Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Commitments and Contingencies

v3.21.2
Commitments and Contingencies
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2021
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Commitments and Contingencies

Note 4 – Commitments and Contingencies

 

Executive Employment Agreements

 

On September 1, 2017, the Company entered into an employment agreement with Mr. John Climaco pursuant to which Mr. Climaco agreed to serve as Chief Executive Officer and Director of the Company commencing on such date for an initial term of three years. On September 1, 2020, the Company entered into an amendment to the employment agreement with Mr. Climaco. The amendment extends the term of employment under the Employment Agreement, which was originally for a three-year period, for additional twelve-month periods, unless and until either the Company or Mr. Climaco provides written notice to the other party not less than sixty days before such anniversary date that such party is electing not to extend the term. If the Company provides notice of its election not to extend the term, Mr. Climaco may terminate his employment at any time prior to the expiration of the term by giving written notice to the Company at least thirty days prior to the effective date of termination, and upon the earlier of such effective date of termination or the expiration of the term, Mr. Climaco shall be entitled to receive the same severance benefits as are provided upon a termination of employment by the Company without cause. Pursuant to the Amendment, the severance benefits shall be twelve months of Mr. Climaco’s base salary. Such severance payment shall be made in a single lump sum sixty days following the termination, provided that Mr. Climaco has executed and delivered to the Company and has not revoked a general release of the Company. Pursuant to the employment agreement, the compensation committee of the board of directors reviews the base salary payable to Mr. Climaco annually during the term of the agreement. On February 6, 2021, the compensation committee of the board of directors set Mr. Climaco’s 2021 annual base salary to $525,000.

 

On June 28, 2019, we entered into employment letters with Drs. Silberman and Picker pursuant to which Dr. Silberman agreed to commit 50% of her time to our matters; and Dr. Picker agreed to commit 25% of his time to our matters. On February 6, 2021, the compensation committee of the board of directors set Drs. Silberman and Picker 2021 annual base salaries to $200,000 and $115,000, respectively.

 

On September 14, 2019, the Company, entered into an employment agreement with Christopher Downs to serve as its Chief Financial Officer commencing on the closing date of the Company’s IPO, which occurred on November 13, 2019. The initial term of the Employment Agreement will continue for a period of three years. Pursuant to the employment agreement, the compensation committee of the board of directors reviews the base salary payable to Mr. Downs annually during the term of the agreement. On February 6, 2021, the compensation committee of the board of directors set Mr. Downs’ 2021 annual base salary to $340,000.

 

WP744 Portfolio (Berubicin)

 

On November 21, 2017, the Company entered into a Collaboration and Asset Purchase Agreement with Reata Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (“Reata”). Through this agreement, the Company purchased all of Reata’s rights, title, interest and previously conducted research and development results in the chemical compound commonly known as Berubicin. In exchange for these rights, the Company agreed to pay Reata an amount equal to 2.25% of the net sales of Berubicin for a period of 10 years from the Company’s first commercial sale of Berubicin plus $10,000. Reata also agreed to collaborate with the Company on the development of Berubicin, from time to time.

 

On December 28, 2017, the Company entered into a Technology Rights and Development Agreement with Houston Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (“HPI”). HPI is affiliated with Dr. Waldemar Priebe, our founder and largest shareholder. Pursuant to this agreement, the Company obtained a worldwide exclusive license to the chemical compound commonly known as WP744. In exchange for these rights, the Company agreed to pay consideration to HPI as follows: (i) a royalty of 2% of net sales of any product utilizing WP744 for a period of ten years after the first commercial sale of such; and (ii) $100,000 upon beginning Phase II clinical trials; and (iii) $200,000 upon the approval by the FDA of a New Drug Application for any product utilizing WP744; and (iv) a series of quarterly development payments totaling $750,000 beginning immediately after the Company’s raise of $7,000,000 of investment capital. In addition, the Company issued 200,000 shares of the Company’s common stock valued at $0.045 per share to HPI upon execution of the agreement. The Company’s rights pursuant to the HPI License were contingent on us raising at least $7.0 million within 12 months from the effective date of the HPI License, a date which was extended by an additional 12 months by the payment of $40,000. On November 13, 2019, the Company closed its IPO and as a result completed the acquisition of the intellectual property discussed in the HPI agreement. Unrelated to this agreement, the Company purchased $385,000 of pharmaceutical products from HPI for the manufacturing of Berubicin API in a related party transaction reviewed and approved by the Company’s audit committee. During the six months ended June 30, 2021 and 2020, the Company recognized $175,000 and $100,000, respectively related to this agreement.

 

On August 30, 2018, we entered into a sublicense agreement with WPD Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (“WPD”). Pursuant to the agreement, the Company granted WPD an exclusive sublicense, even as to us, for the patent rights we licensed pursuant to the HPI License within the following countries: Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia, Macedonia, Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Montenegro, Bosnia, Croatia, Slovenia, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Chechnya, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Greece, Austria, and Russia. The sublicense agreement provides that WPD must use commercially reasonable development efforts to attempt to develop and commercialize licensed products in the above mentioned territories, which means the expenditure of at least $2.0 million on the development, testing, regulatory approval or commercialization of the licensed products during the three year period immediately following the date of the sublicense agreement. In the event that WPD fails to use commercially reasonable development efforts by the foregoing three-year deadline, we have the right to terminate this sublicense agreement. In consideration for the rights granted under the sublicense agreement, to the extent we are required to make any payments to HPI pursuant to the HPI License as a result of this sublicense agreement, WPD agreed to advance us such payments, and to pay us a royalty equal to 1% of such payments. WPD is a Polish corporation that is majority-owned by an entity controlled by Dr. Priebe, our founder and largest shareholder.

