Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.
The following management’s discussion and analysis of our consolidated financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with, and is qualified in its entirety by reference to, our consolidated financial statements and the related notes and other information included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. This discussion and analysis contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties which could cause our actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, risks and uncertainties discussed under “Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements,” “Risk Factors” and in Part I and elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Unless we state otherwise or the context otherwise requires, the terms “we,” “us,” “our,” and “Rani” and similar references refer to Rani Therapeutics Holdings, Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries.
Overview
We are a clinical stage biotherapeutics company focusing on advancing technologies to enable the administration of biologics and drugs orally, to provide patients, physicians, and healthcare systems with a convenient alternative to painful injections. We are advancing a portfolio of oral therapeutics using our proprietary delivery technology and we are actively pursuing partnering the technology with third party biopharmaceutical companies for the oral delivery of their biologics and drugs.
Our technology comprises a drug-agnostic oral delivery platform, the RaniPill capsule, which is designed to deliver a wide variety of drug substances, including antibodies, proteins, peptides, and oligonucleotides. We are currently developing two configurations of the platform – the RaniPill GO and the RaniPill HC. The RaniPill GO is designed to deliver up to a 3 mg dose of drug in microtablet form with high bioavailability. We have completed three Phase 1 clinical trials using the RaniPill GO. We are also developing a high-capacity version of the RaniPill capsule known as the RaniPill HC, which is intended to enable delivery of drug payloads up to 200μL in liquid form with high bioavailability. We have tested preclinically the RaniPill HC with multiple therapeutics, including antibodies and a peptide. We intend to initiate clinical testing of the RaniPill HC in 2024.
We believe that, together, the RaniPill GO and RaniPill HC could enable us to deliver most biologics currently on the market with convenient, oral dosing.
As of December 31, 2023, our cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities totaled $48.5 million. Based on our available cash resources and current operating plan, there is substantial doubt regarding our ability to continue as a going concern for a period of one year after the date that our financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2023 are issued. Our existing capital resources, including the net proceeds from our initial public offering in 2021 (“IPO”) and term loans we received under a loan and security agreement and related supplement (the “Loan Agreement”) with Avenue Venture Opportunities Fund, L.P (the “Lender”), will not be sufficient to enable us to initiate any pivotal clinical trials. We will need to raise substantial additional funds in the future in order to complete the development of the RaniPill platform, to complete the clinical development of our product candidates and seek regulatory approval thereof, to expand our manufacturing capabilities, to further develop the RaniPill HC device and to commercialize any of our product candidates.
If we are unable to continue as a going concern, we may have to cease operations and liquidate our assets. We may receive less than the value at which those assets are carried on our audited financial statements, and investors may lose all or a part of their investment.
In November 2023, we underwent a reduction in our workforce and paused or discontinued certain programs to reduce our expenses and focus our financial resources on key priorities. If we are unable to obtain funding on a timely basis, or to generate sufficient revenues, if at all, from collaboration arrangements or product sales, we may be required to significantly curtail, delay or discontinue one or more of our research or development programs, the development of our oral delivery technology, including the RaniPill HC, the commercialization of any product candidates or cease operations altogether, seek collaborators for one or more of our product candidates at an earlier stage than otherwise would be desirable or on terms that are less favorable than might otherwise be available; relinquish or license on unfavorable terms our rights to technologies or product candidates that we otherwise would seek to develop or commercialize ourselves; or forego expansion of our operations or refrain from pursuing business opportunities; any of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
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We do not have any products approved for sale, and we have not yet generated any revenue from sales of a commercial product. Our ability to generate product revenue sufficient to achieve profitability, if ever, will depend on the successful development of the RaniPill capsule, which we expect will take a number of years. Given our stage of development, we have not yet established a commercial organization or distribution capabilities, and we have no experience as a company in marketing drugs or a drug-delivery platform. When, and if, any of our product candidates are approved for commercialization, we plan to develop a commercialization infrastructure or engage commercial sales organizations or distributors for those products in the United States, Europe, Asia, and potentially in certain other key markets. We may also rely on partnerships to provide commercialization infrastructure, including sales, marketing, and commercial distribution.
As is common with biotechnology companies, we rely on third-party suppliers for the supply of raw materials and active pharmaceutical ingredients ("APIs") and drug substances required for the production of our product candidates. In addition, we work with third parties to manufacture and develop biologics and drugs for inclusion in the current RaniPill capsule and RaniPill HC. Design work, prototyping and pilot manufacturing are performed in house, and we have utilized third-party engineering firms to assist with the design of manufacturing lines that support our supply of the current RaniPill capsule and RaniPill HC. Certain of our suppliers of components and materials are single source suppliers. We believe our vertically integrated manufacturing strategy will offer significant advantages, including rapid product iteration, control over our product quality and the ability to rapidly scale our manufacturing capacity. This capability also allows us to develop future generations of products while maintaining the confidentiality of our intellectual property. Our vertically integrated manufacturing strategy will result in material future capital outlays and fixed costs related to constructing and operating a manufacturing facility. We have invested and plan to continue to invest in automated manufacturing production lines for the current RaniPill capsule and RaniPill HC. Those assets deemed to have an alternative future use have been capitalized as property and equipment while those projects related to our assets determined to not have an alternative future use have been expensed as research and development costs.
Clinical Update
Business Update
In November 2023, we announced a strategic program prioritization, expansion of manufacturing and plans to streamline business operations to support near-term value drivers and long-term growth of the RaniPill technology platform. The plans include strategic prioritization of its key development programs, RT-102, RT-111 and the RaniPill HC and expansion of its manufacturing footprint to support increased scale and partnerships, and cost reduction initiatives that align with our near-term goals, including a reduction in our workforce by approximately 25%. As part of the strategic focusing of the business, we have paused work on our RT-105 and RT-110 programs and we terminated our RT-101 program, which was the RaniPill capsule containing octreotide. Cost savings are expected to support our operating plans into 2025.
Program Updates
RT-111
In February 2024, we announced positive topline results from a Phase 1 study of RT-111, which is being developed for the potential treatment of inflammatory conditions. The study met all of its endpoints and RT-111 was generally well tolerated with no serious adverse events noted. In the study, RT-111 orally delivered 0.5 mg and 0.75 mg of our proprietary formulation of ustekinumab biosimilar with high bioavailability. There was no meaningful difference in incidence of anti-drug antibodies in the groups receiving RT-111 compared to the group that received STELARA® (ustekinumab) via subcutaneous injection.
In January 2023, we announced entering into a License and Supply Agreement with Celltrion under which we receive a license and supply of Celltrion’s ustekinumab biosimilar for development and commercialization of RT-111 worldwide, subject to a right of first negotiation for Celltrion following completion of a Phase 1 clinical trial that meets its primary endpoint(s). We believe the Phase 1 clinical trial that we completed with RT-111, the topline data of which we announced in February 2024, satisfies the requirements for triggering Celltrion’s right of first negotiation.
RaniPill HC
We continue to develop the RaniPill HC, a high-capacity RaniPill capsule designed to deliver drug payloads up to 200μL, 500%-plus higher than the payload capacity of the RaniPill GO. In September 2023, we announced three positive preclinical studies which support the development of the RaniPill HC device.
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In October and November 2023, we announced the completion of two preclinical studies of the RaniPill HC with antibodies, adalimumab and an undisclosed anti-interleukin antibody (“Undisclosed MAB”). In the two studies, the RaniPill HC achieved an oral delivery success rate of 100% (10/10). In one study, we tracked the serum concentrations of adalimumab, following the oral administration of the enteric-coated RaniPill HC capsule containing 11mg of Humira (adalimumab) to four canine models. In the second study, we tracked the serum concentrations of the Undisclosed MAB, following the oral administration of the enteric-coated RaniPill HC capsule containing 16.5mg of Undisclosed MAB to six canine models. In both studies, the RaniPill HC was well tolerated, all animals remained healthy throughout the study period with no clinical findings or adverse events, and all device remnants were excreted normally without sequelae.
Preliminary preclinical testing supports the potential for RaniPill HC to have high reliability, and initial analysis of drug delivery via the RaniPill HC shows a potential for mimicking parenteral (subcutaneous) administration. We intend for the RaniPill HC to be ready for potential Phase 1 clinical trials in the second half of 2024.
RT-102
In January 2023, we announced that we completed a pre-IND meeting with the FDA with respect to RT-102. Following feedback from the meeting, we believe that a 505(b)(2) pathway is suitable for the development of RT-102 in the U.S. In addition, we obtained guidance from the FDA on its preclinical and clinical development plans for RT-102. We intend to initiate a Phase 2 clinical trial of RT-102 in 2024.
RT-105
In June 2023, we entered into a License and Supply Agreement with Celltrion under which we receive an exclusive license and supply of Celltrion’s adalimumab biosimilar for development and commercialization of RT-105 worldwide, subject to a right of first negotiation for Celltrion following completion of a Phase 1 clinical trial that meets its primary endpoint(s). RT-105 is the RaniPill capsule containing an adalimumab biosimilar, which is intended for the treatment of inflammatory conditions. In November 2023, we announced the pausing of development of RT-105 as part of a strategic focusing of the business.
60-Day GLP Study
In October 2023, we announced preclinical data from a 60-day repeat oral administration study of the RaniPill capsule in healthy animals. The preclinical GLP study evaluated the safety and tolerability of the RaniPill drug delivery platform, following 60-day repeat oral administration of the test article, RT-100, in healthy animals. RT-100 is an enteric-coated capsule identical to RT-102, but instead of PTH contained the pharmaceutical excipient mannitol. The control group received a RaniPill capsule (Mock-RP) of similar weight to RT-100 but filled with potato starch. Male and female (1:1) animals were divided into two groups and were administered either Mock-RP (N=12) or RT-100 (N=24) once daily for 60 days, with half of the animals completing an additional 14-day clinical observation and safety evaluation period. RT-100 was well-tolerated with no treatment-related adverse events and all animals remained clinically healthy throughout the study.
Financial Update
In August 2022, we entered into the Loan Agreement with the Lender for term loans (the “Loans”) in an aggregate principal amount up to $45.0 million. A Loan of $30.0 million was committed at closing, with $15.0 million funded immediately and $15.0 million available to be drawn between October 1, 2022 and December 31, 2022, which was drawn in December 2022. The remaining $15.0 million of Loans is uncommitted and is subject to certain conditions and approval by the Lender. The purpose of the Loans is for general corporate purposes. The Loan Agreement also contains various covenants and restrictive provisions. As of December 31, 2023, we were in compliance with all applicable debt covenants under the Loan Agreement and had cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities totaling $48.5 million.
In addition, in August 2022, we entered into a Controlled EquitySM Sales Agreement (the “Sales Agreement”) with Cantor Fitzgerald & Co. and H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC (collectively, the “Agents”), pursuant to which we may offer and sell from time to time through the Agents up to $150.0 million of shares of our Class A common stock, in such share amounts as we may specify by notice to the Agents, in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth in the Sales Agreement (“ATM Sales”). As of December 31, 2023, we had not delivered any placement notices to either of the Agents and there had been no ATM Sales.
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Reduction in Force
In November 2023, we committed to a plan for strategic prioritization of our programs, expansion of our manufacturing and streamlining of our business operations to support potential near-term value drivers and long-term growth (the “Restructuring”). The Restructuring includes a reduction of our workforce by approximately 25%.
As a result of the Restructuring, we estimate that we will incur approximately $0.3 million in costs of which nearly all are cash expenditures related to severance and half of which was incurred in the fourth quarter of 2023. We expect the Restructuring to be substantially completed by the end of the second quarter of 2024. The estimates of costs that we expect to incur in connection with the Restructuring and the timing thereof are subject to a number of assumptions and actual results may differ materially from estimates. We may also incur other charges or cash expenditures not currently contemplated in connection with the Restructuring due to unanticipated events that may occur, including in connection with the implementation of the Restructuring.
CEO Compensation Reduction
In November 2023, our Board of Directors (the “Board”) approved a reduction in the annual salary of Talat Imran, our Chief Executive Officer, from $520,000 to $100,000, effective November 1, 2023 through December 31, 2024 or until such time as we receive gross proceeds of $50,000,000 or more, in the aggregate, from equity financing and/or one or more non-dilutive strategic, licensing or partnering transactions. The decreased base salary amends the Amended and Restated Employment Agreement, dated August 31, 2022, by and between Rani LLC and Mr. Imran.
Lease
In November 2023, Rani LLC and BKM South Bay 240, LLC (“Landlord”) entered into the Standard Industrial/Commercial Multi-Tenant Lease - Net (the “Lease”). Pursuant to the terms of the Lease, we are leasing 33,340 square feet of space in Fremont, California, which is part of a two-building project (the “Project”).
The initial term of the Lease commenced in February 2024, and the duration of the initial term is 63 months. Subject to certain conditions, we have an option to renew the Lease for one additional 5-year term at the then-prevailing market rate. The monthly base rent for the initial term of the Lease is approximately $95,000 per month, subject to a 4% increase each year. We are also responsible for the payment of additional rent to cover our share of common area operating expenses, including taxes, insurance, utilities, and repair and maintenance of the premises and common areas of the Project.
Organizational Transactions
The Company was incorporated in April 2021 and formed for the purpose of facilitating an IPO of its Class A common stock, and to facilitate certain organizational transactions (“Organizational Transactions”) and to operate the business of Rani LLC and its consolidated subsidiary at such time, Rani Management Services, Inc. (“RMS”). In connection with the IPO, we established a holding company structure with the Company as the holding company and its principal asset being the Class A common units (“Class A Units”) of Rani LLC that it owns. As the sole managing member of Rani LLC, the Company operates and controls all of Rani LLC’s operations, and through Rani LLC, conducts all of Rani LLC’s business and the financial results of Rani LLC and RMS (prior to December 15, 2022) are included in the consolidated financial statements of the Company. RMS was dissolved as of December 15, 2022
Rani LLC has been, and after the IPO continues to be, treated as a pass-through entity for U.S. federal and state income tax purposes and accordingly has not been subject to U.S. federal or state income tax. The wholly owned subsidiary of Rani LLC, RMS, which was incorporated in 2019 and dissolved in December 2022, was taxed as a corporation for U.S. federal and most applicable state, local income tax and foreign tax purposes. As a result of its ownership of interests in Rani LLC ("LLC Interests"), the Company is subject to U.S. federal, state and local income taxes with respect to its allocable share of any taxable income of Rani LLC and will be taxed at the prevailing corporate tax rates. In addition to tax expenses, we also incur expenses related to our operations and may be required to make payments under the Tax Receivable Agreement with certain of the individuals and entities that continue to hold interests in Rani LLC after the IPO (the "Continuing LLC Owners"). The Continuing LLC Owners are entitled to exchange, subject to the terms of the Rani LLC Agreement, the Class A Units they hold in Rani LLC, together with the shares they hold of our Class B common stock (together referred to as a "Paired Interest"), in return for shares of our Class A common stock on a one-for-one basis provided that, at our election, we may effect a direct exchange of such Class A common stock or make a cash payment equal to a volume weighted average market price of one share of Class A common stock for each Paired Interest redeemed. Any shares of Class B common stock will be canceled on a one-for-one basis if, at the election of the Continuing LLC Owners, we redeem or exchange such Paired Interest pursuant to the terms of the Rani LLC Agreement. These exchanges and redemptions may result in increases in the tax basis of the assets of Rani LLC that otherwise would not have been available. Increases in tax basis resulting from such
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exchanges may reduce the amount of income tax that the Company would otherwise be required to pay in the future. This tax basis may also decrease the gains (or increase the losses) on future dispositions of certain assets to the extent tax basis is allocated to those assets. Due to the uncertainty of various factors, we cannot estimate the likely tax benefits we will realize as a result of exchanges, and the resulting amounts we will likely pay out to the Continuing LLC Owners pursuant to the Tax Receivable Agreement; however, we estimate that such payments may be substantial in the event we are profitable. Certain individuals who continue to own interests in Rani LLC but do not hold shares of the Company’s Class B common stock (“non-corresponding Class A Units”) have the ability to exchange their non-corresponding Class A Units of Rani LLC for 1,345,067 shares of the Company’s Class A common stock.
Components of Results of Operations
Operating Expenses
Our operating expenses consisted of research and development and general and administrative activities.
Research and Development Expense
Research and development expense consists primarily of direct and indirect costs incurred in connection with our research and development activities to develop the RaniPill platform. These expenses include:
External expenses, consisting of:
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expenses associated with contract research organizations ("CROs,"), for managing and conducting clinical trials;
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expenses associated with laboratory supplies, drug material for clinical trials, developing and manufacturing of the RaniPill GO, RaniPill HC and other materials;
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expenses associated with preclinical studies performed by third parties;
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expenses associated with consulting, advisors, and other external services; and
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other research and development costs related to compliance with quality and regulatory requirements.
Internal expenses, consisting of:
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expenses including salaries, bonuses, stock-based compensation and benefits for personnel engaged in the research and development functions; and
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expenses associated with equipment depreciation and allocated facility costs for research and development.
We expense research and development costs as incurred. Costs for external development activities are recognized based on an evaluation of the progress to completion of specific tasks using information provided to us by our vendors. Payments for these activities are based on the terms of the individual agreements, which may differ from the pattern of costs incurred, and are reflected in our financial statements as prepaid or accrued research and development expenses. Nonrefundable advance payments that we make for goods or services to be received in the future for use in research and development activities are recorded as prepaid expenses. Such amounts are recognized as an expense as the 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. Until future commercialization is considered probable and the future economic benefit is expected to be realized, we do not capitalize pre-launch inventory costs.
Costs of property and equipment related to scaling-up our manufacturing capacity for clinical trials and to support commercialization are capitalized as property and equipment unless the related asset does not have an alternative future use.
The historical focus of our research and development has been on the RaniPill delivery platform and not tracked costs on a project-by-project basis associated with different drug compounds.
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At this time, we cannot reasonably estimate or know the nature, timing, and estimated costs of the efforts that will be necessary to complete development of the RaniPill GO and RaniPill HC and complete the development of, and obtain regulatory approval for, our product candidates. We expect our research and development expenses to increase significantly for the foreseeable future as we continue to invest in activities related to testing and developing the RaniPill GO and RaniPill HC and the development of our product candidates, as our product candidates advance into later stages of development, as we begin to conduct larger clinical trials, as we seek regulatory approvals for our product candidates upon successful completion of clinical trials, and incur expenses associated with hiring additional personnel to support the research and development efforts. The process of conducting the necessary clinical research to obtain regulatory approval is costly and time-consuming, the successful development of the RaniPill platform and our product candidates is highly uncertain, and we may never succeed in successfully developing the RaniPill GO and/or RaniPill HC or achieve the development of, and regulatory approval for, our product candidates.
General and Administrative Expenses
General and administrative expenses consist primarily of personnel-related costs (including salaries, bonuses, stock-based compensation, and benefits) for personnel in executive, finance, accounting, legal, corporate and business development, and other administrative functions. General and administrative expenses also include legal fees relating to corporate matters, professional fees paid for accounting, auditing, consulting, tax, and administrative consulting services, insurance costs, travel, and facilities, which include direct depreciation costs and allocated expenses for rent and maintenance of facilities and other operating costs.
Other Income (Expense), Net
Other income (expense), net primarily consists of interest income earned on our cash equivalents and marketable securities and interest expense from our long-term debt and amortization of debt discount and issuance costs.
Non-Controlling Interest
Non-controlling interest ("NCI") represents the portion of income or loss, net assets and comprehensive loss of our consolidated subsidiary that is not allocable to the Company based on its percentage of ownership of Rani LLC.
In August 2021, based on the Organizational Transactions, the Company became the sole managing member of Rani LLC. As of December 31, 2023, the Company held approximately 51% of the Class A Units of Rani LLC, and approximately 49% of the outstanding Class A Units of Rani LLC are held by the Continuing LLC Owners. Therefore, we report NCI based on the Class A Units of Rani LLC held by the Continuing LLC Owners on our consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2023. Income or loss attributed to the NCI in Rani LLC is based on the Class A Units outstanding during the period for which the income or loss is generated and is presented on the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income or loss.
Future exchanges of Paired Interests and non-corresponding Class A Units of Rani LLC will result in a change in ownership and reduce or increase the amount recorded as NCI and increase or decrease additional paid-in-capital when Rani LLC has positive or negative net assets, respectively. From the date of the Organizational Transactions to December 31, 2023, there were 5,173,947 exchanges of Paired Interests and 200,455 exchanges of non-corresponding Class A Units of Rani LLC for an equal number of shares of our Class A common stock.
Tax Receivable Agreement
In August 2021, in connection with the IPO and Organizational Transactions, we entered into a tax receivable agreement ("TRA") with certain of the Continuing LLC Owners. The TRA provides that we pay to such Continuing LLC Owners, 85% of the amount of tax benefits, if any, it is deemed to realize (calculated using certain assumptions) as a result of (i) increases in the tax basis of assets of Rani LLC resulting from (a) any future redemptions or exchanges of Paired Interests or non-corresponding Class A Units of Rani LLC and (b) payments under the TRA and (ii) certain other benefits arising from payments under the TRA (collectively the “Tax Attributes”).
A liability for the payable to parties subject to the TRA, and a reduction to stockholders’ equity, is accrued when (i) an exchange of a Paired Interest or non-corresponding Class A Units of Rani LLC has occurred and (ii) when it is deemed probable that the Tax Attributes associated with the exchange will be used to reduce our taxable income based on the contractual percentage of the benefit of Tax Attributes that we expect to receive over a period of time.
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Relationship with InCube Labs, LLC
Service Agreements
In June 2021, Rani LLC entered into a service agreement with InCube Labs, LLC (“ICL”) effective retrospectively to January 1, 2021, and subsequently amended such agreement in March 2022 and March 2024 (as amended, the "Rani LLC-ICL Service Agreement"), pursuant to which Rani LLC and ICL agreed to provide personnel services to the other upon requests. Under the amendment in March 2022, Rani LLC has a right to occupy certain facilities leased by ICL in Milpitas, California and San Antonio, Texas (“Occupancy Services”) for general office, research and development, and light manufacturing. In March 2024, Rani LLC entered into an amendment to extend the term of the Occupancy Services in Milpitas, California from February 2024 to August 2024 and to increase the payment for such Occupancy Services during the extension period.
The Rani LLC-ICL Service Agreement has a twelve-month term and will automatically renew for a successive twelve-month periods unless terminated; except that the Occupancy Services in Milpitas, California have a term until August 2024, and the Occupancy Services in San Antonio, Texas continue until either party gives six months’ notice of termination. Except for the Occupancy Services, Rani LLC or ICL may terminate services under the Rani LLC-ICL Service Agreement upon 60 days' notice to the other party. The Rani LLC-ICL Service Agreement specifies the scope of services to be provided as well as the methods for determining the costs of services. Costs are billed or charged on a monthly basis by ICL or Rani LLC, respectively. In December 2023, we provided to ICL notice of termination of the Occupancy Services in San Antonio, which termination will take effect in June 2024.
In June 2021, RMS entered into a service agreement with ICL effective retrospectively to January 1, 2021. In April 2022, RMS assigned the RMS-ICL Service Agreement to Rani LLC. In March 2024, Rani LLC entered into an amendment to increase the Occupancy Services from 23,000 square feet to 24,000 square feet (such agreement, as assigned and amended, the “RMS-ICL Service Agreement”). Pursuant to the RMS-ICL Service Agreement, ICL agreed to rent a specified portion of its facility in San Jose, California to RMS. Additionally, RMS and ICL agreed to provide personnel services to the other upon requests based on rates specified in the RMS-ICL Service Agreement. The RMS-ICL Service Agreement has a twelve-month term and will automatically renew for successive twelve-month periods unless terminated. Rani LLC or ICL may terminate services under the RMS-ICL Service Agreement upon 60 days' notice to the other party, except for occupancy which requires six months’ notice. The RMS-ICL Service Agreement specifies the scope of services to be provided as well as the methods for determining the costs of services. Costs are billed or charged on a monthly basis by ICL or Rani LLC, respectively, as well as allocations of expenses based upon Rani LLC’s utilization of ICL’s facilities and equipment.
The table below details the amounts charged by ICL for services and rent, net of the amount charged to ICL under the RMS-ICL Service Agreement, which is included in the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss (in thousands):
Year Ended December 31,
General and administrative 254 222
Prior to April 2022, our eligible employees were permitted to participate in ICL’s 401(k) Plan (“401(k) Plan”). Participation in the 401(k) Plan was offered for the benefit of our employees, including our named executive officers, who satisfied certain eligibility requirements. In April 2022, the Company established its own 401(k) Plan, with participation offered for the benefit of the employees, including the Company’s named executive officers, who satisfy certain eligibility requirements.
As of December 31, 2023, all of our facilities are owned or leased by an entity affiliated with our Chairman. Rani LLC pays for the use of these facilities through our services agreements with ICL.
