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License, Collaboration, and Funding Agreements
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2019
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]  
License, Collaboration, and Funding Agreements
13.

License, Collaboration, and Funding Agreements

Genzyme Agreement

In July 2014, the Company entered into a license agreement (the “Genzyme Agreement”) with Genzyme pursuant to which the Company was granted an exclusive license to certain patents and intellectual property owned or controlled by Genzyme related to the CXCR4 receptor to develop and commercialize products containing licensed compounds (including but not limited to X4P-001) for all therapeutic, prophylactic and diagnostic uses, with the exception of autologous and allogenic human stem cell therapy. Under the terms of the Genzyme Agreement, the Company is obligated to use commercially reasonable efforts to develop and commercialize licensed products for use in the field in the United States and at least one other major market country. The Company has the right to grant sublicenses of the licensed rights that cover X4P-001 to third parties.

In exchange for these rights, in August 2014, the Company made an upfront payment of $50 to Genzyme. The Company accounted for the acquisition of technology as an asset acquisition because it did not meet the definition of a business. The Company recorded the upfront payment as research and development expense in the consolidated statement of operations and comprehensive loss because the acquired technology represented in-process research and development and had no alternative future use. In August 2015, as a result of the closing of the Company’s Series A preferred stock financing, the Company made an additional cash payment of $300 to Genzyme and issued to Genzyme 107,371 shares of its common stock, as adjusted for the 6 for 1 Reverse Stock Split and Exchange Ratio (see Note 11), each as required by the Genzyme Agreement. The $300 payment and the $734 fair value of the 107,371 shares of common stock issued to Genzyme were recorded as research and development expense in the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss for the year ended December 31, 2015. Prior to the Merger with Arsanis, Genzyme has the right to require the Company to repurchase all, but not less than all, of these shares of common stock at any time during the term of the Genzyme Agreement for a price of $0.01 per share. Due to this redemption feature, the shares of common stock issued to Genzyme were classified outside of stockholders’ deficit on the consolidated balance sheets as of December 31, 2018. On March 13, 2019, the closing date of the Merger with Arsanis, these redeemable common shares were exchanged for common shares and, as a result, the fair value of the shares was reclassified to permanent equity.

Under the Genzyme Agreement, the Company is obligated to pay Genzyme milestone payments in the aggregate amount of up to $25,000, contingent upon the achievement by the Company of certain late-stage regulatory and sales milestones with respect to licensed products. In addition, the Company may be required to make a one-time milestone payment to Genzyme upon the consummation by the Company of a change of control transaction, in an amount equal to 5.5% of the consideration paid to equity holders of the Company, other than Genzyme, in connection with such change of control transaction, after deducting outstanding debt obligations of the Company and the aggregate cash investments made by equity holders into the Company prior to the closing of the change of control transaction. The Merger with Arsanis qualifies as a change of control transaction, as defined in the license agreement, but results in no payment being due to Genzyme under the license agreement.

The Company concluded that this contingent payment obligation meets the definition of a derivative instrument as the contingent payment obligation is not clearly and closely related to its host instrument and is a cash-settled liability (see Note 2). Accordingly, the Company classifies this derivative as a liability within other liabilities (non-current) on its consolidated balance sheet (see Note 2), and changes in the fair value of the derivative liability are recognized as a component of other income (expense), net in the consolidated statement of operations and comprehensive loss (see Note 4). On March 13, 2019, the closing date of the Merger with Arsanis, this derivative liability was remeasured to fair value, which was $0, and subsequent changes in fair value will no longer be recognized in the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss because the contingent payment obligation expired at that time.

Under the Genzyme Agreement, the Company is obligated to pay Genzyme tiered royalties based on net sales of licensed products that the Company commercializes under the agreement. The obligation to pay royalties for each licensed product expires on a country-by-country basis on the latest of (i) the expiration of licensed patent rights that cover that licensed product in that country, (ii) the expiration of regulatory exclusivity in that country and (iii) ten years after the first commercial sale of such licensed product in that country. Royalty rates are subject to reduction under the agreement in specified circumstances, including in any country if the Company is required to obtain a license from any third party to the extent the Company’s patent rights might infringe the third party’s patent rights, if a licensed product is not covered by a valid claim in that country or if sales of generic products reach certain thresholds in that country. If the Company enters into a sublicense under the agreement, the Company will be obligated to pay Genzyme a percentage of certain upfront fees, maintenance fees, milestone payments and royalty payments paid to the Company by the sublicensee.

