v3.25.2
Research and Development Arrangements and Related Party Transactions
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2025
Research and Development Arrangements and Related Party Transactions  
Research and Development Arrangements and Related Party Transactions

10. Research and Development Arrangements and Related Party Transactions

Research and development arrangements with unrelated parties

The Company has entered into various licensing and right-to-sublicense agreements with educational institutions for the exclusive use of patents and patent applications, as well as any patents that may develop from research being conducted by such educational institutions in the field of anticancer therapy, genes and proteins. Results from this research have been licensed to the Company pursuant to these agreements. Under one of these agreements with Temple University (“Temple”), the Company is required to make annual maintenance payments to Temple and royalty payments based upon a percentage of sales generated from any products covered by the licensed patents, with minimum specified royalty payments. As no sales had been generated through June 30, 2025, under the licensed patents, the Company has not incurred any royalty expenses related to this agreement. In addition, the Company is required to pay Temple a percentage of any sublicensing fees received by the Company.

Research and development arrangements with related parties

Prior to consummation of the Merger, Trawsfynydd entered into a Master Research and Development Agreement with ChemDiv, Inc. (“ChemDiv”). Pursuant to the Master Research and Development Agreement, ChemDiv provided services related to preclinical drug discovery to Trawsfynydd prior to the Merger and continues to provide services to the Company post-Merger. Dr. Nikolay Savchuk, COO of the Company and a director on the Board, is a stockholder of ChemDiv and a member of its board of directors. During the three and six months ended June 30, 2025, $1,294,000 and $2,300,000, respectively, was expensed as research and development (“R&D”) cost in the Company’s unaudited condensed consolidated statements of operations related to ChemDiv’s services. During the three and six months ended June 30, 2024, zero and $5,024,000, respectively, was expensed as R&D cost in the Company’s condensed statements of operations related to ChemDiv services. As of June 30, 2025 and December 31, 2024, the Company owed ChemDiv $0 and $10,000, respectively, which was included in accounts payable in the Company’s consolidated balance sheets.

Prior to consummation of the Merger, Trawsfynydd entered into a Master Research and Development Agreement with Viriom, Inc. (“Viriom”). Pursuant to the Master Research and Development Agreement, Viriom provided services related to virology to Trawsfynydd prior to the Merger and continues to provide services to the Company post-Merger. Nikolay Savchuk, COO of the Company, serves as President of Viriom and as a member of its board of directors. Dr. Savchuk has investment control of Viriom and indirectly holds a significant number of its shares of common stock through a limited liability company of which Dr. Savchuk is the managing member and equity holder. Dr. Robert R. Redfield, M.D., the Company’s Chief Medical Officer, serves as a strategic advisor and member of Viriom’s board of directors. Additionally, Dr. C. David Pauza Ph.D., the Company’s Chief Science Officer, served as the Chief Science Officer of Viriom until April 1, 2024, after which time he resigned from any position with Viriom; and Iain Dukes, Executive Chairman of the Company, previously served as CEO of Viriom and as a member of its board of directors. During the three and six months ended June 30, 2025, zero and $246,000, respectively, was expensed as R&D cost in the Company’s unaudited condensed consolidated statements of operations related to Viriom’s services. As of June 30, 2025, the Company included $15,000 in accounts payable related to Viriom in the unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheets. As of December 31, 2024, the Company included $113,000 and $15,000 in accounts payable and accrued expenses, respectively, related to Viriom in the consolidated balance sheets.

Prior to consummation of the Merger, Trawsfynydd entered into a Master Research and Development Agreement with Expert Systems, Inc. (“Expert”). Pursuant to the Master Research and Development Agreement, Expert provided drug development and consulting services to Trawsfynydd prior to the Merger and continues to provide services to the Company post-Merger. An immediate family member of Dr. Savchuk has significant ownership interest in Expert. During the three and six months ended June 30, 2025, zero and $72,000, respectively, was expensed as general and administrative expense in the Company’s unaudited consolidated statements of operations related to Expert’s services. As of June 30, 2025, there were no outstanding payables in the Company’s unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheets. As of December 31, 2024, $77,000 and $72,000 was included in accounts payable and accrued expenses, respectively, in the Company’s consolidated balance sheets.

License Agreement with related party

In addition, prior to consummation of the Merger, Trawsfynydd entered into a License Agreement (the “Viriom License Agreement”) with Viriom, pursuant to which Trawsfynydd obtained an exclusive, royalty-free, sublicensable, world-wide license to certain Viriom patents, applications, and technical information (collectively, the “Viriom Licensed IP”) to make, have made, use, sell, offer for sale and import several classes of novel compounds related to the treatment and prevention of viral diseases, specifically for use of the Viriom Licensed IP in the development of treatment and methods to prevent viral disease in Canada, China, the European Union, Hong Kong, Japan, the United States and all areas covered by PCT applications for the Viriom Licensed IP. No annual license fees, royalties, or milestone payments are required. Additionally, pursuant to the Viriom License Agreement, Trawsfynydd obtained the right to control prosecution, defense of infringement and enforcement. As a result of the Merger, the rights and obligations of Trawsfynydd under the Viriom License Agreement were transferred to the Company (through its subsidiaries).      

    Unless terminated earlier pursuant to the agreement, the Viriom License Agreement shall remain in force and effect for the life of the last-to-expire patent included in the Viriom Licensed IP or last-to-be abandoned patent application licensed under the agreement, whichever is later. The Viriom License Agreement can be terminated by either party due to the material breach of either party (subject to a cure period).