Erasca, Inc. (ERAS) FY 2023 MD&A

Overview

We are a clinical-stage precision oncology company singularly focused on discovering, developing, and commercializing therapies for patients with RAS/MAPK pathway-driven cancers. Molecular alterations in RAS, the most frequently mutated oncogene, and the MAPK pathway, one of the most frequently altered signaling pathways in cancer, account for approximately 5.4 million new patients diagnosed with cancer globally each year. Our company was co-founded by leading pioneers in precision oncology and RAS targeting to create novel therapies and combination regimens designed to comprehensively shut down the RAS/MAPK pathway for the treatment of cancer. We have assembled one of the deepest, wholly-owned or controlled RAS/MAPK pathway-focused pipelines in the industry, which is focused on modality-agnostic programs aligned with our three therapeutic strategies of: (1) targeting key upstream and downstream signaling nodes in the RAS/MAPK pathway; (2) targeting RAS directly; and (3) targeting escape routes that emerge in response to treatment.

The following figure shows the RAS/MAPK pathway and how the three therapeutic strategies listed above attempt to comprehensively and synergistically shut down the RAS/MAPK pathway.

The target breadth and molecular diversity represented in our pipeline enable us to pursue a systematic, data-driven, portfolio-wide clinical development effort to identify single agent and combination approaches with the goal of prolonging survival in numerous patient populations with high unmet medical needs. Our modality-agnostic approach aims to allow us to selectively and potently target critical signaling nodes with the most appropriate modality, including small molecule therapeutics and large molecule therapeutics. Our purpose-built pipeline includes three clinical-stage programs (a pan-RAF inhibitor, an ERK inhibitor, and a central nervous system (CNS)-penetrant EGFR inhibitor), and additional discovery-stage programs targeting other key oncogenic drivers. We believe our world-class team’s capabilities and experience, further guided by our scientific advisory board, which includes the world’s leading experts in the RAS/MAPK pathway, uniquely position us to achieve our bold mission of erasing cancer.

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Our lead product candidate is naporafenib, for which we plan to initiate a pivotal Phase 3 trial in the first half of 2024 for patients with NRAS-mutated (NRASm) melanoma. We dosed the first patient in a Phase 1b trial in August 2023 for patients with RAS Q61X solid tumors to inform additional clinical development pathways for naporafenib. Naporafenib is a pan-RAF inhibitor with first-in-class and best-in-class potential for patients with NRASm melanoma, RAS Q61X solid tumors, and other RAS/MAPK pathway-driven tumors. RAF proteins are ubiquitously expressed serine-threonine kinases that constitute a key node of the RAS/MAPK pathway downstream of RAS and upstream of MEK. The RAF protein family consists of ARAF, BRAF, and CRAF (RAF1) that are activated through dimerization. Mutations in RAF proteins have been observed in many cancers, such as melanoma, colorectal cancer (CRC), non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and thyroid cancer. We in-licensed naporafenib from Novartis Pharma AG (Novartis) in December 2022. Naporafenib has been dosed in over 500 patients to date, whereby safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics (PK), and pharmacodynamics have been established in both monotherapy and select combinations, with clinical proof-of-concept (PoC) data in combination with trametinib (MEKINIST) for patients with NRASm melanoma, which includes NRAS Q61X melanoma, and preliminary clinical PoC data in combination with trametinib for patients with RAS Q61X NSCLC. In December 2023, we announced that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted Fast Track Designation (FTD) to naporafenib in combination with trametinib for the treatment of adult patients with unresectable or metastatic melanoma who have progressed on, or are intolerant to, an anti‑programmed death-1 (ligand 1) (PD‑(L)1)-based regimen, and whose tumors contain an NRAS mutation (NRASm). Programs that receive FTD may benefit from early and frequent interactions with the FDA during the clinical development process and, if relevant criteria are met, the FDA may consider reviewing portions of a marketing application before the sponsor submits the complete application.

