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U.S. Government Agreement and Collaborations
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2012
U.S. Government Agreement and Collaborations [Abstract]  
U.S. Government Agreement and Collaboration

Note 5 - U.S. Government Agreement and Collaborations


HHS BARDA Contract Award for Recombinant Influenza Vaccines


In February 2011, the Company was awarded a contract from HHS BARDA valued at $97 million for the 36-month base-period, with an HHS BARDA option for an additional period of 24 months valued at $82 million, for a total contract value of up to $179 million. The HHS BARDA contract award provides significant funding for the Company's ongoing clinical development and product scale-up of both its seasonal and pandemic (H5N1) influenza vaccine candidates. This is a cost-plus-fixed-fee contract in which HHS BARDA will reimburse the Company for direct contract costs incurred plus allowable indirect costs and a fixed-fee earned in the further development of its multivalent seasonal and monovalent pandemic (H5N1) influenza vaccines. Billings under the contract are based on approved provisional indirect billing rates, which permit recovery of fringe benefits, overhead and general and administrative expenses not exceeding certain limits. These indirect rates are subject to audit by HHS BARDA on an annual basis. When the final determination of the allowable costs for any year has been made, revenue and billings may be adjusted accordingly. Since the inception of the contract and during the nine months ended September 30, 2012, the Company has recognized revenue of approximately $31.6 million and $16.9 million, respectively.


Under certain circumstances HHS BARDA reimbursements may be delayed or even potentially withheld. In March 2012, the Company decided to conduct its Phase II dose-ranging clinical trial of its trivalent and quadrivalent seasonal influenza vaccine candidates (the "205 Trial") under its existing U.S. investigational new drug application ("IND") for its trivalent seasonal influenza vaccine candidate ("Trivalent IND") as opposed to waiting to conduct the 205 Trial under a new IND for its quadrivalent vaccine candidate ("Quadrivalent IND"). In July 2012, the Company reported that it expected to launch its next quadrivalent Phase II clinical trial in 2013 rather than in the second half of 2012; similarly, the filing of the Quadrivalent IND, which the Company had previously indicated was expected in the second half of 2012 will also be delayed. Based on discussions between HHS BARDA and the Company, because the 205 Trial includes its quadrivalent seasonal influenza vaccine candidate, the outside clinical trial costs for the 205 Trial will only be submitted for reimbursement to HHS BARDA and recorded as revenue by the Company after it submits the 205 Trial data to its Quadrivalent IND. Until then, the outside clinical trial costs of the 205 Trial will be expensed and included in cost of government contracts revenue. The financial impact of this delay in revenue recognition is based on the outside clinical trial costs of the 205 Trial that are expected to total approximately $3.1 million, of which $2.8 million was incurred through September 30, 2012.


License Agreement with LG Life Sciences, Ltd.


In February 2011, the Company entered into a license agreement with LG Life Sciences, Ltd. ("LGLS") that allows LGLS to use the Company's technology to develop and commercially sell influenza vaccines exclusively in South Korea and non-exclusively in certain other specified countries. At its own cost, LGLS is responsible for funding its clinical development of the influenza VLP vaccines and completing a manufacturing facility in South Korea. Under the license agreement, the Company is obligated to provide LGLS with information and materials related to the manufacture of the licensed products, provide on-going project management and regulatory support and conduct clinical trials of its influenza vaccines in order to obtain FDA approval in the U.S. The term of the license agreement is expected to terminate in 2027. Payments to the Company under the license agreement include an upfront payment of $2.5 million, reimbursements of certain development and product costs, payments related to the achievement of certain milestones and royalty payments at a rate between 10% and 20% from LGLS's future commercial sales of influenza VLP vaccines, which royalty rate is subject to reduction if certain timelines for regulatory licensure are not met. The upfront payment has been deferred and will be recognized when the previously mentioned obligations in the agreement are satisfied, which may not occur until the end of the term of the agreement. Payments for milestones under the agreement will be recognized on a straight-line basis over the remaining term of the research and development period upon achievement of such milestone. Any royalties under the agreement will be recognized as earned.


PATH Vaccine Solutions


In July 2012, the Company entered into a clinical development agreement with PATH Vaccine Solutions ("PATH") to develop its vaccine candidate to protect against RSV through maternal immunization in low-resource countries (the "RSV Collaboration Program"). The Company was awarded approximately $2.0 million by PATH for initial funding under the agreement to partially support its Phase II dose-ranging clinical trial in women of childbearing age, which was launched in October 2012. The agreement would expire July 31, 2013, unless the Company and PATH decide to continue the RSV Collaboration Program. The Company retains global rights to commercialize the product and has made a commitment to make the vaccine affordable and available in low-resource countries. To the extent PATH has continued to fund 50% of the Company's external clinical development costs for the RSV Collaboration Program, but the Company does not continue development, the Company would then grant PATH a fully-paid license to its RSV vaccine technology for use in pregnant women in such low-resource countries. During the three months ended September 30, 2012, the Company recognized revenue of approximately $0.2 million under the agreement. Revenue under this arrangement is being recognized under the proportional performance method and earned in proportion to the contract costs incurred in performance of the work as compared to total estimated contract costs. Costs incurred under this agreement represent a reasonable measurement of proportional performance of the work.