Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis
ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
You should read the following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations together with our financial statements and related notes appearing in this Annual Report. Some of the information contained in this discussion and analysis or set forth elsewhere in this Annual Report, including information with respect to our plans and strategy for our business, includes forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. As a result of many factors, including those factors set forth in the “Risk Factors” section of this Annual Report, our actual results could differ materially from the results described in or implied by the forward-looking statements contained in the following discussion and analysis. As used in this report, unless the context suggests otherwise, “we”, “us”, “our”, “the Company,” "Aeglea BioTherapeutics, Inc." or “Spyre” refers to Spyre Therapeutics, Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries, including Spyre Therapeutics, LLC, taken as a whole.
Acquisition of Pre-Merger Spyre
On June 22, 2023, we acquired Pre-Merger Spyre pursuant to the Acquisition Agreement. Pre-Merger Spyre was a pre-clinical stage biotechnology company that was incorporated on April 28, 2023 under the direction of Peter Harwin, a Managing Member of Fairmount, for the purpose of holding rights to certain intellectual property being developed by Paragon. Fairmount is a founder of Paragon.
Through the Asset Acquisition, we received the Option to license the in-process research and development ("IPR&D") rights related to four research programs. On July 12, 2023, we exercised the Option with respect to one of these research programs to exclusively license intellectual property rights related to such research program directed to antibodies that selectively bind to α4β7 integrin and methods of using these antibodies, including methods of treating IBD using SPY001. If this research program is pursued non-provisionally and matures into issued patents, we would expect those patents to expire no earlier than 2044, subject to any disclaimers or extensions. On December 14, 2023, we exercised the Option under the Paragon Agreement to be granted an exclusive license to all of Paragon’s rights, title and interest in and to intellectual property rights, including inventions, patents, sequence information and results, under SPY002, our TL1A program, to develop and commercialize antibodies and products worldwide in all therapeutics disorders. The license agreements pertaining to such research programs are currently being finalized on previously agreed terms. Furthermore, as of the date of this Annual Report, the Option remains unexercised with respect to the IPR&D rights related to the two remaining research programs under the Paragon Agreement.
Overview
Following the Asset Acquisition and the entry into the Immedica APA, we have significantly reshaped the business into a preclinical stage biotechnology company focused on developing next generation therapeutics for patients living with IBD, including UC and CD. Through the Paragon Agreement, our portfolio of novel and proprietary monoclonal antibody product candidates has the potential to address unmet needs in IBD care by improving efficacy, safety, and/or dosing convenience relative to products currently available or product candidates in development. We have engineered our product candidates with the aim to bind potently and selectively to their target epitopes and to exhibit extended pharmacokinetic half-lives through modifications in the Fc domain, which modifications are designed to increase affinity to human FcRn and increase antibody recycling. We anticipate that half-life extension will enable less frequent administration as compared to marketed or development-stage mAbs that do not incorporate half-life extension modifications. In addition to the development of our product candidates as potential monotherapies, we plan to investigate combinations of our proprietary antibodies in preclinical and clinical studies in order to evaluate whether combination therapy (co-administration or co-formulation of multiple monoclonal antibodies) can lead to greater efficacy, as compared to monotherapies in IBD. We also intend to examine patient selection strategies via complementary diagnostics utilized in our clinical studies to evaluate whether patients may be matched to the optimal therapy based on genetic background and/or other biomarker signatures. We intend to deliver our product candidates through convenient, infrequently self-administered, subcutaneous injections, although the specific delivery mechanism or technology has not been selected given our early stage.
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Business and Macroeconomic Conditions
The extent of the impact of macroeconomic events and conditions, including inflation, increasing interest rates, increasing financial market volatility and uncertainty, the impact of geopolitical instabilities, including the ongoing military conflict in Ukraine, conflict in Israel and surrounding areas, and geopolitical tensions in China, and its potential supply chain impact, and public health pandemics, including the COVID-19 pandemic and its variants, on our operational and financial performance will continue to depend on certain developments, including the impact on our clinical studies, employee or industry events, and effect on our suppliers and manufacturers, all of which are uncertain and cannot be predicted. Adverse effects of these large macroeconomic conditions have been prevalent in many of the areas where we, our clinical research organizations ("CROs"), suppliers or third-party business partners conduct business and as a result, we may experience disruptions in our operations. We have experienced and may in the future experience such disruption or delays due to these factors as well as delays due to labor shortages and supply chain disruptions in distribution of clinical trial materials, study monitoring and data analysis that could materially adversely impact our business, results of operations and overall financial performance in future periods. As of the filing date of this Annual Report, the extent to which these macroeconomic events and conditions may impact our financial condition, results of operations or guidance is uncertain. The effect of these macroeconomic events and conditions may not be fully reflected in our results of operations and overall financial performance until future periods. See Part I, Item 1A “Risk Factors” for further discussion of the possible impact of these macroeconomic conditions on our business.
