Unaudited Interim Financial Information
The accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheet as of March 31, 2017, the condensed consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss for the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2016, the condensed consolidated statement of stockholders’ equity for the three months ended March 31, 2017, and the condensed consolidated statements of cash flows for the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2016 are unaudited. The unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared on the same basis as the audited annual financial statements contained in the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on March 15, 2017 and, in the opinion of management, reflect all adjustments, which include only normal recurring adjustments, necessary for the fair statement of the Company’s financial position as of March 31, 2017, the results of its operations and comprehensive loss for the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2016 and its cash flows for the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2016. The condensed consolidated balance sheet data as of December 31, 2016 was derived from audited financial statements but does not include all disclosures required by GAAP. The financial data and other information disclosed in these notes related to the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2016 are unaudited. The results for the three months ended March 31, 2017 are not necessarily indicative of results to be expected for the year ending December 31, 2017, any other interim periods, or any future year or period. The unaudited interim financial statements of the Company included herein have been prepared, pursuant to the rules and regulations of the SEC. Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP have been condensed or omitted from this report, as is permitted by such rules and regulations. These unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto for the year ended December 31, 2016 included in the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 15, 2017.
Significant Accounting Policies
The Company’s significant accounting policies are disclosed in the audited consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2016 included in the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 15, 2017. Since the date of such financial statements, there have been no changes to the Company’s significant accounting policies other than noted immediately below.
In February 2017, the Company paid a $2.0 million PDUFA fee to the FDA in conjunction with the filing of its NDA for A-101 40% Topical Solution. The Company has requested a small business waiver of this PDUFA fee from the FDA, and the amount has been recorded in prepaid expenses and other current assets on the Company’s condensed consolidated balance sheet.
Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements
In January 2017, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2017-01,
Business Combinations-Clarifying the Definition of a Business (Topic 805).
The amendments in this ASU provide a screen to determine when a set of acquired assets and/or activities is not a business. The screen requires that when substantially all of the fair value of the gross assets acquired, or disposed of, is concentrated in a single identifiable asset or a group of similar identifiable assets, the set is not a business. The amendments in this ASU will reduce the number of transactions that meet the definition of a business. ASU 2017-01 is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods within those years, and early adoption will be permitted. The Company is assessing the potential impact of ASU 2017-01 on its consolidated financial statements.
6. Stockholders’ Equity
Preferred Stock
As of March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016, the Company’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation authorized the Company to issue 10,000,000 shares of undesignated preferred stock. No shares of preferred stock were outstanding as of March 31, 2017 or December 31, 2016.
Common Stock
As of March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016, the Company’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation authorized the Company to issue 100,000,000 shares of $0.00001 par value common stock.
Each share of common stock entitles the holder to one vote on all matters submitted to a vote of the Company’s stockholders. Common stockholders are entitled to receive dividends, as may be declared by the board of directors, if any, subject to any preferential dividend rights of any series of preferred stock that may be outstanding. No dividends have been declared through March 31, 2017.
7. Stock‑Based Awards
2015 Equity Incentive Plan
On September 15, 2015, the Company’s board of directors adopted the 2015 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2015 Plan”), and on September 16, 2015, the Company’s stockholders approved the 2015 Plan. The 2015 Plan became effective in connection with the Company’s initial public offering in October 2015. Beginning at the time the 2015 Plan became effective, no further grants may be made under the Company’s 2012 Equity Compensation Plan, as amended and restated (the “2012 Plan”). The 2015 Plan provides for the grant of incentive stock options, nonstatutory stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock awards, restricted stock unit (“RSU”) awards, performance stock awards, cash-based awards and other stock-based awards. The number of shares initially reserved for issuance under the 2015 Plan was 1,643,872 shares of common stock. The number of shares of common stock that may be issued under the 2015 Plan will automatically increase on January 1 of each year, beginning on January 1, 2016 and ending on January 1, 2025, in an amount equal to the lesser of (i) 4.0% of the shares of the Company’s common stock outstanding on December 31 of the preceding calendar year or (ii) an amount determined by the Company’s board of directors. The shares of common stock underlying any awards that expire, are otherwise terminated, settled in cash or repurchased by the Company under the 2015 Plan and the 2012 Plan will be added back to the shares of common stock available for issuance under the 2015 Plan. As of January 1, 2017, the number of shares of common stock that may be issued under the 2015 Plan was automatically increased by 1,042,367 shares. As of March 31, 2017, 1,662,666 shares remained available for grant under the 2015 Plan.
2012 Equity Compensation Plan
Upon the 2015 Plan becoming effective, no further grants can be made under the 2012 Plan. The Company granted stock options to purchase a total of 1,140,524 shares under the 2012 Plan, of which 1,003,647 and 1,049,667 were outstanding as of March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016, respectively. Stock options granted under the 2012 Plan vest over four years and expire after ten years. As required, the exercise price for the stock options granted under the 2012 Plan was not less than the fair value of common shares as determined by the Company as of the date of grant.
10. Related Party Transactions
In August 2013, the Company entered into a sublease agreement with NeXeption, Inc. ("NeXeption"), which was subsequently amended and restated in March 2014 and further amended in December 2014. In August 2015, pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption Agreement, NeXeption, Inc. assigned all interests, rights, duties and obligations under the sublease to NST Consulting, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of NST, LLC. Following the Assignment and Assumption Agreement, the sublease was further amended in August 2015, February 2016 and October 2016. Mr. Stephen Tullman, the chairman of the Company’s board of directors, was an executive officer of NeXeption and is also the manager of NST Consulting, LLC and NST, LLC. Total payments made under the sublease during the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2016 were $75 and $59, respectively.
