Collaboration and License Agreements

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2023

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

Novartis Agreement

In January 2016, the Company entered into a collaboration agreement with Novartis, which was subsequently amended in May 2016, July 2017, September 2017, and October 2018 (as amended, the “Novartis Agreement”). Pursuant to the Novartis Agreement, the Company granted Novartis a worldwide exclusive license to research, develop, manufacture and commercialize antibodies that target cluster of differentiation 73 (“CD73”). In addition, the Company initially granted Novartis the right to purchase exclusive option rights (each an “Option”) for up to four specified targets (each an “Option Target”) including certain development, manufacturing, and commercialization rights, pursuant to which, Novartis initially had the right to exercise up to three purchased Options. Accordingly, Novartis had the ability to exclusively license the development, manufacturing and commercial rights for up to four targets (inclusive of CD73). As of June 30, 2023, the Company had received an aggregate of $150,000 from Novartis in upfront payments, milestone payments, and option purchase payments. As of January 2020, there were no Options remaining for purchase and exercise, and accordingly the Company’s performance obligations under the Novartis Agreement ended. Under the Novartis Agreement, the Company is currently entitled to potential development milestones of $325,000 and sales milestones of $200,000, as well as tiered royalties on annual net sales by Novartis ranging from high single-digit to mid-teens percentages upon the successful commercialization of NZV930 (formerly SRF373). Due to the uncertainty of pharmaceutical development and the historical failure rates generally associated with drug development, the Company may not receive any milestone payments or any royalty payments under the Novartis Agreement.

The Company did not recognize any revenue relating to the Novartis Agreement during the three and six months ended June 30, 2023 and 2022 as it does not have any remaining performance obligations under the agreement.

Termination

Unless terminated earlier, the Novartis Agreement will continue in effect until neither the Company nor Novartis is researching, developing, manufacturing or commercializing NZV930. Novartis may terminate the Novartis Agreement for any or no reason upon prior notice to the Company within a specified time period. Either party may terminate the Novartis Agreement in full if an undisputed material breach is not cured within a certain period of time or upon notice of insolvency of the other party. To the extent Novartis terminates for convenience, or the Company terminates for Novartis’ uncured material breach, Novartis will grant the Company, on mutually agreeable financial terms, an exclusive, worldwide, irrevocable, perpetual and royalty-bearing license with respect to intellectual property controlled by Novartis that is reasonably necessary to research, develop, manufacture or commercialize NZV930.

GSK Agreement

In December 2020, the Company entered into a license agreement with GSK, which was subsequently amended in August 2021 (as amended, the “GSK Agreement”). Pursuant to the GSK Agreement, the Company granted GSK a worldwide exclusive, sublicensable license to develop, manufacture and commercialize antibodies that target the antibody GSK4381562 (formerly SRF813), targeting CD112R, also known as PVRIG (the “Licensed Antibodies”). GSK is responsible for the development, manufacturing and commercialization of the Licensed Antibodies and a joint development committee was formed to facilitate information sharing between the Company and GSK. GSK is responsible for all costs and expenses of such development, manufacturing and commercialization and is obligated to provide the Company with updates on its development, manufacturing and commercialization activities through the joint development committee. Under the terms of the GSK Agreement, GSK made a one-time upfront payment of $85,000 and was required to make additional payments to the Company for supply services and transition services initially estimated to be $4,314 and $950, respectively. In November 2021, GSK notified the Company it received clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (‘FDA”) for GSK4381562 to proceed into a first-in-human clinical trial, and as a result, the Company’s performance obligations under the GSK Agreement ended. In March 2022, the Company earned a $30,000 milestone payment from GSK upon the dosing of the first patient in the Phase 1 trial of GSK4381562. The Company is eligible to receive up to $60,000 in additional clinical milestones and $155,000 in regulatory milestones. In addition, the Company may receive up to $485,000 in sales milestone payments. The Company is also eligible to receive royalties on global net sales of any approved products based on the licensed antibodies, ranging in percentages from high single digits to mid-teens. Due to the uncertainty of pharmaceutical development and the historical failure rates generally associated with drug development, the Company may not receive any milestone payments or any royalty payments under the GSK Agreement.

In March 2022, GSK notified the Company it had dosed the first patient in its Phase 1 study of GSK4381562 in patients with solid tumors. As a result of this Phase 1 study initiation, the first clinical milestone under the GSK Agreement was achieved. The Company concluded the variable consideration associated with this milestone was no longer constrained and recognized $30,000 in license-related revenue for the six months ended June 30, 2022, as it had no further performance obligations associated with the milestone. The Company did not recognize license-related revenue under the GSK Agreement during the three months ended June 30, 2022. The Company did not recognize license-related revenue under the GSK Agreement during the three and six months ended June 30, 2023.

Termination

Unless terminated earlier, the GSK Agreement expires on a licensed product-by-licensed product and country-by-country basis on the later of ten years from the date of first commercial sale or when there is no longer a valid patent claim or regulatory exclusivity covering such licensed product in such country. Either party may terminate the GSK Agreement for an uncured material breach by the other party or upon the bankruptcy or insolvency of the other party. GSK may terminate the GSK Agreement for its convenience. The Company may terminate the GSK Agreement if GSK institutes certain actions related to the licensed patents or if GSK ceases development activities, other than for certain specified technical or safety reasons. In the event of termination, the Company would regain worldwide rights to the terminated program.

License-Related Revenue

For the three and six months ended June 30, 2023 and 2022, the Company recognized the following totals of license-related revenue:


	Three months ended June 30,				Six months ended June 30,
	2023		2022		2023		2022
License-related revenue	$	—	$	—	$	—	$	30,000