NASDAQ: DMRA
Damora Therapeutics, Inc.CIK 0001800315 · Pharmaceutical Preparations
We are a biopharmaceutical company developing therapies for the treatment of hematologic disorders. In our previously announced Asset Acquisition (as defined below), we bolstered our pipeline with the addition of three product candidates designed to treat myeloproliferative neoplasms (“MPNs”), a… About this business →
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Latest financial statements
From 10-Q filed May 12, 2026 (period ending Mar 31, 2026). SEC XBRL (companyfacts) — not generated by the model.
Consolidated Statements of Operations (Unaudited)
| Description | Q1 ended Mar 31, 2026 | Q3 ended Sep 30, 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Operating expenses: | ||
| Research and development | 23.8 | 1.4 |
| General and administrative | 7.0 | 1.7 |
| Total operating expenses | 30.8 | 3.2 |
| Operating income | (30.8) | (3.2) |
| Other income/(expense), net | 3.1 | 0.02 |
| Income before income taxes | (27.7) | (3.1) |
| Income tax expense/(benefit) | 0.04 | — |
| Net income | (27.8) | (3.1) |
| Basic earnings per share | (0.62) | (2.36) |
| Diluted earnings per share | (0.62) | (2.36) |
Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited)
| Description | Mar 31, 2026 | Dec 31, 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Current assets: | ||
| Cash and equivalents | 532.9 | 257.6 |
| Prepaid expenses and other current assets | 2.5 | 2.8 |
| Total current assets | 535.4 | 260.4 |
| Deferred income taxes and other assets | 0.03 | 0.1 |
| TOTAL ASSETS | 535.4 | 260.5 |
| Current liabilities: | ||
| Accounts payable | 0.8 | 0.4 |
| Accrued liabilities | 6.0 | |
| Other current liabilities | 17.0 | 19.6 |
| Total current liabilities | 23.8 | 20.1 |
| Deferred income taxes and other liabilities | 0.03 | 0.08 |
| Total liabilities | 23.8 | 20.1 |
| Redeemable preferred stock | 1.3 | 1.3 |
| Shareholders' equity: | ||
| Common stock | — | |
| Capital in excess of stated value | 893.5 | 310.7 |
| Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) | 0.8 | 0.8 |
| Retained earnings (deficit) | (515.1) | (487.4) |
| Total shareholders' equity | 511.6 | 240.4 |
| TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY | 535.4 | 260.5 |
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited)
| Description | Q1 ended Mar 31, 2026 | Nine months ended Sep 30, 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Operating Activities: | ||
| Net cash from operating activities | (20.6) | (7.3) |
| Financing Activities: | ||
| Net cash from financing activities | 295.9 | |
Amounts in millions USD; EPS as reported. Line labels are presentation-friendly mappings of filer XBRL tags — not a re-audit of the full statements. Use EDGAR for interactive notes and detail. Interactive statements & notes on EDGAR ↗
About Damora Therapeutics, Inc.
Source: Item 1 (Business) from the 10-K filed March 19, 2026. Description as filed by the company with the SEC.
Item 1. Business.
Overview
We are a biopharmaceutical company developing therapies for the treatment of hematologic disorders. In our previously announced Asset Acquisition (as defined below), we bolstered our pipeline with the addition of three product candidates designed to treat myeloproliferative neoplasms (“MPNs”), a group of related, chronic disorders of the bone marrow. Our lead product candidate, DMR-001, targets mutant forms of the calcium binding protein calreticulin (“CALR”), which are collectively known as mutCALR. We have exercised our Option to license exclusive worldwide development and commercialization rights to DMR-001 from Paragon Therapeutics, Inc. (“Paragon”), pursuant to the Antibody Discovery and Option Agreement, dated as of October 7, 2025, by and among Paragon, Paramora Holding LLC (“Paramora”) and Pre-Acquisition Damora (as defined below) (the “Paragon Option Agreement”). We intend to develop DMR-001 for the treatment of essential thrombocythemia (“ET”), an MPN associated with the overproduction of platelets, and myelofibrosis (“MF”), an MPN involving the overproliferation of blood cells and deposition of fibrous material in the bone marrow and spleen. Approximately 25% and 35% of cases of ET and MF, respectively, are caused by mutCALR rather than mutations in Janus-associated kinase 2 (“JAK2”). In contrast to marketed therapies for ET and MF, DMR-001 is designed to selectively target cells that express mutCALR while avoiding the adverse effects associated with non-specific cytoreductive drugs. Furthermore, DMR-001 was designed to have increased affinity, potency and a prolonged half-life when compared with other antibodies in development that target mutCALR. We believe that the potential combination of increased clinical activity and improved pharmacokinetics of DMR-001 positions it as a potential best-in-class therapy for ET and MF. We also have the option to license exclusive worldwide development and commercialization rights from Paragon of two other mutCALR-targeting product candidates, DMR-002 and DMR-003, pursuant to the Paragon Option Agreement. We intend to submit an Investigational New Drug Application (“IND”) or Clinical Trial Application (“CTA”) for DMR-001 and DMR-002 in mid-2026 and the second half of 2026, respectively, and for DMR-003 in 2027. Pursuant to the Paragon Option Agreement, we have engaged Paragon to execute a mutually agreed research plan for DMR-001, DMR-002, and DMR-003 aimed at producing potential product candidates to be licensed for further development, manufacture and commercialization by us. The research plan activities performed by Paragon are overseen by a joint development committee comprised of our employees and employees of Paragon.
Read full description ↓
MPNs are caused by excessive proliferation of myeloid cells. In some patients, including ET patients, MPNs are considered chronic diseases that lead to significant decreases in quality of life. MPNs also include MF, which is associated with poor prognosis and increased mortality. One feature that makes MPNs attractive indications for drug development is that mutations in just a small number of genes are responsible for a significant percentage of cases, which enables the opportunity to develop targeted therapies. Our ultimate goal is to develop a portfolio of targeted mutation-directed candidates to address the full spectrum of MPN disease.
DMR-001 is a monoclonal antibody that targets mutations in CALR, including the two major forms of CALR mutations referred to as Type 1 and Type 2 mutCALR. CALR mutations are the drivers of about a quarter of all cases of ET, a disease with a prevalence in the United States of about 140,000 patients. ET is characterized by excessive production of platelets, leading to symptoms that range from tingling or burning in the hands and feet to headache, visual problems, weakness, dizziness and increased risk of blood clots, causing heart attacks, strokes and other thromboses. CALR mutations are the drivers of about 35% of all cases of MF, a disease with a prevalence in the United States of about 20,000 patients. MF is characterized by abnormal myeloid cell proliferation leading to inflammation and a fibrotic response in the bone marrow. This results in bone marrow scarring, splenomegaly, elevated cytokine levels, and bone marrow dysfunction. Symptoms include fatigue, easy bruising and bleeding, night sweats and fever. Approximately 17% of ET patients who have CALR mutations progress to MF. We believe there exists at least a $5 billion addressable market in the United States for mutCALR driven ET and MF.
We believe that DMR-001 has the potential to become a best-in-class anti-mutCALR therapy due to two differentiating features compared to marketed therapies and therapies in development, including INCA033989. First, our preclinical studies demonstrated that DMR-001 is a more potent inhibitor of mutCALR-dependent cell proliferation compared to a reference mutCALR targeted monoclonal antibody. This is especially relevant with regard to patients with Type 2 mutCALR, which represent about a third of mutCALR patients. Whereas Type 1 mutations are characterized by a deletion of 52 base pairs in the gene for CALR, Type 2 mutations have an insertion of 5 base pairs. Our preclinical assays demonstrated that DMR-001 has approximately ten-fold higher potency on Type 2 mutCALR than a reference mutCALR antibody with the same mechanism of action as INCA033989. Second, DMR-001 was engineered to have an increased half-life in circulation through the incorporation of sequence modifications that have previously been shown to improve pharmacokinetics in humans. Our preclinical data generated in non-human primates (“NHPs”), confirmed the improved half-life of DMR-001 compared to a reference antibody.
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The expected combination of increased clinical activity and longer half-life is predicted to enable the delivery of sufficient amounts of DMR-001 via subcutaneous injection to match and potentially exceed the reported efficacy of INCA033989 that was intravenously administered in Incyte Corporation’s (“Incyte”) Phase 1 trial. We believe such a subcutaneous formulation is critically important because it provides a more convenient dosing option for ET and MF patients, most of whom have a long life expectancy after diagnosis and thus require long-term treatment. We intend to file an IND or CTA for DMR-001 in mid-2026 and initiate a Phase 1 trial in ET and MF patients with a subcutaneous formulation thereafter, subject to regulatory approval, with two proof-of-concept readouts expected beginning mid-2027.
In addition, we are developing DMR-002 and DMR-003, both anti-mutCALR-based therapies, with the intent to ultimately address the full spectrum of mutCALR MPN patients. We intend to file an IND or CTA for DMR-002 in the second half of 2026 and for DMR-003 in 2027.
We periodically evaluate our product pipeline to assess whether development of certain assets in our portfolio align with our strategic objectives. Following a recent review of our product candidate portfolio, we have determined to focus on our mutCALR portfolio to address the full mutCALR MPN disease spectrum and have deprioritized continued development of GB3226, a small molecule inhibitor of ENL-YEATS and FLT3 for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (“AML”). We intend to explore entering into one or more corporate partnerships or collaboration arrangements to advance the development and commercialization of our legacy assets, including GB3226, GB1211 (galectin-3 inhibitor candidate), and GB2064 (LOXL-2 inhibitor candidate).
Our Pipeline
The following table summarizes our product candidates and programs and their current stage of development.
Our Strategy
Our goal is to develop potential best-in-class therapies to treat a range of hematologic disorders, including MPNs such as ET and MF. Our strategy to achieve this is as follows:
• Initiate clinical development of DMR-001. Our preclinical results have shown that DMR-001 has improved potency and pharmacokinetics compared to a reference antibody with the same mechanism of action as INCA033989, a molecule for which impressive Phase 1 clinical results in the treatment of ET and MF have been reported. We plan to file an IND or CTA for DMR-001 for the treatment of ET and MF patients in mid-2026 and initiate a Phase 1 trial in ET and MF patients with a subcutaneous formulation thereafter, subject to regulatory approval, with two proof-of-concept readouts expected beginning mid-2027.
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• Invest early in preparation for late-stage development of DMR-001. Although DMR-001 is not the first anti-mutCALR antibody to enter the clinic, we believe that it has the potential to be best-in-class. We intend to be in a position to execute additional clinical trials for DMR-001 in response to both the results that we generate and to those of our competitors, with the intent of minimizing unnecessary delays.
• Advance DMR-002 and DMR-003 into clinical development. We are developing mutCALR targeted therapies that are designed to be even more potent than DMR-001 with the goal of addressing the full spectrum of mutCALR-driven MPNs. We anticipate filing an IND or CTA for DMR-002 in the second half of 2026 and for DMR-003 in 2027.
• Build focused company infrastructure and foster a positive corporate culture. We are building the infrastructure of Damora by incorporating our commitments to science-driven drug development and rapidly addressing the needs of patients with hematologic disorders.
MPNs - a spectrum of diseases with high unmet medical need
MPNs are a group of rare blood cancers in which excess red blood cells, white blood cells or platelets are produced in the bone marrow. The three most common MPNs are MF, ET, and polycythemia vera (“PV”). Common symptoms of MPNs include fatigue, itching, weight loss, night sweats, fever, difficulty breathing, abdominal swelling and discomfort due to spleen enlargement, bruising and stroke, all of which can be devastating and debilitating. Patients with ET and PV can progress to MF, and all MPN patients have a risk that their cancer progresses into AML, a hematological malignancy with a five-year survival rate of 33%.
MPNs generally arise from mutations in the blood-forming stem cells of the bone marrow. The most commonly mutated genes observed in MPNs are JAK2, CALR, and myeloproliferative leukemia virus oncogene (“MPL”). These mutations lead to constitutive or always-on activation of signaling pathways that, when over-activated, drive the aberrant production of blood cells.
DMR-001, a product candidate designed to treat mutCALR-driven MPNs
DMR-001 is a monoclonal antibody that targets mutCALR, a mutant protein that is believed to be a critical driver of approximately 25% of ET cases and 35% of MF cases. Third-party Phase 1 clinical data for INCA033989, an anti-mutCALR antibody, demonstrated that direct targeting of mutCALR can lead to rapid and sustained reduction in excess platelets, the key pathology in ET, and reduction in spleen volume and symptom improvement in MF. DMR-001 is designed to improve on the clinical activity and pharmacokinetics of INCA033989, which we believe will provide the opportunity to capture a sizable portion of the mutCALR market. We anticipate filing an IND or CTA for DMR-001 in mid-2026 and initiating a Phase 1 trial in ET and MF patients with a subcutaneous formulation thereafter, subject to regulatory approval, with two proof-of-concept readouts expected beginning mid-2027.
ET background
ET, an MPN characterized by excessive platelet production, is associated with an increased risk of thrombosis and bleeding. The annual incidence of ET in the United States is 1.5/100,000 persons. The prevalence in the United States is approximately 140,000 patients.
Excessive levels of platelets in ET are associated with increased risk of serious conditions such as arterial thrombosis, venous thrombosis and hemorrhagic complications. In addition, patients with ET can experience symptoms that include tingling or burning in the hands and feet, headache, visual problems, weakness and dizziness. These symptoms and others result from excessive numbers of platelets causing blockages in small or large blood vessels in different parts of the body that can reduce patients’ quality of life. More serious potential complications include an increased risk of blood clots, causing heart attacks and strokes, as well as an increase in the risk of hemorrhage that rises with the platelet count. The median age at diagnosis of ET is 59 years. A significant fraction of ET patients progress to more aggressive cancers, including 17% who have CALR mutations who develop MF and 3% who develop AML.
Approximately 90% of individuals with ET have genetic variants that upregulate the Janus-associated kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription (“JAK-STAT”) signaling pathway, including JAK2, CALR or MPL, which encodes the thrombopoietin (“TPO”) receptor.
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Figure 1. Mutations that drive JAK/STAT signaling, including those in JAK2, CALR and MPL are the primary causes of ET
The main treatment objectives for patients with ET are to lower platelet levels to the normal range, lower the risk of fibrosis and lower the risk of progression to MF. About 30% to 40% of ET patients are classified as lower-risk patients who have elevated platelet counts without a history of clotting events. These patients are often treated with aspirin alone. The remaining ET patients carry a higher risk of clotting and bleeding. These patients are generally treated with hydroxyurea, which is not approved for the treatment of ET in the United States. Hydroxyurea does not alter the underlying disease process and, as a result, disease progression may continue in some patients. Long-term use of hydroxyurea is also associated with the development of mucosal ulcers, actinic keratosis and an increased risk of skin cancer. Anagrelide, an inhibitor of the maturation of megakaryocytes to platelets, is approved to treat ET but is associated with cardiotoxicity. Current treatments, including drugs such as hydroxyurea and anagrelide, are not selective for platelets affected by mutCALR. Although 59% of ET patients have mutations in JAK2, inhibitors of JAK, such as ruxolitinib, are not routinely used. Ruxolitinib is not approved to treat ET, as it failed to improve response rates and is associated with a number of toxicities that are barriers to widespread use. Interferon has also been reported to reduce platelet counts in ET patients in a small number of clinical trials, but it has not been approved for this indication.
