What changed in this filing

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Item 1. Business

2022-03-01 compared with 2021-03-04 · 1055 added, 687 removed, 175 unchanged (91% of the section changed)

We are a pioneering clinical-stage immunotherapy company focused on harnessing the power of the innate immune system by using our natural killer cells, or NK cells, to treat cancer and viral infectious diseases.

NK cells are the body’s first line of defense due to their innate ability to rapidly seek and destroy abnormal cells, such as cancer or virally infected cells, without prior exposure or co-activation by other support molecules that are typically required to train and activate adaptive immune cells such as T‑cells.

A critical aspect of our strategy is to invest significantly in innovating new therapeutic candidates, based upon our proprietary activated NK, or aNK, cell platform, and conducting clinical testing and scale manufacturing of our most promising biologic product candidates.

We believe our aNK cell is capable of being manufactured as a cell-based “off-the-shelf” therapy that can be molecularly engineered in a variety of ways to boost its killing capabilities against cancers and virally infected cells.

We retain worldwide commercial rights to clinical and research data, intellectual property and know-how developed with our aNK cells, as well as clinical grade master and working cell bank s of aNK , haNK and t ‑ haNK cell lines .

Agreement and Plan of Merger with ImmunityBio, Inc.

On December 21, 2020, NantKwest and ImmunityBio, Inc.

(ImmunityBio) entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the Merger Agreement), pursuant to which NantKwest and ImmunityBio agreed to combine their businesses.

The Merger Agreement provides that a wholly owned subsidiary of NantKwest will merge with and into ImmunityBio (the Merger), with ImmunityBio continuing as the surviving company and being renamed NantCell, Inc., upon the terms and subject to the conditions therein.

At the effective time of the Merger (the Effective Time), NantKwest’s name, as the parent of NantCell, Inc., will be changed to “ImmunityBio, Inc.”

At the Effective Time, each share of ImmunityBio common stock issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time, subject to certain exceptions as set forth in the Merger Agreement, will be converted automatically into a right to receive 0.8190 shares of NantKwest common stock.

At the Effective Time, each share of NantKwest common stock issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time, will remain an issued and outstanding share of the combined company.

At the Effective Time, each outstanding option, warrant or restricted stock unit to purchase ImmunityBio common stock will be converted (using the merger exchange ratio of 0.8190) into an option, warrant or restricted stock unit, respectively, on the same terms and conditions immediately prior to the Effective Time, to purchase shares of common stock of the combined company.

Upon consummation of the Merger, on a fully-diluted basis, ImmunityBio stockholders and NantKwest stockholders will own approximately 72% and 28%, respectively, of the outstanding shares of common stock of the combined company.

It is estimated that, immediately following the closing date, Dr.

Patrick Soon‑Shiong, our Executive Chairman and principal stockholder, and his affiliates will beneficially own, in the aggregate, approximately 82% of the common stock of the combined company.

Following consummation of the Merger, shares of common stock of the combined company are expected to be listed on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol “IBRX”.

Under the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Merger Agreement, the closing of the Merger depends on a number of conditions being satisfied, including approval of the Merger by holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of NantKwest common stock as of the NantKwest record date (excluding all shares of NantKwest common stock beneficially owned by Dr.

Patrick Soon‑Shiong and his affiliates Cambridge Equities, LP and Chan Soon‑Shiong Family Foundation or any of their respective controlled affiliates or any of the directors or executive officers of NantKwest or ImmunityBio).

On February 1, 2021, our Registration Statement on Form S-4, which was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in connection with the Merger, was declared effective by the SEC.

A special meeting of the stockholders of NantKwest will be held on March 8, 2021 to consider and vote on a proposal to approve the issuance of shares of common stock of NantKwest to security holders of ImmunityBio, and to consider and vote on a proposal to approve the Merger.

Only holders of record of NantKwest common stock at the close of January 29, 2021, will be entitled to notice of and to vote at the special meeting.

We expect the Merger to close in the first quarter of 2021, subject to receipt of the requisite stockholder approvals and satisfaction of other customary closing conditions.

The Merger is expected to be accounted for as a transaction between entities under common control as Dr.

Patrick Soon‑Shiong is the controlling stockholder of each of NantKwest and ImmunityBio.

Upon the closing of the Merger, the net assets of ImmunityBio will be combined with those of NantKwest at their historical carrying amounts and the companies will be presented on a combined basis for all historical periods presented.

Our Off-the-Shelf Approach

Multiple Modes of aNK Directed Tumor Cell Killing.

Our NK platform has demonstrated the ability to induce cell death in cancers and virally infected cells through a variety of concurrent mechanisms including:

Innate Killing , whereby all of our NK platforms, aNK, haNK, taNK and t‑haNK, recognize the abnormal proteins typically found on the surfaces of metabolically stressed cells, which upon binding, release toxic granules to immediately kill their targets;

Antibody - Mediated Killing with our haNK and t ‑ haNK platforms , which are a NK cells engineered to express antibody receptors that can bind to therapeutically administered antibody products or to antibodies naturally produced in the body, thereby enhancing the cancer cell killing effects of those antibodies through Antibody Dependent Cell ular Cytotoxicity, or ADCC;

CAR-Directed Killing with our taNK and t ‑ haNK platforms, which are aNK cells engineered to express chimeric antigen receptors, or CARs, that target tumor-specific proteins commonly found only on the surfaces of cancer cells and upon binding, induce cell death through the release of toxic granules directly into their targets and by the release of cytokines and chemokines, which recruit additional innate and adaptive immune responses, including the recruitment of cytotoxic T‑cells.

All three modes of killing;

Innate Killing, Antibody-Mediated Killing, and CAR-Directed Killing , are employed by our proprietary t‑haNK platform, which combines all the enhanced NK killing functions of aNK, haNK and taNK into a single product platform.

Our primary target therapeutic area is cancer, with a heavy emphasis on solid tumors.

According to the National Cancer Institute, almost 1.9 million new cancer cases are expected to be diagnosed in the U.S.

during 2021, adding to the 16.9 million already living with cancer.

In addition, we plan to advance therapies for hematologic malignancies and virally induced infectious diseases.

Innate Killing—the aNK Platform.

We have developed a unique NK cell platform, which we believe is capable of being manufactured as a cell-based “off-the-shelf” therapy that can be molecularly engineered in a variety of ways to boost its killing capabilities against cancers and virally infected cells.

Unlike normal natural killer cells, our NK cells do not express the key inhibitory receptors that diseased cells often exploit to turn off the killing function of natural killer cells and escape elimination.

We have developed a unique aNK cell, which omits key inhibitory receptors, while preserving critical activation receptors that enable selective innate targeting and killing of distressed and diseased cells.

They do so through the recognition and binding of stress-proteins that are overexpressed on the surfaces of

rapidly growing cancer cells due to oxidative and metabolic stress, nutrient deprivation and waste accumulation that typically occurs when cell growth outpaces the capacity of local circulation;

virally infected cells where the cellular machinery is hijacked to produce an abundance of viral proteins and virions.

Our aNK cells are also designed to deliver a more lethal blow to their target by delivering a larger payload of lytic enzymes and cytokines responsible for both direct and indirect killing when compared to other natural killer cells isolated from healthy donors.

This is due to the higher density of lytic granules and larger cell volume possessed by aNK cells when compared to that of donor-derived natural killer cells.

We believe that our aNK cells can be produced at commercial scale as a ‘living drug’ using our proprietary manufacturing and distribution processes to adequately address select global cancer markets.

Several phase I safety studies with unmodified aNK cells have been conducted in a variety of bulky hematological cancers and solid tumors, enrolling 46 patients in a range of dose levels and schedules with encouraging evidence of single-agent activity and a durable remission, including some complete responses in liquid tumors.

Based on these earlier clinical trials, we have further modified our aNK platform through virus-free molecular engineering designed to leverage additional modes of killing available to aNKs, including antibody-mediated killing, the haNK platform, and both antibody-mediated and CAR-directed antigen targeted killing, the t‑haNK platform.

Antibody-Mediated Killing—the haNK Platform.

We have genetically engineered our aNK cell platform using a virus-free method to overexpress high-affinity CD16 receptors, which bind to antibodies.

These antibody-targeted haNK cells are designed to directly bind to IgG1-type antibodies, such as avelumab, trastuzumab, cetuximab and rituximab with the intention of enhancing the cancer-killing efficacy of these antibodies by boosting the population of competent natural killer cells that can kill cancer cells through ADCC.

Antibody products are abundantly utilized to treat cancer and it is estimated that they generate over $100 billion in reported annual sales.

A growing number of studies suggest that clinically meaningful responses to these antibody therapies correlate directly with the overall health of a patient’s natural killer cell population and whether they express the high-affinity variant of the CD16 receptor.

Currently available literature estimates that only approximately 10% to 15% of the addressable patient population eligible for antibody therapies carry high-affinity CD16 receptors.

This implies that our haNK product candidate may have significant market potential as a combination therapy to potentially address a large number of patients who do not carry high-affinity CD16 receptors and, as a result, exhibit a poorer response to antibody therapies.

We therefore intend to develop our haNK product candidate as a combination therapy with widely-used U.S.

Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, approved antibody products such as avelumab, trastuzumab, cetuximab and rituximab.

Current Good Manufacturing Practice, or cGMP, master and working cell banks of our haNK product candidate have been successfully established and will serve as our source for product for our clinical trials and, if approved, commercialization going forward.

We have optimized our manufacturing process partly by designing our haNK product candidate to not require IL‑2 cytokine supplementation to the growth media every few days, thereby enabling us to overcome a technically challenging and costly limitation that many other natural killer cell-based therapies face.

We have also successfully established processes for large-scale production, cryopreservation and long-term storage of final dose forms, thereby optimizing production efficiencies and allowing for on-demand availability with minimal handling at the infusion sites.

Our cryopreserved haNK product candidate has been cleared for clinical testing in several phase Ib/II clinical trials, including our phase II Merkel cell cancer study.

CAR-Directed Killing—the taNK Platform.

We have genetically engineered our aNK platform to express CARs that target tumor-specific antigens found on the surfaces of cancers and virally infected cells.

Our taNK cells are designed to bind directly to these surface antigens and induce cell death through the release of toxic granules directly into the tumor cells and release of cytokines and chemokines to recruit additional innate and adaptive immune responses, including the recruitment of cytotoxic T‑cells.

These tumor antigens include checkpoint ligands, such as PD‑L1 and B7‑H4 as well as well-established tumor proteins such as CD19, HER2 and EGFR, all of which can be targeted individually by our engineered taNK products.

Preclinical evidence has been mounting which indicates that taNK cell activation through the binding of its CAR receptors to these cancer specific proteins may be potent enough to override many of the pre-existing inhibitory signals and immunosuppressive factors present in the tumor microenvironment that may be responsible for tumor resistance.

CAR-Directed and Antibody-Mediated Killing—the t‑haNK Platform.

Our newest and most promising platform for the development of therapeutic product candidates is an innovative, bioengineered combination of our haNK and taNK platforms that incorporates all the features of our haNK platform together with a CAR.

The resulting line of product candidates under this platform avails itself to all three modes of killing:

Forward-Looking Statements

This Annual Report on Form 10-K (Annual Report) contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (Securities Act), and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (Exchange Act), that are based on our management’s beliefs and assumptions and on information currently available to our management.

Forward-looking statements may include, but are not limited to:

• our ability to develop next-generation therapies and vaccines that complement, harness, and amplify the immune system to defeat cancers and infectious diseases;

• our ability to implement and support our SARS-CoV-2 (COVID‑19) vaccine and therapeutic programs;

• any impact of the coronavirus pandemic, or responses to the pandemic, on our business, clinical trials or personnel;

• our expectations regarding the potential benefits of our strategy and technology;

• our expectations regarding the operation of our product candidates and related benefits;

• our ability to utilize multiple modes to induce cell death;

• our beliefs regarding the benefits and perceived limitations of competing approaches, and the future of competing technologies and our industry;

• details regarding our strategic vision and planned product candidate pipeline, including that we eventually plan to advance vaccines and therapies for virally-induced infectious diseases;

• our beliefs regarding the success, cost and timing of our product candidate development activities and current and future clinical trials and studies, including study design and the enrollment of patients;

• our expectations regarding our ability to utilize the Phase 1/2 aNK and haNK ® clinical trials data to support the development of our product candidates, including our haNK, taNK, t‑haNK ™ , MSC, and M-ceNK ™ product candidates;

• our expectations regarding the development, application, commercialization, marketing, prospects and use generally of our product candidates, including Anktiva ™ , saRNA, hAd5 and yeast constructs, recombinant sub-unit proteins, endosomal delivery vector (EDV ™ ) constructs, toll-like receptor-activating adjuvants, and aldoxorubicin;

• the timing or likelihood of regulatory filings or other actions and related regulatory authority responses, including any planned investigational new drug (IND), Biologics License Application (BLA) or New Drug Application (NDA) filings including, without limitation, the anticipated timing of filing a BLA for bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) -unresponsive non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) carcinoma in situ (CIS) or pursuit of accelerated regulatory approval pathways or orphan drug status and Breakthrough Therapy designations;

• our ability to implement an integrated discovery ecosystem and the operation of that planned ecosystem, including being able to regularly add neoepitopes and subsequently formulate new product candidates;

• the ability and willingness of strategic collaborators to share our vision and effectively work with us to achieve our goals;

• the ability and willingness of various third parties to engage in research and development activities involving our product candidates, and our ability to leverage those activities;

• our ability to attract additional third-party collaborators;

• our expectations regarding the ease of administration associated with our product candidates;

• our expectations regarding patient compatibility associated with our product candidates;

• our beliefs regarding the potential markets for our product candidates and our ability to serve those markets;

• our expectations regarding the timing of enrollment and submission of our clinical trials, and protocols related to such trials;

• our ability to produce an antibody cytokine fusion protein, a DNA, RNA, or recombinant protein vaccine, a toll-like receptor-activating adjuvant, an NK-cell therapy, or a damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMP) inducer therapy;

• our beliefs regarding the potential manufacturing and distribution benefits associated with our product candidates, and our ability to scale up the production of our product candidates;

• our plans regarding our manufacturing facilities and our belief that our manufacturing is capable of being conducted in‑house;

• our belief in the potential of our antibody cytokine fusion proteins, DNA, RNA or recombinant protein vaccines, toll-like receptor-activating adjuvants, NK-cell therapy, or DAMP inducer platforms, and the fact that our business is based upon the success individually and collectively of these platforms;

• our belief regarding the magnitude or duration for additional clinical testing of our antibody cytokine fusion proteins, DNA, RNA or recombinant protein vaccines, toll-like receptor-activating adjuvants, NK-cell therapy, or DAMP inducers along with other product candidate families;

• even if we successfully develop and commercialize specific product candidates like our Anktiva or PD-L1 t‑haNK, our ability to develop and commercialize our other product candidates either alone or in combination with other therapeutic agents;

• the ability to obtain and maintain regulatory approval of any of our product candidates, and any related restrictions, limitations and/or warnings in the label of any approved product candidate;

• our ability to commercialize any approved products;

• the rate and degree of market acceptance of any approved products;

• our ability to attract and retain key personnel;

• the accuracy of our estimates regarding our future revenue, as well as our future operating expenses, capital requirements and needs for additional financing;

• our ability to obtain funding for our operations, including funding necessary to complete further development and any commercialization of our product candidates;

• our ability to obtain, maintain, protect and enforce intellectual property protection for our product candidates and technology and not infringe upon, misappropriate or otherwise violate the intellectual property of others;

• the terms and conditions of licenses granted to us and our ability to license additional intellectual property relating to our product candidates and technology;

• the impact on us, if any, if the contingent value rights (CVRs) held by former Altor BioScience Corporation (Altor) stockholders become due and payable in accordance with their terms;

• regulatory developments in the United States (U.S.) and foreign countries;

• the timing of the development and commercialization of our product candidates.

Forward-looking statements include statements that are not historical facts and can be identified by terms such as “anticipates,” “believes,” “could,” “seeks,” “estimates,” “expects,” “intends,” “may,” “plans,” “potential,” “predicts,” “projects,” “should,” “will,” “would,” or similar expressions and the negatives of those terms.

In addition, statements that “we believe” and similar statements reflect our beliefs and opinions on the relevant subject.

These statements are based upon information available to us as of the date of this Annual Report, and although we believe such information forms a reasonable basis for such statements, such information may be limited or incomplete, and our statements should not be read to indicate that we have conducted a thorough inquiry into, or review of, all potentially available relevant information.

These statements are inherently uncertain, and investors are cautioned not to unduly rely upon these statements.

This Annual Report also contains estimates, projections and other information concerning our industry, our business, and the markets for certain diseases, including data regarding the estimated size of those markets, and the incidence and prevalence of certain medical conditions.

Information that is based on estimates, forecasts, projections, market research or similar methodologies is inherently subject to uncertainties and actual events or circumstances may differ materially from events and circumstances reflected in this information.

Unless otherwise expressly stated, we obtained this industry, business, market, and other data from reports, research surveys, studies, and similar data prepared by market research firms and other third parties, industry, medical and general publications, government data, and similar sources.

Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause our actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements.

We discuss these risks in greater detail in Item 1A.

“Risk Factors” of this Annual Report.

Given these uncertainties, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements as a representation or warranty by us or any other person that we will achieve our objectives and plans in any specified time frame.

Also, forward-looking statements represent our management’s beliefs and assumptions only as of the date of this Annual Report.

Except as required by law, we assume no obligation to update these forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements, even if new information becomes available in the future.

You should read this Annual Report completely and with the understanding that our actual future results may be materially different from what we expect.

Anktiva, ceNK, Conkwest, GlobeImmune, GlobeImmune (logo), haNK, haNK (Chinese characters), ImmunityBio, NantKwest, NK-92, Outsmart your disease, taNK, Tarmogen, VesAnktiva, and VivaBioCell are trademarks or registered trademarks of ImmunityBio, Inc., its subsidiaries, or its affiliates.

This Annual Report contains references to our trademarks and trademarks belonging to other entities.

Solely for convenience, trademarks and trade names referred to in this Annual Report, including logos, artwork and other visual displays, may 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.

In this Annual Report, “ImmunityBio,” “the company,” “the combined company,” “we,” “us,” and “our” refer to ImmunityBio, Inc.

and its subsidiaries.

ImmunityBio, Inc.

is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing next-generation therapies and vaccines that complement, harness, and amplify the immune system to defeat cancers and infectious diseases.

We strive to be a vertically-integrated immunotherapy company designing and manufacturing our products so they are more effective, accessible, more conveniently stored, and more easily administered to patients.

Our broad immunotherapy and cell therapy platforms are designed to attack cancer and infectious pathogens by activating both the innate immune system—natural killer (NK) cells, dendritic cells, and macrophages—and the adaptive immune system—B cells and T cells—in an orchestrated manner.

The goal of this potentially best-in-class approach is to generate immunogenic cell death thereby eliminating rogue cells from the body whether they are cancerous or virally infected.

Our ultimate goal is to employ this approach to establish an “immunological memory” that confers long-term benefit for the patient.

Our business is based on the foundation of multiple platforms that collectively act on the entire immune response with the goal of targeted, durable, coordinated, and safe immunity against disease.

These platforms and their associated product candidates are designed to overcome the limitations of the current standards of care in oncology and infectious diseases, such as checkpoint inhibitors and antiretroviral therapies.

We have established one of the most comprehensive portfolios of immunotherapy and vaccine platforms, which include:

We believe that our innovative approach to orchestrate and combine therapies for optimal immune system response will become a therapeutic foundation across multiple clinical indications.

Although such designations may not lead to a faster development process or regulatory review and may not increase the likelihood that a product candidate will receive approval, Anktiva, our novel antibody cytokine fusion protein, has received Breakthrough Therapy and Fast Track designations in combination with BCG from the U.S.

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for BCG -unresponsive NMIBC CIS .

B ased on the reported results of the trial, we have initiated discussions with the FDA to file a BLA for Anktiva (to be branded VesAnktiva ™ for intravesical administration) plus BCG for BCG-unresponsive NMIBC CIS.

Additionally, we believe data from multiple clinical trials indicates Anktiva has broad potential to enhance the activity of therapeutic monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), including checkpoint inhibitors (e.g., Keytruda ® ), across a wide range of tumor types.

Our platforms, which include 17 first-in-human therapeutic agents, are being studied in 26 actively recruiting clinical trials—17 of which are in Phase 2 or 3 development—across 13 indications in liquid and solid tumors, including bladder, pancreatic and lung cancers.

These are among the most frequent and lethal cancer types for which there are high failure rates for existing standards of care or, in some cases, no available effective treatment.

In infectious disease, our pipeline currently targets such pathogens as the novel strain of the coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

We believe SARS-CoV-2 currently lacks a vaccine that provides long-term protection against the virus, particularly its variants, while HIV affects tens of millions of people globally and currently has no known cure.

We have established Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) manufacturing capacity at scale with cutting-edge cell manufacturing expertise and ready-to-scale facilities, as well as extensive and seasoned research and development (R&D), clinical trial, and regulatory operations and development teams.

We seek to become the leading global immunological therapeutics company by creating the next generation of immunotherapies to address serious unmet needs within oncology and infectious diseases.

To achieve this goal, the key elements of our strategy include:

• advancing the approval and commercialization of our lead antibody cytokine fusion protein, Anktiva, as an integral component of immunotherapy combinations, including those with checkpoint inhibitors;

• continuously scrutinizing our clinical pipeline and assessing our strategic priorities to maximize opportunities for regulatory approval and to meet unmet medical needs;

• accelerating our immunotherapy platform and product candidates with registrational intent to address difficult-to-treat oncological and infectious disease indications;

• continuing to prospect, license, and acquire technologies to complement and strengthen our platforms and product candidates, both as single agent and combination therapies, in order to activate and coordinate the innate and adaptive immune system to generate cellular memory against multiple tumor types and infectious diseases;

• optimizing investment in our discovery, development, and manufacturing capabilities for our next-generation targeted antibody cytokine fusion proteins and vaccine candidates, as well as for cell therapies;

• advancing our formulations and delivery mechanisms to make our promising biotechnology product candidates available to the broadest population possible;

• cultivating new and expanding existing collaborations for our multi-stage pipeline to efficiently scale globally.

Our Next-Generation Platforms

Antibody Cytokine Fusion Proteins

Antibody cytokine fusion proteins such as Anktiva are a novel class of biopharmaceuticals that enhance the therapeutic potential of cytokines, and promote lymphocyte infiltration at a site of disease, improving immune response.

Anktiva (N-803) is a novel interleukin-15 (IL-15) superagonist fusion protein consisting of high-affinity mutant IL-15N72D fused to the IL-15 receptor α sushi subunit and linked to the Fc portion of IgG1 Fc.

The novel antibody cytokine fusion protein specifically increases the activity of two critical aspects of the immune system—NK cells and cytotoxic (tumor cell killing) CD8 T-cells—and exerts its effects via beta gamma, rather than alpha, T-cell receptor binding and avoids regulatory T-cell (T-reg) stimulation that might dampen the pro-immune effect.

Anktiva has improved pharmacokinetic properties, longer persistence in lymphoid tissues and enhanced anti-tumor activity compared to native, non-complexed IL-15 in vivo.

Multiple Phase 1 and Phase 2 trials in both liquid and solid tumors have been completed through the date of this Annual Report in ov er 700 patients.

Although such designations may not lead to a faster development process or regulatory review and may not increase the likelihood that a product candidate will receive approval, Anktiva has been awarded both Breakthrough Therapy and Fast Track designations by the FDA for the treatment of BCG-unresponsive NMIBC CIS as well as Fast Track designation for BCG-unresponsive NMIBC papillary and BCG-naïve NMIBC CIS.

Based on patient data that was submitted with our application to obtain the Breakthrough Therapy designation in BCG-unresponsive NMIBC CIS, Anktiva achieved its primary endpoint of a complete response (CR) rate at any time in the ongoing registrational Phase 2/3 trial.

We believe that other indications with registration potential include BCG unresponsive papillary bladder cancer , lung cancer, pancreatic cancer, glioblastoma multiforme ( GBM) and triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC).

We have initiated discussions with the FDA to file a BLA for Anktiva (to be branded Ves Anktiva for intravesical administration) plus BCG for BCG-unresponsive NMIBC CIS.

In addition to Anktiva, we are developing bi-specific fusion proteins targeting CD20, PD-L1, IL-12, and TGF-ß to further enhance NK and T-cell activation directed to the infectious disease or tumor microenvironment, and to modulate the systemic and local immune response to accelerate immunogenic cell death.

Prioritized product candidates in preclinical development include antibody cytokine fusion proteins N-820 (targeting CD20), N-809 (targeting PD-L1), N-812 (delivering IL-12 to necrotic tumor cells), and N-830 (delivering a TGF- ß Trap to necrotic tumor cells).

DNA, RNA, and Recombinant Protein Vaccine Technologies

We have developed and acquired rights to multiple vaccine delivery technologies for infectious diseases to target key viruses, including SARS-CoV-2, and for oncology to deliver common tumor-associated antigens (TAAs), and neoepitopes (expressed only by cancer cells).

These technologies can deliver DNA, self-amplifying RNA (saRNA), and subunit proteins to induce B and T cell memory due to the activation of both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells along with antibody (humoral) responses.

We believe a “mix-and-match” strategy (i.e., a heterologous approach combining different vaccine platforms) could provide maximal immune protection against current and future COVID-19 variants such as Delta and Omicron.

Our key vaccine delivery technologies include:

Self-amplifying RNA

Synthetic RNA technology has quickly emerged for prophylactic and therapeutic vaccines in part because it allows for rapid, scalable, and cell-free manufacturing as evidenced by the adoption of SARS-CoV-2 RNA vaccines.

We believe our saRNA technology (licensed from the Infectious Disease Research Institute (IDRI) both directly and, in the case of SARS-CoV-2, through our joint venture formed with Amyris, Inc.

(Amyris) in December 2021) represents a significant improvement over existing RNA technologies.

Our saRNA constructs include a nanostructured lipid carrier (NLC) formulation important for thermal stability and facilitating the substitution of genetic sequences and have demonstrated an ability to vaccinate with multi-valent strains.

The self-replicating capability allows for increased potency by maintaining auto-replicative activity derived from the RNA virus vector, while the self-amplifying capability may increase the duration and breadth of immunity.

Preclinical studies in small animal and non-human primate (NHP) models have shown that the saRNA delivery vehicle results in potent humoral and cell-based immunogenicity.

Phase 1 first-in-human trials of saRNA for COVID-19 are anticipated to begin in the first half of 2022.

Second-generation adenovirus hAd5 vector

Adenovirus is a well-established viral vector and can be utilized as a vaccine to stimulate the immune system.

Our human adenovirus serotype 5 (hAd5) technology has unique deletions in the early 1, (E1), early 2 (E2b) and early 3 (E3) regions (hAd5 [E1-, E2b-, E3-]), which allows it to be effective in the presence of pre-existing adenovirus immunity and lowers the risk of generating de novo vector-directed immunity.

We have several hAd5 product candidates, which have been studied in multiple Phase 1 and 2 clinical trials as potential vaccines for the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 and certain cancers.

Importantly, these product candidates have shown an ability to overcome previous adenovirus immunity in cancer patients and in preclinical models.

The hAd5 technology has also been used with common TAAs to establish memory T cells in multiple clinical trials.

Our SARS-CoV-2 candidate uses a combination of S-Fusion and N-ETSD, our novel constructs of COVID-19 S+N proteins, which has been shown to generate CD4+ and CD8+ T cell mediated immunity and neutralizing antibodies in Phase 1 trials.

Our vaccine candidate is currently being studied in our SISONKE Boost Trial (COVID 4.010) in South Africa now in Phase 3.

Recombinant subunit proteins

Our yeast vaccine platforms have been studied in both oncology and infectious disease.

The Tarmogen platform (licensed from our subsidiary GlobeImmune, Inc.

(GlobeImmune)) has been administered to over 4 00 patients with cancer or infectious diseases in FDA-regulated clinical trials.

This platform technology consists of a heat-killed, recombinant S cerevisiae yeast-based vaccine engineered to express immunogens such as TAAs, pathogen antigens, and tumor-specific neoepitopes.

Immunization with this platform elicits CD4+ and CD8+ T cell responses capable of eliminating tumor cells or pathogen-infected cells.

Our recombinant receptor-binding domain (RBD) pichia-based antigen (licensed from the Baylor College of Medicine (BCM), which was developed at the Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development) with 3M-052/Alum adjuvants and related technology (licensed from IDRI and 3M Company (3M) and affiliates) has been shown to provide protection against SARS-CoV-1, SARS-CoV-2 (and variants of concern), and animal coronaviruses.

Phase 1 clinical trials of this subunit protein and 3M-052 adjuvants are anticipated to begin in the first half of 2022.

Bacterial-based endosomal delivery vectors

EDVs are a first-in-class, cyto-immunotherapy platform that utilizes antibody-targeted, bacterially-derived, 400 nm diameter non-living “nanocells” to release high concentrations of super-cytotoxic drugs, molecularly-targeted drugs, or small interfering RNAs (siRNAs)/microRNAs (miRNAs) and can be engineered to activate iNKT cells (see below—Invariant natural killer T cells (iNKT)).

We signed a binding term sheet with EnGeneIC Pty Limited (EnGeneIC) to integrate their patented EDV to explore clinical development in the treatment of COVID-19 and pancreatic cancer.

Toll-Like Receptor Activating Adjuvants

Adjuvants are either synthetic or naturally occurring molecules that activate toll-like receptors (TLRs) thereby enhancing the humoral and cell-mediated immune response of vaccines.

There are 10 human TLRs expressed either on the inside or outside of the immune cell and their function is to recognize foreign substances expressed by pathogens.