Components of Operating Results
Revenue
We have recognized license and development revenue from the Immedica Agreement (as defined below) related to our legacy product candidate pegzilarginase. On July 27, 2023, we announced that we entered into an agreement to sell the global rights to pegzilarginase to Immedica. The sale of pegzilarginase to Immedica superseded and terminated the Immedica Agreement.
We have not generated any revenue from commercial product sales. Our ability to generate product revenues in the future will depend on the successful development, regulatory approval, and commercialization of our product candidates.
Licensing and Sale of Pegzilarginase
In March 2021, we licensed to Immedica the rights to the commercialization of pegzilarginase in the European Economic Area, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Andorra, Monaco, San Marino, Vatican City, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman (the "Immedica Agreement"). The Immedica Agreement included a non-refundable upfront payment of $21.5 million from Immedica and up to $3.0 million of payments for development services provided to Immedica. Under the terms of the Immedica Agreement, we were eligible to receive additional regulatory and commercial milestone payments and were entitled to receive royalties in the mid-20% range on net sales of the product in countries included in the Immedica Agreement.
For the twelve months ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, we recognized revenue of $0.9 million and $2.3 million, respectively, under the Immedica Agreement. The total revenue generated for the twelve months ended December 31, 2023 was attributable to the PEACE Phase 3 trial and PIP trials, drug supply, and royalties from an early access program in France. For the twelve months ended December 31, 2022, the revenue recognized was related to the PEACE Phase 3 trial and BLA package performance.
On July 27, 2023, we announced that we entered into an agreement to sell the global rights to pegzilarginase to Immedica for $15.0 million in upfront cash proceeds and up to $100.0 million in contingent milestone payments. The sale of pegzilarginase to Immedica superseded and terminated the Immedica Agreement. On July 27, 2023, the carrying value of the asset was zero as it was internally developed. Accordingly, we recognized a $16.4 million gain within Gain on sale of in-process research and development,
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which is comprised of $15.0 million in upfront cash proceeds and the reimbursement of $1.8 million in pre-paid manufacturing costs that was contingent upon a favorable opinion being received by the CHMP, net of transaction costs and the derecognition of pegzilarginase related nonfinancial assets and liabilities totaling $0.4 million.
The milestone payments are contingent on formal reimbursement decisions by national authorities in key European markets and pegzilarginase approval by the FDA, among other events. The upfront payment and contingent milestone payments if paid, net of expenses and adjustments, will be distributed to holders of our CVRs (as defined below) pursuant to the contingent value rights agreement (the "CVR Agreement") we entered into with Equiniti Trust Company LLC (f/k/a American Stock Transfer & Trust Company LLC) as rights agent in connection with the Asset Acquisition.
Research and development expenses
Research and development expenses consist primarily of costs incurred for the discovery and development of our product candidates, historically including pegtarviliase and pegzilarginase, and now focused on our portfolio of IBD product candidates. We contract with external providers for nonclinical studies and clinical trials. Our research and development expenses include:
• costs from acquiring clinical trial materials and services performed for contracted services with contract manufacturing organizations, or CMOs;
• fees paid to clinical trial sites, CROs, CMOs, nonclinical research companies, and academic institutions;
• direct and pass through costs associated with research conducted under the Paragon Agreement; and
• employee and consultant-related expenses incurred, which include salaries, benefits, travel, and stock-based compensation.
Research and development costs are expensed as incurred. Advance payments for goods or services to be rendered in the future for use in research and development activities are deferred and capitalized. The capitalized amounts are expensed as the related goods are delivered or the services are performed.
Research and development expenses have historically represented the largest component of our total operating expenses.
