Gritstone bio, Inc. - Quarter Report: 2021 June (Form 10-Q)

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

Form 10-Q

(Mark One)

For the quarterly period ended June 30, 2021 

OR

For the transition period from                      to                     

Commission file number: 001-38663

Gritstone bio, Inc.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

(510) 871-6100

(Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code)

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant: (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.  Yes  ☒    No  ☐ 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files).    Yes  ☒    No  ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.  ☒

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).  Yes  ☐    No  ☒

As of July 30, 2021, there were 49,447,693 shares of the registrant’s common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, outstanding.

Gritstone bio, Inc.

Table of Contents

PART I. FINANCIAL INFORMATION

ITEM 1. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Gritstone bio, Inc.

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets

(Unaudited)

(In thousands, except share

amounts and par value)

See accompanying notes to the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.

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Gritstone bio, Inc.

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Loss

(Unaudited)

(In thousands, except share and per share amounts)

See accompanying notes to the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.

2

Gritstone bio, Inc.

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Stockholders’ Equity

(Unaudited)

(In thousands, except share amounts)

Three Months Ended June 30, 2021:

Three Months Ended June 30, 2020:

Continued on next page.

See accompanying notes to the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.

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Gritstone bio, Inc.

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Stockholders’ Equity - Continued

(Unaudited)

(In thousands, except share amounts)

Six Months Ended June 30, 2021:

Six Months Ended June 30, 2020:

See accompanying notes to the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.

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Gritstone bio, Inc.

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

(Unaudited)

(In thousands)

See accompanying notes to the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.

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Gritstone bio, Inc.

Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

(Unaudited)

Description of Business

Gritstone bio, Inc. (“Gritstone” or the “Company”) is a biotechnology company developing targeted immunotherapies for cancer and infectious disease. The Company was incorporated in the state of Delaware in August 2015, and is based in Emeryville, California and Cambridge, Massachusetts, with a manufacturing facility in Pleasanton, California. The Company operates in one segment.

Liquidity

The Company has incurred operating losses and has an accumulated deficit as a result of ongoing efforts to develop drug product candidates, including conducting preclinical and clinical trials and providing general and administrative support for these operations. The Company had net losses of $25.1 million and $17.2 million for the three and six months ended June 30, 2021, respectively, and $25.9 million and $52.1 million for the three and six months ended June 30, 2020, respectively. The Company used net cash of $12.0 million through its operating activities for the six months ended June 30, 2021, and $43.7 million for the six months ended June 30, 2020. The Company had an accumulated deficit of $343.5 million and $326.3 million as of June 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively. To date, none of the Company’s product candidates have been approved for sale and therefore the Company has not generated any revenue from sales of commercial products. Management expects operating losses to continue for the foreseeable future. The Company has funded its operations to date primarily through private placements of its convertible preferred stock, the sale of common stock in public offerings, under an “at the market offering” (the “ATM Offering Program”), the private placement of common stock and pre-funded warrants, and through proceeds received from its collaboration arrangements. As of June 30, 2021, the Company had cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities of $175.2 million, which the Company believes will be sufficient to fund its planned operations for a period of at least twelve months following the filing date of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q.

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying interim condensed consolidated financial statements are unaudited and are comprised of the consolidation of the Company and its wholly-owned subsidiary. All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. The Company has no unconsolidated subsidiaries or investments accounted for under the equity method.

The accompanying interim condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles (“U.S. GAAP”) and the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) for interim reporting.

The interim condensed consolidated financial statements are unaudited and, in the opinion of management, reflect all adjustments, consisting only of normal recurring adjustments, necessary for the fair presentation for interim reporting. The results of operations for any interim period are not necessarily indicative of results of operations for any future period.

Certain information and footnote disclosures typically included in annual financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP have been condensed or omitted. Accordingly, these unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Company’s audited financial statements as of and for the year ended December 31, 2020, which are included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, as filed with the SEC on March 11, 2021.

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Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosures of contingent liabilities as of the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. On an ongoing basis, management evaluates its estimates, including those related to preclinical and clinical study trial accruals, fair value of assets and liabilities, the fair value of right-of-use assets (“ROU Assets”) and lease liabilities, fair value of pre-funded warrants, revenue recognition, and the fair value of stock-based compensation awards. Management bases its estimates on historical experience and on various other market-specific and relevant assumptions that management believes to be reasonable under the circumstances. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Concentrations of Credit Risk

Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk consist of cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities. Cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities are invested through banks and other financial institutions in the United States. Such deposits may be in excess of federally insured limits. The Company maintains cash equivalents and marketable securities with various high-credit-quality and capitalized financial institutions. The Company has not experienced any credit losses in such accounts and does not believe it is exposed to any significant credit risk on these funds.

The Company’s investment policy limits investments to certain types of securities issued by the U.S. government, its agencies, and institutions with investment-grade credit ratings and places restrictions on maturities and concentration by type and issuer. The Company is exposed to credit risk in the event of a default by the financial institutions holding its cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities and issuers of marketable securities to the extent recorded on the consolidated balance sheets. As of June 30, 2021, the Company has no off-balance sheet concentrations of credit risk.

Other Risks and Uncertainties

The Company is subject to a number of risks similar to those of other clinical-stage biotechnology companies, including dependence on key individuals; the need to develop commercially viable therapeutics; competition from other companies, many of which are larger and better capitalized; and the need to obtain adequate additional financing to fund the development of its products. The Company currently depends on third-party suppliers for key materials and services used in its research and development manufacturing process and is subject to certain risks related to the loss of these third-party suppliers or their inability to supply the Company with adequate materials and services.

