05/15/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 05/15/2026 15:33
Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
The following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with our unaudited condensed financial statements and related notes included in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and the audited financial information and related notes included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K, which was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, on March 31, 2026, or the Annual Report.
Except for the historical financial information contained herein, the matters discussed in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q may be deemed to contain forward-looking statements that reflect our plans, estimates and beliefs. We make such forward-looking statements pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and other federal securities laws. In this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, words such as "may," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "intend," "plan" and similar expressions (as well as other words or expressions referencing future events, conditions or circumstances) are intended to identify forward-looking statements.
Our actual results could differ materially from those contained in or implied by any forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to these differences include those risks identified under Part II, Item 1A. Risk Factors of our 2025 Annual Report.
Overview
We have not generated any product revenue and have incurred significant net losses in each year since our inception. For the three months ended March 31, 2026, we had a net loss of $1.0 million, and as of March 31, 2026, we have incurred approximately $925.6 million of accumulated deficit since our inception in 2003. We expect to continue to incur significant operating expenditures and net losses for the foreseeable future as we advance our internally developed preclinical small-molecule oral Obesity and Metabolic Disorders Program.
The Company is advancing an internally developed, preclinical small molecule program for the treatment of obesity and related metabolic disorders. This program is focused on the discovery and development of novel, orally administered therapeutics with the potential to provide a differentiated and complementary profile relative to currently available therapies. While other pipeline therapies for obesity are exploring alternative hormonal pathways, including amylin and dual GIP/GLP-1 receptor agonism, the Company's approach is focused on a non-hormonal mechanism of action. The program is intended to identify an oral therapeutic candidate that may address certain limitations associated with existing hormonal therapies, including improved tolerability.
In the second half of 2025, the Company conducted two separate non-GLP (Good Laboratory Practice) pharmacology studies using a standard diet-induced obesity (DIO) mouse model in male C57BL/6 mice maintained on a high-fat diet (60% of calories from fat). On January 8, 2026, the Company announced it had identified a lead compound for continued preclinical evaluation and had established proof-of-concept in the diet induced obesity (DIO) mouse model from these two studies, noting observations from the studies conducted were encouraging and consistent with statistically significant dose-related reductions in body weight, statistically significant improvements in body composition, specifically percentage fat and relative preservation of percentage lean, alongside favorable changes in metabolic parameters.
On March 2, 2026, we announced additional details regarding this positive preclinical proof-of-concept data for ALN1003 from the two separate DIO studies conducted. Highlights from these studies include dose-dependent body weight loss with favorable body composition changes, reductions in liver weight, improvement in liver function biomarkers, and improvement in metabolic biomarkers. Collectively, these findings suggest encouraging metabolic effects of ALN1003 in the DIO model.
Recent Developments
Recent preclinical data demonstrated that ALN1003 produced coordinated metabolic effects across multiple biological pathways relevant to metabolic syndrome, including insulin resistance, adipose tissue dysfunction, and liver steatosis, in non-GLP diet-induced obesity (DIO) mouse models. The findings support continued development of ALN1003 as a potential therapy for metabolic syndrome and related conditions, including obesity, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD, a type of fatty liver disease) and insulin resistance.
Metabolic syndrome is increasingly understood not as a collection of independent risk factors, but as a multi-organ, adiposity-associated disease state characterized by insulin resistance, dysfunctional adipose tissue, chronic low-grade inflammation, and hepatic lipid accumulation. Emerging research suggests that the biological quality and endocrine function of adipose tissue, rather than fat mass alone, plays a central role in disease progression. Within this framework, the preclinical profile of ALN1003 is notable in that it appears to engage several of these interconnected systems simultaneously.
In the longer-duration 48-day DIO model, ALN1003 was associated with significantly lower fasting insulin and significantly lower Homeostasis Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR), a calculated index derived from fasting glucose and insulin. ALN1003-treated animals had significantly lower HOMA-IR scores compared with controls after adjustment for percentage body fat in
a standard ANCOVA analysis (p=0.0006) with the same conclusion confirmed using heteroscedasticity-robust HC3 standard errors sensitivity analysis (p=0.0014). ALN1003 was also associated with numerically lower leptin, significantly higher adiponectin, and a significantly higher adiponectin-to-leptin ratio. Together, these findings are consistent with improved insulin-resistance-related biomarkers and favorable adipose endocrine signaling in this preclinical model.
