Scholar Rock Holding (2QK) Risk Analysis
Risk Overview Q2, 2026
Source: the company's latest filing for the period ended Jun 30, 2026, filed Aug 06, 2026
Risk Change Over Time
- Regulation - Risk 1The regulatory approval process for apitegromab in the U.S., EU and other jurisdictions will be lengthy, time-consuming and inherently unpredictable and we may fail to receive or be delayed in receiving regulatory approval of apitegromab, or we may receive regulatory approval for only a subset of SMA patients. Our progress toward potential commercialization of apitegromab has been delayed. We received a CRL from the FDA in September 2025 and in March 2026 resubmitted the apitegromab BLA which was accepted by the FDA.
The research, testing, manufacturing, labeling, approval, sale, import, export, marketing, promotion and distribution of drug products, including biologics, are subject to extensive regulation by the FDA in the U.S. and other regulatory authorities outside the U.S. We are not permitted to market any biological product in the U.S. until we receive a biologics license from the FDA. Prior to submitting the BLA to the U.S. FDA in January 2025 and submitting the MAA to the EMA in March 2025 for apitegromab as a treatment for patients with SMA, we had not submitted a BLA to the FDA or MAA to the EMA or similar marketing application to comparable foreign authorities. A BLA must include extensive preclinical and clinical data and supporting information to establish that the product candidate is safe, pure and potent for each desired indication. FDA, EC or comparable foreign regulatory authorities' approval of a new biologic or drug generally requires data from one or more adequate and well-controlled pivotal Phase 3 clinical trials of the biologic or drug in the relevant patient population. The FDA, EMA or comparable foreign regulatory authorities may disagree with the design or implementation of our clinical trials or our analysis or interpretation of data from preclinical studies or clinical trials, the results of our clinical trials may not meet the level of statistical significance or amount of data required for approval, regulatory authorities may not agree with the statistical methods we used to evaluate our clinical data, or we may be unable to demonstrate that apitegromab's clinical and other benefits outweigh its safety risks. Even if the FDA, EMA, or other regulatory authorities were to grant approval for apitegromab in SMA, one or more of these regulatory authorities may determine that the approval should be limited to a subset of SMA patients, which could restrict the commercial potential of apitegromab in SMA. A BLA to the FDA or MAA to the EMA must also include significant information regarding the chemistry, manufacturing, and controls for the product, and the manufacturing facilities must complete a successful pre-license inspection as well as certain key clinical sites conducting our clinical trials. The FDA, EMA or comparable foreign regulatory authorities may fail to approve the manufacturing processes or facilities of third-party manufacturers with which we contract for clinical and commercial supplies. In September 2025, we received a CRL from the FDA citing observations identified during an FDA inspection of a third-party fill-finish facility. This facility was issued a Form 483 by the FDA in July 2025 and the inspection classification of this facility is "official action indicated" (OAI). The observations were related to the facility and were not specific to apitegromab. The CRL did not cite any other approvability concerns, including apitegromab's efficacy and safety data or the third-party drug substance manufacturer. In November 2025, we completed an in-person Type A meeting with the FDA that included participation of representatives from the third-party fill-finish facility. Also in November 2025, the third-party fill-finish facility received a Warning Letter from the FDA. We resubmitted the apitegromab BLA in March 2026 with two third-party fill-finish facilities included, which was accepted by the Agency with a September 30, 2026 PDUFA action date. The FDA has completed reinspection of the applicable third-party fill-finish facility; however, there can be no guarantee of the timing of the resolution of the OAI classification of the facility that was reinspected or that the FDA will approve apitegromab. The CRL has delayed our progress toward potential commercialization of apitegromab and we may be subject to additional risks such as a loss of our competitive advantage, increased litigation and other regulatory issues. The CRL could also adversely affect the ongoing regulatory review of the apitegromab MAA by the EMA. As part of its review, the EMA has a mutual recognition agreement with the FDA, and we believe satisfactory resolution of the OAI classification will be necessary for MAA approval. The EMA may also require additional assurance regarding the suitability of manufacturing sites prior to approval which could result in a delay in review timelines. GMP non-compliance at the third-party fill-finish facility could, in the most adverse scenario, even result in a negative CHMP opinion and refusal of the MAA by the EC.
- Taxation & Government Incentives - Risk 2Changes or disruptions at the FDA and other government agencies caused by funding cuts, government shutdowns, personnel reductions, substantial changes in leadership and policy, or other changes or disruptions to these agencies' operations could prevent these agencies from performing functions on which the operation of our business relies, including the timely review and potential approval of our accepted BLA resubmission, and any such disruptions and changes could negatively impact our business.
The ability of the FDA and foreign regulatory authorities to review and or approve new products can be affected by a variety of factors, including government budget and funding levels, staffing levels, and statutory, regulatory, and policy changes, the FDA's and foreign regulatory authorities' ability to hire and retain key personnel and accept the payment of user fees, and other events that may otherwise affect the FDA's ability to perform routine functions. Average review times at the FDA and foreign regulatory authorities have fluctuated in recent years as a result. Disruptions at the FDA and other agencies, including substantial leadership, personnel, and policy changes, may also slow the time necessary for new drugs to be reviewed and/or approved by necessary government agencies, which would adversely affect our business. In 2025, the U.S. government has, among other measures, issued executive orders and undertaken reductions in force that have adversely impacted FDA staffing and resources. Such changes could significantly impact the ability of the FDA to timely review and take action on our regulatory submissions, which could have a material adverse effect on our business. In addition, changes in the requirements and policies of the FDA and other regulatory agencies with jurisdiction over our products, including applicable pricing and reimbursement frameworks under federal healthcare programs, could affect the commercial viability of our products, create revenue uncertainty, and impact our ability to achieve profitability. Additionally, regulatory changes may introduce new challenges in obtaining FDA approval or navigating commercialization, and any delay in securing applicable regulatory approvals would adversely affect our business and prospects. These uncertainties could also present new challenges and/or opportunities for our FDA accepted BLA resubmission and make other preparations for potential commercialization. Any delay in obtaining, or our inability to obtain, applicable regulatory approvals would delay or prevent commercialization of apitegromab and could materially adversely impact our business and prospects.
Risk Highlights Q2, 2026
Risk Word Cloud
Risk Factors Full Breakdown - Total Risks 70
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 1The price of our stock is volatile, and you could lose all or part of your investment.
Similar to the trading prices of the common stock of other biopharmaceutical companies, the trading price of our common stock is subject to wide fluctuations in response to various factors, some of which are beyond our control, including limited trading volume. In addition to the factors discussed in this "Risk Factors" section and elsewhere in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, these factors include: - announcements of significant acquisitions, strategic collaborations or partnerships, joint ventures or capital commitments by us, our collaborators or our competitors;- actual or anticipated variations in quarterly operating results or our cash position;- our failure to meet the estimates and projections of the investment community or that we may otherwise provide to the public;- changes in accounting practices; and - significant lawsuits, including patent or stockholder litigation. In addition, the stock market in general, and the market for biopharmaceutical companies in particular, have experienced extreme price and volume fluctuations that have often been unrelated or disproportionate to the operating performance of these companies. Broad market and industry factors may negatively affect the market price of our common stock, regardless of our actual operating performance. In the past, securities class action litigation has often been instituted against companies following periods of volatility in the market price of a company's securities. This type of litigation, if instituted, could result in substantial costs and a diversion of management's attention and resources, which would harm our business, operating results or financial condition.
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 2The members of our board of directors, management, and their affiliates, own a significant percentage of our stock and will be able to exert significant control over matters subject to stockholder approval.
