Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis
Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
Certain statements contained in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The words “may,” “might,” “can,” “will,” “to be,” “could,” “would,” “should,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “objective,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “project,” “potential,” “likely,” “continue,” “ongoing” or similar expressions, or the negative of such words, are intended to identify “forward-looking statements.” We have based these forward-looking statements on our current expectations and projections about future events. Because such statements include risks and uncertainties, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to these differences include those below in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and those in our Annual Report on Form 10-K, in each case under the caption “Risk Factors,” and in our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC. Statements made herein are as of the date of the filing of this Form 10-Q with the SEC and should not be relied upon as of any subsequent date. Unless otherwise required by applicable law, we do not undertake, and we specifically disclaim, any obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect occurrences, developments, unanticipated events or circumstances after the date of such statement.
The following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements and related notes that appear in Item 1 of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and with our audited consolidated financial statements and related notes for the year ended December 31, 2023, which are included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on February 27, 2024.
Overview
We are a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing novel drug candidates for immuno-inflammatory diseases. Our proprietary KINect drug discovery platform combined with our preclinical development capabilities allows us to identify and advance potential drug candidates that we may develop independently or in collaboration with third parties. In addition to identifying and developing our novel drug candidates, we are pursuing strategic alternatives, including identifying and consummating transactions with third-party partners, to further develop, obtain marketing approval for and/or commercialize our novel drug candidates. We also provide contract research services to third parties enabled by our early-stage research and development expertise. In January 2024, we announced that we are undertaking a strategic review of our business.
ATI-2138, an Investigational Oral Covalent ITK/JAK3 Inhibitor
ATI-2138 is an investigational oral covalent inhibitor of interleukin-2-inducible T cell kinase, or ITK, and Janus kinase, or JAK, 3 for the potential treatment of T cell-mediated autoimmune diseases. The ITK/JAK3 compound interrupts T cell signaling through the combined inhibition of ITK/JAK3 pathways in lymphocytes.
In September 2023, we announced positive results from our two-week Phase 1 placebo-controlled, randomized, multiple ascending dose, or MAD, trial of ATI-2138 (ATI-2138-PKPD-102). ATI-2138-PKPD-201 was designed to investigate the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, or PK, and pharmacodynamics of ATI-2138 in healthy volunteers. The trial enrolled 60 healthy volunteers across 6 dosing cohorts ranging from 10 to 80 mg of total daily doses, with eight volunteers receiving ATI-2138 and two volunteers receiving placebo in each arm. Data from the trial demonstrated that ATI-2138 was generally well tolerated at all doses tested and had dose proportional PK. Additionally, ATI-2138 demonstrated a dose-dependent inhibition of both ITK and JAK3 exploratory pharmacodynamic biomarkers, with near maximal inhibition achieved at the 30 mg total daily dose. No serious adverse events were reported.
We plan to progress ATI-2138 into a Phase 2a trial in subjects with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis.
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Lepzacitinib, an Investigational Topical “Soft” JAK 1/3 Inhibitor
Lepzacitinib, also referred to as ATI-1777, is an investigational topical “soft” JAK 1/3 inhibitor for the potential treatment of atopic dermatitis and other dermatologic conditions. “Soft” JAK inhibitors are designed to be topically applied and active in the skin, but rapidly metabolized and inactivated when they enter the bloodstream, which may result in low systemic exposure. Lepzacitinib has been adopted as the nonproprietary name for ATI-1777.
In January 2024, we announced positive top-line results from our Phase 2b multicenter, randomized, double-blind, vehicle-controlled, parallel-group trial of lepzacitinib in patients with mild to severe atopic dermatitis (ATI-1777-AD-202). ATI-1777-AD-202 was designed to evaluate the efficacy, safety, tolerability and PK of multiple concentrations (0.5%, 1% and 2%) of twice daily, or BID, treatment with lepzacitinib and a single concentration (2%) of once daily, or QD, treatment with lepzacitinib. The trial randomized 250 patients with mild, moderate or severe atopic dermatitis, including adults and children as young as 12 years old, across 30 clinical trial sites in the United States. The trial met the primary efficacy endpoint, the percent change from baseline in the Eczema Area and Severity Index, or EASI, score at week 4, with statistical significance for patients treated with lepzacitinib 2% BID compared to patients treated with vehicle (69.7% versus 58.7% in the pooled vehicle group, p=0.035). In addition, a PK analysis showed minimal levels of exposure to lepzacitinib. The mean steady state trough drug levels at week 4 were 0.319 ng/mL, representing 0.7% of IC50 for JAK 1/3 inhibition in whole blood. In total, 97% of lepzacitinib plasma samples from dosed patients had concentrations below 1/10th of the IC50, and six samples (from five lepzacitinib treated patients) of 570 samples analyzed had concentrations above 1/4 of the IC50. No meaningful safety findings were observed and lepzacitinib was well tolerated.