In March 2020, the World Health Organization declared the global novel coronavirus disease (“COVID-19”) outbreak a pandemic. To date, the Company’s business has not been materially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the Company has experienced slowing of patient recruitment and sample collection in its ongoing clinical trials and cannot at this time predict the specific extent, duration, or full impact that the COVID-19 pandemic will have on its financial condition and operations, including ongoing and planned clinical trials. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the financial performance of the Company will depend on future developments, including the duration and spread of the outbreak and related governmental advisories and restrictions. These developments and the impact of COVID-19 on the financial markets and the overall economy are highly uncertain. If the financial markets and/or the overall economy are impacted for an extended period, the Company’s results may be adversely affected.

Cash, Cash Equivalents, and Restricted Cash

Cash equivalents, which consist primarily of highly liquid investments with original maturities of three (3) months or less when purchased, are stated at fair value. These assets include investments in money market funds that invest in U.S. Treasury obligations and certificates of deposit, which are stated at fair value.

The Company has issued a letter of credit under a lease agreement that has been collateralized by a cash deposit for an equal amount and is recorded within deposits and other long-term assets on the condensed consolidated balance sheets based on the term of the underlying lease. The following table provides a reconciliation of cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash reported within the condensed consolidated balance sheets that sum to the total of the same amounts shown in the condensed consolidated statements of cash flows (in thousands):

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Leases

The Company determines whether the arrangement is or contains a lease at the inception of the arrangement and if such a lease is classified as a financing lease or operating lease. All of the Company’s leases are classified as operating leases. Leases with a term greater than one year are included in operating lease ROU Assets, lease liabilities, current portion, and lease liabilities, net of current portion in the Company’s condensed consolidated balance sheets at June 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020. The Company has elected not to recognize on the condensed consolidated balance sheets leases with terms of one year or less. Lease liabilities and their corresponding ROU Assets are recorded based on the present value of lease payments over the expected lease term. In determining the net present value of lease payments, the interest rate implicit in lease contracts is typically not readily determinable. As such, the Company estimates the appropriate incremental borrowing rate, which is the rate that would be incurred to borrow on a collateralized basis over a similar term an amount equal to the lease payments in a similar economic environment. Certain adjustments to the ROU Assets may be required for items such as initial direct costs paid or incentives received and impairment charges if we determine the ROU Asset is impaired.

The Company considers a lease term to be the non-cancelable period that it has the right to use the underlying asset, including any periods where it is reasonably assured the Company will exercise the option to extend the contract. Periods covered by an option to extend are included in the lease term if the lessor controls the exercise of that option.

The Company recognizes lease expense on a straight-line basis over the expected lease term.

The Company has elected not to separate lease and non-lease components for its leased assets and accounts for all lease and non-lease components of its agreements as a single lease component. The lease components resulting in a ROU Asset have been recorded on the condensed consolidated balance sheets and amortized as lease expense on a straight-line basis over the lease term.

Revenue Recognition

The Company analyzes its collaboration agreements to assess whether such arrangements involve joint operating activities performed by parties that are both active participants in the activities and exposed to significant risks and rewards dependent on the commercial success of such activities. This assessment is performed throughout the life of the arrangement based on changes in the responsibilities of all parties in the arrangement. For collaboration arrangements that are considered to be in the scope of the collaboration guidance and that contain multiple elements, the Company first determines which elements of the collaboration are deemed to be within the scope of the collaboration guidance and those that are more reflective of a vendor-customer relationship and, therefore, within the scope of the revenue with contracts with customers guidance. Elements of collaboration arrangements that are reflective of a vendor-customer relationship are accounted for pursuant to the revenue from contracts with customers guidance. The terms of the licensing and collaboration agreements entered into typically include payment of one or more of the following: non-refundable, up-front fees; development, regulatory, and commercial milestone payments; payments for manufacturing supply services; and royalties on net sales of licensed products. Each of these payments results in license, collaboration and other revenues, except for revenues from royalties on net sales of licensed products, which are classified as royalty revenues. The core principle of the accounting for revenue from contracts with customers guidance is to recognize revenues when promised goods or services are transferred to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration that is expected to be received in exchange for those goods or services.

In determining the appropriate amount of revenue to be recognized as the Company fulfills its obligations under each of its agreements, the Company performs the following steps: (i) identification of the promised goods or

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services in the contract; (ii) determination of whether the promised goods or services are performance obligations, including whether they are distinct in the context of the contract; (iii) measurement of the transaction price, including the constraint on variable consideration; (iv) allocation of the transaction price to the performance obligations based on estimated selling prices; and (v) recognition of revenue when (or as) the Company satisfies each performance obligation.

Amounts received prior to satisfying the revenue recognition criteria are recorded as deferred revenue in the Company’s condensed consolidated balance sheets. If the related performance obligation is expected to be satisfied within the next twelve (12) months, this will be classified in current liabilities. Amounts recognized as revenue prior to receipt are recorded as contract assets in the Company’s condensed consolidated balance sheets. If the Company expects to have an unconditional right to receive consideration in the next twelve (12) months, this will be classified in current assets. A net contract asset or liability is presented for each contract with a customer.