Our expenditures on current and future nonclinical and clinical development programs are subject to numerous uncertainties in timing and cost to completion. The duration, costs, and timing of nonclinical activities, clinical trials, and development of our product candidates will depend on a variety of factors, including:
• the scope, rate of progress, and expenses of our ongoing research activities as well as any additional nonclinical activities, clinical trials, and other research and development activities;
• future clinical trial results;
• uncertainties in clinical trial enrollment rates or drop-out or discontinuation rates of patients;
• changes in the competitive drug development environment;
• potential safety monitoring or other studies requested by regulatory agencies;
• significant and changing government regulation;
• the timing and receipt of regulatory approvals, if any; and
• macroeconomic events and conditions, including inflation, increasing interest rates, increasing financial market volatility and uncertainty, the impact of geopolitical instabilities, including ongoing military conflict in Ukraine, conflict in Israel and surrounding areas, and geopolitical tensions in China, and its potential supply chain impact, and public health pandemics, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
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The process of conducting the necessary clinical research to obtain FDA and other regulatory approval is costly and time consuming and the successful development of our product candidates is highly uncertain. The risks and uncertainties associated with our research and development projects are discussed more fully in Part I, Item 1A of this Annual Report titled “Risk Factors.” As a result of these risks and uncertainties, we are unable to determine with any degree of certainty the duration and completion costs of our research and development projects, or if, when, or to what extent we will generate revenues from the commercialization and sale of any of our product candidates that obtain regulatory approval. We may never succeed in achieving 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 executive, finance, accounting, legal, corporate development, information technology, and human resources functions. Other significant costs include legal fees relating to corporate matters and fees for insurance, accounting, consulting, facilities, and recruiting services.
We expect that our general and administrative expenses will increase in the future to support our continued research and development activities. These increases will likely include higher costs related to the hiring of additional personnel and fees to outside consultants, lawyers and accountants, among other expenses. Additionally, we have incurred and expect to continue to incur increased costs associated with being a public company, including expenses related to services associated with maintaining compliance with Nasdaq listing rules and SEC requirements, insurance, and investor relations costs.
Restructuring
On April 12, 2023, based on the review of the inconclusive interim results from our Phase 1/2 clinical trial of pegtarviliase for the treatment of classical homocystinuria and other business considerations, we announced that we had initiated a process to explore strategic alternatives to maximize stockholder value and engaged an independent exclusive financial advisor to support this process. As a result, we implemented a restructuring plan that resulted in an approximate 83% reduction of our existing headcount by June 30, 2023.
All charges related to the restructuring activities were recognized during the twelve months ended December 31, 2023. No further restructuring charges will be incurred under the restructuring plan.
Severance and Stock Compensation
We recognized restructuring expenses consisting of cash severance payments and other employee-related costs of $6.4 million during the twelve months ended December 31, 2023. Cash payments for employee related restructuring charges of $5.3 million were paid as of December 31, 2023. In addition, we recognized $1.0 million in non-cash stock-based compensation expense related to the accelerated vesting of stock-based awards for certain employees. We recorded these restructuring charges based on each employee’s role to the respective research and development and general and administrative operating expense categories on its consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss.
Sale of Assets
During the second quarter of 2023, we sold various lab equipment, consumables, and furniture and fixtures for total consideration of $0.5 million. After recording the disposal of all our property and equipment net of proceeds, we recorded a $0.7 million and $0.2 million loss on disposal of long lived assets which is included in Research and development and General and administrative expenses, respectively.
Lease Right-of-use Asset and Leasehold Improvement Impairment
Effective June 30, 2023, we abandoned our leased office space in Austin, Texas. As a result, we recognized an impairment loss of $0.9 million related to the operating lease right-of-use asset and $1.7 million related to leasehold improvements. On August 7, 2023, we terminated our building lease in Austin, Texas. The negotiated termination agreement obligated us to pay the lessor a $2.0 million termination fee in exchange for releasing us of all further obligations under the lease. All charges related to the restructuring activities were
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recognized during the second quarter of 2023. No further restructuring charges will be incurred under the restructuring plan.
Interest income
Interest income consists of interest earned on our cash, cash equivalents, marketable securities, and restricted cash.