In February 2014, the Company entered into a services agreement with NST, LLC (the “NST Services Agreement”), pursuant to which NST, LLC provided certain pharmaceutical development, management and other administrative services to the Company. Under the same agreement, the Company also provided services to another company under common control with the Company and NST, LLC and was reimbursed by NST, LLC for those services. In addition to Mr. Tullman’s role as manager of NST, LLC, several of the Company’s executive officers are members of NST, LLC.
The NST Services Agreement was amended in December 2014 pursuant to which NST, LLC assigned all interests, rights, duties and obligations under the NST Services Agreement to NST Consulting, LLC. Under the NST Services Agreement, as amended, NST Consulting, LLC provides services to the Company and the Company provides services to another company under common control with the Company and NST Consulting, LLC. The NST Services Agreement was further amended in August 2015, November 2015, January 2016 and December 2016 to adjust the amount of services the Company is obligated to provide to NST Consulting, LLC and the amount of services NST Consulting, LLC is obligated to provide to the Company. The Company may offset any payments owed by the Company to NST Consulting, LLC against payments that are owed by NST Consulting, LLC to the Company for the provision of personnel, including consultants, to the Company.
During the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2016, amounts included in the consolidated statement of operations for the NST Services Agreement are summarized in the following table:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Three Months Ended
|
|
|
|
March 31,
|
|
|
|
2017
|
|
2016
|
|
Services provided by NST Consulting, LLC
|
|
$
|
56
|
|
$
|
79
|
|
Services provided to NST Consulting, LLC
|
|
|
(11)
|
|
|
(15)
|
|
General and administrative expense, net
|
|
$
|
45
|
|
$
|
64
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Services provided by NST Consulting, LLC
|
|
$
|
—
|
|
$
|
60
|
|
Services provided to NST Consulting, LLC
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
(21)
|
|
Research and development expense, net
|
|
$
|
—
|
|
$
|
39
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Services provided by NST Consulting, LLC
|
|
$
|
56
|
|
$
|
139
|
|
Services provided to NST Consulting, LLC
|
|
|
(11)
|
|
|
(36)
|
|
Total, net
|
|
$
|
45
|
|
$
|
103
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net payments made to NST
|
|
$
|
135
|
|
$
|
58
|
|
The Company had $3 and $91 payable to NST Consulting, LLC under the NST Services Agreement as of
March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016, respectively.
11.
Agreements Related to Intellectual Property
Assignment Agreement and Finder’s Services Agreement
In August 2012, the Company entered into an assignment agreement with the Estate of Mickey Miller, or the Miller Estate, under which the Company acquired some of the intellectual property rights covering A-101. In connection with obtaining the assignment of the intellectual property from the Miller Estate, the Company also entered into a separate finder’s services agreement with KPT Consulting, LLC. In February 2016, under the terms of the assignment agreement and the finder’s services agreement, the Company made a one-time milestone payment of $300 upon the dosing of the first human subject with A-101 40% Topical Solution in the Company’s Phase 3 clinical trial. The payment was recorded as general and administrative expense during the three months ended March 31, 2016.
Under the finder’s services agreement, the Company is obligated to make an additional milestone payment of $1,000 upon the achievement of specified development and regulatory milestones and up to $4,500 upon the achievement of specified commercial milestones. Under each of the assignment agreement and the finder’s services agreement, the Company is also obligated to pay royalties on sales of A-101 or related products, at low single-digit percentages of net sales, subject to reduction in specified circumstances. The Company has not made any royalty payments to date under either agreement. Both agreements will terminate upon the expiration of the last pending, viable patent claim of the patents acquired under the assignment agreement, but no sooner than 15 years from the effective date of the agreements.
Stock Purchase Agreement with Vixen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and License Agreement with Columbia University
On March 24, 2016, the Company entered into a stock purchase agreement (the “Vixen Agreement”) with Vixen, JAK1, LLC, JAK2, LLC and JAK3, LLC (together with JAK1, LLC and JAK2, LLC, the “Selling Stockholders”) and Shareholder Representative Services LLC, a Colorado limited liability company, solely in its capacity as the representative of the Selling Stockholders. Pursuant to the Vixen Agreement, the Company acquired all shares of Vixen’s capital stock from the Selling Stockholders (the “Vixen Acquisition”). Following the Vixen Acquisition, Vixen became a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company. Pursuant to the Vixen Agreement, the Company paid $600 upfront and issued an aggregate of 159,420 shares of the Company’s common stock to the Selling Stockholders. The Company is obligated to make annual payments of $100 on March 24
th
of each year, through March 24, 2022, with such amounts being creditable against specified future payments that may be paid under the Vixen Agreement.
The Company is obligated to make aggregate payments of up to $18,000 to the Selling Stockholders upon the achievement of specified pre-commercialization milestones for three products in the United States, the European Union and Japan, and aggregate payments of up to $22,500 upon the achievement of specified commercial milestones. With respect to any commercialized products covered by the Vixen Agreement, the Company is obligated to pay low single-digit royalties on net sales, subject to specified reductions, limitations and other adjustments, until the date that all of the patent rights for that product have expired, as determined on a country-by-country and product-by-product basis or, in specified circumstances, ten years from the first commercial sale of such product. If the Company sublicenses any of Vixen’s patent rights and know-how acquired pursuant to the Vixen Agreement, the Company will be obligated to pay a portion of any consideration the Company receives from such sublicenses in specified circumstances.
