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As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 18, 2026.

 

Registration No. 333-

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM S-1

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

 

TREX BIO, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

Delaware

 

2836

 

36-4902297

(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)

 

(Primary Standard Industrial
Classification Code Number)

 

(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

 

 

 

269 East Grand Avenue, Suite 300

South San Francisco, CA 94080

(650) 567-5582

 

(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant’s principal executive offices)

 

 

M. Johnston Erwin, Jr.

Chief Executive Officer

TRex Bio, Inc.

269 East Grand Avenue, Suite 300

South San Francisco, CA 94080

(650) 567-5582

(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

 

 

Copies to:

Tara Fisher
Ropes & Gray LLP

Prudential Tower, 800 Boylston Street

Boston, MA 02199-3600

(617) 951-7000

 

Peter N. Handrinos

Wesley C. Holmes

Jennifer A. Yoon

Latham & Watkins LLP

200 Clarendon Street

Boston, Massachusetts 02116

(617) 948-6000

 

 

Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public:

As soon as practicable after the effective date of this Registration Statement.

If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, check the following box. ☐

If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐

 


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If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐

If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(d) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

 

Large accelerated filer

 

☐

 

 

 

Accelerated filer

☐

Non-accelerated filer

 

☒

 

 

 

Smaller reporting company

☒

 

 

 

 

 

 

Emerging growth company

☒

 

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. ☐

 

 

The Registrant hereby amends this Registration Statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the Registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this Registration Statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or until the Registration Statement shall become effective on such date as the Securities and Exchange Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.

 

 

 

 


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The information in this preliminary prospectus is not complete and may be changed. These securities may not be sold until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange

Commission is effective. This preliminary prospectus is not an offer to sell nor does it seek an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.

 

Subject to completion, dated September 18, 2026

 

 

Preliminary Prospectus

 

Shares

 

img234884785_0.gif

Common Stock

 

 

This is TRex Bio, Inc.’s initial public offering. We are selling shares of our common stock.

We expect the public offering price to be between $ and $ per share. Currently, no public market exists for the shares. We have applied to list our common stock on The Nasdaq Global Select Market (“Nasdaq”) under the symbol “TRXB” and this offering is contingent upon obtaining approval of such listing.

We are an “emerging growth company” and a “smaller reporting company” as defined under the federal securities laws and, as such, have elected to comply with certain reduced reporting requirements in this prospectus and may elect to do so in future filings.

Investing in our common stock involves a high degree of risk. See the section titled “Risk Factors” beginning on page 11 of this prospectus.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

 

 

 

Per Share

 

Total

 

Initial public offering price

 

$

 

 

$

 

 

Underwriting discounts and commissions(1)

 

$

 

 

$

 

 

Proceeds, before expenses, to us

 

$

 

 

$

 

 

 

(1) See the section titled “Underwriting” for additional information regarding underwriting compensation.

The underwriters may also exercise their option to purchase up to an additional           shares from us, at the initial public offering price, less underwriting discounts and commissions, for 30 days after the date of this prospectus.

The underwriters expect to deliver the shares of our common stock on or about , 2026.

Eli Lilly and Company (“Lilly”) has indicated an interest in purchasing at the initial public offering price shares of common stock in this offering in an amount, when combined with shares of common stock beneficially owned by Lilly prior to the initial public offering, that will not exceed 19.9% of the number of shares of common stock issued and outstanding after this offering. Because this indication of interest is not a binding agreement or commitment to purchase, Lilly may determine to purchase more, less or no shares in this offering or the underwriters may determine to sell more, less or no shares to Lilly. The underwriters will receive the same underwriting discounts and commissions on any of our shares of common stock purchased by Lilly as it will from any other shares of common stock sold to the public in this offering. The number of shares of common stock available for sale to the public will be reduced to the extent that Lilly purchases shares of common stock in the offering.

 

 

J.P. Morgan

Evercore ISI

 

Cantor

 

Stifel

 

Wedbush PacGrow

 

 

 

The date of this prospectus is , 2026.

 


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PROSPECTUS SUMMARY

 

1

THE OFFERING

 

7

SUMMARY FINANCIAL DATA

 

9

RISK FACTORS

 

11

CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

 

65

MARKET AND INDUSTRY DATA

 

67

USE OF PROCEEDS

 

68

DIVIDEND POLICY

 

69

CAPITALIZATION

 

70

DILUTION

 

72

MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

 

74

BUSINESS

 

87

MANAGEMENT

 

128

EXECUTIVE AND DIRECTOR COMPENSATION

 

137

CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED PERSON TRANSACTIONS

 

146

PRINCIPAL STOCKHOLDERS

 

149

DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK

 

153

SHARES ELIGIBLE FOR FUTURE SALE

 

157

MATERIAL UNITED STATES FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES TO NON-UNITED STATES HOLDERS OF OUR COMMON STOCK

 

159

UNDERWRITING

 

163

LEGAL MATTERS

 

169

EXPERTS

 

169

WHERE YOU CAN FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

 

169

INDEX TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

F-1

 

 

Through and including the 25th day after the date of this prospectus, all dealers that effect transactions in these shares of our common stock, whether or not participating in this offering, may be required to deliver a prospectus. This is in addition to the dealers’ obligations to deliver a prospectus when acting as underwriters and with respect to their unsold allotments or subscriptions.

You should rely only on the information contained in this prospectus, any amendment or supplement to this prospectus or in any free writing prospectus we may authorize to be delivered or made available to you. Neither we nor the underwriters have authorized anyone to provide any information other than that contained in this prospectus or in any free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of us or to which we have referred you. We and the underwriters take no responsibility for and can provide no assurance as to the reliability of, any other information that others may give you. This prospectus is an offer to sell only the shares of common stock offered hereby, but only under circumstances and in jurisdictions where it is lawful to do so. The information contained in this prospectus or in any applicable free writing prospectus is current only as of its date, regardless of its time of delivery or any sale of shares of our common stock. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since that date.

For investors outside of the United States: Neither we nor any of the underwriters have done anything that would permit this offering or possession or distribution of this prospectus in any jurisdiction where action for that purpose is required, other than the United States. Persons outside of the United States who come into possession of this prospectus must inform themselves about, and observe any restrictions relating to, the offering of the shares of common stock and the distribution of this prospectus outside of the United States.

 


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PROSPECTUS SUMMARY

This summary highlights selected information included elsewhere in this prospectus. This summary does not contain all the information you should consider before investing in our common stock. You should read and consider this entire prospectus carefully, including the sections titled “Risk Factors,” “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and our audited financial statements and the related notes included elsewhere in this prospectus, before making an investment decision. Except where the context otherwise requires or where otherwise indicated, the terms “TRexBio,” “we,” “us,” “our,” “our company,” “the company” and “our business” refer to TRex Bio, Inc. and its subsidiary.

Overview

We are a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on tissue Treg biology for the discovery and development of immunoregulatory medicines designed to restore immune balance and promote tissue repair to address unmet needs of patients with autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. TRexBio was built on a pivotal scientific insight: that regulatory T cells (“Tregs”) in human tissue are not merely passive suppressors of inflammation, but active orchestrators of tissue immune homeostasis and repair. Leveraging our Deep Biology drug discovery and design platform, we integrate tissue-level insights into human biology and Treg function to identify and characterize novel targets and approaches for therapeutic intervention. Our tissue-first conviction and unique insights in Treg biology are the foundation of our pipeline of therapeutic candidates aimed at restoring immune balance and promoting tissue repair for more durable disease control.

Our pipeline is focused on augmenting tissue Tregs to address critical treatment gaps in autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. Our most advanced wholly-owned product candidate, TRB-061, is an investigational tumor necrosis factor receptor 2 (“TNFR2”) agonist designed to expand and activate Tregs in inflamed tissues. We believe TRB-061 has broad, multi-indication potential, and are currently conducting a Phase 1a/b clinical trial of TRB-061 in healthy volunteers and patients with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis (“AD”). We expect to announce topline data from the Phase 1b portion of the TRB-061 trial in patients with moderate-to-severe AD in mid-2027. Our second wholly-owned product candidate, TRB-071, is an investigational TNF receptor superfamily member 8, better known as TNFRSF8 (or “CD30”) agonist designed to both augment tissue Tregs and block immune system inflammatory signaling axes. Genetic studies support the involvement of CD30 and its ligand in inflammatory bowel disease (“IBD”). TRB-071 is currently in IND-enabling studies and, subject to regulatory allowance to proceed, is expected to enter a Phase 1 trial in the first half of 2027. We believe TRB-071 has the potential to address the significant unmet need in IBD by directly targeting the immune system dysfunction in the gut barrier that drives disease pathology.

We believe each of our two lead product candidates has the potential to treat a range of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases with high unmet need, including AD, alopecia areata (“AA”) and IBD. Beyond our lead product candidates, we are advancing multiple preclinical-stage programs focused on differentiated aspects of Treg biology with the goal of transforming the lives of patients affected by autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. We believe our Deep Biology platform, built on a proprietary database of healthy and diseased tissue samples, is key to achieving this goal. Our platform is designed to decode Treg functionality in human tissue, mapping key drivers of immune dysregulation and uncovering novel targets and insights that inform our drug discovery and translational efforts.

Our approach is to fundamentally rethink the approaches historically utilized in autoimmune disease drug development. Current therapies in this space rely on broad immunosuppression or focus on inhibiting one or more of the pathways that drive inflammation and often leave patients with chronic residual disease or disease progression. Many patients do not achieve lasting, durable remission, and, given these limitations, a significant number of patients remain untreated or fail to continue treatment with current therapeutic options. By moving away from systemic immunosuppression to immunoregulation, we believe Treg augmentation has the potential to represent a transformative shift in treating and maintaining durable remission of immune-mediated diseases.

Tregs are master regulators of immune tolerance and mediators of tissue regeneration. The quantitative insufficiency, functional impairment, and phenotypic instability of Tregs in inflamed tissues are increasingly recognized as critical contributors to the pathogenesis of autoimmune and chronic inflammatory diseases. By studying Tregs in human tissues at high resolution, we better understand how those regulatory pathways affect other tissue immune and stromal cells, and how the failure of Treg-mediated tissue homeostasis drives chronic, self-perpetuating inflammatory cycles. Our approach is designed to address disease at its source—in the tissue—by developing medicines focused on tissue immune homeostasis that we believe have the potential to provide a durable clinical benefit.

Our most advanced wholly-owned product candidate, TRB-061, is a fragment crystallizable-fusion, or Fc-fusion, protein designed to agonize TNFR2, selectively, without activation of proinflammatory cells. TNFR2 is a member of the TNF receptor superfamily, a family of cytokine receptors that regulate immune responses and inflammation, and is enriched on tissue Tregs, including in the skin and gut. Our platform identified TNFR2 as a key node in tissue Treg regulatory pathways. Evidence from

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our preclinical and Phase 1a clinical trial in healthy participants has shown activation and expansion of a highly active subpopulation of Tregs in the tissue following administration of TRB-061, which function to promote restoration of immune balance, forkhead box P3 (“FOXP3”) epigenetic stabilization, and a tissue-reparative phenotype that we believe can address barrier dysfunction. TRB-061 is currently in Phase 1b clinical development in patients with moderate-to-severe AD, and we expect to announce topline data in mid-2027. In addition, we are exploring expanding development of TRB-061 into other autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, including AA, based on data from our platform and published evidence supporting TNFR2 agonism or Treg augmentation as a therapeutic strategy in these conditions.

We are also developing TRB-071, an investigational monoclonal antibody designed to leverage the biology of the CD30 and its associated ligand (“CD30L”) by agonizing CD30 to drive Treg activation, expansion and enhanced immune-regulatory capacity, while modulating the inflammatory pathway of CD30L. CD30 is a member of the TNF superfamily highly expressed on tissue Tregs. Human genetic studies have associated variants in both CD30 and CD30L with IBD susceptibility. In in vivo colitis models we saw reduced inflammation following treatment with TRB-071, and in our preclinical non-human primate studies, following administration of TRB-071 we observed Treg activation and expansion. We believe this dual mechanism, activating Tregs to restore immune balance while simultaneously modulating inflammatory signaling, has the potential to address underlying immune dysregulation in immune-mediated diseases such as IBD. We are currently conducting a three-month Good Laboratory Practice (“GLP”) toxicology study of TRB-071 in cynomolgus monkeys and, subject to regulatory allowance to proceed, expect to initiate a Phase 1 clinical trial in the first half of 2027.

A central principle of our approach is the ability to connect human disease biology to Treg mechanism of action. Leveraging our proprietary Deep Biology platform, we analyze gene expression, pathway activity and cellular states in disease-relevant human tissues to identify where Treg function is disrupted, whether through impaired activation, instability, altered trafficking, or loss of tissue-reparative programs. These insights inform our target selection process and our design of translational strategies to align with the underlying disease biology. By linking target biology, Treg functional programs, and disease-specific immune dysregulation, we aim to establish a coherent framework that enables rational clinical development and early demonstration of biological activity in patients. Our platform is built on three integrated pillars: (1) Deep tissue biology and computational mapping to pinpoint disease-relevant biology with speed and precision; (2) our Treg Atlas, which recreates human tissue-specific Treg states in vitro; and (3) our Functional Assay Cascade, that interrogates multiple dimensions of Treg biology. Together, we believe these capabilities give us unique access to immune-mediated disease pathology, targets, and insights into how to approach the validation and development of therapeutic candidates in relevant target indications.

In addition to our own pipeline of product candidates, we believe the translational power and proprietary ability to discover novel ways to augment Treg biology through our Deep Biology platform have been validated through strategic target-discovery collaborations with global pharmaceutical leaders. We have an ongoing collaboration with Lilly which is advancing a clinical product candidate first identified and developed utilizing our platform.

Our Pipeline

We are leveraging our Deep Biology platform to discover and develop product candidates for the treatment of a wide range of immune-mediated diseases. Our therapeutic product candidates are summarized in the table below:

 

img234884785_1.jpg

 

We have an ongoing collaboration with Lilly for TRB-051, a modulator of immune effector cells, first identified and advanced under a multi-year discovery collaboration leveraging our platform. In June 2024, we announced that Lilly had initiated a Phase 1 first-in-human study for TRB-051. In June 2026, we announced that Lilly intends to move TRB-051 into a Phase 2a clinical trial in lupus with cutaneous involvement in the second half of 2026.

 

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TRB-061: A TNFR2 agonist

Our most advanced wholly-owned clinical-stage product candidate, TRB-061, is a novel, selective TNFR2 agonist Fc-fusion protein designed to activate and expand Tregs in inflamed tissues and restore immune balance without stimulating unwanted immune cells. We are developing TRB-061 for a variety of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, with an initial focus on patients with AD. We initiated a Phase 1a clinical trial in healthy volunteers in June 2025. Based on the safety and biomarker data supporting proof-of-mechanism from the Phase 1a portion of this trial, the Phase 1b portion of this clinical trial in patients with moderate-to-severe AD began in April 2026, and we expect to announce topline data in mid-2027. In addition to evaluating safety and pharmacokinetics (“PK”), the Phase 1b part of this study includes pharmacodynamic (“PD”) biomarkers from skin and includes exploratory clinical efficacy endpoints.

AD is a chronic, relapsing, intensely itchy inflammatory skin disease that can cause severe disruption to daily life and affects approximately 16 million American adults and an estimated 225 million individuals globally. Available treatments for AD are often limited by contraindications, side effects, and lack of efficacy, and are commonly associated with disease rebound when patients stop treatment. No approved therapies have been shown to induce durable remission independent of ongoing treatment, highlighting an unmet medical need for safer, more effective treatment options that address the underlying pathophysiology of AD.

TRB-071: A CD30 agonist

TRB-071 is an investigational agonist monoclonal antibody targeting CD30, a TNF receptor superfamily selectively enriched on a subset of tissue Tregs. TRB-071 is designed to induce expansion and increase immune-regulatory activity in Tregs and additionally block the inflammatory action of CD30L. Blocking CD30L has been shown to inhibit disease in third-party colitis models. Human genetic studies have associated variants in both CD30 and CD30L with IBD susceptibility. Together with our findings on tissue Treg biology, these data suggest that the CD30/CD30L axes contribute to both immune regulation and inflammatory responses. In our preclinical studies in non-human primates, we observed Treg activation and expansion following administration of TRB-071, and in in vivo colitis models we observed reduced inflammation after administration of TRB-071. We believe this dual mechanism of activating Tregs to restore immune balance while simultaneously modulating inflammatory signaling, has the potential to address underlying immune dysregulation in immune-mediated diseases such as IBD. IND-enabling activities for TRB-071 are ongoing, and, subject to regulatory allowance to proceed, we expect to initiate a Phase 1 clinical trial in the first half of 2027.

IBD, including Crohn’s disease (“CD”) and ulcerative colitis (“UC”), currently affects approximately 3 million Americans and is expected to affect more than 10 million patients worldwide by 2032, with its highest prevalence found in North America and Europe. Approved systemic treatments for IBD often carry safety concerns, including infections, cardiovascular events, malignancies, gastrointestinal perforations, and progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, among others, suggesting a meaningful gap in adequate patient care and therapeutic benefit. Development of additional therapies with novel mechanisms of action is imperative as patients often progress through existing advanced therapies. Considering the significant unmet medical need and treatment burden, we have identified IBD as an initial priority disease area for exploration.

Collaboration and Early Research and Discovery Pipeline

We are also advancing multiple preclinical-stage programs addressing differentiated aspects of tissue Treg biology informed by our proprietary Deep Biology platform. We believe the scientific depth and translational value of our platform have been independently validated by multi-year, de novo target-discovery and selection collaborations with global pharmaceutical companies. We have an ongoing collaboration with Lilly for a therapeutic candidate that we call TRB-051. TRB-051 is a modulator of immune effector cells, first identified and advanced under a multi-year discovery collaboration leveraging our platform. In June 2024, we announced that Lilly had initiated a Phase 1 first-in-human study for TRB-051. In June 2026, we announced that Lilly intends to move TRB-051 into a Phase 2a clinical trial in lupus with cutaneous involvement in the second half of 2026.

Our Team

We have assembled an experienced management team and board of directors with decades of experience in the foundational areas of immunology, Treg biology, and drug development. M. Johnston Erwin, Jr., our Chief Executive Officer, spent over 35 years at Lilly in leadership roles across regulatory, clinical, and corporate development. We are also guided by our board of directors, and scientific advisors who are key opinion leaders in Treg biology, dermatology, and gastroenterology.

TRexBio has been built with the support of a syndicate of leading healthcare investors who share our conviction in the transformative potential of tissue Treg focused immunology. We have raised approximately $220 million in aggregate equity financing to date. Our investor syndicate includes SV Health, Pfizer Ventures, Janus Henderson, Alexandria Ventures, Delos Capital, and Polaris Partners. Notably, we established pharmaceutical collaborations with each of Lilly and Janssen Pharmaceutica NV (“Janssen”), an affiliate of Johnson & Johnson Innovation—JJDC, Inc (“JJDC”). Lilly and JJDC are also

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each equity holders in TRexBio, reflecting their belief in both the scientific productivity of our Deep Biology platform and the long-term strategic value of our approach to Treg-biology-informed drug discovery. Notwithstanding the foregoing, these collaborations and equity investments should not be viewed as guarantees of future success, continued investment, or the achievement of any particular milestones or commercial outcomes. Prospective investors should not rely on the investment decisions of our existing investors, as these investors may have different risk tolerances and have received their shares in prior offerings at prices lower than the price offered to the public in this offering. See “Certain Relationships and Related Person Transactions” for more information.

Our Strategy

Our goal is to become the leading company in Treg biology for restoration of immune balance and tissue repair by developing medicines that achieve durable, disease-modifying benefit by addressing autoimmune and inflammatory disease where they occur. Our deep understanding of human tissue immune biology and our expertise in how Tregs function in health and disease in specific tissue compartments are both our scientific foundation and our competitive advantage. The key tenets of our business strategy to achieve our goal of becoming the preeminent leader in Treg biology and drug development are as follows:

•
Establish clinical proof-of-concept that targeting Treg-mediated immunoregulation in the tissue can improve disease outcomes;
•
Maximize the potential of TRB-061 in a broad range of chronic autoimmune and inflammatory diseases;
•
Advance our preclinical pipeline of product candidates, including TRB-071, for additional autoimmune and inflammatory diseases into clinical trials;
•
Grow and sustain the world’s leading tissue Treg biology organization, built on the foundation of our Deep Biology platform; and
•
Selectively evaluate strategic collaborations to maximize the reach and value of our technology platform in a capital efficient manner.

Risk Factors Summary

Our business is subject to a number of risks of which you should be aware before making an investment decision regarding shares of our common stock. These risks are discussed more fully in the “Risk Factors” section of this prospectus immediately following this prospectus summary. Some of the most significant challenges and risks we face include the following:

•
We are a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company with a limited operating history and no products approved for commercial sale; we have incurred substantial losses since our inception, and we anticipate incurring substantial and increasing losses for the foreseeable future;
•
Even if this offering is successful, we will require substantial additional financing to achieve our goals, and failure to obtain additional capital when needed, or on acceptable terms, would cause us to delay, limit, reduce or terminate our product development efforts;
•
Raising additional capital may cause dilution to our stockholders, including purchasers of common stock in this offering, imposing restrictions on our operations or require us to relinquish rights to our product candidates;
•
Clinical development is lengthy and expensive, characterized by uncertain outcomes, with results of earlier studies and trials often failing to predict future trial results or results in other indications of a product candidate. We may incur additional costs or experience delays in completing, or fail to complete, the development and commercialization of our current product candidates or any future product candidates;
•
Delays or difficulties in the enrollment and dosing of patients in clinical trials delay or prevent receipt of necessary regulatory approvals;
•
Any significant adverse events or undesirable side effects caused by our product candidates may delay or prevent regulatory approval or market acceptance of our product candidates, or result in significant negative consequences following marketing approval, if any;
•
We face potential competition from different sources that have made substantial investments into the rapid development of novel treatments for autoimmune and inflammatory indications, including large and specialty pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, many of which already have approved therapies in our current indications;

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•
We have identified a material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting. If we are unable to implement and maintain the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting, our investors may lose confidence in the accuracy and completeness of our financial reports, which could adversely affect our stock price.
•
We may not realize the benefits of our current or future collaborations or licensing arrangements and may be unsuccessful in consummating future partnerships;
•
Even if we complete the necessary clinical trials, we cannot predict when, or if, we will obtain regulatory approval to commercialize any product candidate in the United States or any other jurisdiction, and any such approval may be for a more narrow indication than we seek;
•
We are dependent on the services of our senior management and other clinical and scientific personnel, and if we are not able to retain these individuals or recruit additional management or clinical and scientific personnel, our business will suffer;
•
We will need to grow our organization, and we may experience difficulties in managing our growth and expanding our operations, which could adversely affect our business;
•
The manufacturing of our product candidates is complex, and our third-party manufacturers may encounter difficulties in production. If our third-party manufacturers encounter such difficulties, our ability to provide supply of our product candidates for clinical trials, our ability to obtain marketing approval, or provide commercial supply of our products, if approved, could be delayed or halted;
•
If we are unable to obtain and maintain sufficient intellectual property protection for our product candidates or any future product candidates we may develop, or if the scope of the intellectual property protection obtained is not sufficiently broad, our competitors or other third parties could develop and commercialize products similar or identical to ours, and our ability to successfully develop and commercialize our product candidates may be adversely impacted;
•
We have relied and expect to continue to rely on third parties to conduct our preclinical studies and clinical trials. If those third parties do not perform as contractually required, fail to satisfy legal or regulatory requirements, miss deadlines or terminate the relationship, our development programs could be delayed, more costly or unsuccessful, and we may never be able to seek or obtain regulatory approval for or commercialize our product candidates;
•
The operations of our suppliers, many of which are located outside of the United States, including our current sole contract manufacturing organization (“CMO”) for drug substance and drug product are subject to additional risks that are beyond our control and that could harm our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects;
•
An active and liquid trading market for our common stock may not develop, and you may not be able to resell your shares of common stock at or above the public offering price, if at all; and
•
The market price of our common stock may be volatile, which could result in substantial losses for investors purchasing shares in this offering.

If we are unable to adequately address these and other risks we face, our business, results of operations, financial condition and prospects may be harmed.

Corporate and Other Information

TRex Bio, Inc. was incorporated on May 24, 2018, as a Delaware corporation. Our business was originally conducted through TRex Bio Limited, a company incorporated under the laws of England and Wales on January 30, 2018 (initially named Cingularity Therapeutics Limited). In November 2021, we completed a corporate reorganization pursuant to which TRex Holdings Inc., a newly formed Delaware corporation, acquired all of the outstanding shares of TRex Bio Limited through a share exchange, and subsequently acquired all of TRex Bio Limited’s assets and liabilities pursuant to a business transfer agreement, in order to consolidate our business and legal entity structure into the United States. On December 31, 2024, TRex Holdings Inc. merged with and into TRex Bio, Inc., its wholly-owned Delaware subsidiary, with TRex Bio, Inc. continuing as the surviving corporation; in connection with the merger, all outstanding shares of capital stock and options of TRex Holdings Inc. were converted on a one-for-one basis into corresponding shares of capital stock and options of TRex Bio, Inc. Our principal executive offices are located at 269 East Grand Avenue, Suite 300, South San Francisco, CA 94080, and our telephone number is (650) 567-5582. Our corporate website address is trex.bio. Information contained on or accessible through our website is not a part of this prospectus, and the inclusion of our website address in this prospectus is an inactive textual reference only. You should not rely on any such information in deciding whether to purchase our common stock.

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This prospectus contains references to our trademarks and trade names, including, without limitation, “TRexBio” and our logo, which are protected under applicable intellectual property laws and are our property. This prospectus also contains trademarks, trade names, and service marks of other companies, which are the property of their respective owners. Solely for convenience, trademarks, trade names and service marks referred to in this prospectus, including logos, artwork and other visual displays, may appear without the ®, ™ or SM symbols, but such references are not intended to indicate in any way that we or the applicable owner will not assert, to the fullest extent under applicable law, our or its rights or the rights of the applicable licensor to these trademarks and trade names. We do not intend our use or display of other entities’ trademarks, trade names or service marks to imply a relationship with, or endorsement or sponsorship of us by, these other entities.

Implications of Being an Emerging Growth Company and a Smaller Reporting Company

We qualify as an “emerging growth company” as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (the “JOBS Act”). As an emerging growth company, we may take advantage of specified reduced disclosure and other requirements that are otherwise applicable generally to public companies, including reduced disclosure about our executive compensation arrangements, exemption from the requirements to hold non-binding advisory votes on executive compensation and golden parachute payments and exemption from the auditor attestation requirement in the assessment of our internal control over financial reporting.

We may take advantage of these exemptions until the last day of the fiscal year following the fifth anniversary of the date of the completion of this offering or such earlier time that we are no longer an emerging growth company. We would cease to be an emerging growth company earlier if we have more than $1.235 billion in total annual gross revenues (based on our most recently completed fiscal year), we have more than $700.0 million in market value of our common stock held by non-affiliates as of the last business day of the second fiscal quarter of such year (and we have been a public company for at least 12 months and have filed one Annual Report on Form 10-K) or we issue more than $1.0 billion of non-convertible debt securities over a three-year period. For so long as we remain an emerging growth company, we are permitted, and intend, to rely on exemptions from certain disclosure requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not emerging growth companies. We may choose to take advantage of some, but not all, of the available exemptions.

We have elected to take advantage of certain of the reduced disclosure obligations in the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part and may elect to take advantage of other reduced reporting requirements in future filings. In particular, in this prospectus, we have provided only two years of audited financial statements and have not included all of the executive compensation related information that would be required if we were not an emerging growth company. As a result, the information that we provide to our stockholders may be different than you might receive from other public reporting companies in which you hold equity interests.

In addition, the JOBS Act provides that an emerging growth company can take advantage of an extended transition period for complying with new or revised accounting standards. This allows an emerging growth company to delay the adoption of certain accounting standards until those standards would otherwise apply to private companies. We have elected not to “opt out” of such extended transition period, which means that when a standard is issued or revised and it has different application dates for public or private companies, we will adopt the new or revised standard at the time private companies adopt the new or revised standard and will do so until such time that we either (i) irrevocably elect to “opt out” of such extended transition period or (ii) no longer qualify as an emerging growth company. We may choose to early adopt any new or revised accounting standards whenever such early adoption is permitted for private companies. Therefore, the reported results of operations contained in our financial statements may not be directly comparable to those of other public companies.

We are also a “smaller reporting company,” meaning that the market value of our stock held by non-affiliates plus the proposed aggregate amount of gross proceeds to us as a result of this offering is less than $700.0 million and our annual revenue is less than $100.0 million during the most recently completed fiscal year. We may continue to be a smaller reporting company after this offering if either (i) the market value of our stock held by non-affiliates is less than $250.0 million or (ii) our annual revenue is less than $100.0 million during the most recently completed fiscal year and the market value of our stock held by non-affiliates is less than $700.0 million. If we are a smaller reporting company at the time we cease to be an emerging growth company, we may continue to rely on exemptions from certain disclosure requirements that are available to smaller reporting companies. Specifically, as a smaller reporting company we may choose to present only the two most recent fiscal years of audited financial statements in our Annual Report on Form 10-K and, similar to emerging growth companies, smaller reporting companies have reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation. We may continue to be a smaller reporting company until the fiscal year following the determination that we no longer meet the requirements necessary to be considered a smaller reporting company.

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The Offering

 

Common stock offered by us

        shares.

Underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares

We have granted the underwriters an option for a period of 30 days to purchase up to     additional shares of our common stock.

Common stock to be outstanding immediately after this offering

       shares (or shares if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares in full).

Use of proceeds

We estimate that our net proceeds from this offering will be approximately $ million (or approximately $ million if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares in full), based on an assumed initial public offering price of $ per share, which is the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, and after deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.

We intend to use the net proceeds from this offering, together with our
existing cash and cash equivalents, (i) to advance the clinical development of TRB-061, including to fund Phase 2 trials for patients
with AD and for patients with AA through topline data, (ii) to advance the clinical development of TRB-071, including initiating and completing a Phase 1 trial in healthy volunteers, and (iii) to use the remainder for working capital and other general corporate purposes. See the section titled “Use of Proceeds.”

Risk factors

You should carefully read the “Risk Factors” section of this prospectus and the other information included in this prospectus for a discussion of factors that you should consider before deciding to invest in our common stock.

Directed share program

At our request, the underwriters have reserved up to % of the shares offered by this prospectus for sale at the initial public offering price to certain individuals through a directed share program, including our directors, officers, employees and certain other individuals identified by management. The sales will be made at our direction by J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and its affiliates through a directed share program. The number of shares of our common stock available for sale to the general public in this offering will be reduced to the extent that such persons purchase reserved shares. Any reserved shares not so purchased will be offered by the underwriters to the general public on the same terms as the other shares of our common stock offered by this prospectus. Except for any shares acquired by our directors and officers, shares purchased pursuant to the directed share program will not be subject to lock-up agreements with the underwriters. See the section titled “Underwriting” for additional information.

Proposed Nasdaq trading symbol

“TRXB”

 

The number of shares of our common stock to be outstanding immediately after this offering is based on 73,867,448 shares of our common stock outstanding as of June 30, 2026, after giving effect to the Preferred Stock Conversion (as defined below), and excludes:

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•
11,518,123 shares of our common stock issuable upon the exercise of outstanding stock options under our 2024 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended (the “2024 Plan”), as of June 30, 2026, with a weighted-average exercise price of $0.31 per share;
•
2,970,168 shares of common stock reserved for future issuance under the 2024 Plan as of June 30, 2026;
•
shares of our common stock reserved for future issuance under our 2026 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2026 Plan”), which will become effective in connection with this offering; and
•
shares of our common stock reserved for issuance under our 2026 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the “ESPP”), which will become effective in connection with this offering.

Except as otherwise noted, all information in this prospectus assumes or gives effect to the following:

•
a 1-for reverse stock split of our common stock effected on , 2026;
•
the automatic conversion of all outstanding shares of our redeemable convertible preferred stock as of June 30, 2026 into an aggregate of shares of our common stock in connection with the completion of this offering (the “Preferred Stock Conversion”);
•
the filing and effectiveness of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation (the “Restated Charter”) and the adoption of our amended and restated bylaws (the “Restated Bylaws”), in connection with the completion of this offering;
•
no purchases of the shares of our common stock by existing stockholders or their affiliates pursuant to the directed share program;
•
no exercise by the underwriters of their option to purchase additional shares of our common stock; and
•
no exercise of the outstanding stock options described above.

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SUMMARY FINANCIAL DATA

You should read the following summary financial data together with the section titled “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in this prospectus and our financial statements and the related notes included elsewhere in this prospectus. The statements of operations data for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2025 have been derived from our audited financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus. The summary interim statements of operations data for the six months ended June 30, 2025 and 2026, and the summary interim balance sheet data as of June 30, 2026, have been derived from our unaudited interim financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus. Our historical results are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for any future period, and our results for any interim period are not necessarily indicative of results that may be expected for any full year. The summary financial data in this section are not intended to replace our financial statements and the related notes included elsewhere in this prospectus and are qualified in their entirety by our financial statements and the related notes.

 

 

 

For the Year Ended December 31,

 

 

For the Six Months Ended June 30,

 

 

 

2024

 

 

2025

 

 

2025

 

 

2026

 

Collaboration revenue

 

$

39,108

 

 

$

—

 

 

$

—

 

 

$

—

 

Operating expenses:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Research and development

 

 

34,989

 

 

 

29,809

 

 

 

14,966

 

 

 

26,030

 

General and administrative

 

 

6,500

 

 

 

8,036

 

 

 

4,258

 

 

 

4,988

 

Total operating expenses

 

 

41,489

 

 

 

37,845

 

 

 

19,224

 

 

 

31,018

 

Loss from operations

 

 

(2,381

)

 

 

(37,845

)

 

 

(19,224

)

 

 

(31,018

)

Interest income

 

 

2,007

 

 

 

3,154

 

 

 

1,568

 

 

 

1,755

 

Other expense, net

 

 

(70

)

 

 

(69

)

 

 

(66

)

 

 

(3

)

Total other income, net

 

 

1,937

 

 

 

3,085

 

 

 

1,502

 

 

 

1,752

 

Loss before provision for income taxes

 

 

(444

)

 

 

(34,760

)

 

 

(17,722

)

 

 

(29,266

)

Provision for income taxes

 

 

2,700

 

 

 

46

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

42

 

Net loss

 

 

(3,144

)

 

 

(34,806

)

 

 

(17,722

)

 

 

(29,308

)

Series A preferred stock dividends

 

 

(5,745

)

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

Net loss attributable to common stockholders

 

$

(8,889

)

 

$

(34,806

)

 

$

(17,722

)

 

$

(29,308

)

Net loss per share attributable to common stockholders, basic and
   diluted
(1)

 

$

(2.31

)

 

$

(8.59

)

 

$

(4.48

)

 

$

(6.23

)

Weighted-average shares used to compute net loss per share
   attributable to common stockholders, basic and diluted
(1)

 

 

3,850,158

 

 

 

4,051,552

 

 

 

3,953,989

 

 

 

4,704,728

 

Comprehensive loss:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net loss

 

 

(3,144

)

 

 

(34,806

)

 

 

(17,722

)

 

 

(29,308

)

Unrealized gain on marketable securities

 

 

8

 

 

 

9

 

 

 

(11

)

 

 

(165

)

Comprehensive loss

 

$

(3,136

)

 

$

(34,797

)

 

$

(17,733

)

 

$

(29,473

)

Pro forma net loss per share, basic and diluted(1)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pro forma weighted-average shares used to compute net loss per
   share, basic and diluted
(1)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(1)
See Note 2 to our financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus for an explanation of the method used to calculate our historical basic and diluted net loss per share attributable to common shareholders and the weighted-average number of shares of common stock used in the computation of these per share amounts.

 

 

As of June 30, 2026

 

(in thousands)

 

Actual

 

 

Pro Forma(1)

 

 

Pro Forma As

Adjusted(2)(3)

 

Balance Sheet Data:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities

$

90,854

 

$

90,854

 

$

 

 

Working capital(4)

 

85,603

 

 

85,603

 

 

 

 

Total assets

 

96,612

 

 

96,612

 

 

 

 

Total liabilities

 

8,984

 

 

8,984

 

 

 

 

Redeemable convertible preferred stock

 

208,838

 

 

—

 

 

 

 

Accumulated deficit

 

(123,567)

 

 

(123,567)

 

 

 

 

Total stockholders’ (deficit) equity

 

(121,210)

 

 

87,628

 

 

 

 

 

(1)
The pro forma balance sheet data gives effect to (i) the Preferred Stock Conversion and the related reclassification of the carrying value of the redeemable convertible preferred stock to permanent equity immediately prior to and in connection

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with the completion of this offering and (ii) the filing and effectiveness of our Restated Charter in connection with the completion of this offering.
(2)
The pro forma as adjusted balance sheet data gives effect to the (i) pro forma adjustments described in footnote (1) above, and (ii) issuance and sale of shares of our common stock in this offering at an assumed initial public offering price of $ per share, which is the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, and after deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.
(3)
The pro forma adjustments in this footnote and the footnotes above, as well as the related information in the balance sheet data, are illustrative only and will change based on the actual initial public offering price and other terms of this offering determined at pricing. Each $1.00 increase or decrease in the assumed initial public offering price of $ per share, which is the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, would increase or decrease, as applicable, the pro forma as adjusted amount of each of cash and cash equivalents, additional paid-in capital, total assets and total stockholders’ (deficit) equity by approximately $ million, assuming that the number of shares offered by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, remains the same, and after deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us. Similarly, each increase or decrease of 1,000,000 shares in the number of shares offered by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, would increase or decrease, as applicable, the pro forma as adjusted amount of each of cash and cash equivalents, additional paid-in capital, total assets and total stockholders’ (deficit) equity by approximately $ million, assuming no change in the assumed initial public offering price per share and after deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.
(4)
We define working capital as current assets, less current liabilities. See our financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this prospectus for further details regarding our current assets and current liabilities.

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RISK FACTORS

Investing in our common stock involves a high degree of risk. Before deciding to invest in shares of our common stock, you should carefully consider the risks described below, together with the other information contained in this prospectus, including in the section titled “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and in our audited financial statements and the related notes. The risks and uncertainties set out below are not the only risks we face. Additional risks and uncertainties not currently known to us or that we currently deem to be immaterial also may materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations, liquidity and stock price. If any of the following events occur, our business, financial condition, and operating results could be materially and adversely affected. In that case, the trading price of our common stock could decline, and you may lose all or part of your investment.

Risks Related to Our Financial Position and Need for Capital

We are an early-stage biotech company with a limited operating history and no products approved for commercial sale, which may make it difficult to evaluate our current business and predict our future success and viability. We have incurred net losses in every year except one since our inception. We expect to continue to incur net losses in the future.

We are a clinical-stage biotechnology company with a limited operating history. Since our inception in 2018, we have invested most of our resources in developing our product candidates, building our intellectual property portfolio, conducting business planning, organizing and staffing our company, raising capital, conducting preclinical studies and, more recently, clinical trials and providing general and administrative support for these operations. Biopharmaceutical product development is a highly speculative undertaking, involving substantial upfront capital expenditure and significant risk. Any product candidate may fail to demonstrate adequate efficacy or an acceptable safety profile, gain regulatory approval or become commercially viable, despite substantial investment on development or commercialization. To date, we have not yet demonstrated our ability to successfully obtain regulatory approvals, manufacture a product on a commercial scale, or arrange for a third party to do so on its behalf, or conduct sales and marketing activities necessary for successful commercialization. Consequently, predictions about our future success or viability may not be as accurate as they could be if we had a longer operating history or a history of successfully developing and commercializing biopharmaceutical products. We continue to incur significant research and development and other expenses related to our ongoing operations. As a result, we are not profitable and have incurred losses in each year since our inception except for the year ended December 31, 2023 during which we received a one-time upfront payment of $55.0 million from Eli Lilly and Company, and recognized total collaboration revenue of $41.9 million across our collaboration agreements. For the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2025, we had net losses of $3.1 million and $34.8 million, respectively. For the six months ended June 30, 2026, we had a net loss of $29.3 million. As of June 30, 2026, we had an accumulated deficit of $123.6 million. We expect to continue to incur significant losses for the foreseeable future and expect these losses to increase as we continue our research and development of, and seek regulatory approvals for, our wholly-owned clinical-stage product candidates, TRB-061 and TRB-071, along with any other product candidates we may develop.

We anticipate that our expenses will increase substantially if, and as, we:

•
continue the research and development of our clinical- and preclinical-stage product candidates and discovery-stage programs, including the continued development of our most advanced wholly-owned product candidates, TRB-061 and TRB-071;
•
increase the amount of research and development activities to identify and develop product candidates to advance into clinical trial development;
•
maintain, expand and protect our intellectual property portfolio;
•
expand our operational, financial and management systems and increase personnel, including personnel to support our clinical development, manufacturing and commercialization efforts;
•
establish sales, marketing and distribution infrastructure to commercialize any products for which we may obtain regulatory approval and intend to commercialize on our own or jointly with third parties;
•
procure the manufacturing of preclinical, clinical and commercial supply of our current or any other product candidates;
•
incur additional costs associated with operating as a public company following the closing of this offering;
•
establish agreements with contract research organizations (“CROs”), and contract manufacturing organizations (“CMOs”); and
•
experience any delays or encounter any issues with any of the above, including but not limited to failed studies or trials, complex results, manufacturing challenges, safety issues or other regulatory challenges.

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To become and remain profitable, we and any current or potential future collaborators must develop and eventually commercialize products with significant market potential. This will require us to be successful in a range of challenging activities, including completing preclinical studies and clinical trials, manufacturing our product candidates, either on our own or with our CMOs, obtaining regulatory approval for product candidates, marketing and selling any products for which we may obtain regulatory approval and satisfying any post-marketing requirements. We may never succeed in any or all of these activities and, even if we do, we may never generate revenue that is significant or large enough to achieve profitability. If we do achieve profitability, we may not be able to sustain or increase profitability. Our failure to become and remain profitable would decrease the value of the company and could impair our ability to raise capital, maintain our research and development efforts, expand our business or continue our operations.

Even if we succeed in commercializing one or more of our product candidates, we will continue to incur substantial research and development and other expenditures to develop and market additional product candidates. We may encounter unforeseen expenses, difficulties, complications, delays and other unknown factors that may adversely affect our business. Our future results of operations will depend, in part, on the rate of future growth of our expenses and our ability to generate revenue.

Even if this offering is successful, we will need substantial additional funding in order to maintain our operations and advance the development and commercialization of our product candidates. Failure to obtain this necessary capital when needed, or on acceptable terms, may force us to delay, reduce or eliminate certain of our product development or research operations.

The development of biopharmaceutical product candidates, including conducting preclinical studies and clinical trials, is a time-consuming, capital-intensive and uncertain process. Our operations have consumed substantial amounts of cash since inception. To date, we have funded our operations primarily with proceeds from the sale of our convertible preferred stock. We expect our expenses to increase in connection with our ongoing activities, particularly as we advance our Phase 1 trial of TRB-061 and continue to research, develop and initiate clinical trials of TRB-071 and our other product candidates. In addition, if we successfully develop and obtain regulatory approval for any of our product candidates, we expect to incur significant commercialization expenses related to product manufacturing, marketing, sales, and distribution. Accordingly, we will need to obtain substantial additional funding in connection with our continuing operations. If we are unable to raise capital when needed or on acceptable terms, we could be forced to delay, reduce, or eliminate our product development programs or any future commercialization efforts.

As of June 30, 2026, we had cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities of approximately $90.9 million. Based on our current operating plan, we expect that our existing cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities, together with the net proceeds from this offering, will be sufficient to fund our operating expenses and capital expenditure requirements for more than twelve months from the date of this prospectus. We have based this estimate on assumptions that may prove to be wrong, and we could use our capital resources sooner than we currently expect. We expect to attempt to raise additional cash in advance of exhausting our available capital resources.

We will not generate revenue from product sales unless and until we successfully complete clinical development and obtain regulatory approval for a product candidate, and we may not ever generate significant revenue or profits. In addition, upon the completion of this offering, we expect to incur additional costs associated with operating as a public company, including significant legal, accounting, investor relations, and other expenses that we did not incur as a private company. If we obtain regulatory approval for a product candidate and do not enter into a third-party commercialization partnership, we expect to incur significant expenses related to developing our commercialization capability to support product sales, marketing, manufacturing and distribution activities. We may also require additional capital to pursue in-licenses or acquisitions of other product candidates. As a result, we expect to incur substantial operating losses and negative operating cash flows for the foreseeable future.

Because of the numerous risks and uncertainties, length of time and scope of activities associated with research, development and commercialization of product candidates, we are unable to estimate the exact amount of our working capital requirements. Our future funding requirements, both near and long-term, will depend on, and could increase significantly as a result of, many factors, including, but not limited to:

 

•
the scope, timing, progress results and costs of our ongoing TRB-061 and TRB-071 clinical and preclinical studies and other research and development activities associated with the development of our other and future product candidates;
•
the costs, timing and outcome of regulatory review of product candidates;
•
the costs of future activities, including product sales, medical affairs, marketing, manufacturing and distribution, for any product candidates for which we receive marketing approval;

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•
the costs of establishing and maintaining arrangements with third party manufacturers for the commercial supply of products that receive marketing approval, if any;
•
the costs and timing of manufacturing for TRB-061, TRB-071, and other product candidates, including commercial manufacturing at sufficient scale, if any product candidate is approved, including as a result of inflation, any supply chain issues or component shortages;
•
the revenue, if any, received from commercial sale of our products, should any product candidates receive marketing approval;
•
the cash requirements of any future acquisitions or discovery of product candidates;
•
the cost and timing of attracting, hiring and retaining skilled personnel to support our operations and continued growth;
•
the cost of being a public company, including implementing operational, financial and management systems to remediate an existing material weakness;
•
the costs of preparing, filing and prosecuting patent applications, maintaining and enforcing our intellectual property rights and defending intellectual property-related claims;
•
our ability to establish and maintain collaborations, strategic partnerships or marketing, distribution, licensing, or other strategic arrangements with third parties on favorable terms, if at all;
•
our ability to achieve sufficient market acceptance, coverage and adequate reimbursement from third-party payors and adequate market share and revenue for any approved products;
•
the timing, receipt and amount of sales of, or milestone payments related to or royalties on, current or future product candidates, if any; and
•
the costs associated with operating as a public company following the completion of this offering, including legal, accounting, or other expenses in operating our business.

We do not have any committed external source of funds or other support for our development efforts and we cannot be certain that additional funding will be available on acceptable terms or at all. Until we can generate sufficient product or other revenue to finance our cash requirements, which we may never achieve, we expect to finance our future cash requirements through a combination of equity offerings, debt financings or other capital sources, including potential collaborations, out-licenses or dispositions and other similar arrangements.

Our ability to raise additional funds will depend on financial, economic and market conditions and other factors, over which we may have no or limited control. Market volatility resulting from geopolitical and economic instability, including as a result of trade policy, inflation and the wars between Russia and Ukraine and in the Middle East or other factors could also adversely impact our ability to access capital as and when needed. If adequate funds are not available on commercially acceptable terms when needed, we may be forced to delay, reduce or terminate the development or commercialization of all or part of our research programs or product candidates or we may be unable to take advantage of future business opportunities.

Raising additional capital may cause dilution to our stockholders and may restrict our operations or require us to relinquish rights to our product candidates.

Until such time, if ever, as we can generate substantial product revenue, we expect to finance our cash needs through equity offerings, debt financings or other capital sources, including potential collaborations, out-licenses or dispositions and other similar arrangements. To the extent that we raise additional capital through the sale of equity or convertible debt securities, our stockholders may be diluted, and the terms of these securities may include liquidation or other preferences that may adversely affect the rights of our stockholders. Debt and equity financings, if available, may involve agreements that include covenants limiting or restricting our ability to take specific actions, such as redeeming shares, making investments, incurring additional debt, making capital expenditures, declaring dividends or placing limitations on our ability to acquire, sell or license intellectual property rights.

If we raise additional capital through future collaborations, strategic alliances or third-party licensing arrangements, we may have to relinquish certain valuable rights to our intellectual property, future revenue streams, research programs or product candidates or grant licenses on terms that may not be favorable to us. If we are unable to raise additional capital when needed, we may be required to delay, limit, reduce or terminate our clinical development or future commercialization efforts or grant rights to develop and market product candidates that we would otherwise prefer to develop and market ourselves.

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Further, we may not be able to access a portion of our existing cash due to market conditions. If banks and financial institutions with whom we hold accounts enter receivership or become insolvent in the future in response to financial conditions affecting the banking system and financial markets, our ability to access our existing cash may be threatened and could have a material adverse effect on our business and financial condition.

Risks Related to Product Candidate Development and Commercialization

Preclinical and clinical development is lengthy and expensive, characterized by uncertain outcomes, with results of earlier studies and trials often failing to predict future trial results or results in other indications of a product candidate. We may incur additional costs or experience delays in completing, or fail to complete, the development and commercialization of our product candidates.

Our business is dependent on our ability to successfully complete preclinical and clinical development of, obtain regulatory approval for, and, if approved, successfully commercialize our product candidates in a timely manner. We face substantial risk of failure with our product candidates, and we may fail to receive regulatory approval for any of our product candidates. To obtain the requisite regulatory approvals to commercialize any product candidate, we must demonstrate to the satisfaction of applicable regulatory authorities, through extensive preclinical studies and lengthy, complex and expensive clinical trials, that a product candidate is safe, pure and potent (or effective) for its intended uses. Clinical testing often takes many years to complete, and its outcome is inherently uncertain. The results of preclinical studies and early clinical trials of our product candidates may not predict results of later-stage clinical trials, and results in one indication may not predict results for the same product candidate in another target indication. Differences in trial design between early-stage clinical trials and later-stage clinical trials raise challenges for extrapolating the results of earlier clinical trials to later clinical trials.

A number of companies in the biopharmaceutical industry have suffered significant setbacks in advanced clinical trials due to lack of efficacy or unfavorable safety profiles, notwithstanding promising results in earlier trials. The results of our clinical trials for any product candidates may not achieve statistical significance or demonstrate a favorable risk-benefit profile. Further, negative clinical trial results for a product candidate with respect to one target indication may impact the potential or perceived potential of other target indications. Moreover, preclinical and clinical data are often susceptible to varying interpretations and analyses, and many companies that have believed their product candidates performed satisfactorily in clinical trials have nonetheless failed to obtain regulatory approval of such product candidates.

Before commencing clinical trials of a product candidate in a jurisdiction, we must submit an investigational new drug application (“IND”) or foreign equivalent to the United States Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) or comparable foreign regulatory authority. We may not be able to submit INDs to the FDA or similar regulatory submissions to foreign regulatory authorities for our product candidates on the timelines we expect. Additionally, we may experience manufacturing delays or other delays with IND-enabling studies, or the FDA or other comparable regulatory authorities may require additional preclinical studies that we did not anticipate. Moreover, we have not yet had any interactions with the FDA, and we cannot be sure that submission of an IND or similar regulatory submissions will result in the FDA or other comparable regulatory authority allowing clinical trials to begin, or that, once begun, issues will not arise that result in a decision by us, by institutional review boards (“IRBs”) or independent ethics committees, or by the FDA or other comparable regulatory authorities to suspend or terminate clinical trials, including as a result of a clinical hold. Additionally, even if the FDA or other comparable regulatory authorities agree with the design and implementation of the clinical trials set forth in an IND or other similar regulatory submission, we cannot guarantee that they will not change their requirements or expectations in the future. These considerations also apply to new clinical trials we may submit as amendments to existing INDs or to a new IND. Any failure to submit INDs or similar regulatory submissions on the timelines we expect or to obtain regulatory authorization or allowance for our clinical trials may prevent us from completing our clinical trials or commercializing our products on a timely basis, if at all. A high failure rate characterizes product candidates proceeding through clinical trials, and failure may occur at all stages of the clinical trial process. Most product candidates that commence clinical trials are never approved as products, and our current or future clinical trials ultimately may fail to support the approval of our current or any other product candidates.

We expect to continue to rely, in part, on collaborators, CROs and clinical trial sites to conduct our clinical trials, including participant enrollment, and we have limited influence over their performance. We or our collaborators may experience numerous adverse or unforeseen events during, or as a result of, preclinical studies and clinical trials that could delay, prevent or terminate our clinical trials, or delay or prevent our ability to receive regulatory approval or commercialize our product candidates, including:

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the FDA or comparable foreign regulatory authorities may require us to conduct additional preclinical studies or impose additional requirements before permitting us to initiate a clinical trial;
•
the FDA or comparable foreign regulatory authorities, IRBs or ethics committees may disagree with our study design, may require that we modify or amend our clinical trial protocols, or may not authorize us or our investigators to commence or conduct a clinical trial at a prospective trial site; we may experience delays in

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reaching, or fail to reach, agreement on acceptable terms with trial sites and CROs, the terms of which can be subject to extensive negotiation and may vary significantly;
•
clinical investigators or clinical trial sites may deviate from trial protocols or Good Clinical Practice requirements (“GCPs”) or drop out of a trial, and we may need to add new investigators or sites;
•
we may be unable to add or be delayed in adding a sufficient number of clinical trial sites and obtaining IRB or ethics committee approval at each clinical trial site;
•
the number of participants required for clinical trials may be larger than expected, enrollment in clinical trials may be slower than expected or participants may drop out or fail to return for post-treatment follow-up at a higher rate than expected;
•
we may be required to evaluate clinical endpoints that require prolonged periods of clinical observation or extended analysis of the resulting data;
•
we may observe unexpectedly high placebo response rates;
•
the cost of clinical trials and preclinical studies may be greater than we anticipate, or we may have insufficient funds to conduct such trial or study or to pay the substantial user fees required by the FDA upon the submission of a Biologics License Application (“BLA”);
•
our third-party contractors, including CROs and contract manufacturers, may fail to comply with regulatory requirements, fail to maintain adequate quality controls or be unable to provide us with sufficient product supply to conduct and complete preclinical studies or clinical trials of our product candidates in a timely manner, or at all;
•
we or our investigators might have to suspend or terminate clinical trials of our product candidates for various reasons, including non-compliance with regulatory requirements, a finding that our product candidates have undesirable side effects or other unexpected characteristics, or a finding that the participants are being exposed to unacceptable health risks;
•
we may be unable to obtain or be delayed in obtaining sufficient product supply of a product candidate for use in preclinical studies or clinical trials from third-party suppliers;
•
our product candidates may have undesirable side effects or other unexpected characteristics that are viewed to outweigh their potential benefits;
•
reports from clinical testing of other similar therapies may raise safety, tolerability or efficacy concerns about our product candidates; and
•
clinical trials of our product candidates may fail to show appropriate safety, tolerability or efficacy, may produce negative or inconclusive results or may otherwise fail to improve on the existing standard of care, and we may decide, or regulators may require us, to conduct additional clinical trials or preclinical studies or we may decide to abandon product candidate development.

If we are required to conduct additional preclinical studies or clinical trials or other testing of our product candidates beyond those that we currently contemplate, if we are unable to successfully complete clinical trials of our product candidates or other testing, if the results of these studies, trials or tests are not positive or are only moderately positive or if there are safety concerns, our business and results of operations may be adversely affected and we may incur significant additional costs.

We could also encounter delays if a clinical trial is suspended or terminated by us, by the IRBs or ethics committees of the institutions in which such clinical trials are being conducted, by the data safety monitoring board, if any, for such clinical trial or by the FDA or other comparable regulatory authorities. Such authorities may suspend, place on clinical hold, or terminate a clinical trial due to a number of factors, including failure to conduct the clinical trial in accordance with regulatory requirements or our clinical trial protocols, inspection of the clinical trial operations or trial site by the FDA or other comparable regulatory authorities, unforeseen safety issues or adverse side effects, failure to demonstrate a benefit from the product candidates, changes in governmental regulations or administrative actions or lack of adequate funding to continue the clinical trial. In addition, changes in regulatory requirements and policies may occur at any time, and we may need to amend clinical trial protocols to comply with these changes. Amendments may require us to resubmit our clinical trial protocols to the FDA or comparable foreign regulatory authorities, or to IRBs and ethics committees for reexamination, which may impact the costs, timing, ability to proceed, or successful completion of a clinical trial.

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To date we have conducted clinical trials only in Australia and New Zealand, and we have not conducted any clinical trials in the U.S. Conducting clinical trials in foreign countries, as we currently do and may do in the future, presents additional risks that may delay completion of our clinical trials. These risks include the failure of enrolled patients in foreign countries to adhere to clinical protocol as a result of differences in healthcare services or cultural customs, managing additional administrative burdens associated with foreign regulatory schemes, as well as political and economic risks, including war, relevant to such foreign countries. It is also possible that the FDA or other regulatory authorities may not accept the clinical data generated in research conducted in a foreign country.

If we experience delays in the completion of, or the termination of, any clinical trial of our product candidates, the commercial prospects of our product candidates will be harmed, and our ability to generate product revenues from any of these product candidates will be delayed. Moreover, any delays in completing our clinical trials will increase our costs, slow down our product candidate development and regulatory approval process and jeopardize our ability to commence product sales and generate revenues.

We are substantially dependent on the success of our two most advanced wholly-owned product candidates, TRB-061 and TRB-071, and our clinical trials of such product candidates may not be successful.

Our future success is substantially dependent on our ability to timely obtain regulatory approval for, and then successfully commercialize, our two most advanced wholly-owned product candidates, TRB-061 and TRB-071. We are investing a majority of our efforts and financial resources into the research and development of these programs. We have initiated a Phase 1 clinical trial for TRB-061. The success of this program is dependent on observing adequate safety and tolerability results, in addition to early signs of clinical efficacy in AD patients. We have initiated a Good Laboratory Practice (“GLP”) toxicology study for TRB-071. Our ability to advance this program into the clinic is dependent on observing adequate safety and tolerability results in our GLP studies. If we do not observe adequate safety, tolerability, or efficacy results in these studies such results would significantly and adversely affect the clinical and commercial potential of our programs.

Our programs will require additional clinical development, including further clinical, preclinical and manufacturing activities, receipt of regulatory approvals, substantial investment and significant marketing efforts before we generate any revenues from product sales. We are not permitted to market or promote these programs, or any other programs, before we receive regulatory approval from the FDA or comparable foreign regulatory authorities, and we may never receive such regulatory approvals.

The success of our programs will depend on a variety of factors. We do not have complete control over many of these factors, including certain aspects of clinical development and the regulatory review process, potential threats to our intellectual property rights and the manufacturing, marketing, distribution and sales efforts of any future collaborator. Accordingly, we may never be able to generate revenue through the sale of these programs, even if approved. If we are not successful in commercializing TRB-061, TRB-071 or our other programs, or are significantly delayed in doing so, our business will be materially harmed.

Delays or difficulties in the enrollment and dosing of patients in our clinical trials may cause delays or prevent receipt of necessary regulatory approvals.

The timing of our clinical trials depends on our ability to recruit patients to participate in our studies as well as the dosing of such patients and completion of required follow-up periods. Participant enrollment, a significant factor in the timing of clinical trials, is affected by many factors, including the size and nature of the patient population, the number and location of clinical sites, the proximity of participants to clinical sites, the eligibility and exclusion criteria for the trial, the design of the clinical trial, our ability to recruit clinical trial investigators with the appropriate competencies and experience, patient referral practices of physicians, challenges in obtaining and maintaining participant consents, enrolled participants dropping out, competing clinical trials and clinicians’ and patients’ perceptions as to the potential advantages of the product candidate being studied in relation to other available therapies, including any new drugs or biologics that may be approved for the indications being investigated by us.

In addition, our clinical trials currently, and may in the future, compete with other clinical trials for product candidates that address the same indications as those we are pursuing for our product candidates, and this competition reduces the number and types of participants available to us, because some participants who might have opted to enroll in our trials instead opt to enroll in a trial conducted by a competitor or elect to use a marketed therapy. We also could encounter delays if doctors face ethical challenges associated with enrolling participants in a clinical trial rather than prescribing an existing treatment with an established safety and efficacy profile.

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If we or our collaborators are unable to enroll a sufficient number of eligible patients to participate in our clinical trials, we may not be able to initiate, continue or complete clinical trials for our product candidates. Even if we are able to enroll a sufficient number of participants in our clinical trials, delays in enrollment may result in increased costs, delay completion or adversely impact the outcome of the trial.

Additionally, our ability to successfully initiate, enroll, and complete a clinical trial in any foreign country is subject to numerous risks unique to conducting business in foreign countries, including: difficulty in establishing or managing relationships with CROs and physicians; different standards for the conduct of clinical trials; different standard-of-care for patients with a particular disease; difficulty in locating qualified local consultants, physicians and partners; and potential burden of complying with a variety of foreign laws, medical standards and regulatory requirements, including the regulation of pharmaceutical and biotechnology products and treatment.

We have experienced participant discontinuations from our trials. Participants, including in any control groups, frequently withdraw from a clinical trial if they are not experiencing improvement in their underlying disease or condition or if they experience adverse side effects or other issues. Withdrawal of participants from our clinical trials may compromise the quality of our data.

Difficulties enrolling a sufficient number of patients to conduct our clinical trials as planned could require us to delay, limit or terminate clinical trials for our product candidates, or expand to additional jurisdictions, which could impose additional challenges on our company. We cannot assure you that our assumptions used in determining expected clinical trial timelines are correct or that we will not experience delays in enrollment, which would result in the delay of completion of such trials beyond our expected timelines. Failure to successfully conduct our clinical trials as planned would have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

Any significant adverse events or undesirable side effects caused by our product candidates may delay or prevent regulatory approval or market acceptance of our product candidates, or result in significant negative consequences following regulatory approval, if any.

If our product candidates are associated with serious or significant adverse side effects in clinical trials or have adverse safety findings in non-clinical studies, we may decide or be required to halt or delay their development or limit development to more narrow uses in which the side effects or other characteristics are less prevalent, less severe, or more acceptable from a benefit-risk perspective. The FDA or other comparable foreign regulatory authority or an institutional review board or ethics committee may also require that we suspend, discontinue, or limit our clinical trials based on safety information, or that we conduct additional animal or human studies regarding the safety and efficacy of our product candidates, which we have not planned or anticipated. Such findings could further result in regulatory authorities failing to provide marketing authorization for our product candidates or limiting the scope of the indication, if approved.

Adverse events observed in preclinical studies or clinical trials could adversely affect our future clinical trial plans. For example, there were adverse findings observed in our preclinical studies for TRB-061, including one female cynomolgus monkey being dosed intravenously at 3 mg/kg/dose in a non-GLP dose-ranging toxicology study for TRB-061 who was found dead on day 29 of that study, and a male cynomolgus monkey being dosed subcutaneously at 3 mg/kg/dose in the currently ongoing 6 month GLP chronic toxicology study for TRB-061 who required early euthanasia on day 22. Our investigation of the findings in the 6 month TRB-061 study is ongoing, and the cause of death has not been determined. However, we believe that the death in the non-GLP study of TRB-061 was likely related to generation of anti-drug antibodies (“ADA”) and ADA-mediated immune complex formation. Such adverse findings in preclinical studies could result in the regulatory authorities imposing, or us proactively proposing, an exposure cap in our planned clinical trials, if otherwise allowed to proceed. Any of our current or other product candidates may be subject to new, partial or full clinical holds in the future.

We, the FDA or other applicable regulatory authorities, or an IRB, may suspend clinical trials of a product candidate at any time for various reasons, including a belief that participants in such trials are being exposed to unacceptable health risks or adverse side effects. Many potential product candidates developed in the biotechnology industry that initially showed promise in early-stage trials have later been found to cause side effects that prevented their further development and approval. Even if side effects do not preclude the product candidate from obtaining or maintaining regulatory approval, undesirable side effects may inhibit market acceptance. Adverse events or negative patient experiences may also result in negative publicity, including through social media, online forums or peer networks, which could damage our reputation and harm clinical trial enrollment and market acceptance of our product candidates, if approved.

Even if we successfully develop a product candidate and it receives regulatory approval, the FDA could require us to adopt a Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (“REMS”) to ensure that the benefits of treatment outweigh the risks for each potential patient, which may include, among other things, a medication guide outlining the risks of the product for distribution to patients, a communication plan to healthcare practitioners, restricted distribution methods, patient registries, extensive patient monitoring and other risk minimization tools that are highly controlled, restrictive, and more costly than what is typical for the

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industry. Furthermore, clinical trials by their nature utilize a sample of the potential patient population. With a limited number of patients and limited duration of exposure, rare and severe side effects of our product candidates or those of our competitors may only be uncovered when a significantly larger number of patients have been exposed to the product candidate. If our product candidates receive regulatory approval and we or others identify undesirable side effects caused by such products (or any other similar products) after such approval, a number of potentially significant negative consequences could result, including:

•
regulatory authorities may withdraw or limit their approval of such products;
•
regulatory authorities may require the addition of labeling statements, such as a “boxed” warning or a contraindication;
•
we may be required to change the way such products are distributed or administered, conduct additional clinical trials or change the labeling of the products with the potential restriction of their clinical use;
•
regulatory authorities may require a REMS to mitigate risks, which could include medication guides, physician communication plans, or elements to assure safe use, such as restricted distribution methods, patient registries, and other risk minimization tools;
•
we may be subject to regulatory investigations and government enforcement actions;
•
we may be required to suspend marketing of a product, or we may decide to remove such products from the marketplace;
•
we could be subject to fines, injunctions, or the imposition of criminal or civil penalties, or be subject to personal injury claims, actions, lawsuits and proceedings that may arise from exposure to or taking our products;
•
a product may become less competitive; and
•
our reputation may suffer.

Any of these events could prevent us or our collaboration partners from achieving or maintaining market acceptance of the affected product candidates and could substantially increase the costs of commercializing our product candidates, if approved, and significantly impact our ability to successfully commercialize our product candidates and generate revenues.

We face potential competition from different sources that have made substantial investments into the rapid development of novel treatments for immunological indications, including large and specialty pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, many of which already have approved therapies in our current indications.

The biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries are characterized by rapidly advancing technologies, intense competition and a strong emphasis on proprietary drugs. While we believe that our knowledge, experience and scientific resources provide us with competitive advantages, we face potential competition from many different sources, including large and specialty pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, academic research institutions and governmental agencies, as well as public and private research institutions. Any product candidates that we successfully develop and commercialize, if approved, will compete with existing therapies and new therapies that may become available in the future.

The key competitive factors affecting the success of all of our product candidates, if approved, are likely to be their safety, efficacy, convenience, price, the level of generic competition, the existence of therapeutic alternatives and the availability of coverage and reimbursement from government and other third-party payors.

Many of the companies against which we are competing, or against which we may compete in the future, have significantly greater financial resources and expertise in research and development, manufacturing, preclinical testing, conducting clinical trials, obtaining regulatory approvals and marketing approved drugs than we do. Mergers and acquisitions in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries may result in even more resources being concentrated among a smaller number of our competitors. Smaller or early-stage companies may also prove to be significant competitors, particularly through collaborative arrangements with large and established companies. These competitors also compete with us in recruiting and retaining qualified scientific and management personnel and establishing clinical trial sites and patient registration for clinical trials, as well as in acquiring technologies complementary to, or necessary for, our programs.

Our current product candidates, initially under development for treatment of various autoimmune and inflammatory indications would, if approved, face competition from existing approved immunological treatments, many of which have achieved commercial success. For example, we are currently developing (i) TRB-061 for the treatment of moderate-to-severe AD and AA and (ii) TRB-071 for IBD. There are a number of products and product candidates in clinical development by other companies which may become available in the future, which treat AD, AA, and IBD. See the section titled “Business—Clinical Development—Current Treatment Landscape” for additional information.

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To compete successfully, we need to disrupt currently marketed drugs, meaning we must demonstrate that the relative cost, method of administration, safety, tolerability and efficacy of our product candidates provides a better alternative to existing and new therapies. Our commercial opportunity and likelihood of success will be reduced or eliminated if our product candidates are not ultimately demonstrated to be safer, more effective, more conveniently administered or less expensive than the current standard of care or future competing products. Furthermore, even if our product candidates are able to achieve these attributes, acceptance of our products may be inhibited by the reluctance of physicians to switch from existing therapies to our products, or if physicians choose to reserve our products for use in limited circumstances.

Competitive products may make any products we develop obsolete or noncompetitive before we recover the expense of development and commercialization. Such competitors could also recruit our employees, which could negatively impact our level of expertise and our ability to execute our business plan. If we are not able to effectively compete for any of the foregoing reasons, our business will be materially harmed.

Changes in product candidate manufacturing, formulation or analytical methods may result in additional costs or delay, which could adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

As product candidates are developed through preclinical studies to later-stage clinical trials toward approval and future commercialization, it is common that various aspects of the development program, such as manufacturing methods, formulation or analytical methods, are altered in an effort to optimize processes and results. Any of these changes could cause our product candidates to perform differently and affect the results of planned clinical trials or other future clinical trials conducted with the altered materials or utilizing different analytical methods. Such changes also may require additional testing, or notification to, or authorization by, the FDA or a comparable foreign regulatory authority. This could delay completion of clinical trials, require the conduct of bridging clinical trials or studies, require the repetition of one or more clinical trials, increase clinical trial costs, delay approval of our product candidates or jeopardize our ability to commence product sales and generate revenue.

Interim, top-line and preliminary data from our clinical trials that we announce or publish from time to time may change as more patient data become available and are subject to audit and verification procedures that could result in material changes in the final data. Data from our clinical trials reported as of a measurement date may not be predictive of the effect, if any, of our product candidates at any later measurement date.

From time to time, we may publish interim, top-line or preliminary data from our clinical trials. Preliminary and interim data from our clinical trials may change as more patient data become available. Preliminary or interim data from our clinical trials are not necessarily predictive of final results. Preliminary and interim data are subject to the risk that one or more of the clinical outcomes may materially change as patient enrollment continues, more patient data become available and we issue our final clinical trial report. Interim, top-line and preliminary data also remain subject to audit and verification procedures that may result in the final data being materially different from the preliminary data we previously published. As a result, preliminary, top-line and interim data should be viewed with caution until the final data are available. Moreover, in connection with any data that is presented, caution should be exercised in drawing any conclusions from a comparison of data that does not come from head-to-head analysis. Additionally, data from a clinical trial as of any measurement date are only reflective of observations in such clinical trial at such date and should not be unduly used to predict any effect at a later measurement date.

Adverse differences between interim, topline, or preliminary data and final data could significantly harm our business prospects. Further, disclosure of such data could result in volatility in the price of our common stock. Further, others, including regulatory agencies, may not accept or agree with our assumptions, estimates, calculations, conclusions or analyses or may interpret or weigh the importance of data differently, which could delay or prevent regulatory approval of, or limit commercial prospects for, the particular product candidate and harm our business prospects. In addition, the information we choose to publicly disclose regarding a particular study or clinical trial is based on what is typically extensive information, and you or others may not agree with what we determine is material or otherwise appropriate information to include in our disclosure, and any information we determine not to disclose may ultimately be deemed significant with respect to future decisions, conclusions, views, activities or otherwise regarding a particular product candidate or our business. If the preliminary and interim data that we report differ from actual results or if others, including regulatory authorities, disagree with the conclusions reached, our ability to obtain approval for, and commercialize, our product candidates may be harmed, which could harm our business, operating results, prospects or financial condition.

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We may not realize the benefits of our current or future collaborations or licensing arrangements and may be unsuccessful in consummating future partnerships.

Our current or future collaborations or licensing arrangements may not be successful. Additionally, we may partner with third parties with respect to the clinical development and commercialization, if approved, of certain of our programs in certain regions outside the United States, and we may not be successful in identifying, negotiating and executing partnerships. The success of our collaboration arrangements will depend heavily on the efforts and activities of our collaborators. Collaborations are subject to numerous risks, which may include that:

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collaborators have significant discretion in determining the efforts and resources that they will apply to collaborations;
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collaborators may not pursue development and commercialization of our product candidates or may elect not to continue or renew development or commercialization programs based on trial or test results, changes in their strategic focus due to the acquisition of competitive products, availability of funding or other external factors, such as a business combination that diverts resources or creates competing priorities;
•
agreements with collaborators may not provide exclusive rights to use their intellectual property and technology in all relevant fields of use and in all territories in which we may wish to develop or commercialize our technology and product candidates in the future;
•
collaborators could independently develop, or develop with third parties, products that compete directly or indirectly with our product candidates;
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a collaborator with marketing, manufacturing and distribution rights to one or more products may not commit sufficient resources to or otherwise not perform satisfactorily in carrying out these activities;
•
we could grant exclusive rights to our collaborators that would prevent us from collaborating with others;
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collaborators may not properly maintain or defend our intellectual property rights or may use our intellectual property or proprietary information in a way that gives rise to actual or threatened litigation that could jeopardize or invalidate our intellectual property or proprietary information or expose us to potential liability;
•
disputes may arise between us and a collaborator that cause the delay or termination of the research, development or commercialization of our other product candidates or that result in costly litigation or arbitration that diverts management attention and resources;
•
collaborations may be terminated, and, if terminated, may result in a need for additional capital to pursue further development or commercialization of the applicable other product candidates;
•
collaborators may own or co-own intellectual property covering our product candidates that results from our collaborating with them, and in such cases, we would not have the exclusive right to develop or commercialize such intellectual property; and
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a collaborator’s sales and marketing activities or other operations may not be in compliance with applicable laws resulting in civil or criminal proceedings.

Even if we complete the necessary clinical trials, we cannot predict when, or if, we will obtain regulatory approval to commercialize any product candidate in the United States or any other jurisdiction, and any such approval may be for a narrower indication than we seek.

Any product candidates we or our collaborators develop are subject to extensive governmental regulations relating to, among other things, research, testing, development, manufacturing, safety, efficacy, approval, record keeping, reporting, labeling, storage, pricing, advertising, promotion and distribution of drugs. Failure to obtain regulatory approval for a product candidate we may develop will prevent us from commercializing the product candidate in a given jurisdiction. Securing regulatory approval requires the submission of extensive preclinical and clinical data and supporting information to the various regulatory authorities for each therapeutic indication to establish the product candidate’s safety and efficacy. Securing regulatory approval also requires the submission of information about the product manufacturing process to, and inspection of manufacturing facilities by, the relevant regulatory authorities. Satisfaction of these and other regulatory requirements is costly, time consuming, uncertain and subject to unanticipated delays. It is possible that the product candidates we and our collaborators are developing will not obtain the regulatory approvals necessary for us or our collaborators to begin commercialization. Moreover, approval by the FDA does not ensure approval by any regulatory authority outside the U.S. and vice versa.

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The time required to obtain FDA and other regulatory approvals is unpredictable but typically takes many years following the commencement of clinical trials, depending upon the type, complexity and novelty of the product candidate. The standards that the FDA and its foreign counterparts use when regulating us are not always applied in a predictable or uniform manner and can change over time. Any analysis we perform of data from non-clinical and clinical activities is subject to confirmation and interpretation by regulatory authorities, which could delay, limit or prevent regulatory approval. We or our collaborators may also encounter unexpected delays or increased costs due to new government regulations, for example, from future legislation or administrative action, or from changes in FDA policy during the period of product development, clinical trials and FDA regulatory review. It is impossible to predict whether legislative changes will be enacted, or whether FDA or foreign regulations, guidance or interpretations will be changed, or what the impact of such changes, if any, may be.

If we or our collaborators complete clinical development and submit a BLA or other marketing application to the FDA or comparable foreign regulatory authority, such authorities may request additional clinical or other data or information in connection with the regulatory review of such marketing applications, including by issuing a complete response letter that may require that we or our collaborators submit additional clinical or other data or impose other conditions that must be met in order to secure approval of our or our collaborators’ marketing applications, such as further inspections or reviews of manufacturing facilities. Even if such data and information are submitted, or any such inspection is completed, the FDA or foreign regulatory authority may ultimately decide that the BLA or other marketing application does not satisfy the criteria for approval.

Regulatory authorities also may approve a product candidate for more limited indications than requested or they may impose significant limitations in the form of narrow indications, warnings or a REMS. These regulatory authorities may require labeling that includes precautions or contraindications with respect to conditions of use, or they may grant approval subject to the performance of costly post marketing clinical trials. In addition, regulatory authorities may not approve the labeling claims that we believe are necessary or desirable for the successful commercialization of any product candidates we may develop, or they may grant approval or other marketing authorization contingent on the performance of costly additional clinical trials, including post-market clinical trials. Any of the foregoing scenarios could materially harm the commercial prospects for our product candidates and adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations, and prospects.

Our product candidates could fail to receive regulatory approval for many reasons, including the following:

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the FDA or comparable foreign regulatory authorities may disagree with the design or implementation of our clinical trials or our interpretation of the resulting data;
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we may be unable to demonstrate to the satisfaction of the FDA or comparable foreign regulatory authorities that our product candidates are safe and effective and have a positive risk-benefit profile for any of their proposed indications;
•
the results of clinical trials may not meet the level of statistical significance required by the FDA or comparable foreign regulatory authorities for approval, including due to the heterogeneity of patient populations, or apparent improvement in trial participants receiving placebo;
•
serious and unexpected drug-related side effects may be experienced by participants in our clinical trials or by individuals using drugs similar to our product candidates;
•
the population studied in the clinical trial may not be sufficiently broad or representative to assure safety in the full population for which we seek approval;
•
such authorities may not agree that the data collected from clinical trials of our product candidates are acceptable or sufficient to support the submission of a BLA or other submission or to obtain regulatory approval in the U.S. or elsewhere, and such authorities may impose requirements for additional preclinical studies or clinical trials;
•
such authorities may disagree with us regarding the formulation, labeling and/or the product specifications of our product candidates;
•
the FDA or comparable foreign regulatory authorities may not approve our CMOs’ manufacturing process or facilities;
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such authorities may not accept a submission due to, among other reasons, the content or formatting of the submission;

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•
the FDA or comparable foreign regulatory authorities may not accept clinical data from trials conducted by individual investigators or in countries where the standard of care is potentially different from the U.S. or applicable foreign jurisdiction; and
•
the approval policies or regulations of the FDA or comparable foreign regulatory authorities may significantly change in a manner rendering our clinical data insufficient for approval.

Regulatory approval for our product candidates may not be obtained without lengthy delays, if at all. Any delay in obtaining, or inability to obtain, applicable regulatory approvals would prevent us from commercializing our product candidates.

Additionally, TRB-061, TRB-071 and our other product candidates may be regulated as a combination product that consists of both a therapeutic biologic and medical device for delivery such as a prefilled syringe or autoinjector. Developing and obtaining regulatory approval for combination products can pose unique challenges because they involve components that are regulated under different types of regulatory requirements and potentially by different FDA centers. As a result, such product candidates may raise regulatory, policy and review management challenges. Differences in regulatory pathways for each component of a combination product can impact the regulatory processes for all aspects of product development and management, including clinical investigation, marketing applications, manufacturing and quality control, adverse event reporting, promotion and advertising, user fees and post approval modifications. Although the FDA and similar foreign regulatory agencies have systems in place for the review and approval of combination products such as ours, we may experience delays in the development and commercialization of our product candidates due to regulatory timing constraints and uncertainties in the product development and approval process.

If we do not achieve our projected development goals in the timeframes we announce and expect, the commercialization of our products may be delayed.

From time to time, we may estimate the timing of the accomplishment of various scientific, clinical, regulatory, manufacturing and other product development goals. These milestones may include the commencement or completion of preclinical studies and clinical trials and the submission of regulatory filings, including IND and BLA submissions. From time to time, we may publicly announce the expected timing of such milestones. The achievement of these milestones is, and will be, based on a variety of assumptions. The actual timing of these milestones can vary significantly compared to our estimates, in some cases for reasons beyond our control. We may experience numerous unforeseen events during, or as a result of, any future clinical trials that we conduct that could delay or prevent our ability to receive regulatory approval or commercialize our product candidates.

We may develop our current or other product candidates in combination with other therapies, which would expose us to additional risks.

We may develop our current or potential other product candidates in combination with one or more currently approved therapies or therapies in development. Even if any of our current or other product candidates were to receive regulatory approval or be commercialized for use in combination with other existing therapies, we would continue to be subject to the risks that the FDA or comparable foreign regulatory authorities could revoke approval of the therapy used in combination with any of our product candidates, or safety, efficacy, manufacturing or supply issues could arise with these existing therapies. In addition, it is possible that existing therapies with which our product candidates are approved for use could themselves fall out of favor or be relegated to later lines of treatment. This could result in the need to identify other combination therapies for our product candidates or our own products being removed from the market or being less successful commercially.

We may also evaluate our current or other product candidates in combination with one or more other therapies that have not yet been approved for marketing by the FDA or comparable foreign regulatory authorities. We will not be able to market and sell any product candidate in combination with any such unapproved therapies that do not ultimately obtain regulatory approval. In addition, developing combination regimens may require that we adequately demonstrate the efficacy of each therapy within the combination regimen, which may prove difficult and otherwise require us to generate more data than we would in connection with a monotherapy program.

Furthermore, we cannot be certain that we will be able to obtain a steady supply of such therapies for use in developing combinations with our product candidates on commercially reasonable terms or at all. Any failure to obtain such therapies for use in clinical development and the expense of purchasing therapies in the market may delay our development timelines, increase our costs and jeopardize our ability to develop our product candidates as commercially viable therapies. If the FDA or comparable foreign regulatory authorities do not approve or withdraw their approval of these other therapies, or, if safety, efficacy, commercial adoption, manufacturing or supply issues arise with the therapies we choose to evaluate in combination with any of our current or other product candidates, we may be unable to obtain approval of or successfully market any one or all of the current or other product candidates we develop. Additionally, if the third-party providers of therapies or therapies in development used in combination with our current or other product candidates are unable to produce sufficient quantities for

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clinical trials or for commercialization of our current or other product candidates, or, if the cost of combination therapies are prohibitive, our development and commercialization efforts would be impaired, which would have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects.

We may expend our limited resources to pursue a particular product candidate in specific indications and fail to capitalize on product candidates or indications that may be more profitable or for which there is a greater likelihood of success.

Because we have limited financial and managerial resources, we focus our development efforts on certain selected product candidates in certain selected indications. For example, we are initially focused on our clinical stage product candidate, TRB-061, for the treatment of moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis and other indications. As a result, we may forgo or delay pursuit of opportunities with other product candidates or other indications for our existing product candidates that later prove to have greater commercial potential. Additionally, negative clinical trial results with respect to one indication of a product candidate may impact the potential or perception of other indications of the product candidate. Our resource allocation decisions may result in our failure to capitalize on viable commercial products or profitable market opportunities. Our spending on current and future development programs and product candidates for specific indications may not yield any commercially viable product candidates. If we do not accurately evaluate the commercial potential or target market for a particular product candidate, we may relinquish valuable rights to that product candidate through collaboration, licensing or other royalty arrangements in cases in which it would have been more advantageous for us to retain sole development and commercialization rights to such product candidate.

We are currently conducting, and may in the future conduct, clinical trials for current or other product candidates outside the United States, and the FDA and comparable foreign regulatory authorities may not accept data from such trials.

We are currently conducting clinical trials outside the United States, including in Australia and New Zealand, and we expect to continue to conduct trials internationally in the future. The acceptance of data from clinical trials conducted outside the United States by the FDA, or data from clinical trials conducted outside a foreign jurisdiction by the applicable foreign regulatory authority, may be subject to certain conditions or may not be accepted at all. In cases where data from foreign clinical trials are intended to serve as the basis for approval in the United States, regardless of whether the applicable clinical trial was conducted pursuant to an IND, the FDA will generally not approve the application unless the data are applicable to the United States population and United States medical practice, the trials were performed by clinical investigators of recognized competence and pursuant to GCP and the FDA is able to validate the data through an onsite inspection or other appropriate means. In addition, even where the foreign study data are not intended to serve as the sole basis for approval, if the trial was not otherwise subject to an IND, the FDA will not accept the data as support for a submission unless the study was conducted in accordance with GCP requirements and the FDA is able to validate the data from the study through an onsite inspection if deemed necessary. Many foreign regulatory authorities have similar approval requirements. In addition, such foreign trials would be subject to the applicable local laws of the foreign jurisdictions where the trials are conducted. There can be no assurance that the FDA or any applicable foreign authority will accept data from trials conducted outside of the United States or the applicable jurisdiction.

Even where the FDA or comparable foreign regulatory authority accepts such data, such regulatory authorities could require us to modify our planned clinical trials to receive allowance or authorization to initiate or continue such trials in the United States or the applicable foreign jurisdiction. If the FDA or any comparable foreign regulatory authority does not accept data from trials conducted outside of the United States or the applicable jurisdiction, such non-acceptance would result in the need for additional trials that could be costly and time-consuming and could result in the product candidate not receiving approval for commercialization in the applicable jurisdiction.

Conducting clinical trials outside the U.S. also exposes us to additional risks, including risks associated with:

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additional foreign regulatory requirements including with respect to data privacy and security, which may impose heightened requirements and data transfer restrictions;
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foreign exchange fluctuations;
•
compliance with foreign manufacturing, customs, shipment and storage requirements;
•
inconsistent standards for reporting and evaluating clinical data and adverse events;
•
varying standards of care;
•
any pandemic, epidemic or public health emergencies;
•
diminished protection of intellectual property in some countries; and
•
political instability, civil unrest, war or similar events that may jeopardize our ability to commence, conduct or complete a clinical trial and evaluate resulting data.

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Even if we receive regulatory approval for our current or other product candidates in the United States, we may never receive regulatory approval to market outside of the United States.

We plan to seek regulatory approval of our current or other product candidates outside of the United States including in the European Union (“EU”) and United Kingdom (“UK”). In order to market any product outside of the United States we must establish and comply with the numerous and varying safety, efficacy and other regulatory requirements of other applicable jurisdictions. Regulatory approval processes vary among countries but generally implicate all of the risks detailed above regarding FDA approval in the United States as well as other risks. The time required to obtain approvals in other countries might differ substantially from that required to obtain FDA approval and can require additional product candidate testing and additional administrative review periods. In many countries outside of the United States, products must receive pricing and reimbursement approval before the product can be commercialized. Obtaining this approval can result in substantial delays in bringing products to market in such countries. Regulatory approval in one country does not ensure regulatory approval in another, but a failure or delay in obtaining regulatory approval in one country may have a negative effect on the regulatory process in others and would impair our ability to market our current or other product candidates in such foreign markets. Any such impairment would limit the commercial potential of the product candidate, which could adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

The successful commercialization of our product candidates, if approved, will depend in part on the extent to which governmental authorities, government health benefit programs, private health insurance and other third-party payors establish broad coverage, adequate reimbursement levels and favorable pricing of such product.

The availability of coverage and the adequacy of reimbursement by governmental healthcare authorities or programs such as Medicare and Medicaid, private health insurance and other third-party payors are essential for most patients to be able to afford prescription medications such as our product candidates, if approved. Our ability to achieve coverage and acceptable levels of reimbursement for any approved products will affect our ability to successfully commercialize those products. Even if we obtain coverage for a given product by a third-party payor, the reimbursement payment rates may not be adequate or may require co-payments that patients find unacceptably high.

No uniform policy for coverage and reimbursement for products exists among third-party payors in the U.S and there is significant uncertainty related to third-party payor coverage and reimbursement of newly approved products. The coverage determination process is often time consuming and costly and may require us to provide scientific and clinical support for the use of our products to each payor separately, with no assurance that coverage will be obtained. Third-party payors may not provide or may limit coverage or may control utilization (e.g., by requiring that patients try other therapies first or that prescribers obtain specific approval of coverage on a patient by patient basis).

Third-party payors may deny or establish payment for any marketed products at levels that are too low to enable us to realize an appropriate return on our investment in our product candidates. We may be required to provide discounts or rebates under government healthcare programs or to certain government and private purchasers in order to obtain coverage under federal healthcare programs such as Medicaid. More generally, we may need to offer price concessions to third-party payors to obtain favorable coverage or to purchasers to achieve sales.

Limited or no coverage or reimbursement or the offer of pricing concessions could have a negative impact on our ability to successfully commercialize any of our product candidates, if approved, and obtain a satisfactory financial return on our product candidates.

Outside the United States, international operations are generally subject to extensive governmental price controls and other market regulations, and we believe the increasing emphasis on cost-containment initiatives in Europe and other countries has and will continue to put pressure on the pricing and usage of products like our product candidates. In many countries, the prices of medical products are subject to varying price control mechanisms as part of national health systems. Other countries allow companies to fix their own prices for medical products but monitor and control company profits. Additional foreign price controls or other changes in pricing regulation could restrict the amount that we are able to charge for our product candidates, if approved. Accordingly, in markets outside the United States, the reimbursement for our product candidates may be lower than in the United States and may be insufficient to generate meaningful revenue and profits.

We may seek accelerated approval for some of our product candidates but may not be able to obtain it as the sufficiency of our clinical trial results for accelerated approval are subject to the FDA’s discretion.

We may explore strategies for our product candidates that involve use of the FDA’s accelerated approval pathway. Obtaining accelerated approval requires demonstration of meaningful benefit over available therapies for a serious condition. The determination of what constitutes available therapy is wholly up to the FDA and is subject to change. No assurance can be given that other therapeutics will not receive full approval prior to our potential receipt of accelerated approval. If that were to occur, no assurance can be given that we would be successful in proving meaningful benefit over those later approved products. If we were unable to prove meaningful benefit over any such agents, we would be effectively blocked from receiving

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accelerated approval. If any of our drugs were ever to receive accelerated approval, we would be required to conduct a post-market confirmatory study, which we may not complete, or if completed, may prove unsuccessful. In such instance, the FDA can remove the product from the market.

We may seek fast track designation, breakthrough therapy designation and/or priority review designation from the FDA or similar designations from comparable foreign regulatory authorities for one or more of our product candidates. Even if one or more of our product candidates receive these designations, we may be unable to obtain or maintain the benefits associated with such designation.

The FDA has established various designations to facilitate more rapid and efficient development and approval of certain types of drugs intended to treat serious conditions that fill an unmet medical need. Such designations include fast track designation, breakthrough therapy designation, and priority review designation. The FDA has broad discretion whether or not to grant these designations, so even if we believe a particular product candidate is eligible for a designation, the FDA could decide not to grant it. If any of our programs or product candidates receive any of these designations by the FDA or similar designations by comparable foreign regulatory authorities, there is no assurance that we will receive any benefits from such programs or that we will continue to meet the criteria to maintain such designation. Even if we obtain such designations, we may not experience a faster development process, review or approval compared to conventional procedures. A grant of these designations does not ensure that a product candidate will receive marketing approval or that approval will be granted within any particular timeframe. In addition, the FDA may withdraw any such designation if it believes that the designation is no longer supported by data from our clinical development program.

The increasing use of social media platforms presents new risks and challenges.

Social media is increasingly being used to communicate about clinical development activities, and we intend to utilize appropriate social media in connection with our commercialization efforts of our product candidates, if approved. Social media practices in the biotechnology and biopharmaceutical industries continue to evolve and regulations and regulatory guidance relating to such use are evolving and not always clear. This evolution creates uncertainty and risk of noncompliance with regulations applicable to our business, resulting in potential regulatory actions against us, along with the potential for litigation related to off-label marketing, promotion of an unapproved new drug, false or misleading advertising, or other prohibited activities and heightened scrutiny by the FDA, the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”), the SEC and other regulators. For example, patients may use social media channels to comment on their experience in an ongoing clinical trial or to report an alleged side effect or AE. If such disclosures occur, there is a risk that trial enrollment may be adversely impacted, that we may fail to monitor and comply with applicable AE reporting obligations or that we may not be able to defend our business or the public’s legitimate interests in the face of the political and market pressures generated by social media due to restrictions on what we may say about our product candidates. There is also a risk of inappropriate disclosure of sensitive, personal or confidential information or negative or inaccurate posts or comments about us on any social networking website. In addition, we may encounter attacks on social media regarding us, our management, or any of our current or other product candidates. If any of these events were to occur or we otherwise fail to comply with applicable regulations, we could incur liability, face regulatory actions, suffer reputational harm or incur other harm to our business.

Risks Related to Our Business and Operations

Our business depends entirely on the success of our product candidates, and we may fail to successfully develop, receive regulatory approval for, or successfully commercialize any or all of our product candidates.

We do not have any products approved for commercial sale. We have invested substantially all of our efforts and financial resources in the development of our product candidates, each of which is still in clinical development or preclinical studies, and we expect that we will continue to invest heavily in these product candidates and any other product candidates we may develop. Our business and our ability to generate revenue, which we do not expect will occur for many years, if ever, are substantially dependent on our ability to acquire, develop, obtain regulatory approval for and successfully commercialize our product candidates, which may never occur.

Our product candidates will require substantial additional clinical development time, regulatory approval, commercial manufacturing arrangements, establishment of a commercial organization, significant marketing efforts and further investment before we can generate any revenue from product sales. We may not meet our timelines for our current or future clinical trials, which may be delayed or not completed for a number of reasons. Our product candidates are susceptible to the risks of failure inherent at any stage of product development, including the appearance of unexpected AEs or failure to achieve primary endpoints in clinical trials.

Even if our product candidates are successful in clinical trials, we are not permitted to market or promote any product candidate before we receive regulatory approval from the FDA or comparable foreign regulatory authorities. If we do not receive FDA or comparable foreign regulatory approval with the necessary conditions to allow commercialization, we will not be able to generate revenue from those product candidates in the United States or elsewhere in the foreseeable future, or at all.

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We have never submitted a BLA for our product candidates to the FDA, or a similar marketing application to a comparable foreign regulatory authority, and our current or any other product candidates may not be successful in clinical trials or receive regulatory approval.

If approved for marketing by applicable regulatory authorities, our ability to generate revenue from our product candidates will depend on our ability to:

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receive regulatory approval for the targeted patient populations and claims that are necessary or desirable for successful marketing and maintain an acceptable safety profile for the products following approval;
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price our products competitively such that third-party and government reimbursement permits broad product adoption;
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obtain and maintain healthcare coverage and adequate reimbursement;
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achieve market acceptance of our products by patients, the medical community and third-party payors;
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demonstrate the superiority of our products compared to the standard of care, as well as other therapies in development;
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create market demand for our product candidates through our own marketing and sales activities or any co-promotion or other arrangements that we may otherwise establish;
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manufacture product candidates through CMOs in sufficient quantities and at acceptable quality and cost to meet commercial demand at launch and thereafter;
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establish sales and marketing capabilities, whether alone or through a collaboration, to support commercialization of our product candidates;
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establish and maintain agreements with wholesalers, distributors, pharmacies and group purchasing organizations on commercially reasonable terms;
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obtain, maintain, protect and enforce patent and other intellectual property protection and regulatory exclusivity for our products;
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maintain compliance with applicable laws, regulations and guidance including interactions with healthcare professionals, patient advocacy groups and communication of healthcare economic information to payors and formularies;
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maintain a distribution and logistics network capable of product storage within our specifications and regulatory guidelines, and capable of timely product delivery; and
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assure that our product will be used as directed and that additional unexpected safety risks will not arise.

Any significant delays in obtaining approval for or inability to successfully commercialize our product candidates would adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

We are dependent on the services of our senior management and other clinical and scientific personnel, and if we are not able to retain these individuals or recruit additional management or clinical and scientific personnel, our business will suffer.

Our success depends in part on our continued ability to attract, retain and motivate highly qualified management, clinical and scientific personnel. We are highly dependent upon the members of our senior management and clinical development teams. The loss of services of any of these individuals could delay or prevent the successful development of our product pipeline, initiation or completion of our preclinical studies and clinical trials or the commercialization of our product candidates, if approved. Although we have executed employment agreements or offer letters with each member of our senior management team, these agreements are terminable at will with or without notice and, therefore, we may not be able to retain their services. We do not currently maintain “key person” life insurance on the lives of our executives or any of our employees. This lack of insurance means that we may not have adequate compensation for the loss of the services of these individuals.

We will need to expand and effectively manage our managerial, operational, financial and other resources in order to successfully pursue our clinical development and commercialization efforts. We may not be successful in maintaining our company culture and continuing to attract or retain qualified management and scientific and clinical personnel in the future due to the intense competition for qualified personnel among biopharmaceutical, biotechnology and other businesses. If we are not able to attract, integrate, retain and motivate personnel necessary to accomplish our business objectives, we may experience constraints that significantly impede the achievement of our development objectives, our ability to raise additional capital and our ability to implement our business strategy.

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We will need to grow our organization, and we may experience difficulties in managing our growth and expanding our operations, which could adversely affect our business.

As of August 31, 2026, we had 60 full-time employees. As our development and commercialization plans and strategies develop, and as we transition into operating as a public company, we expect to expand our employee base for managerial, operational, financial and other resources. As our product candidates enter and advance through preclinical studies and clinical trials, we will need to expand our development and regulatory capabilities and contract with third parties to provide manufacturing and other capabilities for us. In the future, we expect to have to manage additional relationships with collaborators or partners, suppliers and other organizations. Our ability to manage our operations and future growth will require us to continue to improve our operational, financial and management controls, reporting systems and procedures, and we may not be able to implement improvements in an efficient or timely manner or may discover deficiencies in existing systems and controls. Our inability to successfully manage our growth and expand our operations could adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

The manufacturing of our product candidates is complex, and our third-party manufacturers may encounter difficulties in production. If our third-party manufacturers encounter such difficulties, our ability to provide supply of our product candidates for clinical trials, our ability to obtain regulatory approval, or provide commercial supply of our products, if approved, could be delayed or halted.

Our product candidates are biopharmaceuticals and the process of manufacturing biopharmaceuticals is complex, time-consuming, highly regulated and subject to multiple risks. Our CMOs must comply with legal requirements, current Good Manufacturing Practices requirements (“cGMPs”) and guidelines for the manufacturing of biopharmaceuticals used in clinical trials and, if approved, marketed products. Our CMOs may have limited experience in the manufacturing of cGMP batches of our products.

Manufacturing biopharmaceuticals is highly susceptible to drug product loss due to contamination, equipment failure, improper installation or operation of equipment, vendor or operator error, inconsistency in yields, variability in product characteristics and difficulties in scaling the production process. The impact of drug product loss is compounded by the long lead times needed to procure additional drug product due to plant capacity limitations or other restrictions at our CMOs. Even minor deviations from normal manufacturing processes could result in reduced production yields, lot failures, product defects, product liability claims, or other supply disruptions. If microbial, viral or other contaminations are discovered at our third-party manufacturers’ facilities, such facilities may need to be closed for an extended period of time to investigate and remedy the contamination, which could delay clinical trials and adversely affect our business. Problems in third-party manufacturing process or facilities could restrict our ability to ensure sufficient clinical material for our clinical trials or delay or prevent us from obtaining regulatory approval.

Scaling up a biopharmaceutical manufacturing process is a difficult and uncertain task and involves additional risks, including cost overruns, process scale-up, process reproducibility, stability issues, compliance with cGMPs, lot consistency and timely availability of sufficient quantity of raw materials. Even if we obtain regulatory approval for any of our product candidates, manufacturers may not be able to manufacture the approved product to specifications acceptable to the FDA or other comparable foreign regulatory authorities, to produce it in sufficient quantities to meet the requirements for the potential launch of the product or to meet potential future demand. If our third-party manufacturers are unable to adequately validate or scale-up the manufacturing process at our current manufacturers’ facilities, we will need to transfer to another manufacturer and complete the manufacturing validation process, which can be a lengthy and expensive process. If our manufacturers are unable to produce sufficient quantities of drug substance and/or drug product for clinical trials or for commercialization we will need to identify and negotiate with other CMOs an agreement for clinical and/or commercial supply, and it is not certain we will be able to come to agreement timely or on terms acceptable to us, which would likely jeopardize our ability to provide any product candidates to study subjects in clinical trials and products to patients, if approved.

Any delay or interruption in clinical trial supplies will likely delay the completion of planned clinical trials, increase the costs associated with maintaining clinical trial programs and, depending upon the period of delay, could require new clinical trials at additional expense or terminate clinical trials completely. Any adverse developments affecting clinical or commercial manufacturing of our product candidates or products may result in shipment delays, inventory shortages, lot failures, product withdrawals or recalls, or other interruptions in the supply of our product candidates or products. We may also have to take inventory write-offs and incur other charges and expenses for product candidates or products that fail to meet specifications, undertake costly remediation efforts or seek more costly manufacturing alternatives. Accordingly, failures or difficulties faced at any level of our supply chain could adversely affect our business and delay or impede the development and commercialization of any of our product candidates or products, if approved, and could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

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As part of our process development efforts, we also may make changes to the manufacturing processes at various points during development, for various reasons, such as controlling costs, achieving scale, decreasing processing time, increasing manufacturing success rate, proximity to global regions we intend to target or other reasons. Such changes may not achieve their intended objectives, and any of these changes could cause our current or other product candidates to perform differently or affect the results of our future clinical trials. In some circumstances, changes in the manufacturing process require us to perform ex vivo comparability studies and to collect additional data from participants prior to undertaking more advanced clinical trials. For instance, changes in our process during the course of clinical development may require us to show the comparability of the product used in earlier clinical phases or at earlier portions of a clinical trial to the product used in later clinical phases or later portions of the clinical trial. This could delay completion of clinical trials, require the conduct of bridging clinical trials or the repetition of one or more clinical trials, increase clinical trial costs, delay approval of our product candidates and jeopardize our ability to commence sales and generate revenue.

We currently have no marketing, sales or distribution capabilities, and we may need to invest significant resources to develop these capabilities. If we are unable to establish marketing, sales or distribution capabilities or enter into agreements with third parties to perform such activities, we may not be able to generate product revenue.

We currently have no marketing, sales or distribution capabilities, nor have we commercialized a product, and we may need to invest significant resources to develop these capabilities. If we are unable to establish marketing, sales or distribution capabilities or enter into agreements with third parties to perform such activities, we may not be able to generate product revenue. If any of our product candidates ultimately receives regulatory approval, we will be required to build a marketing and sales organization with technical expertise and supporting distribution capabilities to commercialize each such product in the markets that we target, which will be expensive and time-consuming, or to collaborate with third parties that have direct sales forces and established distribution systems, either to augment our own sales force and distribution systems or in lieu of our own sales force and distribution systems. We have no prior experience as a company in the marketing, sale and distribution of pharmaceutical products and there are significant risks involved in building and managing a sales organization, including our ability to hire, retain and incentivize qualified individuals, generate sufficient sales leads, provide adequate training to sales and marketing personnel and effectively manage a geographically dispersed sales and marketing team. Furthermore, we are currently developing product candidates for multiple indications in different medical specialties, which will require us to build different sales and marketing capabilities that are tailored to a given product or medical specialty. Any failure or delay in the development of our internal sales, marketing and distribution capabilities would adversely impact the commercialization of these products. We may not be able to enter into collaborations or hire consultants or external service providers to assist us in sales, marketing and distribution functions on acceptable financial terms, or at all. In addition, our product revenues and our profitability, if any, may be lower if we rely on third parties for these functions than if we were to market, sell and distribute any products that we develop ourselves. We likely will have little control over such third parties, and any of them may fail to devote the necessary resources and attention to sell and market our products effectively. If the commercial launch of a product candidate for which we recruit a sales force and establish marketing capabilities is delayed or does not occur for any reason, we would have prematurely or unnecessarily incurred these commercialization expenses. If we are not successful in commercializing our products, either on our own or through arrangements with one or more third parties, we may not be able to generate any future product revenue and we would incur significant additional losses.

Revenue from our product candidates, if approved, will be limited if the product does not achieve broad market acceptance.

As a company, we have never commercialized a product candidate for any indication. Even if a product candidate is approved by the appropriate regulatory authorities for marketing and sale, it may not gain acceptance among physicians, patients, third-party payors and others in the medical community. If any product candidate for which we obtain regulatory approval does not gain an adequate level of market acceptance, we may not generate sufficient product revenue or become profitable.

The degree of market acceptance of any of our product candidates will depend on a number of factors, some of which are beyond our control, including:

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the safety, efficacy, tolerability and ease of administration of our product candidates;
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the prevalence and severity of side effects and AEs associated with our product candidates, and how the safety and tolerability profile of our product candidates compares to those of existing or emerging therapies;
•
the clinical indications for which the product candidates may be approved and the approved claims that we may make for such products;
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limitations or warnings contained in the product’s FDA-approved labeling, including potential limitations or warnings that may be more restrictive than competitive products;

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•
distribution and use restrictions imposed by the FDA with respect to such product candidates or to which we agree as part of a mandatory REMS or voluntary risk management plan;
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changes in the standard of care for the targeted indications for product candidates;
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cost of treatment as compared to the clinical benefit in relation to alternative treatments or therapies;
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the availability of adequate coverage and reimbursement by third-party payors including government authorities and government healthcare programs, including Medicare and Medicaid, and private health insurance;
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the extent and strength of our marketing and distribution of such product candidates;
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the safety, efficacy and other potential advantages of, and availability of, alternative treatments already used or that may later be approved for any of our intended indications;
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the timing of market introduction of such product candidates, as well as competitive products;
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the reluctance of physicians to switch their patients’ current standard of care;
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the reluctance of patients to switch from their existing therapy regardless of the safety and efficacy of newer products;
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our ability to offer such product candidates for sale at competitive prices;
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the extent and strength of our third-party manufacturer and supplier support;
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adverse publicity about our product candidates or favorable publicity about competitive products; and
•
potential product liability claims.

Our efforts to educate the medical community and third-party payors as to the benefits of our product candidates may require significant resources and may never be successful. Even if the medical community accepts that our product candidates are safe and effective for their approved indications, physicians and patients may not be receptive to such product candidates and may be slow to adopt them as an accepted treatment. If our current or other product candidates are approved, but do not achieve an adequate level of acceptance among physicians, patients and third-party payors, we may not generate meaningful revenue from our product candidates and may never become profitable.

Misconduct or other improper actions, including noncompliance with regulatory standards and requirements, by our employees, independent contractors, consultants, commercial partners and vendors exposes us to potential noncompliance with regulatory standards and requirements.

Fraud or other illegal activity by our employees, independent contractors, consultants, commercial partners, vendors and any other third parties we may engage in connection with any research, development, regulatory manufacturing, distribution or marketing activities exposes us to liability. Misconduct by these parties could result from intentional, reckless and/or negligent conduct or unauthorized activities that violate various laws, including failure to comply with FDA or other regulations, provide true, complete and accurate information to the FDA or comparable foreign regulatory authorities, comply with manufacturing standards we may establish, comply with healthcare fraud and abuse laws and regulations, report financial information or data accurately or disclose unauthorized activities to us. If we obtain FDA approval of any of our product candidates and begin commercializing those products in the United States, our potential exposure under these laws will increase significantly, as will our costs associated with compliance. In particular, sales, marketing and business arrangements in the healthcare industry are subject to extensive laws and regulations intended to prevent fraud, kickbacks, self-dealing and other abusive practices. These laws and regulations may restrict or prohibit a wide range of pricing, discounting, marketing and promotion, sales commission, customer incentive programs and other business arrangements. Misconduct could also involve the improper use of information obtained in the course of clinical trials or creation of fraudulent data in preclinical studies or clinical trials, which could result in regulatory sanctions and serious harm to our reputation, as well as delay or prevent our ability to obtain or maintain regulatory approval for our product candidates.

Additionally, a person could allege fraud or other misconduct even if none occurred. It is not always possible to identify and deter employee misconduct, and the precautions we take to detect and prevent this activity may not be effective in controlling known or unknown risks or losses or in protecting us from governmental investigations or other actions or lawsuits stemming from a failure to comply with such laws or regulations. Any such actions instituted against us could have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects, including the imposition of significant civil, criminal or administrative penalties, damages, fines, disgorgement, imprisonment, the curtailment or restructuring of our operations, loss of eligibility to obtain approvals from the FDA, exclusion from participation in government contracting, healthcare reimbursement or other government programs, including Medicare and Medicaid, integrity oversight and reporting obligations, or reputational harm.

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The estimates of commercial opportunities for product candidates and forecasts of market growth included in this prospectus may prove to be smaller than we believe, and even if the markets in which we compete achieve the forecasted growth, our business may not grow at similar rates, or at all.

We intend to initially focus our product candidate development on treatments for various autoimmune and inflammatory indications. Our projections of addressable patient populations within any particular disease state that may benefit from treatment with our product candidates are based on our estimates. Market opportunity estimates and growth forecasts included in this prospectus are subject to significant uncertainty and are based on assumptions and estimates. These estimates, which have been derived from a variety of sources, including scientific literature, surveys of clinics, patient foundations and market research, may prove to be incorrect in general or as to their applicability to our company. Further, new studies or trials may change the estimated incidence or prevalence of these diseases.

Additionally, the potentially addressable patient population for our product candidates may not ultimately be amenable to treatment with our product candidates. Our commercial opportunity may also be limited by future competitor treatments that enter the market with such patients. If any of our estimates prove to be inaccurate, the commercial opportunity for any product candidate that we or our strategic partners develop could be significantly diminished and have an adverse material impact on our business. Even if we obtain significant market share for our product candidates, because some of our potential target populations are very small, we may never achieve profitability despite obtaining such significant market share.

Our future growth may depend, in part, on our ability to commercialize products in foreign markets, where we would be subject to additional regulatory burdens and other risks and uncertainties.

Our future growth may depend, in part, on our ability to develop and commercialize our product candidates in foreign markets. We are not permitted to market or promote any of our product candidates before we receive regulatory approval from applicable regulatory authorities in foreign markets, and we may never receive such regulatory approvals for any of our product candidates. To obtain separate regulatory approval in many other countries we must comply with numerous and varying regulatory requirements regarding safety and efficacy and governing, among other things, clinical trials, commercial sales, pricing and distribution of our product candidates. If we fail to comply with the regulatory requirements in international markets or fail to receive applicable marketing approvals, our ability to realize the full commercial potential of our product candidates will be harmed. Failure to obtain approval of any of our product candidates by regulatory authorities in another country may significantly diminish the commercial prospects of that product candidate and our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects could be adversely affected. Moreover, even if we obtain regulatory approval of our product candidates and ultimately commercialize our products in foreign markets, we would be subject to additional risks and uncertainties, including:

•
the burden of complying with complex and changing foreign regulatory, tax, accounting and legal requirements;
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different regulatory requirements for approval of drugs in foreign countries;
•
reduced protection for intellectual property rights in some foreign countries;
•
the existence of additional third-party patent rights of potential relevance to our business;
•
unexpected changes in tariffs, trade barriers and regulatory requirements;
•
economic weakness, including inflation, or political instability in particular foreign economies and markets;
•
compliance with tax, employment, immigration and labor laws for employees living or traveling abroad;
•
foreign currency fluctuations, which could result in increased operating expenses and reduced revenues, and other obligations incident to doing business in another country;
•
foreign reimbursement, pricing and insurance regimes;
•
workforce uncertainty in countries where labor unrest is common;
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production shortages resulting from any events affecting raw material supply or manufacturing capabilities abroad; and
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business interruptions resulting from geopolitical actions, including war and terrorism, or natural disasters including earthquakes, typhoons, floods and fires.

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Strategic transactions could impact our liquidity, increase our expenses and present significant distractions to our management.

We may enter into strategic transactions, which could include acquisitions of companies, asset purchases and in-licensing and out-licensing of intellectual property. We have entered into a research and collaboration agreement with Lilly pursuant to which Lilly is advancing TRB-051 in a clinical study for autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. The expected synergies in development programs, pipelines and other areas of focus between us and our licensors and collaborators may not be realized on a timely basis or at all, and there may be risks associated with these transactions that we did not previously anticipate, such as unanticipated liabilities.

We also may enter into a variety of other business arrangements, including strategic collaborations, joint ventures, restructurings, divestitures, business combinations and investments. Any future transactions could increase our near and long-term expenditures, result in potentially dilutive issuances of our equity securities, including our common stock, or the incurrence of debt, contingent liabilities, amortization expenses or acquired in-process research and development expenses, any of which could affect our business, financial condition, liquidity and results of operations.

Future acquisitions may require us to obtain additional financing, which may not be available on favorable terms or at all. These transactions may never be successful and may require significant time and attention of our management. In addition, the integration of any business or assets may be disruptive, complex, risky and costly and we may never realize the full benefits of the acquisition.

Recent and future changes to tax laws could adversely affect our company.

The tax regimes we are subject to or operate under, including with respect to income and non-income taxes, are unsettled and may be subject to significant change. Changes in tax laws, regulations, or rulings, or changes in interpretations of existing laws and regulations, could adversely affect our company. For example, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (the “IRA”), and the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, introduced many significant changes to the United States tax laws. Future guidance from the Internal Revenue Service and other tax authorities with respect to such legislation may affect us, and certain aspects thereof could be repealed or modified in future legislation. For example, the IRA includes provisions that will impact the United States federal income taxation of certain corporations, including imposing a 15% minimum tax on the book income of certain large corporations and a 1% excise tax on certain corporate stock repurchases that would be imposed on the corporation repurchasing such stock.

Additionally, the U.S. government may enact other significant changes to the taxation of business entities including, among others, an increase in the corporate income tax rate, the imposition of minimum taxes or surtaxes on certain types of income, significant changes to the taxation of income derived from international operations, and further limitations on the deductibility of business interest.

We are unable to predict what changes to the tax laws of the United States and other jurisdictions may be proposed or enacted in the future or what effect such changes would have on our business. New, changed, modified, or newly interpreted or applied tax laws could increase our compliance, operating, and other costs. Further, these events could decrease the capital we have available to operate our business. Any of these or similar developments or changes to tax laws or rulings (which changes may apply retroactively) could adversely affect our effective tax rate and our results of operations and financial condition.

If our internal information technology systems, or those used by our CROs, CDMOs, clinical sites or other third parties, are or were compromised, become unavailable or suffer security incidents, loss or leakage of data or other disruptions, we could suffer material adverse consequences, including operational or service interruption, harm to our reputation, litigation, fines, penalties, compromise of sensitive information related to our business and other adverse consequences.

In the ordinary course of our business, we, and the third parties upon which we rely, process sensitive data including proprietary and confidential business data, trade secrets, intellectual property, data we collect about trial participants in connection with clinical trials, and other sensitive third-party data (collectively, confidential information). We also rely on computer systems, hardware, software, technology infrastructure and online sites and networks for both internal and external operations that are critical to our business (collectively, “IT systems”). We own and manage some of these IT systems but also rely on third parties for a range of IT systems and related products and services, including cloud computing services.

Our IT systems and those of our CROs, CDMOs, clinical sites and other contractors and consultants, and the confidential information within these systems, are vulnerable to cyberattacks, computer viruses, bugs, worms, or other malicious codes, malware (including as a result of advanced persistent threat intrusions) and other attacks by computer hackers, cracking, application security attacks, social engineering (including through phishing attacks), supply chain attacks and vulnerabilities through our third-party service providers, denial-of-service attacks (such as credential stuffing), credential harvesting, ransomware attacks, personnel misconduct or error, supply-chain attacks, software bugs, server malfunctions, software or hardware failures, loss of data or other information technology assets, adware, telecommunications failures, earthquakes, fires, floods and other similar threats.

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Such threats are prevalent and continue to rise, are increasingly difficult to detect and come from a variety of sources, including traditional computer “hackers,” threat actors, “hacktivists,” organized criminal threat actors, personnel (such as through theft or misuse), AI-driven bots, sophisticated nation states and nation-state-supported actors. In particular, ransomware attacks, including those from organized criminal threat actors, nation-states and nation-state supported actors, are becoming increasingly prevalent and severe and can lead to significant interruptions, delays, or outages in our operations, loss of confidential information, loss of income, significant extra expenses to restore IT systems or confidential information, reputational loss and the diversion of funds. To alleviate the negative impact of a ransomware attack, it may be preferable to make extortion payments, but we may be unwilling or unable to do so (including, for example, if applicable laws or regulations prohibit such payments, or our insurance carrier objects to payment).

Some actors, including nation-state actors, also engage in cyber-attacks for geopolitical reasons and in conjunction with military conflicts and defense activities. During times of war and other major conflicts, we and the third parties upon which we rely are vulnerable to a heightened risk of these attacks, including cyber-attacks, that could materially disrupt our systems and operations, supply chain, critical infrastructure, and ability to conduct our development activities, including clinical trials. Nation-state weapons may also impact us even if we are not targeted. In addition to experiencing a security incident, third parties may gather, collect or infer sensitive information about us from public sources or other means that reveals competitively sensitive details about our organization and could be used against us.

Additionally, remote work increases risks to our IT systems and confidential information, as more of our employees utilize network connections, computers and devices outside our premises or network, including working at home, while in transit and in public locations. We may be vulnerable to attacks as a result of vulnerabilities introduced through our supply chain, including vendors we engage to provide us with security and other technologies, or to the critical infrastructure that supports communications, transportation, and payments.

Furthermore, future or past business transactions (such as acquisitions or integrations) could expose us to additional cybersecurity risks and vulnerabilities present in acquired or integrated entities’ systems and technologies, including security issues that are not identified during due diligence. Additionally, it may be difficult to integrate companies into our IT systems and security program.

We may not be able to detect and remediate all vulnerabilities and the threats and techniques used to exploit such vulnerabilities change frequently and are often sophisticated in nature. AI-driven cyber-attackers may be able to create, find, or exploit vulnerabilities faster than our systems can respond, even if our defenses are also using AI-driven systems. Therefore, vulnerabilities could be exploited but may not be detected until after a security incident has occurred. Further, we may experience delays in developing and deploying remedial measures designed to address any such identified vulnerabilities.

We rely on third-party service providers and technologies to operate critical business systems to process confidential information in a variety of contexts, including cloud-based infrastructure, encryption and authentication technology, employee email and other functions. We also rely on third-party service providers to assist with our clinical trials, provide other products or services or otherwise to operate our business. Our ability to perform diligence on or monitor third parties’ information security practices is limited, and third parties may not have adequate information security measures in place. If our third-party service providers experience a security incident or other interruption, we could experience adverse consequences. While we may be entitled to damages if our third-party service providers fail to satisfy their privacy or security-related obligations to us, any award may be insufficient to cover our damages, insurance may not be available, or we may be unable to recover such award. If the IT systems of our CROs, CDMOs, clinical sites and other contractors and consultants become subject to disruptions or security incidents, we may have insufficient recourse against such third parties and we may have to expend significant resources to mitigate the impact of such an event, and to develop and implement protections to prevent future events of this nature from occurring. In addition, supply-chain attacks have increased in frequency and severity, and we cannot guarantee that third parties and infrastructure in our supply chain or our third-party partners’ supply chains have not been compromised or that they do not contain exploitable defects or bugs that could result in a breach of or disruption to our IT systems (including our services) or the third-party IT systems that support us.

A security incident or other interruption could result in unauthorized, unlawful or accidental acquisition, modification, destruction, loss, alteration, encryption, disclosure of, or access to our confidential information or our IT systems, or those of the third parties upon whom we rely, any of which could disrupt our ability (and that of third parties upon whom we rely) to advance clinical development or commercial activities for any products, if approved. For example, the loss of clinical trial data from completed or ongoing clinical trials could result in delays in our regulatory approval efforts, significantly increase our costs to recover or reproduce the data or limit our ability to effectively execute a product recall, if required. In addition, we could incur liability if any disruption or security incident results in the loss of or damage to our confidential information or applications. Applicable data privacy and security obligations also may require us to notify relevant stakeholders of security incidents. Such disclosures are costly, and the disclosure or the failure to comply with such requirements could lead to adverse consequences. A disruption or security incident could result in legal claims or proceedings, liability under laws that protect the privacy of personal information and significant regulatory penalties, damage to our reputation or a loss of confidence in us and our ability to conduct clinical trials, and/or significant incident response, system restoration or remediation and future

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compliance costs, which could delay the clinical development of our product candidates. Any or all of the foregoing could materially adversely affect our business, results of operations, and financial condition. Finally, we cannot guarantee that any costs and liabilities incurred in relation to an attack or incident will be covered by our existing insurance policies or that applicable insurance will be available to us in the future on economically reasonable terms or at all.

Our business entails a significant risk of product liability and our ability to obtain sufficient insurance coverage could adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

As we conduct clinical trials of our current or other product candidates, we are exposed to significant product liability risks inherent in the development, testing, manufacturing and marketing of new therapies. Product liability claims could delay or prevent completion of our development programs. If we succeed in obtaining approval to market any product candidate, product liability claims could result in FDA or other investigation of the safety and effectiveness of our other product candidates, our manufacturing processes and facilities or our marketing programs and potentially a recall of our products or more serious enforcement action, limitations on the approved indications for which they may be used or suspension or withdrawal of approvals. Regardless of the merits or eventual outcome, liability claims may also result in decreased demand for our product candidates, termination of clinical trial sites or entire trial programs, withdrawal of clinical trial participants or inability to enroll participants, injury to our reputation and significant negative media attention, significant costs to defend the related litigation, a diversion of management’s time and our resources from our business operations, substantial monetary awards to trial participants or patients, loss of revenue, the inability to commercialize and products that we may develop, and a decline in our stock price. We may require higher levels of product liability insurance for later stages of clinical development or marketing any of our product candidates, and our insurance may not provide sufficient coverage against potential liabilities. Furthermore, clinical trial and product liability insurance is becoming increasingly expensive. As a result, we may be unable to obtain sufficient insurance at a reasonable cost to protect us against losses caused by product liability claims that could adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

Public opinion and scrutiny of autoimmune and inflammatory disease treatments may impact public perception of our company and product candidates, or may adversely affect our ability to conduct our business and our business plans.

Public perception may be influenced by claims, such as claims that our product candidates are unsafe, unethical or immoral and, consequently, our approach may not gain the acceptance of the public or the medical community. Negative public reaction to autoimmune and inflammatory disease treatments in general could result in greater government regulation and stricter labeling requirements of products to treat autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, including any of our product candidates, if approved, and could cause a decrease in the demand for any product candidates we may develop. Moreover, our success will depend upon physicians specializing in the treatment of those diseases that our product candidates target prescribing, and their patients being willing to receive, treatments that involve the use of our product candidates in lieu of, or in addition to, existing treatments they are already familiar with and for which greater clinical data may be available. AEs in our clinical trials, even if not ultimately attributable to our product candidates, and the resulting publicity could result in withdrawal of clinical trial participants or impact our ability to enroll participants or lead to increased governmental regulation, unfavorable public perception, potential regulatory delays in the testing or approval of our product candidates, stricter labeling requirements for those product candidates that are approved and a decrease in demand for any such product candidates. More restrictive government regulations or negative public opinion could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects, and may delay or impair the development and, if approved, commercialization of our product candidates or demand for any products we may develop.

We or the third parties upon whom we depend may be adversely affected by earthquakes, fires or other natural disasters and our business continuity and disaster recovery plans may not adequately protect us from a serious disaster.

If earthquakes, fires, other natural disasters, terrorism and similar events beyond our control prevent us from using all or a significant portion of our headquarters or other facilities, it may be difficult or, in certain cases, impossible for us to continue our business for a substantial period of time. We may incur substantial expenses as a result of the absence or limited nature of our internal or third-party service provider disaster recovery and business continuity plans, which could have a material adverse effect on our business. In addition, the long-term effects of climate change on general economic conditions and the pharmaceutical manufacturing and distribution industry in particular are unclear, and changes in the supply, demand or available sources of energy and the regulatory and other costs associated with energy production and delivery may affect the availability or cost of goods and services, including raw materials and other natural resources, necessary to run our business. If such an event were to affect our supply chain, it could have a material adverse effect on our ability to conduct our clinical trials, our development plans and business.

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Risks Related to Government Regulation

Even if we receive regulatory approval for any of our product candidates, we will be subject to ongoing regulatory obligations and continued regulatory review, which may result in significant additional expense. Additionally, our product candidates, if approved, could be subject to labeling and other restrictions and market withdrawal. We may also be subject to penalties if we fail to comply with regulatory requirements or experience unanticipated problems with our product candidates.

Any regulatory approvals that we or our existing or future collaborators obtain for our product candidates may also be subject to limitations on the approved indicated uses for which a product may be marketed or to the conditions of approval or contain requirements for potentially costly post-marketing testing and surveillance to monitor the safety and efficacy of the product candidate.

In addition, if the FDA or a comparable foreign regulatory authority approves any of our product candidates, the manufacturing processes, labeling, packaging, distribution, post-approval monitoring and adverse event reporting, storage, import, export, advertising, promotion and record keeping for the product will be subject to extensive and ongoing regulatory requirements. The FDA has significant post-market authority, including the authority to require labeling changes based on new safety information, to require post-market studies or clinical trials to evaluate safety risks related to the use of a product, or to require withdrawal of the product from the market. The FDA also has the authority to require a REMS plan after approval, which may impose further requirements or restrictions on the distribution or use of an approved drug, including biologics. The manufacturing facilities we use to make a future product, if any, will also be subject to periodic review and inspection by the FDA and other regulatory authorities, including for continued compliance with cGMPs. The discovery of any new or previously unknown problems with our third-party manufacturers, manufacturing processes or facilities may result in restrictions on the product, manufacturer or facility, including withdrawal of the product from the market. We will not have complete control over compliance with applicable rules and regulations by such manufacturers.

The FDA and other regulatory agencies closely regulate the post-approval marketing and promotion of products to ensure that they are marketed only for the approved indications and in accordance with the provisions of the approved labeling. Although physicians are generally permitted, based on their medical judgment, to prescribe products for indications other than those approved by the applicable regulatory agency, manufacturers are prohibited from promoting their products for such off-label uses. If we promote our products in a manner inconsistent with FDA-approved labeling or otherwise not in compliance with FDA regulations, we may be subject to enforcement action, including issuance of a warning or untitled letter, injunction, seizure, and significant fines and criminal penalties. The United States federal government has levied large civil and criminal fines against companies for alleged improper promotion of off-label use and has enjoined several companies from engaging in off-label promotion. The government has also required companies to enter into consent decrees or permanent injunctions under which specified promotional conduct is changed or curtailed. Even if it is later determined we were not in violation of these laws, we may be faced with negative publicity, incur significant expenses defending our actions, and have to divert significant management resources from other matters.

The failure by us or our collaborators to comply with applicable regulatory requirements in the United States or foreign jurisdictions in which we seek to market our product candidates may result in, among other things, fines, warning or untitled letters, holds on clinical trials, delay of approval or refusal by the FDA or comparable foreign regulatory authorities to approve pending applications or supplements to approved applications, suspension or withdrawal of regulatory approval, product recalls and seizures, administrative detention of products, refusal to permit the import or export of products, operating restrictions, injunction, civil penalties and criminal prosecution. The occurrence of any such event or penalty may inhibit our ability to commercialize our product candidates and generate revenue and could require us to expend significant time and resources in response, and could generate negative publicity.

Moreover, the FDA’s and other regulatory authorities’ policies may change and additional government regulations may be promulgated that could prevent, limit or delay marketing authorization of any product candidates we develop. We also cannot predict the likelihood, nature or extent of government regulation that may arise from future legislation or administrative action, either in the United States or abroad. If we are slow or unable to adapt to changes in existing requirements or the adoption of new requirements or policies, or if we are not able to maintain regulatory compliance, we may be subject to enforcement action and we may not achieve or sustain profitability.

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Disruptions at the FDA and other government agencies, including as a result of funding shortages or staffing limitations, could hinder their ability to hire, retain or deploy key leadership and other personnel or otherwise prevent product candidates from being developed, approved or commercialized in a timely manner or at all, which could negatively impact our business.

The ability of the FDA and applicable foreign authorities to review and approve new product candidates can be affected by a variety of factors, including government budget and funding levels, ability to hire and retain key personnel and accept the payment of user fees and statutory, regulatory and policy changes. Average review times at the FDA have fluctuated in recent years as a result. In addition, government funding of other government agencies that fund research and development activities is subject to the political process, which is inherently fluid and unpredictable.

Disruptions at the FDA and other agencies may also slow the time necessary for new drugs to be reviewed and approved by necessary government agencies, which would adversely affect our business. For example, over the last several years, the U.S. government shut down several times and certain regulatory agencies, such as the FDA, furloughed or laid off critical employees and ceased critical activities. Additionally, the current U.S. presidential administration has issued certain policies and Executive Orders directed towards reducing the employee headcount and costs associated with administrative agencies, including the FDA, which have led to substantial personnel changes, and it remains unclear the degree to which these efforts or the resulting changes in FDA personnel may limit or otherwise adversely affect the FDA’s ability to conduct routine activities. If a prolonged government shutdown occurs, or if funding shortages or staffing limitations hinder or prevent the FDA or other regulatory authorities from conducting their regular inspections, reviews, or other regulatory activities, such events could significantly impact the ability of the FDA or other such regulatory authorities to timely review and process our regulatory submissions, which could have a material adverse effect on our business.

Recently enacted legislation, future legislation and other healthcare reform measures may increase the difficulty and cost for us to obtain regulatory approval for and commercialize our product candidates and may affect the prices we set.

In the United States and some foreign jurisdictions, there have been, and likely will continue to be, a number of legislative and regulatory changes and proposed changes regarding the healthcare system directed at broadening the availability of healthcare, improving the quality of healthcare and containing or lowering the cost of healthcare. For example, in March 2010, the United States Congress enacted the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, as amended, the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act (the “Affordable Care Act”), which, among other things, expanded health care coverage through Medicaid expansion and included a number of changes to the coverage and reimbursement of drug products under government healthcare programs.

Other health care reform initiatives, including legislative, administrative and executive actions, have taken place in the United States since the Affordable Care Act was enacted. A number of changes have focused on drug pricing and payment. For example, changes to Medicaid effective in 2024 eliminated the statutory cap on drug manufacturers’ Medicaid drug rebate liability and changes to certain Medicare price reporting requirements for drugs beginning in 2026 will likely increase the administrative and compliance burden for manufacturers. More broadly, the IRA includes a number of changes intended to address rising prescription drug prices in Medicare Parts B and D. These changes include caps on Medicare Part D out-of-pocket costs, Medicare Part B and Part D drug price inflation rebates, a new Medicare Part D manufacturer discount drug program (replacing the Affordable Care Act Medicare Part D coverage gap discount program) and a drug price negotiation program for certain high spend Medicare Part B and D drugs (with negotiated prices for the first set of drugs taking effect in 2026). The IRA has had and will likely continue to have significant impact on the pharmaceutical industry.

In April 2025, President Trump issued an Executive Order with multiple directives aimed at lowering drug prices, including refining the Medicare drug price negotiation program established by the IRA; accelerating competition for high-cost prescription drugs by accelerating approval of generics and biosimilars and facilitating the process for re-classifying prescription drugs as over-the-counter drugs; and increasing drug importation. In May 2025, President Trump issued another executive order that directed government agencies and officials to identify most-favored nation pricing targets for prescription drugs (and looked to pharmaceutical manufacturers to make significant progress towards delivering target prices to patients); prevent foreign countries from disproportionately shifting the cost of global pharmaceutical research and development to the United States; and facilitate direct-to-consumer purchasing programs for pharmaceutical manufacturers to sell their products to patients at the most-favored-nation price. In the wake of the executive orders and related executive initiatives, a number of pharmaceutical manufacturers announced direct-to-consumer offerings with discounted prices and/or reached agreement with the federal government regarding pricing for drugs, including prices for Medicaid drugs and newly launched products. A website sponsored by the federal government offers pharmaceutical direct-to-consumer channels has also been launched. Federal agencies are developing new drug pricing pilot programs, such as a voluntary Medicaid initiative which would authorize the federal government to negotiate Medicaid supplemental rebates with participating manufacturers on behalf of state Medicaid programs, in exchange for standardized coverage criteria for participating manufacturer drugs, and proposed Medicare Part B and Part D pilot models that, if finalized as proposed, would replace existing inflation-based Medicare rebates with rebates determined on the basis of international prices, for drugs and patients subject to the model. Many of these reform initiatives would require additional legal and/or administrative action to implement and may be subject to legal challenge.

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Other federal healthcare reform efforts or actions may affect access to healthcare coverage or the funding of health care benefits, although the full impact of such efforts or actions cannot be predicted. For example, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025 imposed significant reductions in Medicaid funding, additional work requirements for certain Medicaid beneficiaries and more frequent eligibility redeterminations. These changes are expected to place increased pressure on state Medicaid budgets and could reduce enrollment, utilization and reimbursement levels for prescription drugs, including our products, which could adversely affect our business.

Other more general federal government actions may also affect prices or payments for prescription drugs. For example, federal legislation passed in early 2026 is intended to reform the pharmacy benefit manager industry by restricting compensation and requiring greater transparency and is anticipated to have an impact on drug pricing and market access. As another example, President Trump issued an executive order in April 2026 to establish a tariff framework for certain patented pharmaceuticals and associated pharmaceutical ingredients, with some tariffs taking effect as early as July 31, 2026. As yet another example, the Budget Control Act, as amended, resulted in the imposition of reductions in Medicare (but not Medicaid) payments to providers in 2013 that remain in effect through 2032 unless additional Congressional action is taken. Any significant spending reductions affecting Medicare, Medicaid or other publicly funded or subsidized health programs that may be implemented and/or any significant taxes or fees that may be imposed on us could have an adverse impact on our results of operations.

Individual states in the United States have also increasingly passed legislation and implemented regulations designed to control pharmaceutical product pricing, including price or patient reimbursement constraints, discounts, restrictions on certain product access, marketing cost disclosure, drug price reporting and other transparency measures. Some states have enacted legislation creating so-called prescription drug affordability boards with the goal of imposing price limits on certain drugs in these states, and at least one state board is imposing an upper payment limit. States are also seeking to implement general, across the board price caps for pharmaceuticals, or are seeking to regulate drug distribution. Some measures are designed to encourage importation from other countries and bulk purchasing. These types of initiatives may result in additional reductions in healthcare funding, and may otherwise affect the prices we may obtain for our product candidates, if approved. Legally mandated price controls on payment amounts by third-party payors or other restrictions could harm our business, results of operations, financial condition, and prospects. In addition, hospitals and health systems are increasingly using bidding procedures to determine what pharmaceutical products and which suppliers will be included in their prescription drug and other healthcare programs. This could reduce the ultimate demand for our products, if approved, or put pressure on our product pricing, which could negatively affect our business, results of operations, financial condition, and prospects.

Health care reform initiatives at the federal or state level could affect demand for, or pricing of, our current or other product candidates if approved for sale. Healthcare reform efforts have been and may continue to be subject to scrutiny, legal challenge and subsequent amendment, creating further uncertainty. We cannot, however, predict the ultimate content, timing or effect of any federal and state reform efforts. There is no assurance that federal or state health care reform will not adversely affect our future business and financial results.

If we fail to comply with healthcare and other regulations, we could face substantial penalties and our business, operations and financial condition could be adversely affected.

Our business operations, including our interactions with healthcare professionals and other healthcare providers, third-party payors, patients and other third-parties in the healthcare industry are or may in the future be subject to a wide range of federal and state healthcare laws and regulations that may constrain our business and/or financial arrangements, including how we research, market, sell and distribute our product candidates, if approved. Restrictions under applicable federal and state healthcare laws and regulations, some of which will apply only if and when we receive regulatory approval for a product candidate, include the following:

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federal healthcare program Anti-Kickback Statute, which prohibits, among other things, persons from soliciting, receiving or providing remuneration, directly or indirectly, to induce either the referral of an individual for an item or service or the purchasing, ordering or recommending of a good or service, for which payment may be made under federal healthcare programs such as Medicare and Medicaid. A person or entity does not need to have actual knowledge of the statute or specific intent to violate it in order to have committed a violation;
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federal false claims, false statements and civil monetary penalties laws which prohibit, among other activities, any person from knowingly presenting, or causing to be presented, a false claim for payment of government funds or knowingly making, or causing to be made, a false record or statement material to a false or fraudulent claim, or from knowingly making a false statement material to an obligation to pay money to the federal government, or knowingly concealing or knowingly and improperly avoiding or decreasing an obligation to pay money to the federal government. In addition, the government may assert that a claim including items and services resulting from a violation of the federal Anti-Kickback Statute constitutes a false or fraudulent claim for purposes of the federal False Claims Act;

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•
the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (“HIPAA”), which, in addition to privacy protections applicable to healthcare providers and other entities, prohibits executing a scheme to defraud any healthcare benefit program or making false statements to obtain money or property from a health benefit program. Similar to the federal Anti-Kickback Statute, a person or entity does not need to have actual knowledge of the statute or specific intent to violate it in order to have committed a violation;
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the federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, which among other things, strictly regulates drug marketing, prohibits manufacturers from marketing such products for off-label use and regulates the distribution of samples;
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federal laws, including the Medicaid Drug Rebate Program, that require pharmaceutical manufacturers to calculate, certify, and report certain calculated product prices to the government or provide certain discounts or rebates to government authorities or private entities, often as a condition of reimbursement under government healthcare programs;
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the so-called “federal sunshine” law, which requires certain pharmaceutical and medical device companies to monitor and report certain financial interactions with physicians (as defined by statute), certain non-physician healthcare practitioners (such as physician assistants and nurse practitioners) and teaching hospitals as well as ownership and investment interests held by physicians and their immediate family members to the federal government for re-disclosure to the public;
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the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, which prohibits, among other things, U.S. companies and their employees and agents from authorizing, promising, offering, or providing, directly or indirectly, corrupt or improper payments or anything else of value to foreign government officials, employees of public international organizations and foreign government owned or affiliated entities, candidates for foreign political office, and foreign political parties or officials thereof; and
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analogous state and foreign laws and regulations, such as state anti-bribery, anti-kickback and false claims laws, which may apply to healthcare items or services that are reimbursed by non-governmental third-party payors, including private insurers;
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state laws that require pharmaceutical companies to comply with specific compliance standards, restrict financial interactions between pharmaceutical companies and healthcare providers or require pharmaceutical companies to report information related to payments to healthcare providers or marketing expenditures; state laws that require pharmaceutical companies to file reports relating to pricing and marketing information, and state and local laws may require registration of pharmaceutical sales representatives; and other state laws that require licensure for, or otherwise regulate, the manufacture and distribution of, pharmaceutical products.

Efforts to ensure that our business arrangements with third-parties comply with applicable healthcare laws and regulations will involve substantial costs. Given the breadth of the laws and regulations, limited guidance for certain laws and regulations and evolving government interpretations of the laws and regulations, governmental authorities may possibly conclude that our business practices may not comply with healthcare laws and regulations. If our operations are found to be in violation of any of the laws described above or any other government regulations that apply to us, we may be subject to penalties, including significant civil, criminal and administrative penalties, damages, fines, disgorgement, exclusion from participation in government healthcare programs, such as Medicare and Medicaid, imprisonment, and the curtailment or restructuring of our operations, any of which could adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations, and prospects. Further, defending against any such actions can be costly, time consuming, and may require significant personnel resources. Therefore, even if we are successful in defending against any such actions that may be brought against us, our business may be impaired.

The U.S. Supreme Court’s June 2024 decision in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo overturned the longstanding Chevron doctrine, under which courts were required to give deference to regulatory agencies’ reasonable interpretations of ambiguous federal statutes. The Loper decision could result in additional legal challenges to regulations and guidance issued by federal agencies, including FDA and the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services, on which we rely. Any such legal challenges, if successful, could have a material impact on our business. Additionally, the Loper decision may result in increased regulatory uncertainty, inconsistent judicial interpretations, and other impacts to the agency rulemaking process, any of which could adversely impact our business and operations. We cannot predict the likelihood, nature or extent of government regulation that may arise from future legislation or administrative action or as a result of legal challenges, either in the United States or abroad. If we are slow or unable to adapt to changes in existing requirements or the adoption of new requirements or policies, or if we are not able to maintain regulatory compliance, our business could be materially harmed.

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We are and in the future may be subject to stringent and evolving U.S. and foreign laws, regulations, rules, contractual obligations, and policies related to data privacy and security. Our actual or perceived failure to comply with such obligations could lead to regulatory investigations or actions; litigation; fines and penalties; disruptions of our business operations; reputational harm; loss of revenue or profits; loss of customers or sales; and other adverse business consequences.

In the ordinary course of business, we collect, receive, store, process, generate, use, transfer, disclose, make accessible, protect, secure, dispose of, transmit, and share (collectively, process or processing) personal data and other sensitive information, including proprietary and confidential business data, trade secrets, employee data, intellectual property, data we collect about trial participants in connection with clinical trials, and other sensitive third-party data (collectively, sensitive data). We also depend on a number of third-party vendors in relation to the operation of our business, including our CROs, CDMOs and other service providers, a number of which process sensitive data on our behalf.

The global data protection landscape is rapidly evolving, and we are or may become subject to numerous state, federal and foreign laws, requirements, regulations, industry standards, privacy policies, contractual requirements, and other obligations governing the collection, use, disclosure, retention, and security of sensitive data, such as information that we may collect in connection with clinical trials. Implementation standards and enforcement practices are likely to remain uncertain for the foreseeable future, and we cannot yet determine the impact future laws, regulations, standards, or perception of their requirements may have on our business.

For example, HIPAA, as amended by the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act imposes specific requirements relating to the privacy, security, and transmission of individually identifiable health information. We may obtain health information from third parties, such as research institutions with which we collaborate, that are subject to privacy and security requirements under HIPAA. Although we do not believe that we are directly subject to HIPAA, other than potentially with respect to providing certain employee benefits, we could be subject to criminal penalties if we knowingly obtain or disclose individually identifiable health information maintained by a HIPAA covered entity in a manner that is not authorized or permitted by HIPAA. Additionally, the California Consumer Privacy Act (“CCPA”) applies to personal information of California consumers, business representatives, and employees, and among other things requires businesses to provide specific disclosures in privacy notices and honor requests of California residents to exercise certain privacy rights, including the right to opt out of certain disclosures of their information. At least 19 other states have also passed comprehensive privacy laws, and similar laws are being considered in several other states, as well as at the federal and local levels. While these state privacy laws, like the CCPA, also exempt some data processed in the context of clinical trials, these developments further complicate compliance efforts, and increase legal risk and compliance costs for us and the third parties upon whom we rely. In addition to government activity, privacy advocacy groups and technology and other industries are considering various new, additional or different self- regulatory standards that may place additional burdens on us.

In addition, the U.S. Department of Justice “Data Security Program” regulations issued pursuant to Executive Order 14117, “Preventing Access to Americans’ Bulk Sensitive Personal Data and United States Government-Related Data by Countries of Concern,” restrict, and in some cases prohibit, data transfers involving countries of concern or covered persons, including the People’s Republic of China (including Hong Kong and Macau), Russia, Iran, North Korea, Cuba and Venezuela that involve certain U.S. government-related data and bulk human’omic, geolocation, biometric, health, financial, and other sensitive personal data. The Data Security Program applies even to data that has been de-identified, anonymized or encrypted. Entities organized under the laws of the United States as well as U.S. persons are restricted in their ability to provide access to such data to such countries as well as “covered persons” that have certain nexuses to such countries, and they are also required to prohibit foreign parties from making an “onward transfer” of such data to countries of concern and covered persons. These restrictions may inhibit or preclude our ability to fully realize the value of such data, to use such data effectively or efficiently, or to engage in some data transactions that would otherwise be available to entities not subject to the Data Security Program. Compliance with the Data Security Program may require us to invest heavily in data security and compliance measures, such as implementing and complying with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s guidelines and other burdensome recordkeeping, reporting, and auditing requirements. It may also require us to implement new processes, stop or restrict certain data transfers, alter the geographic scope of our operations, cease doing business with certain third parties or using certain tools or vendors, or change how data flows throughout our business, any of which could materially impact our business operations or hinder our ability to grow our business. Non-compliance with the Data Security Program could result in significant civil or criminal penalties, which could materially adversely affect our business, results of operations, and financial condition.

