Bolt Biotherapeutics, Inc.: Form 10-Q for the period ended Mar 31, 2024

The following discussion and analysis of our financial condition as of March 31, 2024 and results of operations for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023 should be read in conjunction with our condensed financial statements and related notes thereto included elsewhere in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and in our other SEC filings, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, filed with the SEC on March 21, 2024. Except as otherwise indicated herein or as the context otherwise requires, references in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q to “Bolt Bio,” “the Company,” “we,” “us” and “our” refer to Bolt Biotherapeutics, Inc.

Overview

We are a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing novel immunotherapies for the treatment of cancer. Our pipeline candidates are built on our deep expertise in myeloid biology and cancer drug development. Our various approaches use pattern recognition receptors expressed by the innate immune system to help the body eliminate tumor cells as part of a productive anti-cancer response. Our proprietary Boltbody™ ISAC platform technology combines tumor-targeting antibodies with immune-stimulating linker-payloads. We believe this approach has the potential to create products that work with a patient’s own immune system, resulting in anti-cancer efficacy good tolerability. Having explored more than one hundred distinct linker-payloads and multiple tumor targets, we know the importance of both the linker-payload and the antibody and have developed a library of linker-payloads for use in our own development programs and in our collaborations.

Our first Boltbody ISAC program was trastuzumab imbotolimod, formerly known as BDC-1001, targeting a tumor antigen known as human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) that is often found in cancers such as breast and gastroesophageal cancer. In 2023, trastuzumab imbotolimod completed the Phase 1 stage of clinical development and advanced into a Phase 2 program that includes four different HER2-positive solid tumor types: breast cancer, gastroesophageal cancer, colorectal cancer, and endometrial cancer. In September 2023, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, granted trastuzumab imbotolimod Orphan Drug Designation for the treatment of gastric cancer, including gastroesophageal junction cancer. In the Phase 2 program we evaluated trastuzumab imbotolimod as a single agent and in combination with the HER2-targeting antibody pertuzumab, and we have determined that the program will not meet its success criteria. We will therefore cease further development of trastuzumab imbotolimod and be focusing resources on our next-generation ISAC platform including new clinical candidate, BDC-4182, targeting Claudin 18.2, and Phase 1 asset, BDC-3042, a dectin-2 agonist antibody and reduce overall operating expenses to preserve cash.

Our expertise in myeloid cell biology also forms the foundation for additional, innovative immuno-oncology approaches that complement our Boltbody ISAC platform. For example, BDC-3042, our Dectin-2 agonist antibody program. BDC-3042 is being developed to repolarize critical cells in the tumor microenvironment known as tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs). Dectin-2 agonism results in these TAMs changing from tumor-supportive macrophages into tumor-destructive macrophages that elicit durable anti-tumor immune responses in preclinical models. We received the Investigational New Drug Application, or IND, clearance from the FDA in July 2023. In October 2023, we dosed the first patient with BDC-3042 in the Phase 1 dose-escalation study in patients with a broad range of solid tumors. BDC-3042 has now completed the first three dose escalation cohorts without experiencing a dose-limiting toxicity.

Since our inception in January 2015, we have focused primarily on organizing and staffing our company, business planning, licensing, developing intellectual property, raising capital, developing our product candidates, and conducting preclinical studies and clinical trials. Prior to the completion of our initial public offering in February 2021, we funded our operations primarily through private placements of our convertible preferred stock for gross proceeds of $173.7 million. In February 2021, we completed our initial public offering of 13,225,000 shares of our common stock at a price to the public of $20.00 per share, including the exercise in full by the underwriters of their option to purchase 1,725,000 additional shares of our common stock. Including the option exercise, the aggregate net proceeds to us from the offering was approximately $242.0 million, net of underwriting discounts, commissions, and other offering expenses. In May 2021, we issued 821,045 shares of our common stock to Genmab for gross proceeds of approximately $15.0 million.