We are currently seeking a global development and commercialization partner for this program (excluding Greater China). In 2022, we granted Pediatrix Therapeutics, Inc. exclusive rights to develop and commercialize lepzacitinib in Greater China.
Zunsemetinib, an Investigational Oral MK2 Inhibitor
Zunsemetinib, or ATI-450, is an investigational oral, novel, small molecule selective MK2 inhibitor for the potential treatment of metastatic breast cancer, or MBC, and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, or PDAC. We plan to support Washington University in St. Louis in its investigator-initiated Phase 1b/2 trials of zunsemetinib in patients with MBC and PDAC . We expect these trials to be primarily funded by grants awarded to Washington University.
Discovery Programs and KINect Drug Discovery Platform
We conduct small molecule drug discovery and preclinical development research through KINect, our proprietary drug discovery platform. Our KINect platform enables us to identify potential drug candidates through a unique combination of our proprietary chemical library of kinase inhibitors, our novel approaches to inhibitor modalities, our expertise in structure-based drug design, and our custom kinase assays.
Our focus has been on difficult to drug kinase targets that exhibit some level of clinical, genetic and/or pharmacological disease validation. Our approach involves the following mechanisms: (1) reversible and irreversible covalent inhibitors, (2) molecular glue/complex targeted inhibitors and (3) targeted protein degraders. These novel approaches are currently being utilized to prosecute additional validated, difficult to drug kinase targets with the goal of demonstrating potential platform utility.
We are actively progressing several discovery programs focused on delivering the next wave of drug candidates from our KINect platform. Our discovery efforts center on targeting kinases that play pivotal roles in various inflammatory, autoimmune, and oncology pathways. For example, we are progressing to development candidate selection a second generation ITK selective inhibitor for autoimmune indications. We intend to evaluate both internal and external development options, including strategic partnerships, for these assets.
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Discontinued Programs
We were previously developing zunsemetinib as a potential treatment for various immuno-inflammatory diseases, including hidradenitis suppurativa, psoriatic arthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis. Following the results of the Phase 2 trials for these programs, we discontinued further development of our MK2 inhibitor programs in immuno-inflammatory diseases in 2023.
Financial Overview
Since our inception, we have incurred significant net losses. Our net loss was $16.9 million for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and $88.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2023. As of March 31, 2024, we had an accumulated deficit of $787.7 million. We expect to incur significant expenses and operating losses for the foreseeable future as we advance our drug candidates from discovery through preclinical and clinical development. In addition, our drug candidates, even if they are approved by regulatory agencies for marketing, may not achieve commercial success. We may also not be successful in pursuing strategic alternatives, including identifying and consummating transactions with third-party partners, to further develop, obtain marketing approval for and/or commercialize our drug candidates. Furthermore, we have incurred and expect to continue to incur significant costs associated with operating as a public company, including legal, accounting, investor relations and other expenses. As a result, we will need substantial additional funding to support our continuing operations.
We have historically financed our operations primarily with sales of equity securities and incurring indebtedness in the form of loans from commercial lenders. In the near term, we expect to finance our operations through these and other capital sources, including potential partnerships with other companies or other strategic transactions. We may be unable to raise additional funds or enter into such other agreements or arrangements when needed on commercially acceptable terms, or at all. If we fail to raise capital or enter into such agreements as, and when needed, we may have to significantly delay, scale back or discontinue the development of one or more of our drug candidates.
