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Related Party Agreements
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2015
Related Party Transactions [Abstract]  
Related Party Agreements

6. Related Party Agreements

In June 2015, the Company spun out Brink Biologics, Inc. and Coneksis, Inc. (Note 8).  The Company’s chairman and chief executive officer has a controlling interest in Brinks Biologics and Coneksis.

The Company’s chairman and chief executive officer founded and has a controlling interest in NantWorks, Inc. (NantWorks), which is a collection of multiple companies in the healthcare and technology space. The Company has entered into arrangements with NantWorks and certain affiliates of NantWorks, as described below, to facilitate the development of new genetically modified NK cells for the Company’s product pipeline.

In June 2015, the Company entered into an agreement with NantOmics, LLC (NantOmics) to obtain genomic sequencing and proteomic analysis services, as well as related data management and bioinformatics services, exclusively from NantOmics. The Company is obligated to pay NantOmics a fixed, per sample fee, determined based on the type of services being provided. The agreement has an initial term of five years and renews automatically for successive one year periods, unless terminated earlier.

In June 2015, the Company entered into an agreement with NanoCav, LLC (NanoCav) pursuant to which the Company obtained access to NanoCav’s virus-free cell transfection technologies on a non-exclusive basis. Under the agreement, NanoCav will conduct certain, mutually-agreed feasibility studies, on a fee for service basis, to evaluate the use of its cell transfection technologies with the Company’s aNK cells. The agreement has an initial term of five years and renews automatically for successive one year periods, unless terminated earlier.  In September 2015, the Company made a $45 feasibility study retainer payment as required by the agreement which is recorded in prepaid expenses and other current assets in the condensed consolidated balance sheets.

In June 2015, the Company also entered into a supply agreement with NantCell, Inc. (NantCell) pursuant to which the Company has the right to purchase NantCell’s proprietary bioreactors, made according to specifications mutually agreed to with NantCell. The Company also has the right to purchase reagents and consumables associated with such equipment from NantCell. In September 2015, the Company made a $500 nonrefundable, upfront payment to NantCell as required by the agreement, which upfront payment is creditable against the Company’s future development activities and equipment purchases under the agreement. The agreement has an initial term of five years and renews automatically for successive one year periods unless terminated earlier. The upfront payment is included in prepaid expenses and other current assets in the condensed consolidated balance sheets.

In November 2015, the Company entered into a shared services agreement with NantWorks under which NantWorks will provide corporate, general and administrative, manufacturing strategy, regulatory and clinical trial strategy and other support services to the Company. The Company will be charged for the services at cost plus reasonable allocation for indirect costs that relate to the employees providing the services.  The agreement is effective as of August 1, 2015. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2015, the Company recorded operating expenses of $80 to research and development and $349 to selling, general and administrative under this arrangement in the condensed consolidated statement of operations.

In November 2015, the Company entered into a facility license agreement with NantWorks for approximately 9,500 square feet of office space in Culver City, California, a portion of which is to be converted to a research and development laboratory and a Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) laboratory. The Company is responsible for costs to build out the laboratories and has incurred costs of approximately $1,153 as of September 30, 2015. The term of the license extends through December 2020. The Company has the option to extend the license through December 2023. The monthly license fee is $47 with annual increases of 3% beginning in January 2017. The agreement is effective as of May 22, 2015. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2015, the Company recorded rent expense of $181, which is included in research and development in the condensed consolidated statement of operations.