−Removed: Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities.
−Removed: Our common stock is traded
−Removed: on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “
−Removed: TARA ”.
−Removed: Holders of Our Common Stock
−Removed: As of March 11, 2021,
−Removed: there were 11,228,606 shares of common stock outstanding held by approximately 25 stockholders of record.
−Removed: The actual number of
−Removed: stockholders is greater than this number of record holders, and includes stockholders who are beneficial owners, whose shares
−Removed: are held in street name by brokers and other nominees.
−Removed: Dividend Policy
−Removed: We have never declared or
−Removed: paid cash dividends on our Common Stock, and we do not expect to pay any cash dividends on our Common Stock in the foreseeable
−Removed: Payment of future dividends, if any, on our Common Stock will be at the discretion of our Board of Directors after taking
−Removed: into account various factors, including our financial condition, operating results, anticipated cash needs, and plans for expansion.
−Removed: Securities Authorized for Issuance under Equity
+Added: Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities.
+Added: common stock is traded on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “ TARA ”.
+Added: of Our common stock
+Added: As of March 4, 2022, there were 11,251,927 shares of common stock outstanding
+Added: held by approximately 20 stockholders of record.
+Added: The actual number of stockholders is greater than this number of record holders, and
+Added: includes stockholders who are beneficial owners, whose shares are held in street name by brokers and other nominees.
+Added: have never declared or paid cash dividends on our common stock, and we do not expect to pay any cash dividends on our common stock in
+Added: the foreseeable future.
+Added: Payment of future dividends, if any, on our common stock will be at the discretion of our Board of Directors
+Added: after taking into account various factors, including our financial condition, operating results, anticipated cash needs, and plans for
+Added: Authorized for Issuance under Equity Compensation Plans
+Added: Item 12 of Part III of this Annual Report on Form 10-K regarding information about securities authorized for issuance under our equity
compensation plans.
−Removed: See Item 12 of Part III
−Removed: of this Annual Report on Form 10-K regarding information about securities authorized for issuance under our equity compensation
−Removed: Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities
−Removed: Other than as previously
−Removed: disclosed in our past Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K, we did not have any sales of unregistered
−Removed: securities for the period covered by this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
−Removed: Selected Financial Data.
−Removed: Information requested by
−Removed: this Item is not applicable as we are electing scaled disclosure requirements available to Smaller Reporting Companies with respect
−Removed: to this Item.
−Removed: Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.
−Removed: You should read the
−Removed: following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations together with our financial statements
−Removed: and related notes appearing elsewhere in this report.
−Removed: Some of the information contained in this discussion and analysis or set
−Removed: forth elsewhere in this report, including information with respect to our plans and strategy for our business and related financing,
−Removed: includes forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties.
−Removed: As a result of many factors, including those factors
−Removed: set forth in the “Risk Factors”
−Removed: section of this document, our actual results could differ materially from the results
−Removed: described in, or implied by, the forward-looking statements contained in the following discussion and analysis.
−Removed: We are a New York City based
−Removed: clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company committed to identifying and advancing transformative therapies for the treatment of
−Removed: cancer and rare diseases with significant unmet needs.
−Removed: We prioritize creativity, diverse perspectives, integrity and tenacity
−Removed: to expedite our goal of bringing life-changing therapies to people with limited treatment options.
−Removed: Our portfolio includes
−Removed: two development programs utilizing TARA-002, an investigational cell therapy based on the broad immunopotentiator, OK-432, which
−Removed: was originally granted marketing approval by the Japanese Ministry of Health and Welfare as an immunopotentiating cancer therapeutic
−Removed: This cell therapy is currently approved in Japan for lymphatic malformations, or LMs, and multiple oncologic indications.
−Removed: It has never been approved outside Japan and we have secured worldwide rights to the asset excluding Japan and Taiwan and have
−Removed: begun to explore its use in rare and oncology indications.
−Removed: We are developing TARA-002 in non-muscle invasive bladder cancer, or
−Removed: NMIBC, and in LMs.
−Removed: TARA-002’s
−Removed: lead oncology program is in non-muscle invasive bladder cancer or NMIBC, which is cancer found in the tissue that lines the inner
−Removed: surface of the bladder that has not spread into the bladder muscle.
−Removed: Bladder cancer is the sixth most common cancer in the United
−Removed: States, with NMIBC representing approximately 80% of bladder cancer diagnoses.
−Removed: Approximately 65,000 patients are diagnosed with
−Removed: NMIBC in the United States each year.
−Removed: Very few new therapeutics have been approved in NMIBC since the 1990s and the current standard
−Removed: of care for NMIBC includes intravesical Bacillus Calmette-Guerin, or BCG.
−Removed: The mechanism of TARA-002 is similar to BCG.
−Removed: Both TARA-002
−Removed: and BCG are intravesically administered and elicit a type Th1 type immune response and locally activated generally similar array
−Removed: of cytokines and immune cells.
−Removed: In August of 2020,
−Removed: we announced constructive feedback following a pre-Investigational New Drug (pre-IND) interaction with the Office of Tissues and
−Removed: Advanced Therapies division of the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, or CBER, at the FDA on a development plan for
−Removed: TARA-002 in NMIBC.
−Removed: Building on existing data from OK-432, and subject to the completion of non-clinical studies as well as acceptance
−Removed: of the IND application, we plan to commence a Phase 1 clinical trial in late 2021 to assess the safety and tolerability of TARA-002
−Removed: in patients with high grade NMIBC.
−Removed: The most advanced
−Removed: clinical program is for LMs, which are rare, non-malignant cysts of the lymphatic vascular system that primarily form in the head
−Removed: and neck region of children before the age of two.
−Removed: In July 2020, the U.S.
−Removed: Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, granted Rare Pediatric
−Removed: Disease designation for TARA-002 for the treatment of LMs.
−Removed: OK-432, the originator compound to TARA-002, has been the standard
−Removed: of care in LMs in Japan for over 20 years.
−Removed: In addition to the clinical experience in Japan, we have secured the rights to a dataset
−Removed: from one of the largest ever conducted Phase 2 studies in lymphatic malformations, in which OK-432 was administered via a compassionate
−Removed: use program led by the University of Iowa to over 400 pediatric and adult patients.
−Removed: We have updated the initial IND that was submitted
−Removed: by the University of Iowa and submitted the update and accompanying clarifying questions to the FDA Division of Vaccines and Related
−Removed: Products Applications, or the Division, in connection with the IND for TARA-002 in LMs.
−Removed: We plan to utilize the robust dataset
−Removed: for OK-432 in LMs to support the potential filing of a Biological License Application (BLA) for TARA-002 in lymphatic LMs.
−Removed: are encouraged by the progress to date and, at the FDA’s request, have submitted the full Clinical Study Report (CSR) of
−Removed: the randomized Phase 2 study of OK-432 in LMs led by the University of Iowa.
−Removed: We continue to prepare for a potential BLA filing
−Removed: in the second half of 2021, or to initiate additional clinical work as required by FDA.
−Removed: TARA-002 was developed from
−Removed: the same master cell bank of genetically distinct group A Streptococcus pyogenes as OK-432 (marketed as Picibanil®
−Removed: and Taiwan by Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., or Chugai Pharmaceutical).
−Removed: Following a pre-IND interaction with the Office of Tissues
−Removed: and Advanced Therapies Division of the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, or CBER, the FDA agreed that we have successfully
−Removed: demonstrated initial manufacturing comparability between TARA-002 and OK-432.
−Removed: This initial comparability will be confirmed by
−Removed: GMP scale batches, which are currently underway using the same release tests that have already been approved by the FDA.
−Removed: The third development program
−Removed: in our portfolio is intravenous, or IV, Choline Chloride, an investigational phospholipid substrate replacement therapy initially
−Removed: in development for patients receiving parenteral nutrition, or PN, who have intestinal failure associated liver disease, or IFALD.
−Removed: IV Choline Chloride has been granted Orphan Drug Designation by the FDA for this indication and has also been granted Fast Track
−Removed: Designation for the treatment of IFALD.
−Removed: Following a positive end of Phase 2 meeting with the FDA, we received feedback on the
−Removed: design of the studies necessary to complete the registration package for IV Choline Chloride for the treatment of IFALD, including
−Removed: a Phase 1 pharmacokinetic study followed by Phase 3 trial.
−Removed: Prior to initiating these clinical studies, we are currently undertaking
−Removed: a prevalence study in partnership with a large home health organization in the United States to enhance understanding of the PN
−Removed: patient population and we plan to use this information to determine the next steps for the development program.
−Removed: The goal of the
−Removed: study is to understand the presence/incidence of liver disease in this patient population.
−Removed: Our fourth program, vonapanitase,
−Removed: is a recombinant human elastase.
−Removed: We are reviewing the research and preclinical and clinical data of vonapanitase and have not
−Removed: yet determined whether to pursue further development of this product candidate in the future.
