10-K
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
Form 10-K
For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022
OR
For the transition period from to
Commission File No. 001-36276
Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical Inc.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
60 Leveroni CourtNovato, California 94949
(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)
(415) 483-8800
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act:
Title of each class Trading Symbol(s) Name of each exchange on which registered
Common Stock, $0.001 par value RARE The Nasdaq Global Select Market
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Exchange Act: None.
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes ☑ NO ☐
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act. YES ☐ No ☑
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes ☑ NO ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). Yes ☑ NO ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
Large accelerated filer ☑ Accelerated filer ☐
Non- accelerated filer ☐ Smaller reporting company ☐
Emerging growth company ☐
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report. ☑
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). YES ☐ NO ☑
If securities are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act, indicate by check mark whether the financial statements of the registrant included in the filing reflect the correction of an error to previously issued financial statements. ☐
Indicate by check mark whether any of those error corrections are restatements that required a recovery analysis of incentive-based compensation received by any of the registrant’s executive officers during the relevant recovery period pursuant to §240.10D-1(b). ☐
The aggregate market value of the voting and non-voting common equity held by non-affiliates of the Company as of June 30, 2022 was approximately $3.3 billion, based upon the closing price on The Nasdaq Global Select Market reported for such date. Shares of common stock held by each executive officer and director and by each person who is known to own 10% or more of the outstanding common stock have been excluded as such persons may be deemed affiliates of the Company. This determination of affiliate status is not necessarily a conclusive determination for other purposes.
As of February 13, 2023, the Company had 70,216,689 shares of common stock issued and outstanding.
DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
Portions of the registrant’s definitive proxy statement relating to its 2023 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, to be held on or about June 7, 2023, are incorporated by reference into Part III of this Annual Report on Form 10-K where indicated. Such proxy statement will be filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission within 120 days after the end of the fiscal year to which this report relates.
Table of Contents
Page
PART I
Item 1. Business 5
Item 1A. Risk Factors 33
Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments 69
Item 2. Properties 69
Item 3. Legal Proceedings 69
Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures 69
PART II
Item 6. Reserved 70
Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk 82
Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data 82
Item 9A. Controls and Procedures 83
Item 9B. Other Information 84
Item 9C. Disclosure Regarding Foreign Jurisdictions that Prevent Inspections 84
PART III
Item 10. Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance 85
Item 11. Executive Compensation 85
Item 14. Principal Accountant Fees and Services 85
PART IV
Item 15. Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules 86
SIGNATURES 93
CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This Annual Report on Form 10-K, or Annual Report, contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. We make such forward-looking statements pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and other federal securities laws. All statements other than statements of historical fact contained in this Annual Report are forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “contemplate,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “forecast,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “seek,” “should,” “target,” “will,” “would,” or the negative of these words, or other comparable terminology. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements about:
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our commercialization, marketing, and manufacturing capabilities and strategy;
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our expectations regarding the timing of clinical study commencements and reporting results from same;
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the timing and likelihood of regulatory approvals for our product candidates;
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the anticipated indications for our product candidates, if approved;
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the potential market opportunities for commercializing our products and product candidates;
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our expectations regarding the potential market size and the size of the patient populations for our products and product candidates, if approved for commercial use;
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estimates of our expenses, revenue, capital requirements, and our needs for additional financing;
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our ability to develop, acquire, and advance product candidates into, and successfully complete, clinical studies;
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the implementation of our business model and strategic plans for our business, products and product candidates and the integration and performance of any businesses we have acquired or may acquire;
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the initiation, timing, progress, and results of ongoing and future preclinical and clinical studies, and our research and development programs;
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the scope of protection we are able to establish and maintain for intellectual property rights covering our products and product candidates;
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our ability to maintain and establish collaborations or strategic relationships or obtain additional funding;
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our ability to maintain and establish relationships with third parties, such as contract research organizations, contract manufacturing organizations, suppliers, and distributors;
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our financial performance and the expansion of our organization;
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the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and related health measures on our business, financial condition and liquidity;
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our ability to obtain supply of our products and product candidates;
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the scalability and commercial viability of our manufacturing methods and processes;
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developments and projections relating to our competitors and our industry;
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stagnating or worsening business and economic conditions and increasing geopolitical instability, including inflationary pressures, general economic slowdown or a recession, rising interest rates, foreign exchange rate volatility, and changes in monetary policy; and
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other risks and uncertainties, including those listed under “Part I, Item 1A. Risk Factors.”
Any forward-looking statements in this Annual Report reflect our current views with respect to future events or to our future financial performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause our actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations include, among other things, those discussed under Part I, Item 1A. Risk Factors and discussed elsewhere in this Annual Report. Given these uncertainties, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Except as required by law, we assume no obligation to update or revise these forward-looking statements for any reason, even if new information becomes available in the future.
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This Annual Report also contains estimates, projections, and other information concerning our industry, our business, and the markets for certain diseases, including data regarding the estimated size of those markets, and the incidence and prevalence of certain medical conditions. Information that is based on estimates, forecasts, projections, market research, or similar methodologies is inherently subject to uncertainties and actual events or circumstances may differ materially from events and circumstances reflected in this information. Unless otherwise expressly stated, we obtained this industry, business, market, and other data from reports, research surveys, studies, and similar data prepared by market research firms and other third parties, industry, medical and general publications, government data, and similar sources.
As used in this Annual Report, “Ultragenyx,” “we,” “our,” and similar terms refer to Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical Inc. and its subsidiaries, unless the context indicates otherwise.
PART I
Item 1. Business
Overview
We are a biopharmaceutical company focused on the identification, acquisition, development, and commercialization of novel products for the treatment of serious rare and ultra-rare genetic diseases. We target diseases for which the unmet medical need is high, the biology for treatment is clear, and for which there are typically no approved therapies treating the underlying disease.
The patients we seek to treat have diseases with limited or no treatment options, and we recognize that their lives and well-being are dependent upon our efforts to develop new therapies. For this reason, we are passionate about developing these therapies with the utmost urgency and care.
We were founded in April 2010 by our President and Chief Executive Officer, Emil Kakkis, M.D., Ph.D., and we have since assembled an experienced team with extensive rare disease drug development and commercialization capabilities.
Our Strategy
The critical components of our business strategy include the following:
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Focus on rare and ultra-rare genetic diseases with significant unmet medical need and clear biology. There are numerous rare and ultra-rare genetic diseases that currently have no drug therapy approved that treat the underlying disease. Patients suffering from these diseases often have a significant morbidity and/or mortality. We focus on developing and commercializing therapies for multiple such indications with the utmost urgency. We also focus on diseases that have biology that is well understood. We believe that developing drugs that directly impact known disease pathways will increase the probability of success of our development programs. Our modalities of biologics, small molecules, gene therapy, and nucleic acids provide us with what we believe is an optimal set of options to treat genetic diseases by selecting the best treatment strategy available for each disease.
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In-license promising product candidates; retain global commercialization rights to product candidates. Our current product candidates are generally in-licensed from academic institutions or derived from partnerships with other pharmaceutical companies. We believe parties agree to license product candidates to us because they are confident in our team’s expertise in rare disease drug development and commercialization. We generally intend to retain global commercialization rights to our products and product candidates whenever possible to maximize the potential value of our product portfolio.
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Focus on excellent, rapid, and efficient clinical and regulatory execution on multiple programs in parallel. We believe that building a successful and sustainable rare disease-focused company requires very specific expertise in the areas of patient identification, clinical study design and conduct, and regulatory strategy. Because rare disease programs involve fewer patients and may have accelerated paths to market, we are able to feasibly develop multiple clinical-stage product candidates in parallel, resulting in a more diversified portfolio that provides multiple opportunities to create value, with some economies of scale.
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Commercialize through patient-focused global organization. We seek to commercialize our products throughout the developed world, in North America, the European Union, or the EU, the United Kingdom, or the U.K., Latin America, Turkey, Asia, and select international markets. We have established our own commercial organization in these markets and a network of third-party distributors in smaller markets. We believe our commercial organization is highly specialized and focused, due to the nature of rare disease treatment.
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Approved Products and Clinical Product Candidates
Our current approved therapies and clinical-stage pipeline consist of four product categories: biologics, small molecules, gene therapy, and nucleic acid product candidates.
We have four commercially approved products, Crysvita® (burosumab) for the treatment of X-linked hypophosphatemia, or XLH, and tumor-induced osteomalacia, or TIO, Mepsevii® (vestronidase alfa) for the treatment of mucopolysaccharidosis VII, or MPSVII or Sly Syndrome, Dojolvi® (triheptanoin) for the treatment of long-chain fatty acid oxidation disorders, or LC-FAOD, and Evkeeza® (evinacumab) for the treatment of homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia, or HoFH. The following table summarizes our approved products and clinical product candidate pipeline:
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Approved Products
Crysvita for the treatment of XLH and TIO
Crysvita is an antibody administered via subcutaneous injection that targets fibroblast growth factor 23, or FGF23, developed for the treatment of XLH, a rare, hereditary, progressive, and lifelong musculoskeletal disorder characterized by renal phosphate wasting caused by excess FGF23 production. There are approximately 48,000 patients with XLH in the developed world, including approximately 36,000 adults and 12,000 children. Crysvita is the only approved treatment that addresses the underlying cause of XLH. Crysvita is approved in the U.S., the EU and certain other regions for the treatment of XLH in adult and pediatric patients one year of age and older.
Crysvita is also approved in the U.S. and certain other regions for the treatment of FGF23-related hypophosphatemia in tumor-induced osteomalacia, or TIO, associated with phosphaturic mesenchymal tumors that cannot be curatively resected or localized in adults and pediatric patients 2 years of age and older. There are approximately 2,000 to 4,000 patients with TIO in the developed world. TIO can lead to severe hypophosphatemia, osteomalacia, fractures, fatigue, bone and muscle pain, and muscle weakness.
We are collaborating with Kyowa Kirin Co., Ltd., or KKC (formerly Kyowa Hakko Kirin Co., Ltd., or KHK), and Kyowa Kirin, a wholly owned subsidiary of KKC, on the development and commercialization of Crysvita globally.
Please see “—License and Collaboration Agreements—Approved Products—Kyowa Hakko Kirin” for a description of our collaboration and license agreement with KKC.
Mepsevii for the treatment of MPS VII
Mepsevii is an intravenous, or IV, enzyme replacement therapy, developed for the treatment of Mucopolysaccharidosis VII, also known as MPS VII or Sly syndrome, a rare lysosomal storage disease that often leads to multi-organ dysfunction, pervasive skeletal disease, and death. MPS VII is one of the rarest MPS disorders, affecting an estimated 200 patients in the developed world. Mepsevii is approved in the U.S., the EU and certain other regions for the treatment of children and adults with MPS VII.
Please see “—License and Collaboration Agreements—Approved Products—Saint Louis University” for a description of our license agreement with Saint Louis University.
Dojolvi for the treatment of LC-FAOD
Dojolvi is a highly purified, synthetic, 7-carbon fatty acid triglyceride specifically designed to provide medium-chain, odd-carbon fatty acids as an energy source and metabolite replacement for people with long-chain fatty acid oxidation disorders, or LC-FAOD, which is a set of rare metabolic diseases that prevents the conversion of fat into energy and can cause low blood sugar, muscle rupture, and heart and liver disease. Dojolvi is approved in the U.S. and certain other regions as a source of calories and fatty acids for the treatment of pediatric and adult patients with molecularly confirmed LC-FAOD. There are approximately 8,000 to 14,000 patients in the developed world with LC-FAOD.
Please see “—License and Collaboration Agreements—Approved Products—Baylor Research Institute” for a description of our license agreement with Baylor Research Institute.
Evkeeza for the treatment of HoFH
Evkeeza is a fully human monoclonal antibody that binds to and blocks the function of angiopoietin-like 3, or ANGPTL3, a protein that plays a key role in lipid metabolism. Evkeeza is an approved therapy for the treatment of homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia, or HoFH, a rare inherited condition. HoFH occurs when two copies of the familial hypercholesterolemia, or FH,-causing genes are inherited, one from each parent, resulting in dangerously high levels (>400 mg/dL) of LDL-C, or bad cholesterol. Patients with HoFH are at risk for premature atherosclerotic disease and cardiac events as early as their teenage years. Evkeeza is approved in the U.S., where it is marketed by our partner Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, or Regeneron. It is also approved in the European Economic Area, or EEA, as a first-in-class therapy for use together with diet and other low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, or LDL-C, lowering therapies to treat adults and adolescents aged 12 years and older with clinical HoFH. There are approximately 3,000 to 5,000 patients with HoFH in the developed world outside of the U.S.
In January 2022, we announced a collaboration with Regeneron to commercialize Evkeeza outside of the U.S. We are in the process of engaging country authorities within the EEA, Latin America, Canada and Japan to negotiate pricing and reimbursement guidelines.
Please see “—License and Collaboration Agreements—Approved Products—Regeneron” for a description of our license agreement with Regeneron Pharmaceuticals.
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Clinical Product Candidates
UX143 (setrusumab) for the treatment of Osteogenesis Imperfecta, or OI
UX143 (setrusumab) is a fully human monoclonal antibody that inhibits sclerostin, a protein that acts on a key bone-signaling pathway by inhibiting the activity of bone-forming cells and promoting bone resorption. Setrusumab is being studied for the treatment of OI, and has received orphan drug designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, and European Medicines Agency, or EMA, rare pediatric disease designation from the FDA, and was accepted into the EMA’s Priority Medicines program, or PRIME, program. Setrusumab is subject to our collaboration agreement with Mereo, and is the lead clinical asset in our bone endocrinology franchise. There are an estimated 60,000 patients in the developed world affected by OI.
In February 2023, we announced enrollment was completed in the Phase 2 portion of pediatric and young adult Phase 2/3 study. This phase is intended to determine an optimized dose, based on increases in collagen production using serum P1NP levels, and establish an acceptable safety profile. Data from the Phase 2 study and determination of the Phase 3 dose strategy are currently expected mid-2023. We intend to adapt the study into a pivotal Phase 3 stage, evaluating fracture reduction over an estimated 15 to 24 months as the primary endpoint, subject to regulatory review. Separately, we plan to initiate a Phase 2 study of patients under age five with OI in the first half of 2023.
