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Commitments and Contingencies
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2020
Commitments And Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Commitments and contingencies

8.     Commitments and Contingencies

Contingencies

We record accruals for loss contingencies to the extent that we conclude it is probable that a liability has been incurred and the amount of the related loss can be reasonably estimated. We evaluate, on a quarterly basis, developments in legal proceedings and other matters that could cause a change in the potential amount of the liability recorded or of the range of potential losses disclosed. Additionally, we record our rights to insurance recoveries, limited to the extent of incurred or probable losses, as a receivable when such recoveries have been agreed to with our third-party insurers and when receipt is deemed probable. This includes instances where our third-party insurers have agreed to pay, on our behalf, certain legal defense costs and settlement amounts directly to applicable law firms and a settlement fund.

Securities Litigation

In March 2016, a putative securities class action complaint captioned Sudunagunta v. NantKwest, Inc., et al., No. 16‑cv‑01947 was filed in federal district court for the Central District of California related to the company’s restatement of certain interim financial statements for the periods ended June 30, 2015 and September 30, 2015. A number of similar putative class actions were filed in federal and state court in California. The actions originally filed in state court were removed to federal court, and the various related actions were consolidated. Plaintiffs asserted causes of action for alleged violations of Sections 11 and 15 of the Securities Act of 1933 and Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b‑5 promulgated thereunder. Plaintiffs sought unspecified damages, costs and attorneys’ fees, and equitable/injunctive or other relief on behalf of putative classes of persons who purchased or acquired the company’s securities during various time periods from July 28, 2015 through March 11, 2016. In September 2017, the court denied defendants' motion to dismiss the third amended consolidated complaint. On August 13, 2018, the district court granted plaintiffs’ motions for class certification and to strike plaintiffs’ claims under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b‑5. On August 24, 2018, at the district court’s direction, plaintiffs filed a fourth amended consolidated complaint. On August 27, 2018, defendants petitioned the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit to authorize interlocutory appeal of the class certification order. On September 7, 2018, defendants answered the fourth amended consolidated complaint. On September 21, 2018, the parties informed the Ninth Circuit that they had reached a settlement in principle, and the parties moved to stay appellate proceedings. On September 24, 2018, the parties notified the district court that they had reached a settlement in principle. On November 9, 2018, the plaintiffs filed an unopposed motion for preliminary approval of the settlement and notice to class members. On January 9, 2019, the district court granted the motion for preliminary approval. A final approval hearing was held on April 29, 2019, and the district court granted final approval and entered judgment on May 31, 2019.

Under the terms of the settlement, we paid $12.0 million to the plaintiffs as full and complete settlement of the litigation. We were responsible for $1.2 million of the settlement amount, which was recognized in selling, general and administrative expense during 2018, while the remaining $10.8 million was fully funded by our insurance carriers under our directors’ and officers’ insurance policy. We and the insurance carriers paid the settlement amount into a settlement fund in January 2019. Subsequent to receiving final approval of the settlement on May 13, 2019, the aforementioned settlement accrual, associated insurance claim receivable and restricted cash were released and are no longer reflected on the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheets.

Stipulation of Settlement

In early April 2019, following board approval, which occurred in late March 2019, we entered into a settlement agreement, or the Stipulation of Settlement, with three stockholders of the company, each of whom had submitted a stockholder demand for the board to take action to remedy purported harm to the company resulting from certain alleged wrongful conduct concerning, among other things, disclosures about Dr. Soon-Shiong’s compensation and a related-party lease agreement. The Stipulation of Settlement called for us to adopt certain governance changes, and for the three stockholders to file a stockholder derivative action in the Superior Court of the State of California, County of San Diego, followed by an application for court approval of the Stipulation of Settlement. On May 31, 2019, the court entered an order preliminarily approving the Stipulation of Settlement and scheduling the final settlement hearing for August 9, 2019. Pursuant to the Stipulation of Settlement, we have provided stockholders with notice of the settlement and the final settlement hearing.

Under the terms of the Stipulation of Settlement, which received final approval by the court on August 9, 2019, we paid an attorney’s fee of $0.5 million to the plaintiffs as part of the settlement. Of that amount, we were responsible for half, which was recognized in selling, general and administrative expense on the condensed consolidated statements of operations during the first quarter of 2019, while the other half was funded by our insurance carrier. We and the insurance carrier paid the settlement amount into a settlement fund in June 2019. Subsequent to receiving final approval of the settlement on August 9, 2019, the aforementioned settlement accrual, associated insurance claim receivable and restricted cash were released and are no longer reflected on the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheets.

