zyme-20241231
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UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
_________________________
FORM 10-K
_________________________
(Mark One)
☒ ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the fiscal year ended December 31 , 2024
or
☐ TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the transition period from ___________to ___________
Commission file number: 001-41535
_________________________
ZYMEWORKS INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
_________________________
Delaware
88-3099146
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization) (I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)
108 Patriot Drive — Suite A
Middletown , Delaware 19709
(Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: ( 302 ) 274-8744
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
Title of each class Trading Symbol(s) Name of each exchange on which registered
Common Stock, $0.00001 par value per share ZYME The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None
_________________________
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes x No ¨
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Act. Yes ¨ No x
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant: (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes x No ¨
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). Yes x No ¨
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,”
“smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
Large accelerated filer
☐
Accelerated filer
☐
Non-accelerated filer
☒
Smaller reporting company
☒
Emerging growth company
☐
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ¨
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report. ☐
If securities are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act, indicate by check mark whether the financial statements of the registrant included in the filing reflect the correction of an error to previously issued financial statements. ☐
Indicate by check mark whether any of those error corrections are restatements that required a recovery analysis of incentive-based compensation received by any of the registrant’s executive officers during the relevant recovery period pursuant to §240.10D-1(b). ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934). Yes ☐ No ☒
The aggregate market value of the voting and non-voting common shares held by non-affiliates of the registrant, based on the closing sale price of the registrant’s common shares on the last business day of its most recently completed second fiscal quarter, as reported on the Nasdaq Stock Market LLC, was approximately $ 488.1 million.
The number of outstanding shares of common stock of the registrant, $0.00001 par value per share, as of March 3, 2025 was 69,576,883 .
DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
None .
Table of Contents
ZYMEWORKS INC.
FORM 10-K
For the Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2024
Table of Contents
PART I
7
Item 1.
Business
7
Item 1A.
Risk Factors
30
Item 1B.
Unresolved Staff Comments
77
Item 1C .
Cybersecurity
77
Item 2.
Properties
78
Item 3.
Legal Proceedings
79
Item 4.
Mine Safety Disclosures
79
PART II
80
Item 5.
Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities
80
Item 6.
Reserved
81
Item 7.
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operation
82
Item 7A.
Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosure About Market Risk
93
Item 8.
Financial Statements and Supplementary Data
94
Item 9.
Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure
135
Item 9A.
Controls and Procedures
135
Item 9B.
Other Information
135
Item 9C. Disclosure Regarding Foreign Jurisdictions that Prevent Inspections
135
PART III
136
Item 10.
Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance
136
Item 11.
Executive Compensation
142
Item 12.
Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters
162
Item 13.
Certain Relationships and Related Transactions and Director Independence
165
Item 14.
Principal Accounting Fees and Services
168
PART IV
168
Item 15.
Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedules
169
Item 16.
Form 10-K Summary
173
SIGNATURES
174
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CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This Annual Report on Form 10-K includes “forward-looking statements” or information within the meaning of applicable securities legislation, including Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). Forward-looking statements include statements that may relate to our plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events, future revenue or performance, capital expenditures, financing needs and other information that is not historical information. Many of these statements appear, in particular, under the headings “Business,” “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.” Forward-looking statements can often be identified by the use of terminology such as “subject to,” “believe,” “anticipate,” “plan,” “expect,” “intend,” “estimate,” “project,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “would,” “could,” “can,” the negatives thereof, variations thereon and similar expressions, or by discussions of strategy. In addition, any statements or information that refer to expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, performance or other characterizations of future events or circumstances, including any underlying assumptions, are forward-looking. In particular, these forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements about:
• the size of our addressable markets and our ability to commercialize product candidates;
• the achievement of advances in and expansion of our therapeutic platforms and antibody engineering expertise;
• the likelihood of product candidate development and clinical trial progression, initiation or success; and
• our ability to predict and manage government regulation.
All forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, those related to our examination of historical operating trends, are based upon our current expectations and various assumptions. Certain assumptions made in preparing the forward-looking statements include:
• our ability to manage our growth effectively;
• the absence of material adverse changes in our industry or the global economy;
• our ability to understand and predict trends in our industry and markets;
• our ability to enter into and maintain good business relationships with our strategic partners;
• our ability to comply with current and future regulatory standards;
• our ability to protect our intellectual property rights;
• our continued compliance with third-party license terms and the non-infringement of third-party intellectual property rights;
• our ability to manage and integrate any acquisitions we may pursue;
• our ability to retain key personnel; and
• our ability to raise sufficient debt, equity, or non-dilutive financing to support our continued growth.
We believe there is a reasonable basis for our expectations and beliefs, but they are inherently uncertain. We may not realize our expectations, and our beliefs may not prove correct. Actual results could differ materially from those described or implied by such forward-looking statements. The following uncertainties and factors, among others (including those referred to in the section titled “Risk Factors”), could affect future performance and cause actual results to differ materially from those matters expressed in or implied by forward-looking statements:
• our or our partners’ ability to obtain regulatory approval for product candidates without significant delays;
• the predictive value of our current or planned clinical trials;
• delays with respect to the development and commercialization of our product candidates, which may cause increased costs or delay receipt of product revenue;
• our or any of our partners’ ability to enroll subjects in clinical trials and thereby complete trials on a timely basis;
• the design or our execution of clinical trials may not support regulatory approval, including where clinical trials are conducted outside the United States;
• our ability to achieve milestones and receive associated milestone payments and royalties pursuant to the terms of our collaboration agreements, including the Amended Jazz Collaboration Agreement (as defined below);
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• the extent to which our business may be adversely affected by pandemics or other health crises;
• global economic and political conditions, including as a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the conflicts in Israel and the broader Middle East, a s well as social and political unrest in the locations where our clinical trials are held, and the related impact on our business and the markets generally;
• unanticipated tax consequences in connection with the Redomicile Transactions (as defined below);
• the Fast Track and Breakthrough Therapy designations for any of our product candidates may not expedite regulatory review or approval;
• the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (the “FDA”) may not accept data from trials we conduct outside the United States;
• disruptions at the FDA and other government agencies caused by funding shortages, global health concerns or the change in Presidential administration;
• our discretion to discontinue or reprioritize the development of any of our product candidates;
• the potential for our product candidates to have undesirable side effects;
• no regulatory agency has made a determination that any of our product candidates are safe or effective for use by the general public or for any indication;
• our ability to face significant competition, including biosimilar products;
• the likelihood of broad market acceptance of our product candidates;
• our ability to obtain Orphan Drug Designation or exclusivity for some or all of our product candidates;
• our ability to commercialize products outside of the United States;
• the outcome of reimbursement decisions by third-party payors relating to our products;
• our expectations with respect to the market opportunities for any product that we or our strategic partners develop;
• our ability to pursue product candidates that may be profitable or have a high likelihood of success;
• our ability to use and expand our therapeutic platforms to build a pipeline of product candidates;
• our ability to meet the requirements of ongoing regulatory review;
• the threat of product liability lawsuits against us or any of our strategic partners;
• changes in product candidate manufacturing or formulation that may result in additional costs or delay;
• the potential disruption of our business and dilution of our shareholdings associated with acquisitions and joint ventures;
• the potential for foreign governments to impose strict price controls;
• the risk of security breaches and incidents or data loss, which could compromise sensitive business or health information;
• current and future legislation that may increase the difficulty and cost of commercializing our product candidates;
• economic, political, regulatory and other risks associated with international operations;
• our exposure to legal and reputational penalties as a result of any of our current and future relationships with various third parties;
• our ability to comply with export control and import laws and regulations;
• our history of significant losses since inception;
• our ability to generate revenue from product sales and achieve profitability;
• our requirement for substantial additional funding;
• the potential dilution to our stockholders associated with future financings;
• restrictions on our ability to seek financing, which may be imposed by future debt;
• unstable market and economic conditions;
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• currency fluctuations and changes in foreign currency exchange rates;
• our ability to maintain existing and future strategic partnerships;
• our ability to realize the anticipated benefits of our strategic partnerships;
• our ability to secure future strategic partners;
• our or a third party’s ability to successfully develop any companion diagnostic tests for our product candidates without significant delays;
• our reliance on third-party manufacturers to produce our product candidate supplies and on other third parties to monitor and transport bulk drug substance and drug product;
• our reliance on third parties to oversee clinical trials of our product candidates and, in some cases, maintain regulatory files for those product candidates;
• risks related to the manufacture of product candidates and difficulties in production;
• our reliance on third parties for various operational and administrative aspects of our business including our reliance on third parties’ cloud-based software platforms;
• our reliance on the performance of independent clinical investigators and contract research organizations (“CROs”);
• our ability to operate without infringing the patents and other proprietary rights of third parties;
• our ability to obtain and enforce patent protection for our product candidates and related technology;
• our patents could be found invalid or unenforceable if challenged;
• our intellectual property rights may not necessarily provide us with competitive advantages;
• we may become involved in expensive and time-consuming patent lawsuits;
• the risk that the duration of our patents will not adequately protect our competitive position;
• our ability to obtain protection under the Drug Price Competition and Patent Term Restoration Act of 1984 (the “Hatch-Waxman Amendments”) and similar foreign legislation;
• we may be unable to protect the confidentiality of our proprietary information;
• our ability to comply with procedural and administrative requirements relating to our patents;
• the risk of claims challenging the inventorship of our patents and other intellectual property;
• our intellectual property rights for some of our product candidates are dependent on the abilities of third parties to assert and defend such rights;
• patent reform legislation and court decisions can diminish the value of patents in general, thereby impairing our ability to protect our products;
• we may not be able to protect our intellectual property rights throughout the world;
• we will require FDA approval for any proposed product candidate names and any failure or delay associated with such approval may adversely affect our business;
• our election to rely on certain reduced reporting and disclosure requirements available to smaller reporting companies may make our common stock less attractive to investors;
• the risk of employee misconduct including noncompliance with regulatory standards and insider trading;
• our ability to market our products in a manner that does not violate the law and subject us to civil or criminal penalties;
• if we do not comply with laws regulating the protection of the environment and health and human safety, our business could be adversely affected;
• our ability to retain key executives and attract and retain qualified personnel;
• our ability to manage any organizational growth;
• our exposure to potential securities class action litigation; and
• if securities or industry analysts do not publish research or publish inaccurate or unfavorable research about our business, our share price and trading volume could decline.
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Consequently, forward-looking statements should be regarded solely as our current plans, estimates and beliefs. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. We cannot guarantee future results, events, levels of activity, performance or achievements. We do not undertake and specifically decline any obligation to update, republish or revise forward-looking statements to reflect future events or circumstances or to reflect the occurrences of unanticipated events, except as required by law. Our Risk Factors are not guarantees that no such conditions exist as of the date of this report and should not be interpreted as an affirmative statement that such risks or conditions have not materialized, in whole or in part.
In addition, statements that “we believe” and similar statements reflect our beliefs and opinions on the relevant subject. These statements are based upon information available to us as of the date of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, and although we believe such information forms a reasonable basis for such statements, such information may be limited or incomplete, and our statements should not be read to indicate that we have conducted a thorough inquiry into, or review of, all potentially available relevant information. These statements are inherently uncertain and you are cautioned not to unduly rely upon these statements.
We own or have rights to trademarks, service marks or trade names that we use in connection with the operation of our business. In addition, our names, logos and website names and addresses are our service marks or trademarks. Our registered trademarks include Azymetric, Zymeworks, ZymeCAD, EFECT, ZymeLink and the phrase “Building Better Biologics”. The other trademarks, trade names and service marks appearing in this Annual Report on Form 10-K are the property of their respective owners. Solely for convenience, the trademarks, service marks, tradenames and copyrights referred to in this Annual Report on Form 10-K are listed without the ©, ® and TM symbols, but we will assert, to the fullest extent under applicable law, our rights or the rights of the applicable licensors to these trademarks, service marks and tradenames.
We express all amounts in this Annual Report on Form 10-K in U.S. dollars, except where otherwise indicated. References to “$” and “US$” are to U.S. dollars and references to “C$” are to Canadian dollars.
Unless the context otherwise requires or otherwise expressly states, all references in this Annual Report on Form 10-K to “Zymeworks,” the “Company,” “we,” “us” and “our” (i) for periods until the Redomicile Transactions, refer to Zymeworks BC Inc. and its subsidiaries and (ii) for periods after the Redomicile Transactions, refer to Zymeworks Inc. and its subsidiaries .
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PART I
Item 1. Business
Overview
Zymeworks is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing a diverse pipeline of novel, multifunctional biotherapeutics to improve the standard of care for difficult-to-treat diseases such as cancer, autoimmune and inflammatory diseases (“AIID”). Zymeworks’ complementary therapeutic platforms and fully integrated drug development engine provide the flexibility and compatibility to precisely engineer and develop highly differentiated antibody-based therapeutic candidates from preclinical candidate screening through to registrational clinical trials.
We believe our strategic development priorities position us as thought leaders in our therapeutic areas of interest, driven by a patient-centric approach, scientific innovation, and operational excellence. Our research and development strategy centers on three key pillars:
• Target Selection: Our data-driven target strategy is informed by target expression, target biology (including internalization rate), tumor biology, clinical precedence and differentiation to prior therapeutic programs. For example, mesothelin (“MSLN”), folate receptor-⍺ (“FR⍺”) and sodium-dependent phosphate transporter 2b (“NaPi2b”) are each expressed at higher levels than other targets pursued in ovarian cancer or non-small cell lung cancer (“NSCLC”).
• Therapeutic Modality: By utilizing our proprietary platforms and in-house expertise, we have the ability to take a modality-agnostic approach to drug development for our selected targets. We are therefore able to tailor the therapeutic modality – whether antibody drug conjugates (“ADCs”), bispecific T cell engagers (“TCEs”), or trispecific T cell engagers (“TriTCEs”) – with the goal of maximizing efficacy for each target.
• Patient-Centric: We integrate patient needs and biological diversity into every stage of development, helping to ensure that our therapies have the potential to improve both survival outcomes and quality of life. As we advance our mission, we aim to deliver life-changing therapies while creating value for all stakeholders.
Our protein engineering expertise and proprietary structure-guided molecular modeling capabilities enable our therapeutic platforms. Together with our access to both internal and external antibody discovery and generation technologies, we have established a fully integrated drug development engine and toolkit capable of rapidly delivering a steady pipeline of next-generation product candidates in oncology and AIID.
Our first internally developed product candidate, zanidatamab, is a novel bispecific antibody that targets two distinct domains of the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (“HER2”). Through rigorous scientific investigation, innovative protein engineering, and our proprietary Azymetric bispecific platform technology, we developed the unique binding mechanism of zanidatamab which enables it to bind to two extracellular sites on HER2. Zanidatamab’s unique binding properties result in multiple mechanisms of action that may enable it to address unmet need in patient populations with HER2-expressing cancers. We have entered into separate agreements with BeiGene, Ltd. (“BeiGene”) and Jazz Pharmaceuticals Ireland Limited (a subsidiary of Jazz Pharmaceuticals plc, collectively referred to as “Jazz”), granting to each of BeiGene and Jazz exclusive rights to develop and commercialize zanidatamab in different territories. Zanidatamab is currently being evaluated in multiple global clinical trials as a potential best-in-class treatment for patients with HER2-expressing cancers.
The FDA granted accelerated approval of Ziihera® (zanidatamab-hrii) 50mg/mL for injection for intravenous use for the treatment of adults with previously-treated, unresectable or metastatic HER2-positive (“HER2+”) (IHC 3+) second-line biliary tract cancer (“BTC”). Ziihera® is the first and only dual HER2-targeted bispecific antibody approved for HER2+ BTC in the U.S. A Biologics License Application (“BLA”) submitted by our partner, BeiGene, has also been accepted for review by the Center for Drug Evaluation (the “CDE”) of the National Medical Products Administration (the “NMPA”) in China, and the European Medicines Agency (the “EMA”) has validated our partner Jazz’s marketing authorization application for zanidatamab in second-line BTC. With initial uptake in BTC in the United States, we look forward to reporting on the outcomes of pending regulatory actions in the European Union and China as early as 2Q-2025 with our partners Jazz Pharmaceuticals and BeiGene, as well as the top-line results from the HERIZON-GEA-01 study of Ziihera® expected in 2H-2025. Zanidatamab is also under development for multiple HER2-expressing indications. For additional information regarding these agreements with BeiGene and Jazz, see the section titled “Strategic Partnerships and Collaborations” below.
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Wholly-Owned Pipeline
Our wholly-owned programs include novel ADC and multispecific antibody therapeutics (“MSAT”) candidates, such as TCEs, focusing on highly-expressed targets which provide opportunities for benchmarking in preclinical development and expected clinical differentiation. Our ADC candidates exploit our proprietary topoisomerase 1 inhibitor (“TOPO1i”) payload, ZD06519, while exploring alternate mechanisms of action for longer-term development and leveraging validated peptide-cleavable linkers and stochastic conjugations. With potential for enhanced activity compared to combination therapy, our current MSAT candidates are developed with 2+1 bispecific or trispecific (with co-stimulation or checkpoint inhibition) TCE engineering. These approaches are designed to optimize tumor cell engagement and enhance T cell activation to increase anti-tumor activity while also minimizing cytokine release and off-tumor toxicities.
Solid Tumors in Oncology: Antibody Drug Conjugates (ADCs)
ZW191: A clinical-stage ADC that targets FRα-expressing tumors including ovarian cancer, endometrial cancer, and NSCLC, is built using our novel, bystander active, TOPO1i payload technology, ZD06519. The FRα-targeting monoclonal antibody incorporated in ZW191 was selected based on compelling internalization characteristics to enable targeting of high, mid, and low levels of FRα expression. A drug-antibody-ratio (“DAR”) of eight was selected due to the restricted expression profile of FRα in normal tissues and to enhance our ability to deliver payload to tumors with lower levels of FRα. FRα is a clinically validated target, found in approximately 75% of high-grade serous ovarian carcinomas, 50% of endometrial cancers, and in 70% of NSCLC. Preclinical data demonstrate strong ZW191 activity across a range of FRα-expressing patient-derived xenografts, including models with low levels of FRα. The ability to target lower levels of FRα is in part due to the DAR-eight format and the observed superior internalization, payload delivery, and tissue penetration derived from the ZW191 monoclonal antibody compared to other FRα monoclonal antibodies used in ADCs currently or previously in development. In a good laboratory practices (“GLP”) toxicology study, ZW191 achieved a highest non-severely toxic dose (“HNSTD”) in non-human primates of 60 mg/kg, which presents a compelling profile and enables the expectation of potentially achieving an efficacious dose level in the Phase 1 clinical trial. We are optimistic about the prospects of ZW191 and we believe the design features and preclinical profile support the potential of ZW191 to target cancers with lower levels of FRα. This would allow ZW191 to potentially unlock efficacy for both ovarian cancer patients who are unable to receive Elahere, as it is only approved in FRα-high platinum-resistant ovarian cancer (“PROC”), and other indications including endometrial and NSCLC which typically express lower levels of FRα. We are currently recruiting patients in an ongoing global Phase 1, open-label, multicenter study of ZW191, registered under NCT06555744 on clinicaltrials.gov. The study aims to enroll 145 participants with advanced solid tumors, including ovarian, endometrial, and non-small cell lung cancers, across North America, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific region. The study is designed to evaluate the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and preliminary anti-tumor activity of ascending doses of ZW191.
ZW251: A potential first-in-class ADC molecule designed for the treatment of glypican 3 (“GPC3”)-expressing hepatocellular carcinoma (“HCC”), incorporates the same Zymeworks proprietary bystander-active TOPO1i payload utilized in ZW191 (anti-FRα) and ZW220 (anti-NaPi2b), ZD06519. The GPC3-targeting monospecific antibody incorporated in ZW251 was selected based on favorable binding and internalization properties to enable targeting of a range of GPC3-expressing tumors. A DAR of four was selected for this program as a lower DAR potentially could unlock a broader range of dose levels, a potential benefit as HCC patients are commonly challenged by impairment of liver function as a result of chronic liver disease and cirrhosis. GPC3, a glycosylphosphatidylinositol (“GPI”)-anchored cell surface oncofetal antigen, is over-expressed in most HCC patients (>75%), and displays minimal normal adult tissue expression, making it an appealing ADC target. In preclinical studies, anti-tumor activity for ZW251 was observed in multiple patient-derived xenograft models of HCC reflecting a range of GPC3 over-expression. In non-GLP non-human primate studies, ZW251 was tolerated at doses up to 120 mg/kg, suggesting the potential for high doses in humans. We are encouraged by published research demonstrating the potential of targeting GPC3 with an antibody in HCC patients as evidenced by tumor localization of iodine radio-labeled condrituzumab, a clinical-stage anti-GPC3 monoclonal antibody, and believe that ADC-based targeting of GPC3 could enable a novel and effective approach to treatment of HCC. We expect to submit an IND to commence Phase 1 clinical studies for ZW251 by mid-2025, with equivalent non-U.S. applications to be submitted thereafter.
ZW220: An ADC that targets NaPi2b-expressing NSCLC and ovarian cancer, is built, like ZW191, using our proprietary bystander active TOPO1i payload technology, ZD06519. The strong and persistent bystander effect of the ZD06519 payload that we have observed in preclinical studies may help overcome NaPi2b heterogeneity across different cancers. The NaPi2b-targeting monospecific antibody incorporated in ZW220 was selected based on a favorable binding profile and enhanced internalization properties to enable targeting of both Napi2b-high and NaPi2b-low expressing tumors. Distinct from ZW191, ZW220 utilizes a DAR-four format paired with mutations in the fragment crystallizable (“Fc”) region to attenuate binding to Fc-gamma family receptors. These features were incorporated in ZW220 with the goal of minimizing potential toxicities associated with expression of NaPi2b in normal lung tissue. NaPi2b is expressed in approximately 83% of ovarian (serous)
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cancer, 81% of endometrial cancer, and 77% of adenocarcinoma NSCLC. Preclinical data demonstrate that ZW220 is active in models of ovarian cancer and NSCLC with strong anti-tumor activity observed in patient-derived xenograft models and growth inhibition observed in three-dimensional spheroid models. ZW220 is tolerated at high doses in non-GLP animal studies with a maximum tolerated dose (“MTD”) ≥90 mg/kg in non-human primates and ≥200 mg/kg in rats, suggesting the potential for high doses in humans. NaPi2b is a compelling ADC target, and we believe the design of ZW220 may overcome some of the challenges encountered with other NaPi2b-targeted ADCs, including Lifa-V, UpRi, and XMT-1592, and may potentially provide a safe and meaningful benefit to patients with NaPi2b-expressing tumors. We have made the decision to pause the preparations for the commencement of a Phase 1 study of ZW220 to help facilitate the accelerated development of ZW251. However, we believe ZW220 remains a highly differentiated, IND-ready asset with strong clinical, commercial, and partnership potential.
Solid Tumors in Oncology: Multispecific Antibody Therapeutics (MSATs)
ZW171: A clinical-stage multispecific antibody built using our Azymetric platform, is a novel 2 + 1 format TCE targeting MSLN-expressing cancers. ZW171 has a unique geometry, with two single-chain fragment variable arms targeting MSLN and one Fab arm targeting the cluster of differentiation 3 protein (“CD3”) component of the T cell receptor, to redirect the body’s natural immune system to fight cancer cells. Preclinical data demonstrated in vivo anti-tumor activity, with engagement in high-expressing cells but not low-expressing cells, mitigating the risk of on-target, off-tumor toxicities. MSLN has strong expression in ovarian cancer (~84%), with moderate to strong expression in NSCLC (~36%), making it an appealing target for therapeutic development with our proprietary TCE technology. In preclinical studies, ZW171 has demonstrated potent preferential killing of tumor cells expressing relatively medium to high thresholds of MSLN while sparing cell line models representative of normal tissue MSLN expression, demonstrating reduced potential for on-target-off tumor toxicity. Incorporation of a low affinity anti-CD3 binding domain further mitigates the risk of peripheral T cell activation and cytokine release syndrome. Preclinical data demonstrated that ZW171 exhibits greater anti-tumor activity compared to benchmark in MSLN-expressing tumor models and is well tolerated in cynomolgus monkeys up to 30 mg/kg. We are actively recruiting patients in the global Phase 1, open-label, multicenter study of ZW171, registered under NCT06523803 on clinicaltrials.gov. The study aims to enroll 160 adult patients with advanced MSLN-expressing cancers in North America, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific region. The study is designed to evaluate the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and preliminary anti-tumor activity of ascending doses of ZW171.
ZW209: A novel TriTCE targeting Delta-like ligand 3 (“DLL3”)-expressing tumor cells, is designed using our clinically validated Azymetric and EFECT platforms. By leveraging obligate cis-T cell binding and conditional cluster of differentiation 28 (“CD28”) engagement, this potentially first-in-class molecule has been designed to prevent unintended T cell activation, while enabling tumor-targeted cytotoxicity. The innovative design has demonstrated differentiated long-term cytotoxicity in vitro at low E:T (effector to target) ratios, with enhanced T cell proliferation and survival, offering significant potential to increase durability of responses in DLL3-expressing cancers. We expect to submit an IND to commence Phase 1 clinical studies for ZW209 in 1H-2026, with equivalent non-U.S. applications to be submitted thereafter.
Autoimmune and Inflammatory Diseases (AIID)
ZW1528: Our first program in AIID, is a novel IL-4R⍺ x IL-33 bispecific molecule designed to address respiratory inflammation such as mixed-type chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (“COPD”) by inhibiting multiple pathways. By blocking three cytokines (IL-4, IL-13 and IL-33) in a single biologic, ZW1528 offers a unique approach to inhibit clinically validated pathways. The bispecific antibody is designed to provide complete, prolonged IL-4R⍺ blockade with simultaneous blockade of IL-33. Based on non-clinical in vitro studies, the bispecific can independently suppress IL-13, IL-4 and IL-33 driven cell signaling equivalent to that achieved with anti-IL-4R⍺ monoclonal antibody (“mAb”) or anti-IL-33 clinical benchmarks mAbs. Furthermore, in preclinical studies, ZW1528-mediated blockade of cytokine-driven activation of human epithelial cells was superior to that achieved with mAbs targeting either IL-4R⍺ or IL-33, indicating potential benefits of dual blockade. Additionally, preclinical studies with human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (“PBMCs”) demonstrate ZW1528 provides blockade of IL-33 mediated effects beyond that achievable with an anti-IL33 benchmark mAb. With native Immunoglobulin G (“IgG”)-like geometry, ZW1528 demonstrates the potential for high manufacturability and incorporates half-life extending Fc modifications. We expect to submit an IND to commence Phase 1 clinical studies for ZW1528 in 2H-2026, with equivalent non-U.S. applications to be submitted thereafter.
Continued Pipeline Development
We continue to develop and advance additional product candidates in multiple different product formats for selected therapeutic indications in solid tumors, hematological cancers, and AIID, with further potential IND applications in 2027 and beyond. With
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these candidates, we intend to continue innovating with increased novelty in targets and unique mechanisms of action through bispecific or biparatopic ADCs, dual-payload ADCs, multi-specific immune cell engagers and immune-oncology.
Our Proprietary Therapeutic Platforms
Our expertise in protein engineering has enabled the development of our proprietary therapeutic platforms, a complementary suite of highly tailored biologics solutions. Our therapeutic platforms can be used alone or in combination to develop multifunctional fit-for-purpose biotherapeutics with bispecific capabilities (Azymetric), targeted cytotoxin payload delivery and linker technologies (drug conjugate platforms), finely tuned immune function modulation (EFECT), and tumor-specific immune co-stimulation (ProTECT). The modular design and ease of use of our therapeutic platforms allow for the design and evaluation of multiple candidates with different formats to determine the optimal therapeutic combination early in development. We continue to leverage these therapeutic platforms to expand our pipeline of next-generation multispecific and ADCs that we believe could represent significant improvements to the standard of care in multiple cancer types and other serious diseases.
Azymetric Multispecific Antibody Platform
The Azymetric multispecific antibody platform is our foundation platform, which can produce either the backbone of our ADCs or be the base of our multispecific therapeutics that can be combined with both our TriTCE technology and our ProTECT platform to develop potential best-in-class trispecifics. The FDA approval of zanidatamab in 2024 provides validation of our proprietary Azymetric technology and capabilities for design and development of novel medicines. The Azymetric platform consists of a library of proprietary amino acid substitutions that enable the transformation of monospecific antibodies into bispecific or trispecific antibodies, which gives them the ability to simultaneously bind two non-overlapping epitopes. The Azymetric platform enables the development of biotherapeutics with dual-targeting of receptors/ligands and simultaneous blockade of multiple signaling pathways, increasing tumor-specific targeting and efficacy while reducing toxicities and the potential for drug resistance. In preclinical studies, the dual targeting of Azymetric antibodies has demonstrated synergistic activity relative to the application of an equivalent dose of the corresponding monospecific antibodies. Azymetric multispecifics can also be engineered to enhance internalization of the antibody into the tumor cell and consequently increase the delivery of cytotoxins. Azymetric multispecifics retain the desirable drug-like qualities of monoclonal antibodies, including long half-life, stability and low immunogenic potential, which increases their probability of success. Azymetric multispecifics are also compatible with standard manufacturing processes with high production yields and purity.
The Azymetric platform is the foundation for the development of trispecific and trivalent antibodies. Our complementary suite of technologies can incorporate multiple targets and mechanisms of action within a single antibody-based therapeutic. To achieve efficacy and durability in a difficult tumor microenvironment, we have developed a TriTCE strategy that integrates checkpoint inhibition (“TriTCE-CPI”) and costimulatory technologies (“TriTCE-costim”). TriTCE-CPI technology is designed to navigate suppressive tumor microenvironments and enhance the activity of TCEs through incorporation of a checkpoint pathway binder to restore and enhance T cell engagement and overcome secondary resistance to provide durable responses. TriTCE-costim technology can increase T cell fitness, activation and proliferation via tumor-dependent T cell co-stimulation. Further, TCE technologies can integrate with ProTECT, a technology built to mask an antibody arm to improve selectivity to minimize off-target, and mitigate on-target, adverse events.
Drug Conjugate Platforms
Our drug conjugate platforms are a suite of proprietary cytotoxins (including both topoisomerase and microtubulin inhibiting toxins), stable linkers, and conjugation technologies that are compatible with and complementary to our product candidates and enable delivery of cytotoxins directly to target cells. We believe that our platforms provide multiple competitive advantages over existing ADC approaches, including optimized activity and tolerability profiles through increased drug delivery to target cells with reduced off-target effects, as well as improved pharmacokinetics and stability. Our drug conjugate platforms can be used in conjunction with our other therapeutic platforms to potentially increase safety and efficacy as compared to existing ADC platforms.
Our TOPO1i ADC platform is one of several proprietary Zymeworks linker-payload platforms. TOPO1i-based technologies have shown meaningful clinical benefit in a wide range of solid tumors, including hard-to-treat solid tumors, and have been validated across many targets. Our novel camptothecin ZD06519 (FD1) has been specifically designed for its application as an ADC payload. A panel of camptothecin analogs with different substituents at the C-7 and C-10 positions of the camptothecin core were prepared and tested in vitro. Selected compounds spanning a range of potency and hydrophilicity were elaborated into drug-linkers, conjugated to trastuzumab, and evaluated in vitro and in vivo. ZD06519 was selected based on its favorable properties as a free molecule and as an antibody conjugate, which include moderate free payload potency (~1 nanomolar
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(“nM”)), low hydrophobicity, strong bystander activity, robust plasma stability, and high-monomeric ADC content. When conjugated to different antibodies using a clinically validated MC-GGFG-based linker, ZD06519 demonstrated impressive efficacy in multiple cell-derived xenograft models and noteworthy tolerability in healthy mice, rats, and non-human primates.
EFECT Antibody Effector Function Modulation Platform
The EFECT platform consists of sets of modifications to the Fc region of antibodies that enable the selective modulation of recruited cytotoxic immune cells for diverse therapeutic applications. This allows us to rationally tailor the selective enhancement or suppression of immune effector function to optimize product candidates.
ProTECT Tumor-Specific Immune Co-stimulation Platform
The ProTECT platform is a novel conditionally active antibody technology that can simultaneously increase the tolerability and efficacy for therapeutics, thereby potentially enhancing therapeutic window and clinical utility. Functional, natural immunomodulatory heterodimers are introduced to sterically block antigen binding outside the tumor, enabling therapeutics with limited activity in normal healthy tissue, avoiding on-target, off-tumor toxicities. Once in the tumor microenvironment, specific proteases cleave and release one half of the functional block activating both the targeting antibody and the immunomodulatory function. The resulting activated multifunctional therapeutic enables immune modulation in concert with antigen binding, which enables an overall increase in the therapeutic window through selective tumor activity and enhanced potency.
Strategic Partnerships and Collaborations
Our novel product candidates, together with our combination of proprietary protein engineering capabilities and resulting therapeutic platform technologies, have enabled us to enter into a number of strategic partnerships, many of which were subsequently expanded in scope. Our strategic partnerships and collaborations provide us with the ability to accelerate clinical development of our product candidates in certain geographical regions and provide our strategic partners with access to components of our proprietary therapeutic platforms for their own therapeutics development. In addition, these strategic partnerships have provided us with non-dilutive funding as well as access to proprietary therapeutic assets, which increase our ability to rapidly advance our product candidates while maintaining commercial rights to our own therapeutics.
Thr ough c ollaboration agreements with Jazz and BeiGene relating to our programs for zanidatamab and zanidatamab zovodotin, we have received $446.0 million through December 31, 2024 in the form of non-refundable upfront payments and milestone payments. In addition, through these partnerships with Jazz and BeiGene with respect to zanidatamab, as of December 31, 2024, we remain eligible to receive up to $1.55 billion in potential regulatory, development and commercial milestone payments, as well as tiered royalties on potential future product sales, pending receipt of applicable regulatory approvals. These partnerships have provided us with a significant source of non-dilutive funding and provide for additional future funding for our lead asset, zanidatamab. These partnerships also leverage our partners’ commercial infrastructure, helping accelerate the development and expanding the potential reach of our lead product candidates.
Product Partnerships
Jazz
In October 2022, we entered into a license and collaboration agreement with Jazz (“Original Jazz Collaboration Agreement”; as amended in April 2023, “Amended Jazz Collaboration Agreement” and collectively with the Original Jazz Collaboration Agreement, the “Jazz Collaboration Agreement”). Under the Jazz Collaboration Agreement, Jazz is solely responsible for all development and commercialization rights for zanidatamab throughout the world, excluding existing Asia-Pacific territories (other than Japan) already governed by Zymeworks BC’s agreement with BeiGene (“Territory”).
As part of our collaboration, we granted to Jazz certain exclusive and non-exclusive licenses, under our intellectual property, to research, develop, manufacture, and commercialize pharmaceutical products containing or incorporating zanidatamab or certain related antibodies excluding ADCs (such antibodies, collectively, “Licensed Antibodies”, and such pharmaceutical products, “Licensed Products”).
