15. Commitments and Contingencies

Leases

On October 3, 2014, the Company entered into a 15-year lease for office space at 2 Gansevoort Street, New York, NY 10014, at an average annual rent of $2.5 million. The Company took possession of this space, which serves as its principal executive offices, in December 2015, and took occupancy in April 2016. Total rent expense, over the full term of the lease for this space will approximate $40.7 million. In conjunction with the lease, the Company entered into Desk Space Agreements with two related parties: OPPM and TGTX, to occupy 10% and 45%, respectively, of the office space that requires them to pay their share of the average annual rent of $0.3 million and $1.1 million, respectively. The total net rent expense will approximate $16.0 million over the lease term. These initial rent allocations will be adjusted periodically for each party based upon actual percentage of the office space occupied. Additionally, the Company has reserved the right to execute desk space agreements with other third parties and those arrangements will also affect the cost of the lease actually borne by us.

In October 2015, the Company entered into a 5‑year lease for approximately 6,100 square feet of office space in Waltham, MA at an average annual rent of approximately $0.2 million. The Company took occupancy of this space in January 2016.

Journey

In June 2017, Journey extended its lease for 2,295 square feet of office space in Scottsdale, AZ by one year, at an average annual rent of approximately $55,000. Journey originally took occupancy of this space in November 2014. In August 2018, Journey amended their lease and entered into a new two-year extension for 3,681 square feet of office space in the same location in Scottsdale, AZ at an annual rate of approximately $94,000. The term of this amended lease commenced on December 1, 2018 and will expire on November 30, 2020.

Mustang

On October 27, 2017, Mustang entered into a lease agreement with WCS - 377 Plantation Street, Inc., a Massachusetts nonprofit corporation (“Landlord”). Pursuant to the terms of the lease agreement, Mustang agreed to lease 27,043 square feet from the Landlord, located at 377 Plantation Street in Worcester, MA (the “Facility”), through November 2026, subject to additional extensions at Mustang’s option. Base rent, net of abatements of $0.6 million over the lease term, totals approximately $3.6 million, on a triple-net basis.

The terms of the lease also require that Mustang post an initial security deposit of $0.8 million, in the form of $0.5 million letter of credit and $0.3 million in cash, which increased to $1.3 million ($1.0 million letter of credit, $0.3 million in cash) on November 1, 2019. After the fifth lease year, the letter of credit obligation is subject to reduction.

The Facility began operations for the production of personalized CAR T and gene therapies in 2018.

The Company leases copiers under agreements classified as operating leases that expire on various dates through 2021.

Most of the Company’s lease liabilities result from the lease of its New York City, NY office, which expires in 2031 and Mustang’s Worcester, MA cell processing facility lease, which expires in 2026. Such leases do not require any contingent rental payments, impose any financial restrictions, or contain any residual value guarantees.  Certain of the Company’s leases include renewal options and escalation clauses; renewal options have not been included in the calculation of the lease liabilities and right of use assets as the Company is not reasonably certain to exercise the options.  The Company does not act as a lessor or have any leases classified as financing leases. At December 31, 2019, the Company had operating lease liabilities of $25.5 million and right of use assets of $21.5 million, which were included in the consolidated balance sheet.

During the year ended December 31, 2019, the Company recorded $3.2 million as lease expense to current period operations.

 

 

The following tables summarize quantitative information about the Company’s operating leases, under the adoption of Topic 842:

 

 

 

 

The Company recognizes rent expense on a straight-line basis over the non-cancellable lease term. Rent expense for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018 was $2.1 million and $1.7 million, respectively.

Indemnification

In accordance with its certificate of incorporation, bylaws and indemnification agreements, the Company has indemnification obligations to its officers and directors for certain events or occurrences, subject to certain limits, while they are serving at the Company’s request in such capacity. There have been no claims to date, and the Company has director and officer insurance to address such claims. Pursuant to agreements with clinical trial sites, the Company provides indemnification to such sites in certain conditions.

Legal Proceedings

Fortress Biotech, Inc.

In the ordinary course of business, the Company and its subsidiaries may be subject to both insured and uninsured litigation. Suits and claims may be brought against the Company by customers, suppliers, partners and/or third parties (including tort claims for personal injury arising from clinical trials of the Company’s product candidates and property damage) alleging deficiencies in performance, breach of contract, etc., and seeking resulting alleged damages.

Dr. Falk Pharma, GmbH v. Fortress Biotech, Inc. (Frankfurt am Main Regional Court, Ref. No. 3‑06 0 28/16). Dr. Falk Pharma, GmbH (“Dr. Falk Pharma”) and Fortress were among the parties to that certain Collaboration Agreement dated March 20, 2012, whereby they agreed to collaborate to develop a product for treatment of Crohn’s disease. A dispute arose between Dr. Falk Pharma and Fortress with respect to their relative rights and obligations under the Collaboration Agreement; specifically, Dr. Falk Pharma contended that it had fulfilled its contractual obligations to Fortress and is entitled to the final milestone payment due under the Collaboration Agreement - EUR 2.5 million. Fortress contended that no such payment is due because a condition of the EUR 2.5 million payment was the delivery of a Clinical Study Report that addressed the primary and secondary objectives of a Phase II trial, and Fortress contended that Dr. Falk Pharma failed to deliver such a Clinical Study Report. Dr. Falk Pharma filed a lawsuit against Fortress in the above-referenced Court in Frankfurt, Germany to recover the EUR 2.5 million plus interest and attorneys’ fees, and Fortress filed an answer to the complaint, denying that it had any liability to Dr. Falk Pharma. On July 27, 2017, Fortress received a judgment from the court in Frankfurt awarding the full amount (EUR 2.5 million) plus interest to Dr. Falk Pharma. Fortress appealed the decision to the Higher Regional Court of Frankfurt on August 28, 2017, and the initial response of Dr. Falk Pharma to the appeal was filed on February 16, 2018. At an appellate hearing in the Higher Regional Court on June 12, 2018, the court issued an oral ruling upholding the lower court’s judgment and indicating that an impending written, enforceable judgment would do the same. On July 12, 2018, the Higher Regional Court approved and recorded terms of settlement between Fortress and Dr. Falk Pharma pursuant to which Fortress paid $3.3 million to Dr. Falk Pharma during the calendar year of 2018, and approximately $39,500 to the court in mandated administrative fees. The final $300,000 was paid during calendar year 2019. No remaining liability exists at December 31, 2019.