v3.26.1
License Agreements
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2026
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]  
License Agreements

13. License agreements

License agreement with Lonza

In October 2021, in connection with an asset purchase agreement entered into with Astellas Pharma, Inc. (“Astellas”), the Company and Lonza Sales AG (“Lonza”) entered into a license agreement (as amended, the “Lonza License Agreement”). Pursuant to the Lonza License Agreement, the Company obtained a worldwide, non-exclusive, sublicensable (subject to Lonza’s right of pre-approval with respect to any sublicense of manufacturing activities) license to certain intellectual property rights owned by Lonza. Lonza was the originator of the master cell bank for verekitug (formerly referred to as ASP7266 and UPB-101, collectively referred to as “the Compound”) developed by Astellas.

As consideration for the rights and licenses granted to the Company under the Lonza License Agreement, the Company agreed to pay Lonza certain royalties and annual payments, both payable in Swiss francs, in respect of the manufacturing and sale of the Compound, such amounts to be determined by the party manufacturing the Compound, and range from no annual payment to up to a mid-six-figure annual payment, and a less-than-one percent to a low-single-digit percentage royalty on net sales of the Compound. In accordance with the Lonza License Agreement, the Company entered into a sublicense with WuXi Biologics (Hong Kong) Limited to manufacture the Compound, requiring the Company to pay a mid-six-figure annual fee to Lonza pursuant to this provision.

Any royalties due under the Lonza License Agreement are payable on a country-by-country basis until ten years from the first commercial sale of the Compound in that particular country.

During each of the three months ended March 31, 2026 and 2025, the Company did not make any royalty payments to Lonza under the Lonza License Agreement. The Lonza agreement continues for an indefinite period of time unless otherwise terminated. The Company has the right to terminate the Lonza License Agreement at any time by providing prior written notice to Lonza.

During each of the three months ended March 31, 2026 and 2025, the Company had $0.5 million included in accounts payable in connection with the annual payment pursuant to the Lonza License Agreement. These payments are recognized as research and development expense in the condensed consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss.