agreement for our material breach on 30 days’ notice to us.
Manufacturing and Supply
We do not own or operate, and currently have no plans to establish, any GMP manufacturing facilities. We rely, and expect to continue to rely, on
third parties for the manufacture of our product candidates for preclinical and clinical testing, as well as for commercial manufacture if any of our product
candidates obtain marketing approval. We also rely, and expect to continue to rely, on third parties to package, label, store and distribute our investigational
product candidates and, if marketing approval is obtained, our
18
commercial products. We believe this strategy allows us to maintain a more efficient infrastructure by eliminating the need for us to invest in our own
manufacturing facilities, equipment and personnel while also enabling us to focus our expertise and resources on the development of new product
candidates.
To date, we have obtained bulk drug substance, or BDS, for HPN328, HN217, HPN536 from a single-source third-party contract manufacturer,
AGC. While any reduction or halt in supply of BDS from this contract manufacturer could limit our ability to develop our product candidates until a
replacement contract manufacturer is found and qualified, we believe that we have sufficient BDS to support our current clinical trial programs. We have
obtained final drug product for these product candidates from one of two engaged third-party contract manufacturers. We are in the process of developing
our supply chain for each of our product candidates and intend to put in place agreements under which our third-party contract manufacturers will generally
provide us with necessary quantities of BDS and drug product on a project-by-project basis based on our development and commercial supply needs.
All of our TriTACs, ProTriTACs and TriTAC-XRs are or will be manufactured from a vial of a master cell bank of that product’s production cell
line. We have or intend to have one master cell bank for each TriTAC, ProTriTAC and TriTAC-XR that was or will be produced and tested in accordance
with cGMP and applicable regulations. Each master cell bank is or will be stored in two independent locations, and we intend to produce working cell
banks for each product candidate later in product development. It is possible that we could lose multiple cell banks from multiple locations and have our
manufacturing severely impacted by the need to replace the cell banks. However, we believe we have adequate backup should any particular cell bank be
lost in a catastrophic event.
Competition
The pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries are characterized by rapidly advancing technologies, intense competition and a strong emphasis on
proprietary products. While we believe that our technology, development experience and scientific knowledge provide us with competitive advantages, we
face potential competition from many different sources, including large pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, academic institutions, government
agencies and other public and private research organizations that conduct research, seek patent protection and establish collaborative arrangements for the
research, development, manufacturing and commercialization of cancer immunotherapies. Any product candidates that we successfully develop and
commercialize will compete with new immunotherapies that may become available in the future.
We compete in the segments of the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and other related markets that develop immuno-oncology treatments. There are
many other companies that have commercialized and/or are developing immuno-oncology treatments for cancer including large pharmaceutical and
biotechnology companies, such as AbbVie, Amgen, AstraZeneca/MedImmune, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Johnson & Johnson, Merck, Novartis, Pfizer and
Roche/Genentech.
We face significant competition from pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies that target specific tumor-associated antigens using immune
cells or other cytotoxic modalities. These generally include immune cell redirecting therapeutics (e.g., T cell engagers), adoptive cellular therapies (e.g.,
CAR-Ts), antibody drug conjugates, targeted radiopharmaceuticals, targeted immunotoxin and targeted cancer vaccines.
With respect to our earlier stage pipeline DLL3-targeting TriTAC product candidate, HPN328 we are aware of other competing DLL3-targeting
clinical stage therapeutics. These include, but are not limited to: T cell engagers from Amgen Inc. and Boehringer Ingelheim; and CAR-T from Allogene
Therapeutics.
With respect to HPN217, we are aware of other competing BCMA-targeting clinical stage therapeutics, which include, but are not limited to: T cell
engagers from Amgen Inc., Pfizer Inc., Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, AbbVie (TeneoBio, Inc.) and Regeneron
Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; CAR-Ts from Autolus Therapeutics PLC, bluebird bio, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Legend Biotech/Janssen Pharmaceuticals,
Inc. and Novartis AG, and Allogene Therapeutics; antibody drug conjugates from GlaxoSmithKline PLC and AstraZeneca/MedImmune LLC; and other
modalities from Affimed N.V. and Unum Therapeutics Inc./Seattle Genetics Inc.
With respect to HPN536, we are aware of other competing MSLN-targeting clinical stage therapeutics, which include, but are not limited to: CAR-T
from UPenn/Novartis AG, Atara Inc. and TCR2; antibody drug conjugates from Bayer AG; and other modalities.
With respect to HPN601, we are aware of other competing conditionally active or tumor micro environment activated therapeutics, which include,
but are not limited to: BioAtla, LLC and CytomX Therapeutics, Inc.
Many of the companies against which we are competing or against which we may compete in the future have significantly greater financial
resources and expertise in research and development, manufacturing, preclinical testing, conducting clinical trials, obtaining regulatory approvals and
marketing approved drugs than we do. Mergers and acquisitions in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and diagnostic industries may result in even more
resources being concentrated among a smaller number of our
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competitors. Smaller or early-stage companies may also prove to be significant competitors, particularly through collaborative arrangements with large and
established companies. These competitors also compete with us in recruiting and retaining qualified scientific and management personnel and establishing
clinical trial sites and enrolling subjects for our clinical trials, as well as in acquiring technologies complementary to, or necessary for, our programs.
We could see a reduction or elimination of our commercial opportunity if our competitors develop and commercialize products that are safer, more
effective, have fewer or less severe side effects, are more convenient or are less expensive than any products that we or our collaborators may develop. Our
competitors also may obtain FDA or foreign regulatory approval for their products more rapidly than we may obtain approval for ours, which could result
in our competitors establishing a strong market position before we or our collaborators are able to enter the market. The key competitive factors affecting
the success of all our product candidates, if approved, are likely to be their efficacy, safety, convenience, price, the effectiveness of companion diagnostics,
if required, the level of biosimilar or generic competition and the availability of reimbursement from government and other third-party payors.
Intellectual Property
The proprietary nature and protection of our platforms, product candidates and discovery programs, as well as our processes and know-how, are
important to our business. We have sought patent protection in the United States and internationally for our TriTAC platform, binding domains and related
TriTAC product candidates, as well as the proprietary technology in our ProTriTAC and TriTAC-XR platform and any other inventions to which we have
rights, where available and when appropriate. For our product candidates, we generally pursue patent protection covering compositions of matter, methods
of use and manufacture. Our policy is to pursue, maintain and defend patent rights in strategic areas, whether developed internally or licensed from third
parties, and to protect the technology, inventions and improvements that are commercially important to the development of our business. We may also rely
on trade secrets that may be important to the development of our business.
To date, we have spent considerable effort securing intellectual property rights, including rights related to our TriTAC, ProTriTAC and TriTAC-XR
platforms, binding domains and specific targets pertaining to our product candidates. Below is a summary of how we view our protections and ongoing
prosecution efforts.
TriTAC Platform
For our TriTAC platform, as of December 31, 2021 we owned one patent family directed to composition-of-matter coverage and method of use of
our core TriTAC platform technology. This family includes two issued U.S. patent, one U.S. non-provisional patent application and over ten foreign
application counterparts. The issued patents in this family are projected to expire in 2036, not including any patent term adjustments and any patent term
extensions.
In addition to patent protection on our core TriTAC platform technology, as of December 31, 2021, we owned two patent families that relate to the
CD3 and albumin binding domains of the TriTAC platform. Specifically, these two families are directed to composition-of-matter, method of use and
sequence coverage to our anti-CD3 single-variable fragment, scFv, and anti-albumin single domain antibody, sdAb, binding domains. These patent families
include four issued U.S. patents, two U.S. non-provisional patent applications and over twenty foreign application counterparts. The issued patents in these
two patent families are projected to expire in 2037, not including any patent term adjustments and extensions.
HPN328
For our pipeline DLL3-targeting TriTAC, HPN328, as of December 31, 2021, we owned two patent families directed to composition-of-matter
coverage of this TriTAC, its DLL3 binding domain and related molecules, as well as methods of use and dosing regimens for cancers. These patent families
include one issued U.S. patent, one U.S. non-provisional patent application, two non-expired U.S. provisional patent applications and over ten foreign
application counterparts. The issued patent is projected to expire in 2039, not including any patent term adjustments and extensions. In addition to these
two patent families, our patents on our anti-CD3 and albumin binding domains provide additional patent coverage on this TriTAC.
HPN217
For our pipeline BCMA-targeting TriTAC product candidate HPN217, as of December 31, 2021, we owned four patent families directed to
composition-of-matter coverage of HPN217, its BCMA binding domain and related molecules, as well as methods of use and dosing regimens for cancers.
These patent families include two issued U.S. patents, two U.S. non-provisional patent applications, three non-expired U.S. provisional patent applications
and over fifty foreign application counterparts. The issued patents are projected to expire in 2038, not including any patent term adjustments and
extensions. In addition to these four patent families, our patents on our anti-CD3 and albumin binding domains provide additional patent coverage on
HPN217.
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HPN536
For our second TriTAC product candidate, HPN536, as of December 31, 2021, we owned three patent families directed to composition-of-matter
coverage of HPN536, its MSLN-binding domain and related molecules, as well as methods of use and dosing regimens for cancers. These patent families
include two issued U.S. patents, two U.S. non-provisional patent application, one non-expired U.S. provisional patent application and over twenty foreign
application counterparts. The issued patents are projected to expire in 2038, not including any patent term adjustments and extensions. In addition to these
three patent families, our patents on our core TriTAC platform technology and our anti-CD3 and albumin binding domains provide additional patent
coverage on HPN536.
HPN424
We intend to maintain our intellectual property for our PSMA targeting TriTAC, HPN424. As of December 31, 2021, we owned four patent families
directed to composition-of-matter coverage of HPN424, its PSMA binding domain and related molecules, as well as methods of use and dosing regimens
for prostate cancer. These patent families include two issued U.S. patents, two U.S. non-provisional patent applications, one PCT international application,
two non-expired U.S. provisional patent applications and over twenty foreign application counterparts. The issued patents are projected to expire in 2037,
not including any patent term adjustments and extensions. In addition to these four patent families, our patents on our core TriTAC platform technology and
our anti-CD3 and albumin binding domains, provide additional patent coverage on HPN424.
ProTriTAC Platform
Our patent portfolio for our ProTriTAC platform (including our first ProTriTAC candidate, HPN601) is at an early stage, with no issued patents as of
December 31, 2021, and includes ten patent families directed to composition-of-matter coverage of the ProTriTAC binding moieties, applications in various
protein and cellular therapy formats and methods of use thereof. These patent families include six U.S. non-provisional patent applications, two PCT
international applications, two non-expired U.S. provisional patent applications and over ten foreign application counterparts. Any patents issuing from
these ten patent families are projected to expire in 2039 or 2040, not including any patent term adjustments and extensions.
TriTAC-XR Platform
Our patent portfolio for our TriTAC XR platform is at an early stage, with no issued patents as of December 31, 2021, and includes one patent
family directed to composition-of-matter coverage of the TriTAC XR molecules and methods of use thereof. This patent family includes two non-expired
U.S. provisional patent applications. Any patents issuing from this patent family are projected to expire in 2042, not including any patent term adjustments
and extensions.
Our commercial success will depend in part on obtaining and maintaining patent protection and trade secret protection of our current and future
product candidates and the methods used to develop and manufacture them, as well as successfully defending these patents against any third-party
challenges. Our ability to stop third parties from making, using, selling, offering to sell or importing our product candidates depends on the extent to which
we have rights under valid and enforceable patents or trade secrets that cover these activities. We cannot be sure that patents will be granted with respect to
any of our pending patent applications or with respect to any patent applications filed by us in the future, nor can we be sure that any of our existing patents
or any patents that may be granted to us in the future will be commercially useful in protecting our product candidates, discovery programs and processes.
The term of individual patents depends upon the legal term of the patents in the countries in which they are obtained. In most countries in which we
file, the patent term is 20 years from the earliest date of filing a non-provisional patent application. In the United States, the patent term of a patent that
covers an FDA-approved drug may also be eligible for patent term extension, which permits patent term restoration as compensation for the patent term
lost during the FDA regulatory review process. The Hatch-Waxman Amendments permit a patent term extension of up to five years beyond the expiration
of the patent. The length of the patent term extension is related to the length of time the drug is under regulatory review. Patent term extension cannot
extend the remaining term of a patent beyond a total of 14 years from the date of product approval, only one patent applicable to an approved drug may be
extended and only those claims covering the approved drug, a method for using it or a method for manufacturing it may be extended. Similar provisions are
available in foreign jurisdictions to extend the term of a patent that covers an approved drug. In the future, if and when our product candidates receive FDA
approval, we expect to apply for patent term extensions on patents covering those products. While we plan to seek patent term extensions on any of our
issued patents in any jurisdiction where these are available, there is no guarantee that the applicable authorities, including the FDA in the United States,
will agree with our assessment of whether such extensions should be granted and, if granted, the length of such extensions.
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In addition to patent protection, we also rely on trademark registration, trade secrets, know how, other proprietary information and continuing
technological innovation to develop and maintain our competitive position. We seek to protect and maintain the confidentiality of proprietary information
to protect aspects of our business that are not amenable to, or that we do not consider appropriate for, patent protection. Although we take steps to protect
our proprietary information and trade secrets, including through contractual means with our employees and consultants, third parties may independently
develop substantially equivalent proprietary information and techniques or otherwise gain access to our trade secrets or disclose our technology. We may
therefore not be able to meaningfully protect our trade secrets. It is our policy to require our employees, consultants, outside scientific collaborators,
sponsored researchers and other advisors to execute confidentiality agreements upon the commencement of employment or consulting relationships with
us. These agreements provide that all confidential information concerning our business or financial affairs developed or made known to the individual
during the course of the individual’s relationship with us is to be kept confidential and not disclosed to third parties except in specified circumstances. Our
agreements with employees also provide that all inventions conceived by the employee in the course of employment with us or from the employee’s use of
our confidential information are our exclusive property. However, such confidentiality agreements and invention assignment agreements can be breached
and we may not have adequate remedies for any such breach.
The patent positions of biotechnology companies like ours are generally uncertain and involve complex legal, scientific and factual questions. Our
commercial success will also depend in part on not infringing upon the proprietary rights of third parties. It is uncertain whether the issuance of any third-
party patent would require us to alter our development, commercial strategies, drugs or processes, or to obtain licenses or cease certain activities. Our
breach of any license agreements or our failure to obtain a license to proprietary rights required to develop or commercialize our future products may have
a material adverse impact on us. If third parties prepare and file patent applications in the United States that also claim technology to which we have rights,
we may have to participate in interference or derivation proceedings in the USPTO to determine priority of invention.
For more information on these risks and other comprehensive risks related to our intellectual property, see “Risk Factors—Risks Relating to Our
Intellectual Property.”
Government Regulation
The FDA and other regulatory authorities at federal, state and local levels, as well as equivalent regulatory authorities in countries outside the U.S.,
extensively regulate, among other things, the research, development, testing, manufacture, quality control, import, export, safety, effectiveness, labeling,
packaging, storage, distribution, record keeping, approval, advertising, promotion, marketing, post-approval monitoring and post-approval reporting of
biologics such as those we are developing. We, along with third-party contractors, will be required to navigate the various preclinical, clinical and
commercial approval requirements of the governing regulatory agencies of the countries in which we wish to conduct studies or seek approval or licensure
of our product candidates. Moreover, compliance with government regulations governing personal information and information security requires the
expenditure of substantial time and financial resources.
U.S. Biologics Regulation
The process required by the FDA before biologic product candidates may be marketed in the United States generally involves the following:
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completion of preclinical laboratory tests and animal studies performed in accordance with the FDA’s current Good Laboratory Practices, or
GLP, regulation;
submission to the FDA of an IND, which must become effective before clinical trials may begin and must be updated annually or when
significant changes are made;
approval by an independent IRB or ethics committee at each clinical site before the trial is commenced;
performance of adequate and well-controlled human clinical trials to establish the safety, purity and potency of the proposed biologic product
candidate for its intended purpose;
preparation of and submission to the FDA of a Biologics License Application, or BLA, after completion of all pivotal clinical trials;
a determination by the FDA within 60 days of its receipt of a BLA to file the application for review;
satisfactory completion of an FDA Advisory Committee review, if applicable;
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satisfactory completion of an FDA pre-approval inspection of the manufacturing facility or facilities at which the proposed product is
produced to assess compliance with current good manufacturing practices, or cGMPs, and to assure that the facilities, methods and controls
are adequate to preserve the biological product’s continued safety, purity and potency, and of selected clinical investigation sites to assess
compliance with good clinical practices, or GCPs; and
FDA review and approval of a BLA to permit commercial marketing of the product for particular indications for use in the United States.
Preclinical and Clinical Development
Prior to beginning the first clinical trial with a product candidate, we must submit an IND to the FDA. An IND is a request for authorization from
the FDA to administer an investigational new drug or biologic product to humans. The central focus of an IND submission is on the general investigational
plan and the protocol or protocols for preclinical studies and clinical trials. The IND also includes results of animal and in vitro studies assessing the
toxicology, pharmacokinetics, pharmacology and pharmacodynamic characteristics of the product, chemistry, manufacturing and controls information, and
any available human data or literature to support the use of the investigational product. An IND must become effective before human clinical trials may
begin. The IND automatically becomes effective 30 days after receipt by the FDA, unless the FDA, within the 30-day period, raises safety concerns or
questions about the proposed clinical trial. In such a case, the IND may be placed on clinical hold and the IND sponsor and the FDA must resolve any
outstanding concerns or questions before the clinical trial can begin. Submission of an IND therefore may or may not result in FDA authorization to begin a
clinical trial.
Clinical trials involve the administration of the investigational product to human subjects under the supervision of qualified investigators in
accordance with GCPs, which include the requirement that all research subjects provide their informed consent for their participation in any clinical study.
Clinical trials are conducted under protocols detailing, among other things, the objectives of the study, the parameters to be used in monitoring safety and
the effectiveness criteria to be evaluated. A separate submission to the existing IND must be made for each successive clinical trial conducted during
product development and for any subsequent protocol amendments. Furthermore, an independent IRB for each site proposing to conduct the clinical trial
must review and approve the plan for any clinical trial and its informed consent form before the clinical trial begins at that site and must monitor the study
until completed. Regulatory authorities, the IRB or the sponsor may suspend a clinical trial at any time on various grounds, including a finding that the
subjects are being exposed to an unacceptable health risk or that the trial is unlikely to meet its stated objectives. Some studies also include oversight by an
independent group of qualified experts organized by the clinical study sponsor, known as a data safety monitoring board, which provides authorization for
whether or not a study may move forward at designated check points based on access to certain data from the study and may halt the clinical trial if it
determines that there is an unacceptable safety risk for subjects or other grounds, such as no demonstration of efficacy. There are also requirements
governing the reporting of ongoing preclinical studies and clinical trials and clinical study results to public registries.
For purposes of BLA approval, human clinical trials are typically conducted in three sequential phases that may overlap.
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Phase 1. The investigational product is initially introduced into healthy human subjects or patients with the target disease or condition. These
studies are designed to test the safety, dosage tolerance, absorption, metabolism and distribution of the investigational product in humans, the
side effects associated with increasing doses, and, if possible, to gain early evidence on effectiveness.
Phase 2. The investigational product is administered to a limited patient population with a specified disease or condition to evaluate the
preliminary efficacy, optimal dosages and dosing schedule and to identify possible adverse side effects and safety risks. Multiple Phase 2
clinical trials may be conducted to obtain information prior to beginning larger and more expensive Phase 3 clinical trials.
Phase 3. The investigational product is administered to an expanded patient population to further evaluate dosage, to provide statistically
significant evidence of clinical efficacy and to further test for safety, generally at multiple geographically dispersed clinical trial sites. These
clinical trials are intended to establish the overall risk/benefit ratio of the investigational product and to provide an adequate basis for product
approval.
In some cases, the FDA may require, or companies may voluntarily pursue, additional clinical trials after a product is approved to gain more
information about the product. These so-called Phase 4 studies may be made a condition to approval of the BLA. Concurrent with clinical trials, companies
may complete additional animal studies and develop additional information about the biological characteristics of the product candidate and must finalize a
process for manufacturing the product in commercial quantities in accordance with cGMP requirements. The manufacturing process must be capable of
consistently producing quality batches of the product candidate and, among other things, must develop methods for testing the identity, strength, quality
and purity of the final product, or for biologics, the safety, purity and potency. Additionally, appropriate packaging must be selected and tested and stability
studies must be conducted to demonstrate that the product candidate does not undergo unacceptable deterioration over its shelf life.
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BLA Submission and Review
Assuming successful completion of all required testing in accordance with all applicable regulatory requirements, the results of product
development, nonclinical studies and clinical trials are submitted to the FDA as part of a BLA requesting approval to market the product for one or more
indications. The BLA must include all relevant data available from pertinent preclinical studies and clinical trials, including negative or ambiguous results
as well as positive findings, together with detailed information relating to the product’s chemistry, manufacturing, controls, and proposed labeling, among
other things. The submission of a BLA requires payment of a substantial application user fee to the FDA, unless a waiver or exemption applies.
Once a BLA has been submitted, the FDA’s goal is to review standard applications within ten months after it accepts the application for filing, or, if
the application qualifies for priority review, six months after the FDA accepts the application for filing. In both standard and priority reviews, the review
process is often significantly extended by FDA requests for additional information or clarification. The FDA reviews a BLA to determine, among other
things, whether a product is safe, pure and potent and the facility in which it is manufactured, processed, packed or held meets standards designed to assure
the product’s continued safety, purity and potency. The FDA may convene an advisory committee to provide clinical insight on application review
questions. Before approving a BLA, the FDA will typically inspect the facility or facilities where the product is manufactured. The FDA will not approve
an application unless it determines that the manufacturing processes and facilities are in compliance with cGMP requirements and adequate to assure
consistent production of the product within required specifications. Additionally, before approving a BLA, the FDA will typically inspect one or more
clinical sites to assure compliance with GCPs. If the FDA determines that the application, manufacturing process or manufacturing facilities are not
acceptable, it will outline the deficiencies in the submission and often will request additional testing or information. Notwithstanding the submission of any
requested additional information, the FDA ultimately may decide that the application does not satisfy the regulatory criteria for approval.
After the FDA evaluates a BLA and conducts inspections of manufacturing facilities where the investigational product and/or its drug substance will
be produced, the FDA may issue an approval letter or a Complete Response letter. An approval letter authorizes commercial marketing of the product with
specific prescribing information for specific indications. A Complete Response letter will describe all of the deficiencies that the FDA has identified in the
BLA, except that where the FDA determines that the data supporting the application are inadequate to support approval, the FDA may issue the Complete
Response letter without first conducting required inspections, testing submitted product lots and/or reviewing proposed labeling. In issuing the Complete
Response letter, the FDA may recommend actions that the applicant might take to place the BLA in condition for approval, including requests for
additional information or clarification. The FDA may delay or refuse approval of a BLA if applicable regulatory criteria are not satisfied, require additional
testing or information and/or require post-marketing testing and surveillance to monitor safety or efficacy of a product.
If regulatory approval of a product is granted, such approval will be granted for particular indications and may entail limitations on the indicated
uses for which such product may be marketed. For example, the FDA may approve the BLA with a Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy, or REMS, to
ensure the benefits of the product outweigh its risks. A REMS is a safety strategy to manage a known or potential serious risk associated with a product and
to enable patients to have continued access to such medicines by managing their safe use, and could include medication guides, physician communication
plans, or elements to assure safe use, such as restricted distribution methods, patient registries and other risk minimization tools. The FDA also may
condition approval on, among other things, changes to proposed labeling or the development of adequate controls and specifications. Once approved, the
FDA may withdraw the product approval if compliance with pre- and post-marketing requirements is not maintained or if problems occur after the product
reaches the marketplace. The FDA may require one or more Phase 4 post-market studies and surveillance to further assess and monitor the product’s safety
and effectiveness after commercialization, and may limit further marketing of the product based on the results of these post-marketing studies.
Expedited Development and Review Programs
The FDA offers a number of expedited development and review programs for qualifying product candidates. The fast track program is intended to
expedite or facilitate the process for reviewing new products that meet certain criteria. Specifically, new products are eligible for fast track designation if
they are intended to treat a serious or life-threatening disease or condition and demonstrate the potential to address unmet medical needs for the disease or
condition. Fast track designation applies to the combination of the product and the specific indication for which it is being studied. The sponsor of a fast
track product has opportunities for frequent interactions with the review team during product development and, once a BLA is submitted, the product may
be eligible for priority review. A fast track product may also be eligible for rolling review, where the FDA may consider for review sections of the BLA on
a rolling basis before the complete application is submitted, if the sponsor provides a schedule for the submission of the sections of the BLA, the FDA
agrees to accept sections of the BLA and determines that the schedule is acceptable, and the sponsor pays any required user fees upon submission of the
first section of the BLA.
A product intended to treat a serious or life-threatening disease or condition may also be eligible for breakthrough therapy designation to expedite its
development and review. A product can receive breakthrough therapy designation if preliminary clinical evidence indicates that the product, alone or in
combination with one or more other drugs or biologics, may demonstrate substantial improvement over existing therapies on one or more clinically
significant endpoints, such as substantial treatment effects observed early in clinical development. The designation includes all of the fast track program
features, as well as more intensive FDA
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interaction and guidance beginning as early as Phase 1 and an organizational commitment to expedite the development and review of the product, including
involvement of senior managers.
Any marketing application for a biologic submitted to the FDA for approval, including a product with a fast track designation and/or breakthrough
therapy designation, may be eligible for other types of FDA programs intended to expedite the FDA review and approval process, such as priority review
and accelerated approval. A product is eligible for priority review if it has the potential to provide a significant improvement in the treatment, diagnosis or
prevention of a serious disease or condition. For original BLAs, priority review designation means the FDA’s goal is to take action on the marketing
application within six months of the 60-day filing date (as compared to ten months under standard review).
Additionally, products studied for their safety and effectiveness in treating serious or life-threatening diseases or conditions may receive accelerated
approval upon a determination that the product has an effect on a surrogate endpoint that is reasonably likely to predict clinical benefit, or on a clinical
endpoint that can be measured earlier than irreversible morbidity or mortality, that is reasonably likely to predict an effect on irreversible morbidity or
mortality or other clinical benefit, taking into account the severity, rarity, or prevalence of the condition and the availability or lack of alternative
treatments. As a condition of accelerated approval, the FDA will generally require the sponsor to perform adequate and well-controlled post-marketing
clinical studies to verify and describe the anticipated effect on irreversible morbidity or mortality or other clinical benefit. In addition, the FDA currently
requires as a condition for accelerated approval pre-approval of promotional materials, which could adversely impact the timing of the commercial launch
of the product.
A regenerative medicine advanced therapy, or RMAT, designation is intended to facilitate an efficient development program for, and expedited
review of, any drug that meets the following criteria: (i) the drug qualifies as a RMAT, which is defined as a cell therapy, therapeutic tissue engineering
product, human cell and tissue product, or any combination product using such therapies or products, with limited exceptions; (ii) the drug is intended to
treat, modify, reverse, or cure a serious or life-threatening disease or condition; and (iii) preliminary clinical evidence indicates that the drug has the
potential to address unmet medical needs for such a disease or condition. Like breakthrough therapy designation, RMAT designation provides potential
benefits that include more frequent meetings with the FDA to discuss the development plan for the product candidate and eligibility for rolling review and
priority review. Products granted RMAT designation may also be eligible for accelerated approval on the basis of a surrogate or intermediate endpoint
reasonably likely to predict long-term clinical benefit, or reliance upon data obtained from a meaningful number of sites, including through expansion to
additional sites. Once approved, when appropriate, the FDA can permit fulfillment of post-approval requirements under accelerated approval through: the
submission of clinical evidence, preclinical studies, clinical trials, patient registries or other sources of real world evidence such as electronic health
records; the collection of larger confirmatory datasets; or post-approval monitoring of all patients treated with the therapy prior to approval.
Fast track designation, breakthrough therapy designation, priority review and RMAT designation do not change the standards for approval but may
expedite the development or approval process. Even if a product qualifies for one or more of these programs, the FDA may later decide that the product no
longer meets the conditions for qualification or decide that the time period for FDA review or approval will not be shortened.
Orphan Drug Designation
Under the Orphan Drug Act, the FDA may grant orphan designation to a drug or biologic intended to treat a rare disease or condition, which is a
disease or condition that affects fewer than 200,000 individuals in the United States, or more than 200,000 individuals in the United States for which there
is no reasonable expectation that the cost of developing and making available in the United States a drug or biologic for this type of disease or condition
will be recovered from sales in the United States for that drug or biologic. Orphan drug designation must be requested before submitting a BLA. After the
FDA grants orphan drug designation, the generic identity of the therapeutic agent and its potential orphan use are disclosed publicly by the FDA. The
orphan drug designation does not convey any advantage in, or shorten the duration of, the regulatory review or approval process.
If a product that has orphan drug designation subsequently receives the first FDA approval for the disease for which it has such designation, the
product is entitled to orphan drug exclusive approval (or exclusivity), which means that the FDA may not approve any other applications, including a full
BLA, to market the same biologic for the same indication for seven years, except in limited circumstances, such as a showing of clinical superiority to the
product with orphan drug exclusivity or if the FDA finds that the holder of the orphan drug exclusivity has not shown that it can assure the availability of
sufficient quantities of the orphan drug to meet the needs of patients with the disease or condition for which the drug was designated. Orphan drug
exclusivity does not prevent the FDA from approving a different drug or biologic for the same disease or condition, or the same drug or biologic for a
different disease or condition. Among the other benefits of orphan drug designation are tax credits for certain research and a waiver of the BLA application
fee.
A designated orphan drug may not receive orphan drug exclusivity if it is approved for a use that is broader than the indication for which it received
orphan designation. In addition, exclusive marketing rights in the United States may be lost if the FDA later determines that the request for designation was
materially defective or if the manufacturer is unable to assure sufficient quantities of the product to meet the needs of patients with the rare disease or
condition.
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Post-Approval Requirements
Any products manufactured or distributed by us pursuant to FDA approvals are subject to pervasive and continuing regulation by the FDA,
including, among other things, requirements relating to record-keeping, reporting of adverse experiences, periodic reporting, product sampling and
distribution, and advertising and promotion of the product. After approval, most changes to the approved product, such as adding new indications or other
labeling claims, are subject to prior FDA review and approval. There also are continuing user fee requirements, under which the FDA assesses an annual
program fee for each product identified in an approved BLA. Biologic manufacturers and their subcontractors are required to register their establishments
with the FDA and certain state agencies, and are subject to periodic unannounced inspections by the FDA and certain state agencies for compliance with
cGMPs, which impose certain procedural and documentation requirements upon us and our third-party manufacturers. Changes to the manufacturing
process are strictly regulated, and, depending on the significance of the change, may require prior FDA approval before being implemented. FDA
regulations also require investigation and correction of any deviations from cGMPs and impose reporting requirements upon us and any third-party
manufacturers that we may decide to use. Accordingly, manufacturers must continue to expend time, money and effort in the area of production and quality
control to maintain compliance with cGMPs and other aspects of regulatory compliance.
The FDA may withdraw approval if compliance with regulatory requirements and standards is not maintained or if problems occur after the product
reaches the market. Later discovery of previously unknown problems with a product, including adverse events of unanticipated severity or frequency, or
with manufacturing processes, or failure to comply with regulatory requirements, may result in revisions to the approved labeling to add new safety
information; imposition of post-market studies or clinical studies to assess new safety risks; or imposition of distribution restrictions or other restrictions
under a REMS program. Other potential consequences include, among other things:
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restrictions on the marketing or manufacturing of a product, complete withdrawal of the product from the market or product recalls;
fines, warning letters or holds on post-approval clinical studies;
refusal of the FDA to approve pending applications or supplements to approved applications, or suspension or revocation of existing product
approvals;
product seizure or detention, or refusal of the FDA to permit the import or export of products;
consent decrees, corporate integrity agreements, debarment or exclusion from federal healthcare programs;
mandated modification of promotional materials and labeling and the issuance of corrective information;
the issuance of safety alerts, Dear Healthcare Provider letters, press releases and other communications containing warnings or other safety
information about the product; or
injunctions or the imposition of civil or criminal penalties.
The FDA closely regulates the marketing, labeling, advertising and promotion of biologics. A company can make only those claims relating to
safety and efficacy, purity and potency that are approved by the FDA and in accordance with the provisions of the approved label. The FDA and other
agencies actively enforce the laws and regulations prohibiting the promotion of off-label uses. Failure to comply with these requirements can result in,
among other things, adverse publicity, warning letters, corrective advertising and potential civil and criminal penalties. Physicians may prescribe legally
available products for uses that are not described in the product’s labeling and that differ from those tested by us and approved by the FDA. Such off-label
uses are common across medical specialties. Physicians may believe that such off-label uses are the best treatment for many patients in varied
circumstances. The FDA does not regulate the behavior of physicians in their choice of treatments. The FDA does, however, restrict manufacturer’s
communications on the subject of off-label use of their products.
Regulation of Companion Diagnostic Tests
We expect that our product candidates may require use of a diagnostic to identify appropriate patient population. These diagnostics, often referred to
as companion diagnostics, are medical devices, often in vitro devices, which provide information that is essential for the safe and effective use of a
corresponding drug. In the United States, the FDCA and its implementing regulations, and other federal and state statutes and regulations govern, among
other things, medical device design and development, preclinical and clinical testing, premarket clearance or approval, registration and listing,
manufacturing, labeling, storage, advertising and promotion, sales and distribution, export and import, and post-market surveillance. Unless an exemption
applies, diagnostic tests require marketing clearance or approval from the FDA prior to commercial distribution. The two primary types of FDA marketing
authorization applicable to a medical device are premarket notification, also called 510(k) clearance, and premarket approval, or PMA approval. We expect
that any companion diagnostic developed for use with our product candidates will utilize the PMA pathway.
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PMA applications must be supported by valid scientific evidence, which typically requires extensive data, including technical, preclinical, clinical
and manufacturing data, to demonstrate to the FDA’s satisfaction the safety and effectiveness of the device. For diagnostic tests, a PMA application
typically includes data regarding analytical and clinical validation studies. As part of its review of the PMA, the FDA will conduct a pre-approval
inspection of the manufacturing facility or facilities to ensure compliance with the Quality System Regulation, or QSR, which requires manufacturers to
follow design, testing, control, documentation and other quality assurance procedures. FDA review of an initial PMA may require several years to
complete. If the FDA evaluations of both the PMA application and the manufacturing facilities are favorable, the FDA will either issue an approval letter or
an approvable letter, which usually contains a number of conditions that must be met in order to secure the final approval of the PMA. If the FDA’s
evaluation of the PMA or manufacturing facilities is not favorable, the FDA will deny approval of the PMA or issue a not approvable letter. A not
approvable letter will outline the deficiencies in the application and, where practical, will identify what is necessary to make the PMA approvable. The
FDA may also determine that additional clinical trials are necessary, in which case the PMA approval may be delayed for several months or years while the
trials are conducted and then the data submitted in an amendment to the PMA. Once granted, PMA approval may be withdrawn by the FDA if compliance
with post approval requirements, conditions of approval or other regulatory standards is not maintained or problems are identified following initial
marketing.
According to the FDA guidance document addressing the development and approval process for “In Vitro Companion Diagnostic Devices,” a
companion diagnostic device and its corresponding drug should be approved or cleared contemporaneously by the FDA for the use indicated in the
therapeutic product labeling. The guidance also explains that a companion diagnostic device used to make treatment decisions in clinical trials generally
will be considered an investigational device, unless it is employed for an intended use for which the device is already approved or cleared. If used to make
critical treatment decisions, such as patient selection, the diagnostic device generally will be considered a significant risk device under the FDA’s
Investigational Device Exemption, or IDE, regulations. Thus, the sponsor of the diagnostic device will be required to comply with the IDE regulations.
According to the guidance, if a diagnostic device and therapeutic are to be studied together to support their respective approvals, both products can be
studied in the same investigational study, if the study meets both the requirements of the IDE regulations and the IND regulations. The guidance provides
that depending on the details of the study plan and subjects, a sponsor may seek to submit an IND alone, or both an IND and an IDE.
Biosimilars and Reference Product Exclusivity
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, as amended by the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, or collectively, the ACA
includes a subtitle called the BPCIA, which created an abbreviated approval pathway for biological products that are biosimilar to or interchangeable with
an FDA-approved reference biological product.
Biosimilarity, which requires that there be no clinically meaningful differences between the biological product and the reference product in terms of
safety, purity, and potency, can be shown through analytical studies, animal studies, and a clinical study or studies. Interchangeability requires that a
product is biosimilar to the reference product and the product must demonstrate that it can be expected to produce the same clinical results as the reference
product in any given patient and, for products that are administered multiple times to an individual, the biologic and the reference biologic may be
alternated or switched after one has been previously administered without increasing safety risks or risks of diminished efficacy relative to exclusive use of
the reference biologic.
Under the BPCIA, an application for a biosimilar product may not be submitted to the FDA until four years following the date that the reference
product was first licensed by the FDA. In addition, the approval of a biosimilar product may not be made effective by the FDA until 12 years from the date
on which the reference product was first licensed. During this 12-year period of exclusivity, another company may still market a competing version of the
reference product if the FDA approves a full BLA for the competing product containing that applicant’s own preclinical data and data from adequate and
well-controlled clinical trials to demonstrate the safety, purity and potency of its product. The BPCIA also created certain exclusivity periods for
biosimilars approved as interchangeable products.
The BPCIA is complex and continues to be interpreted and implemented by the FDA. In addition, government proposals have sought to reduce the
12-year reference product exclusivity period. Other aspects of the BPCIA, some of which may impact the BPCIA exclusivity provisions, have also been the
subject of recent litigation. As a result, the ultimate impact, implementation, and impact of the BPCIA is subject to significant uncertainty.
Other Healthcare, Data Privacy and Security Laws and Compliance Requirements
Pharmaceutical companies are subject to additional healthcare and data privacy as well as information security regulation and enforcement by the
federal government and by authorities in the states and foreign jurisdictions in which they conduct their business. Such laws include, without limitation: the
federal Anti-Kickback Statute, the federal False Claims Act, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, or HIPAA and similar
foreign, federal and state fraud and abuse, transparency, privacy and information security laws.
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The federal Anti-Kickback Statute prohibits, among other things, persons and entities from knowingly and willfully soliciting, receiving, offering or
paying remuneration, to induce, or in return for, either the referral of an individual, or the purchase or recommendation of an item or service for which
payment may be made under any federal healthcare program. The term remuneration has been interpreted broadly to include anything of value, including
stock options. The federal Anti-Kickback Statute has been interpreted to apply to arrangements between pharmaceutical manufacturers on one hand and
prescribers, purchasers on the other. There are a number of statutory exceptions and regulatory safe harbors protecting some common activities from
prosecution, but they are drawn narrowly and practices that involve remuneration, such as consulting agreements, that may be alleged to be intended to
induce prescribing, purchasing or recommending 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 federal Anti-
Kickback Statute. Instead, the legality of the arrangement will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis based on a cumulative review of all of its facts and
circumstances. Our practices may not in all cases meet all of the criteria for protection under a statutory exception or regulatory safe harbor. 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, a claim
including items or services resulting from a violation of the federal Anti-Kickback Statute constitutes a false or fraudulent claim for purposes of the federal
False Claims Act.
Civil and criminal false claims laws, including the federal False Claims Act, which can be enforced through civil whistleblower or qui tam actions,
and civil monetary penalty laws, prohibit, among other things, individuals or entities from knowingly presenting, or causing to be presented, claims for
payment to the federal government, including federal healthcare programs, that are false or fraudulent. For example, the federal False Claims Act prohibits
any person or entity from knowingly presenting, or causing to be presented, a false claim for payment to the federal government or knowingly making,
using or causing to be made or used a false record or statement material to a false or fraudulent claim to the federal government. A claim includes “any
request or demand” for money or property presented to the U.S. government. Several pharmaceutical and other healthcare companies have been prosecuted
under these laws for allegedly providing free product to customers with the expectation that the customers would bill federal programs for the product.
HIPAA created additional federal criminal statutes that prohibit, among other things, executing a scheme to defraud any healthcare benefit program,
including private third-party payors, and making false statements relating to healthcare matters. In addition, HIPAA, as amended by the Health Information
Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act of 2009, or HITECH, and their implementing regulations, impose certain requirements on HIPAA
covered entities, which include certain healthcare providers, healthcare clearing houses and health plans, and individuals and entities that provide services
on their behalf that involves individually identifiable health information, known as business associates and their subcontractors that use, disclose, access or
otherwise process individually identifiable health information, relating to the privacy, security and transmission of individually identifiable health
information. HITECH also created new tiers of civil monetary penalties, amended HIPAA to make civil and criminal penalties directly applicable to
business associates, and gave state attorneys general new authority to file civil actions for damages or injunctions in U.S. federal courts to enforce the
federal HIPAA laws and seek attorneys’ fees and costs associated with pursuing federal civil actions.
The U.S. federal Physician Payments Sunshine Act requires certain manufacturers of drugs, devices, biologics and medical supplies for which
payment is available under Medicare, Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program, with specific exceptions, to annually report to the Centers for
Medicare and Medicaid Services, or CMS, information related to payments or other transfers of value made to physicians (defined to include doctors,
dentists, optometrists, podiatrists, and chiropractors), certain other healthcare professionals (such as physician assistants and nurse practitioners), and
teaching hospitals, as well as ownership and investment interests held by physicians and their immediate family members.
We are also subject to additional similar U.S. state and foreign law equivalents of each of the above federal laws, including those governing the
privacy and security of personal information (including key-coded data and health information), which, in some cases, differ from each other in significant
ways, and may not have the same effect, thus complicating compliance efforts. If our operations are found to be in violation of any of such laws or any
other governmental regulations that apply, we may be subject to penalties, including, without limitation, significant civil, criminal and administrative
penalties, damages, fines, exclusion from government-funded healthcare programs, such as Medicare and Medicaid or similar programs in other countries
or jurisdictions, integrity oversight and reporting obligations to resolve allegations of non-compliance, disgorgement, individual imprisonment, contractual
damages, reputational harm, diminished profits and the curtailment or restructuring of our operations.
Efforts to ensure that our current and future business arrangements will comply with applicable privacy and data security laws and regulations will
involve substantial costs. For example, the European General Data Protection Regulation, or GDPR, imposes several requirements relating to the consent
of the individuals to whom the personal data relates, the information provided to the individuals, the security and confidentiality of the personal data, data
breach notification and the use of third-party processors in connection with the processing of personal data. European data protection laws, such as the
GDPR, also impose strict rules on the transfer of personal data out of the European Economic Area, Switzerland and United Kingdom. Further, the GDPR
authorizes the imposition of penalties (such as restrictions or prohibitions on personal data processing) and large fines for noncompliance, including the
potential for fines of up to €20 million or 4% of the annual global revenues of the noncompliant company, whichever is greater. The GDPR has increased
our responsibility and potential liability in relation to personal data that we process or control compared to
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prior EU law, including in clinical trials, and we may be required to put in place additional mechanisms to ensure compliance with the GDPR and similar
data protection laws, which could divert management’s attention and increase our cost of doing business. Likewise, we expect that there will continue to be
new proposed laws, regulations and industry standards relating to privacy and data protection in the United States, the EU and other jurisdictions, such as
the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018, or CCPA, which has been characterized as the first “GDPR-like” privacy statute to be enacted in the United
States. Although the CCPA exempts certain data processed in the context of clinical trials, the CCPA, to the extent applicable to our business and
operations, may increase our compliance costs and potential liability with respect to the personal information we maintain about California residents. In any
event, it is possible that governmental authorities will conclude that our business practices do not comply with current or future statutes, regulations,
agency guidance or case law involving applicable information security or privacy laws in light of the lack of applicable precedent and regulations. Federal,
state and foreign enforcement bodies have increased their scrutiny of biotechnology companies, which has led to a number of investigations, prosecutions,
convictions, fines, penalties and settlements in the industry.
Coverage and Reimbursement
Significant uncertainty exists as to the coverage and reimbursement status of any pharmaceutical or biological product for which we obtain
regulatory approval. Sales of any product, if approved, depend, in part, on the extent to which such product will be covered by third-party payors, such as
federal, state, and foreign government healthcare programs, commercial insurance and managed healthcare organizations, and the level of reimbursement,
if any, for such product by third-party payors. Decisions regarding whether to cover any of our product candidates, if approved, the extent of coverage and
amount of reimbursement to be provided are made on a plan-by-plan basis. Further, no uniform policy for coverage and reimbursement exists in the United
States, and coverage and reimbursement can differ significantly from payor to payor. Third-party payors often rely upon Medicare coverage policy and
payment limitations in setting their own reimbursement rates, but also have their own methods and approval process apart from Medicare determinations.
As a result, the coverage determination process is often a time-consuming and costly process that will require us to provide scientific and clinical support
for the use of our product candidates to each payor separately, with no assurance that coverage and adequate reimbursement will be applied consistently or
obtained in the first instance.
For products administered under the supervision of a physician, obtaining coverage and adequate reimbursement may be particularly difficult
because of the higher prices often associated with such drugs. Additionally, separate reimbursement for the product itself or the treatment or procedure in
which the product is used may not be available, which may impact physician utilization. In addition, companion diagnostic tests require coverage and
reimbursement separate and apart from the coverage and reimbursement for their companion pharmaceutical or biological products. Similar challenges to
obtaining coverage and reimbursement, applicable to pharmaceutical or biological products, will apply to companion diagnostics.
In addition, the U.S. government, state legislatures and foreign governments have continued implementing cost-containment programs, including
price controls, restrictions on coverage and reimbursement and requirements for substitution of generic products. Third-party payors are increasingly
challenging the prices charged for medical products and services, examining the medical necessity and reviewing the cost effectiveness of pharmaceutical
or biological products, medical devices and medical services, in addition to questioning safety and efficacy. Adoption of price controls and cost-
containment measures, and adoption of more restrictive policies in jurisdictions with existing controls and measures, could further limit sales of any
product that receives approval. Decreases in third-party reimbursement for any product or a decision by a third-party not to cover a product could reduce
physician usage and patient demand for the product. No regulatory authority has granted approval for a personalized cancer immunotherapy based on a
vaccine approach, and there is no model for reimbursement of this type of product.
Healthcare Reform
The United States and some foreign jurisdictions are considering or have enacted a number of reform proposals to change the healthcare system.
There is significant interest in promoting changes in healthcare systems with the stated goals of containing healthcare costs, improving quality or
expanding access. In the United States, the pharmaceutical industry has been a particular focus of these efforts and has been significantly affected by
federal and state legislative initiatives, including those designed to limit the pricing, coverage, and reimbursement of pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical
products, especially under government-funded health care programs, and increased governmental control of drug pricing.
The ACA, which was enacted in March 2010, substantially changed the way healthcare is financed by both governmental and private insurers in the
United States, and significantly affected the pharmaceutical industry. The ACA contains a number of provisions of particular import to the pharmaceutical
and biotechnology industries, including, but not limited to, those governing enrollment in federal healthcare programs, a new methodology by which
rebates owed by manufacturers under the Medicaid Drug Rebate Program are calculated for drugs that are inhaled, infused, instilled, implanted or injected,
and annual fees based on pharmaceutical companies’ share of sales to federal health care programs. There have been executive, judicial and Congressional
challenges to certain aspects of the ACA. While Congress has not passed comprehensive repeal legislation, several bills affecting the implementation of
certain taxes under the ACA have been signed into law. For example, the Tax Act was enacted, which, among other things, removes penalties for not
complying with ACA’s requirement to carry health insurance, known as the “individual mandate”, effective January 1, 2019. On June 17, 2021, the U.S.
Supreme Court dismissed a challenge on procedural grounds that argued the ACA is unconstitutional in its entirety because the individual mandate was
repealed by Congress. Thus, the ACA will remain in effect in its current form. Further, prior to the U.S. Supreme Court ruling on January 28, 2021,
President Biden issued an executive order to initiate a special enrollment period for purposes of obtaining health insurance coverage through the ACA
marketplace. The executive order also instructed certain
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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. It is possible that the ACA will be subject to additional judicial and Congressional challenges in
the future. It is unclear how any such challenges and the healthcare reform measures of the Biden administration will impact the ACA and our business.
Other legislative changes have been proposed and adopted since the ACA was enacted, including aggregate reductions of Medicare payments to
providers of 2% per fiscal year and reduced payments to several types of Medicare providers. These reductions went into effect in April 2013 and, due to
subsequent legislative amendments to the statute, will remain in effect through 2031 with the exception of a temporary suspension from May 1, 2020
through March 2021 unless additional action is taken by Congress. Under current legislation, the actual reduction in Medicare payments will vary from 1%
in 2022 to up to 3% in the final fiscal year of this sequester. Additionally, on March 11, 2021, President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act of
2021 into law, which eliminates the statutory Medicaid drug rebate cap, currently set at 100% of a drug’s average manufacturer price, for single source and
innovator multiple source drugs, beginning January 1, 2024. Further, Congress is considering additional health reform measures.
Moreover, there has recently been heightened governmental scrutiny over the manner in which manufacturers set prices for their marketed products,
which has resulted in several Presidential executive orders, Congressional inquiries and proposed and enacted federal and state legislation designed to,
among other things, bring more transparency to product pricing, review the relationship between pricing and manufacturer patient programs, and reform
government program reimbursement methodologies for drug products. At the federal level, the Trump administration used several means to propose or
implement drug pricing reform, including through federal budget proposals, executive orders and policy initiatives. For example, on July 24, 2020 and
September 13, 2020, the Trump administration announced several executive orders related to prescription drug pricing that seek to implement several of the
administration’s proposals. As a result, the FDA concurrently released a final rule and guidance in September 2020 providing pathways for states to build
and submit importation plans for drugs from Canada. Further, on November 20, 2020, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, or HHS,
finalized a regulation removing safe harbor protection for price reductions from pharmaceutical manufacturers to plan sponsors under Medicare Part D,
either directly or through pharmacy benefit managers, unless the price reduction is required by law. The implementation of the rule has been delayed by the
Biden administration from January 1, 2022 to January 1, 2023 in response to ongoing litigation. The rule also creates a new safe harbor for price reductions
reflected at the point-of-sale, as well as a new safe harbor for certain fixed fee arrangements between pharmacy benefit managers and manufacturers, the
implementation of which have also been delayed by the Biden administration until January 1, 2023. On November 20, 2020, CMS issued an interim final
rule implementing the Trump administration’s Most Favored Nation executive order, which would tie Medicare Part B payments for certain physician-
administered drugs to the lowest price paid in other economically advanced countries, effective January 1, 2021. As a result of litigation challenging the
Most Favored Nation model, on December 27, 2021, CMS published a final rule that rescinds the Most Favored Nation model interim final rule.
Additionally, in July 2021, the Biden administration released an executive order, “Promoting Competition in the American Economy,” with multiple
provisions aimed at prescription drugs. In response to Biden’s executive order, on September 9, 2021, HHS released a Comprehensive Plan for Addressing
High Drug Prices that outlines principles for drug pricing reform and sets out a variety of potential legislative policies that Congress could pursue as well as
potential administrative actions HHS can take to advance these principles. No legislation or administrative actions have been finalized to implement these
principles. It is unclear whether these or similar policy initiatives will be implemented in the future. At the state level, legislatures have increasingly passed
legislation and implemented regulations designed to control pharmaceutical product pricing, including price or patient reimbursement constraints,
discounts, restrictions on certain product access and marketing cost disclosure and transparency measures, and, in some cases, designed to encourage
importation from other countries and bulk purchasing. It is also possible that additional governmental action is taken in response to the COVID-19
pandemic.
Human Capital Resources
As of February 28, 2022, we had 99 full time employees, 84 of whom were engaged in research and development activities and 15 of whom were
engaged in general and administrative activities. None of our employees are represented by labor unions or covered by collective bargaining agreements.
We consider our relationship with our employees to be good.
Our human capital resources objectives include meeting hiring goals, deepening our immunotherapy research and development and public company
expertise, integrating new employees, and retaining, incentivizing and developing our existing employees. We provide discretionary cash-based
performance bonuses and, in addition, may utilize our equity incentive plan to attract, retain and motivate selected employees, consultants and directors
through the granting of stock-based compensation awards.
Corporate Information
We were incorporated as a Delaware corporation in March 2015. Our principal executive offices are located at 131 Oyster Point Blvd, Suite 300,
South San Francisco, California 94080, and our telephone number is (650) 443-7400. Our website address is www.harpoontx.com. The information
contained on, or that can be accessed through, our website is not incorporated by reference into this Annual Report on Form 10-K, and you should not
consider any information contained on, or that can be accessed through, our website as part of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
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“Harpoon Therapeutics,” “Harpoon,” the Harpoon logo, TriTAC, ProTriTAC, TriTAC-XR and our other registered or common law trademarks,
trade names or service marks appearing in this report are owned by us. This report contains references to our trademarks and to trademarks belonging to
other entities. Solely for convenience, trademarks and trade names referred to in this report, including logos, artwork and other visual displays, generally
appear without the ® or TM symbols, but such references are not intended to indicate, in any way, that we will not assert, to the fullest extent under
applicable law, our rights or the rights of the applicable licensor to these trademarks and trade names. We do not intend our use or display of other
companies’ trade names or trademarks to imply a relationship with, or endorsement or sponsorship of us by, any other companies.
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Item 1A. Risk Factors
In investment in our common stock involves a high degree of risk. You should carefully review the risks and uncertainties described below before making an
investment decision. The risks described below are not the only ones facing us. The occurrence of any of the following risks, or of additional risks and
uncertainties not presently known to us or that we currently believe to be immaterial, could materially and adversely affect our business, financial
condition or results of operations. In such case, the trading price of our common stock could decline, and you may lose all or part of your investment.
Risks Related to the Development and Clinical Testing of Our Product Candidates
All of our product candidates are in preclinical or early-stage clinical development. Clinical drug development is a lengthy and expensive process
with uncertain timelines and uncertain outcomes. If clinical trials of our product candidates are prolonged or delayed, we or any collaborators may
be unable to obtain required regulatory approvals, and therefore may be unable to commercialize our product candidates on a timely basis or at all.
To obtain the requisite regulatory approvals to market and sell any of our product candidates, we or any collaborator for such candidates must
demonstrate through extensive preclinical studies and clinical trials that our product candidates are safe and effective in humans. Clinical testing is
expensive and can take many years to complete, and its outcome is inherently uncertain. Failure can occur at any time during the clinical trial process. The
results of preclinical studies and early-stage clinical trials of our product candidates may not be predictive of the results of later-stage clinical trials. Product
candidates in later stages of clinical trials may fail to show the desired safety and efficacy traits despite having progressed through preclinical studies and
initial clinical trials. A number of companies in the biopharmaceutical industry have suffered significant setbacks in advanced clinical trials due to lack of
efficacy or adverse safety profiles, notwithstanding promising results in earlier trials. Our future clinical trial results may not be successful.