In February 2023, we and our development partner Mereo entered into a non-exclusive worldwide, royalty-free license with UCB Pharma S.A., or UCB, and their partner Amgen Inc., or Amgen, to research, develop, and commercialize setrusumab in OI under certain UCB/Amgen-owned patent rights related to anti-sclerostin compounds and their uses.
Please see “—License and Collaboration Agreements—Clinical Product Candidates—Mereo” for a description of our license and collaboration agreement with Mereo.
GTX-102 for the treatment of Angelman Syndrome
GTX-102 is an antisense oligonucleotide, or ASO, that is being developed for the treatment of Angelman syndrome, a debilitating and rare neurogenetic disorder caused by loss-of-function of the maternally inherited allele of the UBE3A gene. There are an estimated 60,000 patients in the developed world affected by Angelman syndrome. GTX-102 has received Fast Track Designation, Orphan Drug Designation and Rare Pediatric Disease Designation from the FDA. We exercised our option to acquire GeneTx Biotherapeutics LLC (GeneTx) in July 2022 for an option exercise price of $75.0 million, in addition to outstanding cash and adjustments for working capital, for a total purchase consideration of $91.2 million. Additionally, we may make future milestone and royalty payments to GeneTx.
In July 2022, we provided an interim data update on patients treated in Canada, the U.K., and the U.S. under each region’s amended protocol for the phase 1/2 study of GTX-102. As of the data cut-off for this update, a total of 11 patients had reached at least the Day 128 evaluation, with three patients reaching the Day 170 Pre-Maintenance Dose, or PMD, evaluation. We evaluated patients across various clinical measurements, including AS Change Scale, AS Severity Scale, the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, or Bayley-4, the Vineland-3 adaptive behavior scale, and the Observed Reported Communication Ability, or ORCA.
In January 2023, we announced 23 patients had received loading doses ranging from 2 mg to 10 mg, with maintenance dosing ranging from 10 mg to 14 mg. Ten patients have had between six and twelve months of exposure to GTX-102 and five patients have been on continuous therapy for more than one year. To date, the most common adverse events, or AE, have not been related to treatment and include COVID-19 infection, vomiting and upper respiratory infection. In January 2023, we disclosed one AE of special interest that occurred in a 17 year-old patient with severe scoliosis and who had, at baseline, limited ability to walk and was primarily dependent on a wheelchair. After the fourth monthly loading dose this patient experienced decreased ambulation, which clinically resolved within a couple of weeks. As of this filing, there have been no other cases of lower extremity weakness under the amended protocol.
Three of the original five patients treated in the U.S. have successfully restarted therapy with GTX-102. Two of these patients are being treated under the Canadian protocol and one through an early access protocol in the U.S. These patients have showed
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signs of clinical activity, including improvements in sleep. As of this filing, there have been no reports of lower extremity weakness in these three patients.
In the U.K. and Canada, dosing is ongoing under a protocol amendment approved in May 2022 that began with lower loading doses and has progressed to incrementally higher loading doses based on age and clinical activity. In the U.S., discussions are currently ongoing with the FDA to harmonize the three regions.
In February 2023, screening began for patients in expansion Cohort A (ages 4 to <8 years) and expansion Cohort B (ages 8 to <18 years). Each expansion cohort will enroll approximately 20 patients and will evaluate the same safety, pharmacokinetic, and efficacy measures as the dose escalating cohorts.
Across the patients who have been dosed under the amended and expanded access protocols, we are continuing to see encouraging signs of clinical activity. We expect to provide the next data update, based on a larger number of patients in the program, later this year.
UX111 for the treatment of Sanfilippo syndrome type A or MPS IIIA
UX111 (formerly ABO-102) is an adeno-associated virus 9, or AAV9, gene therapy product candidate for the treatment of patients with Sanfilippo syndrome type A, or MPS IIIA, a rare lysosomal storage disease with no approved treatment, which primarily affects the central nervous system. There are an estimated 3,000 to 5,000 patients in the developed world affected by Sanfilippo syndrome type A. The UX111 program has received Regenerative Medicine Advanced Therapy, or RMAT, Fast Track, Rare Pediatric Disease, and Orphan Drug Designations in the U.S., and PRIME and Orphan Medicinal Product designations in the EU.
In May 2022, we announced an exclusive license agreement with Abeona Therapeutics for UX111. Under the terms of the agreement, we assumed responsibility for the UX111 program in exchange for Abeona’s right to receive tiered royalties of up to 10% on net sales, and milestone payments upon the attainment of certain commercial revenue milestones.
Abeona previously announced the completion of a successful Type B meeting with the FDA regarding the pivotal Transpher A trial to support filing and approval for UX111. Interim results from the Transpher A trial presented in an encore presentation at the 2022 American Society of Gene & Cell Therapy, or ASGCT, conference demonstrated that neurocognitive development was preserved in children treated younger than 2 years or in children older than 2 years with a development quotient (DQ) > 60 (n=10) within normal range of a non-afflicted child after treatment with ABO-102 (3.0 x 10^13 vg/kg). The interim results also showed continued or stabilized cognitive function along with behavioral and developmental progress using standard assessments. Additionally, stabilization or increase in volumes of cortical gray matter, total cerebral, and amygdala was observed. Statistically significant reduction in liver volume was seen with UX111 treatment. Dose-dependent and statistically significant reductions in cerebrospinal fluid and plasma heparan sulfate, demonstrating replacement of enzyme activity consistent with levels required for disease correction in the central nervous system, have been sustained in treated patients for two years after treatment. As of the ASGCT presentation, there had been no treatment-related serious adverse events and no clinically meaningful adverse events.
A meeting with the FDA to discuss a plan to file for accelerated approval is expected to occur in the first half of 2023.
DTX401 for the treatment of glycogen storage disease type Ia, or GSDIa
DTX401 is an adeno-associated virus 8, or AAV8, gene therapy clinical candidate for the treatment of patients with glycogen storage disease type Ia, or GSDIa, a disease that arises from a defect in G6Pase, an essential enzyme in glycogen and glucose metabolism. GSDIa is the most common genetically inherited glycogen storage disease, with an estimated 6,000 patients in the developed world affected by GSDIa. A Pediatric Investigation Plan, or PIP, was accepted by the EMA. The DTX401 program has received RMAT, Fast Track, and Orphan Drug designations in the U.S., and PRIME and Orphan Medicinal Product Designations in the EU.
In May 2022, we presented longer-term safety and durability data from the ongoing Phase 1/2 study at the ASGCT conference, which showed sustained responses lasting more than 3.5 years following treatment with DTX401. All 12 patients in the study have demonstrated reductions in oral glucose replacement therapy, with a mean total daily reduction of 70% (p-value<0.0001) from baseline to the last available timepoint. At the ASGCT presentation, we also presented data that showed additional improvements of greater time spent in euglycemia and reduced average daily cornstarch intake, as measured by continuous glucose monitoring.
As of January 2023, enrollment in the baseline screening has been completed in the Phase 3 GlucoGene study of DTX401. The Phase 3 study has a 48-week primary efficacy analysis period and enrolled approximately 50 patients eight years of age and older, randomized 1:1 to DTX401 (1.0 x 10^13 GC/kg dose) or placebo. The primary endpoint is the reduction in oral glucose replacement with cornstarch while maintaining glucose control. We currently expect to share results from this Phase 3 study, following the 48-week primary efficacy analysis, in the first half of 2024.
Please see “—License and Collaboration Agreements—Clinical Product Candidates—REGENXBIO Inc.” for a description of our license agreement with REGENXBIO Inc.
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DTX301 for the treatment of ornithine transcarbamylase, or OTC, deficiency
DTX301 is an AAV8 gene therapy product candidate designed for the treatment of patients with ornithine transcarbamylase, or OTC, deficiency. OTC is part of the urea cycle, an enzymatic pathway in the liver that converts excess nitrogen, in the form of ammonia, to urea for excretion. OTC deficiency is the most common urea cycle disorder, and there are approximately 10,000 patients in the developed world with OTC deficiency, of which we estimate approximately 80% are classified as late-onset, our target population. DTX301 has received Orphan Drug Designation in both the U.S. and in the EU and Fast Track Designation in the U.S.
In May 2022, we presented additional longer-term safety and durability data from the ongoing Phase 1/2 study at the 2022 ASGCT conference, which showed sustained responses lasting more than 4 years following treatment with DTX301. Seven of 11 patients, including four out of the five patients treated at the Phase 3 dose (1.7 x 10^13 GC/kg), have responded, and remain clinically and metabolically stable. Four complete responders have discontinued ammonia-scavenger medications and liberalized their diet within the first year after treatment. As of May 2022, across all cohorts of the Phase 1/2 study, no treatment-related serious adverse events, infusion-associated reactions or dose-limiting toxicities have been reported.
The Phase 3 Enh3ance study randomized and dosed the first patient earlier this year. Additional patients are currently in the approximate 4- to 8-week baseline screening period, after which they are expected to receive a single dose of DTX301 or placebo. The Phase 3 study will include a 64-week primary efficacy analysis period and we currently plan to enroll approximately 50 patients 12 years of age and older, randomized 1:1 to DTX301 (1.7 x 10^13 GC/kg dose) or placebo. The co-primary endpoints are the percentage of patients who achieve a response, as measured by discontinuation or reduction in baseline disease management, and the 24-hour plasma ammonia levels.
Please see “—License and Collaboration Agreements—Clinical Product Candidates—REGENXBIO Inc.” for a description of our license agreement with REGENXBIO Inc.
UX701 for the treatment of Wilson Disease
UX701 is an AAV type 9 gene therapy product candidate designed to deliver stable expression of a truncated version of the ATP7B copper transporter following a single intravenous infusion to patients with Wilson disease. It is estimated that Wilson disease affects more than 50,000 individuals in the developed world. UX701 has received Orphan Drug Designation in the U.S. and in the EU.
UX701 has received a Fast Track Designation from the FDA. This will allow for early and frequent communication throughout the entire drug development and review process and reflects the serious, unmet need for patients with Wilson disease.
We are currently enrolling and dosing patients with Wilson disease in the first stage of the Cyprus2+ study of UX701. During the first stage, the safety and efficacy of up to three dose levels of UX701 will be evaluated over the course of 52 weeks and a dose will be selected for further evaluation in stage 2. The sequential doses to be evaluated are 5.0 x 10^12 GC/kg, 1.0 x 10^13 GC/kg, and 2.0 x 10^13 GC/kg. A protocol amendment for stage 1 has been approved that removes the use of placebo from this stage of the study. In stage 2, a new cohort of patients will be randomized 2:1 to receive the selected dose of UX701 or placebo. The primary safety and efficacy analyses will be conducted at Week 52 of stage 2. The primary efficacy endpoints are change in 24-hour urinary copper concentration and percent reduction in standard of care medication by Week 52. After the initial 52-week study period, we expect that all patients will receive long term follow up in stage 3.
Completion of Stage 1 enrollment is expected in mid-2023 with data on safety and potentially initial signs of clinical activity expected in early 2024.
Please see “—License and Collaboration Agreements—Clinical Product Candidates— REGENXBIO Inc.” for a description of our license and collaboration agreement with REGENXBIO Inc.
UX053 for the treatment of glycogen storage disease type III, or GSDIII
UX053 is an mRNA product candidate designed for the treatment of patients with GSDIII, a disease caused by a glycogen debranching enzyme, or AGL, deficiency that results in glycogen accumulation in the liver and muscle. UX053 has received Orphan Drug Designation in the U.S. and in the EU.
Dosing in the single ascending dose stage of the Phase 1/2 study of UX053 for the treatment of GSDIII has been completed and we expect to have this data in the first half of 2023. Based on these analyses and other work, we will then review our plans for the next steps in the program.
Please see “—License and Collaboration Agreements—Clinical Product Candidates—Arcturus” for a description of our collaboration agreement with Arcturus.
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Competition
In the case of indications that we are targeting, it is possible that other companies may produce, develop, and commercialize compounds that might treat these diseases.
With respect to Crysvita, although we are not aware of any other products currently in clinical development for the treatment of XLH and TIO, it is possible that competitors may produce, develop, and commercialize therapeutics, or utilize other approaches such as gene therapy, to treat XLH and TIO. Most pediatric patients with XLH are managed using oral phosphate replacement and/or vitamin D therapy, which is relatively inexpensive and therefore may adversely affect our ability to commercialize Crysvita, if approved, in some countries.
With respect to Mepsevii, we are not aware of any other compounds currently in clinical development for MPS VII, but it is possible that other companies may produce, develop, and commercialize compounds that might treat this disease. Additionally, gene therapy and other therapeutic approaches may emerge for the treatment of lysosomal diseases. Bone marrow or stem cell transplants have also been used in MPS VII and in other lysosomal storage diseases and represent a potential competing therapy. Stem cell transplants have been effective in treating soft tissue storage and in having an impact on brain disease, but have not to date proven effective in treating bone and connective tissue disease. Typically, enzyme replacement therapy has had an impact on bone and connective tissue disease in other disorders when patients were treated early.
With respect to Dojolvi, LC-FAOD is commonly treated with diet therapy and MCT oil. Dojolvi may compete with this approach. Although we believe that Dojolvi should be considered a drug and will be regulated that way, it is possible that other companies or individuals may attempt to produce triheptanoin for use in LC-FAOD. Investigators are testing triheptanoin in clinical studies across multiple indications, including LC-FAOD. It is also possible that other companies may produce, develop, and commercialize other medium odd-chain fatty acids, or completely different compounds, to treat LC-FAOD. Other companies may also utilize other approaches, such as gene therapy, to treat LC-FAOD. In addition, Reneo Pharmaceuticals is developing REN001, a PPAR delta agonist, in Phase 1b for LC-FAOD and other genetic myopathies.
With respect to Evkeeza, the current treatments for patients with HoFH involve various lipid-lowering agents to reduce serum LDL and total cholesterol levels. Drug therapies include statins (e.g., Rosuvastatin, Simvastatin, etc.), fenofibrate, ezetimibe (Ezetrol), evolocumab (Repatha), and lomitapide (Juxtapid/Lojuxta). Other than lomitapide, these agents rely on an LDL-receptor based mechanism to reduce cholesterol, which may be absent in HoFH patients, particularly those with LDLR-null mutations. In addition, Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals is developing ARO-ANG3 and Eli Lilly/Dicerna is developing LY3561774, both RNAi-based inhibitors of ANGPTL3 in Phase 2 studies across various indications including HoFH.
With respect to DTX401, there are currently no pharmacologic treatments for patients with GSDIa. We are aware of an mRNA therapy, mRNA-3745, in Phase 1 for GSDIa by Moderna.
With respect to DTX301, the current treatments for patients with OTC deficiency are nitrogen scavenging drugs and severe limitations in dietary protein. Drug therapy includes sodium phenylbutyrate (Buphenyl) and glycerol phenylbutyrate (Ravicti), both nitrogen scavengers that help eliminate excess nitrogen, in the form of ammonia, by facilitating its excretion. A novel formulation of sodium phenylbutyrate, ACER-001 by Acer Therapeutics, was approved in December 2022. During a metabolic crisis, patients routinely receive carbohydrate and lipid rich nutrition, including overnight feeding through a nasogastric tube, to limit bodily protein breakdown and ammonia production. In acute cases, ammonia must be removed by dialysis or hemofiltration. Liver transplant may also be a solution for OTC deficiency. In addition, Arcturus Therapeutics is developing ARCT-810, a messenger RNA therapy, in Phase 2 for OTC deficiency.
With respect to GTX-102, there are currently no approved drugs for Angelman syndrome. Many patients take general treatments to try to manage specific symptoms, such as seizures or sleep disturbances, but there are no treatments available that address the underlying biology of the disease. We are aware of other ASOs in preclinical and clinical development for Angelman syndrome, including programs from Roche and Biogen in collaboration with Ionis in Phase 1 studies, as well as preclinical gene therapy programs. In addition, Neuren Pharmaceuticals is developing NNZ-2591, an IGF-1 analog, in Phase 2 for Angelman syndrome.
With respect to UX701, there are no currently approved treatments that address the underlying cause of Wilson disease. Many patients are on chelator therapies, but these fail to address the mutated ATP7B copper transporter gene. We are aware of another gene therapy, VTX-801, that is in Phase 1 for Wilson disease by Vivet Therapeutics, in collaboration with Pfizer. In addition, Alexion is developing ALXN1840, a copper chelator in Phase 3.
With respect to UX143, there are currently no approved drugs for osteogenesis imperfecta. Most pediatric patients with osteogenesis imperfecta are managed with off-label use of bisphosphonates to increase bone density and reduce frequency of bone fracture. We are aware of another anti-sclerostin antibody, romosozumab, that is in Phase 1 clinical testing by Amgen. In addition, two anti-TGFβ antibodies, fresolimumab and SAR439459, are in Phase 1 clinical testing by Sanofi-Genzyme.
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With respect to UX053, there are currently no pharmacologic treatments for patients with GSD III and we are not aware of any programs in clinical development.
With respect to UX111, there are currently no approved pharmacologic treatments for patients with MPS IIIA. Patients receive supportive or symptomatic treatment, but these approaches generally do not prevent functional decline. We are aware of other gene therapies, including LYS-SAF302, in Phase 2/3 for MPSIIIA by Lysogene, and EGT-101, in Phase 1/2 for MPSIIIA by Esteve. In addition, Orchard Therapeutics is developing OTL-201, an ex-vivo gene therapy in Phase 1/2 for MPSIIIA.
License and Collaboration Agreements
Our products and some of our current product candidates have been either in-licensed from academic institutions or derived from partnerships with other pharmaceutical companies. Following is a description of our significant license and collaboration agreements.
Approved Products
Kyowa Kirin Co., Ltd.
In August 2013, we entered into a collaboration and license agreement with KKC. Under the terms of this collaboration and license agreement, as amended, we and KKC collaborate on the development and commercialization of Crysvita in the field of orphan diseases in the U.S. and Canada, or the profit-share territory, and in the EU, U.K., and Switzerland, or the European territory, and we have the right to develop and commercialize such products in the field of orphan diseases in Mexico and Central and South America, or Latin America. In the field of orphan diseases, and except for ongoing studies being conducted by KKC, we are the lead party for development activities in the profit-share territory and in the European territory until the applicable transition date. We share the costs for development activities in the profit-share territory and the European territory conducted pursuant to the development plan before the applicable transition date equally with KKC. In April 2023, which is the transition date for the profit-share territory, KKC will become the lead party and be responsible for the costs of the development activities. However, we will continue to share the costs of the studies commenced prior to the applicable transition date equally with KKC. Crysvita was approved in the EU and U.K. in February 2018 and was approved by the FDA in April 2018. As described below, we and KKC share commercial responsibilities and profits in the profit-share territory until April 2023, KKC has the commercial responsibility in the European territory, and we are responsible for commercializing burosumab in Latin America.
In the profit-share territory, KKC books sales of products and we have the sole right to promote the products, with KKC having the right to increasingly participate in the promotion of the products until the transition date of April 2023, which is five years from commercial launch. In September 2022, we entered into an amendment to the collaboration agreement which clarified the scope of increased participation by KKC in support of our commercial activities prior to April 2023 and granted us the right to continue to support KKC in commercial field activities in the U.S. through April 2024, subject to the limitations and conditions set forth in the amendment. As a result, KKC will continue to support our commercial field and marketing efforts through a cost share arrangement through April 2024, subject to the limits and conditions set forth in the amendment. After April 2024, our rights to promote Crysvita in the U.S. will be limited to medical geneticists and we will solely bear our expenses related to the promotion of Crysvita in the profit-share territory. See “Item I.A. Risk Factors” for additional information on the risks related to the expiration of our exclusive right to promote Crysvita in the profit-share territory. In the European territory, KKC books sales of products and has the sole right to promote and sell the products, with the exception of Turkey. In Turkey, we have rights to commercialize Crysvita and KKC has the option to assume responsibility for such commercialization efforts, after a certain minimum period. In Latin America, we book sales of products and have the sole right to promote and sell the products.
KKC manufactures and supplies all quantities of product for clinical studies. KKC also supplies all quantities of product for commercial sales in the profit-share territory and in Latin America. The supply price in the profit-share territory and Latin America is 35% of the net sales price through December 31, 2022 and 30% thereafter.
The remaining profit or loss from commercializing products in the profit-share territory is shared between us and KKC on a 50/50 basis until April 2023. Thereafter, we will be entitled to receive a tiered double-digit revenue share in the mid- to high 20% range in the profit-share territory, intended to approximate the profit-share. In July 2022, we sold to OCM LS23 Holdings LP, an investment vehicle for the Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System, or OMERS, our right to receive 30% of the future royalty payments due to us based on net sales of Crysvita in the U.S. and Canada, subject to a cap, beginning in April 2023. KKC pays us a royalty of up to 10% based on net sales in the European territory. We sold our interest in the European territory royalty to RPI Finance Trust, an affiliate of Royalty Pharma, in December 2019. In Latin America, we pay to KKC a low single-digit royalty on net sales. Our and KKC’s obligations to pay royalties will continue on a country-by-country basis for so long as we or KKC, as applicable, are selling products in such country.
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The collaboration and license agreement will continue for as long as products in the field of orphan diseases are sold in the profit-share territory, European territory, Turkey, or Latin America, unless the agreement is terminated in accordance with its terms.
KKC may terminate the agreement in certain countries or territories based upon our failure to meet certain milestones. Furthermore, either party may terminate the agreement for the material breach or bankruptcy of the other party. In any event of termination by KKC, unless such termination is the result of KKC’s termination for certain types of breach of the agreement by us, we may receive low single-digit to low double-digit royalties on net post-termination sales by KKC in one or more countries or territories, the amount of which varies depending on the timing of, and reason for, such termination. In any event of termination, our rights to Crysvita under the agreement and our obligations to share development costs will cease, and the program will revert to KKC, worldwide if the agreement is terminated as a whole or solely in the terminated countries if the agreement is terminated solely with respect to certain countries.
Saint Louis University
In November 2010, we entered into a license agreement with Saint Louis University, or SLU, wherein SLU granted us certain exclusive rights to intellectual property related to Mepsevii. Under the terms of the license agreement, SLU granted us an exclusive worldwide license to make, have made, use, import, offer for sale, and sell therapeutics related to SLU’s beta-glucuronidase product for use in the treatment of human diseases.
Under the license agreement, we are obligated to pay to SLU a low single-digit royalty on net sales of the licensed products in the U.S., Europe, or Japan, subject to certain potential deductions. Our obligation to pay royalties to SLU in these territories continues until the expiration of any orphan drug exclusivity. We may terminate the agreement for convenience at any time and SLU may terminate the agreement for our material breach, bankruptcy, or challenge of the licensed technology, and SLU may terminate the agreement or render our license non-exclusive if we fail to meet our diligence obligations. Unless terminated as set forth above, this license agreement continues in full force and effect until the latest expiration of any orphan drug exclusivity in the U.S., Europe, or Japan, at which point our license becomes fully paid.
Baylor Research Institute
In September 2012, we entered into a license agreement, which was subsequently amended, with Baylor Research Institute, or BRI, under which we exclusively licensed certain intellectual property related to Dojolvi. The license includes patents, patent applications, know-how, and intellectual property related to the composition and formulation of Dojolvi as well as its use in treating a number of orphan diseases, including LC-FAOD. The license grant includes the sole right to develop, manufacture, and commercialize licensed products for all human and animal uses. Under the license agreement, we are obligated to use commercially reasonable efforts to develop and commercialize licensed products in select orphan indications. If we fail to meet our diligence obligations with respect to a specified orphan indication or set of orphan indications, BRI may convert our license to a non-exclusive license with respect to such orphan indication or set of orphan indications until we receive regulatory approval for licensed products in the applicable orphan indication or set of orphan indications.
We are also obligated to pay a mid- single-digit royalty on net sales to BRI, subject to certain reductions and offsets. Our obligation to pay royalties to BRI continues on a licensed product-by-licensed product and country-by-country basis until the later of the expiration of the first regulatory exclusivity granted with respect to such product in such country or the expiration of the last-to-expire licensed patent claiming such product in such country, in each case in connection with approval in such country for LC-FAOD or an orphan disease covered by our license from BRI. During the year ended December 31, 2022, the sales milestone triggering a $2.5 million payment was achieved. Going forward, we may make future payments of up to $2.5 million contingent upon attainment of certain development milestones and $5.0 million if certain sales milestones are achieved.
We may terminate the agreement for convenience at any time and either we or BRI may terminate the agreement for the material breach or bankruptcy of the other party. If we terminate for BRI’s breach or bankruptcy, our license from BRI will remain in effect, subject to our continued payment of reduced milestones and royalties. Unless terminated by its terms, this license agreement continues in full force and effect, on a product-by-product and country-by-country basis, until our royalty obligations expire, at which point our license from BRI with respect to such product in such country becomes irrevocable, perpetual, fully paid and royalty-free.
Regeneron
In January 2022, we announced a collaboration with Regeneron to commercialize Evkeeza for HoFH outside of the U.S. Evkeeza is approved in the U.S., where it is marketed by Regeneron, and in the EU and U.K. as a first-in-class therapy for use together with diet and other low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol-lowering therapies to treat adults and adolescents aged 12 years and older with HoFH. Pursuant to the terms of the agreement, we received the rights to develop, commercialize and distribute the product for
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HoFH in countries outside of the U.S. Upon closing of the transaction in January 2022, we paid Regeneron a $30.0 million upfront payment. We are obligated to pay Regeneron up to $63.0 million in future milestone payments, contingent upon the achievement of certain regulatory and sales milestones. We may share in certain costs for global trials led by Regeneron and also received the right to opt into other potential indications, including a right to negotiate a separate agreement with Regeneron to collaborate on the Regeneron’s investigational antibody for the treatment of fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva, or FOP, which expired in July 2022.
Clinical Product Candidates
REGENXBIO Inc.
In October 2013, we entered into an exclusive license agreement with REGENXBIO Inc., or REGENX, under which we were granted an option to develop products to treat hemophilia A, OTC deficiency and GSDIa. Under the 2013 license agreement, REGENX granted us an exclusive worldwide license to make, have made, use, import, sell, and offer for sale licensed products with respect to such disease indications, subject to certain exclusions. We do not have the right to control prosecution of the in-licensed patent applications, and our rights to enforce the in-licensed patents are subject to certain limitations. Under the 2013 license agreement, we pay or will pay REGENX an annual maintenance fee and certain milestone fees per disease indication, low to mid- single-digit royalty percentages on net sales of licensed products, and milestone and sublicense fees, if any, owed by REGENX to its licensors as a result of our activities under the 2013 license agreement. We are required to develop licensed products in accordance with certain milestones. In the event that we fail to meet a particular milestone within established deadlines, we can extend the relevant deadline by providing a separate payment to REGENX. The 2013 license agreement will expire upon the expiration, lapse, abandonment, or invalidation of the last claim of the licensed intellectual property to expire, lapse, or become abandoned or unenforceable in all the countries of the world. Upon expiration, our know-how license will become non-exclusive, perpetual, irrevocable and royalty-free with respect to licensed know-how that REGENX owns in the field and will continue with respect to all of REGENX’s other know-how in the field under certain of its licenses for so long as its rights from those licensors continue. Subject to certain obligations to Bayer Healthcare, LLC, or Bayer, we may terminate the 2013 license agreement upon prior written notice or for a material breach. REGENX may terminate the license agreement if we or our controlling affiliate become insolvent, are late in paying money due, commence certain actions relating to the licensed patents or materially breach the agreement. If the 2013 license agreement is terminated with respect to an indication, we grant certain rights to REGENX, including transferring ownership of any applicable regulatory approvals and granting an exclusive license under certain of our intellectual property for use with respect to products covered by the intellectual property we had licensed from REGENX in that indication.
