Licensing Agreements	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2023
License Agreements [Abstract]
Licensing Agreements	4. Licensing Agreements The University of Chicago Agreement In April 2020, the Company entered into a license agreement (the “University License Agreement”), as well as a sponsored research agreement, with the University of Chicago (the “University”). Under the terms of the license, the Company has the global right to develop and commercialize products that are covered by a valid claim of a licensed patent, incorporate or use the licensed know-how and materials or are known to assess, modulate or utilize the activity of certain specified biological targets. In partial consideration for the license from the University, the Company issued to the University 48,919 shares of its common stock in 2020. Pursuant to the University License Agreement, the Company is obligated to pay potential development and commercial milestones of up to $7.7 million as well as running royalties on net sales of licensed products at varying rates ranging from less than a percent to the low single digits, subject to a minimum annual royalty of up to $3.0 million during certain years following the effective date. The Company is also obligated to pay the University a percentage of certain sublicensing revenue ranging from low- to mid-teens based on the date of entering into the applicable sublicense. The Company assessed the milestone and royalty events under the University License Agreement as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, and determined that no such amounts were required. Pfizer Inc. Agreements In December 2020, the Company entered into a license agreement (as amended, the “Pfizer License Agreement”) with Pfizer Inc. (“Pfizer”) for worldwide development and commercialization rights to ADC product candidates directed to certain licensed targets, including PYX-201 and PYX-203, and products containing the ADC product candidates. The Company’s rights are exclusive with respect to certain patents owned or controlled by Pfizer covering the licensed ADCs. The initial licensed targets include CD123 and extra domain B (EDB+FN) and the Company has the option to expand the scope of its license to add additional licensed targets that have not been licensed to a third party or are not the subject of a Pfizer ADC development program. The Pfizer License Agreement became effective for the Company in March 2021. Pursuant to the Pfizer License Agreement, the Company paid a combined $25.0 million for the license fee, consisting of an upfront cash payment of $5.0 million and issued 12,152,145 shares of Series B convertible preferred stock, which was converted into 1,911,015 shares of its common stock upon the initial public offering (“IPO”) in October 2021, with a value of $20.0 million to Pfizer. On October 6, 2022, the Company entered into an amended and restated license agreement (the “A&R License Agreement”) with Pfizer, which amends and restates the Pfizer License Agreement. Pursuant to the A&R License Agreement, Pfizer granted to the Company exclusive worldwide rights under Pfizer’s Flexible Antibody Conjugation Technology (“FACT”) Platform to develop and commercialize ADC product candidates directed to certain licensed targets, including PYX-201 and PYX-203, and products containing the ADC product candidates. Additional ADC targets may be licensed for a nominal upfront payment and milestones. In accordance with the terms of the A&R License Agreement, the Company issued 2,229,654 shares of its common stock to Pfizer in October 2022, paid $8.0 million to Pfizer in January 2023 and issued 1,811,594 shares of its common stock to Pfizer in March 2023. The Company is also obligated to pay future contingent payments including development, regulatory and commercial milestones up to an aggregate of $665 million for the first four licensed ADCs. In addition, the Company is required to pay future contingent payments including development, regulatory and commercial milestones for ADCs to each additional licensed target beyond the first four licensed ADC targets developed and commercialized via the FACT Platform. Additionally, if ADC licensed products are launched, the Company will pay Pfizer tiered royalties on net sales of licensed products in varying royalty rates ranging from low single digits to mid-teens. The Company’s royalty obligations apply on a licensed product-by-licensed product and country-by-country basis from first commercial sale until the latest to occur of: (1) 12 years from first commercial sale; (2) the expiration of all regulatory or data exclusivity; and (3) the expiration of the last valid claim of a licensed patent covering the licensed product in a country. The Company is also obligated to pay Pfizer a percentage of certain sublicensing revenue ranging from twenty percent to low-double digits based on the stage of development of the licensed product at the time of entering into the applicable sublicense. The Company assessed the milestone and royalty events under A&R License Agreement