We are pursuing a broad development strategy for naporafenib, which includes our SEACRAFT trials designed to evaluate naporafenib’s development opportunities in combination with other targeted therapies. We are prioritizing rapid development for naporafenib plus trametinib in the Phase 1b SEACRAFT-1 trial for patients with RAS Q61X solid tumors, which dosed its first patient in August 2023, and in the planned Phase 3 SEACRAFT-2 trial for patients with NRASm melanoma. SEACRAFT-1 is supported by clinical PoC data in patients with NRAS Q61X melanoma and preliminary clinical PoC data in patients with KRAS Q61X NSCLC. SEACRAFT-2 is supported by clinical PoC data in patients with NRASm melanoma, as presented by Novartis at the European Society for Medical Oncology Congress 2022 medical conference and as published in March 2023 by de Braud et al. in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. In connection with our SEACRAFT-1 and -2 trials, we have announced clinical trial collaboration and supply agreements (CTCSAs) with Novartis for its MEK inhibitor, trametinib (MEKINIST). We are sponsoring and funding the clinical trials and Novartis is providing its drug to us free of charge.

Our next most-advanced product candidate is ERAS-007 (our oral ERK1/2 inhibitor), which targets the most distal node of the RAS/MAPK pathway. We have developed a clinical development plan that has included multiple tumor types for ERAS-007, which we refer to as our HERKULES series of clinical trials. In September 2021, we dosed the first patient in HERKULES-3, a Phase 1b/2 master protocol clinical trial for ERAS-007 in combination with various agents in patients with gastrointestinal (GI) cancers. In connection with our HERKULES-3 trial, we have announced CTCSAs with Pfizer Inc. for its BRAF inhibitor, encorafenib (BRAFTOVI), Eli Lilly and Company (Lilly) for its EGFR antibody, cetuximab (ERBITUX), and Pierre Fabre for its BRAF inhibitor, encorafenib (BRAFTOVI), in key international territories. In all these cases, we are sponsoring and funding the clinical trial and the partner is providing its drug to us free of charge.

The master protocol for the HERKULES-3 Phase 1b/2 clinical trial provides the flexibility to explore additional combinations and expand into other GI cancer indications. In May 2023, we announced encouraging preliminary data for the ERAS-007 combination with encorafenib and cetuximab (EC) in patients with EC-naïve BRAFm CRC in a poster presentation that we presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting in June 2023.

In June 2023, we provided updates with respect to our HERKULES-1 trial (for patients with solid tumors caused by RAS/MAPK pathway alterations), HERKULES-2 trial (for patients with EGFR-mutated or KRAS-mutated NSCLC), and one of the sub-studies of our HERKULES-3 trial (for patients with KRAS- or NRAS-mutant CRC and KRAS-mutant PDAC). These updates consisted of the following:

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HERKULES-1: ERAS-007 plus ERAS-601 in patients with advanced solid tumors: We have deprioritized evaluation of this combination as dose escalation safety data do not support continued evaluation of the regimen tested

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HERKULES-2: ERAS-007 plus osimertinib in patients with post-osimertinib EGFR-mutant NSCLC: We have deprioritized evaluation of this combination in this indication as clinical efficacy data do not support continued evaluation

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HERKULES-3 sub-study that consisted of ERAS-007 plus palbociclib in patients with KRAS- or NRAS-mutant CRC and KRAS-mutant PDAC: We have deprioritized evaluation of this combination in this indication as clinical efficacy data do not support continued evaluation

As a result of these deprioritizations, we are no longer enrolling patients in the HERKULES-1 trial, the HERKULES-2 trial, or the HERKULES-3 sub-study that consisted of ERAS-007 plus palbociclib described above.

With respect to the HERKULES-3 Phase 1b trial for ERAS-007 plus EC in EC-naïve BRAFm CRC patients, we anticipate a Phase 1b dose expansion data readout in the first half of 2024.

Our third clinical program is ERAS-801, an investigational CNS-penetrant EGFR inhibitor. In February 2022, we dosed the first patient in our THUNDERBBOLT-1 Phase 1 clinical trial for ERAS-801 in patients with recurrent glioblastoma (GBM). In May 2023, we announced that the FDA granted FTD to ERAS-801 for the treatment of adult patients with GBM with EGFR gene alterations. In June 2023, we announced that the FDA granted Orphan Drug Designation (ODD) to ERAS-801 for the treatment of patients with malignant glioma, which includes GBM. Provided that the product candidate is approved by the FDA for the orphan-designated disease or condition, ODD entitles a party to the potential for seven years of post-approval marketing exclusivity, subject to certain exemptions, and financial incentives such as tax advantages and user fee waivers. In November 2023, we announced that a maximum tolerated dose (MTD) was identified for ERAS-801. We anticipate presenting Phase 1 monotherapy data from THUNDERBBOLT-1 in 2024.

