TECHNOLOGY LICENSE AGREEMENT
Exhibit 10.1
This TECHNOLOGY LICENSE AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is made as of January 4, 2023 (the “Effective Date”) by and between Baylor Biosciences, Inc., a company organized and existing under the laws of the People’s Republic of China (“Baylor”), Bellerophon Pulse Technologies LLC, a limited liability company organized and existing under the laws of Delaware, the United States (“Bellerophon”), and Bellerophon Therapeutics, Inc., a company organized and existing under the laws of Delaware, the United States (“BTI”). Bellerophon and Baylor shall hereinafter be referred to collectively as the “Parties” and individually as a “Party” (and for the purposes of Sections 17.3 through 17.12, inclusive, a “Party” or “Parties” shall be read as including BTI).
RECITALS
X. | Xxxxxxxxxxx owns or Controls certain Intellectual Property Rights (defined below) relating to the Bellerophon’s product known as INOpulse® therapy. |
X. | Xxxxxx desires to obtain an exclusive license to such Intellectual Property Rights from Bellerophon to Develop and Commercialize the INOpulse® therapy in the Territory, and Bellerophon is willing to grant such a license to Baylor, all on the terms and conditions set forth herein. |
C. | BTI agrees to assume certain responsibility and liability in relation to the compliance (or non-compliance) of, and the performance (or non-performance) of certain obligations under, this Agreement by Bellerophon. |
NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual promises and covenants contained herein, and other good and valuable consideration contained herein, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby duly acknowledged, the Parties and BTI hereby agree as follows:
1. | Definitions |
Terms used herein with initial capital letters shall have the respective meanings set forth below in this Section 1 or other Sections herein where such terms are defined. The definitions of terms herein shall apply equally to the singular and plural forms of the terms defined. Whenever the context may require, any pronoun shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine and neuter forms. Except where expressly limited or otherwise stated to the contrary, the words “include,” “includes” and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase “without limitation.” The word “will” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word “shall,” and vice versa.
1.1 | “Additional Indications” means CTEPH, High Altitude Sickness, and Sarcoidosis. |
1.2 | “Affiliate” means a Person that controls, is controlled by or is under common control with a Party, but only for so long as such control exists. For the purposes of this definition, the word “control” (including, with correlative meaning, the terms “controlled by” or “under common control with”) means the actual power, either directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, to direct the management and policies of such Person, whether by the ownership of more than fifty percent (50%) of the voting stock of such entity, or by contract or otherwise. The Parties and BTI acknowledge that in the case of certain entities organized under the laws of certain countries outside of the United States, the maximum percentage ownership permitted by law for a foreign investor may be equal to or less than fifty percent (50%), and that in such case such lower percentage shall be substituted in the preceding sentence, provided that such foreign investor has the power to direct |
the management or policies of such entity. For the avoidance of doubt, as of the Effective Date, Xxxxxxxxxxx shall be treated as an Affiliate of BTI, and vice versa. BTI, Bellerophon and their respective Affiliates shall collectively be referred to herein as the “Bellerophon Group”. |
1.3 | “Anti-Corruption Laws” means all local and foreign anti-corruption laws, rules and regulations, including the provisions of the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the UK Bribery Act of 2010, as amended. |
1.4 | “Applicable Laws” means all applicable laws, statutes, rules, regulations, orders, judgments, or ordinances having the effect of law of any national, multinational, federal, state, provincial, county, city, or other political subdivision, including, to the extent applicable, GCP, GLP, GMP, and those governing pharmaceutical and medical device products, as well as all applicable data protection and privacy laws, rules, and regulations, including, to the extent applicable, the United States Department of Health and Human Services privacy rules under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act and the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act, the EU Data Protection Directive (Council Directive 