Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Related Party Transactions

v3.7.0.1
Related Party Transactions
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2017
Related Party Transactions [Abstract]  
Related Party Note
17. Related Party Transactions
 
Shared Services Agreement with TGTX
 
TGTX and the Company entered into an arrangement to share the cost of certain research and development employees. The Company’s Executive Vice Chairman, Strategic Development, is Executive Chairman and Interim Chief Executive Officer of TGTX. Under the terms of the Agreement, TGTX will reimburse the Company for the salary and benefit costs associated with these employees based upon actual hours worked on TGTX related projects. For the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2016, the Company invoiced TGTX $0.2 million and $0.1 million, respectively.
 
Desk Space Agreements with TGTX and OPPM
 
In connection with the Company’s Desk Space Agreements with TGTX and Opus Point Partners Management, LLC (“OPPM”), as of March 31, 2017, the Company had paid $0.6 million in rent under the Desk Space Agreements, and invoiced OPPM and TGTX approximately $57,000 and $0.3 million, respectively, for their prorated share of the rent base. In addition, for the three months ended March 31, 2017, the Company had incurred $0.1 million in connection with the build out of the space and recorded a receivable of $54,000 due from TGTX and $12,000 due from OPPM.
 
Opus Credit Facility
 
In September 2016, the Company and Opus Point Health Innovations Fund (“OPHIF”) entered into a Credit Facility Agreement (the “Opus Credit Facility”). Fortress’s Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer (Lindsay A. Rosenwald) and Fortress’s Executive Vice President, Strategic Development (Michael Weiss), are Co-Portfolio Managers and Partners of OPPM, an affiliate of OPHIF. As such, all of the disinterested directors of Fortress’s board of directors approved the terms of the Opus Credit Facility and related agreements (see Note 11).
 
2017 Subordinated Note Financing
 
On March 17, 2017, the Company and National Securities Corporation (“NSC”), a subsidiary of National, of which the Company owns 56.6% and Michael Weiss serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors, entered into placement agency agreements with NAM Biotech Fund and NAM Special Situation Fund in connection with the sale of subordinated promissory notes (see Note 11). Pursuant to the terms of the agreements, NSC will receive a placement agent fee in cash of 10% of the debt raised and warrants equal to 10% of the aggregate principal amount of debt raised divided by the closing share price of the Company’s common stock on the date of closing.
 
For the three months ended March 31, 2017, NSC earned a placement agent fee of $0.3 million and a Placement Agent Warrant to purchase 87,946 shares of the Company’s common stock.
 
 Founders Agreements
 
The Company has entered into Founders Agreements and, in some cases, Exchange Agreements with certain of its subsidiaries as described in the Company’s Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016, filed with the SEC on March 16, 2017. The following table summarizes, by subsidiary, the effective date of the Founders Agreements and PIK dividend or equity fee payable to the Company in accordance with the terms of the Founders Agreements, Exchange Agreements and the subsidaries’ certificates of incorporation.
 
 
 
 
 
PIK Dividend as
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
a % of fully
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
diluted
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
outstanding
 
Class of Stock
 
Fortress Company
 
Effective Date (1)
 
capitalization
 
Issued
 
Helocyte
 
March 20, 2015
 
 
2.5
%
Common Stock
 
Avenue
 
February 17, 2015
 
 
2.5
%
Common Stock
 
Mustang
 
March 13, 2015
 
 
2.5
%
Common Stock
 
Checkpoint
 
March 17, 2015
 
 
0.0
%(2)
Common Stock
 
Cellvation
 
October 31, 2016
 
 
2.5
%
Common Stock
 
Caelum
 
January 1, 2017
 
 
2.5
%
Common Stock
 
Cyprium
 
March 13, 2017
 
 
2.5
%
Common Stock
 
 
(1) – Represents the effective date of each subsidiary’s Founders Agreement. While certain Founders Agreements may have been amended and restated subsequently, as described in the Company’s Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016 filed with the SEC on March 16, 2017, each PIK dividend and equity fee is payable on the annual anniversary of the effective date of the original Founders Agreement.
 
(2) – Instead of a PIK dividend, Checkpoint pays the Company an annual equity fee in shares of Checkpoint’s common stock equal to 2.5% of Checkpoint’s fully diluted outstanding capitalization.
 
Management Services Agreements
 
The Company has entered in Management Services Agreements (the “MSAs”) with certain of its subsidiaries as described in the Company’s Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016, filed with the SEC on March 16, 2017. The following table summarizes, by subsidiary, the effective date of the MSA and the annual consulting fee payable by the subsidiary to the Company in quarterly installments:
 
($ in thousands)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Fortress
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Annual MSA Fee
 
Company
 
Effective Date
 
R&D
 
G&A
 
(Income)/Expense
 
Helocyte
 
March 20, 2015
 
$
250
 
$
250
 
$
500
 
Avenue
 
February 17, 2015
 
 
250
 
 
250
 
 
500
 
Mustang
 
March 13, 2015
 
 
250
 
 
250
 
 
500
 
Checkpoint
 
March 17, 2015
 
 
250
 
 
250
 
 
500
 
Cellvation
 
October 31, 2016
 
 
250
 
 
250
 
 
500
 
Caelum
 
January 1, 2017
 
 
250
 
 
250
 
 
500
 
Cyprium
 
March 13, 2017
 
 
250
 
 
250
 
 
500
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Fortress
 
 
 
 
(1,750)
 
 
(1,750)
 
 
(3,500)
 
Consolidated (Income)/Expense
 
$
-
 
$
-
 
$
-
 
 
Chord Advisors, LLC
 
In May 2015, the Company entered into a full service consulting agreement with Chord Advisors, LLC (“Chord”) to provide advisory accounting services. Under the terms of the agreement, the Company pays Chord $10,000 per month to provide technical accounting and financial reporting support. Either party upon 30-days written notice can terminate the agreement. Mr. Horin, Managing Partner of Chord, serves as Interim Chief Financial Officer to Avenue, Helocyte and Mustang. Pursuant to the agreements with Avenue, Helocyte and Mustang, Chord provides back office accounting support and accounting policy and financial reporting services, including the services of Mr. Horin. Chord receives up to $5,000 per month from Avenue and Helocyte, and up to $7,500 per month from Mustang. Checkpoint is billed at a blended hourly rate, for services incurred. For the three months ended March 31, 2017, Checkpoint incurred approximately $28,000 in hourly fees.
 
National
 
As of March 31, 2017, the Company owns approximately 56.6% of National. The Company’s Executive Vice Chairman, Strategic Development is the Chairman of the Board of National. 
 
Additionally, the Company’s Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer and the Company’s Executive Vice Chairman, Strategic Development are both Co-Portfolio Managers and Partners of OPPM which owns approximately 4.6% of National. In the normal course, National provides the Company and the Company’s subsidiaries with placement agent services in connection with third party raises.