As a result of the transaction with Vixen, the Company became party to the Exclusive License Agreement, by and between Vixen and the Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York (“Columbia”), dated as of December 31, 2015 (the “License Agreement”). Under the License Agreement, the Company is obligated to pay Columbia an annual license fee of $10, subject to specified adjustments for patent expenses incurred by Columbia and creditable against any royalties that may be paid under the License Agreement. The Company is also obligated to pay up to an aggregate of $11,600 upon the achievement of specified commercial milestones, including specified levels of net
Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
Certain statements contained in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The words or phrases “would be,” “will allow,” “intends to,” “will likely result,” “are expected to,” “will continue,” “is anticipated,” “estimate,” “project,” or similar expressions, or the negative of such words or phrases, are intended to identify “forward-looking statements.” We have based these forward-looking statements on our current expectations and projections about future events. Because such statements include risks and uncertainties, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements due to a number of factors, including risks related to:
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·
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our estimates regarding expenses, future revenues, capital requirements and needs for additional financing;
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·
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|
the success and timing of our preclinical studies and clinical trials and regulatory approval of protocols for future clinical trials;
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·
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|
the difficulties in obtaining and maintaining regulatory approval of our drug candidates, and the labeling under any approval we may obtain;
|
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·
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|
our plans and ability to develop, manufacture and commercialize our drug candidates;
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·
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|
our failure to recruit or retain key scientific or management personnel or to retain our executive officers;
|
|
·
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|
the size and growth of the potential markets for our drug candidates and our ability to serve those markets;
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|
·
|
|
regulatory developments in the United States and foreign countries;
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|
·
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|
the rate and degree of market acceptance of any of our drug candidates;
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|
·
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|
obtaining and maintaining intellectual property protection for our drug candidates and our proprietary technology;
|
|
·
|
|
the successful development of our commercialization capabilities, including sales and marketing capabilities;
|
|
·
|
|
recently enacted and future legislation and regulation regarding the healthcare system;
|
|
·
|
|
the success of competing therapies and products that are or become available; and
|
|
·
|
|
the performance of third parties, including contract research organizations and third-party manufacturers.
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These and other factors that could cause or contribute to these differences are described in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q in Part II – Item 1A, “Risk Factors,” and under similar captions in our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Statements made herein are as of the date of the filing of this Form 10-Q with the Securities and Exchange Commission and should not be relied upon as of any subsequent date. Unless otherwise required by applicable law, we do not undertake, and we specifically disclaim, any obligation to update any forward-
looking statements to reflect occurrences, developments, unanticipated events or circumstances after the date of such statement.
The following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements and related notes that appear in Item 1 of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and with our audited consolidated financial statements and related notes for the year ended December 31, 2016, which are included in our 2016 Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, on March 15, 2017.
Overview
We are a dermatologist-led biotechnology company focused on identifying, developing and commercializing innovative and differentiated therapies to address significant unmet needs in medical and aesthetic dermatology. Our lead drug candidate, A-101 40% Topical Solution, is a proprietary formulation of high-concentration hydrogen peroxide topical solution that we are developing as a prescription treatment for seborrheic keratosis, or SK, a common non-malignant skin tumor. In the first quarter of 2016, we initiated two multi-center, randomized, double blinded, vehicle-controlled Phase 3 clinical trials and one open-label Phase 3 clinical trial of A-101 40% Topical Solution in patients with SK. In November 2016, we announced positive top-line results from the two pivotal Phase 3 clinical trials, which are summarized below. Based on these results, we submitted a New Drug Application, or NDA, for A-101 40% Topical Solution for the treatment of SK to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, in February 2017, and the NDA was accepted by the FDA in May 2017.
The Prescription Drug User Fee Act, or PDUFA, target action date for the completion of the FDA’s review of the NDA is December 24, 2017.W
e also intend to submit a Marketing Authorization Application, or MAA, in the European Union in the second half of 2017. We are also developing A-101 45% Topical Solution as a prescription treatment for common warts, also known as verruca vulgaris. Additionally, in 2015, we in-licensed exclusive, worldwide rights to certain inhibitors of the Janus kinase, or JAK, family of enzymes, for specified dermatological conditions, including alopecia areata, or AA, vitiligo and androgenetic alopecia, or AGA. In 2016, we acquired additional intellectual property rights for the development and commercialization of certain JAK inhibitors for specified dermatological conditions. We intend to continue to in-license or acquire additional drug candidates and technologies to build a fully integrated dermatology company.
In November 2016, we completed two pivotal Phase 3 clinical trials of A-101 40% Topical Solution in a combined 937 patients who each had a total of four target SK lesions located on the face, trunk and extremities. Each trial met all primary and secondary endpoints for that trial, achieving clinically and statistically significant clearance of SK lesions. Additionally, we completed an open-label safety trial of A-101 40% Topical Solution in November 2016, in which we enrolled 147 patients. Across all three clinical trials, there were no treatment-related serious adverse events among patients treated with A-101 40% Topical Solution, and the most common adverse events reported were nasopharyngitis and sinusitis which were determined to be unrelated to A-101 40% Topical Solution. Based on these results, we submitted an NDA for A-101 40% Topical Solution for the treatment of SK to the FDA in February 2017, and the NDA was accepted by the FDA in May 2017.
The PDUFA target action date for the completion of the FDA’s review of the NDA is December 24, 2017.
We also intend to submit an MAA in the European Union in the second half of 2017. If approved, A-101 40% Topical Solution would become the first FDA-approved medication for the treatment of SK.
We are also developing A-101 45% Topical Solution for the treatment of common warts. Although common warts are generally not harmful and in most cases eventually clear without medical treatment, they may be painful and aesthetically unattractive and are contagious. On an annual basis, 1.9 million people are diagnosed with common warts. Common warts can be removed with slow-acting, over-the-counter products containing salicylic acid. As with SK, cryosurgery is the most frequently used in-office treatment for common warts. No prescription drugs have been approved by the FDA for the treatment of common warts. We completed a Phase 2 clinical trial in August 2016 evaluating 40% and 45% concentrations of A-101 for the treatment of common warts. In this Phase 2 clinical trial, in which 90 patients completed an eight-week treatment period, we observed statistically significant improvements in the mean change in the Physician’s Wart Assessment, or PWA, score and in complete clearance of common warts in patients treated with the 45% concentration of A-101 compared to placebo. In mid-2017, we plan to commence two additional Phase 2 clinical trials of A-101 45% Topical Solution to assess the dose frequency as a treatment for common warts in adult and pediatric populations. We expect to report results from these additional Phase 2 clinical trials in the first half of 2018.
In addition, we are developing the JAK inhibitors, ATI-50001 and ATI-50002, which we in-licensed from Rigel Pharmaceuticals, Inc., or Rigel, as potential treatments for AA. AA is an autoimmune dermatologic condition typically characterized by patchy non-scarring hair loss on the scalp and body. More severe forms of AA include total scalp hair loss, known as alopecia totalis, and total hair loss on the scalp and body, known as alopecia universalis. AA affects up to 2.0% of people globally at some point during their lifetime (i.e. incidence) and up to 0.2% of people are affected at any given time (i.e. prevalence) - with two-thirds of affected individuals being 30 years old or younger at the time of disease onset. Treatment options for the less severe, patchy forms of AA include corticosteroids, either topically applied or injected directly into the scalp where the bare patches are located, or the induction of an allergic reaction at the site of hair loss using a topical contact sensitizing agent, an approach known as topical immunotherapy. The same treatment options are utilized for the more severe forms of AA, although utilization of these treatment options for the more severe forms of AA is limited due to limited efficacy, certain side effects, and their impracticality for extensive surface areas. We are developing ATI-50001 as an oral treatment for alopecia totalis and alopecia universalis and ATI-50002 as a topical treatment for patchy AA. We submitted an Investigational New Drug application, or IND, to the FDA for ATI-50001 in October 2016, and we completed a Phase 1 clinical trial to evaluate the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties of this drug candidate in the first quarter of 2017. We plan to initiate a Phase 2 clinical trial for ATI-50001, for the treatment of alopecia totalis and alopecia universalis, in the second half of 2017. We plan to submit an IND to the FDA for ATI-50002, for the treatment of patchy AA, in mid-2017, and to commence a Phase 2 clinical trial in the second half
of 2017. We expect the Phase 2 clinical trials for ATI-50001, for the treatment of alopecia totalis and alopecia universalis, and for ATI-50002, for the treatment of patchy AA, each to take approximately one year to complete. We also plan to develop ATI-50001 and ATI-50002 as potential treatments for vitiligo, a disorder in which white patches of skin appear on different parts of the body. We plan to commence a Phase 2 clinical trial for ATI-50002, for the treatment of vitiligo, in the second half
of 2017.
Since our inception in July 2012, we have devoted substantially all of our resources to organizing and staffing our company, business planning, raising capital, developing A-101 40% Topical Solution for the treatment of SK, building our intellectual property portfolio, developing our supply chain and engaging in other discovery and clinical activities in dermatology. Through the date of this report, we have not generated any revenue and have financed our operations with sales of our convertible preferred stock, as well as net proceeds from our initial public offering, or IPO, in October 2015, a private placement of our common stock in June 2016, and from a follow-on public offering of our common stock in November 2016 and our at-the-market facility with Cowen and Company LLC, or Cowen. We do not expect to generate significant revenue unless and until we obtain marketing approval for and commercialize A-101 40% Topical Solution for the treatment of SK or one of our other current or future drug candidates.
Since our inception, we have incurred significant operating losses. Our net loss was $48.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2016 and $12.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2017. As of March 31, 2017, we had an accumulated deficit of $103.5 million. We expect to incur significant expenses and operating losses for the foreseeable future as we advance our drug candidates from discovery through preclinical development and clinical trials, seek marketing approval and pursue commercialization of any approved drug candidate. In addition, if we obtain
marketing approval for any of our drug candidates, we expect to incur significant commercialization expenses related to product manufacturing, marketing, sales and distribution. In addition, we may incur expenses in connection with the in-license or acquisition of additional drug candidates. Furthermore, we have incurred and expect to continue to incur additional costs associated with operating as a public company, including significant legal, accounting, investor relations and other expenses that we did not incur as a private company. As a result, we will need substantial additional funding to support our continuing operations and pursue our growth strategy. Until such time as we can generate significant revenue from product sales, if ever, we expect to finance our operations through the sale of equity, debt financings or other capital sources, including potential collaborations with other companies or other strategic transactions. We may be unable to raise additional funds or enter into such other agreements or arrangements when needed on commercially acceptable terms, or at all. If we fail to raise capital or enter into such agreements as, and when, needed, we may have to significantly delay, scale back or discontinue the development and commercialization of one or more of our drug candidates or delay our pursuit of potential in-licenses or acquisitions.
Components of Our Results of Operations
Revenue
We have not generated any revenue since our inception.
