Nemus Bioscience
Nemus Bioscience (NMUS) is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development, and the commercialization of cannabis-based therapeutics, or cannabinoids, through its partnership with the University of Mississippi, or UM. UM has held the only contract to cultivate cannabis for research purposes on behalf of the Federal Government since 1968, and it has significant expertise in cannabis cultivation and the extraction, separation, process and manufacture of cannabis extracts. Nemus Bioscience is currently UM's sole partner for the development and commercialization of drugs derived from cannabis extracts, or cannabinoids, and the realization of this partnership will depend on the successful navigation of the complex regulatory framework for the cultivation and handling of cannabis in the United States.1
Recent Events and Significant Contracts
UM 5050 pro-drug agreements:
On September 29, 2014, the Company executed three license agreements with UM pursuant to which UM granted it exclusive, perpetual, worldwide licenses, including the right to sublicense, to intellectual property related to UM 5050, a pro-drug formulation of tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC for products administered through each of ocular, oral or rectal delivery. The license agreement for the field of oral delivery also includes rights to UM 1250, a bio-adhesive hot melt extruded film for topical and mucosal adhesion application and drug delivery. The license agreements contain certain milestone and royalty payments, as defined therein. There is an annual fee of $25,000 per license agreement, payable on the anniversary of each effective date. The aggregate milestone payments under the license agreements, if the milestones are achieved, is $2.1 million. These licenses also require the Company to reimburse UM for patent costs incurred related to these products under license. The agreements will terminate upon expiration of the patents, breach or default of the license agreements, or upon 60 days’ written notice by the Company to UM.
On October 15, 2014, the company signed a renewable option agreement for the rights to explore other routes of delivery of UM 5050 not yet agreed upon and/or in combination with other cannabinoids or other compatible compounds. There was a one-time up-front option payment of $10,000 for a six-month option period that has subsequently been renewed under the same financial terms and conditions. The most recent renewal occurred for the period from June 14, 2017 to December 14, 2017.
UM 8930 analogue agreements:
On December 14, 2015, the Company executed two license agreements with UM pursuant to which UM granted it exclusive, perpetual, worldwide licenses, including the right to sublicense, to intellectual property related to UM 8930, an analogue formulation of cannabidiol ("CBD") for products administered through each of ocular or rectal delivery. The license agreements contain certain milestone and royalty payments, as defined therein. There is an annual fee of $25,000 per license agreement, payable on the anniversary of each effective date. The aggregate milestone payments under the license agreements, if the milestones are achieved, is $1.4 million. These licenses also require the Company to reimburse UM for patent costs incurred related to these products under license. These license agreements will terminate upon expiration of the patents, breach or default of the license agreements, or upon 60 days’ written notice by the Company to UM.
On December 14, 2015, the company signed a renewable option agreement for the rights to explore other routes of delivery of UM8930 not yet agreed upon and/or in combination with other cannabinoids or other compatible compounds. There was a one-time up-front option payment of $10,000 for a six-month option period that has subsequently been renewed under the same financial terms and conditions. The most recent renewal occurred for the period from June 14, 2017 to December 14, 2017.
UM 5070 license agreement:
On January 10, 2017, the Company entered into a license agreement with UM pursuant to which UM granted the Company an exclusive, perpetual license, including the right to sublicense, under intellectual property related to UM 5070, a platform of cannabinoid-based molecules to research, develop and commercialize products for the treatment of infectious diseases. The license agreement culminates roughly one year of screening and target molecule identification studies especially focused on therapy-resistant infectious organisms like methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). The license agreement contains certain milestone and royalty payments, as defined therein. There was a one-time upfront payment of $65,000 paid in four equal monthly installments that started on February 1, 2017. There is an annual fee of $25,000 per license agreement, payable on the anniversary of each effective date. The aggregate milestone payment under the license agreements, if the milestones are achieved, is $0.7 million. These licenses also require the Company to reimburse UM for patent costs incurred related to these products under license. These license agreements will terminate upon expiration of the patents, breach or default of the license agreements, or upon 60 days’ written notice by the Company to UM.