Income taxes
We serve as a holding company for our eleven wholly owned subsidiary corporations in the United States, United Kingdom, and European Union. We file a consolidated U.S. corporate federal income tax return with our nine United States subsidiaries. Additionally, we operate in the United Kingdom. Our Irish entity is dormant. Our income tax returns are subject to audit and adjustment by the taxing authorities. We use the asset and liability method of accounting for income taxes. Under this method, deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the expected future tax consequences of temporary differences between the financial statements and the tax bases of assets and liabilities. A valuation allowance is established against the deferred tax assets to reduce their carrying value to an amount that is more likely than not to be realized. The deferred tax assets and liabilities are classified as noncurrent along with the related valuation allowance. Due to our lack of earnings history, the net deferred tax assets have been fully offset by a valuation allowance.
We recognize benefits of uncertain tax positions if it is more likely than not that such positions will be sustained upon examination based solely on the technical merits, as the largest amount of benefits that is more likely than not to be realized upon the ultimate settlement. Our policy is to recognize interest and penalties related to the unrecognized tax benefits as a component of income tax expense.
Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates
Our consolidated financial statements are prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States ("U.S. GAAP"). The preparation of these consolidated financial statements requires us to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenue, costs and expenses, and related disclosures. These estimates form the basis for judgments we make about the carrying values of our assets, liabilities and equity and the amount of revenues and expenses, which are not readily apparent from other sources. We base our estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions that we believe are reasonable under the circumstances. On an ongoing basis, we evaluate our estimates and assumptions. Our actual results may differ materially from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions.
Our critical accounting policies are those policies which require the most significant judgments and estimates in the preparation of our consolidated financial statements. The most significant estimates and assumptions that management considers in the preparation of our financial statements relate to accrued research and development costs; the valuation of consideration transferred in acquiring in-process research and development ("IPR&D"); the discount rate, probabilities of success, and timing of estimated cash flows in the valuation of the CVR liability; inputs used in the Black-Scholes model for stock-based compensation expense; estimated future cash flows used in calculating the impairment of right-of-use lease assets; and estimated cost to complete performance obligations related to revenue recognition. The consideration transferred in acquiring IPR&D in connection with the acquisition of Pre-Merger Spyre was comprised of our Common Stock and shares of Series A Preferred Stock. To determine the fair value of the equity transferred, we considered the per share value of our PIPE financing that closed in June 2023 (the "June 2023 PIPE"), which was a financing involving a group of accredited investors.
We define our critical accounting policies as those accounting principles generally accepted in the United States that require us to make subjective estimates and judgments about matters that are uncertain and are likely to have a material impact on our financial condition and results of operations, as well as the specific manner in which we apply those principles. Our significant accounting policies are more fully described in Note 2 to our consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report.
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Revenue recognition
We enter into license agreements related to our technologies that we have determined are within the scope of Accounting Standards Codification 606. Based on the terms and conditions of our agreements, we identify the goods and services that we promise to transfer to the customer, which may consist of the licensing of technologies, the performance of research and development activities, and/or the supply of products related to our technologies. Based on the nature of the goods and services provided and the customer’s intended benefit of the arrangement, we evaluate which of the promised goods and services are distinct and, therefore, represent a performance obligation, which may require us to combine certain promised goods and services that are determined to not be distinct from one another. We also evaluate whether an agreement provides the customer an option to purchase future goods or services at a discounted price, or a material right, which would also represent a performance obligation.
In exchange for the performance obligations, we estimate the amount of consideration promised by the customer, or transaction price, which may include both fixed and variable consideration. Variable consideration, which may consist of various milestone payments based upon the achievement of certain events or conditions, sales-based royalties, or payments contingent on the performance of research and development services, are included in the transaction price only if we expect to receive such consideration and determine it is likely that the inclusion of the variable consideration will not result in a significant reversal in the cumulative amount of revenue recognized under the arrangement. Sales-based royalty and milestone payments that we determine are predominantly related to the license of our intellectual property are excluded from the transaction price we expect to receive until the underlying sales occur.
We allocate the estimated transaction price to the identified performance obligations based on the relative estimated stand-alone selling price ("SSP") of each performance. SSP is based on the observable price of our goods and services, or when SSP is not directly observable, we estimate SSP based on factors such as forecasted revenues or costs, development timelines, discount rates, probabilities of technical and regulatory success, and considerations such as market conditions and entity-specific factors. We recognize revenue allocated to each performance obligation either at a point-in-time or over time in a manner that depicts the transfer of control of the promised goods and services to the customer. For performance obligations that are recognized over time, we estimate the measure of progress associated with the satisfaction of the performance obligation based on an input or output method, which may be based on factors such as costs incurred, labor hours expended, time elapsed, among other measures based on the nature of the performance obligation. The estimates made on an input or output method are subject to change and may result in material changes to revenue that could materially affect our results of operations. Please refer to Note 12, Strategic License Agreements, to the consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report.