In June 2023, we announced that we deprioritized ERAS-3490, our CNS-penetrant KRAS G12C inhibitor, due to the increasingly competitive landscape for small- and mid-cap biopharma companies in the KRAS G12C inhibitor market, despite the program's potential for differentiation in this market.

In November 2023, we announced that we deprioritized the FLAGSHP-1 Phase 1b combination trial of ERAS-601 SHP2 inhibitor with cetuximab (ERBITUX). Though ERAS-601 achieved confirmed responses as a monotherapy and in combination with cetuximab, preliminary data did not justify further development of this combination in the FLAGSHP-1 indications.

We are also advancing additional programs targeting key oncogenic drivers in the RAS/MAPK pathway, which we will need to successfully progress through discovery and investigational new drug application (IND)-enabling activities prior to advancing these programs into clinical development, if at all.

We do not own or operate, and currently have no plans to establish, any manufacturing facilities. We rely, and expect to continue to rely, on third parties for the manufacture of our product candidates for preclinical and clinical testing, as well as for commercial manufacture if any of our product candidates obtain marketing approval. We are working with our current manufacturers to ensure that we will be able to scale up our manufacturing capabilities to support our clinical plans. We are also in the process of locating and qualifying additional manufacturers to build redundancies into our supply chain. In addition, we rely on third parties to package, label, store, and distribute our product candidates, and we intend to continue to rely on third parties with respect to our commercial products if marketing approval is obtained. We believe that this strategy allows us to maintain a more efficient infrastructure by eliminating the need for us to invest in our own manufacturing facilities, equipment, and personnel while also enabling us to focus our expertise and resources on the design and development of our product candidates.

In July 2021, we completed our IPO and issued 21,562,500 shares of our common stock, including the exercise in full by the underwriters of their option to purchase 2,812,500 shares of our common stock, at a price to the public of $16.00 per share. Our aggregate net proceeds from the offering were $317.0 million, net of underwriting discounts and commissions of $24.2 million and offering costs of $3.8 million.

In August 2022, we entered into an Open Market Sale Agreement (the Sale Agreement) with Jefferies LLC (the Agent), pursuant to which we may offer and sell shares of our common stock having an aggregate offering price of up to $200 million from time to time, in “at the market” offerings through the Agent. Sales of the shares of common stock, if any, will be made at prevailing market prices at the time of sale, or as otherwise agreed with the Agent. The Agent will receive a commission from us of up to 3.0% of the gross proceeds of any shares of common stock sold under the Sale Agreement. There have been no shares of our common stock sold under the Sale Agreement as of December 31, 2023.

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In December 2022, we completed an underwritten offering (2022 Offering) and issued 15,384,616 shares of our common stock at a price to the public of $6.50 per share. Proceeds from the 2022 Offering were $94.9 million, net of underwriting discounts and commissions and offering costs of $5.1 million.

Since our inception in 2018, we have devoted substantially all of our resources to organizing and staffing our company, business planning, raising capital, identifying, acquiring, and in-licensing our product candidates, establishing our intellectual property portfolio, conducting research, preclinical studies and clinical trials, establishing arrangements with third parties for the manufacture of our product candidates and related raw materials, and providing general and administrative support for these operations. We do not have any products approved for sale and have not generated any revenue. As of December 31, 2023, we have raised a total of $765.4 million to fund our operations, comprised primarily of gross proceeds from our IPO and 2022 Offering and the sale and issuance of convertible preferred stock. As of December 31, 2023, we had cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities of $322.0 million.

We have incurred significant operating losses since inception. Our net losses were $125.0 million and $242.8 million for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. As of December 31, 2023, we had an accumulated deficit of $606.0 million. We expect our expenses and operating losses will increase substantially for the foreseeable future, particularly if and as we conduct our ongoing and planned clinical trials and preclinical studies; continue our research and development activities; utilize third parties to manufacture our product candidates and related raw materials; hire additional personnel; acquire, in-license, or develop additional product candidates; expand and protect our intellectual property; and incur additional costs associated with being a public company. If we obtain regulatory approval for any of our product candidates, we expect to incur significant commercialization expenses related to product sales, marketing, manufacturing, and distribution. In addition, as our product candidates progress through development and toward commercialization, we will need to make milestone payments to the licensors and other third parties from whom we have in-licensed or acquired our product candidates. Our net losses may fluctuate significantly from quarter-to-quarter and year-to-year, depending on the timing of our clinical trials and preclinical studies and our expenditures on other research and development activities.

Based upon our current operating plans, we believe that our cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities as of December 31, 2023 will be sufficient to fund our operations into the first half of 2026. We do not expect to generate any revenues from product sales until we successfully complete development and obtain regulatory approval for one or more of our product candidates, which we expect will take a number of years and may never occur. Accordingly, until such time as we can generate significant revenue from sales of our product candidates, if ever, we expect to finance our cash needs through equity offerings, debt financings or other capital sources, including potential collaborations, licenses, and other similar arrangements. However, we may be unable to raise additional funds or enter into such other arrangements when needed on favorable terms or at all. Our failure to raise capital or enter into such other arrangements when needed would have a negative impact on our financial condition and could force us to delay, limit, reduce, or terminate our research and development programs or other operations, or grant rights to develop and market product candidates that we would otherwise prefer to develop and market ourselves.

Our financial condition and results of operations may also be impacted by other factors we may not be able to control, such as geopolitical and economic events. We do not believe that such factors had a material adverse impact on our results of operations during the year ended December 31, 2023.

Our acquisition and license agreements

We have entered into in-license and acquisition agreements pursuant to which we in-licensed or acquired certain intellectual property rights related to our product candidates and development programs.

For additional information regarding these agreements, see the section titled “Business—Our acquisition and license agreements” in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

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Components of results of operations

Revenue

We do not expect to generate any revenue from the sale of products unless and until such time that our product candidates have advanced through clinical development and obtained regulatory approval, if ever. If we fail to complete preclinical and clinical development of product candidates or obtain regulatory approval for them, our ability to generate future revenues, and our results of operations and financial position would be adversely affected.

Operating expenses

Research and development

Research and development expenses consist of external and internal costs associated with our research and development activities, including our discovery and research efforts and the preclinical and clinical development of our product candidates. Research and development costs are expensed as incurred. Our research and development expenses include:

• external costs, including expenses incurred under arrangements with third parties, such as contract research organizations (CROs), contract manufacturing organizations (CMOs), consultants and our scientific advisors; and

• internal costs, including:

• employee-related expenses, including salaries, benefits, and stock-based compensation for those individuals involved in research and development efforts;

• the costs of laboratory supplies and acquiring, developing and manufacturing preclinical study materials; and

• facilities and depreciation, which include direct and allocated expenses for rent of facilities and depreciation.

The following table summarizes our research and development expenses incurred for the following periods (in thousands):

(1) We in-licensed naporafenib in December 2022.

We expect our research and development expenses to increase substantially for the foreseeable future as we continue to conduct our ongoing research and development activities, conduct clinical trials and advance our preclinical research programs toward clinical development, particularly as more of our product candidates move into later stages of development, which typically cost more. The process of conducting clinical trials and preclinical studies necessary to obtain regulatory approval is costly and time-consuming. We may never succeed in achieving marketing approval for any of our product candidates.

The timelines and costs with research and development activities are uncertain, can vary significantly for each product candidate and program and are difficult to predict. We anticipate we will make determinations as to which product candidates and programs to pursue and how much funding to direct to each product candidate and program on an ongoing basis in response to preclinical and clinical results, regulatory developments, ongoing assessments as to each product candidate’s and program’s commercial potential, and our ability to enter into collaborations, licenses or other similar agreements to the extent we determine the resources or expertise of a third-party would be beneficial for a given product candidate or program. We will need to raise substantial additional capital in the future. In addition, we cannot forecast which product candidates and programs may be subject to future collaborations, licenses, or other agreements, when such arrangements will be secured, if at all, and to what degree such arrangements would affect our development plans and capital requirements.

