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RESEARCH AND LICENSE AGREEMENTS WITH PRINCETON UNIVERSITY, UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AND THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2020
Research And Development [Abstract]  
RESEARCH AND LICENSE AGREEMENTS WITH PRINCETON UNIVERSITY, UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AND THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN

9.

RESEARCH AND LICENSE AGREEMENTS WITH PRINCETON UNIVERSITY, UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AND THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN:

The Company funded OLED technology research at Princeton University and, on a subcontractor basis, at the University of Southern California for 10 years under a Research Agreement executed with Princeton University in August 1997 (the 1997 Research Agreement). The principal investigator conducting work under the 1997 Research Agreement transferred to the University of Michigan in January 2006. Following this transfer, the 1997 Research Agreement was allowed to expire on July 31, 2007.

As a result of the transfer, the Company entered into a new Sponsored Research Agreement with the University of Southern California to sponsor OLED technology research and, on a subcontractor basis, with the University of Michigan. This new Sponsored Research Agreement (as amended, the 2006 Research Agreement) was effective as of May 1, 2006 and had an original term of three years. Since then, the 2006 Research Agreement was amended and extended several times with the most recent amendment having been completed on March 13, 2020, extending the term through April 30, 2023 with an option to extend the term for an additional two years. The 2006 Research Agreement superseded the 1997 Research Agreement with respect to all work performed at the University of Southern California and the University of Michigan. Payments under the 2006 Research Agreement were made to the University of Southern California on a quarterly basis as actual expenses were incurred. As of March 31, 2020, the Company was obligated to pay the University of Southern California up to $9.1 million for work to be performed during the remaining extended term, which expires April 30, 2023. The Company recorded research and development expense in connection with work performed under the 2006 Research Agreement of $272,000 and $243,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively.

In connection with entering into the 2006 Research Agreement, the Company amended the 1997 Amended License Agreement to include the University of Michigan as a party to that agreement effective as of January 1, 2006. Under this amendment, Princeton University, the University of Southern California and the University of Michigan have granted the Company a worldwide exclusive license, with rights to sublicense, to make, have made, use, lease and/or sell products and to practice processes based on patent applications and issued patents arising out of work performed under the 2006 Research Agreement. The financial terms of the 1997 Amended License Agreement were not impacted by this amendment.

On October 9, 1997, the Company, Princeton University and the University of Southern California entered into an Amended License Agreement (as amended, the 1997 Amended License Agreement) under which Princeton University and the University of Southern California granted the Company worldwide, exclusive license rights, with rights to sublicense, to make, have made, use, lease and/or sell products and to practice processes based on patent applications and issued patents arising out of work performed by Princeton University and the University of Southern California under the 1997 Research Agreement. Under this 1997 Amended License Agreement, the Company is required to pay Princeton University royalties for licensed products sold by the Company or its sublicensees. For licensed products sold by the Company, the Company is required to pay Princeton University 3% of the net sales price of these products. For licensed products sold by the Company’s sublicensees, the Company is required to pay Princeton 3% of the revenues received by the Company from these sublicensees. These royalty rates are subject to renegotiation for products not reasonably conceivable as arising out of the 1997 Research Agreement if Princeton University reasonably determines that the royalty rates payable with respect to these products are not fair and competitive.

The Company is obligated, under the 1997 Amended License Agreement, to pay to Princeton University minimum annual royalties. The minimum royalty payment is $100,000 per year. The Company recorded royalty expense in connection with this agreement of $3.3 million and $2.5 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively.

The Company also is required, under the 1997 Amended License Agreement, to use commercially reasonable efforts to bring the licensed OLED technology to market. However, this requirement is deemed satisfied if the Company invests a minimum of $800,000 per year in research, development, commercialization or patenting efforts respecting the patent rights licensed to the Company.