COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2023

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]

License Agreement with ImmunoGen, Inc.

In October 2020, the Company became party to a license agreement (the “ImmunoGen License Agreement”) with Immunogen, Inc. (“ImmunoGen”), under which the Company obtained an exclusive, sublicensable, worldwide license to certain patents and other intellectual property rights to develop, manufacture, and commercialize certain products for non-oncology and non-radiopharmaceutical indications. In consideration for rights granted by ImmunoGen, the Company is obligated to make certain future development milestone payments of up to $48.0 million upon the achievement of specified clinical and regulatory milestones. In December 2021, the Company paid a $2.5 million milestone payment to ImmunoGen upon the submission of an Investigational New Drug (“IND”) application for VRDN-001 with the FDA. In May 2022, the Company paid a $3.0 million milestone payment to ImmunoGen related to the first patient dosed in the clinical trial for VRDN-001. In December 2022, the Company recorded $10.0 million as research and development expense related to a milestone owed to ImmunoGen related to the first patient dosed in a Pivotal Clinical Trial for VRDN-001, amount which was paid in January 2023 and which was included in accounts payable in the consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2022. Additionally, if the Company successfully commercializes any product candidate subject to the ImmunoGen License Agreement, it is responsible for royalty payments equal to a percentage in the mid-single digits of net sales and commercial milestone payments of up to $95.0 million. The Company is obligated to make any such royalty payments on a product-by-product and country-by-country basis from the first commercial sale of a specified product in each country until the later of (i) the expiration of the last patent claim subject to the ImmunoGen License Agreement in such country, (ii) the expiration of any applicable regulatory exclusivity obtained for each product in such country, or (iii) the 12th anniversary of the date of the first commercial sale of such product in such country.

License Agreements with Xencor, Inc.

In December 2020, the Company entered into a license agreement (the “Xencor License Agreement”) with Xencor, under which Xencor granted the Company rights to an exclusive, worldwide, sublicensable, non-transferable, royalty-bearing license to use specified Xencor technology for the research, development, manufacturing, and commercialization of therapeutic antibodies targeting IGF-1R indications. In consideration for rights granted by Xencor, the Company issued 322,407 shares of its common stock in December 2020. The shares were valued at $6.0 million and recorded as research and development expense in 2020. Under the terms of the Xencor License Agreement, the Company is obligated to make future development milestone payments of up to $30.0 million. Additionally, if the Company successfully commercializes any product candidate subject to the Xencor License Agreement, it is responsible for royalty payments equal to a percentage in the mid-single digits of net sales and commercial milestone payments of up to $25.0 million. The Company is obligated to make any such royalty payments on a product-by-product and country-by-country basis from the first commercial sale of products containing the licensed technology in each country until the later of (i) the expiration of the last patent claim subject to the Xencor License Agreement in such country, (ii) the expiration

of any applicable regulatory exclusivity obtained, or (iii) the 12th anniversary of the date of the first commercial sale. This agreement was terminated on July 25, 2023.

In December 2021, the Company entered into a subsequent technology license agreement (the “2021 Xencor License Agreement”) with Xencor, Inc. (“Xencor”) for a non-exclusive license to certain antibody libraries developed by Xencor. Under the 2021 Xencor License Agreement, the Company received a one-year research license to review the antibodies and the right to select up to three antibodies for further development. In consideration for rights granted by Xencor, the Company issued 394,737 shares of its common stock to Xencor in December 2021. The shares were valued at $7.5 million and recorded as research and development expense during the year ended December 31, 2021. Under the terms of the 2021 Xencor License Agreement, if successful, for each licensed product, the Company would be obligated to make future milestone payments of up to $27.8 million, which includes development milestone payments of up to $4.8 million, special milestone payments of up to $3.0 million, and commercial milestone payments of up to $20.0 million. Additionally, for each licensed product that the Company successfully commercializes, it would be responsible for royalty payments equal to a percentage in the mid-single digits of net sales. This agreement was terminated on September 7, 2023.

Development and License Agreement with Enable Injections

In January 2023, the Company entered into a Development and License Agreement (the “Enable License Agreement”) with Enable Injections, Inc. (“Enable”), under which Enable granted the Company an exclusive, royalty-bearing, sublicensable, non-transferrable license to (i) develop, commercialize, seek marketing approval for and otherwise use and exploit certain products, and (ii) make and have made such product solely for such permitted uses. Pursuant to the terms of the Enable License Agreement, Viridian granted Enable a non-exclusive, royalty-free, non-sublicensable, non-transferable license. In consideration for the rights granted by Enable the Company paid Enable an initial, non-creditable, non-refundable license fee of $15.0 million in January 2023. This amount is included in research and development expense for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 in the accompanying condensed consolidated statement operations. This amount is reflected as a cash outflow from operating activities in the statement of cash flows for the nine months ended September 30, 2023.