Impact of Macroeconomic Conditions on Our Business
Unfavorable conditions in the economy both in the United States and abroad may negatively affect the growth of our business and our results of operations. For example, macroeconomic events, including rising inflation, the U.S. Federal Reserve raising interest rates and geopolitical conflicts, have led to economic uncertainty globally. The effect of macroeconomic conditions may not be fully reflected in our results of operations until future periods. If, however, economic uncertainty increases or the global economy worsens, our business, financial condition and results of operations may be harmed.
Acquisition and License Agreements
License Agreement with Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, Inc.
In December 2023, we entered into an exclusive patent license agreement with Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, Inc., or Sun Pharma. Under the license agreement, we granted Sun Pharma exclusive rights under certain patents that we exclusively license from a third party. The patents relate to the use of deuruxolitinib, Sun Pharma’s JAK inhibitor, or other isotopic forms of ruxolitinib, to treat alopecia areata or androgenetic alopecia. Under the license agreement, Sun Pharma has paid us an upfront payment, and has agreed to pay us regulatory and commercial milestone payments upon the achievement of specified milestones set forth in the agreement, and a mid single-digit tiered royalty calculated as a percentage of Sun Pharma’s net sales. We have separate contractual obligations under which we have agreed to pay to third parties a portion of the consideration we may receive under the license agreement.
Upon execution of the agreement, we received an upfront payment of $15.0 million from Sun Pharma, a portion of which was payable to third parties.
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License Agreement with Pediatrix Therapeutics, Inc.
In November 2022, we entered into a license agreement with Pediatrix Therapeutics, Inc., or Pediatrix, under which we granted Pediatrix the exclusive rights to develop, manufacture and commercialize lepzacitinib in Greater China. Pediatrix has paid us an upfront payment, and has agreed to pay us development, regulatory and commercial milestone payments upon the achievement of specified milestones set forth in the agreement, and a tiered royalty ranging from a low-to-high single digit percentage of net sales of lepzacitinib by Pediatrix in Greater China. A portion of consideration received from Pediatrix is payable to the former Confluence equity holders as described below under the caption “Agreement and Plan of Merger with Confluence.”
License Agreement with Eli Lilly and Company
In August 2022, we entered into a non-exclusive patent license agreement with Eli Lilly and Company, or Lilly. Under the license agreement, we granted Lilly non-exclusive rights under certain patents and patent applications that we exclusively license from a third party. The patents and patent applications relate to the use of baricitinib, Lilly’s JAK inhibitor, to treat alopecia areata. Under the license agreement, Lilly has paid us an upfront payment and regulatory and certain commercial milestone payments, and has agreed to pay us anniversary payments and other commercial milestone payments upon the achievement of specified milestones as set forth in the agreement, and a low single-digit royalty calculated as a percentage of Lilly’s net sales of baricitinib for the treatment of alopecia areata. We have separate contractual obligations under which we have agreed to pay to third parties an amount equal to any regulatory and commercial milestone payments we receive under the Lilly license agreement, as well as a portion of the upfront consideration and a portion of the royalties we may receive under the license agreement.
During the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023, we recorded licensing revenue under this agreement of $1.7 million and $1.6 million from Lilly, respectively, a portion of which was payable to third parties.
Asset Purchase Agreement with EPI Health
In October 2019, we sold RHOFADE (oxymetazoline hydrochloride) cream, 1%, or RHOFADE, to EPI Health, LLC, or EPI Health, pursuant to an asset purchase agreement. In July 2023, EPI Health filed a voluntary petition for relief under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code. Through the bankruptcy process, EPI Health and its parent company, Novan, Inc., sold the RHOFADE assets to a third party, which excluded our asset purchase agreement with EPI Health and the outstanding amounts due. The sale was approved by the bankruptcy court in September 2023. As a result of the bankruptcy proceedings, all amounts that are due and outstanding by EPI Health have been fully reserved for as of March 31, 2024.
Agreement and Plan of Merger with Confluence
In 2017, we entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger, or the Confluence Agreement, with Confluence Life Sciences, Inc. (now known as Aclaris Life Sciences, Inc.), or Confluence, Aclaris Life Sciences, Inc., our wholly owned subsidiary, or Merger Sub, and Fortis Advisors LLC, as representative of the equity holders of Confluence. Pursuant to the terms of the Confluence Agreement, Merger Sub merged with and into Confluence, with Confluence surviving as our wholly owned subsidiary.
Under the Confluence Agreement, we have agreed to pay the former Confluence equity holders aggregate remaining contingent consideration of up to $75.0 million based upon the achievement of specified regulatory and commercial milestones set forth in the Confluence Agreement. In addition, we have agreed to pay the former Confluence equity holders future royalty payments calculated as a low single-digit percentage of annual net sales, subject to specified reductions, limitations and other adjustments, until the date that all of the patent rights for that product have expired, as determined on a country-by-country and product-by-product basis or, in specified circumstances, ten years from the first commercial sale of such product. In addition to the payments described above, if we sell, license or transfer any of the intellectual property acquired from Confluence pursuant to the Confluence Agreement to a third party, we will be obligated to pay the former Confluence equity holders a portion of any consideration received from such sale, license, or transfer in specified circumstances.
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Restructuring
In December 2023, our Board of Directors approved a reduction of our workforce by approximately 46%, which we expect to be substantially completed by June 2024. This action was taken in order to streamline operations, reduce costs and preserve capital. As a result, we terminated certain employees, or terminated employees, and gave notice to additional employees, or noticed employees, who were asked to provide transition services through termination dates ranging between one to thirteen months from the date notice was given. The terminated employees were entitled to receive cash severance payments and other benefits. The noticed employees are entitled to receive cash severance payments and other benefits, which are contingent upon providing additional services to us.
During the three months ended March 31, 2024, we recognized severance expense of $2.5 million and made cash payments of $3.0 million related to severance to terminated employees.
Components of Our Results of Operations
Revenue
Contract Research
We earn revenue from the provision of laboratory services. Contract research revenue is generally evidenced by contracts with clients which are on an agreed upon fixed-price, fee-for-service basis and are generally billed on a monthly basis in arrears for services rendered.
Licensing
Licensing revenue primarily consists of upfront consideration, royalties and milestone payments earned pursuant to license and acquisition agreements with third parties, as described above.
Cost and Expenses
Cost of Revenue
Cost of revenue consists of the costs incurred in connection with the provision of contract research services. Cost of revenue primarily includes:
● employee-related expenses, which include salaries, benefits, and stock-based compensation;
● outsourced professional scientific services;
● depreciation of laboratory equipment;
● facility-related costs; and
● laboratory materials and supplies used to support the services provided.
Research and Development
Research and development expenses consist of expenses incurred in connection with the discovery and development of our drug candidates. These expenses primarily include:
● expenses incurred under agreements with contract research organizations, or CROs, as well as clinical trial sites and consultants that conduct our clinical trials and preclinical studies, and investigator-initiated trials;
● manufacturing scale-up expenses and the cost of acquiring and manufacturing active pharmaceutical ingredients and preclinical and clinical trial materials, including domestic technology transfer expenses;
● quality assurance and quality control costs;
● outsourced professional scientific development services;
● medical affairs expenses related to our drug candidates;
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● employee-related expenses, which include salaries, benefits, and stock-based compensation;
● expenses relating to regulatory activities, including filing fees paid to regulatory agencies; and
● laboratory materials and supplies used to support our research activities.
Research and development activities are central to our business model. Drug candidates in later stages of clinical development generally have higher development costs than those in earlier stages of clinical development, primarily due to the increased size and duration of later-stage clinical trials. We expect to continue to incur research and development expenses in the near term as we continue the development of our drug candidates and pursue our discovery programs. We expense research and development costs as incurred. Our direct research and development expenses primarily consist of external costs including fees paid to CROs, consultants, clinical trial sites, regulatory agencies and third parties that manufacture our preclinical and clinical trial materials and are tracked on a program-by-program basis. We do not allocate personnel costs or other indirect expenses to specific research and development programs.
The successful development of our drug candidates is highly uncertain. We cannot reasonably estimate or know the nature, timing and costs of the efforts that will be necessary to complete the remainder of the development of, or when, if ever, material net cash inflows may commence from any of our drug candidates. This uncertainty is due to the numerous risks and uncertainties associated with the duration and cost of clinical trials, which vary significantly over the life of a project as a result of many factors, including:
● the number of clinical sites included in the trials;
● the length of time required to enroll suitable subjects;
● the number of subjects that ultimately participate in the trials;
● the number of doses subjects receive;
● the duration of subject follow-up; and
● the results of our clinical trials.