There are also various laws and regulations in other jurisdictions outside the United States relating to data privacy and security, with which we may need to comply. For example, the EU GDPR and the UK’s equivalent (“UK GDPR” and collectively, “GDPR”), impose strict requirements for processing personal data. Notably, the EU GDPR and UK GDPR impose large penalties for noncompliance, including the potential for fines of up to €20 million under the EU GDPR / £17.5 million under the UK GDPR, or 4% of the annual global revenue of the noncompliant entity, whichever is greater. The EU GDPR and UK GDPR also provide for private litigation related to processing of personal data brought by classes of data subjects or consumer protection organizations authorized at law to represent their interests. Additionally, EU member states and other jurisdictions may introduce further conditions, including limitations, and make their own laws and regulations further limiting the processing of special categories of personal data, including personal data related to health, biometric data used for unique

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identification purposes and genetic information, which could limit our ability to collect, use and share data from the EU and other jurisdictions, and could cause our compliance costs to increase, ultimately adversely affecting our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

In addition, we may be unable to transfer personal data from Europe and other jurisdictions to the United States or other countries due to data localization requirements or limitations on cross-border data flows. Europe and other jurisdictions have enacted laws requiring data to be localized or limiting the transfer of personal data to other countries. In particular, the European Economic Area (“EEA”) and the UK have significantly restricted the transfer of personal data to countries whose privacy laws it believes are inadequate. Case law from the Court of Justice of the European Union (“CJEU”), however, states that reliance on the standard contractual clauses-a standard form of contract approved by the European Commission as an adequate personal information transfer mechanism-alone may not necessarily be sufficient in all circumstances and that transfers must be assessed on a case-by-case basis. In October 2022, President Biden signed an Executive Order that introduced new mechanisms and safeguards to address the concerns raised by the CJEU in relation to data transfers from the EEA to the United States and which formed the basis of the new EU-US Data Privacy Framework (and corresponding UK data protection framework, collectively the “DPF”), as released on December 13, 2022. The European Commission adoption of its Adequacy Decision means the DPF is effective as an EU GDPR transfer mechanism to U.S. entities self-certified under the DPF. While we have certified as a participant in the DPF, we cannot guarantee that the validity of the DPF will not undergo further legal challenge as occurred with previous transfer mechanisms like the EU/US Privacy Shield.

Other jurisdictions may adopt similarly stringent interpretations of their data localization and cross-border data transfer laws. Although there are currently various mechanisms that may be used to transfer personal data from the EEA and UK to the United States in compliance with law, such as the EEA and UK’s standard contractual clauses and the recently approved DPF, these mechanisms are subject to legal challenges, and there is no assurance that we can satisfy or rely on these measures to lawfully transfer personal data to the United States. If there is no lawful manner for us to transfer personal data from the EEA, the UK or other jurisdictions to the United States, or if the requirements for a legally-compliant transfer are too onerous, we could face significant adverse consequences, including the interruption or degradation of our operations, the need to relocate part of or all of our business or data processing activities to other jurisdictions at significant expense, increased exposure to regulatory actions, substantial fines and penalties, the inability to transfer data and work with partners, vendors and other third parties, and injunctions against our processing or transferring of personal data necessary to operate our business. Additionally, companies that transfer personal data out of the EEA and UK to other jurisdictions, particularly to the United States, are subject to increased scrutiny from regulators, individual litigants, and activist groups. Some European regulators have ordered certain companies to suspend or permanently cease certain transfers out of Europe for allegedly violating the EU GDPR’s cross-border data transfer limitations.

In addition to data privacy and security laws, we are also bound by other contractual obligations related to data privacy and security, and our efforts to comply with such obligations may not be successful.

Each of these laws, rules, regulations and contractual obligations relating to data privacy and security, and any other such changes or new laws, rules, regulations or contractual obligations could impose significant limitations, require changes to our business, or restrict our collection, use, storage or processing of sensitive data, which may increase our compliance expenses and make our business more costly or less efficient to conduct. In addition, any such changes could compromise our ability to develop an adequate marketing strategy and pursue our growth strategy effectively or even prevent us from providing certain products in jurisdictions in which we currently operate and in which we may operate in the future or incur potential liability in an effort to comply with such legislation, which, in turn, could adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects. Complying with these numerous, complex and often changing regulations is expensive and difficult, and failure to comply with any data privacy or security laws, whether by us, one of our CROs or CDMOs, or another third party, could adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects, including but not limited to: investigation costs; material fines and penalties; compensatory, special, punitive and statutory damages; litigation; consent orders regarding our privacy and security practices; requirements that we provide notices, credit monitoring services and/or credit restoration services or other relevant services to impacted individuals; adverse actions against our licenses to do business; reputational damage; and injunctive relief. The implementation of the CCPA, GDPR and other similar laws have increased our responsibility and liability in relation to sensitive data that we process and we may in the future be required to put in place additional mechanisms to ensure compliance with these and other applicable laws and regulations, which could divert management’s attention and increase our cost of doing business. In addition, new regulation or legislative actions regarding data privacy and security (together with applicable industry standards) may increase our costs of doing business. In this regard, we expect that there will continue to be new proposed laws, regulations and industry standards relating to privacy and data protection in the United States and other jurisdictions, and we cannot determine the impact such future laws, regulations and standards may have on our business.

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Any actual or perceived failure by us or our third-party service providers to comply with any federal, state or foreign laws, rules, regulations, regulatory guidance, orders to which we may be subject or other legal obligations relating to privacy, data protection, data security could adversely affect our reputation, brand and business. We may also be contractually required to indemnify and hold harmless third parties from the costs or consequences of non-compliance with any laws, rules and regulations or other legal obligations relating to privacy or any inadvertent or unauthorized use or disclosure of sensitive data that we store or handle as part of operating our business. Any of these events could adversely affect our reputation, business, or financial condition, including but not limited to: loss of customers; interruptions or stoppages in our business operations (including clinical trials); inability to process sensitive data or to operate in certain jurisdictions; limited ability to develop or commercialize our products; expenditure of time and resources to defend any claim or inquiry; adverse publicity; or substantial changes to our business model or operations.

Our CROs, CDMOs or other third-party service providers with access to our or our suppliers’, manufacturers’, trial participants’ and employees’ sensitive data for which we are responsible may breach contractual obligations imposed by us, or they may experience data security incidents, which could have a corresponding effect on our business, including putting us in breach of our obligations under privacy laws and regulations and/or which could in turn adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects. Our contractual measures and our own privacy and security-related safeguards may not protect us from the risks associated with the third-party processing of such information. Any of the foregoing could adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

We also publicly post our privacy policies and practices concerning our collection, use, disclosure and other processing of the personal information provided to us by our website visitors and by our customers. Although we endeavor to comply with our public statements and documentation, we may at times fail to do so or be perceived to have failed to do so. Our publication of our privacy policies and other statements we publish that provide promises and assurances about privacy and security can subject us to potential state and federal action if they are found to be deceptive, unfair or misrepresentative of our actual practices. Any actual or perceived failure by us to comply with federal, state or foreign laws, rules or regulations, industry standards, contractual or other legal obligations, or any actual, perceived or suspected cybersecurity incident, whether or not resulting in unauthorized access to, or acquisition, release or transfer of personal information or other data, may result in enforcement actions and prosecutions, private litigation, significant fines, penalties and censure, claims for damages by customers and other affected individuals, regulatory inquiries and investigations or adverse publicity and could cause our customers to lose trust in us, any of which could adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

Our contracts may not contain limitations of liability, and even where they do, the limitations of liability in our contracts may not be sufficient to protect us from liabilities, damages, or claims related to our data privacy and security obligations. Further, the successful assertion of one or more large claims against us that exceeds our available insurance coverage, or results in changes to our insurance policies (including premium increases or the imposition of large deductible or co-insurance requirements), could have an adverse effect on our business. In addition, we cannot be sure that our existing insurance coverage will continue to be available on acceptable terms or that our insurers will not deny coverage as to any future claim.

We are subject to U.S. and certain foreign export and import controls, sanctions, embargoes, anti-corruption laws, and anti-money laundering laws and regulations. Compliance with these legal standards could impair our ability to compete in domestic and international markets. We can face criminal liability and other serious consequences for violations, which can harm our business.

We are subject to export control and import laws and regulations, including the U.S. Export Administration Regulations, U.S. Customs regulations, various economic and trade sanctions regulations administered by the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Controls, the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, the U.S. domestic bribery statute contained in 18 U.S.C. § 201, the U.S. Travel Act, the USA PATRIOT Act, and other state and national anti-bribery and anti-money laundering laws in the countries in which we conduct activities. Anti-corruption laws are interpreted broadly and prohibit companies and their employees, agents, contractors, and other collaborators from authorizing, promising, offering, or providing, directly or indirectly, improper payments or anything else of value to recipients in the public or private sector. We may engage third parties to sell our products outside the United States, to conduct clinical trials, and/or to obtain necessary permits, licenses, patent registrations, and other regulatory approvals. We have direct or indirect interactions with officials and employees of government agencies or government-affiliated hospitals, universities, and other organizations. We can be held liable for the corrupt or other illegal activities of our employees, agents, contractors, and other collaborators, even if we do not explicitly authorize or have actual knowledge of such activities. Any violations of the laws and regulations described above may result in substantial civil and criminal fines and penalties, imprisonment, the loss of export or import privileges, debarment, tax reassessments, breach of contract and fraud litigation, reputational harm, and other consequences.

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International trade policies, including tariffs, sanctions and trade barriers may adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

We operate in a global economy, which includes utilizing third-party suppliers in several countries outside the United States. There is inherent risk, based on the complex relationships among the U.S. and the countries in which we conduct our business, that political, diplomatic and national security factors can lead to global trade restrictions and changes in trade policies and export regulations that may adversely affect our business and operations. The current international trade and regulatory environment is subject to significant ongoing uncertainty. The U.S. government has recently announced substantial new tariffs affecting a wide range of products and jurisdictions and has indicated an intention to continue developing new trade policies, including with respect to the pharmaceutical industry. In response, certain foreign governments have announced or implemented retaliatory tariffs and other protectionist measures. These developments have created a dynamic and unpredictable trade landscape, which may adversely impact our business, results of operations, financial condition and prospects.

We do not own or operate and currently have no plans to establish any manufacturing facilities. We currently rely, and expect to continue to rely, on third parties for the manufacture of our product candidates for clinical testing, as well as for manufacture of any products that we may commercialize, if approved. Currently, several of our suppliers are located outside of the United States. We also rely on specialized laboratory equipment, supplies and materials, all or part of which we believe may be ultimately sourced from multiple countries outside the United States, to advance our research and development efforts.

Current or future tariffs could result in increased research and development expenses, including with respect to increased costs associated with active pharmaceutical ingredients, raw materials, laboratory equipment and research materials and components. In addition, such tariffs could increase our supply chain complexity and could also potentially disrupt our existing supply chain. Trade restrictions affecting the import of materials necessary for clinical trials could result in delays to our development timelines. Increased development costs and extended development timelines could place us at a competitive disadvantage compared to companies operating entirely domestically or in regions with more favorable trade relationships and could reduce investor confidence, negatively impacting our ability to secure additional financing on favorable terms or at all. In addition, as we advance toward commercialization in the future, tariffs and trade restrictions could hinder our ability to establish cost-effective production capabilities, negatively impacting our growth prospects.

The complexity of announced or future tariffs may also increase the risk that we or our customers or suppliers may be subject to civil or criminal enforcement actions in the United States or foreign jurisdictions related to compliance with trade regulations. Foreign governments may also adopt non-tariff measures, such as procurement preferences or informal disincentives to engage with, purchase from or invest in U.S. entities, which may limit our ability to compete internationally and attract non-U.S. investment, employees, customers and suppliers. Foreign governments may also take other retaliatory actions against U.S. entities, such as decreased intellectual property protection, increased enforcement actions or delays in regulatory approvals, which may result in heightened international legal and operational risks. In addition, the United States and other governments have imposed and may continue to impose additional sanctions, such as trade restrictions or trade barriers, which could restrict us from doing business directly or indirectly in or with certain countries or parties and may impose additional costs and complexity to our business.

Trade disputes, tariffs, restrictions and other political tensions between the United States and other countries may also exacerbate unfavorable macroeconomic conditions including inflationary pressures, foreign exchange volatility, financial market instability and economic recessions or downturns. The ultimate impact of current or future tariffs and trade restrictions remains uncertain and could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects. While we actively monitor these risks, any prolonged economic downturn, escalation in trade tensions or deterioration in international perception of U.S.-based companies could materially and adversely affect our business, ability to access the capital markets or other financing sources, results of operations, financial condition and prospects. In addition, tariffs and other trade developments have and may continue to heighten the risks related to the other risk factors described elsewhere in this prospectus.

If our third-party manufacturers use hazardous and biological materials in a manner that causes injury or violates applicable law, we may be liable for damages.

Our research and development activities involve the controlled use of potentially hazardous substances, including chemical materials, by our third-party manufacturers. Our manufacturers are subject to federal, state and local laws and regulations in the U.S. governing the use, manufacture, storage, handling and disposal of medical and hazardous materials. Although we believe that our manufacturers’ procedures for using, handling, storing and disposing of these materials comply with legally prescribed standards, we cannot completely eliminate the risk of contamination or injury resulting from medical or hazardous materials. As a result of any such contamination or injury, we may incur liability or local, city, state or federal authorities may curtail the use of these materials and interrupt our business operations. In the event of an accident, we could be held liable for damages or penalized with fines, and the liability could exceed our resources. We do not have any insurance for liabilities arising from medical or hazardous materials. Compliance with applicable environmental laws and regulations is expensive, and current or future environmental regulations may impair our research, development and production efforts, which could harm our business, prospects, financial condition or results of operations.

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Risks Related to Our Reliance on Third Parties

We rely, and expect to continue to rely, on third parties, including independent clinical investigators, contracted laboratories and CROs, to conduct our preclinical studies and clinical trials. If these third parties do not successfully carry out their contractual duties or meet expected deadlines, we may not be able to obtain regulatory approval for or commercialize our product candidates and our business could be substantially harmed.

We rely and intend to continue to rely on third-party clinical investigators, CROs and clinical data management organizations to conduct, supervise and monitor preclinical studies and clinical trials of our current and other product candidates. Because of this reliance, we have less control over the timing, quality and other aspects of preclinical studies and clinical trials than if we conduct them ourselves. Third parties are not our employees and we have limited control over the amount of time and resources that they dedicate to our programs. Additionally, such parties have contractual relationships with other entities, some of which may be our competitors, which may divert time and resources from our programs.

Our reliance on third parties reduces our control over our development activities. Nevertheless, we are responsible for ensuring that each of our clinical trials is conducted in accordance with the applicable trial protocol and legal, regulatory and scientific standards. For example, we remain responsible for ensuring that certain of our preclinical studies are conducted in accordance with GLPs, and clinical trials are conducted in accordance with GCPs. Moreover, the FDA and comparable foreign regulatory authorities require us to comply with GCP for conducting, recording and reporting the results of clinical trials to assure that data and reported results are credible and accurate and that the rights, integrity and confidentiality of trial participants are protected. Regulatory authorities enforce these requirements through periodic inspections (including pre-approval inspections once a BLA is submitted to the FDA) of trial sponsors, clinical investigators, trial sites and certain third parties including CROs. If we, our CROs, clinical trial sites or other third parties fail to comply with applicable GCP or other regulatory requirements, we or they may be subject to enforcement or other legal actions, the clinical data generated in our clinical trials may be deemed unreliable and the FDA or comparable foreign regulatory authorities may require us to perform additional clinical trials. Moreover, our business may be significantly impacted if our CROs, clinical investigators or other third parties violate federal or state healthcare fraud and abuse or false claims laws and regulations or healthcare privacy and security laws.

There is no guarantee that any of our CROs, investigators or other third parties will devote adequate time and resources to such trials or studies or perform as contractually required. If our third party contractors do not successfully carry out their contractual duties, meet deadlines or conduct our clinical trials in accordance with regulatory requirements or our stated protocols, our clinical trials may need to be repeated, extended, delayed or terminated, we may not be able to obtain, or may be delayed in obtaining, regulatory approvals for our product candidates, we will not be able to, or may be delayed in our efforts to, successfully commercialize our product candidates or we or they may be subject to regulatory enforcement actions. As a result, our results of operations and the commercial prospects for our product candidates would be harmed, our costs could increase and our ability to generate revenue could be delayed.

If any of our relationships with these third parties terminate, we may not be able to enter into alternative arrangements or do so on commercially reasonable terms. Switching or adding contractors involves cost, takes time and diverts management’s attention. In addition, there is a natural transition period when a new third party commences work. Delays could compromise our ability to meet our desired development timelines. In addition, if an agreement with any of our collaborators terminates, our access to technology and intellectual property licensed to us by that collaborator may be restricted or terminate entirely, which may delay our continued development of our product candidates utilizing the collaborator’s technology or intellectual property or require us to stop development of those product candidates completely.

In addition, principal investigators for our clinical trials may serve as scientific advisors or consultants to us from time to time and receive compensation in connection with such services. We may be required to report some of these relationships to the FDA, and the FDA may conclude that a financial relationship between us and/or a principal investigator has created a conflict of interest or otherwise affects interpretation of the study. The FDA may therefore question the integrity of the data generated at the applicable clinical trial site and the utility of the clinical trial itself may be jeopardized. This could result in a delay in approval, or rejection, of our marketing applications by the FDA and may ultimately lead to the denial of regulatory approval of one or more of our product candidates.

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We currently rely and expect to rely in the future on third parties to manufacture our product candidates, and we may rely on third parties to produce and process our products, if approved. Our business could be adversely affected if the third-party manufacturers encounter difficulties in production.

We do not own or operate facilities for drug manufacturing, storage, distribution or quality testing and must currently rely on CMOs to manufacture our product candidates. We have not yet caused our product candidates to be manufactured on a commercial scale and may not be able to do so for any of our product candidates, if approved. We currently have sole source relationships for our supply of TRB-061 and TRB-071. If there should be any disruption in such supply arrangement, including any adverse events affecting our sole suppliers, it could have a negative effect on the clinical development of our product candidates and other operations while we work to qualify an alternate supply source. We may not control the manufacturing process of, and may be completely dependent on, our contract manufacturing partners for compliance with cGMP requirements and any other regulatory requirements of the FDA or comparable foreign regulatory authorities for the manufacture of our product candidates. Beyond periodic audits, we have no control over the ability of our CMOs to maintain adequate quality control, quality assurance and qualified personnel. If the FDA or a comparable foreign regulatory authority does not approve these facilities for the manufacture of our product candidates or if it withdraws any such approval in the future, we may need to find alternative manufacturing facilities, which would require the incurrence of significant additional costs and materially adversely affect our ability to develop, obtain regulatory approval for or market our programs, if approved. Similarly, our failure, or the failure of our CMOs, to comply with applicable regulations could result in sanctions being imposed on us, including fines, injunctions, civil penalties, delays, suspension or withdrawal of approvals, license revocation, seizures or recalls of programs or drugs, operating restrictions and criminal prosecutions, any of which could significantly and adversely affect supplies of our programs or drugs and harm our business and results of operations.

Moreover, our CMOs may experience manufacturing difficulties due to resource constraints, supply chain issues, or as a result of labor disputes or unstable political environments. If any CMOs on which we will rely fail to manufacture quantities of our programs at quality levels necessary to meet regulatory requirements and at a scale sufficient to meet anticipated demand at a cost that allows us to achieve profitability, our business, financial condition and prospects could be materially and adversely affected. In addition, our CMOs are responsible for transporting temperature controlled materials that can be inadvertently degraded during transport due to several factors, rendering certain batches unsuitable for trial use for failure to meet, among others, our integrity and purity specifications. We and any of our CMOs may also face product seizure or detention or refusal to permit the import or export of products. Our business could be materially adversely affected by business disruptions to our third-party providers that could materially adversely affect our anticipated timelines, potential future revenue and financial condition and increase our costs and expenses. Each of these risks could delay or prevent the completion of our preclinical studies and clinical trials or the approval of any of our programs by the FDA, result in higher costs or adversely impact commercialization of our product candidates.

We may have conflicts with our current or future licensors or collaborators that could delay or prevent the development or commercialization of our product candidates.

We are currently party to license and collaboration agreements, and we expect to enter into similar strategic transactions in the future. Our current or any future collaborators may act in a manner that is adverse to our best interests and our interests may conflict with theirs, including concerning the interpretation of preclinical or clinical data, the achievement of milestones, the interpretation of contractual obligations, payments for services, development obligations or the ownership of intellectual property developed during our collaboration. Any disagreement could result in one or more of the following, each of which could delay or prevent the development or commercialization of our product candidates, and in turn prevent us from generating revenue: disputes regarding milestone payments or royalties; uncertainty regarding ownership of intellectual property rights arising from our collaborative activities, which could prevent us from entering into additional collaborations; unwillingness by the collaborator to cooperate in the development or manufacture of a product candidate, including providing us with data or materials; unwillingness on the part of a collaborator to keep us informed regarding the progress of its development and commercialization activities or to permit public disclosure of the results of those activities; initiating of litigation or alternative dispute resolution options by either party to resolve the dispute; or attempts by either party to terminate the agreement.

If we fail to comply with our obligations in the agreements under which we in-license or acquire development or commercialization rights related to our product candidates, or data from third parties, we could lose such rights that are important to our business.

Our licensors may have relied upon, and any future licensors may rely upon, third-party companies, consultants or collaborators, or on funds from third parties such that our licensors are not the sole and exclusive owners of the patents we in-license. If our licensors fail to prosecute, maintain, enforce, and defend such patents, or lose rights to those patents, the rights we have licensed may be reduced or eliminated, and our right to develop and commercialize our current or other product candidates that are or may be the subject of such licensed rights could be adversely affected. Further development and commercialization of our product candidates and development of any other product candidates may require us to enter into

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additional license or collaboration agreements. Our future licenses may not provide us with exclusive rights to use the licensed patent rights and other intellectual property licensed thereunder or may not provide us with exclusive rights to use such patent rights and intellectual property in all relevant fields of use and in all territories in which we wish to develop or commercialize our current or other product candidates.

In spite of our efforts, our licensors or any future licensors might conclude that we are in material breach of obligations under our license agreements and may therefore have the right to terminate the license agreements, thereby removing our ability to develop and commercialize product candidates and technology covered by such license agreements. If such in-licenses are terminated, or if the underlying patents fail to provide the intended exclusivity, our competitors would have the freedom to seek regulatory approval of, and to market, products identical to our product candidates and the licensors to such in-licenses could prevent us from developing or commercializing product candidates that rely upon the patents or other intellectual property rights which were the subject matter of such terminated agreements. In addition, we may seek to obtain additional licenses from our licensors and, in connection with obtaining such licenses, we may agree to amend our existing licenses in a manner that may be more favorable to the licensors, including by agreeing to terms that could enable third parties (potentially including our competitors) to receive licenses to a portion of the intellectual property that is subject to our existing licenses and compete with our existing product candidates. Any of these events could adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations, and prospects.

Disputes may arise regarding intellectual property subject to a licensing agreement, including:

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the scope of rights granted under the license agreement and other interpretation-related issues;
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our financial or other obligations under the license agreement;
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the extent to which our processes infringe on intellectual property of the licensor that is not subject to the licensing agreement;
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the sublicensing of patent and other rights under our collaborative development relationships;
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our diligence obligations under the license agreement and what activities satisfy those obligations;
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the inventorship or ownership of inventions and know-how resulting from the joint creation or use of intellectual property by our licensors and us and our partners; and
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the priority of invention of patented technology.

In addition, our license agreements are, and future license agreements are likely to be, complex, and certain provisions in such agreements may be susceptible to multiple interpretations. The resolution of any contract interpretation disagreement that may arise could narrow what we believe to be the scope of our rights to the relevant intellectual property or increase what we believe to be our financial or other obligations under the relevant agreement, either of which could adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations, and prospects. Moreover, if disputes over intellectual property that we have licensed prevent or impair our ability to maintain our current licensing arrangements on commercially acceptable terms, we may be unable to successfully develop and commercialize the affected product candidates, which could adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations, and prospects.

The operations of our suppliers, some of which are located outside of the United States, are subject to additional risks that are beyond our control and that could harm our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

Currently, certain of our suppliers primarily operate outside of the United States. As a result, we are subject to risks associated with doing business abroad, including:

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geopolitical tensions, political unrest, terrorism, labor disputes and economic instability resulting in the disruption of trade from foreign countries in which our products are manufactured;
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the imposition of new laws and regulations, including those relating to labor conditions and safety standards, information and data transfer, imports, duties, taxes, and other charges on imports, as well as trade restrictions and restrictions on currency exchange or the transfer of funds, particularly new or increased tariffs imposed on imports from countries where our suppliers operate;
•
greater challenges and increased costs with enforcing and periodically auditing or reviewing our suppliers’ and manufacturers’ compliance with cGMPs or status acceptable to the FDA or comparable foreign regulatory authorities;
•
reduced protection for intellectual property rights, including trade secret protection, in some countries;

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disruptions in operations due to global, regional, or local epidemics, pandemics and other public health crises, or other emergencies or natural disasters;
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disruptions or delays in shipments; and
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changes in local economic conditions in countries where our manufacturers or suppliers are located.

These and other factors beyond our control could interrupt our suppliers’ production, influence the ability of our suppliers to export our clinical supplies cost-effectively or at all and inhibit our suppliers’ ability to procure certain materials, any of which could delay our clinical trials or otherwise harm our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

Risks Related to Our Intellectual Property

If we are unable to obtain and maintain sufficient intellectual property protection for our product candidates or any other product candidates we may develop, or if the scope of the intellectual property protection obtained is not sufficiently broad, our competitors or other third parties could develop and commercialize products similar or identical to ours, and our ability to successfully develop and commercialize our product candidates may be adversely impacted.

We rely upon a combination of patents, know-how and confidentiality agreements to protect the intellectual property related to our product candidates and to prevent third parties from copying and surpassing our achievements, thus eroding our competitive position in our market.

Our success depends in large part on our ability to obtain and maintain patent protection in the United States and other countries for our product candidates and their uses, as well as our ability to operate without infringing, misappropriating or otherwise violating the proprietary rights of others. We seek to protect our proprietary position by filing and licensing patent applications in the United States and abroad related to our novel discoveries and technologies that are important to our business. Our pending and future patent applications may not result in patents being issued. Issued patents may not afford sufficient protection of our product candidates or their intended uses against competitors, and the patents issued may be infringed, designed around, invalidated by third parties, or may not effectively prevent others from commercializing competitive technologies, products or product candidates.

Obtaining and enforcing patents is expensive and time-consuming, and we may not be able to file, prosecute, maintain, enforce or license all necessary or desirable patent applications or maintain and/or enforce patents that may issue based on our patent applications, at a reasonable cost or in a timely manner. We may not be able to obtain or maintain patent applications and patents due to the subject matter claimed in such patent applications and patents being in disclosures in the public domain. It is also possible that we will fail to identify patentable aspects of our research and development results before it is too late to obtain patent protection. Although we enter into non-disclosure and confidentiality agreements with parties who have access to confidential or patentable aspects of our research and development output, such as our employees, corporate collaborators, outside scientific collaborators, CROs, CMOs, consultants, advisors and other third parties, any of these parties may breach these agreements and disclose such results before a patent application is filed, thereby jeopardizing our ability to seek patent protection.

The patent position of biopharmaceutical companies generally is highly uncertain, involves complex legal and factual questions and has in recent years been the subject of much litigation, resulting in court decisions, including Supreme Court decisions, which have increased uncertainties as to the ability to obtain patents and to enforce patent rights in the future. As a result, the issuance, scope, validity, enforceability and commercial value of any patent rights are highly uncertain. Our pending and future owned and in-licensed patent applications may not result in patents being issued which protect our product candidates, effectively prevent others from commercializing our product candidates or otherwise provide any competitive advantage. In fact, patent applications may not issue as patents at all. The coverage claimed in a patent application can also be significantly reduced before the patent is issued, and its scope can be reinterpreted after issuance. In addition, the laws of foreign countries may not protect our rights to the same extent as the laws of the United States, or vice versa.

The patent application process is subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, and we may not be successful in protecting our product candidates by obtaining and defending patents. For example, we may not be aware of all third-party intellectual property rights potentially relating to our product candidates or their intended uses, and as a result the impact of such third-party intellectual property rights upon the patentability of our own or our licensors’ patents and patent applications, as well as the impact of such third-party intellectual property upon our freedom to operate, is highly uncertain. Publications of discoveries in the scientific literature often lag behind the actual discoveries, and patent applications in the United States and other jurisdictions are typically not published until 18 months after filing or, in some cases, not at all. Therefore, we cannot know with certainty whether we were the first to make the inventions claimed in our patents or pending patent applications, or that we were the first to file for patent protection of such inventions. If a third party can establish that we or our licensors were not the first to make or the first to file for patent protection of such inventions, our owned or licensed patent applications may not

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issue as patents and even if issued, may be challenged and invalidated or rendered unenforceable. As a result, the issuance, inventorship, scope, validity, enforceability and commercial value of our or our licensors’ patent rights are highly uncertain.

The issuance of a patent is not conclusive as to its inventorship, scope, validity or enforceability and our or our licensors’ pending patent applications may be challenged in patent offices in the United States and abroad. Even issued patents may later be found invalid or unenforceable or may be modified or revoked in proceedings instituted by third parties before various patent offices or in courts. For example, our or our licensors’ pending patent applications may be subject to third-party pre-issuance submissions of prior art to the USPTO or our issued patents may be subject to post-grant review proceedings, oppositions, derivations, reexaminations, interferences, inter partes review proceedings or other similar proceedings, in the United States or elsewhere, challenging our or our licensors’ patent rights or the patent rights of others. In some cases, such submissions may also be made prior to a patent’s issuance, precluding the granting of a patent based on one or more of our owned or licensed pending patent applications. An adverse determination in any such challenges may result in loss of exclusivity or in patent claims being narrowed, invalidated, or held unenforceable, in whole or in part, which could limit our ability to stop others from using or commercializing similar or identical technology and product candidates, or limit the duration of the patent protection of our technology and product candidates. Such challenges also may result in substantial cost and require significant time from our scientists and management, even if the eventual outcome is favorable to us. Any of the foregoing could adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

A third party may also claim that our owned or licensed patent rights are invalid or unenforceable in a litigation. The outcome following legal assertions of invalidity and unenforceability is unpredictable. An adverse result in any legal proceeding could put one or more of our owned or in-licensed patents at risk of being invalidated or interpreted narrowly and could allow third parties to commercialize our products and compete directly with us, without payment to us, or result in our inability to manufacture or commercialize our technology, products or product candidates without infringing third-party patent rights.

In addition, given the amount of time required for the development, testing and regulatory review of new product candidates, patents protecting such candidates might expire before or shortly after such candidates are commercialized. The degree of future protection for our proprietary rights is uncertain. Only limited protection may be available and may not adequately protect our rights or permit us to gain or keep any competitive advantage. Any failure to obtain or maintain patent protection with respect to our product candidates or their uses could adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

We may not obtain or maintain necessary rights to our product candidates through acquisitions and in-licenses.

The growth of our business depends in part on our ability to acquire, in-license, or use third-party proprietary rights, and we may not be able to do so on commercially reasonable terms or at all. Licenses may be on nonexclusive terms, thereby giving our competitors and other third parties access to the same intellectual property licensed to us, or could require us to make substantial licensing and royalty payments. The licensing and acquisition of third-party intellectual property rights is a competitive area, and a number of more established companies may pursue strategies to license or acquire third-party intellectual property rights that we may consider attractive or necessary. These established companies may have a competitive advantage over us due to their size, capital resources or greater clinical development and commercialization capabilities. In addition, companies that perceive us to be a competitor may be unwilling to assign or license rights to us. We also may be unable to license or acquire third-party intellectual property rights on terms that would allow us to make an appropriate return on our investment or at all. If we are unable to successfully obtain rights to required third-party intellectual property rights or maintain the existing intellectual property rights we have obtained, we may have to abandon development of the relevant program or product candidate, which could adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations, and prospects.

While we normally seek to obtain the right to control prosecution, maintenance and enforcement of the patents relating to our product candidates, there may be times when the filing and prosecution activities for patents and patent applications relating to our product candidates are controlled by our licensors or collaboration partners. If any of our current or future licensors or collaboration partners fails to prosecute, maintain and enforce such patents and patent applications in a manner consistent with the best interests of our business, including by payment of all applicable fees for patents covering our product candidates, we could lose our rights to the intellectual property or our exclusivity with respect to those rights, our ability to develop and commercialize those product candidates may be adversely affected and we may not be able to prevent competitors from making, using and selling competing products. In addition, even where we have the right to control patent prosecution of patents and patent applications we have licensed to and from third parties, we may still be adversely affected or prejudiced by actions or inactions of our licensees, our future licensors and their counsel that took place prior to the date upon which we assumed control over patent prosecution.

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Patent rights relating to inventions described and claimed in our or our licensors’ pending patent applications may not issue and patents based on our or our licensors’ patent applications could be challenged and rendered invalid and/or unenforceable.

The patent application process is subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, and we, our licensors, or any of our potential future collaborators may not be successful in protecting our product candidates by obtaining and defending patents. We and our licensors have several pending U.S. and foreign patent applications in our portfolio. We cannot predict:

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if and when patents may issue based on our and our licensors’ patent applications;
•
the scope of protection of any patent issuing based on our and our licensors’ patent applications;
•
whether the claims of any patent issuing based on our and our licensors’ patent applications will provide protection against competitors;
•
whether or not third parties will find ways to invalidate or circumvent our and our licensors’ patent rights;
•
whether or not others will obtain patents claiming aspects similar to those covered by our and our licensors’ patents and patent applications;
•
whether we will need to initiate litigation or administrative proceedings to enforce and/or defend our and our licensors’ patent rights which will be costly whether we win or lose;
•
whether the patent applications that we own will result in issued patents with claims that cover our product candidates or uses thereof in the United States or in other foreign countries; or
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whether we may experience patent office interruption or delays to our ability to timely secure patent coverage to our product candidates due to global pandemics and epidemics.

The claims in our or our licensors’ pending patent applications directed to our product candidates may not be considered patentable by the USPTO or by patent offices in foreign countries, and any such patent applications may not issue as granted patents. One aspect of the determination of patentability of our and our licensors’ inventions depends on the scope and content of the “prior art,” information that was or is deemed available to a person of skill in the relevant art prior to the priority date of the claimed invention. There may be prior art of which we are not aware that may affect the patentability of our or our licensors’ patent claims or, if issued, affect the validity or enforceability of a patent claim. Even if the patents do issue based on our or our licensors’ patent applications, third parties may challenge the validity, enforceability or scope thereof, which may result in such patents being narrowed, invalidated or held unenforceable. For example, there may be prior art not considered by the patent office that is raised by a third party to challenge the validity of any patents that issue from our or our licensors’ patent applications. Furthermore, even if they are unchallenged, patents in our and our licensors’ portfolio may not adequately exclude third parties from practicing relevant technology or prevent others from designing around our claims. If the breadth or strength of our intellectual property position with respect to our product candidates is threatened, it could dissuade companies from collaborating with us to develop and threaten our ability to commercialize our product candidates. In the event of litigation or administrative proceedings, we cannot be certain that the claims in any of our issued patents will be considered valid by courts in the United States or foreign countries.

We may not be able to protect our intellectual property rights throughout the world.

Patents are of national or regional effect. Filing, prosecuting and defending patents on all of our research programs and product candidates in all countries throughout the world would be prohibitively expensive, and our and our licensors’ intellectual property rights in some countries outside the United States can be less extensive than those in the United States. In addition, the laws of some foreign countries do not protect intellectual property rights to the same extent as federal and state laws in the United States, even in jurisdictions where we do pursue patent protection. Consequently, we may not be able to prevent third parties from practicing our or our licensors’ inventions in all countries outside the United States, even in jurisdictions where we or our licensors do pursue patent protection, or from selling or importing products made using our or our licensors’ inventions in and into the United States or other jurisdictions. Competitors may use our or our licensors’ technologies in jurisdictions where we have not obtained patent protection to develop their own products and, further, may export otherwise infringing products to territories where we and our licensors have patent protection, but enforcement is not as strong as that in the United States. These competitor products may compete with our product candidates, and our and our licensors’ patents or other intellectual property rights may not be effective or sufficient to prevent them from competing.

Various companies have encountered significant problems in protecting and defending intellectual property rights in foreign jurisdictions. The legal systems of many countries do not favor the enforcement of patents and other intellectual property protection, particularly those relating to pharmaceuticals, which could make it difficult for us to stop the infringement of our and our licensors’ patents or marketing of competing products in violation of our proprietary rights.

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Various countries outside the United States have compulsory licensing laws under which a patent owner may be compelled to grant licenses to third parties. In addition, many countries limit the enforceability of patents against government agencies or government contractors. As a result, a patent owner may have limited remedies in certain circumstances, which could materially diminish the value of such patent. If we or our licensors are forced to grant a license to third parties with respect to any patents relevant to our business, our competitive position may be impaired, and our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may be adversely affected. Accordingly, our efforts to enforce our intellectual property rights around the world may be inadequate to obtain a significant commercial advantage from the intellectual property that we develop or license.

Further, the standards applied by the USPTO and foreign patent offices in granting patents are not always applied uniformly or predictably. As such, we do not know the degree of future protection that we will have on our product candidates. While we will endeavor to try to protect our product candidates with intellectual property rights such as patents, as appropriate, the process of obtaining patents is time-consuming, expensive and unpredictable.

Intellectual property rights do not necessarily address all potential threats to our competitive advantage.

The degree of future protection afforded by our intellectual property rights is uncertain because intellectual property rights have limitations and may not adequately protect our business or permit us to maintain our competitive advantage. For example:

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others may be able to make product candidates that are similar to ours but that are not covered by the pending patent applications that we own or the patents or patent applications that we license;
•
we or our licensors or future collaborators might not have been the first to make the inventions covered by the pending patent application that we own or have exclusively licensed;
•
we or our licensors or future collaborators might not have been the first to file patent applications covering certain of our or their inventions;
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others may independently develop similar or alternative technologies or duplicate any of our technologies without infringing or otherwise violating our owned or licensed intellectual property rights;
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it is possible that noncompliance with the USPTO and foreign governmental patent agencies requirement for a number of procedural, documentary, fee payment and other provisions during the patent process can result in abandonment or lapse of a patent or patent application, and partial or complete loss of patent rights in the relevant jurisdiction;
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it is possible that our pending owned or licensed patent applications or those that we may own or license in the future will not lead to issued patents;
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issued patents that we either own or have exclusively licensed may be revoked, modified, or held invalid or unenforceable, as a result of legal challenges by our competitors;
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others may have access to the same intellectual property rights licensed to us in the future on a non-exclusive basis;
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our competitors might conduct research and development activities in countries where we do not have patent rights and then use the information learned from such activities to develop competitive products for sale in our major commercial markets;
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we may not develop additional proprietary technologies that are patentable;
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we cannot predict the scope of protection of any patent issuing based on our and our licensors’ patent applications, including whether the patent applications that we own, presently in-license, or, in the future, in-license will result in issued patents with claims that directed to our product candidates or uses thereof in the United States or in other foreign countries;
•
there may be significant pressure on the U.S. government and international governmental bodies to limit the scope of patent protection both inside and outside the United States for disease treatments that prove successful, as a matter of public policy regarding worldwide health concerns;
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countries other than the United States may have patent laws less favorable to patentees than those upheld by U.S. courts, allowing foreign competitors a better opportunity to create, develop and market competing product candidates;

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•
the claims of any patent issuing based on our patent applications may not provide protection against competitors or any competitive advantages, or may be challenged by third parties;
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if enforced, a court may not hold that our patents, if they issue in the future, are valid, enforceable and infringed;
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we may need to initiate litigation or administrative proceedings to enforce and/or defend our patent rights which will be costly whether we win or lose;
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we may choose not to file a patent application in order to maintain certain trade secrets or know-how, and a third party may subsequently file a patent application covering such intellectual property;
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we may fail to adequately protect and police our trademarks and trade secrets; and
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the patents of others may have an adverse effect on our business, including if others obtain patents claiming subject matter similar to or improving that covered by our patent applications.

Should any of these or similar events occur, they could significantly harm our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

We may be involved in lawsuits to protect or enforce our patents or other intellectual property, which could be expensive, time-consuming and unsuccessful.

Competitors or other third parties may infringe our patents, trademarks or other intellectual property. To counter infringement or unauthorized use, we or one of our licensing partners may file infringement claims, which can be expensive and time consuming and divert the time and attention of our management and scientific personnel. Our or our licensors’ pending patent applications cannot be enforced against third parties practicing the technology claimed in such applications unless and until a patent issues from such applications. Claims we assert against perceived infringers could provoke these parties to assert counterclaims against us alleging that we infringe their patents, in addition to counterclaims asserting that our patents or our licensors’ patents are invalid or unenforceable, or both. In patent litigation in the United States, defendant counterclaims alleging invalidity and/or unenforceability are commonplace. Grounds for a validity challenge could be an alleged failure to meet any of several statutory requirements, including lack of novelty, obviousness, non-enablement, insufficient written description or failure to claim patent-eligible subject matter. Grounds for an unenforceability assertion could be an allegation that someone connected with prosecution of the patent withheld relevant information from the USPTO or made a misleading statement during prosecution. The outcome following legal assertions of invalidity and unenforceability is unpredictable. In any patent infringement proceeding, there is a risk that a court will decide that a patent of ours or our licensors is invalid or unenforceable, in whole or in part, and that we do not have the right to stop the other party from using the invention at issue. There is also a risk that, even if the validity of such patents is upheld, the court will construe the patent’s claims narrowly or decide that we do not have the right to stop the other party from using the invention at issue on the grounds that our or our licensors’ patent claims do not cover the invention, or decide that the other party’s use of our or our licensors’ patented technology falls under the safe harbor to patent infringement under 35 U.S.C. §271(e)(1). An adverse outcome in a litigation or proceeding involving our or our licensors’ patents could limit our ability to assert our or our licensors’ patents against those parties or other competitors and may curtail or preclude our ability to exclude third parties from making and selling similar or competitive products. Any of these occurrences could adversely affect our competitive position, business, financial condition, results of operations or prospects. Similarly, if we assert trademark infringement claims, a court may determine that the marks we have asserted are invalid or unenforceable, or that the party against whom we have asserted trademark infringement has superior rights to the marks in question. In this case, we could ultimately be forced to cease use of such trademarks.

Even if we establish infringement, the court may decide not to grant an injunction against further infringing activity and instead award only monetary damages, which may or may not be an adequate remedy. Furthermore, because of the substantial amount of discovery required in connection with intellectual property litigation, there is a risk that some of our confidential information could be compromised by disclosure during litigation. There could also be public announcements of the results of hearings, motions or other interim proceedings or developments. If securities analysts or investors perceive these results to be negative, it could adversely affect the price of shares of our common stock. Moreover, we may not have sufficient financial or other resources to file and pursue such infringement claims, which typically last for years before they are concluded. Even if we ultimately prevail in such claims, the monetary cost of such litigation and the diversion of the attention of our management and scientific personnel could outweigh any benefit we receive as a result of the proceedings. Our competitors or other third parties may be able to sustain the costs of complex patent litigation or proceedings more effectively than we can because of their greater financial resources and more mature and developed intellectual property portfolios. In such cases, we may decide that the more prudent course of action is to simply monitor the situation or initiate or seek some other non-litigious action or solution. In addition, the uncertainties associated with litigation could compromise our ability to raise the funds necessary to continue our clinical trials, continue our internal research programs, in- license needed technologies or other product candidates or enter into development partnerships that would help us bring our product candidates to market.

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We may not be able to prevent, alone or with our licensors, misappropriation of our proprietary or confidential information, particularly in countries where the laws may not protect those rights as fully as in the United States.

Intellectual property rights of third parties could adversely affect our ability to commercialize our current or other product candidates, and we, our licensors or collaborators, or any future strategic partners may become subject to third party claims or litigation alleging infringement of patents or other proprietary rights or seeking to invalidate patents or other proprietary rights. We might be required to litigate or obtain licenses from third parties in order to develop or market our current or other product candidates. Such litigation or licenses could be costly or not available on commercially reasonable terms.

Our commercial success depends on our ability to develop, manufacture, market and sell our product candidates without infringing, misappropriating or otherwise violating the valid intellectual property and other proprietary rights of third parties. Identifying third-party patent rights that may be relevant to our operations is difficult because patent searching is imperfect due to differences in terminology among patents, incomplete databases and the difficulty in assessing the meaning of patent claims. We cannot guarantee that any of our patent searches or analyses, including the identification of relevant patents, the scope of patent claims or the expiration of relevant patents, are complete or thorough, nor can we be certain that we have identified each and every third-party patent and pending application in the United States and abroad that is relevant to or necessary for the commercialization of our product candidates in any jurisdiction.

We do not always conduct independent reviews of pending patent applications of and patents issued to third parties. Patent applications in the United States and elsewhere are typically published approximately 18 months after the earliest filing for which priority is claimed, with such earliest filing date being commonly referred to as the priority date. Certain U.S. applications that will not be filed outside the United States can remain confidential until patents issue. In addition, patent applications in the United States and elsewhere can be pending for many years before issuance, or unintentionally abandoned patents or applications can be revived. Furthermore, pending patent applications that have been published can, subject to certain limitations, be later amended in a manner that could cover our product candidates or the use of our product candidates. As such, there may be applications of others now pending or recently revived patents of which we are unaware.

The scope of a patent claim is determined by an interpretation of the law, the written disclosure in a patent and the patent’s prosecution history. Our interpretation of the relevance or the scope of a patent or a pending application may be incorrect. For example, we may incorrectly determine that our product candidates are not covered by a third-party patent or may incorrectly predict whether a third-party’s pending application will issue with claims of relevant scope. Our determination of the expiration date of any patent in the United States or abroad that we consider relevant may be incorrect. Our failure to identify and correctly interpret relevant patents may negatively impact our ability to develop and market our product candidates.

Litigation or other legal proceedings relating to intellectual property claims, with or without merit, is unpredictable and generally expensive and time consuming and, even if resolved in our favor, is likely to divert significant resources from our core business, including distracting our technical and management personnel from their normal responsibilities. In addition, there could be public announcements of the results of hearings, motions or other interim proceedings or developments which could adversely affect the market price of our common stock and harm our reputation. Such litigation or proceedings could substantially increase our operating losses and reduce the resources available for development activities or any future sales, marketing or distribution activities. We may not have sufficient financial or other resources to adequately conduct such litigation or proceedings. Some of our competitors may be able to sustain the costs of such litigation or proceedings more effectively than we can because of their greater financial resources and more mature and developed intellectual property portfolios. Uncertainties resulting from the initiation and continuation of patent litigation or other proceedings could adversely affect our ability to compete in the marketplace.

There is a substantial amount of intellectual property litigation in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries, and we may become party to, or threatened with, litigation or other adversarial proceedings regarding intellectual property rights with respect to our product candidates. We cannot be certain that our product candidates will not infringe existing or future valid patents owned by third parties. Third parties may assert infringement claims against us based on existing or future intellectual property rights, regardless of their merit. We may decide in the future to seek a license to such third-party patents or other intellectual property rights, but we might not be able to do so on reasonable terms. Proving patent invalidity may be difficult. For example, in the United States, proving invalidity in court requires a showing of clear and convincing evidence to overcome the presumption of validity enjoyed by issued patents. As this burden is a high one, a court of competent jurisdiction may not invalidate the claims of any such United States patent or find that our product candidates do not infringe any such claims. If we are found to infringe, misappropriate or otherwise violate a third party’s intellectual property rights, we could be forced, including by court order, to cease developing, manufacturing or commercializing the infringing technology or product candidate. Further, we may be required to redesign the technology or product candidate in a non-infringing manner, which may not be commercially feasible. Alternatively, we may be required to obtain a license from such third party in order to use the infringing technology and continue developing, manufacturing or marketing the infringing product candidate. However, we may not be able to obtain any required license on commercially reasonable terms or at all. Even if we were able to obtain a

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license, it could be non-exclusive, thereby giving our competitors access to the same technologies licensed to us, and it could require us to make substantial licensing and royalty payments. In addition, we could be found liable for monetary damages, including treble damages and attorneys’ fees if we are found to have willfully infringed a patent. A finding of infringement could prevent us from commercializing our product candidates or force us to cease some of our business operations, which could materially harm our business. Claims that we have misappropriated the confidential information or trade secrets of third parties could have a similar negative impact on our business.

We may choose to challenge the enforceability or validity of claims in a third party’s U.S. patent by requesting that the USPTO review the patent claims in an ex-parte reexamination, inter partes review or post-grant review proceedings. These proceedings are expensive and may consume our time or other resources. We may choose to challenge a third party’s patent in patent opposition proceedings in the European Patent Office (“EPO”), or other foreign patent office. The costs of these opposition proceedings could be substantial and may consume our time or other resources. If we fail to obtain a favorable result at the USPTO, EPO or other patent office then we may be exposed to litigation by a third party alleging that the patent may be infringed by our product candidates. Further, third-party patents or other intellectual property rights may be enforced against our current technology, including our research programs, product candidates, and their respective methods of use, manufacture and formulations thereof, which could result in either an injunction prohibiting our manufacture or future sales, or, with respect to our future sales, an obligation on our part to pay royalties and/or other forms of compensation to third parties, which could be significant.

Changes in patent law in the United States and other jurisdictions could diminish the value of patents in general, thereby impairing our ability to protect our product candidates.

As is the case with other biopharmaceutical companies, our success is heavily dependent on intellectual property, particularly patents. Obtaining, defending, maintaining and enforcing patents in the biopharmaceutical industry involves both technological and legal complexity and is therefore costly, time consuming and inherently uncertain. Changes in either the patent laws or interpretation of the patent laws in the United States could increase the uncertainties and costs surrounding the prosecution of patent applications and the enforcement or defense of issued patents, and may diminish our ability to protect our inventions, obtain, maintain, enforce and protect our intellectual property rights and, more generally, could affect the value of our intellectual property or narrow the scope of our future owned and licensed patents. Patent reform legislation in the United States and other countries, including the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act (the “Leahy-Smith Act”), signed into law on September 16, 2011, could increase those uncertainties and costs surrounding the prosecution of our patent applications and the enforcement or defense of our future issued patents. The Leahy-Smith Act includes a number of significant changes to U.S. patent law. These include provisions that affect the way patent applications are prosecuted, redefine prior art and provide more efficient and cost-effective avenues for competitors to challenge the validity of patents. These include allowing third-party submission of prior art to the USPTO during patent prosecution and additional procedures to attack the validity of a patent by USPTO administered post-grant proceedings, including post-grant review, inter partes review, and derivation proceedings.

In addition, the patent positions of companies in the development and commercialization of pharmaceuticals are particularly uncertain. Changes in either the patent laws or interpretation of the patent laws in the United States or in other jurisdictions could increase the uncertainties and costs surrounding the prosecution of patent applications and the enforcement or defense of issued patents. In the United States, numerous recent changes to the patent laws and proposed changes to the rules of the USPTO may have a significant impact on our ability to protect our technology, products and enforce our intellectual property rights. We cannot assure you that subsequent rulings will not adversely impact our patents or patent applications. In addition to increasing uncertainty regarding our ability to obtain patents in the future, this combination of events has created uncertainty with respect to the value of patents, once granted.

Depending on decisions by the U.S. Congress, the federal courts and the USPTO, and similar legislative and regulatory bodies in other countries in which we may pursue patent protection, the laws and regulations governing patents could change in unpredictable ways, particularly with respect to pharmaceutical patent protection, that would weaken our ability to obtain new patents or to enforce our or our licensors’ or collaborators’ existing patents and patents that we might obtain in the future.

We cannot predict how future decisions by the courts, the U.S. Congress or the USPTO may impact the value of our patents. Any similar adverse change in the patent laws of other jurisdictions could also adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

In 2012, the European Union Patent Package (the “EU Patent Package”) regulations were passed with the goal of providing a single pan-European Unitary Patent and a new European Unified Patent Court (“UPC”) for litigation involving European patents. The EU Patent Package was implemented on June 1, 2023. As a result, all European patents, including those issued prior to ratification of the EU Patent Package, now by default automatically fall under the jurisdiction of the UPC, unless otherwise opted out. It is uncertain how the UPC will impact granted European patents in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries. Our owned or licensed European patent applications, if issued, could be challenged in the UPC. During the first seven years of the UPC’s existence, the UPC legislation allows a patent owner to opt its European patents out of the jurisdiction

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of the UPC. We may decide to opt out our owned or licensed future European patents from the UPC but doing so may preclude us from realizing the benefits of the UPC. Moreover, if the patent owner of our owned or licensed future European patents do not meet all of the formalities and requirements for opt-out under the UPC, said future European patents could remain under the jurisdiction of the UPC. The UPC will provide our competitors with a new forum to centrally revoke our owned or licensed European patents and allow for the possibility of a competitor to obtain a pan-European injunction in UPC member states. Such a loss of patent protection could have a material adverse impact on our business and our ability to commercialize our technology and any other product candidates due to increased competition and, resultantly, on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects in Europe. The UPC and Unitary Patent are significant changes in European patent practice. As the UPC is a new court system, there is no precedent for the court, increasing the uncertainty of any litigation in the UPC.

We may become subject to claims challenging the inventorship or ownership of our or our licensors’ patents and other intellectual property.

We may be subject to claims that former employees, collaborators or other third parties have an interest in our or our licensors’ patents or other intellectual property as an inventor or co-inventor. The failure to name the proper inventors on a patent application can result in the patents issuing thereon being unenforceable. Inventorship disputes may arise from conflicting views regarding the contributions of different individuals named as inventors, the effects of foreign laws where foreign nationals are involved in the development of the subject matter of the patent, conflicting obligations of third parties involved in developing our product candidates or as a result of questions regarding co-ownership of potential joint inventions. Litigation may be necessary to resolve these and other claims challenging inventorship or ownership. Alternatively, or additionally, we may enter into agreements to clarify the scope of our rights in such intellectual property. If we fail to defend any such claims, in addition to paying monetary damages, we may lose valuable intellectual property rights, such as exclusive ownership of, or right to use, valuable intellectual property. Such an outcome could adversely affect our business. Even if we are successful in defending against such claims, litigation could result in substantial costs and be a distraction to management and other employees.

Our current or future licensors may have relied on third-party consultants or collaborators or on funds from third parties, such as the U.S. government, such that our licensors are not the sole and exclusive owners of the patents we in-licensed. If other third parties have ownership rights or other rights to our in-licensed patents, they may be able to license such patents to our competitors, and our competitors could market competing products and technology. This could adversely affect our competitive position, business, financial condition, results of operations, and prospects.

In addition, while it is our policy to require our employees and contractors who may be involved in the conception or development of intellectual property to execute agreements assigning such intellectual property to us, we may be unsuccessful in executing such an agreement with each party who, in fact, conceives or develops intellectual property that we regard as our own. The assignment of intellectual property rights may not be self-executing, or the assignment agreements may be breached, and we may be forced to bring claims against third parties, or defend claims that they may bring against us, to determine the ownership of what we regard as our intellectual property. Such claims could adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations, and prospects.

Patent terms may be inadequate to protect our competitive position on products or product candidates for an adequate amount of time.

Patents have a limited lifespan. In the United States, if all maintenance fees are timely paid, the natural expiration of a patent is generally 20 years from its earliest U.S. non-provisional or international patent application filing date. Various extensions may be available, but the life of a patent, and the protection it affords, is limited. Even if patents covering our products or product candidates are obtained, once the patent life has expired, we may be open to competition from competitive products, including generics or biosimilars. Given the amount of time required for the development, testing and regulatory review of products or new product candidates, patents protecting such products or candidates might expire before or shortly after such products or candidates are commercialized. As a result, our owned and licensed patent portfolio may not provide us with sufficient and continuing rights to exclude others from commercializing products similar or identical to ours. For example, the patents covering TRB-061 and TRB-071’s composition of matter expire in September 2044 and June 2046, respectively, excluding any extension of patent term that may be available.

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Obtaining and maintaining patent protection depends on compliance with various procedural, document submission, fee payment and other requirements imposed by government patent agencies, and our patent protection could be reduced or eliminated as a result of noncompliance with these requirements.

Periodic maintenance fees, renewal fees, annuity fees and various other government fees on patents and/or applications will be due to be paid to the USPTO and various government patent agencies outside of the United States over the lifetime of our owned or licensed patents and patent applications. We rely on our outside counsel or our licensing partners to pay these fees due to U.S. and non-U.S. patent agencies. The USPTO and various non-U.S. government patent agencies require compliance with several procedural, documentary, fee payment and other similar provisions during the patent application process. We are also dependent on our licensors to take the necessary action to comply with these requirements with respect to our licensed intellectual property. In many cases, an inadvertent lapse can be cured by payment of a late fee or by other means in accordance with the applicable rules. There are situations, however, in which noncompliance can result in abandonment or lapse of the patent or patent application, resulting in partial or complete loss of patent rights in the relevant jurisdiction. In such an event, potential competitors might be able to enter the market and this circumstance could adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

If we do not obtain patent term extension for our product candidates, our business may be materially harmed.

Depending upon the timing, duration and specifics of any FDA approval of any of our product candidates, one or more of our or our licensors’ issued U.S. patents or issued U.S. patents that we may own in the future may be eligible for limited patent term extension (“PTE”) under the Drug Price Competition and Patent Term Restoration Action of 1984 (the “Hatch-Waxman Amendments”), which permit a PTE of up to five years as compensation for patent term lost during the FDA regulatory review process. A patent term extension cannot extend the remaining term of a patent beyond a total of 14 years from the date of product approval, only one patent may be extended and only those claims covering the approved drug, a method for using it or a method for manufacturing it may be extended. Similar patent term restoration provisions to compensate for commercialization delay caused by regulatory review are also available in certain foreign jurisdictions, such as in Europe under Supplemental Protection Certificate. However, we may not be granted any extensions for which we apply because of, for example, failing to exercise due diligence during the testing phase or regulatory review process, failing to apply within applicable deadlines, failing to apply prior to expiration of relevant patents, or otherwise failing to satisfy applicable requirements. In addition, to the extent we wish to pursue patent term extension based on a patent that we in-license from a third party, we would need the cooperation of that third party. Moreover, the applicable time period or the scope of patent protection afforded could be less than we request. If we are unable to obtain patent term extension, or the term of any such extension is less than we request, our competitors may obtain approval of competing products following our patent expiration, and our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects could be materially harmed.

If approved, our product candidates that are regulated as biological products (“biologics”), may face competition from biosimilars approved through an abbreviated regulatory pathway.

Regulatory authorities in some jurisdictions, including the U.S. and Europe, allow for abbreviated approval processes for generic and/or biosimilar products. In the United States, the Biologics Price Competition and Innovation Act of 2009 (“BPCIA”) was enacted as part of the ACA, to establish an abbreviated pathway for the approval of biosimilar and interchangeable with an FDA-licensed reference biologic product. The regulatory pathway establishes legal authority for the FDA to review and approve biosimilar biologics, including the possible designation of a biosimilar as “interchangeable” based on its similarity to an approved biologic. Under the BPCIA the FDA will not accept an application for a biosimilar or interchangeable product based on the reference biological product until four years after the date of first licensure of the reference product. In addition, the approval of a biosimilar product may not be made effective by the FDA until 12 years from the date on which the reference product was first licensed. During this 12-year period of exclusivity, another company may still develop and receive approval of a competing biologic using that company’s own preclinical data and data from adequate and well-controlled clinical trials to demonstrate the safety, purity and potency of its product, so long as their BLA does not rely on the reference product or sponsor’s data or submit the application as a biosimilar application. The law is complex and is still being interpreted and implemented by the FDA. As a result, its ultimate impact, implementation and meaning are subject to uncertainty, and any new policies or processes adopted by the FDA could have a material adverse effect on the future commercial prospects for our biological products.

We believe that any of the product candidates we develop that is approved in the United States as a biological product under a BLA should qualify for the 12-year period of exclusivity. However, there is a risk that this exclusivity could be shortened due to congressional action or otherwise, or that the FDA will not consider the subject product candidate to be a reference product for competing products, potentially creating the opportunity for biosimilar competition sooner than anticipated. Moreover, the extent to which a biosimilar, once approved, will be substituted for any one of the reference products in a way that is similar to traditional generic substitution for non-biological products is not yet clear, and will depend on a number of marketplace and regulatory factors that are still developing. For example, in recent years, the FDA has sought to reduce the data required for biosimilar product sponsors to demonstrate biosimilarity to, or interchangeability with, a biologic reference product.

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The approval of a biosimilar of our product candidates could have a material adverse impact on our business due to increased competition and pricing pressure. If competitors are able to obtain regulatory approval for biosimilars referencing our product candidates, our product candidates may become subject to competition from such biosimilars, with the attendant competitive pressure and consequences.

Laws and regulations outside the United States differ, including the length and extent of patent and exclusivity protection and pathways for competition to enter the market. Other countries may have significantly shorter or longer periods of exclusivity. In addition, other countries may have different standards in determining similarity to a reference product. Any market entry of competing products to our product candidates in these other regions could adversely affect our business in those regions. To the extent that we do not receive any anticipated periods of regulatory exclusivity for our product candidates it could adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

If we are unable to protect the confidentiality of our trade secrets, our business and competitive position would be harmed.

In addition to the protection afforded by patents, we rely on trade secret protection and confidentiality agreements to protect proprietary know-how that is not patentable or that we elect not to patent, processes for which patents are difficult to enforce and any other elements of our discovery and development processes that involve proprietary know-how, information or technology that is not covered by patents. We may also rely on trade secret protection as temporary protection for concepts that may be included in a future patent filing. However, trade secret protection will not protect us from innovations that a competitor develops independently of our proprietary know how. If a competitor independently develops a technology that we protect as a trade secret and files a patent application on that technology, then we may not be able to patent that technology in the future, may require a license from the competitor to use our own know-how, and if the license is not available on commercially viable terms, then we may not be able to launch our product candidate. Additionally, trade secrets can be difficult to protect and some courts inside and outside the United States are less willing or unwilling to protect trade secrets. Although we require all of our employees to assign their inventions to us, and require all of our employees, consultants, advisors and any third parties who have access to our proprietary know-how, information or technology to enter into confidentiality agreements, our trade secrets and other confidential proprietary information could be disclosed or competitors could otherwise gain access to our trade secrets. If our trade secrets are not adequately protected, our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects could be adversely affected.

If our trademarks and trade names are not adequately protected, then we may not be able to build name recognition in our markets of interest and our business may be adversely affected.

Our registered or unregistered trademarks or trade names may be challenged, infringed, circumvented or declared generic or determined to be infringing on other marks. During trademark registration proceedings, we may receive rejections of our applications by the USPTO or in other foreign jurisdictions. Although we are given an opportunity to respond to such rejections, we may be unable to overcome them. In addition, in the USPTO and in comparable agencies in many foreign jurisdictions, third parties are given an opportunity to oppose pending trademark applications and to seek to cancel registered trademarks. Opposition or cancellation proceedings may be filed against our trademarks, which may not survive such proceedings. Moreover, any name we have proposed to use with our product candidate in the United States must be approved by the FDA, regardless of whether we have registered it, or applied to register it, as a trademark.

Similar requirements exist in Europe. The FDA typically conducts a review of proposed product names, including an evaluation of potential for confusion with other product names. If the FDA or an equivalent administrative body in a foreign jurisdiction objects to any of our proposed proprietary product names, we may be required to expend significant additional resources in an effort to identify a suitable substitute name that would qualify under applicable trademark laws, not infringe the existing rights of third parties and be acceptable to the FDA. Furthermore, in many countries, owning and maintaining a trademark registration may not provide an adequate defense against a subsequent infringement claim asserted by the owner of a senior trademark.

We may not be able to protect our rights to these trademarks and trade names, which we need to build name recognition among potential partners or customers in our markets of interest. At times, competitors or other third parties may adopt trade names or trademarks similar to ours, thereby impeding our ability to build brand identity and possibly leading to market confusion. In addition, there could be potential trade name or trademark infringement claims brought by owners of other registered trademarks or trademarks that incorporate variations of our registered or unregistered trademarks or trade names. Over the long term, if we are unable to establish name recognition based on our trademarks and trade names, then we may not be able to compete effectively and our business may be adversely affected. Our efforts to enforce or protect our proprietary rights related to trademarks, trade names, domain name or other intellectual property may be ineffective and could result in substantial costs and diversion of resources and could adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

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We may be subject to claims asserting that our employees, consultants, advisors or other third parties have wrongfully used or disclosed alleged trade secrets of their current or former employers or claims asserting ownership of what we regard as our own intellectual property.

Certain of our employees, consultants, advisors or other third parties have in the past and may in the future be employed at universities or other biotechnology or pharmaceutical companies, including our competitors or potential competitors. Although we try to ensure that our employees, consultants and advisors do not use the proprietary information or know-how of others in their work for us, we may be subject to claims that these individuals or we have used or disclosed intellectual property, including trade secrets or other proprietary information, of any such individual’s current or former employer. Litigation may be necessary to defend against these claims. If we fail in defending any such claims, in addition to paying monetary damages, we may lose valuable intellectual property rights. An inability to incorporate such technologies or features would harm our business and may prevent us from successfully commercializing our product candidates. In addition, we may lose personnel as a result of such claims and any such litigation or the threat thereof may adversely affect our ability to hire employees or contract with independent contractors. A loss of key personnel or their work product could hamper or prevent our ability to commercialize our product candidates, which could adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects. Even if we are successful in defending against such claims, litigation could result in substantial costs and be a distraction to management.

In addition, former employees, consultants, advisors or other third parties may assert an ownership right in our owned or licensed patents or patent applications. An adverse determination in any such submission or proceeding may result in loss of exclusivity or freedom to operate or in patent claims being narrowed, invalidated or held unenforceable, in whole or in part, which could limit our ability to stop others from using or commercializing similar technology and therapeutics, without payment to us, or could limit the duration of the patent protection covering our product candidates. Such challenges may also result in our inability to develop, manufacture or commercialize our product candidates without infringing third-party patent rights. In addition, if the breadth or strength of protection provided by our owned or licensed patents and patent applications is threatened, it could dissuade companies from collaborating with us to license, develop or commercialize current or other product candidates. Any of the foregoing could adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

Rights to improvements to our product candidates may be held by third parties.

In the course of testing our current or other product candidates, we have entered and may enter into agreements with third parties to conduct clinical testing, which do and may provide that improvements to our product candidates may be owned solely by a third party or jointly between the parties. If we determine that rights to such improvements owned solely by a third party are necessary to commercialize our product candidates or maintain our competitive advantage, we may need to obtain a license from such third party in order to use the improvements and continue developing, manufacturing or marketing the product candidates. However, we may not be able to obtain any required license on commercially reasonable terms or at all. Even if we were able to obtain such a license, it could be granted on non-exclusive terms, thereby potentially giving our competitors and other third parties access to the same technologies licensed to us. Failure to obtain a license on commercially reasonable terms or at all, or to obtain an exclusive license, could prevent us from commercializing our current or other product candidates or force us to cease some of our business operations, which could materially harm our business. If we determine that rights to improvements jointly owned between us and a third party are necessary to commercialize our product candidates or maintain our competitive advantage, we may need to obtain an exclusive license from such third party. If we are unable to obtain an exclusive license to any such third-party co-owners’ interest in such improvements, such co-owners may be able to license their rights to other parties, including our competitors, and our competitors could market competing products and technology. In addition, we may need the cooperation of any such co-owners of our intellectual property in order to enforce such intellectual property against other parties, and such cooperation may not be provided to us. Any of the foregoing could have a material adverse effect on our competitive position, business, financial conditions, results of operations and prospects.

Our intellectual property licensed from third parties may be subject to retained rights.

Our future licensors may retain certain rights under their agreements with us, including the right to use the underlying technology for noncommercial academic and research use, to publish general scientific findings from research related to the technology and to make customary scientific and scholarly disclosures of information relating to the technology. It is difficult to monitor whether our licensors limit their use of the technology to these uses, and we could incur substantial expenses to enforce our rights to our licensed technology in the event of misuse.

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Government agencies may provide funding, facilities, personnel or other assistance in connection with the development of the intellectual property rights owned by or licensed to us. Such government agencies may have retained rights in such intellectual property. The United States federal government retains certain rights in inventions produced with its financial assistance under the Bayh-Dole Act, including the right to grant or require us to grant mandatory licenses or sublicenses to such intellectual property to third parties under certain specified circumstances, including if it is necessary to meet health and safety needs that we are not reasonably satisfying or if it is necessary to meet requirements for public use specified by federal regulations, or to manufacture products in the United States. Any exercise of such rights, including with respect to any such required sublicense of these licenses could result in the loss of significant rights and could harm our ability to commercialize licensed products. Co-developed intellectual property may be subject to government rights pursuant to the Bayh-Dole Act. If, in the future, we co-own or license in technology which is critical to our business that is developed in whole or in part with federal funds subject to the Bayh-Dole Act, our ability to enforce or otherwise exploit patents covering such technology may be adversely affected.

Risks Related to this Offering and Ownership of Our Common Stock

An active and liquid trading market for our common stock may not develop, and you may not be able to resell your shares of common stock at or above the public offering price, if at all.

Prior to this offering, no market for shares of our common stock existed. Our common stock has been approved for listing on Nasdaq under the symbol “TRXB”. After the consummation of this offering, an active or liquid trading market for our common stock may never develop or be sustained following the completion of this offering. To the extent certain of our existing stockholders and their affiliated entities participate in this offering, such purchases would reduce the non-affiliated public float of our shares, meaning the number of shares of our common stock that are not held by officers, directors and affiliated stockholders. A reduction in the public float could reduce the number of shares that are available to be traded at any given time, thereby adversely impacting the liquidity of our common stock and depressing the price at which you may be able to sell your shares. Moreover, the initial public offering price for our common stock was determined through negotiations with the underwriters, and will vary from the market price of our common stock following the completion of this offering. As a result of these and other factors, you may be unable to resell your shares of our common stock at or above the initial public offering price or at a price that you consider reasonable. Furthermore, an inactive market may reduce the fair market value of your shares, impair our ability to raise capital by selling shares of our common stock in the future, and may impair our ability to enter into strategic collaborations or acquire companies or products by using our shares of common stock as consideration.

The market price of our common stock may be volatile, which could result in substantial losses for investors purchasing shares in this offering.

The initial public offering price for our common stock was determined through negotiations with the underwriters. This initial public offering price may vary from the market price of our common stock after the offering. As a result, you may not be able to sell your common stock at or above the initial public offering price. Some of the factors that may cause the market price of our common stock to fluctuate include:

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volatility in our operating results or the failure of our operating results to meet the expectations of investors or securities analysts;
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the success of existing or new competitive product candidates or technologies;
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the timing and results of preclinical and clinical studies for any product candidates that we may develop;
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failure or discontinuation of any of our product development and research programs;
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our failure to commercialize our product candidates;
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the success of the development of companion diagnostics, if required, for use with our product candidates;
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results of preclinical studies, clinical trials, or regulatory approvals of product candidates of our competitors, or announcements about new research programs or product candidates of our competitors;
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commencement or termination of collaborations for our product development and research programs;
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regulatory or legal developments in the United States and other countries;
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developments or disputes concerning patent applications, issued patents, or other proprietary rights;
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the recruitment or departure of key personnel;
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the level of expenses related to any of our research programs or product candidates that we may develop;

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the results of our efforts to develop additional product candidates or products;
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actual or anticipated changes in estimates as to financial results, development timelines, or recommendations by securities analysts;
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announcement or expectation of additional financing efforts;
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sales or perceived potential sales of our common stock by us, our insiders or other stockholders;
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expiration of market stand-off or lock-up agreements;
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any changes to our relationship with manufacturers, suppliers, collaborators or other strategic partners;
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manufacturing or supply shortages;
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variations in our financial results or those of companies that are perceived to be similar to us;
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changes in estimates or recommendations by securities analysts, if any, that cover our stock;
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press reports, whether or not true, about our business;
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our failure to meet the estimates and projections of the investment community or that we may otherwise provide to the public;
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changes in the structure of healthcare payment systems;
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fluctuations in the valuation of companies perceived by investors to be comparable to us;
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the inability to obtain additional funding;
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market conditions in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors;
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general global economic, industry, political and market conditions, such as military conflict or war, inflation and financial institution instability, or pandemic or epidemic disease outbreaks, many of which are beyond our control; and
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the other factors described in this “Risk Factors” section and elsewhere in this prospectus, including those which are outside of our control.

In recent years, the stock market in general, and the market for pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies in particular, has experienced significant price and volume fluctuations that have often been unrelated or disproportionate to changes in the operating performance of the companies whose stock is experiencing those price and volume fluctuations. Broad market and industry factors may seriously affect the market price of our common stock, regardless of our actual operating performance. These fluctuations may be even more pronounced in the trading market for our stock shortly following the completion of this offering. The market price of our common stock may decline below the initial public offering price, and you may lose some or all of your investment. Following periods of such volatility in the market price of a company’s securities, securities class action litigation has often been brought against that company. Because of the potential volatility of our stock price, we may become the target of securities litigation in the future.

You will incur immediate and substantial dilution as a result of the completion of this offering.

If you purchase common stock in this offering, you will incur immediate and substantial dilution of $ per share, representing the difference between the initial public offering price of $ per share, and our pro forma net tangible book value per share as of , 2026 after giving effect to the completion of this offering. To the extent that shares are issued upon the exercise of options or the underwriters exercise their over-allotment option, you will incur further dilution. For a further description of the dilution you will experience immediately after the completion of this offering, see the section titled “Dilution.”

A significant portion of our total outstanding shares is restricted from immediate resale but may be sold into the market in the near future, which could cause the market price of our common stock to decline significantly, even if our business is doing well.

Sales of a substantial number of shares of our common stock in the public market could occur at any time. These sales upon the expiration of the lock-up agreements (described in the “Underwriting” section of this prospectus), the early release of the lock-ups, or the perception in the market that the holders of a large number of shares of common stock intend to sell shares, could reduce the market price of our common stock. After the completion of this offering, we will have shares of common stock outstanding, or shares if the underwriters exercise their over-allotment option in full, in each case

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based on the shares of our common stock outstanding as of June 30, 2026. Of these shares, the shares (or shares if the underwriters exercise their over-allotment option in full) we are selling in this offering may be resold in the public market immediately, unless purchased by our affiliates. The remaining shares are currently restricted under securities laws or as a result of lock-up or other agreements but will be able to be sold after the completion of this offering as described in the “Shares Eligible for Future Sale” section of this prospectus. The representatives of the underwriters may release some or all of the shares of common stock subject to lock-up agreements at any time in their sole discretion and without notice, except for directors and officers, which would allow for earlier sales of shares in the public market.

Moreover, after the completion of this offering, holders of an aggregate of shares of our common stock will have rights, subject to conditions, to require us to file registration statements covering their shares or to include their shares in registration statements that we may file for ourselves or other stockholders. We also plan to register all shares of common stock that we may issue under our equity compensation plans or that are issuable upon exercise of outstanding options. Once we register these shares, they can be freely sold in the public market upon issuance and once vested, subject to volume limitations applicable to affiliates and the lock-up agreements described in the “Underwriting” section of this prospectus. If any of these additional shares are sold, or if it is perceived that they will be sold, in the public market, the market price of our common stock could decline.

Insiders will continue to have substantial influence over us after the completion of this offering, which could limit your ability to affect the outcome of key transactions, including a change of control.

After the completion of this offering, our directors, executive officers and greater than 5% stockholders and their affiliates, in the aggregate, will beneficially own shares representing approximately % of our outstanding common stock (assuming no exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option and no exercise of outstanding options and excluding any purchases that may be made in this offering). As a result, these stockholders, if they act together, will be able to influence our management and affairs and all matters requiring stockholder approval, including the election of directors and approval of significant corporate transactions. The interests of these holders may not always coincide with our corporate interests or the interests of other stockholders, and they may act in a manner with which you may not agree or that may not be in the best interests of our other stockholders. This concentration of ownership may have the effect of delaying or preventing a change in control of our company and might affect the market price of our common stock.

Because we do not anticipate paying any cash dividends on our common stock in the foreseeable future, capital appreciation, if any, will be your sole source of gain.

We have never declared or paid any cash dividends on our common stock. We currently anticipate that we will retain future earnings for the development, operation and expansion of our business and do not anticipate declaring or paying any cash dividends in the foreseeable future. As a result, capital appreciation, if any, of our common stock will be your sole source of gain on an investment in our common stock in the foreseeable future. See the section titled “Dividend Policy” for additional information.

Participation in this offering by our existing stockholders and/or their affiliated entities may reduce the public float for our common stock.

To the extent certain of our existing stockholders and their affiliated entities participate in this offering, such purchases would reduce the non-affiliate public float of our shares, meaning the number of shares of our common stock that are not held by officers, directors and controlling stockholders. A reduction in the public float could reduce the number of shares that are available to be traded at any given time, thereby adversely impacting the liquidity of our common stock and depressing the price at which you may be able to sell shares of common stock purchased in this offering. While certain of our existing stockholders and their affiliated entities have expressed interest in potentially participating in this offering, they may not participate in the offering to a material extent, or at all.

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We are an emerging growth company (“EGC”) and a smaller reporting company, and the reduced reporting requirements applicable to EGCs and smaller reporting companies may make our common stock less attractive to investors.

We are an “emerging growth company,” as defined in the JOBS Act and we may remain an emerging growth company until December 31, 2031. For so long as we remain an emerging growth company, we are permitted and plan to rely on exemptions from certain disclosure requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not emerging growth companies. These exemptions include not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, not being required to comply with any requirement that may be adopted by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board regarding mandatory audit firm rotation or a supplement to the auditor’s report providing additional information about the audit and the financial statements, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation, and exemptions from the requirements of holding a nonbinding advisory vote on executive compensation and stockholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. As a result, the information we provide stockholders will be different than the information that is available with respect to other public companies. In this prospectus, we have not included all of the executive compensation related information that would be required if we were not an emerging growth company. We cannot predict whether investors will find our common stock less attractive if we rely on these exemptions. If some investors find our common stock less attractive as a result, there may be a less active trading market for our common stock, and our stock price may be more volatile.

In addition, the JOBS Act provides that an emerging growth company can take advantage of an extended transition period for complying with new or revised accounting standards. This allows an emerging growth company to delay the adoption of certain accounting standards until those standards would otherwise apply to private companies. We have elected not to “opt out” of such extended transition period, which means that when a standard is issued or revised and it has different application dates for public or private companies, we will adopt the new or revised standard at the time private companies adopt the new or revised standard and will do so until such time that we either (i) irrevocably elect to “opt out” of such extended transition period, or (ii) no longer qualify as an emerging growth company. Therefore, the reported results of operations contained in our financial statements may not be directly comparable to those of other public companies.

We are also a “smaller reporting company” as defined in the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, (as amended, the “Exchange Act”). We may continue to be a smaller reporting company even after we are no longer an emerging growth company. We may take advantage of certain of the scaled disclosures available to smaller reporting companies and will be able to take advantage of these scaled disclosures for so long as our common stock held by non-affiliates is less than $250.0 million measured on the last business day of our second fiscal quarter, or our annual revenue is less than $100.0 million during the most recently completed fiscal year and our common stock held by non-affiliates is less than $700.0 million measured on the last business day of our second fiscal quarter.

Provisions in our Restated Charter, our Restated Bylaws and Delaware law may have anti-takeover effects that could discourage an acquisition of us by others, even if an acquisition would be beneficial to our stockholders, and may prevent attempts by our stockholders to replace or remove our current management.

Our Restated Charter and Restated Bylaws, which will become effective prior to the completion of this offering, and Delaware law contain provisions that may have the effect of discouraging, delaying or preventing a change in control of us or changes in our management that stockholders may consider favorable, including transactions in which you might otherwise receive a premium for your shares. Our Restated Charter and Restated Bylaws, which will become effective prior to the completion of this offering, include provisions that:

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authorize “blank check” preferred stock, which could be issued by our board of directors without stockholder approval and may contain voting, liquidation, dividend and other rights superior to our common stock;
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create a classified board of directors whose members serve staggered three-year terms;
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specify that special meetings of our stockholders can be called only by our board of directors;
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prohibit stockholder action by written consent;
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establish an advance notice procedure for stockholder approvals to be brought before an annual meeting of our stockholders, including proposed nominations of persons for election to our board of directors;
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provide that vacancies on our board of directors may be filled only by a majority of directors then in office, even though less than a quorum;
•
provide that our directors may be removed only for cause;
•
do not permit stockholders to cumulate votes at any election of directors;
•
expressly authorize our board of directors to make, alter, amend or repeal our amended and restated bylaws; and
•
require super-majority votes of all holders of our common stock to amend provisions of our Restated Charter and Restated Bylaws.

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These provisions, alone or together, could delay or prevent hostile takeovers and changes in control or changes in our management. These provisions could also limit the price that investors might be willing to pay in the future for shares of our common stock, thereby depressing the market price of our common stock.

In addition, because we are incorporated in the State of Delaware, we are governed by the provisions of Section 203 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (“DGCL”) which prohibits a person who owns in excess of 15% of our outstanding voting stock from merging or combining with us for a period of three years after the date of the transaction in which the person acquired in excess of 15% of our outstanding voting stock, unless the merger or combination is approved in a prescribed manner.

Any provision of our Restated Charter, Restated Bylaws or Delaware law that has the effect of delaying or deterring a change in control could limit the opportunity for our stockholders to receive a premium for their shares of our common stock, and could also affect the price that some investors are willing to pay for our common stock.

Our Restated Charter will designate specific courts as the sole and exclusive forum for certain claims or causes of action that may be brought by our stockholders, which could discourage lawsuits against us and our directors and officers.

Our Restated Charter will provide that, subject to limited exceptions, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware (or, if, and only if, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware dismisses a Covered Claim (as defined below) for lack of subject matter jurisdiction, any other state or federal court in the State of Delaware that does have subject matter jurisdiction) will, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, be the sole and exclusive forum for the following types of claims: (i) any derivative claim brought in the right of the Company, (ii) any claim asserting a breach of a fiduciary duty to the Company or the Company’s stockholders owed by any current or former director, officer or other employee or stockholder of the Company, (iii) any claim against the Company arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL, our Restated Charter or Restated Bylaws, (iv) any claim to interpret, apply, enforce or determine the validity of our Restated Charter or Restated Bylaws, (v) any claim against the Company governed by the internal affairs doctrine, and (vi) any other claim, not subject to exclusive federal jurisdiction and not asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), brought in any action asserting one or more of the claims specified in clauses (a)(i) through (v) herein above (each a “Covered Claim”). This provision would not apply to claims brought to enforce a duty or liability created by the Exchange Act.

Our Restated Charter will further provide that the federal district courts of the United States of America will be the exclusive forum for resolving any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act. In addition, our Restated Charter will provide that any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in the shares of capital stock of the Company will be deemed to have notice of and consented to these choice-of-forum provisions and waived any argument relating to the inconvenience of the forums in connection with any Covered Claim.

The choice of forum provisions to be contained in our Restated Charter may limit a stockholder’s ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum that it finds favorable for disputes with us or any of our directors, officers, other employees or stockholders, which may discourage lawsuits with respect to such claims, although our stockholders will not be deemed to have waived our compliance with federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder. While the Delaware courts have determined that such choice of forum provisions are facially valid, it is possible that a court of law in another jurisdiction could rule that the choice of forum provisions to be contained in our Restated Charter are inapplicable or unenforceable if they are challenged in a proceeding or otherwise, which could cause us to incur additional costs associated with resolving such action in other jurisdictions. The choice of forum provisions may also impose additional litigation costs on stockholders who assert that the provisions are not enforceable or invalid.

We have broad discretion in the use of the net proceeds from this offering and may not use them effectively.

We cannot specify with certainty the particular uses of the net proceeds we will receive from this offering. Our management will have broad discretion in the application of the net proceeds, including for any of the purposes described in the “Use of Proceeds” section of this prospectus. Accordingly, you will have to rely upon the judgment of our management with respect to the use of the proceeds, with only limited information concerning management’s specific intentions. Our management may spend a portion or all of the net proceeds from this offering in ways that our stockholders may not desire or that may not yield a favorable return. The failure by our management to apply these funds effectively could harm our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects. Pending their use, we may invest the net proceeds from this offering in a manner that does not produce income or that loses value.

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General Risk Factors

Unstable economic and market conditions may have serious adverse consequences on our business, financial condition and stock price.

Global economic and business activities continue to face widespread uncertainties, and global credit and financial markets have experienced extreme volatility and disruptions in the past several years, including severely diminished liquidity and credit availability, fluctuating inflation and monetary supply shifts, rising interest rates, labor shortages, declines in consumer confidence, declines in economic growth, increases in unemployment rates, recession risks, tariffs and uncertainty about economic and geopolitical stability (for example, related to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict and conflict in the Middle East). The extent of the impact of these conditions on our operational and financial performance, including our ability to execute our business strategies and initiatives in the expected timeframe, as well as that of third parties upon whom we rely, will depend on future developments which are uncertain and cannot be predicted. Further deterioration in economic or market conditions may occur, and challenges may persist for an unknown period of time. If the current equity and credit markets further deteriorate, or do not improve, it may make any necessary debt or equity financing more difficult, more costly, and more dilutive. Furthermore, our stock price may decline due in part to the volatility of the stock market and the general economic downturn.

If securities or industry analysts do not publish research or reports about our business, or if they publish inaccurate or unfavorable research about our business, our stock price and trading volume could decline.

The trading market for our common stock will be influenced in part by the research and reports that industry or securities analysts publish about us or our business. We do not have any control over the industry or securities analysts, or the content and opinions included in their reports and may never obtain research coverage by securities and industry analysts. If no or few securities or industry analysts commence coverage of us, or if analysts cease coverage of us, we could lose visibility in the financial markets, and the trading price for our common stock could be impacted negatively. If any of the analysts who cover us publish inaccurate or unfavorable research or opinions regarding us, our business model, our intellectual property or our stock performance, or if our preclinical studies and clinical trials and operating results fail to meet the expectations of analysts, our stock price would likely decline.

We will incur increased costs as a result of operating as a public company, and our management will be required to devote substantial time to new compliance initiatives and corporate governance practices.

After the completion of this offering, as a public company, and particularly after we are no longer an emerging growth company, we will incur significant legal, accounting and other expenses that we did not incur as a private company. The Securities Act, the Exchange Act, Sarbanes-Oxley Act, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, the listing requirements of Nasdaq and other applicable securities rules and regulations impose various requirements on public companies, including establishment and maintenance of effective disclosure and financial controls and corporate governance practices. Our management and other personnel will need to devote a substantial amount of time to these compliance initiatives. Moreover, we expect these rules and regulations to substantially increase our legal and financial compliance costs and to make some activities more time consuming and costly. For example, we expect that these rules and regulations may make it more difficult and more expensive for us to obtain director and officer liability insurance and we may be required to incur substantial costs to maintain sufficient coverage. We cannot predict or estimate the amount or timing of additional costs we may incur to respond to these requirements. The impact of these requirements could also make it more difficult for us to attract and retain qualified persons to serve on our board of directors, our board committees or as executive officers. The increased costs may require us to reduce costs in other areas of our business. Moreover, these rules and regulations are often subject to varying interpretations, in many cases due to their lack of specificity, and, as a result, their application in practice may evolve over time as new guidance is provided by regulatory and governing bodies. This could result in continuing uncertainty regarding compliance matters and higher costs necessitated by ongoing revisions to disclosure and governance practices.

Failure to establish and maintain effective internal control over financial reporting could adversely affect our business and if investors lose confidence in the accuracy and completeness of our financial reports, the market price of our common stock could be negatively affected.

We are not currently required to comply with the rules of the SEC implementing SOX Section 404 and are therefore not required to make a formal assessment of the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting for that purpose. Upon becoming a public company, we will be required to comply with the SEC’s rules implementing Sections 302 and 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, which will require management to certify financial and other information in our quarterly and annual reports and provide an annual management report on the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting. Although we will be required to disclose changes made in our internal control over financial reporting on a quarterly basis, we will not be required to make our first annual assessment of our internal control over financial reporting until our second annual report on Form 10-K. However, as an emerging growth company, our independent registered public accounting firm will not be

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required to formally attest to the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting until the later of the year following our first annual report required to be filed with the SEC or the date we are no longer an emerging growth company. At such time, our independent registered public accounting firm would need to issue a report that is adverse in the event that there are material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting.

As a private company, we do not currently have any internal audit function. To comply with the requirements of being a public company, we have undertaken various actions, and will need to take additional actions, such as implementing numerous internal controls and procedures and hiring additional accounting or internal audit staff or consultants. Testing and maintaining internal controls can divert our management’s attention from other matters that are important to the operation of our business.

We have identified a material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting. If we are unable to implement and maintain the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting, our investors may lose confidence in the accuracy and completeness of our financial reports, which could adversely affect our stock price.

We identified a material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting. A material weakness is a deficiency, or a combination of deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of the annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis. The material weakness is related to the lack of sufficient internal technical accounting resources, which resulted in an overreliance on external advisors for complex accounting matters without maintaining adequate internal controls to review, validate, and document the resulting accounting positions and disclosures.

We are in the process of remediating this material weakness by hiring additional accounting and finance personnel with technical accounting and SEC reporting experience, enhancing our use of external specialists where appropriate, implementing improved review procedures and documentation requirements, and providing training to existing personnel. We cannot assure you that these measures will remediate the material weakness in a timely manner or that additional material weaknesses will not be identified in the future. The material weakness will not be considered remediated until management completes the design and implementation of the controls and the controls operate for a sufficient period of time and management has concluded, through testing, that these controls are effective. The measures we will take may not be sufficient to remediate the material weakness we have identified or avoid potential future material weaknesses. If the steps we take do not remediate the material weakness in a timely manner, we will be unable to conclude that we maintain effective internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, there could continue to be a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of our financial statements would not be prevented or detected.

Our management will not be required to evaluate the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting in accordance with the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act until our second annual report on Form 10-K after the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part. As part of that evaluation, we may identify additional control deficiencies that are determined to constitute one or more material weaknesses. In addition, there can be no assurance that our remediation efforts will be successful, that our internal control over financial reporting will be effective as a result of these efforts, or that any future control deficiencies identified may not be material weaknesses that would be required to be reported in future periods.

If we are not able to comply with the requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act in a timely manner, or if we are unable to maintain proper and effective internal controls over financial reporting, we may not be able to produce timely and accurate financial statements. If that were to happen, our investors could lose confidence in our reported financial information, the market price of our stock could decline, and we could be subject to sanctions or investigations by the stock exchange on which our common stock is listed, the SEC or other regulatory authorities.

Our disclosure controls and procedures may not prevent or detect all errors or acts of fraud.

Upon the closing of this offering, we will become subject to the periodic reporting requirements of the Exchange Act. We must design our disclosure controls and procedures to reasonably assure that information we must disclose in reports we file or submit under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to management, and recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the rules and forms of the SEC. We believe that any disclosure controls and procedures, or internal controls and procedures, no matter how well-conceived and operated, can provide only reasonable, not absolute, assurance that the objectives of the control system are met.

These inherent limitations include the realities that judgments in decision-making can be faulty and that breakdowns can occur because of simple error or mistake. For example, our directors or executive officers could inadvertently fail to disclose a new relationship or arrangement causing us to fail to make any related person transaction disclosures. Additionally, controls can be circumvented by the individual acts of some persons, by collusion of two or more people or by an unauthorized override of the controls. Accordingly, because of the inherent limitations in our control system, misstatements due to error or fraud may occur and not be detected.

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We may not be able to satisfy listing requirements of Nasdaq or obtain or maintain a listing of our common stock on Nasdaq.

If, after listing, we fail to satisfy Nasdaq’s continued listing requirements, such as the corporate governance requirements or the minimum closing bid price requirement, Nasdaq may take steps to delist our common stock. Such a delisting would likely have a negative effect on the price of our common stock and would impair your ability to sell or purchase our common stock when you wish to do so. In the event of a delisting, there may not be any action we can take to restore compliance with listing requirements that would allow our common stock to become listed again on the Nasdaq or any other securities exchange, stabilize the market price or improve the liquidity of our common stock, prevent our common stock from dropping below the Nasdaq minimum bid price requirement or prevent future non-compliance with Nasdaq’s listing requirements.

Our insurance policies are expensive and only protect us from some business risks, which will leave us exposed to significant uninsured liabilities.

While we maintain commercial insurance at a level we believe is appropriate against certain risks commonly insured in the industry in which we operate, there is no guarantee that our insurer will cover costs or that we will be able to obtain the desired level of coverage on acceptable terms in the future. Some of the policies we currently maintain include general liability, crime insurance, products liability, workers’ compensation, cyber, directors’ and officers’, employment practices and fiduciary liability insurance. We do not know, however, if we will be able to maintain insurance with adequate levels of coverage. Changes in the market conditions and our business operations may necessitate the addition of new insurance policies or change of our existing insurance policies. Any significant uninsured liability may require us to pay substantial amounts, which would adversely affect our financial position and results of operations.

We also expect that operating as a U.S. public company will make it more difficult and more expensive for us to obtain director and officer liability insurance, and we may be required to accept reduced policy limits and coverage or incur substantially higher costs to obtain the same or similar coverage. As a result, it may be more difficult for us to attract and retain qualified people to serve on our board of directors, on our board committees or as executive officers. We do not know, however, if we will be able to maintain existing insurance with adequate levels of coverage. Any significant uninsured liability may require us to pay substantial amounts, which would negatively affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We could be subject to securities class action litigation or other litigation that could divert management’s attention and harm our business, and insurance coverage may not be sufficient to cover all costs and damages.

In the past, securities class action litigation has often been instituted against companies following periods of volatility in the trading price of a company’s securities. This type of litigation, if instituted, could result in substantial costs and a diversion of management’s attention and resources, which would harm our business, operating results or financial condition. Additionally, the dramatic increase in the cost of directors’ and officers’ liability insurance may cause us to opt for lower overall policy limits or to forgo insurance that we may otherwise rely on to cover significant defense costs, settlements and damages awarded to plaintiffs.

From time to time we may also be subject to litigation claims through the ordinary course of our business operations regarding, but not limited to, securities litigation, employment matters, security of patient and employee personal data, contractual relations with collaborators and licensors and intellectual property rights. We may be exposed to such litigation or investigation even if no wrongdoing occurred. Litigation and investigations are usually expensive and divert management’s attention and resources, which could adversely affect our business and cash resources.

We could be subject to changes in tax rates, the adoption of new tax legislation or could otherwise have exposure to additional tax liabilities, which could harm our business.

As discussed above, changes to tax laws or regulations, or to the interpretation of such laws or regulations, in the jurisdictions in which we operate could significantly increase our effective tax rate and materially affect our financial condition. In addition, other factors or events, including business combinations and investments, changes in our stock-based compensation, changes in the valuation of our deferred tax assets and liabilities, adjustments to our taxes upon finalization of any of our various tax returns or as a result of deficiencies asserted by taxing authorities against us, increases in any of our expenses that are not deductible for tax purposes, changes in our available tax credits, and changes in the apportionment of our income and our activities among tax jurisdictions, could also increase our effective tax rate. Our tax filings are subject to review or audit by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”), and state, local and foreign taxing authorities. We may also be liable for taxes in connection with businesses we acquire. Our determinations in respect of our tax liabilities are not binding on the IRS or any other taxing authorities, and accordingly the final determination in an audit or other proceeding may be materially different than the treatment reflected in our tax provisions, accruals and returns. An assessment of additional taxes because of an audit or other proceeding could harm our business.

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Our ability to use certain net operating loss (“NOL”) carryforwards and certain other tax attributes may be limited.

As of December 31, 2025, we had federal NOL carryforwards of approximately $96.1 million. Federal NOL carryforwards generated in taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017, may be carried forward indefinitely but are permitted to be used in any taxable year to offset only up to 80% of taxable income in such taxable year, if any. It is uncertain if and to what extent various states will conform to federal law.

Under Sections 382 and 383 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) if a corporation undergoes an “ownership change,” the corporation’s ability to use its pre-change NOL carryforwards and other pre-change tax attributes to offset its post-change income and taxes may be limited. Similar rules may apply under state tax laws. In general, an “ownership change” occurs if there is a cumulative change in ownership of the corporation by “5% shareholders” that exceeds 50 percentage points over a rolling three-year period. We have completed an analysis of Section 382 ownership changes in our stock through December 31, 2024 and have concluded that, as of December 31, 2024, we have experienced ownership changes that will result in limitations in our ability to use certain of our NOL carryforwards and other tax attributes. We may also experience an ownership change upon future issuances of our stock or due to secondary trading of our stock which may be outside of our control. If we were to undergo an additional ownership change in the future, further limitations could be imposed on our ability to utilize our NOL carryforwards and other tax attributes. Any of these ownership changes and their resulting limitations on our ability to use NOL carryforwards and other tax attributes could adversely impact our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

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CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This prospectus, including the sections entitled “Prospectus Summary,” “Risk Factors,” “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and “Business,” contains forward-looking statements about us and our industry that involve substantial risks and uncertainties. All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in this prospectus, including statements regarding our future results of operations and financial position and financial condition, business strategy and plans, expected market growth, our plans and objectives for future operations and commercialization, prospective products, product approvals, research and development costs, future revenue, timing and likelihood of success, and future results of anticipated products and prospects, are forward-looking statements. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements.

The words “believe,” “may,” “will,” “estimate,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “expect,” “should,” “could,” “target,” “predict,” “seek,” “consider,” “contemplate,” “plan,” “potential,” “project,” “would,” or the negative of these words or other similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words. Forward-looking statements in this prospectus include, but are not limited to, statements about:

•
the commercial opportunities stemming from the development of our product candidates for multiple autoimmune and inflammatory diseases;
•
our ability to develop and, if approved, ultimately commercialize our product candidates and other future programs;
•
the initiation, timing, progress, results, and cost of our development programs, and our current and future preclinical and clinical studies, including statements regarding the timing of initiation and completion of our clinical trials, and the period during which the results of the trials will become available;
•
the success, cost and timing of our clinical development of our product candidates;
•
our ability to establish clinical differentiation of our product candidates;
•
our ability to develop product candidates that have broad therapeutic potential;
•
our ability to utilize our business development strategy and expertise to build a balanced portfolio;
•
our ability to build our operational and commercial capabilities for supplying and marketing our products, if approved, in key markets;
•
market conditions in the biopharmaceutical sector and issuance of securities analysts’ reports or recommendations;
•
the trading volume of our common stock;
•
our ability to obtain additional funding;
•
our ability to initiate, recruit and enroll patients in and conduct our clinical trials at the pace that we project;
•
our ability to obtain and maintain regulatory approval of our product candidates, and any related restrictions, limitations or warnings in the label of any of our product candidates, if approved;
•
our reliance on third parties to manufacture drug substance for use in our clinical trials;
•
our ability to retain and recruit key personnel;
•
our ability to obtain and maintain adequate intellectual property rights;
•
our expectations regarding government and third-party payor coverage and reimbursement;
•
our estimates of our expenses, ongoing losses, capital requirements and our needs for or ability to obtain additional financing;
•
our expected uses of the net proceeds to us from this offering and our existing cash and the sufficiency of our existing cash and proceeds from this offering to fund our future operating expenses and capital expenditure requirements;
•
our ability to identify collaborations and strategic partnerships to maximize the value of our portfolio;

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•
the potential benefits of strategic collaboration agreements;
•
our ability to enter into strategic collaborations or arrangements, including potential business development opportunities and potential licensing partnerships, and our ability to attract collaborators with development, regulatory and commercialization expertise;
•
our ability to remediate a material weakness in our internal control of financial reporting;
•
sales of our stock by us, our insiders or our stockholders, as well as the anticipation of lock-up releases or expiration of market stand-off or lock-up agreements;
•
our expectations regarding the time during which we will be an emerging growth company and smaller reporting company under the JOBS Act;
•
general economic, industry, geopolitical and market conditions, such as military conflict or war, inflation and financial institution instability, or pandemic or epidemic disease outbreaks, many of which are beyond our control;
•
additions or departures of senior management, directors or key personnel;
•
our financial performance;
•
developments and projections relating to our competitors or our industry; and
•
other risks and uncertainties, including those included in the section titled “Risk Factors.”

We have based these forward-looking statements largely on our current expectations and projections about our business, the industry in which we operate, future events and financial trends that we believe may affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance or development. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including those described in “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in this prospectus. Moreover, we operate in a very competitive and rapidly changing environment and new risks emerge from time to time. It is not possible for our management to predict all risks, nor can we assess the impact of all factors on our business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements we may make. In light of these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, the forward-looking events and circumstances discussed in this prospectus may not occur and actual results could differ materially and adversely from those anticipated or implied in the forward-looking statements.

The forward-looking statements included in this prospectus are made only as of the date of this prospectus. You should not rely upon forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, we cannot guarantee that the future results, levels of activity, performance or events and circumstances reflected in the forward-looking statements will be achieved or occur. Moreover, neither we nor any other person assumes responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of the forward-looking statements. We undertake no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements for any reason after the date of this prospectus to conform these statements to actual results or to changes in our expectations.

In addition, statements that “we believe” and similar expressions reflect our beliefs and opinions on the relevant subject. These statements are based upon information available to us as of the date of this prospectus and, while we believe such information forms a reasonable basis for such statements, such information may be limited or incomplete.

You should read this prospectus with the understanding that our actual future results, levels of activity, performance and events and circumstances may be materially different from what we expect.

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MARKET AND INDUSTRY DATA

 

The market data and certain other statistical information used throughout this prospectus, including potential market opportunities, are based on our management’s estimates and research, independent industry publications, government publications, industry reports and other published sources. This information involves a number of assumptions and limitations, and you are cautioned not to give undue weight to such estimates and information. We have not separately verified such data. Further, while we believe that our internal information is reliable, such information has not been verified by any third party. The industry in which we operate is subject to a high degree of uncertainty and risk due to a variety of factors, including those described in the section titled “Risk Factors.” These and other factors could cause actual results to differ materially from the estimates and information contained in this prospectus concerning our industry, including the size of the markets in which we participate. You are cautioned not to give undue weight to any such estimates and information.

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USE OF PROCEEDS

We estimate that the net proceeds from this offering will be approximately $ , or approximately $ if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares in full, assuming an initial public offering price of $ per share, which is the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, and after deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.

Each $1.00 increase or decrease in the assumed initial public offering price of $ per share, which is the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, would increase or decrease, as applicable, the net proceeds to us from this offering by approximately $ , assuming that the number of shares offered by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, remains the same, and after deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us. Similarly, each increase or decrease of 1,000,000 shares in the number of shares offered by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, would increase or decrease, as applicable, the net proceeds to us from this offering by approximately $ , assuming no change in the assumed initial public offering price per share, and after deducting the estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.

We intend to use the net proceeds from this offering, together with our existing cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities, as follows:

•
approximately $ to advance the clinical development of TRB-061, including to fund Phase 2 trials for patients with AD and for patients with AA through topline data;
•
approximately $ to advance the clinical development of TRB-071, including initiating and completing a Phase 1 trial in healthy volunteers; and
•
the remainder for working capital and other general corporate purposes.

Based upon our current operating plan, we believe that the anticipated net proceeds from this offering, together with our existing cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities will be sufficient to fund our operating expenses and capital expenditure requirements through .

Our expected use of net proceeds from this offering represents our current intentions based upon our present plans and business condition. We cannot predict with complete certainty all of the particular uses for the net proceeds to be received upon the completion of this offering or the actual amounts that we will spend on the uses set forth above.

Our management will have broad discretion in the application of the net proceeds from this offering, and investors will be relying on the judgment of our management regarding the application of those net proceeds. The timing and amount of our actual expenditures will be based on many factors, including cash flows from operations and the anticipated growth of our business, and we may find it necessary or advisable to use the net proceeds for other purposes.

Pending the uses described above, we plan to invest the net proceeds from this offering in a variety of capital preservation investments, including short-term, interest-bearing obligations, investment-grade instruments, certificates of deposit, or direct or guaranteed obligations of the United States government.

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DIVIDEND POLICY

We have never declared or paid any dividends on our capital stock. We intend to retain future earnings, if any, to finance the operation and expansion of our business and do not anticipate paying any cash dividends in the foreseeable future. Any future determination related to our dividend policy will be made at the discretion of our board of directors after considering our financial condition, results of operations, capital requirements, business prospects, and other factors our board of directors deems relevant, and subject to the restrictions contained in any future financing instruments. Our ability to pay cash dividends on our capital stock in the future may also be limited by the terms of any preferred securities we may issue or agreements governing any indebtedness we may incur.

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CAPITALIZATION

The following table sets forth our cash and capitalization as of June 30, 2026:

•
on an actual basis;
•
on a pro forma basis, giving effect to (i) the Preferred Stock Conversion and the related reclassification of the carrying value of the redeemable convertible preferred stock to permanent equity immediately prior to and in connection with the completion of this offering and (ii) the filing and effectiveness of our Restated Charter in connection with the completion of this offering; and
•
on a pro forma as adjusted basis giving effect to: (i) the pro forma adjustments set forth above and (ii) the sale and issuance of shares of our common stock in this offering at an assumed initial public offering price of $ per share, which is the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, after deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.

The pro forma and pro forma as adjusted information below is illustrative only and our capitalization following the completion of this offering will change based on the initial public offering price and other terms of this offering determined at pricing. You should read the information in this table together with the financial statements and related notes as appearing at the end of this prospectus and the information set forth under the sections titled “Summary Financial Data” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.”

 

 

 

As of June 30, 2026

(in thousands, except share and per share amounts)

 

Actual

 

Pro
Forma

 

Pro Forma As
Adjusted
(1)

Cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities

 

$

90,854

 

$ 90,854

 

$

Series A-1 redeemable convertible preferred stock, par value $0.0001 per
   share; 5,000,000 shares authorized, issued and outstanding, actual; no
   shares authorized, issued or outstanding, pro forma and pro forma as
   adjusted

 

 

6,530

 

—

 

 

Series A-2 redeemable convertible preferred stock, par value $0.0001 per
   share; 7,700,000 shares authorized, issued and outstanding, actual; no
   shares authorized, issued or outstanding, pro forma and pro forma as
   adjusted

 

 

25,181

 

—

 

 

Series A-3 redeemable convertible preferred stock, par value $0.0001 per
   share; 12,482,976 shares authorized, issued and outstanding, actual; no
   shares authorized, issued or outstanding, pro forma and pro forma as
   adjusted

 

 

43,730

 

—

 

 

Series B redeemable convertible preferred stock, par value $0.0001 per
   share; 43,388,910 shares authorized, issued and outstanding,
   actual; no shares authorized, issued or outstanding, pro forma and pro
   forma as adjusted

 

 

133,397

 

—

 

 

Stockholders’ (deficit) equity:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Preferred stock, par value $0.0001 per share; no shares authorized, issued
   or outstanding, actual; shares authorized and no shares issued
   or outstanding, pro forma and pro forma as adjusted

 

 

—

 

 

—

 

 

Common stock, par value $0.0001 per share; 89,000,000 shares
   authorized, 5,295,562 shares issued and outstanding, actual;
   shares authorized, pro forma and pro forma as adjusted; 73,867,448
   shares issued and outstanding, pro forma; shares issued and
   outstanding, pro forma as adjusted

 

 

1

 

7

 

 

Additional paid-in capital

 

 

2,504

 

211,336

 

 

Accumulated other comprehensive income

 

 

(148)

 

(148)

 

 

Accumulated deficit

 

 

(123,567)

 

(123,567)

 

 

Total stockholders’ (deficit) equity

 

 

(121,210)

 

87,628

 

 

Total capitalization

 

$

87,628

 

$ 87,628

 

$

 

(1)
Each $1.00 increase or decrease in the assumed initial public offering price of $ per share, which is the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, would increase or decrease, as applicable, the pro forma as adjusted amount of each of cash and cash equivalents, additional paid-in capital, total assets and total stockholders’ (deficit) equity and total capitalization on a pro forma as adjusted basis by approximately $ million, assuming that the

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number of shares offered by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, remains the same, and after deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us. Similarly, each increase or decrease of 1,000,000 shares in the number of shares offered by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, would increase or decrease, as applicable, the pro forma as adjusted amount of each of cash and cash equivalents, additional paid-in capital, total assets and total stockholders’ (deficit) equity by approximately $ million, assuming no change in the assumed initial public offering price per share, and after deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.

If the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares in full, our pro forma as adjusted cash and cash equivalents, additional paid-in capital, total stockholders’ (deficit) equity and total capitalization as of June 30, 2026 would be $ million, $ million, $ million and $ million, respectively.

The information in the table above excludes:

•
11,518,123 shares of our common stock issuable upon the exercise of outstanding stock options under the 2024 Plan, as of June 30, 2026, with a weighted-average exercise price of $0.31 per share;
•
2,970,168 shares of common stock reserved for future issuance under the 2024 Plan as of June 30, 2026;
•
shares of our common stock reserved for future issuance under the 2026 Plan, which will become effective in connection with this offering; and
•
shares of our common stock reserved for issuance under the ESPP, which will become effective in connection with this offering.

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DILUTION

If you invest in our common stock in this offering, your ownership interest will be diluted immediately to the extent of the difference between the initial public offering price per share of our common stock and the pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value per share of our common stock after this offering.

Our historical net tangible book value (deficit) as of June 30, 2026 was $(123.1) million, or $(23.25) per share of common stock. Our historical net tangible book value (deficit) is the amount of our total tangible assets less our total liabilities and the carrying value of our redeemable convertible preferred stock, which is not included within stockholders’ deficit. Historical net tangible book value (deficit) per share represents historical net tangible book value (deficit) divided by the 5,295,562 shares of common stock outstanding as of June 30, 2026.

Our pro forma net tangible book value as of June 30, 2026 was $85.7 million, or $1.16 per share of common stock. Pro forma net tangible book value represents the amount of our total tangible assets less our liabilities, after giving effect to (i) the Preferred Stock Conversion and the related reclassification of the carrying value of the redeemable convertible preferred stock to permanent equity immediately prior to and in connection with the completion of this offering and (ii) the filing and effectiveness of our Restated Charter in connection with the completion of this offering.

After giving further effect to our issuance and sale of shares of common stock in this offering at an assumed initial public offering price of $ per share, which is the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, and after deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us, our pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value as of June 30, 2026 would have been $ million, or $ per share. This represents an immediate increase in pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value of $ per share to existing stockholders and an immediate dilution of $ in pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value per share to new investors purchasing common stock in this offering. Dilution per share to new investors is determined by subtracting pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value per share after this offering from the assumed initial public offering price per share paid by new investors. The following table illustrates this dilution on a per share basis:

 

Assumed initial public offering price per share

 

 

 

 

$

 

 

Historical net tangible book value (deficit) per share as of June 30, 2026

 

$

(23.25)

 

 

 

 

Increase attributable to pro forma adjustments described above

 

 

24.41

 

 

 

 

Pro forma net tangible book value per share as of June 30, 2026

 

 

1.16

 

 

 

 

Increase in pro forma net tangible book value per share attributable to new
   investors purchasing common stock in this offering

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value per share after this offering

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dilution per share to new investors purchasing common stock in this offering

 

 

 

 

$

 

 

 

The dilution information discussed above is illustrative only and will change based on the actual initial public offering price and other terms of this offering determined at pricing. Each $1.00 increase in the assumed initial price to the public of $ per share, which is the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, would increase the pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value by approximately $ million, or approximately $ per share, and increase the dilution per share to new investors purchasing common stock in this offering by approximately $ per share, assuming that the number of shares offered by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, remains the same, and after deducting the estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us. Similarly, each $1.00 decrease in the assumed initial price to the public of $ per share, which is the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, would decrease the pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value by approximately $ million, or approximately $ per share, and decrease the dilution per share to new investors purchasing common stock in this offering by approximately $ per share, assuming that the number of shares offered by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, remains the same, and after deducting the estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us. Each increase of 1,000,000 shares in the number of shares offered by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, would increase the pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value by approximately $ , or approximately $ per share, and the dilution per share to new investors purchasing common stock in this offering would be approximately $ per share, assuming that the assumed initial price to the public remains the same, and after deducting the estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us. Similarly, each decrease of 1,000,000 shares in the number of shares offered by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, would decrease the pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value by approximately $ , or approximately $ per share, and the dilution per share to new investors purchasing common stock in this offering would be approximately $ per share, assuming that the assumed initial price to the public remains the same, and after deducting the estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.

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If the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares in full, our pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value per share after the offering would be approximately $ , representing an immediate increase in pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value per share of approximately $ to existing stockholders and immediate dilution in pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value per share of approximately $ to new investors purchasing common stock in this offering, assuming an initial public offering price of approximately $ per share, which is the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, and after deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.

The following table summarizes, as of June 30, 2026, on the pro forma as adjusted basis described above, the total number of shares of common stock purchased from us, the total consideration and the weighted-average price per share (1) paid by existing stockholders and (2) to be paid by new investors purchasing common stock in this offering at the assumed initial public offering price of $ per share, which is the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, before deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us. As the table shows, new investors purchasing common stock in this offering will pay an average price per share substantially higher than our existing stockholders paid.

 

 

 

Shares Purchased

 

 

Total Consideration

 

 

 

Weighted
Average Price
Per Share

 

 

 

Number

 

 

Percent

 

 

Amount

 

Percent

 

 

 

Existing stockholders(1)

 

 

 

 

—

%

 

 

 

—

%

 

$

—

 

New investors

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

$

—

 

Total

 

 

 

 

100

%

 

 

 

100

%

 

 

 

 

 

(1)
The presentation in this table regarding ownership by existing stockholders does not give effect to any purchases that existing stockholders may make in this offering.

The table above assumes no exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares from us. If the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares in full, the number of shares of common stock held by existing stockholders would be reduced to % of the total number of shares of common stock to be outstanding upon completion of this offering, and the number of shares of common stock held by new investors purchasing common stock in this offering will be increased to % of the total number of shares of our common stock to be outstanding upon completion of the offering.

Each $1.00 increase or decrease in the assumed initial public offering price of $ per share, which is the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, would increase or decrease, as applicable, the total consideration paid by new investors by approximately $ million, assuming that the number of shares offered by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, remains the same. We may also increase or decrease the number of shares we are offering. Similarly, each increase or decrease of 1,000,000 in the number of shares offered by us would increase or decrease, as applicable, total consideration paid by new investors by approximately $ million, assuming no change in the assumed initial public offering price.

Except as otherwise indicated, the above discussion and tables assume no exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares and excludes:

•
11,518,123 shares of our common stock issuable upon the exercise of outstanding stock options under the 2024 Plan, as of June 30, 2026, with a weighted-average exercise price of $0.31 per share;
•
2,970,168 shares of common stock reserved for future issuance under the 2024 Plan as of June 30, 2026;
•
shares of our common stock reserved for future issuance under the 2026 Plan, which will become effective in connection with this offering; and
•
shares of our common stock reserved for issuance under the ESPP, which will become effective in connection with this offering.

To the extent that stock options are exercised, new stock options are issued under our equity incentive plans or we issue additional shares of common stock, other equity securities or convertible debt securities in the future, there will be further dilution to investors participating in this offering. In addition, we may choose to raise additional capital through the sale of equity or convertible debt securities due to market conditions or strategic considerations, even if we believe we have sufficient funds for our current or future operating plans. If we raise additional capital through the sale of equity or convertible debt securities, the issuance of these securities could result in further dilution to our stockholders.

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MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

You should read the following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations together with the section titled “Prospectus Summary—Summary Financial Data” and our audited financial statements and unaudited interim condensed financial statements and the related notes included elsewhere in this prospectus. This discussion and other parts of this prospectus contain forward-looking statements based upon current beliefs, plans, and expectations related to future events and our future financial performance that involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions, such as statements of our plans, objectives, expectations, intentions, forecasts and projections. Our actual results and the timing of selected events could differ materially from those discussed in these forward-looking statements as a result of several factors including, but not limited to, those set forth under the section titled “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in this prospectus. Our historical results are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for any period in the future, and you should carefully read the section titled “Risk Factors” to gain an understanding of the important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from our forward-looking statements. Please also see the section titled “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements.”

Overview

We are a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on tissue Treg biology for the discovery and development of immunoregulatory medicines designed to restore immune balance and promote tissue repair to address unmet needs of patients with autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. TRexBio was built on a pivotal scientific insight: that regulatory T cells (“Tregs”) in human tissue are not merely passive suppressors of inflammation, but active orchestrators of tissue immune homeostasis and repair. Leveraging our Deep Biology drug discovery and design platform, we integrate tissue-level insights into human biology and Treg function to identify and characterize novel targets and approaches for therapeutic intervention. Our tissue-first conviction and unique insights in Treg biology are the foundation of our pipeline of therapeutic candidates aimed at restoring immune balance and promoting tissue repair for more durable disease control.

Our pipeline is focused on augmenting tissue Tregs to address critical treatment gaps in autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. Our most advanced wholly-owned product candidate, TRB-061, is an investigational tumor necrosis factor receptor 2 (“TNFR2”) agonist designed to expand and activate Tregs in inflamed tissues. We believe TRB-061 has broad, multi-indication potential, and are currently conducting a Phase 1a/b clinical trial of TRB-061 in healthy volunteers and patients with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis (“AD”). We expect to announce topline data from the Phase 1b portion of the TRB-061 trial in patients with moderate-to-severe AD in mid-2027. Our second wholly-owned product candidate, TRB-071, is an investigational TNF receptor superfamily member 8, better known as TNFRSF8 (or “CD30”) agonist designed to both augment tissue Tregs and block immune system inflammatory signaling axes. Genetic studies support the involvement of CD30 and its ligand in inflammatory bowel disease (“IBD”). TRB-071 is currently in IND-enabling studies and, subject to regulatory allowance to proceed, is expected to enter a Phase 1 trial in the first half of 2027. We believe TRB-071 has the potential to address the significant unmet need in IBD by directly targeting the immune system dysfunction in the gut barrier that drives disease pathology.

We believe each of our two lead product candidates has the potential to treat a range of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases with high unmet need, including AD, alopecia areata (“AA”) and IBD. Beyond our lead product candidates, we are advancing multiple preclinical-stage programs focused on differentiated aspects of Treg biology with the goal of transforming the lives of patients affected by autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. We believe our Deep Biology platform, built on a proprietary database of healthy and diseased tissue samples, is key to achieving this goal. Our platform is designed to decode Treg functionality in human tissue, mapping key drivers of immune dysregulation and uncovering novel targets and insights that inform our drug discovery and translational efforts.

Our Deep Biology platform is designed not only to advance current programs but also to generate a continuous pipeline of future therapeutic opportunities. Autoimmune and inflammatory diseases are biologically complex and heterogeneous, with distinct mechanisms driving disease initiation, progression, and response to therapy across tissues and patient populations. Through the analysis of human tissues across multiple diseases, our platform is designed to identify targets associated with tissue Treg biology, immune regulation, and tissue repair, enabling us to prioritize and position therapeutic programs where we believe the underlying biology is most likely to provide meaningful clinical benefit. In addition, insights from our platform support our therapeutic design and candidate selection, indication prioritization, and translational strategies. The advancement of TRB-061, TRB-071, and TRB-051 into development demonstrates the platform’s potential to identify differentiated targets and generate novel immunoregulatory therapeutic candidates, supporting our continued efforts to expand our pipeline across a broad range of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.

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On December 31, 2024, TRex Holdings Inc. merged with and into TRex Bio, Inc., its wholly-owned Delaware subsidiary, with TRex Bio, Inc. continuing as the surviving corporation; in connection with the merger, all outstanding shares of capital stock and options of TRex Holdings Inc. were converted on a one-for-one basis into corresponding shares of capital stock and options of TRex Bio, Inc.

Since inception, our operations have focused on research and development activities with respect to our product candidates as described above, as well as raising capital, business planning, organizing and staffing our company, establishing our intellectual property portfolio, establishing arrangements with third parties for the manufacture of our product candidates and related raw materials, and providing general and administrative support for these operations. Through June 30, 2026, we have financed our operations primarily with the proceeds from the issuance of shares of our redeemable convertible preferred stock and from payments received under our strategic license and collaboration agreements with Lilly and JJDC. From inception through June 30, 2026, we have raised aggregate gross proceeds of approximately $220.0 million through the sale and issuance of our common stock and redeemable convertible preferred stock and $91.0 million through our collaboration agreements.

To date, we have no product candidates approved for commercial sale in any country and have not generated any revenue from product sales. We have incurred significant operating losses and negative cash flows since inception. Our ability to generate product revenue sufficient to achieve profitability will depend heavily on the successful development and eventual commercialization of one or more of our product candidates. Our net losses for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2025 were $3.1 million and $34.8 million, respectively. For the six months ended June 30, 2025 and 2026, our net losses were $17.7 million and $29.3 million, respectively. As of June 30, 2026, we had an accumulated deficit of $123.6 million. We expect to continue to incur significant and increasing losses for the foreseeable future. We expect that our expenses and capital requirements will increase substantially in connection with our ongoing activities, particularly if and as we:

•
continue clinical development of TRB-061;
•
advance our TRB-071 program and our other product candidates through preclinical trials;
•
make royalty, milestone or other payments under current, and any future, license or collaboration agreements;
•
procure the manufacturing of preclinical, clinical and commercial supply of our current or any future product candidates;
•
seek marketing regulatory approvals for our current or any future product candidates that successfully complete clinical trials;
•
commercialize our current or any future product candidates, if approved;
•
take steps toward our goal of being an integrated biopharmaceutical company capable of supporting commercial activities, including establishing sales, marketing and distribution infrastructure;
•
continue to develop, maintain and defend our intellectual property portfolio, including against third-party interference, infringement and other intellectual property claims, if any;
•
seek to attract, hire and retain qualified clinical, scientific, operations and management personnel;
•
add and maintain operational, financial and information management systems;
•
attempt to address any competing therapies and market developments;
•
experience delays in our preclinical studies, clinical trials or regulatory approval for our current or any future product candidates, including with respect to failed studies, inconclusive results, safety issues or other regulatory challenges;
•
establish agreements with additional CROs and CMOs; and
•
incur additional costs associated with being a public company, including audit, legal, regulatory, and tax-related services associated with maintaining compliance with an exchange listing and the SEC requirements, director and officer insurance premiums and investor relations costs.

We will not generate revenue from product sales unless and until we successfully complete clinical development and obtain regulatory approval for a product candidate, and we cannot assure you that we will ever generate significant revenue or profits. In addition, if we obtain regulatory approval for a product candidate and do not enter into a third-party commercialization partnership, we expect to incur significant expenses related to developing our commercialization capability to support product sales, marketing, manufacturing and distribution activities. Our net losses may fluctuate significantly from period to period, depending on the timing of our planned clinical studies and expenditures related to our research and development activities.

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Furthermore, following the closing of this offering, we expect to incur additional costs associated with operating as a public company, including significant audit, legal, regulatory and tax-related expenses, as well as director and officer insurance premiums and investor relations costs that we did not incur as a private company. As a result, we will need substantial additional funding to support our continuing operations and pursue our growth strategy as a public company. Until such time as we can generate significant revenue from product sales, if ever, we expect to finance our operations through a combination of public or private equity financings, debt financings, or other capital sources, which could include collaborations with other companies, or other strategic transactions and licensing agreements. We may be unable to obtain financing on acceptable terms, or at all, and we may be unable to enter into collaborations or other arrangements. Our failure to raise capital or enter into such agreements as, and when, needed, could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, and financial condition, including requiring us to have to delay, reduce or eliminate product development or future commercialization efforts, or grant rights to develop and market potential future product candidates that we would otherwise prefer to develop and market ourselves.

As there are numerous risks and uncertainties associated with development of treatments for autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, we are unable to predict the timing or amount of increased expenses, or when or if we will be able to achieve or maintain profitability. Even if we are able to generate product sales, we may not become profitable. We will need to generate significant revenue to achieve profitability, and we may never do so. If we fail to become profitable or are unable to sustain profitability on a continuing basis, then we may be unable to continue our operations at planned levels and be forced to reduce or terminate our operations.

As of June 30, 2026, we had $90.9 million in cash and cash equivalents and marketable securities. We believe that our existing cash as of June 30, 2026, together with the anticipated net proceeds from this offering will be sufficient to fund our operations and capital expenditure requirements through . We have based this estimate on our current assumptions, which may prove to be wrong, and we may exhaust our available capital resources sooner than we expect. See section titled “—Liquidity and Capital Resources.”

Collaboration Agreements

Eli Lilly Research Collaboration and License Agreement

In January 2023, we entered into a Research Collaboration and License Agreement (the “Lilly Collaboration Agreement”) with Eli Lilly and Company (“Lilly”), wherein we granted to Lilly exclusive worldwide rights to develop and commercialize certain program molecules and products. Lilly paid us a one-time $55.0 million upfront payment during the year ended December 31, 2023. In July 2024, Lilly also paid us a $15.0 million development milestone payment. The research term for the Lilly Collaboration Agreement expired during the year ended December 31, 2024; however, our right to receive potential future milestone and royalty payments survives the expiration of the research term and remains in effect, unless earlier terminated in accordance with its terms.

After giving effect to the $15.0 million development milestone payment received in July 2024, we are eligible to receive up to an additional $577.5 million in development, commercialization and sales milestone payments under the Lilly Collaboration Agreement. We are also eligible for tiered royalties ranging from six to ten percent on annual aggregate net sales of licensed products, subject to specified adjustments under the Lilly Collaboration Agreement. These payments will be included in the transaction price when it becomes probable that a significant reversal of cumulative revenue recognized will not occur and will be recognized as revenue based on our progress toward satisfaction of the combined performance obligation. See the section titled “Business—Intellectual Property—License and Collaboration Agreements—Our Research Collaboration and License Agreement with Lilly.”

Components of Results of Operations

Revenue

We have not generated any revenue from product sales and do not expect to do so in the foreseeable future. Our ability to generate product revenue, if ever, will depend on the successful development, regulatory approval and commercialization of one or more product candidates by us. If we fail to complete the development of any future product candidates in a timely manner or to obtain regulatory approval for such product candidates, our ability to generate future revenue and our results of operations and financial position would be materially adversely affected.

During the periods presented, our revenue, when recognized, was derived solely from the Lilly Collaboration Agreement described above. Revenue under the Lilly Collaboration Agreement relates to research and development activities under the applicable research plan and the transfer of related license rights and know-how. The research and development services, related license rights and know-how under the Lilly Collaboration Agreement were accounted for as a single combined performance obligation. The timing and amount of collaboration revenue may vary significantly from period to period based on our progress toward satisfaction of the combined performance obligation and the achievement of development, regulatory,

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commercialization and sales milestones by Lilly. We did not recognize collaboration revenue during the year ended December 31, 2025, or the six months ended June 30, 2026, and we may not recognize additional revenue under the Lilly Collaboration Agreement unless and until additional milestone or royalty consideration qualifies for recognition in a future period.

Operating Expenses

Our operating expenses consist of (i) research and development expenses and (ii) general and administrative expenses.

Research and Development

Research and development expenses account for the largest component of our total operating expenses. Research and development expenses consist primarily of direct and unallocated costs incurred for the research and development of our product candidates.

Research and development expenses are recorded as expense in the period in which the related activities occurred, and payments we make prior to the receipt of goods or services to be used in research and development efforts are deferred as prepaid expenses until the goods or services are received and used. We accrue expenses for contract research and development as the related services are performed by monitoring the status of specified activities and billings received from our external service providers. These expenses are accrued based on estimates and are adjusted as actual expenses become known.

A significant portion of our research and development costs have been external costs, which we track by product candidate once it has reached a certain stage of development. However, we do not track our unallocated costs on a product candidate specific basis because these costs are deployed across multiple projects and, as such, are not separately classified.

At this time, we cannot reasonably estimate or know the nature, timing, and estimated costs of the efforts that will be necessary to complete the development of, and obtain regulatory approval for, any of our product candidates. We expect that our research and development expenses will increase substantially in absolute dollars for the foreseeable future as we continue to invest in research and development activities related to developing our product candidates, as our product candidates advance into later stages of development, as we begin to conduct clinical trials, as we seek regulatory approvals for any product candidates that successfully complete clinical trials, and as we incur expenses associated with hiring additional personnel to support our research and development efforts. The process of conducting the necessary clinical research to obtain regulatory approval is costly and time-consuming, and the successful development of our product candidates is highly uncertain.

General and Administrative

General and administrative expenses consist primarily of personnel-related costs, costs related to maintenance and filing of intellectual property, legal fees related to corporate matters, professional fees paid for accounting, auditing, consulting, tax services, insurance costs, general corporate expenses, and facility-related costs not otherwise included in research and development expenses. Personnel-related costs include salaries, bonuses, benefits, and stock-based compensation expense for our personnel in executive, finance and accounting, human resources, and other administrative functions.

We expect that our general and administrative expenses will increase substantially in absolute dollars for the foreseeable future as we continue to increase our headcount to support our business growth. We have incurred, and expect to continue to incur, significant costs in connection with preparing to operate as a public company. Following the completion of this offering, we expect to incur additional significant expenses associated with operating as a public company, including expenses related to compliance with the rules and regulations of the SEC and expenses related to audit, legal, regulatory services associated with maintaining compliance with exchange listing and SEC requirements, director and officer insurance premiums and investor relations costs.

Other Income, Net

Other income primarily consists of interest earned on our cash and cash equivalents and marketable securities during the period.

Provision for Income Taxes

We are subject to United States federal and state corporate income taxation. As of December 31, 2025, we had federal net operating loss (“NOL“) carryforwards of $96.1 million. Federal NOL carryforwards generated in taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017, may be carried forward indefinitely but are permitted to be used in any taxable year to offset only up to 80% of taxable income in such taxable year, if any. As of December 31, 2025, the Company has no state net operating loss carryforwards.

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Additionally, we had federal and state research and development tax credits carryforwards of $4.4 million and $3.9 million, respectively, as of December 31, 2025. The federal research and development tax credits will begin to expire in 2041 if not utilized. The state research and development tax credits have no expiration date.

Under Section 382 and Section 383 of the Code, if a corporation undergoes an “ownership change,” the corporation’s ability to use its pre-change NOL carryforwards and other pre-change tax attributes (including research and development tax credits) to offset its post-change income and taxes may be limited. Similar rules may apply under state tax laws. In general, an “ownership change” occurs if there is a cumulative change in ownership of the corporation by “5% shareholders” that exceeds 50 percentage points over a rolling three-year period. The Company has completed a Section 382 analysis through December 31, 2024 and has concluded that, as of December 31, 2024, ownership changes have occurred that will result in limitations on the use of certain NOL carryforwards and other tax attributes. If we were to undergo an additional ownership change in the future, further limitations could be imposed on our ability to utilize our NOL carryforwards and other tax attributes. We establish a valuation allowance against all of our net deferred tax assets. We consider all available evidence, both positive and negative, including but not limited to our historical operating results, income or loss in recent periods, cumulative losses in recent years, forecasted earnings, future taxable income, and significant risk and uncertainty related to forecasts, and concluded the deferred tax assets are not more likely than not to be realized.

We record liabilities related to uncertain tax positions in accordance with the guidance that clarifies the accounting for uncertainty in income taxes recognized in an enterprise’s financial statements by prescribing a minimum recognition threshold and measurement attribute for purposes of financial statement recognition and measurement of a tax position taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. As of December 31, 2024 and 2025, we had unrecognized tax benefits of $1.9 million and $12.0 million, respectively, of which $1.1 million would affect our income tax expense if recognized, before consideration of our valuation allowance.

Results of Operations

Comparison for the Six Months Ended June 30, 2025 and 2026

The following table summarizes our results of operations for the six months ended June 30, 2025 and 2026 (in thousands):

 

 

For the six months ended
June 30,

 

 

 

 

 

 

2025

 

 

2026

 

 

Change

 

Operating expenses:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Research and development

 

$

14,966

 

 

$

26,030

 

 

$

11,064

 

General and administrative

 

 

4,258

 

 

 

4,988

 

 

 

730

 

Total operating expenses

 

 

19,224

 

 

 

31,018

 

 

 

11,794

 

Loss from operations

 

 

(19,224

)

 

 

(31,018

)

 

 

(11,794

)

Interest income

 

 

1,568

 

 

 

1,755

 

 

 

187

 

Other expense, net

 

 

(66

)

 

 

(3

)

 

 

63

 

Total other income, net

 

 

1,502

 

 

 

1,752

 

 

 

250

 

Loss before provision for income taxes

 

 

(17,722

)

 

 

(29,266

)

 

 

(11,544

)

Provision for income taxes

 

 

—

 

 

 

42

 

 

 

42

 

Net loss

 

 

(17,722

)

 

 

(29,308

)

 

 

(11,586

)

Unrealized loss on marketable securities

 

 

(11

)

 

 

(165

)

 

 

(154

)

Comprehensive loss

 

$

(17,733

)

 

$

(29,473

)

 

$

(11,740

)

 

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Operating Expenses (Income)

Research and Development Expenses

The following table summarizes our research and development expenses for the six months ended June 30, 2025 and 2026 (in thousands):

 

Six months ended June 30,

 

 

 

 

 

2025

 

 

2026

 

 

Change

 

Direct costs:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TRB-061

 

$

4,496

 

 

$

8,425

 

 

$

3,929

 

Other product candidates

 

 

2,946

 

 

 

8,625

 

 

 

5,679

 

Unallocated costs:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Employee-related expenses, including stock-based compensation

 

 

4,558

 

 

 

5,477

 

 

 

919

 

Facility-related and office costs

 

 

880

 

 

 

915

 

 

 

35

 

Other costs

 

 

2,086

 

 

 

2,588

 

 

 

502

 

Total research and development expense

 

$

14,966

 

 

$

26,030

 

 

$

11,064

 

 

Research and development expense was $15.0 million and $26.0 million for the six months ended June 30, 2025 and 2026, respectively. The increase was primarily attributable to (i) a $3.9 million increase in costs associated with TRB-061, resulting from higher clinical trial costs, (ii) a $5.7 million increase in costs associated with other product candidates, resulting from increased preclinical development and chemistry, manufacturing and controls work, (iii) a $0.9 million increase in employee-related costs resulting from increased headcount, and (iv) a $0.5 million increase in other research and development costs.

General and Administrative

General and administrative expenses were $4.3 million and $5.0 million for the six months ended June 30, 2025 and 2026, respectively. The increase was primarily due to (i) $0.4 million of higher professional fees and outside services, driven primarily by costs associated with patent prosecution and the expansion of our intellectual property portfolio, and (ii) $0.3 million of higher employee-related costs, driven primarily by increased headcount.

Other Income, Net

Interest income was $1.6 million and $1.8 million for the six months ended June 30, 2025 and 2026, respectively. The increase was due to higher average balances of our cash and cash equivalents and marketable securities.

Comparison for the Years Ended December 31, 2024 and 2025

Our results of operations for each of the periods indicated are summarized in the table below (in thousands):

 

 

For the Year Ended December 31,

 

 

 

 

 

 

2024

 

 

2025

 

 

Change

 

Collaboration revenue

 

$

39,108

 

 

$

—

 

 

$

(39,108

)

Operating expenses:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Research and development

 

 

34,989

 

 

 

29,809

 

 

 

(5,180

)

General and administrative

 

 

6,500

 

 

 

8,036

 

 

 

1,536

 

Total operating expenses

 

 

41,489

 

 

 

37,845

 

 

 

(3,644

)

Loss from operations

 

 

(2,381

)

 

 

(37,845

)

 

 

(35,464

)

Interest income

 

 

2,007

 

 

 

3,154

 

 

 

1,147

 

Other expense, net

 

 

(70

)

 

 

(69

)

 

 

1

 

Total other income, net

 

 

1,937

 

 

 

3,085

 

 

 

1,148

 

Loss before provision for income taxes

 

 

(444

)

 

 

(34,760

)

 

 

(34,316

)

Provision for income taxes

 

 

2,700

 

 

 

46

 

 

 

(2,654

)

Net loss

 

 

(3,144

)

 

 

(34,806

)

 

 

(31,662

)

Unrealized gain on marketable securities

 

 

8

 

 

 

9

 

 

 

1

 

Comprehensive loss

 

$

(3,136

)

 

$

(34,797

)

 

$

(31,661

)

 

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Revenue

Our revenue of $39.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2024 was generated under the Lilly Collaboration Agreement and relates to research and development activities under the applicable research plan and the transfer of related license rights and know-how. The $39.1 million consisted of approximately $24.1 million representing recognition of the remaining portion of the original $55.0 million upfront payment and $15.0 million of variable consideration associated with the achievement of a development milestone under the Lilly Collaboration Agreement. The upfront payment and milestone consideration were included in the transaction price for the single combined performance obligation comprising the license rights, related know-how and research and development services. The milestone did not require additional research and development services by us. Upon achievement of the milestone, the $15.0 million of variable consideration was no longer constrained and was included in the transaction price. Because the combined performance obligation was fully satisfied during the year ended December 31, 2024, the remaining upfront consideration and the full amount of the milestone consideration were recognized as revenue during 2024. We did not receive separate payments or cost reimbursements specifically for research and development services performed under the initial research plan during the year ended December 31, 2024, and no portion of the transaction price was allocated separately to those services.

No collaboration revenue was recognized during the year ended December 31, 2025 because the combined performance obligation was fully satisfied during the year ended December 31, 2024 and no additional milestone or royalty consideration qualified for recognition during the year ended December 31, 2025.

Operating Expenses (Income)

Research and Development

The following table summarizes our research and development expenses for the periods indicated by direct and unallocated costs (in thousands):

 

Years Ended December 31,

 

 

 

 

 

2024

 

 

2025

 

 

Change

 

Direct costs:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TRB-061

 

$

15,343

 

 

$

9,182

 

 

$

(6,161

)

Other product candidates

 

 

2,014

 

 

 

5,447

 

 

 

3,433

 

Unallocated costs:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Employee-related expenses, including stock-based compensation

 

 

10,387

 

 

 

9,297

 

 

 

(1,090

)

Facility-related and office costs

 

 

2,443

 

 

 

1,734

 

 

 

(709

)

Other costs

 

 

4,802

 

 

 

4,149

 

 

 

(653

)

Total research and development expense

 

$

34,989

 

 

$

29,809

 

 

$

(5,180

)

 

Research and development expense was $35.0 million and $29.8 million for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2025, respectively. The decrease was primarily due to (i) a reduction of $6.2 million in external research expenses for TRB-061 primarily due to the completion of manufacturing activities, (ii) $1.1 million of lower employee-related costs as a result of decreased headcount, (iii) $0.7 million of facility-related and office costs due to a decrease in depreciation expense from the change in the useful life of lab equipment (see Note 4 of the accompanying financial statements), and (iv) $0.7 million of other expenses due to no amortization expense in 2025 associated with the intangible asset as it was fully amortized during the year ended December 31, 2024 along with increased efficiencies. This was partially offset by an increase of $3.4 million due to increased costs as we progressed our preclinical pipeline.

General and Administrative

General and administrative expenses were $6.5 million and $8.0 million for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2025, respectively. The increase was primarily due to (i) $1.3 million of higher employee-related costs as a result of increased headcount (ii) $0.2 million of other expenses.

Other Income, Net

Interest income was $2.0 million and $3.2 million for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2025, respectively. The increase was due to higher average balances of our cash and cash equivalents and marketable securities.

Provision for Income Taxes

Provision for income taxes of $2.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2024 was primarily related to the collaboration revenue generated under the Lilly Collaboration Agreement. Provision for income taxes as of December 31, 2025 was immaterial.

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Liquidity and Capital Resources

Sources of Liquidity

As of June 30, 2026, we had cash and cash equivalents and marketable securities of $90.9 million. We have incurred net losses and negative cash flows from operations since inception, with the exception of the year ended December 31, 2023, during which we commenced the Lilly Collaboration Agreement, received a one-time upfront payment of $55.0 million from Lilly, and recognized total collaboration revenue of $41.9 million across our collaboration agreements, resulting in net income for the year and positive cash flows from operations. As of June 30, 2026, we had an accumulated deficit of $123.6 million.

We have historically funded our operations primarily through the issuances of redeemable convertible preferred stock. We expect to continue to incur substantial losses for the foreseeable future, and our ability to achieve and sustain profitability will depend on the successful development, approval and commercialization of any product candidates we may develop, and on the achievement of sufficient revenue to support its cost structure. We may never achieve profitability and, unless and until we do, we will need to continue to raise additional capital to fund ongoing research and development activities and maintain future operations. Our management plans to monitor expenses and may raise additional capital through a combination of public and private equity. Our ability to access capital when needed is not assured and, if capital is not available to us when, and in the amounts, needed, on the terms which are favorable, we could be required to delay, scale back, or abandon some or all of our planned development product candidates and other operations, which could materially harm our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Cash Flows

The following table summarizes our cash flows for the periods indicated (in thousands):

 

Six months ended June 30,

 

 

Year ended December 31.

 

 

2025

 

 

2026

 

 

2024

 

 

2025

 

Net cash used in operating activities

 

$

(22,130

)

 

$

(27,023

)

 

$

(25,582

)

 

$

(41,358

)

Net cash used in investing activities

 

 

(33,281

)

 

 

(28,555

)

 

 

(17,304

)

 

 

(32,989

)

Net cash provided by financing activities

 

 

41,899

 

 

 

49,429

 

 

 

41,851

 

 

 

42,070

 

Net decrease in cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash

 

$

(13,512

)

 

$

(6,149

)

 

$

(1,035

)

 

$

(32,277

)

Net Cash Used in Operating Activities

Net cash used in operating activities was $22.1 million and $27.0 million for the six months ended June 30, 2025 and 2026, respectively. The net cash used in operating activities for the six months ended June 30, 2025 was due to our net loss of $17.7 million and $4.7 million of net change in operating assets and liabilities primarily driven by $4.0 million of decrease in accrued liabilities. The net cash used in operating activities for the six months ended June 30, 2026 was due to our net loss of $29.3 million, partially offset by $2.2 million of cash provided by changes in operating assets and liabilities, primarily due to a $1.3 million decrease in prepaid expenses and other current assets and a $1.4 million increase in accrued liabilities.

Net cash used in operating activities was $25.6 million and $41.4 million for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2025, respectively. The net cash used in operating activities for the year ended December 31, 2024 was due to our net loss of $3.1 million, $24.6 million of net change in operating assets and liabilities primarily driven by $24.1 million of decrease to deferred revenue, and $0.6 million of amortization of premiums and discounts on marketable securities, partially offset by $2.7 million of non-cash charges for depreciation, stock-based compensation, and operating lease expense. The net cash used in operating activities for the year ended December 31, 2025 was due to our net loss of $34.8 million, $6.8 million of net change in operating assets and liabilities, and net amortization of premiums and discounts on marketable securities of $1.8 million, partially offset by $2.0 million of charges for depreciation, stock-based compensation, and operating lease expense.

