Collaboration agreements

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2022

Collaboration agreements

Collaboration agreements

Collaboration agreements

Janssen Biotech Inc.

In February 2022, the Company entered into a research collaboration and license agreement with Janssen Biotech Inc. ("Janssen" and such agreement, the "Janssen Agreement") focused on the research, development and commercialization of novel ADCs for three oncology targets by leveraging Mersana’s ADC expertise and Dolasynthen platform with Janssen’s proprietary antibodies. Upon execution of the Janssen Agreement, the Company received a non-refundable upfront payment of $40.0 million from Janssen. Pursuant to the Janssen Agreement, the Company granted Janssen two exclusive, non-transferrable, worldwide licenses - the Research License and the Commercialization License (together, the "Licenses"). The Research License provides Janssen, on a target-by-target basis, rights under the Company’s technology and the Company’s interest in the technology developed jointly through the collaboration solely to conduct Janssen’s activities under the research and Chemistry, Manufacturing and Controls ("CMC") plans with respect to each target. The Commercialization License is a royalty-bearing license granted on a target-by-target basis under the Company’s technology and the Company’s interest in the technology developed jointly through the collaboration to develop, manufacture, commercialize and otherwise exploit licensed ADCs and any licensed products containing licensed ADCs directed toward a target. Janssen may select up to three targets and may substitute each target once prior to a substitution deadline. Janssen is not required to pay a fee for its first substitution right, but must pay a one-time fee for access to the subsequent substitution rights following its exercise of its second substitution right.

Pursuant to mutually agreed research and CMC plans, the Company will perform bioconjugation, production development, preclinical manufacturing, and certain related research and preclinical development activities, in order to progress the targets through IND submission for further development, manufacture and commercialization by Janssen. Janssen will have sole responsibility for IND-enabling studies, IND submission, clinical development, regulatory activities and commercialization of the licensed ADCs. Both the Company and Janssen will have equal representation on a Joint Research Committee and Joint Manufacturing Committee to oversee the research and CMC activities. The Company estimates that its activities under the research plans for the targets will be performed through 2024.

The Company's CMC activities will be compensated by Janssen at agreed upon rates. Assuming successful development and commercialization of all the three targets by Janssen, the Company could receive up to an additional $505 million in development and regulatory milestones and $530 million in sales milestones as well as tiered mid single-digit to low double-digit royalties on aggregate net sales of the ADC products. To date, the Company has not achieved any of the specified milestones.

Unless earlier terminated, the Janssen Agreement will expire upon the expiration of the last royalty term for a product under the Janssen Agreement. The Janssen Agreement contains customary provisions for termination by either party, including in the event of breach of the Janssen Agreement, subject to cure, by Janssen for convenience and by Mersana upon a challenge of the licensed patents, and customary provisions regarding the effects of termination.

Janssen may request that the Company perform clinical manufacturing services under a separate clinical supply agreement. Janssen may also request that the Company perform a technology transfer of bioconjugation and manufacturing process technology, at Janssen's cost, at an agreed upon rate.

Accounting Analysis

The Company assessed the Janssen Agreement in accordance with ASC 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, and concluded that that the contract counter party, Janssen, is a customer. The Company identified the following seven material performance obligations under the Janssen Agreement: (i) exclusive Licenses and research activities for each of the three designated targets, (ii) CMC activities for each of the three designated targets and (iii) the first target substitution right.

The Company concluded that the Licenses and research activities are one combined performance obligation for each target as the Licenses are not capable of being distinct from the research activities given their proprietary nature. The CMC activities are considered a distinct performance obligation for each target as the activities could be performed by a third-party provider. The first target substitution right is considered a material right as there is no option exercise fee and, as such, is a distinct performance obligation.

