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Collaboration and License Agreements
 3 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2022
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]  
Collaboration and License Agreements COLLABORATION AND LICENSE AGREEMENTSGlaxosmithkline Intellectual Property (No. 3) Limited (“GSK”)
On November 22, 2021, GSK and the Company entered into an Exclusive License Agreement (the “GSK License Agreement”). Under the GSK License Agreement, GSK has received an exclusive license for ARO-HSD. The exclusive license is worldwide with the exception of greater China, for which the Company retained rights to develop and commercialize ARO-HSD. The Company has completed its Phase 1/2 study of ARO-HSD, and GSK is now wholly responsible for all clinical development and commercialization of ARO-HSD in its territory. Under the terms of the agreement, the Company has received an upfront payment of $120.0 million and is eligible for additional payments of $30.0 million at the start of a Phase 2 trial and $100.0 million upon achieving (i) a successful Phase 2 trial readout and (ii) the first patient dosed in a Phase 3 trial. Furthermore, should the Phase 3 trial read out positively, and the potential new medicine receives regulatory approval in major markets, the deal provides for commercial milestone payments to the Company of up to $190.0 million at first commercial sale, and up to $590.0 million in sales-related milestone payments. The Company is further eligible to receive tiered royalties on net product sales in a range of mid-teens to twenty percent.
At the inception of the GSK License Agreement, the Company identified one distinct performance obligation. The Company determined that the key deliverables included the license and certain R&D services, including the Company’s responsibility to complete the Phase 1/2 study (the “GSK R&D Services”). Due to the specialized and unique nature of the GSK R&D Services and their direct relationship with the license, the Company determined that these deliverables represented one distinct bundle and, thus, one performance obligation. Beyond the GSK R&D Services, which are the responsibility of the Company, GSK will be responsible for managing future clinical development and commercialization in its territory.
The Company determined the initial transaction price totaled $120.0 million, including the upfront payment, which was collected in January 2022. The Company has excluded any future estimated milestones or royalties from this transaction price to date. The Company has allocated the total $120.0 million initial transaction price to its one distinct performance obligation for the ARO-HSD license and the associated GSK R&D Services. As the Company has completed its performance obligation related to this agreement, the upfront payment of $120.0 million was fully recognized as of September 30, 2022. There were no revenue recorded associated with the GSK License Agreement for the three months ended December 31, 2022 and 2021. There were no contract assets and liabilities recorded as of December 31, 2022.
Horizon Therapeutics Ireland DAC (“Horizon”)
On June 18, 2021, Horizon and the Company entered into a collaboration and license agreement (the “Horizon License Agreement”). Under the terms of the Horizon License Agreement, Horizon received a worldwide exclusive license for HZN-457, a clinical-stage medicine being developed by Horizon as a potential treatment for people with uncontrolled gout. The Company conducted all activities through the preclinical stages of development of, and Horizon is now wholly responsible for clinical development and commercialization of HZN-457. In July 2021, the Company received $40.0 million as an upfront payment and is eligible to receive up to $660.0 million in potential development, regulatory and sales milestones. The Company is also eligible to receive royalties in the low- to mid-teens range on net product sales.
At the inception of the Horizon License Agreement, the Company identified one distinct performance obligation. The Company determined that the key deliverables included the license and certain R&D services, including the Company’s responsibilities to conduct all activities through the preclinical stages of development of HZN-457 (the “Horizon R&D Services”). Due to the specialized and unique nature of these Horizon R&D Services and their direct relationship with the license, the Company determined that these deliverables represented one distinct bundle and, thus, one performance obligation. Beyond the Horizon R&D Services, which are the responsibility of the Company, Horizon is responsible for managing future clinical development and commercialization of HZN-457.
The Company determined the initial transaction price totaled $40.0 million, including the upfront payment. The Company has excluded any future estimated milestones or royalties from this transaction price to date. The Company allocates the total $40.0 million initial transaction price to its one distinct performance obligation for the HZN-457 license and the associated Horizon R&D Services. Revenue is recognized on a straight-line basis over the estimated timeframe for completing the Horizon R&D Services. The Company determined that the straight-line basis was appropriate as its efforts will be expended evenly over the course of completing its performance obligation. Further, Horizon enrolled the first subject in December 2022 in a Phase 1 randomized, placebo-controlled trial to assess the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of HZN-457, triggering a $15.0 million milestone payment to the Company which was paid in the second quarter of fiscal 2023.
Revenue for the three months ended December 31, 2022 and 2021 were $21.7 million and $6.7 million, respectively. There were $15.0 million in contract assets recorded as accounts receivable and $0 in contract liabilities recorded as deferred revenue as of December 31, 2022.
Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (“Takeda”)
On October 7, 2020, Takeda and the Company entered into an Exclusive License and Co-Funding Agreement (the “Takeda License Agreement”). Under the Takeda License Agreement, Takeda and the Company will co-develop its Fazirsiran program, the Company’s second-generation subcutaneously administered RNAi therapeutic candidate being developed as a treatment for liver disease associated with alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency. Within the United States, Fazirsiran, if approved, will be co-commercialized under a 50/50 profit sharing structure. Outside the United States, Takeda will lead the global commercialization strategy and will receive an exclusive license to commercialize Fazirsiran, while the Company will be eligible to receive tiered royalties of 20% to 25% on net sales. In January 2021, the Company received $300.0 million as an upfront payment and is eligible to receive potential development, regulatory and commercial milestones of up to $595.0 million.
At the inception of the Takeda License Agreement, the Company identified one distinct performance obligation. The Company determined that the key deliverables included the license and certain R&D services including the Company’s responsibilities to complete the initial portion of the SEQUOIA study, to complete the ongoing Phase 2 AROAAT2002 study and to ensure certain manufacturing of Fazirsiran drug product is completed and delivered to Takeda (the “Takeda R&D Services”). Due to the specialized and unique nature of these Takeda R&D Services and their direct relationship with the license, the Company determined that these deliverables represent one distinct bundle and, thus, one performance obligation. Beyond the Takeda R&D Services, which are the responsibility of the Company, Takeda will be responsible for managing future clinical development and commercialization outside the United States. Within the United States, the Company will also participate in co-development and co-commercialization efforts and will co-fund these efforts with Takeda as part of the 50/50 profit sharing structure within the United States. The Company considers the collaborative activities, including the co-development and co-commercialization, to be a separate unit of account within Topic 808, and as such, these co-funding amounts are recorded as research and development expenses or general and administrative expenses, as appropriate.
The Company determined the initial transaction price totaled $300.0 million, which includes the upfront payment. The Company has excluded any future milestones or royalties from this transaction price to date. The Company has allocated the total $300.0 million initial transaction price to its one distinct performance obligation for the Fazirsiran license and the associated Takeda R&D Services. Revenue is recognized using a proportional performance method (based on actual patient visits completed versus total estimated visits completed for the ongoing SEQUOIA and AROAAT2002 clinical studies). The Company recognized $16.3 million and $20.8 million in connection with these efforts for the three months ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively. There were $0 of contract assets recorded as accounts receivable and $107.1 million of contract liabilities recorded as deferred revenue, of which $66.3 million was classified as current deferred revenue, as of December 31, 2022. The Company also recorded $9.8 million as accrued expenses as of December 31, 2022 that was primarily driven by co-development and co-commercialization activities.
Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (“Janssen”)
On October 3, 2018, Janssen, part of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson, and the Company entered into a License Agreement (the “Janssen License Agreement”) and a Research Collaboration and Option Agreement (the “Janssen Collaboration Agreement”). The Company also entered into a stock purchase agreement with JJDC, Inc. (“JJDC”), Johnson & Johnson's venture capital arm (the “JJDC Stock Purchase Agreement”). Under the Janssen License Agreement, Janssen has received a worldwide, exclusive license to the Company’s JNJ-3989 (ARO-HBV) program, the Company’s third-generation subcutaneously administered RNAi therapeutic candidate being developed as a potential therapy for patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection. Beyond the Company’s Phase 1/2 study of JNJ-3989 (ARO-HBV), which the Company was responsible for completing, Janssen is wholly responsible for clinical development and commercialization of JNJ-3989 (ARO-HBV). Under the Janssen Collaboration Agreement, Janssen was able to select three new targets against which the Company would develop clinical candidates. These candidates were subject to certain restrictions and did not include candidates that already were in the Company’s pipeline. The Company was obligated to perform discovery, optimization and preclinical research and development, entirely funded by Janssen, which on its own or in combination with Janssen development work, would have been sufficient to allow the filing of a U.S. Investigational New Drug Application or equivalent, at which time Janssen would have the option to take an exclusive license. If the option was exercised, Janssen would have been wholly responsible for clinical development and commercialization of each optioned candidate. Under the terms of the agreements taken together, the Company has received $175.0 million as an upfront payment, $75.0 million in the form of an equity investment by JJDC in the Company’s common stock under the JJDC Stock Purchase Agreement, and milestone and option payments totaling $73.0 million, and the Company may receive up to $0.8 billion in development and sales milestone payments for the Janssen License Agreement, and up to $0.6 billion in development and sales milestone payments for the remaining target covered under the Janssen Collaboration Agreement. The Company is further eligible to receive tiered royalties on product sales up to mid-teens under the Janssen License
Agreement and up to low teens under the Janssen Collaboration Agreement. During 2022, Janssen’s option period expired unexercised for two of the three candidates (ARO-JNJ2 and ARO-JNJ3) under the Janssen Collaboration Agreement.
At the inception of the Janssen License Agreement and Janssen Collaboration Agreement, the Company identified one distinct performance obligation. Regarding the Janssen License Agreement, the Company determined that the key deliverables included the license and certain R&D services including the Company’s responsibility to complete the Phase 1/2 study of JNJ-3989 (ARO-HBV) and the Company’s responsibility to ensure certain manufacturing of JNJ-3989 (ARO-HBV) drug product is completed and delivered to Janssen (the “Janssen R&D Services”). Due to the specialized and unique nature of these Janssen R&D Services and their direct relationship with the license, the Company determined that these deliverables represent one distinct bundle and, thus, one performance obligation. The Company also determined that Janssen’s option to require the Company to develop up to three new targets is not a material right and, thus, not a performance obligation at the onset of the agreement. The consideration for this option is accounted for separately.