Net Cash Used in Investing Activities

Net cash used in investing activities was $33.3 million and $28.6 million for the six months ended June 30, 2025 and 2026, respectively. The net cash used in investing activities for the six months ended June 30, 2025 was attributable to purchases of marketable securities of $51.3 million, partially offset by the maturity of $18.0 million of marketable securities. The net cash used in investing activities for the six months ended June 30, 2026 was attributable to purchases of marketable securities of $81.5 million, partially offset by the maturity of $53.0 million of marketable securities.

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Net cash used in investing activities was $17.3 million and $33.0 million for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2025, respectively. The net cash used in investing activities for the year ended December 31, 2024 was attributable to purchases of marketable securities of $41.2 million and $0.1 million purchases of property and equipment, partially offset by the maturity of $24.0 million of marketable securities. The net cash used in investing activities for the year ended December 31, 2025 was attributable to purchases of marketable securities of $130.9 million and $0.1 million of property and equipment, partially offset by the maturity of $98.0 million of marketable securities.

Net Cash Provided by Financing Activities

Net cash provided by financing activities was $41.9 million and $49.4 million for the six months ended June 30, 2025 and 2026, respectively. Net cash provided by financing activities for the six months ended June 30, 2025 was attributable to net proceeds from the issuance of redeemable convertible preferred stock of $41.8 million and issuance of common stock of $0.1 million. Net cash provided by financing activities for the six months ended June 30, 2026 was attributable to net proceeds from the issuance of redeemable convertible preferred stock of $49.8 million and issuance of common stock of $0.1 million, partially offset by $0.5 million of payments for costs related to a planned initial public offering.

Net cash provided by financing activities was $41.9 million and $42.1 million for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2025, respectively. Net cash provided by financing activities for the year ended December 31, 2024 was attributable to net proceeds from the issuance of redeemable convertible preferred stock of $41.8 million and issuance of common stock of $0.1 million. Net cash provided by financing activities for the year ended December 31, 2025 was attributable to proceeds from the issuance of redeemable convertible preferred stock of $41.8 million and issuance of common stock of $0.3 million.

Future Funding Requirements

Our primary use of cash is to fund our operations, primarily research and development expenditures. Cash used for operating expenses is impacted by the timing of when we pay these expenses, as reflected in the change in our outstanding accounts payable, accrued expenses and prepaid expenses.

Because of the numerous risks and uncertainties associated with research, development and commercialization of pharmaceutical products, we are unable to estimate the exact amount of our operating capital requirements. Our future funding requirements will depend on many factors, including, but not limited to:

 

•
the scope, timing, progress results and costs of our ongoing TRB-061 and TRB-071 clinical and preclinical studies and other research and development activities associated with the development of our other and future product candidates;
•
the costs, timing and outcome of regulatory review of product candidates;
•
the costs of future activities, including product sales, medical affairs, marketing, manufacturing and distribution, for any product candidates for which we receive marketing approval;
•
the costs of establishing and maintaining arrangements with third party manufacturers for the commercial supply of products that receive marketing approval, if any;
•
the costs and timing of manufacturing for TRB-061, TRB-071, and other product candidates, including commercial manufacturing at sufficient scale, if any product candidate is approved, including as a result of inflation, any supply chain issues or component shortages;
•
the revenue, if any, received from commercial sale of our products, should any product candidates receive marketing approval;
•
the cash requirements of any future acquisitions or discovery of product candidates;
•
the cost and timing of attracting, hiring and retaining skilled personnel to support our operations and continued growth;
•
the cost of being a public company, including implementing operational, financial and management systems to remediate an existing material weakness;
•
the costs of preparing, filing and prosecuting patent applications, maintaining and enforcing our intellectual property rights and defending intellectual property-related claims;
•
our ability to establish and maintain collaborations, strategic partnerships or marketing, distribution, licensing, or other strategic arrangements with third parties on favorable terms, if at all;

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•
our ability to achieve sufficient market acceptance, coverage and adequate reimbursement from third-party payors and adequate market share and revenue for any approved products;
•
the timing, receipt and amount of sales of, or milestone payments related to or royalties on, current or future product candidates, if any; and
•
the costs associated with operating as a public company following the completion of this offering, including legal, accounting, or other expenses in operating our business.

We will need additional funds to meet operational needs and capital requirements for clinical trials, other research and development expenditures, and general corporate activities. Because of the numerous risks and uncertainties associated with the development and commercialization of our product candidates, we are unable to estimate the amounts of increased capital outlays and operating expenditures associated with our current and anticipated clinical studies.

Until such time, if ever, as we can generate substantial product revenue, we expect to finance our operations through a combination of equity offerings, debt financings, collaborations, strategic alliances, distribution or licensing arrangements. To the extent that we raise additional capital through the sale of equity or convertible debt securities, existing stockholders’ ownership interests will be diluted, and the terms of these securities may include liquidation or other preferences that adversely affect existing stockholders’ rights as common stockholders. Debt financing and preferred equity financing, if available, may involve agreements that include covenants limiting or restricting our ability to take specific actions, such as incurring additional debt, making acquisitions or capital expenditures or declaring dividends. If we raise additional funds through collaborations, strategic alliances, distribution or licensing arrangements with third parties, we may have to relinquish valuable rights to our technologies, future revenue streams, research product candidates, or grant licenses on terms that may not be favorable to us. If we are unable to raise additional funds through equity or debt financings or other arrangements when needed, we may be required to delay, limit, reduce or terminate our research, product development or future commercialization efforts, or grant rights to develop and market product candidates that we would otherwise prefer to develop and market ourselves.

We have historically financed our operations primarily through the issuances of redeemable convertible preferred stock. Since our inception, we have devoted substantially all of our resources to raising capital, organizing and staffing our company, business and scientific planning, conducting discovery, research and development activities, establishing, maintaining, and protecting our intellectual property portfolio, developing and progressing our product candidates and preparing for clinical trials, establishing arrangements with third parties for the manufacture of our product candidates and component materials, engaging in collaboration activities, and providing general and administrative support for these operations.

Based on our current operating plan, we believe that our existing cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities will be sufficient to fund our operations and capital expenditure requirements for at least twelve months from the date of this prospectus.

Contractual Obligations and Other Commitments

In April 2026, we entered into a new operating lease agreement with a related party for approximately 33,780 square feet. The new lease has an initial term of 27 months and provides for total fixed lease payments of approximately $3.3 million over the initial lease term. As of June 30, 2026, the new lease had not commenced, and we had not recognized a right-of-use asset or lease liability. The new lease subsequently commenced in August 2026. See “Certain Relationships and Related Person Transactions—Alexandria Real Estate Lease” and Note 10 to our unaudited condensed financial statements for additional information regarding the related-party nature of the lease agreement.

We enter into contracts in the normal course of business for contract research services, contract manufacturing services, professional services and other services and products used in our operations. These contracts generally provide for termination after a notice period, and, therefore, generally do not represent material noncancelable contractual commitments.

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

During the periods presented we did not have, nor do we currently have, any off-balance sheet arrangements as defined under SEC rules and regulations or any holdings in variable interest entities.

Critical Accounting Estimates, Significant Judgments and Use of Estimates

Management’s discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations is based on our financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (U.S. GAAP). The preparation of these financial statements requires us to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, as well as the reported revenue generated and expenses incurred during the reporting periods. Our estimates are based on our historical experience and on various other factors that we believe are reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying value of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. Actual results may differ from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions and any such differences may

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be material. We believe that the accounting policies discussed below are critical to understanding our historical and future performance, as these policies relate to the more significant areas involving management’s judgments and estimates.

Revenue Recognition

We generated revenue for the year ended December 31, 2024 under the Lilly Collaboration Agreement, which relates to research and development activities under the applicable research plan and the transfer of related license rights and know-how. We consider revenue to be earned when all of the following criteria are met: (i) we have a contract with a customer that creates enforceable rights and obligations; (ii) promised products or services are identified; (iii) the transaction price, or the amount we expect to receive, including an estimate of uncertain amounts subject to a constraint in an amount that would result in a significant reversal upon resolution of the uncertainty, is determinable; (iv) and we have transferred control of the promised items to the customer. A performance obligation is a promise in a contract to transfer a distinct good or service to the customer and is the unit of account in the contract. The transaction price for the contract is measured as the amount of consideration we expect to receive in exchange for the goods and services expected to be transferred. When a contract includes variable consideration, we estimate the amount to include in the transaction price and apply a constraint so that variable consideration is included only to the extent that it is probable that a significant reversal of cumulative revenue recognized will not occur when the related uncertainty is resolved. A contract’s transaction price is allocated to each distinct performance obligation on a relative standalone selling price basis and recognized as revenue when, or as, control of the distinct good or service is transferred.

Stock-Based Compensation

Stock-based compensation is measured based on the estimated grant date fair value of the award and is recognized as expense on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period (usually the vesting period). Forfeitures are accounted for in the period in which they occur.

In determining the fair value of the options granted, we use the Black-Scholes option pricing model and assumptions discussed below. Each of these inputs is subjective and generally requires significant judgment to determine.

Fair Value of Common Stock — See the subsection titled “Fair Value of Common Stock” below.

Expected Term — The expected term represents the period that our stock options granted are expected to be outstanding and is determined using the simplified method as we do not have sufficient historical information to develop reasonable expectations about future exercise patterns and post-vesting employment termination behavior. The simplified method calculates the expected term as the average of the time-to-vesting and the contractual life of the options.

Expected Volatility — Since we are not a public company and have no trading history for our common stock, the expected volatility was estimated based on the average volatility for comparable publicly traded biopharmaceutical companies over a period, where available, equal to the expected term of the stock option grants. The comparable companies were chosen based on their similar size, stage of development and financial leverage.

Risk-free Interest Rate — The risk-free interest rate is based on the U.S. Treasury zero coupon issues in effect at the time of grant for periods corresponding with the expected term of the options.

Expected Dividend — We have never paid dividends on our common stock and have no plans to pay dividends on our common stock. Therefore, we used an expected dividend yield of zero.

We recorded stock-based compensation of $0.2 million and $0.5 million for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2025, respectively, and $0.2 million and $0.3 million for the six months ended June 30, 2025 and 2026, respectively.

The intrinsic value of all outstanding incentive awards as of June 30, 2026 was $     million based on the assumed initial public offering price of $    per share (the midpoint of the estimated price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus), of which $     million was related to vested stock options and $     million was related to unvested stock options and restricted stock.

Fair Value of Common Stock

Historically, for all periods prior to this offering, the grant-date fair market value of our common stock underlying stock options have been determined by our board of directors with assistance from unrelated third-party valuation specialists. Because there has been no public market for our common stock, our board of directors has exercised reasonable judgment and considered a number of objective and subjective factors to determine the best estimate of the fair market value, which include important developments in our operations, the prices at which we sold shares of our redeemable convertible preferred stock, the rights, preferences and privileges of our redeemable convertible preferred stock relative to those of common stock, actual operating results, financial performance, external market conditions in the life sciences industry, general U.S. market conditions, equity market conditions of comparable public companies, and the lack of marketability of our common stock. Given the absence of a public trading market for our common stock, our board of directors exercised reasonable judgment and considered a number of objective and subjective factors to determine the best estimate of the fair value of our common stock, including: our stage of development and material risks related to our business; the progress of our research and development product candidates; sales of our preferred stock; the rights, preferences and privileges of our redeemable convertible preferred stock relative to

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those of our common stock; the lack of marketability of our securities; our financial condition and operating results, including our levels of available capital resources; the likelihood of achieving a liquidity event such as an initial public offering in light of prevailing market conditions; equity market conditions affecting comparable public companies; the trends, developments and conditions in the life sciences and biotechnology industry sectors; and general U.S. market and economic conditions. Valuations of our common stock were prepared by an unrelated third-party valuation firm in accordance with the guidance provided by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants 2013 Practice Guide, Valuation of Privately-Held-Company Equity Securities Issued as Compensation, referred to as the “Practice Aid.”

In accordance with the Practice Aid, the fair value of our common stock was determined using the Option Pricing Method (“OPM”) as we determined the OPM was the most appropriate method to utilize based on our stage of development and other relevant factors. The OPM uses the preferred stockholders’ liquidation preferences, participation rights, dividend policy, and conversion rights to determine how proceeds from a liquidity event shall be distributed among the various ownership classes at a future date.

After the equity value was determined and allocated to the various classes of equity securities, a discount for lack of marketability (“DLOM”) was applied to arrive at the fair value of common stock on a non-marketable basis.

A DLOM is applied based on the theory that as an owner of a private company stock, the holder has limited information and opportunities to sell the stock. A market participant that would purchase this stock would recognize this risk and thereby require a higher rate of return, which would reduce the overall fair market value.

The assumptions underlying these valuations represented management’s best estimates, which involved inherent uncertainties and the application of management’s judgment. As a result, if we had used significantly different assumptions or estimates, the fair value of our common stock and our stock-based compensation expense could have been materially different.

Once a public trading market for our common stock has been established in connection with the completion of this offering, it will no longer be necessary for our board of directors to estimate the fair value of our common stock in connection with our accounting for granted stock options and other such awards we may grant, as the fair value of our common stock will be determined based on the quoted market price of our common stock.

Research and Development Costs

Research and development costs are expensed as incurred. Research and development expenses consist primarily of employee-related costs, including salaries, bonuses, benefits, and stock-based compensation for employees engaged in research and development activities, costs related to research activities, preclinical studies, production of preclinical materials, non-human studies, contract manufacturing of clinical materials, clinical trial costs, consulting fees, costs related to laboratory operations, fees paid to other entities that conduct certain research and development activities on our behalf, and allocated overhead costs including facility-related expenses and IT-related costs. Payments made prior to the receipt of goods and services to be used in research and development are deferred and recognized as expense in the period in which the related goods are received or services are rendered.

We have entered into various agreements with outsourced contract manufacturing and development vendors. We estimate accrued research and development expenses as of each balance sheet date based on facts and circumstances known at that time. We periodically confirm the accuracy of our estimates with internal management personnel and external service providers, and we make adjustments, if necessary. Research and development accruals are estimated based on the level of services performed, progress of the studies, including the phase or completion of events, and contracted costs. The estimated costs of research and development services provided, but not yet invoiced, are included in accrued expenses on the balance sheets. If the actual timing of the performance of services or the level of effort varies from the original estimates, we will adjust the accrual accordingly. Payments made under these arrangements in advance of the performance of the related services are recorded as prepaid expenses and other current assets until the services are rendered.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

See Note 2 to our audited financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus for more information.

Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

We have identified a material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting for the year ended December 31, 2025, which material weakness remained unremediated as of June 30, 2026. See “Risk Factors—We have identified a material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting. If we are unable to implement and maintain the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting, our investors may lose confidence in the accuracy and completeness of our financial reports, which could adversely affect our stock price.”

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Emerging Growth Company Status and Smaller Reporting Company Status

We qualify as an “emerging growth company,” as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012. As an emerging growth company, we may take advantage of specified reduced disclosure and other requirements that are otherwise applicable generally to public companies. These provisions include: (i) being permitted to present only two years of audited financial statements, in addition to any required unaudited interim financial statements, with correspondingly reduced “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” disclosure in this prospectus; (ii) reduced disclosure about our executive compensation arrangements; (iii) not being required to hold advisory votes on executive compensation or to obtain stockholder approval of any golden parachute arrangements not previously approved; (iv) an exemption from the auditor attestation requirement in the assessment of our internal control over financial reporting pursuant to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act; and (v) an exemption from compliance with the requirements of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board regarding the communication of critical audit matters in the auditor’s report on the financial statements.

We may take advantage of these exemptions for up to five years or such earlier time that we are no longer an emerging growth company. We would cease to be an emerging growth company on the date that is the earliest of (i) the last day of the fiscal year in which we have total annual gross revenues of $1.235 billion or more; (ii) the last day of our fiscal year following the fifth anniversary of the date of the completion of this offering; (iii) the date on which we have issued more than $1.0 billion in nonconvertible debt during the previous three years; or (iv) the date on which we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer under the rules of the SEC. We may choose to take advantage of some but not all of these exemptions. We have elected to avail ourselves of this exemption and, therefore, while we are an emerging growth company we will not be subject to new or revised accounting standards at the same time that they become applicable to other public companies that are not emerging growth companies. As a result of this election, our financial statements may not be comparable to those of other public companies that comply with new or revised accounting pronouncements as of public company effective dates. We may choose to early adopt any new or revised accounting standards whenever such early adoption is permitted for private companies.

We are also a smaller reporting company as defined in the Exchange Act. We may continue to be a smaller reporting company even after we are no longer an emerging growth company. We may take advantage of certain of the scaled disclosures available to smaller reporting companies and will be able to take advantage of these scaled disclosures for so long as our voting and common stock held by non-affiliates is less than $250.0 million measured on the last business day of our second fiscal quarter, or our annual revenue is less than $100.0 million during the most recently completed fiscal year and our voting and common stock held by non-affiliates is less than $700.0 million measured on the last business day of our second fiscal quarter.

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BUSINESS

Overview

We are a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on tissue Treg biology for the discovery and development of immunoregulatory medicines designed to restore immune balance and promote tissue repair to address unmet needs of patients with autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. TRexBio was built on a pivotal scientific insight: that regulatory T cells (“Tregs”) in human tissue are not merely passive suppressors of inflammation, but active orchestrators of tissue immune homeostasis and repair. Leveraging our Deep Biology drug discovery and design platform, we integrate tissue-level insights into human biology and Treg function to identify and characterize novel targets and approaches for therapeutic intervention. Our tissue-first conviction and unique insights in Treg biology are the foundation of our pipeline of therapeutic candidates aimed at restoring immune balance and promoting tissue repair for more durable disease control.

Our pipeline is focused on augmenting tissue Tregs to address critical treatment gaps in autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. Our most advanced wholly-owned product candidate, TRB-061, is an investigational tumor necrosis factor receptor 2 (“TNFR2”) agonist designed to expand and activate Tregs in inflamed tissues. We believe TRB-061 has broad, multi-indication potential, and are currently conducting a Phase 1a/b clinical trial of TRB-061 in healthy volunteers and patients with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis (“AD”). We expect to announce topline data from the Phase 1b portion of the TRB-061 trial in patients with moderate-to-severe AD in mid-2027. Our second wholly-owned product candidate, TRB-071, is an investigational TNF receptor superfamily member 8, better known as TNFRSF8 (or “CD30”) agonist designed to both augment tissue Tregs and block immune system inflammatory signaling axes. Genetic studies support the involvement of CD30 and its ligand in inflammatory bowel disease (“IBD”). TRB-071 is currently in IND-enabling studies and, subject to regulatory allowance to proceed, is expected to enter a Phase 1 trial in the first half of 2027. We believe TRB-071 has the potential to address the significant unmet need in IBD by directly targeting the immune system dysfunction in the gut barrier that drives disease pathology.

We believe each of our two lead product candidates has the potential to treat a range of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases with high unmet need, including AD, alopecia areata (“AA”) and IBD. Beyond our lead product candidates, we are advancing multiple preclinical-stage programs focused on differentiated aspects of Treg biology with the goal of transforming the lives of patients affected by autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. We believe our Deep Biology platform, built on a proprietary database of healthy and diseased tissue samples, is key to achieving this goal. Our platform is designed to decode Treg functionality in human tissue, mapping key drivers of immune dysregulation and uncovering novel targets and insights that inform our drug discovery and translational efforts.

Our approach is to fundamentally rethink the approaches historically utilized in autoimmune disease drug development. Current therapies in this space rely on broad immunosuppression or focus on inhibiting one or more of the pathways that drive inflammation and often leave patients with chronic residual disease or disease progression. Many patients do not achieve lasting, durable remission, and, given these limitations, a significant number of patients remain untreated or fail to continue treatment with current therapeutic options. By moving away from systemic immunosuppression to immunoregulation, we believe Treg augmentation has the potential to represent a transformative shift in treating and maintaining durable remission of immune-mediated diseases.

Tregs are master regulators of immune tolerance and mediators of tissue regeneration. The quantitative insufficiency, functional impairment, and phenotypic instability of Tregs in inflamed tissues are increasingly recognized as critical contributors to the pathogenesis of autoimmune and chronic inflammatory diseases. By studying Tregs in human tissues at high resolution, we better understand how those regulatory pathways affect other tissue immune and stromal cells, and how the failure of Treg-mediated tissue homeostasis drives chronic, self-perpetuating inflammatory cycles. Our approach is designed to address disease at its source—in the tissue—by developing medicines focused on tissue immune homeostasis that we believe have the potential to provide a durable clinical benefit.

Our most advanced wholly-owned product candidate, TRB-061, is a fragment crystallizable-fusion, or Fc-fusion, protein designed to agonize TNFR2, selectively, without activation of proinflammatory cells. TNFR2 is a member of the TNF receptor superfamily, a family of cytokine receptors that regulate immune responses and inflammation, and is enriched on tissue Tregs, including in the skin and gut. Our platform identified TNFR2 as a key node in tissue Treg regulatory pathways. Evidence from our preclinical and Phase 1a clinical trial in healthy participants has shown activation and expansion of a highly active subpopulation of Tregs in the tissue following administration of TRB-061, which function to promote restoration of immune balance, forkhead box P3 (“FOXP3”) epigenetic stabilization, and a tissue-reparative phenotype that we believe can address barrier dysfunction. TRB-061 is currently in Phase 1b clinical development in patients with moderate-to-severe AD, and we expect to announce topline data in mid-2027. In addition, we are exploring expanding development of TRB-061 into other autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, including AA, based on data from our platform and published evidence supporting TNFR2 agonism or Treg augmentation as a therapeutic strategy in these conditions.

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We are also developing TRB-071, an investigational monoclonal antibody designed to leverage the biology of the CD30 and its associated ligand (“CD30L”) by agonizing CD30 to drive Treg activation, expansion and enhanced immune-regulatory capacity, while modulating the inflammatory pathway of CD30L. CD30 is a member of the TNF superfamily highly expressed on tissue Tregs. Human genetic studies have associated variants in both CD30 and CD30L with IBD susceptibility. In in vivo colitis models we saw reduced inflammation following treatment with TRB-071, and in our preclinical non-human primate studies, following administration of TRB-071 we observed Treg activation and expansion. We believe this dual mechanism, activating Tregs to restore immune balance while simultaneously modulating inflammatory signaling, has the potential to address underlying immune dysregulation in immune-mediated diseases such as IBD. We are currently conducting a three-month Good Laboratory Practice (“GLP”) toxicology study of TRB-071 in cynomolgus monkeys and, subject to regulatory allowance to proceed, expect to initiate a Phase 1 clinical trial in the first half of 2027.

A central principle of our approach is the ability to connect human disease biology to Treg mechanism of action. Leveraging our proprietary Deep Biology platform, we analyze gene expression, pathway activity and cellular states in disease-relevant human tissues to identify where Treg function is disrupted, whether through impaired activation, instability, altered trafficking, or loss of tissue-reparative programs. These insights inform our target selection process and our design of translational strategies to align with the underlying disease biology. By linking target biology, Treg functional programs, and disease-specific immune dysregulation, we aim to establish a coherent framework that enables rational clinical development and early demonstration of biological activity in patients. Our platform is built on three integrated pillars: (1) Deep tissue biology and computational mapping to pinpoint disease-relevant biology with speed and precision; (2) our Treg Atlas, which recreates human tissue-specific Treg states in vitro; and (3) our Functional Assay Cascade, that interrogates multiple dimensions of Treg biology. Together, we believe these capabilities give us unique access to immune-mediated disease pathology, targets, and insights into how to approach the validation and development of therapeutic candidates in relevant target indications.

In addition to our own pipeline of product candidates, we believe the translational power and proprietary ability to discover novel ways to augment Treg biology through our Deep Biology platform have been validated through strategic target-discovery collaborations with global pharmaceutical leaders. We have an ongoing collaboration with Eli Lilly and Company (“Lilly”), which is advancing a clinical product candidate first identified and developed utilizing our platform.

We have assembled an experienced management team and board of directors with decades of experience in the foundational areas of immunology, Treg biology, and drug development. M. Johnston Erwin, Jr., our Chief Executive Officer, spent over 35 years at Lilly in leadership roles across regulatory, clinical, and corporate development. We are also guided by our board of directors, and scientific advisors who are key opinion leaders in Treg biology, dermatology, and gastroenterology.

We believe our deep understanding of Treg function and dysfunction, coupled with our experienced leadership team, uniquely positions us to harness the biology of these cells for a potential paradigm shift in the treatment of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.

Our Pipeline

We are leveraging our Deep Biology platform to discover and develop product candidates for the treatment of a wide range of immune-mediated diseases. Our therapeutic product candidates are summarized in the table below:

 

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We have an ongoing collaboration with Lilly for TRB-051, a modulator of immune effector cells, first identified and advanced under a multi-year discovery collaboration leveraging our platform. In June 2024, we announced that Lilly had initiated a Phase 1 first-in-human study for TRB-051. In June 2026, we announced that Lilly intends to move TRB-051 into a Phase 2a clinical trial in lupus with cutaneous involvement in the second half of 2026.

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TRB-061: A TNFR2 agonist

Our most advanced wholly-owned clinical-stage product candidate, TRB-061, is a novel, selective TNFR2 agonist Fc-fusion protein designed to activate and expand Tregs in inflamed tissues and restore immune balance without stimulating unwanted immune cells. We are developing TRB-061 for a variety of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, with an initial focus on patients with AD. We initiated a Phase 1a clinical trial in healthy volunteers in June 2025. Based on the safety and biomarker data supporting proof-of-mechanism from the Phase 1a portion of this trial, the Phase 1b portion of this clinical trial in patients with moderate-to-severe AD began in April 2026, and we expect to announce topline data in mid-2027. In addition to evaluating safety and pharmacokinetics (“PK”), the Phase 1b part of this study includes pharmacodynamic (“PD”) biomarkers from skin and includes exploratory clinical efficacy endpoints.

AD is a chronic, relapsing, intensely itchy inflammatory skin disease that can cause severe disruption to daily life and affects approximately 16 million American adults and an estimated 225 million individuals globally. Available treatments for AD are often limited by contraindications, side effects, and lack of efficacy, and are commonly associated with disease rebound when patients stop treatment. No approved therapies have been shown to induce durable remission independent of ongoing treatment, highlighting an unmet medical need for safer, more effective treatment options that address the underlying pathophysiology of AD.

TRB-071: A CD30 agonist

TRB-071 is an investigational agonist monoclonal antibody targeting CD30, a TNF receptor superfamily selectively enriched on a subset of tissue Tregs. TRB-071 is designed to induce expansion and increase immune-regulatory activity in Tregs and additionally block the inflammatory action of CD30L. Blocking CD30L has been shown to inhibit disease in third-party colitis models. Human genetic studies have associated variants in both CD30 and CD30L with IBD susceptibility. Together with our findings on tissue Treg biology, these data suggest that the CD30/CD30L axes contribute to both immune regulation and inflammatory responses. In our preclinical studies in non-human primates, we observed Treg activation and expansion following administration of TRB-071, and in in vivo colitis models we observed reduced inflammation after administration of TRB-071. We believe this dual mechanism of activating Tregs to restore immune balance while simultaneously modulating inflammatory signaling, has the potential to address underlying immune dysregulation in immune-mediated diseases such as IBD. IND-enabling activities for TRB-071 are ongoing, and, subject to regulatory allowance to proceed, we expect to initiate a Phase 1 clinical trial in the first half of 2027.

IBD, including Crohn’s disease (“CD”) and ulcerative colitis (“UC”), currently affects approximately 3 million Americans and is expected to affect more than 10 million patients worldwide by 2032, with its highest prevalence found in North America and Europe. Approved systemic treatments for IBD often carry safety concerns, including infections, cardiovascular events, malignancies, gastrointestinal perforations, and progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, among others, suggesting a meaningful gap in adequate patient care and therapeutic benefit. Development of additional therapies with novel mechanisms of action is imperative as patients often progress through existing advanced therapies. Considering the significant unmet medical need and treatment burden, we have identified IBD as an initial priority disease area for exploration.

Collaboration and Early Research and Discovery Pipeline

We are also advancing multiple preclinical-stage programs addressing differentiated aspects of tissue Treg biology informed by our proprietary Deep Biology platform. We believe the scientific depth and translational value of our platform have been independently validated by multi-year, de novo target-discovery and selection collaborations with global pharmaceutical companies. We have an ongoing collaboration with Lilly for a therapeutic candidate that we call TRB-051. TRB-051 is a modulator of immune effector cells, first identified and advanced under a multi-year discovery collaboration leveraging our platform. In June 2024, we announced that Lilly had initiated a Phase 1 first-in-human study for TRB-051. In June 2026, we announced that Lilly intends to move TRB-051 into a Phase 2a clinical trial in lupus with cutaneous involvement in the second half of 2026.

Our Team

Our Founding Story

TRexBio was founded in 2018, based on (i) foundational work establishing that Tregs acquire tissue-adapted programs and play specialized roles in different organ functions and integrity and (ii) pioneering research demonstrating that human Tregs localized to hair follicles in skin directly regulated follicular stem cell biology and communicated not only with immune cells, but also with tissue stromal cells to control both inflammation and tissue repair. These observations crystallized the founding thesis of TRexBio: Treg deficiency and dysfunction are not merely a downstream consequence of autoimmune and inflammatory disease, but fundamental drivers of it. To meaningfully address autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, we believe therapeutics must be built from a deep understanding of how Tregs function in inflamed human tissues, not only in peripheral blood or based on animal models. We have been decoding this biology ever since.

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The scientific foundation underlying our approach has received what we believe is the highest possible external validation: the 2025 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to Shimon Sakaguchi, Mary E. Brunkow, and Fred Ramsdell “for their discoveries concerning peripheral immune tolerance”—specifically for discovering Tregs and establishing FOXP3 as their master transcription factor. The Nobel Committee noted that these discoveries “launched the field of peripheral tolerance, spurring the development of medical treatments for cancer and autoimmune diseases.” As a company founded precisely to translate this Nobel Prize-winning biology into medicines that address autoimmune disease, we believe this recognition represents an extraordinary moment for the field and for our strategy at TRexBio.

Our Leadership Team

Our leadership team has significant experience discovering, developing and commercializing therapies. Our leadership team consists of:

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M. Johnston Erwin, Jr., our Chief Executive Officer, has over 40 years of experience in leadership roles across regulatory, clinical, and corporate development. Prior to TRexBio, he led Lilly New Ventures, Lilly’s internal venture capital team, growing invested capital more than five times with seven consecutive cash-on-cash positive years. Before this, Mr. Erwin led the Lilly clinical team responsible for global regulatory submissions for blockbuster products Evista® and Forteo®, which gained approval in more than 80 countries.
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Laura Berner, JD, MBA, our Chief Operating Officer, has 25 years of experience across business strategy, corporate development, and legal affairs in public and private biopharmaceutical companies. Prior to TRexBio, she most recently served as Head of Business Development & Investor Relations at Myovant Sciences, which was acquired by Sumitovant Biopharma. Earlier in her career, Ms. Berner led significant partnering and merger and acquisitions transactions for the pharmaceutical divisions at Roche and Genentech and was a corporate and life sciences transactions attorney in private practice.
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Brandon Hants, MBA, our Chief Financial Officer, has over 25 years of experience working in finance, accounting, and other corporate functions within the biotech industry. Prior to TRexBio, Mr. Hants served as Chief Financial Officer at Applied Molecular Transport, held Chief Financial Officer and Vice President of Finance & Operations roles at Singulex, Inc., and held roles of increasing responsibility at Novartis Vaccines & Diagnostics and Genentech.
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Ariella Kelman, MD, our Chief Medical Officer, has more than 20 years of experience in immunology clinical development, most recently serving as Chief Medical Officer at Biora Therapeutics, and before that, leading clinical development at Human Immunology Biosciences. Prior to TRexBio, Dr. Kelman spent 15 years at Genentech and Roche, and ten years as an attending physician and clinical faculty at Stanford University School of Medicine.
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Ali Zarrin, PhD, our Chief Scientific Officer, is an accomplished immunologist with more than 25 years of experience across drug discovery and translational immunology. Dr. Zarrin has led the development of our proprietary Deep Biology platform. Prior to TRexBio, he held leadership roles in Early Research and Development at Genentech with a focus on autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. He is an inventor on numerous patents and has authored close to 50 scientific publications in leading journals.

Our Investors

TRexBio has been built with the support of a syndicate of leading healthcare investors who share our conviction in the transformative potential of tissue Treg focused immunology. We have raised approximately $220 million in aggregate equity financing to date. Our investor syndicate includes SV Health, Pfizer Ventures, Janus Henderson, Alexandria Ventures, Delos Capital, and Polaris Partners. Notably, we established pharmaceutical collaborations with each of Lilly and Janssen Pharmaceutica NV (“Janssen”), an affiliate of Johnson & Johnson Innovation—JJDC, Inc (“JJDC”). Lilly and JJDC are also each equity holders in TRexBio, reflecting their belief in both the scientific productivity of our Deep Biology platform and the long-term strategic value of our approach to Treg-biology-informed drug discovery. Notwithstanding the foregoing, these collaborations and equity investments should not be viewed as guarantees of future success, continued investment, or the achievement of any particular milestones or commercial outcomes. Prospective investors should not rely on the investment decisions of our existing investors, as these investors may have different risk tolerances and have received their shares in prior offerings at prices lower than the price offered to the public in this offering. See “Certain Relationships and Related Person Transactions” for more information.

 

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Our Strategy

Our goal is to become the leading company in Treg biology for restoration of immune balance and tissue repair by developing medicines that achieve durable, disease-modifying benefit by addressing autoimmune and inflammatory disease where they occur. Our deep understanding of human tissue immune biology and our expertise in how Tregs function in health and disease in specific tissue compartments are both our scientific foundation and our competitive advantage. The key tenets of our business strategy to achieve our goal of becoming the preeminent leader in Treg biology and drug development are as follows:

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Establish clinical proof-of-concept that targeting Treg-mediated immunoregulation in the tissue can improve disease outcomes. TRB-061, our TNFR2 agonist product candidate, is being investigated initially for the treatment of AD. Our ongoing Phase 1b study is designed to evaluate early efficacy signals supporting TNFR2 agonism’s augmentation of immunoregulatory pathways to potentially restore tissue immune homeostasis and promote barrier repair. PD endpoints that include Treg quantification, and immunoregulatory and barrier biomarker assessments in blood and skin are designed to evaluate whether our tissue-targeted approach can produce durable immune rebalancing. Our Phase 1b program also incorporates an extended treatment-free follow-up to directly test how the intended clinical benefit of TRB-061 is maintained after treatment.
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Maximize the potential of TRB-061 in a broad range of chronic autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. While we are initially developing TRB-061 in AD, we have mapped TNFR2 pathway-mediated Treg dysfunction across a range of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases and have identified potential future expansion indications for TRB-061, including AA. We plan to advance further clinical development of TRB-061 across additional indications on a capital-efficient timeline, creating multiple independent value inflection points for the company.
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Advance our preclinical pipeline of product candidates, including TRB-071, for additional autoimmune and inflammatory diseases into clinical trials. In addition to TRB-061, we are advancing TRB-071, a wholly-owned product candidate, which targets CD30, a member of the TNF superfamily, whose expression is limited to immune cells. TRB-071 is designed to activate and expand immunoregulatory Tregs, while modulating associated inflammatory pathways. Genetic studies support the involvement of CD30/CD30L signaling axes in IBD. TRB-071 is currently in IND-enabling studies and, subject to regulatory allowance to proceed, is on track to enter Phase 1 in the first half of 2027. We believe TRB-071 has the potential to address the significant unmet need in IBD.
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Grow and sustain the world’s leading tissue Treg biology organization, built on the foundation of our Deep Biology platform. Our Deep Biology platform is our proprietary discovery engine that continues to grow in scale and productivity. We believe our platform has the potential to generate additional novel product candidates with higher intrinsic translational probability through our tissue-first discovery philosophy built on human biology. In addition, we hope to continue to attract and retain exceptional scientists and drug developers with multidisciplinary expertise spanning human tissue immunology, functional genomics, computational biology, protein engineering, and multi-indication clinical development to enhance these efforts.
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Selectively evaluate strategic collaborations to maximize the reach and value of our technology platform in a capital efficient manner. Treg biology and dysfunction are implicated in a wide variety of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, many with significant unmet medical need. We may opportunistically enter into strategic collaborations around certain diseases or product candidates, leveraging the capital, development and therapeutic expertise and commercial scale of our collaborators to maximize the value of our platform and capabilities for shareholders. Strategic collaborations may also enhance our understanding of disease pathology and accelerate our ability to discover and develop new, wholly-owned product candidates while bolstering the commercial potential of our current programs. We have previously entered into a strategic collaboration with Janssen and are currently collaborating with Lilly to discover and develop novel targets for undisclosed autoimmune disorders.

Our Approach

The Case for Tregs: Immune Balance

The past two decades of immunology drug development have yielded important advances, including TNF inhibitors, IL-4/IL-13 antagonists, IL-23 pathway blockers, and Janus kinase (“JAK”) inhibitors, have meaningfully improved outcomes across autoimmune and inflammatory diseases such as psoriasis, IBD, and AD. Yet, almost every approved treatment for these conditions requires chronic treatment to maintain disease control—when the drug is discontinued, the disease returns. The reason is mechanistic: existing therapies suppress individual downstream effectors rather than restoring the upstream regulatory architecture that prevents uncontrolled immune activation in the first place.

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We believe the most promising path forward lies in re-engaging the immune system’s own homeostatic control mechanism: the tissue Treg compartment. Tregs are a subset of T cells that exert immunoregulatory activity through multiple mechanisms. In addition to having anti-inflammatory effects, a subpopulation of Tregs found in tissues has been shown to induce regenerative responses in non-lymphoid cells, leading to repair of tissues and damaged organs. Tregs have been shown to be important, master regulators of inflammation and pathophysiology in a broad variety of diseases affecting barrier surfaces, such as AD and IBD, as well as other indications such as rheumatoid arthritis (“RA”) and systemic lupus erythematosus (“SLE”), among others. This suggests that restoration of Treg function and immune balance, the proposed mechanism of our lead product candidates TRB-061 and TRB-071, has the potential to address a broad variety of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.

Aberrant Treg function, characterized by reduced number and impaired activity of Tregs, is implicated in the pathophysiology of various autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, including those of the skin and gut. The strongest genetic evidence identifying the role of Tregs in the control of inflammation in skin and gut was established through investigations into the etiology of Immune dysregulation, Polyendocrinopathy, Enteropathy, and X‑linked (“IPEX”) syndrome. IPEX is a rare genetic condition in which mutations in FOXP3 lead to Treg dysfunction. IPEX is associated with systemic autoimmunity, most frequently affecting the skin, intestine, and pancreas. Clinical manifestations of IPEX syndrome are dominated by significant bowel inflammation and colitis. The most common skin manifestation in patients with IPEX syndrome is severe AD.

Tregs have a variety of surface receptors that govern their proliferation, function, and quality. Cell surface receptors can be targeted with therapeutics to expand Tregs, augment Treg function, and serve as biomarkers to assess changes in immunoregulatory function. Treg modulating therapies have shown promise for treating multiple autoimmune and inflammatory diseases and represent an immune tolerance paradigm that the field is now actively advancing. By restoring the Treg compartment—expanding Tregs, stabilizing their FOXP3 lineage commitment through epigenetic mechanisms, enhancing their functional regulatory repertoire and re-activating their tissue-reparative capacity—we believe it is possible to achieve genuine immune regulation, with the potential for durable benefit that outlasts active treatments directed at inhibiting specific pro-inflammatory pathways systemically.

The Case for Treg: Tissue-Reparative Dimension

A dimension of Treg biology with particular relevance to our target indications is the tissue-reparative function of tissue Tregs. Beyond their immunoregulatory function, Tregs in tissues express a suite of effector molecules that actively promote epithelial integrity, wound healing, and barrier restoration.

In AD, the epidermal barrier defect is not merely a consequence of immune activation but an active perpetuator of the inflammatory cycle. Mechanical injury from scratching and environmental insults further amplify this loop by releasing damage-associated signals such as extracellular adenosine triphosphate (“ATP”) which fuels inflammation and itch.

Direct tissue damage and impaired epithelial restitution are core pathological manifestations of IBD and are part of a self-perpetuating loop with chronic immune overreaction leading to impaired gut barrier function, resulting in dysregulated healing that further amplifies the inflammatory response. Prolonged repetition of this cycle can cause irreversible tissue damage.

Tissue Tregs are naturally positioned to counteract these common pathogenic processes. Through pathways such as CD39-mediated ATP hydrolysis, Treg augmentation can dampen the inflammation triggering signal while simultaneously promoting tissue repair and restoration of barrier integrity. We believe therapies that reduce inflammation without directly restoring barrier function leave these pathogenic cycles fundamentally unresolved. By activating tissue Tregs, our approach is designed to both resolve inflammation and re-engage the body’s own tissue repair programs.

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Harnessing the Power of Tregs for the Treatment of Autoimmune and Inflammatory Diseases

 

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Figure 1.

Beyond shared repair programs, tissue Tregs adopt niche-specific functions that support local homeostasis and regeneration. In multiple organs, including the central nervous system and skin, Tregs engage in direct crosstalk with parenchymal and stromal cells to promote repair and restore tissue integrity. These findings highlight that Treg biology is locally adapted to the tissue microenvironment, reinforcing the importance of targeting tissue-specific Treg programs in disease.

Connecting Treg Mechanism of Action to Human Disease Biology: The TRexBio Deep Biology Platform

Our Deep Biology drug discovery and design platform is designed to decode Treg functionality in human tissue, mapping the key drivers of immune dysregulation to uncover novel targets and insights that inform our drug discovery and translational efforts. The platform combines multidisciplinary expertise across immunobiology, functional genomics, and computational and translational biology to uncover the ‘deep biology’ in human tissues and translate those insights directly into novel therapeutic candidates.

Our platform is built on the conviction that correcting disease processes at the tissue level leads to better clinical outcomes—and that achieving this requires starting with an understanding of human tissue in health and disease. Historically, drug discovery efforts in immunology have largely relied on peripheral blood and mouse models, which can offer only limited translatable insights into the disease processes occurring in human tissue. At TRexBio, high-quality, fresh, human tissue from healthy and diseased donors is the starting point for our discovery work. We focus on skin, gut, and lung barrier tissues, where many Tregs reside, maintaining homeostasis in response to environmental challenges.

 

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Figure 2.

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The platform is organized around three integrated pillars:

Pillar 1: Deep Tissue Biology and Computational Mapping

We use advanced in silico tools to identify key genes and pathways in tissue immune regulation, leveraging our proprietary human tissue bank and a growing atlas of human Treg gene expression to pinpoint disease-relevant biology with speed and precision. We conduct bulk and single-cell ribonucleic acid sequencing (“RNAseq”) across healthy and diseased tissue states to establish both the depth and breadth of the tissue Treg transcriptome to generate a high-resolution map of tissue regulatory pathways in health and disease. We have also incorporated additional technologies such as immunofluorescence, immunohistochemistry, imaging mass cytometry multiplex imaging, assays for transposase-accessible chromatin using sequencing, and cellular indexing of transcriptomes and epitopes by sequencing to complement our existing dataset. Modern computational tools are applied to evaluate the full catalog of gene expression and identify key tissue regulation pathways, allowing us to generate strong translational hypotheses with precision and to uncover targets in human tissues that were challenging to reach by traditional discovery methods.

Pillar 2: Treg Atlas

Our proprietary Treg Atlas captures approximately 1,000 genes enriched in tissue Tregs and recreates human tissue-specific Treg states in vitro. The Treg Atlas was built using rationally designed stimulations selected based on our internally generated data on genes and pathways present in tissue Tregs. Through this approach, we can reprogram blood-derived Tregs to be what we call “tissue-like Tregs” to capture approximately 70% of tissue Treg-enriched genes, providing a reliable and scalable in vitro model for downstream target validation anchored in human tissue biology rather than peripheral blood biology. The Treg Atlas is the critical bridge between our deep tissue biology and computational mapping outputs and functional validation, enabling us to recreate human tissue-specific regulatory pathways at scale without requiring fresh patient tissue for every experiment.

Pillar 3: Functional Assay Cascade

Our Functional Assay Cascade is a suite of high-throughput assays optimized for human primary Tregs and designed to interrogate multiple dimensions of Treg biology rapidly and in parallel across donors and inflammatory contexts. By testing targets across multiple donors and disease-relevant conditions, we generate translational data that inform target selection and validation, candidate selection, and clinical positioning. Key dimensions of the Functional Assay Cascade include interrogating Treg expansion and selectivity, suppressive function, FOXP3 epigenetic stability, tissue-repair phenotype induction, and inflammatory environment resistance—each directly linked to biological pathways identified through our deep tissue biology and computational mapping and validated through the Treg Atlas.

Together, the three pillars of our platform are designed to produce translatable insights for the initiation, validation, design, and advancement of novel drug discovery product candidates which we believe gives us the ability to identify and understand targets in ways unreachable by traditional methods, enabling rapid functional validation of therapeutic hypotheses, and generating a growing pipeline of investigational, selective, tissue-targeted Treg modulators built on a deep human tissue biology foundation.

Importantly, our Deep Biology platform extends beyond target discovery and continues to inform multiple aspects of drug development, including therapeutic candidate design, target indication selection, biomarker identification and optimization, translational PD strategies, patient stratification, and clinical study design. By linking target biology to disease-relevant immune pathways and functional Treg programs, we believe the platform enables a more integrated and data-driven approach to advancing therapeutics from discovery through clinical development. Our platform has informed the discovery design and translational strategy for all of our product candidates.

Translating Treg Augmentation to Patient Benefit: Clinical Evidence and the Limitations of Current Approaches

Several therapeutic strategies are being developed to utilize Tregs in the treatment of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. The field has historically been organized around two principal approaches: interleukin-2 (“IL-2”) pathway therapies and Treg cell therapies.

IL-2 Pathway Therapies: Proof of Concept, but with Limitations

IL-2 is a signaling cytokine protein that helps regulate the immune system. In low-doses, IL-2 has been used to stimulate Tregs selectively, establishing the foundational rationale for Treg expansion as a therapeutic strategy. By engaging the high-affinity IL-2 receptor complex located on Tregs, these agents expand Tregs preferentially and have generated early proof-of-mechanism signals across a range of autoimmune conditions. However, controlled clinical trials have consistently revealed a narrow therapeutic window, as higher doses can stimulate systemic inflammation and on-target activation of unintended cell populations, including natural killer (“NK”) cells, effector T cells, and eosinophils. IL-2’s short half-life and comparable potency at Treg and non-Treg receptors have compounded these challenges. Critically, an emerging scientific view is that Treg biology in diseased tissues differs fundamentally from circulating or lymphoid Tregs. Tissue Tregs operate through distinct transcriptional programs and serve non-immunological functions that IL-2-driven expansion alone cannot engage.

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Next-generation engineered IL-2 receptor-targeted agents have attempted to address these limitations. The most notable recent example is Nektar Therapeutics’ rezpegaldesleukin, a pegylated IL-2 that met its primary endpoint in a Phase 2b AD study and also showed clinical improvement in a Phase 2b AA study. We believe these results provide meaningful external validation that pharmacological Treg restoration can drive clinical benefit in immune-mediated disease and establish a strong foundation for advancing next-generation therapies with opportunities for improved safety, efficacy, and convenience.

Treg Cell Therapies: Scientific Promise, Practical Constraints

Autologous and allogenic cell-based Treg therapies are under active development as an important modality for treating autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. Small cohort studies have demonstrated that ex vivo-expanded Tregs exhibit superior functional activity and stability relative to freshly isolated cells, particularly in patients with established autoimmunity. This body of evidence adds to the mechanistic case for Treg modulation as a treatment strategy.

However, cell therapy carries inherent limitations that are likely to constrain its applicability in large autoimmune patient populations. Manufacturing has been complex, costly, and time-consuming, with a critical time lag between treatment decision and administration. Patients have required immune ablation prior to infusion, along with hospitalization or specialized outpatient monitoring. Treatment costs can be prohibitive, effectively limiting access to those with the most severe disease. Perhaps the most detrimental limitations for chronic conditions, the durability of response and the feasibility of re-treatment, remain poorly characterized, both of which are central to the benefit-risk calculus in diseases requiring long-term management. For these reasons, while cell therapy contributes to the growing scientific support for Treg-based medicine, we believe its feasibility profile is poorly suited to the broad immunology patient populations.

The Unmet Need in Autoimmune and Inflammatory Diseases

Autoimmune and inflammatory diseases affect an estimated 4.5% of the worldwide population across 80 distinct conditions, with prevalence rising. Despite advances in anti-inflammatory therapies, many patients fail to achieve durable disease control or restoration of tissue health. Treg dysfunction or numerical insufficiency is a shared pathological feature across this spectrum and, in addition to AD and AA, has been shown in immune-mediated diseases as varied as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (“COPD”), vitiligo, hidradenitis suppurativa, IBD, multiple sclerosis (“MS”), RA, SLE, type 1 diabetes (“T1D”), among others.

Multi-Indication Expansion Potential

 

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Figure 3.

By addressing a root cause of immune dysregulation rather than its consequences, we believe Treg augmentation has the potential to redefine what therapeutic success looks like in the treatment of multiple immune-mediated diseases.

Atopic Dermatitis

Disease Background, Burden and Unmet Need

AD is a chronic, relapsing, intensely itchy inflammatory skin disease that can cause severe disruption to daily life. Often referred to as eczema, this pervasive, chronic condition represents one of the most prevalent dermatological pathologies, affecting approximately 16 million American adults and an estimated 225 million individuals globally. Approximately 40% to 50% of affected individuals have moderate-to-severe disease, characterized by widespread skin involvement, severe itch, sleep disruption, and significant impairment of quality of life.

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The burden of moderate-to-severe AD is profound, as its impact is associated with disruptions in work and sleep, and an increase in psychiatric comorbidities, including depression and anxiety. AD is the leading non-fatal health burden attributable to skin diseases and inflicts a substantial psychosocial burden on patients and their relatives. It is associated with a lower quality of life (“QOL”) than many other common chronic illnesses, such as heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure. Moderate and severe AD patients were specifically associated with dramatically lower QOL than all other chronic disorders examined in a 2018 study, suggesting that AD is as burdensome as or even more burdensome than many other medical disorders. In a 2023 review of comorbidities of AD, multiple studies indicated that depressive symptoms may be directly related to AD severity and, therefore, potentially modifiable with AD treatment. In addition, the inflammatory state of severe AD is associated with increased cardiovascular risk and an atopic march to asthma and allergic rhinitis, underscoring AD as a chronic, systemic immune-mediated disease rather than just a skin condition.

Limitations of Current Treatment Landscape

Available treatments for AD are often limited by contraindications, side effects, and lack of efficacy, and are commonly associated with disease rebound when patients stop treatment. Current therapies for moderate-to-severe AD include traditional immunosuppressant drugs, such as methotrexate and cyclosporine, JAK inhibitors, such as upadacitinib (Rinvoq®), and biologic drugs that target the immune system, like dupilumab (Dupixent®). Traditional systemic immunosuppressant drugs carry risk of serious infections, organ toxicity, and other potential long‑term side effects. JAK inhibitors carry boxed warnings for serious infections, mortality, malignancy, major adverse cardiovascular events, and thrombosis. Biologic drugs like dupilumab may cause adverse effects, including joint aches, allergic reactions, and ocular complications in up to 50% of patients. Real-world studies have demonstrated that close to 50% of AD patients who initiated dupilumab had discontinued treatment within two years.

AD pathophysiology is driven by three interacting elements that form a self-reinforcing cycle: epidermal barrier dysfunction (genetic predisposition including filaggrin mutations), immune dysregulation (Type Helper 2 (“Th2”) skewing with IL-4, IL-13, IL-31, and thymic stromal lymphopoietin), and microbial dysbiosis (S. aureus colonization and superantigen production that directly impairs Treg function). Current approved therapies interrupt specific downstream nodes of this cycle but do not address the foundational Treg regulatory defect that permits the cycle to initiate and perpetuate—nor do they contribute to barrier restoration through the tissue-reparative program of activated Tregs. No currently approved therapies induce remission, highlighting an unmet medical need for safer, more effective treatment options that address the underlying pathophysiology of AD.

Other Diseases with Potential for Treg Modulation

Alopecia Areata

AA is an autoimmune hair loss condition that approximately 7 million Americans and 160 million patients globally have, have had, or will have, characterized by immune-mediated collapse of hair follicle immune privilege and cytotoxic CD8+ T cell attack on hair follicles during their active growth, resulting in sudden, patchy hair loss. Currently, there are approximately 700,000 Americans living with some form of AA, and 80% of these patients show signs of AA before turning 40. We have identified AA as a priority indication based on evidence of Treg depletion in AA lesional skin. In addition, published studies support that Tregs mediate hair follicle cycle and hair regrowth by activating hair follicle stem cells. Clinical studies with an IL-2 agonist have shown meaningful clinical activity in patients with AA, providing clinical proof of concept that AA is amenable to Treg based restoration of tolerance. By restoring both the immunoregulatory and tissue-reparative functions of follicular Tregs, we believe Treg augmentation has the potential to address the dual pathological drivers of follicular damage—immune privilege collapse and the tropic deficit that underlies structural deterioration.

Limitations of Current Treatment Landscape

Currently the only FDA-approved systemic medications for severe AA are JAK inhibitors. These treatments are limited by their efficacy and side effect profile. Patients treated with JAK inhibitors require strict monitoring given their risk of serious infections and laboratory abnormalities. Furthermore, these medicines carry boxed warnings for major cardiovascular events, blood clots and malignancies.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease

IBD, comprising CD and UC, affects approximately 3 million Americans and is expected to affect more than 10 million patients globally by 2032, with its highest prevalence found in North America and Europe. Despite multiple approved therapies, placebo-adjusted remission rates across all agents have not exceeded approximately 20% to 30%, a persistent therapeutic ceiling reflecting cytokine redundancy and upstream immune dysregulation. We have identified IBD as a priority indication based on evidence that Tregs have been shown to be important regulators of inflammation and pathophysiology in IBD. For example, children with rare, genetic disorders caused by IPEX syndrome, which disrupts Treg development and function, also suffer from IBD.

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Limitations of Current Treatment Landscape

Currently approved biologics for IBD include anti-TNFs, anti-integrins and anti-IL12/23s. These therapies have limited efficacy, with less than half of patients achieving clinical remission with induction, and many experiencing secondary loss of response or only partial systemic improvement. They also carry safety risks including the risks of serious infections and gastrointestinal perforation. Small molecule oral agents approved for IBD, including JAK inhibitors and sphingosine-1-phosphate (“S1P”) receptor modulators, show a similar efficacy ceiling. JAK inhibitors are associated with dose-limiting toxicities including serious infections, laboratory abnormalities, and carry boxed warnings for major cardiovascular events, blood clots, and malignancies. S1P receptor modulators carry cardiovascular and infection risk.

Our Solution: TNFR2 Agonism with TRB-061

TRB-061 is an investigational novel Fc-fusion protein designed to agonize TNFR2, a surface receptor highly expressed and enriched on tissue Tregs, with relatively lower expression on other cells. Published studies support that TNFR2 signaling plays a central role in immune regulation, tissue homeostasis and repair. TNFR2 functions as a trimer, and effective signaling requires clustering of these receptor trimers. TRB-061 is designed to mimic the natural ligand, thereby enabling TNFR2 clustering that results in potent activation, and to have pharmacologic properties that support convenient subcutaneous administration.

TRB-061 Molecular Architecture

 

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Figure 4. TRB-061 is a Fc-fusion protein containing proprietary trimeric TNFR2 agonist domains designed to mimic the natural ligand and promote efficient TNFR2 activation.

In clinical and preclinical studies, following administration of TRB-061 we observed selective expansion of a highly regulatory and tissue-licensed subset of Tregs. In the Phase 1a clinical trial biomarker program, data in participants treated with TRB-061 showed expanded expression markers indicating enhanced Treg lineage stability, persistence, and tissue homing, and we also saw downstream immunoregulatory effects including increased production of the regulatory cytokine IL-10.

Tissue licensed Treg agonism via TNFR2 may promote tissue repair, particularly relevant in barrier diseases such as AD, where tissue injury and the associated immune response can perpetuate inflammation and itch. We believe TRB-061 has the potential to help resolve this pathogenic cycle while restoring immune homeostasis through induction of Treg and related regulatory programs. Tregs are believed to be the primary mediators of this biology, and TNFR2 signaling has also been shown to promote immunoregulatory and tissue-reparative functions in additional immune, epithelial, and neuronal cell populations. Because it is designed to modulate tissue-licensed Tregs, we believe TRB-061 could have broad applicability in the treatment of multiple autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. In AD and other inflammatory diseases, the orthogonal, immunoregulatory mechanism of action of TRB-061 may enable flexible positioning in the treatment landscape: we believe there is an opportunity for TRB-061 to be a first line treatment. We also believe TRB-061 has the potential to be used as a second line treatment, and we believe it may also be used in combination or sequentially with other therapeutics that operate via an independent pathway.

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TRB-061 Mechanistic Biomarkers

 

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Figure 5. TRB-061-mediated TNFR2 agonism is designed to drive Treg activation, functional enhancement, tissue-homing/retention and expansion. PD activity is monitored through biomarkers of Treg abundance and functional expansion (CD39% of Tregs), activation and regulatory function (CD39, HLA-DR), stability (EZH2), tissue homing (CCR8 expression), and soluble biomarkers of Treg activity (serum IL-10).

TRB-061 Key Clinical Biomarkers and Overview of Functional Properties

 

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Table 1. TRB-061’s key clinical biomarkers and overview of functional properties.

TNFR2 Agonism: A Potential Paradigm Shift in the Treatment of Autoimmune and Inflammatory Diseases

We believe agonizing TNFR2 to augment tissue-licensed Tregs is a promising approach for treating autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. To our knowledge, TRB-061 is the first TNFR2 agonist to enter clinical development for the treatment of autoimmune or inflammatory diseases. We designed TRB-061 to selectively agonize TNFR2 to increase the number of Tregs, improve their function, enhance their stability in inflammatory environments, and induce a tissue repair phenotype.

Tregs have been shown to be important regulators of inflammation and pathophysiology in diseases affecting barrier surfaces, such as AD. Aberrant Treg function, characterized by reduced numbers and impaired activity, is implicated in the pathophysiology of various immune and inflammatory diseases, including those of the skin. Substantial genetic, scientific, and clinical rationale links aberrant Treg function to AD, suggesting that treatments that expand Treg numbers and boost their effector function will benefit patients with AD.

The compelling link between Treg deficiency and AD is established most directly by human genetics: the disruption of Treg cell development and function by FOXP3 loss-of-function mutations in IPEX syndrome produces severe multi-organ autoimmunity and systemic inflammation, including eczematous skin inflammation indistinguishable from AD, providing direct genetic evidence that Treg deficiency causes AD-like disease. Tregs in AD lesions have appeared insufficient to fully control inflammatory responses, suggesting defects in Treg function, stability, localization, or tissue adaptation. Together, we believe these findings support the therapeutic rationale for approaches designed to enhance Treg function to restore immune balance in AD.

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We believe TNFR2 agonism via TRB-061 could produce a highly selective immunoregulatory pathway, avoiding unwanted systemic inflammation associated with IL-2 treatments, with tissue-licensed properties designed to promote immune homeostasis.

TNFR2 pathway and Treg axes in atopic dermatitis

TNFR2 is enriched on tissue Tregs where it plays an important role in Treg activation, expansion and function. As seen in Figure 6, when we evaluated TNFR2 expression across immune cell populations in healthy and diseased tissue samples, we found TNFR2 enriched on Tregs relative to non-T cells, conventional CD4+ T cells, and CD8+ T cells across blood, colon, and skin tissues. Notably, TNFR2 expression was further enriched on tissue Tregs from the skin and colon compared with circulating blood Tregs, regardless of disease state, supporting a role for TNFR2 in tissue Treg biology and maintenance of local immune homeostasis. In addition, despite preserved, and in some cases elevated, TNFR2 expression in AD Tregs, we observed reduced TNFR2 agonism pathway activity compared with healthy skin Tregs. These findings suggest that impaired TNFR2 signaling may contribute to dysfunctional Treg biology in AD and provide a mechanistic rationale for therapeutic TNFR2 agonism.

TNFR2 was preferentially enriched on tissue Tregs across healthy and inflamed tissues.

 

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Figure 6. TNFR2 expression across immune cell populations in healthy and diseased tissue samples.

Preclinical support for selective Treg augmentation with TRB-061

To assess cellular selectivity, we evaluated TRB-061 in primary human blood containing both Treg and non-Treg immune cell populations. Following administration of TRB-061 or a TRB-061 tool molecule, Tregs were activated selectively, with limited effects on conventional T cells and other immune cell populations as in Figure 7A. Further, after treatment with TRB-061 in primary human Tregs derived from healthy skin and gut tissues, we observed expansion of tissue Tregs and increased the ratio of Tregs to conventional T cells, as illustrated for skin in Figure 7B.

Selective activation of blood Tregs and expanded skin Tregs

 

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Figure 7. (A) Human peripheral blood immune cells were stimulated with increasing concentrations of TRB-061 and evaluated for activation of the non-canonical NFkB signaling pathway. (B) Human healthy skin tissue Tregs stimulated with TRB-061 tool agonist were evaluated for Treg expansion in comparison to T effector (CD4+Tcon) cells by flow cytometry. Asterisks denote statistical significance relative to the indicated comparator: *p<0.05, **p<0.01; ***p<0.001; and ****p<0.0001. “P” refers to “p-value,” the conventional method for determining the statistical significance of a result, which represents the probability that random chance caused the result (e.g., a p-value = 0.01 means that there is a 1% probability that the difference between the control group and the treatment group is purely due to random chance). Generally, p-values less than 0.05 are considered statistically significant.

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To further test selectivity and the potential for off target immune stimulation, TRB-061 was evaluated in primary human peripheral blood immune cells to assess cytokine release potential. As seen in Figure 8, following administration of TRB-061, there was no measurable inflammatory cytokine production (IFN-γ, IL-6) as compared to the positive control.

No induction of interferon-gamma, a pro-inflammatory cytokine, in human blood cells

 

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Figure 8. Human peripheral blood immune cell IFN-γ cytokine release assay following incubation with various positive control test articles or TRB-061 (n=10 donors) with increasing dose concentration. Data is shown as the mean ± standard deviation.

Preclinical and pharmacodynamic activity of TRB-061

We evaluated TRB-061 in both healthy and inflammatory disease mouse models in vivo. In humanized TNFR2 knock-in mice, following administration of TRB-061 we saw a two to five-fold expansion of Tregs in blood and across multiple tissues, including colon and skin. At later time points, Treg frequencies declined in the circulation while remaining elevated in peripheral tissues, consistent with tissue accumulation and retention of expanded Tregs.

In preclinical MC903, a skin dermatitis model, following administration of a mouse surrogate TRB-061 TNFR2 agonist, which we call “mTRB-061”, we saw expansion of tissue Tregs as shown in Figure 9A, and improved skin health and histopathologic outcomes, as in Figure 9B and 9C. To further assess the impact of TNFR2 agonism in gastrointestinal inflammation, we evaluated mTRB-061 in the dextran sodium sulfate (“DSS”)-induced colitis model. Following administration of TRB-061 we saw a dose-dependent increase in colonic FOXP3+ Tregs, accompanied by improvements in disease activity and histopathology. We believe these findings support the potential of TNFR2 agonism to expand tissue Tregs, suppress intestinal inflammation, and promote restoration of mucosal homeostasis.

Expansion of Tregs and improved disease in MC903-induced dermatitis

 

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Figure 9. Treg expansion as measured by FOXP3 gene expression in mouse MC903 skin dermatitis following treatment with mTRB-061 at multiple dose levels, and associated reduction in skin inflammation and immune-pathology. Asterisks denote statistical significance relative to the indicated comparator: *p<0.05; **p<0.01; ***p<0.001; and ****p<0.0001.

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Safety and Pharmacology Results Observed in GLP toxicology study

We evaluated the in vivo activity of TRB-061 in several studies in cynomolgus monkeys, including a 13-week GLP toxicology study. In this study, we administered three doses of TRB-061 across three dose levels by subcutaneous injection every three weeks. Among the assessments made in this study, we evaluated the fold change in the number of Treg cells at various timepoints. As shown in Figure 10, we observed up to seven-fold selective expansion of Tregs, with the greatest activity observed within the highly immunoregulatory CD39+ Treg subset following administration of TRB-061. Peak PD activity was observed approximately seven days after dosing. In contrast, we saw no expansion of other immune cell types.

Selective expansion of CD39+ Tregs in non-human primates

 

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Figure 10. Cynomolgus monkeys were dosed with TRB-061 and evaluated for immune cell frequency effects pre-dose and post-dose. Blood immune cell frequencies shown as a fold change vs pre-dose mean.

All animals completed the study and appeared healthy with normal clinical parameters, and there were no concerning clinical pathology findings through the end of the study. Assessment of PK indicated dose proportional exposure and good subcutaneous bioavailability, supporting a once every four week or greater interval dosing in the clinic.

Clinical Development of TRB-061

We are conducting a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled three-part Phase 1a/b clinical trial in Australia and New Zealand, consisting of a single dose escalation trial in 32 healthy adult participants (Part 1), a multidose escalation trial in 32 healthy adult participants (Part 2), and a parallel group study in 51 adults with moderate-to-severe AD (Part 3). Parts 1 and 2 of the trial comprise the Phase 1a portion of the trial and have completed dosing. Part 3 of the trial comprises the Phase 1b portion of the trial and is ongoing. We expect to announce topline data in mid-2027.

TRB-061 Phase 1 Clinical Trial Design

 

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Figure 11.

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The primary objective of the Phase 1 trial is to evaluate the safety and tolerability of TRB-061. Secondary and exploratory objectives of the trial include evaluation of the drug-response (PK/PD) relationship, including the response of Treg cells as well as other types of immune cells, as an assessment of the immunoregulatory activity and selectivity of TRB-061, in order to establish proof of mechanism. The Phase 1b portion of the trial in patients with AD also includes exploratory efficacy outcomes including, but not limited to, change in Eczema Area and Severity Index (“EASI”), investigator global assessment of disease activity (“IGA”) scale 0 to 1, meaning assessment of clear or almost clear skin, and EASI-75, or a change in EASI score from baseline of at least 75%.

Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profiles of TRB-061 following single and multiple doses in healthy volunteers

We observed consistent, dose dependent pharmacokinetics following subcutaneous administration of TRB-061 in both Part 1 and Part 2 of the Phase 1a trial, with a preliminary half-life of approximately twelve days, as seen in Figure 12. In addition, following each dose of TRB-061, we saw increases in the frequency of Tregs, and the expression of soluble and cellular activation and expansion biomarkers.

 

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Figure 12. Serum concentrations of TRB-061 were measured by immunoassay and mean (± standard deviation) TRB-061 concentrations are shown over time following a single TRB-061 subcutaneous dose (A) or 3 doses every 4 weeks (B). Assay lower limit of quantification (LLOQ) is indicated with a dashed line, and timing of doses indicated with arrows. Data for Phase 1a, Part 2 Cohort 4 (8mg-24mg-24mg) were collected, but are not shown.

In Part 1 of the Phase 1a trial, healthy participants received TRB-061 or placebo subcutaneously using a single ascending dose trial design. Each cohort enrolled eight participants who were randomized 3:1 (six active participants and two placebo participants). Following administration of TRB-061, Treg responses were observed with peak increases approximately seven to fourteen days after dosing, remaining elevated for at least four weeks, as seen in Figure 13A.

In Part 2 of the Phase 1a trial, healthy participants received TRB-061 or placebo subcutaneously, for three doses each four weeks apart, at three dose levels, and a fourth cohort with a step-up dose design. Each cohort enrolled eight participants who were randomized 3:1 (six active participants and two placebo participants). Following each administration and at each dose of TRB-061, Treg expansion was observed as compared to placebo. Further we saw increasing PD response in Part 2 through the highest dose tested (50mg), as compared to the plateau in PD response that was observed in Part 1 between the 24mg and 80mg dose cohorts.

TRB-061 Phase 1a, Parts 1 and 2: CD39+ Treg

 

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Figure 13. (A) In Phase 1a, Part 1: expansion of CD39-positive Tregs, following a single dose of TRB-061. (B) In Phase 1a, Part 2: expansion of

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CD39-positive Tregs following three doses of TRB-061 dosed every four weeks (Q4W). Data are shown as mean ± the standard error of the mean (“SEM”). Data for Phase 1a, Part 2 Cohort 4 (8mg-24mg-24mg) were collected, but are not shown.

Following single and multiple dose administration of TRB-061, total Tregs, marked by CD25, increased by up to approximately five-fold, and, as shown in Figure 13B, CD25+/CD39+ Treg increased by approximately six-fold. The magnitude of Treg response was dose dependent and approached a plateau in Part 1 (SAD) at the higher doses. In addition to expanded frequency of CD39+ Tregs, we also saw increased CD39 expression on a per-cell basis following both single and multiple dose administration of TRB-061. TRB-061 treated participants also showed elevated expression of key immunoregulatory functional markers corresponding with each dose, including serum IL-10, as shown in Figure 14, and other Treg cellular biomarkers such as CCR8, HLA-DR and EZH2.

TRB-061 Phase 1a: IL-10 Expression following single and multiple (Q4W) dose administration of TRB-061

 

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Figure 14. IL-10 concentration following a single dose TRB-061 administration. In the multidose, one outlier with high baseline IL-10 was removed in the 50mg dose cohort. Data for Phase 1a, Part 2 Cohort 4 were collected, but are not shown. Data are shown as mean ± the SEM.

Levels of conventional T cells, B cells, and NK cells were not significantly increased at any dose level. Accordingly, we believe Part 1 of the trial has explored the full therapeutic dose range of TRB-061, and we believe these data support proof of mechanism that TRB-061 has the potential to induce expansion of immunoregulatory and tissue-licensed Tregs.

Phase 1a: Safety and Tolerability Results

TRB-061 was generally well tolerated at all doses with mostly mild AEs in healthy trial participants. Prior to each dose escalation, there was a formal review by a safety review committee (“SRC”). The SRC was charged with reviewing blinded safety and tolerability study data and making further dose recommendations for the trial. Based on an unblinded review of the Phase 1a data, there were no dose-limiting toxicities or treatment-related serious adverse events (“SAEs”) reported, and all treatment-emergent adverse events (“TEAEs”) were reversible and mild or moderate in severity. In the Ph1a SAD, the most frequently reported TEAEs (≥10% of participants) included upper respiratory tract infection, vascular access site bruising, contact dermatitis, back pain, and headache. In the Ph1a MAD, the most frequently reported TEAEs (≥20% of participants) included rash, vascular access site pain, vascular access site bruising, upper respiratory tract infection, and headache. Potential follicular erythema, mild redness on the cheeks or trunk, was observed in certain participants on TRB-061. These potential events were generally mild, self-limited, and observed mainly following the first dose of TRB-061, with limited recurrence following subsequent doses. We hypothesize these cutaneous events are mechanism-based and attributable to initial perturbation of perifollicular TNFR2 expressing cells. There have been no treatment related discontinuations.

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Safety Results: Phase 1a Parts 1 and 2 (SAD/MAD) in healthy participants

 

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Table 2. Phase 1a safety results. TEAE: Treatment Emergent Adverse Event; n (%): participants with any TEAE

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We believe the pharmacodynamic activity seen following administration of TRB-061 in healthy participants supports its proposed mechanism of action for the treatment of atopic dermatitis. Activation and expansion of immunoregulatory Tregs, and increased expression of biomarkers associated with tissue Treg function including CD39, is activity upstream of multiple inflammatory pathways that contribute to disease pathogenesis. We believe enhancing tissue Treg function may restore immune homeostasis, control pathogenic inflammation, and promote skin barrier repair in patients with atopic dermatitis, as illustrated in Figure 15.

 

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Figure 15.

Development Plan and Next Steps

We have commenced dosing in Part 3, the Phase 1b trial, in adults with moderate-to-severe AD, which is currently ongoing. Assuming supporting results and subject to regulatory submission and feedback, we expect to commence a Phase 2 clinical trial of TRB-061 in adult patients with moderate-to-severe AD at multiple sites in the United States and globally in the second half of 2027. We expect that the planned Phase 2 trial design will incorporate key learnings from other ongoing and completed pivotal AD trials. The planned target patient population will include patients who have had an inadequate response or intolerance to prior systemic therapies, including dupilumab. We anticipate that this trial will be a randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled trial to assess clinical efficacy, and extended dose regimens.

TRB-061 Additional Indications: Alopecia Areata

We are also evaluating the potential to advance TRB-061 in a host of broader autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, including AA. AA is an autoimmune disease characterized by loss of Treg function, immune tolerance and immune privilege within the hair follicle. In our platform, an analysis of scalp samples from patients with AA showed reductions in Treg frequency, TNFR2 expression and signaling, and reduced CD39 expression compared with healthy skin. In addition, a Phase 2 study with an IL-2 receptor agonist has shown meaningful improvements in patients with AA, providing proof of concept for Treg agonism for the treatment of AA. Together, we believe these findings suggest impaired TNFR2-mediated Treg function in AA and support therapeutic restoration of TNFR2 signaling to promote tissue homeostasis in the hair follicle, as shown in Figure 16. Assuming supporting results from the TRB-061 Phase 1 trial and subject to regulatory submission feedback, we expect to commence a Phase 2 clinical trial of TRB-061 in adult patients with AA at multiple sites in the United States and globally in the second half of 2027.

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Figure 16. Proposed mechanism of action of TRB-061 in AA.

TRB-061: Additional Indications Beyond Atopic Dermatitis and Alopecia Areata

Beyond AD and AA, our Deep Biology platform has identified a broader landscape of autoimmune and inflammatory conditions characterized by tissue Treg dysfunction where TNFR2-pathway agonism may offer therapeutic benefit. In UC, our analyses have shown enrichment of TNFR2 expression on tissue Tregs and evidence of reduced TNFR2 pathway activity, supporting a role for impaired TNFR2-mediated immune regulation in disease pathogenesis. In addition, in the DSS-induced colitis model, we saw expansion of colonic Treg and reduced disease activity following administration with TRB-061. Published studies further support a role for TNFR2 signaling in intestinal homeostasis, including regulation of epithelial regeneration and restoration of mucosal integrity following injury supporting the potential applicability of TRB-061 in IBD. More broadly, Tregs play a central role in maintaining immune tolerance and preventing pathogenic immune responses across a wide range of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. Based on the biology of Tregs and TNFR2 signaling and insights generated through our platform, we believe TRB-061 may have therapeutic potential in additional indications including asthma, COPD, vitiligo, hidradenitis suppurativa, IBD, MS, RA, SLE and T1D, among others. We believe that clinical validation, if achieved in AD, combined with the mechanistic breadth of our platform, positions us to efficiently evaluate expansion of our development efforts into these additional target indications, potentially representing a significant long-term opportunity to address unmet need across a wide range of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.

Our Solution: CD30 Agonism with TRB-071

TRB-071 is an investigational monoclonal antibody designed to leverage the biology of the CD30/CD30L axes by agonizing TNF receptor superfamily member 8, better known as TNFRSF8 or CD30, to activate and expand immunoregulatory Tregs selectively, while modulating CD30L-associated inflammatory pathways. We are currently conducting a three-month GLP toxicology study of TRB-071 in cynomolgus monkeys and, subject to regulatory allowance to proceed, expect to initiate a Phase 1 clinical trial in the first half of 2027. CD30 is a surface protein receptor enriched on a subset of Tregs associated with enhanced regulatory function that emerged from our Deep Biology platform as a differentiated approach to selectively enhance highly regulatory tissue Tregs. We believe this receptor functions as a key regulator of tissue Treg biology and immune homeostasis.

The primary biological binding partner for the CD30 receptor is CD30L. Studies suggest that CD30L-associated signaling complexes may contribute to inflammatory responses. Human genetic studies have associated variants in both CD30 and CD30L with IBD susceptibility. Together with our findings on the role of CD30 in augmenting tissue Treg biology, these data suggest that dysfunction in the CD30/CD30L signaling axes may contribute to both immune regulation and inflammatory responses. We believe TRB-071’s intended dual mechanism of activating Treg to restore immune balance, while simultaneously modulating inflammatory signaling, has the potential to address underlying immune dysregulation in immune-mediated diseases such as IBD as shown in Figure 17.

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CD30 agonism: activating tissue Tregs and blocking inflammatory pathways to restore immune homeostasis in the gut

 

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Figure 17. CD30 agonist TRB-071 is designed to activate and expand Tregs to promote tissue repair and restore immune homeostasis.

Identification of CD30 pathway from our platform

CD30 is a novel target that emerged from our Deep Biology platform as a receptor preferentially enriched on tissue Tregs across healthy and inflamed barrier tissues, especially in colon, and lung. As compared with conventional T cells and other immune cell populations, CD30 expression was consistently elevated on tissue Tregs, supporting its role as a pathway associated with maintenance of tissue immune homeostasis, as shown in Figure 18A. Further, we found CD30-positive cells enriched for a highly immunoregulatory subset of Treg, showing nearly two-fold greater blocking of T cell proliferation than CD30-negative cells, as shown in Figure 18B. Functional studies from our platform showed that activation of CD30 signaling enhanced Treg expansion and regulatory function, supporting its potential as a therapeutic target to restore immune homeostasis in autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.

CD30 was preferentially enriched on tissue Tregs and identified a highly immunoregulatory Treg subset.

 

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Figure 18. (A) CD30 was highly expressed on Tregs from healthy and inflamed colon and lung tissues compared with conventional CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells, and non-T immune cells. (B) CD30+ Tregs exhibited greater suppressive activity than CD30-negative Tregs, as measured by inhibition of effector T-cell proliferation. Asterisks denote statistical significance relative to the indicated comparator: *p<0.05; **p<0.01; ***p<0.001; and ****p<0.0001.

 

In human tissue-like Tregs, following treatment with TRB-071, we observed a greater than a three-fold increase in Treg expansion, as shown in Figure 19A. Furthermore, TRB-071-treated Tregs showed enhanced function resulting in a statistically significant reduction of conventional T cell proliferation, as shown in Figure 19B. Together, these findings suggest that TRB-071 activates CD30 on human Tregs, resulting in coordinated enhancement of Treg activation, expansion, and regulatory activity.

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Treg expansion and Treg-mediated suppression of effector T cell proliferation in vitro

 

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Figure 19. (A) Expansion of tissue like human Tregs with TRB-071 vs. control, (B) Treg-mediated suppression of effector T cell proliferation with TRB-071 vs. control. Asterisks denote statistical significance relative to the indicated comparator: *p<0.05; **p<0.01; ***p<0.001; and ****p<0.0001.

Preclinical and pharmacodynamic activity of TRB-071

Our preclinical studies using humanized CD30 mice or a mouse-directed anti-CD30 tool molecule that we call TRB-071-tool, have shown that CD30 agonism preferentially expands tissue Tregs within inflamed skin and colon in vivo, as shown in Figure 20.

CD30 agonism expanded Tregs in inflamed tissues and improved colitis pathology.

 

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Figure 20. Following treatment with TRB-071 or a TRB-071 tool molecule: (A) Treg expansion as measured by FOXP3 gene expression in Imq-induced skin inflammation. (B) Treg expansion in DSS-inflamed colon. (C) and (D) Subsidence of DSS-driven epithelial inflammation. Triangles depict increased dose concentration. Asterisks denote statistical significance relative to the indicated comparator: *p<0.05; **p<0.01; ***p<0.001; and ****p<0.0001.

To test the activity and identify a dose range for GLP toxicology assessment, a three-month PK/PD dose range finding study was carried out in cynomolgus monkeys. Animals were administered vehicle or one of three dose levels of TRB-071. The primary PD markers included were Treg subset expansion and modulation of other immune cell types. We observed selective, dose dependent activation and expansion of immunoregulatory CD39+ Tregs by six to eight-fold with minimal effects on inflammatory immune cell populations, as shown in Figure 21. Non-Treg effects were similar across treatment and control arms.

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Expansion of Tregs in nonhuman primates with no detectable inflammatory activity in human blood cytokine release assay relative to control

 

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Figure 21. (A) Cynomolgus monkeys were dosed with TRB-071 and evaluated for immune cell frequency effects pre-dose and post-dose. Blood immune cell frequencies shown as a fold change vs pre-dose mean. (B) Representative cytokine (IFN-g) from human blood cytokine release assay using positive controls or increasing dose concentration of TRB-071.

Development Plan and Next Steps

TRB-071 is currently undergoing safety assessment in a 12-week cynomolgus monkey GLP toxicology study. Subject to regulatory allowance to proceed, we plan to initiate a Phase 1 trial in in the first half of 2027.

Target Indication Opportunities for TRB-071

We believe target biology, tissue expression patterns, and preclinical data support clinical development of TRB-071 in patients with UC. Beyond UC, CD30 is implicated in additional gastrointestinal diseases characterized by impaired immune regulation and tissue homeostasis, including CD and Celiac disease. Our Deep Biology platform has also identified CD30-expressing immunoregulatory cell populations in lung tissues, suggesting potential applicability in chronic inflammatory and fibrotic lung diseases where we believe Treg tissue augmentation could provide therapeutic benefit. These include COPD, systemic sclerosis-associated interstitial lung disease, and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, among other potential indications.

Other Discovery Candidates from our Deep Biology Platform

Our Deep Biology platform is designed not only to advance current programs but also to generate a continuous pipeline of future therapeutic opportunities. Autoimmune and inflammatory diseases are biologically complex and heterogeneous, with distinct mechanisms driving disease initiation, progression, and response to therapy across tissues and patient populations. Through the analysis of human tissues across multiple diseases, our platform is designed to identify targets associated with tissue Treg biology, immune regulation, and tissue repair, enabling us to prioritize and position therapeutic programs where we believe the underlying biology is most likely to provide meaningful clinical benefit. In addition, insights from our platform support our therapeutic design and candidate selection, indication prioritization, and translational strategies. The advancement of TRB-061, TRB-071, and TRB-051 into development demonstrates the platform’s potential to identify differentiated targets and generate novel immunoregulatory therapeutic candidates, supporting our continued efforts to expand our pipeline across a broad range of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.

Competition

The biotechnology industry is intensely competitive, particularly in the race to develop new products. While we believe we have significant competitive advantages, we face competition from established multinational pharmaceutical companies, as well as from clinical-stage biotechnology companies with product candidates targeting overlapping biological pathways or indications. Our ability to compete successfully will depend on, among other things, the clinical safety and efficacy profile of our wholly-owned product candidates, our ability to differentiate the mechanisms of TRB-061, TRB-071, and future product candidates from existing and emerging therapies, the speed of our clinical development program, and our ability to obtain and maintain intellectual property protection.

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The companies against which we are competing, or against which we may compete in the future, may have significantly greater financial resources and expertise in research and development, manufacturing, preclinical testing, conducting clinical trials, obtaining regulatory approvals and marketing approved drugs than we do. Smaller or early-stage companies may also prove to be significant competitors, particularly through collaborative arrangements with large and established companies. These competitors also compete with us in recruiting and retaining qualified scientific and management personnel and establishing clinical trial sites and patient registration for clinical trials, as well as in acquiring technologies complementary to, or necessary for, our programs.

Due to our focus on Treg-targeted product candidates for broad autoimmune and inflammatory conditions, we are aware of several programs across AD, AA, and IBD that may be competitive to the patient populations we are currently prioritizing. Additionally, we are aware of several companies developing product candidates within the TNFR2 class for autoimmune and inflammatory conditions. We are also aware of several competitive Treg-targeted product candidates for various autoimmune and inflammatory conditions.

Intellectual Property

Our success depends in part on our ability to secure intellectual property protection for our product candidates and future products, as well as our platform technologies and any other relevant inventions and improvements that are considered commercially important to our business. Our success also depends on our ability to defend and enforce our intellectual property rights, preserve the confidentiality of our proprietary information, and operate without infringing, misappropriating or otherwise violating the valid and enforceable patents and proprietary rights of third parties. As with other biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, our ability to secure and maintain intellectual property protection for our product candidates, future programs, and other proprietary technologies will depend on our success in obtaining effective patent coverage and enforcing those patents if granted. However, we cannot guarantee that our pending patent applications, and any patent applications that we may in the future file, will result in the issuance of patents, or that any issued patents we may obtain will provide sufficient proprietary protection from competitors. Any issued patents that we obtain may be challenged, invalidated, or circumvented by third parties. In addition to patents, we also rely on trade secrets, know-how, and continuing technological innovation to develop and maintain our competitive position. We seek to protect our proprietary technology, in part, through confidentiality agreements and invention assignment agreements with our employees, consultants, scientific advisors, contractors, and potential collaborators.

Intellectual property, including patents, trade secrets, trademarks, and copyrights, is important to our business. Our commercial success depends in part on our ability to obtain and maintain proprietary intellectual property protection for our product candidates, as well as for future programs and novel discoveries, product development technologies and know-how. Our commercial success also depends in part on our ability to prevent others from infringing our proprietary rights. Our policy is to develop and maintain protection of our proprietary position by, among other methods, licensing or filing applications for U.S. and foreign patents relating to our product candidates, technology, inventions, and improvements that are important to the development and implementation of our business.

Our patent portfolio is built with a goal of establishing patent protection that generally includes, for the product candidates, claims directed to compositions of matter, pharmaceutical compositions or formulations, methods of manufacturing, methods of use, and methods of treatment. We are seeking and maintaining patent protection in the United States and key foreign jurisdictions where we intend to market our product candidates, if they are approved.

Patent Rights Relating to Our TRB-061 Product Candidate

With respect to the TRB-061 product candidate, we own a patent family directed to this product candidate including composition of matter and methods of use. This patent family includes a granted United States patent and pending patent applications in numerous jurisdictions, including Argentina, the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO), Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Egypt, the Eurasian Patent Organization, the European Patent Organization, Guatemala, India, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Taiwan, Thailand, Ukraine, Vietnam, and the United States. The granted patent and the pending patent applications in this patent family, if issued, have a nominal expiration date of 2044, without accounting for any available patent term adjustments or extensions.

Patent Rights Relating to Our TRB-071 Product Candidate

With respect to the TRB-071 product candidate, we own a patent family directed to this product candidate including composition of matter and methods of use. This patent family includes a pending international PCT patent application and pending patent applications in Argentina, Taiwan and the United States. Patent applications in this family, or patent applications claiming priority to them, if issued, would have a nominal expiration date of 2046, without accounting for any available patent term adjustments or extensions.

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The term of individual patents in our portfolio depends upon the legal term of patents in the countries in which they are obtained. In most countries in which we file, including the United States, the patent term is 20 years from the earliest date of filing a non-provisional patent application. In the United States, the term of a patent may be eligible for patent term adjustment, which permits patent term restoration as compensation for delays incurred at the United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”) during the patent prosecution process. In addition, for patents that cover an FDA-approved drug, the Drug Price Competition and Patent Term Restoration Act of 1984 (“the Hatch-Waxman Act”) permits a patent term extension of up to five years beyond the expiration of the patent. While the length of the patent term extension is related to the length of time the drug is under regulatory review, patent term extension cannot extend the remaining term of a patent beyond a total of 14 years from the date of product approval, and only one patent per approved drug may be extended under the Hatch-Waxman Act. Similar provisions are available in Europe and other foreign jurisdictions to extend the term of a patent that covers an approved drug.

Licenses and Collaborations

Our Research Collaboration and License Agreement with Lilly

On January 6, 2023, we entered into a Research Collaboration and License Agreement with Lilly, as amended by the First Amendment to the Research Collaboration and License Agreement dated June 24, 2026 (the “Lilly Collaboration Agreement”). The Lilly Collaboration Agreement is a research and development collaboration to advance product candidates directed to certain biological targets for the treatment of autoimmune disease. Under the Lilly Collaboration Agreement, we and Lilly agreed to collaborate to conduct research programs with respect to three target candidates, including TRB-051 (the “Licensed Programs”), using our proprietary technology platform and other resources, to develop molecules suitable for clinical testing. We granted Lilly and its affiliates an exclusive, worldwide license, with the right to sublicense through multiple tiers subject to certain restrictions, under our intellectual property related to the Licensed Program solely to develop, manufacture, commercialize, or otherwise exploit molecules and products for any and all purposes, uses, and indications, including diagnostic, prophylactic, and therapeutic uses, in humans and animals. Lilly has exercised its right under the Lilly Collaboration Agreement to terminate its rights and obligations with respect to two of the three Licensed Programs. The Lilly Collaboration Agreement remains in effect with respect to the sole remaining Licensed Program, TRB-051. Patent applications in the TRB-051 family, or patent applications claiming priority to them, if issued, would have a nominal expiration date of 2043, without accounting for any available patent term adjustments or extensions.

Pursuant to the Lilly Collaboration Agreement, Lilly paid us a one-time, non-refundable upfront payment of $55.0 million. In July 2024, we received a $15.0 million development milestone payment. We are eligible to receive additional development milestone payments of up to $70.0 million, commercial milestone payments of up to $157.5 million, and sales milestone payments of up to $350.0 million, in each case upon the achievement of certain development, commercial, and sales milestones for the sole remaining Licensed Program. We are also entitled to receive tiered royalties on net sales of Licensed Programs commercialized under the Lilly Collaboration Agreement, at rates ranging from a six to ten percent of annual net sales on a product-by-product basis. Royalty payments are subject to potential partial or complete reductions in specified circumstances, including for third-party license payments, regulatory exclusivity, generic competition, and the absence of a valid patent claim. Lilly’s obligation to pay royalties applies during the applicable royalty term on a country-by-country basis, which expires on the latest of (a) expiry of the last valid patent claim covering a Licensed Program in such country, (b) expiration of regulatory exclusivity for a Licensed Program in such country, or (c) the ten-year anniversary of the first commercial sale of a Licensed Program in such country. Upon expiration of the royalty term in a given country, the license granted to Lilly becomes fully paid-up, royalty-free, irrevocable, non-terminable, fully sublicensable, transferable, and perpetual with respect to a Licensed Program in such country.

The Lilly Collaboration Agreement contains commercially reasonable diligence obligations for each party with respect to their respective activities under the collaboration. Lilly is required to use commercially reasonable efforts to develop, obtain regulatory approval for, and commercialize the Licensed Product in the United States and other specified major markets. During the term of the Lilly Collaboration Agreement, we are subject to exclusivity covenants providing that we shall not, and shall ensure that our affiliates do not, directly or indirectly conduct any development (including any preclinical or clinical research), manufacturing, or commercialization activities related to any compound, antibody, or product directed to the target for the Licensed Program, other than as permitted under the Lilly Collaboration Agreement. The Lilly Collaboration Agreement expires on a country-by-country and product-by-product basis at the end of the royalty term for such product in such country, unless earlier terminated. The Lilly Collaboration Agreement may be terminated (a) by either party for the other party’s material breach, subject to applicable cure periods, (b) by Lilly for convenience on a Licensed Program basis or product-by-product basis upon specified prior written notice, or (c) by either party upon the other party’s insolvency or bankruptcy filing.

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If Lilly delivers a notice of discontinuation, the Lilly Collaboration Agreement will automatically be deemed terminated with respect to the sole remaining Licensed Program, subject to applicable post-termination rights and obligations. In certain circumstances following Lilly’s discontinuation of development of the sole remaining Licensed Program, we will have an option to obtain specified reversion rights (the “Reversion Rights”). If we exercise our option to the Reversion Rights, we will obtain an exclusive, royalty-bearing, worldwide, transferable license and right of reference, with the right to sublicense through multiple tiers, to specified data, regulatory assets, patents and know-how controlled by Lilly and necessary to develop, manufacture and commercialize products developed from the sole remaining Licensed Program. Upon exercise of the Reversion Rights, we, our affiliates, or licensees will be required to pay Lilly tiered low-to-mid single digit royalties on net sales of products developed from the sole remaining Licensed Program based on annual net sales tiers. Such royalties will be payable on a product-by-product and country-by-country basis and apply during the applicable royalty term on a country-by-country basis, which expires on the latest of (a) expiry of the last valid patent claim covering a Licensed Program in such country, (b) expiration of regulatory exclusivity for a Licensed Program in such country, or (c) the ten-year anniversary of the first commercial sale of a Licensed Program in such country.

Manufacturing

We do not own or operate, and currently have no plans to establish, any manufacturing facilities. We rely on and expect to continue to rely on third-party contract manufacturing organizations (“CMO”) for both drug substance and finished drug product. We have engaged third-party manufacturers to supply the drug substances for our product candidates and a third-party manufacturer to develop and manufacture finished drug product for TRB-061 that we are using in our Phase 1 clinical trial. We currently obtain our supplies from these manufacturers on a purchase order basis and do not have long-term supply arrangements in place. Should any of these manufacturers become unavailable to us for any reason, we believe that there are a number of potential replacements, although we may incur some delay in identifying and qualifying such replacements.

Our product candidates are manufactured using reliable processes from readily available starting materials. The approach is amenable to scale up and does not require unusual equipment in the manufacturing process. We expect to continue to develop product candidates that can be produced cost-effectively at contract manufacturing facilities.

Government Regulation

Government authorities at the federal, state and local level in the United States and in other countries and jurisdictions, extensively regulate, among other things, the research, development, testing, manufacture, pricing, reimbursement, sales, quality control, approval, packaging, storage, recordkeeping, labeling, advertising, promotion, distribution, marketing, post-approval monitoring and reporting and import and export of biological products such as those we are developing.

We, along with our CMOs, CROs and third-party vendors, will be required to satisfy these requirements in each of the countries in which we wish to conduct studies or seek approval or licensure of our product candidates. The processes for obtaining marketing approvals in the United States and in foreign countries and jurisdictions, along with subsequent compliance with applicable statutes, regulations and other regulatory requirements, require the expenditure of substantial time and financial resources.

Licensure and Regulation of Biologics in the United States

We are currently developing product candidates that are regulated as biological products, or biologics in the United States. In the United States, where we are initially focusing our product development, the FDA regulates biologics under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (“FDCA”) and the Public Health Service Act (“PHSA”), and their implementing regulations. Biologics are also subject to other federal, state and local statutes and regulations. Our product candidates are early-stage and have not been approved for marketing in the United States.

An applicant seeking approval to market and distribute a new biologic in the United States must satisfactorily complete each of the following steps:

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preclinical laboratory tests, animal studies and formulation studies, certain of which must be performed in accordance with the FDA’s Good Laboratory Practice (“GLP”) regulations;
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manufacture of the drug substance and drug product in accordance with the FDA’s current Good Manufacturing Practices (“cGMPs”), along with required analytical and stability testing;
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submission to the FDA of an investigational new drug application (“IND”), which must become effective before human clinical trials may begin and must be updated annually and when certain changes are made;
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approval by an independent institutional review board (“IRB”) or independent ethics committee (“IEC”), representing each clinical trial site before each clinical trial may be initiated at that site;

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performance of adequate and well-controlled human clinical trials in accordance with Good Clinical Practice requirements (“GCPs”), necessary to establish the safety, potency and purity of the product candidate for each proposed indication;
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preparation and submission to the FDA of a Biologics License Application (“BLA”), requesting marketing approval, referred to as licensure, for one or more proposed indications, including submission of detailed information on the manufacture and composition of the product and proposed labeling;
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satisfactory completion of one or more FDA inspections of the manufacturing facility or facilities, including those of third parties, at which the product, or components thereof, are produced to assess compliance with cGMPs and to assure that the facilities, methods and controls are adequate to preserve the product’s identity, strength, quality and purity;
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satisfactory completion of any FDA audits of certain preclinical studies and clinical trial sites to assure compliance with GLPs and GCPs, as applicable, and the integrity of clinical data in support of the BLA;
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payment of user fees under the Prescription Drug User Fee Act (“PDUFA”), unless exempted;
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the FDA’s review and approval of the BLA, including consideration of the views of any FDA advisory committee, if applicable; and

Failure to comply with the applicable requirements at any time during the product development process, including preclinical testing, clinical testing, the approval process, or post-approval process, may subject an applicant to delays in the conduct of the study or regulatory review and approval, as well as administrative or judicial sanctions or other consequences. These sanctions or consequences may include, but are not limited to, the FDA’s refusal to allow an applicant to proceed with clinical testing, issuance of clinical holds for planned or ongoing studies, refusal to approve pending applications, suspension or revocation of existing product licenses or approvals, issuance of warning or untitled letters, adverse publicity, product recalls, marketing restrictions, product seizures, import detentions and refusals, total or partial suspension of manufacturing or distribution, injunctions, fines and civil or criminal investigations and penalties brought by the FDA or the Department of Justice (“DOJ”), and other governmental entities, including state agencies.

Preclinical Studies and Investigational New Drug Application

Once a therapeutic product candidate is identified for development, it must undergo preclinical studies (also known as nonclinical testing) before any testing may be conducted in humans. Preclinical tests include laboratory evaluations of product chemistry, formulation and stability, as well as studies to evaluate the potential for efficacy and toxicity in animals. The conduct of certain preclinical tests and formulation of the compounds for testing must comply with applicable federal regulations and requirements, including GLPs. The results of the preclinical tests, together with manufacturing information, analytical data, protocols and plans for the proposed clinical studies, are submitted to the FDA as part of an IND. Some preclinical testing may continue after an IND is submitted.

An IND is a request for FDA allowance to administer an investigational drug product to humans. The IND must become effective before human clinical trials may begin in the U.S. The IND automatically becomes effective 30 days after receipt by the FDA, unless before that time the FDA raises concerns or questions about the product or the conduct of the proposed clinical trial, including concerns that human research subjects will be exposed to unreasonable health risks. In that case, the IND sponsor and the FDA must resolve any outstanding FDA concerns before the clinical trials can begin. As a result, submission of an IND may or may not result in FDA allowance to begin a clinical trial, or to begin a clinical trial on the terms originally specified by the sponsor in the IND.

At any time during the initial 30-day IND review period or while clinical trials are ongoing under the IND, the FDA may impose a partial or complete clinical hold. Clinical holds may be imposed by the FDA when there is concern for patient safety, and may be a result of new data, findings, or developments in clinical, preclinical, and/or chemistry, manufacturing, and controls (“CMC”), or where there is non-compliance with regulatory requirements. A partial clinical hold is a delay or suspension of only part of the clinical work requested under the IND. Issuance of a clinical hold or partial clinical hold would delay either a proposed clinical trial or cause suspension of an ongoing trial (or portion of an ongoing trial in the case of a partial clinical hold), until all outstanding concerns have been adequately addressed and the FDA has notified the company that investigations may proceed.

Human Clinical Trials

Clinical trials involve the administration of an investigational drug product to healthy volunteers or patients with the disease or condition to be treated under the supervision of qualified investigators. Clinical trials must be conducted in accordance with GCPs, which establish ethical and data integrity standards for clinical testing, as well as the requirements for informed consent.

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Clinical trials are conducted under protocols detailing, among other things, the objectives of the trial, dosing procedures, inclusion and exclusion criteria, the parameters to be used in monitoring safety, and the effectiveness criteria to be evaluated. A protocol for each clinical trial and any subsequent protocol amendments must be submitted to the FDA as part of the IND. A separate submission to an existing IND must also be made for each successive clinical trial conducted. While the IND is active, progress reports detailing the results of the clinical trials and preclinical studies performed since the last progress report, among other information, must be submitted at least annually to the FDA. Written IND safety reports must be submitted to the FDA and the investigators for serious and unexpected suspected adverse events, findings from other studies or animal or in vitro testing that suggest a significant risk for human subjects and any clinically important increase in the rate of a serious suspected adverse reaction over that listed in the protocol or investigator brochure. The sponsor must submit an IND safety report within 15 calendar days after the sponsor determines that the information qualifies for reporting. The sponsor also must notify the FDA of any unexpected fatal or life-threatening suspected adverse reaction within seven calendar days after the sponsor’s initial receipt of the information.

For clinical trials conducted in the United States, an IND is required, and each clinical trial must be reviewed and approved by an IRB either centrally or individually at each institution at which the clinical trial will be conducted. An IRB is charged with protecting the welfare and rights of trial participants and considers such items as whether the risks to individuals participating in the clinical trials are minimized and are reasonable in relation to anticipated benefits. The IRB will consider, among other things, clinical trial design, patient informed consent, ethical factors, and the safety of human subjects. The IRB also approves the informed consent form that must be provided to each clinical trial subject or his or her legal representative and must monitor the clinical trial until completed. An IRB must operate in compliance with FDA regulations.

The FDA, IRB or the trial sponsor may suspend a clinical trial at any time on various grounds, including a finding that the trial is not being conducted in accordance with GCPs or IRB requirements or that research subjects or patients are being exposed to an unacceptable health risk. In addition, some clinical trials are overseen by an independent group of qualified experts organized by the sponsor, known as a data safety monitoring board or data monitoring committee. Depending on its charter, this group may recommend continuation of the trial as planned, changes in trial conduct, or cessation of the trial at designated check points based on certain available data from the trial.

A sponsor who wishes to conduct a clinical trial outside the United States may, but need not, obtain FDA allowance to conduct the clinical trial under an IND. When a foreign clinical trial is conducted under an IND, all FDA IND requirements must be met unless waived by the FDA. When a foreign clinical trial is not conducted under an IND, FDA may accept the results of the study in support of a BLA if the study was well-designed and conducted in accordance with GCPs, and the FDA is able to validate the data through an onsite inspection if deemed necessary.

Clinical trials typically are conducted in three sequential phases, but the phases may overlap or be combined. Additional studies may be required after approval.

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Phase 1 clinical trials are initially conducted in a limited population of healthy subjects or patients with the target disease or condition to test the product candidate for safety, including adverse effects, dose tolerance, absorption, metabolism, distribution, excretion and pharmacodynamics.
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Phase 2 clinical trials are generally conducted in a limited patient population with a specified disease or condition to identify possible adverse effects and safety risks, evaluate the preliminary efficacy of the product candidate for specific targeted indications and determine dosage tolerance and recommended dosage.
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Phase 3 clinical trials are generally undertaken to further evaluate efficacy, side effects and safety in an expanded patient population, typically at multiple, geographically dispersed clinical trial sites, to establish the overall benefit-risk relationship of the product candidate and to provide an adequate basis for regulatory approval and labeling.

Post-approval trials, sometimes referred to as Phase 4 clinical trials, may be conducted after initial marketing approval. These trials are used to gain additional experience from the treatment of patients within the approved therapeutic indication and are commonly intended to generate additional safety or effectiveness data regarding use of the product in a clinical setting. In certain instances, the FDA may mandate the performance of Phase 4 clinical trials as a condition of approval of a BLA.

There are also requirements governing the reporting of ongoing clinical trials and clinical trial results to public registries. Sponsors are required to publicly disseminate information about certain ongoing and completed clinical trials of FDA-regulated products on ClinicalTrials.gov, a government website administered by the National Institutes of Health.

During the development of a new biologic, sponsors are given opportunities to meet with the FDA at certain points, including prior to submission of an IND, at the end of Phase 2, and before a BLA is submitted. Meetings at other times also may be requested. These meetings can provide an opportunity for the sponsor to share information about the data gathered to date, for the FDA to provide advice, and for the sponsor and the FDA to discuss the next phase of development.

Compliance with cGMPs

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Concurrent with clinical trials, companies must finalize a process for manufacturing the product candidate in commercial quantities in accordance with cGMPs. The manufacturing process must be capable of consistently producing quality batches of the product candidate and, among other things, companies must develop methods for testing the identity, strength, quality and purity of the final product. Additionally, appropriate packaging must be selected and tested, and stability studies must be conducted to demonstrate that the product candidate does not undergo unacceptable deterioration over its shelf life. Before approving a BLA, the FDA will typically inspect the facility or facilities where the product is manufactured. The FDA will not approve an application unless it determines that the manufacturing processes and facilities are in compliance with cGMPs and adequate to assure consistent production of the product within required specifications. The PHSA emphasizes the importance of manufacturing controls for products like biologics whose attributes cannot be precisely defined. Material changes in manufacturing equipment, location, or process post-approval, generally require additional FDA review and approval.

Review and Approval of a BLA

The results of clinical trials and preclinical studies, together with detailed information regarding the manufacturing processes, chemistry and composition of the product candidate, the proposed labeling and other relevant information, are submitted to the FDA as part of a BLA requesting approval to market the product for one or more specified indications. To support marketing approval, the data submitted must be sufficient in quality and quantity to establish the safety, purity, and potency of the investigational product to the satisfaction of the FDA. For most BLAs, the sponsor is required to pay a substantial application user fee at the time of submission and the sponsor of an approved BLA is subject to an annual program fee; the amounts of these fees are adjusted each fiscal year. Certain exceptions and waivers are available for some of these fees, such as an exception from the application fee for products with orphan designation and a waiver for certain small businesses.

The FDA conducts a preliminary review within the first 60 days after submission of a BLA to determine whether to accept it for filing based on the FDA’s threshold determination that the BLA is sufficiently complete to permit substantive review. During that time, the FDA may request additional information before deciding whether to accept a BLA for filing. If the FDA determines that a BLA is not sufficiently complete to permit substantive review, it will issue a refuse-to-file determination and the BLA will not be substantively reviewed by the FDA. If the submission has been accepted for filing, the FDA begins an in-depth review of the application. Under the goals and policies agreed to by the FDA under PDUFA, the FDA has a goal of ten months from the filing date in which to complete a standard review of an original BLA and respond to the applicant, and six months for a priority review of the application. The FDA does not always meet its PDUFA goal dates for standard and priority BLAs, and the review process may be extended, including for a three-month period, if needed for FDA to respond to information deemed a “major amendment” to the application.

During its review of a BLA, the FDA may refer applications for biological products to an advisory committee. Typically, an advisory committee is a panel of independent experts, including clinicians and other scientific experts, that reviews, evaluates and provides a recommendation as to whether the application should be approved and under what conditions, if any. The FDA is not bound by the recommendations of an advisory committee, but it considers such recommendations carefully when making decisions.

On the basis of the FDA’s evaluation of the application and accompanying information, including the results of any inspections of the manufacturing facilities and any FDA audits of preclinical and clinical trial sites conducted to assure compliance with GLPs or GCPs, the FDA may approve the BLA or issue a complete response letter (“CRL”). Under the PHSA, the FDA may approve a BLA if it determines the product is safe, pure, and potent for its intended uses, and that the facility in which the product will be manufactured, processed, packaged or held meets standards designed to assure the product’s continued safety, purity and potency. If FDA determines the product meets these standards, it may issue an approval letter authorizing the commercial marketing of the product with specific prescribing information for specific indications. If the application is not approved, the FDA will issue a CRL, which indicates that the review cycle of the application is complete and the application will not be approved in its present form. A CRL will contain the conditions that must be met in order to secure approval of a resubmitted application, and when possible, will outline recommended actions the sponsor might take to obtain approval of a resubmitted application. A CRL may require additional clinical data and/or other significant and time-consuming requirements related to clinical trials, preclinical studies or manufacturing. Sponsors that receive a CRL generally have one year to resubmit the application with information that represents a complete response to the deficiencies identified by the FDA. The FDA will then re-review the resubmitted application, taking into consideration the response, and determine whether the application meets the criteria for approval. Failure to respond to a CRL will serve as a withdrawal of an application. The FDA will not approve an application until issues identified in any CRLs have been addressed.

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If the FDA approves a biological product, it may limit the approved indication(s) for use of the product. It may also require that contraindications, warnings, or precautions be included in the product labeling. In addition, the FDA may require post-approval studies, including Phase 4 clinical trials, to further assess the product’s continued safety, purity, and potency after approval. The FDA may also require testing and surveillance programs to monitor the product after commercialization, or impose other conditions, including distribution restrictions or other risk management mechanisms, including a Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (“REMS”), to help ensure that the benefits of the product outweigh the potential risks. A REMS is a safety strategy to manage a known or potential serious risk associated with a medicine and to enable patients to have continued access to such medicines by managing their safe use, and can include medication guides, communication plans for healthcare professionals and elements to assure safe use (also known as “ETASU”). ETASU can include, but are not limited to, special training or certification for prescribing or dispensing, dispensing only under certain circumstances, restricted distribution methods, special monitoring, the use of patient registries. The FDA may prevent or limit further marketing of a product based on the results of post-market studies or surveillance programs.

After approval, certain modifications to the approved product, including changes in the indications, dosage forms, labeling, or manufacturing processes or facilities, generally require the BLA sponsor to submit and obtain FDA approval of a new BLA or BLA supplement, which may require the generation of additional data or the conduct of additional preclinical studies and clinical trials.

Post-Approval Regulation

Upon FDA approval of a BLA, the sponsor will be required to comply with all post-approval requirements for biologics, as well as any specific post-approval requirements that the FDA has imposed as part of the approval process. Among other things, the BLA sponsor will be required to report certain adverse reactions and production problems to the FDA, provide updated safety and efficacy information, obtain FDA approval for certain manufacturing and labeling changes, and comply with requirements concerning advertising and promotional labeling, record-keeping, and drug supply chain security. Manufacturers and certain of their subcontractors are required to register their establishments with the FDA and certain state agencies and are subject to periodic unannounced inspections for compliance with ongoing regulatory requirements, including cGMPs. Accordingly, the sponsor and its third-party manufacturers must continue to expend time, money and effort in the areas of production and quality control, as well as pharmacovigilance activities, to maintain compliance with cGMPs and other regulatory requirements.

The FDA strictly regulates the marketing, labeling, advertising and promotion of prescription drug products, including biological products. Among other things, the FDA generally prohibits pharmaceutical companies from promoting their drugs for uses that are not approved by the FDA as reflected in the product’s approved labeling, although a physician may prescribe a drug for such off-label uses in accordance with the practice of medicine. The FDA and other regulatory agencies actively enforce the laws and regulations prohibiting the promotion of off-label uses, and a company that is found to have improperly promoted off-label uses may be subject to significant liability. Additionally, promotional materials for prescription drug products must be submitted to the FDA at the time of first use.

The FDA may withdraw product approval if compliance with regulatory requirements and standards is not maintained or if issues occur after the product reaches the market. Later discovery of previously unknown issues with a product, including adverse events of unanticipated severity or frequency, or with manufacturing processes, or failure to comply with regulatory requirements, may result in revisions to the approved labeling to add new safety information; imposition of post-market studies or clinical trials to assess new safety risks; or imposition of distribution or other restrictions under a REMS program. Other potential consequences include, among other things:

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restrictions on the marketing or manufacturing of the product, including total or partial suspension of production, or complete withdrawal of the product from the market;
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the issuance of safety alerts, Dear Healthcare Provider letters, press releases or other communications containing warnings or other safety information about the product;
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warning letters or untitled letters;
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refusal of the FDA to approve pending applications or supplements to approved applications, or suspension or revocation of product license approvals;
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product recall, seizure or detention, or refusal to permit the import or export of products;
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imposition of clinical holds on ongoing clinical trials;
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mandated modification of promotional materials and labeling and the issuance of corrective information;
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consent decrees, corporate integrity agreements, debarment or exclusion from federal healthcare programs; or
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fines, injunctions or the imposition of civil or criminal penalties.

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FDA Regulation of Combination Products

Certain therapeutic products are comprised of multiple FDA-regulated components, such as drugs, biologics and medical devices, that are physically combined and produced as a single entity, packaged together in a single package, or packaged separately but intended to be labeled for use together. These products are known as combination products. We expect that TRB-061 and our other product candidates, if packaged in a prefilled syringe or autoinjector, would be subject to regulation as a combination product if consisting of a therapeutic biologic and a delivery device.

The constituent elements of such combination products would normally be subject to different FDA regulatory frameworks and regulated by different Centers at the FDA. Under the FDCA and its implementing regulations, the FDA is charged with assigning a Center with primary jurisdiction, or a lead center, for review of a combination product. The designation of a lead center generally eliminates the need to receive approvals from more than one FDA center for combination products, although it does not preclude consultations by the lead center with another FDA center. The determination of which center will be the lead center is based on the “primary mode of action” of the combination product. The FDA has established an Office of Combination Products to address issues regarding combination products and provide more certainty to the regulatory review process. This office is responsible for developing guidance and regulations to clarify the regulation of combination products, and for assigning the FDA center that will have primary jurisdiction for review of a combination product where the jurisdiction is unclear or in dispute.

Depending on the type of combination product, its approval, clearance or licensure may usually be obtained through the submission of a single marketing application; however, FDA could require separate marketing applications for individual constituent parts of the combination product which may require additional time, effort and information. Even when a single marketing application is required for a combination product, such as a BLA for a combination biologic and device product, both FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research and FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health may participate in the review. For example, if a product candidate is considered a biologic-device combination product, the sponsor will also need to comply with any post-marketing regulatory requirements applicable to both product types, including among other things, cGMPs for biological products and applicable portions of the FDA’s Quality Management System Regulation, applicable to medical device products.

Fast Track, Breakthrough Therapy and Priority Review Designations

The FDA has several programs intended to facilitate and expedite development and review of new products that are intended to address an unmet medical need in the treatment of a serious or life-threatening disease or condition. These programs include, among others, Fast Track designation, Breakthrough Therapy designation and priority review designation. These designations are not mutually exclusive, and a product candidate may qualify for one or more of these programs.

The FDA may designate a product candidate for Fast Track designation if it is intended, whether alone or in combination with one or more other drugs or biologics, for the treatment of a serious or life-threatening disease or condition, where preclinical or clinical data demonstrate the potential to address unmet medical needs for such a disease or condition. Fast Track designation applies to both the product and the specific indication for which it is being studied. For product candidates with Fast Track designation, sponsors may have more frequent interactions with the FDA, and, once a BLA is submitted, the application may be eligible for priority review. With regard to a fast track product candidate, the FDA may consider for review sections of the NDA or BLA on a rolling basis before the complete application is submitted, if the sponsor provides a schedule for the submission of the sections of the NDA or BLA, the FDA agrees to accept sections of the NDA or BLA and determines that the schedule is acceptable, and the sponsor pays any required user fees upon submission of the first section of the NDA or BLA.

A product candidate may be designated as a Breakthrough Therapy if it is intended, alone or in combination with one or more other drugs or biologics, to treat a serious or life-threatening disease or condition, where preliminary clinical evidence indicates that the product candidate may demonstrate substantial improvement over available therapies on one or more clinically significant endpoints, such as substantial treatment effects observed early in development. The designation includes all of the Fast Track program features. Additionally, the FDA may take certain actions to expedite the development and review of breakthrough therapies, including holding meetings with the sponsor throughout the development process; providing timely advice to the product sponsor regarding development and approval; involving more senior staff managers in the review process; assigning a cross-disciplinary lead for the review team; and taking other steps to design the clinical trials in an efficient manner.

The FDA may designate a BLA for priority review if the applicable product candidate treats a serious condition and, if approved, would provide a significant improvement in safety or effectiveness when compared with other available therapies. A priority review designation is intended to direct the FDA’s attention and resources to the evaluation of such applications, and to shorten the FDA’s goal for taking action on an original BLA from ten months to six months from the filing date.

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Fast Track designation, Breakthrough Therapy designation, and priority review do not change the standards for approval but may expedite the development or approval process. Even if a drug qualifies for one or more of these programs, the FDA may later withdraw or rescind the designation if it decides that the drug no longer meets the conditions for qualification.

Accelerated Approval Pathway

The FDA may grant accelerated approval to a product candidate designed to treat a serious or life-threatening condition that provides a meaningful therapeutic advantage to patients over existing treatments based upon a determination that the product has an effect on a surrogate endpoint that is reasonably likely to predict clinical benefit. For the purposes of accelerated approval, a surrogate endpoint is a marker, such as a laboratory measurement, radiographic image, physical sign, or other measure that is thought to predict clinical benefit but is not itself a measure of clinical benefit. The FDA may also grant accelerated approval for such a condition when the product has an effect on an intermediate clinical endpoint that can be measured earlier than an effect on irreversible morbidity or mortality (“IMM”), and that is reasonably likely to predict an effect on IMM or other clinical benefit, taking into account the severity, rarity or prevalence of the condition and the availability or lack of alternative treatments.

The accelerated approval pathway is most often used in settings in which the course of a disease is long, and an extended period of time is required to measure the intended clinical benefit of a product, even if the effect on the surrogate or intermediate clinical endpoint occurs rapidly. Products granted accelerated approval must meet the same statutory standards for safety and effectiveness as those granted traditional approval.

The FDA’s approval of a candidate product under the accelerated approval pathway is usually contingent on a sponsor’s agreement to conduct confirmatory studies to verify and describe the product’s clinical benefit, and the FDA may require such studies to be underway prior to approval. Failure to conduct required post-approval studies with due diligence, failure to confirm a clinical benefit during the confirmatory studies, or dissemination of false or misleading promotional materials may allow the FDA to withdraw the product approval on an expedited basis. In addition, for products being considered for Accelerated Approval, the FDA generally requires, unless otherwise informed by the FDA, that all advertising and promotional materials intended for dissemination or publication within 120 days of marketing approval be submitted to the agency FDA for review during the pre-approval review period. After the 120-day period has passed, all advertising and promotional materials must be submitted at least 30 days prior to the intended time of initial dissemination or publication.

Development in Pediatric Patients

Under the Pediatric Research Equity Act of 2003, as amended (“PREA”), a BLA or supplement thereto must contain data that are adequate to assess the safety and effectiveness of the product for the claimed indications in all relevant pediatric subpopulations and to support dosing and administration for each pediatric subpopulation for which the product is deemed safe and effective (or safe, pure and potent). A sponsor who is planning to submit a marketing application for a product that includes a new active ingredient, new indication, new dosage form, new dosing regimen or new route of administration must submit a Pediatric Study Plan (“PSP”) that contains an outline of the proposed pediatric study or studies the applicant plans to conduct, including study objectives and design, any deferral or waiver requests and other information required by regulation. The sponsor and the FDA must reach agreement on the PSP. The FDA or the applicant may request an amendment to the plan at any time.

The FDA may, on its own initiative or at the request of the applicant, grant deferrals for submission of some or all pediatric data until after approval of the product for use in adults, or full or partial waivers from the pediatric data requirements.

Pediatric Exclusivity

Pediatric exclusivity is a type of non-patent exclusivity in the United States and, if granted, provides for the attachment of an additional six months of exclusivity to the end of the term of any existing regulatory exclusivity or patent period. This six-month exclusivity, which runs from the end of other exclusivity protection or patent term, may be granted based on the voluntary completion of a pediatric trial in accordance with an FDA-issued “Written Request” for such a trial, provided that at the time pediatric exclusivity is granted there is not less than nine months of patent or exclusivity term remaining. The issuance of a Written Request does not require the sponsor to undertake the described clinical trials or obtain approval for use in the studied pediatric indication.

Biosimilars and Exclusivity

The Affordable Care Act (“ACA”), which was signed into law in March 2010, included the Biologics Price Competition and Innovation Act of 2009 (“BPCIA”).

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The BPCIA established a regulatory scheme authorizing the FDA to approve biosimilars and interchangeable biosimilars.

Under the BPCIA, a manufacturer may submit an application for licensure of a biological product that is “biosimilar to” or “interchangeable with” a previously approved biological product or “reference product.” In order for the FDA to approve a biosimilar product, it must find that there are no clinically meaningful differences between the reference product and proposed biosimilar product in terms of safety, purity, and potency. For the FDA to approve a biosimilar product as interchangeable with a reference product, the FDA must find that the biosimilar product can be expected to produce the same clinical results as the reference product, and (for products administered multiple times) that the biologic and the reference biologic may be switched after one has been previously administered without increasing safety risks or risks of diminished efficacy relative to exclusive use of the reference biologic. A product shown to be biosimilar or interchangeable with an FDA-approved reference biological product may rely in part on the FDA’s previous determination of safety and effectiveness for the reference product for approval, which can potentially reduce the cost and time required to obtain approval to market the product.

Under the BPCIA, an application for a biosimilar product may not be submitted to the FDA until four years following the date of approval of the reference product. The FDA may not approve a biosimilar product until 12 years from the date on which the reference product was first licensed. This 12-year exclusivity period is referred to as the reference product exclusivity period and bars approval of a biosimilar but notably does not prevent approval of a competing product pursuant to a full BLA (i.e., containing the sponsor’s own preclinical data and data from adequate and well-controlled clinical trials to demonstrate the safety, purity, and potency of the product). The BPCIA also created certain exclusivity periods for biosimilars approved as interchangeable products. The law also includes an extensive process for the innovator biologic and biosimilar manufacturer to litigate patent infringement, validity, and enforceability prior to the approval of the biosimilar. Since the passage of the BPCIA, many states have passed laws or amendments to laws, including laws governing pharmacy practices, which are state regulated, to regulate the use of biosimilars.

U.S. Patent Term Restoration and Extension

In the United States, a patent claiming a new biologic product, its method of use or its method of manufacture may be eligible for a limited patent term extension under the Hatch-Waxman Amendments, which permits a patent extension of up to five years for a single patent for an approved product to compensate for patent term lost during product development and FDA regulatory review. The restoration period granted on a patent is typically one-half the time between the effective date of the IND and the submission date of the BLA, plus the time between the submission date of the BLA and the ultimate approval date, except that the review period is reduced by any time during which the applicant failed to exercise due diligence. Patent term restoration cannot be used to extend the remaining term of a patent past a total of 14 years from the product’s approval date in the United States. Only one patent applicable to an approved product is eligible for the extension, and the application for the extension must be submitted prior to the expiration of the patent for which extension is sought. A patent that covers multiple products for which approval is sought can only be extended in connection with one of the approvals. The USPTO reviews and approves the application for any patent term extension in consultation with the FDA.

Federal and State Data Privacy and Security Laws

Numerous state, federal, and foreign laws, regulations, and standards govern the collection, use, access to, confidentiality, security, and other processing of personal information, including health-related information such as clinical trial data, and could apply now or in the future to our operations or the operations of our partners. For example, in the United States numerous federal and state laws and regulations, including data breach notification laws, health information privacy and security laws, comprehensive data privacy, and consumer protection laws and regulations, govern the collection, use, disclosure, protection, and other processing of personal information. Further, to the extent we collect personal information from individuals outside of the United States, through clinical trials or otherwise, we could be subject to foreign laws, which govern the privacy and security of personal information.

These statutory regimes also increase uncertainty with respect to the cross-border transfer of personal information, even with respect to service providers. For example, the U.S. Department of Justice, pursuant to Executive Order 14117, has put into effect a data security program (the “Data Security Program”) that restricts, and in some cases prohibits, access by certain countries of concern such as the People’s Republic of China (including Hong Kong and Macau) to certain U.S. government-related data and bulk human’omic, geolocation, biometric, health, financial, and other sensitive personal data, even if those data are de-identified, anonymized or encrypted. Entities organized under the laws of the United States as well as U.S. persons are restricted in their ability to provide access to such data to such countries as well as “covered persons” that have certain nexuses to such countries, and they are also required to prohibit foreign parties from making an “onward transfer” of such data to countries of concern and covered persons. These restrictions may result in an inability to realize the full value of such data, to use such data effectively or efficiently, or to engage in some data transactions that would otherwise be available to entities not subject to the Data Security Program. These international data restrictions may also limit our ability to develop insights and transfer data as our business would otherwise find more desirable and they may limit potential investments. Failure to comply with these restrictions could lead to civil or criminal penalties.

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Because of the breadth of these laws and regulations and the narrowness of the statutory exceptions under such laws, it is possible that some of our current or future business activities, including certain clinical research, sales and marketing practices and the provision of certain items and services to our customers, could be subject to challenge under one or more of such data privacy and security laws. The heightening compliance environment and the need to build and maintain robust and secure systems to comply with different privacy compliance and/or reporting requirements in multiple jurisdictions could increase the possibility that we may fail to comply fully with one or more of these requirements. If our operations are found to be in violation of any applicable data privacy or security laws or regulations, we may be subject to penalties, including potentially significant civil and administrative penalties, damages, fines, contractual damages, reputational harm, diminished profits and future earnings, additional reporting requirements and/or oversight if we become subject to a consent decree or similar agreement to resolve allegations of non-compliance with these laws, and the curtailment or restructuring of our operations, any of which could adversely affect our ability to operate our business and our results of operations.

Other Government Regulation Outside of the United States

In addition to regulations in the United States, we are subject to a variety of regulations in other jurisdictions governing, among other things, research and development, clinical trials, testing, manufacturing, safety, efficacy, quality control, labeling, packaging, storage, record keeping, distribution, reporting, export and import, advertising, marketing and other promotional practices involving biological products as well as authorization, approval as well as post-approval monitoring and reporting of our products. Because biologically sourced raw materials are subject to unique contamination risks, their use may be restricted in some countries.

Whether or not a sponsor obtains FDA approval for a product, the sponsor must obtain the requisite approvals and authorizations from the appropriate regulatory authorities in foreign countries prior to the commencement of clinical trials or marketing of the product in those countries. Certain countries outside of the United States have a similar process that requires the submission of a clinical trial application, much like the IND, prior to the commencement of human clinical trials.

The requirements and process governing the conduct of clinical trials, including requirements to conduct additional clinical trials, product licensing, safety reporting, post-authorization requirements, marketing and promotion, interactions with healthcare professionals, pricing and reimbursement may vary widely from country to country. Generally, no action can be taken to market any product in a country until an appropriate marketing application has been approved by the regulatory authorities in that country. The current approval process varies from country to country, and the time spent in gaining approval varies from that required for FDA approval. In certain countries, the sales price of a product must also be approved. The pricing review period often begins after market approval is granted. Even if a product is approved by a regulatory authority, satisfactory prices may not be approved for such product, which would make launch of such products commercially unfeasible in such countries.

The processes governing approval of medicinal products in the EU and UK generally adopt a similar approach to that applied in the U.S. They entail satisfactory completion of preclinical studies and adequate and well-controlled clinical trials to establish the safety and efficacy of the product for each proposed indication. Data should be generated to demonstrate that a drug substance and a drug product can be manufactured and controlled according to the pre-specified quality standards. The data relating to quality, preclinical testing and clinical trials should be submitted to the relevant competent authorities in a marketing authorization application (“MAA”) for regulatory review in order to determine whether a marketing authorization can be granted. Even after a marketing authorization is granted, each European country must approve pricing and reimbursement before the new medicine can be widely used in its national health system.

Clinical Trial Approval

Pursuant to the currently applicable Regulation (EU) No 536/2014 (“CTR”) and Directive 2005/28/EC on GCP, an applicant must obtain approval from the national competent authority of, and a research ethics committee established in, each EU member state in which the clinical trial is to be conducted. The clinical trial application must be accompanied by an investigational medicinal product dossier with supporting information prescribed by the CTR and corresponding national laws of the member states. All suspected unexpected serious adverse reactions to the investigational medicinal product that occur during the clinical trial have to be reported to the national competent authorities and research ethics committees of the member state where they occurred.

Pursuant to the CTR, a sponsor must submit a single application for a new clinical trial authorization through a centralized EU clinical trials portal called the Clinical Trials Information System (“CTIS”). One national competent authority (from the reporting EU member state selected by the applicant) takes the lead in validating and evaluating the application, as well as consulting and coordinating with the other concerned member states in which the clinical trial is to be conducted. If an application is rejected, it may be amended and resubmitted through CTIS. A concerned member state may in limited circumstances declare an “opt-out” from an approval and prevent the clinical trial from being conducted in that member state. The CTR aims to streamline and simplify the rules on safety reporting, and introduces enhanced transparency requirements such as mandatory submission of a summary of the clinical trial results to the CTIS.

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The UK formally left the EU on January 31, 2020, under the terms of the Agreement on the withdrawal of the UK of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the EU and the European Atomic Energy Community (the “EU-UK Withdrawal Agreement”). Despite this, EU law continued to apply in the UK until the expiry of the transition period on 31 December 2020. Following the UK’s departure from the EU, the UK and the EU entered into a trade and cooperation agreement (“TCA”), which includes specific provisions concerning pharmaceuticals (such as the mutual recognition of cGMP inspections of manufacturing facilities for medicinal products and cGMP documents issued), but which does not provide for wholesale mutual recognition of UK and EU pharmaceutical regulations. At the point that the transition period expired, the Northern Ireland Protocol, which is contained in the EU-UK Withdrawal Agreement, took effect. The Northern Ireland Protocol makes certain provisions of EU law, including several concerning medicinal products, applicable in Northern Ireland. This position was subsequently revised via the Windsor Framework. Under the Windsor Framework, since January 1, 2025, all new medicinal products for the UK market have been authorized by the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (“MHRA”) (see further below).

In the UK, clinical trials of medicinal products are primarily governed by the Medicines for Human Use (Clinical Trials) Regulations 2004, as amended (the “UK Regulations”). The UK Regulations sought to implement the Directive 2001/20/EC while the UK was a member state of the EU. Since the CTR was not in force in the EU at the time when the UK exited the EU, it was not retained in UK law on exit day under the terms of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018. Building on the foundation of the 2004 Regulations, the Medicines for Human Use (Clinical Trials) (Amendment) Regulations 2025, enacted under the Medicines and Medical Devices Act 2021, establish a modernized framework for clinical trials in the UK and came into operation on 28 April 2026. The regime streamlines approvals, introduces binding timelines, and enhances transparency and participant protections, aligning UK requirements with international standards.

Accelerated Assessment Pathways

The EU’s Priority Medicines (“PRIME”) scheme is intended to encourage drug development in areas of unmet medical need and facilitates accelerated assessment of medicinal products representing substantial innovation reviewed under the centralized procedure. Eligible products must target conditions for which there is an unmet medical need (there is no satisfactory method of diagnosis, prevention or treatment in the European Economic Area (“EEA”) or, if there is, the new medicine will bring a major therapeutic advantage) and they must demonstrate the potential to address the unmet medical need by, for example, introducing new methods of therapy or improving existing ones. Products from small- and medium-sized enterprises may qualify for earlier entry into the PRIME scheme. Many benefits accrue to sponsors of therapeutic candidates with PRIME designation, including but not limited to, early and proactive regulatory dialogue with the EMA, frequent discussions on clinical trial designs and other development program elements, and accelerated MAA assessment once a dossier has been submitted. Importantly, an EMA contact and rapporteur from the Committee for Human Medicinal Products (“CHMP”), or Committee for Advanced Therapies are appointed early in the PRIME scheme facilitating increased understanding of the product at the EMA’s Committee level. A kick-off meeting initiates these relationships and includes a team of multidisciplinary experts at the EMA to provide guidance on the overall development and regulatory strategies. Where, during the course of development, a medicine no longer meets the eligibility criteria, support under the PRIME scheme may be withdrawn.

The UK’s Innovative Licensing and Access Pathway (“ILAP”) aims to accelerate the time to market of innovative medicinal products. It is open to both commercial and non-commercial applicants, who are based in the UK or outside the UK, and who are developing medicinal products which include novel products (i.e. no other product exists in clinical practice that uses the same mechanism of action such as a first in class molecule), products containing new chemical or biological entities, products which feature new or a novel modification of existing technologies, and approved medicinal products being developed in a clinically significant new indication. It comprises of an Innovation Passport designation and a Target Development Profile, and provides applicants with access to a toolkit to support all stages of the design, development and approvals process. The major benefit of the ILAP scheme is that it provides applicants with opportunities for enhanced regulatory and stakeholder input during the development of their medicinal products.

Marketing Authorization

To obtain a marketing authorization for a medicinal product under the EU regulatory system, an applicant must submit an MAA, either under a centralized procedure administered by the EMA or one of the procedures administered by competent authorities in EU member states (national, decentralized or mutual recognition procedures). A marketing authorization may be granted only to an applicant established in the EU.

Regulation (EC) No 1901/2006 provides that prior to obtaining a marketing authorization in the EU, an applicant must demonstrate compliance with all measures included in an EMA-approved Pediatric Investigation Plan (“PIP”), covering all subsets of the pediatric population, unless the EMA has granted a product-specific waiver, class waiver or a deferral for one or more of the measures included in the PIP. The Paediatric Committee of the EMA (“PDCO”), may grant deferrals for some medicines, allowing a company to delay development of the medicine for children until there is enough information to demonstrate its effectiveness and safety in adults. The PDCO may also grant waivers when development of a medicine for

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children is not needed or is not appropriate, such as for diseases that only affect the elderly population. An application for marketing authorization or a variation or a line-extension which is accompanied by the pediatric clinical trials conducted in accordance with the PIP (even where such results are negative) are eligible for a six months extension of their supplementary protection certificate. This pediatric reward is not automatically available and is subject to the EMA or the relevant national competent authorities confirming compliance with the agreed PIP that may require an opinion to be given by the EMA’s Pediatric Committee.

The centralized procedure provides for the grant of a single marketing authorization by the European Commission that is valid for all EU member states, as well as the additional member states of the EEA (Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein). Pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 726/2004, the centralized procedure is compulsory for specific products, including for medicines developed by means of certain biotechnological processes (including, recombinant DNA technology, controlled expression of genes coding for biologically active proteins in prokaryotes and eukaryotes including transformed mammalian cells, and hybridoma and monoclonal antibody methods), products designated as orphan medicinal products, advanced therapy medicinal products (gene-therapy, somatic cell-therapy or tissue-engineered medicines) and products containing a new active substance indicated for the treatment of certain diseases, including products for the treatment of cancer, HIV / AIDS, neurodegenerative disorders, diabetes, auto-immune diseases and other immune dysfunctions, and viral diseases. The centralized procedure is optional for products containing a new active substance which was not authorized in the EU on May 20, 2004, or for products that constitute a significant therapeutic, scientific or technical innovation or which are in the interest of public health in the EU. An applicant for the centralized MA must demonstrate the quality, safety and efficacy of their products to the EMA for an opinion to be adopted regarding the approvability of the MAA. The European Commission grants or refuses marketing authorization in light of the opinion delivered by the EMA.

Under the centralized procedure, the CHMP established within the EMA is responsible for conducting an initial assessment of a medicinal product. The maximum timeframe for the evaluation of an MAA is 210 days, excluding clock stops when additional information or written or oral explanation is to be provided by the applicant in response to questions of the CHMP. Clock stops may extend the timeframe of evaluation of an MAA considerably beyond 210 days. Where the CHMP gives a positive opinion, the EMA provides the opinion together with supporting documentation to the European Commission, who make the final decision to grant a marketing authorization, which is issued ordinarily within 67 days of receipt of the EMA’s recommendation. Accelerated evaluation may be granted by the CHMP in exceptional cases, when a medicinal product is of major interest from the point of view of public health and, in particular, from the viewpoint of therapeutic innovation. If the CHMP accepts such a request, the time limit of 210 days will be reduced to 150 days (excluding clock stops), but it is possible that the CHMP may revert to the standard time limit for the centralized procedure if it determines that it is no longer appropriate to conduct an accelerated assessment.

National marketing authorizations, which are issued by the national competent authorities of the member states of the EEA and only cover their respective territory, are available for products not falling within the mandatory scope of the centralized procedure. Where a medicinal product has already been authorized for marketing in a member state of the EEA, this national marketing authorization can be recognized in other member states through the mutual recognition procedure. If the product has not received a national marketing authorization in any member state at the time of application, it can be approved simultaneously in two or more member states through the decentralized procedure.

Pursuant to the Windsor Framework, since January 1, 2025, all medicinal products intended for commercialization in the UK market have been subject to authorization by the Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency (“MHRA”). In this regard, the MHRA will grant a single UK-wide marketing authorization for all medicinal products intended for sale in the UK.

Following its departure from the EU, the UK has introduced changes to its national licensing procedures, including procedures to prioritize access to new medicines that will benefit patients, ILAP (described above) and new routes of evaluation for novel products and biotechnological products. Notwithstanding that there is no wholesale recognition of EU pharmaceutical legislation under the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (“TCA”), and that EU marketing authorizations do not provide a valid basis for the commercialization of medicinal products in the UK, applicants will be able to request the MHRA to recognize marketing authorizations granted in foreign jurisdictions (including the EU) under the International Recognition Procedure.

Regulatory Data Protection in Europe

In the EU and the UK, new chemical entities (including both small molecules and biological medicinal products) and new biological substances approved on the basis of a complete independent data package consisting of quality, preclinical testing results and clinical trial data qualify for eight years of Regulatory Data Protection (“RDP”) upon grant of a marketing authorization and two years of marketing protection. Data protection prevents generic or biosimilar applicants from referencing the innovator’s preclinical and clinical trial data contained in the MAA dossier of the reference medicinal product when applying for a generic or biosimilar marketing authorization, for a period of eight years from the date on which the reference product was first authorized in the EU. During the two-year period of marketing protection, a generic or biosimilar MAA can be submitted, and the innovator’s data may be referenced. Even if a generic or biosimilar medicinal product is approved, it

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cannot be marketed until the expiration of the marketing protection. The ten-year protection period can be extended to a maximum of eleven years if, during the first eight years of those ten years, the marketing authorization holder obtains an authorization for one or more new therapeutic indications which, during the scientific evaluation prior to authorization, is held to bring a significant clinical benefit in comparison with existing therapies. Even if a compound is considered to be a new chemical or a new biological entity so that the innovator gains the prescribed period of data protection, another company may market another version of the medicinal product if such company obtained marketing authorization based on an MAA with a complete and independent data package consisting of pharmaceutical and preclinical testing results and clinical trial data.

Patent Term Extensions in the EU and Other Jurisdictions

The EU also provides for patent term extension through Supplementary Protection Certificate (“SPCs”) which aim to offset the loss of patent protection for pharmaceutical products arising from the lengthy testing and clinical trials required to obtain a marketing authorization. The rules and requirements for obtaining a SPC are similar to those in the U.S. An SPC may extend the term of a basic patent for up to five years after its originally scheduled expiration date in order to provide up to a maximum of fifteen years of exclusivity from the time the medicinal product in question first obtains a marketing authorization for it to be placed on the market. As mentioned above, in certain circumstances, these periods may be extended for six additional months if pediatric exclusivity is obtained. Although SPCs are available throughout the EU, holders must apply the patent term extension on a country-by-country basis. Similar patent term extension rights exist in certain other foreign jurisdictions outside the EU.

Periods of Authorization and Renewals

A marketing authorization is valid for five years, in principle, and it may be renewed indefinitely after five years on the basis of a reevaluation of the risk-benefit balance by the EMA, the competent authority of the authorizing member state, or the MHRA. To that end, the marketing authorization holder must provide the EMA, the relevant national competent authority, or the MHRA with a consolidated version of the file in respect of quality, safety and efficacy, including all variations introduced since the marketing authorization was granted, at least six months before the marketing authorization expiry date. Once renewed, the marketing authorization is valid for an unlimited period, unless the European Commission, the relevant national competent authority, or the MHRA decides, on justified grounds relating to pharmacovigilance, to proceed with one additional five-year renewal period. Any marketing authorization ceases to be valid if it is not followed by the placement of the medicinal product on the EU market (in the case of the centralized procedure), on the market of the authorizing member state (in the case of a national procedure), or the UK market (as applicable), within three years after grant of such an authorization.

Regulatory Requirements After Marketing Authorization

Following approval, the holder of the marketing authorization is required to comply with a range of requirements applicable to the manufacturing, marketing, promotion and sale of the medicinal product, and must adhere in strict compliance with the applicable EU laws, regulations and guidance. These include compliance with stringent pharmacovigilance rules, pursuant to which post-authorization studies and additional monitoring obligations can be imposed. In addition, manufacture and control must also be conducted in strict compliance with cGMP requirements and comparable requirements of other regulatory bodies in the EU and UK. cGMP requirements apply to the methods, facilities and controls used in manufacturing, processing and packing of drugs against the quality standards appropriate to the intended use of a medicinal product and as required by the marketing authorization, clinical trial authorization or product specification.

Much like the federal healthcare program anti-kickback law in the U.S., the provision of benefits or advantages to physicians to induce or encourage the prescription, recommendation, endorsement, purchase, supply, order or use of medicinal products is also prohibited in the EU and the UK. The provision of benefits or advantages to induce or reward improper performance generally is governed by the national anti-bribery or anti-gifts laws of EU member states and the Bribery Act 2010 in the UK. Infringement of these laws could result in substantial fines and imprisonment. Applicable law in Europe further provides that, where medicinal products are being promoted to persons qualified to prescribe or supply them, no gifts, pecuniary advantages or benefits in kind may be supplied, offered or promised to such persons unless they are inexpensive and relevant to the practice of medicine or pharmacy.

Pursuant to national laws, industry codes or professional codes of conduct, payments made to physicians in certain EU member states and the UK must be publicly disclosed. Moreover, agreements with physicians often must be the subject of prior notification and approval by the physician’s employer, his or her competent professional organization and/or the regulatory authorities of the individual EU member states, or the UK (as applicable). Failure to comply with these requirements could result in reputational risk, public reprimands, administrative penalties, fines or imprisonment.

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The advertising and promotion of medicinal products is also subject to laws concerning promotion of medicinal products, interactions with physicians, misleading and comparative advertising and unfair commercial practices. All advertising and promotional activities for the product must be consistent with the approved summary of product characteristics, and therefore all off-label promotion is prohibited. Direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription medicines is also prohibited in the EU and the UK. Although general requirements for advertising and promotion of medicinal products are established under Directive 2001/83/EC, which was transposed into national law in the UK via the Human Medicines Regulations 2012, the details are governed by regulations in each European jurisdiction and can differ from one country to another.

EU Regulatory Reforms

Proposed reforms to the existing EU pharmaceutical law and regulation governing the biotechnology sector have been set out in the EU Pharma Package and the Biotech Act. The EU Pharma Package has been passed by the EU legislature and is expected to enter into force in late 2026, which will trigger a transition period until 2028. The new legislation will fully come into application and become operational in 2028. In contrast, the Biotech Act is still progressing through the legislative process and has not yet been adopted. These legislative reforms represent significant change, introducing streamlined authorization procedures, enhanced measures to improve access and affordability, stricter management of medicine shortages, strengthened post-market surveillance, and new requirements addressing environmental and ethical considerations.

The EU Pharma Package aims to modernize and harmonize medicines regulation, improve patient access to innovative therapies, and strengthen oversight of emerging technologies across the EU. Under its consolidated draft, companies launching new medicines will receive eight years of data protection and one year of market exclusivity, with a potential additional year for qualifying innovative products. The package allows EU countries to require adequate supply of protected medicines, introduces safeguards against misuse in parallel trade, and provides intellectual property exemptions for generic manufacturers to prepare for immediate market entry after patent expiry, including for procurement submissions. It also establishes a transferable exclusivity voucher to incentivize priority antibiotic development, with a “blockbuster clause” limiting its use for products with annual sales over €490 million.

The Biotech Act seeks to further harmonize regulations, accelerate market access for biotechnology products, and amend the Clinical Trials Regulation for faster trial assessments. Together, these reforms aim to create a more efficient, responsive, and unified regulatory framework for pharmaceuticals and biotechnology in the EU General Data Protection Regulation.

The processing of personal data regarding individuals in the EU, including personal health data, is regulated by Regulation (EU) 2016/679, which took effect on May 25, 2018. The General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”) is wide-ranging in scope and imposes numerous requirements on companies that process personal data, including requirements relating to processing health and other sensitive data, obtaining consent of the individuals to whom the personal data relates, providing information to individuals regarding data processing activities, implementing safeguards to protect the security and confidentiality of personal data, providing notification of data breaches and taking certain measures when engaging third-party processors. The GDPR also imposes strict rules on the transfer of personal data to countries outside the EU, including the U.S., and permits data protection authorities to impose large penalties for violations of the GDPR, including potential fines of up to €20 million or 4% of annual global revenues, whichever is greater. The GDPR also confers a private right of action on data subjects and consumer associations to lodge complaints with supervisory authorities, seek judicial remedies and obtain compensation for damages resulting from violations of the GDPR. Compliance with the GDPR will be a rigorous and time-intensive process that may increase the cost of doing business or require us to change our business practices to ensure full compliance.