95/46/EC), applicable laws implementing the EU Data Protection Directive, and the General Data Protection Regulation (2016/679), the PRC Personal Information Protection Law, the PRC Data Security Law, the PRC Biosecurity Law, the PRC Cybersecurity Law, the Hong Kong Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance, the Macau Personal Data Protection Act, the Taiwan Personal Data Protection Act, and their respective implementing regulations and rules, as well as all applicable laws, regulations, orders, judicial decisions, conventions, and international financial institution rules regarding corruption, bribery, ethical business conduct, money laundering, political contributions, gifts and gratuities, or lawful expenses to public officials, healthcare professionals, and private persons, agency relationships, commissions, lobbying, books and records, and financial controls, including Anti-Corruption Laws, that, in each case, govern or otherwise apply to the applicable Person. |
1.5 | “Approvals” means the regulatory approvals, registrations, filings and authorizations required under any Applicable Laws for the Development, marketing and Commercialization of the Product in a region or country within the Territory. |
1.6 | “Background Intellectual Property Rights” means any and all Intellectual Property Rights: (a) which are Controlled by a Party or any of its Affiliates at the Effective Date; and (b) which are Controlled by a Party or any of its Affiliates after the Effective Date and during the Term as a result of activities conducted, directly and indirectly, outside the framework of this Agreement. |
1.7 | “Bellerophon IND” means IND number 135,076. |
1.8 | “Best Endeavors” means such efforts to accomplish an objective that a prudent, determined and reasonable Person, acting in such Person’s interest and desiring to achieve that result. |
1.9 | “Business Day” means a day, other than a Saturday, a Sunday, or a public holiday in New York, New York or any jurisdiction within the Territory, on which banking institutions in each such jurisdiction are open for business. |
(a)discounts, credits, refunds, and rebates actually allowed in amounts customary in the trade;
(b)sales and value added taxes, tariffs, duties and use taxes directly imposed on the sale of an applicable Product and actually paid by a Selling Party;
(c)reasonable and customary rebates and similar payments made with respect to sales paid for by any governmental or Regulatory Authority;
(d)amounts allowed or credited on returns of sales of any applicable Products;
(e)amounts that are written off as non-collectible after the Selling Party’s Commercially Reasonable Efforts to collect such amounts, exclusive of costs of collection; and
(f)postage, freight, shipping, insurance, and other transportation-related charges actually incurred directly by the Selling Party in shipping Products.
No deductions may be made for commissions paid to individuals for the sale of an applicable Product, whether they are independent sales agents or regularly employed by the Selling Party, nor for any other cost incurred in the
manufacture, marketing, sale, distribution, shipment (other than as permitted under clause (f) above), promotion, advertisement, exploitation, or commercialization of an applicable Product.
Applicable Products will be considered “sold” when delivered, billed out, or invoiced, whichever comes first. For all applicable Products used by the Selling Party as premiums to promote, market, sell, or lease products or processes other than applicable Products, the applicable Products will be deemed to have been sold at the amount of cash consideration that the Selling Party would receive if they were sold to an unrelated, unaffiliated Third Party in an arm’s length sale of the same product in similar quantities at the same time and place.
In the case of an applicable Product transferred by a Selling Party to another Selling Party or to a Third Party where (i) such transferee is using such applicable Product for the purposes of selling products or creating products for sale or for services in the commercial market (other than under a written agreement pursuant to which the transferee’s use of the applicable Product is limited to research purposes internal to such transferee only for which such transferee does not derive a commercial of other economic benefit) and (ii) such transferee has, in connection with such transfer, paid consideration to the Selling Party in a form other than cash for an applicable Product, the Net Sales for such Product shall mean the cash consideration that the Selling Party would receive if the Product were sold to an unrelated, unaffiliated Third Party in an arm’s length sale of the same Product in similar quantities at the same time and place.