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Exclusive License Agreement
In June 2021, we and ICL entered into an Amended and Restated Exclusive License Agreement which replaces the 2012 Exclusive License Agreement, as amended in 2013, and terminates the Intellectual Property Agreement, as amended in June 2013. Under the Amended and Restated Exclusive License Agreement, we have a fully paid, exclusive license under certain scheduled patents related to optional features of the device and certain other scheduled patents to exploit products covered by those patents in the field of oral delivery of sensors, small molecule drugs or biologic drugs including, any peptide, antibody, protein, cell therapy, gene therapy or vaccine. We will cover patent-related expenses and, after a certain period, we will have the right to acquire four specified United States patent families from ICL by making a one-time payment of $0.3 million to ICL for each United States patent family that we desire to acquire, up to $1.0 million in the aggregate. This payment will not become an obligation until the fifth anniversary of the Amended and Restated Exclusive License Agreement. The Amended and Restated Exclusive License Agreement will terminate when there are no remaining valid claims of the patents licensed under the Amended and Restated Exclusive License Agreement. Additionally, we may terminate the Amended and Restated Exclusive License Agreement in its entirety or as to any particular licensed patent upon notification to ICL of such intent to terminate.
Non-Exclusive License Agreement between Rani and ICL (“Non-Exclusive License Agreement”)
In June 2021, we entered into the Non-Exclusive License Agreement with ICL, pursuant to which we granted ICL a non-exclusive, fully-paid license under specified patents that were assigned from ICL to us. Additionally, we agreed not to license these patents to a third party in a specific field outside the field of oral delivery of sensors, small molecule drugs or biologic drugs including, any peptide, antibody, protein, cell therapy, gene therapy or vaccine, if ICL can prove that it or its sublicensee has been in active development of a product covered by such patents in that specific field. ICL may grant sublicenses under this license to third parties only with our prior approval. The Non-Exclusive License Agreement will continue in perpetuity unless terminated.
Intellectual Property Agreement with Mir Imran (the “Mir Agreement”)
In June 2021, we entered into the Mir Agreement, pursuant to which we and Mir Imran agreed that we would own all intellectual property conceived (i) using any of our people, equipment, or facilities or (ii) that is within the field of oral delivery of sensors, small molecule drugs or biologic drugs including, any peptide, antibody, protein, cell therapy, gene therapy or vaccine. Neither us nor Mir Imran may assign the Mir Agreement to any third party without the prior written consent of the other party. The initial term of the Mir Agreement is three years, which can be extended upon mutual consent of the parties. The Mir Agreement may be terminated by either party for any reason within the initial three-year term upon providing three months’ notice to the other party.
Tax Receivable Agreement
ICL is party to the TRA, entered into in August 2021 pursuant to the IPO and Organizational Transactions. The TRA provides that we pay to ICL and the other Continuing LLC Owners 85% of the amount of tax benefits, if any, it is deemed to realize from exchanges of Paired Interests. During the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, these parties to the TRA exchanged zero and 2,317,184 Paired Interests, respectively, that resulted in tax benefits subject to the TRA.
Registration Rights Agreement
In connection with the IPO, we entered into a Registration Rights Agreement with the Continuing LLC Owners, including ICL. The Registration Rights Agreement provides the Continuing LLC Owners certain registration rights whereby, at any time following the IPO and the expiration of any related lock-up period, the Continuing LLC Owners can require us to register under the Securities Act shares of Class A common stock issuable to them upon, at our election, redemption or exchange of their LLC Interests. The Registration Rights Agreement also provides for piggyback registration rights for the Continuing LLC Owners. As a result of certain stockholders exercising their registration rights under the Registration Rights Agreement, in December 2022 we filed a registration statement on Form S-3 to register 6,009,542 shares of our Class A common stock held by certain of our stockholders.
Rani LLC Agreement
We operate our business through Rani LLC and, prior to December 15, 2022, its subsidiary, RMS. RMS was dissolved on December 15, 2022. In connection with the IPO, we and the Continuing LLC Owners, including ICL, entered into the Fifth Amended and Restated LLC Agreement of Rani LLC (the “Rani LLC Agreement”). The governance of Rani LLC, and the rights and obligations of the holders of LLC Interests, are set forth in the Rani LLC Agreement. As a Continuing LLC Owner, ICL is entitled to exchange, subject to the terms of the Rani LLC Agreement, Paired Interests for our Class A common stock; provided that, at our election, we may effect a direct exchange of such Class A common stock or make a cash payment equal to a volume weighted average market price of one share of Class A common stock for each Paired Interest redeemed.
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During the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, these related parties that are party to the Rani LLC Agreement exchanged zero and 2,317,184 Paired Interests, respectively, for the Company's Class A common stock.
Results of Operations
The results of operations presented below should be reviewed in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
The following table summarizes our results of operations (in thousands):
Year Ended December 31,
Operating expenses
Other income (expense), net
Income tax expense — (70 ) *
Net loss attributable to non-controlling interest (33,913 ) (32,756 ) 3.5 %
*Not meaningful
Research and Development Expenses
The following table reflects our research and development costs by nature of expense (in thousands):
Year Ended December 31,
Payroll, stock-based compensation and related benefits $ 26,247 $ 24,838
Facilities, materials and supplies 6,300 5,727
The increase of $3.0 million in research and development expenses was primarily attributed to higher compensation costs of $1.4 million, an increase of $1.2 million in third-party services and an increase of $0.6 million in facilities, materials and supplies expense related to preclinical and clinical development activities, offset by a decrease in other costs of $0.2 million.
General and Administrative Expenses
The decrease of $0.3 million in general and administrative expenses was primarily attributed to lower third-party services of $1.8 million related to support for compliance with public company requirements and lower facilities, material and supplies and other costs of $0.3 million, offset by higher compensation costs of $1.8 million.
Other Income (Expense), Net
The increase of $1.9 million in other expense, net, was primarily attributed to an increase in interest expense of $4.0 million from our debt, partially offset by an increase in interest income of $2.1 million from our investment in marketable securities.
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Liquidity and Capital Resources
Sources of Liquidity
As of December 31, 2023, our cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities totaled $48.5 million. Based on our available cash resources and current operating plan, there is substantial doubt regarding our ability to continue as a going concern for a period of one year after the date that our financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2023 are issued. Our existing capital resources, including the net proceeds from our IPO and Loans, will not be sufficient to enable us to initiate any pivotal clinical trials. We will need to raise substantial additional funds in the future in order to complete the development of the RaniPill platform, to complete the clinical development of our product candidates and seek regulatory approval thereof, to expand our manufacturing capabilities, to further develop the RaniPill HC device and to commercialize any of our product candidates. If we are unable to continue as a going concern, we may have to cease operations and liquidate our assets. We may receive less than the value at which those assets are carried on our audited financial statements, and investors may lose all or a part of their investment.
We may not be able to obtain additional funding on acceptable terms, or at all. As a result of geopolitical events, including the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, inflation, rising interest rates and other conditions, the global credit and financial markets have experienced volatility and disruptions. In addition, the report from our independent registered public accounting firm issued in connection with this Annual Report on Form 10-K contains statements expressing substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern. If we seek additional financing to fund our business activities in the future and there remains substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern, investors or other financing sources may be unwilling to provide funding to us on commercially reasonable terms, if at all.
In November 2023, we underwent a reduction in our workforce and paused or discontinued certain programs to reduce our expenses and focus our financial resources on key priorities. If we are unable to obtain funding on a timely basis, or to generate sufficient revenues, if at all, from collaboration arrangements or product sales, we may be required to significantly curtail, delay or discontinue one or more of our research or development programs, the development of our oral delivery technology, including the RaniPill HC, the commercialization of any product candidates or cease operations altogether, seek collaborators for one or more of our product candidates at an earlier stage than otherwise would be desirable or on terms that are less favorable than might otherwise be available; relinquish or license on unfavorable terms our rights to technologies or product candidates that we otherwise would seek to develop or commercialize ourselves; or forego expansion of our operations or refrain from pursuing business opportunities; any of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Moreover, the terms of any financing may adversely affect the holdings or the rights of our stockholders and the issuance of additional securities, whether equity or debt, by us, or the possibility of such issuance, may cause the market price of our Common Stock to decline. The sale of additional equity or convertible securities would dilute all of our stockholders. The incurrence of indebtedness would result in increased fixed payment obligations and we may be required to agree to certain restrictive covenants and other operating restrictions that could adversely impact our ability to conduct our business. The Lender already has a security interest in substantially all of our assets, including our intellectual property, which may prevent or limit our ability to incur additional indebtedness.
We have not generated any revenue from commercial product sales and have incurred significant operating losses and negative cash flows from operations. We have not yet commercialized any products, and we do not expect to generate revenue from sales of commercial products for several years, if at all. We anticipate that we will continue to incur net losses for the foreseeable future. Since our inception, we have devoted substantially all of our resources on organizing and staffing our company, business planning, research and development activities, including the RaniPill platform design, drug formulation, preclinical studies, clinical trials, manufacturing automation and scale up, establishing our intellectual property portfolio, and providing general and administrative support for these operations. To date, we have financed our operations primarily through an IPO, private placements of Rani LLC preferred units, the issuance of convertible promissory notes, and long-term debt, as well as contract revenue generated from evaluation agreements.
In August 2022, we entered into the Loan Agreement with the Lender. The Loan Agreement provides for Loans in an aggregate principal amount up to $45.0 million. A Loan of $30.0 million was committed at closing, with $15.0 million funded immediately and $15.0 million available to be drawn between October 1, 2022 and December 31, 2022, which was drawn in December 2022. The remaining $15.0 million of Loans is uncommitted and is subject to certain conditions and approval by the Lender. The purpose of the Loans is for general corporate purposes. The Loan Agreement also contains various covenants and restrictive provisions. As of December 31, 2023, we were in compliance with all applicable debt covenants under the Loan Agreement and had cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities totaling $48.5 million.
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In August 2022, we entered into the Sales Agreement with the Agents, pursuant to which we may offer and sell from time to time through the Agents up to $150.0 million of shares of our Class A common stock in ATM Sales. As of December 31, 2023, we had not delivered any placement notices to either of the Agents and there had been no ATM Sales.
Since our inception, we have incurred significant losses and negative cash flows from operations. Our net losses were $67.9 million and $63.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. As of December 31, 2023, we had an accumulated deficit of $72.9 million. We expect to continue to incur significant losses for the foreseeable future, and our net losses may fluctuate significantly from period to period, depending on the timing of and expenditures on our planned research and development activities. Until such time as we can generate sufficient revenue from commercial product sales, if ever, we expect to finance our operations through a combination of equity offerings and debt financings, which may include ATM Sales, or other capital sources, which may include strategic collaborations or other arrangements with third parties. We may be unable to raise additional funds or to enter into such agreements or arrangements on favorable terms, or at all.
Tax Receivable Agreement
We entered into a Tax Receivable Agreement with certain of the Continuing LLC Owners in August 2021 in connection with the IPO. The Tax Receivable Agreement provides for our payment to certain of the Continuing LLC Owners of 85% of the amount of tax benefits, if any, that we are deemed to realize as a result of any basis adjustments and certain other tax benefits arising from payments under the Tax Receivable Agreement. We will have in effect an election under Section 754 of the Code effective for each taxable year in which a redemption or exchange (including deemed exchange) of LLC Interests for shares of our Class A common stock or cash occurs. These Tax Receivable Agreement payments are not conditioned upon any continued ownership interest in either the Company or Rani LLC by such Continuing LLC Owners. The rights of such Continuing LLC Owners under the Tax Receivable Agreement are assignable to transferees of their LLC Interests (other than us as transferee pursuant to subsequent redemptions (or exchanges) of the transferred LLC Interests). We expect to benefit from the remaining 15% of tax benefits, if any, that we may realize.
As of December 31, 2023, we have not recorded a liability under the TRA related to the income tax benefits originating from the exchanges of Paired Interest or non-corresponding Class A Units of Rani LLC as it is not probable that the Company will realize such tax benefits. To the extent the Company is able to realize the income tax benefits associated with the exchanges of Paired Interest or non-corresponding Class A Units of Rani LLC subject to the TRA, the TRA payable would range from zero to $22.9 million at December 31, 2023.
The amounts payable under the TRA will vary depending upon a number of factors, including the amount, character, and timing of the taxable income of the Company in the future. Should the Company determine that the payment of the TRA liability becomes probable at a future date based on new information, any changes will be recorded on the Company's consolidated statement of operations and comprehensive loss at that time.
