BICYCLE THERAPEUTICS PLC
For the period ended Dec 31, 2024. Filed Feb 25, 2025.
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FY2024 · Filed Feb 25, 2025
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Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
- Nature of the business and basis of presentation
Bicycle Therapeutics plc (collectively with its subsidiaries, the “Company”) is a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company developing a novel class of medicines, which the Company refers to as Bicycle ® molecules, for diseases that are underserved by existing therapeutics. Bicycle molecules are a unique therapeutic modality combining the pharmacology usually associated with a biologic with the manufacturing and pharmacokinetic properties of a small molecule. The Company’s initial internal programs are focused on oncology indications with high unmet medical need. The Company is evaluating zelenectide pevedotin, formerly BT8009, a Bicycle Toxin Conjugate (a “BTC®” molecule) targeting Nectin-4, in both an ongoing company-sponsored Phase I/II clinical trial and an ongoing company-sponsored Phase II/III registrational trial, called Duravelo-2, BT5528, a BTC molecule targeting Ephrin type-A receptor 2 (“EphA2”), in an ongoing company-sponsored Phase I/II clinical trial, and BT7480, a Bicycle Tumor-Targeted Immune Cell Agonist® (a “Bicycle TICA®” molecule) targeting Nectin-4 and agonizing CD137, in an ongoing company-sponsored Phase I/II clinical trial. The Company’s discovery pipeline in oncology includes next-generation BTC molecules and Bicycle* *Radionuclide Conjugates (“BRC®” molecules). Beyond the Company’s wholly owned oncology portfolio, the Company is collaborating with biopharmaceutical companies and organizations in therapeutic areas in which the Company believes its proprietary Bicycle screening platform can identify therapies to treat diseases with significant unmet medical need.
The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Bicycle Therapeutics plc and its wholly owned subsidiaries, BicycleTx Limited, BicycleRD Limited and Bicycle Therapeutics Inc. All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated on consolidation.
The accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”).
Liquidity
As of December 31, 2024, the Company had cash and cash equivalents of $879.5 million.
The accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared on the basis of continuity of operations, realization of assets and the satisfaction of liabilities and commitments in the ordinary course of business. Since inception, the Company has devoted substantially all of its efforts to business planning, research and development, recruiting management and technical staff and raising capital. The Company has funded its operations with proceeds from the sale of its ordinary shares, American Depositary Shares (“ADSs”), including in its offerings pursuant to its at-the-market offering program (“ATM”), and non-voting ordinary shares, as well as proceeds received from its collaboration arrangements (Note 9) and proceeds from a loan agreement with Hercules Capital, Inc. (“Hercules”) (Note 6). The Company has incurred recurring losses since inception, including net losses of $169.0 million, $180.7 million, and $112.7 million for the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023, and 2022, respectively. As of December 31, 2024, the Company had an accumulated deficit of $680.8 million. The Company expects to continue to generate operating losses in the foreseeable future. The Company expects that its cash will be sufficient to fund its operating expenses and capital expenditure requirements through at least twelve months from the issuance date of these annual consolidated financial statements.
The Company expects its expenses to increase substantially in connection with ongoing activities, particularly as the Company advances its clinical trials for its product candidates in development and preclinical activities. Accordingly, the Company will need to obtain additional funding in connection with continuing operations. If the Company is unable to raise funding when needed, or on attractive terms, it could be forced to delay, reduce or eliminate its research or drug development programs or any future commercialization efforts. There is no assurance that the Company will be successful in obtaining sufficient funding on terms acceptable to the Company to fund continuing operations, if at all.
The Company is subject to risks common to companies in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries, including but not limited to, risks of delays in initiating or continuing research programs and clinical trials, risks of failure of preclinical studies and clinical trials, the need to obtain marketing approval for any drug product candidate that it may identify and develop, the need to successfully commercialize and gain market acceptance of its product candidates, if approved, dependence on key personnel and collaboration partners, protection of proprietary technology, compliance with government regulations, development by competitors of technological innovations, and the ability to secure additional capital to fund operations. Product candidates currently under development will require significant additional research and development efforts, including preclinical and clinical testing and regulatory approval prior to commercialization. Even if the Company’s research and development efforts are successful, it is uncertain when, if ever, the Company will realize significant revenue from product sales.
- Summary of significant accounting policies
Use of estimates
The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of expenses during the reporting periods. Significant estimates and assumptions reflected in these consolidated financial statements include, but are not limited to, revenue recognition, the accrual for research and development expenses and research and development incentives receivable, share-based compensation expense, valuation of right-of-use assets and liabilities, gain on extinguishment of research and development funding liability and income taxes, including the valuation allowance for deferred tax assets. The Company bases its estimates on historical experience, known trends and other market-specific or other relevant factors that it believes to be reasonable under the circumstances. Estimates are periodically reviewed in light of reasonable changes in circumstances, facts and experience. Changes in estimates are recorded in the period in which they become known. Actual results could differ from those estimates or assumptions.
Significant risks and uncertainties
The Company currently operates in a period of economic uncertainty which has been significantly impacted by domestic and global monetary and fiscal policy, geopolitical conflicts such as the ongoing wars involving Ukraine and Israel, inflation and interest rates, and fluctuations in monetary exchange rates. While the Company has experienced limited financial impacts at this time, the Company continues to monitor these factors and events and the potential effects each may have on the Company’s business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects.
Foreign currency and currency translation
The reporting currency of the Company is the U.S. Dollar (“USD”). The functional currency of Bicycle Therapeutics plc’s wholly owned non-U.S. subsidiaries, BicycleTx Limited and BicycleRD Limited, is the British Pound Sterling, and the functional currency of its U.S. subsidiary, Bicycle Therapeutics Inc., is the USD. The functional currency of the Company’s subsidiaries is the same as the local currency. Monetary assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies are remeasured into the functional currency at rates of exchange prevailing at the balance sheet dates. Non-monetary assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies are remeasured into the functional currency at the exchange rates prevailing at the date of the transaction. Exchange gains or losses arising from foreign currency transactions are included in the determination of net loss for the respective periods. Adjustments that arise from exchange rate changes on transactions denominated in a currency other than the local currency are included in general and administrative expense in the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss as incurred. The Company recorded foreign exchange losses of $0.7 million, $0.6 million and $0.6 million for the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022, respectively.
The Company translates the assets and liabilities of its non-U.S. subsidiaries into USD at the exchange rate in effect on the balance sheet date. Revenues and expenses are translated at the average exchange rate in effect during the period. Unrealized translation gains and losses are recorded as a foreign currency translation adjustment, which is
included in the consolidated statements of shareholders’ equity as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss).
Concentrations of credit risk and of significant suppliers
Financial instruments that potentially expose the Company to concentrations of credit risk consist primarily of cash and cash equivalents. The Company deposits its cash in financial institutions in amounts that may exceed federally insured limits and has not experienced any losses on such accounts. The Company diversifies its cash and cash equivalents in multiple financial institutions and in money market funds that are primarily invested in U.S. Treasury securities that are backed by the U.S. government and does not believe it is exposed to any unusual credit risk beyond the normal credit risk associated with commercial banking relationships and investments in money market funds invested in U.S. Treasury securities.
As of December 31, 2024 and 2023, the Company hadno accounts receivable. For the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023, and 2022, the Company’s revenue has primarily been generated from collaboration agreements with Bayer Consumer Care AG (“Bayer”), Novartis Pharma AG (“Novartis”), Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (“Ionis”), Genentech, Inc. (“Genentech”) and AstraZeneca AB (“AstraZeneca”) (Note 9).
The Company relies, and expects to continue to rely, on multiple vendors to manufacture clinical trial materials and raw materials for its development programs. These programs could be adversely affected by a significant interruption in these manufacturing services or the availability of raw materials.
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash
The Company considers all highly liquid investments that are readily convertible to known amounts of cash with original maturities of three months or less at date of purchase to be cash equivalents. The Company had cash equivalents of $664.9 million and $72.3 million at December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively.
As of December 31, 2024 and 2023, the Company had $0.5 million of restricted cash related to a collateralized letter of credit in connection with the Company’s lease for office and laboratory space in Cambridge, Massachusetts, which is included within other assets in the Company’s consolidated balance sheet.
Deferred offering costs
The Company capitalizes certain legal, professional, accounting and other third-party fees that are directly associated with in-process equity financings as deferred offering costs until such financings are consummated. After consummation of the equity financing, these costs are recorded in shareholders’ equity as a reduction of proceeds generated as a result of the offering. Should an in-process equity financing be abandoned, the deferred offering costs will be expensed immediately as a charge to operating expenses in the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss.
Property and equipment
Property and equipment are stated at cost, less accumulated depreciation and amortization. Depreciation and amortization expense is recognized using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the respective assets as follows:
| | | |
|---|---|---|
| | Estimated Useful Life | |
| Laboratory equipment | 3 to 5 years | |
| Leasehold improvements | Lesser of lease term or useful life | |
| Computer equipment and software | 3 years | |
| Furniture and office equipment | 3 to 5 years |
Costs for property and equipment not yet placed into service are capitalized as construction-in-progress and depreciated in accordance with the above guidelines once placed into service. Upon retirement or sale, the cost of assets disposed of and the related accumulated depreciation are removed from the accounts and any resulting gain or loss is included in loss from operations. To date, there have been no significant asset retirements. Expenditures for repairs and maintenance are charged to expense as incurred.
Impairment of long-lived assets
Long-lived assets to be held and used are tested for recoverability whenever events or changes in business circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of the assets may not be fully recoverable. Factors that the Company considers in deciding when to perform an impairment review include significant underperformance of the business in relation to expectations, significant negative industry or economic trends and significant changes or planned changes in the use of the assets. If an impairment review is performed to evaluate a long-lived asset group for recoverability, the Company compares forecasts of undiscounted cash flows expected to result from the use and eventual disposition of the long-lived asset group to its carrying value. An impairment loss may be recognized when estimated undiscounted future cash flows expected to result from the use of an asset group are less than its carrying amount. The impairment loss would be based on the excess of the carrying value of the impaired asset group over its fair value, determined based on discounted cash flows. To date, the Company has not recorded any material impairment losses on long-lived assets.
Fair value measurements
Certain of the Company’s assets and liabilities are carried at fair value under U.S. GAAP. Fair value is defined as the exchange price that would be received for an asset or paid to transfer a liability (an exit price) in the principal or most advantageous market for the asset or liability in an orderly transaction between market participants on the measurement date. Valuation techniques used to measure fair value must maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs. Financial assets and liabilities carried at fair value are to be classified and disclosed in one of the following three levels of the fair value hierarchy, of which the first two are considered observable and the last is considered unobservable:
| ● | Level 1 — Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities. |
| ● | Level 2 — Observable inputs (other than Level 1 quoted prices), such as quoted prices in active markets for similar assets or liabilities, quoted prices in markets that are not active for identical or similar assets or liabilities, or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by observable market data. |
| ● | Level 3 — Unobservable inputs that are supported by little or no market activity that are significant to determining the fair value of the assets or liabilities, including pricing models, discounted cash flow methodologies and similar techniques. |
The carrying values of cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, research and development incentives receivable, prepaid expenses and other current assets, accounts payable and accrued expenses and other current liabilities approximate their fair values due to the short-term nature of these assets and liabilities. As of December 31, 2023, the carrying value of the debt approximated its fair value, which was determined using unobservable Level 3 inputs, including quoted interest rates from a lender for borrowings with similar terms.
Debt issuance costs
Debt issuance costs consist of certain third-party legal expenses and payments made to secure commitments under certain debt financing arrangements. These amounts are recorded as a reduction to the carrying value of the associated debt and are recognized as interest expense over the period of the financing arrangement.
Segment and geographic information
Operating segments are defined as components of a business for which separate discrete financial information is available for evaluation by the chief operating decision maker in deciding how to allocate resources and assess performance. The Company operates and manages its business as a single operating segment, which is developing a unique class of chemically synthesized medicines based on its proprietary platform.
The Company operates intwo geographic regions: the United Kingdom and the United States.
For additional segment information, see Note 15, “Segments and geographic information.”
Leases
Leases are accounted for in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 842,Leases(“ASC 842”). The Company determines if an arrangement is or contains a lease at inception. Assets and liabilities related to operating leases are included in operating lease right of use (“ROU”) assets, other current liabilities, and operating lease liabilities in the Company’s consolidated balance sheets. Assets and liabilities related to finance leases are included in property and equipment, net, accrued expenses and other current liabilities, and other long-term liabilities in the consolidated balance sheet.
ROU assets represent the Company’s right to use and control an underlying asset for the lease term and lease liabilities represent the Company’s obligation to make lease payments arising from the lease. ROU assets and liabilities are recognized on the lease commencement date based on the present value of lease payments over the lease term. The ROU asset also includes lease payments made before the lease commencement date and excludes any lease incentives. The Company identifies and assesses the following significant assumptions in recognizing the ROU assets and corresponding lease liabilities:
| ● | Expected lease term – The expected lease term includes both contractual lease periods and, when applicable, periods covered by an option to extend the lease when it is reasonably certain that the Company will exercise the extension option, or cancelable option periods when it is reasonably certain that the Company would not exercise such cancelation option. |
| ● | Incremental borrowing rate – As the Company’s leases do not provide an implicit rate, the Company uses its incremental borrowing rate based on the information available on the commencement date in determining the present value of lease payments. As the Company does not have any external borrowings for comparable terms of its leases, the Company estimates the incremental borrowing rate by comparing interest rates available in the market for similar borrowings and third-party quotations. |
| ● | Lease and non-lease components – The components of a lease shall be split into three categories, if applicable: lease components (e.g., land, building, etc.), non-lease components (e.g., common area maintenance, maintenance, consumables, etc.) and non-components (e.g., property taxes, insurance, etc.). The fixed and in-substance fixed contract consideration (including any related to non-components) must then be allocated based on fair values to the lease components and non-lease components. The Company’s operating leases for its facilities and finance leases for property and equipment may have both lease components and non-lease components for which the Company has elected to apply the practical expedient to account for each lease component and related non-lease component as one single component. The lease component results in a ROU asset being recorded on the consolidated balance sheets. |
For operating leases, lease expense for lease payments is considered operating lease cost and is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term. Variable payments for other operating costs, which may be billed based on both usage and as a percentage of the Company’s share of total square footage, are considered variable lease cost and are recognized in the period in which the costs are incurred. For finance leases, amortization expense related to finance lease ROU assets is recognized on a straight-line basis over the earlier of the useful life of the ROU asset or the lease term and
interest expense is recognized based on the effective interest method using the Company’s incremental borrowing rate. Operating, variable and finance lease cost are recorded as a component of research and development expenses and general and administrative expenses in the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss.
Revenue recognition
The Company’s revenues are generated primarily through collaborative arrangements and license agreements with pharmaceutical companies. The terms of these arrangements may include (i) performing research and development services using the Company’s bicyclic peptide screening platform with the goal of identifying and/or optimizing compounds for further development and commercialization, (ii) the transfer of intellectual property rights (licenses), or (iii) options to obtain additional research and development services or licenses for additional targets, or to optimize product candidates, upon the payment of option fees.
The terms of these arrangements typically include payment to the Company of one or more of the following: non-refundable, upfront license fees; payments for research and development services and reimbursement of certain expenses incurred; fees upon the exercise of options to obtain additional services or licenses; payments based upon the achievement of defined collaboration objectives; future regulatory and sales-based milestone payments; and royalties on net sales of future products.
The Company recognizes revenue in accordance with ASC Topic 606,Revenue from Contracts with Customers (“ASC 606”). This standard applies to all contracts with customers, except for contracts that are within the scope of other standards, such as leases, insurance, and financial instruments.
Under ASC 606, an entity recognizes revenue when its customer obtains control of promised goods or services, in an amount that reflects the consideration which the entity expects to receive in exchange for those goods or services.