At contract inception, the Company assesses the goods or services promised in a contract with a customer and identifies those distinct goods and services that represent a performance obligation. A promised good or service may not be identified as a performance obligation if it is immaterial in the context of the contract with the customer, if it is not separately identifiable from other promises in the contract (either because it is not capable of being separated or because it is not separable in the context of the contract), or if the performance obligation does not provide the customer with a material right.

The Company considers the terms of the contract and its customary business practices to determine the transaction price. The transaction price is the amount of consideration to which the Company expects to be entitled in exchange for transferring promised goods or services to a customer. The consideration promised in a contract with a customer may include fixed amounts, variable amounts, or both. Variable consideration will only be included in the transaction price when it is not considered constrained, which is when it is probable that a significant reversal in the amount of cumulative revenue recognized will not occur.

If it is determined that multiple performance obligations exist, the transaction price is allocated at the inception of the agreement to all identified performance obligations, based on the relative standalone selling prices. The relative selling price for each performance obligation is estimated using objective evidence if it is available. If objective evidence is not available, the Company uses its best estimate of the selling price for the performance obligation.

Revenue is recognized when, or as, the Company satisfies a performance obligation by transferring a promised good or service to a customer. An asset is transferred when, or as, the customer obtains control of that asset, which for a service is considered to be as the services are received and used. The Company recognizes revenue over time by measuring the progress toward complete satisfaction of the relevant performance obligation, using an appropriate input or output method based on the nature of the good or service promised to the customer.

After contract inception, the transaction price is reassessed at every period end and updated for changes, such as resolution of uncertain events. Any change in the transaction price is allocated to the performance obligations on the same basis as at contract inception.

Management may be required to exercise considerable judgment in estimating revenue to be recognized. Judgment is required in identifying performance obligations, estimating the transaction price, estimating the stand-alone selling prices of identified performance obligations (which may include forecasted revenue, development timelines, reimbursement rates for personnel costs, discount rates and probabilities of technical and regulatory success) and estimating the progress towards satisfaction of performance obligations.

Income Taxes

On March 18, 2020, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (the “FFCR Act”), and on March 27, 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the “CARES Act”) were each enacted in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The FFCR Act and the CARES Act contain numerous income tax provisions relating to refundable payroll tax credits, deferment of employer side social security payments, net operating loss carryback periods, alternative minimum tax credit refunds, modifications to the net interest deduction limitations and technical corrections to tax depreciation methods for qualified improvement property.

On June 29, 2020, Assembly Bill 85 (“A.B. 85”) was signed into California law. A.B. 85 provides for a three-year suspension of the use of net operating losses for medium and large businesses and a three-year cap on the

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use of business incentive tax credits to offset no more than $5.0 million of tax per year. A.B. 85 suspends the use of net operating losses for taxable years 2020, 2021 and 2022 for certain taxpayers with taxable income of $1.0 million or more. The carryover period for any net operating losses that are suspended under this provision will be extended. A.B. 85 also requires that business incentive tax credits, including carryovers, may not reduce the applicable tax by more than $5.0 million for taxable years 2020, 2021 and 2022.

The FFCR Act, CARES Act and A.B. 85 did not have a material impact on the Company’s condensed consolidated financial statements as of June 30, 2021; however, the Company continues to examine the impacts the FFCR Act, CARES Act and A.B. 85 may have on its business, results of operations, financial condition, liquidity and related disclosures.

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted

In August 2020, the FASB issued ASU No. 2020-06, Debt - Debt with Conversion and Other Options (Subtopic 470-20) and Derivatives and Hedging - Contracts in Entity’s Own Equity (“ASU 2020-06”). The standard eliminates the beneficial conversion and cash conversion accounting models for convertible instruments. It also amends the accounting for certain contracts in an entity’s own equity that are currently accounted for as derivatives because of specific settlement provisions. In addition, the standard modifies how particular convertible instruments and certain contracts that may be settled in cash or shares impact the diluted EPS computation. The amendments in ASU 2020-06 are effective for the Company as defined by the SEC for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2023, including interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted, but not earlier than fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020. The Company does not expect the adoption of ASU 2020-06 to have a material impact on its condensed consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.

In October 2020, the FASB issued ASU No. 2020-10, Codification Improvements (“ASU 2020-10”). The standard contains improvements to the FASB Accounting Standards Codification (the “Codification”) by ensuring that all guidance that requires or provides an option for an entity to provide information in the notes to financial statements is codified in the disclosure section of the Codification. The standard also improves various topics in the Codification so that entities can apply guidance more consistently on codifications that are varied in nature where the original guidance may have been unclear. The amendments in ASU 2020-10 are effective for the Company for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2021, and interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2022. Early adoption is permitted. The Company does not expect the adoption of ASU 2020-10 to have a material impact on its condensed consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.

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The amortized costs, unrealized gains and losses and fair values of cash equivalents and marketable securities were as follows (in thousands):

All marketable securities held as of June 30, 2021 had contractual maturities of less than two years. There have been no material realized gains or losses on marketable securities for the periods presented. As of June 30, 2021, the Company did not hold any individual securities in an unrealized loss position for 12 months or greater. The Company has the ability and intent to hold all marketable securities that have been in a continuous loss position until maturity or recovery. No significant facts or circumstances have arisen to indicate that there has been any significant deterioration in the creditworthiness of the issuers of the securities held by us. The Company considered the current and expected future economic and market conditions surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic and determined that the estimate of credit losses was not significantly impacted. Thus, no credit loss existed as of or for the six months ended June 30, 2021. The Company will continue to assess the current and expected future economic and market conditions surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, as further development arises.

