Item 1. Financial Statements
Item 1. Financial Statements.
REPLIMUNE GROUP, INC.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(Amounts in thousands, except share
and per share amounts)
(Unaudited)
June 30,
March 31,
2020
2020
Assets
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents
$ 104,797
$ 59,500
Short-term investments
156,962
109,055
Research and development incentives receivable
2,951
2,962
Prepaid expenses and other current assets
3,031
2,734
Total current assets
267,741
174,251
Property, plant and equipment, net
7,357
6,860
Research and development incentives receivable - long term
679
Restricted cash
1,636
1,636
Right-to-use asset - operating leases
5,852
4,425
Right-to-use asset - financing leases
46,318
46,925
Total assets
$ 329,583
$ 234,097
Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable
$ 3,480
$ 3,434
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities
5,139
5,156
Operating lease liabilities, current
830
873
Financing lease liabilities, current
2,429
2,411
Total current liabilities
11,878
11,874
Long term debt, net of debt discount
9,764
9,801
Operating lease liabilities, non-current
5,210
3,737
Financing lease liabilities, non-current
24,917
24,967
Total liabilities
51,769
50,379
Commitments and contingencies (Note 12)
Stockholders' equity
Common stock, $0.001 par value; 150,000,000 shares authorized as of
June 30, 2020 and March 31, 2020; 40,280,420 and 36,668,743 shares issued and outstanding
as of June 30, 2020 and March 31, 2020, respectively
40
37
Additional paid-in capital
408,755
296,961
Accumulated deficit
(129,791 )
(112,298 )
Accumulated other comprehensive loss
(1,190 )
(982 )
Total stockholders' equity
277,814
183,718
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity
$ 329,583
$ 234,097
The accompanying notes are an integral part
of these condensed consolidated financial statements.
2
REPLIMUNE GROUP, INC.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF
OPERATIONS
(Amounts in thousands, except share
and per share amounts)
(Unaudited)
Three Months Ended
June 30,
2020
2019
Operating expenses:
Research and development
$ 12,157
$ 7,457
General and administrative
5,676
3,450
Total operating expenses
17,833
10,907
Loss from operations
(17,833 )
(10,907 )
Other income:
Research and development incentives
686
621
Investment income
527
687
Interest expense on finance lease liability
(561 )
-
Interest expense on debt obligations
(284 )
-
Other income
(28 )
91
Total other income, net
340
1,399
Net loss attributable to common stockholders
$ (17,493 )
$ (9,508 )
Net loss per share attributable to common stockholders, basic and
diluted
$ (0.44 )
$ (0.30 )
Weighted average common shares outstanding, basic and diluted
39,862,319
31,661,430
The accompanying notes are an integral part
of these condensed consolidated financial statements.
3
REPLIMUNE GROUP, INC.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF
COMPREHENSIVE LOSS
(Amounts in thousands)
(Unaudited)
Three Months Ended
June 30,
2020
2019
Net loss
$ (17,493 )
$ (9,508 )
Other comprehensive loss:
Foreign currency translation loss
(12 )
(182 )
Net unrealized gain (loss) on short-term investments, net of tax
(196 )
65
Comprehensive loss
$ (17,701 )
$ (9,625 )
The accompanying notes are an integral part
of these condensed consolidated financial statements.
4
REPLIMUNE GROUP, INC.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF STOCKHOLDERS’
EQUITY
(Amounts in thousands, except share
amounts)
(Unaudited)
Common stock
Additional
paid-in
Accumulated
Accumulated
other
comprehensive
Total
stockholders’
Shares
Amount
capital
deficit
loss
equity
Balances as of March 31, 2020
36,668,743
$ 37
$ 296,961
$ (112,298 )
$ (982 )
$ 183,718
Issuance of prefunded warrants to purchase common stock, net of
$2,100 issuance costs
-
-
32,900
-
-
32,900
Issuance of common stock, net of issuance costs and underwriter
fees of $5,117
3,478,261
3
74,879
74,882
Foreign currency translation adjustment
-
-
-
-
(12 )
(12 )
Unrealized loss on short-term investments
-
-
-
-
(196 )
(196 )
Exercise of stock options
133,416
1,547
-
-
1,547
Stock-based compensation expense
-
-
2,468
-
-
2,468
Net loss
-
-
-
(17,493 )
-
(17,493 )
Balances as of June 30, 2020
40,280,420
$ 40
$ 408,755
$ (129,791 )
$ (1,190 )
$ 277,814
Balances as of March 31, 2019
31,656,950
32
198,645
(59,766 )
(1,055 )
137,856
Foreign currency translation adjustment
-
-
-
-
(182 )
(182 )
Unrealized gain on short-term investments
-
-
-
-
65
65
Exercise of stock options
6,751
-
18
-
-
18
Stock-based compensation expense
-
-
1,810
-
-
1,810
Impact of adoption of ASC 842
-
-
-
93
-
93
Net loss
-
-
-
(9,508 )
-
(9,508 )
Balances as of June 30, 2019
31,663,701
$ 32
$ 200,473
$ (69,181 )
$ (1,172 )
$ 130,152
The accompanying notes are an integral part
of these condensed consolidated financial statements.
5
REPLIMUNE GROUP, INC.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED
STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(Amounts in thousands)
(Unaudited)
Three Months Ended
June 30,
2020
2019
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net loss
$ (17,493 )
$ (9,508 )
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating
activities:
Stock-based compensation expense
2,468
1,810
Depreciation and amortization
391
42
Noncash interest expense
63
-
Net amortization of premiums and discounts on short-term investments
91
(436 )
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Research and development incentives receivable
(684 )
(621 )
Prepaid expenses and other current assets
(301 )
(847 )
Operating lease, right-of-use-asset
135
85
Finance lease, right-of-use-asset
607
Long term prepaid rent
-
(6,895 )
Accounts payable
(224 )
3,764
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities
(11 )
(885 )
Operating lease liabilities
(132 )
(91 )
Net cash used in operating activities
(15,090 )
(13,582 )
Cash flows from investing activities:
Purchases of property, plant and equipment
(932 )
(362 )
Purchase of short-term investments
(125,812 )
(18,486 )
Proceeds from sales and maturities of short-term investments
77,618
45,659
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities
(49,126 )
26,811
Cash flows from financing activities:
Payment of issuance costs
(100 )
-
Proceeds from issuance of common stock in follow-on public offering,
net of underwriting fees and discounts
75,199
-
Proceeds from issuance of prefunded warrants to purchase common
stock, net of underwriting fees and discounts
32,900
-
Principal payment of finance lease obligation
(32 )
-
Exercise of stock options
1,547
18
Net cash provided by financing activities
109,514
18
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash, cash
equivalents and restricted cash
(1 )
(137 )
Net increase in cash, cash equivalents
and restricted cash
45,297
13,110
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of period
61,136
26,890
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of period
$ 106,433
$ 40,000
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Cash paid during the period for interest
$ 221
$ -
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing
and financing activities:
Net unrealized gain (loss) on short-term investments
$ (196 )
$ 65
Issuance costs included in accounts payable
$ 317
$ -
Purchases of property and equipment included in accounts payable
$ 64
$ -
Lease assets obtained in exchange for new operating lease liabilities
$ 1,580
$ 789
The accompanying notes are an integral part
of these condensed consolidated financial statements.
6
1. Nature of the business
Replimune Group, Inc. (the “Company”)
is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on the development of oncolytic immunotherapies to treat cancer. Replimune Group, Inc.,
whose predecessor was founded in 2015, is the parent company of its wholly owned subsidiaries: Replimune Limited (“Replimune
UK”); Replimune, Inc. (“Replimune US”); and Replimune Securities Corporation.
The Company is subject to risks and uncertainties
common to early-stage companies in the biotechnology industry, including, but not limited to, development by competitors of new
technological innovations, dependence on key personnel, protection of proprietary technology, compliance with government regulations
and the ability to secure additional capital to fund operations. Product candidates currently under development will require significant
additional research and development efforts, including preclinical and clinical testing and regulatory approval, prior to commercialization.
These efforts require significant amounts of additional capital, adequate personnel and infrastructure and extensive compliance
and reporting capabilities. Even if the Company’s product development efforts are successful, it is uncertain when, if ever,
the Company will realize significant revenue from product sales.
Basis of presentation
The accompanying consolidated financial
statements have been prepared on the basis of continuity of operations, realization of assets and the satisfaction of liabilities
and commitments in the ordinary course of business. The Company has incurred recurring losses since its inception, including net
losses of $17,493 and $9,508 for the three months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively. In addition, as of June 30,
2020, the Company had an accumulated deficit of $129,791. The Company expects to continue to generate operating losses for the
foreseeable future. As of the issuance date of these consolidated financial statements, the Company expects that its cash and cash
equivalents and short-term investments will be sufficient to fund its operating expenses and capital expenditure requirements through
at least 12 months from the issuance of the consolidated financial statements. The
Company expects to seek additional funding through public and private equity financings, debt financings, collaborations, licensing
arrangements, and/or strategic alliances.
If the Company is unable to obtain funding
it could be forced to delay, reduce or eliminate some or all of its research and development programs, product portfolio expansion
or commercialization efforts, which could adversely affect its business prospects, or it may be unable to continue operations.
Although management continues to pursue these plans, there is no assurance that the Company will be successful in obtaining sufficient
funding on terms acceptable to the Company to fund continuing operations, if at all.
Impact of the COVID-19 coronavirus
In December 2019, a novel strain of
coronavirus, which causes the disease known as COVID-19, was reported to have surfaced in Wuhan, China. Since then, COVID-19 coronavirus
has spread globally. In March 2020, the World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic and the U.S. government
imposed travel restrictions on travel between the United States, Europe and certain other countries. The impact of this pandemic
has been, and will likely continue to be, extensive in many aspects of society, which has resulted, and will likely continue to
result, in significant disruptions to the global economy as well as businesses and capital markets around the world.
In response to public health directives
and orders and to help minimize the risk of the virus to employees, the Company has taken precautionary measures, including implementing
work-from-home policies for the Company’s employees, other than certain essential employees in our laboratory and who perform
manufacturing functions, and certain other employees who we deem essential from time to time. For those essential employees, the
Company has implemented stringent safety measures designed to comply with applicable federal, state and local guidelines instituted
in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Company has taken these and other precautionary steps while maintaining business continuity
in order to continue to progress its programs. While there has been no prolonged material disruption to the Company’s business
to date, the impact of the virus, including work-from-home policies, may negatively impact productivity, disrupt the Company’s
business, and delay its preclinical research and clinical trial activities and its development program timelines, the magnitude
of which will depend, in part, on the length and severity of the restrictions and other limitations on the Company’s ability
to conduct its business in the ordinary course. Other impacts to the Company’s business may include temporary closures of
its suppliers and disruptions or restrictions on its employees’ ability to travel. Any prolonged material disruption to
the Company’s employees or suppliers could adversely impact the Company’s preclinical research and clinical trial
activities, financial condition and results of operations, including its ability to obtain financing.
7
2. Summary of significant accounting policies
Principles of consolidation
The accompanying consolidated financial
statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America, or GAAP,
and include the accounts of the Company and its wholly owned subsidiaries, Replimune UK, Replimune US and Replimune Securities
Corporation, after elimination of all intercompany accounts and transactions. The consolidated financial statements reflect the
capital as if Replimune Group, Inc. had been in existence for all periods presented.
Use of estimates
The preparation of consolidated financial
statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets
and liabilities, the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and the
reported amounts of expenses during the reporting periods. Significant estimates and assumptions reflected in these consolidated
financial statements include, but are not limited to, the accrual for research and development expenses and the valuation of common
stock and stock-based awards. The Company bases its estimates on historical experience, known trends and other market-specific
or other relevant factors that it believes to be reasonable under the circumstances.
The full extent to which the COVID-19 pandemic
will directly or indirectly impact our business, results of operations and financial condition, including, expenses, research and
development costs and employee-related amounts, will depend on future developments that are highly uncertain, including as a result
of new information that may emerge concerning COVID-19 and the actions taken to contain it or treat COVID-19. We have made estimates
of the impact of COVID-19 within our financial statements and there may be changes to those estimates in future periods.
Estimates are periodically reviewed in light
of reasonable changes in circumstances, facts and experience. Changes in estimates are recorded in the period in which they become
known. Actual results could differ from those estimates or assumptions.
Unaudited interim financial information
The accompanying consolidated balance sheet
as of June 30, 2020, the consolidated statements of operations, of comprehensive loss and of cash flows for the three months
ended June 30, 2020 and 2019 and the consolidated statement of stockholders’ equity as of June 30, 2020 and 2019
are unaudited. The unaudited interim consolidated financial statements have been prepared on the same basis as the audited annual
consolidated financial statements and, in the opinion of management, reflect all adjustments, which include only normal recurring
adjustments, necessary for the fair presentation of the Company’s financial position as of June 30, 2020 and the results
of its operations and its cash flows for the three months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019. The financial data and other information
disclosed in these consolidated notes related to the three months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019 are unaudited. The results
for the three months ended June 30, 2020 are not necessarily indicative of results to be expected for the year ending March 31,
2021, any other interim periods or any future year or period. The financial information included herein should be read in conjunction
with the financial statements and notes in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended March 31, 2020.