−Removed: We have devoted substantial
−Removed: efforts to the development of these programs and do not have any approved products and have not generated any revenue from product
−Removed: TARA-002 is in later stage development for LMs and has not yet been approved for use for treatment of LMs, NMIBC or any
−Removed: other indications.
−Removed: We do not expect to generate revenues prior to 2022, if ever.
−Removed: To finance our current strategic plans, including
−Removed: the conduct of ongoing and future clinical trials and further research and development costs, we will need to raise additional
−Removed: Since inception, we have
−Removed: incurred significant operating losses.
−Removed: As of December 31, 2020, we had an accumulated deficit of approximately $46.8 million.
−Removed: We expect to continue to incur significant expenses and increasing operating losses for at least the next few years as we continue
−Removed: our development of, and seek marketing approvals for, our product candidates, prepare for and begin the commercialization of any
−Removed: approved products, and add infrastructure and personnel to support our product development efforts and operations as a public
−Removed: company in the United States.
−Removed: As a clinical-stage company,
−Removed: our expenses and results of operations are likely to fluctuate significantly from quarter to quarter and year to year.
−Removed: that our period-to-period comparisons of our results of operations should not be relied upon as indicative of our future performance.
−Removed: As of December 31, 2020,
−Removed: we had approximately $168.6 million in cash and cash equivalents.
−Removed: On January 9, 2020, Protara
−Removed: Therapeutics, Inc.
−Removed: (formerly ArTara Therapeutics, Inc., formerly Proteon Therapeutics, Inc., the “Company”), completed
−Removed: its previously announced merger transaction with ArTara Subsidiary, Inc.
−Removed: (formerly ArTara Therapeutics, Inc., “Private ArTara”)
−Removed: in accordance with the terms of the Agreement and Plan of Merger and Reorganization, dated as of September 23, 2019, by and among
−Removed: the Company, REM 1 Acquisition, Inc.
−Removed: (“Merger Sub”), and Private ArTara (as amended on November, 19, 2019, the “Merger
−Removed: Agreement”), pursuant to which Merger Sub merged with and into Private ArTara, with Private ArTara surviving as a wholly
−Removed: owned subsidiary of the Company (the “Merger”).The Merger was structured as a reverse merger and Private ArTara was
−Removed: determined to be the accounting acquirer based on the terms of the Merger and other factors.
−Removed: Following the completion of the Merger,
−Removed: the Company is focused on advancing Private ArTara’s drug development programs.
−Removed: On January 9, 2020, in connection
−Removed: with, and prior to the completion of, the Merger, the Company effected a 1-for-40 reverse stock split of its common stock (the
−Removed: “Reverse Stock Split”), Private ArTara changed its name from “ArTara Therapeutics, Inc.”
−Removed: to “ArTara
−Removed: Subsidiary, Inc.”, and the Company changed its name from “Proteon Therapeutics, Inc.”
−Removed: to “ArTara Therapeutics,
−Removed: On May 11, 2020, the Company changed its name to Protara Therapeutics, Inc.
−Removed: In addition, immediately following the
−Removed: closing of the Private Placement (defined below), all of the outstanding shares of the Company’s Series A Preferred Stock
−Removed: were converted into shares of the Company’s common stock.
−Removed: Under the terms of the Merger
−Removed: Agreement, the Company issued shares of its common stock (“Common Stock”) to Private ArTara’s stockholders,
−Removed: at an exchange ratio of 0.190756 shares of Common Stock, after taking into account the Reverse Stock Split, for each share of
−Removed: Private ArTara common stock outstanding immediately prior to the Merger.
−Removed: The Company assumed all of the outstanding and unexercised
−Removed: stock options of Private ArTara, with such stock options now representing the right to purchase a number of shares of Common Stock
−Removed: equal to 0.190756 multiplied by the number of shares of Private ArTara common stock previously represented by such Private ArTara
−Removed: stock options.
−Removed: The Company also assumed all of the unvested Private ArTara restricted stock awards, which were exchanged for a
−Removed: number of shares of Common Stock equal to 0.190756 multiplied by the number of shares of Private ArTara common stock previously
−Removed: represented by such Private ArTara restricted stock awards and unvested to the same extent as such Private ArTara restricted stock
−Removed: awards and subject to the same restrictions as such Private ArTara restricted stock awards.
−Removed: The shares of Common Stock
−Removed: issued to the former stockholders of Private ArTara were registered with the U.S.
−Removed: Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”)
−Removed: on a Registration Statement on Form S-4 (Reg.
−Removed: 333-234549) (the “Registration Statement”).
−Removed: The shares of Common Stock
−Removed: listed on The Nasdaq Capital Market, previously trading through the close of business on Thursday, January 9, 2020 under the ticker
−Removed: symbol “PRTO,”
−Removed: commenced trading on The Nasdaq Capital Market, on a post-Reverse Stock Split adjusted basis, under
−Removed: the ticker symbol “TARA,”
−Removed: on Friday, January 10, 2020.
−Removed: The ultimate impact of the
−Removed: current COVID-19 pandemic or a similar health epidemic is highly uncertain and subject to change.
−Removed: We have experienced delays,
−Removed: but may experience additional future delays that impact our business, our research and development activities, healthcare systems
−Removed: and the global economy as a whole.
−Removed: However, we will continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation closely should the effects have
−Removed: a material impact on our operations, liquidity and capital resources.
−Removed: In response to public health
−Removed: directives and orders, we have implemented work-from-home policies for our employees and temporarily modified our operations to
−Removed: comply with applicable social distancing recommendations.
−Removed: Similar health directives and orders are affecting third parties with
−Removed: whom we do business, including the third parties that we have contracted with to conduct studies for TARA-002.
−Removed: The effects of
−Removed: the orders and our related adjustments in our business are likely to negatively impact productivity, disrupt our business and
−Removed: delay our timelines, the magnitude of which will depend, in part, on the length and severity of the restrictions and other limitations
−Removed: on our ability to conduct our business in the ordinary course.
−Removed: Severe and/or long-term
−Removed: disruptions in our operations will negatively impact our business, operating results and financial condition in other ways, as
−Removed: Specifically, we anticipate that the stress of COVID-19 on healthcare systems around the globe will negatively impact our
−Removed: ability to conduct clinical trials in the near term due primarily to the lack of resources at clinical trial sites and the resulting
−Removed: inability to enroll patients in the trials.
−Removed: We also anticipate that the global impact of COVID-19 will negatively impact our ability
−Removed: to conduct nonclinical studies due primarily to laboratory closures and limited availability of personnel.
−Removed: In addition, while
−Removed: the potential economic impact brought by, and the duration of, COVID-19 may be difficult to assess or predict, it has significantly
−Removed: disrupted global financial markets, and may limit our ability to access capital, which could in the future negatively affect our
−Removed: A recession or market correction resulting from the spread of COVID-19 could materially affect our business and the
−Removed: value of our common stock.
−Removed: Financial Overview
−Removed: Research and Development Expenses
−Removed: Research and development
−Removed: expenses consist primarily of costs incurred for the development of TARA-002 and IV Choline Chloride, which include employee-related
−Removed: expenses, including salaries, benefits, travel and stock-based compensation expense, expenses incurred under agreements with clinical
−Removed: research organizations (“CROs”), contract development and manufacturing organizations (“CDMOs”), the cost
−Removed: of acquiring, developing and manufacturing clinical trial materials, clinical and non-clinical related costs, costs associated
−Removed: with regulatory operations and facilities, depreciation and other expenses, which include expenses for rent and maintenance of
−Removed: facilities and other supplies.
−Removed: General and Administrative Expenses
−Removed: General and administrative
−Removed: expenses consist principally of employee-related expenses, including salaries, benefits, travel and stock-based compensation expense,
−Removed: in executive and other administrative functions.
−Removed: Other general and administrative expenses also include professional fees for
−Removed: legal, patent review, consulting and accounting services as well as facility related costs, as well as expenses related to audit,
−Removed: legal, regulatory and tax-related services associated with maintaining compliance with our NASDAQ listing and SEC requirements,
−Removed: director and officer liability insurance premiums and investor relations costs associated with being a public company.
−Removed: Interest Income, Net
−Removed: Interest income, net, consists
−Removed: of interest income earned on our cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, net of interest expense related to our short-term
−Removed: Critical Accounting Policies and Significant Judgments and Estimates
−Removed: Management’s discussion
−Removed: and analysis of our financial position and results of operations is based on our consolidated financial statements, which have
−Removed: been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America, or GAAP.
−Removed: The preparation
−Removed: of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires us to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported
−Removed: in the financial statements and accompanying notes.
−Removed: On an ongoing basis, we evaluate estimates, which include estimates related
−Removed: to clinical trial accruals, valuation of deferred tax assets, fair value of business combinations, fair value of goodwill and
−Removed: evaluation of impairment, stock stock-based compensation expense, and reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reported
−Removed: We base our estimates on historical experience and other market-specific or other relevant assumptions that we believe
−Removed: to be reasonable under the circumstances.