See Note 4 for further information regarding the fair value of the Company’s financial instruments.

The Company determines the fair value of financial and non-financial assets and liabilities based on the assumptions that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. The identification of market participant assumptions provides a basis for determining what inputs are to be used for pricing each asset or liability. A fair value hierarchy has been

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established, which gives precedence to fair value measurements calculated using observable inputs over those using unobservable inputs. This hierarchy prioritizes the inputs into three broad levels, as follows:

The carrying amounts reflected on the condensed consolidated balance sheets for cash and cash equivalents, prepaid expenses and other current assets, accounts payable, accrued compensation and accrued liabilities approximate their fair values due to their short-term nature.

The Company’s financial assets subject to fair value measurements on a recurring basis and the level of inputs used in such measurements were as follows (in thousands):

The Company measures the fair value of money market funds based on quoted prices in active markets for identical securities. Commercial paper, corporate debt securities, certificates of deposits, asset backed securities, and U.S. government debt securities are valued taking into consideration valuations obtained from third-party pricing services. These pricing services utilize industry standard valuation models, including both income and market-based approaches, for which all significant inputs are observable, either directly or indirectly, to estimate fair value. These

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inputs include reported trades of, and broker/dealer quotes on, the same or similar securities, issuer credit spreads; benchmark securities; prepayment/default projections based on historical data; and other observable inputs.

There were no transfers between Level 1 and Level 2 during the periods presented. See Note 3 for further information regarding the amortized cost of our financial instruments.

Property and equipment and related accumulated depreciation and amortization are as follows (in thousands):

Depreciation and amortization expense was $1.6 million and $3.2 million for the three and six months ended June 30, 2021, respectively, and $1.7 million and $3.3 million for the three and six months ended June 30, 2020, respectively.

Leases

In January 2019, the Company entered into a 120-month operating lease for a new facility in Emeryville, California, with office and laboratory space for the Company’s new principal executive offices. In conjunction with signing the lease, the Company paid a cash security deposit of $0.6 million, which is recorded as a deposit on the Company’s condensed consolidated balance sheet as of June 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020. The lease agreement includes a free rent period, an escalation clause for increased rent and a renewal provision allowing the Company to extend this lease for an additional two five-year periods at the then market rental rate. The lessor provided the Company a tenant improvement allowance for a total of $4.0 million to complete the laboratory and office renovation. The Company’s obligation to pay rent commenced on November 1, 2019. The Company has determined the tenant improvements to be lessee owned and therefore has recorded a $9.0 million ROU Asset and a $14.3 million lease liability on the condensed consolidated balance sheet as of June 30, 2021.

In March 2017, the Company entered into a non-cancelable operating lease (the “Pleasanton Lease”) to lease 42,620 square feet of office, cleanroom, and laboratory support manufacturing space in Pleasanton, California (the “Pleasanton Facility”). The Pleasanton Lease includes a free rent period, escalating rent payments and a term that expires on November 30, 2024. The Company has the option to extend the lease term for a period of five years at the then market rental rate. The Company’s obligation to pay rent commenced in December 2017. The Company obtained an irrevocable letter of credit in March 2017 in the initial amount of approximately $1.0 million as a security deposit to the Pleasanton Lease, which may be drawn down by the landlord in the event the Company fails to fully and faithfully perform all of its obligations. The letter of credit may be reduced based on certain levels of cash and cash equivalents the Company holds. As of June 30, 2021, none of the irrevocable letter of credit amount had been drawn. The Pleasanton Lease further provides that the Company is obligated to pay to the landlord its proportionate share of certain basic operating costs, including taxes and operating expenses.

In connection with the Pleasanton Lease, the Company received a tenant improvement allowance of $1.2 million from the landlord for the costs associated with the design, development and construction of tenant improvements for the Pleasanton Facility. The unamortized tenant improvement balance is recognized as a component of operating lease ROU Assets on the condensed consolidated balance sheets as of June 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020.

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In May 2019, the Company entered into a 64-month non-cancelable operating lease for additional office space in Pleasanton, California. The lessor provided the Company a tenant improvement allowance for a total of $0.1 million to complete the office renovation. The Company’s obligation to pay rent commenced on August 1, 2019. The Company has determined the tenant improvements to be lessee owned and therefore has recorded a $0.2 million ROU Asset and a $0.4 million lease liability on the condensed consolidated balance sheets as of June 30, 2021.

In February 2016, the Company entered into a 67-month non-cancelable operating lease (the “Original Cambridge Lease”) effective October 2016 for a facility in Cambridge, Massachusetts, with laboratory and office space. In conjunction with signing the Original Cambridge Lease, the Company paid a cash security deposit of $0.3 million, which is recorded in deposits and other long-term assets on the Company’s condensed consolidated balance sheet as of June 30, 2021. The lease agreement includes an escalation clause for increased rent and a renewal provision allowing the Company to extend this lease for an additional three years at the prevailing rental rate. The lessor provided the Company a tenant improvement allowance for a total of $2.1 million to complete the laboratory and office renovation.

