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Organization and Basis of Presentation
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2025
Organization and Basis of Presentation  
Organization and Basis of Presentation

1.       Organization and Basis of Presentation

The Company

MeiraGTx Holdings plc and subsidiaries (the “Company” or “Meira Holdings”), an exempted company incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands, is a vertically integrated, clinical-stage genetic medicines company with a broad pipeline of late-stage clinical programs, including Parkinson's disease, radiation-induced xerostomia and AIPL1-associated retinal dystrophy. MeiraGTx clinical programs use targeted local delivery of small doses of genetic medicines to treat both inherited and more common conditions with severe unmet need. The successful development of the clinical pipeline is supported by the Company’s internal end-to-end manufacturing capabilities. The Company has two viral vector production facilities for good manufacturing practices (“GMP”), internal plasmid production for GMP, as well as an in-house Quality Control hub for stability and release, all fit for IND through commercial supply. In addition, the Company has developed a proprietary manufacturing platform with leading yield and quality aspects and commercial readiness. The Company’s core capabilities in viral vector and capsid optimization allow increased potency, decreased dose and significantly reduced cost of goods for its genetic medicines. The Company has developed a transformative gene regulation platform using bespoke synthetic riboswitch technology invented in-house that allows for the precise, dose-responsive expression of any transgene under the control of oral small molecules. The Company is focusing the riboswitch platform on in vivo delivery of biologic therapeutics such as the metabolic peptides GLP-1, GIP, glucagon, amylin, PYY and leptin via oral small molecules, as well as cell therapy for oncology and autoimmune diseases, and long-term intractable pain.  The Company has developed unique comprehensive technology capabilities to apply genetic medicine to more common diseases, increasing efficacy, addressing novel targets, and expanding access in some of the largest disease areas where the unmet need remains high.

Hologen Transactions

On March 9, 2025 (the “Signing Date”), the Company and its affiliates entered into a strategic collaboration with Hologen Limited, a non-cellular company limited by shares incorporated in Guernsey (“Hologen”), and its affiliates.  Hologen is a leading developer of multi-modal generative AI foundation models of real-world clinical data for clinical medicine and pharmaceutical drug development. As part of the strategic collaboration, the Company and Hologen have entered into the Framework Agreements (as defined below), pursuant to which the Company and its affiliates will receive from Hologen an upfront cash payment of $200 million (the “Upfront Payment”) on the Closing Date (as defined below), and Hologen will provide additional funding of up to an additional $230 million as further described below. As part of the strategic collaboration, the Company also received 250,000 Class A shares of Hologen at a nominal price. Furthermore, the Company has the option to receive up to an additional 500,000 Class A shares of Hologen at a nominal price if certain funding obligations as described herein are not met by Hologen.

The closing of the transactions contemplated by the Framework Agreements (the “Closing Date”) is expected to occur in the second calendar quarter of 2025, subject to customary closing and funding conditions, including the receipt of the clearances and approvals applicable to the proposed transactions under the foreign direct investment laws of the United Kingdom and the satisfaction or waiver of certain other closing conditions.

Neuro Framework Agreement

On the Signing Date, the Company, MeiraGTx Neuro UK Limited, a private company limited by shares incorporated in England and a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company (“MeiraGTx Neuro UK”), Hologen Neuro AI Limited, a non-cellular company limited by shares incorporated in Guernsey and an affiliate of Hologen (“Hologen Neuro”), and Hologen, entered into that certain Framework Agreement (the “Neuro Framework Agreement”), pursuant to which, on the Closing Date, the Company, MeiraGTx Neuro UK, MeiraGTx Neuro I, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company (“MeiraGTx Neuro US”), Hologen, Hologen Neuro and Hologen Neuro AI UK Limited, a private company limited by shares incorporated in England and an affiliate of Hologen (“Hologen Neuro UK”), shall enter into a Collaboration and License Agreement (the “Hologen Collaboration Agreement”) for the research, development, manufacture and commercialization of the Company’s (i) AAV-GAD investigational gene therapy for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease, AAV-BDNF investigational gene therapy for the treatment of genetic obesity disorders and other potential locally delivered genetic medicines to the central nervous system (the “Clinical Programs”) and (ii) proprietary device designed to effect the local delivery of a gene therapy product into the central nervous system or any topographic or subcutaneous tissue modification on the face and scalp, of humans or animals (the “Delivery Device”), in each case, in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Hologen Collaboration Agreement.