Accrued research and development costs
We record the costs associated with research nonclinical studies, clinical trials, and manufacturing as incurred. These costs are a significant component of our research and development expenses, with a substantial portion of our on-going research and development activities conducted by third-party service providers, including CROs, CMOs, and our related-party Paragon.
We accrue for expenses resulting from obligations under the Paragon Agreement and agreements with CROs, CMOs, and other outside service providers for which payment flows do not match the periods over which materials or services are provided to us. We record accruals based on estimates of services received and efforts expended pursuant to agreements established with Paragon, CROs, CMOs, and other outside service providers. These estimates are typically based on contracted amounts applied to the proportion of work performed and determined through analysis with internal personnel and external service providers as to the progress or stage of completion of the services. We make significant judgments and estimates in determining the accrual balance in each reporting period. In the event advance payments are made to Paragon, a CRO, a CMO, or an outside service provider, the payments will be recorded as a prepaid asset which will be amortized as the contracted services are performed. As actual costs become known, we adjust our accruals. Inputs, such as the services performed, the number of patients enrolled, or the study duration, may vary from our estimates, resulting in adjustments to research and development expense in future periods. Changes in these estimates that result in material changes to our accruals could materially affect our results of operations. However, there have been no material changes in estimates for the periods presented.
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Impairment of ROU Assets and Leasehold Improvements
We are required to test for impairment of our long-lived assets when events arise that would call into question the recoverability of an asset group. We determined that the abandonment of our leased office space in Austin, Texas would meet this criteria. Accordingly, we tested for impairment using a discounted future cash flow model using estimated cash flows that could be obtained through a hypothetical sub-letting of the leased space.
Convertible Preferred Stock Issued through PIPE
We record shares of convertible preferred stock at their respective fair values on the dates of issuance, net of issuance costs. We classified the Series B Preferred Stock outside of stockholders’ equity because, if conversion to common stock is not approved by the stockholders, the Series B Preferred Stock will be redeemable at the option of the holders for cash equal to the closing price of the common stock on the last trading day prior to the holder’s redemption request. We determined that the conversion and redemption are outside of our control. Additionally, we determined the Series B Preferred Stock did not contain any embedded derivatives and therefore the conversion and redemption features did not require bifurcation.
Contingent Value Rights Liability
On July 3, 2023, we issued contingent value rights ("CVRs") to certain of our securityholders of record as of the close of business on that date (the "Legacy Stockholders"), but these were not issued to holders of shares of common stock or preferred stock issued to former stockholders of Pre-Merger Spyre or the investors (the "June 2023 Investors") in the June 2023 PIPE. Each CVR entitles the holder thereof to receive cash payments in the future calculated on the monetization or disposal of certain legacy assets owned by us prior to the Asset Acquisition (the "Legacy Assets") within the CVR period. Certain contingent payments under the CVR Agreement qualify as derivatives under ASC 815, Derivatives and Hedging, and are recorded as a liability on the balance sheet as of December 31, 2023. The CVR liability is considered a Level 3 instrument that is initially measured at its estimated fair value on the transaction date and subsequently remeasured at each reporting date with changes recorded in the consolidated statement of operations. The determination of the initial and subsequent fair value of the CVR liability requires significant judgment by management. Changes in any of the inputs not related to facts and circumstances existing as of the transaction date may result in a significant fair value adjustment, which can impact the results of operations in the period in which the adjustment is made. For example, changes in inputs related to the likelihood of regulatory approval increases or decreases as the regulatory approval process progresses and decisions or comments are issued by the applicable regulatory agencies.
Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements
Information regarding recent accounting pronouncements is included in Item 8 of Part II, "Financial Statements and Supplementary Data", Note 2 in the "Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements" of this Annual Report.
Results of Operations
A discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations for the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to the year ended December 31, 2022 is presented below. A discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations for the year ended December 31, 2022 compared with the year ended December 31, 2021 is included in Item 7 of Part II, “Management’s Discussion and Analysis
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of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022 filed with the SEC on March 2, 2023.