Under the Genzyme Agreement, the Company will itself manufacture and supply, or enter into manufacturing or supply agreements with Genzyme or third parties to manufacture and supply, clinical and commercial supplies of licensed compounds and each licensed product. During the three months ended March 31, 2019 and 2018, the Company did not enter into any third-party manufacturing or supply agreements in connection with the Genzyme Agreement. The Company is also responsible for all costs related to the filing, prosecution and maintenance of the licensed patent rights.

The Genzyme Agreement will remain in effect until the expiration of the royalty term in all countries for all licensed products. The agreement may be terminated by either party with at least 90 days’ notice in the event of material breach by the other party that remains uncured for 90 days, by either party for insolvency or bankruptcy of the other party, immediately by Genzyme if the Company challenges the licensed patents, or immediately by the Company if a material safety issue arises.

During the three months ended March 31, 2019 and 2018, the Company did not incur any payment obligations to Genzyme under the Genzyme Agreement.

Georgetown Agreement

In December 2016, the Company entered into a license agreement (the “Georgetown Agreement”) with Georgetown University (“Georgetown”) pursuant to which the Company obtained an exclusive, worldwide license to make, have made, use, sell, offer for sale and import of products covered by patent rights co-owned by Georgetown. The rights licensed to the Company are for all therapeutic, prophylactic and diagnostic uses in all disease indications in humans and animals.

Under the terms of the Georgetown Agreement, the Company paid a one-time only, upfront fee of $50 and the Company may be required to pay milestone payments of up to an aggregate of $800 related to commercial sales of a product. The Company accounted for the acquisition of technology as an asset acquisition because it did not meet the definition of a business. The Company recorded the upfront payment as research and development expense in the consolidated statement of operations and comprehensive loss because the acquired technology represented in-process research and development and had no alternative future use.

Under the Georgetown Agreement, the Company is solely responsible for all development and commercialization activities and costs in its respective territories. The Company is also responsible for all costs related to the filing, prosecution and maintenance of the licensed patent rights.

 

The term of the Georgetown Agreement will continue until the expiration of the last valid claim within the patent rights covering the product. Georgetown may terminate the agreement in the event (i) the Company fails to pay any amount and fails to cure such failure within 30 days after receipt of notice, (ii) the Company defaults in its obligation to obtain and maintain insurance and fails to remedy such breach within 45 days after receipt of notice, or (iii) the Company declares insolvency or bankruptcy. The Company may terminate the agreement at any time upon at least 60 days’ written notice.

During the three months ended March 31, 2019 and 2018, the Company did not incur any payment obligations to Georgetown under the Georgetown Agreement and no milestone payments were made or due under the Georgetown Agreement.

Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Agreement

In December 2016, the Company entered into a license agreement (the “BIDMC Agreement”) with Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (“BIDMC”), pursuant to which the Company obtained an exclusive, worldwide license to make, have made, use, sell, offer for sale and import of products covered by patent rights co-owned by BIDMC. The rights licensed to the Company are for all fields of use.

Under the terms of the BIDMC Agreement, the Company paid a one-time only, upfront fee of $20 and the Company is responsible for all future patent prosecution costs. The Company accounted for the acquisition of technology as an asset acquisition because it did not meet the definition of a business. The Company recorded the upfront payment as research and development expense in the consolidated statement of operations and comprehensive loss because the acquired technology represented in-process research and development and had no alternative future use.

The term of the BIDMC Agreement will continue until the expiration of the last valid claim within the patent rights covering the licensed products. BIDMC may terminate the agreement in the event (i) the Company fails to pay any amount and fails to cure such failure within 15 days after receipt of notice, (ii) the Company is in material breach of any material provision of the agreement and fails to remedy such breach within 60 days after receipt of notice, or (iii) the Company declares insolvency or bankruptcy. We may terminate the agreement at any time upon at least 90 days’ written notice.