During the three months ended June 30,
2020, there have been no changes to the Company’s significant accounting policies as described in the Company's Annual Report
on Form 10-K for the year ended March 31, 2020, except as described below.
8
Recently adopted accounting
pronouncements
In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU
No. 2018-13, Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820), Disclosure Framework- Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for
Fair Value Measurement (“ASU 2018-13”). The amendments in this ASU require certain existing disclosure requirements
in Topic 820 to be modified or removed, and certain new disclosure requirements to be added to the Topic. In addition, this ASU
allows entities to exercise more discretion when considering fair value measurement disclosures. The Company adopted ASU 2018-13
on April 1, 2020. The adoption of ASU 2018-13 did not have a material impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements.
In November 2018, the FASB issued ASU
No. 2018-18, Collaborative Arrangements (Topic 808): Clarifying the Interaction between Topic 808 and Topic 606 (“ASU2018-18”),
which clarifies that certain transactions between collaborative arrangement participants should be accounted for as revenue under
Topic 606 when the collaborative arrangement participant is a customer in the context of a unit of account. In those situations,
all the guidance in Topic 606 should be applied, including recognition, measurement, presentation, and disclosure requirements.
The standard adds unit-of-account guidance in Topic 808 to align with the guidance in Topic 606 (that is, a distinct good or service)
when an entity is assessing whether the collaborative arrangement or a part of the arrangement is within the scope of Topic 606,
and requires that in a transaction with a collaborative arrangement participant that is not directly related to sales to third
parties, presenting the transaction together with revenue recognized under Topic 606 is precluded if the collaborative arrangement
participant is not a customer. The standard is effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2019,
with early adoption permitted, including adoption in any interim period for public business entities for periods in which financial
statements have not been issued. Amendments in the standard should be applied retrospectively to the date of initial application
of Topic 606, but entities may elect to apply the amendments in this Update retrospectively either to all contracts or only to
contracts that are not completed at the date of initial application of Topic 606, and should disclose the election. An entity may
also elect to apply the practical expedient for contract modifications that is permitted for entities using the modified retrospective
transition method in Topic 606. The Company adopted ASU 2018-18 on April 1, 2020. The adoption of ASU 2018-18 did not have
a material impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements.
Recently issued accounting
pronouncements
In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13, Financial
Instruments- Credit Losses (Topic 326). The standard changes how entities will measure credit losses for most financial
assets and certain other instruments that are not measured at fair value through net income. Financial assets measured at amortized
cost will be presented at the net amount expected to be collected by using an allowance for credit losses. In April 2019,
the FASB issued ASU No. 2019-04, Codification Improvements to Topic 326, Financial Instruments - Credit
Losses, Topic 815, Derivatives and Hedging, and Topic 825, Financial Instruments, which clarifies and corrects certain
unintended applications of the guidance contained in each of the amended Topics. Additionally, in May 2019, the FASB issued
ASU No. 2019-05, Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (Topic 326), which provides an option
to irrevocably elect to measure certain individual financial assets at fair value instead of amortized cost. The standard is effective
for fiscal years and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2023. Early adoption is permitted for all periods beginning
after December 15, 2018. The adoption of ASU 2016-13 is not expected to have a material impact on the Company's consolidated
financial statements.
3. Fair value of financial assets and liabilities
The following tables present information
about the Company’s financial assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis:
Fair Value Measurements as of
June 30, 2020 Using:
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Total
Assets
Money market funds
$ -
$ 43,566
$ -
$ 43,566
US Treasury bonds
-
84,785
-
84,785
US Government Agency bonds
-
105,624
-
105,624
$ -
$ 233,975
$ -
$ 233,975
Fair
Value Measurements as of
March 31, 2020 Using:
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Total
Assets
Money market funds
$ -
$ 36,712
$ -
$ 36,712
Commercial paper
-
21,884
-
21,884
US Treasury bonds
-
35,810
-
35,810
US Government Agency bonds
-
15,295
-
15,295
Corporate debt securities
-
36,066
-
36,066
$ -
$ 145,767
$ -
$ 145,767
9
The underlying securities held in the money
market funds held by the Company are all government backed securities.
During the three months ended June 30,
2020 and 2019, there were no transfers between levels.
Valuation of cash equivalents and short-term investments
Money market funds, commercial
paper, U.S. Treasury bonds, U.S. Government Agency bonds and corporate debt securities were valued by the Company using quoted
prices in active markets for similar securities, which represent a Level 2 measurement within the fair value hierarchy. Cash
equivalents consisted of money market funds at June 30, 2020 and March 31, 2020.
4. Short-term investments
Short-term investments by investment type
consisted of the following:
June 30, 2020
Amortized
cost
Gross unrealized
gains
Gross unrealized
losses
Fair value
Commercial paper
$ -
US Government agency bonds
$ 90,147
$ 37
$ (9 )
$ 90,175
US Treasury bonds
66,688
102
(3 )
66,787
$ 156,835
$ 139
$ (12 )
$ 156,962
March 31,
2020
Amortized
cost
Gross unrealized
gains
Gross unrealized
losses
Fair value
Commercial paper
$ 21,818
$ 66
$ -
$ 21,884
US Government agency bonds
15,217
78
-
15,295
US Treasury bonds
35,590
220
-
35,810
Corporate debt securities
36,107
24
(65 )
36,066
$ 108,732
$ 388
$ (65 )
$ 109,055
10
5. Property, plant and equipment, net
Property, plant and equipment, net consisted
of the following:
June 30,
March 31,
2020
2020
Construction in progress
$ 1,246
$ 1,217
Plant and laboratory equipment
4,409
3,669
Leasehold improvements
647
532
Computer equipment
1,662
1,658
Office equipment
721
721
8,685
7,797
Less: Accumulated depreciation and amortization
(1,328 )
(937 )
$ 7,357
$ 6,860
Depreciation and amortization
expense was $391 and $42 for the three months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively, and recorded within research and
development and general and administrative expenses in the consolidated statement of operations.
6. Accrued expenses and other current liabilities
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities
consisted of the following:
June 30,
March 31,
2020
2020
Accrued research and development costs
$ 2,872
$ 2,009
Accrued compensation and benefits costs
1,189
2,065
Accrued professional fees
503
779
Other
575
303
$ 5,139
$ 5,156
7. Long-term debt
Long-term debt consisted of the following:
June 30,
March 31,
2020
2020
Principal amount of long-term debt
$ 10,000
$ 10,000
Unamortized debt discount
(236 )
(199 )
Long-term debt, net of discount
$ 9,764
$ 9,801
Hercules Loan Agreement
On August 8, 2019, (the “Closing
Date”) and as amended on June 1, 2020 (“the First Amendment”), the Company and certain of its affiliates
entered into a Loan and Security Agreement (the “Hercules Loan Agreement”) with Hercules Capital, Inc. (“Hercules”)
pursuant to which Hercules agreed to make available to the Company a secured term loan facility in the amount of $30,000 (the
“Term Loan Facility”), subject to certain terms and conditions. The Company borrowed $10,000 under the Hercules Loan
Agreement in one advance as a single tranche Term Loan on the Closing Date upon which the Company paid a $225 facility charge
and incurred $130 in additional closing and legal fees. The Company may borrow the unused $20,000 available under the Term Loan
Facility in two separate advances. The second advance of up to $10,000 may be borrowed between January 1, 2020 and December 15,
2020 and the third advance of up to $10,000 may be borrowed between July 1, 2020 and June 30, 2021.
In June 2020, the Company entered
into the First Amendment to the Hercules Loan Agreement (the “Hercules First Amendment”), which amended the secured
term loan facility from $30,000 to $40,000, subject to terms and conditions, by adding a fourth advance of up to $10,000. The
Company may borrow the second advance of $10,000 may between October 1, 2020 and December 15, 2020. In the event the
Company does not draw on the second advance or if the Term Loan Facility is terminated prior to a draw of the second advance,
the Company shall pay Hercules a one-time facility charge fee of $0.1 million on the earliest of (i) December 16, 2020
or (ii) the date the Company prepays the outstanding obligations. The third advance of up to $10,000 may be borrowed between
July 1, 2020 and June 30, 2021. The fourth advance of up to $10,000 may be borrowed between July 1, 2021 and December 15,
2021. The Company incurred $103 in additional closing and legal fees in connection with Hercules First Amendment, of which $100
will be capitalized and amortized as part of the effective yield. Additionally, the Amortization Date was changed from March 1,
2022 to September 1, 2022 (the “Amortization Date”) to extend the interest only payment period by six months.
11
Advances under the Term Loan Facility bear
interest at a rate per annum equal to the greater of either (i) the prime rate as reported in The Wall Street Journal plus
2.75%, or (ii) 8.75%. The Hercules Loan Agreement includes covenants, limitations, and events of default customary for similar
facilities. The term of the Hercules Loan Agreement is four years, ending August 1, 2023.
Interest is payable on a monthly basis
until the Amortization Date. After the Amortization Date, payments shall consist of equal monthly installments of principal and
interest payable until the secured obligations are repaid in full.
At any time the Company may prepay the
principal of any advance pursuant to the terms of the Term Loan Facility subject to a prepayment charge equal to: 3.0%, if such
advance is prepaid within the first twelve months following the Closing Date, 2.0%, if such advance is prepaid after twelve months
but prior to twenty four months following the Closing Date, and 1.0%, if such advance is prepaid anytime thereafter. The Company
will also pay a charge equal to the product of 4.95% and the aggregate amount of any advance made pursuant to the terms of the
Term Loan Facility.
The Term Loan Facility is secured by substantially
all of the Company’s assets, but excluding its intellectual property, and subject to certain exceptions and exclusions.
The Hercules Loan Agreement contains customary
covenants for transactions of this type and other covenants agreed to by the parties, including, among others, (i) the provision
of delivery of annual and quarterly financial statements and insurance policies and restrictions on incurring debt, granting liens,
making acquisitions, making loans, paying dividends, dissolving, and entering into leases and asset sales. The Hercules Loan Agreement
also provides for customary events of default, including, among others, events of default relating to failure to make payment,
bankruptcy, breach of covenants, breaches of representations and warranties, change of control, judgment and material adverse
effects.
In connection with entering into the Hercules
Loan Agreement, the Company paid Hercules $355 of upfront fees, including closing costs and legal fees associated with entering
into the agreement, which were recorded as a debt discount. In connection with entering into the Hercules First Amendment, the
Company paid $100 of upfront fees, including closing costs and legal fees associated with entering into the amendment, which were
recorded as debt discount, totaling the debt discount to $455 as of June 30, 2020. The debt discount is reflected as a reduction
of the carrying value of long-term debt on the Company’s consolidated balance sheet and is being amortized to interest expense
over the term of the loan using the effective interest method.
The Company recognized aggregate interest
expense under the Hercules Loan Agreement of $284 during the three months ended June 30, 2020, which included non-cash interest
expense of $27 and $36 related to the accretion of the debt discount and the final payment. As of June 30, 2020, the unamortized
debt discount was $236. The Company’s annual effective interest rate of the Hercules First Amendment was approximately 10.5%
as of June 30, 2020.
There were no principal payments due or
paid under the Hercules Loan Agreement during the three months ended June 30, 2020.
Future payments of long-term debt as of
June 30, 2020 are as follows (fiscal years):
Debt maturity as of June
30, 2020
Future long-term debt payments:
2021 (remaining nine months)
$ -
2022
-
2023
5,722
2024
4,278
Total debt payments
$ 10,000
The table of future payments of long-term
debt excludes the end of term charge of $495 which is due upon the maturity of the loan.
12
8. Stockholders’ Equity
Common stock
As of June 30, 2020
and March 31, 2020, the Company’s certificate of incorporation, as amended and restated, authorized the Company to
issue up to 150,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.001 per share.
As of June 30, 2020
and March 31, 2020, the Company had reserved 13,670,676 and 10,449,033 shares of common stock for the exercise of outstanding
stock options, the number of shares remaining available for grant under the Company’s 2018 Omnibus Incentive Compensation
Plan and the Company’s Employee Stock Purchase Plan (see Note 9) and the exercise of the outstanding warrants to purchase
shares of common, respectively.
Undesignated preferred
stock
As of June 30, 2020, the Company’s
certificate of incorporation, as amended and restated, authorized the Company to issue up to 10,000,000 shares of undesignated
preferred stock, par value $0.001 per share. There were no undesignated preferred shares issued or outstanding as of June 30,
2020.
Convertible preferred stock and preferred stock
warrants
The Company has issued series seed convertible
preferred stock (the “series seed preferred stock”), series A convertible preferred stock (the “series A preferred
stock”) and series B convertible preferred stock (the “series B preferred stock”). The series seed preferred
stock, series A preferred stock and series B preferred stock are collectively referred to as the “preferred stock.”