 

On February 19, 2021, CNS entered into an Investigational Medicinal Product Supply Agreement with WPD. CNS agreed to sell the Berubicin drug product to WPD at historical cost of manufacturing without markup so that WPD may conduct the clinical trials contemplated by the sublicense agreement. WPD agreed to pay CNS the following payments: (i) an upfront payment of $131,073 upon execution of the agreement, (ii), a payment of $262,145 upon final batch release and certification performed by WPD's subcontractor, and (iii) a final payment of $262,145 upon Clinical Trial Application acceptance by the relevant regulatory authority. As of June 30, 2021, the upfront payment of $131,073 plus pass through costs of $1,575 are recorded in other receivable - related party.

 

On August 31, 2018, the Company entered into a sublicense agreement with Animal Life Sciences, LLC (“ALI”), a related party, pursuant to which we granted ALI an exclusive sublicense, even as to us, for the patent rights we licensed pursuant to the HPI License solely for the treatment of cancer in non-human animals through any type of administration. In consideration for the rights granted under the sublicense agreement, ALI agreed to issue us membership interests in ALI equal to 1.52% of the outstanding ALI membership interests. As additional consideration for the rights granted, to the extent we are required to make any payments to HPI pursuant to the HPI License as a result of this sublicense agreement, ALI agreed to advance us such payments, and to pay us a royalty equal to 1% of such payments. Dr. Waldemar Priebe, our founder and largest shareholder, is also the founder and a shareholder of ALI, holds 38% of the membership interests of ALI.

 

WP1244 Portfolio

 

On January 10, 2020, Company entered into a Patent and Technology License Agreement (“Agreement”) with The Board of Regents of The University of Texas System, an agency of the State of Texas, on behalf of The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center (“UTMDACC”). Pursuant to the Agreement, the Company obtained a royalty-bearing, worldwide, exclusive license to certain intellectual property rights, including patent rights, related to the Company’s recently announced WP1244 drug technology. In consideration, the Company must make payments to UTMDACC including an up-front license fee, annual maintenance fee, milestone payments and royalty payments (including minimum annual royalties) on sales of licensed products developed under the Agreement. The term of the Agreement expires on the last to occur of: (a) the expiration of all patents subject to the Agreement, or (b) fifteen years after execution; provided that UTMDACC has the right to terminate this Agreement in the event that the Company fails to meet certain commercial diligence milestones. The commercial diligence milestones are as follows (i) initiated PC toxicology to support filing of Investigational New Drug Application (“IND”) or New Drug Application (“NDA”) for the Licensed Product within the eighteen (18) month period following the Effective Date (ii) file and IND for the Licensed Product within three (3) year period following the Effective Date and (iii) Commencement of Phase I Study within the five (5) year period following the Effective Date. During the six months ended June 30, 2021, the Company paid $22,902 to UTMDACC related to this agreement.

 

On May 7, 2020, pursuant to the WP1244 Portfolio license agreement described above, the Company entered into a Sponsored Research Agreement with UTMDACC to perform research relating to novel anticancer agents targeting CNS malignancies. The Company agreed to fund approximately $1,134,000 over a two-year period. The Company recorded $734,000 in 2020 related to this agreement in research and development expenses in the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Operations. The remainder will be paid and recorded in 2021. The principal investigator for this agreement is Dr. Waldemar Priebe, who controls a majority of the Company’s share. During the six months ended June 30, 2021, the Company paid $200,000 and accrued an additional $400,000 to UTMDACC related to this agreement. As of June 30, 2021, the Company has accrued $600,000 in research and development expenses to UTMDACC.

 

Anti-Viral Portfolio

 

On March 20, 2020, the Company entered into a Development Agreement (“Agreement”) with WPD Pharmaceuticals (“WPD”), a company founded by Dr. Waldemar Priebe, the founder and largest shareholder of the Company. Pursuant to the Agreement, WPD agreed to use its commercially reasonable efforts in good faith to develop and commercialize certain products that WPD had previously sublicensed, solely in the field of pharmaceutical drug products for the treatment of any viral infection in humans, with a goal of eventual approval of in certain territories consisting of: Germany, Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Belarus, Ukraine, Romania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Greece, Austria, Russia, Netherlands, Turkey, Belgium, Switzerland, Sweden, Portugal, Norway, Denmark, Ireland, Finland, Luxembourg, Iceland.

 

Pursuant to the Agreement, the Company agreed to pay WPD the following payments: (i) an upfront payment of $225,000 to WPD (paid in April 2020); and (ii) within thirty days of the verified achievement of the Phase II Milestone, (such verification shall be conducted by an independent third party mutually acceptable to the parties hereto), the Company will make a payment of $775,000 to WPD. WPD agreed to pay the Company a development fee of 50% of the net sales for any products in the above territories; provided that Poland shall not be included as a territory after WPD receives marketing approval for a product in one-half of the countries included in the agreed upon territories or upon the payment by WPD to the Company of development fees of $1.0 million. The term of the Agreement will expire on the expiration of the sublicense pursuant to which WPD has originally sublicensed the products. During the six months ended June 30, 2020, the Company paid $225,000 related to this agreement.