Liver histology findings provided additional supportive evidence relevant to the liver component of metabolic syndrome. In a blinded pathology review of selected liver samples from the 48-day and 18-day DIO studies, H&E-stained (hematoxylin and eosin stain) whole-slide images were evaluated for steatosis, lobular inflammation, ballooning degeneration, and NAS components, while Masson's trichrome-stained sections were used to assess fibrosis. In evaluable samples, ALN1003-treated animals showed qualitative findings consistent with lower hepatic steatosis relative to controls, along with lower mean NAS scores. Control samples evaluated in the selected pathology set had NAS scores of 5, consistent with more active steatotic liver disease-like histology, while ALN1003-treated samples had lower mean NAS scores of 2.7 and 1.3 in the 48-day and 18-day studies, respectively. These limited pilot pathology findings do not establish MASLD resolution, fibrosis reversal, inflammation improvement, or clinical efficacy, but are consistent with a qualitative anti-steatotic effect in this preclinical model.
Taken together, these findings suggest that ALN1003 may influence multiple components of metabolic syndrome biology in DIO mouse models, including insulin-resistance-related biomarkers, adipose endocrine signaling, and hepatic lipid accumulation. This multi-axis preclinical profile may be relevant to a therapeutic landscape increasingly focused on metabolic health beyond body weight alone, including liver health, cardiometabolic risk, and preservation of lean mass.
Key findings from two separate DIO studies (non-GLP) are summarized below (nominal reported p-values are unadjusted for multiple comparisons):
DIO Study 1
The purpose of the first study was to evaluate the pharmacokinetics (PK) and tolerability of ALN1003 and to assess early proof-of-concept anti-obesity efficacy including changes in weight, metabolic biomarkers, and adipose remodeling. Mice received low, controlled oral doses of ALN1003, split into two doses each day. Measurements included daily body weight, food and water consumption at the cage level, and metabolic markers (blood collection after a 4-6 hour fast at end of study). All animals were observed prior to and after each dose administration. There were 12 mice in each group, with mice housed 3 per cage.
Relative to DIO controls, mean percent change in body weight for ALN1003-treated mice peaked at -12.9% (p<0.0001) on Day 34 and was
-10.3% (p<0.0001) after 48 days of treatment. Peak reductions in absolute weight loss were observed by Day 13 and remained lower than DIO controls through Day 48 (p<0.0001 at selected timepoints).
Food and water consumption: ALN1003 reduced cumulative food consumption versus DIO control (347.5 g/cage vs 425.0 g/cage; nominal p<0.05). ALN1003 reduced water consumption (445.8 mL/cage vs 494.5 mL/cage; not statistically significant).
Liver and Fat Tissue: In this study, ALN1003 reduced liver weight compared to untreated mice by 43% (p<0.0001) and by 39% when expressed as a percentage of body weight (p<0.0001). Long-term administration of ALN1003 was associated with lower ALT (alanine aminotransferase; p<0.0001), AST (aspartate aminotransferase; nominal p<0.0001) and ALP (alkaline phosphatase; p<0.0001), with a trend toward lower total bilirubin (nominal p=0.058) compared to untreated mice.
An unblinded macroscopic visual review of organ morphology was conducted comparing the liver and adipose tissues of the DIO control to the ALN1003 treatment group. Relative to DIO controls, ALN1003-treated animals exhibited smaller, deep reddish-brown livers; reduced epididymal white adipose tissue (eWAT) and inguinal white adipose tissue (iWAT) depots consistent with decreased adiposity; and darker interscapular BAT with appearance consistent with reduced "whitening" of BAT.
Tolerability: ALN1003 was generally well tolerated throughout the study. Mild, short-term, reversible hypolocomotion was observed after dosing in approximately one-half of dose administrations. There were no similar observations in DIO control animals.
DIO Study 2
The second study conducted was a pilot study to evaluate palatability, tolerability, anti-obesity effects, body composition and PK of ALN1003 administered orally in drinking water at three dose levels in DIO mice. The study comprised a treatment period of 14 days and a PK period of 4 days. ALN1003 was administered at three dose levels: low, medium and high. The middle and highest planned doses were 3 and 9 times higher than the low dose, respectively. Measurements included daily body weight, food and water consumption at the cage level, and metabolic parameters (blood collection after a 4-6 hour fast at end of study). All animals were observed each day. There were 6 mice in each group (2 mice per cage).