In March 2015, we entered into an option and license agreement with REGENX, which was subsequently amended, pursuant to which we have an exclusive worldwide license to make, have made, use, import, sell, and offer for sale licensed products to treat Wilson disease and CDKL5 deficiency. We do not have the right to control prosecution of the in-licensed patent applications, and our rights to enforce the in-licensed patents are subject to certain limitations. Under the 2015 option and license agreement, as amended, we pay or will pay REGENX an annual maintenance fee and certain milestone fees per disease indication, mid- to high single-digit royalty percentages on net sales of licensed products, and mid- single to low double-digit percentages of any sublicense fees we receive from sublicenses for the licensed intellectual property rights. We are required to develop licensed products in accordance with certain milestones. In the event that we fail to meet a particular milestone within established deadlines, we can extend the relevant deadline by providing a separate payment to REGENX. The 2015 option and license agreement will expire upon the expiration of the royalty obligations with respect to all licensed products for all licensed indications under all licenses granted under all exercised commercial options. Upon expiration, our know-how license will become non-exclusive, perpetual, irrevocable and royalty-free with respect to licensed know-how that REGENX owns in the field and will continue with respect to all of REGENX’s other know-how in the field under certain of its licenses for so long as its rights from those licensors continue. We may terminate the 2015 option and license agreement upon prior written notice or for a material breach. REGENX may terminate the 2015 option and license agreement if we or our controlling affiliate become insolvent, are late in paying money due, commence certain actions relating to the licensed patents or materially breach the agreement. If the 2015 option and license agreement is terminated with respect to an indication, we grant certain rights to REGENX, including transferring ownership of any applicable regulatory approvals and granting an exclusive license under certain of our intellectual property for use with respect to products covered by the intellectual property we had licensed from REGENX in that indication.
In March 2020, we entered into a license agreement with REGENX, for an exclusive, sublicensable, worldwide license to REGENX’s NAV AAV8 and AAV9 vectors for the development and commercialization of gene therapy treatments for a rare metabolic disorder. In return for these rights, we made an upfront payment and pay or will pay certain annual fees, milestone payments and royalties on any net sales of products incorporating the licensed intellectual property that range from a high single-digit to low double-digit.
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Bayer
In June 2014, we entered into an agreement with Bayer to research, develop and commercialize AAV gene therapy products for the treatment of hemophilia A, which was amended and restated in June 2019, or the Collaboration and License Agreement for DTX201. Under this agreement, we granted Bayer an exclusive license to develop and commercialize one or more novel gene therapies for hemophilia. In October 2022, the Collaboration and License Agreement for DTX201 with Bayer was terminated and all licensed rights to DTX201 have reverted to us. We also obtained rights to all necessary data and information to further develop DTX201 or another hemophilia A program through a royalty-free, worldwide, sublicensable, perpetual license. We plan to continue development while seeking a collaboration partner for this program.
University of Pennsylvania
In January 2015, we entered into an agreement with the University of Pennsylvania to sponsor certain research of Dr. Wilson at University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine related to liver gene therapy and hemophilia. Under the agreement, the University of Pennsylvania granted us an option to obtain a worldwide, non-exclusive or exclusive, royalty-bearing license, with the right to sublicense, under certain patent rights conceived, created or reduced to practice in the conduct of the research. The agreement expired on December 31, 2021.
In May 2016, we entered into a research, collaboration and license agreement with the University of Pennsylvania under which we are collaborating on the pre-clinical development of gene therapy products for the treatment of phenylketonuria and Wilson disease, each, a Subfield. Under the agreement, we were granted an exclusive, worldwide, royalty-bearing right and license to certain patent rights arising out of the research program, and a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-bearing right and license to certain University of Pennsylvania intellectual property, in each case to research, develop, make, have made, use, sell, offer for sale, commercialize and import licensed products in each Subfield for the term of the agreement. We will fund the cost of the research program and will be responsible for clinical development, manufacturing and commercialization of each Subfield. In addition, we are required to make milestone payments (up to a maximum of $5.0 million per Subfield) if certain development milestones are achieved over time. We will also make milestone payments of up to $25.0 million per approved product, if certain commercial milestones are achieved, and will pay low to mid- single-digit royalties on net sales of each Subfield’s licensed products.
GeneTx
In August 2019, we entered into an agreement with GeneTx to collaborate on the development of GeneTx’s GTX-102. Under the terms of the agreement, we made an upfront payment of $20.0 million which included an exclusive option to acquire GeneTx. In February 2020, we paid $25.0 million following acceptance of the IND to maintain the option to acquire GeneTx until the earlier of 30 months from the first dosing of a patient in a planned Phase 1/2 study (subject to extensions) or 90 days after results are available from that study.
In July 2022, we exercised our option to acquire GeneTx and entered into a Unit Purchase Agreement, or the Purchase Agreement, pursuant to which we purchased all the outstanding units of GeneTx. In accordance with the terms of the Purchase Agreement, we exercised our option to acquire GeneTx Biotherapeutics LLC (GeneTx) for an option exercise price of $75.0 million, in addition to outstanding cash and adjustments for working capital, for a total purchase consideration of $91.2 million. We are obligated to make future payments of up to $190.0 million upon the achievement of certain milestones, including up to $30.0 million in milestone payments upon achievement of the earlier of initiation of a Phase 3 clinical study or product approvals in Canada and the U.K., up to $85.0 million in additional regulatory approval milestones for the achievement of U.S. and EU product approvals, and up to $75.0 million in commercial milestone payments based on annual worldwide net product sales. In addition, we are obligated to pay tiered mid- to high single-digit percentage royalties based on licensed product annual net sales. If we receive and resell an FDA priority review voucher, or PRV, in connection with a new drug application approval, GeneTx is entitled to receive a portion of proceeds from the sale of the PRV or a cash payment from us, if we choose to retain the PRV.
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Mereo
In December 2020, we entered into a License and Collaboration Agreement with Mereo to collaborate on the development of setrusumab. Under the terms of the agreement, we will lead future global development of setrusumab in both pediatric and adult patients with OI and were granted an exclusive license to develop and commercialize setrusumab in the U.S., Turkey, and the rest of the world, excluding the European Economic Area, United Kingdom, and Switzerland, or the Mereo Territory, where Mereo retains commercial rights. Each party will be responsible for post-marketing commitments and commercial supply in their respective territories.
Upon the closing of the transactions under the License and Collaboration Agreement with Mereo in January 2021, we made a payment of $50.0 million to Mereo and will be required to make payments of up to $254.0 million upon the achievement of certain clinical, regulatory, and commercial milestones. We will pay for all global development costs as well as tiered double-digit percentage royalties to Mereo on net sales in the U.S., Turkey, and the rest of the world, and Mereo will pay us a fixed double-digit percentage royalty on net sales in the Mereo Territory.
Abeona
In May 2022, we announced an exclusive License Agreement with Abeona for an AAV gene therapy for the treatment of MPS IIIA, or UX111. Under the terms of the agreement, we assumed responsibility for the UX111 program and in return, we are obligated to pay Abeona certain UX111-related prior development costs and other transition costs. Abeona is eligible to receive tiered royalties of up to 10% on net sales and commercial milestone payments of up to $30.0 million following regulatory approval of the product. Additionally, we entered into an Assignment and Assumption Agreement with Abeona to transfer and assign to us the exclusive license agreement between Nationwide Children’s Hospital, or NCH, and Abeona for certain rights related to UX111. Under this agreement, NCH is eligible to receive from us up to $1.0 million in development and regulatory milestones as well as royalties in the low single-digits of net sales.
Arcturus
In October 2015, we entered into a Research Collaboration and License Agreement with Arcturus Therapeutics Holdings Inc., or Arcturus, to develop mRNA therapeutics for select rare disease targets. As part of the collaboration, we may use Arcturus’ LUNAR® nanoparticle delivery platform to develop mRNA therapeutics for the treatment of various rare disease targets, subject to certain exclusions and restrictions.
In June 2019, we announced the expansion of our research and collaboration arrangement with Arcturus, to discover and develop mRNA, DNA and siRNA therapeutics for up to 12 rare disease targets pursuant to the terms of an amendment to the 2015 Research Collaboration and License Agreement, or 2015 license agreement, and equity purchase agreement. In connection with the amendment to the 2015 license agreement, we made a $6.0 million cash upfront payment to Arcturus and also purchased 2,400,000 shares of Arcturus’ common stock at a stated value of $10.00 per share. In May 2020, we exercised an option to purchase an additional 600,000 shares of Arcturus’ common stock at $16.00 per share. During the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, we sold 500,000 shares and 1,700,000 shares of Arcturus common stock, respectively, at a weighted-average price of $20.39 and $47.44, respectively. As of December 31, 2022, we held no shares of Arcturus common stock.
On a product-by-product basis, we are obligated to make development and regulatory milestone payments of up to $24.5 million, and commercial milestone payments of up to $45.0 million if certain milestones are achieved. We are also obligated to pay Arcturus royalties on any net sales of products incorporating the licensed intellectual property that range from a mid- single-digit to low double-digit percentage.
Preclinical Pipeline
Solid Biosciences Inc.
In October 2020, we entered into a strategic Collaboration and License Agreement with Solid Biosciences Inc., or Solid, and received an exclusive license for any pharmaceutical product that expresses Solid’s proprietary microdystrophin construct from AAV8 and variants thereof in clade E for use in the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy and other diseases resulting from lack of functional dystrophin, including Becker muscular dystrophy. We are collaborating to develop products that combine Solid’s differentiated microdystrophin construct, our Pinnacle PCLTM producer cell line platform, or Pinnacle PCL Platform, manufacturing platform, and our AAV8 variants. Solid may provide some development support and was granted an exclusive option to co-invest in products we develop for profit-share participation in certain territories. We also entered into a Stock Purchase Agreement with Solid in October 2020 pursuant to which we purchased7,825,797 shares of Solid’s common stock for an aggregate price of $40.0 million. In October 2022, Solid announced a 1 for 15 reverse stock split. After the split, we hold 521,719 shares in Solid.
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Platform Technology Transfer
Daiichi
In March 2020, we entered into a License and Technology Access Agreement, or the License Agreement with Daiichi Sankyo Co., Ltd., or Daiichi Sankyo, pursuant to which, we granted Daiichi Sankyo a non-exclusive license to intellectual property, including know-how and patent applications, with respect to our Pinnacle PCL Platform and HEK293 transient transfection manufacturing technology platforms for AAV-based gene therapy products. We retained the exclusive right to use the manufacturing technology for our current target indications and additional indications identified now and in the future. We are providing certain technical assistance and technology transfer services during the technology transfer period of three years to enable Daiichi Sankyo to use the technologies for its internal gene therapy programs. Daiichi Sankyo has an option to extend the technology transfer period including know-how improvements by two additional one-year periods by paying a fixed amount for each additional year. Daiichi Sankyo will be responsible for the manufacturing, development, and commercialization of their products manufactured with the licensed technology; however, we have the option to co-develop and co-commercialize rare disease products at the IND stage. We may also provide strategic consultation to Daiichi Sankyo on the development of both AAV-based gene therapy products and other products for rare diseases.
Under the terms of the License Agreement, Daiichi Sankyo made an upfront payment of $125.0 million and during the fourth quarter of 2021, made an additional payment of $25.0 million upon achievement of the milestones related to the technology transfer of the Pinnacle PCL and HEK293 platforms. Daiichi Sankyo reimbursed us for all costs associated with the transfer of the manufacturing technology and will also pay us a single-digit royalties on net sales of products manufactured with the technology platforms.
In March 2020, we also entered into a Stock Purchase Agreement with Daiichi Sankyo, pursuant to which Daiichi Sankyo purchased 1,243,913 shares of our common stock in exchange for $75.0 million in cash. Daiichi Sankyo is subject to a three-year standstill and restrictions on sale of the shares (subject to customary exceptions or release).
In June 2020, we executed a subsequent license agreement, or the Sublicense Agreement, with Daiichi Sankyo for transfer of certain technology in consideration for a payment of $8.0 million and annual maintenance fees,milestone payments, and royalties on any net sales of products incorporating the licensed intellectual property.
Patents and Proprietary Rights
The proprietary nature of, and protection for, our products, product candidates, processes, and know-how are important to our business. Our success depends in part on our ability to protect our products, product candidates, processes, and know-how, to operate without infringing on the proprietary rights of others, and to prevent others from infringing our proprietary rights. We seek patent protection in the U.S. and internationally for our products, product candidates, and processes. Our policy is to patent or in-license the technologies, inventions, and improvements that we consider important to the development of our business. In addition to patent protection, we rely on trade secrets, know-how, and continuing innovation to develop and maintain our competitive position.
We also use other means to protect our products and product candidates, including the pursuit of marketing or data exclusivity periods, orphan drug status, and similar rights that are available under regulatory provisions in certain countries, including the U.S., Europe, Japan, and China. See “Government Regulation—U.S. Government Regulation — Orphan Designation and Exclusivity,” “Government Regulation—U.S. Government Regulation — Pediatric Studies and Exclusivity,” “Government Regulation—U.S. Government Regulation — Biosimilars and Exclusivity,” “Government Regulation—U.S. Government Regulation — Abbreviated New Drug Applications for Generic Drugs and New Chemical Entity Exclusivity,” “Government Regulation—U.S. Government Regulation — Patent Term Restoration,” “Government Regulation—EU Regulation — Orphan Designation and Exclusivity,” and “Government Regulation—EU Regulation — New Chemical Entity Exclusivity” below for additional information.
We seek regulatory approval for our products and product candidates in disease areas with high unmet medical need, significant market potential, and where we expect to have a proprietary position through patents covering various aspects of our product candidates, such as composition, dosage, formulation, use, and manufacturing process, among others. Our success depends in part on an intellectual property portfolio that supports our future revenue streams and erects barriers to our competitors. We are maintaining and building our patent portfolio by filing new patent applications, prosecuting existing applications, and licensing and acquiring new patents and patent applications.
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Despite these measures, any of our intellectual property and proprietary rights could be challenged, invalidated, circumvented, infringed, or misappropriated, or such intellectual property and proprietary rights may not be sufficient to achieve or maintain market exclusivity or otherwise to provide competitive advantages. We also cannot be certain that patents will be granted with respect to any of our pending patent applications or with respect to any patent applications filed by us in the future, nor can we be sure that any of our existing patents or any patents granted to us in the future will be commercially useful in protecting our products, product candidates, or processes. For more information, please see “Item I.A. Risk Factors Risks Related to Our Intellectual Property.”