−Removed: Actual results may differ materially from those estimates or assumptions.
−Removed: While our significant accounting
−Removed: policies are described in more detail in the notes to our consolidated financial statements and related notes appearing elsewhere
−Removed: in this Annual Report, we believe the following accounting policies to be most critical to the judgments and estimates used in
−Removed: the preparation of our financial statements.
−Removed: Goodwill represents the
−Removed: excess of purchase price over the fair value of identifiable net assets acquired in a business combination.
−Removed: Goodwill and other
−Removed: intangible assets acquired in a business combination and determined to have an indefinite useful life are not amortized, but instead
−Removed: tested for impairment at least annually.
−Removed: An entity has the option to first assess qualitative factors to determine whether events
−Removed: or circumstances lead to a conclusion that is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is greater than its
−Removed: carrying amount.
−Removed: If an entity determines that qualitative factors indicate that it is more likely than not that the fair value
−Removed: of the entity exceeds the carrying amount, the quantitative evaluation is not necessary.
−Removed: Under the quantitative impairment test,
−Removed: the evaluation of impairment involves comparing the current fair value of each reporting unit to its carrying value, including
−Removed: In the event the estimated
−Removed: fair value of our company is less than the carrying value, we would recognize a goodwill impairment equal to the difference between
−Removed: the carrying value and its fair value, not to exceed the carrying value of goodwill.
−Removed: Deferred tax assets and
−Removed: liabilities are recognized for the estimated future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement
−Removed: carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax basis, operating loss and tax credit carryforwards.
−Removed: Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates in effect for the year in which those temporary differences
−Removed: are expected to be recovered or settled.
−Removed: The measurement of net deferred tax assets is reduced by the amount of any tax benefit
−Removed: that, based on available evidence, is not expected to be realized, and a corresponding valuation allowance is established.
−Removed: Tax benefits are recognized
−Removed: only for tax positions that are more likely than not to be sustained upon examination by tax authorities.
−Removed: The amount recognized
−Removed: is measured as the largest amount of benefit that is greater than 50 percent likely to be realized upon settlement.
−Removed: for “unrecognized tax benefits”
−Removed: is recorded for any tax benefits claimed in our tax returns that do not meet these
−Removed: recognition and measurement standards.
−Removed: As of December 31, 2020 and 2019, no liability for unrecognized tax benefits was required
−Removed: to be recorded.
−Removed: The guidance also discusses the classification of related interest and penalties on income taxes.
−Removed: Our policy is
−Removed: to record interest and penalties on uncertain tax positions as a component of income tax expense.
−Removed: No interest or penalties were
−Removed: recorded during the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019.
−Removed: Business Combinations
−Removed: For a business combination,
−Removed: the assets acquired and the liabilities assumed are recognized at the acquisition date, measured at their fair values as of that
−Removed: In a business combination achieved in stages, the identifiable assets and liabilities are recognized at their fair values.
−Removed: In a bargain purchase in which the total acquisition-date fair value of the identifiable net assets acquired exceeds the fair
−Removed: value of the consideration transferred plus any non-controlling interest in the acquiree, that excess in fair value is recognized
−Removed: Deferred tax liabilities
−Removed: and assets are recognized for the deferred tax consequences of differences between the tax bases and the recognized values of
−Removed: assets acquired and liabilities assumed in a business combination in accordance with ASC Topic 740-10 “Income Taxes”.
−Removed: Stock-Based Compensation
−Removed: We issue stock-based awards
−Removed: to employees and non-employees.
−Removed: We account for our stock-based awards in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718, Compensation—Stock
−Removed: Compensation, (“ASC 718”).
−Removed: ASC 718 requires all stock-based payments to employees, including grants of employee stock
−Removed: options and modifications to existing stock options, to be recognized in the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive
−Removed: loss based on their fair values.
−Removed: We account for stock-based awards to non-employees in accordance with ASC 718, which requires
−Removed: the fair value of the award to be remeasured at fair value as the award vests.
−Removed: Our stock-based awards are
−Removed: subject to service-based vesting conditions.
−Removed: Compensation expense related to awards to employees and directors with service-based
−Removed: vesting conditions is recognized on a straight-line basis based on the grant date fair value over the associated service period
−Removed: of the award, which is generally the vesting term.