Our expenditures are subject to additional uncertainties, including the preparation of regulatory filings for our drug candidates. We may obtain unexpected results from our clinical trials or other development activities. We may elect to discontinue, delay, or modify the development, including clinical trials, of some drug candidates or focus on others. A change in the outcome of any of these variables with respect to the development of a drug candidate could mean a significant change in the costs and timing associated with the development of that drug candidate. For example, if the FDA or other regulatory authorities were to require us to conduct clinical trials beyond those that we currently anticipate, or if we experience significant delays in enrollment in any of our clinical trials, we could be required to expend significant additional financial resources and time on the completion of clinical development.
General and Administrative
General and administrative expenses consist principally of salaries and related costs, including stock-based compensation, for personnel in executive, administrative, finance and legal functions. General and administrative expenses also include facility-related costs, patent filing and prosecution costs, professional fees for legal, auditing and tax services, investor relations costs, business development costs, insurance costs, and travel expenses.
Licensing
Licensing expenses consist of third-party contractual obligations incurred under license and acquisition agreements with third parties, as described above.
Revaluation of Contingent Consideration
Revaluation of contingent consideration consists of changes in the fair value of our contingent consideration liability between reporting dates, as described below.
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Other Income, Net
Other income, net primarily consists of interest earned on our cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities.
Critical Accounting Estimates
This discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations is based on our condensed consolidated financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States. The preparation of our condensed consolidated financial statements requires us to make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities in our condensed consolidated financial statements. We base our estimates on historical experience, known trends and events and various other factors that we believe to be reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. We evaluate our estimates and judgments on an ongoing basis. Our actual results may differ from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions. There have been no material changes to our significant accounting policies and use of estimates as disclosed in the footnotes to our audited consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2023 included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on February 27, 2024.
Contingent Consideration
We record a contingent consideration liability related to future potential payments resulting from the acquisition of Confluence based upon significant unobservable inputs including the achievement of regulatory and commercial milestones, as well as estimated future sales levels and the discount rates applied to calculate the present value of the potential payments. Significant judgement is involved in determining the appropriateness of these assumptions. These assumptions are considered Level 3 inputs. Revaluation of our contingent consideration liability can result from changes to one or more of these assumptions. These assumptions are highly dependent on the outcome and timing of the development of certain of our drug candidates. We evaluate the fair value estimate of our contingent consideration liability on a quarterly basis with changes, if any, recorded as income or expense in our consolidated statement of operations. Any such changes could have a material impact on our financial results.
The fair value of contingent consideration is estimated using a probability-weighted expected payment model for regulatory milestone payments and a Monte Carlo simulation model for commercial milestone and royalty payments and then applying a risk-adjusted discount rate to calculate the present value of the potential payments. Significant assumptions used in our estimates include the probability of achieving regulatory milestones and commencing commercialization, which are based on an asset’s current stage of development and a review of existing clinical data. Probability of success assumptions ranged between 17% and 40% at March 31, 2024. Additionally, estimated future sales levels and the risk-adjusted discount rate applied to the potential payments are also significant assumptions used in calculating the fair value. The discount rate ranged between 7.4% and 8.3% depending on the year of each potential payment.
During the three months ended March 31, 2024 we recorded a charge to the contingent consideration liability, which was primarily due to changes in estimated sales levels and changes to the probability of success for certain drug candidates.
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Results of Operations
Comparison of Three Months Ended March 31, 2024 and 2023
Three Months Ended March 31,
(In thousands)
2024
2023
Change
Revenues:
Contract research
$
657
$
889
$
(232)
Licensing
1,741
1,639
102
Total revenue
2,398
2,528
(130)
Costs and expenses:
Cost of revenue
809
808
1
Research and development
9,845
22,587
(12,742)
General and administrative
6,844
8,790
(1,946)
Licensing
1,031
1,061
(30)
Revaluation of contingent consideration
2,800
(800)
3,600
Total costs and expenses
21,329
32,446
(11,117)
Loss from operations
(18,931)
(29,918)
10,987
Other income, net
1,990
1,758
232
Net loss
$
(16,941)
$
(28,160)
$
11,219
Revenue
Contract research
Contract research revenue was $0.7 million and $0.9 million for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively, and was comprised of fees earned from the provision of laboratory services. The decrease was driven by lower overall hours billed and a lower average billing rate.
