Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis
Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.
The following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements and related notes appearing elsewhere in this quarterly report on Form 10-Q and our audited financial statements and related notes for the year ended December 31, 2019 included in our annual report filed on Form 10-K on March 12, 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. 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 Securities and Exchange Commission, or 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 made 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.
We caution readers not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements made by us, which speak only as of the date they are made.
Overview
Our mission is to cure Duchenne muscular dystrophy, or Duchenne, a genetic muscle-wasting disease predominantly affecting boys, with symptoms that usually manifest between three and five years of age. Duchenne is a progressive, irreversible and ultimately fatal disease that affects approximately one in every 3,500 to 5,000 live male births and has an estimated prevalence of 10,000 to 15,000 cases in the United States alone. Duchenne is caused by mutations in the dystrophin gene, which result in the absence or near-absence of dystrophin protein. Dystrophin protein works to strengthen muscle fibers and protect them from daily wear and tear. Without functioning dystrophin and certain associated proteins, muscles suffer excessive damage from normal daily activities and are unable to regenerate, leading to the build-up of fibrotic, or scar, and fat tissue. There is no cure for Duchenne and, for the vast majority of patients, there are no satisfactory symptomatic or disease-modifying treatments. Our efforts are focused on our lead product candidate, SGT-001, a gene transfer candidate under investigation for its ability to drive functional dystrophin protein expression in patients’ muscles and improve the course of the disease. Based on our preclinical program that included multiple animal species of different phenotypes and genetic variations, as well as preliminary biomarker results, we believe that SGT-001, has the potential to slow or even halt the progression of Duchenne, regardless of the type of genetic mutation or stage of the disease. SGT-001 has been granted Rare Pediatric Disease Designation and Fast Track Designation in the United States and Orphan Drug Designations in both the United States and European Union. The safety and efficacy of SGT-001 are currently being evaluated in a Phase I/II clinical trial called IGNITE DMD, which is currently on clinical hold.
I n the fourth quarter of 2017, we initiated IGNITE DMD, a randomized, controlled, open-label, single-ascending dose Phase I/II clinical trial, to evaluate SGT-001 in ambulatory and non-ambulatory males with Duchenne aged four to 17 years. The primary objectives of IGNITE DMD are to assess the safety and tolerability of SGT-001, as well as efficacy as defined by SGT-001 microdystrophin protein expression. The clinical trial is also designed to assess other parameters of muscle function and mass, respiratory and cardiovascular function, serum and muscle biomarkers associated with SGT-001 microdystrophin production, SGT-001 microdystrophin associated biochemical properties (e.g., neuronal nitric oxide synthase, or nNOS, binding) and patient and parent reported outcomes and quality of life measures, among other endpoints.
In February 2019, we announced preliminary findings based on three-month biopsy data from the first three patients dosed with 5E13 vg/kg of SGT-001, the lowest dose outlined in the IGNITE DMD protocol and our intention to dose escalate.
16
I n May 2019 , we announced that two patients were randomized in the second cohort of the IGNITE DMD study, including one patient dosed with 2E14 vg/kg of SGT-001 and another added to the control group.
In August 2019, we announced that we amended the IGNITE DMD clinical trial protocol. The changes to the protocol included adding an upper weight limit of 25 kg for at least the next patient dosed in the second cohort and removing the matched patient control arm for the rest of the second cohort. We also announced that a patient was dosed under this amended protocol.
In November 2019, we announced that the third patient in the 2E14 vg/kg cohort of IGNITE DMD, dosed in late October 2019, experienced a serious adverse event, or SAE, deemed related to the study drug and that IGNITE DMD was placed on clinical hold by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, as a result of the SAE. The SAE was characterized by complement activation, thrombocytopenia, a decrease in red blood cell count, acute kidney injury, and cardio-pulmonary insufficiency. Neither cytokine- nor coagulopathy-related abnormalities were observed. In December 2019, we reported that the SAE had fully resolved and the patient had resumed his normal activities. In April 2020, we submitted a response to the FDA that included changes to the clinical protocol designed to enhance patient safety, as well as information related to improvements to our manufacturing process. The FDA responded by maintaining the clinical hold and requesting further data and analyses relating to this manufacturing process. In June 2020, we submitted a response to the FDA that provided data related to manufacturing process improvements. In July 2020, we announced that the FDA responded by maintaining the clinical hold and requesting further manufacturing information and updated safety and efficacy data for all patients dosed in the trial, as well as providing direction on the total viral load to be administered per patient. We are evaluating next steps and plan to continue our dialogue with the FDA to determine the appropriate path for SGT-001.