Food and water consumption: ALN1003 reduced cumulative food intake in a dose-dependent manner over the 14-day treatment period. Cumulative food consumption in grams per cage was 84.5g, 80.8g, 76.7g and 56.7g (nominal p<0.05) for the DIO control, low, medium and high doses, respectively. Cumulative food consumption when normalized to body weight per cage was 87.9g, 85.6g, 86.7g and 73.6g for the DIO control, low, medium and high doses, respectively. ALN1003 reduced water intake significantly over the 14-day treatment period. Cumulative water consumption in milliliters per cage was 112.8 mL, 80.1 mL (nominal p<0.05), 71.1 mL (p<0.0001) and 63.5 mL (p<0.0001) for the DIO control, low, medium and high doses, respectively. Cumulative water consumption when normalized to body weight per cage was 116.9 mL, 84.9 mL, 80.5 mL and 80.3 mL for the DIO control, low, medium and high doses, respectively. Actual dose consumed is dependent on how much water mice drink. Actual doses consumed during the 14-day treatment period were consistent with planned doses, with variances to planned doses of +7.3%, -0.3% and -6.9% in the low, medium and high dose groups, respectively.
Body composition was assessed using a Bruker MinispecTMLF90II Body Composition Analyzer (Bruker BioSpin, Billerica, MA, USA) and demonstrated dose-related changes that were driven primarily by fat loss but also included the loss of lean and fluid mass. The table below summarizes the mean percentage change from baseline through Day 17 in fat, lean and fluid as a % of body weight (BW) and mass in grams:
|
Mean % Change: |
Control |
Low |
Medium |
High |
|
D17 Fat% of BW |
+2.4% |
-1.5% |
-5.4% |
-21.9%c |
|
D17 Lean% of BW |
-1.3% |
+2.4% |
+4.6% |
+17.2%c |
|
D17 Fluid% of BW |
+0.4% |
-9.3% |
-12.0% |
-25.7%b |
|
D17 Fat in grams |
+4.7% (+0.9g) |
-1.8% (-0.4g) |
-12.3% (-2.5g)b |
-44.6% (-8.9g)c |
|
D17 Lean grams |
+1.9% (+0.5g) |
+2.2% (+0.6g) |
-4.1% (-1.1g)a |
-18.8% (-5.0g)c |
|
D17 Fluid grams |
+2.7% (+0.1g) |
-9.6% (-0.4g) |
-18.8% (-0.7g)a |
-47.3% (-1.8g)c |
Significance of comparison to Control group: a: nominal p<0.05; b: nominal p<0.001; c: p<0.0001
Liver and Fat Tissue: At end of study Day 18, including the 14-day treatment period plus the PK period, dose-related reductions in liver weights compared to DIO control were -6.8%, -20.5% and -55.0% (nominal p<0.01) in the low, medium and high dose groups, respectively. Reductions in liver weights expressed as a percentage of body weight relative to DIO control were -2.6%, -12.0% and -32.6% (nominal p<0.05). Liver enzymes showed no statistically significant change after 18 days; gross liver appearance suggested reduced fat accumulation. Histological analyses of liver and adipose tissues are planned.
An unblinded macroscopic visual review of organ morphology was conducted comparing the liver and adipose tissues of the DIO control to the high dose group. This analysis showed reductions in white fat depots (such as epididymal white adipose tissue, or eWAT, and inguinal white adipose tissue, or iWAT) and an interscapular BAT appearance consistent with reduced "whitening" in the ALN1003 tissues vs DIO control. Review of liver images suggested less visible fat accumulation and smaller, deep red-brown livers compared to DIO control.
Metabolic parameters: In this study, the highest-dose group showed lower blood sugar (glucose; 197 mg/dL in high dose vs 320 mg/dL in DIO control; p<0.0001) and lower total cholesterol (162 mg/dL in high dose vs 209 mg/dL in DIO control; nominal p<0.05). HDL-C (high-density lipoprotein cholesterol), the dominant lipoprotein in DIO mice, also decreased to 130 mg/dL in high dose vs 165 mg/dL in DIO control; nominal p<0.05.
Tolerability: ALN1003 was generally well tolerated throughout the study; however, on Day 16 (during the PK portion of the study), two mice in the high-dose group were noted to be slightly dehydrated for the remainder of the study, although they otherwise appeared normal.
Important Context and Model Limitations
Behavior-coupled dosing in unrestricted (ad libitum) drinking-water studies: In this paradigm, ALN1003 caused dose-related loss of appetite and thirst (anorexia/hypodipsia), leading to avoidance of medicated water. Despite actual doses consumed approximating planned doses in this study, reductions in drinking may confound attribution of weight loss solely to drug exposure in this model.
Development Roadmap
The findings from the Company's recent non-GLP diet-induced obesity mouse studies support the Company's plan to conduct additional preclinical studies and CMC activities for ALN1003. These planned activities are intended to further characterize ALN1003's pharmacology, evaluate exposure-response relationships, optimize formulation approaches, and support future development planning.
