Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Commitments and Contingencies

v3.20.4
Commitments and Contingencies
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2020
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Commitments and Contingencies Commitments and Contingencies
Litigation

Litigation – General
    
The Company may become party to various contractual disputes, litigation, and potential claims arising in the ordinary course of business. The Company currently does not believe that the resolution of such matters will have a material adverse effect on its financial position or results of operations except as otherwise disclosed in this report.

Karbinal Royalty Make-Whole Provision

On February 16, 2018, in connection with the acquisition of Avadel's pediatric products, the Company entered into a supply and distribution agreement with TRIS Pharma Inc. (“TRIS”) (the “Karbinal Agreement”). As part of this agreement, the Company had an annual minimum sales commitment, which is based on a commercial year that spans from August 1 through July 31, of 70,000 units through 2033. The Company was required to pay TRIS a royalty make whole payment (“Make-Whole Payments”) of $30 for each unit under the 70,000 units annual minimum sales commitment through 2033.

As a part of the Aytu Divestiture, which closed on November 1, 2019, the Company assigned all payment obligations, including the Make-Whole Payments, under the Karbinal Agreement (collectively, the “TRIS Obligations”) to Aytu.  However, under the original license agreement, the Company could ultimately be liable for TRIS Obligations to the extent Aytu fails to make the required payments. The future Make-Whole Payments to be made by Aytu are unknown as the amount owed to TRIS is dependent on the number of units sold.

Millipred License and Supply Agreement

The Company has a License and Supply Agreement for Millipred with Watson Laboratories, Inc., which is now part of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (“Teva”). Pursuant to the License and Supply Agreement, the Company is required to make license payments of $75,000 in February and August of each year through April 2021 and purchases inventory on an ad-hoc basis. Dr. Sol Barer is the Chairman of Cerecor's board of directors and he also serves as the Chairman of Teva's board of directors.

In the fourth quarter of 2020, the parties entered into an amendment (the “Amended License and Supply Agreement”), which extends the agreement for a period of thirty months (from April 1, 2021 through September 30, 2023). In lieu of the previous license payments, beginning April 1, 2021, Cerecor will pay Teva fifty percent of the net profit of the Millipred product following each calendar quarter, subject to a $0.5 million quarterly minimum payment.

Possible Future Milestone Proceeds for Out-Licensed Compounds

CERC-611 License Assignment

In August 2019, the Company entered into an assignment of license agreement (the “Assignment Agreement”) with ES Therapeutics, LLC (“ES Therapeutics”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Armistice, a significant stockholder of the Company. Pursuant to the Assignment Agreement, the Company assigned and transferred its rights, title, interest, and obligations with respect to CERC-611 to ES Therapeutics. The Company initially licensed the compound from Eli Lilly and Company (“Lilly”) in September 2016. Under the Assignment Agreement, Armistice paid the Company an upfront payment of $0.1 million. The Company recognized the payment as license and other revenue for the year ended December 31, 2019. The Assignment Agreement also provides for: (a) a $7.5 million milestone payment to the Company upon cumulative net sales of licensed products reaching $750.0 million; and (b) a $12.5 million milestone payment to the Company upon cumulative net sales of licensed products reaching $1.3 billion. The Assignment Agreement also releases the Company of obligations related to CERC-611, including the $1.3 million contingent payment to Lilly upon the first subject dosage of CERC-611 in a multiple ascending dose study and from additional potential future payments due to Lilly upon achievement of certain development and commercialization milestones.

CERC-501 Sale to Janssen

In August 2017, the Company sold its worldwide rights to CERC-501 to Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (“Janssen”) in exchange for initial gross proceeds of $25.0 million. There is a potential future $20.0 million regulatory milestone payment to the
Company upon acceptance of an NDA for any indication. The terms of the agreement provide that Janssen will assume ongoing clinical trials and be responsible for any new development and commercialization of CERC-501.

