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UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-Q

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Commission File Number: 001-41742

Sagimet Biosciences Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

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(650) 561-8600

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

N/A

(Former name, former address and former fiscal year, if changed since last report)

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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, a 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.

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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 ☒

The number of shares of the registrant’s Series A and B common stock, $0.0001 par value per share, outstanding at May 5, 2026 was 61,184,313 and 567,494, respectively.

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FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q (this Quarterly Report) contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act), and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the Exchange Act). All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in this Quarterly Report, including statements regarding our future results of operations and financial position, business strategy, drug candidates, planned preclinical studies and clinical trials, results of preclinical studies, clinical trials, research and development costs, regulatory approvals, timing and likelihood of success, as well as plans and objectives of management for future operations, are forward-looking statements. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that are in some cases beyond our control and may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements.

In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terms such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “would,” “expect,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “could,” “intend,” “target,” “project,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “potential,” or “continue” or the negative of these terms or other similar expressions. Forward-looking statements contained in this Quarterly Report include, but are not limited to, statements about:

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We have based these forward-looking statements largely on our current expectations and projections about our business, the industry in which we operate and financial trends that we believe may affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects, and these forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance or development. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this Quarterly Report and are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions described in the section titled “Risk Factors” set forth in Part II, Item 1A “Risk Factors” in this Quarterly Report, the section titled “Risk Factors” set forth in Part I, Item 1A of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025 and the section titled “Risk Factors” set forth in Part II, Item 1A of our subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. Because forward-looking statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties, some of which cannot be predicted or quantified, you should not rely on these forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. The events and circumstances reflected in our forward-looking statements may not be achieved or occur and actual results could differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Except as required by applicable law, we do not plan to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements contained herein until after we distribute this Quarterly Report, whether as a result of any new information, future events or otherwise.

In addition, statements that “we believe” and similar statements reflect our beliefs and opinions on the relevant subject. These statements are based upon information available to us as of the date of this Quarterly Report, and while we believe such information forms a reasonable basis for such statements, such information may be limited or incomplete, and our statements should not be read to indicate that we have conducted an exhaustive inquiry into, or review of, all potentially available relevant information. These statements are inherently uncertain, and you are cautioned not to unduly rely upon these statements.

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PART I. FINANCIAL INFORMATION

Item 1. Condensed Financial Statements

SAGIMET BIOSCIENCES INC.

CONDENSED BALANCE SHEETS

(unaudited)

(in thousands, except for share and per share amounts)

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The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited condensed financial statements.

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SAGIMET BIOSCIENCES INC.

CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE LOSS

(unaudited)

(in thousands, except for share and per share amounts)

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The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited condensed financial statements.

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SAGIMET BIOSCIENCES INC.

CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF

STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

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(unaudited)

(in thousands, except share amounts)

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The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited condensed financial statements.

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SAGIMET BIOSCIENCES INC.

CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(unaudited)

(in thousands)

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The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited condensed financial statements.

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SAGIMET BIOSCIENCES INC.

NOTES TO THE CONDENSED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (unaudited)

Description of business

Sagimet Biosciences Inc. (the Company), a Delaware corporation headquartered in San Mateo, California, is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing novel therapeutics called fatty acid synthase (FASN) inhibitors that target dysfunctional metabolic and fibrotic pathways in diseases resulting from the overproduction of the fatty acid, palmitate. The Company’s lead drug candidate, denifanstat, is an oral once-daily pill and selective FASN inhibitor in development for the treatment of acne, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) and select forms of cancer. Denifanstat met all primary and secondary endpoints in a Phase 3 clinical trial in moderate to severe acne vulgaris conducted by the Company’s license partner, Ascletis BioScience Co. Ltd. (Ascletis), in China. Denifanstat also met all endpoints in Ascletis’ open-label Phase 3 clinical trial evaluating its long-term safety in patients with moderate to severe acne in China. The Company’s second FASN inhibitor, TVB-3567, is a potent and selective small molecule FASN inhibitor in development for acne, that is currently undergoing a first-in-human Phase 1 clinical trial.

Basis of presentation

The accompanying financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted (GAAP) in the United States. Any reference in these notes to applicable guidance is meant to refer to GAAP as found in the Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) and Accounting Standards Updates (ASU) promulgated by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB).

These unaudited interim financial statements and accompanying notes should be read in conjunction with the Company’s annual financial statements and the notes thereto included in the Company’s Form 10-K, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on March 11, 2026. The accompanying interim financial statements as of March 31, 2026 and for the three months ended March 31, 2026 and 2025 are unaudited but include all adjustments that management believes to be necessary for a fair presentation of the periods presented. Interim results are not necessarily indicative of results for a full year. Balance sheet amounts as of December 31, 2025 have been derived from the audited financial statements as of that date.

