Legend Biotech (LEGN) Risk Analysis

Our product candidates and the activities associated with their development and commercialization, including their design, research, testing, manufacture, safety, efficacy, quality control, recordkeeping, labeling, packaging, storage, approval, advertising, promotion, sale, distribution, import, export, and reporting of safety and other post-market information, are subject to comprehensive regulation, including by the FDA, the NMPA, the EMA, the PMDA and other comparable regulatory authorities in other jurisdictions, including the EU. Failure to obtain marketing approval for a product candidate will prevent us from commercializing the product candidate. We have only limited experience in filing and supporting the applications necessary to gain marketing approvals and may rely on third-party CROs to assist us in this process. Securing marketing approval requires the submission of extensive preclinical and clinical data and supporting information to regulatory authorities for each therapeutic indication to establish the product candidate's safety and efficacy. Securing marketing approval also requires the submission of information about the product manufacturing process to, and inspection of manufacturing facilities by, the regulatory authorities. Our product candidates may not be effective, may be only moderately effective or may prove to have undesirable or unintended side effects, toxicities or other characteristics that may preclude our obtaining marketing approval or prevent or limit commercial use. Further, in connection with marketing approval, the accompanying label for a product may limit its approved use, which could limit sales of the product. The process of obtaining marketing approvals, both in the United States and abroad, is expensive and may take many years, if approval is obtained at all, and can vary substantially based upon a variety of factors, including the type, complexity and novelty of the product candidates involved. Securing marketing approval requires the submission of extensive preclinical and clinical data and supporting information to regulatory authorities for each therapeutic indication to establish the product candidate's safety and efficacy. Securing marketing approval also requires the submission of information about the product manufacturing process to, and inspection of manufacturing facilities by, the regulatory authorities. The FDA, the NMPA, the EMA, the PMDA or other regulatory authorities may determine that our product candidates are not safe and effective, only moderately effective or have undesirable or unintended side effects, toxicities or other characteristics that preclude our obtaining marketing approval or prevent or limit commercial use. Any marketing approval we ultimately obtain for a product candidate may be limited or subject to restrictions or post-approval commitments that render the approved product not commercially viable. In addition, changes in marketing approval policies during the development period, changes in or the enactment of additional statutes or regulations, or changes in regulatory review for each submitted product application, may cause delays in the approval or rejection of an application. Regulatory authorities have substantial discretion in the approval process and may refuse to accept any application or may decide that our data is insufficient for approval and require additional preclinical, clinical or other studies. In addition, varying interpretations of the data obtained from preclinical and clinical testing could delay, limit or prevent marketing approval of a product candidate. Any marketing approval we ultimately obtain may be limited or subject to restrictions or post-approval commitments that render the approved product not commercially viable. Any marketing approval we ultimately obtain may be limited or subject to restrictions or post-approval commitments that render the approved product not commercially viable. If we experience delays in obtaining approval or if we fail to obtain approval of our product candidates, the commercial prospects for our product candidates may be harmed and our ability to generate revenue will be impaired. In order to market and sell our products in the EU, Japan, China and any other international jurisdictions, we must obtain separate marketing approvals and comply with numerous and varying regulatory requirements. The approval procedure varies among countries and can involve additional testing. The time required to obtain approval elsewhere may differ substantially from that required to obtain approval from the FDA. The regulatory approval process outside the United States generally includes all of the risks associated with obtaining approval from the FDA. In addition, in many countries outside the United States, it is required that the product be approved for reimbursement before the product can be approved for sale in that country. We may not obtain approvals from regulatory authorities outside the United States on a timely basis, if at all. Approval by the FDA does not ensure approval by regulatory authorities in other countries or jurisdictions, and approval by one regulatory authority outside the United States does not ensure approval by regulatory authorities in other countries or jurisdictions or by the FDA. However, failure to obtain approval in one jurisdiction may impact our ability to obtain approval elsewhere. We may not be able to file for marketing approvals and may not receive necessary approvals to commercialize our products in any market.

Obtaining and maintaining regulatory approval of our product candidates in one jurisdiction does not guarantee that we will be able to obtain or maintain regulatory approval in any other jurisdiction, but a failure or delay in obtaining regulatory approval in one jurisdiction may have a negative effect on the regulatory approval process in others. For example, even if the FDA grants marketing approval of a product candidate, comparable regulatory authorities in other jurisdictions must also approve the manufacturing, marketing and promotion of the product candidate in those countries. Approval procedures vary among jurisdictions and can involve requirements and administrative review periods different from those in the United States, including additional preclinical studies or clinical trials as clinical studies conducted in one jurisdiction may not be accepted by regulatory authorities in other jurisdictions. In many jurisdictions outside the United States, a product must obtain pricing and/or reimbursement approvals before it can be sold in those jurisdictions. Obtaining regulatory approvals outside of the United States and compliance with regulatory requirements outside of the United States could result in significant delays, difficulties and costs for us and could delay or prevent the introduction of our products in certain countries. If we fail to comply with the regulatory requirements in international markets and/or to receive applicable marketing approvals, our target market will be reduced and our ability to realize the full market potential of our product candidates will be harmed.

Even if marketing approval of a product candidate is granted, an approved product and its manufacturer and marketer are subject to ongoing review and extensive regulatory requirements for manufacturing processes, labeling, packaging, distribution, adverse event reporting, storage, advertising, promotion, sampling, and recordkeeping, including the potential requirements to implement a REMs program (which is a requirement for FDA's approval of CARVYKTI) or equivalent foreign program or to conduct costly post-marketing studies or clinical trials and surveillance to monitor the safety or efficacy of the product. We must also comply with requirements concerning advertising and promotion for any of our product candidates for which we obtain marketing approval. Promotional communications with respect to prescription drugs are subject to a variety of legal and regulatory restrictions and must be consistent with the information in the product's approved labeling. Thus, we will not be able to promote any products we develop for indications or uses for which they are not approved. In addition, manufacturers of approved products and those manufacturers' facilities are required to comply with extensive regulatory requirements of the FDA, the NMPA, the European Commission, the PMDA and other regulatory authorities, including ensuring that quality control and manufacturing procedures conform to cGMP and other comparable regulations and standards, which include requirements relating to quality control and quality assurance as well as the corresponding maintenance of records and documentation and reporting requirements. We or our suppliers could be subject to periodic unannounced inspections by the FDA, the NMPA, the European Commission, the PMDA or other regulatory authorities to monitor and ensure compliance with cGMP. Accordingly, we and our suppliers will continue to expend time, money and effort in all areas of regulatory compliance, including manufacturing, production, product surveillance and quality control. If we are not able to comply with post-approval regulatory requirements, we could have the marketing approvals for our products withdrawn by regulatory authorities and our ability to market any future products could be limited, which could adversely affect our ability to achieve or sustain profitability. Thus, the cost of compliance with post-approval regulations may have a negative effect on our operating results and financial condition.

