Autolus Therapeutics plc

Current report

The current Trump U.S. presidential administration is pursuing policies to reduce regulations and expenditures across government including at HHS, the FDA, CMS and related agencies. These actions, presently directed by executive orders or memoranda from the Office of Management and Budget, may propose policy changes that create additional uncertainty for our business. These actions may include, for example, directives to reduce agency workforce, rescinding a Biden administration executive order tasking the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, or CMMI, to consider new payment and healthcare models to limit drug spending and eliminating the Biden administration’s executive order that directed HHS to establishing an AI task force and developing a strategic plan. On April 1, 2025, CMS published Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (“HCPCS”) application summaries and coding determinations, as well as the Outpatient Prospective Payment System (“OPPS”) Addendum B payment rates. AUCATZYL was included in these CMS publications, formalizing reimbursement for patients on government programs such as Medicare and Medicaid. The CMS policy splits the therapeutic dose of AUCATZYL into two administrations for coding and billing purposes. Because AUCATZYL is administered in two infusions approximately ten days apart, the CMS policy to bill each infusion separately may delay our and our treatment centers’ ability to recognize revenue from a particular treatment. We are working with our authorized treatment centers on implementing the allocation of costs and nonpayment risk in connection with the CMS policy and are assessing any potential impact on the timing of revenue recognition and the amount of rebates or chargebacks.

Current report

We operate in a global economy, and our business depends on a global supply chain for the development, manufacturing, and distribution of our pharmaceutical products, and for the advancement of our preclinical and clinical development programs. There is inherent risk, based on the complex relationships among the U.S. and the countries in which we conduct our business, that political, diplomatic, and national security factors can lead to global trade restrictions and changes in trade policies and export regulations that may adversely affect our business and operations. The current international trade and regulatory environment is subject to significant ongoing uncertainty. We source significant quantities of active pharmaceutical ingredients (“API”), precursor chemicals, and specialized equipment from international suppliers, with substantial reliance on foreign manufacturers. In addition, we manufacture all of our commercial supplies of AUCATZYL and clinical supplies of our other product candidates in the U.K. Tariff policies, particularly those affecting pharmaceutical products, could materially increase our costs and reduce our profitability, including as a result of our inability to adjust pricing in formulary-based markets. Recent and potential future changes in international trade policies, particularly regarding pharmaceutical-specific tariffs, present material risks to our operations and financial performance. Even if our own products are not directly subject to tariffs, the administration of a complex, rapidly changing tariff scheme by limited government personnel at the various U.S. ports of entry may prove challenging, and may create delays in our provision of commercial or clinical supply.

Current report

Recent policy discussions have included potential targeted tariffs or other trade measures specifically aimed at pharmaceutical products and ingredients as part of broader healthcare cost control or national security initiatives. Unlike consumer goods, pharmaceuticals face unique regulatory constraints that make rapid supply chain adjustments particularly difficult and costly. Should the current tariffs hold or additional tariffs be imposed specifically targeting pharmaceutical imports, our production costs could rise significantly, and it would be difficult and costly to qualify alternative sources within another country with a lower tariff rate or within the United States, as developing and qualifying alternative sources typically requires at least 18-24 months and substantial investment and regulatory approvals. Moreover, the dynamic and unpredictable tariff and trade landscape creates substantial uncertainty and significant planning challenges for our operations.

Current report

Changes in tariff classifications, country-of-origin requirements, or customs procedures can occur with limited notice. This uncertainty complicates our long-term investment decisions regarding manufacturing facilities, supply chain optimization, and research and development locations.

Current report

Unlike many industries, our ability to pass increased costs to customers is limited by the structure of pharmaceutical pricing and reimbursement systems. Many of our products are included in formularies with pricing established through annual or multi-year contracts with commercial, third-party payors and pharmacy benefit managers, and reimbursement methodologies established by government programs, such as Medicare. These arrangements typically include fixed pricing terms that were negotiated prior to the implementation of the recently announced tariffs. As a result, and depending on the timing and scope of the implementation of these tariffs, cost increases due to tariffs may be difficult or impossible to pass through to customers until the next negotiation cycle, which could be up to 36 months away.

Current report

Current or future tariffs will also result in increased research and development expenses, including with respect to increased costs associated with APIs, raw materials, laboratory equipment and research materials and components. Trade restrictions could result in delays to our development timelines, either by directly affecting the import of materials necessary for our clinical trials and commercialization efforts, or by creating bottlenecks at United States ports of entry. Increased development costs and extended development timelines could place us at a competitive disadvantage compared to companies operating in regions with more favorable trade relationships and could reduce investor confidence and negatively impact our business, results of operations, financial condition and growth prospects.