In December 2019, we announced preliminary findings based on three-month biopsy data from the first two patients dosed with 2E14 vg/kg of SGT-001. Using two independent immunofluorescence assays, 10% to 20% of microdystrophin positive muscle fibers were determined to express SGT-001 microdystrophin in the fourth patient and 50% to 70% of microdystrophin positive muscle fibers in the fifth patient. Immunofluorescence also showed clear stabilization and co-localization of nNOS and beta-sarcoglycan with SGT-001 microdystrophin in both patients. Using western blot, the expression levels for the fourth patient were detectable and estimated to be near the assay’s level of quantification which is 5% of non-dystrophic control samples, with one assay replicate at 5.5%. Expression for the fifth patient was 17.5% of normal control samples. The levels of serum creatine kinase, a highly variable biochemical marker of muscle damage, declined from baseline in both patients.
In March 2020, we announced data from the third patient dosed in the 2E14 vg/kg dose cohort of IGNITE DMD, including three-month biopsy data. Using immunofluorescence assays, 50% to70% of the muscle fibers were determined to express SGT-001 microdystrophin. Immunofluorescence also showed stabilization and co-localization of nNOS and beta-sarcoglycan with SGT-001 microdystrophin. Using western blot, microdystrophin expression was 8% of normal control samples. In addition, the level of serum creatine kinase decreased from baseline.
In January 2020, we announced a reduction in workforce by approximately one third as part of a strategic plan designed to create a leaner company focused on advancing SGT-001.
Since our inception, we have devoted substantial resources to identifying and developing SGT-001 and other product candidates, developing our manufacturing processes, organizing and staffing our company and providing general and administrative support for these operations. We do not have any products approved for sale. To date, we have not generated any revenue. Our ability to eventually generate any product revenue sufficient to achieve profitability will depend on the successful development, approval and eventual commercialization of SGT-001 and other product candidates. If successfully developed and approved, we intend to commercialize SGT-001 and we may enter into licensing agreements or strategic collaborations in select markets. If we generate product sales or enter into licensing agreements or strategic collaborations, we expect that any revenue we generate will fluctuate from quarter to quarter and year to year as a result of the timing and amount of any product sales, license fees, milestone payments and other payments. If we fail to complete the development of SGT-001 and other product candidates in a timely manner or obtain regulatory approval of them, our ability to generate future revenue, and our results of operations and financial position, would be materially adversely affected.
We have never been profitable, and since our inception, we have incurred significant operating losses. Our net losses were $45.7 million and $56.1 million for the six months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively. As of June 30, 2020, we had an accumulated deficit of $362 million. We expect to incur significant expenses and operating losses for the foreseeable future.
As we seek to develop and commercialize SGT-001 and other product candidates, we anticipate that our expenses will increase significantly and that we will need substantial additional funding to support our continuing operations. Until such time as we can generate significant revenue from product sales, if ever, we expect to finance our operations through a combination of public or private equity financings, debt financings or other sources, which may include licensing agreements or strategic collaborations. We may be unable to raise additional funds or enter into such agreements or arrangements when needed on favorable terms, if 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 or commercialization of SGT-001 or other product candidates.
17
Because of the numerous risks and uncertainties associated with product development, we are unable to predict the timing or amount of increased expenses or determine when or if we will be able to achieve or maintain profitability. Even if we are able to generate revenue from 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.
Since our initial public offering, which we completed on January 30, 2018, we have primarily financed our operations through the sale of common stock. In our initial public offering we sold 8,984,375 shares of our common stock, including shares of common stock issued upon the exercise in full of the underwriters’ over-allotment option, at a public offering price of $16.00 per share, resulting in net proceeds of $129.1 million, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and offering expenses. On July 30, 2019, we issued and sold in a private placement (i) 10,607,525 shares of our common stock at a price per share of $4.65 and (ii) 2,295,699 pre-funded warrants to purchase shares of our common stock at a price per warrant of $4.64. Each pre-funded warrant is exercisable for one share of common stock at an exercise price of $0.01 and the pre-funded warrants have no expiration date. We received $57.9 million of net proceeds from the private placement after deducting offering costs.