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Our development costs may vary significantly based on factors such as:

• the number and scope of preclinical and IND-enabling studies and clinical trials;

• per patient trial costs;

• the number of trials required for approval;

• the number of sites included in the trials;

• the countries in which the trials are conducted;

• the length of time required to enroll eligible patients;

• the number of patients that participate in the trials;

• the number of doses that patients receive;

• the drop-out or discontinuation rates of patients;

• potential additional safety monitoring requested by regulatory agencies;

• the duration of patient participation in the trials and follow-up;

• the cost and timing of manufacturing our product candidates;

• the phase of development of our product candidates;

• the efficacy and safety profile of our product candidates;

• the timing, receipt and terms of any approvals from applicable regulatory authorities;

• maintaining a continued acceptable safety profile of our products following approval, if any;

• significant and changing government regulation and regulatory guidance;

• the impact of any interruptions to our operations or to those of third parties with whom we work due to geopolitical and economic events; and

• the extent to which we establish additional collaboration, license or other arrangements.

In-process research and development

In-process research and development expenses include rights acquired as part of asset acquisitions or in-licenses to develop and commercialize product candidates. Upfront payments that relate to the acquisition of a new product candidate, as well as pre-commercial milestone payments, are immediately expensed as in-process research and development in the period in which they are incurred, provided that the new product candidate did not also include processes or activities that would constitute a “business” as defined under US generally accepted accounting principles (US GAAP), the product candidate has not achieved regulatory approval for marketing and, absent obtaining such approval, has no established alternative future use.

In-process research and development expenses consist primarily of our upfront payments, milestone payments, and our stock issuances in connection with our acquisition and in-license agreements.

General and administrative

General and administrative expenses consist primarily of employee-related expenses, including salaries, benefits and stock-based compensation, for employees in our finance, accounting, legal, information technology, business development and support functions. Other general and administrative expenses include allocated facility and depreciation related costs not otherwise included in research and development expenses and professional fees for auditing, tax, intellectual property and legal services. Costs related to filing and pursuing patent applications are recognized as general and administrative expenses as incurred since recoverability of such expenditures is uncertain.

We expect our general and administrative expenses will increase substantially for the foreseeable future as we continue to increase our general and administrative headcount to support our continued research and development activities and, if any product candidates receive marketing approval, commercialization activities, as well as to support our operations generally.

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Other income (expense), net

Interest income

Interest income consists primarily of interest earned on our cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities.

Results of operations

Comparison of the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022

The following table summarizes our results of operations for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 (in thousands):

Research and development expenses

Research and development expenses were $103.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to $112.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2022. The decrease of $8.6 million was primarily driven by decreases of $14.1 million in expenses incurred in connection with clinical trials, preclinical studies and discovery activities and $4.8 million in outsourced services and consulting fees, resulting primarily from our pipeline prioritization decisions, partially offset by a $4.5 million increase in facilities-related expenses and depreciation primarily due to our new San Diego and South San Francisco facilities which we moved into in the second and third quarters of 2022, respectively, a $3.3 million increase in personnel costs due to an increase in the average headcount and the employee retention credit of $1.5 million recorded during the year ended December 31, 2022, and a $2.4 million increase in stock-based compensation expense.

In-process research and development expenses

In-process research and development expenses were $0 for the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to $102.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2022. In-process research and development expenses for the year ended December 31, 2022 related to a $20.0 million upfront payment and issuance of 12,307,692 shares of our common stock to Novartis at a price of $6.50 per share or a total fair value of equity of $80.0 million in connection with the license agreement we entered into in December 2022 with Novartis, and a development milestone payment of $2.0 million in connection with our license agreement with Katmai Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

General and administrative expenses

General and administrative expenses were $37.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to $33.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2022. The increase of $4.7 million was primarily driven by increases of $3.8 million in stock-based compensation expense, $1.8 million in personnel costs due to an increase in the average headcount and the employee retention credit of $0.7 million recorded during the year ended December 31, 2022, and $0.6 million in facilities and office-related expenses, partially offset by decreases of $1.0 million in insurance costs and $0.8 million in legal fees.

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Other income (expense), net

Other income (expense), net was $16.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to $4.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2022. The increase of $11.8 million was primarily related to an increase in interest earned on our cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities.

Liquidity and capital resources

Sources of liquidity

In July 2021, we completed our IPO and issued 21,562,500 shares of our common stock, including the exercise in full by the underwriters of their option to purchase 2,812,500 shares of our common stock, at a price to the public of $16.00 per share. Our aggregate net proceeds from the offering were $317.0 million, net of underwriting discounts and commissions of $24.2 million and offering costs of $3.8 million. Prior to the IPO, we received aggregate gross proceeds of $320.4 million from the sale of shares of our convertible preferred stock.