Research and Development Expenses
Research and development expenses consist of expenses incurred in connection with the discovery and development of our drug candidates. These expenses include:
|
·
|
|
expenses incurred under agreements with contract research organizations, or CROs, as well as investigative sites and consultants that conduct our clinical trials and preclinical studies;
|
|
·
|
|
manufacturing scale-up expenses and the cost of acquiring and manufacturing preclinical and clinical trial materials and commercial materials, including manufacturing validation batches;
|
|
·
|
|
outsourced professional scientific development services;
|
|
·
|
|
employee-related expenses, which include salaries, benefits and stock-based compensation;
|
|
·
|
|
depreciation of manufacturing equipment;
|
|
·
|
|
payments made under agreements with third parties under which we have acquired or licensed intellectual property;
|
|
·
|
|
expenses relating to regulatory activities, including filing fees paid to regulatory agencies; and
|
|
·
|
|
laboratory materials and supplies used to support our research activities.
|
We expense research and development costs as incurred. Our direct research and development expenses primarily consist of external costs including fees paid to CROs, consultants, investigator sites, regulatory agencies and third-parties that manufacture our preclinical and clinical trial materials, and are tracked on a program-by-program basis. We do not allocate personnel costs, facilities or other indirect expenses, which are included within “Personnel and other costs” in the table below, to specific research and development programs.
The following table summarizes our research and development expenses for the periods presented:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Three Months Ended March 31,
|
|
|
|
2017
|
|
2016
|
|
|
|
(In thousands)
|
|
A-101 Topical Solution (40% and 45%)
|
|
$
|
1,363
|
|
$
|
3,223
|
|
JAK inhibitors
|
|
|
2,555
|
|
|
1,439
|
|
Vixen acquisition
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
3,385
|
|
Other
|
|
|
50
|
|
|
33
|
|
Total direct research and development expenses
|
|
|
3,968
|
|
|
8,080
|
|
Personnel and other costs
|
|
|
2,587
|
|
|
1,034
|
|
Share-based compensation
|
|
|
1,217
|
|
|
421
|
|
Total research and development expenses
|
|
$
|
7,772
|
|
$
|
9,535
|
|
Research and development activities are central to our business model. Drug candidates in later stages of clinical development generally have higher development costs than those in earlier stages of clinical development, primarily due to the increased size and duration of later-stage clinical trials. We expect our research and development expenses to increase significantly over the next several years as we increase personnel costs, including stock-based compensation, continue to conduct pre-commercial activities related to A-101 40% Topical Solution for the treatment of SK, and conduct clinical trials and prepare regulatory filings for our other drug candidates.
The successful development of our drug candidates is highly uncertain. At this time, we cannot reasonably estimate or know the nature, timing and costs of the efforts that will be necessary to complete the remainder of the development of, or when, if ever, material net cash inflows may commence from any of our drug candidates. This uncertainty is due to the numerous risks and uncertainties associated with the duration and cost of clinical trials, which vary significantly over the life of a project as a result of many factors, including:
|
·
|
|
the number of clinical sites included in the trials;
|
|
·
|
|
the length of time required to enroll suitable patients;
|
|
·
|
|
the number of patients that ultimately participate in the trials;
|
|
·
|
|
the number of doses patients receive;
|
|
·
|
|
the duration of patient follow-up; and
|
|
·
|
|
the results of our clinical trials.
|
Our expenditures are subject to additional uncertainties, including the terms and timing of marketing approvals, and the expense of filing, prosecuting, defending and enforcing any patent claims or other intellectual property rights. We may never succeed in achieving marketing approval for any of our drug candidates. We may obtain unexpected results from our clinical trials. We may elect to discontinue, delay or modify clinical trials of some drug candidates or focus on others. A change in the outcome of any of these variables with respect to the development of a drug candidate could mean a significant change in the costs and timing associated with the development of that drug candidate. For example, if the FDA or other regulatory authorities were to require us to conduct clinical trials beyond those that we currently anticipate, or if we experience significant delays in enrollment in any of our clinical trials, we could be required to expend significant additional financial resources and time on the completion of clinical development. Drug commercialization will take several years and millions of dollars in development costs.
General and Administrative Expenses
General and administrative expenses consist principally of salaries and related costs for personnel in executive, administrative, finance and legal functions, including stock-based compensation, travel expenses and recruiting expenses. Other general and administrative expenses include facility-related costs, patent filing and prosecution costs, professional fees for marketing, legal, auditing and tax services, insurance costs, as well as payments made under our related party services agreement and milestone payments under our finder’s services agreement.
We anticipate that our general and administrative expenses will increase as a result of increased personnel costs, including stock-based compensation, expanded infrastructure and higher consulting, legal and tax-related services associated with maintaining compliance with NASDAQ and SEC requirements, accounting and investor relations costs, and director and officer insurance premiums associated with being a public company. Additionally, if and when we believe a marketing approval of a drug candidate appears likely, we anticipate an increase in payroll and other expenses as a result of our preparation for commercial operations, especially as it relates to the sales and marketing of that drug candidate.
Other Income, Net
Other income, net consists of interest earned on our cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities, interest expense, and gains and losses on transactions denominated in foreign currencies.
Critical Accounting Policies and Significant Judgments and Estimates
This discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations is based on our condensed consolidated financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with GAAP. The preparation of these financial statements requires us to make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities in our condensed consolidated financial statements. On an ongoing basis, we evaluate our estimates and judgments, including those related to accrued expenses and stock-based compensation. We base our estimates on historical experience, known trends and events and various other factors that we believe to be reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. Actual results may differ from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions. We believe there have been no material changes to our critical accounting policies and use of estimates as disclosed in the footnotes to our audited consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2016 included in our 2016 Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 15, 2017.
Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements
In January 2017, the Financial Accounting Standards Board, or FASB, issued Accounting Standards Update, or ASU, 2017-01,
Business Combinations-Clarifying the Definition of a Business (Topic 805).
