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License Agreements & Ducentis Acquisition
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2025
License Agreements And Ducentis Acquisition Disclosure [Abstract]  
License Agreements & Ducentis Acquisition License Agreements & Ducentis Acquisition
Sato License Agreement
On February 27, 2024, the Company entered into a license agreement with Sato Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (Sato). Pursuant to the terms of the license agreement with Sato (the Sato Agreement), the Company grants to Sato an exclusive, sublicensable (under certain circumstances) license under certain patent rights and know-how controlled by the Company for Sato to develop, conduct medical affairs activities for, manufacture, commercialize and otherwise exploit roflumilast formulations (the Sato Licensed Products) for all therapeutic uses for certain dermatological indications in humans (the Sato Field) in Japan.
The Sato Agreement sets forth each party’s respective obligations with respect to the development, medical affairs activities, manufacture, supply and commercialization of the Sato Licensed Products. Pursuant to the terms of the Sato Agreement, Sato will, at its expense, develop, obtain regulatory approval for, commercialize and conduct medical affairs activities related to the Sato Licensed Products in the Sato Field in Japan, subject to certain of the Company’s approval and oversight rights.
Pursuant to the terms of the Sato Agreement, the Company received an upfront payment of $25.0 million and will potentially receive additional payments (i) up to an aggregate amount of $10.0 million upon the achievement of certain regulatory milestones and (ii) up to an aggregate amount of $30.0 million upon the achievement of certain sales milestones. In addition, on a Sato Licensed Product-by-Sato Licensed Product basis, commencing from the first commercial sale of such Sato Licensed Product in Japan until the latest of (i) the expiration of the last valid claim in the intellectual property rights licensed by the Company to Sato under the Sato Agreement covering such Sato Licensed Product in Japan, (ii) the expiration of regulatory exclusivity for such Sato Licensed Product in Japan, or (iii) ten years after the first commercial sale of such Sato Licensed Product in Japan,
the Company will receive low double-digit to mid-teen double-digit percentage royalties on Sato’s, its affiliates’ and sublicensees’ total annual net sales of all Sato Licensed Products, subject to certain royalty reductions.
The term of the Sato Agreement continues until, on a Sato Licensed Product-by-Sato Licensed Product basis, the expiration of the Royalty Term, which is the (i) the expiration of the last valid claim in the licensed technology covering such Sato Licensed Product in Japan, (ii) the expiration of regulatory exclusivity for such Licensed Product in Japan, or (iii) ten years after the first commercial sale of such Licensed Product in Japan. The Sato Agreement may be terminated by either party in its entirety if the other party commits a material breach, subject to a cure period, or if the other party becomes insolvent. Sato may terminate the Sato Agreement at-will in its entirety upon 90 days’ written notice. Unless unenforceable under applicable law, the Company may terminate the Sato Agreement in its entirety if Sato, its affiliate or sublicensee contests or assists a third party in contesting the scope, validity or enforceability of any patent or patent application licensed by the Company to Sato. The Company may also terminate the Sato Agreement if Sato or any director, officers, employee, agent, affiliate, sublicensee or subcontractor is charged by a governmental authority for a violation of any anti-corruption, anti-money laundering, sanctions or export or import control laws or regulations, or, subject to the terms of the Sato Agreement, if Sato, its affiliates and sublicensees do not conduct any material development or commercialization activities of a Sato Licensed Product in Japan for a certain period of time.
There was no other revenue recorded pursuant to the Sato Agreement for the year ended December 31, 2025 and $25.0 million recorded for the year ended December 31, 2024.
Huadong License Agreement
In August 2023, the Company entered into a license agreement with Hangzhou Zhongmei Huadong Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd (Huadong), a wholly owned subsidiary of Huadong Medicine Co., Ltd. Pursuant to the terms of the agreement, the Company granted to Huadong an exclusive, sublicensable (under certain circumstances) license under certain patent rights and know-how controlled by the Company for Huadong to develop, conduct medical affairs activities for, manufacture, commercialize, and otherwise exploit both cream and foam topical roflumilast for all therapeutic uses for certain dermatological indications (Huadong Licensed Products) in Greater China (mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan) and Southeast Asia (Indonesia, Singapore, The Philippines, Thailand, Myanmar, Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, and Vietnam) (Huadong Territories).
Huadong will, at its expense, develop, obtain regulatory approval for, commercialize, and conduct medical affairs activities for the Huadong Licensed Products, subject to certain of the Company’s approval and oversight rights. The Company will retain exclusive rights for the development, manufacture and commercialization of topical roflumilast outside the Huadong Territories.