The Company did not incur any payment obligations under the BIDMC Agreement during the months ended March 31, 2019 and 2018.

Adimab Option and License Agreement

In February 2017, Arsanis entered into an option and license agreement with Adimab, a related party (the “Adimab Option Agreement”). Under the Adimab Option Agreement, Adimab has provided to Arsanis certain proprietary antibodies against respiratory syncytial virus (“RSV antibodies”) for its evaluation during a specified option period and has granted Arsanis an exclusive, non-sublicensable license in a specified field under certain Adimab patent rights and know-how during the option period. Under the Adimab Option Agreement, the Company has an exclusive option, exercisable during the option period upon payment of an option fee to Adimab, to require Adimab to assign to the Company all rights in up to a specified number of RSV antibodies selected by the Company and certain patent rights owned by Adimab that cover these antibodies, and to obtain from Adimab a non-exclusive license in a specified field, with the right to grant sublicenses, under certain other patent rights and know-how owned by Adimab.

If the Company exercises its option under the Adimab Option Agreement, the Company is required to use commercially reasonable efforts to develop and commercialize at least one product based on a licensed RSV antibody in major markets and is obligated to pay Adimab an option fee of $0.3 million and make future milestone payments upon the achievement of specified clinical and regulatory milestones in the aggregate amount of up to $24.4 million. The Company is obligated to pay Adimab royalties at a mid single-digit percentage of net sales of products based on the initial RSV antibodies (including modified or derivative forms of those antibodies created by or for the Company) by the Company or any of its affiliates, licensees or sublicensees, regardless of whether these products practice any of the assigned or licensed patents or know-how. If the Company materially breaches these diligence obligations, Adimab will have the right to terminate the Adimab Option Agreement.

The Company has no payment obligations under the Adimab Option Agreement with respect to sales of products based on licensed RSV antibodies to the extent they are sold at cost in developing countries under the February 2017 Gates Foundation grant agreement, as amended and restated in August 2018, and the August 2018 Gates Foundation grant agreement (which are described in further detail below). However, if such products are sold in developing countries for an amount that exceeds cost, then the amount of such excess will be subject to the royalty payment obligations described in the preceding paragraph.

 

If the Company does not exercise its option, the Adimab Option Agreement will expire on the Company’s achievement of specified preclinical milestones under the grant agreements with the Gates Foundation, but in any event no later than mid-2019. If the Company does exercise its option, the Adimab Option Agreement will expire on the last-to-expire royalty term (defined, on a product-by-product and country-by-country basis, as the period ending on the later of twelve years after the first commercial sale of such product in such country and the expiration of the last of a specified set of patents and patent applications covering such product in such country) for any and all products for which the Company is obligated to pay Adimab royalties under the Adimab Option Agreement. The Company has the right to terminate the Adimab Option Agreement for any reason by providing Adimab with a specified amount of prior written notice. Adimab has the right to terminate the Adimab Option Agreement if the Company materially breaches the agreement and fails to cure such breach within a specified cure period, including for the Company’s failure to use commercially reasonable efforts to develop and commercialize at least one product based on a licensed RSV antibody in major markets. If Adimab terminates the Adimab Option Agreement for the Company’s breach, if the Company terminates the agreement for convenience or if the agreement expires before the Company exercises its option, then the Company must return or destroy certain know-how, including all initial RSV antibodies, and all modified or derivative forms of those antibodies, in its possession other than those for which the Company has made all payments required under the Adimab Option Agreement, assign certain patents covering certain RSV antibodies to Adimab, grant Adimab a non-exclusive, royalty-free license under certain other patents, and grant Adimab a time-limited right of first negotiation to obtain an exclusive license to certain patents and know-how and the transfer and assignment of certain regulatory filings and approvals and other related assets related to products based on licensed RSV antibodies. Certain of the Company’s payment obligations relating to specified products and patents arising from the agreement survive expiration or termination of the agreement.