In connection with the closing of the IPO, the preferred stock converted into 19,157,360 shares of common stock on a 1:9.94688
basis. There was no preferred stock outstanding as of June 30, 2020 and March 31, 2020.
In
connection with the issuance of the series seed preferred stock, the Company issued to the holders of the series seed preferred
stock warrants for the purchase of 50,000 shares of series seed preferred stock, which became fully vested and exercisable in
the year of issuance. The warrants to purchase shares of series seed preferred stock were issued at an exercise price of $10.00
per share and expire on the earlier of September 16, 2025 or a qualified change of control event. Upon the closing of the
Company's IPO in July 2018, the series seed preferred stock warrants became exercisable for 497,344 shares of common stock
and were reclassified to stockholders’ equity.
ATM program
In August 2019, the Company entered
into a Sales Agreement (as amended, the “Sales Agreement”) with SVB Leerink LLC (the “Agent”), pursuant
to which the Company could sell, from time to time, at its option, up to an aggregate amount of $75,000 of shares of the Company’s
common stock, $0.001 par value per share (the “Shares”), through the Agent, as the Company’s sales agent. In
June 2020, the Sales Agreement was amended to reduce the aggregate offering amount under the Sales Agreement from $75,000
of shares to $30,000 of Shares. Any Shares to be offered and sold under the Sales Agreement will be issued and sold (i) by
methods deemed to be an “at the market offering” (“ATM”), as defined in Rule 415(a)(4) promulgated
under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended or in negotiated transactions, if authorized by the Company, and (ii) pursuant
to, and only upon the effectiveness of, a registration statement on Form S-3 filed by the Company with the Securities and
Exchange Commission on August 8, 2019 for an offering of up to $250,000 of various securities, including shares of the Company’s
common stock, preferred stock, debt securities, warrants and/or units for sale to the public in one or more public offerings.
13
Subject to the terms of the Sales Agreement,
the Agent will use commercially reasonable efforts to sell the Shares from time to time, based upon the Company’s instructions
(including any price, time or size limits or other customary parameters or conditions the Company may impose). The Company will
pay the Agent a commission of 3.0% of the gross proceeds from the sale of the Shares, if any. During the year ended March 31,
2020, the Company issued and sold 287,559 Shares for gross proceeds of $4,568 less offering fees of $137 for net proceeds of $4,431
under the ATM. As of June 30, 2020, the Company had $25,432 of Shares remaining available for sale under the ATM.
Equity offerings
In November 2019, the Company entered
into an Underwriting Agreement (the “November 2019 Underwriting Agreement”) with J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and
SVB Leerink LLC, as representatives of the several underwriters named therein (the “November 2019 Underwriters”),
relating to the issuance and sale of an aggregate of (a) 3,678,031 shares of the Company’s common stock (the “November 2019
Shares”), and (b) pre-funded warrants to purchase 2,200,000 shares of the Company’s common stock (the “November 2019
Pre-Funded Warrants”) to the Underwriters (the “November 2019 Offering”). The November 2019 Shares
were sold to the purchasers at the public offering price of $13.61 per share. The November 2019 Pre-Funded Warrants were
sold at a public offering price of $13.6099 per November 2019 Pre-Funded Warrant, which represents the per share public offering
price for the Company’s common stock less a $0.0001 per share exercise price for each such November 2019 Pre-Funded
Warrant. In December 2019, the November 2019 Underwriters partially exercised their purchase option pursuant to the
Underwriting Agreement, and the Company issued and sold an additional 838,530 shares of its common stock. The Company received
aggregate net proceeds of approximately $85,598 in the November 2019 Offering, after deducting underwriting discounts,
commissions and other offering expenses payable by the Company of approximately $5,814.
Funds affiliated with Redmile Group, LLC
purchased all of the November 2019 Pre-Funded Warrants. The November 2019 Pre-Funded Warrants are exercisable at any
time after the date of issuance. A holder of November 2019 Pre-Funded Warrants may not exercise the November 2019 Pre-Funded
Warrant if the holder, together with its affiliates, would beneficially own more than 9.99% of the number of shares of the Company’s
common stock outstanding immediately after giving effect to such exercise. A holder of November 2019 Pre-Funded Warrants
may increase or decrease this percentage up to 19.99% by providing at least 61 days’ prior notice to the Company. As
of June 30, 2020, none of the November 2019 Pre-Funded Warrants had been exercised.
In June 2020, the Company entered
into a separate Underwriting Agreement (the “June 2020 Underwriting Agreement”) with J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
and SVB Leerink LLC, as representatives of the several underwriters named therein (the “June 2020 Underwriters”),
relating to the issuance and sale of an aggregate of (a) 2,826,088 shares of the Company’s common stock (the “June 2020
Shares”), and (b) pre-funded warrants to purchase 1,521,738 shares of the Company’s common stock (the “June 2020
Pre-Funded Warrants”) to the Underwriters (the “June 2020 Offering”). The June 2020 Shares were
sold to the purchasers at the public offering price of $23.00 per share. The June 2020 Pre-Funded Warrants were sold at a
public offering price of $22.9999 per June 2020 Pre-Funded Warrant, which represents the per share public offering price
for the Company’s common stock less a $0.0001 per share exercise price for each such June 2020 Pre-Funded Warrant.
The June 2020 Underwriters fully exercised their purchase option pursuant to the June 2020 Underwriting Agreement, and
the Company issued and sold an additional 652,173 shares of its common stock. The Company received aggregate net proceeds
of approximately $107,782 after deducting underwriting discounts, commissions and other offering expenses payable by
the Company of approximately $7,217.
Funds affiliated with Redmile Group, LLC
and funds affiliated with a second institutional investor purchased all of the June 2020 Pre-Funded Warrants. The June 2020
Pre-Funded Warrants are exercisable at any time after the date of issuance. A holder of June 2020 Pre-Funded Warrants may
not exercise the June 2020 Pre-Funded Warrant if the holder, together with its affiliates, would beneficially own more than
9.99% of the number of shares of the Company’s common stock outstanding immediately after giving effect to such exercise.
A holder of June 2020 Pre-Funded Warrants may increase or decrease this percentage up to 19.99% by providing at least 61
days’ prior notice to the Company. As of June 30, 2020, none of the June 2020 Pre-Funded Warrants had been
exercised.
14
All of the Company’s pre-funded warrants
to purchase the Company’s common stock were purchased by funds affiliated with Redmile Group, LLC (in both the November 2019
Offering and the June 2020 Offering) and funds affiliated with a second institutional investor (in the June 2020 Offering).
Other than as set forth in Note 10 to these consolidated financial statements, the 3,721,738 shares of the Company’s common
stock into which the November 2019 Pre-Funded Warrants and the June 2020 Pre-Funded Warrants are exercisable are not
included in the number of issued and outstanding shares of the Company’s common stock set forth herein. However, the November 2019
Pre-Funded Warrants and the June 2020 Pre-Funded Warrants are included in the calculation of basic and diluted net loss per
share attributable to common stockholders (see Note 10).
9. Stock-based compensation
2015 Enterprise Management
Incentive Share Option Plan
The 2015 Enterprise Management Incentive
Share Option Plan of Replimune UK (the “2015 Plan”) provided for Replimune UK to grant incentive stock options, non-statutory
stock options, stock awards, stock units, stock appreciation rights and other stock-based awards. Incentive stock options are
granted only to the Company’s employees, including officers and directors who are also employees. Non-statutory stock options
are granted to employees, members of the board of directors, outside advisors and consultants of the Company.
2017 Equity Compensation
Plan
In July 2017, in conjunction with
the Reorganization, the 2015 Plan was terminated, and all awards were cancelled with replacement awards issued under the 2017
Equity Compensation Plan (the “2017 Plan”). Subsequent to the Reorganization, no additional grants will be made under
the 2015 Plan and any outstanding awards under the 2015 Plan will continue with their original terms. The Company concluded that
the cancellation of the 2015 Plan and issuance of replacement awards under the 2017 Plan was a modification with no change in
the material rights and preferences and therefore no recorded change in the fair value of each respective award.
The Company’s 2017 Plan provides
for the Company to grant incentive stock options or non-statutory stock options, stock awards, stock units, stock appreciation
rights and other stock-based awards. Incentive stock options may be granted only to the Company’s employees, including officers
and directors who are also employees. Restricted stock awards and non-statutory stock options may be granted to employees, officers,
members of the board of directors, advisors and consultants of the Company. The maximum number of common shares that may be issued
under the 2017 Plan was 2,659,885 of which 0 remained available for future grants as of June 30, 2020. Shares with respect
to which awards have expired, terminated, surrendered or cancelled under the 2017 Plan without having been fully exercised will
be available for future awards under the 2017 Plan. In addition, shares of common stock that are tendered to the Company by a
participant to exercise an award are added to the number of shares of common stock available for the grant of awards.
2018 Omnibus Incentive
Compensation Plan
On July 9, 2018, the Company’s
board of directors adopted, and the Company’s stockholders approved the 2018 Omnibus Incentive Compensation Plan (the “2018
Plan”), which became effective immediately prior to the effectiveness of the registration statement for the Company’s
initial public offering. The 2018 Plan provides for the issuance of incentive stock options, non-qualified stock options, stock
awards, stock units, stock appreciation rights and other stock-based awards. The number of shares initially reserved for issuance
under the 2018 Plan is 3,617,968 shares. If any options or stock appreciation rights, including outstanding options and stock
appreciation rights granted under the 2017 Plan (up to 2,520,247 shares), terminate, expire, or are canceled, forfeited, exchanged,
or surrendered without having been exercised, or if any stock awards, stock units or other stock-based awards, including outstanding
awards granted under the 2017 Plan, are forfeited, terminated, or otherwise not paid in full in shares of common stock, the shares
of the Company’s common stock subject to such grants will be available for purposes of our 2018 Plan. On April 1, 2020,
the number of shares reserved for issuance under the 2018 Plan automatically increased by 1,466,749 shares pursuant to the terms
of the 2018 Plan. On April 1, 2019, the number of shares reserved for issuance under the 2018 Plan automatically increased
by 1,266,278 shares pursuant to the terms of the 2018 Plan. As of June 30, 2020, 1,909,204 shares remained available for
future grants under the 2018 Plan.
15
The 2015 Plan, the 2017 Plan and the 2018
Plan was administered by the board of directors or, at the discretion of the board of directors, by a committee of the board of
directors. However, the board of directors shall administer and approve all grants made to non-employee directors. The exercise
prices, vesting and other restrictions are determined at the discretion of the board of directors, except that the exercise price
per share of incentive stock options may not be less than 100% of the fair market value of the common stock on the date of grant
(or 110% of fair value in the case of an award granted to employees who hold more than 10% of the total combined voting power
of all classes of stock at the time of grant) and the term of stock options may not be greater than five years for an incentive
stock option granted to a 10% stockholder and greater than ten years for all other options granted. Stock options awarded under
both plans expire ten years after the grant date, unless the board of directors sets a shorter term. Vesting periods for both
plans are determined at the discretion of the board of directors. Incentive stock options granted to employees and non-statutory
options granted to employees, officers, members of the board of directors, advisors, and consultants of the Company typically
vest over four years.
Employee Stock Purchase
Plan
On July 9, 2018, the Company’s
board of directors adopted and the Company’s stockholders approved the Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the “ESPP”),
which became effective immediately prior to the effectiveness of the registration statement for the Company’s IPO. The total
shares of common stock initially reserved for issuance under the ESPP is limited to 348,612 shares. In addition, as of the first
trading day of each fiscal year during the term of the ESPP (excluding any extensions), an additional number of shares of the
Company’s common stock equal to 1% of the total number of shares outstanding on the last trading day in the immediately
preceding fiscal year or 697,224 shares, whichever is less (or such lesser amount as determined by the Company’s board of
directors) will be added to the number of shares authorized under the ESPP. In accordance, on April 1, 2020, the number of
shares reserved for issuance under the ESPP automatically increased by 366,687 shares, for a total of 1,031,868 shares reserved
for the ESPP. In accordance, on April 1, 2019, the number of shares reserved for issuance under the ESPP automatically increased
by 316,569 shares, for a total of 665,181 shares reserved for the ESPP. If the total number of shares of common stock to be purchased
pursuant to outstanding purchase rights on any particular date exceed the number of shares then available for issuance under the
ESPP, then the plan administrator will allocate the available shares pro-rata and refund any excess payroll deductions or other
contributions to participants.
Stock option valuation
The fair value of stock option grants is
estimated using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model. The Company lacks company-specific historical and implied volatility information.
Therefore, it estimated its expected stock volatility based on the historical volatility of a publicly traded set of peer companies.
For options with service-based vesting conditions, the expected term of the Company’s stock options has been determined
utilizing the “simplified” method for awards that qualify as “plain-vanilla” options. The expected term
of stock options granted to non-employees is equal to the contractual term of the option award. The risk-free interest rate is
determined by reference to the U.S. Treasury yield curve in effect at the time of grant of the award for time periods approximately
equal to the expected term of the award. Expected dividend yield is based on the fact that the Company has never paid cash dividends
and does not expect to pay any cash dividends in the foreseeable future.