To determine revenue recognition for arrangements that the Company determines are within the scope of ASC 606, it performs the following five steps: (i) identify the contract(s) with a customer; (ii) identify the performance obligations in the contract; (iii) determine the transaction price; (iv) allocate the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract; and (v) recognize revenue when, or as, the Company satisfies the performance obligations. The Company only applies the five-step model to contracts when it is probable that the entity will collect substantially all of the consideration it is entitled to in exchange for the goods or services it transfers to the customer. As part of the accounting for these arrangements, the Company must make significant judgments, including identifying performance obligations in the contract, estimating the amount of variable consideration to include in the transaction price, allocating the transaction price to each performance obligation based on estimated relative standalone selling prices, and measuring progress towards the satisfaction of each performance obligation.
Once a contract is determined to be within the scope of ASC 606, the Company assesses the goods or services promised within the contract and determines those that are performance obligations. Arrangements that include rights to additional goods or services that are exercisable at a customer’s discretion are generally considered options. The Company assesses if these options provide a material right to the customer and if so, they are considered performance obligations at contract inception.
Performance obligations are promised goods or services in a contract to transfer a distinct good or service to the customer. The promised goods or services in the Company’s contracts with customers primarily consist of license rights to the Company’s intellectual property, research and development services, options to acquire additional research and development services, and options to obtain additional licenses, such as a commercialization license for a potential product candidate. Promised goods or services are considered distinct when: (i) the customer can benefit from the good or service on its own or together with other readily available resources, and (ii) the promised good or service is separately identifiable from other promises in the contract. In assessing whether promised goods or services are distinct, the Company considers factors such as the stage of development of the underlying intellectual property, the capabilities of the collaboration partner to develop the intellectual property on their own and whether the required expertise is readily available. In addition, the Company considers whether the customer can benefit from a promise for its intended purpose without the receipt of the remaining promises, whether the value of the promise is dependent on the unsatisfied
promises, whether there are other vendors that could provide the remaining promises, and whether it is separately identifiable from the remaining promises.
The Company estimates the transaction price based on the amount of consideration the Company expects to receive for transferring the promised goods or services in the contract. The consideration may include both fixed consideration and variable consideration. At the inception of each arrangement that includes variable consideration, the Company evaluates the amount of the potential payments and the likelihood that the payments will be received. The Company utilizes either the most likely amount method or expected value method to estimate variable consideration to include in the transaction price based on which method better predicts the amount of consideration expected to be received. The amount included in the transaction price is constrained to the amount for which it is probable that a significant reversal of cumulative revenue recognized will not occur. At the end of each subsequent reporting period, the Company re-evaluates the estimated variable consideration included in the transaction price and any related constraint, and if necessary, adjusts its estimate of the overall transaction price. Any such adjustments are recorded on a cumulative catch-up basis in the period of adjustment. The initial transaction price of a contract does not include amounts associated with customer option payments.
After the transaction price is determined, it is allocated to the identified performance obligations based on the estimated standalone selling price. The Company must develop assumptions that require judgment to determine the standalone selling price for each performance obligation identified in the contract. The Company utilizes key assumptions to determine the standalone selling price, which may include other comparable transactions, pricing considered in negotiating the transaction, probabilities of technical and regulatory success and the estimated costs. Certain variable consideration is allocated specifically to one or more performance obligations in a contract when the terms of the variable consideration relate to the satisfaction of the performance obligation and the resulting amounts allocated to each performance obligation are consistent with the amounts the Company would expect to receive for each performance obligation.
The Company then recognizes as revenue the amount of the transaction price that is allocated to the respective performance obligation when (or as) each performance obligation is satisfied at a point in time or over time, and if over time, based on the use of an input method.
Licenses of intellectual property: If a license to the Company’s intellectual property is determined to be distinct from the other promises or performance obligations identified in the contract, the Company recognizes revenue from portion of the transaction price allocated to the license when the license is transferred to the customer and the customer is able to use and benefit from the license. For licenses that are combined with other promises, such as research and development services and a research license, the Company utilizes judgment to assess the nature of the combined performance obligation to determine whether the combined performance obligation is satisfied over time or at a point in time and, if over time, the appropriate method of measuring progress for purposes of recognizing revenue. The Company evaluates the measure of progress each reporting period and, if necessary, adjusts the measure of performance and related revenue recognition. The measure of progress, and thereby periods over which revenue should be recognized, are subject to estimates by management and may change over the course of the arrangement.
Research and development services: The promises under the Company’s collaboration agreements may include research and development services to be performed by the Company on behalf of the customer. Payments or reimbursements resulting from the Company’s research and development efforts are recognized as the services are performed and presented on a gross basis because the Company is the principal for such efforts.
Customer options: A customer’s right to choose, at its discretion, to make a payment for additional goods or services is generally considered an option. If the Company is not presently obligated to provide, and does not have a right to consideration for delivering additional goods or services, the item is considered an option. The Company evaluates the customer options for material rights, such as the ability to acquire additional goods or services for free or at a discount. Optional future goods and services that reflect their standalone selling prices do not provide the customer with a material right and, therefore, are not considered performance obligations and are accounted for as separate contracts. If optional future goods and services include a material right, they are accounted for as performance obligations. The Company determines an estimated standalone selling price of any material rights for the purpose of
allocating the transaction price. The Company considers factors such as the identified discount and the probability that the customer will exercise the option. Amounts allocated to a material right are not recognized as revenue until, at the earliest, the option is exercised or expires.
Milestone payments: The Company’s collaboration agreements may include development and regulatory milestones. The Company evaluates whether the milestones are considered probable of being reached and estimates the amount to be included in the transaction price using the most likely amount method. The Company evaluates factors such as the scientific, clinical, regulatory, commercial, and other risks that must be overcome to achieve the particular milestone in making this assessment. If it is probable that a significant revenue reversal would not occur, the associated milestone value is included in the transaction price. Milestone payments that are not within the Company’s control or the licensee’s control, such as regulatory approvals, are not considered probable of being achieved until those approvals are received. At the end of each reporting period, the Company re-evaluates the probability of achievement of such milestones and any related constraint, and if necessary, adjusts the estimate of the overall transaction price. Any such adjustments are recorded on a cumulative catch-up basis, which would affect collaboration revenue and net loss in the period of adjustment. Milestone payments that may only be achieved after the exercise of a customer option are excluded from the initial determination of the transaction price.
Royalties: For sales-based royalties, including milestone payments based on the level of sales, the Company determines whether the sole or predominant item to which the royalties relate is a license. When the license is the sole or predominant item to which the sales-based royalty relates, the Company recognizes revenue at the later of: (i) when the related sales occur, or (ii) when the performance obligation to which some or all of the royalty has been allocated has been satisfied (or partially satisfied). To date, the Company has not recognized any sales-based royalty revenue resulting from the Company’s collaboration agreements.
The Company receives payments from customers based on billing schedules established in each contract. Upfront payments and fees are recorded as deferred revenue upon receipt or when due until the Company performs its obligations under these arrangements. Amounts are recorded as accounts receivable when the Company’s right to consideration is unconditional, such as when the Company has a contractual right to payment per the terms of the contract.
For additional information regarding the Company’s accounting for collaboration revenue, see Note 9, “Significant agreements.”
Research and development costs
Research and development costs are expensed as incurred. Research and development costs consist of costs incurred in performing research and development activities, including salaries, share-based compensation and benefits, travel, facilities costs, depreciation, materials and laboratory supplies, and external costs of outside vendors engaged to conduct preclinical development and clinical development activities, as well as costs to manufacture clinical trial materials. Facilities costs primarily include the allocation of rent and utilities.
Non-refundable prepayments for goods or services that will be used or rendered for future research and development activities are deferred and capitalized until the related goods are delivered or the related services are performed, or until it is no longer expected that the goods will be delivered, or the services rendered.
Research and manufacturing contract costs and accruals
The Company has entered into various research and development and manufacturing contracts, including contracts with respect to preclinical studies and clinical trials, with companies both inside and outside of the United States. These agreements are generally cancelable with 90 days or less notice, and related costs are recorded as research and development expenses as incurred. The Company records accruals for estimated ongoing costs. When evaluating the adequacy of the accrued liabilities, the Company analyzes progress of the research and development and manufacturing activities, including the phase or completion of events, invoices received and contracted costs. Significant judgments and estimates are made in determining the accrued balances at the end of any reporting period. Actual results
could differ from the Company’s estimates. The Company’s historical accrual estimates have not been materially different from the actual costs.
Research and development incentives and receivable
The Company, through its subsidiaries in the U.K., receives reimbursements of certain research and development expenditures as part of a U.K. government’s research and development tax reliefs program. Under the Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (“SME”) R&D Tax Relief program, the Company is able to surrender trading losses that arise from qualifying research and development expenses incurred by the Company’s subsidiaries in the United Kingdom for a cash rebate of up to 33.35% of qualifying expenditure incurred prior to April 1, 2023, and up to 18.6% of qualifying expenditure incurred thereafter. Amendments to the U.K. R&D tax credit regime included in Finance Act 2024, which was enacted in February 2024, increased the cash rebate that may be claimed to 26.97% of qualifying expenditure, retroactively applied to qualifying expenditures incurred after April 1, 2023, if the Company qualifies as “R&D intensive” for an accounting period (broadly, a loss making SME whose relevant R&D expenditure represents, for accounting periods beginning on or after April 1, 2023,40%, or, for accounting periods beginning on or after April 1, 2024,30%, of its total expenditure for that accounting period). The Company was an R&D intensive SME for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023.
Management has assessed the Company’s research and development activities and expenditures to determine which activities and expenditures are likely to be eligible under the research and development incentive program described above. At each period end, management estimates the reimbursement available to the Company based on available information at the time.
The Company recognizes income from the research and development incentives when the relevant expenditure has been incurred, the associated conditions have been satisfied and there is reasonable assurance that the reimbursement will be received. The Company records these research and development incentives as a reduction to research and development expenses in the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss, as the research and development tax credits are not dependent on us generating future taxable income, the Company’s ongoing tax status, or tax position. The research and development incentives receivable represent an amount due in connection with the above program. The Company recorded a reduction to research and development expense of $43.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2024, including the impact of an increase to U.K. R&D tax credit reimbursement rates enacted with Finance Act 2024 retroactively applied to qualifying expenditures incurred after April 1, 2023. The Company recorded a reduction to research and development expense of $23.5 million and $19.3 million during the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively.
Patent costs
All patent-related costs incurred in connection with preparing, filing and prosecuting patent applications are expensed as incurred due to the uncertainty about the recovery of the expenditure. Amounts incurred are classified as general and administrative expenses in the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss.
Share-based compensation
The Company measures all equity awards granted to employees and directors based on the fair value on the date of grant. Compensation expense of those awards is recognized over the requisite service period, which is generally the vesting period of the respective award. The Company records the expense for awards with only service-based vesting conditions using the straight-line method. The Company accounts for forfeitures as they occur.
For share-based awards granted to non-employee consultants, the measurement date is the date of grant. The compensation expense is then recognized over the requisite service period, which is the vesting period of the respective award, without subsequent changes in the fair value of the award.
The fair value of each restricted share award is based on the fair value of the Company’s shares, less any applicable purchase price. The fair value of each share option is estimated using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model,
which requires inputs based on certain subjective assumptions, including the fair value of shares, the expected share price volatility, the expected term of the award, the risk-free interest rate and expected dividends.
Prior to 2022, due to a lack of company-specific historical volatility data, the Company’s expected volatility was calculated based on reported volatility data for a representative group of publicly traded companies for which historical information was available. The historical volatility was calculated based on a period of time commensurate with the assumption used for the expected term. During 2022, the Company began to estimate its volatility by using a blend of its stock price history for the length of time it has market data for its stock and the historical volatility of similar public companies for the expected term of each grant. The Company continues to apply this process until a sufficient amount of historical information regarding the volatility of its own stock price becomes available. The risk-free interest rate is based on the U.S. Treasury yield curve in effect at the time of grant commensurate with the expected term assumption. The Company uses the simplified method, under which the expected term is presumed to be the midpoint between the vesting date and the end of the contractual term. The Company utilizes this method due to the lack of historical exercise data and the plain nature of its share-based awards. The Company uses the remaining contractual term for the expected life of non-employee awards. The expected dividend yield is assumed to bezero as the Company has never paid dividends and has no current plans to pay any dividends on ordinary shares.
The Company classifies share-based compensation expense in its consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss in the same manner in which the award recipient’s payroll or service costs are classified.
Comprehensive loss
Comprehensive loss includes net loss as well as other changes in shareholders’ equity that result from transactions and economic events other than those with shareholders. The Company records unrealized gains and losses related to foreign currency translation as a component of other comprehensive loss in the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss.
Contingencies
Liabilities for loss contingencies arising from claims, assessments, litigation, fines, penalties and other sources are recorded when it is probable that a liability has been incurred and the amount can be reasonably estimated. At each reporting date, the Company evaluates whether or not a potential loss amount or a potential loss range is probable and reasonably estimable under the provisions of ASC Topic 450,Contingencies. The Company expenses costs as incurred in relation to such loss contingencies as general and administrative expense within the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss.
Income taxes
The Company accounts for income taxes using the asset and liability method, which requires the recognition of deferred tax assets and liabilities for the expected future tax consequences of events that have been recognized in the consolidated financial statements or in the Company’s tax returns. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined on the basis of the differences between the consolidated financial statements and tax basis of assets and liabilities using enacted tax rates in effect for the year in which the differences are expected to reverse. Changes in deferred tax assets and liabilities are recorded in the (benefit from) provision for income taxes. The Company assesses the likelihood that its deferred tax assets will be recovered from future taxable income and, to the extent it believes, based upon the weight of available evidence, that it is more likely than not that all or a portion of the deferred tax assets will not be realized, a valuation allowance is established through a charge to income tax expense. Potential for recovery of deferred tax assets is evaluated by estimating the future taxable profits expected and considering prudent and feasible tax planning strategies.
The Company accounts for uncertainty in income taxes recognized in the consolidated financial statements by applying a two-step process to determine the amount of tax benefit to be recognized. First, the tax position must be evaluated to determine the likelihood that it will be sustained upon external examination by the taxing authorities. If the tax position is deemed more-likely-than-not to be sustained, the tax position is then assessed to determine the amount of
benefit to recognize in the consolidated financial statements. The amount of the benefit that may be recognized is the largest amount that will more likely than not be realized upon ultimate settlement. The provision for income taxes includes the effects of any resulting tax reserves, or unrecognized tax benefits, that are considered appropriate as well as the related net interest and penalties.
Net loss per share
Basic net loss per share is computed by dividing the net loss by the weighted average number of ordinary shares, including non-voting ordinary shares, outstanding for the period. Diluted net loss is computed by adjusting net loss to reallocate undistributed earnings based on the potential impact of dilutive securities. Diluted net loss per share is computed by dividing the diluted net loss by the weighted average number of ordinary shares, including non-voting ordinary shares, outstanding for the period, including potential dilutive ordinary shares assuming the dilutive effect of ordinary share equivalents. In periods in which the Company reported a net loss, diluted net loss per share is the same as basic net loss per share, since dilutive ordinary shares are not assumed to have been issued if their effect is anti-dilutive.
Recently adopted accounting pronouncements
In November 2023, the FASB issued ASU No. 2023-07,Segment Reporting (Topic 280) Improvements to Reportable Segment Disclosures, which requires disclosure of incremental segment information on an interim and annual basis. ASU 2023-07 is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2023, and interim periods within annual periods beginning after December 15, 2024, and requires retrospective adoption to all prior periods presented in the consolidated financial statements. The adoption of ASU 2023-07 had no impact on the Company’s reportable segments identified and additional required disclosures have been included in Note 15.
