Company: VERA
Filing Date: 2025-02-28
Form Type: 10-K
Source: 0000950170-25-029969
Chunk: 159

Company: Vera Therapeutics, Inc.
Filing Date: 2025-02-28
Form: 10-K
Item: Item 8
Chunk 159
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0, the Company entered into a license agreement with Ares (the Ares Agreement), pursuant to which the Company obtained an exclusive worldwide license to certain patents and related know-how to research, develop, manufacture, use and 

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commercialize therapeutic products containing atacicept, a recombinant fusion protein used to inhibit B cell growth and differentiation, which could potentially treat some autoimmune diseases. As consideration for the Ares Agreement, the Company paid a non-refundable license issue fee to Ares in the form of shares of redeemable convertible preferred stock valued at $13.1 million, resulting in Ares becoming a related party to the Company. The redeemable convertible preferred stock subsequently converted into 1,913,501 shares of common stock in May 2021.In December 2020, the Company paid Ares a milestone payment of $25.0 million upon delivery and initiation of the transfer of specified information and materials. The non-refundable license issue fee and milestone payment were recorded to research and development expense in the period incurred. The Company is obligated to pay Ares aggregate milestone payments of up to $176.5 million upon the achievement of specified BLA filing or regulatory approval milestones, beginning with $15.0 million upon the first filing of an approval application and $20.0 million upon regulatory approval in the U.S., and up to $515.0 million upon the achievement of specified commercial milestones, beginning with $15.0 million if worldwide aggregate annual net sales reach $250.0 million and $50.0 million if worldwide aggregate annual net sales reach $500.0 million. Subsequent to the effective date of the Ares Agreement, Ares has performed transfer of manufacturing technology and know-how to the Company. The Company recorded related party expense of $0.3 million and $2.8 million to Ares for these services during the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively. These amounts are included in research and development expenses on the statements of operations and comprehensive loss.Commencing on the first commercial sale of licensed products, the Company is obligated to pay Ares tiered royalties of low double-digit to mid-teen percentages on annual net sales of the licensed products covered by the license. The Company is obligated to pay royalties on a licensed product-by-licensed product and country-by-country basis from the first commercial sale of a product in a country until the latest of (i) 15 years after the first commercial sale of such licensed product in such country;