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities as of the date of the financial statements and reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Such estimates include accruals of research and development expenses, accrued costs for services rendered under agreements with third-party contract research organizations (CROs) and stock option valuations and stock-based compensation. On an ongoing basis, the Company evaluates its estimates and judgments, which are based on historical and anticipated results and trends and on various other assumptions that management believes to be reasonable under the circumstances. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Emerging growth company status

The Company is an emerging growth company (EGC) as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Acts of 2012, as amended (the JOBS Act), and may take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not EGCs. The Company may take advantage of these exemptions until it is no longer an EGC under Section 107 of the JOBS Act and has elected to use the extended transition period for complying with new or revised accounting standards. As a result of this election, the Company’s financial statements may not be comparable to those issued by companies that comply with the effective dates pursuant to public company FASB standards.

Liquidity

The accompanying unaudited financial statements have been prepared assuming the Company will continue as a going concern, which contemplates continuity of operations, realization of assets and the satisfaction of liabilities and commitments in the normal course of business. The Company will require substantial additional capital to fund its research and development and ongoing operating expenses. As of March 31, 2026, the Company has relied on public and private equity and debt financings and proceeds from licensing arrangements to fund its operations.

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The Company has incurred recurring losses and negative cash flows from operations since inception, and, as of March 31, 2026, had an accumulated deficit of $357.0 million and cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities of $104.5 million. The Company expects to incur additional losses and negative cash flows from operations for the foreseeable future.

In August 2024, the Company entered into a Controlled Equity Offering Sales Agreement with Cantor Fitzgerald & Co. to establish an at-the-market offering (2024 ATM Offering) through which the Company could sell, from time to time at its sole discretion, up to $75.0 million shares of its Series A common stock. In connection with the establishment of the 2025 ATM Offering (as defined below), the Company terminated the 2024 ATM Offering. No shares of Series A common stock were sold under the 2024 ATM Offering prior to such termination.

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In August 2025, the Company entered into a Sales Agreement with Leerink Partners LLC to establish an at-the-market offering (2025 ATM Offering) through which the Company may sell, from time to time at its sole discretion, up to $75.0 million shares of its Series A common stock. There were no sales under the 2025 ATM Offering since inception.

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The Company expects that its cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities as of March 31, 2026, together with the proceeds from the April 2026 underwritten offering of Series A common stock (refer to Note 9. Subsequent Events for further information), will be sufficient to fund the Company’s operating expenses for at least the next 12 months from the issuance of these financial statements. In the future, the Company will need to raise additional funds until it is able to generate sufficient revenues to fund its development activities. The Company’s future operating activities, coupled with its plans to raise capital or issue debt financing, may provide additional liquidity in the future, however these actions are not solely within the control of the Company, and the Company is unable to predict the outcome of these actions to generate the liquidity ultimately required.

The Company’s significant accounting policies are disclosed in the audited financial statements and the notes thereto, which are included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025, as filed with the SEC on March 11, 2026. Since the date of those audited financial statements, there have been no material changes to the Company’s significant accounting policies.

Net loss per share attributable to common stockholders

Basic and diluted net loss per share is computed using the two-class method required for multiple classes of common stock and participating securities. The Company’s participating securities do not have a contractual obligation to share in the Company’s losses. As such, the net loss was attributed entirely to common stockholders for all periods presented. Basic net loss per common share attributable to common stockholders is calculated by dividing the net loss by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding during the period, without consideration of potentially dilutive securities. Diluted net loss per share attributable to common stockholders is computed by dividing the net loss by the weighted-average number of common shares and potentially dilutive securities outstanding for the period. For purposes of the diluted net loss per share attributable to common stockholders’ calculation, common stock options, restricted stock units and common stock warrants are considered to be potentially dilutive securities. As the Company has reported a net loss for the periods presented, basic and diluted net loss per share attributable to common stockholders is the same as all potentially dilutive securities would have an anti-dilutive impact.

The following table presents the calculation of basic and diluted net loss per share for the three months ended March 31, 2026 and 2025 (in thousands, except share and per share data):

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The following potentially dilutive securities have been excluded from the computation of diluted weighted-average shares of Series A and Series B common stock outstanding, as their effect would have been anti-dilutive:

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New accounting pronouncements not yet adopted

The Company considers the applicability and impact of all ASUs. ASUs not discussed below were assessed and either determined to be not applicable or expected to have a minimal impact on the Company’s financial statements.

