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Nature of Business
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2019
Nature of Business  
Nature of Business

Rhythm Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Notes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

(In thousands, except share and per share information)

1. Nature of Business

Rhythm Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (the “Company” or “we”), is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of therapeutics for the treatment of rare genetic disorders that result in severe, life‑threatening metabolic disorders. The Company's lead peptide product candidate is setmelanotide (“RM‑493”), which is a potent melanocortin‑4 receptor, or MC4R, agonist for the treatment of rare genetic disorders of obesity caused by MC4R pathway deficiencies. MC4R pathway deficiencies result in the disruption of satiety signals and energy homeostasis in the body, which, in turn, leads to intense feelings of hunger and to obesity. The Company’s development efforts are initially focused on obesity related to several single gene-related, or monogenic, MC4R pathway deficiencies: pro‑opiomelanocortin, or POMC, deficiency obesity; leptin receptor, or LEPR, deficiency obesity; Bardet‑Biedl syndrome; Alström syndrome; MC4R pathway heterozygous deficiency obesity; POMC epigenetic disorders; steroid receptor coactivator 1, or SRC1, deficiency obesity; SH2B adapter protein 1, or SH2B1, deficiency obesity; MC4R deficiency obesity and Smith-Magenis syndrome.  There are currently no effective or approved treatments for these MC4R pathway-related disorders.  The Company believes that the MC4R pathway is a compelling target for treating these genetic disorders because of its critical role in regulating appetite and weight by promoting satiety and weight control, and that peptide therapeutics are uniquely suited for activating this target.

In March 2018 the Company acquired exclusive, worldwide rights from Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (“Takeda”) to develop and commercialize T-3525770 (now “RM-853”). RM-853 is a potent, orally available ghrelin o-acyltransferase (“GOAT”) inhibitor currently in preclinical development for Prader-Willi Syndrome (“PWS”). PWS is a rare genetic disorder that results in hyperphagia and early-onset, life-threatening obesity, for which there are no approved therapeutic options.

Corporate Reorganization

The Company is a Delaware corporation organized in February 2013 under the name Rhythm Metabolic, Inc., and as of October 2015, under the name Rhythm Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Prior to its organization and a corporate reorganization, the Company was part of Rhythm Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a Delaware corporation which was organized in November 2008 and which commenced active operations in 2010. We refer to this corporation as the Predecessor Company.  The Predecessor Company, after consummation of the corporate reorganization, is referred to within these Notes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements as the Relamorelin Company.

Liquidity

The Company has incurred operating losses and negative cash flows from operations since inception.  As of September 30, 2019, the Company had an accumulated deficit of $292,375.  The Company has primarily funded these losses through the proceeds from the sales of common and preferred stock as well as capital contributions received from the Predecessor Company, the Relamorelin Company and the former parent company, Rhythm Holdings LLC. To date, the Company has no product revenue and management expects operating losses to continue for the foreseeable future. The Company has devoted substantially all of its resources to its drug development efforts, comprising research and development, manufacturing, conducting clinical trials for its product candidates, protecting its intellectual property, pre-commercialization activities and general and administrative functions relating to these operations. The future success of the Company is dependent on its ability to develop its product candidates and ultimately upon its ability to attain profitable operations. At September 30, 2019, the Company had $162,435 of cash and cash equivalents and short‑term investments on hand.  In addition, the Company received additional funding in connection with a public offering subsequent to quarter-end (see Note 10, “Subsequent Events”). The net proceeds from this offering, or the October 2019 public offering, were approximately $161,325 after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses.  In the future, the Company will be dependent on obtaining funding from third parties, such as proceeds from the issuance of debt, sale of equity, and funded research and development programs, to maintain the Company's operations and meet the Company's obligations. There is no guarantee that additional equity or other financings will be available to the Company on acceptable terms, or at all. If the Company fails to obtain additional funding when needed, the Company would be forced to scale back, terminate its operations or seek to merge with or be acquired by another company. Management believes that the Company's existing cash resources, together with the funds received from the October 2019 public offering, will be sufficient to fund the Company's operating plan through at least the end of 2021.