The FDA and other federal and state agencies, including the U.S. Department of Justice ("DOJ") and equivalent regulatory authorities outside of the United States closely regulate compliance with all requirements governing prescription products, including requirements pertaining to marketing and promotion of products in accordance with the provisions of the approved labeling and manufacturing of products in accordance with cGMP requirements. The FDA, DOJ and equivalent regulatory authorities outside of the United States impose stringent restrictions on manufacturers' communications regarding off-label use and if we do not market our products for their approved indications, or if other of our marketing claims are deemed false or misleading, we may be subject to enforcement action. Violations of such requirements may lead to investigations alleging violations of the U.S. federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (the "Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act") and other statutes, including the U.S. federal False Claims Act (the "False Claims Act") and other federal, state or foreign health care fraud and abuse laws as well as state or foreign consumer protection laws. Our failure to comply with all regulatory requirements, and later discovery of previously unknown adverse events or other problems with our product or any future products, manufacturers or manufacturing processes, may yield various results, including: - litigation involving patients taking our product or any future products;- restrictions on such products, manufacturers or manufacturing processes;- restrictions on the labeling or marketing of any such product;- restrictions on product distribution or use;- requirements to conduct post-marketing studies or clinical trials;- warning or untitled letters;- withdrawal of such products from the market;- refusal to approve pending applications or supplements to approved applications that we submit;- recall of such products;- fines, restitution or disgorgement of profits or revenue;- suspension, variation or withdrawal of marketing approvals;- suspension of any ongoing clinical trials;- damage to relationships with any potential collaborators;- unfavorable press coverage and damage to our reputation;- refusal to permit the import or export of such products;- product seizure; or - injunctions or the imposition of civil or criminal penalties. Noncompliance by us or any future collaborator with regulatory requirements regarding safety monitoring or pharmacovigilance, and with requirements related to the development of products for the pediatric population, can also result in significant financial penalties. Similarly, failure to comply with regulatory requirements regarding the protection of personal information can also lead to significant penalties and sanctions. If any of these events occurs, our ability to sell such product may be impaired, and we may incur substantial additional expense to comply with regulatory requirements, which could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

A material portion of our research and development operations and our manufacturing facilities for China are located in China, which we believe confers clinical, commercial and regulatory advantages. The pharmaceutical industry in China is subject to comprehensive government regulation and supervision, encompassing the approval, registration, manufacturing, packaging, licensing and marketing of new drugs. See "Item 4.B. Information On The Company-Business Overview-Government Regulation- PRC Regulation" of this Annual Report for a discussion of the regulatory requirements that are applicable to our current business activities in China. For example, approval from the relevant human genetics resources authorities is required in international collaboration projects using China's human genetic resources except for in certain circumstances stipulated in the HGR Regulation. Due to certain restrictions of practical operations which are beyond our control, we cannot assure you that we have obtained all required approvals under China's human genetic resources laws and regulations in a timely manner, or at all. We are paying attention to regulatory trends and are in the process of applying for and obtaining such approvals from the relevant regulatory authority. The failure to obtain such approval could cause relevant international collaboration projects to be suspended by governing authorities, may result in fines and other penalties, and also may constitute a breach under our agreements with certain CROs. According to PRC laws and regulations, entities are required to obtain an export certificate from governmental authorities if they plan to transport, mail or carry China's human genetic resources out of China in projects of international collaboration in scientific research by using China's human genetic resources. The export certificate for China's human genetic resources is a requirement of customs formalities. The failure to obtain such export certificate in relevant export activities could cause governmental authorities to suspend such activities, confiscate the human genetic resources illegally collected and preserved and illegal gains, impose fines and restrictions on business activities such entities and their responsible persons, and even may result in criminal liability if relevant export activities constitute a crime. There is no assurance that we can always obtain relevant approvals for the export of China's human genetic resources out of China. Furthermore, under relevant PRC laws and regulations, a license for use of laboratory animals is required for performing experimentation on animals. Any failure to fully comply with such requirement may result in the invalidation of our experimental data. In addition, with respect to our collaboration partner, any failure to comply with existing or future laws and regulations regulated by NHC and other administration authorities related to the management of cell therapy investigator-initiated clinical trials in China could lead to government penalties, suspension of related activities, or breach liability. Compliance or the failure to comply with such laws and regulations could increase the costs of, limit and cause significant delay in these investigator-initiated clinical trials and research and development activities, which could materially and adversely affect our business, operation and prospects as well. However, we do not have control over our collaborators and cannot compel them to comply with NHC and other administration authorities' requirements. Therefore, we cannot assure you that any required registration or filing procedures of our collaborators under laws will be completed in a timely manner, or at all. In recent years, the regulatory framework in China regarding the pharmaceutical industry has undergone significant changes, and we expect that it will continue to undergo significant changes. Any such changes or amendments may result in increased compliance costs on our business or cause delays in or prevent the successful development or commercialization of our product candidates in China and reduce the current benefits we believe are available to us from developing and manufacturing drugs in China. PRC authorities have become increasingly vigilant in enforcing laws in the pharmaceutical industry and any failure by us or our partners to maintain compliance with applicable laws and regulations or obtain and maintain required licenses and permits may result in the suspension or termination of our business activities in China, and even administrative penalties. We believe our strategy and approach are aligned with the PRC government's regulatory policies, but we cannot ensure that our strategy and approach will continue to be aligned.

Laws and regulations related to the management of human genetic resources in China are rapidly evolving and the enforcement thereof is likely to remain uncertain for the foreseeable future. On June 10, 1998, the Ministry of Science and Technology ("MOST"), and the Ministry of Health jointly issued the Interim Measures for the Administration of Human Genetic Resources and established the rules for protecting and utilizing human genetic resources ("HGR"), in China. MOST and other regulatory agencies in China have been focused on HGR legislation, and proactively sought opinions from the public on draft regulations. In 2015, MOST issued a Guideline on HGR and reinforced its legislative efforts in HGR administration. In May 2019, the Regulation on Human Genetic Resources Management was put in place. The State Council promulgated the HGR Regulation on June 10, 2019 and it became effective on July 1, 2019. On March 10, 2024, the State Council promulgated the newly revised HGR Regulation (the "HGR Regulation"), which became effective on May 1, 2024. According to the HGR Regulation, NHC is responsible for the management of human genetic resources nationwide. The HGR Regulation prohibits non-PRC entities or individuals or such entities established or actually controlled thereby, or "Foreign Persons," from collecting or preserving China HGR in China, or providing China HGR abroad, whereas activities of collection and preservation of organs, tissues and cells for purposes of clinical diagnosis and treatment, service of blood collection and provision, investigation of illegal activities, doping test and funeral service, are required to be conducted in accordance with other relevant laws and regulations. The HGR Regulation permits Foreign Persons' limited use of China HGR "to carry out scientific research activities," which must be conducted through collaboration with Chinese scientific research institutions, higher education institutions, medical institutions, or enterprises, collectively, the "Chinese Entities." Such activities must be approved by NHC, and the application for approval must be filed jointly by the Foreign Person and the relevant Chinese Entity. The only exception to the approval requirement is "international collaboration in clinical trials" that do not involve the outbound transfer of China HGR materials such as organs, tissues, or cells comprising the human genome, genes, or other genetic substances, collectively, China HGR Materials. Such clinical trial collaboration, however, must still be pre-registered with NHC. There remain significant uncertainties as to how provisions of the HGR Regulation might be interpreted and implemented. Short-term storage of samples of laboratory testing by foreign laboratories or foreign-invested laboratories may also be interpreted as preserving China HGR, thus being subjected to NHC application, approval or pre-registration processes. On October 17, 2020, the SCNPC promulgated the Biosecurity Law of the PRC (the "Biosecurity Law") which was newly revised and became effective on April 26, 2024. The Biosecurity Law, among other things, restates relevant approval or pre-registration requirements of HGR collection, preservation, utilization and external provision, as provided in the HGR Regulation. Moreover, the promulgation of the new law, which takes the form of national law, further demonstrates the commitments of protecting China HGR and safeguarding state biosecurity by the PRC government. Failure to comply with existing or future HGR laws and regulations, including the HGR Regulation and the Biosecurity Law, may subject us to penalties, including fines, suspension of related activities and confiscation of related HGR and gains generated from conducting these activities, or breach liability. If the circumstances are serious, entities and their responsible person may be prohibited from engaging in activities such as collection, preservation, usage and outbound of China's HGR within a period or permanently. In addition, it may result in criminal liability if relevant activities constitute crime. There is no assurance that we can always complete all application, approval or pre-registration processes according to existing or future HGR laws and regulations.