To date, we have not completed any clinical trials required for the approval of any of our product candidates. Although we are conducting early
stage clinical trials and are conducting preclinical studies for other product candidates, we may experience delays in our ongoing clinical trials, and we do
not know whether planned clinical trials will begin on time, need to be redesigned, enroll patients on time or be completed on schedule, if at all. Clinical
trials can be delayed, suspended, or terminated for a variety of reasons, including the following:
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delays in or failure to reach agreement on acceptable terms with prospective contract research organizations, or CROs and clinical trial sites,
the terms of which can be subject to extensive negotiation and may vary significantly among different CROs and trial sites;
difficulty in recruiting clinical trial investigators of appropriate competencies and experience;
delays in establishing the appropriate dosage levels in clinical trials;
delays in or failure to recruit and enroll suitable patients to participate in a trial;
the difficulty in certain countries in identifying the sub-populations that we are trying to treat in a particular trial, which may delay
enrollment and reduce the power of a clinical trial to detect statistically significant results;
lower than anticipated retention rates of patients in clinical trials;
failure to have patients complete a trial or return for post-treatment follow-up;
clinical sites deviating from trial protocol or dropping out of a trial;
adding new clinical trial sites;
safety or tolerability concerns causing us, our collaborators or governmental authorities, as applicable, to suspend or terminate a trial if it is
found that the participants are being exposed to unacceptable health risks;
delays in or failure to obtain regulatory approval to commence a trial;
delays in or failure to obtain institutional review board, or IRB, approval at each site;
our third-party research contractors failing to comply with regulatory requirements or meet their contractual obligations to us in a timely
manner, or at all;
changes in regulatory requirements, policies and guidelines;
manufacturing sufficient quantities of a product candidate for use in clinical trials;
the quality or stability of a product candidate falling below acceptable standards;
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changes in the treatment landscape for our target indications that may make our product candidates no longer relevant;
third-party actions claiming infringement by our product candidates in clinical trials outside the United States and obtaining injunctions
interfering with our progress;
the impact of public health epidemics, such as the COVID-19 pandemic; and
business interruptions resulting from geo-political actions, including war and terrorism, or natural disasters including earthquakes, typhoons,
floods and fires.
We could encounter delays if a clinical trial is suspended or terminated by us, by the IRBs or Ethics Committees of the institutions in which such
trials are being conducted, by the Data Review Committee or Data Safety Monitoring Board for such trial or by the FDA, or other regulatory authorities.
Such authorities may impose such a suspension or termination due to a number of factors, including failure to conduct the clinical trial in accordance with
regulatory requirements or our clinical protocols, inspection of the clinical trial operations or trial site by the FDA or other regulatory authorities resulting
in the imposition of a clinical hold, unforeseen safety issues or adverse side effects, failure to demonstrate a benefit from using a drug, changes in
governmental regulations or administrative actions or lack of adequate funding to continue the clinical trial. We could also encounter delays if supplies of a
product candidate are not sufficient for the needs of our clinical trials. This may, for example, occur as a result of delays from the third-party manufacturers
we work with or due to changes in the design of our clinical trials. In addition, disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic may cause difficulties or
delays in initiating, enrolling, conducting or completing our planned and ongoing clinical trials.
If we experience delays in the completion of, or termination of, any clinical trial of our product candidates, the commercial prospects of our product
candidates will be harmed, and our ability to generate product revenues from any of these product candidates will be delayed. In addition, any delays in
completing our clinical trials will increase our costs, slow down our product candidate development and approval process and jeopardize our ability to
commence product sales and generate revenues. Significant clinical trial delays could also allow our competitors to bring products to market before we do
or shorten any periods during which we have the exclusive right to commercialize our product candidates and impair our ability to commercialize our
product candidates and may harm our business and results of operations.
Any of these occurrences may harm our business, financial condition and prospects significantly. In addition, many of the factors that cause, or lead
to, a delay in the commencement or completion of clinical trials may also ultimately lead to the denial of regulatory approval of our product candidates.
Clinical trials must be conducted in accordance with the FDA and other applicable regulatory authorities’ legal requirements, regulations or
guidelines, and are subject to oversight by these governmental agencies and Ethics Committees or IRBs at the medical institutions where the clinical trials
are conducted. In addition, clinical trials must be conducted with supplies of our product candidates produced under cGMP requirements and other
regulations. Furthermore, we rely on CROs and clinical trial sites to ensure the proper and timely conduct of our clinical trials and while we have
agreements governing their committed activities, we have limited influence over their actual performance. We depend on our collaborators and on medical
institutions and CROs to conduct our clinical trials in compliance with good clinical practice, or GCP, requirements. To the extent our collaborators or the
CROs fail to enroll participants for our clinical trials, fail to conduct the study to GCP standards or are delayed for a significant time in the execution of
trials, including achieving full enrollment, we may be affected by increased costs, program delays or both, which may harm our business. In addition,
clinical trials that are conducted in countries outside the United States may subject us to further delays and expenses as a result of increased shipment costs,
additional regulatory requirements and the engagement of non-U.S. CROs, as well as expose us to risks associated with clinical investigators who are
unknown to the FDA, and different standards of diagnosis, screening and medical care.
Interim, topline or preliminary data from our clinical trials 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 publicly disclose preliminary or topline or data from our preclinical studies and clinical trials, 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 or trial. 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. As a result, the topline 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 also disclose
interim data from our clinical trials. Interim data from clinical trials 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. As a result, any interim/or preliminary data should be
viewed with caution until final data is available. Material adverse changes in the final data could result in significant harm to our business prospects.
Adverse differences between preliminary or interim data and final data could significantly harm our business prospects. Further, disclosure of interim data
by us or by our competitors could result in volatility in the price of our common stock.
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Further, others, including regulatory agencies, 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.
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.
Our TriTAC, ProTriTAC and TriTAC-XR platforms are unproven, novel classes of T cell engagers and may not result in approvable or marketable
products, which exposes us to unforeseen risks and makes it difficult for us to predict the time and cost of product development and potential for
regulatory approval.
We have not received regulatory approval for a TriTAC, ProTriTAC or Tri-TAC-XR product candidates. We cannot be certain that our approach will
lead to the development of approvable or marketable products, alone or in combination with other therapies. In addition, our TriTACs, ProTriTACs and
TriTAC-XRs platforms may have different effectiveness rates in various indications. Our approach involves using biologics to improve efficacy against
solid tumors, which is unproven and may not be successful. Further, our TriTAC, ProTriTAC and TriTAC-XR technology could have less efficacy in tumor
types with fewer T cells, such as pancreatic cancer. Finally, the FDA or other regulatory agencies may lack experience in evaluating the safety and efficacy
of our TriTACs, ProTriTACs or TriTAC-XRs platforms which could result in a longer than expected regulatory review process, increase our expected
development costs and delay or prevent commercialization of our product candidates.
Results of earlier preclinical studies of our product candidates may not be predictive of future trial results.
Success in preclinical studies does not ensure that later clinical trials will be successful. A number of companies in the biotechnology and
pharmaceutical industries have suffered significant setbacks in clinical trials, even after positive results in earlier preclinical studies. These setbacks have
been caused by, among other things, preclinical findings made while clinical trials were underway and safety or efficacy observations made in clinical
trials, including previously unreported adverse events. Notwithstanding any potential promising results in earlier studies, we cannot be certain that we will
not face similar setbacks. In addition, the results of our preclinical animal studies, including our non-human primate studies, may not be predictive of the
results of outcomes in human clinical trials. For example, while we did not observe unacceptable safety events in our preclinical testing of HPN536, given
the expression of MSLN on both normal and cancerous cells, we may observe unacceptable levels of toxicity in our clinical trial of HPN536. Product
candidates in later stages of clinical trials may fail to show the desired pharmacological properties or safety and efficacy traits despite having progressed
through preclinical studies.
We depend on enrollment of patients in our clinical trials for our product candidates. If we experience delays or difficulties enrolling in our clinical
trials, our research and development efforts and business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially adversely affected.
Successful and timely completion of clinical trials will require that we enroll a sufficient number of patient candidates. These trials and other trials
we conduct may be subject to delays as a result of patient enrollment taking longer than anticipated, patient withdrawal or adverse events. For example, we
have multiple ongoing Phase 1/2 clinical trials, which could generate adverse events that may cause us to delay these trials or halt further development.
While adverse events to date related to our clinical trials have not had a material impact on patient enrollment, our experience to date may differ from
future outcomes.
Our clinical trials will likely compete with other clinical trials that are in the same therapeutic areas as our product candidates, and this competition
may reduce the number and types of patients available to us, because some patients who might have opted to enroll in our trials may instead opt to enroll in
a trial being conducted by one of our competitors. Because the number of qualified clinical investigators and clinical trial sites is limited, we may conduct
some of our clinical trials at the same clinical trial sites that some of our competitors use, which could reduce the number of patients who are available for
our clinical trials at such clinical trial sites.
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Patient enrollment depends on many factors, including the size and nature of the patient population, the severity of the disease under investigation,
eligibility criteria for the trial, the proximity of patients to clinical sites, the design of the clinical protocol, the ability to obtain and maintain patient
consents, the ability to recruit clinical trial investigators with the appropriate competencies and experience, the risk that patients enrolled in clinical trials
will drop out of the trials before the administration of our product candidates or trial completion, the availability of competing clinical trials, the availability
of new drugs approved for the indication the clinical trial is investigating, and clinicians’ and patients’ perceptions as to the potential advantages of the
drug being studied in relation to other available therapies. These factors may make it difficult for us to enroll enough patients to complete our clinical trials
in a timely and cost-effective manner. Delays in the completion of any clinical trial of our product candidates will increase our costs, slow down our
product candidate development and approval process and delay or potentially jeopardize our ability to commence product sales and generate revenue. In
addition, some of the factors that cause, or lead to, a delay in the commencement or completion of clinical trials may also ultimately lead to the denial of
regulatory approval of our product candidates.
We may not have sufficient supply of HPN328, which could delay generating additional dose escalation data in that program.
HPN328 is currently in a Phase 1/2 clinical trial for the treatment of SCLC and other DLL3-expressing tumors. As of December 2, 2021, 15 patients
had been enrolled in dose cohorts ranging from 15 µg to 7200 µg per week in both fixed and step dose cohorts. HPN328 has been well tolerated and no
dose-limiting toxicities have been observed as of the data cut-off. We have been able to escalate to higher doses more rapidly than we initially planned,
changing our clinical assumptions made in late 2020. In response we altered our drug supply planning to begin generating more HPN328 in the event we
would need additional supply sooner than anticipated. However due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our supply chain components, the start of
our manufacturing runs has been delayed. We have sufficient current supply inventory of HPN328 to support all patients currently enrolled in the clinical
trial. We intend to add patients to the trial when availability of existing inventory supports their expected course of therapy. If we are unable to enroll
patients prior to the resupply, the completion of the Phase 1 portion of the Phase 1/2 clinical trial may be temporarily delayed. Furthermore, if we encounter
any additional challenges in our supply chain or delays in the normal lead manufacturing times, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic or otherwise, we
may experience further delays with our clinical trials.
Our product candidates may have serious adverse, undesirable or unacceptable side effects or other properties which may delay or prevent
marketing approval. If such side effects are identified during the development of our product candidates or following approval, if any, we may need
to abandon our development of such product candidates, the commercial profile of any approved label may be limited, or we may be subject to other
significant negative consequences following marketing approval, if any.
Undesirable side effects that may be caused by our product candidates could cause us or regulatory authorities to interrupt, delay or halt clinical
trials and could result in a more restrictive label or the delay or denial of regulatory approval by the FDA or other comparable foreign authorities. Our
product candidates target protein expression on tumor cells, which expression may also be present on healthy cells. Accordingly, our product candidates
may result in high or unacceptable levels of toxicity when tested in humans. Results of our trials could reveal a high and unacceptable severity and
prevalence of these or other side effects. In such an event, our trials could be suspended or terminated and the FDA or comparable foreign regulatory
authorities could order us to cease further development of or deny approval of our product candidates for any or all targeted indications. The drug-related
side effects could affect patient recruitment or the ability of enrolled patients to complete the trial or result in potential product liability claims. Any of these
occurrences may harm our business, financial condition and prospects significantly. Additionally, if any of our product candidates receives marketing
approval and we or others later identify undesirable or unacceptable side effects caused by such products, a number of potentially significant negative
consequences could result, including:
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regulatory authorities may withdraw or limit approvals of such products and require us to take our approved product off the market;
regulatory authorities may require the addition of labeling statements, specific warnings, a contraindication or field alerts to physicians and
pharmacies, or issue other communications containing warnings or other safety information about the product;
regulatory authorities may require a medication guide outlining the risks of such side effects for distribution to patients, or that we implement
a risk evaluation and mitigation strategy, plan to ensure that the benefits of the product outweigh its risks;
we may be required to change the dose or the way the product is administered, conduct additional clinical trials or change the labeling of the
product;
we may be subject to limitations on how we may promote or manufacture the product;
sales of the product may decrease significantly;
we may be subject to litigation or product liability claims; and
our reputation may suffer.
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Any of these events could prevent us, our collaborators or our potential future partners from achieving or maintaining market acceptance of the
affected product or could substantially increase commercialization costs and expenses, which in turn could delay or prevent us from generating significant
revenue from the sale of any products.
Monitoring safety of patients receiving our product candidates is challenging, which could adversely affect our ability to obtain regulatory approval
and commercialize.
For our ongoing clinical trial and planned clinical trials, we have and expect to continue to contract with academic medical centers and hospitals
experienced in the assessment and management of toxicities arising during clinical trials. Nonetheless, these centers and hospitals may have difficulty
observing patients and treating toxicities, which may be more challenging due to personnel changes, inexperience, shift changes, house staff coverage or
related issues. This could lead to more severe or prolonged toxicities or even patient deaths, which could result in us or the FDA delaying, suspending or
terminating one or more of our clinical trials, and which could jeopardize regulatory approval. We also expect the centers using our product candidates, if
approved, on a commercial basis could similarly have difficulty in managing adverse events. Medicines used at centers to help manage adverse side effects
of our product candidates may not adequately control the side effects and/or may have a detrimental impact on the efficacy of the treatment. Use of these
medicines may increase with new physicians and centers administering our product candidates.
We may not be successful in our efforts to use and expand our technology platforms, including TriTAC, ProTriTAC and TriTAC-XR, to build a
pipeline of product candidates.
A key element of our strategy is to use and expand our technology platforms, including TriTAC, ProTriTAC and TriTAC-XR, to build a pipeline of
product candidates and progress these product candidates through clinical development for the treatment of a variety of different types of diseases.
Although our research and development efforts to date have resulted in a pipeline of product candidates directed at various cancers, we may not be able to
develop product candidates that are safe and effective. Even if we are successful in continuing to build our pipeline, the potential product candidates that
we identify may not be suitable for clinical development, including as a result of being shown to have harmful side effects or other characteristics that
indicate that they are unlikely to be products that will receive marketing approval and achieve market acceptance. If we do not continue to successfully
develop and begin to commercialize product candidates, we will face difficulty in obtaining product revenues in future periods, which could result in
significant harm to our financial position and adversely affect our share price.
Risks Related to Our Financial Condition and Need for Additional Capital
We are an early clinical-stage company and have incurred significant losses since our inception. We expect to incur losses for the foreseeable future
and may never achieve or maintain profitability.
We are an early clinical-stage immunotherapy company with a limited operating history. We have incurred net losses of $116.7 million, $49.9
million and $55.6 million, for the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively. As of December 31, 2021, we had an accumulated loss of
$284.8 million. Our losses have resulted principally from expenses incurred in research and development of our product candidates and from management
and administrative costs and other expenses that we have incurred while building our business infrastructure. We expect to continue to incur significant
operating losses for the foreseeable future as we continue our research and development efforts and seek to obtain regulatory approval and
commercialization of our product candidates. We anticipate that our expenses will increase substantially as we:
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continue to conduct our ongoing Phase 1/2 trial of HPN328 for the treatment of small cell lung cancer and other DLL3 expressing tumors;
continue to conduct our ongoing Phase 1/2 trial of HPN217 for the treatment of relapsed, refractory multiple myeloma;
continue to conduct our ongoing Phase 1/2a trial of HPN536 for the treatment of cancers expressing mesothelin, which has been initially
focused on ovarian and pancreatic cancers;
continue the research and development of our other product candidates, including our HPN601 ProTriTAC candidate
continue the development of our product candidates beyond Phase 1 trials;
seek to enhance our TriTAC, ProTriTAC and TriTAC-XR platforms and discover and develop additional product candidates;
apply for regulatory approvals for any product candidates that successfully complete clinical trials;
potentially establish a manufacturing, sales, marketing and distribution infrastructure to produce and commercialize any products for which
we may obtain regulatory approvals;
maintain, expand and protect our intellectual property portfolio;
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add clinical, scientific, operational, financial and management information systems and personnel, including personnel to support our product
development, potential future commercialization efforts and operations as a public company; and
experience any delays or encounter any issues with any of the above, including but not limited to failed studies, complex results,
manufacturing challenges, safety issues or other regulatory challenges.
We have financed our operations to date primarily through payments received under collaboration and licensing agreements and the sale of capital
stock, most recently from our follow on offering, that was completed in January 2021. We have devoted a significant portion of our financial resources and
efforts to developing our TriTAC, ProTriTAC and TriTAC-XR platforms, identifying potential product candidates, conducting preclinical studies of a
variety of product candidates, and preparing for and conducting clinical trials of product candidates. We are in the early stages of development of our
product candidates, and we have not completed development and commercialization of any TriTAC, ProTriTAC or TriTAC-XR product candidate.
To become and remain profitable, we must succeed in developing and eventually commercializing products that generate significant revenue. This
will require us to be successful in a range of challenging activities, including completing preclinical testing and clinical trials of our product candidates,
discovering and developing additional product candidates, obtaining regulatory approval for any product candidates that successfully complete clinical
trials, accessing manufacturing capacity, establishing marketing capabilities and ultimately selling any products for which we may obtain regulatory
approval. We are only in the preliminary stages of most of these activities. We may never succeed in these activities and, even if we do, may never generate
revenue that is significant enough to achieve profitability.
Because of the numerous risks and uncertainties associated with pharmaceutical products and biological development, we are unable to accurately
predict the timing or amount of increased expenses or when, or if, we will be able to achieve profitability. If we are required by the FDA or other regulatory
authorities to perform studies in addition to those we currently anticipate, or if there are any delays in completing our clinical trials or the development of
any of our product candidates, our expenses could increase and commercial revenue could be further delayed and more uncertain.
Even if we do generate product sales or royalties, we may never achieve or sustain profitability on a quarterly or annual basis. Our failure to sustain
profitability would depress the market price of our common stock and could impair our ability to raise capital, expand our business, diversify our product
offerings and continue our operations.
We will require additional funding in order to complete development of our product candidates and commercialize our products, if approved. If we
are unable to raise capital when needed, we could be forced to delay, reduce or eliminate our product development programs or commercialization
efforts.
We expect our expenses to increase in connection with our ongoing activities, particularly as we conduct our ongoing clinical trials of HPN328,
HPN217, and HPN536, and as we continue to research and develop other potential technologies and product candidates, including HPN601.
In addition, if we obtain regulatory approval for any of our product candidates, we expect to incur significant commercialization expenses related to
product manufacturing, marketing, sales and distribution. Furthermore, we will incur additional costs associated with operating as a public company.
Accordingly, we will need to obtain substantial additional funding in connection with our continuing operations. If we are unable to raise capital when
needed or on attractive terms, we could be forced to delay, reduce or eliminate our research and development programs or any future commercialization
efforts.
Based on our current business plans, we believe that our existing cash and cash equivalents and marketable securities, will be sufficient to fund our
planned operations for at least the next 12 months from the date of this Annual Report. We have based this estimate on assumptions that may prove to be
wrong, and we could use our capital resources sooner than we currently expect, requiring us to seek additional funds sooner than planned, through public or
private equity or debt financings or other sources, such as strategic collaborations. Such financing, including pursuant to our Controlled Equity OfferingSM
Sales Agreement, or the Sales Agreement, with Cantor Fitzgerald & Co., or Cantor Fitzgerald, may result in dilution to our stockholders, the imposition of
burdensome debt covenants and repayment obligations or other restrictions that may affect our business. If we raise additional funds through licensing or
collaboration arrangements with third parties, we may have to relinquish valuable rights to our product candidates or grant licenses on terms that are not
favorable to us. In addition, we may seek additional capital due to favorable market conditions or strategic considerations even if we believe we have
sufficient funds for our current or future operating plans. Attempting to secure additional financing may divert our management from our day-to-day
activities, which may adversely affect our ability to develop our product candidates. Our future capital requirements will depend on many factors,
including:
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the scope, progress, results and costs of developing our product candidates, and conducting preclinical studies and clinical trials, including
our Phase 1/2 trial of HPN328, Phase 1/2 trial of HPN217 and Phase 1/2a trial of HPN536;
the costs, timing and outcome of regulatory review of any of our product candidates;
the cost of manufacturing clinical supplies of our product candidates;
the scope, progress, results and costs of preclinical development, laboratory testing and clinical trials for our product candidates;
the costs and timing of future commercialization activities, including manufacturing, marketing, sales and distribution, for any of our product
candidates for which we receive marketing approval;
the timing and amount of any milestone, royalty or other payments we are required to make pursuant to any current or future collaboration or
license agreements;
the progress of our collaborations with AbbVie to develop product candidates;
the costs and timing of preparing, filing and prosecuting patent applications, maintaining and enforcing our intellectual property rights and
defending any intellectual property-related claims, including any claims by third parties that we are infringing upon their intellectual property
rights;
our ability to maintain existing, and establish new, strategic collaborations, licensing or other arrangements and the financial terms of any
such agreements, including the timing and amount of any future milestone, royalty or other payments due under any such agreement;
the cost of building a sales force in anticipation of product commercialization;
the revenue, if any, received from commercial sales of our product candidates for which we receive marketing approval;
the effect of competing technological and market developments; and
the extent to which we acquire or invest in business, products and technologies, including our collaboration with AbbVie and any other
licensing or collaboration arrangements for any of our product candidates.
Additional funds may not be available when we need them, on terms that are acceptable to us or at all. If adequate funds are not available to us on a
timely basis, we could be required to:
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delay, limit, reduce or terminate preclinical studies, clinical trials or other research and development activities or eliminate one or more of our
development programs altogether; or
delay, limit, reduce or terminate our efforts to access manufacturing capacity, establish sales and marketing capabilities or other activities that
may be necessary to commercialize our product candidates, or reduce our flexibility in developing or maintaining our sales and marketing
strategy.
For related information, see “—Raising additional capital may cause dilution to our stockholders, restrict our operations or require us to relinquish
rights to our technologies or product candidates” below.
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We depend heavily on the success of our current product candidates, and we cannot guarantee that any of these product candidates will receive
regulatory approval, which is necessary before they can be commercialized. If we, or any strategic partners we may enter into collaboration
agreements with for the development and commercialization of our product candidates, are unable to commercialize our product candidates, or
experience significant delays in doing so, our business, financial condition and results of operations will be materially adversely affected.
We have invested a significant portion of our efforts and financial resources in the development of our current product candidates. Our ability to
generate product and royalty revenues, which we do not expect will occur for at least the next several years, if ever, will depend heavily on the successful
development and eventual commercialization of these product candidates, which may never occur. We currently generate no revenues from sales of any
products, and we may never be able to develop or commercialize a marketable product. Each of our product candidates will require significant clinical
development, management of clinical, preclinical and manufacturing activities, regulatory approval in multiple jurisdictions, obtaining manufacturing
supply, including commercial manufacturing supply, as well as requiring us to build a commercial organization, and make substantial investment and
significant marketing efforts before we generate any revenues from product sales. We are not permitted to market or promote any of our product candidates
before we receive regulatory approval from the FDA or comparable foreign regulatory authorities, and we may never receive such regulatory approval for
any of our product candidates. The success of our product candidates will depend on several factors, including the following:
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for product candidates which we may license to others, the successful efforts of those parties in completing clinical trials of, receipt of
regulatory approval for and commercialization of such product candidates;
for product candidates to which we retain rights, completion of preclinical studies and clinical trials of, receipt of marketing approvals for,
establishment of commercial manufacturing supplies of and successful commercialization of such product candidates; and
for all of our product candidates, if and when approved, acceptance of such product candidates by patients, the medical community and third-
party payors, effectively competing with other therapies, a continued acceptable safety profile following approval and qualifying for,
maintaining, enforcing and defending our intellectual property rights and claims.
If we do not achieve one or more of these factors in a timely manner or at all, we could experience significant delays or an inability to successfully
commercialize our product candidates, which would materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
We have not previously submitted a Biologics License Application, or BLA, to the FDA or similar regulatory approval filings to comparable foreign
authorities, for any product candidate, and we cannot be certain that any of our product candidates will be successful in clinical trials or receive regulatory
approval. Further, our product candidates may not receive regulatory approval even if they are successful in clinical trials. If we do not receive regulatory
approvals for our product candidates, we may not be able to continue our operations. Even if we successfully obtain regulatory approvals to market one or
more of our product candidates, our revenues will be dependent, in part, upon the size of the markets in the territories for which we gain regulatory
approval and have commercial rights. If the markets for patient subsets that we are targeting are not as significant as we estimate, we may not generate
significant revenues from sales of such products, if approved.
We plan to seek regulatory approval to commercialize our product candidates in the United States and, potentially, in other countries. While the
scope of regulatory approval is similar in other countries, to obtain separate regulatory approval in many other countries we must comply with the
numerous and varying regulatory requirements of such countries regarding safety and efficacy and governing, among other things, clinical trials and
commercial sales, pricing and distribution of our product candidates, and we cannot predict success in these jurisdictions.
Our limited operating history may make it difficult for you to evaluate the success of our business to date and to assess our future viability.
Since commencing operations in 2015, we have devoted a significant portion of our resources to developing our product candidates, our other
research and development efforts, building our intellectual property portfolio, raising capital and providing general and administrative support for these
operations. While we have ongoing early stage clinical trials, we have not completed any clinical trials for any product candidate. We have not yet
demonstrated our ability to successfully complete any clinical trials (including any Phase 3 or other pivotal clinical trials), obtain regulatory approvals,
manufacture a commercial scale product or arrange for a third party to do so on our behalf or conduct sales and marketing activities necessary for
successful product commercialization. Additionally, we expect our financial condition and operating results to continue to fluctuate significantly from
period to period due to a variety of factors, many of which are beyond our control. Consequently, any predictions you make about our future success or
viability may not be as accurate as they could be if we had a longer operating history.
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Raising additional capital may cause dilution to our stockholders, restrict our operations or require us to relinquish rights to our technologies or
product candidates.
Until such time, if ever, as we can generate substantial product revenues, we expect to finance our cash needs through equity or debt financings and
upfront and milestone payments, if any, received under our collaborations with AbbVie and any other future licenses or collaborations, together with our
existing cash and cash equivalents. In order to accomplish our business objectives and further develop our product pipeline, we will, however, need to seek
additional funds. If we raise additional capital through the sale of equity or convertible debt securities, your ownership interest will be diluted, and the
terms of these securities may include liquidation or other preferences that adversely affect your rights as a holder of our common stock. In addition, the
possibility of such issuance may cause the market price of our common stock to decline. Debt financing, if available, may result in increased fixed payment
obligations and involve agreements that include covenants limiting or restricting our ability to take specific actions, such as incurring additional debt,
making capital expenditures, declaring dividends or acquiring, selling or licensing intellectual property rights, which could adversely impact our ability to
conduct our business.
If we raise additional funds through collaborations, strategic alliances or marketing, distribution or licensing arrangements with third parties, we
may have to relinquish valuable rights to our intellectual property, technologies, future revenue streams or product candidates or grant licenses on terms
that may not be favorable to us. We could also be required to seek funds through arrangements with collaborators or others at an earlier stage than
otherwise would be desirable. Any of these occurrences may have a material adverse effect on our business, operating results and prospects.
Any additional fundraising efforts may divert our management from their day-to-day activities, which may adversely affect our ability to develop
and commercialize our product candidates. In addition, we cannot guarantee that future financing will be available in sufficient amounts or on terms
acceptable to us, if at all. If we are unable to obtain funding on a timely basis, we may be required to significantly curtail, delay or discontinue one or more
of our research or development programs or the commercialization of any of our product candidates, or be unable to expand our operations or otherwise
capitalize on our business opportunities, as desired, which could materially affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Risks Related to Our Regulatory Environment
Our business operations and current and future relationships with healthcare professionals, principal investigators, consultants, vendors, customers
and third-party payors in the United States and elsewhere are subject to applicable anti-kickback, fraud and abuse, false claims, physician payment
transparency, information privacy and security and other healthcare laws and regulations, which could expose us to substantial penalties.
Healthcare providers, healthcare facilities and institutions, and third-party payors in the United States and elsewhere will play a primary role in the
recommendation and prescription of any product candidates for which we obtain marketing approval. Our current and future arrangements with healthcare
professionals, healthcare facilities and institutions, principal investigators, consultants, customers and third-party payors may expose us to broadly
applicable fraud and abuse and other healthcare laws, including, without limitation, the federal Anti-Kickback Statute and the federal False Claims Act, that
may constrain the business or financial arrangements and relationships through which we sell, market and distribute any product candidates for which we
obtain marketing approval. In addition, we may be subject to physician payment transparency laws and patient privacy and security regulation by the
federal government and by the states and foreign jurisdictions in which we conduct our business. The applicable federal, state and foreign healthcare laws
that affect our ability to operate include, but are not limited to, the following:
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the federal Anti-Kickback Statute, which prohibits, among other things, persons or entities from knowingly and willfully soliciting, offering,
receiving or providing any remuneration (including any kickback, bribe, or certain rebate), directly or indirectly, overtly or covertly, in cash
or in kind, to induce or reward, or in return for, either the referral of an individual for, or the purchase, lease, order or recommendation of, any
good, facility, item or service, for which payment may be made, in whole or in part, under any U.S. federal healthcare program, such as
Medicare and Medicaid. The term “remuneration” has been broadly interpreted to include anything of value, including stock options. The
federal Anti-Kickback Statute has also been interpreted to apply to arrangements between pharmaceutical manufacturers on the one hand and
prescribers, purchasers and formulary managers on the other hand. Any arrangements with prescribers must be for bona fide services and
compensated at fair market value. 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;
the U.S. federal civil and criminal false claims, including the False Claims Act, which prohibit, among other things, including through civil
whistleblower or qui tam actions, and civil monetary penalties laws, including the civil False Claims Act, which prohibit, among other things,
individuals or entities from knowingly presenting, or causing to be presented, to the U.S. federal government, claims for payment or approval
that are false or fraudulent, knowingly making, using or causing to be made or used, a false record or statement material to a false or
fraudulent claim, or from knowingly making a false statement to avoid, decrease or conceal an obligation to pay money to the U.S. federal
government. Pharmaceutical manufacturers can cause false claims to be presented to the U.S. federal government by, among other things,
engaging in impermissible marketing practices, such as the off-label promotion of a product for an indication for
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which it has not received FDA approval. In addition, the government may assert that a claim including items and services resulting from a
violation of the federal Anti-Kickback Statute constitutes a false or fraudulent claim for purposes of the civil False Claims Act;
the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, or HIPAA, which imposes criminal and civil liability for, among
other things, knowingly and willfully executing, or attempting to execute, a scheme to defraud any healthcare benefit program, or knowingly
and willfully falsifying, concealing or covering up a material fact or making any materially false statement, in connection with the delivery
of, or payment for, healthcare benefits, items or services. Similar to the federal Anti-Kickback Statute, a person or entity does not need to
have actual knowledge of the healthcare fraud statute implemented under HIPAA or specific intent to violate it in order to have committed a
violation;
HIPAA, as amended by the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act of 2009, or HITECH, and their respective
implementing regulations, which also imposes certain obligations, including mandatory contractual terms, with respect to safeguarding the
privacy and security of individually identifiable health information of covered entities subject to the rule, such as health plans, healthcare
clearinghouses and certain healthcare providers as well as their business associates, independent contractors of a covered entity that perform
certain services involving the use or disclosure of individually identifiable health information on its behalf and their subcontractors that use,
disclose, access, or otherwise process individually identifiable health information;
the U.S. Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, which prohibits, among other things, the adulteration or misbranding of drugs, biologics and
medical devices;
the U.S. Public Health Service Act, which prohibits, among other things, the introduction into interstate commerce of a biological product
unless a biologics license is in effect for that product;
the U.S. Physician Payments Sunshine Act and its implementing regulations, which requires, among other things, certain manufacturers of
drugs, devices, biologics and medical supplies that are reimbursable under Medicare, Medicaid, or the Children’s Health Insurance Program,
with specific exceptions, to report annually to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, or CMS, information related to certain
payments and other transfers of value to physicians (defined to include doctors, dentists, optometrists, podiatrists, and chiropractors), certain
other healthcare professionals (such as physician assistants and nurse practitioners) and teaching hospitals, as well as ownership and
investment interests held by physicians and their immediate family members;
analogous U.S. state, foreign and local laws and regulations, including: state anti-kickback and false claims laws, which may apply to our
business practices, including but not limited to, research, distribution, sales and marketing arrangements and claims involving healthcare
items or services reimbursed by any third-party payor, including private insurers; state laws that require pharmaceutical companies to comply
with the pharmaceutical industry’s voluntary compliance guidelines and the relevant compliance guidance promulgated by the U.S. federal
government, or otherwise restrict payments that may be made to healthcare providers and other potential referral sources; state laws and
regulations that require drug manufacturers to file reports relating to pricing and marketing information, which requires tracking gifts and
other remuneration and items of value provided to healthcare professionals and entities; state and local laws requiring the registration of
pharmaceutical sales representatives; and state, foreign and local laws governing the privacy and security of personal information in certain
circumstances, many of which differ from each other in significant ways and often are not preempted by HIPAA, thus complicating
compliance efforts; and
similar healthcare laws and regulations in foreign jurisdictions, including reporting requirements detailing interactions with and payments to
healthcare providers.
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We may also be subject to federal consumer protection and unfair competition laws, which broadly regulate marketplace activities and activities that
could potentially harm consumers.
Ensuring that our internal operations and future business arrangements with third parties comply with applicable healthcare laws and regulations
will involve substantial costs. It is not always possible to identify and deter employee misconduct or business noncompliance, and the precautions we take
to detect and prevent inappropriate conduct may not be effective in controlling unknown or unmanaged risks or losses or in protecting us from
governmental investigations or other actions or lawsuits stemming from a failure to be in compliance with such laws or regulations. Efforts to ensure that
our business arrangements will comply with applicable healthcare, privacy and information security laws may involve substantial costs. We have entered
into consulting and scientific advisory board arrangements with physicians and other healthcare providers, including some who could influence the use of
our product candidates, if approved. Compensation under some of these arrangements includes the provision of stock or stock options in addition to cash
consideration. Because of the complex and far-reaching nature of these laws, it is possible that governmental authorities could conclude that our payments
to physicians may not be fair market value for bona fide services or that our business practices do not comply with current or future statutes, regulations,
agency guidance or case law involving applicable fraud and abuse or other healthcare laws and regulations. If our operations are found to be in violation of
any of the laws described above or any other governmental laws and regulations that may apply to us, we may be subject to significant penalties, including
civil, criminal and administrative penalties, damages, fines, exclusion from government-funded healthcare programs, such as Medicare and Medicaid or
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similar programs in other countries or jurisdictions, integrity oversight and reporting obligations to resolve allegations of non-compliance, disgorgement,
imprisonment, contractual damages, reputational harm, diminished profits and the curtailment or restructuring of our operations. If any of the physicians or
other providers or entities with whom we expect to do business are found to not be in compliance with applicable laws, they may be subject to criminal,
civil or administrative sanctions, including exclusions from government funded healthcare programs and imprisonment, which could affect our ability to
operate our business. Further, defending against any such actions can be costly, time-consuming and may require significant personnel resources.
Therefore, even if we are successful in defending against any such actions that may be brought against us, our business may be impaired.
The development and commercialization of biopharmaceutical products is subject to extensive regulation, and the regulatory approval processes of
the FDA and comparable foreign authorities are lengthy, time consuming and inherently unpredictable. If we are ultimately unable to obtain
regulatory approval for our product candidates on a timely basis if at all, our business will be substantially harmed.
The clinical development, manufacturing, labeling, packaging, storage, recordkeeping, advertising, promotion, export, import, marketing,
distribution, adverse event reporting, including the submission of safety and other post-marketing information and reports, and other possible activities
relating to our product candidates are subject to extensive regulation. In the United States, marketing approval of biologics requires the submission of a
BLA to the FDA, and we are not permitted to market any product candidate in the United States until we obtain approval from the FDA of the BLA for that
product. A BLA must be supported by extensive clinical and preclinical data, as well as extensive information regarding pharmacology, chemistry,
manufacturing and controls. Outside the United States, many comparable foreign regulatory authorities employ similar approval processes.
FDA approval is not guaranteed, and the time required to obtain approval by the FDA and comparable foreign authorities is unpredictable but
typically takes many years following the commencement of clinical trials and depends upon numerous factors, including the substantial discretion of the
regulatory authorities. In addition, approval policies, regulations, or the type and amount of clinical data necessary to gain approval may change during the
course of a product candidate’s clinical development and may vary among jurisdictions. We have not obtained regulatory approval for any product
candidate and it is possible that none of our existing product candidates or any product candidates we may seek to develop in the future will ever obtain
regulatory approval.
Our product candidates could fail to receive regulatory approval for many reasons, including the following:
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the FDA or comparable foreign regulatory authorities may disagree with the design or implementation of our clinical trials;
we may be unable to demonstrate to the satisfaction of the FDA or comparable foreign regulatory authorities that a product candidate is safe
and effective for its proposed indication;
the results of clinical trials may not meet the level of statistical significance required by the FDA or comparable foreign regulatory authorities
for approval;
we may be unable to demonstrate that a product candidate’s clinical and other benefits outweigh its safety risks;
the FDA or comparable foreign regulatory authorities may disagree with our interpretation of data from preclinical studies or clinical trials;
the data collected from clinical trials of our product candidates may not be sufficient to support the submission of a BLA or other submission
or to obtain regulatory approval in the United States or elsewhere, or regulatory authorities may not accept a submission due to, among other
reasons, the content or formatting of the submission;
the FDA or comparable foreign regulatory authorities may fail to approve the manufacturing processes or facilities of third-party
manufacturers with which we contract for clinical and commercial supplies;
the FDA or comparable foreign regulatory authorities may fail to approve the companion diagnostics we contemplate developing with
collaborators; and
the approval policies or regulations of the FDA or comparable foreign regulatory authorities may significantly change in a manner rendering
our clinical data insufficient for approval.
This lengthy approval process, as well as the unpredictability of future clinical trial results, may result in our failing to obtain regulatory approval to
market any of our product candidates, which would significantly harm our business, results of operations and prospects. The FDA and other regulatory
authorities have substantial discretion in the approval process and determining when or whether regulatory approval will be obtained for any of our product
candidates. For example, regulatory authorities in various jurisdictions have in the past had, and may in the future have, differing requirements for,
interpretations of and opinions on our preclinical and clinical data. As a result, we may be required to conduct additional preclinical studies, alter our
proposed clinical trial designs or conduct additional clinical trials to satisfy the regulatory authorities in each of the jurisdictions in which we hope to
conduct clinical trials and develop and market our products, if approved. Further, even if we believe the data collected from clinical trials of our product
candidates are promising, such data may not be sufficient to support approval by the FDA or any other regulatory authority.
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In addition, even if we were to obtain approval, regulatory authorities may approve any of our product candidates for fewer or more limited
indications than we request, may not approve the price we intend to charge for our products, may grant approval contingent on the performance of costly
post-marketing clinical trials, or may approve a product candidate with a label that does not include the labeling claims necessary or desirable for the
successful commercialization of that product candidate. Any of the foregoing scenarios could materially harm the commercial prospects for our product
candidates.
Even if our product candidates obtain regulatory approval, we will be subject to ongoing obligations and continued regulatory review, which may
result in significant additional expense. Additionally, our product candidates, if approved, could be subject to labeling and other restrictions and
market withdrawal and we may be subject to penalties if we fail to comply with regulatory requirements or experience unanticipated problems with
our products.
If the FDA or a comparable foreign regulatory authority approves any of our product candidates, the manufacturing processes, labeling, packaging,
distribution, import, export, adverse event reporting, storage, advertising, promotion and recordkeeping for the product will be subject to extensive and
ongoing regulatory requirements. These requirements include submissions of safety and other post-marketing information and reports, registration, as well
as continued compliance with cGMPs and GCPs for any clinical trials that we conduct post-approval, all of which may result in significant expense and
limit our ability to commercialize such products. In addition, any regulatory approvals that we receive for our product candidates may also be subject to
limitations on the approved indicated uses for which the product may be marketed or to the conditions of approval, or contain requirements for potentially
costly post-marketing testing, including Phase 4 clinical trials, and surveillance to monitor the safety and efficacy of the product candidate.
Manufacturers and manufacturers’ facilities are required to comply with extensive FDA and comparable foreign regulatory authority requirements,
including ensuring that quality control and manufacturing procedures conform to cGMP regulations. As such, we and our contract manufacturers will be
subject to continual review and inspections to assess compliance with cGMP and adherence to commitments made in any approved marketing application.
Accordingly, we and others with whom we work must continue to expend time, money, and effort in all areas of regulatory compliance, including
manufacturing, production, and quality control.
If there are changes in the application of legislation or regulatory policies, or if problems are discovered with a product or our manufacture of a
product, or if we or one of our distributors, licensees or co-marketers fails to comply with regulatory requirements, the regulators could take various
actions. These include imposing fines on us, imposing restrictions on the product or its manufacture and requiring us to recall or remove the product from
the market. The regulators could also suspend or withdraw our marketing authorizations, requiring us to conduct additional clinical trials, change our
product labeling or submit additional applications for marketing authorization. If any of these events occurs, our ability to sell such product may be
impaired, and we may incur substantial additional expense to comply with regulatory requirements, which could materially adversely affect our business,
financial condition and results of operations.
In addition, if we have any product candidate approved, our product labeling, advertising and promotion will be subject to regulatory requirements
and continuing regulatory review. The FDA strictly regulates the promotional claims that may be made about pharmaceutical products. In particular, a
product may not be promoted for uses that are not approved by the FDA as reflected in the product’s approved labeling. If we receive marketing approval
for a product candidate, physicians may nevertheless prescribe it to their patients in a manner that is inconsistent with the approved label based on the
physician's independent medical judgement. If we are found to have promoted such off-label uses, we may become subject to significant liability. The FDA
and other agencies actively enforce the laws and regulations prohibiting the promotion of off-label uses, and a company that is found to have improperly
promoted off-label uses may be subject to significant sanctions. The federal government has levied large civil and criminal fines against companies for
alleged improper promotion and has enjoined several companies from engaging in off-label promotion. The FDA has also requested that companies enter
into consent decrees or permanent injunctions under which specified promotional conduct is changed or curtailed.
If a regulatory agency discovers previously unknown problems with a product, such as adverse events of unanticipated severity or frequency, or
problems with the facility where the product is manufactured, or disagrees with the promotion, marketing or labeling of a product, such regulatory agency
may impose restrictions on that product or us, including requiring withdrawal of the product from the market. If we fail to comply with applicable
regulatory requirements, a regulatory agency or enforcement authority may, among other things:
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impose civil or criminal penalties;
suspend or withdraw regulatory approval;
suspend any of our preclinical studies and clinical trials;
refuse to approve pending applications or supplements to approved applications submitted by us;
impose restrictions on our operations, including closing our contract manufacturers’ facilities; or
seize or detain products or require a product recall.
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Any government investigation of alleged violations of law could require us to expend significant time and resources in response and could generate
negative publicity. Any failure to comply with ongoing regulatory requirements may significantly and adversely affect our ability to commercialize and
generate revenue from our products, if approved. If regulatory sanctions are applied or if regulatory approval is withdrawn, the value of our company and
our operating results will be adversely affected.
Moreover, the policies of the FDA and of other regulatory authorities may change and additional government regulations may be enacted that could
prevent, limit or delay regulatory approval of our product candidates. We cannot predict the likelihood, nature or extent of government regulation that may
arise from future legislation or administrative or executive action, either in the United States or abroad. Previously, the prior presidential administration
took several executive actions, including the issuance of a number of Executive Orders, that could impose significant burdens on, or otherwise materially
delay, the FDA’s ability to engage in routine oversight activities such as implementing statutes through rulemaking, issuance of guidance, and review and
approval of marketing applications. It is difficult to predict whether or how these orders will be implemented, or rather rescinded or replaced under the
Biden Administration. The policies and priorities of a new administration are unknown and could materially impact the regulation of our product
candidates. In addition, 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 lose any marketing approval that we may have obtained and we may not achieve or sustain
profitability.
We may pursue the development of our product candidates in combination with other approved therapeutics. If the FDA revokes approval of any
such therapeutic, or if safety, efficacy, manufacturing or supply issues arise with any therapeutic that we use in combination with one of our
product candidates in the future, we may be unable to further develop and/or market our product candidate or we may experience significant
regulatory delays or supply shortages, and our business could be materially harmed.
We may pursue the development of our product candidates in combination with other approved therapeutics, and we may commence clinical trials
of our product candidates in combination with other approved therapeutics, in the future. In such a case, we will not have developed or obtained regulatory
approval for, nor will we manufacture or sell, any of these approved therapeutics. In addition, the combinations will likely not have been previously tested
and may, among other things, fail to demonstrate synergistic activity, may fail to achieve superior outcomes relative to the use of single agents or other
combination therapies, may exacerbate adverse events associated with one of our product candidates when used as monotherapy or may fail to demonstrate
sufficient safety or efficacy traits in clinical trials to enable us to complete those clinical trials or obtain marketing approval for the combination therapy.
If the FDA revokes its approval of any combination therapeutic, we would not be able to continue clinical development of or market any product
candidate in combination with such revoked therapeutic. If safety or efficacy issues were to arise with therapeutics that we seek to combine with, we could
experience significant regulatory delays, and the FDA could require us to redesign or terminate the applicable clinical trials. In addition, we may need, for
supply, data referencing or other purposes, to collaborate or otherwise engage with the companies who market these approved therapeutics. If we are unable
to do so on a timely basis, on acceptable terms or at all, we may have to curtail the development of a product candidate or indication, reduce or delay its
development program, delay its potential commercialization or reduce the scope of any sales or marketing activities.
Because we are subject to environmental, health and safety laws and regulations, we may become exposed to liability and substantial expenses in
connection with environmental compliance or remediation activities which may adversely affect our business and financial condition.
Our operations, including our research, development, testing and manufacturing activities, are subject to numerous environmental, health and safety
laws and regulations. These laws and regulations govern, among other things, the controlled use, handling, release and disposal of, and the maintenance of
a registry for, hazardous materials and biological materials, such as chemical solvents, human cells, carcinogenic compounds, mutagenic compounds and
compounds that have a toxic effect on reproduction, laboratory procedures and exposure to blood-borne pathogens. If we fail to comply with such laws and
regulations, we could be subject to fines or other sanctions. Although we believe our procedures for using, handling, storing and disposing of these
materials comply with legally prescribed standards, we cannot completely eliminate the risk of contamination or injury resulting from hazardous and
biological materials. As a result of any such contamination or injury, we may incur liability or local, city, state or federal authorities may curtail the use of
these materials and interrupt our business operations. In the event of an accident, we could be held liable for damages or penalized with fines, and the
liability could exceed our resources.
As with other companies engaged in activities similar to ours, we face a risk of environmental liability inherent in our current and historical
activities, including liability relating to releases of or exposure to hazardous or biological materials. Environmental, health and safety laws and regulations
are becoming more stringent. We may be required to incur substantial expenses in connection with future environmental compliance or remediation
activities, in which case, our production and development efforts may be interrupted or delayed and our financial condition and results of operations may
be materially adversely affected.
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Our employees, independent contractors, principal investigators, consultants, commercial partners and vendors may engage in misconduct or other
improper activities, including non-compliance with regulatory standards and requirements.
We are exposed to the risk of employee fraud or other misconduct. Misconduct by employees could include intentional failures to comply with FDA
regulations, provide accurate information to the FDA, comply with manufacturing standards we may establish, comply with federal and state healthcare
fraud and abuse laws and regulations, 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, 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. Employee misconduct could also involve the improper use of information
obtained in the course of clinical trials, which could result in regulatory sanctions and serious harm to our reputation. It is not always possible to identify
and deter employee misconduct, and the 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 or other actions or lawsuits stemming from a failure to be in compliance with such 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
have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects, including the imposition of significant civil,
criminal and administrative penalties, damages, monetary fines, individual imprisonment, disgorgement of profits, possible exclusion from participation in
Medicare, Medicaid and other federal 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.
Current and future legislation may increase the difficulty and cost for us and any future collaborators to obtain marketing approval of and
commercialize our product candidates and affect the prices we, or they, may obtain.
In the United States and other jurisdictions, there have been, and we expect there will continue to be, a number of legislative and regulatory changes
and proposed changes to the healthcare system that could affect our future results of operations. In particular, there have been and continue to be a number
of initiatives at the U.S. federal and state levels that 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 Reconciliation Act, or collectively the ACA, was enacted, which
substantially changed the way healthcare is financed by both governmental and private payors. Among the provisions of the ACA of importance to the
pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries are the following:
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an annual, nondeductible fee on any entity that manufactures or imports certain specified branded prescription drugs and biologic agents
apportioned among these entities according to their market share in some government healthcare programs;
an increase in the statutory minimum rebates a manufacturer must pay under the Medicaid Drug Rebate Program, to 23.1% and 13% of the
average manufacturer price for most branded and generic drugs, respectively and capped the total rebate amount for innovator drugs at 100%
of the Average Manufacturer Price. However, on March 11, 2021, President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 into law,
which eliminates the statutory Medicaid drug rebate cap for single source and innovator multiple source drugs, beginning January 1, 2024;
a new methodology by which rebates owed by manufacturers under the Medicaid Drug Rebate Program are calculated for certain drugs and
biologics, including our product candidates, that are inhaled, infused, instilled, implanted or injected;
extension of manufacturers’ Medicaid rebate liability to covered drugs dispensed to individuals who are enrolled in Medicaid managed care
organizations;
expansion of eligibility criteria for Medicaid programs by, among other things, allowing states to offer Medicaid coverage to additional
individuals and by adding new mandatory eligibility categories for individuals with income at or below 133% of the federal poverty level,
thereby potentially increasing manufacturers’ Medicaid rebate liability;
expansion of the entities eligible for discounts under the Public Health program;
a new Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute to oversee, identify priorities in, and conduct comparative clinical effectiveness
research, along with funding for such research;
establishment of a Center for Medicare Innovation at CMS to test innovative payment and service delivery models to lower Medicare and
Medicaid spending, potentially including prescription drug spending; and
a licensure framework for follow on biologic products.
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There have been executive, judicial and Congressional challenges to certain aspects of the ACA. For example, on June 17, 2021, the U.S. Supreme
Court dismissed a challenge on procedural grounds that argued the ACA is unconstitutional in its entirety because the individual mandate was repealed by
Congress. Thus, the ACA will remain in effect in its current form. Moreover, prior to the U.S. Supreme Court ruling on January 28, 2021, President Biden
issued an executive order that initiated a special enrollment period from 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. It is possible that the ACA will be subject to judicial
or Congressional challenges in the future. It is unclear how any such challenges and other litigation, and the healthcare reform measures of the Biden
administration will impact the ACA and our business.
In addition, other legislative changes have been proposed and adopted in the United States since the ACA was enacted. In August 2011, the Budget
Control Act of 2011, among other things, led to aggregate reductions of Medicare payments to providers of 2% per fiscal year. These reductions went into
effect in April 2013 and, due to subsequent legislative amendments to the statute, will remain in effect through 2031, with the exception of a temporary
suspension from May 1, 2020 through March 31, 2022, unless additional action is taken by Congress. Under current legislation, the actual reduction in
Medicare payments will vary from 1% in 2022 to up to 3% in the final fiscal year of this sequester. Further, Congress is considering additional health
reform measures. In January 2013, the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 was signed into law, which, among other things, further reduced Medicare
payments to several types of providers, including hospitals, imaging centers and cancer treatment centers, and increased the statute of limitations period for
the government to recover overpayments to providers from three to five years. Additionally, on March 11, 2021, President Biden signed the American
Rescue Plan Act of 2021 into law, which eliminates the statutory Medicaid drug rebate cap, currently set at 100% of a drug’s average manufacturer price,
for single source and innovator multiple source drugs, beginning January 1, 2024. In addition, Congress is considering additional health reform measures.
In addition, Congress is considering additional health reform measures. These new laws or any other similar laws introduced in the future may result in
additional reductions in Medicare and other healthcare funding, which could negatively affect our customers and accordingly, our financial operations.
Moreover, payment methodologies may be subject to changes in healthcare legislation and regulatory initiatives. For example, CMS may develop
new payment and delivery models, such as bundled payment models. In addition, recently there has been heightened governmental scrutiny over the
manner in which manufacturers set prices for their marketed products, which has resulted in several U.S. Presidential executive orders, Congressional
inquiries and proposed and enacted federal and state legislation designed to, among other things, bring more transparency to drug pricing, reduce the cost of
prescription drugs under government payor programs, and review the relationship between pricing and manufacturer patient programs. At the federal level,
the Trump administration used several means to propose or implement drug pricing reform, including through federal budget proposals, executive orders
and policy initiatives. For example, the Trump administration announced several executive orders related to prescription drug pricing that seek to
implement several of the administration’s proposals. As a result, the FDA concurrently released a final rule and guidance in September 2020, providing
pathways for states to build and submit importation plans for drugs from Canada. Further, on November 20, 2020, U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services, or HHS, finalized a regulation removing safe harbor protection for price reductions from pharmaceutical manufacturers to plan sponsors under
Medicare Part D, either directly or through pharmacy benefit managers, unless the price reduction is required by law. The implementation of the rule has
been delayed by the Biden administration from January 1, 2022 to January 1, 2023 in response to ongoing litigation. The rule also creates a new safe harbor
for price reductions reflected at the point-of-sale, as well as a new safe harbor for certain fixed fee arrangements between pharmacy benefit managers and
manufacturers, the implementation of which have also been delayed until January 1, 2023. On November 20, 2020, CMS issued an interim final rule
implementing the Trump administration’s Most Favored Nation executive order, which would tie Medicare Part B payments for certain physician-
administered drugs to the lowest price paid in other economically advanced countries, effective January 1, 2021. As a result of litigation challenging the
Most Favored Nation model, on December 27, 2021, CMS published a final rule that rescinds the Most Favored Nation model interim final rule. In July
2021, the Biden administration released an executive order, “Promoting Competition in the American Economy,” with multiple provisions aimed at
prescription drugs. In response to Biden’s executive order, on September 9, 2021, HHS released a Comprehensive Plan for Addressing High Drug Prices
that outlines principles for drug pricing reform and sets out a variety of potential legislative policies that Congress could pursue as well as potential
administrative actions HHS can take to advance these principles. No legislation or administrative actions have been finalized to implement these principles.