As of December 31, 2022, we own, jointly own, or have exclusive rights to more than 225 issued and in-force patents (not including individually validated national patents in European Patent Convention member countries) that cover one or more of our products or product candidates, methods of their use, or methods of their manufacture, including more than 45 in-force patents issued by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, or the USPTO. Furthermore, as of December 31, 2022, we own, jointly own, or have exclusive rights to more than 375 pending patent applications, including more than 50 pending U.S. applications.
With respect to our owned or in-licensed issued patents in the U.S. and Europe, we may be entitled to obtain an extension of patent term to extend the patent expiration date. For example, in the U.S., this extended coverage period is known as patent term extension, or PTE, and can only be obtained provided we apply for and receive a marketing authorization for a product. The period of extension may be up to five years beyond the expiration of the patent, but cannot extend the remaining term of a patent beyond a total of 14 years from the date of product approval. Only one patent among those eligible for an extension may be extended. In Europe, a Supplementary Protection Certificate, or SPC, may be available to extend the term of certain European patents covering our products; this requires application for an SPC in individual European Patent Convention, or EPC, member countries following product approval. However, there is no guarantee that the applicable authorities, including the FDA, will agree with our assessment of whether such extensions should be granted, and even if granted, the length of such extensions. In the U.S., the exact duration of the extension depends on the time we spend in clinical studies as well as getting marketing approval from the FDA.
The exclusivity positions for our commercial products and our clinical-stage product candidates as of December 31, 2022 are summarized below.
Crysvita (Burosumab) Exclusivity
We have in-licensed rights from KKC to patents and patent applications relating to Crysvita and its use for the treatment of XLH, TIO, and various other hypophosphatemic conditions. Pursuant to this license, we have rights to five issued U.S. patents, as well as issued patents and patent applications in other jurisdictions. The U.S. patents expire between 2028 and 2035. In addition to the foregoing patent protections, Crysvita is protected in the U.S. by regulatory exclusivity until 2030 and by orphan drug exclusivity for treating XLH and TIO until 2025 and 2027, respectively.
Mepsevii (Vestronidase Alfa) Exclusivity
We own four issued U.S. patents and the corresponding issued foreign patents covering Mepsevii and its use in the treatment of lysosomal storage disorders such as MPS VII. These patents expire in 2035. Mepsevii is also protected in the U.S. by regulatory exclusivity until 2029 and by orphan drug exclusivity for treating MPS VII until 2024.
Dojolvi (Triheptanoin) Exclusivity
We have an exclusive license from BRI to patents and patent applications relating to Dojolvi and its use for the treatment of FAOD. The in-licensed BRI patent portfolio includes issued patents in the U.S and Mexico that expire in 2025 and cover Dojolvi, as well as an issued patent in Canada that expires in 2025 and covers the use of Dojolvi for the treatment of FAOD. In the U.S., we have applied to extend the term of a BRI patent covering Dojolvi from 2025 to 2029. Beyond these BRI patents and patent applications, we own a pending U.S. patent application, corresponding foreign patent applications, and issued patents in Australia, Israel, Korea, Malaysia, and Taiwan relating to our pharmaceutical-grade Dojolvi composition; these owned patents and any additional patents issuing from these owned applications are expected to expire in 2034. Dojolvi is also protected in the U.S. by regulatory exclusivity until 2025 and orphan drug exclusivity for treating FAOD until 2027.
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Evkeeza (Evinacumab) Exclusivity
We have an exclusive license from Regeneron to certain Regeneron patents for the development and commercialization of Evkeeza outside of the U.S. for the treatment of HoFH and other hyperlipidemia/hypercholesterolemia indications. The in-licensed Regeneron patent portfolio includes a patent family containing several issued foreign patents that expire in 2032 and cover the Evkeeza antibody; Regeneron has filed supplementary protection certificates to extend the rights associated with the European patent within this family until 2036 in certain countries. The in-licensed Regeneron patent portfolio contains five other patent families, one of which includes several pending patent applications directed to a stabilized pharmaceutical formulation comprising Evkeeza; we expect any patents emanating from this patent family to expire in 2040. In addition to the foregoing patent protections, Evkeeza is protected in Europe by data exclusivity until 2029 and marketing exclusivity until 2031.
DTX401 (Pariglasgene Brecaparvovec) Exclusivity
We have two in-licenses to patents and patent applications covering elements of our DTX401 product candidate. First, we have in-licensed an issued U.S. patent owned by the University of Pennsylvania, or UPENN, and sublicensed to us by REGENX relating to the AAV8 capsid used in DTX401 that expires in 2024. Second, we have a non-exclusive license from the National Institutes of Health, or NIH, to an issued U.S. patent expiring in 2034 (not accounting for any available PTE) and corresponding foreign patents covering a recombinant nucleic acid construct used in DTX401 that includes a codon-optimized version of the G6Pase gene.
DTX301 (Avalotcagene Ontaparvovec) Exclusivity
We have a license to two patent families covering elements of our DTX301 product candidate. These patent families are owned by UPENN and sublicensed to us by REGENX. The in-licensed UPENN patent portfolio includes an issued U.S. patent relating to the AAV8 capsid used in DTX301 that expires in 2024, as well as two issued U.S. patents expiring in 2035 (not accounting for any available PTE) and corresponding foreign patents and patent applications covering the codon-optimized version of the OTC gene used in DTX301.
UX143 (Setrusumab) Exclusivity
We have in-licensed rights from Mereo to patents and patent applications relating to setrusumab and its use for the treatment of OI. Pursuant to our license from Mereo, we have exclusive rights outside of Europe to a Mereo patent family that includes three issued U.S. patents and corresponding issued foreign patents that relate to the setrusumab antibody, nucleic acids encoding setrusumab, processes for producing setrusumab, and setrusumab’s use as a medicament. Patents emanating from this patent family expire in 2028 (not accounting for any available PTE). We also have exclusive rights outside of Europe to two additional Mereo patent families, including an issued U.S. patent expiring in 2037 (not accounting for any available PTE), relating to methods of using anti-sclerostin antibodies including setrusumab for the treatment of OI. Beyond these Mereo patents and patent applications, we jointly own with Mereo a patent family relating to dosing regimens for the use of anti-sclerostin antibodies including setrusumab in the treatment of OI; we expect any patents emanating from this patent family to expire in 2042 (not accounting for any available PTE).
DTX201 (Peboctocogene Camaparvovec) Exclusivity
We have a license to two patent families covering elements of our DTX201 product candidate. These patent families are owned by UPENN and sublicensed to us by REGENX. The in-licensed UPENN patent portfolio includes three issued U.S. patents and corresponding foreign patents relating to the AAVhu37 capsid used in DTX201 that expire in 2024, as well as an issued U.S. patent expiring in 2037 (not accounting for any available PTE) and corresponding foreign patents and patent applications covering the codon-optimized version of the Factor VIII gene used in DTX201.
UX111 Exclusivity
We have an exclusive license from Nationwide Children’s Hospital, or NCH, to a pending U.S. patent application covering a method of treating MPS IIIA by intravenously administering a recombinant AAV9 vector comprising a U1a promoter and a polynucleotide sequence encoding N-sulfoglucosamine sulfohydrolase, or SGSH; we expect any patent emanating from this application to expire in 2032 (not accounting for any available PTE).
GTX-102 Exclusivity
We have an exclusive license from Texas A&M University, or TAMU, to a patent family filed in the U.S. and several foreign jurisdictions relating to UBE3A antisense oligonucleotides including GTX-102 and their use for the treatment of Angelman syndrome,
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or AS. The in-licensed TAMU patent family includes an issued U.S. patent expiring in 2038 (not accounting for any available PTE) that covers a method of using GTX-102 for the treatment of AS.
UX701 Exclusivity
We have two licenses to patents and patent applications covering elements of our UX701 product candidate. First, we have in-licensed patents owned by UPENN and sublicensed to us by REGENX relating to the AAV9 capsid used in UX701 that expire between 2024 and 2026 in the U.S., and in 2024 in foreign countries. Second, we have an exclusive license from UPENN to a patent family filed in the U.S. and several foreign jurisdictions relating to AAV vectors containing certain regulatory and coding sequences packaged in UX701; this patent family includes an issued U.S. patent expiring in 2039 (not accounting for any available PTE). Beyond these in-licenses, we own a patent family covering AAV vectors expressing a novel truncated version of the ATP7B protein produced by UX701; we expect any patents emanating from this patent family to expire in 2040 (not accounting for any available PTE).
UX053 Exclusivity
We have a license from Arcturus to four issued U.S. patents expiring between 2034 and 2038 (not accounting for any available PTE), and corresponding foreign patents and applications, that cover the cationic lipid used in our UX053 product candidate. Beyond these Arcturus patents and patent applications, we own a patent family filed in the U.S. and several foreign jurisdictions covering the codon-optimized version of the human AGL mRNA contained in UX053; this patent family includes an issued U.S. patent expiring in 2039 (not accounting for any available PTE).
Trademarks
We own registered trademarks covering the Ultragenyx word mark in the U.S. and multiple other jurisdictions. In addition, we have a pending trademark application in the U.S. covering a stylized design of our Ultragenyx logo. We also own registered trademarks in the U.S. and other territories relating to our Mepsevii and Dojolvi brand names for vestronidase alfa and triheptanoin, respectively. We additionally have licenses from KKC and Regeneron to registered trademarks covering the Crysvita and Evkeeza brand names, respectively, in territories where we have rights to commercialize these products.
Other
We rely upon unpatented trade secrets, know-how, and continuing technological innovation to develop and maintain our competitive position. We seek to protect our ownership of know-how and trade secrets through an active program of legal mechanisms including assignments, confidentiality agreements, material transfer agreements, research collaborations, and licenses.
Manufacturing
We currently contract with third parties for the manufacturing and testing of our products and product candidates for use in preclinical, clinical, and commercial applications. We do not own or operate manufacturing facilities for the cGMP production of clinical or commercial quantities of our product candidates. We do, however, have process and analytical development and QC lab capabilities focused on the gene therapy and nucleic acid technologies. The use of contracted manufacturing and reliance on collaboration partners has historically minimized our direct investment in manufacturing facilities and additional staff early in development. Although we rely on contract manufacturers, we have personnel with extensive manufacturing experience to oversee our contract manufacturers. All of our third-party manufacturers are subject to periodic audits to confirm compliance with applicable regulations and must pass inspection before we can manufacture our drugs for commercial sales.
While our third-party manufacturers have met our current manufacturing requirements, we are building our own GMP gene therapy manufacturing plant to seek to mitigate potential program timeline delays, control manufacturing costs and reduce manufacturing lead times. For the other non-gene therapy modalities, we primarily use third-party manufacturers to meet our projected needs for commercial manufacturing. Third parties with whom we currently work might need to increase their scale of production or we will need to secure alternate suppliers. We believe that there are alternate sources of supply that can satisfy our clinical and commercial requirements, although we cannot be certain that identifying and establishing relationships with such sources, if necessary, would not result in significant delay or material additional costs.
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Products
Mepsevii
The Mepsevii drug substance is manufactured by Rentschler Biopharma SE, or Rentschler, under non-exclusive commercial supply and services agreements effective December 2017 and January 2018, respectively. The drug substance agreement has an initial term of five years, which will be automatically extended for another five years following the initial term, and will continue in full force and effect for its term unless earlier terminated. Following the initial term, we and Rentschler can withdraw from the agreement without cause upon prior notice for specified periods. In addition, either party may terminate the agreement if the other party breaches a material provision and such breach remains uncured for a specified period following receipt by the breaching party of written notice of such breach. We can also terminate the agreement if Rentschler loses the right to operate under the agreement. Either party can also terminate the agreements if Rentschler is unable to deliver its agreed upon services for a certain period in the case of a force majeure event. The cell line to produce Mepsevii is specific for this product and is in our control and stored in multiple secure locations. All other raw materials are commercially available. We transferred the fill and finish activities for the manufacture of Mepsevii Drug Product to a new site, BSP Pharmaceuticals S.p.A., or BSP, located in Latina, Italy as the Rentschler manufacturing site in Laupheim, Germany was discontinued. The site change was approved by relevant global authorities, including the FDA, on May 5, 2022. Sufficient inventory levels were maintained during the transfer of the fill and finish activities for Mepsevii to BSP.
Crysvita
The drug substance and drug product for burosumab are made by KKC in Japan under the collaboration and license agreement with KKC. The cell line to produce burosumab is specific for this product and is in KKC’s control. All other raw materials are commercially available.
Dojolvi
The pharmaceutical-grade drug substance for Dojolvi is manufactured by IOI Oleo GmbH, or IOI Oleo, in Germany under an exclusive worldwide supply agreement, subject to certain limitations, executed in 2012 with an initial term of three years. The agreement automatically renews for two-year periods at the end of each then current term unless either party notifies the other party of its intention not to renew in writing at least three calendar months before the expiration of the then current term. Additionally, if a party materially breaches an obligation under the agreement and does not cure such breach within 60 days of receiving notice of the breach from the non-breaching party, the non-breaching party may terminate the agreement immediately upon written notice to the breaching party. The drug product for Dojolvi is manufactured by Aenova Haupt Pharma Wolfratshausen GmbH, or Haupt Pharma, pursuant to a Master Services Agreement, for the non-exclusive manufacture and supply of product. The agreement was executed in April 2019 with an initial three-year term and automatically renews at the end of the current term for an indefinite period unless we provide written notice of termination to Haupt Pharma no later than 60 days prior to the expiration of the initial term. After the initial term, either party may terminate the agreement without cause with at least 12 months’ notice. Additionally, if a party materially breaches certain obligations under the agreement and does not cure such breach within 30 days of receiving notice of the breach from the non-breaching party, the non-breaching party may terminate the agreement immediately upon written notice to the breaching party. Either party may also terminate the agreement with immediate effect if the other party breaches certain specified obligations as set forth in the agreement.
Evkeeza
On January 7, 2022, we announced a license and collaboration agreement with Regeneron for us to clinically develop, commercialize and distribute Evkeeza in countries outside of the U.S. Evkeeza is a fully human monoclonal antibody that binds to and blocks the function of angiopoietin-like 3, or ANGPTL3, a protein that plays a key role in lipid metabolism.