Recently issued accounting pronouncements not yet adopted
In November 2024, the FASB issued ASU No. 2024-03,Income Statement – Reporting Comprehensive Income – Expense Disaggregation Disclosures (Subtopic 220-40), which requires more detailed disclosures about specified categories of expenses included in certain expense captions presented on the face of the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss, including employee compensation, depreciation and amortization. ASU No. 2024-03 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2026, and for interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2027. Early adoption is permitted. The amendments may be applied either prospectively to financial statements issued for reporting periods after the effective date of the ASU or retrospectively to all prior periods presented. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of the adoption of ASU No. 2024-03 on its consolidated financial statement disclosures.
In December 2023, the FASB issued ASU No. 2023-09,Income Taxes (Topic 740) Improvements to Income Tax Disclosures, which prescribes standard categories for the components of the effective tax rate reconciliation and requires disclosure of additional information for reconciling items meeting certain quantitative thresholds, requires disclosure of disaggregated income taxes paid, and modifies certain other income tax-related disclosures. ASU No. 2023-09 is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2024 and allows for adoption on a prospective basis, with a retrospective option. The Company is currently evaluating the potential impact of the adoption of ASU 2023-09 on its consolidated financial statement disclosures.
- Fair value of financial assets and liabilities
At December 31,2024, the Company had cash equivalents of $664.9 million consisting of money market funds that are primarily invested in U.S. Treasury securities, which are considered Level 1 assets. As of December 31, 2023, the Company had cash equivalents of $72.3 million, consisting of $22.1 million of money market funds and $50.2 million in 30-day term deposits which are considered Level 1 assets. As of December 31, 2024 and 2023, there wereno other assets or liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis.
- Property and equipment, net
Property and equipment, net consisted of the following (in thousands):
| | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| · · December 31, · · December 31, | ||||||
| · 2024 · 2023 | ||||||
| Laboratory equipment | | $14,658 | | $15,554 | ||
| Leasehold improvements | | 10,903 | | 11,000 | ||
| Finance lease right-of-use assets | | | 1,033 | | | — |
| Computer equipment and software | | 581 | | 532 | ||
| Furniture and office equipment | | 1,290 | | 822 | ||
| | | 28,465 | | 27,908 | ||
| Less: Accumulated depreciation and amortization | | (18,949) | | (13,393) | ||
| | | $9,516 | | $14,515 | ||
Depreciation and amortization expense was $7.2 million, $6.5 million and $3.7 million for the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022, respectively. Depreciation and amortization expense for the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022 included amortization expense of $0.1 million, zero andzero, respectively, related to property and equipment obtained under finance leases.
- Accrued expenses and other current liabilities
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities consisted of the following (in thousands):
| | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| · · December 31, · · December 31, | ||||||
| · 2024 · 2023 | ||||||
| Accrued employee compensation and benefits | | $16,272 | | $13,394 | ||
| Accrued external research and development expenses | | 14,978 | | 11,839 | ||
| Accrued professional fees | | 4,196 | | 1,143 | ||
| Current portion of operating lease liabilities | | 5,328 | | 4,876 | ||
| Current portion of finance lease liabilities | | | 175 | | | — |
| Other | | 297 | | 257 | ||
| | | $41,246 | | $31,509 | ||
In August 2024, the Company consolidated all discovery research activities to the Company’s headquarters in Cambridge, U.K. As a result, during the year ended December 31, 2024, the Company recognized charges of $2.0 million in severance and other one-time termination benefits which are included inresearch and development expenses in the Company’s consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss, of which $1.6 million were paid during the year ended December 31, 2024, and the remaining $0.4 million in unpaid benefits are included in accrued expenses and other current liabilities in the Company’s consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2024.
- Debt
On September 30, 2020, Bicycle Therapeutics plc and its subsidiaries (the “Borrowers”) entered into a loan and security agreement (the “Loan Agreement”) with Hercules, as amended from time to time, which provided for aggregate maximum borrowings of up to $75.0 million, of which the Company had drawn down an aggregate of $30.0 million in 2021 and 2020. Payments on borrowings under the Loan Agreement were interest-only until April 1, 2025 and interest was paid at an annual rate of theWall Street Journalprime rate plus 4.55%, with a minimum annual rate of at least 8.05%, capped at a rate no greater than 9.05%, and the Loan Agreement included a 5.0% end-of-term charge payable upon maturity or repayment. The scheduled maturity date was July 1, 2025. On July 9, 2024, the Company repaid all amounts outstanding, including the outstanding borrowings of $30.0 million, accrued and unpaid interest of $0.1 million, an end-of-term charge of $1.5 million and a prepayment charge of $0.3 million, for a total aggregate payment of $31.9 million, and terminated the Loan Agreement. The Company recognized a loss on extinguishment of debt of $1.0 million during the year ended December 31, 2024 in connection with the repayment and termination of the Loan Agreement.
Interest expense associated with the Loan Agreement for the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022 was $1.6 million, $3.1 million and $3.2 million, respectively. Upon termination of the Loan Agreement, all security interests granted to the secured parties thereunder were terminated and released.
Debt consisted of the following (in thousands):
| | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| · · December 31, · · December 31, | ||||||
| · 2024 · 2023 | ||||||
| Term loan payable | | $— | | $30,000 | ||
| End of term charge | | | — | | | 946 |
| Unamortized debt issuance costs | | | — | | | (248) |
| Carrying value of term loan | | $— | | $30,698 | ||
| | | | |
|---|---|---|---|
| | | | |
- Ordinary shares
The Company’s ordinary shares are divided into two classes: (i) ordinary shares and (ii) non-voting ordinary shares. Each holder of ordinary shares is entitled toone vote per ordinary share and to receive dividends when and if such dividends are recommended by the board of directors and declared by the shareholders. Holders of ADSs are not treated as holders of the Company’s ordinary shares, unless they withdraw the ordinary shares underlying their ADSs in accordance with the deposit agreement and applicable laws and regulations. The depositary is the holder of the ordinary shares underlying the ADSs. Holders of ADSs therefore do not have any rights as holders of the Company’s ordinary shares, other than the rights that they have pursuant to the deposit agreement with the depositary.
The non-voting ordinary shares have the same rights and restrictions as the ordinary shares and otherwise rankpari passu in all respects with the ordinary shares except for the following:
| ● | a holder of non-voting ordinary shares shall, in relation to the non-voting ordinary shares held, have no right to receive notice of, or to attend or vote at, any general meeting of shareholders save in relation to a variation of class rights of the non-voting ordinary shares; |
| ● | the non-voting ordinary shares shall be re-designated as ordinary shares by the Company’s board of directors, or a duly authorized committee or representative thereof, upon receipt of a re-designation notice and otherwise subject to the terms and conditions set out in the terms of issue. A holder of non-voting ordinary shares shall not be entitled to have any non-voting ordinary shares re-designated as ordinary shares where such re-designation would result in such holder thereof beneficially owning (for purposes of section 13(d) of the Exchange Act), when aggregated with “affiliates” and “group” members with whom such holder is required to aggregate beneficial ownership for the purposes of section 13(d) of the Exchange Act, in excess of 9.99% of any class of the Company’s securities registered under the Exchange Act (which percentage may be increased or decreased on a holder-by-holder basis subject to the provisions set out in the terms of issue); and |
| ● | the non-voting ordinary shares shall be re-designated as ordinary shares automatically upon transfer of a non-voting ordinary share by its holder to any person that is not an “affiliate” or “group” member with whom such holder is required to aggregate beneficial ownership for purposes of section 13(d) of the Exchange Act. This automatic re-designation shall only be in respect of the non-voting ordinary shares that are subject to such transfer. |
As of December 31, 2024 and 2023, the Company hadnot declared any dividends.
As of December 31, 2024 and 2023, the Company’s authorized capital share consisted of 155,876,645 and 59,612,613 ordinary shares, respectively, including ordinary shares and non-voting ordinary shares, with a nominal value of £0.01 per share. Authorized share capital, or shares authorized, comprises (i) the currently issued and outstanding ordinary shares and non-voting ordinary shares, (ii) the remaining ordinary shares available for allotment under the existing authority granted to the Board at the annual general meeting held on May 16, 2024, (iii) ordinary shares issuable on the exercise of outstanding options and settlement of vested restricted share units (“RSUs”), and (iv) ordinary shares
reserved for issuance under the Bicycle Therapeutics plc 2024 Inducement Plan (the “2024 Inducement Plan”), the Bicycle Therapeutics plc 2020 Equity Incentive Plan (as amended from time to time, the “2020 Plan”), and/or the Bicycle Therapeutics plc 2019 Employee Share Purchase Plan (the “ESPP”).
As of December 31, 2024, there were 47,569,319 ordinary shares issued and outstanding and 21,492,099 non-voting ordinary shares issued and outstanding.
On May 23, 2024, the Company entered into a securities purchase agreement (the “Purchase Agreement”) with purchasers named therein (the “Investors”). Pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, the Company sold 6,764,705 ADSs, representing the same number of ordinary shares, nominal value £0.01 per share, and 19,169,001 non-voting ordinary shares, nominal value £0.01 per share, each at a purchase price equal to $21.42 per share (the “Private Placement”). The Company completed the Private Placement on May 28, 2024. The transaction resulted in gross proceeds to the Company of $555.5 million, and after deducting commissions and offering expenses of $11.4 million, net proceeds to the Company of $544.1 million.
On July 17, 2023, the Company completed an underwritten public offering of its securities, pursuant to which the Company issued and sold 6,117,648 ADSs, representing the same number of ordinary shares, nominal value £0.01 per share, which included 1,411,764 ADSs sold upon the underwriters’ full exercise of their option to purchase additional ADSs, and 4,705,882 non-voting ordinary shares, nominal value £0.01 per share, at a public offering price of $21.25 per ADS or non-voting ordinary share, respectively. The transaction resulted in gross proceeds to the Company of $230.0 million, and after deducting underwriting discounts, commissions, and offering expenses of $14.9 million, net proceeds to the Company of $215.1 million.
On June 5, 2020, the Company entered into a Sales Agreement (the “Sales Agreement”) with Cantor Fitzgerald & Co. and Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. (the “Sales Agents”) with respect to an ATM program pursuant to which the Company may offer and sell through the Sales Agents, from time to time at the Company’s sole discretion, American Depositary Shares (“ADSs”), each ADS representing one ordinary share. No ADSs were issued or sold pursuant to the Sales Agreement during the year ended December 31, 2024. During the year ended December 31, 2023, the Company issued and sold 1,561,176 ADSs, representing the same number of ordinary shares for gross proceeds of $35.3 million, resulting in net proceeds of $34.2 million after deducting sales commissions and offering expenses of $1.1 million. During the year ended December 31, 2022, the Company issued and sold 181,455 ADSs, representing the same number of ordinary shares for gross proceeds of $5.9 million, resulting in net proceeds of $5.7 million after deducting sales commissions and offering expenses of $0.2 million.
- Share-based compensation
Employee incentive pool
2024 Inducement Plan
In July 2024, the Company’s board of directors approved the 2024 Inducement Plan. The 2024 Inducement Plan allows for the granting of nonqualified share options, RSUs, and other equity awards to persons not previously an employee or director of the Company, or following a bona fide period of non-employment, as an inducement material to such persons entering into employment with the Company. Share options granted under the 2024 Inducement Plan have a 10-year contractual life and generally vest over afour-year service period with 25% of the award vesting on the first anniversary of the vesting commencement date and the balance thereafter in 36 equal monthly installments.
The Company initially reserved 1,500,000 of its ordinary shares, or the equivalent number of ADSs, for the issuance of awards under the 2024 Inducement Plan. As of December 31, 2024, there were 1,251,400 shares available for future issuance under the 2024 Inducement Plan.
As of December 31, 2024, there were options to purchase 248,600 shares outstanding under the 2024 Inducement Plan.
2020 Equity Incentive Plan
In June 2020, the Company’s shareholders first approved the 2020 Plan, under which the Company may grant market value options, market value stock appreciation rights or restricted shares, RSUs, performance RSUs and other share-based awards to the Company’s employees. The Company’s non-employee directors and consultants are eligible to receive awards under the 2020 Non-Employee Sub-Plan to the 2020 Plan. All awards under the 2020 Plan, including the 2020 Non-Employee Sub-Plan, will be set forth in award agreements, which will detail the terms and conditions of awards, including any applicable vesting and payment terms, change of control provisions and post-termination exercise limitations. In the event of a change of control of the Company, as defined in the 2020 Plan, any outstanding awards under the 2020 Plan will vest in full immediately prior to such change of control.
The Company initially reserved up to 4,773,557 ordinary shares for future issuance under the 2020 Plan, including shares subject to options that were granted under the Company’s 2019 Share Option Plan (the “2019 Plan”) and that were granted pursuant to option contracts granted prior to the Company’s IPO, in each case that expire, terminate, are forfeited or otherwise not issued from time to time, if any. On June 27, 2022, the Company’s shareholders approved an amendment to the 2020 Plan (the “Amendment”) which increased the number of ordinary shares reserved for future issuance by 750,000 shares. Additionally, the number of ordinary shares reserved for issuance pursuant to the 2020 Plan will automatically increase on the first day of January of each year, initially commencing on January 1, 2021 and continuing up to and including January 1, 2032, in an amount equal to 5% of the total number of the Company’s ordinary shares outstanding on the last day of the preceding year, or a lesser number of shares determined by the Company’s board of directors. Pursuant to this evergreen provision, on January 1, 2024, the number of shares reserved for issuance under the 2020 Plan was increased by 1,886,294 shares. As of December 31, 2024, there were 463,374 shares available for issuance under the 2020 Plan. The number of shares reserved for issuance under the 2020 Plan was increased by 2,378,465 shares effective January 1, 2025.
Share options granted under the 2020 Plan have a 10-year contractual life, and generally vest over either athree-year service period inthree equal annual installments for new non-employee director grants, or afour-year service period with 25% of the award vesting on the first anniversary of the vesting commencement date and the balance thereafter in 36 equal monthly installments for employees and consultants. Certain options granted to the Company’s non-employee directors vest over aone-year service period infour equal quarterly installments.
The Company grants RSUs to non-employee directors, consultants and certain employees under the 2020 Plan. Each RSU represents the right to receiveone of the Company’s ordinary shares upon vesting. RSUs granted to employees and consultants vest over afour-year service period with 25% of the award vesting on the first anniversary of the vesting commencement date and the remaining RSUs vesting in 12 equal quarterly installments. Certain RSUs granted to the Company’s non-employee directors either vest over athree-year service period inthree equal annual installments for new non-employee director grants or over aone-year service period infour equal quarterly installments. The Company may also, in its sole discretion, provide for deferred settlement of RSUs granted to the Company’s non-employee directors.
As of December 31, 2024, there were options to purchase 6,211,123 shares and RSUs for 716,262 shares outstanding under the 2020 Plan.
2019 Share Option Plan
In May 2019, the Company adopted the 2019 Plan, which became effective in conjunction with the IPO. As of December 31, 2024, there were 1,773,816 options to purchase ordinary shares outstanding under the 2019 Plan. In conjunction with the adoption of the 2020 Plan, all shares available for future issuance under the 2019 Plan as of June 29, 2020 became available for issuance under the 2020 Plan and the Company ceased making awards under the 2019 Plan. The 2020 Plan is the successor of the 2019 Plan.
Share options previously issued under the 2019 Plan have a 10-year contractual life, and generally either vest monthly over athree-year service period, or over afour-year service period with 25% of the award vesting on the first anniversary of the commencement date and the balance thereafter in 36 equal monthly installments. Certain awards
granted to the Company’s non-employee directors were fully vested on the date of grant. The exercise price of share options issued under the 2019 Plan is not less than the fair value of ordinary shares as of the date of grant.
Employee Share Purchase Plan (“ESPP”)
In May 2019, the Company adopted the ESPP, which became effective in conjunction with the IPO. The Company initially reserved 215,000 ordinary shares for future issuance under this plan. The ESPP provides that the number of shares reserved and available for issuance will automatically increase each January 1, beginning on January 1, 2020 and each January 1 thereafter through January 1, 2029, by the lower of (i)1% of the outstanding number of ordinary shares on the immediately preceding December 31; (ii)430,000 ordinary shares or (iii) such lesser number of shares as determined by the Compensation Committee. The number of shares reserved under the ESPP is subject to adjustment in the event of a split-up, share dividend or other change in the Company’s capitalization. As of December 31, 2024, the total number of shares available for issuance under the ESPP was 1,577,671 shares. The number of shares reserved for issuance under the ESPP was increased by 430,000 shares effective January 1, 2025. As of December 31, 2024, there have been no offering periods to employees under ESPP.
Share-based compensation
The Company recorded share-based compensation expense in the following expense categories of its consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss (in thousands):
| · · · · · · · · · | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | Year Ended | |||||
| | December 31, | |||||
| · 2024 · 2023 · 2022 | ||||||
| Research and development expenses | | $19,424 | | $15,581 | | $10,394 |
| General and administrative expenses | | 18,657 | | 16,896 | | 16,385 |
| | | $38,081 | | $32,477 | | $26,779 |
Share options
The following table summarizes the Company’s option activity since December 31, 2023:
| · · · · · · · · · · | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| · · Number of · · · · · Weighted · · · | |||||||
| · · Shares · · Weighted · · Average · · Aggregate | |||||||
| · · Underlying · · Average · · Contractual · · Intrinsic | |||||||
| · Share Options · Exercise Price · Term · Value | |||||||
| · · · · · · · (in years) · · (in thousands) | |||||||
| Outstanding as of December 31, 2023 | 7,469,527 | | $23.13 | 6.83 | | $21,920 | |
| Granted | 2,438,356 | | 19.42 | — | | — | |
| Exercised | (554,596) | | 13.57 | — | | — | |
| Forfeited | (604,561) | | 27.37 | — | | — | |
| Outstanding as of December 31, 2024 | 8,748,726 | | $22.41 | 6.81 | | $9,559 | |
| Vested and expected to vest as of December 31, 2024 | 8,748,726 | | $22.41 | | 6.81 | | $9,559 |
| Options exercisable as of December 31, 2024 | 5,359,049 | | $21.65 | 5.60 | | $9,559 | |
The weighted average grant-date fair value of share options granted during the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022 was $13.52 per share, $19.36 per share and $31.45 per share, respectively.
The aggregate intrinsic value of share options is calculated as the difference between the exercise price of the share options and the fair value of the Company’s ordinary shares. The aggregate intrinsic value of share options exercised during the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022 was $5.1 million, $0.5 million and $1.5 million, respectively.
For the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022, the Company recorded share-based compensation expense for share options granted of $30.2 million, $27.0 million and $21.9 million, respectively.
The following table presents, on a weighted average basis, the assumptions used in the Black-Scholes option-pricing model to determine the fair value of share options granted to employees and directors:
| · · · · · · · | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| · · Year Ended | ||||
| · · December 31, | ||||
| · 2024 · 2023 · 2022 | ||||
| Risk-free interest rate | 4.0% | 4.0% | 2.2% | |
| Expected volatility | 77.0% | 82.9% | 82.5% | |
| Expected dividend yield | — | — | — | |
| Expected term (in years) | 6.1 | 6.1 | 6.0 | |
As of December 31, 2024, total unrecognized compensation expense related to the share options was $48.3 million, which is expected to be recognized over a weighted average period of 2.4 years.
Restricted share units
The following table summarizes the Company’s RSU activity under the 2020 Plan since December 31, 2023:
| | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| · · Number of Shares · · Weighted-Average | |||||
| · · Underlying RSUs · · Grant Date Fair Value | |||||
| Unvested at December 31, 2023 | | 326,848 | | $37.40 | |
| Granted | | 617,496 | | | 18.26 |
| Vested and settled | | (141,350) | | | 37.76 |
| Vested and deferred(1) | | (42,000) | | | 18.07 |
| Forfeited | | (86,732) | | | 22.15 |
| Unvested outstanding at December 31, 2024 | | 674,262 | | | 22.96 |
| Vested but subject to deferred settlement at December 31, 2024(1) | | 42,000 | | | 18.07 |
| Outstanding at December 31, 2024 | | 716,262 | | $22.67 | |
| (1) | The Company granted certain RSUs to the Company’s non-employee directors which provided for deferred settlement of the RSUs to a specified date following the first to occur of (i) the date of the director’s separation from service, (ii) the date of the director’s disability, (iii) the date of the director’s death or (iv) the date of a change in control event. |
The fair value of RSUs that vested during the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022 was $3.8 million, $3.0 million and $2.1 million, respectively.
Total share-based compensation expense for RSUs granted for the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022 was $7.9 million, $5.5 million and $4.9 million, respectively. As of December 31, 2024, the total unrecognized compensation expense related to RSUs was $11.4 million, which is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 2.4 years.
- Significant agreements
The following table summarizes the revenue recognized from the Company’s collaboration arrangements in the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss (in thousands):
| | | | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| · · | |||||||||
| · · Year Ended | |||||||||
| · · December 31, | |||||||||
| · 2024 · 2023 · 2022 | |||||||||
| Collaboration revenue · · · · · · · · | |||||||||
| Bayer | | $3,393 | | $1,160 | | $— | |||
| Novartis | | | 8,161 | | | 1,909 | | | — |
| Ionis | | | 8,881 | | | 10,734 | | | 9,347 |
| Genentech | | | 14,840 | | 11,969 | | 3,565 | ||
| Dementia Discovery Fund | | — | | — | | 386 | |||
| AstraZeneca | | | — | | 1,204 | | 1,165 | ||
| Total collaboration revenue | | $35,275 | | $26,976 | | $14,463 | |||
Bayer Collaboration Agreement
On May 4, 2023, the Company and Bayer entered into a collaboration and license agreement (the “Bayer Collaboration Agreement”), pursuant to which the parties will perform research and discovery activities under a mutually agreed upon research plan during a research term up to a specified number of years per target program to generate radiopharmaceutical compounds incorporating optimized Bicycle constructs directed totwo specified targets, under the oversight of a joint research committee. In addition, Bayer has a one-time right to expand the collaboration to include a third target program, and with respect to each of the up tothree target programs, Bayer has an option, exercisable within a specified period of time following the effective date of the Bayer Collaboration Agreement, to generate, develop and commercialize non-radiopharmaceutical compounds directed to the applicable target, either itself or in collaboration with the Company. Bayer also has certain limited target substitution rights, in certain cases subject to specified additional payments.
For each collaboration program, Bayer may elect, at its sole discretion, to progress compounds arising from activities under the research programs into further preclinical development of potential products directed to the target of such collaboration program. On a target-by-target basis, if Bayer elects to progress development candidates directed to such target into further clinical development, Bayer will be required to use commercially reasonable efforts to develop and seek regulatory approval in certain major markets for products directed to the applicable target.
Bayer paid an upfront payment to the Company of $45.0 million in July 2023. All other payments under the Bayer Collaboration Agreement will be made in British Pound Sterling. If Bayer elects to expand the collaboration to include an additional target program, it will be required to make a one-time payment to the Company in connection with the selection of such target in the high single-digit millions. In addition, on a target-by-target basis, if Bayer elects to exercise its option to expand its rights with respect to such target to develop and commercialize non-radiopharmaceutical compounds directed to such target, Bayer will be required to pay to the Company, for each such target program for which it exercises such option, either a one-time option fee payment or quarterly payments of specified installment amounts for a specified maximum time period during which the Company is performing research activities, with the aggregate amounts receivable by the Company ranging from the high single-digit millions in the case of the one-time option fee payment, to the low single-digit millions in the case of the quarterly installments, in each case where the Company is performing specified research activities following the exercise of the option. Additionally, for each collaboration program, Bayer will reimburse the Company for certain expenses incurred in connection with specified research and discovery activities performed by a contract research organization (“CRO”).
On a target-by-target basis for the up tothree targets, if Bayer elects to progressone or more candidate compounds into further development, Bayer will be required to pay a candidate selection fee for the first such compound progressed by Bayer directed to such target that incorporates a radionuclide, and for the first such compound directed to such target that does not incorporate a radionuclide (and for which Bayer has not paid the one-time option fee payment for non-radiopharmaceutical compounds), ranging from high single-digit millions to the mid single-digit millions. Upon declaring a candidate, Bayer will be responsible for all future development, manufacturing, and commercialization activities. On a target-by-target basis, if Bayer successfully conducts clinical development and achieves regulatory approval for compounds arising from the collaboration directed to such target in two indications, Bayer will be required
to pay to the Company development and regulatory/first commercial sale milestones of up to £178.3 million for the first product directed to the applicable target to achieve such milestones (whether radiopharmaceutical or non-radiopharmaceutical), or £534.9 million across allthree potential target programs. In addition, if Bayer successfully commercializes products arising from the collaboration, Bayer will be required to pay to the Company, on a product-by-product basis, tiered royalties on net sales of products by Bayer, its affiliates or sublicensees at percentages ranging from the mid-single digits to the very low double digits, subject to standard reductions and offsets in certain circumstances, and a royalty floor. If Bayer commercializes diagnostic products directed to a target, royalties will be payable on such diagnostic products at a specified reduced percentage of the rates for therapeutic products. Royalties will be payable under the Bayer Collaboration Agreement on a product-by-product and country-by-country basis, commencing on the first commercial sale of each product, until the latest of (a) the expiration of the last valid claim of certain patents licensed by the Company to Bayer, (b) a specified number of years following first commercial sale of such product, and (c) expiration of all data and regulatory exclusivity for such product in the applicable country. On a target-by-target basis, Bayer will also owe the Company tiered sales milestones based on the achievement of specified levels of net sales of therapeutic products directed to such target totaling up to £194.5 million in the aggregate per target, or £583.5 million across allthree potential target programs, and on diagnostic products directed to such target at a low double digit percentage of the therapeutic product milestones.
The Bayer Collaboration Agreement will remain in force on a product-by-product and country-by-country basis, unless earlier terminated by either party, until the expiration of the obligation for Bayer to make royalty payments to the Company for such product in such country, and will terminate in its entirety on the expiration of all such royalty terms in all countries. Either party may terminate the agreement upon 90 days’ written notice for the other party’s uncured material breach (or 20 business days in the case of non-payment by Bayer), subject to extension of such cure period in certain circumstances, or upon the other party’s insolvency. In addition, the Company has the right to terminate in the case of a patent challenge by or on behalf of Bayer (or any of its affiliates or sublicensees). In addition, Bayer may terminate the Bayer Collaboration Agreement (i) in its entirety or with respect to any product, collaboration program or target for any reason upon 60 or 90 days’ written notice to the Company (depending on whether such termination is prior to or following first commercial sale of a licensed product). The closing of the Bayer Collaboration Agreement was subject to the clearance of the transaction under the U.K. National Security and Investment Act 2021, which occurred on June 22, 2023.
At inception of the Bayer Collaboration Agreement, the Company identified the following performance obligations:
| (i) | Two combined performance obligations comprised of the license and the related research and development services during the research term associated with radiopharmaceutical compounds for the first and second targets; |
| (ii) | A material right associated with certain limited substitution rights with respect to either the first or second target; |
| (iii) | Two material rights associated with the option to progress radiopharmaceutical candidates directed to the first and second targets into further development; |
| (iv) | Two material rights associated with the options to generate, develop, and commercialize non-radiopharmaceutical compounds for each of the first and second targets, for which each option includes an underlying option for research and development services and an option to progress non-radiopharmaceutical candidates directed to the first and second targets into further development; and |
| (v) | A material right related to the option to expand the collaboration to include a third target, which upon exercise includes research and development services during the research term associated with radiopharmaceutical compounds directed to the third target, as well as underlying options for: certain limited substitution rights; an option to progress a radiopharmaceutical candidate directed to the third target into further development; and an |
option to generate, develop, and commercialize non-radiopharmaceutical compounds directed to the third target, inclusive of an underlying option for research and development services and an option to progress a non-radiopharmaceutical candidate into further development.
The Company’s participation in the joint research committee was assessed as immaterial in the context of the contract.
The Company concluded that the license granted at contract inception is not distinct from the research and development services as Bayer cannot obtain the benefit of the license without the Company performing the research and development services. The services incorporate proprietary technology and unique skills and specialized expertise, particularly as they relate to constrained peptide technology that is not available in the marketplace. As a result, for each target, the license has been combined with the research and development services into a single performance obligation which is the combined performance obligation comprised of the license and related research and development services.
In assessing whether the various options under the Bayer Collaboration Agreement represent material rights, the Company considered the additional consideration the Company would be entitled to upon option exercise and the standalone selling price of the underlying goods and services. For the material rights identified above, the Company concluded that each of the options provided Bayer with a discount that it otherwise would not have received. The Company exercised judgment in concluding that certain development and commercialization rights associated with progressing product candidates into further development and commercialization represent options that are material rights, as Bayer cannot benefit from the development and commercialization rights until Bayer, in its sole discretion, elects to progress candidates into further development and pays the associated candidate selection fees.
The transaction price was initially determined to be $47.5 million, consisting of the $45.0 million upfront fee and an estimated $2.5 million for the reimbursement of certain external CRO costs. The Company utilized the expected value method to determine the amount of variable consideration to be received. Additional payments to the Company upon Bayer’s exercise of options are excluded from the transaction price as they relate to option fees and milestones that can only be achieved subsequent to the exercise of an option. The estimated $2.5 million in variable consideration was first allocated entirely to the first and second target combined performance obligations as the terms of the variable consideration relate specifically to the Company’s efforts in satisfying the performance obligations and allocating the variable consideration entirely to those performance obligations is consistent with the allocation objective in ASC 606. The remaining transaction price was allocated to the performance obligations based on the relative estimated standalone selling prices of each performance obligation. The estimated standalone selling prices for the combined performance obligations for the first and second targets were based on the nature of the services to be performed and estimates of the associated effort and costs of the services, adjusted for a reasonable profit margin for what would be expected to be realized under similar contracts. The estimated standalone selling prices for the material rights were determined based on the fees that Bayer would pay to exercise the options, the estimated value of the underlying goods and services, and the probability that Bayer would exercise the options, inclusive of the probability of technical success. Based on the relative standalone selling prices, the allocation of the transaction price to the separate performance obligations was as follows (in thousands):
| | | | |
|---|---|---|---|
| · · Allocation of | |||
| Performance Obligations · · Transaction Price | |||
| Two combined performance obligations related to the licenses and research and development services associated with radiopharmaceutical compounds directed to the first and second targets | | $14,976 | |
| Material right associated with limited substitution rights for either the first or second target | | | 1,527 |
| Two material rights associated with the option to progress radiopharmaceutical candidates directed to the first and second targets into further development | | | 14,691 |
| Two material rights associated with the option to progress a non-radiopharmaceutical compound directed to the first and second targets | | | 8,703 |
| Material right for the option to expand the collaboration to include a third target and the underlying additional option rights | | | 7,603 |
| | | $47,500 | |
The Company is recognizing revenue related to amounts allocated to the first and second target combined performance obligations as the underlying services are performed using a proportional performance model over the period of service using input-based measurements of full-time equivalent efforts and external costs incurred to date as a percentage of total expected full-time equivalent efforts and external costs, which best reflects the progress towards satisfaction of the performance obligations. The amounts allocated to the material rights are recorded as deferred revenue and the Company will commence revenue recognition upon exercise of or upon expiry of the respective option. The first and second target combined performance obligations are expected to be satisfied over a period of approximately four years and the remaining material rights are expected to be exercised or expire within approximately seven years from contract inception.