Insurance Recoveries

We have reflected our right to insurance recoveries, limited to the extent of incurred or probable losses, as a receivable when such recoveries have been agreed to with our third-party insurers and receipt is deemed probable. This includes instances where our third-party insurers have agreed to pay, on our behalf, certain legal defense costs and settlement amounts directly to applicable law firms and a settlement fund. The amount of such receivable recorded at March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019 was $30,000 and $34,000, respectively, and is included in prepaid expenses and other current assets on our consolidated balance sheets.

Contractual Obligations - Leases

Substantially all of our operating lease right-of-use assets and operating lease liabilities relate to facilities leases. We lease: (i) a research facility and office space in San Diego, California; (ii) a research and manufacturing space in Culver City, California, from a related party; (iii) a research and manufacturing facility in El Segundo, California, also from a related party; (iv) a research facility in Torrance, California; and (v) a research facility in Woburn, Massachusetts. See Note 9 – Related Party Agreements for further information.

For the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, $1.3 million and $1.2 million, respectively, including variable lease costs of $0.3 million and $0.2 million, respectively, was recorded in operating expenses on the condensed consolidated statements of operations. The weighted-average remaining lease term as of March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019 was 4.3 years and 4.5 years, respectively. The weighted-average discount rate as of March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019 was 9%. For the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, cash outflows from operating leases, excluding variable lease costs, was $1.0 million and $1.3 million, respectively.

Future minimum lease payments at March 31, 2020 are presented in the following table (in thousands). Common area maintenance costs and taxes are not included in these payments.

 

Years ending December 31:

Operating

Leases (a)

 

2020 (excluding the three months ended March 31, 2020)

$

3,221

 

2021

 

3,754

 

2022

 

3,671

 

2023

 

2,545

 

2024

 

1,083

 

Thereafter

 

1,730

 

Total future minimum lease payments

 

16,004

 

Less: Interest

 

2,671

 

Present value of operating lease liabilities

$

13,333

 

 

 

(a)

Operating lease payments include $3.3 million related to options to extend lease terms that are reasonably certain of being exercised.

In August 2018, NantBio, Inc., or NantBio, a related party (Note 9), assigned an agreement to us for the use of a third-party research facility, which provides us with the exclusive right to use and access to a portion of the third party’s laboratory and vivarium premises. In conjunction with the assignment, we reimbursed NantBio for upfront payments which it had made to the third party of $0.9 million, and paid $0.5 million directly to the third party for an aggregate value of $1.4 million. The assigned agreement is for a term of ten years and expires in June 2027. The agreement may be terminated by us at any time, with or without cause. In case of termination of the agreement, the third party will reimburse us for a pro-rata amount based upon the passage of time.

In September 2016, we entered into a lease agreement with 605 Doug St, LLC, a related party (Note 9), for approximately 24,250 square feet in El Segundo, California, which has been converted to a research and development laboratory and a current good manufacturing practice, or cGMP, manufacturing facility. The lease runs from July 2016 through July 2023. We have the option to extend the lease for an additional three year term through July 2026. The monthly rent is $0.1 million with annual increases of 3% beginning in July 2017.

In March 2016, we entered into a lease agreement for an approximately 7,893 square foot facility in Woburn, Massachusetts, for a research and development laboratory, related office and other related uses. The initial lease term runs for 48 months from April 29, 2016 through May 31, 2020. In June 2016, the lease was amended to add 260 square feet, for a total of 8,153 square feet. Base rent for the initial term of the lease is $19,000 per month with a $1 per square foot annual increase on each anniversary date. In August 2019, we exercised our right pursuant to the lease agreement to extend the term of the lease for an additional two years through May 31, 2022. Consequently, during the third quarter of 2019 we recognized an increase of $0.6 million in both operating lease right-of-use assets and operating lease liabilities on the condensed consolidated balance sheets.

In November 2015, we entered into a facility license agreement with NantWorks LLC, or NantWorks, a related party (Note 9), for approximately 9,500 square feet of office space in Culver City, California, which has been converted to a research and development laboratory and a cGMP manufacturing facility. The license was effective in May 2015 and extends through December 2020. The monthly rent is $47,000, with annual increases of 3% beginning in January 2017.

In June 2015, we entered into a lease agreement for an approximately 44,700 square foot facility in San Diego, California, for a research and development laboratory, related office and other related uses. The term of the lease extends for seven years commencing on August 1, 2016. The base rent is $0.2 million per month with 3% annual increases on each anniversary date.

Commitments

We did not enter into any significant contracts during the three months ended March 31, 2020, other than those disclosed in these unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.