In September 2018, the Company entered into a 24-month non-cancelable operating lease (the “Additional Cambridge Lease”) for an additional facility in Cambridge, Massachusetts with laboratory and office space. The Company also paid a cash security deposit of $0.3 million, which included $0.1 million for the last month’s rent and has been classified as part of the operating lease ROU assets on the condensed consolidated balance sheets as of June 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020. The remaining security deposit is recorded in deposits and other long-term assets on the Company’s condensed consolidated balance sheet as of June 30, 2021.

In July 2019, the Company amended the Additional Cambridge Lease to extend the original 24-month lease term ending in August 2020 by another 12 months through August 2021 and to add additional leased laboratory and office space. Upon six months written notice, the Company has the right to terminate the amended lease agreement. The amendment provides for annual base rent of approximately $3.4 million, effective July 2019. In conjunction with signing the lease amendment, the Company prepaid an additional twelve months base rent for space leased under both the Original Cambridge Lease and the Additional Cambridge Lease (as amended) in the amount of $3.2 million, which was reclassified to operating lease right-of-use assets on the condensed consolidated balance sheets. The Company also paid a cash security deposit of $0.3 million, which included $0.1 million for the last month’s rent and has been classified as part of the operating lease right-of-use assets on the condensed consolidated balance sheets as of June 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020. The remaining security deposit is recorded in deposits and other long-term assets on the Company’s condensed consolidated balance sheets as of June 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020.

In May 2020, the Company executed an additional amendment to its Additional Cambridge Lease. The amendment extended the lease term by an additional 12 months through August 2022. Upon six months written notice, the Company has the right to terminate the amended lease agreement. The amendment provides for annual base rent of approximately $3.6 million, effective September 2021. This amendment resulted in an increase to the ROU Assets and lease liabilities of $3.1 million.

In March 2021, the Company entered into a 17-month operating lease in Cambridge, Massachusetts for office and laboratory storage space which commenced on April 1, 2021. The Company also paid an insignificant cash security deposit, which included amounts for the last month’s rent and has been classified as part of the operating lease ROU assets on the condensed consolidated balance sheet as of June 30, 2021. The remaining security deposit is recorded in deposits and other long-term assets on the Company’s condensed consolidated balance sheet as of June 30, 2021.

The Company’s operating leases include various covenants, indemnities, defaults, termination rights, security deposits and other provisions customary for lease transactions of this nature.

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The components of lease costs, which were included in our condensed consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income (loss), were as follows (in thousands):

Supplemental information related to leases was as follows:

As of June 30, 2021, minimum annual rental payments under the Company’s operating lease agreements are as follows (in thousands):

Agreements with CROs

In September 2017, the Company entered into a contract research and development agreement with a third-party contract research organization (“CRO”) to provide research, analysis and antibody samples to further the Company’s development of its drug candidates. The Company is also obligated to pay the CRO certain milestone payments of up to $36.4 million on achievement of specified events. None of these events had occurred as of June 30, 2021. During the three and six months ended June 30, 2021, the Company had immaterial research and development expense under the agreement. The Company had no research and development expense under the agreement during the three and six months ended June 30, 2020.

In May 2019, the Company entered into a contract research and testing agreement with a third-party contract research organization to provide antibody discovery related services. The Company is also obligated to pay the CRO certain milestone payments of up to $34.8 million on achievement of specified events. None of these events had

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occurred as of June 30, 2021. No research and development expense was recorded under the agreement during the three and six months ended June 30, 2021. No research and development expense was recorded under the agreement during the three months ended June 30, 2020, and an insignificant amount of research and development expense was recognized under the agreement during the six months ended June 30, 2020.

Guarantees and Indemnifications

The Company, as permitted under Delaware law and in accordance with its certificate of incorporation and bylaws, and pursuant to indemnification agreements with certain of its officers and directors, indemnifies its officers and directors for certain events or occurrences, subject to certain limits, with respect to which the officer or director is or was serving at the Company’s request in such capacity. The term of the indemnification period lasts as long as an officer or director may be subject to any proceeding arising out of acts or omissions of such officer or director in such capacity. The maximum amount of potential future indemnification is unlimited; however, the Company currently holds director and officer liability insurance. This insurance limits the Company’s exposure and may enable it to recover a portion of any future amounts paid. The Company believes that the fair value of these indemnification obligations is minimal. Accordingly, the Company has not recognized any liabilities relating to these obligations for any period presented.

Prepaid Expenses and Other Current Assets

Prepaid expenses and other current assets consist of the following (in thousands):

Deposits and Other Long-Term Assets

Deposits and other long-term assets consist of the following (in thousands):

bluebird bio, Inc.

In August 2018, the Company entered into a Research Collaboration and License Agreement (the “bluebird Collaboration Agreement”) with bluebird bio, Inc. (“bluebird”). Under the terms of the bluebird Collaboration Agreement, the Company will provide to bluebird tumor-specific targets across several tumor types and, in certain cases, T cell receptors (“TCR”) directed to those targets. The Company received a non-refundable upfront payment of $20.0 million, and bluebird also concurrently acquired 768,115 shares of the Company’s Series C convertible preferred stock for $10.0 million at $13.04 per share. Per the bluebird Collaboration Agreement, bluebird was also provided an option to acquire shares of the Company’s common stock at the same price as all other investors in

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connection with the Company’s initial public offering (“IPO”). In October 2018, bluebird purchased 666,667 shares of the Company’s common stock at the price to the public of $15.00 per share for a total of $10.0 million. Under the terms of the bluebird Collaboration Agreement, the Company is eligible to earn development, regulatory, and sales-based milestones in an amount of up to $1.2 billion, and single-digit royalties on sales of products that utilize the technology subject to the bluebird Collaboration Agreement. None of these events had occurred as of June 30, 2021, and no royalties were due from the sale of licensed products.