−Removed: Compensation expense related to awards to non-employees with service-based
−Removed: vesting conditions is recognized on the then-current fair value at each financial reporting date prior to the measurement date
−Removed: over the associated service period of the award, which is generally the vesting term, using the accelerated attribution method.
−Removed: Described below is the methodology
−Removed: we have utilized in measuring stock-based compensation expense.
−Removed: Following the consummation of the Merger, stock option values
−Removed: have been determined based on the quoted market price of our common stock.
−Removed: We estimate the fair value
−Removed: of our stock-based awards to employees and non-employees using the Black-Scholes option pricing model, which requires the input
−Removed: of highly subjective assumptions, including (i) the expected volatility of our stock, (ii) the expected term of the award, (iii)
−Removed: the risk-free interest rate and (iv) expected dividends.
−Removed: We calculate the expected volatility using the historical volatility
−Removed: for a pool of peer companies over the most recent period equal to the expected term and evaluate the extent to which available
−Removed: information indicate that future volatility may differ from historical volatility.
−Removed: For these analyses, we select companies with
−Removed: comparable characteristics to ours including enterprise value, risk profiles, position within the industry, and with historical
−Removed: share price information sufficient to meet the expected life of the stock-based awards.
−Removed: We compute the historical volatility data
−Removed: using the daily closing prices for the selected companies’
−Removed: shares during the equivalent period of the calculated expected
−Removed: term of our stock-based awards.
−Removed: We account for forfeitures as they occur.
−Removed: We estimate the expected life of our employee stock
−Removed: options using the “simplified”
−Removed: method, whereby, the expected life equals the average of the vesting term and the original
−Removed: contractual term of the option.
−Removed: The risk-free interest rates for periods within the expected life of the option were based on
−Removed: Treasury yield curve in effect during the period the options were granted.
−Removed: Results of Operations
−Removed: Comparison of the Years Ended December
−Removed: 31, 2020 and 2019
−Removed: The following table summarizes
−Removed: our results of operations for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019 (in thousands):
−Removed: Ended December 31,
−Removed: Period-to-Period
−Removed: Operating expenses:
−Removed: and development
−Removed: General and administrative
−Removed: Total operating expenses
−Removed: Loss from operations
−Removed: Other income, net:
−Removed: Interest income,
−Removed: Total other income,
−Removed: Research and Development
−Removed: During the year ended December 31, 2020, our research and development expenses were approximately $12.0 million
−Removed: which represented an increase of approximately $8.1 million as compared to the year ended December 31, 2019.
−Removed: This increase was
−Removed: primarily due to an increase of approximately $3.2 million of non-clinical, clinical, regulatory expenses and outside services
−Removed: associated with TARA-002, an increase of approximately $2.5 million for manufacturing activities associated with TARA-002, an
−Removed: increase of approximately $1.5 million in headcount cost due to bonuses earned upon the merger and the hiring of additional employees
−Removed: and an increase of approximately $0.5 million in stock-based compensation.
−Removed: General and Administrative
−Removed: During the year ended December 31, 2020, our general and administrative expenses were approximately $22.5 million
−Removed: which represented an increase of approximately $18.5 million as compared to the year ended December 31, 2019.
−Removed: The increase, principally
−Removed: on account of becoming a public company on January 9, 2020, was primarily due to an increase of approximately $8.8 million in
−Removed: stock-based compensation, an increase of approximately $2.5 million in insurance, an increase of approximately $2.0 million in
−Removed: public company costs, an increase of approximately $2.8 million in headcount cost due to bonuses earned upon the merger and the
−Removed: hiring of additional employees, an increase of approximately $1.2 million in recruiting fees, an increase of approximately $0.3
−Removed: million in board of director fees, and an increase of approximately $0.2 million in franchise and other taxes.
−Removed: Interest Income, Net .
−Removed: During the year ended December 31, 2020, interest income, net was approximately $0.5 million higher as compared to the year ended
−Removed: December 31, 2019.
−Removed: The increase was primarily due to us earning interest on the funds received in the Private Placements and Underwritten
−Removed: Liquidity and Capital Resources
−Removed: As of December 31,
−Removed: 2020 and 2019, our cash and cash equivalents was approximately $168.6 million and $0.6 million, respectively.
−Removed: We have not generated
−Removed: revenues since our inception and have incurred net losses of approximately $34.0 million and $7.8 million for the years ended
−Removed: December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively.
−Removed: As of December 31, 2020, we had working capital of approximately $166.5 million and
−Removed: stockholder’s equity of approximately $199.2 million.