During the three months ended March 31, 2019, the Company recognized no research and development expense in connection with the Adimab Option Agreement.

Adimab Collaboration Agreement

In May 2011, Arsanis entered into a collaboration agreement with Adimab, LLC (“Adimab”) and together with certain applicable option exercise letters the Company has sent to Adimab, the “Adimab Collaboration Agreement”). Under the Adimab Collaboration Agreement, the Company and Adimab were required to use reasonable efforts to conduct certain research, which was funded by the Company, to discover and optimize antibodies directed against targets selected by the Company. With respect to each target that was the subject of the research, the Company had an exclusive option to obtain, with respect to a specified number of antibodies directed against such target and discovered or optimized by Adimab, (i) ownership of certain patent rights relating to such antibodies and (ii) exclusive and non-exclusive licenses in a specified field, with the right to grant sublicenses, under certain patent rights and know-how.

Under the Adimab Collaboration Agreement, for each target for which the Company has exercised an option, the Company is required to use commercially reasonable efforts to develop and commercialize at least one product in major markets. If the Company does not fulfill these diligence obligations, Adimab may consider it a material breach, allowing Adimab to terminate the Adimab Collaboration Agreement with respect to such target and all associated products.

The Company is obligated to pay Adimab royalties at a mid single-digit percentage of net sales made by the Company or its affiliates of products based on antibodies for which the Company exercised its option, or products that use or are based on any antibody discovered or optimized under the agreement, any derivative or modified version of any such antibody, or any sequence information as to any such antibody. In addition, if the Company sells or licenses to any third party, or otherwise grants rights to any third party to, any of the products for which the Company is obligated to pay Adimab royalties, either alone or as part of a package including specified patents not directed to these antibodies, the Company is obligated to pay Adimab either (i) the same royalties on net sales of such products by such third party or (ii) a percentage, ranging from the low double digits to a maximum of less than 30%, of the payments the Company receives from such third parties that are attributable to such grant of rights. In April 2017, the Company entered into a letter agreement with the Gates Foundation, pursuant to which the Company licensed to the Gates Foundation certain rights under its ASN100 program. The Company has no payment obligations under the Adimab Collaboration Agreement with respect to sales of certain antibody products if they are sold at cost in developing countries under its letter agreement with the Gates Foundation. However, if such products are sold in developing countries for an amount that exceeds cost, then the amount of such excess over cost will be subject to the royalty payment obligations described above.

If the Company (or one of its affiliates with rights under the agreement) undergoes a change in control and, at the time of such change in control, the Company has not sold or licensed to third parties all of its rights in antibodies for which the Company is obligated to pay Adimab royalties under the agreement, then the Company is obligated to either (i) pay Adimab a percentage, in the mid double digits, of the payments it receives from that change in control that are reasonably attributable to those rights and certain patents arising from the collaboration or (ii) require the Company’s acquirer and all of its future third-party collaborators to pay to Adimab the royalties at a mid single-digit percentage of net sales based on those rights. If the Company grants rights to a third party under certain patents that are not directed to the antibodies for which the Company is obligated to pay Adimab royalties (as described above), the Company is also obligated to pay Adimab, in place of royalties or a percentage of payments received from the third party, a lump sum in the high six digits.

The Adimab Collaboration Agreement will expire on a country-by-country basis twelve years after the first commercial sale in such country of the last product for which the Company is obligated to pay Adimab royalties in such country under the Adimab Collaboration Agreement. The Company has the right to terminate the Adimab Collaboration Agreement for any reason by providing Adimab with a specified amount of prior written notice. Adimab has the right to terminate the Adimab Collaboration Agreement if the Company materially breaches the agreement and fails to cure such breach within a specified cure period, including for its failure to use commercially reasonable efforts to develop and commercialize at least one product directed at a target for which the Company has exercised an option in major markets. If Adimab terminates the Adimab Collaboration Agreement for the Company’s breach, or if the Company terminates the agreement for convenience, then the Company must transfer or license to Adimab certain rights and assets relating to targets and antibodies for which the Company has exercised its option. Adimab is then obligated to make payments to the Company with respect to these targets and antibodies that are similar to the payments the Company is required to make to Adimab during the term of the agreement. Certain of the Company’s payment obligations relating to specified products and patents arising from the agreement survive expiration or termination of the agreement.