Related Party and Acquisition Related Contingent Liabilities

CERC-006 Royalty Agreement with Certain Related Parties

Prior to Cerecor entering into the Merger Agreement with Aevi, in July 2019, Aevi entered into a royalty agreement with Mike Cola, Cerecor's current Chief Executive Officer, Joseph J. Grano, Jr., Kathleen Jane Grano, Joseph C. Grano, The Grano Children's Trust, Joseph C. Grano, trustee and LeoGroup Private Investment Access, LLC on behalf of Dr. Garry Neil, Cerecor's current Chief Scientific Officer (collectively, the “Investors”) in exchange for a one-time aggregate payment of $2 million (the “Royalty Agreement”). Collectively, the Investors will be entitled to an aggregate amount equal to a low-single digit percentage of the aggregate net sales of Astellas Pharma Inc.'s second generation mTORC1/2 inhibitor, CERC-006. At any time beginning three years after the date of the first public launch of CERC-006, Cerecor may exercise, at its sole discretion, a buyout option that terminates any further obligations under the Royalty Agreement in exchange for a payment to Investors of an aggregate of 75% of the net present value of the royalty payments.  A majority of the independent members of the board of directors and the audit committee of Aevi approved the Royalty Agreement.

Cerecor assumed this Royalty Agreement upon closing of the Merger with Aevi and it is recorded as a royalty obligation within the Company's accompanying consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2020. Because there is a significant related party relationship between the Company and the Investors, the Company treated its obligation to make royalty payments under the Royalty Agreement as an implicit obligation to repay the funds advanced by the Investors. As the Company makes royalty payments in accordance with the Royalty Agreement, it will reduce the liability balance. At the time that such royalty payments become probable and estimable, and if such amounts exceed the liability balance, the Company will impute interest accordingly on a prospective basis based on such estimates, which would result in a corresponding increase in the liability balance.

Aevi Merger possible future milestone payments

A portion of the consideration for the Aevi Merger, which closed on February 3, 2020, includes two future contingent development milestones worth up to an additional $6.5 million. The first milestone is the enrollment of a patient in a Phase II study related to CERC-002 for use in pediatric onset Crohn's disease, CERC-006 (any indication), or CERC-007 (any indication) prior to February 3, 2022. If this milestone is met, the Company is required to make a milestone payment of $2.0 million. The second milestone is the receipt of a NDA approval for either CERC-006 or CERC-007 from the FDA on or prior to February 3, 2025. If this milestone is met, the Company is required to make a milestone payment of $4.5 million. All milestones are payable in either shares of the Company's common stock or cash, at the election of the Company.

The contingent consideration related to the development milestones will be recognized if and when such milestones are probable and can be reasonably estimated. As of the consummation of the Merger on February 3, 2020 and as of December 31, 2020, no contingent consideration related to the development milestone has been recognized. The Company will continue to monitor the development milestones at each reporting period.

Ichorion Acquisition possible future milestone payments

In September 2018, the Company acquired Ichorion Therapeutics, Inc. including acquiring three compounds for inherited metabolic disorders known as CDG (CERC-801, CERC-802 and CERC-803) and one other preclinical compound. Consideration for the transaction included shares of Cerecor common stock and three future contingent development milestones for the acquired compounds worth up to an additional $15.0 million. The first milestone is the first product being approved for marketing by the FDA on or prior to December 31, 2021. If this milestone is met, the Company is required to make a milestone payment of $6.0 million. The second milestone is the second product being approved for marketing by the FDA on or prior to December 31, 2021. If this milestone is met, the Company is required to make a milestone payment of $5.0 million. The third milestone is a protide molecule being approved by the FDA on or prior to December 31, 2023. If this milestone is met, the Company is required to make a milestone payment of $4.0 million. All milestones are payable in either shares of the Company's common stock or cash, at the election of the Company.

The contingent consideration related to the development milestones will be recognized if and when such milestones are probable and can be reasonably estimated. As of December 31, 2020, no contingent consideration related to the development milestone has been recognized. The Company will continue to monitor the development milestones at each reporting period.