On the Closing Date, under the Hologen Collaboration Agreement, MeiraGTx Neuro US will receive the applicable portion of the Upfront Payment in consideration for granting to Hologen Neuro and Hologen Neuro UK, as of the Closing Date and subject to the license granted by Hologen Neuro and Hologen Neuro UK back to MeiraGTx Neuro UK, exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free, fully paid-up licenses to certain of the Company’s intellectual property rights for the research, development, manufacture and commercialization of the Clinical Programs and the Delivery Device. On the Closing Date, (a) MeiraGTx Neuro UK will receive Class A shares of Hologen Neuro representing a 30% ownership of the issued share capital of Hologen Neuro, in consideration for the provision of services to Hologen Neuro and Hologen Neuro UK as specified in the Hologen Collaboration Agreement, including services relating to the development of the Clinical Programs and the Delivery Device and certain other transition services, and (b) Hologen Guernsey will receive Class B shares of Hologen Neuro representing a 70% ownership of the issued share capital of Hologen Neuro, in consideration for paying the applicable portion of the Upfront Payment to MeiraGTx Neuro US, as well as a commitment to provide additional capital of up to $230 million to fund the development of the Clinical Programs and the Delivery Device. Additionally, Hologen will license to Hologen Neuro its proprietary multi-modal generative foundation models (LMMs), or large medicine models, pursuant to a license agreement mutually agreeable to the parties.

As of the Closing Date, Hologen Neuro shall be governed by a board of directors comprised of three representatives designated by Hologen and two representatives designated by MeiraGTx Neuro UK, and certain material business decisions (as further enumerated in the Neuro Framework Agreement) will require the approval of at least 70% of the directors then in office.  

Following the Closing Date and in accordance with the terms of the Hologen Collaboration Agreement, the parties shall negotiate in good faith and enter into clinical and commercial supply agreements, pursuant to which MeiraGTx Neuro UK (directly, or through affiliates or subcontractors) shall manufacture and supply AAV-GAD, AAV-BDNF and other potential locally delivered genetic medicines to the central nervous system.

Manufacturing Framework Agreement

On the Signing Date, MeiraGTx Manufacturing Limited, a private company limited by shares incorporated in England and a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company (“MeiraGTx Manufacturing”), MeiraGTx Limited, a private company limited by shares incorporated in England and a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company (“MeiraGTx Limited”), and Hologen, entered into that certain Framework Agreement (the “Manufacturing Framework Agreement” and, together with the Neuro Framework Agreement, the “Framework Agreements”), pursuant to which, on the Closing Date and in exchange for the applicable portion of the Upfront Payment, Hologen will acquire a minority interest in MeiraGTx Manufacturing, an entity that will comprise the Company’s flexible and scalable end-to-end genetic medicines manufacturing business, which is solely run by MeiraGTx Manufacturing and MeiraGTx Limited prior to the Closing Date. Hologen will also contribute a portion of the annual funding to MeiraGTx Manufacturing.

As of the Closing Date, MeiraGTx Manufacturing shall be governed by a board of directors comprised of three representatives designated by MeiraGTx Limited and two representatives designated by Hologen, and certain material business decisions (as further enumerated in the Manufacturing Framework Agreement) will require the approval of at least 70% of the directors then in office.

For a period of twelve months following the Closing Date, Hologen has an exclusive, irrevocable option to purchase additional shares in MeiraGTx Manufacturing at a specified price, such that following exercise of such option, Hologen shall own 40% of the issued share capital of MeiraGTx Manufacturing in the aggregate.  In the event that Hologen does not exercise its option, MeiraGTx has an exclusive, irrevocable option to purchase all of the shares of MeiraGTx Manufacturing held by Hologen for the same price that Hologen paid for such shares. Such option shall be exercisable anytime beginning on the third anniversary of the Closing Date and ending three years thereafter.

Asset Purchase and Related Agreements with Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine

On January 30, 2019, the Company entered into a Collaboration, Option and License Agreement with Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine (formerly known as Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc.) (the “Collaboration Agreement”), for the research, development and commercialization of gene therapies for the treatment of inherited retinal diseases (“IRD”). Under the terms of the Collaboration Agreement, the Company received funding for certain research, manufacturing, clinical development and commercialization costs, and had the potential to obtain additional milestone payments upon the achievement of such milestones and royalties on future net sales of products. On December 20, 2023, the Company entered into an Asset Purchase Agreement (“Asset Purchase Agreement”) with Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine pursuant to which the Company sold and assigned to Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine, and Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine purchased and assumed, that certain License Agreement, dated February 5, 2019, by and between UCL Business Plc (now UCL Business Ltd.) (“UCLB”), on the one hand, and MeiraGTx UK II Limited and MeiraGTx Limited, on the other hand (the “UCLB RPGR License Agreement”), relating to the research, development, manufacture and exploitation of botaretigene sparoparvovec, or bota-vec (formerly referred to as AAV-RPGR), for the treatment of X-linked retinitis pigmentosa related to mutations in the retinitis pigmentosa GTPase regulator gene, or XLRP-RPGR (the “RPGR Product”), and other related assets as described in the Asset Purchase Agreement. In connection with entering into the Asset Purchase Agreement, the Company entered into a Termination Agreement with Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine terminating the Collaboration Agreement. The Company and Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine also entered into a Supply Agreement on December 20, 2023 (the “Supply Agreement”) pursuant to which the Company agreed to manufacture and supply the RPGR Product for Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine.