Comparison of the Years Ended December 31, 2023 and 2022
The following table summarizes our results of operations for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, together with the changes in those items in dollars and as a percentage:
Year Ended December 31, Dollar
Change % Change
2023 2022
(in thousands)
Revenue:
Development fee and royalty 886 2,329 (1,443) (62 %)
Total revenue 886 2,329 (1,443)
Operating expenses:
Research and development 89,504 58,579 30,925 53 %
General and administrative 39,946 28,531 11,415 40 %
Acquired in-process research and development 130,188 — 130,188 *
Gain on sale of in-process research and development asset (16,449) — (16,449) *
Total operating expenses 243,189 87,110 156,079 *
Loss from operations (242,303) (84,781) (157,522) *
Other (expense) income:
Interest income 6,147 837 5,310 *
Change in fair value of forward contract liability (83,530) — (83,530) *
Other expense, net (19,130) (7) (19,123) *
Total other (expense) income (96,513) 830 (97,343) *
Loss before income tax expense (338,816) (83,951) (254,865) *
Income tax benefit
26 136 (110) *
Net loss $ (338,790) $ (83,815) $ (254,975)
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* Percentage not meaningful
Development Fee and Royalty Revenue. For the year ended December 31, 2023, we recognized $0.9 million of revenue in connection with the Immedica Agreement. The revenue generated was attributable to the PEACE Phase 3 trial and drug supply and royalties from an early access program in France. For the year ended December 31, 2022, we recognized $2.3 million of development fee revenue in connection with the Immedica Agreement, which was attributable to the PEACE Phase 3 trial and BLA package.
Research and Development Expenses. Our research and development expenses incurred during the year ended December 31, 2023 were primarily related to clinical trial costs associated with our Legacy Assets, costs associated with the wind down of those Legacy Assets, and costs associated with furthering our IBD pipeline candidates. Wind down costs included final patient visits, collection and analysis of final patient data, the creation and submission of final research reports, site and pharmacy closeouts, and formally closing the trials with regulatory agencies. Research and development expenses increased by $30.9 million, or 53%, to $89.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2023, from $58.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2022. The increase in research and development expenses was primarily due to:
• a $39.3 million increase in preclinical development and manufacturing expenses for our IBD pipeline candidates;
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• a $11.4 million increase in stock compensation expense related to the Parapyre Option Obligation; partially offset by
• a $19.9 million decrease in activities and staff costs associated with the legacy rare disease pipeline we had been advancing prior to the Asset Acquisition.
External research and development expenses include costs associated with third parties contracted to conduct research and development activities on behalf of the Company, including through Paragon, CROs, CMOs, and third-party laboratories. For the year ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, external research and development costs accounted for $72.7 million and $36.4 million, respectively. The increase in external research and development expenses is primarily due to increases in costs associated with our IBD pipeline candidates and stock compensation expense related to the Parapyre Option Obligation, partially offset by a decrease in activities associated with the Legacy Assets.
Internal research and development expenses include compensation and related costs associated our research and development employees, as well as costs associated with the Company's on-premises research laboratory. For the year ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, internal research and development costs accounted for $16.8 million and $22.1 million. The decrease in internal research and development expenses is primarily due to a decrease in costs associated with our on-premises research laboratory that was decommissioned, including the elimination of related internal roles, in the first half of 2023.
General and Administrative Expenses. General and administrative expenses increased by $11.4 million, or 40%, to $39.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2023, from $28.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2022. The increase in general and administrative expenses was primarily due to a $9.0 million increase in stock compensation expense, $2.6 million increase in restructuring costs, net of restructuring savings, and an increase in legal and professional service fees of $3.4 million, partially offset by a $2.1 million decrease in legacy commercial readiness activities.
Gain on Sale of In-Process Research and Development Asset. Gain on sale of in-process research and development asset during the year ended December 31, 2023 was due to the gain recognized on the sale of pegzilarginase to Immedica. There was no similar gain or loss during the year ended December 31, 2022.
Acquired In-process Research and Development Expenses. Acquired IPR&D expenses were $130.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2023, as the acquisition of Pre-Merger Spyre was determined by management to be an asset acquisition, in accordance with U.S. GAAP as the product candidates were determined to have no alternative future use. There was no similar expense during the year ended December 31, 2022.