We have not recorded any revenue from product sales. To date, our only revenue has been derived from our collaborations with Toray, Genmab, and Innovent. In March 2019, we entered into the Toray Agreement to jointly develop and commercialize a Boltbody ISAC utilizing a Toray proprietary antibody. In May 2021, we entered into an oncology research and development collaboration with Genmab to evaluate Genmab antibodies and bispecific antibody engineering technologies in combination with our proprietary Boltbody ISAC technology platform, with the goal of discovering and developing next-generation bispecific ISACs for the treatment of cancer. The research collaboration will evaluate multiple bispecific ISAC product candidate concepts with the potential to identify up to three clinical candidates for development. In August 2021, we entered into an oncology research and development collaboration with Innovent to leverage Innovent’s proprietary therapeutic antibody portfolio and antibody discovery capability against undisclosed oncology targets in combination with our Boltbody ISAC technology and myeloid biology expertise to create new candidates for cancer treatments. The Innovent collaboration was amended in March 2024, when we secured exclusive worldwide rights to ISAC programs utilizing specified antibodies against two tumor antigen targets. We expect our collaborations with Toray and Genmab to add additional novel ISACs to our pipeline.

In September 2021, we entered into a clinical collaboration and supply agreement with BMS to study trastuzumab imbotolimod in combination with BMS’s nivolumab, a leading PD-1 checkpoint inhibitor, for the treatment of patients with HER2-expressing solid tumors. Under the BMS Agreement, BMS will be providing nivolumab at no cost to us and we will sponsor, fund, and conduct the initial Phase 1/2 clinical trial in accordance with an agreed-upon protocol. We initiated the clinical trial evaluating the combination of nivolumab and trastuzumab imbotolimod in the fourth quarter of 2021. In September 2022, we entered into a clinical supply agreement, or the Roche Agreement, with Roche to study trastuzumab imbotolimod in combination with Roche’s pertuzumab (Perjeta®), a compound approved for the treatment of HER2-positive breast cancer. Under the Roche Agreement, Roche will be providing pertuzumab at no cost to us and we will sponsor, fund, and conduct an initial Phase 2 clinical trial in accordance with an agreed-upon protocol. The original Phase 1/2 clinical trial moved into Phase 2 dose expansions and we have determined that the program will not meet its success criteria, and we will therefore cease further development.

We have incurred operating losses since our inception. Our net losses were $10.8 million and $17.0 million for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively. As of March 31, 2024, we had an accumulated deficit of $375.1 million. Substantially all of our net losses have resulted from costs incurred in connection with our research and development programs and from general and administrative costs associated with our operations. We expect to continue to incur significant expenses and operating losses for the foreseeable future as we:

• conduct our ongoing and planned clinical trials;
• continue our research and development programs;
• continue our clinical, regulatory, quality and manufacturing capabilities;
• seek regulatory approvals for our product candidates; and
• operate as a public company.

Our net losses may fluctuate significantly from quarter-to-quarter and year-to-year, depending on the timing of our planned clinical trials and preclinical studies, and our expenditures on other research and development activities.

Restructuring

On May 14, 2024, we announced a strategic pipeline prioritization and restructuring plan pursuant to which we will discontinue developing trastuzumab imbotolimod, formerly known as BDC-1001, in order to focus on our next generation ISAC platform including new clinical candidate, BDC-4182, targeting Claudin 18.2, and our Phase 1 asset, BDC-3042, a Dectin-2 agonist antibody and reduce overall operating expenses to preserve cash. The restructuring plan includes a reduction of our current workforce by approximately 50 employees, or approximately 50% of our workforce. We estimate that we will incur aggregate pre-tax charges between approximately $3.0 million to $4.0 million in connection with the reduction-in-force, primarily consisting of severance payments, employee benefits, and related costs. We expect that the reduction-in-force will be complete by the end of 2024 and that the associated charges will be substantially incurred in the second quarter of 2024. The estimated charges that we expect to incur are subject to a number of assumptions, and actual results may differ materially from these estimates. We may also incur additional costs not currently contemplated due to events that may occur as a result of, or that are associated with the restructuring plan.

Business Conditions and Macroeconomic Factors

Macroeconomic factors, such as increased inflation and interest rates, financial and credit market fluctuations, changes in economic policy, global supply chain constraints, and recent and potential disruptions in access to bank deposits due to bank failures, have had, and we believe will continue to have, an impact on our business and results of operations. Similar, and perhaps more severe, disruptions in our operations could negatively impact our business, operating results and financial condition.

The effects of a pandemic or major geopolitical developments, and associated economic conditions, remain difficult to predict due to numerous uncertainties. We believe that the direct and indirect impacts of these business conditions and macroeconomic factors are difficult to isolate or quantify. See Part I, Item 1A, Risk Factors in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, filed with the SEC on March 21, 2024, and the Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements elsewhere in this Quarterly Report for additional details. We will continue to closely monitor and evaluate the nature and extent of these macroeconomic factors on our business, consolidated results of operations, and financial condition.