Once activated, these TLRs stimulate danger signals to the immune cells initiating an immune response.

We have licensed adjuvants and related technology from IDRI and 3M Company and its affiliates to incorporate with the vaccine delivery platforms described above and have access to multiple toll receptor activators, including TLR 4, TLR 7, and TLR 8.

The 3M-052/Alum adjuvant formulation is in Phase 1 trials in the U.S.

with an HIV antigen and has been well-tolerated and highly immunogenic.

A Phase 1 clinical trial for SARS-CoV-2 of this 3M-052 adjuvant in combination with a subunit protein is anticipated to begin in the first half of 2022.

We also plan to use these adjuvants in vaccines for the treatment of tuberculosis, schistosomiasis, and influenza.

NK Cell Therapy

ImmunityBio has one of the most comprehensive clinical-stage natural killer cell platforms, which has demonstrated the ability to induce cell death in cancers and virally-infected cells through a variety of concurrent mechanisms including innate killing, antibody-mediated killing, chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-directed killing, and a combination of both antibody-mediated and CAR-directed killing.

Off-the-shelf natural killer (NK) cells

Natural killer cells (NK cells) are a type of cytotoxic lymphocyte critical to the innate immune system.

NK cells show spontaneous cytolytic activity against cells under stress such as tumor cells and virally-infected cells.

After activation, NK cells also secrete several cytokines such as interferon- γ (IFN-γ), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), and chemokines that can modulate the function of other innate and adaptive immune cells.

Cytotoxic cell lines (including our NK-92) have been established from patients with clonal NK-cell lymphoma.

Those cells can be expanded in culture in the presence of cytokines (IL-2, IL-15).

Our “off-the-shelf” NK cell platform has been molecularly engineered in a variety of ways to boost its killing capabilities against cancers and virally-infected cells.

Unlike normal natural killer cells, our aNK c ells do not express the key inhibitory receptors that diseased cells often exploit to turn off the killing function of NK cells and escape elimination.

We have genetically engineered our aNK cell platform to overexpress high-affinity CD16 receptors that bind to antibodies.

These antibody-targeted haNK cel ls are designed to directly bind to IgG1-type antibodies, such as avelumab, trastuzumab, cetuximab, and rituximab, with the intention of enhancing the cancer-killing efficacy of these antibodies by boosting the population of competent natural killer cells that can kill cancer cells through antibody dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC).

Our most advanced line of off-the-shelf product candidates is an innovative, bioengineered combination that incorporates all the features of our haNK platform together with a CAR (t-haNK).

Product candidates under this platform have three modes of killing:

innate, antibody-mediated, and CAR-directed killing.

These product candidates also include one or more additional expression elements such as functional cytokines, chemokines and trafficking factors, making them amongst the most versatile in our portfolio.

These product candidates also include one or more additional expression elements such as functional cytokines, chemokines and trafficking factors.

These product candidates are intended to be combined with commercially available therapeutic antibodies to effectively target either two different epitopes of the same cancer-specific protein or two entirely different cancer specific proteins.

In addition to our two t‑haNK product candidates, PD‑L1.t‑haNK, currently in phase II testing, and CD19.t‑haNK, cleared to commence phase I testing, we believe a pipeline of prominent CARs for t‑haNK, including HER2 and EGFR, which are nearing IND submission, and others that are advancing through clinical enabling studies, will enable us to potentially address an even broader range of cancers as part of a chemotherapy-free combination regimen.

The Nant Cancer Vaccine.

The Nant Cancer Vaccine, or NCV, program is a personalized therapy regimen, which utilizes our “off-the-shelf” NK cell platform as the backbone of the regimen.

NCV consists of an initial tumor-conditioning regimen followed by a molecularly-informed immunologic conditioning therapy.

More specifically, NCV combines the novel delivery of metronomic, albumin-linked low-dose chemotherapy in conjunction with certain other agents, followed by a sequenced administration of tumor-associated antigen vaccines and an IL‑15 superagonist fusion protein, all of which potentiate our NK cell therapy to potentially drive immunogenic cell death while avoiding the ravages of toxic high-dose chemotherapy.

By inducing immunogenic cell death and enhancing a patient’s innate and adaptive immune system, NCV is designed to attain a long-term, durable response in multiple cancer types with a potential for lower toxicity and improved efficacy and quality of life in comparison with current standards of care.

We believe ultimately that employing our NK cell therapy in the context of NCV will be a highly effective combination for long term clinical success over available standards of care that employ maximum tolerated dose, tolerogenic cell death and immune system compromise.

Potential Advantages of Our aNK Platform Over T‑Cell and Other Current Immunotherapies

The immune system has two components:

innate immune cells, such as natural killer cells, which are always primed and ready to attack diseased cells, and adaptive immune cells, such as T‑cells, which are recruited and educated through a series of antigen presentation and clonal expansion, eventually mounting a delayed response.

Our proprietary aNK platform is specifically designed to potentially address many of the limitations associated with current adaptive autologous cellular immunotherapies.

We believe key limitations of adaptive autologous immunotherapy are the need to isolate adequate amounts of naive T‑cells from a cancer patient in a lengthy procedure called leukapheresis and the requirement for a complex individualized genetic transfection and expansion campaign to manufacture each patient’s therapy.

As a consequence, current autologous CAR‑T cell therapies, in large part, are limited to patients from highly selected hematological cancers and leave many patients ineligible for treatment.

Additionally, patients must undergo lympho-depleting chemotherapy prior to receiving CAR‑T therapy and rely on engraftment, thereby exposing themselves to life-threatening serious adverse events for extended periods.

For instance, recipients of CD19 CAR‑T therapy develop life-long B‑cell aplasia and hypogammaglobulinemia, requiring immunoglobulin infusion therapy.

Acutely, patients may develop cytokine release syndrome or acute or chronic neurotoxicities.

Due to these and other events, treatment with CAR‑T requires intensive inpatient and long term monitoring.

In contrast, our allogeneic “off-the-shelf” NK cells can be infused in the outpatient setting and do not rely on the patient as the source of suitable immune cells for processing, thereby availing every cancer patient as a potential candidate for on-demand treatment.

In addition, our NK cell therapy is intended to be combined with immune potentiating agents, rather than immuno-depleting agents with the interest of driving a more natural and long-lasting adaptive immune response.

This is largely due to the unique versatility of our cell products, which more closely approximates the characteristics of a drug rather than a transplant.

Most cell-based immunotherapies are limited to one or a constrained number of doses due to product limitations and cost burdens, thereby

driving the need for immune-ablative therapies and reliance on long-term engraftment to achieve clinically meaningful results.

In comparison, our NK cell based therapies can be re-dosed regularly throughout the year and at much higher dose levels without the same product limitations, cost burdens, reliance on long-term engraftment and potential exposure to long-term toxicities.

For these reasons, we believe that our approach includes the following advantages:

Innate immune response.

aNK platform products are always activated and can naturally detect and rapidly destroy a wide variety of diseased cells without prior exposure to antigens or activation by stimulatory molecules.

Promotion of adaptive immune response.

aNK platform products stimulate the adaptive component of the immune system by producing chemokines and other molecules that recruit and activate T‑cells directly and through dendritic cells to attack cancers.

Enhancement of ADCC effect with CD16 expressing haNK cells.

Our haNK product candidates may have significant market potential as a combination therapy with approved monoclonal antibodies, or mAbs, targeting tumor associated antigens, as well as neoepitope induced antibodies, potentially addressing a large number of patients who have poor responses to antibody products.

Wide therapeutic potential across multiple tumor types and even late-stage disease.

In preclinical studies and phase I and II clinical trials to date, aNK, haNK and t‑haNK cells have demonstrated activity in a spectrum of cancers, including bulky hematological cancers and solid tumors, as well as late-stage cancer patients who have failed multiple rounds of chemotherapy, radiation and stem cell transplantation.

Ability to attack cancer stem cells.

aNK cells have been shown in preclinical studies to preferentially attack cancer stem cells, which have demonstrated resistance to conventional chemotherapy.

Applications in diseases beyond cancer.

We believe aNK platform products have the potential to treat diseases beyond cancer, such as viral infectious diseases because of the inherent ability of natural killer cells to kill virally infected cells.

Preclinical studies in HIV, HCV, EBV and Ebola viruses demonstrate this capability.

Well tolerated.

aNK platform products are hypo-immunogenic and have shown no dose limiting toxicities in over 900 patient infusions, including in recipients who have received long-term repeat infusions beyond a year.

Ease of administration.

aNK platform products have been administered in outpatient facilities, potentially offering physicians the flexibility to re-dose therapy in the ambulatory setting for extended periods and in large practices.

Virtually universal patient compatibility.

aNK platform products do not require patient-donor matching or a minimum level of patient immuno-competence.

Low-cost, efficient and scalable manufacturing.

aNK, haNK, taNK and t‑haNK cells have the potential to be expanded on a large scale and readily supplied on demand from what we believe is the world’s only cGMP compliant aNK, haNK and t‑haNK cell banks, proprietary assets of our company.

Experienced Management Team

Since the founding of our company in 2002, we have assembled a team of proven, experienced and visionary leaders in biotechnology.

Our team is led by Patrick Soon‑Shiong, MBBch, FRCS (C), FACS, who has served as our Chairman since March 2015.

Soon‑Shiong was first introduced to us in 2007 when our technology was at a very early stage of development and he provided us with advice and scientific development strategies, including demonstration of activity in the clinical setting following irradiation of the cells and demonstration of safety and activity following multiple infusions in patients with both end-stage solid and liquid tumors.

Soon‑Shiong made an equity investment in our company in December 2014 and joined as our Chief Medical Officer in January 2015.

Soon‑Shiong became our Chairman in March 2015 and served as our Chief Executive Officer, or CEO, from March 2015 until October 2020.

Effective October 2020, Dr.

Soon‑Shiong has served as our Executive Chairman of the board of directors.

Soon‑Shiong, a renowned surgeon and scientist, has pioneered novel therapies for both diabetes and cancer, published over 100 scientific papers in the U.S., and has been issued over 230 worldwide patents on groundbreaking advancements spanning a myriad of fields.

He performed the first encapsulated islet stem cell transplant in a diabetic patient in the U.S.

He invented, developed and launched the first nanoparticle delivery system of human albumin, abraxane.

Soon‑Shiong was founder, Chairman and CEO of American Pharmaceutical Partners (sold to Fresenius SE for approximately $4.6 billion in 2008), Abraxis BioScience (sold to Celgene Corporation for approximately $3.8 billion in 2010), and NantWorks, an ecosystem of companies to create a transformative global health information and next generation pharmaceutical development network.

Richard Adcock was appointed as our C EO in October 2020.

Prior to joining NantKwest, Mr.

Adcock served as CEO of Verity Health from January 2018 to September 2020.

Verity Health was previously affiliated with Dr.

Soon ‑ Shiong until 2018.

Prior to Verity Health, Mr.

Adcock served in various capacities at Sanford Health, including as its Chief Innovation Officer, President, Executive Vice President and Director from 2004 to 2017.

Prior to Sanford Health, Mr.

Adcock served as Global Engineering Director at GE Healthcare from 1999 to 2003.

Barry Simon, M.D., our President and Chief Administrative Officer, who was our CEO from May 2007 until March 2015 and our President and Chief Operating Officer from March 2015 to December 2016, brings decades of drug development and executive leadership experience from Roche Labs, F.

Hoffmann‑La Roche, Connetics Corp.

and Immunomedics, having successfully contributed to Biologics License Applications, or BLAs, and commercial drug launches for Xeloda, Pegasys, Kytril, Fortovase, Valcyte, Fuzeon and Tamiflu.

We have experienced executives leading our research and development, manufacturing, preclinical and clinical development, regulatory and medical affairs, finance and other critical areas of our business, and we continue to build our manufacturing and administrative infrastructure.

Company Vision

We aspire to be the premier immunotherapy company, with the ultimate goal of harnessing the power of the innate immune system—with the NK cell at its core—to pioneer precision medicine in treatments for cancers and viral infectious diseases.

Our Core Strategies

Our goal of becoming the world leader in immunotherapy for cancers and other diseases can be realized through a major reframing of how we apply the collective knowledge amassed in this field to date.

This starts with precisely determining the ‘molecular address’ of the target disease and leveraging this knowledge in the selection and staging of both tumor and immune conditioning agents in accordance with our understanding of biological mechanisms of action and the natural order of immune biology.

Metronomic, low-doses of certain agents would be utilized to potentiate cellular stress and boost tumor immunogenicity, while an array of other agents would be applied selectively and sequentially to propagate a meaningful and lasting adaptive immune response.

We believe that by utilizing the NK cell as the backbone and central coordinator as we engage and sequentially orchestrate the entire ecosystem of immune cells, we can effectively empower the patient’s own immune system to regain control by becoming its own ‘drug factory’ that can establish and once again maintain a cancer-free environment in the body.

The key elements of our strategy include:

Pursuit of both accelerated regulatory pathways and large market opportunities.

We are pursuing a comprehensive clinical development plan designed to maximize the commercial potential of our haNK and t‑haNK platforms as the backbone in the treatment of cancers in a streamlined combination with a PD‑L1 checkpoint inhibitor and a highly selective and molecularly enhanced IL‑15 superagonist fusion protein.

We intend to pursue accelerated regulatory approval pathways and seek indications that can lead to orphan drug status and breakthrough therapy designation, as well as pursue large market opportunities in select solid tumors in the shortest feasible timeframe.

Advance our next-generation t‑haNK products towards phase II and registration trials.

Our broadly applicable t‑haNK product, PD‑L1.t‑haNK, is currently undergoing testing in a phase II trial in pancreatic cancers and has received FDA authorization to begin testing in non-small cell lung cancers with an additional phase II trial submission in triple negative breast cancers with concurrent chemotherapy in preparation for submission.

Additionally, our CD19.t‑haNK IND application has been approved by the FDA for a dose escalation phase I study in patients with CD19 expressing diffuse large B-cell lymphomas and our HER2.t‑haNK IND application is nearing completion and being readied for submission with the FDA during the first half of 2021.

Additions to our pipeline of near-term IND-ready t‑haNK product candidates include an EGFR t‑haNK product during the second half of 2021.

Progress our lead haNK product candidate through phase II and registration trials.

We are leveraging the combined human safety and activity data accumulated to date on haNK therapy to conduct our multi-center phase II trial in patients with Merkel cell carcinoma who have relapsed on checkpoint therapy.

Leverage our exclusive co-development agreement with ImmunityBio for N-803.

As with the emergence of dozens of CAR ‑T companies following the success of a select few, more and more natural killer cell therapy companies are forging ahead into the cancer immunotherapy space.

Due to the lack of market access to suitable companion products for co-development, suc h as cytokine therapies, many natural killer cell therapy developers are following the path of CAR ‑T sponsors in the use of myeloablative therapies that support engraftment, but at the same time suppresses immune recruitment and the recipient’s ability to mount an adaptive immune response.

N ‑803 is an experimental IL ‑15 superagonist fusion protein , currently in late stage registration trials by ImmunityBio, Inc., an affiliated entity.

Our utilization of N ‑803 in combination with our NK therapies across our clinical program affords us an additional distinction and competitive advantage where we combine systemic activation of recipient natural killer and T ‑cells with chemotherapy-free treatment regimens for maximal immune response and memory T ‑cell formation.

Pursue partnering opportunities with pharmaceutical companies for commercially approved antibodies and select late-stage antibodies in development.

Numerous biopharmaceutical companies have previously licensed our research-grade haNK cells through an affiliated entity for non-therapeutic applications that facilitate the discovery, selection and validation of their antibody candidates for development.

A growing number of these biopharmaceutical companies have also licensed our cells for use in their antibody manufacturing and testing procedures in order to satisfy requirements by the FDA and comparable foreign regulatory agencies.

There may be multiple opportunities to leverage these biopharmaceutical business relationships to forge therapeutic collaborations to conduct clinical studies with our haNK and t‑haNK product candidates in combination with their late-stage and commercial antibody products to demonstrate enhanced activity when used in combination.

Accelerate clinical development of our t‑haNK products by implementing phase Ib/II basket trials.

A growing number of antibody and other anti-cancer products are being marketed for multiple cancer types that share the same molecular abnormality.

We plan to accelerate clinical development of our PD‑L1.t‑haNK, CD19.t‑haNK and HER2.t‑haNK product candidates by designing trials that permit the enrollment of patients whose cancers demonstrate high levels of PD‑L1, CD19 and HER2, respectively, from a number of select cancer types.

We believe this approach will enhance the development potential of our t‑haNK product pipeline.

Employ an adaptive approach to our clinical trials designs.

As we explored complex combinations in our NCV trials that combined tumor conditioning agents, IL‑15 cytokine activation, adenoviral and yeast vaccine driven dendritic cell activation and antibody therapy together with our haNK cell therapy across multiple tumor types, we continued to optimize the treatment design over time after accumulating sufficient outcome observations through IND amendments and new IND filings.

By doing so, we were able to considerably condense the development time frame while providing patient access to the enhanced protocol designs much sooner than would have otherwise been possible.

Establish low-cost, scalable manufacturing capabilities to support late-stage clinical trials and global commercialization.

We believe our aNK platform product candidates offer unique advantages of a simplified, on-demand manufacturing process that is relatively easy to scale and requires minimal handling at the site of infusion.

We opened our second state-of-the-art commercial production facility in El Segundo, California at the beginning of 2021 and transferred all of our t‑haNK manufacturing operations from our first facility in El Segundo.

We believe this new facility is capable of producing clinical product for all our clinical trials for multiple product lines.

We have developed novel manufacturing methods, including the use of proprietary equipment that employs state-of-the-art optics, as well as proprietary media, designed to maximize the attributes of our NK product lines.

We have eliminated the need for IL‑2 media supplementation in all of our bioreactors and product lines, thereby simplifying the expansion process and shortening the culturing times while significantly reducing production costs.

We have also implemented proprietary cryopreservation methods that enable large-scale production yields that can be easily processed into final frozen dose forms for long-term storage and simple, on-demand shipping.

Cryopreservation allows for significant cost efficiencies and the establishment of a substantial commercial pipeline supply, much like shelf-stable pharmaceutical drugs.

We have effectively eliminated reliance on third party contract manufacturers, with the associated risks to cost, time and reliability.

We plan to continue to improve our costs as we scale up production to larger capacity bioreactors that can support serial harvests, the utilization of consumables that will support fully automated production lines from harvest to cryopreserved product and establish additional efficiencies across products pipelines.

Pursue opportunities with vaccine combination partnerships that drive in vivo production of anti-cancer antibodies for ADCC killing with haNK and t‑haNK cells.

Upon achieving initially anticipated BLAs for our haNK and PD‑L1.t‑haNK products in simple combinations with N‑803 and a monoclonal antibody, we plan to initiate a wide range of combination therapy studies that incorporate adenoviral and yeast vaccine platforms to deliver tumor associated antigens which induce the natural production of IgG1-type antibodies in patients, and when combined with our haNK and t‑haNK products, would be expected to potentiate ADCC killing.

Extend our NK platform to address diseases beyond cancer.

We believe our aNK platform has the potential to address diseases beyond cancer such as viral infectious diseases because of the in nate ability of natural killer cells to kill virally infected cells.

Preclinical studies in HIV, HCV, EBV and Ebola viruses demonstrate this capability.

Pre clinical e fforts are underway to evaluate the role of h aNK in combination with select broadly neutralizing antibody , or bNAb, candidates in clearing HIV reservoirs as part of a novel immunotherapy combination regimen.

Our Therapeutic Platforms

Leveraging Our Assets

We have developed a pre-clinical portfolio of t‑haNK products based on the combined attributes of our existing haNK and taNK platforms.

We have also advanced our haNK product candidate into clinical trials across several solid-tumor types, which incorporates a comprehensively orchestrated tumor and immune-conditioning regimen known as the Nant Cancer Vaccine, or NCV, and generated compelling safety and activity data.

We now plan to advance our lead clinical candidates from the haNK and t‑haNK platforms into checkpoint inhibitor and IL‑15 superagonist fusion protein combination trials in select cancer indications.

Our aNK Platform is the Foundation for Our haNK, taNK and t‑haNK Product Candidates.

Based on the unique characteristics of our aNK cells, we continue to expand the potential therapeutic applications of this platform through molecular engineering designed to leverage the multiple modes of killing available to aNK cells, including (1) innate plus antibody-mediated killing, the haNK platform;

(2) innate plus antigen targeted killing, the taNK platform;

and (3) a combination of all three, the t‑haNK platform, as illustrated below.

Antibody-Mediated Killing - the haNK Platform.

We have genetically engineered our aNK cells to both overexpress high-affinity CD16 receptors and the IL‑2 cytokine.

These haNK cells are well suited to directly bind to concurrently administered therapeutic antibodies such as avelumab, trastuzumab, cetuximab and rituximab to potentially enhance their targeted cancer killing effects through ADCC, as illustrated below.

CAR-Directed Killing - the taNK Platform.

We have genetically modified our aNK cells to incorporate CARs that target cancer specific proteins typically found on the surface of cancer cells.

These taNK cells are designed to directly bind to these surface proteins in a variety of solid and hematological cancers and induce cell death through the release of toxic granules directly into the tumor cell and the release of cytokines and chemokines, which recruit additional innate and adaptive immune responses, including the recruitment of cytotoxic T‑cells.

CARs are complex molecules that are designed to traverse the cell membrane and are comprised of four elements:

(1) the antibody-derived single-chain Fv fragment, or scFv, which appears on the external membrane surface of the taNK cell, where it is exposed and available to bind to cancer specific antigens;

(2) a transmembrane hinge region;

(3) a CD28 co-stimulatory domain;

and (4) one of several signaling domain segments which resides on the internal surface of the membrane where, upon external scFv binding, it is available to signal the activation cascade to release cytotoxic compounds to destroy the targeted cancer cell.

Unlike CAR‑T and T‑cell receptor therapies, taNK killing is human leukocyte antigen, or HLA, independent for “off-the-shelf” applications and does not depend on additional (second-generation) co-stimulatory domains, such as 4‑1BB or OX40, which are often necessary in CAR‑T cells for immune cell activation and survival.

CAR-Directed and Antibody-Mediated Killing - the t‑haNK Platform.

We have genetically engineered our aNK cells to exhibit all three mechanisms of killing, thereby imparting CAR targeted killing via cancer specific antigens, ADCC based killing as mediated by antibody products, innate killing inherent to natural killer cells, as well as independence from IL‑2 supplementation for expansion and viability.

Based on this unique arrangement, t‑haNK cells can target two distinct cancer antigens at once:

one via its CD16 receptor together with an antibody such as rituximab (CD20), and the other through its CAR receptor (i.e.

PD‑L1), as illustrated below.

In the taNK and t‑haNK cell lines, the activation signaling that results from the binding of the CARs to the tumor-specific antigens can be strong enough to overcome both cancer escape mechanisms and suppressive factors present in the tumor microenvironment.

These tumor antigens encompass three categories of proteins, all of which can be targeted individually by our engineered taNK products:

Checkpoint ligands, such as PD‑L1 and B7‑H4;

Well-established tumor proteins such as CD19, HER2 and EGFR;

Novel surface antigens associated with cancer stem cells.

The table below is a partial list of CAR modified aNK products in the literature and their intended tumor types.

Non-Clinical Validation of Lenti- and Retroviral Generated taNK Cell Lines;

a Compelling Case for Virus-Free t‑haNK-Based Therapies.

We are preparing a novel lineup of virus-free t‑haNK product candidates that are cryopreserved, CAR expressing cell lines based on our haNK cell therapeutic, one of which is progressing through a phase II clinical trial.

Our rapid advancement of the virus-free t‑haNK platform has enabled us to discontinue all use of viral vectors as a means to genetically enhance our platforms.

These next-generation products avoid the safety concerns associated with the use of retro- and lentivirus sequences, incorporate the high-affinity CD16 receptor for enhanced antibody-mediated killing, as well as IL‑2 for IL‑2 growth independence, which can potentially reduce production costs and enhance clinical efficacy.

Latest Addition to Our Platforms

Our GMP-in-a-Box Approach

NantKwest is leading the efforts to generate allogeneic and autologous-sourced cell based products, the most advanced of which are our cytokine enriched memory-like NK, or ceNK, and mesenchymal stem cell, or MSC, therapeutics.

We utilize a scalable GMP production process that combines the use of ImmunityBio’s (a related party) semi-automated manufacturing equipment and software, cytokine expansion and activation reagents, including ImmunityBio’s N‑803, and unique user-friendly processing methods, all of which are proprietary.

We have optimized processes for generating both fresh and cryopreserved clinical dose forms of ceNK cells with 100% purity (in the allogeneic setting) from a variety of sources, including cord blood and allogeneic and autologous peripheral blood.

We have also optimized processes for generating fresh and cryopreserved clinical dose forms of MSCs from cord blood, cord tissue and allogeneic bone marrow sources.

We avoid the use of both feeder-layers and feeder-layer derived substances for activation as well as other commonly applied additives that frequently create downstream issues in achieving a high-quality, operator-friendly reproducible final dose form and have been able to generate multiple dose forms from each donor product, both of which are critical features in achieving scalability.

Cytokine Enriched Natural Killer (ceNK) Cell Platform.

Cytokine-induced memory-like NK cells are a unique set of lymphocytes that differentiate after a brief pre-activation with interleukin‑12 (IL‑12), IL‑15, and IL‑18 and exhibit enhanced responses to cytokine re-stimulation that include enhanced interferon‑g production and cytotoxicity against leukemic cell lines.

Key trials studying o ur t-haNK product candidates have been initiated—PD-L1 t-haNK in Phase 1/2 trials in TNBC , and Phase 2 trials in pancreatic and GBM—and CD19 t-haNK has been cleared to commence Phase 1 testing in non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

We believe we have a pipeline of other prominent CARs for t-haNK, including HER2 and epidermal growth factor receptor ( EGFR), which are advancing through clinical-enabling studies, among others, which will enable us to potentially address an even broader range of cancers as part of a chemotherapy-free combination regimen.

In March 2021, in collaboration with the National Cancer Institute (NCI), our PD-L1 t-haNK was reported to be a potent cell therapy agent against myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) and overcome T cell escape in multiple types of resistant tumors (Fabian et al 2020).

In January 2022, we reported on the results of our metastatic pancreatic cancer trial using PD-L1 t-haNK in combination with Anktiva.

These findings, which were reported at the ASCO Gastrointestinal Conference in January 2022, showed a median overall survival of 6.3 months in patients who had progressed after two prior lines of therapy, more than doubling historical survival.

We plan to meet with the FDA in 2022 to discuss a potential path for the approval of combination therapies for pancreatic cancer.

Autologous and allogenic memory-like cytokine-enhanced NK cells (M-ceNK)

Memory-like cytokine-enhanced NK cells are a unique set of lymphocytes that differentiate after a brief pre-activation with interleukin-12 (IL-12), IL-15 and IL-18 and exhibit enhanced responses to cytokine re-stimulation that include enhanced IFN-γ production and cytotoxicity against leukemic cell lines.

These cells have been isolated and characterized by their unique cell-surface marker profile and their highly desirable feature of immune-memory, marked by their pronounced anti-cancer activity for weeks to months in duration, which has made these cells a research focus for more than a decade.

Based on published literature, we believe the ability to generate these memory-like cells at clinically meaningful quantities has been limited to the work performed at Washington University by T.A.

Fehniger, et al.

Published data so far has been limited to the acute myeloid leukemia patient population in the post-allogeneic, haploidentical stem cell transplantation setting, for which the Fehniger group has generated enough cells to provide a one-time dose of these cytokine-activated, memory-like natural killer cells.

Our cytokine enriched natural killer cell program is based on the ability to enrich and expand donor-sourced natural killer cells in a GMP facility to a clinically relevant scale, which allows for the production of a pure cytokine activated and expanded NK cell population that possesses the unique phenotype we specifically refer to as M‑ceNK cells.

We have developed a unique ability to generate a portfolio of distinct ceNK cell products through the application of ImmunityBio’s proprietary GMP-in-a-Box bioreactors and cytokines and our proprietary methods and overall expertise in scale manufacturing of NK cell based products.

Mesenchymal Stem Cell (MSC) Platform.

Bone marrow-derived allogeneic MSCs are considered to be a prominent cell type to treat degenerative diseases and autoimmune disorders.

MSCs are reported to be immunoprivileged, allowing for transplantation of allogeneic MSCs without the risk of being rejected by the host immune system.

MSCs have been found to be capable of modulating immune responses, thereby reducing inflammation as well as immunopathology and protecting alveolar epithelial cells during acute respiratory distress syndrome, or ARDS, including that triggered by cytokine storm.

More importantly, MSCs demonstrated promising activity in reducing the non-productive inflammation and in promoting lung generation in a phase II clinical trial, as well as in patients with ARDS in clinical practice.

As a result, we believe MSCs have the potential to alleviate the SARS‑CoV‑2-derived cytokine storm and ARDS, and thereby have an effect on the treatment of subsequent chronic respiratory dysfunction and lung fibrosis.

We have developed and optimized procedures and proprietary protocols to generate multiple dose forms of MSC products from a single bone marrow or cord tissue sample, in a scalable format using ImmunityBio’s GMP-in-a-Box system.

Development Update on our Product Candidates

Our leading programs reside in two core disease areas:

Oncology, which includes our haNK and PD‑L1.t‑haNK programs, and COVID‑19, which includes our joint BM‑Allo‑MSC therapeutic and hAd5 vaccine programs.

We also have a pipeline of IND-ready t‑haNK and ceNK projects in both solid and liquid cancers.

Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest cancers for patients in the U.S.

Pancreatic cancer is the third leading cause of cancer-related death in the U.S., behind only lung cancer and colorectal cancer, and is expected to become the second-leading cause after lung cancer by the early 2020’s.

The overall five-year survival rate is just 9%.

