Beam Therapeutics Inc

In addition to the other information set forth in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, you should carefully consider the factors discussed in the sections titled sections titled “Risk Factors Summary” and “Item 1A. Risk Factors” in the 2024 Form 10-K, which could materially affect our business, financial condition or future results. The risk factors disclosure in the 2024 Form 10-K is qualified by the information in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. The risks described in the 2024 Form 10–K are not our only risks. Additional 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 or future results.

The risk factors set forth below represent new risk factors or those containing changes to the similarly titled risk factor included in “Item 1.A Risk Factors” of the 2024 Form 10-K.

Disruptions at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or the FDA, and other government agencies from funding cuts, personnel losses, regulatory reform, government shutdowns and other developments could hinder our ability to obtain guidance from the FDA regarding our clinical development programs and develop and secure approval of our product candidates in a timely manner, which would negatively impact our business.

The FDA and comparable regulatory agencies in foreign jurisdictions, such as the European Medicines Agency and its Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use, play an important role in the development of our product candidates by providing guidance on our clinical development programs and reviewing our regulatory submissions, including initial new drug applications, or INDs, requests for special designations, and marketing applications. If these oversight and review activities are disrupted, then correspondingly our ability to develop and secure timely approval of our product candidates could be impacted in a negative manner.

For example, the recent loss of FDA leadership and personnel could lead to disruptions and delays in FDA guidance, review, and approval of our product candidates. Pursuant to President Trump’s E.O. 14210, “Implementing the President’s ‘Department of Government Efficiency’ Workforce Optimization Initiative,” the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, or HHS, announced on March 27, 2025, a reorganization and reduction in force, or RIF, across HHS of approximately 20,000 employees (82,000 to 62,000), with the FDA’s workforce to decrease by 3,500 full-time employees. Shortly thereafter, thousands of employees at the FDA were fired on April 1, 2025. Subsequently, there have been reports from the preliminary budget memorandum for HHS that the administration will propose an additional 30% cut in the overall budget for HHS, with a reduction of $700 million in funding at the FDA ($7.2 billion to $6.5 billion) for the 2026 federal fiscal year.

Further, while the FDA’s review of marketing applications and other activities for new drugs and biologics is largely funded through the user fee program established under the Prescription Drug User Fee Act, or PDUFA, it remains unclear how the administration’s RIF and budget cuts will impact this program and the ability of the FDA to provide guidance and review our product candidates in a timely manner. For example, while the RIF reportedly did not specifically target FDA reviewers, many operations, administrative and policy staff that help support such reviews were affected and those losses could lead to delays in PDUFA reviews and related activities. In addition, while currently unclear, there is a risk that the RIF and budget cutbacks could threaten the integrity of the PDUFA program itself, because for the FDA to obligate user fees collected under PDUFA in the first place, a certain amount of non-user fee appropriations must be spent on the process for the review of applications plus certain other costs during the same fiscal year.

There is also substantial uncertainty as to how regulatory reform measures being implemented by the Administration across the government will impact the FDA and other federal agencies with jurisdiction over our activities. For example, since taking office, President Trump has issued a number of executive orders that could have a significant impact on the manner in which the FDA conducts its operations and engages in regulatory and oversight activities. These include E.O. 14192, “Unleashing Prosperity Through Deregulation,” January 31, 2025; E.O. 14212, “Establishing the President’s Make America Healthy Again Commission,” February 13, 2025; and E.O. 14219, “Ensuring Lawful Governance and Implementing the President’s ‘Department of Government Efficiency’ Deregulatory Initiative,” February 21, 2025. If these or other orders or executive actions impose constraints on the FDA’s ability to engage in oversight and implementation activities in the normal course, our business may be negatively impacted.