Future Funding Requirements and Going Concern
Based on our available cash resources and current operating plan, there is substantial doubt regarding our ability to continue as a going concern for a period of one year after the date that our financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2023 are issued. Our existing capital resources, including the net proceeds from our IPO and Loans, will not be sufficient to fund our projected operating requirements for a twelve-month period and will not enable us to initiate any pivotal clinical trials. We will need to raise substantial additional funds in the future in order to complete the development of the RaniPill platform, to complete the clinical development of our product candidates and seek regulatory approval thereof, to expand our manufacturing capabilities, to further develop the RaniPill HC device and to commercialize any of our product candidates.
To date, we have not generated any commercial product revenue. We do not expect to generate any commercial product revenue unless and until we obtain regulatory approval and commercialize any of our commercial product candidates, and we do not know when, or if at all, that will occur. We will continue to require additional capital to develop our product candidates and fund operations for the foreseeable future. Our primary uses of cash are to fund our operations, which consist primarily of research and development expenses related to our programs, manufacturing automation and scaleup, and general and administrative expenses. We expect our expenses to continue to increase in connection with our ongoing activities as we continue to advance the RaniPill GO, RaniPill HC and our product candidates.
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We may seek to raise capital through equity offerings or debt financings, which may include ATM Sales, collaboration agreements, or other arrangements with other companies, or through other sources of financing. Adequate additional funding may not be available to us on acceptable terms or at all. Our failure to raise capital as and when needed could have a negative impact on our consolidated financial condition and our ability to pursue our business strategies. We anticipate that we will need to raise substantial additional capital, the requirements of which will depend on many factors, including:
•
the progress, costs, trial design, results of and timing of our preclinical studies and clinical trials;
•
the progress, costs, and results of our research pipeline;
•
the willingness of the FDA, or other regulatory authorities to accept data from our clinical trials, as well as data from our completed and planned clinical trials and preclinical studies and other work, as the basis for review and approval of our product candidates or collaborator drugs or biologics paired with the RaniPill GO and/or RaniPill HC for various indications;
•
the outcome, costs, and timing of seeking and obtaining FDA, and any other regulatory approvals;
•
the number and characteristics of product candidates that we pursue;
•
our ability to manufacture sufficient quantities of the RaniPill capsules;
•
our need to expand our research and development activities;
•
the costs associated with manufacturing our product candidates, including establishing commercial supplies and sales, marketing, and distribution capabilities;
•
the costs associated with securing and establishing commercial infrastructure;
•
the costs of acquiring, licensing, or investing in businesses, product candidates, and technologies;
•
our ability to maintain, expand, and defend the scope of our intellectual property portfolio, including the amount and timing of any payments we may be required to make, or that we may receive, in connection with the licensing, filing, prosecution, defense, and enforcement of any patents or other intellectual property rights;
•
our need and ability to retain key management and hire scientific, technical, business, and engineering personnel;
•
the effect of competing drugs and product candidates and other market developments;
•
the timing, receipt, and amount of sales from our potential products, if approved;
•
our ability to establish strategic collaborations;
•
our need to implement additional internal systems and infrastructure, including financial and reporting systems;
•
security breaches, data losses or other disruptions affecting our information systems;
•
our ability to realize savings from any restructuring plans or cost-containment measures we have implemented or additional measures we may implement;
•
the economic and other terms, timing of and success of any collaboration, licensing, or other arrangements which we may enter in the future.
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If we raise additional capital through debt financing, we may be subject to covenants that restrict our operations including limitations on our ability to incur liens or additional debt, pay dividends, make certain investments, and engage in certain merger, consolidation, or asset sale transactions. Any debt financing or additional equity that we raise may contain terms that are not favorable to us. If we raise funds through collaborations, we may have to relinquish valuable rights to our technologies, future revenue streams, research programs, product candidates or grant licenses on terms that may not be favorable to us. If we are unable to raise additional funds when needed, we may be required to delay, reduce, or terminate some or all of our development programs and clinical trials or delay investments in our manufacturing scale-up and automation. In addition, our ability to raise additional capital may be adversely impacted by potential worsening global economic conditions and the recent disruptions to and volatility in the credit and financial markets.
The following table summarizes our cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities:
December 31,
Total cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities $ 48,539 $ 98,482
As of December 31, 2023, we had cash and cash equivalents and marketable securities of $48.5 million, compared to $98.5 million as of December 31, 2022. Based on our available cash resources and current operating plan, there is substantial doubt regarding our ability to continue as a going concern for a period of one year after the date that our financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2023 are issued. Our existing capital resources, including the net proceeds from our IPO and Loans, will not be sufficient to fund our projected operating requirements for a twelve-month period from the issuance of our financial statements.
Cash Flows
The following table summarizes our cash flows for the periods presented (in thousands):
Year Ended December 31,
Net cash used in operating activities $ (51,236 ) $ (46,515 )
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities 29,860 (72,436 )
Net cash provided by financing activities 233 29,005
Operating Activities
Net cash used in operating activities for the year ended December 31, 2023 was $51.2 million, which was primarily attributable to a net loss of $67.9 million and net accretion and amortization of investments in marketable securities of $2.3 million, partially offset by the stock-based compensation expense of $19.0 million and depreciation and amortization expense of $0.8 million Additionally, there was a combined decrease in accounts payable and accrued expenses and other current liabilities of $1.1 million.
Net cash used in operating activities for the year ended December 31, 2022 was $46.5 million, which was primarily attributable to a net loss of $63.3 million and net accretion and amortization of investments in marketable securities of $0.9 million, partially offset by the equity-based compensation expense of $15.8 million and depreciation and amortization expense of $0.5 million. Additionally, there was a decrease in prepaid expenses and other current assets of $0.5 million and an increase in accrued expenses of $0.7 million.
Investing Activities
For the year ended December 31, 2023, net cash provided by investing activities was $29.9 million consisting of $104.4 million in proceeds from maturities of marketable securities partially offset by $73.3 million and $1.2 million in purchases of marketable securities and property and equipment, respectively.
For the year ended December 31, 2022, net cash used in investing activities was $72.4 million consisting of $73.8 million in purchases of marketable securities, $3.0 million in proceeds from maturities of marketable securities and $1.6 million in purchases of property and equipment.
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Financing Activities
For the year ended December 31, 2023, there were no significant financing activities.
For the year ended December 31, 2022, net cash provided by financing activities was $29.0 million, which was primarily attributable to proceeds from the issuance of long-term debt and warrants, net of issuance costs of $29.6 million. These items were partially offset by a $0.6 million decrease for employee taxes paid on net share settlement on the vesting of restricted stock units and payment of deferred financing costs of $0.3 million.
Contractual Obligations and Other Commitments
The following table summarizes our contractual obligations and commitments as of December 31, 2023 (in thousands):
Total Short-term Long-term
(1) Represents operating lease payments. See Note 7 to the consolidated financial statements contained in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K for additional information.
(2) Represents long-term debt principal maturities and final payment equal to 5.5% of aggregate amount funded, excluding interest. See Note 12 to the consolidated financial statements contained in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K for additional information.
In addition, we enter into agreements in the normal course of business with contract research organizations for clinical trials and with vendors for preclinical studies and other services and products for operating purposes, which are generally cancelable upon written notice.
Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates
This discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operation is based on our consolidated financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States. The preparation of financial statements requires management to make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities as of the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of expenses during the reporting period. On an ongoing basis, management evaluates its estimates and assumptions. Our estimates are based on our historical experience and on various other factors that we believe are reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying value of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. Actual results may differ from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions.
While our significant accounting policies are described in the notes to our consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, we believe that the following critical accounting policies are most important to understanding and evaluating our reported financial results.
Research and Development Costs
Research and development costs are expensed as incurred. Research and development expenses consist primarily of contract research fees and process development, outsourced labor and related expenses for personnel, facilities cost, fees paid to consultants and advisors, depreciation and supplies used in research and development and costs incurred under our evaluation agreements. Payments made prior to the receipt of goods or services to be used in research and development activities are recorded as prepaid expenses until the related goods or services are received. Until future commercialization is considered probable and the future economic benefit is expected to be realized, we do not capitalize pre-launch inventory costs. Costs of property and equipment related to scaling-up of the manufacturing capacity for clinical trials and to support commercialization are capitalized as property and equipment unless the related asset does not have an alternative future use.
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Clinical and preclinical costs are a component of research and development expense. We accrue and expense clinical and pre-clinical trial activities performed by third parties based upon actual work completed in accordance with agreements established with its service providers. We determine the actual costs through discussions with internal personnel and external service providers as to the progress or stage of completion of services and the agreed-upon fee to be paid for such services.
Recently Adopted Accounting Standards
None.
Other Information
JOBS Act Accounting Election
We are an “emerging growth company” within the meaning of the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (the “JOBS Act”). The JOBS Act permits an emerging growth company like us to take advantage of an extended transition period to comply with new or revised accounting standards applicable to public companies. We are electing to use this extended transition period and we will therefore comply with new or revised accounting standards on the earlier of (i) when they apply to private companies; or (ii) when we lose our emerging growth company status. As a result, our financial statements may not be comparable with companies that comply with public company effective dates for accounting standards. We also rely on other exemptions provided by the JOBS Act, including not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act unless we cease to be an emerging growth company.
We will remain an emerging growth company until the earliest of (1) December 31, 2026 (the last day of the fiscal year following the fifth anniversary of the closing of our initial public offering), (2) the last day of the fiscal year in which we have total annual gross revenue of at least $1.235 billion, (3) the last day of the fiscal year in which we are deemed to be a “large accelerated filer” as defined in Rule 12b-2 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), which would occur if the market value of our Class A common stock held by non-affiliates exceeded $700.0 million as of the last business day of the second fiscal quarter of such year or (4) the date on which we have issued more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible debt securities during the prior three-year period.
Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk
We are a smaller reporting company as defined by Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act and are not required to provide the information required under this item.
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Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data
Index to Consolidated Financial Statements
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm (PCAOB ID:42) 114
Consolidated Balance Sheets 115
Consolidated Statements of Operations 116
Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Loss 117
Consolidated Statements of Changes in Stockholders’ Equity 118
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows 119
Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements 120
113
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
To the Board of Directors and Stockholders of Rani Therapeutics Holdings, Inc.
Opinion on the Financial Statements
We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Rani Therapeutics Holdings, Inc. (the Company) as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, the related consolidated statements of operations, comprehensive loss, changes in stockholders’ equity and cash flows for each of the two years in the period ended December 31, 2023, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the “consolidated financial statements”). In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company at December 31, 2023 and 2022, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the two years in the period ended December 31, 2023, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.
The Company's Ability to Continue as a Going Concern
The accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared assuming that the Company will continue as a going concern. As discussed in Note 1 to the consolidated financial statements, the Company has incurred recurring losses from operations, negative cash flows from operating activities, and has stated that substantial doubt exists about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern. Management's evaluation of the events and conditions and management’s plans regarding these matters are also described in Note 1. The consolidated financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty.
Basis for Opinion
These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company's management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB) and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.
We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audits we are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company's internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion.
Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
/s/ Ernst & Young LLP
We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2019.
San Francisco, California
March 20, 2024
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RANI THERAPEUTICS HOLDINGS, INC.
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(in thousands, except par value)
December 31,
Assets
Current assets:
Prepaid expenses and other current assets 2,308 2,442
Operating lease right-of-use asset 718 1,065
Other assets 246 —
Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity
Current liabilities:
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities 1,726 2,349
Current portion of long-term debt 4,897 —
Current portion of operating lease liability 718 1,006
Operating lease liability, less current portion — 59
Stockholders' equity:
Accumulated other comprehensive loss (12 ) (73 )
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity $ 57,916 $ 108,027
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
115
RANI THERAPEUTICS HOLDINGS, INC.
Consolidated Statements of Operations
(in thousands, except per share amounts)
Year Ended December 31,
Operating expenses
Other income (expense), net
Interest income and other, net 3,301 1,248
Interest expense and other, net (5,085 ) (1,071 )
Income tax expense — (70 )
Net loss attributable to non-controlling interest (33,913 ) (32,756 )
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
116
RANI THERAPEUTICS HOLDINGS, INC.
Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Loss
(in thousands)
Year Ended December 31,
Other comprehensive loss
Net unrealized gain (loss) on marketable securities 121 (149 )
Comprehensive loss attributable to non-controlling interest (33,852 ) (32,832 )
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
117
RANI THERAPEUTICS HOLDINGS, INC.
Consolidated Statements of Changes in STOCKHOLDERS’ Equity
(in thousands)
Class A Common Stock Class B Common Stock
Issuance of warrants — — — 503 — — — 503
Issuance of common stock 13 — — — — — — — —
Forfeiture of restricted stock awards (5 ) — — — (7 ) — — (6 ) (13 )
Other comprehensive loss — — — — — (73 ) — (76 ) (149 )
Forfeiture of restricted stock awards (2 ) — — — (6 ) — — (6 ) (12 )
Other comprehensive gain — — — — — 61 — 60 121
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
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RANI THERAPEUTICS HOLDINGS, INC.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(in thousands)
Year Ended December 31,
Cash flows from operating activities
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization 822 548
Non-cash operating lease expense 1,041 764
Amortization of debt discount and issuance costs 232 77
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Prepaid expenses and other current assets 282 505
Other assets (245 ) —
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities (540 ) 605
Operating lease liabilities (1,042 ) (764 )
Net cash used in operating activities (51,236 ) (46,515 )
Cash flows from investing activities
Proceeds from maturities of marketable securities 104,350 3,000
Purchases of marketable securities (73,261 ) (73,817 )
Purchases of property and equipment (1,229 ) (1,619 )
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities 29,860 (72,436 )
Cash flows from financing activities
Issuance of common stock under employee stock purchase plan 355 271
Proceeds from employee stock purchase plan 40 46
Payment of deferred financing costs — (260 )
Net cash provided by financing activities 233 29,005
Supplemental disclosures of cash flow information
Cash paid for interest $ 4,182 $ 730
Cash paid for income taxes $ 35 $ 48
Supplemental disclosures of non-cash investing and financing activities
Interest income receivable included in prepaid expenses $ 148 $ 44
Issuance of costs deducted from long-term debt proceeds $ — $ 851
Deferred financing costs included in prepaid expenses $ — $ 260
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
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RANI THERAPEUTICS HOLDINGS, INC.
Notes to THE Consolidated Financial Statements
1. Organization and Nature of Business
Description of Business
Rani Therapeutics Holdings, Inc. (“Rani Holdings”) was formed as a Delaware corporation in April 2021 for the purpose of facilitating an initial public offering (“IPO”) of its Class A common stock, and to facilitate certain organizational transactions and to operate the business of Rani Therapeutics, LLC (“Rani LLC”) and its consolidated subsidiary, Rani Management Services, Inc. (“RMS”). Rani Holdings and its consolidated subsidiaries, Rani LLC and RMS (prior to December 15, 2022), are collectively referred to herein as “Rani” or the “Company.” RMS was dissolved on December 15, 2022.
The Company is a clinical stage biotherapeutics company focusing on advancing technologies to enable the administration of biologics and drugs orally, to provide patients, physicians, and healthcare systems with a convenient alternative to painful injections. The Company is advancing a portfolio of oral therapeutics using its proprietary delivery technology, the RaniPill capsule. The Company is headquartered in San Jose, California and operates in one segment.
Organizational Transactions
In connection with the IPO in August 2021, the Company was party to the following organizational transactions (the “Organizational Transactions”):
•
Amended and restated Rani LLC’s operating agreement (the “Rani LLC Agreement”) to appoint the Company as the sole managing member of Rani LLC and effectuated an exchange of all outstanding (i) convertible preferred units, automatic or net exercised warrants to purchase preferred units and common units, and common units of Rani LLC, into economic nonvoting Class A units (“Class A Units”) and an equal number of voting noneconomic Class B units (“Class B Units”) and (ii) all non-vested incentive units (“Profits Interests”) into Class A Units. In connection with the closing of the IPO, each LLC interest was exchanged 1 for 0.5282 as determined and predicated on the initial public offering price of the Company’s Class A common stock;
•
Amended and restated the Company’s certificate of incorporation in July 2021, to provide for the issuance of (i) Class A common stock, each share of which entitles its holders to one vote per share, (ii) Class B common stock, each share of which entitles its holders to 10 votes per share on all matters presented to the Company's stockholders, (iii) Class C common stock, which has no voting rights, except as otherwise required by law and (iv) preferred stock;
•
Exchanged 12,047,925 shares of Class A common stock for existing Class A Units of Rani LLC held by certain individuals and entities (the “Former LLC Owners”) on a one-for-one basis;
•
Issued 29,290,391 shares of Class B common stock to certain individuals and entities that continued to hold Class A Units in Rani LLC after the IPO (the “Continuing LLC Owners”) in return for an equal amount of Rani LLC Class B Units;
•
Entered into a Registration Rights Agreement with certain of the Continuing LLC Owners.
The Continuing LLC Owners are entitled to exchange, subject to the terms of the Rani LLC Agreement, the Class A Units they hold in Rani LLC, together with the shares they hold of the Company Class B common stock (together referred to as a "Paired Interest"), in return for shares of the Company’s Class A common stock on a one-for-one basis provided that, at the Company’s election, the Company has the ability to effect a direct exchange of such Class A common stock or make a cash payment equal to a volume weighted average market price of one share of Class A common stock for each Paired Interest redeemed. Any shares of Class B common stock will be canceled on a one-for-one basis if, at the election of the Continuing LLC Owners, the Company redeems or exchanges such Paired Interest pursuant to the terms of the Rani LLC Agreement. As of December 31, 2023, certain individuals who continue to own interests in Rani LLC but do not hold shares of the Company’s Class B common stock (“non-corresponding Class A Units”) have the ability to exchange their non-corresponding Class A Units of Rani LLC for 1,345,067 shares of the Company’s Class A common stock.
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Liquidity
The Company has incurred recurring losses since its inception, including net losses of $67.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2023. As of December 31, 2023, the Company had an accumulated deficit of $72.9 million and for the year ended December 31, 2023 had negative cash flows from operations of $51.2 million. As of December 31, 2023, cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities totaled $48.5 million. Based on its available cash resources and current operating plan, there is substantial doubt regarding the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern for a period of one year after the date that its financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2023 are issued. The Company’s existing capital resources, including the net proceeds from our IPO and Loans, will not be sufficient to enable it to initiate any pivotal clinical trials. The Company will need to raise substantial additional funds in the future in order to complete the development of the RaniPill platform, to complete the clinical development of its product candidates and seek regulatory approval thereof, to expand its manufacturing capabilities, to further develop the RaniPill HC device and to commercialize any of its product candidates.
In August 2022, the Company entered into a loan and security agreement and related supplement (the “Loan Agreement”) with Avenue Venture Opportunities Fund, L.P (the “Lender”). The Loan Agreement provides for term loans (the “Loans”) in an aggregate principal amount up to $45.0 million. A Loan of $30.0 million was committed at closing, with $15.0 million funded immediately and $15.0 million available to be drawn between October 1, 2022 and December 31, 2022, which was drawn in December 2022. The remaining $15.0 million of Loans (“Tranche 2”) is uncommitted and is subject to certain conditions and approval by the Lender.
In August 2022, the Company entered into a Controlled Equity Sales Agreement (the "Sales Agreement") with Cantor Fitzgerald & Co. and H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC (collectively the "Agents"), pursuant to which the Company may offer and sell from time to time through the Agents up to $150 million of shares of its Class A common stock, in such share amounts as the Company may specify by notice to the Agents, in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth in the Sales Agreement. The potential proceeds from the Sales Agreement are expected to be used for general corporate purposes. As of December 31, 2023, the Company has no sales under the Sales Agreement.
In November 2023, the Company underwent a reduction in workforce and paused or discontinued certain programs to reduce expenses and focus its financial resources on key priorities. The Company expects to continue to generate operating losses and negative operating cash flows for the foreseeable future as it continues to develop the RaniPill capsule. The Company expects to finance its future operations with its existing cash and through strategic financing opportunities that could include, but are not limited to, future offerings of its equity, such as “at the market offerings” as defined in Rule 415(a)(4) under the Securities Act, collaboration or licensing agreements, or the incurrence of debt. However, there is no guarantee that any of these strategic or financing opportunities will be executed or realized on favorable terms, if at all. As a result, the Company has concluded that management’s plans do not alleviate substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern.
2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Basis of Presentation
These consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”). Certain prior period amounts have been reclassified to be consistent with current period presentation.
The Company operates and controls all of the business and affairs of Rani LLC and, through Rani LLC conducts its business. Because the Company manages and operates the business and controls the strategic decisions and day-to-day operations of Rani LLC and also has a substantial financial interest in Rani LLC, the Company consolidates the financial results of Rani LLC, and a portion of its net loss is allocated to the non-controlling interests in Rani LLC held by the Continuing LLC Owners. All intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.
Variable Interest Entities
The Company consolidates all entities that it controls through a majority voting interest or as the primary beneficiary of a variable interest entity (“VIE”). In determining whether the Company is the primary beneficiary of an entity, the Company applies a qualitative approach that determines whether it has both (1) the power to direct the economically significant activities of the entity and (2) the obligation to absorb losses of, or the right to receive benefits from, the entity that could potentially be significant to that entity. The Company’s determination about whether it should consolidate such VIEs is made continuously as changes to existing relationships or future transactions may result in a consolidation event.
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Use of Estimates
The preparation of the consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenue and expenses and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities in the Company’s consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. The Company evaluates its estimates on an ongoing basis. The Company bases its estimates on its historical experience and also on assumptions that we believe are reasonable; however, actual results may differ materially and adversely from these estimates.
Concentrations of Credit Risk and Other Risks and Uncertainties
Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk consist primarily of cash and cash equivalents. The Company maintains accounts in federally insured financial institutions in excess of federally insured limits. The Company also holds money market funds that are not federally insured. However, management believes the Company is not exposed to significant credit risk due to the financial strength of the depository institutions in which these deposits are held and of the money market funds and other entities in which these investments are made.
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash Equivalents
The Company considers all cash held on deposit and highly liquid investments purchased with original or remaining maturities of less than three months at the date of purchase to be cash equivalents. Cash equivalents are carried at cost, which approximates fair value. The Company’s cash and cash equivalents consist of balances held in demand depositary accounts and money market funds. Restricted cash equivalents consist of cash collateral required by a bank in connection with the Company's commercial credit cards program. The Company limits its credit risk associated with cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash equivalents by maintaining its bank accounts at major financial institutions.
The following table provides a reconciliation of cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash equivalents reported as a component of prepaid expenses and other current assets on the consolidated balance sheet which, in aggregate, represents the amount reported in the consolidated statements of cash flows for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 (in thousands):
Year Ended December 31,
End of Period:
Restricted cash equivalents 500 500
Total cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash equivalents $ 6,364 $ 27,507
Marketable Securities
The Company invests its excess cash in marketable securities with high credit ratings including securities issued by U.S. and international governments and their agencies, corporate debt securities and commercial paper. The Company has assessed U.S. government treasuries as Level 1 and all other marketable securities as Level 2 within the fair value hierarchy. All the Company's marketable securities have been accounted for as available-for-sale and carried at fair value. The Company classifies all its available-for-sale marketable securities, including those with maturity dates beyond one year, as current assets on the consolidated balance sheets as the Company may sell these securities at any time for use in current operations even if they have not yet reached maturity. The amortized cost of debt securities is adjusted for amortization of premiums and accretion of discounts to maturity, which is included in interest income and other, net on the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss. Realized gains and losses on marketable securities are included in other income (expense) on the consolidated statements of operations. Gains and losses on sales are recorded based on the trade date and determined using the specific identification method.
The Company regularly reviews its investments for declines in fair value below their amortized cost basis to determine whether the impairment is due to credit-related factors or noncredit-related factors. The Company's review includes the creditworthiness of the security issuers, the severity of the unrealized losses, whether the Company has the intent to sell the securities and whether it is more likely than not that the Company will be required to sell the securities before the recovery of its amortized cost bases. When the Company determines that a portion of the unrealized loss is due to an expected credit loss, the Company recognizes the loss amount in Other income (expense), net, with a corresponding allowance against the carrying value of the security the Company holds. The portion of the unrealized loss related to factors other than credit losses is recognized in Accumulated other comprehensive loss. The Company has made an accounting policy election to not measure an allowance for credit loss for accrued interest receivables and will recognize a credit loss for accrued interest receivables when the loss becomes probable and estimable. As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, interest income receivable recorded as a component of prepaid expenses and other current assets on the consolidated balance sheet was $0.2 million and de minimis, respectively.
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Fair Value of Financial Instruments
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 and that are significant to determining the fair value of the assets or liabilities, including pricing models, discounted cash flow methodologies and similar techniques.
As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, the carrying values of current assets and liabilities approximates fair value due to their short-term nature, respectively. The fair value of the Company’s long-term debt approximated its carrying value based on borrowing rates currently available to the Company for debt with similar terms and maturities (Level 2 inputs).