In August 2019, the Company entered into a First Amendment to the bluebird Collaboration Agreement, which extended the timeline for the Company and bluebird to execute a Patient Selection Services Agreement from within one year to within two years after the Effective Date of the bluebird Collaboration Agreement. In August 2020, the Company entered into a Second Amendment, which extended the timeline of the Patient Selection Services Agreement to within three years and also extended the Tissue Analysis Period from February 28, 2021 to June 30, 2021. In April 2021, the Company entered into a Third Amendment, which removed the Patient Selection Services Agreement in its entirety and extended the Tissue Analysis Period from June 30, 2021 to December 31, 2021. The amendments were entered into for administrative purposes, and the Company determined the amendments were not a modification of contract under the contract with customers guidance.

bluebird may terminate the bluebird Collaboration Agreement by giving a 120-day prior written notice to the Company at any time after the effective date of the agreement. Unless terminated early, the agreement has a term that ends upon the last payment owed by the Company on a licensed product. The bluebird Collaboration Agreement may be terminated for cause by either party based on uncured material breach by the other party or bankruptcy of the other party. Upon early termination, all ongoing activities under the agreement and all mutual collaboration, development and commercialization licenses and sublicenses will terminate. The licenses granted by the Company to bluebird under the licensed intellectual property will remain in effect in accordance with their respective terms. Additionally, all of bluebird’s payment obligations that have not yet accrued related to future milestone and royalty payments will be reduced by 50% for the remainder of the agreement term.

The Company concluded that bluebird is a customer, and the contract is not subject to guidance on collaborative arrangements. This is because the Company granted to bluebird a license to its intellectual property and provided research and development services, all of which are outputs of the Company’s ongoing activities, in exchange for consideration.

The Company identified the following three material promises under the bluebird Collaboration Agreement: 1) transfer of a license to intellectual property and related technology know-how (“License and Know-How”); 2) the obligation to perform target selection and TCR generation services (“Research and Development Services”); and 3) participation on the Joint Steering Committee (the “JSC”). The Company provided to bluebird standard indemnification and protection of licensed intellectual property, which is part of assurance that the license meets the contract’s specifications and is not an obligation to provide goods or services.

The Company considered that the License and Know-How has standalone functionality, was considered to be functional intellectual property, and is capable of being distinct. However, the Company determined that the License and Know-How is not distinct from the Research and Development Services or participation on the JSC within the context of the bluebird Collaboration Agreement, because bluebird is dependent on the Company to execute the Research and Development Services and participate on the JSC in order for bluebird to benefit from the License and Know-How. As such, the License and Know-How is combined with the Research and Development Services and participation on the JSC into a single performance obligation, and the transaction price under this arrangement will be allocated to this single performance obligation.

The Company has also determined that all other goods or services that are contingent upon bluebird reaching various milestones are not considered performance obligations at the inception of the arrangement.

The transaction price at the inception of the bluebird Collaboration Agreement consisted of the upfront payment of $20.0 million and the $10.0 million received from bluebird for the purchase of the Company’s Series C convertible preferred stock. The sale of the Series C convertible preferred stock was not considered to be a performance obligation, as it was a separate financing component of the transaction. Accordingly, $10.0 million of the transaction price was allocated to the issuance of 768,115 shares of Series C convertible preferred stock at fair value of $13.04 per share and recorded in stockholders’ equity.

The variable consideration related to the remaining development, regulatory, and sales-based milestones payments has not been included in the initial transaction price and continues to be fully constrained as of June 30,

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2021. As part of its evaluation of the constraint, the Company considered numerous factors, including that receipt of the milestones is outside the control of the Company and contingent upon initiation of clinical trials for early-stage targets and bluebird’s development efforts. Any variable consideration related to sales-based milestones (including royalties) will be recognized when the related sales occur, as they were determined to relate predominantly to the License and Know-How granted to bluebird. The Company will re-evaluate the transaction price in each reporting period and as uncertain events are resolved or other changes in circumstances occur.

For revenue recognition purposes, the Company determined that the duration of the contract began on the effective date in August 2018 and ends upon completion of the Research and Development Services, which is also when the participation on the JSC is no longer an obligation. The contract duration is defined as the period in which parties to the contract have present enforceable rights and obligations. The Company also analyzed the impact of bluebird terminating the agreement prior to August 2023 and determined, considering both quantitative and qualitative factors, that there were substantive non-monetary penalties to bluebird for doing so.

Revenue is recognized when, or as, the Company satisfies its performance obligation by transferring the promised services to bluebird. Revenue will be recognized over time using a cost-based input method, based on internal labor cost effort to perform the research services, since the internal labor cost incurred over time is thought to best reflect the transfer of services to bluebird. In applying a cost-based input method of revenue recognition, we use actual costs incurred relative to budgeted costs to fulfill the combined performance obligation. A cost-based input method of revenue recognition requires us to make estimates of costs to complete the performance obligation. The cumulative effect of any revisions to estimated costs to complete the performance obligation will be recorded in the period in which changes are identified and amounts can be reasonably estimated. A significant change in these assumptions and estimates could have a material impact on the timing and amount of revenue recognized in future periods.