In 1979, the PRC government began to promulgate a comprehensive system of laws and regulations governing economic matters in general. The overall effect of legislation over the past four decades has significantly enhanced the protections afforded to various forms of foreign investment in China. Our PRC subsidiaries are subject to laws and regulations applicable to foreign-invested enterprises in China. In particular, they are subject to PRC laws, rules and regulations governing foreign companies' ownership and operation of pharmaceutical businesses. Such laws and regulations are subject to change, and their interpretation and enforcement involve uncertainties, which could limit the legal protections available to us and our investors. In addition, we cannot predict the effect of future developments in the PRC legal system, including the promulgation of new laws, changes to existing laws or the interpretation or enforcement of such laws, or the preemption of local regulations by PRC laws, rules and regulations. Moreover, the PRC legal system is a civil law system based on written statutes. Unlike the common law system, prior court decisions may be cited for reference but have limited precedential value. China has not developed a fully integrated legal system, and recently enacted laws, rules and regulations may not sufficiently cover all aspects of economic activities in China or may be subject to further interpretation by PRC regulatory agencies and enforcement by courts. Therefore, it is possible that our existing operations may be found not to be in full compliance with relevant laws and regulations in the future. In addition, the PRC legal system is based in part on government policies and internal rules, some of which are not published on a timely basis or at all, and which may have a retroactive effect. As a result, we may not be aware of our violation of these policies and rules until after the occurrence of the violation. Recently, the PRC government has indicated an intent to exert more oversight and control over offerings that are conducted outside of the PRC and/or investment by non-PRC investors in issuers with operations in China, and initiated a series of regulatory actions and made a number of public statements, including cracking down on illegal activities in the securities market, enhancing supervision over companies with operations in China to be listed outside of the PRC, adopting new measures to extend the scope of cybersecurity reviews, and expanding efforts in anti-monopoly enforcement. As a result, risks to our business arise from, among other things, the complex and evolving PRC legal system, frequent changes in laws, regulations and government policies, uncertainties, difficulties or delays in obtaining regulatory approvals or completing filing procedures for listing on a non-PRC stock exchange or conducting certain business activities and increasing oversight on cybersecurity and data privacy related to the PRC government's recently issued statements and instituted regulatory actions and could result in actions taken against the assets of our PRC subsidiaries, which could materially and adversely affect our operations in the PRC, and could significantly limit, delay or hinder our ability to offer or continue to offer securities to investors, or cause the value of such securities to significantly decline. Any administrative and court proceedings in China may be protracted, resulting in substantial costs and diversion of resources and management attention. Since PRC administrative and court authorities have significant discretion in interpreting and implementing statutory and contractual terms, it may be more difficult to evaluate the outcome of administrative and court proceedings and the level of legal protection we enjoy than in more developed legal systems. These uncertainties may impede our ability to enforce the contracts we have entered into and could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

The PRC government has significant oversight and discretion over the conduct of our business and may intervene or influence our operations as the government deems appropriate to further regulatory, political and societal goals. The PRC government has recently published new policies that significantly affected certain industries such as the education and internet industries, and we cannot rule out the possibility that it will in the future release regulations or policies regarding our industry that could require us to seek permission from PRC authorities to continue to operate our business in the PRC, which could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations, as well as adversely impact the value of the ADSs, causing them to significantly decline in value. Furthermore, recent statements made by the PRC government have indicated an intent to increase the government's oversight and control over offerings of companies with significant operations in China that are to be conducted in foreign markets, as well as foreign investment in issuers with operations in China like us. Any such action, once taken by the PRC government, could result in action taken by the PRC against our PRC subsidiaries and could significantly limit, delay or hinder our ability to offer or continue to offer securities to investors, or cause the value of such securities to significantly decline.

There has been heightened governmental scrutiny in the United States, China, the EU, Japan and other jurisdictions of pharmaceutical pricing practices in light of the rising cost of prescription drugs. In the United States, such scrutiny has resulted in several recent Congressional inquiries and proposed and enacted federal legislation designed to, among other things, bring more transparency to product pricing, review the relationship between pricing and manufacturer patient programs, and reform government program reimbursement methodologies for products. At the federal level, Congressional leadership has each indicated that it will continue to seek new legislative and/or administrative measures to control drug costs. At the state level, legislatures have increasingly enacted legislation and implemented regulations designed to control pharmaceutical and biological product pricing, including price or patient reimbursement constraints, discounts, restrictions on certain product access and marketing cost disclosure and transparency measures, and, in some cases, designed to encourage importation from other countries and bulk purchasing. Outside of the United States, particularly in countries within the EU, the pricing and reimbursement of certain pharmaceuticals is subject to governmental control. In these countries, pricing and reimbursement negotiations with governmental authorities can take considerable time after the receipt of marketing approval for a product. To obtain coverage and reimbursement or pricing approval in some EU countries, we may be required to conduct a clinical trial that compares the cost-effectiveness of our product candidate to other available therapies. Health Technology Assessment ("HTA"), of medicinal products is becoming an increasingly common part of the pricing and reimbursement procedures in some of the member states of the EU (the "EU Member States"), including those representing the larger markets. The HTA process is the procedure to assess therapeutic, economic and societal impact of a given medicinal product in the national healthcare systems of the individual country. The outcome of an HTA will often influence the pricing and reimbursement status granted to these medicinal products by the competent authorities of individual EU Member States. The extent to which pricing and reimbursement decisions are influenced by the HTA of the specific medicinal product currently varies between EU Member States. On January 31, 2018, the European Commission adopted a proposal for a regulation on health technologies assessment (the "HTA Regulation"). The HTA Regulation is intended to boost cooperation among EU Member States in assessing health technologies, including new medicinal products, and providing the basis for cooperation at EU level for joint clinical assessments in these areas. In December 2021 the HTA Regulation was adopted and entered into force on January 11, 2022. It will apply from 2025. If reimbursement of our product candidates is unavailable or limited in scope or amount, or if pricing is set at unsatisfactory levels, our business could be harmed.

In the United States and many other countries, rising healthcare costs have been a concern for governments, patients and the health insurance sector, which resulted in a number of changes to laws and regulations, and may result in further legislative and regulatory action regarding the healthcare and health insurance systems that could affect our and our collaborator's ability to profitably sell any products or product candidates for which we or our collaboration may obtain marketing approval, including CARVYKTI. For example, the ACA was enacted in the United States in March 2010 with the stated goals of containing healthcare costs, improving quality and expanding access to healthcare, and includes measures to change healthcare delivery, increase the number of individuals with insurance, ensure access to certain basic healthcare services, and contain the rising cost of care. There have been legal and political challenges to certain aspects of the ACA. For example, on July 4, 2025, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (the "OBBBA") was signed into law, which narrowed access to ACA marketplace exchange enrollment and declined to extend the ACA enhanced advanced premium tax credits that expired at the end of 2025, which,among other provisions in the law, are anticipated to reduce the number of Americans with health insurance. The OBBBA also is expected to reduce Medicaid spending and enrollment by implementing work requirements for some beneficiaries, capping state-directed payments, reducing federal funding, and limiting provider taxes used to fund the program. Congress is considering proposed legislation intended to further reduce healthcare costs with alternatives to replace the expired ACA subsidies. It is possible that the ACA will be subject to judicial or Congressional challenges in the future. It is unclear how such challenges and the healthcare reform measures of the current administration will impact the ACA. In addition, other federal health reform measures have been proposed and adopted in the United States that may impact reimbursement by Medicare or other government healthcare programs. For example, as a result of the Budget Control Act of 2011, providers are subject to Medicare payment reductions of 2% per fiscal year and, due to subsequent legislative amendments to the statute, will remain in effect until 2032 unless additional Congressional action is taken. Any reduction in reimbursement from Medicare or other government healthcare programs may result in a similar reduction in payments from private payors, or private payors may independently reduce reimbursement under their health plans. Further, there has been heightened governmental scrutiny in the United States of pharmaceutical pricing practices in light of the rising cost of prescription drugs and biologics. Such scrutiny has resulted in several presidential executive orders, Congressional inquiries and proposed and enacted federal and state legislation designed to, among other things, bring more transparency to product pricing, review the relationship between pricing and manufacturer patient programs, and reform government program reimbursement methodologies for products. The current administration is pursuing policies to reduce regulations and expenditures across government agencies including at HHS, the FDA, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and related agencies. These actions, presently directed by executive orders or memoranda from the Office of Management and Budget, may propose policy changes that create additional uncertainty for our business. For example, the current administration has announced agreements with certain pharmaceutical companies that require the drug manufacturers to offer, through a direct-to-consumer platform, U.S. patients and Medicaid programs prescription drug Most-Favored Nation pricing equal to or lower than those paid in other developed nations, with additional mandates for direct-to-patient discounts and repatriation of foreign revenues. Other recent actions, for example, include (1) directing agencies to reduce agency workforce and cut programs; (2) directing HHS and other agencies to lower prescription drug costs through a variety of initiatives, including by improving upon the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program and establishing Most-Favored-Nation pricing for pharmaceutical products; (3) imposing tariffs on imported pharmaceutical products; and (4) as part of the Make America Healthy Again Commission's Strategy Report released in September 2025, working across government agencies to increase enforcement on direct-to-consumer pharmaceutical advertising. Additionally, the current administration recently called on Congress to enact "The Great Healthcare Plan," to codify and expand Most-Favored Nation pricing, lower government subsidies to private insurance companies, increase healthcare price transparency, expand pharmaceutical drugs available for over-the-counter purchase, and enact restrictions on pharmacy benefit manager payment methodologies, among other things. These actions and policies may significantly reduce U.S. drug prices, potentially impacting manufacturers' global pricing strategies and profitability, while increasing their operational costs and compliance risks. In June 2024, in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo, the U.S. Supreme Court greatly reduced judicial deference to regulatory agencies, which could increase successful legal challenges to federal regulations affecting our operations. Congress may introduce and ultimately pass health care related legislation that could impact the drug approval process and make changes to the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program. These and other healthcare reform initiatives may result in additional reductions in Medicare and other healthcare funding. At the state level, legislatures have increasingly passed legislation and implemented regulations designed to control pharmaceutical and biological product pricing, including price or patient reimbursement constraints, discounts, restrictions on certain product access and marketing cost disclosure and transparency measures, and, in some cases, designed to encourage importation from other countries and bulk purchasing. We cannot predict the likelihood, nature, or extent of health reform initiatives that may arise from future legislation or administrative action. We expect that healthcare reform measures that may be adopted in the future may result in more rigorous coverage criteria and lower reimbursement, and in additional downward pressure on the price of pharmaceutical products. Failure by us or our collaborators to obtain or maintain adequate coverage and reimbursement for any approved products, including CARVYKTI, could materially and adversely affect the revenue or sales of such products. In December 2021 the European Parliament adopted the HTA Regulation which, when it enters into application in 2025, will be intended to harmonize the clinical benefit assessment of HTA across the EU. If we are unable to maintain favorable pricing and reimbursement status in EU Member States for product candidates that we may successfully develop and for which we may obtain regulatory approval, any anticipated revenue from and growth prospects for those products in the EU could be negatively affected.

We are subject to export control and import laws and regulations, including the U.S. Export Administration Regulations, U.S. Customs regulations, and various economic and trade sanctions regulations administered by the U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Controls, the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended ("FCPA"), the U.S. domestic bribery statute contained in 18 U.S.C. § 201, the U.S. Travel Act, the USA PATRIOT Act, and other state and national anti-bribery and anti-money laundering laws in the countries in which we conduct activities. Compliance with export control and sanctions laws may create delays in the introduction of our products in international markets or, in some cases, prevent the export of our products to some countries altogether. Furthermore, export control laws and economic sanctions prohibit the provision of certain products and services to countries, governments and persons targeted by sanctions. Anti-corruption laws are interpreted broadly and prohibit companies and their employees, agents, contractors, and other collaborators from authorizing, promising, offering, or providing, directly or indirectly, improper payments or anything else of value to recipients in the public or private sector. The FCPA also requires public companies to make and keep books and records that accurately and fairly reflect the transactions of the corporation and to devise and maintain an adequate system of internal accounting controls. We may engage third parties to sell our products outside the United States, to conduct clinical trials, and/ or to obtain necessary permits, licenses, patent registrations, and other marketing approvals. We have direct or indirect interactions with officials and employees of government agencies or government-affiliated hospitals, universities, and other organizations. We can be held liable for the corrupt or other illegal activities of our employees, agents, contractors, and other collaborators, even if we do not explicitly authorize or have actual knowledge of such activities. Any violations of the laws and regulations described above may result in substantial civil and criminal fines and penalties, imprisonment, the loss of export or import privileges, debarment, tax reassessments, breach of contract and fraud litigation, reputational harm, and other consequences.

The ability of the FDA and comparable foreign regulatory authorities to review and approve new products can be affected by a variety of factors, including government budget and funding levels, ability to hire and retain key personnel and accept the payment of user fees, and statutory, regulatory, and policy changes. Average review times at the agency have fluctuated in recent years as a result. In addition, government funding of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, and other government agencies on which our operations may rely, including those that fund research and development activities, is subject to the political process, which is inherently fluid and unpredictable. Disruptions at the FDA and other agencies and comparable regulatory authorities may also slow the time necessary for new drugs or biologics to be reviewed and/or approved by necessary government agencies and regulatory authorities, which would adversely affect our business. For example, over the last several years, including most recently in October 2025, the U.S. government has shut down several times and certain regulatory agencies, such as the FDA and the SEC, have had to furlough critical FDA, SEC and other government employees and stop critical activities. If a prolonged government shutdown occurs, it could significantly impact the ability of the FDA to timely review and process our regulatory submissions, which could have a material adverse effect on our business. The ability of the FDA and other government agencies to properly administer their functions is highly dependent on the levels of government funding and the ability to fill key leadership appointments, among various factors. Delays in filling or replacing key positions could significantly impact the ability of the FDA and other agencies to fulfill their functions, and could greatly impact healthcare and the pharmaceutical industry. In addition, the current administration has implemented substantial reductions in force at various government agencies including the FDA, which could significantly reduce the FDA's capacity to perform its functions in a manner consistent with its past practices and could delay reviews and negatively impact our business. There is increased uncertainty as to how the FDA and other regulatory agencies will regulate our products.

While our first product, CARVYKTI, was initially approved by the FDA in February 2022 for the treatment of adults with RRMM who have received four or more prior lines of therapy, including a proteasome inhibitor, an immunomodulatory agent, and an anti-CD38 monoclonal antibody and has received marketing authorizations from a limited number of additional jurisdictions, our success depends, in part, on our ability to continue to advance the development of CARVYKTI in earlier lines of MM treatment. In April 2024, FDA approved CARVYKTI for the treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma who have received at least one prior line of therapy, including proteasome inhibitor, and an immunomodulatory agent, and are refractory to lenalidomide. On April 22, 2024, the European Commission also approved CARVYKTI for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma who have received at least one prior line of therapy including a proteasome inhibitor ("PI") and an immunomodulatory agent ("IMiD"), have demonstrated disease progression on the last therapy and are refractory to lenalidomide. We also initiated the Phase 3 CARTITUDE-5 clinical trial during August 2021, targeting enrollment at approximately 650 patients, including but not limited to sites in the United States, EU, Canada, Australia, Korea and Japan. This clinical trial has completed enrollment and is comparing treatment with bortezomib, lenalidomide and dexamethasone ("VRd") followed by cilta-cel to treatment of VRd followed by lenalidomide and dexamethasone in newly diagnosed MM patients for whom hematopoietic stem cell transplant is not planned as an initial therapy. Furthermore, a Phase 3 CARTITUDE-6 clinical trial was initiated in October 2023, targeting enrollment at approximately 750 patients, including but not limited to sites in the United States, EU, Australia, Korea, and Israel. This clinical trial will compare treatment with daratumumab, bortezomib, lenalidomide and dexamethasone ("DVRd") followed by cilta-cel to treatment of DVRd followed by autologous stem cell transplant ("ASCT") in newly diagnosed MM patients. There is no assurance that these or any other future clinical trials for cilta-cel will be successful or will generate further positive clinical data, and we may not receive additional marketing approval from the FDA or other regulatory agencies for cilta-cel. In addition to cilta-cel, we have a broad portfolio of earlier-stage autologous CAR-T product candidates targeting various cancers, including but not limited to, gastric cancer, gastroesophageal cancer, pancreatic cancer, colorectal cancer, small cell lung cancer, and large cell neuroendocrine lung cancer. We are also developing allogeneic gamma delta CAR-T and allogeneic CAR-NK product candidates targeting BCMA and various Cluster of Differentiation targets (i.e., CD19, CD20) for MM and NHL, which are currently in investigator-initiated Phase 1 clinical trials in China. Additionally, we are developing each of an allogeneic and autologous CAR-T product candidate for autoimmune diseases, which are in Phase 1 clinical trials, in China. Furthermore, we are developing in-vivo CAR-T product candidates for NHL which are in investigator-initiated Phase 1 clinical trials in China, There is no assurance that these or any other future research and development activities or clinical trials of our product candidates will be successful or will generate positive clinical data, and we may not receive marketing approval from the FDA or other regulatory agencies, for any of our product candidates. There can be no assurance that the FDA will permit the Investigational New Drug ("IND") applications for our product candidates to go into effect in a timely manner or at all. Without an IND, we will not be permitted to conduct clinical trials in the United States. Biopharmaceutical development is a long, expensive and uncertain process, and delay or failure can occur at any stage of any of our clinical trials. Failure to obtain regulatory approval for our product candidates will prevent us from commercializing and marketing those product candidates. The success in the development of our product candidates will depend on many factors, including: - completing preclinical studies and receiving regulatory authorizations to conduct clinical trials for our preclinical-stage program product candidates;- obtaining positive results in our clinical trials to demonstrate efficacy, safety and durability of effect of our product candidates;- receiving approvals for commercialization of our product candidates from regulatory authorities;- manufacturing our product candidates at an acceptable quality and cost; and - maintaining and growing an organization of scientists, medical professionals and business people who can develop and commercialize our products and technology. Many of these factors are beyond our control, including the time needed to adequately complete clinical testing and the regulatory submission process. It is possible that none of our product candidates will ever obtain regulatory approval, even if we expend substantial time and resources seeking such approval. If we do not achieve one or more of these factors in a timely manner or at all, or any other factors impacting the successful development of biopharmaceutical products, we could experience significant delays or an inability to successfully develop our product candidates, which would materially harm our business.

Our business is substantially dependent on our ability to further advance the development of CARVYKTI, obtain regulatory approval for cilta-cel in other jurisdictions and for additional indications, obtain regulatory approval of our other product candidates, and successfully commercialize CARVYKTI and, if approved, our other product candidates. We cannot commercialize product candidates in the United States without first obtaining regulatory approval for the product from the FDA; similarly, we cannot commercialize product candidates in countries outside the United States without obtaining regulatory approval from comparable regulatory authorities in relevant jurisdictions, such as the NMPA in China, the European Commission, on the basis of the technical / scientific opinion issued by the European Medicines Agency ("EMA"), in the European Union and the PMDA in Japan. Before obtaining regulatory approvals for the commercial sale of any product candidate for a particular indication, we must demonstrate with substantial evidence gathered in preclinical and clinical studies that the product candidate is safe and effective for that indication and that the manufacturing facilities, processes and controls comply with regulatory requirements with respect to such product candidate. Prior to seeking approval for any of our product candidates, we will need to confer with the FDA, the NMPA, the EMA, the PMDA and other regulatory authorities regarding the design of our clinical trials and the type and amount of clinical data necessary to seek and gain approval for our product candidates. The time required to obtain marketing approval by the FDA, the NMPA, the European Commission, the PMDA and other regulatory authorities is unpredictable but typically takes many years following the commencement of preclinical studies and clinical trials and depends upon numerous factors, including the substantial discretion of the regulatory authorities. In addition, approval policies, regulations, or the type and amount of preclinical and clinical data necessary to gain approval may change during the course of a product candidate's research and development and may vary among jurisdictions. It is possible that none of our existing clinical- or preclinical-stage product candidates or any future product candidates will ever obtain regulatory approval. Our product candidates could fail to receive marketing regulatory approval from the FDA, the NMPA, the European Commission, the PMDA or other regulatory authorities for many reasons, including: - disagreement with the design, protocol or conduct of our clinical trials;- failure to demonstrate that a product candidate is safe and effective for its proposed indication;- failure of clinical trials to meet the level of statistical significance required for approval;- failure to demonstrate that a product candidate's clinical and other benefits outweigh its risks;- disagreement with our interpretation of data from preclinical studies or clinical trials;- insufficiency of data collected from clinical trials of our product candidates to support the submission and filing of a Biologics License Application ("BLA") or other submission or to obtain regulatory approval;- failure to obtain approval of the manufacturing processes of our facilities, including due to an inability for regulatory authorities to conduct any required inspections of our facilities, whether due to geopolitical conflict, such as the ongoing international tension and conflict, or travel restrictions;- changes in the approval policies or regulations that render our preclinical and clinical data insufficient for approval; or - lack of adequate funding to complete a clinical trial in a manner that is satisfactory to the applicable regulatory authority. The FDA, the NMPA, the EMA, the PMDA or a comparable regulatory authority may require more information, such as additional preclinical or clinical data to support approval, including data that would require us to perform additional preclinical studies, clinical trials, or both, or modify our manufacturing processes, which may delay or prevent approval and our commercialization plans, or may result in our deciding to abandon a development program. If we change our manufacturing processes, we may be required to conduct additional clinical trials or other studies, which also could delay or prevent approval of our product candidates. If we obtain approval, regulatory authorities may approve any of our product candidates for fewer indications than we request (including failing to approve the most commercially promising indications), may impose warnings and restrictions on prescription and distribution, may grant approval contingent on the performance of costly post-marketing clinical trials or other post-marketing commitments, or may approve a product candidate with a label that does not include the labeling claims necessary or desirable for the successful commercialization of that product candidate. While cilta-cel has received orphan drug designation and breakthrough therapy designation from the FDA, has been granted access to the Priority Medicines ("PRIME") scheme from the EMA, and received confirmation that the product is eligible for accelerated assessment, our development strategy may also include the use of additional expedited pathways, such as through the accelerated or contingent approval pathway. Depending on results of the preclinical and clinical trials in our other product candidates, we may also pursue such status for those candidates. There is no certainty that our product candidates will qualify for breakthrough therapy, orphan drug designation, or obtain or maintain access to the PRIME scheme, nor can we assume that the clinical data obtained from trials of our product candidates will be sufficient to qualify for any expedited approval program. Even if a product candidate were to successfully obtain marketing approval from the FDA, the NMPA, the European Commission, the PMDA or other comparable regulatory authorities in other jurisdictions, any approval might contain significant limitations related to use restrictions for specified age groups, warnings, precautions or contraindications, or may be subject to burdensome post-approval study or risk management requirements. If we are unable to obtain regulatory approval for one of our product candidates in one or more jurisdictions, or any approval contains significant limitations, we may not be able to obtain sufficient funding to continue the development of that product or generate revenue attributable to that product candidate. Also, any regulatory approval of our current or future product candidates, once obtained, may be withdrawn.