We expect that additional U.S. federal healthcare reform measures will be adopted in the future, any of which could limit the amounts that the U.S. federal
government will pay for healthcare products and services, which could result in reduced demand for our product candidates or additional pricing pressures.
It is also possible that additional governmental action is taken in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Individual states in the United States have also increasingly passed legislation and implemented regulations designed to control pharmaceutical and
biological product pricing, including price or patient reimbursement constraints, discounts, restrictions on certain product access and marketing cost
disclosure and transparency measures, and, in some cases, designed to encourage importation from other countries and bulk purchasing. Legally mandated
price controls on payment amounts by third-party payors or other restrictions could harm our business, results of operations, financial condition and
prospects. In addition, regional healthcare authorities and individual hospitals are increasingly using bidding procedures to determine what pharmaceutical
products and which suppliers will be
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included in their prescription drug and other healthcare programs. This could reduce the ultimate demand for our product candidates or put pressure on our
product pricing.
In the European Union, similar political, economic and regulatory developments may affect our ability to profitably commercialize our product
candidates, if approved. In addition to continuing pressure on prices and cost containment measures, legislative developments at the European Union or
member state level may result in significant additional requirements or obstacles that may increase our operating costs. The delivery of healthcare in the
European Union, including the establishment and operation of health services and the pricing and reimbursement of medicines, is almost exclusively a
matter for national, rather than E.U., law and policy. National governments and health service providers have different priorities and approaches to the
delivery of healthcare and the pricing and reimbursement of products in that context. In general, however, the healthcare budgetary constraints in most E.U.
member states have resulted in restrictions on the pricing and reimbursement of medicines by relevant health service providers. Coupled with ever-
increasing European Union and national regulatory burdens on those wishing to develop and market products, this could prevent or delay marketing
approval of our product candidates, restrict or regulate post-approval activities and affect our ability to commercialize our product candidates, if approved.
In markets outside of the United States and European Union, reimbursement and healthcare payment systems vary significantly by country, and many
countries have instituted price ceilings on specific products and therapies.
We cannot predict the likelihood, nature or extent of government regulation that may arise from future legislation or administrative action in the
United States or any other jurisdiction. If we or any third parties we may engage are slow or unable to adapt to changes in existing requirements or the
adoption of new requirements or policies, or if we or such third parties are not able to maintain regulatory compliance, our product candidates may lose any
regulatory approval that may have been obtained and we may not achieve or sustain profitability.
Even if we are able to commercialize any product candidate, coverage and adequate reimbursement may not be available or such product candidate
may become subject to unfavorable pricing regulations or third-party coverage and reimbursement policies, which would harm our business.
The regulations that govern regulatory approvals, pricing and reimbursement for drugs products vary widely from country to country. Some
countries require approval of the sale price of a drug product before it can be marketed. In many countries, the pricing review period begins after marketing
approval is granted. In some foreign markets, prescription drug product pricing remains subject to continuing governmental control even after initial
approval is granted. As a result, we might obtain regulatory approval for a product in a particular country, but then be subject to price regulations that delay
our commercial launch of the product, possibly for lengthy time periods and negatively impact the revenues we are able to generate from the sale of the
product in that country. Adverse pricing limitations may hinder our ability to recoup our investment in one or more product candidates, even if our product
candidates obtain regulatory approval.
Our ability to commercialize any products successfully also will depend in part on the extent to which coverage and adequate reimbursement for
these products and related treatments will be available from third party payors, such as government authorities, private health insurers and other
organizations. Even if we succeed in bringing one or more products to the market, these products may not be considered cost-effective, and the amount
reimbursed for any products may be insufficient to allow us to sell our products on a competitive basis. Because our programs are in the early stages of
development, we are unable at this time to determine their cost effectiveness or the likely level or method of coverage and reimbursement. Increasingly, the
third-party payors who reimburse patients or healthcare providers are requiring that drug companies provide them with predetermined discounts from list
prices and are seeking to reduce the prices charged or the amounts reimbursed for drug products. If the price we are able to charge for any products we
develop, or the coverage and reimbursement provided for such products, is inadequate in light of our development and other costs, our return on investment
could be affected adversely.
There may be significant delays in obtaining reimbursement for newly-approved drug products, and coverage may be more limited than the
purposes for which the drug product is approved by the FDA or similar foreign regulatory authorities. Moreover, eligibility for reimbursement does not
imply that any drugs product will be reimbursed in all cases or at a rate that covers our costs, including research, development, manufacture, sale and
distribution.
Interim reimbursement levels for new drug products, if applicable, may also be insufficient to cover our costs and may not be made permanent.
Reimbursement rates may be based on payments allowed for lower cost drug products that are already reimbursed, may be incorporated into existing
payments for other services and may reflect budgetary constraints or imperfections in Medicare data. Net prices for drug products may be reduced by
mandatory discounts or rebates required by third party payors and by any future relaxation of laws that presently restrict imports of drug products from
countries where they may be sold at lower prices than in the United States. Obtaining coverage and adequate reimbursement for our product candidates
may be particularly difficult because of the higher prices often associated with drugs administered under the supervision of a physician. Similarly, because
our product candidates are physician-administered injectables, separate reimbursement for the product itself may or may not be available. Instead, the
administering physician may or may not be reimbursed for providing the treatment or procedure in which our product is used.
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Further, no uniform policy for coverage and reimbursement exists in the United States, and coverage and reimbursement can differ significantly
from payor to payor. Third-party payors often rely upon Medicare coverage policy and payment limitations in setting their own reimbursement rates, but
also have their own methods and approval process apart from Medicare determinations. As a result, the coverage determination process is often a time-
consuming and costly process that will require us to provide scientific and clinical support for the use of our product candidates to each payor separately,
with no assurance that coverage and adequate reimbursement will be applied consistently or obtained in the first instance. Decisions regarding the extent of
coverage and amount of reimbursement to be provided for any product candidates that we develop will be made on a payor-by-payor basis. One payor’s
determination to provide coverage for a drug does not assure that other payors will also provide coverage and adequate reimbursement for the drug.
Additionally, a third-party payor’s decision to provide coverage for a therapy does not imply that an adequate reimbursement rate will be approved.
Additionally, we may develop companion diagnostic tests for use with our product candidates. We, or our collaborators, will be required to obtain
coverage and reimbursement for these tests separate and apart from the coverage and reimbursement we seek for our product candidates, once approved.
While we have not yet developed any companion diagnostic test for our product candidates, if we do, there is significant uncertainty regarding our ability to
obtain coverage and adequate reimbursement for the same reasons applicable to our product candidates.
Our inability to promptly obtain coverage and adequate reimbursement from both third-party payors for the product candidates and companion
diagnostic tests that we develop and for which we obtain regulatory approval could have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition,
results of operations and prospects.
Disruptions at the FDA and other government agencies caused by funding shortages or global health concerns could hinder their ability to hire,
retain or deploy key leadership and other personnel, or otherwise prevent new or modified products from being developed, or approved or
commercialized in a timely manner or at all, which could negatively impact our business.
The ability of the FDA to review and approve new products can be affected by a variety of factors, including government budget and funding levels,
statutory, regulatory, and policy changes, the FDA’s ability to hire and retain key personnel and accept the payment of user fees, and other events that may
otherwise affect the FDA’s ability to perform routine functions. Average review times at the agency 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 and other agencies may also slow the time necessary for new biologics to be reviewed and/or approved by
necessary government agencies, which would adversely affect our business. For example, over the last several years, including for 35 days beginning on
December 22, 2018, 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.
We are subject to stringent and changing obligations related to data privacy and security. Our actual or perceived failure to comply with such
obligations could lead to regulatory investigations or actions; litigation; fines and penalties; disruptions of our business operations; reputational
harm; loss of revenues or profits; increases in the costs of our products; reductions in the use or adoption of our products; and other adverse
business consequences.
In the ordinary course of business, we process personal information and other sensitive information, including proprietary and
confidential business information, trade secrets, intellectual property, and data we collect about clinical trial participants in connection with clinical trials.
As a result, we, our service providers and any collaborators are or may become subject to or affected by numerous data privacy and security obligations,
such as various laws, regulations, guidance, industry standards, external and internal privacy and security policies, contracts, certifications, and other
obligations that govern the processing of personal information by us or on our behalf. These obligations are rapidly evolving, subject to differing
interpretations and could result in conflicting compliance obligations among various jurisdictions. Compliance with federal, state, and foreign data
protection laws and regulations and other data protection obligations could require us to take on more onerous obligations in our contracts; increase our
costs of legal compliance; restrict our ability to collect, use and disclose personal information; and, in some cases, impact our, our service providers’ or
collaborators’ ability to operate in certain jurisdictions.
In the United States, numerous federal, state, and local governments have enacted numerous data privacy and security laws, including personal
information privacy laws (including those related to health), data breach notification laws, and state consumer protection laws. For example, the California
Consumer Privacy Act of 2018, or the CCPA, imposes obligations on businesses to which it applies, including, but not limited to, requirements to provide
specific disclosures in privacy notices and affording California residents certain rights related to their personal information. Although the CCPA exempts
some data processed in the context of clinical trials, the CCPA, to the extent applicable to our business and operations, may increase our compliance costs
and potential liability with respect to other personal information we maintain about California residents. The CCPA allows for statutory fines for
noncompliance (up to $7,500 per violation). In addition, it is expected that the CCPA will be expanded on January 1, 2023, when the California Privacy
Rights Act of 2020, or CPRA, becomes operative. The CPRA establishes a new California Privacy Protection Agency to implement and enforce the CPRA
which could increase the risk of an enforcement action. Other states (such as Colorado and Virginia) have passed data privacy laws.
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Additionally, most healthcare providers in the United States, including research institutions from which we or our collaborators obtain clinical trial
participant health information, are subject to privacy and security regulations promulgated under HIPAA, as amended by HITECH.
Outside the United States, there are an increasing number of laws, regulations, and industry standards related to data privacy and security with which
we, our collaborators, service providers (including our CROs, and contractors) may need to comply, including in connection with our clinical trial
activities. For example, the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation, or GDPR, and the United Kingdom’s GDPR, or UK GDPR, include strict
requirements for processing the personal information of individuals (including clinical trial data), respectively, located within the European Economic
Area, or EEA, and the United Kingdom, or UK. The processing of sensitive personal information, such as health information, may impose heightened
compliance burdens under the GDPR and the UK GDPR and is a topic of active interest among foreign regulators. For example, under the GDPR,
government regulators may impose temporary and definitive bans on personal information processing as well as fines of up to 20 million Euros or 4% of
annual global revenue, whichever is greater.
Certain jurisdictions have enacted data localization laws and cross-border personal information transfer laws, which could make it more difficult for us
to transfer personal information across jurisdictions (such as transferring or receiving personal information that originates in the EU or UK). Existing
mechanisms that facilitate cross-border personal information transfers may change or be invalidated. Inability to import personal information from Europe
or elsewhere to the United States may limit our ability to conduct clinical trials activities in Europe or elsewhere, limit our ability to collaborate with CROs,
service providers, contractors and others, and require us to increase our data processing capabilities in Europe or elsewhere at significant expense.
Our obligations related to data privacy and security are quickly changing in an increasingly stringent fashion, creating some uncertainty as to the
effective future legal frameworks. Additionally, these obligations may be subject to differing applications and interpretations, which may be inconsistent or
in conflict among jurisdictions. Preparation for and compliance with these obligations requires us to devote significant resources (including, without
limitation, financial and time-related resources). These obligations may necessitate changes to our information technologies, systems, and practices, and to
any third parties that process personal information on our behalf. Although we endeavor to comply with all applicable data privacy and security
obligations, we may at times fail (or be perceived to have failed) to do so. Moreover, despite our efforts, our personnel or third parties upon whom we rely
may fail to comply with such obligations. If we fail, or are perceived to have failed, to address or comply with data privacy and security obligations, we
could face significant consequences. These consequences may include, but are not limited to, government enforcement actions (e.g., investigations, fines,
penalties, audits, inspections, and similar); litigation (including class-related claims); additional reporting requirements and/or oversight; reputational harm;
bans on processing personal information; orders to destroy or not use personal information; and imprisonment of company officials. Any of these events
could have a material adverse effect on our reputation, business and financial condition, including, but not limited to: interruptions or stoppages in business
operations (including, clinical trials); inability to process personal information; limited ability to develop or commercialize or products; expenditure of time
and resources to defend any claim, inquiry or similar request; adverse publicity; and revision or restructuring of our operations.
Risks Related to Our Business Operations
Manufacturing our TriTAC, ProTriTAC and TriTAC-XR product candidates is complex. We and our third-party manufacturers may encounter
difficulties in production. If we encounter any such difficulties, our ability to supply our product candidates for clinical trials or, if approved, for
commercial sale could be delayed or halted entirely.
The manufacture of biopharmaceutical products is complex and requires significant expertise and capital investment, including the development of
advanced manufacturing techniques and process controls. The process of manufacturing our product candidates is extremely susceptible to product loss due
to contamination, equipment failure or improper installation or operation of equipment, vendor or operator error, inconsistency in yields, variability in
product characteristics and difficulties in scaling the production process. Even minor deviations from normal manufacturing processes could result in
reduced production yields, product defects and other supply disruptions. If microbial, viral or other contaminations are discovered in our product candidates
or in the manufacturing facilities in which our product candidates are made, such manufacturing facilities may need to be closed for an extended period of
time to investigate and remedy the contamination. All of our TriTACs, ProTriTACs and TriTAC-XRs are manufactured from a vial of a master cell bank of
that antibody’s production cell line. We have or intend to have one master cell bank for each TriTAC, ProTriTAC and TriTAC-XR that was or will be
produced and tested in accordance with current good manufacturing practice, or cGMP, and applicable regulations. Each master cell bank is or will be
stored in two independent locations, and we intend to produce working cell banks for each product candidate later in product development. It is possible
that we could lose multiple cell banks from multiple locations and have our manufacturing severely impacted by the need to replace the cell banks. Any
adverse developments affecting manufacturing operations for our product candidates, if any are approved, may result in shipment delays, inventory
shortages, lot failures, product withdrawals or recalls, or other interruptions in the supply of our products. We may also have to take inventory write-offs
and incur other charges and expenses for products that fail to meet specifications as a result of defects or storage over an extended period of time, undertake
costly remediation efforts or seek more costly manufacturing alternatives.
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Our business could be adversely affected by the effects of health epidemics, including the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic is
ongoing in many parts of the world and may result in significant disruptions which could materially affect our operations, including at our
headquarters in the San Francisco Bay Area and at our clinical trial sites.
In March 2020, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic. As a result of measures imposed by the governments in affected
regions, many commercial activities, businesses and schools have been suspended as part of quarantines and other measures intended to contain this
pandemic. As the COVID-19 pandemic, including variants continues to spread around the globe, we may experience disruptions that could adversely
impact our business and clinical trials, including:
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delays or difficulties in enrolling patients in our clinical trials;
delays or difficulties in clinical site initiation, including difficulties in recruiting clinical site investigators and clinical site staff;
diversion of healthcare resources away from the conduct of clinical trials, including the diversion of hospitals serving as our clinical trial sites
and hospital staff supporting the conduct of clinical trials;
interruption of key clinical trial activities, such as clinical trial site monitoring, due to limitations on travel imposed or recommended by
federal or state governments, employers and others;
limitations in resources that would otherwise be focused on the conduct of our business or our clinical trials, including because of sickness or
the desire to avoid contact with large groups of people or as a result of government-imposed “shelter in place” or similar working restrictions;
delays in receiving approval from regulatory authorities to initiate our planned clinical trials;
delays in clinical sites receiving the supplies and materials needed to conduct our clinical trials;
interruption in shipping that may affect the transport of clinical trial materials, such as investigational drug product used in our clinical trials;
changes in regulations as part of a response to the COVID-19 pandemic which may require us to change the ways in which our clinical trials
are conducted, or to discontinue the clinical trials altogether, or which may result in unexpected costs;
delays in necessary interactions with regulators, ethics committees and other important agencies and contractors due to limitations in
employee resources or forced furlough of government or contractor personnel; and
refusal of the FDA to accept data from clinical trials in affected geographies outside the United States.
We will continue to access the impact that COVID-19 may have on our ability to effectively conduct our business operations as planned and there
can be no assurance that we will be able to avoid a material adverse impact on our business from the spread of COVID-19 or its consequences, including
disruption to our business and downturns in business sentiment generally or in our industry. For example, our primary operations are located in South San
Francisco, in San Mateo County. On March 16, 2020, San Mateo County issued a “shelter-in-place” order, effective March 17, 2020, and on March 19,
2020, the Executive Department of the State of California issued Executive Order N-33-20, ordering all individuals in the State of California to stay home
or at their place of residence except as needed to maintain continuity of operations of the federal critical infrastructure sectors. These orders have since
been lifted, but should COVID-19 cases in California continue to increase, the country or state may re-institute a “shelter in place” order at any time. As of
December 31, 2021, we have not experienced any material delays or significant financial impacts directly related to the pandemic but have experienced
some minor disruptions to clinical operations, including patient enrollment in some of our clinical trials and delays in collecting, receiving and analyzing
data from patients enrolled in our clinical trials for due to limited staff at our clinical trial sites.
Additionally, certain third parties with whom we engage, including our collaborators, contract organizations, third party manufacturers, suppliers,
clinical trial sites, regulators and other third parties with whom we conduct business are similarly adjusting their operations and assessing their capacity in
light of the COVID-19 pandemic. If these third parties experience shutdowns, supply chain disruptions or restrictions, or continued business disruptions,
our ability to conduct our business in the manner and on the timelines presently planned could be materially and negatively impacted. For example, as a
result of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have experienced and could continue to experience delays in the manufacturing supply chain and procurement of
materials for our product candidates, which could delay or otherwise impact our preclinical and clinical programs and anticipated development timelines.
Additionally, certain preclinical studies for our discovery research programs and clinical trials are conducted by CROs, which could be discontinued or
delayed as a result of the pandemic. It is also likely that the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on hospitals and clinical sites will have an impact on
recruitment and retention for our clinical trials. In addition, certain of our clinical trial sites have experienced, and others may experience in the future,
delays in collecting, receiving and analyzing data from patients enrolled in our clinical trials due to limited staff at such sites, limitation or suspension of
on-site visits by patients, or patients’ reluctance to visit the clinical trial sites during the pandemic. We and our CROs may also need to make certain
adjustments to the operation of such trials in an effort to ensure the safety and monitoring of patients and minimize risks to trial integrity during the
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pandemic in accordance with the guidance issued by the FDA and EMA. Any such adjustments may not be effective, and may have unforeseen effects on
the enrollment, progress and completion of these trials and the findings from these trials. While we are currently continuing our clinical trials and seeking
to add new clinical trial sites, we may not be successful in adding trial sites, may experience delays in patient enrollment or in the progression of our
clinical trials, may need to suspend our clinical trials, and may encounter other negative impacts to our trials, due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The global outbreak of COVID-19 continues to rapidly evolve. While the extent of the impact of the current COVID-19 pandemic on our business
and financial results is uncertain, a continued and prolonged public health crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic could have a material negative impact on
our business, financial condition and operating results.
Our business may become subject to economic, political, regulatory and other risks associated with international operations.
Our business is subject to risks associated with conducting business internationally. Accordingly, our future results could be harmed by a variety of
factors, including:
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economic weakness, including inflation, or political instability, particularly in foreign economies and markets;
differing regulatory requirements for drug approvals in foreign countries;
differing jurisdictions could present different issues for securing, maintaining and/or obtaining freedom to operate in such jurisdictions;
potentially reduced protection for intellectual property rights;
difficulties in compliance with foreign laws and regulations;
changes in foreign regulations and customs, tariffs and trade barriers;
changes in foreign currency exchange rates and currency controls;
changes in a specific country’s or region’s political or economic environment;
trade protection measures, import or export licensing requirements or other actions by the U.S. or foreign governments;
differing reimbursement regimes and price controls in certain foreign markets;
negative consequences from changes in tax laws;
compliance with tax, employment, immigration and labor laws for employees living or traveling abroad;
workforce uncertainty in countries where labor unrest is more common than in the United States;
difficulties associated with staffing and managing international operations, including differing labor relations;
production shortages resulting from any events affecting raw material supply or manufacturing capabilities abroad;
the impact of public health epidemics, such as the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) currently impacting multiple jurisdictions worldwide,
including the United States; and
business interruptions resulting from geo-political actions, including war and terrorism, or natural disasters, including earthquakes, typhoons, floods and
fires.
We may become exposed to costly and damaging liability claims, either when testing our product candidates in the clinic or at the commercial stage,
and our product liability insurance may not cover all damages from such claims.
We are exposed to potential product liability and professional indemnity risks that are inherent in the research, development, manufacturing,
marketing and use of pharmaceutical products. While we currently have no products that have been approved for commercial sale, the current and future
use of product candidates by us and our partners in clinical trials, and the sale of any approved products in the future, may expose us to liability claims.
These claims might be made by patients that use the product, healthcare providers, pharmaceutical companies, our partners or others selling such products.
Any claims against us, regardless of their merit, could be difficult and costly to defend and could materially adversely affect the market for our product
candidates or any prospects for commercialization of our product candidates.
Although the clinical trial process is designed to identify and assess potential side effects, it is always possible that a drug, even after regulatory
approval, may exhibit unforeseen side effects. If any of our product candidates were to cause adverse side effects during clinical trials or after approval of
the product candidate, we may be exposed to substantial liabilities. Physicians and patients may not comply with any warnings that identify known
potential adverse effects and patients who should not use our product candidates.
Even successful defense against product liability claims would require significant financial and management resources. Regardless of the merits or
eventual outcome, liability claims may result in: decreased demand for our product candidates; injury to
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our reputation; withdrawal of clinical trial participants; initiation of investigations by regulators; costs to defend the related litigation; a diversion of
management’s time and our resources; substantial monetary awards to trial participants or patients; product recalls, withdrawals or labeling, marketing or
promotional restrictions; loss of revenue; exhaustion of any available insurance and our capital resources; the inability to commercialize any product
candidate; and a decline in our share price.
Although we maintain adequate product liability insurance for our product candidates, it is possible that our liabilities could exceed our insurance
coverage. We intend to expand our insurance coverage to include the sale of commercial products if we obtain marketing approval for any of our product
candidates. However, we may not be able to maintain insurance coverage at a reasonable cost or obtain insurance coverage that will be adequate to satisfy
any liability that may arise. If a successful product liability claim or series of claims is brought against us for uninsured liabilities or in excess of insured
liabilities, our assets may not be sufficient to cover such claims and our business operations could be impaired.
Our future growth and ability to compete depends on retaining our key personnel and recruiting additional qualified personnel.
Our success depends upon the continued contributions of our key management, scientific and technical personnel, many of whom have been
instrumental for us and have substantial experience with our therapies and related technologies. The loss of key managers and senior scientists could delay
our research and development activities. In addition, the competition for qualified personnel in the biopharmaceutical and pharmaceutical field is intense,
and our future success depends upon our ability to attract, retain and motivate highly-skilled scientific, technical and managerial employees. We face
competition for personnel from other companies, universities, public and private research institutions and other organizations. If our recruitment and
retention efforts are unsuccessful in the future, it may be difficult for us to implement business strategy, which could have a material adverse effect on our
business.
In November 2021, we appointed a new President and Chief Executive Officer. Resignations of executive officers may cause disruption in our
business, strategic and employee relationships, which may delay or prevent the achievement of our business objectives. Transitions may cause uncertainty
among investors, employees and others concerning our future direction and performance
We conduct substantially all of our operations at our facilities in South San Francisco, California. This region is headquarters to many other
biopharmaceutical companies and many academic and research institutions. Competition for skilled personnel in this region is intense and may limit our
ability to hire and retain highly qualified personnel on acceptable terms or at all.
We expect to expand our development, regulatory and sales and marketing capabilities, and as a result, we may encounter difficulties in managing
our growth, which could disrupt our operations.
As of February 28, 2022, we had 99 full-time employees. We expect to experience significant growth in the number of our employees and the scope
of our operations, particularly in the areas of drug development, regulatory affairs and sales and marketing. To manage our anticipated future growth, we
must continue to implement and improve our managerial, operational and financial systems, expand our facilities and continue to recruit and train
additional qualified personnel. Due to our limited financial resources and the limited experience of our management team in managing a company with
such anticipated growth, we may not be able to effectively manage the expansion of our operations or recruit and train additional qualified personnel. The
expansion of our operations may lead to significant costs and may divert our management and business development resources. Any inability to manage
growth could delay the execution of our business plans or disrupt our operations.
In addition, future growth imposes significant added responsibilities on members of management, including: identifying, recruiting, integrating,
maintaining and motivating additional employees; managing our internal development efforts effectively, including the clinical and FDA review process for
our product candidates, while complying with our contractual obligations to contractors and other third parties; and improving our operational, financial
and management controls, reporting systems and procedures. Our future financial performance and our ability to commercialize our product candidates will
depend, in part, on our ability to effectively manage our growth, and our management may also have to divert a disproportionate amount of its attention
away from day-to-day activities in order to devote a substantial amount of time to managing these growth activities.
We rely or expect to rely in substantial part on certain independent organizations, advisors and consultants to provide certain services, including
strategic, financial, business development services, as well as substantial aspects of regulatory approval, clinical management, manufacturing and
preparation for potential commercial launch. There can be no assurance that the services of independent organizations, advisors and consultants will
continue to be available to us on a timely basis when needed, or that we can find qualified replacements. In addition, if we are unable to effectively manage
our outsourced activities or if the quality or accuracy of the services provided by consultants or contract manufacturing organizations is compromised for
any reason, our clinical trials may be extended, delayed or terminated, and we may not be able to obtain regulatory approval of our product candidates or
otherwise advance our business. There can be no assurance that we will be able to manage our existing consultants or find other competent outside
contractors and consultants on economically reasonable terms, or at all.
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If we are not able to effectively expand our organization by hiring new employees and expanding our groups of consultants and contractors, we may
not be able to successfully implement the tasks necessary to further develop and commercialize our product candidates and, accordingly, may not achieve
our research, development and commercialization goals.
Acquisitions or joint ventures could disrupt our business, cause dilution to our stockholders and otherwise harm our business.
We actively evaluate various strategic transactions on an ongoing basis. We may acquire other businesses, products or technologies as well as pursue
strategic alliances, joint ventures or investments in complementary businesses. Any of these transactions could be material to our financial condition and
operating results and expose us to many risks, including:
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disruption in our relationships with existing strategic partners or suppliers as a result of such a transaction;
unanticipated liabilities related to acquired companies or joint ventures;
difficulties integrating acquired personnel, technologies and operations into our existing business;
retention of key employees;
diversion of management time and focus from operating our business to management of strategic alliances or joint ventures or acquisition
integration challenges;
increases in our expenses and reductions in our cash available for operations and other uses; and
possible write-offs or impairment charges relating to acquired businesses.
In addition, we face significant competition in seeking appropriate strategic partners and the negotiation process is time-consuming and complex.
Moreover, we may not be successful in our efforts to establish a strategic alliance or other alternative arrangements for our product candidates because they
may be deemed to be at too early of a stage of development for collaborative effort and third parties may not view our product candidates as having the
requisite potential to demonstrate safety and efficacy. Any delays in entering into new strategic transactions related to our product candidates could delay
the development and commercialization of our product candidates in certain geographies for certain indications, which would harm our business prospects,
financial condition and results of operations.
Foreign acquisitions involve unique risks in addition to those mentioned above, including those related to integration of operations across different
cultures and languages, currency risks, potentially adverse tax consequences of overseas operations and the particular economic, political and regulatory
risks associated with specific countries.
The anticipated benefit of any strategic alliance, joint venture or acquisition may not materialize or such strategic alliance, joint venture or
acquisition may be prohibited. Additionally, future acquisitions or dispositions could result in potentially dilutive issuances of our equity securities, the
incurrence of debt, contingent liabilities or amortization expenses or write-offs of goodwill, any of which could harm our financial condition. We cannot
predict the number, timing or size of future joint ventures or acquisitions, or the effect that any such transactions might have on our operating results.
Our research and development activities could be affected or delayed as a result of possible restrictions on animal testing.
Certain laws and regulations require us to test our product candidates on animals before initiating clinical trials involving humans. Animal testing
activities have been the subject of controversy and adverse publicity. Animal rights groups and other organizations and individuals have attempted to stop
animal testing activities by pressing for legislation and regulation in these areas and by disrupting these activities through protests and other means. To the
extent the activities of these groups are successful, our research and development activities may be interrupted, delayed or become more expensive.
Risks Related to Commercialization of Our Product Candidates
We operate in highly competitive and rapidly changing industries, which may result in others discovering, developing or commercializing competing
products before or more successfully than we do.
The biopharmaceutical and pharmaceutical industries are highly competitive and subject to significant and rapid technological change. Our success
is highly dependent on our ability to discover, develop and obtain marketing approval for new and innovative products on a cost-effective basis and to
market them successfully. In doing so, we face and will continue to face intense competition from a variety of businesses, including large pharmaceutical
and biotechnology companies, academic institutions, government agencies and other public and private research organizations. These organizations may
have significantly greater resources than we do and conduct similar research, seek patent protection and establish collaborative arrangements for research,
development, manufacturing and marketing of products that compete with our product candidates. Mergers and acquisitions in the biotechnology and
pharmaceutical industries may result in even more resources being concentrated in our competitors. Competition may increase
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further as a result of advances in the commercial applicability of technologies and greater availability of capital for investment in these industries.
With the proliferation of new oncology drugs and therapies, we expect to face increasingly intense competition as new technologies become
available. If we fail to stay at the forefront of technological change, we may be unable to compete effectively. Any product candidates that we successfully
develop and commercialize will compete with existing therapies and new therapies that may become available in the future. The highly competitive nature
of and rapid technological changes in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries could render our product candidates or our technology obsolete, less
competitive or uneconomical. Our competitors may, among other things:
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develop and commercialize products that are safer, more effective, less expensive, more convenient or easier to administer, or have fewer or
less severe side effects;
obtain quicker regulatory approval;
establish superior proprietary positions covering our products and technologies;
implement more effective approaches to sales and marketing; or
form more advantageous strategic alliances.
Should any of these factors occur, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially adversely affected.
In addition, any collaborators may decide to market and sell products that compete with the product candidates that we have agreed to license to
them, and any competition by our collaborators could also have a material adverse effect on our future business, financial condition and results of
operations.
Smaller and other early stage companies may also prove to be significant competitors, particularly through collaborative arrangements with large
and established companies. These third parties compete with us in recruiting and retaining qualified scientific and management personnel, establishing
clinical trial sites and patient registration for clinical trials, as well as in acquiring technologies complementary to, or necessary for, our programs.
If the market opportunity for any product candidate that we or our strategic partners develop is smaller than we believe, our revenue may be
adversely affected and our business may suffer.
We intend to initially focus our product candidate development on treatments for various oncology indications. Our projections of addressable
patient populations that may benefit from treatment with our product candidates are based on our estimates. These estimates, which have been derived from
a variety of sources, including scientific literature, surveys of clinics, patient foundations and market research, may prove to be incorrect. Further, new
studies may change the estimated incidence or prevalence of these cancers. Additionally, the potentially addressable patient population for our product
candidates may not ultimately be amenable to treatment with our product candidates. Our market opportunity may also be limited by future competitor
treatments that enter the market. If any of our estimates prove to be inaccurate, the market opportunity for any product candidate that we or our strategic
partners develop could be significantly diminished and have an adverse material impact on our business.
The market opportunities for our product candidates may be limited to those patients who are ineligible for or have failed prior treatments and may
be small.
Cancer therapies are sometimes characterized by line of therapy (first, second, third, fourth, etc.), and the FDA often initially approves new
therapies only for use in a particular line or lines of therapy. When cancer is detected early enough, first line therapy is sometimes adequate to provide a
cure or prolong life without a cure. Whenever first line therapy (typically chemotherapy, hormone therapy, surgery or a combination of these) proves
unsuccessful, second line therapy (typically more chemotherapy, radiation, antibody drugs, tumor targeted small molecules or a combination of these) may
be administered. Third or fourth line therapies can include antibody and small molecule targeted therapies, more invasive forms of surgery and new
technologies. We may initially seek approval of our product candidates as a third line therapy for patients who have failed other approved treatments.
Subsequently, for product candidates that prove to be sufficiently beneficial, if any, we would expect to seek approval as a second and first line therapy.
However, there is no guarantee that our product candidates, even if initially approved, would be subsequently approved as a second or first line therapy. In
addition, we may have to conduct additional clinical trials prior to gaining approval as a second or first line therapy. Because the potentially addressable
patient target population for our product candidates may be limited to patients who are
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ineligible for or have failed prior treatments, even if we obtain significant market share for our product candidates, we may never achieve profitability.
We may expend our limited resources to pursue a particular product candidate or indication and fail to capitalize on product candidates or
indications that may be more profitable or for which there is a greater likelihood of success.
Because we have limited financial and managerial resources, we focus on research programs, therapeutic platforms and product candidates that we
identify for specific indications. As a result, we may forego or delay pursuit of opportunities with other therapeutic platforms or product candidates or for
other indications that later prove to have greater commercial potential. Our resource allocation decisions may cause us to fail to capitalize on viable
commercial products or profitable market opportunities. Our spending on current and future research and development programs, therapeutic platforms and
product candidates for specific indications may not yield any commercially viable products. If we do not accurately evaluate the commercial potential or
target market for a particular product candidate, we may relinquish valuable rights to that product candidate through collaboration, licensing or other
royalty arrangements in cases in which it would have been more advantageous for us to retain sole development and commercialization rights.
Even if approved, our products may not gain market acceptance, in which case we may not be able to generate product revenues, which will
materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Even if the FDA or any other regulatory authority approves the marketing of any product candidates that we develop on our own or with a
collaborator, physicians, healthcare providers, patients or the medical community may not accept or use them. If these products do not achieve an adequate
level of acceptance, we may not generate significant product revenues or any profits from operations. The degree of market acceptance of any of our
product candidates will depend on a variety of factors, including:
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the timing of market introduction;
the number and clinical profile of competing products;
our ability to provide acceptable evidence of safety and efficacy;
the prevalence and severity of any side effects;
relative convenience and ease of administration;
cost-effectiveness;
patient diagnostics and screening infrastructure in each market;
marketing and distribution support;
availability of coverage, adequate reimbursement and sufficient payment from health maintenance organizations and other insurers, both
public and private, for our product candidates, or the procedures utilizing our product candidates, if approved; and
other potential advantages over alternative treatment methods.
If our product candidates fail to gain market acceptance, this will have a material adverse impact on our ability to generate revenues to provide a
satisfactory, or any, return on our investments. Even if some products achieve market acceptance, the market may prove not to be large enough to allow us
to generate significant revenues.
We currently have no marketing, sales or distribution infrastructure. If we are unable to develop sales, marketing and distribution capabilities on
our own or through collaborations, or if we fail to achieve adequate pricing and/or reimbursement we will not be successful in commercializing our
product candidates.
We currently have no marketing, sales and distribution capabilities because all of our product candidates are still in clinical or preclinical
development. If any of our product candidates are approved, we intend either to establish a sales and marketing organization with technical expertise and
supporting distribution capabilities to commercialize our product candidates, or to outsource this function to a third party. Either of these options would be
expensive and time consuming. These costs may be incurred in advance of any approval of our product candidates. In addition, we may not be able to hire a
sales force that is sufficient in size or has adequate expertise in the medical markets that we intend to target. Any failure or delay in the development of our
internal sales, marketing and distribution capabilities would adversely impact the commercialization of our products, if approved.
To the extent that we enter into collaboration agreements with respect to marketing, sales or distribution, our product revenue may be lower than if
we directly marketed or sold any approved products. In addition, any revenue we receive will depend in whole or
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in part upon the efforts of these third-party collaborators, which may not be successful and are generally not within our control. If we are unable to enter
into these arrangements on acceptable terms or at all, we may not be able to successfully commercialize any approved products. If we are not successful in
commercializing any approved products, either on our own or through collaborations with one or more third parties, our future product revenue will suffer
and we may incur significant additional losses.
We have never commercialized a product candidate before and may lack the necessary expertise, personnel and resources to successfully
commercialize any products on our own or together with suitable collaborators.
We have never commercialized a product candidate, and we currently have no sales force, marketing or distribution capabilities. To achieve
commercial success for the product candidates, which we may license to others, we will rely on the assistance and guidance of those collaborators. For
product candidates for which we retain commercialization rights, we will have to develop our own sales, marketing and supply organization or outsource
these activities to a third party.
Factors that may affect our ability to commercialize our product candidates on our own include recruiting and retaining adequate numbers of
effective sales and marketing personnel, obtaining access to or persuading adequate numbers of physicians to prescribe our product candidates and other
unforeseen costs associated with creating an independent sales and marketing organization. Developing a sales and marketing organization will be
expensive and time-consuming and could delay the launch of our product candidates. We may not be able to build an effective sales and marketing
organization. If we are unable to build our own distribution and marketing capabilities or to find suitable partners for the commercialization of our product
candidates, we may not generate revenues from them or be able to reach or sustain profitability.
Our product candidates for which we intend to seek approval as biologic products may face competition sooner than anticipated.
The ACA includes a subtitle called the Biologics Price Competition and Innovation Act of 2009, or BPCIA, which created an abbreviated approval
pathway for biological products that are biosimilar to or interchangeable with an FDA-licensed reference biological product. Under the BPCIA, an
application for a biosimilar product may not be submitted to the FDA until four years following the date that the reference product was first approved by
the FDA. In addition, the approval of a biosimilar product may not be made effective by the FDA until 12 years from the date on which the reference
product was first approved. During this 12-year period of exclusivity, another company may still market a competing version of the reference product if the
FDA approves a full BLA for the competing product containing the sponsor’s own preclinical data and data from adequate and well-controlled clinical
trials to demonstrate the safety, purity and potency of their product. The law is complex and is still being interpreted and implemented by the FDA. As a
result, its ultimate impact, implementation, and meaning are subject to uncertainty.
We believe that any of our product candidates approved as a biological product under a BLA should qualify for the 12-year period of exclusivity.
However, there is a risk that this exclusivity could be shortened due to congressional action or otherwise, or that the FDA will not consider our product
candidates to be reference products for competing products, potentially creating the opportunity for competition sooner than anticipated. Other aspects of
the BPCIA, some of which may impact the BPCIA exclusivity provisions, have also been the subject of recent litigation. Moreover, the extent to which a
biosimilar, once approved, will be substituted for any one of our reference products in a way that is similar to traditional generic substitution for non-
biological products is not yet clear, and will depend on a number of marketplace and regulatory factors that are still developing.
Jurisdictions in addition to the United States have established abbreviated pathways for regulatory approval of biological products that are
biosimilar to earlier approved reference products. For example, the European Union has had an established regulatory pathway for biosimilars since 2005.
The increased likelihood of biosimilar competition has increased the risk of loss of innovators’ market exclusivity. Due to this risk, and uncertainties
regarding patent protection, if our clinical candidates are approved for marketing, it is not possible to predict the length of market exclusivity for any
particular product with certainty based solely on the expiration of the relevant patent(s) or the current forms of regulatory exclusivity. It is also not possible
to predict changes in United States regulatory law that might reduce biological product regulatory exclusivity. The loss of market exclusivity for a product
would likely materially and negatively affect revenues and we may not generate adequate or sufficient revenues from them or be able to reach or sustain
profitability.
Risks Related to Our Dependence on Third Parties
We rely, and expect to continue to rely, on third parties, including independent clinical investigators and CROs, to conduct our preclinical studies
and clinical trials. If these third parties do not successfully carry out their contractual duties, comply with applicable regulatory requirements or
meet expected deadlines, we may not be able to obtain regulatory approval for or commercialize our product candidates and our business could be
substantially harmed.
We have relied upon and plan to continue to rely upon third parties, including independent clinical investigators and third-party CROs, to conduct
our preclinical studies and clinical trials and to monitor and manage data for our ongoing preclinical and clinical
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programs. We rely on these parties for execution of our preclinical studies and clinical trials, and control only certain aspects of their activities.
Nevertheless, we are responsible for ensuring that each of our studies and trials is conducted in accordance with the applicable protocol, legal, regulatory
and scientific standards, and our reliance on these third parties does not relieve us of our regulatory responsibilities. We and our third-party contractors and
CROs are required to comply with GCP requirements, which are regulations and guidelines enforced by the FDA and comparable foreign regulatory
authorities for all of our products candidates in clinical development. Regulatory authorities enforce these GCPs through periodic inspections of trial
sponsors, principal investigators and trial sites. If we or any of our CROs fail to comply with applicable GCPs, the clinical data generated in our clinical
trials may be deemed unreliable and the FDA or comparable foreign regulatory authorities may require us to perform additional clinical trials before
approving our marketing applications. We cannot assure you that upon inspection by a given regulatory authority, such regulatory authority will determine
that any of our clinical trials comply with GCP regulations. In addition, our clinical trials must be conducted with product produced under cGMP
regulations. Our failure to comply with these regulations may require us to repeat clinical trials, which would delay the regulatory approval process.
Further, these investigators and CROs are not our employees and we will not be able to control, other than by contract, the amount of resources,
including time, which they devote to our product candidates and clinical trials. If independent investigators or CROs fail to devote sufficient resources to
the development of our product candidates, or if their performance is substandard, it may delay or compromise the prospects for approval and
commercialization of any product candidates that we develop. In addition, the use of third-party service providers may require us to disclose our proprietary
information to these parties, which could increase the risk that this information will be misappropriated.
Our CROs have the right to terminate their agreements with us in the event of an uncured material breach. In addition, some of our CROs have an
ability to terminate their respective agreements with us if it can be reasonably demonstrated that the safety of the subjects participating in our clinical trials
warrants such termination, if we make a general assignment for the benefit of our creditors or if we are liquidated.
If any of our relationships with these third-party CROs terminate, we may not be able to enter into arrangements with alternative CROs or to do so
on commercially reasonable terms. If CROs do not successfully carry out their contractual duties or obligations or meet expected deadlines, if they need to
be replaced or if the quality or accuracy of the clinical data they obtain is compromised due to the failure to adhere to our clinical protocols, regulatory
requirements or for other reasons, our clinical trials may be extended, delayed or terminated and we may not be able to obtain regulatory approval for or
successfully commercialize our product candidates. As a result, our results of operations and the commercial prospects for our product candidates would be
harmed, our costs could increase and our ability to generate revenues could be delayed.
Switching or adding additional CROs involves additional cost and requires management time and focus. In addition, there is a natural transition
period when a new CRO commences work. As a result, delays occur, which can materially impact our ability to meet our desired clinical development
timelines. Additionally, CROs may lack the capacity to absorb higher workloads or take on additional capacity to support our needs. Though we carefully
manage our relationships with our CROs, there can be no assurance that we will not encounter similar challenges or delays in the future or that these delays
or challenges will not have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition and prospects.
We may not realize the benefits of any collaborative or licensing arrangement we enter into, and if we fail to enter into new strategic relationships
our business, financial condition, commercialization prospects and results of operations may be materially adversely affected.
Our product development programs and the potential commercialization of our product candidates will require substantial additional cash to fund
expenses. Therefore, for some of our product candidates, we may decide to enter into new collaborations with pharmaceutical or biopharmaceutical
companies for the development and potential commercialization of those product candidates. For instance, we have a discovery collaboration and license
agreement with AbbVie, pursuant to which we have licensed the development and commercialization of certain of our product candidates, as well as a
development and option agreement with AbbVie, pursuant to which we granted to AbbVie an option to a worldwide, exclusive license with respect to
HPN217.
We face significant competition in seeking appropriate collaborators. Collaborations are complex and time-consuming to negotiate and document.
We may also be restricted under existing and future collaboration agreements from entering into agreements on certain terms with other potential
collaborators. We may not be able to negotiate collaborations on acceptable terms, or at all. If our strategic collaborations do not result in the successful
development and commercialization of product candidates, or if one of our collaborators terminates its agreement with us, we may not receive any future
research funding or milestone or royalty payments under the collaboration. Moreover, our estimates of the potential revenue we are eligible to receive
under our strategic collaborations may include potential payments related to therapeutic programs for which our collaborators have discontinued
development or may discontinue development in the future. If that were to occur, we may have to curtail the development of a particular product candidate,
reduce or delay its development program or one or more of our other development programs, delay its potential commercialization or
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reduce the scope of our sales or marketing activities, or increase our expenditures and undertake development or commercialization activities at our own
expense. If we elect to increase our expenditures to fund development or commercialization activities on our own, we may need to obtain additional capital,
which may not be available to us on acceptable terms or at all. If we do not have sufficient funds, we will not be able to bring our product candidates to
market and generate product revenue. If we do enter into a new collaboration agreement, we could be subject to the following risks, each of which may
materially harm our business, commercialization prospects and financial condition:
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we may not be able to control the amount and timing of resources that the collaboration partner devotes to the product development program;
the collaboration partner may experience financial difficulties;
we may be required to relinquish important rights such as marketing, distribution and intellectual property rights;
a collaborator could move forward with a competing product developed either independently or in collaboration with third parties, including
our competitors; or
business combinations or significant changes in a collaborator’s business strategy may adversely affect our willingness to complete our
obligations under any arrangement.
If we license products or businesses, we may not be able to realize the benefit of such transactions if we are unable to successfully integrate them
with our existing operations and company culture. We cannot be certain that, following a strategic transaction or license, we will achieve the results,
revenue or specific net income that justifies such transaction.
We rely on third-party manufacturers to produce our product candidates. Any failure by a third-party manufacturer to produce acceptable product
candidates for us may delay or impair our ability to initiate or complete our clinical trials or commercialize approved products.
We do not currently own or operate any manufacturing facilities nor do we have any in-house manufacturing experience or personnel. We work with
third-party contract manufacturers to produce sufficient quantities of our product candidates for preclinical testing and clinical trials, in compliance with
applicable regulatory and quality standards, and intend to do so for the commercial manufacture of our products, if approved. If we are unable to arrange
for such third-party manufacturing sources, or fail to do so on commercially reasonable terms, we may not be able to successfully produce sufficient supply
of product candidate or we may be delayed in doing so. For example, public health epidemics, such as the COVID-19 pandemic are currently impacting
multiple jurisdictions worldwide, including the United States. Such disruptions have included supply chain restrictions at contract manufacturing
organizations, or CMOs, delays in obtaining manufacturing, and limits on the availability of raw materials. These disruptions may impact the ability of our
existing or future manufacturers to perform their obligations under our manufacturing agreements with such parties or for us to manufacture sufficient drug
substance to resupply our ongoing clinical trials. Such failure or substantial delay could materially harm our business.
Our TriTAC, ProTriTAC and TriTAC-XR platforms rely on third parties for the biological materials used in testing and qualifying our products.
Some biological materials have not always met our expectations or requirements, and any disruption in the supply of these biological materials could
materially adversely affect our business. Although we have control processes and screening procedures, biological materials are susceptible to damage and
contamination and may contain active pathogens. Improper storage of these materials, by us or any third-party suppliers, may require us to destroy some of
our biological raw materials or product candidates.
Reliance on third-party manufacturers entails risks to which we would not be subject if we manufactured product candidates ourselves, including
reliance on the third party for regulatory compliance and quality control and quality assurance, volume and timing of production, the possibility of breach
of the manufacturing agreement by the third party because of factors beyond our control (including a failure to synthesize and manufacture our product
candidates in accordance with our product specifications) and the possibility of termination or nonrenewal of the agreement by the third party at a time that
is costly or damaging to us. In addition, the FDA and other regulatory authorities require that our product candidates be manufactured according to cGMPs.
Pharmaceutical manufacturers and their subcontractors are required to register their facilities or products manufactured at the time of submission of the
marketing application and then annually thereafter with the FDA and certain state and foreign agencies. They are also subject to periodic unannounced
inspections by the FDA, state and other foreign authorities. Any subsequent discovery of problems with a product, or a manufacturing or laboratory facility
used by us or our third-party suppliers, may result in restrictions on the product or on the manufacturing or laboratory facility, including marketed product
recall, suspension of manufacturing, product seizure, or a voluntary withdrawal of the drug from the market. We may have little to no control regarding the
occurrence of third-party manufacturer incidents. Any failure by our third-party manufacturers to comply with cGMP or failure to scale up manufacturing
processes, including any failure to deliver sufficient quantities of product candidates in a timely manner, could lead to an irreparable delay in our
development or commercialization timeline.
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To date, we have relied on one single-source supplier per product for bulk drug substance. The loss of any of our suppliers or their failure to supply
us with BDS on a timely basis could cause a delay in our ability to develop the impacted product candidates and adversely affect our business.
We depend on one single-source supplier per product for bulk drug substance, or BDS. There can be no assurance that our supply of BDS will not be
limited, interrupted, or of satisfactory quality or continue to be available at acceptable prices. Additionally, we do not have any control over the process or
timing of the acquisition or manufacture of materials by our suppliers, and cannot ensure that our suppliers will deliver to us the BDS we order on time, or
at all. The loss of BDS provided by our suppliers could require us to change the design of the product candidate development process for the impacted
product(s) based on the functions, limitations, features and specifications of the replacement.
In addition, the lead time needed to establish a relationship with a new supplier can be lengthy, and we may experience delays in meeting demand in
the event we must switch to a new supplier for any product. The time and effort to qualify a new supplier could result in additional costs, diversion of
resources or reduced manufacturing yields, any of which would negatively impact our operating results. Our reliance on a single-source supplier per
product exposes us to certain risks, including the following:
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our suppliers may cease or reduce production or deliveries, raise prices or renegotiate terms which would impact those products produced
we may be unable to locate a suitable replacement on acceptable terms or on a timely basis, if at all;
if there is a disruption to any single-source supplier’s operations, and if we are unable to enter into arrangements with alternative suppliers,
we may need to halt our clinical trial programs;
delays caused by supply issues may harm our reputation, frustrate our clinical trial sites and cause them to turn to our competitors for future
projects; and
our ability to develop our product candidates could be materially and adversely impacted if the single-source suppliers upon which we rely,
per product, were to experience a significant business challenge, disruption or failure due to issues such as financial difficulties or
bankruptcy, issues relating to other customers such as regulatory or quality compliance issues, or other financial, legal, regulatory or
reputational issues.
Moreover, to meet anticipated demand, our suppliers may need to increase manufacturing capacity, which could involve significant challenges. This
may require us and our suppliers to invest substantial additional funds and hire and retain the technical personnel who have the necessary experience.
Neither we nor our suppliers may successfully complete any required increase to existing manufacturing capacity in a timely manner, or at all.
We currently rely on third-party suppliers and other third parties for production of our product candidates, and our dependence on these third
parties may impair the advancement of our research and development programs and the development of our product candidates. Moreover, we
intend to rely on third parties to produce commercial supplies of any approved product candidate and our commercialization of any of our product
candidates could be stopped, delayed or made less profitable if those third parties fail to obtain approval of the FDA or comparable regulatory
authorities, fail to provide us with sufficient quantities of product or fail to do so at acceptable quality levels or prices or fail to otherwise complete
their duties in compliance with their obligations to us or other parties.
We do not currently own or operate any manufacturing facilities, nor do we have any in-house manufacturing experience or personnel. We rely on
and expect to continue to rely on third-party CMOs for the supply of cGMP-grade, clinical trial materials and commercial quantities of our product
candidates and products, if approved. Reliance on third-party providers may expose us to more risk than if we were to manufacture product candidates
ourselves. The facilities used by our contract manufacturers to manufacture our commercial products must be approved by the FDA or other global
regulatory authorities pursuant to inspections that will be conducted after we submit our marketing authorization application or BLA to the relevant agency.
We have limited control over the manufacturing process of, and beyond contractual terms, we are completely dependent on our contract manufacturing
partners for compliance with cGMP for the manufacture of our product candidates. If our contract manufacturers cannot successfully manufacture material
that conforms to our specifications and the strict regulatory requirements of global regulatory authorities, they will not be able to secure and/or maintain
regulatory approval for their manufacturing facilities. In addition, we have limited control over the ability of our contract manufacturers to maintain
adequate quality control, quality assurance and qualified personnel. If the FDA or a comparable foreign regulatory authority does not approve these
facilities for the manufacture of our product candidates or if it withdraws any such approval in the future, we may need to find alternative manufacturing
facilities, which would significantly impact our ability to develop, obtain regulatory approval for or market our product candidates, if approved. In addition,
any failure to achieve and maintain compliance with these laws, regulations and standards could subject us to the risk that we may have to delay the
manufacturing of our product candidates or approved products, which would adversely affect our business and reputation. Furthermore, third-party
providers may breach existing agreements they have with us because of factors beyond our control. They may also terminate or refuse to renew their
agreement because of their own financial difficulties or business priorities, at a time that is costly or otherwise inconvenient for us. If we were unable to
find an adequate replacement or another acceptable service provider in time, our clinical trials could be delayed or our commercial activities could be
harmed. In addition, the fact that we are dependent on
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our collaborators, our suppliers and other third parties for the manufacture, filling, storage and distribution of our product candidates means that we are
subject to the risk that the products may have manufacturing defects that would prevent the sale of these products to global markets. The inability to sell
our products containing such defects could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Growth in the costs and expenses of components or raw materials may also adversely influence our business, financial condition and results of
operations. Supply sources could be interrupted from time to time and, if interrupted, there is no guarantee that supplies could be resumed (whether in part
or in whole) within a reasonable timeframe and at an acceptable cost or at all.
We rely on our manufacturers and other subcontractors to comply with and respect the proprietary rights of others in conducting their contractual
obligations for us. If our manufacturers or other subcontractors fail to acquire the proper licenses or otherwise infringe third-party proprietary rights in the
course of completing their contractual obligations to us, we may have to find alternative manufacturers or defend against claims of infringement, either of
which would significantly impact our ability to develop, obtain regulatory approval for or market our product candidates, if approved. In addition, although
we require manufacturers and service providers to assign or license to us their interest in and to intellectual property rights to improvements made by them
in the development and manufacturing process for our products, in future contracts that we may enter into with these third parties, we may not own, or may
have to share, these intellectual property rights to improvements.
We depend on third-party suppliers for key raw materials used in our manufacturing processes, and the loss of these third-party suppliers or
their inability to supply us with adequate raw materials could harm our business.