In August 2022, we entered into the Sale Agreement with the Agent, pursuant to which we may offer and sell shares of our common stock having an aggregate offering price of up to $200 million from time to time, in “at the market” offerings through the Agent. Sales of the shares of common stock, if any, will be made at prevailing market prices at the time of sale, or as otherwise agreed with the Agent. The Agent will receive a commission from us of up to 3.0% of the gross proceeds of any shares of common stock sold under the Sale Agreement. There have been no shares of our common stock sold under the Sale Agreement as of December 31, 2023.

In December 2022, we completed the 2022 Offering and issued 15,384,616 shares of our common stock at a price to the public of $6.50 per share. Proceeds from the 2022 Offering were $94.9 million, net of underwriting discounts and commissions and offering costs of $5.1 million.

Future capital requirements

As of December 31, 2023, we had cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities of $322.0 million. Based upon our current operating plans, we believe that our cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities, will be sufficient to fund our operations into the first half of 2026. However, our forecast of the period of time through which our financial resources will be adequate to support our operations is a forward-looking statement that involves risks and uncertainties, and actual results could vary materially. We have based this estimate on assumptions that may prove to be wrong, and we could deplete our capital resources sooner than we expect. Additionally, the process of conducting preclinical studies and testing product candidates in clinical trials is costly, and the timing of progress and expenses in these studies and trials is uncertain.

Our future capital requirements are difficult to forecast and will depend on many factors, including but not limited to:

• the type, number, scope, progress, expansions, results, costs and timing of discovery, preclinical studies and clinical trials of our product candidates that we are pursuing or may choose to pursue in the future, including the costs of any third-party products used in our combination clinical trials that are not covered by such third party or other sources;

• the costs and timing of manufacturing for our product candidates with CMOs, including commercial manufacturing, if any product candidate is approved;

• the costs, timing and outcome of regulatory review of our product candidates;

• the costs of obtaining, maintaining and enforcing our patents and other intellectual property rights;

• our efforts to enhance operational systems and hire additional personnel to satisfy our obligations as a public company, including enhanced internal controls over financial reporting;

• the costs associated with hiring additional personnel, consultants, and CROs as our preclinical and clinical activities increase;

• the timing and amount of the milestone or other payments we must make to the licensors and other third parties from whom we have in-licensed or acquired our product candidates or technologies;

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• the costs and timing of establishing or securing sales and marketing capabilities if any product candidate is approved;

• our ability to achieve sufficient market acceptance, coverage and adequate reimbursement from third-party payors and adequate market share and revenue for any approved products;

• patients’ willingness to pay out-of-pocket for any approved products in the absence of coverage and/or adequate reimbursement from third-party payors;

• the terms and timing of establishing and maintaining collaborations, licenses and other similar arrangements;

• any delays and cost increases that result from geopolitical and economic events; and

• costs associated with any products or technologies that we may in-license or acquire.

We have no other committed sources of capital. Until we can generate a sufficient amount of product revenue to finance our cash requirements, if ever, we expect to finance our future cash needs primarily through equity offerings (including through the Sale Agreement), debt financings or other capital sources, including potential collaborations, licenses and other similar arrangements. However, we may be unable to raise additional funds or enter into such other arrangements when needed on favorable terms or at all. To the extent that we raise additional capital through the sale of equity or convertible debt securities, the ownership interest of our stockholders will be or could be diluted, and the terms of these securities may include liquidation or other preferences that adversely affect the rights of our common stockholders. Debt financing, if available, may involve agreements that include covenants limiting or restricting our ability to take specific actions, such as incurring additional debt, making capital expenditures or declaring dividends. If we raise additional funds through collaborations, licensing, or other similar arrangements with third parties, we may have to relinquish valuable rights to our technologies, future revenue streams, research programs or product candidates or grant licenses on terms that may not be favorable to us. If we are unable to raise additional funds through equity or debt financings when needed, we may be required to delay, limit, reduce or terminate our research and development programs or other operations, or grant rights to develop and market product candidates to third parties that we would otherwise prefer to develop and market ourselves.

