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Commitment and Contingencies
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2023
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Commitments and Contingencies Commitments and Contingencies
Commitments
The Company has commitments under certain license and development agreements, lease agreements, commitments related to renovating an existing facility for GMP, and debt agreements. Commitments under certain license and development agreements include annual payments, payments upon the achievement of certain milestones, and royalty payments based on net sales of licensed products (see Note 3). Commitments under lease agreements are future minimum lease payments (see Note 7). Renovation commitments are related to retrofitting an existing facility in order to be GMP compliant (see Note 1). Commitments under debt agreements are the future payment of principal and accrued interest under the EB-5 Loan Agreement (see Note 9). In connection with the Company's decision to terminate the COVAXIN program, the Canada Consulting Agreement was terminated by mutual agreement in June 2023 (see Note 11). Additionally, the Company does not expect to fulfill any commitments under the amended Co-Development, Supply and Commercialization Agreement (the "Covaxin Agreement") with Bharat Biotech as a result of the termination of the COVAXIN program.
Contingencies
In June 2021, a securities class action lawsuit was filed against the Company and certain of its agents in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania ("Court") (Case No. 2:21-cv-02725) that purported to state a claim for alleged violations of Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act") and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder, based on statements made by the Company concerning the announcement of the Company's decision to pursue the submission of a BLA for COVAXIN for adults ages 18 years and older rather than pursuing an EUA. In July 2021, a second securities class action lawsuit was filed against the Company and certain of its agents in the Court (Case No. 2:21-cv-03182) that also purported to state a claim for alleged violations of Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Exchange Act and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder, based on the same statements as the first complaint. The complaints seek unspecified damages, interest, attorneys' fees, and other costs. In March 2022, the Court consolidated these two related securities class action lawsuits and appointed Andre Galan Bernd Benayon to serve as lead plaintiff. The lead plaintiff's amended complaint was filed in June 2022. In March 2023, the Court granted the Company's motion to dismiss with prejudice. The lead plaintiff appealed to the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit ("Third Circuit") regarding the order that was entered in March 2023, which dismissed the action with prejudice. The lead plaintiff's appellant's brief and joint appendix were filed in July 2023. The Company's appellees' brief was filed in August 2023, and the lead plaintiff's reply brief was filed in September 2023. In March 2024, the Third Circuit affirmed the Court's decision to dismiss with prejudice the consolidated securities class action lawsuits.
In August 2021, a stockholder derivative lawsuit was filed derivatively on behalf of the Company against certain of its agents and the nominal defendant Ocugen in the Court (Case No. 2:21-cv-03876) that purported to state a claim for breach of fiduciary duty and contribution for violations of Sections 10(b) and 21(d) of the Exchange Act, based on facts and circumstances relating to the securities class action lawsuits and seeking contribution and indemnification in connection with claims asserted in the securities class action lawsuits. In September 2021, a second stockholder derivative lawsuit was filed derivatively on behalf of the Company against certain of its agents and the nominal defendant Ocugen in the Court (Case No. 2:21-cv-04169) that purported to state a claim for breach of fiduciary duties, unjust enrichment, abuse of control, waste of corporate assets, and contribution for violations of Sections 10(b) and 21(d) of the Exchange Act, based on the same allegations as the first complaint. The parties to both stockholder derivative lawsuits stipulated to the consolidation of the two stockholder derivative lawsuits and submitted to the Court in each action a proposed order requesting a stay of the litigation pending a decision on any motion to dismiss filed in the securities class action lawsuits, which the Court entered in April 2022. In March 2023, the Court in the securities class action lawsuits granted the Company's motion to dismiss with prejudice. The parties to the stockholder derivative lawsuits stipulated to extend the stay of litigation pending resolution of any appeal filed in the securities class action lawsuits, which the Court entered in March 2023.
In April 2024, a securities class action lawsuit was filed against the Company and certain of its agents in the Court (Case No. 2:24-cv-01500) that purported to state a claim for alleged violations of Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Exchange Act and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder, based on statements made by the Company concerning the Company’s previously-issued audited consolidated financial statements for each fiscal year beginning January 1, 2020 and its previously-issued unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements for each of the first three quarters in such years and the effectiveness of the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures during each such period. The complaint seeks unspecified damages, interest, attorneys’ fees, and other costs.
The Company believes that the lawsuits are without merit and intends to vigorously defend against them. At this time, no assessment can be made as to their likely outcome or whether the outcome will be material to the Company. No information is available to indicate that it is probable that a loss has been incurred and can be reasonably estimated as of the date of the condensed consolidated financial statements and, as such, no accrual for the loss has been recorded within the consolidated financial statements.