Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Related-Party Transactions

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Related-Party Transactions
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
Related Party Transactions [Abstract]  
Related-Party Transactions
4. Related-Party Transactions

Research and License Agreement with Technische Universität München (“TUM”)

On July 4, 2003, the Company entered into a research and licensing agreement with TUM, which was subsequently renewed and, on July 26, 2007, superseded and replaced. The agreement established a joint research effort led by Prof. Arne Skerra, Chair of Biological Chemistry of TUM, to optimize Anticalin technologies for use in therapeutic, prophylactic and diagnostic applications and as research reagents, and to gain fundamental insights in lipocalin scaffolds. Prof. Dr. Skerra was a member of Pieris AG’s supervisory board when the parties entered into such agreement. The Company provided certain funding for TUM research efforts performed under the agreement.

As a result of research efforts to date under the agreement, the Company holds a worldwide exclusive license under its license agreement with TUM to multiple patents and patent applications, including an exclusive license to an issued U.S. patent, which patent will expire in 2027 (subject to a possible term adjustment period). Pieris AG also holds an exclusive license to an issued U.S. patent No. 8,420,051, which patent is expected to expire in 2029. The Company bears the costs of filing, prosecution and maintenance of patents assigned or licensed to the Company under the agreement.

As consideration for the assigned patents and licenses above, the Company is required to pay certain development milestones to TUM. The Company also is obliged to pay low-single-digit royalties, including annual minimum royalties, on sales of such products incorporating patented technologies. If the Company grants licenses or sublicenses to those patents to third parties, the Company will be obliged to pay a percentage of the resulting revenue to TUM. The Company´s payment obligations are reduced by the Company´s proportionate contribution to a joint invention. Payment obligations terminate on expiration or annulment of the last patent covered by the agreement. The Company can terminate the licenses to any or all licensed patents upon specified advance notice to TUM. TUM may terminate the license provisions of the agreement only for cause. Termination of the agreement does not terminate the rights in patents assigned to the Company.

The Company has incurred the following expenses related to TUM (excluding value added taxes):

 

     Three months ended March 31,  
     2015      2014  

Transfer of licenses and protective rights

   $ 14,057       $ 17,131   
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total expenses incurred with TUM

$ 14,057    $ 17,131   
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

The Company has recorded $291,081 and $373,357 as of March 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively, related to the amounts due under the research and license agreement (see Note 9 Commitments and Contingencies).

The part of the agreement requiring the Company to make payments for research conducted by TUM expired in February 2013 with no further obligations by Pieris AG.

Consulting Contract between Prof. Dr. Arne Skerra and Pieris AG

In 2001, the Company entered into a Consulting Agreement with Prof. Dr. Arne Skerra, pursuant to which Prof. Dr. Arne Skerra provides advice regarding the use of new proteins, in particular Anticalin proteins and antibodies, for the purpose of research and development. The Consulting Agreement has an unlimited term but can be terminated by the Company upon three months’ notice with effect from the end of a month and by Prof. Dr. Arne Skerra upon one year’s notice with effect from the end of a year. Under the Consulting Agreement, the Company incurred and paid to Prof. Dr. Skerra consulting fees of $5,623 and $6,853 for the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively.