NOTE 16.

COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

Operating Leases

On January 31, 2006 we entered into a lease agreement for office and laboratory space in Addison, Texas. The lease commenced on April 1, 2006 and continues until April 1, 2013. The lease required a minimum monthly lease obligation of $9,330, which is inclusive of monthly operating expenses, until April 1, 2011 and at such time increased to $9,776, which is inclusive of monthly operating expenses. As of September 30, 2011 our current monthly lease obligation is $9,867, which is inclusive of monthly operating expenses.

On December 10, 2010 we entered into a lease agreement for certain office equipment. The lease, which commenced on February 1, 2011 and continues until February 1, 2015, requires a minimum lease obligation of $744 per month.

The future minimum lease payments are as follows as of September 30, 2011:

Calendar Years	Future Lease Expense
2011 (Three months)	$	31,834
2012		127,336
2013		38,529
2014		8,926
2015		744
Total	$	207,369

Rent expense for our operating leases amounted to $33,083 and $28,916 for the three months ended September 30, 2011 and 2010, respectively, and $92,768 and $91,266 for the nine months ended September 30, 2011 and 2010, respectively.

Indemnification

In the normal course of business, we enter into contracts and agreements that contain a variety of representations and warranties and provide for general indemnifications. Our exposure under these agreements is unknown because it involves claims that may be made against us in the future, but have not yet been made. To date, we have not paid any claims or been required to defend any action related to our indemnification obligations. However, we may record charges in the future as a result of these indemnification obligations.

In accordance with our restated articles of incorporation and our amended and restated bylaws, we have indemnification obligations to our officers and directors for certain events or occurrences, subject to certain limits, while they are serving at our request in their respective capacities. There have been no claims to date and we have a director and officer insurance policy that enables us to recover a portion of any amounts paid for future potential claims. We have also entered into contractual indemnification agreements with each of our officers and directors.

Employment Agreements

As of September 30, 2011, we were a party to employment agreements with our Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Terrance K. Wallberg, as well as other key executives including Daniel G. Moro, Vice President – Polymer Drug Delivery and John V. St. John, Ph.D., Vice President - Research and Development. The employment agreements with Messrs. Wallberg, Moro, and St. John each have a term of one year and include an automatic one-year term renewal for each year thereafter. Each employment agreement provides for a base salary, bonus, stock options, stock grants, and eligibility for our benefit programs. Under certain circumstances, the employment agreements provide for certain severance benefits in the event of termination or a change in control. The employment agreements also contain non-solicitation, confidentiality and non-competition covenants, and a requirement for the assignment of certain invention and intellectual property rights in favor of us.

Separation Agreements

As of September 30, 2011, we continue to be a party to a separation agreement with Renaat Van den Hooff, our former Chief Executive Officer, dated June 4, 2010. Pursuant to the terms of the separation agreement we provide or have provided, as applicable, certain benefits to Mr. Van den Hooff, including: (i) payments of $12,500 per month for a period of eighteen (18) months; (ii) a non-statutory stock option to purchase up to 20,000 shares of our common stock, which option is immediately exercisable in full and at any time and from time to time through June 4, 2015 at a per share exercise price of $2.10 (the closing price of our common stock on June 4, 2010); (iii) full acceleration of all vesting schedules for all shares of restricted stock of the Company held by Mr. Van den Hooff; and (iv) for a period of eighteen (18) months following June 4, 2010 we are required to maintain and provide coverage under Mr. Van den Hooff's existing health coverage plan. The separation agreement contains a mutual release of claims and other standard provisions.

As of September 30, 2011, we continue to be a party to a separation agreement with Kerry P. Gray, dated March 9, 2009. Mr. Gray currently serves as our Chairman of the Board, Chairman of the Board's Executive Committee, Chief Executive Officer, and President. Pursuant to the terms of the separation agreement, we provide or have provided, as applicable, certain benefits to Mr. Gray, including: (i) payments totaling $400,000 during the initial 12 month period following March 9, 2009; (ii) commencing March 1, 2010 and continuing for a period of forty-eight (48) months, and will continue to pay to Mr. Gray a payment of $12,500 per month; (iii) full acceleration of all vesting schedules for all outstanding Company stock options and shares of restricted stock of the Company held by Mr. Gray, with all such Company stock options remaining exercisable by Mr. Gray until March 1, 2012, provided that Mr. Gray forfeited 20,000 stock options previously held by him; and (iv) for a period of twenty-four (24) months following March 9, 2009 we are required to maintain and provide coverage under Mr. Gray's existing health coverage plan. The separation agreement contains a mutual release of claims, certain stock lock-up provisions, and other standard provisions.

Milestone Payments

We are subject to paying Access Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (“Access”) for certain milestones based on our achievement of certain annual net sales, cumulative net sales, and/or our having reached certain defined technology milestones including licensing agreements and advancing products to clinical development. As of September 30, 2011, the future milestone obligations that we are subject to paying Access, if the milestones related thereto are achieved, total $4,750,000. Such milestones are based on total annual sales of $20 and $40 million dollars of certain products, annual sales of $20 million dollars of any one certain product, and cumulative sales of such products of $50 and $100 million dollars.

On March 7, 2008, the Company terminated the license agreement with ProStrakan Ltd. for Amlexanox-related products in the United Kingdom and Ireland. As part of the termination, we agreed to pay ProStrakan Ltd. a royalty of 30% on any future payments received by us from a new licensee in the United Kingdom and Ireland territories, up to a maximum of $1,400,000. On November 17, 2008, we entered into a licensing agreement for Amlexanox-related product rights to the United Kingdom and Ireland territories with MEDA AB.