Note 10 – License agreements, research collaborations and development agreements

NYSDOH

In 2018, the Company announced a collaboration with the New York State Department of Health (“DOH”) and ILÚM Health Solutions, LLC (“ILÚM”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Merck’s Healthcare Services and Solutions division, to develop a state-of-the-art research program to detect, track, and manage antimicrobial-resistant infections at healthcare institutions statewide. ILÚM has since been acquired by Infectious Disease Connect, Inc. (“IDC”), a University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (“UPMC”) Enterprise company. The Company is working together with DOH’s Wadsworth Center and IDC to continue development of an infectious disease digital health and precision medicine platform that connects healthcare institutions to DOH and uses genomic microbiology for statewide surveillance and control of antimicrobial resistance. As part of the collaboration, the Company received approximately $1.6 million over the 15-month demonstration portion of the project. The demonstration project began in early 2019 and was completed in the first quarter of 2020. In April 2020, the Company began a second-year expansion phase to build on the successes and experience of the first-year pilot phase while focusing on accomplishing the goal of the effort to improve patient outcomes and save healthcare dollars by integrating real-time epidemiologic surveillance with rapid delivery of antibiotic resistance results to care-givers via web-based and mobile platforms. The second-year contract included a quarterly retainer-based project fee as well as volume-dependent per test fees for a total contract value of up to $450,000 to OpGen. In April 2021, the Company extended its second-year expansion phase by another six months through September 30, 2021 at which point the project was completed and has ended. The six-month extension and expansion contract included a quarterly retainer-based project fee as well as volume-dependent per test fees for a total contract value of up to an additional $540,000. During the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021, the Company recognized $0 and $108,000 of revenue related to the contract, respectively.

Sandoz

In December 2018, Ares Genetics entered into a service frame agreement with Sandoz International GmbH (“Sandoz”), to leverage Ares Genetics’ database on the genetics of antibiotic resistance, ARESdb, and the ARES Technology Platform for Sandoz’ anti-infective portfolio.

Under the terms of the framework agreement, which had an initial term of 36 months that was subsequently extended to January 31, 2025, Ares Genetics and Sandoz intend to develop a digital anti-infectives platform, combining established microbiology laboratory methods with advanced bioinformatics and artificial intelligence methods to support drug development and life-cycle management. The collaboration, in the short- to mid-term, aims to both rapidly and cost-effectively re-purpose existing antibiotics and design value-added medicines with the objective of expanding indication areas and to overcome antibiotic resistance, in particular with regards to infections with bacteria that has already developed resistance against multiple treatment options. In the longer-term, the platform is expected to enable surveillance for antimicrobial resistant pathogens to inform antimicrobial stewardship and the development of novel anti-infectives that are less prone to encounter resistance and thereby preserve antibiotics as an effective treatment option.

Qiagen

On February 18, 2019, Ares Genetics and Qiagen GmbH, or Qiagen, entered into a strategic licensing agreement for ARESdb and AREStools, in the area of antimicrobial resistance (“AMR”) research. The agreement has a term of 20 years and may be terminated by Qiagen for convenience with 180 days written notice.

Ares Genetics has retained the rights to use ARESdb and AREStools for AMR research, customized bioinformatics services, and for the development of specific AMR assays and applications for the Curetis Group (including Ares Genetics), as well as third parties (e.g., other diagnostics companies or partners in the pharmaceutical industry). As the Qiagen research offering is expected to also enable advanced molecular diagnostic services and products, Qiagen’s customers may obtain a diagnostic use license from Ares Genetics.

Under the terms of the original agreement, Qiagen, in exchange for a moderate six figure up-front licensing payment, has received an exclusive RUO license to develop and commercialize general bioinformatics offerings and services for AMR research use only, based on Ares Genetics’ database on the genetics of antimicrobial resistance, ARESdb, as well as on the ARES bioinformatics AMR toolbox, AREStools. Under the agreement, the parties had agreed to a mid-single digit percentage royalty rate on Qiagen net sales, which is subject to a minimum royalty rate that steps up upon certain achieved milestones, which is payable to Ares Genetics. The parties also agreed to further modest six figure milestone payments upon certain product launches. The contract was subsequently amended in May 2021 to a non-exclusive license and a flat annual license fee as well as a royalty percentage on potential future panel-based products that are developed by Qiagen.

FISH License

The Company was party to one license agreement with Life Technologies to acquire certain patent rights and technologies related to its FISH product line. Royalties were incurred upon the sale of a product or service which utilizes the licensed technology. The Company terminated this license agreement in October 2020 effective as of June 30, 2021 in conjunction with its announced exit of the FISH business in June 2021. The Company paid a one-time settlement fee of $350,000 and paid a 10% royalty on the sale of eligible products through June 2021 but is no longer subject to any minimum royalty obligations. The Company recognized net royalty expense of $0 and $8,996 for the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively.

Siemens

In 2016, Ares Genetics acquired the GEAR assets from Siemens Technology Accelerator GmbH (“STA”), providing the original foundation to ARESdb. Under the agreement with STA, Ares Genetics incurs royalties on revenues from licensed product sales or sublicensing proceeds. Royalty rates under the Siemens agreement range from 1.3% to 40% depending on the specifics of the licenses and rights provided by Ares Genetics to third parties and whether such third parties may have been originally introduced by Siemens to Ares Genetics. The total net royalty expense related to this agreement was $2,779 and $616 the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively.