Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Licenses Acquired

v3.5.0.2
Licenses Acquired
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2016
Licenses Acquired [Abstract]  
Licenses Acquired
8. Licenses Acquired
  
In accordance with ASC 730-10-25-1, Research and Development, costs incurred in obtaining technology licenses are charged to research and development expense if the technology licensed has not reached technological feasibility and has no alternative future use. The licenses purchased by Avenue, Mustang, Checkpoint, Coronado SO, Helocyte and Escala require substantial completion of research and development, as well as regulatory and marketing approval efforts in order to reach technological feasibility. As such, the purchase prices of those licenses were classified as research and development-licenses acquired in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, the Company’s research and development-licenses acquired comprise of the following:
 
 
 
For the Three Months
 
For the Nine Months
 
 
 
Ended September 30,
 
Ended September 30,
 
($ in thousands)
 
2016
 
2015
 
2016
 
2015
 
Fortress Companies:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Avenue
 
$
-
 
$
-
 
$
-
 
$
3,000
 
Checkpoint
 
 
1,000
 
 
600
 
 
3,060
 
 
2,633
 
Coronado SO
 
 
-
 
 
-
 
 
-
 
 
1,607
 
Helocyte
 
 
-
 
 
-
 
 
83
 
 
200
 
Mustang
 
 
-
 
 
-
 
 
-
 
 
2,147
 
Escala
 
 
-
 
 
1,295
 
 
-
 
 
1,295
 
Total
 
$
1,000
 
$
1,895
 
$
3,143
 
$
10,882
 
   
Avenue Therapeutics, Inc.
 
License Agreement with Revogenex Ireland Ltd
 
In February 2015, the Company purchased an exclusive license to IV Tramadol for the U.S. market from Revogenex, a privately held company in Dublin, Ireland. Fortress made an upfront payment of $2.0 million to Revogenex upon execution of the exclusive license, which has been included in research and development-licenses acquired on the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations. In addition, on June 17, 2015, the Company paid an additional $1.0 million to Revogenex after receiving all the assets specified in the agreement. Under the terms of the agreement, Revogenex is eligible to receive additional milestone payments upon the achievement of certain development milestones, in addition to royalty payments for sales of the product. Tramadol is a centrally acting synthetic opioid analgesic for moderate to moderately severe pain and is available as immediate release or extended-release tablets in the United States.
 
The Company transferred the Revogenex license and all other rights and obligations of Fortress under the License Agreement to Avenue pursuant to the Avenue Founders Agreement effective as of February 17, 2015. Per the terms of the agreement, Avenue assumed $3.0 million in debt (see Note 11).
 
During the nine months ended September 30, 2016, Avenue completed a pharmacokinetics or PK study for IV Tramadol in healthy volunteers and completed an End-of-Phase 2 (EOP) meeting with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (the “FDA”).
  
Checkpoint Therapeutics, Inc.
 
License Agreement with Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
 
In March 2015, Checkpoint entered into an exclusive license agreement with Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (“Dana-Farber”) to develop a portfolio of fully human immuno-oncology targeted antibodies. The portfolio of antibodies licensed from Dana-Farber includes antibodies targeting PD-L1, GITR and CAIX. Under the terms of the agreement, Checkpoint paid Dana-Farber an up-front licensing fee of $1.0 million in 2015 and, on May 11, 2015, granted Dana-Farber 500,000 shares of Checkpoint common stock, valued at $32,500 or $0.065 per share. The agreement included an anti-dilution clause that maintained Dana-Farber’s ownership at 5% until such time that Checkpoint raised $10 million in cash in exchange for common shares. Pursuant to this provision, on September 30, 2015, Checkpoint granted to Dana-Farber an additional 136,830 shares of common stock valued at approximately $0.6 million and the anti-dilution clause thereafter expired. Dana-Farber is eligible to receive payments of up to an aggregate of approximately $21.5 million for each licensed product upon Checkpoint’s successful achievement of certain clinical development, regulatory and first commercial sale milestones. In addition, Dana-Farber is eligible to receive up to an aggregate of $60.0 million upon Checkpoint’s successful achievement of certain sales milestones based on aggregate net sales, in addition to royalty payments based on a tiered low to mid-single digit percentage of net sales. Following the second anniversary of the effective date of the Dana-Farber license agreement, Dana-Farber will receive an annual license maintenance fee, which is creditable against milestone payments or royalties due to Dana-Farber. Checkpoint expects clinical trials related to the Dana-Farber licensed antibodies to start in 2017.
 
In connection with the license agreement with Dana-Farber, Checkpoint entered into a collaboration agreement with TGTX, a related party, to develop and commercialize the Anti-PD-L1 and Anti-GITR antibody research programs in the field of hematological malignancies, while Checkpoint retains the right to develop and commercialize these antibodies in the field of solid tumors. Michael Weiss, Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors of Checkpoint and the Company’s Executive Vice Chairman, Strategic Development, is also the Executive Chairman, Interim President and Chief Executive Officer and a stockholder of TGTX. Under the terms of the agreement, TGTX paid Checkpoint $0.5 million, representing a reimbursement for their share of the licensing fee, and Checkpoint is eligible to receive substantive potential milestone payments up to an aggregate of approximately $21.5 million for each product upon TGTX’s successful achievement of certain clinical development, regulatory and first commercial sale milestones. Checkpoint’s potential milestone payments are comprised of up to approximately $7.0 million upon TGTX’s successful completion of clinical development milestones, and up to approximately $14.5 million upon first commercial sales in specified territories. In addition, Checkpoint is eligible to receive up to an aggregate of $60.0 million upon TGTX’s successful achievement of certain sales milestones based on aggregate net sales, in addition to royalty payments based on a tiered high single digit percentage of net sales. Following the second anniversary of the effective date of the agreement, Checkpoint will receive an annual license maintenance fee, which is creditable against milestone payments or royalties due to Checkpoint. The Company recognized $0 and $25,000, respectively, for the three months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, and $20,000 and $0.5 million, respectively, for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, in revenue from its collaboration agreement with TGTX on the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations.
  
NeuPharma, Inc.
 
In March, 2015, the Company entered into an exclusive license agreement with NeuPharma, Inc. (“NeuPharma”) to develop and commercialize novel irreversible, 3rd generation epidermal growth factor receptor (“EGFR”) inhibitors including CK-101, on a worldwide basis (other than certain Asian countries). On the same date, the Company assigned all of its right and interest in the EGFR inhibitors to Checkpoint. Under the terms of the agreement, Checkpoint paid NeuPharma an up-front licensing fee of $1.0 million in 2015, and NeuPharma is eligible to receive payments of up to an aggregate of approximately $40.0 million per licensed product upon Checkpoint’s successful achievement of certain clinical development and regulatory milestones in up to three indications, of which $22.5 million are due upon various regulatory approvals to commercialize the products. In addition, NeuPharma is eligible to receive payments of up to an aggregate of $40.0 million upon Checkpoint’s successful achievement of certain sales milestones based on aggregate net sales, in addition to royalty payments based on a tiered mid to high-single digit percentage of net sales. In July 2016, Checkpoint submitted an IND application to the FDA for its EGFR inhibitor, which was accepted in August 2016, and in September 2016, Checkpoint dosed the first patient in a Phase 1/2 clinical trial.
 
In connection with the license agreement with NeuPharma, in March 2015, the Company entered into an option agreement with TGTX, a related party, which agreement was assigned to Checkpoint on the same date, for a global collaboration for the future development of certain licensed compounds in the field of hematological malignancies. The option was extended on July 8, 2016 for an additional 176 days, to December 31, 2016.
 
Also in connection with the license agreement with NeuPharma, Checkpoint entered into a Sponsored Research Agreement with NeuPharma for certain research and development activities. Effective January 11, 2016, TGTX, a related party, agreed to assume all costs associated with this agreement and reimbursed Checkpoint for costs previously paid by Checkpoint. The Company recognized approximately $251,000 and $732,000 in revenue related to this agreement for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016, respectively. There was no related revenue recognized during the same period of 2015.
 
Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (through its subsidiary, Cephalon, Inc.)
 
In December 2015, the Company entered into a license agreement with Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. through its subsidiary, Cephalon, Inc. (“Cephalon”), which agreement was assigned to Checkpoint by the Company on the same date. Under the terms of the license agreement, Checkpoint obtained an exclusive, worldwide license to Cephalon’s patents relating to CEP-8983 and its small molecule prodrug, CEP-9722, a PARP inhibitor, which Checkpoint now refers to as CK-102. Checkpoint paid Cephalon an up-front licensing fee of $0.5 million in 2015. Cephalon is eligible to receive milestone payments of up to an aggregate of approximately $220.0 million upon Checkpoint’s successful achievement of certain clinical development, regulatory approval and product sales milestones, of which approximately $206.5 million are due on or following regulatory approvals to commercialize the product. In addition, Cephalon is eligible to receive royalty payments based on a tiered low double digit percentage of net sales. Checkpoint is currently developing a clinical program for its PARP inhibitor, which it expects to commence in 2017.
 
