XML 42 R17.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT

License Agreements

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

11.	License Agreements

MedImmune Limited

In November 2017, the Company entered into a license agreement (“MedImmune License”) with MedImmune Limited (“MedImmune”). MedImmune is a wholly owned subsidiary of AstraZeneca plc (“AstraZeneca”). Pursuant to the terms of the MedImmune License, MedImmune granted the Company exclusive global rights for the purpose of developing and commercializing products under the MedImmune License (“MedImmune licensed product”). In consideration of the license and other rights granted by MedImmune, the Company made an upfront payment of $0.1 million, which was included as research and development expense for the year ended December 31, 2017. The Company is also obligated to make a series of contingent milestone payments totaling up to an aggregate of $18.0 million upon the achievement of clinical development and regulatory milestones. During the nine months ended September 30, 2019, the Company made a $1.0 million milestone payment to MedImmune, which was recorded as a research and development expense. In addition, the Company will pay MedImmune tiered royalties ranging from mid-single-digit to low-teen percentages of net sales of any MedImmune licensed products and additional payments of up to $50.0 million in aggregate commercial milestones. The Company also must pay quarterly fees relating to technical services provided by MedImmune. The MedImmune License requires the Company to cooperate with MedImmune on commercial messaging of PB2452 and provides MedImmune with the return of rights to PB2452 if certain commercial diligence requirements are not achieved by the Company. In addition, the MedImmune License offers an option for third-party product storage costs. As of December 31, 2018, the Company had incurred and reimbursed MedImmune $0.5 million for such third-party product storage costs. The Company incurred an insignificant amount of third-party product storage costs in the nine months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018. AstraZeneca is a stockholder of the Company.

Duke University

In October 2006, the Company entered into a license agreement with Duke University (“Duke”) (as amended, the “Duke License”). Pursuant to the Duke License, Duke granted to the Company an exclusive, worldwide license under certain patent rights and a non-exclusive license to know-how owned or controlled by Duke to develop and commercialize any products or processes covered under the Duke License (the “Duke licensed products”). The Duke License was amended in February 2016 to allow Duke to use the Company’s technology in the area of small-molecule oncologics. The Duke License is a worldwide, sublicensable agreement and remains in full effect for the life of the last-to-expire patents included in the patent rights, which is estimated to be 2029. The Company is required to apply for, prosecute and maintain all U.S. and foreign patent rights under the Duke License.

The Company is obligated to pay up to $2.2 million upon the achievement of clinical development and regulatory milestones and up to $0.4 million upon the achievement of commercial milestones. The Duke License may be terminated by Duke if the Company fails to meet certain clinical development and regulatory milestones within specified timeframes. As of September 30, 2019, the Company was in compliance with its development obligations.

The Company is required to use commercially reasonable efforts to develop one or more products or processes and introduce them into commercial markets. Duke will receive low single-digit royalty percentages on net sales of Duke licensed products by the Company or its sublicensee, with minimum aggregate royalties of $0.2 million payable following the Company’s achievement of certain commercial milestones. No sales of Duke licensed products or services have occurred since the effective date through September 30, 2019.

Certain alliance fee payments up to the greater of $0.3 million or a low double-digit percentage of the fees the Company receives from a third party in consideration of forming a strategic alliance may be required depending upon how the patent rights are commercialized. The Company must pay Duke the first $1.0 million of non-royalty payments it receives from a sublicensee, and thereafter a specified percentage of any additional nonroyalty payments it receives, subject to certain conditions. If Duke receives revenue as a result of a license or sublicense to a third-party in the field of small-molecule oncologics, it will pay the Company a specified percentage of the amount of such revenue in excess of $0.1 million. Duke is also a stockholder of the Company.

Wacker

In April 2019, the Company entered into a license agreement (“Wacker License Agreement”), with Wacker Biotech GmbH (“Wacker”), pursuant to which Wacker granted the Company an exclusive license under certain of Wacker’s intellectual property rights to use Wacker’s proprietary E. coli strain for the manufacture of PB2452 worldwide outside of specified Asian countries, and to commercialize PB2452, if approved, manufactured by the Company or on the Company’s behalf using Wacker’s proprietary E. coli strain throughout the world. The Company has the right to grant sublicenses under the license, subject to certain conditions as specified in the Wacker License Agreement. Under the terms of the agreement, the Company is required to pay a fixed, nominal per-unit royalty, which is subject to adjustment, and an annual license fee in a fixed Euro amount in the low to mid six digits. The agreement will be in force for an indefinite period of time, and upon the expiration of the Company’s royalty obligations, the license will be considered fully paid and will convert to a non-exclusive license. Either party may terminate the Wacker License Agreement for breach if such breach is not cured within a specified number of days. The Company incurred $82,000 in costs under the Wacker License Agreement for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019.