Current report

The complexity of announced or future tariffs may also increase the risk that we or our customers or suppliers may be subject to civil or criminal enforcement actions in the United States or foreign jurisdictions related to compliance with trade regulations. Foreign governments may also adopt non-tariff measures, such as procurement preferences or informal disincentives to engage with, purchase from or invest in United States entities, which may limit our ability to compete internationally and attract non-U.S. investment, employees, customers and suppliers. Foreign governments may also take other retaliatory actions against United States entities, such as decreased intellectual property protection, increased enforcement actions, or delays in regulatory approvals, which may result in heightened international legal and operational risks. In addition, the United States and other governments have imposed and may continue to impose additional sanctions, such as trade restrictions or trade barriers, which could restrict us from doing business directly or indirectly in or with certain countries or parties and may impose additional costs and complexity to our business.

Current report

Trade disputes, tariffs, restrictions and other political tensions between the United States and other countries may also exacerbate unfavorable macroeconomic conditions including inflationary pressures, foreign exchange volatility, financial market instability, and economic recessions or downturns. The ultimate impact of current or future tariffs and trade restrictions remains uncertain and could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, and prospects. While we actively monitor these risks, any prolonged economic downturn or escalation in trade tensions could materially and adversely affect our business, ability to access the capital markets or other financing sources, results of operations, financial condition and prospects. In addition, tariffs and other trade developments have and may continue to heighten the risks related to the other risk factors described in our Annual Report for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024.

Previous report

We are an early commercial stage biopharmaceutical company and have incurred significant losses since our inception. We expect to continue to incur losses for the foreseeable future.

Previous report

We are an early commercial stage biopharmaceutical company with a limited operating history, and we have incurred significant net losses since our inception in 2014. We have incurred losses of $208.4 million,$148.8 million and $142.1 million for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively. As of December 31, 2023, we had an accumulated deficit of$878.6 million. We have funded our operations to date primarily with proceeds from the sale of our equity securities, including ADSs, licensing and collaboration arrangements and strategic financing.

Previous report

We currently have one product, AUCATZYL (obe-cel), approved for commercial sale, and while we have generated revenue from licensing, we are devoting substantially all of our financial resources and efforts to manufacturing and commercializing AUCATZYL and for the research and development of our other programmed T cell product candidates and T cell programming technologies. Investment in biopharmaceutical product development is highly speculative because it entails substantial upfront operating and capital expenditures and significant risk that any potential product candidate will fail to demonstrate adequate effect or an acceptable safety profile, gain regulatory approval and become commercially viable.

Previous report

Should we be unsuccessful in our commercialization efforts for AUCATZYL or if the rates of market acceptance do not meet our expectations, we may not generate sufficient revenue. We expect that it could take several years until any of our other product candidates receive marketing approval and are commercialized, and we may never be successful in obtaining marketing approval and commercializing any of our other product candidates, including obe-cel in additional indications. We expect to continue to incur significant expenses and increasing operating losses for the foreseeable future. These net losses will adversely impact our shareholders’ equity and net assets and may fluctuate significantly from quarter to quarter and year to year. We anticipate that our expenses will increase substantially as we:

Previous report

•expand our sales, marketing and distribution infrastructure to commercialize AUCATZYL/obe-cel and any other product candidate for which we may obtain regulatory approval;

Previous report

•make required milestone, royalty and revenue sharing payments to third parties under license and collaboration agreements;

Previous report

•continue to scale up internal and external manufacturing capacity with the aim of securing sufficient quantities to meet our capacity requirements for commercialization of AUCATZYL and clinical trials of our other product candidates;

Previous report

•continue our ongoing and planned research and development of our current programmed T cell product candidates for the treatment of hematological cancers, solid tumors and autoimmune diseases;

Previous report

•seek to discover and develop additional product candidates and further expand our clinical product pipeline;

Previous report

•initiate preclinical studies and clinical trials for any additional product candidates that we may pursue in the future, including our planned development of additional T cell therapies for the treatment of hematological cancers, solid tumors and autoimmune diseases;

Previous report

•develop, maintain, expand and protect our intellectual property portfolio;

Previous report

•hire additional clinical, quality control and manufacturing personnel;

Previous report

•add clinical, operational, financial and management information systems and personnel, including personnel to support the commercial development of AUCATZYL, as well as our other product development and future commercialization efforts;

Previous report

•expand our operations in the United States, Europe and other geographies; and

Previous report

To become and remain profitable, we must succeed in commercializing AUCATZYL and developing and eventually commercializing other products that generate significant revenue. This will require us to be successful in a range of challenging activities, including marketing and selling AUCATZYL and any future products for which we may obtain regulatory approval, completing preclinical studies and clinical trials of our product candidates, preparing a satisfactory filing package for regulatory authorities, obtaining regulatory approval, manufacturing, marketing and selling any products for which we may obtain regulatory approval, as well as discovering and developing additional product candidates. We may never succeed in these activities and, even if we do, may never generate revenues that are significant enough to achieve profitability.