During the three months ended March 31, 2019, the Company did not recognize any research and development under the Adimab Collaboration Agreement.

Gates Foundation Grant Agreements

In February 2017, Arsanis entered into a grant agreement with the Gates Foundation (“Grant Agreement”), under which the Gates Foundation agreed to provide the Company up to approximately $9,300 to conduct preclinical development of monoclonal antibodies for the prevention of RSV infection in newborns (the “RSV project”).

In connection with this Grant Agreement, the Company has granted to the Gates Foundation a non-exclusive, perpetual, royalty-free, fully paid up, sublicensable license to make, use, sell, offer to sell, import, distribute, copy, modify, create derivative works, publicly perform and display the funded developments and, to the extent incorporated into a funded development or required to use a funded development, any other technology created outside of the RSV project that was used as part of the RSV project, for the benefit of people in developing countries. This license survives any expiration or termination of the grant agreement. The Grant Agreement expires on October 31, 2019. The Gates Foundation can modify, suspend or discontinue any payment under the grant agreement, or terminate the grant agreement, if it is not reasonably satisfied with the Company’s progress on the RSV project; if there are significant changes to the Company’s leadership or other factors that the Gates Foundation reasonably believes may threaten the RSV project’s success; if the Company undergoes a change in control; if there is a change in the Company’s tax status; if the RSV project is no longer aligned with the Gates Foundation’s programmatic strategy; or if the Company fails to comply with the grant agreement. Any grant funds that have not been used for, or committed to, the RSV project upon the expiration or termination of the grant agreement must be returned to the Gates Foundation or otherwise used as directed by the Gates Foundation. In August 2018, Arsanis entered into an amended and restated grant agreement which replaced the February 2017 grant agreement in its entirety. The amended and restated grant agreement includes amendments to conform to current Gates Foundation audit, reporting, and other administrative requirements, as well as to make the perpetual Gates Foundation license grant described below irrevocable.

During the three months ended March 31, 2019, the Company did not incur qualifying expenses under the letter agreement with the Gates Foundation.

Research and Development Incentive Program

The Company participates in a research and development incentive program provided by the Austrian government whereby the Company is entitled to reimbursement by the Austrian government for a percentage of qualifying research and development expenses incurred by the Company’s subsidiary in Austria. Under the program, the reimbursement rate for qualifying research and development expenses incurred by the Company through its subsidiary in Austria is 14% for the current year .

The Company recognizes incentive income from Austrian research and development incentives when qualifying expenses have been incurred, there is reasonable assurance that the payment will be received, and the consideration can be reliably measured. Management has assessed the Company’s research and development activities and expenditures to determine which activities and expenditures are likely to be eligible under the research and development incentive program described above. At each reporting date, management estimates the reimbursable incentive income available to the Company based on available information at the time.

 

As of March 31, 2019, the Company recorded receivables for amounts due under the program of $1.6 million, which amounts were included in grant and incentive receivables in the consolidated balance sheet.

Janssen License and Option Agreement

On December 12, 2018, Arsanis entered into a patent license and option agreement with Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (“Janssen”), (the “Janssen License and Option Agreement”). Pursuant to the Janssen License and Option Agreement, Arsanis granted to Janssen (i) a non-exclusive license to specified patents in Arsanis’s portfolio related to the ASN200 E. coli program, and (ii) an option for Janssen to acquire these patents in the future if specified conditions are met. Janssen agreed to pay Arsanis $3.5 million within 15 business days after the December 12, 2018 effective date of the Janssen License and Option Agreement, in addition to a future $0.5 million payment in the event Janssen exercises its option to acquire the relevant patents. Arsanis received the $3.5 million payment from Janssen in December 2018 and recognized this amount as revenue. Such revenue is not reflected in the consolidated financial statements of the Company as it occurred prior to the Merger. Janssen’s option to the relevant patents will be recognized as revenue in full in the period in which the option exercise occurs.