MF disease overview
MF is a MPN characterized by abnormal myeloid cell proliferation leading to inflammation and a fibrotic response in the bone marrow. This results in bone marrow scarring, splenomegaly, elevated cytokine levels, and marrow dysfunction. Symptoms include fatigue, easy bruising and bleeding, night sweats and fever. At the time of diagnosis, 35% to 54% of patients with MF have anemia. Within a year of diagnosis, 60% of patients develop anemia and 46% of all patients require treatment with red blood transfusions. Anemia is the disease feature most consistently associated with poor prognosis in MF. Up to 20% of MF patients will ultimately develop AML.
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Because the median age of MF diagnosis is around 65 years, disease-associated complications are often compounded by concurring medical conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, atherosclerotic or pulmonary disease, and obesity. Patients with intermediate-risk disease have a median overall survival of about five years which decreases to two years in those with high-risk disease. Common fatal complications include transformation into AML, thrombohemorrhagic events, organ failure, and infections. The prevalence of MF in the United States is estimated at 20,000 patients.
Figure 2. Median overall survival for patients with MF
Current treatments for MF
The only current curative treatment for MF is allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (“HSCT”); however, this procedure has both significant morbidity and a high mortality rate. Because many patients diagnosed with MF are elderly and have other comorbidities, only a minority are eligible for this treatment. In other patients, inhibitors of cell proliferation are used such as JAK inhibitors or chemotherapy agents.
These therapies, however, increase the risk of anemia, reduce platelet counts causing increased risk of bleeding and bruising, and reduce white blood cell counts, a condition known as neutropenia, resulting in increased risk of serious infections.
Management of anemia can be one of the most challenging aspects of treating patients with MF. In patients with mild anemia, erythropoiesis stimulating agents, are used to stimulate red blood cell formation. Other patients are treated with steroids, including danazol, which lead to increases in hemoglobin (“Hb”), levels with a mean response time of five months in 30% of patients. Patients with more serious anemia are treated with blood transfusions, but over time, repeated transfusions lead to the development of iron overload, alloantibodies, and other toxicities.
We believe there remains a substantial unmet need for new therapies that can reduce disease symptoms and slow progression for MF patients.
Potential of targeting mutCALR
We believe that mutCALR is a highly desirable target in oncology given its clear role as a disease driver. CALR normally functions as a calcium-binding chaperone that is active in three areas: intracellularly, on the cell surface, and extracellularly. However, in patients who have deleterious mutations, the gene for CALR is mutated so that the DNA transcription machinery does not stick to the normal reading frame. This so-called frameshift occurs in the protein-coding region of the gene and it results in the synthesis of mutCALR proteins that contain an amino acid sequence at the C-terminal end of the protein that is not present in normal CALR. In response to this additional sequence, these mutCALR proteins begin to drive abnormal cell proliferation by gaining the ability to bind to and stimulate signaling through a receptor known as the TPO receptor. TPO activation, in turn, activates the JAK/STAT pathway, a well-known pathway leading to cell proliferation. It is this JAK/STAT pathway activation which, in turn, drives the unhealthy proliferation of myeloid cells.
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Figure 3. mutCALR leads to TPO-independent activation of JAK/STAT signaling
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The majority of CALR mutations associated with ET are classified as Type 1 mutations (52 bp deletion) or Type 2 mutations (5 bp insertion) depending on the size and location of the frameshift causing genetic changes. Both Type 1 and Type 2 mutations result in a novel, shared mutant C-terminal domain.
Figure 4. Two types of mutCALR account for 85% of CALR mutations in ET
In addition to the critical role of mutCALR in stimulating cell proliferation, several other factors make mutCALR an especially attractive drug target. First, the frameshift mutations that create mutCALR lead to the expression of a protein domain that is not present in wild-type (“WT”) CALR, thereby providing an opportunity to specifically target mutCALR and avoid potential consequences of binding to CALR on healthy cells. Second, due to the deletion of the endoplasmic reticulum-localization signal that occurs when mutated, mutCALR localizes to the cell surface while WT CALR does not. Third, the pathology of mutCALR appears to be limited to its ability to activate the TPO receptor which is primarily expressed on platelets and hematopoietic progenitor cells that give rise to platelets, providing the ability to selectively and specifically target the root cause of the pathological cell proliferation. Fourth, mutations in CALR are mutually exclusive with other driver mutations, providing an opportunity to block oncogenic signaling through selective mutCALR inhibition with less potential for resistance.
A recent third-party advancement in the treatment of ET and MF
In 2025, Incyte announced preliminary data from multiple Phase 1 clinical trials of INCA033989 in ET patients resistant or intolerant to prior cytoreductive therapy and MF patients resistant, intolerant or ineligible for JAK inhibitor treatment. Results from these trials demonstrated:
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Clinical proof-of-concept for targeting mutCALR. In ET patients, INCA033989 induced rapid decreases in platelets and a trend toward normalization of healthy hematopoiesis. In MF patients, INCA033989 treatment resulted in rapid and robust spleen and anemia responses, as well as symptom improvements.
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Evidence of disease modification with anti-mutCALR therapy. In ET patients, INCA033989 induced dose-dependent reductions in mutCALR variant allele frequency (“VAF”).
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Favorable safety and tolerability with no evidence of on-target toxicity associated with anti-mutCALR therapy. INCA033989 was well tolerated with no dose-limiting toxicities.
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Opportunity for improvement with optimized anti-mutCALR therapy. In the INCA033989 trials, MF patients with non-Type 1 CALR mutations generally had poorer outcomes compared to patients with Type 1 mutations. In addition, the trials required IV doses of INCA033989 of up to 2,500 mg.
We believe the INCA033989 data provide important clinical validation for our therapeutic approach of potent and selective targeting of mutCALR in patients with mutCALR-driven ET and MF. In addition, we believe the data highlight an opportunity to achieve a best-in-class profile with an optimized therapy that potently inhibits both Type 1 and Type 2 CALR mutations with an extended half-life enabling convenient, infrequent and low-volume subcutaneous dosing.
Our solution, DMR-001
DMR-001 is an anti-mutCALR monoclonal antibody designed to improve the ability to treat all patients that have either Type 1 or Type 2 mutCALR. DMR-001 is engineered to have improved potency against both Type 1 and Type 2 mutCALR, which we believe will provide the potential to treat patients with both classes of mutations at lower doses than may be required using INCA033989. Furthermore, DMR-001 contains modifications that are known to increase the half-life of antibodies in circulation. We believe that the increased potency and associated improvements in the half-life of DMR-001 will enable infrequent subcutaneous dosing and result in more convenience for patients compared to treatment with INCA033989, which is currently dosed by intravenous infusion every two weeks.
In our preclinical studies, DMR-001 demonstrated approximately three-fold greater inhibition of cell proliferation of a cell line that is dependent on Type 1 mutCALR than a reference mutCALR antibody with the same mechanism of action as INCA033989. In this in vitro assay, the proliferation of Ba/F3 cells was engineered to be dependent on Type 1 mutCALR and the TPO receptor. At 72 hours, DMR-001 led to more potent inhibition of proliferation than the reference antibody.
Figure 5. DMR-001 was more potent than a reference mutCALR antibody in a Type 1 mutCALR-dependent cell assay
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In a similar assay in which the Ba/F3 cells were engineered to be dependent on a Type 2 mutCALR, DMR-001 had an approximately ten-fold greater inhibition of cell proliferation than the reference antibody.
Figure 6. DMR-001 was more potent than a reference mutCALR antibody in a Type 2 mutCALR-dependent cell assay
High-molecular-weight biologics, such as antibodies, are routinely dosed via intravenous or subcutaneous administration. Subcutaneous administration has certain advantages in that patients can be dosed either during a clinic visit or via self-administered dosing at home, e.g., with an auto-injector, instead of receiving an hours-long intravenous administration in a hospital or infusion center. Subcutaneous administration is not only more convenient and desirable to patients, it also reduces the burden on healthcare facilities by lowering the cost of administration and increasing the number of patients who can be treated in a given time. The ability to administer treatment by subcutaneous injection is especially important for the treatment of chronic diseases, such as ET and MF, for which most patients have a long life expectancy after diagnosis and thus require long-term treatment.
DMR-001 has been engineered to have an extended half-life based on specific modifications that have been shown to extend the half-life of antibodies by three- to four-fold in other third-party therapies. In our preclinical studies, DMR-001 had a five-fold longer half-life in NHPs compared to a reference mutCALR antibody that lacked these modifications. We believe that the extended half-life observed in NHPs with DMR-001 has the potential to carry over into clinical development, as the half-life of other antibodies in NHPs, including those engineered to have extended half-lives, has been shown to correlate with that observed in humans.
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Figure 7. DMR-001 had a five-fold longer half-life in non-human primates than a reference mutCALR antibody
We believe that the potential combination of the increased potency of DMR-001 combined with its longer half-life provides the opportunity to gain a competitive advantage to existing anti-mutCALR antibodies in development. We believe the combination of these enhancements provides the opportunity for low doses of DMR-001 to be administered subcutaneously using an autoinjector and for DMR-001 potentially to be administered less frequently than INCA033989.
To estimate the potential impact of the increased potency and the improved half-life of DMR-001, we modeled the pharmacokinetics of DMR-001 and compared that to the maximum dose of 2500 mg INCA033989 that was tested and led to clinical responses in Incyte’s Phase 1 trials. We believe that it is feasible for subcutaneous doses administered approximately every four weeks or less frequently to deliver sufficient DMR-001 to match what is known as the Ctrough, the lowest concentration of drug substance before administration of the subsequent dose, of 2500 mg of INCA033989 when INCA033989 is delivered intravenously biweekly. We note that this analysis is based on an improvement in activity against Type 2 mutCALR for DMR-001 of only two-fold, which is substantially lower than the ten-fold improvement that we observed in our in vitro experiments.
We believe that the increased potency and improved pharmacokinetics of DMR-001 as well as the anticipated subcutaneous doses have the potential for DMR-001 to match doses of INCA033989 that have demonstrated meaningful clinical results in third-party clinical trials. We believe that the improved properties of DMR-001 may provide the opportunity to not only simplify dosing, but also to increase the response rates in patients with Type 2 mutCALR mutations.
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Figure 8. Pharmacologic modeling suggests that subcutaneous doses of DMR-001 can match the clinical activity of the highest dose of INCA033989 tested in the clinic
We anticipate filing an IND or CTA in mid-2026 and initiating a Phase 1 trial of a subcutaneous formulation in ET and MF patients thereafter, subject to regulatory approval.
DMR-002 and DMR-003
Although ET is a chronic disease that typically requires lifelong management, about 17% of patients with mutCALR ET progress to MF, a life-threatening condition. In addition, primary MF can occur, where patients are newly diagnosed with MF without any contributing progression from ET. Primary MF has an incidence in the United States of 3,700 to 3,900 new patients per year. Third-party clinical data of INCA033989 demonstrated promising activity as a monotherapy and as a combination therapy in reducing anemia and spleen volume, as well as improving symptoms in mutCALR MF patients.
In addition, pursuant to the Paragon Option Agreement, we have the option to develop two additional anti-mutCALR product candidates: DMR-002, an undisclosed mechanism of action, and DMR-003, a bispecific CD3 x anti-mutCALR T cell engager. We plan to disclose specifics about both of these product candidates as they advance into formal clinical development. We anticipate filing an IND or CTA for DMR-002 in the second half of 2026 and for DMR-003 in 2027.
Our Team and Investors
On November 10, 2025, we announced the completion of the Asset Acquisition with the focus on advancing a pipeline of next-generation antibodies targeting mutCALR with respect to which we have the option to acquire intellectual property license rights pursuant to the Paragon Option Agreement. The antibodies subject to the Paragon Option Agreement were discovered and developed by Paragon, a biotechnology company applying cutting-edge science and technology to shape the next generation of novel best-in-class complex biologics for major medical needs. Paragon’s scientific founders’ discoveries have also led to the creation of six other successful, publicly traded biotechnology companies.
Concurrent with the closing of the Asset Acquisition, we completed a $285 million private placement with a syndicate of healthcare investors led by Fairmount Funds Management LLC, with participation from Viking Global Investors, Venrock
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Healthcare Capital Partners, Commodore Capital, Janus Henderson Investors, Wellington Management, RA Capital Management, TCGX, Forbion, BB Biotech, Blackstone Multi-Asset Investing, Perceptive Advisors, Vestal Point Capital, Balyasny Asset Management, Andreessen Horowitz (a16z Bio + Health), and a leading life sciences investment firm.
We have a strong management team, board of directors and group of employees with diverse backgrounds and significant experience in developing novel treatments for patients at biopharmaceutical companies such as CRISPR Therapeutics, Cogent Biosciences, Jade Biosciences, Oruka Therapeutics, Apogee Therapeutics, Spyre Therapeutics, Ultragenyx, Roche/Genentech, Arena Pharmaceuticals, Blueprint Medicines Corporation, IO Biotech, Inc., Anthos Therapeutics, and Xilio Therapeutics, Inc. Together, our team has a proven track record in the discovery, development, and commercialization of numerous approved therapeutics.
Recent Developments
Acquisition of Damora Therapeutics, Inc.
On November 10, 2025, we effected the Asset Acquisition to acquire Damora Therapeutics, Inc., a private Delaware corporation (“Pre-Acquisition Damora”), in accordance with the terms of the Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Acquisition Agreement”), by and among the Company, Daylight Merger Sub I, Inc., a Delaware corporation and a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company (“First Merger Sub”), Daylight Merger Sub II, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and wholly owned subsidiary of the Company (“Second Merger Sub”), and Pre-Acquisition Damora. Pursuant to the Acquisition Agreement, First Merger Sub merged with and into Pre-Acquisition Damora, pursuant to which Pre-Acquisition Damora was the surviving corporation and became a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company (the “First Merger”). Immediately following the First Merger, Pre-Acquisition Damora merged with and into Second Merger Sub, pursuant to which Second Merger Sub was the surviving entity.
The Asset Acquisition was structured as a stock-for-stock transaction pursuant to which all of Pre-Acquisition Damora’s outstanding equity interests were exchanged based on a fixed exchange ratio of 1-for-1.6366, for consideration of a combination of 265,309 shares of common stock, 16,366 shares of Series B non-voting convertible preferred stock, par value $0.00001 per share (the “Series B Preferred Stock”) (or 16,366,000 shares on an as-converted-to-common stock basis), and 4,241 shares of Series C non-voting convertible preferred stock, par value $0.00001 per share (the “Series C Preferred Stock”) (or 4,241,000 shares on an as-converted-to-common stock basis), in addition to the assumption of outstanding and unexercised stock options to purchase 434,508 shares of common stock from the Damora Therapeutics, Inc. 2025 Equity Incentive Plan.
With respect to the Asset Acquisition, we determined that we were the acquiror for accounting purposes under ASC 805-10-25-4 and ASC 805-10-55-11. The primary factors considered were (a) the relative voting rights in the combined entity not resulting in a change of control, (b) legacy members of our board of directors maintained control of the board, and (c) the composition of senior management remained the same at the closing of the Transactions (as defined below). Next, we considered whether the Asset Acquisition should be defined as a business under ASC 805. ASC 805-10-55-5A through 55-5C describe a screen test to determine whether an acquired set of assets and activities is not a business. We determined that substantially all (greater than 90%) of the fair value of the assets acquired were concentrated in a single asset, Pre-Acquisition Damora’s Option to license intellectual property rights related to DMR-001, DMR-002, and DMR-003 pursuant to the Paragon Option Agreement. Accordingly, we treated the Asset Acquisition as an asset acquisition for accounting purposes. Even if the transaction would have failed the screen test, Pre-Acquisition Damora lacked the financial resources to have inputs, processes, and outputs to constitute a business under ASC 805. Following the Asset Acquisition, we will need to invest in infrastructure and the continuing research and development being conducted under the Paragon Option Agreement to be able to have any measurable outputs.