As consideration for the rights granted under the license agreement with Huadong (the Huadong Agreement), Huadong paid the Company a non-refundable upfront fee pursuant to the terms of the agreement, upon closing in September 2023. The Company received a net payment of $27.0 million, which consisted of a $30.0 million upfront payment less the applicable tax withholding obligation in China of $3.0 million. In addition, the Company received a net payment of $2.7 million in March 2024 related to the achievement of a development and regulatory milestone less the applicable tax withholding. The Company received a net payment of $1.8 million in each of December 2024, March 2025 and November 2025, related to the achievement of development and regulatory milestones less the applicable tax withholding. The Company may also potentially receive additional payments: (i) up to an aggregate amount of $15.0 million upon the achievement of certain development and regulatory milestones, (ii) up to an aggregate amount of $40.3 million upon the achievement of certain sales milestones, and (iii) low double-digit to high-teen double-digit tiered percentage royalties on net sales of the Huadong Licensed Products, all of which would be subject to applicable tax withholding obligations.
The term of the Huadong Agreement continues on a Huadong Licensed Product-by-Huadong Licensed Product and country or region-by-country or region basis, until the expiration of the Royalty Term, which is: (i) the date of expiration of the last valid patent claim related to the Huadong Licensed Products, (ii) ten years after the first commercial sale of a Huadong Licensed Product and (iii) the expiration of any regulatory exclusivity as to a Huadong Licensed Product. The Huadong Agreement may be terminated by both parties under certain circumstances.
Other revenue and related income tax expense related to the Huadong agreement was $4.0 million and $0.4 million, respectively, for the year ended December 31, 2025. Other revenue and related tax income expense related to the Huadong agreement was $5.0 million and $0.5 million, respectively, for the year ended December 31, 2024. Other revenue and related income tax expense related to the Huadong agreement was $30.0 million and $3.0 million, respectively, for the year ended December 31, 2023.
AstraZeneca License Agreement
In July 2018, the Company entered into an exclusive license agreement with AstraZeneca AB (AstraZeneca), granting the Company a worldwide exclusive license, with the right to sublicense through multiple tiers, under certain AstraZeneca-controlled patent rights, know-how and regulatory documentation, to research, develop, manufacture, commercialize and otherwise exploit products containing roflumilast in topical forms, as well as delivery systems sold with or for the administration of roflumilast (collectively, the AZ-Licensed Products), for all diagnostic, prophylactic and therapeutic uses for human dermatological indications (the Dermatology Field). Under the license agreement with AstraZeneca (the AstraZeneca Agreement), the Company has sole responsibility for development, regulatory and commercialization activities for the AZ-Licensed Products in the Dermatology Field, at its expense, and it shall use commercially reasonable efforts to develop, obtain and maintain regulatory approvals for, and commercialize the AZ-Licensed Products in the Dermatology Field in each of the United States, Italy, Spain, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, China and Japan.
In the third quarter of 2022, the Company paid $7.5 million to AstraZeneca as a result of the approval of ZORYVE cream 0.3%, which was recorded as an intangible asset. In October 2024, the Company paid $5.0 million to AstraZeneca upon achievement of $100.0 million in worldwide net sales, which was recorded as a cumulative catch-up adjustment to the carrying value of the intangible asset. In May 2025, the Company paid $10.0 million to AstraZeneca upon achievement of $250.0 million in worldwide net sales and was recorded as a cumulative catch-up adjustment to the carrying value of the intangible asset. The Company is amortizing the intangible asset to cost of sales over its useful life of 10 years from the date of first commercial sale as this is the minimum amount of time that the related AstraZeneca Agreement will be in effect. Amortization expense was $4.7 million, $2.0 million and $0.8 million for the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024, and 2023, respectively.
The Company has agreed to make additional cash payments to AstraZeneca of up to an aggregate of $5.0 million upon the achievement of specified regulatory approval milestones with respect to the AZ-Licensed Products. With respect to any AZ-Licensed Products the Company commercializes under the AstraZeneca Agreement, it will pay AstraZeneca a low to high single-digit percentage royalty rate on the Company’s, its affiliates’ and its sublicensees’ net sales of such AZ-Licensed Products, subject to specified reductions, until, as determined on an AZ-Licensed Product-by-AZ-Licensed Product and country-by-country basis, the later of the date of the expiration of the last-to-expire AstraZeneca-licensed patent right containing a valid claim in such country and ten years from the first commercial sale of such AZ-Licensed Product in such country. As a result of the commercialization of ZORYVE cream in August 2022, the Company began accruing royalties payable to AstraZeneca, which are recorded in cost of sales and accrued liabilities. Royalty expense during the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023 was $11.2 million, $5.0 million and $0.9 million, respectively.