In 2019, an estimated 56,770 people were diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in the U.S., and approximately 45,750 of those newly diagnosed will die from the disease.

Pancreatic cancer is the ninth-most commonly diagnosed cancer in women and the tenth-most commonly diagnosed cancer in men.

Only about 20% to 30% of cases are found early enough to treat surgically, before the cancer has spread, and surgery gives the only chance that this cancer can be eradicated.

Treatment options for pancreatic cancer patients include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, and clinical trials.

Pancreatic cancer is uniformly accepted as an area of serious unmet medical need, with five-year relative survival rates by SEER stage at diagnosis of 37% for localized, 12% for regional, 3% for distant, and 9% for all SEER stages combined.

QUILT 88 is a phase II, open-label, randomized, three-cohort comparative study of PD ‑L1.t ‑haNK, N ‑803 and aldoxorubicin in combination with standard-of-care therapy versus standard-of-care therapy alone for front-line maintenance, second-line and third-line or greater treatment of 298 subjects with locally advanced or metastatic pancreatic cancer.

Each of the three cohorts are being conducted as standalone studies:

as front-line maintenance therapy in patients that have achieved a clinical response after first-line standard-of-care therapy,

in second-line therapy, and

in third-line therapy or greater.

Cohorts A and B will have their own control arms while cohort C will be conducted as a single-arm, open-label study.

Safety and progression-free survival for cohorts A and B will be compared within the groups using RECIST Version 1.1 criteria based on blinded independent central review.

Secondary objectives include initial safety and additional efficacy measures, including overall response rate, complete response rate, durability of response, disease control rate, and overall survival.

All three study cohorts of the trial are open and actively enrolling patients at Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian in Orange County, California, the Immuno-Oncology Clinic, Inc.

in Los Angeles County, California, and Avera McKennan Hospital and University Health Center in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, the latter serving patients in the tri-state area of Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota.

More than 50 patients are currently enrolled in or being evaluated for the trial.

In our initial Cancer Moonshot QUILT trials of haNK and avelumab (PD‑L1 checkpoint inhibitor) for patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer, we explored the hypothesis that by activating the patient’s own immune system, a paradigm change in cancer therapy could evolve to eradicate cancer cells without high-dose chemotherapy.

From 2017 to 2020, multiple QUILT clinical trials exploring the combination of haNK cell therapy, immune-modulating antibodies, adenovirus-based cancer vaccines, and low-dose chemotherapy provided preliminary results showing the median survival rate can be more than doubled, compared to historical controls, from three months to eight months.

In an expanded access program for patients with advanced metastatic pancreatic cancer who had no available approved treatment options, a complete remission was achieved when replacing haNK and PD‑L1 checkpoint inhibitor avelumab with PD‑L1.t‑haNK and four out of ﬁve patients are alive 8 to 16 months since beginning treatment on these expanded protocols as of January 12, 2021.

On the basis of these initial studies, we initiated our QUILT 88 trials in metastatic pancreatic cancer in October 2020.

While the data are still early study in cohort C, for which the primary endpoint is overall survival, 15 out of 18 (83%) of the patients enrolled with second-line or greater pancreatic cancer remain alive as of January 12, 2021.

Triple Negative Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in the U.S., the second most common cause of cancer death, and the main cause of death in women ages 45 to 55 years.

In 2019, the latest year for which incidence data are available, 268,600 women in the U.S.

were diagnosed with breast cancer, and an estimated 41,760 women died of the disease.

Triple Negative Breast Cancer, or TNBC, accounts for approximately 15% of all breast cancers.

Of these TNBC cases, about 75% are "basal-like." TNBC is a subtype of breast cancer that lacks expression of the estrogen receptor, or ER, and progesterone receptor, or PR, and does not overexpress the human epidermal growth factor 2 receptor, or HER2, protein.

TNBC is an important area of research for both researchers and clinicians alike because:

TNBC is a poor prognostic factor for disease-free and overall survival;

No effective specific targeted therapy is readily available for TNBC;

There is a clustering of TNBC cases in premenopausal women and in women of African descent;

The overlap of BRCA1-associated breast cancers with the TNBC phenotype is significant.

The prevalence of TNBC is highest in premenopausal African American women.

A recent report notes that 39% of all African American premenopausal women diagnosed with breast cancer are diagnosed with TNBC.

The prevalence of TNBC in this same age group in non-African American women is much lower, at approximately 15%.

After adjusting for age and stage at diagnosis, African American women were almost three times more likely than white women to have triple-negative tumors.

These ethnic or menopausal differences are not seen in either the ER+/HER2+ breast cancer subgroup or the ER+/HER2– subgroup.

Five-year relative survival rates for TNBC by SEER stage at diagnosis are 91% for localized, 65% for regional, and 11% for distant.

TNBC has fewer treatment options than other types of invasive breast cancer.

This is because the cancer cells do not have the estrogen or progesterone receptors or enough of the HER2 protein to make hormone therapy or targeted drugs work.

If the cancer has not spread to distant sites, surgery is an option.

Chemotherapy might be given first to shrink a large tumor followed by surgery.

Chemotherapy might also be given after surgery to reduce the chances of the cancer coming back.

Radiation might also be an option depending on certain features of the tumor.

Because hormone therapy and HER2 drugs are not choices for women with TNBC, chemotherapy is often used.

In cases where the cancer has spread to other parts of the body (i.e., stage IV) chemotherapy and other treatments that can be considered include PARP inhibitors, platinum chemotherapy, or immunotherapy.

QUILT 3.067 is a phase II, open-label, single-arm trial evaluating the same novel triple combination of “off-the-shelf” haNK cell therapy with N‑803 and avelumab following a tumor conditioning regimen in subjects that have progressed on or after standard-of-care therapy for TNBC.

Patient follow-up concluded during the third quarter of 2020 for the long-term responders in the trial and final data is being collated for a final study report.

We last reported an overall response rate by immune response RECIST criteria in 6 of 9 patients (67%), a complete response rate in 3 of 9 patients (33%) (one unconfirmed), a median progression-free survival by immune response RECIST criteria of 14.3 months and a median overall survival of 20.2 months.

With the recent FDA approval of sacituzumab in patients with third-line TNBC, based on a 33% overall response rate, we believe that the addition of PD‑L1.t‑haNK and N‑803 may result in meaningful improvements in clinical outcomes.

As such, we are preparing for an open-label, randomized controlled phase III trial of PD‑L1.t‑haNK and N‑803 in combination with sacituzumab versus sacituzumab alone.

For the primary objective, we will compare the overall response rate between the two arms using RESIST criteria in solid tumors, Version 1.1.

Secondary objectives will include assessments of safety, event-free survival, overall survival and durability of response using the same RESIST Version 1.1 criteria.

The study will contain a safety lead-in phase in which the safety and tolerability of sacituzumab + PD‑L1.t‑haNK + N‑803 will be assessed prior to the Phase III portion of the study.

We anticipate filing an IND in the first quarter of 2021.

Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Lung cancer is the second most common cancer.

The American Cancer Society estimates that about 235,760 new cases of lung cancer will be diagnosed in the U.S.

in 2021 and an estimated 131,880 patients will die of the disease.

Non-small cell lung cancer, or NSCLC, is often insidious, producing no symptoms until the disease is well advanced.

NSCLC makes up about 80% to 85% of all lung cancers.

The three main types of NSCLC are squamous cell carcinoma, and non-squamous cell carcinoma, consisting of adenocarcinoma and large cell carcinoma.

Adenocarcinoma is the most common form of lung cancer in the U.S., among both men and women.

Squamous cell carcinoma, is the second most prevalent, accounting for 25% of all lung cancers.

Large cell carcinoma is the smallest, accounting for approximately 10% of NSCLC tumors.

Early recognition of symptoms may be beneficial to outcome.

At initial diagnosis, 20% of patients have localized disease, 25% of patients have regional metastasis, and 55% of patients have distant spread of disease.

Symptoms depend on the location of cancer.

The five-year survival rate for NSCLC is 24%.

However, it is important to note that survival rates depend on several factors, including the subtype of lung cancer, and the stage of disease.

For people with localized NSCLC, which means the cancer has not spread outside of the lung, the overall five-year survival rate is 61%.

For regional NSCLC, which means the cancer has spread outside of the lung to nearby areas, the five-year survival rate is approximately 35%.

If the cancer has spread to distant parts of the body, called metastatic lung cancer, the five-year survival rate is 6%.

As a result of new effective treatments, this number is changing, although better therapies are acutely needed.

QUILT 3.055 is a phase IIb, open-label, multi-cohort study of combination immunotherapy in patients with NSCLC who have previously received treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors.

Patients are eligible to enter into the cohort designated to receive third-line combination immunotherapy consisting of PD‑L1.t‑haNK cell therapy, N‑803 and a checkpoint inhibitor after progressing on one of four other treatment cohorts within the study.

The primary efficacy endpoint of the study is overall response rate per RECIST Version 1.1.

Secondary endpoints include progression-free survival, overall survival and durability of response using RECIST Version 1.1 criteria.

The IND amendment to include this third-line study cohort has been authorized by the FDA.

Observed responses in this trial will guide our plans to conduct a subsequent phase II trial in second-line NSCLC patients.

Merkel Cell Carcinoma

Merkel cell carcinoma, or MCC, is a rare and aggressive skin cancer that arises from uncontrolled growth of cells in the skin.

Increasing in incidence, approximately 2,000 new cases are reported in the U.S.

Patients with metastatic or locally advanced MCC have an extremely poor prognosis, with less than 20% of patients surviving longer than five years.

Typically, these patients are treated with a range of drugs, including chemotherapy, which can result in significant side effects.

Although new immune therapies have the potential to improve survival, MCC is still fatal for a majority of patients who have progressed on or after treatment with a checkpoint inhibitor and represents an unmet medical need.

QUILT 3.063 is our phase II, open-label, single-arm trial evaluating the novel triple combination of “off-the-shelf” haNK cell therapy with N‑803 and avelumab, without chemotherapy in subjects that have progressed after treatment with a checkpoint inhibitor for MCC.

This trial is currently open at multiple centers across the U.S.

As a rare disease, with approximately 2,000 patients being diagnosed in the U.S.

each year, MCC patients often require regional referral and additional travel to a clinical trial site.

The ongoing COVID‑19 pandemic has continued to have an impact on enrollment due in part to limitations in travel and study accessibility as well as a significant reduction in patient referrals.

In response to this, we will continue to implement measures to increase local community awareness of the trial as we add new sites.

While we remain cautiously optimistic, it may require additional time to reach our interim data readout.

Additional Oncology Programs Update

We anticipate pursuing additional indications for our PD‑L1.t‑haNK product candidate, such as in the neoadjuvant setting in combination with N‑803 and a checkpoint inhibitor for newly diagnosed patients with head and neck squamous cells cancers in collaboration with the National Cancer Institute.

In the near future we also plan to initiate a series of phase I first-in-human trials with our IND-ready t‑haNK products HER2.t‑haNK, EGFR.t‑haNK and the FDA authorized CD19.t‑haNK.

Likewise, we are nearing an IND filing for a phase I ceNK trial in locally advanced solid cancers.

COVID‑19 Programs Update

QUILT‑COVID‑19‑MSC is a randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled phase Ib study to assess the safety of therapeutic treatment with immunomodulatory bone marrow-derived MSC, or BM‑Allo‑MSC, in adults with severe COVID‑19 infection.

This clinical trial will evaluate the safety and efficacy of BM‑Allo‑MSC versus best supporting care in treating patients with severe disease requiring ventilator support during COVID‑19 infection.

A total of 45 subjects receiving care in the critical care or ICU setting for COVID‑19 will be enrolled in this study.

Subjects will be randomized in a 2:1 fashion to the experimental and control arms, respectively.

Primary endpoints include incidence of adverse events, mortality and number of ventilator-free days within 60 days of randomization.

All subjects will also be assessed using the standard National Early Warning Score, or NEWS score (Royal College of Physicians 2012).

A second, more efficient commercial source of MSC cells has been developed in-house, using cord tissue.

Consequently, we recently filed a second IND for CT‑Allo‑MSC cells using the same trial design and plan to shift our clinical trial effort to this new protocol, which we plan to open at several clinical sites in Southern California, including Hoag Hospital in Newport Beach, California.

QUILT 4001 is an hAd5 adenoviral COVID vaccine trial operated by our affiliate, ImmunityBio, under a Joint COVID‑19 Collaboration Agreement, described below.

This phase Ib, open-label study will evaluate the safety, reactogenicity and immunogenicity of prophylactic vaccination with a second generation E1, E2b and E3 deleted human adenovirus‑5 vaccine in normal healthy volunteers.

The test article is an hAd5‑S‑Fusion+N‑ETSD vaccine which encodes for an optimized spike protein (S‑Fusion), to enhance stability and cell surface expression of the receptor binding domain of the SARS‑CoV‑2 spike protein, and a Nucleocapsid protein with an enhanced T‑cell stimulation domain (N‑ETSD) to enhance cell-mediated immunity.

Two cohorts of ten subjects will receive either 5×10 10 or 1×10 11 virus particles per dose on days 1 and 22 and a third cohort of fifteen patients would receive the highest safe dose administered in the two initial cohorts.

Safety and activity will be assessed for up to twelve months after the second dose.

Toxicities will be graded using the Guidance for Industry - Toxicity Grading Scale for Healthy Adult and Adolescent Volunteers Enrolled in Preventive Vaccine Clinical Trials (2007).

As a result of the emergence of rapidly evolving resistance mutations in the spike protein, an IND amendment has been filed under the ongoing QUILT 4001 to incorporate a sublingual (SL) formulation of the hAd5 ‑ S ‑ Fusion+N ‑ ETSD vaccine , thereby expanding the trial to a total of 60 patients across six study cohorts .

In addition, a second IND has been filed to test an oral formulation in a separate phase Ib trial in the U.S.

This trial, QUILT 4005, will study an additional 40 patients across four cohorts.

Th e oral formulation employed is stable at room temperatures, which may help alleviate cold-chain logistics issues that have slowed deployment of currently approved COVID ‑19 vaccines .

Additionally, the oral and SL formulations are designed to enhance IgA secretion and may confer greater protection against infection.

On February 11, 2021, we announced that the IND amendment for QUILT 4001 and the new IND for QUILT 4005 have been authorized by the FDA.

These studies are now actively enrolling patients at Hoag Hospital, in Newport Beach, California.

Once these new formulations have been tested for safety and immunogenicity , we will then proceed with a planned phase II/III trial using the most optimal combination.

The following table summarizes our current development programs:

N-803 is an IL-15RαFc Superagonist, a proprietary therapeutic cytokine designed to induce expansion of native NK and CD8+ T‑cells without concurrent stimulation of T‑regulatory cells;

Aldoxorubicin (Aldox) is a proprietary albumin-bound doxorubicin complex that is designed to preferentially accumulate in a tumor’s low pH environment.

Both agents are in late-stage clinical development by our affiliate, ImmunityBio, which has exclusive, worldwide rights to the agents.

Avelumab is an FDA approved checkpoint inhibitor marketed by Pfizer.

* Program owned by NantKwest and subject to Joint Development Agreement with ImmunityBio.

† Program owned by ImmunityBio and subject to Joint Development Agreement with NantKwest.

‡ QUILT number not yet designated.

Joint COVID‑19 Collaboration Agreement with ImmunityBio

On August 21, 2020, we entered into a definitive agreement, which we refer to as the Collaboration Agreement, with ImmunityBio to pursue collaborative joint development, manufacturing and marketing of certain COVID‑19 therapeutics and vaccines.

The terms of the Collaboration Agreement supersede and replace the terms of the binding term sheet executed on May 22, 2020.

Through their efforts, the parties agreed to jointly develop ceNK, haNK, MSC, hAd5, and N‑803, a novel IL‑15 superagonist fusion protein, for the prevention and treatment of SARS‑CoV‑2 viral infections and associated conditions in humans, including without limitation, COVID‑19.

Pursuant to the Collaboration Agreement, we have contributed our ceNK, haNK, and MSC product candidates and certain of our manufacturing capabilities, and ImmunityBio has contributed their hAd5 and N‑803 product candidates.

hAd5 has been developed as a vaccine, and ceNK, haNK, MSC and N‑803 have each been developed as therapeutics for treating COVID‑19 at various stages of infection.

From and after the effective date of the Collaboration Agreement, the parties will share equally in all costs relating to developing and manufacturing of the product candidates globally with the exception of certain laboratory equipment purchases that will be borne solely by us.

With the exception of N‑803, we will be primarily responsible for the manufacture of each product.

Each party will be responsible for the regulatory affairs and the commercialization relating to its contributed products.

The global net profits from the collaboration products will be shared 60%/40% in favor of the party contributing the product on which the sales are based except if the parties mutually agree because of certain circumstances.

All net profits from sales of combined collaboration products will be shared equally.

This collaboration is supervised by a joint steering committee, which is comprised of an equal number of representatives from both parties.

The term of the agreement will be five years and it is renewable for an additional five year period upon mutual agreement.

Each party will also have a right to terminate in the event of material breach, bankruptcy, or insolvency.

In this Joint COVID‑19 Collaboration, we contributed the following programs:

MSC cells (as described above) as a therapeutic candidate for patients with severe symptoms of COVID‑19 to modulate the immune system’s excessive response to COVID‑19 infection, thereby potentially reducing the debilitating and sometimes fatal effects of the disease;

ceNK and haNK cells (as described above) as a therapeutic candidate for moderate-risk, hospitalized adults with moderate to severe symptoms of COVID‑19.

ImmunityBio contributed the following programs:

N‑803 as a therapeutic candidate for patients with mild symptoms of COVID‑19 prior to the onset of severe disease by potentially activating natural killer cells to mitigate viral replication;

Human adenovirus (hAd5) as a vaccine candidate for those individuals in an uninfected state to prevent the onset of COVID‑19.

In addition to the above programs contributed by each party, we have contributed our manufacturing capabilities in the form of facilities, equipment, personnel and related know-how, including our GMP manufacturing facility in El Segundo, California, and ImmunityBio has contributed certain manufacturing equipment and related technology and know-how.

To date, NantKwest and ImmunityBio have each prepared a GMP-ready manufacturing plant for COVID‑19 vaccine production, which we and ImmunityBio expect will have a combined estimated capacity to produce sufficient clinical supply for our planned studies in 2021.

We have prepared one of our GMP manufacturing facilities previously used to manufacture product for our oncology trials to manufacture and produce the hAd5 vaccine candidate and have readied a new, well-equipped location to manufacture and produce clinical products for our oncology trials, which resulted in additional facilities and related facility operating costs starting in the third quarter of 2020.

We have established a clinical product inventory to continue to supply clinical product for our ongoing oncology trials while this new facility was being readied.

The new facility will resume clinical product supply for our oncology trial starting in early 2021.

In addition, we have repurposed some of our personnel overseeing quality of our oncology programs to support the Joint COVID‑19 Collaboration.

We also expect to hire additional staff to support the Joint COVID‑19 Collaboration.

We believe the Joint COVID‑19 Collaboration will have no material impact on our current oncology efforts and trials, and we expect that we will be able to continue to manufacture adequate product to continue our ongoing oncology trials.

The biopharmaceutical industry is characterized by intense and dynamic competition to develop new technologies and proprietary therapies.

Any product candidates that we successfully develop and commercialize will have to compete with existing therapies and new therapies that may become available in the future.

We believe that our base proprietary aNK platform, differentiated haNK, taNK and t‑haNK product candidates, strategic collaborations and cell-based immunotherapy expertise may provide us with competitive advantages.

However, we face potential competition from various sources, including larger and better-funded pharmaceutical, specialty pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, as well as from academic institutions, governmental agencies and public and private research institutions.

The key competitive factors affecting the success of any approved product will include its efficacy, safety profile, pricing, and method of administration, as well as the level of promotional activity invested in it.

Our haNK, taNK, t‑haNK and ceNK product candidates compete with other cell and molecule-based immunotherapy approaches using or targeting natural killer cells, NKT cells, T‑cells, and dendritic cells.

Competitors focused on CAR‑T related treatment approaches include AbbVie Inc., Atara Biotherapeutics, Inc., Precigen Corporation, Inc., Allogene Therapeutics, Inc., Bristol‑Myers Squibb Company, Beijing Immunochina Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd., Cellular Biomedicine Group, Inc., iCell Gene Therapeutics LLC, JW Therapeutics Co., Ltd., Amgen, Inc., Leucid Bio Ltd., Bellicum Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Medisix Therapeutics Pte Ltd., Bluebird Bio, Inc., Mesoblast Ltd., Calibr/Scripps Research, Mustang Bio, Inc., Carina Biotech, Inc., CARsgen Therapeutics, CRISPR Therapeutics, Inc., GEMoaB Monoclonals GmbH, Nanjing Legend Biotechnology Co., Ltd, Cartherics Pty Ltd, Novartis AG, Pfizer, Inc., Cellectis SA, Poseida Therapeutics, Inc., Prepromene Bio, Inc., Celularity, Inc., Servier Laboratories, Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc., Celyad SA, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Fortress Biotech, Inc., TC BioPharm Ltd., Tessa Therapeutics Pte Ltd, Gilead Sciences, Inc., Tmunity Therapeutics, Inc., Transposagen Biopharmaceuticals, Inc., Humanigen, Inc., Immune Therapeutics, Inc., and Xyphos, Inc./Astellas.

Competitor companies focused on other T ‑cell based approaches include Adaptimmune Ltd., Adicet Bio, Inc., Autolus Therapeutics, plc, Cell Medica Limited, Eureka Therapeutics, Inc., Formula Pharmaceuticals, Inc., GlaxoSmithKline plc., Green Cross LabCell Corp., Immatics Biotechnologies GmbH, Immunocore Limited, Iovance Biotherapeutics, Inc., Kiadis Pharma Netherlands B.V., Lion TCR Pte Ltd., MolMed, S.p.A., Precision Biosciences, Inc., Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Noile ‑Immune Biotech, Inc., Anixa Biosciences, Inc., Beam Therapeutics Inc., BioNTech SE, Cartesian Therapeutics, Inc., Marker Therapeutics, Inc., Refuge Biotechnologies, Inc., Repertoire Immune Medicines, Inc., Sensei Biotherapeutics, Inc., Senti Biosciences, Inc., TCR² Therapeutics Inc., TScan Therapeutics, Inc., and Takara Bio, Inc.

Competitor companies focused on dendritic cell based approaches include Argos Therapeutics, Inc., Biovest International, Inc., ImmunoCellular Therapeutics, Ltd., Merck & Co, Inc./Immune Design, Inc., Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Precigen Corporation, Inc., Medigene AG, and Northwest Biotherapeutics, Inc.

Competitor companies focused on natural killer cell based approaches include Acepodia, Inc., Carabou Biosciences, Inc., Catamaran Bio Inc., Celularity, Inc., Century Therapeutics, Inc., Cytovia Therapeutics, Inc., Glycostem Therapeutics BV, Kiadis Pharma Netherlands B.V./CytoSen Therapeutics, Inc., Dragonfly Therapeutics, Inc., Editas Medicine, Inc., EMERcell, Exacis Biotherapeutics, Inc., Fate Therapeutics, Inc., Gamida Cell, Ltd., INmune Bio Inc., Nkarta Therapeutics, Inc., Onkimmune Ltd., Oncternal Therapeutics, Inc., NKMax America, Artiva Biotherapeutics/Merck, HebeCell Corp., Vycellix, Inc., oNKo‑innate Pty Ltd., ONK Therapeutics Limited, Sanofi, S.A., Shoreline Biosciences, Inc., Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, XNK Therapeutics AB, Zelluna Immunotherapy AS, and Ziopharm Oncology, Inc.

Competitor companies focused on large molecule immunotherapy approaches, including those overlapping the natural killer cell space, include Cytomx Therapeutics, Inc., Compass Therapeutics, Inc., Innate Pharma SA, Nektar Therapeutics, Inc., and Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc.

Other potential immunotherapy competitors include Affimed GmbH, AgenTus Therapeutics, Inc., Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Codiak Biosciences, Glycostem Therapeutics BV, Kuur Therapeutics Limited, Triumvira Immunologics, Incysus Therapeutics, Inc., GammaDelta Therapeutics Ltd., Lyell Immunopharma, Inc., and GT Biopharma, Inc.

There are currently four approved T‑cell based treatments that are marketed by Novartis AG, Gilead Sciences/Kite Pharma (two therapeutics), and the Bristol‑Myers Squibb Company.

There is currently one approved dendritic cell-based cancer vaccine marketed by Dendron Pharmaceuticals, LLC for the treatment of metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer.

Competitor companies focused on COVID‑19 cell therapy currently include AstraZeneca plc, Athersys, Inc./Healios K.K., Capricor Therapeutics, Inc., CAR‑T (Shanghai) Biotechnology, Cellavita Pesquisa Científica Ltda, Cellenkos, Inc., Cellular Biomedicine Group, Inc., Celularity, Inc., Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc., Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing Sidemu Biotechnology Technology/ImmunCyte Life Sciences, Inc., Enlivex Therapeutics Ltd, Green Cross LabCell Corp., Hope Biosciences, Johnson & Johnson, Mesoblast Limited, Moderna, Inc., NovaVax, Inc., Orbsen Therapeutics Limited, Pfizer, Inc./BioNTech SE, Pluristem Therapeutics, Inc., Rigshospitalet, Tianhe Stem Cell Biotechnologies Inc., University of Minnesota/Fate Therapeutics, Inc., and Xinjiang Medical University.

In addition, a very large number of companies, government agencies and academic centers around the world are developing COVID‑19 vaccines, and many of these entities are in more advanced stages of development than ImmunityBio, including some that have started Phase II and/or III clinical trials or already have emergency regulatory approval in some regions.

Even if ImmunityBio’s COVID‑19 vaccine candidate is ultimately approved for marketing, the value of our profit-sharing opportunity would be adversely impacted if other COVID‑19 vaccines are approved earlier or show better efficacy or safety than ImmunityBio’s COVID‑19 vaccine candidate.

Many of our competitors, either alone or with their strategic partners, have substantially greater financial, technical and human resources than we do, as well as significantly greater experience in the discovery and development of product candidates, obtaining FDA and other regulatory approvals of treatments and commercializing those treatments.

Accordingly, our competitors may be more successful than us in obtaining approval for treatments and achieving widespread market acceptance.

Our competitors’ treatments may be more effective, or more effectively marketed and sold, than any treatment we may commercialize, and they may render our treatments obsolete or non-competitive before we can recover the expenses of developing and commercializing any of our treatments.

Mergers and acquisitions in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries may result in even more resources being concentrated among a smaller number of our competitors.

These competitors also compete with us in recruiting and retaining qualified scientific and management personnel, and establishing clinical study sites and subject registration for clinical studies, as well as in acquiring technologies complementary to, or necessary for, our programs.

Smaller or clinical-stage companies may also prove to be significant competitors, particularly through collaborative arrangements with large and established companies.

We anticipate that we will face intense and increasing competition as new therapies enter the market and advanced technologies become available.

We expect any treatments that we develop and commercialize to compete on the basis of, among other things, efficacy, safety, convenience of administration and delivery, price, the level of generic competition and the availability of reimbursement from government and other third-party payors.

Our commercial opportunity could be reduced or eliminated if our competitors develop and commercialize products that are safer, more effective, have a better safety profile, are more convenient or are less expensive than any products that we may develop.

Our competitors also may obtain FDA or other 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 are able to enter the market.

In addition, we expect that our therapeutic products, if approved, will be priced at a significant premium over competitive generic products and our ability to compete may be affected in many cases by insurers or other third-party payors seeking to encourage the use of generic products.

We have developed a unique ability to generate a portfolio of distinct M-ceNK cell products through the application of our proprietary GMP-in-a-Box bioreactors and cytokines and our proprietary methods and overall expertise in scale manufacturing of NK cell-based products.

In May 2021, the FDA authorized the company to conduct a first-in-human trial to study the M-ceNK platform in solid tumors (QUILT 3.076).

An initial clinical trial showed that healthy and patient-derived M-ceNK killed NK-resistant tumor cells.

Invariant natural killer T cells

iNKT cells are unique T cells that express an invariant aβ T-cell receptor (TCR) and a number of cell surface molecules in common with NK cells.

Although they comprise less than 1% of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), they are important immunoregulatory cells that can quickly produce large amounts of cytokines.

iNKT cell-derived cytokines and chemokines recruit and activate dendritic cells and can modulate several other cell types, including B cells, CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, NK cells, macrophages and neutrophils.

iNKT cells recognize glycolipid antigens presented by the non-polymorphic major histocompatability complex (MHC) Class I-like molecule, CD1d in contrast to conventional T cells, which primarily recognize peptide antigens presented by MHC molecules.

We entered into a binding term sheet with EnGeneIC to license EDV, which can be engineered to activate iNKT cells, to explore clinical development in the treatment of COVID-19 and pancreatic cancer.

We plan on developing iNKT-cell vaccines, including for the prevention of COVID-19.

EDV is now in Phase 3 clinical trials in Australia.

Through the date of this Annual Report, the initial 2x109 EDV IM dose has shown little to no adverse events (AEs) with what we believe is promising antibody, memory B cell and T cell activity.

In addition to expanding this trial in Australia and the U.S., we are exploring using the EDV technology in combination with our other vaccine constructs for select future trials.

Damage-Associated Molecular Patterns Inducers

DAMPs are released in response to cell stress and death, and elicit potent sterile inflammation.

Recent evidence suggests that DAMPs may also have a key role in the development of cancer as well as in the host response to cytotoxic anti-tumor therapy.

DAMPs may play a protective role by alerting the immune system to the existence of dying tumor cells, thereby triggering immunogenic tumor cell death.

Albumin bound chemo modulators and tumor associated antigen regulators target delivery of the chemotherapy agent to the tumor microenvironment, activate tumor killing macrophages and/or enable a tumor suppressive microenvironment.

Aldoxorubicin

Aldoxorubicin is an albumin-associated anthracycline chemo modulator designed to target immune evasion in cancer.

Aldoxorubicin has the same cytotoxic mechanism of action as doxorubicin, which is currently approved for use in 14 indications, including breast cancer, Hodgkin’s lymphoma and small cell lung cancer (SCLC), but also has unique pharmacological properties resulting in lower cardiotoxicity as shown in Phase 2 and Phase 3 clinical trials for soft tissue sarcoma previously conducted by CytRx Corporation (CytRx).

CytRx out-licensed global development, manufacturing, and commercialization rights for aldoxorubicin to us in 2017.

The investigative therapeutic is currently in a Phase 2 trial in pancreatic cancer in combination with Anktiva and PD-L1 t-haNK, and we plan to include it in a new randomized, multi-center, Phase 2 GBM trial (QUILT 3.078) currently being developed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the combinations of Anktiva, aldoxorubicin, PD-L1 t-haNK, and bevacizumab.

VRx-3996 (nanatinostat), an orally available histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor, is being developed by Viracta.

Nanatinostat is selective for specific isoforms of Class I HDACs, which is key to inducing viral genes that are epigenetically silenced in EBV-associated malignancies.

In preclinical studies, nanatinostat has been shown to reactivate silenced transgenes in tumor cells thereby turning them into preferential targets for NK cell killing, while also serving to broadly stimulate a patient’s immune system, offering the potential for improved clinical responses in cancer patients.

The activity of HDAC inhibitors are believed to be based on the upregulation of natural killer group 2D (NKG2D) ligand expression on cancer cells, which serve as “eat-me” signals for NK cells and can drive NK proliferation, activation and cancer cell killing.

We entered into an agreement with Viracta under which we were granted exclusive worldwide rights in patents and know-how related to nanatinostat for use in combination with our platform of NK cell therapies.

In infectious diseases, our pipeline currently targets such pathogens as SARS-CoV-2 and HIV.

Through the date of this Annual Report, our product candidates have been tested in various Phase 1, 2 and 3 clinical trials that have enrolled over 2,400 patients.

Non-Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer (QUILT 3.032) (QUILT 2.005)

In the U.S., bladder cancer is the fourth most commonly-diagnosed solid malignancy in men and twelfth in women.

The American Cancer Society estimates there will be 81,180 new cases and 17,100 deaths from bladder cancer in 2022.

There is an urgent, unmet need to treat NMIBC and avoid radical cystectomy of the bladder in an attempt to control the disease.

Although such designations may not lead to a faster development process or regulatory review and may not increase the likelihood that a product candidate will receive approval, Anktiva has been awarded both Breakthrough Therapy and Fast Track designations by the FDA for the treatment of BCG-unresponsive NMIBC CIS as well as Fast Track designation for BCG-unresponsive NMIBC papillary and BCG-naïve NMIBC CIS.

In our QUILT 3.032 trial, the company reported that the primary end points were met for both BCG-unresponsive NMIBC CIS and papillary in October 2021 with a complete remission rate of 72% and a 12-month disease-free rate of 57%, respectively.

Seminal patents covering intravesical administration of BCG and Anktiva were issued (US 11,173,191 B2 and US 9,925,247 B2) providing term coverage until 2035.

BCG-Unresponsive CIS (QUILT 3.032)

In our Phase 2/3 open-label multi-center trial of BCG-unresponsive high grade NMIBC CIS patients, the patients are receiving BCG plus Anktiva weekly for six consecutive weeks during induction.

The patients also receive additional treatment including three weekly maintenance instillations every three months for up to 12 months and then at month 18.

Patients with no disease or low-grade Ta disease at months 24, 30, and 36 are eligible for continued BCG plus Anktiva (Cohort A) or Anktiva alone (Cohort C) treatment (3 weekly instillations), at the principal investigators’ discretion.

The primary endpoint of the BCG-unresponsive NMIBC CIS trial is a CR rate at any time equal to or greater than 30% and the lower bound of the 95% confidence interval must be greater than or equal to 20% for success.

Complete response, or the disappearance of measurable disease in response to treatment, is evaluated at three months or six months following initial administration of Anktiva plus BCG (and every three months thereafter until 24 months).

This endpoint would be achieved once at least 24 of the 80 patients in the trial achieve complete response.

All patients enrolled in Cohort A have been treated with the recommended number of full-strength doses of BCG on study during our trial.

We have enrolled patients who have received a lower dosage of BCG therapy before enrollment in our trial as a result of BCG shortages.

The mean and median number of prior BCG doses in Cohort A is 16.6 and 12.0, respectively, which are consistent with the FDA definition of BCG-unresponsive CIS.

The FDA allowed our modification of the study design to allow enrollment of such patients, and definition of these patients may require further discussions with the FDA upon review.

A published meta-analysis (Zeng 2015) of six relevant randomized controlled trials and two quasi-randomized controlled trials in NMIBC concluded that low-dose BCG instillation significantly reduces the incidence of overall side effects, especially severe and systemic symptoms in patients with NMIBC, while the oncological control efficacy of low-dose BCG is not inferior to standard-dose BCG.

There can be no assurance that the FDA will agree with this conclusion.

A data cutoff occurred in January 2022, which provided a median follow-up in Cohort A in excess of 24 months.

Data presented at the ASCO ® Genitourinary Cancers Symposium in February 2022 showed a complete response in 59 of 83 patients 71% CR rate (95% CI:

60.1, 80.5) and a median duration of CR of 24.1 months.

In those patients who responded to the investigational therapeutic, the probability of avoiding both progression of bladder cancer and cystectomy at 24 months exceeded 90%.

The combination of Anktiva and BCG had a well-tolerated profile with 0% treatment-related serious adverse events (SAEs), 0% immune-related AEs, and 100% bladder cancer-specific overall survival at 24 months.

Low-grade treatment related AEs include dysuria, hematuria, and pollakiuria (all 16%), urgency (14%), and bladder spasm (8%), all other AEs were seen at 6% or less.

No immune-related SAEs have been observed.

We continue to engage in discussions with the FDA, and we anticipate filing a BLA for BCG-unresponsive NMIBC CIS in the first quarter of 2022.

BCG-Unresponsive Papillary (QUILT 3.032)

In our Phase 2, open-label multi-center trial of BCG-unresponsive high grade NMIBC papillary patients (Cohort B), the patients are receiving BCG plus Anktiva weekly for six consecutive weeks during induction.

The patients also receive additional treatment including three weekly maintenance instillations every three months for up to 12 months and then every nine months for up to 24 months.

The primary endpoint of the trial is a 12-month disease free rate greater than or equal to 30% and the lower bound of the 95% confidence interval must be greater than or equal to 20% for success.

To meet the primary endpoint, 24 out of 80 patients must be disease free at 12 months.

Data presented at the ASCO ® Genitourinary Cancers Symposium in February 2022 showed a 12-month disease-free rate of 57% (95% CI:

44, 68) in the papillary Cohort B, in which 73 of 77 patients (95%) have not progressed to radical cystectomy after a median duration of follow-up of 20.7 months, and a 99% bladder cancer-specific survival through the January 2022 data cutoff.

BCG-N aïve (QUILT 2.005)

As discussed above, Anktiva has been awarded Fast Track designation by the FDA for the treatment of BCG-naïve NMIBC CIS.

We are currently enrolling patients in our Phase 2b blinded, randomized, two-cohort, open-label, multi-center trial of intravesical Anktiva plus BCG versus BCG alone, in BCG naïve patients with high-grade NMIBC CIS (Cohort A) and NMIBC papillary (Cohort B ).

Planned enrollment for Cohort A (CIS) and Cohort B (papillary) is 366 patients and 230 patients, respectively.

Lung Cancer (Lung-MAP) (QUILT 2.023)

According to the American Cancer Society, lung cancer is the second most common cancer in the U.S.

In 2022, it is estimated that 236,740 new cases of lung cancer will be diagnosed in the U.S.

and 130,180 deaths will be attributed to the disease.

Non-small cell lung cancer accounts for about 80% to 85% of all lung cancers diagnoses and there are very few successful treatment options for these patients once the cancer spreads beyond the lungs.

The development of checkpoint inhibitors in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has been revolutionary, doubling the median overall survival in some settings;

however, patient response may be short lived, due to late response and/or progression after achieving an initial response.

As with bladder cancer, Anktiva enhances the proliferation and activation of NK and T cells critical for targeting and killing lung cancer cells.

There is therefore a strong rationale to evaluate Anktiva in addition to an anti-PD-1 or anti-PD-L1 checkpoint inhibitor for patients with NSCLC who have relapsed after achieving an initial response to PD-1 or PD-L1 checkpoint inhibitor therapy.

Analysis of the pooled data from a Phase 1/2 trial conducted from January 2016 to June 2017 in 23 patients, and a subsequent investigator-initiated Phase 2 trial conducted by the Medical University of South Carolina, yielded confirmation of activity of the combination of checkpoint inhibitors and Anktiva in relapsed NSCLC.

In 15 patients with PD-L1 greater than 50%, the overall response rate was 38% and the median overall survival rate was 17.1 months.

These preliminary findings were favorable relative to the historical response rate seen in this patient population in the first-line setting with checkpoint inhibitor therapy.

On the basis of these findings, we initiated a single-arm Phase 2b multi-cohort basket trial (QUILT 3.055) of Anktiva and checkpoint inhibitor combinations in patients who have previously received treatment with PD-1/PD-L1 immune checkpoint inhibitors per an FDA-approved indication.

Patients enrolled in this trial were eligible if actively progressing on checkpoint inhibitor therapy.

Upon enrollment, patients continued on the same checkpoint inhibitor but with the addition of Anktiva.

Despite progressing on checkpoint inhibitor therapy upon entry into the trial, the majority of patients reverted to stable disease and demonstrated durability of stable disease, some extending as long as nine months.

Data presented at the ASCO Annual Meeting in 2021 showed that despite the patients’ prior progression on checkpoint inhibitor therapy alone, upon entry into the trial the majority of patients experienced clinical benefit either as stable disease (49%) or a partial response (9%).

Among 133 cancer patients enrolled in QUILT 3.055, the common Anktiva attributed grade 1 and 2 AEs included:

injection site reaction (71%), chills (34%), fatigue (27%), pyrexia (24%), flu-like illness (13%), and decreased appetite (10%).

A total of 18 grade 3 and 4 AEs attributed to Anktiva have been reported among 16 patients (12%) in the trial as of February 2021.

All reported grade 3 and 4 AEs occurred at a frequency of 5% or less;

two patients reported increased alanine amino transferase, increased aspartate amino transferase or increased blood alkaline phosphatase, anemia, injection-site reaction or injection-site pain.

All other occurrences of grade 3 or 4 AEs that the clinical trial site investigators reported as suspected as being due to Anktiva include:

decreased lymphocyte count;

influenza-like illness;

injection site pruritus;

injection-site cellulitis;

deep vein thrombosis;

hypovolemic shock;

respiratory failure;

and maculopapular rash.

In October 2021, we announced that Anktiva had been chosen by Lung Cancer Master Protocol (Lung-MAP), a public-private partnership—which includes the NCI, the National Clinical Trials Network (NCTN) Cooperative Groups (SWOG, ECOG-ACRIN, Alliance, and NRG), Friends of Cancer Research, and the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH)—to study Anktiva in the Lung-MAP trial.

The trial with Anktiva in combination with Keytruda ® (pembrolizumab) will include up to 478 second-line patients with tumors that are not targetable with a drug, which accounts for the majority of NSCLC cases.

In the fourth quarter of 2021, approval was received from the Institutional Review Board (IRB) overseeing the Lung-MAP study to proceed with the trial—one of the NCI’s largest lung cancer clinical trials with more than 700 sites.

Enrollment has begun for this trial.

We are enrolling patients in a randomized Phase 3 trial (QUILT 2.023) to evaluate Anktiva plus checkpoint inhibitor combinations versus other checkpoint inhibitor combinations in the first line setting for NSCLC.

Patients will be treated as described below:

• Immunotherapy for either squamous or non-squamous NSCLC with PD-L1 TPS >1% (Cohort A).

Combination of Anktiva with Keytruda ® versus Keytruda as the standard of care control arm in this randomized trial.

• Chemoimmunotherapy for squamous NSCLC (Cohort B).

Combination of Anktiva with Carboplatin, Abraxane ® and Keytruda versus Carboplatin, Abraxane / paclitaxel and Keytruda as the standard of care control arm in this randomized trial.

• Chemoimmunotherapy for non-squamous NSCLC (Cohort C).

Combination of Anktiva with Cisplatin / Carboplatin, Keytruda and Pemetrexed versus Cisplatin / Carboplatin, Keytruda and Pemetrexed as the standard of care control arm in this randomized trial.

Pancreatic Cancer (QUILT 88)

According to the American Society of Clinical Oncology, in the U.S.

pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death in both men and women and has one of the highest mortality rates of all major cancers, taking nearly 50,000 lives every year, with a five-year survival rate for late-stage cases of only 3%.

Exploratory Phase 1b/2 trials in patients with second-line or greater metastatic pancreatic cancer in which Anktiva and aldoxorubicin were combined with off-the-shelf NK (haNK) cells, other agents, and stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) showed encouraging results in patients with advanced disease.

The primary endpoints of the Phase 1b and 2 portions of the trial were safety and objective response rate, respectively.

In aggregate, 82% of patients (14/17) with advanced pancreatic cancer achieved disease control following combination therapy including Anktiva and aldoxorubicin.

There were no Anktiva-related grade 3 or 4 AEs reported.

On the basis of these exploratory trials, together with the preclinical findings that PD-L1 t-haNK is as active as haNK + anti-PD-L1 mAbs, we initiated a first- through third-line pancreatic cancer clinical trial (QUILT 88) that uses PD-L1 t-haNK as described below.

• First-line advanced pancreatic cancer (Cohort A) .

Combination of Anktiva with aldoxorubicin and low-dose chemotherapy plus SBRT with or without PD-L1 t-haNK versus gemcitabine/Abraxane ® as the standard of care control arm in this randomized trial.

• Second-line advanced pancreatic cancer (Cohort B) .

Combination of Anktiva with aldoxorubicin and low-dose chemotherapy plus SBRT + PD-L1 t-haNK versus 5FU/Onivyde ® as the standard of care control arm in this randomized trial.

• Third-line and beyond (Cohort C) .

Combination of Anktiva with aldoxorubicin and low-dose chemotherapy plus SBRT + PD-L1 t-haNK in a single arm cohort of this trial with a primary endpoint of overall survival.

On October 13, 2021, we announced that the trial’s Cohort C was fully enrolled.

In January 2022 at the ASCO Gastrointestinal Cancer Symposium, we reported that 27% of third-line or greater patients (17/63) remain on study and that the median overall survival in this highly advanced group of patients (who failed two to six prior lines of treatment) is 5.8 months (95% CI:

3.9, 6.9 months) exceeding the approximately three-month historical median overall survival.

Of the 63 patients, 30 (48%) had progressed after two prior lines of therapy.

Median overall survival in this group was 6.3 months (95% CI:

5.0, 9.8 months), more than doubling the historical overall survival.

(Survival of three months as reported by Manax et al ASCO GI 2019).

In Cohort C, four patients (7%) experienced treatment-related SAEs that included peripheral edema, pyrexia, anemia and atrial flutter.

No treatment-related deaths were reported.

Based on the strength of earlier data and the significant unmet medical need, we submitted an amendment to the FDA to increase enrollment in Cohort C and plan to meet with the FDA in 2022 to discuss a potential path for the approval of combination therapies for pancreatic cancer.

Triple-Negative Breast Cancer (QUILT 3.058)

According to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, globally more than 2.3 million women were diagnosed with breast cancer in 2020 and 685,000 died from it.

Triple-negative breast cancer is especially aggressive and accounts for 10-15% of breast cancers according to the American Cancer Society.

In a prior exploratory Phase 1b/2 trial (QUILT 3.067), which included nine heavily pre-treated metastatic TNBC patients, we treated them with a combination immunotherapy that included Anktiva and aldoxorubicin, haNK cell therapy, along with several other immunotherapy agents.

The primary endpoints of the Phase 1b and 2 portions of the trial were safety and objective response rate, respectively.

The exploratory Phase 1b/2 trial in nine patients with advanced TNBC showed a disease control rate of 89% with a complete or partial response of 67% (6/9), including two patients (22%) with a complete response to the combination therapy.

The median progression-free survival was 14.3 months with median overall survival of 20.2 months as of December 2020.

Eight of the nine patients had primarily chemotherapy-related neutropenia or anemia, but all cases were low grade.

A total of 27 grade 3 AEs were reported by 9 patients (100%) and included disease progression, pyrexia, mastitis, pneumonia, nausea, cholecystitis, and pain in extremity.

However, none of these SEAs were attributed to Anktiva.

There were three grade 3 haNK-related AEs with fever and fatigue, but no patient withdrew due to an SAE or experienced cytokine release syndrome.

Based on this encouraging data, in June 2021 we announced we had received FDA authorization to conduct a Phase 1b/2 open-label study to evaluate the safety and preliminary efficacy of Anktiva and PD-L1 t-haNK cells in combination with standard chemotherapy and Trodelvy ® (sacituzumab govitecan-hziy) in patients with advanced TNBC.

The study consists of two phases and will enroll up to 79 patients.

The Phase 1b portion of the study has 2 parts:

Part 1 involves dose escalation using a 3+3 design, and Part 2 involves the expansion of the recommended Phase 2 dose (RP2D) to further evaluate the safety and efficacy of sacituzumab govitecan-hziy plus chemoimmunotherapy.

The Phase 2 portion of the study is based on a Simon’s two-stage optimal design.

In Phases 1b and 2, all patients receive sacituzumab govitecan-hziy plus chemotherapy combined with immunotherapy:

cyclophosphamide, Anktiva, and PD-L1 t-haNK on a 3-week schedule.

The dose of sacituzumab govitecan-hziy is dependent on dose level cohort for Phase 1b and will be set at the RP2D for Phase 2.

The doses of cyclophosphamide, Anktiva, and PD‑L1 t-haNK will remain the same in all dose level cohorts and phases.

This trial is open and currently enrolling patients.

Glioblastoma Mulitforme (QUILT 3.078)

According to the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, GBM is the most common malignant brain and other tumors accounting for approximately 48% of all primary brain tumors with a low survival rate of approximately 40% in the first year after diagnosis and only 17% in the second year.

A single arm Phase 2 trial was completed in 2016 that assessed the preliminary efficacy and safety of aldoxorubicin administered to recurrent GBM patients who progressed after first-line therapy.

The primary endpoint of the trial was objective response rate.

Out of 28 patients, investigator assessment of best overall tumor response reported three patients with a partial response, seven patients with progressive disease, and 11 patients with stable disease.

Treatment-related grade 3 or 4 AEs included:

neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, febrile neutropenia, and lymphopenia.

A new randomized, multi-center, Phase 2 trial is currently being developed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the combinations of Anktiva, aldoxorubicin, PD-L1 t-haNK and bevacizumab in this indication.

A pilot phase will evaluate different combinations of triplets and the quadruplet, and a winner will be selected for the randomized portion versus bevacizumab monotherapy as the current standard of care for relapsed/refractory (r/r) GBM.

We plan to begin enrollment of this trial in 2022.

Human Papillomavirus-Associated Tumors (Cervical and Head & Neck)

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, every year about 19,400 women and 12,100 men experience cancers caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), which is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the U.S.

According to the NCI, head and neck cancers account for nearly 4% of all cancers in the U.S.

It was estimated that more than 68,000 men and women in the U.S.

would be diagnosed with head and neck cancers in 2021.

IBRX-042 leverages our hAd5-based vaccine platform to target tumors caused by HPV infection, which includes most types of cervical cancer and some types of head/neck cancers.

Our second-generation hAd5 vector includes enhancements with the E1, E2b, E3 regions of the hAd5 deleted (E1-, E2b-, E3-), decreasing the risk for vector-directed immune responses that may reduce efficacy, while maintaining high target antigen production.

The platform has previously been used to generate vaccines against tumor-associated antigens such as MUC1 and Brachyury.

In IBRX-042, hAd5 encodes HPV-16 E6 and E7 tumor-associated proteins (oncotarget antigens).

E6 and E7 play a role in early infection and, importantly, transformation of cells into rapidly-dividing tumor cells.

Specifically, E6 promotes degradation of p53—a factor that typically prevents excess cell division—indirectly activates telomerase, and disrupts the function of the cellular phosphatase tumor suppressor PTPN13.

E7 inactivates pRb (which plays a role similar to the p53) and activates Mi2b and is also implicated in transformation.

Together, these oncogenic alterations drive rapid cellular proliferation, suppress or downregulate key tumor suppressor proteins, and lead to cellular immortality.

In addition, E6 and E7 expression is required to maintain a malignant transformed phenotype.

IBRX-042 has demonstrated the ability to induce immune responses against HPV16 antigens that induced significant anti-tumor effects in vivo in HPV+ mouse models.

To support clinical studies, we have successfully completed the GMP production of GMP IBRX-042.

We are planning a Phase 1/2 open-label trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of subcutaneous (SC) IBRX-042 vaccination combined with Anktiva (to enhance immune responses) and PD-L1 t-haNK cells in patients with HPV-associated tumors.

We intend to add Anktiva to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the combination followed by PD-L1 t-haNK.

We plan to begin enrollment of this trial in 2022.

Solid Tumor (QUILT 3.076)

An initial clinical trial showed that healthy and patient-derived M-ceNK cells killed NK-resistant tumor cells.

We initiated a Phase 1 study of cryopreserved M-ceNK cells in combination with Anktiva to evaluate safety in subjects with locally advanced or metastatic solid tumors.

The study will compare the quantity and quality of the M-ceNK cells collected and manufactured from newly diagnosed patients who have not received prior treatment to the M-ceNK cells collected and manufactured from patients who have received at least two prior treatments for their cancer.

The study consists of two cohorts and there will be 10 participants in each cohort.

Cohort 1 includes participants with newly diagnosed high-risk solid tumors who have not received prior treatment;

and Cohort 2 includes participants with r/r solid tumors who have progressive disease after receiving at least two prior therapies.

Participants will be enrolled in the two cohorts simultaneously.

Participants in Cohort 1 will participate in apheresis collection of lymphocytes (part A) and will not receive any investigational therapy in this study.

Participants in Cohort 2 will undergo an apheresis collection of lymphocytes (part A) prior to receiving approximately four weeks of disease-specific therapy per their oncologists’ recommendations.

Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma

According to the American Cancer Society, in 2022 it is estimated that 80,470 new cases of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) will be diagnosed in the U.S., and 20,250 deaths will be attributed to the disease.

A Phase 1 trial evaluating Anktiva in combination with rituximab, an anti-CD20 mAb therapy, in patients with indolent non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (iNHL), who had relapsed or were refractory after two lines of therapy, was published in the American Association for Cancer Research journal, Clinical Cancer Research , in 2021.

The combination regimen of Anktiva and Rituxan ® was well tolerated with a single reported grade 4 AE and no reported grade 5 AEs.

For patients with anti-CD20 mAb sensitive disease, the ORR in the SQ cohort was 78% (7 of 9) with 7 of 7 (100%) responses in the SQ cohorts were complete remissions (CRs).

Most B-cell malignancies express high levels of CD19, including the majority of NHLs, such as diffuse large B Cell lymphoma (DLBCL), follicular lymphoma (FL), and mantle cell lymphoma.

In addition, many leukemias express high levels of CD19, including B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia, chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), and hairy cell leukemia.

As such, two CD19‑directed CAR-T cell therapeutics are FDA-approved for use in a variety of indications including NHL and ALL.

Like T cells, NK cells can be genetically modified to express CARs that recognize tumor‑associated cell-surface antigens and mediate specific recognition and lysis of cancer cells.

A number of aNK cell lines that express CARs have been developed and importantly, aNK cells engineered with CARs targeting CD19 and CD20 have shown to be effective against in vitro/in vivo models of lymphoblastic leukemia and lymphoma (Boissel 2013, Muller 2008, Romanski 2016).

Derived from aNK, the haNK cell line is engineered to express the high-affinity variant of the Fcγ receptor (FcγRIIIa/CD16a 158V) as well as endoplasmic reticulum-retained IL-2, and has demonstrated enhanced ADCC-mediated antitumor activity (Jochems 2016).

The CD19 t-haNK cell line combines the engineered enhancements of haNK cells with the expression of a CAR targeting CD19, and thus has potential to demonstrate robust ADCC antitumor activity against cancerous B cells and provide clinical benefit to patients with r/r NHL.

We are currently developing an open-label, Phase 1 trial of CD19 t-haNK as a single agent and in combination with Anktiva and rituximab in patients with r/r NHL.

In addition to the studies listed above, we are pursuing several other both company-sponsored and investigator-initiated studies of our product candidates including in colon cancer (hAd5 CEA), Kaposi’s sarcoma (aldoxorubicin), and head and neck cancer (Anktiva, hAd5 CEA, MUC1, and Brachyury) among others.

Infectious Diseases

COVID-19 Programs

In order to address the ever-evolving COVID-19 pandemic, several key findings have emerged through intense research activity since the virus was first identified.

We believe these findings include the need for second-generation COVID-19 vaccines with cross-reactive memory B and T cells in the face of antigenic drift and a heterologous prime/boost approach without cold chain limitations.

Vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 were developed with exceptional speed and initially showed a high degree of efficacy against the wild-type virus, with RNA vaccines showing the highest degree of efficacy and a sound safety profile.

However, in the time since their authorization, we believe that a number of important limitations have been recognized.

First, these vaccines have required boosting for increased efficacy.

Second, their availability in the low income global community has been limited.

Third, they have shown reduced efficacy against emergent variants of concern (VOC).

Fourth, they exhibit heat-sensitivity and require a cold chain that may be infeasible in many low-resource settings.

Researchers aim to address these limitations and have recently made several relevant advances.

For example, second-generation COVID-19 vaccines with DNA and RNA delivery platforms that are heat-stable, potent and broadly protective against multiple VOC have been developed and are in clinical trials .

Additionally, vaccines which stimulate the innate immune system through the TLR system invoke strong and broad humoral and cellular responses.

We believe that T cell immunity plays a central role in the control of SARS-CoV-2 and its importance may have been relatively underestimated thus far.

Our COVID-19 vaccine product candidates are designed to provide second-generation T cell as well as antibody-based protection .

Spike in Combination with Nucleocapsid

Since the inception of the pandemic, we have hypothesized that antibody-based vaccines, specifically those that target the S protein alone, would prove insufficient over an extended time period to prevent transmission and infectivity due to their inability to overcome viral evolution in the face of a rapidly mutating S protein on the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

In fact, what has been observed over the past year is that anti-S antibody levels and immune protection against COVID-19 subsides following vaccination with currently available S targeting vaccines, requiring booster shots at approximately six months.

Compounding the limitations of an S-only approach is the spike protein is under intense immune pressure from vaccine-induced antibodies, which drives the evolution of vaccine escape variants.

Internal proteins of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, such as the N protein, are more highly conserved and less subject to mutation and thus may be more appropriate targets to maintain vaccine efficacy in the face of this viral evolution.

From the onset, we believed strongly that an immune response generating a combination of antibodies, T cells, and memory B cells is critical to prevent infection, reduce viral load, prevent transmission, provide durable protection and ultimately overcome this pandemic.

Therefore, we focused our efforts on developing vaccine candidates with an S-Fusion + N-ETSD that express both an optimized viral spike (S) protein (S-Fusion) and a nucleocapsid protein with an Enhanced T-cell Stimulation Domain (N-ETSD) that directs N to the endo/lysosomal subcellular compartment to enhance MHC Class II responses.

In order to reduce viral load, T cells are necessary to kill virally-infected cells in the nasal and lung passages and thereby prevent transmission even from highly transmissible variants.

We performed a non-human primate COVID virus challenge study in September 2020 (supported by BARDA and published in September 2021 in Frontiers in Immunology entitled, “Dual-Antigen COVID-19 Vaccine Subcutaneous Prime Delivery with Oral Boosts Protects NHP Against SARS-CoV-2 Challenge”) confirming that our second-generation adenovirus hAd5 S+N vaccine accomplished the goal of reducing viral load to non-detectable levels following a COVID-19 virus challenge.

On the basis of these findings, a program was designed to pursue this strategy of driving T cell and antibody protection, and to develop a second-generation vaccine with broad depth of antigenic coverage.

The initial study, which began in March 2020, showed that hAd5 S+N vaccination as a single prime alone induced a 10-fold increase in mean T cell responses in Phase 1 participants that were sustained against spike variants.

Heterologous Prime Boost

Moreover, since initiating the initial homologous prime boost trial in the U.S., it has become apparent that a “mix-and-match” strategy (i.e., a heterologous approach combining different vaccine platforms) could potentially provide maximal immune protection against current and future variants such as Delta and Omicron.

For example a “Prime” with an RNA vaccine leads to strong antibody response while a “Boost” with a DNA or an EDV/adjuvant vaccine could convey strong cellular immune responses.

On this basis we have acquired the rights to multiple platforms and initiated a consortium that includes 3M, Amyris, BCM, EnGeneIC and IDRI to develop, manufacture and scale second-generation vaccines that combine different advanced DNA, RNA, protein constructs, and adjuvants.

We have adopted a long-term approach to addressing COVID-19 and future pandemics and believe these mix-and-match components are critical to providing accessible, broad, and durable protection.

Importantly we believe that the technologies behind these heterologous approaches are not burdened by the limitations of first-generation RNA cold-chain requirements.

hAd5 S+N Platform Prime & Boost—U.S.

