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Significant Agreements
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2023
Significant Agreements  
Significant Agreements

10. Significant Agreements

License Agreements

RareStone Group Ltd.

In December 2021, the Company entered into an Exclusive License Agreement with RareStone Group Ltd., or the RareStone License. Pursuant to the RareStone License, we granted to RareStone an exclusive, sublicensable, royalty-bearing license under certain patent rights and know-how to develop, manufacture, commercialize and otherwise exploit any pharmaceutical product that contains setmelanotide in the diagnosis, treatment or prevention of conditions and diseases in humans in China, including mainland China, Hong Kong and Macao. RareStone has a right of first negotiation in the event that the Company chooses to grant a license to develop or commercialize the licensed product in Taiwan. The arrangement includes a license and an additional performance obligation to supply product upon the request of RareStone.

According to the terms of the RareStone License, RareStone has agreed to seek local approvals to commercialize IMCIVREE for the treatment of obesity and hyperphagia due to biallelic POMC, PCSK1 or LEPR deficiency, as well as Bardet-Biedl and Alström syndromes. Additionally, RareStone has agreed to fund efforts to identify and enroll patients from China in the Company’s global EMANATE trial, a Phase 3, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to evaluate setmelanotide in four independent sub-studies in patients with obesity due to a heterozygous variant of POMC/PCSK1 or LEPR; certain variants of the SRCI gene, and certain variants of the SH2B1 gene. In accordance with the terms of the RareStone License, RareStone made an upfront payment to Rhythm of $7,000 and issued Rhythm 1,077,586 ordinary shares. The Company is eligible to receive development and commercialization milestones of up to $62,500, as well as tiered royalty payments on annual net sales of IMCIVREE.

The Company initially estimated the fair value of the RareStone equity to be $2,440 based on a preliminary valuation during the first quarter of 2022.  Upon completion of the valuation procedures during the second quarter of 2022, the Company concluded the initial fair value of the RareStone equity to be $1,040.  During the third quarter of 2022, the Company estimated the fair value of the RareStone equity to be de minimis based upon the results of an updated valuation and recorded an other-than-temporary impairment of $1,040 related to the decline in fair value as a component of other expense in our consolidated statements of operations and other comprehensive loss for the year ended December 31, 2022.  The other-than-temporary impairment of $1,040 included the reclassification of a $300 unrealized loss previously recorded as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) in our consolidated statement of stockholders’ equity during the second quarter of 2022.  

The Company received total upfront consideration of $8,040 comprised of an upfront payment of $7,000, and the estimated fair value of the RareStone equity of $1,040. The Company determined that the RareStone License contains two performance obligations, the delivery of the license and the supply of clinical and commercial product. The Company further determined the supply of commercial product to RareStone contains a significant future discount and estimates the discount to be $1,286, which is recorded as a component of deferred revenue on the consolidated balance sheet at December 31, 2022.

Based on a relative fair-value allocation between the license and the manufacture of clinical and commercial product, the Company recognized $6,754 of license revenue in the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss during the year ended December 31, 2022.  The discount related to commercial manufacturing supply will be deferred and recognized over the commercial supply period or upon termination of the agreement.  No license revenue was recognized during the years ended December 31, 2023 or 2021.

On October 28, 2022, we delivered written notice, or the October Notice, to RareStone that we have terminated the RareStone License for cause. In accordance with the Notice, we maintain that RareStone has materially breached its obligations under the RareStone License to fund, perform or seek certain key clinical studies and waivers, including with respect to our global EMANATE trial, among other obligations. On December 21, 2022, RareStone provided written notice to us that it objects to the claims in the Notice, including our termination of the RareStone License for cause.  On March 16, 2023, we provided written notice, or the March Notice, to RareStone reaffirming our position that RareStone has materially breached its obligations under the RareStone License and that we have terminated the RareStone License for cause, and also requested documentation supporting RareStone’s purported dispute notice objecting to the claims in the Notice.

