XML 27 R16.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.23.2

COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES | 6 Months Ended
--- | ---
Jun. 30, 2023
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES [Abstract] |
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES |
10) | COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
Litigation Matters The Company is involved in litigation and arbitrations from time to time in the ordinary course of business. Legal fees and other costs associated with such actions are expensed as incurred. In addition, the Company assesses the need to record a liability for litigation and contingencies. The Company reserves for costs relating to these matters when a loss is probable, and the amount can be reasonably estimated. Novellus, Inc. v. Sowyrda et al., C.A. No. 2184CV02436-BLS2 On October 25, 2021 Novellus, Inc. filed a complaint in the Superior Court of Massachusetts, Suffolk County, against former Novellus, Inc. employees Paul Sowyrda and John Westman and certain other former investors in Novellus LLC (Novellus, Inc.’s former parent company prior to our acquisition of Novellus, Inc.), alleging breach of fiduciary duty, breach of contract and civil conspiracy. Eterna acquired Novellus, Inc. on July 16, 2021. On May 27, 2022 Novellus, Inc. amended the complaint to withdraw all claims against all defendants except Paul Sowyrda and John Westman. On July 1, 2022, Westman filed a motion to compel arbitration or in the alternative, to stay the litigation pending the disposition of certain litigation in the Court of Chancery for the State of Delaware filed by Mr. Sowyrda against Novellus LLC, Dr. Christopher Rohde, Dr. Matthew Angel, Leonard Mazur and Factor Bioscience, Inc. captioned Zelickson et al., v. Angel et al., C.A. 2021-1014-JRS and by Westman against Novellus LLC captioned Westman v. Novellus LLC, C.A. No. 2021-0882-NAC (the “Delaware Actions”). On July 1, 2022, Sowyrda answered the complaint and asserted counterclaims against Novellus, Inc, and third-party defendants Dr. Matthew Angel and Dr. Christopher Rohde alleging violations of the Massachusetts Wage Act, Massachusetts Minimum Fair Wage Law, the Fair Labor Standards Act, breach of contract, unjust enrichment and quantum meruit. Sowyrda also joined in Westman’s motion to stay the case pending the Delaware Actions. Novellus, Inc.’s claims and Mr. Sowyrda’s counterclaims relate to alleged conduct that took place before Eterna acquired Novellus, Inc. On November 15, 2022, prior to a decision on Westman’s and Sowyrda’s motion to compel or stay, the Parties agreed to voluntarily dismiss and consolidate the Delaware Actions with this action. On December 15, 2022, Sowyrda filed an Amended Answer to the Amended Complaint, asserted affirmative defenses and filed Amended Counterclaims against Dr. Angel, Dr. Rohde, Novellus LLC, Novellus Inc., Factor Bioscience Inc., and Eterna Therapeutics Inc. (“Counterclaim Defendants”) alleging against various Counterclaim Defendants breach of contract, breaches of the implied duty of good faith and fair dealing, breaches of fiduciary duty, breaches of the operating agreement, aiding and abetting breaches of fiduciary duty, tortious interference with contract, equitable accounting, violations of the Massachusetts Wage Act, Massachusetts Minimum Fair Wage Law, the Fair Labor Standards Act, unjust enrichment, and quantum meruit. Also on December 15, 2022, Westman filed an answer to the Amended Complaint and asserted similar counterclaims against the same Counterclaim Defendants. Westman and Sowyrda each asserted claims for indemnification and/or advancement against Novellus, Inc. On January 11, 2023, Westman and Sowyrda served a joint motion to enforce their advancement and/or indemnification rights against Novellus Inc. Novellus Inc. vigorously opposes this motion and served its opposition on January 27, 2023. On February 8, 2023, Westman and Sowyrda served a reply in support of their motion to enforce indemnification/advancement rights, and submitted the motion to the Court. Novellus Inc. answered Westman and Sowyrda’s counterclaims on January 27, 2023, denying liability. The remaining Counterclaim Defendants served a motion to dismiss most of the remaining counterclaims on January 27, 2023. The Court entered an order granting the Counterclaim Defendants’ motion to dismiss and denying Sowyrda and Westman’s motion to enforce on June 15, 2023. The Court’s order dismissed all of Westman’s claims against Counterclaim Defendants except his claim for indemnification, and all of Sowyrda’s claims except his claim for indemnification and his employment-related claims, which Counterclaim Defendants did not move to dismiss. On July 6, 2023, Westman and Sowyrda filed a petition for interlocutory review with a single justice of the Massachusetts Appeals Court, seeking to overturn the judge’s decision granting the Counterclaim Defendants’ motion to dismiss most of the remaining counterclaims, but not the decision denying Westman and Sowyrda’s motion to enforce advancement rights. On July 25, 2023, the parties to the appeal filed a joint motion to the single justice in the appellate court to stay the appeal, indicating that Counterclaim Plaintiffs intended to file amended counterclaims with the consent of Counterclaim Defendants who may then move to dismiss the amended counterclaims. Pursuant to the motion, which was allowed on July 27, 2023, the appeal is stayed pending resolution of Counterclaim Defendants’ motion to dismiss the amended counterclaims or the expiration of the time for Counterclaim Defendants to move to dismiss the amended counterclaims. Under applicable Delaware law and Novellus Inc.’s organizational documents, the Company may be required to advance or reimburse certain legal expenses incurred by former officers and directors of Novellus, Inc. in connection with the foregoing Westman and Sowyrda matters. However, a future advance or reimbursement is not currently probable nor can it be reasonably estimated. eTheRNA Immunotherapies NV and eTheRNA Inc. v. Eterna Therapeutics Inc. C.A. No. 123CV11732 On July 31, 2023, eTheRNA Immunotherapies NV and eTheRNA Inc. filed a complaint against Eterna Therapeutics Inc. alleging the following claims: (1) federal trademark infringement; (2) federal unfair competition; (3) Massachusetts state common law trademark infringement; (4) Massachusetts state unfair competition. Service of process for the complaint was completed on August 1, 2023. At this stage in the litigation, the Company is not able to predict the probability of a favorable or unfavorable outcome. Licensing Agreements On February 20, 2023, the Company and Factor Limited entered into the Exclusive Factor License Agreement, which terminated and superseded the Original Factor License Agreement. On July 12, 2023, the Company and Factor Limited entered into the Exclusive License Agreement Amendment. See Note 8 for details of these agreements. Retirement Savings Plan The Company established a defined contribution plan, organized under Section 401(k) of the Internal Revenue Code, which allows employees to defer up to 90% of their pay on a pre-tax basis. Beginning on January 1, 2023, the Company began matching employees’ contributions at a rate of 100% of the first 3% of the employee’s contribution and 50% of the next 2% of the employee’s contribution, for a maximum Company match of 4%.

X
- References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_CommitmentsAndContingenciesDisclosureAbstract
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition The entire disclosure for commitments and contingencies. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Topic 440 -SubTopic 10 -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -Subparagraph (a) -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147482648/440-10-50-4 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef -Topic 450 -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org//450/tableOfContent Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Topic 954 -SubTopic 440 -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (a) -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147480327/954-440-50-1 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Topic 440 -SubTopic 10 -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -Subparagraph (c) -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147482648/440-10-50-4 Reference 5: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Topic 440 -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org//440/tableOfContent + Details
Name: | us-gaap_CommitmentsAndContingenciesDisclosureTextBlock
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | dtr-types:textBlockItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration