v3.26.1
Commitments and Contingencies
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2026
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Commitments and Contingencies

Note 7 – Commitments and Contingencies

 

Research Collaboration and Product License Agreement with Minotaur Therapeutics, Inc. (“Minotaur”) and Commercial License Agreement with Taurus Biosciences, LLC (“Taurus”)

 

The Company has entered into a research collaboration and product license agreement with Minotaur (as amended, the “Minotaur Agreement”) and a commercial license agreement with Taurus (the “Taurus Agreement”) for use of certain technology, including OmniAb antibodies, to advance Picobodies against novel, unreachable, and undruggable epitopes in high-value validated targets starting with PD-1. The Minotaur Agreement and Taurus Agreement are for the development of proprietary targeted biologics, including GV1940, against PD-1. It is anticipated that the Company will collaborate with Minotaur under the license from Taurus to discover, develop, and advance biotherapeutics against high-value validated IO targets starting with PD-1.

 

 

The Minotaur Agreement included an up-front payment of $150,000, which was paid in January 2023. In addition, the Company shall fund the discovery and characterization study performed by Minotaur as set forth in the Minotaur Agreement. Pursuant to the Minotaur Agreement, the Company shall pay Minotaur a milestone payment of $1,000,000 for each first Product (as defined in the Minotaur Agreement) directed against a target and first regulatory approval in the U.S. In addition, the Company shall pay a low single digit royalty on net sales until the later of (i) ten years after the First Commercial Sale (as defined in the Minotaur Agreement) of such Product in such country and (ii) the expiration of the last-to-expire Valid Claim (as defined in the Minotaur Agreement) of a Collaboration Patent (as defined in the Minotaur Agreement) or MINT Patent (as defined in the Minotaur Agreement) covering the manufacture, use, or sale of such Product. The Taurus Agreement contains single digit payments on net product sales and certain development milestone payments tied to the advancement through clinical trials and final regulatory approval.

 

During the three months ended March 31, 2026 and 2025, the Company incurred no fees to Minotaur.

 

Research and Development Collaboration and License Agreement with Applied Biomedical Science Institute

 

On July 5, 2023 (the “ABSI Effective Date”), the Company entered into a Research and Development Collaboration and License Agreement (the “ABSI Agreement”) with ABSI pursuant to which ABSI granted the Company an exclusive royalty-bearing, sublicensable license to the ABSI Patents (as defined in the ABSI Agreement) and a non-exclusive, royalty-bearing, sublicensable license to the ABSI Know-How (as defined in the ABSI Agreement) to Exploit (as defined in the ABSI Agreement) the ABSI Products (as defined in the ABSI Agreement) for the treatment, diagnosis, prediction, detection or prevention of disease in humans and animals worldwide (the “Territory”).

 

Pursuant to the ABSI Agreement, the parties shall form a committee to manage the preclinical, investigational new drug enabling studies and such other activities as shall lead to the initiation of a Phase 1 clinical trial of the ABSI Product. The parties will collaborate on a Target-by-Target basis to identify and evaluate ABSI Products directed against such Target (as defined below) with a view to identifying or generating suitable Products (as defined in the ABSI Agreement) for the Company to Exploit. “Target” means ErB2 (Her2) and ErbB3. Upon completion of the Discovery Timeline (as defined in the ABSI Agreement) for a Target, subject to the terms and conditions of ABSI Agreement, the Company shall exclusively own any ABSI Products against such Target. In the event the committee determines that the discovery activities are unsuccessful with respect to a Target, the Company may propose an additional target, which, upon approval by ABSI, shall replace a failed Target.

 

Pursuant to the ABSI Agreement: (i) the Company issued ABSI 25,107 shares of its common stock which is equal to $250,000 based on the ten day trailing volume weighted-average price of the Company’s common stock prior to the date of issuance, (ii) in the event the Company closes a financing pursuant to which it receives more than $10 million in Net Proceeds (as defined in the ABSI Agreement), the Company shall pay ABSI a mid-six digit amount; (iii) upon the achievement of certain milestones as set forth in the ABSI Agreement, the Company shall pay ABSI up to an aggregate of $8,250,000; (iv) after the second anniversary of the ABSI Effective Date, the Company shall pay ABSI a low five digit amount for the first year and a mid-five digit amount thereafter during the Royalty Term (as defined in the ABSI Agreement); and (v) during the Royalty Term for each Product, the Company shall pay ABSI a quarterly royalty on the Net Sales (as defined in the ABSI Agreement) with royalties at percentages which range from the low to mid-single digits, with high Net Sales being subject to lower royalty rates, subject to adjustment as set forth in the ABSI Agreement. In addition, in the event the Company transfers all or substantially all of its rights to a Product to a third party, the Company shall pay to ABSI the percentage of Net Proceeds attributable to the transfer of the Product. Specifically, the Company shall pay ABSI amounts at percentages which range from the mid-single digit to low double digits depending on the Company Expenses (as defined in the ABSI Agreement), with higher Company Expenses being subject to lower rates.

 

On a Product-by-Product basis, upon the expiration of the last Royalty Term of such Product in the Territory, licenses granted to the Company with respect to such Product shall be deemed non-exclusive, fully paid, royalty-free, perpetual and irrevocable. The ABSI Agreement shall expire upon the expiration of the last Royalty Term of the last Product, unless such agreement is terminated earlier pursuant to its terms. The ABSI Agreement may also be terminated (i) by either the Company or ABSI for (A) a material breach of the ABSI Agreement or (B) bankruptcy, (ii) ABSI may terminate the ABSI Agreement upon the commencement of a Challenge Proceeding (as defined in the ABSI Agreement) or (iii) the Company may terminate the ABSI Agreement at any time upon 90 days prior written notice to ABSI. Upon termination or expiration of the ABSI Agreement other than as a result of a bankruptcy or Challenge Proceeding, all licenses granted to the Company pursuant to such agreement will terminate and all rights under such licenses shall revert to ABSI.

 

 

On March 11, 2024, the Company entered into an addendum to the ABSI Agreement to fund research services with quarterly payments of $50,000 beginning March 18, 2024 with subsequent payments due on the 18th of each calendar quarter. Effective July 31, 2025, the quarterly services agreement was terminated. During the three months ended March 31, 2026 and 2025, the Company incurred research service expense of $0 and $50,000 to ABSI, respectively.

 

Avior Patent License Agreement

 

On November 3, 2023 (the “Avior Effective Date”), the Company entered into the Avior Patent License Agreement with Avior pursuant to which the Company received an exclusive sublicensable right and license to Licensed Patent Rights and Licensed Technology to, among other things, Develop, have Developed, make, have made, use, sell, import, export and commercialize GV104 and GV103 and to practice the Licensed Technology in connection with the foregoing, throughout the world. Pursuant to the Avior Patent License Agreement, the Company paid Avior an up front license fee of $0.4 million within ten days of the Avior Effective Date and a quarterly license fee of $0.15 million which was paid at the end of each fiscal quarter following the Avior Effective Date. In addition, the Company shall pay Avior a high single digit percentage of any upfront payments received by it as a result of the grant of any sublicenses with respect to GV104. The Company shall also pay Avior milestone payments in the aggregate amount of $27,250,000 upon the occurrence of various development milestones (the “Development Milestone Payments”). Furthermore, the Company shall pay Avior certain fees based upon sales milestones. The payments for such sales milestones range from the low seven digits to the low eight digits with higher sales being subject to higher fees. Finally, the Company shall pay Avior royalties based on net sales. Such royalties range from low single digit percentages to mid-single digit percentages with higher sales being subject to lower percentages. The Avior Patent License Agreement shall expire upon the expiration of the final payment obligation due to Avior as set forth in such agreement. Upon the expiration of the Avior Patent License Agreement, the Company shall have a fully paid, irrevocable, freely transferable and sublicensable worldwide license to the Licensed Patent Rights and Licensed Technology to Develop, have Developed, make, have made, use, have used sell, offer for sale, have sold, import, have imported, export, have exported, commercialize or have commercialized any and all Licensed Products and to practice the Licensed Technology worldwide. Pursuant to the Avior Patent License Agreement, the Company may terminate the agreement at any time without cause, upon 30 days’ prior written notice to Avior along with payment of the next unpaid Development Milestone Payment, if any. Furthermore, either the Company or Avior may terminate the Avior Patent License Agreement (i) on written notice to the other party if the other party materially breaches any provision of the Avior Patent License Agreement and fails to cure such breach within 30 days after the breaching party receives written notice thereof or (ii) on written notice in the event that either party (A) becomes insolvent or admits its inability to pay its debts generally as they become due; (B) becomes subject, voluntarily or involuntarily, to any proceeding under any domestic or foreign bankruptcy or insolvency law, which is not fully dismissed or vacated within 60 days; (C) is dissolved or liquidated or takes any corporate action for such purpose; (D) makes a general assignment for the benefit of creditors; or (E) has a receiver, trustee, custodian or similar agent appointed by order of any court of competent jurisdiction to take charge of or sell any material portion of its property or business. Upon termination of the Avior Patent License Agreement, the license granted pursuant to such agreement shall terminate and all rights in the Licensed Patent Rights and Licensed Products shall revert back to Avior.

 

During the three months ended March 31, 2026 and 2025, the Company incurred milestone fees to Avior of $0 and $200,000, respectively in accordance with the terms of the agreement.

 

 

Enkefalos License Agreement

 

On June 17, 2024 (the “Enkefalos Effective Date”), the Company signed a letter of intent to enter into the Enkefalos License Agreement with Enkefalos Biosciences Inc. (“Enkefalos”) pursuant to which the Company is licensing the global rights in all fields of use for the products related to the compounds knows as cyclotides to deliver HER2 antibodies across the blood-brain barrier and all associated know-how, technology, intellectual property and related information and constructs, and any associated authorized generic rights and all related assets (collectively, the “Products” referred to in this letter as ENBI-01) from Enkefalos. This agreement was terminated during the six months ended June 30, 2025. Pursuant to the Enkefalos License Agreement, the Company paid Enkefalos an up-front license fee of $150,000, included within research and development expenses, within ten days of the Enkefalos Effective Date. Upon termination of the Enkefalos License Agreement, the license granted pursuant to such agreement terminated and all rights in the Licensed Patent Rights and Licensed Products reverted back to Enkefalos.

 

During the three months ended March 31, 2026 and 2025, the Company incurred license fees of $0 and $200,000, respectively to Enkefalos in accordance with the terms of the agreement.

 

Intract Patent License Agreement

 

On September 11, 2024, the Company entered into the Intract Agreement pursuant to which the Company exclusively licensed INT-023/TH023, an oral anti-Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (TNF-α) monoclonal antibody infliximab. Under the terms of the Intract Agreement, the Company licensed global development and commercialization rights (outside of South Korea) to Intract’s Soteria® and Phloral® delivery platform along with an existing supply agreement for infliximab to be used in the oral product development program. Pursuant to the Intract Agreement, the Company paid Intract an up-front license fee of $0.4 million and Intract is eligible to receive additional payments upon an equity financing of the Company and additional payments for future development, regulatory and commercial milestones, as well as mid-single digit royalties based on net product sales. During the six months ended June 30, 2025, the Company amended the Intract Agreement to change the payment terms of certain milestone fees, which increased the total milestone fees by $0.15 million. Pursuant to the Intract Agreement, the Company retains a right of first refusal to continue development and commercialization after a Phase 2 clinical trial. In addition, the Company has the option to exercise the license to Intract’s platform for up to four additional targets. The term of the Intract Agreement expires upon the final payment obligation of Canton Strategic Holdings, Inc. and may be terminated by Canton Strategic Holdings, Inc. at any time upon 90 days written notice to Intract. Either party may terminate the Intract Agreement if the other party materially breaches any provision of the Intract Agreement and fails to cure such breach within 30 days after the breaching party receives written notice thereof. In addition, either party may terminate the Intract Agreement on written notice in the event that either party declare: (a) becomes insolvent or admits inability to pay its debts generally as they become due; (b) becomes subject, voluntarily or involuntarily, to any proceeding under any domestic or foreign bankruptcy or insolvency law, which is not fully dismissed or vacated within 60 days; (c) is dissolved or liquidated or takes any corporate action for such purpose; (d) makes a general assignment for the benefit of creditors; or (e) has a receiver, trustee, custodian or similar agent appointed by order of any court of competent jurisdiction to take charge of or sell any material portion of its property or business.

 

During the three months ended March 31, 2026 and 2025, the Company incurred fees of $0 and $600,000, respectively to Intract in accordance with the terms of the agreement.