As of January 1, 2021, the UK’s European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 incorporated the GDPR (as it existed on December 31, 2020 but subject to certain UK specific amendments) into UK law, referred to as the UK GDPR. The UK GDPR and the UK Data Protection Act 2018 set out the UK’s data protection regime, along with the UK (Data Use and Access) Act 2025, which made a number of relatively minor amendments to the UK GDPR. The UK’s data protection regime is therefore independent and differs slightly from, but is still broadly aligned with, the EU’s data protection regime. Non-compliance with the UK GDPR may result in monetary penalties of up to £17.5 million or 4% of worldwide revenue, whichever is higher.

Coverage and Reimbursement

Significant uncertainty exists as to the coverage and reimbursement status of any product candidates for which we may seek regulatory approval by the FDA or other government authorities. In the U.S. and markets in other countries, patients who are prescribed treatment for their conditions generally rely on third-party payors to reimburse all or part of the associated healthcare costs. The availability of coverage and the adequacy of reimbursement by governmental healthcare authorities or programs such as Medicare and Medicaid, private health insurance and third-party payors is critical to new product acceptance.

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Third party payors decide which medications they will pay for and establish reimbursement levels. No uniform policy of coverage and reimbursement for drug products exists among third-party payors. Therefore, coverage and reimbursement for drug products can differ significantly from payor to payor. The process for determining whether a third-party payor will provide coverage for a product may be separate from the process for setting the price or reimbursement rate that the payor will pay for the product once coverage is approved. One third-party payor’s decision to cover a particular product does not ensure that other payors will also provide coverage for the product, or will provide coverage at an adequate reimbursement rate.

Within the U.S., third-party payors are increasingly seeking to control drug costs by examining the cost-effectiveness of new products and services in addition to their safety and efficacy. To obtain or maintain coverage and reimbursement for any future product, we may need to conduct expensive pharmacoeconomic studies to demonstrate the medical necessity and cost-effectiveness of our product. These studies will be in addition to the studies required to obtain regulatory approvals, and product candidates may still not be considered medically necessary or cost effective. Third-party payors may limit coverage of product by, for example, only covering specific products on an approved list, or formulary, which might not include all of the FDA-approved products for a particular indication. Some third-party payors may manage utilization of a particular product by requiring patients to try other therapies first or by requiring pre-approval (known as “prior authorization”) for coverage of particular prescriptions (to allow the payor to assess medical necessity) or otherwise restricting coverage of a product even if used consistent with its approved indication. Coverage policies and third-party reimbursement rates may change at any time. Even if favorable coverage and reimbursement status is attained for one or more product candidates for which we receive regulatory approval from one or more third-party payors, less favorable coverage policies and reimbursement rates may be implemented in the future. A decision by a third-party payor not to cover a product could reduce utilization if the product is approved.

Manufacturers of marketed drugs may be required to provide discounts or rebates under government healthcare programs or to certain government and private purchasers in order to obtain coverage under federal healthcare programs such as Medicaid. More generally, price concessions may need to be offered to third-party payors to obtain favorable coverage or to purchasers to achieve sales. Hospitals and health systems are increasingly using bidding procedures to determine what pharmaceutical products and which suppliers will be included in their prescription drug and other healthcare programs. Arrangements with third-party payors or purchasers may include value-based arrangements under which the amount paid for products depends on the performance of the product. Net prices for drugs may be further reduced by any future relaxation of laws that presently restrict imports of drugs from countries where they may be sold at lower prices than in the U.S.

In addition, in some foreign countries, the proposed pricing for a drug must be approved before it may be lawfully marketed. The requirements governing drug pricing vary widely from country to country. For example, the EU provides options for its member states to restrict the range of medicinal products for which their national health insurance systems provide reimbursement and to control the prices of medicinal products for human use. To obtain reimbursement or pricing approval, some of these countries may require the completion of clinical trials that compare the cost effectiveness of a particular medicinal product candidate to currently available therapies. A member state may approve a specific price for the medicinal product or it may instead adopt a system of direct or indirect controls on the profitability of the company placing the medicinal product on the market. There can be no assurance that any country that has price controls or reimbursement limitations for pharmaceutical products will allow favorable reimbursement and pricing arrangements for any product candidate. Historically, products launched in the EU do not follow price structures of the U.S. and generally prices tend to be significantly lower.

Healthcare Reform

Health care reform has been a significant trend in the U.S. health care industry and elsewhere. In particular, government authorities and other third-party payors have attempted to control costs by limiting coverage and the amount of reimbursement for particular medical products and services. Health care reform, specifically reform addressing pricing and payment for drugs, has been an ongoing focus and is likely to continue under the current presidential administration. A number of healthcare reforms involving drugs have been successfully implemented, including reforms related to Medicare payment for drugs and manufacturer rebate obligations under the Medicaid Drug Rebate Program.

There has been heightened governmental scrutiny in recent years over the manner in which manufacturers set prices for their marketed products, which has resulted in proposed and enacted federal and state legislation designed to, among other things, bring more transparency to product pricing and reform government program reimbursement methodologies for pharmaceutical and biologic products. At the state level, individual states are increasingly passing legislation and implementing regulations designed to control pharmaceutical and biological product pricing, including price or patient reimbursement constraints, discounts, restrictions on certain product access and marketing cost disclosure and transparency measures, and, in some cases, designed to encourage importation from other countries and bulk purchasing. These measures could reduce the ultimate demand for our products, once approved, or put pressure on our product pricing.

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We cannot predict the likelihood, nature or extent of government regulation that may arise from future legislation or administrative or executive action, either in the United States or abroad. We expect that additional federal and state health care reform measures will be adopted in the future, any of which could limit the amounts that federal and state governments will pay for health care products and services.

For a more detailed discussion of health care reform in the U.S., see “Risk Factors—Recently enacted legislation, future legislation and other healthcare reform measures may increase the difficulty and cost for us to obtain marketing approval for and commercialize our product candidates and may affect the prices we may set.”

Other Healthcare Laws

Pharmaceutical companies are subject to additional healthcare regulation and enforcement by the federal government and by authorities in the states and foreign jurisdictions in which they conduct their business that may constrain how we conduct our business, including the financial arrangements and relationships through which we research and develop, as well as sell, market and distribute any product candidates for which we obtain marketing authorization. In the U.S., restrictions under applicable federal and state healthcare laws and regulations, some of which will apply only if and when we receive marketing approval for a product candidate, include, without limitation, the following:

•
Federal healthcare program Anti-Kickback Statute, which prohibits, among other things, persons from soliciting, receiving or providing remuneration, directly or indirectly, to induce either the referral of an individual for an item or service or the purchasing, ordering or recommending of a good or service, for which payment may be made under federal healthcare programs such as Medicare and Medicaid. A person or entity does not need to have actual knowledge of the statute or specific intent to violate it in order to have committed a violation;
•
Federal false claims, false statements and civil monetary penalties laws which prohibit, among other activities, any person from knowingly presenting, or causing to be presented, a false claim for payment of government funds or knowingly making, or causing to be made, a false record or statement material to a false or fraudulent claim, or from knowingly making a false statement material to an obligation to pay money to the federal government, or knowingly concealing or knowingly and improperly avoiding or decreasing an obligation to pay money to the federal government. In addition, the government may assert that a claim including items and services resulting from a violation of the federal Anti-Kickback Statute constitutes a false or fraudulent claim for purposes of the federal False Claims Act;
•
HIPAA, which, in addition to privacy protections applicable to healthcare providers and other entities, prohibits executing a scheme to defraud any healthcare benefit program or making false statements to obtain money or property from a health benefit program. Similar to the federal Anti-Kickback Statute, a person or entity does not need to have actual knowledge of the statute or specific intent to violate it in order to have committed a violation;
•
The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, which among other things, strictly regulates drug marketing, prohibits manufacturers from marketing such products for off-label use and regulates the distribution of samples;
•
Federal laws, including the Medicaid Drug Rebate Program, that require pharmaceutical manufacturers to calculate, certify and report certain complex calculated product prices to the government or provide certain discounts or rebates to government authorities or private entities, often as a condition of reimbursement under government healthcare programs;
•
The so-called “federal sunshine” law, which requires certain pharmaceutical and medical device companies to monitor and report certain financial interactions with physicians (as defined by statute), certain non-physician practitioners (such as physician assistants and nurse practitioners) and teaching hospitals, as well as ownership and investment interests held by physicians and their immediate family members, to the federal government for re-disclosure to the public;
•
the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended (the “FCPA”), which prohibits, among other things, U.S. companies and their employees and agents from authorizing, promising, offering, or providing, directly or indirectly, corrupt or improper payments or anything else of value to foreign government officials, employees of public international organizations and foreign government owned or affiliated entities, candidates for foreign political office, and foreign political parties or officials thereof;
•
analogous state and foreign laws and regulations, such as state anti-bribery, anti-kickback and false claims laws, which may apply to healthcare items or services that are reimbursed by non-governmental third-party payors, including private insurers; and

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•
state laws that require pharmaceutical companies to comply with specific compliance standards, restrict financial interactions between pharmaceutical companies and healthcare providers or require pharmaceutical companies to report information related to payments to healthcare providers or marketing expenditures; state laws that require pharmaceutical companies to file reports relating to pricing and marketing information, and state and local laws may require registration of pharmaceutical sales representatives; and other state laws that require licensure for, or otherwise regulate, the manufacture and distribution of pharmaceutical products.

Violation of any of the laws described above or any other government regulations that apply to pharmaceutical manufacturers may result in penalties, including significant civil, criminal and administrative penalties, damages, fines, exclusion from participation in government healthcare programs, such as Medicare and Medicaid, imprisonment, and the curtailment or restructuring of operations.

Employees and Human Capital

As of August 31, 20261, we had approximately 60 full-time employees based at our principal offices in South San Francisco, California, of whom 26 hold PhD or MD degrees, and 47 are engaged in research and development functions. Our founding scientists bring deep expertise in human Treg biology, tissue immunology, single-cell transcriptomics, and protein engineering, and our broader team includes experienced drug developers across clinical operations, CMC, regulatory affairs, and translational medicine.

We offer competitive compensation, including base salary, annual performance bonuses, and equity-based compensation, as well as comprehensive benefits including medical, dental, and vision coverage, a 401(k) plan, and paid time off. We believe our culture of scientific rigor, collaborative discovery, and patient-centered mission is central to our ability to attract and retain the talent required to advance our pipeline. We have not experienced any work stoppages and consider our employee relations to be good.

Facilities

Our principal offices and research facilities are located in South San Francisco, California, where we lease approximately 33,780 square feet of laboratory and office space under a lease agreement expiring in 2028. We believe our current facilities are adequate to support our near-term research, development, and administrative activities, and that suitable additional space will be available on commercially reasonable terms as our needs grow.

Legal Proceedings

We are not currently a party to any material legal proceedings. From time to time, we may become involved in legal proceedings or claims arising in the ordinary course of our business. We do not believe that any such proceedings currently pending, if any, would have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, or results of operations.


1 NTD: To be updated to a more recent date.

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MANAGEMENT

Executive Officers and Directors

The following table sets forth the name, age and position of each of our executive officers and directors as of the date of this prospectus.

 

Name

Age

Position(s)

Executive Officers and Employee Directors:

 

 

M. Johnston Erwin, Jr.

65

Chief Executive Officer and Chair

Laura Berner

52

Chief Operating Officer

Brandon Hants

50

Chief Financial Officer

Ariella Kelman

52

Chief Medical Officer

Ali Zarrin

61

Chief Scientific Officer

Non-Employee Directors:

 

 

Carol G. Gallagher

62

Director and Lead Independent Director

Alexandra Cantley*

39

Director

Travis Coy

46

Director

Julie Gilmore

55

Director

Peter Hirth

75

Director

Eric Huang*

55

Director

Joel S. Marcus

79

Director

Sanjay Mistry*

55

Director

Christopher O’Donnell*

57

Director

Eric Pham*

37

Director

Michael Ross

77

Director

Nikola Trbovic*

44

Director

 

* Drs. Cantley, Huang, Mistry, O’Donnell, Pham and Trbovic have each notified us that they will resign from our board of directors immediately prior to the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part.

Executive Officers and Employee Directors

M. Johnston Erwin, Jr. has served as our Chief Executive Officer and a member of our board of directors since May 2021 and has served as chair of our board of directors since 2026. He has over 40 years of experience in leadership roles across regulatory, clinical and corporate development. Prior to joining TRexBio, Mr. Erwin spent 36 years at Eli Lilly and Company. Between 2014 and 2021, he led Lilly New Ventures, Lilly’s internal venture capital investment team, serving on the board of a number of private biopharma companies. During his tenure, Lilly New Venture’s invested capital grew more than five times and was cash-on-cash positive for seven consecutive years. At his retirement, Lilly had more than 45 direct investments. Earlier in his career, Mr. Erwin led the clinical team which made global regulatory submissions for the brands of Evista and Forteo. Under his leadership, both brands were approved in more than 80 countries and each reached greater than $1 billion in worldwide sales. Mr. Erwin received his BAS from Oregon State University. We believe that Mr. Erwin is qualified to serve on our board of directors because of his operational and leadership experience in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries and his venture capital experience.

Laura Berner, JD, MBA has served as our Chief Operating Officer since May 2022. She joined TRexBio as Chief Business Officer in August 2020, and drives our strategic, business and corporate development matters. Ms. Berner has 25 years of experience across business strategy, corporate development and legal affairs at public and private biopharmaceutical companies. Since joining TRexBio, she has overseen our equity financings and the execution of our pharma collaborations. Prior to TRexBio she was Head of Business Development and Investor Relations at Myovant Sciences, which was acquired by Sumitovant Biopharma Ltd. Earlier in her career she led significant partnering and merger and acquisitions transactions for the pharmaceutical divisions at Roche and Genentech. She started her career as a corporate and life sciences transactions attorney in private practice. Ms. Berner obtained her BA in biology from Bryn Mawr College, her JD from Stanford Law School and her MBA from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (Gies). She currently serves on the board of directors of Bolt Biotherapeutics.

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Brandon Hants, MBA, has served as our Chief Financial Officer since February 2025. Prior to joining us, Mr. Hants served as chief financial officer at Applied Molecular Transport, a clinical stage biotherapeutics company that developed a pipeline of novel oral biologic product candidates. Prior to that, he held various roles at Singulex, Inc., an immunodiagnostics company, including chief financial officer and vice president of finance and operations. Prior to Singulex, Mr. Hants held roles of increasing responsibility at Novartis Vaccines & Diagnostics and Genentech. Mr. Hants holds a BS in Cell and Developmental Biology from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and an MBA from the University of San Francisco.

Ariella Kelman, MD, has served as our Chief Medical Officer since March 2025. Previously, Dr. Kelman served as Chief Medical Officer at Biora Therapeutics, and before that, she led clinical development at Human Immunology Biosciences. Prior to that, Dr. Kelman spent 15 years at Genentech, where she led clinical development programs for several new medicines for inflammatory and autoimmune diseases and subsequently served as global head of bioethics for Roche. Dr. Kelman was an attending physician for 10 years in the Division of Immunology and Rheumatology at Stanford University Hospital. Dr. Kelman holds a BS from UCLA, and an MD from Tel Aviv University. She completed her residency in internal medicine at Kaiser Hospitals in Los Angeles and Santa Clara and completed fellowships in rheumatology and clinical research at Stanford University Hospital.

Ali Zarrin, PhD, has served as our Chief Scientific Officer since August 2025. He joined TRexBio in August of 2019 and has led the development of our proprietary Deep Biology platform and the translational activities for our product candidates. Dr. Zarrin is an accomplished immunologist with more than 25 years of experience across immunobiology, drug discovery and translational immunology. Prior to TRexBio, Dr. Zarrin held leadership roles in Early Research and Development at Genentech, with a focus on autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. He is an inventor on multiple patents and has authored close to 50 scientific publications in leading journals. Dr. Zarrin earned his BS from the University of Minnesota, his PhD in Immunology from the University of Toronto, and conducted postdoctoral studies in the laboratory of pioneering geneticist and molecular immunologist Fred Alt at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Harvard Medical School.

Non-Employee Directors

Carol G. Gallagher, PharmD, has served as a member of our board of directors since July 2019 and as our lead independent director since 2026. From January 2025 through 2026, Dr. Gallagher served as the chair of our board of directors, and from September 2020 through January 2025, Dr. Gallagher served as executive chair of our board of directors. From October 2014 to December 2023, Dr. Gallagher served as a partner, venture partner and venture advisor at New Enterprise Associates, a venture capital firm. Prior to joining New Enterprise Associates, Dr. Gallagher served as a venture partner with Frazier Healthcare, a venture capital firm, from October 2013 to September 2014. Dr. Gallagher served as the president and chief executive officer of Calistoga Pharmaceuticals, a biopharmaceutical company, from 2008 to 2011, when the company was acquired by Gilead Sciences, Inc. From 2007 to 2008, Dr. Gallagher was the president and chief executive officer of Metastatix, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company. Prior to that time starting in 1989, she served in various roles at pharmaceutical companies, including at Eli Lilly and Company, Amgen, Inc., and Pfizer. Dr. Gallagher serves on the board of directors of Atara Biotherapeutics, Inc. and PMV Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Dr. Gallagher attended Vanderbilt University and holds a B.S. and Doctor of Pharmacy degrees from the University of Kentucky. We believe that Dr. Gallagher is qualified to serve on our board of directors due to her extensive experience in the pharmaceuticals industry, her leadership and management experience, and her service as a director of other biopharmaceutical companies.

Alexandra Cantley, PhD, has served as a member of our board of directors since February 2022. Dr. Cantley joined Polaris Partners in April 2019 and has served as a partner since June 2021. From August 2017 to April 2019, Dr. Cantley was a part of the initial research team at Inzen Therapeutics. Prior to this, she was a research fellow at Vertex Pharmaceuticals. Dr. Cantley attended New York University and holds a PhD in chemical biology from Harvard University. We believe that Dr. Cantley is qualified to serve on our board of directors due to her extensive experience in the pharmaceuticals industry and her service as a director of other biopharmaceutical companies. Dr. Cantley has notified us that she will resign from our board of directors immediately prior to the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part.

Travis Coy has served as a member of our board of directors since November 2021. Mr. Coy has served as the chief financial officer and head of corporate development at Immunocore Holdings plc since January 2025. Previously, Mr. Coy served as vice president, head of transactions and M&A, corporate business development at Eli Lilly and Company from October 2019 to December 2024. Prior to this role, Mr. Coy had a variety of finance and business development experiences at Lilly beginning in 2003, including positions as vice president, transactions – oncology and diagnostics; vice president, transactions – cardiometabolic diseases, drug delivery and devices; finance director of the oncology business unit; director of investor relations; director of corporate finance and investment banking; and other financial controllership roles. Before transitioning to finance and business development, he was a chemist in Lilly’s research laboratories and a production manager for Milliken & Company. Mr. Coy has also been a member of the board of directors at Immunocore Holdings plc since September 2019. Mr. Coy holds a BS in Chemistry from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology and an MBA from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan. We believe that Mr. Coy is qualified to serve on our board of directors due to his extensive experience in the pharmaceuticals industry and his leadership and management experience.

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Julie Gilmore, PhD, has served as a member of our board of directors since December 2024. Dr. Gilmore has spent nearly 20 years at Eli Lilly and Company, serving as vice president and global head of Gateway Labs by Lilly and Catalyze360 Portfolio Management. She also serves on the board of IgGenix, Inc. and Mozart Therapeutics. She received a PhD in biophysics from Purdue University and attended Indiana University School of Medicine as a post doctoral fellow studying membrane biophysics. We believe that Dr. Gilmore is qualified to serve on our board of directors due to her extensive experience in the pharmaceuticals industry.

Peter Hirth, PhD, has served as a member of our board of directors since July 2019. Dr. Hirth has over 30 years of experience in biotechnology and pharmaceutical discovery and development. Prior to entering the biotechnology sector, Dr. Hirth served as vice president of Research at Boehringer Mannheim in Germany. From 1991 to 2000, he held several positions at Sugen, Inc., ultimately serving as President, where he helped build the company from inception and advance kinase inhibitors through clinical trials in oncology. Sugen was acquired by Pharmacia/Pfizer in 1999. In 2001, Dr. Hirth co-founded Plexxikon, Inc., a pharmaceutical company, and served as its chief executive officer until April 2013. Plexxikon was acquired by Daiichi Sankyo in 2011. Dr. Hirth currently serves on the board of directors of Aligos Therapeutics, IO Biotech, Inc., and several private companies. He previously served on the board of directors of Vaxcyte, Inc. from January 2017 to April 2025. Dr. Hirth holds an MSc and PhD in Molecular Genetics from Heidelberg University, Germany and completed his post-doctoral work at the University of California, San Diego. We believe that Dr. Hirth’s extensive experience in the biopharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, his proven track record of building companies from inception through successful exits, and his educational background provide him with the qualifications and skills necessary to serve as a member of our board of directors.

Eric Huang, PhD, has served as a member of our board of directors since November 2024. Dr. Huang has served as a partner at Delos Capital since April 2024. From May 2012 to April 2024, Dr. Huang worked for Moderna Inc. serving as the founding Chief Science Officer of Moderna’s New Ventures Labs and Autoimmune Therapeutic Area, and most recently General Manager and Chief Scientific Officer of Moderna Genomics. Dr. Huang also serves as a director on the board of Taigen Bioscience. Dr. Huang received a BS in biology from Emory University, a PhD in molecular and medical parasitology from New York University and an MBA from Boston University’s Questrom School of Business. We believe that Dr. Huang is qualified to serve on our board of directors due to his extensive experience in the pharmaceuticals industry. Dr. Huang has notified us that he will resign from our board of directors immediately prior to the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part.

Joel S. Marcus, JD, CPA, has served on our board of directors since November 2024. Mr. Marcus is the Executive Chairman and Founder of Alexandria, a real estate investment trust (REIT) that pioneered life science real estate and transformed it from a specialty niche to a mainstream asset class. Since co-founding the company in 1994, Mr. Marcus has led its remarkable growth into a leading REIT focused on the life science industry. Prior to April 2018, Mr. Marcus served as the company’s Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, and President. Mr. Marcus founded Alexandria Venture Investments, the company’s strategic venture capital platform, in 1996. Alexandria Venture Investments actively invests in disruptive life science companies that are advancing transformative new modalities, platforms, and innovative medicines to meaningfully improve human health. Some of its most notable early-stage investments include Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Google, Intra-Cellular Therapies, and Moderna. Mr. Marcus also served on the board of directors of Intra-Cellular Therapies, Inc. from 2006 until its acquisition by Johnson & Johnson in 2025. Prior to co-founding Alexandria, Mr. Marcus had an extensive legal career and was one of the principal architects of the 1984 Kirin-Amgen, Inc. joint venture. He was also a practicing certified public accountant and tax manager with Arthur Young & Co. He earned his undergraduate and JD degrees from the University of California, Los Angeles. We believe that Mr. Marcus’ extensive experience in the life sciences industry and as a chief executive officer and attorney qualifies him to serve on our board of directors.

Sanjay Mistry, PhD, has served on our board of directors since February 2024. In March 2013, Dr. Mistry joined Johnson & Johnson serving as the vice president of venture investments and new company creation for Johnson & Johnson Innovation – JJDC Inc. From September 2008 to March 2013, he was vice president at Quaker Partners, a healthcare venture capital firm. Dr. Mistry also serves as a member of the board of directors for Agni Bio and previously served on the board of directors for Rapport Therapeutics, Inc. Dr. Mistry received a BS from Nottingham Trent University and an MS in clinical pharmacology and a PhD in pharmacology from the University of Aberdeen. We believe that Dr. Mistry is qualified to serve on our board of directors due to his extensive experience in the pharmaceuticals industry. Dr. Mistry has notified us that he will resign from our board of directors immediately prior to the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part.

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Christopher O’Donnell, PhD, has served as a member of our board of directors since January 2026. Dr. O’Donnell has served as a partner at Pfizer Ventures and vice president of business development at Pfizer Ventures since July 2020 and May 2022, respectively. Dr. O’Donnell is responsible for identifying, evaluating, making, and managing equity investments aligned with the future directions of Pfizer. Dr. O’Donnell began at Pfizer in July 1999 and has over 25 years of experience and scientific leadership there. Prior to Pfizer Ventures, Dr. O’Donnell developed and led the Applied Synthesis Technologies group within Pfizer Worldwide Research & Development organization to accelerate the delivery of Pfizer’s small molecule portfolio. Prior to that, Dr. O’Donnell built and led Pfizer Antibody Drug Conjugate medicinal chemistry group and co-led the ADC Development team that delivered numerous ADCs for oncology indications. Dr. O’Donnell started his career in the Neuroscience Medicinal Chemistry group at Pfizer where he invented and helped deliver numerous clinical candidates. Dr. O’Donnell earned his BS in Chemistry from the University of Illinois-Urbana/Champaign and his PhD in Chemistry from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and joined Pfizer after his post-doctoral research studies as an American Cancer Society Fellow at the University of California—Irvine. We believe that Dr. O’Donnell is qualified to serve on our board of directors because of his extensive expertise and experience in the life sciences industry, his leadership experience in other companies in our industry and his educational background. Dr. O’Donnell has notified us that he will resign from our board of directors immediately prior to the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part.

Eric Pham, PhD, has served as a member of our board of directors since November 2024. Dr. Pham has been a managing director at Avego BioScience Capital since August 2024. From December 2023 to August 2024, Dr. Pham was vice president at Blue Owl Healthcare Opportunities. From November 2019 to December 2023, Dr. Pham worked at Cowen Healthcare Investments, most recently as a Senior Associate. Prior to Cowen, Dr. Pham was a Senior Analyst on the Investments Team at Roivant Sciences where he focused on identifying, evaluating, and acquiring promising therapeutic programs for further development. Dr. Pham currently serves on the board of directors at Ensho Therapeutics. Dr. Pham received his PhD in Molecular and Cell Biology from University of Houston and BA in Molecular and Cell Biology from University of California, Berkeley. We believe that Dr. Pham is qualified to serve on our board of directors due to his extensive experience in the pharmaceuticals industry. Dr. Pham has notified us that he will resign from our board of directors immediately prior to the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part.

Michael Ross, PhD, has served as a member of our board of directors since January 2020. Dr. Ross has been a senior partner at SV Health Investors since 2001. Prior to this, Dr. Ross served as the founding chief executive officer at MetaXen and Arris Pharmaceutical. In October 1978, Dr. Ross was the tenth employee at Genentech, where he worked for 13 years. He served as Genentech team leader for the Humulin® Roferon®, Protropin® programs and was vice president of development during the development of Activase®, Nutropin® and Pulmozyme®. He then started Genentech’s antibody engineering, protein engineering and small molecule discovery effort as vice president of medicinal and biomolecular chemistry. Dr. Ross was the founding chief executive officer of Arris Pharmaceutical, MetaXen, ExSAR and CyThera (now Viacyte). Dr. Ross received his PhD in Chemistry from the California Institute of Technology and went on to do his post-doctoral work at Harvard. We believe that Dr. Ross is qualified to serve on our board of directors due to his extensive experience in the pharmaceuticals and investment industries.

Nikola Trbovic, PhD, has served as a member of our board of directors since May 2019. Dr. Trbovic joined SV Health Investors in January 2022 and has been a managing partner since January 2024. Prior to SV Health Investors, Dr. Trbovic was a partner at Pfizer Ventures from September 2014 to December 2021. Dr. Trbovic received his PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics from Columbia University and holds a Diploma in Biochemistry from Goethe University Frankfurt. We believe that Dr. Trbovic is qualified to serve on our board of directors due to his extensive experience in the pharmaceutical and investment industries. Dr. Trbovic has notified us that he will resign from our board of directors immediately prior to the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part.

Family Relationships

There are no family relationships among any of our executive officers or directors.

Composition of Our Board of Directors

Our business and affairs are managed under the direction of our board of directors. Our board of directors currently consists of 13 directors and will consist of seven members following the completion of this offering.

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Classified Board of Directors

Our board of directors may establish the authorized number of directors from time to time by resolution. In accordance with our Restated Charter to be filed in connection with this offering, immediately after this offering, our board of directors will be divided into three classes with staggered three-year terms. At each annual meeting of stockholders, the successors to directors whose terms then expire will be elected to serve from the time of election and qualification until the third annual meeting following election. Our directors will be divided among the three classes as follows:

•
the Class I directors will be , and , and their terms will expire at the annual meeting of stockholders to be held in 2027;
•
the Class II directors will be , and , and their terms will expire at the annual meeting of stockholders to be held in 2028; and
•
the Class III directors will be , and , and their terms will expire at the annual meeting of stockholders to be held in 2029.

Any increase or decrease in the number of directors will be distributed among the three classes so that, as nearly as possible, each class will consist of one third of the directors. This classification of our board of directors may have the effect of delaying or preventing changes in control of our Company.

Director Independence

Our board of directors has undertaken a review of the independence of each director. Based on the information provided by each director concerning his or her background, employment and affiliations, our board of directors has determined that each of our non-employee directors is independent under the rules of Nasdaq. Our board of directors has determined that Mr. Erwin, by virtue of his position as our chief executive officer, is not independent under applicable rules and regulations of the SEC and Nasdaq. In making this determination, the board of directors considered the relationships that such directors have with our Company and all other facts and circumstances that the board of directors deemed relevant in determining such directors’ independence, including beneficial ownership of our capital stock by each non-employee director and their affiliates, and the transactions involving them described or referenced in “Certain Relationships and Related Person Transactions.”

Board Leadership Structure

Our board of directors is currently chaired by M. Johnston Erwin, Jr., our Chief Executive Officer. The board of directors has appointed Carol G. Gallagher, PharmD, as our lead independent director. Our board of directors recognizes that it is important to determine an optimal board leadership structure to ensure the independent oversight of management as the company continues to grow. The lead independent director is chosen by the independent members of the board of directors. We believe that this separation of responsibilities ensures the appropriate level of oversight, independence and responsibility is applied to all board decisions.

The duties of our lead independent director include the following:

•
chairing meetings of the independent directors in executive session;
•
facilitating communications between other members of our board and our chairman and Chief Executive Officer;
•
reviewing and approving matters, such as agenda items, schedule sufficiency, and, where appropriate, information provided to other board members;
•
consulting with our chairman and Chief Executive Officer on matters relating to corporate governance and board performance; and
•
performing such other duties as the board may determine from time to time.

We believe that this separation of responsibilities provides a balanced approach to managing the board of directors and overseeing our company. Our board of directors has concluded that our current leadership structure is appropriate at this time. However, our board of directors will continue to periodically review our leadership structure and may make such changes in the future as it deems appropriate.

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Committees of Our Board of Directors

Our board of directors has established an audit committee, a compensation committee and a nominating and corporate governance committee. The composition and responsibilities of each of the committees of our board of directors are described below. Members serve on these committees until their resignation or until otherwise determined by our board of directors. Each committee will operate pursuant to a written charter that satisfies the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and Nasdaq, which we will post to our website at trex.bio upon the completion of this offering. Our board of directors may establish other committees as it deems necessary or appropriate from time to time. Information contained on, or accessible through, our website is not a part of this prospectus, and the inclusion of our website address in this prospectus is only an inactive textual reference.

Audit Committee

Our audit committee will operate under a written charter, effective upon the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, that satisfies the applicable Nasdaq rules.

The audit committee’s responsibilities upon completion of this offering will include:

•
appointing, approving the compensation of, and evaluating the qualifications, performance, procedures and independence of, our independent registered public accounting firm;
•
overseeing the work of our independent registered public accounting firm, including through the receipt and consideration of written periodic reports from such firm;
•
pre-approving all audit and permitted non-audit services to be performed by our independent registered public accounting firm;
•
reviewing and discussing with management and our independent registered public accounting firm our annual and quarterly financial statements and related disclosures, including earnings releases;
•
overseeing and periodically reviewing with our independent registered public accounting firm our compliance with all applicable requirements of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board;
•
reviewing and discussing with management and our independent registered public accounting firm any material issues regarding accounting principles and financial statement presentations and the steps taken to deal with such issues;
•
reviewing disclosures about any significant deficiencies or material weaknesses in our internal control structures and procedures, including disclosures in our annual and quarterly reports;
•
coordinating our board of directors’ oversight of our internal control over financial reporting, disclosure controls and procedures, code of business conduct and ethics, procedures for complaints and legal and regulatory matters;
•
reviewing and discussing with management and our independent registered public accounting firm any material issues regarding cybersecurity risks and processes for assessing, identifying and managing material risks from cybersecurity threats;
•
discussing our risk management policies with management;
•
establishing policies regarding hiring employees from our independent registered public accounting firm and procedures for the receipt and retention of accounting related complaints and concerns;
•
meeting independently with our independent registered public accounting firm and management;
•
reviewing and approving any related person transactions;
•
overseeing our guidelines and policies governing risk assessment and risk management;
•
overseeing and periodically reviewing the integrity of our information technology systems, process and data;
•
preparing the audit committee report required by SEC rules;
•
reviewing and assessing, at least annually, the adequacy of the audit committee’s charter; and
•
performing, at least annually, an evaluation of the performance of the audit committee.

All audit services and all non-audit services, other than de minimis non-audit services, to be provided to us by our independent registered public accounting firm must be approved in advance by our audit committee.

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The members of our audit committee will be , and . will chair the audit committee. Our board of directors has determined that each member of our audit committee has sufficient knowledge in financial and auditing matters to serve on the audit committee. Our board of directors has also determined that is an “audit committee financial expert,” as defined under Item 407 of Regulation S-K. Our board of directors has determined that each member of the audit committee satisfies the independence standards of the applicable rules of Nasdaq and the SEC.

Compensation Committee

Our compensation committee will operate under a written charter, effective upon the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, that satisfies the applicable Nasdaq rules.

Our compensation committee’s responsibilities upon completion of this offering will include:

•
reviewing and establishing our overall management compensation strategy and benefits philosophy and policies, including base salary, incentive compensation and equity-based grants;
•
reviewing and approving performance goals and objectives relevant to compensation of our chief executive officer and other executive officers;
•
evaluating the performance of the chief executive officer and executive officers in light of their performance goals and objectives, including during executive sessions of non-employee directors, and recommending to our board of directors the compensation of our chief executive officer and other executive officers;
•
reviewing and making recommendations to the board of directors with respect to non-employee director compensation;
•
reviewing, overseeing and administering our equity incentive plans, granting awards under such plan and making recommendations to the board of directors about the adoption of any new or modifying existing equity-based, cash-based, management incentive and deferred compensation plans;
•
establishing and reviewing “clawback” policies that allow the recouping of incentive compensation;
•
reviewing, considering and selecting, to the extent determined to be advisable, a peer group of appropriate companies for purposing of benchmarking and analysis of compensation for our executive officers and non-employee directors;
•
recommending to our board of directors any stock ownership guidelines for our executive officers and non-employee directors, periodically assessing these guidelines and recommending revisions as appropriate, and monitoring individual compliance with these guidelines;
•
retaining, appointing or obtaining advice of a compensation consultant, legal counsel or other advisor and determining the compensation and independence of such consultant or advisor;
•
preparing, if required, the compensation committee report on executive compensation for inclusion in our annual report on Form 10-K and our proxy statement in accordance with SEC rules;
•
monitoring our compliance with the requirements of Sarbanes-Oxley relating to loans to directors and officers;
•
reviewing and approving all employment contract and other compensation, severance and change-in-control arrangements for our executive officers;
•
establishing and periodically reviewing policies and procedures with respect to perquisites as they relate to our executive officers;
•
reviewing the risks associated with our compensation policies and practices;
•
overseeing the maintenance and presentation to our board of directors of management’s plans for succession to senior management positions based on guidelines developed and recommended to the compensation committee to the full board of directors;
•
reviewing our strategies, initiatives and programs with respect to our culture, talent recruitment, development, and retention, employee engagement and diversity and inclusion;
•
maintaining minutes of the compensation committee and reporting its actions and any recommendations to the board of directors on a periodic basis;
•
reviewing and assessing, at least annually, the adequacy of the compensation committee’s charter; and
•
performing, on an annual basis, an evaluation of the performance of the compensation committee.

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The members of our compensation committee will be , and . will chair the compensation committee. Our board of directors has determined that each member of the compensation committee satisfies the independence standards of the applicable rules of the Nasdaq and the SEC.

Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee

Our nominating and corporate governance committee will operate under a written charter, effective upon the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, that satisfies the applicable Nasdaq rules.

Our nominating and corporate governance committee’s responsibilities upon completion of this offering will include:

•
actively seeking and identifying individuals qualified to become members of our board of directors consistent with criteria approved by the board and receiving nominations for such qualified individuals;
•
recommending to our board of directors the persons to be nominated for election as directors and to each committee of the board;
•
establishing a policy under which our stockholders may recommend a candidate to the nominating and corporate governance committee for consideration for nomination as a director;
•
reviewing and recommending committee slates on an annual basis;
•
recommending to our board of directors qualified candidates to fill vacancies on our board of directors;
•
developing and recommending to our board of directors a set of corporate governance principles applicable to us and reviewing the principles on at least an annual basis;
•
reviewing and making recommendations to our board with respect to our board size, composition, leadership structure and board committee structure;
•
making recommendations to our board of directors of processes for annual evaluations of the performance of our board of directors and committees of our board of directors;
•
overseeing the process for annual evaluations of our board of directors and committees of our board of directors;
•
considering and reporting to our board of directors any questions of possible conflicts of interest of members of our board of directors;
•
providing new director orientation and continuing education for existing directors on a periodic basis;
•
overseeing the maintenance and presentation to our board of directors of management’s plans for succession to senior management positions in the Company;
•
reviewing and assessing, at least annually, the adequacy of the nominating and corporate governance committee’s charter; and
•
performing, on an annual basis, an evaluation of the performance of the nominating and corporate governance committee.

The members of our nominating and corporate governance committee will be and . will chair the nominating and corporate governance committee. Our board of directors has determined that each member of the nominating and corporate governance committee satisfies the independence standards of the applicable rules of Nasdaq.

Our board of directors may establish other committees from time to time.

Role of the Board of Directors in Risk Oversight

Our board of directors has, and upon the completion of this offering, its committees will also have, an active role in overseeing the management of our risks. Our board of directors is responsible for general oversight of risks and regular review of information regarding our risks, including credit risks, liquidity risks and operational risks. The compensation committee will be responsible for overseeing the management of risks relating to our executive compensation plans and arrangements. The audit committee will be responsible for overseeing the management of risks relating to accounting matters and financial reporting. The nominating and governance committee will be responsible for overseeing the management of risks associated with the independence of our board of directors and potential conflicts of interest. Although each committee will be responsible for evaluating certain risks and overseeing the management of such risks, the entire board of directors will be regularly informed through discussions from committee members about such risks.

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Code of Business Conduct and Ethics

In connection with this offering, we intend to adopt a written Code of Business Conduct and Ethics that applies to all our employees, officers and directors. This includes our principal executive officer, principal financial officer and principal accounting officer or controller, or persons performing similar functions. The full text of our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics will be posted on our website at trex.bio upon the completion of this offering. We intend to disclose on our website any future amendments of our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics or waivers that exempt any principal executive officer, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer or controller, persons performing similar functions or our directors from provisions in the Code of Business Conduct and Ethics.

Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation

None of the members of the compensation committee is currently, or has been at any time, one of our officers or employees. None of our executive officers currently serves, or has served during the last completed fiscal year, as a member of the board of directors or compensation committee of any entity that has one or more executive officers serving as a member of our board of directors or compensation committee.

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EXECUTIVE AND DIRECTOR COMPENSATION

The following discussion of compensation arrangements should be read with the compensation tables and related disclosures set forth below. This discussion may contain forward-looking statements that are based on our current plans, considerations, expectations and determinations regarding future compensation programs. Actual compensation programs that we adopt following the completion of this offering may differ materially from the currently planned programs summarized in this discussion.

Our named executive officers (“NEOs”) for the year ended December 31, 2025, which consist of our principal executive officer during 2025 and our two most highly compensated executive officers other than our principal executive officer during 2025, were:

•
M. Johnston Erwin, Jr., Chief Executive Officer and Director;
•
Ali Zarrin, Chief Scientific Officer; and
•
Laura Berner, Chief Operating Officer.

Summary Compensation Table

The following table sets forth the compensation awarded to, earned by, or paid to our named executive officers in respect of their service to us for fiscal year 2025.

 

Name and Principal Position

 

Year

 

Salary ($)

 

Bonus ($)(1)

 

Option Awards ($)(2)

 

Non-equity Incentive Plan Compensation

($)(3)

 

All Other Compensation ($)

 

Total ($)

 

M. Johnston Erwin, Jr.

Chief Executive Officer

 

2025

 

569,039

 

—

 

490,274

 

287,282

 

52,635

 

1,399,230

 

Ali Zarrin

Chief Scientific Officer

 

2025

 

377,737

 

200,000

 

223,860

 

122,636

 

11,884

 

936,117

 

Laura Berner

Chief Operating Officer

 

2025

 

456,269

 

—

 

147,083

 

153,182

 

14,000

 

770,534

 

 

(1)
The amount shown in this column for Mr. Zarrin reflects a retention bonus awarded in connection with his promotion to Chief Scientific Officer in August 2025. Mr. Zarrin is required to repay such amount if his employment is terminated by the Company for cause or he voluntarily resigns prior to August 13, 2026.
(2)
The amounts shown in this column reflect the grant date fair value of time-based stock option awards granted under the 2024 Plan (defined below) in fiscal year 2025, in each case computed in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718 and excluding the effect of estimated forfeitures. The assumptions used to value the stock options for this purpose are set forth in Note 8 to our audited financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus.
(3)
The amounts shown in this column reflect the annual bonus awards paid to our NEOs in respect of 2025 performance.
(4)
The amounts shown in the “All Other Compensation” column for fiscal year 2025 reflect Company matching contributions to our 401(k) plan and, in the case of Mr. Erwin, reimbursement for the cost of certain commuting expenses ($28,872) and a related tax gross-up on such reimbursements ($11,480).

Narrative to the Summary Compensation Table

Annual Base Salary

The employment agreement with Mr. Erwin, and the offer letters with each of Mr. Zarrin and Ms. Berner described below, establish an initial annual base salary for each named executive officer, which has been subsequently increased. As of the end of fiscal year 2025, Mr. Erwin’s annual base salary was $574,564, Mr. Zarrin’s annual base salary was $430,000 and Ms. Berner’s annual base salary was $460,699.

Annual Bonus

With respect to fiscal year 2025, each of Messrs. Erwin and Zarrin and Ms. Berner was eligible to receive an annual short-term bonus award, with the initial target amount of such bonus set forth in each named executive officer’s employment agreement or offer letter, each of which has been subsequently increased. For fiscal year 2025, the target bonus amount, expressed as a percentage of base salary, for our named executive officers was as follows: Mr. Erwin, 50%; Mr. Zarrin, 30% for the portion of the year preceding his promotion and 35% for the period thereafter; and Ms. Berner, 35%. The actual bonus amounts paid to our named executive officers for 2025, which were determined by our board of directors based on the attainment of company performance objectives related to product development milestones, are set forth in the Summary Compensation Table above.

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Equity Awards

Each of our named executive officers received a stock option grant during fiscal year 2025, the amount and terms of which are included in the “Outstanding Equity Awards as of December 31, 2025” table below.

Agreements with our Named Executive Officers; Severance Upon Termination of Employment

Each of our named executive officers is party to an amended employment agreement or amended offer letter (each agreement or offer letter, as most recently amended in connection with this offering, an “amended agreement”) that sets forth the terms and conditions of the named executive officer’s employment with us and provides for the named executive officer’s entitlement to an initial base salary and an initial target bonus amount, as described above. In addition, each of our named executive officers is bound by certain restrictive covenant and related obligations, as set forth (i) in the case of Mr. Erwin, in an Employee Invention Assignment and Confidentiality Agreement, and (ii) in the case of Mr. Zarrin and Ms. Berner, in a Confidentiality, Proprietary Rights, Restrictive Covenant and Arbitration Agreement, including non-disclosure obligations with respect to confidential information, assignment of work product and intellectual property rights and non-solicitation obligations with respect to company employees and consultants during the named executive officer’s employment and for 12 months after the termination of such employment.

If the employment of our named executive officers is terminated by us without cause (as defined in the executive’s amended agreement) or by the named executive officer in connection with the occurrence of certain events constituting “good reason” (as defined in the executive’s amended agreement) (each, a “qualifying termination”), the named executive officer will be entitled to receive continued payment of his or her base salary for nine months (12 months in the case of Mr. Erwin) following termination and reimbursement for the cost of COBRA continuation coverage during the applicable severance period. In addition, in the event the employment of a named executive officer is terminated as a result of a qualifying termination during the period beginning three months before and continuing for twelve months following the occurrence of a change in control, the named executive officer will be entitled to receive (i) continued payment of his or her base salary for 12 months (18 months in the case of Mr. Erwin) following termination; (ii) reimbursement for the cost of COBRA continuation coverage during the applicable severance period; (iii) a lump sum payment equal to 100% of the executive’s then-current target annual bonus (150% in the case of Mr. Erwin); and (iv) accelerated vesting with respect to all of his or her outstanding equity-based incentive compensation awards. All severance benefits are subject to the applicable named executive officer’s execution and non-revocation of a general release of claims in favor of the Company.

Outstanding Equity Awards as of December 31, 2025

The following table presents the outstanding equity awards held by each named executive officer as of December 31, 2025.

 

 

 

Option Awards

 

Name

 

Number of
Securities
Underlying
Unexercised
Options (#)
Exercisable

 

Number of
Securities
Underlying
Unexercised
Options (#)
Unexercisable

 

 

Option
Exercise
Price ($)

 

Option
Expiration
Date

 

M. Johnston Erwin, Jr.

 

1,157,506

 

—

(1)

 

$

0.28

 

11/22/2031

 

 

 

438,609

 

51,002

(2)

 

$

0.28

 

5/24/2032

 

 

 

296,060

 

1,480,301

(2)

 

$

0.32

 

4/10/2035

 

Ali Zarrin

 

18,225

 

2,120

(1)

 

$

0.28

 

5/24/2032

 

 

 

13,471

 

67,358

(2)

 

$

0.32

 

4/10/2035

 

 

 

59,910

 

659,021

(2)

 

$

0.32

 

9/30/2035

 

Laura Berner

 

94,998

 

—

(1)

 

$

0.28

 

11/22/2031

 

 

 

153,890

 

17,895

(2)

 

$

0.28

 

5/24/2032

 

 

 

35,001

 

14,413

(2)

 

$

0.28

 

2/25/2033

 

 

 

15,098

 

17,844

(2)

 

$

0.28

 

2/26/2034

 

 

 

88,818

 

444,091

(2)

 

$

0.32

 

4/10/2035

 

 

(1)
Reflects options that vested as to 25% of the underlying shares on the first anniversary of the grant date, and that vest in 36 equal monthly installments thereafter, generally subject to the named executive officer’s continued employment with or service to us through the applicable vesting date. Options have a term of ten years from the grant date.
(2)
Reflects options that vest as to 1/48 of the underlying shares on each monthly anniversary of the grant date, generally subject to the named executive officer’s continued employment with or service to us through the applicable vesting date. Options have a term of ten years from the grant date.

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Emerging Growth Company Status

We are an “emerging growth company,” as defined in the JOBS Act. As an emerging growth company we will be exempt from certain requirements related to the disclosure of executive compensation, including the requirements to hold a nonbinding advisory vote on executive compensation and to provide information relating to the ratio of total compensation of our chief executive officer to the median of the annual total compensation of all of our employees, each as required by the Investor Protection and Securities Reform Act of 2010, which is part of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.

Retirement Plan and Other Benefits

We currently provide broad-based health and welfare benefits that are available to our full-time employees, including our named executive officers, including health, life, disability, vision, and dental insurance. In addition, we participate in a 401(k) retirement plan for the benefit of our full time employees under which a matching contribution equal to 4% is provided. Other than the 401(k) plan, we do not provide any qualified or nonqualified retirement or deferred compensation benefits to our employees, including our named executive officers.

Clawback Policy

In connection with this offering, we intend to adopt a compensation recovery policy as required by Nasdaq Listing Rules and the Dodd-Frank Act.

Equity Incentive Plans

2024 Plan

On December 31, 2024, our board of directors adopted, and our stockholders approved, the Company’s 2024 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2024 Plan”). The 2024 Plan permits the grant of awards to employees, officers, directors and consultants of the Company or any parent or subsidiary of the Company. As of December 31, 2025, 8,401,123 shares of our common stock were subject to outstanding awards under the 2024 Plan and 2,709,580 shares remained available for future issuance. This summary is not a complete description of all provisions of the 2024 Plan and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the terms of such plan, which is filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part.

Plan Administration

The compensation committee of our board of directors administers the 2024 Plan. The compensation committee has the discretionary authority to interpret the 2024 Plan and awards granted thereunder, to approve the individuals to whom awards may from time to time be granted, to grant awards, and to determine the terms and conditions of any award. Our compensation committee may also delegate any or all of its powers to a subcommittee consisting of one or more directors or executive officers, as permitted by applicable law. As used in this summary, the term “Administrator” refers to our compensation committee and its authorized delegates, as applicable.

Eligibility

Employees, officers, directors and consultants of the Company or any parent or subsidiary of Company are eligible to participate in the 2024 Plan. Eligibility for incentive stock options is limited to our employees and those of any parent or subsidiary.

Transferability of Awards

The 2024 Plan generally does not allow for the transfer of awards other than by will or by the laws of descent or distribution, and with respect to non-statutory stock options for participants in the U.S., by instrument to an inter vivos or testamentary trust in which the non-statutory stock options are to be passed to beneficiaries upon the death of the trustor (settlor), or by gift to a “family member” as that term is defined in the applicable securities laws. Unless an award is transferred as described above, during the lifetime of the participant an award will be exercisable only by the participant or the participant’s legal representative.

Certain Adjustments

In the event that the Company’s common stock is changed by a stock dividend, recapitalization, stock split, reverse stock split, subdivision, combination, reclassification or other change in the capital structure of the Company affecting shares without consideration, then in order to prevent diminution or enlargement of the benefits or potential benefits intended to be made available under the 2024 Plan, the number and class of shares covered by each outstanding award, the number of shares that have been authorized for issuance under the 2024 Plan, and the price per share covered by each outstanding award will be proportionately adjusted.

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Effect of a Corporate Transaction

In the event of an Acquisition or Other Combination, as each term is defined below, each outstanding award will be assumed or substituted by the successor entity; settled in cash, cash equivalents, or securities of the successor entity (or its parent, if any), followed by the cancellation of such awards; or cancelled without consideration if not exercised in accordance with its terms upon or prior to consummation of the Acquisition or Other Combination. The vesting of outstanding awards may also be accelerated in connection with such transaction. For purposes of the 2024 Plan, an “Acquisition” means (i) any consolidation or merger in which the voting stock of the Company that is outstanding immediately prior to the consummation of such consolidation or merger represents less than 50% of the total voting power of the surviving entity that is outstanding immediately after the consummation of such consolidation or merger; (ii) a sale or other transfer in which more than 50% of the total voting power of the company, whether in one transaction or in a series of related transactions, is sold or transferred to a single person or entity or more than one such person(s) or entities acting in concert; or (iii) a sale, lease, transfer or other disposition, in a single transaction or series of related transactions, of all or substantially all of the company’s assets. The consummation of the contemplated offering will not constitute an Acquisition. For purposes of the 2024 Plan, an “Other Combination” means (a) any consolidation or merger in which the Company is a constituent entity and is not the surviving entity of such consolidation or merger or (b) any conversion of the Company into another form of entity; provided that such consolidation, merger or conversion does not constitute an Acquisition.

Amendments and Termination

Our board of directors may, at any time, (a) terminate or amend the 2024 Plan in any respect, including without limitation amendment of any form of award agreement issued thereunder, and (b) terminate any and all outstanding awards upon a dissolution or liquidation of the Company. No amendment or termination of the 2024 Plan will affect any share previously issued or any award previously granted under the 2024 Plan.

2026 Equity Incentive Plan

In connection with this offering, our board of directors intends to adopt the 2026 Plan, which will be effective on the date immediately prior to the date on which this offering becomes effective. The initial offering period under the ESPP is expected to commence in connection therewith. The following summary describes the material terms of the 2026 Plan. This summary is not a complete description of all provisions of the 2026 Plan and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the 2026 Plan, which will be filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part.

Purpose

The purpose of the 2026 Plan is to advance our interests by providing for the grant to our employees, directors, consultants and advisors of stock and stock-based awards.

Plan Administration

The 2026 Plan will be administered by the compensation committee of our board of directors (the “compensation committee”), except with respect to matters that are not delegated to our compensation committee by our board of directors. Our compensation committee (or our board of directors, as applicable) will have the discretionary authority to interpret the 2026 Plan and any awards granted under it, determine eligibility for and grant awards, determine the exercise price, base value from which appreciation is measured or purchase price, if any, applicable to any award, determine, modify, accelerate and waive the terms and conditions of any award, determine the form of settlement of any award, prescribe forms, rules and procedures relating to the 2026 Plan and awards and otherwise do all things necessary or desirable to carry out the purposes of the 2026 Plan or any award. Our compensation committee may delegate such of its duties, powers and responsibilities as it may determine to one or more of its members, members of our board and, to the extent permitted by law, our officers and may delegate to employees and other persons such ministerial tasks as it deems appropriate. As used in this summary, the term “Administrator” refers to our compensation committee and its authorized delegates, as applicable.

Eligibility

Our employees, directors, consultants and advisors are eligible to participate in the 2026 Plan. Eligibility for stock options intended to be incentive stock options (“ISOs”), is limited to our employees or employees of certain affiliates. Eligibility for stock options, other than ISOs, and stock appreciation rights (“SARs”), is limited to individuals who are providing direct services to us or certain affiliates on the date of grant of the award.

Authorized Shares

Subject to adjustment as described below, the maximum number of shares of our common stock that may be delivered in satisfaction of awards under the 2026 Plan is shares (the “share pool”). The share pool will automatically increase on January 1 of each year from 2027 to 2036 by the lesser of (i) five percent of the number of shares of diluted stock outstanding as of the close of business on the immediately preceding December 31 (which, for this purpose, includes shares of stock and

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unexercised pre-funded warrants to purchase shares of stock) and (ii) the number of shares determined by our board of directors on or prior to such date for such year. Up to a maximum of shares may be delivered in satisfaction of ISOs. The number of shares of our common stock delivered in satisfaction of awards under the 2026 Plan is determined (i) by excluding shares withheld by us in payment of the exercise price or purchase price of the award or in satisfaction of tax withholding requirements with respect to the award, (ii) by including only the number of shares delivered in settlement of a SAR that is settled in shares of our common stock and (iii) by excluding any shares underlying awards settled in cash or that expire, become unexercisable, terminate or are forfeited to or repurchased by us without the delivery of shares of our common stock (or retention, in the case of restricted stock or unrestricted stock). The number of shares available for delivery under the 2026 Plan will not be increased by any shares that have been delivered under the 2026 Plan and are subsequently repurchased using proceeds directly attributable to stock option exercises.

Shares that may be delivered under the 2026 Plan may be authorized but unissued shares, treasury shares or previously issued shares acquired by us.

Types of Awards

The 2026 Plan provides for the grant of stock options, SARs, restricted and unrestricted stock and stock units, performance awards and other awards that are convertible into or otherwise based on our common stock. Dividend equivalents may also be provided in connection with awards under the 2026 Plan. Dividends and dividend equivalents relating to an award that remains subject to a risk of forfeiture will be subject to the same risk of forfeiture as the underlying award, and no dividends or dividend equivalents will be payable with respect to stock options or SARs.

•
Stock Options and SARs. The Administrator may grant stock options, including ISOs, and SARs. A stock option is a right entitling the holder to acquire shares of our common stock upon payment of the applicable exercise price. A SAR is a right entitling the holder upon exercise to receive an amount (payable in cash or shares of equivalent value) equal to the excess of the fair market value of the shares subject to the right over the base value from which appreciation is measured. The exercise price per share of each stock option, and the base value of each SAR, granted under the 2026 Plan will be no less than 100% of the fair market value of a share on the date of grant (generally defined as the closing price of a share of common stock on the date of grant) (110% in the case of certain ISOs). Other than in connection with certain corporate transactions or changes to our capital structure, stock options and SARs granted under the 2026 Plan may not be repriced, amended or substituted for with new stock options or SARs having a lower exercise price or base value, nor may any consideration be paid upon the cancellation of any stock options or SARs that have a per share exercise or base price greater than the fair market value of a share on the date of such cancellation, in each case, without shareholder approval. Each stock option and SAR will have a maximum term of not more than ten years from the date of grant (or five years, in the case of certain ISOs).
•
Restricted and Unrestricted Stock and Stock Units. The Administrator may grant awards of stock, stock units, restricted stock and restricted stock units. A stock unit is an unfunded and unsecured promise, denominated in shares, to deliver shares or cash measured by the value of shares in the future, and a restricted stock unit is a stock unit that is subject to the satisfaction of specified performance or other vesting conditions. Restricted stock consists of shares subject to restrictions requiring that they be forfeited, redelivered or offered for sale to us if specified performance or other vesting conditions are not satisfied.
•
Performance Awards. The Administrator may grant performance awards, which are awards subject to the achievement of performance criteria.
•
Other Share-Based Awards. The Administrator may grant other awards that are convertible into or otherwise based on shares of our common stock, subject to such terms and conditions as it determines.
•
Substitute Awards. The Administrator may grant substitute awards in connection with certain corporate transactions, which may have terms and conditions that are different from the terms and conditions of the 2026 Plan.

Director Limits

The aggregate value of all compensation granted or paid to any director with respect to any calendar year, including awards granted under the 2026 Plan and cash fees or other compensation paid by us to such director outside of the 2026 Plan for his or her services as a director during such calendar year (which, for the avoidance of doubt, will not include compensation granted or paid to a director for services other than as a director, including, without limitation, for services as a consultant or advisor to the company), is subject to a limit of $ in the aggregate ($ in the aggregate with respect to a director’s first year of service on our board of directors).

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Vesting; Terms of Awards

The Administrator determines the terms and conditions of all awards granted under the 2026 Plan, including the time or times an award vests or becomes exercisable, the terms and conditions on which an award remains exercisable and the effect of termination of a participant’s employment or service on an award. The Administrator may at any time accelerate the vesting or exercisability of an award (or any portion thereof).

Non-transferability of Awards

Except as the Administrator may otherwise determine, awards may not be transferred other than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution.

Adjustments upon Certain Covered Transactions

In the event of certain covered transactions (including the consummation of a consolidation, merger or similar transaction, the sale of all or substantially all of our assets or shares of our common stock or our dissolution or liquidation), the Administrator may, with respect to outstanding awards, provide for (in each case, on such terms and subject to such conditions as it deems appropriate):

•
The assumption, substitution or continuation of some or all awards (or any portion thereof) by the acquiror or surviving entity;
•
The acceleration of exercisability or delivery of shares in respect of any award, in full or in part; and/or
•
The cash payment in respect of some or all awards (or any portion thereof) equal to the difference between the fair market value of the shares subject to the award and its exercise or base price, if any.

Except as the Administrator may otherwise determine, each award will automatically terminate or be forfeited immediately upon the consummation of the covered transaction, other than awards that are substituted for, assumed or that continue following the covered transaction.

Adjustments upon Changes in Capitalization

In the event of certain corporate transactions, including a stock dividend, stock split or combination of shares (including a reverse stock split), recapitalization or other change in our capital structure, the Administrator shall make appropriate adjustments to the maximum number of shares that may be delivered under the 2026 Plan, the number and kind of securities subject to, and, if applicable, the exercise or purchase prices (or base values) of outstanding awards, and any other provisions affected by such event.

Recovery of Compensation

The Administrator may provide that any outstanding award, the proceeds of any award or shares acquired thereunder and any other amounts received in respect of any award or shares acquired thereunder will be subject to forfeiture and disgorgement to us, with interest and other related earnings, if the participant to whom the award was granted is not in compliance with any provision of the 2026 Plan or any award, any non-competition, non-solicitation, no-hire, non-disparagement, confidentiality, invention assignment or other restrictive covenant or any Company policy that relates to trading on non-public information and permitted transactions with respect to shares of our common stock or that provides for forfeiture, disgorgement or clawback, including, to the extent applicable, the Company’s Policy for Recoupment of Incentive Compensation or as otherwise required by law.

Amendment and Termination

The Administrator may at any time amend the 2026 Plan or any outstanding award and may at any time terminate the 2026 Plan as to future awards. However, except as expressly provided in the 2026 Plan, the Administrator may not alter the terms of an award so as to materially and adversely affect a participant’s rights without the participant’s consent (unless the Administrator expressly reserved the right to do so in the 2026 Plan or at the time the award was granted). Any amendments to the 2026 Plan will be conditioned on shareholder approval to the extent required by applicable law or stock exchange requirements.

2026 Employee Stock Purchase Plan

In connection with this offering, our board of directors intends to adopt the ESPP, which will be effective upon the completion of this offering. The following summary describes the material terms of the ESPP. This summary is not a complete description of all provisions of the ESPP and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the ESPP, which will be filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part.

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Purpose

The purpose of the ESPP is to enable eligible employees of us and our participating subsidiaries to use payroll deductions to purchase shares of our common stock and thereby acquire an interest in us. The ESPP is intended to qualify as an “employee stock purchase plan” under Section 423 of the Code.

Plan Administration

The ESPP will be administered by the compensation committee, which will have the discretionary authority to administer and interpret the ESPP, determine eligibility under the ESPP, prescribe forms, rules and procedures relating to the ESPP and otherwise do all things necessary or desirable to carry out the purposes of the ESPP. The compensation committee may delegate such of its duties, powers and responsibilities as it may determine to one or more of its members, members of our board of directors and our officers and employees, in each case, to the extent permitted by law. As used in this summary, the term “Administrator” refers to the compensation committee and its authorized delegates, as applicable.

Eligibility

Participation in the ESPP will generally be limited to our employees and employees of our subsidiaries who are employed by us or one of our subsidiaries, as applicable, as of the first day of an applicable offering period and who satisfy the requirements set forth in the ESPP. The Administrator may establish additional or other eligibility requirements, or change the requirements set forth in the ESPP, to the extent consistent with Section 423 of the Code. Any employee who owns (or is deemed under statutory attribution rules to own) shares possessing five percent or more of the total combined voting power or value of all classes of shares of us or our parent or subsidiaries, if any, will not be eligible to participate in the ESPP.

Shares Subject to the ESPP

Subject to adjustment as described below, the aggregate number of shares of our common stock available for purchase pursuant to the exercise of options under the ESPP is shares, plus an automatic annual increase, as of January 1st of each year beginning in , equal to the lesser of (i) percent of the number of shares of diluted stock outstanding as of the close of business on the immediately preceding December 31 (which, for this purpose, includes shares of stock and unexercised pre-funded warrants to purchase shares of stock) and (ii) the number of shares determined by our board of directors on or prior to such date for such year. Shares to be delivered upon exercise of options under the ESPP may be authorized but unissued shares, treasury shares or previously issued shares acquired by us. If any option granted under the ESPP expires or terminates for any reason without having been exercised in full or ceases for any reason to be exercisable in whole or in part, the unpurchased shares subject to such option will remain available for purchase under the ESPP.

General Terms of Participation

The ESPP allows eligible employees to purchase shares of our common stock during specified offering periods. On the first day of each offering period, eligible employees will be granted an option to purchase shares of our common stock on the last business day of the offering period. A participant may purchase a maximum of shares with respect to any offering period (or such lesser number as the Administrator may prescribe). No participant will be granted an option under the ESPP that permits the participant’s right to purchase shares of our common stock under the ESPP and under all other employee stock purchase plans of us or our parent or subsidiaries, if any, to accrue at a rate that exceeds $25,000 in fair market value (or such other maximum as may be prescribed by the Code) for each calendar year during which any option granted to the participant is outstanding at any time, determined in accordance with Section 423 of the Code.

The purchase price of each share issued pursuant to the exercise of an option under the ESPP on an exercise date will be % (or such greater percentage as specified by the Administrator) of the lesser of: (a) the closing price of a share of our common stock on the date the option is granted (or, if no closing price is reported on that date, the reported closing price of a share of our common stock for the immediately preceding day that is a trading day), which will be the first day of the offering period, and (b) the closing price of a share of our common stock on the exercise date (or, if no closing price is reported on that date, the reported closing price of a share of our common stock for the immediately preceding day that is a trading day), which will be the last business day of the offering period.

The Administrator may change the commencement and exercise dates of offering periods, the purchase price, the maximum number of shares that may be purchased with respect to any offering period, the duration of any offering periods and other terms of the ESPP, in each case, without stockholder approval, except as required by law.

Participants in the ESPP will pay for shares purchased under the ESPP through payroll deductions. Participants may elect to authorize payroll deductions in an amount equal to a pre-established percentage of the participant’s eligible compensation each payroll period.

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Restrictions on Transfer

For participants who have purchased shares under the ESPP, the Administrator may impose restrictions prohibiting the transfer, sale, pledge or alienation of such shares, other than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution, for such period as may be determined by the Administrator.

Covered Transactions

In the event of a sale or transfer of all or substantially all of our stock or assets, or a merger or similar transaction in which we are not the surviving entity or which results in our acquisition by another person, the Administrator may provide that each outstanding option will be assumed or substituted for or will be cancelled and the balances of participants’ accounts returned or that the option period will end before the date of the proposed covered transaction.

Adjustments upon Changes in Capitalization

In the event of a stock dividend, stock split or combination of shares (including a reverse stock split), recapitalization or other change in our capital structure that constitutes an equity restructuring, the Administrator will make appropriate adjustments to the maximum number and type of shares available for purchase under the ESPP, the number and type of shares granted under any outstanding options, the maximum number and type of shares purchasable under any outstanding option and/or the purchase price per share under any outstanding option.

Amendment and Termination

The Administrator has discretion to amend the ESPP to any extent and in any manner it may deem advisable, provided that any amendment that would be treated as the adoption of a new plan for purposes of Section 423 of the Code will require stockholder approval. The Administrator may suspend or terminate the ESPP at any time.

Non-Employee Director Compensation

The following table sets forth the compensation awarded to, earned by, or paid to all individuals who served as non-employee directors during the year ended December 31, 2025. Mr. Erwin, our Chief Executive Officer, does not receive any compensation for his service as a director. The compensation awarded to, earned by or otherwise paid to Mr. Erwin for 2025 is included with that of our other named executive officers above.

 

Name

 

Fees Earned or
Paid in Cash
($)
(1)

 

Option
Awards
($)
(2)(3)

 

All Other
Compensation
($)
(4)

 

Total
($)

 

Carol G. Gallagher

 

70,000

 

107,193

 

—

 

177,193

 

Alexandra Cantley

 

—

 

—

 

—

 

—

 

Travis Coy

 

7,500

 

38,471

 

—

 

45,971

 

Julie Gilmore

 

—

 

—

 

—

 

—

 

Peter Hirth

 

40,000

 

—

 

20,000

 

60,000

 

Eric Huang

 

—

 

—

 

—

 

—

 

Joel S. Marcus

 

—

 

—

 

—

 

—

 

Sanjay Mistry

 

—

 

—

 

—

 

—

 

Christopher O’Donnell

 

—

 

—

 

—

 

—

 

Eric Pham

 

—

 

—

 

—

 

—

 

Michael Ross

 

—

 

—

 

—

 

—

 

Nikola Trbovic

 

—

 

—

 

—

 

—

 

 

(1)
Amounts reported in this column reflect cash fees earned for services provided as a director during the year ended December 31, 2025.
(2)
The amounts shown in this column reflect the grant date fair value of options to purchase shares of our common stock granted under the 2024 Plan to certain of our directors in fiscal year 2025 computed in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718, excluding the effect of estimated forfeitures. The assumptions used to value the stock option grants for this purpose are set forth in Note 8 to our audited financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus.

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(3)
As of December 31, 2025, certain of our directors held options to purchase shares of our common stock as follows: Mr. Hirth, 29,065; and Mr. Coy, 136,940. In addition, Ms. Gallagher holds 323,652 restricted shares that resulted from the early exercise of options granted to her in 2025.
(4)
Amounts reported in this column reflect fees paid for the provision of advisory services by Mr. Hirth pursuant to his consulting agreement with the Company, as described below.

Mr. Hirth entered into a consulting agreement with the Company in 2025 pursuant to which he provides specified services to the Company, including advice on scientific, portfolio and business matters, in exchange for a quarterly fee of $5,000. Prior to 2025, Ms. Gallagher had been subject to a consulting agreement with the Company pursuant to which she provided specified services to the Company. She received no amounts under this agreement in 2025.

In connection with this offering, we expect to adopt a non-employee director compensation policy, which will become effective upon completion of this offering. Under the policy, our non-employee directors will be compensated as follows:

•
each non-employee director will receive an annual cash retainer of $40,000 ($65,000 for the lead director);
•
each non-employee director who is a member of the audit committee will receive an additional annual cash retainer of $10,000 ($20,000 for the audit committee chair);
•
each non-employee director who is a member of our compensation committee will receive an additional annual cash retainer of $7,500 ($15,000 for our compensation committee chair); and
•
each non-employee director who is a member of the nominating and corporate governance committee will receive an additional annual cash retainer of $5,000 ($10,000 for the nominating and corporate governance committee chair);

Under the policy, each non-employee director who is first elected or appointed to our Board in connection with or after the completion of this offering will be granted an option under the 2026 Plan to purchase shares of our common stock, such stock option to vest in monthly installments over three years from grant. Commencing in fiscal year 2027, each non-employee director who is not first elected or appointed to the Board during the fiscal year of the annual meeting of our stockholders will be granted an annual option under the 2026 Plan to purchase shares of our common stock, such stock option to vest in full on the first anniversary of grant (or the next annual meeting, if earlier).

Each non-employee director is also entitled to reimbursement for reasonable travel and other expenses incurred in connection with attending meetings of our Board and any committee on which he or she serves.

 

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The following is a summary of transactions since January 1, 2024, to which we have been a party in which the amount involved exceeded the lesser of (i) $120,000 or (ii) one percent of the average of our total assets at year end for the last two completed fiscal years, and in which any of our executive officers, directors, promoters or beneficial holders of more than 5% of our capital stock had or will have a direct or indirect material interest, other than compensation arrangements which are described under the section of this prospectus captioned “Executive and Director Compensation.” We believe the terms obtained or consideration that we paid or received, as applicable, in connection with the transactions described below were comparable to terms available or the amounts that would be paid or received, as applicable, in arm’s-length transactions with unrelated third parties.

Series B Preferred Stock Financing

In November 2024, we issued and sold an aggregate of 13,683,972 shares of Series B preferred stock at a price per share of $3.0897 in cash, for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $42.3 million. In March 2025, we issued and sold an aggregate of 13,522,143 shares of Series B preferred stock in an additional closing of our Series B preferred stock at the same price per share as at the first closing for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $41.8 million. In January 2026, we issued and sold an aggregate of 16,182,795 shares of Series B preferred stock in an extension of our Series B preferred stock financing at the same price per share as at the first and second closings for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $50.0 million.

The following table sets forth the aggregate numbers of shares of our Series B preferred stock that we sold to our 5% stockholders and their affiliates in the first closing, second closing and extension, and the aggregate amount of consideration for such shares:

 

Participants

 

Series B
Preferred
Stock

 

Total
Purchase
Price

 

Eli Lilly and Company

 

8,098,748

 

$

25,022,702

 

Entities affiliated with SV Health Investors(1)

 

8,213,495

 

$

25,377,236

 

Pfizer Ventures (US) LLC(2)

 

2,232,960

 

$

6,899,177

 

Johnson & Johnson Innovation – JJDC, Inc.

 

2,217,311

 

$

6,850,826

 

Janus Henderson Biotech Innovation Master Fund Limited

 

4,854,840

 

$

14,999,999

 

Entities affiliated with Joel S. Marcus(3)

 

3,642,215

 

$

11,253,352

 

Delos Capital Fund III, LP(4)

 

4,442,357

 

$

13,725,550

 

Polaris Partners X, L.P.(5)

 

1,870,573

 

$

5,779,509

 

 

(1)
Michael Ross and Nikola Trbovic, who serve as members of our board of directors, are managing partners at SV Health Investors, LLC.
(2)
Christopher O’Donnell, a member of our board of directors, is a partner at Pfizer Ventures (US) LLC.
(3)
Joel S. Marcus, a member of our board of directors, is the executive chairman of Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. is the managing member of Alexandria Venture Investments, LLC. Alexandria Venture Investments, LLC holds more than 5% of our capital stock.
(4)
Eric Huang, a member of our board of directors, is a partner at Delos Capital.
(5)
Alexandra Cantley, a member of our board of directors, is a partner at Polaris Partners.

 

See the section titled “Principal Stockholders” for additional information regarding beneficial ownership of our capital stock and Series B preferred stock. See the sections titled “Description of Capital Stock—Common Stock” and “Description of Capital Stock—Preferred Stock” for additional information regarding these securities.

Agreements with Eli Lilly and Company

We were party to a Laboratory License Agreement with Lilly for office and laboratory space in South San Francisco, California, dated December 12, 2019, as amended (the “Lab License”), which term expired in August 2026. During the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2025, and the six months ended June 30, 2026, we paid Lilly approximately $1.3 million, $1.4 million and $0.7 million, respectively, pursuant to the Lab License.

We are also party to a Master Management Services Agreement with Lilly, dated July 17, 2025 (the “Lilly Services Agreement”), pursuant to which we retained Lilly to provide preclinical research and development services in support of one or more of our research projects. During the year ended December 31, 2025 and the six months ended June 30, 2026, we paid Lilly approximately $0.1 million and less than $0.1 million, respectively, pursuant to the Lilly Services Agreement.

For information regarding the Lilly Collaboration Agreement, see “Business—Intellectual Property—License and Collaboration Agreements—Our Research Collaboration and License Agreement with Lilly.”

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Lilly owns more than 5% of our capital stock and owned more than 5% of our capital stock during the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2025.

Agreements with Johnson & Johnson

We had been party to a Collaboration and License Agreement with Janssen Pharmaceutica NV (“Janssen”), one of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson and an affiliate of Johnson & Johnson Innovation – JJDC, Inc. (“JJDC”), dated as of December 28, 2021 (the “Janssen Agreement”), pursuant to which Janssen exercised an option in January 2024 to obtain exclusive and non-exclusive licenses with respect to for up to three targets arising out of the parties’ research collaboration. In connection with this option exercise, we received a $1.0 million option exercise fee during the year ended December 31, 2024. Janssen delivered a notice of termination of the Janssen Agreement for convenience in July 2025. There are no programs currently in development under the Janssen Agreement and all licenses under the Janssen Agreement terminated in October 2025, 90 days after receipt of the notice of termination.

JJDC owns more than 5% of our capital stock and owned more than 5% of our capital stock during the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2025.

Alexandria Real Estate Lease

On April 15, 2026, the Company entered into a lease agreement with ARE-San Francisco No. 46, LLC for research laboratory and office space (the “ARE Lease”). Alexandria Venture Investments, LLC, is affiliated with ARE-San Francisco No. 46, LLC. The lease commenced in August 2026 and expires in November 2028. During the six months ended June 30, 2026, we paid ARE-San Francisco No. 46, LLC approximately $0.2 million in prepaid rent for the first full month in which base rent is payable under the ARE Lease.

For information regarding the ARE Lease, see “Business—Facilities.”

Alexandria Venture Investments, LLC owns more than 5% of our capital stock and owned more than 5% of our capital stock during the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2025.

Investor Rights Agreement

We are party to an Amended and Restated Investors’ Rights Agreement (the “Investors’ Rights Agreement”) with our current stockholders. Pursuant to the terms of the Investors’ Rights Agreement, we granted certain stockholders certain management, observer information rights and a right of first offer for future stock issuances, which rights terminate upon this offering. The Investors’ Rights Agreement also grants these stockholders certain registration rights. See the section titled “Description of Capital Stock—Registration Rights” for additional information regarding these registration rights. Certain other provisions of the Investors’ Rights Agreement will terminate upon completion of this offering.

Director and Officer Indemnification and Insurance

We have agreed to indemnify each of our directors and executive officers against certain liabilities, costs and expenses, and have purchased directors’ and officers’ liability insurance. We also maintain a general liability insurance policy which covers certain liabilities of directors and officers arising out of claims based on acts or omissions in their capacities as directors or officers. See the section titled “Executive and Director Compensation—Limitations on Liability and Indemnification.”

Directed Share Program

At our request, the underwriters have reserved up to     shares of common stock offered by this prospectus for sale (approximately 5%) at the initial public offering price to certain individuals through a directed share program, including our directors, officers, employees and certain other individuals identified by management. The directed share program will not limit the ability of our directors, officers and their family members, or holders of more than 5% of our capital stock, to purchase more than $120,000 in value of our common stock. We do not currently know the extent to which these related persons will participate in our directed share program, if at all, or the extent to which they will purchase more than $120,000 in value of our common stock. See the section titled “Underwriting-Directed Share Program.”

Related Person Transactions Policy

Our board of directors intends to adopt a written related person transaction policy, to be effective upon the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, setting forth the policies and procedures for the review and approval or ratification of related person transactions. This policy will cover, with certain exceptions set forth in Item 404 of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act, any transaction, arrangement or relationship, or any series of similar transactions, arrangements or relationships, in which we were or are to be a participant, where the amount involved exceeds in any fiscal year the lesser of $120,000 and a related person had, has or will have a direct or indirect material interest, including, without limitation, purchases of goods or services by or from the related person or entities in which the related person has a material interest, indebtedness, guarantees of indebtedness and employment by us of a related person. In reviewing and approving any such transactions, our audit committee will be tasked with considering all relevant facts and circumstances, including, but not limited to, whether the transaction is on terms comparable to those that could be obtained in an arm’s length transaction and

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the extent of the related person’s interest in the transaction. All of the transactions described in this section occurred prior to the adoption of this policy.

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PRINCIPAL STOCKHOLDERS

The following table sets forth certain information with respect to the beneficial ownership of our common stock as of , 2026 (i) immediately prior to the completion of this offering and (ii) as adjusted to reflect the sale of shares of our common stock offered by this prospectus by:

•
each person or group of affiliated persons who we know beneficially owns more than 5% of our common stock;
•
each of our directors;
•
each of our named executive officers; and
•
all of our directors and executive officers as a group.

Our calculation of beneficial ownership and percentage ownership prior to and after this offering is based on 73,867,448 shares of our common stock outstanding as of June 30, 2026, after giving effect to the Preferred Stock Conversion. For further information, see the section titled “Prospectus Summary—The Offering.”

Beneficial ownership and percentage ownership are determined in accordance with the rules and regulations of the SEC. Under SEC rules, a person is deemed to be a “beneficial owner” of a security if that person has or shares voting power or investment power, which includes the power to dispose of or to direct the disposition of such security. A person is also deemed to be a beneficial owner of any securities of which that person has a right to acquire beneficial ownership within 60 days. Securities that can be so acquired are deemed to be outstanding for purposes of computing such person’s ownership percentage, but not for purposes of computing any other person’s percentage. Under these rules, more than one person may be deemed to be a beneficial owner of the same securities, and a person may be deemed to be a beneficial owner of securities as to which such person has no economic interest. Except as indicated in the footnotes to the following table or pursuant to applicable community property laws, we believe, based on information furnished to us, that each shareholder named in the table has sole voting and investment power with respect to the shares set forth opposite such shareholder’s name.

The table below does not reflect any shares of our common stock that our directors, executive officers, or other shareholders may purchase through our directed share program or in this offering.

For further information regarding material transactions between us and certain of our shareholders, see the section titled “Certain Relationships and Related Person Transactions.”

 

 

 

Number of Shares

 

Percentage of Shares Beneficially Owned

Name of Beneficial Owner(1)

 

Beneficially Owned

 

Before Offering

 

After Offering

5% or Greater Stockholders:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eli Lilly and Company(2)

 

 

 

 

%

 

 

 

%

 

Entities affiliated with SV Health Investors(3)

 

 

 

 

%

 

 

 

%

 

Pfizer Ventures (US) LLC(4)

 

 

 

 

%

 

 

 

%

 

Johnson & Johnson Innovation – JJDC, Inc. (5)

 

 

 

 

%

 

 

 

%

 

Janus Henderson Biotech Innovation Master Fund Limited(6)

 

 

 

 

%

 

 

 

%

 

Alexandria Venture Investments, LLC(7)

 

 

 

 

%

 

 

 

%

 

Delos Capital Fund III, LP(8)

 

 

 

 

%

 

 

 

%

 

Polaris Partners X, L.P.(9)

 

 

 

 

%

 

 

 

%

 

Directors and Named Executive Officers:

 

 

 

 

%

 

 

 

%

 

M. Johnston Erwin, Jr.(10)

 

 

 

 

%

 

 

 

%

 

Ali Zarrin(11)

 

 

 

 

%

 

 

 

%

 

Laura Berner(12)

 

 

 

 

%

 

 

 

%

 

Carol G. Gallagher(13)

 

 

 

 

%

 

 

 

%

 

Alexandra Cantley(14)**

 

 

 

 

%

 

 

 

%

 

Travis Coy(15)

 

 

 

%

 

 

 

%

 

Julie Gilmore(16)**

 

 

 

%

 

 

 

%

 

Peter Hirth(17)

 

 

 

 

%

 

 

 

%

 

Eric Huang(18)**

 

 

 

 

%

 

 

 

%

 

Joel S. Marcus (19)

 

 

 

%

 

 

 

%

 

Sanjay Mistry (20)**

 

 

 

%

 

 

 

%

 

Christopher O’Donnell(21)**

 

 

 

%

 

 

 

%

 

Eric Pham**

 

 

 

%

 

 

 

%

 

Michael Ross(22)

 

 

 

%

 

 

 

%

 

Nikola Trbovic(22)**

 

 

 

%

 

 

 

%

 

All executive officers and directors as a group (17 persons)

 

 

 

%

 

 

 

%

 

 

* Represents beneficial ownership of less than 1%.

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** Drs. Cantley, Huang, Mistry, O’Donnell, Pham and Trbovic have each notified us that he or she will resign from our board of directors immediately prior to the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part.

(1)
Except as otherwise noted, the business address of each of the named individuals in this table is c/o TRex Bio, Inc., 269 East Grand Avenue, Suite 300, South San Francisco, CA 94080.
(2)
Consists of (i) shares of common stock issuable upon the conversion of Series A redeemable convertible preferred stock held by and (ii) shares of common stock issuable upon the conversion of Series B redeemable convertible preferred stock held by Lilly. Lilly has the sole power to vote or direct the vote of an aggregate of shares and has the sole power to dispose or direct the disposition of an aggregate of shares. As of December 31, 2025, the board of directors of Lilly was comprised of the following individuals: David A. Ricks, Ralph Alvarez, Katherine Baicker, Carolyn R. Bertozzi, J. Erik Fyrwald, Mary Lynne Hedley, Jamere Jackson, Kimberly H. Johnson, William G. Kaelin Jr., Juan R. Luciano, Jon Moeller and Gabrielle Sulzberger. Lilly is a publicly traded company. The address of Lilly is Lilly Corporate Center Indianapolis, Indiana 46285.
(3)
Consists of shares managed by both SV Health Investors, LLC and SV Health Managers LLP (together, “SV Health”). The shares managed by SV Health Investors, LLC consists of (i) shares of common stock issued or issuable upon the conversion of Series A and Series B redeemable convertible preferred stock held by SV Life Sciences Fund VI Strategic Partners L.P., or SV Strategic Partners VI, (ii) shares of common stock issued or issuable upon the conversion of Series A and Series B redeemable convertible preferred stock held by SV Life Sciences Fund VI, L.P., or SV Fund VI and (iii) shares of common stock issuable upon the conversion of Series B redeemable convertible preferred stock held by SV TRex Coinvestment, L.P., or SV Coinvestment. SVLSF VI, LLC is the general partner of SV Life Sciences Fund VI (GP), L.P., which is the general partner of each of SV Fund VI, SV Strategic Partners VI and SV Coinvestment. The shares managed by SV Health Managers LLP consists shares of common stock issuable upon the conversion Series B redeemable convertible preferred stock held by SV Biotech Crossover Opportunities Fund LP (“SV Crossover”). SV BCO I GP LLP is the general partner of SV Crossover. Michael Ross, Ph.D. (“Dr. Ross”) is a member of the investment committees of SVLSF VI, LLC and SV BCO I GP LLP and may be deemed to share voting and dispositive power over the shares held by each of SV Coinvestment, SV Crossover, SV Fund VI and SV Strategic Partners VI. Nikola Trbovic, Ph. D. (“Dr. Trbovic”), a member of our board of directors, is a member of the investment committee of SV BCO I GP LLP and may be deemed to share voting and dispositive power over the shares held by SV Crossover. The address of the principal business office for the entities managed by SV Health Investors, LLC and individuals listed above is c/o SV Health Investors, 28 State Street, Suite 980, Boston, MA 02109. The address of the principal business office for the entities managed by SV Health Managers LLP is 71 Kingsway, Holborn, London, WC2B 6ST.
(4)
Consists of (i) shares of common stock issuable upon the conversion of Series A redeemable convertible preferred stock held by and (ii) shares of common stock issuable upon the conversion of Series B redeemable convertible preferred stock held by Pfizer Ventures (US) LLC. The address of Pfizer Ventures (US) LLC is c/o Pfizer Inc., 66 Hudson Blvd. East, New York, NY 10001. Pfizer Inc. is the parent company of Pfizer Ventures (US) LLC and may be deemed to beneficially own the shares directly owned by Pfizer Ventures (US) LLC. As of December 31, 2025, the board of directors of Pfizer Inc. was comprised of the following individuals: Dr. Albert Bourla, Shantanu Narayen, Ronald E. Blaylock, Mortimer J. Buckley, Susan Desmond-Hellmann, Joseph J. Echevarria, Scott Gottlieb, Susan Hockfield, Dan R. Littman, Suzanne Nora Johnson, James Quincey, James C. Smith and Cyrus Taraporevala. Pfizer Inc. is a publicly traded company. The address for Pfizer Inc. is 66 Hudson Blvd. East, New York, NY 10001.
(5)
Consists of (i) shares of common stock issuable upon the conversion of Series A redeemable convertible preferred stock held by Johnson & Johnson Innovation—JJDC, Inc. (“JJDC”) and (ii) shares of common stock issuable upon the conversion of Series B redeemable convertible preferred stock held by JJDC. JJDC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson (“J&J”). J&J may be deemed to indirectly beneficially own the shares that are directly beneficially owned by JJDC. As of December 31, 2025, the board of directors of J&J was comprised of the following individuals: Mary C. Beckerle, Jennifer A. Doudna, Joaquin Duato, Marillyn A. Hewsom, Paula A. Johnson, Hubert Joly, Mark B. McClellan, John G. Morikis, Daniel E. Pinto, Mark A. Weinberger, Nadja Y. West and Eugene A. Woods. J&J is a publicly traded company. The principal business address of J&J is One Johnson & Johnson Plaza, New Brunswick, NJ 08933, and the principal business address of JJDC is 410 George Street, New Brunswick, NJ 08901.
(6)
Consists of shares of common stock issuable upon the conversion of Series B redeemable convertible preferred stock directly held by Janus Henderson Biotech Innovation Master Fund Limited (“Master Fund”). Such shares may be deemed to be beneficially owned by Janus Henderson Investors US LLC (“Janus”), an investment adviser to the Master Fund, and, in such capacity, has the ability to make decisions with respect to the voting and disposition of the shares subject to the oversight of the board of directors of the Master Fund. Under the terms of its management contract with the Master Fund, Janus has overall responsibility for directing the investments of the Master Fund in accordance with the Master Fund’s investment objective, policies and limitations. The Master Fund has one or more portfolio managers appointed by and serving at the pleasure of Janus whom makes decisions with respect to the disposition of the shares of common stock offered hereby. The principal address for the Master Fund is c/o Janus Henderson Investors US LLC, 151

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Detroit Street, Denver, Colorado 80206. The portfolio managers for the Master Fund are Andrew Acker, Daniel S. Lyons and Agustin Mohedas.
(1)
Consists of (i) shares of common stock issuable upon the conversion of Series A redeemable convertible preferred stock held by and (ii) shares of common stock issuable upon the conversion of Series B redeemable convertible preferred stock held by Alexandria Venture Investments, LLC (“Alexandria”). The managing member of Alexandria is Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc., which has full voting and investment power with respect to the shares owned by Alexandria. Joel S. Marcus is the Executive Chairman of Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. and may be deemed to have voting and investment power with respect to the shares owned by Alexandria. Mr. Marcus disclaims beneficial ownership of the shares held by Alexandria, except to the extent of his underlying pecuniary interest therein. The address of Alexandria is 26 North Euclid Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91101.
(8)
Consists of shares of common stock issuable upon the conversion of Series B redeemable convertible preferred stock held by Delos Capital Fund III, LP (“Delos Capital Fund”). Delos Capital GP III, LLC (“Delos GP”) is the general partner of Delos Capital Fund and holds voting and dispositive power over the shares held by Delos Capital Fund. Voting, investment and dispositive power with respect to the shares held by Delos Capital Fund are made collectively by the managers of Delos GP, Henry Chen and Frank Chen. Dr. Huang is a partner at Delos Advisors Inc., an entity affiliated with Delos Capital Fund and Delos GP, and a member of our board of directors. Dr. Huang has no voting or dispositive power with respect to any of the above referenced shares and disclaims beneficial ownership of such shares except to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein. The address of Delos Capital Fund is c/o Delos Advisors Inc., 201 Broadway, Suite 330, Cambridge, MA 02139.
(9)
Consists of (i) shares of common stock issuable upon the conversion of Series A redeemable convertible preferred stock and (ii) shares of common stock issuable upon the conversion of Series B redeemable convertible preferred stock held by Polaris Partners X, L.P. (“PP X”). Polaris Partners GP X, L.L.C. (“PP GP X”) is the general partner of PP X and may be deemed to have sole voting and dispositive power with respect to the shares held by PP X. Brian Chee, and Amy Schulman (together, the “PP GP X Managing Members”) are the managing members of PP GP X. Dr. Cantley is a partner at Polaris Partners, an entity affiliated with PP X and PP GP X, and a member of our board of directors. Dr. Cantley holds an interest in PP GP X. Each of the PP GP X Managing Members and Dr. Cantley, in their respective capacities with respect to PP GP X, may be deemed to have shared voting and dispositive power with respect to the shares held by PP X. The principal business address for all entities and individuals affiliated with Polaris Partners is c/o Polaris Partners, One Marina Park Drive, 8th Floor, Boston, MA 02210.
(10)
Consists of (i) shares of common stock and (ii) shares of common stock subject to options exercisable within 60 days of June 30, 2026, held by M. Johnston Erwin, Jr.
(11)
Consists of (i) shares of common stock and (ii) shares of common stock subject to options exercisable within 60 days of June 30, 2026, held by Ali Zarrin.
(12)
Consists of (i) shares of common stock and (ii) shares of common stock subject to options exercisable within 60 days of June 30, 2026, held by Laura Berner.
(13)
Consists of shares of common stock held by Carol G. Gallagher.
(14)
Does not include shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of redeemable convertible preferred stock held by PP X. Dr. Cantley is a partner at Polaris Partners. Dr. Cantley, a current member of our board of directors, has notified us that she will resign from our board of directors immediately prior to the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part.
(15)
Consists of shares of common stock subject to options exercisable within 60 days of June 30, 2026, held by Travis Coy.
(16)
Does not include shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of redeemable convertible preferred stock held by Lilly. Dr. Gilmore is a vice president and Global Head of Lilly Gateway Labs at Lilly.
(17)
Consists of (i) shares of common stock and (ii) shares of common stock subject to options exercisable within 60 days of June 30, 2026, held by Peter Hirth.
(18)
Does not include shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of redeemable convertible preferred stock held by Delos Capital Fund III, LP. Dr. Huang is a partner at Delos Advisors Inc. Dr. Huang, a current member of our board of directors, has notified us that he will resign from our board of directors immediately prior to the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part.
(19)
Consists of shares of common stock issuable upon the conversion of Series B redeemable convertible preferred stock directly held by Joel S. Marcus.

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(8)
Does not include shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of redeemable convertible preferred stock held by Johnson & Johnson Innovation – JJDC Inc. Dr. Mistry is a vice president at Johnson & Johnson Innovation – JJDC Inc. Dr. Mistry, a current member of our board of directors, has notified us that he will resign from our board of directors immediately prior to the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part.
(9)
Does not include shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of redeemable convertible preferred stock held by Pfizer Ventures (US) LLC. Dr. O’Donnell is a partner at Pfizer Ventures (US) LLC and is a vice president of worldwide business development at Pfizer Inc. Dr. O’Donnell, a current member of our board of directors, has notified us that he will resign from our board of directors immediately prior to the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part.
(10)
Does not include shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of redeemable convertible preferred stock held by funds affiliated with SV Health. Dr. Ross and Dr. Trbovic are managing partners at certain funds affiliated with SV Health. As a result, by virtue of the relationships described in footnote 3 above, Dr. Ross and Dr. Trbovic may be deemed to share beneficial ownership of such securities held by certain funds affiliated with SV Health. Dr. Trbovic, a current member of our board of directors, has notified us that he will resign from our board of directors immediately prior to the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part.

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DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK

The following description of our capital stock and provisions of our Restated Charter and Restated Bylaws as they will be in effect prior to the completion of this offering are summaries and are qualified in their entirety by reference to our Restated Charter and Restated Bylaws that will be in effect prior to the completion of this offering. Copies of these documents are filed as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part.

General

Following the completion of this offering, our authorized capital stock will consist of shares of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, and shares of preferred stock, par value $ per share, all of which preferred stock will be undesignated.

As of June 30, 2026, after giving effect to the Preferred Stock Conversion, there were 73,867,448 shares of our common stock outstanding, held of record by 119 stockholders. No shares of preferred stock will be issued and outstanding immediately after completion of this offering.

Common Stock

Holders of our common stock are entitled to one vote for each share held on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders and do not have cumulative voting rights. An election of directors by our stockholders shall be determined by a majority of the votes cast by the stockholders entitled to vote on the election, except in the case of a contested election, in which case the election shall be determined by a plurality of the votes cast by the stockholders entitled to vote on the election. Holders of common stock are entitled to receive proportionately any dividends as may be declared by our board of directors, subject to any preferential dividend rights of any series of preferred stock that we may designate and issue in the future.

In the event of our liquidation or dissolution, the holders of common stock are entitled to receive proportionately our net assets available for distribution to stockholders after the payment of all debts and other liabilities and subject to the prior rights of any outstanding preferred stock. Holders of common stock have no preemptive, subscription, redemption or conversion rights. Our outstanding shares of common stock are, and the shares offered by us in this offering will be, when issued and paid for, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable. The rights, preferences and privileges of holders of common stock are subject to and may be adversely affected by the rights of the holders of shares of any series of preferred stock that we may designate and issue in the future.

Preferred Stock

Under the terms of our Restated Charter that will be in effect prior to the completion of this offering, our board of directors is authorized to direct us to issue shares of preferred stock in one or more series without stockholder approval. Our board of directors has the discretion to determine the rights, preferences, privileges and restrictions, including voting rights, dividend rights, conversion rights, redemption privileges and liquidation preferences, of each series of preferred stock.

The purpose of authorizing our board of directors to issue preferred stock and determine its rights and preferences is to eliminate delays associated with a stockholder vote on specific issuances. The issuance of preferred stock, while providing flexibility in connection with possible acquisitions, future financings and other corporate purposes, could have the effect of making it more difficult for a third-party to acquire, or could discourage a third-party from seeking to acquire, a majority of our outstanding voting stock. Upon the completion of this offering, there will be no shares of preferred stock outstanding, and we have no present plans to issue any shares of preferred stock.

Options

As of June 30, 2026, options to purchase 11,518,123 shares of our common stock were outstanding at a weighted-average exercise price of $0.31 per share, of which options to purchase 4,163,269 shares were vested and exercisable. For additional information regarding the terms of our Incentive Plans, see the sections titled “Executive and Director Compensation—Equity Incentive Plans.”

Registration Rights

Our Investors’ Rights Agreement grants the parties thereto certain registration rights in respect of the “registrable securities” held by them, which securities include (i) the Common Stock issuable or issued upon conversion of the Preferred Stock; (ii) any Common Stock, or any Common Stock issued or issuable (directly or indirectly) upon conversion and/or exercise of any other securities of the Company, acquired by the Investors; and (iii) any Common Stock issued as (or issuable upon the conversion or exercise of any warrant, right, or other security that is issued as) a dividend or other distribution with respect to, or in exchange for or in replacement of, the shares referenced in clauses (i) through (iii) above. The registration of shares of our common stock pursuant to the exercise of these registration rights would enable the holders thereof to sell such shares without restriction under the Securities Act when the applicable registration statement is declared effective. Under the Investors’

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Rights Agreement, we will pay all expenses relating to such registrations, including the fees of one counsel for the participating holders, and the holders will pay all underwriting discounts and commissions relating to the sale of their shares. The Investors’ Rights Agreement includes customary indemnification and procedural terms.

The demand and piggyback registration rights granted under the Investors’ Rights Agreement will terminate, as to any particular holder, upon the earliest to occur of (i) the closing of a Deemed Liquidation Event (as defined in our Restated Charter), (ii) such time after consummation of this offering as Rule 144 or another similar exemption under the Securities Act is available for the sale of all of such holder’s shares without limitation during a three-month period without registration and (iii) the fifth anniversary of this offering.

Demand Registration Rights

At any time after the earlier of (i) five years after the date of the Investors’ Rights Agreement or (ii) 180 days after the effective date of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, the holders of the majority of the registrable securities then outstanding may request that we file a registration statement on Form S-1 with respect at least 60% of the registrable securities or a lesser percent if the anticipated aggregate offering price would exceed $50,000,000 net of selling expenses, as defined in the Investors’ Rights Agreement.

Piggyback Registration Rights

In the event that we propose to register any of our securities under the Securities Act, either for our own account or for the account of other security holders (other than (i) a registration relating to the demand or S-3 registration rights described herein, (ii) a registration relating to the sale or grant of securities to our employees or consultants pursuant to a stock option, stock purchase, equity incentive or similar plan, (iii) a registration relating to a SEC Rule 145 transaction, (iv) a registration on any form that does not include substantially the same information as would be required to be included in a registration statement covering the sale of registrable securities, or (v) a registration in which the only common stock being registered is common stock issuable upon conversion of debt securities that are also being registered, the holders of registrable securities will be entitled to certain “piggyback” registration rights pursuant to the Investors’ Rights Agreement , allowing them to include their registrable securities in such registration, subject to certain marketing and other limitations. As a result, whenever we propose to file a registration statement under the Securities Act covered by these piggyback rights, the holders of registrable securities are entitled to notice of the registration and have the right, subject to limitations that the underwriters may impose on the number of shares included in the offering, to include their registrable securities in the registration.

S-3 Registration Rights

At any time when we are eligible to use a registration statement on Form S-3, the holders of at least 60% of the registrable securities then outstanding may request that we file a Form S-3 registration statement with respect to outstanding registrable securities of such holders having an anticipated aggregate offering price, net of selling expenses, of at least $5.0 million. Within ten days after such request is given, we are required to give a demand notice to all other holders of registrable securities, and use commercially reasonable efforts to file, as soon as practicable and in any event within 45 days after the request is given by the initiating holders, a Form S-3 registration statement covering all registrable securities that the initiating holders and any other holders requested to be registered (with such other holders’ notices to be given within 20 days of the demand notice). The right to request a Form S-3 demand registration is not available to any holder that is a “Foreign Person”. We are not obligated to effect more than two Form S-3 registrations in any 12-month period, and may defer such registration in certain circumstances

Anti-takeover Effects of Our Restated Charter and Our Restated Bylaws

Our Restated Charter and Restated Bylaws, which will be in effect prior to and in connection with the completion of this offering, will contain certain provisions that are intended to enhance the likelihood of continuity and stability in the composition of our board of directors but which may have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a future takeover or change in control of us unless such takeover or change in control is approved by our board of directors.

These provisions include:

Classified board. Our Restated Charter will provide that our board of directors will be divided into three classes of directors, with the classes as nearly equal in number as possible. As a result, approximately one-third of our board of directors will be elected each year. The classification of directors will have the effect of making it more difficult for stockholders to change the composition of our board of directors. Our Restated Charter will also provide that, subject to any rights of holders of preferred stock to elect additional directors under specified circumstances, the number of directors will be fixed exclusively pursuant to a resolution adopted by our board of directors. Upon completion of this offering, we expect that our board of directors will have seven directors.

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Action by written consent; special meetings of stockholders. Our Restated Charter will provide that stockholder action can be taken only at an annual or special meeting of stockholders and cannot be taken by written consent in lieu of a meeting. Our Restated Charter and the Restated Bylaws will also provide that, except as otherwise required by law, special meetings of the stockholders can only be called pursuant to a resolution adopted by a majority of our board of directors. Except as described above, stockholders will not be permitted to call a special meeting or to require our board of directors to call a special meeting.

Removal of directors. Our Restated Charter will provide that our directors may be removed only for cause by the affirmative vote of at least sixty-six and two-thirds percent (66-2/3%) of the voting power of our outstanding shares of capital stock, voting together as a single class. This requirement of a supermajority vote of at least sixty-six and two-thirds percent (66-2/3%) of the vote to remove directors could enable a minority of our stockholders to prevent a change in the composition of our board of directors.

Advance notice procedures. Our Restated Bylaws will establish an advance notice procedure for stockholder proposals to be brought before an annual meeting of our stockholders, including proposed nominations of persons for election to our board of directors. Stockholders at an annual meeting will only be able to consider proposals or nominations specified in the notice of meeting or brought before the meeting by or at the direction of our board of directors or by a stockholder who was a stockholder of record on the record date for the meeting, who is entitled to vote at the meeting and who has given our Secretary timely written notice, in proper form, of the stockholder’s intention to bring that business before the meeting. Although the Restated Bylaws will not give our board of directors the power to approve or disapprove stockholder nominations of candidates or proposals regarding other business to be conducted at a special or annual meeting, the Restated Bylaws may have the effect of precluding the conduct of certain business at a meeting if the proper procedures are not followed or may discourage or deter a potential acquirer from conducting a solicitation of proxies to elect its own slate of directors or otherwise attempting to obtain control of us.

Supermajority approval requirements. The Delaware General Corporation Law (the “DGCL”), generally provides that the affirmative vote of sixty-six and two-thirds percent (66-2/3%) of the shares entitled to vote on any matter is required to amend a corporation’s certificate of incorporation or bylaws, unless either a corporation’s certificate of incorporation or bylaws requires a greater percentage. Our Restated Charter and bylaws will provide that the affirmative vote of holders of at least sixty-six and two-thirds percent (66-2/3%) of the total votes eligible to be cast in the election of directors will be required to amend, alter, change or repeal specified provisions. This requirement of a supermajority vote to approve amendments to our Restated Charter and Restated Bylaws could enable a minority of our stockholders to exercise veto power over any such amendments.

Authorized but unissued shares. Our authorized but unissued shares of common stock and preferred stock will be available for future issuance without stockholder approval. These additional shares may be utilized for a variety of corporate purposes, including future public offerings to raise additional capital, corporate acquisitions and employee benefit plans. The existence of authorized but unissued shares of common stock and preferred stock could render more difficult or discourage an attempt to obtain control of a majority of our common stock by means of a proxy contest, tender offer, merger or otherwise.

Exclusive forum. Our Restated Charter will provide that, subject to limited exceptions, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware (or, if, and only if, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware dismisses a Covered Claim (as defined above) for lack of subject matter jurisdiction, any other state or federal court in the State of Delaware that does have subject matter jurisdiction) will, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, be the sole and exclusive forum for Covered Claims. This provision would not apply to claims brought to enforce a duty or liability created by the Exchange Act.

Our Restated Charter will further provide that the federal district courts of the United States of America will be the exclusive forum for resolving any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act. In addition, our Restated Charter will provide that any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in the shares of capital stock of the Company will be deemed to have notice of and consented to these choice-of-forum provisions and waived any argument relating to the inconvenience of the forums in connection with any Covered Claim.

The choice of forum provisions to be contained in our Restated Charter may limit a stockholder’s ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum that it finds favorable for disputes with us or any of our directors, officers, other employees or stockholders, which may discourage lawsuits with respect to such claims, although our stockholders will not be deemed to have waived our compliance with federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder. While the Delaware courts have determined that such choice of forum provisions are facially valid, it is possible that a court of law in another jurisdiction could rule that the choice of forum provisions to be contained in our Restated Charter are inapplicable or unenforceable if they are challenged in a proceeding or otherwise, which could cause us to incur additional costs associated with resolving such action in other jurisdictions. See the section titled “Risk Factors—Risks Related to This Offering and Our Common Stock—Our Restated Charter will designate the state or federal courts within the State of Delaware as the exclusive forum for certain types of actions and proceedings that may be initiated by our stockholders, which could limit our stockholders’ ability to obtain a favorable judicial forum for disputes with us or our directors, officers or employees.”

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Section 203 of the DGCL

Upon completion of this offering, we will be subject to the provisions of Section 203 of the DGCL. In general, Section 203 prohibits a publicly held Delaware corporation from engaging in a “business combination” with an “interested stockholder” for a three-year period following the time that this stockholder becomes an interested stockholder, unless the business combination is approved in a prescribed manner. A “business combination” includes, among other things, a merger, asset or stock sale or other transaction resulting in a financial benefit to the interested stockholder. An “interested stockholder” is a person who, together with affiliates and associates, owns or did own within three years prior to the determination of interested stockholder status, 15% or more of the corporation’s voting stock.

Under Section 203, a business combination between a corporation and an interested stockholder is prohibited unless it satisfies one of the following conditions: before the stockholder became interested, the corporation’s board of directors approved either the business combination or the transaction which resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder; upon consummation of the transaction which resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder, the interested stockholder owned at least 85% of the voting stock of the corporation outstanding at the time the transaction commenced, excluding for purposes of determining the voting stock outstanding, shares owned by persons who are directors and also officers, and employee stock plans, in some instances; or at or after the time the stockholder became interested, the business combination was approved by the board of directors of the corporation and authorized at an annual or special meeting of the stockholders by the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the outstanding voting stock which is not owned by the interested stockholder.

A Delaware corporation may “opt out” of these provisions with an express provision in its original certificate of incorporation or an express provision in its certificate of incorporation or bylaws resulting from a stockholders’ amendment approved by at least a majority of the outstanding voting shares. We have not opted out of these provisions. As a result, mergers or other takeover or change in control attempts of us may be discouraged or prevented.

Limitations of Liability and Indemnification Matters

Our Restated Charter provides that no director will be personally liable to us or our stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except as required by applicable law, as in effect from time to time. Section 102(b)(7) of the DGCL permits a corporation to provide in its certificate of incorporation that a director of the corporation shall not be personally liable to the corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except for liability for:

•
any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to our company or our stockholders;
•
any act or omission not in good faith or which involved intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law;
•
unlawful payments of dividends or unlawful stock repurchases or redemptions as provided in Section 174 of the DGCL; and
•
any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit.

As a result, neither we nor our stockholders have the right, through stockholders’ derivative suits on our behalf, to recover monetary damages against a director for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, including breaches resulting from grossly negligent behavior, except in the situations described above. Our Restated Charter also provides that, to the fullest extent permitted by law, we will indemnify any officer or director of our company against all damages, claims and liabilities arising out of the fact that the person is or was our director or officer or served any other enterprise at our request as a director or officer. Amending this provision will not reduce our indemnification obligations relating to actions taken before an amendment.

For a discussion of liability and indemnification, see the section titled “Executive and Director Compensation—Limitations on Liability and Indemnification.”

Transfer Agent and Registrar

The transfer agent and registrar for our common stock will be Computershare Trust Company, N.A. The transfer agent and registrar’s address is 150 Royall Street, Canton, Massachusetts 02021, and its telephone number is (781) 575-2000.

Nasdaq Listing

We have applied to have our common stock approved for listing on the Nasdaq under the symbol “TRXB,” and this offering is contingent upon obtaining such approval.

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SHARES ELIGIBLE FOR FUTURE SALE

Immediately prior to this offering, there was no public market for our common stock, and no predictions can be made about the effect, if any, that market sales of our common stock or the availability of such shares for sale will have on the market price prevailing from time to time. Nevertheless, future sales of our common stock in the public market, or the perception that such sales may occur, could adversely affect the market price of our common stock and could impair our ability to raise capital through future sales of our securities. See the section titled “Risk Factors—Risks Related to This Offering and Ownership of Our Common Stock—A significant portion of our total outstanding shares is restricted from immediate resale but may be sold into the market in the near future, which could cause the market price of our common stock to decline significantly, even if our business is doing well.” Furthermore, although we have applied to have our common stock approved for listing on Nasdaq, we cannot assure you that there will be an active public trading market for our common stock.

Upon the completion of this offering, based on the number of shares of our common stock outstanding as of June 30, 2026, after giving effect to the conversion of all of the shares of our redeemable convertible preferred stock into an aggregate of        shares of our common stock, based on an assumed initial public offering price of $ per share, which is the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus upon the completion of this offering, we will have an aggregate of shares of our common stock outstanding (or shares of our common stock if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares in full). Of these shares of our common stock, all of the shares sold in this offering (or shares if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares in full) will be freely tradable without restriction or further registration under the Securities Act, except for any shares purchased by our “affiliates,” as that term is defined in Rule 144 under the Securities Act, whose sales would be subject to the Rule 144 resale restrictions described below, other than the holding period requirement.

All remaining shares of common stock held by existing stockholders immediately prior to the completion of this offering will be “restricted securities” as such term is defined in Rule 144. These restricted securities are eligible for public sale only if they are registered under the Securities Act or if they qualify for an exemption from registration under Rules 144 or 701 under the Securities Act, which are summarized below. We expect that substantially all of these shares will be subject to the 180-day lock-up period under the lock-up agreements described below. Upon expiration of the lock-up period, we estimate that approximately shares of our common stock will be available for sale in the public market, subject in some cases to applicable volume limitations under Rule 144.

Lock-Up Agreements

We and each of our directors and executive officers and holders of substantially all of our outstanding capital stock, have agreed with the underwriters that, among other things and subject to certain exceptions, not to sell or transfer any common stock or securities convertible into, exchangeable for, exercisable for or repayable with common stock, for 180 days after the date of this prospectus without first obtaining the written consent of J.P. Morgan and Evercore.

In addition to the restrictions contained in the lock-up agreements described above, we have entered into agreements with certain security holders, including the Investor Rights Agreement and our standard form of option agreement, that contain market stand-off provisions or incorporate market stand-off provisions from our equity incentive plan imposing restrictions on the ability of such security holders to offer, sell, or transfer our equity securities for such period of time as may be requested by us or the underwriters (not to exceed 180 days) following the date of this prospectus.

Upon the expiration of the lock-up period set forth in the agreements described above, and assuming that J.P. Morgan does not release any parties from these agreements, substantially all of the shares subject to such lock-up restrictions will become eligible for sale, subject to the limitations discussed above. For a further description of these lock-up agreements, please see the section titled “Underwriting.”

Rule 10b5-1 Plans

After the date of the initial public filing of the prospectus, certain of our employees, including our executive officers, and/or directors may enter into written trading plans that are intended to comply with Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act. Sales under these trading plans would not be permitted until the expiration of the lock-up agreements relating to the offering described above.

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Rule 144

Affiliate Resales of Restricted Securities

In general, beginning 90 days after the effective date of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, a person who is an affiliate of ours, or who was an affiliate at any time during the 90 days before a sale, who has beneficially owned shares of our common stock for at least six months would be entitled to sell (subject to the lock-up agreement referred to above, if applicable) in “broker’s transactions” or certain “riskless principal transactions” or to market makers, a number of shares within any three-month period that does not exceed the greater of:

•
1% of the number of shares of our common stock then outstanding, which will equal approximately shares (or shares if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares in full) of our common stock immediately after this offering; or
•
the average weekly trading volume in shares of our common stock on Nasdaq during the four calendar weeks preceding the filing of a notice on Form 144 with respect to such sale.

An “affiliate” is a person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls or is controlled by or is under common control with an issuer. Affiliate resales under Rule 144 are also subject to the availability of current public information about us. In addition, if the number of shares being sold under Rule 144 by an affiliate during any three-month period exceeds 5,000 shares or has an aggregate sale price in excess of $50,000, the seller must file a notice on Form 144 with the SEC concurrently with either the placing of a sale order with the broker or the execution directly with a market maker.

Non-Affiliate Resales of Restricted Securities

In general, beginning 90 days after the effective date of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, a person who is not an affiliate of ours at the time of sale, and has not been an affiliate at any time during the three months preceding a sale, and who has beneficially owned shares of our common stock for at least six months but less than a year, is entitled to sell such shares subject only to the availability of current public information about us (as well as the lock-up agreement referred to above, if applicable). If such person has held our shares for at least one year, such person can resell under Rule 144(b)(1) without regard to any Rule 144 restrictions, including the 90-day public company requirement and the current public information requirement.

Non-affiliate resales are not subject to the manner of sale, volume limitation or notice filing provisions of Rule 144.

Rule 701

In general, under Rule 701, any of an issuer’s employees, directors, officers, consultants or advisors who purchases shares from the issuer in connection with a compensatory stock or option plan or other written agreement before the effective date of a registration statement under the Securities Act is entitled to sell such shares 90 days after such effective date in reliance on Rule 144. An affiliate of the issuer can resell shares in reliance on Rule 144 without having to comply with the holding period requirement, and non-affiliates of the issuer can resell shares in reliance on Rule 144 without having to comply with the current public information and holding period requirements.

The SEC has indicated that Rule 701 will apply to typical options granted by an issuer before it becomes subject to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, along with the shares acquired upon exercise of such options, including exercises after an issuer becomes subject to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act.

Equity Plans

We intend to file one or more registration statements on Form S-8 under the Securities Act to register all shares of our common stock subject to outstanding options and shares of our common stock issued or issuable under our incentive plans. We expect to file the registration statement covering shares offered pursuant to our incentive plans shortly after the date of this prospectus, permitting the resale of such shares by non-affiliates in the public market without restriction under the Securities Act and the sale by affiliates in the public market, subject to compliance with the resale provisions of Rule 144.

Registration Rights

Upon the completion of this offering, the holders of shares of our common stock or their transferees, after giving effect to the Preferred Stock Conversion, will be entitled to various rights with respect to the registration of these shares under the Securities Act. Registration of these shares under the Securities Act would result in these shares becoming fully tradable without restriction under the Securities Act immediately upon the effectiveness of the registration, except for shares purchased by affiliates. See the section titled “Description of Capital Stock—Registration Rights” for additional information. Shares covered by a registration statement will be eligible for sale in the public market upon the expiration or release from the terms of the lock-up agreement.

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MATERIAL United States FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES

TO NON-United States HOLDERS OF OUR COMMON STOCK

The following is a summary of the material United States federal income tax considerations relating to the purchase, ownership and disposition of our common stock by Non-U.S. Holders (defined below). This summary does not purport to be a complete analysis of all the potential tax considerations relevant to Non-U.S. Holders of our common stock. This summary is based on the Code, Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder, published rulings and administrative pronouncements of the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) and judicial decisions, all as in effect as of the date hereof. These authorities are subject to differing interpretations and may change, possibly retroactively, resulting in United States federal income tax consequences different from those discussed below. We have not requested, nor do we intend to request, a ruling from the IRS with respect to the statements made and the conclusions reached in the following summary, and there can be no assurance that the IRS or a court will agree with such statements and conclusions.

This discussion is limited to Non-U.S. Holders that acquire our common stock pursuant to this offering and hold our common stock as a “capital asset” within the meaning of Section 1221 of the Code (generally, property held for investment). For purposes of this summary, a “Non-U.S. Holder” means a beneficial owner of common stock that for U.S. federal income tax purposes is not classified as a partnership and is not:

•
an individual who is a citizen or resident of the United States;
•
a corporation or any other organization taxable as a corporation for United States federal income tax purposes, created or organized in or under the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia;
•
an estate, the income of which is included in gross income for United States federal income tax purposes regardless of its source; or
•
a trust if (1) a United States court is able to exercise primary supervision over the trust’s administration and one or more “United States persons” (as defined in the Code) have the authority to control all of the trust’s substantial decisions or (2) the trust has a valid election in effect under applicable United States Treasury regulations to be treated as a United States person for United States federal income tax purposes.

This discussion does not address all United States federal income tax consequences relevant to a Non-U.S. Holder’s particular circumstances, including the impact of the alternative minimum tax or the Medicare contribution tax on net investment income, and does not address any estate or gift tax consequences or any tax consequences arising under any state, local or non-United States tax laws or any other United States federal tax laws. In addition, it does not address consequences relevant to Non-U.S. Holders subject to special rules, including, without limitation:

•
United States expatriates and former citizens or long term residents of the United States;
•
persons holding our common stock as part of a hedge, straddle or other risk reduction strategy or as part of a conversion transaction or other integrated investment;
•
banks, insurance companies and other financial institutions;
•
brokers, dealers or traders in securities;
•
“controlled foreign corporations,” “passive foreign investment companies,” and corporations that accumulate earnings to avoid United States federal income tax;
•
partnerships or other entities or arrangements treated as partnerships or other pass-through entities for United States federal income tax purposes (and investors therein);
•
tax-exempt organizations or governmental organizations;
•
persons deemed to sell our common stock under the constructive sale provisions of the Code;
•
persons who hold or receive our common stock pursuant to the exercise of any employee stock option or otherwise as compensation;
•
tax-qualified retirement plans;
•
persons who hold common stock that constitutes “qualified small business stock” under Section 1202 of the Code, or “Section 1244 stock” under Section 1244 of the Code;

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•
persons who acquired our common stock in a transaction subject to the gain rollover provisions of the Code (including Section 1045 of the Code);
•
persons that acquired our common stock pursuant to the exercise of warrants or conversion rights under convertible instruments;
•
persons who have elected to mark securities to market;
•
persons that own, or have owned, actually or constructively, more than 5% of our common stock;
•
“qualified foreign pension funds” as defined in Section 897(l)(2) of the Code and entities all of the interests of which are held by qualified foreign pension funds; and
•
persons subject to special tax accounting rules as a result of any item of gross income with respect to our common stock being taken into account in an applicable financial statement.

If an entity that is classified as a partnership for United States federal income tax purposes holds our common stock, the tax treatment of persons treated as its partners for United States federal income tax purposes will generally depend upon the status of the partner and the activities of the partnership. Partnerships and other entities that are classified as partnerships for United States federal income tax purposes and persons holding our common stock through a partnership or other entity classified as a partnership for United States federal income tax purposes are urged to consult their own tax advisors.

THIS SUMMARY IS FOR GENERAL INFORMATION ONLY AND IS NOT INTENDED TO BE TAX ADVICE. NON-U.S. HOLDERS ARE URGED TO CONSULT THEIR TAX ADVISORS CONCERNING THE UNITED STATES FEDERAL INCOME TAXATION, STATE, LOCAL AND NON-UNITED STATES TAXATION AND OTHER TAX CONSEQUENCES TO THEM OF THE PURCHASE, OWNERSHIP AND DISPOSITION OF OUR COMMON STOCK, INCLUDING CONSEQUENCES ARISING UNDER ANY APPLICABLE INCOME TAX TREATY.

Distributions on Our Common Stock

We do not currently expect to make distributions with respect to our common stock. If we make a distribution of cash or property with respect to our common stock, any such distributions generally will constitute dividends for United States federal income tax purposes to the extent of our current and accumulated earnings and profits, if any, as determined under United States federal income tax principles. If a distribution exceeds our current and accumulated earnings and profits, the excess will constitute a return of capital and will first reduce the holder’s adjusted tax basis in our common stock, but not below zero. Any remaining excess will be treated as capital gain, subject to the tax treatment described below in “—Gain on Sale, Exchange or Other Taxable Disposition of Our Common Stock.” Any such distribution would also be subject to the discussion below under the section titled “—Additional Withholding and Reporting Requirements.”

Dividends paid to a Non-U.S. Holder generally will be subject to a 30% United States federal withholding tax unless such Non-U.S. Holder provides the applicable withholding agent with the appropriate IRS Form W-8, such as:

•
IRS Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E (or successor form) certifying, under penalties of perjury, a reduction in withholding under an applicable income tax treaty, or
•
IRS Form W-8ECI (or successor form) certifying that a dividend paid on our common stock is not subject to withholding tax because it is effectively connected with a trade or business in the United States of the Non-U.S. Holder (in which case such dividend generally will be subject to regular graduated United States tax rates as described below).

The certification requirement described above must be provided to the applicable withholding agent prior to the payment of dividends and must be updated periodically. The certification also may require a Non-U.S. Holder that provides an IRS form or that claims treaty benefits to provide its United States taxpayer identification number. Special certification and other requirements apply in the case of certain Non-U.S. Holders that hold shares of our common stock through intermediaries or are pass-through entities for United States federal income tax purposes.

Each Non-U.S. Holder is urged to consult its own tax advisor about the specific methods for satisfying these requirements. A claim for exemption will not be valid if the person receiving the applicable form has actual knowledge or reason to know that the statements on the form are false.

If dividends are effectively connected with a trade or business in the United States of a Non-U.S. Holder (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, are attributable to a permanent establishment maintained by such Non-U.S. Holder in the United States), the Non-U.S. Holder, although exempt from the withholding tax described above (provided that the certifications described above are satisfied), generally will be subject to United States federal income tax on such dividends on

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a net income basis in the same manner as if it were a resident of the United States. In addition, if a Non-U.S. Holder is treated as a corporation for United States federal income tax purposes, the Non-U.S. Holder may be subject to an additional “branch profits tax” equal to 30% (unless reduced by an applicable income tax treaty) of its earnings and profits in respect of such effectively connected dividend income.

Non-U.S. Holders that do not timely provide the applicable withholding agent with the required certification, but which are eligible for a reduced rate of United States federal withholding tax pursuant to an income tax treaty, may obtain a refund or credit of any excess amount withheld by timely filing an appropriate claim for refund with the IRS. Non-U.S. Holders should consult their tax advisors regarding their entitlement to benefits under any applicable tax treaties.

Gain on Sale, Exchange or Other Taxable Disposition of Our Common Stock

Subject to the discussion below under the section titled “—Additional Withholding and Reporting Requirements,” in general, a Non-U.S. Holder will not be subject to United States federal income tax or withholding tax on gain realized upon such holder’s sale, exchange or other taxable disposition of shares of our common stock, unless (1) such Non-U.S. Holder is an individual who is present in the United States for 183 days or more in the taxable year of disposition, and certain other conditions are met, (2) we are or have been a “United States real property holding corporation,” as defined in the Code (“USRPHC”), at any time within the shorter of the five-year period preceding the disposition and the Non-U.S. Holder’s holding period in the shares of our common stock, and certain other requirements are met, or (3) such gain is effectively connected with the conduct by such Non-U.S. Holder of a trade or business in the United States (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, is attributable to a permanent establishment maintained by such Non-U.S. Holder in the United States).

If the first exception applies, the Non-U.S. Holder generally will be subject to United States federal income tax at a rate of 30% (or at a reduced rate under an applicable income tax treaty) on the amount by which such Non-U.S. Holder’s capital gains realized upon the sale, exchange or other taxable disposition of shares of our common stock exceed capital losses allocable to United States sources during the taxable year of the disposition. If the third exception applies, the Non-U.S. Holder generally will be subject to United States federal income tax with respect to such gain on a net income basis in the same manner as if it were a resident of the United States and a Non-U.S. Holder that is a corporation for United States federal income tax purposes may also be subject to a branch profits tax with respect to any earnings and profits attributable to such gain at a rate of 30% (or at a reduced rate under an applicable income tax treaty).

With respect to the second exception, generally, a corporation is a USRPHC only if the fair market value of its United States real property interests (as defined in the Code) equals or exceeds 50% of the sum of the fair market value of its worldwide real property interests plus its other assets used or held for use in a trade or business. We believe that we are not, and do not anticipate becoming, a USRPHC. Even if we became a USRPHC, a Non-U.S. Holder would not be subject to United States federal income tax on a sale, exchange or other taxable disposition of our common stock by reason of our status as USRPHC so long as our common stock is “regularly traded,” as defined by applicable Treasury Regulations, on an established securities market at any time during the calendar year in which the disposition occurs and such Non-U.S. Holder does not own and is not deemed to own (directly, indirectly and constructively) more than 5% of our common stock at any time during the shorter of the five year period ending on the date of disposition and the holder’s holding period. There can be no assurances that our common stock will continue to be regularly traded on an established securities market. Non-U.S. Holders should consult their tax advisors regarding the tax consequences if the company is or becomes a USRPHC.

Additional Withholding and Reporting Requirements

The Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act, Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code, and related Treasury Regulations, together with other Treasury Department and IRS guidance issued thereunder, and intergovernmental agreements, legislation, rules and other official guidance adopted pursuant to such intergovernmental agreements, or commonly referred to as FATCA, impose a United States federal withholding tax of 30% on certain payments, including dividends paid on our common stock, paid to (1) a “foreign financial institution” (as defined under FATCA) unless such institution furnishes proper documentation (typically on IRS Form W-8BEN-E) evidencing either (i) an exemption from FATCA withholding, (ii) its compliance (or deemed compliance) with specified due diligence, reporting, withholding and certification obligations under FATCA or (iii) residence in a jurisdiction that has entered into an intergovernmental agreement with the United States relating to FATCA and compliance with the diligence and reporting requirements of the intergovernmental agreement and local implementing rules; or (2) a “non-financial foreign entity” (as defined under FATCA) unless such institution furnishes proper documentation (typically on IRS Form W-8BEN-E) evidencing either (i) an exemption from FATCA, (ii) that it does not have any substantial United States beneficial owners or (iii) adequate information regarding substantial United States beneficial owners of such entity. An intergovernmental agreement between the United States and an applicable foreign country may modify these requirements.

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The IRS and the U.S. Department of Treasury have issued proposed regulations on which taxpayers may rely providing that these withholding rules will not apply to the gross proceeds of a sale or other disposition of shares of property of a type that can produce U.S. source dividends or interest. Prospective investors should consult their own tax advisors regarding the effect of FATCA on their ownership and disposition of our common stock.

Backup Withholding and Information Reporting

We must report annually to the IRS and to each Non-U.S. Holder the gross amount of the distributions on our common stock paid to the holder and the tax withheld, if any, with respect to the distributions, regardless of whether such distributions constitute dividends. Non-U.S. Holders may have to comply with specific certification procedures (such as the provision of a properly completed W-8BEN, W-8BEN-E or W-8ECI) to establish that the holder is not a United States person in order to avoid backup withholding at the applicable rate, currently 24%, with respect to dividends on our common stock. Dividends paid to Non-U.S. Holders subject to the United States withholding tax, as described above under the section titled “—Distributions on Our Common Stock,” generally will be exempt from United States backup withholding.

Information reporting and backup withholding will generally apply to the proceeds of a disposition of our common stock by a Non-U.S. Holder effected by or through the United States office of any broker, United States or foreign, unless the holder certifies its status as a Non-U.S. Holder and satisfies certain other requirements, or otherwise establishes an exemption. Generally, information reporting and backup withholding will not apply to a payment of disposition proceeds to a Non-U.S. Holder where the transaction is effected outside the United States through a non-United States office of a broker. However, for information reporting purposes, dispositions effected through a non-United States office of a broker with substantial United States ownership or operations generally will be treated in a manner similar to dispositions effected through a United States office of a broker. Prospective investors should consult their own tax advisors regarding the application of the information reporting and backup withholding rules to them, including the availability of and procedure for obtaining an exemption from backup withholding.

Copies of information returns may be made available to the tax authorities of the country in which the Non-U.S. Holder resides or, in which the Non-U.S. Holder is incorporated, under the provisions of a specific treaty or agreement.

Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules from a payment to a Non-U.S. Holder can be refunded or credited against the Non-U.S. Holder’s United States federal income tax liability, if any, provided that an appropriate claim is timely filed with the IRS.

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UNDERWRITING

We are offering the shares of common stock described in this prospectus through a number of underwriters. J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and Evercore Group L.L.C. are acting as book‑running managers of the offering and as representatives of the underwriters. We have entered into an underwriting agreement with the underwriters. Subject to the terms and conditions of the underwriting agreement, we have agreed to sell to the underwriters, and each underwriter has severally agreed to purchase, at the public offering price less the underwriting discounts and commissions set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, the number of shares of common stock listed next to its name in the following table:

 

Name

 

Number of

Shares

 

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

 

 

 

Evercore Group L.L.C.

 

 

 

Cantor Fitzgerald & Co.

 

 

 

Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Inc.

 

 

 

Wedbush Securities Inc.

 

 

 

Total

 

 

 

 

The underwriters are committed to purchase all the common shares offered by us if they purchase any shares. The underwriting agreement also provides that if an underwriter defaults, the purchase commitments of non-defaulting underwriters may also be increased or the offering may be terminated.

The underwriters propose to offer the common shares directly to the public at the initial public offering price set forth on the cover page of this prospectus and to certain dealers at that price less a concession not in excess of $ per share. Any such dealers may resell shares to certain other brokers or dealers at a discount of up to $ per share from the initial public offering price. After the initial offering of the shares to the public, if all of the common shares are not sold at the initial public offering price, the underwriters may change the offering price and the other selling terms. Sales of any shares made outside of the United States may be made by affiliates of the underwriters.

The underwriters have an option to buy up to additional shares of common stock from us to cover sales of shares by the underwriters which exceed the number of shares specified in the table above. The underwriters have 30 days from the date of this prospectus to exercise this option to purchase additional shares. If any shares are purchased with this option to purchase additional shares, the underwriters will purchase shares in approximately the same proportion as shown in the table above. If any additional shares of common stock are purchased, the underwriters will offer the additional shares on the same terms as those on which the shares are being offered.

The underwriting fee is equal to the public offering price per share of common stock less the amount paid by the underwriters to us per share of common stock. The underwriting fee is $ per share. The following table shows the per share and total underwriting discounts and commissions to be paid to the underwriters assuming both no exercise and full exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares.

 

 

 

Without
option to purchase

additional shares
exercise

 

With full
option to purchase

additional shares
exercise

 

Per Share

 

$

 

 

$

 

 

Total

 

$

 

 

$

 

 

 

We estimate that the total expenses of this offering, including registration, filing and listing fees, printing fees and legal and accounting expenses, but excluding the underwriting discounts and commissions, will be approximately $ .

A prospectus in electronic format may be made available on the web sites maintained by one or more underwriters, or selling group members, if any, participating in the offering. The underwriters may agree to allocate a number of shares to underwriters and selling group members for sale to their online brokerage account holders. Internet distributions will be allocated by the representatives to underwriters and selling group members that may make Internet distributions on the same basis as other allocations.

We have agreed that we will not (i) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, lend or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, or submit to, or file with, the Securities and Exchange Commission a registration statement under the Securities Act relating to, any shares of our common stock or securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for any shares of our common stock, or publicly disclose the intention to make any offer, sale, pledge, loan, disposition or filing, or (ii) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers all or a portion of the economic consequences associated with the ownership

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of any shares of common stock or any such other securities (regardless of whether any of these transactions are to be settled by the delivery of shares of common stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise), in each case without the prior written consent of J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and Evercore Group L.L.C. for a period of 180 days after the date of this prospectus, other than the shares of our common stock to be sold in this offering.

The restrictions on our actions, as described above, do not apply to certain transactions, including (i) the issuance of shares of common stock or securities convertible into or exercisable for shares of our common stock pursuant to the conversion or exchange of convertible or exchangeable securities or the exercise of warrants or options (including net exercise) or the settlement of RSUs (including net settlement), in each case outstanding on the date of the underwriting agreement and described in this prospectus; (ii) grants of stock options, stock awards, restricted stock, RSUs, or other equity awards and the issuance of shares of our common stock or securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for shares of our common stock (whether upon the exercise of stock options or otherwise) to our employees, officers, directors, advisors, or consultants pursuant to the terms of an equity compensation plan in effect as of the closing of this offering and described in this prospectus, provided that such recipients enter into a lock-up agreement with the underwriters; or (iii) our filing of any registration statement on Form S-8 relating to securities granted or to be granted pursuant to any plan in effect on the date of the underwriting agreement and described in this prospectus or any assumed benefit plan pursuant to an acquisition or similar strategic transaction.

Our directors and executive officers, and substantially all of our shareholders (such persons, the “lock-up parties”) have entered into lock‑up agreements with the underwriters prior to the commencement of this offering pursuant to which each lock-up party, with limited exceptions, for a period of 180 days after the date of this prospectus (such period, the “restricted period”), may not (and may not cause any of their direct or indirect affiliates to), without the prior written consent of J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and Evercore Group L.L.C., (1) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, lend or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of our common stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for our common stock (including, without limitation, common stock or such other securities which may be deemed to be beneficially owned by such lock-up parties in accordance with the rules and regulations of the SEC and securities which may be issued upon exercise of a stock option or warrant (collectively with the common stock, the “lock-up securities”)), (2) enter into any hedging, swap or other agreement or transaction that transfers, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the lock-up securities, whether any such transaction described in clause (1) or (2) above is to be settled by delivery of lock-up securities, in cash or otherwise, (3) make any demand for, or exercise any right with respect to, the registration of any lock-up securities, or (4) publicly disclose the intention to do any of the foregoing. Such persons or entities have further acknowledged that these undertakings preclude them from engaging in any hedging or other transactions or arrangements (including, without limitation, any short sale or the purchase or sale of, or entry into, any put or call option, or combination thereof, forward, swap or any other derivative transaction or instrument, however described or defined) designed or intended, or which would reasonably be expected to lead to or result in, a sale or disposition or transfer (by any person or entity, whether or not a signatory to such agreement) of any economic consequences of ownership, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, of any lock-up securities, whether any such transaction or arrangement (or instrument provided for thereunder) would be settled by delivery of lock-up securities, in cash or otherwise.

The restrictions described in the immediately preceding paragraph and contained in the lock-up agreements between the underwriters and the lock-up parties do not apply, subject in certain cases to various conditions, to certain transactions, including (a) transfers, distributions, dispositions or surrenders of lock-up securities: (i) as bona fide gifts, including to a charitable organization or educational institution, or for bona fide estate planning purposes, (ii) by will, other testamentary document or intestacy, (iii) to any trust for the direct or indirect benefit of the lock-up party or any immediate family member, (iv) to a corporation, trust, partnership, limited liability company or other entity of which the lock-up party and/or one or more members of the immediate family are the, direct or indirect, legal and beneficial owner of all of the outstanding equity securities or similar interests, (v) to a nominee or custodian of a person or entity to whom a disposition or transfer would be permissible under clauses (i) through (iv), (vi) in the case of a corporation, partnership, limited liability company, trust or other business entity, (A) to another corporation, partnership, limited liability company, trust or other business entity that is an affiliate of the lock-up party, or to any investment fund or other entity controlling, controlled by, managing or managed by or under common control with the lock-up party or its affiliates or (B) as part of a distribution to stockholders, partners, members or other equityholders of the lock-up party; (vii) by operation of law, (viii) to us (A) from an employee or other service provider upon death, disability or termination of employment or service or (B) pursuant to a right of first refusal with respect to transfers of such shares of common stock or other securities, (ix) as part of a sale of lock-up securities acquired in open market transactions after the completion of this offering, (x) to us in connection with the vesting, settlement or exercise of restricted stock units, options, warrants or other rights to purchase shares of our common stock (including “net” or “cashless” exercise), including for the payment of exercise price and tax and remittance payments, or (xi) pursuant to a bona fide third-party tender offer, merger, consolidation or other similar transaction approved by our board of directors and made to all shareholders involving a change in control, provided that if such transaction is not completed, all such lock-up securities would remain subject to the restrictions in the immediately preceding paragraph; (b) exercise of the options, settlement of RSUs or other equity awards, or

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the exercise of warrants granted pursuant to plans described in this prospectus, provided that any lock-up securities received upon such exercise, vesting or settlement would be subject to restrictions similar to those in the immediately preceding paragraph; (c) the conversion of outstanding preferred stock, warrants to acquire preferred stock, or convertible securities into shares of our common stock or warrants to acquire shares of our common stock, provided that any common stock or warrant received upon such conversion would be subject to restrictions similar to those in the immediately preceding paragraph; and (d) the establishment by lock-up parties of trading plans under Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act, provided that such plan does not provide for the transfer of lock-up securities during the restricted period.

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and Evercore Group L.L.C., in their joint discretion, may release the securities subject to any of the lock-up agreements with the underwriters described above, in whole or in part at any time.

We have agreed to indemnify the underwriters against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933.

We will apply to have our common stock approved for listing/quotation on Nasdaq under the symbol “TRXB.”

In connection with this offering, the underwriters may engage in stabilizing transactions, which involves making bids for, purchasing and selling shares of common stock in the open market for the purpose of preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of the common stock while this offering is in progress. These stabilizing transactions may include making short sales of common stock, which involves the sale by the underwriters of a greater number of shares of common stock than they are required to purchase in this offering, and purchasing shares of common stock on the open market to cover positions created by short sales. Short sales may be “covered” shorts, which are short positions in an amount not greater than the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares referred to above, or may be “naked” shorts, which are short positions in excess of that amount. The underwriters may close out any covered short position either by exercising their option to purchase additional shares, in whole or in part, or by purchasing shares in the open market. In making this determination, the underwriters will consider, among other things, the price of shares available for purchase in the open market compared to the price at which the underwriters may purchase shares through the option to purchase additional shares. A naked short position is more likely to be created if the underwriters are concerned that there may be downward pressure on the price of the common stock in the open market that could adversely affect investors who purchase in this offering. To the extent that the underwriters create a naked short position, they will purchase shares in the open market to cover the position.

The underwriters have advised us that, pursuant to Regulation M of the Securities Act of 1933, they may also engage in other activities that stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the price of the common stock, including the imposition of penalty bids. This means that if the representatives of the underwriters purchase common stock in the open market in stabilizing transactions or to cover short sales, the representatives can require the underwriters that sold those shares as part of this offering to repay the underwriting discount received by them.

These activities may have the effect of raising or maintaining the market price of the common stock or preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of the common stock, and, as a result, the price of the common stock may be higher than the price that otherwise might exist in the open market. If the underwriters commence these activities, they may discontinue them at any time. The underwriters may carry out these transactions on Nasdaq, in the over‑the‑counter market or otherwise.

Prior to this offering, there has been no public market for our common stock. The initial public offering price will be determined by negotiations between us and the representatives of the underwriters. In determining the initial public offering price, we and the representatives of the underwriters expect to consider a number of factors including:

•
the information set forth in this prospectus and otherwise available to the representatives;
•
our prospects and the history and prospects for the industry in which we compete;
•
an assessment of our management;
•
our prospects for future earnings;
•
the general condition of the securities markets at the time of this offering;
•
the recent market prices of, and demand for, publicly traded common stock of generally comparable companies; and
•
other factors deemed relevant by the underwriters and us.

Neither we nor the underwriters can assure investors that an active trading market will develop for our common shares, or that the shares will trade in the public market at or above the initial public offering price.

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Other than in the United States, no action has been taken by us or the underwriters that would permit a public offering of the securities offered by this prospectus in any jurisdiction where action for that purpose is required. The securities offered by this prospectus may not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, nor may this prospectus or any other offering material or advertisements in connection with the offer and sale of any such securities be distributed or published in any jurisdiction, except under circumstances that will result in compliance with the applicable rules and regulations of that jurisdiction. Persons into whose possession this prospectus comes are advised to inform themselves about and to observe any restrictions relating to the offering and the distribution of this prospectus. This prospectus does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities offered by this prospectus in any jurisdiction in which such an offer or a solicitation is unlawful.

Certain of the underwriters and their affiliates have provided in the past to us and our affiliates and may provide from time to time in the future certain commercial banking, financial advisory, investment banking and other services for us and such affiliates in the ordinary course of their business, for which they have received and may continue to receive customary fees and commissions. In addition, from time to time, certain of the underwriters and their affiliates may effect transactions for their own account or the account of customers, and hold on behalf of themselves or their customers, long or short positions in our debt or equity securities or loans, and may do so in the future.

Directed Share Program

At our request, the underwriters have reserved up to 5% of the shares of common stock to be issued by us and offered by this prospectus for sale, at the initial public offering price, to certain of our directors and officers and certain of our employees, business associates, investors and friends and family of our directors, officers, employees, business associates and investors. The sales will be made at our direction by J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and its affiliates through a directed share program. Any shares sold in the directed share program to our directors or officers who have entered into lock-up agreements described above will be subject to the provisions of such lock-up agreements. The number of shares of common stock available for sale to the general public will be reduced to the extent such persons purchase such reserved shares. Any reserved shares that are not so purchased will be offered by the underwriters to the general public on the same basis as the other shares offered by this prospectus.

Selling Restrictions

General

Other than in the United States, no action has been taken by us or the underwriters that would permit a public offering of the securities offered by this prospectus in any jurisdiction where action for that purpose is required. The securities offered by this prospectus may not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, nor may this prospectus or any other offering material or advertisements in connection with the offer and sale of any such securities be distributed or published in any jurisdiction, except under circumstances that will result in compliance with the applicable rules and regulations of that jurisdiction. Persons into whose possession this prospectus comes are advised to inform themselves about and to observe any restrictions relating to the offering and the distribution of this prospectus. This prospectus does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities offered by this prospectus in any jurisdiction in which such an offer or a solicitation is unlawful.

European Economic Area

In relation to each Member State of the European Economic Area (each a Relevant State), no shares have been offered or will be offered pursuant to the offering to the public in that Relevant State prior to the publication of a prospectus in relation to the shares which has been approved by the competent authority in that Relevant State or, where appropriate, approved in another Relevant State and notified to the competent authority in that Relevant State, all in accordance with the Prospectus Regulation, except that the shares may be offered to the public in that Relevant State at any time:

(a)
to any legal entity which is a qualified investor as defined under Article 2 of the Prospectus Regulation;
(b)
to fewer than 150 natural or legal persons (other than qualified investors as defined under Article 2 of the Prospectus Regulation), subject to obtaining the prior consent of the representatives for any such offer; or
(c)
in any other circumstances falling within Article 1(4) of the Prospectus Regulation,

provided that no such offer of the shares shall require us or any of the representatives to publish a prospectus pursuant to Article 3 of the Prospectus Regulation or supplement a prospectus pursuant to Article 23 of the Prospectus Regulation.

For the purposes of this provision, the expression an “offer to the public” in relation to the shares in any Relevant State means the communication in any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and any shares to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase or subscribe for any shares, and the expression “Prospectus Regulation” means Regulation (EU) 2017/1129.

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United Kingdom

No shares have been offered or will be offered pursuant to the offering to the public in the United Kingdom prior to the publication of a prospectus in relation to the Shares which has been approved by the Financial Conduct Authority, except that the shares may be offered to the public in the United Kingdom at any time:

(a)
to any legal entity which is a qualified investor as defined under Article 2 of the UK Prospectus Regulation;
(b)
to fewer than 150 natural or legal persons (other than qualified investors as defined under Article 2 of the UK Prospectus Regulation), subject to obtaining the prior consent of the representatives for any such offer; or
(c)
in any other circumstances falling within Section 86 of the FSMA;

provided that no such offer of the shares shall require us or any manager to publish a prospectus pursuant to Section 85 of the FSMA or supplement a prospectus pursuant to Article 23 of the UK Prospectus Regulation. For the purposes of this provision, the expression an “offer to the public” in relation to the shares in the United Kingdom means the communication in any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and any shares to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase or subscribe for any shares and the expression “UK Prospectus Regulation” means Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 as it forms part of domestic law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018.

Canada

The securities may be sold in Canada only to purchasers purchasing, or deemed to be purchasing, as principal that are accredited investors, as defined in National Instrument 45-106 Prospectus Exemptions or subsection 73.3(1) of the Securities Act (Ontario), and are permitted clients, as defined in National Instrument 31-103 Registration Requirements, Exemptions, and Ongoing Registrant Obligations. Any resale of the securities must be made in accordance with an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the prospectus requirements of applicable securities laws.

Securities legislation in certain provinces or territories of Canada may provide a purchaser with remedies for rescission or damages if this prospectus (including any amendment thereto) contains a misrepresentation, provided that the remedies for rescission or damages are exercised by the purchaser within the time limit prescribed by the securities legislation of the purchaser’s province or territory. The purchaser should refer to any applicable provisions of the securities legislation of the purchaser’s province or territory for particulars of these rights or consult with a legal advisor.

Pursuant to section 3A.3 (or, in the case of securities issued or guaranteed by the government of a non-Canadian jurisdiction, Section 3A.4) of National Instrument 33-105 Underwriting Conflicts (NI 33-105), the underwriters are not required to comply with the disclosure requirements of NI 33-105 regarding underwriter conflicts of interest in connection with this offering.

Hong Kong

No shares have been offered or sold, and the shares may not be offered or sold in Hong Kong, by means of any document, other than to persons whose ordinary business is to buy or sell shares or debentures, whether as principal or agent; or to “professional investors” as defined in the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571) of Hong Kong (the “SFO”) and any rules made under the SFO; or in other circumstances which do not result in the document being a “prospectus” as defined in the Companies (Winding Up and Miscellaneous Provisions Ordinance (Cap. 32) of Hong Kong (the “C(WUMP)O”)) or which do not constitute an offer or invitation to the public within the meaning of the C(WUMP)O. No document, invitation or advertisement relating to the shares has been or will be issued or has been or will be in the possession of any person for the purpose of issue (in each case whether in Hong Kong or elsewhere), which is directed at, or the contents of which are likely to be accessed or read by, the public of Hong Kong (except if permitted under the securities laws of Hong Kong) other than with respect to shares which are or are intended to be disposed of only to persons outside Hong Kong or only to “professional investors” as defined in the SFO and any rules made under the SFO.

Singapore

This prospectus has not been and will not be lodged or registered as a prospectus with the Monetary Authority of Singapore. Accordingly, this prospectus and any other document or material in connection with the offer or sale, or invitation for subscription or purchase, of the shares may not be circulated or distributed, nor may the shares be offered or sold, or be made the subject of an invitation for subscription or purchase, whether directly or indirectly, to persons in Singapore other than (i) to an institutional investor (as defined under Section 4A of the Securities and Futures Act 2001 of Singapore, as modified or amended from time to time (the “SFA”)) under Section 274 of the SFA, (ii) to a relevant person (as defined in Section 275(2) of the SFA) pursuant to Section 275(1) of the SFA, or any person pursuant to Section 275(1A) of the SFA, and in accordance with the conditions specified in Section 275 of the SFA or (iii) otherwise pursuant to, and in accordance with the conditions of, any other applicable provision of the SFA, in each case subject to conditions set forth in the SFA.

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The shares are “prescribed capital markets products” (as defined in the Securities and Futures (Capital Markets Products) Regulations 2018) and Excluded Investment Products (as defined in MAS Notice SFA 04-N12: Notice on the Sale of Investment Products and MAS Notice FAA-N16: Notice on Recommendations on Investment Products).

Japan

The securities have not been and will not be registered under the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act of Japan (Act No. 25 of 1948 of Japan, as amended) (the “FIEA”). The securities may not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to, or for the benefit of, any resident of Japan (including any person resident in Japan or any corporation or other entity organized under the laws of Japan) or to others for reoffering or resale, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to, or for the benefit of, any resident of Japan, except pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of, and otherwise in compliance with, the FIEA and any other applicable laws, regulations and ministerial guidelines of Japan.

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The validity of the shares of common stock offered by this prospectus will be passed upon for us by Ropes & Gray LLP. Certain legal matters relating to this offering will be passed upon for the underwriters by Latham & Watkins LLP, Boston, Massachusetts.

EXPERTS

The financial statements of TRex Bio, Inc. as of December 31, 2024 and 2025, and for each of the years in the two-year period ended December 31, 2025, have been included herein and in the registration statement in reliance upon the report of KPMG LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, appearing elsewhere herein, and upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

WHERE YOU CAN FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

We have filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-1 under the Securities Act with respect to the shares of common stock offered hereby. This prospectus, which constitutes a part of the registration statement, does not contain all of the information set forth in the registration statement or the exhibits and schedules filed therewith. For further information about us and the shares of common stock offered hereby, we refer you to the registration statement and the exhibits and schedules filed thereto.

Statements contained in this prospectus regarding the contents of any contract or any other document that is filed as an exhibit to the registration statement are not necessarily complete, and each such statement is qualified in all respects by reference to the full text of such contract or other document filed as an exhibit to the registration statement. The SEC also maintains an internet website that contains reports, proxy statements and other information about registrants, like us, that file electronically with the SEC. The address of that site is www.sec.gov.

Upon the effectiveness of the registration statement, we will be subject to the informational requirements of the Exchange Act and, in accordance with the Exchange Act, will file reports, proxy and information statements and other information with the SEC. Such annual, quarterly and special reports, proxy and information statements and other information can be accessed at the SEC’s website referenced above. We also maintain a website at trex.bio, at which you may access these materials free of charge as soon as reasonably practicable after they are electronically filed with, or furnished to, the SEC.

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F-1


Table of Contents

 

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

To the Stockholders and the Board of Directors
TRex Bio, Inc.:

Opinion on the Financial Statements

We have audited the accompanying balance sheets of TRex Bio, Inc. (the Company) as of December 31, 2024 and 2025, the related statements of operations and comprehensive loss, redeemable convertible preferred stock and stockholders’ deficit, and cash flows for each of the years in the two-year period ended December 31, 2025, and the related notes (collectively, the financial statements). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of December 31, 2024 and 2025, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the years in the two-year period ended December 31, 2025, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.

Basis for Opinion

These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB) and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

/s/ KPMG LLP

We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2022.

San Francisco, California
June 26, 2026

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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TRex Bio, Inc.

BALANCE SHEETS

(in thousands, except share data)

 

 

 

As of December 31,

 

 

 

2024

 

 

2025

 

Assets

 

 

 

 

 

 

Current assets:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents

 

$

47,469

 

 

$

15,192

 

Marketable securities

 

 

17,836

 

 

 

52,533

 

Prepaid expenses and other current assets

 

 

1,469

 

 

 

3,707

 

Total current assets

 

 

66,774

 

 

 

71,432

 

Property and equipment, net

 

 

632

 

 

 

482

 

Operating lease right-of-use assets, net

 

 

657

 

 

 

681

 

Other assets

 

 

3

 

 

 

538

 

Total assets

 

$

68,066

 

 

$

73,133

 

Liabilities, Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock and Stockholders’ Deficit

 

 

 

 

 

 

Current liabilities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Accounts payable

 

$

527

 

 

$

371

 

Accrued liabilities

 

 

6,316

 

 

 

3,906

 

Lease liabilities

 

 

696

 

 

 

717

 

Total current liabilities

 

 

7,539

 

 

 

4,994

 

Income taxes payable - long-term

 

 

1,253

 

 

 

1,171

 

Other liabilities

 

 

—

 

 

 

72

 

Total liabilities

 

 

8,792

 

 

 

6,237

 

Commitments and contingencies (Note 6)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Redeemable convertible preferred stock:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Series A-1 redeemable convertible preferred stock, $0.0001 par value per share;
   5,000,000 shares authorized, issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2024
   and 2025; liquidation preference of $9,806 as of December 31, 2024 and 2025

 

 

6,530

 

 

 

6,530

 

Series A-2 redeemable convertible preferred stock, $0.0001 par value per share;
   7,700,000 shares authorized, issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2024
   and 2025; liquidation preference of $42,721 as of December 31, 2024 and 2025

 

 

25,181

 

 

 

25,181

 

Series A-3 redeemable convertible preferred stock, $0.0001 par value per share,
   12,482,976 shares authorized, issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2024
   and 2025; liquidation preference of $61,844 as of December 31, 2024 and 2025

 

 

43,730

 

 

 

43,730

 

Series B redeemable convertible preferred stock, $0.0001 par value per share;
   27,510,762 shares authorized as of December 31, 2024 and 2025; 13,683,972
   and 27,206,115 shares issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2024 and 2025,
   respectively; liquidation preference of $42,279 and $84,059 as of December 31,
   2024 and 2025

 

 

41,805

 

 

 

83,574

 

Stockholders’ deficit:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Common Stock, $0.0001 par value; 72,213,000 shares authorized as of
   December 31, 2024 and 2025; 3,939,211 and 4,969,760 shares issued and
   outstanding as of December 31, 2024 and 2025, respectively; and 0 and
   323,652 shares subject to repurchase as of December 31, 2024 and 2025,
   respectively

 

 

1

 

 

 

1

 

Additional paid-in capital

 

 

1,472

 

 

 

2,122

 

Accumulated other comprehensive income

 

 

8

 

 

 

17

 

Accumulated deficit

 

 

(59,453

)

 

 

(94,259

)

Total stockholders’ deficit

 

 

(57,972

)

 

 

(92,119

)

Total liabilities, redeemable convertible preferred stock, and
   stockholders’ deficit

 

$

68,066

 

 

$

73,133

 

 

See accompanying notes to the financial statements.

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TRex Bio, Inc.

STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE LOSS

(in thousands)

 

 

 

For the Year Ended December 31,

 

 

 

2024

 

 

2025

 

Collaboration revenue

 

$

39,108

 

 

$

—

 

Operating expenses:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Research and development

 

 

34,989

 

 

 

29,809

 

General and administrative

 

 

6,500

 

 

 

8,036

 

Total operating expenses

 

 

41,489

 

 

 

37,845

 

Loss from operations

 

 

(2,381

)

 

 

(37,845

)

Interest income

 

 

2,007

 

 

 

3,154

 

Other expense, net

 

 

(70

)

 

 

(69

)

Total other income, net

 

 

1,937

 

 

 

3,085

 

Loss before provision for income taxes

 

 

(444

)

 

 

(34,760

)

Provision for income taxes

 

 

2,700

 

 

 

46

 

Net loss

 

 

(3,144

)

 

 

(34,806

)

Series A preferred stock dividends

 

 

(5,745

)

 

 

—

 

Net loss attributable to common stockholders

 

$

(8,889

)

 

$

(34,806

)

Net loss per share attributable to common stockholders, basic and diluted

 

$

(2.31

)

 

$

(8.59

)

Weighted-average shares outstanding, basic and diluted

 

 

3,850,158

 

 

 

4,051,552

 

Comprehensive loss:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net loss

 

 

(3,144

)

 

 

(34,806

)

Unrealized gain on marketable securities

 

 

8

 

 

 

9

 

Comprehensive loss

 

$

(3,136

)

 

$

(34,797

)

 

See accompanying notes to the financial statements.

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TRex Bio, Inc.

STATEMENTS OF REDEEMABLE CONVERTIBLE PREFERRED STOCK AND STOCKHOLDERS’ DEFICIT

(in thousands, except share data)

 

 

 

Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Additional

 

 

Accumulated
Other

 

 

 

 

 

Total

 

 

 

Series A-1

 

 

Series A-2

 

 

Series A -3

 

 

Series B

 

 

 

Common Stock

 

 

Paid-In

 

 

Comprehensive

 

 

Accumulated

 

 

Stockholders’

 

 

 

Share

 

 

Amount

 

 

Share

 

 

Amount

 

 

Share

 

 

Amount

 

 

Share

 

 

Amount

 

 

 

Share

 

 

Amount

 

 

Capital

 

 

Income

 

 

Deficit

 

 

Deficit

 

Balances as of December 31,
   2023

 

 

5,000,000

 

 

$

6,530

 

 

 

7,700,000

 

 

$

25,181

 

 

 

12,482,976

 

 

$

43,730

 

 

 

—

 

 

$

—

 

 

 

 

3,726,455

 

 

$

1

 

 

$

1,178

 

 

$

—

 

 

$

(56,309

)

 

$

(55,130

)

Issuance of common stock

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

 

212,756

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

46

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

46

 

Issuance of Series B preferred
   stock, net of issuance costs
   of $474

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

13,683,972

 

 

 

41,805

 

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

Stock-based compensation
   expense

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

248

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

248

 

Unrealized gain on marketable
   securities

 

 

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

8

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

8

 

Net loss

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

(3,144

)

 

 

(3,144

)

Balances as of December 31,
   2024

 

 

5,000,000

 

 

 

6,530

 

 

 

7,700,000

 

 

 

25,181

 

 

 

12,482,976

 

 

 

43,730

 

 

 

13,683,972

 

 

 

41,805

 

 

 

 

3,939,211

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

1,472

 

 

 

8

 

 

 

(59,453

)

 

 

(57,972

)

Issuance of common stock

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

 

1,030,549

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

182

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

182

 

Vesting of early exercised
   common stock

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

16

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

16

 

Issuance of Series B preferred
   stock, net of issuance costs
   of $10

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

13,522,143

 

 

 

41,769

 

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

Stock-based compensation
   expense

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

452

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

452

 

Unrealized gain on marketable
   securities

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

9

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

9

 

Net loss

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

(34,806

)

 

 

(34,806

)

Balances as of December 31,
   2025

 

 

5,000,000

 

 

$

6,530

 

 

 

7,700,000

 

 

$

25,181

 

 

 

12,482,976

 

 

$

43,730

 

 

 

27,206,115

 

 

$

83,574

 

 

 

 

4,969,760

 

 

$

1

 

 

$

2,122

 

 

$

17

 

 

$

(94,259

)

 

$

(92,119

)

 

See accompanying notes to the financial statements.

F-5


Table of Contents

 

TRex Bio, Inc.

STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(in thousands)

 

 

 

For the Year Ended December 31,

 

 

 

2024

 

 

2025

 

Cash flows from operating activities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net loss

 

$

(3,144

)

 

$

(34,806

)

Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Depreciation and amortization

 

 

1,259

 

 

 

218

 

Stock-based compensation

 

 

248

 

 

 

452

 

Reduction in carrying amount of right-of-use assets

 

 

1,267

 

 

 

1,322

 

Net amortization of premiums and discounts on marketable securities

 

 

(592

)

 

 

(1,767

)

Changes in assets and liabilities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Prepaid expenses and other current assets

 

 

577

 

 

 

(2,238

)

Other assets

 

 

—

 

 

 

(535

)

Accounts payable

 

 

(588

)

 

 

(156

)

Accrued liabilities

 

 

490

 

 

 

(2,441

)

Deferred revenue

 

 

(24,108

)

 

 

—

 

Lease liabilities

 

 

(1,268

)

 

 

(1,325

)

Income taxes payable - long-term

 

 

277

 

 

 

(82

)

Net cash used in operating activities

 

 

(25,582

)

 

 

(41,358

)

Cash flows from investing activities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Purchase of property and equipment

 

 

(68

)

 

 

(68

)

Purchase of investments in marketable securities

 

 

(41,236

)

 

 

(130,921

)

Proceeds from maturities of marketable securities

 

 

24,000

 

 

 

98,000

 

Net cash used in investing activities

 

 

(17,304

)

 

 

(32,989

)

Cash flows from financing activities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Proceeds from issuance of common stock

 

 

46

 

 

 

301

 

Proceeds from sales of Series B redeemable convertible preferred stock

 

 

42,279

 

 

 

41,779

 

Payment of issuance costs of Series B redeemable convertible preferred stock

 

 

(474

)

 

 

(10

)

Net cash provided by financing activities

 

 

41,851

 

 

 

42,070

 

Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents

 

 

(1,035

)

 

 

(32,277

)

Cash and cash equivalents - beginning of year

 

 

48,504

 

 

 

47,469

 

Cash and cash equivalents - end of year

 

$

47,469

 

 

$

15,192

 

Supplemental disclosure:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash paid for income taxes

 

$

2,487

 

 

$

—

 

Supplemental disclosure of non-cash transactions:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Right-of-use assets acquired in exchange for lease obligations

 

$

—

 

 

$

1,346

 

Vesting of early exercised common stock

 

$

—

 

 

$

16

 

 

See accompanying notes to the financial statements.

F-6


Table of Contents

TRex Bio, Inc.

Notes to Financial Statements

As of and for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2025

________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

1.
Organization

Description of the Business

TRex Bio, Inc. (the “Company”) is a company focusing on studying the regulation of tissue inflammation to develop breakthrough medicines. To date, the Company has created a multi-faceted discovery platform to gain insights into regulatory T cell biology through transcriptomic analyses. The Company has translated these findings into drug discovery campaigns, including collaboration with Eli Lilly and Company (“Lilly”). In June 2025, the Company initiated dosing for its first clinical trial for TRB-061, a novel TNFR2 agonist initially being developed for the treatment of atopic dermatitis.

The Company was incorporated in Delaware, United States of America in November 2021 as TRex Holdings, Inc. On December 29, 2021, TRex Bio Limited (“TBL”) executed a Business Transfer Arrangement pursuant to which TRex Holdings Inc., the newly incorporated company for the purpose of effecting the re-domiciliation (the “Re-domiciliation”), acquired all TBL shares and TBL became a wholly-owned subsidiary of TRex Holdings Inc. TBL stockholders received one TRex Holdings, Inc. share for one TBL share. On December 31, 2024, the Company entered into the Agreement and Plan of Merger, in an effort to simplify and consolidate the corporate structure, with TRex Bio, Inc. (a Delaware corporation) remaining as the sole surviving entity. All directors of TRex Holdings, Inc. transferred to TRex Bio, Inc. upon closing of the merger. All preferred stock, common stock and stock option grants of TRex Holdings, Inc. were exchanged on a one for one basis for preferred stock, common stock and stock options of TRex Bio, Inc.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

The accompanying financial statements have been prepared assuming the Company will continue as a going concern, which assumes that the Company will realize its assets and satisfy its liabilities in the normal course of business. The Company is subject to risks inherent in operating an early-stage biotechnology business. These risks include, but are not limited to, dependence on the development of marketable products, the ability to attract, retain, and motivate qualified personnel, rapid technological changes and the rapidly evolving nature of the biotechnology industry.

As of December 31, 2025, the Company had cash and cash equivalents and marketable securities of $67.7 million and accumulated deficit of $94.3 million. The Company has incurred net losses and negative cash flows from operations since inception, except for the year ended December 31, 2023, during which it commenced a Research Collaboration and License Agreement (the “Lilly Collaboration Agreement”), received a one-time upfront payment of $55.0 million from Lilly, and recognized total collaboration revenue of $41.9 million across its collaboration agreements, resulting in net income for the year and positive cash flows from operations. The Company has incurred net losses of $3.1 million and $34.8 million for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2025, respectively. The net cash used in operating activities was $25.6 million and $41.4 million for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2025, respectively.

The Company has historically funded its operations primarily through the issuances of redeemable convertible preferred stock. In January 2026, we issued and sold an aggregate of 16,182,795 Series B preferred stock in an extension of our Series B preferred stock financing for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $50.0 million, as discussed in Note 13. The Company believes that its existing cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities as of December 31, 2025, together with the net proceeds received from the extension of the Series B financing, will be sufficient to fund its operations for at least twelve months from the date of issuance of these financial statements.

The Company expects to continue to incur substantial losses for the foreseeable future, and its ability to achieve and sustain profitability will depend on the successful development, approval and commercialization of any product candidates it may develop, and on the achievement of sufficient revenue to support its cost structure. The Company may never achieve profitability and, unless and until it does, it will need to continue to raise additional capital to fund ongoing research and development activities and maintain future operations. The Company’s management plans to monitor expenses and may raise additional capital through a combination of public and private equity. The Company’s ability to access capital when needed is not assured and, if capital is not available to the Company when, and in the amounts, needed, on the terms which are favorable, the Company could be required to delay, scale back, or abandon some or all of its planned development product candidates and other operations, which could materially harm the Company’s business, financial condition and results of operations.

F-7


Table of Contents

TRex Bio, Inc.

Notes to Financial Statements

As of and for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2025

________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

2.
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”), stated in U.S. dollars. As a result of the corporate reorganization detailed in Note 1, the Company operates as a single legal entity without subsidiaries. Accordingly, the financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2025, represent the standalone operations of the Company. For the year ended December 31, 2024, the financial statements reflect the consolidated operations of the Company and its former subsidiary. All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation for this period.

The financial statements include all adjustments necessary for the fair presentation of the Company’s financial statements as of and for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2025. For all non-functional currency balances, the remeasurement of such balances to functional currency results in a foreign exchange transaction gain or loss, which is recorded as a component of other income (expense), net in the statement of operations and comprehensive loss. Any reference in these notes to applicable guidance is meant to refer to the authoritative GAAP as found in the Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) and Accounting Standards Updates (“ASU”), of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”).

Use of Estimates

The preparation of the financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, disclosure of contingent liabilities and the reported amounts of expenses in the financial statements and the accompanying notes. These estimates form the basis for judgments the Company makes about the carrying values of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The Company bases its estimates using historical experience, Company forecasts and future plans, current economic conditions, and information from third-party professionals that management believes to be reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying value of assets and liabilities and recorded amounts of expenses that are not readily apparent from other sources and adjusts those estimates and assumptions when facts and circumstances dictate. Estimates are used in accounting for, among other things, useful lives of property and equipment, the rate used in determining the present value of lease payments, fair value of assets and liabilities, accrued liabilities, the fair value of common stock and stock-based compensation, the allocation of a revenue contract’s transaction price to each distinct performance obligation on a relative standalone selling price basis, uncertain tax positions and the valuation allowance for deferred income tax assets. Actual results may differ from these estimates and assumptions.

The Company utilizes estimates and assumptions in determining the fair value of its common stock, including stock-based awards. The Company has granted stock options at exercise prices that represented the fair value of its common stock on the specific grant dates. The Company utilized various valuation methodologies in accordance with the framework of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants Technical Practice Aid, Valuation of Privately Held Company Equity Securities Issued as Compensation, to estimate the fair value of its common stock. Each valuation methodology includes estimates and assumptions that require the Company’s judgment. These estimates and assumptions include a number of objective and subjective factors, including external market conditions, the prices at which the Company sold shares of redeemable convertible preferred stock, the superior rights and preferences of the redeemable convertible preferred stock senior to the Company’s common stock at the time, and a probability analysis of various liquidity events, such as a public offering or sale of the Company, under differing scenarios. Changes to the key assumptions used in the valuations could result in different fair values of common stock at each valuation date.

The Company’s results can also be affected by economic, political, legislative, regulatory and legal actions. Economic conditions, such as recessionary trends, inflation, interest, changes in regulatory laws and monetary exchange rates, and government fiscal policies, can have a significant effect on operations. While the Company maintains reserves for anticipated liabilities, the Company could be affected by civil, criminal, regulatory or administrative actions, claims or proceedings.

Segment Reporting

Operating segments are defined as components of an entity for which separate financial information is available and that is regularly reviewed by the chief operating decision maker (“CODM”), in deciding how to allocate resources to an individual segment and in assessing performance. The Company’s CODM is its chief executive officer. The Company has determined it operates in one segment. As of December 31, 2024 and 2025, all of the Company’s property and equipment was maintained in the United States. For the year ended December 31, 2024, all of the Company’s revenue was generated in the United States.

F-8


Table of Contents

TRex Bio, Inc.

Notes to Financial Statements

As of and for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2025

________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Cash and Cash Equivalents

The Company considers all highly liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less from the date of purchase to be cash equivalents. Cash equivalents consist of amounts invested in money market funds exclusively composed of U.S. government obligations.

Marketable Securities

All marketable securities have been classified as “available-for-sale” and are carried at fair value, based upon quoted market prices. The Company considers its available-for-sale portfolio as available for use in current operations. Accordingly, the Company may classify certain investments as short-term marketable securities, even though the stated maturity date may be one year or more beyond the current balance sheet date. For available-for-sale debt securities, unrealized gains, net of any related tax effects, are excluded from earnings and are included in other comprehensive income and reported as a separate component of stockholders’ equity until realized. The Company assesses available-for-sale debt securities on a quarterly basis to see if any unrealized loss is due to credit-related factors. Factors considered in determining whether an impairment is credit-related include the extent to which the investment’s fair value is less than its cost basis, declines in published credit ratings, changes in interest rates, and any other adverse factors related to the security. If it is determined that a credit-related impairment exists, the Company will measure the credit loss based on a discounted cash flows model. Credit-related impairments on available-for-sale debt securities are recognized as an allowance for credit losses with a corresponding adjustment to other income, net in the Company’s statement of operations. The unrealized loss position that is not credit-related is recorded, net of any related tax effects, in other comprehensive income until realized. There were no credit-related losses recognized for the periods presented.

The cost of securities sold is based on the specific-identification method. The amortized cost of securities is adjusted for amortization of premiums and accretion of discounts to maturity. In accordance with our investment policy, management invests in money market funds, U.S. treasury securities, and corporate bonds. The Company has not experienced any losses on its deposits of cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities.

Fair Value Measurements

Fair value is defined as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. As such, fair value is a market-based measurement that should be determined based on assumptions that market participants would use in pricing an asset or liability. The carrying amounts of financial instruments, including prepaid expenses and other current assets, accounts payable, accrued compensation, accrued expenses, and other liabilities, approximate fair value due to their short-term maturities. The cash invested in money-market funds is carried at fair value.

Concentration of Credit Risk

Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to a concentration of credit risk consist of cash and cash equivalents. The Company’s cash and cash equivalents are deposited in accounts with major financial institutions and amounts may exceed federally insured limits. Management believes that the Company is not exposed to significant credit risk due to the financial strength of the depository institution in which the cash and cash equivalents are held. The Company has not experienced any losses on deposits of cash and cash equivalents.

Risks and Uncertainties

The Company is subject to certain risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to changes in any of the following areas that the Company believes could have a material adverse effect on future financial position or results of operations: management of growth; fluctuations in foreign currency; the ability to obtain future financing; regulatory clearance and market acceptance of the Company’s products; development of sales channels; protection of the intellectual property; litigation or claims against the Company based on intellectual property, or other factors; and the Company’s ability to attract and retain employees necessary to support its growth.

The Company is dependent on contract manufacturers to supply products for research and development activities in its product candidates. In particular, the Company relies and expects to continue to rely on a small number of manufacturers to supply it with its requirements for the drug substance and drug products related to these product candidates. Disruption or interruption of these partners and contract manufacturers could adversely affect the supply of active pharmaceutical ingredients and formulated drugs for the Company’s product candidates.

F-9


Table of Contents

TRex Bio, Inc.

Notes to Financial Statements

As of and for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2025

________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Property and Equipment

Property and equipment are recorded at cost, less accumulated depreciation. Depreciation is computed using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets, generally three to five years. Repair and maintenance expenditures, which are not considered improvements and do not extend the useful life of property and equipment, are expensed as incurred.

Leases

At inception of a contract, the Company determines whether an arrangement is or contains a lease. For each lease, the Company determines the classification as either an operating lease or a financing lease. Lease recognition occurs at the lease commencement date and lease liability amounts are determined based on the present value of lease payments over the lease term. The lease term may include options to extend or terminate the lease only when it is reasonably certain that the Company will exercise that option.

The Company uses its incremental borrowing rate based on the information available at lease commencement date in determining the present value of lease payments if the Company’s leases do not provide an implicit rate. The Company determines its incremental borrowing rate based on the rate of interest that the Company would have to pay to borrow on a collateralized basis over a similar term, an amount equal to the lease payments in a similar economic environment. Right-of-use (ROU) assets represent the Company’s right to use underlying assets for the lease term and operating lease liabilities represent the Company’s obligation to make lease payments under the lease.

ROU assets are measured as the lease liability plus initial direct costs and prepaid lease payments, less lease incentives granted by the lessor. The Company elected to apply the practical expedient of combining lease and non-lease components for the real estate lease asset class. Fixed lease payments on operating leases are recognized as lease expense over the expected term of the lease on a straight-line basis. Variable lease expenses that are not considered fixed are recognized as incurred.

In addition, the Company elected the short-term lease practical expedient that allows the lessee to not record a lease liability and ROU asset for all leases with a term of 12 months or less.

As of December 31, 2024 and 2025, the Company did not have any finance leases.

Intangible Assets

Intangible assets with finite lives are amortized over their estimated useful lives using the straight-line method. As of December 31, 2024 and 2025, the Company does not have any intangible assets.

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets

The Company evaluates its long-lived assets for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value of these assets may not be recoverable. Recoverability is measured by comparing the carrying amount of each asset to the future undiscounted cash flows which the assets are expected to generate. If such assets are considered to be impaired, the impairment is measured as the amount by which the carrying amount of the assets exceeds the projected discounted future net cash flows generated by the assets. The Company has not recorded impairment of any long-lived assets.

Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock

The Company recorded all shares of redeemable convertible preferred stock at their respective fair values on the dates of issuance, net of issuance costs. In the event of a deemed liquidation event, such as a change of control of the Company, proceeds received from the sale of such shares will be distributed in accordance with the liquidation preferences set forth in the Company’s certificate of incorporation unless the holders of the redeemable convertible preferred stock have converted their shares of redeemable convertible preferred stock into shares of common stock. Redeemable convertible preferred stock is therefore classified outside of stockholders’ deficit on the balance sheet as events triggering redemption are not solely within the Company’s control.

The Company has not adjusted the carrying values of its redeemable convertible preferred stock to the liquidation preferences because of the uncertainty of whether or when such an event would occur. As of December 31, 2024 and 2025, it was not probable that such a deemed liquidation event would occur.

F-10


Table of Contents

TRex Bio, Inc.

Notes to Financial Statements

As of and for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2025

________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Comprehensive Loss

Comprehensive loss is the change in stockholders’ deficit from transactions and other events and circumstances other than those resulting from investments by stockholders and distributions to stockholders. The Company’s other comprehensive income is comprised solely of unrealized gains on marketable securities. The Company has not recorded any reclassifications from other comprehensive income to net loss during the periods presented.

Net Loss Per Share

Basic net loss per share is computed by dividing the net loss by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding during the period, without consideration of potential dilutive securities. Diluted net loss per share is computed by dividing the net loss by the sum of the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding during the period plus the potential dilutive effects of potential dilutive shares outstanding during the period. Potential dilutive securities include stock options and redeemable convertible preferred stock. The dilutive effect of stock options is computed using the treasury stock method and the dilutive effect of redeemable convertible preferred stock is calculated using the “if-converted method.” For all periods presented in a net loss position, diluted net loss per share is the same as basic net loss per share since the effect of including potential common shares is anti-dilutive.

Basic and diluted net loss per share attributable to common stockholders is presented in conformity with the two-class method required for participating securities. The Company considers all series of its redeemable convertible preferred stock to be participating securities. Under the two-class method, the net loss attributable to common stockholders is not allocated to the redeemable convertible preferred stock as the holders of its redeemable convertible preferred stock do not have a contractual obligation to share in the Company’s losses. Net income is attributed to common stockholders and participating securities based on their participation rights.

Research and Development Expenses

Research and development costs are expensed as incurred and consist of new product development. Research and development costs include salaries, bonuses, benefits, stock-based compensation expense, lab supplies and facility costs, as well as fees paid to other non-employees and entities that conduct certain research and development activities on the Company’s behalf. Amounts incurred in connection with license agreements are also included in research and development expenses. Non-refundable advance payments for goods or services to be received in the future for use in research and development activities are deferred. The deferred amounts are expensed as the related goods are delivered or the services are performed.

Revenue Recognition

As part of its ongoing activities, the Company enters into collaboration agreements with counterparts. The terms of the collaborative agreements typically include one or more of the following: (i) upfront fees; (ii) milestone payments related to the achievement of development or commercial goals; (iii) royalties on net sales of licensed products; and (iv) reimbursement of cost-sharing of research and development (“R&D”) expenses.

When the Company enters into collaboration agreements, it assesses whether the arrangements fall within the scope of Accounting Standards Codification 808, Collaborative Arrangements (“ASC 808”) based on whether the arrangements involve joint operating activities and whether both parties have active participation in the arrangement and are exposed to significant risks and rewards. To the extent that the arrangement falls within the scope of ASC 808, the Company assesses whether the payments between the Company and its collaboration partner fall within the scope of other accounting literature. If it concludes that payments from the collaboration partner to the Company represent consideration from a customer, such as license fees and contract research and development activities, the Company accounts for those payments within the scope of Accounting Standards Update No. 2014-09 (Topic 606), Revenue from Contracts with Customers (“ASC 606”).

The Company has no products approved for commercial sale and has not generated any revenue from commercial product sales. The total revenue to date has been generated principally from collaboration agreements.

The Company determines revenue recognition through the following five-step framework: (i) identification of contract with a customer; (ii) determination of whether the promised goods or services are performance obligations, including whether they are distinct in the context of the contract; (iii) measurement of the transaction price, including the constraint on variable consideration; (iv) allocation of the transaction price to the performance obligations based on estimated selling prices; and (v) recognition of revenue when (or as) each performance obligation has been satisfied.

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Table of Contents

TRex Bio, Inc.

Notes to Financial Statements

As of and for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2025

________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Performance obligations promised in a contract are identified based on the goods and services that will be transferred to the customer that are both capable of being distinct and are distinct in the context of the contract. To the extent a contract includes multiple promised goods and services, the Company applies judgment to determine whether promised goods and services are both capable of being distinct and are distinct in the context of the contract. If these criteria are not met, the promised goods and services are accounted for as a combined performance obligation. For arrangements that include multiple performance obligations, the Company allocates the transaction price to the identified performance obligations based on the standalone selling price of each distinct performance obligation. In instances where standalone selling price is not directly observable, the Company develops assumptions that require judgment to determine the standalone selling price for each performance obligation identified in the contract using a cost plus margin approach, which is an estimation method used when standalone selling price is not directly observable. Key assumptions used within this estimation method may include full-time equivalent personnel effort and estimated external costs associated with the performance obligation.

The transaction price is determined based on the consideration to which the Company will be entitled in exchange for transferring goods and services to the customer. To the extent the transaction price includes variable consideration, such as milestone and royalties payments, the Company estimates the amount of variable consideration that should be included in the transaction price utilizing either the expected value method or the most likely amount method, depending on the nature of the variable consideration. Variable consideration is included in the transaction price if, in management’s judgment, it is probable that a significant future reversal of cumulative revenue under the contract will not occur. Any estimates, including the effect of the constraint on variable consideration, are evaluated at each reporting period for any changes.

If the contract contains a single performance obligation, the entire transaction price is allocated to the single performance obligation. Contracts that contain multiple performance obligations require an allocation of the transaction price to each performance obligation on a relative standalone selling price basis unless the transaction price is variable and meets the criteria to be allocated entirely to a performance obligation or to a distinct service that forms part of a single performance obligation.

The Company satisfies performance obligations either over time or at a point in time. Revenue is recognized over time if either (i) the customer simultaneously receives and consumes the benefits provided by the entity’s performance, (ii) the entity’s performance creates or enhances an asset that the customer controls as the asset is created or enhanced, or (iii) the entity’s performance does not create an asset with an alternative use to the entity and the entity has an enforceable right to payment for performance completed to date. If the entity does not satisfy a performance obligation over time, the related performance obligation is satisfied at a point in time by transferring the control of a promised good or service to a customer.

Consideration received prior to revenue recognition is recorded as deferred revenue in the balance sheets. Amounts expected to be recognized as revenue within the 12 months following the balance sheet date are classified as current portion of deferred revenue in the accompanying condensed balance sheets. Amounts not expected to be recognized as revenue within the 12 months following the balance sheet date are classified as deferred revenue, non-current. For its current contracts, the Company recognizes revenue as the amount of the transaction price that is allocated to the respective performance obligation when (or as) each performance obligation is satisfied at a point in time or over time, and, if over time, revenue recognized is based on the use of an input method. As of December 31, 2024 and 2025, the Company did not have any deferred revenue.

Stock-Based Compensation Expense

Stock-based compensation expense related to awards to employees and nonemployees is recognized based on the grant-date fair value of the award. The Company uses the Black-Scholes valuation model as the method for determining the estimated fair value of underlying stock options.

The fair value of the Company’s common stock is determined by the Company’s Board of Directors with the assistance of management and an independent third-party valuation specialist. The valuation methodologies used to determine the fair value of the Company’s common stock utilize certain assumptions including probability weighting of events, volatility, time to liquidation, a risk-free interest rate and an assumption for a discount for lack of marketability. In determining the fair value of the Company’s common stock, the methodologies used to estimate the enterprise value of the Company were performed using methodologies, approaches, and assumptions consistent with the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants Technical Practice Aid, “Valuation of Privately Held Company Equity Securities Issued as Compensation,” to estimate the fair value of its common stock. Each valuation methodology includes estimates and assumptions that require management judgment. These estimates and assumptions include a number of objective and subjective factors, including external market conditions, the prices at which the Company sold shares of redeemable convertible preferred stock, the superior rights and preferences of the redeemable convertible preferred stock senior to the Company’s common stock at the time, the status of clinical developments, the composition and ability of the current research and management team, and a probability analysis of various liquidity events, such as a public offering or sale of the Company, under different scenarios. Changes to the key assumptions used in the valuations could result in different fair values of common stock at each valuation date. The Company has certain awards that allow the holder to purchase unvested stock options. The shares issued for unvested stock options are

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Table of Contents

TRex Bio, Inc.

Notes to Financial Statements

As of and for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2025

________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

subject to repurchase by the Company at the original issuance price in the event of the holder’s termination of their relationship with the Company. Consideration received for shares associated with the unvested stock options is initially recorded as a liability and subsequently reclassified into stockholders’ equity as the related awards vest over the requisite service period.

The fair value of the award is recognized as expense on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period, which is generally the vesting period. Forfeitures are recognized as they occur.

Expected Term—Expected term represents the weighted-average period that the Company’s options are expected to be outstanding and is determined using the simplified method, as the Company does not have sufficient historical information to develop reasonable expectations about future exercise patterns and post-vesting employment termination behavior. The simplified method calculates the expected term as the average of the time-to-vesting and the contractual life of the options.

Expected Volatility—Expected volatility is estimated by using an average historical price volatility of comparable publicly traded companies to be representative of its expected future stock price volatility, as the Company does not have sufficient trading history for its common stock. For the purpose of identifying these peer companies, the Company considers the industry, stage of development, size and financial leverage of potential comparable companies. For each grant, the Company measures historical volatility over a period equivalent to the expected term. The Company will continue to apply this process until a sufficient amount of historical information regarding the volatility of its own stock price becomes available.

Expected Dividend—There is no expected dividend yield since the Company has never paid cash dividends on common stock and does not expect to pay any cash dividends in the foreseeable future.

Risk-Free Interest Rate—The risk-free interest rate is determined by reference to the U.S. Treasury yield curve in effect at the time of grant of the award for periods approximately equal to the expected term of the award.

Income Taxes

The Company accounts for income taxes using the asset and liability method. The Company recognizes deferred tax assets and liabilities for the expected future tax consequences of events that have been included in the financial statements or tax returns. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined based on the difference between the financial statement and tax basis of assets and liabilities using enacted tax rates in effect for the year in which the differences are expected to reverse and are classified as non-current.

In evaluating the ability to recover its deferred income tax assets, the Company considers all available positive and negative evidence, including its operating results, ongoing tax planning and forecasts of future taxable income on a jurisdiction-by-jurisdiction basis. In the event the Company determines that it would be able to realize its deferred income tax assets in the future in excess of their net recorded amount, it would make an adjustment to the valuation allowance that would reduce the provision for income taxes. Conversely, in the event that all or part of the net deferred tax assets are determined not to be realizable in the future, an adjustment to the valuation allowance would be charged to earnings in the period when such determination is made. As of December 31, 2024 and 2025, the Company has recorded a full valuation allowance on its net federal and state deferred tax assets.

The calculation of tax liabilities involves dealing with uncertainties in the application of complex tax regulations. The Company recognizes potential liabilities based on an estimate of whether, and the extent to which, additional taxes will be due. The Company utilizes a two-step approach for evaluation of uncertain tax positions. The first step is to determine if the weight of available evidence indicates a tax position is more likely than not to be sustained upon audit. The second step is to measure the tax benefit as the largest amount that is more likely than not to be realized on ultimate settlement. A liability is reported for unrecognized tax benefits resulting from uncertain tax positions taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. Any interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits are recorded as income tax expense.

Emerging Growth Company Status and Smaller Reporting Company Status

The Company is an “emerging growth company,” as defined in the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (Securities Act). Under the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012, an emerging growth company has the option to adopt new or revised accounting guidance either (i) within the same periods as otherwise applicable to public business entities, or (ii) within the same time periods as non-public business entities, including early adoption when permissible. With the exception of accounting guidance the Company elected to early adopt, when permissible, the Company has elected to adopt new or revised accounting guidance within the same time periods as non-public business entities.

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Table of Contents

TRex Bio, Inc.

Notes to Financial Statements

As of and for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2025

________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In November 2023, the FASB issued ASU 2023-07, Segment Reporting (Topic 280): Improvements to Reportable Segment Disclosures, aimed at enhancing the clarity and usefulness of segment disclosure. This update requires public business entities to disclose significant segment expenses that contribute to profitability measures and provide more detailed reconciliations to enhance user understanding. The disclosures required under ASU 2023-07 are also required for public entities with a single reportable segment. The Company adopted ASU 2023-07 for its fiscal year ended December 31, 2024.

Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted

In November 2024, the FASB issued ASU No. 2024-03, Income Statement—Reporting Comprehensive Income—Expense Disaggregation Disclosures (Subtopic 220-40): Disaggregation of Income Statement Expenses, an accounting standard update that requires public business entities to disclose more detailed information about the types of expenses (including employee compensation, depreciation, and amortization) included in each relevant income statement expense caption. The ASU is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2026, and interim reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2027. Early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact that this standard will have on its financial statements and related disclosures.

In December 2023, the FASB issued ASU No. 2023-09, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Improvements to Income Tax Disclosures. ASU 2023-09 requires public business entities to provide annual disclosures of specific categories in the rate reconciliation and to disclose income taxes paid, disaggregated by jurisdiction. For public business entities that are not emerging growth companies using the extended transition period, ASU 2023-09 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2024. Because the Company is an emerging growth company and has elected to take advantage of the extended transition period for complying with new or revised accounting standards, ASU 2023-09 is effective for the Company for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2025, with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact that this standard will have on its financial statements and related disclosures.

3.
Fair Value Measurements

Assets and liabilities recorded at fair value on a recurring basis in the balance sheets are categorized based upon the level of judgment associated with the inputs used to measure their fair values. Fair value is defined as the exchange price that would be received for an asset or an exit price that would be paid to transfer a liability in the principal or most advantageous market for the asset or liability in an orderly transaction between market participants on the measurement date.

The authoritative guidance on fair value measurements establishes a three-tier fair value hierarchy for disclosure of fair value measurements as follows:

Level 1—Observable inputs, such as quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities at the measurement date.

Level 2—Observable inputs other than Level 1 prices, such as quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities, quoted prices in markets that are not active, or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by observable market data for substantially the full term of the assets or liabilities.

Level 3—Unobservable inputs that are supported by little or no market activity and that are significant to the fair value of the assets or liabilities. These reflect management’s best estimate of what market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability at the measurement date. Consideration is given to the risk inherent in the valuation technique and the risk inherent in the inputs to the model.

Assets and liabilities measured at fair value are classified in their entirety based on the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement. The Company’s assessment of the significance of a particular input to the fair value measurement in its entirety requires management to make judgments and consider factors specific to the asset or liability. Changes in the ability to observe valuation inputs may result in a reclassification of levels of certain securities within the fair value hierarchy. The Company recognizes transfers into and out of levels within the fair value hierarchy in the period in which the actual event or change in circumstances that caused the transfer occurs.

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Table of Contents

TRex Bio, Inc.

Notes to Financial Statements

As of and for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2025

________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

All marketable securities were considered available-for-sale as of December 31, 2024 and 2025. The amortized cost, gross unrealized holding gains or losses, and fair value of the Company’s marketable securities by major security type are summarized in the tables below (in thousands):

 

 

 

December 31, 2024

 

 

 

Fair Value
Hierarchy
Level

 

Amortized
Cost

 

 

Unrealized
Gains

 

 

Fair Value

 

Cash equivalents:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Money market funds

 

Level 1

 

$

43,444

 

 

$

—

 

 

$

43,444

 

Marketable securities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

U.S. treasury securities

 

Level 1

 

 

17,828

 

 

 

8

 

 

 

17,836

 

Total

 

 

 

$

61,272

 

 

$

8

 

 

$

61,280

 

 

 

 

December 31, 2025

 

 

 

Fair Value
Hierarchy
Level

 

Amortized
Cost

 

 

Unrealized
Gains

 

 

Fair Value

 

Cash equivalents:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Money market funds

 

Level 1

 

$

14,925

 

 

$

—

 

 

$

14,925

 

Marketable securities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

U.S. treasury securities

 

Level 1

 

$

52,516

 

 

$

17

 

 

$

52,533

 

Total

 

 

 

$

67,441

 

 

$

17

 

 

$

67,458

 

Interest receivable as of December 31, 2024 and 2025 was $0.2 million and $0.1 million, respectively, and is recorded as a component of prepaid expenses and other current assets on the Company’s balance sheets.

4.
Balance Sheet Components

Prepaid expenses and other current assets

Prepaid expenses and other current assets as of December 31, 2024 and 2025 consists of the following (in thousands):

 

 

 

As of December 31,

 

 

 

2024

 

 

2025

 

Prepaid manufacturing costs

 

$

—

 

 

$

1,106

 

Prepaid clinical costs

 

 

329

 

 

 

1,109

 

Other prepaid expenses

 

 

1,140

 

 

 

1,492

 

Total prepaid expenses

 

$

1,469

 

 

$

3,707

 

Property and Equipment

Property and equipment as of December 31, 2024 and 2025 consists of the following (in thousands):

 

 

 

Life

 

As of December 31,

 

 

 

(in years)

 

2024

 

 

2025

 

Laboratory equipment

 

3 - 5

 

$

4,835

 

 

$

4,903

 

Computer equipment

 

3

 

 

9

 

 

 

9

 

Total Property and equipment

 

 

 

 

4,844

 

 

 

4,912

 

Less: Accumulated depreciation

 

 

 

 

(4,212

)

 

 

(4,430

)

Property and equipment, net

 

 

 

$

632

 

 

$

482

 

Depreciation expense for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2025 was $0.9 million and $0.2 million, respectively.

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Table of Contents

TRex Bio, Inc.

Notes to Financial Statements

As of and for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2025

________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

The Company reviews the estimated useful lives of its property and equipment on an ongoing basis. Effective January 1, 2025, the Company changed its estimated useful life of lab equipment from three to five years and this change has been accounted for as a change in accounting estimate. The change in estimated useful life decreased depreciation expense by approximately $0.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2025.

Accrued Liabilities

Accrued liabilities as of December 31, 2024 and 2025 consist of the following (in thousands):

 

 

 

As of December 31,

 

 

 

2024

 

 

2025

 

Accrued payroll related expenses

 

$

2,422

 

 

$

2,369

 

Accrued research and development expenses

 

 

1,754

 

 

 

1,109

 

Income tax payable

 

 

1,987

 

 

 

148

 

Other current liabilities

 

 

153

 

 

 

280

 

Total accrued liabilities

 

$

6,316

 

 

$

3,906

 

 

5.
Significant Agreements

Lilly

In January 2023, the Company and Lilly entered into a Research Collaboration and License Agreement which was amended by the First Amendment to the Research Collaboration and License Agreement dated June 24, 2026 (the “Lilly Collaboration Agreement”), wherein the Company granted to Lilly exclusive worldwide rights to develop and commercialize certain program molecules and products. The Lilly Collaboration Agreement terminated and replaced the earlier research agreement that was entered into in October 2018 and amended in September 2020 and October 2022. The Company received a $55.0 million upfront payment and, in July 2024, received a $15.0 million development milestone payment. After giving effect to the milestone payment received, the Company is eligible to receive up to an additional $577.5 million in development, commercialization and sales milestone payments. The Company is also eligible for tiered royalties ranging from six to ten percent on annual aggregate net sales of licensed products, subject to specified adjustments under the Lilly Collaboration Agreement. All milestone and royalty payments are subject to customary terms and conditions as described in the Lilly Collaboration Agreement.

Unless earlier terminated by either party, the Lilly Collaboration Agreement will expire on a product-by-product and country-by-country basis upon the expiration of all of Lilly’s payment obligations under the Lilly Collaboration Agreement. Either party may terminate the Lilly Collaboration Agreement pursuant to customary termination provisions. The Company concluded that the Lilly Collaboration Agreement is a contract with a customer and accounted for it under ASC 606 revenue recognition guidance. The Company’s performance obligations in the Lilly Collaboration Agreement relate to research and development activities under the applicable research plan and the transfer of related license rights and know-how. Based on the evaluation of the terms of the arrangement, the Company concluded that the transfer of related license rights and know-how and the research and development activities are not distinct within the context of the contract and, therefore, constitute a single performance obligation. The Company determined that the development and regulatory milestone payments represent variable consideration subject to constraint and excluded them from the initial transaction price. These payments will be included in the transaction price when it becomes probable that a significant reversal of cumulative revenue recognized will not occur and will be recognized as revenue based on the Company’s progress toward satisfaction of the combined performance obligation.

For the year ended December 31, 2024, the Company recognized $39.1 million in collaboration revenue on its statements of operations and comprehensive loss related to the Lilly Collaboration Agreement. The $39.1 million consisted of approximately $24.1 million representing recognition of the remaining portion of the original $55.0 million upfront payment and $15.0 million of variable consideration associated with the achievement of a development milestone under the Lilly Collaboration Agreement that did not require additional research and development services by the Company. The upfront payment and milestone consideration were included in the transaction price for the single combined performance obligation comprising the license rights, related know-how and research and development services. Upon achievement of the milestone, the $15.0 million of variable consideration was no longer constrained and was included in the transaction price. Because the Company fully satisfied the combined performance obligation during the year ended December 31, 2024, the remaining upfront consideration and the full amount of the milestone consideration were recognized as revenue during 2024. The Company did not receive separate payments or cost reimbursements specifically for research and development services performed under the initial research plan during the year ended December 31, 2024, and no portion of the transaction price was allocated separately

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Table of Contents

TRex Bio, Inc.

Notes to Financial Statements

As of and for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2025

________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

to those services. The research term for the Lilly Collaboration Agreement expired during the year ended December 31, 2024 and the Company did not recognize any collaboration revenue during the year ended December 31, 2025. However, the Company’s right to receive potential future milestone and royalty payments survives the expiration of the research term and remains in effect, unless earlier terminated in accordance with its terms.

6.
Commitments and Contingencies

Guarantees and Indemnifications

In the normal course of business, the Company enters into agreements that contain a variety of representations and provide for general indemnification. The Company’s exposure under these agreements is unknown because it involves claims that may be made against the Company in the future. To date, the Company has not paid any claims or been required to defend any action related to its indemnification obligations. As of December 31, 2024 and 2025, the Company did not have any material indemnification claims that were probable or reasonably possible and consequently has not recorded related liabilities.

Legal Proceedings

From time to time, the Company may have contingent liabilities that arise in the ordinary course of business activities. The Company assesses, in conjunction with its legal counsel, the need to record a liability for litigation and contingencies. Reserve estimates are recorded when and if it is determined that a loss-related matter is both probable and reasonably estimable. As of December 31, 2024 and 2025, the Company did not have any material reserve estimates recorded.

7.
Common Stock and Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock

In November 2025, the Company filed an Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation with the Secretary of State of Delaware whereby the total number of shares of all classes of stock which the Company has authority to issue is (1) 72,213,000 shares of Common Stock, $0.0001 par value per share and (ii) 52,693,738 shares of Preferred Stock, $0.0001 par value per share.

Common Stock

The Company has common stock of 3,939,211 shares and 4,969,760 shares outstanding as of December 31, 2024 and 2025, respectively. The Company has the following shares reserved as of December 31, 2024 and 2025.

 

 

 

As of December 31,

 

 

 

2024

 

 

2025

 

Options issued and outstanding under the 2021 Plan

 

 

2,976,009

 

 

 

—

 

Options issued and outstanding under the 2024 Plan

 

 

—

 

 

 

8,401,123

 

Shares reserved for future grants under 2021 Plan

 

 

9,165,243

 

 

 

—

 

Shares reserved for future grants under 2024 Plan

 

 

—

 

 

 

2,709,580

 

Total

 

 

12,141,252

 

 

 

11,110,703

 

 

Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock

Between June 2018 and February 2022, the Company issued its Series A-1 redeemable convertible preferred stock, Series A-2 redeemable convertible preferred stock, and Series A-3 redeemable convertible preferred stock at the prices set in the tables below. Series A-1 redeemable convertible preferred stock, Series A-2 redeemable convertible preferred stock and Series A-3 redeemable convertible preferred stock are collectively defined as “Series A Preferred Stock.”

In November 2024, the Company entered into a Series B redeemable convertible preferred stock financing arrangement in which 27,510,762 shares of Series B redeemable convertible preferred stock were authorized to be issued at an issuance price of $3.0897 per share for total proceeds of up to $85.0 million.

In November 2024, the Company issued an aggregate of 13,683,972 shares of Series B redeemable convertible preferred stock at an issuance price of $3.0897 per share for net proceeds of $41.8 million related to the first tranche, with a potential second tranche of additional funding for up to $41.8 million based on approval of the Board of Directors and consent of the majority of the holders of the then-outstanding Series B redeemable convertible preferred stock. The Series B Preferred Stock Purchase Agreement provides that, upon the fulfillment of certain conditions, each investor will purchase its pro rata portion of the shares to be issued in additional Series B redeemable convertible preferred stock closings. Further, the Company agreed to sell and issue said shares of Series B redeemable convertible preferred stock on the same terms as the first tranche in the Purchase Agreement. The Company did not separately account for tranche purchase rights described above as they were not

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Table of Contents

TRex Bio, Inc.

Notes to Financial Statements

As of and for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2025

________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

freestanding from the associated shares of redeemable convertible preferred stock. In March 2025, the Company issued an aggregate of 13,522,143 shares of Series B redeemable convertible preferred stock at an issuance price of $3.0897 per share for net proceeds of $41.8 million related to the second tranche.

In January 2026, the Company amended and restated the Certificate of Incorporation to increase the number of Series B redeemable convertible preferred stock authorized to be issued was increased to 43,388,910 shares and the Company issued an aggregate of approximately 16.2 million shares of Series B redeemable convertible preferred stock to multiple investors at an issuance price of $3.0897 per share for total proceeds of $50.0 million (the “Series B Extension”).

As of December 31, 2024, redeemable convertible preferred stock consisted of the following (in thousands, except for share and per share amounts):

 

Redeemable Convertible
Preferred Stock

 

Authorized
Shares

 

 

Issued and
Outstanding

 

 

Original
Issue Price

 

 

Liquidation
Preference

 

 

Carrying
Value

 

Series A-1

 

 

5,000,000

 

 

 

5,000,000

 

 

$

1.29

 

 

$

9,806

 

 

$

6,530

 

Series A-2

 

 

7,700,000

 

 

 

7,700,000

 

 

$

3.87

 

 

 

42,721

 

 

 

25,181

 

Series A-3

 

 

12,482,976

 

 

 

12,482,976

 

 

$

3.87

 

 

 

61,844

 

 

 

43,730

 

Series B

 

 

27,510,762

 

 

 

13,683,972

 

 

$

3.09

 

 

 

42,279

 

 

 

41,805

 

Total

 

 

52,693,738

 

 

 

38,866,948

 

 

 

 

 

$

156,650

 

 

$

117,246

 

 

As of December 31, 2025, the Company’s redeemable convertible preferred stock consisted of the following (in thousands, except for share and per share amounts):

 

Redeemable Convertible
Preferred Stock

 

Authorized
Shares

 

 

Issued and
Outstanding

 

 

Original
Issue Price

 

 

Liquidation
Preference

 

 

Carrying
Value

 

Series A-1

 

 

5,000,000

 

 

 

5,000,000

 

 

$

1.29

 

 

$

9,806

 

 

$

6,530

 

Series A-2

 

 

7,700,000

 

 

 

7,700,000

 

 

$

3.87

 

 

 

42,721

 

 

 

25,181

 

Series A-3

 

 

12,482,976

 

 

 

12,482,976

 

 

$

3.87

 

 

 

61,844

 

 

 

43,730

 

Series B

 

 

27,510,762

 

 

 

27,206,115

 

 

$

3.09

 

 

 

84,059

 

 

 

83,574

 

Total

 

 

52,693,738

 

 

 

52,389,091

 

 

 

 

 

$

198,430

 

 

$

159,015

 

 

The Series A and Series B redeemable convertible preferred stock (together, the “Preferred Stock”) rights, privileges and preferences are as follows:

Dividends—The holders of the Series A Preferred Stock are entitled to receive cumulative dividends at a fixed rate of 8% per annum (calculated in respect of any partial year on a straight line, non-compounding, daily basis and on the basis of a 365-day year) calculated from the date on which such Series A Preferred Stock was first issued by TRex Bio Limited. The preferred dividend accrued on each Series A Preferred Stock from the date on which such stock was first issued until the first to occur of the completion of a Liquidation Event, Deemed Liquidation Event or a Qualified IPO (as defined below). In all cases, accruing dividends ceased to accrue on November 6, 2024, per the terms of the Series B Preferred Stock Purchase Agreement. Any accrued dividends on the Series A Preferred Stock are payable solely in the event of a Liquidation Event or Deemed Liquidation Event. Upon the conversion of the Series A Preferred Stock into Common Stock, including in connection with a Qualified IPO, the right to receive any such accrued dividends is automatically forfeited and no such amounts will be paid. The holders of Series B redeemable convertible preferred stock are not entitled to receive any dividends. As of December 31, 2024 and 2025, no dividends have been declared or paid by the Company on any series of redeemable convertible preferred stock.

Voting Rights—Each holder has the right to one vote for each share of common stock into which such Preferred Stock could be converted.

Conversion—Each share of Preferred Stock may at any time convert all, or any part of, its holding of into a number of common stock by multiplying the applicable conversion rate by the number of the shares to be converted. The conversion price is initially equal to the respective redeemable convertible preferred stock original issuance price, and is subject to adjustments for stock splits, other dividends or distributions, merger or reorganization.

F-18


Table of Contents

TRex Bio, Inc.

Notes to Financial Statements

As of and for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2025

________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Qualified IPO—Unless this is waived by a simple majority of the Core Investors, as defined, in the event of a Qualified IPO, all outstanding Preferred Stock shall automatically be converted into Common Stock at the then-effective applicable Conversion Ratio, in each case immediately prior to the admission of Common Stock for trading as part of such Qualified IPO but conditional always on the Qualified IPO occurring. A Qualified IPO is defined as the Company’s first offering of Common Stock to the public provided that: (1) the aggregate net proceeds are at least $50,000,000 and (2) the Common Stock are listed on any recognized public exchange.

Liquidation Event—In the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company or a deemed liquidation event, the holder of shares of Series B Convertible Preferred Stock then outstanding shall be entitled to be paid out of the funds and assets of the Company before any payments shall be made to any holders of Series A Preferred Stock or Common Stock. If upon any such Liquidation Event or Deemed Liquidation Event, the holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock then outstanding shall be entitled to be paid, on a pari passu basis, out of the funds and assets of the Company before any payments to the holders of Common Stock. From any remaining assets, the preferred dividends are distributed and if assets are insufficient, then the available assets are distributed ratably to the holders of the Series A Preferred Stock. Any remaining assets, after consideration of other amounts in arrears, are distributed pro rata based on the number of shares held on an as-converted basis.

8.
Equity Incentive Plans

In November 2021, the Company’s board of directors adopted the 2021 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2021 Plan”). The 2021 Plan allows for the granting of incentive stock options, non-statutory stock options and restricted stock awards to the employees, members of the board of directors, and consultants of the Company.

In November 2024, the Board of Directors of the Company elected to amend the 2021 Plan to increase the number of shares available to be issued. The amendment allows for a total of 12,748,890 shares to be issued under the 2021 Plan.

In December 2024, the Board of Directors of the Company elected to adopt the 2024 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2024 Plan” and together with the 2021 Plan, the “Plans”). This was done contemporaneously with the merger of TRex Holdings, Inc. with TRex Bio, Inc. as discussed in Note 1. The 2024 Plan superseded the 2021 Plan and allows for the options issued under the 2021 Plan for TRex Holdings to be converted to options for TRex Bio, Inc. on a one-for-one basis.

Stock Options

Options under the Plans may be granted for periods of up to 10 years and at prices no less than 100% of the estimated fair value of the shares on the date of grant as determined by the board of directors provided that the exercise price of an option granted to a 10% stockholder shall not be less than 110% of the estimated fair value of the shares on the date of grant.

Stock options issued under the Plans generally vest over a four-year period and expire ten years from the date of grant. Certain options provide for accelerated vesting if there is a change in control, as defined in the individual award agreements.

The Company used the Black-Scholes option pricing model to estimate stock-based compensation expense for stock option awards granted during the periods presented, with the following assumptions:

 

Year Ended December 31,

 

2024

 

2025

Expected volatility

 

95.26 - 95.95

 

%

 

 

107.3 - 123.25

 

%

Expected dividend yield

 

0.00

 

%

 

 

0.00

 

%

Expected term (in years)

 

5.48 - 6.08

 

 

 

 

5.70 - 6.08

 

 

Risk-free interest rate

 

 

4.33

 

%

 

 

 

4.16

 

%

 

F-19


Table of Contents

TRex Bio, Inc.

Notes to Financial Statements

As of and for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2025

________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

The following summarizes stock option activity under the Stock Plans as follows:

 

 

Number of
Options

 

 

Weighted
Average
Exercise
Price Per
Share

 

 

Weighted
Average
Remaining
Contractual
Term
(in years)

 

 

Aggregate
Intrinsic
Value (in
thousands)

 

Outstanding as of December 31, 2024

 

 

2,976,009

 

 

$

0.28

 

 

 

7.16

 

 

$

124

 

Granted

 

 

6,910,928

 

 

 

0.32

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exercised

 

 

(1,030,549

)

 

 

0.29

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cancelled

 

 

(455,265

)

 

 

0.32

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Outstanding as of December 31, 2025

 

 

8,401,123

 

 

 

0.31

 

 

 

8.48

 

 

 

93

 

Exercisable as of December 31, 2025

 

 

2,828,711

 

 

 

0.29

 

 

 

6.88

 

 

 

87

 

Exercisable and expected to vest as of December 31, 2025

 

 

8,401,123

 

 

$

0.31

 

 

 

8.48

 

 

$

93

 

The aggregate fair value of stock options that vested during the year ended December 31, 2025 was $0.2 million. The stock options granted in the year ended December 31, 2025 had a weighted-average grant-date fair value per share of $0.28 and a total grant-date fair value of $1.9 million. The total intrinsic value of stock options exercised during the year ended December 31, 2025 was immaterial.

Stock-based Compensation Expense

Stock-based compensation expense for stock options recognized in the Company’s statements of operations and comprehensive loss is presented as follows (in thousands):

 

 

Year Ended December 31,

 

 

 

2024

 

 

2025

 

General and administrative

 

$

206

 

 

$

324

 

Research and development

 

 

42

 

 

 

128

 

Total

 

$

248

 

 

$

452

 

As of December 31, 2025, total unrecognized stock-based compensation expense related to unvested restricted stock awards and unvested stock options was $1.5 million, which is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 3.2 years.

9.
Income Taxes

The components of the provision for income taxes for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2025 are as follows (in thousands):

 

 

 

Year Ended December 31,

 

 

 

2024

 

 

2025

 

Current:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Federal

 

$

2,576

 

 

$

26

 

State

 

124

 

 

20

 

Foreign

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

Total current

 

 

2,700

 

 

$

46

 

Deferred:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Federal

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

State

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

Foreign

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

Total deferred

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

Provision for income taxes

 

$

2,700

 

 

$

46

 

 

F-20


Table of Contents

TRex Bio, Inc.

Notes to Financial Statements

As of and for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2025

________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

The Company had an effective tax rate of (0.1)% for the year ended December 31, 2025. The difference in the Company’s effective tax rate and the U.S. Federal statutory tax rate is primarily due to recording a full valuation allowance on the Company’s U.S. deferred tax assets.

The reconciliations of the statutory income tax rate to the Company’s effective tax rate for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2025, are as follows:

 

 

Year Ended December 31, 2024

 

Amount

 

 

Percentage

U.S. federal taxes at statutory rate

 

$

(93

)

 

 

21.0

 

%

State tax, net of federal benefit

 

 

565

 

 

 

(127.4

)

 

Provision-to-return

 

 

198

 

 

 

(44.6

)

 

U.S. R&D credits

 

 

(2,666

)

 

 

600.1

 

 

Change in valuation allowance

 

 

4,398

 

 

 

(990.0

)

 

Other

 

 

298

 

 

 

(67.0

)

 

Provision for income taxes

 

$

2,700

 

 

 

(607.9

)

%

 

 

Year Ended December 31, 2025

 

Amount

 

 

Percentage

U.S. federal taxes at statutory rate

 

$

(7,300

)

 

 

21.0

 

%

State tax, net of federal benefit

 

 

20

 

 

 

(0.1

)

 

Provision-to-return

 

 

(5,765

)

 

 

16.7

 

 

Uncertain tax positions - prior year positions

 

 

4,693

 

 

 

(13.5

)

 

U.S. R&D credits

 

 

(1,005

)

 

 

2.9

 

 

Change in valuation allowance

 

 

9,337

 

 

 

(26.9

)

 

Other

 

 

66

 

 

 

(0.2

)

 

Provision for income taxes

 

$

46

 

 

 

(0.1

)

%

As of December 31, 2024 and 2025, the significant components of the Company’s deferred tax assets and liabilities were as follows (in thousands):

 

 

 

Year Ended December 31,

 

 

 

2024

 

 

2025

 

Deferred Tax Assets:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Accruals

 

$

594

 

 

$

474

 

Net operating losses

 

 

6

 

 

 

18,119

 

Lease liability

 

 

195

 

 

 

151

 

Stock-based compensation

 

 

7

 

 

 

20

 

Capitalized research and development expenditures

 

 

13,703

 

 

 

3,279

 

Credits

 

 

2,550

 

 

 

4,049

 

Gross deferred tax assets

 

 

17,055

 

 

 

26,092

 

Valuation allowance

 

 

(16,794

)

 

 

(25,840

)

Net deferred tax assets

 

 

261

 

 

 

252

 

Deferred Tax Liabilities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Depreciation

 

 

(77

)

 

 

(105

)

Acquired intangibles

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

Unrealized gain

 

 

—

 

 

 

(4

)

Operating lease right-of-use assets

 

 

(184

)

 

 

(143

)

Total deferred tax liabilities

 

 

(261

)

 

 

(252

)

Net deferred tax liabilities

 

$

—

 

 

$

—

 

The Company has established a valuation allowance of $16.8 million and $25.8 million for December 31, 2024 and 2025, respectively, against its net deferred tax assets.

F-21


Table of Contents

TRex Bio, Inc.

Notes to Financial Statements

As of and for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2025

________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

The Company determines its valuation allowance on deferred tax assets by considering both positive and negative evidence in order to ascertain whether it is more likely than not that deferred tax assets will be realized. Realization of deferred tax assets is dependent upon the generation of future taxable income, if any, the timing and amount of which are uncertain. Due to the history of losses the Company has generated in the past, the Company believes that it is not more likely than not that all of the deferred tax assets can be realized as of December 31, 2025. Accordingly, the Company has recorded a full valuation allowance on its deferred tax assets.

The valuation allowance on the Company’s net deferred taxes increased by $4.9 million and $9.0 million during the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2025, respectively. The increase in valuation allowance is primarily attributable to the generation of net operating losses.

As of December 31, 2025, the Company has net federal net operating loss carryforwards of $96.1 million. The federal NOLs have an infinite carryforward period but are subject to 80% deduction limitation based upon pre-NOL deduction taxable income. As of December 31, 2025, the Company has no state net operating loss carryforwards.

As of December 31, 2025, the Company had federal and state research and development credit carryforwards of approximately $4.4 million and $3.9 million, respectively. As of December 31, 2025, the federal credits will begin to expire starting in 2041 if not utilized. The California credits have an indefinite carryforward period.

The Tax Reform Act of 1986 and similar state legislation impose substantial restrictions on the utilization of the net operating losses and tax credit carryforwards in the event there is a change in ownership as provided by Section 382 and Section 383 of the Internal Revenue Code and similar state provisions. The Company has completed an analysis of Section 382 ownership changes in the Company’s stock through December 31, 2024 and has concluded that it has experienced ownership changes that will result in limitations in its ability to use certain net operating loss carryforwards, tax credit carryforwards and other tax attributes. The Company may experience ownership changes in the future as a result of future transactions in its stock. If it is determined that the Company undergoes one or more ownership changes in the future, then the Company’s ability to utilize its U.S. federal and state net operating loss carryforwards, tax credit carryforwards or other tax attributes may be further limited or eliminated.

On July 4, 2025, the United States signed into law the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (the “OBBBA”), which, among other provisions, makes permanent the immediate expensing of domestic research and development expenditures, reinstates 100% bonus depreciation for certain qualified property, and modifies the international tax framework. The enactment of OBBBA did not have a material impact on the Company’s income tax provision.

The Company’s total amount of gross unrecognized tax benefits as of December 31, 2024 and 2025 was $1.9 million and $12.0 million, respectively, of which $1.1 million would impact the Company’s effective tax rate if recognized.

For the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2025, the activity related to the unrecognized tax benefit was as follows (in thousands):

 

 

 

Year Ended December 31,

 

 

 

2024

 

 

2025

 

Balance at beginning of the year

 

$

1,527

 

 

$

1,946

 

Decreases:

 

 

 

 

 

 

For current year’s tax positions

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

For prior year’s tax positions

 

 

(52

)

 

 

(166

)

Increases:

 

 

 

 

 

 

For current year’s tax positions

 

 

610

 

 

 

410

 

For prior year’s tax positions

 

 

—

 

 

 

9,829

 

Lapse of statute of limitations

 

 

(139

)

 

 

—

 

Unrecognized tax benefit at December 31

 

$

1,946

 

 

$

12,019

 

The Company recognizes interest and penalties related to uncertain tax positions in income tax expense. To the extent accrued interest and penalties do not ultimately become payable, amounts accrued will be reduced and reflected as a reduction of the provision for income taxes in the period that such determination is made. As of December 31, 2024 and 2025, the Company did not recognize any material interest or penalties related to uncertain tax positions. The Company does not anticipate the recorded reserves to change significantly in the next twelve months.

F-22


Table of Contents

TRex Bio, Inc.

Notes to Financial Statements

As of and for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2025

________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

The Company is subject to taxation in the U.S. and California. Due to certain tax attribute carryforwards, all tax years remain open to examination by the major taxing jurisdictions in which the Company is subject to tax. As of December 31, 2025, the Company was not under examination by the Internal Revenue Service or any state or foreign tax jurisdiction.

10.
Related Parties

Lilly

In October 2018, Lilly entered into an agreement to subscribe for 2,366,992 shares of Series A-2 Convertible Preferred Stock at approximately $12.59 per share. Lilly purchased 1,183,496 shares in October 2018 and 1,183,496 shares in January 2020. On February 17, 2022, each share of issued Series A-2 Convertible Preferred Stock was reclassified into 3.253 shares of Series A-2 Convertible Preferred Stock, totaling 7,700,000 shares of Series A-2 Convertible Preferred Stock. In February 2022, Lilly also purchased 2,002,487 shares of Series A-3 Convertible Preferred Stock at $3.8702 per share.

Additionally, the Company and Lilly entered into the Lilly Collaboration Agreement in January 2023 (see Note 5). The Company previously executed an initial lab license agreement with Lilly in December 2019, which was subject to subsequent amendments executed in September 2020, April 2022, and July 2023 to incorporate additional leased space and modify certain contractual terms.

In November 2024, Lilly entered into an agreement to purchase 5,860,808 shares of Series B Convertible Preferred Stock at a price of $3.0897 per share. The investment is structured in two funding tranches, with two tranches of 2,930,404 shares issued in both November 2024 and March 2025.

Johnson & Johnson Innovation

In May 2019, Johnson & Johnson Innovation entered into an agreement to subscribe for 2,196,276 shares of Series A-3 Convertible Preferred Stock at approximately $3.8702 per share. Johnson & Johnson Innovation purchased 1,098,138 shares on May 2019 and 1,098,138 in June 2021.

In December 2021, the Company entered into a Collaboration and License Agreement with Janssen Pharmaceutica NV (“Janssen”), one of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson and an affiliate of Johnson & Johnson Innovation, dated as of December 28, 2021 (the “Janssen Agreement”) pursuant to which Janssen exercised an option in January 2024 to obtain exclusive and non-exclusive licenses with respect to for up to three targets arising out of the parties’ research collaboration. In connection with this option exercise, we received a $1.0 million option exercise fee during the year ended December 31, 2024. The Janssen Agreement was terminated in October 2025.

During the year ended December 31, 2024, the Company received $1.0 million in connection with the Janssen Agreement for revenue recognized during the year ended December 31, 2023. The Company did not recognize any revenue during the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2025 in connection with the Janssen Agreement.

In February 2022, Johnson & Johnson Innovation purchased an additional 460,115 shares of Series A-3 Convertible Preferred Stock at $3.8702 per share.

In November 2024, Johnson & Johnson Innovation entered into an agreement to purchase 1,604,598 shares of Series B Convertible Preferred Stock at a price of $3.0897 per share, with two tranches of 802,299 shares issued in both November 2024 and March 2025.

Carol Gallagher, Pharm.D.

Carol Gallagher, Pharm.D., served as Executive Chair of the Company’s Board of Directors from September 2020 to December 2024 and as the Chair of the Company’s Board of Directors since January 1, 2025. In September 2020, Dr. Gallagher entered into an agreement with the Company to purchase 359,991 shares of common stock at $0.56 per share. In April 2025, Dr. Gallagher was granted 388,382 stock options under the Company’s 2024 Plan as stock-based compensation for her services on the Board of Directors. In June 2025, Dr. Gallagher early exercised her options. As of December 31, 2025, 323,652 shares of Dr. Gallagher’s early exercised stock options were unvested.

F-23


Table of Contents

TRex Bio, Inc.

Notes to Financial Statements

As of and for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2025

________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

11.
Net Loss Per Share

Through November 5, 2024, the holders of the Company’s Series A redeemable convertible preferred stock were entitled to cumulative dividends based on the respective original issuance dates of the shares (see Note 7). Accordingly, the Company calculated its net loss attributable to common stockholders for the year ended December 31, 2024 by adjusting net loss for the aggregate cumulative dividends that accrued during this period. On November 6, 2024, the Series A preferred stock ceased accruing dividends, and no subsequent adjustments for preferred dividends were recognized. The holders of the Company's Series B redeemable convertible preferred stock are not entitled to receive dividends.

Potentially dilutive securities not included in the calculation of diluted net loss per share because to do so would be anti-dilutive were as follows (in common stock equivalent shares):

 

 

Year Ended December 31,

 

 

 

2024

 

 

2025

 

Outstanding stock options

 

 

2,976,009

 

 

 

8,401,123

 

Unvested early exercised stock options

 

 

—

 

 

 

323,652

 

Series A-1 Convertible Preferred Stock

 

 

5,000,000

 

 

 

5,000,000

 

Series A-2 Convertible Preferred Stock

 

 

7,700,000

 

 

 

7,700,000

 

Series A-3 Convertible Preferred Stock

 

 

12,482,976

 

 

 

12,482,976

 

Series B Convertible Preferred Stock

 

 

13,683,972

 

 

 

27,206,115

 

Total

 

 

41,842,957

 

 

 

61,113,866

 

 

12.
Segment Information

The Company operates as a single reportable segment focused on autoimmune and inflammatory disease discovery. The Company’s Chief Executive Officer serves as the Chief Operating Decision Maker (“CODM”). The measure of segment profit or loss evaluated by the CODM to monitor spending, assess performance for the Company and management, evaluate the progress of completing corporate goals, allocate resources among the clinical and preclinical portfolios, and make strategic decisions regarding business development opportunities corresponds to the net loss presented on the statements of operations and comprehensive loss. Additionally, the measure of segment assets evaluated by the CODM corresponds to total assets as reported on the balance sheets.

The CODM is regularly provided with the following significant segment expenses:

 

 

Year Ended December 31,

 

 

 

2024

 

 

2025

 

Collaboration revenue

 

$

39,108

 

 

$

—

 

Operating expenses:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Employee-related expenses, excluding stock-based compensation

 

 

13,658

 

 

 

13,676

 

Stock-based compensation

 

 

248

 

 

 

452

 

External research and development expenses

 

 

17,357

 

 

 

14,629

 

External general and administrative expenses

 

 

2,419

 

 

 

2,464

 

Other segment expenses*

 

 

7,807

 

 

 

6,624

 

Total operating expenses

 

 

41,489

 

 

 

37,845

 

Loss from operations

 

 

(2,381

)

 

 

(37,845

)

Interest income

 

 

2,007

 

 

 

3,154

 

Other expense, net

 

 

(70

)

 

 

(69

)

Total other income, net

 

 

1,937

 

 

 

3,085

 

Loss before provision for income taxes

 

 

(444

)

 

 

(34,760

)

Provision for income taxes

 

 

2,700

 

 

 

46

 

Net loss

 

$

(3,144

)

 

$

(34,806

)

(*) Other segment expenses include facility related and office costs, information technology costs, depreciation and amortization, and other operating expenses.

As of December 31, 2024 and 2025, all of the Company’s property and equipment was maintained in the U.S.

F-24


Table of Contents

TRex Bio, Inc.

Notes to Financial Statements

As of and for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2025

________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

13.
Subsequent Events

The Company has evaluated subsequent events through June 26, 2026, the date these financial statements were available for issuance. The Company has concluded that no subsequent events have occurred that require disclosure, except as described below.

Financing Transactions

In January 2026, the Company issued and sold an aggregate of 16,182,795 Series B preferred stock in an extension of the Company’s Series B preferred stock financing at the same price per share as at the first and second tranches, for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $50.0 million.

Lease Agreement

In April 2026, the Company entered into an operating lease agreement with a related party for laboratory and office space in South San Francisco, California. The lease has an initial term of 27 months and is expected to commence in the third quarter of 2026. Total future minimum lease payments under this arrangement are approximately $3.3 million.

F-25


Table of Contents

 

TRex Bio, Inc.

CONDENSED BALANCE SHEETS

(in thousands, except share data)

(Unaudited)

 

 

 

As of

 

 

 

December 31,
2025

 

 

June 30,
2026

 

Assets

 

 

 

 

 

 

Current assets:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents

 

$

15,192

 

 

$

8,883

 

Marketable securities

 

 

52,533

 

 

 

81,971

 

Prepaid expenses and other current assets

 

 

3,707

 

 

 

2,405

 

Total current assets

 

 

71,432

 

 

 

93,259

 

Property and equipment, net

 

 

482

 

 

 

454

 

Operating lease right-of-use assets, net

 

 

681

 

 

 

212

 

Other assets

 

 

538

 

 

 

2,687

 

Total assets

 

$

73,133

 

 

$

96,612

 

Liabilities, Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock and Stockholders’ Deficit

 

 

 

 

 

 

Current liabilities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Accounts payable

 

$

371

 

 

$

1,028

 

Accrued liabilities

 

 

3,906

 

 

 

6,431

 

Lease liabilities

 

 

717

 

 

 

197

 

Total current liabilities

 

 

4,994

 

 

 

7,656

 

Income taxes payable - long-term

 

 

1,171

 

 

 

1,211

 

Other liabilities

 

 

72

 

 

 

117

 

Total liabilities

 

 

6,237

 

 

 

8,984

 

Commitments and contingencies (Note 6)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Redeemable convertible preferred stock:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Series A-1 redeemable convertible preferred stock, $0.0001 par value per share;
   5,000,000 shares authorized, issued and outstanding; liquidation preference of
   $9,806 as of December 31, 2025 and June 30, 2026

 

 

6,530

 

 

 

6,530

 

Series A-2 redeemable convertible preferred stock, $0.0001 par value per share; 7,700,000
   shares authorized, issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2025 and June 30, 2026;
   liquidation preference of $42,721 as of December 31, 2025 and June 30, 2026

 

 

25,181

 

 

 

25,181

 

Series A-3 redeemable convertible preferred stock, $0.0001 par value per share, 12,482,976
   shares authorized, issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2025 and June 30, 2026;
   liquidation preference of $61,844 as of December 31, 2025 and June 30, 2026

 

 

43,730

 

 

 

43,730

 

Series B redeemable convertible preferred stock, $0.0001 par value per share; 27,510,762
   and 43,388,910 shares authorized as of December 31, 2025 and June 30, 2026,
   respectively; 27,206,115 and 43,388,910 shares issued and outstanding as of
   December 31, 2025 and June 30, 2026, respectively; liquidation preference of $84,059
   and $134,059 as of December 31, 2025 and June 30, 2026, respectively

 

 

83,574

 

 

 

133,397

 

Stockholders’ deficit:

 

 

—

 

 

 

 

Common Stock, $0.0001 par value; 72,213,000 and 89,000,000 shares authorized as of
   December 31, 2025 and June 30, 2026, respectively; 4,969,760 and 5,295,562 shares
   issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2025 and June 30, 2026, respectively; and
   323,652 and 523,694 shares subject to repurchase as of December 31, 2025 and
   June 30, 2026, respectively

 

 

1

 

 

 

1

 

Additional paid-in capital

 

 

2,122

 

 

 

2,504

 

Accumulated other comprehensive income

 

 

17

 

 

 

(148

)

Accumulated deficit

 

 

(94,259

)

 

 

(123,567

)

Total stockholders’ deficit

 

 

(92,119

)

 

 

(121,210

)

Total liabilities, redeemable convertible preferred stock, and stockholders’ deficit

 

$

73,133

 

 

$

96,612

 

 

See accompanying notes to the unaudited condensed financial statements.

F-26


Table of Contents

 

TRex Bio, Inc.

CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE LOSS

(in thousands, except share and per share amounts)

(Unaudited)

 

 

 

For the Six Months Ended June 30,

 

 

 

2025

 

 

2026

 

Operating expenses:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Research and development

 

$

14,966

 

 

$

26,030

 

General and administrative

 

 

4,258

 

 

 

4,988

 

Total operating expenses

 

 

19,224

 

 

 

31,018

 

Loss from operations

 

 

(19,224

)

 

 

(31,018

)

Interest income

 

 

1,568

 

 

 

1,755

 

Other expense, net

 

 

(66

)

 

 

(3

)

Total other income, net

 

 

1,502

 

 

 

1,752

 

Loss before provision for income taxes

 

 

(17,722

)

 

 

(29,266

)

Provision for income taxes

 

 

—

 

 

 

42

 

Net loss

 

 

(17,722

)

 

 

(29,308

)

Net loss per share attributable to common stockholders, basic and diluted

 

$

(4.48

)

 

$

(6.23

)

Weighted-average shares outstanding, basic and diluted

 

 

3,953,989

 

 

 

4,704,728

 

Comprehensive loss:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net loss

 

 

(17,722

)

 

 

(29,308

)

Unrealized loss on marketable securities

 

 

(11

)

 

 

(165

)

Comprehensive loss

 

$

(17,733

)

 

$

(29,473

)

 

See accompanying notes to the unaudited condensed financial statements.

F-27


Table of Contents

 

TRex Bio, Inc.

CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF REDEEMABLE CONVERTIBLE PREFERRED STOCK AND STOCKHOLDERS’ DEFICIT

(in thousands, except share data)

(Unaudited)

 

 

 

Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Additional

 

 

Accumulated
Other

 

 

 

 

 

Total

 

 

 

Series A-1

 

 

Series A-2

 

 

Series A -3

 

 

Series B

 

 

 

Common Stock

 

 

Paid-In

 

 

Comprehensive

 

 

Accumulated

 

 

Stockholders’

 

 

 

Share

 

 

Amount

 

 

Share

 

 

Amount

 

 

Share

 

 

Amount

 

 

Share

 

 

Amount

 

 

 

Share

 

 

Amount

 

 

Capital

 

 

Income

 

 

Deficit

 

 

Deficit

 

Balances as of December 31,
   2024

 

 

5,000,000

 

 

 

6,530

 

 

 

7,700,000

 

 

 

25,181

 

 

 

12,482,976

 

 

 

43,730

 

 

 

13,683,972

 

 

 

41,805

 

 

 

 

3,939,211

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

1,472

 

 

 

8

 

 

 

(59,453

)

 

 

(57,972

)

Issuance of common stock

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

 

409,651

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

10

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

10

 

Issuance of Series B preferred
   stock, net of issuance costs
   of $10

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

13,522,143

 

 

 

41,769

 

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

Stock-based compensation
   expense

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

183

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

183

 

Unrealized loss on marketable
   securities

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

(11

)

 

 

—

 

 

 

(11

)

Net loss

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

(17,722

)

 

 

(17,722

)

Balances as of June 30, 2025

 

 

5,000,000

 

 

$

6,530

 

 

 

7,700,000

 

 

$

25,181

 

 

 

12,482,976

 

 

$

43,730

 

 

 

27,206,115

 

 

$

83,574

 

 

 

 

4,348,862

 

 

$

1

 

 

$

1,665

 

 

$

(3

)

 

$

(77,175

)

 

$

(75,512

)

 

 

 

Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Additional

 

 

Accumulated
Other

 

 

 

 

 

Total

 

 

 

Series A-1

 

 

Series A-2

 

 

Series A -3

 

 

Series B

 

 

 

Common Stock

 

 

Paid-In

 

 

Comprehensive

 

 

Accumulated

 

 

Stockholders’

 

 

 

Share

 

 

Amount

 

 

Share

 

 

Amount

 

 

Share

 

 

Amount

 

 

Share

 

 

Amount

 

 

 

Share

 

 

Amount

 

 

Capital

 

 

Income

 

 

Deficit

 

 

Deficit

 

Balances as of December 31,
   2025

 

 

5,000,000

 

 

 

6,530

 

 

 

7,700,000

 

 

 

25,181

 

 

 

12,482,976

 

 

 

43,730

 

 

 

27,206,115

 

 

 

83,574

 

 

 

 

4,969,760

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

2,122

 

 

 

17

 

 

 

(94,259

)

 

 

(92,119

)

Issuance of common stock

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

 

325,802

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

20

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

20

 

Vesting of early exercised
   common stock

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

18

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

18

 

Issuance of Series B preferred
   stock, net of issuance costs
   of $177

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

16,182,795

 

 

 

49,823

 

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

Stock-based compensation
   expense

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

344

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

344

 

Unrealized loss on marketable
   securities

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

(165

)

 

 

—

 

 

 

(165

)

Net loss

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

(29,308

)

 

 

(29,308

)

Balances as of June 30, 2026

 

 

5,000,000

 

 

$

6,530

 

 

 

7,700,000

 

 

$

25,181

 

 

 

12,482,976

 

 

$

43,730

 

 

 

43,388,910

 

 

$

133,397

 

 

 

 

5,295,562

 

 

$

1

 

 

$

2,504

 

 

$

(148

)

 

$

(123,567

)

 

$

(121,210

)

 

 

See accompanying notes to the unaudited condensed financial statements.

F-28


Table of Contents

 

TRex Bio, Inc.

CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(in thousands)

(Unaudited)

 

 

 

For the Six Months Ended June 30,

 

 

 

2025

 

 

2026

 

Cash flows from operating activities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net loss

 

$

(17,722

)

 

$

(29,308

)

Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Depreciation and amortization

 

 

108

 

 

 

115

 

Stock-based compensation

 

 

183

 

 

 

344

 

Reduction in carrying amount of right-of-use assets

 

 

655

 

 

 

645

 

Net amortization of premiums and discounts on marketable securities

 

 

(605

)

 

 

(1,059

)

Changes in assets and liabilities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Prepaid expenses and other current assets

 

 

(107

)

 

 

1,302

 

Other assets

 

 

(554

)

 

 

(61

)

Accounts payable

 

 

594

 

 

 

294

 

Accrued liabilities

 

 

(4,022

)

 

 

1,361

 

Lease liabilities

 

 

(660

)

 

 

(696

)

Income taxes payable - long-term

 

 

—

 

 

 

40

 

Net cash used in operating activities

 

 

(22,130

)

 

 

(27,023

)

Cash flows from investing activities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Purchase of property and equipment

 

 

(22

)

 

 

(11

)

Purchase of investments in marketable securities

 

 

(51,259

)

 

 

(81,544

)

Proceeds from maturities of marketable securities

 

 

18,000

 

 

 

53,000

 

Net cash used in investing activities

 

 

(33,281

)

 

 

(28,555

)

Cash flows from financing activities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Proceeds from issuance of common stock

 

 

130

 

 

 

106

 

Proceeds from sales of Series B redeemable convertible preferred stock

 

 

41,779

 

 

 

50,000

 

Payment of issuance costs of Series B redeemable convertible preferred stock

 

 

(10

)

 

 

(177

)

Payment of costs related to planned initial public offering

 

 

—

 

 

 

(500

)

Net cash provided by financing activities

 

 

41,899

 

 

 

49,429

 

Net decrease in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash

 

 

(13,512

)

 

 

(6,149

)

Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash - beginning of period

 

 

47,469

 

 

 

15,192

 

Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash - end of period

 

$

33,957

 

 

$

9,043

 

Supplemental disclosure:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash paid for income taxes, net of refunds received

 

$

—

 

 

$

100

 

Supplemental disclosure of non-cash transactions:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Right-of-use assets acquired in exchange for lease obligations

 

$

1,346

 

 

$

176

 

Vesting of early exercised stock options

 

$

—

 

 

$

18

 

Property and equipment included in accounts payable and accrued expenses and other current liabilities

 

$

—

 

 

$

76

 

Unpaid deferred initial public offering costs included in accounts payable and accrued liabilities

 

$

—

 

 

$

1,428

 

 

See accompanying notes to the unaudited condensed financial statements.

F-29


Table of Contents

TRex Bio, Inc.

Notes to Unaudited Condensed Financial Statements

As of December 31, 2025 and June 30, 2026 and for the Six Months Ended June 30, 2025 and 2026

________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

1.
Organization

Description of the Business

TRex Bio, Inc. (the “Company”) is a biotechnology company focused on studying the regulation of tissue inflammation to develop breakthrough medicines. To date, the Company has created a multi-faceted discovery platform to gain insights into regulatory T cell biology through transcriptomic analyses. The Company has translated these findings into drug discovery campaigns, including a collaboration with Eli Lilly and Company (“Lilly”). In June 2025, the Company initiated dosing for its first clinical trial for TRB-061, a novel TNFR2 agonist initially being developed for the treatment of atopic dermatitis.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

The accompanying unaudited condensed financial statements have been prepared on a going concern-basis, which contemplates that the Company will realize its assets and satisfy its liabilities in the normal course of business. The Company is subject to risks inherent in operating an early-stage biotechnology business. These risks include, but are not limited to, dependence on the development of marketable products, the ability to attract, retain, and motivate qualified personnel, rapid technological changes and the rapidly evolving nature of the biotechnology industry.

As of June 30, 2026, the Company had cash and cash equivalents and marketable securities of $90.9 million and accumulated deficit of $123.6 million. The Company has incurred net losses and negative cash flows from operations since inception, except for the year ended December 31, 2023, during which it commenced a Research Collaboration and License Agreement (the “Lilly Collaboration Agreement”), received a one-time upfront payment of $55.0 million from Lilly, and recognized total collaboration revenue of $41.9 million across its collaboration agreements, resulting in net income for the year and positive cash flows from operations.

The Company has historically funded its operations primarily through the issuances of redeemable convertible preferred stock. In January 2026, the Company issued and sold an aggregate of 16,182,795 shares of Series B redeemable convertible preferred stock in an extension of its Series B preferred stock financing for aggregate gross proceeds of approximately $50.0 million, as discussed in Note 7. The Company believes that its existing cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities will be sufficient to fund its operations for at least twelve months from the date these unaudited condensed financial statements are available to be issued.

The Company expects to continue to incur substantial losses for the foreseeable future, and its ability to achieve and sustain profitability will depend on the successful development, approval and commercialization of any product candidates it may develop, and on the achievement of sufficient revenue to support its cost structure. The Company may never achieve profitability and, unless and until it does, it will need to continue to raise additional capital to fund ongoing research and development activities and maintain future operations. The Company’s management plans to monitor expenses and may raise additional capital through a combination of public and private equity. The Company’s ability to access capital when needed is not assured and, if capital is not available to the Company when, and in the amounts, needed, on the terms which are favorable, the Company could be required to delay, scale back, or abandon the development of one or more of its product candidates and other operations, which could materially harm the Company’s business, financial condition and results of operations.

F-30


Table of Contents

TRex Bio, Inc.

Notes to Unaudited Condensed Financial Statements

As of December 31, 2025 and June 30, 2026 and for the Six Months Ended June 30, 2025 and 2026

________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

2.
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying unaudited interim financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) for interim financial information and pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) for interim financial reporting by smaller reporting companies. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and disclosures required by U.S. GAAP for complete financial statements. The balance sheet as of December 31, 2025 was derived from the audited financial statements as of that date but does not include all of the disclosures required by U.S. GAAP. These unaudited financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited financial statements and accompanying notes for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2025 included elsewhere in this prospectus.

In the opinion of management, the accompanying unaudited condensed financial statements include all adjustments, consisting only of normal recurring adjustments, considered necessary to present fairly the Company’s financial position, results of operations and cash flows for the interim periods presented. The results of operations for the six months ended June 30, 2026 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the year ending December 31, 2026 or for any other future annual or interim period.

Significant Accounting Policies

During the six months ended June 30, 2026, there were no material changes to the Company’s significant accounting policies from those described in Note 2 of the audited financial statements for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2025, included elsewhere in this prospectus, except for the deferred offering costs policy described below.

Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash

The following table provides a reconciliation of cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash reported within condensed balance sheets to the amounts in the condensed statements of cash flows (in thousands):

 

 

As of December 31,

 

 

As of June 30,

 

 

 

2025

 

 

2026

 

Cash and cash equivalents

 

$

15,192

 

 

$

8,883

 

Restricted cash included in other assets

 

 

—

 

 

 

160

 

Total cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash shown in the condensed statements of cash flows

 

$

15,192

 

 

$

9,043

 

 

Deferred Offering Costs

The Company capitalizes certain legal, professional, accounting, and other third-party fees that are directly attributable to in-process equity financings, including the Company’s planned initial public offering (“IPO”), as deferred offering costs. Upon completion of the IPO, these costs will be recorded as a reduction of the proceeds from the offering within additional paid-in capital. If the planned IPO is abandoned, the deferred offering costs will be expensed. As of June 30, 2026, the Company had $1.9 million of deferred offering costs included in other assets on the condensed balance sheet.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In December 2023, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2023-09, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Improvements to Income Tax Disclosures. ASU 2023-09 requires public business entities to provide annual disclosures of specific categories in the rate reconciliation and to disclose income taxes paid, disaggregated by jurisdiction. For emerging growth companies electing to use the extended transition period, the standard is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2025. The Company adopted ASU 2023-09 prospectively on January 1, 2026. Because the standard primarily requires enhanced annual disclosures, its adoption did not have a material impact on the Company’s condensed financial statements for the six months ended June 30, 2026. The Company will include the required disclosures in its annual financial statements for the year ending December 31, 2026.

Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted

In November 2024, the FASB issued ASU No. 2024-03, Income Statement—Reporting Comprehensive Income—Expense Disaggregation Disclosures (Subtopic 220-40): Disaggregation of Income Statement Expenses, which requires public business entities to disclose more detailed information about the types of expenses (including employee compensation,

F-31


Table of Contents

TRex Bio, Inc.

Notes to Unaudited Condensed Financial Statements

As of December 31, 2025 and June 30, 2026 and for the Six Months Ended June 30, 2025 and 2026

________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

depreciation, and amortization) included in each relevant income statement expense caption. The ASU is effective for the Company for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2026, and interim reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2027. Early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact that this standard will have on its financial statements and related disclosures.

3.
Fair Value Measurements

The Company measures its cash equivalents and marketable securities at fair value on a recurring basis. The authoritative guidance on fair value measurements establishes a three-level fair value hierarchy for measuring and disclosing fair value. There have been no changes to the Company’s valuation methodologies from those described in the audited financial statements for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2025.

The amortized cost, gross unrealized holding gains or losses, and fair value of the Company’s marketable securities by major security type and fair value hierarchy level are summarized in the tables below (in thousands):

 

 

December 31, 2025

 

 

 

Fair Value
Hierarchy
Level

 

Amortized
Cost

 

 

Unrealized
Gains

 

 

Unrealized Losses

 

 

Fair Value

 

Cash equivalents:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Money market funds

 

Level 1

 

$

14,925

 

 

$

—

 

 

$

—

 

 

$

14,925

 

Marketable securities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

U.S. treasury securities

 

Level 1

 

 

52,516

 

 

 

17

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

52,533

 

Total

 

 

 

$

67,441

 

 

$

17

 

 

$

—

 

 

$

67,458

 

 

 

 

June 30, 2026

 

 

 

Fair Value
Hierarchy
Level

 

Amortized
Cost

 

 

Unrealized
Gains

 

 

Unrealized
Losses

 

 

Fair Value

 

Cash equivalents:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Money market funds

 

Level 1

 

$

8,883

 

 

$

—

 

 

$

—

 

 

$

8,883

 

Marketable securities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 U.S. treasury securities

 

Level 1

 

 

82,119

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

(148

)

 

 

81,971

 

Total

 

 

 

$

91,002

 

 

$

—

 

 

$

(148

)

 

$

90,854

 

Interest receivable was approximately $0.1 million and $0.3 million as of December 31, 2025 and June 30, 2026, respectively, and was included in prepaid expenses and other current assets.

4.
Balance Sheet Components

Prepaid expenses and other current assets

Prepaid expenses and other current assets as of December 31, 2025 and June 30, 2026 consisted of the following (in thousands):

 

 

As of December 31,

 

 

As of June 30,

 

 

 

2025

 

 

2026

 

Prepaid manufacturing costs

 

$

1,106

 

 

$

154

 

Prepaid clinical costs

 

 

1,109

 

 

 

967

 

Other prepaid expenses

 

 

1,492

 

 

 

1,284

 

Total prepaid expenses

 

$

3,707

 

 

$

2,405

 

 

 

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Table of Contents

TRex Bio, Inc.

Notes to Unaudited Condensed Financial Statements

As of December 31, 2025 and June 30, 2026 and for the Six Months Ended June 30, 2025 and 2026

________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Property and Equipment

Property and equipment, net, as of December 31, 2025 and June 30, 2026 consisted of the following (in thousands):

 

 

Life

 

As of December 31,

 

 

As of June 30,

 

 

 

(in years)

 

2025

 

 

2026

 

Laboratory equipment

 

5

 

$

4,903

 

 

$

4,942

 

Computer equipment

 

3

 

 

9

 

 

 

9

 

Construction in progress

 

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

48

 

Total property and equipment

 

 

 

 

4,912

 

 

 

4,999

 

Less: Accumulated depreciation

 

 

 

 

(4,430

)

 

 

(4,545

)

Property and equipment, net

 

 

 

$

482

 

 

$

454

 

Depreciation expense was $0.1 million for each of the six months ended June 30, 2025 and 2026.

Accrued Liabilities

Accrued liabilities as of December 31, 2025 and June 30, 2026 consisted of the following (in thousands):

 

 

As of December 31,

 

 

As of June 30,

 

 

 

2025

 

 

2026

 

Accrued payroll related expenses

 

$

2,369

 

 

$

1,801

 

Accrued research and development expenses

 

 

1,109

 

 

 

3,022

 

Accrued initial public offering costs

 

 

—

 

 

 

1,104

 

Other current liabilities

 

 

428

 

 

 

504

 

   Total accrued liabilities

 

$

3,906

 

 

$

6,431

 

 

 

5.
Significant Agreements

Lilly

In January 2023, the Company entered into a Research Collaboration and License Agreement with Eli Lilly and Company (“Lilly”). Under the agreement, the Company granted Lilly exclusive worldwide rights to develop and commercialize certain program molecules and products. Under the terms of the agreement, the Company received a $55.0 million upfront payment and, in July 2024, received a $15.0 million development milestone payment. After giving effect to the $15.0 million milestone payment received, the Company is eligible to receive up to an additional $577.5 million in development, commercialization, and sales milestone payments, as well as royalties on net sales.

In June 2026, the Company and Lilly entered into the First Amendment to the Research Collaboration and License Agreement. The amendment modified the achievement criteria for certain development milestones related to specified product candidates under the collaboration and established related development reporting requirements. Under the amended terms, the applicable milestones are tied to specified clinical-development events. The amendment also modified certain rights and obligations of the parties in connection with Lilly’s continuation or discontinuation of development of the applicable product candidates, including certain contingent rights of the Company following discontinuation. The amendment did not provide for any additional consideration, and no additional variable consideration was included in the transaction price upon execution of the amendment. The Company did not recognize any collaboration revenue under the Lilly Collaboration Agreement for the six months ended June 30, 2025 and 2026 because no development, commercialization, or sales milestones were achieved during those periods.

6.
Commitments and Contingencies

Guarantees and Indemnifications

In the normal course of business, the Company enters into agreements that contain a variety of representations and provide for general indemnification. The Company’s exposure under these agreements is unknown because it involves claims that may be made against the Company in the future. To date, the Company has not paid any claims or been required to defend any action related to its indemnification obligations. As of December 31, 2025 and June 30, 2026, the Company did not have any material indemnification claims that were probable or reasonably possible and, consequently, had not recorded related liabilities.

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Table of Contents

TRex Bio, Inc.

Notes to Unaudited Condensed Financial Statements

As of December 31, 2025 and June 30, 2026 and for the Six Months Ended June 30, 2025 and 2026

________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Legal Proceedings

From time to time, the Company may have contingent liabilities that arise in the ordinary course of business activities. The Company assesses, in conjunction with its legal counsel, the need to record a liability for litigation and contingencies. Reserve estimates are recorded when and if it is determined that a loss-related matter is both probable and reasonably estimable. As of December 31, 2025 and June 30, 2026, the Company did not have any material reserve estimates recorded.

Lease Commitment

In April 2026, the Company entered into an operating lease agreement with a related party for approximately 33,780 rentable square feet of laboratory and office space in South San Francisco, California. The lease has an initial term of 27 months and provides for total fixed lease payments of approximately $3.3 million over the 27-month lease term. As of June 30, 2026, the lease had not commenced, and the Company had not recognized a right-of-use asset or lease liability related to the lease. See Note 10 for additional information regarding the related-party nature of the lease agreement.

7.
Common Stock and Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock

In January 2026, the Company filed an Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation with the Secretary of State of Delaware, which increased the number of authorized shares of Series B redeemable convertible preferred stock from 27,510,762 shares to 43,388,910 shares. Following the amendment, the total number of shares of all classes of stock that the Company was authorized to issue consisted of (i) 89,000,000 shares of common stock, $0.0001 par value per share, and (ii) 68,571,886 shares of preferred stock, $0.0001 par value per share.

Common Stock

The Company had 4,969,760 and 5,295,562 shares of common stock outstanding as of December 31, 2025 and June 30, 2026, respectively. The Company had the following shares reserved for issuance as of December 31, 2025 and June 30, 2026:

 

 

As of December 31,

 

 

As of June 30,

 

 

 

2025

 

 

2026

 

Options issued and outstanding under the 2024 Plan

 

 

8,401,123

 

 

 

11,518,123

 

Shares reserved for future grants under 2024 Plan

 

 

2,709,580

 

 

 

2,970,168

 

Total

 

 

11,110,703

 

 

 

14,488,291

 

 

Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock

In March 2025, the Company issued an aggregate of 13,522,143 shares of Series B redeemable convertible preferred stock at an issuance price of $3.0897 per share for net proceeds of $41.8 million related to the second tranche.

In January 2026, the Company issued an aggregate of 16,182,795 shares of Series B redeemable convertible preferred stock to multiple investors at an issuance price of $3.0897 per share for net proceeds of $49.8 million (the “Series B Extension”).

As of December 31, 2025, the Company’s redeemable convertible preferred stock consisted of the following (in thousands, except for share and per share amounts):

Redeemable Convertible Preferred
Stock

 

Authorized
Shares

 

 

Issued and
Outstanding

 

 

Original Issue Price

 

 

Liquidation
Preference

 

 

Carrying Value

 

Series A-1

 

 

5,000,000

 

 

 

5,000,000

 

 

$

1.29

 

 

$

9,806

 

 

$

6,530

 

Series A-2

 

 

7,700,000

 

 

 

7,700,000

 

 

$

3.87

 

 

 

42,721

 

 

 

25,181

 

Series A-3

 

 

12,482,976

 

 

 

12,482,976

 

 

$

3.87

 

 

 

61,844

 

 

 

43,730

 

Series B

 

 

27,510,762

 

 

 

27,206,115

 

 

$

3.09

 

 

 

84,059

 

 

 

83,574

 

Total

 

 

52,693,738

 

 

 

52,389,091

 

 

 

 

 

$

198,430

 

 

$

159,015

 

 

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Table of Contents

TRex Bio, Inc.

Notes to Unaudited Condensed Financial Statements

As of December 31, 2025 and June 30, 2026 and for the Six Months Ended June 30, 2025 and 2026

________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

As of June 30, 2026, the Company’s redeemable convertible preferred stock consisted of the following (in thousands, except for share and per share amounts):

Redeemable Convertible Preferred
Stock

 

Authorized
Shares

 

 

Issued and
Outstanding

 

 

Original Issue Price

 

 

Liquidation
Preference

 

 

Carrying Value

 

Series A-1

 

 

5,000,000

 

 

 

5,000,000

 

 

$

1.29

 

 

$

9,806

 

 

$

6,530

 

Series A-2

 

 

7,700,000

 

 

 

7,700,000

 

 

$

3.87

 

 

 

42,721

 

 

 

25,181

 

Series A-3

 

 

12,482,976

 

 

 

12,482,976

 

 

$

3.87

 

 

 

61,844

 

 

 

43,730

 

Series B

 

 

43,388,910

 

 

 

43,388,910

 

 

$

3.09

 

 

 

134,059

 

 

 

133,397

 

Total

 

 

68,571,886

 

 

 

68,571,886

 

 

 

 

 

$

248,430

 

 

$

208,838

 

No dividends have been declared or paid during the six months ended June 30, 2025 and 2026.

8.
Equity Incentive Plans

Stock Options

The Company used the Black-Scholes option pricing model to estimate stock-based compensation expense for stock option awards granted during the periods presented, with the following assumptions:

 

Six Months Ended June 30,

 

2025

 

2026

Expected volatility

 

107.30 - 116.54

 

%

 

 

123.26 - 138.74

 

%

Expected dividend yield

 

0.00

 

%

 

 

0.00

 

%

Expected term (in years)

 

5.95 - 6.07

 

 

 

 

5.92 - 6.08

 

 

Risk-free interest rate

 

 

4.23

 

%

 

 

 

3.78

 

%

The following summarizes stock option activity under the Plans and includes early exercised shares as part of the stock options exercised:

 

 

Number of
Options

 

 

Weighted
Average
Exercise
Price Per
Share

 

 

Weighted
Average
Remaining
Contractual
Term
(in years)

 

 

Aggregate
Intrinsic
Value (in
thousands)

 

Outstanding as of December 31, 2025

 

 

8,401,123

 

 

$

0.31

 

 

 

8.48

 

 

$

93

 

Granted

 

 

3,442,802

 

 

 

0.33

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exercised

 

 

(325,802

)

 

 

0.32

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cancelled

 

 

—

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Outstanding as of June 30, 2026

 

 

11,518,123

 

 

 

0.31

 

 

 

8.45

 

 

 

176

 

Exercisable as of June 30, 2026

 

 

4,163,269

 

 

 

0.30

 

 

 

7.15

 

 

 

129

 

Exercisable and expected to vest as of June 30, 2026

 

 

11,518,123

 

 

$

0.31

 

 

 

8.45

 

 

$

176

 

The aggregate fair value of stock options that vested during the six months ended June 30, 2026 was $0.4 million. Options granted during the six months ended June 30, 2026 had a weighted-average grant-date fair value per share of $0.29 and total grant-date fair value of $1.0 million. The total intrinsic value of stock options exercised during six months ended June 30, 2026 was immaterial.

Early Exercised Stock Options

Proceeds received in connection with early exercise of stock options are recorded as share repurchase liability and reclassified to additional paid-in capital as the underlying shares vest. As of December 31, 2025 and June 30, 2026, the Company had approximately $0.1 million and $0.2 million, respectively, of share repurchase liabilities related to unvested shares, which were classified within accrued liabilities and other noncurrent liabilities on the condensed balance sheets.

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TRex Bio, Inc.

Notes to Unaudited Condensed Financial Statements

As of December 31, 2025 and June 30, 2026 and for the Six Months Ended June 30, 2025 and 2026

________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

The following table summarizes the activity for the Company’s early exercised shares for the six months ended June 30, 2026:

 

 

Number of Shares

 

 

Weighted-Average Exercise Price Per Share

 

Unvested as of December 31, 2025

 

 

323,652

 

 

$

0.32

 

Early exercised

 

 

259,889

 

 

$

0.33

 

Vested

 

 

(59,847

)

 

$

0.32

 

Unvested as of June 30, 2026

 

 

523,694

 

 

$

0.32

 

Stock-Based Compensation Expense

Stock-based compensation expense for stock options recognized in the Company’s condensed statements of operations and comprehensive loss was as follows (in thousands):

 

 

Six Months Ended June 30,

 

 

 

2025

 

 

2026

 

General and administrative

 

$

146

 

 

$

239

 

Research and development

 

 

37

 

 

 

105

 

Total

 

$

183

 

 

$

344

 

As of June 30, 2026, total unrecognized stock-based compensation expense related to unvested stock options was $2.2 million, which is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 3.2 years.

9.
Income Taxes

The Company recorded no significant income tax expense or benefit during the six months ended June 30, 2025. During the six months ended June 30, 2026, the Company recorded income tax expense of approximately $42,000, primarily related to interest and penalties associated with uncertain tax positions.

The difference between the Company’s effective tax rate and the U.S. federal statutory tax rate of 21% was primarily attributable to the full valuation allowance maintained against its deferred tax assets. There were no material changes to the Company’s valuation allowance or unrecognized tax benefits during the six months ended June 30, 2026.

10.
Related Parties

Lilly

During the six months ended June 30, 2025, Lilly purchased 2,930,404 shares of Series B redeemable convertible preferred stock at an issuance price of $3.0897 per share, for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $9.1 million, in connection with the second tranche under the Series B Preferred Stock Purchase Agreement. During the six months ended June 30, 2026, Lilly purchased 2,237,940 shares of Series B redeemable convertible preferred stock at an issuance price of $3.0897 per share, for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $6.9 million, in connection with the Series B Extension. As of December 31, 2025, Lilly held 7,700,000 shares of Series A-2 redeemable convertible preferred stock, 2,002,487 shares of Series A-3 redeemable convertible preferred stock and 5,860,808 shares of Series B redeemable convertible preferred stock. As of June 30, 2026, Lilly held 7,700,000 shares of Series A-2 redeemable convertible preferred stock, 2,002,487 shares of Series A-3 redeemable convertible preferred stock and 8,098,748 shares of Series B redeemable convertible preferred stock.

In July 2025, the Company entered into a Master Management Services Agreement with Lilly (the “Lilly Services Agreement”), pursuant to which Lilly provides preclinical research and development services in support of the Company’s research projects. The Company incurred no expense and approximately $0.1 million of expense under the Lilly Services Agreement for the six months ended June 30, 2025 and 2026, respectively. Amounts due to Lilly under the Lilly Services Agreement as of December 31, 2025 were immaterial, and approximately $0.2 million was due to Lilly as of June 30, 2026, which was included in accrued liabilities on the condensed balance sheets.

Additionally, the Company and Lilly entered into the Lilly Collaboration Agreement in January 2023, which was amended in June 2026 (see Note 5). The Company also leases certain laboratory and office space from Lilly under a lease agreement that expires in August 2026.

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TRex Bio, Inc.

Notes to Unaudited Condensed Financial Statements

As of December 31, 2025 and June 30, 2026 and for the Six Months Ended June 30, 2025 and 2026

________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Johnson & Johnson Innovation

In January 2026, Johnson & Johnson Innovation purchased 612,713 shares of Series B Convertible Preferred Stock at a price of $3.0897 per share for aggregate proceeds of approximately $1.9 million in connection with the Series B Extension financing.

As of December 31, 2025, Johnson & Johnson Innovation held 2,656,391 shares of Series A-3 Convertible Preferred Stock and 1,604,598 shares of Series B Convertible Preferred Stock. As of June 30, 2026, Johnson & Johnson Innovation held 2,656,391 shares of Series A-3 Convertible Preferred Stock and 2,217,311 shares of Series B Convertible Preferred Stock, including the 612,713 shares purchased in January 2026.

The Company also had a Collaboration and License Agreement with Janssen Pharmaceutica NV (“Janssen”), one of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson and an affiliate of Johnson & Johnson Innovation, dated as of December 28, 2021 (the “Janssen Agreement”), which was terminated in October 2025. The Company did not recognize any revenue in connection with the Janssen Agreement during either of the six months ended June 30, 2025 and 2026.

Carol Gallagher, Pharm.D.

Carol Gallagher, Pharm.D., served as Executive Chair of the Company’s Board of Directors from September 2020 to December 2024 and as the Chair of the Company’s Board of Directors since January 1, 2025. In September 2020, Dr. Gallagher entered into an agreement with the Company to purchase 359,991 shares of common stock at $0.56 per share. In April 2025 and February 2026, Dr. Gallagher was granted stock options to purchase 388,382 and 223,541 shares, respectively, under the Company’s 2024 Plan as stock-based compensation for her services on the Board of Directors.

Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc.

Joel S. Marcus, a member of the Company’s Board of Directors, serves as Executive Chairman of Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. In addition, Alexandria Venture Investments, LLC, an affiliate of Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc., holds more than 5% of the Company’s outstanding capital stock.

In April 2026, the Company entered into an operating lease agreement with ARE-San Francisco No. 46, LLC, an affiliate of Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc., for laboratory and office space in South San Francisco, California. During the six months ended June 30, 2026, the Company paid approximately $0.2 million in prepaid rent to ARE-San Francisco No. 46, LLC. See Note 6 for additional information regarding the lease arrangement.

11.
Net Loss Per Share

The following potentially dilutive securities were excluded from the calculation of diluted net loss per share because their effect would have been anti-dilutive (in common stock equivalent shares):

 

 

Six Months Ended June 30,

 

 

 

2025

 

 

2026

 

Outstanding stock options

 

 

8,453,277

 

 

 

11,518,123

 

Unvested early exercised stock options

 

 

372,200

 

 

 

523,694

 

Series A-1 Convertible Preferred Stock

 

 

5,000,000

 

 

 

5,000,000

 

Series A-2 Convertible Preferred Stock

 

 

7,700,000

 

 

 

7,700,000

 

Series A-3 Convertible Preferred Stock

 

 

12,482,976

 

 

 

12,482,976

 

Series B Convertible Preferred Stock

 

 

27,206,115

 

 

 

43,388,910

 

Total

 

 

61,214,568

 

 

 

80,613,703

 

 

12.
Segment Information

The Company operates as a single reportable segment focused on autoimmune and inflammatory disease discovery. The Company’s Chief Executive Officer serves as the Chief Operating Decision Maker (“CODM”). The measure of segment profit or loss evaluated by the CODM to monitor spending, assess performance for the Company and management, evaluate the progress of completing corporate goals, allocate resources among the clinical and preclinical portfolios, and make strategic decisions regarding business development opportunities corresponds to the net loss presented on the condensed statements of operations and comprehensive loss. Additionally, the measure of segment assets evaluated by the CODM corresponds to total assets as reported in the condensed balance sheets.

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Table of Contents

TRex Bio, Inc.

Notes to Unaudited Condensed Financial Statements

As of December 31, 2025 and June 30, 2026 and for the Six Months Ended June 30, 2025 and 2026

________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

The CODM is regularly provided with the following significant segment expenses:

 

 

Six Months Ended June 30,

 

 

 

2025

 

 

2026

 

Operating expenses:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Employee-related expenses, excluding stock-based compensation

 

$

6,914

 

 

$

8,021

 

Stock-based compensation

 

 

183

 

 

 

344

 

External research and development expenses

 

 

7,442

 

 

 

17,050

 

External general and administrative expenses

 

 

1,357

 

 

 

1,749

 

Other segment expenses*

 

 

3,328

 

 

 

3,854

 

Total operating expenses

 

 

19,224

 

 

 

31,018

 

Loss from operations

 

 

(19,224

)

 

 

(31,018

)

Interest income

 

 

1,568

 

 

 

1,755

 

Other expense, net

 

 

(66

)

 

 

(3

)

Total other income, net

 

 

1,502

 

 

 

1,752

 

Loss before provision for income taxes

 

 

(17,722

)

 

 

(29,266

)

Provision for income taxes

 

 

-

 

 

 

42

 

Net loss

 

$

(17,722

)

 

$

(29,308

)

(*) Other segment expenses include facility related and office costs, information technology costs, depreciation and amortization, and other operating expenses.

As of December 31, 2025 and June 30, 2026, all of the Company’s property and equipment was located in the United States.

13.
Subsequent Events

The Company evaluated subsequent events through August 21, 2026, the date these unaudited condensed financial statements were available to be issued. The Company concluded that no subsequent events were identified that required recognition or disclosure in these unaudited condensed financial statements.

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Table of Contents

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shares

 

 

img234884785_27.gif

 

 

Common Stock

 

P R O S P E C T U S

 

 

 

J.P. Morgan

Evercore ISI

Cantor

Stifel

Wedbush PacGrow

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

, 2026

 

Through and including , 2026 (the 25th day after the date of this prospectus), all dealers effecting transactions in these securities, whether or not participating in this offering, may be required to deliver a prospectus. This is in addition to a dealer’s obligation to deliver a prospectus when acting as an underwriter and with respect to an unsold allotment or subscription.

 

 

 

 

 


Table of Contents

 

PART II

INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

Item 13. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution.

The following table sets forth the costs and expenses, other than the underwriting discounts and commissions, payable by the registrant in connection with the sale of common stock being registered. All amounts are estimates except for the SEC registration fee, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”) filing fee and the Nasdaq listing fee:

 

Item

 

 

Amount Paid or To Be Paid

 

SEC registration fee

 

$

13,810

 

FINRA filing fee

 

 

15,500

 

Nasdaq listing fee

 

 

*

 

Printing and engraving expenses

 

 

*

 

Legal fees and expenses

 

 

*

 

Accounting fees and expenses

 

 

*

 

Transfer agent fees and expenses

 

 

*

 

Miscellaneous fees and expenses

 

 

*

 

Total

 

$

*

 

 

* To be completed by amendment.

Item 14. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

As permitted by Section 102(b)(7) of the DGCL, we plan to include in our Restated Charter a provision to eliminate the personal liability of our directors and officers for monetary damages for breach of their fiduciary duties as directors, subject to certain exceptions. In addition, our Restated Charter and Restated Bylaws will provide that we are required to indemnify our officers and directors under certain circumstances, including those circumstances in which indemnification would otherwise be discretionary, and we are required to advance expenses to our officers and directors as incurred in connection with proceedings against them for which they may be indemnified, in each case except to the extent that the DGCL prohibits the elimination or limitation of liability of directors or officers for breaches of fiduciary duty.

Section 145(a) of the DGCL provides that a corporation shall have the power to indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than an action by or in the right of the corporation) by reason of the fact that the person is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection with such action, suit or proceeding if the person acted in good faith and in a manner the person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interest of the corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his conduct was unlawful. The termination of any action, suit or proceeding by judgment, order, settlement, conviction or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent shall not, of itself, create a presumption that the person did not act in good faith and in a manner which the person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had reasonable cause to believe that his conduct was unlawful.

Section 145(b) of the DGCL provides that a corporation shall have the power to indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in the right of the corporation to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that the person is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection with the defense or settlement of such action or suit if the person acted in good faith and in a manner the person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation and except that no indemnification shall be made with respect to any claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable to the corporation unless and only to the extent that the Court of Chancery or the court in which such action or suit was brought shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses which the Court of Chancery or such other court shall deem proper.

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Table of Contents

 

We have entered into indemnification agreements with our directors and, prior to the completion of this offering, intend to enter into indemnification agreements with certain of our officers. These indemnification agreements will provide broader indemnity rights than those provided under the DGCL and our Restated Charter. These indemnification agreements are not intended to deny or otherwise limit third-party or derivative suits against us or our directors or officers, but to the extent a director or officer were entitled to indemnity or contribution under the indemnification agreement, the financial burden of a third-party suit would be borne by us, and we would not benefit from derivative recoveries against the director or officer. Such recoveries would accrue to our benefit but would be offset by our obligations to the director or officer under the indemnification agreement.

The underwriting agreement will provide that the underwriters are obligated, under certain circumstances, to indemnify our directors, officers and controlling persons against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act.

We maintain directors’ and officers’ liability insurance for the benefit of our directors and officers.

Item 15. Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities.

The following list sets forth information regarding all unregistered securities sold by us since January 1, 2023. No underwriters were involved in the sales and the certificates representing the securities sold and issued contain legends restricting transfer of the securities without registration under the Securities Act or an applicable exemption from registration. The issuances of the securities were exempt either pursuant to Rule 701, as transactions pursuant to a compensatory benefit plan, or pursuant to Section 4(a)(2), as transactions by an issuer not involving a public offering.

(a) Issuance of Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock

In November 2024, we issued and sold an aggregate of 13,683,972 Series B redeemable convertible preferred stock at a price per share of $3.0897 in cash, for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $42.3 million. In March 2025, we issued and sold an aggregate of 13,522,143 Series B redeemable convertible preferred stock in an additional closing of our Series B redeemable convertible preferred stock at the same price per share as at the first closing for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $41.8 million. In January 2026, we issued and sold an aggregate of 16,182,795 Series B redeemable convertible preferred stock in an extension of our Series B redeemable convertible preferred stock financing at the same price per share as at the first and second closings for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $50.0 million.

(b) Grants of Stock Options

From January 1, 2023 through the date hereof, we have granted to our employees, directors, consultants and other service providers options to purchase an aggregate of 13,647,816 shares of our common stock with per-share exercise prices ranging from $0.28 to $0.38 per share.

From January 1, 2023 through the date hereof, we issued and sold an aggregate of 2,390,419 shares of our common stock to our employees, directors, consultants and other service providers upon the exercise of options for aggregate consideration of approximately $0.7 million, at per-share exercise prices ranging from $0.01 to $0.38 per share.

Item 16. Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules.

(a)
Exhibits

See the Exhibit Index attached to this Registration Statement, which is incorporated by reference herein.

(b)
Financial Statement Schedules

Schedules not listed above have been omitted because the information required to be set forth therein is not applicable or is shown in the financial statements or notes thereto.

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Item 17. Undertakings.

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act, and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question of whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that:

(1)
For purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, the information omitted from the form of prospectus filed as part of this Registration Statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in a form of prospectus filed by the Registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(1) or (4) or 497(h) under the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of this Registration Statement as of the time it was declared effective.
(2)
For the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each post-effective amendment that contains a form of prospectus shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

II-3


Table of Contents

 

EXHIBIT INDEX

 

Exhibit

Number

 

Description of Exhibit

1.1*

 

Form of Underwriting Agreement.

3.1*

 

Form of Third Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Registrant (to be effective upon the consummation of this offering).

3.2*

 

Form of Second Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Registrant (to be effective upon the consummation of this offering).

4.1*

 

Specimen stock certificate evidencing shares of common stock.

4.2*

 

Amended & Restated Investors’ Rights Agreement, dated November 7, 2024, by and among the Registrant and certain of its stockholders.

5.1*

 

Opinion of Ropes & Gray LLP.

10.1+†

 

Research Collaboration and License Agreement, by and between the Registrant, TRex Holdings Inc. and Eli Lilly and Company, dated January 6, 2023.

10.2+

 

 

First Amendment to Research Collaboration and License Agreement, by and between the Registrant and Eli Lilly and Company, dated June 24, 2026.

10.3†

 

Lease Agreement, by and between the Registrant and ARE-San Francisco No. 46, LLC, dated April 15, 2026.

10.4#*

 

Employment Agreement, by and between the Registrant and M. Johnston Erwin, Jr., dated , 2026.

10.5#*

 

Employment Agreement, by and between the Registrant and Ali Zarrin, dated , 2026.

10.6#*

 

Employment Agreement, by and between the Registrant and Laura Berner, dated , 2026.

10.7#

 

TRex Bio, Inc. 2024 Equity Incentive Plan, as adopted December 31, 2024.

10.8#

 

Form of Non-Immediately Exercisable Option Agreement under the TRex Bio, Inc. 2024 Equity Incentive Plan.

10.9#

 

Form of Immediately Exercisable Option Agreement under the TRex Bio, Inc. 2024 Equity Incentive Plan.

10.11#*

 

TRex Bio, Inc. 2026 Equity Incentive Plan.

10.12#*

 

TRex Bio, Inc. 2026 Employee Stock Purchase Plan.

10.13*

 

Form of Indemnification Agreement between the Registrant and each of its directors and executive officers.

23.1

 

Consent of KPMG LLP, independent registered public accounting firm.

23.2*

 

Consent of Ropes & Gray LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1).

24.1

 

Power of Attorney (included on signature page).

107

 

Filing Fee Table.

 

* To be filed by amendment.

# Indicates management contract or compensatory plan.

+ Portions of this exhibit (indicated by asterisks) have been redacted pursuant to Item 601(b)(10)(iv) of Regulation S-K because they are both not material and the registrant customarily and actually treats such information as private or confidential.

† Annexes, schedules and/or exhibits have been omitted pursuant to Item 601(a)(5) of Regulation S-K. The registrant agrees to furnish supplementally a copy of any omitted attachment to the SEC upon request.

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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the registrant has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of South San Francisco, State of California, on the 18th day of September, 2026.

 

 

TREX BIO, INC.

 

 

 

/s/ M. Johnston Erwin, Jr.

By:

M. Johnston Erwin, Jr.

 

Chief Executive Officer

 

KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints M. Johnston Erwin, Jr. and Brandon Hants, and each of them singly, our true and lawful attorneys, with full power to them, and to each of them singly, to sign for us and in our names in the capacities indicated below, the registration statement on Form S-1 filed herewith, and any and all pre-effective and post-effective amendments to said registration statement, and any registration statement filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, in connection with the registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, of equity securities of the Company, and to file or cause to be filed the same, with all exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in connection therewith, as fully to all intents and purposes as each of us might or could do in person, and hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys, and each of them, or their substitute or substitutes, shall do or cause to be done by virtue of this Power of Attorney.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated:

 

Signature

 

Title

 

Date

 

/s/ M. Johnston Erwin, Jr.

 

Chief Executive Officer and Director

(Principal Executive Officer)

 

September 18, 2026

Johnston Erwin

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Brandon Hants

Brandon Hants

 

Chief Financial Officer

(Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)

 

September 18, 2026

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Carol G. Gallagher

 

Director

 

September 18, 2026

 

Carol G. Gallagher

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Alexandra Cantley

 

Director

 

September 18, 2026

 

Alexandra Cantley

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Travis Coy

 

Director

 

September 18, 2026

 

Travis Coy

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Julie Gilmore

 

Director

 

September 18, 2026

 

Julie Gilmore

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Peter Hirth

 

Director

 

September 18, 2026

 

Peter Hirth

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Eric Huang

 

Director

 

September 18, 2026

 

Eric Huang

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Joel S. Marcus

 

Director

 

September 18, 2026

 

Joel S. Marcus

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Sanjay Mistry

Sanjay Mistry

 

Director

 

September 18, 2026

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Christopher O’Donnell

Christopher O’Donnell

 

Director

 

September 18, 2026

 

 

 

 

 

 

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/s/ Eric Pham

Eric Pham

 

Director

 

September 18, 2026

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Michael Ross

Michael Ross

 

Director

 

September 18, 2026

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Nikola Trbovic

Nikola Trbovic

 

Director

 

September 18, 2026

 

II-6


Exhibit 10.1

CERTAIN INFORMATION IDENTIFIED WITH [***] HAS BEEN EXCLUDED FROM THIS EXHIBIT BECAUSE IT IS (1) NOT MATERIAL AND (2) OF THE TYPE THAT THE REGISTRANT TREATS AS PRIVATE OR CONFIDENTIAL.

 

 

 

 

RESEARCH COLLABORATION AND LICENSE AGREEMENT

 

BY AND AMONG

ELI LILLY AND COMPANY,

TREX BIO, INC., AND

TREX HOLDINGS INC.


Table of Contents

Page

Article 1 Definitions

1

Article 2 OVERVIEW; Licenses; Exclusivity

15

2.1. Overview

15

2.2. License Grants

15

2.3. Exclusivity

16

2.4. No Implied Licenses

17

2.5. Other Activities

17

Article 3 Governance; Responsibility

18

3.1. Alliance Managers

18

3.2. Joint Research Committee

18

3.3. Committee Decision-Making; Escalation

19

3.4. Responsibilities of the Joint Research Committee

19

3.5. Discontinuation of the JRC

20

3.6. Responsibility for Affiliates and Third Parties

20

Article 4 Research Program

20

4.1. General

20

4.2. Research Plan

20

4.3. Research Program Activities

21

4.4. Lilly’s Right to Assume Research Program Activities for [***] [***] and [***]

21

4.5. Research Program Costs

21

4.6. Record-Keeping

21

4.7. TRex Platform Technology

22

4.8. Transfer of Materials

22

Article 5 FURTHER DEVELOPMENT, MANUFACTURE AND Commercialization

22

5.1. Technology Transfer and Ongoing Regulatory Support

22

5.2. Subsequent Research and Development

23

5.3. Lilly Performance

23

5.4. Regulatory Matters

23

5.5. Commercialization

23

5.6. Manufacture and Supply

23

Article 6 Financial Provisions

24

6.1. Upfront Payment

24

6.2. Development Milestones

24

6.3. Commercial Milestones

24

6.4. Sales Milestones

25

6.5. Royalties

26

6.6. Currency Conversion

27

6.7. Taxes and Withholding

27


6.8. Late Payment

28

6.9. Financial Records

28

Article 7 Confidentiality

29

7.1. Confidential Information

29

7.2. Restrictions

29

7.3. Exceptions

29

7.4. Permitted Disclosures

29

7.5. Public Domain Information and Residual Knowledge

30

7.6. Confidentiality Survival

30

7.7. Licensed Information

30

7.8. Public Statement

30

7.9. Publications

31

Article 8 Term and Termination

31

8.1. Term

31

8.2. Termination for Material Breach

31

8.3. Termination by TRex for Cessation of the [***] Program

32

8.4. Termination by Lilly for Convenience

32

8.5. Termination for Insolvency

32

8.6. General Survival

32

8.7. No Waiver

33

8.8. Effects of Termination

33

8.9. Additional Effects of Termination for [***]

34

8.10. Reverse Royalty and License Terms

34

8.11. Right of Negotiation for [***] and [***] and [***]

34

8.12. Bankruptcy Code

34

Article 9 HSR Matters

35

9.1. Antitrust Filings and Closing

35

9.2. Interim Confidentiality

36

9.3. [***] Extension under the Research Agreement

36

Article 10 Intellectual Property

36

10.1. Ownership of Inventions and Background IP; Assignment

36

10.2. Patent Prosecution and Maintenance

37

10.3. First Right to Negotiate Intellectual Property Licenses for Products

38

10.4. Infringement or Misappropriation by Third Parties

38

10.5. CREATE Act

40

10.6. Infringement of Third Party Intellectual Property

40

10.7. Trademarks

40

10.8. Use of Name

40

10.9. Upstream Licenses

40

Article 11 Representations and Warranties; cERTAIN COVENANTS; Disclaimers

41

11.1. Mutual Representations and Warranties

41

11.2. TRex Representations, Warranties and Covenants

41

11.3. Mutual Representations, Warranties and Covenants

43


11.4. Compliance

43

11.5. Prohibited Conduct

45

11.6. Disclaimer

46

Article 12 Insurance; Indemnification; Limitation of Liability

46

12.1. Insurance

46

12.2. Indemnification

46

12.3. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

48

Article 13 DISPUTES

48

13.1. Choice of Law

48

13.2. Dispute Resolution

48

13.3. Jurisdiction

48

13.4. Equitable Remedies

48

Article 14 MISCELLANEOUS

49

14.1. Force Majeure

49

14.2. Amendments and Waivers

49

14.3. Delays or Omissions

49

14.4. Entire Agreement; Research Agreement

49

14.5. Assignment

50

14.6. Change of Control of TRex

50

14.7. Fees and Expenses

51

14.8. Severability

51

14.9. Parent Guarantee

51

14.10. Further Assurances

51

14.11. Remedies Cumulative

51

14.12. Notices

52

14.13. Relationship of the Parties

52

14.14. No Third-Party Beneficiaries

52

14.15. Performance by Affiliates

53

14.16. Counterparts; Facsimile

53

14.17. Titles and Subtitles

53

14.18. Language

53

14.19. Interpretation

53

 

LIST OF SCHEDULES

[***]


 

RESEARCH COLLABORATION AND LICENSE AGREEMENT

This Research Collaboration and License Agreement (this “Agreement”) is entered into as of January 6, 2023 (the “Execution Date”) and is effective as of the Antitrust Clearance Date (the “Effective Date”) except for Article 9 hereof, which shall be effective as of the Execution Date, by and among, on the one hand, Eli Lilly and Company, an Indiana corporation (“Lilly”), and, on the other hand, TRex Bio Inc., a Delaware company (“TRex”), and solely for purposes of Section 14.9, TRex Holdings Inc., a Delaware company (“Parent”). Lilly and TRex are sometimes referred to herein individually as a “Party” and collectively as the “Parties.”

RECITALS

WHEREAS, TRex is a biotechnology company engaged in the research and development of biological products;

WHEREAS, Lilly and TRex (a subsidiary of TRex Bio Holding, the successor in interest to TRex Bio Limited) are parties to the Research and Collaboration Agreement made as of October 18, 2018, as amended and restated by the Amended and Restated Research and Collaboration Agreement dated September 1, 2020 and further amended by the Amendment #1 to Amended and Restated Research and Collaboration Agreement dated October 21, 2022 (such agreement, as amended and modified from time to time, the “Research Agreement”);

WHEREAS, Lilly and TRex mutually agree to hereby terminate the Research Agreement in its entirety, and enter into this Agreement, pursuant to which Lilly and TRex will collaborate to conduct research programs in respect of each of the Licensed Targets (as further defined below) using TRex’s and its Affiliate’s technology platform and other resources, to develop Program Molecule(s) (as further defined below) that are suitable for clinical testing (the “Research Program(s)”); and

WHEREAS, Lilly may desire to continue researching, developing, commercializing, and otherwise exploiting Program Molecule(s) and products containing or comprising Program Molecule(s) (i.e., the Product(s) as further defined below) subject to the terms and conditions as set forth below.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing premises and the mutual promises, covenants and conditions contained in this Agreement, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged and agreed, the Parties agree as follows:

Article 1
Definitions

The following terms shall have the respective meanings set forth below:

1.1. “Acquirer” has the meaning set forth in Section 1.23.

1.2. “Affiliate” means, with respect to a Party, any Person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under common control with, such Party. For purposes of this Agreement, the term “controlled” (including the terms “controlled by” and “under common control with”) as used in this context, means the direct or indirect ability or power to direct or cause the direction of management policies of a Person or otherwise direct the affairs of such Person, whether through ownership of equity, voting securities, beneficial interest, by contract or otherwise. A Party shall be presumed to control a Person if the Party owns fifty percent (50%) or more of the outstanding voting equity interests of such Person.

1.3. “Agreement” has the meaning set forth in the preamble.

1


 

1.4. “Agreement IP” means all Inventions and all corresponding Intellectual Property Rights with respect thereto. For clarity, Agreement IP includes TRex Agreement IP, Lilly Agreement IP and Joint Project IP.

1.5. “Alliance Manager” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.1.

1.6. “Alternative Remedy” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.2.4.

1.7. “Antitrust Authorities” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.1.1.

1.8. “Antitrust Clearance Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.1.1.

1.9. “Antitrust Laws” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.1.1.

1.10. “Applicable Law” or “Applicable Laws” means all laws, ordinances, rules and regulations of any kind whatsoever of any governmental (including international, foreign, federal, state, provincial and local) or regulatory body applicable to the activities contemplated by this Agreement or a Party or Affiliate thereof, including the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

1.11. “Auditor” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.9.2.

1.12. “Background IP” means (i) Know-How and Intellectual Property Rights that are owned or controlled by a Party or any of its respective Affiliates prior to the Effective Date and (ii) Know-How and Intellectual Property Rights created, conceived, generated or acquired by a Party or any of its respective Affiliates outside of the scope of this Agreement, in each case ((i) and (ii)), that are necessary or reasonably useful to Develop, Manufacture, Commercialize, or otherwise exploit Licensed Target(s), Program Molecule(s) or Product(s).

1.13. “Bankruptcy Filing” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.5.

1.14. “Big Four Accounting Firm” means Ernst & Young, Deloitte, PricewaterhouseCoopers and KPMG.

1.15. “BLA” means a Biologic License Application, as defined in the United States Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, 21 U.S.C. §§ 301 et seq., as such may be amended from time to time, and applicable regulations promulgated thereunder by the FDA, or any analogous application or submission with any Regulatory Authority outside of the United States.

1.16. “Business Day” means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or a day on which commercial banks located in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA or San Francisco, California, USA, are required or authorized by law to be closed.

1.17. “Calendar Quarter” means each three month period commencing January 1, April 1, July 1 or October 1.

1.18. “Calendar Year” means each respective one (1)-year period beginning on January 1 and ending on December 31.

1.19. “[***] means [***].

2


 

1.20. “[***] means any molecule having binding specificity to [***] including any variant or mutein of a [***], or any combination of such molecule with any other molecule, including other active agents or half-life extenders, in each case, that (a) is identified, synthesized, generated, researched or developed by or on behalf of a Party or any of its respective Affiliates under the Research Agreement, or as part of the Research Program Activities, or (b) is a modification of such molecule within the scope of clause (a), including, affinity maturation, optimization for developability, immunogenicity, constant region engineering, or the addition or integration of additional target binding heads for purposes of creating multispecific (including bispecific) antibodies or binding molecules or the addition or integration of a functional protein or peptide for the purposes of creating multifunctional compounds, that is identified, synthesized, generated, researched or developed by or on behalf of a Party or any of its respective Affiliates under this Agreement during the Term, provided that such modification of this clause (b) has at least one CDR sequence (or ligand sequence, as applicable) that is at least eighty percent (80%) identical to the corresponding CDR sequence (or ligand sequence, as applicable) of a molecule subject to the foregoing clause (a), wherein the CDR sequences (or ligand sequence, as applicable) are determined by Kabat numbering, and bind to the same target as a molecule subject to the foregoing clause (a). With respect to the foregoing clause (b), while the structural similarity between two (2) molecules may create a presumption that the later molecule was a modification of the earlier one, such presumption may be rebutted by reasonable contemporaneous written evidence demonstrating that such later molecule was generated by Lilly employees or contractors not participating in the research being conducted under this Agreement.

1.21. “[***] Product” means any biological product that contains or comprises a [***], including a Combination Product that contains a [***].

1.22. “[***] means the receptor known as [***].

1.23. “Change of Control” means: (a) with respect to a Party, the acquisition by a Third Party, in one transaction or a series of related transactions, of direct or indirect beneficial ownership of more than fifty percent (50%) of the outstanding securities or combined voting power of such Party (or any controlling Affiliate of such Party); (b) a merger or consolidation or other business combination involving such Party, as a result of which a Third Party acquires direct or indirect beneficial ownership of more than fifty percent (50%) of the outstanding securities or combined voting power of the surviving entity immediately after such merger, reorganization or combination; or (c) a sale of all or substantially all of the assets of such Party related to this Agreement in one transaction or a series of related transactions to a Third Party. The acquiring or combining Third Party in any of (a), (b) or (c), and any of such Third Party’s Affiliates (whether in existence as of or any time following the applicable transaction, but other than the acquired Party and its Affiliates as in existence prior to the applicable transaction or Affiliates it controls after the applicable transaction) are referred to collectively herein as the “Acquirer.” As used in this definition, “control” means (1) to possess, directly or indirectly, the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of an entity, whether through ownership of outstanding securities or voting power or by contract relating to voting rights or corporate governance; or (2) direct or indirect ownership of more than fifty percent (50%) of the outstanding securities or voting power interest in such entity.

1.24. “Claim” has the meaning set forth in Section 12.2.1.

1.25. “Clinical Trial” means a human clinical trial.

1.26. “CoC IP” means Patents, Know-How and other Intellectual Property Rights that (a) are owned or controlled by an Acquirer immediately prior to the completion of the relevant Change of Control and (b) do not Cover or relate to an Other Component.

1.27. “Code” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.12.

3


 

1.28. “Combination Product” has the meaning set forth in Section 1.113.

1.29. “Commercialize” and “Commercialized” means, with respect to any compound or product (including a Program Molecule and any corresponding Products), to promote, market, distribute, sell, have sold, offer for sale, have offered for sale, import, have imported, export, have exported, contract to do any of the foregoing, or otherwise commercially exploit or provide product support for such compound or product, and to conduct activities, other than Development or Manufacturing, in preparation for conducting the foregoing activities, including activities to produce commercialization support data and to secure and maintain market access and reimbursement. “Commercializing” and “Commercialization” shall have correlative meanings. For the avoidance of doubt, Commercialization does not include Development or Manufacturing.

1.30. “Commercially Reasonable Efforts” of a Party, means (a) with respect to activities undertaken by TRex, that level of efforts and resources commonly applied by a biological company similar in size to TRex, and (b) with respect to activities undertaken by Lilly, that level of efforts and resources commonly applied by Lilly, [***]

1.31. “Commercial Milestone Event” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.3.

1.32. “Commercial Milestone Payment” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.3.

1.33. “Competing Activities” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.3.1.

1.34. “Confidential Information” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.1.

1.35. “Control” and “Controlled” means, with respect to any Know-How or Intellectual Property Rights, the possession by a Party of the ability (whether by ownership, license, or sublicense, other than by a license, sublicense, or other right granted pursuant to this Agreement) to grant to the other Party the licenses, sublicenses, or rights to access and use such Know-How or Intellectual Property Rights as provided for in this Agreement, without violating the terms of any agreement or other arrangement with any Third Party in existence as of the time such Party would be required hereunder to grant such license, sublicense, or rights of access and use, without requiring any payment under any agreement between TRex and any Third Party other than any payment pursuant to an Upstream Agreement, which payment will be borne as set forth in Section 10.9.

