Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

COMMITMENTS

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COMMITMENTS
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2017
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Text Block]
NOTE H – COMMITMENTS
 
On November 1, 2013, the Company entered into a 7-year lease for office space in Bedminster, New Jersey which commenced in June, 2014 at a monthly rent of $12,723, increasing to approximately $14,200 per month toward the end of the term.
 
On December 15, 2016, the Company entered into a 10 year, 3-month lease to consolidate our locations while expanding our laboratory and manufacturing facilities. We estimate that the lease will begin on June 1, 2017, upon completion of construction. The monthly rent will start at approximately $43,000, increasing to approximately $ 64,000 in the final year.
 
The Company records rent expense on a straight-line basis. Rent expense for the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2016 was $103,000 and $62,000, respectively.
 
Listed below is a summary of future minimum rental payments (including the remainder of 2017) as of March 31, 2017:
 
Year Ending December 31,
 
 
 
 
 
Lease
 
 
 
Commitments
 
Remainder of 2017
 
$
292
 
2018
 
 
686
 
2019
 
 
711
 
2020
 
 
735
 
2021
 
 
675
 
Total future minimum lease payments
 
$
3,099
 
 
The Company was obligated to provide a security deposit of $300,000 to obtain the headquarter office lease space located in Bedminster, New Jersey. This deposit was reduced by $100,000 in 2016 and 2015 and can be reduced down to $50,000 in 2017, as long as the Company makes timely rental payments.
 
To obtain the laboratory and facility site located in Bridgewater, New Jersey, the Company was obligated to provide a security deposit of $586,000. This security deposit can be reduced $100,000 on each of the first three anniversaries of the rent commencement date. On the fourth anniversary, it can be reduced another $86,000, with the balance over the remaining life of the lease. 
 
On February 18, 2016 the Company entered into a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases to support NIH investigators in the conduct of clinical research to investigate the safety, efficacy, and pharmacokinetics of encochleated drug products in patients with fungal, bacterial, or viral infections at an annual funding of $200,000 per year for 3 years.
 
In July 2016, the Company entered into a Finance Agreement in the amount of $262,324, to fund the premium payments for the Director and Officer Liability policy. The term of this agreement is 10 months, ending May 30, 2017. Monthly payments including interest at 3.25% are $23,962.
 
On November 10, 2016 the Company entered into a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases to support NIH investigators to acquire technical, statistical and administrative support for research activities as well as to pay for supplies and travel expenses for a total amount of $132,568 paid in 4 equal quarterly installments beginning in the fourth quarter 2016 and each quarter during 2017.
 
Through the 2015 Merger, we acquired a license from Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey (successor in interest to the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey) for the cochleate delivery technology. The Amended and Restated Exclusive License Agreement between Nanotechnologies and Rutgers provides for, among other things, (1) royalties on a tiered basis between low single digits and the mid-single digits of net sales of products using such licensed technology, (2) a one-time sales milestone fee of $100,000 when and if sales of products using the licensed technology reach the specified sales threshold and (3) an annual license fee of initially $10,000, increasing to $50,000 over the term of the license agreement.
 
On September 12, 2016 the Company conducted a final closing of a private placement offering to accredited investors shares of the Company’s Series A Preferred Stock. As part of this offer, the investors received royalty payment rights if and when the Company generates sales of MAT2203 or MAT2501. Pursuant to the terms of the Certificate of Designations of Preferences, Rights and Limitations (the “Certificate of Designations”) for our outstanding Series A Preferred Stock, we may be required to pay royalties of up to $35 million per year. If and when we obtain FDA or EMA approval of MAT2203 and/or MAT2501, which we do not expect to occur before 2020, if ever, and/or if we generate sales of such products, or we receive any proceeds from the licensing or other disposition of MAT2203 or MAT2501, we are required to pay to the holders of our Series A Preferred Stock, subject to certain vesting requirements, in aggregate, a royalty equal to (i) 4.5% of Net Sales (as defined in the Certificate of Designations), subject in all cases to a cap of $25 million per calendar year, and (ii) 7.5% of Licensing Proceeds (as defined in the Certificate of Designations), subject in all cases to a cap of $10 million per calendar year. The Royalty Payment Rights will expire when the patents covering the applicable product expire, which is currently expected to be in 2033.
 
The Company also has employment agreements with certain employees which require the funding of a specific level of payments, if certain events, such as a change in control, termination without cause or retirement, occur.