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Asset Contribution Agreement
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2014
Asset Contribution Agreement [Abstract]  
Asset Contribution Agreement
8. Asset Contribution Agreement

On January 4, 2013, BioTime and Asterias entered into an Asset Contribution Agreement with Geron Corporation (“Geron”) pursuant to which BioTime and Geron agreed to concurrently contribute certain assets to Asterias in exchange for shares of Asterias common stock. The transaction closed on October 1, 2013.

Transfer of BioTime Assets

Under the Asset Contribution Agreement, BioTime contributed to Asterias 8,902,077 BioTime common shares registered for re-sale under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, warrants to subscribe for and purchase 8,000,000 additional BioTime common shares (the “BioTime Warrants”) exercisable for a period of five years at a price of $5.00 per share, subject to pro rata adjustment for certain stock splits, reverse stock splits, stock dividends, recapitalizations and other transactions; a 10% common stock interest in BioTime’s subsidiary OrthoCyte; a 6% ordinary share interest in BioTime’s subsidiary Cell Cure Neurosciences; and a quantity of certain hES cell lines produced under “good manufacturing practices” sufficient to generate master cell banks, and non-exclusive, world-wide, royalty-free licenses to use those cell lines and certain patents pertaining to stem cell differentiation technology for any and all purposes. In return, Asterias issued to BioTime 21,773,340 shares of its Series B common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (“Series B Shares”), and warrants to purchase 3,150,000 Series B Shares, exercisable for a period of three years from the date of issue at an exercise price of $5.00 per share. In addition, BioTime cancelled Asterias’ obligations to repay the principal amount of a loan in the amount of $5,000,000 arising from cash financing provided to Asterias by BioTime during 2013 prior to the closing of the asset contribution transaction under the Asset Contribution Agreement.
 
Because Asterias is a subsidiary of BioTime, the transfer of assets from BioTime was accounted for as a transaction under common control. Non-monetary assets received by Asterias were recorded at their historical cost basis amounts with BioTime. Monetary assets were recorded at fair value. The difference between the value of assets contributed by BioTime and the fair value of consideration issued to BioTime was recorded as an additional contribution by BioTime, in additional paid-in capital.

The assets transferred by BioTime and the related consideration paid were recorded as follows:

Consideration transferred to BioTime:
  
Asterias Series B shares
 
$
52,164,568
 
Warrants to purchase Asterias Series B shares
  
2,012,481
 
Excess of contributed assets’ value over consideration
  
4,800,063
 
Total consideration issued
 
$
58,977,112
 
     
Assets transferred by BioTime:
    
BioTime common shares, at fair value
 
$
34,985,163
 
BioTime Warrants, at fair value
  
18,276,406
 
Cancellation of outstanding obligation to BioTime
  
5,000,000
 
Investment in affiliates, at cost
  
415,543
 
Geron asset acquisition related transaction costs paid by BioTime
  
300,000
 
Total assets transferred
 
$
58,977,112
 
 
The fair value of the Asterias Series B shares issued was estimated at $2.40 based on the Asterias enterprise value as determined on January 4, 2013, at the time the Asset Contribution Agreement was negotiated and executed by its parties, and as adjusted for subsequent changes in fair values of assets the parties agreed to contribute. The fair value of the warrants to purchase Asterias Series B shares was computed using a Black Scholes Merton option pricing model, which utilized the following assumptions: expected term equal to the contractual term of three years, which is equal to the contractual life of the warrants; risk-free rate of 0.63%; 0% expected dividend yield; 69.62% expected volatility based on the average historical common stock volatility of BioTime and Geron, which were used as Asterias’ common stock does not have a trading history; a stock price of $2.40; and an exercise price of $5.00.

BioTime common shares were valued at $3.93 using the closing price per BioTime common shares on the NYSE MKT on October 1, 2013. The fair value of the BioTime Warrants was computed using a Black Scholes Merton option pricing model, which utilized the following assumptions: expected term equal to the contractual term of five years, which is equal to the contractual life of the warrants; risk-free rate of 1.42%; 0% expected dividend yield; 77.63% expected volatility based on historical common stock volatility of BioTime; a stock price of $3.93; and an exercise price of $5.00.

The investment in OrthoCyte and Cell Cure Neurosciences stock represents a non-monetary asset and was recorded at BioTime’s historical cost because BioTime is a common parent to Asterias and those two BioTime subsidiaries.

Geron Assets Acquisition

Under the Asset Contribution Agreement, Geron contributed to Asterias certain patents, patent applications, trade secrets, know-how and other intellectual property rights with respect to the technology of Geron directly related to the research, development and commercialization of certain products and know-how related to human embryonic stem (“hES”) cells; certain biological materials, reagents, laboratory equipment; as well as clinical trial documentation, files and data, primarily related to GRNOPC1 clinical trials for spinal cord injury and VAC1 clinical trials for acute myelogenous leukemia. Asterias assumed all obligations related to such assets that would be attributable to periods, events or circumstances after the Asset Contribution closing date, including those related to certain patent interference proceedings and appeals in Federal District Court that have subsequently been settled.
 