A “sale” shall not include transfers or dispositions in a region in the Territory for bona fide charitable purposes or when applicable Products are distributed alone, prior to receiving final, non-conditional Approval for marketing or sale of such applicable Products generally in such region in the Territory, for pre-clinical, clinical, regulatory or governmental regulatory purposes for which no compensation or financial or economic benefit is received by, or accrued to the Selling Party. A “sale” shall include transfers or dispositions in a region in the Territory prior to receiving final, non-conditional Approval for marketing and sale of such applicable Products generally in such region in the Territory for compensation or financial or economic benefit received by, or accrued to the Selling Party.
Individual samples of applicable Products that are provided by the Selling Party in reasonable and industry-standard quantities free of charge and with no direct or indirect benefit to the Selling Party in a bona fide effort to promote sales of the applicable Product only shall not be considered Net Sales.
With respect to an applicable Product that is sold as part of a combination product with one or more other functional products or functional product enhancements which are not applicable Products, the Net Sales of such applicable Product, for the purposes of determining the amounts due and payable under Section 4.6 and Section 4.7, shall be determined by multiplying the Net Sales of the combination product by the fraction A/(A+B) where A is the average published sale price of such applicable Product when sold separately in finished form in like quantities and B is the average published sale price of the other products in the combined product sold separately in finished form in like quantities. In the event such average published sale price of the other products in the combined product cannot be determined, Net Sales for the purposes of determining royalty payments for the combination product shall be calculated by multiplying the Net Sales of the combination product by the fraction A/C where A is the average published sale price of such applicable Product when sold separately in finished form and C is the average published sale price of the combined product.
“License” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1.
“Global Trademark Strategy” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.3.
“Tracking and Reporting Mechanism” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.7(b).
“Manufacture and Supply Agreement” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.1.
“Licensed Foreground IP” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.2(c).
“Breach Inventions” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.2(d).
“Bellerophon IP” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.3(i).
“Ineligible Person” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.3(d).
“Term” has the meaning set forth in Section 12.3.
“Baylor Indemnified Parties” has the meaning set forth in Section 15.1.
“Bellerophon Indemnified Parties” has the meaning set forth in Section 15.2.
“Claim” has the meaning set forth in Section 15.3(a).
“Indemnified Party” has the meaning set forth in Section 15.3(a).
“Indemnifying Party” has the meaning set forth in Section 15.3(a).
“ICC” has the meaning set forth in Section 16.1.
2. | License. |
2.2 | Sublicensing. The License is not sub-licensable unless approved by Xxxxxxxxxxx in writing in advance, which shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned, or delayed (and Baylor acknowledges that such consent is conditional upon receipt of Xxxxxx’s consent with respect to the Ikaria IP). Upon request by Baylor, Bellerophon shall use its Best Endeavors to obtain Xxxxxx’s written consent allowing Baylor to further sub-license the License. Baylor shall be directly responsible for the acts and omissions of its Affiliates and Sublicensees. Any sub-license must be documented in a written sublicense agreement that reflects the requirements of this Agreement and the Upstream License Agreement. Baylor will deliver to Bellerophon a complete and unredacted copy of each sublicense agreement, including all amendments thereto, within thirty (30) days of execution, and Baylor acknowledges that Xxxxxxxxxxx will share such copy(ies) with Xxxxxx. |
2.4 | Ikaria as Third Party Beneficiary. Ikaria is a Third Party beneficiary to this Agreement with the right to enforce its terms against Baylor directly and for Xxxxxx’s own benefit. |
2.5 | Reserved Rights. No Party grants to any other Party any rights or licenses in any Patent Rights, Know-How, Creations, or other Intellectual Property Rights or other proprietary rights of such Party, except as specifically set forth in this Agreement, and there are no implied licenses. All rights not expressly granted by a Party under this Agreement are reserved by such Party and may be used by such Party for any purpose that does not violate the terms of this Agreement. |
3. | Development and Regulatory |
3.1 | Development. Subject to the terms of this Agreement, Baylor shall solely determine and be responsible for Development Activities in the Licensed Field and in the Territory. Baylor shall use Commercially Reasonable Efforts to Develop and obtain Approval of the Products on an ongoing and diligent basis in the Licensed Field and in the Territory. |