Previous report

Because of the numerous risks and uncertainties associated with the development, manufacturing, delivery and commercialization of complex autologous cell therapies, we are unable to accurately predict the timing or amount of expenses or when, or if, we will be able to achieve profitability. If we are required by regulatory authorities to perform studies in addition to those currently expected, or if there are any delays in the initiation and completion of our clinical trials or the development of any of our product candidates, our expenses could increase and profitability could be further delayed.

Previous report

Even if we achieve profitability, we may not be able to sustain or increase profitability on a quarterly or annual basis. Our failure to become and remain profitable would depress the value of our ADSs and could impair our ability to raise capital, expand our business, maintain our research and development efforts or continue our operations. A decline in the value of our ADSs could also cause you to lose all or part of your investment.

Previous report

We will need additional funding to successfully commercialize AUCATZYL and to complete the development of and commercialize our other product candidates, which may not be available on acceptable terms, if at all.

Previous report

Unless and until we are able to successfully commercialize AUCATZYL and achieve significant revenue from sales, we will require substantial additional funding to meet our financial needs and to pursue our business objectives. If we are unable to raise capital when needed, we could be forced to delay, reduce or altogether cease our product development programs or commercialization efforts.

Previous report

Since our inception, we have devoted substantially all of our resources to fund the operating expenses and capital expenditure requirements associated with the research and development of AUCATZYL and our other product candidates. Even once we begin to generate revenue from sales of AUCATZYL, we will need to raise additional capital to reach profitability as well as to complete the development and commercialization of our other programmed T cell product candidates, and in connection with our continuing operations, strategy and other planned activities. Our future capital requirements will depend on many factors, including:

Previous report

•our ability to execute our commercialization strategies for and generate revenue from sales of AUCATZYL and, if approved, our other product candidates;

Previous report

•the progress, results and costs of laboratory testing, manufacturing, and preclinical and clinical development of our current and future product candidates;

Previous report

•the timing and amounts of any milestone, royalty payments or revenue sharing payments we may be required to make under current or future license or collaboration agreements;

Previous report

•the costs of leasing, building out, equipping, and operating the facilities necessary to research, develop, manufacture and commercialize our product candidates, as well as to support our continuing operations;

Previous report

•the costs of hiring additional clinical, quality control and manufacturing personnel;

Previous report

•the costs and timing of commercialization activities, including product manufacturing, marketing, sales and distribution, for any future product candidates for which we receive marketing approval;

Previous report

Identifying potential product candidates and conducting preclinical testing and clinical trials is a time-consuming, expensive and uncertain process that takes years to complete, and we may never generate the necessary data or results required to obtain regulatory approval and achieve product sales. In addition, AUCATZYL, or our other product candidates, if approved, may not achieve commercial success. Our product revenues in the near term will be derived primarily from sales of AUCATZYL in the US, as we that we do not expect to generate material revenues from obe-cel in other jurisdictions or from other pipeline programs, for up to several years, if at all. Accordingly, we will need to continue to rely on additional financing to achieve our business objectives. Adequate additional financing may not be available to us on acceptable terms, or at all. In addition, we may seek additional capital due to favorable market conditions or strategic considerations even if we believe we have sufficient funds for our current or future operating plans.

Previous report

To the extent that we raise additional capital through the sale of equity or convertible debt securities, our shareholders may experience substantial dilution. We may sell ordinary shares or ADSs, convertible securities or other equity securities in one or more transactions at prices and in a manner we determine from time to time. If we sell ordinary shares or ADSs, convertible securities or other equity securities in more than one transaction, investors may be materially diluted by subsequent sales. These sales may also result in material dilution to our existing shareholders, and new investors could gain rights superior to our existing shareholders. In February 2024, we issued an aggregate of approximately 91.7 million ADSs in an underwritten offering and a private placement, resulting in substantial dilution for existing shareholders. Debt financing and preferred equity financing, if available, could result in fixed payment obligations, and we may be required to accept terms that restrict our ability to incur additional indebtedness, force us to maintain specified liquidity or other ratios or restrict our ability to pay dividends or make acquisitions.