Licensing
Licensing revenue was $1.7 million and $1.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively. The increase was primarily driven by an increase in royalties under the Lilly license agreement during the three months ended March 31, 2024, offset by the achievement of a commercial milestone during the three months ended March 31, 2023.
Costs and Expenses
Cost of Revenue
Cost of revenue was $0.8 million for each of the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023, and in each case, related to providing laboratory services. Changes in cost of revenue generally correlate to changes in contract research revenue. Cost of revenue included a decrease in expense due to lower variable costs resulting from a decrease in hours billed, which was offset by an increase in termination benefits, as a result of our restructuring that was announced in December 2023.
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Research and Development
The following table summarizes our research and development expenses by drug candidate or, for unallocated expenses, by type:
Three Months Ended
March 31,
(In thousands)
2024
2023
Change
Zunsemetinib
$
2,023
$
6,839
$
(4,816)
Lepzacitinib
1,073
3,123
(2,050)
ATI-2138
63
3,225
(3,162)
Discovery
1,540
1,381
159
Other research and development
473
498
(25)
Personnel
4,702
4,919
(217)
Stock-based compensation
(29)
2,602
(2,631)
Total research and development expenses
$
9,845
$
22,587
$
(12,742)
Zunsemetinib
The decrease in expenses for zunsemetinib during the three months ended March 31, 2024 compared to the three months ended March 31, 2023 was primarily due to a decrease in costs associated with clinical development activities for a Phase 2a trial in subjects with hidradenitis suppurativa, which initiated in December 2021 and was completed in early March 2023, and a Phase 2b trial in subjects with rheumatoid arthritis, which initiated in December 2021 and was completed in November 2023. Drug candidate manufacturing costs also decreased accordingly.
Lepzacitinib
The decrease in expenses for lepzacitinib during the three months ended March 31, 2024 compared to the three months ended March 31, 2023 was primarily due to lower costs associated with preclinical development activities and costs associated with a Phase 2b clinical trial in subjects with atopic dermatitis, which initiated in May 2022 and was completed in January 2024.
ATI-2138
The decrease in expenses for ATI-2138 during the three months ended March 31, 2024 compared to the three months ended March 31, 2023 was primarily due to a decrease in clinical development expenses associated with a Phase 1 MAD trial which was completed in September 2023, as well as a decrease in preclinical development activities and ancillary studies.
Discovery
The increase in expenses related to discovery during the three months ended March 31, 2024 compared to the three months ended March 31, 2023 was due to continued investment in our discovery-stage programs as we progressed programs toward candidate selection.
Personnel and stock-based compensation
The decrease in personnel and stock-based compensation expenses in the aggregate during the three months ended March 31, 2024 compared to the three months ended March 31, 2023 was primarily due to lower headcount and higher forfeiture credits, offset by an increase in termination benefits, as a result of our restructuring.
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General and Administrative
The following table summarizes our general and administrative expenses:
Three Months Ended
March 31,
(In thousands)
2024
2023
Change
Personnel
$
2,555
$
1,980
$
575
Professional and legal fees
1,253
1,721
(468)
Facility and support services
633
618
15
Other general and administrative
537
566
(29)
Stock-based compensation
1,866
3,905
(2,039)
Total general and administrative expenses
$
6,844
$
8,790
$
(1,946)
Personnel and stock-based compensation
The decrease in personnel and stock-based compensation expenses in the aggregate during the three months ended March 31, 2024 compared to the three months ended March 31, 2023, was primarily due to higher forfeiture credits, offset by an increase in termination benefits, as a result of our restructuring.
Professional and legal fees
Professional and legal fees, including accounting, investor relations and corporate communication costs, decreased during the three months ended March 31, 2024 compared to the three months ended March 31, 2023. The decrease was primarily driven by a decrease in patent expenses.
Licensing
The decrease in licensing expenses during the three months ended March 31, 2024 compared to the three months ended March 31, 2023 was due to the achievement of a commercial milestone during the three months ended March 31, 2023, offset by an increase in royalties during the three months ended March 31, 2024, earned under the Lilly license agreement.