Jazz also granted us certain licenses, under Jazz’s intellectual property, to develop, commercialize, and manufacture the Licensed Antibodies and Licensed Products including to make and have made such antibodies for incorporation into zanidatamab zovodotin for development and commercialization purposes.
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During the Term (as defined below), Jazz and its affiliates are prohibited from performing any clinical development of, or commercialization of, any pharmaceutical product containing a bispecific antibody directed to the ECD2 and ECD4 domains of HER2 in the Territory, other than Licensed Products. During the Term, Zymeworks BC and its affiliates are prohibited from (i) performing any preclinical development (except for certain independent, internal preclinical development by Zymeworks BC or its affiliates) or clinical development of, or commercializing, any pharmaceutical product that is directed to HER2 in the Territory (each, a “Zymeworks Competing Product”), other than Licensed Products and (ii) using clinical data resulting from certain clinical trials regarding zanidatamab that were being conducted or initiated by Zymeworks BC (the “Program”) to perform any pre-clinical development or clinical development, or commercialization of, any pharmaceutical product that is directed to HER2; provided that zanidatamab zovodotin is excluded from each restriction. Zymeworks BC retains the right to grant third parties rights to apply any of Zymeworks BC’s platforms to derive or generate, without any assistance from Zymeworks BC, antibodies directed to any biological target where Zymeworks BC is not aware of the identity of any such target, and Zymeworks BC retains the right to fulfill its obligations under agreements with its existing platform partners; provided, however, that Zymeworks BC cannot generate, or grant development or commercialization licenses to, Zymeworks Competing Products in new platform-based agreements entered into after the effective date of the Original Jazz Collaboration Agreement.
Jazz is required to use commercially reasonable efforts to develop and obtain regulatory approval for a Licensed Product in certain major market countries for the treatment of certain diseases. Jazz will be the holder of regulatory approvals and regulatory submissions for Licensed Products in the Territory.
Zymeworks BC will continue to supply zanidatamab and Licensed Product to certain clinical sites pursuant to the terms of the Jazz Collaboration Agreement.
Jazz shall be solely responsible for commercializing the Licensed Products in the Territory and use commercially reasonable efforts to commercialize in each specified major market country each Licensed Product that obtains regulatory approval in such country. Jazz shall conduct such commercialization at its sole cost and expense.
Under the Jazz Collaboration Agreement, as of December 31, 2024 we have received (i) a non-refundable $50.0 million upfront payment following receipt of HSR Clearance and delivery of licenses and technology transfer to Jazz and (ii) a further payment of $325.0 million following Jazz’s decision to continue the collaboration after readout of the top-line clinical data from HERIZON-BTC-01, in addition to our delivery of other data, analyses and other information. As of December 31, 2024, we were also eligible to receive up to an aggregate of $525.0 million in certain regulatory milestones payments and up to an aggregate of $862.5 million in potential commercial milestone payments. As a result of the FDA’s approval of Ziihera®, $ 25.0 million of regulatory milestone revenue was recognized in November 2024, and we received this $25.0 million milestone payment in the first quarter of 2025. W e are eligible to receive tiered royalties between 10% and 20% on annual net sales of Licensed Products in the Territory, with customary reductions in specified circumstances. Royalties are payable on a Licensed Product-by-Licensed Product and country-by-country basis until the latest of (i) ten years after the first commercial sale of such Licensed Product in such country, (ii) the expiration of the last valid licensed patent claim within the licensed Zymeworks BC intellectual property covering such Licensed Product in such country, and (iii) the expiration of regulatory exclusivity of such Licensed Product in such country.
The term of the Amended Jazz Collaboration Agreement will continue on a Licensed Product-by-Licensed Product and country-by-country basis until the expiration of the royalty term for such Licensed Product in such country (the “Term”). The Amended Jazz Collaboration Agreement contains customary termination rights for Jazz and us, including the right for Jazz to terminate the agreement in its sole discretion with advance notice to us. We may also terminate the Amended Jazz Collaboration Agreement if Jazz or its affiliates file or initiate a patent challenge against us.
In May 2023, we also entered into a stock and asset purchase agreement with Jazz Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ( “ Jazz Inc. ” ) (as amended, the “Transfer Agreement”) to provide for a series of steps designed to simplify, focus, and potentially expedite the clinical development and commercialization of zanidatamab in partnership with Jazz Inc. by transferring certain assets, contracts and employees associated with the clinical trials for zanidatamab to Jazz Inc. and its affiliates.
Pursuant to the Transfer Agreement, at the closing thereunder , (i) Jazz acquired from Zymeworks Biopharmaceuticals Inc. ( “ ZBI ”) 100% of the issued and outstanding capital stock of Zymeworks Zanidatamab Inc. ( “ ZZI ”, a subsidiary of ZBI); (ii) Jazz engaged certain Zymeworks BC and ZZI employees associated with the development of zanidatamab, and the Company transferred to Jazz or one of its affiliates contracts with respect to the engagement of certain independent contractors of Zymeworks BC and ZBI that worked on the Program; (iii) Jazz and its affiliates acquired from Zymeworks BC and ZBI and their affiliates the Acquired Assets (as defined in the Transfer Agreement); and (iv) Jazz and its affiliates assumed certain liabilities arising following the closing under the Transfer Agreement related to the Acquired Assets and the Program, including with respect to the transferred service providers, in each case subject to the terms and conditions of the Transfer Agreement. No shares of the Company’s common stock were sold by the Company or acquired by Jazz Inc. and its affiliates in connection with such transactions under the Transfer Agreement.
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BeiGene
In November 2018, we entered into agreements with BeiGene whereby we granted BeiGene royalty-bearing exclusive licenses for the research, development, and commercialization of zanidatamab and zanidatamab zovodotin in Asia (excluding Japan but including the People’s Republic of China, South Korea and other countries), Australia, and New Zealand (such agreement relating to z anidatamab, as amended, the “Zanidatamab Agreement,” and such agreement relating to zanidatamab zovodotin, the “Zovodotin Agreement”). In September 2023, Zymeworks BC and BeiGene entered into a termination agreement relating to the Zovodotin Agreement (the “Termination Agreement”).
For the research, development and commercialization licenses to zanidatamab and zanidatamab zovodotin, we received an upfront payment of $40.0 million. Under the Zanidatamab Agreement, as of December 31, 2024 we have received milestone payme nts of $31.0 million, including an $8.0 million milestone payment received from BeiGene in July 2024 in relation to the acceptance by the CDE of the NMPA in China of the BLA for zanidatamab for second-line treatment of HER2+ BTC. As of December 31, 2024, we remain eligible to receive development and commercial milestone payments of u p to $164.0 million, together with tiered royalties of up to 19.5% of net sales in BeiGene territories, increasing to up to 20% when cumulative amounts forgone as a result of a royalty reduction of 0.5% reaches a cap in the low double-digit million s of dollars.
Under the Zanidatamab Agreement, Zymeworks and BeiGene are collaborating on certain global clinical studies and both Zymeworks and BeiGene will independently conduct other clinical studies in their own respective territories. Each of Zymeworks and BeiGene are responsible for all of the development and commercialization costs in their own territories. Unless earlier terminated, the Zanidatamab Agreement will terminate on a licensed product-by-product and country-by-country basis upon the expiration of the royalty term in such country for such licensed product. The Zanidatamab Agreement may be terminated by BeiGene upon prior written notice or by either party upon the other party’s bankruptcy or uncured material breach.
As noted above, the Zovodotin Agreement was terminated under the Termination Agreement. The Termination Agreement does not relieve us or BeiGene from obligations under the Zovodotin Agreement that accrued prior to the termination and certain other provisions expressly indicated to survive the termination, including certain licenses to BeiGene intellectual property with respect to zanidatamab zovodotin.
Platform Partnerships
In addition to the payments we have received through our collaboration agreements with Jazz and BeiGene relating to zanidatamab and zanidatamab zovodotin, as of December 31, 2024, we have received approximately $183.5 million in the form of non-refundable upfront and milestone payments from platform partnership and collaboration agreements. We continue to have revenue-generating strategic partnerships and collaborations with respect to our Azymetric, EFECT and drug conjugate therapeutic platforms with the following pharmaceutical companies: Celgene Corporation and Celgene Alpine Investment Co. LLC (now a Bristol-Myers Squibb company, “BMS”), GlaxoSmithKline Intellectual Property Development Limited (“GSK”), Daiichi Sankyo Co., Ltd. (“Daiichi Sankyo”), Janssen Biotech, Inc. (“Janssen”), and Merck Sharp & Dohme Research GmbH (“Merck”). As of December 31, 2024, we remain eligible to receive up to $1.03 billion in preclinical and development milestone payments and up to $3.08 billion in commercial milestone payments, as well as tiered royalties on potential future product sales, pending regulatory approval. It is possible, however, that our strategic partners’ programs will not advance as currently contemplated, which would negatively affect the amount of development and commercial milestone payments and royalties on potential future product sales we may receive. Importantly, these partnerships include predominantly non-target-exclusive licenses for any of our therapeutic platforms, so we maintain the ability to develop therapeutics directed to many high-value targets using our platforms.
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The table below summarizes the stage of each of our platform partners’ most advanced publicly disclosed program.
BMS
In December 2014, we entered into a collaboration agreement with Celgene (now BMS) to research, develop and commercialize bispecific antibodies generated through the use of our Azymetric platform. This agreement was expanded in 2018 to increase the number of programs from eight to ten and to extend BMS’s research period. Under the terms of the agreement, we granted BMS a right to exercise options to worldwide, royalty-bearing, antibody sequence pair-specific exclusive licenses to research, develop and commercialize certain licensed products. We received an upfront payment of $8.0 million and an expansion fee of $4.0 million . As of December 31, 2024, BMS had exercised one commercial license option and we received a $7.5 million option payment, but in 2023 BMS stopped development of such program. BMS’s right to exercise options on eight programs expired in 2024 after the conclusion of BMS’s research period . As at December 31, 2024, BMS remains eligible to exercise its one remaining option, and we remain eligible to receive up to $320.5 million for the two remaining programs (or $164.0 million not including the one program for which BMS stopped development in 2023), comprised of a commercial license option payment of $7.5 million for the one remaining program, development milestone payments of up to $101.5 million per program, and commercial milestone payments of up to $55.0 million per program. In addition, we are eligible to receive tiered royalties calculated upon the global net sales of the resulting products. BMS will have exclusive worldwide commercialization rights to products derived from the agreement for those product candidates that BMS elected to exercise its commercial license option. As BMS’s research period has concluded, BMS is solely responsible for the research, development, manufacturing and commercialization of the products.
In June 2020, our existing collaboration agreement with BMS was amended to expand the license grant to include the use of our EFECT platform for the development of therapeutic candidates and to extend the research term. We received an upfront expansion fee of $12.0 million and all other financial terms were unchanged.
The agreement contains customary termination rights for BMS and us, including the right of BMS to terminate the agreement in its entirety or on a product-by-product basis in its sole discretion with advance notice to us. The agreement will terminate on a product-by-product and country-by-country basis upon the later of the expiration of the last-expiring patent related to the BMS licensed product, or ten years after the first commercial sale of the BMS licensed product in such a country. If BMS does not exercise its option for the commercial license, the agreement will terminate on a product-by-product basis for which the option was not exercised.
GSK
In December 2015, we entered into a collaboration and license agreement with GSK to research, develop and commercialize up to ten Fc-engineered monoclonal and bispecific antibodies generated through the use of our EFECT and Azymetric platforms. Under the terms of the agreement, we granted GSK a worldwide, royalty-bearing antibody target-exclusive license to new intellectual property generated to the EFECT platform under this collaboration and a non-exclusive license to the Azymetric platform to research, develop and commercialize future licensed products. We are eligible to receive up to $1.1 billion, including research, development and commercial milestone payments of up to $110.0 million for each product. In addition, we are eligible to receive tiered royalties in the low single digits on net sales of products. No development or commercial milestone payments or royalties have been received as of December 31, 2024. We retained the right to develop up to four products, free of royalties, using the new intellectual property generated in this collaboration, and after a period of time, to grant licenses to such intellectual property for development of additional products by third parties. Under this agreement, we are sharing certain research and development responsibilities with GSK to generate new Fc-engineered antibodies. Each party will bear its own costs for the responsibilities assigned to it during the research period. After the conclusion of the research period, each party will be solely responsible for the further research, development, manufacturing and commercialization of its own respective
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products. The agreement contains customary termination rights for GSK and us, including the right for GSK to terminate the agreement in its sole discretion with advance notice to us. The agreement will terminate on the earlier of (i) the end of the research period if GSK does not elect to advance one or more products incorporating intellectual property generated under the research period for further research and development or (ii) on a product-by-product and country-by-country basis upon the latter of the product being no longer covered by a patent related to the GSK licensed product, or ten years after the first commercial sale of the GSK licensed product in such a country.
In April 2016, we entered into a platform technology transfer and license agreement with GSK to research, develop and commercialize up to six bispecific antibodies generated through the use of our Azymetric platform. This may include bispecific antibodies incorporating new engineered Fc regions generated under the 2015 GSK agreement. Under the terms of this 2016 agreement, we granted GSK a worldwide, royalty-bearing antibody sequence pair-specific exclusive license to research, develop and commercialize licensed products. In May 2019, this agreement was expanded to provide GSK access to Zymeworks’ unique heavy-light chain pairing technology under the Azymetric platform. Under the expanded agreement, we are eligible to receive up to $1.1 billion in milestone and other payments. As of December 31, 2024, we have received an upfront technology access fee payment of $6.0 million and a milestone payment of $2.5 million in relation to a sequence pair nomination by GSK. As of December 31, 2024, we remain eligible to receive research milestone payments of up to $35.0 million, development milestone payments of up to $182.5 million and commercial milestone payments of up to $867.0 million. In addition, we are eligible to receive tiered royalties in the low to mid-single digits on product sales. GSK bears all responsibility and costs associated with research, development and commercialization of products generated using the Azymetric platform. The agreement contains customary termination rights for GSK and us, including the right for GSK to terminate the agreement in its sole discretion with advance notice to us. Termination provisions allow for GSK to terminate the agreement or specific antibody sequence pairs due to an incurable material breach by us, and under specific conditions, GSK shall have certain rights to continue the research, development, and commercialization of products with their license payment, milestone, and royalty obligations reduced by 50%.
Daiichi Sankyo
2016 Agreement
In September 2016, we entered into a collaboration and cross-license agreement (“Collaboration and Cross License Agreement”) with Daiichi Sankyo to research, develop and commercialize one bispecific antibody generated through the use of our Azymetric and EFECT platforms. Under this agreement, we received an upfront technology access fee payment of $2.0 million and research and commercial option related payments totaling $4.5 million. Under this agreement, w e also gained non-exclusive rights to develop and commercialize up to three products (revised to up to six products pursuant to a June 2022 amendment) using Daiichi Sankyo’s proprietary immune-oncology antibodies, with royalties in the low single digits to be paid to Daiichi Sankyo on sales of such products.
In March 2023, we entered into a termination and license agreement (the “Termination and License Agreement”) relating to the Collaboration and Cross License Agreement. Pursuant to the Termination and License Agreement, the Collaboration and Cross License Agreement is terminated and is no longer in effect, except that the termination does not relieve the parties from obligations under the Collaboration and Cross License Agreement that accrued prior to the termination or were expressly intended to survive. Among the rights to survive the termination of the Collaboration and Cross License Agreement are Zymeworks’ non-exclusive royalty-bearing rights to develop and commercialize products using Daiichi Sankyo’s proprietary immune-oncology antibodies. Under the Termination and License Agreement, we granted to Daiichi Sankyo a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free right and license, with the right to sublicense, to certain intellectual property to perform additional research in accordance with the terms of the Termination and License Agreement during the term of the Termination and License Agreement, which is from February 28, 2023 until the earlier of (i) the day that we receive written notice from Daiichi Sankyo confirming that Daiichi Sankyo has completed such additional research and (ii) August 27, 2025, unless earlier terminated (including by advance written notice to us from Daiichi Sankyo). The Termination and License Agreement has no impact on our separate license agreement with Daiichi Sankyo, which we entered into in 2018, as described below.
2018 Agreement
In May 2018, we entered into a license agreement with Daiichi Sankyo to research, develop and commercialize two bispecific antibodies generated through the use of our Azymetric and EFECT platforms. This agreement did not alter or amend the initial 2016 agreement. Under the terms of this 2018 agreement, we granted Daiichi Sankyo a worldwide, royalty-bearing, antibody sequence pair-specific, exclusive license to research, develop and commercialize certain products, and we were eligible to receive up to $484.7 million in various milestone and other payments. As of December 31, 2024, we have received an upfront technology access fee payment of $18.0 million, and we remain eligible to receive development milestone payments totaling up to $63.4 million and commercial milestone payments of up to $170.0 million. In addition, we are eligible to receive tiered royalties ranging from the low single digits up to 10% on product sales. Daiichi Sankyo is solely responsible for the research, development, manufacturing and commercialization of the products. The agreement contains customary termination rights for
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Daiichi Sankyo and us, including the right for Daiichi Sankyo to terminate the rights to our therapeutic platforms in its sole discretion with advance notice to us. The agreement shall terminate, with respect to Daiichi Sankyo’s licenses, on a product-by-product basis, with the last payment obligation for the respective product.
Janssen
In November 2017, we entered into a collaboration and license agreement with Janssen to research, develop and commercialize up to six bispecific antibodies generated through the use of our Azymetric and EFECT platforms. Under the terms of the agreement, we granted Janssen a worldwide, royalty-bearing, antibody sequence group-specific exclusive license to research, develop and commercialize certain products, and we were eligible to receive up to $1.45 billion in various license and milestone payments. As of December 31, 2024, we have received an upfront payment of $50.0 million and development milestones totaling $8.0 million in connection with the initiation of clinical trials of two bispecific antibodies. Janssen has deprioritized the development of one of those two bispecific antibodies, and in 2023 the research program term under the agreement ended with respect to the remaining four bispecific antibodies. As a result, we remain eligible to receive development milestone payments of up to $86.0 million and commercial milestone payments of up to $373.0 million ($43.0 million and $186.5 million, respectively, not including the bispecific antibody that Janssen has deprioritized). In addition, we are eligible to receive tiered royalties in the mid-single digits on product sales, with the royalty term being, on a product-by-product and country-by-country basis, either (i) for as long as there is Zymeworks platform patent coverage on products, or (ii) for 10 years, beginning from the first commercial sale, whichever period is longer. If there is no Zymeworks patent coverage on products, royalty rates may be potentially reduced. Janssen has the right, prior to the first dosing of a patient in a Phase 3 clinical trial for a product, to buy down the royalty relating to such product by one percentage point with a payment of $10.0 million. The Company determined that, the events and conditions resulting in payments for research, development and commercial milestones solely depend on Janssen’s performance. Janssen is solely responsible for the research, development, manufacturing and commercialization of the products. The agreement contains customary termination rights for Janssen and us, including the right for Janssen to terminate the agreement in its sole discretion with advance notice to us. The agreement will terminate, on a product-by-product basis, on the expiry of the royalty term for the product.
Other Collaborations - Merck
We have collaborated with Merck since 2011. In July 2020, we entered into a new licensing agreement with Merck granting Merck a worldwide, royalty- bearing license to research, develop and commercialize up to three new multispecific antibodies toward Merck’s therapeutic targets in the human health field and up to three new multispecific antibodies toward Merck’s therapeutic targets in the animal health field usin g our Azymetric and EFECT platforms. We are eligible to receive up to $419.3 million in option exercise fees and clinical development and regulatory approval milestone payments and up to $502.5 million in commercial milestone payments, as well as tiered royalties on worldwide sales.
Intellectual Property
Our business success will depend significantly on our ability to:
• secure, maintain and enforce patent and other proprietary protection for our core technologies, inventions and know-how;
• obtain and maintain licenses to key third-party intellectual property owned by such third parties;
• preserve the confidentiality of our trade secrets; and
• operate without infringing upon valid, enforceable third-party patents and other rights.
We seek to secure and maintain patent protection for the composition of matter, manufacturing processes and methods of use for our drug candidates and for our underlying protein engineering capabilities and therapeutic platforms including Azymetric, EFECT, ZymeCAD and ProTECT. We also utilize trade secrets, careful monitoring and limited disclosure of our proprietary information where patent protection is not appropriate. We also protect our proprietary information by ensuring that our employees, consultants, contractors and other advisors execute agreements requiring non-disclosure and assignment of inventions prior to their engagement. We intend to continue to expand our intellectual property holdings by seeking patent protection for new compositions of matter, new features and applications of our core therapeutic platforms, and innovative new therapeutic platforms, in the United States and other jurisdictions. We also intend to supplement internal innovation through in-licensing of new technologies and compositions of matter as appropriate. We intend to take advantage of any available data exclusivity, market exclusivity, patent term adjustment and patent term extensions.
We routinely monitor the status of existing and emerging intellectual property disclosed by third parties that may impact our business, and to the extent we identify any such disclosures, evaluate them and take appropriate courses of action.
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As of December 31, 2024, our patent portfolio includes more than 40 patent families related to our therapeutic antibody product (zanidatamab), our preclinical and clinical stage product candidates, and our therapeutic platform technologies. As of December 31, 2024, from these patent families we have more than 260 issued patents, 36 of which are U.S. patents. Additional patent families in our patent portfolio relate to other earlier stage potential product candidates or platforms that we do not consider material to our business at this time.
Therapeutic Antibody Portfolio
Our therapeutic antibody patent portfolio is directed to specific compositions of matter, methods of using and compositions used in manufacturing our approved products and product candidates .
Approved Product
Zanidatamab: As of December 31, 2024, we own U.S. and foreign patents and patent applications directed to compositions of matter of zanidatamab, compositions used in the manufacture of zanidatamab, and methods of using zanidatamab. Issued patents and patent applications, if granted, directed to compositions of matter of zanidatamab are anticipated to expire in 2034, absent any patent term adjustments or extensions. Issued patents and patent applications, if granted, directed to compositions used in the manufacture of zanidatamab are anticipated to expire in 2034, absent any patent term adjustments or extensions. Issued patents and patent applications, if granted, directed to methods of using zanidatamab are anticipated to expire between 2034 and 2042, absent any patent term adjustments or extensions.
Zanidatamab is also protected by our patent families directed to Azymetric Fc, as described below.
Clinical Stage Product Candidates
ZW191: As of December 31, 2024, we own patent applications filed in the United States and foreign jurisdictions directed to compositions of matter of ZW191, compositions used in the manufacture of ZW191, and methods of using ZW191. If granted, these patent applications are anticipated to expire in 2043, absent any patent term adjustments or extensions. ZW191 is also protected by a patent family directed to our TOPO1i technology.
ZW171: As of December 31, 2024, we own patent applications filed in the United States and internationally under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (“PCT”) directed to compositions of matter of ZW171, compositions used in the manufacture of ZW171, and methods of using ZW171. If granted, these patent applications are anticipated to expire in 2043, absent any patent term adjustments or extensions. ZW171 is also protected by patent families relating to Azymetric Fc.
L ead Preclinical Product Candidates
ZW251: As of December 31, 2024, we own patent applications filed internationally under the PCT and in foreign jurisdictions directed to compositions of matter of ZW251 and methods of using ZW251. If granted, these patent applications are anticipated to expire in 2043, absent any patent term adjustments or extensions. ZW251 is also protected by a patent family directed to our TOPO1i technology.
ZW209: As of December 31, 2024, we own U.S. provisional patent applications directed to compositions of matter of ZW209, compositions used in the manufacture of ZW209, and methods of using ZW209. If converted to non-provisional applications and granted, these applications are anticipated to expire in 2045, absent any patent term adjustments or extensions.
ZW1528: As of December 31, 2024, we own U.S. provisional patent applications directed to compositions of matter of ZW1528, compositions used in the manufacture of ZW1528 and methods of using ZW1528. If converted to non-provisional applications and granted, these applications are anticipated to expire in 2045, absent any patent term adjustments or extensions.
ZW220: As of December 31, 2024, we own patent applications filed internationally under the PCT and in foreign jurisdictions directed to compositions of matter of ZW220, compositions used in the manufacture of ZW220, and methods of using ZW220. If granted, these patent applications are anticipated to expire between 2043 and 2044, absent any patent term adjustments or extensions. ZW220 is also protected by a patent family directed to our TOPO1i technology.
Therapeutic Platform Technology Portfolio
Our therapeutic platform technology portfolio includes biological formats and variants thereof, including the Azymetric platform, our drug conjugate platforms (including our TOPO1i technology), the EFECT platform, and specific applications, manufacturing methods and assays related to the platform constructs and underlying computational chemistry.
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Azymetric
We own patents and patent applications relating to the Azymetric platform for engineering Fc and Fab constructs for the development of bispecific antibodies.
Azymetric Fc: As of December 31, 2024, we own U.S. and foreign patents and patent applications directed to our Azymetric Fc platform. Patents and patent applications, if granted, directed to compositions of matter of engineered antibody Fc regions, methods of engineering antibody Fc regions to preferentially form heterodimers, and methods of making heterodimers comprising engineered Fc regions are expected to expire between 2031 and 2033, absent any adjustments or extensions.
Azymetric Fab : As of December 31, 2024, we own U.S and foreign patents and patent applications directed to our Azymetric Fab platform. Patents and patent applications, if granted, directed to compositions of matter, methods of engineering antibody Fabs to preferentially form heterodimers, and methods of making heterodimers comprising engineered Fabs are expected to expire between 2033 and 2036 absent any adjustments or extensions.
Drug Conjugate Platforms
Our drug conjugate platforms are a suite of proprietary cytotoxins (including TOPO1i), stable linkers, and conjugation technologies that are compatible with and complementary to our antibody product candidates and enable delivery of cytotoxins directly to target cells.
TOPO1i Platform: As of December 31, 2024, we own patent applications filed in the United States and foreign jurisdictions directed to novel TOPO1i compounds (including ZD06519), TOPO1i-linker compositions and antibody-TOPO1i conjugates. If granted, these patent applications are expected to expire in 2042, absent any adjustments or extensions.
EFECT
As of December 31, 2024, we own U.S and foreign patents and patent applications directed to engineering Fc constructs with modulated FcγR-binding and Fc effector function, including compositions of matter and methods of making Fc constructs with altered FcγR-binding and Fc effector function, and compositions of matter and methods of making Fc constructs that lack FcγR-binding. These patents and patent applications, if granted, are expected to expire between 2031 and 2042, absent any adjustments or extensions.
ProTECT
As of December 31, 2024, we own patent applications filed in the United States and foreign jurisdictions directed to compositions of matter, methods of making and methods of using conditionally active antibody constructs comprising immunomodulatory ligands and their cognate receptors derived from the immunoglobulin superfamily (such as PDL1 and PD1) fused to the antibody variable heavy and light chain region termini. If granted, these patent applications are expected to expire in 2041, absent any adjustments or extensions.
Computational Chemistry
As of December 31, 2024, we own U.S and foreign patents and patent applications directed to computational and algorithmic advances incorporated into our ZymeCAD TM platform, including advances in general molecular modeling, conformational dynamics, docking, distal mutations, and molecular packing, as well as parallelization and graphical data analysis. These patents and patent applications, if granted, are expected to expire between 2026 and 2042, absent any adjustments or extensions.
Technology Licensing and In-Licensed Intellectual Property
Daiichi Sankyo
As noted above under “ Strategic Partnerships and Collaborations – Platform Partnerships – Daiichi Sankyo – 2016 Agreement, ” in September 2016, we entered into the Collaboration and Cross License Agreement with Daiichi Sankyo under which we gained non-exclusive rights to develop and commercialize up to three products (up to six products pursuant to a June 2022 amendment) using Daiichi Sankyo’s proprietary immune-oncology antibodies. In March 2023, we entered into the Termination and License Agreement relating to the Collaboration and Cross License Agreement. Pursuant to the Termination and License Agreement, the Collaboration and Cross License Agreement is terminated and is no longer in effect, except that the termination does not relieve the parties from obligations under the Collaboration and Cross License Agreement that accrued prior to the termination or were expressly intended to survive. Among the rights to survive the termination of the Collaboration
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and Cross License Agreement are Zymeworks’ non-exclusive royalty-bearing rights to develop and commercialize products, such as ZW171 and ZW209, using Daiichi Sankyo’s proprietary immune-oncology antibodies. Under the surviving terms of the Collaboration and Cross License Agreement , pending receipt of regulatory approval, we may be required to make future low single-digit royalty payments on the net sales of such products.
Phanes
In November 2021, we entered into a lic ense agreement with Phanes Therapeutics, Inc. (“Phanes”). Phanes granted Zymeworks an exclusive, worldwide, non-transferable (except in connection with an assignment of the agreement), sublicensable, royalty-bearing license to research, develop, commercialize, and otherwise exploit certain antibody products incorporating proprietary Phanes binders in the field of oncology. In December 2023, this license agreement was partially terminated only with respect to a specific set of such products. All other rights and obligations under this license agreement remain in full force and effect.
Under the license agreement, we may be required to make future payments to Phanes upon the direct achievement of certain clinical development milestones for products, such as ZW251, that incorporate certain Phanes intellectual property. In addition, subject to receipt of regulatory approval, we may be required to make future payments to Phanes upon direct achievement of certain commercial milestones and certain sales milestones, as well as up to low single-digit royalty payments on net sales of such products.
ProBioGen
In February 2016, we entered into a master services and master license agreement with ProBioGen AG ( “ ProBioGen ” ). ProBioGen provided certain development and manufacturing services and granted us a non-exclusive, worldwide, sublicensable license to research, develop, manufacture and commercialize our product candidates (which include Ziihera® (zanidatamab-hrii)) using ProBioGen’s platforms, including their proprietary GlymaxX technology for generating afucosylated antibodies. This license includes certain additional non-exclusive patent rights sub-licensed by ProBioGen. Licensing terms include preclinical, clinical and commercial milestones. In connection with the first commercial sale of Ziihera®, we expect to pay to ProBioGen €3.95 million for achievement of the first commercial sale milestone. In addition, subject to achievement of certain commercial sales thresholds of Ziihera®, we are required to make additional future payments to ProBioGen.
Chugai
In June 2020, we entered into a patent license agreement with Chugai Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd (“Chugai”). Chugai granted Zymeworks a non-exclusive, worldwide, non-transferable (except in connection with an assignment of the agreement), sublicensable license under certain patents to research, develop, manufacture and commercialize certain antibody products covered by such patents. Under the license agreement, we are required to pay an immaterial annual fee for so long as there is a valid claim within the licensed patents covering certain antibody products.
Manufacturing
We rely on third-party contract manufacturing organizations to provide manufacturing, linker-toxin conjugation, and fill-finish services in order to generate all of the therapeutic antibody supply required for our clinical studies and other research and development activities. To retain focus on our expertise in developing new product candidates, we do not currently plan to develop or operate in-house manufacturing capacity. Our multispecific therapeutic antibody and ADC candidates require standard chemistry, manufacturing and control (“CMC”) processes typical of those required for monoclonal antibody manufacturing. We therefore expect to continue to be able to develop product candidates that can be manufactured in a cost-effective fashion by our network of qualified third-party contract manufacturing organizations.
Through our contract manufacturing organizations, we currently have sufficient supply of our product candidates to carry out ongoing and planned preclinical studies. For zanidatamab, we also have sufficient current good manufacturing practices (“cGMP”)-grade supply to continue ongoing clinical trials. Our strategic partners are responsible for the commercial manufacture of zanidatamab. For our clinical stage product candidates, we have sufficient cGMP-grade supply to complete our ongoing clinical trials. For ZW251, our preclinical stage product candidate for which we expect to submit an IND in mid-2025, we expect to have sufficient cGMP-grade supply, through additional manufacturing runs, to commence clinical trials.
Competition
The biopharmaceutical industry is characterized by rapidly advancing technologies, intense competition and a strong emphasis on proprietary products. While we believe that our technology, knowledge, experience and scientific resources provide us with competitive advantages, we face potential competition from many different sources, including major pharmaceutical, specialty
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pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, academic institutions and governmental agencies, and public and private research institutions. Any product candidates that we successfully develop and commercialize will compete with existing therapies and new therapies that may become available in the future.
With respect to target discovery activities, competitors and other third parties, including academic and clinical researchers, may be able to access rare families and identify targets before we do.
Many of the companies against which we compete or against which we may compete in the future have significantly greater financial resources and expertise in research and development, manufacturing, preclinical testing, conducting clinical trials, obtaining regulatory approvals and marketing approved products than we do. Mergers and acquisitions in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries may result in even more resources being concentrated among a smaller number of our competitors. Smaller or early-stage companies may also prove to be significant competitors, particularly through collaboration arrangements with large and established companies. These competitors also compete with us in recruiting and retaining qualified scientific and management personnel, establishing clinical trial sites, recruiting patients for clinical trials, and by acquiring technologies complementary to, or necessary for, our programs.
The key competitive factors affecting the success of all of our product candidates, if approved, are likely to be their efficacy, safety, convenience and price, the effectiveness of alternative products, the level of competition and the availability of coverage, and adequate reimbursement from government and other third-party payors.
Our commercial opportunity could be reduced or eliminated if our competitors develop and commercialize products or therapies that are safer, more effective, have fewer or less severe side effects, are more convenient or are less expensive than any products that we may develop. Our competitors also may obtain FDA, EMA or other regulatory approval for their products more rapidly than we may obtain approval for ours, which could result in our competitors establishing a strong market position before we are able to enter the market. In addition, our ability to compete may be affected in many cases by insurers or other third-party payors seeking to encourage the use of generic or biosimilar products.
Zanidatamab is being developed for patients with solid tumors that express HER2, including patients with tumors expressing low levels of HER2. Competing approved HER2-targeted therapies include F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd.’s Herceptin, Perjeta, Phesgo, and Kadcyla as well as Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation’s Tykerb, Puma Biotechnology, Inc.’s Nerlynx, AstraZeneca PLC / Daiichi Sankyo’s Enhertu, Seagen Inc.’s Tukysa, MacroGenics, Inc.’s Margenza, Jiangsu HengRui Medicine Co., Ltd.’s Pyrotinib, Pfizer’s disitamab, Alphamab’s anbenitamab, BioNTech’s trastuzumab pamirtecan, Boehringer’s Zongertinib, Bayer’s BAY2927088 and various trastuzumab biosimilars, as well as other candidates in late-stage development.
ZW191 is being developed for patients with solid tumors that express FRα. Competing approved FRα -targeted therapies include ImmunoGen/AbbVie’s Elahere. ADCs under development include Sutro’s Luveltamab tazevibulin, Eisai’s Farletuzumab ecteribulin, Coherent Bio’s CBP-1008, Bio-Thera’s BAT8006, ProfoundGenmab’s PRO1184, AstraZeneca’s AZD5335, Eli Lilly’s MBK-103, Multitude’s AMT-151 and ImmunoGen/AbbVie’s IMGN151.