Change in Fair Value of Forward Contract Liability. Non-cash expenses associated with the change in fair value of the forward contract liability were $83.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2023. This expense was due to the change in fair value of the underlying Series A Preferred Stock between June 22, 2023 and the forward contract's settlement on July 7, 2023. There was no similar expense during the year ended December 31, 2022.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
We are a preclinical stage biotechnology company with a limited operating history, and due to our significant research and development expenditures, we have generated operating losses since our inception and have not generated any revenue from the sale of any products. There can be no assurance that profitable operations will ever be achieved, and, if achieved, whether profitability can be sustained on a continuing basis.
Since our inception and through December 31, 2023, we have funded our operations by raising an aggregate of approximately $896.2 million of gross proceeds from the sale and issuance of convertible preferred stock and common stock, pre-funded warrants, the collection of grant proceeds, and the licensing of our product rights for commercialization of pegzilarginase in Europe and certain countries in the Middle East. As of December 31, 2023, we had an accumulated deficit of $764.4 million.
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Our primary use of cash is to fund the development of our product candidates, and advance our pipeline. This includes both the research and development costs and the general and administrative expenses required to support those operations. Since we are a preclinical stage biotechnology company, we have incurred significant operating losses since our inception and we anticipate such losses, in absolute dollar terms, to increase as we pursue clinical development of our product candidates, prepare for the potential commercialization of our product candidates, and expand our development efforts in our pipeline of nonclinical candidates. Based on current operating plans, the Company has sufficient resources to fund operations for at least one year from the issuance date of the financial statements included in this Annual Report with existing cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities. Spyre will need to secure additional financing in the future to fund additional research and development, and before a commercial drug can be produced, marketed and sold. If the Company is unable to obtain additional financing or generate license or product revenue, the lack of liquidity could have a material adverse effect on the Company.
Recent sources of liquidity
In March 2021, we entered into the Immedica Agreement, pursuant to which Immedica licensed the product rights for commercialization of pegzilarginase in the European Economic Area, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Andorra, Monaco, San Marino, Vatican City, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman. In April 2021, we received an upfront payment of $21.5 million from Immedica. In July 2021, the Immedica Agreement was modified to include additional development services, up to $3.0 million, to support the PEACE Phase 3 trial and BLA package performance obligation. In July 2023, the Immedica Agreement was terminated through the sale of pegzilarginase to Immedica for $15.0 million in upfront cash proceeds and up to $100.0 million in contingent milestone payments.
During the year ended December 31, 2020, we raised $163.3 million of gross proceeds through an underwritten public offering and an at-the-market offering program. We sold 617,692 shares of common stock and pre-funded warrants to purchase up to 544,413 shares of common stock in an underwritten public offering for gross proceeds of $138.0 million, resulting in net proceeds of $129.0 million after deducting underwriting discounts, commissions, and offering costs. Additionally, we sold an aggregate of 129,803 shares of common stock under an at-the-market offering program for gross proceeds of $25.3 million, resulting in net proceeds of $24.6 million, after deducting underwriting discounts, commissions, and offering costs.
In May 2022, we sold 430,107 shares of common stock and pre-funded warrants to purchase up to 694,892 shares of common stock in a registered direct offering for gross proceeds of $45.0 million, resulting in net proceeds of $42.9 million after deducting placement agent fees and offering costs.
In June 2023, we sold 721,452 shares of convertible Series A preferred stock in a private placement offering for gross proceeds of $210.0 million before deducting approximately $12.7 million of placement agent and other offering expenses.
In December 2023, we sold 6,000,000 shares of Common Stock and 150,000 shares of convertible Series B preferred stock for gross proceeds of $180.0 million before deducting approximately $10.9 million of placement agent and other offering expenses.
