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NATURE OF OPERATIONS
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2023
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]  
NATURE OF OPERATIONS NATURE OF OPERATIONS
VYNE Therapeutics Inc. (the "Company") is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing proprietary, innovative and differentiated therapies for the treatment of immuno-inflammatory conditions.

In August 2021, the Company entered into a transaction with Tay Therapeutics Limited (formerly known as In4Derm Limited, "Tay") providing the Company with exclusive worldwide rights to research, develop and commercialize products containing bromodomain and extra-terminal (“BET”) inhibitors for the treatment of any disease, disorder or condition in humans. Through the Company's access to this library of new chemical BET inhibitor compounds, the Company plans to develop product candidates for a diverse set of indications. Based on preclinical data generated to date, the Company has chosen to focus its initial efforts for this platform on select therapeutic areas in immuno-inflammatory disease.

The Company's lead program is VYN201, a locally administered pan-BD BET inhibitor designed as a “soft” drug to address diseases involving multiple, diverse inflammatory cell signaling pathways while providing low systemic exposure. To date, VYN201 has produced consistent reductions in pro-inflammatory and disease-related biomarkers, improvements in disease severity and a demonstrated local activity through several preclinical models. In November 2022, the Company initiated a Phase 1a/b clinical trial evaluating a topical formulation of VYN201 for the treatment of nonsegmental vitiligo. In February 2023, the Company announced positive preliminary safety and tolerability data from the Phase 1a portion of the trial. In addition, in March 2023, the Company announced positive pharmacokinetic and hematology data from the Phase 1a trial. The first nonsegmental vitiligo patient was dosed in the Phase 1b portion of the trial in January 2023, and on October 30, 2023, the Company announced positive data from the Phase 1b trial noting that significant clinical improvement in facial vitiligo area scoring index ("F-VASI") was observed in the 1% and 2% cohorts of participating subjects after 16 weeks of treatment. The Company has initiated Phase 2b preparatory activities and expects to advance VYN201 into a longer duration Phase 2b trial to evaluate optimal dosing and peak efficacy in patients with active and stable nonsegmental vitiligo in the first half of 2024.

The Company's second program is VYN202, an oral small molecule BD2-selective BET inhibitor. VYN202 is in preclinical development for the treatment of immuno-inflammatory indications, and has been designed to achieve class-leading selectivity (BD2 vs. BD1), maximum potency versus BD2 and optimal oral bioavailability. By maximizing BD2 selectivity, the Company believes VYN202 has the potential to be a more conveniently-administered non-biologic treatment option for both acute control and chronic management of immuno-inflammatory indications, where the damaging effects of unrestricted inflammatory signaling activity are common. The Company expects to submit its IND for VYN202 by year-end 2023 and commence a first-in-human Phase 1a single ascending dose/multiple ascending dose trial in the first quarter of 2024. Upon successful completion of the Phase 1a study, the Company expects to initiate Phase 1b trials in moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis and in moderate-to-severe adult-onset rheumatoid arthritis in the second half of 2024.

The Company intends to advance its product candidates through the clinic toward regulatory approval, and may also partner with leading pharmaceutical companies to expand and accelerate the development of its programs and explore therapeutic areas outside of its core focus in immunology to maximize the value of its pipeline.

In August 2021, the Company determined to dispose of its legacy commercial business and focus its strategy on the development of BET inhibitor product candidates through its licensing arrangements with Tay. For additional information regarding the sale of the Molecule Stabilizing Technology franchise, including AMZEEQ, ZILXI, and FCD105 (the “MST Franchise”) to Journey Medical Corporation ("Journey") in January 2022 and the Company's licensing arrangements with Tay, see "—Note 3 - Strategic Agreements."

The Company is a Delaware corporation, has its principal executive offices in Bridgewater, New Jersey and operates as one business segment.
Reverse stock split and recasting of per-share amounts
On February 8, 2023, the Company's board of directors approved a 1-for-18 reverse stock split of its outstanding shares of common stock. The reverse stock split was effected on February 10, 2023 at 5:01 p.m. Eastern time. At the effective time, every 18 issued and outstanding shares of the Company's common stock were converted into one share of common stock. No fractional shares were issued in connection with the reverse stock split, and in lieu thereof, each stockholder holding fractional shares was entitled to receive a cash payment (without interest or deduction) from the Company’s transfer agent in an amount equal to such stockholder’s respective pro rata shares of the total net proceeds from the Company’s transfer agent sale of all fractional shares at the then-prevailing prices on the open market. A proportionate adjustment was also made to the maximum
number of shares issuable under the Company’s 2019 Equity Incentive Plan, 2018 Omnibus Incentive Plan and 2019 Employee Share Purchase Plan. The number of authorized shares of the Company's common stock and the par value of each share of common stock remained unchanged.
Unless noted, all common stock and per share amounts contained in the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been retroactively adjusted to reflect a 1-for-18 reverse stock split.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
Since inception, the Company has funded operations primarily through private and public placements of its equity, debt and warrants and through fees, cost reimbursements and payments received from its licensees. The Company commenced generating product revenues related to sales of AMZEEQ and ZILXI in January 2020 and October 2020, respectively. AMZEEQ and ZILXI were sold as part of the sale of the MST Franchise on January 12, 2022 and, as such, the Company no longer generates revenue from the sale of these products. The Company has incurred losses and experienced negative operating cash flows since its inception and anticipates that it will continue to incur losses until such a time when its product candidates, if approved, are commercially successful, if at all. The Company will not generate any revenue from any current or future product candidates unless and until it obtains regulatory approval and commercializes such products. For the nine months ended September 30, 2023, the Company incurred a net loss of $22.3 million and used $20.2 million of cash in operations.
As of September 30, 2023, the Company had cash and cash equivalents, and restricted cash of $15.5 million and an accumulated deficit of $685.1 million. The Company received a $5.0 million deferred payment from Journey on January 12, 2023, the one-year anniversary of the sale of the MST Franchise. The Company had no outstanding debt as of September 30, 2023. In addition, on November 1, 2023, the Company completed a private placement of common stock and pre-funded warrants (the "Private Placement") resulting in aggregate gross proceeds to the Company of $88.2 million.
In March 2022, the Company entered into an equity purchase agreement (the “Equity Purchase Agreement”) with Lincoln Park Capital Fund, LLC (“Lincoln Park”) which provides that, upon the terms and subject to the conditions and limitations set forth therein, the Company may sell to Lincoln Park up to $30.0 million of shares of its common stock over the 36-month term of the Equity Purchase Agreement. The Company has not made any sales pursuant to the Equity Purchase Agreement to date. On October 30, 2023, the Company delivered a notice of termination to Lincoln Park to terminate the Equity Purchase Agreement.
In accordance with Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Subtopic 205-40, Disclosure of Uncertainties about an Entity’s Ability to Continue as a Going Concern, the Company has evaluated whether there are conditions and events, considered in the aggregate, that raise substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern within one year after the date that its unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements are issued. As of the report date, the Company believes its existing cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash, including the proceeds received from the Private Placement, are sufficient to fund its operating and capital expenditure requirements for a period greater than 12 months from the date of issuance of these unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements. If the Company's available cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash are insufficient to satisfy its liquidity requirements, the Company may need to raise additional capital to fund its operations. No assurance can be given as to whether additional needed financing will be available on terms acceptable to the Company, if at all. If sufficient funds on acceptable terms are not available when needed, the Company may be required to suspend or forego certain planned activities. Failure to manage discretionary spending or raise additional financing, as needed, would adversely impact the Company’s ability to achieve its intended business objectives and have an adverse effect on its results of operations and future prospects.