In November 2024, the FASB issued ASU 2024-03, Income Statement - Reporting Comprehensive Income - Expense Disaggregation Disclosures (Subtopic 220-40): Disaggregation of Income Statement Expenses, which requires public business entities to disclose, for interim and annual reporting periods, additional information about certain income statement expense categories. ASU 2024-03 is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2026, and interim reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2027. Early adoption is permitted and is effective on either a prospective basis or retrospective basis. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of the adoption of this standard on its financial statements and related disclosures.

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The authoritative guidance on fair value measurements establishes a three-tier fair value hierarchy for disclosure of fair value measurements as follows:

Level 1 - Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.

Level 2 - Observable inputs other than Level 1 prices, such as quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities, quoted prices in markets that are not active, or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by observable market data for substantially the full term of the assets or liabilities.

Level 3 - Unobservable inputs that are supported by little or no market activity and that are significant to the fair value of the assets or liabilities.

As of March 31, 2026 and December 31, 2025, financial assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis consisted of cash equivalents and marketable securities. Cash equivalents consist primarily of money market funds and other investments that are readily convertible into cash and have maturities of three months or less at the time of acquisition. The fair value of cash equivalents was $36.3 million and $34.7 million as of March 31, 2026 and December 31, 2025, respectively. The Company considers marketable securities with maturities greater than three months at the time of acquisition to be available-for-sale securities. The fair value of available-for-sale securities was $67.9 million and $78.1 million as of March 31, 2026 and December 31, 2025, respectively. These available-for-sale securities have expected maturities ranging from 1.0 to 9.0 months. The fair value of marketable securities, which are Level 2 financial instruments, is based upon market prices quoted on the last day of the fiscal period or other observable market inputs. The Company obtains pricing information from its investment manager and generally determines the fair value of investment securities using standard observable inputs, including reported trades, broker-dealer quotes, bids and/or offers.

The Company evaluates securities with unrealized losses, if any, to determine whether the decline in fair value has resulted from credit loss or other factors, including various qualitative factors. As of March 31, 2026, the Company has not recognized any impairment or credit losses on the Company’s available-for-sale securities. While the Company classifies these securities as available-for-sale, the Company does not intend to sell its investments and based on its current plans, the Company currently believes it has the ability to hold these investments until maturity.

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The carrying values of the Company’s accounts payable and accrued expenses and other current liabilities approximate their fair values due to the short-term nature of these liabilities.

Assets and liabilities measured at fair value are classified in their entirety based on the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement. The Company’s assessment of the significance of a particular input to the fair value measurement in its entirety requires management to make judgments and consider factors specific to the asset or liability.

The Company’s Level 3 liabilities that are measured at fair value on a recurring basis consist of the Series A common stock warrant liability related to the warrant to purchase 1,000 shares of Series A common stock with an exercise price of $69.94 per share and an expiration date of July 18, 2026, the third anniversary date of the closing of the Company’s IPO. The fair value of the Series A common stock warrant liability was immaterial as of March 31, 2026 and December 31, 2025, as well as the change in fair value during the three months ended March 31, 2026 and 2025. There were no transfers within the hierarchy during the periods presented.

The following tables set forth the Company’s financial assets that were measured at fair value on a recurring basis by level within the fair value hierarchy (in thousands):

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

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Accrued expenses and other current liabilities consisted of the following (in thousands):

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License and other agreements

Ascletis BioScience Co. Ltd

In January 2019, the Company entered into a license agreement that became effective in February 2019 with Ascletis BioScience Co. Ltd. (Ascletis), a subsidiary of Ascletis Pharma Inc. (Ascletis Pharma), a biotechnology company incorporated in the Cayman Islands and headquartered in Hangzhou, China. Ascletis Pharma, through a subsidiary, was the lead investor in the Company’s Series E redeemable convertible preferred stock financing in February 2019. The parties entered into this agreement with the intention to develop, manufacture, and commercialize the Company’s proprietary FASN inhibitor, denifanstat, which Ascletis refers to as ASC40. Under the terms of the license agreement, the Company granted Ascletis and its affiliates an exclusive, royalty-bearing sublicensable right and license under the Company’s intellectual property to develop, manufacture, commercialize and otherwise exploit denifanstat and other products containing denifanstat-related compounds in Greater China, consisting of the People’s Republic of China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan.