as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, and determined that no such amounts were required. License Agreement with Biosion USA, Inc. On March 28, 2022, the Company entered into a license agreement (the “Biosion License Agreement”) with Biosion USA, Inc. (“Biosion”), pursuant to which the Company obtained an exclusive, worldwide (other than Greater China (mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan)) license for development, manufacture and commercialization rights for BSI-060T, a Siglec-15 targeting antibody, an IO product candidate (now referred to as PYX-106), and products containing the licensed compound. Under the terms of the Biosion License Agreement, each party granted to the other party a right of first offer to obtain an exclusive license in the other party’s territory (Greater China for Biosion, and the rest of the world for Pyxis) to develop, manufacture and commercialize any bi-specific or multi-specific antibody any antibody-drug conjugate controlled by a party or its affiliate that inhibits, modulates or binds to Siglec-15 as an intended mechanism of action. Pursuant to the Biosion License Agreement, the Company paid an upfront license fee of $10.0 million, which was recorded as research and development expenses. The Company is also obligated to pay future contingent payments including development, regulatory and commercial milestones up to an aggregate of $217.5 million in case of normal approval and $222.5 million in case of accelerated approval. Additionally, if products are launched, the Company will pay Biosion tiered royalties on net sales of licensed products in varying royalty rates ranging from low single digits to low teens. The Company’s royalty obligations apply on a licensed product-by-licensed product and country-by-country basis from first commercial sale until the latest to occur of: (1) 12 years from first commercial sale; (2) the expiration of all regulatory or data exclusivity; and (3) the expiration of the last valid claim of a licensed patent covering the licensed product in a country. The Company is also obligated to pay Biosion a percentage of certain sublicensing revenue ranging from mid-double to low-double digits based on the stage of development of the licensed product at the time of entering into the applicable sublicense. The Company assessed the milestone and royalty events involving Biosion as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, and determined that no such amounts were required. LegoChem Biosciences, Inc. Agreements In December 2020, the Company entered into a license agreement (the “LegoChem License Agreement”) and an opt-in, investment and additional consideration agreement (the “Opt-In Agreement”) with LegoChem Biosciences, Inc. (“LegoChem”). Pursuant to the LegoChem License Agreement, the Company obtained worldwide (other than Korea) license for development and commercialization rights for LCB67, an ADC product candidate targeting DLK-1, and products containing the licensed compound. The Company paid $9.0 million in March 2021 to LegoChem, which was recorded as research and development expenses. Additionally, the Company may purchase certain initial quantities of licensed products from LegoChem for an estimated cost of $7.0 million. The Company is obligated to make future contingent payments including development, regulatory and commercial milestones as well as running royalties on net sales of licensed products at varying rates. In addition, as part of the Opt-in Agreement, LegoChem exercised an option to pay $8.0 million to the Company, in exchange for the right to receive a milestone payment (the “Extra Milestone Payment”) of $9.6 million upon the earliest to occur of certain events, including the date of pricing or offer of the first public offering of its common stock or if the Company is the subject of a change in control transaction. Upon the Company's IPO in October 2021, the extra milestone payment event triggered, and the Company paid $9.6 million in January 2022 to LegoChem. In 2022, the Company stopped the continued development of LCB67, based on review and analysis of data from the toxicity studies, and anticipated clinical use and commercial prospects of anti-DLK1 ADC. Due to stoppage of clinical development of LCB67, no amounts are due and payable related to the manufacturing of the initial quantities of licensed product and no milestone or royalty events are expected. Acquired Out-Licensing Agreements In August 2023, the Company completed the acquisition of Apexigen, as detailed in Note 3, Acquisition of Apexigen, and assumed all out-licensing agreements of Apexigen upon the Merger Agreement. Described below are the out-license relationships and the related agreements under which the Company may receive milestone or royalty payments. The aggregate payments received from these relationships post-acquisition of Apexigen was $1.0 million and the Company has $7.7 million in deferred revenue relating to certain royalty payments as of December 31, 2023, as detailed below. Beovu and Novartis Antibody