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Commitments and Contingencies

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2019

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]

15. Commitments and Contingencies

Alameda Lease

In December 2015, BioTime entered into a lease for approximately 30,795 square feet of rentable space in two buildings located in an office park in Alameda, California (the “Alameda Lease”). The term of the Alameda Lease commenced effective February 1, 2016 and expires on January 31, 2023, unless BioTime exercises its option to renew the lease for an additional five years.

Base rent under the Alameda Lease beginning on February 1, 2019 is $70,521 per month and will increase by approximately 3% annually on every February 1 thereafter during the lease term.

Prior to the adoption of ASC 842 on January 1, 2019 (see Note 2), the lease payments allocated to the lease liability for leasehold improvements reimbursed by the landlord were amortized as debt service on that liability using the effective interest method over the lease term.

See Note 2 for discussion of the impact of adoption of ASC 842 on January 1, 2019, and below for the ROU assets and liabilities recorded in connection with the adoption of ASC 842 as of, and during the six months ended June 30, 2019 for the Alameda Lease.

In addition to base rent, BioTime will pay a pro rata portion of increases in certain expenses, including real property taxes, utilities (to the extent not separately metered to the leased space) and the landlord’s operating expenses, over the amounts of those expenses incurred by the landlord. As security for the performance of its obligations under the Alameda Lease, BioTime provided the landlord with a security deposit of approximately $424,000, which was reduced to $78,000 on January 24, 2019 in accordance with the terms of the lease. The security deposit amount is considered restricted cash and $78,000 is included in deposits and other long-term assets as of June 30, 2019 (see Note 2).

Carlsbad Lease

In May 2019, BioTime entered into a lease for approximately 8,841 square feet of rentable space in an office park in Carlsbad, California (the “Carlsbad Lease”). The term of the Carlsbad Lease commenced on August 1, 2019 and expires on October 31, 2022.

Base rent under the Carlsbad Lease beginning on August 1, 2019 is $17,850 per month and will increase by 3% annually on every August 1 thereafter during the lease term. Base rent for the first twenty-four months of the lease is based upon a deemed rentable area of 7,000 square feet. Base rent is abated for months two through five of the lease.

New York Leased Office Space

BioTime currently pays $5,050 per month for the use of approximately 900 square feet of office space in New York City, which is made available to BioTime for use in conducting meetings and other business affairs, on a month-by-month basis, by one of its directors at an amount that approximates his cost. This lease was not in the scope of ASC 842 because it is a month to month lease (see Note 2).

Cell Cure Lease

Cell Cure leases 728.5 square meters (approximately 7,842 square feet) of office and laboratory space in Jerusalem, Israel under a lease that expires December 31, 2020, with two options to extend the lease for 5 years each. Base monthly rent is NIS 37,882 (approximately US $11,000 per month using the December 31, 2018 exchange rate). In addition to base rent, Cell Cure pays a pro rata share of real property taxes and certain costs related to the operation and maintenance of the building in which the leased premises are located.

On January 28, 2018, Cell Cure entered into another lease agreement for an additional 934 square meters (approximately 10,054 square feet) of office space in the same facility in Jerusalem, Israel under a lease that expires on December 31, 2025, with two options to extend the lease for 5 years each (the “January 2018 Lease”). The January 2018 Lease commenced on April 1, 2018 and included a leasehold improvement construction allowance of up to NIS 4,000,000 (approximately up to $1.1 million using the December 31, 2018 exchange rate) from the landlord. The leasehold improvements were completed in December 2018 and the entire allowance was used. Beginning on January 1, 2019, combined base rent and construction allowance payments for the January 2018 Lease are NIS 93,827 per month (approximately $26,000 per month).

Prior to the adoption of ASC 842 on January 1, 2019, Cell Cure was considered the owner of the tenant improvements under construction under ASC 840-40-55 as Cell Cure, among other things, had the primary obligation to pay for construction costs and Cell Cure retains exclusive use of the leased facilities for its office, research and cGMP manufacturing facility requirements after construction was completed (“build to suit” lease). In accordance with the ASC 840 guidance, amounts expended by Cell Cure for construction was reported as construction in progress, and the proceeds received from the landlord, if any, are reported as a lease liability. As of December 31, 2018, approximately $1.1 million under the January 2018 Lease was incurred and recorded as leasehold improvement construction in progress (see Note 7), with a corresponding amount included in long term lease liability representing the full amount utilized from the landlord’s leasehold improvement construction allowance. By March 2019, the landlord paid the complete leasehold improvement construction allowance and the property was placed in service.

See Note 2 discussion of the impact of adoption of ASC 842 on January 1, 2019, and below for the ROU assets and liabilities recorded in connection with the adoption of ASC 842 as of, and during the six months ended June 30, 2019 for the Cell Cure and January 2018 Leases above (the “Cell Cure Leases”).