1.36. “Cover” or “Covered” means, with respect to a claim of a Patent and a relevant Program Molecule or Product, that such claim would be infringed, absent a license, by the Development, Manufacturing, use, importation, exportation, Commercialization, or other exploitation of such Program Molecule or Product (considering claims of Patent applications as then pending). “Covering” shall have the correlative meaning.

1.37. “Deliverables” means (a) any and all data and results arising from a Research Program Activity under the Research Plan and (b) any reports or other deliverables specified in a Research Plan.

1.38. “Develop” or “Developed” means, with respect to any compound or product (including a Program Molecule and any corresponding Products), to research, develop, analyze, test and conduct preclinical studies, Clinical Trials (including, for the avoidance of doubt, preclinical/clinical/manufacturing commitments following Regulatory Approval) and all other studies and trials for such compound or product, as well as any and all activities pertaining to manufacturing development, formulation development, medical affairs and lifecycle management (including the conduct of Clinical Trials not explicitly for registrational purposes and non-interventional studies), seeking new indications and new formulations, and all other activities, including regulatory activities, related to securing and maintaining Regulatory Approval, for such compound or product. “Developing” and “Development” shall have correlative meanings.

4


 

1.39. “Development Candidate” means a Program Molecule that Lilly selects as a development candidate to be used in a GLP Tox Study.

1.40. “Development Milestone Event” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.2.

1.41. “Development Milestone Payment” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.2.

1.42. “Direct License” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.8.2.

1.43. “Disclosing Party” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.1.

1.44. “Dispute” has the meaning set forth in Section 13.2.

1.45. “DNR” has the meaning set forth in Section 11.4.5(ii).

1.46. “DOJ” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.1.1.

1.47. “Dollar” means a U.S. dollar, and “$” is to be interpreted accordingly.

1.48. “Effective Date” has the meaning set forth in the preamble.

1.49. “Encumbrance” means any security interest, lien, claim of ownership by any Third Party, out-license or any other encumbrance.

1.50. “EU” means all countries that are officially recognized as member states of the European Union at any particular time.

1.51. “European Major Market” means each of the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, and Spain.

1.52. “Execution Date” has the meaning set forth in the preamble.

1.53. “Executive Officers” means (a) the Chief Executive Officer of TRex and (b) the President of Lilly Research Laboratories, in each case (a) and (b), or his or her designee that has authority to decide the matter at hand.

1.54. “FD&C Act” means the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, as amended, and the regulations promulgated thereunder.

1.55. “FDA” means the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and any successor Regulatory Authority having the same or similar authority.

1.56. “Field” means any and all purposes, uses, and indications, including diagnostic, prophylactic, and therapeutic uses, in humans and animals.

1.57. “Firewalls” means highest industry standard walls and screens (whether technical or physical) established between (a) personnel performing Research Program Activities or receiving any Confidential Information hereunder, on the one hand, and (b) personnel performing Competing Activities on behalf of such Acquirer, including TRex Acquisition Program activities, on the other hand, designed to ensure that no nonpublic information, materials (such as lab notebooks, document management systems or other documented or memorialized Know-How) or equipment or other resources relating to any Program Molecule or Product or the

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Research Program Activities or Confidential Information hereunder are accessible by personnel performing Competing Activities or TRex Acquisition Program activities (except that management personnel having seniority of Vice President (or equivalent) or above, or members of the board of directors may review and evaluate plans and information in connection with portfolio decision-making). “Firewall,” when used as a verb, means to implement Firewalls.

1.58. “First Commercial Sale” means, with respect to any Product and any country, the first invoice for commercial sale, transfer or other disposition by Lilly or any of its Affiliates or Sublicensees in such country after receipt of all Marketing Approvals for such Product in such country; provided that First Commercial Sale shall not include (a) supply for nominal or no consideration for test marketing, sampling and promotional uses, Clinical Trial purposes, compassionate use of other similar uses, (b) intercompany transfers to an Affiliate of Lilly or between such entities and a Sublicensee, provided that subsequent sale to an unaffiliated Third Party by such Affiliate or Sublicensee is not considered an intercompany transfer; nor (c) similar non-commercial sales.

1.59. “First Dose” means the administration of the first dose of a Program Molecule or a Product to the first person in the applicable Clinical Trial.

1.60. “Force Majeure” means any circumstances or events whatsoever that are not within the reasonable control of the Party affected thereby, potentially including an act of God, war, act of terrorism, pandemic, epidemic, insurrection, riot, strike or labor dispute, shortage of materials, fire, explosion, flood, government requisition or allocation, lack of fuel supplies or electrical power, embargo, boycott, order, lockdown or other act of civil, military, or other Governmental Authority.

1.61. “FTC” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.1.1.

1.62. “FTE” means the equivalent of the work of one (1) employee full time for one (1) Calendar Year (consisting of at least a total of [***] Calendar Year) of work performing activities pursuant to this Agreement. No additional payment shall be made with respect to any person who works more than [***] per Calendar Year and any person who devotes less than [***] hours per Calendar Year shall be treated as an FTE on a pro rata basis based upon the actual number of hours worked divided by [***]

1.63. “FTE Costs” means the applicable FTE Rate multiplied by the applicable number of FTEs.

1.64. “FTE Rate” means [***] subject to adjustments effective on January 1 of each Calendar Year, with the first such annual adjustment to be made as of January 1, 2024, based on the applicable employment cost index published by the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics for the third quarter of the preceding Calendar Year, or as otherwise agreed to by the Parties. The FTE Rate includes [***]

1.65. “GAAP” means U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, consistently applied.

1.66. “Generic Equivalent” means, with reference to a Product, any biologic or pharmaceutical product that is sold by a Third Party (other than a Sublicensee of Lilly or any of its Affiliates) and that is approved for marketing or sale by a Regulatory Authority in reliance on, including using, data from the Regulatory Filings for the Product that were submitted by Lilly, its Affiliates, or their Sublicensees, and that meets the equivalency determination by the applicable Regulatory Authority in such country as is necessary to permit substitution of such product for the Product under Applicable Law in such country.

1.67. “GLP Tox Study” means the first repeat dose animal toxicology study conducted in support of first human dose and performed using GLP.

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1.68. “Good Laboratory Practices” or “GLP” means the then-current standards for laboratory activities for pharmaceuticals, as set forth in the FDA’s Good Laboratory Practice regulations as defined in 21 C.F.R. Part 58, the Council Directive 87/18/EEC, as amended; the principles for Good Laboratory Practice or the Good Laboratory Practice principles of the Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD); and such standards of good laboratory practice as are required by the European Union and other organizations and governmental agencies in countries in which a Product is intended to be sold, to the extent such standards are not less stringent than United States Good Laboratory Practice.

1.69. “Good Research Practices” or “GRP” means applicable current Good Research Practices, including, as applicable, (a) the research quality standards defining how Lilly’s research laboratories conduct good science for non-regulated work as set forth in Schedule 1.69 Part A; (b) Lilly’s animal care and use requirements as set forth in Schedule 1.69 Part B; (c) the Research Quality Association (“RQA”)’s Guidelines for Quality in Non-Regulated Scientific Research; (d) the World Health Organization Handbook: Quality Practices in Basic Biomedical Research; and (e) the equivalent Applicable Laws if any, in any relevant country; in each case, as may be amended and applicable from time to time.

1.70. “Government Official” has the meaning set forth in Section 11.5.

1.71. “Governmental Authority” means any national, international, federal, state, provincial or local government, or political subdivision thereof, or any multinational organization or any authority, agency or commission entitled to exercise any administrative, executive, judicial, legislative, police, regulatory or taxing authority or power, or any court or tribunal (or any department, bureau or division thereof, or any governmental arbitrator or arbitral body).

1.72. “HSR Act” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.1.1.

1.73. “IND” means an Investigational New Drug application as defined in the FD&C Act or a Clinical Trial authorization or similar application or submission for authorization to conduct human clinical investigations filed with or submitted to a Regulatory Authority outside of the United States in conformance with the requirements of such Regulatory Authority.

1.74. “Indemnified Party” has the meaning set forth in Section 12.2.3(i).

1.75. “Indemnifying Party” has the meaning set forth in Section 12.2.3(i).

1.76. “Indication” means any intended use of a Product (a) for any therapeutic treatment, prevention, mitigation, cure, or diagnosis of a recognized disease or condition, (b) of a manifestation of a recognized disease or condition, or (c) for the relief of symptoms associated with a recognized disease or condition, in each case (a), (b) and (c), as provided for in the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations (C.F.R.) labeling requirements in 21 C.F.R. Part 201 (or an equivalent requirement in any country outside the United States) and for which a separate application for Marketing Approval, or a supplement to an existing application for Marketing Approval (in each case, such application or supplement to be based on the results of a novel pivotal clinical study), is required for the purpose of obtaining Marketing Approval in a country or jurisdiction; provided, that, (i) a disease or medical condition and all primary symptoms associated with the disease or medical condition shall be the same Indication; (ii) the use of a product to treat an expanded set of patients or a sub-population of patients for a disease, symptom or medical condition, when such product has already received Marketing Approval in a different patient population or sub-population of patients with respect to such disease, symptom or medical condition, shall not constitute a separate Indication with respect to such product; (iii) to qualify as an Indication, Marketing Approval of such Indication must require completion of one (1) or more Clinical Trials sufficient to obtain Marketing Approval and may not be a mere extension of an existing labeled Indication (and, if more than one Indication is

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granted a Marketing Approval by a Regulatory Authority on the basis of results obtain in a single pivotal clinical study, then such multiple approved Indications shall be deemed a single Indication); and (iv) once a product has received Marketing Approval in an Indication where such Marketing Approval is for (A) use of such product alone or in combination with other treatment modalities, the subsequent receipt of Marketing Approval for such product in combination with other treatment modalities or alone, respectively, for such Indication shall not be considered a different Indication for such product; (B) use of such product in one line of therapy, the subsequent receipt of Marketing Approval for such product in another line of therapy for such Indication shall not be considered a different Indication; and (C) a specific route of administration for such product, the subsequent receipt of Marketing Approval for an alternative route of administration for such product for such Indication shall not be considered a different Indication.

1.77. “Industry Codes” means all applicable rules of non-governmental bodies such as pharmaceutical industry trade associations and self-regulatory organizations that are generally accepted as “good practice” within the research based pharmaceutical industry, including those relating to good marketing practices and the relationship of pharmaceutical companies with health care providers and patients.

1.78. “Ineligible Sublicensee” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.8.2.

1.79. “Infringement” has the meaning set forth in Section 10.4.1.

1.80. “Intellectual Property Rights” means any and all rights in, arising out of, under, or associated with any of the following in any jurisdiction: (i) Patent law, including any Patents; (ii) trademark law; (iii) copyright law; (iv) trade secret law; or (v) any other intellectual property or proprietary rights, now known or hereafter recognized in any jurisdiction including in ideas, formulae, algorithms, concepts, inventions, or Know-How, or other intellectual property.

1.81. “Internal Compliance Codes” means a Party’s internal policies and procedures that are intended to ensure that a Party complies with Applicable Laws, Party Specific Regulations, Industry Codes, and such Party’s internal ethical, medical, and similar standards.

1.82. “Invention” means any and all discoveries, inventions, Know-How and the like, whether or not patentable, that are created, conceived, or generated by or on behalf of a Party or any of its Affiliates (whether solely or jointly by the Parties or their Affiliates) in the course of performing activities or exercising rights under this Agreement.

1.83. “Joint Project IP” has the meaning set forth in Section 10.1.

1.84. “Joint Project Patents” has the meaning set forth in Section 10.2.3(i).

1.85. “JRC” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.2.1.

1.86. “Know-How” means all technical information and know-how, including inventions, discoveries, trade secrets, specifications, instructions, processes, formulae, materials (including cell lines, vectors, plasmids, nucleic acids and the like), methods, protocols, expertise and other technology applicable to formulations, compositions or products or to their manufacture, development, registration, use or marketing or to methods of assaying or testing them or processes for their manufacture, formulations containing them or compositions incorporating or comprising them, and including all biological, chemical, pharmacological, biochemical, toxicological, pharmaceutical, physical and analytical, safety, quality control, manufacturing, preclinical and clinical data, instructions, processes, formula, and expertise. For clarity, Know-How does not include any Patent that Covers any of the foregoing, or any trademarks or trade names.

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1.87. “Know-How License Agreement” has the meaning set forth in Section 1.171.

1.88. “[***]” means the protein known as [***]

1.89. “[***]” means the protein known as [***]

1.90. “[***]” means any biological product that contains or comprises any Program Antibody(ies) directed to a [***], including a Combination Product that contains Program Antibody(ies) directed to a [***].

1.91. “[***]” means [***].

1.92. “[***] means the protein known as [***]

1.93. “[***] Product” means any biological product that contains or comprises any Program Antibody(ies) directed to [***] including a Combination Product that contains Program Antibody(ies) directed to [***]

1.94. “Licensed Intellectual Property” or “Licensed IP” means Licensed Patents and Licensed Know-How.

1.95. “Licensed Know-How” means (i) all Know-How within the TRex Agreement IP, (ii) all Know-How within the TRex Background IP, and (iii) TRex’s interest in all Know-How within the Joint Project IP, but excluding, in each case ((i), (ii) and (iii)), all Licensed Patents.

1.96. “Licensed Patents” means (a) all Patents within the TRex Agreement IP, (b) all Patents within the TRex Background IP and (c) TRex’s interest in all Patents within the Joint Project IP, including the Patents set forth on Schedule 1.96 as of the Execution Date.

1.97. “Licensed Target(s)” means individually or collectively, as applicable, [***], [***], and [***]. For clarity, throughout this Agreement references to “Licensed Target” when intended to [***] shall be construed as references to [***] or [***] (or, if reasonably appropriate based on context, both).

1.98. “Lilly” has the meaning set forth in the preamble.

1.99. “Lilly Agreement IP” has the meaning set forth in Section 10.1.

1.100. “Lilly Antibody Materials” means any tangible supplies of Program Molecule(s), any nucleotides encoding the foregoing, or any cell lines incorporating or expressing any of the foregoing delivered by or on behalf of Lilly to TRex under the Research Agreement or pursuant to Section 4.8.

1.101. “Lilly Background IP” means Background IP that is Controlled by Lilly or its Affiliates.

1.102. “Lilly Competitor” means [***]

1.103. “Lilly Indemnitees” has the meaning set forth in Section 12.2.2.

1.104. “Lilly-Maintained Patents” has the meaning set forth in Section 10.2.2.

1.105. “Lilly Research Materials” means any tangible materials, other than Lilly Antibody Materials, provided by or on behalf of Lilly to TRex or its Affiliates for purposes of TRex’s performance under the Research Agreement or of the Research Plans.

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1.106. “Lilly Research Materials IP” means (a) any Inventions that (i) are discovered, made, conceived and/or first reduced to practice, as a result of TRex’s (or any of its Affiliates’) access to or use of any Lilly Research Materials or Confidential Information of Lilly related thereto, by or on behalf of TRex or any Affiliate thereof, whether solely or jointly with any of its Affiliates, Lilly or any Affiliate(s) thereof, or any Third Party(ies) and (ii) are not solely and specifically related to any Licensed Target, Program Molecule, or Product, and (b) all corresponding Intellectual Property Rights with respect thereto.

1.107. “LNR” has the meaning set forth in Section 11.4.5(ii).

1.108. “Losses” has the meaning set forth in Section 12.2.1.

1.109. “Loss of Market Exclusivity” means, with respect to any Product in any country, the date on which, after the first sale of a Generic Equivalent with respect to such Product in such country, the Net Sales for a given Calendar Quarter in such country for such Product has [***]

1.110. “Manufacture” or “Manufactured” means, with respect to any product (including any Products corresponding to a Program Molecule), the receipt, handling and storage of active pharmaceutical ingredients, biological or drug substance or biological or drug product, devices (if applicable) and other materials, the manufacturing, having manufactured, processing, packaging and labeling, holding (including storage), quality assurance and quality control testing (including release) of such product (other than quality assurance and quality control related to development of the manufacturing process, which activities shall be considered Development activities) and shipping of such product, as well as contracting for the foregoing. “Manufacturing” shall have the correlative meaning.

1.111. “Marketing Approval” means all approvals, licenses, permits, notifications, registrations, clearances, authorizations, or waivers of any Regulatory Authority that is or are necessary for the commercial sale of a product in the Field in a particular jurisdiction, including a BLA and all pricing and reimbursement approvals that are necessary in a given jurisdiction. For clarity, Marketing Approval includes, to the extent applicable, any supplemental approval or supplemental marketing authorization.

1.112. “Materials Transfer Record Form” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.8.

1.113. “Net Sales” means, [***]

[***] [***]

[***] [***]

[***] [***]

[***] [***]

[***] [***]

[***] [***]

[***] [***]

[***]

[***]

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[***]

[***]

[***]

[***]

1.114. “Option Agreement” has the meaning set forth in Section 1.171.

1.115. “Other Component” has the meaning set forth in Section 1.113.

1.116. “Parent” has the meaning set forth in the preamble.

1.117. “Party” and “Parties” have the respective meanings set forth in the preamble.

1.118. “Party Specific Regulations” has the meaning set forth in Section 11.4.3.

1.119. “Patents” means any patent application or patent anywhere in the world, including all of the following kinds: provisional, utility, divisional, continuation, continuation-in-part, and substitution applications; and utility, re-issue, re-examination, renewal and extended patents, and patents of addition, and any supplementary protection certificates, restoration of patent terms and other similar rights.

1.120. “Payment” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.7.2.

1.121. “Permitted Subcontractor” means (a) UCSF; (b) any Third Party subcontractor or Affiliate identified in the applicable Research Plan; (c) any Third Party subcontractor of Affiliate approved by the JRC; or (d) any Third Party subcontractor or Affiliate mutually agreed by the Parties.

1.122. “Person” means any individual, partnership, joint venture, firm, corporation, limited liability company, bodies corporate, other business organization, association, trust, unincorporated organization, unincorporated associations and partnerships, government, governmental body, agency or authority or other entity in each case whether or not having a separate legal personality.

1.123. “Personal Information” means, in addition to any definition for any similar term (e.g., “personal data” or “personally identifiable information” or “PII”) provided by Applicable Laws, or by either Party in any of its own privacy policies, notices or contracts, all information that identifies, could be used to identify or is otherwise associated with an individual person, whether or not such information is associated with an identified individual person.

1.124. “Phase 1 Clinical Trial” means a Clinical Trial that generally provides for the first introduction into humans of a Program Molecule or Product, conducted in normal volunteers or patients, with the primary purpose of generating information on product safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetic properties and pharmacologic activity, and generally consistent with 21 C.F.R. § 312.21(a) in the U.S., or similar Clinical Trial in a country other than the U.S.

1.125. “Phase 2 Clinical Trial” means a controlled Clinical Trial conducted to obtain a preliminary determination of the efficacy and safety of a Program Molecule or Product for an indication in a target population of patients, at the intended clinical dose or doses or range of doses, on a sufficient number of subjects and for a sufficient period to confirm the optimal manner of use of the applicable Program Molecule (dose and dose regimen) for such indication prior to initiation of the pivotal Clinical Trials for such indication, as described in 21 C.F.R. § 312.21(b), or similar Clinical Trial in a country other than the U.S.

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1.126. “Phase 3 Clinical Trial” means a well-controlled Clinical Trial of a Program Molecule or Product as described in 21 C.F.R. § 312.21(c), or similar Clinical Trial in a country other than the U.S., that is designed to establish that the Program Molecule or Product is safe and efficacious for its intended use, to provide an adequate basis for physician labeling, and to support Marketing Approval of the Program Molecule or Product for such indication or label expansion of the Program Molecule or Product.

1.127. “Pre-Effective Date Period” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.1.2.

1.128. “Product” means each of (a) a [***] Product; (b) a [***] Product; and (c) a [***] Product.

1.129. “Product/Target Patents” means (a) any Licensed Patent that Covers any Licensed Target, Program Molecules or Products or the Development, Manufacture, Commercialization or other exploitation of any of the foregoing and (b) any Program Molecule Patents.

1.130. “Product Trademarks” has the meaning set forth in Section 10.7.

1.131. “Program Antibody” means an antibody or fragment thereof having binding specificity to a [***] or [***] as applicable, that (a) is identified, synthesized, generated, researched or developed by or on behalf of a Party or any of its respective Affiliates under the Research Agreement, or as part of the Research Program Activities, or (b) is a modification of antibodies or fragments thereof within the scope of clause (a), including, affinity maturation, optimization for developability, immunogenicity, constant region engineering, or the addition or integration of additional target binding heads for purposes of creating multispecific (including bispecific) antibodies or binding molecules or the addition or integration of a functional protein or peptide for the purposes of creating multifunctional compounds, that is identified, synthesized, generated, researched or developed by or on behalf of a Party or any of its respective Affiliates under this Agreement during the Term, provided that such modification of this clause (b) has at least one CDR sequence that is at least [***] identical to the corresponding CDR sequence of an antibody subject to the foregoing clause (a), wherein the CDR sequences are determined by Kabat numbering, and bind to the same target as a molecule subject to the foregoing clause (a). With respect to the foregoing clause (b), while the structural similarity between two (2) antibodies may create a presumption that the later antibody was a modification of the earlier one, such presumption may be rebutted by reasonable contemporaneous written evidence demonstrating that such later antibody was generated by Lilly employees or contractors not participating in the research being conducted under this Agreement.

1.132. “Program Molecule” means a Program Antibody or a [***] as applicable.

1.133. “Program Molecule Patent” means any Patent (a) disclosing an Invention that was discovered, made, conceived and/or first reduced to practice by either Party or its representatives, alone or in combination, in the performance of the Research Program Activities and (b) that Covers a Program Molecule or Product.

1.134. “Prosecute and Maintain” or “Prosecution and Maintenance” with respect to a particular Patent, means all activities associated with the preparation, filing, prosecution and maintenance of such Patent, together with the conduct of interferences, derivation proceedings, inter partes review, post-grant review, the defense of oppositions and other similar proceedings with respect to that Patent, including any activities associated with claims, including as a counterclaim or declaratory judgment action, of unpatentability, invalidity or unenforceability of such Patent that are brought by a Third Party in connection with an Infringement under Section 10.4.1.

1.135. “Receiving Party” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.1.

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1.136. “Regulatory Approvals” means any and all permissions required to be obtained from Regulatory Authorities and any other competent authority for the Development, Manufacture, Commercialization, registration, or other exploitation of a Program Molecule or Product in the Territory or other applicable jurisdictions, including any Marketing Approvals.

1.137. “Regulatory Authority” means any federal, state or local government, or any foreign government, or political subdivision thereof, or any multinational organization or authority or any authority, agency or commission entitled to exercise any administrative, executive, judicial, legislative, police, regulatory or taxing authority or power, any court or tribunal (or any department, bureau or division thereof), or any governmental arbitrator or arbitral body, with responsibility for granting licenses or approvals, including Regulatory Approvals, for the Development, Manufacture, Commercialization or other exploitation of a Program Molecule or a Product in any country or otherwise exercising authority with respect to a Program Molecule or a Product or the exploitation thereof in the Territory. For clarity, the FDA is the Regulatory Authority for the United States.

1.138. “Regulatory Exclusivity” means, with respect to a Product and any country or other jurisdiction in the Territory, any market protection granted by a Regulatory Authority in such country or other jurisdiction, other than Patents, which confers an exclusive Commercialization period during which Lilly or its Affiliates or Sublicensees have the exclusive right to market and sell, including biologic exclusivity, new chemical entity exclusivity, new use or indication exclusivity, new formulation exclusivity, orphan drug exclusivity, pediatric exclusivity, or any applicable data exclusivity.

1.139. “Regulatory Filings” means all applications, filings, submissions, approvals (including supplements, amendments, pre- and post-approvals, pricing and reimbursement approvals), licenses, registrations, permits, notifications and authorizations (including marketing and labeling authorizations) or waivers with respect to the Development, registration, Manufacture, Commercialization or other exploitation of a Program Molecule or any corresponding Products made to or received from any Regulatory Authority in a given country, including INDs.

1.140. “Research Agreement” has the meaning set forth in the recitals.

1.141. “Research Plan” means, on a Research Program-by-Research Program basis, the plan for the Research Program attached hereto as Schedule 1.141, as may be amended from time to time in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.

1.142. “Research Program(s)” has the meaning set forth in the recitals.

1.143. “Research Program Activities” means, on a Research Program-by-Research Program basis, the activities set forth in the applicable Research Plan.

1.144. “Research Program IP” means, on a Research Program-by-Research Program basis, all Agreement IP that is created, conceived or generated by or on behalf of the Parties (whether solely or jointly or with a Third Party) under this Agreement during the applicable Research Term.

1.145. “Research Quality Association” or “RQA” has the meaning set forth in Section 1.69.

1.146. “Research Term” means, on a Research Program-by-Research Program basis, the period commencing on the Execution Date and ending upon the earliest to occur of (a) [***] (b) [***] and (c) [***]

1.147. “Residuals” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.5.

1.148. “Restricted Person” has the meaning set forth in Section 11.4.5(ii).

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1.149. “Royalty Payment” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.5.1.

1.150. “Royalty Term” means, on a Product-by-Product and country-by-country basis, the period of time commencing on the First Commercial Sale of such Product by Lilly, its Affiliates, or Sublicensee(s) in such country and ending on the later of the date of (a) expiry of the last Valid Claim for such Product in such country, (b) the expiration of Regulatory Exclusivity in such country for such Product, or (c) the ten (10) year anniversary of the First Commercial Sale of such Product in such country.

1.151. “Sales Milestone Event” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.4.

1.152. “Sales Milestone Payment” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.4.

1.153. “Sanctioned Territory” has the meaning set forth in Section 11.4.5(ii).

1.154. “Shelving” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.3.

1.155. “Sublicensee” means any Third Party to which Lilly or any of its Affiliates has granted a sublicense pursuant to Section 2.2.1 or 2.2.2 (whether directly or through multiple tiers) only for so long as such sublicense remains in effect.

1.156. “Subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person, any corporation, partnership, limited liability company, association or other business entity of which, (a) if a corporation, a majority of the total voting power of shares of stock entitled (irrespective of whether, at the time, stock of any other class or classes of such corporation shall have or might have voting power by reason of the happening of any contingency) to vote in the election of directors, managers or trustees thereof is at the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by that Person or one or more of the other Subsidiaries of that Person or a combination thereof; or (b) if a partnership, limited liability company, association or other business entity, either (i) a majority of the partnership or other similar ownership interest thereof is at the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by that Person or one or more Subsidiaries of that Person or a combination thereof, or (ii) such Person is a general partner, managing member or managing director of such partnership, limited liability company, association or other entity.

1.157. “Term” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.1.

1.158. “Termination IP” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.9.1.

1.159. “Termination Products” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.9.1.

1.160. “Territory” means worldwide.

1.161. “Third Party” means any person or entity other than a Party or its Affiliates.

1.162. “Third Party License Payments” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.5.4.

1.163. “TRex” has the meaning set forth in the preamble.

1.164. “TRex Acquisition” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.3.2(ii).

1.165. “TRex Acquisition Program” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.3.2(ii).

1.166. “TRex Agreement IP” has the meaning set forth in Section 10.1.

1.167. “TRex Background IP” means Background IP Controlled by TRex or any of its Affiliates.

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1.168. “TRex Indemnitees” has the meaning set forth in Section 12.2.1.

1.169. “TRex Platform Technology” means TRex’s proprietary target discovery platform referred to as the Deep Biology Platform and described in Schedule 1.169 (TRex Platform Technology), as it may exist from time-to-time.

1.170. “UCSF” means The Regents of the University of California.

1.171. “Upstream Agreements” means (a) the Option Agreement by and between UCSF and TRex Bio Limited dated November 1, 2019 (as amended from time-to-time, the “Option Agreement”) and (b) the Non-Exclusive License Agreement by and between UCSF and TRex Bio Limited dated October 22, 2018 (as amended from time-to-time, the “Know-How License Agreement”).

1.172. “U.S.” or “United States” means the United States of America and its territories and possessions.

1.173. “Valid Claim” means, with respect to a Product or Program Molecule and country, a claim contained in (a) an issued, unexpired and granted Patent (in such country) (i) licensed to Lilly pursuant to Section 2.2.1 or (ii) a Program Molecule Patent, in each case (i) and (ii), that Covers the composition of matter or an approved method of use of such Product or Program Molecule as Commercialized in such country, and which claim has not been held unenforceable, unpatentable or invalid by a decision of a court or other governmental agency of competent jurisdiction in such country; or (b) a pending Patent (i) licensed to Lilly pursuant to Section 2.2.1 or (ii) a Program Molecule Patent, in each case (i) and (ii), that Covers the composition of matter or an approved method of use of such Product or Program Molecule as Commercialized in such country, which pending Patent has not been (A) pending for longer than seven (7) years from the filing date of the first utility Patent application (or equivalent concept in any such country) or (B) abandoned or finally rejected without the possibility of appeal or refiling.

Article 2
OVERVIEW; Licenses; Exclusivity

2.1. Overview. TRex and Lilly, shall conduct research and discovery with respect to the Licensed Targets and Program Molecule(s) in accordance with the Research Plans during the applicable Research Term. On a Licensed Target-by-Licensed Target basis, following the applicable Research Term and for the remainder of the Term (if any), as between the Parties, Lilly will assume all further responsibility for the Development, Manufacturing, Commercialization and other exploitation of relevant Program Molecules and Products, subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement.

2.2. License Grants.

2.2.1. Lilly License. Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, TRex hereby grants to Lilly and its Affiliates an exclusive license, with the right to sublicense (through multiple tiers, subject to Section 2.2.2), under the Licensed Intellectual Property solely to Develop, Manufacture, Commercialize or otherwise exploit Program Molecule(s) and Product(s) in the Field in the Territory.

2.2.2. Lilly Sublicensing. Lilly and its Affiliates shall have the right to grant sublicenses of the rights granted to Lilly and its Affiliates under Section 2.2.1 to any Third Party (through multiple tiers); provided that (a) each sublicense granted by Lilly or its Affiliate to a Third Party shall be consistent with the terms and conditions of this Agreement, and (b) Lilly shall be responsible to TRex for compliance of its Sublicensees with the terms of this Agreement including all relevant restrictions, limitations and obligations.

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2.2.3. TRex License. Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, Lilly hereby grants to TRex during the applicable Research Term, solely to the extent necessary for TRex to perform TRex’s activities under the applicable Research Plan, a non-exclusive, royalty-free, fully paid-up license, with the right to sublicense to Permitted Subcontractors (through multiple tiers, subject to Section 2.2.4 and Section 2.2.5), under Lilly Agreement IP, Lilly Background IP, and Lilly’s interest in all Know-How and Patents within the Joint Project IP, solely to perform such activities under such Research Plan; provided, that such license does not include any Manufacturing-related Lilly Background IP except as necessary for receiving, handling, or storing Program Molecules received from Lilly.

2.2.4. TRex Sublicensing. TRex shall have the right to grant sublicenses of the rights granted to TRex under Section 2.2.3 to any Permitted Subcontractor (through multiple tiers, subject to Section 2.2.5); provided that, without limiting the terms of Section 2.2.5, (a) each sublicense granted by TRex to a Third Party or its Affiliate shall be consistent with the terms and conditions of this Agreement; and (b) TRex shall be responsible to Lilly for compliance of its sublicensees with the terms of this Agreement including all relevant restrictions, limitations and obligations.

2.2.5. Subcontracting.

(i) During the applicable Research Term, TRex shall have the right to subcontract to a Permitted Subcontractor the responsibility to perform, on TRex’s behalf, specific Research Program Activities for which it is responsible under the Research Plans. Any subcontracting by TRex to a Permitted Subcontractor with respect to Research Program Activities under such Research Plans shall be subject to a written agreement that requires such Permitted Subcontractor to (a) assign or exclusively license (with the right to grant sublicenses through multiple tiers) (or, solely with respect to an academic institution, university or non-commercial Third Party, an exclusive option to obtain or negotiate such license) to the subcontracting Party all Intellectual Property Rights created, conceived or generated in the performance of activities under such agreement to the extent related to Development, Manufacturing, Commercialization or other exploitation of Program Molecule(s) or Products, as applicable; provided, however, that TRex shall be entitled to grant customary carve-outs relating to inventions that are created, conceived or generated in connection with the performance of any subcontracted activities and are solely improvements to the Permitted Subcontractor’s background Intellectual Property Rights (provided, that any such carved-out inventions are licensed in a manner sufficient to enable activities under this Agreement), (b) comply with confidentiality obligations that are at least as restrictive as the terms and conditions of this Agreement (but of shorter duration if customary under the circumstances), and (c) not further subcontract such subcontracted activities, except to the extent such further subcontract is to another Permitted Subcontractor. TRex shall oversee the performance of its direct and indirect Permitted Subcontractors and shall at all times remain responsible for, and shall be liable under this Agreement with respect to, any breach of this Agreement resulting directly or indirectly from the performance, or failure to perform, by any of its Permitted Subcontractors.

(ii) During the Term (including the applicable Research Term), Lilly and its Affiliates and Sublicensees shall have the right to subcontract to subcontractors the responsibility to perform, on Lilly’s behalf, activities for which it is responsible under this Agreement. Any subcontracting with respect to activities under this Agreement shall be subject to a written agreement. Without limiting the foregoing, Lilly shall at all times remain responsible for, and shall be liable under this Agreement with respect to, any breach of this Agreement resulting directly or indirectly from the performance, or failure to perform, by any such subcontractors.

2.3. Exclusivity.

2.3.1. TRex Exclusivity. [***]

16


 

2.3.2. Change of Control.

(i) If TRex or its Affiliate is acquired by a Third Party through a Change of Control, then the Acquirer shall not cause TRex to be in breach of Section 2.3.1 so long as such Acquirer (a) does not (1) use, reference or otherwise exploit, directly or indirectly, any Confidential Information of Lilly, Lilly Background IP, Lilly Agreement IP, or Licensed Intellectual Property for any purpose that would result in a breach of Section 2.3.1; nor (2) assert any claim against Lilly or its Affiliates or Sublicensees related to the infringement of any CoC IP in connection with Lilly’s or its Affiliate’s or Sublicensees’ exploitation of a Program Molecule or Product in accordance with this Agreement; and (b) establishes and enforces, along with TRex and any applicable Affiliate, Firewalls for as long as TRex performs any Research Program Activities.

(ii) Notwithstanding Section 2.3.1, if (a) TRex or any of its Affiliates acquires a Third Party (by merger, sale, consolidation, reorganization or other change of control (including a Change of Control)) so that such Third Party becomes an Affiliate over which TRex or its Affiliate has control, or (b) TRex or its Affiliate acquires all or substantially all of the assets of a Third Party (including any Subsidiaries or divisions thereof) (each of (a) and (b), a “TRex Acquisition”), and, in each case, prior to such TRex Acquisition, the Third Party (or any of such Third Party’s Affiliates or any successors or assigns of such Third Party or such Third Party’s Affiliates, other than TRex and its Affiliates as of the TRex Acquisition) already has, or the acquired assets contain, as applicable, a program that would otherwise violate any of Section 2.3.1 (a “TRex Acquisition Program”), then TRex will (and TRex will cause any applicable Affiliate), within thirty (30) days after the closing of such TRex Acquisition, provide written notice to Lilly that TRex or such Third Party or such Third Party’s Affiliate has rights to a TRex Acquisition Program as a result of a TRex Acquisition, which written notice will indicate whether TRex (or an appliable Affiliate) or such Third Party or such Third Party’s Affiliate will (1) divest its rights to such TRex Acquisition Program, or (2) cease the conduct of such TRex Acquisition Program. If TRex provides notice as described in clause (1) of the preceding sentence, TRex will divest or will cause the divestiture of such TRex Acquisition Program within twelve (12) months after the date of TRex’s notice to Lilly, and if TRex provides notice as described in clause (2) of the preceding sentence, TRex will cease or will cause the cessation of the conduct of such TRex Acquisition Program as soon as reasonably practicable, and, in any event, within three (3) months after the date of TRex’s notice to Lilly, giving due consideration to ethical concerns and requirements under Applicable Law and any agreements with Third Parties; provided that, TRex and its Affiliates (A) do not use, reference or otherwise exploit, directly or indirectly, any Confidential Information of Lilly, Lilly Background IP, Lilly Agreement IP, or Licensed Intellectual Property in connection with such TRex Acquisition Program; and (B) establishes and enforces, Firewalls for as long as TRex performs any Research Program Activities.

2.3.3. Enforceability. It is the desire and intent of the Parties that the restrictive covenants contained in this Section 2.3 be enforced to the fullest extent permissible under Applicable Laws and public policies applied in each jurisdiction in which enforcement is sought. Lilly and TRex believe that the restrictive covenants in this Section 2.3 are valid and enforceable. However, if any restrictive covenant should for any reason become or be declared by a competent court or competition authority to be invalid or unenforceable in any jurisdiction, such restrictive covenant shall be deemed to have been amended to the extent necessary in order that such provision be valid and enforceable, and such amendment shall apply only with respect to the operation of such provision of this Section 2.3 in the particular jurisdiction in which such declaration is made.

2.4. No Implied Licenses. Except as expressly set forth in this Agreement, neither Party, by virtue of this Agreement, shall acquire any license or other interest, by implication or otherwise, in any materials, Patents, Know-How, or other Intellectual Property Rights Controlled by the other Party or its Affiliates.

2.5. Other Activities. Except as expressly provided in this Article 2, each Party may: engage in Development, Manufacturing, Commercialization or other exploitation activities that utilize technologies similar

17


 

to or involve compounds, biologics or products competitive with those contemplated by this Agreement. Except as expressly provided in this Agreement (including as provided in this Article 2), nothing in this Agreement, including any obligation to promote Products or any restriction on the use of Confidential Information, shall create, for either Party: (a) any obligation not to Develop, Manufacture, Commercialize or otherwise exploit any product; or (b) any obligation to utilize a sales force for Products separate from sales forces for other products. Each Party has limited resources, and, as a result, it is anticipated that, subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement (including as provided in this Article 2), personnel assigned to the activities contemplated by this Agreement may also participate in other activities that may utilize technologies similar to or involve products competitive with those contemplated by this Agreement.

Article 3
Governance; Responsibility

3.1. Alliance Managers. Within [***] following the Effective Date, Lilly and TRex shall each designate an individual (the “Alliance Manager”) who will be the main point of contact for each Party to exchange information, facilitate communication, coordinate the Parties’ activities under this Agreement and to provide support to the JRC. Either Party, upon prior written notice to the other Party, may change its Alliance Manager. Each Party’s Alliance Manager shall possess a general understanding of this Agreement and of matters relating to Development, regulatory and Commercialization of therapeutic antibodies and products. The Alliance Managers may not be members of the JRC, but will attend and facilitate JRC meetings.

3.2. Joint Research Committee.

3.2.1. Formation; Duration. Within [***] following the Effective Date, the Parties shall establish a joint research committee (the “JRC”). The JRC will be comprised of at least four (4), and no more than six (6), members in total and an equal number of representatives from each Party unless otherwise agreed to by JRC co-chairpersons. Each Party will ensure that the members appointed by it have the appropriate level of seniority and decision-making authority. Any member of the JRC may designate a substitute to attend and perform the functions of that member at any meeting of the JRC. Each Party may replace any of its JRC representatives at any time on at least [***] Business Days’ prior written notice to the other Party. The JRC shall have co-chairpersons. TRex and Lilly shall each select from their representatives a co-chairperson for the JRC and each Party may change its designated co-chairperson from time to time upon written notice to the other Party. The co-chairpersons of the JRC, or an appropriate designee of such co-chairperson, shall be responsible for calling meetings, and preparing and circulating an agenda in advance of each meeting of such committee; provided that the committee co-chairpersons shall call a meeting of the applicable committee promptly upon the written request of either co-chairperson to convene such a meeting.

3.2.2. Secretary; Minutes. The Lilly Alliance Manager will be responsible for preparing reasonably detailed written minutes of all JRC meetings that reflect, without limitation, material decisions made, action items identified and unresolved matters discussed at such meetings. Alliance Managers shall review the respective JRC decisions and action items with the JRC at the end of each meeting to ensure alignment before closing the meeting. The initial draft of the complete meeting minutes for a given JRC meeting shall be completed promptly following each such meeting and circulated to the JRC members for subsequent review and approval. Each JRC or applicable JRC members shall have ten [***] from receipt of such draft meeting minutes in which to comment on and to approve such minutes (such approval not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed). If an applicable JRC member, within such time period, does not notify the JRC co-chairpersons or their designees that he/she does not approve of the minutes, the minutes shall be deemed to have been approved by such member.

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3.2.3. Meetings. The JRC shall meet at such times as it elects to do so; provided that the JRC will meet at least once every three (3) months. Such meetings shall be held via teleconference or videoconference or otherwise, or as otherwise agreed by the JRC. Additionally, either Party may request a meeting of the JRC to resolve any disputed matters; provided that the requesting Party provides at least [***] prior written notice to the co-chair of the JRC appointed by the other Party and such notice includes a proposed agenda for such meeting. Any subcommittee and working team established hereunder will establish a meeting frequency and meeting protocol necessary to coordinate and conduct the activities for which it is responsible, as agreed by the Parties. Any in-person meetings will be held on an alternating basis between a location designated by TRex and Lilly, unless otherwise agreed by the Parties. Each Party will be responsible for its own expenses relating to any meetings. Each Party may, subject to prior written consent of the other Party, invite non-member non-voting representatives of such Party to attend meetings of the JRC, provided that (a) no Third Party personnel attend such meetings of the JRC, unless otherwise agreed by the Parties, and (b) each such non-member representative shall be bound by limited-use and confidentiality obligations substantially as protective of the non-inviting Party. All committee and team meetings will be conducted in English, and all documents (including plans, budgets and Clinical Trial protocols) will be in English.

3.3. Committee Decision-Making; Escalation.

3.3.1. Escalation; Decision-Making Authority. [***]

3.3.2. Day-to-Day Execution of Research Plan. [***]

3.3.3. Exceptions. [***]

3.4. [***]

3.4.1. Responsibilities. Subject to Section 3.4.2 below, the JRC is responsible for:

[***] [***]

[***] [***]

[***] [***]

[***] [***]

[***] [***]

[***] [***]

[***] [***]

[***] [***]

[***] [***]

[***] [***]

[***] [***]

[***] [***]

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[***] [***]

[***]

3.4.2. Limitations. [***]

3.5. Discontinuation of the JRC. On a Licensed Target-by-Licensed Target basis, the JRC shall exist during the applicable Research Term and thereafter until the earlier of (a) first dosing of a Product directed to such Licensed Target in the first Phase 1 Clinical Trial, (b) Lilly assuming Research Program Activities pursuant to Section 4.4, (c) Lilly exercising the Alternative Remedy pursuant to Section 8.2.4, or (d) the Parties otherwise mutually agreeing in writing to disband the JRC. Once the JRC is disbanded, the JRC shall have no further obligations under this Agreement and, thereafter, the Alliance Managers shall be the points of contact for the exchange of information under this Agreement and decisions of the JRC shall be decisions between the Parties, subject to the other terms and conditions of this Agreement.

3.6. Responsibility for Affiliates and Third Parties. Each Party shall cause its Affiliates and shall use Commercially Reasonable Efforts to cause its Sublicensees, and any Third Party acting on behalf of it or its Affiliates under this Agreement, to comply with the terms and conditions of this Agreement. Each Party shall be and remain responsible and liable to the other Party for any acts or omissions of its Affiliates or Sublicensees (only with respect to acts or omissions in connection with this Agreement), or any such Third Party (only with respect to acts or omissions in connection with this Agreement), in each case to the extent such acts or omissions would have constituted breach of this Agreement if they were the acts or omissions of such Party. Each Party hereby expressly waives any requirement that the other Party exhaust any right, power or remedy, or proceed against any such Affiliate, Sublicensee or Third Party, for any obligation or performance hereunder prior to proceeding directly against such Party.

Article 4
Research Program

4.1. General. During the applicable Research Term, TRex and Lilly shall conduct research and discovery with respect to applicable Program Molecule(s) in accordance with the applicable Research Plan, and as set forth in this Article 4. The Research Programs shall be coordinated by the Parties through the JRC.

4.2. Research Plan.

4.2.1. Research Plan. The initial Research Plan(s) with respect to each Licensed Target are set forth in Schedule 1.141. Any updates to the Research Plans shall include, to the extent applicable, (i) the timelines and other applicable terms for the transfer of certain materials; (ii) the Development activities to be conducted, and the allocation of such activities between the Parties, with the goal of identifying and developing one or more Development Candidates directed to each Licensed Target; (iii) the anticipated timeline for such activities; (iv) data to be provided to the JRC; and (v) the Deliverables to be provided by each Party to the other Party.

4.2.2. Cooperation. At the reasonable request of either Party, the Parties will periodically discuss the operational aspects of each Research Plan and the corresponding Research Program Activities. During the Research Term, each Party will share available information reasonably requested by the other Party regarding the foregoing, as well as information as the JRC may reasonably request, in each case, to enable the other Party to execute its Research Program Activities with the ultimate goal of enabling Lilly to make a decision as to whether to initiate a GLP Tox Study, and reasonably make available those of its personnel who are knowledgeable regarding the foregoing. Each Party shall provide updates, including a summary of applicable data, of its respective Research Program Activities under each Research Plan in advance of each JRC meeting.

20


 

4.2.3. JRC Review; Amendments. The JRC shall regularly review each Research Plan and the progress of corresponding Research Program Activities, in no event less frequently than once each Calendar Quarter (unless otherwise agreed to by the Parties). Either Party may propose amendments to any Research Plan to take into account completion, commencement, or cessation of Research Program Activities contemplated in the then-current version of such Research Plan or any newly available information. Such amendments shall be effective upon JRC approval, subject to Section 3.3. The JRC may expand or reduce the scope of the Research Plan(s) based upon mutual agreement of the Parties.

4.3. Research Program Activities.

4.3.1. Performance. Each Party shall use Commercially Reasonable Efforts to perform the Research Program Activities delegated to it in the Research Plans. The Parties will provide updates at each regular meeting of the JRC of the Research Program Activities performed by such Party since the prior meeting of the JRC.

4.3.2. Deliverables. During the Term, each Party shall keep the other Party reasonably informed on the status, progress, and results of its activities under each active Research Plan by providing the other Party, via the JRC, with periodic reports containing summaries of the results of its Research Program Activities. Each Party shall also prepare and deliver all Deliverables for Research Program Activities for which it is responsible in accordance with the applicable Research Plan to the other Party. In the event that the Party receiving such Deliverable or report disputes that the applicable related Research Program Activity is complete or consistent with the Research Plan, or there is any other dispute with respect to such Research Program Activity, such Party shall provide written notice to the other Party no later than [***] after receipt of such Deliverable. The Party who performed such Research Program Activity shall, no later than [***] from receipt of such written notice, agree to re-perform such Research Program Activity, update such Deliverable, or escalate such dispute to the JRC to resolve.

4.3.3. Development Candidates. [***]

4.4. Lilly’s Right to Assume Research Program Activities for [***], and [***] [***]

4.5. Research Program Costs. [***]

4.6. Record-Keeping. Each Party shall maintain records in a secure environment, for at least three (3) years or such longer period necessary to comply with its internal record retention period and Applicable Laws or as reasonably necessary to support the prosecution, maintenance and enforcement of Patents in accordance with Article 10, regarding such Party’s conduct of the Research Program Activities for which it is responsible after the applicable Research Program Activity is completed, in good scientific manner, compliant with GRPs, GLPs and appropriate for Patent and regulatory purposes, which shall properly reflect the work done and results achieved by such Party in the performance of such Research Program Activity.

4.6.1. Copies and Review of Records. No more than once per Calendar Year (unless for cause or as otherwise as agreed to by the Parties in good faith), during the period that records are required to be maintained pursuant to this Section 4.6, Lilly shall have the right to review and copy, upon reasonable notice, during normal business hours, and at Lilly’s sole expense, any records referred to in this Section 4.6, and as otherwise necessary to conduct a compliance audit, solely for purposes of exercising its rights or fulfilling its obligations under this Agreement.

4.6.2. Consultation Regarding Records. Lilly shall have the right to arrange with TRex for Lilly’s employee(s) or consultant(s) involved in the activities contemplated under the Research Programs to visit

21


 

the offices and laboratories of TRex, its Affiliates and their Permitted Subcontractors during normal business hours and upon reasonable notice (or alternatively, to arrange an audio-visual conference with such personnel at such locations and during such hours), and to discuss the Research Program work and its results in detail with the technical personnel and consultant(s); provided that any such visits shall occur no more frequently than once per Calendar Year with respect to each Research Program.

4.6.3. Right to Audit. Lilly shall have the right to designate an independent Third Party expert to perform customary for-cause and routine compliance audits of TRex and its Affiliates and their Permitted Subcontractors, with respect to performance of the Research Program Activities by or on behalf of TRex, exercisable no more than once (except in the event that additional “for cause” audits are required) per Calendar Year with respect to each Research Program during the applicable Research Term and for one (1) year thereafter, on reasonable prior written notice.

4.7. TRex Platform Technology. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary set forth in this Agreement, in no event will TRex be obligated to provide to Lilly any Know-How that comprises all or any part of the TRex Platform Technology, even if such access or use by Lilly may be considered reasonably useful to complete the Research Program Activities, or to exploit Program Molecule(s) or Product(s).

4.8. Transfer of Materials. Each Party may, if necessary to execute the Research Programs, need to transfer certain physical materials to the other Party that are not otherwise delivered under a supply or other separate agreement between the Parties or their Affiliates. In each such case, any such materials provided to a Party shall (i) be accompanied by a mutually-executed materials transfer record substantially in the form of Schedule 4.8 (each a “Materials Transfer Record Form”), (ii) only be used for the purposes set forth on the Materials Transfer Record Form executed for such materials, and (iii) be subject to any other additional terms set forth on the Materials Transfer Record Form executed for such materials; provided that this Agreement shall control in the event of a conflict with the terms of a Material Transfer Record Form, and the receiving Party’s signature to any Materials Transfer Record Form shall constitute its binding agreement to (1) only use the applicable materials for such limited use(s) and (2) comply with any such additional terms with respect to the applicable materials. The receiving Party shall not transfer such materials to any Third Party, except as necessary to exercise its rights or perform its obligations under this Agreement (or, in the case of Lilly, to Develop, Manufacture, Commercialize or otherwise exploit any Program Molecule or Product), and any such Third Party recipient of the materials shall be obligated to intellectual property, confidentiality and non-use terms that are no less protective of the Party providing such materials as those set forth herein (but of shorter duration if customary under the circumstances).

Article 5
FURTHER DEVELOPMENT, MANUFACTURE AND Commercialization

5.1. Technology Transfer and Ongoing Regulatory Support. On a Research Program-by-Research Program basis, promptly following the end of the applicable Research Term, and without limiting TRex’s obligations under Section 4.3.2, TRex shall perform a one-time per Research Program technology transfer by providing to Lilly copies of all Know-How generated under this Agreement or the Research Agreement, or otherwise within the Licensed Intellectual Property that is necessary or reasonably useful for Lilly’s Development, Manufacture, Commercialization, or other exploitation of Program Molecule(s) and Product(s), including such Know-How that is necessary or reasonably useful for Regulatory Filings. Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, during the Term, upon Lilly’s reasonable request, TRex shall (or shall cause each applicable Affiliate to) provide technical and regulatory assistance to Lilly, to the extent necessary or reasonably useful for Lilly’s Development, Manufacture, Commercialization, or other exploitation of Program Molecule(s) and Product(s) to Lilly. In addition, TRex will provide to Lilly cell line(s), constructs, and media information that is in TRex’s or its Affiliate’s Control as of the last day of the applicable Research Term, free of charge. On a Research Program-by-Research Program basis, TRex shall provide such assistance to Lilly at TRex’s expense,

22


 

up to a total of [***]; provided that the foregoing assistance shall not be limited by any obligation or FTE hours undertaken by TRex pursuant to Section 4.3.2. After such [***] Lilly shall reimburse TRex for TRex’s FTE Costs in the performance of TRex’s obligations under this Section 5.1.

5.2. Subsequent Research and Development. Except as otherwise expressly set forth in this Agreement, as between the Parties, Lilly will be solely responsible for carrying out and funding Development, Manufacture and Commercialization of Program Molecule(s) following the applicable Research Term.

5.3. Lilly Performance. Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, on a Research Program-by-Research Program basis, following the applicable Research Term, as between the Parties, Lilly shall have the right to determine the Products to be Developed by it. All decisions regarding such Development shall be, as between the Parties, at Lilly’s sole discretion, subject to Lilly’s obligations under this Agreement. Lilly, acting in accordance with this Agreement, shall use Commercially Reasonable Efforts to [***] For clarity, the foregoing diligence obligation may be satisfied through Affiliates or Sublicensees. Upon the [***] of a [***] Product, [***] Product, or [***] Product in the U.S., the foregoing diligence obligation will expire for such Product. On a Licensed Target-by-Licensed Target basis, after the termination of the JRC in accordance with Section 3.5, and until First Commercial Sale of a Product in the Field in the Territory, Lilly, by March 1 of each Calendar Year, shall provide to TRex a high-level written summary describing the status of Development activities for Program Molecule(s) and Products that it has conducted during the recently-completed Calendar Year.

5.4. Regulatory Matters.

5.4.1. General. As between the Parties, Lilly shall have the exclusive right and sole responsibility for obtaining and maintaining all Regulatory Approvals for each Product in the Territory. Lilly shall own the Marketing Approvals, other Regulatory Approvals, the core labeling plus any drug master file and any foreign equivalents in the Territory and shall control the global safety database for each Product Developed, Commercialized, marketed and sold by Lilly or its Affiliates or their Sublicensees.

5.4.2. Reporting. As between the Parties, Lilly shall be responsible for the timely reporting to the appropriate Governmental Authorities or Regulatory Authorities in the Territory of all required regulatory information, including all adverse events and any other information concerning the safety of Products, in accordance with Applicable Law of the relevant countries in the Territory.

5.5. Commercialization. Lilly shall have the right to determine the Product(s) to be Commercialized in the Territory. All decisions regarding such Commercialization shall be at Lilly’s sole discretion, subject to Lilly’s obligations under this Agreement, including Lilly’s obligations set forth in Section 5.3. As between the Parties, Lilly shall have the exclusive right to engage in all marketing, advertising, promotional, launch and sales activities related to each Product in the Territory. Each Party shall (and shall cause its Affiliates to) refrain from engaging in any activities in violation of such allocation of exclusive rights or authorizing or assisting any other Person to do so. For clarity, Lilly’s obligations under this Section 5.5. may be satisfied through an Affiliate or Sublicensee.

5.6. Manufacture and Supply. As between the Parties, subject to TRex’s obligations to perform Research Program Activities, Lilly shall have the exclusive right to Manufacture all preclinical material, Clinical Trial material, and commercial supply material, for each Program Molecule and corresponding Products for the Territory.

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Article 6
Financial Provisions

6.1. Upfront Payment. In consideration for the rights granted to Lilly, Lilly shall pay to TRex a one-time upfront payment of fifty-five million Dollars ($55,000,000) within [***] following the Effective Date.

6.2. Development Milestones. Within thirty (30) days following Lilly becoming aware of achievement of any development milestone event set forth in Table 6.2 (each, a “Development Milestone Event”), Lilly shall provide written notice to TRex of such achievement (except with respect to Development Milestone Event 1 below) and pay to TRex the corresponding milestone payment indicated in Table 6.2 (each payment to be made in accordance with this sentence, a “Development Milestone Payment”). Each Development Milestone Payment shall be payable only once for the first (a) [***] Product, (b) [***] Product and (c) [***] Product to achieve such milestone, regardless of the number of Products that ultimately achieve such Development Milestone Event, and no Development Milestone Payment shall be payable for subsequent or repeated achievements of the same Development Milestone Event, whether by the same or different Products.

Table 6.2 – Development Milestone Payments

Development Milestone Event

Development Milestone Payment for [***] Product

Development Milestone Payment for [***] Product

Development Milestone Payment for [***] Product

[***]

[***]

[***]

[***]

[***]

[***]

[***]

[***]

[***]

[***]

[***]

[***]

[***]

[***]

[***]

[***]

 

If any of Development Milestone Events 1 through 3 is skipped with respect to a particular Product (i.e., a later Development Milestone Payment is payable before an earlier Development Milestone Payment for such particular Product), then the skipped Development Milestone Event(s) will be deemed to have been achieved upon the achievement of the subsequent Development Milestone Event(s).

For clarity, the maximum total amount payable by Lilly under this Section 6.2 is three hundred five million Dollars ($305,000,000) (i.e., achievement of each Development Milestone Event by a [***] Product, [***] Product and [***] Product).

6.3. Commercial Milestones. Within thirty (30) days following Lilly becoming aware of achievement of any commercial milestone event set forth in Table 6.3 (each, a “Commercial Milestone Event”), Lilly shall provide written notice to TRex of such achievement and pay to TRex the corresponding milestone payment indicated in Table 6.3 (each payment to be made in accordance with this sentence, a “Commercial Milestone Payment”). Each Commercial Milestone Payment shall be payable only once for the first (i) [***] Product, (ii) [***] Product and (iii) [***] Product to achieve such milestone, regardless of the number of Products that ultimately achieve such Commercial Milestone Event, and no Commercial Milestone Payment shall be payable for subsequent or repeated achievements of the same Commercial Milestone Event, whether by the same or different Products.

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Table 6.3 – Commercial Milestone Payments

Commercial Milestone Event

Commercial Milestone Payment for [***] Product, [***]Product or [***] Product

[***]

[***]

[***]

[***]

[***]

[***]

[***]

[***]

[***]

[***]

[***]

[***]

 

*For purposes of this Table 6.3 a “First Commercial Sale” in the context of a 2nd Indication means the first sale after Regulatory Approval of such Product in the relevant jurisdiction for a 2nd Indication as an approved Indication in the drug package insert or label.

For clarity, the maximum total amount payable by Lilly under this Section 6.3 is four hundred seventy two million five hundred thousand Dollars ($472,500,000) (i.e., achievement of each Commercial Milestone Event by a [***] Product, [***] Product and [***] Product).

6.4. Sales Milestones. The first time that the total Net Sales of a Product in the Territory during any Calendar Year equal or exceed a threshold set forth in Table 6.4 (each, a “Sales Milestone Event”), Lilly shall provide written notice to TRex of such achievement and pay to TRex the corresponding milestone payment set forth in Table 6.4 (each, a “Sales Milestone Payment”); provided, that Lilly shall notify and pay each Sales Milestone Payment within sixty (60) days after the end of the Calendar Quarter in which the Sales Milestone Event first occurred. For clarity, each Sales Milestone Payment shall be payable only once for the first (i) [***] Product, (ii) [***] Product and (iii) [***] Product to achieve such milestone, regardless of the number of Products that ultimately achieve such Sales Milestone Event, and no Sales Milestone Payment shall be payable for subsequent or repeated achievements of the same Sales Milestone Event, whether by the same or different Products.

Table 6.4 – Calendar Year Sales Milestone Payments

Calendar Year Net Sales Threshold Product-by-Product

Commercial Milestone Payment for [***] Product, [***] Product or [***] Product

[***]

[***]

[***]

[***]

[***]

[***]

[***]

[***]

 

For purposes of determining whether a Sales Milestone Event has occurred under this Section 6.4, the total Net Sales of a Product shall be calculated on a worldwide basis for all jurisdictions within the Territory for which the Royalty Term for such Product is effective. If applicable, the total Net Sales of a Product in each jurisdiction shall be converted to Dollars in accordance with Section 6.6 for purposes of determining whether a Sales Milestone Event has occurred.

The annual computation of the foregoing Sales Milestone Events shall be on a Calendar Year basis. In addition, the Sales Milestone Payments are additive, such that if more than one Sales Milestone Event specified above is

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achieved in the same Calendar Year, then each corresponding Sales Milestone Payment for such Sales Milestone Event will be payable.

For clarity, the maximum total amount payable by Lilly under this Section 6.4 is one billion and fifty million Dollars ($1,050,000,000) (i.e., achievement of each Sales Milestone Event by a [***] Product, [***] Product and [***] Product).

6.5. Royalties.

6.5.1. Calculation. Lilly shall pay to TRex a royalty, on a Product-by-Product basis, in an amount equal to the Net Sales in the Territory for such Product (subject to Section 6.5.2) multiplied by the applicable royalty rate percentage(s) specified in Table 6.5.1, subject to adjustment in accordance with Section 8.2.4 (to the extent applicable). The applicable royalty rate percentage is determined based upon the then-current total Net Sales in the Field in the Territory for such Product (such payment for each Product, a “Royalty Payment”).

Table 6.5.1 – Royalty Rate Percentages

Total Net Sales
for Calendar Year

Royalty Rate
Percentage

For the portion of annual Net Sales of the Product greater than $0 and equal to or less than $1,000,000,000

6.0%

For the portion of annual Net Sales of the Product greater than $1,000,000,000 and equal to or less than $2,000,000,000

8.0%

For the portion of annual Net Sales of the Product greater than $2,000,000,000

10.0%

 

Subject to Section 6.5.2, the total Net Sales of a Product shall be calculated on a worldwide basis for all jurisdictions within the Territory for which the Royalty Term for such Product is effective. If applicable, the Net Sales in each jurisdiction shall be converted to Dollars in accordance with Section 6.6 (including for purposes of determining the then-current total Net Sales). Each royalty rate percentage in Table 6.5.1 applies only to the specified range of Net Sales for each Product. For example, if the total Net Sales of a Product during a Calendar Year was $2,500,000,000, the total Royalty Payment for such Calendar Year for such Product would be $190,000,000, calculated as ($1,000,000,000 x 6.0%) + ($1,000,000,000 x 8.0%) + ($500,000,000 x 10.0%).

6.5.2. Royalty Term. The obligation to pay royalties for a given Product shall apply only during the Royalty Term for such Product, as determined on a country-by-country basis. Net Sales that occur outside of the Royalty Term for a given Product (as determined on a country-by-country basis) shall be excluded from the Royalty Payment and Sales Milestone Payment calculations for such Product (including for purposes of determining then-current total Net Sales).

6.5.3. Timing; Report. Lilly shall furnish TRex with a quarterly report on sales of the Product within [***] after the end of each Calendar Quarter. Said report will be consistent with the general form provided by Lilly to other Third Party licensors and shall include the Net Sales and Royalty Payment due. Royalty Payments shown to have accrued by each royalty reporting date shall be due and payable on the date such royalty report is due.

6.5.4. Anti-Stacking. On a country-by-country and Product-by-Product basis, in the event that Lilly or any of its Affiliates or Sublicensees are required to make any payments to one or more Third Parties to obtain a license under any such Third Party’s Patents or Know-How that are necessary or reasonably useful in Developing, Manufacturing, Commercializing or otherwise exploiting a given Product in a particular country

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(such payments, “Third Party License Payments”), then any amounts that are payable by Lilly to TRex pursuant to Section 6.5.1 with respect to such Product in such country in a Calendar Quarter shall be reduced by [***] of the total amount of any Third Party License Payments that are attributable to the Developing, Manufacturing, Commercializing or otherwise exploiting such Product paid or payable with respect to such country (or, if not applicable, during) such Calendar Quarter; provided that (a) no such amount may be reduced below [***] of the amounts payable under Section 6.5.1 as a result of such Third Party License Payments; and (b) more than one (1) amount payable in connection with a Third Party License Payment may be used to reduce such amounts payable by Lilly to TRex. For clarity, the purchase of tangible consumables (e.g., reagents) solely for cash consideration is not a license to Intellectual Property under this Section 6.5.4.

6.5.5. Generic Competition. On a country-by-country and Product-by-Product basis, (a) following the Loss of Market Exclusivity for a given Product in a given country in a Calendar Year, the royalty rate applicable to the Net Sales of such Product in such country shall be permanently reduced by [***], and (b) following the date on which, after the first sale of a Generic Equivalent with respect to such Product in such country, the Net Sales for a given Calendar Quarter in such country for such Product has decreased by greater than [***] for such Product in such country, the royalty rate applicable to the Net Sales of such Product in such country shall be permanently reduced by [***], and (in the case of clause (b)) Lilly shall have no obligation to pay any royalties to TRex on such Product in such country.

6.5.6. No Valid Claim. On a country-by-country and Product-by-Product basis, if, at any time during a Calendar Quarter for which a Royalty Payment is payable with respect to such country and such Product there is no Valid Claim for such Product in such country, then the royalty rate with respect to such country and such Product shall be reduced [***] for such Calendar Quarter and going forward thereafter in that country.

6.5.7. Cumulative Floor. Notwithstanding the foregoing, except with respect to reductions made pursuant to Section 6.5.5, in no event shall the royalty payable with respect to such Product in any country be reduced by more than [***] relative to what would otherwise have been due under Section 6.5.1 absent the reductions set forth in Sections 6.5.4, 6.5.5 and 6.5.6. Lilly may carry forward any such reductions permitted under Sections 6.5.4, 6.5.5 and 6.5.6 that are incurred or accrued in a Calendar Quarter but are not applied against royalties due to TRex for such Product in such country in such Calendar Quarter as a result of the foregoing floor and apply such amounts against royalties due to TRex for such Product in such country in any subsequent Calendar Quarter (subject to the minimum floor set forth in this Section 6.5.7) until the amount of such reduction has been fully applied against royalties due to TRex for such Product in such country.

6.6. Currency Conversion. All payments hereunder shall be made in Dollars, and shall be made by electronic wire transfer of immediately available funds to an account designated in writing by TRex. Lilly’s then-current standard exchange rate methodology, or, in the case of Sublicensees, such similar methodology, will be employed for the translation of foreign currency sales into Dollars, which methodology must be used by Lilly in the translation of its foreign currency operating results, is consistent with its consistently applied accounting principles, is audited by Lilly’s independent certified public accountants in connection with the audit of the consolidated financial statements of Lilly, and is used for external reporting of foreign currency operating results.

6.7. Taxes and Withholding.

6.7.1. Cooperation and Coordination. The Parties acknowledge and agree that it is their mutual objective and intent to minimize, to the extent feasible and in compliance with Applicable Law, taxes payable with respect to their collaborative efforts under this Agreement and that they shall use reasonable efforts to cooperate and coordinate with each other to achieve such objective, including by completing and filing documents required or permitted under the provisions of any Applicable Laws in connection with a claim of exemption from, or entitlement to a reduced rate of, withholding taxes or in connection with any claim to a refund of or credit for any payment of such taxes. Notwithstanding the foregoing, for clarity, it is TRex’s sole responsibility to prepare

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and file required documents necessary to claim an exemption from withholding tax or to claim a reduced rate of withholding tax, at TRex’s sole expense.

6.7.2. Payment of Tax. The milestones, royalties and other amounts payable by Lilly to TRex under this Agreement (each, a “Payment”) shall be paid free and clear of any and all taxes, except for any withholding taxes required by Applicable Law. Except as provided in this Section 6.7, TRex shall be solely responsible for paying any and all taxes (other than withholding taxes required by Applicable Law to be deducted from Payments and remitted by Lilly) levied on account of, or measured in whole or in part by reference to, any Payments it receives. Lilly shall deduct or withhold from the Payments any taxes that it is required by Applicable Law to deduct or withhold. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if TRex is entitled under any applicable tax treaty or Applicable Law to a reduction in the rate of, or the elimination of, any applicable withholding tax, it may deliver to Lilly or the appropriate Governmental Authority (with the assistance of Lilly to the extent that this is reasonably required and is expressly requested in writing) the prescribed forms necessary to reduce the applicable rate of withholding or to relieve Lilly of its obligation to withhold such tax and Lilly shall apply the reduced rate of withholding or dispense with withholding as the case may be; provided that Lilly has received TRex’s delivery of all applicable forms in a form satisfactory to Lilly (and, if necessary, evidence, in a form satisfactory to Lilly, of TRex’s receipt of appropriate governmental authorization) at least [***] prior to the time Payments are due. If in accordance with the foregoing, Lilly withholds any amounts of tax, it shall pay to TRex the balance when due, make timely payment to the proper tax authority of the withheld amount and send to TRex proof of such payment within ninety (90) days following such payments.

6.8. Late Payment. In the event that any payment due hereunder is not made when due, then the payment shall bear interest at a rate equal to the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) rate effective for the date that payment was first due as reported by The Wall Street Journal (U.S. Internet edition at www.wsj.com) plus [***]. Such interest shall be computed on the basis of a year of three hundred sixty (360) days, calculated from the due date until the date of payment.

6.9. Financial Records.

6.9.1. Record-Keeping. Lilly shall keep, and shall cause its Affiliates, and shall use Commercially Reasonable Efforts to cause its Sublicensees to keep, complete and accurate records, which may be necessary to ascertain properly and to verify the Development Milestone Payments, Commercial Milestone Payments, Sales Milestone Payments, and Royalty Payments due hereunder. Such records shall be kept for such period required by Applicable Laws, but no less than [***] following the end of the Calendar Year to which they pertain.

6.9.2. Audits. During the Term and for three (3) years thereafter, TRex shall, not more than once each Calendar Year, have the right to have a Big Four Accounting Firm (the “Auditor”) inspect the records of Lilly for the purpose of determining the accuracy of Sales Milestone Payments and Royalty Payments. No period will be audited more than once except for-cause, and such audit may only be exercised during normal business hours upon reasonable prior written notice to Lilly. TRex shall submit an audit plan, including audit scope, to Lilly for Lilly’s approval, which shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed, prior to audit implementation. The Auditor shall keep confidential any information obtained during such inspection and shall report to the Parties only the amounts of Net Sales and Sales Milestone Payments or Royalty Payments due and payable. TRex shall bear the full cost of such audit, unless such audit discloses an underpayment by Lilly of the greater of (i) [***] and (ii) [***] of the Royalty Payments paid for the royalty period subject to the audit, in which case, Lilly shall bear the cost of such audit and shall remit to TRex the amount of any underpayment within thirty (30) days of the date the Auditor’s written report is received. Any overpayment by Lilly revealed by an audit shall be credited against future payments owed by Lilly to TRex (and if no further payments are due, shall be refunded by TRex at the request of Lilly within thirty (30) days of the receipt of the request).

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Article 7
Confidentiality

7.1. Confidential Information. Each Party (the “Disclosing Party”) may disclose to the other Party (the “Receiving Party”) certain proprietary or confidential information of the Disclosing Party in connection with this Agreement. “Confidential Information” means all ideas, information and tangible materials of any kind, whether in written, oral, graphical, machine-readable, or other form, whether or not marked as confidential or proprietary, that are transferred, disclosed, or made available by the Disclosing Party or its Affiliates in connection with this Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing, the terms of this Agreement are the Confidential Information of both Parties (with each Party being deemed to be the Receiving Party) and shall be treated confidentially by each of the Parties, except as set forth in Section 7.4.

7.2. Restrictions. The Receiving Party shall (i) maintain in confidence the Disclosing Party’s Confidential Information with the same degree of care with which the Receiving Party holds its own confidential information of similar kind and value (but in no event less than a commercially reasonable degree of care); (ii) not disclose such Confidential Information to any Third Party without the prior written consent of the other Party, except as otherwise expressly permitted below; and (iii) not use the Disclosing Party’s Confidential Information, except in connection with the performance of its obligations or exercise of its rights under this Agreement.

7.3. Exceptions. The obligations of confidentiality and restriction on use under Section 7.2 do not apply to any information that the Receiving Party can prove by competent evidence is: (i) now, or hereafter becomes, through no act or failure to act on the part of the Receiving Party, generally known or available to the public; (ii) known by the Receiving Party, without any obligation to keep it confidential, at the time of receiving such information, other than by previous disclosure of the Disclosing Party, or its Affiliates, employees, agents, consultants, or contractors; (iii) hereafter furnished to the Receiving Party without restriction by a Third Party who has no obligation of confidentiality or limitations on use with respect thereto to the Disclosing Party; or (iv) independently discovered, developed or acquired by the Receiving Party without the use of Confidential Information belonging to the Disclosing Party. Specific aspects or details of Confidential Information will not be deemed to be within the public domain or in the possession of the Receiving Party merely because the Confidential Information is embraced by more general information in the public domain or in the possession of the Receiving Party. Further, any combination of Confidential Information will not be considered in the public domain or in the possession of the Receiving Party merely because individual elements of such Confidential Information are in the public domain or in the possession of the Receiving Party unless the combination and its principles are in the public domain or in the possession of the Receiving Party.

7.4. Permitted Disclosures. The Receiving Party may disclose Confidential Information belonging to the Disclosing Party as expressly permitted by this Agreement or if and only to the extent such disclosure is reasonably necessary in the following instances (which instances shall be limited to the particular Confidential Information to which it applies):

(i) Prosecution and Maintenance of Patents as permitted by this Agreement;

(ii) Regulatory Filings for Product that such Party has a license or right to develop hereunder in a given country or jurisdiction;

(iii) prosecuting or defending litigation as permitted by this Agreement;

(iv) complying with applicable court orders or governmental regulations or regulators, including mutually recognized securities laws;

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(v) in response to a valid request by a U.S., state, foreign, provincial, or local tax authority, in which case either Party may also disclose, without limitation, a copy of this Agreement (including any Schedules, and amendments hereto);

(vi) disclosure to its and its Affiliates’ employees, consultants, contractors and agents, and to Sublicensees or potential or actual collaborators in each case on a need-to-know basis in connection with the actual or planned Development, Manufacture, Commercialization or other exploitation of the Program Molecule or Product in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, in each case under written obligations of confidentiality and limited-use at least as stringent as those herein;

(vii) disclosure of the existence of and the terms of this Agreement (and no other Confidential Information) to potential and actual investors, Acquirers, and other financial partners solely for the purpose of evaluating or carrying out an actual or potential investment, or acquisition, in each case, under written obligations of confidentiality and limited-use at least as stringent as those herein (but of shorter duration if customary under the circumstances); and

(viii) otherwise in exercise of its rights or in performance of its obligations hereunder.

[***]

7.5. Public Domain Information and Residual Knowledge. Nothing in this Agreement shall prevent a Party from using any Know-How that is in the public domain, provided such Know-How is not in the public domain through act or failure to act on the part of the Receiving Party. A Party shall also not be restricted under, and shall not be in breach of, this Agreement for using, within or outside this Agreement and for any purpose, any general knowledge, skill and expertise acquired by its employees (or its Affiliates’ employees) in their performance of this Agreement (“Residuals”) solely to the extent such Residuals shall have been retained in the unaided memory of such employees without use by the Party or such employees of, or reference to tangible copies of any Confidential Information of the other Party and such employees have not specifically or intentionally memorized any written or electronic information or documentation enabling the retention of Residuals in such employee’s memory; provided, further, that a Party’s use of such Residuals is on an “as is, where is” basis, with all faults and all representations and warranties disclaimed and at such Party’s sole risk. Except to the extent a Party has granted exclusive rights to the other Party under any particular Intellectual Property Right, neither Party is forfeiting any rights that it may have to perform research activities in compliance with 35 U.S.C. § 271(e)(1) or any experimental or research use exemption that may apply in any country.

7.6. Confidentiality Survival. Each Party’s obligations under this Article 7 apply during the Term and continue for [***] thereafter.

7.7. Licensed Information. With respect to Licensed Intellectual Property that is specifically related to a Licensed Target or Product, TRex shall be subject to the terms and conditions of this Article 7 applied mutatis mutandis in the same manner that Lilly must treat such Licensed Intellectual Property (e.g., TRex shall use the same degree of care to protect the Licensed Intellectual Property as it uses to protect its other confidential information of a similar nature but in no event less than a reasonable degree of care), and, without limiting and subject to Sections 2.2.1 and 2.3.1, TRex shall, and shall cause its Affiliates, and its and their respective representatives to use and disclose Licensed Intellectual Property only as and to the extent Lilly can use and disclose TRex Confidential Information as provided in this Article 7 mutatis mutandis.

7.8. Public Statement. TRex shall be permitted to issue an initial press release no later than [***] following the Effective Date in the form attached hereto as Schedule 7.8. Either Party may, following the issuance of the above press release, make public statements or disclosures regarding the existence of this Agreement, the

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identity of the other Party, and those terms of this Agreement that have already been publicly disclosed, in each case without the consent of the other Party; provided, that any such subsequent issuance retains the general context and same meaning of the initial issuance. For clarity, without limiting and subject to the confidentiality and limited-use obligations in this Article 7, either Party may, without the prior consent of the other Party, make any disclosure which is required by Applicable Law or the rules of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) or any securities exchange, as reasonably advised by counsel, and such Party shall give the other Party prompt notice of any such legally required disclosure and an opportunity to comment on the proposed disclosure.

7.9. Publications. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, as between the Parties, Lilly shall have the sole right to publish the results of the Research Programs and with respect to Program Molecule(s) and any corresponding Products (with due acknowledgement or authorship attributed to TRex, as appropriate) in accordance with this Section 7.9. Lilly shall provide TRex with an advance copy of the proposed publication prior to the date of the submission for such publication or the date of presentation of such publication, whichever is earlier, of any such submitted materials. TRex shall review such submitted materials and respond to Lilly within [***] for any publication in which to recommend any changes it reasonably believes are necessary to preserve any patentable invention or protect any Confidential Information belonging in whole or in part to TRex. If TRex informs Lilly that such publication, in TRex’s reasonable judgment, could be expected to (i) have a material adverse effect on any patentable invention owned by or licensed, in whole or in part, to TRex, or (ii) include any Confidential Information of TRex, Lilly shall delay or prevent such publication as follows: (a) with respect to a patentable invention, such publication shall be delayed sufficiently long (not to exceed [***] to permit the timely preparation and filing of a Patent application; and (b) with respect to Confidential Information of TRex, such Confidential Information shall be deleted from the publication upon the reasonable request of TRex. In the event TRex does not respond within the period specified above, Lilly will be free to make such proposed publication or presentation.

Article 8
Term and Termination

8.1. Term. The term of this Agreement commences on the Effective Date (except for Article 9 hereof, which shall be effective as of the Execution Date) and expires on a country-by-country and Product-by-Product basis, at the end of the Royalty Term for such Product in such country, unless this Agreement is earlier terminated (either in part or in whole, as applicable) in accordance with its terms and conditions (the “Term”). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, upon expiration of the Royalty Term with respect to a given country and a given Product, the licenses granted to Lilly under this Agreement shall become fully paid-up, royalty-free, irrevocable and non-terminable, fully sub-licensable, transferable and perpetual with respect to such Product and such country.

8.2. Termination for Material Breach.

8.2.1. Termination. Subject to Section 8.2.2, either Party may terminate this Agreement if the other Party commits a material breach of this Agreement, and such material breach remains uncured or unremedied for sixty (60) days after receipt of written notice thereof from the non-breaching Party; provided that if such breach cannot reasonably be cured or remedied within sixty (60) days, the breaching Party shall be given a reasonable additional period of time to cure or remedy such breach. The non-terminating Party shall have no claim against the terminating Party for compensation for any loss of whatever nature solely by virtue of the termination of this Agreement in accordance with the foregoing sentence.

8.2.2. Disputes. If the alleged breaching Party disputes in good faith the existence of a material breach specified in a notice provided by the other Party in accordance with Section 8.2.1, and such alleged breaching Party provides the non-breaching Party notice of such dispute within the [***] cure or remedy period,

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then the non-breaching Party may not terminate this Agreement under Section 8.2.1 unless and until it has been finally determined pursuant to Article 13 that the alleged breaching Party has breached this Agreement and such Party fails to cure or remedy such breach within [***] following entry of a court or arbitration decision finding that the breaching Party breached this Agreement. During the pendency of such dispute, all of the terms and conditions of this Agreement shall remain in effect and the Parties shall continue to perform all of their respective obligations hereunder.

8.2.3. Partial Termination. If Lilly has a right to terminate this Agreement in its entirety pursuant to Section 8.2.1, Lilly may alternatively elect to terminate with respect to the Licensed Target(s) or Product(s) at issue.

8.2.4. Lilly Option to Continue and Reduce Payments. [***]

8.3. Termination by TRex for Cessation of the [***] Program. Lilly will provide TRex with written notice of any internal decision to permanently cease Development of [***] before the first initiation of a first GLP Tox Study for a [***] Product. In addition, if, before the first initiation of a first GLP Tox Study for a [***] Product, Lilly, its Affiliates and its Sublicensees each cease for a consecutive period of [***] to Develop any [***] Product towards the goal of initiating a GLP Tox Study, other than as a result of a Force Majeure event pursuant to Section 14.1 or for safety (including drug class safety) reasons (“Shelving”), then TRex may, at any time thereafter prior to such Shelving being cured, terminate this Agreement with respect to [***] (as a Licensed Target) upon [***] prior written notice to Lilly; provided that (a) TRex has delivered notice to Lilly of Shelving that has been ongoing for a consecutive period of [***] or longer, and (b) Lilly, acting itself and/or through its Affiliates or Sublicensees, has not commenced conducting material development and/or commercialization activities within [***] from the date of such notice.

8.4. Termination by Lilly for Convenience. Lilly may, in its sole discretion, (a) prior to the completion of Research Program Activities under the applicable Research Plan for a Licensed Target, terminate this Agreement for such Licensed Target under such Research Plan upon thirty (30) days’ prior written notice to TRex, or (b) on and after the completion of Research Program Activities under the applicable Research Plan for a Licensed Target, terminate this Agreement (i) in its entirety for such Licensed Target or (ii) on a Product-by-Product basis for such Licensed Target, in each case (i) and (ii), upon ninety (90) days’ prior written notice to TRex.

8.5. Termination for Insolvency. To the extent permitted by Applicable Law, either Party may terminate this Agreement upon providing written notice to the other Party on or after the time that such other Party files or institutes a bankruptcy, reorganization, liquidation or receivership proceeding or upon the appointment of a receiver or trustee over all or substantially all property, or upon an assignment of a substantial portion of the assets for the benefit of creditors (a “Bankruptcy Filing”), by the other Party; provided, however, that in the case of any involuntary Bankruptcy Filing, such right to terminate will only become effective if the applicable Party consents to the involuntary bankruptcy or such proceeding is not dismissed within sixty (60) days after the filing thereof.

8.6. General Survival. The following provisions shall survive the expiration or termination of this Agreement: Article 1 (to the extent necessary to interpret other surviving provisions), Article 6 (with respect to amounts incurred and due at the time of expiration or termination of this Agreement ), Article 7 (for the time period specified in Section 7.6), Article 13 and Article 14, and Sections 2.4, 3.6 (with respect to the last two sentences), 4.6 (if applicable and for the relevant time periods set forth therein), 8.1 (with respect to the last sentence with respect to expiration, but not termination of this Agreement), 8.6-8.12 (inclusive and to the extent applicable) 10.1, 11.6, 12.2 and 12.3.

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8.7. No Waiver. Termination of this Agreement shall be without prejudice to any claim or right of action of either Party against the other Party for any prior breach of this Agreement.

8.8. Effects of Termination. The following shall apply upon termination of this Agreement or of a specific Program Molecule or Product made in accordance with this Article 8:

8.8.1. All rights and licenses granted to each Party under Article 2 shall terminate automatically as of the effective date of termination of this Agreement in its entirety (or with respect to the terminated Program Molecule(s) and any corresponding Products, if terminated for specific Program Molecule(s)); provided that, if Lilly (or its Affiliates or Sublicensees) has inventory of usable Product(s) as of the effective date of termination, then Lilly (or its Affiliates or Sublicensees) may continue to sell off such inventory of Products in the Field in the Territory (and fulfill customer orders therefor), subject to Regulatory Approval, at an agreed upon selling price until the earlier to occur of [***] after the effective date of termination and the date on which Lilly (or its Affiliates or Sublicensees) no longer has such inventory of Product(s);

8.8.2. Any existing sublicense granted by Lilly or its Affiliate under Section 2.2.2 to a Sublicensee shall survive and become a direct license to such Sublicensee (a “Direct License”), unless such Sublicensee is (a) an Affiliate of Lilly, (b) in material default of any provision of the applicable sublicense, or (c) the basis for the termination of this Agreement is due to such Sublicensee’s actions or inactions, (in each case (a)-(c), an “Ineligible Sublicensee”). A sublicense to an Ineligible Sublicensee will automatically terminate upon the date of termination of this Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing, upon notice of termination that is not subject to a Dispute, Lilly shall promptly provide TRex with a fully-executed copy of any sublicense agreement, subject to applicable terms and conditions of such sublicense agreement, provided that Lilly shall have no obligation to provide TRex with a copy of a sublicense agreement between Lilly, on the one hand, and on the other hand, (i) an Ineligible Sublicensee or (ii) a Third Party (including a contract research organization or contract manufacturing organization) solely for the provision of services under such sublicense on behalf of Lilly or another Sublicensee. Lilly shall be entitled to redact proprietary non-public information of Lilly or the applicable Sublicensee or research plans under the sublicense to the extent not reasonably required for TRex to monitor Lilly’s and its Sublicensees’ compliance with the obligations under the applicable sublicense and this Agreement. Upon the request of a Sublicensee that is not an Ineligible Sublicensee no later than [***] days after the termination of this Agreement, TRex will enter a Direct License with such Sublicensee, provided that (x) in no event shall TRex have any obligations under such sublicense beyond the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement and (y) the economic terms of such Direct License are consistent with this Agreement taking into account the territory and Product(s) covered by such sublicense;

8.8.3. The Parties shall cooperate, and use Commercially Reasonable Efforts, to wind-down and cease, in accordance with Applicable Law and industry standards, all activities then being performed by the Parties and their Affiliates hereunder;

8.8.4. Each Receiving Party shall destroy (at the Disclosing Party’s written request) all Confidential Information of the Disclosing Party in its possession as of the effective date of expiration or termination of this Agreement (with the exception of a restricted copy of such Confidential Information, which may be retained by the Receiving Party only to confirm compliance with the limited-use and nondisclosure provisions of this Agreement and Applicable Law); provided that each Receiving Party may retain and continue to use such Confidential Information of the Disclosing Party to the extent necessary to exercise any surviving rights, licenses or obligations under this Agreement, subject to obligations of confidentiality and limited-use as provided in Article 7 continuing to apply to any restricted copy of the other Party’s Confidential Information or the use thereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a Receiving Party shall not be required to destroy any computer files created during automatic system back up that are subsequently stored securely by it and not readily accessible to its employees, consultants or others who received the Disclosing Party’s Confidential Information under this Agreement, subject to obligations of confidentiality and limited-use as provided in Article 7 continuing to apply to such Confidential Information contained in such computer files;

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8.8.5. All amounts due or payable to a Party that were accrued, or that arise out of acts or events occurring, prior to the effective date of termination shall remain due and payable, but (except as otherwise expressly provided herein) no additional amounts shall be payable based on events occurring after the date of notice of termination; and

8.8.6. Neither Party shall be relieved of any obligation that accrued prior to the effective date of such termination.

8.9. Additional Effects of Termination for [***] In the event of a termination of this Agreement with respect to [***] as a Licensed Target (or the Agreement in its entirety) by Lilly pursuant to Section 8.4, by TRex for Lilly’s material breach under Section 8.2, or by TRex under Section 8.3, in each case, prior to a GLP Tox Study being initiated for a [***] Product:

8.9.1. Lilly shall, and hereby does effective as of the effective date of termination, grant TRex an exclusive, payment-bearing license, with the right to grant multiple tiers of sublicenses, under the Lilly Agreement IP and Lilly Background IP (excluding any Manufacturing-related Lilly Background IP), and Lilly’s rights under the Joint Project IP, in each case, (a) that are being used by Lilly as of the effective date of termination under this Agreement with respect to the [***] Product, and (b) that are necessary for the exploitation of [***] Products as of the effective date of such termination, solely to exploit [***] Products, in the form and existing as of the effective date of termination (such intellectual property, (“Termination IP”), and such forms of product, “Termination Products”)), in the Field in the Territory, subject to the terms of a license agreement to be entered into by the Parties in good faith. The Parties will agree to reasonable license terms (including financial, technology transfer, delivery of sequences, and inventory terms) in accordance with Section 8.10 for the license granted under this Section 8.9.1; and

8.9.2. TRex will have no obligations under Section 2.3.1 for [***] Products.

8.10. Reverse Royalty and License Terms. In consideration for the license granted under Section 8.9.1 to TRex, [***] In the event the Parties are unable to agree upon commercially reasonable license terms (including royalty and other consideration or other matters) within [***] after the effective date of termination, then upon either Party’s written request made within [***] after the expiration of such [***] period, then either Party may serve a referral notice to the other Party that it wishes to refer to an expert the determination of the commercially reasonable terms under this Section 8.10 according to the procedure set forth in Exhibit A.

8.11. Right of Negotiation for [***] and [***] and [***] [***]

8.12. Bankruptcy Code. If this Agreement is rejected by a Party as a debtor under Section 365 of the United States Bankruptcy Code or similar provision in the bankruptcy laws of another jurisdiction (the “Code”), then, notwithstanding anything else in this Agreement to the contrary, all licenses and rights to licenses granted under or pursuant to this Agreement by the Party in bankruptcy to the other Party are, and shall otherwise be deemed to be, for purposes of Section 365(n) of the Code (or similar provision in the bankruptcy laws of the jurisdiction), licenses of rights to “intellectual property” as defined under Section 101(35A) of the Code (or similar provision in the bankruptcy laws of another applicable jurisdiction). The Parties agree that a Party that is a licensee of rights under this Agreement shall retain and may fully exercise all of its rights and elections under the Code, and that upon commencement of a bankruptcy proceeding by or against a Party under the Code, the other Party shall be entitled to a complete duplicate of, or complete access to (as such other Party deems appropriate), any such intellectual property and all embodiments of such intellectual property, if not already in such other Party’s possession, shall be promptly delivered to such other Party (i) upon any such commencement of a bankruptcy proceeding upon written request therefor by such other Party, unless the bankrupt Party elects to continue to perform all of its obligations under this Agreement or (ii) if not delivered under the foregoing

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subclause (i), upon the rejection of this Agreement by or on behalf of the bankrupt Party upon written request therefor by the other Party. Further, each Party agrees and acknowledges that solely the upfront payment pursuant to Section 6.1, Development Milestone Payments pursuant to Section 6.2, Commercial Milestone Payments pursuant to Section 6.3, Sales Milestone Payments pursuant to Section 6.4, and Royalty Payments pursuant to Section 6.5, constitute royalties within the meaning of Section 365(n) of the Bankruptcy Code and relate to licenses of intellectual property hereunder. The foregoing provisions of this Section 8.12 are without prejudice to any rights a Party may have arising under the Code.

Article 9
HSR Matters

9.1. Antitrust Filings and Closing.

9.1.1. Antitrust Filings. If required by Applicable Laws, reasonably promptly after the execution of this Agreement, considering all relevant factors, [***], with (a) the United States Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) and Department of Justice (“DOJ”) under the Hart Scott Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended (“HSR Act”) and (b) any other applicable Governmental Authority in the Territory (collectively with the FTC and DOJ, “Antitrust Authorities”) under applicable foreign competition and antitrust laws (collectively with the HSR Act, “Antitrust Laws”), in each case, as reasonably determined by Lilly. Each of the Parties shall promptly supply the other with any information that may reasonably be required in order to effectuate such filings under the Antitrust Laws. Each of the Parties shall notify the other promptly upon receipt from an Antitrust Authority of any request for amendments or supplements to any such filings or of any communications with, and any other inquiries or requests for additional information from, an Antitrust Authority in connection with such filings. Each Party shall comply promptly, in accordance with advice received from counsel, as appropriate, with any such inquiry or request; provided, however, that neither Party shall be required to consent to the divestiture or other disposition of any of its assets or the assets of its Affiliates or to consent to any other structural or conduct remedy, and each Party and its Affiliates shall have no obligation to contest, administratively or in court, any ruling, order or other action of an Antitrust Authority or any Third Party with respect to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. Each Party shall be responsible for paying its own costs and expenses (including legal and consultants’ fees) incurred in connection with obtaining clearance of the transactions contemplated hereby from an Antitrust Authority. As used herein, the “Antitrust Clearance Date” means the earlier of (i) the date on which all the applicable Antitrust Authorities shall notify the Parties of early termination of the waiting period under the applicable Antitrust Laws or (ii) the date on which the applicable waiting period under each applicable Antitrust Law expires; provided, however, that if an Antitrust Authority commences any investigation by means of a second request or otherwise, Antitrust Clearance Date means the date on which any investigation opened by the applicable Antitrust Authority has been terminated, without action to prevent the Parties from implementing the transactions contemplated by this Agreement with respect thereto. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Agreement to the contrary, either Party may terminate this Agreement effective upon notice to the other Party if the Antitrust Clearance Date has not occurred on or before the date that is three hundred and sixty-five (365) days after the Parties make their respective antitrust filings.

9.1.2. Conduct Pending Antitrust Clearance Date. If Lilly determines that antitrust filings are required, between the Execution Date and the earlier of the Effective Date or the date of termination of this Agreement (the “Pre-Effective Date Period”), TRex (and its Affiliates), except as required by Applicable Law or as required by the express terms of this Agreement, shall:

(i) with respect to the Program Molecules and Products and any intellectual property or other assets related thereto, including Licensed IP (a) conduct its business only in the ordinary and usual course of business and consistent with past practice, including in accordance with the Research Agreement, (b) keep available the services of their respective directors, officers, and key employees; and (c) refrain from taking any

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action or omitting to take any action that would have the effect of restricting or impairing the rights to be granted to Lilly hereunder or preventing TRex’s ability to perform its obligations under this Agreement;

(ii) not sell, pledge, dispose of, assign, lease, license, sublicense, grant options to, dedicate to the public, or otherwise transfer, abandon or permit to lapse, or create or incur any lien or Encumbrance on, any of the Licensed IP, or any Program Molecule or Product (or any other material assets related thereto);

(iii) not merge or consolidate TRex (or any of its Affiliates) with any Person or adopt a plan of complete or partial liquidation or resolutions providing for a complete or partial liquidation, dissolution, restructuring, recapitalization or other reorganization of the TRex (or any of its Affiliates);

(iv) without the prior written consent of Lilly, not (i) compromise, settle, or offer or propose to settle, any claim, demand, action or other proceeding with respect to Licensed IP, Program Molecule or Product (or any other material assets related thereto) and (ii) include any other obligation to be performed by, or limitation upon, TRex (or any of its Affiliates) with respect to Licensed IP, or any Program Molecule or Product (or any other material assets related thereto);

(v) not (i) extend, amend, condition, restrict, waive, cancel, abandon, withdraw, fail to renew, permit to lapse, modify or otherwise alter any rights in or to any Licensed IP in a manner that is materially adverse to TRex or any of its Affiliates, (ii) fail to diligently prosecute any material Licensed Patents or to maintain any issued Licensed Patents or fail to diligently prosecute any application for or to maintain any Licensed Patents, (iii) fail to renew (to the extent renewable at the option of TRex or any of its Affiliates) or to terminate any agreement under which Licensed IP are licensed to TRex (or any of its Affiliates), or (iv) disclose to any Third Party any Confidential Information of TRex relating to Program Molecules or Products or that is included in the Licensed Know-How; or

(vi) not agree, resolve or commit to do any of the foregoing.

9.2. Interim Confidentiality. The Parties acknowledge and agree that between the Execution Date and the Effective Date this Agreement is subject to the obligations of confidentiality set out in the Research Agreement.

9.3. [***] Extension under the Research Agreement. The Parties acknowledge and agree that during the Pre-Effective Date Period, the [***] related Program shall not be deemed a “Terminated Program” (as defined under the Research Agreement) under the Research Agreement.

Article 10
Intellectual Property

10.1. Ownership of Inventions and Background IP; Assignment. Ownership of all Inventions and corresponding Intellectual Property Rights shall be as set forth in this Article 10. Determination of inventorship of Inventions shall be made in accordance with U.S. laws, regardless of where such activity takes place. Each Party and its Affiliates will continue to own its respective Background IP. Lilly Research Materials IP shall be exclusively owned by Lilly, and TRex hereby assigns, and shall cause its Affiliates and any applicable Third Parties to assign, all right, title, and interest in all Lilly Research Materials IP to Lilly, free and clear of all liens, claims and Encumbrances. TRex shall take, and shall cause its Affiliates and any applicable Third Parties to take, all actions reasonably requested by Lilly as necessary to effect the above-referenced assignment. Subject to the foregoing, Inventions that are, as between the Parties and their respective Affiliates, created, conceived, or generated (i) solely by or on behalf of: (a) TRex or its Affiliates (or a Third Party acting on their behalf), together with all corresponding Intellectual Property Rights, shall be owned solely by TRex or its Affiliates (“TRex

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Agreement IP”); and (b) Lilly or its Affiliates (or a Third Party acting on their behalf), together with all corresponding Intellectual Property Rights, shall be owned solely by Lilly (together with Lilly Research Materials IP, “Lilly Agreement IP”), and (ii) jointly by TRex or its Affiliates (or a Third Party acting on their behalf) and Lilly or its Affiliates (or a Third Party acting on their behalf), together with all corresponding Intellectual Property Rights (“Joint Project IP”), shall be owned jointly by TRex and Lilly. Joint Project IP shall be considered to be jointly owned by Lilly and TRex upon its development. Each Party will promptly disclose to the other Party any (1) Joint Project IP, in the format reasonably requested by the other Party, as soon as such Joint Project IP is identified by it and (2) Inventions made in the course of performing their respective Research Program Activities. Furthermore, upon the other Party’s request and without further compensation, each Party agrees that it will promptly execute any and all documents reasonably necessary or useful to ensure that each Party has an undivided one-half interest in and to such Joint Project IP. For purpose of clarity, each Party, as the joint and equal owner of such Joint Project IP, shall have all right, title and interest in such Joint Project IP applicable to a joint owner of such Joint Project IP and, therefore, shall be entitled to freely use such Joint Project IP, subject to (i) the licenses granted hereunder, (ii) Section 10.2.3, and (iii) other terms and conditions of this Agreement, without any duty to account or obtain the consent of the other Party.

10.2. Patent Prosecution and Maintenance.

10.2.1. TRex Patent Rights. Subject to Sections 10.2.3 and 10.2.4, TRex, at TRex’s expense, has the sole right, but not the obligation, to control Prosecution and Maintenance of Licensed Patents using patent counsel of TRex’s choice. Upon Lilly’s request, TRex will provide copies of as-filed material submissions with respect to such Licensed Patents. On a Calendar Quarter basis during the performance of the Research Programs, and thereafter during the remainder of the Term (if any), TRex will promptly provide notice to Lilly of the grant, lapse, revocation, surrender, invalidation or abandonment of any Licensed Patents.

10.2.2. Lilly Patent Rights. Subject to Section 10.2.3, Lilly, at Lilly’s expense, has the sole right, but not the obligation, to control Prosecution and Maintenance of Patents within (i) Lilly Background IP and (ii) Lilly Agreement IP using patent counsel of Lilly’s choice (collectively, the “Lilly-Maintained Patents”).

10.2.3. Prosecution and Maintenance of Product/Target Patents and Joint Project Patents.

(i) Lilly shall have the first right to control the Prosecution and Maintenance of Product/Target Patents and Patents included in the Joint Project IP (“Joint Project Patents”), at its own expense. Lilly shall keep TRex reasonably informed of the status of such Patents and will provide TRex with copies of all material substantive documentation submitted to, or received from, the patent offices in connection therewith. With respect to any material substantive submissions that Lilly is required to or otherwise intends to submit to a patent office with respect to such Patents, Lilly shall provide a draft of such submission to TRex before the intended filing date of such submission, with reasonable time for TRex to be able to review and comment on the same. TRex shall have the right to review and comment upon any such submission by Lilly to a patent office, and will provide such comments within a reasonable time after receiving such submission. Lilly shall consider in good faith any suggestions or recommendations of TRex concerning the Prosecution and Maintenance of such Patents.

(ii) If, during the Term, Lilly (a) intends to allow any Product/Target Patents or Joint Project Patents to expire or intends to otherwise abandon any such Patents, or (b) decides not to prepare or file Patent applications to Inventions that would be Product/Target Patents or Joint Project Patents, Lilly shall notify TRex of such intention or decision at least thirty (30) days prior to any filing or payment due date, or any other date that requires action, in connection with such Patents, and, unless Lilly’s decision to not Prosecute and Maintain such Product/Target Patents was made for bona fide, reasonable strategic reasons for the benefit of one or more Products taking into account the overall survivability if challenged, then TRex shall thereupon have the right, but not the obligation, to assume responsibility for the Prosecution and Maintenance thereof at its sole cost

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and expense, in the name of Lilly or TRex, as applicable; provided that TRex’s right to assume responsibility for the Prosecution and Maintenance under this Section 10.2.3(ii) shall apply to a Program Molecule Patent owned by Lilly solely to the extent that such Program Molecule Patent contains the only remaining Valid Claim(s) extending a Royalty Term with respect to a Product in a given country (i.e., if there is any other Patent extending the Royalty Term for such Product in such country, then TRex’s right to assume responsibility for the Prosecution and Maintenance under this Section 10.2.3(ii) will not apply to such Program Molecule Patent (regardless of its inclusion in Product/Target Patents)).

10.2.4. Cooperation in Prosecution. Each Party shall reasonably cooperate with the other Party in the Prosecution and Maintenance of Patents under this Section 10.2 at the cooperating Party’s own cost (except as expressly set forth otherwise in this Article 10), including by: (i) executing all papers and instruments, or requiring its employees or contractors, to execute such papers and instruments, to enable the other Party to apply for and to Prosecute and Maintain such Patents in any country as permitted by this Section 10.2; and (ii) informing the other Party of any material matters coming to such Party’s attention that may affect the Prosecution and Maintenance of any such Patents.

10.3. First Right to Negotiate Intellectual Property Licenses for Products.

10.3.1. Third Party IP Generally. Subject to Section 10.6.2, if TRex or its Affiliate reasonably determines in good faith that any Intellectual Property Rights Controlled by any Third Party are, or would be necessary or reasonably useful for the Development, Manufacture, or Commercialization of any Product, then TRex will promptly provide notice to Lilly of such Intellectual Property Right. If Lilly notifies TRex in writing within thirty (30) days that Lilly or its Affiliate is in the process of pursuing or will pursue an acquisition or in-license of such Intellectual Property Right, then: (a) Lilly or its Affiliate will negotiate in good faith towards such an acquisition or in-license on commercially reasonable terms; and (b) during such negotiation or the term of any such acquisition or in-license agreement, TRex and its Affiliates will not pursue, directly or indirectly, an acquisition or in-license of such Intellectual Property Rights without Lilly’s prior written consent. If Lilly does not notify TRex in writing within such thirty (30) days that Lilly or its Affiliate is in the process of pursuing or will pursue an acquisition or in-license of such Intellectual Property Rights, then TRex or its Affiliate shall have the right to negotiate and acquire rights to such Intellectual Property Rights (through a license or otherwise, including pursuant to any settlement agreement), subject to Lilly’s prior written consent, such consent not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed.

10.3.2. UCSF. TRex will promptly notify Lilly of any Patent proposed by UCSF to be included under the Option Agreement. If Lilly notifies TRex that it desires such Patent to be included under the Option Agreement, TRex will provide notice to UCSF to include such Patent. In addition, if Lilly notifies TRex that it desires to exercise the option for one or more Patents thereunder, then TRex will exercise the option for such Patent(s) under the Option Agreement and execute a license agreement for such Patent(s) subject to Lilly’s approval, and will sublicense the rights granted thereunder to Lilly. Without limiting the foregoing, TRex shall not exercise an option for any Patents under the Option Agreement without Lilly’s prior written consent.

10.3.3. Third Party IP Costs. If Lilly or its Affiliate acquires rights to any Intellectual Property Rights (through a license or otherwise, including pursuant to any settlement agreement) under this Section 10.3, including by instructing TRex to acquire the license under the Patent(s) under the Option Agreement, then Lilly will bear all costs for such rights. Lilly’s payments for such rights will be subject to Section 6.5.4, including with respect to any payments to UCSF for Patents licensed via exercise of an option under the Option Agreement.

10.4. Infringement or Misappropriation by Third Parties.

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10.4.1. Notice. Each Party shall notify the other within [***] of becoming aware of any alleged or threatened infringement by a Third Party of any of the Licensed Patents, in the Field in the Territory, and any related declaratory judgment, opposition, or similar action alleging the invalidity, unenforceability or non-infringement of any of the Licensed Patents (collectively, “Infringement”).

10.4.2. Licensed Patents. Subject to Sections 10.4.4 and 10.4.5, TRex shall have the sole right to control the enforcement and defense of the Licensed Patents with respect to any Infringement in the Territory at its own expense and by counsel of its own choice and in the name of TRex.

10.4.3. Lilly-Maintained Patents. Lilly shall have the sole right (but not the obligation) to control the enforcement and defense of the Lilly-Maintained Patents with respect to any Infringement in the Territory at its own expense and by counsel of its own choice.

10.4.4. Product/Target Patents. Lilly shall have the first right (but not the obligation) to control the enforcement and defense of the Product/Target Patents and Joint Project Patents with respect to any Infringement in the Territory. If Lilly fails to bring or defend any such action against an Infringement within (i) one hundred eighty (180) days following the notice of alleged Infringement or (ii) ten (10) days before the time limit, if any, set forth in Applicable Laws for the filing of such actions, whichever comes first, unless Lilly’s decision to not bring or defend any such action against an Infringement was made for bona fide strategic reasons for the benefit of one or more Products, TRex shall have the right to bring and control any such action at its own expense and by counsel of its own choice, and Lilly shall have the right, at its own expense, to be represented in any such action by counsel of its own choice; provided that TRex’s right to bring and control such action pursuant to this Section 10.4.4 shall apply to a Program Molecule Patent owned by Lilly solely to the extent that such Program Molecule Patent contains the only remaining Valid Claim(s) extending a Royalty Term with respect to a Product in a given country (i.e., if there is any other Patent extending the Royalty Term for such Product in such country, then TRex’s right to bring and control such action pursuant to this Section 10.4.4 will not apply to such Program Molecule Patent (regardless of its inclusion in Product/Target Patents)). In no event shall either Party admit the invalidity or unenforceability of, or after exercising its right to bring and control an action under this Section 10.4.4, fail to defend the validity or enforceability of, any Product/Target Patents without the other Party’s prior written consent, which shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed.

10.4.5. Allocation of Recoveries. Except as otherwise agreed by the Parties as part of a cost-sharing arrangement, any recovery obtained by either or both Lilly and TRex in connection with or as a result of any action contemplated by this Section 10.4 involving Program Molecule(s) or Products, whether by settlement or otherwise, shall be shared in order as follows:

(i) the Party which initiated and prosecuted the Infringement shall recoup all of its costs and expenses incurred in connection with the action;

(ii) the other Party shall then, to the extent possible, recover its costs and expenses incurred in connection with the action; and

(iii) the portion of any recovery remaining shall be shared between Lilly and TRex in the same proportion to the share of such recovery each would have been entitled to under this Agreement had the remaining recovery represented Lilly’s sales of Product taking into consideration all costs and expenses Lilly would have incurred in making any such sales.

10.4.6. Cooperation. At the request and expense of the Party bringing an action under this Section 10.4, the other Party shall provide reasonable assistance in connection therewith, including by executing reasonably appropriate documents, cooperating in discovery and joining as a party to the action if required by Applicable Law to pursue such action.

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10.5. CREATE Act. It is the Parties’ intention that this Agreement is a “joint research agreement” as that phrase is defined in 35 U.S.C. § 102(c) as amended by the Cooperative Research and Technology Enhancement (CREATE) Act, including the provisions of 35 U.S.C. § 102(b)(2)(c). The Parties agree to cooperate and to take reasonable actions to maximize the protections available for the Program Molecule(s) and Products under such safe harbor provisions.

10.6. Infringement of Third Party Intellectual Property.

10.6.1. Joint Strategy. In the event that the Development, Manufacture, Commercialization or other exploitation of a Program Molecule or Product, or the application of the TRex Background IP or Research Program IP to the Development, Manufacture, Commercialization or other exploitation of a Program Molecule or any corresponding Product, by either Party or its Affiliate or Sublicensee becomes the subject of an actual claim of infringement of a Third Party Intellectual Property Right anywhere in the world, and without regard to which Party is charged with said infringement, and the venue of such claim, the Parties shall promptly confer to discuss the claim.

10.6.2. Defense. Unless the Parties otherwise agree, the Party charged with said infringement shall assume the primary responsibility for the conduct of the defense of any such claim, at such Party’s sole expense. The non-defending Party shall have the right, but not the obligation, to participate and be independently represented in any such suit at its sole option and at its own expense. Each Party shall keep the other Party reasonably informed of all material developments in connection with any such claim, suit or proceeding, and the Parties shall reasonably cooperate in conducting the defense of any such claim. Neither Party shall enter into any settlement that affects the other Party’s rights or interests without such other Party’s prior written consent, not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed. Should the defending Party decide not to actively defend or fail to defend any such claim, suit, or proceedings by a Third Party relating to the non-defending Party’s Patents in the defending Party’s territory within thirty (30) days of notice of such claim, suit, or proceeding, then, unless the defending Party’s decision to not defend such claim, suit or proceeding was made for bona fide strategic reasons for the benefit of one or more Products, the non-defending Party will be entitled to take over, at its option, the right to defend such infringement proceedings and the control of any such defense, at such Party’s cost.

10.7. Trademarks. Lilly shall have the right to select, and will be free, in its sole discretion, to use and to register in any trademark office in the Territory, any trademark for use with the Program Molecule(s) or Products. As between the Parties, Lilly shall own all right, title and interest in and to any such trademarks adopted by such Party for use with such Program Molecule(s) or Product(s), and is responsible for the registration, filing, maintenance and enforcement thereof (the “Product Trademarks”). TRex and its Affiliates shall not use any trademark, trade dress, color, trade name or other marks, advertising taglines or slogans confusingly similar to the Product Trademarks, trade dress, color, trade name or other marks, advertising taglines or slogans.

10.8. Use of Name. Except as expressly provided herein, neither Party shall have any right, express or implied, to use in any manner the name or other designation of the other Party or any other trade name, trademark or logo of the other Party for any purpose in connection with this Agreement.

10.9. Upstream Licenses. During the Term, TRex shall comply with all terms and conditions of the Upstream Agreements and shall ensure that the Upstream Agreements are in full force and effect. TRex shall not amend, terminate or cause the termination of the Upstream Agreements or any license agreement arising from an Upstream Agreement in a manner that would terminate the option for a sublicense or sublicense granted to Lilly hereunder without Lilly’s prior written consent. TRex shall provide Lilly with any notice of breach, default or termination from any licensor under the Upstream Agreements immediately after TRex receives such notification, and shall provide Lilly the right (but not obligation) to cure any alleged breach on behalf of TRex, with Lilly having the right to offset any such efforts or payments expended by Lilly in connection with attempting such cure

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from Lilly’s obligation to TRex hereunder. TRex shall be responsible for any and all payments due under the Upstream Agreements with respect to Developing, Manufacturing, Commercializing and otherwise exploiting Program Molecules and Products, except to the extent otherwise specified in Section 10.3.3.

Article 11
Representations and Warranties;
cERTAIN COVENANTS; Disclaimers

11.1. Mutual Representations and Warranties. Each of Lilly and TRex, represents and warrants, as of the Execution Date and as of the Effective Date, that:

11.1.1. Duly Organized. it is duly organized and validly existing under the Applicable Laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, has full corporate or limited liability company (as applicable) power and authority to enter into this Agreement and to carry out the provisions hereof, and has sufficient facilities, experienced personnel or other capabilities (including via Affiliates or Third Parties to the extent permitted hereunder) to enable it to perform its obligations under this Agreement;

11.1.2. Due Authorization. it is duly authorized to execute and deliver this Agreement and to perform its obligations hereunder, and the individual executing this Agreement on its behalf has been duly authorized to do so by all requisite corporate or limited liability company (as applicable) action; and

11.1.3. Legally Binding. this Agreement is legally binding upon it and enforceable in accordance with its terms (except as the enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, bank moratorium or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and laws restricting the availability of equitable remedies and may be subject to general principles of equity whether or not such enforceability is considered in a proceeding at law or in equity) and the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by it do not and will not: (a) conflict with, or constitute a default or result in a breach under, any agreement, instrument or understanding, oral or written, to which it is a party, or violate any Applicable Law or (b) require any consent or approval of its stockholders or similar Persons having a controlling interest in it.

11.2. TRex Representations, Warranties and Covenants. TRex represents and warrants as of the Execution Date and the Effective Date, and covenants during the Term, to Lilly (as applicable) that:

11.2.1. No Conflicting Grants. None of the TRex Background IP owned or Controlled by TRex or any of its Affiliates is subject to, and will not be subject to, any right granted to any Person or any other Encumbrance that would conflict with the rights granted to Lilly or its Affiliates hereunder or the performance of TRex’s obligations hereunder.

11.2.2. TRex Background IP.

(i) all Patent rights contained in the TRex Background IP existing as of the Execution Date that are issued or subject to a pending application for issuance are listed on Schedule 1.96;

(ii) TRex or its Affiliates Control, as of the Execution Date and Effective Date, all Patents listed on Schedule 1.96 and all other TRex Background IP;

(iii) other than Intellectual Property Rights in-licensed via an Upstream Agreement, TRex is the sole and exclusive owner of all right, title, and interest in the TRex Background IP as of the Execution Date and Effective Date;

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(iv) other than Intellectual Property Rights in-licensed via an Upstream Agreement, as of the Execution Date and Effective Date, TRex has obtained from all inventors of TRex Background IP valid and enforceable agreements that have assigned to TRex or its Affiliate each such inventor’s entire right, title and interest in and to all such TRex Background IP;

(v) unless otherwise agreed between the Parties in writing, Know-How in-licensed via the Know-How Agreement will not be used under this Agreement to perform Research Program Activities for the [***] and is not necessary for Lilly’s exploitation of [***] Products;

(vi) to TRex’s knowledge, except for data and results solely related to the biology of a Licensed Target (and not necessary for Lilly’s Development or Commercialization of any antibody, molecule, or Product for a Licensed Target), Know-How in-licensed via the Know-How Agreement has not been transferred by TRex to Lilly under the Research Agreement and, unless otherwise agreed between the Parties in writing, will not be transferred by TRex to Lilly under this Agreement;

(vii) to TRex’s knowledge, as of the Execution Date and Effective Date, the TRex Background IP includes all Intellectual Property Rights that are owned by TRex or its Affiliates, or (sub)licensed to TRex or its Affiliates that are necessary or reasonably useful to Develop, Manufacture, Commercialize or otherwise exploit any Program Molecule(s) or Product(s);

(viii) except as disclosed by TRex prior to the Execution Date (including via emails on January 3, 2023 exchanged between Gregory Cox, on behalf of Lilly, and Stephanie Yonker, on behalf of TRex), to TRex’s knowledge, as of the Execution Date, use of the TRex Background IP by Lilly in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, including performing the Research Program Activities assigned to Lilly and Lilly’s exploitation of any Program Molecule or Product, will not infringe on or misappropriate the rights of any Third Party, including any Third Party Intellectual Property Rights;

(ix) to TRex’s knowledge, TRex has not, and will not knowingly (from the perspective of a competent patent attorney reasonably versed in the field) take any actions to harm the patentability of the Program Molecule(s) or Products; and

(x) as of the Execution Date and Effective Date, all Patents within the TRex Background IP are (a) to the extent issued, subsisting and not invalid or unenforceable, in whole or in part, or confer a valid right to claim priority thereto; (b) to the extent subject to a pending application for issuance, being diligently prosecuted in the respective patent offices in which such applications have been filed in accordance with Applicable Law and TRex and its Affiliates have presented all relevant references, documents and information to the relevant patent examiner at the relevant patent office; and (c) filed and maintained properly and correctly, and all applicable fees applicable thereto have been paid on or before the due date for payment.

11.2.3. Litigation and Actions Relating to Intellectual Property. There are no judgments or settlements against or owed by TRex or its Affiliates relating to the TRex Background IP. Neither TRex nor any of its Affiliates has received any written notice of any threatened claims or litigation seeking to invalidate or otherwise challenge any TRex Background IP, including any Patents therein, or TRex’s or its Affiliates’ rights therein. There are no pending or threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by a Third Party asserting that TRex or any of its Affiliates is infringing or has misappropriated or otherwise is violating any Patent right, trade secret or other proprietary right of any Third Party as would reasonably be expected to impair the ability of TRex to fulfill any of its obligations under this Agreement or the ability of Lilly to exercise any of its rights under this Agreement. TRex will promptly notify Lilly in accordance with Section 10.4 in the event that TRex receives notice or otherwise becomes aware of any such allegations or actions set forth in this Section 11.2.3.

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11.2.4. Other Material Claims and Actions. There are no claims, actions or proceedings pending or threatened by any Third Party, in each case (or in aggregate) against TRex or its properties, assets or business, which if adversely decided, would, individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on, or prevent TRex’s ability to conduct Research Program Activities or to grant the licenses or rights granted to Lilly under this Agreement. TRex will promptly notify Lilly in accordance with Section 10.4 in the event that TRex receives notice or otherwise becomes aware of any such allegations or actions.

11.2.5. No Government Funding. The inventions claimed or covered by the Patents falling within the TRex Background IP, including to TRex’s knowledge those under the Upstream Agreements, as of the Execution Date, (a) were not, and will not be, created, conceived or generated or otherwise made in connection with any research activities funded, in whole or in part, by the federal government of the United States of America or any agency thereof; (b) are not, and will not be, a “subject invention” as that term is described in 35 U.S.C. Section 201(e); and (c) are not, and will not be, otherwise subject to the provisions of the Patent and Trademark Law Amendments Act of 1980, as amended, codified at 35 U.S.C. §§ 200–212, as amended, as well as any regulations promulgated pursuant thereto, including in 37 C.F.R. Part 401.

11.3. Mutual Representations, Warranties and Covenants.

11.3.1. Employees, Consultants and Contractors. Each Party, on its own behalf and on behalf of its Affiliates, covenants that it (or its Affiliates, as applicable) has entered into or will enter into written agreements with each of its employees, consultants and contractors who perform Development activities pursuant to this Agreement, which agreements will obligate such Persons to obligations of confidentiality and limited-use and to assign Inventions in a manner consistent with the provisions of this Agreement.

11.3.2. Debarment. Each Party represents, warrants and covenants to the other Party that neither it nor its officers, employees, agents, consultants or any other Person used by such Party in the performance of the respective Development activities under this Agreement is, or will be: (i) debarred or disqualified under the FD&C Act; (ii) listed by any government or regulatory agencies as ineligible to participate in any government healthcare programs or government procurement or non-procurement programs (as that term is defined in 42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7b(f)), or excluded, debarred, suspended or otherwise made ineligible to participate in any such program; or (iii) convicted of a criminal offense related to the provision of healthcare items or services, or is subject to any such pending action. Each Party will not during the Term knowingly, employ or use, directly or indirectly, including through Affiliates the services of any such Person. In the event that either Party becomes aware of the debarment or disqualification or threatened debarment or disqualification of any person providing services to such Party, directly or indirectly, including through Affiliates or (Sub)licensees, which, directly or indirectly, relate to activities contemplated by this Agreement, such Party shall promptly notify the other Party in writing and such Party shall cease employing, contracting with, or retaining any such Person to perform any such services.

11.3.3. Protection of Information. Each Party agrees that during the Term of this Agreement, and without limiting its obligations hereunder, each Party shall implement technical and organizational measures to protect all information under this Agreement that are appropriate and that provide no less protection than both (and always the higher of) (i) good industry practice and (ii) such Party’s measures to protect its own information of a similar nature or importance.

11.4. Compliance.

11.4.1. Compliance with This Agreement. Each of the Parties shall, and shall cause their respective Affiliates to, comply in all material respects with the terms of this Agreement.

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11.4.2. Compliance with Applicable Laws. Each Party covenants to the other that in the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, such Party shall comply with, and shall cause its Affiliates and its Affiliates’ employees and contractors to comply, with all Applicable Laws. Neither Party shall, or shall be required to, undertake any activity under or in connection with this Agreement which violates, or which it believes, in good faith, may violate, any Applicable Laws.

11.4.3. Compliance with Party Specific Regulations. In carrying out their respective obligations under this Agreement, the Parties agree to cooperate with each other as may reasonably be required to help ensure that each is able to fully meet its obligations with respect to all judgments, decrees, orders or similar decisions issued by any Governmental Authority specific to a Party, and all consent decrees, corporate integrity agreements, or other agreements or undertakings of any kind by a Party with any Governmental Authority, in each case as the same may be in effect from time to time and applicable to a Party’s activities contemplated by this Agreement (the “Party Specific Regulations”). Neither Party shall be obligated to pursue any course of conduct that would result in such Party being in breach of any Party Specific Regulation applicable to it; provided that in the event that a Party refuses to fulfill its obligations under this Agreement in any material respect on such basis, the other Party shall have the right to terminate this Agreement in accordance with Section 8.2; however, under such circumstances, such termination shall be the sole remedy for such terminating Party and such terminating Party shall not be entitled to any other remedy under law or equity. All Party Specific Regulations are binding only in accordance with their terms and only upon the Party to which they relate.

11.4.4. Compliance with Internal Compliance Codes. All Internal Compliance Codes shall apply only to the Party to which they relate. The Parties agree to reasonably cooperate with each other to help ensure that each Party is able to comply with the substance of its respective Internal Compliance Codes and, to the extent practicable, each Party shall operate in a manner consistent with its Internal Compliance Codes applicable to its performance under this Agreement.

11.4.5. Compliance with Anti-Corruption Laws.

(i) In connection with this Agreement, the Parties shall comply with all Applicable Laws and Industry Codes dealing with government procurement, conflicts of interest, corruption or bribery, including, if applicable, the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, any anti-corruption or anti-bribery laws in jurisdictions where the applicable Party operates, and any laws enacted to implement the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Officials in International Business Transactions, and all Applicable Laws related to sanctions and trade controls, including, if applicable, any trade sanctions or export control laws and regulations administered or enforced by the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (31 C.F.R. Part 501 et seq.), U.S. Export Administration Regulations (15 C.F.R. Part 734 et seq.), U.S. Department of State, U.S. Department of Commerce, the United Nations Security Council, European Union trade sanctions and export laws (including Council Regulation (EC) No. 428/2009 (as amended)), or other relevant sanctions authority, and has implemented and will maintain policies and procedures reasonably designed to ensure compliance with all of the foregoing.

(ii) Each Party represents and warrants that neither itself, its directors, executive officers, agents, shareholders nor any Person having a controlling interest in the Party are (a) a Person targeted by trade or financial sanctions under the laws and regulations of the United Nations, the United States, the European Union and its Member States, the United Kingdom or any other jurisdiction, including but not limited to Persons designated on the U.S. Department of the Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control’s List of Specially Designated Nationals and Other Blocked Persons and Consolidated Sanctions List, the U.S. State Department’s Non-proliferation Sanctions Lists, the UN Financial Sanctions Lists, the EU’s Consolidated List of Persons, Groups and Entities Subject to EU Financial Sanctions, and the UK HM Treasury Consolidated Lists of Financial Sanctions Targets; (b) incorporated or headquartered in, or organized under the laws of, a territory subject to

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comprehensive U.S. sanctions (each, a “Sanctioned Territory”) (currently, Cuba, Iran, Crimea, North Korea, Syria, and the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic (“DNR”) and Luhansk People’s Republic (“LNR”) regions of Ukraine, but subject to change at any time) or (c) directly or indirectly owned or controlled by such Persons (together “Restricted Person”). Each Party further represents and warrants that it shall notify the other Party in writing immediately if it or any of its directors, executive officers, agents, shareholders or any person having a controlling interest in it becomes a Restricted Person or if it becomes directly or indirectly owned or controlled by one or more Restricted Persons.

(iii) Each Party agrees that the Products sold by it will not be Manufactured in, used, sold, exported, re-exported, transferred, or otherwise made available, directly or indirectly, to or for the benefit of a Sanctioned Territory or Restricted Person other than in compliance with all applicable trade sanctions and export control laws and regulations.

11.4.6. Compliance with Data Protection and Privacy Laws.

(i) In connection with and to the extent applicable under this Agreement, each Party and any Person acting on its behalf shall comply with all Applicable Laws with respect to the receipt, collection, compilation, use, storage, processing, sharing, safeguarding, security (technical, physical and administrative), disposal, destruction, disclosure or transfer (including cross-border) of Personal Information, including providing any notice, obtaining any consent or prior authorization, and conducting any assessment required under Applicable Laws.

(ii) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, TRex shall (and shall cause its Affiliates to) (a) promptly notify Lilly in writing if TRex discovers that TRex (or any of its Affiliates) is not permitted to provide Lilly with any data, information or study reports as a result of the application of any Applicable Laws; (b) use its Commercially Reasonable Efforts to secure all such approvals and filings (including applying for any security assessments), as necessary for TRex’s performance under this Agreement, as soon as possible after the Effective Date (and TRex shall keep Lilly informed as to the status thereof upon request from Lilly); (c) comply with all Applicable Laws with respect to the collection, use, transfer, storage, destruction, aggregation or other use of Personal Information in connection with TRex’s performance under or in connection with this Agreement, and implement appropriate and reasonable security processes and controls, in connection with TRex’s performance under or in connection with this Agreement, designed to protect the security and privacy of Personal Information in accordance with all Applicable Laws; (d) take such steps as necessary to comply with all Applicable Laws, including entering into relevant supplemental documentation as may be required under any Applicable Laws, obtaining full and proper consents from all data subjects that permit TRex (and its Affiliates) to provide and share the Personal Information of such data subjects to Lilly (and its Affiliates or Sublicensees), so that Lilly (and its Affiliates or Sublicensees, as applicable) may receive, use, process and otherwise exploit such information as contemplated under this Agreement; and (e) at the request of Lilly, use TRex’s Commercially Reasonable Efforts to find alternative means for providing Lilly with such data, information, and study reports, as needed under this Agreement, in a manner that is compliant with Applicable Laws, including to consult and cooperate with Lilly in connection therewith (including, if requested by Lilly, to provide any such data in anonymized form).

11.5. Prohibited Conduct. Without limiting the other obligations of the Parties set forth in this Section 11.5, each Party covenants to the other that, as of the Execution Date and in the performance of its obligations under this Agreement through the expiration or termination of this Agreement, such Party and, to its knowledge, its Affiliates and its Affiliates’ employees and contractors, in connection with the negotiation of this Agreement and future performance of their respective obligations under this Agreement, have not made, offered, given, promised to give, or authorized, and will not make, offer, give, promise to give, or authorize, any bribe, kickback, payment or transfer of anything of value, directly or indirectly through Third Parties, to any Government Official

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for the purpose of: (i) improperly influencing any act or decision of the Government Official; (ii) inducing the Government Official to do or omit to do an act in violation of a lawful or otherwise required duty; (iii) securing any improper advantage; or (iv) inducing the Government Official to improperly influence the act or decision of any organization, including any government or government instrumentality, to assist any Party in obtaining or retaining business. For the purpose of this Section 11.5, “Government Official” means: (a) any officer, employee (including physicians, hospital administrators, or other healthcare professionals), agent, representative, department, agency, de facto official, representative, corporate entity, instrumentality or subdivision of any government, military or international organization, including any ministry or department of health or any state-owned or affiliated company or hospital; (b) any candidate for political office, any political party or any official of a political party, in each case for the purpose of obtaining or retaining business for or with, or directing business to, any Person, including either Party; or (c) any Person acting in an official capacity on behalf of any of the foregoing.

11.6. Disclaimer. EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE EXPRESSLY SET FORTH IN THIS ARTICLE 11, NEITHER PARTY MAKES ANY REPRESENTATIONS OR EXTENDS ANY WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, QUALITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NONINFRINGEMENT, OR VALIDITY OF PATENT CLAIMS. NOTHING IN THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE CONSTRUED AS A REPRESENTATION MADE OR WARRANTY GIVEN BY EITHER PARTY THAT EITHER PARTY WILL BE SUCCESSFUL IN OBTAINING ANY PATENTS OR THAT ANY PATENTS WILL ISSUE BASED ON A PENDING APPLICATION. WITHOUT LIMITING THE RESPECTIVE RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF THE PARTIES EXPRESSLY SET FORTH HEREIN, EACH PARTY SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIMS ANY GUARANTEE THAT THE RESEARCH PROGRAMS, OR ANY DEVELOPMENT OR COMMERCIALIZATION OF A PROGRAM MOLECULE WILL BE SUCCESSFUL, IN WHOLE OR IN PART.

Article 12
Insurance; Indemnification; Limitation of Liability

12.1. Insurance. Each Party shall maintain such insurance (or, in the case of Lilly, maintain reasonably adequate arrangements for self-insurance) with respect to its business and the performance of its obligations hereunder in such amounts as such Party customarily maintains with respect to its business and the development, manufacture and sales of its other products, which shall be in amounts and of types of coverage that are customary and reasonable for the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. Each Party shall provide written evidence of such insurance (or, in the case of Lilly, self-insurance) to the other Party promptly upon any request therefor by such other Party.

12.2. Indemnification.

12.2.1. Indemnification by Lilly. Lilly shall indemnify, defend and hold TRex and its Affiliates, and each of their respective employees, officers, directors and agents (the “TRex Indemnitees”) harmless from and against any and all liabilities, damages, penalties, fines, losses, costs and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses) (individually and collectively, “Losses”) to the extent arising out of any and all Third Party claims, demands, actions or other proceedings (each, a “Claim”) arising out of (i) the gross negligence or willful misconduct on the part of any Lilly Indemnitees in connection with this Agreement; (ii) any breach by Lilly or its Affiliates of this Agreement including of the representations, warranties or covenants made hereunder by Lilly; (iii) any breach or violation of any Applicable Law by any of Lilly, its Affiliates, Sublicensees or Permitted Subcontractors, or any of their respective employees, officers, directors or agents in connection with this Agreement; or (iv) any Development, Manufacture, Commercialization or other exploitation of Program Molecule(s) or any corresponding Products by or under authority of Lilly or its Affiliates or its or their

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Sublicensees in the Territory (other than by or on behalf of TRex or its Affiliates), except, in each case of (i) through (iv), to the extent (a) such Losses arise out of the negligence on the part of any TRex Indemnitees, or (b) TRex is otherwise responsible for such Losses pursuant to Section 12.2.2.

12.2.2. Indemnification by TRex. TRex shall indemnify, defend and hold Lilly and its Affiliates and each of their respective agents, employees, officers and directors (the “Lilly Indemnitees”) harmless from and against any and all Losses to the extent arising out of any and all Claims arising out of (i) the gross negligence or willful misconduct on the part of any TRex Indemnitees in connection with this Agreement; (ii) any breach by TRex or its Affiliates of this Agreement including of the representations, warranties or covenants made hereunder by TRex; (iii) any breach or violation of any Applicable Law by any of TRex, its Affiliates, (sub)licensees or Permitted Subcontractors, or any of their respective employees, officers, directors or agents in connection with this Agreement; (iv) the conduct of Research Program Activities by or under authority of TRex or its Affiliates or its or their (sub)licensees in the Territory (other than by or on behalf of Lilly or its Affiliates); or (v) the Upstream Agreements (except to the extent caused by Lilly’s gross negligence or willful misconduct), except, in each case of (i) through (iv), to the extent (a) such Losses arise out of the negligence on the part of any Lilly Indemnitees, or (b) Lilly is otherwise responsible for such Losses pursuant to Section 12.2.1.

12.2.3. Procedure.

(i) The Party or other Person intending to claim indemnification under this Section 12.2 (an “Indemnified Party”) shall promptly notify the other Party (the “Indemnifying Party”) of any Claim in respect of which the Indemnified Party intends to claim such indemnification (provided, that no delay or deficiency on the part of the Indemnified Party in so notifying the Indemnifying Party will relieve the Indemnifying Party of any liability or obligation under this Agreement except to the extent the Indemnifying Party has suffered actual prejudice directly caused by the delay or other deficiency), and the Indemnifying Party shall assume the defense thereof (with counsel selected by the Indemnifying Party and reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Party) whether or not such Claim is rightfully brought; provided, however, that an Indemnified Party shall have the right to retain its own counsel and to participate in the defense thereof, with the fees and expenses to be paid by the Indemnified Party unless the Indemnifying Party does not assume the defense of a Claim (as described in Section 12.2.3(ii), below), in which case the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel retained by the Indemnified Party shall be paid by the Indemnifying Party.

(ii) If the Indemnifying Party shall fail to timely assume the defense of and reasonably defend such Claim, the Indemnified Party shall have the right to retain or assume control of such defense and the Indemnifying Party shall pay (as incurred and on demand) the reasonable, documented fees and expenses of counsel retained by the Indemnified Party.

(iii) The Indemnifying Party shall not be liable for the indemnification of any Claim settled (or resolved by consent to the entry of judgment) without the written consent of the Indemnifying Party. Also, without prejudice to Section 12.2.3(ii), if the Indemnifying Party shall control the defense of any such Claim, the Indemnifying Party shall have the right to settle such Claim; provided, that the Indemnifying Party shall obtain the prior written consent (which shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed) of the Indemnified Party before entering into any settlement of (or resolving by consent to the entry of judgment upon) such Claim unless (i) there is no finding or admission of any violation of law or any violation of the rights of any Person by an Indemnified Party, no requirement that the Indemnified Party admit negligence, fault or culpability, and no adverse effect on any other claims that may be made by or against the Indemnified Party and (ii) the sole relief provided is monetary damages that are paid in full by the Indemnifying Party and such settlement does not require the Indemnified Party to take (or refrain from taking) any action.

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(iv) The Indemnified Party, and its employees and agents, shall cooperate fully with the Indemnifying Party and its legal representatives in the investigations of any Claim.

(v) Regardless of who controls the defense, each Party hereto shall reasonably cooperate in the defense as may be requested.

12.3. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY. IN NO EVENT SHALL EITHER PARTY (OR ANY OF ITS AFFILIATES OR SUBLICENSEES OR PERMITTED SUBCONTRACTORS) BE LIABLE TO THE OTHER PARTY FOR, NOR SHALL ANY INDEMNIFIED PARTY HAVE THE RIGHT TO RECOVER, ANY SPECIAL, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, PUNITIVE OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING LOST PROFITS OR DAMAGES FOR LOST OPPORTUNITIES), WHETHER IN CONTRACT, WARRANTY, NEGLIGENCE, TORT, STRICT LIABILITY OR OTHERWISE, EXCEPT THAT SUCH LIMITATION SHALL NOT APPLY TO: (i) DAMAGES PAID OR PAYABLE TO A THIRD PARTY BY AN INDEMNIFIED PARTY FOR WHICH THE INDEMNIFIED PARTY IS ENTITLED TO INDEMNIFICATION HEREUNDER; (ii) EITHER PARTY’S LIABILITY ARISING FROM GROSS NEGLIGENCE OR WILLFUL MISCONDUCT; (iii) EITHER PARTY’S INDEMNIFICATION OBLIGATIONS UNDER SECTION 12.2; OR (iv) A PARTY’S LIABILITY FOR ITS BREACH OF SECTION 2.3 OR ITS CONFIDENTIALITY OBLIGATIONS UNDER ARTICLE 7.

Article 13
DISPUTES

13.1. Choice of Law. This Agreement and any dispute or claim arising out of or in connection with it (whether contractual or non-contractual in nature such as claims in tort, from breach of statute or regulation or otherwise) shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York and the Patent laws of the United States without reference to any rules of conflict of laws.

13.2. Dispute Resolution. In the event of a dispute, controversy or claim under or relating to this Agreement (a “Dispute”), the Parties shall refer such Dispute to the Executive Officers for attempted resolution by good faith negotiations within [***] after such referral is made. If the Executive Officers are unable to resolve such Dispute in a timely manner, which shall in no case be more than [***] after the matter was referred to them, then either Party may refer such matter in accordance with Section 13.3.

13.3. Jurisdiction. Except as contemplated in Section 3.3 (other than in case of manifest error), each of the Parties hereto irrevocably submits to the jurisdiction of the United States Federal District Court for the Southern District of New York in any proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement, agrees not to commence any suit, action or proceeding relating to this Agreement except in such court, and waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the right to move to dismiss or transfer any action brought in such court on the basis of any objection to personal jurisdiction, venue or inconvenient jurisdiction. Any rights to trial by jury with respect to any suit, action, proceeding or claim (whether based upon contract, tort or otherwise), directly or indirectly, arising out of or relating to this Agreement are hereby expressly and irrevocably waived by each of Lilly and the TRex.

13.4. Equitable Remedies. Each Party acknowledges and agrees that the restrictions set forth in Section 2.3, Article 7 and Article 10 are reasonable and necessary to protect the legitimate interests of the other Party and that such other Party would not have entered into this Agreement in the absence of such restrictions, and that any breach or threatened breach of any provision of such Section 2.3, Article 7 or Article 10 may result in irreparable injury to such other Party for which there shall be no adequate remedy at law. In the event of a breach or threatened breach of any provision of such Section 2.3, Article 7 or Article 10, the non-breaching Party shall be authorized and entitled to seek injunctive relief, whether preliminary or permanent, specific performance, and an

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equitable accounting of all earnings, profits, and other benefits arising from such breach, which rights shall be cumulative and in addition to any other rights or remedies to which such non-breaching Party may be entitled in law or equity to prevent such breach or threatened breach of this Agreement and to enforce specifically the terms and provisions of such Sections of this Agreement. Both Parties agree to waive any requirement that the other (i) post a bond or other security as a condition for obtaining any such relief, and (ii) show irreparable harm, balancing of harms, consideration of the public interest, or inadequacy of monetary damages as a remedy. Nothing in this Section 13.4 is intended, or should be construed, to limit either Party’s right to equitable relief or any other remedy for a breach of any other provision of this Agreement.

Article 14
MISCELLANEOUS

14.1. Force Majeure. Neither Party shall be liable for any failure to perform, or be considered in breach of, its obligations under this Agreement to the extent such performance has been delayed, interfered with or prevented by an event of Force Majeure, and the obligations of such Party under this Agreement whose performance is affected by Force Majeure shall be suspended during, but not longer than, the continuance of the event of Force Majeure. Any Party that experiences an event of Force Majeure shall provide prompt notice of such event to the other Party, including and an estimate of the likely period of time during which its performance will be affected, and shall use reasonable efforts to remove the condition constituting Force Majeure. In the event of a prolonged condition of Force Majeure that makes it unreasonable to continue to perform other activities then being performed by the Parties and their Affiliates pursuant to this Agreement, the Parties shall consult directly or through the appropriate committees and may appropriately scale back their respective activities to avoid waste or inappropriate usage of resources under the circumstances, and neither Party shall be liable for any such reasonable scale back, or be considered in breach of its obligations under this Agreement (other than obligations to make payments of money) as a result of such reasonable scale back.

14.2. Amendments and Waivers. This Agreement may be amended, modified or terminated and the observance of any term hereof may be waived only by a written instrument executed by TRex and Lilly. Any amendment, termination, or waiver effected in accordance with this Section 14.2 shall be binding on the Parties.

14.3. Delays or Omissions. No delay or omission to exercise any right, power or remedy accruing to any Party under this Agreement, upon any breach or default of any other Party under this Agreement, shall impair any such right, power or remedy of such non-breaching or non-defaulting Party nor shall it be construed to be a waiver of any such breach or default, or an acquiescence therein, or of or in any similar breach or default thereafter occurring; nor shall any waiver of any single breach or default be deemed a waiver of any other breach or default theretofore or thereafter occurring. Any waiver, permit, consent or approval of any kind or character on the part of any Party of any breach or default under this Agreement, or any waiver on the part of any Party of any provisions or conditions of this Agreement, must be in writing and shall be effective only to the extent specifically set forth in such writing.

14.4. Entire Agreement; Research Agreement.

(a) This Agreement, together with the Schedules hereto, and the Research Agreement during the Pre-Effective Date Period, constitutes the entire agreement between the Parties and supersedes and extinguishes all previous discussions, correspondence, negotiations, drafts, agreements, promises, assurances, warranties, representations and understandings between them, whether written or oral, relating to its subject matter. Each Party agrees that it shall not pass any resolution or agree to any amendment in relation to organizational or governing documents that would have the effect of negatively impacting on the enforceability or operation of this Agreement. Nothing in this Section 14.4 shall limit or exclude any liability for fraud.

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(b) The Parties acknowledge and agree that, as of the Effective Date, all Confidential Information disclosed pursuant to the Research Agreement by a Party or its Affiliates shall be included in the Confidential Information that is deemed to have been disclosed by such Party under and subject to this Agreement and the Research Agreement is hereby superseded in its entirety; provided that the foregoing shall not relieve any Person of any right or obligation accruing under the Research Agreement prior to the Effective Date. Each Party shall ensure that the other Party’s Confidential Information is maintained in accordance with Article 7. Without limiting Section 4.8, the Parties further acknowledge and agree that, prior to the Effective Date, certain materials were transferred between the Parties under the Research Agreement and that, as of the Effective Date, such materials shall only be used hereunder as specified in, and in accordance with, the applicable Research Plan; provided that the foregoing shall not relieve any Person of any right or obligation accruing under the Research Agreement prior to the Effective Date. Without limiting the foregoing, Lilly and TRex hereby terminate the Research Agreement in its entirety and notwithstanding anything to the contrary therein; provided, that Sections 1 (Definitions; Interpretation) (to the extent necessary to interpret other surviving provisions), 2(c) (FTO License Grant by Company under Collaboration IP), 2(d) (License Grant by Lilly under Collaboration IP), 8(a) (Ownership) and 13 (Indemnification; Insurance) of the Research Agreement shall survive such termination. The Parties hereby acknowledge and agree that the Research Agreement, and all rights, obligations and licenses of each of the Parties under the Research Agreement, shall be deemed to be superseded in all respects as of the Effective Date by this Agreement; provided that any dispute or alleged breach by a Party of any of the terms of the Research Agreement during the period that the Research Agreement was in effect shall be governed solely by the terms of the Research Agreement and the terms and conditions of the Research Agreement shall survive solely for the limited purpose set forth in this Section 14.4.

14.5. Assignment. Neither this Agreement nor any of the rights, interests or obligations hereunder shall be assigned by either of the Parties hereto (whether by operation of law or otherwise) without the prior written consent of the other Party, except that either Party may, without the other Party’s prior written consent, (i) assign, in its sole discretion, any or all of its rights, interests or obligations to any Affiliate of such Party, provided that such Affiliate has agreed to perform those obligations of the assigning Party under this Agreement that pertain or are related to the rights and interests so assigned, and (ii) assign this Agreement and its rights, interests and obligations hereunder in connection with the transfer or sale of all or substantially all of such Party’s assets or business (or that portion thereof related to the subject matter of this Agreement) or such Party’s Change of Control, provided that, with respect to any assignment under this clause (ii), any Acquirer will, as a condition to such assignment, assume in substitution of the assignor all obligations of its assignor arising under this Agreement following such assignment. Any purported assignment by a Party of this Agreement, or any of such Party’s rights or obligations hereunder, in violation of this Section 14.5 will be void ab initio. Subject to the foregoing, the terms and conditions of this Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the respective successors and assigns of the Parties.

14.6. Change of Control of TRex.

14.6.1. TRex (or its successor) shall provide Lilly with written notice of any Change of Control of TRex no later than [***] after the closing date of such transaction.

