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SUBSEQUENT EVENT
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2013
SUBSEQUENT EVENT  
SUBSEQUENT EVENT

6. SUBSEQUENT EVENT

 

On October 1, 2013, we closed the transaction to divest our human embryonic stem cell assets and our autologous cellular immunotherapy program pursuant to the terms of the previously disclosed Asset Contribution Agreement, or the Agreement, we entered into in January 2013 with BioTime, Inc., or BioTime, and BioTime’s wholly owned subsidiary, Asterias Biotherapeutics, Inc., or Asterias (formerly known as BioTime Acquisition Corporation).

 

Under the terms of the Agreement, on October 1, 2013, we contributed to Asterias our human embryonic stem cell assets, including intellectual property, human embryonic stem cell lines and other assets related to our discontinued human embryonic stem cell programs, including our Phase I clinical trial of oligodendrocyte progenitor cells, or GRNOPC1, in patients with acute spinal cord injury, as well as our autologous cellular immunotherapy program, including data from the Phase I/II clinical trial of the autologous cellular immunotherapy in patients with acute myelogenous leukemia. On October 1, 2013, Asterias assumed all post-closing liabilities with respect to all of the assets contributed by us, including any liabilities related to the GRNOPC1 and autologous cellular immunotherapy clinical trials. Additionally, Asterias was substituted for us as a party in an appeal by us of two rulings in favor of ViaCyte, Inc. by the United States Patent and Trademark Office’s Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences, filed by us in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California in September 2012, or the ViaCyte Appeal, and Asterias assumed all liabilities arising after October 1, 2013 with respect to the ViaCyte Appeal.

 

As consideration for the contribution of our human embryonic stem cell assets and autologous cellular immunotherapy program to Asterias, on October 1, 2013 we received 6,537,779 shares of Asterias Series A common stock representing 21.4% of Asterias’ outstanding common stock as a class as of that date. We are also entitled to receive royalties from Asterias on the sale of products that are commercialized, if any, in reliance upon the patents we contributed to Asterias. Under the terms of the Agreement and subject to applicable law, following a record date to be declared by our board of directors, we will distribute all of the shares of Asterias Series A common stock to our stockholders on a pro rata basis, other than with respect to fractional shares and shares that would otherwise be distributed to Geron stockholders residing in certain to-be-determined excluded jurisdictions, which shares, as required by the Agreement, will be sold with the net cash proceeds therefrom distributed ratably to the stockholders who would otherwise be entitled to receive such shares.

 

On October 1, 2013, BioTime contributed to Asterias 8,902,077 shares of BioTime common stock, five-year warrants to purchase 8,000,000 additional shares of BioTime common stock at an exercise price of $5.00 per share, or the BioTime Warrants, minority stakes in two of BioTime’s subsidiaries and rights to use certain human embryonic stem cell lines. In addition, BioTime had previously loaned Asterias $5,000,000 in cash and the principal amount of this debt was cancelled as part of the closing of the Agreement. In consideration of BioTime’s contributions, on October 1, 2013 Asterias issued to BioTime 21,773,340 shares of Asterias Series B common stock representing 71.6% of Asterias’ outstanding common stock as a class as of that date, and three-year warrants to purchase 3,150,000 additional shares of Asterias Series B common stock at an exercise price of $5.00 per share. Upon completion of the distribution of the Asterias Series A common stock to our stockholders, Asterias is contractually obligated under the Agreement to distribute the BioTime Warrants on a pro rata basis to the holders of Asterias Series A common stock.