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Cash flows
The following table summarizes our cash flows for the periods indicated (in thousands):
Year Ended December 31,
2023 2022
Net cash and cash equivalents (used in) provided by:
Operating activities $ (99,910) $ (80,144)
Investing activities (108,393) 57,008
Financing activities 361,077 42,678
Effect of exchange rate on cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash
25 (106)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents $ 152,799 $ 19,436
Cash Used in Operating Activities
Cash used in operating activities for the year ended December 31, 2023 was $99.9 million and reflected a net loss of $338.8 million. Our net loss was offset in part by non-cash expenses of $130.2 million for acquired IPR&D, $83.5 million change in fair value of forward contract liability, $25.7 million in stock-based compensation, $19.0 million change in fair value of CVR liability, $2.6 million impairment loss on lease abandonment, $0.9 million loss on disposal of long-lived assets, and $0.7 million in depreciation and amortization. The net change in operating assets and liabilities of $5.2 million was primarily due to a $4.9 million decrease in accrued and other liabilities, a $3.2 million decrease in prepaid expenses and other assets, a $2.4 million decrease in related party payable, a $2.3 million decrease in operating lease liabilities primarily due to the termination of the Las Cimas lease, and a $0.4 million decrease in development receivables, partially offset by a $0.6 million increase in deferred revenue and a $0.2 million increase in accounts payable.
Cash used in operating activities for the year ended December 31, 2022 was $80.1 million and reflected a net loss of $83.8 million. Our net loss was offset in part by non-cash expense of $7.1 million for stock-based compensation and $1.6 million for depreciation and amortization. The net change in operating assets and liabilities of $5.5 million was primarily related to a $2.6 million decrease in accounts payable, a $1.1 million increase in prepaid expenses and other assets, a $0.9 million decrease in deferred revenue due to receiving payments under the Immedica Agreement offset by the recognition of revenue allocated to the license, PEACE Phase 3 trial and BLA filing, a $0.9 million decrease in accrued expenses and other liabilities, and a $0.4 million decrease in operating lease liabilities due to lease payments made during the year, partially offset by a $0.4 million increase in accounts receivable for incremental services provided to Immedica and not yet paid.
Cash (Used in) Provided by Investing Activities
Cash used in investing activities for the year ended December 31, 2023 was $108.4 million and primarily consisted of $166.8 million in purchases of marketable securities, partially offset by $39.9 million in maturities and sales of marketable securities, $15.0 million in proceeds from the sale of IPR&D assets, and $3.0 million cash assumed from the Asset Acquisition.
Cash provided by investing activities for the year ended December 31, 2022 was $57.0 million and consisted of $96.5 million in maturities and sales of marketable securities, partially offset by $39.5 million in purchases of marketable securities.
Cash Provided by Financing Activities
Cash provided by financing activities for the year ended December 31, 2023 was $361.1 million, which primarily consisted of the net proceeds from the issuance of the shares of Series A Preferred Stock in the June 2023 PIPE and the issuance of the shares of common stock and Series B Preferred Stock in the December 2023 PIPE.
Cash provided by financing activities for the year ended December 31, 2022 was $42.7 million, which primarily consisted of $42.9 million from the registered direct offering of our common stock and pre-funded warrants in May 2022, net of placement agent fees and offering costs, and $0.2 million from the sale of common
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stock under our 2016 Employee Stock Purchase Plan, partially offset by $0.4 million in principal payments made on our finance lease obligations.
Contractual Obligations and Other Commitments
Effective June 30, 2023, we abandoned our leased corporate headquarters and laboratory space located in Austin, Texas. As a result, we recognized an impairment loss related to the operating right-of-use asset of $0.9 million. On August 7, 2023, we terminated our building lease in Austin, Texas. In exchange for releasing us of all further obligations under the lease, we paid the lessor a $2.0 million termination fee.
We have entered into agreements in the normal course of business with CROs for clinical trials and CMOs, and with vendors for nonclinical research studies and other services and products for operating purposes. These contractual obligations are cancelable at any time by us, generally upon 30 to 60 days’ prior written notice to the vendor.
Contingent contractual obligations
Through the Asset Acquisition, we received the Option to license the IPR&D related to four research programs. On July 12, 2023 and on December 14, 2023, we exercised the Option with respect to two of these research programs, respectively. The exercise of the Option allows for us to enter into an exclusive license agreement with Paragon for the respective research program. Upon license execution, we expect to be obligated to pay Paragon up to $22.0 million based on specific development, regulatory, and clinical milestones for each licensed research program. As of December 31, 2023, none of the $22.0 million obligation was accrued for since the related license agreements are still being negotiated. As of the date of the filing of this Annual Report, the Option remains unexercised with respect to the two remaining research programs under the Paragon Agreement. Should the Option for these research programs be exercised and upon entry into license agreements with respect to such research programs, we expect to be obligated to pay Paragon up to $22.0 million per research program based on certain development, regulatory, and clinical milestones.
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