Candidate Discovery and Development Agreement In March 2007, Epitomics (Apexigen's predecessor), entered into an antibody candidate discovery and development agreement with ESBATech AG, or ESBA Tech, in March 2007 (the “ESBATech Agreement”). ESBATech was acquired by Alcon Research, Ltd. ("ARL") in 2009 and later merged with Novartis AG (“Novartis”) in 2011. Novartis, the successor in interest to ESBATech, has successfully developed and commercialized one of those drug product candidates, brolucizumab-dbll, a single-chain antibody fragment (scFv) targeting all of the isoforms of VEGF-A, which was approved for commercial sale in 2019 and marketed under the brand name Beovu®. Novartis and its predecessors have paid all upfront fees and milestone payments due under the ESBATech Agreement. Novartis is obligated to pay Apexigen a very low single-digit royalty on net sales of the Beovu® product. However, Novartis has disputed its obligation to pay these royalties on Beovu® sales under this agreement. As a result, the Company determined that any sales-based Beovu® product royalties received under this agreement through December 31, 2023 should be fully constrained. The Company assesses this position at each period end to determine if events or changes in circumstances indicate a change in position. As of December 31, 2023, deferred revenue totaled $7.7 million. Simcere License and Collaboration Agreement In December 2008, Epitomics (Apexigen's predecessor) and Jiangsu Simcere Pharmaceutical R&D Co., Ltd. ("Simcere") entered into a license and collaboration agreement (the “Simcere Agreement”) for the development and commercialization of suvemcitug (BD0801) for oncology in China. Suvemcitug is, a humanized anti-VEGF rabbit monoclonal antibody molecule. Under the Simcere Agreement, Simcere has an exclusive, royalty-bearing license (without the right to sublicense) to rights in certain intellectual property to develop and commercialize suvemcitug in the field of oncology therapeutics in China. Simcere granted the Company a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide license (without the right to sublicense) to improvements derived from suvemcitug using the intellectual property the Company licensed to Simcere. Simcere is obligated to pay the Company milestone payments for achievement of certain clinical development milestones and low to high single-digit percentage royalties on net sales of suvemcitug in China until 15 years after the first commercial sale of suvemcitug. The Company assessed the milestone and royalty events involving Simcere as of December 31, 2023 and determined that no such amounts were receivable. T-Mab/Mabwell Agreement In May 2008, Epitomics (Apexigen's predecessor) and Jiangsu T-Mab Biotechnology Ltd., Co. (“T-Mab”) entered into a license, co-development and contract manufacture agreement (the “T-Mab Agreement”) for the development and commercialization of therapeutic candidates, each directed to a specified target for specified fields, including VEGF for the treatment of ocular diseases, in China. Mabwell (Shanghai) Bioscience Co., Ltd. (“Mabwell”) acquired T-Mab in 2015. Under the agreement, Mabwell was granted an exclusive, royalty-bearing, perpetual license (without the right to sublicense) to rights in certain intellectual property to develop and commercialize such therapeutic candidates. Mabwell is obligated to pay the Company a mid-single-digit percentage royalty on net sales of such therapeutic candidates in China. The royalty term for 9MW0211, an anti-VEGF antibody licensed under the T-Mab Agreement, will begin on the first commercial sale in China. The Company assessed the milestone and royalty events involving Mabwell as of December 31, 2023 and determined that no such amounts were receivable. Toray Sublicense Agreement In May 2012, Epitomics (Apexigen's predecessor) and Toray Industries, Inc. (“Toray”), entered into a non-exclusive sublicense agreement (the “Toray Agreement”) under which Epitomics granted Toray a non-exclusive, worldwide sublicense, with the right to grant further sublicenses, to develop and commercialize drug product candidates that Toray developed using antibodies created using the APXiMAB platform that target certain molecules to use in the development of its drug product candidates. Under the Toray Agreement, Toray paid an upfront fee, and agreed to pay certain development- and regulatory-related milestone payments and a low single-digit percentage royalty on net sales of licensed products by Toray or its affiliates. Toray is also obligated to pay the Company a mid-teens percentage of certain payments Toray receives from sublicensees under the Toray Agreement, which payments may limit Toray’s obligations to pay the milestone payments described above. The Toray Agreement continues on a product-by-product and country-by-country basis until 10 years after the first commercial sale of such product in such country. The Company assessed the milestone and royalty events involving Toray as of December 31, 2023 and determined that no such amounts were receivable.

Licensing Agreements

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2023

4. Licensing Agreements

The University of Chicago Agreement

In April 2020, the Company entered into a license agreement (the “University License Agreement”), as well as a sponsored research agreement, with the University of Chicago (the “University”). Under the terms of the license, the Company has the global right to develop and commercialize products that are covered by a valid claim of a licensed patent, incorporate or use the licensed know-how and materials or are known to assess, modulate or utilize the activity of certain specified biological targets. In partial consideration for the license from the University, the Company issued to the University 48,919 shares of its common stock in 2020.

Pursuant to the University License Agreement, the Company is obligated to pay potential development and commercial milestones of up to $7.7 million as well as running royalties on net sales of licensed products at varying rates ranging from less than a percent to the low single digits, subject to a minimum annual royalty of up to $3.0 million during certain years following the effective date. The Company is also obligated to pay the University a percentage of certain sublicensing revenue ranging from low- to mid-teens based on the date of entering into the applicable sublicense.

The Company assessed the milestone and royalty events under the University License Agreement as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, and determined that no such amounts were required.

Pfizer Inc. Agreements

In December 2020, the Company entered into a license agreement (as amended, the “Pfizer License Agreement”) with Pfizer Inc. (“Pfizer”) for worldwide development and commercialization rights to ADC product candidates directed to certain licensed targets, including PYX-201 and PYX-203, and products containing the ADC product candidates. The Company’s rights are exclusive with respect to certain patents owned or controlled by Pfizer covering the licensed ADCs. The initial licensed targets include CD123 and extra domain B (EDB+FN) and the Company has the option to expand the scope of its license to add additional licensed targets that have not been licensed to a third party or are not the subject of a Pfizer ADC development program. The Pfizer License Agreement became effective for the Company in March 2021. Pursuant to the Pfizer License Agreement, the Company paid a combined $25.0 million for the license fee, consisting of an upfront cash payment of $5.0 million and issued 12,152,145 shares of Series B convertible preferred stock, which was converted into 1,911,015 shares of its common stock upon the initial public offering (“IPO”) in October 2021, with a value of $20.0 million to Pfizer.

On October 6, 2022, the Company entered into an amended and restated license agreement (the “A&R License Agreement”) with Pfizer, which amends and restates the Pfizer License Agreement. Pursuant to the A&R License Agreement, Pfizer granted to the Company exclusive worldwide rights under Pfizer’s Flexible Antibody Conjugation Technology (“FACT”) Platform to develop and commercialize ADC product candidates directed to certain licensed targets, including PYX-201 and PYX-203, and products containing the ADC product candidates. Additional ADC targets may be licensed for a nominal upfront payment and milestones. In accordance with the terms of the A&R License Agreement, the Company issued 2,229,654 shares of its common stock to Pfizer in October 2022, paid $8.0 million to Pfizer in January 2023 and issued 1,811,594 shares of its common stock to Pfizer in March 2023.

The Company is also obligated to pay future contingent payments including development, regulatory and commercial milestones up to an aggregate of $665 million for the first four licensed ADCs. In addition, the Company is required to pay future contingent payments including development, regulatory and commercial milestones for ADCs to each additional licensed target beyond the first four licensed ADC targets developed and commercialized via the FACT Platform. Additionally, if ADC licensed products are launched, the Company will pay Pfizer tiered royalties on net sales of licensed products in varying royalty rates ranging from low single digits to mid-teens. The Company’s royalty obligations apply on a licensed product-by-licensed product and country-by-country basis from first commercial sale until the latest to occur of: (1) 12 years from first commercial sale; (2) the expiration of all regulatory or data exclusivity; and (3) the expiration of the last valid claim of a licensed patent covering the licensed product in a country. The Company is also obligated to pay Pfizer a percentage of certain sublicensing revenue ranging from twenty percent to low-double digits based on the stage of development of the licensed product at the time of entering into the applicable sublicense.

The Company assessed the milestone and royalty events under A&R License Agreement as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, and determined that no such amounts were required.

License Agreement with Biosion USA, Inc.