ZW171 is being developed for patients with solid tumors that express MSLN. TCEs under development include Amgen’s AMG 305, Janssen’s JNJ-79032421, RemeGen’s RC88, and Light Chain Bio’s NI-1801.
ZW251 is being developed for patients with solid tumors that express GPC3. Competing GPC3-targeted ADCs include Lepu/Miracogen’s MRG006 and BioCity’s BC2027. Alternative approaches targeting GPC3 include cell therapies, TCEs, radioconjugates and monoclonal antibodies exemplified by AstraZeneca’s AZD5851 (C-CAR031), Legend Biotech’s LB2101, Sotio’s BOXR1030, Eureka Therapeutics’ ECT204, CARsgen’s CT011; AstraZeneca’s AZD9793 & Keymed’s CM350; BMS’ RYZ801; and Roche’s codrituzumab.
The FDA and corresponding regulatory authorities will ultimately review our clinical results and determine whether our product candidates are effective. No regulatory agency has made any such determination that any of our product candidates are effective for use by the general public for any indication.
Government Regulation
Government authorities in the United States, at the federal, state and local level, and in other countries extensively regulate, among other things, the research, development, testing, manufacturing, quality control, approval, labeling, packaging, storage, record-keeping, promotion, advertising, distribution, post-approval monitoring and reporting, marketing and export and import of products such as those we are developing. Our ADC product candidates are comprised of both a drug product and a biologic
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product, and will therefore be subject to regulation in the United States as combination products. If marketed individually, each component would be subject to different regulatory pathways and would require approval of independent marketing applications by the FDA. A combination product, however, is assigned to an FDA center that will have primary jurisdiction over its regulation based on a determination of the combination product’s primary mode of action, which is the single mode of action that provides the most important therapeutic action. In the case of our ADCs, we believe that the primary mode of action is attributable to the biologic component of the product. Thus, our product candidates are regulated as therapeutic biologics, with the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research having primary jurisdiction over premarket development. Our antibody therapeutics, including MSATs, are regulated as biologics by the FDA.
Biological products are subject to regulation under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, the Public Health Service Act, and other federal, state, local and foreign statutes and regulations. Our product candidates must be approved by the FDA before they may be legally marketed in the United States and by the appropriate foreign regulatory agency before they may be legally marketed in foreign countries.
U.S. Biological Products Development Process
The process required by the FDA before a biologic may be marketed in the United States generally involves the following:
• completion of extensive nonclinical, sometimes referred to as preclinical, laboratory tests and preclinical animal trials and applicable requirements for the humane use of laboratory animals and formulation studies in accordance with applicable regulations, including GLP;
• submission to the FDA of an IND application, which must become effective before human clinical trials may begin;
• performance of adequate and well-controlled human clinical trials according to the FDA’s regulations commonly referred to as current good clinical practice (“cGCP”) regulations and any additional requirements for the protection of human research subjects and their health information, to establish the safety and efficacy of the proposed biological product for its intended use. The FDA may also impose clinical holds on a biological product candidate at any time before or during clinical trials due to safety concerns or noncompliance. If the FDA imposes a clinical hold, trials may not recommence without FDA authorization and then only under terms authorized by the FDA.
• submission to the FDA of a BLA for marketing approval that includes substantive evidence of safety, purity, and potency from results of nonclinical testing and clinical trials;
• satisfactory completion of an FDA inspection of the manufacturing facility or facilities where the biological product is produced to assess compliance with cGMP requirements to assure that the facilities, methods and controls are adequate to preserve the biological product’s identity, strength, quality and purity;
• potential FDA audit of the nonclinical and clinical study sites that generated the data in support of the BLA; and
• FDA review and approval, or licensure, of the BLA.
Human clinical trials are typically conducted in sequential phases that may overlap or be combined:
• Phase 1. The biological product candidate is initially introduced into healthy human volunteers and tested for safety. In the case of some products for severe or life-threatening diseases, especially when the product may be too inherently toxic to ethically administer to healthy volunteers, the initial human testing is often conducted in patients.
• Phase 2. The biological product candidate is evaluated in a limited patient population to identify possible adverse effects and safety risks, to preliminarily evaluate the efficacy of the product for specific targeted diseases and to determine dosage tolerance, optimal dosage and dosing schedule.
• Phase 3. Clinical trials are undertaken to further evaluate dosage, clinical efficacy, potency, and safety in an expanded patient population at geographically dispersed clinical study sites. These clinical trials are intended to establish the overall risk/benefit ratio of the product and provide an adequate basis for product labelling.
During all phases of clinical development, regulatory agencies require extensive reporting, monitoring and auditing of all clinical activities, clinical data, and clinical study investigators.
A sponsor, an institutional review board (“IRB”) or independent ethics committee, the FDA or other regulatory or monitoring authorities may suspend a clinical study at any time on various grounds, including a finding that the research subjects or patients are being exposed to an unacceptable health risk, failure to conduct the clinical trial in accordance with regulatory
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requirements or clinical protocols, failure to demonstrate a benefit from using the investigational drug, changes in government regulations or administrative actions.
Sponsors of clinical trials of FDA-regulated products, including biologics, are required to register and disclose certain clinical trial information, which is publicly available at www.clinicaltrials.gov. Information related to the product, patient population, phase of investigation, study sites and investigators, and other aspects of the clinical trial is then made public as part of the registration. Sponsors are also obligated to submit a summary of the results of their clinical trials after completion of a trial, unless an extension or a certification permitting delayed submission is obtained from the government.
U.S. Review and Approval Processes
After the completion of clinical trials of a biological product candidate, FDA approval of a BLA must be obtained before commercial marketing of the biological product. When a BLA is submitted, the FDA conducts a preliminary review to determine whether the application is sufficiently complete to be accepted for filing. If it is not, the FDA may refuse to file the application and request additional information, in which case the application must be resubmitted with the supplemental information, and review of the application is delayed. Upon accepting the BLA for filing, the FDA will conduct an in-depth review of the BLA and may hold a public hearing where an independent advisory committee of expert advisors considers key questions regarding the product candidate. This advisory committee makes a recommendation to the FDA, which is not binding on the FDA, but is generally followed.
The FDA is authorized to designate certain products for expedited review if they are intended to address an unmet medical need in the treatment of a serious or life-threatening disease or condition. In particular, the FDA may designate a product for Fast Track review if it is intended, whether alone or in combination with one or more other drugs, for the treatment of a serious or life-threatening disease or condition, and it demonstrates the potential to address unmet medical needs for such a disease or condition. For Fast Track designated products, sponsors may have a higher number of interactions with the FDA and may be eligible for “rolling review” where review of sections of a Fast Track product’s New Drug Application or BLA is initiated before the full New Drug Application or BLA application is complete. The FDA has granted two Fast Track designations to zanidatamab for the first-line treatment of patients with HER2-overexpressing gastroesophageal adenocarcinomas (“GEA”) in combination with standard of care chemotherapy and for previously treated or recurrent gene-amplified BTC.
The FDA also may designate a product as a Breakthrough Therapy if it is intended, alone or in combination with one or more other products, to treat a serious or life-threatening disease or condition, and preliminary clinical evidence indicates that the product may demonstrate substantial improvement over existing therapies on one or more clinically important endpoints, such as substantial treatment effects observed early in clinical development. For products that have been designated as a Breakthrough Therapy, interaction and communication between the FDA and the sponsor of the trial can help to identify the most efficient path for clinical development while minimizing the number of patients placed in ineffective control regimens. Products designated as a Breakthrough Therapy by the FDA can also be eligible for accelerated approval. The FDA has granted Breakthrough Therapy designation for zanidatamab in HER2 gene-amplified BTC patients who have received prior systemic chemotherapy. In December 2022, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023, including the Food and Drug Omnibus Reform Act (“FDORA”), was signed into law. FDORA made several changes to the FDA’s authorities and its regulatory framework, including, among other changes, reforms to the accelerated approval pathway, such as requiring the FDA to specify conditions for post-approval study requirements and setting forth procedures for the FDA to withdraw a product on an expedited basis for non-compliance with post-approval requirements.
Under the Pediatric Research Equity Act, certain applications for approval must include an assessment, generally based on clinical study data, of the safety and effectiveness of the subject drug in relevant pediatric populations. The FDA may waive or defer the requirement for a pediatric assessment, either at a company’s request or by the FDA’s initiative. The FDA may determine that a Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (“REMS”) is necessary to ensure that the benefits of a new product outweigh its risks. A REMS may include various elements, ranging from a medication guide or patient package insert to limitations on who may prescribe or dispense the drug or other elements to assure safe use, depending on what the FDA considers necessary for the safe use of the drug.
Before approving a BLA, the FDA will inspect the facilities at which the product is manufactured. The FDA will not approve the product unless it determines that the manufacturing processes and facilities are in compliance with cGMP requirements and adequate to assure consistent production of the product within required specifications. Additionally, before approving a BLA, the FDA will typically inspect one or more clinical sites to assure that the clinical trials were conducted in compliance with IND study requirements and cGCP requirements.
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Notwithstanding the submission of relevant data and information, the FDA may ultimately decide that the BLA does not satisfy its regulatory criteria for approval and deny approval. Data obtained from clinical trials are not always conclusive and the FDA may interpret data differently than the applicant interprets the same data. If the FDA decides not to approve the BLA in its present form, the FDA will issue a complete response letter that usually describes all of the specific deficiencies in the BLA identified by the FDA. The deficiencies identified may be minor (for example, requiring labeling changes) or major (for example, requiring additional clinical trials). Additionally, the complete response letter may include recommended actions that the applicant might take to place the application in a condition for approval. If a complete response letter is issued, the applicant may either resubmit the BLA, addressing all of the deficiencies identified in the letter, or withdraw the application.
If a product receives regulatory approval, the approval may be significantly limited to specific diseases and dosages or the indications for use may otherwise be limited, which could restrict the commercial value of the product. Further, the FDA may require that certain contraindications, warnings or precautions be included in the product labeling. The FDA may impose restrictions and conditions on product distribution, prescribing, or dispensing in the form of a REMS, or otherwise limit the scope of any approval. In addition, the FDA may require post-marketing clinical trials, sometimes referred to as Phase 4 clinical trials, designed to further assess a biological product’s safety and effectiveness, and testing and surveillance programs to monitor the safety of approved products that have been commercialized.
Orphan Drug Designation
The Orphan Drug Act established incentives for the development of drugs intended to treat rare diseases or conditions, which generally are diseases or conditions affecting less than 200,000 individuals in the United States at the time of the request for orphan designation. If a sponsor demonstrates that a drug is intended to treat a rare disease or condition and meets other applicable requirements, the FDA grants Orphan Drug Designation to the product for that use. The FDA has granted zanidatamab Orphan Drug Designation for the treatment of BTC and GEA.
The benefits of Orphan Drug Designation include tax credits for clinical testing expenses and exemption from user fees. A drug candidate that is approved for the orphan drug designated use typically is granted seven years of orphan drug exclusivity. During that period, the FDA generally may not approve any other application for the same product for the same indication, although there are exceptions, most notably when the later product is shown to be clinically superior to the product with exclusivity. However, the FDA Reauthorization Act, which was enacted in 2017, requires, among other things, that certain orphan drugs for cancer be tested for children. The government has also increased focus on the potential misuse of the orphan drug approval process to increase the price of orphan drugs.
In Catalyst Pharms., Inc. v. Becerra, 14 F.4th 1299 (11th Cir. 2021), the court disagreed with the FDA’s longstanding position that the orphan drug exclusivity only applies to the approved use or indication within an eligible disease, and not to all uses or indications within the entire disease or condition. In January 2023, the FDA published a notice in the Federal Register to clarify that while the agency complies with the court’s order in Catalyst, the FDA intends to continue to apply its longstanding interpretation of the regulations to matters outside of the scope of the Catalyst order – that is, the agency will continue tying the scope of orphan drug exclusivity to the uses or indications for which a drug is approved, which permits other sponsors to obtain approval of a drug for new uses or indications within the same orphan designated disease or condition that have not yet been approved. It is unclear how future litigation, legislation, agency decisions, and administrative actions will impact the scope of the orphan drug exclusivity.
Further, in June 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court overruled the Chevron doctrine, which gives deference to regulatory agencies’ statutory interpretations in litigation against federal government agencies, such as the FDA, where the law is ambiguous. This Supreme Court decision may invite various stakeholders to bring lawsuits against the FDA to challenge longstanding decisions and policies, which could lead to uncertainties in the industry. Changes in the leadership of the FDA and other federal agencies under the new Presidential administration may lead to new policies and changes in the regulations that may impact our clinical development plans.
Post-Approval Requirements
Even if regulatory approval is granted, a marketed product is subject to continuing comprehensive requirements under federal, state and foreign laws and regulations, including requirements and restrictions regarding adverse event reporting, recordkeeping, marketing, and compliance with cGMP. Adverse events reported after approval of a drug can result in additional restrictions on the use of a marketed product or requirements for additional post-marketing studies or clinical trials.
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Maintaining substantial compliance with applicable federal, state and local statutes and regulations requires the expenditure of substantial time and financial resources. Rigorous and extensive FDA regulation of biological products continues after approval, particularly with respect to cGMP requirements. Biological product manufacturers and other entities involved in the manufacture and distribution of approved biological products are required to register their establishments with the FDA and certain state agencies, and are subject to periodic unannounced inspections by the FDA and certain state agencies for compliance with cGMP requirements and other laws. We will rely, and expect to continue to rely, on third parties for the production of clinical and commercial quantities of any products that we may commercialize. Manufacturers of our products are required to comply with applicable requirements in the cGMP regulations, including quality control and quality assurance and maintenance of records and documentation. Other post-approval requirements applicable to biological products include record-keeping requirements, reporting of adverse effects and reporting updated safety and efficacy information. Discovery of previously unknown problems or the failure to comply with the applicable regulatory requirements relating to the manufacture or promotion of an approved product may result in restrictions on the marketing of a product or withdrawal of the product from the market as well as significant administrative, civil or criminal sanctions.
Biosimilars and Exclusivity
The 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (“PPACA”) includes a subtitle called the Biologics Price Competition and Innovation Act of 2009 (“BPCIA”), which created an abbreviated approval pathway for biological products that are biosimilar to or interchangeable with an FDA-licensed reference biological product.
Under the BPCIA, the approval of a biosimilar product may not be made effective by the FDA until 12 years from the date on which the reference product was first licensed. During this 12-year period of exclusivity, another company may still market a competing version of the reference product if the FDA approves a full BLA for the competing product containing the sponsor’s own preclinical data and data from adequate and well-controlled clinical trials to demonstrate the safety, purity and potency of their product. The BPCIA also created certain exclusivity periods for biosimilars approved as the first interchangeable for biologic products.
Canadian Review and Approval Process
In Canada, our biologic product candidates and our research and development activities are primarily regulated by the Food and Drugs Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, which are enforced by Health Canada. Health Canada regulates, among other things, the research, development, testing, manufacture, packaging, storage, recordkeeping, labeling, advertising, promotion, distribution, post-approval monitoring, marketing and import and export of pharmaceutical products. Drug approval laws require licensing of manufacturing facilities, carefully controlled research and testing of products, and government review and approval of experimental results prior to giving approval to sell drug products, including biologic drug products. Regulators also typically require that rigorous and specific standards such as cGMP, GLP and cGCP are followed in the manufacture, testing and clinical development, respectively, of any drug product. The processes for obtaining regulatory approvals in Canada, along with subsequent compliance with applicable statutes and regulations, require the expenditure of substantial time and financial resources.
The principal steps required for drug approval in Canada are as follows:
Preclinical Toxicology Studies and Clinical Trials
Non-clinical studies are conducted in vitro and in animals to evaluate pharmacokinetics, metabolism and possible toxic effects to provide evidence of the safety of the drug candidate prior to its administration to humans in clinical studies and throughout development. Such studies are conducted in accordance with applicable laws and GLP.
In Canada, the process of conducting clinical trials with a new drug cannot begin until a Clinical Trial Application (“CTA”) is submitted and the required number of days has lapsed without objection from Health Canada. Biological drugs carry additional risks, as compared to traditional small-molecule drugs, associated with complexity and variability in manufacturing that can contribute to increased lot-to-lot variation of the final product, and with the potential for adventitious agents. Therefore, the content requirements for the quality information for biological drugs to be used in clinical trials are different from those for standard small-molecule pharmaceutical drugs (for example, the inclusion of information on manufacturing facilities is required for biological drugs). In addition, it is necessary to have more stringent controls on the release of biologic drug lots used in authorized clinical trials.
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Similar regulations apply in Canada regarding clinical trials as in the United States. In Canada, Research Ethics Boards (“REBs”), instead of IRBs, are used to review and approve clinical trial plans. Human clinical trials are typically conducted in three sequential phases, as discussed above in the context of government regulation in the United States.
The manufacture of investigational drugs for the conduct of human clinical trials is subject to cGMP requirements. Investigational drugs and active pharmaceutical ingredients imported into Canada are also subject to regulation by Health Canada relating to their labeling and distribution. Progress reports detailing the results of the clinical trials must generally be submitted at least annually to Health Canada and/or the applicable REBs, and more frequently if serious adverse events occur.
New Drug Submission
Upon successful completion of Phase 3 clinical trials, the company sponsoring a new drug then assembles all the preclinical and clinical data and other testing relating to the product’s pharmacology, chemistry, manufacture, and controls, and submits it to Health Canada as part of a New Drug Submission (“NDS”). The NDS is then reviewed by Health Canada for approval to market the drug.
The testing and approval process for an NDS requires substantial time, effort and financial resources, and may take several years to complete. Biologic drugs, such as our candidates, differ from standard small-molecule drugs in that applicants must include more detailed chemistry and manufacturing information. This is necessary to help ensure the purity and quality of the product, for example to help ensure that it is not contaminated by an undesired microorganism. Data obtained from preclinical and clinical testing are not always conclusive and may be susceptible to varying interpretations, which could delay, limit or prevent regulatory approval. Health Canada may not grant approval of an NDS on a timely basis, or at all.
Even if Health Canada approves a product candidate, it may limit the approved indications for use of the product candidate, require that contraindications, warnings or precautions be included in the product labeling, require that post-approval studies be conducted to further assess a drug’s safety after approval, require testing and surveillance programs to monitor the product after commercialization, or impose other conditions, including distribution restrictions or other risk management mechanisms.
Biologic products in particular are monitored post-approval by being placed on a lot-release schedule tailored to their potential risk, manufacturing, testing and inspection history as of the date of this report. With higher-risk biologics, each lot is tested before being released for sale in Canada. Moderate-risk biologics are periodically tested at the discretion of Health Canada while manufacturers of low-risk biologics usually only need to contact Health Canada regarding lots being sold or for providing certification of complete and satisfactory testing. Products are carefully scrutinized before they are placed in any level of the lot-release process, and the testing regime for a biologic may be altered at any time. On December 17, 2022, the Minister of Health in Canada published proposed amendments to the Food and Drug Regulations, and several of the amendments relate to biologic drugs. The purpose of the amendments is to modernize the biologics regulatory regime by repealing outdated requirements and replacing them with those that reflect current safety practices. Proposed amendments include enabling Health Canada to require certain labelling statements for safety reasons on a case-by-case basis, and clarifying the Minister’s authority to consider information or material obtained during on-site evaluations. Other proposed amendments include clarifying the record retention expectations for market authorization holders, and providing a general framework to minimize the potential for contamination of drugs, active ingredients and biological source material between processes. The proposed amendments are still in draft form.
Health Canada may prevent or limit further marketing of a product based on the results of post-marketing studies or surveillance programs. After approval, some types of changes to the approved product, such as adding new indications, manufacturing changes, and additional labeling claims, are subject to further testing requirements, notification, and regulatory authority review and approval. Further, should new safety information arise, additional testing, product labeling or regulatory notification may be required.
Canadian Biosimilars and Exclusivity
The term biosimilar is used by Health Canada to describe a biologic drug that enters the market subsequent to a version previously authorized in Canada and with demonstrated similarity to a reference biologic drug. Accordingly, a biosimilar (previously known in Canada as a subsequent entry biologic or SEB) will in all instances be a subsequent entrant onto the Canadian market.
Based on Health Canada guidance documents, a biosimilar can rely in part on prior information regarding safety and efficacy that is deemed relevant due to the demonstration of similarity to the reference biologic drug and which influences the amount
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and type of original data required. Generic drugs are chemically derived products that are pharmaceutically equivalent to innovative drugs, whereas biosimilars are products of a biologic nature that are similar to innovative biologics. According to Health Canada, it is not currently possible to demonstrate that two biologic drugs are pharmaceutically equivalent, and therefore the regulatory approval process for generics and biosimilars is different: biosimilars are approved using the standard NDS pathway with some allowances made for reduced safety and efficacy information set out in guidance documents, while generic drugs are approved using an abbreviated new drug submission pathway set out in guidance and law. In part because it continues to be set out only in guidance and not law, the pathway for receiving biosimilar approval is somewhat in flux and subject to some uncertainty.
As discussed above, all biosimilars enter the market subsequent to a biologic drug product previously approved in Canada and to which the biosimilar is considered similar. As such, biosimilars are subject to existing laws and regulations outlined in the Patented Medicines (Notice of Compliance) Regulations and the Food and Drug Regulations , and related guidance documents.
Similar to the Hatch-Waxman Amendments in the United States, Canada has the Patented Medicines (Notice of Compliance) Regulations, which require a company that files a drug submission that references a patented product to address any relevant patents listed on the Patent Register prior to being able to receive approval from Health Canada. The Canadian regime is similar to the U.S. regime, but a number of distinctions do exist.
Like the United States, Canada also has data protection in addition to patent protection, but again differences exist between the two jurisdictions. For example, Canada’s data protection applies to “innovative drugs” (i.e., a drug that contains a medicinal ingredient not previously approved in a drug by the Minister of Health and that is not a variation of a previously approved medicinal ingredient such as a salt, ester, enantiomer, solvate or polymorph) and, where it exists, lasts for eight years in most (but not all) circumstances. In general biologics can be considered innovative drugs but biosimilars are not.
Additional Regulation
In addition to the foregoing, provincial, state and federal U.S. and Canadian laws regarding environmental protection and hazardous substances affect our business. These and other laws govern our use, handling and disposal of various biological, chemical and radioactive substances used in, and wastes generated by, our operations. If our operations result in contamination of the environment or expose individuals to hazardous substances, we could be liable for damages and governmental fines. We believe that we are in material compliance with applicable environmental laws and that continued compliance therewith will not have a material adverse effect on our business. We cannot predict, however, how changes in these laws may affect our future operations.
Government Regulation Outside of the United States and Canada
In addition to regulations in the United States, we will be subject to a variety of regulations in other jurisdictions governing, among other things, clinical studies and any commercial sales and distribution of our products.
Whether or not we obtain FDA approval for a product, we must obtain the requisite approvals from regulatory authorities in foreign countries prior to the commencement of clinical studies or marketing of the product in those countries. Certain countries outside of the United States have a similar process that requires the submission of a clinical study application much like the IND prior to the commencement of human clinical studies. In the EU, in January 2022, the Clinical Trials Regulation (CTR) repealed the Clinical Trials Directive (EC) No. 2001/20/EC and national implementing legislation in the EU Member States. The CTR harmonizes the processes for assessment and supervision of clinical trials throughout the EU. From January 2023 onwards, clinical trial sponsors must apply to start a new clinical trial via the Clinical Trials Information System (CTIS), and beginning January 2025, any trials approved under the Clinical Trials Directive that continue running need to comply with the CTR and their sponsors must have recorded information on them in CTIS. National regulators in the EU Member States and EU/EEA countries use the CTIS.
The requirements and process governing the conduct of clinical studies, product licensing, coverage, pricing and reimbursement vary from country to country. In all cases, the clinical studies are conducted in accordance with cGCP and the applicable regulatory requirements and the ethical principles that have their origin in the Declaration of Helsinki.
Pharmaceutical Coverage, Pricing and Reimbursement
Significant uncertainty exists as to the coverage and reimbursement status of any product candidates for which we may obtain regulatory approval. In the United States and markets in other countries, sales of any products for which we receive regulatory approval for commercial sale will depend, in part, on pricing and the availability of coverage and adequate reimbursement from third-party payors. These third-party payors may deny coverage or reimbursement for a product or therapy in whole or in part if
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they determine that the product or therapy was not medically appropriate or necessary. Third-party payors may attempt to control costs by limiting coverage to specific drug products on an approved list, or formulary, which might not include all of the FDA-approved drug products for a particular indication, requiring pre-approval of coverage for new or innovative drug therapies before they will reimburse healthcare providers who use such therapies, and by limiting the amount of reimbursement for particular procedures or drug treatments. Additionally, coverage and reimbursement for drug products can differ significantly from payor to payor. The Medicare and Medicaid programs are often used as models by private payors and other governmental payors to develop their coverage and reimbursement policies for drugs and biologics. However, one third-party payor’s decision to cover a particular drug product does not ensure that other payors will also provide coverage for the product, or will provide coverage at an adequate reimbursement rate.
The cost of pharmaceuticals continues to generate substantial governmental and third-party payor interest. We expect that the pharmaceutical industry will experience pricing pressures due to the trend toward managed healthcare, the increasing influence of managed care organizations and additional legislative proposals. Third-party payors are increasingly challenging the price and examining the medical necessity and cost-effectiveness of medical products and services, in addition to their safety and efficacy. We may need to conduct expensive pharmacoeconomic studies in order to demonstrate the medical necessity and cost-effectiveness of our products to obtain third-party payor coverage, in addition to the costs required to obtain the FDA approvals. Our product candidates may not be considered medically necessary or cost effective. A payor’s decision to provide coverage for a drug product does not imply that an adequate reimbursement rate will be approved. Adequate third-party reimbursement may not be available to enable us to maintain price levels sufficient to realize an appropriate return on our investment in product development.
While we cannot predict whether any proposed cost-containment measures will be adopted or otherwise implemented in the future, these requirements or any announcement or adoption of such proposals could have a material adverse effect on our ability to obtain adequate prices for our product candidates and to operate profitably.
In international markets, pricing, reimbursement and healthcare payment systems vary significantly by country, and many countries have instituted price ceilings on specific products and therapies. There can be no assurance that our products will be considered medically reasonable and necessary for a specific indication, that our products will be considered cost effective by third-party payors, that coverage or an adequate level of reimbursement will be available or that third-party payors’ reimbursement policies will not adversely affect our ability to sell our products profitably.
Healthcare Reform
The United States and some other jurisdictions are considering or have enacted a number of legislative and regulatory proposals to change the healthcare system in ways that could affect our ability to sell our future products profitably. Among policy makers and payors in the United States and elsewhere, there is significant interest in promoting changes in healthcare systems with the stated goals of containing healthcare costs, improving quality or expanding access. In the United States, the pharmaceutical industry has been a particular focus of these efforts and has been significantly affected by major legislative initiatives. For example, in August 2022, Congress passed the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, which includes prescription drug provisions that have significant implications for the pharmaceutical industry and Medicare beneficiaries, including allowing the federal government to negotiate a maximum fair price for certain high-priced single-source Medicare drugs, imposing penalties and excise tax for manufacturers that fail to comply with the drug price negotiation requirements, requiring inflation rebates for all Medicare Part B and Part D drugs, with limited exceptions, if their drug prices increase faster than inflation, and redesigning Medicare Part D to reduce out-of-pocket prescription drug costs for beneficiaries, among other changes. Only high-expenditure single-source drugs that have been approved for at least seven years (11 years for single-source biologics) can qualify for negotiation, with the negotiated price taking effect two years after the selection year. For 2026, the first year in which negotiated prices become effective, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (“CMS”) selected ten high-cost Medicare Part D drugs in 2023, negotiations began in 2024, and the negotiated maximum fair price for each drug has been announced. CMS has selected 15 additional Medicare Part D drugs for negotiated maximum fair pricing in 2027. For 2028, up to an additional 15 drugs, which may be covered under either Medicare Part B or Part D, will be selected, and for 2029 and subsequent years, up to 20 additional Part B or Part D drugs will be selected. The impact of these legislative, executive, and administrative actions and any future healthcare measures and agency rules implemented by the Trump administration on us and the pharmaceutical industry as a whole is unclear.
We expect that the PPACA, as well as reform measures that may be adopted in the future, may result in more rigorous coverage criteria and lower reimbursement, and in additional downward pressure on the price that we receive for any approved product. Any reduction in reimbursement from Medicare or other government-funded programs may result in a similar reduction in
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payments from private payors. The implementation of cost containment measures or other healthcare reforms may prevent us from being able to generate revenue, attain profitability or commercialize our drugs, once regulatory approval is obtained.
Other Healthcare Laws and Compliance Requirements
In the United States, the research, manufacturing, distribution, sale and promotion of drug products are subject to regulation by various federal, state and local authorities in addition to the FDA, including the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, other divisions of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (e.g., the Office of Inspector General), the U.S. Department of Justice, state attorneys general, and other state and local government agencies.
If our operations are found to be in violation of any of the U.S. federal and state laws described above or any other governmental regulations that apply to us, we may be subject to penalties, including criminal and significant civil monetary penalties, damages, fines, disgorgement, imprisonment, exclusion from participation in government healthcare programs, injunctions, recall or seizure of products, total or partial suspension of production, denial or withdrawal of pre-marketing product approvals, private qui tam actions brought by individual whistleblowers in the name of the government or refusal to allow us to enter into supply contracts, including government contracts, and the curtailment or restructuring of our operations, any of which could adversely affect our ability to operate our business and our results of operations. We may also be subject to additional reporting requirements and oversight if we become subject to a corporate integrity agreement or similar agreement with a governmental entity to resolve allegations that we have violated these laws. To the extent that any of our product candidates, once approved, are sold in a foreign country, we may be subject to similar foreign laws and regulations, which may include, for instance, applicable post-approval requirements, including safety surveillance, anti-fraud and abuse laws, and implementation of corporate compliance programs and reporting of payments or transfers of value to healthcare professionals.
Sales and Marketing
As a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, we do not currently possess the commercial infrastructure required to launch and market our product candidates. For zanidatamab, we have entered into a development and commercialization agreement with BeiGene whereby BeiGene is responsible for certain clinical development activities and all commercial activities in Asia (excluding Japan but including the People’s Republic of China, South Korea and other countries), Australia and New Zealand. For zanidatamab, under the Amended Jazz Collaboration Agreement, Jazz is responsible for all development and commercial activities with respect to the Licensed Products in the Territory. There are no other agreements granting commercialization rights to zanidatamab or any of our other product candidates.
To access the sales, marketing and distribution capacity required to market our drug candidates, we plan to selectively establish additional partnerships with biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies having established commercial capabilities in relevant indications. The timing and nature of such agreements will be determined by market size and complexity, access to pre-commercial and commercial infrastructure and our resource availability for developing a commercial organization. For product candidates targeting patient populations that can be serviced by a small, specialized commercial effort, we may seek out co-development and co-promotion agreements granting commercialization rights to an established commercial partner in some jurisdictions while allowing us to build these capabilities in other jurisdictions. We also evaluate opportunities to retain rights further into development for certain drug candidates, providing flexibility around future commercialization strategies. This approach includes the potential to retain commercial rights in one or more geographic jurisdictions, allowing us the option to independently commercialize and launch product(s) in the future.
Human Capital Resources
As of December 31, 2024, we had 286 employees, including 280 full-time employees, 203 of whom were primarily engaged in research and development activities and 53 of whom hold an M.D. or Ph.D. degree. 192 of our full-time employees were based in Canada, 75 were based in the United States, and 13 were based in Singapore, Ireland and United Kingdom (the “ UK ” ) combined.
Our ability to achieve our mission is dependent upon attracting and retaining the right talent. We seek to provide what we consider to be a competitive mix of compensation and benefits for all our employees, including participation in our equity programs.
We believe everyone belongs at Zymeworks and we are committed to providing equal opportunities for our employees. This means ensuring we have good representation in our workforce from within the communities in which we operate, conducting training to remove biases in our processes and activities, and respecting all employees’ rights, cultures, diversity, and dignity.
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We consider our employees to be an essential driver of our business and key to our future prospects and believe that we have a good relationship with our employees. None of our employees are represented by a labor organization or covered by a collective bargaining arrangement.
Corporate History
Effective October 13, 2022, we became a Delaware corporation, following receipt of necessary shareholder, stock exchange, and court approvals (the “Redomicile Transactions”). Zymeworks Inc. was incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware in June 2022. Our principal executive offices are located at 108 Patriot Drive, Suite A, Middletown, Delaware 19709, and our telephone number is (302) 274-8744. Our predecessor, now named Zymeworks BC Inc., was originally incorporated on September 8, 2003 under the Canada Business Corporations Act under the name “Zymeworks Inc.” On October 22, 2003, our predecessor was registered as an extra-provincial company under the Company Act (British Columbia), the predecessor to the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia) (“BCBCA”). Our predecessor continued to British Columbia under the BCBCA on May 2, 2017.
Available Information
This Annual Report on Form 10-K, our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, our current reports on Form 8-K, and any amendments to these reports are filed, or will be filed, as appropriate, with the SEC and the Canadian Securities Administrators (“CSA”). These reports are available free of charge on our website, www.zymeworks.com, as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such reports with or furnish such reports to the SEC and the Canadian regulatory authorities. Information contained on, or accessible through, our website is not a part of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, and the inclusion of our website address in this document is an inactive textual reference.
Additionally, our filings with the SEC may be accessed through the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov and our filings with the CSA may be accessed through the Canadian System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval (“SEDAR+”) at www.sedarplus.ca.
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Item 1A. Risk Factors.
You should carefully consider the following risk factors, in addition to the other information contained in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, including our consolidated financial statements and related notes. If any of the events described in the following risk factors occurs, our business, operating results and financial condition could be seriously harmed. This Annual Report on Form 10-K also contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Our actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements as a result of factors that are described below and elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. See “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements.” The risks below are not the only risks facing our company. Risks and uncertainties not currently known to us or that we currently deem to be immaterial also may materially adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations, and/or prospects. Our Risk Factors are not guarantees that no such conditions exist as of the date of this report and should not be interpreted as an affirmative statement that such risks or conditions have not materialized, in whole or in part.
Summary of Risk Factors
Below is a summary of the principal factors that make an investment in shares of our common stock speculative or risky. This summary does not address all of the risks that we face. Additional discussion of the risks summarized in this risk factor summary, and other risks that we face, can be found below under the heading “Risk Factors” and should be carefully considered, together with other information in this Annual Report on Form 10-K and our other filings with the SEC, before making an investment decision regarding shares of our common stock.
• We have a limited number of product candidates, which are still in preclinical or clinical development. If we do not obtain regulatory approval of our product candidates, or experience significant delays in doing so, our business will be materially adversely affected.
