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MAJOR CUSTOMERS, PARTNERSHIPS AND STRATEGIC ALLIANCES
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2024
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]  
MAJOR CUSTOMERS, PARTNERSHIPS AND STRATEGIC ALLIANCES MAJOR CUSTOMERS, PARTNERSHIPS AND STRATEGIC ALLIANCES
Pfizer Inc.
In May 2017, the Company entered into an exclusive global collaboration and license agreement with Pfizer Inc. (“Pfizer”), pursuant to which it established a collaboration for the research, development and commercialization of giroctocogene fitelparvovec, its gene therapy product candidate for hemophilia A, and closely related products.
Under this agreement, the Company was responsible for conducting the Phase 1/2 clinical trial and for certain manufacturing activities for giroctocogene fitelparvovec, while Pfizer is responsible for subsequent worldwide development, manufacturing, marketing and commercialization of giroctocogene fitelparvovec.
Subject to the terms of the agreement, the Company granted Pfizer an exclusive worldwide royalty-bearing license, with the right to grant sublicenses, to use certain technology controlled by the Company for the purpose of developing, manufacturing and commercializing giroctocogene fitelparvovec and related products. Pfizer granted the Company a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free, fully paid license, with the right to grant sublicenses, to use certain manufacturing technology developed under the agreement and controlled by Pfizer to manufacture the Company’s products that utilize the AAV delivery system.
Unless earlier terminated, the agreement has a term that continues on a per product and per country basis until the later of (i) the expiration of patent claims that cover the product in a country, (ii) the expiration of regulatory exclusivity for a product in a country, and (iii) 15 years after the first commercial sale of a product in a country. Pfizer has the right to terminate the agreement without cause in its entirety or on a per product or per country basis. The agreement may also be terminated by either party based on an uncured material breach by the other party or the bankruptcy of the other party. Upon termination for any reason, the license granted by the Company to Pfizer to develop, manufacture and commercialize giroctocogene fitelparvovec and related products will automatically terminate. Upon termination by the Company for cause or by Pfizer in any country or countries, Pfizer will automatically grant the Company an exclusive, royalty-bearing license under certain technology controlled by Pfizer to develop, manufacture and commercialize giroctocogene fitelparvovec in the terminated country or countries.
Upon execution of the agreement, the Company received an upfront fee of $70.0 million and was eligible to receive up to $208.5 million in payments upon the achievement of specified clinical development, intellectual property and regulatory milestones and up to $266.5 million in payments upon first commercial sale milestones for giroctocogene fitelparvovec and potentially other products. To date, two milestones of $55.0 million in aggregate have been achieved and paid. The Company is eligible to earn from Pfizer up to $220.0 million in remaining milestone payments for giroctocogene fitelparvovec and up to $175.0 million for other products that may be developed under the agreement, subject to reduction on account of payments made under certain licenses for third-party intellectual property. In addition, Pfizer agreed to pay the Company royalties for each potential licensed product developed under the agreement that are 14% - 20% of the annual worldwide net sales of such product and are subject to reduction due to patent expiration, entry of biosimilar products to the market and payment made under certain licenses for third-party intellectual property.
The Company assessed the agreement with Pfizer in accordance with ASC Topic 606 and concluded that Pfizer was a customer. The Company completed its performance obligations and recognized the amounts included in the transaction price of $134.0 million during the periods through December 31, 2020. No revenue was recognized during the three and six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023. The remaining development, intellectual property and regulatory milestone amounts have not been included in the transaction price and have not been recognized as their achievement is dependent on the progress and outcomes of Pfizer’s development activities and is therefore uncertain. If and when these milestones become probable of being achieved, they
will be recognized in full at that time. Sales milestones and royalties are not recognized until triggered based on the contractual terms.
Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc., AstraZeneca Rare Disease
In December 2017, the Company entered into an exclusive, global collaboration and license agreement with Pfizer, subsequently assigned to Alexion, AstraZeneca Rare Disease (“Alexion”) in September 2023, for the development and commercialization of potential gene therapy products that use zinc finger transcriptional regulators (“ZF-transcriptional regulators”) to treat amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal lobar degeneration linked to mutations of the C9ORF72 gene. Pursuant to this agreement, the Company agreed to work with Pfizer on a research program to identify, characterize and preclinically develop ZF-transcriptional regulators that bind to and specifically reduce expression of the mutant form of the C9ORF72 gene.
Subject to the terms of this agreement, the Company granted Pfizer (now Alexion) an exclusive, royalty-bearing, worldwide license under the Company’s relevant patents and know-how to develop, manufacture and commercialize gene therapy products that use resulting ZF-transcriptional regulators that satisfy pre-agreed criteria. During a specified period, neither the Company nor Alexion are permitted to research, develop, manufacture or commercialize outside of the collaboration any zinc finger proteins (“ZFPs”) that specifically bind to the C9ORF72 gene.