Concurrently with the Asset Acquisition, we entered into a securities purchase agreement (the “Securities Purchase Agreement”) for a private investment with existing and new investors (the “Investors”) to raise $285 million in which the Investors were issued 39,641 shares of Series C Preferred Stock (or 39,641,000 shares on an as-converted-to-common stock basis) at a price of $7,186.90 per share (or $7.1869 per share on an as-converted-to-common stock basis) (the “PIPE,” and together with the Asset Acquisition, the “Transactions”). The PIPE transaction closed on November 12, 2025.
The Transactions were approved by our board of directors and the board of directors and stockholders of Pre-Acquisition Damora. The closings of the Transactions were not subject to the approval of our stockholders. Subject to certain beneficial ownership limitations set by each holder, each share of Series B Preferred Stock and Series C Preferred stock will be convertible at the option of the holder into 1,000 shares of common stock. Except as otherwise required by law (e.g. voting on a change to the authorized shares of Series B Preferred Stock or the rights of such shares as required by Delaware General Corporation Law (the “DGCL”)) and the Certificate of Designation of Series B Non-Voting Convertible Preferred Stock (the “Series B Certificate of
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Designation”), the Series B Preferred Stock does not have voting rights. Except as otherwise required by law (e.g. voting on a change to the authorized shares of Series C Preferred Stock or the rights of such shares as required by DGCL) and the Certificate of Designation of Series C Non-Voting Convertible Preferred Stock (the “Series C Certificate of Designation”), the Series C Preferred Stock does not have voting rights. On February 9, 2026, we held a special meeting of stockholders of the company and received stockholder approval of, among other proposals, (i) the issuance of shares of common stock upon conversion of the Series B Preferred Stock and Series C Preferred Stock and (ii) an amendment to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation (the “Share Increase Amendment”) to increase the number of authorized shares of common stock from 300,000,000 to 500,000,000. Following the special meeting of stockholders of the company, on February 9, 2026, 42,005 shares of Series C Preferred Stock were automatically converted into 42,005,000 shares of common stock. On February 9, 2026, we filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware the Share Increase of Amendment to increase the number of authorized shares of common stock from 300,000,000 to 500,000,000.
Concurrently and in connection with the execution of the Acquisition Agreement, certain Pre-Acquisition Damora stockholders as of immediately prior to the Asset Acquisition, and certain of our directors and officers as of immediately prior to the Asset Acquisition entered into lock-up agreements with us and Pre-Acquisition Damora, pursuant to which each such stockholder will be subject to a 180-day lockup on the sale or transfer of shares of common stock held by each such stockholder at the closing of the Asset Acquisition, including those shares received by such Pre-Acquisition Damora stockholders in the Asset Acquisition.
Shelf Registration Statement, ATM Offering Program and February 2026 Public Offering
On February 10, 2026, we filed an automatically effective shelf registration statement (the “Registration Statement”) with the SEC for the issuance of common stock, preferred stock, warrants, debt securities, rights and units.
On February 10, 2026, we entered into a sales agreement (the “ATM Agreement”), pursuant to which we may sell, from time-to-time, shares of our common stock under an at-the-market (“ATM”) offering program for up to $150.0 million. As of the date of this filing, we have not made any sales under the ATM offering program and have $150.0 million in remaining capacity under the ATM offering program.
On February 10, 2026, we also entered into an underwriting agreement with certain underwriters to issue and sell 14,473,685 shares of our common stock, including the full exercise by the underwriters of their option to purchase an additional 2,171,052 shares, at a public offering price of $19.00 per share. The net proceeds from this offering were approximately $297.3 million, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and expenses of the offering. The underwritten offering closed on February 12, 2026.
We intend to use the net proceeds from this offering to advance our preclinical studies, clinical trials, and manufacturing in support of our antibody programs, as well as for additional research and development activities, working capital, and general corporate purposes. We may also use a portion of the proceeds to license, acquire or invest in new product candidates or for drug development activities related to such product candidates, complementary businesses, technology or assets.
The underwritten offering was made pursuant to the Registration Statement. A final prospectus supplement dated February 10, 2026 relating to and describing the terms of the underwritten offering was filed with the SEC on February 11, 2026.
Name Change
On March 6, 2026, we filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware an amendment to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation to change the name of the Company from “Galecto, Inc.” to “Damora Therapeutics, Inc.” (the “Name Change Amendment”). The Name Change Amendment became effective at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time on March 10, 2026.
Our Relationship with Fairmount, Paragon and Paramora
In connection with the Asset Acquisition, we assumed the rights and obligations of Pre-Acquisition Damora under the Paragon Option Agreement. Fairmount beneficially owns more than 5% of Paragon, appointed Paragon’s board of directors, and has the contractual right to approve the appointment of any executive officers of Paragon. Paramora is an entity formed by Paragon as a vehicle to hold equity in Pre-Acquisition Damora (and as a result of the Asset Acquisition, us) in order to share profits with certain employees of Paragon and will not perform any substantive role under the Paragon Option Agreement other than to receive warrants expected to be granted to Paramora under the Paragon Option Agreement. Three of our directors are affiliated with Fairmount (Peter Harwin, Christopher Cain, Ph.D., and Julianne Bruno) and were appointed in accordance with the Acquisition
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Agreement. We consider Paragon, Paramora, and Fairmount to be related parties. See the section titled “Paragon Option Agreement” below for more information on the Paragon Option Agreement.
Paragon Option Agreement
On October 7, 2025, Pre-Acquisition Damora entered into the Paragon Option Agreement with Paragon and Paramora. In connection with the Asset Acquisition, we assumed the rights and obligations of Pre-Acquisition Damora under the Paragon Option Agreement. Under the terms of the Paragon Option Agreement, Paragon agreed to perform certain research activities to discover, generate, identify, and characterize one or more antibody candidates directed to certain mutually agreed therapeutic targets of interest (each, a “Research Program”). The Paragon Option Agreement includes mutCALR as the selected target for DMR-001 and DMR-002, and mutCALR and CD3 as the selected targets for DMR-003. From time to time, we may choose to add additional targets to the Paragon Option Agreement by mutual agreement with Paragon and Paramora.
The Paragon Option Agreement requires us, Paragon, and Paramora to develop a research plan for each target that includes design, modeling, synthesis, evaluation, and other mutually agreed activities (each, a “Research Plan”). Paragon will perform the activities set forth in each Research Plan on the timelines set forth in such Research Plan and in compliance with a mutually agreed budget. Each Research Program will be overseen and coordinated by a joint development committee consisting of two of our employees and two employees from Paragon, with us and Paragon each having one vote with respect to decisions of the committee. When Paragon and Paramora have produced an antibody against a selected target, and upon the completion of each Research Program, Paragon and Paramora will deliver to us a data package that includes sequence information for all then-existing antibodies and information directed to such target. We, Paragon, and Paramora have developed a Research Plan for each of DMR-001, DMR-002, and DMR-003 consistent with the foregoing, and Paragon and Paramora have delivered an antibody against mutCALR with respect to DMR-001 in accordance with the applicable Research Plan.
Under the Paragon Option Agreement, we have an option (an “Option”), on a Research Program-by-Research Program basis, to enter into a separate agreement with Paragon consistent with a set of pre-negotiated terms (a “License Agreement”). Each License Agreement will include (a) an exclusive, worldwide license to all of Paragon’s right, title, and interest in and to certain product-specific intellectual property resulting from the applicable Research Program to develop, manufacture, and commercialize the antibodies and products directed to the selected target(s), and (b), for DMR-001 and DMR-002, a non-exclusive, worldwide license to all of Paragon’s right, title, and interest in and to the intellectual property resulting from the applicable monospecific Research Program to develop, manufacture, and commercialize multispecific antibodies and products directed to the selected target(s). Additionally, each License Agreement under the Paragon Option Agreement will include a non-exclusive, worldwide license to certain patents controlled by Paragon or its affiliates that (i) include a claim that expressly recites the sequence of the monospecific or bispecific antibody, as applicable, or the derived antibodies applicable to the Research Program, and (ii) are necessary to develop, manufacture or commercialize the monospecific or bispecific antibody, as applicable, or the derived antibodies applicable to the Research Program, but exclude any patents owned or otherwise controlled by Paragon or its affiliates that cover (x) that antigen-binding portion of any antibody or moiety that is directed to a target other than the target(s) of the Research Program (e.g., a second binder in a multispecific antibody), (y) any portion of any multispecific antibody other than an antibody directed to the target(s) of the Research Program, and (z) the composition of matter of, or any method of specifically making or using, a multispecific antibody directed to targets other than the target(s) of the Research Program that is developed, manufactured, commercialized or otherwise exploited by Paragon or its affiliate or sublicensee (other than us and our affiliates and sublicensees). The Option with respect to each Research Program is exercisable at our sole discretion at any time during the period beginning on the initiation of activities under the associated Research Program and ending a specified number of days following the delivery of the data package from Paragon related to the results of the Research Program (an “Option Period”). There is no payment due upon exercise of an Option pursuant to the Paragon Option Agreement. Activities under a Research Plan may continue past the exercise of an Option or entry into a License Agreement. We have exercised our Option with respect to DMR-001 and are negotiating the related License Agreement, but our Options with respect to DMR-002 and DMR-003 currently remain unexercised.
Upon exercise of an Option with respect to a Research Program, the parties are obligated to use reasonable efforts to finalize and execute a License Agreement within 90 days. Under the terms of a License Agreement, we expect that we will have sole authority over and control of the development, regulatory approval, manufacturing and commercialization of such in-licensed product worldwide. In addition, we expect to have sole authority over and control of the application for and issuance of all regulatory approvals related to such in-licensed product. Prior to entry into a License Agreement, Paragon is responsible for the prosecution, defense, maintenance and enforcement of patents related to the Research Program. Following entry into a License Agreement, we expect to control prosecution, defense, maintenance and enforcement of patents exclusively in-licensed under such License Agreement. However, there is no assurance that we will successfully negotiate future License Agreements with Paragon or that the terms will not differ from those described in this prospectus.
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Unless terminated earlier, the Paragon Option Agreement shall continue in force on a Research Program-by-Research Program basis until the earlier of: (i) the end of the Option Period for such Research Program, as applicable, if such Option is not exercised by us; (ii) if we exercise our Option with respect to a Research Program, but the parties are unable to finalize and execute a License Agreement within 90 days, the expiration of such 90-day period (subject to any mutually agreed extension of such period); and (iii) the expiration of the applicable Research Term (as defined under the Paragon Option Agreement). We may terminate the Paragon Option Agreement or any Research Program at any time for any or no reason upon 30 days’ prior written notice to Paragon; provided, that we must pay certain unpaid fees due to Paragon upon such termination, as well as any non-cancellable obligations reasonably incurred by Paragon in connection with its activities under any terminated Research Program. Paragon may terminate the Paragon Option Agreement or any Research Program immediately upon written notice to us if, as a result of any action or failure to act by us or our affiliates, such Research Program or all material activities under the applicable Research Plan are suspended, discontinued or otherwise delayed for a period of four consecutive months. Each party has the right to terminate the Paragon Option Agreement or any Research Program upon (i) 30 days’ prior written notice of the other party’s material breach that remains uncured for the 30-day period and (ii) the other party’s bankruptcy.
Upon signing of the Paragon Option Agreement, Pre-Acquisition Damora became obligated to reimburse Paragon $10.6 million for research and development costs related to DMR-001, DMR-002, and DMR-003, other general and administrative costs incurred by Paragon though September 30, 2025, and certain additional development costs incurred between October 1, 2025 and October 7, 2025 (the “Pre-Development Costs”). The Pre-Development Costs reflect the actual historical costs incurred by Paragon, including a 20% mark-up on certain direct costs to approximate the indirect costs incurred by Paragon from inception of the programs to the entry into the Paragon Option Agreement. Such direct costs incurred by Paragon were related to development activities. Paragon’s cash flows related to DMR-001, DMR-002, and DMR-003 are operating cash flows.
We are also required to pay Paragon for certain development fees and costs on a Research Program-by-Research Program basis. Under the Paragon Option Agreement, we are required to pay Paragon a one-time, non-refundable research initiation fee within 30 days following finalization of a Research Plan in the amount of $1.25 million for each of DMR-001, DMR-002, and DMR-003. The Research Plans for each of DMR-001, DMR-002, and DMR-003 were completed in December 2025, and we paid the related fees in January 2026. Under the Paragon Option Agreement, on a Research Program-by-Research Program and product-by-product basis, we are required to make one-time non-refundable milestone payments to Paragon of up to a total of $22.0 million, upon the achievement of certain clinical development and regulatory milestones. We recognized research and development expense of $1.5 million related to the milestone payment due to Paragon in connection with the achievement of a development candidate for DMR-001 in December 2025, and we paid the related amount in January 2026.
Upon exercise of the Option with respect to a Research Program, the parties are obligated to use reasonable efforts to finalize and execute a License Agreement within 90 days. Any License Agreement entered into with respect to a given Research Program shall contain the same milestone payment obligations as the Paragon Option Agreement, provided that any milestone set in the Paragon Option Agreement that has not yet been achieved and is duplicated in such License Agreement shall no longer be achievable and payable under the terms of the Paragon Option Agreement and shall only be achievable under the terms of the License Agreement. For the avoidance of doubt, if a milestone is achieved and paid by us pursuant to the Paragon Option Agreement for a certain product, then there shall be no milestone payment due for the achievement of such milestone for such product under a subsequently executed License Agreement for the applicable Research Program. Further, under a License Agreement, we would also be required to make royalty payments to Paragon in the low to mid-single-digit percentage range based on net sales of products, subject to certain reductions. The royalty term will terminate on a product-by-product and country-by-country basis upon the later of the expiration of the last-to-expire valid claim within the relevant patent rights or the twelfth anniversary of the first commercial sale of such product in such country.
Additionally, as part of the Paragon Option Agreement, on each of December 31, 2025 and December 31, 2026, we are required to grant Paramora warrants to purchase a number of shares equal to 1.00% of our outstanding capital stock as of the date of the grant on a fully-diluted basis, with an exercise price equal to the fair market value of the underlying shares of our common stock on each respective grant date. If the Research Term with respect to all Research Programs ends prior to the end of a calendar year, the warrant grant for such calendar year shall be pro-rated. On December 31, 2025, in accordance with the Paragon Option Agreement, we issued to Paramora a warrant (the "Paramora Warrant") to purchase an aggregate of up to 628,302 shares of common stock, with a per share exercise price equal to $23.01.
As of the closing of the Asset Acquisition, Pre-Acquisition Damora had incurred total expenses of $15.2 million under the Paragon Option Agreement since its inception, along with $3.8M of expense related to the Paramora Warrant. No payments were made by Pre-Acquisition Damora to Paragon prior to the closing of the Asset Acquisition. From the Asset Acquisition through December 31, 2025, we have recognized $12.7 million of total expense pursuant to the Paragon Option Agreement, along with $9.4M of expense related to the Paramora Warrant. The $12.7 million of total expense pursuant to the Paragon Option Agreement, includes $12.6 million related to research and development expense and $0.1 million related to general and administrative expense.
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Of the research and development expense, $8.1 million related to DMR-001, $2.2 million related to DMR-002, $1.6 million related to DMR-003, and $0.7 million was for shared program costs supporting all three programs. As of the date of this 10-K filing, there are no outstanding payments to Paragon related to expenses under the Paragon Option Agreement.