Hengrui Exclusive Option and License Agreement
In January 2018, the Company entered into an exclusive option and license agreement, or the Hengrui License Agreement, with Jiangsu Hengrui Medicine Co., Ltd. (Hengrui), whereby Hengrui granted the Company an exclusive option to obtain certain exclusive rights to research, develop, and commercialize products containing the compound designated by Hengrui as ivarmacitinib, a Janus kinase type 1 inhibitor, in topical formulations for the treatment of skin diseases, disorders, and conditions in the United States, Japan, and the European Union (including for clarity the United Kingdom). In December 2019, the Company exercised its exclusive option under the agreement and contemporaneously amended the agreement to expand the territory to additionally include Canada. In addition, the Company has agreed to make cash payments of up to an aggregate of $20.5 million upon achievement of specified clinical development and regulatory approval milestones with respect to the licensed products and cash payments of up to an additional aggregate of $200.0 million in sales-based milestones based on certain aggregate annual net sales volumes with respect to a licensed product.
With respect to any products the Company commercializes under the Hengrui License Agreement, it will pay tiered royalties to Hengrui on net sales of each licensed product by the Company, or its affiliates, or its sublicensees, ranging from mid single-digit to sub-teen percentage rates based on tiered annual net sales bands
subject to specified reductions. The Company is obligated to pay royalties until the later of (1) expiration of the last valid claim of the licensed patent rights covering such licensed product in such country and (2) expiration of regulatory exclusivity for the relevant licensed product in the relevant country, on a licensed product-by-licensed product and country-by-country basis. Additionally, the Company is obligated to pay Hengrui a specified percentage, ranging from the low-thirties to the sub-teens, of certain non-royalty sublicensing income it receives from sublicensees of its rights to the licensed products, such percentage decreasing as the development stage of the licensed products advance.
In June 2022, the Company entered into a side letter agreement with Hengrui and one of its subsidiaries to extend certain rights and obligations under the Hengrui License Agreement to the subsidiary under specified circumstances, including a change of control of such subsidiary.
There were no payments made or due in connection with Hengrui for the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023.
Following the completion of a Phase 1b study in the middle of 2025, the Company elected to halt further development of ARQ-255, a topical formulation of ivarmacitinib, for the treatment of alopecia areata.
Ducentis Biotherapeutics LTD Acquisition
On September 7, 2022, the Company entered into a Share Purchase Agreement with Ducentis Biotherapeutics LTD (Ducentis) and certain stockholders of Ducentis, pursuant to which the Company acquired all of the outstanding equity interests in Ducentis for (i) 610,258 shares of the Company's common stock, valued at approximately $12.5 million and $15.9 million in cash, inclusive of liabilities acquired, and (ii) contingent payments of up to an aggregate of $400 million, which may become payable upon the achievement of certain development, regulatory, and commercial milestones (the Acquisition). Such contingent payments include a $10.0 million payment due within one year from the first dosing of the first human subject enrolled in the first Phase 1 clinical trial of a therapeutic drug containing Ducentis' DS-234 product candidate, now ARQ-234. The Company anticipates commencing such Phase 1 study in the first quarter of 2026. In addition, if applicable, the Company will make payments amounting to a mid-single-digit percentage of any annual net sales of certain products exceeding $1.5 billion.
The Company accounted for this purchase of equity interests in Ducentis as an in-process research and development (IPR&D) asset acquisition as it has no alternative future use, and recorded a $29.6 million charge to research and development expense on the acquisition date. Any contingent payments made under the Share Purchase Agreement will be recorded when it is probable that they will occur and they can be reasonably estimated, at which point the Company will determine whether the payment should be expensed or capitalized depending on whether the IPR&D has achieved market acceptance.
There were no payments made or due for the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023.
Under the terms of the Share Purchase Agreement, the Company will develop and seek FDA approval of a therapeutic product containing ARQ-234 for an atopic dermatitis indication, and if FDA approval of ARQ-234 is obtained by the Company, to commercially launch it in the United States.