14.6.2. If such Change of Control of TRex is to a Lilly Competitor, with respect to any then-active Research Program, Lilly shall have the right, in its sole discretion, by written notice delivered to TRex (or its successor) at any time during the [***] following the written notice contemplated by Section 14.6.1, to:

[***] [***]

[***] [***]

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[***] [***]

[***] [***]

14.6.3. For any Change of Control of TRex (and for clarity, in addition to the rights of Lilly under Section 14.6.2 for a Change of Control to a Lilly Competitor):

(i) to the extent that Firewalls are established in accordance with Section 14.6.3(ii), there shall be no material change in the level or nature of efforts or resources expended by TRex and its Affiliates with respect to, or the qualifications and experience of, the personnel assigned to (including with respect to the allocation of their time to) the Research Program Activities; and

(ii) at Lilly’s discretion, TRex and the Change of Control party will establish and enforce, along with any applicable Affiliate, Firewalls for as long as TRex performs any Research Program Activities.

14.7. Fees and Expenses. Except as otherwise explicitly stated in this Agreement, the Parties shall each be responsible for their own legal and other costs incurred in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

14.8. Severability. If any provision or part-provision of this Agreement is or becomes invalid, illegal or unenforceable, it shall be deemed modified to the minimum extent necessary to make it valid, legal and enforceable. If such modification is not possible, the relevant provision or part-provision shall be deemed deleted. Any modification to or deletion of a provision or part-provision under this Section shall not affect the validity and enforceability of the rest of this Agreement.

14.9. Parent Guarantee. [***] Parent’s obligations are absolute, unconditional, and irrevocable irrespective of any circumstances which might otherwise constitute, by operation of law or otherwise, a discharge of a guarantor, but subject to any defense available to TRex, and it shall not be necessary for Lilly to institute or exhaust any remedies or causes of action against TRex or any other person or entity as a condition to the obligations of the Parent under this Agreement. Parent, hereby irrevocably waives any right to receive a formal notification or to request that any other formalities or protest be accomplished and expressly undertakes not to exercise, and waives to the fullest extent lawful, any such rights that it may have under Applicable Law in each case, with respect to its guarantee obligations pursuant to this Section 14.9. Parent acknowledges that the guarantee set forth above is made with full knowledge of its significance and consequences and under the circumstances the guarantee is reasonable and not contrary to public policy. If such guarantee is determined to be contrary to any Applicable Law or public policy, such guarantee shall be effective only to the extent permitted by Applicable Law. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Parent’s obligations under this Section 14.9 shall terminate effective on the dissolution of Parent, provided that any and all assets related to this Agreement held by Parent are transferred to TRex and that TRex has no Affiliate to which it flows income under this Agreement.

14.10. Further Assurances. Each of the Parties agrees to use its reasonable endeavors to take, or cause to be taken, all actions, and to do, or cause to be done, and to assist and cooperate with the other Parties in doing, all things necessary or appropriate, including obtaining consents, approvals, agreements or waivers from Third Parties, to effect the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

14.11. Remedies Cumulative. All remedies, either under this Agreement or by law or otherwise afforded to any Party, shall be cumulative and not alternative.

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14.12. Notices. All notices and other communications given or made pursuant to this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed effectively given: (i) upon personal delivery to the Party to be notified; (ii) when sent by electronic mail or facsimile if sent during normal business hours of the recipient and acknowledged by such recipient; (iii) five (5) days after having been sent by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid; or (iv) one (1) day after deposit with a nationally recognized overnight courier, specifying next day delivery, with written verification of receipt. All communications shall be sent to the respective Parties at their email address, facsimile number or address as set forth below or as subsequently modified by written notice given in accordance with this Section 14.12:

If to Lilly, to:

Eli Lilly and Company
Lilly Corporate Center
Indianapolis, IN 46285
[***]

With a copy to:

Eli Lilly and Company
Lilly Corporate Center
Indianapolis, IN 46285
[***]

If to TRex, to:

TRex Bio, Inc.
681 Gateway Blvd., 4th Floor
South San Francisco, CA 94080
[***]
[***]

With a copy, that will not constitute notice, to:

Ropes & Gray LLP
800 Boylston Street
Boston, MA 02199 USA
[***]
[***]

14.13. Relationship of the Parties. The relationship between the Parties is and shall be that of independent contractors, and does not and shall not constitute a partnership, joint venture, agency or fiduciary relationship. Neither Party shall have the authority to make any statements, representations or commitments of any kind, or take any actions, which are binding on the other Party, except with the prior written consent of the other Party to do so. All Persons employed by a Party will be solely the employees of such Party and not of the other Party, and all costs and obligations incurred by reason of any such employment shall be for the account and expense of such Party.

14.14. No Third-Party Beneficiaries. No Person or entity other than TRex, Lilly and their respective Affiliates, successors and permitted assignees hereunder, shall be deemed an intended beneficiary hereunder or have any right to enforce any obligation of this Agreement.

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14.15. Performance by Affiliates. Except as expressly set forth otherwise in this Agreement, Lilly shall have the right to extend the rights and immunities granted in this Agreement to one (1) or more of its Affiliates. All applicable terms and provisions of this Agreement, except this right to extend, shall apply to any such Affiliate to which this Agreement has been extended to the same extent as such terms and provisions apply to Lilly extending such rights and immunities. For clarity, Lilly extending the rights and immunities granted hereunder shall remain primarily liable for any acts or omissions of its Affiliates.

14.16. Counterparts; Facsimile. This Agreement may be executed and delivered by facsimile or electronic transmission of documents in portable document format (PDF), and in two (2) or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

14.17. Titles and Subtitles. The titles and subtitles used in this Agreement are used for convenience only and are not to be considered in construing or interpreting this Agreement.

14.18. Language. The Parties have expressly requested that this Agreement and all related documents be drafted in the English language.

14.19. Interpretation. Except where the context expressly requires otherwise: (i) the use of any gender herein shall be deemed to encompass references to all genders, and the use of the singular shall be deemed to include the plural (and vice versa); (ii) the words “include,” “includes” and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase “without limitation”; (iii) the word “will” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word “shall”; (iv) any definition of or reference to any agreement, instrument or other document herein shall be construed as referring to such agreement, instrument or other document as from time to time amended, supplemented or otherwise modified (subject to any restrictions on such amendments, supplements or modifications set forth herein); (v) any reference herein to any person shall be construed to include the person’s successors and assigns; (vi) the words “herein,” “hereof” and “hereunder,” and words of similar import, shall be construed to refer to this Agreement in its entirety and not to any particular provision hereof; (vii) all references herein to Articles, Sections, Schedules shall be construed to refer to Articles, Sections, Schedules of this Agreement, and references to this Agreement include all Schedules hereto; (viii) the word “notice” means notice in writing (whether or not specifically stated) and shall include notices, consents, approvals and other written communications contemplated under this Agreement; (ix) provisions that require that a Party, the Parties or any committee hereunder “agree,” “consent” or “approve” or the like shall require that such agreement, consent or approval be specific and in writing, whether by written agreement, letter, email, approved minutes or otherwise (but excluding instant messaging); (x) references to any specific law, rule or regulation, or article, section or other division thereof, shall be deemed to include the then-current amendments thereto or any replacement or successor law, rule or regulation thereof; (xi) the term “or” shall be interpreted in the inclusive sense commonly associated with the term “and/or”; (xii) the term “to the extent” shall be interpreted to mean the extent or degree to which a subject or thing extends, and shall not simply be construed to mean the word “if”; and (xiii) the word “day,” “month” or “year” means a calendar day, month or year, respectively.

[Remainder of page intentionally left blank]

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties have caused this Agreement to be executed as of the Execution Date by their duly authorized representatives.

TRex Holdings Inc., solely for purposes of Section 14.9

 

By:

 

/s/ Johnston Erwin

Name:

 

Johnston Erwin

Title:

 

Chief Executive Officer

 

TRex Bio, Inc.

 

By:

 

/s/ Johnston Erwin

Name:

 

Johnston Erwin

Title:

 

Chief Executive Officer

 

Eli Lilly and Company

 

By:

 

/s/ David A. Ricks

Name:

 

David A. Ricks

Title:

 

Chair and Chief Executive Officer

 

54


 

Schedule 1.69
Good Research Practices

 

[Pursuant to Regulation S-K, Item 601(a)(5), this Schedule has not been filed. The Registrant agrees to furnish supplementally a copy of any omitted appendices to the Securities and Exchange Commission upon request; provided, however, that the Registrant may request confidential treatment of omitted items.]

55


 

Schedule 1.96
Licensed Patents

 

[Pursuant to Regulation S-K, Item 601(a)(5), this Schedule has not been filed. The Registrant agrees to furnish supplementally a copy of any omitted appendices to the Securities and Exchange Commission upon request; provided, however, that the Registrant may request confidential treatment of omitted items.]

56


 

Schedule 1.141
Research Plan

[Pursuant to Regulation S-K, Item 601(a)(5), this Schedule has not been filed. The Registrant agrees to furnish supplementally a copy of any omitted appendices to the Securities and Exchange Commission upon request; provided, however, that the Registrant may request confidential treatment of omitted items.]

57


 

Schedule 1.169
TRex Platform Technology

[Pursuant to Regulation S-K, Item 601(a)(5), this Schedule has not been filed. The Registrant agrees to furnish supplementally a copy of any omitted appendices to the Securities and Exchange Commission upon request; provided, however, that the Registrant may request confidential treatment of omitted items.]

58


 

Schedule 4.8
Materials Transfer Record Form

 

[Pursuant to Regulation S-K, Item 601(a)(5), this Schedule has not been filed. The Registrant agrees to furnish supplementally a copy of any omitted appendices to the Securities and Exchange Commission upon request; provided, however, that the Registrant may request confidential treatment of omitted items.]

59


 

Schedule 7.8
Form of Press Release

[Pursuant to Regulation S-K, Item 601(a)(5), this Schedule has not been filed. The Registrant agrees to furnish supplementally a copy of any omitted appendices to the Securities and Exchange Commission upon request; provided, however, that the Registrant may request confidential treatment of omitted items.]

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Exhibit A

Expert Proceedings

[Pursuant to Regulation S-K, Item 601(a)(5), this Exhibit has not been filed. The Registrant agrees to furnish supplementally a copy of any omitted appendices to the Securities and Exchange Commission upon request; provided, however, that the Registrant may request confidential treatment of omitted items.]

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Exhibit 10.2

 

FIRST AMENDMENT TO

RESEARCH COLLABORATION AND LICENSE AGREEMENT

This First Amendment to the Research Collaboration and License Agreement (this “First Amendment”), dated as of [XX], 2026 (“First Amendment Effective Date”), is made by and between Eli Lilly and Company, an Indiana corporation (“Lilly”), and TRex Bio, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“TRex”). Lilly and TRex are sometimes referred to herein individually as a “Party” and collectively as the “Parties.”

WHEREAS, Lilly, TRex, and TRex Holdings Inc., a Delaware corporation (“TRex Holdings”), are parties to that certain Research Collaboration and License Agreement dated January 6, 2023 (the “Original Agreement” and, as amended by this First Amendment, the “Agreement”) and capitalized terms used in this First Amendment shall have the meanings ascribed to them in the Original Agreement unless otherwise defined herein;

WHEREAS, pursuant to the Agreement and Plan of Merger dated as of December 31, 2024 by and between TRex Holdings and TRex, TRex Holdings merged with and into TRex, with TRex as the surviving entity (the “TRex Merger”);

WHEREAS, Lilly desires to perform a Phase 2 Clinical Trial in China for [***] Products (the “[***] China Phase 2 Clinical Trial”) to assess the efficacy of [***] Products in the treatment of adult patients with systemic lupus erythematosus with active skin manifestations;

WHEREAS, the Parties acknowledge that the conduct of the [***] China Phase 2 Clinical Trial represents a continuation of Lilly’s Development of [***] Products under the Agreement and that this First Amendment reflects the Parties’ mutual agreement regarding the Development path for such [***] Products; and

WHEREAS, the Parties desire to amend certain of the terms and conditions of the Original Agreement as set forth herein.

NOW, THEREFORE, for good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the Parties hereby agree as follows:

1.
Development Milestones. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary set forth in the Original Agreement, including in Section 6.2 (Development Milestones), the Development Milestone Payment that is due and payable to TRex under the Original Agreement for the achievement of Development Milestone Event 3 (“[***]”) by the first [***] Product to achieve such Development Milestone Event shall instead be due and payable upon the [***] by or on behalf of Lilly, its Affiliates or Sublicensees with respect to a [***] Product following the [***]; provided that (a) if the [***] by or on behalf of Lilly, its Affiliates or Sublicensees with respect to a [***] Product following the [***] or (b) the [***], then both Development Milestone Event 3 (“[***]”) and Development Milestone Event 4 (“[***]”) shall be deemed achieved, and both corresponding Development Milestone Payments shall become due and payable upon such event. For the avoidance of doubt, except as expressly modified by this Section 1 (Development Milestones), the terms and conditions of Section 6.2 of the Original Agreement shall continue to apply to such Development Milestone Payments for [***] Products, including with respect to notice timing and the limitation that each such Development Milestone Payment shall be payable only once.
2.
Updates. Without limiting Lilly’s reporting obligations pursuant to Section 5.3 (Lilly Performance) of the Original Agreement, beginning on the First Amendment Effective Date and continuing until the earlier of the termination or completion of the [***] [***] Lilly shall provide TRex with a high-level written summary regarding the status of the [***] [***] no less frequently than [***]. Lilly shall also provide TRex with a written update including the top-line results and a high-level summary of the [***] [***] within [***] after the availability of top-line data from the [***] [***].
3.
Development Decision. Lilly shall notify TRex in writing (a) [***] [***] of its intent to continue or discontinue development of the [***] Product, and (b) if at any time thereafter it decides to discontinue the development of the [***] Product. For the avoidance of doubt, failure by Lilly to provide notice within the period specified in clause (a) shall not constitute a decision to discontinue development of the [***] Product. Upon Lilly’s delivery of a notice

 

of discontinuation pursuant to this Section 3, the Agreement shall automatically be deemed terminated with respect to the [***] Products, and except for any post-termination rights and obligations set forth in the Agreement and this First Amendment, each Party shall have no further rights, licenses, or obligations under the Agreement with respect to the [***] Products.
4.
Option for Reversion Rights. Upon any termination of the Agreement with respect to the [***] Products pursuant to Section 3 (Development Decision) of this First Amendment, and notwithstanding Section 8.11 (Right of Negotiation for [***] and [***] and [***]) of the Original Agreement, Lilly shall, within [***] after the effective date of such termination, provide TRex with access to a virtual data room containing all material data, information, and documents in Lilly’s possession or Control relating to the Development, Manufacture, and Commercialization of the [***] Products (the “Data Room”). TRex shall have a period of [***] following its receipt of access to the Data Room (the “Reversion Option Exercise Period”) to review the information contained therein. TRex may elect, at any time before the expiration of the Reversion Option Exercise Period, by providing Lilly with written notice, to obtain some or all of the rights set forth in Sections 4(a) (Assignment of Regulatory Submissions) through 4(g) (Responsibility for Costs) of this First Amendment.
a.
Assignment of Regulatory Submissions. Lilly will and hereby does effective upon TRex’s election pursuant to this Section 4, grant and will cause its Affiliates and Sublicensees to, (a) assign to TRex all of its rights, title, and interests in and to all Clinical Trial data, Regulatory Filings, Regulatory Approvals, and Marketing Approvals owned or Controlled by Lilly or any of its Affiliates or its Sublicensees as of the effective date of termination that are solely related to the [***] Products or Program Antibodies directed to the [***] Target, and (b) take those steps reasonably necessary to transfer ownership of all such assigned Regulatory Filings, Regulatory Approvals, and Marketing Approvals to TRex, including submitting to each applicable Regulatory Authority a letter or other necessary documentation notifying such Regulatory Authority of the transfer of such ownership of such Regulatory Filings, Regulatory Approvals, and Marketing Approvals; provided that, with respect to Clinical Trial data, (i) any transfer or assignment shall be subject to applicable privacy and data protection laws, (ii) any such transfer or assignment shall be contingent upon Lilly obtaining any necessary governmental or regulatory consents or approvals required to effectuate such transfer, and Lilly shall use reasonable efforts to obtain such consents or approvals, and (iii) the Parties shall negotiate in good faith and enter into any data transfer agreements or other arrangements as may be required to enable such transfer in compliance with Applicable Law and Lilly’s policies.
b.
License Grant to TRex. Lilly will, and hereby does effective upon TRex’s election pursuant to this Section 4, grant to TRex an exclusive (except to perform any of Lilly’s surviving obligations), royalty-bearing (as set forth in this Section 4(b)), worldwide, transferable license and right of reference, with the right to sublicense through multiple tiers, to (a) the Clinical Trial data, CMC data, Regulatory Filings, Regulatory Approvals, and Marketing Approvals owned or Controlled by Lilly or its Affiliates or its Sublicensees that are solely related to the [***] Product or Program Antibodies directed to the [***] Target, and (b) Patents and Know-How owned or Controlled by Lilly that were generated specifically in connection with the Development of a [***] Product or Program Antibody directed to the [***] Target under the Agreement, in each case ((a) and (b)), to the extent necessary to Develop, Manufacture, and Commercialize such [***] Products and Program Antibodies directed to the [***] Target. In consideration of the license granted under this Section 4(b), TRex shall pay to Lilly a royalty on Net Sales of [***] Products by TRex, its Affiliates or sublicensees on a [***] Product-by-[***] Product and country-by-country basis commencing on the First Commercial Sale (as such term is defined in the Agreement, mutatis mutandis TRex substituted for Lilly) of the applicable [***] Product in the applicable country and continuing until the later of (i) expiry of the last Valid Claim for such [***] Product in such country, (ii) the expiration of Regulatory Exclusivity in such country for such [***] Product, or (iii) the ten (10) year anniversary of such First Commercial Sale, calculated at the following rates: (i) [***] for the portion of annual Net Sales up to and including [***]; (ii) [***] for the portion of annual Net Sales greater than [***] and up to and including [***]; and (iii) [***] for the portion of annual Net Sales greater than [***]. If Lilly is unable to sublicense any Patents or Know-How owned by Third Parties to TRex pursuant to this Section 4(b) (License Grant to TRex) without the consent of the applicable Third Party, then, at TRex’s request and expense, Lilly will use reasonable efforts to facilitate the assignment of such licenses to TRex.
c.
Lilly Wind-Down. Lilly will, in accordance with Lilly's standard practices and procedures for winding down clinical development programs, wind-down any on-going Development activities for [***] Products, including

 

any Clinical Trials of [***] Products, for which it has responsibility hereunder in an orderly manner. Lilly will be responsible for any External Expenses associated with such wind-down.
d.
Lilly Knowledge and Inventory Transfer. Lilly will provide to TRex or its designated Affiliate or Third Party copies of all material data, reports, records, and other material sales and marketing-related information in Lilly’s possession and Control to the extent that such data, reports, records, materials, or other information solely relate to the Development, Manufacture, or Commercialization of the [***] Products. In connection with such transfer, Lilly will, at TRex’s option, transfer to TRex or its designated Affiliate or Third Party all inventory in Lilly’s possession of the [***] Products, Program Antibodies directed to the [***] Target, and components and works in process held by Lilly with respect to the Manufacture of the [***] Products as of the effective date of termination of this Agreement at no cost to TRex; provided that TRex will bear any out-of-pocket expenses incurred by Lilly in transferring such inventory.
e.
Necessary Third Party Agreements. At TRex’s written request, Lilly will assign to TRex any agreement entered into by and between Lilly or any of its Affiliates or its Sublicensees, on the one hand, and one or more Third Parties, on the other hand, that relates solely to the Development, Manufacture, or Commercialization of [***] Products in the Territory (a “Necessary Third Party Agreement”), unless assignment of any such Necessary Third Party Agreement is not permitted, in which case Lilly (or such Affiliate or Sublicensee, as applicable) will use reasonable efforts to secure the consent of the applicable Third Party to such assignment. If any such assignment or consent cannot be obtained, Lilly will, at TRex’s request, use reasonable efforts to facilitate an introduction between TRex and the applicable Third Party so that TRex may negotiate its own arrangements directly with such Third Party.
f.
Supply of Product. If Lilly is utilizing a Third Party manufacturer for [***] Products as of the effective date of termination, at TRex’s written request and expense, Lilly will use reasonable efforts to facilitate a direct manufacturing relationship between TRex and such Third Party manufacturer, including facilitating introductions and, where applicable, assigning or consenting to the assignment of any relevant manufacturing agreements that relate solely to the [***] Products pursuant to Section 4(e) (Necessary Third Party Agreements) of this First Amendment. If Lilly itself is Manufacturing any [***] Products as of the effective date of termination, at TRex’s written request, the Parties will negotiate in good faith a supply agreement under which Lilly will supply to TRex such quantities of such [***] Products, at TRex’s expense, until the earlier of (a) such time as TRex has established an alternate, validated source of supply for such [***] Products, and (b) [***] from the effective date of termination of the Agreement.
g.
Responsibility for Costs. Except as otherwise specified in this Section 4, TRex will bear the costs incurred in connection with the activities under this Section 4 (Option for Reversion Rights), including any costs of transfer, assignment, and procurement of third party consents. For the avoidance of doubt, Lilly will bear its own internal costs associated with providing reasonable cooperation in connection with the foregoing.
5.
Merger of TRex Holdings with TRex Bio. The Parties acknowledge and agree that TRex Holdings’ obligations under Section 14.9 (Parent Guarantee) of the Original Agreement terminated effective on December 31, 2024 pursuant to the TRex Merger and that any and all assets related to this Agreement held by TRex Holdings are now held by TRex. All other references in the Original Agreement to “TRex Holdings Inc.” or “Parent” shall be deemed to refer to TRex.
6.
No Other Amendments. Except as expressly amended hereby, all of the terms and conditions of the Original Agreement shall remain in full force and effect, and, on and following the First Amendment Effective Date the term “this Agreement” in the Agreement means the Original Agreement as amended by this First Amendment.
7.
Counterparts; Facsimile. This First Amendment may be executed and delivered by facsimile or electronic transmission of documents in portable document format (PDF), and in two (2) or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

 

(Signature Page Follows)

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the Parties has duly executed and delivered this First Amendment as of the First Amendment Effective Date.

 

Eli Lilly and Company

TRex Bio, Inc.

 

[***]

By:

/s/ Johnston Erwin

 

[***]

Name:

Johnston Erwin

 

[***]

Title:

CEO

 

Date:

6/24/2026

 


Exhibit 10.3

LEASE AGREEMENT

THIS LEASE AGREEMENT (this “Lease”) is made this 15th day of April, 2026 (the “Effective Date”), between ARE-SAN FRANCISCO NO. 46, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Landlord”), and TREX BIO, INC., a Delaware corporation (“Tenant”).

BASIC LEASE PROVISIONS

 

Building:

269 East Grand Avenue, South San Francisco, California, and located on the real property owned by Landlord and described on Exhibit B (the “Property”).

Premises:

That portion of the third floor of Building, commonly known as Suite 300, containing approximately 33,780 rentable square feet, as shown on Exhibit A.

Project:

The project known as “Alexandria Center for Advanced Technologies – South San Francisco”, as described on Exhibit B, located on the Property and property owned by Landlord and affiliates of Landlord and operated as a single mixed-use complex, including the Building and those certain buildings commonly known as 249 E. Grand Avenue, 259 E. Grand Avenue and 279 E. Grand Avenue, together with all current and future buildings and improvements thereon and appurtenances thereto.

Base Rent:

Initially, $4.50 per rentable square foot of the Premises per month, subject to adjustment pursuant to Section 4 hereof.

 

Rentable Area of Premises: 33,780 sq. ft.

Rentable Area of Building: 84,157 sq. ft.

Rentable Area of Project: 649,086 sq. ft

Tenant’s Share of Operating Expenses of Building: 40.14%

Building’s Share of Operating Expenses of Project: 12.97%

Security Deposit Amount: $152,010.00

Target Commencement Date: August 21, 2026

Rent Adjustment Percentage: 3%

 


 

 

Base Term:

Beginning on the Commencement Date and ending 27 months from the first day of the first full month following the Commencement Date. For clarity, if the Commencement Date occurs on the first day of a month, the expiration of the Base Term shall be measured from that date. If the Commencement Date occurs on a day other than the first day of a month, the expiration of the Base Term shall be measured from the first day of the following month.

Permitted Use:

Research and development laboratory, related office and other related uses consistent with the character of the Project and otherwise in compliance with the provisions of Section 7 hereof.

 

 


 

Net Multi-Tenant Laboratory

269 E. Grand – Suite 300/Trex Bio – Page 3

 

 

Address for Rent Payment:
Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc.
Dept LA 23447
Pasadena, CA 91185-3447

Landlord’s Notice Address:
26 North Euclid Avenue
Pasadena, CA 91101
Attention: Corporate Secretary
Email: legalnotice@are.com

Tenant’s Notice Address
Prior to Commencement Date:

681 Gateway Boulevard, 4th Floor
South San Francisco, CA 94080
Attention: Lease Administrator

Tenant’s Notice Address
After Commencement Date:
269 E. Grand Avenue, Suite 300
South San Francisco, CA 94080
Attention: Lease Administrator

 

The following Exhibits and Addenda are attached hereto and incorporated herein by this reference:

 

[X]

EXHIBIT A - PREMISES DESCRIPTION

 

[X]

EXHIBIT B - PROPERTY/PROJECT DESCRIPTION

[X]

EXHIBIT C - WORK LETTER

 

[X]

EXHIBIT D - COMMENCEMENT DATE

[X]

EXHIBIT E - RULES AND REGULATIONS

 

[X]

EXHIBIT F – TENANT’S PERSONAL PROPERTY

[X]

EXHIBIT G - OPEX EXCLUSIONS

 

[X]

EXHIBIT H - LANDLORD’S FF&E

 

1. Lease of Premises. Upon and subject to all of the terms and conditions hereof, Landlord hereby leases the Premises to Tenant and Tenant hereby leases the Premises from Landlord. The portions of the Project that are for the non-exclusive use of tenants of the Project are collectively referred to herein as the “Common Areas.” Subject to the terms and conditions of this Lease, Tenant shall have the appurtenant right to use the Common Areas along with others having the right thereto. The Common Areas shall include, without limitation, any common amenities now or hereafter located in, on or otherwise serving the Project, if any, as may exist from time to time, as determined by Landlord in Landlord’s sole and absolute discretion (each, a “Project Amenity” and collectively, the “Project Amenities”). Landlord reserves the right to modify the Common Areas, provided that such modifications do not materially adversely affect Tenant’s use of the Premises for the Permitted Use. From and after the Commencement Date through the expiration of the Term (as defined in Section 2), Tenant shall have access to the Building and the Premises 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, except in the case of emergencies, as the result of Legal Requirements, the performance by Landlord of any installation, maintenance or repairs, or any other temporary interruptions, and otherwise subject to the terms of this Lease.

2. Delivery; Acceptance of Premises; Commencement Date. Landlord shall use reasonable efforts to deliver the Premises to Tenant on or before the Target Commencement Date, with the Tenant Improvements Substantially Completed and in broom clean condition (“Delivery” or “Deliver”). If Landlord fails to timely Deliver the Premises, Landlord shall not be liable to Tenant for any loss or damage resulting therefrom, and this Lease shall not be void or voidable except as provided herein. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, if Landlord fails to Deliver the Premises to Tenant by the date that is 40 days after the Target Commencement

 


 

Net Multi-Tenant Laboratory

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Date (as such date may be extended for Force Majeure (as defined in Section 34) delays and Tenant Delays, the “Abatement Date”), then Base Rent payable with respect to the Premises shall be abated 1 day for each day after the Abatement Date (as such date may be amended for Force Majeure delays and Tenant Delays) that Landlord fails to Deliver the Premises to Tenant. If Landlord (1) has not provided a Temporary Premises (as defined below) to Tenant pursuant to the final paragraph of this Section 2 and Landlord does not Deliver the Premises within 90 days of the Target Commencement Date for any reason other than Force Majeure delays and Tenant Delays, or (2) does not Deliver the Premises within 180 days of the Target Commencement Date for any reason other than Tenant Delays, this Lease may be terminated by Tenant by written notice to Landlord, and if so terminated by Tenant: (a) the Security Deposit, or any balance thereof (i.e., after deducting therefrom all amounts to which Landlord is entitled under the provisions of this Lease), shall be returned to Tenant, and (b) neither Landlord nor Tenant shall have any further rights, duties or obligations under this Lease, except with respect to provisions which expressly survive termination of this Lease. If Tenant does not elect to void this Lease within 5 business days of the lapse of such 90 day period (as extended by Force Majeure delays and Tenant Delays) set forth in subsection (1) above, such right to void this Lease pursuant to subsection (1) above shall be waived and this Lease shall remain in full force and effect, except for the termination right set forth in subsection (2) above. If this Lease has not been terminated pursuant to subsection (1) above and Tenant does not elect to void this Lease within 5 business days of the lapse of the 180 day period (as extended by Tenant Delays) pursuant to subsection (2) above, such right to void this Lease shall be waived and this Lease shall remain in full force and effect. As used herein, the terms “Tenant Improvements,” “Tenant Delays” and “Substantially Completed” shall have the meanings set forth for such terms in the Work Letter. Tenant acknowledges and agrees that as of the Commencement Date, (x) the installation of the deionized water system serving the Premises may not be completed and the autoclave included as part of the Tenant Improvements may not be installed (collectively, the “Delayed Improvements”), and (y) the installation of the Delayed Improvements shall not be required in order for the Tenant Improvements to be Substantially Completed. Landlord shall use commercially reasonable efforts to substantially complete the Delayed Improvements by the date that is 6 weeks after the Commencement Date (subject to Force Majeure and delays caused by Tenant). If Landlord fails to substantially complete the Delayed Improvements by the date that is 6 weeks after the Commencement Date (as such date may be extended for Force Majeure delays and delays caused by Tenant, the “Delayed Improvements Abatement Date”), then Base Rent payable with respect to the Premises shall be abated 1 day for each day after the Delayed Improvements Abatement Date (as such date may be amended for Force Majeure delays and delays caused by Tenant) that Landlord fails to substantially complete the Delayed Improvements. Tenant acknowledges that Landlord shall require access to portions of the Premises after the Commencement Date in order to complete the Delayed Improvements. Landlord shall have the right to enter the Premises after the Commencement Date to perform the Delayed Improvements and Tenant shall cooperate with Landlord in connection with the same. Tenant acknowledges that Landlord’s performance of the Delayed Improvements may adversely affect Tenant’s use and occupancy of the Premises. Landlord shall use commercially reasonable efforts to minimize interference with Tenant’s operations in the Premises in connection with Landlord’s performance of the Delayed Improvements. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, in no event shall Landlord have any obligation to incur any additional or overtime costs to complete Landlord’s Work. Tenant waives all claims against Landlord for rent abatement in connection with the Delayed Improvements.

 


 

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If Landlord fails to Deliver the Premises to Tenant by August 31, 2026 (as such date may be extended by Tenant Delays but not Force Majeure, the “Premium Date”), then Tenant shall be entitled to a credit against Base Rent equal to the Holdover Premium actually required to be paid by Tenant pursuant to that certain Laboratory License – 681 Gateway Boulevard, South San Francisco, CA dated effective December 12, 2019, as amended by that certain First Amendment to Laboratory License Agreement dated September 10, 2020, as amended by that certain Second Amendment to Laboratory License Agreement dated April 15, 2022, as amended by that Third Amendment to Laboratory License Agreement dated July 14, 2023, as amended by that certain Fourth Amendment to Laboratory License Agreement dated May 1, 2024, as amended by that certain Fifth Amendment to Laboratory License Agreement dated March 11, 2025, as amended by that certain Sixth Amendment to Laboratory License Agreement dated December 20, 2025, and as amended by that certain Seventh Amendment to Laboratory License Agreement dated March 2, 2026 (collectively, the “681 Gateway License”). As used herein, the “Holdover Premium” shall mean the amount of $117,510.41 per month, which is the penalty amount required to be paid by Tenant over and above the amount of the license fee that is otherwise payable by Tenant each month during the 6 month period immediately preceding the Premium Date in order for Tenant to hold over in their current space at 681 Gateway Boulevard, South San Francisco, California. Landlord shall, however, only be responsible for the portion of the Holdover Premium due during the period between the Premium Date and the earlier of (A) the date that Landlord Delivers the Premises to Tenant, or (B) the date that Tenant terminates this Lease pursuant to the immediately preceding paragraph. Tenant represents and warrants to Landlord that the Holdover Premium shall be due and payable by Tenant under the 681 Gateway License if Tenant holds over. If Tenant agrees to any amendments or modifications to the 681 Gateway License which in any way increase or result in an increase in the Holdover Premium, Tenant shall be solely responsible for paying the increased portion of such Holdover Premium. Payment of the Holdover Premium for any fractional calendar month shall be prorated. If Tenant is entitled to a credit pursuant to the first sentence of this paragraph, then Landlord shall apply such credit toward Base Rent first coming due under this Lease until the full amount of the credit has been exhausted.

The “Commencement Date” shall be the earlier of: (i) the date Landlord Delivers the Premises to Tenant; and (ii) the date Landlord could have Delivered the Premises but for Tenant Delays. Upon request of Landlord, Tenant shall execute and deliver a written acknowledgment of the Commencement Date, the Base Rent Commencement Date (as defined in Section 3(a)) and the expiration date of the Term when such are established in the form of the “Acknowledgement of Commencement Date” attached to this Lease as Exhibit D; provided, however, Tenant’s failure to execute and deliver such acknowledgment shall not affect Landlord’s rights hereunder. The “Term” of this Lease shall be the Base Term, as defined in the Basic Lease Provisions and the Extension Term which Tenant may exercise pursuant to Section 40 of this Lease.

 


 

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During the Term, Tenant shall have the right, at no additional cost, to use the furniture, fixtures and equipment listed on Exhibit H (“Landlord’s FF&E”), all of which Landlord’s FF&E is and shall remain the property of Landlord. Tenant shall have no right to remove any of Landlord’s FF&E from the Premises and Landlord’s FF&E shall be returned to Landlord at the expiration or earlier termination of the Term in substantially the same condition as received by Tenant, except for ordinary wear and tear and casualty.

Except as set forth in the Work Letter: (A) Tenant shall accept the Premises in their condition as of the Commencement Date; (B) Landlord shall have no obligation for any defects in the Premises; and (C) Tenant’s taking possession of the Premises shall be conclusive evidence that Tenant accepts the Premises and that the Premises were in good condition at the time possession was taken. Any occupancy of the Premises by Tenant before the Commencement Date shall be subject to all of the terms and conditions of this Lease, excluding the obligation to pay Base Rent and Operating Expenses.

Landlord shall, at its sole cost and expense (which shall not constitute an Operating Expense), be responsible for any repairs that are required to be made to the Building Systems (as defined in Section 13) serving the Premises of which Tenant notifies Landlord in writing within the 365 consecutive calendar days after the Commencement Date, unless Tenant or any Tenant Party was responsible for the cause of such repair, in which case Tenant shall pay the cost. Tenant shall also have the benefit of any warranties issued to Landlord with respect to the Building Systems serving the Premises.

Tenant agrees and acknowledges that, except as otherwise expressly set forth in this Lease or in the Work Letter, neither Landlord nor any agent of Landlord has made any representation or warranty with respect to the condition of all or any portion of the Premises, the Building or the Project, and/or the suitability of the Premises, the Building or the Project for the conduct of Tenant’s business, and Tenant waives any implied warranty that the Premises, the Building or the Project are suitable for the Permitted Use. This Lease constitutes the complete agreement of Landlord and Tenant with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes any and all prior representations, inducements, promises, agreements, understandings and negotiations that are not contained herein. Landlord in executing this Lease does so in reliance upon Tenant’s representations, warranties, acknowledgments and agreements contained herein.

If Landlord is unable to Deliver the Premises to Tenant by August 31, 2026 (for any reason other than Tenant Delays), Landlord shall cause ARE-East Jamie Court, LLC, an affiliate of Landlord (“Jamie Court Landlord”) to make available temporary laboratory and office space (“Temporary Premises”) to Tenant in that certain building located at 450 E. Jamie Court in South San Francisco (the “450 Jamie Court Building”) owned by Jamie Court Landlord until the Premises are Delivered pursuant to a separate written agreement acceptable to Tenant and Landlord (or Landlord’s affiliate), each in their sole and absolute discretion. If Tenant occupies a Temporary Premises, the (a) Tenant shall not be required to pay base rent or operating expenses for any period prior to and including the date that is ten (10) days after the Delivery of the Premises to Tenant, and (b) Landlord shall reimburse Tenant for the reasonable moving costs incurred by Tenant to relocate from (i) its current premises at 681 Gateway Boulevard in South San Francisco to the Temporary Premises, and (ii) the Temporary Premises to the Premises.

 


 

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3. Rent.

(a) Base Rent. Tenant shall deliver to Landlord, concurrent with Tenant’s delivery of an executed copy of this Lease to Landlord, the Base Rent due for the calendar month in which the Base Rent Commencement Date occurs (or, if the Base Rent Commencement Date does not occur on the first day of a calendar month, Base Rent for the first full calendar month following the Base Rent Commencement Date). Tenant shall pay to Landlord in advance, without demand, abatement, deduction or set-off, monthly installments of Base Rent on or before the first day of each calendar month during the Term hereof after the Base Rent Commencement Date, in lawful currency of the United States of America, to the physical address designated by Landlord or by federally insured electronic fund transfer (“EFT”) via wire, Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Communications (SWIFT) or automated clearing house (ACH) pursuant to the instructions provided by Landlord to Tenant (the “EFT Payment Instructions”). All EFT payments made by Tenant pursuant to this Section 3(a) must include a reference to ARE-San Francisco No. 46, LLC as well as the address of the Building (i.e., 269 E. Grand Avenue). Payments of Base Rent for any fractional calendar month shall be prorated. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, if the Base Rent Commencement Date occurs on a day other than the first day of a calendar month, then Tenant shall pay to Landlord the prorated Base Rent for such partial month on the Base Rent Commencement Date and the prepaid Base Rent delivered by Tenant pursuant to this first sentence of this Section 3(a) shall be applied to the first full calendar month following the Base Rent Commencement Date. The obligation of Tenant to pay Base Rent and other sums to Landlord and the obligations of Landlord under this Lease are independent obligations. Tenant shall have no right at any time to abate, reduce, or set-off any Rent (as defined in Section 5) due hereunder except for any abatement as may be expressly provided in this Lease.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Lease, so long as Tenant is not in default under this Lease beyond all applicable notice and cure periods, Tenant shall not be required to pay Base Rent for the period commencing on the Commencement Date through the day that is 6 months after the Commencement Date (the “Base Rent Abatement Period”). For illustration purposes, if the Commencement Date occurs on September 1, 2026, then the Base Rent Commencement Date shall be March 1, 2027. Tenant shall commence paying 100% of the Base Rent required to be paid under this Lease on the day immediately following the expiration of the Base Rent Abatement Period (the “Base Rent Commencement Date”). For the avoidance of doubt, Tenant is required to pay Operating Expenses during the Base Rent Abatement Period.

(b) Additional Rent. In addition to Base Rent, Tenant agrees to pay to Landlord as additional rent (“Additional Rent”): (i) Tenant’s Share of “Operating Expenses” (as defined in Section 5) as provided in Section 5, and (ii) any and all other amounts Tenant assumes or agrees to pay under the provisions of this Lease, including, without limitation, any and all other sums that may become due by reason of any failure to comply with the agreements, terms, covenants and conditions of this Lease to be performed by Tenant, after any applicable notice and cure period. Tenant shall pay to Landlord any and all Additional Rent due hereunder by EFT in accordance with the EFT Payment Instructions. All EFT payments made by Tenant pursuant to this Section 3(b) must include a reference to ARE-San Francisco No. 46, LLC as well as the address of the Building (i.e., 269 E. Grand Avenue).

 


 

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4. Adjustments. Base Rent shall be increased on each annual anniversary of the Commencement Date (provided, however, that if the Commencement Date occurs on a day other than the first day of a calendar month, then Base Rent shall be increased on each annual anniversary of the first day of the first full calendar month immediately following the Commencement Date) (each an “Adjustment Date”) by multiplying the Base Rent payable immediately before such Adjustment Date by the Rent Adjustment Percentage and adding the resulting amount to the Base Rent payable immediately before such Adjustment Date. Base Rent, as so adjusted, shall thereafter be due as provided herein. Base Rent adjustments for any fractional calendar month shall be prorated.

5. Operating Expense Payments.

(a) Landlord shall deliver to Tenant a written estimate of Operating Expenses for each calendar year during the Term (the “Annual Estimate”), which may be revised by Landlord from time to time during such calendar year. Commencing on the Commencement Date, and continuing thereafter on the first day of each calendar month during the Term, Tenant shall pay Landlord an amount equal to 1/12th of Tenant’s Share of the Annual Estimate. Payments for any fractional calendar month shall be prorated.

(b) The term “Operating Expenses” means all costs and expenses of any kind or description whatsoever incurred or accrued each calendar year by Landlord with respect to the Building (including the Building’s Share of all costs and expenses of any kind or description incurred or accrued by Landlord with respect to the Project) including, without limitation, (1) Taxes (as defined in Section 9), (2) insurance, (3) the cost of upgrades to the Building or Project or enhanced services provided at the Building and/or Project which are intended to encourage social distancing, promote and protect health and physical well-being and/or intended to limit the spread of Infectious Conditions (as defined in Section 26), (4) the cost of the Project Amenities (including, without limitation, reimbursement by Landlord to affiliates of Landlord for market rent paid by such affiliates to Landlord for Project Amenities space, commercially reasonable reduced rent, commercially reasonable subsidies or other commercially reasonable concessions which Landlord may provide in connection with the Project Amenities), (5) transportation services (including the Shuttle Service Costs (as defined in Section 42(s))), and (6) the cost of repairs, improvements and replacements, provided that to the extent that such repairs, improvements and/or replacements are reasonably determined by Landlord in accordance with sound real estate accounting principles to be capital in nature (each, a “Capital Expenditure”), such costs shall be amortized over the lesser of 10 years and the useful life of such Capital Expenditure with interest at 8.5% per annum, excluding only those costs and expenses listed on Exhibit G.

As part of Operating Expenses, Tenant shall be required to pay the costs of Landlord’s third party property manager or, if there is no third party property manager, administration rent in the amount of 3% of Base Rent. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, during the Base Rent Abatement Period, Tenant shall be required to pay administration rent each month equal to the amount of the administration rent that Tenant would have been required to pay in the absence of there being a Base Rent Abatement Period.

 


 

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In addition, notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Lease, Operating Expenses incurred or accrued by Landlord with respect to any Capital Expenditures that are reasonably expected by Landlord to reduce overall Operating Expenses (for example, without limitation, by reducing energy usage at the Project) (the “Energy Savings Costs”) shall be amortized over a period of years equal to the least of (A) 10 years, (B) the useful life of such Capital Expenditures, and (C) the quotient of (i) the Energy Savings Costs, divided by (ii) the annual amount of Operating Expenses reasonably expected by Landlord to be saved as a result of such Capital Expenditures.

Landlord shall not be entitled to collect Operating Expenses from the tenants of the Project in excess of 100% of the total Operating Expenses actually incurred by Landlord nor shall Landlord be entitled to make any profit from Landlord’s collection of Operating Expenses. Landlord may not include in Operating Expenses any item that would involve a double collection for such item by Landlord.

(c) Within 90 days after the end of each calendar year (or such longer period as may be reasonably required), Landlord shall furnish to Tenant a statement for the previous calendar year (an “Annual Statement”) showing in reasonable detail: (i) the total Operating Expenses, (ii) Tenant’s Share of Operating Expenses, and (iii) the total amount of Operating Expenses actually paid by Tenant. If Tenant’s Share of Operating Expenses for such calendar year exceeds the total amount of Operating Expenses actually paid by Tenant for such calendar year, then the excess shall be due and payable by Tenant as Rent within 30 days after delivery of such Annual Statement to Tenant. If the total amount of Operating Expenses actually paid by Tenant for such calendar year exceeds the amount of Tenant’s Share of Operating Expenses for such calendar year, then Landlord shall pay the excess to Tenant within 30 days after delivery of such Annual Statement, except that after the expiration or earlier termination of the Term, or if Tenant is delinquent in its obligation to pay Rent, Landlord shall pay the excess to Tenant after deducting all other amounts due Landlord. Landlord’s and Tenant’s obligations to pay any overpayments or deficiencies due pursuant to this paragraph shall survive the expiration or earlier termination of this Lease.

(d) The Annual Statement shall be final and binding upon Tenant unless Tenant, within 60 days after Landlord’s delivery to Tenant of the Annual Statement, shall contest any item therein by giving written notice to Landlord, specifying each item contested and the reason therefor. If, during such 60 day period, Tenant reasonably and in good faith questions or contests the accuracy of Landlord’s statement of Tenant’s Share of Operating Expenses, Landlord will provide Tenant with access to Landlord’s tax bills, insurance bills and invoices (which may be provided in an electronic format or through a file sharing site to which Landlord shall give Tenant access) relating to the operation of the Project for the calendar year reflected in such Annual Statement as Landlord reasonably determines to be responsive to Tenant’s questions (the “Expense Information”). If after Tenant’s review of such Expense Information, Landlord and Tenant cannot agree upon the amount of Tenant’s Share of Operating Expenses, then Tenant shall have the right to have a regionally or nationally recognized independent public accounting firm selected by Tenant and approved by Landlord (which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed), working pursuant to a fee arrangement other than a contingent fee (at Tenant’s sole cost and expense), audit and/or review the Expense Information for the calendar year in question (the “Independent Review”). The results of any such Independent Review shall be binding on Landlord and Tenant. If the Independent Review shows that the payments actually made by Tenant

 


 

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with respect to Operating Expenses for the calendar year in question exceeded Tenant’s Share of Operating Expenses for such calendar year, Landlord shall at Landlord’s option either (i) credit the excess amount to the next succeeding installments of estimated Operating Expenses or (ii) pay the excess to Tenant within 30 days after delivery of such statement, except that after the expiration or earlier termination of this Lease or if Tenant is delinquent in its obligation to pay Rent, Landlord shall pay the excess to Tenant after deducting all other amounts due Landlord. If the Independent Review shows that Tenant’s payments with respect to Operating Expenses for such calendar year were less than Tenant’s Share of Operating Expenses for the calendar year, Tenant shall pay the deficiency to Landlord within 30 days after delivery of such statement. If the Independent Review shows that Tenant has overpaid with respect to Operating Expenses by more than 5% then Landlord shall reimburse Tenant for all actual, out-of-pocket costs incurred by Tenant for the Independent Review. Tenant shall not disclose any Expense Information provided or the results of any Independent Review to any third parties; provided, however, that Tenant may disclose such information to Tenant’s employees, attorneys, accountants and lease administrators (provided that Tenant shall deliver written notice to all parties requiring them to treat such information as confidential) in connection with Tenant’s business at the Premises or if required in connection with any dispute resolution proceeding between Landlord and Tenant.

(e) Operating Expenses for the calendar years in which Tenant’s obligation to share therein begins and ends shall be prorated. Notwithstanding anything set forth herein to the contrary, if the Building is not at least 95% occupied on average during any year of the Term, Tenant’s Share of Operating Expenses for such year with respect to Variable Operating Expenses shall be computed as though the Building had been 95% occupied on average during such year. “Variable Operating Expenses” shall mean those Operating Expenses which vary by occupancy including, without limitation, electricity, trash removal and other Utilities. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if Landlord elects to gross up any Variable Operating Expenses in the Controllable Operating Expense Base Year (defined in Section 5(g) below), such grossed-up amounts shall be excluded from the calculation of Controllable Operating Expenses (defined in Section 5(g) below) for purposes of establishing the Controllable Operating Expenses payable by Tenant during the Controllable Operating Expense Base Year, and only the actual costs incurred (without gross-up) shall be included in such calculation for Controllable Operating Expense Base Year.

(f) “Tenant’s Share” shall be the percentage set forth on the first page of this Lease as “Tenant’s Share of Operating Expenses of Building,” and “Building’s Share” shall be the percentage set forth on the first page of this Lease as “Building’s Share of Operating Expenses of Project,” each as may be reasonably adjusted by Landlord for changes in the physical size of the Premises, Building and/or Project occurring thereafter. Landlord and Tenant hereby stipulate to the rentable square footage of the Premises set forth in the Basic Lease Provisions and agree that such rentable square footage of the Premises shall not be subject to re-measurement by either party during the Base Term. Landlord may equitably increase Tenant’s Share for any Operating Expenses that relate to any item of expense or cost (1) equitably and reasonably allocated only to the Premises or the Building, (2) equitably and reasonably allocated to only a portion of the Building or Project that includes the Premises, or (3) a greater proportion of which is equitably and reasonably allocated to the Premises, or a portion of the Building or Project that includes the Premises, as reasonably determined by Landlord. Landlord may equitably increase the Building’s Share for any Operating Expenses that relate to any items of expense or cost (A) equitably and reasonably allocated to only the Building or a portion of the Project that includes the Building, or

 


 

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(B) a greater proportion of which is equitably and reasonably allocated to the Building or a portion of the Project that includes the Building, as reasonably determined by Landlord. Base Rent, Tenant’s Share of Operating Expenses and all other amounts payable by Tenant to Landlord hereunder are collectively referred to herein as “Rent.”

(g) Following the first full calendar year after the Commencement Date (the “Controllable Operating Expense Base Year”), that part of Operating Expenses which is comprised of Controllable Operating Expenses (as defined below) only shall be increased by no more than 5% per year during the Base Term. Such limitation of 5% per year on increases shall be cumulative year to year, so that if in any year the increase in cumulative Controllable Operating Expenses is more or less than 5%, then the difference between 5% and the actual percentage increase in that year may be carried forward to any future year, and may be applied in such future year to increase the actual percentage increase (even if more than 5% for such year) subject to the limitation that Controllable Operating Expenses shall not have increased by more than 5% compounded annually since January 1st of the first Controllable Operating Expense Base Year. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Landlord may exclude from the Controllable Operating Expense Year any non-recurring Controllable Operating Expense costs or charges, if any, incurred only during the Controllable Operating Expense Base Year. “Controllable Operating Expenses” shall mean those Operating Expenses for which increases are reasonably within the control of Landlord, and, for the avoidance of doubt, shall specifically not include, without limitation, Taxes, assessments, the cost of the Project Amenities, refuse and or trash removal, insurance, collectively bargained union wages, landscaping costs, security costs, Shuttle Service Costs, payroll, the amortized cost of Capital Expenditures, expenses caused by changes in Legal Requirements, repairs and replacements costs, costs incurred due to Force Majeure events, janitorial services and Utilities. There shall be no limitation on the amount of increase from year to year on Operating Expenses which are not Controllable Operating Expenses. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Section 5(g), to the extent that any new line item or new category of costs or expenses arises during the Base Term (each, a “New Expense Item”), Landlord may pass through such New Expense Item as part of Operating Expenses; provided, however, that to the extent that such New Expense Item is a Controllable Operating Expense, following the first full calendar year after such New Expense Item arises, such New Expense Item shall be increased, subject to the second full sentence of this Section 5(g), by no more than 5% per year during the Base Term. Landlord and Tenant acknowledge and agree that the terms of this Section 5(g) shall apply only with respect to the Premises identified in the Basic Lease Provisions and the ROFR Space (as defined in Section 39(a) below) if Tenant expands the Premises to include any of the ROFR Space pursuant to Section 39 below, and shall otherwise not be applicable with respect to any expansion of the Premises, if any.

 


 

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6. Security Deposit. Concurrently with Tenant’s delivery of an executed copy of this Lease to Landlord, Tenant shall deliver to Landlord a security deposit (the “Security Deposit”) for the performance of all of Tenant’s obligations hereunder in the Security Deposit Amount set forth in the Basic Lease Provisions, which Security Deposit shall be in the form of an unconditional and irrevocable letter of credit (the “Letter of Credit”): (i) in form and substance satisfactory to Landlord, (ii) naming Landlord as beneficiary, (iii) expressly allowing Landlord to draw upon it at any time from time to time by delivering to the issuer notice that Landlord is entitled to draw thereunder, (iv) issued by an FDIC-insured financial institution satisfactory to Landlord, and (v) redeemable by presentation of a sight draft in the state of Landlord’s choice, or by facsimile or overnight guaranty courier. The Security Deposit shall be held by Landlord as security for the performance of Tenant’s obligations under this Lease. The Security Deposit is not an advance rental deposit or a measure of Landlord’s damages in case of Tenant’s default. Upon each occurrence of a Default (as defined in Section 20), Landlord may use all or any part of the Security Deposit to pay delinquent payments due under this Lease, future rent damages under California Civil Code Section 1951.2, and the cost of any damage, injury, expense or liability caused by such Default, without prejudice to any other remedy provided herein or provided by law. Landlord’s right to use the Security Deposit under this Section 6 includes the right to use the Security Deposit to pay future rent damages following the termination of this Lease pursuant to Section 21(c) below. Upon any draw down on the Letter of Credit pursuant to this paragraph, Tenant shall deliver to Landlord, within 5 days after written demand from Landlord, a new Letter of Credit complying with all of the requirements hereof (a “Replacement Letter of Credit”) for the full Security Deposit Amount set forth in the Basic Lease Provisions. Tenant hereby waives the provisions of any law, now or hereafter in force, including, without limitation, California Civil Code Section 1950.7, which provide that Landlord may claim from a security deposit only those sums reasonably necessary to remedy defaults in the payment of Rent, to repair damage caused by Tenant or to clean the Premises, it being agreed that Landlord may, in addition, claim those sums reasonably necessary to compensate Landlord for any other loss or damage, foreseeable or unforeseeable, caused by the act or omission of Tenant or any officer, employee, agent or invitee of Tenant. Landlord’s obligation respecting the Security Deposit is that of a debtor, not a trustee, and no interest shall accrue thereon. Upon bankruptcy or other debtor-creditor proceedings against Tenant, the Security Deposit shall be deemed to be applied first to the payment of Rent and other charges due Landlord for periods prior to the filing of such proceedings. If Tenant shall fully perform every provision of this Lease to be performed by Tenant, the Security Deposit, or any balance thereof (i.e., after deducting therefrom all amounts to which Landlord is entitled under the provisions of this Lease), shall be returned to Tenant (or, at Landlord’s option, to the last assignee of Tenant’s interest hereunder) within 90 days after the expiration or earlier termination of this Lease.

Tenant shall deliver a Replacement Letter of Credit to Landlord at least 30 days before the stated expiration date of any then current Letter of Credit for the full Security Deposit Amount set forth in the Basic Lease Provisions. If Tenant does not provide Landlord with a Replacement Letter of Credit as required pursuant to the immediately preceding sentence, Landlord shall have the right to draw the full amount of the current Letter of Credit and hold the funds drawn in cash without obligation for interest thereon as the Security Deposit until Tenant delivers a Replacement Letter of Credit to Landlord, at which time Landlord shall refund to Tenant the amount of the cash Security Deposit to Tenant less any amount applied under this Lease.

 


 

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If at any time during the Term the issuer of the Letter of Credit is declared insolvent or is placed into receivership by the FDIC or any other Governmental Authority, or if the issuer is downgraded by S&P/Moody’s (if the issuer is credit-rated) or the issuer’s 5-year Credit Default Swap spread (as quoted, and if available on Bloomberg Professional Services) goes above 250 bps at any point during the Term, then following the delivery of written notice from Landlord to Tenant, (x) Landlord shall have the right to immediately draw the full amount of the existing Letter of Credit and hold the funds drawn in cash without obligation for interest thereon as the Security Deposit, and (y) Tenant shall have 30 days to deliver a Replacement Letter of Credit to Landlord. If Landlord is unable to draw on the existing Letter of Credit as provide for in clause (x) above then, within 3 days after Landlord’s delivery of written request to Tenant, Tenant shall deliver to Landlord cash in the Security Deposit Amount set forth in the Basic Lease Provisions as an interim Security Deposit until such time as Tenant delivers a Replacement Letter of Credit to Landlord. Upon Tenant’s delivery of a Replacement Letter of Credit to Landlord, Landlord shall refund to Tenant the amount of the cash Security Deposit to Tenant less any amount applied under this Lease.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Lease, if Tenant notifies Landlord at any time during the Term that Tenant intends to assign the Lease pursuant to Section 22 and Landlord reasonably determines that a material change in Tenant’s financial condition has occurred since the Effective Date, then Landlord shall have the right to increase the Security Deposit Amount, to an amount reasonably determined by Landlord (the “Increased Security Deposit Amount”), as a condition to and/or in connection with such proposed assignment, in which case Tenant shall be required to deliver to Landlord a Replacement Letter of Credit in the amount of the Increased Security Deposit Amount or an amendment to the existing Letter of Credit increasing the amount of the existing Letter of Credit to the Increased Security Deposit Amount.

If Landlord transfers its interest in the Project or this Lease, Landlord shall transfer any Security Deposit then held by Landlord to such transferee of Landlord’s interest. Upon such transfer, Landlord shall have no further obligation with respect to the Security Deposit, and Tenant’s right to the return of the Security Deposit shall apply solely against Landlord’s transferee.

7. Use.

(a) Generally. The Premises shall be used solely for the Permitted Use set forth in the Basic Lease Provisions, and in compliance with all laws, orders, judgments, ordinances, regulations, codes, directives, permits, licenses, covenants and restrictions now or hereafter applicable to the Premises, and to the use and occupancy thereof, including, without limitation, the Americans With Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C. § 12101, et seq. (together with the regulations promulgated pursuant thereto, “ADA”) (collectively, “Legal Requirements” and each, a “Legal Requirement”). Tenant shall, upon 5 days’ written notice from Landlord, discontinue any use of the Premises that is declared by any Governmental Authority (as defined in Section 9) having jurisdiction to be a violation of a Legal Requirement. Tenant will not use or permit the Premises to be used for any purpose or in any manner that would void Tenant’s or Landlord’s insurance, increase the insurance risk, or cause the disallowance of any sprinkler or other credits. Tenant shall reimburse Landlord promptly upon demand for any additional premium charged for any such insurance policy by reason of Tenant’s failure to comply with the provisions of this Section 7. Tenant shall not permit any part of the Premises to be used as a “place of public

 


 

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accommodation”, as defined in the ADA or any similar Legal Requirement. Tenant will use the Premises in a careful, safe and proper manner and will not commit or permit waste, overload the floor or structure of the Premises, subject the Premises to use that would damage the Premises or obstruct or interfere with the rights of Landlord or other tenants or occupants of the Project. In no event shall Tenant conduct any auction, liquidation, or going out of business sale on the Premises, or use or allow the Premises to be used for any unlawful purpose. Tenant shall cause any equipment or machinery to be installed in the Premises so as to reasonably prevent sounds or vibrations from the Premises from extending into Common Areas, or other space in the Project. Tenant shall not place any machinery or equipment which would overload the floor in or upon the Premises or transport or move such items through the Common Areas of the Project or in the Project elevators without the prior written consent of Landlord. Except as may be provided under the Work Letter, Tenant shall not, without the prior written consent of Landlord, use the Premises in any manner that will require ventilation, air exchange, heating, gas, steam, electricity or water beyond the existing capacity of the Project as proportionately allocated to the Premises based upon Tenant’s Share as usually furnished for the Permitted Use.

(b) Compliance. Landlord shall be responsible, (i) subject to the terms of the Work Letter, for the compliance of the Premises with Legal Requirements (including the ADA) as of the Commencement Date, and (ii) at Landlord’s cost, for the compliance of the Common Areas of the Project with Legal Requirements (including the ADA) as of the Commencement Date. Following the Commencement Date, Landlord shall make any alterations or modifications to the Common Areas or the exterior of the Building that are required by Legal Requirements and the cost of such alterations or modifications shall (x) constitute an Operating Expense (to the extent such Legal Requirement is generally applicable to similar buildings in the area in which the Project is located), or (y) be at Tenant’s expense (to the extent such Legal Requirement is triggered by reason of Tenant’s, as compared to other tenants of the Project, particular use of the Premises or Alterations (as defined in Section 12 below)). Except as otherwise expressly provided in the 2 immediately preceding sentences, Tenant, at its sole expense, shall make any alterations or modifications to the Premises that are required by Legal Requirements (including, without limitation, compliance of the Premises with the ADA) related to Tenant’s use or occupancy of the Premises and any Alterations. Notwithstanding any other provision herein to the contrary, Tenant shall be responsible for any and all Claims (as defined in Section 16) arising out of or in connection with Legal Requirements related to Tenant’s use or occupancy of the Premises or any Alterations, and Tenant shall indemnify, defend, hold and save Landlord harmless from and against any and all Claims arising out of or in connection with any failure of the Premises to comply with any Legal Requirement related to Tenant’s use or occupancy of the Premises or any Alterations.

(c) Sustainability. Tenant acknowledges that Landlord may, but shall not be obligated to, seek to obtain Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), WELL Building Standard, or other similar “green” certification with respect to the Project and/or the Premises, and Tenant agrees to reasonably cooperate with Landlord, and to provide such information and/or documentation as Landlord may reasonably request, in connection therewith.

 


 

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8. Holding Over. If Tenant remains in possession of the Premises after the expiration or earlier termination of the Term without the express written consent of Landlord, (a) Tenant shall become a tenant at sufferance upon the terms of this Lease except that the monthly rental shall be equal to (i) 150% of Base Rent in effect during the last 30 days of the Term, plus (ii) Tenant’s Share of Operating Expenses, plus (iii) all other amounts payable by Tenant under this Lease, and (b) Tenant shall be responsible for all damages suffered by Landlord resulting from or occasioned by Tenant’s holding over including, without limitation, consequential damages. No holding over by Tenant, whether with or without consent of Landlord, shall operate to extend this Lease except as otherwise expressly provided, and this Section 8 shall not be construed as consent for Tenant to retain possession of the Premises. Acceptance by Landlord of Rent after the expiration of the Term or earlier termination of this Lease shall not result in a renewal or reinstatement of this Lease.

9. Taxes. Landlord shall pay, as part of Operating Expenses, all taxes, levies, fees, assessments and governmental charges of any kind, existing as of the Commencement Date or thereafter enacted (collectively referred to as “Taxes”), imposed by any federal, state, regional, municipal, local or other governmental authority or agency, including, without limitation, quasi-public agencies (collectively, “Governmental Authority”) during the Term, including, without limitation, all Taxes: (a) imposed on or measured by or based, in whole or in part, on rent payable to (or gross receipts received by) Landlord under this Lease and/or from the rental by Landlord of the Project or any portion thereof, or (b) based on the square footage, assessed value or other measure or evaluation of any kind of the Premises or the Project, or (c) assessed or imposed by or on the operation or maintenance of any portion of the Premises or the Project, including parking, or (d) assessed or imposed by, or at the direction of, or resulting from Legal Requirements, or interpretations thereof, promulgated by any Governmental Authority, or (e) imposed as a license or other fee, charge, tax, or assessment on Landlord’s business or occupation of leasing space in the Project. Landlord may contest by appropriate legal proceedings the amount, validity, or application of any Taxes or liens securing Taxes. Taxes shall not include any net income, franchise, inheritance, or estate taxes imposed on Landlord except to the extent such net income taxes are in substitution for any Taxes payable hereunder. If any such Taxes are levied or assessed directly against Tenant, then Tenant shall be responsible for and shall pay the same at such times and in such manner as the taxing authority shall require. Tenant shall pay, prior to delinquency, any and all Taxes levied or assessed against any personal property or trade fixtures placed by Tenant in the Premises, whether levied or assessed against Landlord or Tenant. If any Taxes on Tenant’s personal property or trade fixtures are levied against Landlord or Landlord’s property, or if the assessed valuation of the Project is increased by a value attributable to improvements in or alterations to the Premises, whether owned by Landlord or Tenant and regardless of whether such improvements or alterations are affixed to the real property so as to become a part thereof, higher than the base valuation on which Landlord from time-to-time allocates Taxes to all tenants in the Project, Landlord shall have the right, but not the obligation, to pay such Taxes. Landlord’s determination of any excess assessed valuation shall be binding and conclusive, absent manifest error. The amount of any such payment by Landlord shall constitute Additional Rent due from Tenant to Landlord immediately upon demand.

 


 

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10. Parking. Subject to all applicable Legal Requirements, Force Majeure, a Taking (as defined in Section 19 below) and the exercise by Landlord of its rights hereunder, Tenant shall have the right, in common with other tenants of the Project pro rata in accordance with the rentable area of the Premises and the rentable areas of the Project occupied by such other tenants, to park in those areas designated for non-reserved parking, subject in each case to Landlord’s rules and regulations. Landlord may allocate parking spaces among Tenant and other tenants in the Project pro rata as described above if Landlord determines that such parking facilities are becoming crowded. Landlord shall not be responsible for enforcing Tenant’s parking rights against any third parties, including other tenants of the Project.

11. Utilities; Services.

(a) Generally. Landlord shall provide or cause to be provided to the Premises, subject to the terms of this Section 11, (i) water, (ii) electricity (including lights and plugs), (iii) heat, ventilation and air conditioning (collectively, “HVAC”), (iv) power, and (v) sewer (collectively, “Utilities”). Landlord shall pay, as Operating Expenses or subject to Tenant’s direct reimbursement obligation as provided for below, for all Utilities used on the Premises, all maintenance charges for Utilities, and any storm sewer charges or other similar charges for Utilities imposed by any Governmental Authority or Utility provider, and any Taxes, penalties, surcharges or similar charges thereon. Landlord may cause, at Landlord’s expense (except to the extent necessary as a result of Tenant’s disproportionate use of Utilities in which case Tenant shall pay the cost), any Utilities to be separately metered or charged directly to Tenant by the provider. Commencing on the Commencement Date, Tenant shall pay directly to the Utility provider, prior to delinquency, any separately metered Utilities and services (which may include, among other Utilities and services, telephone and internet service) which may be furnished to Tenant or the Premises during the Term. Commencing on the Commencement Date, Tenant shall pay, as part of Operating Expenses, its share of all charges for jointly metered Utilities based upon consumption, as reasonably determined by Landlord. No interruption or failure of Utilities from any cause whatsoever shall result in eviction or constructive eviction of Tenant, termination of this Lease or, except as provided in the immediately following paragraph, the abatement of Rent. Tenant agrees to limit use of water and sewer with respect to Common Areas to normal restroom use.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth herein, if (i) a stoppage of a Utility Service (as defined below) to the Premises shall occur and such stoppage is due solely to the gross negligence or willful misconduct of Landlord and not due in any part to any act or omission on the part of Tenant or any Tenant Party or any matter beyond Landlord’s reasonable control (any such stoppage of a Utility Service being hereinafter referred to as a “Service Interruption”), and (ii) such Service Interruption continues for more than 5 consecutive business days after Landlord shall have received written notice thereof from Tenant, and (iii) as a result of such Service Interruption, the conduct of Tenant’s normal operations in the Premises are materially and adversely affected, then, to the extent that such Service Interruption is covered by rental interruption insurance carried by Landlord pursuant to this Lease, there shall be an abatement of one day’s Base Rent for each day during which such Service Interruption continues after such 5 business day period; provided, however, that if any part of the Premises is reasonably useable for Tenant’s normal business operations or if Tenant conducts all or any part of its operations in any portion of the Premises notwithstanding such Service Interruption, then the amount of each daily abatement of Base Rent

 


 

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shall only be proportionate to the nature and extent of the interruption of Tenant’s normal operations or ability to use the Premises. The rights granted to Tenant under this paragraph shall be Tenant’s sole and exclusive remedy resulting from a failure of Landlord to provide services, and Landlord shall not otherwise be liable for any loss or damage suffered or sustained by Tenant resulting from any failure or cessation of services. For purposes hereof, the term “Utility Service” shall mean the following services: HVAC service, water, sewer and electricity, but in each case only to the extent that Landlord has an obligation to provide same to Tenant under this Lease.

(b) Landlord shall, as part of Operating Expenses, provide or cause to be provided with respect to the Common Areas only, refuse and trash collection and janitorial services. Tenant shall be responsible for contracting directly with a vendor reasonably acceptable to Landlord and paying for its own janitorial services for the Premises.

(c) Landlord’s sole obligation for either providing emergency generators or providing emergency back-up power to Tenant shall be: (i) to provide emergency generators with not less than the capacity of the emergency generators located in the Building as of the Commencement Date, and (ii) to contract with a third party to maintain the emergency generators as per the manufacturer’s standard maintenance guidelines. Except as otherwise provided in the immediately preceding sentence, Landlord shall have no obligation to provide Tenant with operational emergency generators or back-up power or to supervise, oversee or confirm that the third party maintaining the emergency generators is maintaining the generators as per the manufacturer’s standard guidelines or otherwise. During any period of replacement, repair or maintenance of the emergency generators when the emergency generators are not operational, including any delays thereto due to the inability to obtain parts or replacement equipment, Landlord shall have no obligation to provide Tenant with an alternative back-up generator or generators or alternative sources of back-up power. Tenant expressly acknowledges and agrees that Landlord does not guaranty that such emergency generators will be operational at all times or that emergency power will be available to the Premises when needed.

(d) Energy Usage Data. With respect to separately metered Utilities provided to the Premises that are paid for by Tenant directly to the Utility provider, if any, Tenant agrees to provide Landlord with access to Tenant’s water and energy usage data on a monthly basis, by providing Tenant’s applicable utility login credentials to Landlord’s designated online portal. The costs and expenses incurred by Landlord in connection with receiving and analyzing such water and energy usage data (including, without limitation, as may be required pursuant to applicable Legal Requirements) shall be included as part of Operating Expenses.

12. Alterations and Tenant’s Property.

(a) Any alterations, additions, or improvements made to the Premises by or on behalf of Tenant, including additional locks or bolts of any kind or nature upon any doors or windows in the Premises, but excluding installation, removal or realignment of furniture systems (other than removal of furniture systems owned or paid for by Landlord) not involving any modifications to the structure or connections (other than by ordinary plugs or jacks) to Building Systems (as defined in Section 13) (“Alterations”) shall be subject to Landlord’s prior written consent, which may be given or withheld in Landlord’s sole discretion if any such Alteration affects the Building structure or Building Systems and shall not be otherwise unreasonably

 


 

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withheld. Tenant may construct nonstructural Alterations in the Premises without Landlord’s prior approval if the aggregate cost of all such work in any 12 month period does not exceed $100,000.00 (excluding paint and carpeting, which shall not be subject to such cap) (a “Notice-Only Alteration”), provided Tenant notifies Landlord in writing of such intended Notice-Only Alteration, and such notice shall be accompanied by plans, specifications, work contracts and such other information concerning the nature and cost of the Notice-Only Alteration as may be reasonably requested by Landlord, which notice and accompanying materials shall be delivered to Landlord not less than 15 business days in advance of any proposed construction. Landlord may impose such conditions on Tenant in connection with the commencement, performance and completion of Alterations, as Landlord may deem appropriate in Landlord’s reasonable discretion. Any request for approval of an Alteration shall be in writing, delivered not less than 15 business days in advance of any proposed construction, and accompanied by plans, specifications, bid proposals, work contracts and such other information concerning the nature and cost of the alterations as may be reasonably requested by Landlord, including the identities and mailing addresses of all persons performing work or supplying materials. Landlord’s right to review plans and specifications and to monitor construction shall be solely for its own benefit, and Landlord shall have no duty to ensure that such plans and specifications or construction comply with applicable Legal Requirements. Tenant shall cause, at its sole cost and expense, all Alterations to comply with applicable insurance requirements and applicable Legal Requirements, and shall, subject to Section 7, implement at its sole cost and expense any alteration or modification required by Legal Requirements as a result of any Alterations. Tenant shall pay to Landlord, as Additional Rent, on demand an amount equal to 3% of all hard construction costs incurred by Tenant or its contractors or agents in connection with any Alteration to cover Landlord’s overhead and expenses for plan review, coordination, scheduling and supervision, provided such fee shall not be applicable to Notice-Only Alterations. Before Tenant begins any Alteration, Landlord may post on and about the Premises notices of non-responsibility pursuant to applicable law. Tenant shall reimburse Landlord for, and indemnify and hold Landlord harmless from, any expense incurred by Landlord by reason of faulty work done by Tenant or its contractors, delays caused by such work, or inadequate cleanup.

(b) Upon Landlord’s written request, Tenant shall furnish security or make other arrangements satisfactory to Landlord to assure payment for the completion of all Alterations work free and clear of liens. With respect to all Alterations, Tenant shall provide (and cause each contractor or subcontractor to provide) certificates of insurance for workers’ compensation and other coverage in amounts and from an insurance company satisfactory to Landlord protecting Landlord against liability for personal injury or property damage during construction. Upon completion of any Alterations, Tenant shall deliver to Landlord: (i) sworn statements setting forth the names of all contractors and subcontractors who did the work and final lien waivers from all such contractors and subcontractors; and (ii) “as built” plans for any such Alteration.

 


 

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(c) Other than (i) the items, if any, listed on Exhibit F attached hereto, (ii) any items agreed by Landlord in writing to be included on Exhibit F in the future, and (iii) any trade fixtures, machinery, equipment and other personal property not paid for out of the TI Fund (as defined in the Work Letter) or otherwise paid for all or in part by Landlord that may be removed without material damage to the Premises, which damage shall be repaired (including capping or terminating utility hook-ups behind walls) by Tenant during the Term (collectively, “Tenant’s Property”), all Alterations, all fixtures, and all partitions, hardware, built-in machinery, built-in casework and cabinets and other similar additions, equipment, property and improvements built into the Premises so as to become an integral part of the Premises, including, without limitation, fume hoods that penetrate the roof or plenum area, built-in cold rooms, built-in warm rooms, walk-in cold rooms, walk-in warm rooms, clean rooms, deionized water systems, glass washing equipment, autoclaves, chillers, built-in plumbing, electrical and mechanical equipment and systems, and any power generator and transfer switch (collectively, “Installations”) shall be and shall remain the property of Landlord during the Term and following the expiration or earlier termination of the Term, shall not be removed by Tenant at any time during the Term and shall remain upon and be surrendered with the Premises as a part thereof in accordance with Section 28 upon the expiration or earlier termination of this Lease. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Landlord may, at the time its approval of any such Installation is requested, notify Tenant that Landlord requires that Tenant remove such Installation upon the expiration or earlier termination of the Term, in which event Tenant shall remove such Installation in accordance with the immediately succeeding sentence. If Landlord so elects, Tenant shall remove such Installation upon the expiration or earlier termination of this Lease and restore any damage caused by or occasioned as a result of such removal, including, when removing any of Tenant’s Property that was plumbed, wired or otherwise connected to any of the Building Systems, capping off all such connections behind the walls of the Premises and repairing any holes. Any restoration period beyond the expiration or earlier termination of the Term shall constitute a hold over pursuant to Section 8. If Landlord is requested by Tenant or any lender, lessor or other person or entity claiming an interest in any of Tenant’s Property to waive any lien Landlord may have against any of Tenant’s Property, and Landlord consents to such waiver, Tenant shall pay to Landlord an administrative fee of $2,500 for the preparation and/or negotiation of each such lien waiver.

13. Landlord’s Repairs. Landlord shall, at Landlord’s sole expense (and not as an Operating Expense), be responsible for capital repairs and replacements of the roof (not including the roof membrane), exterior walls and foundation of the Building (“Structural Items”) unless the need for such repairs or replacements is caused by Tenant or any Tenant Parties, in which case Tenant shall bear the full cost to repair or replace such Structural Items. Landlord shall, as an Operating Expense, be responsible for the routine maintenance and repair of such Structural Items. Landlord, as an Operating Expense, shall maintain, repair and replace the roof membrane and all of the (a) all of the exterior, parking and other Common Areas of the Project, and (b) all Building systems serving both the Premises and other portions of the Project including, without limitation, HVAC, plumbing, fire sprinklers (“Building Systems”), in good repair, reasonable wear and tear and uninsured losses and damages caused by Tenant, or by any of Tenant’s assignees, sublessees, licensees, agents, servants, employees, invitees and contractors (or any of Tenant’s assignees, sublessees and/or licensees respective agents, servants, employees, invitees and contractors) (collectively, “Tenant Parties”) excluded. Losses and damages caused by Tenant or any Tenant Party shall be repaired by Landlord, to the extent not covered by insurance, at Tenant’s sole cost and expense. Landlord reserves the right to stop Building Systems services when necessary (i) by

 


 

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reason of accident or emergency, or (ii) for planned repairs, alterations or improvements, which are, in the judgment of Landlord, desirable or necessary to be made, until such repairs, alterations or improvements shall have been completed. Landlord shall have no responsibility or liability for failure to supply Building Systems services during any such period of interruption; provided, however, that Landlord shall, except in case of emergency, make a commercially reasonable effort to give Tenant 24 hours advance notice of any planned stoppage of Building Systems services for routine maintenance, repairs, alterations or improvements. Tenant shall promptly give Landlord written notice of any repair required by Landlord pursuant to this paragraph, after which Landlord shall make a commercially reasonable effort to effect such repair. Landlord shall not be liable for any failure to make any repairs or to perform any maintenance unless such failure shall persist for an unreasonable time after Tenant’s written notice of the need for such repairs or maintenance. Tenant waives its rights under any state or local law to terminate this Lease or to make such repairs at Landlord’s expense and agrees that the parties’ respective rights with respect to such matters shall be solely as set forth herein. Repairs required as the result of fire, earthquake, flood, vandalism, war, or similar cause of damage or destruction shall be controlled by Section 18.

14. Tenant’s Repairs. Subject to Section 13 hereof, Tenant, at its expense, shall repair, replace and maintain in good condition all portions of the Premises, including, without limitation, entries, doors, ceilings, non-structural components of windows, interior walls, the interior side of demising walls and any mechanical systems or equipment exclusively serving the Premises. Should Tenant fail to make any such repair or replacement or fail to maintain the Premises, Landlord shall give Tenant notice of such failure. If Tenant fails to commence cure of such failure within 10 days of Landlord’s notice, and thereafter diligently prosecute such cure to completion, Landlord may perform such work and shall be reimbursed by Tenant within 10 days after demand therefor; provided, however, that if such failure by Tenant creates or could create an emergency, Landlord may immediately commence cure of such failure and shall thereafter be entitled to recover the costs of such cure from Tenant. Subject to Sections 17 and 18, Tenant shall bear the full uninsured cost of any repair or replacement to any part of the Project that results from damage caused by Tenant or any Tenant Party and any repair that benefits only the Premises.

15. Mechanic’s Liens. Tenant shall fully discharge of record from title or from the public record, by bond or otherwise, any mechanic’s lien filed against the Premises or against the Project for work claimed to have been done for, or materials claimed to have been furnished to, Tenant within 10 days after Tenant receives notice of the filing thereof, at Tenant’s sole cost and shall otherwise keep the Premises and the Project free from any liens arising out of work performed, materials furnished or obligations incurred by Tenant. Should Tenant fail to fully discharge of record any lien described herein, Landlord shall have the right, but not the obligation, to pay such claim or post a bond or otherwise provide security to eliminate the lien as a claim against title to the Project and the costs incurred by Landlord in connection therewith shall be immediately due from Tenant as Additional Rent. If Tenant shall lease or finance the acquisition of office equipment, furnishings, or other personal property of a removable nature utilized by Tenant in the operation of Tenant’s business, Tenant warrants that any Uniform Commercial Code Financing Statement filed as a matter of public record by any lessor or creditor of Tenant will upon its face or by exhibit thereto indicate that such Financing Statement is applicable only to removable personal property of Tenant located within the Premises. In no event shall the address of the Project be furnished on the statement without qualifying language as to applicability of the lien

 


 

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only to removable personal property, located in the suite number designated to the Premises in the Basic Lease Provisions.

16. Indemnification. Tenant hereby indemnifies and agrees to defend, save and hold Landlord, its officers, directors, employees, managers, members, partners, agents, sub-agents, affiliates and lease signatories (collectively, “Landlord Indemnified Parties”) harmless from and against any and all demands, claims, liabilities, losses, costs, expenses, actions, causes of action, damages or judgments, and all reasonable expenses incurred in investigating or resisting the same (including, without limitation, reasonable attorneys’ fees, charges and disbursements and costs of suit) (collectively, “Claims”) for injury or death to persons or damage to property occurring within or about the Premises or the Project arising directly or indirectly out of the use or occupancy of the Premises or the Project by Tenant or any Tenant Parties (including, without limitation, any act, omission or neglect by Tenant or any Tenant’s Parties in or about the Premises or at the Project) or a breach or default by Tenant in the performance of any of its obligations hereunder, unless caused solely by the willful misconduct or gross negligence of Landlord Indemnified Parties. Landlord shall not be liable to Tenant for, and Tenant assumes all risk of damage to, personal property (including, without limitation, loss of records kept within the Premises). Tenant further waives any and all Claims for injury to Tenant’s business or loss of income relating to any such damage or destruction of personal property (including, without limitation, any loss of records). Landlord Indemnified Parties shall not be liable for any damages arising from any act, omission or neglect of any tenant in the Project or of any other third party or Tenant Parties. The provisions of this Section 16 shall survive the expiration or earlier termination of this Lease.

17. Insurance. Landlord shall maintain all risk property and, if applicable, sprinkler damage insurance covering the full replacement cost of the Project (not including any property and improvements required to be insured by Tenant pursuant to the immediately following paragraph). Landlord shall further procure and maintain commercial general liability insurance with a single loss limit of not less than $2,000,000 for bodily injury and property damage with respect to the Project. Landlord may, but is not obligated to, maintain such other insurance and additional coverages as it may deem necessary. All such insurance shall be included as part of the Operating Expenses. The Project may be included in a blanket policy (in which case the cost of such insurance allocable to the Project will be determined by Landlord based upon the insurer’s cost calculations). Tenant shall also reimburse Landlord for any increased premiums or additional insurance that Landlord reasonably deems necessary as a result of Tenant’s use of the Premises.

Tenant, at its sole cost and expense, shall maintain during the Term: all risk property insurance with business interruption and extra expense coverage, covering the full replacement cost of all property and improvements installed or placed in the Premises by Tenant at Tenant’s expense; workers’ compensation insurance with no less than the minimum limits required by law; employer’s liability insurance with employers liability limits of $1,000,000 bodily injury by accident - each accident, $1,000,000 bodily injury by disease - policy limit, and $1,000,000 bodily injury by disease - each employee; and commercial general liability insurance, with a minimum limit of not less than $2,000,000 per occurrence for bodily injury and property damage with respect to the Premises. All liability coverages may be satisfied through a combination of primary and umbrella policies. The commercial general liability insurance maintained by Tenant shall include Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. (“ARE”), and Landlord, its officers, directors, employees, managers, members, partners, agents, sub-agents, affiliates and lease signatories (collectively,

 


 

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“Landlord Insured Parties”), as additional insureds; insure on an occurrence and not a claims-made basis; be issued by insurance companies which have a rating of not less than policyholder rating of A- and financial category rating of at least Class VII in “Best’s Insurance Guide”; not contain a hostile fire exclusion; contain a contractual liability endorsement; and provide primary coverage to Landlord Insured Parties (any policy issued to Landlord Insured Parties providing duplicate or similar coverage shall be deemed excess over Tenant’s policies, regardless of limits). Tenant shall (i) provide Landlord with 30 days advance written notice of cancellation of such commercial general liability policy, and (ii) request Tenant’s insurer to endeavor to provide 30 days advance written notice to Landlord of cancellation of such commercial general liability policy (or 10 days in the event of a cancellation due to non-payment of premium). Certificates of insurance showing the limits of coverage required hereunder and showing the Landlord Insured Parties and Additional Insured Parties (as defined below) as an additional insureds, shall be delivered to Landlord by Tenant (i) concurrent with Tenant’s delivery to Landlord of a copy of this Lease executed by Tenant, and (ii) prior to each renewal of said insurance. If Tenant operates its business from multiple locations, Tenant’s policy may be a “blanket policy” with an aggregate per location endorsement which specifically provides that the amount of insurance shall not be prejudiced by other losses covered by the policy. Tenant shall, at least 5 days prior to the expiration of such policies, furnish Landlord with renewal certificates.

Upon written request of Landlord, Tenant shall, in addition to the Landlord Insured Parties, include the following parties as additional insureds under Tenant’s commercial general liability insurance (collectively, “Additional Insured Parties”): (i) any Holder of a Mortgage encumbering the Project or any portion thereof, (ii) the landlord under any lease wherein Landlord is tenant of the real property on which the Project is located, if the interest of Landlord is or shall become that of a tenant under a ground or other underlying lease rather than that of a fee owner, and/or (iii) any management company retained by Landlord to manage the Project.

The property insurance obtained by Landlord and Tenant shall include a waiver of subrogation by the insurers and all rights based upon an assignment from its insured, against Landlord or Tenant, and their respective officers, directors, employees, managers, agents, invitees and contractors (“Related Parties”), in connection with any loss or damage thereby insured against. Neither party nor its respective Related Parties shall be liable to the other for loss or damage caused by any risk insured against under property insurance required to be maintained hereunder, and each party waives any claims against the other party, and its respective Related Parties, for such loss or damage. The failure of a party to insure its property shall not void this waiver. Landlord and its respective Related Parties shall not be liable for, and Tenant hereby waives all claims against such parties for, business interruption and losses occasioned thereby sustained by Tenant or any person claiming through Tenant resulting from any accident or occurrence in or upon the Premises or the Project from any cause whatsoever. If the foregoing waivers shall contravene any law with respect to exculpatory agreements, the liability of Landlord or Tenant shall be deemed not released but shall be secondary to the other’s insurer.

 


 

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Landlord may require insurance policy limits to be raised to conform with requirements of any Holder of a Mortgage encumbering the Project or any portion thereof and/or to bring coverage limits to levels then being generally required of new tenants within the Project.

18. Restoration. If, at any time during the Term, the Project or the Premises are damaged or destroyed by a fire or other casualty, Landlord shall notify Tenant within 60 days after discovery of such damage as to the amount of time Landlord reasonably estimates it will take to restore the Project or the Premises, as applicable (the “Restoration Period”). If the Restoration Period is estimated to exceed 12 months (the “Maximum Restoration Period”), Landlord may, in such notice, elect to terminate this Lease as of the date that is 75 days after the date of discovery of such damage or destruction; provided, however, that notwithstanding Landlord’s election to restore, Tenant may elect to terminate this Lease by written notice from Tenant to Landlord delivered within 10 business days of receipt of a notice from Landlord estimating a Restoration Period for the Premises longer than the Maximum Restoration Period. Unless either Landlord or Tenant so elects to terminate this Lease, Landlord shall, subject to receipt of sufficient insurance proceeds (with any deductible to be treated as a current Operating Expense), promptly restore the Premises (excluding the improvements installed by Tenant or by Landlord and paid for by Tenant), subject to delays arising from the collection of insurance proceeds, from Force Majeure events or as needed to obtain any license, clearance or other authorization of any kind required to enter into and restore the Premises issued by any Governmental Authority having jurisdiction over the use, storage, handling, treatment, generation, release, disposal, removal or remediation of Hazardous Materials (as defined in Section 30) in, on or about the Premises (collectively referred to herein as “Hazardous Materials Clearances”); provided, however, that if repair or restoration of the Premises is not substantially complete as of the end of the Maximum Restoration Period or, if longer, the Restoration Period, Landlord may, in its sole and absolute discretion, elect not to proceed with such repair and restoration, or Tenant may by written notice from Tenant to Landlord delivered within 5 business days of the expiration of the Maximum Restoration Period or, if longer, the Restoration Period, elect to terminate this Lease, in which event Landlord shall be relieved of its obligation to make such repairs or restoration and this Lease shall terminate as of the date that is 75 days after the later of: (i) discovery of such damage or destruction, or (ii) the date all required Hazardous Materials Clearances are obtained, but Landlord shall retain any Rent paid and the right to any Rent payable by Tenant prior to such election by Landlord or Tenant.

Promptly following the date that Landlord makes the Premises available to Tenant for Tenant’s repairs and/or restoration, Tenant shall, at Tenant’s expense, promptly perform, subject to delays arising from the collection of insurance proceeds, from Force Majeure events or to obtain Hazardous Materials Clearances, all repairs or restoration (which restoration shall be performed as an Alteration in accordance with Section 12) not required to be done by Landlord and shall promptly re-enter the Premises and commence doing business in accordance with this Lease. Notwithstanding the foregoing, either Landlord or Tenant may terminate this Lease upon written notice to the other if the Premises are damaged during the last year of the Term and Landlord reasonably estimates that it will take more than 2 months to repair such damage; provided, however, that such notice is delivered within 10 business days after the date that Landlord provides Tenant with written notice of the estimated Restoration Period. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, Landlord shall also have the right to terminate this Lease if insurance proceeds are not available for such restoration. Base Rent shall be abated from the date all required Hazardous Materials Clearances are obtained until the Premises are repaired and restored, in the

 


 

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proportion that the area of the Premises, if any, that is not usable by Tenant bears to the total area of the Premises, unless Landlord provides Tenant with other space during the period of repair that is suitable for the temporary conduct of Tenant’s business. In the event that no Hazardous Materials Clearances are required to be obtained by Tenant with respect to the Premises, Base Rent shall be abated commencing on the date of discovery of the damage or destruction. Such abatement shall be the sole remedy of Tenant, and except as provided in this Section 18. Tenant waives any right to terminate this Lease by reason of damage or casualty loss.

The provisions of this Lease, including this Section 18, constitute an express agreement between Landlord and Tenant with respect to any and all damage to, or destruction of, all or any part of the Premises, or any other portion of the Project, and any statute or regulation that is now or may hereafter be in effect shall have no application to this Lease or any damage or destruction to all or any part of the Premises or any other portion of the Project, the parties hereto expressly agreeing that this Section 18 sets forth their entire understanding and agreement with respect to such matters.

19. Condemnation. If the whole or any material part of the Premises or the Project is taken for any public or quasi-public use under governmental law, ordinance, or regulation, or by right of eminent domain, or by private purchase in lieu thereof (a “Taking” or “Taken”), and the Taking would either prevent or materially interfere with Tenant’s use of the Premises or materially interfere with or impair Landlord’s ownership or operation of the Project, then upon written notice by Landlord or Tenant to the other this Lease shall terminate and Rent shall be apportioned as of such date. If part of the Premises shall be Taken, and this Lease is not terminated as provided above, Landlord shall promptly restore the Premises and the Project as nearly as is commercially reasonable under the circumstances to their condition prior to such partial Taking and the rentable square footage of the Building, the rentable square footage of the Premises, Tenant’s Share of Operating Expenses and the Rent payable hereunder during the unexpired Term shall be adjusted accordingly under the circumstances. Upon any such Taking, Landlord shall be entitled to receive the entire price or award from any such Taking without any payment to Tenant, and Tenant hereby assigns to Landlord Tenant’s interest, if any, in such award. Tenant shall have the right, to the extent that same shall not diminish Landlord’s award, to make a separate claim against the condemning authority (but not Landlord) for such compensation as may be separately awarded or recoverable by Tenant for moving expenses and damage to Tenant’s trade fixtures, if a separate award for such items is made to Tenant. Tenant hereby waives any and all rights it might otherwise have pursuant to any provision of state law to terminate this Lease upon a partial Taking of the Premises or the Project.

20. Events of Default. Each of the following events shall be a default (“Default”) by Tenant under this Lease:

(a) Payment Defaults. Tenant shall fail to pay any installment of Rent or any other payment hereunder when due; provided, however, that Landlord will give Tenant notice and an opportunity to cure any failure to pay Rent within 3 days of any such notice not more than once in any 12 month period and Tenant agrees that such notice shall be in lieu of and not in addition to, or shall be deemed to be, any notice required by law.

 


 

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(b) Insurance. Any insurance required to be maintained by Tenant pursuant to this Lease shall be canceled or terminated or shall expire or shall be reduced or materially changed, or Landlord shall receive a notice of nonrenewal of any such insurance and Tenant shall fail to obtain replacement insurance at least 5 days before the expiration of the current coverage.

(c) Abandonment. Tenant shall abandon the Premises. Tenant shall not be deemed to have abandoned the Premises if Tenant provides Landlord with reasonable advance notice prior to vacating and, at the time of vacating the Premises, (i) Tenant completes Tenant’s obligations under the Decommissioning and HazMat Closure Plan in compliance with Section 28, (ii) Tenant has obtained the release of the Premises of all Hazardous Materials Clearances and the Premises are free from any residual impact from the Tenant HazMat Operations and provides reasonably detailed documentation to Landlord confirming such matters, (iii) Tenant has made reasonable arrangements with Landlord for the security of the Premises for the balance of the Term, and (iv) Tenant continues during the balance of the Term to satisfy and perform all of Tenant’s obligations under this Lease as they come due.

(d) Improper Transfer. Tenant shall assign, sublease or otherwise transfer or attempt to transfer all or any portion of Tenant’s interest in this Lease or the Premises except as expressly permitted herein, or Tenant’s interest in this Lease shall be attached, executed upon, or otherwise judicially seized and such action is not released within 90 days of the action.

(e) Liens. Tenant shall fail to fully discharge or record or otherwise obtain the release of any lien placed upon the Premises in violation of this Lease within 10 days after any such lien is filed against the Premises.

(f) Insolvency Events. Tenant or any guarantor or surety of Tenant’s obligations hereunder shall: (A) make a general assignment for the benefit of creditors; (B) commence any case, proceeding or other action seeking to have an order for relief entered on its behalf as a debtor or to adjudicate it a bankrupt or insolvent, or seeking reorganization, arrangement, adjustment, liquidation, dissolution or composition of it or its debts or seeking appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian or other similar official for it or for all or of any substantial part of its property (collectively a “Proceeding for Relief”); (C) become the subject of any Proceeding for Relief that is not dismissed within 90 days of its filing or entry; or (D) die or suffer a legal disability (if Tenant, guarantor, or surety is an individual) or be dissolved or otherwise fail to maintain its legal existence (if Tenant, guarantor or surety is a corporation, partnership or other entity).

(g) Estoppel Certificate or Subordination Agreement. Tenant fails to execute any document required from Tenant under Sections 23 or 27 within 5 days after a second notice requesting such document.

(h) Financial Information. Tenant fails to provide any financial information required to be delivered by Tenant to Landlord pursuant to Section 42(c) following written request from Landlord, within 5 days after a second notice requesting such financial information.

(i) Security Deposit. Tenant fails to comply with the requirements of Section 6.

 


 

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(j) Other Defaults. Tenant shall fail to comply with any provision of this Lease other than those specifically referred to in this Section 20, and, except as otherwise expressly provided herein, such failure shall continue for a period of 30 days after written notice thereof from Landlord to Tenant. Any notice given under Section 20(j) hereof shall: (i) specify the alleged default, (ii) demand that Tenant cure such default, (iii) be in lieu of, and not in addition to, or shall be deemed to be, any notice required under any provision of applicable law, and (iv) not be deemed a forfeiture or a termination of this Lease unless Landlord elects otherwise in such notice. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the nature of Tenant’s default pursuant to Section 20(j) is such that it cannot be cured by the payment of funds, does not affect the safety, security or integrity of the Building or Building Systems or affect other occupants of the Project and reasonably requires more than 30 days to cure, then Tenant shall not be deemed to be in default if Tenant commences such cure within said 30 day period and thereafter diligently prosecutes the same to completion; provided, however, that such cure shall be completed no later than 45 days from the date of Landlord’s notice.

21. Landlord’s Remedies.

(a) Payment By Landlord; Interest. Upon a Default by Tenant hereunder, Landlord may, without waiving or releasing any obligation of Tenant hereunder, make such payment or perform such act. All sums so paid or incurred by Landlord, together with interest thereon, from the date such sums were paid or incurred, at the annual rate equal to 12% per annum or the highest rate permitted by law (the “Default Rate”), whichever is less, shall be payable to Landlord on demand as Additional Rent. Nothing herein shall be construed to create or impose a duty on Landlord to mitigate any damages resulting from Tenant’s Default hereunder.

(b) Late Payment Rent. Late payment by Tenant to Landlord of Rent and other sums due will cause Landlord to incur costs not contemplated by this Lease, the exact amount of which will be extremely difficult and impracticable to ascertain. Such costs include, but are not limited to, processing and accounting charges and late charges that may be imposed on Landlord under any Mortgage covering the Premises. Therefore, if any installment of Rent due from Tenant is not received by Landlord within 5 days after the date such payment is due, Tenant shall pay to Landlord an additional sum equal to 6% of the overdue Rent as a late charge. The parties agree that this late charge represents a fair and reasonable estimate of the costs Landlord will incur by reason of late payment by Tenant. In addition to the late charge, Rent not paid when due shall bear interest at the Default Rate from the 5th day after the date due until paid.

(c) Remedies. Upon the occurrence of a Default, Landlord, at its option, without further notice or demand to Tenant, shall have in addition to all other rights and remedies provided in this Lease, at law or in equity, the option to pursue any one or more of the following remedies, each and all of which shall be cumulative and nonexclusive, without any notice or demand whatsoever.

(i) Terminate this Lease, or at Landlord’s option, Tenant’s right to possession only, in which event Tenant shall immediately surrender the Premises to Landlord, and if Tenant fails to do so, Landlord may, without prejudice to any other remedy that it may have for possession or arrearages in rent, enter upon and take possession of the Premises and expel or remove Tenant and any other person who may be occupying the

 


 

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Premises or any part thereof, without being liable for prosecution or any claim or damages therefor;

(ii) Upon any termination of this Lease, whether pursuant to the foregoing Section 21(c)(i) or otherwise, Landlord may recover from Tenant the following:

(A) The worth at the time of award of any unpaid rent that has been earned at the time of such termination; plus

(B) The worth at the time of award of the amount by which the unpaid rent which would have been earned after termination until the time of award exceeds the amount of such rental loss that Tenant proves could have been reasonably avoided; plus

(C) The worth at the time of award of the amount by which the unpaid rent for the balance of the Term after the time of award exceeds the amount of such rental loss that Tenant proves could have been reasonably avoided; plus

(D) Any other amount necessary to compensate Landlord for all the detriment proximately caused by Tenant’s failure to perform its obligations under this Lease or that in the ordinary course of things would be likely to result therefrom, specifically including, but not limited to, brokerage commissions and advertising expenses incurred, expenses of remodeling the Premises or any portion thereof for a new tenant, whether for the same or a different use, and any special concessions made to obtain a new tenant; and

(E) At Landlord’s election, such other amounts in addition to or in lieu of the foregoing as may be permitted from time to time by applicable law.

The term “rent” as used in this Section 21 shall be deemed to be and to mean all sums of every nature required to be paid by Tenant pursuant to the terms of this Lease, whether to Landlord or to others. As used in Sections 21(c)(ii)(A) and (B), above, the “worth at the time of award” shall be computed by allowing interest at the Default Rate. As used in Section 21(c)(ii)(C) above, the “worth at the time of award” shall be computed by discounting such amount at the discount rate of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco at the time of award plus 1%.

(iii) Landlord may continue this Lease in effect after Tenant’s Default and recover rent as it becomes due (Landlord and Tenant hereby agreeing that Tenant has the right to sublet or assign hereunder, subject only to the terms of Section 22). Accordingly, if Landlord does not elect to terminate this Lease following a Default by Tenant, Landlord may, from time to time, without terminating this Lease, enforce all of its rights and remedies hereunder, including the right to recover all Rent as it becomes due.

(iv) Whether or not Landlord elects to terminate this Lease following a Default by Tenant, Landlord shall have the right to terminate any and all subleases, licenses, concessions or other consensual arrangements for possession entered into by Tenant and affecting the Premises or may, in Landlord’s sole discretion, succeed to Tenant’s interest in such subleases, licenses, concessions or arrangements. Upon

 


 

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Landlord’s election to succeed to Tenant’s interest in any such subleases, licenses, concessions or arrangements, Tenant shall, as of the date of notice by Landlord of such election, have no further right to or interest in the rent or other consideration receivable thereunder.

(v) Independent of the exercise of any other remedy of Landlord hereunder or under applicable law, Landlord may conduct an environmental test of the Premises as generally described in Section 30(d) hereof, at Tenant’s expense.

(vi) Landlord shall have the right to suspend the performance of the Tenant Improvements (and each day of such suspension shall constitute a Tenant Delay).

(d) Effect of Exercise. Exercise by Landlord of any remedies hereunder or otherwise available shall not be deemed to be an acceptance of surrender of the Premises and/or a termination of this Lease by Landlord, it being understood that such surrender and/or termination can be effected only by the express written agreement of Landlord and Tenant. Any law, usage, or custom to the contrary notwithstanding, Landlord shall have the right at all times to enforce the provisions of this Lease in strict accordance with the terms hereof; and the failure of Landlord at any time to enforce its rights under this Lease strictly in accordance with same shall not be construed as having created a custom in any way or manner contrary to the specific terms, provisions, and covenants of this Lease or as having modified the same and shall not be deemed a waiver of Landlord’s right to enforce one or more of its rights in connection with any subsequent default. A receipt by Landlord of Rent or other payment with knowledge of the breach of any covenant hereof shall not be deemed a waiver of such breach, and no waiver by Landlord of any provision of this Lease shall be deemed to have been made unless expressed in writing and signed by Landlord. To the greatest extent permitted by law, Tenant waives the service of notice of Landlord’s intention to re-enter, re-take or otherwise obtain possession of the Premises as provided in any statute, or to institute legal proceedings to that end, and also waives all right of redemption in case Tenant shall be dispossessed by a judgment or by warrant of any court or judge. Any reletting of the Premises or any portion thereof shall be on such terms and conditions as Landlord in its sole discretion may determine. Landlord shall not be liable for, nor shall Tenant’s obligations hereunder be diminished because of, Landlord’s failure to relet the Premises or collect rent due in respect of such reletting or otherwise to mitigate any damages arising by reason of Tenant’s Default. Notwithstanding any contrary provision of this Lease, neither party shall be liable to the other party for any consequential, special or punitive damages arising under this Lease; provided that this sentence shall not apply to Landlord’s damages (x) as expressly provided for in Section 8, and/or (y) in connection with Tenant’s obligations as more fully set forth in Section 30. In no event shall the foregoing limit the damages to which Landlord is entitled under this Section 21(c)(ii)(A)-(D).

22. Assignment and Subletting.

(a) General Prohibition. Without Landlord’s prior written consent subject to and on the conditions described in this Section 22, Tenant shall not, directly or indirectly, voluntarily or by operation of law, assign, transfer, allocate, or otherwise make or suffer any disposition of this Lease or any of its rights or obligations hereunder, including, without limitation, to a corporation or other entity which is a successor-in-interest to Tenant by the purchase of all or

 


 

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substantially all of the assets or the ownership interests of Tenant, or enter into or suffer any merger, consolidation, corporate division, reorganization or restructuring, or sublease the Premises or any part thereof, or mortgage, pledge, or hypothecate its leasehold interest, or grant any concession or license within the Premises, or enter into or suffer any transaction or event that would have the effect of any of the foregoing (any of the transactions or events described above in this sentence being sometimes referred to herein as a “Transfer”), and any Transfer or attempted Transfer without Landlord’s prior written consent in each instance, other than pursuant to a Permitted Assignment (as defined below), shall be void and of no effect. If Tenant is a corporation, partnership or limited liability company, the shares or other ownership interests thereof that are not actively traded upon a stock exchange or in the over-the-counter market, a transfer or transaction or series of transfers or transactions whereby 49% or more of the issued and outstanding shares or other ownership interests of such corporation are, or voting control is, transferred (but excepting transfers upon deaths of individual owners) from a person or persons or entity or entities that were owners thereof as of the Effective Date to persons or entities who were not owners of shares or other ownership interests of the corporation, partnership or limited liability company as of the Effective Date, shall be deemed a Transfer requiring the consent of Landlord as provided in this Section 22.

(b) Permitted Transfers. If Tenant desires, following the Commencement Date, to effectuate a Transfer other than pursuant to a Permitted Assignment, then at least 15 business days, but not more than 45 business days, before the date Tenant desires the Transfer to be effective (the “Transfer Date”), Tenant shall give Landlord a notice (the “Transfer Notice”) containing such information about the proposed assignee, sublessee or other Transfer counterparty (as applicable, “Transferee”), including the proposed use of the Premises and any Hazardous Materials proposed to be used, stored handled, treated, generated in or released or disposed of from the Premises, the Transfer Date, any relationship between Tenant and the proposed Transferee, and all material terms and conditions of the proposed Transfer, including a copy of any proposed assignment, sublease or other transaction document in its final form, and such other information as Landlord may deem reasonably necessary or appropriate to its consideration whether to grant its consent. Landlord may, by giving written notice to Tenant within 15 business days after receipt of the Transfer Notice: (i) grant such consent (provided that Landlord shall further have the right to review and approve or disapprove the proposed form of assignment, sublease or other transaction document prior to the effective date of any such Transfer), (ii) refuse such consent, in its reasonable discretion with respect to an assignment or sublease, and in its sole discretion with respect to any other Transfer: or (iii) terminate this Lease with respect to the space described in the Transfer Notice or otherwise subject to the Transfer, as of the Transfer Date (a “Transfer Termination”). Among other reasons, it shall be reasonable for Landlord to withhold its consent in any of these instances: (1) the proposed Transferee is a governmental agency; (2) in Landlord’s reasonable judgment, the use of the Premises by the proposed Transferee would entail any alterations that would lessen the value of the leasehold improvements in the Premises, or would require increased services by Landlord; (3) in Landlord’s reasonable judgment, the proposed Transferee is engaged in areas of scientific research or other business concerns that are controversial; (4) in Landlord’s reasonable judgment, the proposed Transferee lacks the creditworthiness to support the financial obligations it will have or incur under the proposed Transfer, without taking into account any limitations on such liabilities under insolvency, bankruptcy, or similar laws; (5) in Landlord’s reasonable judgment, the character, reputation, or business of the proposed Transferee is inconsistent with the desired tenant-mix or the quality of

 


 

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other tenancies in the Project or is inconsistent with the type and quality of the nature of the Building; (6) Landlord or an affiliate of Landlord has received from any prior landlord to the proposed Transferee a negative report concerning such prior landlord’s experience with the proposed Transferee; (7) Landlord or an affiliate of Landlord has experienced previous defaults by or is in litigation with the proposed Transferee; (8) the use of the Premises by the proposed Transferee will violate any applicable Legal Requirement; (9) the proposed Transferee, or any entity that, directly or indirectly, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with the proposed Transferee, is then an occupant of the Project; (10) the proposed Transferee is an entity with whom Landlord is negotiating to lease space in the Project; (11) the Transfer is prohibited by the Holder of a Mortgage encumbering all or a portion of the Project; or (12) in Landlord’s reasonable judgment, the Transfer is intended to or has the effect of undermining the ability or likelihood of Tenant’s or Transferee’s compliance with this Lease. If Landlord delivers notice of its election to exercise a Transfer Termination, Tenant shall have the right to withdraw such Transfer Notice by written notice to Landlord of such election within 5 business days after Landlord’s notice electing to exercise the Transfer Termination. If Tenant withdraws such Transfer Notice, this Lease shall continue in full force and effect. If Tenant does not withdraw such Transfer Notice, this Lease, and the term and estate herein granted, shall terminate as of the Transfer Date with respect to the space described in such Transfer Notice or otherwise subject to the Transfer. No failure of Landlord to exercise any such option to terminate this Lease, or to deliver a timely notice in response to the Transfer Notice, shall be deemed to be Landlord’s consent to the proposed Transfer. Tenant shall pay to Landlord a fee equal to Two Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($2,500) in connection with its consideration of any Transfer Notice and/or its preparation or review of any consent documents. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Landlord’s consent to an assignment of this Lease or a subletting of any portion of the Premises (but not any other Transfer) to any entity controlling, controlled by or under common control with Tenant that is otherwise in compliance with this Section 22 including Section 22(d) (a “Permitted Assignment”) shall not be required so long as with respect to any assignment to a Control Permitted Assignment, the net worth (as determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”)) of the assignee and the creditworthiness of the assignee to support the financial obligations it will have or incur under the proposed assignment (without taking into account any limitations on such liabilities under insolvency, bankruptcy, or similar laws) are not less than the greater of the net worth (as determined in accordance with GAAP) and equivalent creditworthiness of Tenant as of (A) the Commencement Date, or (B) as of the date of Tenant’s most current quarterly or annual financial statements, and provided that Tenant and any assignee or sublessee shall execute a reasonable form of acknowledgment of assignment or sublease, as applicable, acceptable to Landlord on or before the effective date of the Control Permitted Assignment.

(c) Additional Conditions. As a condition to any Transfer, whether or not Landlord’s consent is required, Landlord may require:

(i) that any Transferee agree, in writing at the time of such Transfer, that if Landlord gives such party notice that Tenant is in default under this Lease, such Transferee shall thereafter make all payments otherwise due Tenant directly to Landlord, which payments will be received by Landlord without any liability except to credit such payment against those due under this Lease, and any such Transferee shall agree to attorn to Landlord or its successors and assigns should this Lease be terminated for any reason:

 


 

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provided, however, in no event shall Landlord or its successors or assigns be obligated to accept such attornment; and

(ii) A list of Hazardous Materials, certified by the proposed Transferee to be true and correct, which the proposed Transferee intends to use, store, handle, treat, generate in or release or dispose of from the Premises, together with copies of all documents relating to such use, storage, handling, treatment, generation, release or disposal of Hazardous Materials by the proposed Transferee in the Premises or on the Project, prior to the proposed Transfer, including, without limitation: permits; approvals; reports and correspondence; storage and management plans; plans relating to the installation of any storage tanks to be installed in or under the Project (provided, said installation of tanks shall only be permitted after Landlord has given its written consent to do so, which consent may be withheld in Landlord’s sole and absolute discretion); and all closure plans or any other documents required by any and all federal, state and local Governmental Authorities for any storage tanks installed in, on or under the Project for the closure of any such tanks. Neither Tenant nor any such proposed Transferee is required, however, to provide Landlord with any portion(s) of the such documents containing information of a proprietary nature which, in and of themselves, do not contain a reference to any Hazardous Materials or hazardous activities.

(d) No Release of Tenant, Sharing of Excess Rents. Notwithstanding any Transfer, Tenant and any guarantor or surety of Tenant’s obligations under this Lease shall at all times remain fully and primarily responsible and liable for the payment of Rent and for compliance with all of the other obligations of the “Tenant” party under this Lease, arising before or after the date of the Transfer. Except with respect to Permitted Assignments, if the rent due and payable by a Transferee (or a combination of the rental payable under such Transfer plus any bonus or other consideration therefor or incident thereto in any form) the sum of the Base Rent and Operating Expenses payable under this Lease with respect to the applicable portion of the Premises (excluding however, any Rent payable under this Section) and actual and reasonable and customary brokerage commissions, legal costs, improvement allowances, and any design or construction costs (collectively, the “Sublease/Assignment Costs”) directly related to and required pursuant to the terms of any Transfer (“Excess Rents”), then Tenant shall be bound and obligated to pay Landlord as Additional Rent hereunder 50% of such Excess Rent within 10 business days following receipt thereof by Tenant. For the purpose of calculating Excess Rents, the Sublease/Assignment Costs shall be amortized on a straight-lined basis over the term of the applicable sublease or assignment. If Tenant shall sublet the Premises or any part thereof, Tenant hereby immediately and irrevocably assigns to Landlord, as security for Tenant’s obligations under this Lease, all rent from any such subletting, and Landlord or a receiver for Tenant appointed on Landlord’s application, may collect such rent and apply it toward Tenant’s obligations under this Lease: except that, until the occurrence of a Default, Tenant shall have the right to collect such rent.

(e) No Waiver. The consent by Landlord to any Transfer shall not relieve Tenant or any Transferee from obtaining the consent of Landlord to any further Transfer nor shall it release Tenant or any Transferee of Tenant from full and primary liability under this Lease. The acceptance of Rent hereunder, or the acceptance of performance of any other term, covenant, or

 


 

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condition thereof, from any other person or entity shall not be deemed to be a waiver of any of the provisions of this Lease or a consent to any Transfer.

(f) Prior Conduct of Proposed Transferee. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 22, if (i) the proposed Transferee or its affiliate has been required by any prior landlord, lender or Governmental Authority to take remedial action in connection with Hazardous Materials contaminating a property, where the contamination resulted from such party’s action or use of the property in question, (ii) the proposed Transferee or its affiliate is subject to an enforcement order issued by any Governmental Authority in connection with the use, storage, handling, treatment, generation, release or disposal of Hazardous Materials (including, without limitation, any order related to the failure to make a required reporting to any Governmental Authority), or (iii) because of the existence of a pre-existing environmental condition in the vicinity of or underlying the Project, the risk that Landlord would be targeted as a responsible party in connection with the remediation of such pre-existing environmental condition would be materially increased or exacerbated by the proposed use of Hazardous Materials by such proposed Transferee, Landlord shall have the absolute right to refuse to consent to any Transfer to any such Transferee.

23. Estoppel Certificate. Tenant shall, within 10 business days of written notice from Landlord, execute, acknowledge and deliver a statement in writing in any form reasonably requested by a proposed lender or purchaser, (i) certifying that this Lease is unmodified and in full force and effect (or, if modified, stating the nature of such modification and certifying that this Lease as so modified is in full force and effect) and the dates to which the rental and other charges are paid in advance, if any, (ii) acknowledging that there are not any uncured defaults on the part of Landlord hereunder, or specifying such defaults if any are claimed, and (iii) setting forth such further information with respect to the status of this Lease or the Premises as may be requested thereon. Any such statement may be relied upon by any prospective purchaser or encumbrancer of all or any portion of the real property of which the Premises are a part. Tenant’s failure to deliver such statement within 5 days after Tenant’s receipt of a second written notice from Landlord shall be conclusive upon Tenant that this Lease is in full force and effect and without modification except as may be represented by Landlord in any certificate prepared by Landlord and delivered to Tenant for execution.

 


 

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24. Quiet Enjoyment. So long as Tenant is not in Default under this Lease, Tenant shall, subject to the terms of this Lease, at all times during the Term, have peaceful and quiet enjoyment of the Premises against any person claiming by, through or under Landlord.

25. Prorations. All prorations required or permitted to be made hereunder shall be made on the basis of a 360 day year and 30 day months.

26. Rules and Regulations. Tenant shall, at all times during the Term and any extension thereof, comply with all reasonable rules and regulations at any time or from time to time established by Landlord covering use of the Premises and the Project. Such rules and regulations may include, without limitation, rules and regulations relating to the use of the Project Amenities and/or rules and regulations which are intended to encourage social distancing, promote and protect health and physical well-being within the Building and the Project and/or intended to limit the spread of communicable diseases and/or viruses of any kind or nature that are more virulent than the seasonal flu (collectively, “Infectious Conditions”). The current rules and regulations are attached hereto as Exhibit E. If there is any conflict between such rules and regulations and other provisions of this Lease, the terms and provisions of this Lease shall control. Landlord shall not have any liability or obligation for the breach of any rules or regulations by other tenants in the Project and shall not enforce such rules and regulations in a discriminatory manner.

27. Subordination. This Lease and Tenant’s interest and rights hereunder are hereby made and shall be subject and subordinate at all times to the lien of any Mortgage now existing or hereafter created on or against the Project or the Premises, and all amendments, restatements, renewals, modifications, consolidations, refinancing, assignments and extensions thereof, without the necessity of any further instrument or act on the part of Tenant; provided, however that so long as there is no Default hereunder, Tenant’s right to possession of the Premises shall not be disturbed by the Holder of any such Mortgage. Tenant agrees, at the election of the Holder of any such Mortgage, to attorn to any such Holder. Tenant agrees upon demand to execute, acknowledge and deliver such instruments, confirming such subordination, and such instruments of attornment as shall be requested by any such Holder, provided any such instruments contain appropriate non-disturbance provisions assuring Tenant’s quiet enjoyment of the Premises as set forth in Section 24 hereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any such Holder may at any time subordinate its Mortgage to this Lease, without Tenant’s consent, by notice in writing to Tenant, and thereupon this Lease shall be deemed prior to such Mortgage without regard to their respective dates of execution, delivery or recording and in that event such Holder shall have the same rights with respect to this Lease as though this Lease had been executed prior to the execution, delivery and recording of such Mortgage and had been assigned to such Holder. The term “Mortgage” whenever used in this Lease shall be deemed to include deeds of trust, security assignments and any other encumbrances, and any reference to the “Holder” of a Mortgage shall be deemed to include the beneficiary under a deed of trust.

28. Surrender. Upon the expiration of the Term or earlier termination of Tenant’s right of possession, Tenant shall surrender the Premises to Landlord in broom clean condition (a) in the same condition as received (except for any Alterations or Installations permitted by Landlord to remain in the Premises pursuant to Section 12), subject to ordinary wear and tear and casualty loss and condemnation covered by Sections 18 and 19, (b) with all wires, cables or similar

 


 

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equipment which Tenant has installed in the Premises or in the risers or plenums of the Building removed, (c) free of Hazardous Materials brought upon, kept, used, stored, handled, treated, generated in, or released or disposed of from, the Premises by any person other than Landlord or any of Landlord’s employees, agents and contractors (collectively, “Tenant HazMat Operations”), and (d) released of all Hazardous Materials Clearances. At least 3 months prior to the surrender of the Premises or such earlier date as Tenant may elect to cease operations at the Premises, Tenant shall deliver to Landlord a narrative description of the actions proposed (or required by any Governmental Authority) to be taken by Tenant in order to surrender the Premises (including any Installations permitted by Landlord to remain in the Premises) at the expiration or earlier termination of the Term, free from any residual impact from the Tenant HazMat Operations and otherwise released for unrestricted use and occupancy (the “Decommissioning and HazMat Closure Plan”). Such Decommissioning and HazMat Closure Plan shall be accompanied by a current listing of (i) all Hazardous Materials licenses and permits held by or on behalf of any Tenant Party with respect to the Premises, and (ii) all Hazardous Materials used, stored, handled, treated, generated, released or disposed of from the Premises, and shall be subject to the review and approval of Landlord’s environmental consultant. In connection with the review and approval of the Decommissioning and HazMat Closure Plan, upon the request of Landlord, Tenant shall deliver to Landlord or its consultant such additional non-proprietary information concerning Tenant HazMat Operations as Landlord shall request. On or before such surrender, Tenant shall deliver to Landlord evidence that the approved Decommissioning and HazMat Closure Plan shall have been satisfactorily completed and Landlord shall have the right to cause Landlord’s environmental consultant to inspect the Premises and perform such additional procedures as may be deemed reasonably necessary to confirm that the Premises are, as of the effective date of such surrender or early termination of this Lease, free from any residual impact from Tenant HazMat Operations. Tenant shall pay a fee to Landlord in the amount of $5,000 for the review of the Decommissioning and HazMat Closure Plan and Tenant’s implementation of the same by Landlord’s environmental consultant. Landlord shall have the unrestricted right to deliver such Decommissioning and HazMat Closure Plan and any report by Landlord’s environmental consultant with respect to the surrender of the Premises to third parties.

If Tenant shall fail to prepare or submit a Decommissioning and HazMat Closure Plan approved by Landlord, or if Tenant shall fail to complete the approved Decommissioning and HazMat Closure Plan, or if such Decommissioning and HazMat Closure Plan, whether or not approved by Landlord, shall fail to adequately address any residual effect of Tenant HazMat Operations in, on or about the Premises, Landlord shall have the right to take such actions as Landlord may deem reasonable or appropriate to assure that the Premises and the Project are surrendered free from any residual impact from Tenant HazMat Operations, the cost of which actions shall be reimbursed by Tenant as Additional Rent, without regard to the limitation set forth in the first paragraph of this Section 28.

Upon the expiration or earlier termination of the Term, Tenant shall immediately return to Landlord all keys and/or access cards to parking, the Project, restrooms or all or any portion of the Premises furnished to or otherwise procured by Tenant. If any such access card or key is lost. Tenant shall pay to Landlord, at Landlord’s election, either the cost of replacing such lost access card or key or the cost of reprogramming the access security system in which such access card was used or changing the lock or locks opened by such lost key. Any Tenant’s Property, Alterations and property not so removed by Tenant as permitted or required herein shall be deemed abandoned

 


 

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and may be stored, removed, and disposed of by Landlord at Tenant’s expense, and Tenant waives all claims against Landlord for any damages resulting from Landlord’s retention and/or disposition of such property. All obligations of Tenant hereunder not fully performed as of the termination of the Term, including the obligations of Tenant under Section 30 hereof, shall survive the expiration or earlier termination of the Term, including, without limitation, indemnity obligations, payment obligations with respect to Rent and obligations concerning the condition and repair of the Premises.

29. Waiver of Jury Trial. TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, TENANT AND LANDLORD WAIVE ANY RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY OR TO HAVE A JURY PARTICIPATE IN RESOLVING ANY DISPUTE, WHETHER SOUNDING IN CONTRACT, TORT, OR OTHERWISE, BETWEEN LANDLORD AND TENANT ARISING OUT OF THIS LEASE OR ANY OTHER INSTRUMENT, DOCUMENT, OR AGREEMENT EXECUTED OR DELIVERED IN CONNECTION HEREWITH OR THE TRANSACTIONS RELATED HERETO.

30. Environmental Requirements.

(a) Prohibition/Compliance/Indemnity. Tenant shall not cause or permit any Hazardous Materials (as hereinafter defined) to be brought upon, kept, used, stored, handled, treated, generated in or about, or released or disposed of from, the Premises or the Project in violation of applicable Environmental Requirements (as hereinafter defined) by Tenant or any Tenant Party. If Tenant breaches the obligation stated in the preceding sentence, or if the presence of Hazardous Materials in the Premises during the Term or any holding over results in contamination of the Premises, the Project or any adjacent property or if contamination of the Premises, the Project or any adjacent property by Hazardous Materials brought into, kept, used, stored, handled, treated, generated in or about, or released or disposed of from, the Premises by anyone other than Landlord and Landlord’s employees, agents and contractors otherwise occurs during the Term or any holding over, Tenant hereby indemnifies and shall defend and hold Landlord, its officers, directors, employees, agents and contractors harmless from any and all actions (including, without limitation, remedial or enforcement actions of any kind, administrative or judicial proceedings, and orders or judgments arising out of or resulting therefrom), costs, claims, damages (including, without limitation, punitive damages and damages based upon diminution in value of the Premises or the Project, or the loss of, or restriction on, use of the Premises or any portion of the Project), expenses (including, without limitation, attorneys’, consultants’ and experts’ fees, court costs and amounts paid in settlement of any claims or actions), fines, forfeitures or other civil, administrative or criminal penalties, injunctive or other relief (whether or not based upon personal injury, property damage, or contamination of, or adverse effects upon, the environment, water tables or natural resources), liabilities or losses which arise during or after the Term as a result of such contamination. This indemnification of Landlord by Tenant includes, without limitation, costs incurred in connection with any investigation of site conditions or any cleanup, treatment, remedial, removal, or restoration work required by any federal, state or local Governmental Authority because of Hazardous Materials present in the air, soil or ground water above, on, or under the Premises. Without limiting the foregoing, if the presence of any Hazardous Materials on the Premises, the Project or any adjacent property caused or permitted by Tenant or any Tenant Party results in any contamination of the Premises, the Project or any adjacent property, Tenant shall promptly take all actions at its sole expense and in

 


 

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accordance with applicable Environmental Requirements as are necessary to return the Premises, the Project or any adjacent property to the condition existing prior to the time of such contamination, provided that Landlord’s approval of such action shall first be obtained, which approval shall not unreasonably be withheld so long as such actions would not potentially have any material adverse long-term or short-term effect on the Premises or the Project. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Section 30, Tenant shall not be responsible for, and the indemnification and hold harmless obligation set forth in this paragraph shall not apply to (i) contamination in the Premises which Tenant can prove to Landlord’s reasonable satisfaction existed in the Premises immediately prior to the Commencement Date, or (ii) the presence of any Hazardous Materials in the Premises which Tenant can prove to Landlord’s reasonable satisfaction migrated from outside of the Premises into the Premises, unless in either case, the presence of such Hazardous Materials (x) is the result of a breach by Tenant of any of its obligations under this Lease, or (y) was caused, contributed to or exacerbated by Tenant or any Tenant Party.

(b) Business. Landlord acknowledges that it is not the intent of this Section 30 to prohibit Tenant from using the Premises for the Permitted Use. Tenant may operate its business according to prudent industry practices so long as the use or presence of Hazardous Materials is strictly and properly monitored according to all then applicable Environmental Requirements. As a material inducement to Landlord to allow Tenant to use Hazardous Materials in connection with its business, Tenant agrees to deliver to Landlord prior to the Commencement Date a list identifying each type of Hazardous Materials to be brought upon, kept, used, stored, handled, treated, generated on, or released or disposed of from, the Premises and setting forth any and all governmental approvals or permits required in connection with the presence, use, storage, handling, treatment, generation, release or disposal of such Hazardous Materials on or from the Premises (“Hazardous Materials List”). Upon Landlord’s request, or any time that Tenant is required to deliver a Hazardous Materials List to any Governmental Authority (e.g., the fire department) in connection with Tenant’s use or occupancy of the Premises, Tenant shall deliver to Landlord a copy of such Hazardous Materials List. Tenant shall deliver to Landlord true and correct copies of the following documents (the “Haz Mat Documents”) relating to the use, storage, handling, treatment, generation, release or disposal of Hazardous Materials prior to the Commencement Date, or if unavailable at that time, concurrent with the receipt from or submission to a Governmental Authority: permits; approvals; reports and correspondence; storage and management plans, notice of violations of any Legal Requirements; plans relating to the installation of any storage tanks to be installed in or under the Project (provided, said installation of tanks shall only be permitted after Landlord has given Tenant its written consent to do so, which consent may be withheld in Landlord’s sole and absolute discretion); and all closure plans or any other documents required by any and all federal, state and local Governmental Authorities for any storage tanks installed in, on or under the Project for the closure of any such tanks. Tenant is not required, however, to provide Landlord with any portion(s) of the Haz Mat Documents containing information of a proprietary nature which, in and of themselves, do not contain a reference to any Hazardous Materials or hazardous activities. It is not the intent of this Section to provide Landlord with information which could be detrimental to Tenant’s business should such information become possessed by Tenant’s competitors.

 


 

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(c) Tenant Representation and Warranty. Tenant hereby represents and warrants to Landlord that (i) neither Tenant nor any of its legal predecessors has been required by any prior landlord, lender or Governmental Authority at any time to take remedial action in connection with Hazardous Materials contaminating a property which contamination was permitted by Tenant or such predecessor or resulted from Tenant’s or such predecessor’s action or use of the property in question, and (ii) Tenant is not subject to any enforcement order issued by any Governmental Authority in connection with the use, storage, handling, treatment, generation, release or disposal of Hazardous Materials (including, without limitation, any order related to the failure to make a required reporting to any Governmental Authority). If Landlord determines that this representation and warranty was not true as of the Effective Date, Landlord shall have the right to terminate this Lease in Landlord’s sole and absolute discretion.

(d) Testing. Landlord shall have the right, but not the obligation, to conduct annual tests of the Premises to determine whether any contamination of the Premises or the Project has occurred as a result of Tenant’s use. Tenant shall be required to pay the cost of such annual test of the Premises if there is violation of this Section 30 or if contamination for which Tenant is responsible under this Section 30 is identified; provided, however, that if Tenant conducts its own tests of the Premises using third party contractors and test procedures acceptable to Landlord which tests are certified to Landlord, Landlord shall accept such tests in lieu of the annual tests to be paid for by Tenant. In addition, at any time, and from time to time, prior to the expiration or earlier termination of the Term, Landlord shall have the right to conduct appropriate tests of the Premises and the Project to determine if contamination has occurred as a result of Tenant’s use of the Premises. In connection with such testing, upon the request of Landlord, Tenant shall deliver to Landlord or its consultant such non-proprietary information concerning the use of Hazardous Materials in or about the Premises by Tenant or any Tenant Party. If contamination has occurred for which Tenant is liable under this Section 30, Tenant shall pay all costs to conduct such tests. If no such contamination is found, Landlord shall pay the costs of such tests (which shall not constitute an Operating Expense). Landlord shall provide Tenant with a copy of all third party, non-confidential reports and tests of the Premises made by or on behalf of Landlord during the Term without representation or warranty and subject to a confidentiality agreement. Tenant shall, at its sole cost and expense, promptly and satisfactorily remediate any environmental conditions identified by such testing in accordance with all Environmental Requirements. Landlord’s receipt of or satisfaction with any environmental assessment in no way waives any rights that Landlord may have against Tenant.

(e) Control Areas. Tenant shall be allowed to utilize up to its pro rata share of the Hazardous Materials inventory within any control area or zone (located within the Premises), as designated by the applicable building code, for chemical use or storage. As used in the preceding sentence, Tenant’s pro rata share of any control areas or zones located within the Premises shall be determined based on the rentable square footage that Tenant leases within the applicable control area or zone. For purposes of example only, if a control area or zone contains 10,000 rentable square feet and 2,000 rentable square feet of a tenant’s premises are located within such control area or zone (while such premises as a whole contains 5,000 rentable square feet), the applicable tenant’s pro rata share of such control area would be 20%.

(f) Storage Tanks. Tenant shall have no right to use or install any underground or other storage tanks at the Project.

 


 

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(g) Tenant’s Obligations. Tenant’s obligations under this Section 30 shall survive the expiration or earlier termination of the Lease. Any period after the expiration or earlier termination of this Lease required by Tenant or Landlord to complete the removal from the Premises of any Hazardous Materials (including, without limitation, the release and termination of any licenses or permits restricting the use of the Premises and the completion of the approved Decommissioning and HazMat Closure Plan) shall constitute a hold over pursuant to Section 8.

(h) Definitions. As used herein, the term “Environmental Requirements” means all applicable present and future statutes, regulations, ordinances, rules, codes, judgments, orders or other similar enactments of any Governmental Authority regulating or relating to health, safety, or environmental conditions on, under, or about the Premises or the Project, or the environment, including without limitation, the following: the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act; the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act; and all state and local counterparts thereto, and any regulations or policies promulgated or issued thereunder. As used herein, the term “Hazardous Materials” means and includes any substance, material, waste, pollutant, or contaminant listed or defined as hazardous or toxic, or regulated by reason of its impact or potential impact on humans, animals and/or the environment under any Environmental Requirements, asbestos and petroleum, including crude oil or any fraction thereof, natural gas liquids, liquefied natural gas, or synthetic gas usable for fuel (or mixtures of natural gas and such synthetic gas). As defined in Environmental Requirements, Tenant is and shall be deemed to be the “operator” of Tenant’s “facility” and the “owner” of all Hazardous Materials brought on the Premises by Tenant or any Tenant Party, and the wastes, by-products, or residues generated, resulting, or produced therefrom.

31. Tenant’s Remedies/Limitation of Liability. Landlord shall not be in default hereunder unless Landlord fails to perform any of its obligations hereunder within 30 days after written notice from Tenant specifying such failure (unless such performance will, due to the nature of the obligation, require a period of time in excess of 30 days, then after such period of time as is reasonably necessary). Upon any default by Landlord, Tenant shall give notice by registered or certified mail to any Holder of a Mortgage covering the Premises and to any landlord of any lease of property in or on which the Premises are located and Tenant shall offer such Holder and/or landlord a reasonable opportunity to cure the default, including time to obtain possession of the Project by power of sale or a judicial action if such should prove necessary to effect a cure; provided Landlord shall have furnished to Tenant in writing the names and addresses of all such persons who are to receive such notices. All obligations of Landlord hereunder shall be construed as covenants, not conditions: and, except as may be otherwise expressly provided in this Lease, Tenant may not terminate this Lease for breach of Landlord’s obligations hereunder.

All obligations of Landlord under this Lease will be binding upon Landlord only during the period of its ownership of the Premises and not thereafter. The term “Landlord” in this Lease shall mean only the owner for the time being of the Premises. Upon the transfer by such owner of its interest in the Premises, such owner shall thereupon be released and discharged from all obligations of Landlord thereafter accruing, but such obligations shall be binding during the Term upon each new owner for the duration of such owner’s ownership.

32. Inspection and Access. Landlord and its agents, representatives, and contractors may enter the Premises at any reasonable time to inspect the Premises and to make such repairs as

 


 

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may be required or permitted pursuant to this Lease and for any other business purpose. Landlord and Landlord’s representatives may enter the Premises during business hours on not less than 48 hours advance written notice (except in the case of emergencies in which case no such notice shall be required and such entry may be at any time) for the purpose of effecting any such repairs, inspecting the Premises, showing the Premises to prospective purchasers and, during the last 18 months of the Term, to prospective tenants or for any other business purpose. Landlord may erect a suitable sign on the Premises stating the Premises are available to let or that the Project is available for sale. Landlord may grant easements, make public dedications, designate Common Areas and create restrictions on or about the Premises, provided that no such easement, dedication, designation or restriction materially, adversely affects Tenant’s use or occupancy of the Premises for the Permitted Use. At Landlord’s request, Tenant shall execute such instruments as may be necessary for such easements, dedications or restrictions. Tenant shall at all times, except in the case of emergencies, have the right to escort Landlord or its agents, representatives, contractors or guests while the same are in the Premises, provided such escort does not materially and adversely affect Landlord’s access rights hereunder.

33. Security. Tenant acknowledges and agrees that security devices and services, if any, while intended to deter crime may not in given instances prevent theft or other criminal acts and that Landlord is not providing any security services with respect to the Premises. Tenant agrees that Landlord shall not be liable to Tenant for, and Tenant waives any claim against Landlord with respect to, any loss by theft or any other damage suffered or incurred by Tenant in connection with any unauthorized entry into the Premises or any other breach of security with respect to the Premises. Tenant shall be solely responsible for the personal safety of Tenant’s officers, employees, agents, contractors, guests and invitees while any such person is in, on or about the Premises and/or the Project. Tenant shall at Tenant’s cost obtain insurance coverage to the extent Tenant desires protection against such criminal acts.

34. Force Majeure. Except for the payment of Rent, neither Landlord nor Tenant shall be held responsible or liable for delays in the performance of its obligations hereunder when caused by, related to, or arising out of acts of God, sinkholes or subsidence, strikes, lockouts, or other labor disputes, embargoes, quarantines, weather, national, regional, or local disasters, calamities, or catastrophes, inability to obtain labor or materials (or reasonable substitutes therefor) at reasonable costs or failure of, or inability to obtain, utilities necessary for performance, governmental restrictions, orders, limitations, regulations, or controls, national emergencies, local, regional or national epidemic or pandemic, delay in issuance or revocation of permits, enemy or hostile governmental action, terrorism, insurrection, riots, civil disturbance or commotion, cyberattacks, ransomware attacks and similar events, fire or other casualty, and other causes or events beyond their reasonable control (“Force Majeure”). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, in no event shall Force Majeure excuse Tenant’s obligation to vacate and surrender timely the Premises in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Lease.

35. Brokers. Landlord and Tenant each represents and warrants that it has not dealt with any broker, agent or other person (collectively, “Broker”) in connection with this transaction and that no Broker brought about this transaction, other than JLL. Landlord and Tenant each hereby agree to indemnify and hold the other harmless from and against any claims by any Broker, other than JLL, claiming a commission or other form of compensation, if any, by virtue of having dealt with Tenant or Landlord, as applicable, with regard to this leasing transaction.

 


 

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36. Limitation on Landlord’s Liability. NOTWITHSTANDING ANYTHING SET FORTH HEREIN OR IN ANY OTHER AGREEMENT BETWEEN LANDLORD AND TENANT TO THE CONTRARY: (A) LANDLORD SHALL NOT BE LIABLE TO TENANT OR ANY OTHER PERSON FOR (AND TENANT AND EACH SUCH OTHER PERSON ASSUME ALL RISK OF) LOSS, DAMAGE OR INJURY, WHETHER ACTUAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL TO: TENANT’S PERSONAL PROPERTY OF EVERY KIND AND DESCRIPTION, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION TRADE FIXTURES, EQUIPMENT, INVENTORY, SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH, SCIENTIFIC EXPERIMENTS, LABORATORY ANIMALS, PRODUCT, SPECIMENS, SAMPLES, AND/OR SCIENTIFIC, BUSINESS, ACCOUNTING AND OTHER RECORDS OF EVERY KIND AND DESCRIPTION KEPT AT THE PREMISES AND ANY AND ALL INCOME DERIVED OR DERIVABLE THEREFROM; (8) THERE SHALL BE NO PERSONAL RECOURSE TO LANDLORD FOR ANY ACT OR OCCURRENCE IN, ON OR ABOUT THE PREMISES OR ARISING IN ANY WAY UNDER THIS LEASE OR ANY OTHER AGREEMENT BETWEEN LANDLORD AND TENANT WITH RESPECT TO THE SUBJECT MATTER HEREOF AND ANY LIABILITY OF LANDLORD HEREUNDER SHALL BE STRICTLY LIMITED SOLELY TO LANDLORD’S INTEREST IN THE PROJECT OR ANY PROCEEDS FROM SALE OR CONDEMNATION THEREOF AND ANY INSURANCE PROCEEDS PAYABLE IN RESPECT OF LANDLORD’S INTEREST IN THE PROJECT OR IN CONNECTION WITH ANY SUCH LOSS; AND (C) IN NO EVENT SHALL ANY PERSONAL LIABILITY BE ASSERTED AGAINST LANDLORD IN CONNECTION WITH THIS LEASE NOR SHALL ANY RECOURSE BE HAD TO ANY OTHER PROPERTY OR ASSETS OF LANDLORD OR ANY OF LANDLORD’S OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, MEMBERS, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS OR CONTRACTORS. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHALL LANDLORD OR ANY OF LANDLORD’S OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS OR CONTRACTORS BE LIABLE FOR INJURY TO TENANT’S BUSINESS OR FOR ANY LOSS OF INCOME OR PROFIT THEREFROM.

Tenant acknowledges and agrees that measures and/or services implemented at the Project, if any, intended to encourage social distancing, promote and protect health and physical well-being and/or intended to limit the spread of Infectious Conditions, may not prevent the spread of such Infectious Conditions. Neither Landlord nor any Landlord Indemnified Parties shall have any liability and Tenant waives any claims against Landlord and the Landlord Indemnified Parties with respect to any loss, damage or injury in connection with (x) the implementation, or failure of Landlord or any Landlord Indemnified Parties to implement, any measures and/or services at the Project intended to encourage social distancing, promote and protect health and physical well-being and/or intended to limit the spread of Infectious Conditions, or (y) the failure of any measures and/or services implemented at the Project, if any, to limit the spread of any Infectious Conditions.

 


 

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37. Severability. If any clause or provision of this Lease is illegal, invalid or unenforceable under present or future laws, then and in that event, it is the intention of the parties hereto that the remainder of this Lease shall not be affected thereby. It is also the intention of the parties to this Lease that in lieu of each clause or provision of this Lease that is illegal, invalid or unenforceable, there be added, as a part of this Lease, a clause or provision as similar in effect to such illegal, invalid or unenforceable clause or provision as shall be legal, valid and enforceable.

38. Signs; Exterior Appearance. Tenant shall not, without the prior written consent of Landlord, which may be granted or withheld in Landlord’s sole discretion: (i) attach any awnings, exterior lights, decorations, balloons, flags, pennants, banners, painting or other projection to any outside wall of the Project, (ii) use any curtains, blinds, shades or screens other than Landlord’s standard window coverings, (iii) coat or otherwise sunscreen the interior or exterior of any windows, (iv) place any bottles, parcels, or other articles on the window sills, (v) place any equipment, furniture or other items of personal property on any exterior balcony, or (vi) paint, affix or exhibit on any part of the Premises or the Project any signs, notices, window or door lettering, placards, decorations, or advertising media of any type which can be viewed from the exterior of the Premises. Suite entry signage shall be inscribed, painted or affixed for Tenant by Landlord at the sole cost and expense of Tenant, and shall be of a size, color and type acceptable to Landlord and Tenant’s name and suite number shall be included on the Building lobby directory. Nothing may be placed on the exterior of corridor walls or corridor doors other than Landlord’s standard lettering. The Building lobby directory shall be provided exclusively for the display of the name and location of tenants.

So long as Tenant is the largest tenant in the Building based on square footage, Tenant shall have the non-exclusive right to display 1 “building-top” sign bearing Tenant’s name and logo on a location on the Building designated by Landlord (the “Building Sign”). Notwithstanding the foregoing, Tenant acknowledges and agrees that Tenant’s Building Sign including, without limitation, the size, color and type, shall be subject to Landlord’s prior written approval and applicable Legal Requirements, and shall be consistent with Landlord’s signage program at the Project. Tenant shall be responsible for the installation and fabrication of Tenant’s Building Sign and shall be responsible, at Tenant’s sole cost and expense, for the maintenance of Tenant’s Building Sign during the Term and the removal of Tenant’s Building Sign at the expiration or earlier termination of this Lease or the earlier termination of Tenant’s rights under this paragraph, and for the repair all damage resulting from such removal.

39. Right to Expand.

(a) Right of First Refusal. Subject to the rights of existing tenants of the Project and to the terms of this Section 39(a), each time after the Effective Date that Landlord intends to accept a bona fide written proposal or deliver a counter proposal which Landlord would be willing to accept (the “Pending Deal”) to lease all or a portion the ROFR Space (as hereinafter defined) to a third party, Landlord shall deliver to Tenant written notice (the “Pending Deal Notice”) of the existence of such Pending Deal, which Pending Deal Notice shall include the material terms of the Pending Deal. For purposes of this Section 39(a), “ROFR Space” any space on the third floor of the Building adjacent to the Premises, which is not occupied by a tenant or which is occupied by an existing tenant whose lease is expiring within 36 months or less and such tenant does not wish to renew (whether or not such tenant has a right to renew) its occupancy of

 


 

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such space. For the avoidance of doubt, Tenant shall be required to exercise its right under this Section 39(a) with respect to all of the space described in the Pending Deal Notice, including, at Landlord’s option, any space in addition to the ROFR Space that is described in the Pending Deal Notice, which additional space shall be deemed to be included as part of the ROFR Space (the “Identified Space”). Within 7 days after Tenant’s receipt of the Pending Deal Notice, Tenant shall deliver to Landlord written notice (the “Acceptance Notice”) if Tenant elects to lease the Identified Space. Tenant’s right to receive the Pending Deal Notice and election to lease or not lease the Identified Space pursuant to this Section 39(a) is hereinafter referred to as the “Right of First Refusal.” If Tenant elects to lease the Identified Space described in the Pending Deal Notice by delivering the Acceptance Notice within the required 7 day period, Tenant shall be deemed to agree to expand the Premises to include the Identified Space and to lease the Identified Space on the same general terms and conditions as this Lease except that the terms of this Lease shall be modified to reflect the terms of the Pending Deal Notice for the rental of the Identified Space. Tenant acknowledges that the term of this Lease with respect to the Identified Space and the Term of this Lease with respect to the existing Premises may not be co-terminous. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, in no event shall the Work Letter apply to the Identified Space. If Tenant fails to deliver an Acceptance Notice to Landlord within the required 7 day period, Tenant shall be deemed to have forever waived its rights under this Section 39(a) to lease the Identified Space. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, Tenant shall have no right to a Pending Deal Notice and the provisions of this Section 39(a) shall no longer apply after the date that is 9 months prior to the expiration of the Base Term if Tenant has not exercised its Extension Right pursuant to Section 40.

(b) Amended Lease. If: (i) Tenant fails to timely deliver an Acceptance Notice, or (ii) after the expiration of a period of 10 days after Landlord’s delivery to Tenant of a lease amendment for Tenant’s lease of the Identified Space, no lease amendment for the Identified Space acceptable to both parties each in their reasonable discretion after using diligent good faith efforts negotiate the same, has been executed, Tenant shall, notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, be deemed to have forever waived its right to lease such Identified Space.