Intellectual Property
Overview
We strive to protect the proprietary programs and technologies that we believe are important to our business, including seeking and maintaining patent protection intended to cover the composition of matter of our programs, our methods of use and manufacture, and other inventions.
Paragon has filed provisional patent applications directed to antibodies that bind to mutCALR, including applications covering composition of matter, pharmaceutical formulations, and methods of using such antibodies. These applications disclose planned products for our DMR-001 and DMR-002 programs. A provisional patent application is an application filed in the United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”) for the purpose of securing an early date of priority for the applicant’s invention. The provisional application must include a written description of what the inventor has discovered, along with a drawing of the invention, but need not include patent claims, statements concerning or disclosing the prior art, or certain other formalities. A provisional patent application allows for an effective filing date to be established with regard to an invention, but once a provisional patent application is filed, either a corresponding non-provisional patent application or a petition to convert the provisional patent application into a non-provisional patent application must be filed within 12 months or such effective filing date will be lost.
The maximum term of a U.S. patent, excluding extensions and adjustments, begins on the effective filing date of the first non-provisional application claiming the patented invention and ending 20 years from that date. In essence, a provisional patent application provides a patent applicant two principal advantages over filing a non-provisional application. First, it allows the applicant to secure an earlier priority date for its invention than that of an equivalent non-provisional application-up to one year earlier than the filing date of a related non-provisional application. Second, since the term of a patent runs from the effective filing date of the first non-provisional application but does not begin upon filing a provisional application, filing a provisional application provides the applicant an additional year’s time to refine that invention before filing a related non-provisional application without surrendering the earlier priority date. Securing an earlier priority date both ensures that later inventors cannot obtain a patent to the same invention and provides protection against certain arguments that developments in the field arising after the priority date should prevent or invalidate the applicant’s invention.
If the non-provisional patent applications filed for DMR-001 result in issued patents, such patents are expected to expire in 2046, without taking potential patent term adjustment or patent term extension into consideration. If we or Paragon timely file non-provisional patent applications in the United States and in countries outside of the United States with regard to Paragon’s DMR-002-related provisional patent applications and these non-provisional patent applications result in issued patents, such patents are expected to expire in 2046, without taking potential patent term adjustment or patent term extension into consideration.
Other IP Rights
In addition to patents, we rely upon unpatented trade secrets, know-how and continuing technological innovation to develop and maintain our competitive position. However, trade secrets and know-how can be difficult to protect. We seek to protect our proprietary information, in part by executing confidentiality agreements with our collaborators and scientific advisors, and non-competition, non-solicitation, confidentiality and invention assignment agreements with our employees and consultants. We have also executed agreements requiring assignment of inventions with selected scientific advisors and collaborators. The confidentiality agreements we enter into are designed to protect our proprietary information and the agreements or clauses requiring assignment of inventions to us are designed to grant us ownership of technologies that are developed through our relationship with the respective counterparty. We cannot guarantee, however, that we have executed such agreements with all applicable counterparties, that such agreements will not be breached, or that these agreements will afford us adequate protection of our intellectual property and proprietary rights. For more information, please see the section titled “Risk Factors-Risks Related to Our Intellectual Property” in this prospectus.
Commercial
Should any of our product candidates be approved for commercialization, we intend to develop a plan to commercialize them in the United States and other key markets, through internal infrastructure and/or external partnerships in a manner that will
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enable us to realize the full commercial value of our programs. Given our stage of development, we have not yet established a commercial organization or distribution capabilities.
Manufacturing
We do not own or operate, and currently have no plans to establish, any manufacturing facilities. All of our preclinical and clinical drug supply development, manufacturing, storage, distribution and testing are outsourced to third-party manufacturers and facilities. Our manufacturing strategy enables us to more efficiently direct financial resources to the research, development and commercialization of programs rather than diverting resources to internally develop and maintain manufacturing facilities. As our programs advance through development, we expect to enter into longer-term commercial supply agreements with key suppliers and manufacturers to fulfill and secure our supply needs.
Competition
We expect to face competition from other biopharmaceutical companies that are developing agents for the treatment of mutCALR-driven MPNs, including ET and MF. If approved for the treatment of patients with mutCALR-driven MPNs, our portfolio of products would compete with hydroxyurea, which is not approved for the treatment of ET in the United States, anagrelide, ruxolitinib, and interferon, which has not been approved for ET, and well as ruxolitinib, momelotinib, pacritinib and fedratinib in MF.
We are aware of several companies with product candidates in development for the treatment of patients with mutCALR-driven MPNs, including Incyte’s INCA033989 and INCA035784, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc.’s JNJ-88549968, Meiji Seika Pharma’s mutCALR TCE, Prelude Therapeutics, LLC’s mCALR CDK9d DAC, Alethio Therapeutics’ AT-02, PharmaEssentia Corporation’s ropeginterferon alfa-2b, Merck & Co., Inc’s bomedemstat, Novartis AG’s pelabresib, Geron Corporation’s imetelstat, and Kartos Therapeutics, Inc.’s navtemadlin.
Government Regulation
The FDA and other regulatory authorities at federal, state and local levels, as well as in foreign countries, extensively regulate, among other things, the research, development, testing, manufacture, quality control, import, export, safety, effectiveness, labeling, packaging, storage, distribution, record keeping, approval, advertising, promotion, marketing, post-approval monitoring and post-approval reporting of biologics such as those we are developing. We, along with our third-party contractors, will be required to navigate the various preclinical, clinical and commercial approval requirements of the governing regulatory authorities of the countries in which we conduct studies or seek approval or licensure of our product candidates. Generally, before a new therapeutic product can be marketed, considerable data demonstrating a biological product candidate’s quality, safety, purity and potency, must be obtained, organized into a format specific for each regulatory authority, submitted for review and approved by the regulatory authority. For biological product candidates, potency is similar to efficacy and is interpreted to mean the specific ability or capacity of the product, as indicated by appropriate laboratory tests or by adequately controlled clinical data obtained through the administration of the product in the manner intended, to effect a given result.
U.S. Biologics Regulation
In the United States, biological products (or “biologics”) are subject to regulation under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (“FDCA”), the Public Health Service Act (“PHSA”) and other federal, state, local, and foreign statutes and regulations. The process of obtaining regulatory approvals and the subsequent compliance with appropriate federal, state, and local statutes and regulations requires the expenditure of substantial time and financial resources. Failure to comply with the applicable U.S. requirements at any time during the product development process, approval process or following approval may subject an applicant to administrative action and judicial sanctions. The process required by the FDA before biologic product candidates may be marketed in the United States generally involves the following:
• completion of preclinical laboratory tests and animal studies performed in accordance with the FDA’s current Good Laboratory Practices (“GLP”) regulations;
• submission to the FDA of an IND, which must become effective before clinical trials may begin and must be updated annually or when significant changes are made;
• approval by an independent institutional review board (“IRB”), or ethics committee at each clinical site before the trial is commenced;
• manufacture of the proposed biologic candidate in accordance with current good manufacturing practices (“cGMPs”);
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• performance of adequate and well-controlled human clinical trials in accordance with good clinical practice (“GCP”) requirements to establish the safety, purity and potency of the proposed biologic product candidate for its intended purpose;
• preparation of and submission to the FDA of a biologics license application (“BLA”), after completion of all pivotal clinical trials;
• a determination by the FDA within 60 days of its receipt of a BLA to file the application for review;
• satisfactory completion of an FDA Advisory Committee review, if applicable;
• satisfactory completion of an FDA pre-approval inspection of the manufacturing facility or facilities at which the proposed product is produced to assess compliance with cGMPs, and to assure that the facilities, methods and controls are adequate to preserve the biological product’s continued safety, purity and potency, and of selected clinical investigation sites to assess compliance with GCPs; and
• FDA review and approval of a BLA to permit commercial marketing of the product for particular indications for use in the United States.
Preclinical and Clinical Development
Prior to beginning any clinical trial with a product candidate in the United States, we must submit an IND to the FDA. An IND is a request for authorization from the FDA to administer an investigational new drug product to humans. The central focus of an IND submission is on the general investigational plan and the protocol or protocols for preclinical studies and clinical trials. The IND also includes results of animal and in vitro studies assessing the toxicology, pharmacokinetics, pharmacology and pharmacodynamic characteristics of the product, chemistry, manufacturing and controls information, and any available human data or literature to support the use of the investigational product. An IND must become effective before human clinical trials may begin. The IND automatically becomes effective 30 days after receipt by the FDA, unless the FDA, within the 30-day period, raises safety concerns or questions about the proposed clinical trial. In such a case, the IND may be placed on partial or full clinical hold and the IND sponsor, and the FDA must resolve any outstanding concerns or questions before the clinical trial can begin. Submission of an IND therefore may or may not result in FDA authorization to begin a clinical trial.
Clinical trials involve the administration of the investigational product to human subjects under the supervision of qualified investigators in accordance with GCPs, which include the requirement that all research subjects provide their informed consent for their participation in any clinical trial. Clinical trials are conducted under protocols detailing, among other things, the objectives of the trial, the parameters to be used in monitoring safety and the effectiveness criteria to be evaluated. A separate submission to the existing IND must be made for each successive clinical trial conducted during product development and for any subsequent protocol amendments. Furthermore, an independent IRB representing each site proposing to conduct the clinical trial must review and approve the plan for any clinical trial and its informed consent form before the clinical trial begins at that site, and must monitor the trial until completed. Regulatory authorities, the IRB or the sponsor may suspend a clinical trial at any time on various grounds, including a finding that the subjects are being exposed to an unacceptable health risk or that the trial is unlikely to meet its stated objectives. Some studies also include oversight by an independent group of qualified experts organized by the clinical trial sponsor, known as a data safety monitoring board, which provides authorization for whether or not a trial may move forward at designated check points based on access to certain data from the trial and may halt the clinical trial if it determines that there is an unacceptable safety risk for subjects or other grounds, such as no demonstration of efficacy. There are also requirements governing the reporting of ongoing preclinical studies and clinical trials and clinical trial results to public registries.
For purposes of BLA approval, human clinical trials are typically conducted in three sequential phases that may overlap.
• Phase 1. The investigational product is initially introduced into healthy human subjects or patients with the target disease or condition. These studies are designed to test the safety, dosage tolerance, absorption, metabolism and distribution of the investigational product in humans, the side effects associated with increasing doses, and, if possible, to gain early evidence on effectiveness.
• Phase 2. The investigational product is administered to a limited patient population with a specified disease or condition to evaluate the preliminary efficacy, optimal dosages and dosing schedule and to identify possible adverse side effects and safety risks. Multiple Phase 2 clinical trials may be conducted to obtain information prior to beginning larger and more expensive Phase 3 clinical trials.
• Phase 3. The investigational product is administered to an expanded patient population to further evaluate dosage, to provide statistically significant evidence of clinical efficacy and to further test for safety, generally at multiple geographically dispersed clinical trial sites. These clinical trials are intended to establish the overall risk/benefit ratio of the investigational product and to provide an adequate basis for product approval.
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In some cases, the FDA may require, or companies may voluntarily pursue, additional clinical trials after a product is approved to gain more information about the product. These so-called Phase 4 studies may be made a condition to approval of the BLA. Concurrent with clinical trials, companies may complete additional animal studies and develop additional information about the biological characteristics of the product candidate, and must finalize a process for manufacturing the product in commercial quantities in accordance with cGMP requirements. The manufacturing process must be capable of consistently producing quality batches of the product candidate and, among other things, must develop methods for testing the identity, strength, quality and purity of the final product, or for biologics, the safety, purity and potency. Additionally, appropriate packaging must be selected and tested, and stability studies must be conducted to demonstrate that the product candidate does not undergo unacceptable deterioration over its shelf life.
A sponsor may choose, but is not required, to conduct a foreign clinical trial under an IND. When a foreign clinical trial is conducted under an IND, all IND requirements must be met unless waived. When the foreign clinical trial is not conducted under an IND, the sponsor must ensure that the trial complies with certain FDA regulatory requirements in order to use the trial as support for an IND or application for marketing approval or licensure, including that the trial was conducted in accordance with GCP, including review and approval by an independent ethics committee and use of proper procedures for obtaining informed consent from subjects, and the FDA is able to validate the data from the trial through an onsite inspection if the FDA deems such inspection necessary. The GCP requirements encompass both ethical and data integrity standards for clinical studies.
BLA Submission and Review
Assuming successful completion of all required testing in accordance with all applicable regulatory requirements, the results of product development, nonclinical studies and clinical trials are submitted to the FDA as part of a BLA requesting approval to market the product for one or more indications. The BLA must include all relevant data available from pertinent preclinical studies and clinical trials, including negative or ambiguous results as well as positive findings, together with detailed information relating to the product’s chemistry, manufacturing, controls, and proposed labeling, among other things. Data can come from company-sponsored clinical studies intended to test the safety and effectiveness of the product, or from a number of alternative sources, including studies initiated and sponsored by investigators. The submission of a BLA requires payment of a substantial application user fee to the FDA, unless a waiver or exemption applies.
Within 60 days following submission of the application, the FDA reviews a BLA submitted to determine if it is substantially complete before the agency accepts it for filing. The FDA may refuse to file any BLA that it deems incomplete or not properly reviewable at the time of submission and may request additional information. In this event, the BLA must be resubmitted with the additional information. Once a BLA has been accepted for filing, the FDA’s goal is to review standard applications within 10 months after the filing date, or, if the application qualifies for priority review, six months after the FDA accepts the application for filing. In both standard and priority reviews, the review process may also be extended by FDA requests for additional information or clarification. The FDA reviews a BLA to determine, among other things, whether a product is safe, pure and potent and the facility in which it is manufactured, processed, packed or held meets standards designed to assure the product’s continued safety, purity and potency. The FDA may convene an advisory committee to provide clinical insight on application review questions. The FDA is not bound by the recommendations of an advisory committee, but it considers such recommendations carefully when making decisions.
Before approving a BLA, the FDA will typically inspect the facility or facilities where the product is manufactured. The FDA will not approve an application unless it determines that the manufacturing processes and facilities are in compliance with cGMP requirements and adequate to ensure consistent production of the product within required specifications. Additionally, before approving a BLA, the FDA will typically inspect one or more clinical sites to ensure compliance with GCPs. If the FDA determines that the application, manufacturing process or manufacturing facilities are not acceptable, it will outline the deficiencies in the submission and often will request additional testing or information. Notwithstanding the submission of any requested additional information, the FDA ultimately may decide that the application does not satisfy the regulatory criteria for approval.
After the FDA evaluates a BLA and conducts inspections of manufacturing facilities where the investigational product and/or its drug substance will be produced, the FDA may issue an approval letter or a Complete Response letter. An approval letter authorizes commercial marketing of the product with specific prescribing information for specific indications. A Complete Response letter will describe all of the deficiencies that the FDA has identified in the BLA, except that where the FDA determines that the data supporting the application are inadequate to support approval, the FDA may issue the Complete Response letter without first conducting required inspections, testing submitted product lots and/or reviewing proposed labeling. In issuing the Complete Response letter, the FDA may recommend actions that the applicant might take to place the BLA in condition for approval, including requests for additional information or clarification. The FDA may delay or refuse approval of a BLA if
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applicable regulatory criteria are not satisfied, require additional testing or information and/or require post-marketing testing and surveillance to monitor safety or efficacy of a product.