Components of Results of Operations

Revenue

To date our only revenue has been collaboration revenue derived from our collaborations with Toray, Genmab, and Innovent. We are collaborating with Toray to develop a Boltbody ISAC that incorporates a proprietary Toray antibody against a novel tumor antigen target. We are jointly responsible for early-stage development and for providing technical and regulatory support, and Toray will pay for the program expenses through the end of Phase 1 development. In conjunction with the collaboration, Toray purchased 717,514 shares of our Series T convertible preferred stock for $10.0 million, which were converted into shares of our common stock upon the completion of our IPO in February 2021. We evaluated the collaboration together with Toray’s purchase of Series T convertible preferred stock and allocated $1.5 million from the stock purchase proceeds to deferred revenue, which we recognize, together with payments received from Toray as compensation based on agreed-upon full-time equivalent rates and out-of-pocket costs, as collaboration revenue over time as we fulfill our performance obligation to Toray.

In May 2021, we entered into an oncology research and development collaboration with Genmab to evaluate Genmab antibodies and bispecific antibody engineering technologies in combination with our proprietary Boltbody ISAC technology platform, with the goal of discovering and developing next-generation bispecific ISACs for the treatment of cancer. The research collaboration will evaluate multiple bispecific ISAC concepts to identify up to three clinical candidates for development. Genmab will fund the research, along with the preclinical and clinical development of these candidates through initial clinical proof of concept. Under the Genmab Agreement, we received an upfront payment of $10.0 million and in conjunction with the collaboration, Genmab purchased 821,045 shares of our common stock for $15.0 million. We evaluated the collaboration together with Genmab’s purchase of our common stock and allocated $1.4 million from the stock purchase proceeds, together with the $10.0 million upfront payment, to deferred revenue. We recognize this deferred revenue, together with payments received from Genmab for compensation based on agreed-upon full-time equivalent rates and out-of-pocket costs, as collaboration revenue over time as we fulfill our performance obligation to Genmab.

In August 2021, we entered into an oncology research and development collaboration with Innovent, or the Original Innovent Agreement, to leverage Innovent’s proprietary therapeutic antibody portfolio and antibody discovery capability against undisclosed oncology targets in combination with our Boltbody ISAC technology and myeloid biology expertise to create new candidates for cancer treatments. Under the Original Innovent Agreement, the Company received an upfront payment of $5.0 million. We allocated the entire $5.0 million upfront payment to deferred revenue, which we recognized together with other payments received from Innovent as collaboration revenue over time as we fulfilled our performance obligation to Innovent. The Innovent agreement, as amended in March 2024, or the Amended Innovent Agreement, no longer meets the criteria under ASC 606. $2.5 million of deferred revenue allocated to the unsatisfied performance obligation as of the contract modification date was recognized as revenue in the three months ended March 31, 2024.

We expect that any collaboration revenue we generate from our current collaborations, and from any future collaboration partners, will fluctuate in the future as a result of the timing and outcome of development activities and the timing and amount paid, including upfront and milestone payments, and other factors.

We have not generated any revenue from product sales, and we do not expect to generate any revenue from product sales unless and until we obtain regulatory approval of and commercialize one of our product candidates.

Operating Expenses

Research and Development

Research and development expenses have related primarily to early research and discovery activities and to preclinical and clinical development of our product candidates. Research and development expenses are recognized as incurred and payments made prior to the receipt of goods or services to be used in research and development are capitalized until the goods or services are received.

Research and development expenses include:

• costs related to manufacturing our product candidates for clinical trials and preclinical studies, including fees paid to third-party CDMOs;
• salaries, payroll taxes, employee benefits and stock-based compensation charges for those individuals involved in research and development efforts;
• external research and development expenses, including lab materials and supplies and payments to CROs, investigative sites, and consultants to conduct our clinical trials and preclinical and non-clinical studies; and
• facilities and other allocated expenses which include direct and allocated expenses for rent, insurance, and other supplies.

Our direct research and development expenses consist principally of external costs, such as fees paid to CROs and consultants in connection with our clinical and preclinical studies and costs related to manufacturing materials for our studies. Since our inception and through March 31, 2024, the majority of our third-party expenses were related to the research and development of trastuzumab imbotolimod, BDC-3042, and other product candidates. With the exception of costs incurred to satisfy our performance obligations under our collaboration agreements, we do not allocate employee costs and costs associated with our discovery efforts, laboratory supplies, and facilities, including other indirect costs, to specific product candidates as these costs are associated with multiple programs and, as such, are not separately classified. We use internal resources primarily to conduct our research as well as for managing our preclinical development, process development, manufacturing, and clinical development activities. We deploy our personnel across all of our research and development activities and, as our employees work across multiple programs, we do not currently track our costs by product candidate.

