LIABILITY RELATED TO SETTLEMENT ROYALTIES, WORKING CAPITAL FUND LIABILITY AND LIABILITY RELATED TO SALE OF FUTURE ROYALTIES

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2025

Other Liabilities Disclosure [Abstract]

Vifor License Agreement

Summary of Agreement

On February 18, 2022, the Company entered into a Second Amended and Restated License Agreement, or the Vifor License Agreement, with CSL Vifor, which amended and restated the License Agreement dated as of May 12, 2017, or the Original License Agreement. The Vifor License Agreement granted CSL Vifor an exclusive license to sell Vafseo to Fresenius Medical Care North America and its affiliates, including Fresenius Kidney Care Group LLC, to certain third-party dialysis organizations approved by the Company, to independent dialysis organizations that are members of certain group purchasing organizations and certain non-retail specialty pharmacies, collectively, the Supply Group, in the U.S.

The Vifor License Agreement was structured as a profit share arrangement between the Company and CSL Vifor in which the Company would receive approximately 66% of the profits, net of certain pre-specified costs. In addition, CSL Vifor made an upfront payment to the Company of $25.0 million in February 2022 in connection with the amendment and restatement of the Vifor License Agreement, which was previously recorded as long-term deferred revenue in the consolidated balance sheets.

See Note 8, Liability Related to Settlement Royalties, Working Capital Fund Liability and Liability Related to Sale of Future Royalties, of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements in the 2024 Form 10-K for a more detailed description of the Vifor License Agreement.

Investment Agreements

In connection with the Original License Agreement, in May 2017, the Company sold an aggregate of 3,571,429 shares of the Company’s common stock, or 2017 Shares, to CSL Vifor at a price per share of $14.00 for a total of $50.0 million.

In February 2022, in connection with the Vifor License Agreement, the Company sold an aggregate of 4,000,000 shares of its common stock, or 2022 Shares, to CSL Vifor at a price per share of $5.00 for a total of $20.0 million.

The $18.3 million, which represented the premium over the closing stock price, or $4.7 million for the 2017 Shares and $13.6 million for the 2022 Shares, was previously recorded as long-term deferred revenue in the consolidated balance sheets as it represented consideration related to the Vifor License Agreement.

The 2017 Shares and 2022 Shares are subject to standstill agreements and are subject to voting agreements. The 2017 Shares and 2022 Shares have not been registered pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, and were issued and sold in reliance upon the exemption from registration contained in Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act and Rule

506 promulgated thereunder as the transaction did not involve any public offering within the meaning of Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act.

Vifor Termination Agreement

On July 10, 2024, the Company and CSL Vifor entered into the Vifor Termination Agreement, pursuant to which the Company and CSL Vifor agreed, among other things, to terminate, effective immediately, the Vifor License Agreement.

Pursuant to the terms of the Vifor Termination Agreement, the Company will pay CSL Vifor decreasing quarterly tiered royalty payments ranging from a high single-digit percentage of the Company’s net sales of Vafseo up to $450.0 million to mid-single digit percentage of the Company’s net sales of Vafseo above $450.0 million, in each case, in the U.S. during a calendar year, or the Settlement Royalty Payments. The Settlement Royalty Payments commenced upon the first sale of Vafseo by the Company, its affiliates or third-party licensees to a third party for use in the U.S., and will continue until the later of the (i) expiration of the last-to-expire valid claim listed in the FDA Orange Book, or OB, that would be infringed by the making, using, selling or importing of Vafseo in the U.S. or (ii) the expiration of marketing or regulatory exclusivity for Vafseo in the U.S., or the Settlement Royalty Term. Beginning on July 1, 2027 and throughout the Settlement Royalty Term, the Company has the option to make a one-time payment to CSL Vifor, or the Royalty Buy-Down Option, upon which the Settlement Royalty Payments will be adjusted as of the date of exercise of the Royalty Buy-Down Option such that the Company will then only pay CSL Vifor quarterly royalty payments based on a mid-single digit percentage of the Company’s net sales of Vafseo up to $450.0 million in the U.S. during a calendar year in lieu of the above Settlement Royalty Payments. If the Company exercises the Royalty Buy-Down Option, the WCF Royalty Payments, as described below, will continue as described below.