• Clinical trials are expensive, time consuming, difficult to design and implement, and involve uncertain outcomes. Furthermore, the results of previous preclinical studies and clinical trials may not be predictive of future results, and the results of our current and planned clinical trials may not satisfy the requirements of the FDA or comparable regulatory authorities outside the United States.
• Our long-term prospects depend in part upon discovering, developing and commercializing additional product candidates, which may fail in development or suffer delays that adversely affect their commercial viability.
• Our product candidates may have undesirable side effects that may delay or prevent marketing approval or, if approval is received, require them to be taken off the market, require them to include safety warnings or otherwise limit their sales.
• We face significant competition, and if our competitors develop and market products that are more effective, safer and/or less expensive than our product candidates, our commercial opportunities will be negatively impacted.
• If zanidatamab or any of our product candidates that receives regulatory approval in the future does not achieve broad market acceptance among physicians, patients, the medical community and third-party payors, revenue generated from royalties or sales would be limited.
• We may not be successful in our efforts to use our therapeutic platforms to build a pipeline of product candidates.
• If any product liability lawsuits are successfully brought against us or any of our strategic partners, we may incur substantial liabilities and commercialization efforts of zanidatamab or our product candidates may need to be limited.
• Security breaches and incidents, loss of data and other disruptions could compromise sensitive information related to our business or protected health information or prevent us from accessing critical information and expose us to liability, which could adversely affect our business and our reputation.
• Current and future legislation may increase the difficulty and cost for us or our strategic partners to commercialize any approved products that we or our strategic partners develop and affect the prices that may be obtained.
• We have incurred significant losses since inception and anticipate that we will continue to incur losses for the foreseeable future. We have only one product approved for commercial sale, and, as of December 31, 2024, we have not received any revenue or profit from product sales. We may never achieve or sustain profitability.
• We will require substantial additional funding, which may not be available to us on acceptable terms, or at all, and, if not available, may require us to delay, scale back, or cease our product development programs or operations.
• Our effective tax rate may change in the future.
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• We depend on our collaborative relationship with Jazz to further develop and commercialize zanidatamab, and if our relationship is not successful or is terminated, we may be delayed in or unable to effectively develop and/or commercialize zanidatamab, which could have a material adverse effect on our business.
• Our existing strategic partnerships are important to our business, and future strategic partnerships will likely also be important to us. If we are unable to maintain our strategic partnerships, or if these strategic partnerships are not successful, our business could be adversely affected.
• We rely on third-party manufacturers to produce our product candidates and on other third parties to provide supplies and store, monitor and transport bulk drug substance and drug product. We and our third-party partners may encounter difficulties with respect to these activities that could delay or impair our ability to initiate or complete our clinical trials or commercialize products.
• We rely on third parties to monitor, support, conduct and oversee clinical trials of the product candidates that we are developing and, in some cases, to maintain regulatory files for those product candidates. We may not be able to obtain regulatory approval for our product candidates or commercialize any products that may result from our development efforts if we are not able to maintain or secure agreements with such third parties on acceptable terms, if these third parties do not perform their services as required, or if these third parties fail to timely transfer any regulatory information held by them to us.
• If we are unable to obtain, maintain and enforce patent and trade secret protection for our product candidates and related technology, our business could be materially harmed.
• If we are unable to protect the confidentiality of our proprietary information, the value of our technology and products could be adversely affected.
• Our stock price is likely to be volatile and the market price of our common stock may drop below the price paid by stockholders.
• Delaware law and provisions in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws might delay, discourage or prevent a change in control of Zymeworks or changes in our management, thereby depressing the market price of our common stock.
Risk Factors
Risks Related to Our Business and the Development and Commercialization of Our Product Candidates
We have a limited number of product candidates, which are still in preclinical or clinical development. If we do not obtain regulatory approval of our product candidates, or experience significant delays in doing so, our business will be materially adversely affected.
Our strategic partner Jazz has received accelerated approval from the FDA for Ziihera® (zanidatamab-hrii) for the treatment of adults with previously-treated, unresectable or metastatic HER2+ BTC. Ziihera® is the first product candidate from one of our therapeutic platforms to receive regulatory approval. Our other product candidates are in preclinical or clinical development and we have not submitted an application, or received marketing approval, for any other product candidates, and we may never be able to achieve such regulatory approval. In addition, although Jazz is developing zanidatamab for regulatory approval in additional indications, such regulatory approval may never be achieved.
Obtaining regulatory approval and commercializing any approved product candidates depends on many factors, including:
• successfully completing clinical trials that demonstrate the pre-specified efficacy endpoints and acceptable safety profile of the product candidate in the indication for which approval is sought;
• preparation and submission to the appropriate regulatory authorities of an application for marketing approval that includes substantial evidence of safety, purity and potency from results of nonclinical testing and clinical trials;
• establishing adequate commercial manufacturing arrangements and maintaining a consistent, quality supply of product or establishing our own commercial manufacturing capabilities or reliable arrangements with third-party contract manufacturers;
• potential pre-approval audits of nonclinical sites, clinical trial sites, and third-party manufacturing sites that generated the data and product in support of the marketing application; and
• launching commercial sales, marketing and distribution operations.
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Many of these factors are wholly or partially beyond our control, including clinical advancement, the regulatory submission process and changes in the competitive landscape. If we do not achieve one or more of these factors in a timely manner, we could experience significant delays or an inability to develop our product candidates at all.
Clinical trials are expensive, time consuming, difficult to design and implement, and involve uncertain outcomes. Furthermore, the results of previous preclinical studies and clinical trials may not be predictive of future results, and the results of our current and planned clinical trials may not satisfy the requirements of the FDA or comparable regulatory authorities outside the United States.
Although our strategic partner Jazz has submitted a BLA with respect to zanidatamab, we have not submitted a BLA to the FDA or similar marketing applications to foreign health authorities with respect to any of our other product candidates. A BLA must include extensive preclinical and clinical data and supporting information to establish the product candidate’s safety, purity and efficacy for each desired indication. The BLA must also include significant information regarding the manufacturing controls for the product. The novel nature of our product candidates may introduce uncertain, complex, expensive and lengthy challenges that could impact regulatory approval. Even if we eventually complete clinical testing and receive approval of any regulatory filing for our product candidates, the FDA or foreign health authorities may approve our product candidates for a more limited indication or a narrower patient population than we originally requested.
There is typically an extremely high rate of attrition from the failure of product candidates proceeding through preclinical studies and clinical trials. We will be required to demonstrate with substantial evidence through well-controlled clinical trials that our product candidates are safe and effective for use in a diverse population before we can seek regulatory approvals for their commercial sale. Our clinical trials may produce negative or inconclusive results, and we or any of our current and future strategic partners may decide, or regulators may require us, to conduct additional clinical or preclinical testing. In some instances, there can be significant variability in safety or efficacy results between different preclinical studies and clinical trials of the same product candidate due to numerous factors, including changes in clinical trial procedures set forth in protocols, differences in the size and type of the patient populations, changes in and adherence to the clinical trial protocols and the rate of dropout among clinical trial participants. Patients treated with our product candidates also may experience side effects or adverse events that are unrelated to our product candidates but may still impact the success of our clinical trials. The inclusion of patients with significant co-morbidities in our clinical trials may result in deaths or other adverse medical events due to an underlying condition or other therapies or medications that such patients may be using. Any of these events could prevent us from obtaining regulatory approval or achieving or maintaining market acceptance and impair our ability to commercialize our product candidates.
Moreover, success in preclinical studies or early-stage clinical trials does not mean that future clinical trials or registrational clinical trials will be successful because product candidates in later-stage clinical trials may fail to demonstrate sufficient safety and efficacy to the satisfaction of the FDA and comparable regulatory authorities outside the United States, despite having progressed through preclinical studies and initial clinical trials. Product candidates that have shown promising results in early clinical trials may suffer significant setbacks in subsequent clinical trials or registrational clinical trials. Similarly, interim results of a clinical trial do not necessarily predict final results. Data obtained from preclinical and clinical activities are subject to varying interpretations, which may delay, limit or prevent regulatory approval. In addition, regulatory delays or rejections may be encountered as a result of many factors, including changes in regulatory policy.
Applications for our product candidates could fail to receive regulatory approval for many reasons, including:
• the FDA or foreign health authorities may disagree with the design, implementation or data analyses of clinical trials;
• the FDA or foreign health authorities may determine that the product candidate(s) do not have adequate risk-benefit ratio or have undesirable or unintended side effects, toxicities or other characteristics that preclude obtaining marketing approval or prevent or limit commercial use;
• the population studied in the clinical program may not be sufficiently broad or representative to assure efficacy and safety in the full population for which approval is sought;
• the FDA or foreign regulators may disagree with our interpretation of data from preclinical studies or clinical trials;
• the data collected from clinical trials of the product candidates may not be sufficient to support the submission of a BLA or other submission or to obtain regulatory approval in the United States or elsewhere;
• the FDA or foreign health authorities may fail to approve the manufacturing processes, test procedures and specifications or facilities of third-party manufacturers providing our clinical and commercial supplies; and
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• the approval policies or regulations of the FDA or foreign health authorities may significantly change in a manner rendering clinical data insufficient for approval.
We have conducted, and may in the future conduct, clinical trials outside the United States. Although the FDA may accept data from clinical trials conducted outside the United States, acceptance of these data is subject to certain conditions imposed by the FDA and its determination that the trials complied with all applicable U.S. laws and regulations. If the FDA does not accept the data from any clinical trials conducted outside the United States, it would likely result in the need for additional trials, which would be costly and time-consuming and delay or halt development of any future product candidates.
Even if regulatory approval is obtained for a particular indication, there is no guarantee that additional indications will be approved, which could materially limit the commercial potential of any approved product. For example, while Jazz intends to seek approval of zanidatamab in additional indications, we cannot be certain that such approvals will be obtained. If additional indications are not approved, our ability to achieve additional milestone payments and royalties on sales of zanidatamab will be materially and negatively impacted.
If clinical trials for product candidates are prolonged, delayed or stopped, we may be unable to obtain regulatory approval and commercialize product candidates on a timely basis, or at all, which could require us to incur additional costs and delay our receipt of any product revenue.
We currently have two clinical-stage product candidates, ZW171 and ZW191. We have licensed zanidatamab to our strategic partner Jazz, which has been responsible for completing its clinical development in the United States and other jurisdictions not covered by our license to BeiGene. In November 2024, Jazz announced the FDA granted accelerated approval for Ziihera ® for injection for intravenous use for the treatment of adults with previously treated, unresectable or metastatic HER2+ (IHC 3+) BTC. Jazz is conducting the confirmatory trial for Ziihera ® related to the accelerated approval. If the confirmatory trial fails to demonstrate a clinical benefit, the FDA may remove Ziihera ® from the market, which would negatively impact our ability to earn milestone payments and royalties under our arrangement with Jazz.
Following the transfer of the zanidatamab development program to Jazz and the discontinuation of our zanidatamab zovodotin clinical development program following a strategic business review, we have been focused on the development of our early-stage product candidates and general discovery efforts. Following the clearance of our IND applications for both ZW171 and ZW191, we are actively progressing with additional submissions in selected non-U.S. countries in relation to our Phase 1 study sites in North America, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific region.
The commencement or completion of ongoing or planned clinical trials could be substantially delayed or prevented by many factors, including:
• further discussions with the FDA or other regulatory agencies regarding the scope or design of our clinical trials;
• the limited number of, and competition for, suitable sites and patients required to conduct our clinical trials, many of which may already be engaged in other clinical trial programs, including some that may be for the same indication as our product candidates;
• any delay or failure to obtain approval or agreement to commence a clinical trial in any of the countries where enrollment is planned;
• inability to obtain sufficient funds required for a clinical trial;
• inability to recruit clinical operations personnel and other personnel with later-stage development experience;
• clinical holds on, or other regulatory objections to, a new or ongoing clinical trial;
• delay or failure to manufacture sufficient supplies of the product candidate for our clinical trials;
• delay or failure to reach agreement on acceptable clinical trial agreement terms or clinical trial protocols with prospective sites or CROs, the terms of which can be subject to extensive negotiation and may vary significantly among different sites or CROs;
• delay or failure to obtain institutional review board (“IRB”) approval to conduct a clinical trial at a prospective site;
• slower than expected rates of patient recruitment and enrollment;
• failure of patients to complete the clinical trial or to be lost to follow up;
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• the inability to enroll a sufficient number of patients in studies to ensure adequate statistical power to detect statistically significant treatment effects;
• unforeseen safety issues, including severe or unexpected drug-related adverse effects experienced by patients, including possible deaths;
• lack of efficacy during clinical trials;
• termination of our clinical trials by one or more clinical trial sites;
• inability or unwillingness of patients or clinical investigators to follow our clinical trial protocols;
• inability to monitor patients adequately during or after treatment by us or our CROs;
• our CROs or clinical study sites failing to comply with the trial protocol or regulatory requirements or meet their contractual obligations to us in a timely manner, or at all, deviating from the protocol or dropping out of a study;
• the inability to address any noncompliance with regulatory requirements or safety concerns that arise during the course of a clinical trial;
• third-party contractors becoming debarred or suspended or otherwise penalized by the FDA or foreign health authorities for violations of applicable regulatory requirements;
• delays in the testing, validation, manufacturing and delivery of our product candidates to the clinical trial sites, including due to a facility manufacturing any of our product candidates or any of their components being ordered by the FDA or foreign health authorities to temporarily or permanently shut down due to violations of cGMP regulations or other applicable requirements, or cross-contaminations of product candidates in the manufacturing process;
• the need to repeat or terminate clinical trials as a result of inconclusive or negative results or unforeseen complications in testing;
• our clinical trials may be suspended or terminated upon a breach or pursuant to the terms of any agreement with, or for any other reason by, current or future strategic partners that have responsibility for the clinical development of any of our product candidates; and
• receiving untimely or unfavorable feedback from applicable regulatory authorities regarding the trial or requests from regulatory authorities to modify the design of a trial.
Furthermore, a clinical trial may be suspended or terminated by us, the IRBs for the institutions in which such trials are being conducted, the Data Monitoring Committee for such trial, or by the FDA or foreign health authorities due to a number of factors, including failure to conduct the clinical trial in accordance with regulatory requirements or our clinical protocols, inspection of the clinical trial operations or trial site by the FDA or foreign health authorities resulting in the imposition of a clinical hold, unforeseen safety issues or adverse side effects, failure to demonstrate a benefit from using a product candidate, changes in governmental regulations or administrative actions or lack of adequate funding to continue the clinical trial. If we experience termination of, or delays in the completion of, any clinical trial of our product candidates, the commercial prospects for our product candidates will be harmed, and our ability to generate product revenue will be delayed. In addition, any delays in completing our clinical trials will increase our costs, slow down our product development and approval process and jeopardize our ability to commence product sales and generate revenue.
Changes in regulatory requirements, policies and guidelines may also occur and we may need to significantly amend clinical trial protocols to reflect these changes with appropriate regulatory authorities. These changes may require us to renegotiate terms with CROs or resubmit clinical trial protocols to IRBs for re-examination, which may impact the costs, timing or successful completion of a clinical trial. Our clinical trials may be suspended or terminated at any time by the FDA, other regulatory authorities, the IRB overseeing the clinical trial at issue, any of our clinical trial sites with respect to that site, or us.
Any failure or significant delay in commencing or completing clinical trials would adversely affect our ability to obtain regulatory approval, and our commercial prospects and ability to generate product revenue will be diminished. In addition, even if trials are successfully completed, clinical data are often susceptible to varying interpretations and analyses, and we cannot guarantee that the FDA or foreign health authorities will interpret the results as we do, and more trials could be required before we submit our product candidates for approval. We cannot guarantee that the FDA or foreign health authorities will view any of our product candidates as having adequate safety and efficacy profiles even if favorable results are observed in these clinical trials, and we may receive unexpected or unfavorable feedback from the FDA or foreign health authorities regarding satisfaction of safety, purity and potency (including clinical efficacy), amongst other factors. To the extent the results of the trials are not satisfactory to the FDA or foreign health authorities for support of a marketing application, approval of our
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product candidates may be significantly delayed, or we may be required to expend significant additional resources, which may not be available to us, to conduct additional trials in support of potential approval of our product candidates.
Our long-term prospects depend in part upon discovering, developing and commercializing additional product candidates, which may fail in development or suffer delays that adversely affect their commercial viability.
Our future operating results are dependent in part on our ability to successfully discover, develop, obtain regulatory approval for and commercialize product candidates beyond zanidatamab and the product candidates we currently have in clinical and preclinical development. A product candidate can unexpectedly fail at any stage of preclinical and clinical development. Our investments in our early-stage research and development efforts may not yield any promising product candidates. Even if our research and development efforts yield product candidates that advance into clinical studies, the historical failure rate for product candidates is high due to risks relating to safety, efficacy, clinical execution, changing standards of medical care and other unpredictable variables. The results from preclinical testing or early clinical trials of a product candidate may not be predictive of the results that will be obtained in later stage clinical trials of the product candidate.
The success of other product candidates we may develop will depend on many factors, including generating sufficient data to support the initiation or continuation of clinical trials and obtaining regulatory permission to initiate clinical trials. Even if we successfully advance any other product candidates into clinical development, their success will be subject to all of the clinical, regulatory and commercial risks described elsewhere in this “Risk Factors” section. We cannot assure you that we will ever be able to discover, develop, obtain regulatory approval of, commercialize or generate significant revenue from our other product candidates.
If we, or any of our strategic partners, are unable to enroll patients in clinical trials, we will be unable to complete these trials on a timely basis or at all.
Patient enrollment, a significant factor in the timing of clinical trials, is affected by many factors including the size and nature of the patient population, the proximity of subjects to clinical sites, the eligibility criteria for the trial, the design of the clinical trial, ability to obtain and maintain patient consents, risk that enrolled subjects will drop out before completion, competing clinical trials and clinicians’ and patients’ perceptions as to the potential advantages of the drug being studied in relation to other available therapies, including any new drugs that may be approved for the indications we are investigating. In particular, we are developing certain of our product candidates for the treatment of rare diseases, which have limited pools of patients from which to draw for clinical testing. If we, or any of our strategic partners that perform clinical tests for our product candidates, are unable to enroll a sufficient number of patients to complete clinical testing, we will be unable to gain marketing approval for such product candidates and our business will be harmed. Additionally, projections of addressable patient populations that have the potential to benefit from treatment with our or our strategic partners’ product candidates are based on estimates, and, if such estimates are inaccurate, could have an adverse material impact on our business.
In addition, the U.S. federal Right to Try Act, among other things, provides a framework for patients to access certain investigational new drug products that have completed a Phase 1 clinical trial. Under certain circumstances, eligible patients can seek treatment without enrolling in clinical trials and without obtaining FDA approval under the FDA expanded access program. While there is no obligation to make product candidates available to eligible patients as a result of the Right to Try Act, new and emerging legislation regarding expanded access to unapproved drugs could negatively impact enrollment in our clinical trials and our business in the future.
The design or our execution of clinical trials may not support regulatory approval.
The design or execution of a clinical trial can determine whether its results will support regulatory approval, and flaws in the design or execution of a clinical trial may not become apparent until the clinical trial is well advanced. In some instances, there can be significant variability in safety or efficacy results between different trials of the same product candidate due to numerous factors, including changes in trial protocols, differences in size and type of the patient populations, adherence to the dosing regimen and other trial protocols and the rate of dropout among clinical trial participants. We do not know whether any Phase 2, Phase 3 or other clinical trials we or any of our strategic partners may conduct will demonstrate consistent or adequate efficacy and safety to obtain regulatory approval to market our product candidates.
Further, the FDA and comparable foreign regulatory authorities have substantial discretion in the approval process and in determining when or whether regulatory approval will be obtained for any of our product candidates. Our product candidates may not be approved even if they achieve their primary endpoints in any Phase 3 clinical trials or registration trials. The FDA or other non-U.S. regulatory authorities may disagree with our trial design and our interpretation of data from preclinical studies
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and clinical trials. In addition, any of these regulatory authorities may change requirements for the approval of a product candidate even after reviewing and providing comments or advice on a protocol for a pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial that has the potential to result in FDA or other agencies’ approval. In addition, any of these regulatory authorities may approve a product candidate for fewer or more limited indications than we request or may grant approval contingent on the performance of costly post-marketing clinical trials. The FDA or other non-U.S. regulatory authorities may not approve the labeling claims that we believe would be necessary or desirable for the successful commercialization of our product candidates.
Interim, preliminary or top-line data from our clinical trials that we announce or publish from time to time may change as more patient data become available and are subject to audit and verification procedures that could result in material changes in the final data.
From time to time, we may publish interim, preliminary or top-line data from clinical trials. Interim data from clinical trials that we may complete are subject to the risk that one or more of the clinical outcomes may materially change as patient enrollment continues and more patient data becomes available. Preliminary or top-line data also remain subject to audit and verification procedures that may result in the final data being materially different from the preliminary or top-line data previously published. As a result, interim, preliminary and top-line data should be viewed with caution until the final data is available. Adverse differences between interim, preliminary or top-line data and final data could significantly harm our reputation and business prospects. Moreover, preliminary, interim and top-line data are subject to the risk that one or more of the clinical outcomes may materially change as more patient data become available when patients mature on study, patient enrollment continues or as other ongoing or future clinical trials with a product candidate further develop. Past results of clinical trials may not be predictive of future results.
The information we choose to publicly disclose regarding a particular study or clinical trial is based on what is typically more extensive information, and you or others may not agree with what we determine is the material or otherwise appropriate information to include in our disclosure. Any information we determine not to disclose may ultimately be deemed significant with respect to future decisions, conclusions, views, activities or otherwise regarding a particular product candidate or our business. Similarly, even if we are able to complete our planned and ongoing preclinical studies and clinical trials of our product candidates according to our current development timeline, the positive results from such preclinical studies and clinical trials of our product candidates may not be replicated in subsequent preclinical studies or clinical trial results.
Many companies in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries have suffered significant setbacks in late-stage clinical trials after achieving positive results in early-stage development and we cannot be certain that we will not face similar setbacks. These setbacks have been caused by, among other things, preclinical and other nonclinical findings made while clinical trials were underway or safety or efficacy observations made in preclinical studies and clinical trials, including previously unreported adverse events. Moreover, preclinical, nonclinical and clinical data are often susceptible to varying interpretations and analyses and many companies that believed their product candidates performed satisfactorily in preclinical studies and clinical trials nonetheless failed to obtain FDA or other regulatory approval.
The Fast Track and Breakthrough Therapy designations received for zanidatamab may not result in faster development, regulatory review or approval process.
The FDA has granted Fast Track designations to zanidatamab for the first-line treatment of patients with HER2-overexpressing GEA in combination with standard of care chemotherapy and for previously treated or recurrent gene-amplified BTC. While the FDA granted accelerated approval in November 2024 for Ziihera ® for injection for intravenous use for the treatment of adults with previously treated, unresectable or metastatic HER2+ BTC (IHC 3+), these Fast Track designations do not ensure that zanidatamab will experience a faster development, regulatory review or approval process compared to conventional FDA procedures or that zanidatamab will ultimately obtain regulatory approval for additional indications. The FDA may withdraw Fast Track designation if it believes that the designation is no longer supported by data from the zanidatamab clinical development program. The FDA also granted Breakthrough Therapy designation for zanidatamab for treatment of patients with previously treated HER2 gene-amplified locally advanced/unresectable or metastatic BTC. Designation as a Breakthrough Therapy is within the discretion of the FDA and the FDA may decide to rescind a Breakthrough Therapy designation if it believes that a designated product candidate no longer meets the conditions for qualification of this program. If a clinical development program is suspended, terminated, or put on clinical hold due to unexpected adverse events or other issues, including clinical supply issues, the benefits associated with the Fast Track or Breakthrough Therapy designations may not be realized by us or our strategic partners. Furthermore, Fast Track designation does not change the standards for approval, and the designation alone does not guarantee qualification for the FDA’s priority review procedures. Zanidatamab has also been granted Breakthrough Therapy designation from the CDE in China for treating patients with BTC who have failed prior systemic therapies. This designation alone does not guarantee faster approval of zanidatamab in China.
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Development of product candidates in combination with other therapies could expose us to additional risks.
We are subject to risks that the FDA, the EMA or other comparable foreign regulatory authorities could revoke approval of any therapies used in combination with zanidatamab or any other product candidate that receives marketing approval. We are also subject to the risk that safety, efficacy, manufacturing or supply issues could arise with such therapies. In addition, it is possible that existing therapies with which zanidatamab or our product candidates are approved for use could themselves fall out of favor or be relegated to later lines of treatment, which could result in such products being removed from the market or being less successful commercially. We may also evaluate our product candidates in combination with one or more other therapies that have not yet been approved for marketing by the FDA, EMA or comparable foreign regulatory authorities. We will not be able to market and sell any product candidate in combination with any such unapproved therapies that do not ultimately obtain marketing approval. If the FDA, EMA or other comparable foreign regulatory authorities do not approve or revoke their approval of these other therapies, or if safety, efficacy, commercial adoption, manufacturing or supply issues arise with the therapies we choose to evaluate in combination with any other product candidate, we may be unable to obtain approval of or successfully market any one or all of the product candidates we develop.
Additionally, if the third-party providers of therapies or therapies in development used in combination with zanidatamab or our product candidates are unable to produce sufficient quantities for clinical trials or for commercialization of our product candidates, or if the cost of combination therapies is prohibitive, our development and commercialization efforts would be impaired, which would have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects.
If we are unable to successfully develop any required companion diagnostic tests for our product candidates, or experience significant delays in doing so, or rely on third parties in the development of such companion diagnostic tests, we may not realize the full commercial potential of our product candidates.
If we develop a product candidate for which there are no commercially available diagnostic tests for identifying the appropriate patient population to ensure safe and effective use of such candidate, the FDA may require us to develop a companion diagnostic plan in conjunction with clinical development and regulatory approval for our product candidate. Lack of a reliable commercially available companion diagnostic can introduce uncertainties in the regulatory process for our product candidate. Developing a companion diagnostic or working with a third party to develop such companion diagnostic for our product candidate will require more resources and could expose us to additional liabilities related to government regulation of companion diagnostics. If the FDA expects to review and approve simultaneously marketing submissions for a therapeutic candidate and its companion diagnostic, any delay in diagnostic marketing clearance or approval could delay the drug approval.
In particular, in April 2020, the FDA issued guidance on developing and labeling companion diagnostics for a specific group of oncology therapeutic products, including recommendations to support a broader labeling claim rather than individual therapeutic products. In June 2023, the FDA announced a voluntary pilot program through which drug manufacturers can provide to the FDA the diagnostic test performance information used to enroll patients into clinical trials for drug approval. Based on assessment of the performance information, the FDA will publish the minimum performance characteristics recommended for similar tests that may be used to select patients for treatment with the approved drug to help laboratories identify specific biomarkers for their development of laboratory-developed tests (“LDTs”), and to ensure more consistent performance of these tests for drug selection and improved cancer patient care. In May 2024, the FDA issued a final rule that phases out its enforcement discretion for most LDTs and amends the FDA’s regulations to make explicit that in vitro diagnostics are medical devices under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, including when the manufacturer of the diagnostic product is a laboratory. This final rule is subject to ongoing judicial challenges. Changes in the leadership of the FDA and other federal agencies under the new Trump administration can result in changes in policies and new regulations that impact the regulation of LDTs and our companion diagnostic development plans. We will continue to evaluate the impact of this rule on our companion diagnostic development and strategy. Any future issuances from the FDA and other regulatory authorities, including changes in the FDA’s regulation of diagnostic tests and LDTs, may impact our development of a companion diagnostic for our product candidates and result in delays in regulatory approval. We may be required to conduct additional studies to support a broader claim. Also, to the extent other approved diagnostics are able to broaden their labeling claims to include our approved drug products, we may be forced to abandon any of our companion diagnostic development plans, or we may not be able to compete effectively upon approval, which could adversely impact our ability to generate revenue from the sale of approved products and our business operations.
We may rely on third parties for the design, development and manufacture of companion diagnostic tests for our product candidates that require such tests. To be successful, we or our collaborators will need to address a number of scientific, technical, regulatory and logistical challenges. If we or such third parties are unable to successfully develop companion diagnostics, or experience delays in doing so, we may be unable to enroll enough patients for our current and planned clinical
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trials, the development of our product candidates may be adversely affected or we may not obtain marketing approval, and we may not realize the full commercial potential of our product candidates.
Disruptions at the FDA and other government agencies caused by funding shortages, reductions in staff or global health concerns could hinder their ability to hire, retain or deploy key leadership and other personnel, or otherwise prevent new or modified product candidates from being developed, or approved or commercialized in a timely manner or at all, which could negatively impact our business.
The ability of the FDA to review and clear or approve new product candidates can be affected by a variety of factors, including government budget and funding levels, statutory, regulatory, and policy changes, the FDA’s ability to hire and retain key personnel and accept the payment of user fees, and other events that may otherwise affect the FDA’s ability to perform routine functions. In addition, government funding of other government agencies that fund research and development activities is subject to the political process, which is inherently fluid and unpredictable. Disruptions at the FDA and other agencies, including delays or disruptions due to pandemics or other health crises, travel restrictions, staffing shortages, government shutdowns and furloughs, may also slow the time necessary for new product candidates to be reviewed and/or approved by necessary government agencies, which would adversely affect our business. Additionally, the current Presidential administration is pursuing significant reductions in the number of federal employees across numerous agencies. A significant reduction in the number of FDA personnel as a result of this initiative could materially impact review timelines and negatively and adversely impact our business.
Successful development of our current and future product candidates is uncertain and we may discontinue or reprioritize the development of any of our product candidates at any time, at our discretion.
Before obtaining regulatory approval for the commercial distribution of our product candidates, we must conduct, at our own expense, extensive preclinical tests and clinical trials to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of our product candidates in humans. Preclinical and clinical testing is expensive, difficult to design and implement, can take many years to complete and is uncertain as to outcome. Additionally, the results from nonclinical testing or early clinical trials of a product candidate may not predict the results that will be obtained in subsequent human clinical trials of that product candidate. There is a high failure rate for drugs proceeding through clinical studies. A number of companies in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries have suffered significant setbacks in clinical development even after achieving promising results in earlier studies, and any such setbacks in any future clinical development could have a material adverse effect on our business and operating results. Alternatively, management may elect to discontinue development of certain product candidates to accommodate a shift in corporate strategy, despite positive clinical results. Based on our operating results and business strategy, among other factors, we may discontinue the development of any of our other product candidates under development or reprioritize our focus on other product candidates at any time and at our discretion.
Because we have limited financial and managerial resources, we focus on research programs, therapeutic platforms and product candidates that we identify for specific indications. As a result, we may forgo or delay pursuit of opportunities with other therapeutic platforms or product candidates or for other indications that later prove to have greater commercial potential. If we do not accurately evaluate the commercial potential or target market for a particular product candidate, we may relinquish valuable rights to that product candidate through collaboration, licensing or other royalty arrangements in cases in which it would have been more advantageous for us to retain sole development and commercialization rights.
Our product candidates may have undesirable side effects that may delay or prevent marketing approval or, if approval is received, require them to be taken off the market, require them to include safety warnings or otherwise limit their sales.
Unforeseen side effects from any of our product candidates could arise either during clinical development or, if approved by regulatory authorities, after the approved product has been marketed. As our product candidates are evaluated in clinical trials, the results of such clinical trials may show that our product candidates cause undesirable or unacceptable side effects, which could interrupt, delay or halt clinical trials, and result in delay of, or failure to obtain, marketing approval from the FDA and other regulatory authorities, or result in marketing approval from the FDA and other regulatory authorities with restrictive label warnings, limited patient populations or potential product liability claims. Even if we believe that our clinical trials and preclinical studies demonstrate the safety and efficacy of our product candidates, only the FDA and other comparable regulatory agencies may ultimately make such determination.
If we or others later identify undesirable or unacceptable side effects caused by zanidatamab or other product candidates that receive marketing approval:
• regulatory authorities may require the approved product to be taken off the market;
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• regulatory authorities may require the addition of labeling statements, specific warnings, a contraindication or field alerts to physicians and pharmacies, or impose a risk evaluation and mitigation strategy that includes restrictions and conditions on product distribution, prescribing and/or dispensing;
• we or our partners may be required to change the way the product is administered, conduct additional clinical trials or change the labeling of the product;
• we or our partners may be subject to limitations on how we may promote the product;
• sales of the product may decrease significantly;
• we may be subject to litigation or product liability claims; and
• our reputation may suffer.
Any of these events could prevent us or our current or future strategic partners from achieving or maintaining market acceptance of the affected product or could substantially increase commercialization costs and expenses, which in turn could delay or prevent us from generating revenue from the sale of any future products.
We face significant competition, and if our competitors develop and market products that are more effective, safer and/or less expensive than our product candidates, our commercial opportunities will be negatively impacted.
The life sciences industry is highly competitive and subject to rapid and significant technological change. We are developing biotherapeutics that will compete with other drugs and therapies that currently exist or are being developed. Products we may develop in the future are also likely to face competition from other drugs and therapies, some of which we may not currently be aware. We have competitors in the United States and internationally, including major multinational pharmaceutical companies, established biotechnology companies, specialty pharmaceutical companies, universities and other research institutions. Many of our competitors have significantly greater financial, manufacturing, marketing, drug development, technical and human resources than we do. Large pharmaceutical companies, in particular, have extensive experience in clinical testing, obtaining regulatory approvals, recruiting patients and in manufacturing pharmaceutical products. These companies also have significantly greater research and marketing capabilities than we do and may also have products that have been approved or are in late stages of development and collaborative arrangements in our target markets with leading companies and research institutions. Established pharmaceutical companies may also invest heavily to accelerate discovery and development of novel compounds or to in-license novel compounds that could make the product candidates that we develop obsolete. As a result of all of these factors, our competitors may succeed in obtaining patent protection or FDA approval or discovering, developing and commercializing products in our field before we do. Specifically, there are a large number of companies developing or marketing treatments for cancer and AIID, including many major pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. These treatments consist both of small-molecule drug products, as well as biologics that work by using various antibody therapeutic platforms to address specific targets.
Our commercial opportunity could be reduced or eliminated if our competitors develop and commercialize products that are safer, more effective, more convenient or less expensive than any products that we may develop. Our competitors also may obtain FDA or other regulatory approval for their products more rapidly than we may obtain approval for our product candidates, which could result in our competitors establishing a strong market position before we are able to enter the market.
Smaller and other early-stage companies may also prove to be significant competitors, particularly through collaborative arrangements with large and established companies. These third parties compete with us in recruiting and retaining qualified scientific and management personnel, establishing clinical trial sites and patient registration for clinical trials, as well as in acquiring technologies complementary to, or necessary for, our programs. In addition, the biopharmaceutical industry is characterized by rapid technological change. If we fail to stay at the forefront of technological change, we may be unable to compete effectively. Technological advances or products developed by our competitors may render our technologies or product candidates obsolete, less competitive or not economical.