We expect to continue to incur research and development expenses for the foreseeable future as we continue the development of our product candidates, particularly as product candidates in later stages of development generally have higher development costs. We cannot determine with certainty the timing of initiation, the duration or the completion costs of future clinical trials and preclinical studies of our product candidates due to the inherently unpredictable nature of clinical and preclinical development. Clinical and preclinical development timelines, and the probability of success and development costs can differ materially from expectations.

We anticipate that we will make determinations as to which product candidates and development programs to pursue and how much funding to direct to each product candidate or program on an ongoing basis in response to the results of ongoing and future preclinical studies and clinical trials, regulatory developments, and our ongoing assessments of each product candidate’s commercial potential. We will need to raise substantial additional capital in the future. In addition, we cannot forecast which product candidates may be subject to future collaborations, when such arrangements will be secured, if at all, and to what degree such arrangements would affect our development plans and capital requirements.

Our future clinical development costs may vary significantly based on factors such as:

• the number and scope of preclinical and IND-enabling studies;
• per-patient trial costs;
• the number of trials required for approval;
• the number of sites included in the trials;
• the countries in which the trials are conducted;
• the length of time required to enroll eligible patients;
• the number of patients who participate in the trials;
• the number of doses that patients receive;
• the drop-out or discontinuation rates of patients;
• potential additional safety monitoring requested by regulatory agencies;
• the duration of patient participation in the trials and through all follow-up;
• the cost and timing of manufacturing our product candidates;
• the phase of development of our product candidates; and
• the safety and efficacy profile of our product candidates.

General and Administrative

General and administrative expenses consist primarily of salaries and employee-related costs, including stock-based compensation, for personnel in executive, finance, and other administrative functions. Other significant costs include legal fees relating to intellectual property and corporate matters, professional fees for accounting and consulting services, and facility-related costs. We expect to continue to incur general and administrative expenses for the foreseeable future to support our ongoing research and development activities and the costs of operating as a public company. These costs will likely include expenses related to audit, legal, regulatory, and tax-related services associated with maintaining compliance with Nasdaq and SEC requirements, director and officer insurance premiums and investor relations costs associated with operating as a public company.

Results of Operations

Comparison of the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023

(Unaudited, in thousands)

Collaboration Revenue

Revenue was $5.3 million and $1.8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively. The increase in revenue in the comparative periods was mainly due to revenue recognized under the Amended Innovent Agreement, as we satisfied our performance obligation to Innovent. The increase was also due to continued progress in our other collaborations as we fulfill our performance obligations to our collaboration partners.

Research and Development Expenses

Research and development expenses were $16.5 million and $14.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively. The increase of $1.9 million between the comparable three month periods was due to a $1.4 million increase in clinical trial expenses due to continued progress in our clinical trials for trastuzumab imbotolimod and BDC-3042, a $0.7 million increase in research and development contract service expenses and a $0.4 million increase in salary and related expenses primarily due to an increase in headcount, partially offset by a $0.6 million decrease in manufacturing expenses related to timing of batch production of our product candidates.

General and Administrative Expenses

General and administrative expenses were $5.8 million and $5.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively. The increase of $0.2 million between the comparable three month periods was due to increases in salary and related expenses and increases in consulting and professional services expenses.

Other Income, Net

Interest Income, Net

Interest income was $1.6 million and $1.4 million for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively. The interest income, net was primarily comprised of interest income from marketable securities.

Other Income

Other income was $4.7 million and zero for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively. The other income in 2024 was due to the one-time payment received from Innovent under the Amended Innovent Agreement.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

Sources of Liquidity

We have incurred net losses and negative cash flows from operations since our inception and anticipate we will continue to incur net losses for the foreseeable future. As of March 31, 2024, we had cash and cash equivalents and marketable securities of $112.8 million and an accumulated deficit of $375.1 million. Our net losses were $10.8 million and $17.0 million for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively, and we expect to incur additional losses in the future. We evaluated our current cash position, historical results, forecasted cash flows and plans with regard to liquidity.