(COVID 4.001 and 4.005) and South Africa COVID (4.007)

In October 2020, the FDA authorized a Phase 1 trial of our dual construct Spike+Nucleocapsid (hAd5 S+N) COVID-19 vaccine, designed to drive both T cell and antibody immunity.

We undertook a rigorous development strategy to explore multiple methods of administration (oral, intranasal, subcutaneous, and combinations of each) to determine the best site of delivery to achieve maximum antibody, T cell and mucosal immunity.

In February 2021, this trial was expanded to South Africa (the ProVIVA-SA1 Trial).

Through the date of this Annual Report, 114 participants have enrolled in the U.S.

and South African Phase 1 trials.

Data acquisition and analysis from both trials is ongoing.

Preliminary analysis has shown that subcutaneous dosing of hAd5 S+N provides strong T-cell responses to both Spike and Nucleocapsid antigens with no SAEs reported through the date of this Annual Report.

These trials formed the basis of the Universal T Cell Boost Trial (SISONKE Boost Trial) activated in South Africa in July 2021.

SISONKE Boost Trial—South Africa ( COVID 4.010)

In July 2021 we announced authorization from the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) to proceed with our SISONKE T-Cell Universal Boost trial in South Africa.

This Phase 1/2/3 trial was the first DNA/DNA heterologous mix-and-match trial of Ad26 and hAd5 and was designed to study the efficacy, safety, and immunogenicity of ImmunityBio’s T-Cell COVID-19 vaccine as a boost in participants who had already received a spike-only antibody-based vaccine.

The trial is designed to explore whether the T cell-based vaccine could prevent breakthrough infections from the Delta variant in health care workers who are already vaccinated.

The goal of the hAd5 S+N vaccine is to potentially provide increased protection and long-term immunity against the multiple variants and multiple waves affecting South Africa and other countries.

The SISONKE Universal Boost Phase 2 trial is fully enrolled wi th 60 partic ipants with no SAEs reported through the date of this report.

The Phase 3 trial is now open and enrollment began in January 2022.

THEMBA saRNA Vaccine Boost—South Africa (COVID 4.015) and U.S.

(COVID 4.016)

The THEMBA trials are the first studies of our saRNA with next-generation NLCs.

In South Africa, we initiated the filing of a Phase 1/2 trial assessing the safety, reactogenicity, and immunogenicity of saRNA-based vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 as boost vaccines in participants that have been previously vaccinated against or previously infected with COVID-19, which is under regulatory review at the SAHPRA awaiting authorization to begin .

In the U.S., we submitted a similar Phase 1/2 trial design for FDA review in the first quarter of 2022.

The Phase 1 trial, for up to 60 previously vaccinated/infected participants will be enrolled as 6 separate cohorts to receive a single vaccine boost consisting of different doses of either saRNA encoding the Spike protein (AAHI-SC2 vaccine) or saRNA encoding the Spike and nucleocapsid proteins (AAHI-SC3 vaccine) delivered by NLC.

The Phase 2 trial, of up to 120 previously vaccinated/infected additional participants, will be enrolled with a randomized 1:1:1:1 design to receive Janssen, Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines (control arm), the AAHI-SC2 vaccine (experimental arm 1), or the AHHI-SC3 (experimental arms 2 and 3).

PULA Trial RBD Subunit Protein with TLR Adjuvant Boost—Botswana (COVID 4.014)

We plan on submitting a Phase 1/2/3 trial assessing the safety, reactogenicity, and immunogenicity of a yeast-based COVID-19 vaccine with a TLR activating adjuvant to the Botswana Medical Research Authority (BOMRA) to be called PULA.

In November 2021, we announced we had licensed a recombinant protein COVID-19 vaccine (RBD Subunit) candidate from BCM.

Protein-based vaccines have long been used to confer immunity against hepatitis B and HPV, as immune responses often target proteins that are part of viruses and bacteria.

This recombinant protein vaccine technology is proven and well-established.

Production of these vaccines can be easily scaled up in low-resource countries.

We are combining this subunit protein with a 3M-052/Alum adjuvant and related technology licensed from IDRI and 3M Company and its affiliates in this PULA trial.

In June 2021, we announced the opening of a Phase 1 “HIV Cure Study” in patients on therapy and a Phase 2 study in acutely infected patients.

Both studies have opened and are actively enrolling participants.

HIV Cure Study

Sponsored by the NIAID and AIDS Clinical Trials Group, the “HIV Cure Study” will evaluate whether Anktiva alone or together with broadly neutralizing antibodies can control HIV following interruption of antiretroviral therapy (ART).

The Phase 1 open-label, randomized trial will enroll 46 people living with HIV whose virus has been suppressed by ART for approximately two years, including at least 30% cisgender women or transgender men.

Thai Red Cross and the US Military HIV Research Program

An additional Phase 2 trial, enrolling 15 patients, has been initiated with the Thai Red Cross and the U.S.

Military HIV Research Program.

The trial is designed to investigate the safety, tolerability and immunostimulatory effects of administering Anktiva during acute HIV infection.

Anktiva will be administered subcutaneously at weeks zero, three and six (for a total of three doses) and will be initiated together with antiretroviral therapy in order to determine if the immunostimulatory effects of Anktiva will reduce the amount of HIV present during acute infection.

The trial duration for individual participants will be approximately 12 weeks.

It is hypothesized that Anktiva initiated with anti-retroviral therapy during acute HIV infection will not result in complications or additional toxicities compared with anti-retroviral therapy alone, and may result in a reduced viral load in these patients by inhibiting early establishment of HIV reservoirs in infected individuals.

NIAID University of Minnesota Trial

An ongoing Phase 1b, non-randomized, open label clinical trial sponsored by the University of Minnesota in collaboration with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) is investigating the effect of Anktiva on B cell follicles in antiretroviral treated HIV disease.

This trial includes 10 HIV-infected adults on effective antiretroviral therapy who will receive Anktiva to intensively investigate the immunological effects of treatment.

The hypothesis is that in HIV infected humans treated with Anktiva , CD8 T cells will migrate to and increase in number in B cell follicles that will result in a reduction in the frequency of cells with an inducible HIV provirus.

The trial is fully enrolled, and there are currently 2 active patients on study as of this date of this report.

Our Large-Scale GMP Biologic Manufacturing Capabilities

ImmunityBio has adopted a strategic position to be vertically integrated and develop its products according to the FDA’s GMP standards for large-scale manufacturing, even during Phase 2 clinical trial development.

Biological upstream and downstream manufacturing capabilities, with its attendant know-how and regulatory compliance for approval, have long lead times.

We have adopted an approach for preparedness to provide our vaccine, immunotherapy and cell therapy products at a global scale.

As such, we have established our own plants and have access to facilities on a global basis.

Our ability to create an efficient manufacturing process and supply chain will be important in enabling us to develop novel therapies.

Our strategy is to anticipate the needs of our early-stage research and development initiatives for preclinical and eventual clinical product candidates with a focus on rapid capability to produce at scale fusion proteins, hAd5, saRNA, subunit protein, EDV, and NK cell products.

In addition, our pipeline for development of synthetic small molecules and immunomodulatory peptides uses innovative technology to derive new therapies.

We believe members of our management team, many of whom have experience in both nanoparticle commercialization and large-scale injectable drug production, are capable of constructing the processes and commissioning the facilities necessary to meet our development and commercialization goals.

For well-known processes, we currently work, and plan to continue working, with established contract manufacturing organizations (CMOs) to produce drug substance and drug products.

In addition, we plan to further enhance our in-house manufacturing capabilities for drug substances, drug products, and labeling and packaging.

Overview of our Manufacturing Model

Our manufacturing capabilities include advanced technology facilities to produce and test various drug substances and drug products.

Our experienced operations and quality team focuses on internal manufacturing and testing with a constant endeavor to create robust, high quality, efficient and consistent supply that meets target product profiles.

Our Phase 1 manufacturing process is designed to seamlessly scale-up through all phases of clinical development to commercial manufacturing to drive successful commercialization.

Commercial cGMP Production

For our Anktiva product candidate, we have contracted with a multi-national biologics manufacturer with multiple cGMP-compliant facilities in the U.S., Europe and Asia for our current clinical trials and future commercial sales, if approved.

The facilities have robust process development and validation and quality oversight with high-capacity production suites operating multiple 2,000-20,000L production bioreactors.

Clinical Trial GMP Antibody and Fusion Protein Production

We are establishing a cGMP-compliant multi-platform facility in California, which includes a large space for the production of antibodies and fusion proteins (including Anktiva) to treat cancers and infectious diseases.

This facility will include fully integrated biologic upstream and downstream production suites and a quality assurance/quality control release laboratory for high-capacity antibody and fusion protein production.

Clinical Trial GMP saRNA, Adenovirus, and Yeast Production

We have established other cGMP-compliant facilities for saRNA, adenovirus, and yeast production in multiple sites in California and a site in Colorado for oncology and infectious diseases.

One of our sites in California is dedicated to adenovirus product candidates for the production of vaccine candidates to treat infectious diseases.

These facilities generally have fully-integrated biologic upstream and downstream production suites and quality assurance/quality control release laboratories for high capacity, continuous, or personalized just-in-time vaccine production.

Clinical Trial GMP NK Cell Therapy Production

We have established other cGMP-compliant facilities for NK cell therapy product production in multiple sites in California for oncology.

One of our sites in California is dedicated to our off-the-shelf product candidates (including PD-L1 t ‑ haNK), while another is primarily focused on our M-ceNK product candidates, including a training lab for our second-generation offerings.

cGMP ISO Class 5 Manufacturing Facility

On February 14, 2022, we acquired a leasehold interest in approximately 409,000 rentable square feet of cGMP ISO Class 5 pharmaceutical manufacturing space in western New York (the Dunkirk Facility).

This facility provides us with a state-of-the-art biotech production center that substantially expands and diversifies our existing manufacturing capacity in the U.S.

and will be used across all of our key platforms.

See Note 13 , Subsequent Events , of the “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements” that appears in Part II, Item 8.

“Financial Statements and Supplementary Data” of this Annual Report for additional information.

Manufacture of Platform Product Candidates

ImmunityBio’s diverse product candidate portfolio and pipeline requires a broad knowledge of various manufacturing and quality assurance methods.

We have invested heavily in the processes, systems and technology to build an extensive range of manufacturing programs spanning various levels of development from IND-enablement through BLA preparation of our first commercial product.

We believe our plan to selectively use CMOs for certain of our assets at various stages, coupled with internal development, will give us assurance that any products will have backup manufacturing options.

We face potential competition from many different sources, including major and specialty pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, academic research institutions, governmental agencies and public and private research institutions.

Any product candidates that we successfully develop and commercialize will compete with current therapies and new therapies that may become available in the future.

We believe that the key competitive factors affecting the success of any of our product candidates will include efficacy, safety profile, convenience, cost, market access, level of promotional activity devoted to them, competitive intensity, and intellectual property protection.

We have focused our efforts on oncological and infectious disease indications that are difficult to treat and with large unmet needs, and we believe our platform will be broadly applicable across multiple tumor types and infections.

Based on the breadth and depth of our platforms, we believe our competitors will range from large pharmaceutical companies to emerging novel biotechnology companies.

• Antibody Cytokine Fusion Proteins.

This platform primarily competes with large pharmaceutical companies marketing checkpoint inhibitors.

However, the potential exists for some of these large pharmaceutical companies to seek collaboration for combination of Anktiva with their marketed checkpoint inhibitor.

This platform will also compete with immunotherapy fusion protein companies developing similar approaches, including Nektar Therapeutics, Neoleukin Therapeutics, Inc., Novartis International AG (Novartis), F.

Hoffmann-La Roche AG (Roche), Sanofi, S.A.

(Sanofi), and in the context of NMIBC, FerGene, Inc., Merck & Co., Inc.

(Merck), and Sesen Bio, Inc.

• DNA, RNA, Recombinant Protein Vaccine Technologies .

This platform and the associated product candidates will likely compete with other cancer vaccines.

Other potential cancer vaccine competitors include Achilles Therapeutics, Roche, BioNTech SE (BioNTech), Merck, Genocea Biosciences, Inc., Geneos Therapeutics, Inc., Hangzhou Neoantigen Therapeutics, Inc., and Gritstone Bio, Inc.

There is currently one approved dendritic cell-based cancer vaccine, which is marketed by Dendron Pharmaceuticals, LLC for the treatment of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer.

Competitor companies focused on dendritic cell-based approaches include Argos Therapeutics, Inc., Merck, Immune Design, Inc., Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Precigen Corporation, Inc., Medigene AG, and Northwest Biotherapeutics, Inc.

• Toll-Like Receptor Activating Adjuvants .

This platform competes with companies offering other TLR agonist-based approaches, including Dynavax Technologies Corporation, Idera Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Panacela Labs LLC, Primmune Therapeutics, Inc., and Statera BioPharma, Inc.

• NK Cell Therapy.

This platform’s product candidates (haNK, taNK, t‑haNK and M-ceNK) face competition from several companies focused on NK cell-based approaches, including Catamaran Bio Inc., Celularity, Inc.

(Celularity), Century Therapeutics, Inc., Fate Therapeutics, Inc., Gamida Cell, Ltd., INmune Bio Inc., Nkarta Therapeutics, Inc., NKGen Biotech, Inc., Artiva Biotherapeutics Inc./Merck, Sanofi, Shoreline Biosciences, Inc., and Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (Takeda).

In addition, our NK cell product candidates compete with other cell and molecule-based immunotherapy approaches using or targeting natural killer cells, NKT cells, T cells, macrophages, and dendritic cells.

There are currently four approved T cell-based treatments marketed by Novartis, Gilead Sciences, Inc.

(Gilead)/Kite Pharma (two marketed products), and Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (BMS).

Additional companies focused on CAR‑T-related treatment approaches include Allogene Therapeutics, Inc., BMS, Novartis, Pfizer, Inc.

(Pfizer), Cellectis SA, Poseida Therapeutics, Inc., Celularity, Takeda, and Gilead.

Competitor companies focused on other T cell-based approaches include Adaptimmune Ltd., Adicet Bio, Inc., Autolus Therapeutics, plc, GlaxoSmithKline plc.

(GSK), Precision Biosciences, Inc., Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

(Janssen), Beam Therapeutics Inc., BioNTech, Sensei Biotherapeutics, Inc., Senti Biosciences, Inc., and TCR² Therapeutics Inc.

• DAMP Inducers .

This platform competes with companies offering various chemotherapeutic agents, including Abraxane ® , doxorubicin and paclitaxel/Taxol, as well as an antibody drug conjugate produced by Immunomedics, Inc.

(acquired by Gilead).

Other potential immunotherapy competitors in oncology include Affimed GmbH, AgenTus Therapeutics, Inc., Appia Bio, Inc., Codiak Biosciences, Compass Therapeutics, Inc., Glycostem Therapeutics BV, Kuur Therapeutics Limited, GammaDelta Therapeutics Ltd., Lyell Immunopharma, Inc., and GT Biopharma, Inc.

Infectious Diseases

Currently, our infectious disease product candidates are primarily focused on SARS-CoV-2 and HIV.

Competitor companies focused on COVID-19 vaccines (adenovirus, mRNA, and other approaches) include AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson/Janssen, Merck, Moderna Therapeutics, Inc., Novavax, Inc., Pfizer/BioNTech, and Pluristem Therapeutics, Inc.

In addition, a very large number of companies, government agencies and academic centers around the world are developing COVID-19 vaccines and therapeutics.

In the HIV space, we have product candidates that use Anktiva that will likely compete with companies who have approved therapeutics for HIV, including Abbott Laboratories Inc., BMS, Gilead, and GSK.

Intellectual Property

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related to our proprietary technology, inventions, improvements, and product candidates that are important to the development and implementation of our business.

We seek to consistently file follow-on patent applications on further improvements and features of our NK cell-based products, thereby adding additional layers of protection and reducing reliance on our original patents that would be the earliest to expire and may be subject to challenge.

We also rely on trade secrets and know-how relating to our proprietary technology and product candidates, continuing innovation, and in-licensing opportunities to develop, strengthen, and maintain our proprietary position in the field of natural killer cell-based immunotherapy.

We expect to rely on data exclusivity, market exclusivity, patent term adjustments and patent term extensions when available, as well as on regulatory protection afforded through orphan drug designations.

Our commercial success may depend in part on our ability to obtain and maintain patent and other proprietary protection for our technology, inventions, and improvements;

We expect to rely on data exclusivity, market exclusivity, patent term adjustment and patent term extensions when available, as well as on regulatory protection afforded through orphan drug designations.

Our commercial success will depend in part on our ability to obtain and maintain patent and other proprietary protection for our product candidates, technology, inventions, and improvements;

to preserve the confidentiality of our trade secrets;

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to defend and enforce our proprietary rights, including our patents;

and to operate without infringing on the valid and enforceable patents and other proprietary rights of third parties.

We have developed and in-licensed numerous patents and patent applications and we possess substantial know-how and trade secrets relating to the development and commercialization of natural killer cell-based immunotherapy product candidates, including related manufacturing processes and technology.

As of December 31, 2020, our owned and licensed patent portfolio consists of 66 patents and pending patent applications and provisional filings in the U.S.

disclosing subject matter directed to certain of our proprietary technology, inventions, and improvements and our most advanced product candidates, as well as 216 licensed and owned patents and pending applications in 24 jurisdictions outside of the U.S., including 26 Patent Cooperation Treaty applications, that, in many cases, are counterparts to the foregoing U.S.

patents and patent applications.

and to operate without infringing, misappropriating or otherwise violating the valid and enforceable patents and other proprietary rights of third parties.

We have developed, acquired, and in-licensed patents and patent applications across platforms as previously described for:

(1) activated NK and T cells;

(2) memory T cell activation;

and (3) activated tumoricidal macrophages.

With respect to activated NK and T cells, we have developed Anktiva, an N72D variant IL-15 complexed to a dimeric IL-15Ra/Fc fusion protein;

with respect to memory T cell activation, we have developed adenoviral and yeast immunotherapies expressing tumor antigens such as CEA, MUC1, and Brachyury, and in-licensed saRNA technologies;

and with respect to activated tumoricidal macrophages, we have in-licensed intellectual property licensed to aldoxorubicin, a tumor-targeted doxorubicin conjugate, from CytRx.

We own patents and patent applications related to the development and commercialization of Anktiva.

As of December 31, 2021, our owned patent portfolio directed to Anktiva, methods of use of Anktiva, and combinations with additional therapeutics consists of approximately 13 issued U.S.

patents and 5 pending U.S.

patent applications, as well as approximately 43 patents issued in jurisdictions outside of the U.S., including Europe, China, Japan, Canada, and Australia.

Excluding any patent term adjustment and patent term extension, the issued U.S.

patents directed to Anktiva, methods of use of Anktiva and combinations with additional therapeutics are expected to expire from 2028 to 2035.

Excluding any applicable extensions, the issued foreign patents are expected to expire from 2028 to 2035.

If patents issue from our pending U.S.

patent applications, excluding any patent term adjustment and patent term extension, such patents will be expected to expire from 2037 to 2039.

For example, these patents and patent applications include claims directed to:

Natural Killer Cell Line Compositions and Methods-of-Use;

Treatment of Cancer using Natural Killer Cell Lines;

Treatment of Specific Diseases using Natural Killer Cell Lines;

Combination Therapy using Natural Killer Cell Lines;

CD16 Modified Natural Killer Cell Line Compositions and Methods-of-Use;

CD16 Modified Natural Killer Cell Line with Monoclonal Antibodies for Treatment of Cancer;

CAR‑Expressing Natural Killer Cell Line Compositions and Methods-of-Use;

CD16 Modified and CAR‑Expressing Natural Killer Cell Line Compositions and Methods-of-Use;

Homing and Cytokine Modified Natural Killer Cell Line Compositions and Methods-of-Use;

Treatment of Viral and Bacterial Diseases using Natural Killer Cell Lines;

Methods for Expansion, Cryopreservation and Commercial Manufacture;

Tumoricidal and Antimicrobial Compositions of Natural Killer Cell Line Derived Exosomes and Methods-of-Use.

As for the NK cell-based immunotherapy products and processes we develop and commercialize, in the normal course of business, we intend to pursue, when possible, composition, method of use, dosing and formulation patent protection.

We may also pursue patent protection with respect to manufacturing and drug development processes and technology.

The patents and patent applications outside of the U.S.

in our portfolio are held primarily in Europe, Canada, Australia, China, Japan and Korea.

Individual patents extend for varying periods of time , depending upon the date of filing of the patent application, the date of patent issuance, and the legal term of patents in the countries in which they are obtained.

• Anktiva compositions of matter;

• uses of Anktiva in methods of treating cancers;

• uses of Anktiva in treating HIV;

• combination treatments using Anktiva and additional therapeutics.

We own and in-license from Institute for Cancer Research patents and patent applications related to the development and commercialization of cell-based therapies.

As of December 31, 2021, our patent portfolio directed to NK, haNK, and t-haNK cell lines, methods of use of these cells, and combinations with additional therapeutics consists of approximately 15 issued U.S.

patents and 26 pending U.S.

patent applications, as well as approximately 32 patents issued in jurisdictions outside of the U.S., including Europe, China, Japan, Canada, and Australia.

Excluding any patent term adjustment and patent term extension, the issued U.S.

patents directed to these cell therapies, methods of use, and combinations with additional therapeutics are expected to expire from 2025 to 2040.

Excluding any applicable extensions, the issued foreign patents are expected to expire from 2025 to 2038.

If patents issue from our pending U.S.

patent applications, excluding any patent term adjustment and patent term extension, such patents will be expected to expire from 2025 to 2040.

For example, these patents and patent applications include claims directed to:

• haNK cells;

• EGFR t-haNK cells;

• CD19 t-haNK cells;

• HER2 t-haNK cells;

• PD-L1 t-haNK cells.

We own and in-license patents and patent applications related to development and commercialization of our preclinical assets N-820 and N-809.

As of December 31, 2021, our owned patent portfolio directed to N-820 and N-809 and methods of use of N-820 and N-809 consists of approximately 5 issued U.S.

patents and approximately 3 pending U.S.

patent applications, as well as approximately 46 patents issued in jurisdictions outside of the U.S.

Excluding any patent term adjustment and patent term extension, the issued U.S.

patents directed to N-820 and N-809 are expected to expire from 2028 to 2031.

If patents issue from our pending U.S.

patent applications, excluding any patent term adjustment and patent term extension, such patents will be expected to expire from 2031 to 2037.

For example, these patents and patent applications include claims directed to fusions of checkpoint inhibitor and TAA antibodies and binding molecules with IL-15/IL15Ra/Fc fusion proteins complexes.

We exclusively in-license patents and patent applications from CytRx related to the development and commercialization of aldoxorubicin.

As of December 31, 2021, our licensed patent portfolio directed to aldoxorubicin and methods of use of aldoxorubicin consists of approximately 3 issued U.S.

patents, as well as approximately 20 patents issued in jurisdictions outside of the U.S., including Europe, Japan, Korea, and Australia.

Excluding any patent term adjustment and patent term extension, the issued U.S.

patents directed to aldoxorubicin are expected to expire from 2033 to 2034.

Excluding any applicable extensions, the issued foreign patents are expected to expire from 2033 to 2034.

For example, these patents and this patent application include claims directed to:

• Aldoxorubicin formulations;

• Aldoxorubicin formulations for use in treating cancer.

We exclusively own, and co-own with and in-license from the U.S.

Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), patents and patent applications related to the development and commercialization of adenovirus-based cancer immunotherapies.

As of December 31, 2021, our patent portfolio directed to adenovirus and methods of use of adenovirus in treating or preventing cancer consists of approximately 16 issued U.S.

patents and approximately 9 pending U.S.

patent applications, as well as approximately 58 patents issued in jurisdictions outside of the U.S.

Excluding any patent term adjustment and patent term extension, the issued U.S.

patents directed to adenovirus-based cancer immunotherapies are expected to expire from 2024 to 2038.

If patents issue from our pending U.S.

patent applications, excluding any patent term adjustment and patent term extension, such patents will be expected to expire from 2028 to 2039.

For example, these patents and patent applications include claims directed to:

• Adenovirus vectors and virus particles comprising TAAs;

• uses of adenovirus vectors and virus particles in methods of treating cancers.

We own, co-own with HHS and in-license from the University of Colorado, patents and patent applications related to the development and commercialization of yeast-based cancer immunotherapies.

As of December 31, 2021, our patent portfolio directed to yeast-based cancer immunotherapies and methods of use of yeast-based cancer immunotherapies in treating or preventing cancer consists of approximately 20 issued U.S.

patents and approximately 5 pending U.S.

patent applications, as well as approximately 134 patents issued in jurisdictions outside of the U.S.

Excluding any patent term adjustment and patent term extension, the issued U.S.

patents directed to yeast-based cancer immunotherapies are expected to expire from 2023 to 2038.

If any patents issue from our pending U.S.

patent applications, excluding any patent term adjustment and patent term extension, such patents will be expected to expire from 2030 to 2034.

For example, these patents and patent applications include claims directed to:

• yeast and yeast vehicles expressing TAAs and neoepitopes;

• uses of yeast and yeast vehicles expressing TAAs and neoepitopes in methods of treating cancers.

We own 4 U.S.

non-provisional patent applications and 2 patent cooperation treaty (PCT) applications directed to therapeutics for COVID-19.

Some of these patent applications are directed to the use of our adenovirus and yeast technologies for a COVID-19 vaccine.

If any patents issue from our pending U.S.

patent applications, excluding any patent term adjustment and patent term extension, such patents will be expected to expire in 2040 and 2041.

We in-license patents and patent applications from IDRI related to the development and commercialization of adjuvant formulations and saRNA based vaccines.

As of December 31, 2021, our licensed patent portfolio directed to adjuvant formulations and saRNA vaccine platforms consists of approximately 9 issued U.S.

patents and approximately 3 pending U.S.

patent applications, as well as approximately 28 patents issued in jurisdictions outside of the U.S.

Excluding any patent term adjustment and patent term extension, the issued U.S.

patents directed adjuvant formulations and saRNA-based vaccines are expected to expire from 2027 to 2038.

If any patents issue from our pending U.S.

patent applications, excluding any patent term adjustment and patent term extension, such patents will be expected to expire from 2027 to 2038.

The validity of one of our in-licensed issued European patents (EP Patent No.

2068918) is being challenged in an opposition proceeding.

This patent is directed to vaccine compositions comprising certain lipid adjuvants.

We believe IDRI has meritorious defenses against the opposition.

We own patents and patent applications related to the development and commercialization of GMP-in-a-Box.

As of December 31, 2021, our patent portfolio directed to GMP-in-a-Box consists of approximately 6 issued U.S.

patents and approximately 4 pending U.S.

patent applications as well as approximately 59 patents issued in jurisdictions outside of the U.S.

Excluding any patent term adjustment and patent term extension, the issued U.S.

patents directed to GMP-in-a-Box are expected to expire between 2030 and 2037.

If patents issue from our pending patent applications, excluding any patent term adjustment and patent term extension, such patents will be expected to expire from 2030 to 2039.

For example, these patents and patent applications include claims directed to methods, bioreactors, and apparatuses for monitoring and culturing cells.

The term of individual patents extend for varying periods of time, depending upon the date of filing of the patent application, the date of patent issuance, and the legal term of patents in the countries in which they are obtained.

Generally, patents issued for applications filed in the U.S.

are effective for 20 years from the earliest effective filing date.

The patent term may be adjusted to compensate for delayed patent issuance, when such delays are caused by the patent office or successful appeals against patent office actions.

There is no limit on this patent term adjustment.

are effective for 20 years from the earliest effective filing date of a non-provisional patent application.

The patent term may be adjusted to compensate for delayed patent issuance, when such delays are caused by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) or successful appeals against USPTO actions.

There is no statutory limit on this patent term adjustment, which is generally the length of any such delays caused by the USPTO.

In addition, in certain instances, a patent term can be extended to recapture a portion of the term effectively lost as a result of the FDA regulatory review period.

The restoration period cannot be longer than five years and the total patent term, including the restoration period, must not exceed 14 years following FDA approval.

The restoration period cannot be longer than five years, the total patent term, including the restoration period, must not exceed 14 years following FDA 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.

While we plan to seek such patent term adjustments and extensions where applicable, there is no guarantee that the USPTO and/or FDA will agree with our assessment of whether such adjustments or extensions should be granted, and if granted, the length of such adjustments or extensions.

The duration of patents outside of the U.S.

varies in accordance with provisions of applicable local law, but typically is also 20 years from the earliest effective filing date.

Our issued patents are anticipated to expire at varying intervals through 2039 .

If patents are issued on our pending patent applications, the resulting patents are projected to expire at various dates through 2040 .

However, the actual protection afforded by a patent varies on a product-by-product basis, from country-to-country, and depends upon many factors, including the type of patent, the scope of its coverage, the availability of regulatory-related extensions, the availability of legal remedies in a particular country, and the validity and enforceability of the patent.

However, the actual protection afforded by a patent varies on a product-by-product and country-to-country basis and depends upon many factors, including the type of patent, the scope of its coverage, the availability of regulatory-related extensions, the availability of legal remedies in a particular country, and the validity and enforceability of the patent.

The patent positions of companies like ours are generally uncertain and involve complex legal and factual questions.

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In particular, our ability to stop third parties from making, using, selling, offering to sell, or importing products that infringe our intellectual property will depend in part on our success in obtaining and enforcing patent claims that cover our technology, inventions, and improvements.

With respect to both licensed and company-owned intellectual property, 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 products and the methods used to manufacture those products.

Moreover, even our issued patents do not guarantee us the right to practice our technology in relation to the commercialization of our products.

However, the area of patent and other intellectual property rights in biotechnology is an evolving one with many risks and uncertainties, and third parties may have blocking patents that could be used to prevent us from commercializing our patented product candidates and practicing our proprietary technology.