To the extent that the valuation is based on models or inputs that are less observable or unobservable in the market, the determination of fair value requires more judgment. Accordingly, the degree of judgement exercised by the Company in determining fair value is greatest for instruments categorized in Level 3. A financial instrument’s level within the fair value hierarchy is based on the lowest level of any input that is significant to the fair value of the instrument.
Leases
The Company determines whether the arrangement is or contains a lease based on the unique facts and circumstances present at the inception of the arrangement and if such a lease is classified as a financing lease or operating lease. The Company has elected not to recognize on the balance sheet leases with terms of one year or less. For any arrangement that is considered to be a lease with a term greater than one year, the Company recognizes a lease asset for its right to use the underlying asset and a lease liability for the corresponding lease obligation. Operating leases are included in operating lease right-of-use ("ROU") assets and operating lease liabilities in the Company’s consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2023.
ROU assets represent the Company’s right to use an underlying asset for the lease term and lease liabilities represent the Company’s obligation to make lease payments arising from the lease contract. Operating lease ROU assets and liabilities are recognized at the lease commencement date based on the present value of lease payments over the expected lease term. In determining the net present value of lease payments, the interest rate implicit in lease contracts is typically not readily determinable. As such, the Company utilizes the appropriate incremental borrowing rate (“IBR”), which is the rate incurred to borrow on a collateralized basis over a similar term an amount equal to the lease payments in a similar economic environment. Certain adjustments to the ROU asset may be required for items such as initial direct costs paid or incentives received and impairment charges if the Company determines the ROU asset is impaired. The Company considers a lease term to be the noncancelable period during which it has the right to use the underlying asset, including any periods where it is reasonably certain the Company will exercise the option to extend the contract. Periods covered by an option to extend are included in the lease term if the lessor controls the exercise of that option.
The operating lease ROU assets also include any lease payments made and exclude lease incentives. The Company has elected to not separate lease and non-lease components for its leased assets and accounts for all lease and non-lease components of its agreements as a single lease component. The lease components resulting in a ROU asset have been recorded on the consolidated balance sheet and amortized as lease expense on a straight-line basis over the lease term.
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Long-Term Debt with Detachable Warrants
Detachable warrants are evaluated for the classification of warrants as either equity instruments, derivative liabilities, or liabilities depending on the specific terms of the warrant agreement. In circumstances in which debt is issued with equity-classified warrants, the proceeds from the issuance of debt are first allocated to the debt and the warrants at their relative estimated fair values. The portion of the proceeds allocated to the warrants are accounted for as paid in capital and a debt discount. The remaining proceeds, as further reduced by discounts created by the bifurcation of embedded derivatives and beneficial conversion features, are allocated to the debt. The Company accounts for debt as liabilities measured at amortized cost and amortizes the resulting debt discount from the allocation of proceeds, to interest expense using the effective interest method over the expected term of the debt instrument. The Company considers whether there are any embedded features in debt instruments that require bifurcation and separate accounting as derivative financial instruments.
Research and Development Costs
Research and development costs are expensed as incurred. Research and development expenses consist primarily of contract research fees and process development, outsourced labor and related expenses for personnel, facilities cost, fees paid to consultants and advisors, depreciation and supplies used in research and development and costs incurred under the Company's evaluation agreements. Payments made prior to the receipt of goods or services to be used in research and development activities are recorded as prepaid expenses until the related goods or services are received. Until future commercialization is considered probable and the future economic benefit is expected to be realized, the Company does not capitalize pre-launch inventory costs. Costs of property and equipment related to scaling-up of the manufacturing capacity for clinical trials and to support commercialization are capitalized as property and equipment unless the related asset does not have an alternative future use.
Clinical and preclinical costs are a component of research and development expense. The Company accrues and expenses clinical and pre-clinical trial activities performed by third parties based upon actual work completed in accordance with agreements established with its service providers. The Company determines the actual costs through discussions with internal personnel and external service providers as to the progress or stage of completion of services and the agreed-upon fee to be paid for such services.
Stock-Based Compensation
In July 2021, the Company adopted and its stockholders approved, the Rani Therapeutics Holdings, Inc. 2021 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2021 Plan”). The Company has subsequently granted stock options to purchase shares of its Class A common stock as well as restricted stock units (“RSUs”) and restricted stock awards ("RSAs") from the 2021 Plan to both employees and non-employees. The Company measures stock-based compensation at fair value on the grant date of the award. The fair value of employee and nonemployee RSUs is determined based on the number of shares granted and the closing market price of the Company’s Class A common stock on the date of grant. The fair value of employee RSAs is determined based on the estimated fair value of the Company’s Class A common stock on the grant date and is subject to the Company's reacquisition right which is accounted for as a forfeiture provision (Note 10). For awards that vest subject to the satisfaction of service requirements, compensation expense is measured based on the fair value of the award on the date of grant and expense is recognized on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period. The Company accounts for forfeitures as they occur. Stock-based compensation is classified in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss based on the function to which the related services are provided.
The Company determines the grant-date fair value of options to purchase common shares using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model which requires inputs based on certain subjective assumptions, including the expected stock price volatility, the expected term of the option, the risk-free interest rate for a period that approximates the expected term of the option, and the Company’s expected dividend yield. Such assumptions represent management’s best estimates and involve inherent uncertainties and the application of management’s judgment. If actual results are not consistent with the Company’s assumptions and judgments used in making these estimates, the Company may be required to increase or decrease compensation expense, which could be material to the Company’s consolidated results of operations.
Income Taxes
The Company is the managing member of Rani LLC and, as a result, consolidates the financial results of Rani LLC and, prior to December 15, 2022, its taxable subsidiary RMS in the consolidated financial statements. RMS was dissolved on December 15, 2022. Rani LLC is a pass-through entity for United States federal and most applicable state and local income tax purposes following the IPO and Organizational Transactions. As an entity classified as a partnership for tax purposes, Rani LLC is not subject to United States federal and certain state and local income taxes. Any taxable income or loss generated by Rani LLC is passed through to, and included in the taxable income or loss of, its members, including the Company. The Company is taxed as a corporation and pays corporate federal, state and local taxes with respect to income allocated to it, based on its economic interest in Rani LLC. The Company's tax provision also includes the activity of RMS prior to its dissolution, which is taxed as a corporation for United States federal and state income tax purposes.
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The Company accounts for income taxes under the asset and liability method of accounting. Current income tax expense or benefit represents the amount of income taxes expected to be payable or refundable for the current year. The Company recognizes deferred tax assets and liabilities for the future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases, as well as for operating loss and tax credit carryforwards. The Company measures deferred tax assets and liabilities using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which the Company expects to recover or settle those temporary differences. The Company recognizes the effect of a change in tax rates on deferred tax assets and liabilities in the results of operations in the period that includes the enactment date. The Company reduces the measurement of a deferred tax asset, if necessary, by a valuation allowance if it is more likely than not that the Company will not realize some or all of the deferred tax asset.
The Company’s tax positions are subject to income tax audits. The Company uses a recognition threshold and measurement attribute for the consolidated financial statement recognition and measurement of a tax position taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. A tax position is recognized when it is more likely than not that the tax position will be sustained upon examination, including the resolution of any related appeals or litigation. A tax position that meets the more-likely-than-not recognition threshold is measured at the largest amount of benefit that is greater than a 50% likelihood of being realized upon ultimate settlement with a taxing authority. Interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits are recognized in income tax expense in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss. No such interest and penalties were recognized for any period presented.
Tax Receivable Agreement
In August 2021, in connection with the IPO and Organizational Transactions, the Company entered into a tax receivable agreement ("TRA") with certain of the Continuing LLC Owners. The TRA provides that the Company pay to such Continuing LLC Owners, 85% of the amount of tax benefits, if any, it is deemed to realize (calculated using certain assumptions) as a result of (i) increases in the tax basis of assets of Rani LLC resulting from (a) any future redemptions or exchanges of Paired Interests or non-corresponding Class A Units of Rani LLC and (b) payments under the TRA and (ii) certain other benefits arising from payments under the TRA (collectively the “Tax Attributes”).
A liability for the payable to parties subject to the TRA, and a reduction to stockholders’ equity, is accrued when (i) an exchange of a Paired Interest or non-corresponding Class A Units of Rani LLC has occurred and (ii) when it is deemed probable that the Tax Attributes associated with the exchange will be used to reduce the Company’s taxable income based on the contractual percentage of the benefit of Tax Attributes that the Company expects to receive over a period of time (Note 13).
Comprehensive Loss
Comprehensive loss is defined as a change in equity of a business enterprise during a period, resulting from transactions and other events and/or circumstances from non-owner sources. Other comprehensive loss represents changes in fair value of the Company's available-for-sale marketable securities.
Non-Controlling Interest
Non-controlling interest ("NCI") represents the portion of income or loss, net assets and comprehensive loss of the Company's consolidated subsidiary that is not allocable to Rani Holdings based on the Company's percentage of ownership of Rani LLC.
In August 2021, based on the Organizational Transactions, Rani Holdings became the sole managing member of Rani LLC. As of December 31, 2023, Rani Holdings held approximately 51% of the Class A Units of Rani LLC, and approximately 49% of the outstanding Class A Units of Rani LLC are held by the Continuing LLC Owners. Therefore, the Company reports NCI based on the Class A Units of Rani LLC held by the Continuing LLC Owners on its consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2023. Income or loss attributed to the NCI in Rani LLC is based on the Class A Units outstanding during the period for which the income or loss is generated and is presented on the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss.
Future exchanges of Paired Interests and non-corresponding Class A Units of Rani LLC will result in a change in ownership and reduce or increase the amount recorded as NCI and increase or decrease additional paid-in-capital when Rani LLC has positive or negative net assets, respectively. From the date of the Organizational Transactions to December 31, 2023, there were 5,173,947 exchanges of Paired Interests and 200,455 exchanges of non-corresponding Class A Units of Rani LLC for an equal number of shares of the Company's Class A common stock.
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Property and Equipment, Net
Property and equipment, net are stated at cost, less accumulated depreciation and amortization calculated using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets, generally between three and five years. Leasehold improvements are amortized over the shorter of the related lease term or useful life. Maintenance and repairs are charged to operations when incurred, while betterments or renewals are capitalized. When property and equipment are sold or otherwise disposed of, the asset account and related accumulated depreciation and amortization accounts are relieved, and any gain or loss is included in the results of operations. Construction-in-progress consists of production equipment that will be used to scale-up the manufacturing of the RaniPill capsule for clinical trials and that has been determined to have an alternative future use. Construction-in-progress is stated at cost and does not begin to depreciate until it is put into production.
Impairment of Long-Lived Assets
The Company reviews the carrying amounts of its long-lived assets for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset (or asset group) may not be recoverable. If indicators of impairment exist, an impairment loss would be recognized when the estimated undiscounted future cash flows expected to result from the use of the asset and its eventual disposition are less than its carrying amount. The impairment charge is determined based upon the excess of the carrying value of the asset over its estimated fair value, with estimated fair value determined based upon an estimate of discounted future cash flows or other appropriate measures of estimated fair value. Management believes that no revision to the remaining useful lives or write-down of long-lived assets is required as of and for the year ended December 31, 2023.
Net Loss Per Class A Common Share Attributable to Rani Holdings
Basic net loss per Class A common share attributable to Rani Holdings is computed by dividing net loss attributable to the Company by the weighted average number of Class A common shares outstanding during the period, without consideration of potential dilutive securities. Diluted net loss per Class A common share is computed giving effect to all potentially dilutive shares. Diluted net loss per Class A common share for all periods presented is the same as basic loss per share as the inclusion of potentially issuable shares would be antidilutive.
Emerging Growth Company Status
The Company is an emerging growth company, as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (“JOBS Act”). Under the JOBS Act, emerging growth companies can delay adopting new or revised accounting standards issued subsequent to the enactment of the JOBS Act, until such time as those standards apply to private companies. The Company has elected to use this extended transition period for complying with new or revised accounting standards that have different effective dates for public and private companies until the earlier of the date that it (i) is no longer an emerging growth company or (ii) affirmatively and irrevocably opts out of the extended transition period provided in the JOBS Act. As a result, these consolidated financial statements may not be comparable to companies that comply with the new or revised accounting pronouncements as of public company effective dates.
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3. Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash Equivalents and Marketable Securities
The following tables summarizes the amortized cost and fair value of the Company's cash equivalents, restricted cash equivalents and marketable securities by major investment category (in thousands):
Amortized Cost Unrealized Gains Unrealized Losses Estimated Fair Value
Current assets:
Cash equivalents:
Money market funds $ 3,339 $ — $ — $ 3,339
Restricted cash equivalents:
Total cash equivalents and restricted cash equivalents 3,839 — — 3,839
Marketable securities:
Amortized Cost Unrealized Gains Unrealized Losses Estimated Fair Value
Current assets:
Cash equivalents:
Restricted cash equivalents:
Total cash equivalents and restricted cash equivalents 25,813 — — 25,813
Marketable securities:
All marketable securities are classified as short-term. The Company regularly reviews its available-for-sale marketable securities in an unrealized loss position and evaluates the current expected credit loss by considering factors such as historical experience, market data, issuer-specific factors, and current economic conditions. As of December 31, 2023, the aggregate difference between the amortized cost and fair value of each security in an unrealized loss position was de minimis. Since any provision for expected credit losses for a security held is limited to the amount the fair value is less than its amortized cost, no allowance for expected credit loss was deemed necessary at December 31, 2023.
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4. Fair Value Measurements
The following tables detail information about the Company’s financial assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis and indicates the level of inputs used in such measurements (in thousands):
Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Total
Assets:
Cash equivalents:
Money market funds $ 3,339 $ — $ — $ 3,339
Restricted cash equivalents:
Marketable securities
Corporate debt securities — 1,963 — 1,963
Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Total
Assets:
Cash equivalents:
Restricted cash equivalents:
Marketable securities
Corporate debt securities — 6,900 — 6,900
Level 1 and Level 2 financial instruments are comprised of investments in money market funds and fixed-income securities. The Company estimates the fair value of its Level 2 financial instruments by taking into consideration valuations obtained from third-party pricing services. The third-party pricing services utilize industry standard valuation models, for which all significant inputs are observable, either directly or indirectly, to estimate fair value. These inputs include reported trades of and broker/dealer quotes on the same or similar securities; issuer credit spreads; benchmark securities; and other observable inputs.
There were no transfers between Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy for any of the periods presented.
In 2022, as further discussed in Note 8, the Company issued Level 3 equity classified warrants totaling $0.5 million in connection with the loan and security agreement that were estimated on the date of issuance using the Black-Scholes valuation model which requires inputs based on certain subjective assumptions, including the expected stock price volatility, the expected term of the option, the risk-free interest rate for a period that approximates the expected term of the option, and the Company’s expected dividend yield. Such assumptions represent management’s best estimates and involve inherent uncertainties and the application of management’s judgment.
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5. Balance Sheet Components
Property and equipment, net
Property and equipment, net consist of the following (in thousands):
December 31,
Less accumulated depreciation and amortization (3,671 ) (2,849 )
Total property and equipment, net $ 6,105 $ 6,038
Depreciation and amortization expense totaled $0.8 million and $0.5 million for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively.
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities consist of the following (in thousands):
December 31,
Accrued interest $ 500 $ 69
Accrued preclinical and clinical trial costs 424 1,130
Accrued professional fees 235 165
Related party payable 52 53
Total accrued expenses and other current liabilities $ 1,726 $ 2,349
6. Related Party Transactions
InCube Labs, LLC (“ICL”) is wholly-owned by the Company’s founder and Chairman and his family. The founder and Chairman is the father of the Company’s Chief Executive Officer. The Company’s Chief Scientific Officer is also the brother of the founder and Chairman and thus uncle of the Company’s Chief Executive Officer.
Service Agreements
In June 2021, Rani LLC entered into a service agreement with ICL effective retrospectively to January 1, 2021, and subsequently amended such agreement in March 2022 (as amended, the "Rani LLC-ICL Service Agreement"), pursuant to which Rani LLC and ICL agreed to provide personnel services to the other upon requests. Under the amendment in March 2022, Rani LLC has a right to occupy certain facilities leased by ICL in Milpitas, California and San Antonio, Texas (“Occupancy Services”) for general office, research and development, and light manufacturing. The Rani LLC-ICL Service Agreement has a twelve-month term and will automatically renew for successive twelve-month periods unless terminated; except that the Occupancy Services in Milpitas, California have a term until February 2024, following an extension granted in July 2022, and the Occupancy Services in San Antonio, Texas continue until either party gives six months’ notice of termination. Except for the Occupancy Services, Rani LLC or ICL may terminate services under the Rani LLC-ICL Service Agreement upon 60 days' notice to the other party. The Rani LLC-ICL Service Agreement specifies the scope of services to be provided as well as the methods for determining the costs of services. Costs are billed or charged on a monthly basis by ICL or Rani LLC, respectively. Rani LLC provided to ICL notice of termination of the Occupancy Services in San Antonio in December 2023, which termination will take effect in June 2024.
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In June 2021, RMS entered into a service agreement with ICL (the “RMS-ICL Service Agreement”) effective retrospectively to January 1, 2021, pursuant to which ICL agreed to rent a specified portion of its facility in San Jose, California to RMS. Additionally, RMS and ICL agreed to provide personnel services to the other upon requests based on rates specified in the RMS-ICL Service Agreement. In April 2022, RMS assigned the RMS-ICL Service Agreement to Rani LLC. The RMS-ICL Service Agreement has a twelve-month term and will automatically renew for successive twelve-month periods unless terminated. Rani LLC or ICL may terminate services under the RMS-ICL Service Agreement upon 60 days' notice to the other party, except for occupancy which requires six months’ notice. The RMS-ICL Service Agreement specifies the scope of services to be provided as well as the methods for determining the costs of services. Costs are billed or charged on a monthly basis by ICL or Rani LLC, respectively, as well as allocations of expenses based upon Rani LLC’s utilization of ICL’s facilities and equipment.
The table below details the amounts charged by ICL for services and rent, net of the amount that the Company charged ICL, which is included in the consolidated statements of operations (in thousands):
Year Ended December 31,
General and administrative 254 222
Prior to April 2022, the Company’s eligible employees were permitted to participate in ICL’s 401(k) Plan (“401(k) Plan”). Participation in the 401(k) Plan was offered for the benefit of the employees, including the Company’s named executive officers, who satisfied certain eligibility requirements. In April 2022, the Company established its own 401(k) Plan, with participation offered for the benefit of the employees, including the Company’s named executive officers, who satisfy certain eligibility requirements.
As of December 31, 2023, all of the Company's facilities are owned or leased by an entity affiliated with the Company’s Chairman (Note 7). The Company pays for the use of these facilities through its services agreements with ICL.
Exclusive License, Intellectual Property and Common Unit Purchase Agreement
The Company, through Rani LLC, and ICL entered into an exclusive license and an intellectual property agreement and common unit purchase agreement in 2012. Pursuant to the common unit purchase agreement, the Company issued 46.0 million common units to ICL in return for rights to exclusive commercialization, development, use and sale of certain products and services related to the RaniPill capsule technology. ICL also granted the Company a fully-paid, royalty-free, sublicensable, exclusive license under the intellectual property made by ICL during the course of providing services to the Company related to the RaniPill capsule technology. Such rights were not recorded on the Company’s consolidated balance sheet as the transaction was considered a common control transaction.
In June 2021, ICL and the Company, through Rani LLC, entered into an Amended and Restated Exclusive License Agreement which replaced the 2012 Exclusive License Agreement between ICL and Rani LLC, as amended in 2013, and terminated the 2012 Intellectual Property Agreement between ICL and Rani LLC, as amended in June 2013. Under the Amended and Restated Exclusive License Agreement, the Company has a fully paid, exclusive license under certain scheduled patents related to optional features of the device and certain other scheduled patents to exploit products covered by those patents in the field of oral delivery of sensors, small molecule drugs or biologic drugs including, any peptide, antibody, protein, cell therapy, gene therapy or vaccine. The Company covers patent-related expenses and, after a certain period, the Company will have the right to acquire four specified United States patent families from ICL by making a one-time payment of $0.3 million to ICL for each United States patent family that the Company desires to acquire, up to $1.0 million in the aggregate. This payment will not become an obligation until the fifth anniversary of the Amended and Restated Exclusive License Agreement. The Amended and Restated Exclusive License Agreement will terminate when there are no remaining valid claims of the patents licensed under the Amended and Restated Exclusive License Agreement. Additionally, the Company may terminate the Amended and Restated Exclusive License Agreement in its entirety or as to any particular licensed patent upon notification to ICL of such intent to terminate.
Non-Exclusive License Agreement between Rani and ICL (“Non-Exclusive License Agreement”)
In June 2021, the Company, through Rani LLC, entered into the Non-Exclusive License Agreement with ICL a related party, pursuant to which the Company granted ICL a non-exclusive, fully-paid license under specified patents that were assigned from ICL to the Company. Additionally, the Company agreed not to license these patents to a third party in a specific field outside the field of oral delivery of sensors, small molecule drugs or biologic drugs including, any peptide, antibody, protein, cell therapy, gene therapy or vaccine, if ICL can prove that it or its sublicensee has been in active development of a product covered by such patents in that specific field. ICL may grant sublicenses under this license to third parties only with the Company’s prior approval. The Non-Exclusive License Agreement will continue in perpetuity unless earlier terminated.
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Intellectual Property Agreement with Mir Imran (the “Mir Agreement”)
In June 2021, the Company, through Rani LLC, entered into the Mir Agreement, pursuant to which the Company and Mir Imran agreed that the Company would own all intellectual property conceived (i) using any of the Company’s people, equipment, or facilities or (ii) that is within the field of oral delivery of sensors, small molecule drugs or biologic drugs including, any peptide, antibody, protein, cell therapy, gene therapy or vaccine. Neither the Company nor Mir Imran may assign the Mir Agreement to any third party without the prior written consent of the other party. The initial term of the Mir Agreement is three years, which can be extended upon mutual consent of the parties. The Mir Agreement may be terminated by either party for any reason within the initial three-year term upon providing three months’ notice to the other party.
Tax Receivable Agreement
Certain parties to the TRA, entered into in August 2021 pursuant to the IPO and Organizational Transactions are related parties of the Company. The TRA provides that the Company pay to ICL and the other Continuing LLC Owners 85% of the amount of tax benefits, if any, it is deemed to realize from exchanges of Paired Interests (Note 2). During the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, these parties to the TRA exchanged zero and 2,317,184 Paired Interests, respectively, that resulted in tax benefits subject to the TRA (Note 13).
Registration Rights Agreement
In connection with the IPO, the Company entered into a Registration Rights Agreement. ICL and its affiliates are parties to this agreement. The Registration Rights Agreement provides certain registration rights whereby, at any time following the IPO and the expiration of any related lock-up period, ICL and its affiliates can require the Company to register under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) shares of Class A common stock issuable to ICL and its affiliates upon, at the Company’s election, redemption or exchange of their Paired Interests. The Registration Rights Agreement also provides for piggyback registration rights. In March 2022, certain holders of the Company's Class A common stock considered to be related parties were made parties to the Registration Rights Agreement. As a result of certain stockholders exercising their registration rights under the Registration Rights Agreement, in December 2022, the Company filed a registration statement on Form S-3 to register 6,009,542 shares of Class A common stock of the Company held by certain of its stockholders.
Rani LLC Agreement
The Company operates its business through Rani LLC. In connection with the IPO, the Company and the Continuing LLC Owners, including ICL and its affiliates, entered into the Rani LLC Agreement. The governance of Rani LLC, and the rights and obligations of the holders of LLC Interests, are set forth in the Rani LLC Agreement. As Continuing LLC Owners, ICL and its affiliates are entitled to exchange, subject to the terms of the Rani LLC Agreement, Paired Interests for Class A common stock of the Company; provided that, at the Company’s election, the Company may effect a direct exchange of such Class A common stock or make a cash payment equal to a volume weighted average market price of one share of Class A common stock for each Paired Interest redeemed.
During the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, certain related parties that are party to the Rani LLC Agreement exchanged zero and 2,317,184 Paired Interests, respectively, for an equal number of shares of the Company's Class A common stock.
7. Leases
The Company pays for the use of its office, laboratory and manufacturing facility in San Jose, California as part of the RMS-ICL Service Agreement. In April 2022, RMS assigned the RMS-ICL Service Agreement to Rani LLC. The RMS-ICL Service Agreement has a twelve-month term and will automatically renew for successive twelve-month periods unless Rani LLC or ICL terminate occupancy under the RMS-ICL Service Agreement upon six months’ notice. The Company determined it to be reasonably certain that it would exercise its renewal option for a successive twelve-month period and has considered it in the determination of the right-of-use assets and lease liabilities associated with the RMS-ICL Service Agreement as of December 31, 2023.