We believe that our current cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities balances as of March 31, 2024 will be sufficient to meet our cash needs for at least 12 months following the issuance date of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. Our investment policy prioritizes preservation of principal and availability of cash to meet cash flow requirements then maximization of total net returns after satisfying the first two conditions. Our policy only allows for investments in fixed-income instruments such as corporate bonds and government securities. We believe we will meet longer term expected future cash requirements and obligations through a combination of cash flows from operating activities, available cash balances, and equity or debt financings or other capital sources, including potential collaborations, licenses, and other similar arrangements.

Shelf Registration and At-The-Market Equity Offering

On March 30, 2022, we filed a shelf registration statement on Form S-3, or the Registration Statement. Pursuant to the Registration Statement, we may offer and sell securities having an aggregate public offering price of up to $250.0 million. In connection with the filing of the Registration Statement, we also entered into a sales agreement with TD Cowen, or Cowen, as sales agent or principal, pursuant to which we may issue and sell shares of our common stock for an aggregate offering price of up to $75.0 million under an at-the-market offering program, or the ATM. Pursuant to the ATM, we will pay Cowen a commission rate equal to 3.0% of the gross proceeds from the sale of any shares of common stock. We are not obligated to make any sales of shares of our common stock under the ATM. As of March 31, 2024, no shares of our common stock have been sold under the ATM.

Summary Cash Flows

The following table sets forth a summary of our cash flows for each of the periods indicated:

(Unaudited, in thousands)

Operating Activities

Net cash used in operating activities was $16.8 million and $23.4 million for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively. Net cash used in operating activities for the three months ended March 31, 2024 was due to our net loss of $10.8 million, adjusted down for $2.5 million of non-cash charges and up for a $8.4 million change in operating assets and liabilities. The non-cash charges were comprised of $2.3 million for stock-based compensation, $0.8 million of non-cash lease-related expense, and $0.5 million for depreciation and amortization expense, partially offset by $1.0 million for accretion of discount on marketable securities. The change in net operating assets was primarily due to a $4.1 million decrease in our deferred revenue, a $3.5 million decrease in our accounts payable and accrued expenses, a $0.7 million decrease in operating lease liabilities, and a $0.1 million increase in our prepaid expenses and other current assets. Net cash used in operating activities for the three months ended March 31, 2023 was due to our net loss of $17.0 million, adjusted down for $2.8 million of non-cash charges and up for a $9.2 million change in operating assets and liabilities. The non-cash charges were comprised of $2.5 million for stock-based compensation, $0.9 million for accretion of discount on marketable securities, $0.7 million of non-cash lease-related expense, and $0.5 million for depreciation and amortization expense. The change in net operating assets was due to a $6.6 million decrease in our accounts payable and accrued expenses, decreases in our deferred revenue and operating lease liabilities, and increases in our prepaid expenses and other current assets.

Investing Activities

Net cash provided by investing activities was $10.2 million and $29.0 million for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively. The net cash provided by investing activities for the three months ended March 31, 2024 was due to $33.3 million in maturities of marketable securities, offset by $23.1 million in purchases of marketable securities. The net cash provided by investing activities for the three months ended March 31, 2023 was due to $71.9 million in maturities of marketable securities, offset by $42.9 million in purchases of marketable securities.

Funding Requirements

Based upon our current operating plans, we believe that our existing cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities will be sufficient to fund our operations for at least the next 12 months following the issuance date of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. We will need to raise additional capital to continue the advancement of our programs. In the near term, our primary uses of cash will be to fund the completion of key milestones for clinical programs and to fund our operations, including research and development activities and employee salaries. This includes significant costs relating to clinical trials and manufacturing our product candidates. Our uses of cash in the long term will be similar as we advance our research and development activities and pay employee salaries. Most pharmaceutical products require larger clinical trials as development progresses, and we expect our funding requirements to grow with the advancement of our programs. Our long-term funding requirements will depend on many factors, which are uncertain but include our portfolio prioritization decisions and the success of our collaborations. In turn, our ability to raise additional capital through equity or partnering will depend on the general economic environment in which we operate and our ability to achieve key milestones. Our forecast of the period of time through which our financial resources will be adequate to support our operations is a forward-looking statement that involves risks and uncertainties, and actual results could vary materially. We have based this estimate on assumptions that may prove to be wrong, and we could deplete our capital resources sooner than we expect. Additionally, the process of testing product candidates in clinical trials is costly, and the timing of progress and expenses in these trials is uncertain.

