On December 20, 2021, Cytokinetics, Incorporated ("Cytokinetics") reported that entered into a License and Collaboration Agreement (the "License Agreement") with Ji Xing Pharmaceuticals Limited ("Ji Xing"), pursuant to which Cytokinetics granted to Ji Xing an exclusive license to develop and commercialize Cytokinetics’ proprietary small molecule cardiac sarcomere activator known as omecamtiv mecarbil (the "Product") in the greater China region, namely mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan (Filing, 8-K, Cytokinetics, DEC 20, 2021, View Source [SID1234597464]).
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Under the terms of the License Agreement, Cytokinetics will receive from Ji Xing an upfront and near-term milestone payments of $50 million. Cytokinetics may be eligible to receive from Ji Xing additional milestone payments totaling up to $330 million for the achievement of certain commercial milestone events with respect to the Product. In addition, Ji Xing will pay to Cytokinetics tiered royalties from the mid-teens to the low twenties range on the net sales of the Product in the greater China region, subject to certain reductions for generic competition, patent expiration and payments for licenses to third-party patents.
Ji Xing will be responsible for the development and commercialization of the Product in its territory at its own cost and is required to use diligent efforts to develop and commercialize the Product in the greater China region. The development of the Product will be initially focused on heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), and Ji Xing will have the opportunity to participate in future Cytokinetics’ global clinical trials of the Product. Cytokinetics will supply the Product to Ji Xing either as a finished product or as an active pharmaceutical ingredient.
The License Agreement, unless terminated earlier, will continue on a market-by-market basis until expiration of the relevant royalty term. Ji Xing has the right to terminate the License Agreement for convenience. Each party may terminate the License Agreement for the other party’s uncured material breach, insolvency, or failure to perform due to extended force majeure events. Cytokinetics may also terminate the License Agreement if Ji Xing challenges Cytokinetics’ patents or undergoes certain change of control transactions. Product rights will revert to Cytokinetics upon termination, and, under certain circumstances, subject to a low single-digit royalty payments on the net sales of the Product in the greater China region.
The foregoing description of the material terms of the License Agreement does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the complete text of the License Agreement, a copy of which Cytokinetics intends to file, with confidential terms redacted, with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") as an exhibit to Cytokinetics’ Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ending December 31, 2021.
Common Stock Purchase Agreements
On December 20, 2021, in connection with the License Agreement Cytokinetics entered into Common Stock Purchase Agreements (each, a "CSPA") with each of RTW Master Fund, Ltd., RTW Innovation Master Fund, Ltd. and RTW Venture Fund Limited (collectively, the "RTW Investors").
The CSPAs provide for the sale and issuance to the RTW Investors of 511,182 shares of Cytokinetics common stock of (the "Shares") with an aggregate purchase price of $20.0 million at a price per share of $39.125. The closing will occur on December 20, 2021. The RTW Investors have agreed to certain trading and other restrictions with respect to the Shares, including a restriction on sales or other transfers of the Shares, subject to certain exceptions, for a period of one year from the closing date.
The foregoing description of the material terms of the CSPAs does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the complete text of the form of CSPA, a copy of which Cytokinetics intends to file, with confidential terms redacted, with the SEC as an exhibit to Cytokinetics’ Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ending December 31, 2021.