Prelude Therapeutics Inc

Investing in our common stock involves a high degree of risk. Before making your decision to invest in shares of our common stock, you should carefully consider the risks and uncertainties described under Part I, Item 1A, “Risk Factors” in our 2023 Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 15, 2024, in addition to the risk factors that appear below.

Changes in United States and China relations, as well as relations with other countries, and/or regulations may adversely impact our business, our operating results, our ability to raise capital and the market price of our shares.

The U.S. government, including the SEC, has made statements and taken certain actions that led to changes to United States and international relations, and will impact companies with connections to the United States or China, including imposing several rounds of tariffs affecting certain products manufactured in China, imposing certain sanctions and restrictions in relation to China and issuing statements indicating enhanced review of companies with significant China-based operations. It is unknown whether and to what extent new legislation, executive orders, tariffs, laws or regulations will be adopted, or the effect that any such actions would have on companies with significant connections to the U.S. or to China, our industry or on us. Any unfavorable government policies on cross-border relations and/or international trade, including increased scrutiny on companies with significant China-based operations and escalation of tensions between China and Taiwan, such as recent step up of military exercises around Taiwan by China, capital controls or tariffs, may affect our ability to raise capital and the market price of our shares.

There have been Congressional legislative proposals, such as the recent bill titled the Biosecure Act, to discourage contracting with Chinese companies on the development or manufacturing of pharmaceutical products. If any new legislation, executive orders, tariffs, laws and/or regulations are implemented, if existing trade agreements are renegotiated or if the U.S. or Chinese governments take retaliatory actions due to the recent U.S.-China tension, such changes could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations, our ability to raise capital and the market price of our shares.

We are no longer developing our PRMT5 inhibitor, PRT811, and are dependent on our license agreement with Pathos AI, Inc. to develop and commercialize the asset.

Pursuant to the terms of the license agreement with Pathos (the “Pathos License Agreement”), we granted an exclusive, world-wide license for our selective, brain-penetrant PRMT5 inhibitor, PRT811. Consequently, the commercial success of PRT811 will depend in significant part on the efforts of Pathos. Pathos will pay us milestone payments upon the achievement of specified development and sales milestone events, as well as royalties on sales of the licensed products. If Pathos is unable to commercialize PRT811, or determines not to pursue development or commercialization of PRT811, we will not receive any sales milestones or royalty payments under the Pathos License Agreement.

Risks Related to Our Business and Industry

The Company may be exposed to liabilities under the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (“FCPA”) and Chinese anti-corruption law.

The Company is subject to the FCPA, and other laws that prohibit improper payments or offers of payments to foreign governments, foreign government officials and political parties by U.S. persons as defined by the statute for purposes of obtaining or retaining businesses. The Company may have agreements with third parties who may make sales in mainland China and the U.S., during the process of which the Company may be exposed to corruption. Activities in Taiwan create the risk of unauthorized payments or offers of payments by an employee, consultant or agent of the Company, because these parties are not always subject to the Company’s control.

Although the Company believes to date it has complied in all material aspects with the provisions of the FCPA and Chinese anti-corruption law, the existing safeguards and any future improvements may prove to be less than effective and any of the Company’s employees, consultants or agents may engage in corruptive conduct for which the Company might be held responsible. Violations of the FCPA or Chinese anti-corruption law may result in severe criminal or civil sanctions against the Company and individuals and therefore could negatively affect the Company’s business, operating results and financial condition. In addition, the Taiwanese government may seek to hold the Company liable as a successor for FCPA violations committed by companies in which the Company invests or acquires.