We expect to compete with biosimilar versions of already approved products, and even if additional product candidates achieve marketing approval, they may be challenged to achieve a price premium over competitive biosimilar products and will compete for market share with them.
The Biologics Price Competition and Innovation Act of 2009, which is included in the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (“ PPACA ”) , authorized the FDA to approve similar versions of innovative biologics, commonly known as biosimilars. Under the PPACA, a manufacturer may submit an application for licensure of a biologic product that is “biosimilar to” or “interchangeable with” a previously approved biologic product or “reference product.” Manufacturers may not submit an
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application for a biosimilar to the FDA until four years following approval of the reference product, and the FDA may not approve a biosimilar product until 12 years from the date on which the reference product was approved. Even if our product candidates, if approved, are deemed to be reference products eligible for exclusivity, another company could market a competing version of that product if the FDA approves a full BLA for such product containing the sponsor’s own preclinical data and data from adequate and well-controlled clinical trials to demonstrate the safety, purity and potency of their product. Additionally, from time to time, there are proposals to repeal or modify the PPACA, including proposals that could significantly shorten the exclusivity period for biologics.
If zanidatamab or any of our product candidates that receives regulatory approval in the future does not achieve broad market acceptance among physicians, patients, the medical community and third-party payors, revenue generated from royalties or sales would be limited.
The commercial success of zanidatamab or our product candidates will depend upon their acceptance among physicians, patients and the medical community. The degree of market acceptance of zanidatamab or our product candidates will depend on a number of factors, including:
• limitations or warnings contained in the approved labeling;
• changes in the standard of care for the targeted indications;
• limitations in the approved clinical indications;
• demonstrated clinical safety and efficacy compared to other products;
• sales, marketing and distribution support;
• availability of coverage and the extent of access and reimbursement from managed care plans and other third-party payors;
• timing of market introduction and perceived effectiveness of competitive products;
• availability of alternative therapies at similar or lower cost;
• the extent to which the product is approved for inclusion on formularies of hospitals and managed care organizations;
• whether the product is designated under physician treatment guidelines as a first-line therapy or as a second- or third-line therapy for particular diseases;
• whether the product can be used effectively with other therapies to achieve higher response rates;
• adverse publicity about the product or favorable publicity about competitive products;
• convenience and ease of administration of the product; and
• potential product liability claims.
If zanidatamab or any of our product candidates that are approved in the future do not achieve an adequate level of acceptance by physicians, patients and the medical community, we may not generate sufficient revenue from these products, and we may not become or remain profitable. In addition, efforts to educate the medical community and third-party payors on the benefits of zanidatamab or our product candidates may require significant resources and may never be successful.
We or our strategic partners may be unable to obtain orphan drug exclusivity in specific indications for zanidatamab or in future product candidates that we may develop. If our competitors are able to obtain orphan product exclusivity for their products in specific indications, we may not be able to have competing products approved in those indications by the applicable regulatory authority for a significant period of time.
The FDA has granted Orphan Drug Designation to zanidatamab for the treatment of BTC and gastric cancer, including cancer of the gastroesophageal junction, the EMA has granted Orphan Drug Designation to zanidatamab for the treatment of gastric cancer and BTC, and we or our strategic partners may seek Orphan Drug Designation for zanidatamab or other product candidates for additional indications in the future. Orphan Drug Designation neither shortens the development time or regulatory review time of a drug nor gives the drug any advantage in the regulatory review or approval process.
Generally, if a product candidate with an Orphan Drug Designation subsequently receives the first marketing approval for the indication for which it has such designation, the product is entitled to a period of marketing exclusivity, which precludes the EMA or the FDA from approving another marketing application for the same drug for the same indication for that time period.
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The applicable period is seven years in the United States and ten years in Europe. The European exclusivity period can be reduced to six years if a product no longer meets the criteria for Orphan Drug Designation or if the product is sufficiently profitable so that market exclusivity is no longer justified. Orphan drug exclusivity may be lost if the FDA or EMA determines that the request for designation was materially defective or if the manufacturer is unable to assure sufficient quantity of the product to meet the needs of patients with the rare disease or condition. The loss of Orphan Drug Designation could have a negative effect on our ability to successfully commercialize our product candidates, earn revenues and achieve profitability.
Even if orphan drug exclusivity for zanidatamab is obtained, or is obtained for any other product candidates that receive an Orphan Drug Designation in the future, that exclusivity may not effectively protect the product from competition because different drugs with different active moieties can be approved for the same condition. Further, in the United States, even after an orphan drug is approved, the FDA can subsequently approve the same drug for the same condition submitted by a competitor if the FDA concludes that the later drug is clinically superior in that it is shown to be safer, more effective or makes a major contribution to patient care. If we or our strategic partners are unable to manufacture sufficient supply of a product to meet the needs of patients, the FDA can withdraw orphan exclusive marketing rights or approve another marketing application for the same drug product before the expiration of the exclusivity period.
Further, in Catalyst Pharms., Inc. v. Becerra, 14 F.4th 1299 (11th Cir. 2021), the court disagreed with the FDA’s longstanding position that the orphan drug exclusivity only applies to the approved use or indication within an eligible disease, and not to all uses or indications within the entire disease or condition. In January 2023, the FDA published a notice in the Federal Register to clarify that while the agency complies with the court’s order in Catalyst, the FDA intends to continue to apply its longstanding interpretation of the regulations to matters outside of the scope of the Catalyst order – that is, the agency will continue tying the scope of orphan drug exclusivity to the uses or indications for which a drug is approved, which permits other sponsors to obtain approval of a drug for new uses or indications within the same orphan designated disease or condition that have not yet been approved. The U.S Supreme Court’s recent Chevron decision may invite lawsuits against the FDA to challenge longstanding decisions and policies of the FDA, including the FDA’s statutory interpretations of market exclusivities, which could undermine the FDA’s authority, lead to uncertainty in the industry, and disrupt the FDA’s normal operations. Further, the Trump administration, along with new leadership at the FDA, may issue new policies and regulations. Executive actions under the Trump administration, such as layoffs, a hiring freeze and budget cuts, may also disrupt the normal operations of federal agencies. It is unclear how future litigation, legislation, agency decisions, and administrative actions will impact the scope of the orphan drug exclusivity.
Even if we obtain FDA approval of any of our product candidates, we may never obtain approval or commercialize such product candidates outside of the United States, which would limit our ability to realize their full market potential.
In order to market any products outside of the United States, we must establish and comply with numerous and varying regulatory requirements of other countries regarding safety and efficacy. Clinical trials conducted in one country may not be accepted by regulatory authorities in other countries, and regulatory approval in one country does not mean that regulatory approval will be obtained in any other country. Approval procedures vary among countries and can involve additional product testing and validation and additional administrative review periods. Seeking foreign regulatory approvals could result in significant delays, difficulties and costs and may require additional preclinical studies or clinical trials, which would be costly and time consuming. Regulatory requirements can vary widely from country to country and region to region and could delay or prevent the introduction of our products in those countries. Satisfying these and other regulatory requirements is costly, time consuming, uncertain and subject to unanticipated delays. Our failure to obtain regulatory approval in any country may delay or have negative effects on the process for regulatory approval in other countries. Zanidatamab is the only product developed using our therapeutic platforms to have received FDA approval, and as of the date of this report, no approvals in international markets have been obtained. Such approval was received by our strategic partner Jazz, and we do not have experience in obtaining regulatory approval in the United States or international markets. If we fail to comply with regulatory requirements in international markets or to obtain and maintain required approvals, our target market will be reduced and our ability to realize the full market potential of our products will be harmed.
Our ability to eventually generate significant revenues from product sales will depend on a number of factors, including:
• successful completion of preclinical studies;
• submission of IND and non-U.S. applications, or other regulatory applications, for our planned clinical trials or future clinical trials and authorizations from regulators to initiate clinical studies;
• successful enrollment in, and completion of, clinical trials;
• achieving favorable results from clinical trials;
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• receipt of marketing approvals from applicable regulatory authorities;
• establishing and maintaining sufficient manufacturing capabilities, for clinical and commercial supply;
• obtaining pricing, reimbursement, and hospital formulary access;
• establishing sales, marketing and distribution capabilities and launching commercial sales of our products, if and when approved, whether alone or in combination with other products;
• sufficiency of our financial and other resources to complete the necessary preclinical studies and clinical trials and commercialization activities;
• effectively competing with other therapies;
• developing and implementing successful marketing and reimbursement strategies;
• obtaining and maintaining patent, trade secret and other intellectual property protection and regulatory exclusivity for our product candidates; and
• maintaining a continued acceptable safety profile of any product following approval, if any.
If we do not achieve one or more of these requirements in a timely manner, we could experience significant delays or an inability to successfully commercialize our product candidates, which would materially harm our business. To become and remain profitable, we must develop, obtain approval for and eventually commercialize products, if approved, that generate significant revenue. Even if we obtain approval and begin commercializing one or more of our product candidates, we may never generate revenue that is significant or large enough to achieve profitability.
Even if we succeed in commercializing one or more of our product candidates, we will continue to incur substantial research and development, manufacturing and other expenditures to develop and market additional product candidates. Our failure to become or remain profitable would decrease the value of the Company and could impair our ability to raise capital, maintain our research and development efforts, expand our business or continue our operations.
Reimbursement decisions by third-party payors may have an adverse effect on pricing and market acceptance. If there is not sufficient reimbursement for our products, it is less likely that our products will be widely used.
The regulations that govern marketing approvals, pricing, coverage and reimbursement for new drugs vary widely from country to country. Many countries require approval of the sale price of a drug before it can be marketed. The pricing review period begins after marketing or product licensing approval is granted in most cases. In some foreign markets, prescription pharmaceutical pricing remains subject to continuing governmental control even after initial approval is granted. As a result, we might obtain regulatory approval for a product in a particular country, but then be subject to price regulations that delay our commercial launch of the product and negatively impact the revenues we are able to generate from the sale of the product in that country. In many countries, particularly those in the EU, prescription drug pricing and reimbursement is subject to governmental control. In those countries that impose price controls, pricing negotiations with governmental authorities can take considerable time after the receipt of marketing approval for a product. To obtain reimbursement or pricing approval in some countries, we or our strategic partners may be required to conduct a clinical trial that compares the cost-effectiveness of our product candidates to other available therapies.
Our ability to commercialize any products successfully also will depend in part on the extent to which coverage and adequate reimbursement for these products and related treatments will be available from government health administration authorities, private health insurers and other third-party payors. Obtaining coverage and reimbursement approval of a product from a government or other third-party payor is a time-consuming and costly process that could require us to provide to the payor supporting scientific, clinical and cost-effectiveness data for the use of our products. If we are not currently capturing the scientific and clinical data that will be required for reimbursement approval, we may be required to conduct additional trials, which may delay or suspend reimbursement approval. In the United States, no uniform policy of coverage and reimbursement for products exists among third-party payors. Therefore, coverage and reimbursement for products can differ significantly from payor to payor. As a result, the coverage determination process is often a time-consuming and costly process that will require us to provide scientific and clinical support for the use of a product candidate that receives regulatory approval to each payor separately, with no assurance that coverage and adequate reimbursement will be obtained.
Even if our product candidates are approved for sale by the appropriate regulatory authorities, market acceptance and sales of these products will depend on reimbursement policies and may be affected by future healthcare reform measures. Government authorities and third-party payors, such as private health insurers and health maintenance organizations, decide which drugs
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they will reimburse and establish payment levels. We cannot be certain that reimbursement will be available for any products that we develop. If reimbursement is not available or is available on a limited basis, we may not be able to successfully commercialize any approved products.
We expect to experience pricing pressures in connection with the sale of any products that we develop, due to the trend toward managed healthcare, the increasing influence of health maintenance organizations and additional legislative proposals. In August 2022, Congress passed the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, which includes prescription drug provisions that have significant implications for the pharmaceutical industry and Medicare beneficiaries, including allowing the federal government to negotiate a maximum fair price for certain high-priced single-source Medicare drugs, imposing penalties and excise tax for manufacturers that fail to comply with the drug price negotiation requirements, requiring inflation rebates for all Medicare Part B and Part D drugs, with limited exceptions, if their drug prices increase faster than inflation, and redesigning Medicare Part D to reduce out-of-pocket prescription drug costs for beneficiaries, among other changes. Only high-expenditure single-source drugs that have been approved for at least seven years (11 years for single-source biologics) can qualify for negotiation, with the negotiated price taking effect two years after the selection year. Various industry stakeholders have initiated lawsuits against the federal government asserting that the price negotiation provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act are unconstitutional. The impact of these judicial challenges, future challenges in view of the U.S. Supreme Court’s overruling of the Chevron doctrine, changes in the leadership of the federal agencies, legislative, executive, and administrative actions and any future healthcare measures and agency rules implemented by the government on us and the pharmaceutical industry as a whole is unclear. The implementation of cost containment measures or other healthcare reforms may prevent us from being able to generate revenue, attain profitability, or commercialize our product candidates if approved.
There may be significant delays in obtaining coverage and reimbursement for newly approved drugs, and coverage may be more limited than the purposes for which the drug is approved by the FDA, EMA or other regulatory authorities. Moreover, eligibility for coverage and reimbursement does not imply that a drug will be paid for in all cases or at a rate that covers our costs, including research, development, manufacture, sale and distribution expenses. Interim reimbursement levels for new drugs, if applicable, may also be insufficient to cover our and any collaborator’s costs and may not be made permanent. Reimbursement rates may vary according to the use of the drug and the clinical setting in which it is used, may be based on reimbursement levels already set for lower cost drugs and may be incorporated into existing payments for other services. Net prices for drugs may be reduced by mandatory discounts or rebates required by government healthcare programs or private payors and by any future relaxation of laws that currently restrict imports of drugs from countries where they may be sold at lower prices than in the United States. Our or any collaborator’s inability to promptly obtain coverage and profitable payment rates from both government-funded and private payors for any approved products that we or our strategic partners develop could have a material adverse effect on our operating results, our ability to raise capital needed to commercialize product candidates and our overall financial condition.
We may not be successful in our efforts to use our therapeutic platforms to build a pipeline of product candidates.
We intend to use our therapeutic platforms to build a pipeline of product candidates and progress these product candidates through clinical development for the treatment of a variety of diseases. Although our research and development efforts as of the date of this report have resulted in a pipeline of product candidates directed at various cancers and AIID, we may not be able to develop product candidates that are safe and effective. Although we expect that our therapeutic platforms will allow us to develop further product candidates, they may not prove to be successful at doing so. Even if we are successful in continuing to build our pipeline, the potential product candidates that we identify may not be suitable for clinical development, including as a result of being shown to have harmful side effects or other characteristics that indicate that they are unlikely to be products that will receive marketing approval and achieve market acceptance. If we do not continue to successfully develop and begin to commercialize product candidates, we will face difficulty in obtaining product revenue in future periods, which could result in significant harm to our financial position and adversely affect our stock price.
Even if we receive regulatory approval to commercialize any of the product candidates that we develop, we will be subject to ongoing regulatory obligations and continued regulatory review, which may result in significant additional expense.
Any regulatory approvals that we receive for our product candidates may be subject to limitations on the approved indicated uses for which the product may be marketed or subject to certain conditions of approval, and may contain requirements for potentially costly post-approval trials, including Phase 4 clinical trials, and surveillance to monitor the safety and efficacy of the marketed product. For example, in November 2024 the FDA granted accelerated approval for Ziihera® for the treatment of adults with previously treated, unresectable or metastatic HER2+ (IHC 3+) BTC. However, continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in a confirmatory trial.
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For any approved product, we will be subject to ongoing regulatory obligations and extensive oversight by regulatory authorities, including with respect to manufacturing processes, labeling, packaging, distribution, adverse event reporting, storage, advertising, promotion and recordkeeping for the product. These requirements include submissions of safety and other post-approval information and reports, as well as continued compliance with cGMP and good clinical practice (“GCP”), for any clinical trials that we or our strategic partners conduct after approval. Later discovery of previously unknown problems with a product, including adverse events of unanticipated severity or frequency, or with third-party manufacturers or manufacturing processes, or failure to comply with regulatory requirements, may result in, among other things:
• restrictions on the marketing or manufacturing of the product;
• withdrawal of the product from the market or voluntary or mandatory product recalls;
• fines, warning letters or holds on clinical trials;
• refusal by the FDA, EMA or another applicable regulatory authority to approve pending applications or supplements to approved applications filed by us or our strategic partners, or suspension or revocation of product license approvals;
• product seizure or detention, or refusal to permit the import or export of products; and
• injunctions or the imposition of civil or criminal penalties.
Occurrence of any of the foregoing could have a material and adverse effect on our business and results of operations. Our business also may be impacted by new policies and leadership at the FDA and other federal agencies under the new Presidential administration. Such changes and transition to the Trump administration may delay our interactions and submissions with the FDA, our clinical development timeline, or result in increased compliance costs. Further, the FDA’s or other ex-U.S. regulators’ policies may change and additional government regulations may be enacted that could prevent, limit or delay regulatory approval of our product candidates. We also cannot predict the full impact of the U.S. Supreme Court's recent decision overruling the Chevron doctrine, future judicial challenges brought against the FDA, or the nature or extent of government regulation that may arise from future legislation or administrative action. If we are slow or unable to adapt to changes in existing requirements or the adoption of new requirements or policies, or if we are not able to maintain regulatory compliance, we may lose any marketing approval that we may have obtained, which would adversely affect our business, prospects and ability to achieve or sustain profitability.
The FDA strictly regulates manufacturers’ promotional claims of drug products. In particular, a drug product may not be promoted by manufacturers for uses that are not approved by the FDA, as reflected in the FDA-approved labeling, although healthcare professionals are permitted to use drug products for off-label uses. The FDA, among other government agencies, actively enforce the laws and regulations prohibiting manufacturers’ promotion of off-label uses, and a company that is found to have improperly promoted off-label uses may be subject to significant liability, including large civil and criminal fines, penalties, and enforcement actions. The FDA has also imposed consent decrees or permanent injunctions under which specified promotional conduct is changed or curtailed for companies that engaged in such prohibited activities. If we cannot successfully manage the promotion of any approved product candidates, we could become subject to significant liability, which would materially adversely affect our business and financial condition.
If any product liability lawsuits are successfully brought against us or any of our strategic partners, we may incur substantial liabilities and commercialization efforts of zanidatamab or our product candidates may need to be limited.
We face an inherent risk of product liability lawsuits related to the testing of our product candidates in seriously ill patients, and face an even greater risk as a result of commercialization of any approved product candidates. Product liability claims may be brought against us or our strategic partners by participants enrolled in our clinical trials, patients, health care providers or others using, administering or selling any of our current or future approved products. If we cannot successfully defend ourselves against any such claims, we may incur substantial liabilities. Regardless of their merit or eventual outcome, liability claims may result in:
• decreased demand for any current or future approved products;
• injury to our reputation;
• limitations placed on our promotional activities;
• withdrawal of clinical trial participants;
• termination of clinical trial sites or entire trial programs;
• increased regulatory scrutiny;
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• significant litigation costs;
• substantial monetary awards to, or costly settlement with, patients or other claimants;
• product recalls or a change in the indications for which they may be used;
• loss of revenue;
• diversion of management and scientific resources from our business operations; and
• the inability to commercialize approved products.
We may need to have in place increased product liability coverage when we begin the commercialization of any product candidates. Insurance coverage is becoming increasingly expensive and we may be unable to maintain or obtain sufficient insurance at a reasonable cost to protect us against losses that could have a material adverse effect on our business. A successful product liability claim or series of claims brought against us, particularly if judgments exceed any insurance coverage we may have, could decrease our cash resources and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operation.
Patients with cancer and other diseases targeted by zanidatamab and our product candidates are often already in severe and advanced stages of disease and have both known and unknown significant pre-existing and potentially life-threatening health risks. During the course of treatment, patients may suffer adverse events, including death, for reasons that may be related to zanidatamab or our product candidates. Such events could subject us to costly litigation, require us to pay substantial amounts of money to injured patients, delay, negatively impact or end the opportunity to receive or maintain regulatory approval to market zanidatamab or our product candidates, or require us or our strategic partners to suspend or abandon commercialization efforts. Even in circumstances in which we do not believe that an adverse event is related to zanidatamab or our product candidates, the investigation into the circumstance may be time-consuming or inconclusive. These investigations may interrupt our sales efforts, delay our regulatory approval process in other countries, or impact and limit the type of regulatory approvals zanidatamab or our product candidates receive or maintain. As a result of these factors, a product liability claim, even if successfully defended, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations.
If we, our strategic partners or any of our third-party manufacturers encounter manufacturing difficulties, our ability to provide supply of our product candidates for clinical trials or any approved products for patients could be delayed or prevented.
The manufacture of biological drug products is complex and requires significant expertise and capital investment, including the development of advanced manufacturing techniques, process and quality controls. Manufacturers of biologic products often encounter difficulties in production and sourcing, particularly in scaling up or out, validating the production process and assuring high reliability of the manufacturing processes (including the absence of contamination), in light of variations and supply constraints of key components. These problems include logistics and shipping, difficulties with production costs and yields, quality control, including consistency, stability, purity and efficacy of the product, product testing, operator error and availability of qualified personnel, as well as compliance with applicable federal, state and foreign regulations. If contaminants are discovered in the supply of our products or product candidates or in the manufacturing facilities, such manufacturing facilities may need to be closed for an extended period of time to investigate and remedy the contamination. We cannot assure you that any stability, purity, and efficacy failures, deficiencies, or other issues relating to the manufacture of our products or product candidates will not occur in the future. Even if any of our product candidates is approved, these manufacturing difficulties and supply chain risks will persist and an inability to source sufficient commercial supply would materially and negatively impact our commercialization efforts and financial results. Our research and development activities also involve the controlled use of potentially hazardous substances, including chemical and biological materials, by our third-party manufacturers. While we currently outsource all manufacturing to third parties, we and our manufacturers are subject to federal, state and local laws and regulations governing the use, manufacture, storage, handling and disposal of medical and hazardous materials. Although we believe that our manufacturers’ procedures relating to these laws comply with legally prescribed standards, we cannot completely eliminate the risk of contamination or injury, and any related liability, resulting from medical or hazardous materials. In addition, manufacturing methods and formulation changes for product candidates advancing towards commercialization carry the risk that such product candidates may perform differently and affect the results of planned clinical trials or other future clinical trials conducted with the altered materials. While such changes are common and intended to help optimize processes and results during the development process, any of these changes could increase costs, cause delays and impact our ability, or our strategic partners’ ability, to commence product sales and generate revenue.
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Strategic transactions could disrupt our business, cause dilution to our stockholders and otherwise harm our business.
We actively evaluate various strategic transactions on an ongoing basis. For example, we may acquire other businesses, products or technologies as well as pursue strategic alliances, joint ventures, investments in complementary businesses, out-licensing and in-licensing agreements, divestitures or other transactions. Any of these transactions could be material to our financial condition and operating results and expose us to many risks, including:
• disruption in our relationships with existing strategic partners or suppliers as a result of such a transaction;
• unanticipated liabilities related to acquired companies;
• difficulties integrating acquired personnel, technologies and operations into our existing business;
• retention of key employees;
• diversion of management time and focus from operating our business to management of strategic alliances or joint ventures or acquisition integration challenges;
• risks and uncertainties associated with the other party to such a transaction, including the prospects of that party and their existing products or product candidates and marketing approvals;
• increases in our expenses and reductions in our cash available for operations and other uses; and
• possible write-offs or impairment charges relating to acquired businesses.
Also, the anticipated benefit of any strategic transaction may not materialize or such strategic transaction may be prohibited. Any future acquisitions or dispositions could result in dilutive issuances of our equity securities, the incurrence of debt, contingent liabilities or amortization expenses or write-offs of goodwill, any of which could harm our financial condition. We cannot predict the number, timing or size of any future strategic alliances, joint ventures, investments, acquisitions, divestitures or other strategic transactions, or the effect that any such transactions might have on our operating results.
Security breaches and incidents, loss of data and other disruptions could compromise sensitive information related to our business or protected health information or prevent us from accessing critical information and expose us to liability, which could adversely affect our business and our reputation.
In the ordinary course of our business, we and our CROs and other service providers collect, store and otherwise process petabytes of sensitive data, including legally protected health information, personal information, intellectual property and proprietary business information owned or controlled by ourselves or our strategic partners. We manage and maintain our applications and data by using a combination of on-site systems, managed data center systems and cloud-based data center systems. These applications and data encompass a wide variety of business-critical information, including research and development information, commercial information and business and financial information. We face four primary risks relative to protecting this critical information: loss of access risk, inappropriate disclosure risk, inappropriate modification risk and the risk of being unable to adequately monitor our controls over the first three risks.
Although we take measures designed to protect sensitive information from unauthorized access or disclosure, our information technology and infrastructure and those that our CROs and our other third-party service providers may use in the past have been subject to, and may be vulnerable to, attacks by hackers or other third parties, viruses, ransomware or other malicious code, or other breaches, incidents, outages, interruptions, compromises or vulnerabilities due to inadvertent or intentional actions by our employees, contractors, business partners, and/or other third parties, or from cyber-attacks by malicious third parties (including supply chain cyber-attacks or the deployment of harmful malware, ransomware, denial-of-service attacks, social engineering and other means to affect service reliability and threaten the confidentiality, integrity and availability of systems or information). The risks of these types of incidents and other matters occurring may be heightened in connection with geopolitical events. Any such breach, incident, outage, interruption, compromise or vulnerability could compromise systems and networks used in our business and lead to system and other operational outages, interruptions and disruptions and the loss, destruction, alteration, prevention of access to, disclosure, or dissemination of, or damage or unauthorized access to, our data (including trade secrets or other confidential information, intellectual property, proprietary business information, and personal information) or data that is maintained or otherwise processed on our behalf, or other assets, which could result in financial, legal, business and reputational harm to us. Any such event could result in legal claims, demands and litigation or governmental investigations or other proceedings, liability under laws that protect the privacy of personal information, such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (“HIPAA”), and regulatory penalties and other liabilities. Although we have implemented security measures and a formal enterprise security program designed to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive data, and make use of third-party service providers to perform certain operational and security functions on our behalf,
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there is no guarantee that we or our third-party service providers ca n, or have been able to, protect our systems or networks or other systems or networks used in our business from security breaches, incidents, outages, interruptions, compromises, or vulnerabilities, or that we or they have been or will be able to identify, identify the cause of or otherwise respond to any actual or potential security breach, incident, outage, interruption, compromise or vulnerability. We have engaged in efforts to improve our security measures, and we expect to continue to incur additional expenses in further efforts to do so, whether in response to actual or perceived security breaches or incidents, compromises, outages, interruptions, vulnerabilities or otherwise. Any loss, destruction, alteration, prevention of access to, disclosure, or dissemination of, or damage or unauthorized access to, our data or other data that is processed or maintained on our behalf could also disrupt our operations (including our ability to conduct our analyses, pay providers, conduct research and development activities, collect, process and prepare company financial information, provide information about any future products, and manage the administrative aspects of our business) and damage our reputation, any of which could adversely affect our business.
HIPAA, as amended by the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (“HITECH”), and its implementing regulations, impose certain requirements relating to the privacy, security, transmission and breach reporting of individually identifiable health information. Penalties for HIPAA violations can be significant, and criminal and monetary penalties, as well as injunctive relief, may be imposed for HIPAA violations. Most drug manufacturers are not directly subject to HIPAA, but prosecutors increasingly are using HIPAA-related theories of liability against drug manufacturers and their agents and we also could be subject to criminal penalties if we knowingly obtain individually identifiable health information from a HIPAA-covered entity in a manner that is not authorized or permitted by HIPAA.
Furthermore, HIPAA regulations impose specific reporting requirements to regulators, individuals impacted by the breach, as defined by HIPAA, and, in some cases, the media. Issuing such notifications can be costly, time and resource intensive, and can generate significant negative publicity. In addition to HIPAA, other applicable data privacy and security obligations may require us to notify relevant stakeholders of any security breaches or incidents that result in the unauthorized disclosure, or dissemination of, personal information. Such disclosures are costly, and the disclosures or the failure to comply with such requirements, could lead to adverse impacts.
Furthermore, the loss, corruption, or unavailability of clinical trial data from completed or future clinical trials could result in delays in our regulatory approval efforts and significantly increase our costs to recover or reproduce the data. Likewise, we rely on other third parties for the manufacture of our product candidates and to conduct clinical trials, and similar events relating to their computer systems or otherwise relating to their collection, storage, or processing of data could also have a material adverse effect on our business.
We are subject to stringent and changing obligations related to privacy and security. Our actual or perceived failure to comply with such obligations could lead to regulatory investigations or actions, litigation, fines and penalties, disruptions of our business operations, reputational harm and other adverse business consequences.
U.S. states have enacted and are considering enacting laws relating to the protection of personal information (including health and other data of patients, research subjects, and other individuals), which may be more rigorous than, or impose additional requirements beyond those required by, HIPAA. For example, the California Consumer Privacy Act (“CCPA”), which became effective in January 2020, gives California consumers expanded rights to access and delete their personal information, opt out of certain personal information sharing and receive detailed information about how their personal information is used. The CCPA allows for statutory fines for noncompliance (up to $7,500 per violation) as well as a limited private right of action for data breaches. The California Privacy Rights Act of 2020, which went into effect in January 2023, expanded the CCPA in numerous ways and established a new California Privacy Protection Agency to implement and enforce the new law. Many other privacy and security laws have been proposed at the federal level and in other states, certain of which impose obligations similar to the CCPA. Other privacy and security laws address specific subject matter, such as Washington’s My Health, My Data Act, which, among other things, provides for a private right of action. While limited exemptions to some of these laws may apply to portions of our business, these laws’ recent enactment and evolving interpretations may increase our compliance costs and potential liability. These or other proposed or enacted laws relating to privacy and security could similarly increase our compliance obligations and costs in the future.
We may also become subject to laws and regulations in non-U.S. countries covering privacy and security and the protection of health-related and other personal information. In particular, the European Economic Area (“EEA”), the UK, and Switzerland have adopted laws and regulations addressing privacy, data protection and security that impose significant compliance obligations. These laws and regulations are subject to frequent revisions and differing interpretations, and have generally become more stringent over time.
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The General Data Protection Regulation 2016/679 (“GDPR”) applies to the processing of personal information and imposes numerous requirements, including, for example, high standards for obtaining consent, requirements for more robust disclosures to individuals and strengthened individual data rights, required data breach notifications, limitations on retention and secondary use of information, increased requirements pertaining to health data and pseudonymized (i.e., key-coded) data and additional obligations when contracting third-party data processors. The GDPR allows EEA countries to make additional laws and regulations further limiting the processing of genetic, biometric or health data. The GDPR provides for fines of up to €20.0 million or up to 4% of the total worldwide annual turnover of the preceding financial year, whichever is higher, and other administrative penalties; further, the GDPR permits other forms of relief and recovery, and other national and local data protection laws provide for additional penalties and relief. Furthermore, adverse publicity relating to actual or alleged GDPR noncompliance could cause a loss of goodwill, which could have an adverse effect on our reputation, brand, business and financial condition. The UK has implemented legislation similar to the GDPR, referred to as the UK GDPR, which provides for fines of up to the greater of £17.5 million or 4% of global turnover.
Certain jurisdictions, including the EEA, have enacted laws and regulations governing cross-border personal information transfer and providing for data localization in certain cases. For example, absent appropriate safeguards or other circumstances, the GDPR and laws in Switzerland and the UK generally restrict the transfer of personal information to countries outside the EEA, Switzerland and the UK, such as the United States. In July 2023, the European Commission adopted its adequacy decision for the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework, and generally permits personal information to flow from the EU to the United States by companies participating in the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework. We are not certified under the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework, and instead rely on other data transfer tools such as the EU standard contractual clauses (“EU SCCs”) and the UK addendum to the EU SCCs to transfer personal information to third countries outside the EEA and the UK, taking into consideration related obligations. To the extent we transfer personal information from other jurisdictions to the United States, we may not be able to implement or maintain an appropriate data transfer mechanism to continue such transfers. The U.S. Department of Justice also has issued rules regarding certain bulk sensitive personal data transfers. The interpretation of data transfer requirements, regulatory guidance and opinions, and other developments relating to cross-border data transfer may require us to implement additional contractual and technical safeguards for any personal information transferred out of the EEA, Switzerland, the UK, the United States, or other regions, which may increase compliance costs, lead to increased regulatory scrutiny or liability, and may require additional contractual negotiations, which may adversely impact our business, financial condition, and operating results.
We expect an increase in regulatory requirements relating to privacy, data protection and cybersecurity that may apply to our business. For instance, the EU has enacted numerous laws and regulations addressing cybersecurity, including substantial revisions to its Network and Information Security directive that EU member states are required to reflect in national law. Requirements for hosting health data will vary by jurisdiction within EEA countries and the UK, and we may be or become subject to other national healthcare regulations or regulatory requirements. For example, France requires hosts of health data to obtain a prior certification with the competent certification body.
The interpretation and application of consumer, health-related and privacy, data protection and security laws in the United States, the EEA, Switzerland, the UK and elsewhere are often uncertain, contradictory and in flux. Any failure or perceived failure to comply with federal, state or foreign laws or regulations, contractual or other legal obligations related to privacy or security may result in claims, warnings, communications, requests or investigations from individuals, supervisory authorities or other legal or regulatory authorities in relation to our processing of personal information, and regulatory investigations or other proceedings. It is possible that these laws may be interpreted and applied in a manner that is inconsistent with our practices. If so, this could result in government-imposed fines or orders requiring that we change our practices, which could adversely affect our business. These privacy regulations vary between states, may differ from country to country, and may vary based on whether testing is performed in the United States or in the local country. Complying with these various laws could cause us to incur substantial costs or require us to change our business practices and compliance procedures in a manner adverse to our business.
Current and future legislation may increase the difficulty and cost for us or our strategic partners to commercialize any approved products that we or our strategic partners develop and affect the prices that may be obtained.
The United States and some foreign jurisdictions are considering or have enacted a number of legislative and regulatory proposals to change healthcare systems in ways that could affect our or our strategic partners’ ability to sell any of our product candidates profitably, if such product candidates are approved for sale. Among policy makers and payors in the United States and elsewhere, there is significant interest in promoting changes in healthcare systems with the stated goals of containing healthcare costs, improving quality and expanding access. In the United States, the pharmaceutical industry has been a particular focus of these efforts and has been significantly affected by major legislative initiatives.