As of June 30, 2026, our executive officers, directors and their affiliates beneficially hold, in the aggregate, approximately 8% of our outstanding voting stock. These stockholders, acting together, are able to significantly influence all matters requiring stockholder approval. For example, these stockholders are able to significantly influence elections of directors, amendments of our organizational documents, or approval of any merger, sale of assets, or other major corporate transaction. This may prevent or discourage unsolicited acquisition proposals or offers for our common stock that you may feel are in your best interest as one of our stockholders.
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 3Our amended and restated bylaws contain certain exclusive forum provisions requiring that substantially all disputes between us and our stockholders be resolved in certain judicial forums, which could limit our stockholders' ability to obtain a favorable judicial forum for disputes with us or our directors, officers or employees.
Our amended and restated bylaws provide that the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware will be the exclusive forum for any derivative action or proceeding brought on our behalf, any action asserting a breach of fiduciary duty, any action asserting a claim against us arising pursuant to the Delaware General Corporation Law, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation or our bylaws, any action to interpret, apply, enforce, or determine the validity of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation or bylaws, or any action asserting a claim against us that is governed by the internal affairs doctrine. In addition, our amended and restated bylaws contain a provision by virtue of which, unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts will be the exclusive forum for any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act. In addition, our amended and restated bylaws provide that any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in shares of our common stock is deemed to have notice of and consented to the foregoing provisions, however, stockholders cannot and will not be deemed to have waived compliance with federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder. We have chosen the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts as the exclusive forum for such causes of action because our principal executive offices are located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Some companies that have adopted similar federal district court forum selection provisions have had such provisions challenged in legal proceedings by stockholders. While the Delaware Supreme Court ruled in March 2020 in Salzburg et al. v. Sciabacucchi that federal forum selection provisions purporting to require claims under the Securities Act be brought in federal court are "facially valid" under Delaware law, there is uncertainty as to whether other courts will enforce our federal forum selection provision, and we may incur additional costs of litigation should such enforceability be challenged. If the federal forum selection provision is otherwise found inapplicable to, or unenforceable in respect of, one or more of the specified actions or proceedings, we may incur additional costs, which could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations. We recognize that the federal district court forum selection clause may impose additional litigation costs on stockholders who assert the provision is not enforceable and may impose more general additional litigation costs in pursuing any such claims, particularly if the stockholders do not reside in or near the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Additionally, the choice of forum provision may limit a stockholder's ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum that it finds favorable for disputes with us or our directors, officers or other employees, which may discourage such lawsuits against us and our directors, officers and other employees. Alternatively, if a court were to find the choice of forum provision contained in our amended and restated bylaws to be inapplicable or unenforceable in an action, we may incur additional costs associated with resolving such action in other jurisdictions, which could adversely affect our business and financial condition.
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 4We have issued a substantial number of warrants and equity awards from our equity plans which are exercisable into shares of our common stock which could result in substantial dilution to the ownership interests of our existing stockholders.
As of June 30, 2026, approximately 10,558,065 shares of our common stock were reserved for issuance upon exercise of pre-funded warrants, which are already included in our calculation of our weighted average common shares outstanding. Additionally, 11,735,938 shares of our common stock were reserved for issuance upon exercise of outstanding stock options, vested restricted stock units and vested performance stock units. The exercise of these securities will result in a significant increase in the number of outstanding shares and substantially dilute the ownership interests of our existing stockholders. The shares underlying the equity awards from our equity plans are registered on a Form S-8 registration statement. As a result, upon vesting these shares can be freely exercised and sold in the public market upon issuance, subject to volume limitations applicable to affiliates. The exercise of options and the subsequent sale of the underlying common stock could cause a decline in our stock price.
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 5Sales of a substantial number of shares of our common stock in the public market could cause our stock price to fall.
The sales of a substantial number of the shares and/or the exercise and sale of a substantial number of the pre-funded warrants and common stock purchase warrants in the public market or the perception that these sales might occur could depress the market price of our common stock and could impair our ability to raise capital through the sale of additional equity securities. We are unable to predict the effect that sales may have on the prevailing market price of our common stock. In addition, the sale of substantial amounts of our common stock could adversely impact the price of our common stock. The sale, or the availability for sale, of a large number of shares of our common stock in the public market could cause the price of our common stock to decline.
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 6The sale or issuance of our common stock to, or through, Jefferies may cause significant dilution and the sale of the shares of common stock acquired by Jefferies, or the perception that such sales may occur, could cause the price of our common stock to fall.
On November 14, 2022, we entered into a sales agreement with Jefferies, pursuant to which we may offer and sell our common stock, subject to certain limitations in the sales agreement and compliance with applicable law, at any time throughout the term of the sales agreement. The number of shares that are sold by Jefferies after delivering a placement notice will fluctuate based on the market price of the common stock during the sales period and limits we set with Jefferies. Because the price per share of each share sold will fluctuate based on the market price of our common stock during the sales period, it is not possible at this stage to predict the number of shares that will be ultimately issued. Sales to, or through, Jefferies by us could result in substantial dilution to the interests of other holders of our common stock. Additionally, the sale of a substantial number of shares of our common stock, or the anticipation of such sales, could make it more difficult for us to sell equity or equity-related securities in the future at a time and at a price that we might otherwise wish to effect sales. From January 1, 2026 through June 30, 2026, we sold 3,543,692 shares of our common stock resulting in net proceeds to us of $160.8 million pursuant to the Jefferies sales agreement.
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 7Anti-takeover provisions under our charter documents and Delaware law could delay or prevent a change of control which could limit the market price of our common stock and may prevent or frustrate attempts by our stockholders to replace or remove our current management.
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws contain provisions that could delay or prevent a change of control of our company or changes in our board of directors that our stockholders might consider favorable. Some of these provisions include: - a board of directors divided into three classes serving staggered three-year terms, such that not all members of the board will be elected at one time;- a prohibition on stockholder action through written consent, which requires that all stockholder actions be taken at a meeting of our stockholders;- a requirement that special meetings of stockholders be called only by the chairman of the board of directors, the chief executive officer, or by a majority of the total number of authorized directors;- advance notice requirements for stockholder proposals and nominations for election to our board of directors;- a requirement that no member of our board of directors may be removed from office by our stockholders except for cause and, in addition to any other vote required by law, upon the approval of not less than two thirds of all outstanding shares of our voting stock then entitled to vote in the election of directors;- a requirement of approval of not less than two thirds of all outstanding shares of our voting stock to amend any bylaws by stockholder action or to amend specific provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation; and - the authority of the board of directors to issue convertible preferred stock on terms determined by the board of directors without stockholder approval and which convertible preferred stock may include rights superior to the rights of the holders of common stock. In addition, because we are incorporated in Delaware, we are governed by the provisions of Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, which may prohibit certain business combinations with stockholders owning 15% or more of our outstanding voting stock. These anti-takeover provisions and other provisions in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws could make it more difficult for stockholders or potential acquirers to obtain control of our board of directors or initiate actions that are opposed by the then current board of directors and could also delay or impede a merger, tender offer or proxy contest involving our company. These provisions could also discourage proxy contests and make it more difficult for you and other stockholders to elect directors of your choosing or cause us to take other corporate actions you desire. Any delay or prevention of a change of control transaction or changes in our board of directors could cause the market price of our common stock to decline.
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 8If securities or industry analysts publish inaccurate or unfavorable research about our business, our stock price and trading volume could decline.
The trading market for our common stock depends in part on the research and reports that securities or industry analysts publish about us or our business. If one or more of the analysts who covers us downgrades our stock or publishes inaccurate or unfavorable research about our business, our stock price may decline. If one or more of these analysts ceases coverage of our company or fails to publish reports on us regularly, demand for our stock could decrease, which might cause our stock price and trading volume to decline.
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