The WCF Royalty Payments, as described below, the Settlement Royalty Payments and the Royalty Buy-Down Option are in consideration for the termination of the Vifor License Agreement and all obligations thereunder, and the covenants and agreements set forth in the Vifor Termination Agreement, including the settlement and release of all disputes and claims arising from the Vifor License Agreement.

As a result of the Vifor Termination Agreement, the Company reassessed whether the Vifor License Agreement still met the criteria to be considered a contract within the scope of ASC 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, and concluded that CSL Vifor no longer met the definition of a customer and, therefore, the arrangement should not be considered a revenue contract with a customer under ASC 606. The Company therefore determined that the consideration received from CSL Vifor of $43.3 million, comprised of the up-front payment of $25.0 million and the premiums paid by CSL Vifor for the 2017 Shares and 2022 Shares of $4.7 million and $13.6 million, respectively, should be classified as debt. Accordingly, the Company recorded the $43.3 million as a liability and is amortizing such amount using the effective interest method over the Settlement Royalty Term. The liability related to settlement royalties and the amortization are based on the Company’s current estimates of future royalties expected to be paid over the life of the arrangement. To the extent the Company’s estimates of future royalty payments are greater or less than previous estimates or the estimated timing of such payments is materially different than previous estimates, the Company will adjust the effective interest rate and recognize related non-cash interest expense on a prospective basis. On a quarterly basis, the Company reassesses the expected royalty payments. The annual effective interest rate as of June 30, 2025 was 37.0% which is reflected as interest expense in the unaudited condensed consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income (loss). The Company recognized interest expense related to the settlement royalties liability of $5.4 million and $10.8 million for the three and six months ended June 30, 2025, respectively. The Company did not recognize interest expense related to the settlement royalties liability during the three and six months ended June 30, 2024. As of June 30, 2025 and December 31, 2024, the balances related to the settlement royalties liability were as follows (in thousands):


Description	June 30, 2025		December 31, 2024
Current portion (included in accrued expenses and other current liabilities)	$	14,660	$	5,924
Long-term portion	48,729		46,697
Total settlement royalties liability	$	63,389	$	52,621

Working Capital Fund Liability (Previously Referred to as Refund Liability to Customer)

Pursuant to the Vifor License Agreement, CSL Vifor contributed $40.0 million to a working capital fund, or Working Capital Fund, established to partially fund the Company’s costs of purchasing Vafseo from its contract manufacturers.

The Working Capital Fund was considered a debt arrangement with zero coupon interest and the Company imputed interest on the Working Capital Fund liability at a rate of 15.0% per annum, which was determined based on certain factors, including the Company's credit rating, comparable securities yield and the expected repayment period. On March 18, 2022, when the $40.0 million was received from CSL Vifor, the Company recorded an initial discount on the Working Capital Fund liability and a corresponding deferred gain on the condensed consolidated balance sheet.

On May 3, 2024, the Company and CSL Vifor entered into Amendment #1 to the Vifor License Agreement, or the Amendment. Pursuant to the Amendment, and as modified by the Vifor Termination Agreement, the Company and CSL Vifor agreed to modify the method of repayment of the Working Capital Fund such that the Working Capital Fund will be repaid through quarterly tiered royalty payments ranging from 8% to 14% of the Company's net sales of Vafseo in the U.S., or the WCF Royalty Payments. The WCF Royalty Payments commenced on July 1, 2025, and will continue until the earlier of (i) the cumulative total of the WCF Royalty Payments equals $40.0 million, or (ii) May 31, 2028, or the WCF Royalty Term. The WCF Royalty Payments are subject to minimum true-up milestones of $10.0 million, $20.0 million and $40.0 million, or the WCF Royalty True-Up Payments, on each of May 31, 2026, May 31, 2027 and May 31, 2028, respectively, or the WCF Royalty True-Up Dates. If the cumulative total of the WCF Royalty Payments paid to CSL Vifor on any given WCF Royalty True-Up Date is less than the respective WCF Royalty True-Up Payment, the Company will pay CSL Vifor a one-time payment equal to the difference between the WCF Royalty True-Up Payment and the cumulative total of the WCF Royalty Payments paid by the Company through such WCF Royalty True-Up Date. The Company determined that the terms of the Amendment are not substantially different than the terms of the Vifor License Agreement, and therefore the Amendment was accounted for as a modification. The Company concluded that the 15% discount rate remains appropriate. On a quarterly basis, the Company reassesses the effective rate and will adjust the rate prospectively, if needed.

