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Commitments and Contingencies
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2021
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Commitments and Contingencies Commitments and Contingencies
Contractual Commitments    
Exclusive Collaboration Agreement with Rothamsted Research ("Rothamsted")
On November 12, 2020, the Company signed an exclusive collaboration agreement with UK-based Rothamsted to support Rothamsted’s program to develop omega-3 oils in Camelina sativa. Under the agreement, Yield10 is providing Rothamsted with financial support for ongoing research including further DHA+EPA trait improvement, field testing and
nutritional studies. The Company will pay Rothamsted quarterly research funding and option fees of $31 for two years totaling $250, of which $125 remains outstanding as of December 31, 2021. Included within the agreement, the Company has an exclusive two-year option to sign a global, exclusive or non-exclusive license agreement to the technology. The current agreement terminates automatically on its second anniversary unless terminated earlier in accordance with the terms of the agreement.
License Agreement with the University of Massachusetts ("UMASS")
Pursuant to a license agreement with UMASS dated as of June 30, 2015 and subsequently amended, the Company has an exclusive, worldwide license under certain patents and patent applications, including issued patents covering the Company's yield trait gene C3003, relating to the manufacture of plants with enhanced photosynthesis. The agreement provides an exclusive, worldwide license to make, have made, use, offer for sale and import any transgenic plant seed or plant grown from transgenic plant material for sale to a farmer or grower that is derived from (in whole or in part) one or more issued or pending claims of the licensed patents or patent applications.
Pursuant to the UMASS license agreement, the Company is required to use diligent efforts to develop licensed products throughout the field of use and to introduce licensed products into the commercial market. The Company's failure to achieve any milestone provided for under the agreement would give UMASS the right to terminate the agreement, following a notice period, unless the Company is able to reach agreement with UMASS as to a potential adjustment to the applicable milestone.
The Company is obligated to pay UMASS milestone payments relating to regulatory filings and approvals covered by the agreement, royalties on any sales of licensed products following regulatory approval, as well as a percentage of any sublicense income, if any, related to the licensed products. The Company or UMASS may terminate the agreement in accordance with the terms of the agreement.
License Agreement with the University of Missouri ("UM")
Pursuant to a license agreement with UM dated as of May 17, 2018, Yield10 has an exclusive, worldwide license to two novel gene technologies to boost oil content in crops. Both technologies are based on significant new discoveries around the function and regulation of ACCase, a key rate-limiting enzyme involved in oil production. The UM license was expanded during May 2019 to include an exclusive worldwide license to a third gene in the ACCase complex, that the Company has designated C3012, that may complement the activity of C3007 to boost oil content in crops.
Pursuant to the UM license agreement, the Company is required to use diligent efforts to develop licensed products throughout the licensed field and to introduce licensed products into the commercial market. The Company's failure to achieve any milestone provided for under the license agreement would give UM the right to terminate the license agreement or render it nonexclusive, unless the Company is able to reach agreement with UM as to the potential adjustment of the applicable milestone.
The Company is obligated to pay UM a license execution payment, milestone payments relating to any regulatory filings and approvals covered by the license agreement, royalties on any sales of licensed products following regulatory approval, as well as a percentage of any sublicense royalties, if any, related to the licensed products. The Company or UM may terminate the license agreement in accordance with the terms of the agreement.
Facility Leases
The Company leases facilities under non-cancelable leases expiring at various dates through November 30, 2026. See Note 11.
Litigation
From time to time, the Company may be subject to legal proceedings and claims in the ordinary course of business. The Company is not currently aware of any such proceedings or claims that it believes will have, individually or in the aggregate, a material adverse effect on the business, financial condition or the results of operations.
Guarantees
As of December 31, 2021, and December 31, 2020, the Company did not have significant liabilities recorded for guarantees.
The Company enters into indemnification provisions under various agreements with other companies in the ordinary course of business, typically with business partners, contractors, and customers. Under these provisions, the Company generally indemnifies and holds harmless the indemnified party for losses suffered or incurred by the indemnified party as a result of its activities. These indemnification provisions generally survive termination of the underlying agreement. The maximum potential amount of future payments the Company could be required to make under these indemnification provisions is unlimited. However, to date Yield10 Bioscience has not incurred material costs to defend lawsuits or settle claims related to these indemnification provisions. As a result, the estimated fair value of these agreements is minimal. Accordingly, the Company has no liabilities recorded for these agreements as of December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020.