5. Commitments and Contingencies

Operating Lease Agreement

In February 2019, the Company entered into an operating lease agreement for new office space in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The lease term commenced in May 2019 and will expire in July 2022. The initial annual base rent is $261, and such amount will increase by 2% annually on each anniversary of the commencement date. The Company records rent expense on a straight-line basis over the lease term. Rent expense related to this lease agreement recognized in the accompanying statements of operations was $67 for the three months ended March 31, 2020.

As of March 31, 2020, the future minimum payments for operating leases are as follows:

Research Service Agreement

In August 2018, the Company entered into a research service agreement with the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) for the manufacturing of preclinical study and clinical trial material. Research and development expense related to this research service agreement with CHOP recognized in the accompanying statements of operations was $0 and $179 for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. There were no amounts due under the research service agreement with CHOP as of March 31, 2020.

License Agreement with the Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania

In August 2018, the Company entered into a license agreement with Penn (the Penn Agreement) and activated the license in October 2018 pursuant to which the Company obtained (a) a non-exclusive, non-sublicensable worldwide license to certain of Penn’s intellectual property to conduct research, product development, clinical trials, cell manufacturing and other activities, and (b) an exclusive, worldwide, royalty-bearing right and license, with a right to sublicense, on a target-by-target basis, under certain of Penn’s intellectual property to make, use, sell, offer for sale, import, and otherwise commercialize products for the treatment of autoimmune and alloimmune diseases. In July 2019, the Penn Agreement was amended and restated to include CHOP as a party to the agreement.

Unless earlier terminated, the Penn Agreement expires on the expiration or abandonment or other termination of the last valid claim in Penn’s intellectual property licensed by the Company. The Company may terminate the Penn Agreement at any time for convenience upon 60 days written notice. In the event of an uncured, material breach, Penn may terminate the Penn Agreement upon 60 days written notice.

Under the terms of the Penn Agreement, the Company is obligated to pay $2,000 annually for three years beginning August 2018 for funding to the laboratories of each of Drs. Milone and Payne (see Sponsored Research Agreements—Penn). During the term of the Penn Agreement until the first commercial sale of the first product, the Company is obligated to pay Penn a non-refundable, non-creditable annual license maintenance fee of $10. In 2018, the Company issued 481,318 shares of common stock, with a value of $1,155 and reimbursed Penn $89 for various out-of-pocket expenses related to Penn’s intellectual property. No other amounts have been paid to Penn to date under the Penn Agreement.

The Company is required to pay certain milestone payments upon the achievement of specified clinical and commercial milestones. Milestone payments are reduced by a certain percentage for the second product that achieves a milestone, by an additional percentage for the third product that achieves a milestone, and so on, for each subsequent product that achieves a milestone. In the event that the Company is able to successfully develop and launch multiple products under the Penn Agreement, total milestone payments could approach $20,000. Penn is also eligible to receive tiered royalties at percentage rates in the low single-digits, subject to an annual minimum royalty, on annual worldwide net sales of any products that are commercialized by the Company or its sublicensees that contain or incorporate, or are covered by, the intellectual property licensed by the Company. To the extent the Company sublicenses its license rights under the Penn Agreement, Penn would be eligible to receive tiered sublicense income at percentage rates in the mid-single to low double-digits.

There were no amounts due under the Penn Agreement as of March 31, 2020.

Sponsored Research Agreements

The Company has sponsored research agreements with two faculty members at Penn, who are also scientific co-founders of the Company and members of the Company’s scientific advisory board. Under the agreements, the Company has committed to funding a defined research plan for three years through April 2021. The total estimated three-year cost of $8,524 under the two agreements satisfies the Company’s annual obligation under the Penn Agreement (see License Agreement with the Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania above). Research and development expense related to these research agreements recognized in the accompanying statements of operations was $603 and $710 for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. Advance payments under these research agreements included in prepaid expenses and other current assets in the accompanying balance sheets were $985 and $1,588 as of March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively.

Master Translational Research Services Agreement

In October 2018, the Company entered into a services agreement (the Services Agreement) with Penn for additional research and development services from various laboratories within Penn. The research and development activities are detailed in separately executed Penn organization-specific addenda.

Research and development expense related to executed addenda under the master translational research service agreement with Penn recognized in the accompanying statements of operations for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019 was $711 and $1,067, respectively. The Company may incur expenses up to $450 through the remaining term of the Addendum in 2020 related to the manufacture of vector under the Center for Advanced Retinal and Ocular Therapeutics, or CAROT, Addendum.

Subscription and Technology Transfer Agreement

In July 2019, the Company entered into a subscription and technology transfer agreement pursuant to which the Company owed Penn an upfront subscription fee, which was paid in the third quarter of 2019, and a nominal non-refundable royalty on the net sales of products, a portion of which will be credited toward milestone payments and royalties, respectively, under the Amended License Agreement. Technology transfer activities will be at the Company’s cost and subject to agreement as to the technology to be transferred. No expense was recognized under this agreement during the three months ended March 31, 2020 and March 31, 2019, respectively.

Manufacturing Agreements

Under agreements with manufacturers and other related vendors, the Company is progressing a staged plan for vector development and may incur up to $2,000 in committed spend over the next nine months.

Other Purchase Commitments

In the normal course of business, the Company enters into various purchase commitments with third-party contract manufacturers for the manufacture and processing of its product candidates and related raw materials, contracts with contract research organizations for clinical trials and agreements with vendors for other services and products for operating purposes. These agreements generally provide for termination or cancellation, other than for costs already incurred.  

Indemnification

The Company enters into certain types of contracts that contingently require the Company to indemnify various parties against claims from third parties. These contracts primarily relate to (i) the Company’s Amended and Restated Bylaws (bylaws) under which the Company must indemnify directors and executive officers, and may indemnify other officers and employees, for liabilities arising out of their relationship, (ii) contracts under which the Company must indemnify directors and certain officers and consultants for liabilities arising out of their relationship, (iii) contracts under which the Company may be required to indemnify partners against certain claims, including claims from third parties asserting, among other things, infringement of their intellectual property rights, and (iv) procurement, consulting, or license agreements under which the Company may be required to indemnify vendors, consultants or licensors for certain claims, including claims that may be brought against them arising from the Company’s acts or omissions with respect to the supplied products, technology or services. From time to time, the Company may receive indemnification claims under these contracts in the normal course of business. In addition, under these contracts, the Company may have to modify the accused infringing intellectual property and/or refund amounts received.

In the event that one or more of these matters were to result in a claim against the Company, an adverse outcome, including a judgment or settlement, may have a material adverse effect on the Company’s future business, operating results or financial condition. It is not possible to determine the maximum potential amount under these contracts due to the limited history of prior indemnification claims and the unique facts and circumstances involved in each particular agreement.