PART I
ITEM 1. BUSINESS.
Introduction
We are a blank check company incorporated in August 2020 as a Delaware corporation whose primary business purpose is to effect a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses, which we refer to as our initial business combination. We have not selected any potential business combination target and we have not generated any operating revenues to date and we do not expect that we will generate operating revenues until we consummate our initial business combination.
We intend to continue to focus on industries that complement our management team’s background, and to capitalize on the ability of our management team to identify and acquire a business. In particular, we continue to intend to target early stage North American or European companies in the biotechnology sector of the healthcare industry where our management has extensive investment and operational experience. We may also pursue a transaction in which our stockholders immediately prior to the completion of our initial business combination would collectively own a minority interest in the post-business combination company.
Our Founders
Our sponsor is an affiliate of 5AM Venture Management, LLC, or 5AM, a leading venture capital firm focused on building next-generation life science companies solving important healthcare needs with cutting-edge breakthroughs in medicine and science. Founded in 2002, 5AM has invested over $1.4 billion in 96 companies across biotechnology, drug delivery technology and other life sciences sectors of the healthcare industry, with 52 active investments in its portfolio. We believe that 5AM’s track record of investing in early stage companies that subsequently are acquired or complete initial public offerings, or IPOs, at a preclinical or early clinical stage indicates that early stage investing is a “sweet spot” for 5AM. 5AM’s portfolio companies aim to spearhead novel approaches to prevent and treat a wide range of medical conditions. As of the date of the Annual Report on Form 10-K, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, had approved, cleared or authorized 21 products that were developed by 5AM portfolio companies, and 5AM’s portfolio companies have enrolled over 80,000 patients in more than 60 clinical trials.
As of January 27, 2022, 5AM’s 24 in-house investment professionals, venture partners and advisors possess strong scientific, medical, operational, legal and finance expertise. The 5AM team combines the talents of established venture capitalists, entrepreneurs, operating executives and leading scientists. Outside of their engagement with 5AM, 5AM’s team members have served as senior executives, chairpersons, board members, employees and/or advisors at life science companies such as Affymax, Affymetrix, Akcea Therapeutics, Amgen, Blueprint Medicines, Bristol Myers Squibb, Catalytica Pharmaceuticals, Cubist Pharmaceuticals, CV Therapeutics, Editas Medicine, Ingenuity Systems, LJL BioSystems, Merck & Co., Moderna Therapeutics, Novartis, Novo Nordisk, Nycomed Salutar, PTC Therapeutics, Relay Therapeutics, Sage Therapeutics, Sanofi Genzyme, Stemcentrx and uniQure. Most 5AM team members have forged long working relationships together and their mutual respect and cohesiveness is vital to 5AM’s long-term performance.
The 5AM team has compiled a long-term record as operating executives, scientists, and investment professionals in the life science industry and has invested in several successful, innovative and valuable life science companies. Since its inception in 2002 through the date of the Annual Report on Form 10-K, 5AM has delivered strong performance across its funds through investments in 96 private companies across biotechnology, drug delivery technology and other life sciences sectors, of which 20 companies have been acquired and 21 companies have successfully completed their IPOs. Of the 21 companies that have successfully completed their IPOs, 5AM Ventures team members hold or have held Chairman or director roles in 18 of these companies after going public. Recent representative investments include: Akouos (Nasdaq: AKUS), Aprea Therapeutics (Nasdaq: APRE), Artiva Biotherapeutics, Arvinas (Nasdaq: ARVN), Audentes Therapeutics (Nasdaq: BOLD, prior to acquisition by Astellas Pharma for approximately $3.0 billion), BlueLight Therapeutics, Cabaletta Bio (Nasdaq: CABA), Cidara Therapeutics (Nasdaq: CDTX), Cleave Therapeutics, CinCor Pharma (Nasdaq: CINC), Crinetics Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: CRNX), EnLiven Therapeutics, Entrada Therapeutics, Escient Pharmaceuticals, Expansion Therapeutics, Faraday Pharmaceuticals, Homology Medicines (Nasdaq: FIXX), Ideaya Biosciences (Nasdaq: IDYA), Impel NeuroPharma (Nasdaq: IMPL), Kinaset Therapeutics, Neurogastrx, Nido Biosciences, NodThera, Nouscom, Novome, Novira Therapeutics (which was acquired by Johnson & Johnson for an undisclosed sum), Pearl Therapeutics (which was acquired by AstraZeneca for up to $1.15 billion), Pear Therapeutics (Nasdaq: PEAR), RallyBio (Nasdaq: RLYB), Relypsa (Nasdaq: RLYP, prior to acquisition by Galenica for approximately $1.5 billion), scPharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: SCPH) and Vor Biopharma (Nasdaq: VOR).