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Equity Method Investment
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2019
Equity Method Investment  
Equity Method Investment

5. Equity Method Investment

On February 11, 2018, the Company entered into a joint venture agreement (the “JV Agreement”) with Shenzhen Hepalink Pharmaceutical Group Co., Ltd., a related party, principal shareholder of the Company, and a Chinese entity (“Hepalink”), for developing and commercializing products for infectious diseases. Under the terms of the JV Agreement, the Company contributed $1.0 million and the license of its technology relating to the Company’s AR-101 and AR-301 product candidates for use in the joint venture company named Shenzhen Arimab BioPharmaceuticals Co., Ltd. (the “JV Entity”) in the territories of the Republic of China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan (the “Territory”) and initially owns 49% of the JV Entity. On July 2, 2018, the JV Entity received final approval from the government of the Peoples Republic of China. It was agreed by the parties that the Company shall be reimbursed for certain legal and contract manufacturing expenses related to the clinical drug supply for a Phase 3 clinical study of AR-301 and the clinical drug supply for a clinical study of AR-105 (see Note 12).

On August 6, 2018, the Company entered into an amendment to the JV Agreement with Hepalink whereby the Company agreed to additionally contribute an exclusive, revocable, and royalty-free right and license to its AR-105 product candidate in the Territory. Pursuant to the JV Agreement and the amendment, Hepalink initially owns 51% of the JV Entity and is obligated to contribute the equivalent of $7.2 million to the JV Entity. Additionally, Hepalink is obligated to make an additional equity investment of $10.8 million or more at the time of the JV Entity’s first future financing

The Company evaluated the accounting for the JV Agreement entered into noting that it did not meet the accounting definition of a joint venture and instead meets the definition of a variable interest entity. The Company concluded that it is not the primary beneficiary of the JV Entity and therefore is not required to consolidate the entity. This conclusion was based on the fact that the equity-at-risk is insufficient to support operations without additional investment and that the Company does not hold decision-making power over activities that significantly impact the JV Entity’s operations. The Company accounted for its investment in the JV Entity as an equity method investment. The Company recorded the equity method investment at $1.0 million which represents the Company’s contribution into the JV Entity. The Company’s license contributed to the JV Entity was recorded at its carryover basis of $0.

For the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, the Company recognized approximately $951,000 and $40,000 losses from the operations of the JV Entity, respectively. As of December 31, 2019 and 2018, the Company’s equity method investment in the JV Entity was approximately $9,000 and $960,000, respectively.