The following table presents, on a weighted-average
basis, the assumptions that the Company used to determine the grant-date fair value of stock options granted to employees and
directors:
Three Months
Ended
June 30,
2020
2019
Risk-free interest rate
1.24 %
2.34 %
Expected term (in years)
6.5
6.0
Expected volatility
75.0 %
71.0 %
Expected dividend yield
0 %
0 %
16
Stock options
The following table summarizes the Company’s
stock option activity:
Weighted
Weighted
Average
Average
Aggregate
Number of
Exercise
Contractual
Intrinsic
Shares
Price
Term (Years)
Value
Outstanding as of March 31, 2020
4,964,381
$ 9.78
8.02
$ 15,344
Granted
1,721,504
10.43
9.77
Exercised
(133,416 )
11.60
Cancelled
(41,947 )
12.02
Outstanding as of June 30, 2020
6,510,522
9.90
8.29
$ 97,322
Options exercisable as of March 31, 2020
2,117,721
$ 5.66
7.20
$ 11,733
Options exercisable as of June 30, 2020
2,545,850
$ 7.01
7.21
$ 45,430
The aggregate intrinsic value of stock
options is calculated as the difference between the exercise price of the stock options and the fair value of the Company’s
common stock for those stock options that had exercise prices lower than the fair value of the Company’s common stock.
The weighted average grant-date fair value
per share of stock options granted during the three months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019 was $6.94 and $9.96, respectively.
The total fair value of options vested during the three months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019 was $4,633 and $211, respectively.
Stock-based compensation expense
Stock-based compensation expense was classified
in the consolidated statements of operations as follows:
Three Months Ended
June 30,
2020
2019
Research and development
$ 1,000
$ 841
General and administrative
1,468
969
$ 2,468
$ 1,810
As of June 30, 2020, total unrecognized
compensation cost related to the unvested stock-based awards was $27,901, which is expected to be recognized over a weighted average
period of 2.96 years.
10. Net loss per share
Basic and diluted net loss per share attributable
to common stockholders was calculated as follows:
Three Months
Ended June 30,
2020
2019
Numerator:
Net loss attributable
to common stockholders
$ (17,493 )
$ (9,508 )
Denominator:
Weighted average common shares
outstanding, basic and diluted
39,862,319
31,661,430
Net loss per share attributable to common stockholders,
basic and diluted
$ (0.44 )
$ (0.30 )
17
The November 2019 Pre-Funded Warrants
and the June 2020 Pre-Funded Warrants are included in the calculation of basic and diluted net loss per share attributable
to common stockholders. The Company’s potentially dilutive securities, which include stock options, preferred stock and
warrants to purchase shares of series seed preferred stock, have been excluded from the computation of diluted net loss per share
as the effect would be to reduce the net loss per share. Therefore, the weighted average number of common shares outstanding used
to calculate both basic and diluted net loss per share attributable to common stockholders is the same. The Company excluded the
following potential common shares, presented based on amounts outstanding at each period end, from the computation of diluted
net loss per share attributable to common stockholders for the periods indicated because including them would have had an anti-dilutive
effect:
Three Months
Ended June 30,
2020
2019
Options to purchase common stock
6,510,522
4,845,068
Warrants to purchase convertible preferred stock (as converted
to common stock)
497,344
497,344
7,007,866
5,342,412
11. Significant agreements
Agreement with Bristol-Myers
Squibb Company
In February 2018, the Company entered
into an agreement with Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (“BMS”). Pursuant to the agreement, BMS will provide to the Company,
at no cost, a compound for use in the Company’s ongoing clinical trial. Under the agreement, the Company will sponsor, fund
and conduct the clinical trial in accordance with an agreed-upon protocol. BMS granted the Company a non-exclusive, non-transferrable,
royalty-free license (with a right to sublicense) under its intellectual property to its compound in the clinical trial and agreed
to supply its compound, at no cost to the Company, for use in the clinical trial. In January 2020, this agreement was expanded
to cover an additional cohort of 125 patients with anti-PD-1 refractory melanoma.
Unless earlier terminated, the agreement
will remain in effect until (i) the completion of the clinical trial, (ii) all related clinical trial data have been
delivered to both parties and (iii) the completion of any statistical analyses and bioanalyses contemplated by the clinical
trial protocol or any analysis otherwise agreed upon by the parties. The agreement may be terminated by either party (i) in
the event of an uncured material breach by the other party, (ii) in the event the other party is insolvent or in bankruptcy
proceedings or (iii) for safety reasons. Upon termination, the licenses granted to the Company to use BMS’s compound
in the clinical trial will terminate.
In April 2019, the Company entered
into a separate agreement with BMS on terms similar to the terms set forth in the agreement described above, pursuant to which
BMS will provide to the Company, at no cost, nivolumab for use in the Company’s Phase 1 clinical trial of RP2 in combination
with nivolumab.
As of June 30, 2020, the Company had
not incurred any costs and does not expect to incur future costs in connection with this agreement.
Agreement with Regeneron
Pharmaceuticals, Inc .
In May 2018, the Company entered into
an agreement with Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (“Regeneron”). The Company and Regeneron are each independently
developing compounds for the treatment of certain tumor types. Pursuant to the agreement, the Company and Regeneron will undertake
one or more clinical trials using a combination of the compounds being developed by each entity. Under the agreement, each study
will be conducted under terms set out in a separately agreed upon study plan that will identify the name of the sponsor and which
party will manage the particular clinical trial, and include the protocol, the budget and a schedule of clinical obligations.
In June 2018, under the terms of the agreement between the Company and Regeneron, the parties agreed to the first study plan.
The Company and Regeneron have agreed to the protocol, budget, sample testing and clinical obligations schedule under the study
plan. Development and supply costs associated with the study plan will be split equally between the Company and Regeneron.
Pursuant to the terms of the agreement,
each party granted the other party a non-exclusive license under its respective intellectual property and agreed to contribute
the necessary resources needed to fulfill its respective obligations, in each case, under the terms of the agreed-upon or to-be
agreed upon study plans. Development costs of a particular clinical trial will be split equally between the Company and Regeneron.
The agreement may be terminated by either
party if (i) there is no active study plan for which a final study report has not been completed, (ii) the parties have
not entered into a study plan for an additional clinical trial within a period of time after the delivery of the most recent final
study report or (iii) in the event of a material breach.
18
The Company will account for costs incurred
as part of the study, including costs to supply compounds for use in the study, as research and development expenses within the
consolidated statement of operations. The Company will recognize any amounts received from Regeneron in connection with this agreement
as an offset to research and development expense within the consolidated statement of operations.
Under the terms of the agreement, on a
quarterly basis the Company and Regeneron true-up costs of the study and make corresponding payments to the party that incurred
the majority of the costs. During the three months ended June 30, 2020 or 2019, the Company did not make any payments under
the terms of the agreement to Regeneron. During the three months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019, the Company received
payments under the terms of the agreement to Regeneron of $971 and $337, respectively. As of June 30, 2020 and
March 31, 2020, the Company recorded $1,432 and $971 of receivables from Regeneron in connection with this agreement in prepaid
expenses and other current assets in the consolidated balance sheet, respectively.
12. Commitments and contingencies
Leases
In April 2016, the Company entered
into a lease agreement for office and laboratory space in Abingdon, England. On June 29, 2020 the Company modified the lease
terms to extend the expiration date to April 3, 2031 and the lease modification was not accounted for as a separate contract.
As part of the lease modification, the lease liability was remeasured in accordance with the updated terms of the contract and
the associated lease liability and right-of-use asset was increased by $1,580. The Company has the right to terminate the lease
as of April 4, 2026 upon at least twelve months’ prior written notice. Monthly lease payments are inclusive of base
rent, ancillary charges, non-rent shared tenant occupancy costs and the respective value added tax to be paid. Monthly lease payments
include base rent of approximately $29 through June 23, 2020, $14 from June 24, 2020 through December 24, 2020,
and $29 thereafter. Monthly base rent is subject to increase after April 2021 in proportion to the Retail Price Index or
market rates. The lease is classified as an operating lease.
In June 2018, the Company entered
into an agreement to lease approximately 63,000 square feet of office, manufacturing and laboratory space in Framingham, Massachusetts.
Pursuant to the lease agreement, the lease term commenced in December 2018, subject to the landlord completing certain agreed
upon landlord improvements. The rent commencement date started in August 2019. The initial lease term is ten years from the
rent commencement date and includes two optional five-year extensions. Annual lease payments during the first year were $2,373
with increases of 3.0% each year thereafter until the expiration of the lease.
Construction was completed associated with
approximately 10,500 square feet of the leased space in Framingham, Massachusetts and the Company occupied the building as office
space beginning August 1, 2019. The Company recorded a right-of-use asset and lease liability associated with the occupied
space as of August 1, 2019. The Company recorded $2,368 in related construction costs to the right-of-use asset upon the
lease commencement date which were reclassified from prepaid rent. The Company occupied the remainder of the facility, approximately
53,000 square feet used as laboratory space, on October 22, 2019. The Company recorded a right-of-use asset and lease
liability associated with the remaining space as of October 22, 2019. The Company recorded $18,164 in related construction
costs and $261 in rent payments made prior to the lease commencement date to the right-of-use asset upon the lease commencement
date which were reclassified from prepaid rent. The lease is classified as a financing lease.
In June 2019, the Company entered
into an agreement to lease approximately 18,700 square feet of office space in Woburn, Massachusetts. Pursuant to the lease agreement,
the lease term commenced in August 2019. The rent commenced in September 2019. The initial lease term is ten years from
the rent commencement date and includes an optional five-year extension. Annual lease payments during the first year are $488
with increases of approximately 1.6% each year. The Company recorded a right-of-use asset and a lease liability of $4,363 upon
the commencement date of the lease and the lease is classified as an operating lease.
19
The Company determines if an arrangement
is a lease at inception. Operating leases are included in our balance sheet as right-to-use—operating leases, operating
lease liabilities, current and operating lease liabilities, non-current. Finance leases are included in the balance sheet
as right-to-use asset—finance lease finance lease liabilities, current, and finance lease liabilities, non-current. Certain
of the Company’s lease agreements contain renewal options; however, the Company does not recognize right-of-use assets or
lease liabilities for renewal periods unless it is determined that the Company is reasonably certain of renewing the lease at
inception or when a triggering event occurs. As the Company’s leases do not provide an implicit rate, the Company estimated
the incremental borrowing rate in calculating the present value of the lease payments. Since the Company elected to account for
each lease component and its associated non-lease components as a single combined lease component, all contract consideration
was allocated to the combined lease component. Some of the Company’s lease agreements contain rent escalation clauses (including
index-based escalations). The Company recognizes the minimum rental expense on a straight-line basis based on the fixed components
of a lease arrangement. The Company amortizes this expense over the term of the lease beginning with the date of initial possession,
which is the date the Company can enter the leased space and begin to make improvements in preparation for its intended use. Variable
lease components represent amounts that are not fixed in nature and are not tied to an index or rate, and are recognized as incurred.
Three Months Ended
June 30,
Lease cost
2020
2019
Finance lease costs:
Amortization of right-to-use asset
$ 607
$ -
Interest on lease liabilities
561
-
Operating lease costs
230
114
Total lease cost
$ 1,398
$ 114
Finance lease costs of $90 and $0 are recognized
in general and administrative expenses for the three months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively, and $517 and $0 in
research and development expenses for the three months ended June 30 and 2019, respectively. Operating leases costs are recognized
in general and administrative expenses for the three months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019. The following table summarizes the
maturity of the Company’s lease liabilities on an undiscounted cash flow basis and a reconciliation to the operating and
financing lease liabilities recognized on our balance sheet as of June 30, 2020:
20
June 30, 2020
Operating leases
Financing lease
Total
2022 (remaining nine months)
$ 599
$ 1,817
$ 2,416
2023
930
2,483
3,413
2024
939
2,558
3,497
2025
949
2,634
3,583
2026
958
2,713
3,671
Thereafter
4,832
43,686
48,518
Total lease payments
9,207
55,891
65,098
Less: interest
3,167
28,545
31,712
Total lease liabilities
$ 6,040
$ 27,346
$ 33,386
The following table provides
lease disclosure as of June 30, 2020 and March 31, 2020:
June 30, 2020
March 31, 2020
Leases
Right-to-use operating lease asset
$ 5,852
$ 4,425
Right-to-use finance lease asset
46,318
46,925
Total lease assets
$ 52,170
$ 51,350
Operating lease liabilities, current
$ 830
$ 873
Finance lease liabilities, current
2,429
2,411
Operating lease liabilities, non-current
5,210
3,737
Finance lease liabilities, non-current
24,917
24,967
Total lease liabilities
$ 33,386
$ 31,988
The following table provides
lease disclosure for the three months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019:
Three Months Ended
June 30,
2020
2019
Other information
Cash paid for amounts included in the measurement of lease liabilities:
Operating cash flows from operating leases
$ 209
$ 114
Operating cash flows from finance leases
$ 561
$ -
Financing cash flows from finance leases
$ 32
$ -
Right-to-use asset obtained in exchange for new operating lease liabilities
$ 1,580
$ 789
Weighted-average remaining lease term - operating leases
9.8 years
1.8 years
Weighted-average remaining lease term - financing leases
19.3 years
-
Weighted-average discount rate - operating leases
10 %
15 %
Weighted-average discount rate - financing leases
8 %
0 %
The variable lease costs and short-term lease costs
were insignificant for three months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019.