The Company is eligible to receive development and commercial milestone payments from Ascletis in aggregate of up to $122.0 million as well as tiered royalties ranging from percentages in the high single digits to mid-teens on future net sales of denifanstat in Greater China. The license and the research and development services components of this license agreement are representative of a relationship with a customer, and therefore, the Company evaluated the license agreement under the provisions of ASC 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers. The developmental and commercial event-based milestone payments represent variable consideration, and the Company used the most likely amount method to estimate this variable consideration because the potential milestone payment is a binary event, as the Company will either receive the milestone payment or it will not. Given the high degree of uncertainty around achievement of these milestones, the Company determined the milestone amounts to be fully constrained and will not recognize revenue until the uncertainty associated with these payments is resolved.

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Any consideration related to royalties will be recognized if and when the related sales occur. The Company re-assesses the transaction price in each reporting period and when events whose outcomes are resolved or other changes in circumstances occur.

In July 2023, the Company entered into an Assignment and Assumption Agreement with Ascletis and Ascletis’ affiliate Gannex Pharma Co., Ltd. (Gannex) under which Ascletis, while remaining responsible for performance under the license agreement, assigned all of its rights and obligations under the license agreement to Gannex and Gannex assumed such rights and obligations, effective as of October 2019.

Assia Chemical Industries Ltd.

In September 2025, the Company entered into a term sheet with Assia Chemical Industries Ltd. (Assia), doing business as TAPI Technology & API Series (TAPI), a subsidiary of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. and in December 2025, the Company entered into a license agreement with TAPI replacing the term sheet (License Agreement). Under the agreement, TAPI granted the Company a global, exclusive license to certain intellectual property rights covering innovative forms of TAPI’s resmetirom active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) for Sagimet’s technical evaluation and manufacture, and, if elected by the Company, further development of a fixed-dose combination (FDC) product containing denifanstat and resmetirom. 

Upon execution of the term sheet in September 2025, a non-refundable up-front payment of $2.5 million was due, which was paid and recognized in research and development expense during the year ended December 31, 2025. Pursuant to the License Agreement, the Company is obligated to pay TAPI potential additional manufacturing-related milestones of up to $5.5 million as well as a low single-digit royalty on net sales of the FDC product. The License Agreement terminates upon the date certain TAPI know-how ceases to be confidential information or the last of the TAPI patents expires, whichever is later, unless earlier terminated by either party in accordance with the terms of the License Agreement.

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Facility Lease Agreement

On March 12, 2019, the Company executed a 38-month non-cancelable operating lease agreement for 3,030 square feet of office space for its headquarters facility in San Mateo, California, which commenced April 1, 2019. From 2021 through 2024, the Company amended the lease agreement several times to extend the term of the lease and adjust the monthly lease payment. In May 2025, the Company amended the lease agreement to extend the term of the lease through June 2026, which resulted in an increase in the Company’s operating lease right-of-use asset and corresponding operating lease liability of $0.2 million on the amendment date.

Operating lease costs were $40,000 and $39,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2026, and 2025, respectively.

Guarantees and indemnifications

In the normal course of business, the Company enters into agreements that contain a variety of representations and provide for general indemnification. The Company’s exposure under these agreements is unknown because it involves claims that may be made against the Company in the future. In addition, the Company has entered into indemnification agreements with members of its board of directors and its executive officers that will require the Company, among other things, to indemnify them against certain liabilities that may arise by reason of their status or service as directors or officers. To date, the Company has not paid any claims or been required to defend any action related to its indemnification obligations. As of March 31, 2026, the Company does not have any material indemnification claims that were probable or reasonably possible and consequently has not recorded related liabilities.

Legal Proceedings

From time to time, the Company may become involved in various legal proceedings that arise in the ordinary course of its business. The Company records a liability for such matters when it is probable that future losses will be incurred and that such losses can be reasonably estimated. Significant judgment by the Company is required to determine both probability and the estimated amount. The Company is not party to any material legal proceedings as of March 31, 2026.

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The 2023 Stock Option and Incentive Plan (2023 Plan) was adopted by the board of directors, approved by the Company’s stockholders on July 4, 2023, and became effective on July 13, 2023, replacing the 2017 Equity Incentive Plan. The number of shares initially reserved for issuance under the 2023 Plan was 2,585,968. The number of shares will automatically increase each January 1, by (i) 4% of the outstanding number of shares of the Company’s Series A common stock on the immediately preceding December 31 or (ii) a lesser number of shares as determined by the compensation committee of the board of directors. In accordance with the 2023 Plan, the shares reserved for issuance automatically increased by 855,016 shares on January 1, 2024, by 1,226,994 shares on January 1, 2025 and by 1,278,164 shares on January 1, 2026. As of March 31, 2026, the aggregate maximum number of shares reserved for issuance under the 2023 Plan was 5,946,142, of which 1,591,871 shares were available for future grants. Option grants issued under the 2023 Plan are exercisable for up to 10 years from the date of issuance.