The amendments in this ASU provide a screen to determine when a set of acquired assets and/or activities is not a business. The screen requires that when substantially all of the fair value of the gross assets acquired, or disposed of, is concentrated in a single identifiable asset or a group of similar identifiable assets, the set is not a business. The amendments in this ASU will reduce the number of transactions that meet the definition of a business. ASU 2017-01 is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods within those years, and early adoption will be permitted. We are assessing the potential impact of ASU 2017-01 on our consolidated financial statements.
Results of Operations
Comparison of Three Months Ended March 31, 2017 and 2016
The following table summarizes our results of operations for the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2016:
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Three Months Ended March 31,
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2017
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2016
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Change
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(In thousands)
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Revenue
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$
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—
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$
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—
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$
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—
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Operating expenses:
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|
|
|
|
|
|
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|
Research and development
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7,772
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|
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9,535
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|
|
(1,763)
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|
General and administrative
|
|
|
5,158
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|
|
3,604
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|
|
1,554
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Total operating expenses
|
|
|
12,930
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|
|
13,139
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|
|
(209)
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Loss from operations
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|
|
(12,930)
|
|
|
(13,139)
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|
|
209
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|
Other income, net
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|
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371
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|
|
100
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|
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271
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Net loss
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$
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(12,559)
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$
|
(13,039)
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$
|
480
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Research and Development Expenses
Research and development expenses were $7.8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2017, compared to $9.5 million for the three months ended March 31, 2016. The decrease of $1.8 million was primarily driven by $3.4 million in expenses associated with the acquisition of Vixen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., or Vixen, in the three months ended March 31, 2016, for which there was no similar transaction in the current year period. Excluding the Vixen acquisition, research and development expenses increased $1.6 million, primarily driven by an increase of $1.1 million in preclinical development expenses related to the JAK inhibitor technology, an increase of $0.5 million in payroll-related expenses due to higher headcount, an $0.8 million increase in stock-based compensation expense, $0.4 million of expenses associated with the filing of the NDA for A-101 40% Topical Solution during the three months ended March 31, 2017, and a $1.0 million increase in expenses related to medical affairs, partially offset by a $2.1 million decrease in costs associated with the development of A-101 40% Topical Solution as a result of our Phase 3 clinical trials ending in November 2016.
General and Administrative Expenses
General and administrative expenses were $5.2 million for the three months ended March 31, 2017, compared to $3.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2016. The increase of $1.6 million was primarily attributable to an increase of $0.4 million in payroll-related expenses due to increased headcount, $1.1 million in higher stock-based compensation expense, and a $0.4 million increase in market research expenses related to pre-commercial activities for A-101 40% Topical Solution partially offset by a $0.3 million one-time milestone payment pursuant to the finder’s services agreement related to A-101 40% Topical Solution which was expensed in the first quarter of 2016.
Other Income, Net
The increase in other income, net was primarily due to higher invested balances of marketable securities as a result of funds received from our private placement in June 2016 and our follow-on public offering in November 2016.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
Since our inception, we have not generated any revenue and have incurred net losses and negative cash flows from our operations. We have financed our operations since inception through sales of our convertible preferred stock, as well as net proceeds from our IPO in October 2015, our private placement in June 2016, our follow-on public offering in November 2016, and our at-the-market facility with Cowen.
As of March 31, 2017, we had cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities of $161.4 million. Cash in excess of immediate requirements is invested in accordance with our investment policy, primarily with a view to liquidity and capital preservation.
We currently have no ongoing material financing commitments, such as lines of credit or guarantees, that are expected to affect our liquidity over the next five years, other than our sublease obligations and contingent obligations under acquisition and intellectual property licensing agreements, which are summarized below under “Contractual Obligations and Commitments.”
Initial Public Offering
On October 13, 2015, we closed our IPO in which we sold 5,750,000 shares of common stock at a price to the public of $11.00 per share, for aggregate gross proceeds of $63.3 million. We paid underwriting discounts and commissions of $4.4 million, and we also incurred expenses of $2.3 million in connection with the IPO. As a result, the net offering proceeds to us, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and expenses, were $56.6 million.
Private Placement
On June 2, 2016, we closed a private placement in which we sold an aggregate of 1,081,082 shares of common stock at a price of $18.50 per share, for gross proceeds of $20.0 million. We incurred placement agent fees of $1.3 million, and expenses of $0.2 million in connection with the private placement. As a result, the net offering proceeds to us, after deducting placement agent fees and transaction expenses, were $18.5 million.
Follow-On Public Offering
On November 23, 2016, we closed our follow-on public offering in which we sold 4,600,000 shares of common stock at a price to the public of $22.75 per share, for aggregate gross proceeds of $104.7 million. We paid underwriting discounts and commissions of $6.3 million, and we also incurred expenses of $0.2 million in connection with the offering. As a result, the net offering proceeds received by us, after deducting underwriting discounts, commissions and offering expenses, were $98.2 million.
At-The-Market Facility
On April 21, 2017, we sold 635,000 shares of our common stock at a weighted average price per share of $31.50, for aggregate gross proceeds of approximately $20.0 million. The shares were sold through Cowen pursuant to a sales agreement with them dated November 2, 2016. Following these sales, we may offer and sell additional shares of our common stock having an aggregate offering price of up to approximately $55.0 million from time to time through Cowen pursuant to the sales agreement.