During the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023, the Company recognized revenue of$3.4 million and$1.2 million, respectively, in connection with the Bayer Collaboration Agreement. The Company didnot recognize revenue in connection with the Bayer Collaboration Agreement during the year ended December 31, 2022. As of December 31, 2024 and 2023, the Company recorded deferred revenue of$40.0 million and$43.6 million, respectively, in connection with the Bayer Collaboration Agreement.
Novartis Collaboration Agreement
On March 27, 2023, the Company and Novartis entered into a collaboration and license agreement (the “Novartis Collaboration Agreement”), pursuant to which the parties will perform research and discovery activities under a mutually agreed upon research plan during a research term of up to a specified number of years per target program to generate compounds incorporating optimized Bicycle constructs directed totwo specified targets, under the oversight of a joint steering committee. The Company granted Novartis a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free, sublicensable (subject to certain restrictions) license under the Company’s intellectual property solely for Novartis to perform its research activities under each collaboration program during the research term (the “Novartis Research License”). For each collaboration program, Novartis may elect to progress compounds arising from activities under the research programs (“Licensed Compounds”) into further preclinical development of potential products directed to the target of such collaboration program. At a specified point, the Company will grant Novartis an exclusive, royalty-bearing, sublicensable, license under certain of the Company’s intellectual property to develop, manufacture, and commercialize such Licensed Compound, subject to certain limitations. Novartis also has certain limited substitution rights for each target, and Novartis may extend the initial research term byone year by electing to make an additional payment. On a target-by-target basis, if Novartis elects to progress development candidates directed to such target into further clinical development, Novartis will be required to use commercially reasonable efforts to develop and seek regulatory approval in certain major markets for products containing Licensed Compounds directed to the applicable target.
Novartis paid a nonrefundable upfront payment to the Company of $50.0 million in April 2023. During the research term, upon achievement of a specified discovery milestone for the first target program, Novartis will make a one-time payment to the Company in the low single digit millions. On a target-by-target basis, if Novartis elects to progress one or more candidate compounds into further development and obtain an exclusive license for commercialization, Novartis will be required to pay a candidate selection fee for the first such Licensed Compound progressed by Novartis that incorporates a radionuclide, and for the first such Licensed Compound that does not incorporate a radionuclide, in each case in the mid-teen millions. Upon declaring a candidate, Novartis will be responsible for all future development, manufacturing, and commercialization activities. On a target-by-target basis, Novartis will be required to pay to the Company additional development and regulatory/first commercial sale milestones of up to $210.0 million for each of the first radionuclide product and non-radionuclide product directed to the applicable target upon the achievement of specified milestones, or $840.0 million in the aggregate if Novartis successfully achieves all such milestone events for both a radionuclide and a non-radionuclide product in each of the targets. In addition, the Company is eligible to receive tiered sales milestones based on the achievement of specified levels of net sales of such products totaling up to $200.0 million in the aggregate per product, or $800.0 million in the aggregate if Novartis successfully commercializes both a radionuclide and a non-radionuclide product in each of the target programs. In addition, (i) the Company is eligible to receive, on a therapeutic product-by-therapeutic product basis, tiered royalties on net sales of products by Novartis, its affiliates or sublicensees at percentages ranging from the high single digits to the very low double digits, subject to standard reductions and offsets in certain circumstances, and a royalty floor, and (ii) the Company is eligible to receive low single digit royalties on net sales of diagnostic products on a diagnostic product-
by-diagnostic product basis and a low single digit percentage of sublicensing income on diagnostic products. Royalties will be payable under the Novartis Collaboration Agreement on a product-by-product and country-by-country basis, commencing on the first commercial sale of each product in a country, until the latest of (a) the expiration of the last valid claim of certain patents licensed by Company to Novartis, (b) a specified number of years following first commercial sale of such product, and (c) expiration of all data and regulatory exclusivity for such product in the applicable country.
The Novartis Collaboration Agreement will remain in force on a product-by-product and country-by-country basis, unless earlier terminated by either party, until the expiration of the obligation for Novartis to make royalty payments to Company for such product in such country, and will terminate in its entirety on the expiration of all such royalty payment obligations in all countries. Either party may terminate the agreement upon 60 days’ written notice for the other party’s uncured material breach, or upon the other party’s insolvency. In addition, Novartis may terminate the Collaboration Agreement (i) in its entirety or on a product-by-product or target-by-target basis for any reason upon 90 days’ written notice to Company, and (ii) on a target-by-target basis on 30 days’ written notice if Novartis determines that a safety or regulatory issue exists which would have a material adverse effect on the development, manufacture, or commercialization of any product with respect to a given target. The Company may terminate the Novartis Collaboration Agreement, (a) on a target-by-target basis upon 30 days’ prior written notice if Novartis has not yet declared a development candidate for such target by the sixth anniversary of the commencement of research activities for such target and (b) if Novartis or any of its affiliates or sublicensees challenges the validity or enforceability of any of the patents in the Company’s licensed intellectual property.
Upon the execution of the Novartis Collaboration Agreement, the Company identified the following performance obligations:
| (i) | Two combined performance obligations comprised of the Novartis Research License and the related research and development services during the research term for the first and second targets; |
| (ii) | Two material rights associated with certain limited substitution rights with respect to the first and second targets; |
| (iii) | Two material rights associated with the option to progress development candidates that incorporate a radionuclide with respect to the first and second target; and |
| (iv) | Two material rights associated with the option to progress development candidates that do not incorporate a radionuclide with respect to the first and second target. |
The Company concluded that certain rights that require the payment of additional consideration, which approximates the standalone selling price of the underlying services to be provided, do not provide the customer with a material right and therefore, are not considered as performance obligations at the inception of the arrangement. The Company’s participation in the joint steering committee was assessed as immaterial in the context of the contract.
The Company has concluded that the Novartis Research License is not distinct from the research and development services as Novartis cannot obtain the benefit of the research license without the Company performing the research and development services. The services incorporate proprietary technology and unique skills and specialized expertise, particularly as they relate to constrained peptide technology that is not available in the marketplace. As a result, for each target, the research license has been combined with the research and development services into a single performance obligation. The Company exercised judgment in concluding that Novartis’ rights to obtain certain research and development services associated with compounds that do not incorporate a radionuclide during the research term are not options that are material rights as they do not represent either options for additional goods or services or options for additional services that are at a discount that it would not have otherwise received.
In assessing whether the various options under the Novartis Collaboration Agreement represent material rights, the Company considered the additional consideration the Company would be entitled to upon option exercise and the standalone selling price of the underlying goods and services. For the material rights identified above the Company concluded that each of the options provided Novartis with a discount that it otherwise would not have received.
The total transaction price was initially determined to be $50.0 million, consisting of the $50.0 million upfront fee. The Company utilizes the most likely amount method to determine the amount of variable consideration to be received. Variable consideration for development milestones not subject to option exercises was fully constrained as a result of the uncertainty regarding whether any of the milestones will be achieved. Additional consideration to be paid to the Company upon the exercise of options by Novartis is excluded from the transaction price as they relate to option fees and milestones that can only be achieved subsequent to the exercise of an option.
The transaction price was allocated to the performance obligations based on the relative estimated standalone selling prices of each performance obligation. The estimated standalone selling prices for the combined performance obligations for each of the targets were based on the nature of the services to be performed and estimates of the associated effort and costs of the services, adjusted for a reasonable profit margin for what would be expected to be realized under similar contracts. The estimated standalone selling prices for the material rights were determined based on the fees Novartis would pay to exercise the options, the estimated value of the underlying goods and services, and the probability that Novartis would exercise the options, inclusive of the probability of technical success. Based on the relative standalone selling prices, the allocation of the transaction price to the separate performance obligations was as follows (in thousands):
| | | | |
|---|---|---|---|
| · · Allocation of | |||
| Performance Obligations | Transaction Price | ||
| Two combined performance obligations for the first and second targets comprised of the Novartis Research License and the related research and development services during the research term for the first and second targets | | $18,008 | |
| Two material rights associated with limited substitution rights | | 2,466 | |
| Two material rights associated with options to progress development candidates incorporating radionuclides | | 19,684 | |
| Two material rights associated with options to progress development candidates not incorporating radionuclides | | | 9,842 |
| | | $50,000 | |
In November 2024, the Company achieved a specified discovery milestone for the first target program and therefore updated its estimate of the variable consideration to include an additional $3.0 million, that is no longer constrained. The arrangement consideration was increased to $53.0 million. The Company allocated the additional $3.0 million to the performance obligations based on the relative estimated standalone selling prices of each performance obligation.
The Company is recognizing revenue related to amounts allocated to the first and second target combined performance obligations as the underlying services are performed using a proportional performance model over the period of service using input-based measurements of total full-time equivalent efforts and external costs incurred to date as a percentage of total full-time equivalent efforts and expected external costs, which best reflects the progress towards satisfaction of the performance obligations. The amounts allocated to the material rights are recorded as deferred revenue and the Company will commence revenue recognition upon exercise of or upon expiry of the respective option. The first and second target combined performance obligations are expected to be satisfied over a period of approximately three years and the remaining material rights are expected to be exercised or expire within approximatelysix years from contract execution. During the year ended December 31, 2024, the Company recognized revenue of $2.5 million upon the expiration of Novartis’ material rights for limited substitution rights for the first and second targets. The research and discovery activities for these targets are ongoing.
During the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023, the Company recognized revenue of$8.2 million and$1.9 million in connection with the Novartis Collaboration Agreement. The Company didnot recognize revenue in connection with the Novartis Collaboration Agreement during the year ended December 31, 2022. As of December 31, 2024 and 2023, the Company recorded deferred revenue of$44.1 million and$50.0 million, respectively, in connection with the Novartis Collaboration Agreement.
Ionis Agreements
Ionis Evaluation and Option Agreement
On December 31, 2020, the Company entered into an Evaluation and Option Agreement (the “Evaluation and Option Agreement”) with Ionis. Under the terms of the Evaluation and Option Agreement, Ionis had the option (the “Ionis Option”) to obtain an exclusive license to the Company’s intellectual property for the purpose of continued research, development, manufacture and commercialization of products within a particular application of the Company’s platform technology. Ionis paid the Company a nonrefundable option fee of$3.0 million in January 2021 that was fully creditable against the upfront payment to be paid upon the execution of a license agreement. On July 9, 2021, the Ionis Option was exercised upon the parties’ entry into a collaboration and license agreement as contemplated by the Evaluation and Option Agreement. The Company determined that the Ionis Option exercise constituted a continuation of an existing arrangement. Therefore, the $3.0 million paid under the Evaluation and Option Agreement was included in the transaction price of the collaboration and license agreement.
Ionis Collaboration Agreement
Following the exercise by Ionis of the Ionis Option granted pursuant to the Evaluation and Option Agreement, on July 9, 2021, the Company and Ionis entered into a collaboration and license agreement (the “Ionis Collaboration Agreement”). Pursuant to the Ionis Collaboration Agreement, the Company granted to Ionis a worldwide exclusive license under the Company’s relevant technology to research, develop, manufacture and commercialize products incorporating Bicycle* *peptides directed to the protein coded by the gene TFRC1 (transferrin receptor) (“TfR1 Bicycle” molecules) intended for the delivery of oligonucleotide compounds directed to targets selected by Ionis for diagnostic, therapeutic, prophylactic and preventative uses in humans. Ionis will maintain exclusivity to all available targets unless it fails to achieve specified development diligence milestone deadlines. If Ionis fails to achieve one or more development diligence milestone deadlines, the Company has the right to limit exclusivity to certain specific collaboration targets, subject to the payment by Ionis of a low-single-digit million dollar amount per target as specified in the Ionis Collaboration Agreement. Each party was responsible for optimization of such TfR1 Bicycle molecules and other research and discovery activities related to TfR1 Bicycle molecules, as specified by a research plan which was completed during the year ended December 31, 2024, and thereafter Ionis will be responsible for all future research, development, manufacture and commercialization activities. The Company performed research and discovery activities including a baseline level of effort for a period ofthree years for no additional consideration. The parties will negotiate a commercially reasonable rate if additional research activities are agreed to be performed. The Company has retained certain rights, including the right to use TfR1 Bicycle molecules for all non-oligonucleotide therapeutic purposes.
The activities under the Ionis Collaboration Agreement are governed by a joint steering committee (“JSC”) with an equal number of representatives from the Company and Ionis. The JSC will oversee the performance of the research and development activities. Upon first commercial sales of a licensed product, the JSC will have no further responsibilities or authority under the Ionis Collaboration Agreement.
Under the Ionis Collaboration Agreement, Ionis made a non-refundable upfront payment of $31.0 million in addition to the $3.0 million already paid under the Option and Evaluation Agreement. Additionally, Ionis is obligated to reimburse the Company on a pass-through basis for expenses incurred in connection with research and discovery activities performed by a CRO. If Ionis is at risk of failing to achieve a specified development diligence milestone deadline, it can make up tothree separate payments of a mid-single-digit million dollar amount to extend the development diligence milestone deadlines. On a collaboration target-by-collaboration target basis, Ionis will be required to make a low-single-digit million dollar payment upon acceptance of an investigational new drug application (“IND”) for the first product directed to such collaboration target (provided that Ionis will have a high single-digit
million dollar credit to be applied towards the IND acceptance fee forfour collaboration targets, or for exclusivity payments for certain targets if specified development diligence milestones deadlines are not achieved), and Ionis will be required to make milestone payments upon the achievement of specified development and regulatory milestones of up to a low double-digit million dollar amount per collaboration target. In addition, the Company is eligible to receive up to a low double-digit million dollar amount in cumulative sales milestone payments. The Company is also entitled to receive tiered royalty payments on net sales at percentages in the low single digits, subject to certain standard reductions and offsets. Royalties will be payable, on a product-by-product and country-by-country basis, until the latest of the expiration of specified licensed patents covering such product in such country, ten years from first commercial sale of such product in such country, or expiration of marketing exclusivity for such product in such country.
In December 2021, the Company and Ionis entered into the first amendment to the Ionis Collaboration Agreement (the “First Ionis Amendment”) and Ionis paid the Company $1.6 million to perform additional research services utilizing its proprietary phage screening technology to identify and optimize new product candidates that target the TfR1 receptor. In April 2023, the Company and Ionis entered into the third amendment to the Ionis Collaboration Agreement (the “Third Ionis Amendment”) and Ionis paid the Company $0.8 million and the Company agreed to perform additional research services to continue to evaluate and optimize the new product candidates that target the TfR1 receptor for a period of one year.
Either party may terminate the Ionis Collaboration Agreement for the uncured material breach of the other party or in the case of insolvency. Ionis may terminate the Ionis Collaboration Agreement for convenience on specified notice periods depending on the development stage of the applicable target, either in its entirety or on a target-by-target basis.
Ionis Share Purchase Agreement
Concurrently with the execution of the Ionis Collaboration Agreement on July 9, 2021, the Company entered into the Ionis Share Purchase Agreement with Ionis, pursuant to which Ionis purchased 282,485 of the Company’s ordinary shares (the “Ionis Shares”) at a price per share of $38.94, for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $11.0 million. The Share Purchase Agreement also provided that, subject to limited exceptions, Ionis could not sell any of the Ionis Shares until July 2022.
The Company determined the fair value of the Ionis Shares to be $7.6 million, based on the closing price of the Company’s ADSs of $31.11 per ADS on the date of the Ionis Share Purchase Agreement, less a discount for lack of marketability associated with resale restrictions applicable to the Ionis Shares. The Company concluded that the premium paid by Ionis under the Ionis Share Purchase Agreement represents additional consideration for the goods and services to be provided under the Ionis Collaboration Agreement. As such, the total premium of$3.4 million was included in the transaction price under the Ionis Collaboration Agreement.