In December 2018, Cell Cure made a $388,000 deposit required under the January 2018 Lease, which amount is included in deposits and other long-term assets on the consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2018, to be held as restricted cash during the term of the January 2018 Lease.

Adoption of ASC 842

The below tables provide the amounts recorded in connection with the adoption of ASC 842 as of, and during the six months ended June 30, 2019, for BioTime’s operating and financing leases, as applicable.

Supplemental cash flow information related to leases was as follows (in thousands):

	Six Months Ended June 30, 2019
Cash paid for amounts included in the measurement of lease liabilities:
Operating cash flows from operating leases	$	670
Operating cash flows from financing leases		17
Financing cash flows from financing leases		14

Right of use assets obtained in exchange for lease obligations:
Operating leases		89
Financing leases		-

Supplemental balance sheet information related to leases was as follows (in thousands, except lease term and discount rate):

	June 30, 2019
Operating leases
Right-of-use assets, net	$	4,554

Right-of-use lease liabilities, current		923
Right-of-use lease liabilities, noncurrent		3,825
Total operating lease liabilities	$	4,748

Financing leases
Property and equipment, gross	$	146
Accumulated depreciation		(35	)
Property and equipment, net	$	111

Current liabilities		33
Long-term liabilities		93
Total finance lease liabilities	$	126

Weighted average remaining lease term
Operating leases		4.7 years
Finance leases		3.9 years
Weighted average discount rate
Operating leases		9.0	%
Finance leases		10.0	%

Future minimum lease commitments are as follows (in thousands):

	Operating Leases			Finance Leases
Year Ending December 31,
2019	$	720		$	22
2020		1,459			43
2021		1,365			36
2022		1,268			36
2023		393			15
Thereafter		1,015			-

Total lease payments	$	6,220		$	152
Less imputed interest		(1,472	)		(26	)
Total	$	4,748		$	126

Research and Option Agreement

On January 5, 2019, BioTime and Orbit Biomedical Limited (“Orbit”) entered into a Research and Option Agreement (the “Orbit Agreement”) for an exclusive partnership to assess Orbit’s vitrectomy-free subretinal injection device as a means of delivering OpRegen in BioTime’s ongoing Phase I/IIa clinical trial. The term of the Orbit Agreement is for one year unless certain research activities and related data specified in the Orbit Agreement is obtained sooner. The access fees payable by BioTime to Orbit for its technology and the injection device are $2.5 million in the aggregate, of which $1.25 million was paid in January 2019 upon execution of the Orbit Agreement and the remaining $1.25 million payment is due on the earlier of (i) six months from the Orbit Agreement date or, (ii) upon completion of certain collaborative research activities using the Orbit technology for the OpRegen Phase I/IIa clinical trial, as specified in the Orbit Agreement. In addition to the access fees, BioTime will pay Orbit for costs of consumables, training services, travel costs and other out of pocket expenses incurred by Orbit for performing services under the Orbit Agreement. BioTime has exclusive rights to the Orbit technology and its injection device for the treatment of dry-AMD during the term of the Orbit Agreement and may extend the term for an additional three months by paying Orbit a cash fee of $500,000. For the three and six months ended June 30, 2019, BioTime amortized $0.6 million and $1.25 million of the upfront payment fee included in research and development expenses. As of June 30, 2019, BioTime had not incurred the remaining $1.25 million access fee. In July 2019, BioTime completed the collaborative research activities referred to above and the second $1.25 million payment will be made in August 2019.

Litigation

BioTime will be subject to various claims and contingencies in the ordinary course of its business, including those related to litigation, business transactions, employee-related matters, and others. When BioTime is aware of a claim or potential claim, it assesses the likelihood of any loss or exposure. If it is probable that a loss will result and the amount of the loss can be reasonably estimated, BioTime will record a liability for the loss. If the loss is not probable or the amount of the loss cannot be reasonably estimated, BioTime will disclose the claim if the likelihood of a potential loss is reasonably possible and the amount involved could be material. BioTime is not aware of any claims likely to have a material adverse effect on its financial condition or results of operations.

On February 19, 2019, a putative shareholder class action lawsuit was filed (captioned Lampe v. Asterias Biotherapeutics, Inc. et al., Case No. RG19007391) in the Superior Court of the State of California, County of Alameda challenging the Asterias Merger. On March 1, 2019, Asterias made certain amendments and supplements to its public disclosures regarding the Asterias Merger (the “Supplemental Disclosures”). On May 3, 2019, an amended class action complaint (the “Amended Complaint”) was filed. The Amended Complaint names BioTime, Patrick Merger Sub, Inc., the Asterias board of directors, one member of BioTime’s board of directors, and certain stockholders of both BioTime and Asterias. The action was brought by two purported stockholders of Asterias, on behalf of a putative class of Asterias stockholders, and asserts breach of fiduciary duty and aiding and abetting claims under Delaware law. The Amended Complaint alleges, among other things, that the process leading up to the Asterias Merger was conflicted and inadequate, and that the proxy statement filed by Asterias with the Securities and Exchange Commission omitted certain material information, which allegedly rendered the information disclosed materially misleading. The Amended Complaint seeks, among other things, that a class be certified, the recovery of monetary damages, and attorneys’ fees and costs.