Manufacturing commitments
The Company has entered into an agreement
with a contract manufacturing organization to provide clinical trial products. As of June 30, 2020 and March 31, 2020,
the Company had committed to minimum payments under these arrangements totaling $3,109 and $3,569, respectively, through March 31,
2021.
Indemnification agreements
In the ordinary course of business, the
Company may provide indemnification of varying scope and terms to vendors, lessors, business partners and other parties with respect
to certain matters including, but not limited to, losses arising out of breach of such agreements or from intellectual property
infringement claims made by third parties. In addition, the Company has entered into indemnification agreements with members of
its board of directors that will require the Company, among other things, to indemnify them against certain liabilities that may
arise by reason of their status or service as directors or officers. The maximum potential amount of future payments the Company
could be required to make under these indemnification agreements is, in many cases, unlimited. To date, the Company has not incurred
any material costs as a result of such indemnifications. The Company is not aware of any claims under indemnification arrangements,
and therefore it has not accrued any liabilities related to such obligations in its consolidated financial statements as of June 30,
2020 or March 31, 2020.
21
Legal proceedings
The Company is not a party to any litigation
and does not have contingency reserves established for any litigation liabilities.
13. Geographic information
The Company operates in two geographic regions:
the United States (Massachusetts) and the United Kingdom (Oxfordshire). Information about the Company’s long-lived assets
held in different geographic regions is presented in the tables below:
June 30, 2020
March 31, 2020
United States
$ 6,806
$ 6,357
United Kingdom
551
503
$ 7,357
$ 6,860
22
Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial
Condition and Results of Operations.
You should read the following discussion
and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations together with our unaudited consolidated financial statements
and related notes appearing in Part I, Item 1 of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and with our audited consolidated
financial statements and notes thereto for the year ended March 31, 2020, included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K
for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2020.
Some of the statements contained in this
discussion and analysis or set forth elsewhere in this Quarterly Report on Form 10- Q, including information with respect
to our plans and strategy for our business, constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act.
We have based these forward-looking statements on our current expectations and projections about future events. The following information
and any forward-looking statements should be considered in light of factors discussed elsewhere in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q,
particularly including those risks identified in Part II, Item 1A “Risk factors” and our other filings with
the SEC.
Our actual results and timing of certain
events may differ materially from the results discussed, projected, anticipated, or indicated in any forward-looking statements.
We caution you that forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and that our actual results of operations,
financial condition and liquidity, and the development of the industry in which we operate may differ materially from the forward-looking
statements contained in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. Statements made herein are as of the date of the filing of this
Form 10-Q with the SEC and should not be relied upon as of any subsequent date. Even if our results of operations, financial
condition and liquidity, and the development of the industry in which we operate are consistent with the forward-looking statements
contained in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, they may not be predictive of results or developments in future periods.
We disclaim any obligation, except as specifically required by law and the rules of the SEC, to publicly update or revise
any such statements to reflect any change in our expectations or in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statements
may be based or that may affect the likelihood that actual results will differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements.
Overview
General
We are a clinical-stage biotechnology company
committed to applying our leading expertise in the field of oncolytic immunotherapy to transform the lives of cancer patients.
We use our proprietary Immulytic platform to design and develop product candidates that are intended to maximally activate the
immune system against cancer.
Oncolytic immunotherapy, which we intend
to establish as the second cornerstone of immune-based cancer treatment, is an emerging class of immuno-oncology therapy, alongside
checkpoint blockade, that exploits the ability of certain viruses to selectively replicate in and directly kill tumors, as well
as induce a potent, patient-specific, anti-tumor immune response. Such oncolytic, or "cancer killing," viruses have the
potential to generate an immune response targeted to an individual patient's particular set of tumor antigens, including neo-antigens
that are uniquely present in tumors. Our product candidates incorporate multiple mechanisms of action into a practical "off-the-shelf"
approach that is intended to maximize the immune response against a patient's cancer and to offer significant advantages over personalized
vaccine approaches. We believe that the bundling of multiple approaches for the treatment of cancer into single therapies will
simplify the development path of our product candidates, while also improving patient outcomes at a lower cost to the healthcare
system than the use of multiple different drugs.
The foundation of our Immulytic platform
consists of a proprietary, engineered strain of herpes simplex virus 1, or HSV-1, that has been "armed" with a fusogenic
glycoprotein intended to substantially increase anti-tumor activity. Our Immulytic platform enables us to incorporate various genes
into HSV-1 that are intended to further augment the inherent properties of HSV-1 in order to both directly destroy tumor cells
and induce an anti-tumor immune response. We currently have three product candidates in our development pipeline, RP1, our lead
product candidate, and additionally RP2 and RP3.
We are currently conducting a number
of clinical trials of RP1, both as a monotherapy and in combination with anti-PD-1 therapy, with a focus on immune-responsive
tumors. We are conducting a randomized, controlled Phase 2 clinical trial of RP1 in approximately 240 patients with cutaneous
squamous cell carcinoma, or CSCC, RP1's lead indication. This registration-directed clinical trial is evaluating RP1 in
combination with cemiplimab, an anti-PD-1 therapy developed by Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., or Regeneron, versus
cemiplimab alone. Regeneron has granted to us a non-exclusive royalty-free license to cemiplimab for use in this trial, is
funding one-half of the clinical trial costs, and is supplying cemiplimab at no cost to us. If compelling clinical data are
generated demonstrating the benefits of the combined treatment in this clinical trial, we believe the data from this Phase 2
clinical trial could support a filing with regulatory authorities for marketing approval. Recruitment into this Phase 2
clinical trial is expected to take approximately eighteen to twenty-four months and we expect the primary data readout from
the clinical trial in 2022. We have also opened for enrollment a Phase 1b clinical trial of single agent RP1 in solid organ
transplant recipients with CSCC, which we believe to be potentially registrational (in its own right or, subject to
discussion with regulatory authorities, following enrollment of additional patients). We intend to enroll approximately 30
patients in this clinical trial to assess the safety and efficacy of RP1 in liver and kidney transplant recipients with
recurrent CSCC.
23
We have entered into a collaboration with
Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, or BMS, under which it has granted us a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to, and is supplying
at no cost, its anti-PD-1 therapy, nivolumab, for use in combination with RP1 in a multi-cohort clinical trial. We are currently
enrolling a 125-patient extension cohort of RP1 combined with nivolumab in anti-PD-1 refractory cutaneous melanoma. We initiated
this cohort after completing enrollment in a prior Phase 2 cohort in the same clinical trial of approximately 30 patients with
melanoma. The data generated in the melanoma cohort demonstrated that RP1 combined with nivolumab has the potential to treat anti-PD-1
refractory melanoma. We also believe this cohort to be potentially registrational (in its own right or, subject to discussion with
regulatory authorities, following enrollment of additional patients).
We continue to enroll patients in other
Phase 2 cohorts of approximately 30 patients each, testing RP1 in combination with nivolumab in non-melanoma skin cancers and microsatellite
instability high, or MSI-H/dMMR, tumors under our collaboration with BMS. Due in part to COVID-19 related disruptions, we expect
that the non-melanoma skin cancer cohort to be fully accrued by the end of 2020. Similarly, it is likely that accumulating sufficient
data to inform a decision as to whether to pursue MSI-H/dMMR tumors into registration-directed development will be delayed into
2021. In addition, as a result of changes in the competitive landscape, we recently announced our intention to replace a 30 patient
bladder cancer cohort with a cohort of patients with anti-PD-1 refractory non-small cell lung cancer, or NSCLC. We intend to initiate
enrollment into this cohort later this year.
We are also developing additional product
candidates, RP2 and RP3, that have been further engineered to enhance anti-tumor immune responses and are intended to address additional
tumor types. In addition to the expression of GALV-GP R(-) and human GM-CSF, RP2 has been engineered to express an antibody-like
molecule intended to block the activity of CTLA-4, a protein that inhibits the immune response to tumors. RP3 has been engineered
with the intent to further stimulate an anti-tumor response through activation of the immune co-stimulatory pathways through expression
of the ligands for CD40 and 4-1BB.
We initiated a Phase 1 clinical trial of
RP2 in October 2019. The Phase 1 clinical trial of RP2 is also being conducted as a collaboration with BMS, under which BMS
has granted us a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to, and will supply at no cost, nivolumab, for use in combination with RP2.
We expect to release initial safety and efficacy data from this Phase 1 clinical trial in the second half of 2020. Based on
the data generated to date, we have decided to amend the protocol to allow for an expansion of the second part of this clinical
trial (of RP2 combined with nivolumab) from 12 to 30 patients.
We intend to file an Investigational New
Drug application, or IND, and/or foreign equivalents for RP3 and, assuming regulatory clearance, enter clinical development during
2020. IND and/or foreign equivalent enabling studies of RP3 are currently underway.
Recent Developments
During the quarter ended June 30, 2020,
we announced interim data from the Phase 2 part of our Phase 1/2 clinical trial of RP1 in which we are assessing the safety and
efficacy of RP1 in combination with nivolumab in cohorts of approximately 30 patients. We announced that four of seven evaluable
CSCC patients in the 30-patient non-melanoma skin cancer cohort have ongoing complete responses and six of the seven evaluable
patients have either an ongoing complete response or an ongoing partial response. We continue to believe this interim data demonstrates
that RP1 in combination with nivolumab is well-tolerated, demonstrates immune activation and continues to drive deep and durable
responses in patients with CSCC. Of particular note, we observed clear differentiation in the number of complete responses in patients
with advanced CSCC who were treated with RP1 in combination with nivolumab as compared to the number of complete responses which
we believe would be expected in patients if they were treated with nivolumab alone.
24
We have enrolled and treated 36 melanoma
patients, including the six melanoma patients enrolled into the Phase 1 expansion cohort of RP1 combined with nivolumab. 16 patients
with anti-PD-1 refractory cutaneous melanoma have been treated as have an additional 20 patients with anti-PD-1 naïve cutaneous
melanoma, uveal melanoma (all anti-PD-1 refractory), and mucosal melanoma (anti-PD-1 naïve or refractory). Five of the 16
anti-PD-1 refractory cutaneous melanoma patients at the data cut-off date met the formal definition of response, with an additional
two patients remaining on treatment with the opportunity for response. Accordingly, we will observe a final response rate from
this cohort of at least 31%. Four of eight anti-PD-1 naïve cutaneous melanoma patients met the formal definition of response
at the data cut-off date, with an additional two patients continuing on treatment with the opportunity for response. Additionally,
two of the six mucosal melanoma patients met the formal definition of response at the data cut-off date, and two of the six uveal
melanoma patients are on study with the opportunity of response, with one such uveal melanoma patient demonstrating a 27.3% reduction
in target disease burden as of the last CT scan in April 2020.
Financial overview
Since our inception, we have devoted substantially
all of our resources to developing our Immulytic platform and our lead product candidate, RP1, building our intellectual property
portfolio, conducting research and development of our product candidates, business planning, raising capital and providing general
and administrative support for our operations. To date, we have financed our operations primarily with proceeds from the sale of
equity securities and to a lesser extent the proceeds from the issuance of debt securities. We do not have any products approved
for sale and have not generated any revenue from product sales. On July 24, 2018, we completed our initial public offering
(“IPO”) of our common stock and issued and sold 6,700,000 shares of our common stock at a public offering price of
$15.00 per share, resulting in net proceeds of approximately $93.5 million after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions
but before deducting offering costs. On July 30, 2018, we issued and sold an additional 707,936 shares of our common stock
at the IPO price of $15.00 per share pursuant to the underwriters’ partial exercise of their option to purchase additional
shares of common stock, resulting in additional net proceeds of approximately $9.9 million after deducting discounts and commissions
but before deducting other offering expenses.
On August 8, 2019, we entered into
a Loan and Security Agreement with Hercules Capital, Inc. (“Hercules Loan Agreement”), pursuant to which we borrowed
$10.0 million under a secured term loan facility in the amount of $30.0 million (“Term Loan Facility”). The Hercules
Loan Agreement was subsequently amended on June 1, 2020, in order to, among other things, increase the secured term loan facility
from $30.0 million to $40.0 million.