With respect to both licensed and owned intellectual property, we cannot be sure that patents will be granted with respect to any current pending patent applications or with respect to any patent applications filed in the future, nor can we be sure that any existing patents or any patents that may be granted in the future will be commercially useful in protecting our product candidates and the methods used to manufacture those product candidates.

Moreover, even our issued patents do not guarantee us the right to practice our technology in relation to the commercialization of our product candidates.

The area of patent and other intellectual property rights in biotechnology is an evolving one with many risks and uncertainties, and third parties may have blocking patents that could be used to prevent us from commercializing our product candidates and practicing our technology.

Our issued patents and those that may issue in the future may be challenged, invalidated, or circumvented, which could limit our ability to stop competitors from marketing related products or limit the length of the term of patent protection that we may have for our product candidates.

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For these reasons, we may have competition for our product candidates.

Moreover, because of the extensive time required for development, testing and regulatory review of a potential product, it is possible that, before any particular product candidate can be commercialized, any related patent may expire or remain in force for only a short period following commercialization, thereby reducing any advantage of the patent.

As of December 31, 2020, our worldwide trademark portfolio was comprised of (i) 12 U.S.

trademark registrations;

(ii) two pending U.S.

trademark application;

(iii) 28 foreign trademark registrations, six of which are Madrid Protocol International registrations;

and (iv) 24 pending foreign trademark applications.

Moreover, because of the extensive time required for development, testing and regulatory review of a potential product candidate, it is possible that, before any particular product candidate can be commercialized, any related patent may expire or remain in force for only a short period following commercialization, thereby reducing any advantage of the patent.

Our registered trademark portfolio currently contains approximately 9 registered trademarks in the U.S., approximately 25 registered trademarks in foreign jurisdictions, approximately 7 pending trademark applications in the U.S., and approximately 11 pending trademark applications in foreign jurisdictions.

We may also rely, in some circumstances, on trade secrets to protect our technology.

However, trade secrets are difficult to protect.

We seek to protect our technology and product candidates, in part, by entering into confidentiality agreements with those who have access to our confidential information, including our employees, contractors, consultants, collaborators, and advisors.

We seek to protect our trade secrets and other proprietary information, in part, by entering into confidentiality agreements with those who have access to our confidential information, including our employees, contractors, consultants, collaborators, and advisors.

We also seek to preserve the integrity and confidentiality of our proprietary technology and processes by maintaining physical security of our premises and physical and electronic security of our information technology systems.

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In addition, our trade secrets may otherwise become known or may be independently discovered by competitors.

To the extent that our employees, contractors, consultants, collaborators, and advisors use intellectual property owned by others in their work for us, disputes may arise as to the rights in related or resulting know-how and inventions.

For risks related to our proprietary technology, inventions, improvements and products, please see Part I, Item 1A, “ Risk Factors – Risks Related to Intellectual Property ” and “ Legal Proceedings ” of this Annual Report.

Collaboration Agreement s

Joint COVID‑19 Collaboration Agreement.

As discussed above, on August 21, 2020, we entered into a definitive agreement, which we refer to as the Collaboration Agreement, with ImmunityBio to pursue collaborative joint development, manufacturing and marketing of certain COVID‑19 therapeutics and vaccines.

Cost Sharing Agreement.

In January 2020, but effective on October 1, 2019, we entered into a Cost Allocation Agreement with ImmunityBio and its subsidiaries to co-sponsor and conduct certain combination clinical trials (each a Joint Study) pursuant to clinical trial protocols wherein at least one investigational agent is a proprietary therapeutic drug candidate owned or controlled by NantKwest and at least one other investigational agent is a proprietary therapeutic drug candidate owned or controlled by ImmunityBio.

Prior to initiating any activities for a Joint Study the parties agreed to enter into written work orders describing, amongst other things, development and management responsibilities, allocation of Joint Study costs and expenses, regulatory responsibilities, and any other matters relating to the Joint Study.

Under the Cost Allocation Agreement, each of ImmunityBio and the company will receive exclusive rights to any new intellectual property developed that relates solely to its respective study drug, and the parties will have joint co-equal rights in any other intellectual property.

The Cost Allocation Agreement expires on June 22, 2022 with the option to renew for additional successive one-year terms, but work orders for any joint studies still in process at the time of termination will continue until the applicable study is completed.

We and ImmunityBio are splitting certain costs related to these joint studies equally in accordance with the terms of the Cost Allocation Agreement and related work orders.

Shared Joint Study costs include cost related to conducting the Joint Study development activities, such as personnel related costs, as well as all costs associated with regulatory matters.

Costs and expenses incurred in connection with the development, manufacturing, supply, delivery, and pre-patient administration dosing mechanism of each party’s study drug, are excluded from the shared Joint Study costs.

In January 2020, but effective on October 1, 2019, we executed Work Order Number One with ImmunityBio, pursuant to the Cost Allocation Agreement.

Under Work Order Number One, the parties are conducting a clinical trial pursuant to the protocol titled QUILT 3.063:

A phase 2 study of combination therapy with an IL‑15 superagonist (N‑803), off-the-shelf CD16‑targeted natural killer cells (haNK), and avelumab without cytotoxic chemotherapy in subjects with Merkel Cell Carcinoma (MCC) that has progressed on or after treatment with a checkpoint inhibitor .

The ImmunityBio study drug included in this Joint Study is ImmunityBio’s proprietary IL‑15 superagonist known as N‑803, and our study drug is our proprietary “off-the-shelf” CD16-targeted natural killer cell therapy known as haNK.

We are the sponsor of this Joint Study for purposes of regulatory matters, including submissions, correspondence, and communications.

Additionally, we are designated as the contracting party to execute agreements with third and related parties relating to the Joint Study.

In July 2020, but effective on June 22, 2020, we executed Work Order Number Two with ImmunityBio, pursuant to the Cost Allocation Agreement.

Under Work Order Number Two, the parties are conducting a clinical trial pursuant to the protocol titled QUILT 88:

Open-label, randomized, comparative phase 2 study of combination immunotherapy with standard-of-care chemotherapy versus standard-of-care chemotherapy for first and second line treatment of locally or advanced metastatic pancreatic cancer .

The ImmunityBio study drugs included in the joint study are ImmunityBio’s proprietary IL‑15 superagonist (N‑803) and Aldoxorubicin Hydrochloride (Aldoxorubicin), and our study drug is PD‑L1.t‑haNK.

ImmunityBio is the sponsor of this Joint Study for purposes of regulatory matters, including submissions, correspondence, and communications with the FDA.

Additionally, ImmunityBio is designated as the contracting party to execute agreements with third and related parties relating to this Joint Study.

To the extent that our employees, contractors, consultants, collaborators, or advisors use intellectual property owned by others in their work for us, disputes may arise as to the rights in related or resulting know-how and inventions.

For risks related to our proprietary technology, inventions, improvements and products, see Part I, Item 1A., “ Risk Factors—Risks Related to Intellectual Property ” and Item 3., “ Legal Proceedings ” of this Annual Report.

Collaboration and License Agreements

We anticipate that strategic collaborations will continue to be an integral part of our operations, providing opportunities to leverage our partners’ expertise and capabilities to gain access to new technologies and further expand the potential of our technologies and product candidates across relevant platforms.

We believe we are well positioned to become a leader in immunotherapy due to our broad and vertically-integrated platforms and through complementary strategic partnerships.

Agreements shown below have been arranged in alphabetical order.

The following description of certain of our collaboration and license agreements is not a comprehensive listing of all such agreements to which we are a party, and the inclusion of a description of any collaboration or license agreement is not an indication that we consider such agreement(s) to be material to our business and operations as a whole, which is a dynamic and evolving analysis and may change over time.

Collaboration Agreements

Amyris Joint Venture

In December 2021, Immunity Bio and Amyris entered into a 50:50 joint venture arrangement and formed a new limited liability company to conduct the business of the joint venture, to accelerate the commercialization of a next-generation COVID-19 vaccine utilizing IDRI’s RNA vaccine platform to which Amyris holds a license.

As part of the limited liability agreement, Amyris contributed, in part, rights to its license agreement with IDRI for the IDRI RNA platform for the field of COVID-19, and ImmunityBio contributed, in part, priority access to its manufacturing capacity for the joint venture product.

National Cancer Institute

The company and its subsidiaries began their relationship with HHS, as represented by the NCI of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in 2015.

Pursuant to the Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA), the NCI provides scientific staff and other support necessary to conduct research and related activities as described in the CRADA.

During the term of the initial and amended CRADAs, we collaborated with the NCI on the preclinical and clinical development of an adenovirus technology expressing tumor-associated antigens for cancer immunotherapy, the preclinical and clinical development of our proprietary yeast-based Tarmogens expressing tumor-associated antigens, and the proprietary adenovirus technology expressing tumor-associated antigens for cancer immunotherapy.

In 2021, the CRADA was amended and the research plan was modified to include the preclinical and clinical development of ImmunityBio’s proprietary adenovirus platform expressing tumor-associated antigens;

proprietary yeast platform expressing tumor-associated antigens;

proprietary agent Anktiva and derivatives, agent N-808 and derivatives, and/or TxM product candidates;

proprietary recombinant NK cells and mAbs;

proprietary RNA vaccines and adjuvants;

and other proprietary agents owned or controlled by ImmunityBio for cancer immunotherapy.

The term of the CRADA was extended through May 2026.

Under this agreement, we have agreed to pay NCI funding totaling $1.3 million per year, payable in semi-annual installments from 2022 through 2025.

License Agreements

CytRx Corporation

In 2017, we entered into an exclusive license agreement with CytRx pursuant to which we obtained a royalty-bearing, exclusive, worldwide license, with the right to sublicense, CytRx’s applicable intellectual property to research, develop and commercialize aldoxorubicin for all indications.

Under the terms of the license agreement, CytRx is entitled to receive milestone payments of up to $345.7 million related to regulatory approvals and commercial milestones for aldoxorubicin.

In addition, CytRx will receive increasing low double-digit percentage royalties on net sales of aldoxorubicin for the treatment of soft tissue sarcomas and mid-to-high single-digit percentage royalties on net sales of aldoxorubicin for all other indications.

We may terminate the agreement in its entirety at any time upon twelve (12) months written notice to CytRx.

Upon termination of the agreement, any licenses granted to us under the agreement are terminated, and we must cease the development, manufacture, and commercialization of aldoxorubicin.

EnGeneIC Licensing Agreement

During the fourth quarter of 2021, we signed a binding term sheet with EnGeneIC for an exclusive, worldwide license to develop, manufacture and commercialize their patented EDV nanocell technology as a single agent in certain cancer fields and with respect to the treatment and prevention of COVID-19 and in combination with our COVID-19 vaccine and anti-cancer drugs in a more broadly defined field of use.

The companies have agreed to a 50:50 split of the net profit from worldwide sales of EDV-based products, and we have agreed to pay certain periodic license fees.

GlobeImmune, Inc.

In 2020, we entered into an exclusive licensing agreement with GlobeImmune, a consolidated entity of the company, pursuant to which we obtained worldwide, exclusive licenses under certain patents, know-how, and other intellectual property to use, research, develop and commercialize products with GlobeImmune’s COVID-19 vaccine program, other Tarmogen-based programs, and neoepitopes programs in exchange for a license fee for the first two years of the agreement totaling $1.2 million, up to $345.0 million in milestone payments related to the successful completion of clinical and regulatory milestones and up to $240.0 million in total milestone payments based on licensed product net sales milestones, and a royalty on net sales of licensed products, on a product-by-product basis ranging in percentage from the mid-single digits to the mid-teens.

We may terminate this agreement, in whole or on a licensed-product-by-licensed-product and/or country-by-country basis, at any time upon sixty (60) days written notice to GlobeImmune.

Infectious Disease Research Institute

In May 2021, we entered into two license agreements with the IDRI pursuant to which we received a license to certain patents and know-how relating to IDRI’s (i) adjuvant formulations for the treatment, prevention and/or diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 (the IDRI Adjuvant Formulation License Agreement) and (ii) RNA vaccine platform as further described below (the IDRI RNA License Agreement).

Under both agreements, we were obligated to pay one-time, non-creditable, non-refundable upfront cash payments totaling $2.0 million.

In addition, under the IDRI Adjuvant Formulation License Agreement we owe IDRI milestone payments to a total of up to $2.5 million based on the achievement of certain development and regulatory milestones for the first licensed product and royalties on annual net sales of licensed products on a country-by-country and product-by-product basis of a low-single digit percentage, subject to certain royalty-reduction provisions.

In September 2021, we amended and restated the IDRI RNA License Agreement, pursuant to which IDRI granted us an exclusive, worldwide, sublicensable license to IDRI’s rights to an RNA vaccine platform for the development and commercialization of certain therapeutic, diagnostic or prophylactic products for the prevention, treatment or diagnosis of any indication, other than those subject to pre-existing third-party license grants, including, without limitation, SARS-CoV-2.

Pursuant to the terms of the amended and restated IDRI RNA License Agreement, we were required to make an additional one-time, non-creditable, non-refundable, upfront payment to IDRI of $1.5 million.

The company is also required to pay license maintenance fees to IDRI as follows:

$3.0 million in 2022 and $5.5 million annually from 2023 through 2030.

The company may terminate the restated agreement without cause by paying IDRI a $10.0 million one-time early termination fee.

In addition, the milestone payments to IDRI based on the achievement of certain development and regulatory milestones for the first licensed product were amended to a total of up to $4.0 million.

We are required to pay royalties on annual net sales of licensed products on a country-by-country and product-by-product basis of a low- to mid-single digit percentage.

In connection with the license agreements, in May 2021 we also entered into a sponsored research agreement (SRA) with IDRI pursuant to which we will fund continued research of at least $2.0 million per year, payable in four equal quarterly installments each year until May 2024, or such year of earlier termination.

Sanford Health

In 2017, and as amended in November 2021, we entered into a license agreement with Sanford pursuant to which we obtained a worldwide, exclusive license under Sanford’s applicable patent and know-how rights to use, make, have made, sell, offer to sell, export and import products for all uses and applications of polynucleotides encoding mutant E16 antigen (mutant HPV16 E6 antigen + mutant HPV16 E7 antigen) and the encoded mutant E16 antigen, in exchange for consideration that includes the amount equal to the patent prosecution costs incurred by Sanford for the prosecution of the licensed patent rights, milestone payments payable upon the achievement of certain contractual and regulatory milestones of up to $2.0 million, a low single-digit percentage royalty on net sales of the resulting licensed products, and a low to high-teen percentage share of non-royalty sublicensing revenue.

Our obligation to pay royalties continues, on a licensed product-by-licensed product and country-by-country basis, until the date on which such licensed product is no longer covered by a valid claim of a patent licensed pursuant to the agreement in such country.

We must use commercially reasonable efforts to develop and commercialize the licensed products.

Sanford is responsible for the prosecution and maintenance of the patents licensed pursuant to the agreement.

We are required to use commercially reasonable efforts to develop and make available the licensed products, which include achieving certain regulatory objectives within certain specific time periods.

We have the first right to enforce the patents licensed pursuant to the agreement, subject to Sanford’s ability to exercise such right if we fail to do so.

We may terminate this agreement at any time upon 60 days’ written notice to Sanford.

Sanford may terminate the agreement in the event of an uncured material breach by us.

Shenzhen Beike Biotechnology Co.

In 2014, Altor entered into a license, development and commercialization agreement with Beike, which agreement was amended and restated in 2017, pursuant to which Altor granted to Beike an exclusive license under certain of its intellectual property rights in order to use, research, develop and commercialize products based on Anktiva in China for human therapeutic uses, in exchange for consideration that includes up to $195.5 million in total milestone payments based on the successful completion of regulatory and sales milestones for each resulting product, and a royalty on net sales of licensed products, on a product-by-product basis ranging in percentage from the mid-single digits to the mid-teens.

Beike’s obligation to pay royalties continues, on a licensed product-by-licensed product basis, until the later of (i) the date on which such licensed product is no longer covered by a valid claim of a patent licensed pursuant to the agreement in China and (ii) ten years after the first commercial sale of such licensed product in China.

Altor has the sole right to prosecute and maintain the patents licensed pursuant to the agreement.

Altor has the first right to enforce the patents licensed pursuant to the agreement, subject to Beike’s ability to exercise such right if Altor fails to do so.

Altor and Beike each have the right to terminate the agreement in the event of a material breach by the other party.

Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc.

In 2015, we and Sorrento established NANTibody as a stand-alone biotechnology company with $100.0 million in initial joint funding.

We own 60% of the equity interests and Sorrento owns 40% of the equity interests in NANTibody, which focuses on accelerating the development of multiple therapeutic product candidates that are being developed as standalone treatments as well as in combination with other therapies as part of an immune-oncology treatment regimen.

In 2015, we entered into an exclusive license agreement with Sorrento pursuant to which we obtained an exclusive license under certain patent rights and antibody materials, including antibody sequences and complementary DNA (cDNA) and clones and a non-exclusive license under certain know-how, in each case to use, research and develop certain antibodies and anti-body drug conjugates (ADCs) including for neoepitopes, which are epitopes resulting from mutations specific to an individual’s cancer cells, and to commercialize the resulting licensed products, in exchange for consideration that included an upfront cash payment of $10 million, equity consideration with a valuation of $100 million, and mid-single digit percentage royalties on net sales of the resulting licensed products.

Our obligation to pay royalties continues, on a licensed product-by-licensed product and country-by-country basis, until the later of (i) the date on which such licensed product is no longer covered by a valid claim of a patent licensed pursuant to the agreement in such country and (ii) ten years after the first commercial sale of such licensed product in such country.

In addition, the agreement provides us with the right to negotiate an exclusive license from Sorrento for two CAR-T/NK cell products to be mutually determined on terms substantially similar to the terms of the license agreement.

We must use commercially reasonable efforts to develop and commercialize the licensed products.

Subject, as applicable, to the licenses granted by Sorrento to us, each party shall own all inventions and other developments it creates or develops in the course of activities conducted pursuant to the agreement.

Sorrento has the first right to prosecute, maintain, defend and enforce the patents licensed pursuant to the agreement, subject to our ability to exercise such rights if Sorrento fails to do so.

We may terminate the agreement, in our sole discretion, in whole or on a product-by-product and country-by-country basis, at any time upon 60 days’ prior written notice to Sorrento.

In addition, either party may terminate the agreement in the event of a material breach by the other party.

In 2015, NANTibody entered into an exclusive license agreement with Sorrento pursuant to which NANTibody obtained a royalty-free exclusive license under certain patent rights and materials, including antibody sequences and cDNA, and clones and a non-exclusive license under certain know-how, in each case related to up to 75 immuno-oncology antibodies, immune-check point antibodies, bi-specific antibodies and/or ADCs from Sorrento’s G-MAB library to be mutually identified by the parties (21 of which were already identified at the time of signing the agreement), to use, research, develop and commercialize the resulting licensed products.

NANTibody must use commercially reasonable efforts to develop and commercialize the licensed products.

Subject, as applicable, to the licenses granted by Sorrento to NANTibody, each party shall own all inventions and other developments it creates or develops in the course of activities conducted pursuant to the agreement.

Sorrento has the first right to prosecute, maintain and defend the patents licensed pursuant to the agreement, subject to NANTibody’s ability to exercise such rights if Sorrento fails to do so.

NANTibody has the first right to enforce antibody-specific patents and Sorrento has the first right to enforce the other patents licensed pursuant to the agreement.

NANTibody may terminate the agreement, in its sole discretion, in whole or on a product-by-product and country-by-country basis, at any time upon 90 days’ prior written notice to Sorrento.

In addition, either party may terminate the agreement in the event of a material breach by the other party.

In 2019, we filed cross-claims against Sorrento in the Superior Court of California, Los Angeles County, alleging that Sorrento breached the exclusive license agreement with us;

these claims are now being pursued in arbitration.

In January 2020 and April 2020, Sorrento sent letters purporting to terminate the exclusive license agreement with us and the exclusive license agreement with NANTibody.

We believe we have cured any perceived breaches during the 90-day contractual cure period provided under the agreements.

Sorrento filed counterclaims against the company and NANTibody in the arbitration and requested leave to file a dispositive motion.

The hearings in the NANTibody arbitration commenced in April 2021 and concluded in early August 2021.

After post-hearing briefing was concluded, the parties were notified on November 30, 2021 that the arbitrator in the NANTibody arbitration had passed away.

A substitute arbitrator was appointed on February 25, 2022, and the parties will work with the substitute arbitrator to conclude the proceedings.

For more information, see Note 7 , Commitments and Contingencies—Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc.

Litigation, of the “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements” that appears in Part II, Item 8.

“Financial Statements and Supplementary Data” of this Annual Report.

Viracta Therapeutics, Inc.

In May 2017, we entered into an agreement with Viracta Therapeutics, Inc., or Viracta, to grant us exclusive worldwide rights to Viracta’s phase II drug candidate, VRx‑3996, for use in combination with our platform of NK cell therapies.

In consideration for the license, we are obligated to pay to Viracta (i) mid-single digit percentage royalties of net sales of licensed products for therapeutic use, and (ii) milestone payments ranging from $10.0 million to $25.0 million for various regulatory approvals and cumulative net sales levels.

We may terminate the agreement, in our sole discretion, in whole or on a product-by-product and/or country by country basis, at any time upon 90 days’ prior written notice.

In 2017, we entered into an agreement with Viracta under which we were granted exclusive worldwide rights to Viracta’s Phase 2 drug candidate, nanatinostat, for use in combination with our platform of NK cell therapies.

In consideration for the license, we are obligated to pay Viracta mid-single digit percentage royalties on net sales of licensed products for therapeutic use and milestone payments ranging from $10.0 million to $25.0 million up to an aggregate maximum of $100.0 million for various regulatory approvals and cumulative net sales levels.

We may terminate the agreement, at our sole discretion, in whole or on a product-by-product and/or country-by-country basis, at any time upon 90 days’ prior written notice.

In addition, either party may terminate the agreement in the event of a material breach or for bankruptcy of the other party.

Klingemann, M.D., Ph.D.

We hold the worldwide rights, title and interest to the NK ‑ 92 cell line , and we believe that we control commercial use of our NK ‑ 92 cells in key territories.

We also maintain and exclusively control the only clinical grade master cell bank for NK ‑ 92.

The original NK ‑ 92 cell line was isolated by Hans G.

Klingemann, M.D., Ph.D., our founder and Vice President of Research and Development, and all patents and patent applications pertaining to this cell line are now in the name of NantKwest, Inc.

or ZelleRx Corporation, our former name.

In February 2003, we obtained an exclusive, worldwide license from Dr.

Klingemann to the NK ‑ 92 cell line, and related NK ‑ 92 patents and know-how, that had been assigned to him by the British Columbia Cancer Agency, to manufacture, use and sell products covered by the scope of any valid claim in any of the licensed patents.

Klingemann subsequently assigned the cell line and those patents to us, but we are still obligated to pay a single-digit royalty on sales of licensed products to Dr.

Klingemann, as well as to pay the British Columbia Cancer Agency a small percentage of our profits from the sale of the NK ‑ 92 cell line that Dr.

Klingemann obtained from them.

Fox Chase Cancer Center.

In July 2004, we entered into an exclusive license agreement with Fox Chase Cancer Center, or Fox Chase, pursuant to which we were granted an exclusive, worldwide, sublicensable license under certain patents and know-how pertaining to CD16 receptors-bearing NK‑92 cell lines.

We agreed to pay Fox Chase low single-digit royalties on sales of licensed products.

We are also obligated to pay Fox Chase a percentage of the royalties and other compensation we receive from sublicensees of our rights from Fox Chase.

Fox Chase is obligated to assign the licensed patents to us if we commence a phase III clinical trial of a licensed product and, if this does not occur, our license expires when the last of the licensed patents expires.

In late May 2020, we received a letter from Fox Chase alleging breaches of our license.

If the letter is found to be a proper notice of termination and the alleged breaches are confirmed and found to be material, we will lose the licensed rights.

We do not consider these licensed rights to be material.

Rush University Medical Center.

In March 2004, we entered into a license agreement with Rush University Medical Center, pursuant to which Rush University Medical Center granted us an exclusive, worldwide, sublicensable license to certain intellectual property related to clinical use of NK‑92 to develop and commercialize products and processes for the treatment of melanoma and renal cancer, or for the diagnosis or treatment of non-melanoma and non-renal cancer.

In consideration for the license, we were obligated to pay to Rush University Medical Center single-digit royalties on sales of licensed products with a minimum royalty payment of $25,000 per year for 12 years.

The agreement also provided for payments upon completion of certain clinical, regulatory and commercialization milestones.

We also agreed to pay to Rush University Medical Center a portion of certain payments that we receive under sublicensing arrangements.

The license had a term of 12 years from 2006, the year in which royalty payments were first made, and included customary termination rights for both parties.

Beginning in 2018, this license converted to a perpetual, irrevocable, fully paid royalty-free, exclusive license.

University Health Network.

In May 2005, we entered into a license agreement with University Health Network, or UHN, pursuant to which we obtained from UHN an exclusive, worldwide, sublicensable license to certain intellectual property relating to NK‑92 clinical trials data from UHN to develop and commercialize products and processes for the diagnosis and treatment of certain hematological malignancies.

Our license from UHN will automatically expire if we have not filed for regulatory approval or launched a licensed product within specified periods of time, and also includes other customary termination rights for both parties.

Joint Development and License Agreements

Precigen Corporation, Inc.

(formerly known as Intrexon Corporation).

In February 2010, we entered into a 17‑year agreement with Precigen Corporation, Inc., or Precigen, pursuant to which we granted to Precigen a worldwide, sublicensable license which may be exclusive with respect to certain indications designated by Precigen, under certain patents relating to NK‑92 cells to develop and commercialize modified NK‑92 cells that express Precigen’s proprietary gene sequences for use as therapeutic and prophylactic agents in humans in specified therapeutic areas.

Precigen paid us a one-time license fee and is also obligated to pay non-material milestone payments with respect to specific indications, a royalty on net sales of the licensed products and a portion of the revenue Precigen receives from third party sublicensees of its rights from us.

Precigen has the right to terminate the agreement upon 180 days’ notice and both parties have the right to terminate the agreement for the other’s uncured breach of the agreement.

We have licensed or sub-licensed our cell lines and intellectual property to numerous other pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies for non-clinical uses such as laboratory testing.

Such licenses generally require the licensee to pay an upfront fee and annual research and commercial fees for products sold using our intellectual property and cell lines.

Supply Agreements

We have, and expect that we will continue, to enter into supply agreements with third parties and related parties to provide investigational agents to be used in our clinical trials.

Anticipated Agreements and Considerations

In addition to the collaboration and license agreements discussed above, we may enter into a commercial agreement relating to an IL‑15 superagonist product developed by ImmunityBio, if the proposed merger with ImmunityBio is not consummated, and we are also pursuing certain strategic research and/or license agreements with third parties to develop our product candidate pipeline.

These types of agreements do not typically specify how sales will be apportioned between the parties upon successful commercialization of the product.

As a result, we cannot guarantee that we will receive a percentage of the revenue that is at least proportional to the costs that we will incur in commercializing the product candidate.

Furthermore, if Dr.

Soon-Shiong was to cease his affiliation with us or with NantWorks, any affiliated entities may be unwilling to continue their relationships with us on commercially reasonable terms, or at all, which in turn may impede our ability to control the supply chain for our combination therapies.

Government Regulation

In the U.S., the FDA regulates biopharmaceuticals under the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FDCA) and the Public Health Service Act (PHSA).

Biopharmaceuticals also are subject to other federal, state and local statutes and regulations.

The process of obtaining regulatory approvals and the subsequent compliance with appropriate federal, state, local and foreign statutes and regulations requires the expenditure of substantial time and financial resources.

Failure to comply with the applicable U.S.

requirements at any time during the product development process, approval process or post-market may subject an applicant to administrative or judicial sanctions.

These sanctions could include, among other actions, the FDA’s refusal to approve pending applications, withdrawal of an approval, a clinical hold, untitled or warning letters, product recalls or market withdrawals, product seizures, total or partial suspension of production or distribution, injunctions, fines, refusals of government contracts, restitution, disgorgement and civil or criminal penalties.

Any agency or judicial enforcement action could have a material adverse effect on us.

Failure to comply with statutory and regulatory requirements subjects a manufacturer to possible legal or regulatory action, including warning letters, the seizure or recall of products, injunctions, consent decrees placing significant restrictions on or suspending manufacturing operations and civil and criminal penalties.

Contract manufacturers often encounter difficulties involving production yields, quality control and quality assurance, as well as shortages of qualified personnel.

Any of these actions or events could have a material impact on the availability of our product candidates.

The FDA and other regulatory authorities at federal, state, and local levels, as well as in foreign countries, 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.

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The process of obtaining regulatory approvals and the subsequent compliance with appropriate federal, state, local, and foreign statutes and regulations require the expenditure of substantial time and financial resources.

The process required by the FDA before biologic product candidates may be marketed in the U.S.

The process required by the FDA before biopharmaceutical product candidates may be marketed in the U.S.

generally involves the following:

completion of preclinical laboratory tests and animal studies performed in accordance with the FDA’s current Good Laboratory Practices, or cGLP, regulation;

• completion of preclinical laboratory tests and animal studies performed in accordance with the FDA’s GLP requirements;

• 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 Institutional Review Board, or IRB, or ethics committee for each clinical site before the clinical trial is begun;

• approval by an independent IRB or ethics committee for each clinical site before the clinical trial is begun;

• 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 required clinical trials;

a determination by the FDA within 60 days of its receipt of a BLA to file the application for review;

• preparation of and submission to the FDA of a BLA or NDA, after completion of all required clinical trials;

• a determination by the FDA within 60 days of its receipt of a BLA/NDA to file the application for review;

• satisfactory completion of an FDA Advisory Committee review, if applicable;

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 cGMP 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 investigational sites to assess compliance with current Good Clinical Practices, or cGCPs;

FDA review and approval of the BLA to permit commercial marketing of the product for particular indications for use in the U.S., which must be updated annually and when significant changes are made.