(c) Exceptions. Notwithstanding the above, the Right of First Refusal shall not be in effect and may not be exercised by Tenant:

(i) during any period of time that Tenant is in default under any provision of this Lease (beyond any applicable notice and cure periods); or

(ii) during any period that Tenant is occupying less than 100% of the Premises; or

(iii) if Tenant has been in default (beyond any applicable notice and cure periods) under any provision of this Lease 3 or more times, whether or not such defaults have been cured, during the 12 month period prior to the date on which Tenant seeks to exercise the Right of First Refusal.

 


 

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(d) Termination. The Right of First Refusal shall, at Landlord’s option, terminate and be of no further force or effect even after Tenant’s due and timely delivery of an Acceptance Notice, if, after such delivery, but prior to the commencement date of the lease of such Identified Space, (i) Tenant fails to cure any default by Tenant under this Lease prior to the expiration or any applicable notice and cure periods; or (ii) Tenant has defaulted (beyond any applicable notice and cure periods) 3 or more times during the period commencing on the date of delivery of an Acceptance Notice through the date of the commencement of the lease of the Identified Space, whether or not such defaults have been cured.

(e) Subordinate. Tenant’s Right of First Refusal granted pursuant to Section 39(a) above is and shall remain subject and subordinate to the right of Landlord and/or Landlord’s affiliates (and/or any of their respective affiliates, successors and/or assigns) to occupy all or a portion of the Identified Space for its own purposes as a management and/or marketing office and Landlord’s right to elect to use all or a portion of the Identified Space for common amenities serving the Project. In addition, Tenant’s rights in connection with the Right of First Refusal are and shall be subject to and subordinate to the existing expansion rights of Insitro, Inc. and any existing or future expansion rights granted to Eli Lilly and Company (or any of its affiliates).

(f) Rights Personal. The Right of First Refusal is personal to Tenant and is not assignable without Landlord’s prior written consent, which may be granted or withheld in Landlord’s sole discretion separate and apart from any consent by Landlord to an assignment of Tenant’s interest in this Lease, except that they may be assigned in connection with any assignment of this Lease that constitutes a Permitted Assignment.

(g) No Extensions. The period of time within which the Right of First Refusal may be exercised shall not be extended or enlarged by reason of Tenant’s inability to exercise the Right of First Refusal.

40. Right to Extend Term. Tenant shall have the right to extend the Term of this Lease upon the following terms and conditions:

(a) Extension Rights. So long as Landlord has not entered into a lease or other occupancy agreement after the Effective Date for the Premises with Eli Lilly and Company, an Indiana company, or any of its affiliates (collectively, “Lilly”) in which case Tenant’s Extension Right shall be of no further force or effect, Tenant shall, subject to the terms of this Section 40, have 1 right (the “Extension Right”) to extend the term of this Lease for 36 months (the “Extension Term”) on the same terms and conditions as this Lease (other than with respect to Base Rent) by giving Landlord written notice of its election to exercise each Extension Right at least 9 months prior, and no earlier than 12 months prior, to the expiration of the Base Term of this Lease.

Upon the commencement of each Extension Term, Base Rent shall be payable at the Market Rate (as defined below). Base Rent shall thereafter be adjusted on each annual anniversary of the commencement of such Extension Term by a percentage as determined by Landlord and agreed to by Tenant at the time the Market Rate is determined. As used herein, “Market Rate” shall mean the rate that comparable landlords of comparable buildings have accepted in current transactions from non-equity (i.e., not being offered equity in the buildings) and nonaffiliated

 


 

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tenants of similar financial strength for space of comparable size, quality (including all Tenant Improvements, Alterations and other improvements) and floor height in Class A laboratory/office buildings in the South San Francisco area for a comparable term, with the determination of the Market Rate to take into account all relevant factors, including tenant inducements, views, available amenities (including, without limitation, the Project Amenities, age of the Building, age of mechanical systems serving the Premises), parking costs, leasing commissions, allowances or concessions, if any. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Market Rate shall in no event be less than the Base Rent payable as of the date immediately preceding the commencement of such Extension Term increased by the Rent Adjustment Percentage multiplied by such Base Rent. In addition, Landlord may impose a market rent for the parking rights provided hereunder.

If, on or before the date which is 180 days prior to the expiration of the Base Term of this Lease, Tenant has not agreed with Landlord’s determination of the Market Rate and the rent escalations during the Extension Term after negotiating in good faith, Tenant shall be deemed to have elected arbitration as described in Section 40(b). Tenant acknowledges and agrees that, if Tenant has elected to exercise the Extension Right by delivering notice to Landlord as required in this Section 40(a). Tenant shall have no right thereafter to rescind or elect not to extend the term of this Lease for the Extension Term.

(b) Arbitration.

(i) Within 10 days of Tenant’s notice to Landlord of its election (or deemed election) to arbitrate Market Rate and escalations, each party shall deliver to the other a proposal containing the Market Rate and escalations that the submitting party believes to be correct (“Extension Proposal”). If either party fails to timely submit an Extension Proposal, the other party’s submitted proposal shall determine the Base Rent and escalations for the Extension Term. If both parties submit Extension Proposals, then Landlord and Tenant shall meet within 7 days after delivery of the last Extension Proposal and make a good faith attempt to mutually appoint a single Arbitrator (and defined below) to determine the Market Rate and escalations. If Landlord and Tenant are unable to agree upon a single Arbitrator, then each shall, by written notice delivered to the other within 10 days after the meeting, select an Arbitrator. If either party fails to timely give notice of its selection for an Arbitrator, the other party’s submitted proposal shall determine the Base Rent for the Extension Term. The 2 Arbitrators so appointed shall, within 5 business days after their appointment, appoint a third Arbitrator. If the 2 Arbitrators so selected cannot agree on the selection of the third Arbitrator within the time above specified, then either party, on behalf of both parties, may request such appointment of such third Arbitrator by application to any state court of general jurisdiction in the jurisdiction in which the Premises are located, upon 10 days prior written notice to the other party of such intent.

(ii) The decision of the Arbitrator(s) shall be made within 30 days after the appointment of a single Arbitrator or the third Arbitrator, as applicable. The decision of the single Arbitrator shall be final and binding upon the parties. The average of the two closest Arbitrators in a three Arbitrator panel shall be final and binding upon the parties. Each party shall pay the fees and expenses of the Arbitrator appointed by or on behalf of such party and the fees and expenses of the third Arbitrator shall be borne equally by both parties. If the Market Rate and escalations are not determined by the first day of the

 


 

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Extension Term, then Tenant shall pay Landlord Base Rent in an amount equal to the Base Rent in effect immediately prior to the Extension Term and increased by the Rent Adjustment Percentage until such determination is made. After the determination of the Market Rate and escalations, the parties shall make any necessary adjustments to such payments made by Tenant. Landlord and Tenant shall then execute an amendment recognizing the Market Rate and escalations for the Extension Term.

(iii) An “Arbitrator” shall be any person appointed by or on behalf of either party or appointed pursuant to the provisions hereof and: (i) shall be (A) a member of the American Institute of Real Estate Appraisers with not less than 10 years of experience in the appraisal of improved office and high tech industrial real estate in the greater San Francisco Bay area, or (B) a licensed commercial real estate broker with not less than 15 years’ experience representing landlords and/or tenants in the leasing of high tech or life sciences space in the greater San Francisco Bay area, (ii) devoting substantially all of their time to professional appraisal or brokerage work, as applicable, at the time of appointment and (iii) be in all respects impartial and disinterested.

(c) Exceptions. Notwithstanding anything set forth above to the contrary, the Extension Right shall not be in effect and Tenant may not exercise the Extension Right:

(i) during any period of time that Tenant is in default under any provision of this Lease (beyond any applicable notice and cure periods); or

(ii) during any period that Tenant is occupying less than 100% of the Premises; or

(iii) if Tenant has been in default (beyond any applicable notice and cure periods) under any provision of this Lease 3 or more 1imes, whether or not such defaults have been cured, during the 12 month period prior to the date on which Tenant seeks to exercise the Extension Right.

(d) Rights Personal. The Extension Right is personal to Tenant and is not assignable without Landlord’s prior written consent, which may be granted or withheld in Landlord’s sole discretion separate and apart from any consent by Landlord to an assignment of Tenant’s interest in this Lease, except that it may be assigned in connection with any assignment of this Lease that constitutes a Permitted Assignment of this Lease.

(e) No Extensions. The period of time within which the Extension Right may be exercised shall not be extended or enlarged by reason of Tenant’s inability to exercise the Extension Right.

(f) Termination. The Extension Right shall, at Landlord’s option, terminate and be of no further force or effect even after Tenant’s due and timely exercise of the Extension Right, if, after such exercise, but prior to the commencement date of the Extension Term, (i) Tenant fails to timely cure any default by Tenant under this Lease (beyond any applicable notice and cure periods); or (ii) Tenant has defaulted (beyond any applicable notice and cure periods) 3 or more

 


 

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times during the period commencing on the date of the exercise of the Extension Right to the date of the commencement of the Extension Term, whether or not such defaults have been cured.

(g) Subordinate. Tenant’s Extension Right granted pursuant to Section 40(a) above is and shall remain subject and subordinate to any existing or future rights granted to Lilly to lease the Premises.

41. Intentionally Deleted.

42. Miscellaneous.

(a) Notices. All notices or other communications between the parties shall be in writing and shall be delivered by (i) reputable overnight guaranty courier, (ii) hand delivery with signature confirming receipt, or (iii) only to the extent email addresses are set forth in the Basic Lease Provisions, email transmission to the email address set forth in the Basic Lease Provisions for the applicable party, which email includes in the subject line (x) the Project address, (y) Tenant name and (z) “NOTICE UNDER LEASE” in all caps, provided a hard copy of any email notice is also sent the same day by one of the delivery methods provided in sub-sections (i) or (ii) (each, a “Follow Up Notice”). Notices delivered pursuant to the delivery methods provided in sub-sections (i) or (ii) shall be deemed duly given when actually received by the addressee or when delivery thereof is refused. Notices delivered via email and sent during the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. PST shall be deemed duly given on the day sent; provided, however, that any email notice delivered on a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday observed in the State of California, or after 3:00 p.m. PST shall be deemed given on the next day that is not a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday observed in the State of California. For the avoidance of doubt, for an email notice to be effective as provided in the immediately preceding sentence, a Follow Up Notice must be delivered to the addressee of the email notice within 48 hours of the date that the email notice is delivered. If a Follow Up Notice is not received within such 48-hour period, actual notice will be deemed to have been given on the date that the Follow Up Notice is delivered rather than on the date of delivery of the email notice. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, notice sent via email shall in no event constitute a notice hereunder if the sender receives notice or otherwise has knowledge that the email notice was not properly transmitted or otherwise received by the addressee. All notices shall be delivered to the parties at their addresses set forth in the Basic Lease Provisions. Landlord and Tenant may from time to time by written notice to the other designate another address for receipt of future notices.

(b) Joint and Several Liability. If and when included within the term “Tenant,” as used in this instrument, there is more than one person or entity, each shall be jointly and severally liable for the obligations of Tenant.

(c) Financial Information. Tenant shall furnish to Landlord true and complete copies of (i) upon Landlord’s written request on an annual basis, Tenant’s most recent audited annual financial statements, provided, however, that Tenant shall not be required to deliver to Landlord such annual financial statements for any particular year sooner than the date that is 90 days after the end of each of Tenant’s fiscal years during the Term, (ii) upon Landlord’s written request on a quarterly basis, Tenant’s most recent unaudited quarterly financial statements; provided, however, that Tenant shall not be required to deliver to Landlord such quarterly financial

 


 

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statements for any particular quarter sooner that the date that is 45 days after the end of each of Tenant’s fiscal quarters during the Term, (iii) upon Landlord’s written request from time to time, updated business plans, including cash flow projections and/or pro forma balance sheets and income statements, all of which shall be treated by Landlord as confidential information belonging to Tenant, (iv) upon Landlord’s written request from time to time, corporate brochures and/or profiles prepared by Tenant for prospective investors, and (v) upon Landlord’s written request from time to time, any other financial information or summaries that Tenant typically provides to its lenders or shareholders. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Lease, Landlord’s written request for financial information pursuant to this Section 42(c) may delivered to Tenant via email. So long as Tenant is a “public company” and its financial information is publicly available, then the foregoing delivery requirements of this Section 42(c) shall not apply.

(d) Recordation. Neither this Lease nor a memorandum of lease shall be filed by or on behalf of Tenant in any public record. Landlord may prepare and file, and upon request by Landlord Tenant will execute, a memorandum of lease. Nothing contained in this Lease is intended to prohibit Tenant from filing this Lease with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) to the extent that Tenant is required to do so pursuant to applicable SEC requirements. Tenant shall notify Landlord in advance of any such filing of this Lease with the SEC and shall either redact or exclude from the filing any terms or provisions reasonably requested by Landlord to be maintained as confidential, to the extent permitted by applicable SEC regulations.

(e) Interpretation. The normal rule of construction to the effect that any ambiguities are to be resolved against the drafting party shall not be employed in the interpretation of this Lease or any exhibits or amendments hereto. Words of any gender used in this Lease shall be held and construed to include any other gender, and words in the singular number shall be held to include the plural, unless the context otherwise requires. The captions inserted in this Lease are for convenience only and in no way define, limit or otherwise describe the scope or intent of this Lease, or any provision hereof, or in any way affect the interpretation of this Lease.

(f) Not Binding Until Executed. The submission by Landlord to Tenant of this Lease shall have no binding force or effect, shall not constitute an option for the leasing of the Premises, nor confer any right or impose any obligations upon either party until execution of this Lease by both parties.

(g) Limitations on Interest. It is expressly the intent of Landlord and Tenant at all times to comply with applicable law governing the maximum rate or amount of any interest payable on or in connection with this Lease. If applicable law is ever judicially interpreted so as to render usurious any interest called for under this Lease, or contracted for, charged, taken, reserved, or received with respect to this Lease, then it is Landlord’s and Tenant’s express intent that all excess amounts theretofore collected by Landlord be credited on the applicable obligation (or, if the obligation has been or would thereby be paid in full, refunded to Tenant), and the provisions of this Lease immediately shall be deemed reformed and the amounts thereafter collectible hereunder reduced, without the necessity of the execution of any new document, so as

 


 

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to comply with the applicable law, but so as to permit the recovery of the fullest amount otherwise called for hereunder.

(h) Choice of Law. Construction and interpretation of this Lease shall be governed by the internal laws of the state in which the Premises are located, excluding any principles of conflicts of laws.

(i) Time. Time is of the essence as to the performance of Tenant’s obligations under this Lease.

(j) OFAC. Tenant and all beneficial owners of Tenant are currently (a) in compliance with and shall at all times during the Term of this Lease remain in compliance with the regulations of the Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) of the U.S. Department of Treasury and any statute, executive order, or regulation relating thereto (collectively, the “OFAC Rules”), (b) not listed on, and shall not during the term of this Lease be listed on, the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List, Foreign Sanctions Evaders List, or the Sectoral Sanctions Identification List, which are all maintained by OFAC and/or on any other similar list maintained by OFAC or other governmental authority pursuant to any authorizing statute, executive order, or regulation, and (c) not a person or entity with whom a U.S. person is prohibited from conducting business under the OFAC Rules.

(k) Incorporation by Reference. All exhibits and addenda attached hereto are hereby incorporated into this Lease and made a part hereof. If there is any conflict between such exhibits or addenda and the terms of this Lease, such exhibits or addenda shall control.

(l) Entire Agreement. This Lease, including the exhibits attached hereto, constitutes the entire agreement between Landlord and Tenant pertaining to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior and contemporaneous agreements, understandings, letters of intent, negotiations and discussions, whether oral or written, of the parties, and there are no warranties, representations or other agreements, express or implied, made to either party by the other party in connection with the subject matter hereof except as specifically set forth herein.

(m) No Accord and Satisfaction. No payment by Tenant or receipt by Landlord of a lesser amount than the monthly installment of Base Rent or any Additional Rent will be other than on account of the earliest stipulated Base Rent and Additional Rent, nor will any endorsement or statement on any check or letter accompanying a check for payment of any Base Rent or Additional Rent be an accord and satisfaction. Landlord may accept such check or payment without prejudice to Landlord’s right to recover the balance of such Rent or to pursue any other remedy provided in this Lease.

(n) Landlord’s Proprietary Operations. Tenant acknowledges that Landlord’s business operations are proprietary to Landlord or its affiliates. Absent prior written consent from Landlord, Tenant shall hold confidential and will not disclose to third parties, and shall require Tenant Parties to hold confidential and not disclose to third parties, information regarding the systems, controls, equipment, programming, vendors, tenants, and specialized amenities of Landlord or its affiliates. Tenant shall notify Landlord immediately if Tenant

 


 

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becomes aware of any third party contacting Tenant or any Tenant Parties requesting information regarding Landlord’s or its affiliates business operations.

(o) Hazardous Activities. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Lease, Landlord, for itself and its employees, agents and contractors, reserves the right to refuse to perform any repairs or services in any portion of the Premises which, pursuant to Tenant’s routine safety guidelines, practices or custom or prudent industry practices, require any form of protective clothing or equipment other than safety glasses. In any such case, Tenant shall contract with parties who are acceptable to Landlord, in Landlord’s reasonable discretion, for all such repairs and services, and Landlord shall, to the extent required, equitably adjust Tenant’s Share of Operating Expenses in respect of such repairs or services to reflect that Landlord is not providing such repairs or services to Tenant.

(p) Redevelopment of Project. Tenant acknowledges that Landlord, in its sole discretion, may from time to time expand, renovate and/or reconfigure the Project as the same may exist from time to time and, in connection therewith or in addition thereto, as the case may be, from time to time without limitation: (a) change the shape, size, location, number and/or extent of any improvements, buildings, structures, lobbies, hallways, entrances, exits, parking and/or parking areas relative to any portion of the Project; (b) modify, eliminate and/or add any buildings, improvements, and parking structure(s) either above or below grade, to the Project, the Common Areas and/or any other portion of the Project and/or make any other changes thereto affecting the same; and (c) make any other changes, additions and/or deletions in any way affecting the Project and/or any portion thereof as Landlord may elect from time to time, including without limitation, additions to and/or deletions from the land comprising the Project, the Common Areas and/or any other portion of the Project. Tenant acknowledges and agrees that construction noise, vibrations and dust associated with normal construction activities in connection with any redevelopment of the Project are to be expected during the course of such construction. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Lease, Tenant shall have no right to seek damages (including abatement of Rent) or to cancel or terminate this Lease because of any proposed changes, expansion, renovation or reconfiguration of the Project nor shall Tenant have the right to restrict, inhibit or prohibit any such changes, expansion, renovation or reconfiguration; provided, however, Landlord shall not change the size, dimensions, location or Tenant’s Permitted Use of the Premises.

(q) EV Charging Stations. To the extent that the Project is not exempt Section 1952.7 of the California Civil Code, Landlord shall not unreasonably withhold its consent to Tenant’s written request to install 1 or more electric vehicle car charging stations (“EV Stations”) in the parking area serving the Project; provided, however, that Tenant complies with all reasonable requirements, standards, rules and regulations which may be imposed by Landlord, at the time Landlord’s consent is granted, in connection with Tenant’s installation, maintenance, repair and operation of such EV Stations, which may include, without limitation, the charge to Tenant of a reasonable monthly rental amount for the parking spaces used by Tenant for such EV Stations, Landlord’s designation of the location of Tenant’s EV Stations, and Tenant’s payment of all costs whether incurred by Landlord or Tenant in connection with the installation, maintenance, repair and operation of each Tenant’s EV Station(s). Nothing contained in this paragraph is intended to increase the number of parking spaces which Tenant is otherwise entitled to use at the

 


 

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Project under Section 10 of this Lease nor impose any additional obligations on Landlord with respect to Tenant’s parking rights at the Project.

(r) California Accessibility Disclosure. For purposes of Section 1938(a) of the California Civil Code, Landlord hereby discloses to Tenant, and Tenant hereby acknowledges, that the Project has not undergone inspection by a Certified Access Specialist (CASp). In addition, the following notice is hereby provided pursuant to Section 1938(e) of the California Civil Code: “A Certified Access Specialist (CASp) can inspect the subject premises and determine whether the subject premises comply with all of the applicable construction-related accessibility standards under state law. Although state law does not require a CASp inspection of the subject premises, the commercial property owner or lessor may not prohibit the lessee or tenant from obtaining a CASp inspection of the subject premises for the occupancy or potential occupancy of the lessee or tenant, if requested by the lessee or tenant. The parties shall mutually agree on the arrangements for the time and manner of the CASp inspection, the payment of the fee for the CASp inspection, and the cost of making any repairs necessary to correct violations of construction-related accessibility standards within the premises.” In furtherance of and in connection with such notice: (i) Tenant, having read such notice and understanding Tenant’s right to request and obtain a CASp inspection, hereby elects not to obtain such CASp inspection and forever waives its rights to obtain a CASp inspection with respect to the Premises, Building and/or Project to the extent permitted by Legal Requirements; and (ii) if the waiver set forth in clause (i) hereinabove is not enforceable pursuant to Legal Requirements, then Landlord and Tenant hereby agree as follows (which constitutes the mutual agreement of the parties as to the matters described in the last sentence of the foregoing notice): (A) Tenant shall have the one-time right to request for and obtain a CASp inspection, which request must be made, if at all, in a written notice delivered by Tenant to Landlord; (B) any CASp inspection timely requested by Tenant shall be conducted (1) at a time mutually agreed to by Landlord and Tenant, (2) in a professional manner by a CASp designated by Landlord and without any testing that would damage the Premises, Building or Project in any way, and (3) at Tenant’s sole cost and expense, including, without limitation, Tenant’s payment of the fee for such CASp inspection, the fee for any reports prepared by the CASp in connection with such CASp inspection (collectively, the “CASp Reports”) and all other costs and expenses in connection therewith; (C) the CASp Reports shall be delivered by the CASp simultaneously to Landlord and Tenant; (D) Tenant, at its sole cost and expense, shall be responsible for making any improvements, alterations, modifications and/or repairs to or within the Premises to correct violations of construction-related accessibility standards including, without limitation, any violations disclosed by such CASp inspection; and (E) if such CASp inspection identifies any improvements, alterations, modifications and/or repairs necessary to correct violations of construction-related accessibility standards relating to those items of the Building and Project located outside the Premises that are Landlord’s obligation to repair as set forth in this Lease, then Landlord shall perform such improvements, alterations, modifications and/or repairs as and to the extent required by Legal Requirements to correct such violations, and Tenant shall reimburse Landlord for the cost of such improvements, alterations, modifications and/or repairs within 10 business days after Tenant’s receipt of an invoice therefor from Landlord.

 


 

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(s) Shuttle Services. Landlord and affiliates of Landlord plan to provide a campus shuttle service for the Project and other buildings in the vicinity of the Project that are owned by affiliates of Landlord (the “Shuttle Service”); provided, however, that neither Landlord nor any affiliate of Landlord shall be obligated to provide the Shuttle Service (or, once the Shuttle Service has commenced, to continue providing the Shuttle Service for any specific period of time) or to cause the Shuttle Service to follow any specific route, make any specific stops, or adhere to any specific schedule or hours of operation. If Landlord and affiliates of Landlord actually commence operation of the Shuttle Service, (i) Landlord shall give Tenant written notice of the date such operation will commence (“Shuttle Services Commencement Date”) and the planned route, stops, schedule, and hours of operation, (ii) Landlord shall permit Tenant’s employees actually employed at the Project to use the Shuttle Service, and (iii) regardless of whether Tenant’s employees use the Shuttle Services, commencing on later to occur of (x) the Shuttle Services Commencement Date, or the Commencement Date, through the earlier of the expiration of the Term or the date that Landlord permanently ceases to provide Shuttle Service, Operating Expenses shall include the cost of provision the Shuttle Service (the “Shuttle Service Costs”). Tenant acknowledges and agrees that Landlord has not made any representations or warranties regarding the commencement or continued availability of the Shuttle Service and that Tenant is not entering into this Lease with an expectation that the Shuttle Service shall commence or continue to be available to Tenant throughout the Term.

(t) Counterparts. This Lease may be executed in 2 or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument. Counterparts may be delivered via electronic mail (including pdf or any electronic signature process complying with the U.S. federal ESIGN Act of 2000) or other transmission method and any counterpart so delivered shall be deemed to have been duly and validly delivered and be valid and effective for all purposes. Electronic signatures shall be deemed original signatures for purposes of this Lease and all matters related thereto, with such electronic signatures having the same legal effect as original signatures.

(u) Third Party Agreements. If, during the Term, (a) Tenant requests that Landlord review, prepare, and/or negotiate documents between Landlord and any third party (collectively, “Third Party Documents”) relating to Tenant’s use and occupancy of the Premises (other than lien waivers which are governed by Section 12), and (b) Landlord agrees, in Landlord’s sole discretion and without obligation to do so, to review, prepare, and/ or negotiate such Third Party Documents, then Landlord shall be entitled to reimbursement from Tenant for its actual, reasonable out-of-pocket costs incurred in connection with the review, preparation, and/or negotiation of such Third Party Documents.

(v) Prevailing Party’s Fees. In the event that either party should bring suit or commence any suit or proceeding related to this Lease against the other party, then all reasonable costs and expenses, including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expert fees, incurred by the prevailing party relating to such legal action shall be paid by the other party, which obligation on the part of the other party shall be deemed to have accrued on the date of the commencement of such action and shall be enforceable whether or not the action is prosecuted to judgment.

[ Signatures on next page ]

 


 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Landlord and Tenant have executed this Lease as of the day and year first above written.

 

TENANT:

 

TREX BIO, INC.,

a Delaware corporation

 

 

 

By:

 

/s/ Johnston Erwin

Name:

 

Johnston Erwin

Its:

 

CEO

 

 

 

☒ I hereby certify that the signature, name, and title above are my signature, name and title

 

 

LANDLORD:

 

ARE-SAN FRANCISCO NO. 46, LLC,

a Delaware limited liability company

 

 

 

 

 

By:

ALEXANDRIA REAL ESTATE

EQUITIES, L.P.,

a Delaware limited partnership,

its managing member

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

ARE-QRS CORP.,
a Maryland corporation,
its general partner

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

/s/ Kristen Childs

 

 

Name:

 

Kristen Childs

 

 

Its:

 

Vice President - Real Estate

 

 


269 E. Grand – Suite 300/Trex Bio - Page 1

EXHIBIT A TO LEASE

DESCRiPTiON OF PreMISES

[Pursuant to Regulation S-K, Item 601(a)(5), this Schedule has not been filed. The Registrant agrees to furnish supplementally a copy of any omitted appendices to the Securities and Exchange Commission upon request; provided, however, that the Registrant may request confidential treatment of omitted items.]

 


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EXHIBIT B TO LEASE

description Of PROPERTY & PROJECT

[Pursuant to Regulation S-K, Item 601(a)(5), this Schedule has not been filed. The Registrant agrees to furnish supplementally a copy of any omitted appendices to the Securities and Exchange Commission upon request; provided, however, that the Registrant may request confidential treatment of omitted items.]

 


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EXHiBiT C TO LEASE

WORK LETTER

[Pursuant to Regulation S-K, Item 601(a)(5), this Schedule has not been filed. The Registrant agrees to furnish supplementally a copy of any omitted appendices to the Securities and Exchange Commission upon request; provided, however, that the Registrant may request confidential treatment of omitted items.]

 


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Schedule 1

Space Plans

[Pursuant to Regulation S-K, Item 601(a)(5), this Schedule has not been filed. The Registrant agrees to furnish supplementally a copy of any omitted appendices to the Securities and Exchange Commission upon request; provided, however, that the Registrant may request confidential treatment of omitted items.]

 


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EXHIBIT D TO LEASE

ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF COMMENCEMENT DATE

[Pursuant to Regulation S-K, Item 601(a)(5), this Schedule has not been filed. The Registrant agrees to furnish supplementally a copy of any omitted appendices to the Securities and Exchange Commission upon request; provided, however, that the Registrant may request confidential treatment of omitted items.]

 


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EXHIBIT E TO LEASE

RULES AND REGULATIONS

[Pursuant to Regulation S-K, Item 601(a)(5), this Schedule has not been filed. The Registrant agrees to furnish supplementally a copy of any omitted appendices to the Securities and Exchange Commission upon request; provided, however, that the Registrant may request confidential treatment of omitted items.]

 


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EXHIBIT F TO LEASE

TENANT’S PERSONAL PROPERTY

[Pursuant to Regulation S-K, Item 601(a)(5), this Schedule has not been filed. The Registrant agrees to furnish supplementally a copy of any omitted appendices to the Securities and Exchange Commission upon request; provided, however, that the Registrant may request confidential treatment of omitted items.]

 


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EXHIBIT G TO LEASE

operating EXPENSE EXCLUSIONS

[Pursuant to Regulation S-K, Item 601(a)(5), this Schedule has not been filed. The Registrant agrees to furnish supplementally a copy of any omitted appendices to the Securities and Exchange Commission upon request; provided, however, that the Registrant may request confidential treatment of omitted items.]

 


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EXHIBIT H TO LEASE

LANDLord’s ff&e

[Pursuant to Regulation S-K, Item 601(a)(5), this Schedule has not been filed. The Registrant agrees to furnish supplementally a copy of any omitted appendices to the Securities and Exchange Commission upon request; provided, however, that the Registrant may request confidential treatment of omitted items.]

 


Exhibit 10.7

TREX BIO, INC.

2024 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN

As Adopted on December 31, 2024

1. PURPOSE. The purpose of this Plan is to provide incentives to attract, retain and motivate eligible persons whose present and potential contributions are important to the success of the Company, its Parent and Subsidiaries by offering eligible persons an opportunity to participate in the Company’s future performance through the grant of Awards covering Shares. Capitalized terms not defined in the text are defined in Section 14 hereof. Although this Plan is intended to be a written compensatory benefit plan within the meaning of Rule 701, grants may be made pursuant to this Plan that do not qualify for exemption under Rule 701 or Section 25102(o). Any requirement of this Plan that is required in law only because of Section 25102(o) need not apply if the Committee so provides.

2. SHARES SUBJECT TO THE PLAN.

2.1 Number of Shares Available. Subject to Sections 2.2 and 11 hereof, the total number of Shares reserved and available for grant and issuance pursuant to this Plan will be 12,748,890 Shares. Subject to Sections 2.2 and 11 hereof, (A) in the event that Shares previously issued under the Plan are reacquired by the Company pursuant to a forfeiture provision, right of first refusal, or repurchase by the Company, such Shares shall be added to the number of Shares then available for issuance under the Plan; (B) in the event that Shares that otherwise would have been issuable under the Plan are withheld by the Company in payment of the Purchase Price, Exercise Price or withholding obligations, such Shares shall remain available for issuance under the Plan; and (C) in the event that an outstanding Option, Restricted Stock Unit or SAR for any reason expires or is cancelled, forfeited or terminated, the Shares allocable to the unexercised or unsettled portion of such Option, Restricted Stock Unit or SAR, as applicable, shall remain available for issuance under the Plan. To the extent an Award is settled in cash, the cash settlement shall not reduce the number of Shares remaining available for issuance under the Plan. At all times the Company will reserve and keep available a sufficient number of Shares as will be required to satisfy the requirements of all Awards granted and outstanding under this Plan. In no event shall the total number of Shares issued (counting each reissuance of a Share that was previously issued and then reacquired by the Company pursuant to a forfeiture provision, right of first refusal, or repurchase by the Company as a separate issuance) under the Plan upon exercise of ISOs (as defined in Section 4 hereof) exceed 25,497,780 Shares (adjusted in proportion to any adjustments under Section 2.2 hereof) over the term of the Plan.

2.2 Adjustment of Shares. In the event that the Company’s Common Stock is changed by a stock dividend, recapitalization, stock split, reverse stock split, subdivision, combination, reclassification or other change in the capital structure of the Company affecting Shares without consideration, then in order to prevent diminution or enlargement of the benefits or potential benefits intended to be made available under the Plan (a) the number and class of Shares reserved for issuance under this Plan, (b) the Exercise Prices of and number and class of Shares subject to outstanding Options and SARs, and (c) the Purchase Prices of and/or number and class of Shares subject to other outstanding Awards will (to the extent appropriate) be proportionately adjusted, subject to any required action by the Board or the stockholders of the Company and compliance with applicable securities or other laws; provided, however, that fractions of a Share will not be issued but will either be paid in cash at the Fair Market Value of such fraction of a Share or will be rounded down to the nearest whole Share, as determined by the Committee.

3. PLAN FOR BENEFIT OF SERVICE PROVIDERS.

3.1 Eligibility. The Committee will have the authority to select persons to receive Awards. ISOs may be granted only to employees (including officers and directors who are also employees) of the Company or of a


Parent or Subsidiary of the Company. NQSOs (as defined in Section 4 hereof) and all other types of Awards may be granted to employees, officers, directors and consultants of the Company or any Parent or Subsidiary of the Company; provided such consultants render bona fide services not in connection with the offer and sale of securities in a capital-raising transaction when Rule 701 is to apply to the Award granted for such services. A person may be granted more than one Award under this Plan.

3.2 No Obligation to Employ. Nothing in this Plan or any Award granted under this Plan will confer or be deemed to confer on any Participant any right to continue in the employ of, or to continue any other relationship with, the Company or any Subsidiary or Parent of the Company or limit in any way the right of the Company or any Subsidiary or Parent of the Company to terminate Participant’s employment or other relationship at any time, with or without Cause.

4. OPTIONS. The Committee may grant Options to eligible persons described in Section 3 hereof and will determine whether such Options will be Incentive Stock Options within the meaning of the Code (“ISOs”) or Nonqualified Stock Options (“NQSOs”), the number of Shares subject to the Option, the Exercise Price of the Option, the period during which the Option may be exercised, and all other terms and conditions of the Option, subject to the following.

4.1 Form of Option Grant. Each Option granted under this Plan will be evidenced by an Award Agreement which will expressly identify the Option as an ISO or an NQSO (“Stock Option Agreement”), and will be in such form and contain such provisions (which need not be the same for each Participant) as the Committee may from time to time approve, and which will comply with and be subject to the terms and conditions of this Plan.

4.2 Date of Grant. The date of grant of an Option will be the date on which the Committee makes the determination to grant such Option, unless a later date is otherwise specified by the Committee. The Stock Option Agreement and a copy of this Plan will be delivered to the Participant within a reasonable time after the granting of the Option.

4.3 Exercise Period. Options may be exercisable within the time or upon the events determined by the Committee in the Award Agreement and may be awarded as immediately exercisable but subject to repurchase pursuant to Section 10 hereof or may be exercisable within the times or upon the events determined by the Committee as set forth in the Stock Option Agreement governing such Option; provided, however, that (a) no Option will be exercisable after the expiration of ten (10) years from the date the Option is granted; and (b) no ISO granted to a person who directly or by attribution owns more than ten percent (10%) of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or of any Subsidiary or Parent of the Company (“Ten Percent Stockholder”) will be exercisable after the expiration of five (5) years from the date the ISO is granted; but in no event shall an Option granted to an employee who is a non-exempt employee for purposes of overtime pay under the U.S. Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 be exercisable earlier than six (6) months after its date of grant. The Committee also may provide for Options to become exercisable at one time or from time to time, periodically or otherwise, in such number of Shares or percentage of Shares as the Committee determines.

4.4 Exercise Price. The Exercise Price of an Option will be determined by the Committee when the Option is granted and shall not be less than the Fair Market Value per Share on the date of grant unless expressly determined in writing by the Committee; provided that the Exercise Price of an ISO granted to a Ten Percent Stockholder will not be less than one hundred ten percent (110%) of the Fair Market Value of the Shares on the date of grant. Payment for the Shares purchased must be made in accordance with Section 8 hereof.


4.5 Method of Exercise. Options may be exercised only by delivery to the Company of a stock option exercise agreement (accepted via written, electronic or other means) (the ‘Exercise Agreement’) in a form approved by the Committee (which need not be the same for each Participant). The Exercise Agreement will state (a) the number of Shares being purchased, (b) the restrictions imposed on the Shares purchased under such Exercise Agreement, if any, and (c) such representations and agreements regarding Participant’s investment intent and access to information and other matters, if any, as may be required or desirable by the Company to comply with applicable securities or other laws. Each Participant’s Exercise Agreement may be modified by (i) agreement of Participant and the Company or (ii) substitution by the Company, upon becoming a public company, in order to add the payment terms set forth in Section 8.1 that apply to a public company and such other terms as shall be necessary or advisable in order to exercise a public company option. Upon exercise of an Option, Participant shall execute and deliver to the Company the Exercise Agreement then in effect, together with payment in full of the Exercise Price for the number of Shares being purchased and satisfaction of any applicable Tax-Related Obligations (as defined in Section 8.2 hereof). No adjustment will be made for a dividend or other right for which the record date is prior to the date the Shares are issued, except as provided in Section 2.2 of the Plan. Exercising an Option in any manner will decrease the number of Shares thereafter available, both for purposes of the Plan and for sale under the Option, by the number of Shares as to which the Option is exercised.

4.6 Termination. Subject to earlier termination pursuant to Sections 11 and 13 hereof and subject to any longer exercise periods set forth in the Stock Option Agreement, exercise of an Option will always be subject to the following terms and conditions.

4.6.1 Other than Death or Disability or for Cause. If the Participant is Terminated for any reason other than death, Disability or for Cause, then the Participant may exercise such Participant’s Options only to the extent that such Options are exercisable as to Vested Shares upon the Termination Date, except as otherwise determined by the Committee or required by applicable law. Such Options must be exercised by the Participant, if at all, as to all or some of the Vested Shares calculated as of the Termination Date or such other date determined by the Committee, within three (3) months after the Termination Date (or within such shorter time period, not less than thirty (30) days, or within such longer time period after the Termination Date as may be determined by the Committee or required by applicable law, with any exercise beyond three (3) months after the date Participant ceases to be an employee deemed to be an NQSO) but, in any event, no later than the expiration date of the Options.

4.6.2 Death or Disability. If the Participant is Terminated because of Participant’s death or Disability (or the Participant dies within three (3) months after a Termination other than for Cause), then Participant’s Options may be exercised only to the extent that such Options are exercisable as to Vested Shares on the Termination Date, except as otherwise determined by the Committee or required by applicable law. Such Options must be exercised by Participant (or Participant’s legal representative or authorized assignee), if at all, as to all or some of the Vested Shares calculated as of the Termination Date or such other date determined by the Committee, within twelve (12) months after the Termination Date (or within such shorter time period, not less than six (6) months, or within such longer time period, after the Termination Date as may be determined by the Committee or required by applicable law, with any exercise beyond (a) three (3) months after the date Participant ceases to be an employee when the Termination is for any reason other than the Participant’s death or disability, within the meaning of Section 22(e)(3) of the Code, or (b) twelve (12) months after the date Participant ceases to be an employee when the Termination is for Participant’s disability, within the meaning of Section 22(e)(3) of the Code, deemed to be an NQSO) but in any event no later than the expiration date of the Options.

4.6.3 For Cause. If the Participant is Terminated for Cause, the Participant may exercise such Participant’s Options, but not to an extent greater than such Options are exercisable as to Vested


Shares upon the Termination Date and Participant’s Options shall expire on such Participant’s Termination Date, or at such later time and on such conditions as are determined by the Committee.

4.7 Limitations on Exercise. The Committee may specify a reasonable minimum number of Shares that may be purchased on any exercise of an Option, provided that such minimum number will not prevent Participant from exercising the Option for the full number of Shares for which it is then exercisable.

4.8 Limitations on ISOs. The aggregate Fair Market Value (determined as of the date of grant) of Shares with respect to which ISOs are exercisable for the first time by a Participant during any calendar year (under this Plan or under any other incentive stock option plan of the Company or any Parent or Subsidiary of the Company) will not exceed One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000). If the Fair Market Value of Shares on the date of grant with respect to which ISOs are exercisable for the first time by a Participant during any calendar year exceeds One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000), then the Options for the first One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000) worth of Shares to become exercisable in such calendar year will be ISOs and the Options for the amount in excess of One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000) that become exercisable in that calendar year will be NQSOs. In the event that the Code or the regulations promulgated thereunder are amended after the Effective Date (as defined in Section 13.1 hereof) to provide for a different limit on the Fair Market Value of Shares permitted to be subject to ISOs, then such different limit will be automatically incorporated herein and will apply to any Options granted after the effective date of such amendment.

4.9 Modification, Extension or Renewal. The Committee may modify, extend or renew outstanding Options and authorize the grant of new Options in substitution therefor, provided that any such action may not, without the written consent of a Participant, impair any of such Participant’s rights under any Option previously granted, unless for the purpose of complying with applicable laws and regulations. Any outstanding ISO that is modified, extended, renewed or otherwise altered will be treated in accordance with Section 424(h) of the Code. Subject to Section 4.10 hereof, the Committee may reduce the Exercise Price of outstanding Options without the consent of Participants by a written notice to them; provided, however, that the Exercise Price may not be reduced below the minimum Exercise Price that would be permitted under Section 4.4 hereof for Options granted on the date the action is taken to reduce the Exercise Price.

4.10 No Disqualification. Notwithstanding any other provision in this Plan, no term of this Plan relating to ISOs will be interpreted, amended or altered, nor will any discretion or authority granted under this Plan be exercised, so as to disqualify this Plan under Section 422 of the Code or, without the consent of the Participant, to disqualify any Participant’s ISO under Section 422 of the Code.

5. RESTRICTED STOCK. A Restricted Stock Award is an offer by the Company to sell to an eligible person Shares that are subject to certain specified restrictions. The Committee will determine to whom an offer will be made, the number of Shares the person may purchase, the Purchase Price, the restrictions to which the Shares will be subject, and all other terms and conditions of the Restricted Stock Award, subject to the following terms and conditions.

5.1 Form of Restricted Stock Award. All purchases under a Restricted Stock Award made pursuant to this Plan will be evidenced by an Award Agreement (“Restricted Stock Purchase Agreement”) that will be in such form (which need not be the same for each Participant) as the Committee will from time to time approve, and will comply with and be subject to the terms and conditions of this Plan. The Restricted Stock Award will be accepted by the Participant’s execution and delivery of the Restricted Stock Purchase Agreement (accepted via written, electronic or other means) and full payment for the Shares to the Company within thirty (30) days from the date the Restricted Stock Purchase Agreement is delivered to the person. If such person does not execute and deliver the Restricted Stock Purchase Agreement along with full payment for the Shares to the Company within such thirty (30) days, then the offer will terminate, unless otherwise determined by the Committee.


5.2 Purchase Price. The Purchase Price of Shares sold pursuant to a Restricted Stock Award will be determined by the Committee on the date the Restricted Stock Award is granted. Payment of the Purchase Price must be made in accordance with Section 8 hereof.

5.3 Dividends and Other Distributions. Participants holding Restricted Stock Awards will be entitled to receive all dividends and other distributions paid with respect to such Shares, unless the Committee provides otherwise at the time the Award is granted. If any such dividends or distributions are paid in Shares, the Shares will be subject to the same restrictions on transferability and forfeitability as the Restricted Stock Awards with respect to which they were paid.

5.4 Restrictions. Restricted Stock Awards may be subject to the restrictions set forth in Sections 9 and 10 hereof or, with respect to a Restricted Stock Award to which Section 25102(o) is to apply, such other restrictions not inconsistent with Section 25102(o).

6. RESTRICTED STOCK UNITS.

6.1 Awards of Restricted Stock Units. A Restricted Stock Unit (“RSU”) is an Award covering a number of Shares that may be settled in cash, by issuance of those Shares at a date in the future, or by a combination of cash and Shares. No Purchase Price shall apply to an RSU settled in Shares. The Committee will determine the terms of an RSU including, without limitation: (a) the number of Shares subject to the RSU, (b) the time or times during which the RSU may be settled, (c) the consideration to be distributed on settlement, and (d) the effect of the Participant’s Termination on each RSU. All grants of RSUs will be evidenced by an Award Agreement (the “RSU Agreement”) that will be in such form (which need not be the same for each Participant) as the Committee will from time to time approve, and will comply with and be subject to the terms and conditions of this Plan. No RSU will have a term longer than ten (10) years from the date the RSU is granted.

6.2 Form and Timing of Settlement. Payment of earned RSUs will be made as soon as practicable after the date(s) determined by the Committee and set forth in the RSU Agreement. To the extent permissible under applicable law, the Committee may permit a Participant to defer payment (including settlement) under an RSU to a date or dates after the RSU has vested, provided that the terms of the RSU and any deferral satisfy the requirements of Section 409A of the Code (or any successor) and any regulations or rulings promulgated thereunder, to the extent the Participant is subject to Section 409A of the Code.

6.3 Dividend Equivalent Payments. The Board may permit Participants holding RSUs to receive dividend equivalent payments on outstanding RSUs if and when dividends are paid to stockholders on Shares. In the discretion of the Board, such dividend equivalent payments may be paid in cash or Shares and they may either be paid at the same time as dividend payments are made to stockholders or delayed until Shares are issued pursuant to the RSU grants and may be subject to the same vesting or performance requirements as the RSUs. If the Board permits dividend equivalent payments to be made on RSUs, the terms and conditions for such dividend equivalent payments will be set forth in the RSU Agreement.

7. STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS.

7.1 Awards of SARs. Stock Appreciation Rights (“SARs”) may be settled in cash or Shares (which may consist of Restricted Stock or RSUs) or a combination thereof, having a value equal to the value determined by multiplying the difference between the Fair Market Value on the date of exercise over the Exercise Price and the number of Shares with Respect to which the SAR is being exercised. All grants of SARs made pursuant to this Plan will be evidenced by an Award Agreement (the “SAR Agreement”) that will be in such form (which need not be the same for each Participant) as the Committee will from time to time approve, and will comply with and be subject to the terms and conditions of this Plan.


7.2 Exercise Period and Expiration Date. A SAR will be exercisable within the times or upon the occurrence of events determined by the Committee and set forth in the SAR Agreement. The SAR Agreement shall set forth the expiration date; provided that no SAR will be exercisable after the expiration of ten (10) years from the date the SAR is granted.

7.3 Exercise Price. The Committee will determine the Exercise Price of the SAR when the SAR is granted, which may not be less than the Fair Market Value on the date of grant.

7.4 Termination. Subject to earlier termination pursuant to Sections 11 and 13 hereof and subject to any longer exercise periods set forth in the SAR Agreement, exercise of SARs will always be subject to the following terms and conditions.

7.4.1 Other than Death or Disability or for Cause. If the Participant is Terminated for any reason other than death, Disability or for Cause, then the Participant may exercise such Participant’s SARs only to the extent that such SARs are exercisable as to Vested Shares upon the Termination Date or as otherwise determined by the Committee or as required by applicable law. SARs must be exercised by the Participant, if at all, as to all or some of the Vested Shares calculated as of the Termination Date or such other date determined by the Committee, within three (3) months after the Termination Date (or within such shorter time period, not less than thirty (30) days, or within such longer time period after the Termination Date as may be determined by the Committee or as required by applicable law), but in any event no later than the expiration date of the SARs.

7.4.2 Death or Disability. If the Participant is Terminated because of Participant’s death or Disability (or the Participant dies within three (3) months after a Termination other than for Cause), then Participant’s SARs may be exercised only to the extent that such SARs are exercisable as to Vested Shares on the Termination Date or as otherwise determined by the Committee or as required by applicable law. Such SARs must be exercised by Participant (or Participant’s legal representative or authorized assignee), if at all, as to all or some of the Vested Shares calculated as of the Termination Date or such other date determined by the Committee, within twelve (12) months after the Termination Date (or within such shorter time period, not less than six (6) months, or within such longer time period after the Termination Date as may be determined by the Committee or as required by applicable law), but in any event no later than the expiration date of the SARs.

7.4.3 For Cause. If the Participant is Terminated for Cause, the Participant may exercise such Participant’s SARs, but not to an extent greater than such SARs are exercisable as to Vested Shares upon the Termination Date and Participant’s SARs shall expire on such Participant’s Termination Date, or at such later time and on such conditions as are determined by the Committee.

8. PAYMENT FOR PURCHASES AND EXERCISES.

8.1 Payment in General. Payment for Shares acquired pursuant to this Plan may be made in cash equivalents (including by check or Automated Clearing House transfer) or, where expressly approved for the Participant by the Committee and subject to compliance with applicable law:

(a) by cancellation of indebtedness of the Company owed to the Participant;

(b) by surrender of shares of the Company that are clear of all liens, claims, encumbrances or security interests and: (i) for which the Company has received “full payment of the purchase price” within the meaning of SEC Rule 144 (and, if such shares were purchased from the Company by use of a promissory note, such note has been fully paid with respect to such shares) or (ii) that were obtained by Participant in the public market;


(c) by tender of a full recourse promissory note having such terms as may be approved by the Committee and bearing interest at a rate sufficient to avoid (i) imputation of income under Sections 483 and 1274 of the Code and (ii) unfavorable accounting treatment as determined by the Committee; provided, however, that Participants who are not employees or directors of the Company will not be entitled to purchase Shares with a promissory note unless the note is adequately secured by collateral other than the Shares; provided, further, that the portion of the Exercise Price or Purchase Price, as the case may be, equal to the par value (if any) of the Shares must be paid in cash or other legal consideration permitted by the laws under which the Company is then incorporated or organized;

(d) by waiver of compensation due or accrued to the Participant from the Company for services rendered;

(e) by participating in a formal cashless exercise program implemented by the Committee in connection with the Plan;

(f) provided that a public market for the Company’s common stock exists, by exercising through a “same day sale” commitment from the Participant and a broker-dealer whereby the Participant irrevocably elects to exercise the Award and to sell a portion of the Shares so purchased sufficient to pay the total Exercise Price or Purchase Price, and whereby the broker-dealer irrevocably commits upon receipt of such Shares to forward the total Exercise Price or Purchase Price directly to the Company; or

(g) by any combination of the foregoing or any other method of payment approved by the Committee.

For avoidance of uncertainty: ACH transfers that have been received by the Company into its bank account designated for receipt of such transfers under this Section 8.1 shall be deemed to have been received for all purposes under this Plan as of the date on which such transfers were initiated from the transferor’s account and made irrevocable by the transferor.

8.2 Withholding Taxes.

8.2.1 Withholding Generally. Whenever Shares are to be issued in satisfaction of Awards granted under this Plan, the Company may require the Participant to remit to the Company an amount sufficient to satisfy the maximum tax withholding requirements as to income tax, social insurance, payroll tax, fringe benefits tax, payment on account and other tax-related obligations (collectively, “Tax-Related Obligations”) prior to the delivery of any written or electronic certificate or certificates for such Shares. Whenever, under this Plan, payments in satisfaction of Awards are to be made in cash by the Company, such payment will be net of an amount sufficient to satisfy applicable tax withholding requirements.

8.2.2 Stock Withholding. When, under applicable tax laws, a Participant incurs tax liability in connection with the exercise or vesting of any Award that is subject to tax withholding and the Participant is obligated to pay the Company the amount required to be withheld, the Committee may in its sole discretion allow the Participant to satisfy up to the maximum Tax-Related Obligations in the employee’s applicable jurisdictions by electing to have the Company withhold from the Shares to be issued up to the number of Shares having a Fair Market Value on the date that the amount of tax to be withheld is to be determined that is not more than the maximum Tax- Related Obligations in the employee’s applicable jurisdictions; or to arrange a mandatory “sell to cover” on Participant’s behalf (without further authorization) but in no event will the Company withhold Shares or “sell to cover” if such withholding would result in adverse accounting or compliance consequences to the Company. The maximum Tax-Related Obligations are based on


the applicable rates of the relevant tax authorities (for example, federal, state and local), including the employee’s share of payroll or similar taxes, as provided in the tax law, regulations or the authority’s administrative practices, not to exceed the highest statutory rate in that jurisdiction. Any elections to have Shares withheld or sold for this purpose will be made in accordance with the requirements established by the Committee for such elections and be in writing in a form acceptable to the Committee.

8.2.3 Elections Under Section 83(f) of the Code. A Participant will not make an election under Section 83(i) of the Code if the Company determines that the Participant is then ineligible to make such an election under applicable law or without the Company’s prior written consent (which will not be unreasonably withheld or delayed, but may be conditioned upon the Participant’s entry into additional commitments as determined by the Company).

9. RESTRICTIONS ON AWARDS.

9.1 Transferability. Except as permitted by the Committee, Awards granted under this Plan, and any interest therein, will not be transferable or assignable by Participant, other than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution, and, with respect to NQSOs for Participants in the U.S., by instrument to an inter vivos or testamentary trust in which the NQSOs are to be passed to beneficiaries upon the death of the trustor (settlor), or by gift to “family member” as that term is defined in Rule 701, and may not be made subject to execution, attachment or similar process. For the avoidance of doubt, the prohibition against assignment and transfer applies to Awards and any Shares underlying the Awards prior to the issuance of the Shares, and pursuant to the foregoing sentence shall be understood to include, without limitation, a prohibition against any pledge, hypothecation, or other transfer, including any short position, any “put equivalent position” or any “call equivalent position” (in each case, as defined in Rule 16a-1 promulgated under the Exchange Act). Unless an Award is transferred pursuant to the terms of this Section, during the lifetime of the Participant an Award will be exercisable only by the Participant or Participant’s legal representative and any elections with respect to an Award may be made only by the Participant or Participant’s legal representative. The terms of an Award shall be binding upon the executor, administrator, successors and assigns of the Participant who is a party thereto.

9.2 Securities Law and Other Regulatory Compliance. Although this Plan is intended to be a written compensatory benefit plan within the meaning of Rule 701 promulgated under the Securities Act, Awards may be made pursuant to this Plan that do not qualify for exemption under Rule 701 or Section 25102(o). Any requirement of this Plan which is required in law only because of Section 25102(o) need not apply with respect to a particular Award to which Section 25102(o) will not apply. An Award will not be effective unless such Award is in compliance with all applicable U.S. and non-U.S. federal, state and local securities laws, rules and regulations of any governmental body, and the requirements of any stock exchange or automated quotation system upon which the Company’s equity securities may then be listed or quoted, as they are in effect on the date of grant of the Award and also on the date of exercise, settlement or other issuance. Notwithstanding any other provision in this Plan, the Company will have no obligation to issue Shares or deliver certificates for Shares under this Plan prior to (a) obtaining any approvals from governmental agencies that the Company determines are necessary or advisable, and/or (b) compliance with any exemption, completion of any registration or other qualification of such Shares under any U.S. and non-U.S. federal, state or local law or ruling of any governmental body that the Company determines to be necessary or advisable. The Company will be under no obligation to register the Shares with the SEC or to effect compliance with the exemption, registration, qualification or listing requirements of any securities laws, stock exchange or automated quotation system, and the Company will have no liability for any inability or failure to do so.

9.3 Exchange and Buyout of Awards. The Committee may, at any time or from time to time, authorize the Company, with the consent of the respective Participants, to issue new Awards in exchange for the surrender and cancellation of any or all outstanding Awards. Without prior stockholder approval the Committee may reprice Options or SARs (and where such repricing is a reduction in the Exercise Price of outstanding Options


or SARs, the consent of the affected Participants is not required provided written notice is provided to them). The Committee may at any time buy from a Participant an Award previously granted with payment in cash, Shares (including Restricted Stock) or other consideration, based on such terms and conditions as the Committee and the Participant may agree.

10. RESTRICTIONS ON SHARES.

10.1 Privileges of Stock Ownership. No Participant will have any of the rights of a stockholder with respect to any Shares until such Shares are issued to the Participant. After Shares are issued to the Participant, the Participant will be a stockholder and have all the rights of a stockholder with respect to such Shares, including the right to vote and receive all dividends or other distributions made or paid with respect to such Shares; provided, that if such Shares are Restricted Stock, then any new, additional or different securities the Participant may become entitled to receive with respect to such Shares by virtue of a stock dividend, stock split or any other change in the corporate or capital structure of the Company will be subject to the same restrictions as the Restricted Stock. The Participant will have no right to retain such stock dividends or stock distributions with respect to Unvested Shares that are repurchased as described in this Section 10.

10.2 Rights of First Refusal and Repurchase. At the discretion of the Committee, the Company may reserve to itself and/or its assignee(s) in the Award Agreement (a) a right of first refusal to purchase all Shares that a Participant (or a subsequent transferee) may propose to transfer to a third party, provided that such right of first refusal terminates upon (i) subject to any applicable market standoff restrictions, the effective date of the first sale of common stock of the Company to the general public pursuant to a registration statement filed with and declared effective by the SEC under the Securities Act (other than a registration statement relating solely to the issuance of common stock pursuant to a business combination or an employee incentive or benefit plan); (ii) any transfer or conversion of Shares made pursuant to a statutory merger or statutory consolidation of the Company with or into another corporation or corporations if the common stock of the surviving corporation or any direct or indirect Parent thereof is registered under the Exchange Act; or (iii) any transfer or conversion of Shares made pursuant to a statutory conversion of the Company into another form of legal entity if the common equity (or comparable equity security) of entity resulting from such conversion is registered under the Exchange Act; and (b) a right to repurchase Unvested Shares held by a Participant for cash and/or cancellation of purchase money indebtedness owed to the Company by the Participant following such Participant’s Termination at any time.

10.3 Agreement to Vote Shares. At the discretion of the Committee, the Company may require that, as a condition to the receipt of the Shares upon issuance of an Award, exercise of an Option or SAR or settlement of an RSU, the Participant and any transferee of the Shares agree to vote such Shares pursuant to the terms of a Voting Agreement by and between the Company and certain of its stockholders.

10.4 Escrow; Pledge of Shares. To enforce any restrictions on a Participant’s Shares, the Committee may require the Participant to deposit all written or electronic certificates representing Shares, together with stock powers or other instruments of transfer approved by the Committee, appropriately endorsed in blank, with the Company or an agent designated by the Company to hold in escrow until such restrictions have lapsed or terminated. The Committee may cause a legend or legends referencing such restrictions to be placed on the written or electronic certificate. Any Participant who is permitted to execute a promissory note as partial or full consideration for the purchase of Shares under this Plan will be required to pledge and deposit with the Company all or part of the Shares so purchased as collateral to secure the payment of Participant’s obligation to the Company under the promissory note; provided, however, that the Committee may require or accept other or additional forms of collateral to secure the payment of such obligation and, in any event, the Company will have full recourse against the Participant under the promissory note notwithstanding any pledge of the Participant’s Shares or other collateral. In connection with any pledge of the Shares, Participant will be required to execute and deliver a written pledge agreement in such form as the Committee will from time to time approve. The Shares purchased with the promissory note may be released from the pledge on a pro rata basis as the promissory note is paid.


10.5 Securities Law Restrictions. All written or electronic certificates for Shares or other securities delivered under this Plan will be subject to such stock transfer orders, legends and other restrictions as the Committee may deem necessary or advisable, including restrictions under any applicable U.S. and non-U.S. federal, state or local securities law, or any rules, regulations and other requirements of the SEC or any stock exchange or automated quotation system upon which the Company’s equity securities may be listed or quoted.

11. CORPORATE TRANSACTIONS.

11.1 Acquisitions or Other Combinations. In the event that the Company is subject to an Acquisition or Other Combination, outstanding Awards acquired under the Plan shall be subject to the agreement evidencing the Acquisition or Other Combination, which need not treat all outstanding Awards in an identical manner. Such agreement, without the Participant’s consent, shall provide for one or more of the following with respect to all outstanding Awards as of the effective date of such Acquisition or Other Combination:

(a) The continuation of such outstanding Awards by the Company (if the Company is the successor entity).

(b) The assumption of outstanding Awards by the successor or acquiring entity (if any) in such Acquisition or Other Combination (or by any of its Parents, if any), which assumption, will be binding on all Participants; provided that the exercise price and the number and nature of shares issuable upon exercise of any such option or stock appreciation right, or upon the settlement of any award that is subject to Section 409A of the Code, will be adjusted appropriately pursuant to Section 424(a) and Section 409A of the Code. For the purposes of this Section 11, an Award will be considered assumed if, following the Acquisition or Other Combination, the Award confers the right to purchase or receive, for each Share subject to the Award immediately prior to the Acquisition or Other Combination, the consideration (whether stock, cash, or other securities or property) received in the Acquisition or Other Combination by holders of Shares for each Share held on the effective date of the transaction (and if holders were offered a choice of consideration, the type of consideration chosen by the holders of a majority of the outstanding Shares); provided, however, that if such consideration received in the Acquisition or Other Combination is not solely common stock of the successor corporation or its Parent, the Committee may, with the consent of the successor corporation, provide for the consideration to be received upon the exercise of an Option or Stock Appreciation Right or upon the settlement of an RSU, for each Share subject to such Award, to be solely common stock of the successor corporation or its Parent equal in fair market value to the per share consideration received by holders of Common Stock in the Acquisition or Other Combination.

(c) The substitution by the successor or acquiring entity in such Acquisition or Other Combination (or by any of its Parents, if any) of equivalent awards with substantially the same terms for such outstanding Awards (except that the exercise price and the number and nature of shares issuable upon exercise of any such option or stock appreciation right, or any award that is subject to Section 409A of the Code, will be adjusted appropriately pursuant to Section 424(a) and Section 409A of the Code).

(d) The full or partial exercisability or vesting and accelerated expiration of outstanding Awards.

(e) The settlement of the Fair Market Value of such outstanding Award (whether or not then vested or exercisable) in cash, cash equivalents, or securities of the successor entity (or its Parent, if any), followed by the cancellation of such Awards; provided however, that such Award may be cancelled without consideration if such Award has no value, as determined by the Committee, in its discretion. Subject to Section 409A of the Code, such payment may be made in installments and may be deferred until the date or dates when the Award would have become exercisable or


vested. Such payment may be subject to vesting based on the Participant’s continued service, provided that without the Participant’s consent, the vesting schedule shall not be less favorable to the Participant than the schedule under which the Award would have become vested or exercisable. For purposes of this Section 11.1(e), the Fair Market Value of any security shall be determined without regard to any vesting conditions that may apply to such security.

(f) The termination in its entirety of any outstanding Award, without payment of any consideration, that is not exercised in accordance with its terms upon or prior to consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Acquisition or Other Combination within a time specified by the Committee, in its discretion, for such exercise, whether or not such Award is then fully exercisable.

Immediately following an Acquisition or Other Combination, outstanding Awards shall terminate and cease to be outstanding, except to the extent such Awards, have been continued, assumed or substituted, as described in Sections 11.1(a), (b) and/or (c).

11.2 Substitution or Assumption of Awards by the Company. The Company, from time to time, also may substitute or assume outstanding awards granted by another entity, whether in connection with an acquisition of such other entity or otherwise, by either (a) granting an Award under this Plan in substitution of such other entity’s award or (b) assuming and/or converting such award as if it had been granted under this Plan if the terms of such assumed award could be applied to an Award granted under this Plan. Such substitution or assumption will be permissible if the holder of the substituted or assumed award would have been eligible to be granted an Award under this Plan if the other entity had applied the rules of this Plan to such grant. In the event the Company assumes an award granted by another entity, the terms and conditions of such award will remain unchanged (except that the exercise price and the number and nature of shares issuable upon exercise of any such option or stock appreciation right, or any award that is subject to Section 409A of the Code, will be adjusted appropriately pursuant to Section 424(a) and Section 409A of the Code). In the event the Company elects to grant a new Option or SAR in substitution for and rather than assuming an existing option or stock appreciation right, such new Option or SAR may be granted with a similarly adjusted Exercise Price and number of underlying Shares and such other changes approved by the Committee, subject to the consent of the Participant.

12. ADMINISTRATION.

12.1 Committee Authority. This Plan will be administered by the Committee. Subject to the general purposes, terms and conditions of this Plan, and to the direction of the Board, the Committee will have full power to implement and carry out this Plan. Without limitation, the Committee will have the authority to:

(a) construe and interpret this Plan, any Award Agreement and any other agreement or document executed pursuant to this Plan;

(b) prescribe, amend, expand, modify and rescind or terminate rules and regulations relating to this Plan;

(c) approve persons to receive Awards;

(d) determine the form and terms of Awards;

(e) determine the number of Shares or other consideration subject to Awards granted under this Plan;

(f) determine the Fair Market Value in good faith and interpret the applicable provisions of this Plan and the definition of Fair Market Value in connection with circumstances that impact the Fair Market Value, if necessary;


(g) determine whether Awards will be granted singly, in combination with, in tandem with, in replacement of, or as alternatives to, other Awards under this Plan or awards under any other incentive or compensation plan of the Company or any Parent or Subsidiary of the Company;

(h) grant waivers of any conditions of this Plan or any Award;

(i) determine the terms of vesting, exercisability, settlement and payment of Awards to be granted pursuant to this Plan;

(j) correct any defect, supply any omission, or reconcile any inconsistency in this Plan, any Award, any Award Agreement or any Exercise Agreement;

(k) determine whether an Award has vested or become exercisable;

(l) extend the vesting period beyond a Participant’s Termination Date;

(m) adopt rules and/or procedures (including the adoption of any subplan under this Plan) relating to the operation and administration of the Plan to accommodate or facilitate requirements of local law and procedures outside of the United States;

(n) delegate any of the foregoing to a subcommittee consisting of one or more directors or executive officers pursuant to a specific delegation as may otherwise be permitted by applicable law;

(o) change the vesting schedule of Awards under the Plan prospectively in the event that the Participant’s service status changes between full and part time status in accordance with Company policies relating to work schedules and vesting of Awards; and

(p) make all other determinations necessary or advisable in connection with the administration of this Plan.

12.2 Standalone, Tandem and Substitute Awards. Awards granted under the Plan may, in the sole discretion of the Committee, be granted either alone or in addition to, in tandem with, or in substitution for, any other Award granted under the Plan. Awards granted in addition to or in tandem with other Awards may be granted either at the same time as or at a different time from the grant of such other Awards.

12.3 Committee Composition and Discretion. The Board may delegate full administrative authority over the Plan and Awards to a Committee consisting of at least one member of the Board (or such greater number as may then be required by applicable law). Unless in contravention of any express terms of this Plan or Award, any determination made by the Committee with respect to any Award will be made in its sole discretion either (a) at the time of grant of the Award, or (b) subject to Section 4.9 hereof, at any later time. Any such determination will be final and binding on the Company and on all persons having an interest in any Award under this Plan. To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Committee may delegate to one or more directors or officers of the Company the authority to grant an Award under this Plan.

12.4 Non-exclusivity of the Plan. Neither the adoption of this Plan by the Board, the submission of this Plan to the stockholders of the Company for approval, nor any provision of this Plan will be construed as creating any limitations on the power of the Board to adopt such additional compensation arrangements as it may deem desirable, including, without limitation, the granting of stock options and other equity awards otherwise than under this Plan, and such arrangements may be either generally applicable or applicable only in specific cases.


12.5 Governing Law. This Plan and all agreements hereunder shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of California, without giving effect to that body of laws pertaining to conflict of laws.

13. EFFECTIVENESS, AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION OF THE PLAN.

13.1 Adoption and Stockholder Approval. This Plan will become effective on the date that it is adopted by the Board (the “Effective Date”). This Plan will be approved by the stockholders of the Company (excluding Shares issued pursuant to this Plan), consistent with applicable laws, within twelve (12) months before or after the Effective Date. Upon the Effective Date, the Committee may grant Awards pursuant to this Plan; provided, however, that: (a) if stockholder approval is not obtained consistent with this paragraph, at such time as timely stockholder approval is no longer possible, no Option or SAR may thereafter be exercised and any purchased shares will revert to the Company and be refunded in full; (b) no Option or SAR granted pursuant to an increase in the number of Shares approved by the Board shall be exercised prior to the time such increase has been approved by the stockholders of the Company; (c) in the event that initial stockholder approval is not obtained within the time period provided herein, all Awards for which only the exemption from California’s securities qualification requirements provided by Section 25102(o) can apply shall be canceled, any Shares issued pursuant to any such Award shall be canceled and any purchase of such Shares issued hereunder shall be rescinded; and (d) Awards (to which only the exemption from California’s securities qualification requirements provided by Section 25102(o) can apply) granted pursuant to an increase in the number of Shares approved by the Board which increase is not approved by stockholders within the time then required under Section 25102(o) shall be canceled, any Shares issued pursuant to any such Awards shall be canceled, and any purchase of Shares subject to any such Award shall be rescinded.

13.2 Term of Plan. Unless earlier terminated as provided herein, this Plan will automatically terminate ten (10) years after the Effective Date.

13.3 Amendment or Termination of Plan. Subject to Section 4.9 hereof, the Board may at any time (a) terminate or amend this Plan in any respect, including without limitation amendment of any form of Award Agreement or instrument to be executed pursuant to this Plan and (b) terminate any and all outstanding Options, SARs or RSUs upon a dissolution or liquidation of the Company, followed by the payment of creditors and the distribution of any remaining funds to the Company’s stockholders; provided, however, that the Board will not, without the approval of the stockholders of the Company, amend this Plan in any manner that requires such stockholder approval pursuant to Section 25102(o) or pursuant to the Code or the regulations promulgated under the Code as such provisions apply to ISO plans. The termination of the Plan, or any amendment thereof, shall not affect any Share previously issued or any Award previously granted under the Plan.

14. DEFINITIONS. For all purposes of this Plan, the following terms will have the following meanings.

“Acquisition” for purposes of Section 11, means:

(a) any consolidation or merger in which the Company is a constituent entity or is a party in which the voting stock and other voting securities of the Company that are outstanding immediately prior to the consummation of such consolidation or merger represent, or are converted into, securities of the surviving entity of such consolidation or merger (or of any Parent of such surviving entity) that, immediately after the consummation of such consolidation or merger, together possess less than fifty percent (50%) of the total voting power of all voting securities of such surviving entity (or of any of its Parents, if any) that are outstanding immediately after the consummation of such consolidation or merger;

(b) a sale or other transfer by the holders thereof of outstanding voting stock and/or other voting securities of the Company possessing more than fifty percent (50%) of the


total voting power of all outstanding voting securities of the Company, whether in one transaction or in a series of related transactions, pursuant to an agreement or agreements to which the Company is a party and that has been approved by the Board, and pursuant to which such outstanding voting securities are sold or transferred to a single person or entity, to one or more persons or entities who are Affiliates of each other, or to one or more persons or entities acting in concert; or

(c) the sale, lease, transfer or other disposition, in a single transaction or series of related transactions, by the Company and/or any Subsidiary or Subsidiaries of the Company, of all or substantially all the assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole (or, if substantially all of the assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole are held by one or more Subsidiaries, the sale or disposition (whether by consolidation, merger, conversion or otherwise) of such Subsidiaries of the Company), except where such sale, lease, transfer or other disposition is made to the Company or one or more wholly owned Subsidiaries of the Company.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the following transactions shall not constitute an “Acquisition”: (1) the closing of the Company’s first public offering pursuant to an effective registration statement filed under the Securities Act or (2) any transaction the sole purpose of which is to change the state of incorporation of the Company or to create a holding company that will be owned in substantially the same proportions by the persons who held the Company’s securities immediately before such transaction.

“Affiliate” of a specified person means a person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls or is controlled by, or is under common control with, the person specified (where, for purposes of this definition, the term “control” (including the terms “controlling” “controlled by” and “under common control with”) means the possession, direct or indirect, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract, or otherwise.

“Award” means any award pursuant to the terms and conditions of this Plan, including any Option, Restricted Stock Unit, Stock Appreciation Right or Restricted Stock Award.

“Award Agreement” means, with respect to each Award, the executed written or electronic agreement between the Company and the Participant setting forth the terms and conditions of the Award as approved by the Committee. For purposes of the Plan, the Award Agreement may be accepted by a Participant via written, electronic or other means, subject to requirements under applicable law.

“Board” means the Board of Directors of the Company.

“Cause” means Termination because of (a) Participant’s unauthorized misuse of the Company or a Parent or Subsidiary of the Company’s trade secrets or proprietary information, (b) Participant’s conviction of or plea of nolo contendere to a felony or a crime involving moral turpitude, (c) Participant’s committing an act of fraud against the Company or a Parent or Subsidiary of the Company or (d) Participant’s gross negligence or willful misconduct in the performance of his or her duties that has had or will have a material adverse effect on the Company or Parent or Subsidiary of the Company’ reputation or business.

“Code” means the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

“Committee” means the committee created and appointed by the Board to administer this Plan, or if no committee is created and appointed, the Board.

“Company” means TRex Bio, Inc., or any successor corporation.


“Disability” means a Participant is unable to perform the duties of his or her customary position of employment by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment that can be expected to result in death or that can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than twelve (12) months. The Committee may require such medical or other evidence as it deems necessary to judge the nature and permanency of the Participant’s condition.

“Exchange Act” means the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

“Exercise Price” means the price per Share at which a holder of an Option or a SAR may purchase Shares issuable upon exercise of the Option or the SAR.

“Fair Market Value” means, as of any date, the value of a Share determined as follows:

(a) if such Share is then publicly traded on a national securities exchange, its closing price on the date of determination on the principal national securities exchange on which the Share is listed or admitted to trading as reported in The Wall Street Journal;

(b) if such Share is publicly traded but is not listed or admitted to trading on a national securities exchange, the average of the closing bid and ask prices on the date of determination as reported by The Wall Street Journal (or as otherwise reported by any newspaper or other source as the Committee may determine); or

(c) if none of the foregoing is applicable to the valuation in question, by the Committee in good faith.

“Option” means an award of an option to purchase Shares pursuant to Section 4 of this Plan.

“Other Combination” for purposes of Section 11 means any (a) consolidation or merger in which the Company is a constituent entity and is not the surviving entity of such consolidation or merger or (b) any conversion of the Company into another form of entity; provided that such consolidation, merger or conversion does not constitute an Acquisition.

“Parent” of a specified entity means, any entity that, either directly or indirectly, owns or controls such specified entity, where for this purpose, “control” means the ownership of stock, securities or other interests that possess at least a majority of the voting power of such specified entity (including indirect ownership or control of such stock, securities or other interests).

“Participant” means a person who receives an Award under this Plan.

“Plan” means this 2024 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended from time to time.

“Purchase Price” means the price at which a Participant may purchase Restricted Stock pursuant to this Plan.

“Restricted Stock” means Shares purchased pursuant to a Restricted Stock Award under this Plan.

“Restricted Stock Award” means an award of Shares pursuant to Section 5 hereof.

“Restricted Stock Unit” or “RSU” means an award made pursuant to Section 6 hereof.

“Rule 701” means Rule 701 et seq. promulgated by the SEC under the Securities Act.

“SEC’ means the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.


“Section 25102(G)” means Section 25102(o) of the California Corporations Code.

“Securities Act” means the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

“Shares” means shares of the Company’s Common Stock reserved for issuance under this Plan, as adjusted pursuant to Sections 2.2 and 11 hereof, and any successor security.

“Stock Appreciation Right” or “SAR” means an award granted pursuant to Section 7 hereof.

“Subsidiary” means any entity (other than the Company) in an unbroken chain of entities beginning with the Company if each of the entities other than the last entity in the unbroken chain owns stock or other equity securities representing fifty percent (50%) or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock or other equity securities in one of the other entities in such chain.

“Termination” or “Terminated” means, for purposes of this Plan with respect to a Participant, that the Participant has for any reason ceased to provide services as an employee, officer, director or consultant to the Company or a Parent or Subsidiary of the Company. A Participant will not be deemed to have ceased to provide services while the Participant is on a bona fide leave of absence, if such leave was approved by the Company in writing. In the case of an approved leave of absence, the Committee may make such provisions respecting crediting of service, including suspension of vesting of the Award (including pursuant to a formal policy adopted from time to time by the Company) it may deem appropriate. The Committee will have sole discretion to determine whether a Participant has ceased to provide services and the effective date on which the Participant ceased to provide services (the “Termination Date”).

“Unvested Shares” means “Unvested Shares” as defined in the Award Agreement for an Award.

“Vested Shares” means “Vested Shares” as defined in the Award Agreement for an Award.


Exhibit 10.8

Stock Option Agreement

TRex Bio, Inc.

2024 Equity Incentive Plan

This Stock Option Agreement (this “Agreement”) is made and entered into as of the date of grant (the “Date of Grant”) set forth on the Notice of Stock Option Grant attached as the facing page to this Agreement (the “Grant Notice”) by and between TRex Bio. Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and the optionee named on the Grant Notice (“Optionee”). Capitalized terms not defined in this Agreement shall have the meaning ascribed to them in the Company’s 2024 Equity Incentive Plan (the “Plan”) or in the Grant Notice, as applicable.
1.
Grant of Option. The Company hereby grants to Optionee an option (this “Option”) to purchase up to the total number of shares of Common Stock of the Company. $0.000100 par value per share (the “Common Stock”), set forth in the Grant Notice as the Shares (the “Shares”) at the Exercise Price Per Share set forth in the Grant Notice (the “Exercise Price”), subject to all of the terms and conditions of the Grant Notice, this Agreement and the Plan. If designated as an Incentive Stock Option in the Grant Notice, this Option is intended to qualify as an incentive stock option (the “ISO”) within the meaning of Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”).
2.
Exercise Period.
2.1.
Exercise Period of Option. This Option is considered to be “vested” with respect to any particular Shares when this Option is exercisable with respect to such Shares. This Option will become vested during its term as to portions of the Shares in accordance with the Vesting Schedule set forth in the Grant Notice. Notwithstanding any provision in the Plan or this Agreement to the contrary, on or after Optionee’s Termination Date, this Option may not be exercised with respect to any Shares that are Unvested Shares on Optionee’s Termination Date.
2.2.
Vesting of Option Shares. Shares with respect to which this Option is vested and exercisable at a given time pursuant to the Vesting Schedule set forth in the Grant Notice are “Vested Shares.” Shares with respect to which this Option is not vested and exercisable at a given time pursuant to the Vesting Schedule set forth in the Grant Notice are “Unvested Shares.”
2.3.
Expiration. The Option shall expire on the Expiration Date set forth in the Grant Notice or earlier as provided in Section 3 below.
3.
Termination.
3.1.
Termination for Any Reason Except Death, Disability or Cause. Except as provided in subsection 3.2 in a case in which Optionee dies within three (3) months after Optionee is Terminated other than for Cause, if Optionee is Terminated for any reason (other than Optionee’s death or Disability or for Cause), then (a) on and after Optionee’s Termination Date, this Option shall expire immediately with respect to any Shares that are Unvested Shares and may not be exercised with respect to any Shares that are Unvested Shares on Optionee’s Termination Date and (b) this Option, to the extent that it is exercisable with respect to Vested Shares on Optionee’s Termination Date, may be exercised by Optionee no later than three (3) months after Optionee’s Termination Date (but in no event may this Option be exercised after the Expiration Date).
3.2.
Termination Because of Death or Disability. If Optionee is Terminated because of Optionee’s death or Disability (or if Optionee dies within three (3) months of the date of Optionee’s Termination for any reason other than for Cause), then (a) on and after Optionee’s Termination Date, this Option shall expire immediately with respect to any Shares that are Unvested Shares and may not be exercised with respect to any Shares that are Unvested Shares on Optionee’s Termination Date and (b) this Option, to the extent that it is exercisable with respect to Vested Shares on Optionee’s Termination Date, may be exercised by Optionee (or Optionee’s legal representative) no later than twelve (12) months after Optionee’s Termination Date, but in no event later than the Expiration Date. Any exercise of this Option beyond (i) three (3) months after the date Optionee ceases to be an employee when Optionee’s Termination is for any reason other than Optionee’s death or disability, within the meaning of Section 22(e)(3) of the Code: or (ii) twelve (12) months after the date Optionee ceases to be an employee when the termination is for Optionee’s disability, within the meaning of Section 22(e)(3) of the Code, is deemed to be an NQSO.

 


 

3.3.
Termination for Cause. If Optionee is Terminated for Cause, then Optionee may exercise this Option, but only with respect to any Shares that are Vested Shares on Optionee’s Termination Date, and this Option shall expire on Optionee’s Termination Date, or at such later time and on such conditions as may be affirmatively determined by the Committee. On and after Optionee’s Termination Date, this Option shall expire immediately with respect to any Shares that are Unvested Shares and may not be exercised with respect to any Shares that are Unvested Shares on Optionee’s Termination Date.
3.4.
No Obligation to Employ. Nothing in the Plan or this Agreement shall confer on Optionee any right to continue in the employ of, or other relationship with, the Company or any Parent or Subsidiary of the Company, or limit in any way the right of the Company or any Parent or Subsidiary of the Company to terminate Optionee’s employment or other relationship at any time, with or without Cause.
4.
Manner of Exercise.
4.1.
Stock Option Exercise Notice and Agreement. To exercise this Option, Optionee (or in the case of exercise after Optionee’s death or incapacity, Optionee’s executor, administrator, heir or legatee, as the case may be) must provide an electronic notice (via welcome@carta.com) for deliver to the Company an executed Stock Option Exercise Notice and Agreement in the form attached hereto as Annex A, or in such other form as may be approved by the Committee from time to time (the “Exercise Agreement”) and payment for the shares being purchased in accordance with this Agreement. The Exercise Agreement shall set forth, among other things, (i) Optionee’s election to exercise this Option, (ii) the number of Shares being purchased, (iii) any representations, warranties and agreements regarding Optionee’s investment intent and access to information as may be required by the Company to comply with applicable securities laws in connection with any exercise of this Option and (iv) any other agreements required by the Company. If someone other than Optionee exercises this Option, then such person must submit documentation reasonably acceptable to the Company verifying that such person has the legal right to exercise this Option and such person shall be subject to all of the restrictions contained herein as if such person were Optionee.

For the avoidance of doubt, in the case of exercise after Optionee’s death, it is the responsibility of the person acquiring Optionee’s rights under this Agreement to present sufficient proof to the Company of his or her rights, including where applicable a court order. If the Company determines in its sole discretion that such proof is insufficient, it may request that additional documentation be provided, including among other things a certified copy of the estate paperwork (e.g., Letters Testamentary, Letter of Appointment, Letters of Administration, or other legal documentation, or a notarized Small Estate Affidavit), proof of identity of the person, and/or a written letter of instruction by the estate.

4.2.
Limitations on Exercise. This Option may not be exercised unless such exercise is in compliance with all applicable federal and state securities laws, as they are in effect on the date of exercise.
4.3.
Payment. The Exercise Agreement shall be accompanied by full payment of the Exercise Price for the shares being purchased in cash (by check. Automated Clearing House (“ACH”) or wire transfer), or where permitted by law:
(a)
by cancellation of indebtedness of the Company owed to Optionee;
(b)
by surrender of shares of the Company that are free and clear of all security interests, pledges, liens, claims or encumbrances and: (i) for which the Company has received “full payment of the purchase price” within the meaning of SEC Rule 144 (and. if such shares were purchased from the Company by use of a promissory note, such note has been fully paid with respect to such shares) or (ii) that were obtained by Optionee in the public market;
(c)
by participating in a formal cashless exercise program implemented by the Committee in connection with the Plan:
(d)
provided that a public market for the Common Stock exists and subject to compliance with applicable law, by exercising as set forth below, through a “same day sale” commitment from Optionee and a broker-dealer whereby Optionee irrevocably elects to exercise this Option and to sell a portion of the Shares so purchased sufficient to pay the total Exercise Price, and whereby the broker-dealer irrevocably commits upon receipt of such Shares to forward the total Exercise Price directly to the Company; or
(e)
by any combination of the foregoing or any other method of payment approved by the Committee that constitutes legal consideration for the issuance of Shares.

 


 

For avoidance of uncertainty: ACH transfers that have been received by the Company into its bank account designated via welcome@carta.com for receipt of such transfers shall be deemed to have been received for all purposes of this Option as of the date on which such transfers were initiated from the Optionee’s account and made irrevocable by Optionee.

4.4.
Tax Withholding. Prior to the issuance of the Shares upon exercise of the Option, Optionee must pay or provide for foreign, federal, state and local income tax, social insurance, payroll tax, fringe benefits tax, payment on account withholding and other tax-related items related to Optionee’s participation in the Plan and legally applicable to Optionee, including, as applicable, obligations of the Company (all the foregoing tax-related items, “Tax-Related Items”). If the Committee permits, Optionee may provide for payment of withholding taxes upon exercise of the Option by requesting that the Company retain the number of Shares with a Fair Market Value equal to the amount of taxes required to be withheld; or to arrange a mandatory “sell to cover” on Optionee’s behalf (without further authorization); but in no event will the Company withhold Shares or “sell to cover” if such withholding would result in adverse accounting consequences to the Company. In case of stock withholding or a sell to cover, the Company shall issue the net number of Shares to Optionee by deducting the Shares retained from the Shares issuable upon exercise. The Company may withhold or account for Tax-Related Items by considering applicable minimum statutory withholding rates or other applicable statutory rates in Optionee’s country, including maximum applicable rates.
4.5.
Issuance of Shares. Provided that the Exercise Agreement and payment are in form and substance satisfactory to counsel for the Company, the Company shall issue the Shares issuable upon a valid exercise of this Option registered in the name of Optionee. Optionee’s authorized assignee, or Optionee’s legal representative, and shall deliver electronic certificates via welcome@carta.com representing the Shares with the appropriate legends affixed thereto.
5.
Compliance with Laws and Regulations. The Plan and this Agreement are intended to comply with Section 25102(o) and Rule 701. Any provision of this Agreement that is inconsistent with Section 25102(o) or Rule 701 shall, without further act or amendment by the Company or the Committee, be reformed to comply with the requirements of Section 25102(o) and/or Rule 701. The exercise of this Option and the issuance and transfer of Shares shall be subject to compliance by the Company and Optionee with all applicable requirements of federal and state securities laws and with all applicable requirements of any stock exchange on which the Common Stock may be listed at the time of such issuance or transfer. Optionee understands that the Company is under no obligation to register or qualify the Shares with the SEC, any state securities commission or any stock exchange to effect such compliance.
6.
Non-transferability of Option. This Option may not be transferred in any maimer other than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution, and, with respect to NQSOs, by instrument to a testamentary trust in which the options are to be passed to beneficiaries upon the death of the trustor (settlor) or a revocable trust, or by gift to “immediate family” as that term is defined in 17 C.F.R. 240.16a-l(e), and may be exercised during the lifetime of Optionee only by Optionee or in the event of Optionee’s incapacity, by Optionee’s legal representative. The terms of this Option shall be binding upon the executors, administrators, successors and assigns of Optionee.
7.
Restrictions on Transfer.
7.1.
Disposition of Shares. Optionee hereby agrees that Optionee shall make no disposition of any of the Shares (other than as permitted by this Agreement and the Company’s Bylaws (the “Bylaws”)) unless and until:
(a)
Optionee shall have notified the Company of the proposed disposition and provided a written summary of the terms and conditions of the proposed disposition;
(b)
Optionee shall have complied with all requirements of this Agreement and the Bylaws applicable to the disposition of the Shares;
(c)
Optionee shall have provided the Company with written assurances, in form and substance satisfactory to counsel for the Company, that (i) the proposed disposition does not require registration of the Shares under the Securities Act or under any applicable state securities laws or (ii) all appropriate actions necessary for compliance with the registration requirements of the Securities Act or of any exemption from registration available under the Securities Act (including Rule 144) or applicable state securities laws have been taken; and

 


 

(d)
Optionee shall have provided the Company with written assurances, in form and substance satisfactory to the Company, that the proposed disposition will not result in the contravention of any transfer restrictions applicable to the Shares pursuant to the provisions of the regulations promulgated under Section 25102(o), Rule 701 or under any other applicable securities laws or adversely affect the Company’s ability to rely on the exemption(s) from registration under the Securities Act or under any other applicable securities laws for the grant of the Option, the issuance of Shares thereunder or any other issuance of securities under the Plan.
7.2.
Restriction on Transfer. Optionee shall not transfer, assign, grant a lien or security interest in, pledge, hypothecate, encumber or otherwise dispose of any of the Shares which are subject to the restrictions on transfer set forth in the Bylaws and the Company’s Right of First Refusal described below, except as permitted by this Agreement.
7.3.
Transferee Obligations. Each person (other than the Company) to whom the Shares are transferred by means of one of the permitted transfers specified in this Agreement must, as a condition precedent to the validity of such transfer, acknowledge in writing to the Company that such person is bound by the provisions of this Agreement and that the transferred Shares are subject to (i) the restrictions on transfer set forth in the Bylaws, (ii) the Company’s Right of First Refusal granted hereunder and (iii) the market stand-off provisions of Section 8 below, to the same extent such Shares would be so subject if retained by Optionee.
8.
Market Standoff Agreement. Optionee agrees that, subject to any early release provisions that apply pro rata to stockholders of the Company according to their holdings of Common Stock (determined on an as-converted into Common Stock basis), Optionee will not, for a period of up to one hundred eighty (180) days (plus up to an additional thirty five (35) days to the extent reasonably requested by the Company or such underwriter(s) to accommodate regulatory restrictions on the publication or other distribution of research reports or earnings releases by the Company, including NASD and NYSE rules) following the effective date of the registration statement filed with the SEC relating to the initial underwritten sale of Common Stock of the Company to the public under the Securities Act (the “IPO”), directly or indirectly sell, offer to sell, grant any option for the sale of, or otherwise dispose of any Common Stock or securities convertible into Common Stock, except for: (i) transfers of Shares permitted under Section 9.6 hereof so long as such transferee furnishes to the Company and the managing underwriter their written consent to be bound by this Section 8 as a condition precedent to such transfer; and (ii) sales of any securities to be included in the registration statement for the IPO. For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions of this Section shall only apply to the IPO. The restricted period shall in any event terminate two (2) years after the closing date of the IPO. In order to enforce the foregoing covenant, the Company shall have the right to place restrictive legends on the certificates representing the Shares subject to this Section and to impose stop transfer instructions with respect to the Shares until the end of such period. Optionee further agrees to enter into any agreement reasonably required by the underwriters to implement the foregoing restrictions on transfer. For the avoidance of doubt, the foregoing provisions of this Section shall not apply to any registration of securities of the Company (a) under an employee benefit plan or (b) in a merger, consolidation, business combination or similar transaction.
9.
Company’s Right of First Refusal. Subject to the restrictions on transfer set forth in the Bylaws, before any Shares held by Optionee or any transferee of such Shares (either sometimes referred to herein as the “Holder”) may be sold or otherwise transferred (including, without limitation, a transfer by gift or operation of law), the Company and/or its assignee(s) will have a right of first refusal to purchase the Shares to be sold or transferred (the “Offered Shares”) on the terms and conditions set forth in this Section (the “Right of First Refusal”).
9.1.
Notice of Proposed Transfer. The Holder of the Offered Shares will deliver to the Company a written notice (the “Notice”) stating: (i) the Holder’s bona fide intention to sell or otherwise transfer the Offered Shares; (ii) the name and address of each proposed purchaser or other transferee (the “Proposed Transferee”); (iii) the number of Offered Shares to be transferred to each Proposed Transferee; (iv) the bona fide cash price or other consideration for which the Holder proposes to transfer the Offered Shares (the “Offered Price”); and (v) that the Holder acknowledges this Notice is an offer to sell the Offered Shares to the Company and/or its assignee(s) pursuant to the Company’s Right of First Refusal at the Offered Price as provided for in this Agreement.
9.2.
Exercise of Right of First Refusal. At any time within thirty (30) days after the date of the Notice, the Company and/or its assignee(s) may, by giving written notice to the Holder, elect to purchase all (or, with the consent of the Holder, less than all) the Offered Shares proposed to be transferred to any one or more of the Proposed Transferees named in the Notice, at the purchase price, determined as specified below.

 


 

9.3.
Purchase Price. The purchase price for the Offered Shares purchased under this Section will be the Offered Price, provided that if the Offered Price consists of no legal consideration (as, for example, in the case of a transfer by gift) then the purchase price will be the fair market value of the Offered Shares as determined in good faith by the Committee. If the Offered Price includes consideration other than cash, then the value of the non-cash consideration, as determined in good faith by the Committee, will conclusively be deemed to be the cash equivalent value of such non-cash consideration.
9.4.
Payment. Payment of the purchase price for the Offered Shares will be payable, at the option of the Company and/or its assignee(s) (as applicable), by check or by cancellation of all or a portion of any outstanding purchase money indebtedness owed by the Holder to the Company (or to such assignee, in the case of a purchase of Offered Shares by such assignee) or by any combination thereof. The purchase price will be paid without interest within sixty (60) days after the Company’s receipt of the Notice, or, at the option of the Company and/or its assignee(s), in the manner and at the time(s) set forth in the Notice.
9.5.
Holder’s Right to Transfer. If all of the Offered Shares proposed in the Notice to be transferred to a given Proposed Transferee are not purchased by the Company and/or its assignee(s) as provided in this Section, then the Holder may sell or otherwise transfer such Offered Shares to each Proposed Transferee at the Offered Price or at a higher price, provided that (i) such sale or other transfer is consummated within ninety (90) days after the date of the Notice, (ii) any such sale or other transfer is effected in compliance with all applicable securities laws, and (iii) each Proposed Transferee agrees in writing that the provisions of this Section will continue to apply to the Offered Shares in the hands of such Proposed Transferee. If the Offered Shares described in the Notice are not transferred to each Proposed Transferee within such ninety (90) day period, then a new Notice must be given to the Company pursuant to which the Company will again be offered the Right of First Refusal before any Shares held by the Holder may be sold or otherwise transferred.
9.6.
Exempt Transfers. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section, the following transfers of Shares will be exempt from the Right of First Refusal: (i) the transfer of any or all of the Shares during Optionee’s lifetime by gift or on Optionee’s death by will or intestacy to any member(s) of Optionee’s “Immediate Family” (as defined below) or to a trust for the benefit of Optionee and/or member(s) of Optionee’s Immediate Family, provided that each transferee or other recipient agrees in a writing satisfactory to the Company that the provisions of this Section will continue to apply to the transferred Shares in the hands of such transferee or other recipient; (ii) any transfer of Shares made pursuant to a statutory merger, statutory consolidation of the Company with or into another corporation or corporations or a conversion of the Company into another form of legal entity (except that the Right of First Refusal will continue to apply thereafter to such Shares, in which case the surviving corporation of such merger or consolidation or the resulting entity of such conversion shall succeed to the rights of the Company under this Section unless the agreement of merger or consolidation or conversion expressly otherwise provides); or (iii) any transfer of Shares pursuant to the winding up and dissolution of the Company. As used herein, the term “Immediate Family” will mean Optionee’s spouse, the lineal descendant or antecedent, father, mother, brother or sister, child, adopted child, grandchild or adopted grandchild of Optionee or Optionee’s spouse, or the spouse of any of the above or Spousal Equivalent, as defined herein. As used herein, a person is deemed to be a “Spousal Equivalent” provided the following circumstances are true: (i) irrespective of whether or not Optionee and the Spousal Equivalent are the same sex, they are the sole spousal equivalent of the other for the last twelve (12) months, (ii) they intend to remain so indefinitely, (iii) neither are married to anyone else, (iv) both are at least 18 years of age and mentally competent to consent to contract, (v) they are not related by blood to a degree of closeness that which would prohibit legal marriage in the state in which they legally reside, (vi) they are jointly responsible for each other’s common welfare and financial obligations, and (vii) they reside together in the same residence for the last twelve (12) months and intend to do so indefinitely.
9.7.
Termination of Right of First Refusal. The Right of First Refusal will terminate as to all Shares: (i) on the effective date of the first sale of Common Stock of the Company to the general public pursuant to a registration statement filed with and declared effective by the SEC under the Securities Act (other than a registration statement relating solely to the issuance of Common Stock pursuant to a business combination or an employee incentive or benefit plan); (ii) on any transfer or conversion of Shares made pursuant to a statutory merger or statutory consolidation of the Company with or into another corporation or corporations if the common stock of the surviving corporation or any direct or indirect parent corporation thereof is registered under the Exchange Act; or (iii) on any transfer or conversion of Shares made pursuant to a statutory conversion of the Company into another form of legal entity if the common equity (or comparable equity security) of entity resulting from such conversion is registered under the Exchange Act.

 


 

9.8.
Encumbrances ou Shares. Optionee may grant a lien or security interest in, or pledge, hypothecate or encumber Shares only if each party to whom such lien or security interest is granted, or to whom such pledge, hypothecation or other encumbrance is made, agrees in a writing satisfactory to the Company that: (i) such lien, security interest, pledge, hypothecation or encumbrance will not adversely affect or impair the Right of First Refusal or the rights of the Company and/or its assignee(s) with respect thereto and will not apply to such Shares after they are acquired by the Company and/or its assignees under this Section; and (ii) the provisions of this Agreement will continue to apply to such Shares in the hands of such party and any transferee of such party.
10.
Rights as a Stockholder. Optionee shall not have any of the rights of a stockholder with respect to any Shares unless and until such Shares are issued to Optionee. Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement. Optionee will have all of the rights of a stockholder of the Company with respect to the Shares from and after the date that Shares are issued to Optionee pursuant to, and in accordance with, the terms of the Exercise Agreement until such time as Optionee disposes of the Shares or the Company and/or its assignee(s) exercise(s) the Right of First Refusal. Upon an exercise of the Right of First Refusal, Optionee will have no further rights as a holder of the Shares so purchased upon such exercise, other than the right to receive payment for the Shares so purchased in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement, and Optionee will promptly surrender the stock certificate(s) evidencing the Shares so purchased to the Company for transfer or cancellation.
11.
Escrow. As security for Optionee’s faithful performance of this Agreement, Optionee agrees, immediately upon receipt of the stock certificate(s) evidencing the Shares via welcome@carta.com to surrender such certificate(s) to the Secretary of the Company or other designee of the Company (the “Escrow Holder”), who is hereby appointed to hold such certificate(s) in escrow and to take all such actions and to effectuate all such transfers and/or releases of such Shares as are in accordance with the terms of this Agreement. Optionee and the Company agree that Escrow Holder will not be liable to any party to this Agreement (or to any other party) for any actions or omissions unless Escrow Holder is grossly negligent or intentionally fraudulent in carrying out the duties of Escrow Holder under this Agreement. Escrow Holder may rely upon any letter, notice or other document executed with any signature purported to be genuine and may rely on the advice of counsel and obey any order of any court with respect to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and will not be liable for any act or omission taken by Escrow Holder in good faith reliance on such documents, the advice of counsel or a court order. The Shares will be released from escrow upon termination of the Right of First Refusal.
12.
Restrictive Legends and Stop Transfer Orders.
12.1.
Legends. Optionee understands and agrees that the Company will place the legends set forth below or similar legends on any stock certificate(s) evidencing the Shares, together with any other legends that may be required by state or U.S. Federal securities laws, the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws, any other agreement between Optionee and the Company, or any agreement between Optionee and any third party (and any other legend(s) that the Company may become obligated to place on the stock certificate(s) evidencing the Shares under the terms of any agreement to which the Company is or may become bound or obligated):
(a)
THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED HEREBY HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”), OR UNDER THE SECURITIES LAWS OF CERTAIN STATES. THESE SECURITIES ARE SUBJECT TO RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSFERABILITY AND RESALE AND MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED OR RESOLD EXCEPT AS PERMITTED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT AND APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS, PURSUANT TO REGISTRATION OR EXEMPTION THEREFROM. INVESTORS SHOULD BE AWARE THAT THEY MAY BE REQUIRED TO BEAR THE FINANCIAL RISKS OF THIS INVESTMENT FOR AN INDEFINITE PERIOD OF TIME. THE ISSUER OF THESE SECURITIES MAY REQUIRE AN OPINION OF COUNSEL IN FORM AND SUBSTANCE SATISFACTORY TO THE ISSUER TO THE EFFECT THAT ANY PROPOSED TRANSFER OR RESALE IS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE SECURITIES ACT AND ANY APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS.
(b)
THE SHARES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE ARE SUBJECT TO CERTAIN RESTRICTIONS ON RESALE AND TRANSFER, INCLUDING THE RIGHT OF FIRST REFUSAL HELD BY THE ISSUER AND/OR ITS ASSIGNEE(S) AS SET FORTH IN A STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE ISSUER AND THE ORIGINAL HOLDER OF THESE SHARES, A COPY OF WHICH MAY BE OBTAINED AT THE PRINCIPAL OFFICE OF THE ISSUER. SUCH SALE AND TRANSFER RESTRICTIONS, INCLUDING THE RIGHT OF FIRST REFUSAL, ARE BINDING ON TRANSFEREES OF THESE SHARES.

 


 

(c)
THE SHARES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE ARE SUBJECT TO RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSFER AS PROVIDED IN THE BYLAWS OF THE CORPORATION.
(d)
THE SHARES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE ARE SUBJECT TO A MARKET STANDOFF RESTRICTION AS SET FORTH IN A CERTAIN STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE ISSUER AND THE ORIGINAL HOLDER OF THESE SHARES, A COPY OF WHICH MAY BE OBTAINED AT THE PRINCIPAL OFFICE OF THE ISSUER. AS A RESULT OF SUCH AGREEMENT, THESE SHARES MAY NOT BE TRADED PRIOR TO 180 DAYS AFTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF CERTAIN PUBLIC OFFERINGS OF THE COMMON STOCK OF THE ISSUER HEREOF. SUCH RESTRICTION IS BINDING ON TRANSFEREES OF THESE SHARES.
12.2.
Stop-Transfer Instructions. Optionee agrees that, to ensure compliance with the restrictions imposed by this Agreement and the Bylaws, the Company may issue appropriate “stop-transfer” instructions to its transfer agent, if any, and if the Company transfers its own securities, it may make appropriate notations to the same effect in its own records.
12.3.
Refusal to Transfer. The Company will not be required (i) to transfer on its books any Shares that have been sold or otherwise transferred in violation of any of the provisions of the Bylaws or this Agreement or (ii) to treat as owner of such Shares, or to accord the right to vote or pay dividends to any purchaser or other transferee to whom such Shares have been so transferred.
13.
Certain Tax Consequences. Set forth below is a brief summary as of the Effective Date of the Plan of some of the federal tax consequences of exercise of the Option and disposition of the Shares. THIS SUMMARY IS NECESSARILY INCOMPLETE, AND THE TAX LAWS AND REGULATIONS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE. OPTIONEE SHOULD CONSULT A TAX ADVISER BEFORE EXERCISING THE OPTION OR DISPOSING OF THE SHARES.
13.1.
Exercise of ISO. If the Option qualifies as an ISO, there will be no regular federal income tax liability upon the exercise of the Option, although the excess, if any, of the Fair Market Value of the Shares on the date of exercise over the Exercise Price will be treated as a tax preference item for federal alternative minimum tax purposes and may subject Optionee to the alternative minimum tax in the year of exercise.
13.2.
Exercise of Nonqualified Stock Option. If the Option does not qualify as an ISO, there may be a regular federal income tax liability upon the exercise of the Option. Optionee will be treated as having received compensation income (taxable at ordinary income tax rates) equal to the excess, if any, of the Fair Market Value of the Shares on the date of exercise over the Exercise Price. If Optionee is a current or former employee of the Company, the Company may be required to withhold from Optionee’s compensation or collect from Optionee and pay to the applicable taxing authorities an amount equal to a percentage of this compensation income at the time of exercise.
13.3.
Disposition of Shares. The following tax consequences may apply upon disposition of the Shares.
(a)
Incentive Stock Options. If the Shares are held for more than twelve (12) months after the date of purchase of the Shares pursuant to the exercise of an ISO and are disposed of more than two (2) years after the Date of Grant, any gain realized on disposition of the Shares will be treated as long term capital gain for federal income tax purposes. If Shares purchased under an ISO are disposed of within the applicable one (1) year or two (2) year period, any gain realized on such disposition will be treated as compensation income (taxable at ordinary income rates in the year of the disposition) to the extent of the excess, if any, of the Fair Market Value of the Shares on the date of exercise over the Exercise Price.
(b)
Nonqualified Stock Options. If the Shares are held for more than twelve (12) months after the date of purchase of the Shares pursuant to the exercise of an NQSO. any gain realized on disposition of the Shares will be treated as long term capital gain.
14.
General Provisions.
14.1.
Interpretation. Any dispute regarding the interpretation of this Agreement shall be submitted by Optionee or the Company to the Committee for review. The resolution of such a dispute by the Committee shall be final and binding on the Company and Optionee.

 


 

14.2.
Entire Agreement. The Plan, the Grant Notice and the Exercise Agreement are each incorporated herein by reference. This Agreement, the Grant Notice, the Plan and the Exercise Agreement constitute the entire agreement of the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersede all prior undertakings and agreements with respect to such subject matter.
15.
Notices. Any and all notices required or permitted to be given to a party pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement will be in writing and will be effective and deemed to provide such party sufficient notice under this Agreement on the earliest of the following: (i) at the time of personal delivery, if delivery is in person; (ii) at the time an electronic confirmation of receipt is received, if delivery is by email; (iii) at the time of transmission by facsimile, addressed to the other party at its facsimile number specified herein (or hereafter modified by subsequent notice to the parties hereto), with confirmation of receipt made by both telephone and printed confirmation sheet verifying successful transmission of the facsimile; (iv) one (1) business day after deposit with an express overnight courier for United States deliveries, or two (2) business days after such deposit for deliveries outside of the United States, with proof of delivery from the courier requested; or (v) three (3) business days after deposit in the United States mail by certified mail (return receipt requested) for United States deliveries. Any notice for delivery outside the United States will be sent by email, facsimile or by express courier. Any notice nor delivered personally or by email will be sent with postage and/or other charges prepaid and properly addressed to Optionee at the last known address or facsimile number on the books of the Company, or at such other address or facsimile number as such other party may designate by one of the indicated means of notice herein to the other parties hereto or, in the case of the Company, to it at its principal place of business. Notices to the Company will be marked “Attention: Chief Financial Officer.” Notices by facsimile shall be machine verified as received.
16.
Successors and Assigns. The Company may assign any of its rights under this Agreement including its rights to purchase Shares under the Right of First Refusal. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the successors and assigns of the Company. Subject to the restrictions on transfer set forth herein, this Agreement shall be binding upon Optionee and Optionee’s heirs, executors, administrators, legal representatives, successors and assigns.
17.
Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of California as such laws are applied to agreements between California residents entered into and to be performed entirely within California. If any provision of this Agreement is determined by a court of law to be illegal or unenforceable, then such provision will be enforced to the maximum extent possible and the other provisions will remain fully effective and enforceable.
18.
Further Assurances. The parties agree to execute such further documents and instruments and to take such further actions as may be reasonably necessary to carry out the purposes and intent of this Agreement.
19.
Titles and Headings. The titles, captions and headings of this Agreement are included for ease of reference only and will be disregarded in interpreting or construing this Agreement. Unless otherwise specifically stated, all references herein to “sections” and “exhibits” will mean “sections” and “exhibits” to this Agreement.
20.
Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which when so executed and delivered will be deemed an original, and all of which together shall constitute one and the same agreement.
21.
Severability. If any provision of this Agreement is determined by any court or arbitrator of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect, such provision will be enforced to the maximum extent possible given the intent of the parties hereto. If such clause or provision cannot be so enforced, such provision shall be stricken from this Agreement and the remainder of this Agreement shall be enforced as if such invalid, illegal or unenforceable clause or provision had (to the extent not enforceable) never been contained in this Agreement. Notwithstanding the forgoing, if the value of this Agreement based upon the substantial benefit of the bargain for any party is materially impaired, which determination as made by the presiding court or arbitrator of competent jurisdiction shall be binding, then both parties agree to substitute such provision(s) through good faith negotiations.

* * * * *

Attachments: Annex A: Form of Stock Option Exercise Notice and Agreement

 


Exhibit 10.9

Stock Option Agreement

TRex Bio, Inc.

2024 Equity Incentive Plan

This Stock Option Agreement (this “Agreement”) is made and entered into as of the date of grant (the “Date of Grant”) set forth on the Notice of Stock Option Grant attached as the facing page to this Agreement (the “Grant Notice”) by and between TRex Bio, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and the optionee named on the Grant Notice (“Optionee”). Capitalized terms not defined in this Agreement shall have the meaning ascribed to them in the Company’s 2024 Equity Incentive Plan (the “Plan”) or in the Grant Notice, as applicable.
1.
Grant of Option. The Company hereby grants to Optionee an option (this “Option”) to purchase up to the total number of shares of Common Stock of the Company, $0.000100 par value per share (the “Common Stock”), set forth in the Grant Notice as the Shares (the “Shares”) at the Exercise Price Per Share set forth in the Grant Notice (the “Exercise Price”), subject to all of the terms and conditions of the Grant Notice, this Agreement and the Plan. If designated as an Incentive Stock Option in the Grant Notice, this Option is intended to qualify as an incentive stock option (the “ISO”) within the meaning of Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”).
2.
Exercise Period.
2.1.
Exercise Period of Option. Subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement, all or part of this Option may be exercised at any time after the Date of Grant. Shares purchased by exercising this Option may be subject to the Repurchase Option as set forth in Section 7 below. This Option will become vested during its term as to portions of the Shares in accordance with the Vesting Schedule set forth in the Grant Notice. Notwithstanding any provision in the Plan or this Agreement to the contrary, on or after Optionee’s Termination Date, this Option may not be exercised with respect to any Shares that are Unvested Shares on Optionee’s Termination Date.
2.2.
Vesting of Option Shares. Shares with respect to which this Option is vested at a given time pursuant to the Vesting Schedule set forth in the Grant Notice are “Vested Shares.” Shares with respect to which this Option is not vested at a given time pursuant to the Vesting Schedule set forth in the Grant Notice are “Unvested Shares.”
2.3.
Expiration. The Option shall expire on the Expiration Date set forth in the Grant Notice or earlier as provided in Section 3 below.
3.
Termination.
3.1.
Termination for Any Reason Except Death, Disability or Cause. Except as provided in subsection 3.2 in a case in which Optionee dies within three (3) months after Optionee is Terminated other than for Cause, if Optionee is Terminated for any reason (other than Optionee’s death or Disability or for Cause), then (a) on and after Optionee’s Termination Date, this Option shall expire immediately with respect to any Shares that are Unvested Shares and may not be exercised with respect to any Shares that are Unvested Shares on Optionee’s Termination Date and (b) this Option to the extent that it is exercisable with respect to Vested Shares on Optionee’s Termination Date, may be exercised by Optionee no later than three (3) months after Optionee’s Termination Date (but in no event may this Option be exercised after the Expiration Date).
3.2.
Termination Because of Death or Disability. If Optionee is Terminated because of Optionee’s death or Disability (or if Optionee dies within three (3) months of the date of Optionee’s Termination for any reason other than for Cause), then (a) on and after Optionee’s Termination Date, this Option shall expire immediately with respect to any Shares that are Unvested Shares and may not be exercised with respect to any Shares that are Unvested Shares on Optionee’s Termination Date and (b) this Option, to the extent that it is exercisable with respect to Vested Shares on Optionee’s Termination Date, may be exercised by Optionee (or Optionee’s legal representative) no later than twelve (12) months after Optionee’s Termination Date, but in no event later than the Expiration Date. Any exercise of this Option beyond (i) three (3) months after the date Optionee ceases to be an employee when Optionee’s Termination is for any reason other than Optionee’s death or disability, within the meaning of Section 22(e)(3) of the Code; or (ii) twelve (12) months after the date Optionee ceases to be an employee when the termination is for Optionee’s disability, within the meaning of Section 22(e)(3) of the Code, is deemed to be an NQSO.

 


 

3.3.
Termination for Cause. If Optionee is Terminated for Cause, then Optionee may exercise this Option, bur only with respect to any Shares that are Vested Shares on Optionee’s Termination Date, and this Option shall expire on Optionee’s Termination Date, or at such later time and on such conditions as may be affirmatively determined by the Committee. On and after Optionee’s Termination Date, this Option shall expire immediately with respect to any Shares that are Unvested Shares and may not be exercised with respect to any Shares that are Unvested Shares on Optionee’s Termination Date.
3.4.
No Obligation to Employ. Nothing in the Plan or this Agreement shall confer on Optionee any right to continue in the employ of, or other relationship with, the Company or any Parent or Subsidiary of the Company, or limit in any way the right of the Company or any Parent or Subsidiary of the Company to terminate Optionee’s employment or other relationship at any time, with or without Cause.
4.
Manner of Exercise.
4.1.
Stock Option Exercise Notice and Agreement. To exercise this Option, Optionee (or in the case of exercise after Optionee’s death or incapacity, Optionee’s executor, administrator, heir or legatee, as the case may be) must provide an electronic notice (via welcome@carta.com) or deliver to the Company an executed Stock Option Exercise Notice and Agreement in the form attached hereto as Annex A, or in such other form as may be approved by the Committee from time to time (the “Exercise Agreement”) and payment for the shares being purchased in accordance with this Agreement. The Exercise Agreement shall set forth, among other things, (i) Optionee’s election to exercise this Option, (ii) the number of Shares being purchased, (iii) any representations, warranties and agreements regarding Optionee’s investment intent and access to information as may be required by the Company to comply with applicable securities laws in connection with any exercise of this Option and (iv) any other agreements required by the Company. If someone other than Optionee exercises this Option, then such person must submit documentation reasonably acceptable to the Company verifying that such person has the legal right to exercise this Option and such person shall be subject to all of the restrictions contained herein as if such person were Optionee.

For the avoidance of doubt, in the case of exercise after Optionee’s death, it is the responsibility of the person acquiring Optionee’s rights under this Agreement to present sufficient proof to the Company of his or her rights, including where applicable a court order. If the Company determines in its sole discretion that such proof is insufficient, it may request that additional documentation be provided, including among other things a certified copy of the estate paperwork (e.g., Letters Testamentary, Letter of Appointment, Letters of Administration, or other legal documentation, or a notarized Small Estate Affidavit), proof of identity of the person, and/or a written letter of instruction by the estate.

4.2.
Limitations on Exercise. This Option may not be exercised unless such exercise is in compliance with all applicable federal and state securities laws, as they are in effect on the date of exercise.
4.3.
Payment. The Exercise Agreement shall be accompanied by full payment of the Exercise Price for the shares being purchased in cash (by check, Automated Clearing House (“ACH”) or wire transfer), or where permitted by law:
(a)
by cancellation of indebtedness of the Company owed to Optionee;
(b)
by surrender of shares of the Company that are free and clear of all security interests, pledges, liens, claims or encumbrances and: (i) for which the Company has received “full payment of the purchase price” within the meaning of SEC Rule 144 (and, if such shares were purchased from the Company by use of a promissory note, such note has been fully paid with respect to such shares) or (ii) that were obtained by Optionee in the public market;
(c)
by participating in a formal cashless exercise program implemented by the Committee in connection with the Plan;
(d)
provided that a public market for the Common Stock exists, subject to compliance with applicable law, by exercising as set forth below, through a “same day sale” commitment from Optionee and a broker-dealer whereby Optionee irrevocably elects to exercise this Option and to sell a portion of the Shares so purchased sufficient to pay the total Exercise Price, and whereby the broker-dealer irrevocably commits upon receipt of such Shares to forward the total Exercise Price directly to the Company; or
(e)
by any combination of the foregoing or any other method of payment approved by the Committee that constitutes legal consideration for the issuance of Shares.

 


 

For avoidance of uncertainty: ACH transfers that have been received by the Company into its bank account designated via welcome@carta.com for receipt of such transfers shall be deemed to have been received for all purposes of this Option as of the date on which such transfers were initiated from the Optionee’s account and made irrevocable by Optionee.

4.4.
Tax Withholding. Prior to the issuance of the Shares upon exercise of the Option, Optionee must pay or provide for foreign, federal, state and local income tax, social insurance, payroll tax, fringe benefits tax, payment on account withholding and other tax-related items related to Optionee’s participation in the Plan and legally applicable to Optionee, including, as applicable, obligations of the Company (all the foregoing tax-related items. “Tax-Related Items”). If the Committee permits, Optionee may provide for payment of withholding taxes upon exercise of the Option by requesting that the Company retain the number of Shares with a Fair Market Value equal to the amount of taxes required to be withheld; or to arrange a mandatory “sell to cover” on Optionee’s behalf (without further authorization); but in no event will the Company withhold Shares or “sell to cover” if such withholding would result in adverse accounting consequences to the Company. In case of stock withholding or a sell to cover, the Company shall issue the net number of Shares to Optionee by deducting the Shares retained from the Shares issuable upon exercise. The Company may withhold or account for Tax-Related Items by considering applicable minimum statutory withholding rates or other applicable statutory rates in Optionee’s country, including maximum applicable rates.
4.5.
Issuance of Shares. Provided that the Exercise Agreement and payment are in form and substance satisfactory to counsel for the Company, the Company shall issue the Shares issuable upon a valid exercise of this Option registered in the name of Optionee, Optionee’s authorized assignee, or Optionee’s legal representative, and shall deliver electronic certificates via welcome@carta.com representing the Shares with the appropriate legends affixed thereto.
5.
Compliance With Laws and Regulations. The Plan and this Agreement are intended to comply with Section 25102(o) and Rule 701. Any provision of this Agreement that is inconsistent with Section 25102(o) or Rule 701 shall, without further act or amendment by the Company or the Committee, be reformed to comply with the requirements of Section 25102(o) and/or Rule 701. The exercise of this Option and the issuance and transfer of Shares shall be subject to compliance by the Company and Optionee with all applicable requirements of federal and state securities laws and with all applicable requirements of any stock exchange on which the Common Stock may be listed at the time of such issuance or transfer. Optionee understands that the Company is under no obligation to register or qualify the Shares with the SEC, any state securities commission or any stock exchange to effect such compliance.
6.
Non-transferability of Option. This Option may not be transferred in any maimer other than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution, and, with respect to NQSOs, by instrument to a testamentary trust in which the options are to be passed to beneficiaries upon the death of the trustor (settlor) or a revocable trust, or by gift to “immediate family” as that term is defined in 17 C.F.R. 240.16a-1(e), and may be exercised during the lifetime of Optionee only by Optionee or in the event of Optionee’s incapacity, by Optionee’s legal representative. The terms of this Option shall be binding upon the executors, administrators, successors and assigns of Optionee.
7.
Company’s Repurchase Option for Unvested Shares. If Optionee is Terminated for any reason, or no reason, including without limitation, Optionee’s death, Disability, voluntary resignation or termination by the Company with or without Cause and Optionee has acquired Unvested Shares by exercising this Option, then the Company and/or its assignee(s) shall have the option to repurchase all or a portion of Optionee’s Unvested Shares (as defined in Section 2.2 of this Agreement) as of the Termination Date on the terms and conditions set forth in this Section 7 (the “Repurchase Option”).
7.1.
Termination and Termination Date. In case of any dispute as to whether Optionee is Terminated, the Committee shall have discretion to determine whether Optionee has been Terminated and the effective date of such Termination (the “Termination Date”).
7.2.
Exercise of Repurchase Option. Subject to the foregoing provisions of this Section, at any time within ninety (90) days after Optionee’s Termination Date, the Company and/or its assignee(s), may elect to repurchase any or all of Optionee’s Unvested Shares by giving Optionee written notice of exercise of the Repurchase Option.

 


 

7.3.
Calculation of Repurchase Price for Unvested Shares. The Company or its assignee shall have the option to repurchase from Optionee (or from Optionee’s personal representative as the case may be) the Unvested Shares at the lower of (a) the Fair Market Value (as defined in the Plan) per Share of such Shares on the Termination Date or (b) Optionee’s Exercise Price, as such may be proportionately adjusted for any stock split or similar change in the capital structure of the Company as set forth in Section 2.2 of the Plan (the “Repurchase Price”).
7.4.
Payment of Repurchase Price. The Repurchase Price shall be payable, at the option of the Company or its assignee, by check or by cancellation of all or a portion of any outstanding indebtedness owed by Optionee to the Company and/or such assignee, or by any combination thereof. The Repurchase Price shall be paid without interest within the term of the Repurchase Option as described in Section 7.2.
7.5.
Right of Termination Unaffected. Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to limit or otherwise affect in any manner whatsoever the right or power of the Company (or any Parent or Subsidiary of the Company) to terminate Optionee’s employment or other relationship with Company (or any Parent or Subsidiary of the Company) at any time, for any reason or no reason, with or without Cause.
8.
Restrictions on Transfer.
8.1.
Disposition of Shares. Optionee hereby agrees that Optionee shall make no disposition of any of the Shares (other than as permitted by this Agreement and the Company’s Bylaws (the “Bylaws”)) unless and until:
(a)
Optionee shall have notified the Company of the proposed disposition and provided a written summary of the terms and conditions of the proposed disposition;
(b)
Optionee shall have complied with all requirements of this Agreement and the Bylaws applicable to the disposition of the Shares;
(c)
Optionee shall have provided the Company with written assurances, in form and substance satisfactory to counsel for the Company, that (i) the proposed disposition does not require registration of the Shares under the Securities Act or under any applicable state securities laws or (ii) all appropriate actions necessary for compliance with the registration requirements of the Securities Act or of any exemption from registration available under the Securities Act (including Rule 144) or applicable state securities laws have been taken; and
(d)
Optionee shall have provided the Company with written assurances, in form and substance satisfactory to the Company, that the proposed disposition will not result in the contravention of any transfer restrictions applicable to the Shares pursuant to the provisions of the regulations promulgated under Section 25102(o), Rule 701 or under any other applicable securities laws or adversely affect the Company’s ability to rely on the exemption(s) from registration under the Securities Act or under any other applicable securities laws for the grant of the Option, the issuance of Shares thereunder or any other issuance of securities under the Plan.
8.2.
Restriction on Transfer. Optionee shall not transfer, assign, grant a lien or security interest in, pledge, hypothecate, encumber or otherwise dispose of any of the Shares which are subject to the restrictions on transfer set forth in the Bylaws and the Company’s Repurchase Option or the Right of First Refusal described below, except as permitted by this Agreement.
8.3.
Transferee Obligations. Each person (other than the Company) to whom the Shares are transferred by means of one of the permitted transfers specified in this Agreement must, as a condition precedent to the validity of such transfer, acknowledge in writing to the Company that such person is bound by the provisions of this Agreement and that the transferred Shares are subject to (i) the restrictions on transfer set forth in the Bylaws, (ii) both the Company’s Repurchase Option and the Company’s Right of First Refusal granted hereunder and (iii) the market stand-off provisions of Section 9 below, to the same extent such Shares would be so subject if retained by Optionee.
9.
Market Standoff Agreement. Optionee agrees that, subject to any early release provisions that apply pro rata to stockholders of the Company according to their holdings of Common Stock (determined on an as-converted into Common Stock basis), Optionee will not, for a period of up to one hundred eighty (180) days (plus up to an additional thirty five (35) days to the extent reasonably requested by the Company or such underwriter(s) to accommodate regulatory restrictions on the publication or other distribution of research reports or earnings releases by the Company, including NASD and NYSE rules) following the effective date of the registration statement filed with the SEC relating to the initial underwritten sale of Common Stock of the Company to the public

 


 

under the Securities Act (the “IPO”). directly or indirectly sell, offer to sell, grant any option for the sale of, or otherwise dispose of any Common Stock or securities convertible into Common Stock, except for: (i) transfers of Shares permitted under Section 10.6 hereof so long as such transferee furnishes to the Company and the managing underwriter their written consent to be bound by this Section 9 as a condition precedent to such transfer; and (ii) sales of any securities to be included in the registration statement for the IPO. For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions of this Section shall only apply to the IPO. The restricted period shall in any event terminate two (2) years after the closing date of the IPO. In order to enforce the foregoing covenant, the Company shall have the right to place restrictive legends on the certificates representing the Shares subject to this Section and to impose stop transfer instructions with respect to the Shares until the end of such period. Optionee further agrees to enter into any agreement reasonably required by the underwriters to implement the foregoing restrictions on transfer. For the avoidance of doubt, the foregoing provisions of this Section shall not apply to any registration of securities of the Company (a) under an employee benefit plan or (b) in a merger, consolidation, business combination or similar transaction.
10.
Company’s Right of First Refusal. Unvested Shares may not be sold or otherwise transferred, or pledged by Optionee or made subject to a security interest, pledge or other lien without the Company’s prior written consent, which may be withheld in the Company’s sole and absolute discretion. Subject to the restrictions on transfer set forth in the Bylaws, before any Vested Shares held by Optionee or any transferee of such Vested Shares (either sometimes referred to herein as the “Holder”) may be sold or otherwise transferred (including, without limitation, a transfer by gift or operation of law), the Company and/or its assignee(s) will have a right of first refusal to purchase the Vested Shares to be sold or transferred (the “Offered Shares”) on the terms and conditions set forth in this Section (the “Right of First Refusal”).
10.1.
Notice of Proposed Transfer. The Holder of the Offered Shares will deliver to the Company a written notice (the “Notice”) stating: (i) the Holder’s bona fide intention to sell or otherwise transfer the Offered Shares; (ii) the name and address of each proposed purchaser or other transferee (the “Proposed Transferee”); (iii) the number of Offered Shares to be transferred to each Proposed Transferee; (iv) the bona fide cash price or other consideration for which the Holder proposes to transfer the Offered Shares (the “Offered Price”); and (v) that the Holder acknowledges this Notice is an offer to sell the Offered Shares to the Company and/or its assignee(s) pursuant to the Company’s Right of First Refusal at the Offered Price as provided for in this Agreement.
10.2.
Exercise of Right of First Refusal. At any time within thirty (30) days after the date of the Notice, the Company and/or its assignee(s) may, by giving written notice to the Holder, elect to purchase all (or, with the consent of the Holder, less than all) the Offered Shares proposed to be transferred to any one or more of the Proposed Transferees named in the Notice, at the purchase price, determined as specified below.
10.3.
Purchase Price. The purchase price for the Offered Shares purchased under this Section will be the Offered Price, provided that if the Offered Price consists of no legal consideration (as, for example, in the case of a transfer by gift) then the purchase price will be the fair market value of the Offered Shares as determined in good faith by the Committee. If the Offered Price includes consideration other than cash, then the value of the non-cash consideration, as determined in good faith by the Committee, will conclusively be deemed to be the cash equivalent value of such non-cash consideration.
10.4.
Payment. Payment of the purchase price for the Offered Shares will be payable, at the option of the Company and/or its assignee(s) (as applicable), by check or by cancellation of all or a portion of any outstanding purchase money indebtedness owed by the Holder to the Company (or to such assignee, in the case of a purchase of Offered Shares by such assignee) or by any combination thereof. The purchase price will be paid without interest within sixty (60) days after the Company’s receipt of the Notice, or, at the option of the Company and/or its assignee(s), in the manner and at the time(s) set forth in the Notice.
10.5.
Holder’s Right to Transfer. If all of the Offered Shares proposed in the Notice to be transferred to a given Proposed Transferee are not purchased by the Company and/or its assignee(s) as provided in this Section, then the Holder may sell or otherwise transfer such Offered Shares to each Proposed Transferee at the Offered Price or at a higher price, provided that (i) such sale or other transfer is consummated within ninety (90) days after the date of the Notice, (ii) any such sale or other transfer is effected in compliance with all applicable securities laws, and (iii) each Proposed Transferee agrees in writing that the provisions of this Section will continue to apply to the Offered Shares in the hands of such Proposed Transferee. If the Offered Shares described in the Notice are not transferred to each Proposed Transferee within such ninety (90) day period, then a new Notice must be given to the Company pursuant to which the Company will again be offered the Right of First Refusal before any Shares held by the Holder may be sold or otherwise transferred.

 


 

10.6.
Exempt Transfers. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section, the following transfers of Vested Shares will be exempt from the Right of First Refusal: (i) the transfer of any or all of the Vested Shares during Optionee’s lifetime by gift or on Optionee’s death by will or intestacy to any member(s) of Optionee’s “Immediate Family” (as defined below) or to a trust for the benefit of Optionee and/or member(s) of Optionee’s Immediate Family, provided that each transferee or other recipient agrees in a writing satisfactory to the Company that the provisions of this Section will continue to apply to the transferred Vested Shares in the hands of such transferee or other recipient; (ii) any transfer of Vested Shares made pursuant to a statutory merger, statutory consolidation of the Company with or into another corporation or corporations or a conversion of the Company into another form of legal entity (except that the Right of Fust Refusal will continue to apply thereafter to such Vested Shares, in which case the surviving corporation of such merger or consolidation or the resulting entity of such conversion shall succeed to the rights of the Company under this Section unless the agreement of merger or consolidation or conversion expressly otherwise provides); or (iii) any transfer of Vested Shares pursuant to the winding up and dissolution of the Company. As used herein, the term “Immediate Family” will mean Optionee’s spouse, the lineal descendant or antecedent, father, mother, brother or sister, child, adopted child, grandchild or adopted grandchild of Optionee or Optionee’s spouse, or the spouse of any of the above or Spousal Equivalent, as defined herein. As used herein, a person is deemed to be a “Spousal Equivalent” provided the following circumstances are true: (i) irrespective of whether or not Optionee and the Spousal Equivalent are the same sex. they are the sole spousal equivalent of the other for the last twelve (12) months, (ii) they intend to remain so indefinitely, (iii) neither are married to anyone else, (iv) both are at least 18 years of age and mentally competent to consent to contract, (v) they are not related by blood to a degree of closeness that which would prohibit legal marriage in the state in which they legally reside, (vi) they are jointly responsible for each other’s common welfare and financial obligations, and (vii) they reside together in the same residence for the last twelve (12) months and intend to do so indefinitely.
10.7.
Termination of Right of First Refusal. The Right of First Refusal will terminate as to all Shares: (i) on the effective date of the first sale of Common Stock of the Company to the general public pursuant to a registration statement filed with and declared effective by the SEC under the Securities Act (other than a registration statement relating solely to the issuance of Common Stock pursuant to a business combination or an employee incentive or benefit plan); (ii) on any transfer or conversion of Shares made pursuant to a statutory merger or statutory consolidation of the Company with or into another corporation or corporations if the common stock of the surviving corporation or any direct or indirect parent corporation thereof is registered under the Exchange Act; or (iii) on any transfer or conversion of Shares made pursuant to a statutory conversion of the Company into another form of legal entity if the common equity (or comparable equity security) of entity resulting from such conversion is registered under the Exchange Act.
10.8.
Encumbrances on Vested Shares. Optionee may grant a lien or security interest in, or pledge, hypothecate or encumber Vested Shares only if each party to whom such lien or security interest is granted, or to whom such pledge, hypothecation or other encumbrance is made, agrees in a writing satisfactory to the Company that: (i) such lien, security interest, pledge, hypothecation or encumbrance will not adversely affect or impair the Right of First Refusal or the rights of the Company and/or its assignee(s) with respect thereto and will not apply to such Vested Shares after they are acquired by the Company and/or its assignees under this Section; and (ii) the provisions of this Agreement will continue to apply to such Vested Shares in the hands of such party and any transferee of such party. Optionee may not grant a lien or security interest in, or pledge, hypothecate or encumber, any Unvested Shares.
11.
Rights as a Stockholder. Optionee shall not have any of the rights of a stockholder with respect to any Shares unless and until such Shares are issued to Optionee. Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, Optionee will have all of the rights of a stockholder of the Company with respect to the Shares from and after the date that Shares are issued to Optionee pursuant to, and in accordance with, the terms of the Exercise Agreement until such time as Optionee disposes of the Shares or the Company and/or its assignee(s) exercise(s) the Repurchase Option or the Right of First Refusal. Upon an exercise of the Repurchase Option or the Right of First Refusal, Optionee will have no further rights as a holder of the Shares so purchased upon such exercise, other than the right to receive payment for the Shares so purchased in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement, and Optionee will promptly surrender the stock certificate(s) evidencing the Shares so purchased to the Company for transfer or cancellation.
12.
Escrow. As security for Optionee’s faithful performance of this Agreement, Optionee agrees, immediately upon receipt of the stock certificate(s) evidencing the Shares via welcome@carta.com to surrender such certificate(s) to the Secretary of the Company or other designee of the Company (the “Escrow Holder”), who is hereby appointed to hold such certificate(s) and to take all such actions and to effectuate all such transfers and/or releases of

 


 

such Shares as are in accordance with the terms of this Agreement. Optionee and the Company agree that Escrow Holder will not be liable to any party to this Agreement (or to any other party) for any actions or omissions unless Escrow Holder is grossly negligent or intentionally fraudulent in carrying out the duties of Escrow Holder under this Agreement. Escrow Holder may rely upon any letter, notice or other document executed with any signature purported to be genuine and may rely on the advice of counsel and obey any order of any court with respect to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and will not be liable for any act or omission taken by Escrow Holder in good faith reliance on such documents, the advice of counsel or a court order. The Shares will be released from escrow upon termination of both the Repurchase Option and the Right of First Refusal.
13.
Restrictive Legends and Stop-Transfer Orders.
13.1.
Legends. Optionee understands and agrees that the Company will place the legends set forth below or similar legends on any stock certificate(s) evidencing the Shares, together with any other legends that may be required by state or U.S. Federal securities laws, the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws, any other agreement between Optionee and the Company, or any agreement between Optionee and any third party (and any other legend(s) that the Company may become obligated to place on the stock certificate(s) evidencing the Shares under the terms of any agreement to which the Company is or may become bound or obligated):
(a)
THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED HEREBY HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”), OR UNDER THE SECURITIES LAWS OF CERTAIN STATES. THESE SECURITIES ARE SUBJECT TO RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSFERABILITY AND RESALE AND MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED OR RESOLD EXCEPT AS PERMITTED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT AND APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS, PURSUANT TO REGISTRATION OR EXEMPTION THEREFROM. INVESTORS SHOULD BE AWARE THAT THEY MAY BE REQUIRED TO BEAR THE FINANCIAL RISKS OF THIS INVESTMENT FOR AN INDEFINITE PERIOD OF TIME. THE ISSUER OF THESE SECURITIES MAY REQUIRE AN OPINION OF COUNSEL IN FORM AND SUBSTANCE SATISFACTORY TO THE ISSUER TO THE EFFECT THAT ANY PROPOSED TRANSFER OR RESALE IS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE SECURITIES ACT AND ANY APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS.
(b)
THE SHARES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE ARE SUBJECT TO CERTAIN RESTRICTIONS ON RESALE AND TRANSFER, INCLUDING THE REPURCHASE OPTION AND RIGHT OF FIRST REFUSAL HELD BY THE ISSUER AND/OR ITS ASSIGNEE(S) AS SET FORTH IN A STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE ISSUER AND THE ORIGINAL HOLDER OF THESE SHARES, A COPY OF WHICH MAY BE OBTAINED AT THE PRINCIPAL OFFICE OF THE ISSUER. SUCH SALE AND TRANSFER RESTRICTIONS, INCLUDING THE REPURCHASE OPTION AND RIGHT OF FIRST REFUSAL, ARE BINDING ON TRANSFEREES OF THESE SHARES.
(c)
THE SHARES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE ARE SUBJECT TO RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSFER AS PROVIDED IN THE BYLAWS OF THE CORPORATION.
(d)
THE SHARES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE ARE SUBJECT TO A MARKET STANDOFF RESTRICTION AS SET FORTH IN A CERTAIN STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE ISSUER AND THE ORIGINAL HOLDER OF THESE SHARES, A COPY OF WHICH MAY BE OBTAINED AT THE PRINCIPAL OFFICE OF THE ISSUER. AS A RESULT OF SUCH AGREEMENT, THESE SHARES MAY NOT BE TRADED PRIOR TO 180 DAYS AFTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF CERTAIN PUBLIC OFFERINGS OF THE COMMON STOCK OF THE ISSUER HEREOF. SUCH RESTRICTION IS BINDING ON TRANSFEREES OF THESE SHARES.
13.2.
Stop-Transfer Instructions. Optionee agrees that, to ensure compliance with the restrictions imposed by this Agreement and the Bylaws, the Company may issue appropriate “stop-transfer” instructions to its transfer agent, if any, and if the Company transfers its own securities, it may make appropriate notations to the same effect in its own records.
13.3.
Refusal to Transfer. The Company will not be required (i) to transfer on its books any Shares that have been sold or otherwise transferred in violation of any of the provisions of the Bylaws or this Agreement or (ii) to treat as owner of such Shares, or to accord the right to vote or pay dividends to any purchaser or other transferee to whom such Shares have been so transferred.

 


 

14.
Certain Tax Consequences. Set forth below is a brief summary as of the Effective Date of the Plan of some of the federal tax consequences of exercise of the Option and disposition of the Shares. THIS SUMMARY IS NECESSARILY INCOMPLETE, AND THE TAX LAWS AND REGULATIONS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE. OPTIONEE SHOULD CONSULT A TAX ADVISER BEFORE EXERCISING THE OPTION OR DISPOSING OF THE SHARES.
14.1.
Exercise of ISO. If the Option qualifies as an ISO, there will be no regular federal income tax liability upon the exercise of the Option, although the excess, if any, of the Fair Market Value of the Shares on the date of exercise over the Exercise Price will be treated as a tax preference item for federal alternative minimum tax purposes and may subject Optionee to the alternative minimum tax in the year of exercise.
14.2.
Exercise of Nonqualified Stock Option. If the Option does not qualify as an ISO, there may be a regular federal income tax liability upon the exercise of the Option. Optionee will be treated as having received compensation income (taxable at ordinary income tax rates) equal to the excess, if any, of the Fair Market Value of the Shares on the date of exercise over the Exercise Price. If Optionee is a current or former employee of the Company, the Company may be required to withhold from Optionee’s compensation or collect from Optionee and pay to the applicable taxing authorities an amount equal to a percentage of this compensation income at the time of exercise.
14.3.
Disposition of Shares. The following tax consequences may apply upon disposition of the Shares.
(a)
Incentive Stock Options. If the Shares are held for more than twelve (12) months after the date of purchase of the Shares pursuant to the exercise of an ISO and are disposed of more than two (2) years after the Date of Grant, any gain realized on disposition of the Shares will be treated as long term capital gain for federal income tax purposes. If Vested Shares purchased under an ISO are disposed of within the applicable one (1) year or two (2) year period, any gain realized on such disposition will be treated as compensation income (taxable at ordinary income rates in the year of the disposition) to the extent of the excess, if any, of the Fair Market Value of the Shares on the date of exercise over the Exercise Price. To the extent the Shares were exercised prior to vesting coincident with the filing of an 83(b) Election, the amount taxed because of a disqualifying disposition will be based upon the excess, if any, of the fair market value on the date of vesting over the exercise price.
(b)
Nonqualified Stock Options. If the Shares are held for more than twelve (12) months after the date of purchase of the Shares pursuant to the exercise of an NQSO, any gain realized on disposition of the Shares will be treated as long term capital gain.
14.4.
Section 83(b) Election for Invested Shares. With respect to Unvested Shares, which are subject to the Repurchase Option, unless an election is filed by Optionee with the Internal Revenue Service (and, if necessary, the proper state taxing authorities), within thirty (30) days of the purchase of the Unvested Shares, electing pursuant to Section 83(b) of the Code (and similar state tax provisions, if applicable) to be taxed currently on any difference between the Exercise Price of the Unvested Shares and their Fair Marker Value on the date of purchase, there may be a recognition of taxable income (including, where applicable, alternative minimum taxable income) to Optionee, measured by the excess, if any, of the Fair Market Value of the Unvested Shares at the time they cease to be Unvested Shares, over the Exercise Price of the Unvested Shares.
15.
General Provisions.
15.1.
Interpretation. Any dispute regarding the interpretation of this Agreement shall be submitted by Optionee or the Company to the Committee for review. The resolution of such a dispute by the Committee shall be final and binding on the Company and Optionee.
15.2.
Entire Agreement. The Plan, the Grant Notice and the Exercise Agreement are each incorporated herein by reference. This Agreement, the Grant Notice, the Plan and the Exercise Agreement constitute the entire agreement of the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersede all prior undertakings and agreements with respect to such subject matter.
16.
Notices. Any and all notices required or permitted to be given to a party pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement will be in writing and will be effective and deemed to provide such party sufficient notice under this Agreement on the earliest of the following: (i) at the time of personal delivery, if delivery is in person; (ii) at the time an electronic confirmation of receipt is received, if delivery is by email; (iii) at the time of transmission by facsimile, addressed to the other party at its facsimile number specified herein (or hereafter modified by subsequent

 


 

notice to the parties hereto), with confirmation of receipt made by both telephone and printed confirmation sheet verifying successful transmission of the facsimile; (iv) one (1) business day after deposit with an express overnight courier for United States deliveries, or two (2) business days after such deposit for deliveries outside of the United States, with proof of delivery from the courier requested; or (v) three (3) business days after deposit in the United States mail by certified mail (return receipt requested) for United States deliveries. Any notice for delivery outside the United States will be sent by email, facsimile or by express courier. Any notice not delivered personally or by email will be sent with postage and/or other charges prepaid and properly addressed to Optionee at the last known address or facsimile number on the books of the Company, or at such other address or facsimile number as such other party may designate by one of the indicated means of notice herein to the other parties hereto or, in the case of the Company, to it at its principal place of business. Notices to the Company will be marked “Attention: Chief Financial Officer.” Notices by facsimile shall be machine verified as received.
17.
Successors and Assigns. The Company may assign any of its rights under this Agreement including its rights to purchase Shares under both the Right of First Refusal and Repurchase Option. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the successors and assigns of the Company. Subject to the restrictions on transfer set forth herein, this Agreement shall be binding upon Optionee and Optionee’s heirs, executors, administrators, legal representatives, successors and assigns.
18.
Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of California as such laws are applied to agreements between California residents entered into and to be performed entirely within California. If any provision of this Agreement is determined by a court of law to be illegal or unenforceable, then such provision will be enforced to the maximum extent possible and the other provisions will remain fully effective and enforceable.
19.
Further Assurances. The parties agree to execute such further documents and instruments and to take such further actions as may be reasonably necessary to carry out the purposes and intent of this Agreement.
20.
Titles and Headings. The titles, captions and headings of this Agreement are included for ease of reference only and will be disregarded in interpreting or construing this Agreement. Unless otherwise specifically stated, all references herein to “sections” and “exhibits” will mean “sections” and “exhibits” to this Agreement.
21.
Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which when so executed and delivered will be deemed an original, and all of which together shall constitute one and the same agreement.
22.
Severability. If any provision of this Agreement is determined by any court or arbitrator of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect, such provision will be enforced to the maximum extent possible given the intent of the parties hereto. If such clause or provision cannot be so enforced, such provision shall be stricken from this Agreement and the remainder of this Agreement shall be enforced as if such invalid, illegal or unenforceable clause or provision had (to the extent not enforceable) never been contained in this Agreement. Notwithstanding the forgoing, if the value of this Agreement based upon the substantial benefit of the bargain for any party is materially impaired, which determination as made by the presiding court or arbitrator of competent jurisdiction shall be binding, then both parties agree to substitute such provision(s) through good faith negotiations.

* * * * *

Attachments: Annex A: Form of Stock Option Exercise Notice and Agreement

 


Exhibit 23.1

 

img249767589_0.jpg

 

 

KPMG LLP

505 Howard Street

Suite 800

San Francisco, CA 94105

 

Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

We consent to the use of our report dated June 26, 2026, with respect to the financial statements of TRex Bio, Inc., included herein, and to the reference to our firm under the heading "Experts" in the prospectus.

/s/ KPMG LLP

San Francisco, California

September 18, 2026

 

 

KPMG LLP, a Delaware limited liability partnership, and its subsidiaries are part of

the KPMG global organization of independent member firms affiliated with KPMG

International Limited, a private English company limited by guarantee.