Also on August 8, 2019, we entered
into a Sales Agreement with SVB Leerink LLC (“Sales Agreement”), pursuant to which we could sell, from time to time,
at our option, up to an aggregate amount of $75.0 million of shares of our common stock, of which we have sold $4.5 million as
of June 30, 2020. In June 2020 the Sales Agreement was amended to reduce the aggregate offering amount under the Sales
Agreement from $75,000 of shares to $30,000 of Shares.
On November 18, 2019, we completed
a follow-on public offering, or the November Offering, of (i) 3,678,031 shares of our common stock at a public offering
price of $13.61 per share and (ii) pre-funded warrants to purchase 2,200,000 shares of our common stock at a purchase price
of $13.6099 per pre-funded warrant, the public offering price per share of common stock less the $0.0001 per share exercise price
of each pre-funded warrant. On December 13, 2019 we sold 838,530 shares of our common stock to the underwriters at the public
offering price in connection with the underwriters’ partial exercise of their option to purchase additional shares of our
common stock. We received aggregate net proceeds of approximately $85.6 million after deducting underwriting discounts, commissions
and other offering expenses of approximately $5.8 million.
On June 11, 2020, we completed an additional
follow-on public offering, or the “June Offering”, of (i) 2,826,088 shares of our common stock at a public
offering price of $23.00 per share and (ii) pre-funded warrants to purchase 1,521,738 shares of our common stock at a purchase
price of $22.9999 per pre-funded warrant, the public offering price per share of common stock less the $0.0001 per share exercise
price of each pre-funded warrant. On June 29, 2020 we sold 652,173 shares of our common stock to the underwriters at the public
offering price in connection with the underwriters’ full exercise of their option to purchase additional shares of our common
stock. We received aggregate net proceeds of approximately $107.8 million after deducting underwriting discounts, commissions and
other offering expenses of approximately $7.2 million.
25
Funds affiliated with two separate institutional
investors hold all of our outstanding pre-funded warrants. Other than as set forth in Note 10 of our condensed consolidated financial
statements appearing elsewhere in this Quarterly Report, the 3,721,738 shares of our common stock into which our outstanding pre-funded
warrants are exercisable are not included in the number of issued and outstanding shares of our common stock set forth in this
Quarterly Report. However, the November 2019 Pre-Funded Warrants and the June 2020 Pre-Funded Warrants are included in
the calculation of basic and diluted net loss per share attributable to common stockholders (see Note 10).
Since our inception, we have incurred significant
operating losses. Our ability to generate product revenue sufficient to achieve profitability will depend on the successful development
and eventual commercialization of one or more of our product candidates. Our net losses were $17.5 million and $9.5 million
for the three months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively. As of June 30, 2020, we had an accumulated deficit of
$129.8 million. These losses have resulted primarily from costs incurred in connection with research and development activities
and general and administrative costs associated with our operations. We expect to continue to incur significant expenses and increasing
operating losses for at least the next several years.
We anticipate that our expenses and capital
requirements will increase substantially in connection with our ongoing activities, particularly as we advance the preclinical
activities and clinical trials of our product candidates, and if and as we:
● conduct our current and future clinical trials with RP1;
● progress the clinical development of RP2 and preclinical development of RP3;
● operate our own in-house manufacturing facility;
● seek to identify and develop additional product candidates;
● seek marketing approvals for any of our product candidates that successfully complete clinical trials, if any;
● establish a sales, marketing and distribution infrastructure to commercialize any products for which we may obtain marketing
approval;
● maintain, expand and protect our intellectual property portfolio;
● hire and retain additional clinical, quality control, scientific and general and administration personnel;
● acquire or in-license other drugs and technologies; and
● add operational, financial and management information systems and personnel, including personnel to support our research and
development programs and any future commercialization efforts.
We will not generate revenue from product
sales unless and until we successfully complete clinical development and obtain regulatory approval for RP1 or our other product
candidates. If we obtain regulatory approval for any of our product candidates and do not enter into a commercialization partnership
in any jurisdiction, we expect to incur significant expenses related to developing our internal commercialization capability to
support product sales, marketing, and distribution.
As a result, we will need substantial additional
funding to support our continuing operations and pursue our growth strategy. Until such time as we can generate significant revenue
from product sales, if ever, we expect to finance our operations through a combination of equity offerings, debt financings, collaborations,
strategic alliances, and marketing, distribution, or licensing arrangements. We may be unable to raise additional funds or enter
into such other agreements or arrangements when needed on favorable terms, or at all. If we fail to raise capital or enter into
such agreements as, and when, needed, we may have to significantly delay, scale back, or discontinue the development and commercialization
of one or more of our product candidates.
26
Because of the numerous risks and
uncertainties associated with pharmaceutical product development, we are unable to accurately predict the timing or amount of
increased expenses or when, or if, we will be able to achieve or maintain profitability. Even if we are able to generate
product sales, we may not become profitable. If we fail to become profitable or are unable to sustain profitability on a
continuing basis, then we may be unable to continue our operations at planned levels and be forced to reduce or terminate our
operations.
As of June 30, 2020, we had cash and
cash equivalents and short-term investments of $261.8 million. We believe that our existing cash and cash equivalents and
short-term investments will enable us to fund our operating expenses and capital expenditure requirements through at least 12 months
from the issuance of the consolidated financial statements included in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q.
See “—Liquidity and capital
resources” and “Risk factors—Risks related to our financial position and need for additional capital.”
Components of our results of operations
Revenue
To date, we have not generated any revenue
from product sales as we do not have any approved products and do not expect to generate any revenue from the sale of products
in the near future. If our development efforts for RP1 or any other product candidates that we may develop in the future are successful
and result in regulatory approval, or if we enter into collaboration or license agreements with third parties, we may generate
revenue in the future from a combination of product sales or payments from those collaborations or license agreements.
Operating expenses
Our expenses since inception have consisted
solely of research and development costs and general and administrative costs.
Research and development expenses
Research and development expenses consist
primarily of costs incurred for our research activities, including our discovery efforts and the development of our product candidates,
and include:
● expenses incurred under agreements with third parties, including clinical research organizations, or CROs, that conduct research,
preclinical activities and clinical trials on our behalf as well as contract manufacturing organizations, or CMOs, that manufacture
our product candidates for use in our preclinical and clinical trials;
● salaries, benefits and other related costs, including stock-based compensation expense, for personnel engaged in research and
development functions;
● costs of outside consultants, including their fees, stock-based compensation and related travel expenses;
● the costs of laboratory supplies and acquiring, developing and manufacturing preclinical study and clinical trial materials;
● costs related to compliance with regulatory requirements in connection with the development of our product candidates; and
● facility-related expenses, which include direct depreciation costs and allocated expenses for rent and maintenance of facilities
and other operating costs.
27
These costs will be partially offset by
our agreement with Regeneron related to our Phase
2 clinical trial of RP1 in approximately 240 patients with CSCC clinical trial .
We expense research and development
costs as incurred. We recognize external development costs based on an evaluation of the progress to completion of specific
tasks using information provided to us by our service providers. Payments for these activities are based on the terms of the
individual agreements, which may differ from the pattern of costs incurred, and are reflected in our consolidated financial
statements as prepaid or accrued research and development expenses.
Our direct external research and development
expenses are tracked on a program-by-program basis and consist of costs, such as fees paid to consultants, contractors, CMOs, and
CROs in connection with our preclinical and clinical development activities. To date, we have not allocated expenses to our earlier-stage
programs for RP2 and RP3. In addition, we do not allocate employee costs, costs associated with our discovery efforts, laboratory
supplies, and facilities, including depreciation or other indirect costs, to specific product development programs because these
costs are deployed across multiple product development programs and, as such, are not separately classified.
The table below summarizes our research
and development expenses by product candidate or development program for each of the periods presented:
Three Months Ended
June 30,
2020
2019
(Amounts in thousands)
Direct research and development expenses by program:
RP1
5,997
$ 3,701
Unallocated research and development expenses:
Personnel related (including stock-based compensation)
5,060
3,086
Other
1,100
670
Total research and development expenses
$ 12,157
$ 7,457
Research and development activities are
central to our business model. Product candidates in later stages of clinical development generally have higher development costs
than those in earlier stages of clinical development, primarily due to the increased size and duration of later-stage clinical
trials. We expect that our research and development expenses will continue to increase for the foreseeable future as we continue
enrollment and initiate additional clinical trials of RP1, pursue initial stages of clinical development of RP2, complete preclinical
development of RP3 and continue to discover and develop additional product candidates. The successful development and commercialization
of our product candidates is highly uncertain. This is due to the numerous risks and uncertainties associated with product development
and commercialization, including the following:
● the scope, rate of progress, expense and results of our ongoing clinical trials, as well future clinical trials or other product
candidates and other research and development activities that we may conduct;
● the number and scope of preclinical and clinical programs we decide to pursue;
● our ability to maintain our current research and development programs and to establish new ones;
● uncertainties in clinical trial design and patient enrollment rates;
● the successful completion of clinical trials with safety, tolerability, and efficacy profiles that are satisfactory to the
FDA or any comparable foreign regulatory authority;
● the receipt of regulatory approvals from applicable regulatory authorities;
28
● our success in operating a manufacturing facility, or securing manufacturing supply through relationships with third parties;
● our ability to obtain and maintain patents, trade secret protection, and regulatory exclusivity, both in the United States
and internationally;
● our ability to protect our rights in our intellectual property portfolio;
● the commercialization of our product candidates, if and when approved;
● the acceptance of our product candidates, if approved, by patients, the medical community, and third-party payors;
● our ability to successfully develop our product candidates for use in combination with third-party products or product candidates;
● negative developments in the field of immuno-oncology;
● competition with other products; and
● significant and changing government regulation and regulatory guidance.
A change in the outcome of any of these
variables with respect to the development of a product candidate could mean a significant change in the costs and timing associated
with the development of that product candidate. For example, if the FDA or another regulatory authority were to require us to conduct
clinical trials beyond those that we anticipate will be required for the completion of clinical development of a product candidate,
or if we experience significant trial delays due to patient enrollment or other reasons, we would be required to expend significant
additional financial resources and time on the completion of clinical development. We may never succeed in obtaining regulatory
approval for any of our product candidates.
General and administrative expenses
General and administrative expenses consist
primarily of salaries and other related costs, including stock-based compensation, for personnel in our executive, finance, corporate
and business development and administrative functions. General and administrative expenses also include professional fees for legal,
patent, accounting, auditing, tax and consulting services; travel expenses; and facility-related expenses, which include direct
depreciation costs and allocated expenses for rent and maintenance of facilities and other operating costs.
We expect that our general and
administrative expenses will increase in the future as we increase our general and administrative headcount to support our
continued research and the development and potential commercialization of our product candidates. We also expect to continue
to incur increased expenses, including accounting, audit, legal, regulatory and tax-related services costs associated with
maintaining compliance with exchange listing and SEC requirements; director and officer insurance costs; and investor and
public relations costs.
Other income (expense), net
Research and development incentives
Research and development incentives consists
of reimbursements of research and development expenditures. We participate, through our subsidiary in the United Kingdom, in the
research and development program provided by the United Kingdom tax relief program, such that a percentage of up to 14.5% of our
qualifying research and development expenditures are reimbursed by the United Kingdom government, and such incentives are reflected
as other income.
Investment income
Investment income consists of income earned
on our cash and cash equivalents and short-term investments.
Interest expense on finance lease liability
29
Interest expense on finance lease liability
consists of amortization of finance charges under our financing lease.
Interest expense on debt obligations
Interest expense on debt obligations consists
of the amortization of debt discount and cash paid for interest under the Term Loan Facility.
Other income (expense), net
Other income (expense), net consists primarily
of realized and unrealized foreign currency transaction gains and losses.
Income taxes
Since our inception and through June 30,
2020, we have not recorded any income tax benefits for the net losses we incurred in each jurisdiction in which we operate, as
we believe, based upon the weight of available evidence, that it is more likely than not that all of our net operating loss carryforwards
will not be realized.
Results of operations
Comparison of the three months ended June 30, 2020
and 2019
The following table summarizes our results
of operations for the three months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019:
Three Months Ended
June 30,
2020
2019
Change
(Amounts in thousands)
Operating expenses:
Research and development
$ 12,157
$ 7,457
$ 4,700
General and administrative
5,676
3,450
2,226
Total operating expenses
17,833
10,907
6,926
Loss from operations
(17,833 )
(10,907 )
(6,926 )
Other income (expense):
Research and development incentives
686
621
65
Investment income
527
687
(160 )
Interest expense on finance lease liability
(561 )
-
(561 )
Interest expense on debt obligations
(284 )
-
(284 )
Other income
(28 )
91
(119 )
Total other income (expense), net
340
1,399
(940 )
Net loss
$ (17,493 )
$ (9,508 )
$ (7,866 )
30
Research and development expenses
Three Months Ended
June 30,
2020
2019
Change
(Amounts in thousands)
Direct research and development expenses by program:
RP1
5,997
$ 3,701
$ 2,296
Unallocated research and development expenses:
Personnel related (including stock-based compensation)
5,060
3,086
1,974
Other
1,100
670
430
Total research and development expenses
$ 12,157
$ 7,457
$ 4,700
Research and development expenses for the
three months ended June 30, 2020 were $12.2 million, compared to $7.5 million for the year ended June 30, 2019.