−Removed: During the year ended December 31, 2020, cash flows used in operating
−Removed: activities were approximately $23.4 million, consisting primarily of a net loss of approximately $34.0 million, which includes
−Removed: non-cash stock-based compensation charges of approximately $9.7 million.
−Removed: Since inception, we have met our liquidity requirements
−Removed: principally through the sale of our common stock and preferred stock in private placements and underwritten offerings.
−Removed: In connection with the Merger,
−Removed: we consummated the Private Placements, raising gross proceeds of approximately $42.5 million.
−Removed: Upon the consummation of the Merger
−Removed: and the Private Placements, the post-merger combined company was expected to have cash of approximately $39.6 million.
−Removed: Concurrently with the execution
−Removed: of the Merger Agreement, certain institutional investors (together, the “Investors”) entered into a subscription agreement
−Removed: (as amended on November 19, 2019, the “Subscription Agreement”) with Protara Therapeutics, Inc.
−Removed: and Private ArTara,
−Removed: pursuant to which (A) Protara Therapeutics, Inc.
−Removed: issued, in a private placement immediately after the Merger (the “Proteon
−Removed: Private Placement”), (i) 3,879.356 of shares of Protara Therapeutics, Inc.’s Series 1 Convertible Non-Voting Preferred
−Removed: Stock (“Series 1 Preferred Stock”) at a purchase price of approximately $7,011.47 per share for gross proceeds of
−Removed: $27.2 million and proceeds, net of issuance costs, of $25.3 million, (ii) 1,896,888 shares of Protara Therapeutics, Inc.’s
−Removed: Common Stock at a purchase price of approximately $7.01 per share for gross proceeds of $13.3 million and proceeds, net of issuance
−Removed: costs, of $12.4 million and (B) Private ArTara issued, in a private placement immediately prior to the Merger (the “ArTara
−Removed: Private Placement”), 284,875 shares of Private ArTara common stock (post-Exchange Ratio (as defined in the Merger Agreement)
−Removed: basis) at a purchase price of approximately $7.01 per share (post-Exchange Ratio basis) (together with the Proteon Private Placement,
−Removed: the “Private Placements”) for gross proceeds of $2.0 million and proceeds, net of issuance costs, of $1.9 million.
−Removed: The shares issued in the Proteon Private Placement were registered for resale on a registration statement on Form S-3 filed and
−Removed: declared effective by the U.S.
−Removed: Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on February 10, 2020.
−Removed: In connection with the Preferred
−Removed: Offering on September 22, 2020, we filed a Certificate of Amendment to the Certificate of Designation of Preferences, Rights and
−Removed: Limitations of Series 1 Convertible Non-Voting Preferred Stock of ours (the “Amendment”) with the Secretary of State
−Removed: of the State of Delaware to increase the authorized number of shares of our Series 1 Convertible Preferred Stock that may be issued
−Removed: from 3,880 to 8,028.
−Removed: On September 24, 2020, pursuant
−Removed: to an underwriting agreement, dated September 22, 2020, we issued and sold in an underwritten public offering (the “Common
−Removed: Offering”) an aggregate of 4,600,000 shares of our common stock at an offering price of $16.87 per share, for gross and
−Removed: net proceeds of approximately $77.6 million and $73.6 million, respectively.
−Removed: The underwriters were granted an option to purchase
−Removed: up to 690,000 additional shares of common stock at the public offering price, less the underwriting discount.
−Removed: This option was
−Removed: exercisable for a period of 30 days.
−Removed: On October 6, 2020, the underwriters exercised their overallotment option in full, purchasing
−Removed: an additional 690,000 shares, resulting in the receipt of gross and net proceeds of approximately $11.6 million and $11.1 million,
−Removed: respectively.
−Removed: On September 24, 2020, pursuant
−Removed: to an underwriting agreement, dated September 22, 2020, we issued and sold in an underwritten public offering (the “Preferred
−Removed: Offering”) an aggregate of 4,148 shares of our Series 1 Preferred Stock at an offering price of $16,873.54 per share, for
−Removed: gross and net proceeds of approximately $70.0 million and $66.3 million, respectively.
−Removed: The Common Offering and
−Removed: the Preferred Offering were made pursuant to our registration statement on Form S-3, declared effective by the Securities and
−Removed: Exchange Commission on May 26, 2020 (Registration No.
−Removed: In December 2020, we filed
−Removed: a shelf registration statement on Form S-3, or the Shelf Registration Statement, which became effective in December 2020.