The Company determined the transaction price totaled approximately $252.7 million, which includes the upfront payment, the premium paid by JJDC for its equity investment in the Company, two $25.0 million milestone payments related to JNJ-3989 (ARO-HBV), and estimated payments for reimbursable Janssen R&D Services to be performed. The Company has allocated the total $252.7 million initial transaction price to its one distinct performance obligation for the JNJ-3989 (ARO-HBV) license and the associated Janssen R&D Services. The Company recognized this transaction price in its entirety as of September 30, 2021, as its performance obligations were substantially completed. Future milestones and royalties achieved will be recognized in their entirety when earned. There were no contract assets and liabilities recorded as of December 31, 2022.
The Company has conducted its discovery, optimization and preclinical research and development of JNJ-75220795 (ARO-JNJ1), ARO-JNJ2, and ARO-JNJ3 under the Janssen Collaboration Agreement. All costs and labor hours spent by the Company have been entirely funded by Janssen. Janssen’s option period expired unexercised for two of the three candidates (ARO-JNJ2 and ARO-JNJ3) under the Janssen Collaboration Agreement during 2022. In May 2021, Janssen exercised its option right for JNJ-75220795 (ARO-JNJ1), which resulted in a $10.0 million milestone payment to the Company. This $10.0 million milestone payment was recognized entirely as of September 30, 2021. There were no revenue recorded associated with the Company’s agreement with Janssen for the three months ended December 31, 2022 and 2021. There were no contract assets and liabilities recorded as of December 31, 2022.
Amgen Inc. (“Amgen”)
On September 28, 2016, Amgen and the Company entered into two collaboration and license agreements and a common stock purchase agreement. Under the Second Collaboration and License Agreement (the “Olpasiran Agreement”), Amgen received a worldwide, exclusive license to the Company’s novel RNAi Olpasiran program. These RNAi molecules are designed to reduce elevated lipoprotein(a), which is a genetically validated, independent risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Under the first collaboration and license agreement (the “First Collaboration and License Agreement” or the “ARO-AMG1 Agreement”), Amgen received an option to a worldwide, exclusive license to ARO-AMG1, an RNAi therapy for an undisclosed genetically validated cardiovascular target. Under both agreements, Amgen is wholly responsible for clinical development and commercialization.
Under the Olpasiran Agreement and the ARO-AMG1 Agreement, the Company has received $35.0 million in upfront payments, $21.5 million in the form of an equity investment by Amgen in the Company’s common stock, and $30.0 million in milestone payments. The Company has substantially completed its performance obligations under the Olpasiran Agreement and the ARO-AMG1 Agreement. In July 2019, Amgen informed the Company that it would not be exercising its option for an exclusive license for ARO-AMG1, and as such, there will be no further milestone or royalty payments under the ARO-AMG1 Agreement. In July 2020, Amgen initiated a Phase 2 clinical study of Olpasiran, which resulted in a $20.0 million milestone payment to the Company. In December 2022, Amgen enrolled the first subject in its Phase 3 trial of Olpasiran, which triggered a $25.0 million milestone payment to the Company which was paid in the second quarter of fiscal 2023. Revenue for the three months ended December 31, 2022 and 2021 were $25.0 million and $0, respectively. There were $25.0 million in contract assets recorded as accounts receivable and $0 in contract liabilities recorded as deferred revenue as of December 31, 2022.
Further, in November 2022, Royalty Pharma and the Company entered into the Royalty Pharma Agreement. In consideration for the payments under the Royalty Pharma Agreement, Royalty Pharma is entitled to receive all royalties otherwise payable by Amgen to the Company under the Olpasiran Agreement. The Company remains eligible to receive up to an additional $375.0 million in remaining development, regulatory and sales milestone payments payable by Amgen under the Olpasiran Agreement. See Note 11.
Joint Venture and License Agreement with Visirna Therapeutics, Inc. (“Visirna”)
On April 25, 2022, Visirna and the Company entered into a License Agreement (the “Visirna License Agreement”), pursuant to which Visirna received an exclusive license to develop, manufacture and commercialize four of the Company’s RNAi-based investigational cardiometabolic medicines in Greater China (including the People’s Republic of China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan). Pursuant to a Share Purchase Agreement entered into simultaneously with the Visirna License Agreement (the “Visirna SPA”), the Company acquired a majority stake in Visirna (after accounting for shares reserved for Visirna’s employee stock ownership plan) as partial consideration for the Visirna License Agreement. Under the Visirna SPA, entities affiliated with Vivo Capital also acquired a minority stake in Visirna in exchange for $60.0 million in upfront capital to support the operations of Visirna. As further consideration under the Visirna License Agreement, the Company is also eligible to receive potential royalties on commercial sales.
During the three months ended December 31, 2022, the Company performed manufacturing and development work pursuant to a Clinical Supply Agreement between the parties contemplated by the Visirna License Agreement. The Company received $0.7 million as consideration for this manufacturing and development work, and there were no contract assets and liabilities recorded as of December 31, 2022.