Item 13. Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence.
CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED-PARTY TRANSACTIONS
The following is a summary of each transaction or series of similar transactions since January 1, 2021, to which we were or are a party in which:
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the amount involved exceeded or exceeds $120,000; and |
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any of our directors or executive officers, any holder of 5% or more of our capital stock or any immediate family member of any of the foregoing had or will have a direct or indirect material interest. |
Avalon BioMedical (Management) Limited & Subsidiaries
In June 2018, we entered into two in-licensing agreements with Avalon wherein we obtained certain intellectual “property from Avalon to develop and commercialize the underlying products. Under these agreements we are required to pay upfront fees, future milestone payments, and sales-based royalties. During the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, we paid $0 and $2 million in milestone fees to Avalon, respectively.
In June 2019, we entered into an agreement whereby Avalon will hold a 90% ownership interest and we will hold a 10% ownership interest of the newly formed entity under the name Nuwagen Limited (“Nuwagen”), incorporated under the laws of Hong Kong. Nuwagen is principally engaged in the development and commercialization of herbal medicine products for metabolic, endocrine, and other related indications. The Company contributed nonmonetary assets in exchange for the 10% ownership interest.
Dr. Lau, our Chief Executive Officer and Chairman, and Dr. Fok, one of our directors, collectively have a controlling interest in, and serve on the board of directors of, Avalon Global Holdings Limited, the indirect parent of Avalon BioMedical. As of December 31, 2022 and 2021, Avalon held 39,304 shares of our Common Stock, which represented less than 1% of our total issued shares for both periods.
PharmEssentia Corp.
We earn licensing revenue from PharmaEssentia Corp. (“PharmaEssentia”), an entity in which the Company owns 68,000 shares. In December 2011 and December 2013, we entered into two separate out-licensing agreements with PharmaEssentia, pursuant to which we granted to PharmaEssentia certain licenses to our intellectual property for use in development and commercialization of certain products in specific territories. Funds paid to PharmaEssentia under the license and cost-sharing agreements amounted to $0 and $0.1 million for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively. We earned $1.6 million and $3.0 million in milestone payments under out-licensing agreements in the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively. The Company recorded the $1.6 million in 2022 as revenue and, of the $3.0 million in milestone payments received in 2021, $0.5 million was recognized as revenue and $2.5 million was recognized as deferred revenue.
Dr. Jane Fang
We have entered into a consulting agreement with Dr. Jane Fang, who is the wife of Dr. Lau, our Chief Executive Officer and Chairman, to provide consulting advice related to the development of our tirbanibulin (formerly known as KX-01) ointment, reporting to Dr. Kwan, our Medical Officer for Small Molecules. We paid consulting fees of approximately $43,000 to Dr. Fang in 2022.
Procedures for Approval of Related-Party Transactions
Our Board has adopted a written policy and procedures for the review, approval or ratification of related party transactions. Our Audit Committee is responsible for reviewing and approving or ratifying any related-party transaction reaching a certain threshold of significance. In the course of its review and approval or ratification of a related-party transaction, the committee, among other things, considers, consistent with Item 404 of Regulation S-K, the following:
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the nature and amount of the related person’s interest in the transaction; |
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