The Company is obligated to make certain future milestone payments of up to $45.0 million upon the achievement of specified development, clinical and regulatory milestones. Additionally, if the Company is successful in commercializing any product candidate subject to the Enable License Agreement, the Company is obligated to make certain commercial milestone payments of up to $150.0 million and royalty payments equal to a percentage in the mid-single digits.

Exclusive License and Collaboration Agreement

On May 11, 2023, the Company and a third-party collaborator entered into an Exclusive License and Collaboration Agreement to collaborate and conduct certain IND-enabling activities with respect to the licensed compound and licensed product. Under the terms of the agreement, Viridian was granted an exclusive, royalty-bearing, worldwide license to develop, manufacture, and commercialize certain licensed compounds and licensed products in the field (the “License”). In consideration for the rights granted by the License, the Company initially issued 204,843 shares of its common stock to certain stockholders of the third-party. The shares were valued at $5.0 million and recorded as research and development expense during the three months ended June 30, 2023. On July 24, 2023, the Company issued 39,059 additional shares of its common stock to certain stockholders of the third-party and recorded the related $0.7 million expense as research and development expenses during three months ended September 30, 2023. Additionally, upon the date when the Company decides to pursue certain studies for the licensed compound under the agreement, the Company shall issue the third-party collaborator the equivalent of $10.0 million in shares of its common stock. The Company is also obligated to make certain future milestones of up to $45.0 million upon the achievement of certain

development milestones. Remaining development milestone payments shall be payable in cash. If the Company is successful in commercializing products related to the licensed compound, the Company is also obligated to pay up to $60.0 million upon the achievement of certain sales milestones as well as royalty payments equal to a percentage in the mid-single to double digits.

Lease Obligations

Colorado-based Office and Lab Space

The Company is party to a multi-year, non-cancelable lease agreement for its Colorado-based office and lab space (the “Colorado Lease”). The lease agreement includes rent escalation clauses through the lease term and a Company option to extend the lease term for up to three terms of three years each. Minimum base lease payments under the Colorado Lease, including the impact of tenant improvement allowances, are recognized on a straight-line basis over the full term of the lease. The lease term was amended in March 2021 to extend the lease maturity date to December 31, 2024. Upon adoption of ASC 842 and upon subsequent modification of the lease in 2020 and in March 2021, the Company recognized a right-of-use asset and corresponding lease liability for the lease agreement of approximately $1.6 million by calculating the present value of lease payments, discounted at 6%, the Company’s estimated incremental borrowing rate, over the 12 months expected remaining term.

Massachusetts-based Office Space

The Company is party to a multi-year, non-cancelable lease agreement for its Massachusetts-based office space (as subsequently amended in July 2021, April 2022 and July 2022, the “Massachusetts Lease”). The Massachusetts Lease includes rent escalation clauses throughout the lease term. Minimum base lease payments under the Massachusetts Lease are recognized on a straight-line basis over the full term of the Massachusetts Lease. Upon initial assumption of the Massachusetts Lease in October 2020, the Company recognized a right-of-use asset and corresponding lease liability of $0.1 million by calculating the present value of lease payments, discounted at 6%, the Company’s estimated incremental borrowing rate, over the expected remaining term. The Massachusetts Lease provides for annual base rent of approximately $0.4 million during the lease term. The Company is also obligated to pay the landlord certain costs, taxes and operating expenses. The Lease will expire in April 2027. The Company has the option to extend the lease term for an additional period of three years upon notice to the landlord.

Future lease payments under noncancellable leases as of September 30, 2023 are as follows:


	(in thousands)
2023 (remainder)	$	235
2024	962
2025	464
2026	474
2027	159
Total future minimum lease payments	2,294
Less: imputed interest	(266)
Total	$	2,028

As of September 30, 2023, the Company’s operating lease obligations were reflected as short-term operating lease liabilities of $0.8 million within accrued liabilities and $1.2 million of long-term lease obligations as other liabilities in the Company’s condensed consolidated balance sheets. Amortization of the operating lease right-

of-use assets, and corresponding reduction of operating lease obligations, amounted to $0.2 million and $0.6 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2023, respectively, which was included in operating expense in the condensed consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss. Amortization of the operating lease right-of-use assets, and corresponding reduction of operating lease obligations, amounted to $0.1 million and $0.4 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2022.

The Company is also required to pay for certain costs, taxes, and operating expenses related to both the Colorado and Massachusetts Leases, which were $0.1 million for $0.3 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2023, respectively, and $0.1 million and $0.2 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2022, respectively. The operating expenses are incurred separately and were not included in the present value of lease payments.