We currently report under the Exchange Act as a non-U.S. company with foreign private issuer status. Because we qualify as a foreign private issuer under the Exchange Act, we are exempt from certain provisions of the Exchange Act that are applicable to U.S. domestic public companies, including (i) the sections of the Exchange Act regulating the solicitation of proxies, consents or authorizations in respect of a security registered under the Exchange Act; (ii) the sections of the Exchange Act providing for liability for insiders who profit from trades made in a short period of time; and (iii) the rules under the Exchange Act requiring the filing with the SEC of quarterly reports on Form 10-Q containing unaudited financial and other specified information, or current reports on Form 8-K upon the occurrence of specified significant events. In addition, foreign private issuers are not required to file their annual report on Form 20-F until 120 days after the end of each fiscal year, while U.S. domestic issuers that are large accelerated filers are required to file their annual report on Form 10-K within 60 days after the end of each fiscal year. Foreign private issuers also are exempt from Regulation FD, aimed at preventing issuers from making selective disclosures of material information. As a result of the above, you may not have the same protections afforded to shareholders of companies that are not foreign private issuers. If we lose our status as a foreign private issuer, we would be required to comply with the Exchange Act reporting and other requirements applicable to U.S. domestic issuers, which are more detailed and extensive than the requirements for foreign private issuers. We may also be required to make changes in our corporate governance practices in accordance with various SEC and Nasdaq rules. The regulatory and compliance costs to us under U.S. securities laws if we are required to comply with the reporting requirements applicable to a U.S. domestic issuer may be significantly higher than the cost we would incur as a foreign private issuer. As a result, we expect that a loss of foreign private issuer status would increase our legal and financial compliance costs and would make some activities highly time-consuming and costly. We also expect that if we were required to comply with the rules and regulations applicable to U.S. domestic issuers, it would make it more difficult and expensive for us to obtain director and officer liability insurance, and we may be required to accept reduced coverage or incur substantially higher costs to obtain coverage. These rules and regulations could also make it more difficult for us to attract and retain qualified members of our board of directors.

On March 15, 2019, the NPC promulgated the Foreign Investment Law, which took effect on January 1, 2020 and replaced three existing laws regulating foreign investment in China. The Foreign Investment Law grants foreign invested entities the same treatment as PRC domestic entities, except for those foreign invested entities that operate in industries deemed to be either "restricted" or "prohibited" in the "negative list" published by the State Council. We are a Cayman Islands holding company and our PRC subsidiaries, Legend Nanjing and Legend Hainan, are currently considered to be foreign invested entities. Legend Hainan was established in October 2021. As of the date of this Annual Report, Legend Hainan is not engaged in substantive business operations in the PRC. The latest version of the "negative list," namely, the Special Management Measures (Negative List) for the Access of Foreign Investment (2024) or the Negative List, which was promulgated by the MOFCOM and the NDRC on September 6, 2024, became effective on November 1, 2024. The Negative List provides that foreign investment is prohibited in the development and application of human stem cell or gene diagnostic and therapeutic technologies. As of the date of this Annual Report, there has been no official interpretation of the scope of "human stem cell or gene diagnostic and therapeutic technologies" specified in the Negative List and the application of this regulation remains unclear. On November 30, 2021, the China's Center for Drug Evaluation ("CDE") published the Technical Guidelines for Non-clinical Research and Evaluation of Gene Therapy Products (Trial) (the "Technical Guidelines for Gene Therapy Products"), and Technical Guidelines for Non-clinical Research of Gene Modified Cell Therapy Products (Trial) (the "Technical Guidelines for Gene Modified Cell Therapy Products"), which became effective as of the date of promulgation. The Technical Guidelines for Gene Therapy Products provides that it is applicable to gene therapy products other than genetically modified cells therapy products, and genetically modified cells therapy products, such as CAR-T cell therapy products, shall refer to the Technical Guidelines for Gene Modified Cell Therapy Products, which was formulated according to the Technical Guidelines for the Research and Evaluation of Cell Therapy Products (Trial). Legend Nanjing is engaged in the research and development of CAR-T cell therapies. We believe the CAR-T cell therapies, as they are currently being researched and developed by Legend Nanjing, do not involve the use of human stem cells or genetic diagnosis and treatment, and as such should not fall into the category of "human stem cell or gene diagnostic and therapeutic technologies" under the Negative List. Moreover, relevant governmental authorities also confirmed that the research and development of CAR-T cell therapies currently engaged in by Legend Nanjing complies with the requirements of foreign investment industrial policies. We have been advised by our PRC legal counsel, JunHe LLP, that Legend Nanjing has complied with PRC laws and regulations in all material respects for, and obtained all material governmental approvals and permits from PRC regulatory agencies for, the research and development of CAR-T cell therapies. However, we have been advised by our PRC legal counsel that there are uncertainties regarding the interpretation and application of the PRC laws and regulations, and there can be no assurance that the PRC government will ultimately take a view that is not contrary to our view and the opinion of our PRC legal counsel above. If our CAR-T cell therapies or other technologies that are being researched and developed by any of our PRC subsidiaries are deemed by relevant PRC regulatory agencies as falling into the category of "human stem cell or gene diagnostic and therapeutic technologies" under the Negative List, such PRC subsidiary would be prohibited from engaging in the research or development of such CAR-T cell therapies or other technologies. In that event, we may have to stop investing in our PRC subsidiaries or consider restructuring our PRC subsidiaries as PRC domestic entities and our variable interest entity. Our PRC subsidiaries may also have to forfeit their income derived from the research and development of such technologies. Any of these occurrences may harm our business, prospects, financial condition and results of operations significantly.

