Post-effective amendment to a registration statement that is not immediately effective upon filing

Related-Party Transactions

v3.3.1.900
Related-Party Transactions
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2015
Related Party Transactions [Abstract]  
Related-Party Transactions
13. Related-Party Transactions

Research and License Agreement with Technische Universität München

On July 4, 2003, the Company entered into the TUM License Agreement, which was subsequently renewed and, on July 26, 2007, superseded and replaced.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 the Company’s supervisory board when the parties entered into such agreement and during the period covered by the consolidated financial statements in this report. 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). The Company 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 was required to pay certain development milestones to TUM. The Company is also 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 expenses related to TUM in connection with the transfer of licenses and protective rights of $41,791 during the nine month period ended September 30, 2015. Effective as of the fourth quarter of 2015, Pieris no longer deems TUM a related party due to Prof. Dr. Skerra no longer having a supervisory board position in Pieris GmbH or other direct relationship with the Company after the Acquisition. The Company has incurred expenses related to TUM as a related party of $0.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2014.

 

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 the Company.

EUROCALIN/FP7 Government Grant

TUM is a member of the EUROCALIN consortium and thus is entitled to receive payments under the grant agreement for research activities. Research activities are carried out by Prof. Dr. Skerra, who was a member of the Company’s supervisory board when the parties entered into such agreement and during the period covered by the financial statements in this report. As Pieris AG was transformed to Pieris GmbH the change in legal entity removed the requirement of having a supervisory board; accordingly Prof. Dr. Skerra no longer holds a seat on the supervisory board. The government grant agreement with FP7 is further discussed in Note 4—Revenue.

Receivables from Issuance of Shares

In connection with the issuance of nominal stock, payments of the share premium into additional paid in capital were deferred. Amounts were deferred for Claus Schalper and Prof. Dr. Skerra among others. During 2008 through July 31, 2013, Mr. Schalper was the Chief Financial Officer of Pieris GmbH, and since August 1, 2013, has served as a consultant to Pieris GmbH. During 2001 and through October 10, 2014, Prof. Dr. Skerra was the deputy chairman of Pieris GmbH supervisory board. In connection with the consummation of the Acquisition, the Company waived all deferred payment claims against the aforementioned stockholders.

Consulting Contract between Prof. Dr. Arne Skerra and the Company

In 2001, the Company entered into a Consulting Agreement with Prof. Dr. Skerra, pursuant to which Prof. Dr. 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. 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 $16,717 during the nine months ended September 30, 2015. As of the fourth quarter of 2015 Pieris no longer deems Prof. Dr. Skerra a related party due to Prof. Dr. Skerra no longer having a supervisory board position in Pieris GmbH or other direct relationship with the Company after the Acquisition. The Company incurred and paid to Prof. Dr. Skerra consulting fees of $26,593 for the year ended December 31, 2014.

Convertible Stockholder Loan

Four significant stockholders of the Company—Orbimed Private Investments III, LP, Gilde Europe Food & Agribusiness Fund B.V., The Global Life Science Ventures Funds (consists of The Global Life Science Venture Funds II GmbH & Co. KG, i-L. and The Global Life Science Venture Funds II Limited Partnership) and Coöperative AAC LS U.A. (Forbion B.V.)—participated as investors in the Bridge Loans as related parties. The Bridge Loans are further discussed in Note 7 Debt.