We rely on our manufacturers to purchase the raw materials necessary to produce our product candidates for our clinical trials. There are a limited
number of suppliers for raw materials that we use to manufacture our drugs and our manufacturers may qualify second-source suppliers of critical raw
materials to prevent a possible disruption of the supply of the materials necessary to produce our product candidates for our clinical trials, and if approved,
ultimately for commercial sale. We do not have any control over the process or timing of the acquisition of these raw materials by our manufacturers. We
cannot be sure that the third-party raw material suppliers will remain in business, or that they will not be purchased by a company that is not interested in
continuing to produce these materials. In addition, the lead time needed to qualify a new raw material supplier can be lengthy, and we may experience
delays in meeting demand for our product in the event a new supplier must be used. The time and effort to qualify a new raw material supplier could result
in additional costs, diversion of resources or inability to produce a comparable product candidate, any of which would negatively impact our operating
results. Any significant delay in the supply of a product candidate for an ongoing clinical trial due to the need to replace a third-party raw material
manufacturer could considerably delay completion of our clinical trials, product testing and potential regulatory approval of our product candidates. If our
manufacturers or we are unable to purchase these raw materials after regulatory approval has been obtained for our product candidates, the commercial
launch of our product candidates would be delayed or there would be a shortage in supply, which would impair our ability to generate revenues from the
sale of our product candidates.
Risks Related to Intellectual Property and Information Technology
We rely on patents and other intellectual property rights to protect our technology, including product candidates and our TriTAC, ProTriTAC and
TriTAC-XR platforms, the enforcement, defense and maintenance of which may be challenging and costly. Failure to enforce or protect these rights
adequately could harm our ability to compete and impair our business.
Our commercial success depends in part on obtaining and maintaining patents and other forms of intellectual property rights for technology related
to our TriTAC, ProTriTAC and TriTAC-XR platforms, including, but not limited to, our product candidates, methods used to manufacture those product
candidates, formulations thereof and the methods for treating patients using those product candidates. Given that the development of our technology and
product candidates is at an early stage, our intellectual property portfolio with respect to certain aspects of our technology and product candidates is also at
an early stage. Failure to protect or to obtain, maintain or extend adequate patent and other intellectual property rights could materially adversely affect our
ability to develop and market our product candidates.
We seek to protect our proprietary position by filing patent applications in the United States and abroad related to our novel platform technologies
and product candidates that are important to our business. The patent prosecution process is expensive and time-consuming, and we may not be able to
prepare, file and prosecute all necessary or desirable patent applications at a reasonable cost or in a timely manner. It is also possible that we will fail to
identify patentable aspects of inventions made in the course of development and commercialization activities before it is too late to obtain patent protection
on them. Further, the issuance, scope, validity, enforceability and commercial value of our current or future patent rights are highly uncertain. Our pending
and future patent applications may not result in patents being issued which protect our technology or product candidates, in whole or in part, or which
effectively prevent others from commercializing competitive technologies and product candidates. The patent examination process may require us to
narrow the scope of the claims of our pending and future patent applications, which may limit the scope of patent protection that may be obtained. We
cannot assure you that all of the potentially relevant prior art relating to our patents and patent
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applications has been found. If such prior art exists, it can invalidate a patent or prevent a patent from issuing from a pending patent application. Even if
patents do successfully issue and even if such patents cover our product candidates, third parties may initiate opposition, interference, re-examination, post-
grant review, inter partes review, nullification or derivation action in court or before patent offices, or similar proceedings challenging the validity,
enforceability or scope of such patents, which may result in the patent claims being narrowed or invalidated. Our patent applications cannot be enforced
against third parties practicing the technology claimed in such applications unless and until a patent issues from such applications, and then only to the
extent the issued claims cover the technology.
Because patent applications in the United States and other jurisdictions are confidential for a period of time after filing, and some remain so until
issued, we cannot be certain that we were the first to file any patent application related to our technology, including a particular product candidate. As a
result, the issuance, scope, validity, enforceability and commercial value of our patent rights are highly uncertain.
Furthermore, if third parties have filed such patent applications on or before March 15, 2013, an interference proceeding can be initiated by such
third parties to determine who was the first to invent any of the subject matter covered by the patent claims of our applications. If third parties have filed
such applications after March 15, 2013, a derivation proceeding can be initiated by such third parties to determine whether our invention was derived from
theirs. Even where we have a valid and enforceable patent, we may not be able to exclude others from practicing our invention where the other party can
show that they used the invention in commerce before our filing date or the other party benefits from a compulsory license.
We may become involved in lawsuits to protect or enforce our issued patents relating to one or more of our product candidates or our TriTAC,
ProTriTAC and TriTAC-XR platforms, which could ultimately render our patents invalid or unenforceable and adversely affect our competitive
position.
Competitors may infringe our patents or other intellectual property that relate to our TriTAC, ProTriTAC and TriTAC-XR platforms and product
candidates, their respective methods of use, manufacture and formulations thereof. To protect our competitive position and counter infringement or
unauthorized use, we may from time to time need to resort to litigation to enforce or defend any patents or other intellectual property rights owned by us by
filing infringement claims. As enforcement of intellectual property rights is difficult, unpredictable and expensive, we may fail in enforcing our rights—in
which case our competitors may be permitted to use our technology without being required to pay us any license fees. In addition, litigation involving our
patents carries the risk that one or more of our patents will be held invalid (in whole or in part, on a claim-by-claim basis) or held unenforceable. Such an
adverse court ruling could allow third parties to commercialize our product candidates or methods, or our TriTAC, ProTriTAC and TriTAC-XR platforms,
and then compete directly with us, without payment to us.
If we were to initiate legal proceedings against a third party to enforce a patent covering one of our product candidates or methods, the defendant
could counterclaim that our patent is invalid and/or unenforceable. In patent litigation in the United States or in certain jurisdictions in Europe, defendant
counterclaims alleging invalidity and/or unenforceability are commonplace. Grounds for a validity challenge could be an alleged failure to meet any of
several statutory requirements, for example, 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 U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, or made a
misleading statement, during prosecution. Third parties may also raise similar invalidity and/or unenforceability claims before administrative bodies in the
United States or abroad, even outside the context of litigation. Such mechanisms include inter partes review, ex parte re-examination and post grant review
in the United States, and equivalent proceedings in foreign jurisdictions (e.g., opposition proceedings). The outcome following legal assertions of invalidity
and unenforceability during patent litigation 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 patent protection on one or more of our technologies, product
candidates, methods or certain aspects of our TriTAC, ProTriTAC and TriTAC-XR platforms. Such a loss of patent protection could have a material
adverse impact on our business.
There is also a risk that, even if the validity of our patents is upheld, the court will construe our patent’s claims narrowly or decide that we do not
have the right to stop the other party from using the invention at issue on the grounds that our patent claims do not cover the invention. Even if we establish
infringement, the court may decide not to grant an injunction against further infringing activity and instead award only monetary damages, which may or
may not be an adequate remedy. 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 litigation. Patents and other intellectual property rights
also will not protect our technology if competitors design around our protected technology without infringing our patents or other intellectual property
rights.
Because of the expense and uncertainty of litigation, we may not be in a position to enforce our intellectual property rights against third parties.
Instead, we may conclude that even if a third party is infringing our issued patents relating to our TriTAC,
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ProTriTAC and TriTAC-XR platforms and/or product candidates, any patents that may be issued as a result of our pending or future patent applications or
other intellectual property rights, the risk-adjusted cost of bringing and enforcing such a claim or action may be too high or not in the best interest of us or
our stockholders. In such cases, we may decide that the more prudent course of action is to simply monitor the situation or initiate or seek some other non-
litigious action or solution.
We may fail to identify relevant third-party patents or may incorrectly interpret the relevance, scope or expiration of a third-party patent which
might adversely affect our ability to develop our TriTAC, ProTriTAC and TriTAC-XR platforms and product candidates.
We cannot guarantee that our operations and activities do not, or will not in the future, infringe existing or future patents. We also cannot guarantee
that any of our patent searches or analyses, including the identification of relevant patents, the scope of patent claims or the expiration of relevant patents,
are complete or thorough, nor can we be certain that we have identified each and every third-party patent and pending application in the United States and
abroad that is relevant to our TriTAC, ProTriTAC and TriTAC-XR platforms or necessary for the commercialization of our product candidates in any
jurisdiction.
Numerous U.S. and foreign patents and pending patent applications exist in our market that are owned by third parties. Our competitors in both the
United States and abroad, many of which have substantially greater resources and have made substantial investments in patent portfolios and competing
technologies, may have applied for or obtained or may in the future apply for and obtain, patents that will prevent, limit or otherwise interfere with our
ability to make, use and sell our product candidates. We do not always conduct independent reviews of pending patent applications of and patents issued to
third parties. Patent applications in the United States and elsewhere are typically published approximately 18 months after the earliest filing for which
priority is claimed, with such earliest filing date being commonly referred to as the priority date. Certain U.S. applications that will not be filed outside the
United States can remain confidential until patents are issued. In addition, patent applications in the United States and elsewhere can be pending for many
years before issuance, and unintentionally abandoned patents or applications can be revived. Furthermore, pending patent applications that have been
published can, subject to certain limitations, be later amended in a manner that could cover our technologies, our product candidates or the use thereof. As
such, there may be applications of third parties now pending or recently revived patents of which we are unaware. These applications may later result in
issued patents, or the revival of previously abandoned patents, that will prevent, limit or otherwise interfere with our ability to make, use or sell our product
candidates.
The scope of a patent claim is determined by an interpretation of law, the written disclosure in a patent and the patent’s prosecution history. Our
interpretation of the relevance or the scope of a patent or a pending application may be incorrect, which may negatively impact our ability to market our
product candidates. We may incorrectly determine that our product candidates are not covered by a third-party patent or may incorrectly predict whether a
third party’s pending application will issue with claims of relevant scope. Our determination of the expiration date of any patent in the United States or
abroad that we consider relevant may be incorrect, which may negatively impact our ability to develop and market our product candidates. Our failure to
identify and correctly interpret relevant patents may negatively impact our ability to develop and market our product candidates.
We cannot provide any assurances that third-party patents do not exist which might be enforced against our current technology, including our
platform technologies, product candidates and their respective methods of use, manufacture and formulations thereof, and could result in either an
injunction prohibiting our manufacture or future sales, or, with respect to our future sales, an obligation on our part to pay royalties and/or other forms of
compensation to third parties, which could be significant.
Intellectual property rights of third parties could adversely affect our ability to develop or commercialize our product candidates, such that we could
be required to litigate or obtain licenses from third parties in order to develop or market our product candidates. Such litigation or licenses could be
costly or not available on commercially reasonable terms.
Our commercial success depends, in part, on our ability to develop, manufacture, market and sell our product candidates without infringing the
intellectual property and other proprietary rights of third parties. Our competitive position may suffer if patents issued to third parties or other third-party
intellectual property rights cover our methods or product candidates or elements thereof, our manufacture or uses relevant to our development plans, our
product candidates, or other attributes of our product candidates or our TriTAC, ProTriTAC and TriTAC-XR platforms. In such cases, we may not be in a
position to develop or commercialize product candidates unless we successfully pursue litigation to nullify or invalidate the third-party intellectual property
right concerned, which can be expensive and time consuming, or enter into a license agreement with the intellectual property right holder, if available on
commercially reasonable terms.
There is a substantial amount of intellectual property litigation in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries, and we have and may from time
to time become party to, or threatened with, litigation or other adversarial proceedings regarding intellectual property rights with respect to our product
candidates. For example, on November 25, 2018, we received a letter from counsel for Maverick alleging that our ProTriTAC program is subject to the
non-compete provision of our Asset Transfer Agreement with Maverick. On January 3, 2019, Maverick filed a complaint against us in the Delaware Court
of Chancery and a motion for a temporary restraining order seeking to prohibit us from further developing our ProTriTAC platform. The complaint alleges
claims for breach of contract and misappropriation of trade secrets, and seeks as relief, among other things, a declaration that our ProTriTAC technology
impermissibly competes in the Maverick Field (as defined in the Asset Transfer Agreement), a preliminary and permanent injunction
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and unspecified damages. We believe that the mechanism of action employed by our ProTriTAC platform falls outside the Maverick Field. On May 8,
2019, Millennium, a wholly owned subsidiary of Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, was granted permission by the court to intervene in the
litigation. Millennium and Maverick are parties to a collaboration and warrant agreement, and Millennium’s complaint in intervention alleged, in part, that
we fraudulently induced Millennium to enter into the agreements with Maverick. Millennium asserted various tort claims against us. A trial on Maverick
and Millennium’s claims was held on September 9-13 and 17, 2019.
On April 3, 2020, the Delaware Chancery Court issued a memorandum opinion which related only to our ProTriTAC platform. The Court ruled in
our favor on Maverick’s claims for breach of contract and misappropriation of trade secrets and dismissed those claims. As part of that ruling, the Court
determined that our ProTriTAC technology is not in a field that is subject to a four year non-compete. The Court found in favor of Millennium on its claim
against us for fraud in inducing Millennium’s January 2017 investment in Maverick. The Court found that Millennium had not proved its claims for
tortious interference with contract and business relations or unfair competition, and those claims were dismissed. The Court held a one-day trial on
Millennium’s damages claim on September 22, 2020, closing arguments were held December 8, 2020. On April 23, 2021, the Court issued a memorandum
opinion awarding Millennium $38.2 million in damages, plus pre-judgment interest. The Court’s opinion stated that pre-judgment interest would be
calculated as set forth in 6 Del. Code Section 2301(a), which generally provides that the legal rate of interest shall be 5% over the Federal Reserve discount
rate.
On May 5, 2021, we entered into a settlement agreement, or the Settlement Agreement, with Millennium and Maverick. Pursuant to the terms of the
Settlement Agreement, Millennium filed a proposed order and final judgment with the Court on May 5, 2021; we paid on May 5, 2021 the full amount of
damages awarded by the Court, equal to $38.2 million in damages plus $11.8 million in pre-judgment interest through May 5, 2021; and we, Millennium
and Maverick each agreed to forego and waive our right to appeal the order and final judgment. Following execution of the Settlement Agreement, we are
free to continue to develop our ProTriTAC platform and product candidates. The Court approved the proposed order and entered a final judgment on May
5, 2021.
The various markets in which we plan to operate are subject to frequent and extensive litigation regarding patents and other intellectual property
rights. In addition, many companies in intellectual property-dependent industries, including those producing therapeutics to treat and potentially cure
cancer, have employed intellectual property litigation as a means to gain an advantage over competitors. As a result, we may be required to defend against
claims of intellectual property infringement that may be asserted by our competitors against us and, if the outcome of any such litigation is adverse to us, it
may affect our ability to compete effectively.
Third-party intellectual property right holders, including our competitors, may assert and actively bring infringement claims against us based on
existing or future intellectual property rights. The pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries have produced a significant number of patents, and it may
not always be clear to industry participants, including us, which patents cover various types of product candidates or methods of use. The coverage of
patents is subject to interpretation by the courts, and the interpretation is not always uniform.
If we are sued for patent infringement, we would need to demonstrate that our product candidates or platform technologies either do not infringe the
patent claims of a relevant patent or that the patent claims are invalid or unenforceable, and we may not be able to do this. Proving invalidity may be
difficult. For example, in the United States, proving invalidity in court requires a showing of clear and convincing evidence to overcome the presumption of
validity enjoyed by issued patents. Even if we are successful in these proceedings, we may incur substantial costs and the time and attention of our
management and scientific personnel could be diverted in pursuing these proceedings, which could have a material adverse effect on our business and
operations. In addition, we may not have sufficient resources to bring these actions to a successful conclusion. In addition, we may not be able to
successfully settle or otherwise resolve such infringement claims. If we are unable to successfully settle future claims on terms acceptable to us, we may be
required to engage or continue costly, unpredictable and time-consuming litigation and may be prevented from or experience substantial delays in
marketing our product candidates.
Our involvement in litigation, and in any interferences, opposition proceedings or other intellectual property proceedings inside and outside of the
United States may divert management from focusing on business operations, could cause us to spend significant amounts of money and may have no
guarantee of success. Any current and potential intellectual property litigation also could force us to do one or more of the following:
•
•
stop selling, incorporating, manufacturing or using our product candidates or any products, if approved, in the United States and/or other
jurisdictions that use the subject intellectual property;
obtain from a third party asserting its intellectual property rights, a license to sell or use the relevant technology, including the obligation to
pay royalties, which license may not be available on reasonable terms, or at all, or may be non-exclusive thereby giving our competitors
access to the same technologies licensed to us;
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•
•
redesign those products or processes that use any allegedly infringing or misappropriated technology, which may result in significant cost or
delay to us, or which redesign could be technically infeasible; or
pay damages, including the possibility of treble damages and attorneys’ fees in a patent case if a court finds us to have willfully infringed
certain intellectual property rights.
Intellectual property litigation or other legal proceedings could cause us to spend substantial resources and distract our personnel from their
normal responsibilities.
Litigation or other legal proceedings relating to intellectual property claims, with or without merit, is unpredictable and generally expensive and
time consuming. Even if resolved in our favor, such litigation and other legal proceedings may cause us to incur significant expenses and is likely to divert
significant resources from our core business, including distracting our technical and management personnel from their normal responsibilities, and may
impact our reputation. In addition, there could be public announcements of the results of hearings, motions or other interim proceedings or developments
and if securities analysts or investors perceive these results to be negative, we could have a substantial adverse effect on the price of our common shares.
Such litigation or proceedings could substantially increase our operating losses and reduce our resources available for development activities. We may not
have sufficient financial or other resources to adequately conduct such litigation or proceedings. Some of our competitors may be able to sustain the costs
of such litigation or proceedings more effectively than we can because of their substantially greater financial resources. Uncertainties resulting from the
initiation and continuation of patent litigation or other proceedings could have a material adverse effect on our ability to compete in the marketplace.
We may need to obtain additional licenses of third-party technology that may not be available to us or are available only on commercially
unreasonable terms, and which may cause us to operate our business in a more costly or otherwise adverse manner that was not anticipated.
We currently have rights to the intellectual property, including patent applications relating to our TriTAC, ProTriTAC and TriTAC-XR platforms and
our product candidates. From time to time, we may be required to license technologies relating to our therapeutic research programs from additional third
parties to further develop or commercialize our platform technologies and product candidates. Similarly, the targets of our product candidates have also
been the subject of research by many companies that have filed patent applications or have patents related to such targets and therapeutic methods relating
to those targets. There can be no assurance any such patents will not be asserted against us or that we will not need to seek licenses from such third parties.
We may not be able to secure such licenses on acceptable terms, if at all, and any such litigation would be costly and time-consuming.
Should we be required to obtain licenses to any third-party technology, including any such patents required to manufacture, use or sell our product
candidates, the growth of our business will likely depend in part on our ability to acquire, in-license, maintain or use these proprietary rights. The inability
to obtain any third-party license required to develop or commercialize any of our product candidates could cause us to abandon any related efforts, which
could seriously harm our business and operations.
In addition, our product candidates may require specific formulations to work effectively and efficiently and the rights to these formulations may be
held by others. We may be unable to acquire or in-license any compositions, methods of use, processes, or other third-party intellectual property rights from
third parties that we identify as necessary for our product candidates. The licensing and acquisition of third-party intellectual property rights is a
competitive area, and a number of more established companies are also pursuing strategies to license or acquire third-party intellectual property rights that
we may consider attractive. These established companies may have a competitive advantage over us due to their size, cash resources, and greater clinical
development and commercialization capabilities.
Our involvement in litigation, and in any interferences, opposition proceedings or other intellectual property proceedings inside and outside of the
United States may divert management from focusing on business operations, could cause us to spend significant amounts of money and may have no
guarantee of success. Any current and potential intellectual property litigation also could force us to do one or more of the following:
•
•
stop selling, incorporating, manufacturing or using our product candidates or any products, if approved, in the United States and/or other
jurisdictions that use the subject intellectual property;
obtain from a third party asserting its intellectual property rights, a license to sell or use the relevant technology, including the obligation to
pay royalties, which license may not be available on reasonable
In addition, companies that perceive us to be a competitor may be unwilling to assign or license rights to us. We also may be unable to license or
acquire third-party intellectual property rights on terms that would allow us to make an appropriate return on our investment. Even if we are able to obtain a
license, it may be non-exclusive, thereby giving our competitors access to the same technologies licensed to us. If we are unable to successfully obtain a
license to third-party intellectual property rights necessary for the development of a product candidate or program, we may have to abandon development
of that product candidate or program and our business and financial condition could suffer.
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If our trademarks and trade names are not adequately protected, then we may not be able to build name recognition in our markets of interest and
our business may be adversely affected.
Our registered or unregistered trademarks or trade names may be challenged, infringed, circumvented or declared generic or determined to be
infringing on other marks. We may not be able to protect our rights to these trademarks and trade names, which we need to build name recognition by
potential collaborators, partners or customers in our markets of interest. Over the long term, if we are unable to establish name recognition based on our
trademarks and trade names, then we may not be able to compete effectively and our business may be adversely affected. If other entities use trademarks
similar to ours in different jurisdictions, or have senior rights to ours, it could interfere with our use of our current trademarks throughout the world.
During trademark registration proceedings, we may receive rejections. Although we would be given an opportunity to respond to those rejections,
we may be unable to overcome such rejections. In addition, in both the USPTO and comparable agencies in many foreign jurisdictions, third parties are
given an opportunity to oppose pending trademark applications and to seek to cancel registered trademarks. Opposition or cancellation proceedings may be
filed against our trademarks, which may not survive such proceedings. If we are unable to establish name recognition based on our trademarks and trade
names, we may not be able to compete effectively and our business may be adversely affected.
We may license our trademarks and trade names to third parties, such as distributors. Though these license agreements may provide guidelines for
how our trademarks and trade names may be used, a breach of these agreements or misuse of our trademarks and tradenames by our licensees may
jeopardize our rights in or diminish the goodwill associated with our trademarks and trade names.
Patent terms may be inadequate to protect our competitive position on our product candidates 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 product candidates are obtained, once the patent life has expired for a product, we may be open to competition from competitive
medications, including biosimilar or generic medications. In addition, although upon issuance in the United States a patent’s life can be increased based on
certain delays caused by the United States Patent and Trademark Office, or the USPTO, this increase can be reduced or eliminated based on certain delays
caused by the patent applicant during patent prosecution. If we do not have sufficient patent life to protect our product candidates and any products, if
approved, our business and results of operations will be adversely affected. Given the amount of time required for the development, testing and regulatory
review of new product candidates, patents protecting such candidates might expire before or shortly after such candidates are commercialized. As a result,
our patent portfolio may not provide us with sufficient rights to exclude others from commercializing products similar or identical to ours.
If we do not obtain protection under the Hatch-Waxman Amendments and similar non-U.S. legislation for extending the term of patents covering
each of our product candidates, our business may be materially harmed
Depending upon the timing, duration and conditions of FDA marketing approval of our product candidates, one or more of our U.S. patents may be
eligible for limited patent term extension under the Drug Price Competition and Patent Term Restoration Act of 1984, referred to as the Hatch-Waxman
Amendments, and similar legislation in the European Union. The Hatch-Waxman Amendments permit a patent term extension of up to five years for a
patent covering an approved product as compensation for effective patent term lost during product development and the FDA regulatory review process.
However, we may not receive an extension if we fail to apply within applicable deadlines, fail to apply prior to expiration of relevant patents or otherwise
fail to satisfy applicable requirements. Moreover, the length of the extension could be less than we request. If we are unable to obtain patent term extension
or the term of any such extension is less than we request, the period during which we can enforce our patent rights for that product will be shortened and
our competitors may obtain approval to market competing products sooner. As a result, our revenue from applicable products could be reduced, possibly
materially.
We enjoy only limited geographical protection with respect to certain patents and may not be able to protect our intellectual property rights
throughout the world.
Patents are of national or regional effect. While we will endeavor to try to protect our technologies, products and product candidates with intellectual
property rights such as patents, as appropriate, the process of obtaining patents is time-consuming, expensive and sometimes unpredictable in other
countries. As such, we may not be able to prevent third parties from practicing our inventions in all countries outside the United States, or from selling or
importing products made using our inventions in and into the United States or other jurisdictions.
International applications under the Patent Cooperation Treaty, or PCT, are usually filed within 12 months after the priority filing. Based on the PCT
filing, national and regional patent applications may be filed in additional jurisdictions where we believe our product candidates may be marketed. We have
so far not filed for patent protection in all national and regional jurisdictions where such protection may be available. Filing, prosecuting and defending
patents on all of our research programs and product candidates in
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all countries throughout the world would be prohibitively expensive, and our intellectual property rights in some countries outside the United States can be
less extensive than those in the United States. In addition, we may decide to abandon national and regional patent applications before grant. Finally, the
grant proceeding of each national/regional patent is an independent proceeding which may lead to situations in which applications might in some
jurisdictions be refused by the relevant patent offices, while granted by others. Further, the standards applied by the USPTO and foreign patent offices in
granting patents are not always applied uniformly or predictably. It is common that depending on the country, the scope of patent protection may vary for
the same product candidate and/or technology. As such, we do not know the degree of future protection that we will have on our technologies and product
candidates.
Competitors may use our or our collaboration partners’ technologies in jurisdictions where we have not obtained patent protection to develop their
own products and, further, may export otherwise infringing products to territories where we or our collaboration partners have patent protection, but
enforcement is not as strong as that in the United States. These products may compete with our product candidates, and our or our collaboration partners’
patents or other intellectual property rights may not be effective or sufficient to prevent them from competing.
The laws of some jurisdictions, particularly certain developing countries, do not protect intellectual property rights, particularly those relating to
pharmaceuticals or biologics, to the same extent as laws in the United States, and many companies have encountered significant difficulties in protecting
and defending such rights in such jurisdictions. Consequently, we may not be able to prevent third parties from practicing our inventions in all countries
outside the United States, or from selling or importing products made using our inventions in and into the United States or other jurisdictions. If we
encounter difficulties in protecting, or are otherwise precluded from effectively protecting, the intellectual property rights important for our business in
such jurisdictions, the value of these rights may be diminished and we may face additional competition from others in those jurisdictions.
Proceedings to enforce our patent rights in foreign jurisdictions could result in substantial costs 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, if
any, may not be commercially meaningful. Accordingly, our efforts to enforce our intellectual property rights around the world may be inadequate to obtain
significant commercial advantage from the intellectual property that we develop or license.
Some countries, including China and India, have compulsory licensing laws under which a patent owner may be compelled to grant licenses to third
parties. In addition, some countries limit the enforceability of patents against government agencies or government contractors. In these countries, the patent
owner may have limited remedies, which could materially diminish the value of such patent. If we are forced to grant a license to third parties with respect
to any patents relevant to our business, our competitive position may be impaired and our business and results of operations may be adversely affected.
We may become subject to claims challenging the inventorship or ownership of our patents and other intellectual property.
We may be subject to claims that former employees, consultants, independent contractors, collaborators or other third parties have an interest in our
patents or other intellectual property as an owner, co-owner, inventor or co-inventor. The failure to name the proper inventors on a patent application can
result in the patents issuing thereon being unenforceable. Inventorship disputes may arise from conflicting views regarding the contributions of different
individuals named as inventors, the effects of foreign laws where foreign nationals are involved in the development of the subject matter of the patent,
conflicting obligations of third parties involved in developing our product candidates or as a result of questions regarding co-ownership of potential joint
inventions. Litigation may be necessary to resolve these and other claims challenging inventorship and/or ownership. Alternatively, or additionally, we may
enter into agreements to clarify the scope of our rights in such intellectual property. If we fail in defending any such claims, in addition to paying monetary
damages, we may lose valuable intellectual property rights, such as exclusive ownership of, or right to use, valuable intellectual property. Such an outcome
could have a material adverse effect on our business. Even if we are successful in defending against such claims, litigation could result in substantial costs
and be a distraction to management and other employees.
Intellectual property rights do not necessarily address all potential threats to our competitive advantage.
The degree of future protection afforded by our intellectual property rights is uncertain because intellectual property rights have limitations, and may
not adequately protect our business, or permit us to maintain our competitive advantage. The following examples are illustrative:
•
•
•
others may be able to make product candidates similar to our product candidates but that are not covered by the claims of the patents that we
own or have exclusively licensed;
the patents of third parties may have an adverse effect on our business;
we or any future strategic partners might not have been the first to conceive or reduce to practice the inventions covered by the issued patent
or pending patent application that we own or have exclusively licensed;
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•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
we or any future strategic partners might not have been the first to file patent applications covering certain of our inventions;
others may independently develop similar or alternative technologies or duplicate any of our technologies without infringing our intellectual
property rights;
it is possible that our pending patent applications will not lead to issued patents;
issued patents that we own or have exclusively licensed may not provide us with any competitive advantage, or may be held invalid or
unenforceable, as a result of legal challenges by our competitors;
we cannot predict the degree and range of protection any issued patents will afford us against competitors, whether or not others will obtain
patents claiming aspects similar to those covered by our patents and patent applications, or whether we will need to initiate litigation or
administrative proceedings which may be costly whether we win or lose;
our competitors might conduct research and development activities in countries where we do not have patent rights and then use the
information learned from such activities to develop competitive products for sale in our major commercial markets;
third parties performing manufacturing or testing for us using our product candidates or technologies could use the intellectual property of
others without obtaining a proper license; and
we may not develop additional technologies that are patentable.
Should any of these events occur, they could significantly harm our business, results of operations and prospects.
Composition of matter patents for biological and pharmaceutical products such as our product candidates are generally considered to be the
strongest form of intellectual property protection for those types of products, as such patents provide protection without regard to any method of use. We
cannot be certain that the claims in our pending patent applications covering composition of matter of our product candidates will be considered patentable
by the USPTO or by patent offices in foreign countries, or that the claims in any of our issued patents will be considered valid and enforceable by courts in
the United States or foreign countries. Method of use patents protect the use of a product for the specified method. This type of patent does not prevent a
competitor from making and marketing a product that is identical to our product for an indication that is outside the scope of the patented method.
Moreover, even if competitors do not actively promote their product for our targeted indications, physicians may prescribe these products “off-label.”
Although off-label prescriptions may infringe or contribute to the infringement of method of use patents, the practice is common and such infringement is
difficult to prevent or prosecute.
Changes in patent laws or patent jurisprudence could diminish the value of patents in general, thereby impairing our ability to protect our product
candidates.
As is the case with other biopharmaceutical companies, our success is heavily dependent on intellectual property, particularly patents. Obtaining and
enforcing patents in the biopharmaceutical industry involve both technological complexity and legal complexity. Recent U.S. Supreme Court rulings have
narrowed the scope of patent protection available in certain circumstances and weakened the rights of patent owners in certain situations. Therefore,
obtaining and enforcing biopharmaceutical patents is costly, time-consuming and inherently uncertain.
In September 2011, the America Invents Act, or the AIA, was enacted in the United States, resulting in significant changes to the U.S. patent
system. An important change introduced by the AIA was a transition to a “first-to-file” system for deciding which party should be granted a patent when
two or more patent applications are filed by different parties claiming the same invention, which went into effect on March 16, 2013. Therefore, a third
party that now files a patent application in the USPTO before we do could be awarded a patent covering an invention of ours even if we created the
invention before it was created by the third party. While we are cognizant of the time from invention to filing of a patent application, circumstances could
prevent us from promptly filing patent applications for our inventions.
Among some of the other changes introduced by the AIA were changes that limit where a patentee may file a patent infringement suit and providing
opportunities for third parties to challenge any issued patent in the USPTO. This applies to all of our U.S. patents, even those issued before March 16,
2013. Because of a lower evidentiary standard in USPTO proceedings compared to the evidentiary standard in U.S. 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 would be insufficient to invalidate the claim if first presented in a district court action. Accordingly, a third party may attempt to use the
USPTO procedures to invalidate our patent claims that would not have been invalidated if first challenged by the third party as a defendant in a district
court action. The AIA and its continued implementation could increase the uncertainties and costs surrounding the prosecution of our patent applications,
and the patent applications of our collaborators, and the enforcement or defense of our issued patents.
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Depending on decisions by the U.S. Congress, the federal courts, and the USPTO, the laws and regulations governing patents could change in
unpredictable ways that could weaken our ability to obtain new patents or to enforce our existing patents and patents that we might obtain in the future. For
example, in the recent case, Assoc. for Molecular Pathology v. Myriad Genetics, Inc., the U.S. Supreme Court held that certain claims to DNA molecules
are not patentable. While we do not believe that any of the patents owned or licensed by us will be found invalid based on this decision, we cannot predict
how future decisions by the courts, the U.S. Congress or the USPTO may impact the value of our patents. Similarly, there is complexity and uncertainty
related to European patent laws. For example, the European Patent Convention was amended in April 2010 to limit the time permitted for filing divisional
applications. In addition, the European Patent Convention patent system is relatively stringent in the type of amendments that are allowed during
prosecution. These limitations and requirements could adversely affect our ability to obtain new patents in the future that may be important for our
business.
We may rely on trade secret and proprietary know-how, which can be difficult to trace and enforce and, if we are unable to protect the
confidentiality of our trade secrets, our business and competitive position would be harmed.
In addition to seeking patents for some of our technology and product candidates, we may rely on trade secrets and/or confidential know-how to
protect our technology, especially where patent protection is believed to be of limited value, to maintain our competitive position with respect to our
research programs and product candidates. Elements of our product candidates, including processes for their preparation and manufacture, may involve
proprietary know-how, information, or technology that is not covered by patents, and thus for these aspects we may consider trade secrets and know-how to
be our primary intellectual property. Any disclosure, either intentional or unintentional, by our employees or by other third parties of our trade secrets or
proprietary information could enable competitors to duplicate or surpass our technological achievements, thus adversely eroding our competitive position
in our market.
Trade secrets and/or confidential know-how can be difficult to protect or maintain as confidential. To protect this type of information against
disclosure or appropriation by competitors, our policy is to require our employees, consultants, contractors, collaborators, advisors and other third parties to
enter into confidentiality agreements with us. Despite these efforts, any of these parties may unintentionally or willfully breach the agreements and disclose
our confidential information, and confidentiality agreements may not provide an adequate remedy in the event of unauthorized disclosure of confidential
information. Monitoring unauthorized uses and disclosures is difficult, and we do not know whether the steps we have taken to protect our proprietary
technologies will be effective. Enforcing a claim that a third party obtained illegally and is using trade secrets and/or confidential know-how is also
expensive, time consuming and unpredictable. The enforceability of confidentiality agreements may vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. The laws of
some foreign countries do not protect proprietary rights to the same extent or in the same manner as the laws of the United States. As a result, we may
encounter significant problems in protecting and defending our intellectual property both in the United States and abroad. Furthermore, if a competitor
lawfully obtained or independently developed any of our trade secrets, 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. Additionally, if the steps taken to maintain our trade secrets are deemed
inadequate, we may have insufficient recourse against third parties for misappropriating the trade secret. In addition, some courts inside and outside the
United States are less willing or unwilling to protect trade secrets or other proprietary information.
Trade secrets can over time be disseminated within the industry through independent development, the publication of journal articles and the
movement of personnel skilled in the art from company to company or academic to industry scientific positions. Though our agreements with third parties
typically restrict the ability of our employees, consultants, contractors, collaborators, advisors and other third parties to publish data potentially relating to
our trade secrets, our agreements may contain certain limited publication rights. Because from time to time we expect to rely on third parties in the
development, manufacture and distribution of our product candidates and provision of our services, we must, at times, share trade secrets with them.
Despite employing the contractual and other security precautions described above, the need to share trade secrets increases the risk that such trade secrets
become known by our competitors, are inadvertently incorporated into the technology of others, or are disclosed or used in violation of these agreements. If
any of our trade secrets were to be lawfully obtained or independently developed by a competitor or other third party, we would have no right to prevent
them from using that technology or information to compete with us. If any of our trade secrets were to be disclosed to or independently developed by a
competitor or other third party, our competitive position would be harmed.
In addition, our competitors may independently develop substantially equivalent trade secrets, proprietary information or know-how and may even
apply for patent protection in respect of the same. If successful in obtaining such patent protection, our competitors could limit our use of our trade secrets
and/or confidential know-how. Under certain circumstances and to guarantee our freedom to operate, we may also decide to publish some know-how to
prevent others from obtaining patent rights covering such know-how.
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We may be subject to third-party claims asserting that our employees, consultants, contractors, collaborators or advisors have misappropriated or
wrongfully used or disseminated their intellectual property or claiming ownership of what we regard as our own intellectual property.
Many of our employees, including our senior management, were previously employed at universities or at other biopharmaceutical companies,
including our competitors or potential competitors. Some of these employees executed proprietary rights, non-disclosure and non-competition agreements
in connection with such previous employment. Similarly, we work with consultants, contractors, collaborators, advisors or other third parties who have
worked with, and do currently work with, other companies, including our competitors or potential competitors, and have executed proprietary rights, non-
disclosure and non-competition agreements in connection with such other companies. Although we try to ensure that our employees, consultants,
contractors, collaborators, advisors or other third parties do not use or disclose the proprietary information or know-how of others in their work for us, we
may be subject to claims that we or these employees or individuals that we work with have used or disclosed confidential information or intellectual
property of others, including trade secrets or other proprietary information, or that we caused an individual to breach the terms of his or her non-
competition or non-solicitation agreement with a current or former employer or competitor.
Litigation may be necessary to defend against these claims and, even if we are successful, could result in substantial costs and could be a distraction
to management, our employees and our routine business. If we fail in prosecuting or defending any such claims, in addition to paying monetary damages,
we may lose valuable intellectual property rights or personnel or sustain damages. Such intellectual property rights could be awarded to a third party, and
we could be required to obtain a license from such third party to develop or commercialize our technology or product candidates. Such a license may not be
available on commercially reasonable terms or at all. Moreover, any such litigation or the threat thereof may adversely affect our reputation and our ability
to form strategic alliances or sublicense our rights to collaborators, engage with scientific advisors or hire employees or consultants, each of which would
have an adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.
Obtaining and maintaining our patent protection depends on compliance with various procedural, document submission, fee payment 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 and annuity fees on any issued patent are due to be paid to the USPTO and foreign patent agencies in several stages over the
lifetime of the patent. The USPTO and various foreign governmental patent agencies require compliance with a number of procedural, documentary, fee
payment and other similar provisions during the patent application process. While an inadvertent lapse can in many cases be cured by payment of a late fee
or by other means in accordance with the applicable rules, there are situations in which noncompliance can result in abandonment or lapse of the patent or
patent application, resulting in partial or complete loss of patent rights in the relevant jurisdiction. Non-compliance events that could result in abandonment
or lapse of a patent or patent application include failure to respond to official actions within prescribed time limits, non-payment of fees and failure to
properly legalize and submit formal documents. If we fail to maintain the patents and patent applications covering our product candidates, our competitors
might be able to enter the market, which would have an adverse effect on our business.
Risks Related to Ownership of Our Common Stock
Our stock price may be volatile or may decline regardless of our operating performance, resulting in substantial losses for investors.
The market price of our common stock may be highly volatile and may fluctuate substantially as a result of a variety of factors, some of which are
related in complex ways. Since shares of our common stock were sold in our initial public offering in February 2019 at a price of $14.00 per share, the
reported low and high sales prices of our common stock through February 28, 2022 have ranged from $4.37 to $25.24, respectively.
The market price of our common stock may fluctuate significantly in response to numerous factors, many of which are beyond our control,
including the factors listed below and other factors describe in this “Risk Factors” section:
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the anticipated results of our Phase 1/2 trial of HPN328, Phase 1/2 trial of HPN217 and Phase 1/2a trial of HPN536, and any other future
preclinical studies and clinical trials and trials we may conduct, or changes in the development status of our product candidates;
any delay in our regulatory filings for our product candidates and any adverse development or perceived adverse development with respect to
the applicable regulatory authority’s review of such filings, including without limitation the issuance by the FDA of a “refusal to file” letter
or a request for additional information;
adverse results or delays in clinical trials;
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our decision to initiate a preclinical study or clinical trial, not to initiate a preclinical study or clinical trial or to terminate an existing clinical
study or trial;
adverse actions taken by regulatory agencies with respect to our preclinical studies or clinical trials, manufacturing supply chain or sales and
marketing activities, including failure to receive regulatory approval of our product candidates;
changes in laws or regulations, including but not limited to preclinical study or clinical trial requirements for approvals;
any adverse changes to our relationship with manufacturers or suppliers;
manufacturing, supply or distribution shortages;
litigation involving us, our industry or both, or investigations by regulators into our operations or those of our competitors;
our failure to commercialize our product candidates;
additions or departures of key scientific or management personnel;
unanticipated serious safety concerns related to the use of our product candidates;
disputes or other developments relating to proprietary rights, including patents, litigation matters and our ability to obtain patent protection
for our technologies;
variations in our results of operations;
our cash position;
our failure to meet the estimates and projections of the investment community or that we may otherwise provide to the public;
publication of research reports about us or our industry, or immuno-oncology in particular, or positive or negative recommendations or
withdrawal of research coverage by securities analysts;
announcements made by us or our competitors of new product and service offerings, acquisitions, strategic relationships, joint ventures or
capital commitments;
our inability to establish collaborations, if needed;
our ability to effectively manage our growth;
the size of our initial cancer target markets;
our ability to successfully treat additional types of cancers or at different stages;
changes in the market valuations of similar companies;
press reports, whether or not true, about our business;
sales or perceived potential sales of our common stock by us or our stockholders in the future;
overall fluctuations in the equity markets;
ineffectiveness of our internal controls;
changes in accounting practices or principles;
changes or developments in the global regulatory environment;
general political and economic conditions, such as the recent outbreak of hostilities between Russia & Ukraine ;
ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic; and
other events or factors, many of which are beyond our control.
In addition, the stock markets have experienced extreme price and volume fluctuations that have affected and continue to affect the market prices of
equity securities of many biopharmaceutical companies. Stock prices of many biopharmaceutical companies have fluctuated in a manner unrelated or
disproportionate to the operating performance of those companies. If we were to become involved in securities litigation, it could subject us to substantial
costs, divert resources and the attention of management from our business and adversely affect, our business, operating results, financial condition and cash
flows.
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Our principal stockholders and management own a significant percentage of our stock and will be able to exert significant control over matters
subject to stockholder approval.
As of February 28, 2022, our executive officers, directors, holders of 5% or more of our capital stock and their respective affiliates owned
approximately 49.2% of our outstanding voting stock. While these stockholders collectively own less than a majority of our voting stock, these
stockholders will nevertheless continue to have significant influence over matters requiring stockholder approval. Therefore, these stockholders will have
the ability to influence us through this ownership position. For example, these stockholders may be able to significantly influence elections of directors,
amendments of our organizational documents, or approval of any merger, sale of assets, or other major corporate transaction. This may prevent or
discourage unsolicited acquisition proposals or offers for our common stock that you may feel are in your best interest as one of our stockholders.
Sales of substantial amounts of our outstanding common stock in the public market could cause our common stock price to fall.
Our common stock price could decline as a result of sales of a large number of shares of common stock or the perception that these sales could
occur. These sales, or the possibility that these sales may occur, might also make it more difficult for us to sell equity securities in the future at a time and
price that we deem appropriate.
In addition, in the future, we may issue shares of common stock, or other equity or debt securities convertible into common stock, in connection
with a financing, acquisition, employee arrangement or otherwise. Any such issuance, including pursuant to the Sales Agreement with Cantor Fitzgerald,
could result in substantial dilution to our existing stockholders and could cause the price of our common stock to decline.
If we are unable to maintain effective internal control over financial reporting, it could result in material misstatements in our financial statements
and cause investors to lose confidence in the accuracy and completeness of our financial reports, either of which could adversely affect the market
price of our common stock.
Ensuring that we have adequate internal financial and accounting controls and procedures in place so that we can produce accurate financial
statements on a timely basis is a costly and time-consuming effort that needs to be re-evaluated frequently. Our 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 in accordance
with GAAP. We are required to document, review and improve our internal controls and procedures for compliance with Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley
Act of 2002, or the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, which requires annual management assessment of the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting.
If we are unable to maintain effective internal control over financial reporting, the accuracy and timing of our financial reporting, and our stock price, may
be adversely affected and we may be unable to maintain compliance with the applicable stock exchange listing requirements.
Implementing any appropriate changes to our internal controls may distract our officers and employees, entail substantial costs to modify our
existing processes and take significant time to complete. These changes may not, however, be effective in maintaining the adequacy of our internal
controls, and any failure to maintain that adequacy, or consequent inability to produce accurate financial statements on a timely basis, could increase our
operating costs and harm our business. In addition, investors’ perceptions that our internal controls are inadequate or that we are unable to produce accurate
financial statements on a timely basis may harm our stock price.
We are an emerging growth company and a smaller reporting company, and any decision on our part to comply only with applicable reduced
reporting and disclosure requirements could make our common stock less attractive to investors.
We are an “emerging growth company” as defined in the JOBS Act and, for as long as we continue to be an emerging growth company, we may
choose to take advantage of exemptions from various reporting requirements applicable to other public companies but not to emerging growth companies,
including:
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not being required to have our independent registered public accounting firm audit our internal control over financial reporting under Section
404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act;
reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports and annual report on Form 10-K; and
exemptions from the requirements of holding non-binding advisory votes on executive compensation and stockholder approval of any golden
parachute payments not previously approved.
We could be an emerging growth company for up to five years following the completion of our initial public offering , or IPO. Our status as an
emerging growth company will end as soon as any of the following takes place:
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the last day of the fiscal year in which we have more than $1.07 billion in gross annual revenue;
the date we qualify as a “large accelerated filer,” with at least $700 million of equity securities held by non-affiliates;
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the date on which we have issued, in any three-year period, more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible debt securities; or
the last day of the fiscal year ending after the fifth anniversary of the completion of our initial public offering.
We cannot predict if investors will find our common stock less attractive if we choose to rely on any of the exemptions afforded to emerging growth
companies. If some investors find our common stock less attractive because we rely on any of these exemptions, there may be a less active trading market
for our common stock and the market price of our common stock may be more volatile.
Under the JOBS Act, emerging growth companies can also delay adopting new or revised accounting standards until such time as those standards
apply to private companies. We elected to use this extended transition period for complying with new or revised accounting standards that have different
effective dates for public and private companies until the earlier of the date that we (i) are no longer an emerging growth company or (ii) affirmatively and
irrevocably opt out of the extended transition period provided in the JOBS Act. As a result, these financial statements may not be comparable to companies
that comply with the new or revised accounting pronouncements as of public company effective dates.
We are also a “smaller reporting company” as defined in the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act. We may continue
to be a smaller reporting company even after we are no longer an emerging growth company. We may take advantage of certain of the scaled disclosures
available to smaller reporting companies and will be able to take advantage of these scaled disclosures for so long as our voting and non-voting common
stock held by non-affiliates is less than $250.0 million measured on the last business day of our second fiscal quarter, or our annual revenue is less than
$100.0 million during the most recently completed fiscal year and our voting and non-voting common stock held by non-affiliates is less than $700.0
million measured on the last business day of our second fiscal quarter.
We do not currently intend to pay dividends on our common stock and, consequently, our stockholders’ ability to achieve a return on their
investment will depend on appreciation of the value of our common stock.
We have never declared or paid cash dividends on our common stock. We currently intend to retain all available funds and any future earnings to
support operations and to finance the growth and development of our business. We do not intend to declare or pay any cash dividends on our capital stock
in the foreseeable future. As a result, any investment return on our common stock will depend upon increases in the value for our common stock, which is
not certain.
Delaware law and provisions in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws, could make a merger,
tender offer or proxy contest difficult, thereby depressing the trading price of our common stock.
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws contain provisions that could depress the trading price of
our common stock by acting to discourage, delay or prevent a change of control of our company or changes in our management that our stockholders may
deem advantageous. These provisions include the following:
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establish a classified board of directors so that not all members of our board of directors are elected at one time;
permit our board of directors to establish the number of directors and fill any vacancies and newly created directorships;
provide that members of our board of directors may only be removed for cause;
require super-majority voting to amend certain provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated
bylaws;
authorize the issuance of “blank check” preferred stock that our board of directors could use to implement a stockholder rights plan;
eliminate the ability of our stockholders to call special stockholder meetings;
prohibit stockholder action by written consent, which requires all stockholder actions to be taken at stockholder meetings;
provide that our board of directors is expressly authorized to make, alter or repeal our amended and restated bylaws;
restrict the forum for certain litigation against us to Delaware; and
establish advance notice requirements for nominations for election to our board of directors or for proposing matters that can be acted upon
by stockholders at annual stockholder meetings.
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Any provision of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, our amended and restated bylaws or Delaware law that has the effect of
delaying or deterring a change in our control could limit the opportunity for our stockholders to receive a premium for their shares of our common stock
and could also affect the price that some investors are willing to pay for our common stock.
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware will be the exclusive forum
for certain disputes between us and our stockholders, which could limit our stockholders’ ability to obtain a favorable judicial forum for disputes with
us or our directors, officers or employees.
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware (or, if and only if the Court of
Chancery of the State of Delaware lacks subject matter jurisdiction, any state court located within the State of Delaware or, if and only if all such state
courts lack subject matter jurisdiction, the federal district court for the District of Delaware), to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, is the
exclusive forum for:
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any derivative action or proceeding brought on our behalf;
any action asserting a breach of fiduciary duty;
any action asserting a claim against us arising under the Delaware General Corporation Law, or the DGCL, our amended and restated
certificate of incorporation or our amended and restated bylaws; and
any action asserting a claim against us that is governed by the internal-affairs doctrine.
However, this exclusive forum provision would not apply to suits brought to enforce a duty or liability created by the Exchange Act. Furthermore,
this provision applies to Securities Act claims and Section 22 of the Securities Act creates concurrent jurisdiction for federal and state courts over all suits
brought to enforce any duty or liability created by the Securities Act or the rules and regulations thereunder. Accordingly, there is uncertainty as to whether
a court would enforce such provision, and our stockholders will not be deemed to have waived our compliance with the federal securities laws and the rules
and regulations thereunder. While the Delaware courts have determined that such choice of forum provisions are facially valid, a stockholder may
nevertheless seek to bring a claim in a venue other than those designated in the exclusive forum provision. In such instance, we would expect to vigorously
assert the validity and enforceability of the exclusive forum provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation. This may require
significant additional costs associated with resolving such action in other jurisdictions and there can be no assurance that the provision will be enforced by
a court in those other jurisdictions.
This exclusive-forum provision may limit a stockholder’s ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum that it finds favorable for disputes with us or
our directors, officers or other employees, which may discourage lawsuits against us and our directors, officers and other employees. If a court were to find
the exclusive forum provision in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation to be inapplicable or unenforceable in an action, we may incur
further significant additional costs associated with resolving the dispute in other jurisdictions, all of which could seriously harm our business.
Our ability to use our net operating loss carryforwards and other tax attributes may be limited.
Our U.S. net operating loss, or NOL, carryforwards and tax credit carryforwards are potentially subject to annual utilization limits under Sections
382 and 383 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or the Code. Our U.S. NOL carryforwards arising in taxable years beginning prior to 2018
and tax credit carryforwards could expire unused and be unavailable to offset future taxable income or income tax liabilities because of their limited
duration or because of restrictions under U.S. tax law. Our U.S. NOL carryforwards arising in taxable years beginning after 2017 carry forward indefinitely
but are subject to limitations in taxable years beginning after 2020. Under Sections 382 and 383 of the Code, 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 during a rolling three-
year period, the corporation’s ability to use its pre-change tax attributes, such as NOLs and R&D tax credits, to offset its post-change income or taxes may
be limited. We have not performed an analysis under Section 382 of the Code and cannot predict or otherwise determine whether our federal tax attribute
carryforwards may be limited in the future. As a result, if we earn taxable income in the future, our ability to use existing U.S. NOL and R&D tax credit
carryforwards to reduce U.S. taxable income or tax liability may be subject to limitations. This could adversely impact our future operating results by
increasing our future tax liabilities. Similar rules may also limit our ability to use accumulated state tax attributes to reduce our state tax liabilities. Also,
there may be periods when the use of NOLs is suspended or otherwise limited at the state level, such as a recent California tax law change temporarily
suspending the ability to use California NOLs to offset California income and limiting the use of California tax credits to offset California state tax, which
could accelerate or permanently increase state taxes owed.
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We may have ownership changes in the future, due to further changes in our stock ownership. Some of these ownership changes could be outside of
our control. If an ownership change occurs and our ability to use our historical NOL and tax credit carryforwards is limited, it could adversely impact our
future operating results by increasing our tax obligations.
General Risk Factors
Risks from improper conduct by our employees, agents, contractors or collaborators could adversely affect our reputation, business, prospects,
operating results and financial condition.
We cannot ensure that our compliance controls, policies and procedures will in every instance protect us from acts committed by our employees,
agents, contractors or collaborators that would violate the laws or regulations of the jurisdictions in which we operate, including, without limitation,
employment, foreign corrupt practices, trade restrictions and sanctions, environmental, competition and patient privacy and other privacy laws and
regulations. Such improper actions could subject us to civil or criminal investigations and monetary and injunctive penalties, and could adversely impact
our ability to conduct business, operating results and reputation.
We are subject to a number of anti-corruption laws, including the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, or FCPA, and the U.K. Bribery Act. Our
failure to comply with anti-corruption laws applicable to us could result in penalties, which could harm our reputation and harm our business, financial
condition, results of operations, cash flows or prospects. The FCPA generally prohibits companies and their intermediaries from making improper
payments to foreign officials for the purpose of obtaining or keeping business and/or other benefits. The FCPA also requires public companies to maintain
accurate books and records and devise a system of sufficient internal accounting controls. We regularly review and update our policies and procedures and
internal controls designed to provide reasonable assurance that we, our employees, distributors and other intermediaries comply with the anti-corruption
laws to which we are subject. However, there are inherent limitations to the effectiveness of any policies, procedures and internal controls, including the
possibility of human error and the circumvention or overriding of the policies, procedures and internal controls. There can be no assurance that such
policies or procedures or internal controls will work effectively at all times or protect us against liability under these or other laws for actions taken by our
employees, distributors and other intermediaries with respect to our business.
The SEC, and the Department of Justice continue to view FCPA enforcement activities as a high priority. There is no certainty that all of our
employees, agents, contractors or collaborators, or those of our affiliates, will comply with all applicable laws and regulations, particularly given the high
level of complexity of these laws. Violations of these laws and regulations could result in fines, criminal sanctions against us, our officers or our
employees, requirements to obtain export licenses, cessation of business activities in sanctioned countries, implementation of compliance programs and
prohibitions on the conduct of our business. Any such violations could materially damage our reputation, our brand, our international operations, our ability
to attract and retain employees, and our business, prospects, operating results, and financial condition.
Use of social media could give rise to liability, breaches of data security, or reputational harm.