The Company recognized $0.7 million and $1.4 million, respectively, during the three and six months ended June 30, 2021, and $0.2 million and $1.1 million, respectively, during the three and six months ended June 30, 2020 in collaboration revenue under the bluebird Collaboration Agreement. Deferred revenue of $10.3 million and $11.7 million was recorded on the condensed consolidated balance sheets in both current and long-term liabilities as of June 30, 2021, and December 31, 2020, respectively. Deferred revenue relates to the performance obligations identified under the bluebird Collaboration Agreement and will be recognized over the period the performance obligations are expected to be satisfied, which is currently estimated to be through mid-2023.

Changes in the deferred revenue balance during the six months ended June 30, 2021 for the bluebird Collaboration Agreement are as follows (in thousands):

There were no receivables or net contract assets recorded as of June 30, 2021 or December 31, 2020 associated with the bluebird Collaboration Agreement.

Gilead Sciences, Inc.

In January 2021, the Company entered into a Collaboration, Option and License Agreement (the “Gilead Collaboration Agreement”) with Gilead Sciences, Inc. (“Gilead”) to research and develop a vaccine-based immunotherapy as part of Gilead’s efforts to find a curative treatment for HIV infection. Under the terms of this agreement, the Company granted to Gilead an exclusive, worldwide license to develop and commercialize a HIV-specific therapeutic vaccine utilizing the Company’s technology. Gilead is responsible for conducting all development and commercialization activities beginning with a Phase 1 study, and the Company is responsible for contributing to preclinical research studies and participation in a joint steering committee (collectively, “research and development activities”). Concurrently with execution of the Gilead Collaboration Agreement, the Company and Gilead entered into a Supply Agreement (the “Gilead Supply Agreement”) under which the Company will supply research product and GMP product (“Product Supply”) that may be required under the Gilead Collaboration Agreement until Gilead completes its first GMP product batch, and the Company will participate in a joint

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manufacturing team (collectively, “product supply activities”). In addition, the Company also concurrently entered into a Stock Purchase Agreement (the “Gilead Stock Purchase Agreement”) under which Gilead acquired, in a private placement transaction, 1,169,591 shares of the Company’s common stock. The common shares were issued to Gilead with certain registration rights and certain standstill and market stand-off provisions. The Company determined that these concurrent contracts represent a combined arrangement (“the Gilead Arrangement”).

Under the Gilead Collaboration Agreement, the Company received a non-refundable upfront payment of $30.0 million. Under the Gilead Collaboration Agreement and the Gilead Supply Agreement, the Company will receive additional reimbursement payments for expenses incurred in the research and development activities and product supply activities. Under the Gilead Stock Purchase Agreement, the common shares were sold at a price of $25.65 per share for a total of $30.0 million. The Company’s common stock at fair value on closing was $18.10 per share. If Gilead decides to move forward with development beyond the initial Phase 1 study (the “Option”), the Company will receive a $40.0 million non-refundable option fee and will be eligible to receive up to an aggregate of $685.0 million if certain clinical, regulatory and commercial milestones are achieved, as well as tiered royalties ranging from the mid-single digits to low double-digits on net sales of a therapeutic product utilizing its technology. None of these events had occurred as of June 30, 2021 and no royalties were due from the sale of licensed products.

Gilead may terminate the Gilead Collaboration Agreement for convenience by giving a 90-day prior written notice to the Company at any time after the effective date of the agreement. Unless terminated early, the agreement has a term that ends upon the expiration of the royalty term, or, if the Option is not exercised, by the end of the Option term. The Gilead Collaboration Agreement may be terminated for cause by either party based on uncured material breach by the other party, insolvency of the other party, or patent challenge. Upon early termination, all ongoing activities under the agreement and all mutual collaboration, development and commercialization licenses and sublicenses will terminate. The licenses granted by the Company to Gilead under the licensed intellectual property will remain in effect in accordance with their respective terms. Additionally, if terminated early by Gilead for convenience or by the Company for material breach or insolvency, all of Gilead’s payment obligations for reimbursable costs or for future milestone and royalty payments remain. If terminated early by Gilead for material breach or insolvency, all of Gilead’s unaccrued payment obligations related to future milestone and royalty payments will be reduced by 50% for the remainder of the agreement term. Furthermore, Gilead may terminate the Gilead Supply Agreement without cause by giving six months prior written notice and any active orders with 60-day notice without terminating the agreement, and either party may terminate based on an uncured material breach, insolvency of the other party, or in the event that the Gilead Collaboration Agreement is terminated. Upon termination, the Company will deliver all supply products that have been produced and destroy, reimburse or deliver materials that Gilead has reimbursed, and Gilead must pay for any manufacturing costs that the Company has actually incurred or committed to pay, including any cancellation costs owed to subcontractors.

The Company concluded that Gilead is a customer and therefore revenue recognition should be accounted for in accordance with ASC 606, because the Company granted to Gilead licenses to its intellectual property and will provide research and development services and Supply of Product, as defined below, all of which are outputs of the Company’s ongoing activities, in exchange for consideration. The Option, if exercised by Gilead, will be considered a modification that increases the scope of the arrangement beyond the Option Term.

The Company identified the following performance obligations under the Gilead Collaboration Agreement: 1) licenses including an exclusive (in the HIV field), royalty-free, worldwide collaboration license and transfer of know-how and an exclusive (in the HIV field) worldwide, royalty-bearing development and commercial license subject to restrictions on its use during the Option Term and an exclusive option to release such restrictions; 2) preclinical research and development activities, manufacturing-related activities, and participation on a Joint Steering Committee; and 3) product supply, including research and GMP product, until Gilead completes its first GMP batch, and participation on a Joint Manufacturing Team.

The Company considered that the licenses and know-how have standalone functionality, are considered to be functional intellectual property and are capable of being distinct. The Company also determined that the research and development activities and product supply by Gritstone could be provided by resources otherwise available to Gilead and thus are capable of being distinct.

The Company has also determined that the pricing for optional goods and services and release of license restrictions upon exercise of the Option do not constitute material rights and are not a potential performance obligation. The Company evaluated if there is an interdependence between the promises and determined that the licenses are a combined solution and the predominant performance obligation and that the other promises are

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separately identifiable in the context of the contract, however the research and development activities are dependent on the research product supply, which is accounted for as a combined performance obligation. As a result, the Company identified three performance obligations in the Gilead Arrangement: (i) exclusive licenses and know-how, (ii) research and development activities and product supply, and (iii) GMP product supply.

The transaction price at the inception of the Gilead Collaboration Agreement consisted of the upfront payment of $30.0 million and the $30.0 million received for the sale of the Company’s common stock. The sale of the common stock was not considered to be a performance obligation, as it was a separate financing component of the transaction. Accordingly, $21.2 million of the transaction price was allocated to the issuance of 1,169,591 shares of the Company’s common stock at fair value on closing of $18.10 per share and recorded in stockholders’ equity. The remaining $8.8 million of the common stock purchase price in excess of the fair value of the shares received is added to the transaction price for the Gilead Collaboration Agreement. In addition, the initial transaction price includes estimated variable consideration for budgeted reimbursement of research and development costs and product supply. The variable consideration related to reimbursable costs and product supply has been constrained as of June 30, 2021 based on the current research and development plan forecast. The Company will re-evaluate the transaction price in each reporting period and as uncertain events are resolved or other changes in circumstances occur.

The Company determined that the variable consideration for the $40.0 million option exercise fee and for the development, regulatory, and sales-based milestones payments were probable of significant revenue reversal as their achievement was highly dependent on factors outside the Company’s control. As a result, these payments were fully constrained and were not included in the transaction price. Any variable consideration related to sales-based milestones (including royalties) will be recognized when the related sales occur, as they were determined to relate predominantly to the exclusive licenses and know-how granted to Gilead.

The transaction price is allocated to the performance obligation based upon relative standalone selling prices, which were determined for the exclusive licenses and know-how using an adjusted market approach and for the research and development activities and product supply using a cost plus reasonable margin approach. Variable consideration is allocated to the specific performance obligations to which it relates.

For revenue recognition purposes, the Company determined that the duration of the contract began on the effective date in January 2021 and ends upon (i) the completion of the Option term, which is expected to end two to four years after the effective date, if the Option is not exercised or (ii) the expiration of the royalty-term on a product-by-product and country-by-country basis. The Company also analyzed the impact of Gilead terminating the agreement prior to the end of the Option term and determined, considering both quantitative and qualitative factors, that there were substantive non-monetary penalties to Gilead for doing so.

Revenue for the exclusive licenses and know-how was recognized on the effective date of the Gilead Collaboration Agreement at the point in time that the licenses are effective. The research and development activities and product combined performance obligation and the GMP product supply performance obligation are recognized over time when, or as, the Company transfers the promised goods and services to Gilead. Research and development service and product supply revenues will be recognized over time using a cost-based input method, based on internal and external labor cost effort to perform the services, costs to acquire research materials, and costs of product supply, since the costs incurred over time are thought to best reflect the transfer of goods and services to Gilead. In applying a cost-based input method of revenue recognition, we use actual costs incurred relative to estimated total costs to fulfill each performance obligation. A cost-based input method of revenue recognition requires us to make estimates of costs to complete the performance obligation. The cumulative effect of any revisions to estimated costs to complete the performance obligation and associated variable consideration will be recorded in the period in which changes are identified and amounts can be reasonably estimated. A significant change in these assumptions and estimates could have a material impact on the timing and amount of revenue recognized in future periods.

For the three months ended June 30, 2021, the Company did not record any license revenue. For the six months ended June 30, 2021, the Company recognized $38.6 million as license revenue. For the three and six months ended June 30, 2021, the Company recognized $2.2 million and $2.5 million, respectively, as collaboration revenue as a result of satisfying its performance obligations by transferring the promised goods and services estimated by the costs incurred for the Gilead Collaboration Agreement. A contract asset of $1.6 million was recorded on the condensed consolidated balance sheet as a current asset in the prepaid expenses and other current assets balance as of June 30, 2021for supply costs that were incurred during the three months ended June 30, 2021,

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but not billable until future periods when the asset is released. The contract asset relates to the performance obligations yet to be satisfied identified under the Gilead Collaboration Agreement and is being recognized over the period the performance obligations are expected to be satisfied, which is currently estimated to be through December 2022. There was no contract asset as of December 31, 2020, and there was no deferred revenue as of June 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020 associated with the Gilead Collaboration Agreement.

Changes in the contract asset and deferred revenue balance during the six months ended June 30, 2021 for the Gilead Collaboration Agreement are as follows (in thousands):