As of June 30, 2020, we had cash and cash equivalents of $40.4 million. As a result, we will need to raise additional funds. However, there can be no assurance that we will be able to generate funds on terms acceptable to us, on a timely basis, or at all. In addition, we have based this estimate on assumptions that may prove to be wrong, and we could use our available capital resources sooner than we currently anticipate.
Based upon our current and projected cash flow, we note there is substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern within one year after the date that these financial statements are issued and we believe that our existing cash and cash equivalents as of June 30, 2020 will enable us to fund our operating expenses into the first quarter of 2021. The financial statements for the quarter ended June 30, 2020 do not include any adjustments to reflect the possible future effects on the recoverability and classification of assets or the amounts and classification of liabilities that may result from uncertainty related to our ability to continue as a going concern
The ongoing novel coronavirus pandemic, commonly referred to as COVID-19, which began in December 2019, has spread worldwide, causing federal, state, and local governments to implement measures to slow the spread of the outbreak through quarantines, strict travel restriction and bans, heightened border scrutiny and other measures. We are following, and will continue to follow, recommendations from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as well as federal, state, and local governments regarding working-from-home practices for non-essential employees. As a result, we have modified our business practices, including implementing a work from home policy for all employees who are able to perform their duties remotely and restricting all nonessential travel, and 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, and other business partners in light of COVID-19. The full extent of the impact of COVID-19 on our business, results of operations and financial condition will depend on future developments that are highly uncertain, including the length and severity of this pandemic, the actions taken to contain it or treat its impact and the impact on our clinical development, employees, vendors and suppliers, all of which are uncertain and cannot be predicted. We will continue to monitor the situation closely.
Financial operations overview
Revenue
We have not generated any revenue as we do not have any approved products and do not expect to generate any revenue from the sale of our products for the next few years, if ever. If our development efforts for SGT-001 or other product candidates are successful and result in marketing 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 collaboration or license agreements.
Operating expenses
Our operating expenses since inception have consisted primarily of research and development activities and general and administrative costs. Personnel costs, including salaries, benefits, bonuses and equity-based compensation expense, comprise a significant component of each of these expense categories. We allocate expenses associated with personnel costs based on the nature of work associated with these resources.
18
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 SGT-001 and other product candidates and include:
•
expenses incurred under agreements with third parties, including contract research organizations, or CROs, that conduct research, preclinical and clinical activities on our behalf as well as contract manufacturing organizations, or CMOs, that manufacture SGT-001 and other product candidates for use in our preclinical studies and clinical trials;
•
salaries, benefits and other related costs, including equity-based compensation expense, for personnel engaged in research and development functions;
•
costs of outside consultants, engaged to assist in our research and development activities, including their fees, equity-based compensation and related travel expenses;
•
the costs of laboratory supplies and acquiring, developing and manufacturing preclinical study and clinical trial materials;
•
costs incurred in seeking regulatory approval of SGT-001 and other product candidates;
•
expenses incurred under our intellectual property licenses; and
•
facility-related research and development expenses, which include direct depreciation and rent costs as well as allocated expenses for rent and maintenance of facilities and other operating costs.
We expense research and development expenses as incurred. We recognize costs for certain development activities, such as preclinical research and development, based on an evaluation of the progress to completion of specific tasks using information and data provided to us by our vendors, collaborators and third-party 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 condensed consolidated financial statements as prepaid or accrued research and development expenses.
We typically use our employee and infrastructure resources across our product candidates. We track outsourced development costs and milestone payments made under our licensing arrangements by product candidates, but we do not allocate personnel costs, license payments made under our licensing arrangements and infrastructure costs, including facilities and lab operations to product candidates on a program-specific basis. These costs are included in unallocated research and development expenses in the table below.