In March 2024, the Company established a pool of 1,000,000 shares of Series A common stock (Inducement Pool) from which equity grants in the form of options and restricted stock units may be issued as inducement for new employees to accept employment offers from the Company or for individuals returning to employment after a bona fide period of non-employment with the Company. Inducement Pool grants are granted outside of the 2023 Plan and do not require approval from the Company’s stockholders pursuant to the Nasdaq inducement grant exception in accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4). In February 2025, the Company increased the number of shares available for issuance by 300,000 shares, increasing the total number of shares available for issuance under the Inducement Pool to 1,300,000 shares. As of March 31, 2026, 361,217 shares were available for future grants from the Inducement Pool.

Total stock-based compensation recorded in the condensed statements of operations and comprehensive loss related to stock options and restricted stock units and the ESPP (defined below) for employees and non-employees was as follows (in thousands):

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Stock options

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The Company grants stock options which consist of (i) time-based options, which vest and become exercisable, subject to the participant’s continued employment or service through the applicable vesting date and (ii) performance-based options, which vest based on performance measures against predetermined objectives that include successful completion of qualified equity offerings or announced topline results for clinical trials and positive clinical results over a specified performance period. The Company’s time-based options have various vesting schedules that range from vesting immediately to vesting over a four-year period.

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The following table summarizes stock option activity for the three months ended March 31, 2026 (in thousands, except share and per share data):

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During the three months ended March 31, 2026 and 2025, the weighted average grant-date fair value per share of stock options granted was $4.25 and $3.71, respectively. There were no stock options exercised during the three months ended March 31, 2026 and 2025.

As of March 31, 2026, there was $9.9 million of unrecognized compensation expense, which is expected to be recognized over a remaining weighted-average period of 2.6 years.

Valuation assumptions

The fair value of each stock option granted was estimated on the date of grant using the Black-Scholes option pricing model using the following assumptions:

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The expected term is determined using the simplified method, which represents the average of the contractual term of the options and the weighted-average expected vesting period. The risk-free interest rate is determined by reference to the United States Treasury yield curve in effect at the time of grant of the award for time periods approximately equal to the expected term of the option. The expected stock volatility rate is based on the volatility rates of comparable publicly held companies over a period equal to the expected term of the option. The Company also utilizes its limited available historical volatility, to a lesser weight, in its expected stock volatility calculation. The Company utilizes a dividend yield of zero based on the fact that the Company has never paid cash dividends to stockholders and has no current intentions to pay cash dividends.

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Restricted stock units

The Company’s restricted stock units generally vest over a four-year period in equal amounts on an annual basis, provided the employee remains continuously employed with the Company. The fair value of the restricted stock units is equal to the closing price of the Company’s Series A common stock on the grant date.

The following table summarizes restricted stock unit activity:

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As of March 31, 2026, the total unrecognized compensation expense related to unvested restricted stock units was $3.9 million, which is expected to be recognized over a remaining weighted-average period of 2.9 years.

Employee stock purchase plan

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The 2023 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the ESPP) was adopted by the board of directors in July 2023 with an initial total of 215,497 shares of Series A common stock reserved for issuance. Under the ESPP plan, the amount of shares reserved automatically increases each January 1 through January 1, 2033, by the least of (i) 215,497 shares of Series A common stock, (ii) 1% of the outstanding number of shares of the Company’s Series A common stock on the immediately preceding December 31 or (iii) such lesser number of shares of Series A common stock as determined by the administrator of the ESPP. In accordance with the ESPP, the shares reserved for issuance automatically increased by 213,754 shares on January 1, 2024, by 215,497 shares on January 1, 2025 and by 215,497 shares on January 1, 2026. As of March 31, 2026, the aggregate maximum number of shares reserved for issuance under the ESPP was 860,245. No shares of Series A common stock have been issued under the ESPP to date.

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Operating segments are defined as components of an entity about which discrete financial information is evaluated regularly by the chief operating decision maker (CODM) in deciding how to allocate resources and assess performance. The Company operates and manages its business as one business segment, which is development and commercialization of therapeutics for the treatment of acne, MASH and other diseases where FASN plays a pathogenic role. Accordingly, the Company has one reportable segment. The Company has a single management team that reports to the Chief Executive Officer, the Company's CODM, who comprehensively manages the entire Company. The accounting policies of the segment are the same as those described in the summary of significant accounting policies.

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When evaluating the Company’s financial performance, the CODM is regularly provided with more detailed expense information than what is included in the Company’s statements of operations and comprehensive loss. The CODM uses net loss, as reported in the statements of operations and comprehensive loss, in evaluating the performance of the segment. Decisions regarding resource allocation are made primarily during the annual budget planning process and reallocated as needed throughout the year. The measure of segment assets is reported on the balance sheets as total assets.