On June 3, 2019, defendants filed demurrers to the Amended Complaint. Plaintiffs’ counsel subsequently indicated that, after reviewing the demurrers and analyzing certain documents produced by defendants, Plaintiffs wished to voluntarily dismiss the action with prejudice as to themselves, and without prejudice as to the unnamed putative class members. Plaintiffs’ counsel also indicated that, independent of their decision to voluntarily dismiss the action, Plaintiffs believe they have a claim for attorneys’ fees and expenses in connection with the purported benefit conferred on Asterias stockholders by the Supplemental Disclosures (the “Fee Claim”). On July 26, 2019, the parties entered into a stipulation to stay the briefing schedule on the demurrers and to take the hearing on the demurrers off calendar so that the parties could discuss the Fee Claim (the “Stipulation”). On July 29, 2019, the Court entered the Stipulation as an order, took the demurrer hearing off calendar, and set a case management conference for September 17, 2019. Thereafter, the parties began negotiating the Fee Claim and, on August 5, 2019, agreed in principle to resolve the Fee Claim for $200,000. The parties intend to submit a stipulation to the Court seeking dismissal of the action with prejudice as to the named Plaintiffs and without prejudice as to the unnamed putative class members, and seeking approval of the negotiated Fee Claim. BioTime continues to believe that the claims and allegations in the action lack merit, but believes that it is in BioTime’s shareholders’ best interest for the action to be dismissed and to resolve the Fee Claim in a timely manner without additional costly litigation expenses.

Employment contracts

BioTime has entered into employment agreements with certain executive officers. Under the provisions of the agreements, BioTime may be required to incur severance obligations for matters relating to changes in control, as defined in the agreements, and involuntary terminations.

Indemnification

In the normal course of business, BioTime may provide indemnifications of varying scope under BioTime’s agreements with other companies or consultants, typically BioTime’s clinical research organizations, investigators, clinical sites, suppliers and others. Pursuant to these agreements, BioTime will generally agree to indemnify, hold harmless, and reimburse the indemnified parties for losses and expenses suffered or incurred by the indemnified parties arising from claims of third parties in connection with the use or testing of BioTime’s products and services. Indemnification provisions could also cover third party infringement claims with respect to patent rights, copyrights, or other intellectual property pertaining to BioTime products and services. The term of these indemnification agreements will generally continue in effect after the termination or expiration of the particular research, development, services, or license agreement to which they relate. The potential future payments BioTime could be required to make under these indemnification agreements will generally not be subject to any specified maximum amount. Historically, BioTime has not been subject to any claims or demands for indemnification. BioTime also maintains various liability insurance policies that provide BioTime with insurance against claims or demands for indemnification in specified circumstances. As a result, BioTime believes the fair value of these indemnification agreements is minimal. Accordingly, BioTime has not recorded any liabilities for these agreements as of June 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018.

Royalty obligations and license fees

BioTime and its subsidiaries or affiliates are parties to certain licensing agreements with research institutions, universities and other parties for the rights to use those licenses and other intellectual property in conducting research and development activities. These licensing agreements provide for the payment of royalties by BioTime or the applicable party to the agreement on future product sales, if any. In addition, in order to maintain these licenses and other rights during the product development, BioTime or the applicable party to the contract must comply with various conditions including the payment of patent related costs and annual minimum maintenance fees. Annual minimum maintenance fees are approximately $135,000 to $150,000 per year. The research and development risk for these products is significant. License fees and related expenses under these agreements were immaterial for the periods presented in the condensed consolidated interim financial statements provided herein.

Grants

Under the terms of the grant agreement between Cell Cure and Israel Innovation Authority (“IIA”) (formerly the Office of the Chief Scientist of Israel) of the Ministry of Economy and Industry, for the development of OpRegen ^®, Cell Cure will be required to pay royalties on future product sales, if any, up to the amounts received from the IIA, plus interest indexed to LIBOR. Cell Cure’s research and product development activities under the grant are subject to substantial risks and uncertainties and performed on a best efforts basis. As a result, Cell Cure is not required to make any payments under the grant agreement unless it successfully commercializes OpRegen. Accordingly, pursuant to ASC 730-20, the grant is considered a contract to perform research and development services for others and grant revenue is recognized as the related research and development expenses are incurred (see Note 2).

Israeli law pertaining to such government grants contain various conditions, including substantial penalties and restrictions on the transfer of intellectual property, or the manufacture, or both, of products developed under the grant outside of Israel, as defined by the IIA.