As consideration for the acquisition of assets from Geron, Asterias issued to Geron 6,537,779 shares of Series A common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (“Series A Shares”), which Geron had agreed to distribute to its stockholders, on a pro rata basis, subject to applicable legal requirements and certain other limitations (the “Series A Distribution”). Asterias agreed to distribute to the holders of its Series A Shares the 8,000,000 BioTime Warrants contributed to Asterias by BioTime (the “BioTime Warrants Distribution”). Geron gave notice to Asterias that the Series A Distribution was completed in August 2014. At September 30, 2014, the BioTime Warrants Distribution by Asterias was expected to be completed on October 1, 2014. See Note 12.

In addition, Asterias agreed to bear certain transaction costs in connection with the Geron asset acquisition. Such transaction costs were allocated to acquisition of assets in the amount of $1,519,904 and issuance of equity in the amount of $541,800.

The assets contributed to Asterias by Geron did not include workforce or any processes to be applied to the patents, biological materials, and other assets acquired, and therefore did not constitute a business. Accordingly, the acquisition of the Geron assets has been accounted for as an acquisition of assets in accordance with the relevant provisions of Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) 805-50. Total consideration payable by Asterias, including transaction costs, has been allocated to the assets acquired based on relative fair values of those assets as of the date of the transaction, October 1, 2013, in accordance with ASC 820, Fair Value Measurement.

The assets acquired from Geron and the related consideration were recorded as follows:

Consideration paid to Geron:
  
Asterias Series A shares, net of share issuance costs of $541,800
 
$
15,121,222
 
Obligation to distribute BioTime Warrants
  
18,276,406
 
Transaction and other costs
  
1,519,904
 
Total consideration paid
 
$
34,917,532
 
Assets acquired from Geron (preliminary allocation):
    
Patents and other intellectual property rights related to hES cells
 
$
29,017,009
 
Deferred tax liability arising from difference in book versus tax basis on Geron intangible assets acquired
  
(11,558,243
)
IPR&D expensed upon acquisition
  
17,458,766
 
Total assets and in-process research and development acquired
 
$
34,917,532
 

The fair value of the Asterias Series A shares issued was estimated at $2.40 based on the estimated Asterias enterprise value as determined by parties at the time the Asset Contribution Agreement was negotiated and executed by its parties on January 4, 2013, as adjusted for subsequent changes in fair values of assets the parties agreed to contribute.

The difference between the fair value of assets contributed by Geron and the fair value of consideration issued to Geron was recorded as an additional contribution by Geron, in additional paid-in capital, because the fair value of the assets transferred by Geron was more reliably determined.

Assets acquired from Geron consist primarily of patents and other intellectual property rights related to hES cells which Asterias intends to license to various parties interested in research, development and commercialization of hES cells technologies, and IPR&D, which includes biological materials, reagents, clinical trial documentation, files and data related primarily to certain clinical trials previously conducted by Geron, which Geron discontinued in November 2011.

Intangible assets related to IPR&D represent the value of incomplete research and development projects which the company intends to continue. In accordance with the accounting rules in ASC 805, such assets, when acquired in conjunction with acquisition of a business, are considered to be indefinite-lived until the completion or abandonment of the associated research and development efforts and are capitalized as an asset. If and when development is complete, the associated assets would be deemed finite-lived and would then be amortized based on their respective estimated useful lives at that point in time. However, when acquired in conjunction with an acquisition of assets that do not constitute a business (such as the acquisition of assets from Geron), in accordance with the accounting rules in ASC 805-50, such intangible assets related to IPR&D are expensed upon acquisition.
 
The values of the acquired assets were estimated at October 1, 2013 based upon a preliminary review of those assets which took into account factors such as the condition of the cells, cell lines and other biological materials being contributed, the stage of development of particular technology and product candidates related to patents, patent applications, and know-how, the intended use of these assets and the priority assigned to the development of product candidates to which those assets relate, and the assessment of the estimated useful lives of patents. The amounts allocated to patents and other intellectual property rights that Asterias intends to license were capitalized as intangible assets and are being amortized over an estimated useful life period of 10 years. The amounts allocated to IPR&D were expensed at the time of acquisition of the related assets in accordance with the requirements of ASC 805-50. The allocation was based on the relative fair value of assets eligible for capitalization and the fair value of assets representing IPR&D before assessing the deferred tax liability arising from the difference in book versus tax basis on Geron intangible assets acquired, which management estimated to be approximately equal. Accordingly, $17,458,766 was capitalized as of December 31, 2013, and $17,458,766 was expensed. These amounts are preliminary as management has not yet completed a detailed assessment and valuation of the acquired assets. Such assessment and valuation is expected to be completed during the current fiscal year. Accordingly, the amounts included in capitalized intangible assets and expensed IPR&D as of December 31, 2013 are subject to adjustments which could be material.

Asterias is also obligated to pay Geron royalties on the sale of products, if any, that are commercialized in reliance upon patents acquired from Geron, at the rate of 4% of net sales.

Stock and Warrant Purchase Agreement with Romulus

On January 4, 2013, in connection with entering into the Asset Contribution Agreement, Asterias entered into a Stock and Warrant Purchase Agreement with Romulus Films, Ltd (“Romulus”) pursuant to which Romulus agreed to purchase 2,136,000 Series B Shares and warrants to purchase 350,000 additional Series B Shares for $5,000,000 in cash upon the consummation of the acquisition of assets under the Asset Contribution Agreement. The warrants are exercisable for a period of three years from the date of issuance at an exercise price of $5.00 per share. On October 1, 2013, the shares and warrants were issued in exchange for $5,000,000 in cash.