If regulatory approval of a product is granted, such approval will be granted for particular indications and may entail limitations on the indicated uses for which such product may be marketed. For example, the FDA may approve the BLA with a risk evaluation and mitigation strategy (“REMS”) to ensure the benefits of the product outweigh its risks. A REMS is a safety strategy to manage a known or potential serious risk associated with a product and to enable patients to have continued access to such medicines by managing their safe use, and could include medication guides, physician communication plans, or elements to assure safe use, such as restricted distribution methods, patient registries and other risk minimization tools. The FDA also may condition approval on, among other things, changes to proposed labeling or the development of adequate controls and specifications. Once approved, the FDA may withdraw the product approval if compliance with pre- and post-marketing requirements is not maintained or if problems occur after the product reaches the marketplace. The FDA may require one or more Phase 4 post-market studies and surveillance to further assess and monitor the product’s safety and effectiveness after commercialization, and may limit further marketing of the product based on the results of these post-marketing studies.
Post-Approval Requirements
Any products manufactured or distributed by us pursuant to FDA approvals are subject to pervasive and continuing regulation by the FDA, including, among other things, requirements relating to record-keeping, reporting of adverse experiences, periodic reporting, product sampling and distribution, and advertising and promotion of the product. As part of the manufacturing process, the manufacturer is required to perform certain tests on each lot of the product before it is released for distribution. After a BLA is approved for a biological product, the product also may be subject to official lot release. If the product is subject to official release by the FDA, the manufacturer submits samples of each lot of product to the FDA together with a release protocol showing a summary of the history of manufacture of the lot and the results of all of the manufacturer’s tests performed on the lot. The FDA also may perform certain confirmatory tests on lots of some products before releasing the lots for distribution by the manufacturer. In addition, the FDA conducts laboratory research related to the regulatory standards on the safety, purity, and potency or effectiveness of biologics. After approval, most changes to the approved product, such as adding new indications or other labeling claims, are subject to prior FDA review and approval. There also are continuing user fee requirements, under which the FDA assesses an annual program fee for each product identified in an approved BLA. Biologic manufacturers and their subcontractors are required to register their establishments with the FDA and certain state authorities, and are subject to periodic unannounced inspections by the FDA and certain state authorities for compliance with cGMPs, which impose certain procedural and documentation requirements upon us and our third-party manufacturers. Changes to the manufacturing process are strictly regulated, and, depending on the significance of the change, may require prior FDA approval before being implemented. FDA regulations also require investigation and correction of any deviations from cGMPs and impose reporting 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 cGMPs and other aspects of regulatory compliance.
The FDA may withdraw approval if compliance with regulatory requirements and standards is not maintained or if problems occur after the product reaches the market. Later discovery of previously unknown problems with a product, including adverse events of unanticipated severity or frequency, or with manufacturing processes, or failure to comply with regulatory requirements, may result in revisions to the approved labeling to add new safety information; imposition of post-market studies or clinical studies to assess new safety risks; or imposition of distribution restrictions or other restrictions under a REMS program. Other potential consequences include, among other things:
• restrictions on the marketing or manufacturing of a product, complete withdrawal of the product from the market or product recalls;
• fines, warning letters or holds on post-approval clinical studies;
• refusal of the FDA to approve pending applications or supplements to approved applications, or suspension or revocation of existing product approvals;
• product seizure or detention, or refusal of the FDA to permit the import or export of products;
• consent decrees, corporate integrity agreements, debarment or exclusion from federal healthcare programs;
• mandated modification of promotional materials and labeling and the issuance of corrective information;
• the issuance of safety alerts, Dear Healthcare Provider letters, press releases and other communications containing warnings or other safety information about the product; or
• injunctions or the imposition of civil or criminal penalties.
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The FDA closely regulates the marketing, labeling, advertising and promotion of biologics. A company can make only those claims relating to safety and efficacy, purity and potency that are approved by the FDA and in accordance with the provisions of the approved label. The FDA and other governmental regulatory authorities actively enforce the laws and regulations prohibiting the promotion of off-label uses. Failure to comply with these requirements can result in, among other things, adverse publicity, warning letters, corrective advertising and potential civil and criminal penalties. Physicians may prescribe legally available products for uses that are not described in the product’s labeling and that differ from those tested by us and approved by the FDA. Such off-label uses are common across medical specialties. Physicians may believe that such off-label uses are the best treatment for many patients in varied circumstances. The FDA does not regulate the behavior of physicians in their choice of treatments. The FDA does, however, restrict manufacturer’s communications on the subject of off-label use of their products.
Biosimilars and Reference Product Exclusivity
The Biologics Price Competition and Innovation Act (“BPCIA”) created an abbreviated approval pathway for biological products that are highly similar, or “biosimilar,” to or interchangeable with an FDA-approved reference biological product. The FDA has issued several guidance documents outlining an approach to review and approval of biosimilars.
Biosimilarity, which requires that there be no clinically meaningful differences between the biological product and the reference product in terms of safety, purity, and potency, is generally shown through analytical studies, animal studies, and a clinical trial or trials. Interchangeability requires that a product is biosimilar to the reference product and the product must demonstrate that it can be expected to produce the same clinical results as the reference product in any given patient and, for products that are administered multiple times to an individual, the biologic and the reference biologic may be alternated or switched after one has been previously administered without increasing safety risks or risks of diminished efficacy relative to exclusive use of the reference biologic. A product shown to be biosimilar or interchangeable with an FDA-approved reference biological product may rely in part on the FDA’s previous determination of safety and effectiveness for the reference product for approval, which can potentially reduce the cost and time required to obtain approval to market the product. Complexities associated with the larger, and often more complex, structures of biological products, as well as the processes by which such products are manufactured, pose significant hurdles to implementation of the abbreviated approval pathway that are still being worked out by the FDA. The FDA has issued two guidance documents intended to inform prospective applicants and facilitate the development of proposed biosimilars and interchangeable biosimilars, as well as to describe the FDA’s interpretation of certain statutory requirements added by the BPCIA.
Under the BPCIA, an application for a biosimilar product may not be submitted to the FDA until four years following the date that the reference product was first licensed by the FDA. In addition, the approval of a biosimilar product may not be made effective by the FDA until 12 years from the date on which the reference product was first licensed. During this 12-year period of exclusivity, another company may still market a competing version of the reference product if the FDA approves a full BLA for the competing product containing that applicant’s own preclinical data and data from adequate and well-controlled clinical trials to demonstrate the safety, purity and potency of its product. The BPCIA also created certain exclusivity periods for biosimilars approved as interchangeable products. At this juncture, it is unclear whether products deemed “interchangeable” by the FDA will, in fact, be readily substituted by pharmacies, which are governed by state pharmacy law.
A reference biologic is granted 12 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 submitted under the abbreviated approval pathway for the lesser of (i) one year after the first commercial marketing, (ii) 18 months after approval if there is no legal challenge, (iii) 18 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.
A biological product can also obtain pediatric market exclusivity in the United States. Pediatric exclusivity, if granted, adds six months to existing exclusivity periods and patent terms. This six-month exclusivity, which runs from the end of other exclusivity protection or patent term, may be granted based on the voluntary completion of a pediatric study in accordance with an FDA-issued “Written Request” for such a study.
The BPCIA is complex and continues to be interpreted and implemented by the FDA. In July 2018, the FDA announced an action plan to encourage the development and efficient review of biosimilars, including the establishment of a new office within the agency that will focus on therapeutic biologics and biosimilars. On December 20, 2020, Congress amended the PHSA as part of the COVID-19 relief bill to further simplify the biosimilar review process by making it optional to show that conditions of use proposed in labeling have been previously approved for the reference product, which used to be a requirement of the application. In addition, government proposals have sought to reduce the 12-year reference product exclusivity period. Other aspects of the
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BPCIA, some of which may impact the BPCIA exclusivity provisions, have also been the subject of recent litigation. As a result, the ultimate impact, implementation, and impact of the BPCIA is subject to significant uncertainty.
As discussed below, the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (“IRA”) is a significant law that intends to foster generic and biosimilar competition and to lower drug and biologic costs.
Patent Term Extension
In the United States, after a BLA is approved, owners of relevant drug patents may apply for up to a five-year patent extension, which permits patent term restoration as compensation for the patent term lost during the FDA regulatory process. The allowable patent term extension is typically calculated as one-half the time between (1) the later of (a) the effective date of an IND and (b) issue date of the patent for which extension is sought, and (2) the submission date of a BLA, plus the time between BLA submission date and the BLA approval date, up to a maximum of five years. The time can be shortened if the FDA determines that the applicant did not pursue licensure with due diligence. The total patent term after the extension may not exceed 14 years from the date of product licensure. Only one patent applicable to a licensed biological product is eligible for extension and only those claims covering the product, a method for using it, or a method for manufacturing it may be extended, and the application for the extension must be submitted prior to the expiration of the patent in question. However, we may not be granted an extension because of, for example, failing to exercise due diligence during the testing phase or regulatory review process, failing to apply within applicable deadlines, failing to apply prior to expiration of relevant patents or otherwise failing to satisfy applicable requirements. Some, but not all, foreign jurisdictions possess patent term extension or other additional patent exclusivity mechanisms that may be more or less stringent and comprehensive than those of the United States.
Other Healthcare Laws and Compliance Requirements
Pharmaceutical companies are subject to additional healthcare regulation and enforcement by the federal government and by authorities in the states and foreign jurisdictions in which they conduct their business that may restrict certain general business and marketing practices. Such laws include, without limitation: the federal Anti-Kickback Statute (“AKS”); the federal False Claims Act (“FCA”); the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (“HIPAA”) and similar foreign, federal and state fraud, abuse and transparency laws.
The AKS prohibits, among other things, persons and entities from knowingly and willfully soliciting, receiving, offering or paying remuneration, to induce, or in return for, either the referral of an individual, or the purchase or recommendation of an item or service for which payment may be made under any federal healthcare program. The term remuneration has been interpreted broadly to include anything of value. The AKS has been interpreted to apply to arrangements between pharmaceutical manufacturers on one hand, and prescribers and purchasers on the other. The government often takes the position that to violate the AKS, only one purpose of the remuneration need be to induce referrals, even if there are other legitimate purposes for the remuneration. There are a number of statutory exceptions and regulatory safe harbors protecting some common activities from AKS prosecution, but they are drawn narrowly and practices that involve remuneration, such as consulting agreements, that may be alleged to be intended to induce prescribing, purchasing or recommending may be subject to scrutiny if they do not qualify for an exception or safe harbor. Our practices may not in all cases meet all of the criteria for protection under a statutory exception or regulatory safe harbor. Failure to meet all of the requirements of a particular applicable statutory exception or regulatory safe harbor does not make the conduct per se illegal under the AKS. Instead, the legality of the arrangement will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis based on a cumulative review of all of its facts and circumstances. A person or entity does not need to have actual knowledge of the statute or specific intent to violate it in order to have committed a violation. In 2025, the Department of Justice continued to apply the Supreme Court’s 2023 scienter framework in United States ex rel. Schutte v. SuperValu Inc. for FCA matters, focusing on a defendant’s subjective understanding and beliefs at the time of claim submission, thus expanding the use of the FCA against recipients of federal funds that allegedly misrepresented compliance with federal civil rights laws.
Civil and criminal false claims laws, including the FCA, and civil monetary penalty laws, which can be enforced through civil whistleblower or qui tam actions, prohibit, among other things, individuals or entities from knowingly presenting, or causing to be presented, claims for payment of federal government funds, including in federal healthcare programs, that are false or fraudulent. Pharmaceutical and other healthcare companies have been prosecuted under these laws for engaging in a variety of different types of conduct that caused the submission of false claims to federal healthcare programs. Under the AKS, for example, a claim resulting from a violation of the AKS is deemed to be a false or fraudulent claim for purposes of the FCA.
HIPAA created additional federal criminal statutes that prohibit, among other things, executing a scheme to defraud any healthcare benefit program, including private third-party payors, and making false statements relating to healthcare matters. A person or entity does not need to have actual knowledge of the healthcare fraud statute implemented under HIPAA or specific intent to violate the statute in order to have committed a violation.
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The FDCA addresses, among other things, the design, production, labeling, promotion, manufacturing, and testing of drugs, biologics and medical devices, and prohibits such acts as the introduction into interstate commerce of adulterated or misbranded drugs or devices. The PHSA also prohibits the introduction into interstate commerce of unlicensed or mislabeled biological products.
The U.S. federal Physician Payments Sunshine Act requires certain manufacturers of drugs, devices, biologics and medical supplies for which payment is available under Medicare, Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program, with specific exceptions, to annually report to the Centers for Medicaid & Medicare Services (“CMS”) information related to payments or other transfers of value to various healthcare professionals including physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, certified nurse anesthetists, certified nurse-midwives, and teaching hospitals, as well as ownership and investment interests held by physicians and their immediate family members. Beginning on January 1, 2023, California Assembly Bill 1278 requires California physicians and surgeons to notify patients of the Open Payments database established under the federal Physician Payments Sunshine Act. In 2025, CMS continued incremental Open Payments program updates, published updates to data publication timelines, and expanded taxonomy lists for covered recipients, which may increase reporting and validation burdens for manufacturers and expand public transparency regarding transfers of value.
We are also subject to additional similar U.S. state and foreign law equivalents of each of the above federal laws, which, in some cases, differ from each other in significant ways, and may not have the same effect, thus complicating compliance efforts. If our operations are found to be in violation of any of such laws or any other governmental regulations that apply, we may be subject to penalties, including, without limitation, civil, criminal and administrative penalties, damages, fines, exclusion from government-funded healthcare programs, such as Medicare and Medicaid or similar programs in other countries or jurisdictions, integrity oversight and reporting obligations to resolve allegations of non-compliance, disgorgement, individual imprisonment, contractual damages, reputational harm, diminished profits and the curtailment or restructuring of our operations.
Data Privacy and Security
Numerous state, federal, and foreign laws govern the collection, dissemination, use, access to, confidentiality, and security of personal information, including health-related information. In the United States, numerous federal and state laws and regulations, including state data breach notification laws, state health information privacy laws, and federal and state consumer protection laws and regulations, govern the collection, use, disclosure, and protection of health-related and other personal information could apply to our operations or the operations of our partners. For example, HIPAA, as amended by the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (“HITECH”), and their respective implementing regulations imposes privacy, security, and breach notification obligations on certain health care providers, health plans, and health care clearinghouses, known as covered entities, as well as their business associates and their covered subcontractors that perform certain services that involve using, disclosing, creating, receiving, maintaining, or transmitting individually identifiable protected health information for or on behalf of such covered entities. These requirements imposed by HIPAA and the HITECH Act on covered entities and business associates include entering into agreements that require business associates protect protected health information (“PHI”) provided by the covered entity against improper use or disclosure, among other things; following certain standards for the privacy of PHI, which limit the disclosure of a patient’s past, present, or future physical or mental health or condition or information about a patient’s receipt of health care if the information identifies, or could reasonably be used to identify, the individual; ensuring the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of all PHI created, received, maintained, or transmitted in electronic form, to identify and protect against reasonably anticipated threats or impermissible uses or disclosures to the security and integrity of such PHI; and reporting of breaches of PHI to individuals and regulators.
Entities that are found to be in violation of HIPAA may be subject to significant civil, criminal, and administrative fines and penalties and/or additional reporting and oversight obligations if required to enter into a resolution agreement and corrective action plan with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) to settle allegations of HIPAA non-compliance. A covered entity or business associate is also liable for civil money penalties for a violation that is based on an act or omission of any of its agents, which may include a downstream business associate, as determined according to the federal common law of agency. HITECH also increased the civil and criminal penalties applicable to covered entities and business associates and gave state attorneys general new authority to file civil actions for damages or injunctions in federal courts to enforce HIPAA and seek attorneys’ fees and costs associated with pursuing federal civil actions. To the extent that we submit electronic healthcare claims and payment transactions that do not comply with the electronic data transmission standards established under HIPAA and HITECH, payments to us may be delayed or denied. In addition, state health information privacy laws, such as California’s Confidentiality of Medical Information Act and Washington’s My Health My Data Act, govern the privacy and security of health-related information, specifically, may apply even when HIPAA does not and impose additional requirements.
