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License and Collaboration Agreements
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2016
Organization Consolidation And Presentation Of Financial Statements [Abstract]  
License and Collaboration Agreements

5.

License and Collaboration Agreements

MSK Agreements – In September 2014, we entered into an exclusive option agreement with MSK under which we had the right to acquire the exclusive worldwide license rights to three clinical stage T-cell therapies from MSK. In exchange for the option, we paid $1.25 million in cash and issued 59,761 shares of our common stock to MSK, which at the time of issuance had an estimated fair value of $0.75 million. The total of $2.0 million was recorded as research and development expense in our statements of operations and comprehensive loss.

In June 2015, we exercised our option and entered into an exclusive license agreement with MSK. In connection with the execution of the license agreement, we paid $4.5 million in cash to MSK, which was recorded as research and development expense in our statement of operations and comprehensive loss.

We are required to make additional payments of up to $33.0 million to MSK based on achievement of specified regulatory and sales-related milestones, as well as mid-single-digit percentage tiered royalty payments based on future sales of products resulting from the development of the licensed product candidates, if any. In addition, under certain circumstances, we are required to make certain minimum annual royalty payments to MSK, which are creditable against earned royalties owed for the same annual period. We are also required to pay a low double-digit percentage of any consideration we receive for sublicensing the licensed rights. The license agreement expires on a product-by-product and country-by-country basis on the later of: (i) expiration of the last licensed patent rights related to each licensed product, (ii) expiration of any market exclusivity period granted by law with respect to each licensed product, and (iii) a specified number of years after the first commercial sale of the licensed product in each country. Upon expiration of the license agreement, Atara will retain non-exclusive rights to the licensed products.

Amgen License Agreements - In September 2012, we entered into three license agreements with Amgen. In accordance with terms of the agreements with Amgen, we use commercially reasonable efforts to prepare, file, prosecute, defend and maintain the patents covered by the license agreements. During the three months ended June 30, 2016 and 2015, we incurred expenses of $0.2 million and $0.3 million, respectively, related to these activities. During the six months ended June 30, 2016 and 2015, we incurred expenses of $0.4 million and $0.7 million, respectively, related to these activities.

In December 2015, we announced that we would be suspending further development of PINTA 745 and in June 2016, we returned the rights related to this and the ATA 842 program to Amgen. Under the remaining license agreements, potential payments of up to $58.0 million are due to Amgen upon the achievement of development and regulatory approval milestones and payments of up to $104.0 million are due upon the achievement of sales-based milestones.

We are also required to pay mid-single-digit percentage tiered royalties on future net sales of products which are developed and approved as defined by the agreements, if any. Our royalty obligations as to a particular licensed product will be payable, on a country-by-country and product-by-product basis, until the later of (a) the date of expiration of the last to expire valid claim within the licensed patents that covers the manufacture, use or sale, offer to sell, or import of such licensed product by us or a sublicense in such country, (b) loss of regulatory exclusivity, or (c) 10 years after the first commercial sale of the applicable licensed product in the applicable country. These agreements expire at the end of all royalty obligations to Amgen and, upon expiration, the licenses will be fully paid, royalty-free, irrevocable and non-exclusive.

QIMR Berghofer Agreements – In October 2015, we entered into an exclusive license agreement and a research and development collaboration agreement with QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute (“QIMR Berghofer”). Under the terms of the license agreement, we obtained an exclusive, worldwide license to develop and commercialize allogeneic cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (“CTL”) therapy programs utilizing technology and know-how developed by QIMR Berghofer.  In consideration for the exclusive license, we paid $3.0 million in cash to QIMR Berghofer, which was recorded as research and development expense in our statement of operations and comprehensive loss. Under the research and development collaboration agreement, we are required to reimburse the cost of agreed upon development activities. These payments are expensed on a straight-line basis over the term of the agreement and resulted in research and development expense of $0.3 million and $0.6 million for the three and six months ended June 30, 2016, respectively. The agreement also provides for various milestone and royalty payments to QIMR Berghofer based on achievement of certain developmental milestones and future product sales, if any.

Milestones and royalties under each of the above agreements are contingent upon future events and will be recorded as expense when it is probable that the milestones will be achieved or royalties are due. As of June 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015, there were no outstanding obligations for milestones and royalties to MSK, Amgen and QIMR Berghofer.