On May 10, 2023, RareStone provided written notice to the Company reaffirming its objections to the claims in our October Notice and March Notice, including to the Company’s termination of the RareStone License for cause.  On November 29, 2023, RareStone wrote to us seeking to negotiate and execute a commercial supply agreement as contemplated under the Exclusive License Agreement, and on January 19, 2024, we responded in writing again reaffirming our position that RareStone has materially breached its obligations under the RareStone License and that we have terminated the RareStone License for cause.

Ipsen Pharma S.A.S.

Pursuant to a license agreement with Ipsen Pharma, S.A.S., or Ipsen, the Company has an exclusive, sublicensable, worldwide license to certain patents and other intellectual property rights to research, develop, and commercialize compounds that were discovered or researched by Ipsen in the course of conducting its MC4R program or that otherwise were covered by the licensed patents. Under the terms of the setmelanotide Ipsen license agreement, assuming that setmelanotide is successfully developed, receives regulatory approval and is commercialized, Ipsen may receive aggregate payments of up to $40,000 upon the achievement of certain development and commercial milestones and royalties on future product sales in the mid-single digits. Substantially all of such aggregate payments of up to $40,000 are for milestones that may be achieved no earlier than first commercial sale of setmelanotide. In the event that the Company executes a sublicense agreement, it shall make payments to Ipsen, depending on the date of such sublicense agreement, ranging from 10% to 20% of all revenues actually received under such sublicense agreement.

The Company capitalized a $5,000 and $4,000 commercial milestone as a finite-lived intangible asset, as a result of the first commercial sales of IMCIVREE in the U.S. and Europe during March 2021 and March 2022, respectively. There were no research and development expenses related to milestones recorded in each of the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021.

 

Camurus

In January 2016, the Company entered into a license agreement with Camurus AB, or Camurus, for the use of Camurus' drug delivery technology. The contract includes a non-refundable and non-creditable signing fee of $500. The Camurus agreement also includes up to $7,750 in one-time, non-refundable development milestones achievable upon

certain regulatory successes. The Company is also required to pay to Camurus, mid to mid-high single digit royalties, on a product-by-product and country-by-country basis of annual net sales, until the later of (i) 10 years after the date of first commercial sale of such product in such country; or (ii) the expiration of the last to expire valid claim of all licensed patent rights in such country covering such product. The Company is also required to pay one-time, non-refundable, non-creditable sales milestones upon the achievement of certain sales levels for such product that cannot be in excess of $57,000.  The Company recorded development milestone expenses related to this license agreement of $1,000 during the year ended December 31, 2022. The expenses were recorded as research and development expenses when the milestone criteria were met in full during 2022.  There are no research and development expenses related to milestones recorded in 2023 or 2021.

Takeda

In March 2018, the Company entered into a license agreement with Takeda, for the rights of a program that includes the clinical candidate RM-853, which is a GOAT inhibitor, which is currently in preclinical development for PWS. Pursuant to the license agreement the Company was required to pay a non-refundable and non-creditable signing fee, which the Company settled by issuing on April 3, 2018, 223,544 shares of common stock valued at $4,448. Under the terms of the license agreement, assuming that RM-853 is successfully developed, receives regulatory approval and is commercialized, the Company is also required to pay up to $70,000 in one-time, non-refundable development milestone payments upon the achievement of certain clinical and regulatory milestones. The Company is also required to pay up to $70,000 in one-time, non-refundable, non-creditable sales milestone payments upon the achievement of certain sales levels. The Company is also required to pay to Takeda, mid to mid-high single digit royalties (subject to certain potential reductions over time), on a product-by-product and country-by-country basis of annual net sales, of each product in such country, beginning on the first commercial sale of a product in such country, and continuing until the latest of (i) 10 years after the date of first commercial sale of such product in such country; or (ii) the expiration of the last to expire valid claim of a Takeda patents covering the composition or use of such product in such country; or (iii) the expiration of all regulatory exclusivity for such product in such country. The Company recorded the fair value of the common stock to be issued to the licensors as research and development expense, as the license does not have a future alternative use, in accordance with ASC Topic 730, Research and Development. There were no milestone expenses related to this license for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively. We have notified Takeda that the Company has halted development activities related to RM-853.