Unless earlier terminated, the agreement has a term that continues on a per licensed product and per country basis until the later of (i) the expiration of patent claims that cover the licensed product in a country, (ii) the expiration of regulatory exclusivity for a licensed product in a country, and (iii) 15 years after the first commercial sale of a licensed product in a major market country. Alexion also has the right to terminate the agreement without cause in its entirety or on a per product or per country basis. The agreement may also be terminated by either party based on an uncured material breach by the other party or the bankruptcy of the other party. Upon termination for any reason, the license granted by the Company to Alexion to develop, manufacture and commercialize licensed products under the agreement would automatically terminate. Upon termination by the Company for cause or by Alexion without cause for any licensed product or licensed products in any country or countries, the Company would have the right to negotiate with Alexion to obtain a non-exclusive, royalty-bearing license under certain technology controlled by Alexion to develop, manufacture and commercialize the licensed product or licensed products in the terminated country or countries.
Following any termination by the Company for Alexion’s material breach, Alexion would not be permitted to research, develop, manufacture or commercialize ZFPs that specifically bind to the C9ORF72 gene for a period of time. Following any termination by Alexion for the Company’s material breach, the Company would not be permitted to research, develop, manufacture or commercialize ZFPs that specifically bind to the C9ORF72 gene for a period of time.
The Company received a $12.0 million upfront payment from Pfizer and is eligible to receive up to $60.0 million in development milestone payments from Alexion contingent on the achievement of specified preclinical development, clinical development and first commercial sale milestones, and up to $90.0 million in commercial milestone payments if annual worldwide net sales of the licensed products reach specified levels. In addition, Alexion will pay the Company royalties of 14% - 20% of the annual worldwide net sales of the licensed products. These royalty payments are subject to reduction due to patent expiration, entry of biosimilar products to the market and payments made under certain licenses for third-party intellectual property. Each party is responsible for the cost of its performance of the research program. Alexion is operationally and financially responsible for subsequent development, manufacturing and commercialization of the licensed products. To date, a milestone of $5.0 million has been achieved and paid, however no products have been approved and therefore no royalty fees have been earned under the C9ORF72 agreement.
The Company assessed the agreement with Alexion in accordance with ASC Topic 606 and concluded that Alexion was a customer. The Company completed its performance obligations and recognized the amounts included in the transaction price of $17.0 million during the periods through December 31, 2020. No revenue was recognized during the three and six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023. The remaining development milestone amounts have not been included in the transaction price and have not been recognized as their achievement is dependent on the progress and outcomes of Alexion’s development activities and is therefore uncertain. If and when these milestones become probable of being achieved, they would be recognized in full at that time. Sales related milestones and royalties are not recognized until triggered based on the contractual terms.
In October 2023, Pfizer notified the Company of Pfizer’s assignment of the collaboration and license agreement to Alexion, AstraZeneca Rare Disease, pursuant to a definitive purchase and license agreement for preclinical gene therapy assets and enabling technologies that closed on September 20, 2023.
Other Collaboration and License Agreements
During the three and six months ended June 30, 2024, the Company had a collaboration and license agreement with Kite and certain other license agreements. During the three and six months ended June 30, 2023, in addition to the agreement with
Kite, the Company had collaboration and license agreements with Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Inc. (“Novartis”), and Biogen MA, Inc. (“Biogen”). These collaboration agreements were designed for the research, development, and commercialization of various potential therapy products, including potential engineered cell therapies for cancer and gene regulation therapies to treat neurodevelopmental disorders and diseases. The collaboration agreements with Novartis and Biogen were both terminated effective June 2023. The Company’s services under the Kite collaboration agreement were completed during the year ended December 31, 2023, and the agreement expired pursuant to its terms in April 2024.
The Company assessed each of these collaboration agreements in accordance with ASC Topic 606, concluding Kite, Novartis and Biogen were customers.
Revenues recognized under these agreements were as follows (in thousands):
Three Months Ended
June 30,
Six Months Ended
June 30,
2024202320242023
Revenue related to Kite agreement:
Recognition of license fee fixed consideration$— $1,110 $— $12,550 
Research services variable consideration— 121 — 989 
Total$— $1,231 $— $13,539 
Revenue related to Novartis agreement:
Recognition of upfront license fee$— $1,872 $— $9,568 
Research services— 554 — 2,613 
Total$— $2,426 $— $12,181 
Revenue related to Biogen agreement:
Recognition of license and other fixed consideration$— $1,535 $— $132,165 
Cost-sharing payments for research services, net variable consideration— 669 — 2,341 
Total$— $2,204 $— $134,506 
Revenue from other license agreements$356 $974 $837 $4,566 
Total revenue$356 $6,835 $837 $164,792 
As of June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, the Company had no material receivables, no deferred revenue, and no amounts included in transaction price remaining to be recognized related to any license and collaboration agreements.