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U.S. Government Agreement, Joint Venture and Collaborations
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2013
U.S. Government Agreement and Collaborations [Abstract]  
U.S. Government Agreement and Collaboration

Note 8 - U.S. Government Agreement, Joint Venture and Collaborations

 

HHS BARDA Contract for Recombinant Influenza Vaccines

 

In February 2011, the Company was awarded a contract from HHS BARDA valued at $97 million for the first three-year base-period, with an HHS BARDA option for an additional two-year period 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 allowable 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. An audit by the government of fiscal year 2011 has been initiated, but has not been completed as of the date of this filing. When the final determination of the allowable costs for any year has been made, revenue and billings may be adjusted accordingly; however, management believes that revenue for periods subject to audit has been recorded in amounts that are expected to be realized upon final audit and settlement. The Company recognized revenue of approximately $6.5 million in the six months ended June 30, 2013, and has recognized approximately $41 million in revenue since the inception of the contract.

 

Under certain circumstances, HHS BARDA reimbursements may be delayed or even potentially withheld. In March 2012, the Company decided to conduct a Phase 2 clinical trial of its quadrivalent seasonal influenza vaccine candidate ("205 Trial") under its existing U.S. investigational new drug application ("IND") for its trivalent seasonal influenza vaccine candidate as opposed to waiting to conduct this clinical trial under a new IND for its quadrivalent vaccine candidate ("Quadrivalent IND"). Based on the Company's discussions with HHS BARDA in 2012, the outside clinical trial costs for the 205 Trial may only be submitted for reimbursement to HHS BARDA and recorded as revenue by the Company after it submits the clinical trial data in a future Quadrivalent IND. The submission of the Quadrivalent IND is expected shortly before the Company initiates the next Phase 2 dose-confirmatory clinical trial, which has been delayed due to the development activity associated with improving the seroconversion rate of one of the four strains. The outside clinical trial costs of the 205 Trial conducted last year total $2.9 million, which was incurred from the inception of the clinical trial through June 30, 2013. These costs have been recorded as an expense and are included in cost of government contracts revenue.

 

CPL Biologicals Private Limited ("CPLB") Joint Venture

 

In 2009, the Company formed a joint venture with Cadila Pharmaceuticals Limited ("Cadila") named CPL Biologicals Private Limited (the "CPLB") to develop and manufacture vaccines, biological therapeutics and diagnostics in India. CPLB is owned 20% by the Company and 80% by Cadila. The Company accounts for its investment in CPLB using the equity method. Since the carrying value of the Company's initial investment was nominal and there is no guarantee or commitment to provide future funding, the Company has not recorded any losses related to this investment.

 

LG Life Sciences, Ltd. ("LGLS") License Agreement

 

In February 2011, the Company entered into a license agreement with 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 both its clinical development of the influenza VLP vaccines and a manufacturing facility to produce such vaccine 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 in the high single digits from LGLS's future commercial sales of influenza VLP vaccines. 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 ("PATH") Clinical Development Agreement

 

In July 2012, the Company entered into a clinical development agreement with 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 2 dose-ranging clinical trial in women of childbearing age, which was launched in October 2012. In August 2013, the funding under the agreement was increased by $0.3 million and the term extended to April 2014 to support the Company's reproductive toxicology studies, which are necessary before it conducts clinical trials in pregnant women. 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 elected to continue 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. The Company recognized revenue of approximately $0.6 million in the six months ended June 30, 2013, and has recognized approximately $1.9 million in revenue since the inception of the contract. 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 services being performed.