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Related-Party Transactions
12 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2022
Related-Party Transactions  
Related-Party Transactions

14.   Related-Party Transactions

MTTR - Strategic Partnership Agreement (ONS-5010)

In February 2018, the Company entered into a strategic partnership agreement with MTTR to advise on regulatory, clinical and commercial strategy and assist in obtaining approval of ONS-5010, the Company's bevacizumab therapeutic product candidate for ophthalmic indications.

In November 2018, the board of directors of the Company appointed Mr. Terry Dagnon as Chief Operating Officer, and Mr. Jeff Evanson as Chief Commercial Officer. Both Mr. Dagnon and Mr. Evanson initially provided services to the Company pursuant to the February 2018 strategic partnership agreement with MTTR, as amended. Mr. Dagnon and Mr. Evanson were both principals in MTTR. The Company did not pay Mr. Dagnon or Mr. Evanson any direct compensation as consultants or as employees during the period from October 1, 2019 through March 19, 2020. Both Mr. Dagnon and Mr. Evanson were compensated directly by MTTR for services provided to the Company as the Company's Chief Operating Officer and Chief Commercial Officer, respectively, pursuant to the strategic partnership agreement until such agreement, as amended, was terminated effective March 19, 2020. The Company began compensating Mr. Dagnon and Mr. Evanson directly as consultants effective March 19, 2020 pursuant to their respective consulting agreements with the Company, which became effective March 19, 2020 following stockholder approval of the share issuances contemplated therein. Mr. Dagnon and Mr. Evanson have also agreed to provide consulting services to an affiliate of BioLexis pursuant to a separate arrangement.

On January 27, 2020, the Company entered into a termination agreement and mutual release with MTTR to terminate the strategic partnership agreement. Pursuant to the agreement, the Company agreed (x) to issue to the four principals of MTTR (who include two of its named executive officers, Messrs. Dagnon and Evanson), an aggregate of 7,244,739 shares of its common stock, subject to stockholder approval, (y) to enter into consulting agreements with each of the four principals setting forth the terms of his respective compensation arrangement, and (z) to pay MTTR a one-time settlement fee of $110,000, upon effectiveness of the agreement.

Concurrently, the Company also entered into consulting agreements directly with each of the four principals of MTTR setting forth the terms of his respective compensation arrangement, as well as providing for certain transfer restrictions and repurchase rights applicable to the shares of common stock to be issued pursuant hereto. The termination agreement, and the consulting agreements, became effective upon stockholder approval of the share issuance on March 19, 2020. Refer to Note 12 for the accounting of the restricted stock issued and compensation expense recognized.

MTTR and its four principals under the strategic partnership agreement and the subsequent individual consulting agreements earned an aggregate $526,435 and $1,089,408 during the years ended September 30, 2022 and 2021, respectively, which includes monthly consulting fees and expense reimbursement, but excludes stock-based compensation related to restricted stock (Note 12). As of September 30, 2022 and 2021, the amounts payable to former MTTR principals as consultants of $18,333 and $89,762, respectively, were included in accounts payable in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets.

On December 21, 2021, the Company entered into employment agreements with each of Mr. Dagnon and Mr. Evanson, which superseded and replaced their prior consulting agreements. Pursuant to their new employment agreements, each of Mr. Dagnon and Mr. Evanson will receive a base salary of $450,000 and a discretionary annual cash bonus with a target amount equal to 50% of his respective base salary. In connection with their entry into the employment agreements, each of Mr. Dagnon and Mr. Evanson received a grant of 800,000 options to purchase common stock, one quarter of which will

vest on the first anniversary of the grant and the remainder of which will vest in monthly installments over the succeeding three years, subject to their continued service through each vesting date. In addition, each of Mr. Dagnon and Mr. Evanson received a performance grant of 200,000 options to purchase common stock, which will vest upon the Company’s achievement of certain milestones. An aggregate of 200,000 performance-based stock options vested as a result of achieving the performance condition related to the Company’s BLA submission. Refer to Note 12 for further details on performance-based stock options.