Even when HIPAA and state health information privacy laws do not apply, according to the Federal Trade Commission and state Attorneys General, violating consumers’ privacy rights or failing to take appropriate steps to keep consumers’ personal
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information secure may constitute unfair acts or practices in or affecting commerce in violation of Section 5(a) of the Federal Trade Commission Act and state consumer protection laws.
In addition, certain state laws, such as the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018, as amended by the California Privacy Rights Act of 2020 (“CCPA”), govern the privacy and security of personal information, including health-related information in certain circumstances, some of which are more stringent than HIPAA in various ways. Numerous other states have passed similar laws, but many differ from each other in significant ways and may not have the same effect, thus complicating compliance efforts. The CCPA applies to personal data of consumers, business representatives, and employees, and imposes obligations on certain businesses that do business in California, including to provide specific disclosures in privacy notices and affords rights to California residents in relation to their personal information. Health information falls under the CCPA’s definition of personal information where it identifies, relates to, describes, or is reasonably capable of being associated with or could reasonably be linked, directly or indirectly, with a particular consumer or household unless it is subject to HIPAA and is included under a new category of personal information, “sensitive personal information,” which is offered greater protection.
The numerous other comprehensive privacy laws that have passed or are being considered in other states, as well as at the federal and local levels also exempt some data processed in the context of clinical trials; but others exempt covered entities and business associations subject to HIPAA altogether, further complicating compliance efforts, and increasing legal risk and compliance costs for us and the third parties upon whom we rely.
There are also an increasing number of, and continuous change within, foreign laws regulating data privacy and security, such as Canada’s Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act, Australia’s Privacy Act 1988, New Zealand’s Privacy Act 2020 and South Korea’s Personal Information Protection Act. In particular, when we conduct clinical trials, including in New Zealand, we need to comply with the applicable country data privacy and security laws with respect to the processing of clinical data, which impose obligations similar to those described below in the section titled “- Other Government Regulation Outside of the United States - Regulation in the European Union - European Data Laws” of this prospectus. Privacy and security laws, regulations, and other obligations are constantly evolving, may conflict with each other to complicate compliance efforts, and can result in investigations, proceedings, or actions that lead to significant civil and/or criminal penalties and restrictions on data processing.
In addition to government activity, privacy advocacy groups and technology and other industries are considering various new, additional or different self-regulatory standards that may place additional burden on us.
Coverage and Reimbursement
Significant uncertainty exists as to the coverage and reimbursement status of any pharmaceutical or biological product for which we obtain regulatory approval. Sales of any product, if approved, depend, in part, on the extent to which such product will be covered by third-party payors, such as federal, state, and foreign government healthcare programs, commercial insurance and managed healthcare organizations, and the level of reimbursement, if any, for such product by third-party payors. Decisions regarding whether to cover any of our product candidates, if approved, the extent of coverage and amount of reimbursement to be provided are made on a plan-by-plan basis. Further, no uniform policy for coverage and reimbursement exists in the United States, and coverage and reimbursement can differ significantly from payor to payor. Third-party payors often rely upon Medicare coverage policy and payment limitations in setting their own reimbursement rates, but also have their own methods and approval process apart from Medicare determinations. As a result, the coverage determination process is often a time-consuming and costly process that will require us to provide scientific and clinical support for the use of our product candidates to each payor separately, with no assurance that coverage and adequate reimbursement will be applied consistently or obtained in the first instance.
Third-party payors are increasingly challenging the prices charged for medical products and services, examining the medical necessity and reviewing the cost effectiveness of pharmaceutical or biological products, medical devices and medical services, in addition to questioning safety and efficacy. Adoption of price controls and cost-containment measures, and adoption of more restrictive policies in jurisdictions with existing controls and measures, could further limit sales of any product that receives approval. Decreases in third-party reimbursement for any product or a decision by a third-party not to cover a product could reduce physician usage and patient demand for the product.
In addition, companion diagnostic tests require coverage and reimbursement separate and apart from the coverage and reimbursement for their companion pharmaceutical or biological products. Similar challenges to obtaining coverage and reimbursement, applicable to pharmaceutical or biological products, will apply to companion diagnostics.
In addition, the U.S. government, state legislatures and foreign governments have continued implementing cost-containment programs, including price controls, restrictions on coverage and reimbursement and requirements for substitution of generic
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products. The IRA provides CMS with significant new authorities intended to curb drug costs and to encourage market competition. For the first time, 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 that are covered under Medicare Part B and Part D that do not have generic or biosimilar competition. On August 15, 2024, CMS announced the agreed-upon reimbursement prices of the first 10 drugs that were subject to price negotiations. In January 2025, CMS announced a list of 15 additional drugs Medicare Part D drugs that will be subject to price negotiations. The IRA also provides a new “inflation rebate” covering Medicare patients that took effect in 2023 and is intended to counter certain price increases in prescriptions drugs. The inflation rebate provision requires drug manufacturers to pay a rebate to the federal government if the price for a drug or biologic under Medicare Part B and Part D increases faster than the rate of inflation. To support biosimilar competition, beginning in October 2022, qualifying biosimilars may receive a Medicare Part B payment increase for a period of five years. 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 commercialization and competition remains largely uncertain.
Healthcare Reform
The United States and some foreign jurisdictions are considering or have enacted a number of reform proposals to change the healthcare system. There is significant interest in promoting changes in healthcare systems with the stated goals of containing healthcare costs, improving quality or expanding access. In the United States, the pharmaceutical industry has been a particular focus of these efforts and has been significantly affected by federal and state legislative initiatives, including those designed to limit the pricing, coverage, and reimbursement of pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical products, especially under government-funded health care programs, and increased governmental control of drug pricing.
For example, the ACA, which was enacted in March 2010, substantially changed the way healthcare is financed by both governmental and private insurers in the United States, and significantly affected the pharmaceutical industry. The ACA contains a number of provisions of particular import to the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, including, but not limited to, those governing enrollment in federal healthcare programs, a new methodology by which rebates owed by manufacturers under the Medicaid Drug Rebate Program are calculated for drugs that are inhaled, infused, instilled, implanted or injected, and annual fees based on pharmaceutical companies’ share of sales to federal health care programs. Since its enactment, there have been judicial and Congressional challenges to certain aspects of the ACA, and we expect there will be additional challenges and amendments to the ACA in the future. For example, the IRA, among other things, extends enhanced subsidies for individuals purchasing health insurance coverage in ACA marketplaces through plan year 2025. The IRA also eliminates the “donut hole” under the Medicare Part D program beginning in 2025 by significantly lowering the beneficiary maximum out-of-pocket cost and creating a new manufacturer discount program.
Other legislative changes have been proposed and adopted since the ACA was enacted, including automatic aggregate reductions of Medicare payments to providers of on average 2% per fiscal year as part of the federal budget sequestration under the Budget Control Act of 2011. These reductions went into effect in April 2013 and, due to subsequent legislative amendments, will remain in effect until 2032 unless additional action is taken by Congress. In addition, the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018, among other things, amended the Medicare Act (as amended by the ACA) to increase the point-of-sale discounts that manufacturers must agree to offer under the Medicare Part D coverage discount program from 50% to 70% off negotiated prices of applicable brand drugs to eligible beneficiaries during their coverage gap period, as a condition for the manufacturer’s outpatient drugs being covered under Medicare Part D.
Moreover, there has recently been heightened governmental scrutiny over the manner in which manufacturers set prices for their marketed products, which has resulted in several Congressional inquiries and proposed and enacted federal and state measures designed to, among other things, reduce the cost of prescription drugs, bring more transparency to product pricing, review the relationship between pricing and manufacturer patient programs, and reform government program reimbursement methodologies for drug products. For example, in May 2019, CMS adopted a final rule allowing Medicare Advantage Plans the option to use step therapy for Part B drugs, permitting Medicare Part D plans to apply certain utilization controls to new starts of five of the six protected class drugs, and requiring the Explanation of Benefits for Part D beneficiaries to disclose drug price increases and lower cost therapeutic alternatives, which went into effect on January 1, 2021. In response to the Biden administration’s October 2022 executive order, on February 14, 2023, HHS released a report outlining three new models for testing by the CMS Innovation Center which will be evaluated on their ability to lower the cost of drugs, promote accessibility, and improve quality of care. It is unclear whether the models will be utilized in any health reform measures in the future. Further, on December 7, 2023, the Biden administration announced an initiative to control the price of prescription drugs through the use of march-in rights under the Bayh-Dole Act. On December 8, 2023, the National Institute of Standards and Technology published for comment a Draft Interagency Guidance Framework for Considering the Exercise of March-In Rights which for the first time
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includes the price of a product as one factor an agency can use when deciding to exercise march-in rights. While march-in rights have not previously been exercised, it is uncertain if that will continue under the new framework.
Notwithstanding the IRA, continued legislative and enforcement interest exists in the United States with respect to specialty drug pricing practices. We expect regulators to continue pushing for transparency to drug pricing, reducing the cost of prescription drugs under Medicare, reviewing the relationship between pricing and manufacturer patient programs, and reforming government program reimbursement methodologies for drugs.
Other Government Regulation Outside of the United States
In addition to regulations in the United States, we are subject to a variety of regulations in other jurisdictions governing, among other things, research and development, clinical trials, testing, manufacturing, safety, efficacy, quality control, labeling, packaging, storage, record keeping, distribution, reporting, export and import, advertising, marketing and other promotional practices involving biological products as well as authorization, approval as well as post-approval monitoring and reporting of our products. Because biologically sourced raw materials are subject to unique contamination risks, their use may be restricted in some countries.
Whether or not we obtain FDA approval for a product, we must obtain the requisite approvals from regulatory authorities in foreign countries prior to the commencement of clinical trials or marketing of the product in those countries. Certain countries outside of the United States have a similar process that requires the submission of a clinical trial application much like the IND prior to the commencement of human clinical trials.
The requirements and process governing the conduct of clinical trials, including requirements to conduct additional clinical trials, product licensing, safety reporting, post-authorization requirements, marketing and promotion, interactions with healthcare professionals, pricing and reimbursement may vary widely from country to country. No action can be taken to market any product in a country until an appropriate approval application has been approved by the regulatory authorities in that country. The current approval process varies from country to country, and the time spent in gaining approval varies from that required for FDA approval. In certain countries, the sales price of a product must also be approved. The pricing review period often begins after market approval is granted. Even if a product is approved by a regulatory authority, satisfactory prices may not be approved for such product, which would make launch of such products commercially unfeasible in such countries.
Regulation in the European Union
European Data Laws
The collection and use of personal health data and other personal data in the European Union (“EU”)is governed by the provisions of the European General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (GDPR), which came into force in May 2018, and related data protection laws in individual member states of the EU (“EU Member States”). The GDPR imposes a number of strict obligations and restrictions on the ability to process, including collecting, analyzing and transferring, personal data of individuals, in particular with respect to health data from clinical trials and adverse event reporting. The GDPR includes requirements relating to the legal basis of the processing (such as consent of the individuals to whom the personal data relates), the information provided to the individuals prior to processing their personal data, the notification obligations to the national data protection authorities and data subjects, the measures to be taken when engaging processors, and the security and confidentiality of the personal data. EU Member States may also impose additional requirements in relation to health, genetic and biometric data through their national legislation.
In addition, the GDPR imposes specific restrictions on the transfer of personal data to countries outside of the EU and in Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein (together the European Economic Area (“EEA”)) that are not considered by the European Commission (“EC”) to provide an adequate level of data protection. Appropriate safeguards are required to enable such transfers. Among the appropriate safeguards that can be used, the data exporter may use the standard contractual clauses (“SCCs”). When relying on SCCs, data exporters are also required to conduct a transfer risk assessment to verify if anything in the law and/or practices of the third country may impinge on the effectiveness of the SCCs in the context of the transfer at stake and, if so, to identify and adopt supplementary measures that are necessary to bring the level of protection of the data transferred to the EU standard of essential equivalence. Where no supplementary measure is suitable, the data exporter should avoid, suspend or terminate the transfer with regard to the transfer of data from the EEA to the United States, on July 10, 2023, the EC adopted its adequacy decision for the EU-US Data Privacy Framework. On the basis of the new adequacy decision, personal data can flow from the EEA to U.S. companies participating in the framework. With regard to the transfer of data from EU to the United Kingdom (“UK”), personal data may freely flow from the EEA to the UK since the UK is deemed to have an adequate data
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protection level. However, the adequacy decisions include a “sunset clause” which entails that the decisions will automatically expire four years after their entry into force, unless renewed.
Failure to comply with the requirements of the GDPR and the related national data protection laws of the EU Member States may result in significant monetary fines for noncompliance of up to €20 million or 4% of the annual global revenues of the noncompliant company, whichever is greater, other administrative penalties and a number of criminal offenses for organizations and, in certain cases, their directors and officers, as well as civil liability claims from individuals whose personal data was processed. Data protection authorities from the different EU Member States may still implement certain variations, enforce the GDPR and national data protection laws differently, and introduce additional national regulations and guidelines, which adds to the complexity of processing personal data in the EU.
Furthermore, there are specific requirements relating to processing health data from clinical trials, including public disclosure obligations provided in the EU Clinical Trial Regulation No. 536/2014 (“CTR”), European Medicines Agency (“EMA”) disclosure initiatives and voluntary commitments by industry. Failure to comply with these obligations could lead to government enforcement actions and significant penalties against us, harm to our reputation, and adversely impact our business and operating results.
On February 11, 2025, the European Union adopted Regulation (EU) 2025/327 establishing the European Health Data Space, which imposes new obligations and liabilities on companies that handle electronic health data in the EU, including mandatory interoperability, logging, security and cross-border exchange requirements for electronic health record systems, expanded individual rights of access and control, and conditions and prohibitions on secondary uses of health data (e.g., for research or regulatory purposes), with staged implementation beginning in late 2025 and 2026. Compliance may require significant investments in technology, processes and governance, as well as engagement with national health data access bodies, and could limit companies’ ability to collect, process, transfer, or commercialize health data or delay product development and post-market activities. Failure to comply-or differing national implementations, enforcement actions or evolving guidance-could result in audits, restrictions, fines, litigation, reputational harm, interruption of operations and increased costs.
Additionally, following the UK’s withdrawal from the EU and the EEA, companies also have to comply with the UK’s data protection laws (including the UK GDPR (as defined in section 3(10) (as supplemented by section 205(4)) of the Data Protection Act 2018 (the “DPA 2018”)), the DPA 2018, and related data protection laws in the UK). Separate from the fines that can be imposed by the GDPR, the UK regime has the ability to fine up to the greater of £17.5 million or 4% of global turnover.
Companies are subject to specific transfer rules under the UK regime which broadly mirror the GDPR rules. On February 2, 2022, the UK Secretary of State laid before the UK Parliament the international data transfer agreement (“IDTA”) and the international data transfer addendum to the EC’s standard contractual clauses for international data transfers (the “IDTA Addendum”) and a document setting out transitional provisions. The IDTA and IDTA Addendum came into force on March 21, 2022 and replaced the old SCCs for the purposes of the UK regime.
With regard to the transfer of personal data from the UK to the United States, the UK government has adopted an adequacy decision for the United States (the “UK-US Data Bridge”), which came into force on October 12, 2023. The UK-US Data Bridge recognizes the United States as offering an adequate level of data protection where the transfer is to a U.S. company participating in the EU-US Data Privacy Framework and the UK Extension to the EU-US Data Privacy Framework.