Cash flows

The following table shows a summary of our cash flows for the periods presented (in thousands):

Operating activities

Cash used in operating activities was $101.2 million during the year ended December 31, 2023, primarily resulting from a net loss of $125.0 million and accretion on marketable securities of $7.0 million, partially reduced by stock-based compensation expense of $26.2 million, depreciation and amortization expense of $3.7 million, and changes in operating assets and liabilities of $0.8 million. Net cash provided by changes in operating assets and liabilities consisted primarily of a decrease in operating lease assets and liabilities, net of $3.1 million primarily due to the receipt of $2.3 million in reimbursement from our landlord for tenant improvements and a decrease in prepaid expenses and other current and long-term assets of $0.9 million, partially offset by a decrease in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other current and long-term liabilities of $3.2 million.

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Cash used in operating activities was $103.3 million during the year ended December 31, 2022, primarily resulting from a net loss of $242.8 million, partially reduced by in-process research and development expenses of $102.0 million, which are reflected in noncash and investing activities, stock-based compensation expense of $20.1 million, changes in operating assets and liabilities of $15.8 million and depreciation and amortization expense of $2.6 million. Net cash provided by changes in operating assets and liabilities consisted primarily of an increase in operating lease assets and liabilities, net of $13.7 million primarily due to the receipt of $14.2 million in reimbursement from our landlord for tenant improvements and an increase in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other current and long-term liabilities of $5.7 million, partially offset by an increase in prepaid expenses and other current and long-term assets of $3.6 million.

Investing activities

Net cash used in investing activities was $91.2 million during the year ended December 31, 2023 as compared to cash used in investing activities of $71.1 million during the year ended December 31, 2022. The increase in cash used in investing activities of $20.1 million was primarily the result of an increase in purchases of marketable securities of $182.1 million and an increase in in-process research and development of $18.0 million, partially offset by an increase in maturities of marketable securities of $165.1 million, and decreases in purchases of property and equipment of $12.8 million and payments made for investments in equity securities of $2.0 million.

Financing activities

Net cash provided by financing activities was $1.3 million during the year ended December 31, 2023 as compared to $98.1 million during the year ended December 31, 2022. During the year ended December 31, 2023, we received $0.8 million from the issuance of common stock under our Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP) and $0.5 million from the exercise of stock options. During the year ended December 31, 2022, we received $95.3 million from the issuance of common stock in the 2022 Offering, net of underwriting discounts and commissions and offering costs, $2.0 million from the exercise of stock options, and $0.8 million from the issuance of common stock under our ESPP.

Cash requirements due to contractual obligations and other commitments

We lease office and laboratory space and certain laboratory equipment under lease agreements with varying expiration dates through 2032. As of December 31, 2023, total future aggregate operating lease commitments was $80.5 million, with approximately $8.8 million due in 2024, and the remaining due in periods from 2025 through 2032. See Note 11 to our consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for further information.

We enter into contracts in the normal course of business for contract research services, contract manufacturing services, professional services and other services and products for operating purposes. These contracts generally provide for termination after a notice period, and, therefore, are cancelable contracts and not included in the table above.

Additionally, there are additional potential development and sales milestone payments and royalty payments we may be required to make under license and acquisition agreements we have entered into pursuant to which we have in-licensed and acquired certain intellectual property. For additional information regarding these agreements, see the section titled “Business—Our acquisition and license agreements” in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. The timing of when these additional payments will actually be made is uncertain as these payments are contingent upon the completion of future activities.

Critical accounting policies and estimates

This management discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations is based on our consolidated financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with US GAAP. The preparation of these consolidated financial statements requires us to make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenue and expenses. On an ongoing basis, we evaluate these estimates and judgments. We base our estimates on historical experience and on various assumptions that we believe to be reasonable under the circumstances. These estimates and assumptions form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities and the recording of revenue and expenses that are not readily apparent from other sources. Actual results may differ materially from these estimates.

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While our significant accounting policies are described in more detail in Note 2 to our consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, we believe that the following accounting policies are the most critical to understanding and evaluating our historical and future performance.