• 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 cGMP and to assure that the facilities, methods and controls are adequate to preserve the product candidates’ continued safety, quality, purity and potency or efficacy, and of selected clinical investigational sites to assess compliance with GCP requirements;

• FDA review and approval of the BLA or NDA to permit commercial marketing of the product for particular indications for use in the U.S.;

• compliance with any post-approval requirements, including the potential requirement to implement a REMS, and the potential requirement to conduct post-approval studies.

The testing and approval process requires substantial time, effort and financial resources, and we cannot be certain that any approvals for our product candidates will be granted on a timely basis, if at all.

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 product to humans.

The central focus of an IND submission is on the general investigational plan and the protocol(s) for clinical studies.

An IND is a request for authorization from the FDA to administer an IND product to humans.

The central focus of an IND submission is on the general investigational plan and the protocol(s) for clinical trials.

The IND also includes results of animal and in vitro studies assessing the toxicology, pharmacokinetics, pharmacology, and pharmacodynamic characteristics of the product;

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Submission of an IND therefore may or may not result in FDA authorization to begin a clinical trial.

When a clinical trial using genetically engineered cells is conducted at, or sponsored by, institutions receiving National Institutes of Health, or NIH , funding for recombinant DNA research, prior to the submission of an IND to the FDA, a protocol and related documentation is submitted to and the study is registered with the NIH Office of Biotechnology Activities, or OBA, pursuant to the NIH Guidelines for Research Involving Recombinant DNA Molecules, or NIH Guidelines.

Compliance with the NIH Guidelines is mandatory for investigators at institutions receiving NIH funds for research involving recombinant DNA, and many companies and other institutions not otherwise subject to the NIH Guidelines voluntarily follow them.

The NIH is responsible for convening the Recombinant DNA Advisory Committee, or RAC, a federal advisory committee that discusses protocols that raise novel or particularly important scientific, safety, or ethical considerations at one of its quarterly public meetings.

When a clinical trial using genetically engineered cells is conducted at, or sponsored by, institutions receiving NIH funding for wild-type DNA research, prior to the submission of an IND to the FDA, a protocol and related documentation is submitted to and the study is registered with the NIH Office of Biotechnology Activities (OBA) pursuant to the NIH Guidelines for Research Involving Recombinant DNA Molecules (NIH Guidelines).

Compliance with the NIH Guidelines is mandatory for investigators at institutions receiving NIH funds for research involving wild-type DNA, and many companies and other institutions not otherwise subject to the NIH Guidelines voluntarily follow them.

The NIH is responsible for convening the Recombinant DNA Advisory Committee (RAC), a federal advisory committee that discusses protocols that raise novel or particularly important scientific, safety, or ethical considerations at one of its quarterly public meetings.

The OBA will notify the FDA of the RAC’s decision regarding the necessity for full public review of a protocol.

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If the FDA allows the IND to proceed, but the RAC decides that full public review of the protocol is warranted, the FDA will request at the completion of its IND review that sponsors delay initiation of the protocol until after completion of the RAC review process.

Clinical trials involve the administration of the investigational product to human subjects under the supervision of qualified investigators in accordance with cGCPs, which include the requirement that all research subjects provide their informed consent for their participation in any clinical study.

Clinical trials involve the administration of the investigational product to human subjects under the supervision of qualified investigators in accordance with GCP requirement, which include the requirement that all research subjects provide their informed consent for their participation in any clinical trial.

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.

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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 clinical studies 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.

The biological product is initially introduced into healthy human subjects and tested for safety.

Some studies also include oversight by an independent group of qualified experts organized by the clinical trial 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 clinical trials and clinical trial results to public registries.

For purposes of BLA or NDA approval, human clinical trials are typically conducted in three sequential phases that may overlap.

The investigational product is initially introduced into healthy human subjects and tested for safety.

In the case of some products for severe or life-threatening diseases, the initial human testing is often conducted in patients.

The biological product is evaluated in a limited patient population to identify possible adverse effects and safety risks, to preliminarily evaluate the efficacy of the product for specific targeted diseases and to determine dosage tolerance, optimal dosage and dosing schedule.

Clinical trials are undertaken to further evaluate dosage, clinical efficacy, potency, and safety in an expanded patient population at geographically dispersed clinical trial sites.

The investigational product is evaluated in a limited patient population to identify possible adverse effects and safety risks, to preliminarily evaluate the efficacy or potency of the product for specific targeted diseases and to determine dosage tolerance, optimal dosage and dosing schedule.

Clinical trials are undertaken to further evaluate dosage, clinical efficacy or potency, and safety in an expanded patient population at geographically dispersed clinical trial sites.

These clinical trials are intended to establish the overall risk to benefit ratio of the product and provide an adequate basis for product labeling.

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 IV studies may be made a condition to approval of the BLA.

Phase I, phase II and phase III testing may not be completed successfully within a specified period, if at all, and there can be no assurance that the data collected will support FDA approval or licensure of the product.

These so-called Phase 4 trials may be made a condition to approval of the BLA or NDA.

Phase 1, Phase 2 and Phase 3 testing may not be completed successfully within a specified period, if at all, and there can be no assurance that the data collected will support FDA approval or licensure of the product.

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.

To help reduce the risk of the introduction of adventitious agents with use of biological products, the Public Health Service Act, or PHSA, emphasizes the importance of manufacturing control for products whose attributes cannot be precisely defined.

To help reduce the risk of the introduction of adventitious agents with use of biological products, the Public Health Service Act emphasizes the importance of manufacturing control for products whose attributes cannot be precisely defined.

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.

Further, as a result of the COVID‑19 pandemic, we may be required to develop and implement additional clinical trial policies and procedures designed to help protect subjects from the COVID‑19 virus.

For example, the FDA has issued guidance on conducting clinical trials during the pandemic, which describes a number of considerations for sponsors of clinical trials impacted by the pandemic, including certain reporting requirements, and additional guidance on GMP considerations for responding to COVID‑19 infection and other topics.

We may be required to make further adjustments to our clinical trials or business operations based on current or future guidance and regulatory requirements as a result of the COVID‑19 pandemic.

BLA Submission and Review by the FDA

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 and clinical studies, 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.

Data can come from company-sponsored clinical studies intended to test the safety and effectiveness of a use of the product or from a number of alternative sources, including studies initiated by investigators.

The submission of a BLA requires payment of a substantial user fee to the FDA, and the sponsor of an approved BLA is subject to annual product and establishment user fees.

We may be required to develop and implement additional clinical trial policies and procedures designed to help protect subjects from the COVID-19 virus.

For example, in March 2020, the FDA issued a guidance, which FDA subsequently updated, on conducting clinical trials during the pandemic, which describes a number of considerations for sponsors of clinical trials impacted by the pandemic, including the requirement to include in the clinical trial report contingency measures implemented to manage the trial, and any disruption of the trial as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic;

a list of all subjects affected by the COVID-19-pandemic related study disruption by unique subject identifier and by investigational site and a description of how the individual’s participation was altered;

and analyses and corresponding discussions that address the impact of implemented contingency measures (e.g., participant discontinuation from investigational product and/or study, alternative procedures used to collect critical safety and/or efficacy data) on the safety and efficacy results reported for the trial.

In June 2020, FDA also published a guidance on Good Manufacturing Practice considerations for responding to COVID-19 infection in employees in drug and biological products manufacturing.

The extent to which the COVID-19 pandemic impacts our business, preclinical studies and clinical trials will depend on future developments, which are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted with confidence.

BLA/NDA Submission and Review by the FDA

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 for a biologic product candidate or an NDA for a small molecule product candidate requesting approval to market the product for one or more indications.

The BLA/NDA must include all relevant data available from pertinent preclinical 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.

Data can come from company-sponsored clinical trials intended to test the safety and effectiveness of a use of the product or from a number of alternative sources, including studies initiated by investigators.

The submission of a BLA/NDA requires payment of a substantial user fee to the FDA, and the sponsor of an approved BLA/NDA is subject to annual product and establishment user fees.

These fees typically increase annually.

A waiver of user fees may be obtained under certain limited circumstances.

Within 60 days following submission of the application, the FDA reviews a BLA to determine if it is substantially complete before the agency accepts it for filing.

The FDA may refuse to file any BLA that it deems incomplete or not properly reviewable at the time of submission and may request additional information.

In this event, the BLA must be resubmitted with the additional information.

Once a BLA has been filed, the FDA’s goal is to review the application within ten months after it accepts the application for filing, or, if the application relates to an unmet medical need in a serious or life-threatening indication, six months after the FDA accepts the application for filing.

Within 60 days following submission of the application, the FDA reviews a BLA/NDA to determine if it is substantially complete before the agency accepts it for filing.

The FDA may refuse to file any BLA or NDA that it deems incomplete or not properly reviewable at the time of submission and may request additional information.

In this event, the BLA/NDA must be resubmitted with the additional information.

Once a BLA/NDA has been filed, the FDA’s goal is to review the application within ten months after it accepts the application for filing, or, if the application relates to an unmet medical need in a serious or life-threatening indication, six months after the FDA accepts the application for filing.

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 reviews a BLA/NDA to determine, among other things, whether a product is safe and effective, or safe, pure and potent for the proposed indication(s) 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 or efficacy.

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.

Before approving a BLA/NDA, 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 comply with cGMP requirements and are adequate to assure consistent production of the product within required specifications.

FDA regulations also require tissue establishments to register and list their HCT/Ps with the FDA and, when applicable, to evaluate donors through screening and testing.

Additionally, before approving a BLA, the FDA will typically inspect one or more clinical sites to assure compliance with cGCP.

If applicable, FDA regulations also require tissue establishments to register and list their human cells, tissues, and cellular and tissue-based products with the FDA and to evaluate donors through screening and testing.

Additionally, before approving a BLA/NDA, the FDA will typically inspect one or more clinical sites to assure compliance with GCP.

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.

The testing and approval process requires substantial time, effort and financial resources, and each may take several years to complete.

The FDA may not grant approval on a timely basis, or at all, and we may encounter difficulties or unanticipated costs in our efforts to secure necessary governmental approvals, which could delay or preclude us from marketing our products.

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, a complete response letter, or a not approval letter.

The testing and approval process require substantial time, effort and financial resources, and each may take several years to complete.

After the FDA evaluates a BLA/NDA 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.

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A complete response letter may request 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.

The FDA may delay or refuse approval of a BLA/NDA 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 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, plan to mitigate risks, which could include medication guides, physician communication plans, or other restrictions to assure safe use, such as restricted distribution methods, patient registries and other risk minimization tools.

For example, the FDA may approve the BLA/NDA with a REMS plan to mitigate risks, which could include medication guides, physician communication plans, or other restrictions 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 regulatory standards is not maintained or if problems occur after the product reaches the marketplace.

The FDA may require one or more phase IV 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.

In addition, new government requirements, including those resulting from new legislation, may be established, or the FDA’s policies may change, which could delay or prevent regulatory approval of our products under development.

The FDA may require one or more Phase 4 post-market trials 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.

A sponsor may seek approval of its product candidate under programs designed to accelerate the FDA’s review and approval of new drugs and biological products that meet certain criteria.

Specifically, new drugs and biological products are eligible for Fast Track designation if they are intended to treat a serious or life-threatening condition and demonstrate the potential to address unmet medical needs for the condition.

For a fast track product, the FDA may consider sections of the BLA for review on a rolling basis before the complete application is submitted if relevant criteria are met.

A fast track designated product candidate may also qualify for priority review, under which the FDA sets the target date for FDA action on the BLA at six months after the FDA accepts the application for filing.

For a Fast Track product, the FDA may consider sections of the BLA/NDA for review on a rolling basis before the complete application is submitted if relevant criteria are met.

A Fast Track- designated product candidate may also qualify for priority review.

Priority review is granted when there is evidence that the proposed product would be a significant improvement in the safety or effectiveness of the treatment, diagnosis, or prevention of a serious condition.

If criteria are not met for priority review, the application is subject to the standard FDA review period of ten months after the FDA accepts the application for filing.

If criteria are not met for priority review, the application is subject to the standard FDA review period.

Priority review designation does not change the scientific/medical standard for approval or the quality of evidence necessary to support approval.

Under the accelerated approval program, the FDA may approve a BLA on the basis of either 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.

Post-marketing studies or completion of ongoing studies after marketing approval are generally required to verify the biologic’s clinical benefit in relationship to the surrogate endpoint or ultimate outcome in relationship to the clinical benefit.

In addition, the Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act, or FDASIA, which was enacted and signed into law in 2012, established breakthrough therapy designation.

Under the accelerated approval program, the FDA may approve a BLA/NDA on the basis of either 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.

Post-marketing studies or completion of ongoing studies after marketing approval are generally required to verify the product’s clinical benefit in relationship to the surrogate endpoint or ultimate outcome in relationship to the clinical benefit.

In addition, the Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act of 2012 (FDASIA) established Breakthrough Therapy designation.

A sponsor may seek FDA designation of its product candidate as a Breakthrough Therapy if the product candidate is intended, alone or in combination with one or more other drugs or biologics, to treat a serious or life-threatening disease or condition and preliminary clinical evidence indicates that the therapy may demonstrate substantial improvement over existing therapies on one or more clinically significant endpoints, such as substantial treatment effects observed early in clinical development.

Sponsors may request the FDA to designate a breakthrough therapy at the time of, or any time after, the submission of an IND, but ideally before an end-of-phase II meeting with the FDA.

Sponsors may request the FDA to designate a Breakthrough Therapy at the time of, or any time after, the submission of an IND, but ideally before an end-of-Phase 2 meeting with the FDA.

If the FDA designates a Breakthrough Therapy , it may take actions appropriate to expedite the development and review of the application, which may include holding meetings with the sponsor and the review team throughout the development of the therapy;

providing timely advice to, and interactive communication with, the sponsor regarding the development of the drug to ensure that the development program to gather the nonclinical and clinical data necessary for approval is as efficient as practicable;

providing timely advice to, and interactive communication with, the sponsor regarding the development of the product candidate to ensure that the development program to gather the nonclinical and clinical data necessary for approval is as efficient as practicable;

involving senior managers and experienced review staff, as appropriate, in a collaborative, cross-disciplinary review;

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and considering alternative clinical trial designs when scientifically appropriate, which may result in smaller or more efficient clinical trials that require less time to complete and may minimize the number of patients exposed to a potentially less efficacious treatment.

Breakthrough designation also allows the sponsor to file sections of the BLA for review on a rolling basis.

Breakthrough Therapy designation also allows the sponsor to file sections of the BLA/NDA for review on a rolling basis.

We may seek designation as a Breakthrough Therapy for some or all of our product candidates.

Fast track designation, priority review and breakthrough therapy designation do not change the standards for approval but may expedite the development or approval process.

Breakthrough Therapy and/or Fast Track designations and priority review do not change the standards for approval.

The receipt of such designations may not lead to a faster development process or regulatory review and may not increase the likelihood that a product candidate will receive approval.

In addition, the Pediatric Research Equity Act (PREA) requires a sponsor to conduct pediatric clinical trials for certain drugs and biological products, for a new active ingredient, new indication, new dosage form, new dosing regimen or new route of administration.

Under PREA, original NDAs/BLAs and supplements must contain a pediatric assessment unless the sponsor has received a deferral or waiver.

The required assessment must evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the product for the claimed indications in all relevant pediatric subpopulations and support dosing and administration for each pediatric subpopulation for which the product is safe and effective.

The sponsor or FDA may request a deferral of pediatric clinical trials for some or all of the pediatric subpopulations.

A deferral may be granted for several reasons, including a finding that the product candidate is ready for approval for use in adults before pediatric clinical trials are complete or that additional safety or effectiveness data needs to be collected before the pediatric clinical trials begin.

The FDA must send a non-compliance letter to any sponsor that fails to submit the required assessment, keep a deferral current or fails to submit a request for approval of a pediatric formulation.

Under the Orphan Drug Act, the FDA may grant orphan designation to a drug or biologic intended to treat a rare disease or condition, defined as a disease or condition with a patient population of fewer than 200,000 individuals in the U.S., or a patient population greater than 200,000 individuals in the U.S.

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for that drug or biologic.

Orphan drug designation must be requested before submitting a BLA.

Orphan drug designation must be requested before submitting a BLA or NDA.

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.

If a product that has orphan drug designation subsequently receives the first FDA approval for a particular active ingredient for the disease for which it has such designation, the product is entitled to orphan product 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.

If a product that has orphan drug designation subsequently receives the first FDA approval for a particular active ingredient for the disease for which it has such designation, the product is entitled to orphan product exclusivity, which means that the FDA may not approve any other applications, including a full BLA or NDA, to market the same biologic or drug product 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.

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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.

Emergency Use Authorization

Operation Warp Speed (OWS) aimed to deliver 300 million doses of a safe, effective vaccine for COVID-19 by January 2021, and was part of a broader government strategy to accelerate the development, manufacturing, and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics.

OWS was a partnership among components of HHS, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the FDA, the NIH, and the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) and the Department of Defense;

engaged with private firms and other federal agencies;

and coordinated existing HHS-wide efforts, including the NIH’s Accelerating COVID-19 Therapeutic Interventions and Vaccines partnership, NIH’s Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics initiative, and work by BARDA.

A COVID-19 vaccine product may be approved initially under an emergency use authorization (EUA) followed by a full BLA approval when more data are available and submitted to FDA for approval.

On February 4, 2020, the Secretary of HHS determined that the COVID-19 pandemic is a public health emergency that has a significant potential to affect national security or the health and security of U.S.

On the basis of such determination, on March 27, 2020, the Secretary of HHS declared that circumstances exist justifying the authorization of emergency use of drugs and biologics during the COVID-19 outbreak, pursuant to Section 564 of the FDCA, which permits the FDA Commissioner to allow unapproved medical products or unapproved uses of approved medical products to be used in the COVID-19 public health emergency.

FDA has created the Coronavirus Treatment Acceleration Program, a new program designed to expedite the development of potential COVID-19 therapies by using every tool at the agency’s disposal to determine if the therapies are safe and effective for their intended uses.

In issuing an emergency use authorization, FDA will consider the totality of scientific evidence available to FDA regarding safety, efficacy and known and potential risks of such products and availability of alternatives to the emergency use products, among others.

Emergency Use Authorizations issued by FDA will specify the scope authorization and conditions of authorization, including limitations on distribution and conditions related to product advertising and promotion.

Once granted, an EUA is effective will be effective until the declaration that circumstances exist justifying the authorization of the emergency use of drugs and biologics for prevention and treatment of COVID-19 is terminated under Section 564(b)(2) of the FDCA or the EUA is revoked under Section 564(g) of the FDCA, after which the product must be approved by FDA under a traditional pathway in order to remain on the market or to continue commercialization of the product.

Post-Approval Requirements

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There also are continuing, annual user fee requirements for any marketed products and the establishments at which such products are manufactured, as well as new application fees for supplemental applications with clinical data.

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 cGMP, which impose certain procedural and documentation requirements upon us and any third-party manufacturers that we may decide to use.

Biopharmaceutical 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 cGMP, which impose certain procedural and documentation requirements upon us and any third-party manufacturers that we may decide to use.

Changes to the manufacturing process are strictly regulated and, depending on the significance of the change, may require prior FDA approval before being implemented.

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We cannot be certain that we or our present or future suppliers will be able to comply with the cGMP regulations and other FDA regulatory requirements.

If our present or future suppliers are not able to comply with these requirements, the FDA may, among other things, halt our clinical trials, require us to recall a product from distribution, or withdraw approval of the BLA.

Future FDA and state inspections may identify compliance issues at our facilities or at the facilities of contract manufacturers that may disrupt production or distribution, or require substantial resources to correct.

In addition, discovery of previously unknown problems with a product or the failure to comply with applicable requirements may result in restrictions on a product, manufacturer or holder of an approved BLA, including withdrawal or recall of the product from the market or other voluntary, FDA-initiated or judicial action that could delay or prohibit further marketing.

In addition, discovery of previously unknown problems with a product or the failure to comply with applicable requirements may result in restrictions on a product, manufacturer or holder of an approved BLA or NDA, including withdrawal or recall of the product from the market or other voluntary, FDA-initiated or judicial action that could delay or prohibit further marketing.

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;

Later discovery of previously unknown problems with a product, including AEs 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 trials to assess new safety risks;

or imposition of distribution restrictions or other restrictions under a REMS program.

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• restrictions on the marketing or manufacturing of the product, complete withdrawal of the product from the market or product recalls;

fines, warning letters or holds on post-approval clinical studies;

• fines, warning letters or holds on post-approval clinical trials;

• refusal of the FDA to approve pending applications or supplements to approved applications, or suspension or revocation of product license approvals;

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• injunctions or the imposition of civil or criminal penalties.

The FDA closely regulates the marketing, labeling, advertising and promotion of biologics.

The FDA closely regulates the marketing, labeling, advertising and promotion of biologics or drug products.

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.

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The FDA does, however, restrict manufacturer’s communications on the subject of off-label use of their products.

Premarket Clearance and Approval Requirements for Medical Devices

Each medical device we seek to commercially distribute in the U.S.

will require either a prior 510(k) clearance, unless it is exempt (PMA) from the FDA.

Generally, if a new device has a predicate that is already on the market under a 510(k) clearance, the FDA will allow that new device to be marketed under a 510(k) clearance;

otherwise, a PMA is required.

Medical devices are classified into one of three classes:

Class 1, Class 2 or Class 3, depending on the degree of risk associated with each medical device and the extent of control needed to provide reasonable assurance of safety and effectiveness.

Class 1 devices are deemed to be low risk and are subject to the general controls of the FDCA, such as provisions that relate to:

adulteration;

registration and listing;

notification, including repair, replacement, or refund;

records and reports;

and good manufacturing practices.

Most Class 1 devices are classified as exempt from pre-market notification under section 510(k) of the FDCA, and therefore may be commercially distributed without obtaining 510(k) clearance from the FDA.

Class 2 devices are subject to both general controls and special controls to provide reasonable assurance of safety and effectiveness.

Special controls include performance standards, post market surveillance, patient registries and guidance documents.

A manufacturer may be required to submit to the FDA a pre-market notification requesting permission to commercially distribute some Class 2 devices.

Devices deemed by the FDA to pose the greatest risk, such as life-sustaining, life-supporting or implantable devices, or devices deemed not substantially equivalent to a previously cleared 510(k) device, are placed in Class 3.

A Class 3 device cannot be marketed in the U.S.

unless the FDA approves the device after submission of a PMA.

However, there are some Class 3 devices for which FDA has not yet called for a PMA.

For these devices, the manufacturer must submit a pre-market notification and obtain 510(k) clearance in orders to commercially distribute these devices.

The FDA can also impose sales, marketing or other restrictions on devices in order to assure that they are used in a safe and effective manner.

510(k) Clearance Pathway

When a 510(k) clearance is required, we must submit a pre-market notification to the FDA demonstrating that our proposed device is substantially equivalent to a predicate device, which is a previously cleared and legally marketed 510(k) device or a device that was in commercial distribution before May 28, 1976.

By regulation, a pre-market notification must be submitted to the FDA at least 90 days before we intend to distribute a device.

As a practical matter, clearance often takes significantly longer.

To demonstrate substantial equivalence, the manufacturer must show that the proposed device has the same intended use as the predicate device, and it either has the same technological characteristics, or different technological characteristics and the information in the pre-market notification demonstrates that the device is equally safe and effective and does not raise different questions of safety and effectiveness.

The FDA may require further information, including clinical data, to make a determination regarding substantial equivalence.

If the FDA determines that the device, or its intended use, is not substantially equivalent to a previously cleared device or use, the FDA will place the device into Class 3.

There are three types of 510(k)s:

and abbreviated.

Special 510(k)s are for devices that are modified and the modification needs a new 510(k) but does not affect the intended use or alter the fundamental scientific technology of the device.

Abbreviated 510(k)s are for devices that conform to a recognized standard.

The special and abbreviated 510(k)s are intended to streamline review, and the FDA intends to process special 510(k)s within 30 days of receipt.

De Novo Classification

Medical device types that the FDA has not previously classified as Class 1, 2 or 3 are automatically classified into Class 3 regardless of the level of risk they pose.

The Food and Drug Administration Modernization Act of 1997 established a new route to market for low to moderate risk medical devices that are automatically placed into Class 3 due to the absence of a predicate device, called the Request for Evaluation of Automatic Class 3 Designation (or the De Novo Classification Process).

This procedure allows a manufacturer whose novel device is automatically classified into Class 3 to request down-classification of its medical device into Class 1 or Class 2 on the basis that the device presents low or moderate risk, rather than requiring the submission and approval of a PMA application.

Prior to the enactment of the FDASIA, a medical device could only be eligible for de novo classification if the manufacturer first submitted a 510(k) pre-market notification and received a determination from the FDA that the device was not substantially equivalent.

FDASIA streamlined the de novo classification pathway by permitting manufacturers to request de novo classification directly without first submitting a 510(k) pre-market notification to the FDA and receiving a not substantially equivalent determination.

Under FDASIA, the FDA is required to classify the device within 120 days following receipt of the de novo application.

If the manufacturer seeks reclassification into Class 2, the manufacturer must include a draft proposal for special controls that are necessary to provide a reasonable assurance of the safety and effectiveness of the medical device.

In addition, the FDA may reject the reclassification petition if it identifies a legally marketed predicate device that would be appropriate for a 510(k) or determines that the device is not low to moderate risk or that general controls would be inadequate to control the risks and special controls cannot be developed.

Pre-market Approval Pathway

A PMA application must be submitted to the FDA for Class 3 devices for which the FDA has required a PMA.

The PMA application process is much more demanding than the 510(k) pre-market notification process.

A PMA application must be supported by extensive data, including but not limited to technical, preclinical, clinical trials, manufacturing and labeling to demonstrate to the FDA’s satisfaction reasonable evidence of safety and effectiveness of the device.

After a PMA application is submitted, the FDA has 45 days to determine whether the application is sufficiently complete to permit a substantive review and thus whether the FDA will file the application for review.

The FDA has 180 days to review a filed PMA application, although the review of an application generally occurs over a significantly longer period of time and can take up to several years.

During this review period, the FDA may request additional information or clarification of the information already provided.

Also, an advisory panel of experts from outside the FDA may be convened to review and evaluate the application and provide recommendations to the FDA as to the approvability of the device.

Although the FDA is not bound by the advisory panel decision, the panel’s recommendations are important to the FDA’s overall decision making process.

In addition, the FDA may conduct a preapproval inspection of the manufacturing facility to ensure compliance with the Quality System Regulation (QSR).

The agency also may inspect one or more clinical sites to assure compliance with FDA’s regulations.

Upon completion of the PMA review, the FDA may:

(i) approve the PMA application which authorizes commercial marketing with specific prescribing information for one or more indications, which can be more limited than those originally sought;

(ii) issue an approvable letter which indicates the FDA’s belief that the PMA application is approvable and states what additional information the FDA requires or the post-approval commitments that must be agreed to prior to approval;

(iii)issue a not approvable letter which outlines steps required for approval, but which are typically more onerous than those in an approvable letter, and may require additional clinical trials that are often expensive and time consuming and can delay approval for months or even years;

or (iv) deny the application.

If the FDA issues an approvable or not approvable letter, the applicant has 180 days to respond, after which the FDA’s review clock is reset.

Clinical trials are almost always required to support PMA and are sometimes required for 510(k) clearance.

In the U.S., for significant risk devices, these trials require submission of an application for an Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) to the FDA.

The IDE application must be supported by appropriate data, such as animal and laboratory testing results, showing it is safe to test the device in humans and that the testing protocol is scientifically sound.

The IDE must be approved in advance by the FDA for a specific number of patients at specified trial sites.

During the trial, the sponsor must comply with the FDA’s IDE requirements for investigator selection, trial monitoring, reporting and recordkeeping.

The investigators must obtain patient informed consent, rigorously follow the investigational plan and trial protocol, control the disposition of investigational devices and comply with all reporting and recordkeeping requirements.

Clinical trials for significant risk devices may not begin until the IDE application is approved by the FDA and the appropriate IRBs at the clinical trial sites.

An IRB is an appropriately constituted group that has been formally designated to review and monitor medical research involving subjects and which has the authority to approve, require modifications in, or disapprove research to protect the rights, safety and welfare of human research subjects.

A nonsignificant risk device does not require FDA approval of an IDE;

however, the clinical trial must still be conducted in compliance with various requirements of FDA’s IDE regulations and be approved by an IRB at the clinical trial sites.

The FDA or the IRB at each site at which a clinical trial is being performed may withdraw approval of a clinical trial at any time for various reasons, including a belief that the risks to study subjects outweigh the benefits or a failure to comply with FDA or IRB requirements.

Even if a trial is completed, the results of clinical testing may not demonstrate the safety and effectiveness of the device, may be equivocal or may otherwise not be sufficient to obtain approval or clearance of the product.

Sponsors of clinical trials of devices are required to register with clinical trials.gov, a public database of clinical trial information.

Information related to the device, patient population, phase of investigation, study sites and investigators and other aspects of the clinical trial is made public as part of the registration.

Ongoing Medical Device Regulation by the FDA

Even after a device receives clearance or approval and is placed on the market, numerous regulatory requirements apply.

These include:

• establishment registration and device listing;

• the QSR, which requires manufacturers, including third-party manufacturers, to follow stringent design, testing, control, documentation and other quality assurance procedures during all aspects of the manufacturing process;

• labeling regulations and the FDA prohibitions against the promotion of products for uncleared, unapproved or off-label uses and other requirements related to promotional activities;

• medical device reporting regulations, which require that manufactures report to the FDA if their device may have caused or contributed to a death or serious injury, or if their device malfunctioned and the device or a similar device marketed by the manufacturer would be likely to cause or contribute to a death or serious injury if the malfunction were to recur;

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

• post market surveillance regulations, which apply to certain Class 2 or 3 devices when necessary to protect the public health or to provide additional safety and effectiveness data for the device.