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The following table shows the Company’s net loss, including the significant expense categories regularly provided to and reviewed by the CODM, for the three months ended March 31, 2026, and 2025 (in thousands):

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On April 28, 2026, the Company completed an underwritten offering whereby it sold 29,166,700 shares of its Series A common stock at a price of $6.00 per share for gross proceeds of approximately $175.0 million.

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ITEM 2. 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 together with our unaudited condensed financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2026 (Quarterly Report). This discussion and analysis and other parts of this Quarterly Report contain forward-looking statements based upon our current plans and expectations that involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions, such as statements regarding our plans, objectives, expectations, intentions and beliefs. Our actual results and the timing of events could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including those set forth under “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in this Quarterly Report. You should carefully read the “Risk Factors” section of this Quarterly Report to gain an understanding of the important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from our forward-looking statements.

Overview

We are a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing novel therapeutics called fatty acid synthase (FASN) inhibitors that target dysfunctional metabolic and fibrotic pathways in diseases resulting from the overproduction of the fatty acid, palmitate. Our lead drug candidate, denifanstat, is an oral once-daily pill and selective FASN inhibitor in development for the treatment of acne, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) and select forms of cancer. Denifanstat met all primary and secondary endpoints in a Phase 3 clinical trial in moderate to severe acne vulgaris conducted by our license partner, Ascletis BioScience Co. Ltd. (Ascletis), in China. Denifanstat also met all endpoints in Ascletis’ open-label Phase 3 clinical trial evaluating its long-term safety in patients with moderate to severe acne in China. Our second FASN inhibitor, TVB-3567, is a potent and selective small molecule FASN inhibitor in development for acne, that is currently undergoing a first-in-human Phase 1 clinical trial. 

FASN inhibition for the treatment of acne

Acne is one of the most common skin conditions in the United States, with approximately 50 million Americans affected annually and more than 5 million seeking medical treatment for acne each year. Acne affects around 85% of persons between the ages of 12 and 24. Moderate to severe acne accounts for 20% of acne sufferers, or approximately 10 million people in the United States annually. There is no cure for acne; and due to its pathology, most patients require chronic management and multiple annual courses of treatment for flare control.

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Acne is a disorder in which dysregulation of fatty acid metabolism also plays a key role. FASN is responsible through lipid synthesis for the production of skin oils (sebum). More than 80% of key sebum lipids such as palmitate and sapienic acid are produced by de novo lipogenesis (DNL)/FASN. In acne, excess sebum can lead to skin lesions and is a pro-inflammatory stimulus leading to exacerbation of those lesions, including development of nodules (nodular acne) and cysts (cystic acne).

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Acne is a promising therapeutic area for application of FASN inhibitors because FASN is required for sebum production, which is upregulated in acne and leads to exacerbation of acne lesions including development of nodules and cysts.

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Clinical data demonstrates denifanstat’s potential to treat acne

In January 2026, Ascletis reported that denifanstat was generally well-tolerated in the open-label Phase 3 clinical trial (n=240) evaluating the long-term safety of 50 mg once-daily denifanstat in patients with moderate to severe acne in China. Subjects treated with denifanstat showed improvements in all efficacy endpoints measured at 52 weeks (secondary endpoints of the trial).

In December 2025, Ascletis announced that the China National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) accepted its New Drug Application (NDA) for denifanstat for the treatment of moderate to severe acne.

In June 2025, Ascletis announced that denifanstat met all primary and secondary endpoints in its Phase 3 clinical trial in moderate to severe acne vulgaris in China. The Phase 3 clinical trial was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter clinical trial of 480 enrolled patients randomized 1:1 to receive denifanstat 50mg or placebo, once daily for 12 weeks.

Ascletis reported the following efficacy data from the Phase 3 clinical trial:

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Ascletis reported that denifanstat was generally well-tolerated. Following 12 weeks of once-daily oral administration at 50 mg, the incidence rates of treatment emergent adverse events (TEAEs) were comparable between denifanstat and placebo.

Planned Phase 3 clinical trial of denifanstat in acne

Building on the recent successful Phase 3 clinical trial in China of denifanstat in moderate to severe acne, we plan to develop it in acne for the United States. We anticipate filing an Investigational New Drug (IND) application for denifanstat for the treatment of moderate to severe acne in mid-2026, and following IND clearance, plan to advance denifanstat into a registrational Phase 3 clinical trial in moderate to severe acne patients in the second half of 2026 for the United States.