Cash Flows
The following table summarizes our cash flows for the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2016:
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Three Months Ended March 31,
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2017
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2016
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(In thousands)
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Net cash used in operating activities
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$
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(12,659)
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$
|
(6,894)
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Net cash provided by investing activities
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|
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5,956
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|
|
10,174
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Net cash provided by financing activities
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|
|
209
|
|
|
—
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Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents
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$
|
(6,494)
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$
|
3,280
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Operating Activities
During the three months ended March 31, 2017, operating activities used $12.7 million of cash, primarily resulting from our net loss of $12.6 million and by cash used by changes in our operating assets and liabilities of $3.3 million, partially offset by non-cash adjustments of $3.2 million. Net cash used by changes in our operating assets and liabilities during the three months ended March 31, 2017 consisted of a $2.6 million increase in prepaid expenses and other current assets and a $0.7 million decrease in accounts payable and accrued expenses. The increase in prepaid expenses and other current assets was primarily due to a $2.0 million PDUFA fee paid to the FDA in conjunction with the filing of the NDA for A-101 40% Topical Solution. The decrease in accounts payable and accrued expenses was primarily due to bonuses which were earned in 2016 and paid during the three months ended March 31, 2017, partially offset by the timing of vendor invoicing and payments. Non-cash expenses of $3.2 million were primarily composed of share-based compensation expense.
During the three months ended March 31, 2016, operating activities used $6.9 million of cash, primarily resulting from our net loss of $13.0 million partially offset by cash provided by our changes in our operating assets and liabilities of $2.1 million and by non-cash adjustments of $4.0 million. Net cash provided by changes in our operating assets and liabilities during the three months ended March 31, 2016 consisted of a $2.0 million increase in accounts payable and a $0.1 million decrease in prepaid expenses and other current assets. The increase in accounts payable was primarily due to expenses incurred in connection with the commencement of our Phase 3 clinical trials for A-101 40% Topical Solution and the timing of vendor invoicing and payments. The decrease in prepaid expenses and other current assets was primarily due to work performed related to our clinical trials. Non-cash expenses of $4.0 million were primarily composed of $2.8 million in charges associated with the Vixen acquisition and $1.2 million of share-based compensation expense.
Investing Activities
During the three months ended March 31, 2017, investing activities provided $6.0 million of cash, consisting of proceeds from sales and maturities of marketable securities of $23.3 million, partially offset by purchases of marketable securities of $17.2 million and purchases of equipment of $0.2 million.
During the three months ended March 31, 2016, investing activities provided $10.2 million of cash, consisting of proceeds from sales and maturities of marketable securities of $10.3 million, partially offset by purchases of equipment of $0.1 million.
Financing Activities
During the three months ended March 31, 2017, financing activities provided $0.2 million of cash from the exercise of employee stock options.
We had no cash flows from financing activities during the three months ended March 31, 2016.
Funding Requirements
We plan to focus in the near term on the development, marketing approval and potential commercialization of A-101 40% Topical Solution for the treatment of SK. We anticipate we will incur net losses for the next several years as we continue our clinical development of A-101 40% Topical Solution for the treatment of SK and continue research and development of A-101 45% Topical Solution for the treatment of common warts and ATI-50001 and ATI-50002 for the treatment of AA, and potentially for other dermatological conditions, as well as for development of other JAK inhibitor compounds. In addition, we plan to continue to invest in discovery efforts to explore additional drug candidates, build commercial capabilities and expand our corporate infrastructure. We may not be able to complete the development and initiate commercialization of these programs if, among other things, our clinical trials are not successful or if the FDA does not approve A-101 40% Topical Solution or our other drug candidates currently in clinical trials when we expect, or at all.
Our primary uses of capital are, and we expect will continue to be, compensation and related expenses, clinical costs, external research and development services, laboratory and related supplies, legal and other regulatory expenses, and administrative and overhead costs. Our future funding requirements will be heavily determined by the resources needed to support development and commercialization of our drug candidates.
As a publicly traded company, we have incurred and will continue to incur significant legal, accounting and other expenses that we were not required to incur as a private company. In addition, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as well as rules adopted by the SEC and the NASDAQ Stock Market, requires public companies to implement specified corporate governance practices that were not applicable to us prior to our IPO. We expect ongoing compliance with these rules and regulations will increase our legal and financial compliance costs and will make some activities more time-consuming and costly.
We believe our existing cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities are sufficient to fund our operating and capital expenditure requirements for a period greater than 12 months from the date of issuance of our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements that appear in Item 1 of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q based on our current operating assumptions including the completion of our Phase 2 clinical trials for A-101 45% Topical Solution for the treatment of common warts and the continued development of ATI-50001 and ATI-50002 as potential treatments for AA. These assumptions may prove to be wrong, and we could utilize our available capital resources sooner than we expect. We expect that we will require additional capital to commercialize A-101 40% Topical Solution, if we receive marketing approval, and to pursue in-licenses or acquisitions of other drug candidates. If we receive marketing approval for A-101 40% Topical Solution, we expect to incur significant commercialization expenses related to product manufacturing, sales, marketing and distribution, depending on where we choose to commercialize that drug candidate. Additional funds may not be available on a timely basis, on commercially acceptable terms, or at all, and such funds, if raised, may not be sufficient to enable us to continue to implement our long-term business strategy. If we are unable to raise sufficient additional capital, we may need to substantially curtail our planned operations and the pursuit of our growth strategy.
We may raise additional capital through the sale of equity or convertible debt securities. In such an event, your ownership will be diluted, and the terms of these securities may include liquidation or other preferences that adversely affect the rights of a holder of our common stock.
Because of the numerous risks and uncertainties associated with research, development and commercialization of pharmaceutical drugs, we are unable to estimate the exact amount of our working capital requirements. Our future funding requirements will depend on many factors, including:
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the number and characteristics of the drug candidates we pursue;
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·
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the scope, progress, results and costs of researching and developing our drug candidates, and conducting preclinical studies and clinical trials;
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·
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the timing of, and the costs involved in, obtaining marketing approvals for our drug candidates;
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·
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the cost of manufacturing our drug candidates and any drugs we successfully commercialize;
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·
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our ability to establish and maintain strategic collaborations, licensing or other arrangements and the financial terms of such agreements;
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·
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the costs involved in preparing, filing, prosecuting, maintaining, defending and enforcing patent claims, including litigation costs and the outcome of such litigation; and
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·
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the timing, receipt and amount of sales of, or milestone payments related to or royalties on, our current or future drug candidates, if any.
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Contractual Obligations and Commitments
We occupy office space in Malvern, Pennsylvania under two operating lease agreements both of which have terms through November 2019, that require future aggregate rental payments of $0.3 million during the nine months ending December 31, 2017, $0.4 million during the year ending December 31, 2018, and $0.3 million during the year ending December 31, 2019.
Under the assignment agreement pursuant to which we acquired intellectual property, we have agreed to pay royalties on sales of A-101 40% Topical Solution or related products at rates ranging in low single-digit percentages of net sales, as defined in the agreement. Under the related finder’s services agreement, we have agreed to make aggregate payments of up to $1.0 million upon the achievement of specified pre-commercialization milestones, such as clinical trials and regulatory approvals, as described in the agreement. We have also agreed to make aggregate payments of up to $4.5 million upon the achievement of specified commercial milestones. In addition, we have agreed to pay royalties on sales of A-101 40% Topical Solution or related products at a low single-digit percentage of net sales, as defined in the agreement.
Under a commercial supply agreement with a third party, we have agreed to pay a termination fee of up to $0.4 million in the event we terminate the agreement without cause or the third party terminates the agreement for cause.
Under a license agreement with Rigel that we entered into in August 2015, we have agreed to make aggregate payments of up to $80.0 million upon the achievement of specified pre-commercialization milestones, such as clinical trials and regulatory approvals. Further, we have agreed to pay up to an additional $10.0 million to Rigel upon the achievement of a second set of development milestones. With respect to any products we commercialize under the agreement, we will pay Rigel quarterly tiered royalties on our annual net sales of each product developed using the licensed JAK inhibitors at a high single-digit percentage of annual net sales, subject to specified reductions.
Under a commercial license agreement with JAKPharm LLC and Key Organics, LTD that we entered into in November 2015, we have agreed to make aggregate payments of up to $2.4 million upon the achievement of specified pre-commercialization milestones, such as clinical trials and regulatory approvals. We will pay an annual maintenance fee of $50,000, to be credited against any milestone fees or royalties paid in each calendar year. With respect to any products we commercialize under the agreement, we will pay tiered royalties at a low to mid-single-digit percentage of annual net sales, subject to specified reductions, as determined on a country-by-country and product-by-product basis, until the date that all of the patent rights for that product have expired, or in specified countries under specified circumstances, ten years from the first commercial sale of such product.
Under a stock purchase agreement with the selling stockholders of
Vixen, w
e are obligated to make aggregate payments of up to $18.0 million upon the achievement of specified pre-commercialization milestones for three products covered by the Vixen patent rights in the United States, the European Union and Japan, and aggregate payments of up to $22.5 million upon the achievement of specified commercial milestones for products covered by the Vixen patent rights.
We are also obligated to make a payment of $0.1 million on March 24th of each year, through March 24, 2022, which amounts are creditable against any specified future payments that may be paid under the stock purchase agreement.
With respect to any products we commercialize under the
stock purchase agreement
, we are obligated to pay a low single-digit percentage of annual net sales, subject to specified reductions, limitations and other adjustments, until the date that all of the patent rights for that product have expired, as determined on a country-by-country and product-by-product basis or, in specified circumstances, ten years from the first commercial sale of such product. If we sublicense any of the patent rights and know-how acquired pursuant to the
stock purchase agreement
, we will be obligated to pay a portion of any consideration we receive from such sublicenses in specified circumstances.
Under a license agreement with The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York, or Columbia, we are obligated to pay an annual license fee of $10,000, subject to specified adjustments for patent expenses incurred by Columbia and creditable against any royalties that may be paid under the license agreement. We are also obligated to pay up to an aggregate of $11.6 million upon the achievement of specified commercial milestones, including specified levels of net sales of products covered by Columbia patent rights and/or know-how, and royalties at a sub-single-digit percentage of annual net sales of products covered by Columbia patent rights and/or know-how, subject to specified adjustments. If we sublicense any of Columbia’s patent rights and know-how acquired pursuant to the license agreement, we will be obligated to pay Columbia a portion of any consideration received from such sublicenses in specified circumstances.
We enter into contracts in the normal course of business with CROs for clinical trials, preclinical research studies and testing, manufacturing and other services and products for operating purposes. These contracts generally provide for termination upon notice, and therefore we believe that our non-cancelable obligations under these agreements are not material.
Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements
We did not have during the periods presented, and we do not currently have, any off-balance sheet arrangements, as defined in the rules and regulations of the SEC.
Emerging Growth Company Status
The Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 permits an “emerging growth company” such as us to take advantage of an extended transition period to comply with new or revised accounting standards applicable to public companies until those standards would otherwise apply to private companies. We have irrevocably elected to “opt out” of this provision and, as a result, we will comply with new or revised accounting standards when they are required to be adopted by public companies that are not emerging growth companies.