We and our employees use social media to communicate externally. There is risk that the use of social media by us or our employees to
communicate about our product candidates or business may give rise to liability, lead to the loss of trade secrets or other intellectual property, or result in
public exposure of personal information of our employees, clinical trial patients, customers, and others. Furthermore, negative posts or comments about us
or our product candidates in social media could seriously damage our reputation, brand image, and goodwill. Any of these events could have a material
adverse effect on our business, prospects, operating results, and financial condition and could adversely affect the price of our common stock.
If our information technology systems or data, or those of third parties upon whom we rely, are or were compromised, we could experience
adverse consequences resulting from such compromise, including but not limited to regulatory investigations or actions; litigation; fines and penalties;
disruptions of our business operations; reputational harm; loss of revenue or profits; and other adverse consequences.
In the ordinary course of our business, we may collect, store, use, transmit, disclose, or otherwise process proprietary, confidential and sensitive
data, including personal information (such as health-related data), intellectual property, and trade secrets. We are increasingly dependent upon information
technology systems, infrastructure, and data to operate our business, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. We also rely on third-party service
providers and technologies to operate our business. parties and their information technology systems. Our ability to monitor these third parties’
cybersecurity practices is limited, and these third parties may not have adequate information security measures in place.
Threats to information systems and data come from a variety of sources. In addition to traditional computer “hackers,” threat actors, personnel (such
as through theft or misuse), sophisticated nation-states and nation-state-supported actors also engage in attacks. We and the third parties upon which we
rely are subject to a variety of evolving threats including but not limited to software to hardware failure, interruption, compromise or damage from data
corruption, breakdown, computer hacking; malicious code (such as computer viruses or worms); fraudulent activity; employee misconduct, theft, or error;
denial-of-service attacks (such as credential stuffing); telecommunication and electrical failures; natural disasters; public health epidemics, such as the
COVID-19 pandemic; cyber-attacks; supply-chain attacks; software bugs; social-engineering attacks (including through phishing attacks); or other system
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attacks, disruption, or accidents. Similarly, ransomware attacks, including those perpetrated by organized criminal actors, nation-states, and nation-state-
supported actors, are becoming increasingly prevalent and severe, and can lead to significant interruptions in our operations, loss of data and income,
reputational harm, and diversion of funds. Extortion payments may alleviate the negative impacts of a ransomware attack, but we may be unwilling or
unable to make such payments due to, for example, applicable laws or regulations prohibiting such payments. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and our
remote workforce, there exists an increased risk to our information technology assets and data. Future acquisitions could expose us to additional
cybersecurity risks and vulnerabilities from any newly acquired information technology infrastructure.
Any of the previously identified or similar threats could cause a security incident or other interruption, which could result in the unauthorized,
unlawful or accidental acquisition, modification, destruction, loss, alteration, encryption, disclosure of, or access to data, including clinical trial data. Due to
the nature of some of these attacks, we may be unable to anticipate or there is a risk that an attack may remain undetected for a period of time. As the
cyber-threat landscape evolves, these threats are constantly increasing in frequency, sophistication and intensity and are likely to become increasingly
difficult to detect. We may expend significant resources or modify our business activities (including our clinical trial activities) in an effort to protect
against security incidents and other interruptions. However, there can be no assurance that these measures will be effective. As a company with an
increasingly global presence, our information security systems are subject to frequent attacks.
Applicable data privacy and security obligations may require us to notify relevant stakeholders of security incidents. Such disclosures are costly, and
the disclosures or the failure to comply with such requirements could lead to adverse consequences. Furthermore, if we (or a third party upon whom we
rely) experience a security incident, we may experience adverse consequences, such as government enforcement actions (for example, investigations, fines,
penalties, audits, and inspections); additional reporting requirements and/or oversight; restrictions on processing data (including personal information);
litigation (including class claims); indemnification obligations; negative publicity; reputational harm; monetary fund diversions; interruptions in our
operations (for example, due to data integrity, availability or confidentiality issues); financial loss; diverted management attention; and other similar harms.
A security incident may cause us to breach our contracts. Furthermore, there can be no assurance that the limitations of liability in our contracts
would be enforceable or adequate or would otherwise protect us from liabilities or damages.
We cannot be sure that our insurance coverage will be adequate to protect us from or to mitigate liabilities arising out of our privacy and
cybersecurity practices, that such coverage will continue to be available on commercially reasonable terms or at all, or that such coverage will pay future
claims
If securities or industry analysts either do not publish research about us or publish inaccurate or unfavorable research about us, our business or
our market, or if they change their recommendations regarding our common stock adversely, the trading price or trading volume of our common stock
could decline.
The trading market for our common stock is influenced in part by the research and reports that securities or industry analysts may publish about us,
our business, our market or our competitors. If one or more of these analysts initiate research with an unfavorable rating or downgrade our common stock,
provide a more favorable recommendation about our competitors or publish inaccurate or unfavorable research about our business, our common stock price
would likely decline. If any analyst who may cover us were to cease coverage of us or fail to regularly publish reports on us, we could lose visibility in the
financial markets, which in turn could cause the trading price or trading volume of our common stock to decline.
Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments
Not applicable.
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Item 2. Properties.
We currently lease approximately 34,988 square feet of office and laboratory space in South San Francisco, California under an eight-year lease
agreement that expires in June 2027. Under the lease agreement we are given an option to extend the lease term for an additional period of 8 years, when
certain conditions are met.
In October 2021, we also entered into a lease agreement for additional office space in South San Francisco, California with a lease term that is
expected to commence in the second half of 2022 and expire in March 2027.
We believe that our existing facilities are sufficient to meet our needs for the foreseeable future and that any additional space we may require will be
available on commercially reasonable terms.
Item 3. Legal Proceedings.
From time to time, we may become involved in legal proceedings arising in the ordinary course of our business.
We are not currently a party to any material legal proceedings. Regardless of outcome, litigation can have an adverse impact on us due to defense
and settlement costs, diversion of management resources, negative publicity, reputational harm and other factors.
Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures.
Not applicable.
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Item 5. Market for the Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities
Market Information for Common Stock
Our common stock has been listed on The Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol “HARP” since February 8, 2019. Prior to that, there was
no public trading market for our common stock.
Part II
Holders of Record
As of February 28, 2022, there were approximately 17 stockholders of record of our common stock. The actual number of stockholders is greater
than this number of record holders, and includes stockholders who are beneficial owners, but whose shares are held in street name by brokers and other
nominees. This number of holders of record also does not include stockholders whose shares may be held in trust by other entities.
Dividend Policy
We have never declared or paid cash dividends on our capital stock. We currently intend to retain all available funds and any future earnings to
support operations and to finance the growth and development of our business. We do not intend to declare or pay any cash dividends on our capital stock
in the foreseeable future. Any future determination to pay dividends will be made at the discretion of our board of directors, subject to applicable laws, and
will depend upon, among other factors, our results of operations, financial condition, contractual restrictions and capital requirements. Our future ability to
pay cash dividends on our capital stock may be limited by the terms of any future debt or preferred securities.
Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities
There were no sales of unregistered securities during the period covered by this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Registrant Purchases of Equity Securities
None.
Item 6. [Reserved.]
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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 our financial statements and
related notes and other financial information included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Some of the information contained in this discussion
and analysis or set forth elsewhere in this Annual Report, including information with respect to our plans and strategy for our business, includes forward-
looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. See “Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” and “Risk Factors” for a discussion of
forward-looking statements and important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results described in or implied by the
forward-looking statements. In addition, the section of this Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
generally discusses 2021 and 2020 items and year-to-year comparisons between 2021 and 2020. Discussions of 2019 items and year-to-year comparisons
between 2020 and 2019 that are not included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K can be found in “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial
Condition and Results of Operations” in Part II Item 7 of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020, filed
with the SEC on March 10, 2021.
Overview
We are a clinical-stage immunotherapy company developing a novel class of T cell engagers that harness the power of the body’s immune system to
treat patients suffering from cancer and other diseases. T cell engagers are engineered proteins that direct a patient’s own T cells to kill target cells that
express specific proteins, or antigens, carried by the target cells. Using our proprietary platforms, TriTAC, ProTriTAC and our new platform, TriTAC-XR,
we are developing a pipeline of novel T cell engagers, initially focused on the treatment of solid tumors and hematologic malignancies. In addition, to our
product candidates utilizing our TriTAC technology, we have also nominated our first clinical candidate using our proprietary ProTriTAC platform, a
prodrug version of our TriTAC platform, designed to expand the target space for T cell engagers and bring the TriTAC benefits to a broader number of
patients.
TriTAC
We currently have three TriTAC product candidates in clinical development. HPN328 is in a Phase 1/2 clinical trial targeting Delta-like canonical
Notch ligand 3, or DLL3, for the treatment of small cell lung cancer, or SCLC, and other DLL3-expressing tumors. HPN217 is in in a Phase 1/2 clinical
trial targeting B-cell maturation antigen, or BCMA, for the treatment of multiple myeloma. HPN536 is in a Phase 1/2a clinical trial for the treatment of
ovarian cancer and other mesothelin-, or MSLN-, expressing solid tumors. As of March 10, 2022, we have discontinued further development of HPN424 as
a treatment of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer, or mCRPC.
TriTAC Pipeline Update
HPN328
In January 2021, we announced the first patient was dosed with HPN328 in a Phase 1/2 trial as an investigational treatment of SCLC and other
tumors associated with DLL3 expression. In December 2021, we provided a clinical update on our ongoing Phase 1/2 clinical trial. As of the December 2,
2021 data-cutoff date, fifteen patients had been enrolled in dose cohorts ranging from 15 µg to 7200 µg per week in both fixed and step dose cohorts
administered once weekly by intravenous infusion. 15 patients with a median of 2 lines (range 1 to 5) of prior therapy have been enrolled and eligible
patients include small cell lung cancer patients who have relapsed after platinum chemotherapy and patients with other malignancies with high grade
neuroendocrine tumors associated with DLL3 expression. HPN328 has been well tolerated with Grade 1-2 CRS reported in 33% of patients, no dose
limiting toxicities, or DLTs were observed and maximum tolerated dose, or MTD, had not been reached. Among four patients with small cell lung cancer
receiving the two highest doses tested to date, 1215 µg fixed dose and 3600-7200 µg step dose, three had target lesion reduction, including 1 confirmed
RECIST partial response, or cPR. The patient with a cPR experienced a target lesion reduction of 53% at week 10. In March 2022, we received orphan
drug designation for the treatment of SCLC. We plan to present initial interim clinical data in 2022. We intend to identify a recommended Phase 2 dose by
the end of 2022.
HPN217
In December 2021, we announced the interim results of ongoing Phase 1/2 clinical trial of HPN217. As of the November 10, 2021 data cut-off date,
37 patients have been treated in 10 cohorts with fixed doses ranging from 5 to 2860 µg/week or a step dosing regimen of 1620 µg priming dose followed by
a 3240 µg/week target dose. Premedication to minimize CRS includes dexamethasone and other standard therapies. Enrolled patients had a median of 7
prior therapies. The most frequent treatment-emergent adverse events, or TEAEs, occurring in greater than 20% were anemia, 17 patients (46%), fatigue,
12 patients (32%), and transient CRS, 9 patients (24%), No grade 3 or higher CRS was reported and one DLT was reported, grade 4 AST, which resolved.
MTD has not been reached.
78
Clinical benefit was observed in the patients receiving higher doses. In eight disease evaluable patients enrolled at 2150 µg/week an ORR of 63%
was reported (five out of eight patients) consisting of one stringent CR, one very good partial response, or VGPR, and three PRs including one patient with
prior BCMA-targeting therapy exposure. The disease control rate, or DCR, was 88% based on seven out of eight patients. For the 2860 µg/week cohort
consisting of five evaluable patients, the ORR was two out of five (40%) including a VGPR (previously reported as an unconfirmed CR), with a DCR of
60%. As of the data cutoff, all responders remained on study treatment.
HPN217 demonstrated a dose proportional increase in Cmax and area under the curve, or AUC, with a median serum half-life of 74 hours (range of
38 – 197 hours), confirming half-life extension. Half-life, clearance rate, and volume of distribution were dose-independent, suggesting linear PK kinetics.
Pharmacodynamic analysis shows a dose-dependent, transient increase in serum cytokines and chemokines (IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, TNFα).
In January 2021, HPN217 received orphan drug designation for the treatment of multiple myeloma. In March 2022, HPN217 received fast track
designation for the treatment of relapsed, refractory multiple myeloma. We intend to identify a recommended Phase 2 dose for an expansion phase in the
first half of 2022.
HPN217 is covered by a global development and option agreement with AbbVie Inc., or AbbVie, and treatment of the first patient in the clinical
trial triggered a $50 million milestone payment, which we received in June 2020. HPN217 targets B-cell maturation antigen, or BCMA, a well-validated
target expressed on multiple myeloma cells. Harpoon is responsible for conducting the Phase 1/2 clinical trial, and we are actively enrolling patients in the
dose escalation portion of the multi-country trial. Under the agreement with AbbVie, we are eligible to receive future payments totaling up to $430 million
upon AbbVie’s exercise of an exclusive license option and achievement of certain development, regulatory, and commercial milestones, in addition to
royalties on commercial sales.
HPN536
HPN536 is a MSLN-targeting T cell engager, and we are currently enrolling patients in a Phase 1/2a clinical trial for ovarian, pancreatic and other
MSLN-expressing solid tumors. The study is collecting data to evaluate the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics and activity of HPN536. In December
2021, we provided a clinical update on our ongoing Phase 1/2a clinical trial, at the time of the December 2, 2021 data cutoff, dosing had occurred across 9
fixed-dose cohorts of 6 to 280ng/kg and 3 step dose cohort up to 1200ng/kg. Tumor types treated included late-stage ovarian and pancreatic cancers and
mesothelioma.
As of December 2, 2021, HPN536 appears to be well tolerated. One CRS grade 3 occurred in the absence of dexamethasone premedication
treatment. The CRS resolved, and the patient continued on study with dexamethasone premedication. As of the December 2, 2021 data cutoff date, no new
DLTs had been observed other than the two previously noted from May 31, 2021 data cutoff. An MTD has not been identified and escalation to higher
doses is underway. We recently opened and are actively recruiting a 7200 ng/kg cohort.
HPN424
In March 2022, we announced the discontinuation of further clinical development for HPN424, our PSMA-targeting TriTAC. We intend to wind
down the clinical study for the remainder of calendar year 2022, while ensuring that patients on study have access to HPN424 for their course of therapy.
ProTriTAC
In May 2020, as a part of our pipeline update, we also presented advancements in our second platform, ProTriTAC, which was designed to expand
the universe of addressable targets and indications for T cell engagers. We have nominated the first ProTriTAC clinical candidate, HPN601, with
Investigational New Drug application, or IND, enabling studies underway, and we expect to provide additional development updates later this year. Our
ProTriTAC platform applies a prodrug concept to create a therapeutic T cell engager that remains inactive until it reaches the tumor. ProTriTACs therefore
have the potential for additional tumor specificity and enhanced safety profiles because they are designed to have limited interaction with their molecular
targets in healthy tissue, allowing us to target tumor-associated antigens that may be more broadly expressed. When a ProTriTAC penetrates a tumor,
tumor-associated proteases cleave off the blocking domain of the ProTriTAC, thereby enabling the engagement of T cells to subsequently kill tumor cells.
This activation process also diminishes the half-life of the resulting T cell engager. If active molecules leave the tumor tissue, they are rapidly eliminated
from the body, therefore further limiting the potential side effects in normal tissues.
79
HPN601
Our first ProTriTAC candidate is currently in preclinical development. HPN601 targets EPCAM, which is expressed on variety of solid tumors. Our
initial focus is expected to be in gastrointestinal cancers. We plan to submit an IND for HPN601 as well as identify a second IND candidate from the
ProTriTAC platform by the end of 2022.
TriTAC-XR
In November 2021, we presented preclinical data on TriTAC-XR at the 35th Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer, or SITC, annual meeting. The
poster presentation demonstrated the efficacy of the platform in vitro and in rodent models, and showed in non-human-primates that TriTAC-XR can
produce PD effects similar to a TriTAC with significantly lower cytokine release than a comparable TriTAC. We plan to nominate an IND candidate from
the TriTAC-XR platform by the end of 2022.
Business Operations
Since commencing operations in 2015, we have devoted substantially all of our resources to performing research and development and
manufacturing activities in support of our product development efforts, hiring personnel, raising capital to support and expand such activities and providing
general and administrative support for these operations. We do not have any products approved for sale and have not generated any revenue from product
sales. We have funded our operations to date primarily from proceeds from the issuance of convertible notes, the sale of redeemable convertible preferred
stock and warrants, the sale of common stock, and payments received under our discovery collaboration agreement with AbbVie.
Since our inception, we have incurred significant net operating losses. Our ability to generate product revenue sufficient to achieve profitability will
depend heavily on the successful development and eventual commercialization of one or more of our current or future product candidates and programs.
Our net losses were $116.7 million, $49.9 million and $55.6 million for the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively. As of December
31, 2021, we had an accumulated deficit of $284.8 million. Our primary use of cash is to fund net losses, operating expenses, which consist primarily of
research and development expenditures, and to a lesser extent, general and administrative expenditures. We expect to continue to incur net losses for the
foreseeable future, and we expect our research and development expenses, general and administrative expenses, and capital expenditures will continue to
increase.
We expect to continue to incur significant expenses and increasing operating losses for at least the next several years. Our net losses may fluctuate
significantly from period to period, depending on the timing of our planned clinical trials and expenditures on other research and development activities.
We expect our expenses will increase substantially over time as we:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
continue the research and development of HPN328, HPN217, HPN536, and HPN601 as well as our other product candidates;
initiate preclinical studies and clinical trials for any additional product candidates that we may pursue in the future;
seek marketing approvals for product candidates that successfully complete clinical trials;
establish a sales, marketing, manufacturing and distribution infrastructure to commercialize any product candidate for which we may obtain
marketing approval;
continue to invest in our technology platforms, including TriTAC, ProTriTAC and TriTAC-XR;
maintain, protect and expand our portfolio of intellectual property rights, including patents, trade secrets and know-how;
implement operational, financial and management systems; and
attract, hire and retain additional administrative, clinical, regulatory and scientific personnel.
Furthermore, we expect to incur additional costs associated with operating as a public company, including significant legal, accounting, investor
relations and other expenses that we did not incur as a private company.
In January 2021, we closed a follow on public offering of 6,764,704 shares of our common stock, including 882,352 shares sold pursuant to the
exercise in full by the underwriters of their option to purchase additional shares at $17.00 per share. The net proceeds to us were approximately $107.6
million, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and offering costs payable by us.
From January 2021 through December 31, 2021, pursuant to our Sales Agreement with Cantor Fitzgerald, we received an aggregate of
approximately $2.8 million in net proceeds from the sale of shares of our common stock.
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COVID-19 Update
In December 2019, there was an outbreak of a novel strain of coronavirus, or COVID-19. In March 2020, the World Health Organization declared
COVID-19 a pandemic. The current COVID-19 pandemic has presented a substantial public health and economic challenge around the world and is
affecting our employees, patients, communities and business operations, as well as the U.S. economy and financial markets. The full extent to which the
COVID-19 pandemic will directly or indirectly impact our business, results of operations and financial condition will depend on future developments that
are highly uncertain and cannot be accurately predicted, including new information that may emerge concerning COVID-19, the actions taken to contain it
or mitigate its impact and the economic impact on local, regional, national and international markets. Our assessment to date continues to support that we
have not experienced any material delays or significant financial impacts directly related to the pandemic other than some minor disruptions to clinical
operations, including some disruptions in our manufacturing supply chain that affected and may continue to affect our drug supply, patient enrollment in
some of our clinical trials and delays in collecting, receiving and analyzing data from patients enrolled in our clinical trials for due to limited staff at our
clinical trial sites. We will continue to monitor the overall impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business, financial condition, liquidity, assets and
operations, including our personnel, programs, expected timelines, expenses, third-party contract manufacturing, contract research organizations and
clinical trials.
While we are currently continuing our clinical trials we have underway in sites in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Europe, we expect
that COVID-19 precautions may directly or indirectly impact the timeline for some of our clinical trials, as a result of potential delays or difficulties in
enrolling or assessing patients in our clinical trials, clinical site initiation, diversion of healthcare resources away from the conduct of clinical trials,
interruption of key clinical trial activities, disruptions in our manufacturing supply chain, among other factors. While our third-party contract manufacturers
have been operating at or near normal levels and while have not experienced any major interruptions to our contract manufacturers’ processes, it is possible
that the pandemic and response efforts may have an impact in the future on our third-party contract manufacturers’ ability to produce quantities of our
product candidates for preclinical testing and clinical trials. In addition, we rely on contract research organizations or other third parties to assist us with
clinical trials, and we cannot guarantee that they will continue to perform their contractual duties in a timely and satisfactory manner as a result of the
pandemic. Certain of our clinical trial sites have experienced, and others may experience in the future, delays in collecting, receiving and analyzing data
from patients enrolled in our clinical trials for due to limited staff at such sites, limitation or suspension of on-site visits by patients, or patients’ reluctance
to visit the clinical trial sites during the pandemic. We and our contract research organizations may also need to make certain adjustments to the operation
of our clinical trials in an effort to ensure the monitoring and safety of patients and minimize risk to trial integrity during the pandemic and generally. We
could also see an impact on our ability to interact with regulators, ethics committees or other important agencies due to limitations in regulatory authority,
personnel resources or otherwise.
In addition, in response to the ongoing spread of COVID-19, we have established testing protocols for personnel access to our headquarter offices
and laboratory. The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic could adversely impact our business, assets, operations and clinical trials, particularly if the
COVID-19 pandemic continues and persists for an extended period of time. See “Risk factors—Our business could be adversely affected by the effects of
health epidemics, including the recent outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic is ongoing in many parts of the world and may
result in significant disruptions which could materially affect our operations, including at our headquarters in the San Francisco Bay Area and at our
clinical trial sites.” for more information regarding the potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business and operations. We continue to
actively monitor this situation and the possible effects on our business and operations.
Collaborations with AbbVie
Development and Option Agreement
On November 20, 2019, we entered into a Development and Option Agreement, which we refer to, as amended, as the Development and Option
Agreement, with AbbVie in connection with our HPN217 program, which targets B cell maturation antigen, or BCMA. Pursuant to such agreement, we
granted to AbbVie an option to a worldwide, exclusive license to our patents and know-how applicable to the HPN217 program to develop, manufacture,
and commercialize products arising from the HPN217 program and targeting BCMA, or HPN217 Products. Under the Development and Option
Agreement, we filed an IND for HPN217 and are responsible for conducting clinical development activities pursuant to a mutually agreed upon
development plan, including conducting a Phase 1/2 clinical trial of HPN217, in order for AbbVie to determine whether it wishes to exercise its option to a
worldwide, exclusive license to such HPN217 program. We initiated a Phase 1/2 clinical trial in April 2020.
Under the Development and Option Agreement, AbbVie may exercise its license option at any time during a period commencing on the effective
date of the agreement and expiring after a specified period following delivery by us of a specified data package arising from the first Phase 1/2 trial for the
HPN217 Products. Following AbbVie’s exercise of its option, and except for completion of certain development activities by us under the development
plan, AbbVie will be solely responsible, at its cost, for the development, manufacture and commercialization of HPN217 and any other HPN217 Products.
AbbVie is required to use commercially reasonable efforts to develop and obtain regulatory approval for one HPN217 Product, for at least one indication,
for use in each Major Market (as defined in the Development and Option Agreement).
81
AbbVie paid an upfront payment of $30.0 million and, in June 2020, a development milestone payment of $50.0 million, as we dosed our first
patient in the Phase 1/2 clinical trial of HPN217 in April 2020. If AbbVie exercises its option, AbbVie will pay us an option exercise fee of $200.0 million.
Following option exercise, AbbVie will be required to make further payments to us of up to $230.0 million in the aggregate for the achievement of
specified development, regulatory and commercial sales milestones for HPN217 Products. We will also receive tiered royalties on net sales by AbbVie, its
affiliates and sublicensees of HPN217 Products at percentages ranging from the high single digits to the very low double digits, subject to specified offsets
and reductions. Royalties will be payable under the Development and Option Agreement on a product-by-product and country-by-country basis
commencing on the date of first commercial sale of HPN217 and other HPN217 Products, and ending on the later of expiration of all valid claims of
specified licensed patents in such country, expiration of regulatory exclusivity in such country, or ten years following first commercial sale of such HPN217
Product in such country.
We will recognize revenue under the Development and Option Agreement as the initial development activities are performed using an input method,
according to the costs incurred as related to the estimated costs for the development and regulatory activities to be performed through the completion of a
Phase 1/2 clinical trial of HPN217. Accordingly, of the $30.0 million upfront payment received in 2019 and $50.0 million development milestone received
in 2020, $18.4 million and $13.8 million of revenue was recognized for the year ended 2021 and 2020, respectively, and as of December 31, 2021, we had
$46.1 million of deferred revenue under the Development and Option Agreement.
Amended and Restated Discovery Collaboration Agreement
On August 16, 2021, we entered into Amendment No. 1 to the Amended and Restated Discovery Collaboration and License Agreement, or the First
Amendment, with AbbVie, which amends the Amended and Restated Discovery Collaboration and License Agreement, or, as amended by the First
Amendment, the Restated Collaboration Agreement, entered on November 20, 2019, between us and AbbVie, which agreement amends and restates the
Discovery Collaboration and License Agreement entered into between us and AbbVie, dated October 20, 2017 and amended April 3, 2019, or the Original
Collaboration Agreement. Pursuant to the First Amendment, we and AbbVie agreed to include the ProTriTAC technology within the Restated
Collaboration Agreement. Pursuant to the Original Collaboration Agreement, we granted to AbbVie worldwide exclusive rights to develop and
commercialize products that incorporate our proprietary TriTAC technology together with soluble TCRs provided by AbbVie that bind to targets accepted
by the parties. Under the terms of the Original Collaboration Agreement, AbbVie was granted the right to designate up to two targets for development of
TriTAC constructs, which it selected in 2017 and 2019, respectively. Pursuant to the Restated Collaboration Agreement, AbbVie is permitted to designate
two further targets, with an option to select up to four additional targets, selected during a specified period following the effective date, to be the subject of
activities under the collaboration, and is granted a worldwide, exclusive license to develop and commercialize products that incorporate either our
proprietary TriTAC platform technology, or (as a result of and pursuant to the First Amendment) our ProTriTAC platform technology, together with soluble
T cell receptors, or TCRs. Such products may incorporate antibodies provided by AbbVie or by us. During a period of up to four years following the date
of AbbVie’s designation of each target for the products, and subject to confirmation of target availability, we and AbbVie will conduct certain research and
discovery activities under a mutually agreed discovery and research plan in connection with the creation and evaluation of constructs comprising our
proprietary TriTAC or ProTriTAC technologies, in conjunction with the soluble TCR or antibody sequences directed at the agreed upon targets of interest.
We may not, including through any third party, develop or commercialize any competing product that binds to any of the included targets. As was the case
under the Original Collaboration Agreement, following the discovery phase, AbbVie will be solely responsible, at its cost, for the development,
manufacture and commercialization of the products that arise from the activities under the discovery plan. AbbVie is required to use commercially
reasonable efforts to develop and commercialize one such product directed to each target for which the discovery activities were completed in each Major
Market (as defined in the Restated Collaboration Agreement).
In addition to the upfront payment of $17.0 million already paid under the Original Collaboration Agreement, we received an upfront payment of
$20.0 million under the Restated Collaboration Agreement for AbbVie’s right to select two further targets and an option to select up to four further targets.
AbbVie will be required to make payments to us, upon target selection, of $10.0 million for each target, for up to four additional targets selected by
AbbVie. For each of the up to eight targets selected, we are eligible to receive up to $300.0 million in the aggregate for the achievement of specified
development, regulatory and commercial sales milestones for licensed products indicated for human therapeutic or prophylactic use. We will also be
eligible to receive tiered royalties on net sales by AbbVie, its affiliates and sublicensees of licensed products at percentages in the mid-single digits, subject
to specified offsets and reductions. Royalties will be payable under the Restated Collaboration Agreement on a product-by-product and country-by-country
basis commencing on the date of first commercial sale of each product, and ending on the later of expiration of all valid claims of specified licensed patents
in such country, expiration of regulatory exclusivity in such country or ten years following first commercial sale of such product in such country. If
licensed products are developed and commercialized for diagnostic or veterinary use, or certain screening or monitoring uses, the parties have agreed to
negotiate an appropriate reduction in the economic terms applicable to such non-therapeutic and prophylactic applications.
82
We recognized revenue under the Original Collaboration Agreement over a period in which related research and development activities occur.
Accordingly, of the $17.0 million upfront payment received in 2017, $4.3 million and $3.7 million of revenue was recognized during the years ended 2021
and 2020, respectively. As of December 31, 2021, we recognized the full $17.0 million upfront payment related to the initial two targets.
We will recognize revenue under the Restated Collaboration Agreement over a period in which related research and development activities occur.
Accordingly, of the $20.0 million upfront payment received in 2019, $0.9 million and zero of revenue was recognized for the year ended 2021 and 2020.
As of December 31, 2021, we had $19.1 million of deferred revenue under the Restated Collaboration Agreement.
The Restated Collaboration Agreement will terminate upon the date of the expiration of all AbbVie’s royalty payment obligations in all countries.
The Restated Collaboration Agreement may be terminated by either party immediately for the insolvency of the other party or on 90 days’ written notice
for an uncured material breach of such agreement by the other party. AbbVie may also terminate the Restated Collaboration Agreement in its entirety or on
a target-by-target or country-by-country basis for any reason on 30 days’ written notice to the Company. In addition, AbbVie may terminate the Restated
Collaboration Agreement immediately in its entirety or on a target-by-target basis if AbbVie considers in good faith that there has been a failure of the
discovery or development efforts with respect to such target, or that further development or commercialization of products directed to such target is not
advisable as a result of a serious safety issue.
Financial Operations Overview
Revenue
We have no products approved for commercial sale and have not generated any revenue from product sales. Our collaboration and license revenue to
date is related to work performed by us under the Restated Collaboration Agreement and Development and Option Agreement, and is recognized when
designated research and development services are performed. To date, we have not received any milestone or royalty payments under the Original
Collaboration Agreement or the Restated Collaboration Agreement. We expect that any collaboration and license revenue we generate from the Restated
Collaboration Agreement and the Development and Option Agreement and any future collaboration partners will fluctuate from period to period as a result
of the timing and amount of milestones and other payments. Additionally, for research and development services that we recognize over time, we measure
our progress using an input method. The input methods we use are based on the effort we expend or costs we incur toward the satisfaction of our
performance obligation. We estimate the amount of effort we expend, including the time we estimate it will take us to complete the activities, or costs we
incur in a given period, relative to the estimated total effort or costs to satisfy the performance obligation. This results in a percentage that we multiply by
the transaction price to determine the amount of revenue we recognize each period. This approach requires us to make numerous estimates and use
significant judgement. If our estimates or judgements change over the course of the collaboration, they may affect the timing and amount of revenue that
we recognize in the current and future periods.
Operating Expenses
Research and Development
Research and development expenses represent costs incurred in performing research, development and manufacturing activities in support of our
own product development efforts and those of our collaborators, and include salaries, employee benefits, stock-based compensation, laboratory supplies,
outsourced research and development expenses, professional services and allocated facilities-related costs. We expense both internal and external research
and development expenses as they are incurred. We do not allocate our costs by product candidates, as our research and development expenses include
internal costs, such as payroll and other personnel expenses, and external costs, neither of which are tracked by product candidate. In particular, with
respect to internal costs, several of our departments support multiple product candidate research and development programs. Non-refundable advance
payments for services that will be used or rendered for future research and development activities are recorded as prepaid expenses and recognized as
expenses as the related services are performed.
We expect our research and development expenses to continue to increase substantially in absolute dollars for the foreseeable future as we advance
our product candidates into and through preclinical studies and clinical trials, pursue regulatory approval of our product candidates and expand our pipeline
of product candidates. The process of conducting the necessary preclinical and clinical research to obtain regulatory approval is costly and time consuming.
The actual probability of success for our product candidates may be affected by a variety of factors, including the safety and efficacy of our product
candidates, early clinical data, investment in our clinical programs, the ability of collaborators to successfully develop our licensed product candidates,
competition, manufacturing capability and commercial viability. We may never succeed in achieving regulatory approval for any of our product candidates.
As a result of the uncertainties discussed above, we are unable to determine the duration and completion costs of our research and development projects or
when and to what extent we will generate revenue from the commercialization and sale of our product candidates.
83
General and Administrative
Our general and administrative expenses consist primarily of personnel costs, allocated facilities costs and other expenses for outside professional
services, including legal, human resource, audit and accounting services. Personnel costs consist of salaries, benefits and stock-based compensation. We
expect to incur additional expenses as a result of operating as a public company, including expenses related to compliance with the rules and regulations of
the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, Nasdaq and any other securities exchange on which our securities are traded, additional insurance
expenses, investor relations activities and other administrative and professional services. We also expect to increase the size of our administrative staff and
functions to support the growth of our business and the requirements of a public company.
Litigation Settlement
Litigation settlement is related to the damages settlement resulting from the Maverick Litigation described in Note 6 Commitments and
Contingencies to our financial statements included elsewhere in this report.
Interest Income, net
Interest income, net is primarily comprised of interest income and gains or losses realized on cash and cash equivalents and marketable securities.
Other Expense, net
Other expense, net is primarily comprised of foreign currency transaction gains or losses related to certain transactions with European third-party
vendors.
Results of Operations
Comparison of Years Ended December 31, 2021 and 2020
Revenue:
Collaboration and license revenue
Total revenue
Operating expenses:
Research and development
General and administrative
Litigation settlement
Total operating expenses
Loss from operations
Interest income
Other expense
Net loss
Revenue
Year Ended December 31,
2020
2021
(dollars in thousands)
Change ($)
Change (%)
$
$
23,654 $
23,654
72,124
18,327
49,954
140,405
(116,751 )
240
(210 )
(116,721 ) $
17,444 $
17,444
52,565
16,210
—
68,775
(51,331 )
1,449
(26 )
(49,908 ) $
6,210
6,210
19,559
2,117
49,954
71,630
65,420
(1,209 )
184
66,813
36 %
36 %
37 %
13 %
*
104 %
127 %
-83 %
708 %
134 %
Collaboration and license revenue increased by $6.2 million, or 36%, for the year ended December 31, 2021 compared to the year ended December
31, 2020. The increase was primarily due to a $4.6 million increase in revenue recognized related to the Development and Option Agreement, for research
and development services performed, and a $1.6 million increase in revenue recognized for research and development services performed under the
Restated Collaboration Agreement.
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Research and Development
The following table summarizes our research and development expenses incurred during the respective periods:
Product and clinical development
Research and technology services
Laboratory supplies and equipment
Pharmacology services
Personnel-related
Facility and other allocated expenses
Consulting
Total research and development expenses
Year Ended December 31,
2021
2020
(In thousands)
29,070 $
4,530
2,585
2,255
23,092
6,996
3,596
72,124 $
21,583
2,526
2,441
727
15,234
6,106
3,948
52,565
$
$
Research and development expenses increased by $19.6 million, or 37%, in 2021 compared to 2020. The increase was primarily due to a $11.0
million increase in product and clinical development expense, research and technology services and pharmacology services due to continued development
of our four product candidates, which included conducting preclinical and clinical studies and manufacturing drug supply to support ongoing clinical
development, a $7.9 million increase in personnel-related expenses due to an increase in headcount, a $1.0 million increase in facility and other allocated
expenses, which was offset by a $0.3 million decrease in consulting expenses.
General and Administrative
General and administrative expenses increased by $2.1 million, or 13%, in 2021 compared to 2020. The increase was primarily due to a $3.0 million
increase in personnel-related expenses from additional headcount, $0.3 million increase in other professional services to support the growth of our
operations, offset by a $1.2 million decrease in legal related expenses associated with the Maverick Therapeutics, Inc., or Maverick, litigation incurred in
2020.
Litigation Settlement
Litigation settlement for the year ended December 31, 2021, was $50.0 million. On April 23, 2021, following a damages phase, the Delaware
Chancery Court issued a memorandum opinion awarding Millennium Therapeutics, Inc. $38.2 million in damages, plus pre-judgment interest. On May 5,
2021, we paid the full amount of damages awarded by the Court, equal to $50.0 million, consisting of $38.2 million in damages plus $11.8 million in pre-
judgment interest through May 5, 2021. See Note 6 Commitments and Contingencies to our financial statements included elsewhere in this report.
Interest Income, net
Interest income decreased by $1.2 million, or 83%, in 2021 compared to 2020. The decrease was primarily due to lower interest yields on our cash,
money-market and marketable securities balances and higher amortization of premiums associated marketable securities purchases.
Other Expense, net
Other expense increased by $0.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2021, compared to the year ended December 31, 2020. The increase was
primarily due to deferred offering costs recognized during the year ended December 31, 2021.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
Liquidity
Since our inception and through December 31, 2021, we have financed our operations primarily through proceeds from the issuance of convertible
notes, the sale of redeemable convertible preferred stock and warrants, the sale of common stock, and upfront payments received by us from our
collaboration and license agreements. As of December 31, 2021, we had $136.6 million in cash and cash equivalents and marketable securities, an
accumulated deficit of $284.8 million and working capital of $78.6 million.
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In January 2021, we sold an aggregate 6,764,704 shares of our common stock for $107.6 million in net proceeds after deducting underwriting
discounts and commissions and offering costs.
From January 1, 2021 through December 31, 2021, pursuant to our Sales Agreement, with Cantor Fitzgerald, we received an aggregate of
approximately $2.8 million in net proceeds from the sale of shares of our common stock.
With respect to the Maverick Litigation described in Note 6 Commitments and Contingencies to our financial statements included elsewhere in this
report, on May 5, 2021, we paid the full amount of damages awarded by the Court, equal to $50.0 million, consisting of $38.2 million in damages plus
$11.8 million in pre-judgment interest through May 5, 2021.
We expect to continue to incur substantial costs in order to conduct research and development activities necessary to develop and commercialize our
product candidates. Additional capital will be needed to undertake these activities and commercialization efforts, and, therefore, we intend to raise such
capital through the issuance of additional equity, borrowings, and potentially strategic alliances with other companies. However, if such financing is not
available at adequate levels or on acceptable terms, we could be required to significantly reduce operating expenses and delay, reduce the scope of or
eliminate some of the development programs or commercialization efforts, out-license intellectual property rights to our product candidates and sell
unsecured assets, or a combination of the above, any of which may have a material adverse effect on the our business, results of operations, financial
condition and/or out ability to fund our scheduled obligations on a timely basis or at all.
The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted, and is likely to continue to result, in significant national and global economic disruption and may adversely
affect our business. Uncertainty exists concerning the magnitude of the impact and duration of the COVID-19 pandemic. As such, we are uncertain as to
what effect the pandemic will have on our financial condition, liquidity, and future results of operations. We are actively monitoring this situation and the
possible effects on its financial condition, liquidity, operations, suppliers, industry, and personnel. Given the daily evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic
and the response to curb its spread, currently we are not able to estimate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic to our results of operations, financial
condition, or liquidity. If the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic persists and deepens, we could experience an inability to access additional
capital, which could in the future negatively affect our results of operations.
Capital Resources
Our primary uses of cash are to fund net losses and operating expenses, which consist primarily of funding our clinical and preclinical trials,
research and development expenditures and related personnel costs. Cash used to fund operating expenses is impacted by the timing of when we pay these
expenses, as reflected in the change in our outstanding accounts payable and accrued expenses. The timing and amount of our future funding requirements
depends on many factors, including the following:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
the scope, rate of progress, results and cost of our preclinical studies, clinical trials and other related activities;
the cost of manufacturing clinical supplies, and establishing commercial supplies, of our product candidates and any products that we may
develop;
the number and characteristics of product candidates that we pursue;
the cost, timing and outcomes of regulatory approvals;
the cost and timing of establishing sales, marketing and distribution capabilities;
the terms and timing of any other collaborative, licensing and other arrangements that we may establish;
the timing, receipt and amount of sales, profit sharing or royalties, if any, from our potential products;
the cost of preparing, filing, prosecuting, defending and enforcing any patent claims and other intellectual property rights
the extent to which we acquire or invest in businesses, products or technologies, although we currently have no commitments or agreements
relating to any of these types of transactions;
the compliance and administrative costs associated with being a public company; and
the cost of attracting, hiring and retaining additional administrative, clinical, regulatory and scientific personnel.
In March 2020, we entered into a Controlled Equity OfferingSMSales Agreement, or Sales Agreement, with Cantor Fitzgerald & Co., or Cantor
Fitzgerald, under which we may offer and sell, from time to time at our sole discretion through Cantor Fitzgerald, as our sales agent, shares of our common
stock having an aggregate offering price of up to $75.0 million. Cantor Fitzgerald may sell the common stock by any method permitted by law deemed to
be an “at the market offering” as defined in Rule 415(a)(4) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, including sales made directly on or through The
Nasdaq Global Select Market or on any other existing trading market for our common stock. Any shares of our common stock sold will be issued pursuant
to our shelf registration statement
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on Form S-3 (File No. 333-237175). We will pay Cantor Fitzgerald a commission up to 3.0% of the gross sales proceeds of any shares of our common
stock sold through Cantor Fitzgerald under the Sales Agreement. Through December 31, 2021, we had sold a total of 330,222 shares of our common stock
under the Sales Agreement, resulting in aggregate net proceeds of $5.8 million. We have approximately $69.0 million of the maximum aggregate offering
price of $75.0 million remaining.
Based on our current business plans, we believe that our existing cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities, will be sufficient to fund our
planned operations for at least the next 12 months from the issuance date of these audited financial statements. However, we will require additional capital
in order to complete development of our product candidates and commercialize our products, if approved. We may seek to raise any necessary additional
capital through a combination of public or private equity offerings, debt financings, collaborations, strategic alliances, licensing arrangements and other
marketing and distribution arrangements. There can be no assurance that we will be successful in acquiring additional funding at levels sufficient to fund
our operations or on terms favorable to us. If we are unable to obtain adequate financing when needed, we may have to delay, reduce the scope of or
suspend one or more of our preclinical studies and clinical trials, research and development programs or commercialization efforts. Because of the
numerous risks and uncertainties associated with the development and commercialization of our product candidates and the extent to which we may enter
into additional collaborations with third parties to participate in their development and commercialization, we are unable to estimate the amounts of
increased capital outlays and operating expenditures associated with our current and anticipated preclinical studies and clinical trials. To the extent that we
raise additional capital through additional collaborations, strategic alliances or licensing arrangements with third parties, we may have to relinquish
valuable rights to our product candidates, future revenue streams, research programs or product candidates or to grant licenses on terms that may not be
favorable to us. If we do raise additional capital through public or private equity or convertible debt offerings, the ownership interest of our existing
stockholders will be diluted, and the terms of these securities may include liquidation or other preferences that adversely affect our stockholders’ rights. If
we raise additional capital through debt financing, we may be subject to covenants limiting or restricting our ability to take specific actions, such as
incurring additional debt, operating and capital leases, making capital expenditures or declaring dividends.
Please see the section entitled “Risk Factors” for additional risks associated with our substantial capital requirements and the challenges we may
face in raising capital.
Cash Flows
Net cash (used in) provided by:
Operating activities
Investing activities
Financing activities
Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash
Cash Flows from Operating Activities
Year Ended December 31,
2021
2020
(In thousands)
$
$
(122,154 ) $
34,354
111,523
23,723 $
(8,616 )
(63,626 )
4,676
(67,566 )
In 2021, cash used in operating activities was $122.2 million, which consisted of a net loss of $116.7 million and a net change of $19.9 million in
our net operating assets and liabilities, partially offset by $14.5 million in non-cash charges. The non-cash charges consisted of stock-based compensation
of $9.5 million, depreciation and amortization of $2.2 million, amortization operating right-of-use lease asset of $0.5 million and net amortization of
premiums and discounts on marketable securities of $2.4 million. The change in operating assets and liabilities was primarily due to a decrease in deferred
revenue of $23.7 million resulting from the recognition of revenue related to the AbbVie Restated Collaboration Agreement and the Development Option
Agreement, a decrease of $1.6 million in prepaid expenses and other assets, a net decrease of $1.3 million in operating lease obligations which was offset
by an increase in accrued liabilities of $2.9 million primarily related to timing for ongoing research and development activities, and an increase of $0.5
million in accounts payable resulting from the timing of payments made for operating costs.
In 2020, cash used in operating activities was $8.6 million, which consisted of a net loss of $49.9 million and a net change of $33.4 million in our
net operating assets and liabilities, partially offset by $7.9 million in non-cash charges. The non-cash charges consisted of stock-based compensation of
$4.9 million, depreciation and amortization of $2.1 million, amortization operating right-of-use lease asset of $0.4 million and net amortization of
premiums and discounts on marketable securities of $0.5 million. The change in operating assets and liabilities was primarily due to an increase in deferred
revenue of $31.5 million resulting from the upfront payments of $50 million cash milestone received from AbbVie related to the Development Option
Agreement in June 2020 and an increase in accrued liabilities of $6.1 million primarily related to timing for ongoing research and development activities,
which was
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offset by a decrease of $1.5 million in prepaid expenses and other assets, a decrease of $1.2 million in accounts payable resulting from the timing of
payments made for operating costs and a decrease of $1.4 million in operating lease obligations.
Cash Flows from Investing Activities
In 2021, cash provided by investing activities of $34.4 million primarily related to net maturities and purchases of marketable securities.
In 2020, cash used in investing activities of $63.6 million primarily related to purchases of marketable securities and property and equipment
consisting primarily of laboratory equipment offset by the maturity and sale of marketable securities.
Cash Flows from Financing Activities
In 2021, cash provided by financing activities of $111.5 million was primarily from $107.6 million in net proceeds from the follow-on offering
completed in January 2021, $2.8 million in net proceeds from the sale of our common stock pursuant to our Sales Agreement with Cantor Fitzgerald
through December 31, 2021, $0.6 million in proceeds from the exercise of common stock options and $0.6 million from purchases of our common stock
under our 2019 employee stock purchase plan.
In 2020, cash provided by financing activities of $4.7 million was primarily related to proceeds received from the sale of our common stock
pursuant to our Sales Agreement with Cantor Fitzgerald in October 2020 and November 2020, or net proceeds of approximately $3.0 million. In addition,
we received $1.7 million cash from the exercise of stock options and employee stock purchases under the employee stock purchase plan.
Contractual Obligations and Other Commitments
Contractual obligations as of December 31, 2021 represent operating lease obligations related to our currently occupied premises at 131 Oyster
Point Blvd in South San Francisco, California that commenced in July 2019 and expires in June 2027. The initial annual base rent is approximately $2.2
million, and such amount will increase by 3.5% annually on each anniversary of the commencement date, equaling approximately $20.0 million over the
eight-year lease term. In connection with the lease, we will maintain a letter of credit for the benefit of the landlord in the amount of $0.5 million. Under the
lease agreement, we have an option to extend the lease for an additional period of eight years. As of December 31, 2021, we have not determined whether
we will exercise our option to extend the lease term.
In December 2016, we entered into a royalty transfer agreement with MPM Oncology Charitable Foundation, Inc. and UBS Optimus Foundation
pursuant to which we will pay 0.5% of our annual global net sales to each of the counterparties for products that incorporate or utilize intellectual property
that was discovered or developed by us prior to our initial public offering.
In October 2015, we entered into a collaboration and license agreement with AGC Biologics, Inc. (formerly known as CMC ICOS Biologics, Inc.),
or AGC, for certain manufacturing-related technology, and in July 2016, we entered into a development and manufacturing agreement with AGC. Pursuant
to these agreements, so long as AGC is our exclusive manufacturer, we will not owe AGC any milestone or royalty payments for the use of their
manufacturing technology. However, if AGC is no longer our exclusive manufacturer, and we still use such technology, we will owe AGC specified
milestones of up to $350,000 per specified product and a royalty on net sales of these products of less than 1%. We have an option to buy out these royalty
obligations by making a one-time payment to AGC in a dollar amount in the mid-single digit millions. See “Business—Collaboration and License
Agreements—Agreements with AGC Biologics, Inc.”
In addition, we enter into agreements in the normal course of business with contract research organizations for clinical trials and with vendors for
preclinical studies and other services and products for operating purposes, which are generally cancelable upon written notice. These payments are not
included in this table of contractual obligations.
Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates
Our management’s discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations is based on our financial statements, which have been
prepared in accordance with GAAP. The preparation of these financial statements requires us to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported
amounts of assets and liabilities and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, as well as the reported revenue
generated, and reported expenses incurred during the reporting periods. Our estimates are based on our 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
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that are not readily apparent from other sources. Actual results may differ from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions.
While our significant accounting policies are described in the notes to our financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form
10-K, we believe that the following critical accounting policies are most important to understanding and evaluating our reported financial results.
Revenue Recognition
To date, all of our revenue has been derived from our collaboration and license agreements entered into with AbbVie and Werewolf Therapeutics.
The terms of these arrangements include payments to us for the following: non-refundable, upfront license fees; development, regulatory and commercial
milestone payments, and royalties on net sales of licensed products.
Revenue is recognized in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, or Topic 606.
This standard applies to all contracts with customers, except for contracts that are within the scope of other standards, such as leases, insurance,
collaboration arrangements and financial instruments. In accordance with ASC 606, we recognize revenue when our customer obtains control of promised
goods or services, in an amount that reflects the consideration which we expect to receive in exchange for those goods or services.
To determine revenue recognition for arrangements that we determine are within the scope of Accounting Standards Codification Topic 606,
Revenue from Contracts with Customers, or Topic 606, we perform the following five steps in determining the appropriate amount of revenue to be
recognized as we fulfill our obligations under each of these agreements: (i) identification of the promised goods or services in the contract; (ii)
determination of whether the promised goods or services are performance obligations, including whether they are distinct in the context of the contract; (iii)
measurement of the transaction price, including any constraint on variable consideration; (iv) allocation of the transaction price to the performance
obligations; and (v) recognition of revenue when, or as, we satisfy each performance obligation.
We only apply the five-step model to contracts when it is probable that we will collect the consideration we are entitled to in exchange for the goods
and services we transfer to the customer. At contract inception, we assess the goods or services promised within each contract that falls under the scope of
Topic 606, determine those that are performance obligations and assesses whether each promised good or service is distinct. We then recognize as revenue
the amount of the transaction price that is allocated to the respective performance obligation when or as the performance obligation is satisfied.
We allocate the transaction price to each performance obligation on a relative stand-alone selling price basis. The stand-alone selling price may be,
but is not presumed to be, the contract price. In determining the allocation, we maximize the use of observable inputs. When the stand-alone selling price of
a good or service is not directly observable, we estimate the stand-alone selling price for each performance obligation using assumptions that require
judgment. Acceptable estimation methods include, but are not limited to: (i) the adjusted market assessment approach, (ii) the expected cost plus margin
approach, and (iii) the residual approach (when the stand-alone selling price is not directly observable and is either highly variable or uncertain). In order
for the residual approach to be used, we must demonstrate that (a) there are observable stand-alone selling prices for one or more of the performance
obligations and (b) one of the two criteria in ASC 606-10- 32-34(c)(1) and (2) is met. The residual approach cannot be used if it would result in a stand-
alone selling price of zero for a performance obligation, as a performance obligation, by definition, has value on a stand-alone basis.
An option in a contract to acquire additional goods or services gives rise to a performance obligation only if the option provides a material right to
the customer that it would not receive without entering into that contract. Factors that we consider in evaluating whether an option represents a material
right include, but are not limited to: (i) the overall objective of the arrangement, (ii) the benefit the collaborator might obtain from the arrangement without
exercising the option, (iii) the cost to exercise the option (e.g. priced at a significant and incremental discount) and (iv) the likelihood that the option will be
exercised. With respect to options determined to be performance obligations, we recognize revenue when those future goods or services are transferred or
when the options expire.
We enter into corporate collaborations under which we may obtain upfront license fees, research and development funding, and development,
regulatory and commercial milestone payments and royalty payments. Our performance obligations under these arrangements may include licenses of
intellectual property, distribution rights, research and development services, delivery of manufactured product and/or participation on joint steering
committees.
Upfront payments and fees are recorded as deferred revenue upon receipt or when due, and may require deferral of revenue recognition to a future
period until we perform our obligations under these arrangements. Amounts payable to us are recorded as accounts receivable when our right to
consideration is unconditional.
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See Note 7 Collaboration & License Agreements to our financial statements included elsewhere in this report for additional details regarding our
collaboration arrangements with AbbVie.
Research and Development Expenses and Accrued Research and Development Costs
We expense research and development costs as incurred. Research and development expenses consist of personnel costs for our research and product
development employees. Also included are non-personnel costs such as professional fees payable to third parties for preclinical and preclinical studies,
clinical trials and research services, production of materials for clinical trials, laboratory supplies and equipment maintenance and depreciation, intellectual
property licenses and other consulting costs. We estimate preclinical and clinical study and research expenses based on the services performed, pursuant to
contracts with research institutions that conduct and manage preclinical studies, clinical trials and research services on our behalf. We estimate these
expenses based on discussions with management and external service providers as to the progress or stage of completion of services and the contracted fees
to be paid for such services. We record the estimated costs of research and development activities based upon the estimated amount services provided but
not yet invoiced, and include these costs in development expenses. We accrue for these costs based on factors such as estimates of the work completed and
in accordance with agreements established with our third-party service provides under the service agreements. We make significant judgments and
estimates in determining the accrued liabilities balance in each reporting period. As actual costs become known, we adjust our accrued liabilities. We have
not experienced any material differences between accrued costs and actual costs incurred. However, the status and timing of actual services performed may
vary from our estimates, resulting in adjustments to expense in future periods. Changes in these estimates that result in material changes to our accruals
could materially affect our results of operations. Payments associated with licensing agreements to acquire exclusive license to develop, use, manufacture
and commercialize products that have not reached technological feasibility and do not have alternate future use are expensed as incurred.
Payments made to third parties under these arrangements in advance of the performance of the related services by the third parties are recorded as
prepaid expenses until the services are rendered. Such payments are evaluated for current or long-term classification based on when such services are
expected to be received.
Stock-Based-Compensation
We measure and recognize compensation expense for all stock‑based awards made to employees, directors and non‑employees, based on estimated
fair values of the awards on the grant date and recognized using the straight‑line method over the requisite service period.
The fair value of options is estimated on the grant date using the Black‑Scholes option pricing model. The calculation of stock‑based compensation
expense requires that we make certain assumptions and judgments about the variables used in the calculations, including the expected term (weighted-
average period of time that the options granted are expected to be outstanding), the expected volatility of our common stock, the related risk-free interest
rate and the expected dividend. We have elected to recognize forfeitures of share-based payment awards as they occur.