After a device receives 510(k) clearance, any modification that could significantly affect its safety or effectiveness, or that would constitute a major change in its intended use, will require a new clearance or possibly a PMA.

The FDA requires each manufacturer to make this determination initially, but the FDA can review any such decision and can disagree with a manufacture’s determination.

If the FDA disagrees with our determination not to seek a new 510(k) clearance, the FDA may retroactively require us to seek 510(k) clearance or possibly a PMA.

The FDA could also require manufacturer to cease marketing and distribution and/or recall the modified device until 510(k) clearance or PMA is obtained.

Also, in these circumstances, the manufacturer may be subject to significant regulatory fines and penalties.

Some changes to an approved PMA device, including changes in indications, labeling or manufacturing processes or facilities, require submission and FDA approval of a new PMA application or PMA supplement, as appropriate, before the change can be implemented.

Supplements to a PMA application often require the submission of the same type of information required for an original PMA application, except that the supplement is generally limited to that information needed to support the proposed change from the device covered by the original PMA.

The FDA uses the same procedures and actions in reviewing PMA supplements as it does in reviewing original PMA applications.

FDA regulations require us to register as a medical device manufacturer with the FDA.

Additionally, some states require us to register as a medical device manufacturer within the state.

Because of this, the FDA and similar state agencies may inspect us on a routine basis for compliance with the QSR.

These regulations require that the manufacturer maintain proper documentation in a prescribed manner with respect to manufacturing, testing and control activities.

Further, the FDA requires medical device manufacturers to comply with various FDA regulations regarding labeling.

Failure by us or by our suppliers to comply with applicable regulatory requirements can result in enforcement action by the FDA or state authorities, which may include any of the following sanctions:

• warning or untitled letters, fines, injunctions, consent decrees and civil penalties;

• customer notifications, voluntary or mandatory recall or seizure of our medical device product candidates;

• operating restrictions, partial suspension or total shutdown of production;

• delay in processing submissions or applications for new products or modifications to existing products;

• withdrawing approvals that have already been granted;

• criminal prosecution.

The Medical Device Reporting laws and regulations require medical device manufacturers to provide information to the FDA when they receive or otherwise become aware of information that reasonably suggests the device may have caused or contributed to a death or serious injury as well as a device malfunction that likely would cause or contribute to death or serious injury if the malfunction were to recur.

In addition, the FDA prohibits an approved device from being marketed for off-label use.

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 liability, including substantial monetary penalties and criminal prosecution.

Newly discovered or developed safety or effectiveness data may require changes to a product’s labeling, including the addition of new warnings and contraindications, and also may require the implementation of other risk management measures.

Also, new government requirements, including those resulting from new legislation, may be established, or the FDA’s policies may change, which could delay or prevent regulatory clearance or approval of our medical device product candidates under development.

Medical device manufacturers are also subject to other federal, state and local laws and regulations relating to safe working conditions, laboratory and manufacturing practices.

Other Healthcare Laws and Compliance Requirements

Our sales, promotion, medical education, clinical research and other activities following product approval will be subject to regulation by numerous regulatory and law enforcement authorities in the U.S.

in addition to the FDA, including potentially the Federal Trade Commission, the Department of Justice, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, or CMS, other divisions of the U.S.

Department of Health and Human Services and state and local governments.

Our promotional and scientific/educational programs must comply with the federal Anti-Kickback Statute, the False Claims Act, physician payment transparency laws, privacy laws, security laws, and additional federal and state laws similar to the foregoing.

The federal Anti-Kickback Statute prohibits, among other things, the knowing and willing, direct or indirect offer, receipt, solicitation or payment of remuneration in exchange for or to induce the referral of patients, including the purchase, order or lease of any good, facility, item or service that would be paid for in whole or part by Medicare, Medicaid or other federal health care programs.

in addition to the FDA, including potentially the Federal Trade Commission, the Department of Justice, CMS, other divisions of HHS and state and local governments.

Our promotional and scientific/educational programs must comply with the AKS, the FCA, physician payment transparency laws, privacy laws, security laws, and additional federal and state laws similar to the foregoing.

The AKS prohibits, among other things, the knowing and willing, direct or indirect offer, receipt, solicitation or payment of remuneration in exchange for or to induce the referral of patients, including the purchase, order or lease of any good, facility, item or service that would be paid for in whole or part by Medicare, Medicaid or other federal health care programs.

Remuneration has been broadly defined to include anything of value, including cash, improper discounts, and free or reduced-price items and services.

The federal Anti-Kickback Statute has been interpreted to apply to arrangements between pharmaceutical manufacturers on one hand and prescribers, purchasers, formulary managers, and beneficiaries on the other.

The AKS has been interpreted to apply to arrangements between pharmaceutical manufacturers on one hand and prescribers, purchasers, formulary managers, and beneficiaries on the other.

Although there are a number of statutory exceptions and regulatory safe harbors protecting some common activities from prosecution, the exceptions and safe harbors are drawn narrowly.

Practices that involve remuneration that may be alleged to be intended to induce prescribing, purchases or recommendations 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.

Failure to meet all of the requirements of a particular applicable statutory exception or regulatory safe harbor does not make the conduct per se illegal under the AKS.

Instead, the legality of the arrangement will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis based on a cumulative review of all its facts and circumstances.

Several courts have interpreted the statute’s intent requirement to mean that if any one purpose of an arrangement involving remuneration is to induce referrals of federal healthcare covered business, the federal Anti-Kickback Statute has been violated.

The government has enforced the federal Anti-Kickback Statute to reach large settlements with healthcare companies based on sham research or consulting and other financial arrangements with physicians.

The government has enforced the AKS to reach large settlements with healthcare companies based on sham research or consulting and other financial arrangements with physicians.

Further, a person or entity does not need to have actual knowledge of the statute or specific intent to violate it to have committed a violation.

In addition, the government may assert that 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 False Claims Act.

In addition, the government may assert that a claim including items or services resulting from a violation of the AKS constitutes a false or fraudulent claim for purposes of the FCA.

Many states have similar laws that apply to their state health care programs, as well as private payors.

Federal false claims and false statement laws, including the federal civil False Claims Act, or FCA, imposes liability on persons or entities that, among other things, knowingly present or cause to be presented claims that are false or fraudulent or not provided as claimed for payment or approval by a federal health care program.

Federal false claims and false statement laws, including the FCA, imposes liability on persons or entities that, among other things, knowingly present or cause to be presented claims that are false or fraudulent or not provided as claimed for payment or approval by a federal health care program.

The FCA has been used to prosecute persons or entities that “cause” the submission of claims for payment that are inaccurate or fraudulent, by, for example, providing inaccurate billing or coding information to customers, promoting a product off-label, submitting claims for services not provided as claimed, or submitting claims for services that were provided but not medically necessary.

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In addition, certain companies that were found to be in violation of the FCA have been forced to implement extensive corrective action plans and have often become subject to consent decrees or corporate integrity agreements, restricting the manner in which they conduct their business.

The federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, or HIPAA, created additional federal criminal statutes that prohibit, among other things, knowingly and willfully executing, or attempting to execute, a scheme to defraud any healthcare benefit program, including private third-party payors;

HIPAA created additional federal criminal statutes that prohibit, among other things, knowingly and willfully executing, or attempting to execute, a scheme to defraud any healthcare benefit program, including private third-party payors;

knowingly and willfully falsifying, concealing or covering up a material fact or making any materially false, fictitious or fraudulent statement in connection with the delivery of or payment for healthcare benefits, items or services;

and willfully obstructing a criminal investigation of a healthcare offense.

Like the federal Anti-Kickback Statute, the Affordable Care Act amended the intent standard for certain healthcare fraud statutes under HIPAA such that a person or entity no longer needs to have actual knowledge of the statute or specific intent to violate it in order to have committed a violation.

Like the AKS, the ACA amended the intent standard for certain healthcare fraud statutes under HIPAA such that a person or entity no longer needs to have actual knowledge of the statute or specific intent to violate it in order to have committed a violation.

Given the significant size of actual and potential settlements, it is expected that the government will continue to devote substantial resources to investigating healthcare providers’ and manufacturers’ compliance with applicable fraud and abuse laws.

In addition, many states have similar fraud and abuse statutes or regulations that may be broader in scope and may apply regardless of payor, in addition to items and services reimbursed under Medicaid and other state programs.

Additionally, to the extent that our products, once commercialized, are sold in a foreign country, we may be subject to similar foreign laws.

In addition, there has been a recent trend of increased federal and state regulation of payments made to physicians and other healthcare providers.

The Physician Payment Sunshine Act, or the Sunshine Act, enacted as part of t he Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, as amended by the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act, or collectively, the Affordable Care Act, among other things, imposed new reporting requirements on 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, for payments and other transfers of value made by them to physicians and teaching hospitals, as defined by law, as well as ownership and investment interests held by physicians and their immediate family members.

Effective January 1, 2022, these annual reporting obligations will extend to include payments and transfers of value made during the previous year to certain non-physician covered recipients, such as physician assistants, nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, certified registered nurse anesthetists , anesthesiologist assistants, and certified nurse-midwives.

Additionally, to the extent that our product candidates, once commercialized, are sold in a foreign country, we may be subject to similar foreign laws.

In addition, there has been a recent trend of increased federal and state regulation of payments made to physicians and certain other healthcare providers and teaching hospitals.

The ACA, among other things, under the federal Physician Payment Sunshine Act, imposed reporting requirements on 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, for payments or other transfers of value made by them to certain covered recipients, including physicians and teaching hospitals, as well as ownership and investment interests held by physicians and their immediate family members.

Effective January 1, 2022, for data reported to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in 2022, these reporting obligations with respect to covered recipients have been extended to include payments and transfers of value made to non-physician providers such as physician assistants and nurse practitioners.

Covered manufacturers are required to collect and report detailed payment data and submit legal attestation to the accuracy of such data to the government each year.

Failure to submit required information may result in civil monetary penalties of up to an aggregate of $1 76 , 495 per year (or up to an aggregate of $ 1,176,638 per year for “knowing failures”) , subject to adjustment for inflation , for all payments, transfers of value or ownership or investment interests that are not timely, accurately and completely reported in an annual submission.

Failure to submit required information may result in civil monetary penalties for all payments, transfers of value or ownership or investment interests that are not timely, accurately and completely reported in an annual submission.

Additionally, entities that do not comply with mandatory reporting requirements may be subject to a corporate integrity agreement.

Non-compliance under the Sunshine Act may increase government scrutiny and increase liability under other healthcare laws.

Certain states also mandate implementation of commercial compliance programs, impose restrictions on covered manufacturers’ marketing practices and/or require the tracking and reporting of gifts, compensation and other remuneration to physicians and other healthcare professionals.

We may also be subject to data privacy and security regulation by both the federal government and the states in which we conduct our business.

HIPAA, as amended by the Health Information Technology and Clinical Health Act, or HITECH, and their respective implementing regulations, imposes specified requirements on certain health care providers, plans and clearinghouses (collectively, “covered entities”) and their “business associates,” relating to the privacy, security and transmission of individually identifiable health information.

Among other things, HITECH makes HIPAA’s security standards directly applicable to “business associates,” defined as independent contractors or agents of covered entities that create, receive, maintain or transmit protected health information in connection with providing a service for or on behalf of a covered entity.

HIPAA, as amended by the Health Information Technology and Clinical Health Act of 2009 (HITECH) and their respective implementing regulations, impose specified requirements on certain health care providers, plans and clearinghouses, or collectively, covered entities, and their “business associates,” relating to the privacy, security and transmission of individually identifiable health information.

Among other things, HITECH makes HIPAA’s security standards directly applicable to “business associates,” which includes independent contractors or agents of covered entities that create, receive, maintain or transmit protected health information in connection with providing a service for or on behalf of a covered entity.

HITECH also increased the civil and criminal penalties that may be imposed against covered entities, business associates and possibly other persons, and gave state attorneys general new authority to file civil actions for damages or injunctions in federal courts to enforce HIPAA and seek attorney’s fees and costs associated with pursuing federal civil actions.

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If our operations are found to be in violation of any of such laws or any other governmental regulations that apply to us, we may be subject to penalties, including, without limitation, civil and criminal penalties, damages, fines, disgorgement, the curtailment or restructuring of our operations, exclusion from participation in federal and state healthcare programs, imprisonment, contractual damages, reputational harm, and diminished profits and future earnings, any of which could adversely affect our ability to operate our business and our financial results.

If any of the physicians or other providers, independent contractors, or entities with whom we 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.

In addition to the foregoing health care laws, we are also subject to the U.S.

Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, or FCPA, and similar worldwide anti-bribery laws, which generally prohibit companies and their intermediaries from making improper payments to government officials or private-sector recipients for the purpose of obtaining or retaining business.

We also maintain an anti-corruption policy which mandates compliance with the FCPA and similar anti-bribery laws applicable to our business throughout the world.

Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and similar worldwide anti-bribery laws, which generally prohibit companies and their intermediaries from making improper payments to government officials or private-sector recipients for the purpose of obtaining or retaining business.

The anti-corruption policy mandates compliance with the FCPA and similar anti-bribery laws applicable to our business throughout the world.

However, we cannot assure you that such a policy or procedures implemented to enforce such a policy will protect us from intentional, reckless or negligent acts committed by our employees, distributors, partners, collaborators or agents.

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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.

Adoption of price controls and cost containment measures and adoption of more restrictive policies in jurisdictions with existing controls and measures could further limit our net revenue and results.

We may need to conduct expensive clinical studies to demonstrate the comparative cost-effectiveness of our products.

The product candidates that we develop may not be considered cost-effective and thus may not be covered or

sufficiently reimbursed.

Adoption of price controls and cost containment measures and adoption of more restrictive policies in jurisdictions with existing controls and measures could further limit our revenues and results.

We may need to conduct expensive clinical trials to demonstrate the comparative cost-effectiveness of our product candidates.

The product candidates that we develop may not be considered cost-effective and thus may not be covered or sufficiently reimbursed.

It is time consuming and expensive for us to seek coverage and reimbursement from third-party payors, as each payor will make its own determination as to whether to cover a product and at what level of reimbursement.

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Moreover, a payor’s decision to provide coverage for a drug product does not imply that an adequate reimbursement rate will be approved.

Reimbursement may not be available or sufficient to allow us to sell our products on a competitive and profitable basis.

Reimbursement may not be available or sufficient to allow us to sell our product candidates on a competitive and profitable basis.

Healthcare Reform

and some foreign jurisdictions are considering or have enacted a number of legislative and regulatory proposals to change the healthcare system in ways that could affect our ability to sell our products profitably.

Among policy makers and payors in the U.S.

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In the U.S., the pharmaceutical industry has been a particular focus of these efforts and has been significantly affected by major legislative initiatives.

By way of example, in March 2010, the Affordable Care Act was signed into law, intended to broaden access to health insurance, reduce or constrain the growth of healthcare spending, enhance remedies against fraud and abuse, add new transparency requirements for the healthcare and health insurance industries, impose new taxes and fees on the health industry and impose additional health policy reforms.

Among the provisions of the Affordable Care Act of importance to our potential drug candidates are:

an annual, nondeductible fee on any entity that manufactures or imports certain branded prescription drugs and biologic agents, apportioned among these entities according to their market share in certain government healthcare programs, not including orphan drug sales;

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;

a new Medicare Part D coverage gap discount program, in which manufacturers must agree to offer 70% point-of-sale discounts on negotiated prices of applicable brand drugs to eligible beneficiaries during their coverage gap period, as a condition for the manufacturer’s outpatient drugs to be covered under Medicare Part D;

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 certain individuals with income at or below 133% of the Federal Poverty Level, thereby potentially increasing manufacturers’ Medicaid rebate liability;

By way of example, in March 2010, the ACA was signed into law, intended to broaden access to health insurance, reduce or constrain the growth of healthcare spending, enhance remedies against fraud and abuse, add new transparency requirements for the healthcare and health insurance industries, impose new taxes and fees on the health industry and impose additional health policy reforms.

Among the provisions of the ACA of importance to our potential product candidates are:

• an annual, nondeductible fee on any entity that manufactures or imports specified branded prescription drugs and biologic agents, apportioned among these entities according to their market share in certain government healthcare programs;

• an increase in the statutory minimum rebates a manufacturer must pay under the Medicaid Drug Rebate Program to 23.1% and 13.0% of the average manufacturer price for branded and generic drugs, respectively;

• 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;

• a new Medicare Part D coverage gap discount program, in which manufacturers must agree to offer 70% (increased pursuant to the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018, effective as of 2019) point-of-sale discounts off negotiated prices of applicable brand drugs to eligible beneficiaries during their coverage gap period, as a condition for a manufacturer’s outpatient drugs to be covered under Medicare Part D;

• extension of a manufacturer’s 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 certain individuals with income at or below 133% of the federal poverty level, thereby potentially increasing a manufacturer’s Medicaid rebate liability;

• expansion of the entities eligible for discounts under the Public Health Service pharmaceutical pricing program;

new requirements for 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 report annually certain financial arrangements with physicians, as defined by such law, and teaching hospitals, as defined in ACA and its implementing regulations, including reporting any payment or “transfer of value” provided to physicians and teaching hospitals and any ownership and investment interests held by physicians and their immediate family members during the preceding calendar year;

expansion of healthcare fraud and abuse laws, including the U.S.

federal False Claims Act and the U.S.

federal Anti-Kickback Statute, new government investigative powers and enhanced penalties for noncompliance;

• a new Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute to oversee, identify priorities in, and conduct comparative clinical effectiveness research, along with funding for such research.

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.

In addition, other legislative changes have been proposed and adopted since the Affordable Care Act was enacted.

These changes include, among others, the Budget Control Act of 2011, which mandates aggregate reductions to Medicare payments to providers of up to 2% per fiscal year effective April 1, 2013, and, will remain in effect through 2030, with the exception of a temporary suspension implemented under various COVID‑19 relief legislation from May 1, 2020 through March 31, 2021, unless additional Congressional action is taken.

The American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012, which, among other things, further reduced Medicare payments to several providers, including hospitals and cancer treatment centers, and increased the statute of limitations period for the government to recover overpayments to providers from three to five years.

In addition, other legislative changes have been proposed and adopted since the ACA was enacted.

These changes include, among others, the Budget Control Act of 2011, which mandates aggregate reductions to Medicare payments to providers of up to 2% per fiscal year effective April 1, 2013, and, due to subsequent legislative amendments, will remain in effect through 2030, with the exception of a temporary suspension implemented under various COVID-19 relief legislation from May 1, 2020 through March 31, 2022, followed by a 1% payment adjustment from April 1 to June 30, 2022 and a 2% payment adjustment beginning July 1, 2022, unless additional Congressional action is taken.

In January 2013, President Obama signed into law the ARTA, which, among other things, further reduced Medicare payments to several providers, including hospitals and cancer treatment centers, and increased the statute of limitations period for the government to recover overpayments to providers from three to five years.

These new laws may result in additional reductions in Medicare and other healthcare funding, which could have a material adverse effect on customers for our product candidates, if approved, and, accordingly, our financial operations.

We expect that the Affordable Care Act, as well as other healthcare reform measures that may be adopted in the future, may result in more rigorous coverage criteria and lower reimbursement and in additional downward pressure on the price that we receive for any approved product.

Under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, effective January 1, 2024, the statutory cap on Medicaid Drug Rebate Program rebates that manufacturers pay to state Medicaid programs will be eliminated.

Elimination of this cap may require pharmaceutical manufacturers to pay more in rebates than it receives on the sale of products, which could have a material impact on our business.

Further, in July 2021, the Biden administration released an executive order, “Promoting Competition in the American Economy,” with multiple provisions aimed at increasing competition for prescription drugs.

Congress is considering legislation that, if passed, could have significant impact on prices of prescription drugs covered by Medicare, including limitations on drug price increases.

The impact of these regulations and any future healthcare measures and agency rules implemented by the Biden administration on us and the pharmaceutical industry as a whole is currently unknown.

The implementation of cost containment measures or other healthcare reforms may prevent us from being able to generate revenue, attain profitability, or commercialize our product candidates if approved.

Complying with any new legislation and regulatory changes could be time-intensive and expensive, resulting in a material adverse effect on our business.

Since the enactment of the ACA, there have been judicial and Congressional challenges to certain aspects of the ACA.

In June 2021, the United States Supreme Court held that Texas and other challengers had no legal standing to challenge the ACA, dismissing the case without specifically ruling on the constitutionality of the ACA.

Accordingly, the ACA remains in effect in its current form.

It is unclear how this Supreme Court decision, future litigation, or healthcare measures promulgated by the Biden administration will impact our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Complying with any new legislation or changes in healthcare regulation could be time-intensive and expensive, resulting in material adverse effect on our business.

At the state level, individual states are increasingly passing legislation and implementing regulations designed to control pharmaceutical and biological product pricing, including discounts, restrictions on certain product access and marketing cost disclosure and transparency measures.

For example, a number of states are considering or have recently enacted state drug price transparency and reporting laws that could substantially increase our compliance burdens and expose us to greater liability under such state laws once we begin commercialization after obtaining regulatory approval for any of our products.

These measures could reduce the demand for our products, if approved, or impose additional pricing pressures on how much we can charge for our products if approved.

We expect that the ACA, as well as other healthcare reform measures that may be adopted in the future, may result in more rigorous coverage criteria and lower reimbursement and in additional downward pressure on the price that we receive for any approved product.

Any reduction in reimbursement from Medicare or other government-funded programs may result in a similar reduction in payments from private payors.

The implementation of cost containment measures or other healthcare reforms may prevent us from being able to generate revenue , attain profitabili ty or commercialize our drugs.

The implementation of cost containment measures or other healthcare reforms may prevent us from being able to generate revenue, attain profitability or commercialize our product candidates.

Furthermore, the current presidential administration and Congress may continue to attempt broad sweeping changes to the current health care laws.

We face uncertainties that might result from modifications or repeal of any of the provisions of the Affordable Care Act, including as a result of current and future executive orders and legislative actions.

We face uncertainties that might result from modifications or repeal of any of the provisions of the ACA, including as a result of current and future executive orders and legislative actions.

The impact of those changes on us and potential effect on the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries as a whole is currently unknown.

However , any changes to the Affordable Care Act are likely to have an impact on our results of operations and may have a material adverse effect on our results of operation s .

We cannot predict what other healthcare programs and regulations will ultimately be implemented at the federal or state level or the effect any future legislat ion or regulation in the U.S.

However, any changes to the ACA are likely to have an impact on our results of operations and may have a material adverse effect on our results of operations.

We cannot predict what other healthcare programs and regulations will ultimately be implemented at the federal or state level or the effect any future legislation or regulation in the U.S.

may have on our business.

Foreign Regulation

In addition to regulations in the U.S., we will be subject to a variety of foreign regulations governing clinical trials and commercial sales and distribution of our products to the extent we choose to develop or sell any products outside of the U.S.

In addition to regulations in the U.S., we will be subject to a variety of foreign regulations governing clinical trials and commercial sales and distribution of our product candidates to the extent we choose to develop or sell any product candidates outside of the U.S.

The approval process varies from country to country and the time may be longer or shorter than that required to obtain FDA approval.

The requirements governing the conduct of clinical trials, product licensing, pricing and reimbursement vary greatly from country to country.

As of December 31, 2020, we had 171 employees.

Human Capital

Our Human Capital Talent Strategy relies on attracting, retaining and developing top talent that align with our culture and mission to “outsmart your disease”.

We promote a culture that is focused on delivering treatments utilizing natural immunities, and we seek to harness our science first focus to deliver solutions to patients and families.

As of December 31, 2021, we had 587 employees located in our offices in Southern California, Washington, Colorado, Florida, North Carolina, Massachusetts, and Italy.

Among our employees, 23% are focused on research and development, 13% on clinical development and regulatory, 45% on manufacturing and quality, and 19% on general and administrative functions.

Personnel of related companies who provide corporate, general and administrative, manufacturing strategy, research and development, regulatory and clinical trial strategy and other administrative support services under our shared services agreement with NantWorks are not included in this number.

For additional information, see Note 10, Related Party Agreements , of the “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements” included in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report.

We believe our ability to successfully achieve our vision depends on how effectively we manage our growth.

Our leadership is focused on continuing to implement and improve our management systems, recruit and train new employees and cultivate and retain our existing team members.

Our employees are a highly unique group of individuals across our drug discovery, preclinical development, clinical operations, regulatory affairs, manufacturing and quality, and executive leadership teams with deep experience in biotech across a breadth of novel scientific areas.

We offer competitive compensation and benefits to all employees, as well as a host of other programs that enhance employee well-being in and outside of the workplace.

We believe we have a positive relationship with our employees, and none of our employees are represented by a labor union or covered by collective bargaining agreements.

Corporate Information

We were incorporated on October 7, 2002 in the state of Illinois under the name ZelleRx Corporation.

On January 22, 2010, we changed our name to Conkwest, Inc.

In March 2014, we formed Conkwest, Inc., our wholly owned subsidiary in the state of Delaware, or Conkwest Delaware, for the purposes of changing the state of our incorporation to the state of Delaware.

In March 2014, we merged with and into Conkwest Delaware, with Conkwest Delaware surviving the merger.

We have not been subject to labor action or union activities, and our management considers its relationships with employees to be good.

We believe that fostering a workplace that celebrates differences and strengths creates an environment that supports the inclusion and value of diverse thoughts, backgrounds and perspectives.

A well rounded culture allows for ongoing dialogue and discussions that challenge the status quo and create a learning environment that supports diversity, equity and inclusion.

As part of our commitment we continue to encourage a culture where employees can freely ask questions and raise concerns.

Our annual performance review process helps support our commitment to develop and retain top talent by providing an opportunity to have open dialogue, establish goals, discuss milestones and continue to engage in opportunities to develop and cultivate the talent.

Additionally, our management team makes themselves available to all employees including 1:1s, Department Meetings and Town Hall events.

Our ongoing success will continue to depend on our ability to attract, engage and retain top talent in an ever growing competitive market.

We offer a competitive compensation package to help meet the needs of our employees.

In addition to salaries, these programs include annual bonuses, stock awards, a 401(k) plan, healthcare and insurance benefits, flexible spending accounts, paid time off, family leave, flexible work schedules, an employee assistance program, among others.

We work to ensure pay equity by assessing our compensation practices and working with external benchmarks and compensation consultants to design and benchmark our programs.

Our ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which complies with government orders in all the states and counties where we operate, focuses on employee health and wellness.

We implemented a number of health-related measures over the past two years.

We continue to support a general work from home policy and restrict on-site access to essential employees such as laboratory personnel, increasing hygiene, cleaning and sanitizing procedures at our office and laboratory facilities, requiring face masks be worn while on company premises, and implementing temperature checks and COVID-19 testing requirements in order to enter company facilities.

Organization and Development of ImmunityBio, Inc.

ImmunityBio, Inc.

was established following a series of mergers and name changes.

We were incorporated in Illinois on October 7, 2002 under the name ZelleRx Corporation.

Our name was later changed to Conkwest, Inc., and we were reincorporated in the state of Delaware in March 2014.

On July 10, 2015, we changed our name to NantKwest, Inc.

Our website address is www.nantkwest.com.

The contents of our website are not incorporated by reference into this Form 10‑K.

We provide free of charge through a link on our website access to our Annual Reports on Form 10‑K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10‑Q and Current Reports on Form 8‑K, as well as amendments to those reports, as soon as reasonably practical after the reports are electronically filed with, or furnished to, the Securities and Exchange Commission.

NantCell, LLC was originally organized as a Delaware limited liability company in November 2014.

In April 2015, it was converted to a Delaware corporation, NantCell, Inc., and in May 2019 changed its name to ImmunityBio, Inc.

(a private company).

On December 21, 2020 , NantKwest, Inc.

and ImmunityBio, Inc.

entered into a merger agreement (the Merger Agreement) providing for the combination of the two companies (the Merger), with NantKwest, Inc.

being the surviving company which then changed its name to ImmunityBio, Inc.

(and ImmunityBio, Inc., a private company, changed its name back to NantCell, Inc.

and is now our wholly owned subsidiary).

At the time, NantKwest, Inc.

was an innovative, clinical-stage immunotherapy company focused on harnessing the power of the innate immune system to treat cancer and infectious diseases, and ImmunityBio, Inc.

was a clinical-stage immunotherapy company developing next-generation therapies that drive immunogenic mechanisms for defeating cancer and infectious diseases, with an immunotherapy platform designed to activate both the innate and adaptive immune systems to create long-term “immunological memory.” We believe that the Merger, which closed on March 9, 2021 as described below, combined two companies to create a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing next-generation therapies and vaccines that complement, harness, and amplify the immune system to defeat cancers and infectious diseases.

ImmunityBio is incorporated in Delaware and its principal executive offices are located in San Diego, California.

Available Information

Financial and other information about our company is available on our website at https://www.immunitybio.com .

We make available on our website, free of charge, copies of our Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the Exchange Act), as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such material with, or furnish it, to the U.S.

Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC).

All reports we file with the SEC are available free of charge via EDGAR through the SEC website at https://www.sec.gov .

We have included the web addresses of ImmunityBio and the SEC as inactive textual references only.

Except as specifically incorporated by reference into this Annual Report, information on these websites is not part of this filing.

Compared sentence by sentence after normalising whitespace, quotation marks, case and digits, so re-formatting and restated figures do not read as changed language. Wording changes appear as one removal and one addition. The current filing and the prior one are authoritative.

What changed 10-K

Item 1. Business