License and Contract Revenue

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2020

Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]

License and Contract Revenue

License and Contract Revenue

Licensing Revenue

Otsuka Contract

On December 17, 2020, the Company entered into a collaboration and license agreement with Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (Otsuka) for the development and commercialization of oral LUPKYNIS for the treatment of adult patients with active LN in the European Union (EU), Japan, as well as the United Kingdom, Russia, Switzerland, Norway, Belarus, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Ukraine.

As part of the agreement, Aurinia received an upfront cash payment of $50.0 million for the license agreement, and has the potential to receive up to $50.0 million in regulatory milestones. Aurinia will receive tiered royalties on future sales ranging from 10 to 20 percent (dependent on achievement of sale milestones) on net sales upon commercialization, along with additional milestone payments based on the attainment of certain annual sales by Otsuka. In addition, a supply agreement will be negotiated in the future.

The Company evaluated the Otsuka Agreement under ASC 606. Based on that evaluation, the license transferred was determined to be functional intellectual property (IP) that has significant standalone functionality. That is, the treatment of lupus nephritis and other diseases provides significant benefit to Otsuka at the point of transfer, and it is not expected that the utility of the IP will substantively change as a result of any remaining clinical trials or ongoing activities of Aurinia. The Company determined the upfront fee of $50.0 million is fixed consideration for the transfer of the license and is recognized upon transfer of the license in December 2020.

The remaining forms of consideration are variable because they are dependent on achieving milestones or are based on aggregate future net sales for the regions. None of the regulatory milestones have been included in the transaction price, as all milestone amounts were fully constrained. As part of its evaluation of the constraint, the Company considered numerous factors, including the magnitude of a potential reversal of revenue, uncertainty about if or when the milestone related performance obligations might be achieved and that receipt of the milestones are outside the control of the Company since they are dependent on efforts to be undertaken by Otsuka and regulatory approval by various foreign government agencies. Any consideration related to sales-based royalties (and sales-based milestones) will be recognized when the related sales occur.

Other Licensing Revenue

The Company also recorded licensing revenue of $118 thousand in 2020 (2019 - $118 thousand; 2018 - $118 thousand) related to the upfront license payment of $1.5 million received in 2010 pursuant to the 3SBio Inc. license agreement. Under the agreement, the primary substantive obligations of the Company were to grant the license and transfer intellectual knowledge to 3SBio. Under the agreement, the Company was also required to maintain the patent portfolio in China, Taiwan and Hong Kong, and to provide further support and cooperation to 3SBio over the life of the agreement. Any additional assistance provided to 3SBio was to be performed on a full cost recovery basis. The deferred licensing fee revenue is recognized on a straight-line basis as the Company satisfies the performance obligations over the life of the patents and the benefit to the customer transfers ratably throughout the patent life, which expires in 2022. As at December 31, 2020, $207 thousand (2019 - $324 thousand; 2018 - $442 thousand) of deferred revenue remains relating to this payment.

On April 17, 2017, the Company entered into an agreement with Merck Animal Health (MAH) whereby the Company granted them worldwide rights to develop and commercialize its patented nanomicellar LUPKYNIS ophthalmic solution (VOS) for the treatment of Dry Eye Syndrome in dogs. The Company received a milestone payment of $200 thousand in 2019. This agreement provided MAH with a right to use intellectual property. MAH was able to direct the use of and obtain substantially all of the benefits from the license at the time that control of the rights were transferred and therefore, this $200 thousand milestone payment was recognized as revenue in the year ended December 31, 2019. The Company is eligible to receive further payments based on certain development and sales milestones and receive royalties based on global product sales.

Contract Revenue

In 2018 the Company earned a contract milestone of $345 thousand (CA$450,000) pursuant to a purchase and sale agreement dated February 14, 2014 between Ciclofilin Pharmaceuticals Corp. (now Hepion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.) and Aurinia Pharmaceuticals Inc. under which the Company sold the Non-Immunosuppressive Cyclosporine Analogue Molecules (NICAMs) early stage research and development asset to Ciclofilin. The Company is eligible to receive further payments based on certain development and sales milestones and to receive royalties based on global product sales. The Company has no obligations under this agreement.