Phase 1 clinical trial of TVB-3567

In June 2025, we initiated a first-in-human Phase 1 clinical trial of our potent and selective small molecule FASN inhibitor, TVB-3567, for development of an acne indication. The Phase 1 clinical trial is a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial designed to evaluate the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of TVB-3567 in healthy participants with or without acne. The trial is comprised of several parts, including single ascending dose cohorts and multiple ascending dose cohorts in participants without acne, followed by testing in participants with acne including evaluation of pharmacodynamic biomarkers. Subject to consultation with regulatory authorities, and contingent on the results of the Phase 1 clinical trial, we anticipate initiating the Phase 2 clinical trial of TVB-3567 in the second half of 2026.

MASH

The critical role of FASN overactivity in MASH makes it an attractive target for drug therapy. Denifanstat targets multiple drivers of MASH by reducing steatosis, inflammation and fibrosis. Denifanstat met all primary and multiple secondary endpoints in the Phase 2b FASCINATE-2 clinical trial evaluating denifanstat in 168 biopsy-confirmed MASH patients with stage F2 or F3 fibrosis compared to placebo at week 52. We completed a Phase 1 pharmacokinetic (PK) clinical trial of a combination of denifanstat and the thyroid hormone receptor beta (THR-β) agonist, resmetirom (commercially available as Rezdiffra), in December 2025. We anticipate that the denifanstat and resmetirom combination program will be Phase 2-ready in the second half of 2026. We will undertake no further clinical development in MASH until non-dilutive financing is obtained.  

Components of results of operations

Research and development expenses

Research and development expenses represent costs incurred in performing research, development and manufacturing activities in support of our own product development efforts and include internal personnel-related costs (such as salaries, employee benefits and stock-based compensation) for our personnel in research and development functions; as well as external costs, including costs related to acquiring, developing and manufacturing supplies for preclinical studies, clinical trials and other studies, including fees paid to contract manufacturing organizations (CMOs); costs and expenses related to agreements with contract research organizations (CROs), investigative sites and consultants to conduct non-clinical and preclinical studies and clinical trials; and professional and consulting services costs. Research and development expenses also include the costs of acquired product licenses and related technology rights where there is no alternative future use.

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All research and development expenses are charged to operations as incurred in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification 730, Research and Development. We account for non-refundable advance payments for goods and services that will be used in future research and development activities as expenses when the service has been performed or when the goods have been received, rather than when the payment is made.

We expect our research and development expenses to increase substantially for the foreseeable future as we advance our drug candidates into and through preclinical studies and clinical trials, pursue regulatory approval and expand our pipeline.

General and administrative expenses

Our general and administrative expenses consist primarily of costs and expenses related to: personnel (including salaries, employee benefits and stock-based compensation) in our executive, finance and accounting and other administrative functions; legal services, including relating to intellectual property and corporate matters; accounting, auditing, consulting and tax services; insurance; information technology; and facility and other allocated costs not otherwise included in research and development expenses.

We expect our general and administrative expenses to increase for the foreseeable future as we increase our headcount and continue to grow our corporate infrastructure.

Other income

Other income consists primarily of interest income earned on our cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities offset by amortization of premiums and accretion of discounts to maturity on our marketable securities.

Results of operations

Comparison of the three months ended March 31, 2026 and 2025

The following table summarizes our results of operations for the periods indicated (in thousands):

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Research and development – Research and development expenses for the three months ended March 31, 2026 and 2025 were comprised of the following (in thousands):

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Research and development expenses decreased by $8.3 million, or 54%, for the three months ended March 31, 2026, compared to the three months ended March 31, 2025. This decrease was primarily due to a $8.9 million decrease in clinical development and research expenses related primarily to lower clinical trial costs incurred for our Phase 3 program of denifanstat in MASH, which was partially offset by higher costs for the Phase 1 clinical trial of TVB-3567, initiated in June 2025, and other clinical costs for the combination of denifanstat and resmetirom.

External research and development expenses for the three months ended March 31, 2026 and 2025 were comprised of the following (in thousands):

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General and administrative – General and administrative expenses increased by $0.2 million, or 4%, for the three months ended March 31, 2026, compared to the three months ended March 31, 2025 primarily due to a $0.3 million increase in stock-based compensation, which was partially offset by lower consulting and professional service expenses.

Other income – Other income decreased by $0.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2026, compared to the three months ended March 31, 2025, due to a decrease in interest income earned driven by a lower cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities balance as well as lower yields during the three months ended March 31, 2026.