The Evkeeza drug substance is manufactured by Regeneron at their manufacturing facility in Rensselaer, New York and the drug product is manufactured by Baxter Pharmaceutical Solutions, LLC. at their manufacturing facility in Bloomington, Indiana. Release testing of the drug product is performed by Regeneron and third-party suppliers.
We utilize third-party suppliers to perform packaging, labelling, distribution, and testing as needed for Evkeeza.
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Product Candidates
The drug substances and drug products for our product candidates are manufactured using our network of GMP contract manufacturing organizations, or CMOs, which are carefully selected and actively managed for high quality, reliable clinical supply. The CMOs are located in Western Europe or North America.
Commercialization and Product Support
We have built our own commercial organizations in North America, Europe, Latin America and Japan to effectively support the commercialization of our products and product candidates, if approved. Our intention is to expand our product portfolio and its geographic accessibility through the continued development of our proprietary pipeline or through strategic partnerships. We may elect to utilize strategic partners, distributors, or contract management organizations to assist in the commercialization of our products in certain geographies. The commercial infrastructure for rare disease products typically consists of a targeted, specialty field organization that educates a limited and focused group of physicians supported by field management and internal support teams, which includes patient support services, distribution, and market access. One challenge, unique to commercializing therapies for rare diseases, is the difficulty in identifying eligible patients due to the very small and sometimes heterogeneous patient populations along with often undefined clinical or genetic tests to confirm diagnosis. Our commercial and medical affairs teams focus on maximizing patient identification for both clinical development and commercialization purposes in rare diseases.
Additional capabilities important to the rare disease marketplace in the U.S. include the management of key stakeholders such as managed care organizations, specialty pharmacies, and government payers. In many countries outside the U.S. single national payers are critical to providing reimbursement access. To develop the appropriate commercial infrastructure, we will have to invest a significant amount of financial and management resources, some of which will be committed prior to regulatory approval of the products that they are intended to support.
We continue to support commercial and medical affairs organizations as well as other capabilities across North America, Europe, Latin America, and Japan to meet the scientific educational needs of the healthcare providers and patients in the rare disease community, focusing on providing accurate disease state information and balanced product information across our portfolio for appropriate management of patients with rare disorders.
Medical affairs is comprised of the following capabilities in support of our mission: medical information, patient advocacy, patient diagnosis liaisons, medical science liaisons, research and educational grants. Medical affairs will engage as early as Phase 1 and will continue work throughout the lifecycle of each product and product candidate as dictated by the specific scientific needs in each therapeutic area.
Government Regulation
Government authorities in the U.S. (including federal, state, and local authorities) and in other countries, extensively regulate, among other things, the manufacturing, research and clinical development, marketing, labeling and packaging, storage, distribution, post-approval monitoring and reporting, advertising and promotion, pricing, and export and import of pharmaceutical products, such as those we are developing. We must obtain the requisite approvals from regulatory authorities in the U.S. and foreign countries prior to the commencement of clinical studies or marketing of the product in those countries. Accordingly, our operations are and will be subject to a variety of regulations and other requirements, which vary from country to country. The process of obtaining regulatory approvals and the subsequent compliance with appropriate federal, state, local, and foreign statutes and regulations require the expenditure of substantial time and financial resources that has a significant impact on our capital expenditures and results of operations.
Global Regulation of Clinical Studies
Clinical studies involve the administration of an investigational medicinal product to human subjects under the supervision of qualified investigators in accordance with protocols, Good Clinical Practices, or GCP, the ethical principles that have their origin in the Declaration of Helsinki and applicable regulatory requirements. A protocol for each clinical study and any subsequent protocol amendments are typically submitted to the FDA or other applicable regulatory authorities as part of an investigational new drug application, or IND, or clinical trial application, or CTA. Additionally, approval must also be obtained from each clinical study site’s institutional review board, or IRB, or Ethics Committee, or EC, before the studies may be initiated, and the IRB or EC must monitor the study until completed. There are also requirements governing the reporting of ongoing clinical studies and clinical study results to public registries.
The clinical investigation of a drug is generally divided into three or four phases. Although the phases are usually conducted sequentially, they may overlap or be combined.
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Phase 1. The drug is initially introduced into healthy human subjects or patients with the target disease or condition. These studies are designed to evaluate the safety, dosage tolerance, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacologic actions of the investigational new drug in humans, and if possible, to gain early evidence on effectiveness.
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Phase 2. The drug is administered to a limited patient population to evaluate dosage tolerance and optimal dosage, identify possible adverse side effects and safety risks, and preliminarily evaluate efficacy.
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Phase 3. The drug is administered to an expanded patient population, generally at geographically dispersed clinical study sites to generate enough data to statistically evaluate dosage, clinical effectiveness, and safety, to establish the overall benefit-risk relationship of the investigational new drug product, and to provide an adequate basis for product approval.
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Phase 4. In some cases, additional studies and patient follow-up are conducted to gain experience from the treatment of patients in the intended therapeutic indication. Regulatory authorities may condition approval of a marketing application for a product candidate on the sponsor’s agreement to conduct additional clinical studies after approval. In other cases, a sponsor may voluntarily conduct additional clinical studies after approval to gain more information about the drug. Such post-approval studies are typically referred to as Phase 4 clinical studies.
A pivotal study is a clinical study that adequately meets regulatory authority requirements for the evaluation of a drug candidate’s efficacy and safety such that it can be used to justify the approval of the product. Generally, pivotal studies are Phase 3 studies, but regulatory authorities may accept results from Phase 2 studies if the study design provides a well-controlled and reliable assessment of clinical benefit, particularly in situations where there is an unmet medical need and the results are sufficiently robust.
U.S. Government Regulation
In the U.S., the FDA regulates drugs under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, or FDCA, and its implementing regulations, and biologics under the FDCA and the Public Health Service Act, or PHSA, and its implementing regulations. FDA approval is required before any new drug or dosage form, including a new use of a previously approved drug, can be marketed in the U.S. Drugs and biologics are also subject to other federal, state, and local statutes and regulations.
The process required by the FDA before product candidates may be marketed or sold in the U.S. generally involves the following:
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completion of extensive preclinical laboratory tests and preclinical animal studies performed in accordance with the Good Laboratory Practices, or GLP, regulations and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal Welfare Act;
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submission to the FDA of an IND, which must become effective before human clinical studies may begin and must be updated annually;
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conducting adequate and well-controlled human clinical studies that generally follow the three- to four-phase design described above to establish the safety and efficacy of the product candidate for each proposed indication under an active IND and approved by an independent IRB representing each clinical site;
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preparation of and submission to the FDA of a new drug application, or NDA, or biologics license application, or BLA, after completion of all pivotal clinical studies;
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potential review of the product application by an FDA advisory committee, where appropriate and if applicable;
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satisfactory completion of an FDA pre-approval inspection of the manufacturing facilities where the proposed drug substance and drug product are produced to assess compliance with Good Manufacturing Practices, or GMP;
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FDA inspection of one or more clinical sites to assure compliance with GCP; and
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FDA review and approval of an NDA or BLA.
Submission of an NDA or BLA to the FDA
Assuming successful completion of all required testing in accordance with all applicable regulatory requirements, detailed investigational new drug product information is submitted to the FDA in the form of an NDA or BLA requesting approval to market the product for one or more indications. Under federal law, the submission of most NDAs and BLAs is subject to a significant application user fee, unless waived.
Once an NDA or BLA has been submitted, the FDA’s goal is to review the application within ten months after it accepts the application for filing, or, if the application relates to an unmet medical need in the treatment of a serious or life-threatening condition, six months after the FDA accepts the application for filing. The review process can be significantly extended by FDA requests for additional information or clarification.
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The FDA’s Decision on an NDA or BLA
The FDA may issue an approval letter if it finds the application has adequate support for commercial marketing. An approval letter authorizes commercial marketing of the drug with specific prescribing information for specific indications. As a condition of NDA or BLA approval, the FDA may impose additional requirements, such as post-marketing studies and/or a Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy, or REMS, to help ensure that the benefits of the drug outweigh the potential risks. A REMS can include medication guides, communication plans for healthcare professionals, and elements to assure safe use. The FDA may also issue a Complete Response Letter, which indicates that the review cycle of the application is complete but the application is not ready for approval. A Complete Response Letter may require additional clinical data and/or an additional pivotal Phase 3 clinical study(ies), and/or other significant, expensive and time-consuming requirements related to clinical studies, preclinical studies or manufacturing. If the conditions set forth in the Complete Response Letter are met, the FDA may approve the product for marketing.
Expedited Review and Accelerated Approval Programs
A sponsor may seek approval of its product candidate under programs designed to accelerate the FDA’s review and approval of NDAs and BLAs. For example, Fast Track Designation may be granted to a drug intended for treatment of a serious or life-threatening disease or condition and data demonstrate its potential to address unmet medical needs for the disease or condition. The key benefits of fast-track designation are the eligibility for priority review, rolling review (submission of portions of an application before the complete marketing application is submitted), and accelerated approval, if relevant criteria are met. The FDA may grant the NDA or BLA a priority review designation, which sets the target date for FDA action on the application at six months after the FDA accepts the application for filing. Priority review is granted where there is evidence that the proposed product would be a significant improvement in the safety or effectiveness of the treatment, diagnosis, or prevention of a serious condition. Priority review designation does not change the scientific/medical standard for approval or the quality of evidence necessary to support approval.
The FDA may approve an NDA or BLA under the accelerated approval program if the drug treats a serious condition, provides a meaningful advantage over available therapies, and demonstrates an effect on either (1) a surrogate endpoint that is reasonably likely to predict clinical benefit, or (2) on a clinical endpoint that can be measured earlier than irreversible morbidity or mortality, that is reasonably likely to predict an effect on irreversible morbidity or mortality or other clinical benefit, taking into account the severity, rarity, or prevalence of the condition and the availability or lack of alternative treatments. Post-marketing studies or completion of ongoing studies after marketing approval are generally required to verify the drug’s clinical benefit in relationship to the surrogate endpoint or ultimate outcome in relationship to the clinical benefit.
In addition, the Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act, or FDASIA, established the Breakthrough Therapy designation. A sponsor may seek FDA designation of its product candidate as a breakthrough therapy if the drug is intended, alone or in combination with one or more other drugs, to treat a serious or life-threatening disease or condition and preliminary clinical evidence indicates that the drug may demonstrate substantial improvement over existing therapies on one or more clinically significant endpoints, such as substantial treatment effects observed early in clinical development. If a drug is designated as a breakthrough therapy, the FDA will provide more intensive guidance on the drug development program and expedite its review.
Furthermore, the FDA has made available expedited programs to sponsors of regenerative medicine therapies that have been granted designation as a regenerative medicine advanced therapy, or RMAT. Regenerative medicine therapies include cell therapies, therapeutic tissue engineering products and human cell and tissue products. A sponsor may seek RMAT designation if its regenerative medicine product is intended for a serious condition and preliminary clinical evidence indicates that the regenerative medicine therapy has the potential to address unmet medical needs for such condition.
The 2023 Consolidated Appropriations Act strengthens the FDA’s authority to require and regulate post-approval studies of accelerated approval drugs and to expedite the rescission of accelerated approval based on the post-approval studies.
Orphan Designation and Exclusivity
Under the Orphan Drug Act, the FDA may grant orphan drug designation to drugs intended to treat a rare disease or condition that affects fewer than 200,000 individuals in the U.S., or if it affects more than 200,000 individuals in the U.S. and there is no reasonable expectation that the cost of developing and making the drug for this type of disease or condition will be recovered from sales in the U.S.
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Orphan drug designation entitles a party to financial incentives such as opportunities for grant funding towards clinical study costs, tax advantages, and user-fee waivers. Orphan drug designation does not convey any advantage in, or shorten the duration of, the regulatory review and approval process. In addition, the first NDA or BLA applicant to receive orphan drug designation for a particular drug is entitled to orphan drug exclusivity, which means the FDA may not approve any other application to market the same drug for the same indication for a period of seven years in the U.S., except in limited circumstances. Orphan drug exclusivity does not prevent the FDA from approving a different drug for the same disease or condition, or the same drug for a different disease or condition.
There is some uncertainty with respect to the FDA’s interpretation of the scope of orphan drug exclusivity. Historically, exclusivity was specific to the orphan indication for which the drug was approved. As a result, the scope of exclusivity was interpreted as preventing approval of a competing product. However, in 2021, the federal court in Catalyst Pharmaceuticals, Inc. v. Becerra, suggested that orphan drug exclusivity covers the full scope of the orphan-designated “disease or condition” regardless of whether a drug obtained approval for a narrower use.
Pediatric Studies and Exclusivity
NDAs and BLAs must contain data to assess the safety and effectiveness of an investigational new drug product for the claimed indications in all relevant pediatric populations in order to support dosing and administration for each pediatric subpopulation for which the drug is safe and effective. The FDA may, on its own initiative or at the request of the applicant, grant deferrals for submission of some or all pediatric data until after approval of the product for use in adults or full or partial waivers if certain criteria are met. Pediatric development plans can be discussed with the FDA at any time, but usually occur any time between the end-of-Phase 2 meeting and submission of the NDA or BLA. Unless otherwise required by regulation, the requirements for pediatric data do not apply to any drug for an indication for which orphan designation has been granted.
Pediatric exclusivity is another type of non-patent exclusivity in the U.S. that may be granted if certain FDA requirements are met, such as FDA’s determination that information relating to the use of a new drug in the pediatric population may produce health benefits, and the applicant agrees to perform and report on FDA-requested studies within a certain time frame. Pediatric exclusivity adds a period of six months of exclusivity to the end of all existing marketing exclusivity and patents held by the sponsor for that active moiety. This is not a patent term extension, but it effectively extends the regulatory period during which the FDA cannot accept or approve another application relying on the NDA or BLA sponsor’s data.
Biosimilars and Exclusivity
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010, or Affordable Care Act, includes a subtitle called the Biologics Price Competition and Innovation Act of 2009, or BPCI Act, which created an abbreviated approval pathway for biological products shown to be similar to, or interchangeable with, an FDA-licensed reference biological product.