In accordance with ASC 606, the Company determined that the initial transaction price under the Janssen Agreement equals $40.0 million, consisting of the upfront, non-refundable and non-creditable payment. None of the development and the regulatory milestones have been included in the transaction price, as all milestone amounts were fully constrained. As part of its evaluation of the constraint, the Company considered numerous factors, including stage of development and the remaining risks associated with the development required to achieve the milestones, as well as whether the achievement of the milestones is outside the control of the Company or Janssen. Any consideration related to sales-based milestones (including royalties) will be recognized when the related sales occur as such milestones were determined to relate predominantly to the license granted to Janssen and therefore have also been excluded from the transaction price. At the end of each subsequent reporting period, the Company will re-evaluate the probability of achievement of each milestone and any related constraint, and if necessary, adjust its estimate of the overall transaction price. Any such adjustments are recorded on a cumulative catch-up basis, which would affect the reported amount of revenues in the period of adjustment.

The Company determined that the consideration for CMC activities represents variable consideration. The Company has not included potential cost reimbursements within the transaction price as no CMC activities for any of the three targets have been initiated. The Company elected to apply the Right to Invoice practical expedient under ASC 606. As such, the Company will recognize revenue related to the CMC activities when the services are performed.

Consistent with the allocation objective under ASC 606, the Company allocated the $40.0 million fixed upfront payment in the transaction price to the Licenses and research activities and first substitution right based on each performance obligation’s relative standalone selling price. Each of the standalone selling prices for the Licenses and research activities and for the first substitution right were estimated utilizing an income approach, along with the likelihood of exercise for the substitution right and included the following key assumptions: the development timeline, revenue forecast, discount rate and probabilities of technical and regulatory success.

The Company is recognizing revenue related to the Licenses and research services performance obligation over the estimated period of the research services using a proportional performance model. The Company measures proportional performance based on the costs incurred relative to the total costs expected to be incurred.

The Company will recognize revenue related to the first target substitution right over time in congruence with the Licenses and research activities, upon the exercise of the option. If the first target substitution option is not exercised, the Company will recognize the entirety of the revenue in the period when the option expires.

During the three months ended March 31, 2022, the Company recorded collaboration revenue of $1.7 million related to its efforts under the Janssen Agreement. As of March 31, 2022, the Company had recorded $38.3 million in deferred revenue related to the Janssen Agreement that will be recognized over the remaining performance period and classified as current or noncurrent on the accompanying consolidated balance sheets based upon the expected timing of satisfaction of respective performance obligations. The aggregate amount of the transaction price allocated to unsatisfied performance obligations was $38.3 million as of March 31, 2022, which is expected to be recognized over the period the associated research activities are performed for each target.

Summary of Contract Assets and Liabilities

The Company did not record any contract assets as of March 31, 2022 related to the Janssen Agreement. The following table presents changes in the balances of the Company's contract liabilities related to the Janssen Agreement during the three months ended March 31, 2022:

(in thousands)	Balance at Beginning of Period		Additions		Deductions		Balance at End of Period
Three months ended March 31, 2022
Contract liabilities:
Deferred revenue	$	—	$	40,000	$	1,735	$	38,265

During the three months ended March 31, 2022, the Company recognized the following revenues related to the Janssen Agreement as a result of changes in the contract liability balances in the respective periods:

	Three Months Ended March 31,
(in thousands)	2022
Revenue recognized in the period from:
Amounts included in the contract liability at the beginning of the period	$	—
Performance obligations satisfied in previous periods	$	—

Merck KGaA

In June 2014, the Company entered into a collaboration and commercial license agreement with Merck KGaA (the "Merck KGaA Agreement"). Upon the execution of the Merck KGaA Agreement, Merck KGaA paid the Company a non-refundable technology access fee of $12.0 million for the right to develop ADCs directed to six exclusive targets over a specified period of time. No additional fees are due when a target is designated and the commercial license to the target is granted. Merck KGaA will be responsible for the product development and marketing of any products resulting from this collaboration. 

Under the terms of the Merck KGaA Agreement, the Company and Merck KGaA develop research plans to evaluate Merck KGaA's antibodies as ADCs incorporating the Company's technology. The Company receives reimbursement for its efforts under the research plans. The goal of the research plans is to provide Merck KGaA with sufficient information to formally nominate a development candidate and begin IND-enabling studies.

All six targets were designated prior to 2018. The next potential milestone payment that the Company is eligible to receive is a development milestone of $0.5 million on Merck KGaA’s designation of a preclinical development candidate for a target. Revenue will be recognized when achievement of the milestone is considered probable.

In May 2018, the Company entered into a supply agreement with Merck KGaA (the "Merck KGaA Supply Agreement"). Under the terms of the Merck KGaA Supply Agreement, the Company will provide Merck KGaA preclinical non-GMP ADC drug substance and clinical GMP drug substance for use in clinical trials associated with one of the antibodies designated under the Merck KGaA Agreement. The Company receives fees for its efforts under the Merck KGaA Supply Agreement and reimbursement equal to the supply cost. The Company may also enter into future supply agreements to provide clinical supply material should Merck KGaA pursue clinical development of any other candidates nominated under the Merck KGaA Agreement.

Accounting Analysis

The Company concluded that Merck KGaA is a customer and accounted for the Merck KGaA Agreement in accordance with ASC 606. The Company identified the following performance obligations under the Merck KGaA Agreement: (i) exclusive license and research services for six designated targets, (ii) rights to future technological improvements and (iii) participation of project team leaders and providing joint research committee services.

The Company is recognizing revenue related to the exclusive license and research and development services performance obligations over the estimated period of the research and development services using a proportional performance model. The Company measures proportional performance based on the costs incurred relative to the total costs expected to be incurred. To the extent that the Company receives fees for the research services as they are performed, these amounts are recorded as deferred revenue. Revenue related to future technological improvements and joint research committee services will be recognized ratably over the respective performance period (which in the case of the joint research committee services approximate the time and cost incurred each period), which are 10 and 5 years, respectively. The Company is continuing to reassess the estimated remaining term at each subsequent reporting period.

As of March 31, 2022, the Company had completed its research service obligations associated with four of the six designated targets. The Company did not recognize any corresponding research and development expense related to the Merck KGaA Supply Agreement during the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021.

As of March 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, the Company had $3.9 million in deferred revenue related to the Merck KGaA Agreement and Merck KGaA Supply Agreement. Such amounts will be recognized over the remaining performance period.

Summary of Contract Assets and Liabilities

The Company did not record any contract assets as of March 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021. The following table presents changes in the balances of the Company's contract liabilities related to the Merck KGaA Agreement and Merck KGaA Supply Agreement during the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021:

(in thousands)	Balance at Beginning of Period		Additions		Deductions		Balance at End of Period
Three months ended March 31, 2022
Contract liabilities:
Deferred revenue	$	3,944	$	—	$	11	$	3,933

(in thousands)	Balance at Beginning of Period		Additions		Deductions		Balance at End of Period
Three months ended March 31, 2021
Contract liabilities:
Deferred revenue	$	3,987	$	—	$	11	$	3,976

During the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021, the Company recognized the following revenues related to the Merck KGaA Agreement and Merck KGaA Supply Agreement as a result of changes in the contract liability balances in the respective periods:

	Three Months Ended March 31,
(in thousands)	2022		2021
Revenue recognized in the period from:
Amounts included in the contract liability at the beginning of the period	$	11	$	11
Performance obligations satisfied in previous periods	$	—	$	—

Other Revenue

The Company has provided limited services for a collaboration partner, Asana BioSciences, LLC ("Asana Biosciences"). For the three months ended March 31, 2022, the Company recognized revenue of $0.3 million related to these services and for the three months ended March 31, 2021, the Company did not recognize revenue related to these services. The next potential milestone the Company is eligible to receive is $2.5 million upon dosing the fifth patient in a Phase 1 clinical study by Asana BioSciences. While the first patient was dosed in April 2022, as of March 31, 2022, the Company considers this next milestone to be fully constrained as there is considerable judgment involved in determining whether it is probable that a significant revenue reversal would occur. As part of its evaluation of the constraint, the Company considered numerous factors, including the fact that achievement of the milestone is outside the control of the Company and there is a high level of uncertainty in achieving this milestone, as the collaboration partner continues to evaluate its candidate in the phase 1 trial. The Company reevaluates the probability of achievement of a milestone subject to constraint at each reporting period and as uncertain events are resolved or other changes in circumstances occur.