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In March 2010, the PPACA became law in the United States. The PPACA may affect the operational results of companies in the pharmaceutical industry, including us, by imposing on them additional costs. For example, effective January 2010, PPACA increased the minimum Medicaid drug rebates for pharmaceutical companies and imposed an annual fee on certain branded prescription drugs and biologics. Since the enactment of PPACA, there have been executive, judicial and Congressional challenges to certain aspects of the PPACA, including judicial challenges in the Fifth Circuit Court and the United States Supreme Court. In June 2021, the U.S. Supreme Court held that Texas and other challengers had no legal standing to challenge the PPACA, dismissing the case without specifically ruling on the constitutionality of the PPACA. Accordingly, the PPACA remains in effect in its current form. It is unclear how future litigation or healthcare measures promulgated by the Trump administration will impact our business, financial condition and results of operations. Complying with any new legislation or changes in healthcare regulation could be time-intensive and expensive, resulting in a material adverse effect on our business.
Other legislative changes have been proposed and adopted since the PPACA was enacted. For example, the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018, among other things, amended the PPACA, effective January 2019, to close the coverage gap in most Medicare drug plans. The Budget Control Act of 2011, which calls for aggregate reductions to Medicare payments to providers of up to 2% per fiscal year, began in 2013 and, due to subsequent legislative amendments, will remain in effect through 2032 unless Congress takes further action. The American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012, among other things, further reduced Medicare payments to several providers, including hospitals and cancer treatment centers, and increased the statute of limitations period for the government to recover overpayments to providers from three to five years. These laws may result in additional reductions in Medicare and other healthcare funding, which could have a material adverse effect on potential customers for zanidatamab or our product candidates, if approved, and, accordingly, our future financial operations. We are unable to predict the future course of federal or state health care legislation or foreign regulations relating to the marketing, pricing and reimbursement of pharmaceutical products.
There have been U.S. Congressional inquiries, presidential executive orders, and proposed federal and state legislation designed to, among other things, bring more transparency to drug pricing, reduce the cost of prescription drugs under Medicare, review the relationship between pricing and manufacturer patient programs, and reform government program reimbursement methodologies for drugs. For example, under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, effective January 1, 2024, Medicaid statutory rebates are no longer be capped at 100% of AMP (average manufacturer price). Elimination of this cap may require pharmaceutical manufacturers to pay more in rebates than it receives on the sale of products, which could have a material impact on our business. As discussed above, Congress passed the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, which includes prescription drug provisions that have significant implications for the pharmaceutical industry and Medicare beneficiaries, including allowing the federal government to negotiate a maximum fair price for certain high-priced single-source Medicare drugs. The implementation of cost containment measures, including the prescription drug provisions under the Inflation Reduction Act, as well as other healthcare reforms may prevent us from being able to generate revenue, attain profitability, or commercialize our product candidates if approved. Complying with any new legislation and regulatory changes could be time-intensive and expensive, resulting in a material adverse effect on our business.
Further, many states have proposed or enacted legislation and administrative actions that seek to indirectly or directly regulate pharmaceutical drug pricing, such as by requiring biopharmaceutical manufacturers to publicly report proprietary pricing information or to place a maximum price ceiling on pharmaceutical products purchased by state agencies. For example, the FDA has authorized the state of Florida to develop a drug importation program to import certain prescription drugs from Canada for a limited period to help reduce drug costs, provided that Florida’s Agency for Health Care Administration meets the requirements set forth by the FDA. Other states may follow Florida. Additionally, a number of states are considering or have enacted state drug price transparency and reporting laws that could substantially increase compliance burdens and expose us to greater liability under such state laws once we begin commercialization after obtaining regulatory approval for any of our products candidates. We cannot be sure to what extent these and future legislative and regulatory efforts, whether FDA regulations, guidance or interpretations will be changed, or what the impact of such changes on the marketing approvals of our product candidates, if any, may be. Increased scrutiny by Congress of the FDA’s approval process may significantly delay or prevent marketing approval, as well as subject us to more stringent product labeling and post-marketing testing and other requirements. These measures could reduce the ultimate demand for our products, once approved, or put pressure on our product pricing. We expect that additional state and federal healthcare reform measures will be adopted in the future, any of which could limit the amounts that federal and state governments will pay for healthcare products and services, which could affect the prices we may obtain for any of our product candidates for which we may obtain regulatory approval or the frequency with which any such product candidate, if approved, is prescribed or used.
In the EU similar political, economic and regulatory developments may affect our ability to profitably commercialize any future products. In addition to continuing pressure on prices and cost containment measures, legislative developments at the EU or member state level may result in significant additional requirements or obstacles that may increase our operating costs. In
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international markets, reimbursement and healthcare payment systems vary significantly by country, and many countries have instituted price ceilings on specific products and therapies. Our future products, if any, might not be considered medically reasonable and necessary for a specific indication or cost-effective by third-party payors, an adequate level of reimbursement might not be available for such products, and third-party payors’ reimbursement policies might adversely affect our or our strategic partners’ ability to sell any future products profitably.
We cannot predict the likelihood, nature or extent of government regulation that may arise from future legislation or administrative action, either in the United States or elsewhere. If we or our strategic partners are slow or unable to adapt to changes in existing requirements or the adoption of new requirements or policies, or if we or our strategic partners are not able to maintain regulatory compliance, any approved products may lose any marketing approval that may have been obtained and we may not achieve or sustain profitability, which would adversely affect our business.
Our business may become subject to economic, political, regulatory and other risks associated with international operations.
Our business, financial condition, and stock price may be adversely affected by economic downturns, a volatile business environment, or large-scale unpredictable or unstable or unfavorable market conditions, including a prolonged government shutdown, geopolitical events, or a global pandemic. If events like these occur, our business may be materially and adversely impacted, including making any necessary debt or equity financing more difficult, more costly and more dilutive.
Our business is subject to risks associated with conducting business internationally. We have physical operations and personnel in North America, Europe and Asia. In addition, some of our suppliers and collaborative and clinical trial relationships are located outside the United States. Accordingly, our future results could be harmed by a variety of factors, including:
• economic instability or weakness, including inflation, reduced growth, diminished credit availability, weakened consumer confidence or increased unemployment;
• insta bility in the international geopolitical environment, including as a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the conflicts in Israel and the broader Middle East;
• sociopolitical instability in particular foreign economies and markets;
• differing regulatory requirements for drug approvals in foreign countries;
• potentially reduced protection for intellectual property rights;
• difficulties in compliance with non-U.S. laws and regulations;
• c hanges in non-U.S. regulations and customs, tariffs and trade barriers, including any changes that China may impose as a result of political tensions between Canada and China or the United States and China;
• changes in non-U.S. currency exchange rates and currency controls;
• trade protection measures, import or export licensing requirements or other restrictive actions by U.S. or non-U.S. governments;
• restrictions on cross-border data exchanges;
• differing reimbursement regimes, including price controls;
• negative consequences from changes in tax laws;
• workforce uncertainty in countries where labor unrest is more common than in the United States;
• production shortages resulting from any events affecting raw material supply or manufacturing capabilities outside the United States;
• business interruptions resulting from geopolitical actions, including war and terrorism, or natural disasters including earthquakes, typhoons, floods and fires; and
• supply and other disruptions resulting from the impact of public health epidemics on our strategic partners, third-party manufacturers, suppliers and other third parties upon which we rely.
In particular, there is currently significant uncertainty about the future relationship between the United States and various other countries, most significantly China, with respect to trade policies, treaties, tariffs, treatment of intellectual property, taxes, and other limitations on cross-border operations, including but not limited to the provision of services and the exchange of data. The U.S. government has made and continues to make significant additional changes in U.S. trade policy and may continue to take
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future actions that could negatively impact U.S. trade. For example, there have been legislative proposals that would limit the extension of certain specific types of government contracts or renewals, loans, or grants, to companies that may do business with select Chinese biotechnology equipment or service providers. If enacted, such legislation will preclude certain U.S. biotechnology companies from using equipment or services produced or provided by those Chinese biotechnology companies when performing on specified types of agreements with the U.S. government. Others in Congress have advocated for the use of existing executive branch authorities to limit certain Chinese service providers’ ability to engage in business in the United States. We cannot predict whether any proposed legislation will be enacted, what executive actions may implicate these kinds of service relationships, or what other actions may ultimately be taken with respect to trade relations between the United States and China or other countries, including countries which the U.S. government has identified as a foreign adversary that poses national security risks to the United States.
Relatedly, the United States has recently enacted and proposed to enact significant new tariffs. President Trump has directed various federal agencies to further evaluate key aspects of U.S. trade policy and there has been ongoing discussion and commentary regarding potential significant changes to U.S. trade policies, treaties and tariffs. There continues to exist significant uncertainty about the future relationship between the United States and other countries with respect to such trade policies, treaties and tariffs. These developments, or the perception that any of them could occur, may have a material adverse effect on global economic conditions and the stability of global financial markets, and may significantly reduce global trade and, in particular, trade between the impacted nations and the United States. Any of these factors could depress economic activity and restrict our access to third party services as well as disrupt the supply chain for the sourcing of our product candidates. If we or our partners are unable to obtain or use services from existing service providers, unable to source supplies of product candidates or approved drugs, or unable to export or sell approved products our business, liquidity, financial condition, and/or results of operations would be materially and adversely affected.
Our business has been in the past and may in the future be adversely affected by public health outbreaks and pandemics.
Our business has been in the past and may in the future be adversely affected by public health outbreaks and pandemics. If a public health outbreak or pandemic, including a resurgence of COVID-19 cases, leads to disruptions in our industry or to our service providers, particularly in regions where we or our strategic partners and suppliers do business, we could experience disruptions that could significantly impact our current and planned clinical trials, preclinical research and other business activities, including:
• disruption to and delays in preclinical research activities due to extended closure or reduced capacity of lab facilities;
• delays or difficulties in enrolling patients in our ongoing and planned clinical trials;
• patients discontinuing their treatment or follow-up visits;
• delays or difficulties in clinical site initiation, including limitations on access to sites, limitations to site initiation activities that can be carried out remotely, and limitations on the number of clinical site staff on site from time to time;
• interruption of key clinical trial activities, such as clinical trial site monitoring, due to limitations on travel imposed or recommended by federal or state governments, employers and others;
• shortages, disruptions in supply, logistics or other activities related to the procurement of materials and other supplies, which could have a negative impact on our ability to conduct preclinical research, initiate or complete our clinical trials or commercialize our product candidates;
• diversion of healthcare resources away from the conduct of clinical trials, including the diversion of hospitals serving as our clinical trial sites and hospital staff supporting the conduct of clinical trials;
• interruption of key business activities due to illness and/or quarantine of key individuals and delays associated with recruiting, hiring and training new temporary or permanent replacements for such key individuals, both internally and at our third-party service providers and strategic partners;
• limitations in resources that would otherwise be focused on the conduct of our business or our current or planned clinical trials or preclinical research, including because of sickness, the desire to avoid contact with large groups of people, restrictions on travel, or prolonged stay-at-home or similar working arrangements;
• delays in receiving approvals from regulatory authorities to initiate our planned clinical trials;
• changes in regulations as part of a response to public health outbreaks, pandemics, or a resurgence of COVID-19 cases and related disruptions, which may require us to change the ways in which our clinical trials are conducted and incur unexpected costs, or require us to discontinue clinical trials altogether;
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• delays in necessary interactions with regulators (including the FDA), ethics committees and other important agencies and contractors due to limitations in employee resources or furlough of government or contractor personnel;
• disruptions to our strategic partners’ operations, which could delay the development of our product candidates in certain geographical regions and thereby affect the timing of development and commercial milestone payments and royalties on potential future product sales we may receive; and
• limitations on our ability to recruit any necessary preclinical research, clinical, regulatory and other professional staff on the timeframe required to support our research and development programs.
The impact of such disruptions would be highly uncertain and would depend on factors such as the location, duration and severity, travel restrictions and social distancing, business closures or disruptions, and the effectiveness of actions taken to contain and treat the disease and to address its impact, including on financial markets. Public health outbreaks, pandemics, and related disruptions could disrupt the global financial markets, reducing our ability to access capital, which could negatively affect our liquidity and could heighten the volatility of the financial markets, which could adversely impact the value of our common stock.
Our business and current and future relationships with customers and third-party payors in the United States and elsewhere will be subject, directly or indirectly, to applicable federal and state anti-kickback, fraud and abuse, false claims, transparency, health information privacy and security, and other healthcare laws and regulations, which could expose us to criminal sanctions, civil penalties, contractual damages, reputational harm, administrative burdens, and diminished profits and future earnings.
Healthcare providers, physicians and third-party payors in the United States and elsewhere play a primary role in the recommendation and prescription of zanidatamab and any product candidates for which we obtain marketing approval.
Our current and future arrangements with healthcare professionals, principal investigators, consultants, customers, and third-party payors and other entities may expose us to broadly applicable fraud and abuse and other healthcare laws and regulations, including the federal Anti-Kickback Statute and the federal False Claims Act, that may constrain the business or financial arrangements and relationships through which we conduct clinical research on product candidates and market, sell and distribute any approved products. In addition, we may be subject to transparency laws and patient privacy regulation by the federal government and by the U.S. states and foreign jurisdictions in which we conduct our business. The applicable federal, state and foreign healthcare laws and regulations that may affect our ability to operate include the following:
• the federal Anti-Kickback Statute, which prohibits, among other things, persons from knowingly and willfully soliciting, offering, receiving or providing remuneration (including any kickback, bribe or rebate), directly or indirectly, in cash or in kind, to induce or reward either the referral of an individual for, or the purchase, order or recommendation of, any good or service for which payment may be made under federal and state healthcare programs such as Medicare and Medicaid;
• federal civil and criminal false claims laws and civil monetary penalty laws, including the federal False Claims Act, impose criminal or civil penalties, as applicable, against individuals or entities for knowingly presenting, or causing to be presented, to the federal government (including the Medicare and Medicaid programs) or other third-party payor claims for payment that are false or fraudulent or making a false statement to avoid, decrease or conceal an obligation to pay money to the federal government;
• HIPAA established the federal offense of health care fraud, which among other things, imposes criminal liability for knowingly and willfully executing, or attempting to execute, a scheme to defraud any healthcare benefit program or to obtain, by means of false or fraudulent pretenses, representations, or promises, any of the money or property owned by, or under the custody or control of, any healthcare benefit program, regardless of the payor (e.g. public or private) and knowingly and willfully falsifying, concealing or covering up by any trick or device a material fact or making any materially false statements in connection with the delivery of or payment for healthcare benefits, items or services relating to healthcare matters;
• HIPAA, as amended by HITECH, and its implementing regulations, which imposes certain obligations, including mandatory contractual terms, with respect to safeguarding the privacy, security and transmission of individually identifiable health information without the appropriate authorization by entities subject to the law, such as health plans, healthcare clearinghouses and healthcare providers and their respective business associates and their covered subcontractors;
• the federal Open Payments program under the Physician Payments Sunshine Act, created under Section 6002 of the PPACA and its implementing regulations, requires applicable group purchasing organizations and manufacturers of
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drugs, devices, biologics and medical supplies for which payment is available under Medicare, Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (with certain exceptions) to report annually to HHS information related to “payments or other transfers of value” made in the previous year to covered recipients, including physicians (defined to include doctors, dentists, optometrists, podiatrists and chiropractors, other health care professionals (such as nurse practitioners and physician assistants) and teaching hospitals, and information regarding ownership and investment interests held by physicians (as defined above) or their immediate family members; and
• analogous and similar state and foreign laws and regulations, including: state anti-kickback and false claims laws that may apply to our business practices (including research, distribution, sales and marketing arrangements and claims involving healthcare items or services reimbursed by state governmental and non-governmental third-party payors, including private insurers); state laws that require pharmaceutical companies to comply with the pharmaceutical industry’s voluntary compliance guidelines and the applicable compliance guidance promulgated by the federal government; state laws that require drug manufacturers to track gifts and other remuneration and items of value provided to healthcare professionals and entities and file reports relating to pricing and marketing information; and state and foreign laws that govern the privacy and security of health information in specified circumstances, many of which differ from each other in significant ways and often are not preempted by HIPAA, thus complicating compliance efforts.
Because of the breadth of these laws and the narrowness of any available statutory exceptions and safe harbors, it is possible that some of our current and future business activities could be subject to challenge under one or more of such laws.
Efforts to ensure that our business arrangements with third parties will comply with applicable healthcare laws and regulations may involve substantial costs. It is possible that governmental authorities will conclude that our business practices may not comply with current or future statutes, regulations or case law involving applicable fraud and abuse or other healthcare laws and regulations. Any failure or perceived failure by us to comply with such laws, regulations, or case law may result in governmental investigations or enforcement actions, litigation, claims and other proceedings, harm our reputation, and could result in significant liability. If our operations are found to be in violation of any of these laws or any other governmental regulations that may apply to us, we may be subject to significant civil, criminal and administrative penalties, including damages, fines, imprisonment, exclusion from participation in government healthcare programs, such as Medicare and Medicaid, additional reporting requirements and oversight if we become subject to a corporate integrity agreement or similar agreement to resolve allegations of noncompliance with these laws and the curtailment or restructuring of our operations, which could have a material adverse effect on our business. If any of the physicians or other providers or entities with whom we expect to do business, including our strategic partners, is found not to be in compliance with applicable laws, it may be subject to criminal, civil or administrative sanctions, including exclusions from participation in government healthcare programs, which could also materially affect our business.
We are subject to U.S. and certain foreign export and import controls, sanctions, embargoes, anti-corruption laws, and anti-money laundering laws and regulations. Compliance with these legal standards could impair our ability to compete in domestic and international markets. We can face criminal liability and other serious consequences for violations that can harm our business.
In addition to potential risks discussed above at the risk factor entitled “ Our business may become subject to economic, political, regulatory and other risks associated with international operations ”, we are subject to export control and import laws and regulations, including the U.S. Export Administration Regulations, U.S. Customs regulations, various economic and trade sanctions regulations administered by the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Controls, the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, the U.S. domestic bribery statute contained in 18 U.S.C. § 201, the U.S. Travel Act, the USA PATRIOT Act, the UK Bribery Act 2010, the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002, and other state and national anti-bribery and anti-money laundering laws in the countries in which we conduct activities. Anti-corruption laws are interpreted broadly and prohibit companies and their employees, agents, contractors, and other partners from authorizing, promising, offering, or providing, directly or indirectly, improper payments or anything else of value to recipients in the public or private sector. We currently engage third parties for clinical trials outside of the United States and we may in the future engage third parties to sell our products outside of the United States once we enter a commercialization phase, or to obtain necessary permits, licenses, patent registrations, and other regulatory approvals. We may have direct or indirect interactions with officials and employees of government agencies or government-affiliated hospitals, universities, and other organizations. We can be held liable for the corrupt or other illegal activities of our employees, agents, contractors, and other partners, even if we do not explicitly authorize or have actual knowledge of such activities. Any violation of the laws and regulations described above may result in substantial civil and criminal fines and penalties, imprisonment, the loss of export or import privileges, debarment, tax reassessments, breach of contract and fraud litigation, reputational harm, and other consequences.
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Third-party manufacturers may not be able to comply with U.S. export control regulations, cGMP regulations or similar regulatory requirements outside the United States. Our failure, or the failure of our third-party manufacturers, to comply with applicable regulations could result in a necessity to replace current third parties, resulting in the possibility of supply delays, clinical holds on our trials, sanctions being imposed on us, including fines, injunctions, civil penalties, delays, suspension or withdrawal of approvals, license revocations, seizures or recalls of product candidates or medicines, operating restrictions, and criminal prosecutions, any of which could significantly and adversely affect supplies of our medicines and harm our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects.
Risks Related to Our Financial Position and Need for Additional Capital
We have incurred significant losses since inception and anticipate that we will continue to incur losses for the foreseeable future. We have only one product approved for commercial sale, and, as of December 31, 2024, we have not received any revenue or profit from product sales. We may never achieve or sustain profitability.
We have incurred significant losses since our inception. Our net losses for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023 were $122.7 million and $118.7 million, respectively, while our net income for the year ended December 31, 2022 was $124.3 million, which was driven in large part by our entry into the Original Jazz Collaboration Agreement (as defined below) and the receipt of certain payments thereunder, and we do not anticipate being net income positive on a regular basis for the foreseeable future. As of December 31, 2024, our accumulated deficit was $830.3 million. We expect to continue to incur losses for the foreseeable future as we continue our research and development of, and seek regulatory approvals for, our product candidates, prepare for and begin to commercialize any approved product candidates and add infrastructure, which may include personnel, to support our product development efforts. In addition, inflationary pressure could adversely impact our financial results. The net losses and negative cash flows incurred as of December 31, 2024, together with expected future losses, have had, and likely will continue to have, an adverse effect on our stockholders’ deficit and working capital. The amount of future net losses will depend, in part, on the rate of future growth of our expenses and our ability to generate revenue, including through the receipt of royalties from our strategic partners. Because of the numerous risks and uncertainties associated with pharmaceutical product development, we are unable to accurately predict the timing or amount of increased expenses or when, or if, we will be able to achieve profitability.
To become and remain profitable, we or our strategic partners must succeed in developing and commercializing product candidates with significant market potential. This will require us to be successful in a range of challenging activities for which we are only in the preliminary stages, including developing product candidates, obtaining regulatory approval for such product candidates, and manufacturing, marketing and selling those product candidates for which we may obtain regulatory approval. We may never succeed in these activities and may never generate revenue from product sales or royalties that is significant enough to achieve profitability. Even if we achieve profitability in the future, we may not be able to sustain profitability in subsequent periods. Our failure to become or remain profitable would depress our market value and could impair our ability to raise capital, expand our business, develop other product candidates, or continue our operations. A decline in the value of our company could also cause our stockholders to lose all or part of their investment.
Biopharmaceutical prod uct development is a highly speculative undertaking and involves a substantial degree of uncertainty. We have never received any revenue from product sales and may never be profitable.
We have devoted substantially all of our financial resources and efforts to developing our proprietary therapeutic platforms, identifying potential product candidates and conducting preclinical studies and clinical trials. Zanidatamab is the only product candidate developed with our therapeutic platforms that has received regulatory approval, and we and our strategic partners are still developing other product candidates. Our revenue as of December 31, 2024 has been primarily revenue from the license of our proprietary therapeutic platforms for the development of product candidates by others or revenue from our strategic partners. Our ability to generate revenue and achieve profitability depends in large part on our ability, alone or with our strategic partners, to achieve milestones and to successfully complete the development of, obtain the necessary regulatory approvals for, and commercialize, product candidates. While we anticipate receiving royalties from sales of zanidatamab, we do not anticipate generating revenue from sales of our wholly-owned product candidates in the near term.
We will require substantial additional funding, which may not be available to us on acceptable terms, or at all, and, if not available, may require us to delay, scale back, or cease our product development programs or operations.
We currently have two clinical-stage product candidates, ZW171 and ZW191. We have licensed zanidatamab to our strategic partner Jazz, which has been responsible for completing its clinical development in the United States and other jurisdictions not covered by our license to BeiGene. In November 2024, Jazz announced the FDA granted accelerated approval for Ziihera ® for injection for intravenous use for the treatment of adults with previously treated, unresectable or metastatic HER2+ (IHC 3+) BTC. Jazz is conducting the confirmatory trial for Ziihera ® related to the accelerated approval. If the confirmatory trial fails to
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demonstrate a clinical benefit, FDA may remove Ziihera ® from the market, which would negatively impact our ability to earn milestone payments and royalties under our arrangement with Jazz. We are focused on the development of our early-stage product candidates and general discovery efforts. Following the clearance of our IND applications for both ZW171 and ZW191, we are actively progressing with additional submissions in selected non-U.S. countries in relation to our Phase 1 study sites in North America, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific region.
D eveloping pharmaceutical products, including conducting preclinical studies and clinical trials, is expensive. In order to obtain regulatory approval, we will be required to conduct clinical trials for each indication for each of our product candidates. Although our collaboration agreements with Jazz and BeiGene provide for additional future funding for zanidatamab, we will continue to require additional funding to advan ce and complete the development of our other product candidates, and such funding may not be available on acceptable terms or at all. If sufficient funds on acceptable terms are not available when needed, or at all, we could be forced to significantly reduce operating expenses and delay, scale back or eliminate one or more of our development programs or our business operations.
Our future funding requirements will depend on many factors, including:
• the number and characteristics of other product candidates that we pursue;
• the scope, progress, timing, cost and results of research, preclinical development, and clinical trials;
• the costs, timing and outcome of seeking and obtaining FDA and non-U.S. regulatory approvals;
• the costs associated with manufacturing our product candidates and establishing sales, marketing and distribution capabilities;
• our ability to maintain, expand and defend the scope of our intellectual property portfolio, including the amount and timing of any payments we may be required to make in connection with the licensing, filing, defense and enforcement of any patents or other intellectual property rights;
• our ability to hire when needed additional management, scientific and medical personnel;
• the effect of competing products that may limit market penetration of our product candidates;
• our need to implement additional internal systems and infrastructure, including financial and reporting systems; and
• the economic and other terms, timing of and success of our existing strategic partnerships, and any collaboration, asset monetization, licensing, or other arrangements into which we may enter in the future, including the timing of receipt of any milestone or royalty payments under these agreements.
Until we can generate a sufficient amount of product revenue to finance our cash requirements, which we may never do, we expect to finance future cash needs primarily through a combination of public and private equity offerings, debt financings, asset monetization, strategic partnerships and grant funding.
Raising additional capital may cause dilution to our stockholders, restrict our operations or require us to relinquish substantial rights.
To the extent that we raise additional capital through the sale of equity or convertible debt securities, our stockholders’ ownership interest will be diluted, and the terms of these new securities may include liquidation or other preferences that adversely affect our stockholders’ rights as common stockholders. For example, from time to time, we have entered into “at-the-market” equity offering programs to sell shares of our common stock including in August 2024, our entry into the Cowen Sales Agreement with TD Cowen as sales agent to sell shares of our common stock, subject to a maximum aggregate dollar amount registered pursuant to an applicable prospectus supplement. As part of the ongoing management of our operations and related funding needs, we evaluate various financing vehicles, including “at-the-market” equity offering programs, and may enter into similar “at-the-market” equity offering programs in the future, as well as other financing transactions. Debt financing, if available at all, may involve agreements that include covenants limiting or restricting our ability to take specific actions such as incurring additional debt, making capital expenditures, or declaring dividends. If we raise additional funds through partnerships, collaborations, strategic alliances, or licensing arrangements with third parties, we may have to relinquish valuable rights to our technologies, product candidates, or future revenue streams, or grant licenses on terms that are not favorable to us. We cannot assure that we will be able to obtain additional funding if and when necessary. If we are unable to obtain adequate financing on a timely basis, we could be required to delay, scale back or eliminate one or more of our development programs or grant rights to develop and market product candidates that we would otherwise prefer to develop and market ourselves.
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Our effective tax rate may change in the future.
We are subject to U.S. federal income taxes on our earnings and the earnings of our non-U.S. subsidiaries in a manner that may adversely impact our effective tax rate. For example, we have had to include additional amounts in income (such as interest income) under the so-called “global intangible low-taxed income” regime and may be required to do so in the future under the “global intangible low-taxed income” regime or as a result of the application of “controlled foreign corporation” rules. The United States has enacted the Inflation Reduction Act, which, among other changes, imposes a 1% excise tax on certain stock buybacks and an alternative minimum tax on adjusted financial statement income. In addition, our Canadian tax attributes (including net operating loss and tax credit carryforwards and deductible Scientific Research and Experimental Development Expenditure carryforwards) will generally not be available to offset U.S. income and may be subject to limitation. Further, our future operations and business structure may result in increased tax burden. For example, changes in our clinical development plans and business or commercialization strategies may result in an increased effective tax rate. Taxation of international business operations and intercompany transactions, including transactions between us and non-U.S. subsidiaries, is complicated and our expenses may increase as a result of any steps we take to enhance our compliance efforts. Any changes in the U.S. or non-U.S. taxation of such activities may increase our worldwide effective tax rate and harm our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
Risks Related to Our Dependence on Third Parties
We depend on our collaborative relationship with Jazz to further develop and commercialize zanidatamab, and if our relationship is not successful or is terminated, we may be delayed in or unable to effectively develop and/or commercialize zanidatamab, which could have a material adverse effect on our business.
In October 2022, Zymeworks BC entered into a License and Collaboration Agreement (the “Original Jazz Collaboration Agreement”) with Jazz, under which Jazz obtained development and commercialization rights of zanidatamab throughout the world, but excluding certain territories already covered by Zymeworks BC’s agreement with BeiGene. In April 2023, certain of our subsidiaries entered into a stock and asset purchase agreement with Jazz Inc. (as amended, the “Transfer Agreement”). Pursuant to the terms of the Transfer Agreement, we took a series of steps designed to simplify, focus, and potentially expedite the clinical development and commercialization of zanidatamab in partnership with Jazz by transferring certain assets, contracts and employees associated with our zanidatamab development program to Jazz and its affiliates (the “Program”). As part of the transactions contemplated by the Transfer Agreement, at the closing of the Transfer Agreement in May 2023, Zymeworks BC and Jazz amended and restated the Original Jazz Collaboration Agreement to reflect the transfer of responsibility for the Program (as amended, the “Amended Jazz Collaboration Agreement”). Under the Amended Jazz Collaboration Agreement, the financial terms of the Original Jazz Collaboration Agreement, as previously disclosed, were unchanged, except that the costs of the Program (including ongoing costs related to the service providers transferred to Jazz purs uant to the Transfer Agreement) incurred following the closing of the Transfer Agreement are directly borne by Jazz instead of being incurred by us and charged back to Jazz for reimbursement, though Zymeworks BC remains eligible for reimbursement of certain costs for activities where Zymeworks BC maintains responsibility under the Amended Jazz Collaboration Agreement. Other material terms in the Amended Jazz Collaboration Agreement also remain substantially similar to the terms of the Original Jazz Collaboration Agreement, including commercialization, term and termination, and certain other customary terms and conditions, including mutual representations and warranties, indemnification, and confidentiality provisions. We cannot be certain that our amended arrangement with Jazz will simplify, focus, or potentially expedite the clinical development and commercialization of zanidatamab in partnership with Jazz. We continue to depend on Jazz to collaborate with us to develop and commercialize zanidatamab in the territories covered by the Amended Jazz Collaboration Agreement and, as a result, the eventual success or commercial viability of zanidatamab is largely beyond our control. Any future financial returns to us depend in large part on achievement of regulatory and commercialization milestones, plus a share of any revenue from sales. Therefore, our success, and any associated financial returns to us and our investors, will depend in significant part on Jazz’s performance under the Amended Jazz Collaboration Agreement.
We are subject to a number of additional specific risks associated with our dependence on our collaborative relationship with Jazz, including:
• adverse decisions by Jazz regarding the development and commercialization of zanidatamab;
• Jazz’s ability to manufacture, directly or through third parties, commercially required quantities of zanidatamab in a timely manner or at all;
• Jazz’s compliance with ongoing post-marketing obligations, including completion of the confirmatory trial for zanidatamab;
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• possible disagreements as to the timing, nature and extent of development plans, including clinical trials or regulatory approval strategy;
• loss of significant rights if we fail to meet our obligations under the agreement;
• changes in key management personnel at Jazz;
• possible disagreements with Jazz regarding the agreement, for example, with regard to ownership of intellectual property rights or program costs and reimbursement matters; and
• Jazz may not perform its obligations as expected.
In November 2024, Jazz announced the FDA granted accelerated approval for Ziihera ® for injection for intravenous use for the treatment of adults with previously treated, unresectable or metastatic HER2+ (IHC 3+) BTC. Jazz is conducting the confirmatory trial for Ziihera ® related to the accelerated approval. If the confirmatory trial fails to demonstrate a clinical benefit, the FDA may remove Ziihera ® from the market, which would negatively impact our ability to earn milestone payments and royalties under our arrangement with Jazz. In addition, although Jazz is developing zanidatamab for regulatory approval in additional indications, such regulatory approval may never be achieved. If additional indications are not approved, our ability to achieve additional milestone payments and royalties on sales of zanidatamab will be materially and negatively impacted. Jazz is also subject to the risks relating to development and commercialization of product candidates or approved products discussed elsewhere in this “Risk Factors” section, which could restrict Jazz’s ability to further develop and commercialize zanidatamab and negatively impact our ability to achieve milestone payments and royalties.
If either we or Jazz fail to perform our respective obligations, any clinical trial, regulatory approval or development progress could be significantly delayed or halted, could result in costly or time-consuming litigation or arbitration and could have a material adverse effect on our business. In addition, we depend on Jazz to provide certain information to us regarding the Program, and any delay by Jazz in fulfilling its information-sharing obligations under the Amended Collaboration Agreement could impact our understanding of the status of the Program, as well as result in potential delays or inaccuracies in our disclosures relating to the Program.
Decisions by Jazz to emphasize other drug candidates currently in its portfolio ahead of zanidatamab, or to add competitive agents to its portfolio could result in a decision to terminate the agreement, in which event, among other things, we may be responsible for paying any remaining costs of ongoing or future clinical trials. If Jazz decides to terminate the Amended Jazz Collaboration Agreement, we may be delayed in or unable to effectively develop and/or commercialize zanidatamab, which could have a material adverse effect on our business. Any of the above discussed scenarios could adversely affect the timing and extent of the development and commercialization activities related to zanidatamab, which could materially and adversely impact our business.
Our existing strategic partnerships are important to our business, and future strategic partnerships will likely also be important to us. If we are unable to maintain our strategic partnerships, or if these strategic partnerships are not successful, our business could be adversely affected.