A reference biologic is granted twelve years of exclusivity from the time of first licensure of the reference product. The first biologic product submitted under the abbreviated approval pathway that is determined to be interchangeable with the reference product has exclusivity against other biologics submitting under the abbreviated approval pathway for the lesser of (i) one year after the first commercial marketing, (ii) eighteen months after approval if there is no legal challenge, (iii) eighteen months after the resolution in the applicant’s favor of a lawsuit challenging the biologics’ patents if an application has been submitted, or (iv) 42 months after the application has been approved if a lawsuit is ongoing within the 42-month period.
The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, or the IRA, is intended to foster generic and biosimilar competition and to lower drug and biologic costs. The IRA provides the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, or CMS, with significant new authorities. CMS will be able to directly negotiate prescription drug prices and to cap out-of-pocket costs. Each year, CMS will select and negotiate a preset number of high-spend drugs and biologics covered under Medicare Parts B and D that lack generic or biosimilar competition. Price negotiations begin in 2023. Taking effect in 2023, the IRA provides a new “inflation rebate” that covers Medicare patients and is intended to counter certain price increases in prescription drugs. The inflation rebate requires drug manufacturers to pay a rebate to the federal government if the price for a drug or biologic under Medicare Parts B or D increases faster than the rate of inflation. To support biosimilar competition, qualifying biosimilars may receive a Medicare Part B payment increase for a period of five years, beginning in October 2022. Separately, if a biologic drug for which no biosimilar exists delays a biosimilar’s market entry beyond two years, CMS will be authorized to subject the biologics manufacturer to price negotiations intended to ensure fair competition. Notwithstanding these provisions, the IRA’s impact on competition and commercialization remains largely uncertain.
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Abbreviated New Drug Applications for Generic Drugs and New Chemical Entity Exclusivity
The Drug Price Competition and Patent Term Restoration Act of 1984, or the Hatch-Waxman Amendments, authorized the FDA to approve generic drugs that are bioequivalent (i.e. identical) to previously approved branded drugs. To obtain approval of a generic drug, an applicant must submit an abbreviated new drug application, or ANDA, to the FDA. In support of such applications, a generic manufacturer may rely on the preclinical and clinical testing conducted for a drug product previously approved under an NDA, known as the reference listed drug, or RLD.
Specifically, in order for an ANDA to be approved, the FDA must find that the generic version is bioequivalent to the RLD with respect to the active ingredients, the route of administration, the dosage form, quality and performance characteristics, the strength of the drug, and intended use.
The FDCA provides a period of five years of non-patent exclusivity for a new drug containing a new chemical entity. In cases where such exclusivity has been granted, an ANDA may not be filed with the FDA until the expiration of five years unless the submission is accompanied by a Paragraph IV certification, in which case the applicant may submit its application four years following the original product approval. The FDCA also provides for a period of three years of exclusivity if an NDA or supplement includes reports of one or more new clinical investigations, other than bioavailability or bioequivalence studies, that were conducted by or for the applicant and are essential to the approval of the application. This three-year exclusivity period often protects changes to a previously approved drug product, such as a new dosage form, route of administration, combination or indication.
When an ANDA applicant files its application with the FDA, it must certify, among other things, that the new product will not infringe the already approved product’s listed patents or that such patents are invalid or unenforceable, which is called a Paragraph IV certification. If the applicant does not challenge the listed patents or indicates that it is not seeking approval of a patented method of use, the ANDA application will not be approved until all the listed patents claiming the referenced product have expired. If the ANDA applicant has provided a Paragraph IV certification to the FDA, the applicant must also send notice of the Paragraph IV certification to the NDA and patent holders once the ANDA has been accepted for filing by the FDA. The NDA and patent holders may then initiate a patent infringement lawsuit in response to the notice of the Paragraph IV certification. The filing of a patent infringement lawsuit within 45 days after the receipt of a Paragraph IV certification automatically prevents the FDA from approving the ANDA until the earlier of 30 months after the receipt of the Paragraph IV notice, expiration of the patent, or a decision in the infringement case that is favorable to the ANDA applicant.
Patent Term Restoration
Some of our U.S. patents may be eligible for limited patent term extension under the Hatch-Waxman Amendments. The Hatch-Waxman Amendments permit a patent restoration term of up to five years as compensation for patent term lost during product development and the FDA regulatory review process. However, patent term restoration cannot extend the remaining term of a patent beyond a total of 14 years from the product’s approval date. The patent term restoration period is generally one-half the time between the effective date of an IND and the submission date of an NDA or BLA, plus the time between the submission date and the approval of that application. Only one patent applicable to an approved product is eligible for the extension and the application for the extension must be submitted prior to the expiration of the patent. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, or USPTO, in consultation with the FDA, reviews and approves the application for any patent term extension or restoration. Thus, for each approved product, we may apply for restoration of patent term for one of our related owned or licensed patents to add patent life beyond the original expiration date, depending on the expected length of the clinical studies and other factors involved in the filing of the relevant NDA or BLA.
EU Regulation
In the EU and in Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein, together the European Economic Area or EEA, after completion of all required clinical testing, pharmaceutical products may only be placed on the market after obtaining a Marketing Authorization, or MA. To obtain a MA, we must submit a marketing authorization application, or MAA. The content of the MAA is similar to that of an NDA or BLA filed in the U.S., with the exception of, among other things, country-specific document requirements.
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Authorization Procedures
Medicines can be authorized by using, among other things, a centralized or decentralized procedure. The centralized authorization procedure results in a single marketing authorization issued by the European Commission, or EC, following the scientific assessment of the application by the European Medicines Agency, or EMA, that is valid across the EEA. The centralized procedure is compulsory for specific medicinal products, including medicines developed by means of certain biotechnological processes, products designated as orphan medicinal products, advanced therapy medicinal products, or ATMPs, and medicinal products with a new active substance indicated for the treatment of certain diseases (for instance, AIDS, cancer, neurodegenerative disorders, diabetes, auto-immune and viral diseases). Medicines that fall outside the mandatory scope of the centralized procedure have three routes to authorization: (i) they can be authorized under the centralized procedure if they concern a significant therapeutic, scientific or technical innovation, or if their authorization would be in the interest of public health; (ii) they can be authorized under a decentralized procedure where an applicant applies for simultaneous authorization in more than one EU country; or (iii) they can be authorized in a EU member state in accordance with that state’s national procedures and then be authorized in other EU countries by a procedure whereby the countries concerned agree to recognize the validity of the original, national marketing authorization (mutual recognition procedure).
All new MAAs must include a Risk Management Plan, or RMP, describing the risk management system that the company will put in place and documenting measures to prevent or minimize the risks associated with the product. RMPs are continually modified and updated throughout the lifetime of the medicine as new information becomes available. We need to submit an updated RMP: (i) at the request of EMA or a national competent authority, or (ii) whenever the risk-management system is modified, especially as the result of new information being received that may lead to a significant change to the benefit-risk profile or as a result of an important pharmacovigilance or risk-minimization milestone being reached. The regulatory authorities may also impose specific obligations as a condition of the MA. RMPs and Periodic Safety Update Reports, or PSURs, are routinely available to third parties requesting access, subject to limited redactions.
Special rules apply in part for ATMPs. ATMPs comprise gene therapy products, somatic cell therapy products and tissue engineered products, which are genes, cells or tissues that have undergone substantial manipulation and that are administered to human beings in order to cure, diagnose or prevent diseases or regenerate, repair or replace a human tissue. Pursuant to the ATMP Regulation, the Committee on Advanced Therapies, or CAT, is responsible in conjunction with the CHMP for the evaluation of ATMPs. The CHMP and CAT are also responsible for providing guidelines on ATMPs. These guidelines provide additional guidance on the factors that the EMA will consider in relation to the development and evaluation of ATMPs and include, among other things, the preclinical studies required to characterize ATMPs. The manufacturing and control information that should be submitted in a MAA; and post-approval measures required to monitor patients and evaluate the long- term efficacy and potential adverse reactions of ATMPs. Although such guidelines are not legally binding, compliance with them is often necessary to gain and maintain approval for product candidates. In addition to the mandatory RMP, the holder of a MA for an ATMP must put in place and maintain a system to ensure that each individual product and its starting and raw materials, including all substances coming into contact with the cells or tissues it may contain, can be traced through the sourcing, manufacturing, packaging, storage, transport and delivery to the relevant healthcare institution where the product is used.
A Pediatric Investigation Plan, or PIP, and/or a request for waiver (for example, because the relevant disease or condition occurs only in adults) or deferral (for example, until enough information to demonstrate its effectiveness and safety in adults is available), is required for submission prior to submitting an MAA. A PIP describes, among other things, proposed pediatric studies and their timing relative to clinical studies in adults and an MAA must comply with the PIP to be validated.
MAA Review and Approval Timeframe and Accelerated Assessment
Under the centralized procedure in the EU, the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use, or CHMP, established at the EMA, is responsible for conducting the initial assessment of a drug. In principle, the maximum timeframe for the evaluation of an MAA by the CHMP is 210 days from receipt of a valid MAA. However, this timeline excludes clock stops, when additional written or oral information is to be provided by the applicant in response to questions asked by the CHMP, so the overall process typically takes a year or more. A favorable opinion on the application by the CHMP will typically result in the granting of the marketing authorization within 67 days of receipt of the opinion. Accelerated evaluation might be granted by the CHMP in exceptional cases, when a medicinal product is expected to be of a major public health interest, particularly from the point of view of therapeutic innovation. In this circumstance, and upon request by the applicant, the CHMP’s evaluation time frame is reduced to 150 days, excluding time taken by an applicant to respond to questions.
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MA Validity Period
MAs have an initial duration of five years. After five years, the authorization may subsequently be renewed on the basis of a reevaluation of the risk-benefit balance. Once renewed, the MA is valid for an unlimited period unless the EC or the national competent authority decides, on justified grounds relating to pharmacovigilance, to proceed with only one additional five-year renewal. Applications for renewal must be made to the EMA at least nine months before the five-year period expires.
Conduct of Clinical Trials
Clinical trials are studies intended to discover or verify the effects of one or more investigational medicines. The regulation of clinical trials aims to promote the protection of the rights, safety and well-being of trial participants and the credibility of the results of clinical trials. Regardless of where they are conducted, all clinical trials included in applications for marketing authorization for human medicines in the EU or EEA must have been carried out in accordance with EU regulations (such as, among others, the Clinical Trials Regulation (Regulation (EU) No 536/2014) and the Clinical Trials Directive (EC) No 2001/20/EC). This means that clinical trials conducted in the EU or EEA have to comply with EU clinical trial legislation and that clinical trials conducted outside the EU or EEA have to comply with ethical principles equivalent to those set out in the EEA, including adhering to international good clinical practice and the Declaration of Helsinki.
Exceptional Circumstances/Conditional Approval
Orphan drugs or drugs with unmet medical needs may be eligible for EU approval under exceptional circumstances or with conditional approval. Approval under exceptional circumstances is applicable to orphan products and is used when an applicant is unable to provide comprehensive data on the efficacy and safety under normal conditions of use because the indication for which the product is intended is encountered so rarely that the applicant cannot reasonably be expected to provide comprehensive evidence, when the present state of scientific knowledge does not allow comprehensive information to be provided, or when it is medically unethical to collect such information. A conditional MA is applicable to orphan medicinal products, medicinal products for seriously debilitating or life-threatening diseases, or medicinal products to be used in emergency situations in response to recognized public threats. Conditional MAs can be granted for medicinal products where, although comprehensive clinical data referring to the safety and efficacy of the medicinal product have not been supplied, a number of criteria are fulfilled: (i) the benefit/risk balance of the product is positive, (ii) it is likely that the applicant will be in a position to provide the comprehensive clinical data, (iii) unmet medical needs will be fulfilled by the grant of the MA and (iv) the benefit to public health of the immediate availability on the market of the medicinal product concerned outweighs the risk inherent in the fact that additional data are still required. Conditional MAs are valid for only one year and must be reviewed annually subject to certain specific obligations.
PRIME Program
PRIME is a program launched by the EMA to enhance support for the development of medicines that target an unmet medical need. The program focuses on medicines that may offer a major therapeutic advantage over existing treatments, or benefit patients without treatment options. These medicines are considered priority medicines by EMA. To be accepted for PRIME, a medicine has to show its potential to benefit patients with unmet medical needs based on early clinical data. Through PRIME, the EMA offers early and proactive support to medicine developers to optimize development plans and the generation of robust data on a medicine’s benefits and risks and enables accelerated assessment of medicines applications. PRIME eligibility does not change the standards for product approval, and there is no assurance that any such designation or eligibility will result in expedited review or approval.
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Orphan Designation and Exclusivity
As in the U.S., we may apply for designation of a product as an orphan drug for the treatment of a specific indication in the EU before the application for marketing authorization is made. The EMA’s Committee for Orphan Medicinal Products, or COMP, grants orphan drug designation to promote the development of products that are intended for the diagnosis, prevention, or treatment of life-threatening or chronically debilitating conditions affecting not more than 5 in 10,000 persons in the EU Community and for which no satisfactory method of diagnosis, prevention, or treatment has been authorized (or the product would be a significant benefit to those affected). Additionally, designation is granted for products intended for the diagnosis, prevention, or treatment of a life-threatening, seriously debilitating, or serious and chronic condition when, without incentives, it is unlikely that sales of the drug in the EU would be sufficient to justify the necessary investment in developing the medicinal product. Orphan drug designation entitles a party to financial incentives such as reduction of fees or fee waivers and 10 years of market exclusivity is granted following medicinal product approval. This period may be reduced to six years if the orphan drug designation criteria are no longer met, including where it is shown that the product is sufficiently profitable not to justify maintenance of market exclusivity. The applicant will receive a fee reduction for the MAA if the orphan drug designation has been granted, but not if the designation is still pending at the time the marketing authorization is submitted, and sponsors must submit an annual report to EMA summarizing the status of development of the medicine. Orphan drug designation does not convey any advantage in, or shorten the duration of, the regulatory review and approval process.