Our future capital requirements will depend on many factors, including:

• the type, number, scope, progress, expansions, results, costs, and timing of our clinical trials;
• the type, number, scope, results, costs, and timing of preclinical studies for our product candidates or other potential product candidates or indications we are pursuing or may choose to pursue in the future;
• the outcome, timing, and costs of regulatory review of our product candidates;
• the costs and timing of manufacturing for our product candidates, including commercial manufacturing;
• our efforts to enhance operational systems and hire additional personnel to satisfy our obligations as a public company, including enhanced internal controls over financial reporting;
• the costs associated with hiring additional personnel and consultants as our preclinical and clinical activities increase;
• the costs and timing of establishing or securing sales and marketing capabilities if any product candidate is approved;
• our ability to achieve sufficient market acceptance, coverage and adequate reimbursement from third-party payors and adequate market share and revenue for any approved products;
• patients’ willingness to pay out-of-pocket for any approved products in the absence of coverage and/or adequate reimbursement from third-party payors;
• the terms and timing of establishing and maintaining collaborations, licenses and other similar arrangements;
• the costs of obtaining, maintaining, defending, and enforcing our patent and other intellectual property rights; and
• costs associated with any product candidates, products, or technologies that we may in-license or acquire.

Until such time as we can generate significant revenue from sales of our product candidates, if ever, we expect to finance our cash needs through equity or debt financings or other capital sources, including potential collaborations, licenses, the sale of future royalties, and other similar arrangements. However, we may be unable to raise additional funds or enter into such other arrangements on favorable terms or at all. To the extent that we raise additional capital through the sale of equity or convertible debt securities, the ownership interest of our stockholders will be or could be diluted, and the terms of these securities may include liquidation or other preferences that adversely affect the rights of our common stockholders. Debt financing and equity financing, if available, may involve agreements that include covenants limiting or restricting our ability to take specific actions, such as incurring additional debt, making capital expenditures, or declaring dividends. If we raise funds through collaborations, or other similar arrangements with third parties, we may have to relinquish valuable rights to our product candidates, future revenue streams or research programs or may have to grant licenses on terms that may not be favorable to us and/or may reduce the value of our common stock. If we are unable to raise additional funds through equity or debt financings when needed, we may be required to delay, limit, reduce or terminate our product development or future commercialization efforts or grant rights to develop and market our product candidates even if we would otherwise prefer to develop and market such product candidates ourselves.

Contractual Obligations and Commitments

Refer to Note 5 Collaborations and Note 6 Commitments and Contingencies, to our unaudited condensed financial statements contained in Item 1 of Part I of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for information regarding our contractual obligations and commitments.

Critical Accounting Estimates

Our management’s discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations are based on our financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles, or GAAP. The preparation of these financial statements requires us to make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities and expenses and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities in our financial statements and accompanying notes. We base our estimates on historical experience, known trends and events and various other factors that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. Actual results may differ from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions.

There have been no material changes to our critical accounting policies and estimates as previously disclosed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023.

We are a smaller reporting company as defined by Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act and are not required to provide the information under this item.

Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures

Based on their evaluation, our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, has concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Exchange Act) were effective at a reasonable assurance level as of March 31, 2024.

Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting

There was no change in our internal control over financial reporting during the three months ended March 31, 2024 that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

There are no material changes from the risk factors previously disclosed in Item 1A of our Annual Report on Form 10-K, other than as set forth below.

Our recent restructuring designed to reduce our operating expenses may not result in our intended outcomes and may yield unintended consequences and additional costs.

In May 2024, we implemented a restructuring plan, including a reduction in force affecting 50 employees, or 50% of our workforce. The decision was based on cost reduction initiatives intended to reduce operating expenses. In connection with the restructuring, we will discontinue developing trastuzumab imbotolimod, formerly known as BDC-1001.

The restructuring may result in unintended consequences and costs, such as the loss of institutional knowledge and expertise, attrition beyond the intended number of employees, decreased morale among our remaining employees, and the risk that we may not achieve the anticipated benefits of the restructuring. In addition, while positions have been eliminated certain functions necessary to our operations remain, and we may be unsuccessful in distributing the duties and obligations of departed employees among our remaining employees. The restructuring could also make it difficult for us to pursue, or prevent us from pursuing, new opportunities and initiatives due to insufficient personnel, or require us to incur additional and unanticipated costs to hire new personnel to pursue such opportunities or initiatives. If we are unable to realize the anticipated benefits from the restructuring, if we experience significant adverse consequences from the restructuring, or if we are otherwise unable to retain our employees, our ability to compete and continue the clinical development of our product candidates may be harmed.