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MAYO LICENSE AGREEMENT
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2013
MAYO LICENSE AGREEMENT  
MAYO LICENSE AGREEMENT

(3) MAYO LICENSE AGREEMENT

 

Overview

 

On June 11, 2009, the Company entered into a license agreement (the “License Agreement”) with MAYO Foundation for Medical Education and Research (“MAYO”). Under the License Agreement, MAYO granted the Company an exclusive, worldwide license within the field (the “Field”) of stool or blood based cancer diagnostics and screening (excluding a specified proteomic target) with regard to certain MAYO patents, and a non-exclusive worldwide license within the Field with regard to certain MAYO know-how. The licensed patents cover advances in sample processing, analytical testing and data analysis associated with non-invasive, stool-based DNA screening for colorectal cancer. Under the License Agreement, the Company assumes the obligation and expense of prosecuting and maintaining the licensed patents and is obligated to make commercially reasonable efforts to bring products covered by the license to market. Pursuant to the License Agreement, the Company granted MAYO two common stock purchase warrants with an exercise price of $1.90 per share covering 1,000,000 and 250,000 shares of common stock, respectively. The Company is also required to make payments to MAYO for up-front fees, fees once certain milestones are reached by the Company, and other payments as outlined in the License Agreement. In addition to the license to intellectual property owned by MAYO, the Company receives product development and research and development efforts from MAYO personnel. The Company determined that the payments made for intellectual property should not be capitalized as the future economic benefit derived from the transactions is uncertain. The Company is also obligated to make royalty payments to MAYO on potential future net sales of any products developed from the licensed technology.

 

Warrants

 

The warrants granted to MAYO were valued based on a Black-Scholes pricing model at the date of the grant. The warrants were granted with an exercise price of $1.90 per share of common stock. The grant to purchase 1,000,000 shares was immediately exercisable and the grant to purchase 250,000 shares vests and becomes exercisable over a four year period.

 

In March of 2010, MAYO partially exercised its warrant covering 1,000,000 shares by utilizing the cashless exercise provision contained in the warrant.  As a result of this exercise for a gross amount of 200,000 shares, in lieu of paying a cash exercise price, MAYO forfeited its rights with respect to 86,596 shares leaving it with a net amount of 113,404 shares.

 

In September of 2010, MAYO partially exercised this warrant by utilizing the cashless exercise provision contained in the warrant.  As a result of this exercise for a gross amount of 300,000 shares, in lieu of paying a cash exercise price, MAYO forfeited its rights with respect to 97,853 shares leaving it with a net amount of 202,147 shares.

 

In June of 2011, MAYO partially exercised this warrant by utilizing the cashless exercise provision contained in the warrant. As a result of this exercise for a gross amount of 250,000 shares, in lieu of paying a cash exercise price, MAYO forfeited its rights with respect to 60,246 shares leaving it with a net amount of 189,754 shares.

 

In September of 2011, MAYO partially exercised this warrant by utilizing the cashless exercise provision contained in the warrant. As a result of this exercise for a gross amount of 250,000 shares, in lieu of paying a cash exercise price, MAYO forfeited its right with respect to 56,641 shares leaving it with a net amount of 193,359 shares. Following this exercise, the warrant covering 1,000,000 shares was fully exercised.

 

In January of 2013, MAYO partially exercised its warrant covering 250,000 shares by utilizing the cashless exercise provision contained in the warrant. As a result of this exercise for a gross amount of 85,000 shares, in lieu of paying a cash exercise price, MAYO forfeited its right with respect to 14,008 shares leaving it with a net amount of 70,992 shares.

 

In June of 2013, MAYO partially exercised its warrant covering a remaining 165,000 shares by utilizing the cashless exercise provision contained in the warrant. As a result of this exercise for a gross amount of 85,000 shares, in lieu of paying a cash exercise price, MAYO forfeited its right with respect to 12,765 shares leaving it with a net amount of 72,235 shares. The warrant now covers a total of 80,000 shares.

 

Royalty Payments

 

The Company will make royalty payments to MAYO based on a percentage of net sales of products developed from the licensed technology starting in the third year of the agreement.  Minimum royalty payments were $10,000 in 2012 and will be $25,000 per year through 2029, the year the last patent expires.

 

Other Payments

 

Other payments under the MAYO agreement include an upfront payment of $80,000, a milestone payment of $250,000 on the commencement of patient enrollment in FDA trials for the Company’s Cologuard pre-cancer and cancer screening test, and a $500,000 payment upon FDA approval of the Company’s Cologuard test.  The upfront payment of $80,000 was made in the third quarter of 2009 and expensed to research and development in the second quarter of 2009. The Company began enrollment in its FDA trial in June of 2011 and the milestone payment of $250,000 was made in June of 2011 and expensed to research and development in the second quarter of 2011.  It is uncertain as to when the FDA will approve the Company’s pre-cancer and cancer screening test. Therefore, the $500,000 milestone payment has not been recorded as a liability. The Company evaluates the status of the FDA trial at each reporting date to determine if a liability should be recorded for the milestone payment.

 

In addition, the Company is making payments to MAYO for research and development efforts.  During the three and six months ended June 30, 2013, the Company made payments of $0.3 million and $0.5 million, respectively. At June 30, 2013 the Company recorded an estimated liability in the amount of $0.5 million for research and development efforts.  During the three and six months ended June 30, 2012, the Company made payments of $0.2 million. At June 30, 2012 the Company recorded an estimated liability in the amount of $0.2 million for research and development efforts.

 

May 2012 Amendment

 

In May 2012 the Company expanded the relationship with MAYO through an amendment to the License Agreement. As part of the amendment, MAYO expanded the Company’s license to include all gastrointestinal cancers and diseases, and new cancer screening applications of stool- and blood-based testing. As consideration for the expanded license, the Company granted MAYO 97,466 shares of restricted stock, one quarter of which vested immediately, with the remainder to vest in three equal annual installments. The Company recognized $1.0 million in licensing expense during the twelve months ended December 31, 2012 in connection with the restricted stock grant due to the uncertainty in the license providing a future benefit.

 

As part of the amendment, the Company will also be responsible for making additional restricted stock grants to MAYO as certain milestones are met with respect to commercial launch of the Company’s second and third licensed products. Additionally, the Company will make milestone payments once certain sales levels are reached on the second and third licensed products. It is uncertain as to when these milestones will be met; therefore, the milestone payments have not been recorded as a liability. The Company evaluates the status of the milestone payments at each reporting date to determine if a liability should be recorded for the milestone payment.