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Collaboration and In-License Agreements
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2021
License Agreements [Abstract]  
Collaboration and In-License Agreements Collaboration and In-License Agreements
    As part of its business, the Company enters into in-licensing agreements with third parties that often require milestone and royalty payments based on the progress of the licensed asset through development and commercial stages. Milestone payments may be required, for example, upon approval of the product for marketing by a regulatory agency, and the Company may be required to make royalty payments based upon a percentage of net sales of the product. The expenditures required under these arrangements in any period may be material and are likely to fluctuate from period to period. These arrangements sometimes permit the Company to unilaterally terminate development of the product and thereby avoid future contingent payments; however, the Company is unlikely to cease development if the compound successfully achieves clinical testing objectives.

Exclusive License Agreement with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
    
    On September 4, 2014, the Company entered into a license agreement (the “Original MSK License Agreement”) with MSK under which the Company was granted an exclusive license to develop and commercialize MSK’s WT1 peptide vaccine technology. The Original MSK License Agreement, unless terminated earlier in accordance with the terms of the Original MSK License Agreement, will continue on a country-by-country and licensed product-by-licensed product basis, until the later of: (i) expiration of the last valid claim embracing such licensed product; (ii) expiration of any market exclusivity period granted by law with respect to such licensed product; or (iii) ten (10) years from the first commercial sale in such country.

On May 25, 2017, the Company and MSK entered into an Amended and Restated Exclusive License Agreement (the “MSK A&R License Agreement”). Under the MSK A&R License Agreement, the Company expanded its license under the original MSK License Agreement, as amended, to include a license to commercially develop certain additional WT1 peptides through a program of exploiting certain patents and other rights covering such peptides. The MSK A&R License Agreement, among other changes, added certain milestone payments for each additional patent licensed product as defined in the MSK A&R License Agreement.

On October 11, 2017, the Company and MSK entered into a second Amended and Restated Exclusive License Agreement (the “Second MSK A&R License Agreement”). Under the Second MSK A&R License
Agreement, the Company and MSK extended certain milestone dates for the Company in exchange for increased milestone payments.

    The Company incurred $0.1 million of guaranteed minimum royalty payments under the Second MSK A&R License Agreement during the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020. Such expenses have been included in research and development costs.

    The Company incurred $0.2 million of sublicensing fees payable under our license from MSK in connection with the 3DMed Agreement during year ended December 31, 2021 included in cost of revenue. There was no cost of license revenue during the year ended December 31, 2020.

Merck & Co., Inc. Clinical Trial Collaboration and Supply Agreement

    On September 21, 2017, the Company entered into a clinical trial collaboration and supply agreement (the "Merck Agreement") through a Merck & Co., Inc. subsidiary, Merck Sharp & Dohme B.V. (“Merck subsidiary”), whereby the Company agreed with the Merck subsidiary to collaborate in a research program to evaluate GPS as it is administered in combination with Merck’s PD1 blocker pembrolizumab in a Phase 1/2 clinical trial enrolling patients in up to five cancer indications, including both hematologic malignancies and solid tumors assessing the efficacy and safety of the combination, comparing overall response rates and immune response markers achieved with the combination compared to prespecified rates based on those seen with pembrolizumab alone in comparable patient populations.

    In the fourth quarter of 2018, pursuant to the Merck Agreement, the Company initiated a Phase 1/2 multi-arm ("basket" type) clinical study of GPS in combination with Merck & Co., Inc.’s anti-PD-1 therapy, Keytruda® (pembrolizumab) in patients with WT1+ relapsed or refractory tumors. In July 2019, the Company dosed the first patient in this trial. In 2020, the Company, together with Merck determined to focus on ovarian cancer (second or third line). In February 2022, the Company reported that enrollment in the study was completed. Data from the majority of evaluable patients is expected to be examined by mid-2022, with final data analysis for all evaluable patients expected by the end of 2022.

The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center and The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc.

    On September 11, 2006, the Company acquired rights and assumed obligations under a license agreement among Apthera and The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center (“MDACC”) and The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc. (“HJF”) which grants exclusive worldwide rights to a U.S. patent covering NPS and several U.S. and foreign patents and patent applications covering methods of using the peptide as a vaccine. Under the terms of this license, the Company is required to pay an annual maintenance fee of $0.2 million, up to $3.8 million for clinical milestone payments, and to pay a tiered royalty in the mid-single digits based on sales of NPS or other therapeutic products developed from the licensed technologies. The Company incurred the annual maintenance fee during the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020 and the expenses have been included in research and development costs.