Under the Asset Purchase Agreement, Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine paid the Company a non-refundable upfront cash payment of $65.0 million in December 2023. Additionally, pursuant to and subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Asset Purchase Agreement, Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine agreed to pay the Company future contingent consideration of up to an aggregate of $350.0 million, as follows: (i) a milestone payment of $50.0 million in connection with the achievement of the initiation of the extension study for the Phase 3 LUMEOS clinical trial for the RPGR Product; (ii) $10.0 million upon completion of certain specified development services for the drug substance for the RPGR Product; (iii) $5.0 million upon completion of certain specified development services for the drug product for the RPGR Product; (iv) $175.0 million upon the first commercial sale of an RPGR Product in the United States; (v) $75.0 million upon the first commercial sale of an RPGR Product in at least one of the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Spain and Italy; (vi) $25.0 million upon completion of the transfer of certain manufacturing technology for drug substance and drug product from the Company to Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine; and (vii) $10.0 million upon regulatory approval of a Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine-selected manufacturing facility in each of the United States and European Union for commercial manufacture of the RPGR Product. During 2024, the Company received $60.0 million in milestone payments from Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine. Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine is also responsible for any royalty or milestone amounts that become payable on the RPGR Product under the UCLB RPGR License Agreement.

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”). Any reference in these notes to applicable guidance is meant to refer to the authoritative United States generally accepted accounting principles as found in the Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) and Accounting Standards Updates (“ASU”) of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”).

Interim Financial Statements

The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with GAAP for interim financial information and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all the information and footnotes required by GAAP for complete consolidated financial statements. In the opinion of management, the condensed consolidated financial statements include all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring adjustments) necessary in order to make the condensed consolidated financial statements not misleading. Operating results for the three-month period ended March 31, 2025 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2025. These unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto for the year ended December 31, 2024 included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024 (the “Form 10-K”).

Liquidity

The Company has not yet achieved profitable operations. There is no assurance that profitable operations, if ever achieved, could be sustained on a continuing basis. In addition, development activities, clinical and preclinical testing, and commercialization of the Company’s product candidates will require significant additional financing. The Company’s accumulated deficit at March 31, 2025 totaled $742.0 million, and management expects to incur substantial losses in future periods. The success of the Company is subject to certain risks and uncertainties, including, among others: uncertainty of product development; competition in the Company’s field of use; uncertainty of capital availability; uncertainty in the Company’s ability to enter into agreements and consummate transactions with collaborative partners; expanding and protecting the Company’s intellectual property portfolio; dependence on third parties; and dependence on key personnel. For the three months ended March 31, 2025, the Company used $36.8 million in cash flows from operations and there are no assurances that the Company will generate positive cash flows in the future. Additionally, there are no assurances that the Company will be successful in obtaining an adequate level of financing for the development and commercialization of its product candidates.

As of March 31, 2025, the Company had cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash in the amount of $68.6 million, which consisted of depository and money market accounts held at large international banks. The Company estimates that its cash and cash equivalents on-hand, tax incentive receivable and accounts receivable – related party at March 31, 2025, together with the proceeds from the anticipated closing of the strategic collaboration with Hologen Limited, will be sufficient to cover its expenses for at least the next twelve months from the date of issuance of these condensed consolidated financial statements.  

Risks and Uncertainties

The Company operates in an industry that is subject to intense competition, government regulation and rapid technological change. The Company’s operations are subject to significant risk and uncertainties including financial, operational, technological, regulatory and other risks, including the potential risk of business failure.

The Company’s capital resources and operations to date have been funded primarily with the proceeds from the Collaboration Agreement, Asset Purchase Agreement and private and public equity offerings, as well as the proceeds from the debt financing described in Note 10. In the future, the Company may seek to raise additional capital through equity offerings, debt financings, marketing and distribution arrangements and other collaborations, strategic alliances and licensing arrangements or other sources to enable it to complete the development and potential commercialization of its product candidates.