On March 28, 2022, the Company entered into a license agreement (the “Biosion License Agreement”) with Biosion USA, Inc. (“Biosion”), pursuant to which the Company obtained an exclusive, worldwide (other than Greater China (mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan)) license for development, manufacture and commercialization rights for BSI-060T, a Siglec-15 targeting antibody, an IO product candidate (now referred to as PYX-106), and products containing the licensed compound. Under the terms of the Biosion License Agreement, each party granted to the other party a right of first offer to obtain an exclusive license in the other party’s territory (Greater China for Biosion, and the rest of the world for Pyxis) to develop, manufacture and commercialize any bi-specific or multi-specific antibody any antibody-drug conjugate controlled by a party or its affiliate that inhibits, modulates or binds to Siglec-15 as an intended mechanism of action.

Pursuant to the Biosion License Agreement, the Company paid an upfront license fee of $10.0 million, which was recorded as research and development expenses. The Company is also obligated to pay future contingent payments including development, regulatory and commercial milestones up to an aggregate of $217.5 million in case of normal approval and $222.5 million in case of accelerated approval. Additionally, if products are launched, the Company will pay Biosion tiered royalties on net sales of licensed products in varying royalty rates ranging from low single digits to low teens. The Company’s royalty obligations apply on a licensed product-by-licensed product and country-by-country basis from first commercial sale until the latest to occur of: (1) 12 years from first commercial sale; (2) the expiration of all regulatory or data exclusivity; and (3) the expiration of the last valid claim of a licensed patent covering the licensed product in a country. The Company is also obligated to pay Biosion a percentage of certain sublicensing revenue ranging from mid-double to low-double digits based on the stage of development of the licensed product at the time of entering into the applicable sublicense.

The Company assessed the milestone and royalty events involving Biosion as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, and determined that no such amounts were required.

LegoChem Biosciences, Inc. Agreements

In December 2020, the Company entered into a license agreement (the “LegoChem License Agreement”) and an opt-in, investment and additional consideration agreement (the “Opt-In Agreement”) with LegoChem Biosciences, Inc. (“LegoChem”). Pursuant to the LegoChem License Agreement, the Company obtained worldwide (other than Korea) license for development and commercialization rights for LCB67, an ADC product candidate targeting DLK-1, and products containing the licensed compound. The Company paid $9.0 million in March 2021 to LegoChem, which was recorded as research and development expenses. Additionally, the Company may purchase certain initial quantities of licensed products from LegoChem for an estimated cost of $7.0 million. The Company is obligated to make future contingent payments including development, regulatory and commercial milestones as well as running royalties on net sales of licensed products at varying rates.

In addition, as part of the Opt-in Agreement, LegoChem exercised an option to pay $8.0 million to the Company, in exchange for the right to receive a milestone payment (the “Extra Milestone Payment”) of $9.6 million upon the earliest to occur of certain events, including the date of pricing or offer of the first public offering of its common stock or if the Company is the subject of a change in control transaction. Upon the Company's IPO in October 2021, the extra milestone payment event triggered, and the Company paid $9.6 million in January 2022 to LegoChem.

In 2022, the Company stopped the continued development of LCB67, based on review and analysis of data from the toxicity studies, and anticipated clinical use and commercial prospects of anti-DLK1 ADC. Due to stoppage of clinical development of LCB67, no amounts are due and payable related to the manufacturing of the initial quantities of licensed product and no milestone or royalty events are expected.

Acquired Out-Licensing Agreements

In August 2023, the Company completed the acquisition of Apexigen, as detailed in Note 3, Acquisition of Apexigen, and assumed all out-licensing agreements of Apexigen upon the Merger Agreement.

Described below are the out-license relationships and the related agreements under which the Company may receive milestone or royalty payments. The aggregate payments received from these relationships post-acquisition of Apexigen was $1.0 million and the Company has $7.7 million in deferred revenue relating to certain royalty payments as of December 31, 2023, as detailed below.

Beovu and Novartis Antibody Candidate Discovery and Development Agreement

In March 2007, Epitomics (Apexigen's predecessor), entered into an antibody candidate discovery and development agreement with ESBATech AG, or ESBA Tech, in March 2007 (the “ESBATech Agreement”). ESBATech was acquired by Alcon Research, Ltd. ("ARL") in 2009 and later merged with Novartis AG (“Novartis”) in 2011.