New Chemical Entity Exclusivity
In the EU, new chemical entities, or NCEs, sometimes referred to as new active substances, qualify for eight years of data exclusivity upon the product’s first MA in the EU and an additional two years of market exclusivity. This data exclusivity, if granted, prevents regulatory authorities in the EU from referencing the innovator’s data to assess a generic (abbreviated) application for eight years, after which generic marketing authorization can be submitted, and the innovator’s data may be referenced, but not approved for two years. The overall ten-year period will be extended to a maximum of eleven years if, during the first eight of those ten years, the marketing authorization holder obtains an authorization for one or more new therapeutic indications which, during the scientific evaluation prior to their authorization, are held to bring a significant clinical benefit in comparison with existing therapies. Products may not be granted data exclusivity since there is no guarantee that a product will be considered by the EU’s regulatory authorities to include an NCE. Even if a compound is considered to be a NCE and the MA applicant is able to gain the prescribed period of data exclusivity, another company could market a version of the medicinal product if such company can complete a full MAA with its own complete database of pharmaceutical tests, preclinical studies and clinical trials and obtain MA of its product.
Post-Approval Requirements
Drugs manufactured or distributed pursuant to regulatory approvals are subject to pervasive and continuing regulation by the regulatory authorities, including, among other things, requirements relating to formal commitments for post approval clinical trials and studies, manufacturing, recordkeeping, periodic reporting, product sampling and distribution, marketing, labeling, advertising and promotion and reporting of adverse experiences with the product. After approval, most changes to the approved product, such as adding new indications or other labeling claims are subject to prior regulatory authority review and approval.
Drug manufacturers are subject to periodic unannounced inspections by regulatory authorities and country or state agencies for compliance with GMP and other requirements. Changes to the manufacturing process are strictly regulated, and, depending on the significance of the change, may require prior regulatory approval before being implemented. Regulations also require investigation and correction of any deviations from GMP and impose reporting and documentation requirements upon us and any third-party manufacturers that we may decide to use. Accordingly, manufacturers must continue to expend time, money, and effort in the area of production and quality control to maintain compliance with GMP and other aspects of regulatory compliance.
Pharmaceutical Coverage, Pricing and Reimbursement
In the U.S. and markets in other countries, sales of any products for which we receive regulatory approval for commercial sale will depend in part on the availability of coverage and reimbursement from third-party payors. Third-party payors include government authorities, managed care providers, private health insurers and other organizations. The process for determining whether a payor will provide coverage for a drug product may be separate from the process for setting the reimbursement rate that the payor will pay for the drug product. Third-party payors may limit coverage to specific drug products on an approved list, or formulary, which might not include all of the approved drugs for a particular indication. Moreover, a payor’s decision to provide coverage for a drug product does not imply that an adequate reimbursement rate will be approved. Adequate third-party reimbursement may not be available to enable us to maintain price levels sufficient to realize an appropriate return on our investment in product development.
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In the EU, governments influence the price of pharmaceutical products through their pricing and reimbursement rules and control of national health care systems that fund a large part of the cost of those products to patients. Some jurisdictions operate positive and negative list systems under which products may only be marketed once a reimbursement price has been agreed to by the government. Other member states allow companies to fix their own prices for medicines, but monitor and control company profits, including volume-based arrangements, caps and reference pricing mechanisms. In addition, in some countries, cross-border imports from low-priced markets exert a commercial pressure on pricing within a country.
Other Healthcare, Privacy, and Cybersecurity Laws and Compliance Requirements
We are subject to various laws targeting, among other things, fraud and abuse in the healthcare industry, and privacy and protection of personal information, including health information. These laws may impact, among other things, our proposed sales, marketing, and education programs. The laws that may affect our ability to operate include:
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the federal Anti-Kickback Statute, which prohibits, among other things, persons from knowingly and willfully soliciting, receiving, offering, or paying remuneration, directly or indirectly, to induce, or in return for, the purchase or recommendation of an item or service reimbursable under a federal healthcare program, such as the Medicare and Medicaid programs;
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federal civil and criminal false claims laws and civil monetary penalty laws, which prohibit, among other things, individuals or entities from knowingly presenting, or causing to be presented, claims for payment from Medicare, Medicaid, or other third-party payers that are false or fraudulent;
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the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, or HIPAA, as amended, which prohibits executing a scheme to defraud any healthcare benefit program and making false statements relating to healthcare matters and imposes certain requirements relating to the privacy, security, and transmission of individually identifiable health information;
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the EU General Data Protection Regulation, or GDPR, which applies to processing of personal data in the context of the activities of an establishment in the EEA, and to processing related to the offering of goods or services to individuals who are in the EEA, or the monitoring of individuals who are in the EEA, and imposes requirements and limitations relating to the processing, storage, purpose of collection, accuracy, security, sharing and transfer of personal data outside the EEA, in particular with respect to special categories of personal data like health data, and the notification of regulation authorities about data breaches, accompanied by a strong sanctioning mechanism;
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the 21st Century Cures Act, or the Cures Act, which introduced a wide range of reforms, such as broadening the types of data required to support drug approval, extending protections for generic competition, accelerating approval of breakthrough therapies, expanding the orphan drug product program, requiring disclosures about compassionate care programs, and clarifying how manufacturers communicate about their products;
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the federal transparency laws, including the federal Physician Payment Sunshine Act, that requires drug manufacturers to disclose payments and other transfers of value provided to various healthcare professionals and teaching hospitals; and
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state and foreign law equivalents, or similar, of each of the above federal laws, such as transparency laws, anti-kickback and false claims laws which may apply to items or services reimbursed by any third-party payer, including commercial insurers, and privacy and security of health information laws, including comprehensive privacy and security laws in California, and others taking effect in 2023.
Additional Regulation
The U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act or FCPA, to which we are subject, prohibits corporations and individuals from engaging in certain activities to obtain or retain business or to influence a person working in an official capacity. It is illegal to pay, offer to pay or authorize the payment of anything of value to any foreign government official, government staff member, political party, or political candidate in an attempt to obtain or retain business or to otherwise influence a person working in an official capacity. Similar laws exist in other countries, such as the United Kingdom or in EU member states, that restrict improper payments to public and private parties. Many countries have laws prohibiting these types of payments within the respective country. In addition to these anti-corruption laws, we are subject to import and export control laws, tariffs, trade barriers, economic sanctions, and regulatory limitations on our ability to operate in certain foreign markets.
In addition, federal, state, and foreign government bodies and agencies have adopted, are considering adopting, or may adopt laws and regulations regarding the collection, use, storage and disclosure of personally identifiable information or other information treated as confidential obtained from consumers and individuals.
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We are also subject to regulation under the Occupational Safety and Health Act, the Environmental Protection Act, the Toxic Substances Control Act, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act and other present and potential federal, state, or local regulations. These and other laws govern our use, handling and disposal of various biological and chemical substances used in, and waste generated by, our operations. Complying with these requirements may have a significant impact on our capital expenditures and results of operations.
Customers
Our customers include collaboration partners, drug wholesalers, and retail pharmacy distributors. For the year ended December 31, 2022, more than half of our total revenues were generated under our collaboration agreement with KKC.
Human Capital
General Information
As of December 31, 2022, we had 1,311 total employees, of which 705 are in research and development and 606 are in sales, general, and administrative. Further, 1,155 are based in the U.S., including at our facilities in Novato, California, Brisbane, California, Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Woburn, Massachusetts, and 156 are based at our international locations. The majority of new employees hired during the year ended December 31, 2022 were to support and extend our clinical and preclinical pipeline as well as our commercialization activities, with hires in commercial, clinical development and operations, research, manufacturing, and general and administrative functions. We believe our relationship with our employees to be generally good. We have not experienced any material employment-related issues or interruptions of services due to labor disagreements and are not a party to any collective bargaining agreements.
We expect to continue to add employees in 2023 with a focus on expanding our in-house manufacturing capacity in connection with completing construction of our gene therapy manufacturing facility, increasing expertise and bandwidth in clinical and preclinical research and development and commercialization activities and expanding our geographic reach in connection with the global launches of our approved products. We continually evaluate our business need and opportunity and balances in-house expertise and capacity with outsourced expertise and capacity. Currently, we outsource substantial clinical trial work to clinical research organizations and certain drug manufacturing to contract manufacturers.
Workforce Safety and Employee Wellbeing
We maintain a safety culture grounded on the premise of eliminating workplace incidents, risks and hazards. The COVID-19 pandemic provided an opportunity for us to demonstrate our commitment to the health and wellbeing of our employees. Effective as of January 3, 2022, we have required full vaccination against COVID-19 as a condition of employment at the company for almost all roles based in the U.S., with limited exceptions. We have adopted a flexible, hybrid working arrangement for employees, which allows some of our employees to work remotely during certain days of the week. To support our employees, we have provided collaboration tools and resources for employees working remotely, including training and toolkits to help leaders effectively lead and manage remote teams, expanded employees assistance and mindfulness programs to help employees and their families manage anxiety, stress, and overall wellbeing and increased investment in resources focused on inclusion and belonging.
Employee Retention and Engagement
The biotechnology industry is an extremely competitive labor market and we believe our company’s success depends on our ability to attract, develop, and retain key personnel. We invest in the growth and development of our employees through various training and development programs that build and strengthen employees’ leadership and professional skills, including leadership development programs for new leaders, as well as a mentoring program. We also have a talent management framework and processes in place that includes regularly conducted activities such as performance management, succession, and workforce planning in order to support our employees in their growth and development and to provide learning opportunities. We encourage all employees to have an individual development plan to identify focus areas for learning and growth.
To continually assess and improve our employee retention and engagement, we conduct an engagement survey approximately every 18 months, with "pulse" surveys in between, the results of which are discussed with our board of directors, at all hands employee meetings and in individual functions. We take actions to address areas of employment concern and follow-up routinely to share with employees what we are doing.
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Inclusion and Diversity
We strive toward having a diverse organization and are committed to equality, inclusion, and workplace diversity. As of December 31, 2022, of the nine members of our board of directors, three directors were women, three directors self-identified as racially or ethnically diverse, and one director self-identified as LGBTQ+. As of December 31, 2022, women represented approximately 57% of our global workforce and approximately 45% of our leadership positions at the Vice President level or above. As of December 31, 2022, approximately 45% of our U.S. workforce that self-reported identified as racially or ethnically diverse. We have included questions in our engagement survey to measure employee perception of our inclusive culture, with the results from such survey on inclusion and diversity included in our corporate goals for fiscal year 2022 and 2023. Our business units review diversity data related to hiring, promotions, and retention on an ongoing basis. We have also established an Inclusion and Diversity Action Team, or I&D Action Team, comprised of employee representatives throughout our company. Amongst other initiatives, our I&D Action Team engages in continual discussions across the various business functions to identify potential actions to address areas of improvement and is focused on building accountability across the organization to help us meet our diversity objectives. In our efforts to promote diversity and inclusion, we have established or supported several internal employee resource groups (ERGs), including UltraProud and X2 Women in Biotech. In 2022, we hosted an ERG Summit with the objective of bringing together leaders and members of these groups to share their experiences, learn from each other, collaborate on solutions, and network in order to make a greater impact on the company, its employees, and the wider community.
Benefits and Compensation
We are dedicated to fostering a workplace environment that keeps our employees inspired, including providing a comprehensive benefits program that supports the health care, family, and financial needs of our employees. All of our full-time employees are eligible for cash bonuses and equity awards in addition to other benefits including comprehensive health insurance, life and disability insurance, 401(k) matching, paid time off for volunteering, wellness programs, and tuition reimbursement. We benchmark and tie compensation to market data as well as to an employee’s experience, function and performance. We regularly review our workforce compensation practices and strive for equity.
General Information
Our Internet website address is www.ultragenyx.com. No portion of our website, or any other website that may be referenced, is incorporated by reference into this Annual Report.
You are advised to read this Annual Report in conjunction with other reports and documents that we file from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC. In particular, please read our definitive proxy statements, our Annual Reports on Form 10-K, our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and any Current Reports on Form 8-K that we may file from time to time. The SEC maintains information for electronic filers (including Ultragenyx) at its website at www.sec.gov. We make our annual reports on Form 10-K, our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, and our current reports on Form 8-K, and amendments to those reports, available on our internet website, free of charge, as soon as reasonably practicable after such material is electronically filed with, or furnished to, the SEC.
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Item 1A. Risk Factors
Investing in our common stock involves a high degree of risk. You should carefully consider the following material risks, together with all the other information in this Annual Report, including our financial statements and notes thereto, before deciding to invest in our common stock. The risks and uncertainties described below are not the only ones we face. Additional risk and uncertainties not presently known to us or that we presently deem less significant may also impair our business operations. If any of the following risks actually materialize, our operating results, financial condition, and liquidity could be materially adversely affected. As a result, the trading price of our common stock could decline and you could lose part or all of your investment. Our company’s business, financial condition and operating results can be affected by a number of factors, whether currently known or unknown, including but not limited to those described below, any one or more of which could, directly or indirectly, cause our actual financial condition and operating results to vary materially from past, or from anticipated future, financial condition and operating results. Any of these factors, in whole or in part, could materially and adversely affect our business, prospects, financial condition, operating results and stock price.
Because of the following factors, as well as other factors affecting our financial condition and operating results, past financial performance should not be considered to be a reliable indicator of future performance, and investors should not use historical trends to anticipate results or trends in future periods.
Risk Factor Summary
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We have a history of operating losses and anticipate that we will continue to incur losses for the foreseeable future.
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We have limited experience in generating revenue from product sales.
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We expect to need to raise additional capital to fund our activities.
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Clinical drug development is a lengthy, complex, and expensive process with uncertain outcomes.
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Adverse effects if we do not achieve our projected development goals in the time frames we announce and expect.
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We may experience difficulty in enrolling patients.
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The regulatory approval processes of the FDA and comparable foreign authorities are lengthy and inherently unpredictable.
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Fast Track Product, Breakthrough Therapy, Priority Review or RMAT Designations by the FDA, and analogous designations by the EMA, for our product candidates may not lead to faster development or approval.
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Our product candidates may cause undesirable or serious side effects.
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We face a multitude of manufacturing risks, particularly with respect to our gene therapy and mRNA product candidates.
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Our products remain subject to regulatory scrutiny even if we obtain regulatory approval.
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Product liability lawsuits against us could cause us to incur substantial liabilities.
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We may not realize the full commercial potential of our product candidates if we are unable to source and develop effective biomarkers.
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