or Sublicensees (including R&D Product Approvals for R&D Products), at no cost, whether such Regulatory Materials are held by Baylor or its Affiliates or Sublicensees, for any and all purposes relating to the Ikaria NO Business. Baylor shall provide, and shall cause its Affiliates and Sublicensees to provide all documentation and letters of consent to permit such referencing, which documentation and letters may be provided to the applicable Governmental Authorities. |
4. | Commercialization and Compliance; Economic Terms |
4.1 | Diligence Requirements. |
4.2 | Commercialization. For the avoidance of doubt, Baylor retains full rights, powers and discretion in relation to the distribution and Commercialization of the Products in the Licensed Field in the Territory. |
of the First Commercial Sale of such Product hereunder. Baylor has the right to Commercialize the Products in the Territory under trademarks and trade names as is determined by Baylor, so long as such trademarks and trade names do not conflict with the Global Trademark Strategy. |
4.4 | Compliance with Laws. Baylor shall comply with all Applicable Laws and regulations in the Territory relating to the Development, importation, transportation, storage, handling, advertising, sale, distribution and other Commercialization activities concerning the Product. |
4.6 | R&D Payment and Running Royalties. |
4.7 | Royalties Payable for the Benefit of Ikaria, Records, and Audits. |
5. | Manufacture and Supply |
5.2 | Manufacturing Know-How. Subject to the terms and conditions of the Manufacture and Supply Agreement and the compliance with Applicable Laws, at Baylor’s request and at no additional cost to Baylor, Bellerophon shall, and shall cause it Affiliates to, use Commercially Reasonable Efforts to (i) disclose and deliver all Manufacturing Know-How to Baylor or its designated Third Party manufacturer for use in manufacturing the Products in the Territory, and (ii) provide reasonable technical assistance to enable Baylor or its designated Third Party manufacturer to use such Manufacturing Know-How to manufacture the Products in the Territory; all as set forth more particularly in the Manufacture and Supply Agreement. |
6. | Intellectual Property Rights |
6.2 | Foreground Intellectual Property. |
6.3 | Patent Matters. |
7. | Non-Compete and No Challenge |
high frequency pulsed approximation of continuous NO flow; (vi) gas concentration monitoring (directly or indirectly taking samples from side stream for analysis); (vii) precision respiratory device flow monitoring (injectable module flow sensor); (viii) ability to communicate to hospital-based electronic medical records systems; (ix) ability to communicate with other medical devices, except the long term oxygen therapy devices; or (x) integrated iNO backup delivery mechanism that is compatible with ventilator devices and ambu bags. |
8. | Representations and Warranties. |
8.1 | Mutual. Each Party represents, warrants and covenants to the other that: |
8.2 | By Bellerophon. Bellerophon represents and warrants to Baylor that: |
8.3 | By Baylor. Baylor represents, warrants and covenants to Bellerophon that: |
8.5 | Limitation of Liability. Bellerophon shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental or consequential damages, or for lost profits or lost business, whether such damages are alleged as a result of breach of the Agreement or otherwise, even if the such Party has been advised of the possibility of such damages. |
8.6 | Ikaria. Baylor acknowledges that Ikaria provides no representations, warranties, or indemnities, nor has any liabilities or responsibilities to Baylor, pursuant to this Agreement. |
9. | Confidentiality |
9.1 | Nondisclosure and Non-Use. Each Party (for the purposes of this Section 9, a “Party” or “Parties” shall be read as including BTI) acknowledges that it may acquire Confidential Information of the |
other Party in connection with its performance of this Agreement. Each Party shall (i) hold all Confidential Information of the other Party in confidence, using the same degree of care to prevent unauthorized disclosure or access that it uses with its own Confidential Information of similar type (but in no event using less than a reasonable degree of care), (ii) shall not disclose such Confidential Information to Third Parties, or allow Third Parties to access it, or (iii) not use the other Party’s Confidential Information in any way, commercially or otherwise, except in furtherance of performing its obligations under this Agreement; provided, however, that each Party may disclose Confidential Information to its Affiliates and to its and their attorneys, accountants and other confidential advisors who need to know such information for the purpose of assisting such Party in connection with the activities contemplated herein or the subject matter hereof who are bound by a duty of confidentiality of even scope herewith. Also, the receiving Party may disclose the disclosing Party’s Confidential Information to the receiving Party’s agents, consultants, or other Third Parties on the condition that such Third Parties have a need to know such Confidential Information so that the receiving Party may exercise its rights and perform its obligations hereunder and agree to be bound by confidentiality and non-use obligations that substantially are no less stringent than those confidentiality and non-use provisions contained in this Agreement (and the receiving Party shall be liable and responsible for such Persons’ compliance with the terms of this Section 9). Any Confidential Information transmitted to an employee or agent of the receiving Party shall be considered as transmitted to the receiving Party. Any information disclosed by an employee or agent of the disclosing Party shall be considered to be disclosed by the disclosing Party. |