Accounting Analysis
Upon execution of the Ionis Collaboration Agreement, the Company identified the following promises in the arrangement: (i) a worldwide exclusive license to research, develop, manufacture and commercialize products incorporating TfR1 Bicycle molecules intended for the delivery of oligonucleotide compounds directed to targets selected by Ionis for diagnostic, therapeutic, prophylactic and preventative uses in humans; (ii) research and discovery activities to customize and optimize such TfR1 Bicycle molecules; (iii)four material rights associated with options to obtain credits to be applied towards the IND acceptance fee forfour collaboration targets.
The Company’s participation in the JSC was deemed immaterial in the context of the contract. The Company concluded that the exclusive license to research, develop, manufacture and commercialize products was not distinct from the research and discovery services as Ionis cannot obtain the intended benefit of the license without the Company performing the agreed upon research and discovery services, including the optimization of such TfR1 Bicycle molecules. The services incorporated proprietary technology, unique skills and specialized expertise to optimize Bicycle molecules that were not available in the marketplace. As a result, the exclusive license to research, develop, manufacture and commercialize products was combined with the research and discovery activities into a single performance obligation. The Company concluded that the low-single-digit million dollar payments upon acceptance of an IND (and payment to
extend the exclusive license to research, develop, manufacture and commercialize a product candidate for certain specific collaboration targets if Ionis fails to achieve specified development diligence milestone deadlines) is a customer option, as Ionis has the contractual right to choose to make the payment in exchange for the continued exclusive right to research, develop, manufacture and commercialize the product candidate, and the Company is not presently obligated to provide, and does not have a right to consideration, for the additional goods or services prior to Ionis’s exercise of the option. In assessing whether the options under the Ionis Collaboration Agreement represent material rights, the Company considered the additional consideration the Company would be entitled to upon the option exercise and the standalone selling price of the underlying goods and services. For the material rights identified as performance obligations above, the Company concluded that each of the options to obtain credits provided Ionis with a discount that it otherwise would not have received without entering into the Ionis Collaboration Agreement.
The total transaction price was initially determined to be $38.0 million, consisting of the $31.0 million up front payment, the $3.0 million payment under the Option and Evaluation Agreement, that was credited against the total upfront payment payable pursuant to the Ionis Collaboration Agreement, the $3.4 million premium paid under the Ionis Share Purchase Agreement, and an estimated $0.6 million for the reimbursement of CRO costs. Additional variable consideration including development diligence milestone deadline extension payments, development and regulatory milestone payments, sales milestone payments and royalty payments was fully constrained as a result of the uncertainty regarding whether any of the milestones will be achieved.
The transaction price was allocated to the performance obligations based on the relative estimated standalone selling prices of each performance obligation. The estimated standalone selling price of the Ionis combined licenses and research and discovery performance obligation was based on the nature of the licenses to be delivered, as well as the services to be performed and estimates of the associated effort and costs of the services, adjusted for a reasonable profit margin for what would be expected to be realized under similar contracts. The estimated standalone selling price for the material rights was determined based on the estimated value of the underlying goods and services, and the probability that Ionis would exercise the option. Based on the relative standalone selling price, the initial allocation of the transaction price to the separate performance obligations was as follows (in thousands):
| · · · | ||
|---|---|---|
| | | Allocation of |
| Performance Obligations | Transaction Price | |
| Combined licenses and research and discovery performance obligation | | $34,100 |
| Four material rights associated with credits for IND Acceptance fees | | 3,900 |
| | | $38,000 |
During the year ended December 31, 2024, the Company updated its estimate of variable consideration for the reimbursement of CRO costs from $0.6 million to $0.4 million, and the transaction price decreased to $37.8 million.
The Company recognized revenue related to amounts allocated to the combined licenses and research and discovery performance obligation using a proportional performance model over the period of service using input-based measurements including total full-time equivalent effort and CRO costs incurred to date as a percentage of total full-time equivalent effort and CRO costs expected, which best reflects the progress towards satisfaction of the performance obligation. The amount allocated to the material rights is recorded as deferred revenue and the Company commences revenue recognition upon exercise of or upon expiry of the respective option. As of December 31, 2024, the combined licenses and research and discovery performance obligation was completed and all revenue allocated to the combined licenses and research and discovery performance obligation was recognized. The Company anticipates the material rights may be exercisable or may expire after approximately four toseven years from contract execution.
The Company concluded that the First Ionis Amendment was a separate contract, as the services were distinct from the Ionis Collaboration Agreement, and the price of the contract increased by an amount of consideration that reflects the Company’s standalone selling price. The Company recognized $0.8 million associated with services for an initial six-month period as revenue as the underlying services were performed. The contract included an option to perform additional research services for an additional six months that did not contain a material right and the Company accounted for Ionis’ exercise of the option in October 2022 as a separate contract. The Company recognized $0.8 million associated with the services for the additional six-month period as revenue as the underlying services were performed.
The Company concluded that the Third Ionis Amendment was a contract modification to the separate contract under the First Ionis Amendment, as the services were not distinct from the services provided under the First Ionis Amendment. The Company recognized $0.8 million associated with the services for the additional one-year period as revenue as the underlying services were performed. Revenue was recognized under the First Ionis Amendment and the Third Ionis Amendment using a proportional performance model over the period of service using input-based measurements of total full time equivalent efforts and external costs incurred to date as a percentage of total expected full time equivalent efforts and expected external costs, which best reflects the progress towards satisfaction of the performance obligation.
For the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022, the Company recognized $8.9 million, $10.7 million and $9.3 million in revenue, respectively, and as of December 31, 2024 and 2023, the Company recorded deferred revenue of $3.6 million and $12.5 million, respectively, in connection with the Ionis Collaboration Agreement, First and Third Ionis Amendments, and Ionis Evaluation and Option Agreement.
Genentech Collaboration Agreement
On February 21, 2020, the Company entered into a Discovery Collaboration and License Agreement, as amended from time to time (as amended, the “Genentech Collaboration Agreement”), with Genentech. The collaboration is focused on the discovery and development of Bicycle peptides directed to biological targets selected by Genentech and aimed at developing up tofour potential development candidates against multiple immuno-oncology targets suitable for Genentech to advance into further development and commercialization.
Under the terms of the Genentech Collaboration Agreement, the Company received a $30.0 million upfront, non-refundable payment. The initial discovery and optimization activities are focused on utilizing the Company’s phage screening technology to identify product candidates aimed attwo immuno-oncology targets (“Genentech Collaboration Programs”), which may also include additional discovery and optimization of Bicycle molecules* *as a targeting element for each Genentech Collaboration Program (each a “Targeting Arm”). Genentech also had the option to nominate up totwo additional immuno-oncology targets (each, an “Expansion Option”) as additional Genentech Collaboration Programs, which may also include an additional Targeting Arm for each Expansion Option. Genentech exercised the Expansion Options in October 2021 and June 2022, respectively. Genentech paid to the Company an expansion fee of $10.0 million for each Expansion Option. The Genentech Collaboration Agreement included rights, under certain limited circumstances, for Genentech to select an alternative target to be the subject of a Genentech Collaboration Program, in some cases subject to payment of an additional target selection fee.
If Genentech elects for the Company to perform discovery and optimization services for certain Targeting Arms, the Company will be entitled to receive an additional advance payment for the additional research services. Genentech exercised its right to select a Targeting Arm forone of the initial Genentech Collaboration Programs at the inception of the arrangement, and for the first Expansion Option in October 2021, which entitled the Company to additional payments of $1.0 million each. If a Targeting Arm achieves specified criteria in accordance with the research plan, Genentech will be required to pay a further specified amount in the low single digit millions for each such Targeting Arm as consideration for the additional services to be provided.
The Company granted to Genentech a non-exclusive research license under the Company’s intellectual property solely to enable Genentech to perform any activities under the agreement. The activities under the Genentech Collaboration Agreement are governed by a joint research committee (“JRC”) with representatives from each of the Company and Genentech. The JRC will oversee, review and recommend direction of each Genentech Collaboration Program, achievement of development criteria, and variations of or modifications to the research plans.
After the Company performs the initial discovery and optimization activities in accordance with an agreed research plan and achieves specified criteria, Genentech will have the option to have the Company perform initial pre-clinical development and optimization activities in exchange for an additional specified milestone payment in the mid-single digit millions for each Genentech Collaboration Program (the “LSR Go Option”). Upon completion of such initial pre-clinical development and optimization activities for each Genentech Collaboration Program, Genentech will have the option to obtain an exclusive license to exploit any compound developed under such Genentech Collaboration Program in exchange for an additional specified payment in the mid to high single digit millions for each of the initial
two Genentech Collaboration Programs and each of thetwo Expansion Option Genentech Collaboration Programs (the “Dev Go Option”).
On a Genentech Collaboration Program by Genentech Collaboration Program basis, if Genentech elects to obtain exclusive development and commercialization rights and pays the applicable LSR Go Option and Dev Go Option fees, Genentech will be required to make milestone payments to the Company upon the achievement of specified development, regulatory, and initial commercialization milestones for products arising from each collaboration program, totaling up to $200.0 million. Specifically, the Company is eligible for additional development milestones totaling up to $65.0 million, as well as regulatory milestones of up to $135.0 million for each collaboration program. In addition, the Company is also eligible to receive up to $200.0 million in sales milestone payments on a Genentech Collaboration Program-by-Genentech Collaboration Program basis. In addition, to the extent any of the product candidates covered by the licenses conveyed to Genentech are commercialized, the Company would be entitled to receive tiered royalty payments on net sales at percentages ranging from the mid-single to low double-digits, subject to certain standard reductions and offsets. Royalties will be payable, on a product by product and country by country basis, until the later of the expiration of specified licensed patents covering such product in such country, orten years from first commercial sale of such product in such country.
Upon the execution of the Genentech Collaboration Agreement, the Company has identified the following performance obligations:
| (i) | Research license, and the related research and development and preclinical services through LSR Go for a first Genentech Collaboration Program (Genentech Collaboration Program #1); |
| (ii) | Research license, and the related research and development and preclinical services through LSR Go for a second Genentech Collaboration Program with a specified Targeting Arm (Genentech Collaboration Program #2); |
| (iii) | Material right associated with an option to a specified Targeting Arm for Genentech Collaboration Program #1; |
| (iv) | Two material rights associated with the LSR Go Option for Genentech Collaboration Program #1 and Genentech Collaboration Program #2, which includes research services to be provided through the Dev Go Option and an option to receive an exclusive license; |
| (v) | Material rights associated with certain limited substitution rights with respect to a limited number of collaboration targets; |
| (vi) | Two material rights related to each Genentech Expansion Option, which upon exercise include the services for an additional immuno-oncology target through the LSR Go Option, an LSR Go Option which includes the services to be provided through the Dev Go Option and an option to receive an exclusive license, limited substitution rights, and an option to select a specified Targeting Arm. |
The Company concluded that certain substitution rights that require the payment of additional consideration, which approximate the standalone selling price of the underlying services to be provided, do not provide the customer with a material right and therefore, are not considered as performance obligations and are accounted for as separate contracts upon exercise, if ever. The Company’s participation in the JRC was assessed as immaterial in the context of the contract.
The Company has concluded that the research license is not distinct from the research and development services as Genentech cannot obtain the benefit of the research license without the Company performing the research and development services. The services incorporate proprietary technology and unique skills and specialized expertise, particularly as it relates to constrained peptide technology that is not available in the marketplace. As a result, for each
research program, the research license has been combined with the research and development services into a single performance obligation. In addition, the Company concluded that the Dev Go Option is not distinct or separately exercisable from the LSR Go Option, as the customer cannot benefit from the Dev Go Option unless and until the LSR Go Option is exercised.
In assessing whether the various options under the Genentech Collaboration Agreement represent material rights, the Company considered the additional consideration the Company would be entitled to upon the option exercise, the standalone selling price of the underlying goods, services, and additional options. For the material rights identified above the Company concluded that each of the options provided Genentech with a discount that it otherwise would not have received.
The total transaction price was initially determined to be $31.0 million, consisting of the $30.0 million upfront fee and the additional $1.0 million for Genentech’s selection of a new Targeting Arm at inception. The Company utilizes the most likely amount method to determine the amount of research and development funding to be received. Additional consideration to be paid to the Company upon the exercise of options by Genentech and subsequent milestones are excluded from the transaction price as they relate to option fees and milestones that can only be achieved subsequent to the exercise of an option. In addition, other variable consideration for development milestones not subject to option exercises was fully constrained, as a result of the uncertainty regarding whether any of the milestones will be achieved. In March 2021, the Company achieved specified criteria in accordance with the research plan under the Genentech Collaboration Agreement and therefore updated its estimate of the variable consideration to include an additional$2.0 million, that is no longer constrained. The arrangement consideration was increased to $33.0 million.
The transaction price was allocated to the performance obligations based on the relative estimated standalone selling prices of each performance obligation. The estimated standalone selling prices for the Genentech Collaboration Programs was based on the nature of the services to be performed and estimates of the associated effort and costs of the services, adjusted for a reasonable profit margin for what would be expected to be realized under similar contracts. The estimated standalone selling price for the material rights was determined based on the fees Genentech would pay to exercise the options, the estimated value of the underlying goods and services, and the probability that Genentech would exercise the option and any underlying options. Based on the relative standalone selling price, the allocation of the transaction price to the separate performance obligations is as follows (in thousands):
| | | | |
|---|---|---|---|
| · · Allocation of | |||
| Performance Obligations | Transaction Price | ||
| Genentech Collaboration Program #1 Performance Obligation | | $4,019 | |
| Genentech Collaboration Program #2 Performance Obligation | | 8,037 | |
| Specified Targeting Arm Material Right Arm for Genentech Collaboration Program #1 | | 352 | |
| Two material rights associated with the LSR Go Option for Collaboration Programs #1 and #2 | | 12,400 | |
| Material rights associated with limited substitution rights | | | 1,187 |
| Two material rights for Expansion Options | | | 7,005 |
| | | $33,000 | |
The Company recognizes revenue related to amounts allocated to the Genentech Collaboration Program #1 and #2 Performance Obligations as the underlying services are performed using a proportional performance model over the period of service using input-based measurements of total full-time equivalent efforts and external costs incurred to date as a percentage of total full-time equivalent efforts and expected external costs, which best reflects the progress towards satisfaction of the performance obligation. The amount allocated to the material rights is recorded as deferred revenue and the Company will commence revenue recognition upon exercise of or upon expiry of the respective option. In June 2023, Genentech terminated Genentech Collaboration Program #2 and revenue of $6.0 million was recognized during the year ended December 31, 2023 related to the expiration of the material right associated with the LSR Go Option for Collaboration Program #2. The Company expects the remaining Genentech Collaboration Performance Program #1 performance obligations will be satisfied over the nextone totwo years, and the remaining deferred revenue allocated to the LSR Go Option for Collaboration Program #1 will commence revenue recognition when the option is exercised or expires within approximately four tofive years from contract execution.