In July 2014, SAFE promulgated the Circular on Relevant Issues Concerning Foreign Exchange Control on Domestic Residents' Offshore Investment and Financing and Roundtrip Investment through Special Purpose Vehicles ("SAFE Circular 37"), which replaces the Notice on Relevant Issues Concerning Foreign Exchange Administration for PRC Residents to Engage in Financing and Round-tripping Investment via Overseas Special Purpose ("SAFE Circular 75"). SAFE Circular 37 requires PRC residents, including PRC individuals and PRC corporate entities, to register with SAFE or its local branches in connection with their direct or indirect offshore investment activities. SAFE Circular 37 is applicable to our shareholders who are PRC residents and may be applicable to any offshore acquisitions that we may make in the future. Under SAFE Circular 37, PRC residents who make, or have prior to the implementation of SAFE Circular 37 made, direct or indirect investments in offshore special purpose vehicles ("SPVs"), are required to register such investments with SAFE or its local branches. In addition, any PRC resident who is a direct or indirect shareholder of an SPV, is required to update its registration with the local branch of SAFE with respect to that SPV, to reflect any change of basic information or material events. If any PRC resident shareholder of such SPV fails to make the required registration or to update the registration, the subsidiaries of such SPV in China may be prohibited from distributing their profits or the proceeds from any capital reduction, share transfer or liquidation to the SPV, and the SPV may also be prohibited from making additional capital contributions into its subsidiaries in China. In February 2015, SAFE promulgated a Notice on Further Simplifying and Improving Foreign Exchange Administration Policy on Direct Investment ("SAFE Notice 13"). Under SAFE Notice 13, applications for foreign exchange registration of inbound foreign direct investments and outbound direct investments, including those required under SAFE Circular 37, shall be filed with qualified banks instead of SAFE. Qualified banks should examine the applications and accept registrations under the supervision of SAFE. We may not be aware of the identities of all of our beneficial owners who are PRC residents. To our knowledge, some of our beneficial owners have not complied with SAFE registration requirements under SAFE Circular 37 and subsequent implementation rules on time or at all, sometimes due to reasons beyond their control. However, we do not have control over our beneficial owners and cannot compel them to comply with SAFE Circular 37 and subsequent implementation rules. Therefore, we cannot assure you that any required registration under SAFE Circular 37 and any amendment will be completed in a timely manner, or at all. The failure of our beneficial owners who are PRC residents to register or amend their foreign exchange registrations pursuant to SAFE Circular 37 and subsequent implementation rules, or the failure of future beneficial owners of our company who are PRC residents to comply with the registration procedures set forth in SAFE Circular 37 and subsequent implementation rules, may subject such beneficial owners or our PRC subsidiary to fines and legal sanctions. Failure to register or comply with relevant requirements may also limit our ability to contribute additional capital to our PRC subsidiary and limit our PRC subsidiaries' ability to distribute dividends to us. These risks may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. Furthermore, as these foreign exchange and outbound investment related regulations and their interpretation and implementation have been constantly evolving, it is unclear how these regulations, and any future regulation concerning offshore or cross-border investments and transactions, will be interpreted, amended and implemented by the relevant government authorities. For example, we may be subject to a more stringent review and approval process with respect to our foreign exchange activities, such as remittance of dividends and foreign-currency-denominated borrowings, which may adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations. We cannot assure you that we have complied or will be able to comply with all applicable foreign exchange and outbound investment related regulations. In addition, if we decide to acquire a PRC domestic company, we cannot assure you that we or the owners of such company, as the case may be, will be able to obtain the necessary approvals or complete the necessary filings and registrations required by the foreign exchange regulations. This may restrict our ability to implement our acquisition strategy and could adversely affect our business and prospects.

As an offshore holding company of our PRC operating subsidiaries, we may make loans or additional capital contributions to our PRC subsidiaries, subject to satisfaction of applicable governmental registration and approval requirements. Any loans we extend to our PRC subsidiaries, which is treated as a foreign-invested enterprise under PRC law, cannot exceed the statutory limit and must be registered with the local counterpart of the SAFE. We may also decide to finance our PRC subsidiaries by means of capital contributions. According to the relevant PRC regulations on foreign-invested enterprises in China, these capital contributions are subject to registration with the SAMR or its local counterparts. In addition, the PRC government also restricts the convertibility of foreign currencies into RMB and use of the proceeds. On March 30, 2015, SAFE promulgated the Notice on Reforming the Management Method for the Settlement of Foreign Exchange Capital of Foreign-invested Enterprises ("SAFE Circular 19"), which took effect and replaced certain previous SAFE regulations from June 1, 2015. SAFE further promulgated the Circular on Reforming and Regulating Policies on the Management of Foreign Exchange Settlement of Capital Accounts ("SAFE Circular 16"), effective on June 9, 2016, which, among other things, amends certain provisions of SAFE Circular 19. According to SAFE Circular 19 and SAFE Circular 16, the flow and use of the RMB capital converted from foreign currency denominated registered capital of a foreign-invested company is regulated such that RMB capital may not be used for business beyond its business scope or to provide loans to persons other than affiliates unless otherwise permitted under its business scope. Violations of the applicable circulars and rules may result in severe penalties, including substantial fines as set forth in the Foreign Exchange Administration Regulations. These circulars may limit our ability and speed to transfer funds to our PRC subsidiaries. On October 23, 2019, SAFE promulgated the Circular to Further Facilitating Cross-border Trade and Investment ("SAFE Circular 28"), which was newly revised on December 4, 2023 and took effect on the same day. SAFE Circular 28 cancels restrictions on domestic equity investments made with capital funds by non-investing foreign-funded enterprises. If a non-investing foreign-funded enterprise makes domestic equity investment with capital funds obtained from foreign exchange settlement, the investee shall undergo registration formalities for accepting domestic reinvestment and open the "capital account - account for settled foreign exchange to be paid" to receive the corresponding funds according to relevant provisions. Despite the restrictions and procedural requirements under these SAFE circulars, our PRC subsidiaries may use RMB funds converted from foreign currency registered capital to carry out any activities within their normal course of business and business scope, including to fund operational needs, and to make equity investments in domestic companies. In light of the various requirements imposed by PRC regulations on loans to, and direct investment in, PRC entities by offshore holding companies, we cannot assure you that we have completed or will be able to complete the necessary government registrations, meet the relevant government requirements or obtain the necessary government approvals on a timely basis, or at all, with respect to existing or future loans to our PRC subsidiaries or future capital contributions by us to our PRC subsidiaries. If we fail to complete such registrations or obtain such approvals, our ability to fund our PRC operations may be negatively affected, which could materially and adversely affect our liquidity and our ability to fund and expand our business.