Changes in these assumptions can materially affect the fair value and ultimately how much stock-based compensation expense is recognized. These
inputs are subjective and generally require significant analysis and judgment to develop. We maintain a stock-based compensation plan as a long-term
incentive for employees, consultants and members of our board of directors. The plan allows for the issuance of non-statutory options, or NSOs, and
incentive stock options to employees and NSOs to nonemployees.
We estimate the fair value of stock options granted to our employees on the grant date, and rights to acquire stock granted under our Employee
Stock Purchase Plan, or ESPP, and the resulting stock-based compensation expense, using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model.
Fair Value of Common Stock
Prior to our IPO in February 2019, the fair values of the shares of common stock underlying our share-based awards were estimated on each grant
date by our board of directors. Given the absence of a public trading market for our common stock prior to our February 2019 IPO, our board of directors
exercised reasonable judgment and considered a number of objective and subjective factors to determine the best estimate of the fair value of our common
stock, including our stage of development; our actual operating results and financial performance; progress of our research and development efforts;
conditions in the industry and economy in general; the rights, preferences and privileges of our convertible preferred stock relative to those of our common
stock; the likelihood of achieving a liquidity event for the holders of our common stock, such as an initial public offering or a sale of our company, given
prevailing market conditions; equity market conditions affecting comparable public companies; the lack of marketability of our common stock and the
results of independent third-party valuations. Valuations of our common stock were prepared by an unrelated third-party valuation firm in accordance with
the guidance provided by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants 2013 Practice Aid, Valuation of Privately-Held-Company Equity
Securities Issued as Compensation.
90
For our valuations performed prior to December 31, 2018, we used the Option Pricing Model (OPM) Backsolve method to estimate the fair value of
our common stock. In an option pricing method, or OPM, framework, the backsolve method for inferring the equity value implied by a recent financing
transaction involves making assumptions for the expected time to liquidity, volatility and risk-free rate and then solving for the value of equity such that
value for the most recent financing equals the amount paid. Furthermore, as of each of the valuation dates prior to December 31, 2018, we were at an early
stage of development and future liquidity events were difficult to forecast. We applied a discount for lack of marketability to account for a lack of access to
an active public market.
Subsequent to the completion of our IPO in February 2019, our board of directors determines the fair value of our common stock based on the
closing price of our common stock as reported on the date of grant on the primary stock exchange on which our common stock is traded.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
See Note 2 Summary of Significant Accounting Policies to our financial statements included elsewhere in this report for more information.
Emerging Growth Company Status
We are an emerging growth company, as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012, or the JOBS Act. Under the JOBS Act,
emerging growth companies can delay adopting new or revised accounting standards issued subsequent to the enactment of the JOBS Act until such time as
those standards apply to private companies. We elected to use this extended transition period for complying with new or revised accounting standards that
have different effective dates for public and private companies until the earlier of the date that we (i) are no longer an emerging growth company or (ii)
affirmatively and irrevocably opt out of the extended transition period provided in the JOBS Act. As a result, these financial statements may not be
comparable to companies that comply with the new or revised accounting pronouncements as of public company effective dates. We early adopted ASU
2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Accounting Standards Codification Topic 606), ASU 2016-09, Stock Compensation—Improvements to
Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting, and ASU 2018-07, Compensation – Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Nonemployee Share-
Based Payment Accounting, ASU No. 2016-02, (Topic 842), Leases, as the JOBS Act does not preclude an emerging growth company from early adopting
a new or revised accounting standard earlier than the time that such standard applies to private companies. We expect to use the extended transition period
for any other new or revised accounting standards during the period in which we remain an emerging growth company.
We will remain an emerging growth company until the earliest of (i) the last day of our first fiscal year (a) following the fifth anniversary of the
completion of our IPO, (b) in which we have total annual gross revenues of at least $1.07 billion or (c) in which we are deemed to be a large accelerated
filer, which means the market value of our common stock that is held by non-affiliates exceeds $700.0 million as of the prior June 30th and (ii) the date on
which we have issued more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible debt securities during the prior three-year period.
Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk.
As a smaller reporting company, we are not required to provide the information in this section.
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Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplemental Data
The information required to be filed in this item appears under “Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules” in Part IV, Item 15 of this Annual Report on
Form 10-K and is set forth on pages F-1 to F-30.
The following financial statements of the registrant, related notes and report of independent registered public accounting firm are set forth beginning on
page F-1 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm (PCAOB ID: 42)
Financial Statements:
Balance Sheets
Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Loss
Statements of Convertible Preferred Stock and Stockholders’ Equity
Statements of Cash Flows
Notes to Financial Statements
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Page
F-2
F-3
F-4
F-5
F-6
F-7
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 Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, have evaluated our disclosure controls and
procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) of the Exchange Act) as of the end of the period covered by this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Based on that evaluation, our chief executive officer and our chief financial officer have concluded that, as of the end of the period covered by this Annual
Report on Form 10-K, 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 SEC rules and forms, and that such information is accumulated and communicated to our management, including the
Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosures.
Management’s Annual Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
Our management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting, as defined in Rules 13a-15(f)
and 15d-15(f) of the Exchange Act. Our management, under the supervision and with the participation of our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial
Officer, conducted an evaluation of the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2021 based on the framework in
Internal Control-Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (2013 Framework). Based on
the results of its evaluation, our management concluded that our internal control over financial reporting was effective as of December 31, 2021.
Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting
There were no changes 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 quarter ended December 31, 2021 that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to
materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.
Inherent Limitation on the Effectiveness of Internal Control
The effectiveness of any system of internal control over financial reporting, including ours, is subject to inherent limitations, including the exercise
of judgment in designing, implementing, operating, and evaluating the controls and procedures, and the inability to eliminate misconduct completely.
Accordingly, in designing and evaluating the disclosure controls and procedures, management recognizes that any system of internal control over financial
reporting, including ours, no matter how well designed and operated, can only provide reasonable, not absolute assurance of achieving the desired control
objectives. In addition, the design of disclosure controls and procedures must reflect the fact that there are resource constraints and that management is
required to apply its judgment in evaluating the benefits of possible controls and procedures relative to their costs. Moreover, 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. We intend to continue to monitor and upgrade our internal controls as necessary or appropriate
for our business, but cannot assure you that such improvements will be sufficient to provide us with effective internal control over financial reporting.
Item 9B. Other Information.
Our 2022 Annual Meeting of the Stockholders, or the 2022 Annual Meeting, has been tentatively scheduled to occur on June 22, 2022.The time and
location of the 2022 Annual Meeting, and the matters to be considered, will be as set forth in our definitive proxy statement to be filed on Schedule 14A
with the SEC for the 2022 Annual Meeting.
The date of our 2022 Annual Meeting will have changed by more than 30 days from the anniversary of our 2021 Annual Meeting. In accordance
with Rule 14a-5(f) and Rule 14a-8(e) under the Exchange Act, we will consider shareholder proposals submitted pursuant to Rule 14a-8 for inclusion in
our proxy materials for the 2022 Annual Meeting to have been submitted in a timely fashion if such proposals are received by us no later than March 24,
2022. Any proposal intended to be considered for inclusion in our proxy materials must comply with Rule 14a-8 of Regulation 14A of the proxy rules of
the SEC. Such proposals should be delivered to our Corporate Secretary at c/o Harpoon Therapeutics, Inc., 131 Oyster Point Boulevard, Suite 300, South
San Francisco, California 94080. The submission of a proposal does not guarantee that it will be included in our proxy materials.
93
In addition, in light of the foregoing and in accordance with Rule 14a-5(e)(2) and Rule 14a-5(f) under the Exchange Act, in order for shareholder
proposals submitted outside of Rule 14a-8 in connection with the 2022 Annual Meeting to be considered timely for purposes of Rule 14(a)-4(c) under the
Exchange Act, such proposals must be received by us no later than March 24, 2022. Such proposals should be delivered to our Corporate Secretary at c/o
Harpoon Therapeutics, Inc., 131 Oyster Point Boulevard, Suite 300, South San Francisco, California 94080. Proposals must comply with the procedures
and include the information required by our bylaws.
Item 9C. Disclosure Regarding Foreign Jurisdictions that Prevent Inspections
Not applicable.
94
Item 10. Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance
PART III
Information required by this item is incorporated by reference to the information set forth in the sections titled “Proposal 1—Elections of
Directors,” “Information Regarding the Board and Corporate Governance” and “Information About Our Executive Officers” in our definitive proxy
statement to be filed with the SEC on Schedule 14A in connection with our 2022 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, or the Proxy Statement, which is
expected to be filed not later than 120 days after December 31, 2021.
Item 11. Executive Compensation
Information required by this item is incorporated by reference to the information set forth in the sections titled “Information about Our Executive
Officers,” “Executive Officer and Director Compensation” and “Equity Compensation Plan Information” in the Proxy Statement.
Item 12. Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters.
Information required by this item is incorporated by reference to the information set forth in the sections titled “Equity Compensation Plan
Information” and “Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management” in the Proxy Statement and is incorporated herein by reference.
Item 13. Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence.
Information required by this item is incorporated by reference to the information set forth in the sections titled “Information Regarding the Board
and Corporate Governance – Board of Directors Independence” and “Transactions With Related Persons” in the Proxy Statement and is incorporated herein
by reference.
Item 14. Principal Accountant Fees and Services.
Information required by this item is incorporated by reference to the information set forth in the sections titled “Independent Registered Public
Accounting Firm Fees and Services” in the Proxy Statement.
95
Item 15. Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules.
(a)
1.
The following documents are filed as part of this Annual Report on Form 10-K:
Financial Statements:
PART IV
The following financial statements and schedules of the Registrant are contained in Part II, Item 8, “Financial Statements and Supplementary
Data” of this Annual Report on Form 10-K:
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm (PCAOB ID: 42)
Financial Statements:
Balance Sheets
Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Loss
Statements of Convertible Preferred Stock and Stockholders’ Equity
Statements of Cash Flows
Notes to the Financial Statements
2.
Financial Statement Schedules
Page
F-2
F-3
F-4
F-5
F-6
F-7
No financial statement schedules are provided because the information called for is not required or is shown either in the financial statements
or notes thereto.
(b)
Exhibits
The exhibits listed in the following “Exhibit Index” are filed, furnished or incorporated by reference as part of this Annual Report.
96
EXHIBIT INDEX
Exhibit Description
Form
File No.
Exhibit
Filing Date
Filed
Herewith
Asset Transfer Agreement by and between the Registrant and Maverick Therapeutics,
Inc., dated as of December 30, 2016, as amended
S-1
333-229040
Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Registrant
10-Q
001-38800
Number
2.1¥*
3.1
3.2
4.1
4.2
4.3
10.1+
10.2+
10.3+
10.4+
10.5+
10.6+
10.7
10.8¥
10.9¥
10.10¥
10.11¥
10.12
Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Registrant
Form of Common Stock Certificate.
Amended and Restated Investors’ Rights Agreement, dated as of November 9, 2018,
by and among the Registrant and certain of its stockholders.
Description of Registrant’s securities registered pursuant to Section 12 of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Form of Indemnification Agreement between the Registrant and each of its directors
and executive officers
Harpoon Therapeutics, Inc. 2015 Equity Incentive Plan and related form agreements
Harpoon Therapeutics, Inc. 2019 Equity Incentive Plan and related form agreements
Harpoon Therapeutics, Inc. Amended and Restated Employee Stock Purchase Plan and
related form agreements
Employment Offer Letter by and between Holger Wesche and the Registrant, dated as
of March 17, 2015, as amended
Employment Offer Letter by and between Natalie Sacks and the Registrant, dated as of
September 13, 2018
Royalty Transfer Agreement by and between the Registrant, MPM Oncology
Charitable Foundation, Inc. and the UBS Optimus Foundation, dated as of December
1, 2016, as amended
First Amended and Restated Assignment and License Agreement between the
Registrant and Werewolf Therapeutics, Inc., dated as of October 19, 2018
CHEF 1 Collaboration and License Agreement between the Registrant and CMC ICOS
Biologics, Inc., dated as of October 26, 2015
Amendment to CHEF1 Collaboration and License Agreement and Development and
Manufacturing Services Agreement between Registrant and AGC Biologics, Inc.
(previously CMC ICOS Biologics, Inc.), dated as of December 12, 2018
Development and Manufacturing Services Agreement between the Registrant and
CMC ICOS Biologics, Inc., dated as of July 5, 2016
Lease by and between the Registrant and HCP Oyster Point III LLC, dated as of July
27, 2018
8-K
S-1
S-1
001-38800
333-229040
333-229040
10-K
001-38800
20709109
333-229040
333-229040
333-229040
333-229040
333-229040
333-229040
2.1
3.1
3.2
4.1
4.2
4.3
10.4
10.1
10.2
10.3
10.6
10.7
1/29/2019
8/5/2019
2/13/2019
1/29/2019
12/27/2018
3/12/2020
1/4/2019
12/27/2018
1/29/2019
1/29/2019
12/27/2018
12/27/2018
333-229040
10.13
12/27/2018
333-229040
10.14
12/27/2018
333-229040
10.15
12/27/2018
333-229040
10.21
1/29/2019
333-229040
10.16
12/27/2018
333-229040
10.19
12/27/2018
333-229040
10.20
1/4/2019
S-1
S-1
S-1
S-1
S-1
S-1
S-1
S-1
S-1
S-1
S-1
S-1
S-1
10.13+
Employment Offer Letter by and between Georgia Erbez and the Registrant, dated as
of October 19, 2018
10.14¥
10.15¥
10.16¥
10.17
10.18¥*
Amended and Restated Discovery Collaboration and License Agreement between the
Registrant and AbbVie Biotechnology Ltd., dated as of November 20, 2019
10-K
001-38800
Development and Option Agreement between the Registrant and AbbVie
Biotechnology Ltd., dated as of November 20, 2019
Second Amended and Restated Assignment and License Agreement between the
Registrant and Werewolf Therapeutics, Inc., dated as of December 20, 2019
Controlled Equity Offering
Fitzgerald & co. and the Registrant.
SM
Sales Agreement, dated March 13, 2020, between Cantor
10-K
001-38800
10-K
001-38800
S-3
333-237175
First Amendment to the Development and Option Agreement between the Registrant
and AbbVie Biotechnology Ltd., dated as of April 21, 2020
10-Q
001-38800
10.19*
10.20+
Side Letter Amendment to Development and Option Agreement between the
Registrant and AbbVie Biotechnology Ltd., dated as of April 15, 2020
Amended and Restated Non-Employee Director Compensation Policy
10-Q
001-38800
10-Q
001-38800
97
10.17
10.18
10.19
1.1
10.1
10.2
10.1
3/12/2020
3/12/2020
3/12/2020
3/13/2020
08/05/2020
08/05/2020
05/06/2021
10.21#
10.22+
10.23+
21.1
23.1
24.1
31.1
31.2
Amendment No. 1 to Amended and Restated Discovery Collaboration and License
Agreement by and between the Registrant and AbbVie, Inc., dated as of August 16,
2021
Transition and Retirement Agreement by and between Gerald McMahon and the
Registrant, dated as of October 25, 2021
Employment Offer Letter by and between Julie Eastland and the Registrant, dated as
of October 25, 2021
10-Q
001-38800
10/1
11/10/2021
List of subsidiaries of the Registrant
S-1
333-229040
21.1
12/27/2018
Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
Power of Attorney (included on signature page to this Form 10-K)
Certification of Chief Executive Officer pursuant to Exchange Act Rules 13a-14(a)
and 15d-14(a), as adopted pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
Certification of Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Exchange Act Rules 13a-14(a) and
15d-14(a), as adopted pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
32.1†
Certifications of Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer pursuant to 18
U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of
2002
101.INS
Inline XBRL Instance Document
101.SCH Inline XBRL Taxonomy Schema Linkbase Document
101.CAL Inline XBRL Taxonomy Definition Linkbase Document
101.DEF Inline XBRL Taxonomy Calculation Linkbase Document
101.LAB Inline XBRL Taxonomy Labels Linkbase Document
101.PRE Inline XBRL Taxonomy Presentation Linkbase Document
104
The cover page for this Annual Report on Form 10-K has been formatted in Inline
XBRL
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
†
+
¥
*
The certifications attached as Exhibit 32.1 that accompany this Annual Report on Form 10-K, are deemed furnished and not filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission
and are not to be incorporated by reference into any filing of Harpoon Therapeutics, Inc. under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended, whether made before or after the date of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, irrespective of any general incorporation language contained in such filing.
Indicates management contract or compensatory plan.
Confidential treatment has been granted as to certain portions of this exhibit, which portions have been omitted and submitted separately to the Securities and Exchange
Commission.
Certain schedules and/or exhibits to this agreement have been omitted in accordance with Item 601(b)(2) of Regulation S-K. A copy of any omitted schedule and/or exhibit will
be furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission upon request.
**
Portions of this exhibit have been omitted in accordance with Item 601(b)(10) of Regulation S-K.
Item 16. Form 10-K Summary.
None.
98
Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the Registrant has duly caused this Annual
Report on Form 10-K to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
Date: March 10, 2022
SIGNATURES
HARPOON THERAPEUTICS, INC.
By:
/s/ Julie Eastland
Julie Eastland
President and Chief Executive Officer
POWER OF ATTORNEY
KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints Julie Eastland and
Georgia Erbez, and each of them, as her true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution for her, and in her name in any and all
capacities, to sign any and all 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 U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and
authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done therewith, as fully to all intents and purposes as he or she might
or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and either of them, her substitute or substitutes, may
lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.
99
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, this Annual Report on Form 10-K has been signed below by the
following persons on behalf of the Registrant in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
Signature
/s/ Julie Eastland
Julie Eastland
/s/ Georgia Erbez
Georgia Erbez
/s/ Scott Myers
Scott Myers
/s/ Joseph Bailes
Joseph Bailes
/s/ Mark Chin
Mark Chin
/s/ Alan Colowick
Alan Colowick
/s/ Jonathan Drachman, M.D.
Jonathan Drachman, M.D.
/s/ Ron Hunt
Ron Hunt
/s/ Andrew Robbins
Andrew Robbins
/s/ Joanne Viney
Joanne Viney
Title
Date
President, Chief Executive Officer and
Director (Principal Executive Officer)
Chief Financial Officer (Principal
Financial and Accounting Officer)
March 10, 2022
March 10, 2022
Chairman of the Board of Directors
March 10, 2022
Director
Director
Director
Director
Director
Director
Director
100
March 10, 2022
March 10, 2022
March 10, 2022
March 10, 2022
March 10, 2022
March 10, 2022
March 10, 2022
HARPOON THERAPEUTICS, INC.
INDEX TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
Financial Statements:
Balance Sheets
Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Loss
Statements of Convertible Preferred Stock and Stockholders’ Equity
Statements of Cash Flows
Notes to the Financial Statements
Page
F-2
F-3
F-4
F-5
F-6
F-7
Auditor Firm Id:
42
Auditor Name:
Ernst & Young LLP
Auditor Location:
Redwood City, California
F-1
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
To the Stockholders and the Board of Directors of Harpoon Therapeutics, Inc.
Opinion on the Financial Statements
We have audited the accompanying balance sheets of Harpoon Therapeutics, Inc. (the Company), as of December 31, 2021 and 2020, the related statements
of operations and comprehensive loss, convertible preferred stock and stockholders’ equity and cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended
December 31, 2021, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the “financial statements”). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in
all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of December 31, 2021 and 2020, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each
of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2021 in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.
Basis for Opinion
These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial
statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States)
(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. The Company is not required
to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audits we are required to obtain an
understanding of internal control over financial reporting but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal
control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion.
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.
/s/ Ernst & Young LLP
We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2017.
Redwood City, California
March 10, 2022
F-2
HARPOON THERAPEUTICS, INC.
Balance Sheets
(In thousands, except share and per share amounts)
December 31,
2021
2020
Assets
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents
Short-term marketable securities
Prepaid expenses and other current assets
Total current assets
Property and equipment, net
Long-term marketable securities
Operating lease right-of-use asset
Other assets
Total assets
Liabilities, convertible preferred stock and stockholders' equity
Current liabilities
Accounts payable
Accrued liabilities
Deferred revenue, current
Operating lease liabilities, current
Total current liabilities
Deferred revenue, noncurrent
Operating lease liabilities, net of current portion
Total liabilities
Commitments and contingencies (Note 6)
Stockholders' equity
Common stock, $0.0001 par value; 150,000,000 shares
authorized at December 31, 2021 and 2020; 32,765,788 shares and
25,553,172 shares issued and outstanding at December 31, 2021 and 2020,
respectively
Additional paid-in capital
Accumulated other comprehensive (loss) income
Accumulated deficit
Total stockholders' equity
Total liabilities, convertible preferred stock and stockholders' equity
$
$
$
44,687 $
90,411
2,597
137,695
9,248
1,522
6,127
860
155,452 $
2,666
17,362
37,462
1,649
59,139
27,705
10,538
97,382
4
342,905
(47 )
(284,792 )
58,070
155,452 $
21,170
104,860
3,724
129,754
10,188
23,946
6,583
1,121
171,592
1,572
13,845
31,299
1,202
47,918
57,522
12,313
117,753
3
221,904
3
(168,071 )
53,839
171,592
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
F-3
HARPOON THERAPEUTICS, INC.
Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Loss
(in thousands, except share and per share data)
Revenue
Collaboration and license revenue
Total revenue
Operating expenses
Research and development
General and administrative
Litigation settlement
Total operating expenses
Loss from operations
Interest income
Other expense
Net loss
Other comprehensive loss:
Net unrealized (loss) gain on marketable securities
Comprehensive loss
Net loss per share, basic and diluted
Weighted-average common shares used in computing net loss per share,
basic and diluted
2021
For the year ended December 31,
2020
2019
$
23,654 $
23,654
72,124
18,327
49,954
140,405
(116,751 )
240
(210 )
(116,721 )
$
(50 )
(116,771 )
(3.62 )
$
17,444 $
17,444
52,565
16,210
—
68,775
(51,331 )
1,449
(26 )
(49,908 )
(38 )
(49,946 ) $
(1.99 )
5,777
5,777
41,592
22,391
—
63,983
(58,206 )
2,676
(42 )
(55,572 )
41
(55,531 )
(2.56 )
32,274,362
25,034,947
21,746,461
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
F-4
Balances at December 31, 2018
Conversion of Series A, B, and C convertible
preferred stock into common stock
Issuance of common stock upon
exercise of warrants
Issuance of common stock upon initial public
offering, net of offering costs of $10,122
Issuance of common stock for exercise
of stock options
Vesting of early exercised stock options
Stock-based compensation
Vesting of Founder's shares
Net loss
Other comprehensive income
Balances at December 31, 2019
Issuance of common stock pursuant to ATM facility,
net of offering costs
Issuance of common stock under equity
incentive plans including exercise
of stock options
Vesting of early exercised stock options
Stock-based compensation
Net loss
Other comprehensive loss
Balances at December 31, 2020
Issuance of common stock in follow-on offering,
net of underwriter discounts, commissions and
issuance costs of $7,400
Issuance of common stock pursuant to ATM facility,
net of offering costs
Issuance of common stock under equity
incentive plans including exercise
of stock options
Vesting of early exercised stock options
Stock-based compensation
Net loss
Other comprehensive loss
Balances at December 31, 2021
HARPOON THERAPEUTICS, INC.
Statements of Convertible Preferred Stock and Stockholders’ Equity
(in thousands, except share and per share data)
Convertible
Preferred Stock
Common Stock
Additional
Paid-In
Note
Receivable
from
Accumulated
Other
Comprehensive
Accumulated
Amount
Shares
Amount
Capital
Stockholder
Income/(Loss)
Deficit
Shares
16,618,448
129,577
1,211,419
(16,618,448 )
(129,577 )
16,618,448
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
563,043
—
5,769,201
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
572,436
93,336
—
22,181
—
—
24,850,064
—
192,069
—
—
—
—
—
—
475,667
35,372
—
—
25,553,172
6,764,704
—
138,153
—
—
—
—
—
—
293,528
16,231
—
—
32,765,788 $
1
1
—
1
—
—
—
—
—
—
3
—
—
—
—
—
—
3
1
—
9,111
129,575
70,646
803
133
2,071
—
—
—
212,339
3,032
1,644
29
4,860
—
—
221,904
107,578
2,769
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
41
41
—
—
—
—
—
(38 )
3
(62,591 )
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
(55,572 )
—
(118,163 )
—
—
—
—
(49,908 )
—
(168,071 )
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
4 $
1,174
18
9,462
—
—
342,905 $
—
—
—
—
—
— $
—
—
—
—
(50 )
(47 ) $
—
—
—
(116,721 )
—
(284,792 )
$
Total
Stockholders'
Equity
(53,479 )
129,576
—
70,647
803
133
2,071
—
(55,572 )
41
94,220
3,032
1,644
29
4,860
(49,908 )
(38 )
53,839
107,579
2,769
1,174
18
9,462
(116,721 )
(50 )
58,070
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
F-5
HARPOON THERAPEUTICS, INC.
Statements of Cash Flows
(in thousands)
Cash flows from operating activities
Net loss
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash (used in) provided by operating activities
Stock-based compensation expense
Depreciation and amortization
Non cash lease expense
Net amortization of discounts on marketable securities
Changes in operating assets and liabilities
Prepaid expenses and other assets
Other assets
Accounts payable
Accrued liabilities
Deferred revenue
Operating lease liabilities
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities
Cash flows from investing activities
Purchases of property and equipment
Purchases of marketable securities
Maturities of marketable securities
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities
Cash flows from financing activities
Proceeds from follow-on offering, net of issuance costs
Proceeds from issuance of common stock, net of issuance costs
Proceeds from issuance of common stock in connection with employee benefit plans
Net cash provided by financing activities
Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash
Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at beginning of period
Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at end of period
Supplemental disclosures of non-cash investing and financing information
Conversion of preferred stock to common stock and additional paid-in capital
Deferred follow on offering costs included in accrued liabilities
Purchases of property and equipment included in accounts payable
Reclassification of employee stock liability to equity upon vesting
Right-of-use asset obtained in exchange for lease obligation
Modification of operating lease
Tenant improvements provided by landlord
2021
For the year ended December 31,
2020
2019
$
(116,721 )
$
(49,908 )
$
(55,572 )
9,462
2,190
456
2,369
1,125
468
542
2,937
(23,654 )
(1,328 )
(122,154 )
(100 )
(151,965 )
186,419
34,354
107,580
2,769
1,174
111,523
23,723
21,637
45,360
$
— $
$
1,149 $
18 $
— $
— $
— $
4,860
2,082
432
491
(1,179 )
(359 )
(1,228 )
6,151
31,470
(1,428 )
(8,616 )
(683 )
(202,182 )
139,239
(63,626 )
3,032
—
1,644
4,676
(67,566 )
89,203
21,637
$
— $
229 $
204 $
29 $
— $
— $
— $
2,071
900
1,202
(541 )
(1,814 )
3,042
(1,761 )
4,288
45,309
(15 )
(2,891 )
(3,516 )
(141,816 )
76,017
(69,315 )
70,646
—
803
71,449
(757 )
89,960
89,203
129,577
—
(16 )
133
8,405
(188 )
5,784
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
F-6
HARPOON THERAPEUTICS, INC.
Notes to the Financial Statements
1.
Organization
Description of Business
Harpoon Therapeutics, Inc. (the “Company”) is a clinical-stage immunotherapy company developing a novel class of T cell engagers that harness
the power of the body’s immune system to treat patients suffering from cancer and other diseases. T cell engagers are engineered proteins that direct a
patient’s own T cells to kill target cells that express specific proteins, or antigens, carried by the target cells. Using a proprietary Tri-specific T cell
Activating Construct (“TriTAC”), platform, the Company is developing a pipeline of novel T cell engagers, or TriTACs, initially focused on the treatment
of solid tumors and hematologic malignancies. The Company is also developing its ProTriTAC platform, which builds upon the core elements of the
TriTAC platform by utilizing a prodrug approach designed to allow T cell engagers to address cancer targets that would otherwise be limited by on-target
toxicities. The Company's third proprietary technology platform, extended release TriTAC-XR, is designed to mitigate cytokine release syndrome. The
Company was incorporated in Delaware in March 2015 and is headquartered in South San Francisco, California.
Initial Public Offering
On February 7, 2019, the Company’s registration statement on Form S-1 relating to its initial public offering (“IPO”) was declared effective by the
Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and shares of its common stock began trading on the Nasdaq Global Select Market (“Nasdaq”) on February
8, 2019. The public offering price of the shares sold in the IPO was $14.00 per share. The IPO closed in February 2019, pursuant to which the Company
sold 5,769,201 shares of common stock, for gross proceeds of approximately $80.8 million, including the exercise in part of the underwriters’ option to
purchase additional shares. The Company received net proceeds from the IPO of approximately $70.7 million, after underwriting discounts, commissions
and offering costs.
Immediately prior to the completion of the IPO on February 12, 2019, all outstanding shares of redeemable convertible preferred stock, including
preferred stock warrants, were converted into 17,181,491 shares of common stock and $129.6 million was reclassified from temporary equity to additional
paid in capital on the balance sheet. Subsequent to the closing of the IPO, there were no shares of redeemable convertible preferred stock outstanding.
Public Offering
In January 2021, the Company sold an aggregate of 6,764,704 shares of its common stock for $107.6 million in net proceeds after deducting
underwriting discounts and commissions and offering expenses. The offering was made pursuant to the Company’s shelf registration statement on Form S-
3 (File No. 333-237175), declared effective by the SEC on April 23, 2020, a base prospectus dated April 23, 2020 and the related prospectus supplement
dated January 6, 2021.
Liquidity
Since inception, the Company has incurred significant losses and has negative cash flows from operations. As of December 31, 2021, the Company
had an accumulated deficit of $284.8 million. Management expects to continue to incur additional substantial losses in the foreseeable future as a result of
the Company’s research and development activities.
As of December 31, 2021, the Company had cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities of $114.6 million, which is available to fund future
operations. The Company believes that its cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities as of December 31, 2021, provide sufficient capital resources to
continue its operations for at least 12 months from the issuance date of this Annual Report. The Company will need to raise additional capital to support the
completion of its research and development activities. The Company’s activities are subject to significant risks and uncertainties, including failing to secure
additional funding to continue to operationalize the Company’s current technology and to advance the development of its product candidates.
2.
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Basis of Presentation
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America
(“GAAP”).
F-7
Use of Estimates
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported
amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities as of the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of
revenue and expenses during the reporting period. Significant estimates and assumptions made in the accompanying financial statements include, but are
not limited to, the fair value of stock options, the research period of the collaboration agreements with AbbVie Biotechnology Ltd. (“AbbVie”), operating
lease asset and lease liabilities, income tax uncertainties and certain accruals. As of December 31, 2021, the Company has not experienced a significant
financial impact directly related to the COVID-19 pandemic. See Note 1 Organization – Liquidity for more information
Segment Reporting
Operating segments are identified as components of an enterprise about which separate discrete financial information is available for evaluation by
the Company’s Chief Operating Decision Maker in making decisions regarding resource allocation and assessing performance. To date, the Company has
viewed its operations and manages its business as one segment operating primarily in the United States.
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash
The Company considers all highly liquid investments purchased with original maturities of three months or less from the purchase date to be cash
equivalents. Cash equivalents consist primarily of amounts invested in money market accounts and are stated at fair value. There are no significant
unrealized gains or losses on the money market funds for the periods presented.
For the year ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, the Company classified $0.7 million and $0.5 million, respectively, as restricted cash related to a
letter of credit established for an operating lease entered into in August 2018 and collateral related to a deposit for an operating lease entered into in
October 2021. The restricted cash is classified in “Other assets” in the balance sheets. See Note 6 Commitments and Contingencies for more information.
The following table provides a reconciliation of cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash reported within the balance sheets that sum to the total
of the same amounts shown in the statement of cash flows.
Balance Sheets
Cash and cash equivalents
Restricted cash (included in other assets)
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash in Statements of Cash Flows
F-8
2021
As of December 31,
2020
(in thousands)
2019
$
$
44,687
673
45,360
$
$
21,170
467
21,637
$
$
88,736
467
89,203
Marketable Securities
The Company generally invests its excess cash in money market funds and investment grade short- to intermediate-term fixed income securities.
Such investments are included in cash and cash equivalents, short-term marketable securities or long-term marketable securities on the balance sheets.
Marketable securities with a maturity date greater than 90 days and less than one year at each balance sheet date are classified as short-term. Marketable
securities with a maturity date greater than one year at each balance sheet date are classified as long-term. All of the Company’s marketable securities are
considered available-for-sale and are reported at fair value with unrealized gains and losses included as a component of stockholders’ equity. The amortized
cost of debt securities is adjusted for amortization of premiums and accretion of discounts to maturity, which is included in interest income, net on the
statements of operations. Realized gains and losses and declines in value judged to be other-than-temporary, if any, on marketable securities are included in
interest income, net on the statements of operations. The cost of securities sold is determined using specific identification.
The Company periodically evaluates whether declines in the fair values of its marketable securities below their amortized cost are other-than-
temporary. This evaluation consists of several qualitative and quantitative factors regarding the severity and duration of the unrealized loss, as well as the
Company’s ability and intent to hold the marketable security until a forecasted recovery occurs. Additionally, the Company assesses whether it has plans to
sell the marketable security or it is more likely than not it will be required to sell any marketable securities before recovery of its amortized cost basis.
Factors considered include quoted market prices, recent financial results and operating trends, implied values from any recent transactions or offers of
investee securities, credit quality of debt instrument issuers, other publicly available information that may affect the value of the marketable security,
duration and severity of the decline in value, and the Company’s strategy and intentions for holding the marketable security.
Concentration of Credit Risk
The Company is subject to credit risk from its portfolio of cash equivalents and marketable securities. The Company invests in money market funds
through a major U.S. bank and is exposed to credit risk in the event of default by the financial institution to the extent of amounts recorded on the
consolidated balance sheets. The Company invests in money market funds and investment grade short- to intermediate-term fixed income securities. Under
its investment policy, the Company limits amounts invested in such securities by credit rating, maturity, industry group, investment type and issuer, except
for securities issued by the U.S. government. The Company is not exposed to any significant concentrations of credit risk from these financial instruments.
The goals of the Company’s investment policy, in order of priority, are as follows: preservation of principal, liquidity of investments, fiduciary control of
cash and investments, prevention of inappropriate concentrations of investments, and obtaining the best yields. The Company minimizes the amount of
credit exposure by investing cash that is not required for immediate operating needs in money market funds and marketable securities.
Leases
The Company evaluates arrangements at inception to determine if an arrangement is or contains a lease. Operating lease assets represent the
Company’s right to use an underlying asset for the lease term and operating lease liabilities represent the Company’s obligation to make lease payments
arising from the lease. Operating lease assets and liabilities are recognized at the commencement date of the lease based upon the present value of lease
payments over the lease term. When determining the lease term, the Company includes options to extend or terminate the lease when it is reasonably
certain that the Company will exercise that option. The Company uses an incremental borrowing rate that the Company would expect to incur for a fully
collateralized loan over a similar term under similar economic conditions to determine the present value of the lease payments.
The lease payments used to determine the Company’s operating lease assets may include lease incentives and stated rent increases and are
recognized in the Company’s operating lease assets in the balance sheets. Operating lease liabilities are accreted over the term of the lease using the
incremental borrowing rate and the associated expense is recorded to operating expenses in the statement of operations and comprehensive loss. The
Company recognizes lease expenses on a straight-line basis over the lease term. Variable lease payments are recognized as the associated obligation is
incurred.
Fair Value Measurement
Fair value is defined as the exchange price that would be received for an asset or paid to transfer a liability, or an exit price, in the principal or most
advantageous market for that asset or liability in an orderly transaction between market participants on the measurement date, and established a fair value
hierarchy that requires an entity to maximize the use of observable inputs, where available, and minimize the use of unobservable inputs when measuring
fair value.
F-9
The Company measures fair value based on a three-level hierarchy of inputs, of which the first two are considered observable and the last
unobservable. Unobservable inputs reflect the Company’s own assumptions about current market conditions. The three-level hierarchy of inputs is as
follows:
Level 1—Observable inputs such as unadjusted, quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities at the measurement date;
Level 2—Inputs (other than quoted prices included in Level 1) are either directly or indirectly observable for the asset or liability. These include
quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets and quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in markets that are not
active; and
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.
To the extent that the valuation is based on models or inputs that are less observable or unobservable in the market, the determination of fair value
requires more judgment. Accordingly, the degree of judgment exercised by the Company in determining fair value is greatest for instruments categorized in
Level 3. A financial instrument’s level within the fair value hierarchy is based on the lowest level of any input that is significant to the fair value
measurement.
The carrying amounts reflected in the accompanying balance sheets for cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash, short-term marketable securities,
prepaid expenses, other current assets, accounts payable, accrued expenses and other current liabilities approximate their fair values due to their short-term
nature.
Property and Equipment, Net
Property and equipment are stated at cost less accumulated depreciation and amortization. Depreciation is computed on a straight-line basis over the
estimated useful lives of the related assets, generally three to five years. Leasehold improvements are amortized using the straight-line method over the
shorter of the assets’ estimated useful lives or the remaining term of the lease. Depreciation and amortization begin at the time the asset is placed in service.
Maintenance and repairs are charged to operations as incurred. Upon sale or retirement of assets, the cost and related accumulated depreciation are removed
from the balance sheet and the resulting gain or loss is reflected in operations. There were no sales or retirement of assets for any of the periods presented.
Impairment of Long-Lived Assets
The Company evaluates its long-lived assets, including property and equipment, for impairment whenever events or changes in business
circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of the assets or group of assets may not be fully recoverable. If indicators of impairment exist and the
undiscounted future cash flows that the assets are expected to generate are less than the carrying amount of the assets, the Company reduces the carrying
amount of the assets through an impairment charge to their estimated fair values based on a discounted cash flow approach or, when available and
appropriate, to comparable market values. There were no impairments of long-lived assets for any of the periods presented.
Revenue Recognition
In accordance with Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (“Topic 606”), the Company
recognizes revenue when its customer obtains control of promised goods or services, in an amount that reflects the consideration which the Company
expects to receive in exchange for those goods or services. To determine revenue recognition for arrangements that the Company determines are within the
scope of Topic 606, the Company performs the following five steps: (i) identify the contract(s) with a customer; (ii) identify the performance obligations in
the contract; (iii) determine the transaction price; (iv) allocate the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract; and (v) recognize revenue
when (or as) the Company satisfies a performance obligation. The Company only applies the five-step model to contracts when it is probable that it will
collect the consideration it is entitled to in exchange for the goods and services it transfers to the customer. At contract inception, the Company assesses the
goods or services promised within each contract that falls under the scope of Topic 606, determines those that are performance obligations and assesses
whether each promised good or service is distinct. The Company then recognizes as revenue the amount of the transaction price that is allocated to the
respective performance obligation when (or as) the performance obligation is satisfied.
F-10
The Company enters into corporate collaborations under which it may obtain upfront license fees, research and development funding, and
development, regulatory and commercial milestone payments and royalty payments. The Company’s performance obligations under these arrangements
may include licenses of intellectual property, distribution rights, research and development services, delivery of manufactured product and/or participation
on joint steering committees.
Licenses of intellectual property: If the license to the Company’s intellectual property is determined to be distinct from the other performance
obligations identified in the arrangement, the Company recognizes revenue from upfront license fees allocated to the license when the license is transferred
to the customer and the customer is able to use and benefit from the license. For licenses that are bundled with other promises, the Company utilizes
judgement to assess the nature of the combined performance obligation to determine whether the combined performance obligation is satisfied over time or
at a point in time and, if over time, the appropriate method of measuring proportional performance for purposes of recognizing revenue from non-
refundable, up-front fees. The Company evaluates the measure of proportional performance each reporting period and, if necessary, adjusts the measure of
performance and related revenue recognition. The Company recognizes collaboration revenue by measuring the progress toward complete satisfaction of
the performance obligation using an input measure. In order to recognize revenue over the research and development period, the Company measures actual
costs incurred to date compared to the overall total expected costs to satisfy the performance obligation. Revenues are recognized as the program costs are
incurred. The Company will re-evaluate the estimate of expected costs to satisfy the performance obligation each reporting period and make adjustments
for any significant changes.
Milestone payments: At the inception of each arrangement that includes development, regulatory or commercial milestone payments, the Company
evaluates whether the milestones are considered probable of being reached and estimates the amount to be included in the transaction price. Topic 606
suggests two alternatives to use when estimating the amount of variable consideration: the expected value method and the most likely amount method.
Under the expected value method, an entity considers the sum of probability-weighted amounts in a range of possible consideration amounts. Under the
most likely amount method, an entity considers the single most likely amount in a range of possible consideration amounts. Whichever method is used, it
should be consistently applied throughout the life of the contract; however, it is not necessary for the Company to use the same approach for all contracts.
The Company expects to use the most likely amount method for development and regulatory milestone payments. If it is probable that a significant revenue
reversal would not occur, the associated milestone value is included in the transaction price. Milestone payments that are not within the Company’s or the
licensee’s control, such as regulatory approvals, are not considered probable of being achieved until those approvals are received. The transaction price is
then allocated to each performance obligation on a relative stand-alone selling price basis. The Company recognizes revenue as or when the performance
obligations under the contract are satisfied. At the end of each subsequent reporting period, the Company re-evaluates the probability or achievement of
each such milestone and any related constraint, and if necessary, adjusts its estimates of the overall transaction price. Any such adjustments are recorded on
a cumulative catch-up basis, which would affect revenues and earnings in the period of adjustment.
Commercial milestones and royalties: For arrangements that include sales-based royalties, including milestone payments based on the level of sales,
and in which the license is deemed to be the predominant item to which the royalties relate, the Company recognizes revenue when the related sales occur.
To date, the Company has not recognized any royalty revenue resulting from its collaboration arrangements.
Upfront payments and fees are recorded as deferred revenue upon receipt or when due, and may require deferral of revenue recognition to a future
period until the Company performs its obligations (i.e. research and development services) under these arrangements. Amounts due to the Company are
recorded as accounts receivable when the Company’s right to consideration is unconditional. Amounts recognized as revenue prior to receipt are recorded
as contract assets included in prepaid expenses and other current assets on the balance sheet. If the Company expects to have an unconditional right to
receive the consideration in the next twelve months, this will be classified in current assets.
Research and Development Expenses and Accrued Research and Development Costs
The Company expenses research and development costs as incurred. Research and development expenses consist of personnel costs for the
Company’s research and product development employees. Also included are non-personnel costs such as professional fees payable to third parties for
preclinical studies, clinical trials, research services, production of materials for clinical trials, laboratory supplies and equipment maintenance and
depreciation, intellectual property licenses and other consulting costs.
F-11
The Company estimates preclinical and clinical study and research expenses based on the services performed, pursuant to contracts with research
institutions that conduct and manage preclinical studies, clinical trials and research services and manufacturing organizations in connection with the
production of materials for clinical trials on its behalf. The Company estimates these expenses based on discussions with internal management personnel
and external service providers as to the progress or stage of completion of services and the contracted fees to be paid for such services. The Company
records the estimated costs of research and development activities based upon the estimated amount services provided but not yet invoiced and includes
these costs in development expenses. The Company accrues for these costs based on factors such as estimates of the work completed and in accordance
with agreements established with its third-party service provides under the service agreements. The Company makes significant judgments and estimates in
determining the accrued liabilities balance in each reporting period. As actual costs become known, the Company adjusts its accrued liabilities. The
Company has not experienced any material differences between accrued costs and actual costs incurred. However, the status and timing of actual services
performed may vary from the Company’s estimates, resulting in adjustments to expense in future periods. Changes in these estimates that result in material
changes to the Company’s accruals could materially affect the Company’s results of operations. Payments associated with licensing agreements to acquire
exclusive license to develop, use, manufacture and commercialize products that have not reached technological feasibility and do not have alternate future
use are expensed as incurred.
Payments made to third parties under these arrangements in advance of the performance of the related services by the third parties are recorded as
prepaid expenses until the services are rendered. Such payments are evaluated for current or long-term classification based on when such services are
expected to be received.
Stock-Based Compensation
The Company maintains a stock-based compensation plan as a long-term incentive for employees, consultants and members of the Company’s board
of directors (the “Board”). The plan allows for the issuance of non-statutory options (“NSOs”) and incentive stock options to employees and NSOs to non-
employees.
Share-based payments are measured using fair-value-based measurements and recognized as compensation expense over the service period in which
the awards are expected to vest. The Company’s fair-value-based measurements of awards to employees, directors and consultants as of the grant date
utilize the single-option award-valuation approach, and the Company uses the straight-line method for expense attribution. The fair-value-based
measurements of options granted to nonemployees are remeasured at each period end until the options vest and are amortized to expense as earned. The
valuation model used for calculating the estimated fair value of stock awards is the Black-Scholes option-pricing model. The Black-Scholes option-pricing
model requires the Company to make assumptions and judgments about the variables used in the calculations, including the expected term (weighted-
average period of time that the options granted are expected to be outstanding), the expected volatility of the Company’s common stock, the related risk-
free interest rate and the expected dividend yield. The Company has elected to recognize forfeitures of share-based payment awards as they occur.
Employee 401(k) Plan
The Company has a qualified contributory savings plan under Section 401(k) of the Internal Revenue Code (the “Code”) covering substantially all
U.S. employees of Harpoon. The 401(k) plan is designed to provide tax-deferred retirement benefits in accordance with the provisions of Section 401(k) of
the Code. Eligible employees may defer up to 100% of their eligible compensation up to the annual maximum as determined by the Internal Revenue
Service. The Company’s contributions to the plan are discretionary. For the years ended December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, the Company made
matching contributions of $0.4 million and $0.3 million, respectively. The Company did not make any matching contributions for the year ended December
31, 2019.
Income Taxes
Income taxes are accounted for under the asset and liability method. Under this method, 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 and operating loss and tax credit carryforwards. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates applied to taxable income
in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be realized. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates is
recognized as income in the period that includes the enactment date. A valuation allowance is established when necessary to reduce deferred tax assets to
the amount expected to be realized. Financial statement effects of uncertain tax positions are recognized when it is more-likely-than-not, based on the
technical merits of the position, that it will be sustained upon examination. Interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits are included as a
component of other expense. To date, there have been no interest or penalties charged in relation to the unrecognized tax benefits.
The Company accounts for uncertain tax positions in accordance with ASC 740-10, Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes. The Company
assesses all material positions taken in any income tax return, including all significant uncertain positions, in all tax years that are still subject to assessment
or challenge by relevant taxing authorities. Assessing an uncertain tax position begins with
F-12
the initial determination of the position’s sustainability and is measured at the largest amount of benefit that is greater than fifty percent likely of being
realized upon ultimate settlement. As of each balance sheet date, unresolved uncertain tax positions must be reassessed, and the Company will determine
whether (i) the factors underlying the sustainability assertion have changed and (ii) the amount of the recognized tax benefit is still appropriate. The
recognition and measurement of tax benefits requires significant judgment. Judgment concerning the recognition and measurement of a tax benefit might
change as new information becomes available.
The Company includes any penalties and interest expense related to income taxes as a component of provision for income tax as necessary. To date,
there have been no interest or penalties charged in relation to the unrecognized tax benefits.
Net Loss Per Share
Basic net loss per share is calculated by dividing the net loss by the weighted-average number of shares of common stock outstanding during the
period, without consideration for potentially dilutive securities. As discussed in Note 10 Net Loss Per Share, the unvested portion of early exercised stock
options are excluded from the computation of weighted average shares as the continuing vesting of such shares is contingent on the holders’ continued
service to the Company. Diluted net loss per share is the same as basic net loss per share for each period presented, since the effects of potentially dilutive
securities are antidilutive given the net loss of the Company.
Comprehensive Loss
Comprehensive loss includes net loss and certain changes in stockholders’ equity that are excluded from net loss, primarily unrealized gains or
losses on the Company’s marketable securities.
Deferred Offering Costs
At December 31, 2021, the Company had $0.2 million of deferred offering costs included in other assets on the balance sheet, consisting of legal,
accounting and other fees and costs directly attributable to our Sales Agreement with Cantor Fitzgerald and the follow on public offering, which was
completed in January 2021. The deferred offering costs attributable to the follow on public offering were offset against the gross proceeds of the follow on
public offering in January 2021.
Emerging Growth Company Status
The Company is an emerging growth company, as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (the “JOBS Act”). Under the JOBS
Act, emerging growth companies can delay adopting new or revised accounting standards issued subsequent to the enactment of the JOBS Act until such
time as those standards apply to private companies. The Company has elected to use this extended transition period for complying with new or revised
accounting standards that have different effective dates for public and private companies until the earlier of the date that the Company (i) is no longer an
emerging growth company or (ii) affirmatively and irrevocably opts out of the extended transition period provided in the JOBS Act. As a result, the
accompanying financial statements may not be comparable to companies that comply with the new or revised accounting pronouncements as of public
company effective dates.
As described in “Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements” below, the Company early adopted ASU No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts
with Customers (Accounting Standards Codification Topic 606), ASU No. 2016-09, Stock Compensation—Improvements to Employee Share-Based
Payment Accounting, ASU No. 2018-07, Compensation – Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Nonemployee Share-Based Payment
Accounting, and ASU No. 2016-02, (Topic 842) Leases, as the JOBS Act does not preclude an emerging growth company from adopting a new or revised
accounting standard earlier than the time that such standard applies to private companies. The Company expects to use the extended transition period for
any other new or revised accounting standards during the period in which it remains an emerging growth company.
F-13
Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements
In February 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued ASU No. 2016-02 (Topic 842), Leases (“ASU 2016-02”). ASU 2016-
02 requires an entity to recognize assets and liabilities arising from a lease for both financing and operating leases. ASU 2016-02 requires new qualitative
and quantitative disclosures to help investors and other financial statement users better understand the amount, timing, and uncertainty of cash flows arising
from leases. As a result of the Company having elected the extended transition period for complying with new or revised accounting standards pursuant to
Section 107(b) of the JOBS Act, ASU 2016-02 is effective for the Company for the year ending December 31, 2020 and all interim periods thereafter.
Effective January 1, 2019, the Company early adopted ASU No. 2016-02 using the alternative transition approach provided by ASU No. 2018-11. The
Company elected certain practical expedients permitted under the transition guidance, including the election to carryforward historical lease classification.
The Company also elected the short-term lease practical expedient, which allowed the Company to not recognize leases with a term of less than 12 months
on the balance sheets. In addition, the Company elected the lease and non-lease components practical expedient, which allowed the Company to calculate
the present value of the fixed payments without performing an allocation of lease and non-lease components.
In December 2019, the FASB issued ASU 2019-12, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes. The amendments in
this ASU simplify the accounting for income taxes by removing certain exceptions to the general principles of ASC 740 in order to reduce cost and
complexity of its application. The ASU removes the exception related to the incremental approach for intraperiod tax allocation as well as two exceptions
related to accounting for outside basis differences of equity method investments and foreign subsidiaries. The ASU also amends the scope of ASC 740
related to a franchise tax (or similar tax) that is partially based on income; clarifies when a step-up in the tax basis of goodwill should be considered part of
the business combination in which the book goodwill was originally recognized and when it should be considered a separate transaction; specifies that an
entity is not required to allocate income tax expense to a legal entity that is both not subject to tax and disregarded by the taxing authority; and clarifies that
all tax effects, both deferred and current, should be accounted for in the interim period that includes the enactment date. The ASU became effective for the
Company on January 1, 2021 and did not have a material impact on the Company's financial statements.
Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements
In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial
Instruments and subsequent amendments to the initial guidance: ASU 2018-19 and ASU 2019-04 (collectively, Topic 326). Topic 326 requires measurement
and recognition of expected credit losses for financial assets held. The amendments apply to entities which hold financial assets that are not accounted for
at fair value through net income as well as loans, debt securities, accounts receivables and any other financial assets not excluded from the scope that have
the contractual right to receive cash. Topic 326 requires entities to record expected credit losses for certain financial instruments, including available-for-
sale securities, as an allowance that reflect the entity’s current estimate of credit losses expected to be incurred. For available-for-sale debt securities in
unrealized loss positions, ASU 2016-13 requires allowances to be recorded instead of reducing the amortized cost of the investment. Under ASU 2019-10,
Financial Instruments—Credit Losses (Topic 326), Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815), and Leases (Topic 842): Effective Dates, the effective date for
ASU 2016-13 has been deferred for credit losses for SEC filers that are eligible as a smaller reporting company. As such, the amended effective date for
ASU 2016-13 is January 1, 2023. The Company is currently evaluating the effect of the adoption of this guidance on its financial statements.
F-14
3.
Fair Value Measurement
The following table presents information about the Company’s financial assets that are measured at fair value and indicates the fair value hierarchy
of the valuation:
Assets
Cash Equivalents:
Money market funds
Short-term marketable securities
U.S. government treasuries
U.S. government securities
Corporate debt securities
U.S. government agency securities
Long-term marketable securities
U.S. government securities
Total cash equivalents and marketable securities
Assets
Cash Equivalents:
Money market funds
U.S. government treasuries
Short-term marketable securities
U.S. government securities
Corporate debt securities
U.S. government agency securities
Long-term marketable securities
Corporate debt securities
U.S. government securities
U.S. government agency securities
Total cash equivalents and marketable securities
$
Total
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Fair Value Measurements at December 31, 2021
(in thousands)
$
42,867
$
42,867
$
— $
$
$
9,999
45,241
23,474
11,697
1,522
134,800
$
9,999
45,241
—
—
—
98,107
$
—
—
23,474
11,697
1,522
36,693 $
Total
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Fair Value Measurements at December 31, 2020
(in thousands)
15,696
32,497
$
15,696
32,497
$
40,652
21,641
10,071
9,080
12,294
2,571
144,502
$
40,652
—
—
—
12,294
—
101,139
$
— $
—
—
21,641
10,071
9,080
—
2,571
43,363 $
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
The Company’s Level 2 securities are valued using third-party pricing sources. 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.
The Company has no Level 3 assets or liabilities as of December 31, 2021 or 2020. There were no transfers between Level 1 and Level 2 during the
years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020.
The Company did not have any financial liabilities subject to fair value measurements on a recurring basis as of December 31, 2021 and 2020.
F-15
4.
