Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Related Party Transactions

v3.21.2
Related Party Transactions
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2021
Related Party Transactions [Abstract]  
Related Party Transactions

 

12. Related Party Transactions

 

The Company has entered into various research, development, license and supply agreements with Serum Institute and Pharmsynthez (as well as SynBio), each a related party whose relationship has not materially changed from that disclosed in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, filed with the SEC on March 16, 2021, as amended on April 28, 2021, except as otherwise set forth below.

 

During the fourth quarter of 2019, the Company entered into a loan agreement with Pharmsynthez (the “Pharmsynthez Loan”), pursuant to which the Company advanced Pharmsynthez an aggregate principal amount of up to $500,000 to be used for the development of a specific product under the Company’s co-development agreement with SynBio. The Pharmsynthez Loan had a term of 15-months and accrued interest at a rate of 10% per annum. The Pharmsynthez Loan is guaranteed by all of the operating subsidiaries of Pharmsynthez, including SynBio and AS Kevelt, and is secured by all of the equity interests of the Company owned by Pharmsynthez and SynBio. The Company recognized approximately $12,000 and $35,000 of interest income related to this loan during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021, respectively. The Company recognized approximately $13,000 and $38,000 of interest income related to this loan during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020, respectively.

 

Effective January 23, 2021, the Company entered into a First Amendment to Loan Agreement and Other Loan Documents with Pharmsynthez, Kevelt and SynBio (the “Pharmsynthez Loan Extension”) to modify the repayment terms and maturity of the Pharmsynthez Loan to January 2022. The terms of the Pharmsynthez Loan Extension called for two (2) equal monthly principal payments of $25,000 in each of January 23, 2021 and February 28, 2021 and the payment of all outstanding accrued interest in six (6) equal monthly installments from January 31, 2021 through June 30, 2021. In addition, the Pharmsynthez Loan Extension required monthly interest payments and the repayment of the remaining principal amount in six (6) equal monthly installments from August 2021 through January 2022. All other terms of the Pharmsynthez Loan remain in effect.

 

Subsequent to the third quarter of 2021, the Company entered into a Second Amendment to Loan Agreement and Other Loan Documents, effective August 31, 2021, with Pharmsynthez, Kevelt and SynBio (the “Second Pharmsynthez Loan Extension”) to modify the repayment terms and maturity of the Pharmsynthez Loan to July 2022. The terms of the Second Pharmsynthez Loan Extension call for an upfront fee of $12,500 and two (2) equal monthly principal payments of $25,000 in September 30, 2021 and October 31, 2021. In addition, the Second Pharmsynthez Loan Extension requires monthly interest payments and the repayment of the remaining principal amount in six (6) equal monthly installments from February 2022 through July 2022. All other terms of the Pharmsynthez Loan, as amended, remain in effect. All required payments under the Second Pharmsynthez Loan Extension have been made to date. As of September 30, 2021, approximately $0.4 million was included in Prepaid expenses and other on the condensed consolidated balance sheet. As of December 31, 2020, approximately $0.5 million was classified within Prepaid expenses and other and approximately $0.1 million was classified within Other assets on the consolidated balance sheet.

  

During the third quarter of 2019, the Company entered into a Sponsored Research Agreement with Pharmsynthez (the “SRA”) related to experiments identified by the Company to support its efforts for initial tech transfer of the XCART methods to a future academic collaborator. Under the agreement, the Company made a $350,000 payment to Pharmsynthez during the third quarter of 2019, which was refundable on pro rata basis if the project is terminated prematurely as a result of Pharmsynthez failing to perform the work. On June 12, 2020, the Company and Pharmsynthez entered into a Master Services Agreement (“MSA”) to advance the development of the Company’s XCART technology for B-cell malignancies. The MSA terminated and superseded the SRA. The Company expensed approximately $0.1 million and $0.2 million related to work performed under these agreements during the nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively. No expense was recorded during the three months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020. As of September 30, 2021, approximately $40,000 was accrued and included in Accrued expenses and other current liabilities on the condensed consolidated balance sheet. As of December 31, 2020, approximately $25,000 was recorded as an advanced payment and included in Prepaid expenses and other on the consolidated balance sheet.

 

Under the MSA, Pharmsynthez agreed to provide services pursuant to work orders agreed upon by the parties from time to time, which services include, but are not limited to, acting as the Company’s primary contract research organization to assist in managing collaborations with multiple academic institutions in Russia and Belarus. The Company is required to pay reasonable fees, expenses and pass-through costs incurred by Pharmsynthez in providing the services in accordance with a budget and payment terms set forth in each work order. Additionally, in the event that a work order provides for milestone payments, the Company is required to make such payments to Pharmsynthez, or third party service providers designated by Pharmsynthez, in accordance with the terms set forth in the work order, which milestone payments may be made, at the sole discretion of the Company, in cash or shares of the Company’s common stock.

 

The Company and Pharmsynthez executed a work order on June 12, 2020 (the “Work Order”) under the MSA pursuant to which Pharmsynthez agreed to conduct a Stage 1 study of the Company’s XCART technology under the research program as set forth in the Work Order. The activities to be performed under the Work Order were expected to take approximately 20 months unless earlier terminated in accordance with the MSA. Under the terms of the Work Order, the Company paid Pharmsynthez $51,000 as an initial payment for trial startup costs, which amount was credited against the amounts paid under the SRA. The Work Order provided for additional pass-through costs to be invoiced by Pharmsynthez upon execution of contracts with third party sites, which were to be further credited against the SRA. Through September 30, 2021, all costs incurred under the MSA were credited against the amounts paid under the SRA. Additionally, the Work Order provided for milestone payments of up to an aggregate of $1,050,000, or, in the Company’s sole discretion, up to an aggregate of 1,000,000 shares of the Company’s common stock, to be paid or issued, as applicable, by the Company upon achievement of milestones associated with completion of early stages of the research program as set forth in the Work Order. As of September 30, 2021, approximately $0.1 million of milestone payments had been paid.

 

On October 12, 2021, the Company entered into an Amendment Number One to the Master Services Agreement (the “MSA Amendment”) with Pharmsynthez to, among other things, terminate all work orders under the MSA. As a result, no further services were to be performed under the Work Order and any additional services will be covered by new work orders. In exchange, the Company entered into a new work order (the “Second Work Order”) simultaneously with the MSA Amendment. Under the terms of the Second Work Order, Pharmsynthez shall provide certain enumerated services to support the Company’s development of its XCART technology upon the written request of the Company, which work may be requested by the Company from time to time.

 

Pursuant to the MSA Amendment and Second Work Order, upon entry into the Second Work Order, the Company made a one-time $40,000 payment to Pharmsynthez, of which $21,000 was a one-time payment in full for all money and other compensation owed by the Company under the Work Order, and the remaining $19,000 will be creditable against any out of pocket costs and expenses incurred by Pharmsynthez on behalf of the Company pursuant to any new work orders initiated after the effective date of the MSA Amendment, including the Second Work Order.