Previous report

If we raise additional funds through collaborations, strategic alliances or marketing, distribution or licensing arrangements with third parties, we may be required to relinquish valuable rights to our technologies, future revenue streams, research programs or product candidates or to grant licenses on terms that may not be favorable to us. In addition, we could also be required to seek funds through arrangements with collaborators or others at an earlier stage than otherwise would be desirable. If we raise funds through research grants, we may be subject to certain requirements, which may limit our ability to use the funds or require us to share information from our research and development. If we are unable to raise additional funds through equity or debt financings when needed, we may be required to delay, limit, reduce or terminate our product development or future commercialization efforts or grant rights to a third party to develop and market product candidates that we would otherwise prefer to develop and market ourselves. Raising additional capital through any of these or other means could adversely affect our business and the holdings or rights of our shareholders and may cause the market price of our ADSs to decline.

Previous report

We have incurred substantial obligations under license and collaboration agreements, which could impair our flexibility and access to other capital and adversely affect our financial position, and our business would be adversely affected if we were unable to meet our obligations under these and similar future agreements.

Previous report

In November 2021, we entered into a collaboration agreement with Blackstone (the “Blackstone Collaboration Agreement”) pursuant to which Blackstone agreed to pay us up to $150 million to support the continued development and commercialization of AUCATZYL/obe-cel and next-generation product candidates (collectively, the “Collaboration Products”) in exchange for our agreement to make substantial payments to Blackstone following approval of such Collaboration Products. These payments include a single-digit percentage payment on worldwide net sales of (i) the Collaboration Products in any indication and (ii) AUTO3 for the treatment of B-cell leukemias and lymphomas, by us and any of our licensees, as well as sales milestone payments relating to such net sales. Such payments to Blackstone could increase our cash requirements and could impair our liquidity. Through December 31, 2023, Blackstone paid $120 million to us under the terms of the Blackstone Collaboration Agreement. Following the approval of AUCATZYL, we expect to receive the remaining $30 million in the fourth quarter of 2024.

Previous report

In connection with the Collaboration Agreement, Blackstone was granted a security interest in substantially all of our assets. The Collaboration Agreement also contains negative covenants that restrict us from (a) granting liens on certain of our assets, including liens on the intellectual property relating to the Collaboration Products, except for certain permitted liens, (b) making distributions or dividends, except for certain permitted distributions, (c) entering into development or commercialization license transactions with respect to the Collaboration Products, except that we are permitted to enter into any such development or commercialization license transactions with certain pharmaceutical companies, including those companies that have annual sales in excess of an agreed threshold, (d) consummating certain change in control transactions, (e) selling royalties or entering into similar financials transactions involving the sale of revenues or royalties, or (f) acquiring subsidiaries without joining such subsidiary as a party to the Blackstone Collaboration Agreement. These restrictions could inhibit our ability to pursue our business strategies and may limit our ability to, among other things, incur secured indebtedness, encumber assets, pay dividends or make other distributions to holders of our capital stock, license-out the Collaboration Products, complete mergers or acquisitions, or sell royalties. However, the security interest and negative covenants will expire upon the first commercial sale of AUCATZYL.

Previous report

If we default under our obligations under the Blackstone Collaboration Agreement, we will be obligated to pay Blackstone liquidated damage payments in excess of the development payment paid by Blackstone. If we fail to make such payments, Blackstone could elect to exercise its remedies in respect of the security interest, which would seriously harm our business and ability to continue as a going concern.

Previous report

Under the BioNTech License Agreement with BioNTech entered into in February 2024, we also agreed to pay BioNTech a low single-digit percentage of annual net revenue of AUCATZYL/obe-cel, which may be increased up to a mid-single digit percentage, in exchange for milestone payments of up to $100 million in the aggregate on achievement of certain regulatory events for specific new indications upon BioNTech's election. Such payments to BioNTech could increase our cash requirements and could impair our liquidity.

Previous report

Risks Related to the Commercialization of AUCATZYL and Our Other Product Candidates

Previous report

AUCATZYL and any other product candidates, if approved, may fail to achieve the degree of market acceptance by physicians, patients, third-party payors and others in the medical community necessary for commercial success, thereby limiting our potential to generate revenue.

Previous report

AUCATZYL and any other product candidates, if approved, may not achieve market acceptance among physicians, patients, hospitals, including pharmacy directors, and third-party payors and, ultimately, may not be commercially successful. If these products do not achieve an adequate level of acceptance, we may not generate significant product revenue and may not become profitable. FDA’s investigation into secondary malignancies associated with CAR T cell therapies and other similar actions could result in increased government regulation, unfavorable public perception and publicity, stricter labeling requirements for AUCATZYL and those product candidates that are approved, and a decrease in demand for AUCATZYL or any such product candidates. The degree of market acceptance of AUCATZYL, and any other product candidates, if approved for commercial sale, will depend on a number of factors, including:

Previous report

•the timing of market introduction of those products compared to competitive products;

Previous report

•the continued safety and efficacy of those products;

Previous report

•physicians, hospitals, cancer treatment centers, and patients considering our product and product candidates as a safe and effective treatment;