Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Agreements

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Agreements
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2011
Agreements
14. Agreements

 

a. Supply Agreements: In November 2009, we entered into a manufacture and supply agreement with Reliable Biopharmaceutical Corporation (Reliable) for the manufacture and supply of the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) of Lymphoseek. The initial ten-year term of the agreement expires in November 2019, with options to extend the agreement for successive three-year terms. Either party has the right to terminate the agreement upon mutual written agreement, or upon material breach by the other party which is not cured within 60 days from the date of written notice of the breach. Total purchases under the manufacture and supply agreement were $19,000 and $1.0 million for the years ended December 31, 2011 and 2010. As of December 31, 2011, we have issued purchase orders under the agreement with Reliable for $652,000 of our products for delivery through June 2012.

 

b. Research and Development Agreements: During January 2002, we completed a license agreement with the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) for Lymphoseek, a proprietary compound that we believe can be used as a lymph node locating agent in SLNB procedures. The license agreement is effective until the later of the expiration date of the longest-lived underlying patent or January 30, 2023. Under the terms of the license agreement, UCSD has granted us the exclusive rights to make, use, sell, offer for sale and import licensed products as defined in the agreement and to practice the defined licensed methods during the term of the agreement. In consideration for the license rights, we agreed to pay UCSD a license issue fee of $25,000 and license maintenance fees of $25,000 per year. We also agreed to pay UCSD milestone payments related to commencement of clinical trials and successful regulatory clearance for marketing of the licensed products, a 5% royalty on net sales of licensed products subject to a $25,000 minimum annual royalty, fifty percent of all sublicense fees and fifty percent of sublicense royalties. We also agreed to reimburse UCSD for all patent-related costs. Total costs related to the UCSD license agreement were $98,000, $36,000 and $63,000 in 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively, and were recorded in research and development expenses.

  

During April 2008, we completed a license agreement with UCSD for an expanded field of use allowing Lymphoseek to be developed as an optical or ultrasound agent. The license agreement is effective until the expiration date of the longest-lived underlying patent. Under the terms of the license agreement, UCSD has granted us the exclusive rights to make, use, sell, offer for sale and import licensed products as defined in the agreement and to practice the defined licensed methods during the term of the agreement. We may also sublicense the patent rights, subject to certain sublicense terms as defined in the agreement. In consideration for the license rights, we agreed to pay UCSD a license issue fee of $25,000 and license maintenance fees of $25,000 per year. We also agreed to pay UCSD milestone payments related to commencement of clinical trials and successful regulatory clearance for marketing of the licensed products, a 5% royalty on net sales of licensed products subject to a $25,000 minimum annual royalty, fifty percent of all sublicense fees and fifty percent of sublicense royalties. We also agreed to reimburse UCSD for all patent-related costs. Total costs related to the UCSD license agreement were $28,000, $27,000 and $26,000 in 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively, and were recorded in research and development expenses.

 

In December 2011, we executed a license agreement with AstraZeneca AB for AZD4694, a proprietary compound that is primarily intended for use in diagnosing Alzheimer’s Disease and other central nervous system disorders. The license agreement is effective until the later of the tenth anniversary of the first commercial sale of AZD4694 or the expiration of the underlying patents. Under the terms of the license agreement, AstraZeneca granted us an exclusive worldwide royalty-bearing license for AZD4694 with the right to grant sublicenses. In consideration for the license rights, we paid AstraZeneca a license issue fee of $5.0 million upon execution of the agreement. We also agreed to pay AstraZeneca up to $6.5 million in contingent milestone payments based on the achievement of certain clinical development and regulatory filing milestones, and up to $11.0 million in contingent milestone payments due following receipt of certain regulatory approvals and the initiation of commercial sales of the licensed product. In addition, we agreed to pay AstraZeneca a royalty on net sales of licensed and sublicensed products. Total costs related to the AstraZeneca license agreement were $5.0 million in 2011, and were recorded in research and development expenses.

 

Cardiosonix’s research and development efforts have been partially financed through grants from the Office of the Chief Scientist of the Israeli Ministry of Industry and Trade (the OCS). Through the end of 2004, Cardiosonix received a total of $775,000 in grants from the OCS. In return for the OCS’s participation, Cardiosonix is committed to pay royalties to the Israeli Government at a rate of 3% to 5% of the sales of its products, if any, up to 300% of the total grants received, depending on the portion of manufacturing activity that takes place in Israel. In January 2006, the OCS consented to the transfer of manufacturing as long as we comply with the terms of the OCS statutes under Israeli law. We are not aware of any future performance obligations related to the grants received from the OCS. We do not believe we will be obligated to pay the OCS any amounts greater than any royalties due on future sales in the event that future sales are not sufficient to generate adequate revenue to completely cover the full amount of the grant. However, under certain limited circumstances, the OCS may withdraw its approval of a research program or amend the terms of its approval. Upon withdrawal of approval, Cardiosonix may be required to refund the grant, in whole or in part, with or without interest, as the OCS determines. Through December 2011, we have paid the OCS a total of $80,000 in royalties related to sales of products developed under this program. As of December 31, 2011, we have accrued obligations for royalties totaling less than $1,000.

 

During January 2005, we completed a license agreement with The Ohio State University (OSU), Cira LLC, and Cira Bio for certain technology relating to activated cellular therapy. The license agreement is effective until the expiration date of the longest-lived underlying patent. Under the terms of the license agreement, OSU has granted the licensees the exclusive rights to make, have made, use, lease, sell and import licensed products as defined in the agreement and to utilize the defined licensed practices. We may also sublicense the patent rights. In consideration for the license rights, we agreed to pay OSU a license fee of $5,000 on January 31, 2006. We also agreed to pay OSU additional license fees related to initiation of Phase 2 and Phase 3 clinical trials, a royalty on net sales of licensed products subject to a minimum annual royalty of $100,000 beginning in 2012, and a percentage of any non-royalty license income. Also during January 2005, we completed a business venture agreement with Cira LLC that defines each party’s responsibilities and commitments with respect to Cira Bio and the license agreement with OSU. In connection with the execution of the option, Cira Ltd. also agreed to assign all interests in the ACT technology in the event of the closing of such a financing transaction.

  

c. Employment Agreements: We maintain employment agreements with five of our officers. The employment agreements contain termination and/or change in control provisions that would entitle each of the officers to 1.5 to 2.5 times their annual salaries, vest outstanding restricted stock and options to purchase common stock, and continue certain benefits if there is a termination without cause or change in control of the Company (as defined) and their employment terminates. As of December 31, 2011, our maximum contingent liability under these agreements in such an event is approximately $2.4 million. The employment agreements also provide for severance, disability and death benefits.