Revaluation of Contingent Consideration
The increase in the fair value of our contingent consideration liability during the three months ended March 31, 2024 compared to the three months ended March 31, 2023 was primarily due to changes in estimated sales levels and changes to the probability of success for certain drug candidates.
Other Income, net
Other income, net increased during the three months ended March 31, 2024 compared to the three months ended March 31, 2023 primarily due to higher interest income on investment portfolio balances.
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Liquidity and Capital Resources
Overview
Since our inception, we have incurred net losses and negative cash flows from our operations. Prior to our acquisition of Confluence, we did not generate any revenue. We have financed our operations over the last several years primarily through sales of our equity securities and incurring indebtedness in the form of loans from commercial lenders. We may engage in additional debt and equity financing transactions in order to raise funds. We may receive royalties and milestone payments under third-party licensing and acquisition agreements. In addition, to the extent we are able to consummate transactions with potential third-party partners to further develop, obtain marketing approval for and/or commercialize our drug candidates, we may receive upfront payments, milestone payments or royalties from such arrangements that would increase our liquidity.
As of March 31, 2024, we had cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities of $161.4 million. Cash in excess of immediate requirements is invested in accordance with our investment policy, primarily with a view towards liquidity and capital preservation.
We currently have no ongoing material financing commitments, such as lines of credit or guarantees, that are expected to affect our liquidity, other than our contingent obligations under the Confluence Agreement, which is summarized above under “Overview—Acquisition and License Agreements, ” and our lease obligations.
Cash Flows
Cash and cash equivalents were $35.8 million as of March 31, 2024 compared to $39.9 million as of December 31, 2023. We also had $125.6 million in short- and long-term marketable securities as of March 31, 2024 compared to $142.0 million as of December 31, 2023.
The sources and uses of cash that contributed to the change in cash and cash equivalents were:
Three Months Ended
March 31,
(In thousands)
2024
2023
Cash and cash equivalents beginning balance
$
39,878
$
45,277
Net cash used in operating activities
(20,815)
(26,353)
Net cash provided by investing activities
16,833
25,798
Net cash used in financing activities
(55)
—
Cash and cash equivalents ending balance
$
35,841
$
44,722
Operating Activities
Cash flow related to operating activities was the result of:
Three Months Ended
March 31,
(In thousands)
2024
2023
Net loss
$
(16,941)
$
(28,160)
Non-cash adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities
5,132
6,204
Change in accounts payable and accrued expenses
(10,975)
(3,321)
Change in accounts receivable
(75)
(202)
Change in prepaid expenses and other assets
2,044
(874)
Net cash used in operating activities
$
(20,815)
$
(26,353)
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Net cash used in operating activities decreased for the three months ended March 31, 2024 compared to the three months ended March 31, 2023 primarily as a result of lower net losses after adjusting for non-cash items. This change was partially offset by a reduction in accounts payable and accrued expenses, which was due to the timing of payments to vendors as well as third parties in connection with amounts earned under licensing agreements.
Investing Activities
Cash flow related to investing activities was the result of:
Three Months Ended
March 31,
(In thousands)
2024
2023
Purchases of property and equipment
$
(135)
$
(553)
Purchases of marketable securities
—
(28,524)
Proceeds from sales and maturities of marketable securities
16,968
54,875
Net cash provided by investing activities
$
16,833
$
25,798
The decrease in net cash provided by investing activities for the three months ended March 31, 2024 compared to the three months ended March 31, 2023 resulted primarily from lower sales and maturities of marketable securities during the three months ended March 31, 2024, partially offset by lower purchases of marketable securities during the three months ended March 31, 2024.
Financing Activities
Cash flow related to financing activities was the result of:
Three Months Ended
March 31,
(In thousands)
2024
2023
Payments of employee withholding taxes related to restricted stock unit award vesting
$
(55)
$
—
Net cash used in financing activities
$
(55)
$
—
Net cash used in financing activities during the three months ended March 31, 2024 consisted of payments of employee withholding taxes related to restricted stock unit award vesting.
Funding Requirements
We anticipate we will incur net losses in the near term as we continue to discover and develop drug candidates. We may not be able to generate revenue from these programs if, among other things, our clinical trials are not successful, the FDA does not approve our drug candidates currently in clinical trials when we expect, or at all, or we are not able to identify and consummate transactions with third-party partners to further develop, obtain marketing approval for and/or commercialize our drug candidates.
Our primary uses of capital are, and we expect will continue to be, compensation and related expenses, research and development expenses, laboratory and related supplies, legal and other regulatory expenses, and administrative and overhead costs. Our future funding requirements will be heavily determined by the resources needed to support the development of our drug candidates, without taking into account any potential business development activities resulting from our ongoing strategic review of our business.
As a publicly traded company, we incur and will continue to incur significant legal, accounting, and other similar expenses. In addition, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as well as rules adopted by the SEC and the Nasdaq Stock Market LLC, requires public companies to implement specified corporate governance practices that could increase our compliance costs.
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We believe our existing cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities are sufficient to fund our operating and capital expenditure requirements for a period greater than 12 months from the date of issuance of our condensed consolidated financial statements that appear in Item 1 of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q based on our current operating assumptions. We will require additional capital to develop our drug candidates and to support our discovery efforts. Additional funds may not be available on a timely basis, on commercially acceptable terms, or at all, and such funds, if raised, may not be sufficient to enable us to continue to implement our long-term business strategy. Our ability to raise additional capital may be adversely impacted by potentially worsening global economic conditions caused by a variety of factors including geopolitical tensions, rising interest rates, and inflationary pressures. If we are unable to raise sufficient additional capital or generate revenue from transactions with potential third-party partners for the development and/or commercialization of our drug candidates, we may need to substantially curtail our planned operations.
We may raise additional capital through the sale of equity or debt securities. In such an event, our stockholders’ ownership will be diluted, and the terms of these securities may include liquidation or other preferences that adversely affect the rights of a holder of our common stock.
Because of the numerous risks and uncertainties associated with research and development of pharmaceutical drugs, we are unable to estimate the exact amount of our working capital requirements. Our funding requirements in the near term will depend on many factors, including:
● the number and development requirements of the drug candidates that we may pursue;
● the scope, progress, results and costs of preclinical development, laboratory testing and conducting preclinical and clinical trials for our drug candidates;
● the costs, timing, and outcome of regulatory review of our drug candidates;
● the extent to which we in-license or acquire additional drug candidates and technologies;
● 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;
● our ability to identify and consummate transactions with third-party partners to further develop, obtain marketing approval for and/or commercialize our drug candidates; and
● our ability to earn revenue as a result of licenses to, or partnerships or other arrangements with, third parties.
Leases
We occupy space for our headquarters in Wayne, Pennsylvania under a lease agreement which has a term through February 2029. We also occupy office and laboratory space in St. Louis, Missouri under a sublease agreement which has a term through June 2029.
Our aggregate remaining lease payment obligation for these two spaces was $4.5 million as of March 31, 2024.
Agreement and Plan of Merger – Confluence
Under the Confluence Agreement, we have agreed to pay the former Confluence equity holders aggregate remaining contingent consideration of up to $75.0 million based upon the achievement of specified regulatory and commercial milestones set forth in the Confluence Agreement. In addition, we have agreed to pay the former Confluence equity holders future royalty payments calculated as a low single-digit percentage of annual net sales, subject to specified reductions, limitations and other adjustments, until the date that all of the patent rights for that product have expired, as determined on a country-by-country and product-by-product basis or, in specified circumstances, ten years from the first commercial sale of such product. In addition to the payments described above, if we sell, license or transfer any of the intellectual property acquired from Confluence pursuant to the Confluence Agreement to a third party, we will be obligated to pay the former Confluence equity holders a portion of any consideration received from such sale, license, or transfer in specified circumstances.
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R&D Obligations
We enter into contracts in the normal course of business with CROs, contract manufacturing organizations and other service providers for clinical trials, preclinical studies and testing, manufacturing and other services and products for operating purposes. These contracts generally provide for termination upon notice, and therefore we believe that our non-cancelable obligations under these agreements are not material.
Segment Information
We have two reportable segments, therapeutics, and contract research. The therapeutics segment is focused on identifying and developing innovative therapies to address significant unmet needs for immuno-inflammatory diseases and earns revenue through licensing our intellectual property. The contract research segment earns revenue from the provision of laboratory services.
Text extracted from the filing as submitted to EDGAR. Formatting, tables and exhibits are simplified for reading; the original document is authoritative for anything you rely on.