The following table summarizes our research and development expenses by product candidates for the respective periods:
Three Months Ended
June 30,
Six Months Ended
June 30,
(In thousands)
2020
2019
2020
2019
SGT-001
$
5,603
$
8,726
$
15,779
$
20,067
Other product candidates
95
1,723
383
3,182
Unallocated research and development expenses
Personnel related expenses
5,383
7,149
11,334
13,980
External expenses
2,367
4,012
5,617
7,650
Total unallocated research and development expenses
7,750
11,161
16,951
21,630
Total research and development expenses
$
13,448
$
21,610
$
33,113
$
44,879
We cannot determine with certainty the duration, costs and timing of clinical trials of SGT-001 and other product candidates or if, when or to what extent we will generate revenue from the commercialization and sale of any of our product candidates for which we obtain marketing approval or our other research and development expenses. We may never succeed in obtaining marketing approval for any of our product candidates. The duration, costs and timing of clinical trials and development of our product candidates will depend on a variety of factors, including:
•
the scope, rate of progress, expense and results of any clinical trials of SGT-001 or other product candidates and other research and development activities that we may conduct;
•
the imposition of regulatory restrictions on clinical trials, including full and partial clinical holds, such as the current clinical hold on IGNITE DMD, and the time and activities required to lift any such holds;
•
the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on our ability to conduct clinical trials of SGT-001 and other product candidates;
•
uncertainties in clinical trial design and patient enrollment or drop out or discontinuation rates;
•
significant and changing government regulation and regulatory guidance;
19
•
potential additional studies requested by regulatory agencies; and
•
the timing and receipt of any marketing approvals.
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 decrease in calendar year 2020 as a result of the organizational changes we announced in January 2020, to create a leaner organization focused on advancing SGT-001.
General and administrative expenses
General and administrative expenses consist primarily of salaries and other related costs, including equity-based compensation, for personnel in our executive, finance, business development and administrative functions. General and administrative expenses also include legal fees relating to patent and corporate matters; professional fees for accounting, auditing, tax and consulting services; insurance costs; travel expenses; and facility-related expenses, which include depreciation costs and allocated expenses for rent and maintenance of office facilities and other operating costs.
We expect that our general and administrative expenses will increase in the future as we incur increased expenses associated with being a public company, including costs of accounting, audit, legal, regulatory and tax-related services associated with maintaining compliance with exchange listing and SEC requirements, director and officer insurance costs and investor and public relations costs.
Restructuring charges
In January 2020, we implemented changes to our organizational structure to create a leaner company focused on advancing SGT-001. In connection with the restructuring, we made changes to our management team and reduced headcount by approximately 30 percent.
Other income (expense)
Interest income
Interest income consists of interest income earned on our cash, cash equivalents and available-for-sale securities.
Other income
We have received funding from charitable organizations, which are not considered to be an ongoing major or central part of our business. The amounts received are recorded as other income as services are performed and research expenses are incurred in the condensed consolidated statements of operations.
Income taxes
We account for income taxes using an asset and liability approach. Under the asset and liability method, deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates is recognized in income in the period that includes the enactment date. We record valuation allowances to reduce deferred income tax assets to the amount that is more likely than not to be realized. We determine whether it is more likely than not that a tax position will be sustained upon examination. If it is not more likely than not that a position will be sustained, no amount of benefit attributable to the position is recognized. The tax benefit to be recognized of any tax position that meets the more likely than not recognition threshold is calculated as the largest amount that is more than 50% likely of being realized upon resolution of the contingency.
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Critical Accounting Policies and Use of Estimates
Our management’s discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations is based on our financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States. The preparation of our 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 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.
During the three and six months ended June 30, 2020, there were no material changes to our critical accounting policies. Our critical accounting policies are described under the heading “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Critical accounting policies and use of estimates” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019 and the notes to the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements included in Part I, Item 1, “Financial Statements (unaudited),” of this quarterly report on Form 10-Q. We believe that of our critical accounting policies, the following accounting policies involve the most judgment and complexity:
•
Accrued research and development expenses; and
•
Equity-based compensation.
Accordingly, we believe the policies set forth above are critical to fully understanding and evaluating our financial condition and results of operations. If actual results or events differ materially from the estimates, judgments and assumptions used by us in applying these policies, our reported financial condition and results of operations could be materially affected.