−Removed: Shelf Registration Statement permits:
−Removed: (i) the offering, issuance and sale by us of up to a maximum aggregate offering price of
−Removed: $300.0 million of common stock, preferred stock, debt securities and warrants in one or more offerings and in any combination.
−Removed: No securities have been sold to date under the Shelf Registration Statement.
−Removed: We are in the business of
−Removed: developing biopharmaceuticals and have no current or near term revenues.
−Removed: We have incurred substantial clinical and other costs
−Removed: in our drug development efforts.
−Removed: We will need to raise additional capital in order to fully realize management’s plans.
−Removed: We believe that our current
−Removed: financial resources, as of the date of the issuance of these condensed consolidated financial statements, are sufficient to satisfy
−Removed: our estimated liquidity needs for at least twelve months from the issuance of these condensed consolidated financial statements.
−Removed: As a result of economic
−Removed: conditions, general global economic uncertainty, political change, global pandemics, and other factors, we do not know whether
−Removed: additional capital will be available when needed, or that, if available, we will be able to obtain additional capital on reasonable
−Removed: If we are unable to raise additional capital due to the volatile global financial markets, general economic uncertainty
−Removed: or other factors, we may need to curtail planned development activities.
−Removed: Specifically, the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly
−Removed: disrupted global financial markets, and may limit our ability to access capital, which could in the future negatively affect our
−Removed: A recession or market correction resulting from the spread of COVID-19 could materially affect our business and the
−Removed: value of our common stock.
−Removed: The following table summarizes
−Removed: our sources and uses of cash for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019 (in thousands):
−Removed: Years Ended December 31,
−Removed: Period-to-Period
−Removed: Net cash used in operating activities
−Removed: Net cash provided by/(used in) investing activities
−Removed: Net cash provided by financing activities
−Removed: Net increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents, and restricted cash
−Removed: Comparison of the Years Ended December
−Removed: 31, 2020 and 2019
−Removed: Net cash used in operating
−Removed: activities was approximately $23.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2020 compared to approximately $5.0 million for the
−Removed: year ended December 31, 2019.
−Removed: The increase of approximately $18.4 million in cash used in operating activities was primarily driven
−Removed: by an increase net loss of approximately $26.1 million and a decrease in accrued expenses of approximately $3.0 million, off-set
−Removed: by increases of approximately $9.3 million of stock-based compensation and approximately $1.4 million in prepaid expenses and
−Removed: other current assets.
−Removed: Net cash provided by investing
−Removed: activities was approximately $2.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2020 compared to net cash used in investing activities
−Removed: of approximately $0.5 million in the year ended December 31, 2019.
−Removed: The increase of approximately $3.3 million was primarily due
−Removed: to the cash and restricted cash acquired in connection with the Merger with Protara Therapeutics, Inc.
−Removed: of approximately $3.7 million,
−Removed: off-set by an increase in purchases of property and equipment of approximately $0.4 million.
−Removed: Net cash provided by financing
−Removed: activities was approximately $189.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2020 compared to approximately $0.5 million for the
−Removed: year ended December 31, 2019.
−Removed: The increase of approximately $188.9 million was primarily due to proceeds, net of offering costs,
−Removed: from the Common Offering of approximately $73.6 million, the Preferred Offering of approximately $66.3 million, the issuance of
−Removed: Series 1 Preferred Stock of approximately $25.3 million, the Proteon Private Placement of approximately $12.4 million, the underwriters
−Removed: overallotment option of approximately $11.1 million, and the ArTara Private Placement of approximately $1.9 million, offset by
−Removed: repayments of short-term debt of approximately $1.7 million.
−Removed: Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements
−Removed: We did not have, during
−Removed: the periods presented, and we do not currently have, any off-balance sheet arrangements, as defined under the applicable regulations
−Removed: Contractual Obligations
−Removed: Our future contractual
−Removed: obligations as of December 31, 2020 are (in thousands):
−Removed: Payments due by period
−Removed: Operating Lease Obligations
−Removed: Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk
−Removed: No disclosure required.
−Removed: Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.
−Removed: The consolidated financial
−Removed: statements required pursuant to this item are included in Item 15 of this report and are presented beginning on page 60.
−Removed: Changes in and Disagreements With Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure.
+Added: Sales of Unregistered Securities
+Added: than as previously disclosed in our past Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K, we did not have any sales of
+Added: unregistered securities for the period covered by this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Compared sentence by sentence after normalising whitespace, quotation marks, case and digits, so re-formatting and restated figures do not read as changed language. Wording changes appear as one removal and one addition. The current filing and the prior one are authoritative.