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Under the Rani LLC-ICL Service Agreement amended in March 2022, Rani LLC has a right to occupy certain facilities leased by ICL in Milpitas, California and San Antonio, Texas for general office, research and development, and light manufacturing. The Rani LLC-ICL Service Agreement has a twelve-month term and will automatically renew for a successive twelve-month periods unless terminated; except that the Occupancy Services in Milpitas, California have a term until February 2024, following an extension granted in July 2022, with the potential for one additional annual renewal, subject to approval by the landlord upon a nine months’ notice of renewal prior to the end of the lease term, and the Occupancy Services in San Antonio, Texas continue until either party gives six months’ notice of termination. The Company accounted for the lease extension as a lease modification that did not result in a separate contract and recognized the right-of-use asset and lease liabilities associated with the Rani LLC-ICL Service Agreement in the consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2023. As of December 31, 2023, the second renewal option for the facility in Milpitas, California was not deemed reasonably certain to be exercised. The Company provided to ICL notice of termination of the Occupancy Services in San Antonio in December 2023, which termination will take effect in June 2024.
The Company's leases are accounted for as operating leases and require certain fixed payments of real estate taxes and insurance in addition to future minimum lease payments, and certain variable payments of common area maintenance costs and building utilities. Variable lease payments are expensed in the period in which the obligation for those payments is incurred. These variable lease costs are payments that vary in amount beyond the commencement date, for reasons other than passage of time. Variable lease payments are excluded in the total operating lease expense and immaterial for the periods presented.
Supplemental information on the Company’s consolidated balance sheet and statements of cash flows as of December 31, 2023 related to leases was as follows (in thousands):
December 31,
Weighted-average remaining lease term (in years) 0.9 1.1
Weighted-average discount rate 10.4 % 7.0 %
As of December 31, 2023, minimum annual rental payments under the Company’s operating lease agreements are as follows (in thousands):
Year ending December 31,
Total undiscounted future minimum lease payments $ 749
Less: Imputed interest (31 )
Total operating lease liability $ 718
Less: Current portion of operating lease liability 718
Operating lease liability, net current portion $ -
In November 2023, Rani LLC and BKM South Bay 240, LLC (“Landlord”) entered into the Standard Industrial/Commercial Multi-Tenant Lease - Net (the “Lease”). Pursuant to the terms of the Lease, Rani LLC is leasing approximately 33,000 square feet of space in Fremont, California, which is part of a two-building project (the “Project”). The initial term of the Lease commenced in February 2024, and the duration of the initial term is 63 months. Subject to certain conditions, Rani LLC has an option to renew the Lease for one additional 5-year term at the then-prevailing market rate. The monthly base rent for the initial term of the Lease is approximately $95,000 per month, subject to a 4% increase each year. Rani LLC is also responsible for the payment of additional rent to cover its share of common area operating expenses, including taxes, insurance, utilities, and repair and maintenance of the premises and common areas of the Project. The Company will further evaluate the Lease and record its impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements on the commencement date of the Lease in February 2024. Future minimum lease payments for the Lease total $6.5 million through 2029 and are excluded from the table above.
8. Warrants
In August 2022, in conjunction with a loan and security agreement (Note 12), the Company issued warrants to purchase 76,336 shares of the Company's Class A common stock. The warrants are exercisable for a period of five years from the grant date, as may be adjusted for certain anti-dilution adjustments, dividends, stock splits, and reverse stock splits, at an exercise price per share equal to $11.79, which may be net share settled at the option of the holder. As of December 31, 2023, there were 76,336 warrants outstanding.
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9. Stockholders’ Equity
For the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, certain of the Continuing LLC Owners executed an exchange of zero and 5,173,947 Paired Interests, respectively, and 42,404 and 158,051 non-corresponding Class A Units of Rani LLC, respectively, in return for an equal number of shares of the Company’s Class A common stock. The corresponding shares of the Company’s Class B common stock included in the exchange of Paired Interests were subsequently canceled and retired pursuant to the terms of the Rani LLC Agreement.
In August 2022, the Company entered into a Controlled Equity Sales Agreement (the "Sales Agreement") with Cantor Fitzgerald & Co. and H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC (collectively the "Agents"), pursuant to which the Company may offer and sell from time to time through the Agents up to $150.0 million of shares of its Class A common stock, in such share amounts as the Company may specify by notice to the Agents, in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth in the Sales Agreement. The potential proceeds from the Sales Agreement are expected to be used for general corporate purposes. As of December 31, 2023, the Company has no sales under the Sales Agreement. In connection with the Sales Agreement, the Company recognized deferred offering costs totaling $0.3 million as a component of prepaid expenses and other current assets in the consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2023 which will be offset against proceeds upon a sale under the Sales Agreement within the consolidated statement of changes in stockholders’ equity.
As of December 31, 2023, the Company reserved 0.5 million shares of Class A Common Stock for issuance under the Rani Therapeutics Holdings, Inc. 2021 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the “ESPP”) and 3.0 million shares of Class A common stock for future issuance under the 2021 Plan.
10. Stock-Based Compensation
Stock Option Repricing
On December 16, 2023 (the “Repricing Date”), the Company's Board of Directors approved a stock option award repricing whereby certain previously granted and still outstanding unvested stock option awards issued under the 2021 Plan and the 2016 Equity Incentive Plan, were reduced to $2.84 per share, which represented the most recent closing market price of the Company’s Class A common stock to the Repricing Date (the “Option Repricing”). These stock option awards are held by employees, including the Company’s named executive officers, certain consultants, and non-employee members of the Board of Directors. No other terms of the options were modified, and the stock option awards will continue to vest according to their original vesting schedules, remain subject to the same service requirements and will retain their original expiration dates. The Option Repricing was fair valued using the Black-Scholes option pricing model, which approximated the Lattice model, resulting in $1.8 million of incremental stock-based compensation expense and is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of approximately 2.3 years.
Stock Options
A summary of stock option activity during the periods indicated is as follows:
The Company uses the Black-Scholes option pricing model to estimate the fair value of each stock option award on the date of grant. The assumptions and estimates are as follows:
•
Expected term - The expected term represents the period of time that stock option awards are expected to remain outstanding. The Company estimates the expected term as the midpoint between actual or expected vesting date and the contractual term.
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•
Expected volatility - The expected volatility was derived from the historical stock volatilities of peer public companies within the Company's industry that are considered to be comparable businesses over a period equivalent to the expected term of the stock option awards, since there has been limited trading history of the Company's stock.
•
Risk-free interest rate - The risk-free interest rate is based on the U.S. Treasury yield curve in effect at the date of grant for zero-coupon U.S. Treasury notes with maturities approximately equal to the stock option awards’ expected term.
•
Expected dividend yield - The expected dividend yield is zero as the Company has no plans to make dividend payments.
The following table sets forth the weighted average assumptions used in estimating the fair value of stock option awards on the grant date:
Year Ended December 31,
Expected term (in years) 5.1 - 5.9 5.9
Expected dividend yield — % — %
As of December 31, 2023, there was $21.4 million of unrecognized stock-based compensation expense related to stock options which is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of approximately 2.3 years.
Restricted Stock Units
A summary of RSU activity during the periods indicated is as follows:
As of December 31, 2023, there was $8.1 million of unrecognized stock-based compensation expense related to RSUs which is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of approximately 3.0 years. The total fair value of RSUs vested was $2.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2023.
Restricted Stock Awards
A summary of RSA activity during the periods indicated is as follows:
As of December 31, 2023, unrecognized stock-based compensation expense related to RSAs was de minimis which is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of approximately 0.5 years. The total fair value of RSAs vested was $0.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2023.
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ESPP
As of December 31, 2023, 0.2 million shares of Class A common stock have been issued under the ESPP. During the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, the Company recognized $0.3 million and $0.2 million, respectively, of stock-based compensation expense related to the ESPP. As of December 31, 2023, contributions withheld from employees were de minimis and recorded as a component of accrued expenses and other current liabilities in the consolidated balance sheet. As of December 31, 2023, there was $0.1 million of unrecognized stock-based compensation expense related to the ESPP which is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of approximately 0.4 years.
Stock-Based Compensation Expense
The following table summarizes the components of stock-based compensation expense resulting from the grant of stock options, RSUs, RSAs, and the ESPP, recorded in the Company’s consolidated statement of operations and comprehensive loss (in thousands):
Year Ended December 31,
11. Commitments and Contingencies
Legal Proceedings
In the ordinary course of business, the Company may be subject to legal proceedings, claims and litigation as the Company operates in an industry susceptible to patent legal claims. The Company accounts for estimated losses with respect to legal proceedings and claims when such losses are probable and estimable. Legal costs associated with these matters are expensed when incurred. The Company is currently involved in several opposition proceedings at the European Patent Office, all of which were asserted against us by Novo Nordisk A/S. The ultimate outcome of this matter as a loss is not probable nor is there any amount that is reasonably estimable. However, the outcome of the opposition proceedings could impact the Company’s ability to prevent third parties from commercializing in Europe products with characteristics similar to those of the Company’s RaniPill technology.
Tax Receivable Agreement
The Company is party to a TRA with certain of the Continuing LLC Owners (Note 2). As of December 31, 2023, the Company has not recorded a liability under the TRA related to the income tax benefits originating from the exchanges of Paired Interest or non-corresponding Class A Units of Rani LLC as it is not probable that the Company will realize such tax benefits. To the extent the Company is able to realize the income tax benefits associated with the exchanges of Paired Interest or non-corresponding Class A Units of Rani LLC subject to the TRA, the TRA payable would range from zero to $22.9 million at December 31, 2023.
The amounts payable under the TRA will vary depending upon a number of factors, including the amount, character, and timing of the taxable income of the Company in the future. Should the Company determine that the payment of the TRA liability becomes probable at a future date based on new information, any changes will be recorded on the Company's consolidated statement of operations and comprehensive loss at that time.
12. Long-Term Debt
In August 2022, the Company entered into a loan and security agreement and related supplement (the “Loan Agreement”) with Avenue Venture Opportunities Fund, L.P (the “Lender”). The Loan Agreement provides for term loans (the “Loans”) in an aggregate principal amount up to $45.0 million. A Loan of $30.0 million was committed at closing, with $15.0 million funded immediately and $15.0 million available to be drawn between October 1, 2022 and December 31, 2022, which was drawn in December 2022. The remaining $15.0 million of Loans (“Tranche 2”) is uncommitted and is subject to certain conditions and approval by the Lender. The purpose of the Loans is for general corporate purposes. In exchange for access to this facility, the Company agreed to issue warrants (Note 8).
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Pursuant to the Loan Agreement, the maturity date for the Loans is August 1, 2026 (the “Maturity Date”). The Loan principal is repayable in equal monthly installments beginning September 2024 extendable to March 2025 under certain conditions. The Loans bear interest at a variable rate per annum equal to the greater of (A) the prime rate, as published by the Wall Street Journal from time to time plus 5.60% or (B) 10.35%. The Loan Agreement is collateralized by substantially all of the Company’s assets, in which the Lender is granted continuing security interests. The Loans includes customary events of default, including instances of a material adverse change in the Company’s operations, which may require prepayment of the outstanding Loans. At December 31, 2023, the effective interest rate on the Loans was 15.70% and there were no events of default during the year ended December 31, 2023. The Company is also subject to certain covenants. There have been no material adverse events in connection with the Loan Agreement and the substantial doubt regarding our ability to continue as a going concern does not currently constitute a material adverse event under the terms of the Loan Agreement. As of December 31, 2023, the Company was in compliance with all applicable covenants under the Loan Agreement.
As of December 31, 2023, future principal payments for the Company’s debt are as follows (in thousands):
Year ending December 31,
Total principal payments $ 30,000
Less: amount representing debt discount (619 )
Total long-term debt $ 29,381
Less: current portion of long-term debt 4,897
Total long-term debt, less current portion $ 24,484
13. Income Taxes
There was no income tax expense for the year ended December 31, 2023. Income tax expense totaled $0.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2022. The effective tax rate for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 is different from the federal statutory rate primarily due to the valuation allowance against deferred tax assets as a result of insufficient sources of income and pass-through loss not subject to income tax. A reconciliation between the Company’s effective tax rate and the applicable U.S. federal statutory income tax rate is summarized as follows:
Year Ended December 31,
Federal statutory rate 21.0 % 21.0 %
State tax, net of federal tax benefit 3.5 3.4
Non-controlling interest (10.5 ) (10.4 )
Research and development credits 2.4 2.1
Uncertain tax position (0.4 ) (0.3 )
Liquidating distribution — (2.1 )
Other 0.1 —
Change in valuation allowance (16.1 ) (13.8 )
Effective tax rate — % (0.1 ) %
Deferred income taxes reflect the net tax effects of temporary differences between the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities for financial reporting purposes. The components that comprise the Company’s net deferred taxes consist of the following (in thousands):
Year Ended December 31,