Similarly, actions by the U.S. government have significantly disrupted the operations of U.S. government agencies such as the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the FDA, which have traditionally provided funding for basic research, research and development, and clinical testing. These U.S. government actions have included, among other things, suspending, terminating and withholding of disbursements of funds owed under ongoing contracts, grants, and other financial assistance agreements; declining to continue multi-year research projects for additional annual budget periods; canceling or delaying solicitations for new contract, grant and other financial assistance awards; canceling or delaying proposal evaluation processes and issuance of such new awards; substantially reducing federal agency staff responsible for managing contract and financial assistance programs; eliminating agency information and resources for facilitating research activity; delaying or terminating federal agency procedures for authorizing international transactions; initiating aggressive enforcement actions that may disrupt the operations of major research universities that are significant contributors to life sciences research in the U.S.; and threatening access to federal agency contracts and other funding awards based on companies’ otherwise lawful corporate policies and choice of counsel. These U.S. government actions could, directly or indirectly, significantly disrupt, delay, prevent, or increase the costs of our research and product commercialization programs, including our ability to develop new product candidates, conduct clinical trials, implement research collaborations with other companies or institutions, and obtain approvals to market and sell new products.

In addition, government funding of the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, and other government agencies on which our operations may rely, including those that fund research and development activities, is subject to the political process, which is inherently fluid and unpredictable. For example, over the last several years, the U.S. government has shut down several times and certain regulatory agencies, such as the FDA and the SEC, have had to furlough critical FDA, SEC and other government employees and stop critical activities. If a prolonged government shutdown occurs, it could significantly impact the ability of the FDA to timely review and process our regulatory submissions and the ability of the SEC to timely review our public filings, to the extent such review is necessary, and our ability to access the public markets.

At the same time, disruptions at the FDA and other government agencies may result from public health events similar to the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, during the pandemic, a number of companies announced receipt of complete response letters due to the FDA’s inability to complete required inspections for their applications. In the event of a similar public health emergency in the future, the FDA may not be able to continue its current pace and review timelines could be extended. Regulatory authorities outside the United States facing similar circumstances may adopt similar restrictions or other policy measures in response to a similar public health emergency and may also experience delays in their regulatory activities.

Accordingly, if any of the foregoing developments and others impact the ability of the FDA to provide us with guidance regarding our clinical development programs or delay the FDA’s review and processing of our regulatory submissions, including INDs and new drug applications or biologics license applications, our business would be negatively impacted. Further, any future government shutdown could impact our ability to access the public markets and obtain necessary capital in order to properly capitalize and continue our operations.

Changes in U.S. trade policy could have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations

The new U.S. administration has imposed a series of tariffs on U.S. trading partners. On April 2, 2025, an executive order issued by the new administration announced a “baseline” reciprocal tariff of 10% on all U.S. trading partners effective April 5, 2025, and higher individualized reciprocal tariffs on 57 countries (with certain product exemptions for pharmaceutical-related imports, among others). Earlier the administration imposed a 25% tariff on Canada and Mexico for goods not covered by the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or USMCA, and tariffs equaling 20% on China. In response, several countries threatened retaliatory measures including Canada and China who then imposed retaliatory tariffs. Prior to when the country-specific reciprocal tariffs were scheduled to take effect, the United States. delayed the effective date of such tariffs for all countries except China. As of April 16, 2015, the 10% baseline reciprocal tariff on all countries remains in effect, in addition to the tariffs on China (which were a minimum of 145%) and Canada and Mexico (which were 25% for goods that are not covered by the USMCA).

Between March 13, 2025, and April 16, 2025, the Trump Administration initiated several national-security investigations under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 including on the import of pharmaceuticals (including active pharmaceutical ingredients). Each investigation will examine the impact of these imports on U.S. national security culminating in a decision by the President whether to take action to remedy any identified threats, including by imposing additional tariffs. The statute provides that the Commerce Department report must be completed within 270 days of initiation and that the President must decide whether to act within 90 days of receiving the report.

Separately, on April 16, 2025, the U.S. Department of Commerce announced an investigation under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 into imports of pharmaceuticals and pharmaceutical ingredients, including finished drug products, medical countermeasures, critical inputs such as active pharmaceutical ingredients, and key starting materials, and derivative products of those items. The investigation will examine the impact of these imports on U.S. national security culminating in a decision by the President whether to take action to remedy any identified threats, including by imposing additional tariffs. The statute provides that the Commerce Department report must be completed within 270 days of initiation and that the President must decide whether to act within 90 days of receiving the report.

The extent and duration of increased tariffs and trade restrictions and the resulting impact on general economic conditions and on our business are uncertain and depend on various factors. If we are unable to mitigate these risks through supply chain adjustments or other measures, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially adversely affected.