We have limited capabilities for drug development and commercialization of our product candidates, if approved. Accordingly, we have entered into strategic partnerships with other companies that we believe can provide such capabilities, including our collaboration and license agreements with Jazz, BeiGene, BMS, GSK, Daiichi Sankyo, Janssen and Merck. These relationships also have provided us with non-dilutive funding for our wholly-owned pipeline and therapeutic platforms and we expect to receive additional funding under these strategic partnerships in the future. Our existing strategic partnerships, and any future strategic partnerships we enter into, may pose a number of risks, including the following:
• strategic partners have significant discretion in determining the efforts and resources that they will apply to these partnerships;
• strategic partners may not perform their obligations as expected;
• strategic partners may not pursue development and commercialization of any product candidates that achieve regulatory approval or may elect not to continue or renew development or commercialization programs based on clinical trial results, changes in the partners’ strategic focus or available funding, or external factors, such as an acquisition, that divert resources or create competing priorities;
• strategic partners may delay clinical trials, provide insufficient funding for a clinical trial program, stop a clinical trial or abandon a product candidate, repeat or conduct new clinical trials or require a new formulation of a product candidate for clinical testing;
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• strategic partners could independently develop, or develop with third parties, products that compete directly or indirectly with our product candidates if the strategic partners believe that competitive products are more likely to be successfully developed or can be commercialized under terms that are more economically attractive than our product candidates;
• product candidates discovered in collaboration with us may be viewed by our strategic partners as competitive with their own product candidates or products, which may cause strategic partners to cease to devote resources to the commercialization of our product candidates;
• a strategic partner with marketing and distribution rights to one or more of our product candidates that achieve regulatory approval may not commit sufficient resources to the marketing and distribution of such product candidates;
• disagreements with strategic partners, including disagreements over proprietary rights, contract interpretation or the preferred course of development, might cause delays or termination of the research, development or commercialization of product candidates, might lead to additional responsibilities for us with respect to product candidates, or might result in litigation or arbitration, any of which would be time-consuming and expensive;
• we may be dependent on strategic partners to provide certain information to us regarding the development of product candidates, and any delay by our strategic partners to full information-sharing obligations could impact our understanding of such development, as well as result in potential delays or inaccuracies in our disclosures;
• strategic partners may not properly maintain or defend our intellectual property rights or may use our proprietary information in such a way as to invite litigation that could jeopardize or invalidate our intellectual property or proprietary information or expose us to potential litigation;
• strategic partners may infringe the intellectual property rights of third parties, which may expose us to litigation and potential liability;
• strategic partnerships may be terminated for the convenience of the partner and, if terminated, we could be required to raise additional capital to pursue further development or commercialization of the applicable product candidates. For example, each of our collaboration and license agreements with Jazz, BeiGene, BMS, GSK, Daiichi Sankyo, Janssen and Merck may be terminated for convenience upon the completion of a specified notice period;
• we may elect to enter into additional licensing or collaboration agreements to partner our product candidates in territories we currently retain, and in the event we grant exclusive rights to such partners, we would be precluded from potential commercialization of our product candidates within the territories in which we have a partner; and
• strategic partners may not have the ability or the development capabilities to perform their obligations as expected, including as a result of the impact of a pandemic or epidemic on our strategic partners’ operations or business.
In addition, our strategic partners are subject to the risks relating to development and commercialization of product candidates discussed elsewhere in this “Risk Factors” section, which could limit their ability to develop and commercialize product candidates and negatively impact our ability to achieve milestone, royalty or other contractual payments.
If our strategic partnerships do not result in the successful development and commercialization of product candidates or if one of our partners terminates its agreement with us, we may not receive any future research funding or milestone or royalty payments under the collaboration. If we do not receive the funding we expect under our strategic partnership agreements, our development of our therapeutic platforms and product candidates could be delayed and we may need additional resources to develop product candidates and our therapeutic platforms.
We face significant competition in seeking new strategic partners.
For some of our product candidates, we may in the future determine to collaborate with additional pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies for development and potential commercialization of therapeutic products. Our ability to reach a definitive agreement for a collaboration will depend, among other things, upon our assessment of the strategic partner’s resources and expertise, the terms and conditions of the proposed collaboration and the proposed strategic partner’s evaluation of a number of factors. These factors may include the design or results of clinical trials, the likelihood of approval by the FDA or similar regulatory authorities outside the United States, the potential market for the subject product candidate, the costs and complexities of manufacturing and delivering such product candidate to patients, the potential of competing products, the existence of uncertainty with respect to our ownership of technology, which can exist if there is a challenge to such ownership without regard to the merits of the challenge, and industry and market conditions generally. The strategic partner may also consider alternative product candidates or technologies for similar indications that may be available to collaborate on and whether such a collaboration could be more attractive than the one with us for our product candidate.
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Strategic partnerships are complex and time-consuming to negotiate and document. In addition, there have been a significant number of recent business combinations among large pharmaceutical companies that have resulted in a reduced number of potential future strategic partners. If we are unable to reach agreements with suitable strategic partners on a timely basis, on acceptable terms, or at all, we may have to curtail the development of a product candidate, reduce or delay one or more of our other development programs, delay potential commercialization or reduce the scope of any sales or marketing activities, or increase our expenditures and undertake development or commercialization activities at our own expense. If we elect to fund and undertake development or commercialization activities on our own, we may need to obtain additional expertise and additional capital, which may not be available to us on acceptable terms or at all. If we fail to enter into strategic partnerships and do not have sufficient funds or expertise to undertake the necessary development and commercialization activities, we may not be able to further develop our product candidates or bring them to market or continue to develop our therapeutic platforms and our business may be materially and adversely affected.
We rely on third-party manufacturers to produce our product candidates and on other third parties to provide supplies and store, monitor and transport bulk drug substance and drug product. We and our third-party partners may encounter difficulties with respect to these activities that could delay or impair our ability to initiate or complete our clinical trials or commercialize products.
We do not currently own or operate any manufacturing facilities. We rely on our strategic partners to manufacture product candidates licensed to them or work with multiple third-party contract manufacturers to produce sufficient quantities of materials required for the manufacture of our product candidates for preclinical testing and clinical trials, in compliance with applicable regulatory and quality standards, and intend to do so for the commercial manufacture of our products. If we are unable to arrange for such third-party manufacturing sources, or fail to do so on commercially reasonable terms, we may not be able to successfully produce sufficient supply of product candidate or we may be delayed in doing so. Such failure or substantial delay could materially harm our business.
The manufacture of biopharmaceutical products is complex and requires significant expertise and capital investment, including the development of advanced manufacturing techniques and process controls. The process of manufacturing our product candidates is susceptible to product loss due to contamination, equipment failure or improper installation or operation of equipment, vendor or operator error, inconsistency in yields, variability in product characteristics and difficulties in scaling the production process. Even minor deviations from normal manufacturing processes could result in reduced production yields, product defects and other supply disruptions. If microbial, viral or other contaminations are discovered in our product candidates or in the third-party manufacturing facilities in which our product candidates are made, such manufacturing facilities may need to be closed for an extended period of time to investigate and remedy the contamination. All of our engineered antibodies are manufactured in accordance with cGMP by utilizing cells that are stored in a cell bank. We have one master cell bank and one working cell bank for zanidatama b and one master cell bank for each of ZW191 and ZW171. S hould any cell bank be lost in a catastrophic event, it is possible that we could lose part of a cell bank and have our manufacturing potentially impacted by the need to replace the cell bank. Any adverse developments affecting manufacturing operations for our product candidates, if any are approved, may result in shipment delays, inventory shortages, lot failures, product withdrawals or recalls, or other interruptions in the supply of our products. We may also have to take inventory write-offs and incur other charges and expenses for products that fail to meet specifications, undertake costly remediation efforts or seek more costly manufacturing alternatives.
Furthermore, reliance on third-party manufacturers entails risks to which we would not be subject if we manufactured product candidates ourselves, including reliance on the third party for regulatory compliance and quality control and assurance, volume production, the possibility of breach of the manufacturing agreement by the third party because of factors beyond our control (including a failure to manufacture our product candidates in accordance with our product specifications) and the possibility of termination or nonrenewal of the agreement by the third party at a time that is costly or damaging to us. In addition, the FDA, EMA and other regulatory authorities require that our product candidates be manufactured according to cGMP and similar foreign standards. Pharmaceutical manufacturers and their subcontractors are required to register their facilities or products manufactured at the time of submission of the marketing application and then annually thereafter with the FDA and certain state and foreign agencies. They are also subject to periodic unannounced inspections by the FDA, state and other foreign authorities. Any subsequent discovery of problems with a product, or a manufacturing or laboratory facility used by us or our strategic partners, may result in restrictions on the product or on the manufacturing or laboratory facility, including marketed product recall, suspension of manufacturing, product seizure, or a voluntary withdrawal of the drug from the market. We may have little to no control regarding the occurrence of third-party manufacturer incidents. Any failure by our third-party manufacturers to comply with cGMP or failure to scale up manufacturing processes, including any failure to deliver sufficient quantities of product candidates in a timely manner, could lead to a delay in, or failure to obtain, regulatory approval of any of our product candidates.
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In addition to third-party manufacturers, we rely on other third parties to store, monitor and transport bulk drug substance and drug product. If we are unable to arrange for such third-party sources, or fail to do so on commercially reasonable terms, we may not be able to successfully supply sufficient product candidate or we may be delayed in doing so. Such failure or substantial delay could materially harm our business.
In addition, disruptions to ports and other shipping infrastructure, as were experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic, may result in shortages or delays impacting the availability of materials and other supplies, which could negatively impact our manufacturers, suppliers and other third parties on whom we rely. While we did not suffer any direct, material negative impacts from these supply chain disruptions, we cannot be certain that we will not be impacted by similar disruptions in the future, which could increase our costs or negatively impact our development timelines.
We rely on third parties to monitor, support, conduct and oversee clinical trials of the product candidates that we are developing and, in some cases, to maintain regulatory files for those product candidates. We may not be able to obtain regulatory approval for our product candidates or commercialize any products that may result from our development efforts if we are not able to maintain or secure agreements with such third parties on acceptable terms, if these third parties do not perform their services as required, or if these third parties fail to timely transfer any regulatory information held by them to us.
We rely on entities outside of our control, which may include academic institutions, CROs, hospitals, clinics and other third-party strategic partners, to monitor, support, conduct and oversee preclinical studies and clinical trials of our current and future product candidates. We also rely on third parties to perform clinical trials on our current and future product candidates when they reach that stage. As a result, we have less control over the timing and cost of these studies and the ability to recruit trial subjects than if we conducted these trials with our own personnel.
If we are unable to maintain or enter into agreements with these third parties on acceptable terms, or if any such engagement is terminated prematurely, we may be unable to enroll patients on a timely basis or otherwise conduct our trials in the manner we anticipate. In addition, there is no guarantee that these third parties will devote adequate time and resources to our studies or perform as required by our contract or in accordance with regulatory requirements, including maintenance of clinical trial information regarding our product candidates. These third parties, in turn, may face their own constraints in obtaining the resources and personnel needed to perform the work for which we engage them. If these third parties fail to meet expected deadlines, fail to transfer to us any regulatory information in a timely manner, fail to adhere to protocols or fail to act in accordance with regulatory requirements or our agreements with them, or if they otherwise perform in a substandard manner or in a way that compromises the quality or accuracy of their activities or the data they obtain, then clinical trials of our product candidates may be extended or delayed with additional costs incurred, or our data may be rejected by the FDA, EMA or other regulatory agencies.
Ultimately, we are responsible for ensuring that each of our clinical trials is conducted in accordance with the applicable protocol, legal, regulatory and scientific standards, and our reliance on third parties does not relieve us of our regulatory responsibilities.
We and our CROs are required to comply with GCP regulations and guidelines enforced by the FDA, the competent authorities of the member states of the EU and comparable foreign regulatory authorities for products in clinical development. Regulatory authorities enforce these GCP regulations through periodic inspections of clinical trial sponsors, principal investigators and clinical trial sites. If we or any of our CROs fail to comply with applicable GCP regulations, the clinical data generated in our clinical trials may be deemed unreliable and our submission of marketing applications may be delayed or the FDA may require us to perform additional clinical trials before approving our marketing applications. Upon inspection, the FDA could determine that any of our clinical trials fail or have failed to comply with applicable GCP regulations. In addition, our clinical trials must be conducted with product produced under the cGMP regulations enforced by the FDA, and our clinical trials may require a large number of test subjects. Our failure to comply with these regulations may require us to repeat clinical trials, which would delay the regulatory approval process and increase our costs. Moreover, our business may be implicated if any of our CROs violates federal or state fraud and abuse or false claims laws and regulations or healthcare privacy and security laws.
If any of our clinical trial sites terminate for any reason, we may experience the loss of follow-up information on patients enrolled in our ongoing clinical trials unless we are able to transfer the care of those patients to another qualified clinical trial site. Further, if our relationship with any of our CROs is terminated, we may be unable to enter into arrangements with alternative CROs on commercially reasonable terms, or at all.
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Switching or adding CROs or other suppliers can involve substantial cost and require extensive management time and focus. In addition, there is a natural transition period when a new CRO or supplier commences work. As a result, delays may occur, which can materially impact our ability to meet our desired clinical development timelines. If we are required to seek alternative supply arrangements, the resulting delays and potential inability to find a suitable replacement could materially and adversely impact our business.
We rely on third parties for various operational and administrative aspects of our business, including for certain cloud-based software platforms, which impact our financial, operational and research activities. If any of these third parties fail to provide timely, accurate and ongoing service or if the cloud-based platforms suffer outages that we are unable to mitigate, our business may be adversely affected.
We currently rely upon third-party consultants and contractors to provide certain operational and administrative services, including external financial, legal, information technology, clinical and research consultation. The failure of any of these third parties to provide accurate and timely service may adversely impact our business operations. In addition, if such third-party service providers were to cease operations, temporarily or permanently, face financial distress or other business disruption, or increase their fees, or if our relationships with these providers deteriorate, we could suffer increased costs until an equivalent provider could be found, if at all, or we could develop internal capabilities, if ever. If we are unsuccessful in choosing or finding high-quality partners, if we fail to negotiate cost-effective relationships with them, or if we ineffectively manage these relationships, it could have an adverse impact on our business and financial performance.
Further, our operations depend on the continuing and efficient operation of our information technology and communications systems and infrastructure, and specifically on “cloud-based” platforms. These platforms are vulnerable to damage or interruption from earthquakes, vandalism, sabotage, terrorist attacks, floods, fires, power outages, telecommunications failures, and computer viruses or other deliberate attempts to harm the systems. The occurrence of a natural or intentional disaster, any decision to close a facility we are using without adequate notice, or particularly an unanticipated problem at our cloud-based virtual server facility, could result in harmful interruptions in our service, resulting in adverse effects to our business.
Risks Related to Our Intellectual Property
Our commercial success depends significantly on our ability to operate without infringing the patents and other proprietary rights of third parties.
Our success will depend in part on our ability to operate without infringing the proprietary rights of third parties. Other entities may have or obtain patents or proprietary rights that could limit our ability to make, use, sell, offer for sale or import our future approved products or impair our competitive position. For example, certain patents and patent applications held by third parties cover Fab and Fc region engineering methods for bispecific antibodies, and antibodies having mutations in Fab heavy and light chain regions and Fc regions to generate correctly paired bispecific antibodies. If our products or our strategic partners’ products incorporate any Fab or Fc region mutations covered by any claims of these patents or patents that may issue from these applications, and if licenses for them are not available on commercially reasonable terms or at all, and we are unable to invalidate or render unenforceable those patents, our business could be materially harmed.
There is no assurance that there are not third-party patents or patent applications of which we are aware, but which we do not believe are relevant to our business, which may, nonetheless, ultimately be found to limit our ability to make, use, sell, offer for sale or import our future approved products or impair our competitive position.
Patents that we may ultimately be found to infringe could be issued to third parties. Third parties may have or obtain valid and enforceable patents or proprietary rights that could block us from developing product candidates using our technology. Our failure to obtain a license to any patent covering any technology that we require may materially harm our business, financial condition and results of operations. Moreover, our failure to maintain a license to any patent covering any technology that we require may also materially harm our business, financial condition and results of operations. Furthermore, we would be exposed to a threat of litigation.
In the pharmaceutical industry, significant litigation and other proceedings regarding patents, patent applications, trademarks and other intellectual property rights are commonplace. Any such lawsuits and proceedings could be costly and could affect our results of operations and divert the attention of our management and scientific personnel. Some of our competitors may be able to sustain the cost of such litigation and proceedings more effectively than we can because of their substantially greater resources. There is a risk that a court would decide that we or our strategic partners are infringing a third party’s patents and would order us or our strategic partners to stop the activities or stop the manufacture, use, or sale of any product covered by the
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patents. In that event, we or our strategic partners may not have a viable alternative to the technology protected by the patent and may need to halt work on the affected product candidate or cease commercialization of an approved product. In addition, there is a risk that a court would order us or our strategic partners to pay third-party damages or some other monetary award, depending upon the jurisdiction. An adverse outcome in any litigation or other proceeding could subject us to significant liabilities to third parties, potentially including treble damages and attorneys’ fees if we are found to have willfully infringed, and we may be required to cease using the technology that is at issue or to license the technology from third parties. We may not be able to obtain any required licenses on commercially acceptable terms or at all. Any of these outcomes could have a material adverse effect on our business.
If we are unable to obtain, maintain and enforce patent and trade secret protection for our product candidates and related technology, our business could be materially harmed.
Our strategy depends on our ability to identify and seek patent protection for our discoveries. This process is expensive and time consuming, and we may not be able to file and prosecute all necessary or desirable patent applications at a reasonable cost or in a timely manner or in all jurisdictions where protection may be commercially advantageous. It is also possible that we will fail to identify patentable aspects of our research and development output before it is too late to obtain patent protection. Moreover, in some circumstances, we may not have the right to control the preparation, filing and prosecution of patent applications, or to maintain the patents, covering technology that we have licensed from third parties. Therefore, our owned or in-licensed patents and patent applications may not be prosecuted and enforced in a manner consistent with the best interests of our business. Our patent applications cannot be enforced against third parties practicing the technology claimed in such applications unless, and until, patents issue from such applications, and then only to the extent the issued claims cover the technology. The patent applications that we own or in-license may fail to result in issued patents with claims that cover our current and future product candidates in the United States or in other countries.
Moreover, the patent position of biopharmaceutical companies generally is highly uncertain, involves complex legal and factual questions and has been the subject of much litigation. The issuance of a patent does not ensure that it is valid or enforceable. Third parties may challenge the validity, enforceability or scope of our issued patents, and such patents may be narrowed, invalidated, circumvented, or deemed unenforceable. In addition, changes in law may introduce uncertainty in the enforceability or scope of patents owned by biotechnology companies. If our patents are narrowed, invalidated or held unenforceable, third parties may be able to commercialize our technology or products and compete directly with us without payment to us. There is no assurance that all potentially relevant prior art relating to our patents and patent applications has been found, and such prior art could potentially invalidate one or more of our patents or prevent a patent from issuing from one or more of our pending patent applications. There is also no assurance that there is not prior art of which we are aware, but which we do not believe affects the validity or enforceability of a claim in our patents and patent applications, which may, nonetheless, ultimately be found to affect the validity or enforceability of a claim.
Furthermore, even if our patents are unchallenged, they may not adequately protect our intellectual property, provide exclusivity for our product candidates, prevent others from designing around our claims or provide us with a competitive advantage. The legal systems of certain countries do not favor the aggressive enforcement of patents, and the laws of other countries may not allow us to protect our inventions with patents to the same extent as the laws of the United States. Because patent applications in the United States and many other jurisdictions are typically not published until 18 months after filing, or in some cases not at all, and because publications of discoveries in scientific literature lag behind actual discoveries, we cannot be certain that we were the first to make the inventions claimed in our issued patents or pending patent applications, or that we were the first to file for protection of the inventions set forth in our patents or patent applications. As a result, we may not be able to obtain or maintain protection for certain inventions. Therefore, the issuance, validity, enforceability, scope and commercial value of our patents in the United States and in other countries cannot be predicted with certainty and, as a result, any patents that we own or license may not provide sufficient protection against competitors. We may not be able to obtain or maintain patent protection from our pending patent applications, from those we may file in the future, or from those we may license from third parties. Moreover, even if we are able to obtain patent protection, such patent protection may be of insufficient scope to achieve our business objectives. In addition, the issuance of a patent does not give us the right to practice the patented invention. Third parties may have blocking patents that could prevent us from marketing our own patented product and practicing our own patented technology.
Our patents covering one or more of our products or product candidates could be found invalid or unenforceable if challenged.
Any of our intellectual property rights could be challenged or invalidated despite measures we take to obtain patent and other intellectual property protection with respect to our product candidates and proprietary technology. These challenges could be
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initiated in the courts or administratively in various patent offices. For example, if we were to initiate legal proceedings against a third party to enforce a patent covering one of our product candidates, the defendant could counterclaim that our patent is invalid and/or unenforceable or file an administrative action to invalidate our patent. In patent litigation in the United States and in some other jurisdictions, defendant counterclaims alleging invalidity and/or unenforceability are commonplace. Grounds for a validity challenge could be an alleged failure to meet any of several statutory requirements, for example, lack of novelty, obviousness or non-enablement. Grounds for an unenforceability assertion could be an allegation that someone connected with prosecution of the patent withheld material information from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”) or the applicable foreign counterpart, or made a misleading statement, during prosecution. A litigant or the USPTO itself could challenge our patents on this basis even if we believe that we have conducted our patent prosecution in accordance with the duty of candor and in good faith. The outcome following such a challenge is unpredictable.
With respect to challenges to the validity of our patents, for example, there might be invalidating prior art, of which we and the patent examiner were unaware during prosecution. If a defendant were to prevail on a legal assertion of invalidity and/or unenforceability, we would lose at least part, and perhaps all, of the patent protection on a product candidate. Even if a defendant does not prevail on a legal assertion of invalidity and/or unenforceability, our patent claims may be construed in a manner that would limit our ability to enforce such claims against the defendant and others. The cost of defending such a challenge, and any resulting loss of patent protection, could have a material adverse impact on one or more of our product candidates and our business.
Enforcing our intellectual property rights against third parties may also cause such third parties to file other counterclaims against us, which could be costly to defend and could require us to pay substantial damages, cease the use, manufacture, or sale of certain products or enter into a license agreement and pay royalties (which may not be possible on commercially reasonable terms or at all). Any efforts to enforce our intellectual property rights are also likely to be costly and may divert the efforts of our scientific and management personnel.
Our intellectual property rights will not necessarily provide us with competitive advantages.
The degree of future protection afforded by our intellectual property rights is uncertain because intellectual property rights have limitations, and may not adequately protect our business, or permit us to maintain our competitive advantage. The following examples are illustrative:
• others may be able to make compounds that are similar to our product candidates but that are not covered by the claims of the patents that we or our strategic partners own or have exclusively licensed;
• others may independently develop similar or alternative technologies without infringing our intellectual property rights;
• issued patents that we own or have exclusively licensed may not provide us with any competitive advantages, or may be held invalid or unenforceable, as a result of legal challenges by our competitors;
• we may obtain patents for certain compounds many years before we obtain marketing approval for products containing such compounds, and because patents have a limited life, which may begin to run prior to the commercial sale of the related product, the commercial value of our patents may be limited;
• our competitors might conduct research and development activities in countries where we do not have patent rights and use the information learned from such activities to develop competitive products for sale in our major commercial markets;
• we may fail to develop additional proprietary technologies that are patentable;
• the laws of certain countries may not protect our intellectual property rights to the same extent as the laws of the United States, or we may fail to apply for or obtain adequate intellectual property protection in all the jurisdictions in which we operate; and
• the patents of others may have an adverse effect on our business, for example by preventing us from marketing one or more of our product candidates for one or more indications.
Any of the aforementioned threats to our competitive advantage could have a material adverse effect on our business.
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We may become involved in lawsuits to protect or enforce our patents and trade secrets, which could be expensive, time consuming and unsuccessful.
Third parties may seek to market biosimilar versions of any approved products. Alternatively, third parties may seek approval to market their own products similar to or otherwise competitive with our product candidates. In these circumstances, we may need to defend or assert our patents, including by filing lawsuits alleging patent infringement. The outcome following legal assertions of invalidity and unenforceability is unpredictable. In any of these types of proceedings, a court or agency with jurisdiction may find our patents invalid or unenforceable. Even if we have valid and enforceable patents, these patents still may not provide protection against competing products or processes sufficient to achieve our business objectives.
Even after they have issued, our patents and any patents that we license may be challenged, narrowed, invalidated or circumvented. If our patents are invalidated or otherwise limited or will expire prior to the commercialization of our product candidates, other companies may be better able to develop products that compete with ours, which could adversely affect our competitive business position, business prospects and financial condition. In addition, if the breadth or strength of protection provided by our patents and patent applications is threatened, it could dissuade companies from collaborating with us to license, develop or commercialize current or future product candidates.
The following are examples of litigation and other adversarial proceedings or disputes that we could become a party to involving our patents or patents licensed to us:
• we or our strategic partners may initiate litigation or other proceedings against third parties to enforce our patent or trade secret rights;
• third parties may initiate litigation or other proceedings seeking to invalidate patents owned by or licensed to us or to obtain a declaratory judgment that their product or technology does not infringe our patents or patents licensed to us;
• third parties may initiate opposition or reexamination proceedings challenging the validity or scope of our patent rights, requiring us or our strategic partners and/or licensors to participate in such proceedings to defend the validity and scope of our patents;
• there may be a challenge or dispute regarding inventorship or ownership of patents or trade secrets currently identified as being solely or co-owned by us or by a licensor who has granted a license to us;
• the USPTO may initiate an interference between patents or patent applications owned by or licensed to us and those of our competitors, requiring us or our strategic partners and/or licensors to participate in an interference proceeding to determine the priority of invention, which could jeopardize our patent rights; or
• third parties may seek approval to market biosimilar versions of our future approved products prior to expiration of relevant patents owned by or licensed to us, requiring us to defend our patents, including by filing lawsuits alleging patent infringement.
These lawsuits and proceedings would be costly and could affect our results of operations and divert the attention of our managerial and scientific personnel. Adversaries in these proceedings may have the ability to dedicate substantially greater resources to prosecuting these legal actions than we or our licensors can. There is a risk that a court or administrative body would decide that our patents are invalid, unenforceable or not infringed or trade secrets not misappropriated by a third party’s activities, or that the scope of certain issued claims must be further limited. An adverse outcome in a litigation or proceeding involving our own patents or trade secrets could limit our ability to assert our patents or trade secrets against these or other competitors, affect our ability to receive royalties or other licensing consideration from our licensees, and may curtail or preclude our ability to exclude third parties from making, using and selling similar or competitive products. Any of these occurrences could adversely affect our competitive business position, business prospects and financial condition.
We may not be able to prevent, alone or with our licensors or licensees, infringement or misappropriation of our intellectual property rights, particularly in countries where the laws may not protect those rights as fully as in the United States. Any litigation or other proceedings to enforce our intellectual property rights may fail, and even if successful, may result in substantial costs and distract our management and other employees.
Furthermore, because of the substantial amount of discovery required in connection with intellectual property litigation, there is a risk that some of our confidential information could be compromised by disclosure during this type of litigation. There could also be public announcements of the results of hearings, motions or other interim proceedings or developments. If securities analysts or investors perceive these results to be negative, it could have an adverse effect on the price of our common stock.
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The degree of future protection for our proprietary rights is uncertain because legal means afford only limited protection and may not adequately protect our rights or permit us to gain or keep our competitive advantage. For example:
• others may be able to develop a platform that is similar to, or better than, ours in a way that is not covered by the claims of our patents;
• others may be able to make compounds that are similar to our product candidates but that are not covered by the claims of our patents;
• we might not have been the first to make the inventions covered by patents or pending patent applications;
• we might not have been the first to file patent applications for these inventions;
• any patents that we obtain may not provide us with any competitive advantages or may ultimately be found invalid or unenforceable; or
• we may not develop additional proprietary technologies that are patentable or that afford meaningful trade secret protection.
Patent terms may be inadequate to protect our competitive position on our product candidates for an adequate amount of time.
Patents have a limited lifespan. In the United States, if all maintenance fees are timely paid, the expiration of a patent is generally 20 years from its earliest U.S. non-provisional filing date. Various extensions may be available, but the life of a patent, and the protection it affords, is limited. Even if patents covering our product candidates are obtained, once the patent life has expired, we may be open to competition from competitive products, including biosimilars. Given the amount of time required for the development, testing and regulatory review of new product candidates, patents protecting such candidates might expire before or shortly after such candidates are commercialized. As a result, our owned and licensed patent portfolio may not provide us with sufficient rights to exclude others from commercializing products similar or identical to ours. Further, judicial decisions in the United States raised questions regarding the award of patent term adjustment (“PTA”) for patents in families where related patents have issued without PTA. Thus, it cannot be said with certainty how PTA will be viewed in the future and whether patent expiration dates may be impacted.
If we do not obtain protection under the Hatch-Waxman Amendments and similar legislation in other countries for extending the term of patents covering each of our product candidates, our business may be materially harmed.
Depending upon the timing, duration and conditions of FDA marketing approval of our product candidates, one or more of our U.S. patents may be eligible for limited patent term extension under the Hatch-Waxman Amendments. The Hatch-Waxman Amendments permit a patent term extension of up to five years for a patent covering an approved product as compensation for effective patent term lost during product development and the FDA regulatory review process. However, we may not receive an extension if we fail to apply within applicable deadlines, fail to apply prior to expiration of relevant patents or otherwise fail to satisfy applicable requirements. Moreover, the length of the extension could be less than we request. If we are unable to obtain patent term extension or the term of any such extension is less than we request, the period during which we can enforce our patent rights for that product will be shortened and our competitors may obtain approval to market competing products sooner. As a result, our revenue from applicable products could be reduced, possibly materially. Further, if this occurs, our competitors may take advantage of our investment in development and trials by referencing our clinical and preclinical data and launch their product earlier than might otherwise be the case.
If we are unable to protect the confidentiality of our proprietary information, the value of our technology and products could be adversely affected.
In addition to patent protection, we also rely on other proprietary rights, including protection of trade secrets, and other proprietary information. For example, we treat our confidential and proprietary computational technologies, including unpatented know-how and other proprietary information, as trade secrets. We enter into confidentiality agreements with our employees, consultants, strategic partners and others upon the commencement of their relationships with us. These agreements provide that all confidential information developed by the individual or made known to the individual by us during the course of the individual’s relationship with us be kept confidential and not disclosed to third parties. Our agreements with employees and our personnel policies also provide that any inventions conceived by the individual in the course of rendering services to us shall be our exclusive property. However, we may not obtain these agreements in all circumstances, and individuals with whom we have these agreements may not comply with their terms. We cannot guarantee that we have entered into such agreements with each party that has or may have had access to, or houses or hosts, our trade secrets or proprietary information or that has
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been involved in the development of intellectual property. Further, despite such agreements, such inventions or confidential information may become disclosed or assigned to third parties. Monitoring unauthorized uses and disclosures is difficult and we do not know whether the steps we have taken to protect our proprietary technologies will be effective. In the event of unauthorized use or disclosure of our trade secrets or proprietary information, these agreements, even if obtained, may not provide meaningful protection, particularly for our trade secrets or other confidential information. To the extent that our employees, consultants or contractors use technology or know-how owned by third parties in their work for us, disputes may arise between us and those third parties as to the rights in such technology or know-how or in related inventions. To the extent that an individual who is not obligated to assign rights in intellectual property to us is rightfully an inventor of intellectual property, we may need to obtain an assignment or a license to that intellectual property from that individual, or a third party or from that individual’s assignee. Such assignment or license may not be available on commercially reasonable terms or at all.
We also seek to preserve the integrity and confidentiality of our data and trade secrets by maintaining physical security of our premises and physical and electronic security of our information technology systems and cloud storage sources, but such security measures may be breached, including through cyber-hacking or cyberattacks, and we may not have adequate remedies for any breach.
Enforcing a claim that a party illegally disclosed or misappropriated a trade secret is difficult, expensive and time-consuming and the outcome is unpredictable. In addition, some courts inside and outside the United States are less willing or unwilling to protect trade secrets. The disclosure of our trade secrets would impair our competitive position and may materially harm our business, financial condition and results of operations. Costly and time-consuming litigation could be necessary to enforce and determine the scope of our proprietary rights, and failure to maintain trade secret protection could adversely affect our competitive business position. If any of our trade secrets were to be lawfully obtained or independently developed by a competitor, we would have no right to prevent such third party, or those to whom they communicate such technology or information, from using that technology or information to compete with us. If any of our trade secrets were to be disclosed to or independently developed by a competitor, or if we otherwise lose protection for our trade secrets or proprietary know-how, the value of this information may be greatly reduced and our business and competitive position could be harmed. Adequate remedies may not exist in the event of unauthorized use or disclosure of our proprietary information.
As is common in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries, we employ individuals who were previously or concurrently employed at research institutions and/or other biotechnology or pharmaceutical companies, including our competitors or potential competitors. We may be subject to claims that these employees, or we, have inadvertently or otherwise used or disclosed trade secrets or other proprietary information of their former employers, or that patents and applications we have filed to protect inventions of these employees, even those related to one or more of our product candidates, are rightfully owned by their former or concurrent employer. Litigation may be necessary to defend against these claims. Such trade secrets or other proprietary information could be awarded to a third party, and we could be required to obtain a license from such third party to commercialize our technology or products. Such license may not be available on commercially reasonable terms or at all. Even if we are successful in defending against these claims, litigation could result in substantial costs and be a distraction to management.
Obtaining and maintaining our patent protection depends on compliance with various procedural, documentary, fee payment and other requirements imposed by regulations and governmental patent agencies, and our patent protection could be reduced or eliminated for noncompliance with these requirements.
Periodic maintenance fees, renewal fees, annuity fees and various other governmental fees on patents or applications will be due to the USPTO and various foreign patent offices at various points over the lifetime of our patents or applications. We have systems in place to remind us to pay these fees, and we rely on our outside patent annuity service to pay these fees when due. Additionally, the USPTO and various foreign patent offices require compliance with a number of procedural, documentary, fee payment and other similar provisions during the patent application process. We employ reputable law firms and other professionals to help us comply, and in many cases an inadvertent lapse can be cured by payment of a late fee or by other means in accordance with rules applicable to the particular jurisdiction. However, there are situations in which noncompliance can result in abandonment or lapse of the patent or patent application, resulting in partial or complete loss of patent rights in the relevant jurisdiction. If such an event were to occur, it could have a material adverse effect on our business.
We may be subject to claims challenging the inventorship of our patents and other intellectual property.
Although we are not currently experiencing any claims challenging the inventorship or ownership of our patents, we may in the future be subject to claims that former employees, strategic partners or other third parties have an interest in our patents or other intellectual property as an inventor or co-inventor. While it is our policy to require our employees and contractors who may be
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involved in the conception or development of intellectual property to execute agreements assigning such intellectual property to us, we may be unsuccessful in executing such an agreement with each party who, in fact, conceives or develops intellectual property that we regard as our own. For example, the assignment of intellectual property rights may not be self-executing or the assignment agreements may be breached, or we may have inventorship disputes arise from conflicting obligations of consultants or others who are involved in developing our product candidates. Litigation may be necessary to defend against these and other claims challenging inventorship. If we fail in defending any such claims, in addition to paying monetary damages, we may lose valuable intellectual property rights, such as exclusive ownership of, or right to use, valuable intellectual property. Even if we are successful in defending against such claims, litigation could result in substantial costs and be a distraction to management and other employees.
Patent protection and patent prosecution for some of our product candidates may be dependent on, and the ability to assert patents and defend them against claims of invalidity may be maintained by, third parties.
There may be times when certain patents that relate to our product candidates or any approved products are controlled by our licensees or licensors. Although we may, under such arrangements, have rights to consult with our strategic partners on actions taken as well as back-up rights of prosecution and enforcement, we have in the past and may in the future relinquish rights to prosecute and maintain patents and patent applications within our portfolio as well as the ability to assert such patents against infringers.