Drug and Biologic Development Process
Regardless of where they are conducted, all clinical trials included in applications for marketing authorization (“MA”) for human medicines in the EU/EEA must have been carried out in accordance with EU regulations. This means that clinical trials conducted in the EU/EEA have to comply with EU clinical trial legislation but also that clinical trials conducted outside the EU/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. The conduct of clinical trials in the EU is governed by the CTR, which entered into force on January 31, 2022. The CTR replaced the Clinical Trials Directive 2001/20/EC (“Clinical Trials Directive”) and introduced a complete overhaul of the existing regulation of clinical trials for medicinal products in the EU.
Under the former regime, which will expire after a transition period of three years, as outlined below in more detail, before a clinical trial can be initiated it must be approved in each EU member state where there is a site at which the clinical trial is to be conducted. The approval must be obtained from two separate entities: the National Competent Authority (“NCA”) and one or more ethics committees. The NCA of the EU Member States in which the clinical trial will be conducted must authorize the conduct of the trial, and the independent ethics committee must grant a positive opinion in relation to the conduct of the clinical trial in the relevant EU member state before the commencement of the trial. Any substantial changes to the trial protocol or other information
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submitted with the clinical trial applications must be submitted to or approved by the relevant NCA and ethics committees. Under the current regime all suspected unexpected serious adverse reactions to the investigated drug that occur during the clinical trial must be reported to the NCA and to the ethics committees of the EU member state where they occur.
A more unified procedure will apply under the new CTR. A sponsor will be able to submit a single application for approval of a clinical trial through a centralized EU clinical trials portal (the “CTIS”). One national regulatory authority (the reporting EU member state proposed by the applicant) will take the lead in validating and evaluating the application and consult and coordinate with the other concerned EU Member States. If an application is rejected, it may be amended and resubmitted through the EU clinical trials portal. If an approval is issued, the sponsor may start the clinical trial in all concerned EU Member States. However, a concerned EU member state may in limited circumstances declare an “opt-out” from an approval and prevent the clinical trial from being conducted in such member state. The CTR also aims to streamline and simplify the rules on safety reporting and introduces enhanced transparency requirements such as mandatory submission of a summary of the clinical trial results to the EU Database. The CTR foresees a three-year transition period. EU Member States will work in CTIS immediately after the system has gone live. Since January 31, 2023, submission of initial clinical trial applications via CTIS is mandatory, and CTIS serves as the single entry point for submission of clinical trial-related information and data. By January 31, 2025, all ongoing trials approved under the former Clinical Trials Directive will need to comply with the CTR and have to be transitioned to CTIS. On July 19, 2023, the EC published guidance concerning the steps to be taken in this transition. This guidance provides, among other things, that (i) documentation which was previously assessed will not be reassessed, (ii) templates that were developed and endorsed by the EU Clinical Trials Expert Group to provide compliance with the CTR do not need to be updated and (iii) there is no need to retrospectively create a site suitability form, which are only necessary for new trial sites.
Under both the former regime and the new CTR, national laws, regulations, and the applicable GCP and GLP standards must also be respected during the conduct of the trials, including the International Council for Harmonization of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use guidelines on GCP and the ethical principles that have their origin in the Declaration of Helsinki.
During the development of a medicinal product, the EMA and national regulators within the EU provide the opportunity for dialogue and guidance on the development program. At the EMA level, this is usually done in the form of scientific advice, which is given by the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (“CHMP”) on the recommendation of the Scientific Advice Working Party. A fee is incurred with each scientific advice procedure but is significantly reduced for designated orphan medicines. Advice from the EMA is typically provided based on questions concerning, for example, quality (chemistry, manufacturing and controls testing), nonclinical testing and clinical studies, and pharmacovigilance plans and risk-management programs. Advice is not legally binding with regard to any future Marketing Authorization Application (“MAA”) of the product concerned.
Drug Marketing Authorization
In the EEA, after completion of all required clinical testing, pharmaceutical products may only be placed on the market after obtaining a MA. To obtain an MA of a drug under European Union regulatory systems, an applicant can submit an MAA through, amongst others, a centralized or decentralized procedure.
To be used or sold in the UK, a drug must have an effective MA obtained by a centralized application through EMA or a national application. National applications are governed by the Human Medicines Regulations (SI 2012/1916). Applications are made electronically through the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (“MHRA”) Submissions Portal. The process from application to authorizations generally takes up to 210 days, excluding time taken to provide any additional information or data required by the MHRA.
On August 30, 2023, the MHRA published detailed guidance on its new International Reliance Procedure (“IRP”) for MAAs. The IRP applies since January 1, 2024 and replaces existing EU reliance procedures to apply for authorizations from seven international regulators (e.g., Health Canada, Swiss Medic, FDA, EMA, among others). The IRP allows medicinal products approved in other jurisdictions that meet certain criteria to undergo a fast-tracked MHRA review to obtain and/or update a MA in the UK. Applicants can submit initial MAAs to the IRP, but the procedure can also be used throughout the lifecycle of a product for post-authorization procedures including line extensions, variations and renewals.
Centralized Authorization Procedure
The centralized procedure provides for the grant of a single MA that is issued by the EC following the scientific assessment of the application by the EMA that is valid for all EU Member States as well as in the three additional EEA member states (Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein). The centralized procedure is compulsory for certain types of medicinal products, including
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for medicines developed by means of certain biotechnological processes, products designated as orphan medicinal products, advanced therapy medicinal products (gene therapy, somatic cell therapy, or tissue engineered medicines) and medicinal products with a new active substance indicated for the treatment of certain diseases (HIV/AIDS, cancer, neurodegenerative disorders, diabetes, auto-immune and viral diseases). For medicinal products containing a new active substance not yet authorized in the EEA before May 20, 2004 and indicated for the treatment of other diseases, medicinal products that constitute significant therapeutic, scientific or technical innovations or for which the grant of a MA through the centralized procedure would be in the interest of public health at EU level, an applicant may voluntarily submit an application for a MA through the centralized procedure.
Under the centralized procedure, the CHMP established at the EMA, is responsible for conducting the initial assessment of a drug. The CHMP is also responsible for several post-authorization and maintenance activities, such as the assessment of modifications or extensions to an existing MA. Under the centralized procedure, the timeframe for the evaluation of an MAA by the EMA’s CHMP is, in principle, 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, unless the application is eligible for an accelerated assessment. 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. Upon request, the CHMP can reduce the time frame to 150 days if the applicant provides sufficient justification for an accelerated assessment. The CHMP will provide a positive opinion regarding the application only if it meets certain quality, safety and efficacy requirements. This opinion is then transmitted to the EC, which has the ultimate authority for granting MA within 67 days after receipt of the CHMP opinion.
Decentralized Authorization Procedure
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 member state; or (iii) they can be authorized in an 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 MA (mutual recognition procedure).
The decentralized procedure permits companies to file identical MA applications for a medicinal product to the competent authorities in various EU Member States simultaneously if such medicinal product has not received marketing approval in any EU Member State before. This procedure is available for pharmaceutical products not falling within the mandatory scope of the centralized procedure. The competent authority of a single EU Member State, the reference member state, is appointed to review the application and provide an assessment report. The competent authorities of the other EU Member States, the concerned member states, are subsequently required to grant a MA for their territories on the basis of this assessment. The only exception to this is where the competent authority of an EU Member State considers that there are concerns of potential serious risk to public health, the disputed points are subject to a dispute resolution mechanism and may eventually be referred to the EC, whose decision is binding for all EU Member States.
Risk Management Plan
All new MAAs must include a risk management plan (“RMP”) describing the risk management system that a 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. An updated RMP must be submitted: (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. Since October 20, 2023, all RMPs for centrally authorized products are published by the EMA, subject only to limited redactions.
MA Validity Period
MAs have an initial duration of five years. After these 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.
Any authorization which is not followed by the actual placing of the drug on the EU market (in case of centralized procedure) or on the market of the authorizing member state within three years after authorization ceases to be valid.
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For the UK, the period of three years during which the drug has not been marketed in Great Britain will be restarted from the date of conversion to a Great Britain MA. Conversion refers to the procedure by which, as of January 1, 2021, MAs granted on the basis of a centralized procedure in the EU are only valid in Northern Ireland but not in Great Britain, whereas, prior EU authorizations have all been automatically converted into UK MAs effective in Great Britain only.
On the other hand, for the EU, in the case the drug has been marketed in the UK, the placing on the UK market before the end of the period starting when the UK left the EU on January 31, 2020 and ending on December 31, 2020 (the “Brexit Transition Period”) will be taken into account. If, after the end of the Brexit Transition Period, the drug is not placed on any other market of the remaining EU Member States, the three-year period will start running from the last date the drug was placed on the UK market before the end of the Brexit Transition Period.
Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products
In the EU, medicinal products, including advanced therapy medicinal products (“ATMP”) are subject to extensive pre- and post-market regulation by regulatory authorities at both the EU and national levels. 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 Regulation (EC) No 1394/2007, the Committee for Advanced Therapies (“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. 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.
Exceptional Circumstances/Conditional Approval
Similar to accelerated approval regulations in the United States, conditional MAs can be granted in the EU in exceptional circumstances. A conditional MA 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. Once a conditional MA has been granted, the MA holder must fulfil specific obligations within defined timelines. A conditional MA must be renewed annually, but it can be converted into a standard MA once the MA holder fulfils the obligations imposed and the complete data confirm that the medicine’s benefits continue to outweigh its risks.
Data and Market Exclusivity
As in the United States, it may be possible to obtain a period of market and / or data exclusivity in the EU that would have the effect of postponing the entry into the marketplace of a competitor’s generic, hybrid or biosimilar product (even if the pharmaceutical product has already received a MA) and prohibiting another applicant from relying on the MA holder’s pharmacological, toxicological and clinical data in support of another MA for the purposes of submitting an application, obtaining MA or placing the product on the market. New Chemical Entities (“NCEs”) approved in the EU qualify for eight years of data exclusivity and 10 years of marketing exclusivity.
An additional non-cumulative one-year period of marketing exclusivity is possible if during the data exclusivity period (the first eight years of the 10-year marketing exclusivity period), the MA holder obtains an authorization for one or more new therapeutic indications that are deemed to bring a significant clinical benefit compared to existing therapies.
The data exclusivity period begins on the date of the product’s first MA in the EU. After eight years, a generic product application may be submitted and generic companies may rely on the MA holder’s data. However, a generic product cannot launch until two years later (or a total of 10 years after the first MA in the EU of the innovator product), or three years later (or a total of 11 years after the first MA in the EU of the innovator product) if the MA holder obtains MA for a new indication with significant clinical benefit within the eight-year data exclusivity period. Additionally, another noncumulative one-year period of data
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exclusivity can be added to the eight years of data exclusivity where an application is made for a new indication for a well-established substance, provided that significant preclinical or clinical studies were carried out in relation to the new indication. Another year of data exclusivity may be added to the eight years, where a change of classification of a pharmaceutical product has been authorized on the basis of significant pre-trial tests or clinical trials (when examining an application by another applicant for or holder of market authorization for a change of classification of the same substance the competent authority will not refer to the results of those tests or trials for one year after the initial change was authorized).
Products may not be granted data exclusivity since there is no guarantee that a product will be considered by the European Union’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 nevertheless could also market another version of the medicinal product if such company can complete a full MAA with their own complete database of pharmaceutical tests, preclinical studies and clinical trials and obtain MA of its product.
On April 26, 2023, the EC submitted a proposal for the reform of the European pharmaceutical legislation. The current draft envisages, e.g., a shortening of the periods of data exclusivity; however, there is currently neither a final version of this draft nor a date for its entry into force. While the European Parliament adopted its approving position on the reform on April 10, 2024, no further required legislative steps have been taken since.
Pediatric Development
In the EU, companies developing a new medicinal product are obligated to study their product in children and must therefore submit a pediatric improvement plan (“PIP”) together with a request for agreement to the EMA. The EMA issues a decision on the PIP based on an opinion of the EMA’s Pediatric Committee. Companies must conduct pediatric clinical trials in accordance with the PIP approved by the EMA, unless a deferral (e.g., until enough information to demonstrate its effectiveness and safety in adults is available) or waiver (e.g., because the relevant disease or condition occurs only in adults) has been granted by the EMA. The MAA for the medicinal product must include the results of all pediatric clinical trials performed and details of all information collected in compliance with the approved PIP, unless a waiver or a deferral has been granted, in which case the pediatric clinical trials may be completed at a later date. Medicinal products that are granted an MA on the basis of the pediatric clinical trials conducted in accordance with the approved PIP are eligible for a six-month extension of the protection under a supplementary protection certificate (if any is in effect at the time of approval) or, in the case of orphan medicinal products, a two-year extension of the orphan market exclusivity. This pediatric reward is subject to specific conditions and is not automatically available when data in compliance with the approved PIP are developed and submitted. An approved PIP is also required when a MA holder wants to add a new indication, medicinal form or route of administration for a medicine that is already authorized and covered by intellectual property rights.
In the UK, the MHRA has published guidance on the procedures for UK PIPs which, where possible, mirror the submission format and requirements of the EU system. EU PIPs remain applicable for Northern Ireland and EU PIPs agreed by the EMA prior to January 1, 2021 have been adopted as UK PIPs.
PRIME Designation
In March 2016, the EMA launched an initiative to facilitate development of product candidates in indications, often rare, for which few or no therapies currently exist. The Priority Medicines (“PRIME”) scheme is intended to encourage drug development in areas of unmet medical need and provides accelerated assessment of products representing substantial innovation reviewed under the centralized procedure. Products from small-and medium-sized enterprises may qualify for earlier entry into the PRIME scheme than larger companies on the basis of compelling non-clinical data and tolerability data from initial clinical trials. Many benefits accrue to sponsors of product candidates with PRIME designation, including but not limited to, early and proactive regulatory dialogue with the EMA, frequent discussions on clinical trial designs and other development program elements, and potentially accelerated marketing authorization application assessment once a dossier has been submitted. Importantly, once a candidate medicine has been selected for the PRIME scheme, a dedicated contact point and rapporteur from the CHMP or from CAT are appointed facilitating increased understanding of the product at EMA’s Committee level. A kick-off meeting with the CHMP/CAT rapporteur initiates these relationships and includes a team of multidisciplinary experts to provide guidance on the overall development plan and regulatory strategy. 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.
Post-Approval Regulation
Similar to the United States, both MA holders and manufacturers of medicinal products are subject to comprehensive regulatory oversight by the EMA, the EC and/or the competent regulatory authorities of the EU Member States. This oversight
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applies both before and after grant of manufacturing licenses and marketing authorizations. It includes control of compliance with EU good manufacturing practices rules, manufacturing authorizations, pharmacovigilance rules and requirements governing advertising, promotion, sale, and distribution, recordkeeping, importing and exporting of medicinal products.
Failure by us or by any of our third-party partners, including suppliers, manufacturers and distributors to comply with EU laws and the related national laws of individual EU Member States governing the conduct of clinical trials, manufacturing approval, MA of medicinal products and marketing of such products, both before and after grant of MA, statutory health insurance, bribery and anti-corruption or other applicable regulatory requirements may result in administrative, civil or criminal penalties. These penalties could include delays or refusal to authorize the conduct of clinical trials or to grant MA, product withdrawals and recalls, product seizures, suspension, withdrawal or variation of the MA, total or partial suspension of production, distribution, manufacturing or clinical trials, operating restrictions, injunctions, suspension of licenses, fines and criminal penalties.
