Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

License Agreements

v3.8.0.1
License Agreements
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2017
Research and Development [Abstract]  
License Agreements
License Agreements
 
Lilly CERC-611 License
 
On September 22, 2016, the Company entered into an exclusive license agreement with Eli Lilly and Company (“Lilly”) pursuant to which the Company received exclusive, global rights to develop and commercialize CERC-611, previously referred to as LY3130481, a potent and selective Transmembrane AMPA Receptor Regulatory Proteins (“TARP”) γ-8-dependent α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (“AMPA”) receptor antagonist. The terms of the license agreement provide for an upfront payment of $2.0 million, of which $750,000 was due within 30 days of the effective date of the license agreement, and the remaining balance of $1.25 million is due after the first subject is dosed with CERC-611 in a multiple ascending dose study and is recorded as license obligations on the balance sheet at September 30, 2017. Additional payments may be due upon achievement of development and commercialization milestones, including the first commercial sale. Upon commercialization, the Company is obligated to pay Lilly milestone payments and a royalty on net sales.
 
Merck CERC-301 License
 
In 2013, the Company entered into an exclusive license agreement with Merck & Co., Inc. (“Merck”) pursuant to which Merck granted the Company rights relating to certain small molecule compounds. In consideration of the license, the Company may be required to make initial payments totaling $1.5 million upon the achievement of certain milestones. Pursuant to the license agreement the Company paid an initial payment of $750,000, and upon achievement of acceptance by the United States Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, of Merck pre-clinical data and FDA approval of a Phase 3 clinical trial the Company will pay an additional $750,000. Additional payments may be due upon achievement of development and regulatory milestones, including the first commercial sale. Upon commercialization, the Company is obligated to pay Merck milestone payments and royalties on net sales.
 
Lilly CERC-501 License
    
On August 14. 2017, the Company sold all of its rights to CERC-501 to Janssen in exchange for initial gross proceeds of $25.0 million, of which $3.75 million was deposited into a twelve month escrow to secure certain indemnification obligations to Janssen (see Note 11). In addition to the initial proceeds, the terms of the agreement provide for a potential future $20 million regulatory milestone payment. Further, 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.
 
Merck CERC-406 License
 
In 2013, the Company entered into a separate exclusive license agreement with Merck pursuant to which Merck granted the Company certain rights in small molecule compounds which are known to inhibit the activity of COMT. In consideration of the license, the Company made a $200,000 upfront payment to Merck. Additional payments may be due upon the achievement of development and regulatory milestones. Upon commercialization of a COMT product, the Company is required to pay Merck royalties on net sales.