Available-for-Sale Securities
All marketable securities were considered available-for-sale at December 31, 2021. The amortized cost, gross unrealized holding gains or losses and
fair value of the Company’s marketable securities by major security type are summarized in the tables below:
Cash equivalents
Money market funds
Total cash equivalents
Short-term marketable securities:
U.S. government treasuries
U.S. government agency securities
U.S. government securities
Corporate debt securities
Total short-term marketable securities
Long-term marketable securities:
U.S. government securities
Total long-term marketable securities
Total
Cash equivalents
Money market funds
Total cash equivalents
Short-term marketable securities:
U.S. government treasuries
U.S. government agency securities
U.S. government securities
Corporate debt securities
Total short-term marketable securities
Long-term marketable securities:
U.S. government agency securities
U.S. government securities
Corporate debt securities
Total long-term marketable securities
Total
December 31,
2021
Amortized Cost
Gross Unrealized
Gain
Gross Unrealized
Loss
Fair Value
(in thousands)
42,867
42,867
9,999
11,697
45,257
23,495
90,448
1,532
1,532
134,847
$
—
—
—
1
—
—
1
—
—
1
$
— $
—
—
(1 )
(16 )
(21 )
(38 )
(10 )
(10 )
(48 ) $
42,867
42,867
9,999
11,697
45,241
23,474
90,411
1,522
1,522
134,800
Amortized Cost
Gross Unrealized
Gain
Gross Unrealized
Loss
Fair Value
December 31, 2020
(in thousands)
15,696
15,696
32,493
10,070
40,638
21,650
104,851
2,568
12,298
9,086
23,952
144,499
$
—
—
3
1
21
1
26
4
—
—
4
30
$
— $
—
15,696
15,696
—
—
(8 )
(9 )
(17 )
—
(4 )
(6 )
(10 )
(27 ) $
32,496.00
10,071
40,651
21,642
104,860
2,572
12,294
9,080
23,946
144,502
$
$
$
$
As of December 31, 2021, some of the Company’s marketable securities were in an unrealized loss position. The Company determined that it did
have the ability and intent to hold all marketable securities that have been in a continuous loss position until maturity or recovery, thus there has been no
recognition of any other-than-temporary impairment in the year ended December 31, 2021. All marketable securities with unrealized losses at December
31, 2021 balance sheet date have been in a loss position for less than twelve months or the loss is not material.
All of the Company’s marketable securities have an effective maturity of less than two years.
F-16
5.
Balance Sheet Components
Property and Equipment, Net
Property and equipment, net consists of the following:
Laboratory equipment
Furniture and fixtures
Computer equipment and software
Leasehold improvements
Less: Accumulated depreciation and amortization
Total property and equipment, net
2021
December 31,
(in thousands)
2020
$
$
5,886 $
585
91
8,872
15,434
(6,186 )
9,248 $
4,636
585
91
8,872
14,184
(3,996 )
10,188
Depreciation and amortization expense for property and equipment amounted to $2.2 million, $2.1 million and $1.6 million for the years ended
December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively.
Accrued Liabilities
Accrued liabilities consist of the following:
Accrued research and development
Accrued personnel costs
Accrued professional and consulting fees
Accrued offering costs
Other
Total accrued liabilities
6.
Commitments and Contingencies
Leases
December 31,
2021
2020
$
$
11,041 $
5,238
200
—
883
17,362 $
8,835
3,860
790
229
131
13,845
In August 2018, the Company entered into a lease agreement for the office and laboratory space in South San Francisco, California (the “Cove
Lease”). The lease commencement date was July 1, 2019, at which the Company took occupancy. The Cove Lease includes an option to renew, exercisable
at the Company’s sole discretion, with a renewal term for an additional period of eight years. As of December 31, 2021, the Company has not determined
whether it will exercise its option to extend the lease term. Therefore, the operating lease assets and lease liabilities only contemplate the initial lease
terms. The Cove Lease qualifies as an operating lease.
In October 2021, the Company entered into a lease agreement for additional office space in South San Francisco, California. Upon the execution of
the lease agreement, the Company provided the landlord with a security deposit of $0.2 million, which is included in other assets on the balance sheet. In
addition, as of December 31, 2021, the lease commencement date has not yet taken effect, as such, the Company did not recognize a right of use asset and
lease liability associated with this lease.
F-17
The following table summarizes the presentation in the Company’s balance sheet of its operating lease (in thousands):
Assets:
Operating lease right-of-use assets
Liabilities
Operating lease liabilities
Operating lease liabilities, net of current portion
Total operating lease liabilities
Assets:
Operating lease right-of-use assets
Liabilities
Operating lease liabilities
Operating lease liabilities, net of current portion
Total operating lease liabilities
As of December 31,
2021
6,127
1,649
10,538
12,187
As of December 31,
2020
6,583
1,202
12,313
13,515
$
$
$
$
$
$
The Company incurred $0.9 million, $0.7 million and $0.4 million in variable lease costs for each of the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and
2019, respectively.
Future minimum lease payments under the Cove Lease as of December 31, 2021 are as follows (in thousands):
As of December 31, 2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
Thereafter
Total future minimum lease payments
Less: Present value adjustment for minimum lease commitments
Total
Operating Lease
Commitments
2,654
2,738
2,825
2,916
3,009
1,270
15,412
(3,225 )
12,187
$
$
As of December 31, 2021, the weighted average remaining lease term was 5.50 years and the weighted average incremental borrowing rate used to
determine the operating lease liability was 8.95%.
Rent expense was $1.7 million, $1.7 million and $2.5 million for the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively. Amortization of
the right-of-use lease assets was $0.5 million, $0.4 million and $1.2 million for the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively.
F-18
Indemnification
In the ordinary course of business, the Company enters into agreements that may include indemnification provisions. Pursuant to such agreements,
the Company may indemnify, hold harmless and defend an indemnified party for losses suffered or incurred by the indemnified party. Some of the
provisions will limit losses to those arising from third-party actions. In some cases, the indemnification will continue after the termination of the agreement.
The maximum potential amount of future payments the Company could be required to make under these provisions is not determinable. The Company has
never incurred material costs to defend lawsuits or settle claims related to these indemnification provisions. The Company has also entered into
indemnification agreements with its directors and officers that may require the Company to indemnify its directors and officers against liabilities that may
arise by reason of their status or service as directors or officers to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware corporate law. The Company currently has
directors’ and officers’ insurance.
Maverick Litigation
On April 3, 2020, the Delaware Chancery Court (the "Court") issued a memorandum opinion, which related only to the Company’s ProTriTAC
platform. The Court ruled in favor of the Company on claims by Maverick Therapeutics, Inc. (“Maverick”) for breach of contract and misappropriation of
trade secrets and dismissed those claims. As part of that ruling, the Court determined that the Company’s ProTriTAC technology is not in a field that is
subject to a four year non-compete. The Court found in favor of Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (“Millennium”) on its claim against the Company for
fraud in inducing Millennium’s January 2017 investment in Maverick. The Court found that Millennium had not proved its claims for tortious interference
with contract and business relations or unfair competition, and those claims were dismissed. The Court held a one-day trial on Millennium’s damages claim
on September 22, 2020, and closing arguments were held December 8, 2020.
On April 23, 2021, following a damages phase, the Court issued a memorandum opinion awarding Millennium $38.2 million in damages, plus pre-
judgment interest. The Court’s opinion stated that pre-judgment interest would be calculated as set forth in 6 Del. Code Section 2301(a), which generally
provides that the legal rate of interest shall be 5% over the Federal Reserve discount rate.
On May 5, 2021, the Company entered into a settlement agreement (the “Settlement Agreement”) with Millennium and Maverick to resolve the
parties’ previously reported lawsuit. Pursuant to the terms of the Settlement Agreement, Millennium filed a proposed order and final judgment with the
Court on May 5, 2021; the Company paid on May 5, 2021 the full amount of damages awarded by the Court, equal to $50.0 million, consisting of $38.2
million in damages plus $11.8 million in pre-judgment interest through May 5, 2021; and the Company, Millennium and Maverick each agreed to forego
and waive its right to appeal the order and final judgment. Following execution of the Settlement Agreement, the Company is free to continue to develop its
ProTriTAC platform and product candidates. The Court approved the proposed order and entered a final judgment on May 5, 2021. The $50.0 million
litigation settlement payment is reflected in the statement of operations for year ended December 31, 2021.
7.
Collaboration & License Agreements
Development and Option with AbbVie
On November 20, 2019, the Company entered into a Development and Option Agreement with AbbVie (as amended, the “Development and Option
Agreement”) in connection with the Company’s HPN217 program, which targets B cell maturation antigen, ("BCMA"). Pursuant to such agreement, the
Company granted to AbbVie an option to a worldwide, exclusive license under the Company’s patents and know-how applicable to the HPN217 program
to develop, manufacture, and commercialize products arising from the HPN217 program and targeting BCMA (the "HPN217 Products"). Under the
Development and Option Agreement, the Company filed an Investigational New Drug Application for HPN217 and is responsible for conducting clinical
development activities pursuant to a mutually agreed development plan, including conducting a Phase 1/2 clinical trial of HPN217, in order for AbbVie to
determine whether it wishes to exercise its option to take a worldwide, exclusive license to such HPN217 program.
Under the Development and Option Agreement, AbbVie may exercise its license option at any time during a period commencing on the effective
date of the agreement and expiring after a specified period following delivery by the Company of a specified data package arising from the first Phase 1/2
trial for the HPN217 Products. Following AbbVie’s exercise of its option, and except for completion of certain development activities by the Company
under the development plan, AbbVie will be solely responsible, at its cost, for the development, manufacture and commercialization of HPN217 and any
other HPN217 Products. AbbVie is required to use commercially reasonable efforts to develop and obtain regulatory approval for one HPN217 Product, for
at least one indication, for use in each of the United States and specified European markets.
Upon execution of the Development and Option Agreement, the Company received an upfront payment of $30.0 million. Additionally, in June
2020, the Company received a development milestone payment of $50.0 million as a result of initiating its Phase 1/2 clinical trial by dosing the first patient
in trial in April 2020.
If AbbVie exercises its option to a worldwide, exclusive license, AbbVie will pay the Company an option exercise fee of $200.0 million. Following
option exercise, AbbVie will be required to make further payments to the Company of up to $230.0 million in the aggregate for the achievement of
specified development, regulatory and commercial sales milestones for HPN217 Products. The
F-19
Company will also receive tiered royalties on net sales by AbbVie, its affiliates and sublicensees of HPN217 Products at percentages ranging from the high
single digits to the very low double digits, subject to specified offsets and reductions. Royalties will be payable under the Development and Option
Agreement on a product-by-product and country-by-country basis commencing on the date of first commercial sale of HPN217 and other HPN217
Products, and ending on the later of expiration of all valid claims of specified licensed patents in such country, expiration of regulatory exclusivity in such
country, or ten years following first commercial sale of such HPN217 Product in such country.
The Development and Option Agreement will terminate upon the date of the expiration of all AbbVie’s royalty payment obligations in all countries,
or upon expiration of the license option period and the failure of AbbVie to exercise its license option. The Development and Option Agreement may be
terminated by either party immediately for the insolvency of the other party or on 90 days’ written notice for an uncured material breach of the
Development and Option Agreement by the other party. AbbVie may also terminate the Development and Option Agreement in its entirety or on a country-
by-country basis for any reason on 90 days’ written notice to the Company.
The Company assessed the Development and Option Agreement in accordance with Topic 606 and concluded that AbbVie is a customer under this
agreement. The Company identified the following performance obligation at the inception of the Development and Option Agreement consisting of the
initial development activities.
The Company evaluated AbbVie’s option to obtain a worldwide exclusive license for HPN217 to determine whether it provides AbbVie with any
material rights. The Company concluded that the option was not issued at a significant and incremental discount, and therefore do not provide material
rights. As such, the option is excluded as a performance obligation at the outset of the agreement.
At the inception of the agreement, the transaction price included the $30.0 million up-front consideration received in December 2019 and a
development milestone of up to $50.0 million to be received upon dosing of the first patient in the HPN217 Phase 1/2 clinical trial within a specified time
period, for a total transaction price of $80.0 million. In April 2020, the Company had achieved this development milestone as a result of dosing its first
patient in the Phase 1/2 clinical trial of HPN 217 and received $50.0 million in June 2020. The remaining development, commercialization, and sales
milestones along with sales-based royalties were not included in the transaction price, as these milestone amounts were fully constrained on the probability
of achievement. The Company will reevaluate the transaction price at the end of each reporting period and as uncertain events are resolved or other changes
in circumstances occur, and, if necessary, adjust its estimate of the transaction price.
The transaction price of $80.0 million, relates to a single unit of accounting. The initial development activities are considered a single unit of
accounting. The Company recognizes revenue associated with the performance obligation as the initial development activities are performed using an input
method, according to the costs incurred as related to the estimated costs for the development and regulatory activities to be performed through the
completion of a Phase 1/2 clinical trial of HPN217. The transfer of control occurs over this time period and, in management’s judgment, is the best measure
of progress towards satisfying the performance obligation. Such estimates are reviewed by the Company on a periodic basis and, if necessary, the Company
will adjust the measure of performance and related revenue recognition. As of December 31, 2021, the Company had changes to the overall estimated costs
to satisfy the performance obligation and as such, the Company adjusted revenue recognized relative to the measure of performance. As a result, the
Company recorded additional $4.3 million of revenue in the fourth quarter of 2021.
The Company recognized $18.4 million and $13.8 million of revenue for the year ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively. As of
December 31, 2021, the Company had recorded $46.1 million in deferred revenue, of which $32.4 million is classified as long-term and $13.6 million as
short-term deferred revenue, in the accompanying balance sheet.
As of December 31, 2021, the Company will recognize royalty revenue in the period of sale of the related products, if any, based on the underlying
contract terms. No such amounts were recognized during the year ended December 31, 2021.
Amended and Restated Discovery Collaboration Agreement with AbbVie
On August 16, 2021, the Company entered into Amendment No. 1 to the Amended and Restated Discovery Collaboration and License Agreement
with AbbVie, or the First Amendment, which amends the Amended and Restated Discovery Collaboration and License Agreement entered on November
20, 2019, between the Company and AbbVie (such agreement, as amended by the First Amendment, the "Restated Collaboration Agreement"). The
Restated Collaboration Agreement amends and restates the Discovery Collaboration and License Agreement entered into between the Company and
AbbVie, dated October 20, 2017 and amended April 3, 2019, or the Original Collaboration Agreement. Pursuant to the First Amendment, the Company and
AbbVie agreed to include the ProTriTAC technology within the Restated Collaboration Agreement. Pursuant to the Original Collaboration Agreement, the
Company granted to AbbVie worldwide exclusive rights to develop and commercialize products that incorporate the Company’s proprietary TriTAC
technology together with soluble TCRs provided by AbbVie that bind to targets accepted by the parties. Under the terms of the Original Collaboration
Agreement, AbbVie was granted the right to designate up to two targets for development of TriTAC constructs, which it selected in 2017 and 2019,
respectively. Pursuant to the Restated Collaboration Agreement, AbbVie is permitted to designate two further targets, with an option to select up to four
additional targets, selected during a specified period following the effective date, to be the subject of activities under the collaboration, and is granted a
worldwide, exclusive license to
F-20
develop and commercialize products that incorporate either the Company’s proprietary TriTAC platform technology, or (as a result of and pursuant to the
First Amendment) its ProTriTAC platform technology, to pursue available T cell receptors, or TCRs and/or antibody targets. Such products may
incorporate antibodies provided by AbbVie or by the Company. During a period of up to four years following the date of AbbVie’s designation of each
target for the products, and subject to confirmation of target availability, the Company and AbbVie will conduct certain research and discovery activities
under a mutually agreed discovery and research plan in connection with the creation and evaluation of constructs comprising the Company’s proprietary
TriTAC or ProTriTAC technologies, as applicable, in conjunction with the soluble TCR or antibody sequences directed at the agreed upon targets of
interest. The Company may not, including through any third party, develop or commercialize any competing product that binds to any of the included
targets. As was the case under the Original Collaboration Agreement, following the discovery phase, AbbVie will be solely responsible, at its cost, for the
development, manufacture and commercialization of the products that arise from the activities under the discovery plan. AbbVie is required to use
commercially reasonable efforts to develop and commercialize one such product directed to each target for which the discovery activities were completed
in each Major Market (as defined in the Restated Collaboration Agreement).
In addition to the upfront payment of $17.0 million already paid under the Original Collaboration Agreement, the Company received an upfront
payment of $20.0 million under the Restated Collaboration Agreement for AbbVie’s right to select two additional targets and an option to select up to four
further targets. AbbVie will be required to make payments to the Company, upon target selection, of $10.0 million for each target, for up to four additional
targets selected by AbbVie. For each of the up to eight targets selected, the Company is eligible to receive up to $300.0 million in the aggregate for the
achievement of specified development, regulatory and commercial sales milestones for licensed products indicated for human therapeutic or prophylactic
use. The Company will also be eligible to receive tiered royalties on net sales by AbbVie, its affiliates and sublicensees of licensed products at percentages
in the mid-single digits, subject to specified offsets and reductions. Royalties will be payable under the First Amendment and Restated Collaboration
Agreement on a product-by-product and country-by-country basis commencing on the date of first commercial sale of each product, and ending on the later
of expiration of all valid claims of specified licensed patents in such country, expiration of regulatory exclusivity in such country or ten years following
first commercial sale of such product in such country. If licensed products are developed and commercialized for diagnostic or veterinary use, or certain
screening or monitoring uses, the parties have agreed to negotiate an appropriate reduction in the economic terms applicable to such non-therapeutic and
prophylactic applications.
The Restated Collaboration Agreement will terminate upon the date of the expiration of all AbbVie’s royalty payment obligations in all countries.
The Restated Collaboration Agreement may be terminated by either party immediately for the insolvency of the other party or on 90 days’ written notice
for an uncured material breach of such agreement by the other party. AbbVie may also terminate the Restated Collaboration Agreement in its entirety or on
a target-by-target or country-by-country basis for any reason on 30 days’ written notice to the Company. In addition, AbbVie may terminate the Restated
Collaboration Agreement immediately in its entirety or on a target-by-target basis if AbbVie considers in good faith that there has been a failure of the
discovery or development efforts with respect to such target, or that further development or commercialization of products directed to such target is not
advisable as a result of a serious safety issue.
The Company assessed the Original Collaboration Agreement and Restated Collaboration Agreement including the First Amendment in accordance
with Topic 606 and concluded that AbbVie is a customer under all agreements. The Company concluded that there are multiple promises under the Original
Collaboration Agreement and Restated Collaboration Agreement including the First Amendment which include (1) research and development activities; (2)
regulatory documentation and know-how; and (3) the license to the related technology. The Company combined these promises into a single performance
obligation, as the Company is obliged to render specialized services for the research program, and other promises have either no significant value or are not
distinct. The Company estimates that the $17.0 million upfront payment under the Original Collaboration Agreement will be recognized over a period in
which ongoing research and development activities are incurred based on the projected activities to be performed over each reporting period relative to the
total estimated performance period. Such estimates are reviewed by the Company on a periodic basis and, if necessary, the Company will adjust the
measure of performance and related revenue recognition.
F-21
At the inception of the Original Collaboration Agreement, the Company determined that the transaction price was $17.0 million, which was all
allocated to the two initial targets. The Company has evaluated the transaction price and has determined $17.0 million is still appropriate as of December
31, 2021. For the year ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019, $4.3 million, $3.7 million and $4.0 million of revenue have been recognized in the
accompanying statement of operations and comprehensive loss, respectively. As of December 31, 2021, the Company had recognized the full $17.0 million
upfront payment related to the initial two targets.
At the inception of the Restated Collaboration Agreement, the Company determined that the transaction price included the $20.0 million upfront
payment received in December 2019. The Company allocates $10.0 million to each additional target selected. The company estimates that the $20.0
million upfront payment under the Restated Collaboration Agreement will be recognized over a period in which ongoing research and development
activities are incurred based on the projected activities to be performed over each reporting period relative to the total estimated performance period. Such
estimates are reviewed by the Company on a periodic basis and, if necessary, the Company will adjust the measure of performance and related revenue
recognition. As of December 31, 2021, the Company determined that a transaction price of $20.0 million was still appropriate. The Company recognized
$0.9 million of revenue related to the upfront payment for the year ended December 31, 2021.
As of December 31, 2021, the Company has recorded $19.1 million in deferred revenue, of which $14.1 million is classified as long-term and $5.0
million as short-term deferred revenue, in the accompanying balance sheet.
The Company determined that future contingent payments that may be received related to development and regulatory milestones under the
Restated Collaboration Agreement are based on the performance of AbbVie and are constrained due to the fact that it was not probable that a significant
reversal of cumulative revenue would not occur, as their achievement is highly dependent on the successful completion of the research activities.
Accordingly, revenue for the achievement of these milestones will be recognized in the period that it is deemed probable that the milestone will be
achieved. Any consideration related to commercialization and sales milestones, and sales-based royalties will be recognized when the related sales occur as
they were determined to relate predominantly to the license granted to AbbVie and have been excluded from the transaction price. The Company will re-
evaluate the transaction price in each reporting period as uncertain events are resolved or other changes in circumstances occur.
As of December 31, 2020, the Company had not recognized or earned any milestone payments under the Original Collaboration or Restated
Collaboration Agreement including the First Amendment. The Company will recognize royalty revenue in the period of sale of the related products, based
on the underlying contract terms. No such amounts were recognized during the year ended December 31, 2021.
Collaboration and License Revenue
For the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019, collaboration and license revenue in the accompanying statements of operations and
comprehensive loss is comprised of the following:
Collaboration and License Revenue
AbbVie Restated Collaboration Agreement
AbbVie Development and Option Agreement
Total collaboration and license revenue
8.
Convertible Preferred Stock
$
$
2021
5,240
18,414
23,654
$
$
2020
3,667
13,777
17,444
$
$
2019
4,039
1,738
5,777
As of December 31, 2018, the Company had an aggregate of 16,618,448 shares of Series A, B and C convertible preferred stock. The convertible
preferred stock was classified outside of total stockholders’ equity because, in the event of certain “liquidation events” that are not solely within the control
of the Company (including a merger, acquisition or sale of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets), the shares would become redeemable at the
option of the holders.
Convertible preferred stock consists of the following:
Series A
Series B
Series C
Shares
Authorized
15,000,000
35,000,000
32,000,000
82,000,000
As of December 31, 2018
Shares Issued
and
Outstanding
(In thousands, except share data)
Carrying
Value
Aggregate
Liquidation
Preference
3,050,329
7,068,184
6,499,935
16,618,448
$
$
14,926
44,906
69,745
129,577
$
$
15,008
45,166
70,004
130,178
F-22
On the completion of the IPO (see Note 1), all outstanding shares of convertible preferred stock were automatically converted into 16,618,448
shares of common stock. As of December 31, 2021, the Company did not have any convertible preferred stock issued or outstanding.
9.
Equity
Stock Incentive Plans
2019 Equity Incentive Plan
The board of directors adopted, and the Company’s stockholders approved the Company’s 2019 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2019 Plan”) in January
2019, which became effective as of immediately prior to the execution of the underwriting agreement for the Company’s IPO in February 2019, after
which, no further grants were made under the Company’s 2015 Plan. Initially, the aggregate number of shares of our common stock that may be issued
pursuant to stock awards under our 2019 Plan is 5,656,381, which is the sum of (1) 2,200,000 shares plus (2) the number of shares reserved, and remaining
available for issuance, under our 2015 Plan at the time our 2019 Plan became effective and (3) the number of shares subject to stock options or other stock
awards granted under our 2015 Plan that would have otherwise returned to our 2015 Plan (such as upon the expiration or termination of a stock award prior
to vesting. The number of shares of our common stock reserved for issuance under our 2019 Plan will automatically increase on January 1 of each year,
beginning on January 1, 2020 and continuing through and including January 1, 2029, by 5% of the total number of shares of our capital stock outstanding
on December 31 of the preceding calendar year, or a lesser number of shares determined by our board of directors. The maximum number of shares that
may be issued upon the exercise of incentive stock options under our 2019 Plan is 8,000,000 shares.
2015 Equity Incentive Plan
In 2015, the Company adopted the 2015 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2015 Plan”). The 2015 Plan provided for the Company to sell or issue common
stock or restricted common stock, or to grant incentive stock options or nonqualified stock options for the purchase of common stock, to employees,
members of the Board and consultants of the Company under terms and provisions established by the Board. Under the terms of the 2015 Plan, options
may have been granted at an exercise price not less than fair market value. The Company generally grants stock-based awards with service conditions only.
Options granted typically vest over a four-year period but may be granted with different vesting terms. In January 2019, the Company’s board of directors
adopted and stockholders approved the Company’s 2019 Plan (noted above), which became effective immediately prior to the execution of the
underwriting agreement for the Company’s IPO in February 2019, at which point the 2015 Plan was terminated and no further grants were made under the
Company’s 2015 Plan. However, all outstanding stock awards granted pursuant to the 2015 Plan will continue to be subject to the terms and conditions as
set forth in the agreements evidencing such stock award.
Stock Option Activity
The following summarizes option activity under the 2019 Plan and the 2015 Plan as combined:
Balance as of December 31, 2019
Options granted
Options exercised
Options cancelled
Balance as of December 31, 2020
Options granted
Options exercised
Options cancelled
Balance as of December 31, 2021
Vested and expected to vest as of December 31, 2021
Exercisable as of December 31, 2021
Number of
Outstanding
Options
2,985,100
1,147,621
(414,782 )
(88,061 )
3,629,878
2,293,225
(216,834 )
(235,452 )
5,470,817
5,470,817
2,530,221
Weighted
Average
Exercise
Price
Weighted
Average
Remaining
Contractual
Life
(in years)
Aggregate
Intrinsic
Value
(in thousands)
2.89
14.28
2.54
9.12
6.38
13.72
2.54
12.75
9.23
9.23
6.44
8.27
35,509
7.88
37,498
7.96
7.96
6.69
12,064
12,064
9,735
As of December 31, 2021, 1,505,456 shares were reserved by the Company to grant under the 2019 Plan. The aggregate intrinsic values of options
outstanding, vested and exercisable, and vested and expected to vest were calculated as the difference between the exercise price of the options and the
estimated fair value of the Company’s common stock, as determined by the Board of Directors. The intrinsic value of options exercised for the years ended
December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019 was $3.0 million, $5.6 million and $7.6 million, respectively. There is no future tax benefit related to options exercised,
as the Company has accumulated net operating losses at December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019.
F-23
During the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019, the estimated weighted-average grant-date fair value of the stock options vested was
$4.49, $2.63 and $1.33 per share, respectively, and the estimated weighted-average grant-date fair value of stock options granted was $9.69, $9.63 and
$8.91 per share, respectively.
Stock-Based Compensation
The fair value of employee and director stock option awards was estimated at the date of grant using a Black-Scholes option-pricing model with the
following weighted-average assumptions:
Expected term (years)
Expected volatility
Risk-free interest rate
Expected dividend
2021
5.94
86.81%
0.95%
0%
Year Ended December 31,
2020
5.99
78.86%
1.03%
0%
2019
5.86
77.71%
2.17%
0%
Prior to our IPO in February 2019, and due to no public market for the Company’s common stock, the fair value of the shares of common stock
underlying stock options has historically been determined by the Board based on the fair value of the common stock at the time of grant of the option by
considering a number of objective and subjective factors including important developments in the Company’s operations, valuations performed by an
independent third party, sales of convertible preferred stock, actual operating results and financial performance, the conditions in the biotechnology
industry and the economy in general, the stock price performance and volatility of comparable public companies, and the lack of liquidity of the
Company’s common stock, among other factors. Subsequent to the completion of our IPO, the fair value of common stock underlying stock option is based
on the closing price of our common stock as reported on the date of grant on the primary stock exchange on which our common stock is traded.
The Black-Scholes option-pricing model requires the use of highly subjective assumptions which determine the fair value of stock-based awards.
These assumptions include:
Expected Term—The expected term represents the period that stock-based awards are expected to be outstanding. The expected term for option
grants is determined using the simplified method. The simplified method deems the term to be the average of the time-to-vesting and the contractual
life of the stock-based awards.
Expected Volatility— The Company uses an average historical stock price volatility of comparable public companies within the biotechnology and
pharmaceutical industry that were deemed to be representative of future stock price trends as the Company does not have sufficient trading history
for its common stock. The Company will continue to apply this process until a sufficient amount of historical information regarding the volatility of
its own stock price becomes available.
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 option.
Expected Dividend—The Company has never paid dividends on its common stock and has no plans to pay dividends on its common stock.
Therefore, the Company used an expected dividend yield of zero.
Total stock-based compensation was as follows:
Research and development
General and administrative
Total stock-based compensation
2021
Year Ended December 31,
2020
(in thousands)
2019
$
$
4,784 $
4,678
9,462 $
1,980 $
2,880
4,860 $
656
1,415
2,071
Stock-based compensation related to non-employee awards, which is included in the table above, was $0.1 million, $0.2 million, and $0.2 million
for the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively.
In addition to the stock-based compensation expense showing in the above table, as of December 31, 2021, there is an additional $22.2 million of
unrecognized stock-based compensation related to unvested stock options that is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 2.63 years.
F-24
2019 Employee Stock Purchase Plan
The board of directors adopted, and the Company’s stockholders approved, the 2019 Employee Stock Purchase Plan, (the “2019 ESPP”) in January
2019. The 2019 ESPP became effective in February 2019.
The initial reserve for purchase by participating employees under the 2019 ESPP an aggregate number of shares of common stock shall not exceed
250,000 shares. The maximum aggregate number of shares of common stock that may be issued under the 2019 ESPP is 750,000 shares. Additionally, the
number of shares of common stock reserved for issuance under the 2019 ESPP will increase automatically each year, beginning on January 1, 2020 and
continuing through and including January 1, 2029, in an amount equal to the lesser of (i) 1% of the total number of shares of the Registrant’s capital stock
outstanding on December 31 of the preceding calendar year, (ii) 750,000 shares of Common Stock and (iii) a number of shares of Common Stock
designated by action of the Registrant’s board of directors prior to the first day of any calendar year. The board of directors may act prior to the first day of
any calendar year to provide that there will be no January 1 increase or that the increase will be for a lesser number of shares than would otherwise occur.
Shares subject to purchase rights granted under the 2019 ESPP that terminate without having been exercised in full, the shares of Common Stock not
purchased under such Purchase Right will again become available for issuance under the Plan.
An employee may not be granted rights to purchase stock under the 2019 ESPP if such employee (i) immediately after the grant would own stock
possessing 5% or more of the total combined voting power or value of all classes of stock of the Company or (ii) holds rights to purchase stock under the
2019 ESPP that would accrue at a rate that exceeds $25,000 worth of our stock for each calendar year that the rights remain outstanding.
The administrator may approve offerings with a duration of not more than 27 months, and may specify one or more shorter purchase periods within
each offering. Each offering will have one or more purchase dates on which shares of common stock will be purchased for the employees who are
participating in the offering. The administrator, in its discretion, will determine the terms of offerings under the 2019 ESPP.
The 2019 ESPP permits participants to purchase shares of our common stock through payroll deductions with up to 15% of their earnings. The
purchase price of the shares will be not less than 85% of the lower of the fair market value of our common stock on the first day of an offering or on the
date of purchase.
The Company issued 76,694 shares under the 2019 ESPP during the year ended December 31, 2021. The Company has approximately 617,000
shares reserved for future issuance as of December 31, 2021.
Expected term (years)
Expected volatility
Risk-free interest rate
Expected dividend
Early Exercised Stock Options
Year Ended December 31,
2021
0.5
75.47%
0.05%
0%
Year Ended December 31,
2020
0.5
98.37%
0.14%
0%
The terms of the 2015 Plan permit option holders to exercise stock options before they are vested, subject to certain limitations. The shares related to
early exercised stock options are subject to our lapsing repurchase right upon termination of employment at the original purchase price. In order to vest, the
holders are required to provide continued service to the Company. The proceeds are initially recorded in other current liabilities and are reclassified to
common stock and paid-in capital as the repurchase right lapses. As of December 31, 2021 and 2020, there was $8,000 and $26,000, respectively, recorded
in other current liabilities relating to shares subject to repurchase. For accounting purposes, unvested early exercised shares are not considered issued and
outstanding until the awards vest. As a result of early exercises under the 2015 Plan, 4,608 and 20,839, shares had not vested and were subject to
repurchase as of December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively.
10.
Income Taxes
Computed expected tax benefit (at federal statutory income tax rate of 21%)
State tax
Stock compensation
Tax credits
Change in valuation allowance
Other
Total provision for income taxes
F-25
2021
December 31,
2020
2019
(24,511 )
2,978
534
2,222
18,800
(23 )
—
$
$
(10,481 )
(4,231 )
321
1,552
12,540
299
—
$
$
(11,584 )
(4,599 )
(490 )
587
16,059
27
—
$
$
Since inception, the Company has only generated pretax losses. For the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, the Company recorded no
provision for income taxes due to the losses incurred. Significant components of the Company’s deferred tax assets and liabilities as of December 31, 2021
and 2020 consisted of the following:
Deferred tax assets:
Net operating loss carry forwards
Stock-based compensation
Deferred revenue
Lease liability
Other
Total deferred tax assets
Less: valuation allowance
Net deferred tax assets
Fixed assets
Right-of-use asset
Net deferred tax assets
2021
December 31,
(in thousands)
2020
46,252 $
1,325
13,685
2,568
927
64,757
(63,462 )
1,295
(8 )
(1,287 )
— $
28,198
329
13,274
3,791
927
46,519
(44,654 )
1,865
(23 )
(1,842 )
—
$
$
The Company’s accounting for deferred taxes involves the evaluation of a number of factors concerning the realizability of its net deferred tax
assets. The Company primarily considered such factors as its history of operating losses, the nature of the Company’s deferred tax assets, and the timing,
likelihood and amount, if any, of future taxable income during the periods in which those temporary differences and carryforwards become deductible. At
present, the Company does not believe that it is more likely than not that the deferred tax assets will be realized; accordingly, a full valuation allowance has
been established and no deferred tax asset is shown in the accompanying balance sheets. The valuation allowance increased by approximately $18.8 million
and $12.5 million during the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020.
The Company has net operating carryforwards for federal and California income tax purposes of approximately $288.1 million and $202.8 million
as of December 31, 2021 and 2020. The federal net operating loss carryforwards of $23.1 million, if not utilized, will expire beginning in 2035 and $163.4
million is carryforward indefinitely. The state net operating loss carryforwards of $101.6 million, if not utilized, will expire beginning in 2035.
The Company has research and development credit carryforwards for federal and California income tax purposes of approximately $16.2 million
and $10.3 million as of December 31, 2021 and 2020. The federal credit carryforwards of $11.0 million, if not utilized, will expire beginning in 2035. The
state credit carryforwards indefinitely.
Federal and California tax laws imposes significant restrictions on the utilization of net operating loss carryforwards in the event of a change in
ownership of the Company, as defined by Internal Revenue Code Section 382 (“Section 382”). The Company believes a change in ownership, as defined by
Section 382, has occurred but a formal study has not been completed. In addition, in the future the Company may experience ownership changes, which
may limit the utilization of net operating loss carryforwards or other tax attributes.
The Company has not reflected any benefit of such net operating loss carryforwards in the accompanying financial statements. The Company has
established a full valuation allowance against its deferred tax assets due to the uncertainty surrounding the realization of such assets.
Uncertain Tax Benefits
The Company recognizes uncertain tax positions when it is more likely than not, based on the technical merits, that the position will not be sustained
upon examination. No liability related to uncertain tax positions is recorded on the financial statements related to uncertain tax positions.
F-26
A reconciliation of the beginning and ending amount of unrecognized tax benefits is as follows:
Unrecognized tax benefits at January 1
Additions for tax positions taken in the current year
Reductions for tax positions taken in the prior year
Unrecognized tax benefits at December 31
2021
$
$
9,521 $
5,689
(110 )
15,100 $
December 31,
2020
(in thousands)
5,844 $
3,972
(295 )
9,521 $
2019
3,438
2,656
(250 )
5,844
The Company does not anticipate any significant changes to unrecognized tax benefits over the next 12 months. The Company recognizes interest
and penalties related to uncertain tax positions in income tax expense. To the extent accrued interest and penalties do not ultimately become payable,
amounts accrued will be reduced and reflected as a reduction of the provision for income taxes in the period that such determination is made. Interest and
penalties have not been accrued for 2021, 2020 and 2019.
The Company files income tax returns in the United States and California. The years 2015 through 2020 remain open to U.S. federal and state
examination to the extent of the utilization of net operating loss and credit carryovers. As of December 31, 2021, the Company is not under examination by
the Internal Revenue Services or any state tax jurisdiction.
11.
Net Loss Per Share
The following outstanding potentially dilutive common stock equivalents have been excluded from the calculation of diluted net loss per share for
the periods presented due to their anti-dilutive effect:
Common stock options issued and outstanding
ESPP shares issuable and outstanding
Early exercised stock options subject to future vesting
Total
2021
5,470,817
37,586
4,608
5,513,011
As of December 31,
2020
3,629,878
11,881
20,839
3,662,598
2019
2,985,100
11,523
56,211
3,052,834
The following table summarizes the computation of basic and diluted net loss per share attributable to common stockholders of the Company (in
thousands, except per share data):
Net loss
Weighted-average shares used to compute basic and diluted net loss per share
Basic and diluted net loss per common share
F-27
2021
(116,721 )
32,274,362
(3.62 )
As of December 31,
2020
(49,908 )
25,034,947
(1.99 )
2019
(55,572 )
21,746,461
(2.56 )
Exhibit 10.22
October 25, 2021
Gerald McMahon, PhD
VIA DOCUSIGN
Re: Transition and Retirement Agreement
Dear Jerry:
This letter sets forth the substance of the Transition and Retirement Agreement (the “Agreement”) between you and Harpoon
Therapeutics, Inc. (the “Company”).
1.
RESIGNATION DATE. You hereby resign from the Company effective October 26, 2021 (the “Resignation Date”)
and the Company hereby accepts your resignation as of that same date. On the Resignation Date, the Company will pay you all
accrued salary earned through the Resignation Date (and any accrued and unused vacation/PTO, if applicable), subject to
standard payroll deductions and withholdings. You also hereby resign from the Board of Directors effective as of the Resignation
Date.
2.
SEVERANCE BENEFITS. If you timely sign this Agreement and allow the releases set forth herein to become
effective, and remain in material compliance with all of your legal and contractual obligations to the Company, then the Company
will provide you with the following severance benefits:
(a)
Severance Pay. The Company will pay you the equivalent of twelve (12) months of your base
salary in effect as of the Resignation Date, subject to standard payroll deductions and withholdings (“Severance Pay”). The
Severance Pay will be paid in the form of salary continuation, starting on the first payroll date following the Effective Date (as
defined in Section 10(c) of this Agreement). The first payment shall include payment for any severance that would have been
paid earlier under the standard payroll schedule but for the delay associated with this Agreement becoming effective.
Bonus Payment. The Company will pay you a prorated target bonus for 2021, which is equal
to $255,095. This amount, less deductions and withholdings, will be paid with your first severance payment pursuant to Section
2(a).
(b)
(c)
COBRA. To the extent provided by the federal COBRA law or, if applicable, state insurance
laws, and by the Company’s current group health insurance policies, you and your spouse and dependents will be eligible to
continue your group medical, dental and/or vision benefits at your own expense. Later, you may be able to convert to an
individual policy through the provider of the Company’s medical, dental and/or vision insurance, as applicable, if you wish. If
you timely elect to continue these benefits through COBRA, then the Company will reimburse you an amount such that, after
withholding applicable taxes, you receive monthly a net amount in cash from the Company equal to the COBRA premiums to
continue such coverage (including
257531730 v5
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coverage for your spouse and dependents) through the period (the “COBRA Premium Period”) starting on the Resignation Date
and ending on the earliest to occur of: (i) eighteen (18) months following the Resignation Date; (ii) the date you become eligible
for group health insurance coverage through a new employer; or (iii) the date you cease to be eligible for COBRA continuation
coverage for any reason, including plan termination. You must timely pay your premiums and promptly submit your receipts to
the Company in order to receive this reimbursement. In the event you become covered under another employer’s group health
plan or otherwise cease to be eligible for COBRA during the COBRA Premium Period, you must immediately notify the
Company in writing of such event
Acknowledgement. You acknowledge and agree that by accepting the benefits under this
Agreement, you are extinguishing any right to severance benefits under the terms of your employment agreement with the
Company dated December 10, 2016 (the “Employment Agreement”).
(d)
3.
CONSULTING SERVICES. You agree to provide transition assistance to the Company following the Resignation
Date on the terms set forth below.
a. Consulting Period. You will serve as a consultant to the Company beginning on the first business day
following the Resignation Date and continuing for twelve (12) months (the “Consulting Period”). As a consultant, you will
provide transition support to the Company’s new Chief Executive Officer as reasonably requested the Board Chair, not to exceed
eight (8) hours per week. You may perform all such services remotely. You agree to exercise the highest degree of
professionalism and utilize your expertise and creative talents in performing these services.
b. Compensation & Equity. The Company will pay you $250/hour for your consulting services. You agree
to invoice the Company on a monthly basis for such services. These fees will be paid to you without any withholdings or
deductions of any kind and reported on an IRS Form 1099. During the Consulting Period, you will be treated a service provider
who remains in continuous service to the Company under the terms of the Company’s equity incentive plans and thus your equity
awards will continue to vest under the existing terms. A list of your outstanding stock options under these plans (collectively, the
“Options”), their grant date and exercise price is set forth in Exhibit A to this Agreement. You will in all events have not less
than ninety days (90) days to exercise any vested Options after expiration of the Consulting Period. By signing this Agreement,
you acknowledge that any of the Options which are incentive stock options for purposes of Section 422 of the Internal Revenue
Code shall cease to have favorable tax treatment under Section 421 of the Internal Revenue Code if exercised more than three
months after the Effective Date.
c.
Independent Contractor Status. You agree that during the Consulting Period, (i) you will be an
independent contractor to the Company and not an employee of the Company, and (ii) the Company will not make payments for
state or federal income tax, FICA (social security and Medicare), make unemployment insurance or disability insurance
contributions, or obtain workers’ compensation insurance on your behalf. As an independent contractor, you shall retain control
over when, where and how the services are performed. You are free to perform work for others during the term of this
Agreement, provided that such work
257531730 v5
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does not interfere with the services to be provided under this Agreement, and that such work does not violate any of your
obligations to the Company as provided under this Agreement.
d. Access to, and Protection of, Information. You shall have access to and use of any Company property
and information as reasonably necessary to perform the consulting services under this Agreement. Such access and use of
information for performing these services shall not constitute a breach of any agreement. You agree that during the Consulting
Period and thereafter, you will not use or disclose any confidential or proprietary information or materials of the Company that
you obtain or develop in the course of performing consulting services for the Company. Any and all work product you create in
the course of performing consulting services for the Company will be the sole and exclusive property of the Company. You
hereby assign to the Company all right, title, and interest in all inventions, techniques, processes, materials, and other intellectual
property developed in the course of performing such services for the Company.
e. Limitations on Authority. You will have no responsibilities or authority as a consultant to the Company
other than as provided above. You agree not to represent or purport to represent the Company in any manner whatsoever to any
third party except with prior written consent.
f.
Standards of Conduct; Noncompetition. You agree during the Consulting Period that you will not,
directly or indirectly, as an officer, director, employee, consultant, owner, manager, member, partner, or in any other capacity
solicit, perform, or provide, or attempt to perform or provide Conflicting Services in the United States, nor will you assist another
person to solicit, perform or provide or attempt to perform or provide Conflicting Services in the United States. You and the
Company agree that for purposes of this Agreement, “Conflicting Services” means any product, service, or process or the
research and development thereof, of any person or organization other than the Company that is substantially similar to or
competitive with a product, service, or process, including the research and development thereof, of the Company.
Notwithstanding the above, you will not be deemed to be engaged directly or indirectly in any Conflicting Services if you
participate in any such business solely as a passive investor in up to one percent (1%) of the equity securities of a company or
partnership, the securities of which are publicly traded.
g. Termination. The Company may, at its option, terminate the Consulting Period due to either (i) a material
breach of this Agreement so long as it provides you written notice specifying with particularity the grounds for termination and
at least ten (10) business days to cure, if curable or (ii) you revoke the release described in Section 11 below after signing it. You
may terminate the Consulting Period upon sixty (60) days prior written notice to the Company. The Consulting Period shall
automatically terminate due to your death. The Company shall pay you (or, in the event of your death, your estate) any unpaid
cash fees for services rendered prior to termination.
4.
OTHER COMPENSATION OR BENEFITS. You acknowledge that, except as expressly provided in this Agreement,
you will not receive any additional compensation, severance or benefits after the Resignation Date, with the exception of any
vested right you may have under the express terms of any ERISA covered benefit plan (e.g., 401(k) account) or as provided under
this Agreement. You further acknowledge and agree that upon receipt of the benefits hereunder, you
257531730 v5
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will have received all severance benefits that you were ever eligible to receive from the Company, whether under your
Employment Agreement or otherwise.
5.
EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENTS. You agree that, within ten (10) days after the Resignation Date, you will submit
your final documented expense reimbursement statement reflecting all business expenses you incurred through the Resignation
Date, if any, for which you seek reimbursement. The Company will reimburse you for these expenses pursuant to its regular
business practice.
6.
RETURN OF COMPANY PROPERTY. By signing below, you represent and warrant to the best of your knowledge
that you have returned to the Company all Company documents (and all copies thereof) and other Company property in your
possession or control. You further represent that you have made a diligent search to locate any such documents, property and
information. In addition, if you have used any personally owned computer, server, or e-mail system to receive, store, review,
prepare or transmit any confidential or proprietary data, materials or information of the Company, then within five (5) business
days after the Resignation Date, if requested by the Company, you must provide the Company with a computer-useable copy of
such information and then permanently delete and expunge such confidential or proprietary information from those systems
without retaining any reproductions (in whole or in part); and you agree to provide the Company access to your system, as
requested, to verify that the necessary copying and deletion is done. Your timely compliance with the provisions of this
paragraph is a precondition to your receipt of the severance benefits provided hereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing,
you may retain any Company property that is reasonably necessary for your performance of the Consulting Services.
7.
PROPRIETARY INFORMATION OBLIGATIONS. You acknowledge your continuing obligations with respect to the
protection of the Company’s confidential information under the terms of the At-Will Employment, Confidential Information,
Invention Assignment and Arbitration Agreement that you executed during the term of your employment with the Company.
8.
NONDISPARAGEMENT. You agree not to disparage the Company or the Company’s officers, directors, employees,
shareholders, parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, and agents, in any manner likely to be harmful to them or their business, business
reputation or personal reputation, and the Company agrees (through its directors and officers) not to disparage you in any manner
likely to be harmful to your personal or professional reputations; provided that you may respond accurately and fully to any
question, inquiry or request for information when required by legal process. In addition, nothing in this provision or this
Agreement is intended to prohibit or restrain you in any manner from making disclosures that are protected under the
whistleblower provisions of federal or state law or regulation.
9.
NO VOLUNTARY ADVERSE ACTION. You agree that you will not voluntarily (except in response to legal
compulsion ) assist any person in bringing or pursuing any proposed or pending litigation, arbitration, administrative claim or
other formal proceeding against the Company, its parent or subsidiary entities, affiliates, officers, directors, employees or agents.
10.
NO ADMISSIONS. You understand and agree that the promises and payments in consideration of this Agreement
shall not be construed to be an admission of any liability or
257531730 v5
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obligation by the Company to you or to any other person, and that the Company makes no such admission.
11.
RELEASE OF CLAIMS.
(a) General Release. In exchange for the consideration provided to you under this Agreement to which you
would not otherwise be entitled, you hereby generally and completely release the Company, and its affiliated, related, parent and
subsidiary entities, and its and their current and former directors, officers, employees, shareholders, partners, agents, attorneys,
predecessors, successors, insurers, affiliates, and assigns (collectively, the “Released Parties”) from any and all claims, liabilities
and obligations, both known and unknown, that arise out of or are in any way related to events, acts, conduct, or omissions
occurring prior to or on the date you sign this Agreement (collectively, the “Released Claims”).
(b) Scope of Release. The Released Claims include, but are not limited to: (i) all claims arising out of or in any way
related to your employment with the Company, or the termination of that employment; (ii) all claims related to your
compensation or benefits from the Company, including salary, bonuses, commissions, vacation, expense reimbursements,
severance pay, fringe benefits, stock, stock options, or any other ownership, equity, or profits interests in the Company; (iii) all
claims for breach of contract, wrongful termination, and breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing; (iv) all tort
claims, including claims for fraud, defamation, emotional distress, and discharge in violation of public policy; and (v) all federal,
state, and local statutory claims, including claims for discrimination, harassment, retaliation, attorneys’ fees, or other claims
arising under the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964 (as amended), the federal Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the federal
Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (as amended) (the “ADEA”), the California Labor Code (as amended), and the
California Fair Employment and Housing Act (as amended).
(c) ADEA Waiver. You acknowledge that you are knowingly and voluntarily waiving and releasing any rights you
may have under the ADEA and that the consideration given for this waiver is in addition to anything of value to which you are
already entitled. You further acknowledge that you have been advised, as required by the ADEA, that: (i) your waiver does not
apply to any rights or claims that may arise after the date that you sign this Agreement; (ii) you should consult with an attorney
prior to signing this Agreement (although you may choose voluntarily not to do so); (iii) you have twenty-one (21) days to
consider this Agreement (although you may choose voluntarily to sign it earlier); (iv) you have seven (7) days following the date
you sign this Agreement to revoke your acceptance of this Agreement (by providing written notice of your revocation to the
Chairman of the Company’s Board of Directors); and (v) this Agreement will not be effective until the date upon which the
revocation period has expired, which will be the eighth day after the date that this Agreement is signed by you provided that you
do not revoke it (the “Effective Date”).
(d) Section 1542 Waiver. YOU UNDERSTAND THAT THIS AGREEMENT INCLUDES A RELEASE OF
ALL KNOWN AND UNKNOWN CLAIMS. In giving the release herein, which includes claims which may be unknown to you
at present, you acknowledge that you have read and understand Section 1542 of the California Civil Code, which reads as
follows: “A general release does not extend to claims which the creditor or releasing party does not
257531730 v5
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know or suspect to exist in his or her favor at the time of executing the release, which if known by him or her would have
materially affected his or her settlement with the debtor or released party.” You hereby expressly waive and relinquish all
rights and benefits under that section and any law of any other jurisdiction of similar effect with respect to your release of any
unknown or unsuspected claims herein.
(e) Excluded Claims. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the following are not included in the Released Claims
(the “Excluded Claims”): (i) any rights or claims for indemnification you may have under the Company’s by-laws, articles of
incorporation or pursuant to any written indemnification agreement with the Company to which you are a party or under
applicable law; (ii) any rights which are not waivable as a matter of law; (iii) any claims for breach of this Agreement, (iv) any
rights to enforce this Agreement, including any breach of obligations to pay any vested benefits referred to in Section 3 above or
COBRA violations; and (v) any claims arising after the date on which you sign this General Release.
You hereby represent and warrant that, other than the Excluded Claims, you are not aware of any claims you
have or might have against any of the Released Parties that are not included in the Released Claims. You understand that nothing
in this Agreement limits your ability to file a charge or complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the
Department of Labor, the National Labor Relations Board, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the Securities and
Exchange Commission or any other federal, state or local governmental agency or commission (“Government Agencies”). You
further understand this Agreement does not limit your ability to communicate with any Government Agencies or otherwise
participate in any investigation or proceeding that may be conducted by any Government Agency, including providing documents
or other information, without notice to the Company. While this Agreement does not limit your right to receive an award for
information provided to the Securities and Exchange Commission, you understand and agree that, to maximum extent permitted
by law, you are otherwise waiving any and all rights you may have to individual relief based on any claims that you have released
and any rights you have waived by signing this Agreement.
12.
REPRESENTATIONS. Except as provided in Section 4 and Section 5 above, you hereby represent that you have
been paid all compensation owed and for all hours worked, have received all the leave and leave benefits and protections for
which you are eligible, pursuant to the Family and Medical Leave Act or otherwise, and have not suffered any on-the-job injury
for which you have not already filed a claim.
13.
SECTION 409A. The payments and benefits under this Agreement are intended to qualify for exemptions from
the application of Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code (“Section 409A”), and this Agreement will be construed to the
greatest extent possible as consistent with those provisions, and to the extent not so exempt, this Agreement (and any definitions
hereunder) will be construed in a manner that complies with Section 409A to the extent necessary to avoid taxation under Section
409A. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, to the extent required to comply with Section 409A, a termination of
employment shall not be deemed to have occurred for purposes of any provision of this Agreement providing for the payment of
amounts or benefits upon or following a termination of employment unless such termination is also a “separation from service”
within the meaning of Section 409A. Your right to
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receive any installment payments will be treated as a right to receive a series of separate payments and, accordingly, each
installment payment shall at all times be considered a separate and distinct payment. Notwithstanding any provision to the
contrary in this Agreement, if you are deemed by the Company at the time of your separation from service to be a “specified
employee” for purposes of Section 409A, and if any of the payments upon separation from service set forth herein and/or under
any other agreement with the Company are deemed to be “deferred compensation,” then, to the extent delayed commencement of
any portion of such payments is required in order to avoid a prohibited distribution under Section 409A and the related taxation
under Section 409A, such payments shall not be provided to you prior to the earliest of (i) the expiration of the six-month period
measured from the date of separation from service, (ii) the date of your death or (iii) such earlier date as permitted under Section
409A without the imposition of adverse taxation. With respect to payments to be made upon execution of an effective release, if
the release revocation period spans two calendar years, payments will be made in the second of the two calendar years to the
extent necessary to avoid adverse taxation under Section 409A.
14.
GENERAL. This Agreement, including Exhibit A, constitutes the complete, final and exclusive embodiment of
the entire agreement between you and the Company with regard to this subject matter. It is entered into without reliance on any
promise or representation, written or oral, other than those expressly contained herein, and it supersedes any other such promises,
warranties or representations. This Agreement may not be modified or amended except in a writing signed by both you and a
duly authorized officer of the Company. This Agreement will bind the heirs, personal representatives, successors and assigns of
both you and the Company, and inure to the benefit of both you and the Company, their heirs, successors and assigns. If any
provision of this Agreement is determined to be invalid or unenforceable, in whole or in part, this determination will not affect
any other provision of this Agreement and the provision in question will be modified by the court so as to be rendered
enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by law, consistent with the intent of the parties. This Agreement will be deemed to
have been entered into and will be construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of California as applied to
contracts made and to be performed entirely within California.
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If this Agreement is acceptable to you, please sign below and return the original to me within twenty-one (21) days.