Accrued research and development expenses

We are required to make estimates of our accrued expenses resulting from our obligations under contracts with CROs, manufacturers, vendors and consultants, in connection with conducting research and development activities. The financial terms of these contracts vary from contract to contract and may result in payment flows that do not match the periods over which materials or services are provided under such contracts. We reflect research and development expenses in our consolidated financial statements by matching those expenses with the period in which services and efforts are expended.

We account for these expenses by reviewing open contracts and purchase orders, communicating with our personnel to identify services that have been performed on our behalf and estimating the level of service performed and the associated cost incurred for the service when we have not yet been invoiced or otherwise notified of the actual cost. We make estimates of our accrued expenses as of each balance sheet date based on facts and circumstances known to us at that time. We periodically confirm the accuracy of our estimates with the service providers and make adjustments if necessary. The significant estimates in our accrued research and development expenses include the costs incurred for services performed by our vendors in connection with research and development activities for which we have not yet been invoiced.

We base our expenses related to research and development activities on our estimates of the services received and efforts expended pursuant to quotes and contracts with vendors that conduct research and development on our behalf. There may be instances in which payments made to our vendors will exceed the level of services provided and result in a prepayment of the research and development expense. In accruing service fees, we estimate the time period over which services will be performed and the level of effort to be expended in each period. If the actual timing of the performance of services or the level of effort varies from our estimate, we adjust the accrual or prepaid expense accordingly. Advance payments for goods and services that will be used in future research and development activities are expensed when the activity has been performed or when the goods have been received rather than when the payment is made.

Although we do not expect our estimates to be materially different from amounts actually incurred, if our estimates of the status and timing of services performed differ from the actual status and timing of services performed, it could result in us reporting amounts that are too high or too low in any particular period. To date, there have been no material differences between our estimates of such expenses and the amounts actually incurred.

Stock-based compensation

Stock-based compensation expense represents the cost of the grant date fair value of equity awards recognized over the requisite service period of the awards (usually the vesting period) on a straight-line basis. We estimate the fair value of stock option awards using the Black-Scholes option pricing model and recognize forfeitures as they occur.

The Black-Scholes option pricing model requires the use of subjective assumptions, including the risk-free interest rate, the expected stock price volatility, the expected term of stock options, and the expected dividend yield. Changes in these assumptions can materially affect the fair value and ultimately how much stock-based compensation expense is recognized. These inputs are subjective and generally require judgment to develop. See Note 10 to our consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for information concerning certain of the specific assumptions we used in applying the Black-Scholes option pricing model to determine the estimated fair value of our stock options granted in the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022.

Recently issued and adopted accounting pronouncements

See Note 2 to our consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for recently issued and adopted accounting pronouncements.

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Emerging growth company and smaller reporting company status

As an emerging growth company under the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (the JOBS Act), we can take advantage of an extended transition period for complying with new or revised accounting standards. This allows an emerging growth company to delay the adoption of certain accounting standards until those standards would otherwise apply to private companies. We have elected to avail ourselves of this exemption from new or revised accounting standards and, therefore, our consolidated financial statements may not be comparable to companies that comply with new or revised accounting pronouncements as of public company effective dates. We also intend to rely on other exemptions provided by the JOBS Act, including without limitation, not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (Sarbanes-Oxley).

We will remain an emerging growth company until the earliest of (i) the last day of the fiscal year following the fifth anniversary of the consummation of our IPO; (ii) the last day of the fiscal year in which we have total annual gross revenue of at least $1.235 billion; (iii) the last day of the fiscal year in which we are deemed to be a “large accelerated filer” as defined in Rule 12b-2 under the Exchange Act, which would occur if the market value of our common stock held by non-affiliates exceeded $700.0 million as of the last business day of the second fiscal quarter of such year; or (iv) the date on which we have issued more than $1.0 billion in nonconvertible debt securities during the prior three-year period.

We are also a smaller reporting company as defined in the Exchange Act. We may continue to be a smaller reporting company even after we are no longer an emerging growth company. We may take advantage of certain of the scaled disclosures available to smaller reporting companies and will be able to take advantage of these scaled disclosures for so long as our voting and non-voting common stock held by non-affiliates is less than $250.0 million measured on the last business day of our second fiscal quarter, or our annual revenue is less than $100.0 million during the most recently completed fiscal year and our voting and non-voting common stock held by non-affiliates is less than $700.0 million measured on the last business day of our second fiscal quarter.