The increase of $4.7 million was due primarily to an increase of approximately $2.3 million in direct research costs associated
with RP1 and an approximately $2.4 million increase in our unallocated research and development costs. The increase in RP1 costs
was due primarily to an increase in clinical trial costs in the three months ended June 30, 2020 associated with our ongoing
clinical trials as well as costs associated with operations of our new manufacturing facility for RP1 clinical trial supplies
The increase in unallocated research and
development expenses reflected an increase of $2.0 million in personnel-related costs, including stock-based compensation
and an increase of $0.2 million in other costs. The increase in personnel-related costs largely reflected the hiring of additional
personnel in our research and development functions as we expanded the development plan for RP1 in multiple indications. Personnel
related costs for the three months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019 included stock-based compensation expense of $1.0 million
and $0.8 million, respectively. Other costs increased primarily due to our potential registrational studies associated with
our RP1 development plan with multiple cohorts as well as costs associated with operations of our new manufacturing facility.
General and administrative expenses
General and administrative expenses were
$5.7 million for the three months ended June 30, 2020, compared to $3.5 million for the three months ended June 30,
2019. The increase of $2.2 million primarily reflected increases of $1.0 million in personnel related costs, increases of $0.6
million in facility and other variable costs and increases of $0.6 million in professional fees. The increase in personnel related
costs was due to the hiring of additional personnel in our general and administrative functions as we expanded our operations in
the United States. The increase in professional fees was due to costs associated with increased spending to build out our information
technology capabilities as well legal and accounting fees related to ongoing business operations and enhancements to the internal
control environment. The increase in facility and other variable costs was due primarily to an increase in costs associated with
our directors and officers insurance.
Total other income, net
Other income (expense) was $0.3 million
for the three months ended June 30, 2020, compared to $1.4 million for the three months ended June 30, 2019. The
decrease of $1.1 million was primarily attributable to a $0.6 million increase in interest related to our finance lease liability,
a $0.3 million increase in interest expense on debt obligations related to our Term Loan Facility, a $0.1 decrease in other income
due primarily to the changes in foreign exchange rates of the Great British Pounds to United States Dollar and a $0.2 million decrease
in investment income due to fluctuations in the rate of return on investments, partially offset by a $0.1 million increase in research
and development incentives.
31
The COVID-19 Pandemic
In December 2019, a novel strain of
coronavirus, which causes the disease known as COVID-19, was reported to have surfaced in Wuhan, China. In March 2020, the
World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic, which continues to spread throughout the U.S. and worldwide.
We could be materially and adversely affected by the risks, or the public perception of the risks, related to an epidemic, pandemic,
outbreak, or other public health crisis, such as the recent outbreak of COVID-19. We are continuing to monitor the global outbreak
and spread of COVID-19 and have taken steps to identify and mitigate the adverse impacts on, and risks to, our business posed by
its spread and actions taken by governmental and health authorities to address the COVID-19 pandemic. The spread of COVID-19 has
caused us to modify our business practices, including implementing a global work from home policy for certain employees who are
able to perform their duties remotely and restricting all nonessential travel. For those employees working from our facilities,
including certain essential employees in our laboratory and who perform manufacturing functions, and certain other employees who
we deem essential from time to time, we have implemented stringent safety measures designed to comply with applicable federal,
state and local guidelines instituted in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. We expect to continue to take actions as may be required
or recommended by government authorities or as we determine are in the best interests of our employees, the patients we serve and
other business partners in light of COVID-19. The COVID-19 pandemic has delayed, and we expect it may continue to delay, the timing
of patient enrollment and treatment in certain of our ongoing clinical studies. For example, the enrollment of our clinical trial
of RP1 in solid organ transplant patients with CSCC, representing a highly immunocompromised patient populations, has been slower
than expected for reasons we attribute to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the extent of such delay is currently unknown and has
and will likely continue to vary by clinical study site. In addition, we may incur unforeseen costs as a result of disruptions
in clinical supply or preclinical study or clinical trial delays. The impact of COVID-19 on our business future results will largely
depend on future developments, which are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted with confidence, such as the ultimate geographic
spread of the disease, the duration of the pandemic, travel restrictions and social distancing in the United States and other countries,
business closures or business disruptions, the ultimate impact on financial markets and the global economy, and the effectiveness
of actions taken in the United States and other countries to contain and treat the disease. See “Risk Factors—Our financial
condition and results of operations could be adversely affected by the recent novel coronavirus disease-2019, or COVID-19, outbreak.”
in Part II, Item 1A of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q.
Liquidity and capital resources
Since our inception, we have not generated
any revenue from product sales and have incurred significant operating losses and negative cash flows from our operations. We have
not yet commercialized any of our product candidates, which are in various phases of preclinical and clinical development, and
we do not expect to generate revenue from sales of any products for the foreseeable future, if at all.
Sources of liquidity
To date, we have financed our operations
primarily with proceeds from the sale of equity securities and, to a lesser extent, proceeds from the issuance of debt securities.
Through June 30, 2020, we had received gross proceeds of approximately $419.0 million from our sales of equity instruments
and $10.0 million from the issuance of debt. As of June 30, 2020, we had cash and cash equivalents and short-term investments
of $261.8 million.
On July 24, 2018, we completed our
IPO and issued and sold 6,700,000 shares of our common stock at a public offering price of $15.00 per share, resulting in net
proceeds of $93.5 million after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions but before deducting offering costs. On
July 30, 2018, we issued and sold an additional 707,936 shares of our common stock at the IPO price of $15.00 per share pursuant
to the underwriters’ partial exercise of their option to purchase additional shares of our common stock, resulting in additional
net proceeds of $9.9 million after deducting discounts and commissions but before deducting other offering expenses. On August 8,
2019, we entered into the Hercules Loan Agreement, pursuant to which we borrowed $10.0 million under the secured Term Loan Facility
in the amount of $30.0 million. On June 1, 2020, the Company amended the Hercules Loan Agreement to, among other things,
increase the secured term loan facility from $30.0 million to $40.0 million by adding a fourth advance of up to $10.0 million
which may be borrowed between July 1, 2021 and December 15, 2021. On August 8, 2019, we entered into the Sales
Agreement with SVB Leerink LLC, pursuant to which we may sell, from time to time, at our option, up to an aggregate amount of
$75.0 million of shares of our common stock, of which we sold $4.5 million as of June 30, 2020. On June 8, 2020 the
Sales Agreement was amended to reduce the aggregate offering amount under the Sales Agreement from $75.0 million of shares to
$30.0 million of Shares. On November 18, 2019, we closed the November Offering of (i) 3,678,031 shares of its common
stock at a public offering price of $13.61 per share and (ii) pre-funded warrants to purchase 2,200,000 shares of our common
stock at a purchase price of $13.6099 per pre-funded warrant, the public offering price per share of the common stock less the
$0.0001 per share exercise price of each pre-funded warrant. On December 13, 2019, we sold 838,530 shares of our common stock
at the public offering price in connection with the underwriters’ partial exercise of an option to purchase additional shares
of our common stock. We received aggregate net proceeds of approximately $85.6 million after deducting underwriting discounts,
commissions and other offering expenses of approximately $5.8 million. On June 12, 2020, we closed the June Offering
of (i) 2,826,088 shares of our common stock at a public offering price of $23.00 per share and (ii) pre-funded warrants
to purchase 1,521,738 shares of our common stock at a purchase price of $22.9999 per pre-funded warrant, the public offering price
per share of common stock less the $0.0001 per share exercise price of each pre-funded warrant. On June 29, 2020 we sold
652,173 shares of our common stock to the underwriters at the public offering price in connection with the underwriters’
full exercise of their option to purchase additional shares of our common stock. We received aggregate net proceeds of approximately
$107.8 million after deducting underwriting discounts, commissions and other offering expenses of approximately $7.2 million.
32
Cash flows
The following table summarizes our cash
flows for each of the periods presented:
Three Months Ended
June 30,
2020
2019
(Amounts
in thousands)
Net cash used in operating activities
$ (15,090 )
$ (13,582 )
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities
(49,126 )
26,811
Net cash provided by financing activities
109,514
18
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents
(1 )
(137 )
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents
$ 45,297
$ 13,110
Operating activities
During the three months ended June 30,
2020, net cash used in operating activities was $15.1 million, primarily resulting from our net loss of $17.5 million
and net cash used by changes in our operating assets and liabilities of $0.6 million, partially offset by non-cash charges of $3.0 million.
Net cash used by our changes in our operating assets and liabilities for the three months ended June 30, 2020 consisted primarily
of a $0.7 million increase in research and development incentive receivables, partially from the United Kingdom government due
to the timing and amount of our qualifying expenditures, $0.3 million increase in prepaid expenses and other current assets and
$0.2 million decrease in accounts payable, partially offset by $0.6 million net decrease related to ASC 842 (including changes
in operating lease liabilities, operating lease, right-of-use asset and financing lease, right-of-use asset). The changes in accounts
payable were primarily due to the timing of vendor invoicing and payments.
During the three months ended June 30,
2019, net cash used in operating activities was $13.6 million, primarily resulting from our net loss of $9.5 million and net cash
used by changes in our operating assets and liabilities of $5.5 million, partially offset by net non-cash charges of $1.4 million.
Net cash used by changes in our operating assets and liabilities for the three months ended June 30, 2019 consisted primarily
of a $6.9 million increase in long term prepaid rent, a $0.9 million decrease in accrued expenses and other current liabilities,
a $0.8 million increase in prepaid expenses and other current assets, a $0.6 million increase in the research and development incentives
receivable from the United Kingdom government due to the timing and amount of our qualifying expenditures and $0.1 million decrease
in lease liabilities, partially offset by a $3.8 million increase in accounts payable and $0.1 million decrease in right-to-use
asset.
33
Investing activities
During the three months ended June 30,
2020, net cash used in investing activities was $49.1 million, consisting of $125.8 million in purchases of available for sale
securities and $0.9 million in purchases of property, plant and equipment, partially offset by $77.6 million in proceeds from sales
and maturities of short-term investments.
During the three
months ended June 30, 2019, net cash provided by investing activities was $26.8 million, consisting of $45.7 million
in proceeds from sales and maturities of short-term investments, partially offset by $18.5 million in purchases of available for
sale securities and $0.4 million in purchases of property, plant and equipment.
Financing Activities
During the three months ended June 30,
2020, net cash provided by financing activities was $109.5 million, consisting of $75.2 million from the issuance of common stock,
$32.9 million in net proceeds from the issuance of pre-funded warrants to purchase common stock in connection with our follow-on
public offering in June 2020, $1.5 million in proceeds from the exercise of stock options, partially offset by $0.1 million
of issuance costs.
During the three
months ended June 30, 2019, net cash provided by financing activities consists of an immaterial amount of proceeds from the
exercise of stock options.
Hercules Loan Agreement
On August 8, 2019 and as amended on
June 1, 2020, we and certain of our affiliates entered into the Hercules Loan Agreement with Hercules Capital, Inc.,
which, provided for aggregate borrowings of up to $40.0 million in the form of term loans. We borrowed $10.0 million
at closing under the Hercules Loan Agreement. We may borrow the unused $30.0 million available under the Term Loan Facility in
three separate advances. The second advance of up to $10.0 million may be borrowed between October 1, 2020 and December 15,
2020, the third advance of up to $10.0 million may be borrowed between July 1, 2020 and June 30, 2021 and the fourth
advance of up to $10.0 million may be borrowed between July 1, 2021 and December 15, 2021 which contains certain borrowing
milestones as defined in the agreement. In the event the Company does not draw on the second advance or if the Term Loan Facility
is terminated prior to a draw of the second advance, the Company shall pay Hercules a one-time facility charge fee of $0.1 million
on the earliest of (i) December 16, 2020 or (ii) the date the Company prepays the outstanding obligations.
Borrowings under the Hercules Loan Agreement
bear interest at a rate per annum equal to the greater of either (i) the prime rate as reported in The Wall Street Journal
plus 2.75%, or (ii) 8.75%. Under the Hercules Loan Agreement, we were required to make monthly interest-only payments through
September 1, 2022, and are required to make equal monthly payments of principal, plus accrued interest, from October 1,
2022 through August 1, 2023. As of June 30, 2020, the outstanding principal amount under the Hercules Loan Agreement
was $10.0 million. The term of the Hercules Loan Agreement is four years, ending August 1, 2023.
We may voluntarily prepay all, but not less
than all, of the outstanding principal at any time prior to the maturity date, subject to a prepayment fee, which ranges from 1%
to 3% of the outstanding principal. A final payment of 4.95% of the aggregate amount of any advances made under the Hercules Loan
Agreement.
The Term Loan Facility is secured by substantially
all of our assets, excluding our intellectual property, and subject to certain exceptions and exclusions. The Hercules Loan Agreement
contains customary affirmative and negative covenants, including restrictions on our ability to pay dividends, incur debt, grant
liens, make acquisitions, make loans, dissolving, and entering into leases and asset sales, but does not contain any financial
covenants.