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,
Increase
(in thousands)
2020
2019
(decrease)
Revenue
$
—
$
—
$
—
Operating expenses:
Research and development
13,448
21,610
(8,162
)
General and administrative
5,526
5,359
167
Total operating expenses
18,974
26,969
(7,995
)
Loss from operations
(18,974
)
(26,969
)
7,995
Other income (expense):
Interest (expense) income
(13
)
367
(380
)
Other income
—
77
(77
)
Total other income (expense)
(13
)
444
(457
)
Net loss
$
(18,987
)
$
(26,525
)
$
7,538
Research and development expenses
Three Months Ended
June 30,
Increase
(in thousands)
2020
2019
(decrease)
SGT-001
$
5,603
$
8,726
$
(3,123
)
Other product candidates
95
1,723
(1,628
)
Unallocated research and development expenses
Personnel related expenses
5,383
7,149
(1,766
)
External expenses
2,367
4,012
(1,645
)
Total unallocated research and development expenses
7,750
11,161
(3,411
)
Total research and development expenses
$
13,448
$
21,610
$
(8,162
)
21
Research and development expenses for the three months ended June 30, 2020 were $13.4 million, compared to $21.6 million for the three months ended June 30, 2019. The decrease of $8.2 million in research and development costs was due to a decrease in unallocated research and development costs of $3.4 million, primarily due to a reduction in personnel and facility related expenses as a result of the restructuring that occurred in January 2020, a $3.1 million decrease in costs related to our lead product candidate SGT-001, driven by a reduction in manufacturing costs of $4.5 million partially offset by an increase in clinical costs of $1.4 million, primarily driven by clinical consulting costs. The reduction in research and development was also driven by a $1.6 million decrease in costs related to other product candidates as we focus on advancing SGT-001.
General and administrative expenses
General and administrative expenses were $5.5 million for the three months ended June 30, 2020, compared to $5.4 million for the three months ended June 30, 2019. The increase of $0.1 million was due to an increase in corporate expenses of $0.7 million offset by a decrease in personnel related expenses of $0.6 million as a result of the restructuring announced in January 2020.
Interest (expense) income
Interest expense was less than $0.1 million for the three months ended June 30, 2020 , compared to interest income of $0.4 million for the three months ended June 30, 2019 . The decrease was primarily related to a reduction of available-for-sale securities included within our portfolio.
Other income
Other income for the three months ended June 30, 2020 was $0 million compared to $0.1 million for the three months ended June 30, 2019. Other income relates to contributions from charitable organizations. We do not expect these contributions to be significant in future periods.
Comparison of the six months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019
The following table summarizes our results of operations for the six months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019:
Six Months Ended June 30,
Increase
(in thousands)
2020
2019
(decrease)
Revenue
$
—
$
—
$
—
Operating expenses:
Research and development
33,113
44,879
(11,766
)
General and administrative
10,776
12,392
(1,616
)
Restructuring charges
1,944
—
1,944
Total operating expenses
45,833
57,271
(11,438
)
Loss from operations
(45,833
)
(57,271
)
11,438
Other income (expense):
Interest income
151
875
(724
)
Other income
1
289
(288
)
Total other income (expense)
152
1,164
(1,012
)
Net loss
$
(45,681
)
$
(56,107
)
$
10,426
Research and development expenses
Six Months Ended June 30,
Increase
(in thousands)
2020
2019
(decrease)
SGT-001
$
15,779
$
20,067
$
(4,288
)
Other product candidates
383
3,182
(2,799
)
Unallocated research and development expenses
Personnel related expenses
11,334
13,980
(2,646
)
External expenses
5,617
7,650
(2,033
)
Total unallocated research and development expenses
16,951
21,630
(4,679
)
Total research and development expenses
$
33,113
$
44,879
$
(11,766
)
22
Research and development expenses for the six months ended June 30, 2020 were $33.1 million, compared to $44.9 million for the six months ended June 30, 2019. The decrease of $11.8 million in research and development costs was due to a decrease in unallocated research and development costs of $4.7 million, primarily due to a reduction in personnel and facility related expenses as a result of the restructuring that occurred in January 2020, a $4.3 million decrease in costs related to our lead product candidate SGT-001, driven by a reduction in manufacturing costs of $5.3 million partially offset by clinical costs of $1.0 million primarily driven by clinical consulting costs. The reduction in research and development was also driven by a $2.8 million decrease in costs related to other product candidates as we focus on advancing SGT-001.
General and administrative expenses
General and administrative expenses were $10.8 million for the six months ended June 30, 2020, compared to $12.4 million for the six months ended June 30, 2019. The decrease of $1.6 million was due to a decrease in personnel related expenses of $1.0 million and a net decrease of $0.6 million related to other corporate expenses.