The Company has completed initial non-GLP, single-dose pharmacokinetic studies in large animals. Based on this preliminary data, the Company believes the observed pharmacokinetic profile is consistent with further evaluation of a twice-daily (BID) dosing schedule. Additional studies are required to confirm dose, formulation, exposure, safety, and pharmacodynamic relationships.
The Company is also planning additional studies to further characterize ALN1003's mechanism of action and its effects on metabolic pathways relevant to insulin resistance, adipose endocrine signaling, and hepatic lipid accumulation.
In parallel, the Company has initiated small-scale manufacturing activities intended to evaluate and refine production processes for ALN1003. Following completion and assessment of these activities, the Company may pursue a larger-scale production run using the refined process, subject to available capital, technical feasibility, and development priorities.
The Company has also initiated a computational chemistry program to design, synthesize, and test ALN1003 analogs or related compounds. The objective of this program is to identify potential next-generation compounds and strengthen the Company's intellectual property position. The Company has synthesized its first next-generation compounds under this program and plans to evaluate additional compounds as resources permit.
The advancement of this program is subject to numerous risks and uncertainties inherent in early-stage drug development. Subject to favorable data from these preclinical studies and our ability to secure additional capital, we plan to advance a selected development candidate into formal investigational new drug (IND)-enabling studies. We intend to actively explore strategic financing and collaboration opportunities to fund the continued development of this program.
Nasdaq Shareholders Equity Deficiency Notice
On April 9, 2026, the Company received a notice (the "Notice") from the Listing Qualifications staff of Nasdaq notifying the Company that the Company's stockholders equity, as reported in its 2025 Annual Report, did not satisfy the continued listing requirements under Nasdaq Listing Rule 5550(b)(1) for the Nasdaq Capital Market, which requires that a listed company's stockholder equity be at least $2.5 million. In its 2025 Form 10-K, the Company reported stockholders' equity of $2.1 million, and, as a result, does not currently satisfy Nasdaq Listing Rule 5550(b)(1).
The Notice had no immediate effect on the Company's listing on the Nasdaq Capital Market. In accordance with Nasdaq rules, the Company had 45 calendar days from the date of the notification to submit a plan to regain compliance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5550(b)(1).
In the event that the Company's plan is not accepted, or that the plan is granted by the staff at Nasdaq but the Company is unable to regain compliance, the Company would have the right to request a hearing before an independent Nasdaq hearings panel. The request for a hearing would result in a stay of any suspension or delisting action pending the conclusion of the hearing process.
Results of Operations
Three Months Ended March 31, 2026 Compared to Three Months Ended March 31, 2025
Royalty Revenue
Royalty revenue during the three months ended March 31, 2026 and 2025 were as follows:
|
For the Three Months Ended March 31, |
|||||||||||||||
|
2026 |
2025 |
Change |
|||||||||||||
|
($ in thousands) |
|||||||||||||||
|
Revenue |
$ |
- |
$ |
2 |
$ |
(2 |
) |
(100 |
)% |
||||||
Research and Development Expenses
Research and development expenses during the three months ended December 31, 2026 and 2025 were as follows:
|
For the Three Months Ended March 31, |
|||||||||||||||
|
2026 |
2025 |
Change |
|||||||||||||
|
($ in thousands) |
|||||||||||||||
|
Research and development expenses |
$ |
427 |
$ |
347 |
$ |
80 |
23 |
% |
|||||||
Research and development expenses for the three months ended March 31, 2026 increased by $80 when compared to the three months ended March 31, 2025, primarily due to an increase in stock based compensation, salary expense and consulting fees incurred in pursuit of our obesity and metabolic disorder program.
General and Administrative Expenses
General and administrative expenses during the three months ended March 31, 2026 and 2025 were as follows:
|
For the Three Months Ended March 31, |
|||||||||||||||
|
2026 |
2025 |
Change |
|||||||||||||
|
($ in thousands) |
|||||||||||||||
|
General and administrative expenses |
$ |
585 |
$ |
747 |
$ |
(162 |
) |
(22 |
)% |
||||||
General and administrative expenses for the three months ended March 31, 2026 decreased by $162 as compared to the three months ended March 31, 2025, primarily due to a decrease in salary expense, insurance costs, filing fees, bank fees and travel costs due to our downsized operations.