Liquidity and capital resources

Sources and uses of cash

Since our inception, we have devoted substantially all of our resources to researching, discovering and developing our pipeline of proprietary FASN inhibitors and other drug targets, organizing and staffing our company, performing business planning, establishing our intellectual property portfolio, raising capital and general and administration activities to support and expand such activities. We do not have any products approved for sale and have not generated any revenue from product sales. Our revenues to date have been generated solely from the license agreement with Ascletis.

To date, we have financed our operations primarily through public and private equity and debt financings, including our IPO of Series A common stock in July 2023 and our follow-on offering in January 2024, from which we received aggregate net proceeds of $190.9 million.

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Prior to becoming a public company, we raised $233.3 million in gross proceeds from the sale of our redeemable convertible preferred stock and convertible notes.

In August 2024, we entered into a Controlled Equity Offering Sales Agreement with Cantor Fitzgerald & Co. to establish an at-the-market offering (2024 ATM Offering) through which we could offer and sell, from time to time at our sole discretion, up to $75.0 million of shares of our Series A common stock. In connection with the establishment of the 2025 ATM Offering (as defined below), we terminated the 2024 ATM Offering. No shares of Series A common stock were sold under the 2024 ATM Offering prior to such termination.

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In August 2025, we entered into a Sales Agreement with Leerink Partners LLC to establish an at-the-market offering (2025 ATM Offering) through which we may sell, from time to time at our sole discretion, up to $75.0 million shares of our Series A common stock. There were no sales under the 2025 ATM Offering since inception.

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On April 28, 2026, we completed an underwritten offering whereby we sold 29,166,700 shares of our Series A common stock at a price of $6.00 per share for gross proceeds of approximately $175.0 million. We estimate that the net proceeds from the underwritten offering will be approximately $163.9 million after deducting underwriting discounts, commissions and other offering expenses.

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As of March 31, 2026, we had cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities of $104.5 million. We do not expect to generate any revenue from commercial product sales unless and until we successfully complete development and obtain regulatory approval for one or more of our drug candidates, which we expect will take a number of years, if ever. We anticipate that we will continue to incur significant expenses for the foreseeable future as we continue to advance our drug candidates through preclinical and clinical trials; manufacture supplies for our preclinical studies and clinical trials; expand our corporate infrastructure, including the costs associated with being a public company; pursue regulatory approval of our drug candidates; hire additional personnel; acquire, discover, validate and develop additional drug candidates; and obtain, maintain, expand and protect our intellectual property portfolio.

Until we can generate a sufficient amount of revenue from the commercialization of our drug candidates or additional revenue from collaboration agreements with third parties, if ever, we expect to finance our future cash needs through public or private equity or debt financings, third-party funding and marketing and distribution arrangements, as well as other collaborations, strategic alliances and licensing arrangements, or any combination of these approaches. The sale of equity or convertible debt securities may result in dilution to our stockholders and, in the case of preferred equity securities or convertible debt, those securities could provide for rights, preferences or privileges senior to those of our common stock. Debt financings may subject us to covenant limitations or restrictions on our ability to take specific actions, such as incurring additional debt, making capital expenditures or declaring dividends. Our ability to raise additional funds may be adversely impacted by macroeconomic conditions, disruptions to and volatility in the credit and financial markets and geopolitical turmoil. There can be no assurance that we will be successful in acquiring additional funding at levels sufficient to fund our operations or on terms favorable or acceptable to us. If we are unable to obtain adequate financing when needed or on terms favorable or acceptable to us, we may be forced to delay, reduce the scope of or eliminate one or more of our research and development programs.

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

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A change in the outcome of any of these or other variables could significantly change our costs and timing associated with the development of our drug candidates. Furthermore, our operating plans may change in the future, and we may need additional funds to meet operational needs and capital requirements associated with such change.

We rely and will continue to rely on third parties in the conduct of our preclinical studies and clinical trials and for manufacturing and supply of our drug candidates. We have no internal manufacturing capabilities, and we will continue to rely on third parties for our preclinical study and clinical trial materials. Given our stage of development, we do not yet have a marketing or sales organization or commercial infrastructure. Accordingly, if we obtain regulatory approval for any of our drug candidates, we also expect to incur significant commercialization expenses related to product sales, marketing, manufacturing and distribution.

We enter into contracts in the normal course of business for products and services, including contract research and contract manufacturing services, which include provisions allowing for termination under certain conditions and timelines. These contracts generally do not include payments for early termination and are considered cancellable contracts.

Based on our current business plans, we believe that our existing cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities as of March 31, 2026, together with approximately $163.9 million in net proceeds from the April 2026 underwritten offering of Series A common stock, will be sufficient for us to fund our operating expenses for at least the next 12 months from the issuance of this Quarterly Report.

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Cash flows

The following table shows a summary of our cash flows for each of the periods presented below (in thousands):