In October 2021 and June 2022, respectively, Genentech exercised the first and second Expansion Options to add additional Genentech Collaboration Programs (Genentech Collaboration Program #3 and Genentech Collaboration Program #4) and paid to the Company an expansion fee of $10.0 million for each option. For the first Expansion Option, Genentech also elected for the Company to perform discovery and optimization services for a Targeting Arm, and the Company received an additional payment of $1.0 million for additional research services. The Company concluded that the exercise of each Expansion Option, including the option to a specified Targeting Arm for the first Expansion Option, is accounted for as a continuation of an existing contract as the customer decided to purchase additional goods and services contemplated in the original contract. For the first Expansion Option, the additional arrangement consideration of $11.0 million received upon the option exercises and the $3.5 million originally allocated to the first Expansion Option material right is allocated to the underlying goods and services associated with the first Expansion Option on the same basis as the initial allocation of the Genentech Collaboration Agreement. In December 2022, the Targeting Arm associated with the first Expansion Option achieved specified criteria in accordance with the research plan under the Genentech Collaboration Agreement and therefore the Company updated its estimate of variable consideration to include an additional $2.0 million, that is no longer constrained. The Company allocated the additional $2.0 million entirely to the Genentech Collaboration Program #3 and Targeting Arm services as the terms of the variable consideration relate specifically to the Company’s efforts in satisfying the performance obligation and allocating the variable consideration entirely to the performance obligation is consistent with the allocation objective in ASC 606. For the second Expansion Option, the additional arrangement consideration of $10.0 million received pursuant to the option exercise together with the $3.5 million originally allocated to the second Expansion Option material right is allocated to the underlying goods and services associated with the second Expansion option on the same basis as the initial allocation of the Genentech Collaboration Agreement. Other variable consideration for development milestones not subject to option exercises was fully constrained as a result of the uncertainty regarding whether any of the milestones will be achieved. The Company recognized the $8.4 million allocated to the Genentech Collaboration Program #3 and Targeting Arm services and is recognizing $5.3 million allocated to the Genentech Collaboration Program #4 services as the underlying services are performed using a proportional performance model over the period of service of approximatelytwo tothree years for each program using input-based measurements of total full-time equivalent efforts and external costs incurred to date as a percentage of total full-time equivalent efforts and external costs expected, which best reflects the progress towards satisfaction of the performance obligations. The amount allocated to the material rights associated with an LSR Go Options for Genentech Collaboration Program #3 and Genentech Collaboration Program #4 of $7.4 million and $7.4 million, respectively, limited substitution material rights of $0.7 million and $0.7 million, respectively, and the material right associated with the option to select a Targeting Arm for Genentech Collaboration Program #4 of $0.1 million were recorded as deferred revenue. In January 2024, the JRC decided to discontinue research activities associated with Genentech Collaboration Program #3 and, as a result, the Company recognized revenue of $10.4 million during the year ended December 31, 2024, including $7.5 million related to the expiration of remaining material rights.
For the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022, the Company recognized revenue of $14.8 million, $12.0 million and $3.6 million, respectively, and as of December 31, 2024 and 2023, the Company recorded deferred revenue of 14.0 million and $29.1 million, respectively, in connection with the Genentech Collaboration Agreement.
Summary of Contract Assets and Liabilities
The following table presents changes in the balances of the Company’s contract liabilities (in thousands):
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| · · Beginning Balance · · · · · · Impact of · · Ending Balance | |||||||||||||||
| · · January 1, · · · · · · Exchange · · December 31, | |||||||||||||||
| · 2024 · Additions · Deductions · Rates · 2024 | |||||||||||||||
| Contract liabilities: · · · · · · · · · · | |||||||||||||||
| Deferred revenue · · · · · · · · · · | |||||||||||||||
| Bayer collaboration deferred revenue | | $43,618 | | $296 | | $(3,393) | | $(561) | | $39,960 | |||||
| Novartis collaboration deferred revenue | | | 50,008 | | | 3,000 | | | (8,161) | | | (774) | | | 44,073 |
| Ionis collaboration deferred revenue | | | 12,464 | | | 90 | | | (8,881) | | | (86) | | | 3,587 |
| Genentech collaboration deferred revenue | | | 29,104 | | | — | | | (14,840) | | | (226) | | | 14,038 |
| Total deferred revenue | | $135,194 | | $3,386 | | $(35,275) | | $(1,647) | | $101,658 | |||||
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| · · Beginning Balance · · · · · Impact of · · Ending Balance | |||||||||||||||
| · · January 1, · · · · · · Exchange · · December 31, | |||||||||||||||
| · 2023 · Additions · Deductions · Rates · 2023 | |||||||||||||||
| Contract liabilities: · · · · · · · · · · | |||||||||||||||
| Deferred revenue · · · · · · · · · · | |||||||||||||||
| Bayer collaboration deferred revenue | | $— | | $45,000 | | $(1,160) | | $(222) | | $43,618 | |||||
| Novartis collaboration deferred revenue | | | — | | | 50,000 | | | (1,909) | | | 1,917 | | | 50,008 |
| Ionis collaboration deferred revenue | | | 21,489 | | | 960 | | | (10,734) | | | 749 | | | 12,464 |
| Genentech collaboration deferred revenue | | | 39,308 | | | — | | | (11,969) | | | 1,765 | | | 29,104 |
| AstraZeneca collaboration deferred revenue | | 1,076 | | — | | (1,204) | | 128 | | — | |||||
| Total deferred revenue | | $61,873 | | $95,960 | | $(26,976) | | $4,337 | | $135,194 | |||||
Contract assets represent research and development services which have been performed but have not yet been billed, and are reduced when they are subsequently billed. There wereno contract assets at December 31, 2024 or 2023.
As of December 31, 2024, the Bayer, Novartis, Ionis, and Genentech deferred revenue balances include $31.9 million, $32.0 million, $3.6 million, and $13.5 million, respectively, allocated to material rights that will commence revenue recognition when the respective underlying options are exercised or when the options expires.
During the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022, the Company recognized the following revenues as a result of changes in the contract asset and the contract liability balances in the respective periods (in thousands):
| | | | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | Year Ended | ||||||||
| · · December 31, | |||||||||
| · 2024 · 2023 · 2022 | |||||||||
| Revenue recognized in the period from: · · · · · | |||||||||
| Revenue recognized based on proportional performance | $24,266 | | $19,160 | | $12,358 | ||||
| Revenue recognized based on expiration of material rights | | | 10,576 | | 7,816 | | 1,433 | ||
| Revenue recognized based on changes in transaction price | | | 433 | | | — | | | 672 |
| Total | | $35,275 | | $26,976 | | $14,463 | |||
Cancer Research UK
BT1718
On December 13, 2016, the Company entered into a Clinical Trial and License Agreement with Cancer Research Technology Limited (“CRTL”), a wholly owned subsidiary of Cancer Research UK that Cancer Research UK’s commercial activities operate through, and Cancer Research UK (the “BT1718 Cancer Research UK Agreement”). Pursuant to the BT1718 Cancer Research UK Agreement, as amended in March 2017 and June 2018, Cancer Research UK’s Centre for Drug Development sponsored and funded a Phase I/IIa clinical trial for BT1718, a BTC molecule, in patients with advanced solid tumors. The Company retained the right to continue the development of BT1718 during the clinical trial. Upon the completion of the Phase I/IIa clinical trial, the Company had the right to obtain a license to the results of the clinical trial upon the payment of a milestone, in cash and ordinary shares, with a combined value in the mid six-digit dollar amount. If such license was not acquired, or if it was acquired and the license was terminated and the Company decided to abandon development of all products that deliver cytotoxic payloads to the MT1 target antigen, CRTL could elect to receive an assignment and exclusive license to develop and commercialize the product on a revenue sharing basis (in which case the Company would receive tiered royalties of 70% to 90% of the net revenue depending on the stage of development when the license is granted). The BT1718 Cancer Research UK Agreement contained additional future milestone payments upon the achievement of development and regulatory milestones, payable in cash and shares, with an aggregate total value of $50.9 million, as well as royalty payments based on a single digit percentage on net sales of products developed. Cancer Research UK could terminate the arrangement for safety reasons or if it was determined that the objectives of the clinical trial will not be met and either party could terminate the arrangement upon an insolvency event, material breach of the terms of the contract, or upon a change in control (and the new controlling entity develops, sells or manufactures tobacco products or generates the majority of its profits from tobacco products or
is an affiliate of such party). The Company was required to reimburse Cancer Research UK for certain costs upon specified termination events.
The Company concluded that the costs incurred by Cancer Research UK was a research and development funding liability in accordance with ASC 730,Research and Development, as certain payments were not based solely on the results of the research and development having future economic benefit.
On December 4, 2024, the Company, CRTL and Cancer Research UK entered into an Expiry and Revenue Sharing Agreement (the “BT1718 Expiration Agreement”) pursuant to which (i) the Company did not exercise its option to obtain a license to the results of the clinical trial, (ii) CRTL did not elect to receive an assignment and exclusive license to develop and commercialize the product, (iii) the BT1718 Cancer Research UK Agreement will expire on December 4, 2024, and (iv) all rights and obligations (other than certain surviving provisions as outlined in the agreement) under the BT1718 Cancer Research UK Agreement expired and terminated as of December 4, 2024. Under the terms of the BT1718 Expiration Agreement, the Company agreed to pay to CRTL an upfront payment of £50,000. The Company will also pay to CRTL specified royalty and other payments at percentages in the very low to low single digits related to specified products targeting the MT1 target antigen.
The Company accounted for the BT1718 Expiration Agreement by applying the concepts of ASC 470,Debt. As all rights and obligations, including the Company’s payment obligations, under the BT1718 Cancer Research UK Agreement expired and terminated, the Company concluded that the liability recorded under the BT1718 Cancer Research UK Agreement is extinguished as the Company has been legally released from being the primary obligor under the BT1718 Cancer Research UK Agreement. As such, the Company recognized a gain on extinguishment of the research and development funding liability of $4.5 million during the year ended December 31, 2024, which is recorded within other income, net, in the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss. As of December 31, 2024 and 2023, the Company recorded a research and development funding liability of zero and $4.3 million, respectively, related to the BT1718 Cancer Research UK Agreement, which is recorded in other long-term liabilities in the consolidated balance sheets.
- Income taxes
The components of net loss before income tax provision are as follows (in thousands):
| · · · · · · · · · | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| · · Year Ended | ||||||
| · · December 31, | ||||||
| · 2024 · 2023 · 2022 | ||||||
| United Kingdom | | $(179,610) | | $(182,980) | | $(116,275) |
| United States | | 5,814 | | 3,773 | | 2,034 |
| Total | | $(173,796) | | $(179,207) | | $(114,241) |
The components of the (benefit from) provision for income taxes are as follows (in thousands):
| · · · · · · · · · · | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| · · · Year Ended | |||||||
| · · · December 31, | |||||||
| · · 2024 · 2023 · 2022 | |||||||
| Current income tax provision (benefit) · · · · | |||||||
| Federal | | | $283 | | $(1,180) | | $2,048 |
| State | | | 178 | | (669) | | 1,404 |
| Total current income tax provision (benefit) | | | 461 | | (1,849) | | 3,452 |
| Deferred income tax (benefit) provision | | | | | |||
| Federal | | | (3,772) | | 2,513 | | (4,111) |
| State | | | (1,454) | | 793 | | (865) |
| Total deferred income tax (benefit) provision | | | (5,226) | | 3,306 | | (4,976) |
| Total (benefit from) provision for income taxes | | | $(4,765) | | $1,457 | | $(1,524) |
A reconciliation of the (benefit from) provision for income taxes computed at the statutory income tax rate to the (benefit from) provision for income taxes as reflected in the financial statement is as follows:
| | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| · · Year Ended · | |||||||
| · · December 31, · | |||||||
| · 2024 · 2023 · 2022 · | |||||||
| (Benefit from) provision for income taxes at statutory rate | 25.0% | 23.5% | 19.0% | ||||
| Increases (decreases) resulting from: | | | | | | | |
| Tax credits | 3.7% | 0.6% | 0.4% | ||||
| Change in valuation allowance | (11.2)% | (14.8)% | (16.8)% | ||||
| Net losses surrendered for research credit | (14.2)% | (11.1)% | (6.5)% | ||||
| Impact of statutory rate change | | —% | 2.7% | 11.3% | |||
| Impact of foreign exchange rates | | (1.0)% | (0.1)% | (9.9)% | |||
| Other | 0.4% | (1.6)% | 3.8% | ||||
| Effective income tax rate | 2.7% | (0.8)% | 1.3% | ||||
Significant components of the Company’s deferred tax assets are as follows (in thousands):
| | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| · · | ||||||
| · · December 31, | ||||||
| | 2024 | 2023 | ||||
| Deferred tax assets: | | | | | | |
| Operating loss carryforwards | | $81,492 | | $66,555 | ||
| Research credit carryforwards | | 3,362 | | — | ||
| Operating lease liability | | | 2,641 | | | 3,680 |
| Share-based compensation | | | 21,035 | | | 15,577 |
| Depreciation & amortization | | | 1,508 | | | — |
| Accrued expenses and other | | 1,952 | | 2,742 | ||
| Total deferred tax assets | | 111,990 | | 88,554 | ||
| Deferred tax liabilities: | | | | | | |
| Operating lease right-of-use asset | | | (2,201) | | | (3,389) |
| Total deferred tax liabilities | | (2,201) | | (3,389) | ||
| Valuation allowance | | (99,672) | | (80,274) | ||
| Net deferred tax assets | | $10,117 | | $4,891 | ||
During the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022, the Company recorded an income tax benefit of $4.8 million, an income tax provision of $1.5 million and an income tax benefit of $1.5 million, respectively. The Company is subject to U.K. corporate taxation. Due to the nature of its business, the Company has generated losses since inception and therefore not paid U.K. corporation tax. The (benefit from) provision for income taxes included in the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss represents the tax impact from operating activities in the United States, which has generated taxable income based on intercompany service arrangements. Deferred tax assets benefitted in the United States do not have a valuation allowance against them because of profits that will be generated by an intercompany service agreement.
The Company’s income tax benefit recognized during the year ended December 31, 2024 is mainly the result of deferred tax assets in the United States that do not have a valuation allowance against them because of profits that will be generated by an intercompany service agreement, including incremental income tax benefits of approximately $3.5 million recognized during the year ended December 31, 2024 related to the completion of a U.S. research and development tax credit study. The Company’s income tax provision recognized during the year ended December 31, 2023 is primarily related to the completion of an assessment, inclusive of an external tax analysis, during the year ended December 31, 2023, whereby the Company concluded that it is not required to capitalize certain research and development expenses incurred by its U.S. subsidiary associated with contractual research services performed on behalf of its U.K. subsidiary pursuant to an intercompany service arrangement because its U.S. subsidiary does not retain any ownership or rights in the underlying intellectual property resulting from the research services. The change in estimate
upon the completion of this analysis resulted in the recognition of an income tax provision of $2.4 million during the year ended December 31, 2023. The Company's income tax benefit recognized during the years ended December 31, 2022 is mainly the result of deferred tax assets benefitted in the U.S. that do not have a valuation allowance against them because of profits that will be generated by an intercompany service agreement.
The Company regularly assesses its ability to realize its deferred tax assets. Assessing the realization of deferred tax assets requires significant judgment. In determining whether its deferred tax assets are more likely than not realizable, the Company evaluated all available positive and negative evidence, and weighed the evidence based on its objectivity. After consideration of the evidence, including the Company's history of cumulative net losses in the U.K., the Company has concluded that it is more likely than not that the Company will not realize the benefits of its U.K. deferred tax assets and accordingly the Company has provided a valuation allowance for the full amount of the net deferred tax assets in the U.K. The Company has considered its history of cumulative net profits in the United States and estimated future taxable income and has concluded that it is more likely than not that the Company will realize the benefits of its United States deferred tax assets and has not provided a valuation allowance against the net deferred tax assets in the United States. The valuation allowance increased in the year ended December 31, 2024 by $19.4 million due to the corresponding increase in U.K. deferred tax assets, primarily due to operating loss carryforwards generated during the year that were not surrendered for research credit utilization. The Company recorded a valuation allowance against all of its U.K. deferred tax assets as of December 31, 2024 and 2023.
The Company intends to continue to maintain a full valuation allowance on its U.K. deferred tax assets until there is sufficient evidence to support the reversal of all or some portion of these allowances. The release of the valuation allowance would result in the recognition of certain deferred tax assets and an increase to the benefit for income taxes for the period the release is recorded. However, the exact timing and amount of the valuation allowance release are subject to change on the basis of the level of profitability that the Company is able to actually achieve.
The (benefit from) provision for income taxes shown on the consolidated statements of operations differs from amounts that would result from applying the statutory tax rates to income before taxes primarily because of certain permanent expenses that were not deductible and U.K., U.S. federal and state research and development credits, as well as the application of valuation allowances against the U.K. deferred tax assets.
