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Contingencies
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2022
Contingencies [Abstract]  
Contingencies Note 11. Contingencies

Securities Class Actions and Shareholder Derivative Actions

Between August 27 and October 26, 2021, four putative class action lawsuits were filed alleging violations of the federal securities laws by the Company and certain named officers. The complaints rely on allegations contained in Citizen Petitions submitted to FDA, and allege that various statements made by the defendants regarding simufilam were rendered materially false and misleading. The Citizen Petitions were subsequently denied by FDA. These actions were filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas. The complaints seek unspecified compensatory damages and other relief on behalf of a purported class of purchasers of the Company’s securities between September 14, 2020, and August 27, 2021. The Company expects that the cases will be consolidated and that a lead plaintiff and lead counsel will be appointed and thereafter that a consolidated amended complaint will be filed. The Company believes the lawsuit claims are without merit and intends to defend against these lawsuits vigorously. The Company is unable to estimate the possible loss or range of loss, if any, associated with these lawsuits.

On November 4, 2021, a related shareholder derivative action was filed, purportedly on behalf of the Company, in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, asserting claims under the U.S. securities laws and state fiduciary duty laws against certain named officers and the members of the Company’s board of directors. This complaint relies on the allegations made in Citizen Petitions that were submitted to (and subsequently denied by) FDA. The complaint alleges, among other things, that the individual defendants exposed the Company to unspecified damages and securities law liability by causing it to make materially false and misleading statements, in violation of the U.S. securities laws and in breach of their fiduciary duties to the Company. The derivative case seeks, among other things, to recover unspecified compensatory damages on behalf of the Company arising out of the individual defendant’s alleged wrongful conduct. Although the plaintiff in this derivative case does not seek relief against the Company, it has certain indemnification obligations to the individual defendants. Since November 4, 2021, three additional shareholder derivative actions were filed alleging substantially similar claims, two in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, and one in Texas state court (Travis County District Court). The state court action has been stayed pending the resolution of the motions to dismiss in the securities class actions. The parties to the three federal court actions have filed a motion, which the court has not yet ruled on, to consolidate and stay pending the resolution of motions to dismiss in the securities class actions. The Company is unable to estimate the possible loss or range of loss, if any, associated with these lawsuits.