Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Patent Option Agreement

v3.22.0.1
Patent Option Agreement
12 Months Ended
Nov. 30, 2021
Organization Consolidation And Presentation Of Financial Statements [Abstract]  
Patent Option Agreement

 

NOTE 19 – PATENT OPTION AGREEMENT

Effective June 9, 2020, the Company entered into a Patent Option Agreement (the “Option”) with Duke University (“Duke”). The Option grants Cryo-Cell the exclusive option to obtain an exclusive license to certain of Duke’s patent rights to make, have made, use, import, offer for sale, sell and otherwise commercially exploit (with the right to sublicense) certain licensed products and to practice certain licensed processes, and the exclusive right to use certain regulatory data and technical information in connection with such licensed patent rights, in the treatment, prevention, cure, reduction, mitigation or other management of diseases in humans, except, with regard to certain patent rights, in certain excluded fields of use and in certain territories, as well as a limited license to make, have made or use certain products, processes, data and information for the purpose of evaluating the market potential for such products and processes in the designated field of use, subject to Duke’s reserved rights to practice the licensed rights for all research, public service, internal (including clinical) and/or educational purposes. This exclusive Option is for a period of six months from the effective date of the Option. As consideration for the Option, the Company paid Duke a non-refundable, option fee of $350,000 during June 2020. The Option was subject to extension by the Company for an additional six months by payment of $150,000 on or before the expiration of the initial six-month option period. On December 1, 2020, the Company made the extension payment of $150,000. Such option fee, plus the extension fee, will be fully credited against the license fee under the future license agreement. In connection with the option, Cryo-Cell anticipates opening a clinic to help patients have greater access to cord blood treatments established by Duke University under the FDA granted Expanded Access Program.

On February 23, 2021, pursuant to the Option, the Company entered into a Patent and Technology License Agreement (the “Agreement”) with Duke, pursuant to which Duke has granted to the Company an exclusive license to make, have made, use, import, offer for sale, sell and otherwise commercially exploit (with the right to sublicense) certain licensed products and to practice certain licensed processes, and the exclusive right to use certain regulatory data and technical information in connection with such licensed patent rights, in the treatment, prevention, cure, reduction, mitigation or other management of certain diseases in humans, except, with regard to certain patent rights, in certain excluded fields of use and in certain territories, subject to Duke’s reserved rights to practice the licensed rights for all research, public service, internal (including clinical) and/or educational purposes.

The Agreement extends until expiration of the last Royalty Term, unless sooner terminated as provided in the Agreement. Royalty Term generally means the period beginning on the first commercial sale of each licensed product or licensed process and ending fifteen (15) years thereafter. Upon expiration of the applicable Royalty Term with respect to a particular licensed product or licensed processes, the licenses and rights granted by Duke to the Company under the Agreement with respect to such product or process become fully paid-up, royalty-free, perpetual and irrevocable.

The Company is required to pay Duke a license fee equal to $12,000,000, of which $5,000,000 was due within 14 days of February 23, 2021 (of which $500,000 has previously been paid through the crediting of the previously paid $350,000 option fee plus $150,000, extension fee, as described above), $5,000,000 must be paid on the first anniversary of February 23, 2021, and $2,000,000 must be paid on the second anniversary of February 23, 2021. In addition, during the Royalty Term, subject to certain minimum royalties, the Company is required to pay Duke royalties based on a portion of net sales varying from 7% - 12.5% based on volume. On March 8, 2021, the Company transferred $4,889,410 to Duke which included the first payment due of $5,000,000, less $500,000 previously paid and $389,410 in costs related to the patents.

Unless the Agreement is terminated or renegotiated as permitted per the Agreement, the Company is also required to pay Duke minimum annual royalties beginning on the second anniversary of the effective date. The minimum annual royalties are as follows:

Year 2: $500,000
Year 3: $1,000,000
Year 4: $2,500,000
Year 5 and each year thereafter during the term of this Agreement: $5,000,000

In addition, the Company is required to pay Duke certain milestone payments, as follows:

$2,000,000 upon initiation of the first Phase III clinical trial for an indication other than Autism Spectrum Disorder, for a licensed product comprising cord tissue; and
A number of shares of the Company’s common stock equal to the corresponding percentage of the Company’s fully-diluted equity ownership outstanding as of February 23, 2021 as follows:
(1)
5.0% upon execution of the Agreement;
(2)
2.5% upon cumulative net sales of licensed product and licensed process of $10,000,000;
(3)
2.5% upon cumulative net sales of licensed product and licensed process of $75,000,000;
(4)
2.5% at each of the following market cap of the Company (based on a rolling 30-day average closing market cap) triggers:
o
Equal to or greater than $300,000,000, provided such trigger occurs within eighteen (18) months of February 23, 2021; and
o
Equal to or greater than $500,000,000, provided such trigger occurs within twenty-four (24) months of February 23, 2021.

On February 4, 2022, subsequent to the balance sheet date, the Company entered into a First Amendment to License Agreement ( the "Amendment") with Duke. The Amendment changes the requirements of the Company to now pay Duke minimum annual royalties beginning on the third anniversary of the effective date. The minimum annual royalties are as follows:

 

Year 3: $500,000
Year 4: $1,000,000
Year 5: $2,500,000
Year 6 and each year thereafter during the term of this Agreement: $5,000,000

 

The Amendment also changed the requirements of the Company to pay Duke certain milestone payments, as follows:

$2,000,000 two years after the first patient or subject is treated in the first Phase III clinical trial of a licensed product comprising cord tissue derived MSC for an indication other than Autism Spectrum Disorder.

 

During the first quarter of fiscal 2021, the Company capitalized $15,372,382 as a Duke license agreement which represented the costs to obtain the Agreement and also recorded a corresponding liability to Duke for the license agreement. The costs that were capitalized as a Duke license agreement includes the present value of the $12,000,000 license fee, $3,585,172, or 409,734 shares, of the Company’s common stock transferred to Duke and certain acquisition costs. The Company is amortizing these costs over 16 years. As of the twelve months ended November 30, 2021, the Company recorded $720,580 in amortization expense which is reflected in amortization expense on the accompanying consolidated statements of income.