Under the applicable regulations and SAFE rules, PRC citizens who participate in an employee stock ownership plan or a stock option plan in a public company listed outside of the PRC are required to register with SAFE and complete certain other procedures. In February 2012, SAFE promulgated the Notices on Issues concerning the Foreign Exchange Administration for Domestic Individuals Participating in Stock Incentive Plans of Overseas Publicly Listed Companies, or the Stock Option Rules, which replaced the Application Procedures of Foreign Exchange Administration for Domestic Individuals Participating in Employee Stock Ownership Plan or Stock Option Plans of Overseas Publicly Listed Companies issued by SAFE in March 2007. Pursuant to the Stock Option Rules, if a PRC resident participates in any stock incentive plan of a public company listed outside of the PRC, a qualified PRC domestic agent must, among other things, file on behalf of such participant an application with SAFE to conduct the SAFE registration with respect to such stock incentive plan and obtain approval for an annual allowance with respect to the purchase of foreign exchange in connection with the exercise or sale of stock options or stock such participant holds. Such participating PRC residents' foreign exchange income received from the sale of stock and dividends distributed by the public company listed outside of the PRC must be fully remitted into a PRC collective foreign currency account opened and managed by the PRC agent before distribution to such participants. We and our PRC resident employees who have been granted stock options or other share-based incentives of ours are subject to the Stock Option Rules. However, we do not have control over our PRC resident participants and cannot compel them to comply with SAFE registrations. Therefore, we cannot assure you that any required registration under SAFE registrations will be completed in a timely manner, or at all. If we or our PRC resident participants fail to comply with these regulations, we and/or our PRC resident participants may be subject to fines and legal sanctions. Furthermore, failure to complete the SAFE registrations may limit our PRC resident participants' ability to make payment under our share incentive plan or receive dividends or sales proceeds related thereto, or limit our ability to contribute additional capital into our wholly-foreign owned enterprises in China and limit our wholly-foreign owned enterprises' ability to distribute dividends to us. We also face regulatory uncertainties that could restrict our ability to adopt additional share incentive plans for our directors and employees under PRC laws. In addition, the State Taxation Administration issued the Notice on Several Measures for Further Deepening the Reform of "Simplifying Administration and Decentralizing Powers, Combining Decentralization with Appropriate Control, and Optimizing Services" and Cultivating and Stimulating the Vitality of Market Participants (the "Notice"), in October 2021, which requires that any enterprise implementing any equity (stock) incentive plan submit a Report Form of Equity Incentives and other materials to the competent tax authority within 15 days of the next month after deciding to implement equity incentives or before the end of 2021 for equity incentive plans that have been implemented but not yet completed, including domestic enterprises that provide equity incentives for employees with equity of enterprises outside of the PRC. However, as the Notice is newly issued, there are still substantial uncertainties as to its interpretation and implementations in practice. Therefore, we cannot assure you that any required registration or filing under the Notice or other regulations will be completed in a timely manner, or at all. If we or our participants fail to comply with these regulations, we and/or our participants may be subject to fines and other legal sanctions.

On August 8, 2006, six PRC regulatory agencies, including the CSRC, promulgated the Provisions on the Merger or Acquisition of Domestic Enterprises by Foreign Investors (the "M&A Rules"), which became effective on September 8, 2006 and was amended on June 22, 2009. The M&A Rules, among other things, requires offshore SPVs formed for the purpose of a listing outside of the PRC and controlled by PRC companies or individuals, to obtain the CSRC approval prior to listing their securities on a stock exchange outside of the PRC. The application of this regulation remains unclear. Our PRC legal counsel has advised us that, based on their understanding of the current PRC laws, the CSRC approval was not required under the M&A Rules in the context of our initial public offering because the ownership structure of our PRC subsidiaries was established by direct investment instead of through acquisition of equity interests or assets of any PRC domestic company by foreign entities as defined under the M&A Rules. However, we have been advised by our PRC legal counsel that there are uncertainties regarding the interpretation and application of the PRC laws and regulations, and there can be no assurance that the PRC government will ultimately take a view that is not contrary to the above opinion of our PRC legal counsel. Furthermore, the Opinions on Strictly Cracking Down on Illegal Securities Activities issued in July 2021 emphasized the need to strengthen the supervision on listings outside of the PRC by companies with operations in China and provided that the special provisions of the State Council on issuance and listing of shares outside of the PRC by those companies limited by shares will be revised. There are still uncertainties regarding the interpretation and implementation of these Opinions, and further explanations or detailed rules and regulations with respect to these Opinions may be issued in the future which could impose additional requirements on us. On February 17, 2023, the CSRC released the Trial Administrative Measures of Overseas Securities Offering and Listing by Domestic Companies (the "Overseas Listing Trial Measures"), which came into effect on March 31, 2023. Pursuant to the Overseas Listing Trial Measures, (i) PRC domestic companies that seek to offer or list equity securities overseas, both directly and indirectly, should fulfill the filing procedure and report relevant information to the CSRC. A company outside of the PRC will be deemed to have conducted an indirect offering by a PRC domestic company if it satisfies both of the following conditions: (i) more than 50% of such overseas company's consolidated revenues, profit, total assets or net assets that are derived from its audited consolidated financial statements for the most recently completed fiscal year are attributable to PRC domestic companies, and (ii) any of the following circumstances applies: (1) key components of its operations are carried out in the PRC; (2) its principal places of business are located in the PRC; or (3) the majority of the senior management members in charge of operation and management are PRC citizens or residents. The determination will be made on the basis of "substance over form." For a PRC domestic company seeking to indirectly offer and list securities in a market outside of the PRC, such company is required to designate a major domestic operating entity responsible for all filing procedures with the CSRC. For initial public offerings or listings in a market outside of the PRC, the company is required to submit filings with the CSRC within three business days after such application is submitted, and where an issuer conducts follow-on offerings in the same market outside of the PRC where it has previously offered and listed securities, the issuer shall submit filings with the CSRC within three business days after the follow-on offering is completed. If a PRC domestic company fails to complete the filing procedure or conceals any material fact or falsifies any major content in its filing documents, such PRC domestic company may be subject to administrative penalties, such as order to rectify, warnings, or fines. Additionally, its controlling shareholders, actual controllers, the person directly in charge and other directly liable persons may also be subject to administrative penalties, such as warnings and fines. However, since the Overseas Listing Trial Measures was newly promulgated, the interpretation, application and enforcement of the Overseas Listing Trial Measures remain unclear. It remains uncertain whether the filing requirements under the Overseas Listing Trial Measures are applicable to securities offerings by us. If the filing procedure with the CSRC under the Overseas Listing Trial Measures is required for any future follow-on offerings or any other capital raising activities by us, it is uncertain whether we can or how long it will take us to obtain such approval or complete such filing procedures. Given the substantial uncertainties surrounding the latest CSRC filing requirements at this stage, we cannot assure you that we will be able to complete the filings and fully comply with the relevant new rules on a timely basis, if at all. In addition, we cannot assure you that any new rules or regulations promulgated in the future will not impose additional requirements on us. If it is determined in the future that approval and filing from the CSRC or other regulatory authorities or other procedures, including the cybersecurity review under the Measures for Cybersecurity Review and the Network Data Security Regulations, are required for our offerings outside of the PRC, it is uncertain whether we can or how long it will take us to obtain such approval or complete such filing procedures and any such approval or filing could be rescinded or rejected. Any failure to obtain or delay in obtaining such approval or completing such filing procedures for our offerings outside of the PRC, or a rescission of any such approval or filing if obtained by us, would subject us to sanctions by the CSRC or other PRC regulatory authorities for failure to seek CSRC approval or filing or other government authorization for our offerings outside of the PRC. These regulatory authorities may impose fines and penalties on our operations in China, limit our ability to pay dividends outside of China, limit our operating privileges in China, delay or restrict the repatriation of the proceeds from our offerings outside of the PRC into China or take other actions that could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations, and prospects, as well as the trading price of our listed securities.