Sincerely,
By: _/s/ Ron Hunt___________________________
Ron Hunt on behalf of the Board of Directors
Exhibit A – Option Report
ACCEPTED AND AGREED:
_/s/ Gerald McMahon_______
Gerald McMahon
October 25, 2021
Date
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Grant Date
No. of Shares
Granted
Exercise Price per
Share
Vesting Start Date
No. of Shares
Vested
Shares Exercised/
Released
Shares Outstanding
Expire Date
Vesting Schedule
Exhibit A – Option Report
257531730 v5
Exhibit 10.23
October 25, 2021
Julie Eastland
Via Email/DocuSign
Dear Julie,
On behalf of Harpoon Therapeutics, Inc. (“Harpoon” or the “Company”), I am pleased to set forth the terms of your employment
with the Company, should you accept our offer:
1) Title/Duties. You will be employed to serve on a full-time basis as President and Chief Executive Officer, reporting to the
Board of Directors (the “Board”). You agree to devote your full business time, best efforts, skill, knowledge, attention and
energies to the advancement of the Company’s business and interests and to the performance of your duties and
responsibilities as an employee of the Company. You agree to abide by the rules, regulations, instructions, personnel
practices and policies of the Company and any changes therein that may be adopted from time to time by the Company. It is
contemplated that you will commence full time employment on or about November 8, 2021 (the “Start Date”). You will
work out of your home office in Seattle, and will travel to the Company’s South San Francisco office as needed. You will
also remain on the Board, so long as you are serving as CEO. Upon the termination of your employment for any reason,
unless otherwise requested by the Board, you will be deemed to have resigned from the Board (and all other positions held at
the Company and its affiliates) voluntarily, without any further action by you, and at the Board’s request, you agree to
execute any documents necessary to reflect this resignation.
2) Base Salary. Your base salary, which will be subject to all applicable taxes and withholding, will be at the annual rate of
$565,000, to be paid in substantially equal installments in accordance with the Company’s regular payroll practices. Such
base salary may be adjusted from time to time in accordance with normal business practice and in the sole discretion of the
Compensation Committee of the Board (the “Compensation Committee”) and/or the Board.
3) Bonus. Following the end of each fiscal year and subject to the approval of the Compensation Committee and/or the Board,
you will be eligible for a discretionary bonus (the “Annual Bonus”) of no less than 55% of your annualized base salary
(“Target Bonus”), which will be subject to all applicable taxes and withholding, assuming achievement of a “target” level of
individual and Company performance during the applicable fiscal year as determined by the Compensation Committee. The
amount of the Annual Bonus will be determined in the sole discretion of the Compensation Committee. The Company will
pay you the Annual Bonus if any, at the time when bonuses are paid to other executives of the Company, but no later than
March 15 of the year following the year with respect to the bonus relates. You must be an active employee of the Company
on the date the Annual Bonus is paid in order to earn a bonus award, as it also serves as an incentive to remain employed by
the Company. For the 2021 fiscal year, the amount of your Annual Bonus, if any, will be prorated based on your Start Date,
and will be paid to you at such time as bonuses are paid out to other eligible Company employees.
Harpoon Therapeutics, Inc.
South San Francisco, CA
4) Sign-On Bonus. You will be eligible for a one-time, sign on bonus payment of $205,000, subject to applicable withholdings
(the “Sign-On Payment”). This will be paid to you within thirty (30) days after the Start Date.
5) Equity Awards. Subject to the approval of the Compensation Committee and/or the Board, the Company will grant to you
the following equity awards pursuant to and subject to the terms of the Company’s 2019 Equity Incentive Plan (the “Stock
Plan”) and the relevant form of award agreement:
a) A stock option (the “Time-Based Option”) for the purchase of 350,000 shares of common stock. 25% of the shares
subject to the Time-Based Option will vest on the first anniversary of the grant date with the remaining 75% to vest in
equal parts on a monthly basis thereafter, such that 100% of the Time-Based Option shall be vested on the fourth
anniversary of the grant date, in each case subject to your continued service through each such date. The exercise price
of the Time-Based Option will be equal to the fair market value of a share of common stock on the date of grant,
determined in accordance with the terms of the Stock Plan.
b) A performance stock unit award with respect to 250,000 shares of common stock (the “PSU Award”). The PSU Award
will vest (and be subject to increase in the number of shares payable in connection with the award) based on the
achievement of performance criteria over a three-year performance measurement period and threshold, target and stretch
performance multipliers of 1x, 1.25x and 1.5x, respectively. Such performance criteria and vesting conditions will be
mutually agreed upon by you and the Compensation Committee by December 31, 2021.
You will be eligible for annual equity awards starting in 2023, subject to the sole discretion of the Compensation Committee
and/or the Board.
6) Benefits. Subject to the terms and conditions thereof and all eligibility requirements, you may participate in any and all
benefit programs that the Company establishes and makes available to its similarly situated executive employees from time
to time. The benefit programs made available by the Company, and the rules, terms and conditions for participation in such
benefit programs, may be changed by the Company at any time without advance notice.
7) Relocation. The Company will pay for your temporary housing in the San Francisco, California Area for twelve (12)
months following the Start Date. These payments will be subject to a tax gross up, to the extent such payments are taxable to
you. The Company will also reimburse you for the travel expenses you incur for your travel to and from the San Francisco
area during such period. These payments will also be subject to a tax gross up, to the extent such payments are taxable to
you. If the Company requires you to relocate to the San Francisco area and you agree, then the Company will pay for (i) the
cost of your temporary housing, (ii) the difference, if any, between the amount you originally paid for your current home and
the amount paid to purchase your current home (to the extent that the latter is less than the former), (iii) the expense for any
trips to search for a house, and (iv) reasonable moving expenses.
8) Severance.
a)
If, outside of a Change in Control Period (as defined on Appendix A hereto), your employment
Harpoon Therapeutics, Inc.
South San Francisco, CA
is terminated by the Company without Cause (as defined on Appendix A hereto), and other than as a result of your death
or disability, or you terminate your employment for Good Reason (as defined on Appendix A hereto), provided that such
termination constitutes a “separation from service” (as defined under Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(h), without
regard to any alternative definition thereunder, a “Separation from Service”), and provided that you satisfy the Severance
Conditions (as defined below), the Company will provide you with the following benefits:
i) The Company will pay you, as severance, an aggregate amount equivalent to twelve (12) month of your then-current
base salary. This severance will be paid in equal installments on the Company’s regular payroll schedule and will be
subject to applicable tax withholdings over the 12-month period following your Separation from Service; provided,
however, that no payments will be made prior to the 60th day following your Separation from Service. On the 60th
day following your Separation from Service, the Company will pay you in a lump sum the severance that you would
have received on or prior to such date under the original schedule but for the delay while waiting for the 60th day in
compliance with Code Section 409A and the effectiveness of the release, with the balance of the severance being
paid as originally scheduled.
ii) The Company shall pay you, as severance, an amount equal to your target bonus for the year in which your
Separation from Service occurs, less all applicable taxes and withholdings, which shall be paid in a lump-sum on the
60th day following your Separation from Service.
iii) Should you timely elect and be eligible to continue receiving group medical coverage pursuant to COBRA, the
Company will reimburse you for payments you make for COBRA coverage, until the earliest of (i) the close of the
twelve-month period following the termination of your employment, (ii) the expiration of your eligibility for the
continuation coverage under COBRA, or (iii) the date when you enroll in health insurance coverage in connection
with new employment or self-employment. In no event will these reimbursement payments exceed the amount the
Company then pays for health insurance coverage for active employees (in which case, the remaining balance of any
premium costs shall timely be paid by you on a monthly basis for as long as, and to the extent that, you remain
eligible for COBRA continuation). If you enroll in coverage under another employer’s group health plan or
otherwise cease to be eligible for COBRA during the period provided in this clause, you must notify the Company
within seven (7) days of such event, and all payments and obligations under this clause shall cease. If the Company
cannot provide these payments without violating the nondiscrimination requirements of applicable law, then such
payments shall be made to you without the requirement that you use the payments for purposes of health insurance
coverage.
b)
If, within a Change in Control Period, your employment is terminated by the Company without Cause, and other than as
a result of your death or disability, or you terminate your employment for Good Reason, and provided that such
termination constitutes a Separation from Service and you satisfy the Severance Conditions, the Company will provide
you with the following benefits:
Harpoon Therapeutics, Inc.
South San Francisco, CA
i) The Company will pay you, as severance, an aggregate amount equal to the sum of (A) eighteen (18) months of your
then-current base salary plus (B) an amount equal to your target bonus for the year in which your Separation from
Service occurs. This payment, less all applicable taxes and withholdings, will be paid in a lump-sum on the 60th day
following your Separation from Service.
ii) Should you timely elect and be eligible to continue receiving group medical coverage pursuant to COBRA, the
Company will reimburse you for payments you make for COBRA coverage, until the earliest of (i) the close of the
eighteen-month period following the termination of your employment, (ii) the expiration of your eligibility for the
continuation coverage under COBRA, or (iii) the date when you enroll for health insurance coverage in connection
with new employment or self-employment. In no event will these reimbursement payments exceed the amount the
Company then pays for health insurance coverage for active employees (in which case, the remaining balance of any
premium costs shall timely be paid by you on a monthly basis for as long as, and to the extent that, you remain
eligible for COBRA continuation). If you enroll in coverage under another employer’s group health plan or
otherwise cease to be eligible for COBRA during the period provided in this clause, you must notify the Company
within seven (7) days of such event, and all payments and obligations under this clause shall cease. If the Company
cannot provide these payments without violating the nondiscrimination requirements of applicable law, then such
payments shall be made to you without the requirement that you use the payments for purposes of health insurance
coverage.
iii) The Company will accelerate the vesting of all of your outstanding options, restricted stock units, performance stock
unit awards and/or other equity compensation such that 100% of such awards shall be deemed immediately vested
and exercisable as of your termination date (with performance stock unit awards to be vested at target (1.25x)
performance levels).
8. Severance Conditions. The severance benefits described in Section 7 are conditional upon the following (the “Severance
Conditions”): (a) your continuing to comply with all of your legal and contractual obligations to the Company; (b) your
delivering to the Company an effective, general release of claims in favor of the Company in a form acceptable to the
Company within 60 days following your termination date; and (c) if you are a member of the Board, your resignation from
the Board, to be effective no later than the date of your termination date (or such other date as requested by the Board).
9. Section 409A. It is intended that all of the Severance Benefits and other payments payable under this letter satisfy, to the
greatest extent possible, the exemptions from the application of Code Section 409A provided under Treasury Regulations
1.409A 1(b)(4), 1.409A 1(b)(5) and 1.409A 1(b)(9), and this letter will be construed to the greatest extent possible as
consistent with those provisions. For purposes of Code Section 409A (including, without limitation, for purposes of
Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A 2(b)(2)(iii)), your right to receive any installment payments under this letter (whether
severance payments, reimbursements or otherwise) shall be treated as a right to receive a series of separate payments and,
accordingly, each installment payment hereunder shall at all times be considered a separate and distinct payment.
Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in this letter, if you are deemed by the Company at the time of your Separation
from Service to be a “specified employee” for purposes of Code Section
Harpoon Therapeutics, Inc.
South San Francisco, CA
409A(a)(2)(B)(i), and if any of the payments upon Separation from Service set forth herein and/or under any other agreement
with the Company are deemed to be “deferred compensation”, then to the extent delayed commencement of any portion of
such payments is required in order to avoid a prohibited distribution under Code Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) and the related
adverse taxation under Section 409A, such payments shall not be provided to you prior to the earliest of (i) the expiration of
the six-month period measured from the date of your Separation from Service with the Company, (ii) the date of your death
or (iii) such earlier date as permitted under Section 409A without the imposition of adverse taxation. Upon the first business
day following the expiration of such applicable Code Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) period, all payments deferred pursuant to this
paragraph shall be paid in a lump sum to you, and any remaining payments due shall be paid as otherwise provided herein or
in the applicable agreement. No interest shall be due on any amounts so deferred.
10. 280G.
a.
If any payment or benefit you will or may receive from the Company or from another source (a “280G Payment”) would
(i) constitute a “parachute payment” within the meaning of Section 280G of Code, and (ii) but for this sentence, be
subject to the excise tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Code (the “Excise Tax”), then any such 280G Payment pursuant
to this Agreement (a “Payment”) will be equal to the Reduced Amount. The “Reduced Amount” will be either (x) the
largest portion of the Payment that would result in no portion of the Payment (after reduction) being subject to the Excise
Tax or (y) the largest portion, up to and including the total, of the Payment, whichever amount (i.e., the amount
determined by clause (x) or by clause (y)), after taking into account all applicable federal, state and local employment
taxes, income taxes, and the Excise Tax (all computed at the highest applicable marginal rate), results in your receipt, on
an after-tax basis, of the greater economic benefit notwithstanding that all or some portion of the Payment may be
subject to the Excise Tax. If a reduction in a Payment is required pursuant to the preceding sentence and the Reduced
Amount is determined pursuant to clause (x) of the preceding sentence, the reduction will occur in the manner (the
“Reduction Method”) that results in the greatest economic benefit for you. If more than one method of reduction will
result in the same economic benefit, the items so reduced will be reduced pro rata (the “Pro Rata Reduction Method”).
The Company and you agree to pursue in good faith reasonable mitigation strategies with respect to the 280G payments
in consultation with the Company’s accountants and/or consultants.
b. Notwithstanding any provision of paragraph (a) to the contrary, if the Reduction Method or the Pro Rata Reduction
Method would result in any portion of the Payment being subject to taxes pursuant to Section 409A that would not
otherwise be subject to taxes pursuant to Section 409A, then the Reduction Method and/or the Pro Rata Reduction
Method, as the case may be, will be modified so as to avoid the imposition of taxes pursuant to Section 409A as follows:
(A) as a first priority, the modification will preserve to the greatest extent possible, the greatest economic benefit for you
as determined on an after-tax basis; (B) as a second priority, Payments that are contingent on future events (e.g., being
terminated without cause), will be reduced (or eliminated) before Payments that are not contingent on future events; and
(C) as a third priority, Payments that are “deferred compensation” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code will
be reduced (or eliminated) before Payments that are not deferred compensation within the meaning of Section 409A of
the Code.
Harpoon Therapeutics, Inc.
South San Francisco, CA
c.
If you receive a Payment for which the Reduced Amount was determined pursuant to clause (x) of Section 10(a) and the
Internal Revenue Service determines thereafter that some portion of the Payment is subject to the Excise Tax, you agree
to promptly return to the Company a sufficient amount of the Payment (after reduction pursuant to clause (x) of Section
10(a)) so that no portion of the remaining Payment is subject to the Excise Tax. For the avoidance of doubt, if the
Reduced Amount was determined pursuant to clause (y) of Section 10(a), you will have no obligation to return any
portion of the Payment pursuant to the preceding sentence.
11. Confidential Information. As a condition of your employment, you agree to execute an At‑Will Employment, Confidential
Information, and Invention Assignment Agreement (the “Employment Agreement”), a copy of which is attached as
Appendix B hereto. We ask that, if you have not already done so, you disclose to the Company any and all agreements
relating to your prior employment that may affect your eligibility to be employed by the Company or limit the manner in
which you may be employed. It is the Company’s understanding that any such agreements will not prevent you from
performing the duties of your position and by signing this letter, you represent that such is the case. Moreover, you agree that,
during the term of your employment with the Company, you will not engage in any other employment, occupation,
consulting or other business activity directly related to the business in which the Company is now involved or becomes
involved during the term of your employment, nor will you engage in any other activities that conflict with your obligations
to the Company. Similarly, you agree not to bring any third party confidential information to the Company, including that of
your former employer, and that in performing your duties for the Company, you will not in any way utilize any such
information unless you have obtained express written authorization from the former employer for their possession and use.
You also agree to honor all obligations to former employers during your employment with the Company.
12. Employment Eligibility. You agree to provide to the Company, within three days of your Start Date, documentation of your
eligibility to work in the United States, as required by the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986. The Company may
undertake a background investigation and reference check in accordance with applicable law. This job offer is contingent
upon a clearance of such a background investigation and/or reference check.
13. Attorneys’ Fees. The Company shall reimburse you for the reasonable attorneys’ fees incurred by you in connection with
negotiation, preparation, and execution of this agreement and any related ancillary documents, in an amount not to exceed
$20,000.
14. Arbitration. To ensure the timely and economical resolution of disputes that may arise between you and the Company, both
you and the Company mutually agree that pursuant to the Federal Arbitration Act, 9 U.S.C. §1-16, and to the fullest extent
permitted by applicable law, you will submit solely to final, binding and confidential arbitration any and all disputes, claims,
or causes of action arising from or relating to: the negotiation, execution, interpretation, performance, breach or enforcement
of this Agreement; or your employment with the Company (including but not limited to all statutory claims); or the
termination of your employment with the Company (including but not limited to all statutory claims). BY AGREEING TO
THIS ARBITRATION PROCEDURE, BOTH YOU AND THE COMPANY WAIVE THE RIGHT TO RESOLVE ANY
SUCH DISPUTES THROUGH A TRIAL BY JURY OR JUDGE OR THROUGH AN ADMINISTRATIVE
PROCEEDING. The Arbitrator will have the sole and exclusive authority
Harpoon Therapeutics, Inc.
South San Francisco, CA
to determine whether a dispute, claim or cause of action is subject to arbitration under this section and to determine any
procedural questions which grow out of such disputes, claims or causes of action and bear on their final disposition. All
claims, disputes, or causes of action under this section, whether by you or the Company, must be brought solely in an
individual capacity, and will not be brought as a plaintiff (or claimant) or class member in any purported class or
representative proceeding, nor joined or consolidated with the claims of any other person or entity. The Arbitrator may not
consolidate the claims of more than one person or entity, and may not preside over any form of representative or class
proceeding. To the extent that the preceding sentences in this paragraph are found to violate applicable law or are otherwise
found unenforceable, any claim(s) alleged or brought on behalf of a class will proceed in a court of law rather than by
arbitration. Any arbitration proceeding under this Arbitration section will be presided over by a single arbitrator and
conducted by JAMS, Inc. (“JAMS”) in San Francisco, CA under the then applicable JAMS rules for the resolution of
employment disputes (available upon request and also currently available at http://www.jamsadr.com/rules-employment-
arbitration/). You and the Company both have the right to be represented by legal counsel at any arbitration proceeding, at
each party’s own expense. The Arbitrator will: (a) have the authority to compel adequate discovery for the resolution of the
dispute; (b) issue a written arbitration decision, to include the arbitrator’s essential findings and conclusions and a statement
of the award; and (c) be authorized to award any or all remedies that you or the Company would be entitled to seek in a court
of law. The Company will pay all JAMS arbitration fees in excess of the amount of court fees that would be required of you
if the dispute were decided in a court of law. This section will not apply to any action or claim that cannot be subject to
mandatory arbitration as a matter of law, including, without limitation, claims brought pursuant to the California Private
Attorneys General Act of 2004, as amended, the California Fair Employment and Housing Act, as amended, and the
California Labor Code, as amended, to the extent such claims are not permitted by applicable law to be submitted to
mandatory arbitration and such applicable law is not preempted by the Federal Arbitration Act or otherwise invalid
(collectively, the “Excluded Claims”). In the event you intend to bring multiple claims, including one of the Excluded
Claims listed above, the Excluded Claims may be filed with a court, while any other claims will remain subject to mandatory
arbitration. Nothing in this section is intended to prevent either you or the Company from obtaining injunctive relief in court
to prevent irreparable harm pending the conclusion of any such arbitration. Any final award in any arbitration proceeding
hereunder may be entered as a judgment in the federal and state courts of any competent jurisdiction and enforced
accordingly.
15. At Will Employment. The Company is excited about your joining and looks forward to a beneficial and productive
relationship. Nevertheless, you should be aware that your employment with the Company is for no specified period and
constitutes at‑will employment. As a result, you are free to resign at any time, for any reason or for no reason. Similarly, the
Company is free to conclude its employment relationship with you at any time, with or without Cause, and with or without
notice. We request that, in the event of resignation, you give the Company at least two weeks’ notice.
To accept employment with the Company pursuant to the terms of this letter, please sign and date this letter in the space provided
below and return it to me, along with a signed copy of the Employment Agreement. If you do not accept this offer by October
28, 2021, this offer will be revoked. This letter, along with the Employment Agreement, forms the complete and exclusive
statement of your employment agreement with the Company. It supersedes any other representations or agreements
Harpoon Therapeutics, Inc.
South San Francisco, CA
including, but not limited to, any representations made during your recruitment, interviews or pre‑employment negotiations,
whether written or oral. Changes in your employment terms, other than those changes expressly reserved to the Company’s
discretion in this letter, may not be modified or amended except by a written agreement signed by a duly authorized member of
the Board and you. If any provision of this offer letter agreement is determined to be invalid or unenforceable, in whole or in
part, this determination shall not affect any other provision of this offer letter agreement and the provision in question shall be
modified so as to be rendered enforceable in a manner consistent with the intent of the parties insofar as possible under applicable
law. This letter may be delivered and executed via facsimile, electronic mail (including pdf or any electronic signature
complying with the U.S. federal ESIGN Act of 2000, Uniform Electronic Transactions Act or other applicable law) or other
transmission method and shall be deemed to have been duly and validly delivered and executed and be valid and effective for all
purposes.
Very Truly Yours,
By: ____/s/Ron Hunt__________________________
Ron Hunt on Behalf of the Board of Directors
The foregoing correctly sets forth the terms of my at-will employment by Harpoon Therapeutics, Inc. I am not relying on any
representations other than those set forth above.
By: __/s/ Julie Eastland__________________
Date: __October 26, 2021______________
Julie Eastland
Harpoon Therapeutics, Inc.
South San Francisco, CA
For purposes of your offer letter from the Company, the following definitions shall apply:
APPENDIX A
1) “Cause” shall mean the occurrence of any of the following events: (i) your commission of any felony or any crime involving
fraud, dishonesty or moral turpitude under the laws of the United States or any state thereof; (ii) your attempted commission of,
or participation in, a fraud or act of dishonesty against the Company; (iii) your intentional, material violation of any contract or
agreement between you and the Company or of any statutory duty owed to the Company; (iv) your unauthorized use or disclosure
of the Company’s confidential information or trade secrets; or (v) your gross misconduct.
2) “ Good Reason” means the occurrence, without your prior written consent, of any of the following events: (i) a material
reduction in your authority, duties, or responsibilities, provided however, that a change in job position (including a change in title)
shall not be deemed a “material reduction” in and of itself unless your new duties are materially reduced from the prior duties; or
(ii) a material reduction of your base salary (unless pursuant to a salary reduction program of no more than 10% of base salary
applicable generally to the Company’s similarly-situated employees). No resignation will be treated as a resignation for Good
Reason unless (x) you give written notice to the Board of your intention to terminate your employment for Good Reason,
describing the grounds for such resignation, no later than 30 days after the first occurrence of such circumstances, (y) you provide
the Company with at least 30 days in which to cure the circumstances, and (z) if the Company does not reasonably cure the
circumstances, you resign your employment within 30 days following the cure period in (y).
3) The “Change in Control Period” means the period commencing 60 days prior to, and ending 24 months following, the
effective date of a Change in Control (as defined in the Stock Plan).
APPENDIX B
HARPOON THERAPEUTICS, INC.
AT-WILL EMPLOYMENT, CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION,
AND INVENTION ASSIGNMENT AGREEMENT
As a condition of my employment with Harpoon Therapeutics, Inc. (the “Company”), and in consideration of my employment
with the Company and my receipt of the compensation now and hereafter paid to me by Company, I agree to the following
provisions of this At-Will Employment, Confidential Information, and Invention Assignment Agreement (this “Agreement”):
1. AT-WILL EMPLOYMENT
I UNDERSTAND AND ACKNOWLEDGE THAT MY EMPLOYMENT WITH THE COMPANY IS FOR NO SPECIFIED
TERM AND CONSTITUTES “AT-WILL” EMPLOYMENT. I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT ANY REPRESENTATION TO
THE CONTRARY IS UNAUTHORIZED AND NOT VALID UNLESS IN WRITING AND SIGNED BY THE PRESIDENT
OR CEO OF THE COMPANY. ACCORDINGLY, I ACKNOWLEDGE THAT MY EMPLOYMENT RELATIONSHIP MAY BE
TERMINATED AT ANY TIME, WITH OR WITHOUT GOOD CAUSE OR FOR ANY OR NO CAUSE, AT MY OPTION OR
AT THE OPTION OF THE COMPANY, WITH OR WITHOUT NOTICE. I FURTHER ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE
COMPANY MAY MODIFY JOB TITLES, SALARIES, AND BENEFITS FROM TIME TO TIME AS IT DEEMS
NECESSARY.
2. CONFIDENTIALITY
A. Definition of Company Confidential Information. I understand that “Company Confidential Information” means
information (including any and all combinations of individual items of information) that the Company has or will develop,
acquire, create, compile, discover or own, that has value in or to the Company’s business which is not generally known and
which the Company wishes to maintain as confidential. Company Confidential Information includes both information
disclosed by the Company to me, and information developed or learned by me during the course of my employment with the
Company. Company Confidential Information also includes all information of which the unauthorized disclosure could be
detrimental to the interests of the Company, whether or not such information is identified as Company Confidential
Information. By example, and without limitation, Company Confidential Information includes any and all non-public
information that relates to the actual or anticipated business and/or products, research or development of the Company, or to
the Company’s technical data, trade secrets, or know-how, including, but not limited to, research, product plans, or other
information regarding the Company’s products or services and markets therefor, customer lists and customers (including, but
not limited to, customers of the Company on which I called or with which I may become acquainted during the term of my
employment), software, developments, inventions, discoveries, ideas, processes, formulas, technology, designs, drawings,
engineering, hardware configuration information, marketing, finances, and other business information disclosed by the
Company either directly or indirectly in writing, orally or by drawings or inspection of premises, parts, equipment, or other
Company property. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Company Confidential Information shall not include any such
information which I can establish (i) was publicly known or made generally available prior to the time of disclosure by the
Company to me; (ii) becomes publicly
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known or made generally available after disclosure by the Company to me through no wrongful action or omission by me; or
(iii) is in my rightful possession, without confidentiality obligations, at the time of disclosure by the Company as shown by
my then-contemporaneous written records; provided that any combination of individual items of information shall not be
deemed to be within any of the foregoing exceptions merely because one or more of the individual items are within such
exception, unless the combination as a whole is within such exception. I understand that nothing in this Agreement is
intended to limit employees’ rights to discuss the terms, wages, and working conditions of their employment, as protected by
applicable law.
B. Nonuse and Nondisclosure. I agree that during and after my employment with the Company, I will hold in the strictest
confidence and take all reasonable precautions to prevent any unauthorized use or disclosure of Company Confidential
Information. I will not (i) use Company Confidential Information for any purpose whatsoever other than for the benefit of the
Company in the course of my employment, or (ii) disclose Company Confidential Information to any third party without the
prior written authorization of the President, CEO, or the Board of Directors of the Company. Prior to disclosure, when
compelled by applicable law, I shall provide prior written notice to the President, CEO, and General Counsel of the Company
(as applicable). I agree that I obtain no title to any Company Confidential Information, and that as between Company and
myself, the Company retains all Confidential Information as the sole property of the Company. I understand that my
unauthorized use or disclosure of Company Confidential Information during my employment may lead to disciplinary action,
up to and including, immediate termination and legal action by the Company. I understand that my obligations under this
Section 2.B shall continue after termination of my employment and also that nothing in this Agreement prevents me from
engaging in Protected Activity, as described below.
C. Former Employer Confidential Information. I agree that during my employment with the Company, I will not improperly
use, disclose, or induce the Company to use any proprietary information or trade secrets of any former employer or other
person or entity with which I have an obligation to keep such proprietary information or trade secrets in confidence. I further
agree that I will not bring onto the Company’s premises or transfer onto the Company’s technology systems any unpublished
document, proprietary information, or trade secrets belonging to any such third party unless disclosure to, and use by, the
Company has been consented to, in writing, by such third party and the Company.
D. Third Party Information. I recognize that the Company has received, and in the future may receive, from third parties (for
example, customers, suppliers, licensors, licensees, partners, and collaborators) as well as its subsidiaries and affiliates
(“Associated Third Parties”), information which the Company is required to maintain and treat as confidential or
proprietary information of such Associated Third Parties (“Associated Third Party Confidential Information”), and I
agree to use such Associated Third Party Confidential Information only as directed by the Company and to not use or
disclose such Associated Third Party Confidential Information in a manner that would violate the Company’s obligations to
such Associated Third Parties. By way of example, Associated Third Party Confidential Information may include the habits
or practices of Associated Third Parties, the technology of Associated Third Parties, requirements of Associated Third
Parties, and information related to the business conducted between the Company and such Associated Third Parties. I agree
at all times during my employment with the Company and thereafter, that I owe the Company and its Associated Third
Parties a duty to hold all such
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Associated Third Party Confidential Information in the strictest confidence, and not to use it or to disclose it to any person,
firm, corporation, or other third party except as necessary in carrying out my work for the Company consistent with the
Company’s agreement with such Associated Third Parties. I further agree to comply with any and all Company policies and
guidelines that may be adopted from time to time regarding Associated Third Parties and Associated Third Party
Confidential Information. I understand that my unauthorized use or disclosure of Associated Third Party Confidential
Information or violation of any Company policies during my employment may lead to disciplinary action, up to and
including, immediate termination and legal action by the Company.
3. OWNERSHIP
A. Assignment of Inventions. As between the Company and myself, I agree that all right, title, and interest in and to any and all
copyrightable material, notes, records, drawings, designs, logos, inventions, improvements, developments, discoveries, ideas
and trade secrets conceived, discovered, authored, invented, developed or reduced to practice by me, solely or in
collaboration with others, during the period of time I am in the employ of the Company (including during my off-duty
hours), or with the use of Company’s equipment, supplies, facilities, or Company Confidential Information, and any
copyrights, patents, trade secrets, mask work rights or other intellectual property rights relating to the foregoing, except as
provided in Section 3.G below (collectively, “Inventions”), are the sole property of the Company. I also agree to promptly
make full written disclosure to the Company of any Inventions, and to deliver and assign and hereby irrevocably assign fully
to the Company all of my right, title and interest in and to Inventions. I agree that this assignment includes a present
conveyance to the Company of ownership of Inventions that are not yet in existence. I further acknowledge that all original
works of authorship that are made by me (solely or jointly with others) within the scope of and during the period of my
employment with the Company and that are protectable by copyright are “works made for hire,” as that term is defined in the
United States Copyright Act. I understand and agree that the decision whether or not to commercialize or market any
Inventions is within the Company’s sole discretion and for the Company’s sole benefit, and that no royalty or other
consideration will be due to me as a result of the Company’s efforts to commercialize or market any such Inventions. I
understand that any and all Inventions that I may work on with personnel of the Company’s parent or other affiliates
constitute joint research between the Company and its parent or other affiliates, as applicable, for the purposes of 35 U.S.C.
section 103(c)(2).
B. Pre-Existing Materials. I will inform the Company, in writing, before incorporating any inventions, discoveries, ideas,
original works of authorship, developments, improvements, trade secrets and other proprietary information or intellectual
property rights owned by me or in which I have an interest prior to, or separate from, my employment with the Company,
including, without limitation, any such inventions that are subject to California Labor Code Section 2870 (attached hereto as
Exhibit B) (“Prior Inventions”) into any Invention or otherwise utilizing any Prior Invention in the course of my
employment with the Company; and the Company is hereby granted a nonexclusive, royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable,
transferable worldwide license (with the right to grant and authorize sublicenses) to make, have made, use, import, offer for
sale, sell, reproduce, distribute, modify, adapt, prepare derivative works of, display, perform, and otherwise exploit such
incorporated or utilized Prior Inventions, without restriction, including, without limitation, as part of, or in connection with,
such Invention, and to practice any method related thereto. I will not
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incorporate any inventions, discoveries, ideas, original works of authorship, developments, improvements, trade secrets and
other proprietary information or intellectual property rights owned by any third party into any Invention without the
Company’s prior written permission. I have attached hereto as Exhibit A a list describing all Prior Inventions that relate to
the Company’s proposed business, products, or research and development or, if no such list is attached, I represent and
warrant that there are no such Prior Inventions. Furthermore, I represent and warrant that if any Prior Inventions are included
on Exhibit A, they will not materially affect my ability to perform all obligations under this Agreement.
C. Moral Rights. Any assignment to the Company of Inventions includes all rights of attribution, paternity, integrity,
modification, disclosure and withdrawal, and any other rights throughout the world that may be known as or referred to as
“moral rights,” “artist’s rights,” “droit moral,” or the like (collectively, “Moral Rights”). To the extent that Moral Rights
cannot be assigned under applicable law, I hereby waive and agree not to enforce any and all Moral Rights, including,
without limitation, any limitation on subsequent modification, to the extent permitted under applicable law.
D. Maintenance of Records. I agree to keep and maintain adequate, current, accurate, and authentic written records of all
Inventions made by me (solely or jointly with others) during the term of my employment with the Company. The records will
be in the form of notes, sketches, drawings, electronic files, reports, or any other format that may be specified by the
Company. As between the Company and myself, the records are and will be available to and remain the sole property of the
Company at all times.
E. Further Assurances. I agree to assist the Company, or its designee, at the Company’s expense, in every proper way to secure
the Company’s rights in the Inventions in any and all countries, including the disclosure to the Company of all pertinent
information and data with respect thereto, the execution of all applications, specifications, oaths, assignments, and all other
instruments that the Company shall deem proper or necessary in order to apply for, register, obtain, maintain, defend, and
enforce such rights, and in order to deliver, assign and convey to the Company, its successors, assigns, and nominees the sole
and exclusive rights, title, and interest in and to all Inventions, and testifying in a suit or other proceeding relating to such
Inventions. I further agree that my obligations under this Section 3.E shall continue after the termination of this Agreement.
F. Attorney-in-Fact. I agree that, if the Company is unable because of my unavailability, mental or physical incapacity, or for
any other reason to secure my signature with respect to any Inventions, including, without limitation, for the purpose of
applying for or pursuing any application for any United States or foreign patents or mask work or copyright registrations
covering the Inventions assigned to the Company in Section 3.A, then I hereby irrevocably designate and appoint the
Company and its duly authorized officers and agents as my agent and attorney-in-fact, to act for and on my behalf to execute
and file any papers and oaths, and to do all other lawfully permitted acts with respect to such Inventions to further the
prosecution and issuance of patents, copyright and mask work registrations with the same legal force and effect as if
executed by me. This power of attorney shall be deemed coupled with an interest, and shall be irrevocable.
G. Exception to Assignments. I UNDERSTAND THAT THE PROVISIONS OF THIS AGREEMENT REQUIRING
ASSIGNMENT OF INVENTIONS (AS DEFINED UNDER
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SECTION 3.A ABOVE) TO THE COMPANY DO NOT APPLY TO ANY INVENTION THAT QUALIFIES FULLY
UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF CALIFORNIA LABOR CODE SECTION 2870 (ATTACHED HERETO AS EXHIBIT B).
I WILL ADVISE THE COMPANY PROMPTLY IN WRITING OF ANY INVENTIONS THAT I BELIEVE MEET THE
CRITERIA IN CALIFORNIA LABOR CODE SECTION 2870 AND ARE NOT OTHERWISE DISCLOSED ON EXHIBIT
A TO PERMIT A DETERMINATION OF OWNERSHIP BY THE COMPANY. ANY SUCH DISCLOSURE WILL BE
RECEIVED IN CONFIDENCE.
4. CONFLICTING OBLIGATIONS
A. Current Obligations. I agree that during the term of my employment with the Company, I will not engage in or undertake any
other employment, occupation, consulting relationship, or commitment that is directly related to the business in which the
Company is now involved or becomes involved or has plans to become involved, nor will I engage in any other activities that
conflict with my obligations to the Company.
B. Prior Relationships. Without limiting Section 4.A, I represent and warrant that I have no other agreements, relationships, or
commitments to any other person or entity that conflict with the provisions of this Agreement, my obligations to the
Company under this Agreement, or my ability to become employed and perform the services for which I am being hired by
the Company. I further agree that if I have signed a confidentiality agreement or similar type of agreement with any former
employer or other entity, I will comply with the terms of any such agreement to the extent that its terms are lawful under
applicable law. I represent and warrant that after undertaking a careful search (including searches of my computers, cell
phones, electronic devices, and documents), I have returned all property and confidential information belonging to all prior
employers (and/or other third parties I have performed services for in accordance with the terms of my applicable
agreement). Moreover, I agree to fully indemnify the Company, its directors, officers, agents, employees, investors,
shareholders, administrators, affiliates, divisions, subsidiaries, predecessor and successor corporations, and assigns for all
verdicts, judgments, settlements, and other losses incurred by any of them resulting from my breach of my obligations under
any agreement with a third party to which I am a party or obligation to which I am bound, as well as any reasonable
attorneys’ fees and costs if the plaintiff is the prevailing party in such an action, except as prohibited by law.
5. RETURN OF COMPANY MATERIALS
A. Definition of Electronic Media Equipment and Electronic Media Systems. I understand that “Electronic Media Equipment”
includes, but is not limited to, computers, external storage devices, thumb drives, mobile devices (including, but not limited
to, smart phones, tablets, and e-readers), telephone equipment, and other electronic media devices. I understand that
“Electronic Media Systems” includes, but is not limited to, computer servers, messaging and email systems or accounts,
applications for computers or mobile devices, and web-based services (including cloud-based information storage accounts).
B. Return of Company Property. I understand that anything that I created or worked on for the Company while working for the
Company belongs solely to the Company and that I cannot remove, retain, or use such information without the Company’s
express written permission.
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Accordingly, upon separation from employment with the Company or upon the Company’s request at any other time, I will
immediately deliver to the Company, and will not keep in my possession, recreate, or deliver to anyone else, any and all
Company property, including, but not limited to, Company Confidential Information, Associated Third Party Confidential
Information, all Company equipment including all Company Electronic Media Equipment, all tangible embodiments of the
Inventions, all electronically stored information and passwords to access such property, Company credit cards, records, data,
notes, notebooks, reports, files, proposals, lists, correspondence, specifications, drawings, blueprints, sketches, materials,
photographs, charts, any other documents and property, and reproductions of any of the foregoing items including, without
limitation, those records maintained pursuant to Section 3.D. Notwithstanding the foregoing, I understand that I am allowed
to keep a copy of the Employee Handbook and personnel records relating to my employment.
C. Return of Company Information on Company Electronic Media Equipment. In connection with my obligation to return
information to the Company, I agree that I will not copy, delete, or alter any information, including personal information
voluntarily created or stored, contained in Company Electronic Media Equipment before I return the information to the
Company.
D. Return of Company Information on Personal Electronic Media Equipment. In addition, if I have used any personal Electronic
Media Equipment or personal Electronic Media Systems to create, receive, store, review, prepare or transmit any Company
information, including, but not limited to, Company Confidential Information, I agree to make a prompt and reasonable
search for such information in good faith, including reviewing any personal Electronic Media Equipment or personal
Electronic Media Systems to locate such information and, if I locate such information, I agree to notify the Company of that
fact and then provide the Company with a computer-useable copy of all such Company information from those equipment
and systems. I agree to cooperate reasonably with the Company to verify that the necessary copying is completed (including
upon request providing a sworn declaration confirming the return of property and deletion of information), and, upon
confirmation of compliance by the Company, I agree to delete and expunge all Company information.
E. No Expectation of Privacy in Company Property. I understand that I have no expectation of privacy in Company property,
and I agree that any Company property is subject to inspection by Company personnel at any time with or without further
notice. As to any personal Electronic Media Equipment or personal Electronic Systems that I have used for material
Company purposes, I agree that the Company, may have reasonable access, as determined by the Company in good faith, to
such personal Electronic Media Equipment or personal Electronic Media Systems to review, retrieve, destroy, or ensure the
permanent deletion of Company information from such equipment or systems, as determined by the Company reasonably
and in good faith.
6. SOLICITATION OF EMPLOYEES
To the fullest extent permitted under applicable law, I agree that during my employment, and for a period of twelve (12)
months immediately following the termination of my relationship with the Company for any reason, whether voluntary or
involuntary, with or without Cause, I will not directly or indirectly solicit any of the Company’s employees to leave their
employment at the Company. I agree that nothing in this Section 6 shall affect my continuing obligations under this Agreement
during
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and after this twelve (12) month period, including, without limitation, my obligations under Section 2.
7. CONFLICT OF INTEREST GUIDELINES
I agree to diligently adhere to all policies of the Company, including the Company’s insider trading policies and the
Company’s Conflict of Interest Guidelines. A copy of the Company’s current Conflict of Interest Guidelines is attached as
Exhibit C hereto, but I understand that these Conflict of Interest Guidelines may be revised from time to time during my
employment.
8. REPRESENTATIONS
Without limiting my obligations under Section 3.E above, I agree to execute any proper oath or verify any proper
document required to carry out the terms of this Agreement. I represent and warrant that my performance of all the terms of this
Agreement will not breach any agreement to keep in confidence information acquired by me in confidence or in trust prior to my
employment by the Company. I hereby represent and warrant that I have not entered into, and I will not enter into, any oral or
written agreement in conflict herewith.
9. AUDIT
I acknowledge that I have no reasonable expectation of privacy in any Company Electronic Media Equipment or
Company Electronic Media System. All information, data, and messages created, received, sent, or stored in Company Electronic
Media Equipment or Company Electronic Media Systems are, at all times, the property of the Company. As such, the Company
has the right to audit and search all such items and systems, without further notice to me, to ensure that the Company is licensed
to use the software on the Company’s devices in compliance with the Company’s software licensing policies, to ensure
compliance with the Company’s policies, and for any other reasonable business-related purposes in the Company’s discretion. I
understand that I am not permitted to add any unlicensed, unauthorized, or non-compliant applications to the Company’s
technology systems, including, without limitation, open source or free software not authorized by the Company, and that I shall
refrain from copying unlicensed software onto the Company’s technology systems or using non-licensed software or websites. I
understand that it is my responsibility to comply with the Company’s policies governing use of the Company’s documents and
the internet, email, telephone, and technology systems to which I will have access in connection with my employment. In
addition, as to any personal Electronic Media Equipment used for Company purposes, or personal Electronic Systems used for
Company purposes, or other personal property that I have used for Company purposes, I agree that the Company may have
reasonable access to such personal Electronic Media Equipment or personal Electronic Media Systems or other personal property
to review, retrieve, destroy, or ensure the permanent deletion of Company information from such equipment or systems or
property.
I am aware that the Company has or may acquire software and systems that are capable of monitoring and recording all
Company network traffic to and from any Company Electronic Media Equipment or Company Electronic Media Systems. The
Company reserves the right to, acting in good faith, access, review, copy, and delete any of the information, data, or messages
accessed through Company Electronic Media Equipment or Electronic Media Systems, with or without notice to me and/or in my
absence. This includes, but is not limited to, all e-mail messages sent or received, all
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website visits, all chat sessions, all news group activity (including groups visited, messages read, and postings by me), and all file
transfers into and out of the Company’s internal networks. The Company further reserves the right to retrieve previously deleted
messages from e-mail or voicemail and monitor usage of the Internet, including websites visited and any information I have
downloaded.
10. MISCELLANEOUS
A. Governing Law; Consent to Personal Jurisdiction. This Agreement will be governed by the laws of the State of California
without regard to California’s conflicts-of-law rules that may result in the application of the laws of any jurisdiction other
than California. To the extent that any lawsuit is permitted under this Agreement, I hereby expressly consent to the personal
and exclusive jurisdiction and venue of the state and federal courts located in California for any lawsuit filed against me by
the Company.
B. Assignability. This Agreement will be binding upon my heirs, executors, assigns, administrators, and other legal
representatives, and will be for the benefit of the Company, its successors, and its assigns. The Associated Third Parties are
intended third-party beneficiaries to this Agreement with respect to my obligations in Section 2.D. Notwithstanding anything
to the contrary herein, the Company may assign this Agreement and its rights and obligations under this Agreement to any
successor to all, or substantially all, of the Company’s relevant assets, whether by merger, consolidation, reorganization,
reincorporation, sale of assets or stock, or otherwise.
C. Entire Agreement. This Agreement, together with the Exhibits herein and any executed written offer letter between me and
the Company, to the extent such materials are not in conflict with this Agreement, sets forth the entire agreement and
understanding between the Company and me with respect to the subject matter herein and supersedes all prior written and
oral agreements, discussions, or representations between us, including, but not limited to, any representations made during
my interview(s) or relocation negotiations. I represent and warrant that I am not relying on any statement or representation
not contained in this Agreement. Any subsequent change or changes in my duties, salary, compensation, conditions or any
other terms of my employment will not affect the validity or scope of this Agreement.
D. Headings. Headings are used in this Agreement for reference only and shall not be considered when interpreting this
Agreement.
E. Severability. If a court or other body of competent jurisdiction finds, or the Parties mutually believe, any provision of this
Agreement, or portion thereof, to be invalid or unenforceable, such provision will be enforced to the maximum extent
permissible so as to effect the intent of the Parties, and the remainder of this Agreement will continue in full force and effect.
F. Modification, Waiver. No modification of or amendment to this Agreement, nor any waiver of any rights under this
Agreement, will be effective unless in a writing signed by the Chairman of the Board of Directors and me. Waiver by the
Company of a breach of any provision of this Agreement will not operate as a waiver of any other or subsequent breach.
G. Survivorship. The rights and obligations of the Parties to this Agreement will survive termination of my employment with the
Company.
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11. PROTECTED ACTIVITY NOT PROHIBITED
I understand that nothing in this Agreement shall in any way limit or prohibit me from engaging in any Protected Activity. For
purposes of this Agreement, “Protected Activity” means filing a charge or complaint with, or otherwise communicating or
cooperating with or participating in any investigation or proceeding that may be conducted by any federal, state or local
government agency or commission, including the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and the National Labor Relations Board (“Government
Agencies”). I understand that in connection with such Protected Activity, I am permitted to disclose documents or other
information as permitted by law, and without giving notice to, or receiving authorization from, the Company. Notwithstanding, in
making any such disclosures or communications, I agree to take all reasonable precautions to prevent any unauthorized use or
disclosure of any information that may constitute Company Confidential Information to any parties other than the Government
Agencies. I further understand that “Protected Activity” does not include the disclosure of any Company attorney-client
privileged communications. In addition, I hereby acknowledge that the Company has provided me with notice in compliance with
the Defend Trade Secrets Act of 2016 regarding immunity from liability for limited disclosures of trade secrets. The full text of
the notice is attached in Exhibit B.
Date: October 26, 2021 /s/ Julie Eastland
Signature
Julie Eastland
Name of Employee (typed or printed)
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South San Francisco, CA
EXHIBIT A
LIST OF PRIOR INVENTIONS
AND ORIGINAL WORKS OF AUTHORSHIP
Title
Date
Identifying Number or Brief Description
_X__ No inventions or improvements
___ Additional Sheets Attached
Date: October 26, 2021 /s/ Julie Eastland
Signature
Julie Eastland
Name of Employee (typed or printed)
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South San Francisco, CA
EXHIBIT B
CALIFORNIA LABOR CODE SECTION 2870
INVENTION ON OWN TIME - EXEMPTION FROM AGREEMENT
“(a) Any provision in an employment agreement which provides that an employee shall assign, or offer to assign, any of his or
her rights in an invention to his or her employer shall not apply to an invention that the employee developed entirely on his or her
own time without using the employer’s equipment, supplies, facilities, or trade secret information except for those inventions that
either:
actual or demonstrably anticipated research or development of the employer; or
(1) Relate at the time of conception or reduction to practice of the invention to the employer’s business, or
(2) Result from any work performed by the employee for the employer.
(b) To the extent a provision in an employment agreement purports to require an employee to assign an invention otherwise
excluded from being required to be assigned under subdivision (a), the provision is against the public policy of this state and is
unenforceable.”
SECTION 7 OF THE DEFEND TRADE SECRETS ACT OF 2016
“ . . . An individual shall not be held criminally or civilly liable under any Federal or State trade secret law for the disclosure of a
trade secret that—(A) is made—(i) in confidence to a Federal, State, or local government official, either directly or indirectly, or
to an attorney; and (ii) solely for the purpose of reporting or investigating a suspected violation of law; or (B) is made in a
complaint or other document filed in a lawsuit or other proceeding, if such filing is made under seal. . . . An individual who files
a lawsuit for retaliation by an employer for reporting a suspected violation of law may disclose the trade secret to the attorney of
the individual and use the trade secret information in the court proceeding, if the individual—(A) files any document containing
the trade secret under seal; and (B) does not disclose the trade secret, except pursuant to court order.”
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HARPOON THERAPEUTICS, INC. CONFLICT OF INTEREST GUIDELINES
EXHIBIT C
It is the policy of Harpoon Therapeutics, Inc. to conduct its affairs in strict compliance with the letter and spirit of the law and to
adhere to the highest principles of business ethics. Accordingly, all officers, employees, and independent contractors must avoid
activities that are in conflict, or give the appearance of being in conflict, with these principles and with the interests of the
Company. The following are potentially compromising situations that must be avoided:
1. Revealing confidential information to outsiders or misusing confidential information. Unauthorized divulging of information
is a violation of this policy whether or not for personal gain and whether or not harm to the Company is intended. (The At-Will
Employment, Confidential Information, Invention Assignment, and Arbitration Agreement elaborates on this principle and is a
binding agreement.)
2. Accepting or offering substantial gifts, excessive entertainment, favors, or payments that may be deemed to constitute undue
influence or otherwise be improper or embarrassing to the Company.
3. Participating in civic or professional organizations that might involve divulging confidential information of the Company.
Initiating or approving personnel actions affecting reward or punishment of employees or applicants where there is a family
4.
relationship or is, or appears to be, a personal or social involvement.
5.
Initiating or approving any form of personal or social harassment of employees.
Investing or holding outside directorship in suppliers, customers, or competing companies, including financial speculations,
6.
where such investment or directorship might influence in any manner a decision or course of action of the Company.
7. Borrowing from or lending to employees, customers, or suppliers.
8. Acquiring real estate of interest to the Company.
Improperly using or disclosing to the Company any proprietary information or trade secrets of any other employer or other
9.
person or entity with whom obligations of confidentiality exist.
10. Unlawfully discussing prices, costs, customers, sales, or markets with competing companies or their employees.
11. Making any unlawful agreement with distributors with respect to prices.
12. Improperly using or authorizing the use of any inventions that are the subject of patent claims of any other person or entity.
13. Engaging in any conduct that is not in the best interest of the Company.
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Each officer, employee, and independent contractor must take every necessary action to ensure compliance with these guidelines
and to bring problem areas to the attention of higher management for review. Violations of this conflict of interest policy may
result in discharge without warning.
Nothing in these guidelines is intended to limit employees’ rights to discuss the terms, wages, and working conditions of their
employment, as protected by applicable law. Also, nothing in these guidelines is intended to limit or prohibit employees from
engaging in any Protected Activity. “Protected Activity” means filing a charge or complaint or complaint with, or otherwise
communicating or cooperating with or participating in any investigation or proceeding that may be conducted by any federal,
state or local government agency or commission, including the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Equal Employment
Opportunity Commission, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and the National Labor Relations Board
(“Government Agencies”). In connection with such Protected Activity, employees are permitted to disclose documents or other
information as permitted by law, and without giving notice to, or receiving authorization from, the Company. Notwithstanding, in
making any such disclosures or communications, employees must take all reasonable precautions to prevent any unauthorized use
or disclosure of any information that may constitute Company Confidential Information to any parties other than the Government
Agencies. “Protected Activity” does not include the disclosure of any Company attorney-client privileged communications.
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We consent to the incorporation by reference in the following Registration Statements of Harpoon Therapeutics, Inc.:
CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
•
•
•
•
Registration Statement on Form S-3 (No. 333-237175) of Harpoon Therapeutics, Inc.;
Registration Statement on Form S-8 (No. 333-229592) pertaining to the Harpoon Therapeutics, Inc. 2015 Equity Incentive Plan, 2019 Equity
Incentive Plan and 2019 Employee Stock Purchase Plan;
Registration Statement on Form S-8 (No. 333-237173) pertaining to the Harpoon Therapeutics, Inc. 2019 Equity Incentive Plan and 2019
Employee Stock Purchase Plan; and
Registration Statement on Form S-8 (No. 333-254098) pertaining to the Harpoon Therapeutics, Inc. 2019 Equity Incentive Plan and 2019
Employee Stock Purchase Plan;
of our report dated March 10, 2022 with respect to the financial statements of Harpoon Therapeutics, Inc., included in this Annual Report (Form 10-K) for
the year ended December 31, 2021.
Exhibit 23.1
/s/ Ernst & Young LLP
Redwood City, California
March 10, 2022
CERTIFICATION 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
Exhibit 31.1
I, Julie Eastland, certify that:
1.
I have reviewed this annual report on Form 10-K of Harpoon Therapeutics, Inc.;
2. Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the
statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this
report;
3. Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the
financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;
4.
The registrant’s other certifying officer and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in
Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-
15(f)) for the registrant and have:
(a) Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision,
to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within
those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;
(b) Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our
supervision, 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;
(c) Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the
effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and
(d) Disclosed in this report any change in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant’s most
recent fiscal quarter (the registrant's fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely
to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting; and
5.
The registrant’s other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the
registrant’s auditors and the audit committee of the registrant’s board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):
(a) All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are
reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and
(b) Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant’s internal
control over financial reporting.
Date: March 10, 2022
By:
/s/ Julie Eastland
Julie Eastland
President and Chief Executive Officer
(Principal Executive Officer)
CERTIFICATION 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
Exhibit 31.2
I, Georgia Erbez, certify that:
1.
I have reviewed this annual report on Form 10-K of Harpoon Therapeutics, Inc.;
2. Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the
statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this
report;
3. Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the
financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;
4.
The registrant’s other certifying officer and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in
Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-
15(f)) for the registrant and have:
(a) Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision,
to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within
those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;
(b) Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our
supervision, 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;
(c) Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the
effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and
(d) Disclosed in this report any change in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant’s most
recent fiscal quarter (the registrant's fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely
to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting; and
5.
The registrant’s other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the
registrant’s auditors and the audit committee of the registrant’s board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):
(a) All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are
reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and
(b) Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant’s internal
control over financial reporting.
Date: March 10, 2022
By:
/s/ Georgia Erbez
Georgia Erbez
Chief Financial Officer
(Principal Financial Officer)
CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO
18 U.S.C. SECTION 1350, AS ADOPTED PURSUANT TO
SECTION 906 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002
Exhibit 32.1
Pursuant to the requirement set forth in Rule 13a-14(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, (the “Exchange Act”) and Section 1350 of
Chapter 63 of Title 18 of the United States Code (18 U.S.C. §1350), Julie Eastland, President and Chief Executive Officer of Harpoon Therapeutics, Inc.
(the “Company”), and Georgia Erbez, Chief Financial Officer of the Company, each hereby certifies that, to the best of her knowledge:
1.
2.
The Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021, to which this Certification is attached as Exhibit 32.1
(the “Annual Report”), fully complies with the requirements of Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act; and
The information contained in the Annual Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the
Company.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have set their hands hereto as of the 10th day of March, 2022.
Date: March 10, 2022
Date: March 10, 2022
By:
By:
/s/ Julie Eastland
Julie Eastland
President and Chief Executive Officer
/s/ Georgia Erbez
Georgia Erbez
Chief Financial Officer