Jubilant Biosys Limited
 
In May 2016, Checkpoint entered into a License Agreement with Jubilant Biosys Limited (“Jubilant”), whereby Checkpoint obtained an exclusive, worldwide license (the “Jubilant License”) to Jubilant’s family of patents covering compounds that inhibit BRD4, a member of the BET domain for cancer treatment, which Checkpoint refers to as CK-103. Under the terms of the Jubilant License, Checkpoint paid Jubilant an up-front licensing fee of $2.0 million, and Jubilant is eligible to receive payments up to an aggregate of approximately $89.0 million upon Checkpoint’s successful achievement of certain preclinical, clinical development, and regulatory milestones, of which $59.5 million are due upon various regulatory approvals to commercialize the products. In addition, Jubilant is eligible to receive payments up to an aggregate of $89.0 million upon Checkpoint’s successful achievement of certain sales milestones based on aggregate net sales, in addition to royalty payments based on a tiered low to mid-single digit percentage of net sales. Checkpoint plans to submit an IND application for its BET inhibitor in 2017. The purchase price of $2.0 million for the license was classified as research and development-licenses acquired in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016.
 
In connection with the Jubilant License, Checkpoint entered into a sublicense agreement with TGTX (the “Sublicense Agreement”), a related party, to develop and commercialize the compounds licensed in the field of hematological malignancies, with Checkpoint retaining the right to develop and commercialize these compounds in the field of solid tumors. Michael Weiss, Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors of Checkpoint and the Company’s Executive Vice Chairman, Strategic Development, is also the Executive Chairman, Interim President and Chief Executive Officer and a stockholder of TGTX. Under the terms of the Sublicense Agreement, TGTX paid Checkpoint $1.0 million, representing a reimbursement for their share of the licensing fee, recorded as collaboration revenue – related party and Checkpoint is eligible to receive substantive potential milestone payments up to an aggregate of approximately $87.5 million upon TGTX’s successful achievement of preclinical, clinical development, and regulatory milestones. Such potential milestone payments may approximate $0.3 million upon TGTX’s successful achievement of one preclinical milestone, up to approximately $25.5 million upon TGTX’s successful completion of three clinical development milestones for two licensed products, and up to approximately $61.7 million upon the achievement of five regulatory approvals and first commercial sales in specified territories for two licensed products. In addition, Checkpoint is eligible to receive potential milestone payments up to an aggregate of $89.0 million upon TGTX’s successful achievement of three sales milestones based on aggregate net sales by TGTX, for two licensed products, in addition to royalty payments based on a mid-single digit percentage of net sales by TGTX. TGTX also reimburses Checkpoint for 50% of IND enabling costs and patent expenses. The Company recognized $0.3 million and $1.3 million in revenue related to this arrangement during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016. There was no related revenue recognized during the same periods of 2015.
   
Coronado SO Company
 
License Agreement
 
In February 2015, Coronado SO entered into an exclusive license agreement with a third party for a topical product used in the treatment of hand-foot syndrome, a common painful side effect of chemotherapeutics. Coronado SO paid $0.9 million upfront, included in research and development-licenses acquired on the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations and issued a stock grant of 150,000 shares of Coronado SO common stock to such third party. In October 2015, Coronado SO paid an additional $0.5 million, which is included in research and development-licenses acquired on the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations. Four milestones totaling $10.7 million are due upon the achievement of certain development goals, three milestones totaling $26.2 million are due upon certain net sales milestones and a single digit royalty on net sales is due for the term of the contract.
 
The Company valued the stock grant to the third party utilizing a discounted cash flow model to determine the weighted market value of invested capital, discounted by a lack of marketability of 44.8% and a weighted average cost of capital of 30%, and net of debt utilized, resulting in a value of $1.19 per share or $0.2 million recorded as part of licenses acquired.
 
Helocyte, Inc.
 
License Agreement with the City of Hope
 
In March 2016, Helocyte entered into amended and restated license agreements for each of its PepVax and Triplex immunotherapies programs with its licensor City of Hope National Medical Center (“COH”). The amended and restated licenses expand the intellectual property and other rights granted to Helocyte by COH in the original license agreement. The financial terms of the original license have not been modified, and if Helocyte successfully develops and commercializes PepVax and Triplex, COH will receive milestones, royalties and other payments.
 
Helocyte entered into the original license agreement with COH on March 31, 2015, to secure: (i) an exclusive worldwide license for two immunotherapies for CMV control in the post-transplant setting (known as Triplex and PepVax); and (ii) an option for an exclusive worldwide license to an immunotherapy for the prevention of congenital CMV (known as Pentamer). In consideration for the license and option, Helocyte made an upfront payment of $155,000. On April 28, 2015, Helocyte exercised the option and secured exclusive worldwide rights to Pentamer from COH for an upfront payment of $50,000. If Helocyte successfully develops PepVax, COH could receive, up to $1.5 million for the achievement of three developmental milestones, $13.0 million for three sales milestones, single digit royalties based on net sales reduced by certain factors and a minimum annual royalty of $0.2 million per year related to marketing approval. If Helocyte successfully develops and commercializes Triplex, COH could receive up to $9.0 million for the achievement of three developmental milestones, $26.0 million for four sales milestones, single digit royalties based on net sales reduced by certain factors and a minimum annual royalty of $0.75 million per year following a first marketing approval. If Helocyte successfully develops and commercializes Pentamer, COH could receive up to $5.5 million for the achievement of four development milestones, $26.0 million for three sales milestones, single digit royalties based on net sales reduced by certain factors and a minimum annual royalty of $0.75 million per year following a first marketing approval. In 2015, Triplex and PepVax both entered Phase 2 clinical studies. The programs are supported by grants awarded to COH by the National Cancer Institute.
 
As further consideration for the licenses, in March and May 2016, Helocyte granted COH 500,000 shares and 8,333 shares of Helocyte Class A common stock, respectively. The Company valued the stock grants to the COH utilizing a discounted cash flow model to determine the weighted market value of invested capital, discounted by a lack of marketability of 44.5% and a weighted average cost of capital of 30%, net of debt utilized resulting in a value of $0.097 per share or $48,500 recorded as part of the license fee acquired.
    
License Option
 
In February 2016, Helocyte entered into an option agreement for $35,000 with a third party, to acquire the exclusive rights to license certain intellectual property and clinical data for certain cell therapies. The option expires on October 1, 2016. The Company recorded a charge of $35,000 to research and development-licenses acquired for the nine months ended September 30, 2016. No fee was recorded for the three months ended September 30, 2016.
   
Mustang Bio, Inc.
 
License Agreement with the City of Hope
 
In March 2015, Mustang entered into an exclusive license agreement with COH to acquire intellectual property rights pertaining to CAR T. Pursuant to the agreement, Mustang paid COH an upfront fee of $2.0 million in April 2015 (included in research and development-licenses acquired expenses on the Condensed Consolidated Statement of Operations), and granted 1.0 million shares of Mustang’s Class A Common Stock, representing 10% ownership of Mustang. Additional payments totaling $2.0 million are due upon the completion of two financial milestones, and payments totaling $14.5 million are due upon the completion of six development goals. Future mid-single digit royalty payments are due on net sales of licensed products, with a minimum annual royalty of $1.0 million.
 
The Company valued the stock grant to COH utilizing a discounted cash flow model to determine the weighted market value of invested capital, discounted by a lack of marketability of 44.8%, weighted average cost of capital of 30%, and net of debt utilized, resulting in a value of $0.147 per share or $0.1 million on March 31, 2015.
 
Escala Therapeutics, Inc.
 
On July 16, 2015, Escala acquired from New Zealand Pharmaceuticals Limited (“NZP”) a license from the National Institute of Health (“NIH”) and cooperative research and development agreements for the development of oral ManNAc, a key compound in the sialic biosynthetic pathway, for the treatment of hyposialylation disorders, including GNE myopathy and various forms of nephropathy. As part of this agreement, Escala provided NZP and NIH an upfront payment of approximately $1.3 million comprised of an upfront milestone payment of $0.7 million to NZP and reimbursement of $0.6 million of development costs for Phase II Myopathy and Phase I Nephropathy Clinical Trial being conducted at the NIH. Additional development and sales-based milestone payments are payable upon achievement.
 
Seven milestones totaling approximately $22.6 million are due upon the achievement of certain development goals, two milestones totaling $7.0 million are due upon certain net sales milestones and a single digit royalty on net sales is due for a certain period. In addition, a one-time payment is due upon the termination of the license.