JOINT VENTURE FOR DEVELOPMENT OF APO E MIMETIC PEPTIDE MOLECULE AEM-28 AND ANALOGS

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2014

Business Combinations [Abstract]

Business Combination Disclosure [Text Block]

Note B. JOINT VENTURE FOR DEVELOPMENT OF APO E MIMETIC PEPTIDE
MOLECULE AEM-28 AND ANALOGS

On August 3, 2012, we entered into a Contribution Agreement with LipimetiX LLC to form a joint venture, LipimetiX Development LLC (“JV”), to develop Apo E mimetic molecules, including AEM-28 and analogs. The Company contributed $6 million, which included $1 million for 600,000 voting common ownership units representing 60% ownership in JV, and $5 million for 5,000,000 non-voting preferred ownership units, which have preferential distribution rights. The Contribution Agreement called for initial funding of approximately $3.3 million and placing the remaining $2.7 million in escrow to be released upon milestone achievement of IND allowance by the FDA or mutual agreement of both parties. At March 31, 2014, all escrow funds had been released from the escrow account.

LipimetiX LLC contributed to JV all intellectual property rights for Apo E mimetic molecules it owned and assigned its Exclusive License Agreement between The University of Alabama Birmingham Research Foundation (“UABRF”) and LipimetiX LLC, for the UABRF intellectual property related to Apo E mimetic molecules AEM-28 and analogs, in return for 400,000 voting common ownership units representing 40% ownership in JV, and $378,000 in cash (for certain initial patent related costs and legal expenses).

LipimetiX LLC was formed by the principals of Benu BioPharma, Inc. (“Benu”) and UABRF to commercialize UABRF’s intellectual property related to Apo E mimetic molecules, including AEM-28 and analogs. Benu is composed of Dennis Goldberg, Ph.D., Phillip M. Friden, Ph.D. and Eric M. Morrel, Ph.D. The Exclusive License Agreement calls for payment of patent filing, maintenance and other related patent fees, as well as a royalty of 3% on Net Sales of Licensed Products during the Term of the Agreement. The Agreement terminates upon the expiration of all Valid Patent Claims within the Licensed Patents, which are currently estimated to expire between 2019 and 2033. The Agreement also calls for annual maintenance payments of $25,000, various milestone payments of $50,000 to $1,000,000 and minimum royalty payments of $1,000,000 to $5,000,000 per year commencing on January 1 of the first calendar year following the year in which the First Commercial Sale occurs. UABRF will also receive 15% of Non Royalty Income received after August 25, 2014 and a greater percentage if received before that date.

Concurrent with entering into the Contribution Agreement and the First Amendment and Consent to Assignment of Exclusive License Agreement between LipimetiX LLC, UABRF and the Company, the Company and LipimetiX LLC entered into a Limited Liability Company Agreement for JV which establishes a Joint Development Committee (“JDC”) to manage JV development activities. The JDC is composed of three members appointed by LipimetiX LLC and two members appointed by the Company. Non-development JV decisions, including the issuance of new equity, incurrence of debt, entry into strategic transactions, licenses or development agreements, sales of assets and liquidation, will be decided by a majority vote of the common ownership units.

The JV, on August 3, 2012, entered into a Management Agreement with Benu to manage JV development activities for a monthly fee of approximately $63,000 during the twenty-seven month development period, and an Accounting Services Agreement with the Company to manage JV accounting and administrative functions. The current accounting services fee is $1,000 a month. The Management Agreement provides for an additional performance measured incentive fee of up to $250,000.

The joint venture formation was as follows ($000’s):
Patent license rights	$	1,045
Noncontrolling interests	$	(667)
Cash paid at formation	$	378

Patent license rights were recorded at their estimated fair value and are being amortized on a straight-line basis over the key patent life of eighty months.

The financial position and results of operations of the joint venture are presented on a consolidated basis with the financial position and results of operations of the Company. Intercompany transactions have been eliminated. The joint venture agreement requires profits and losses to be allocated on the basis of common ownership equity interests (60% Company / 40% noncontrolling interests). However, for the Company’s consolidated financial statement, joint venture losses were recorded on the basis of common ownership equity interests (60% Company / 40% noncontrolling interests) until common ownership equity was reduced to $0. Subsequent joint venture losses have been allocated to the preferred ownership equity (100% Company). Subsequent to March 31, 2013, all joint venture losses are being allocated to the Company.

The joint venture incurred operating expenses, prior to the elimination of intercompany transactions, of $421,000, for the three months ended March 31, 2014 and $4,268,000 for the period from August 3, 2012 (inception) to March 31, 2014, of which $421,000 and $3,601,000, respectively, have been allocated to the Company. The joint venture operating expenses are included in research and development expenses in the condensed consolidated statements of operations.

Neither the Company nor the noncontrolling interests have an obligation to contribute additional funds to the joint venture or to assume any joint venture liabilities or to provide a guarantee of either joint venture performance or any joint venture liability. Losses allocated to the noncontrolling interests represent an additional potential loss for the Company as the noncontrolling interests are not obligated to contribute assets to the joint venture to the extent they have a negative capital account, and depending on the ultimate outcome of the joint venture, the Company could potentially absorb all losses associated with the joint venture. From formation of the joint venture, August 3, 2012, through March 31, 2014, losses totaling $667,000 have been allocated to the noncontrolling interests.