XML 36 R17.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v3.10.0.1
Commitments and Contingencies
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2018
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Commitments and Contingencies
Commitments and Contingencies
Archemix Corp.

The Company is party to an agreement with Archemix Corp., or Archemix, under which the Company in-licensed rights in certain patents, patent applications and other intellectual property related to Zimura and pursuant to which the Company may be required to pay sublicense fees and make milestone payments. Under the license agreement, for each anti‑C5 aptamer product that the Company may develop under the agreement, including Zimura, the Company is obligated to make payments to Archemix of up to an aggregate of $57.5 million if the Company achieves specified development, clinical and regulatory milestones, with $30.5 million of such payments relating to a first indication, $24.5 million of such payments relating to second and third indications and $2.5 million of such payments relating to sustained delivery applications. Under the license agreement, the Company is also obligated to make additional payments to Archemix of up to an aggregate of $22.5 million if the Company achieves specified commercial milestones based on net product sales of all anti‑C5 products licensed under the agreement. The Company is also obligated to pay Archemix a double‑digit percentage of specified non‑royalty payments the Company may receive from any sublicensee of its rights under the C5 agreement. The Company is not obligated to pay Archemix a running royalty based on net product sales in connection with the C5 agreement.

University of Florida and the University of Pennsylvania

Under the RHO-adRP License Agreement with the Company is obligated to make payments to UFRF, on behalf of both Licensors, of up to an aggregate of $23.5 million if the Company achieves specified clinical, marketing approval and reimbursement approval milestones with respect to a licensed product and up to an aggregate of an additional $70.0 million if the Company achieves specified commercial sales milestones with respect to a licensed product. The Company is also obligated to pay UFRF, on behalf of both Licensors, a low single-digit percentage of net sales of licensed products. The Company is also obligated to pay UFRF, on behalf of both Licensors, a double-digit percentage of specified non-royalty payments the Company may receive from any sublicensee of the licensed patent rights to a third party. Further, if the Company receives a rare pediatric disease priority review voucher from the FDA in connection with obtaining marketing approval for a licensed product and the Company subsequently uses such priority review voucher in connection with a different product candidate, the Company will be obligated to pay UFRF, on behalf of both Licensors, aggregate payments in the low double-digit millions of dollars based on certain approval and commercial sales milestones with respect to such other product. In addition, if the Company sells such a priority review voucher to a third party, the Company will be obligated to pay UFRF, on behalf of both Licensors, a low double-digit percentage of any consideration received from such third party in connection with such sale.

Employment Contracts

The Company also has letter agreements with certain employees that require the funding of a specific level of payments, if certain events, such as a termination of employment in connection with a change in control or termination of employment by the employee for good reason or by the Company without cause, occur.
 
Contract Service Providers

In addition, in the course of normal business operations, the Company has agreements with contract service providers to assist in the performance of the Company’s research and development and manufacturing activities. Expenditures to CROs, CMOs and academic research institutions represent significant costs in clinical development. Subject to required notice periods and the Company’s obligations under binding purchase orders, the Company can elect to discontinue the work under these agreements at any time. 

Legal Proceedings

On January 11, 2017, a putative class action lawsuit was filed against the Company and certain of its current and former executive officers in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, captioned Frank Micholle v. Ophthotech Corporation, et al., No. 1:17-cv-00210. On March 9, 2017, a related putative class action lawsuit was filed against the Company and the same group of its current and former executive officers in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, captioned Wasson v. Ophthotech Corporation, et al., No. 1:17-cv-01758. These cases were consolidated on March 13, 2018. On June 4, 2018, lead plaintiff filed a consolidated amended complaint (the “CAC”). The CAC purports to be brought on behalf of shareholders who purchased the Company’s common stock between March 2, 2015 and December 12, 2016. The CAC generally alleges that the Company and certain of its officers violated Sections 10(b) and/or 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder by making allegedly false and/or misleading statements concerning the results of the Company’s Phase 2b trial and the prospects of the Company’s Phase 3 trials for Fovista in combination with anti-VEGF agents for the treatment of wet AMD. The CAC seeks unspecified damages, attorneys’ fees, and other costs. The Company filed a motion to dismiss the CAC on July 27, 2018.

On February 7, 2018, a shareholder derivative action was filed against the members of the Company’s Board of Directors in the New York Supreme Court Commercial Division, captioned Cano v. Guyer, et al., No. 650601/2018. The complaint alleges that defendants breached their fiduciary duties to the Company by adopting a compensation plan that overcompensates the non-employee members of the Board relative to boards of companies of comparable market capitalization and size. The complaint also alleges that defendants were unjustly enriched as a result of the alleged conduct. The complaint purports to seek unspecified damages, on behalf of the Company, attorneys’ fees, and other costs, as well as an order directing the Company to reform and improve its corporate governance and internal procedures to comply with applicable laws. The Company filed a motion to dismiss this case on May 14, 2018. On June 4, 2018, plaintiff filed an amended complaint. The Company filed a renewed motion to dismiss this case on June 25, 2018. On July 25, 2018, the parties filed a stipulation adjourning the deadline for plaintiff to file an opposition to the Company's motion to dismiss while the parties engage in settlement negotiations, and requiring the parties to provide the court with a status report on or before October 5, 2018.

The Company denies any allegations of wrongdoing and intends to vigorously defend against these lawsuits. The Company is unable, however, to predict the outcome of these matters at this time. Moreover, any conclusion of these matters in a manner adverse to the Company and for which it incurs substantial costs or damages not covered by the Company's directors’ and officers’ liability insurance would have a material adverse effect on its financial condition and business. In addition, the litigation could adversely impact the Company's reputation and divert management’s attention and resources from other priorities, including the execution of business plans and strategies that are important to the Company's ability to grow its business, any of which could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business.