Commitments and Contingencies

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2019

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]

Commitments and Contingencies

Commitments and Contingencies

Legal Matters

From time to time, we are involved in lawsuits, arbitrations, claims, investigations and proceedings, consisting of intellectual property, commercial, employment and other matters, which arise in the ordinary course of business. We make provisions for liabilities when it is both probable that a liability has been incurred and the amount of the loss can be reasonably estimated. Such provisions are reviewed at least quarterly and adjusted to reflect the impact of settlement negotiations, judicial and administrative rulings, advice of legal counsel, and other information and events pertaining to a particular case. Litigation is inherently unpredictable. If any unfavorable ruling were to occur in any specific period, there exists the possibility of a material adverse impact on the results of our operations of that period and on our cash flows and liquidity.

On October 30, 2018, we and certain of our executives were named in a putative securities class action complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, which complaint was subsequently amended on May 15, 2019.  Also, on February 13, 2019, and February 18, 2019, shareholder derivative complaints were filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware naming the CEO, CFO and certain members of Nektar’s board. Both the class action and shareholder derivative actions assert, among other things, that for a period beginning at least from November 11, 2017 through October 2, 2018, our stock was inflated due to alleged misrepresentations about the efficacy and safety of NKTR-214. These cases are in the early stages. Accordingly, we cannot reasonably estimate any range of potential future charges, and we have not recorded any accrual for a contingent liability associated with these legal proceedings. However, an unfavorable resolution could potentially have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations or prospects, and potentially result in paying monetary damages.

Indemnifications in Connection with Commercial Agreements

As part of our collaboration agreements with our partners related to the license, development, manufacture and supply of drugs based on our proprietary technologies and drug candidates, we generally agree to defend, indemnify and hold harmless our partners from and against third party liabilities arising out of the agreement, including product liability (with respect to our activities) and infringement of intellectual property to the extent the intellectual property is developed by us and licensed to our partners. The term of these indemnification obligations is generally perpetual any time after execution of the agreement. There is generally no limitation on the potential amount of future payments we could be required to make under these indemnification obligations.

From time to time, we enter into other strategic agreements such as divestitures and financing transactions pursuant to which we are required to make representations and warranties and undertake to perform or comply with certain covenants, including our obligation to RPI described in Note 5. In the event it is determined that we breached certain of the representations and warranties or covenants made by us in any such agreements, we could incur substantial indemnification liabilities depending on the timing, nature, and amount of any such claims.

To date, we have not incurred costs to defend lawsuits or settle claims related to these indemnification obligations. Because the aggregate amount of any potential indemnification obligation is not a stated amount, the overall maximum amount of

any such obligations cannot be reasonably estimated. No liabilities have been recorded for these obligations in our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets at either June 30, 2019 or December 31, 2018.