If any current or future licensee or licensor with rights to prosecute, assert or defend patents related to our product candidates fails to appropriately prosecute and maintain patent protection for patents covering any of our product candidates, or if patents covering any of our product candidates are asserted against infringers or defended against claims of invalidity or unenforceability in a manner that adversely affects such coverage, our ability to develop and commercialize any such product candidate may be adversely affected and we may not be able to prevent competitors from making, using and selling competing products.
Changes in patent laws or patent jurisprudence could diminish the value of patents in general, thereby impairing our ability to protect our products.
The patent positions of pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies can be highly uncertain and involve complex legal and factual questions for which important legal principles remain unresolved. Changes in either the patent laws or in the interpretations of patent laws in the United States and other countries may diminish the value of our intellectual property. We cannot predict the breadth of claims that may be allowed or found to be enforceable in our patents, in our strategic partners’ patents or in third-party patents. U.S. Supreme Court rulings have either narrowed the scope of patent protection available in certain circumstances or weakened the rights of patent owners in certain situations. In addition to increasing uncertainty with regard to our ability to obtain patents in the future, this has created uncertainty with respect to the validity, scope and value of patents, once obtained.
In September 2011, the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act, also known as the America Invents Act (“AIA”), was signed into law. An important change introduced by the AIA is that, as of March 16, 2013, the United States transitioned to a “first-to-file” system for deciding which party should be granted a patent when two or more patent applications are filed by different parties disclosing or claiming the same invention. A third party that has filed, or files a patent application in the USPTO after March 16, 2013, but before us, could be awarded a patent covering a given invention, even if we had made the invention before it was made by the third party. This requires us to be cognizant of the time from invention to filing of a patent application.
Depending on decisions by the U.S. Congress, the U.S. federal courts, the USPTO or similar authorities in foreign jurisdictions, the laws and regulations governing patents could change in unpredictable ways that may weaken our and our licensors’ ability to obtain new patents or to enforce existing patents we and our licensors or partners may obtain in the future. For example, the U.S. Supreme Court held in Amgen v. Sanofi (2023) that a functionally claimed genus was invalid for failing to comply with the enablement requirement of the Patent Act. As such, any of our patent rights with functional claims may be vulnerable to third party challenges seeking to invalidate these claims for lacking enablement or adequate support in the specification.
We may not be able to protect our intellectual property rights throughout the world.
Filing, prosecuting and defending patents on product candidates in all countries throughout the world would be prohibitively expensive, and our intellectual property rights in some countries outside the United States can be less extensive than those in the United States. In addition, the laws of some countries do not protect intellectual property rights to the same extent as laws in the United States. Consequently, we may not be able to prevent third parties from practicing our inventions in all countries
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outside the United States, or from selling or importing products made using our inventions in and into the United States or other jurisdictions. Competitors may use our technologies in jurisdictions where we have not obtained patent protection to develop their own products and further, may export otherwise infringing products to territories where we have patent protection, but enforcement is not as strong as that in the United States. These products may compete with our current or future products, if any, and our patents or other intellectual property rights may not be effective or sufficient to prevent them from competing. U.S. Supreme Court cases have narrowed the scope of what is considered patentable subject matter, for example, in the areas of software and diagnostic methods involving the association between treatment outcome and biomarkers. This could impact our ability to patent certain aspects of our technology in the United States.
Many companies have encountered significant problems in protecting and defending intellectual property rights in jurisdictions other than the United States. The legal systems of certain countries do not favor the enforcement of patents, trade secrets and other intellectual property protection, particularly those relating to biotechnology products, which could make it difficult for us to stop the infringement of our patents or marketing of competing products in violation of our proprietary rights generally. Proceedings to enforce our patent rights in foreign jurisdictions could result in substantial costs and divert our efforts and attention from other aspects of our business, could put our patents at risk of being invalidated or interpreted narrowly and our patent applications at risk of not issuing and could provoke third parties to assert claims against us. We may not prevail in any lawsuits that we initiate and the damages or other remedies awarded, if any, may not be commercially meaningful. Accordingly, our efforts to enforce our intellectual property rights around the world may be inadequate to obtain a significant commercial advantage from the intellectual property that we develop or license.
The requirements for patentability may differ in certain countries, which may make it more difficult for us to obtain sufficient claim scope to protect our products in those jurisdictions. India, certain countries in Europe and developing countries, including China, have compulsory licensing laws under which a patent owner may be compelled to grant licenses to third parties. In those countries, we and our licensors may have limited remedies if patents are infringed or if we or our licensors are compelled to grant a license to a third party, which could materially diminish the value of those patents. This could limit our potential revenue opportunities. Accordingly, our efforts to enforce intellectual property rights around the world may be inadequate to obtain a significant commercial advantage from the intellectual property that we own or license.
Geo-political actions in the United States and in foreign countries could increase the uncertainties and costs surrounding the prosecution or maintenance of our patent applications or those of any current or future licensors or licensees and the maintenance, enforcement or defense of our issued patents or those of any current or future licensors or licensees. Accordingly, our competitive position may be impaired, and our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may be adversely affected.
As another example, the complexity and uncertainty of European patent laws have increased in recent years. In Europe, a new unitary patent system was introduced on June 1, 2023, which will significantly impact European patents, including those granted before the introduction of this system. Under the unitary patent system, European applications have the option, upon grant of a patent, of becoming a Unitary Patent which is subject to the jurisdiction of the Unitary Patent Court (the “ UPC ” ). As the UPC is a new court system, there is no precedent for the court, increasing the uncertainty of any litigation. Patents granted before the implementation of the UPC have the option of opting out of the jurisdiction of the UPC and remaining as national patents in the UPC countries. Patents that remain under the jurisdiction of the UPC are potentially vulnerable to a single UPC-based revocation challenge that, if successful, could invalidate the patent in all countries who are signatories to the UPC. We cannot predict with certainty the long-term effects of any potential changes.
We use open source software in connection with our internal research and development programs, which could negatively affect our ability to develop products and subject us to litigation or other actions.
We use open source software in connection with our internal research and development programs. The terms of many open source licenses have not been interpreted by U.S. courts or courts outside of the United States, and there is a risk that these licenses could be construed in a way that could impose unanticipated conditions or restrictions on our ability to use this software. As a result, we could be subject to lawsuits by parties claiming ownership of what we believe to be open source software, or claiming that software we developed using such open source software is a derivative work of open source software and demanding the release of portions of our source code, or otherwise seeking to enforce the terms of the applicable open source license. Litigation could be costly for us to defend, have a negative effect on our financial condition and results of operations or require us to devote additional research and development resources to change our platform and offerings.
If we were to combine our proprietary software with open source software in a certain manner, we could, under certain open source licenses, be required to relea se the source code of our proprietary software to the public. If we inappropriately use open
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source software, or if the license terms for open source software that we use change, we may be required to re-engineer our platform, incur additional costs, discontinue the use of some or all of our platform or take other remedial actions.
In addition to risks related to license requirements, usage of open source software can lead to greater risks than use of third-party commercial software, because open source licensors generally do not provide warranties or assurance of title or controls on origin of the software. Many of the risks associated with usage of open source software, such as the lack of warranties or assurances of title, cannot be eliminated, and could, if not properly addressed, negatively affect our business. Any of these risks could be difficult to eliminate or manage and, if not addressed, could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
We will need to obtain FDA approval for any proposed product candidate names, and any failure or delay associated with such approval may adversely affect our business.
Any proprietary name or trademark we intend to use for our product candidates will require approval from the FDA regardless of whether we have secured a formal trademark registration from the USPTO. The FDA typically conducts a review of proposed product candidate names, including an evaluation of the potential for confusion with other product names. The FDA may also object to a product name if it believes the name inappropriately implies certain medical claims or contributes to an overstatement of efficacy. If the FDA objects to any product candidate names we propose, we may be required to adopt an alternative name for our product candidates. If we adopt an alternative name, we would lose the benefit of any existing trademark applications for such product candidate and may be required to expend significant additional resources in an effort to identify a suitable product name that would qualify under applicable trademark laws, not infringe the existing rights of third parties and be acceptable to the FDA. We may be unable to build a successful brand identity for a new trademark in a timely manner or at all, which would limit our ability to commercialize our product candidates.
Risks Related to Additional Legal and Compliance Matters
Our employees may engage in misconduct or other improper activities, including noncompliance with regulatory standards and requirements, insider trading, and noncompliance with our policies and procedures.
We are exposed to the risk of employee fraud or other misconduct. Misconduct by employees could include intentional failures to comply with FDA regulations, to provide accurate information to the FDA, to comply with federal and state health care fraud and abuse laws and regulations, to report financial information or data accurately or to disclose unauthorized activities to us. In particular, sales, marketing and business arrangements in the health care industry are subject to extensive laws and regulations intended to prevent fraud, misconduct, kickbacks, self-dealing and other abusive practices. These laws and regulations may restrict or prohibit a wide range of pricing, discounting, marketing and promotion, sales commission, customer incentive programs and other business arrangements. Employee misconduct could also involve the improper use of information obtained in the course of clinical trials, which could result in regulatory sanctions and serious harm to our reputation. We have adopted a Code of Conduct and Business Ethics, but it is not always possible to identify and deter employee misconduct, and the precautions we take to detect and prevent this activity may not be effective in controlling unknown or unmanaged risks or losses or in protecting us from governmental investigations or other actions or lawsuits stemming from a failure to comply with these laws or regulations. If any such actions are instituted against us, and we are not successful in defending ourselves or asserting our rights, those actions could have a significant impact on our business, including the imposition of significant fines or other sanctions. In addition, employees may become subject of allegations of gender discrimination and other misconduct that are not in compliance with our policies and procedures, which, regardless of the ultimate outcome, may result in adverse publicity that could materially harm our brand, reputation and business.
If we or our contractors or agents market products in a manner that violates healthcare fraud and abuse laws, or if we violate government price reporting laws and transparency laws, we may be subject to civil or criminal penalties.
In addition to FDA restrictions on the marketing of pharmaceutical products, federal and state healthcare laws restrict certain business practices in the biopharmaceutical industry. If our product candidates are approved and we begin commercialization, we will be subject to additional healthcare laws and regulations enforced by the federal government and by authorities in the states and foreign jurisdictions in which we conduct our business. These state and federal healthcare laws, commonly referred to as “fraud and abuse” laws, have been applied to restrict certain marketing practices in the pharmaceutical industry, and include anti-kickback, false claims, data privacy and security and transparency statutes and regulations.
Federal false claims laws prohibit, among other things, any person from knowingly presenting, or causing to be presented, a false claim for payment to the federal government or knowingly making, or causing to be made, a false statement to get a false
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claim paid. The federal healthcare program anti-kickback statute prohibits, among other things, knowingly and willfully offering, paying, soliciting or receiving remuneration to induce, or in return for, purchasing, leasing, ordering or arranging for the purchase, lease or order of any healthcare item or service reimbursable under Medicare, Medicaid or other federally financed healthcare programs. Most states also have statutes or regulations similar to the federal anti-kickback law and federal false claims laws, which may apply to items such as pharmaceutical products and services reimbursed by private insurers. Administrative, civil and criminal sanctions may be imposed under these federal and state laws.
The federal civil monetary penalties statute imposes penalties against any person or entity who, among other things, is determined to have presented or caused to be presented a claim to a federal health program that the person knows or should know is for an item or service that was not provided as claimed or is false or fraudulent.
HIPAA created new federal criminal statutes that prohibit knowingly and willfully executing, or attempting to execute, a scheme to defraud or obtain, by means of false or fraudulent pretenses, representations, or promises, any of the money or property owned by, or under the custody or control of, any healthcare benefit program, including private third-party payors, and knowingly and willfully falsifying, concealing or covering up a material fact or making any materially false, fictitious or fraudulent statement in connection with the delivery of, or payment for, healthcare benefits, items or services.
We may be subject to data privacy and security regulation by both the federal government and the states in which we conduct our business, including HIPAA, as amended by HITECH, and its implementing regulations, which imposes certain requirements relating to the privacy, security and transmission of individually identifiable information. In addition, state laws govern the privacy and security of health information in certain circumstances, many of which differ from each other in significant ways. These state laws may not have the same effect and often are not preempted by HIPAA, thus complicating compliance efforts.
The PPACA also included the federal Physician Payments Sunshine Act, which requires applicable manufacturers of drugs, devices, biologics and medical supplies for which payment is available under Medicare, Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (with certain exceptions) to report annually information related to certain payments or other transfers of value made in the previous year to covered recipients, including physicians and teaching hospitals, including certain ownership and investment interests held by physicians or their immediate family members. Failure to comply with the required reporting requirements could subject applicable reporting entities such as manufacturers to substantial civil monetary penalties.
Many states have similar healthcare statutes or regulations that apply to items and services reimbursed under Medicaid and other state programs, or, in several states, apply regardless of the payor. Certain states require pharmaceutical companies to implement a comprehensive compliance program that includes a limit or outright ban on expenditures for, or payments to, individual medical or health professionals and/or require pharmaceutical companies to track and report gifts and other payments made to physicians and other healthcare providers.
If our operations are found to be in violation of any of the healthcare laws or regulations described above or any other laws that apply to us, we may be subject to penalties, including potentially significant criminal, civil or administrative penalties, damages, fines, disgorgement, individual imprisonment, exclusion of products from reimbursement under government programs, contractual damages, reputational harm, administrative burdens, diminished profits and future earnings or the curtailment or restructuring of our operations, any of which could adversely affect our ability to operate our business and our results of operations. To the extent that any of our products will be sold in a foreign country, we may be subject to similar foreign laws and regulations, which may include, for instance, applicable post-marketing requirements, including safety surveillance, fraud and abuse laws, and implementation of corporate compliance programs and reporting of payments or transfers of value to healthcare professionals.
If we do not comply with laws regulating the protection of the environment and health and human safety, our business could be adversely affected.
Our research and development involves, and may in the future involve, the use of potentially hazardous materials and chemicals. Our operations may produce hazardous waste products. Although we believe that our safety procedures for handling and disposing of these materials comply with the standards mandated by local, state and federal laws and regulations, the risk of accidental contamination or injury from these materials cannot be eliminated. If an accident occurs, we could be held liable for resulting damages, which could be substantial. We are also subject to numerous environmental, health and workplace safety laws and regulations and fire and building codes, including those governing laboratory procedures, exposure to blood-borne pathogens, use and storage of flammable agents and the handling of biohazardous materials. Although we maintain workers’ compensation insurance as prescribed by certain jurisdictions in which we operate to cover us for costs and expenses we may
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incur due to injuries to our employees resulting from the use of these materials, this insurance may not provide adequate coverage against potential liabilities. We do not maintain insurance for environmental liability or toxic tort claims that may be asserted against us. Additional federal, state and local laws and regulations affecting our operations may be adopted in the future. We may incur substantial costs to comply with, and substantial fines or penalties if we violate, any of these laws or regulations.
We may be subject to certain costs and inefficiencies as a result of our 2022 Redomicile Transactions.
We became a Delaware corporation in October 2022 as a result of the Redomicile Transactions. Pursuant to the agreements governing the Redomicile Transactions, we agreed to use reasonable efforts to take certain corporate steps and actions, as may be necessary or desirable, to effect and implement certain post-arrangement transactions, including the internal reorganization of certain subsidiaries (the “Post-Arrangement Transactions”). Following the entry into the Original Jazz Collaboration Agreement subsequent to the Redomicile Transactions, we determined that completing the Post-Arrangement Transactions as originally contemplated would result in negative tax consequences. As a result, we do not currently intend to complete the Post-Arrangement Transactions. While we expect to manage any tax and operational inefficiencies that may result under our current organizational structure, and we may pursue additional internal reorganizations in the future, certain tax and operational inefficiencies may persist notwithstanding our management and/or additional reorganization that could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations (including, for example, the requirement to recognize certain income (such as interest income) under the “global intangible low-taxed income” regime).
We incurred a number of non-recurring costs associated with the Redomicile Transactions, and the associated reorganization of our corporate structure may result in additional and unforeseen expenses in the future. While it is expected that benefits of the Redomicile Transactions will offset these transaction costs over time, this net benefit may not be achieved in the short-term or at all. These combined factors could adversely affect our business and overall financial condition.
Risks Related to Employee Matters and Managing Growth
Our future success depends on our ability to retain key executives and to attract, retain and motivate qualified personnel.
We are highly dependent on key members of our senior management team, including Kenneth Galbraith, the Chair of our board of directors, President, and Chief Executive Officer, Leone Patterson, our Chief Business Officer and Chief Financial Officer, Paul Moore, our Chief Scientific Officer, Jeffrey Smith, our Chief Medical Officer, and other key members of our senior management, scientific and clinical teams. Although we have entered into employment agreements with our executive officers, each of them may terminate their employment with us at any time. The loss of the services of our key senior managers and employees could impede the achievement of our research, development and commercialization objectives and seriously harm our ability to successfully implement our business strategy.
Retention and any future recruitment of qualified scientific, technical, clinical, manufacturing and sales and marketing personnel will also be critical to our success. If we are successful in advancing the development of our early-stage candidates, we will need to evaluate any organizational hiring needs. In addition, we will need to effectively manage our managerial, operational, financial, development and other resources in order to successfully pursue our research, development and commercialization efforts for our existing and future product candidates. Furthermore, replacing key senior managers and employees may be difficult and may take an extended period of time because of the limited talent pool in our industry due to the breadth of skills and experience required to successfully develop, gain regulatory approval of and commercialize products. Intense competition for attracting key skill-sets and the impact of inflationary pressure on wages may limit our ability to attract, retain and motivate key personnel on acceptable terms. In addition, we rely on consultants and advisors, including scientific and clinical advisors, to assist us in formulating our research and development and commercialization strategy. Our consultants and advisors may be employed by employers other than us and may have commitments under consulting or advisory contracts with other entities that may limit their availability. If we are unable to continue to attract and retain high quality personnel, our ability to pursue our business strategy will be limited.
As we advance our development and commercialization plans and strategies, we may need to grow or modify our organization, and we may experience difficulty in managing such change, which could disrupt our operations.
As of December 31, 2024, we had 280 full-time employees. As we advance our development and commercialization plans and strategies in the future, we anticipate that we may need to expand or modify our employee base. As our product candidates enter and advance through preclinical studies and any clinical trials, we may need to expand or modify our development, manufacturing, regulatory sales and marketing capabilities or contract with other organizations to provide these capabilities for
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us. We believe the need for future expansion or modification in these areas will increase a s our product candidates reach later stages of preclinical and clinical development. Future growth would impose significant added responsibilities on members of management, including the need to identify, recruit, maintain, motivate and integrate additional employees. Also, our management may need to divert a disproportionate amount of their attention away from our day-to-day activities and devote a substantial amount of time to managing any necessary growth activities. We may not be able to effectively manage an expansion or modification of our operations, which may result in weaknesses in our infrastructure, give rise to operational errors, loss of business opportunities, loss of employees and reduced productivity amongst remaining employees. Any growth or organizational modification could require significant capital expenditures and may divert financial resources from other projects, such as the development of existing and additional product candidates. If our management is unable to effectively manage any needed growth or organizational modifications, our expenses may increase more than expected, our ability to generate or grow revenue could be reduced and we may not be able to implement our business strategy. Our future financial performance and our ability to commercialize our product candidates and compete effectively with others in our industry will depend on our ability to effectively manage any future growth or organizational modification.
Risks Related to Our Common Stock
Our stock price is likely to be volatile and the market price of our common stock may drop below the price paid by stockholders.
Investors should consider an investment in our common stock as risky and invest only if they can withstand a significant loss and wide fluctuations in the market value of their investment. Investors may be unable to sell their common stock at or above the price they paid for such stock due to fluctuations in the market price of our common stock arising from changes in our operating performance or prospects. Factors that may cause the market price of our common stock to fluctuate include:
• results and timing of our clinical trials and clinical trials of our competitors’ products;
• failure or discontinuation of any of our development programs;
• the success of our partnerships;
• our ability to achieve milestones and receive associated milestone payments pursuant to the terms of our partnerships;
• issues in manufacturing our product candidates or future approved products;
• regulatory developments or enforcement in the United States and foreign countries with respect to our product candidates or our competitors’ products;
• competition from existing products or new products that may emerge;
• developments or disputes concerning patents or other proprietary rights;
• introduction of technological innovations or new commercial products by us or our competitors;
• announcements by us, our strategic partners or our competitors of significant acquisitions, strategic partnerships, joint ventures, or capital commitments;
• actions taken by industry or securities analysts that cover our company or common stock, including changes in estimates or recommendations, inaccurate or unfavorable research or a decision to drop coverage;
• fluctuations in the valuation of companies in the biotechnology industry or otherwise perceived by investors to be comparable to us;
• additional instances of stockholder activism, including unsolicited takeover proposals or proxy contests;
• public concern over our product candidates or any future approved products;
• litigation;
• future sales of our common stock or the perception that such sales could occur;
• stock price and volume fluctuations attributable to inconsistent trading volume levels of our common stock;
• additions or departures of key personnel;
• our ability to execute on our key strategic priorities;
• changes in the structure of health care payment systems in the United States or other countries;
• failure of zanidatamab or our product candidates, if approved, to achieve commercial success;
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• economic and other external factors or other disasters or crises, including pandemics;
• period-to-period fluctuations in our financial condition and results of operations, including the timing of receipt of any milestone or other payments under commercialization or licensing agreements;
• general market conditions and market conditions for biopharmaceutical stocks;
• potential disagreements or disputes with certain of our stockholders;
• our ability to effectively address environmental, social, and governance matters affecting our business that are a focus of certain investors, environmental activists, the media, and governmental and nongovernmental organizations;
• overall fluctuations in U.S. equity markets;
• purchases under our Repurchase Program; and
• other factors that may be unanticipated or out of our control.
The stock market in general, and the stock of biopharmaceutical companies in particular, have experienced extreme price and volume fluctuations that have often been unrelated or disproportionate to the operating performance of the relevant companies, which has resulted in increased volatility and decreased stock prices for many companies notwithstanding the lack of a fundamental change in their underlying business models or prospects. Broad market and industry factors, including potentially worsening economic conditions and other adverse effects or developments, may negatively affect the market price of our common stock, regardless of our actual operating performance. Securities class action litigation has often been brought against companies following a decline in the market price of their securities. If we face such litigation, it could result in substantial costs and a diversion of management’s attention and resources, which could materially harm our business. The realization of any of the above risks or any of a broad range of other risks, including those described in this “Risk Factors” section, could have a material adverse effect on the market price of our common stock.
An active trading market for our common stock may not be sustained.
If an active market for our common stock does not continue, it may be difficult for our stockholders to sell their stock without depressing the market price for the common stock or sell their common stock at or above the prices at which they acquired their common stock or sell their common stock at the time they would like to sell. Any inactive trading market for our common stock may also impair our ability to raise capital to continue to fund our operations by selling common stock and may impair our ability to acquire other companies or technologies by using our common stock as consideration.
We may fail to meet the continued listing requirements of the Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (“Nasdaq”). If Nasdaq delists our shares of common stock from trading on its exchange, we could face significant material adverse consequences, including:
• significant impairment of the liquidity for our common stock, which may substantially decrease the market price of our common stock;
• a limited availability of market quotations for our securities;
• a determination that our common stock qualifies as a “penny stock” which will require brokers trading in our common stock to adhere to more stringent rules and possibly resulting in a reduced level of trading activity in the secondary trading market for our common stock;
• a limited amount of news and analyst coverage for our company; and
• a decreased ability to issue additional securities or obtain additional financing in the future.
Our management team has broad discretion to use the net proceeds from our financing activities as well as funds received pursuant to our strategic collaborations, and its investment of these proceeds may not yield a favorable return. They may invest the proceeds in ways with which our stockholders disagree.
Our management team has broad discretion in the applicatio n of the proceeds we receive from our financing activities and from our strategic collaborations, and we could spend or invest the proceeds in ways with which our stockholders disagree. Accordingly, stockholders will need to rely on our management team’s judgment with respect to the use of these proceeds. The failure by management to apply these funds effectively could negatively affect our ability to operate and grow our business. We cannot specify with certainty all of the particular uses for the net proceeds received from our fundraising efforts or for funds received pursuant to our strategic collaborations and our actual expenditures will depend upon numerous factors. Until the net proceeds are used, they may be placed in investments that do not produce significant income or that may lose value.
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We do not anticipate paying cash dividends for the foreseeable future, and accordingly, stockholders must rely on stock appreciation for any return on their investment.
We have never paid any dividends on our common stock. We currently intend to retain our future earnings, if any, to fund the development and growth of our business and do not anticipate that we will declare or pay any cash dividends on our common stock in the foreseeable future. As a result, capital appreciation, if any, of our common stock will be the sole source of gain on investment in our common stock for the foreseeable future. Investors seeking cash dividends should not invest in our common stock. Any future determination to pay dividends will be at the discretion of our board of directors and will depend upon many factors, and, as a result, future dividends payable to investors are not guaranteed.
Our principal stockholders, in aggregate, could exert substantial influence over us which could delay or prevent a change in corporate control or result in the entrenchment of management or the board of directors.
Our principal stockholders, being our stockholders that beneficially own 5% or more of our common stock, together with their affiliates and related persons, in aggregate, beneficially owned approximately 53.9% of our outstanding common stock as of December 31, 2024. Our directors and executive officers beneficially owned, in the aggregate, approximately 2.3% of our outstanding common stock as of December 31, 2024. Our principal stockholders, if acting together (with or without our directors and executive officers), may have the ability to exert substantial influence over the outcome of matters submitted to our stockholders for approval, including the election and remova l of directors and any merger or sale of all or substantially all of our assets. In addition, our principal stockholders, if acting together (with or without our directors and executive officers), may have the ability to exert substantial influence over the management and affairs of our company. Accordingly, this concentration of ownership could harm the market price of our common stock by:
• delaying, deferring, or preventing a change in control;
• entrenching our management or the board of directors;
• impeding a merger, takeover, or other business combination involving us; or
• discouraging a potential acquirer from making a tender offer or otherwise attempting to obtain control of us.
We qualify as a smaller reporting company, and any decision on our part to comply only with certain reduced reporting and disclosure requirements applicable to such companies could make our common stock less attractive to investors.
We qualify as a “smaller reporting company,” as defined under the Exchange Act, and, for as long as we continue to be a smaller reporting company, we may choose to take advantage of exemptions from various reporting requirements applicable to other public companies that are not smaller reporting companies.
In addition, we are a “non-accelerated filer” as defined under the Exchange Act. For as long as we continue to be a non-accelerated filer, we are eligible to take advantage of an exemption from the requirement that our independent registered public accounting firm attest to the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting under Section 404. For this Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ending December 31, 2024, we are relying on this exemption and have not obtained an attestation from our independent registered public accounting firm. Our decision to rely on this exemption may have a detrimental impact on our ability to maintain the adequacy of our internal control over financial reporting, and any failure to maintain adequacy, or inability to produce accurate financial statements or other reports on a timely basis, could increase our operating costs and could materially impair our ability to operate our business. As a result of our decision to rely on certain of these disclosure exemptions, the information we provide stockholders will be different than the information that is available with respect to other public companies and some investors may find our shares of common stock less attractive, which may result in a less active trading market for our common stock.
If we fail to maintain an effective system of internal control over financial reporting, we may not be able to accurately report our financial results or prevent fraud. As a result, stockholders could lose confidence in our financial and other public reporting, which would harm our business and the trading price of our common stock.
Under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, we are required to establish and maintain effective internal control over financial reporting and adequate disclosure controls and procedures. Effective internal control over financial reporting is necessary for us to provide reliable financial reports and, together with adequate disclosure controls and procedures, are designed to prevent fraud. Even if our management concludes that our internal control over financial reporting is effective, our independent registered public accounting firm may conclude that there are material weaknesses with respect to our internal controls or the
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level at which our internal controls are documented, designed, implemented or reviewed. Undetected material weaknesses in our internal controls could lead to financial statement restatements and require us to incur the expense of remediation.
We plan to transition to a new enterprise resource planning system in 2025, which we believe will lead to improvements in our internal control over financial reporting; however, the full impact of this transition is not yet known. If, during the evaluation and testing process of our internal controls, we identify one or more material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting, we will be unable to assert that our internal control over financial reporting is effective. We cannot assure you that there will not be material weaknesses in our internal controls over financial reporting in the future. If we are unable to conclude that our internal control over financial reporting is effective, or if our independent registered public accounting firm determines we have a material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting, we could lose investor confidence in the accuracy and completeness of our financial reports, the market price of our common stock could decline, and we could be subject to sanctions or investigations by the SEC or other regulatory authorities. Failure to remedy any material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting, or to implement or maintain other effective control systems required of public companies, could also restrict our future access to the capital markets. Furthermore, if we cannot provide reliable financial reports or prevent fraud, including as a result of remote working by our employees, our business and results of operations would likely be materially and adversely affected.
Holders of our Exchangeable Shares are subject to additional risks.
Pursuant to the Redomicile Transactions, certain holders of common shares of our predecessor company exchanged their common shares for exchangeable shares (“Exchangeable Shares”) in the capital of our subsidiary Zymeworks ExchangeCo Ltd. (“ExchangeCo”). Exchangeable Shares are exchangeable at the option of the holder for shares of our common stock.
Exchangeable Shares are subject to additional risks, including:
• The Exchangeable Shares are not and will not be listed on any stock exchange. There is no market through which the Exchangeable Shares may be sold, and holders may not be able to sell their Exchangeable Shares.
• Holders of Exchangeable Shares who request an exchange may not receive shares of our common stock until a period of time after the applicable request is received. During this period, the market price of our common stock may increase or decrease. Any such increase or decrease would affect the value of the consideration to be received by such a holder of Exchangeable Shares upon a subsequent sale of shares of our common stock received in the exchange.
• Exchangeable Shares may be subject to different tax consequences under Canadian law depending on whether the exchangeable shares are disposed of in a redemption or an acquisition by one of our subsidiaries, and such transaction may not be within the control of the holder.
• The tax treatment of Exchangeable Shares for non-Canadian tax purposes, including U.S. federal income tax purposes, is uncertain.
Delaware law and provisions in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws might delay, discourage or prevent a change in control of Zymeworks or changes in our management, thereby depressing the market price of our common stock.
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws contain provisions that may make the acquisition of Zymeworks more difficult or delay or prevent changes in control of its management. Among other things, these provisions:
• authorize our board of directors to issue shares of preferred stock and determine the price and other terms of those shares, including preferences and voting rights, without stockholder approval;
• permit only the board of directors to establish the number of directors and fill vacancies and newly created directorships on the board, provided that the board of directors’ ability to increase the size of the board and fill vacancies and newly created directorships will be subject to the restrictions in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws;
• establish that members of our board of directors serve in one of three staggered terms of three years each;
• provide that our directors may only be removed by the affirmative vote of at least 66 2/3% of the voting power of the shares cast on such proposal;
• permit stockholders to only take actions at a duly called annual or special meeting and not by written consent;
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• require that stockholders give advance notice to nominate directors or submit proposals for consideration at stockholder meetings;
• not provide for cumulative voting rights in the election of directors;
• provide that special meetings of Zymeworks’ stockholders may be called only by the board of directors, the chairperson of the board of directors, Zymeworks’ chief executive officer, president or the secretary upon request from holders of no less than 20% of our outstanding voting stock, subject to the limitations and requirements set forth in our amended and restated bylaws; and
• require a super-majority vote of stockholders to amend some of the provisions described above.
In addition, because we are incorporated in Delaware, we are governed by the provisions of Section 203 of the DGCL, which generally prohibits a Delaware corporation from engaging in any of a broad range of business combinations with any “interested stockholder” for a period of three years following the date on which the stockholder became an “interested stockholder” unless certain conditions are met.
These provisions, alone or together, could delay, discourage or prevent a transaction involving a change in control of Zymeworks. These provisions could also discourage proxy contests and make it more difficult for stockholders to elect directors of their choosing and to cause Zymeworks to take other corporate actions they desire, any of which, under certain circumstances, could limit the opportunity for our stockholders to receive a premium for their shares of common stock, and could also affect the price that some investors are willing to pay for our common stock.
Our amended and restated bylaws designate a state or federal court located within the State of Delaware as the exclusive forum for substantially all disputes between Zymeworks and its stockholders, and also provide that the federal district courts are the exclusive forum for resolving any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act, each of which could limit our stockholders’ ability to choose the judicial forum for disputes with Zymeworks or its directors, officers, stockholders or employees.
Our amended and restated bylaws provide that, unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the sole and exclusive forum for (1) any derivative action or proceeding brought on our behalf, (2) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any of our directors, stockholders, officers or other employees to Zymeworks or our stockholders, (3) any action arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation or our amended and restated bylaws or (4) any other action asserting a claim that is governed by the internal affairs doctrine shall be the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware (or, if the Court of Chancery does not have jurisdiction, another State court in Delaware or the federal district court for the District of Delaware), except for any claim as to which such court determines that there is an indispensable party not subject to the jurisdiction of such court (and the indispensable party does not consent to the personal jurisdiction of such court within ten days following such determination), which is vested in the exclusive jurisdiction of a court or forum other than such court or for which such court does not have subject matter jurisdiction. This provision does not apply to any action brought to enforce a duty or liability created by the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder.
Section 22 of the Securities Act establishes concurrent jurisdiction for federal and state courts over Securities Act claims. Accordingly, both state and federal courts have jurisdiction to hear such claims. To prevent having to litigate claims in multiple jurisdictions and the threat of inconsistent or contrary rulings by different courts, among other considerations, our amended and restated bylaws provide that, unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the federal district courts of the United States will be the sole and exclusive forum for resolving any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act.
Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring or holding or owning (or continuing to hold or own) any interest in any of our securities shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to the foregoing bylaw provisions. Although we believe these exclusive forum provisions benefit us by providing increased consistency in the application of Delaware law and federal securities laws in the types of lawsuits to which each applies, the exclusive forum provisions may limit a stockholder’s ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum of its choosing for disputes with us or our current or former directors, officers, stockholders or other employees, which may discourage such lawsuits against us and our current and former directors, officers, stockholders and other employees. Our stockholders will not be deemed to have waived our compliance with the federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder as a result of our exclusive forum provisions.
The enforceability of similar exclusive forum provisions in other companies’ organizational documents have been challenged in legal proceedings, and, while certain courts have determined these provisions are enforceable, it is possible that a court of law
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could rule that these types of provisions are inapplicable or unenforceable if they are challenged in a proceeding or otherwise. If a court were to find either exclusive forum provision contained in our amended and restated bylaws to be inapplicable or unenforceable in an action, we may incur significant additional costs associated with resolving such action in other jurisdictions, which could harm our financial condition and results of operations.
There can be no assurance that we will repurchase additional shares of our common stock or that we will repurchase shares at favorable prices.
In August 2024, our board of directors approved t
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