The holder of MA for a medicinal product must also comply with EU pharmacovigilance legislation and its related regulations and guidelines, which entail many requirements for conducting pharmacovigilance, or the assessment and monitoring of the safety of medicinal products.
These pharmacovigilance rules can impose on holders of MAs the obligation to conduct a labor intensive collection of data regarding the risks and benefits of marketed medicinal products and to engage in ongoing assessments of those risks and benefits, including the possible requirement to conduct additional clinical studies or post-authorization safety studies to obtain further information on a medicine’s safety, or to measure the effectiveness of risk-management measures, which may be time consuming and expensive and could impact our profitability. MA holders must establish and maintain a pharmacovigilance system and appoint an individual qualified person for pharmacovigilance, who is responsible for oversight of that system. Key obligations include expedited reporting of suspected serious adverse reactions and submission of Periodic Safety Update Reports (“PSURs”) in relation to medicinal products for which they hold MAs. The EMA reviews PSURs for medicinal products authorized through the centralized procedure. If the EMA has concerns that the risk benefit profile of a product has varied, it can adopt an opinion advising that the existing MA for the product be suspended, withdrawn or varied. The agency can advise that the MA holder be obliged to conduct post-authorization Phase 4 safety studies. If the EC agrees with the opinion, it can adopt a decision varying the existing MA. Failure by the MA holder to fulfill the obligations for which the EC’s decision provides can undermine the ongoing validity of the MA.
More generally, non-compliance with pharmacovigilance obligations can lead to the variation, suspension or withdrawal of the MA for the product or imposition of financial penalties or other enforcement measures.
The manufacturing process for pharmaceutical products in the European Union is highly regulated, and regulators may shut down manufacturing facilities that they believe do not comply with regulations. Manufacturing requires a manufacturing authorization, and the manufacturing authorization holder must comply with various requirements set out in the applicable EU laws, regulations and guidance, including Directive 2001/83/EC, Directive 2003/94/EC (repealed by Directive 2017/1572 on January 31, 2022), Regulation (EC) No 726/2004 and the European Commission Guidelines for Good Manufacturing Practice. These requirements include compliance with EU cGMP standards when manufacturing pharmaceutical products and active pharmaceutical ingredients, including the manufacture of active pharmaceutical ingredients outside of the European Union with the intention to import the active pharmaceutical ingredients into the European Union. Amendments or replacements of at least Directive 2001/83/EC and Regulation (EC) No 726/2004 are part of the reform proposal for European pharmaceutical legislation. Similarly, the distribution of pharmaceutical products into and within the European Union is subject to compliance with the applicable EU laws, regulations and guidelines, including the requirement to hold appropriate authorizations for distribution granted by the competent authorities of the EU Member States. The manufacturer or importer must have a qualified person who is responsible for certifying that each batch of product has been manufactured in accordance with cGMPs, before releasing the product for commercial distribution in the European Union or for use in a clinical trial. Manufacturing facilities are subject to periodic inspections by the competent authorities for compliance with cGMPs.
Sales and Marketing Regulations
The advertising and promotion of our products is also subject to EU laws concerning promotion of medicinal products, interactions with physicians, misleading and comparative advertising and unfair commercial practices. In addition, other national legislation of individual EU Member States may apply to the advertising and promotion of medicinal products and may differ from one country to another. These laws require that promotional materials and advertising in relation to medicinal products comply with the product’s summary of product characteristics (“SmPC”) as approved by the competent regulatory authorities. The SmPC is the document that provides information to physicians concerning the safe and effective use of the medicinal product. It forms an intrinsic and integral part of the marketing authorization granted for the medicinal product. Promotion of a medicinal product that does not comply with the SmPC is considered to constitute off-label promotion. All advertising and promotional activities for the
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product must be consistent with the approved SmPC and therefore all off-label promotion is prohibited. Direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription-only medicines is also prohibited in the EU. Violations of the rules governing the promotion of medicinal products in the European Union could be penalized by administrative measures, fines and imprisonment. These laws may further limit or restrict the advertising and promotion of our products to the general public and may also impose limitations on our promotional activities with healthcare professionals.
EU regulation with regards to dispensing, sale and purchase of medicines has generally been preserved in the UK following Brexit, through the Human Medicines Regulations 2012. However, organizations wishing to sell medicines online need to register with the MHRA. Following Brexit, the requirements to display the common logo no longer apply to UK-based online sellers, except for those established in Northern Ireland.
Anti-Corruption Legislation
In the EU, interactions between pharmaceutical companies and physicians are also governed by strict laws, regulations, industry self-regulation codes of conduct and physicians’ codes of professional conduct both at EU level and in the individual EU Member States. The provision of benefits or advantages to physicians to induce or encourage the prescription, recommendation, endorsement, purchase, supply, order or use of medicinal products is prohibited in the European Union. The provision of benefits or advantages to physicians is also governed by the national anti-bribery laws of the EU Member States. Violation of these laws could result in substantial fines and imprisonment.
Payments made to physicians in certain EU Member States also must be publicly disclosed. Moreover, agreements with physicians must often be the subject of prior notification and approval by the physician’s employer, his/her regulatory professional organization, and/or the competent authorities of the individual EU Member States. These requirements are provided in the national laws, industry codes, or professional codes of conduct, applicable in the individual EU Member States. Failure to comply with these requirements could result in reputational risk, public reprimands, administrative penalties, fines or imprisonment.
In the UK, the pharmaceutical sector is recognized as being particularly vulnerable to corrupt practices, some of which fall within the scope of the Bribery Act 2010. Due to the Bribery Act 2010’s far-reaching territorial application, the potential penalized act does not have to occur in the UK to come within its scope. If the act or omission does not take place in the UK, but the person’s act or omission would constitute an offense if carried out there and the person has a close connection with the UK, an offense will still have been committed. The Bribery Act 2010 is comprised of four offenses that cover (i) individuals, companies and partnerships that give, promise or offer bribes, (ii) individuals, companies and partnerships that request, agree to receive or accept bribes, (iii) individuals, companies and partnerships that bribe foreign public officials, and (iv) companies and partnerships that fail to prevent persons acting on their behalf from paying bribes. The penalties imposed under the Bribery Act 2010 depend on the offence committed, harm and culpability and penalties range from unlimited fines to imprisonment for a maximum term of 10 years and in some cases both.
Regulations in the UK and Other Markets
The UK formally left the EU on January 31, 2020 and EU laws now only apply to the UK in respect of Northern Ireland as laid out in the Protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland and as amended by the Windsor Framework sets out a long-term set of arrangements for the supply of medicines into Northern Ireland. The EU and the UK agreed on a trade and cooperation agreement, which includes provisions affecting the life sciences sector (including on customs and tariffs) specific provisions concerning pharmaceuticals, including the mutual recognition of GMP, inspections of manufacturing facilities for medicinal products and issued GMP documents. The TCA does not, however, contain wholesale mutual recognition of UK and EU pharmaceutical regulations and product standards.
The UK government has adopted the Medicines and Medical Devices Act 2021 (“MMDA”) to enable the existing regulatory frameworks to be updated following the UK’s departure from the EU. The MMDA introduces regulation-making, delegated powers covering the fields of human medicines, clinical trials of human medicines, veterinary medicines and medical devices. The MHRA has since been consulting on future regulations for medicines and medical devices in the UK.
The MMDA supplements the UK Medical Devices Regulations 2002 (the “UK Regulations”), which are based on the EU Medical Devices Directive as amended to reflect the UK’s post-Brexit regulatory regime. Notably, the UK Regulations do not include any of the revisions that have been made by the EU Medical Devices Regulation (EU) 2017/745, which has gained full application in all EU Member States since May 26, 2021, but is not applicable in the UK as “retained law”. Additionally, the MHRA launched a comprehensive consultation in 2021 with proposals to amend the regulatory framework for medical devices in the UK. The stated objectives of the proposals include expansion of the scope of the UK Regulations (for example, by expanding the in vitro diagnostic medical device definition to include software and other products, including products without an intended
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medical purpose but with similar functioning and risk profiles) and potentially through use of internationally recognized definitions (for example, by excluding products that contain viable biological substances and excluding food), remove trade barriers, further the availability of medical devices and improve the favorability of the UK market. The consultation period closed on November 25, 2021 and on June 26, 2022, the MHRA published a response to its consultation, which sets out the proposed new UK regulatory framework for medical devices and in vitro diagnostic medical devices. The proposals are intended to improve patient safety and public health through appropriate regulatory oversight, improve the traceability of medical devices, improve the regulation of the rules governing software and AI as medical devices and introduce alternative routes to market to ensure the UK aligns with any superior international best practices. Core aspects of the new framework are expected to apply from July 1, 2025 with appropriate transitional measures and the introduction of secondary legislation.
For other countries outside of the European Union, such as countries in Eastern Europe, Latin America or Asia, the requirements governing the conduct of clinical trials, product licensing, pricing and reimbursement vary from country to country. In all cases, again, the clinical trials must be conducted in accordance with GCP and the applicable regulatory requirements and the ethical principles that have their origin in the Declaration of Helsinki.
If we fail to comply with applicable foreign regulatory requirements, we may be subject to, among other things, fines, suspension of clinical trials, suspension or withdrawal of regulatory approvals, product recalls, seizure of products, operating restrictions and criminal prosecution.
Regulation of Medical Products in New Zealand
Clinical trials in New Zealand are regulated under the Medicines Act 1981 (“Medicines Act”) and Medicines Regulations 1984.
Clinical trial requirements
The New Zealand Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Authority (“Medsafe”) is the regulatory authority that administers the application and approval process for medicines and clinical trials in New Zealand (under delegation from the Director-General of Health). Approval from Medsafe is required in the following two circumstances:
• before a medicine can be distributed in New Zealand - see “Approval for distribution” below; however, there is an exemption from this approval requirement for medicines that are imported or manufactured for the sole purpose of use in a clinical trial (including pharmacokinetic, bioequivalence and first-in-human studies); and
• for all clinical trials involving unapproved medicines carried out in New Zealand; however, if a medicine is already approved by Medsafe for distribution in New Zealand, then there is no separate requirement to obtain approval for clinical trials with that medicine (including if the medicine is being tested for a use not provided for under its existing authorization).
Medsafe also expects all clinical trials to be carried out in accordance with internationally accepted standards for good clinical practice as published by the EMA in its Guideline for Good Clinical Practice, to the extent that these standards are compatible with the Medicines Act.
Clinical trial approval process
The clinical trial approval process requires submission of an online application to Medsafe. The application must include information about the nature of the medicine, the purpose of the trial, details of the investigators conducting the trial, written consent to nomination from each investigator, copies of information supplied to the investigators, a protocol of the trial, and details of the sites and facilities used. The application must be made by the actual or intended importer, manufacturer, packer, or supplier of the medicine in New Zealand. Once approved, the applicant becomes the “sponsor” and assumes responsibility and legal liability for the trial in New Zealand.
Once an application is received, Medsafe provides it to the Health Research Council of New Zealand (“HRC”). One of two HRC standing committees will consider the application and make a recommendation to Medsafe as to whether the clinical trial should be approved (with or without conditions) or declined.
The Standing Committee on Therapeutic Trials considers pharmaceutical medicine trial applications, while the Gene Technology Advisory Committee considers applications for trials involving gene and other biotechnology therapies. Both standing committees undertake a similar scientific assessment process, and consider factors such as trial protocol and design, data collection, and general compliance with the Guideline for Good Practice before making a recommendation to Medsafe.
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Ethical requirements
Medsafe expects all clinical trials to be approved by the Health and Disability Ethics Committee (“HDEC”), regardless of whether Medicines Act approval is required. HDEC reviews and approves applications and provides ongoing oversight of clinical trials to ensure alignment with good ethical practice. HDEC approval can be sought before, during, or after Medicines Act approval is sought from Medsafe.
Registration
A clinical trial’s sponsor may register a trial with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (“ANZCTR”), an online public registry of clinical trials undertaken in New Zealand, Australia, and elsewhere. While not mandatory, the ANZCTR is a recognized part of the World Health Organisation Registry Network and registration is encouraged by the World Health Organisation.
Approval for distribution
If a sponsor decides to distribute the new medicine product in New Zealand after the clinical trial, the sponsor must apply for distribution approval. This is separate to the approval process for clinical trials and involves submitting an application to Medsafe for consideration. Medsafe assesses the safety, efficacy, quality and risk profile of the medicine, and makes a recommendation to the Minister of Health as to whether the medicine should be approved for distribution (in practice, the Minister follows Medsafe’s recommendation).
Human Capital
As of December 31, 2025, we had seven full-time employees, including one who holds a Ph.D. and M.D. degree. In January 2026, we expanded our leadership team to include Dr. Becker Hewes as our Chief Medical Officer and Sherwin Sattarzadeh as our Chief Operating Officer. Most of our employees work remotely. None of our employees are represented by labor unions or covered by collective bargaining agreements.
We consistently assess the current business environment and labor market to refine our compensation and benefits programs and other resources available to our employees. The principal purposes of our equity and cash incentive plans are to attract, retain and reward personnel through the granting of stock-based and cash-based compensation awards, to increase stockholder value and the success of our company by motivating such individuals to perform to the best of their abilities and achieve our objectives. We believe that a compensation program with both short-term and long-term awards provides fair and competitive compensation and aligns employee and stockholder interests, including incentivizing business performance and integrating compensation with our overall business plans and strategy.
Corporation Information
We were founded as Galecto Biotech AB, a Swedish company, in 2011 and incorporated in Delaware as Galecto, Inc. in October 2019. On November 10, 2025, we completed the Asset Acquisition, pursuant to which we assumed the rights and obligations of Pre-Acquisition Damora under the Paragon Option Agreement, and all of Pre-Acquisition Damora’s outstanding equity interests were exchanged based on a fixed exchange ratio of 1 to 1.6366 for consideration from us of 265,309 shares of common stock, 16,366 shares of Series B Preferred Stock (or 16,366,000 shares on an as-converted-to-common stock basis), and 4,241 shares of Series C Preferred Stock (or 4,241,000 shares on an as-converted-to-common stock basis), in addition to the assumption of outstanding and unexercised stock options to purchase 434,508 shares of common stock from the Damora Therapeutics, Inc. 2025 Equity Incentive Plan. In connection with the Asset Acquisition, we also issued 39,641 shares of Series C Preferred Stock (or 39,641,000 shares on an as-converted-to-common stock basis) to new and existing investors in the PIPE. On March 6, 2026, we filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware an amendment to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation to change the name of the Company from “Galecto, Inc.” to “Damora Therapeutics, Inc.”, which became effective on March 10, 2026. Our principal executive offices are located at 221 Crescent Street, Building 23, Suite 105, Waltham, MA 02453, and our telephone number is (781) 281-9020.
Available Information
Our Internet address is www.damoratx.com. Our Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K, including exhibits, proxy, and information statements and amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Sections 13(a), 14, and 15(d) of the Exchange Act are available through the “Investors” portion of our
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website free of charge as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such material with, or furnish it to, the SEC. In addition, our filings with the SEC may be accessed through the SEC’s Interactive Data Electronic Applications system at www.sec.gov.
Information contained on, or that can be accessible through, our website is not part of this Annual Report on Form 10-K or any of our other securities filings unless specifically incorporated herein by reference. All statements made in any of our securities filings, including all forward-looking statements or information, are made as of the date of the document in which the statement is included, and we do not assume or undertake any obligation to update any of those statements or documents unless we are required to do so by law.
Our code of business conduct and ethics, corporate governance guidelines and the charters of our audit committee, compensation committee and nominating and corporate governance committee are available through our Internet website at www.damoratx.com.
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