Novartis, the successor in interest to ESBATech, has successfully developed and commercialized one of those drug product candidates, brolucizumab-dbll, a single-chain antibody fragment (scFv) targeting all of the isoforms of VEGF-A, which was approved for commercial sale in 2019 and marketed under the brand name Beovu®.

Novartis and its predecessors have paid all upfront fees and milestone payments due under the ESBATech Agreement. Novartis is obligated to pay Apexigen a very low single-digit royalty on net sales of the Beovu® product. However, Novartis has disputed its obligation to pay these royalties on Beovu® sales under this agreement. As a result, the Company determined that any sales-based Beovu® product royalties received under this agreement through December 31, 2023 should be fully constrained. The Company assesses this position at each period end to determine if events or changes in circumstances indicate a change in position. As of December 31, 2023, deferred revenue totaled $7.7 million.

Simcere License and Collaboration Agreement

In December 2008, Epitomics (Apexigen's predecessor) and Jiangsu Simcere Pharmaceutical R&D Co., Ltd. ("Simcere") entered into a license and collaboration agreement (the “Simcere Agreement”) for the development and commercialization of suvemcitug (BD0801) for oncology in China. Suvemcitug is, a humanized anti-VEGF rabbit monoclonal antibody molecule. Under the Simcere Agreement, Simcere has an exclusive, royalty-bearing license (without the right to sublicense) to rights in certain intellectual property to develop and commercialize suvemcitug in the field of oncology therapeutics in China.

Simcere granted the Company a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide license (without the right to sublicense) to improvements derived from suvemcitug using the intellectual property the Company licensed to Simcere. Simcere is obligated to pay the Company milestone payments for achievement of certain clinical development milestones and low to high single-digit percentage royalties on net sales of suvemcitug in China until 15 years after the first commercial sale of suvemcitug. The Company assessed the milestone and royalty events involving Simcere as of December 31, 2023 and determined that no such amounts were receivable.

T-Mab/Mabwell Agreement

In May 2008, Epitomics (Apexigen's predecessor) and Jiangsu T-Mab Biotechnology Ltd., Co. (“T-Mab”) entered into a license, co-development and contract manufacture agreement (the “T-Mab Agreement”) for the development and commercialization of therapeutic candidates, each directed to a specified target for specified fields, including VEGF for the treatment of ocular diseases, in China. Mabwell (Shanghai) Bioscience Co., Ltd. (“Mabwell”) acquired T-Mab in 2015.

Under the agreement, Mabwell was granted an exclusive, royalty-bearing, perpetual license (without the right to sublicense) to rights in certain intellectual property to develop and commercialize such therapeutic candidates. Mabwell is obligated to pay the Company a mid-single-digit percentage royalty on net sales of such therapeutic candidates in China. The royalty term for 9MW0211, an anti-VEGF antibody licensed under the T-Mab Agreement, will begin on the first commercial sale in China. The Company assessed the milestone and royalty events involving Mabwell as of December 31, 2023 and determined that no such amounts were receivable.

Toray Sublicense Agreement

In May 2012, Epitomics (Apexigen's predecessor) and Toray Industries, Inc. (“Toray”), entered into a non-exclusive sublicense agreement (the “Toray Agreement”) under which Epitomics granted Toray a non-exclusive, worldwide sublicense, with the right to grant further sublicenses, to develop and commercialize drug product candidates that Toray developed using antibodies created using the APXiMAB platform that target certain molecules to use in the development of its drug product candidates. Under the Toray Agreement, Toray paid an upfront fee, and agreed to pay certain development- and regulatory-related milestone payments and a low single-digit percentage royalty on net sales of licensed products by Toray or its affiliates. Toray is also obligated to pay the Company a mid-teens percentage of certain payments Toray receives from sublicensees under the Toray Agreement, which payments may limit Toray’s obligations to pay the milestone payments described above. The Toray Agreement continues on a product-by-product and country-by-country basis until 10 years after the first commercial sale of such product in such country. The Company assessed the milestone and royalty events involving Toray as of December 31, 2023 and determined that no such amounts were receivable.