Restructuring Charges
During the six months ended June 30, 2020, we recorded charges of $1.9 million related to severance and other employee-related costs. We paid $1.4 million during the six months ended June 30, 2020 and expect to pay approximately $0.5 million in the next nine months.
Interest income
Interest income was $0.2 million for the six months ended June 30, 2020 , compared to $0.9 million for the six months ended June 30, 2019 . The decrease was primarily related to a reduction of available-for-sale securities included within our portfolio.
Other income
Other income for the six months ended June 30, 2020 was less than $0.1 million compared to $0.3 million for the six months ended June 30, 2019. Other income relates to contributions from charitable organizations. We do not expect these contributions to significantly increase in future periods.
Liquidity and capital resources
Sources of liquidity
To date, we have financed our operations primarily through private placements of preferred units and our initial public offering as well as a private placement of shares of our common stock and pre-funded warrants to purchase shares of our common stock. Through June 30, 2020, we raised an aggregate of $144.6 million of gross proceeds from our sales of preferred units prior to the completion of our initial public offering, an aggregate of $129.1 million of net proceeds from the sale of our common stock after deducting underwriting discounts and commission and offering expenses in our initial public offering and an aggregate of $57.9 million of net proceeds, after deducting offering costs, from our July 2019 private placement.
We completed our initial public offering on January 30, 2018, in which we sold 8,984,375 shares of common stock, including shares of common stock issued upon the exercise in full of the underwriters’ over-allotment option, at a public offering price of $16.00 per share, resulting in net proceeds of $129.1 million.
On July 30, 2019, we issued and sold in a private placement (i) 10,607,525 shares of our common stock at a price per share of $4.65 and (ii) 2,295,699 pre-funded warrants to purchase shares of our common stock at a price per warrant of $4.64. Each pre-funded warrant is exercisable for one share of common stock at an exercise price of $0.01 and the pre-funded warrants have no expiration date. We received $57.9 million of net proceeds from the private placement after deducting offering costs .
As of June 30, 2020, we had cash, cash equivalents and available-for-sale securities of $40.4 million and had no debt outstanding.
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Cash flows
The following table summarizes our sources and uses of cash for each of the periods presented:
Six Months Ended
June 30,
Increase
(in thousands)
2020
2019
(decrease)
Cash used in operating activities
$
(42,342
)
$
(52,228
)
$
9,886
Cash provided by investing activities
6,740
17,698
(10,958
)
Cash provided by financing activities
—
—
—
Net decrease in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash
$
(35,602
)
$
(34,530
)
$
(1,072
)
Operating activities
During the six months ended June 30, 2020, operating activities used $42.3 million of cash, primarily resulting from our net loss of $45.7 million and cash used in changes in our operating assets and liabilities of $5.3 million offset by non-cash charges of $8.7 million due primarily to equity-based compensation of $6.3 million and depreciation expense of $2.4 million. Net cash used in changes in our operating assets and liabilities during the six months ended June 30, 2020 consisted primarily of a reduction in accrued expenses and other liabilities of $1.8 million and a decrease in accounts payable of $3.9 million partially offset by a net decrease in prepaid expenses and other assets of $0.4 million. These changes were primarily due to the timing of payments.
During the six months ended June 30, 2019, operating activities used $52.2 million of cash, primarily resulting from our net loss of $56.1 million and cash used in changes in our operating assets and liabilities of $4.6 million offset by non-cash charges of $8.4 million due primarily to equity-based compensation of $7.4 million and depreciation expense of $1.3 million. Net cash used in changes in our operating assets and liabilities during the six months ended June 30, 2019 consisted primarily of an increase in prepaid expenses and other assets of $4.3 million, which was primarily due to up-front research and development expenses as well as an decrease in accrued expenses and other liabilities of $2.7 million which was partially offset by a increase in accounts payable of $2.4 million due to the timing of payments.
Investing activities
During the six months ended June 30, 2020, investing activities provided $6.7 million of cash, consisting primarily of proceeds from maturities of available-for-sale securities partially offset by purchases of property and equipment, and available-for-sale securities.
During the six months ended June 30, 2019, investing activities provided $17.7 million of cash, consisting primarily of proceeds from maturities of available-for-sale securities offset by purchases of property and equipment, and available-for-sale securities.
Financing activities
During the six months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019, there were no financing activities.