34
Funding requirements
Our plan of operation is to continue
implementing our business strategy, continue research and development of RP1 and our other product candidates and continue to
expand our research pipeline and our internal research and development capabilities. We expect our expenses to increase
substantially in connection with our ongoing activities, particularly as we advance the preclinical activities and clinical
trials of our product candidates, and if and as we:
● conduct our current and future clinical trials of RP1;
● progress the preclinical and clinical development of RP2 and RP3;
● operate our own in-house manufacturing facility;
● seek to identify and develop additional product candidates;
● seek marketing approvals for any of our product candidates that successfully complete clinical trials, if any;
● establish a sales, marketing and distribution infrastructure to commercialize any products for which we may obtain marketing
approval;
● until our planned manufacturing facility is fully validated, continued manufacturing by third parties of larger quantities
of our product candidates for clinical development.
● maintain, expand and protect our intellectual property portfolio;
● acquire or in-license other drugs and technologies; and
● add operational, financial and management information systems and personnel, including personnel to support our research and
development programs and any future commercialization efforts.
As of June 30, 2020, we had cash and
cash equivalents and short-term investments of $261.8 million. We believe that our existing cash and cash equivalents and short-term
investments along with our debt commitments will enable us to fund our operating expenses and capital expenditure requirements
to mid-2023.
Because of the numerous risks and uncertainties
associated with the development of RP1 and other product candidates and programs, and because the extent to which we may enter
into collaborations with third parties for development of our product candidates is unknown, we are unable to estimate the timing
and amounts of increased capital outlays and operating expenses associated with completing the research and development of our
product candidates. Our future capital requirements will depend on many factors, including those described in this section and
above under “—Operating expenses—Research and development expenses.”
Developing novel biopharmaceutical products,
including conducting preclinical studies and clinical trials, is a time-consuming, expensive and uncertain process that takes years
to complete, and we may never generate the necessary data or results required to obtain marketing approval for any product candidates
or generate revenue from the sale of any products for which we may obtain marketing approval. In addition, our product candidates,
if approved, may not achieve commercial success. Our commercial revenues, if any, will be derived from sales of therapies that
we do not expect to be commercially available for many years, if ever. Accordingly, we will need to obtain substantial additional
funds to achieve our business objectives.
Adequate additional funds may not be available
to us on acceptable terms, or at all. We do not currently have any committed external source of funds. To the extent that we raise
additional capital through the sale of our equity or convertible debt securities, our shareholders’ interest may be diluted,
and the terms of these securities may include liquidation or other preferences and anti-dilution protections that could adversely
affect the rights of our common stockholder. Additional debt or preferred equity financing, if available, may involve agreements
that include restrictive covenants that may limit our ability to take specific actions, such as incurring debt adversely impact
our ability to conduct our business, and may require the issuance of warrants, which could potentially dilute your ownership interest.
If we raise additional funds through collaborations,
strategic alliances or licensing arrangements with third parties, we may have to relinquish valuable rights to our technology,
future revenue streams, research programs, or product candidates or grant licenses on terms that may not be favorable to us. If
we are unable to raise additional funds through equity or debt financings or collaborations, strategic alliances or licensing arrangements
with third parties when needed, we may be required to delay, limit, reduce and/or terminate our product development programs or
any future commercialization efforts or grant rights to develop and market product candidates that we would otherwise prefer to
develop and market ourselves.
35
Contractual obligations and commitments
During the three months ended June 30,
2020, there were no material changes to our contractual obligations and commitments from those described under the heading “Management’s
Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Contractual Obligations and Commitments” in
our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended March 31, 2020, which was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission
on June 3, 2020.
Collaborations
BMS
On February 26, 2018, we entered into
a Clinical Trial Collaboration and Supply Agreement with Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, or BMS. Pursuant to the agreement, BMS is
providing to us, at no cost, nivolumab, its anti-PD-1 therapy, for use in combination with RP1 in our ongoing Phase 1/2 clinical
trial. Under the agreement, we will sponsor, fund and conduct the clinical trial in accordance with an agreed-upon protocol. BMS
granted us a non-exclusive, non-transferrable, royalty-free license (with a right to sublicense) under its intellectual property
to use nivolumab in the clinical trial and has agreed to supply nivolumab, at no cost to us, for use in the clinical trial. Both
parties will own the study data produced in the clinical trial, other than study data related solely to nivolumab, which will belong
solely to BMS, or study data related solely to RP1, which will belong solely to us. In January 2020, this agreement was expanded
to cover an additional cohort of 125 patients with anti-PD-1 refractory melanoma.
Unless earlier terminated, the agreement
will remain in effect until (i) the completion of the clinical trial, (ii) all related clinical trial data have been
delivered to both parties and (iii) the completion of any statistical analyses and bioanalyses contemplated by the clinical
trial protocol or any analysis otherwise agreed upon by the parties. The agreement may be terminated by either party (i) in
the event of an uncured material breach by the other party, (ii) in the event the other party is insolvent or in bankruptcy
proceedings or (iii) for safety reasons. Upon termination, the licenses granted to us to use nivolumab in the clinical trial
will terminate. The agreement contains representations, warranties, undertakings and indemnities customary for a transaction of
this nature.
On April 12, 2019,
we entered into a separate agreement with BMS on terms similar to the terms set forth in the agreement described above, pursuant
to which BMS will provide, at no cost to us, nivolumab for use in our Phase 1 clinical trial of RP2 in combination with nivolumab.
Regeneron
On May 29, 2018, we entered into a
Master Clinical Trial Collaboration and Supply Agreement with Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., or Regeneron. Pursuant to the
agreement we agreed to undertake one or more clinical trials with Regeneron for the administration of our product candidates in
combination with cemiplimab, an anti-PD-1 therapy developed by Regeneron, across multiple solid tumor types, the first of which
is our ongoing Phase 2 clinical trial testing RP1 in combination with cemiplimab versus cemiplimab alone in patients with
CSCC. Each clinical trial will be conducted pursuant to an agreed study plan which, among other things, will identify the name
of the sponsor and which party will manage the particular study, and include the protocol, the budget and a schedule of clinical
obligations. The first study plan related to the Phase 2 clinical trial in CSCC has been agreed.
Pursuant to the terms of the agreement,
each party granted the other party a non-exclusive license of their respective intellectual property and agreed to contribute the
necessary resources needed to fulfill their respective obligations, in each case, under the terms of agreed study plans. Development
costs of a particular clinical trial will be split equally. The agreement contains representations, warranties, undertakings and
indemnities customary for a transaction of this nature. The agreement also contains certain covenants that restrict us from entering
into a third-party arrangement with respect to the use of our product candidates in combination with an anti-PD-1 therapy and that
restrict Regeneron from entering into a third-party arrangement with respect to the use of cemiplimab in combination with an HSV-1
virus, in each case, for the treatment of a tumor type that is the subject of a clinical trial to which the covenants apply. Unless
otherwise mutually agreed in a future study plan, these covenants are only applicable to our ongoing Phase 2 clinical trial
in CSCC, and expire upon the one-year anniversary of the commencement of the applicable study plan.
The agreement may be terminated by either
party if (i) there is no active study plan for which a final study report has not been completed, (ii) the parties have
not entered into a study plan for an additional clinical trial within a period of time after the delivery of the most recent final
study report or (iii) in the event of a material breach.
36
Critical accounting policies and significant judgments and
estimates
Our management’s discussion and analysis
of financial condition and results of operations is based on our consolidated financial statements, which have been prepared in
accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States. The preparation of our consolidated financial statements
and related disclosures requires us to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities,
costs and expenses and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities in our consolidated financial statements. We base our
estimates on historical experience, known trends and events and various other factors that we believe are reasonable under the
circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities that
are not readily apparent from other sources. We evaluate our estimates and assumptions on an ongoing basis. Our actual results
may differ from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions.
While our significant accounting policies
are described in greater detail in Note 2 to our consolidated financial statements appearing elsewhere in this Quarterly Report
Form on 10-Q, we believe that the following accounting policies are those most critical to the judgments and estimates used
in the preparation of our consolidated financial statements.
Accrued research and
development expenses
As part of the process of preparing our
consolidated financial statements, we are required to estimate our accrued research and development expenses. This process involves
reviewing open contracts and purchase orders, communicating with our personnel to identify services that have been performed on
our behalf and estimating the level of service performed and the associated cost incurred for the service when we have not yet
been invoiced or otherwise notified of actual costs. The majority of our service providers invoice us in arrears for services performed,
on a pre-determined schedule or when contractual milestones are met; however, some require advanced payments. We make estimates
of our accrued expenses as of each balance sheet date in the consolidated financial statements based on facts and circumstances
known to us at that time. Examples of estimated accrued research and development expenses include fees paid to:
● CROs in connection with performing research activities and conducting preclinical studies and clinical trials on our behalf;
● CMOs in connection with the production of preclinical and clinical trial materials;
● investigative sites or other service providers in connection with clinical trials;
● vendors in connection with preclinical and clinical development activities; and
● vendors related to product manufacturing and development and distribution of preclinical and clinical supplies.
We base our expenses related to preclinical
studies and clinical trials on our estimates of the services received and efforts expended pursuant to quotes and contracts with
multiple CMOs and CROs that supply, conduct and manage preclinical studies and clinical trials on our behalf. The financial terms
of these agreements are subject to negotiation, vary from contract to contract and may result in uneven payment flows. There may
be instances in which payments made to our vendors will exceed the level of services provided and result in a prepayment of the
expense. Payments under some of these contracts depend on factors such as the successful enrollment of patients and the completion
of clinical trial milestones. In accruing service fees, we estimate the time period over which services will be performed and the
level of effort to be expended in each period. If the actual timing of the performance of services or the level of effort varies
from the estimate, we adjust the accrual or the amount of prepaid expenses accordingly. Although we do not expect our estimates
to be materially different from amounts actually incurred, our understanding of the status and timing of services performed relative
to the actual status and timing of services performed may vary and may result in reporting amounts that are too high or too low
in any particular period. To date, there have not been any material adjustments to our prior estimates of accrued research and
development expenses.
37
Stock-based compensation
We measure stock-based awards granted to
employees and directors based on their fair value on the date of the grant and recognize compensation expense for those awards
over the requisite service period, which is generally the vesting period of the respective award. We have to date only issued stock-based
awards with service-based vesting conditions and record the expense for these awards using the straight-line method. The fair value
of each stock option grant is estimated on the date of grant using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model, which requires inputs
based on certain subjective assumptions, including the expected stock price volatility, the expected term of the option, the risk-free
interest rate for a period that approximates the expected term of the option, and our expected dividend yield. See Note 9
to our consolidated financial statements appearing elsewhere in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for more information. Forfeitures
are accounted for as they occur. The fair value of each stock-based award is estimated on the date of grant based on the fair value
of our common stock on that same date.
Prior to the adoption of ASC 2018-07 on
April 1, 2019, for stock-based awards granted to consultants and non-employees, we recognize compensation expense over the
period during which services are rendered by such non-employees and consultants until completed. At the end of each financial reporting
period prior to completion of the service, the fair value of these awards is remeasured using the then-current fair value of our
common stock and updated assumption inputs in the Black-Scholes option pricing model.
After the adoption of ASC 2018-07, for stock-based
awards granted to consultants and non-employees, we measure stock-based these awards based on their fair value on the date of the
grant and recognizes compensation expense for those awards over the requisite service period, which is generally the vesting period
of the respective award. We have to date only issued stock-based awards with service-based vesting conditions and record the expense
for these awards using the straight-line method. The fair value of each stock option grant is estimated on the date of grant using
the Black-Scholes option-pricing model, which requires inputs based on certain subjective assumptions, including the expected stock
price volatility, the expected term of the option, the risk-free interest rate for a period that approximates the expected term
of the option, and our expected dividend yield.
We classify stock-based compensation expense
in our consolidated statements of operations in the same manner in which the award recipient’s payroll costs are classified
or in which the award recipient’s service payments are classified.
Off-balance sheet arrangements
We did not have any off-balance sheet arrangements
during the periods presented, and we do not currently have, any off-balance sheet arrangements, as defined in the rules and
regulations of the SEC.
Recently issued accounting pronouncements
A description of recently issued accounting
pronouncements that may potentially impact our financial position and results of operations is disclosed in Note 2 to our
consolidated financial statements appearing elsewhere in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q.
Emerging growth company status
As an “emerging growth company,”
the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 permits us to take advantage of an extended transition period to comply with new
or revised accounting standards applicable to public companies until those standards would otherwise apply to private companies.
We have irrevocably elected to “opt out” of this provision and, as a result, we will comply with new or revised accounting
standards when they are required to be adopted by public companies that are not emerging growth companies.
38
Text extracted from the filing as submitted to EDGAR. Formatting, tables and exhibits are simplified for reading; the original document is authoritative for anything you rely on.