Other Income
Other income during the three months ended March 31, 2026 and 2025 were as follows:
|
For the Three Months Ended March 31, |
|||||||||||||||
|
2026 |
2025 |
Change |
|||||||||||||
|
($ in thousands) |
|||||||||||||||
|
Other income, net |
6 |
19 |
(13 |
) |
(68 |
)% |
|||||||||
Other income, net, for the three months ended March 31, 2026 decreased by $13 as compared to the three months ended March 31, 2025.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
Liquidity
Sources of Liquidity
We have not generated any revenue from product sales. Since inception, we have incurred net losses and negative cash flows from our operations. We have operated at a loss since inception in 2003 and have no significant recurring revenue from operations. We anticipate that losses will continue for the foreseeable future. As of March 31, 2026, our accumulated deficit was approximately $925.6 million. Our working capital as of March 31, 2026 was $0.375 million, consisting of $0.97 million in current assets and $0.595 million in current liabilities. Our actual cash requirements may vary materially from those planned because of a number of factors, including changes in the focus, direction and pace of our development programs.
To date, we have financed our operations primarily through public offerings and private placements of equity securities (including common stock, pre-funded warrants, and Series A-1 and Series A-2 Convertible Preferred Stock), as well as limited historical collaborations.
As of March 31, 2026, we had approximately $0.35 million of cash and cash equivalents. Our current monthly cash burn rate is approximately $0.34 million. At this rate we anticipate that our existing cash resources will be sufficient to fund operations into the second quarter of 2026. This estimate excludes any potential costs related to strategic transactions, unexpected legacy wind-down activities, unforeseen liabilities, or acceleration of our obesity and metabolic disorders program.
We have no committed sources of additional capital. To continue operations beyond our current forecasted runway and to advance our preclinical Obesity and Metabolic Disorders Program through additional animal studies, formulation optimization, manufacturing scale-up, and IND-enabling work, we will need to raise substantial additional capital through equity or debt financings, collaborations, or other strategic transactions. There can be no assurance that additional funding will be available on favorable terms, or at all.
Our actual cash requirements may vary materially from those currently planned due to a number of factors, including the pace and results of our preclinical studies for the obesity program, any changes in the focus or direction of our development efforts, costs associated with legacy obligations (including the remaining payments under the December 2025 MD Anderson Settlement and Release Agreement), and the outcome of any potential strategic opportunities. We have based our runway estimates on assumptions that may prove to be
wrong, and our expenses could prove to be significantly higher than we currently anticipate.
Based on our current cash forecast, management has determined that our present capital resources will not be sufficient to fund our planned operations for at least one year after the date these financial statements are issued. This raises substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern. If we are unable to raise additional capital when required, we may be forced to further delay, reduce, or eliminate our development activities, which could ultimately lead to dissolution or liquidation. See "Risk Factors - We may require substantial additional financial resources to continue as a going concern and to advance our obesity and metabolic program" for additional discussion.
Series A-1 and A-2 Preferred Stock Cumulative Dividends
Cumulative dividends on the Company's Series A-1 and Series A-2 Convertible Preferred Stock accrue at 10% per annum and compound quarterly by increasing the liquidation preference. Undeclared cumulative dividends are not recorded as a liability. Because the Company reported a net loss for the periods presented, cumulative preferred dividends increased the net loss attributable to common stockholders in the earnings-per-share calculation. As of March 31, 2026, undeclared cumulative dividends totaled $39 for Series A-1 and $67 for Series A-2.
Cash Flows
The following table summarizes our net decrease in cash and cash equivalents for the three months ended March 31, 2026 and 2025:
|
For the Three Months Ended March 31, |
||||||||
|
2026 |
2025 |
|||||||
|
($ in thousands) |
||||||||
|
Net cash flows from: |
||||||||
|
Operating activities |
$ |
(1,031 |
) |
$ |
(772 |
) |
||
|
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents |
$ |
(1,031 |
) |
$ |
(772 |
) |
||
Cash flows from operating activities represent the cash receipts and disbursements related to all of our activities other than investing and financing activities. Operating cash flow is derived by adjusting our net loss for:
Net cash flows used in operating activities for the three months ended March 31, 2026 was $1.03 million, as compared to net cash used in operating activities of $0.77 million for the three months ended March 31, 2025. The increase in net cash used in operating activities was primarily related to increase in our net loss, offset by an increase in timing of accounts payable and accrued expenses.
Capital Resources
Operating Leases
As of March 31, 2026, we have no lease commitments, other than a short-term lease.
Royalty and License Fees
In June 2022, Solasia Pharma K. K., or Solasia, announced that darinaparsin had been approved for relapsed or refractory Peripheral T-Cell Lymphoma by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare in Japan. During the three months ended March 31, 2026 and 2025, the Company earned $0 and $2, respectively, in royalty revenues on net sales under the Solasia License and Collaboration Agreement.