9.2 | Exceptions. Confidential Information shall not include information if and to the extent the receiving Party can prove such information: |
Any combination of features or disclosures shall not be deemed to fall within the foregoing exclusions merely because individual features are published or available to the general public or in the rightful possession of the receiving Party unless the combination itself and principle of operation are published or available to the general public or in the rightful possession of the receiving Party.
9.4 | Return of Confidential Information. Upon termination or expiration of this Agreement, or upon request by the disclosing Party at any time with respect to particular Confidential Information not required by the receiving Party to perform such receiving Party’s obligations under this Agreement, the receiving Party shall (a) return to the disclosing Party all Confidential Information disclosed by such disclosing Party hereunder and all copies thereof that are in the receiving Party’s possession or control, and (b) delete from its computers, databases, and servers any electronic copies of all such Confidential Information; provided, however, that (i) each Party may retain one (1) copy of any Confidential Information for its internal legal files or the files of its outside counsel; and (ii) no Party shall be required to disclose or delete automatically created copies of Confidential Information maintained on system back-up media (provided that any retention of such Confidential Information shall not entitle a Party to use or disclose such Confidential Information after termination or expiration of this Agreement). |
10. | Export Controls |
11. | Force Majeure |
12. | Term and Termination |
(i) | two years after Baylor has obtained Approval in PAH or COPD (whichever is obtained earlier) if Baylor has failed to commence and remain actively and continuously engaged in the development or commercialization (either directly or through one or more Sublicensees) of an R&D Product for the indications of CTEPH, High Altitude Sickness, or Sarcoidosis, respectively, or |
(ii) | if Baylor is no longer actively and continuously engaged in the development or commercialization (either directly or through one or more Sublicensees) of an R&D Product for the indications of CTEPH, High Altitude Sickness, or Sarcoidosis, respectively, after having commenced such development and commercialization within two years after Approval in PAH or COPD (whichever is obtained earlier). |
(i) | where permitted by Applicable Law, Baylor shall promptly assign and transfer (or cause to be assigned and transferred) to Bellerophon or its designee (and, if in Baylor’s or its Affiliate’s possession or control, provide copies of) all Approvals and Regulatory Materials relating to Products, or to the extent not so transferrable, Baylor shall promptly take all reasonable actions to make available to Bellerophon or its designee, the benefits of such Regulatory Materials, including upon Bellerophon’s request, by providing a right of reference to any Regulatory Materials controlled by Baylor or Affiliate for Products, and providing Bellerophon with copies of all Clinical Data and all material correspondence between Baylor and its Affiliates and Regulatory Authorities relating to such Regulatory Materials; and |
(ii) | Baylor and Bellerophon will effectuate and coordinate an orderly transition of the relevant obligations and rights to Bellerophon as reasonably necessary for Bellerophon to Develop, Manufacture and Commercialize Products after termination of this Agreement in a manner consistent with Applicable Law and standards of ethical conduct of human Clinical Trials. |
13. | Notices |
If to Baylor, to:
Attn: Xxxx Xxxxxx; Room 1107, Building 0, Xx. 000, Xxxxx Xxxx; Xxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxx
District, Jiaxing City, Zhejiang Province
If to Bellerophon, to:
Attn: Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxx; 000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx Xx, Xxxxx 000; Xxxxxx, XX 00000
If to BTI, to:
Attn: Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxx; 000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx Xx, Xxxxx 000; Xxxxxx, XX 00000
If to Ikaria, to:
Attn: Xxxx Xxxxxxx; Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals; 000 X Xxxxxx XX, Xxxxx 000,
Washington DC 20004
or such other address as may be specified in writing by any party hereto to the other parties hereto in advance. Notices shall be considered delivered upon receipt.
14. | No Assignment |
Baylor shall have no right to assign, delegate or otherwise transfer its rights or obligations under this Agreement, except with the written consent of Bellerophon, not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed. Bellerophon and BTI may each assign or transfer this Agreement or any part thereof in its discretion to an Affiliate or Third Party provided that (i) such Affiliate or Third Party is not an Ikaria Competitor; (ii) such Affiliate or Third Party agrees in writing to assume Xxxxxxxxxxx’s or BTI’s (respectively) obligations hereunder; and (iii) Bellerophon or BTI, as applicable, delivers to Baylor a certificate duly executed by such Affiliate or Third Party certifying its assumption of Bellerophon’s or BTI’s (as applicable) obligations hereunder. Any assignment of this Agreement in contravention of this Section 14 shall be null and void. This Agreement binds the Parties’ and BTI’s successors and permitted assigns.
15. | Indemnification |
16. | Dispute Resolution and Governing Law. |
17. | Miscellaneous |
[Signature Pages to Follow]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties and BTI have executed this TECHNOLOGY LICENSE AGREEMENT by their duly authorized representatives effective as of the Effective Date.
Baylor Biosciences, Inc.
/s/ Xxxxxxxx Xxxx
Authorized Signature/Company Seal
Xxxxxxxx Xxxx
Print Name
Chairman
Title
Bellerophon Pulse Technologies LLC
/s/ Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxx
Authorized Signature/Company Seal
Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxx
Print Name
Chief Executive Officer
Title
Bellerophon Therapeutics, Inc.
/s/ Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxx
Authorized Signature/Company Seal
Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxx
Print Name
Chief Executive Officer
Title
1
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties and BTI have executed this TECHNOLOGY LICENSE AGREEMENT by their duly authorized representatives effective as of the Effective Date.
Baylor Biosciences, Inc.
/s/ Xxxxxxxx Xxxx
Authorized Signature/Company Seal
Xxxxxxxx Xxxx
Print Name
Chairman
Title
Bellerophon Pulse Technologies LLC
/s/ Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxx
Authorized Signature/Company Seal
Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxx
Print Name
Chief Executive Officer
Title
Bellerophon Therapeutics, Inc.
/s/ Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxx
Authorized Signature/Company Seal
Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxx
Print Name
Chief Executive Officer
Title
2
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties and BTI have executed this TECHNOLOGY LICENSE AGREEMENT by their duly authorized representatives effective as of the Effective Date.
Baylor Biosciences, Inc.
/s/ Xxxxxxxx Xxxx
Authorized Signature/Company Seal
Xxxxxxxx Xxxx
Print Name
Chairman
Title
Bellerophon Pulse Technologies LLC
/s/ Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxx
Authorized Signature/Company Seal
Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxx
Print Name
Chief Executive Officer
Title
Bellerophon Therapeutics, Inc.
/s/ Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxx
Authorized Signature/Company Seal
Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxx
Print Name
Chief Executive Officer
Title
3