Funding requirements
We expect that our expenses will increase substantially if and as we:
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seek to resolve the clinical hold on and determine next steps for IGNITE DMD and, if and when possible, resume our clinical development of SGT-001;
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move other product candidates into clinical trials;
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continue research and preclinical development of other product candidates;
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seek to identify additional product candidates;
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seek marketing approvals for our product candidates that successfully complete clinical trials, if any;
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establish a sales, marketing and distribution infrastructure to commercialize any products for which we may obtain marketing approval;
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arrange for manufacture of larger quantities of our product candidates for clinical development and potential commercialization;
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maintain, expand, protect and enforce our intellectual property portfolio;
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hire and retain additional clinical, quality control and scientific personnel;
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build out new facilities or expand existing facilities to support our activities;
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acquire or in-license other drugs, technologies and intellectual property; and
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add operational, financial and management information systems and personnel.
On January 30, 2018, we completed our initial public offering in which we sold 8,984,375 shares of common stock, including shares of common stock issued upon the exercise in full of the underwriters’ over-allotment option, at a public offering price of $16.00 per share, resulting in net proceeds of $129.1 million, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and offering expenses.
On July 30, 2019, we issued and sold in a private placement (i) 10,607,525 shares of our common stock at a price per share of $4.65 and (ii) 2,295,699 pre-funded warrants to purchase shares of our common stock at a price per warrant of $4.64. Each pre-funded warrant is exercisable for one share of common stock at an exercise price of $0.01 and the pre-funded warrants have no expiration date. We received $57.9 million of net proceeds from the private placement after deducting offering costs .
As of June 30, 2020, we had cash and cash equivalents of $40.4 million. We believe that our existing cash and cash equivalents as of June 30, 2020, will enable us to fund our operating expenses and capital expenditure requirements into the first quarter of 2021. As a result, in order to continue to operate our business beyond that time, we will need to raise additional funds. However, there can be no assurance that we will be able to generate funds on terms acceptable to us, on a timely basis, or at all. In addition, we have based this estimate on assumptions that may prove to be wrong, and we could use our available capital resources sooner than we currently anticipate.
Because of the numerous risks and uncertainties associated with the development of SGT-001 and other product candidates and programs and because the extent to which we may enter 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:
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if, when and how we are able to favorably resolve the clinical hold on and resume IGNITE DMD;
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the progress and results of IGNITE DMD and future clinical trials of SGT-001 and other product candidates;
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the costs, timing and outcome of regulatory review of SGT-001 and other product candidates;
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the scope, progress, results and costs of discovery, laboratory testing, manufacturing, preclinical development and clinical trials for other product candidates that we may pursue in the future, if any;
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the costs associated with our manufacturing process development and evaluation of third-party manufacturers;
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whether we decide to construct and validate our own manufacturing facility and the associated costs;
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revenue, if any, received from commercial sale of SGT-001 or other product candidates, should any of our product candidates receive marketing approval;
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the costs of preparing, filing and prosecuting patent applications, maintaining, defending and enforcing our intellectual property rights and defending intellectual property-related claims;
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the outcome of any lawsuits filed against us;
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the terms of our current and any future license agreements and collaborations;
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the extent to which we acquire or in-license other product candidates, technologies and intellectual property; and
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if and as we need to adapt our business in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and its collateral consequences.
We intend to supply our clinical development program for SGT-001 with drug product produced at a current good manufacturing practices, or cGMP, compliant facility located at our Contract Development Manufacturing Organization partner. We intend to establish the capability and capacity to supply SGT-001 at commercial scale from multiple sources.
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Developing pharmaceutical 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 products 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 equity securities, our existing stockholders’ ownership interest may be diluted. Any 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 additional debt, making capital expenditures or declaring dividends, which could adversely impact our ability to conduct our business, and may require the issuance of warrants, which could potentially dilute existing stockholders’ ownership interests.
If we raise additional funds through licensing agreements and strategic collaborations 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, we may be required to delay, limit, reduce and/or terminate development of our product candidates or any future commercialization efforts or grant rights to develop and market product candidates that we would otherwise prefer to develop and market ourselves.
Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements
See Note 2 to the condensed consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this quarterly report on Form 10-Q for information regarding recently adopted and issued accounting pronouncements. See also Note 2 to our consolidated financial statements included in our annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019.
Emerging Growth Company Status
The Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012, or the JOBS Act, permits an “emerging growth company” such as 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.
Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements
We did not have 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.