The discount on the Working Capital Fund liability is amortized to interest expense using the effective interest method over the WCF Royalty Term. The deferred gain is amortized to interest income on a straight-line basis over the WCF Royalty Term. The amortization of the discount was $1.2 million and $2.3 million for the three and six months ended June 30, 2025, respectively, and $0.9 million and $1.6 million for the three and six months ended June 30, 2024, respectively. The amortization of the deferred gain was $1.0 million and $2.0 million for the three and six months ended June 30, 2025, respectively, and $0.8 million and $1.7 million for the three and six months ended June 30, 2024, respectively.

As of June 30, 2025 and December 31, 2024, the balances related to the Working Capital Fund liability were as follows (in thousands):


Description	June 30, 2025		December 31, 2024
Current portion	$	10,016	$	2,274
Long-term portion	30,556		38,013
Total Working Capital Fund liability	$	40,572	$	40,287

Liability Related to Sale of Future Royalties

On February 25, 2021, the Company entered into a royalty interest acquisition agreement, or the Royalty Agreement, with HealthCare Royalty Partners IV, L.P., or HCR, pursuant to which the Company sold to HCR its right to receive royalties and sales milestones for Vafseo in Japan and certain other Asian countries, such countries collectively, the MTPC Territory, and such payments collectively the Royalty Interest Payments, in each case, payable to the Company under the MTPC Agreement (as defined below). The Royalty Interest Payments are subject to an annual maximum “cap” of $13.0 million, after which the Company will receive 85% of the Royalty Interest Payments for the remainder of that year. The Royalty Interest Payments are also subject to an aggregate maximum “cap” of $150.0 million, after which the Royalty Interest Payments will revert back to the Company. The Company retains the right to receive all potential future regulatory milestones for Vafseo under the MTPC Agreement.

At the transaction date, the Company recorded the proceeds received from HCR of $44.8 million (net of certain transaction expenses) as a liability and is amortizing it using the effective interest method over the life of the arrangement. The liability related to sale of future royalties and the debt amortization are based on the Company’s current estimates of future royalties expected to be paid over the life of the arrangement. To the extent the Company’s estimates of future royalty payments are greater or less than previous estimates or the estimated timing of such payments is materially different than previous estimates, the Company will adjust the effective interest rate and recognize related non-cash interest expense on a prospective basis. In the event the Company's estimates of future royalties are less than the proceeds from the sale of future royalties, the Company will not recognize related non-cash interest expense. On a quarterly basis, the Company reassesses the effective interest rate and adjusts the rate prospectively as needed. The annual effective interest rate as of June 30, 2025 was 0% and, therefore the Company did not recognize any non-cash interest expense in the unaudited condensed consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income (loss). As a result of its ongoing involvement in the cash flows related to the royalties and sales milestones in the MTPC Territory, the Company will continue to account for these royalties as non-cash royalty revenue which is reflected in license, collaboration and other revenue in the unaudited condensed consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income (loss). See Note 8, Liability Related to Settlement Royalties, Working Capital Fund Liability and Liability Related to Sale of Future Royalties, of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements in the 2024 Form 10-K for a more detailed description of the Royalty Agreement.

The Company paid royalties to HCR of $0.4 million during each of the three months ended June 30, 2025 and 2024 and $0.9 million during each of the six months ended June 30, 2025 and 2024. As of June 30, 2025 and December 31, 2024 the balances were as follows (in thousands):


Liability related to sale of future royalties	June 30, 2025		December 31, 2024
Current portion (included in accrued expenses and other current liabilities)	$	2,152	$	2,039
Long-term portion	51,082		52,066
Total liability related to sale of future royalties	$	53,234	$	54,105

Akebia Therapeutics, Inc. 10-Q