As of December 31, 2024, the Company had $326.0 million of U.K. operating loss carryforwards that have an indefinite life.
The Company recognizes, in its consolidated financial statements, the effect of a tax position when it is more likely than not, based on the technical merits, that the position will be sustained upon examination. The Company hadno uncertain tax positions during the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023. There areno amounts of interest or penalties recognized in the consolidated statement of operations or accrued on the consolidated balance sheet for any period presented. The Company does not expect any material changes in these uncertain tax benefits within the next 12 months.
The Company files income tax returns in the United Kingdom, and in the United States for federal income taxes and in 11 jurisdictions for state income taxes. In the normal course of business, the Company is subject to examination by tax authorities in these jurisdictions. The 2023 and 2022 tax years remain open to examination by the HM Revenue & Customs. The statute of limitations for assessment with the Internal Revenue Service is generally three years from filing the tax return. As such, all years since 2021 in the U.S. remain open to examination. The Company is currently not under examination by jurisdictions for any tax years.
- Commitments and contingencies
Operating Leases
In January 2023, the Company entered into a lease agreement for office and laboratory space in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The lease has a contractual period of approximately three years, which, subject to certain conditions, may be extended for an additionaltwo years at the Company’s option. The Company concluded that the lease term isthree
years, representing the non-cancelable lease period, as it is not reasonably certain that the lease will be extended. The annual rent is approximately $2.1 million in the first year of the lease and increases annually with the last year of the lease having annual rent of approximately $2.3 million. The annual rent is payable monthly in advance following atwo-month rent-free period. In connection with the lease agreement, the Company has delivered to the landlord a security deposit in the form of a letter of credit of approximately $0.5 million. The Company recorded a right of use asset and lease liability of approximately $5.8 million, respectively, at the lease commencement date, based on the present value of future lease payments, discounted at 9.0%, the Company’s estimated incremental borrowing rate at the commencement of the lease, over the lease term.
On December 6, 2021 the Company entered into a lease of new office and laboratory space, in Cambridge, United Kingdom. The lease has a contractual period of 10 years, but may be cancelled by the Company on the fifth anniversary of the lease commencement date. The lease term isfive years, representing the non-cancelable lease period, as it is not reasonably certain that the lease will not be cancelled. The Company has a contractual right to renew the lease for a furtherten-year period, which also may be cancelled after five years. The annual rent is approximately $3.0 million, payable quarterly in advance beginning in June 2022, following asix-month rent-free period. There wasno deposit paid in conjunction with the lease. The Company recorded a ROU asset of approximately $11.6 million and a lease liability of approximately $11.1 million at the lease commencement date, based on the present value of future lease payments, discounted at 6.9%, the Company’s estimated incremental borrowing rate at the commencement of the lease, over the lease term.
In October 2017, the Company entered into a lease agreement for office and laboratory space in Building 900, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, U.K., which was renewed in December 2021 forfive years through December 2026. The annual rent for the lease was approximately $0.6 million. Service charges were also payable based on floor area and are estimated to be approximately $0.2 million per year. In April 2023, the Company entered into a deed of surrender related to the lease, pursuant to which the lease was terminated effective immediately. As a result of the deed, the Company derecognized the lease liability and right of use asset associated with the lease. The Company also paid termination-related fees of $0.3 million in connection with the deed, which were recorded as a loss on lease termination and are included in operating expenses in the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss for the year ended December 31, 2023.
In September 2017, Bicycle Therapeutics Inc. entered into a lease agreement for office and laboratory space in Lexington, Massachusetts, which commenced on January 1, 2018. In conjunction with the lease agreement, Bicycle Therapeutics Inc. paid a security deposit of $0.2 million. The deposit is recorded in other assets in the consolidated balance sheets. In March 2022, Bicycle Therapeutics Inc. notified the landlord of its intent to exercise its option to extend the lease, originally set to expire on December 31, 2022, for a successive period through December 31, 2027, which successive period was not included in the original lease term. The Company accounted for the change in lease term as a modification of the existing lease and remeasured the ROU asset and lease liability by calculating the present value of lease payments, discounted at 7.0%, the Company’s incremental borrowing rate at the date of the modification of the lease, over the remaining lease term. In May 2022, the lease was extended. The payments for the extended lease are approximately $0.2 million for the remainder of 2022, $0.7 million in 2023, and increases annually pursuant to an escalation clause with the last year of the lease term having a per annum fixed rent obligation of $0.8 million.
Finance Leases
From time to time, the Company may enter into finance lease agreements for property and equipment. As of December 31, 2024, the Company recorded finance lease right-of-use assets of $1.0 million, which are included inproperty and equipment, net, in the consolidated balance sheets. As of December 31, 2024, the Company recorded finance lease liabilities of $1.0 million, which are included inaccrued expenses and other current liabilities and other long-term liabilities, as applicable, in the consolidated balance sheets. No finance lease right-of-use assets orliabilities were recorded as of December 31, 2023.
The components of the Company’s lease expense are as follows (in thousands):
| | | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | Year Ended | |||||||
| | December 31, | |||||||
| · 2024 · 2023 · 2022 | ||||||||
| Operating lease cost | $5,299 | $5,408 | $3,790 | |||||
| Variable lease cost | 2,924 | | 2,777 | | 1,643 | |||
| Finance lease cost: | | | | | | | | |
| Amortization of finance lease right-of-use assets | | 53 | | | — | | | — |
| Interest on finance lease liabilities | | 23 | | | — | | | — |
| Total finance lease cost | $76 | | $— | | $— | |||
The weighted average remaining operating lease term was 2.0 years and 2.9 years as of December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively, and the weighted average operating lease discount rate was 7.8% and 7.9% as of December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively. The weighted average remaining finance lease term was 4.7 years as of December 31, 2024, and the weighted average finance lease discount rate was 9.5% as of December 31, 2024.
The following table summarizes the maturities of the Company’s lease liabilities as of December 31, 2024 (in thousands):
| | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year Ending December 31, · Operating Leases · Finance Leases | ||||||
| 2025 | $5,818 | $256 | ||||
| 2026 | | 3,325 | | 256 | ||
| 2027 | | | 821 | | | 256 |
| 2028 | | | — | | | 256 |
| 2029 | | | — | | | 192 |
| Present value adjustment | | (646) | | (224) | ||
| Total lease liabilities | | | 9,318 | | | 992 |
| Less: current lease liabilities | | (5,328) | | (175) | ||
| Long term lease liabilities | | $3,990 | | $817 | ||
The Company has entered into various agreements with contract research organizations to provide clinical trial services, contract manufacturing organizations to provide clinical trial materials and with vendors for preclinical research studies, synthetic chemistry and other services for operating purposes. These contracts are generally cancelable at any time upon less than 90 days’ prior written notice. The Company is not contractually able to terminate for convenience and avoid any and all future obligations to these vendors. In some cases, the Company is contractually obligated to make certain minimum payments to the vendors, based on the timing of the termination notification and the exact terms of the agreement.
The Company has also entered into separate agreements with third parties which provide for various future milestone payments upon the achievement of specified development, regulatory, commercial and sales-based milestones with an aggregate total value of$166.2 million, as well as potential future royalty and other payments at percentages ranging from very low to low single digits. These additional milestone payments are contingent upon future events that are not considered probable of achievement as of December 31, 2024. As of December 31, 2024, the Company was unable to estimate the timing or likelihood of achieving these milestones.
Legal proceedings
From time to time, the Company or its subsidiaries may become involved in various legal proceedings and claims, either asserted or unasserted, which arise in the ordinary course of business. The Company is not currently subject to any material legal proceedings. At each reporting date, the Company evaluates whether or not a potential loss amount or a potential range of loss is probable and reasonably estimable under the provisions of ASC 450,Contingencies.
Indemnification obligations
In the ordinary course of business, the Company may provide indemnification of varying scope and terms to vendors, lessors, business partners and other parties with respect to certain matters including, but not limited to, losses arising out of breach of such agreements or from intellectual property infringement claims made by third parties. In addition, the Company has indemnification obligations towards members of its board of directors and officers that will require the Company, among other things, to indemnify them against certain liabilities that may arise by reason of their status or service as directors or officers. In addition, the Company has agreed to indemnify certain investors in limited circumstances. The maximum potential amount of future payments the Company could be required to make under these indemnification arrangements is, in many cases, unlimited. To date, the Company has not incurred any material costs as a result of such indemnification obligations. The Company is not aware of any claims under indemnification arrangements, and therefore it has not accrued any liabilities related to such obligations in its consolidated financial statements as of December 31, 2024 and 2023.
- Net loss per share
Basic and diluted net loss per share was calculated as follows (in thousands, except share and per share amounts):
| · · · · · · · · · | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| · · Year Ended | ||||||
| · · December 31, | ||||||
| · 2024 · 2023 · 2022 | ||||||
| Numerator: · · · · · · · · · | ||||||
| Net loss | | $(169,031) | | $(180,664) | | $(112,717) |
| Denominator: | | | | |||
| Weighted average ordinary shares outstanding, basic and diluted | | 58,207,593 | | 35,592,362 | | 29,660,659 |
| Net loss per share, basic and diluted | | $(2.90) | | $(5.08) | | $(3.80) |
The Company’s potentially dilutive securities, which include options to purchase ordinary shares and restricted share units for ordinary shares, have been excluded from the computation of diluted net loss per share as the effect would be to reduce the net loss per share. Therefore, the weighted average number of ordinary shares outstanding, which includes both ordinary shares and non-voting ordinary shares, used to calculate both basic and diluted net loss per share is the same. The Company excluded the following potentially dilutive ordinary shares, presented based on amounts outstanding at each period end, from the computation of diluted net loss per share for the periods indicated because including them would have had an anti-dilutive effect:
| · · · · · · | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| · · December 31, | |||
| | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
| Restricted ordinary shares | 716,262 | 326,848 | 187,725 |
| Options to purchase ordinary shares | 8,748,726 | 7,469,527 | 5,898,888 |
| | 9,464,988 | 7,796,375 | 6,086,613 |
- Benefit plans
The Company established a defined-contribution savings plan under Section 401(k) of the Code (the “401(k) Plan”). The 401(k) Plan covers all U.S. employees and allows participants to defer a portion of their annual compensation on a pre-tax basis. Matching contributions to the 401(k) Plan may be made at the discretion of the Company’s board of directors. During the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022, the Company made contributions totaling $1.1 million, $0.8 million and $0.5 million, respectively, to the 401(k) Plan.
The Company provides a pension contribution plan for its employees in the United Kingdom, pursuant to which the Company may make contributions each year (“U.K Plan”). During the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022, the Company made contributions totaling $2.9 million, $2.2 million and $1.4 million, respectively, to the U.K. Plan.
- Related party transactions
Consulting Agreement with Stone Atlanta Estates LLC
The Chairman of the Company’s board of directors is associated with Stone Atlanta Estates LLC, the successor-in-interest to Stone Sunny Isles Inc., which provided consultancy services to the Company totaling $0.3 million, $0.2 million and $0.2 million during each of the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022, respectively.
Related Party Participation in Private Placement
The Investors in the Private Placement included certain entities affiliated with Baker Bros. Advisors LP (the “Baker Entities”), an entity which may be deemed a beneficial owner of greater than 10% of the Company’s voting securities. Felix J. Baker, one of the Company’s directors, is a managing member of Baker Bros. Advisors (GP) LLC, the sole general partner of Baker Bros. Advisors LP. In the Private Placement, the Baker Entities purchased an aggregate of 17,114,846 non-voting ordinary shares, nominal value £0.01 per share, for an aggregate purchase price of $366.6 million. The Private Placement was approved in accordance with the Company’s related person transaction policy by the Company’s Related Parties Committee. See Note 11. “Commitments and contingencies” for additional information on indemnities provided to certain investors.
- Segments and geographic information
The Company operates and manages its business as a single operating segment, which is developing a unique class of chemically synthesized medicines based on its proprietary platform. The Company’s chief operating decision maker (“CODM”) is the Company’s Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”). The CODM reviews consolidated operating results, manages the business on a consolidated basis and utilizes consolidated net loss from the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss as the primary measure of segment profit or loss in making decisions surrounding allocating resources and assessing performance of the Company. The CODM is regularly provided detailed expense information, including expenses by program and expense category, and the CODM makes decisions surrounding capital and personnel allocation using this information on a consolidated basis.
The following table presents information about the Company’s single operating segment, including significant segment expenses, for the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022 (in thousands):
| | | | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| · · Year Ended | |||||||||
| · · December 31, | |||||||||
| · · 2024 · 2023 · 2022 | |||||||||
| Collaboration revenue | | $35,275 | | $26,976 | | $14,463 | |||
| Significant segment expenses: | | | | | | | | | |
| Research and development: | | | | | | | | | |
| Zelenectide pevedotin (Nectin-4) | | | 82,705 | | | 44,135 | | | 11,054 |
| BT5528 (EphA2) | | | 9,119 | | | 9,195 | | | 10,702 |
| BT1718 (MT1) | | | 250 | | | 520 | | | 692 |
| Bicycle tumor-targeted immune cell agonists | | | 7,840 | | | 18,878 | | | 11,268 |
| Discovery, platform and other expense | | | 30,043 | | | 37,295 | | | 21,811 |
| Employee and contractor related expenses | | | 58,687 | | | 46,506 | | | 31,346 |
| Share-based compensation | | | 19,424 | | | 15,581 | | | 10,394 |
| Facility expenses | | | 8,105 | | | 8,845 | | | 5,155 |
| Research and development incentives and government grants | | | (43,207) | | | (24,459) | | | (20,813) |
| Total research and development | | | 172,966 | | | 156,496 | | | 81,609 |
| General and administrative: | | | | | | | | | |
| Personnel-related costs | | | 23,500 | | | 18,985 | | | 13,948 |
| Professional and consulting fees | | | 20,258 | | | 14,814 | | | 9,836 |
| Other general and administrative costs | | | 9,047 | | | 9,137 | | | 8,783 |
| Share-based compensation | | | 18,657 | | | 16,896 | | | 16,385 |
| Effect of foreign exchange rates | | | 719 | | | 594 | | | 555 |
| Total general and administrative | | | 72,181 | | | 60,426 | | | 49,507 |
| Total significant segment expenses | | | 245,147 | | | 216,922 | | | 131,116 |
| Other segment items(1) | | | 40,841 | | | 9,282 | | | 3,936 |
| Segment net loss | | $(169,031) | | $(180,664) | | $(112,717) | |||
| (1) | Other segment items include interest and other income, interest expense, loss on extinguishment of debt, gain on extinguishment of research and development funding liability and (benefit from) provision for income taxes. |
The Company does not regularly provide the CODM with detailed segment asset information other than what is included in the consolidated balance sheets. Please refer to the consolidated financial statements and the accompanying notes to the consolidated financial statements for segment asset information.
The Company operates intwo geographic regions: the United States and the United Kingdom. Information about the Company’s long-lived assets, including operating lease ROU assets, held in different geographic regions is presented in the table below (in thousands):
| · · · · · · | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| | December 31, | |||
| · 2024 · 2023 | ||||
| United States | | $3,037 | | $7,486 |
| United Kingdom | | 14,152 | | 20,198 |
| | | $17,189 | | $27,684 |
The Company’s collaboration revenue is attributed to the operations of the Company in the United Kingdom.
- Subsequent events
In January 2025, Genentech provided the Company with a notice of termination for Genentech Collaboration Program #4, effective in March 2025, and the Company expects to recognize revenue of approximately $7.4 million of deferred revenue allocated to the material right associated with the LSR Go Option for Collaboration Program #4 in the first quarter of 2025.
The text of this filing, as the company filed it with the SEC, without its images or exhibits. This is not investment advice.