5. Collaboration and License Agreements and Supply Agreements

The Company has entered into collaboration and license agreements with various pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. As described in Note 2, on January 1, 2019, the Company adopted ASC 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, which supersedes the guidance in ASC 605, Revenue Recognition. The Company recognized revenue under ASC 606 for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019 and under ASC 605 for the year ended December 31, 2018. In accordance with the collaboration agreements, the Company recognized revenue as follows:

(2)Merck was a related party until the closing of our public offering on May 14, 2020.

(3)Vaxcyte was a related party until the closing of its initial public offering on June 16, 2020.

The following table presents the changes in the Company’s deferred revenue balance from collaboration agreements during the year ended December 31, 2020:

The Company’s balance of deferred revenue contains the transaction price from collaboration agreements allocated to performance obligations which are partially unsatisfied. The Company expects to recognize approximately $14.6 million of the deferred revenue as of December 31, 2020 over the next twelve months.

There have been no material changes to the Company’s collaboration agreements during the year ended December 31, 2020, except as described below.

Collaborations with Celgene

In November 2019, BMS acquired Celgene, and Celgene became a wholly owned subsidiary of BMS. In connection with such acquisition, BMS assumed the rights and obligations of the 2014 Celgene Agreement, 2017 Celgene Agreement and 2018 Celgene Master Services Agreement. However, except for the presentation in the tables, the Company will continue to refer to its agreements with Celgene throughout this Form 10-K as being with Celgene.

Celgene Agreement

In September 2014, the Company signed a Collaboration and License Agreement with Celgene to discover and develop bispecific antibodies and/or antibody-drug conjugates (“ADCs”), focused primarily on the field of immuno-oncology, using the Company’s proprietary integrated cell-free protein synthesis platform, XpressCF®. In August 2017, the Company entered into an amended and restated collaboration and license agreement with Celgene to refocus the collaboration on four programs that were advancing through preclinical development, including an ADC program targeting B cell maturation antigen (“BCMA ADC”).

Upon signing the Celgene Agreement in 2014, the Company received an upfront, nonrefundable payment totaling $83.1 million.    

In March 2015, the Company received a $15.0 million contingent payment (“March 2015 payment”) from Celgene that provided Celgene a right to access certain of the Company’s technology for use in conjunction with certain Celgene intellectual property. In June 2016, the Company received a $25.0 million milestone (“June 2016 payment”) upon completion of certain preclinical activities. Additionally, in June 2016, the Company earned a $10.0 million substantive milestone for certain manufacturing accomplishments.

In August 2017, the Company received an option fee payment of $12.5 million. In September 2017, the Company earned a $10.0 million milestone for certain manufacturing accomplishments, which payment was received from Celgene in October 2017. In December 2018, the Company earned a $10.0 million milestone for certain manufacturing accomplishments, which payment was received from Celgene in the same month.  

In May 2019, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration cleared the investigational new drug (“IND”) application for the BCMA ADC, which was discovered and is being manufactured by the Company and is the first collaboration program IND. Celgene has worldwide development and commercialization rights with respect to the BCMA ADC. The Company will continue to be responsible for clinical supply manufacturing and certain development services for the BCMA ADC and is eligible to receive from Celgene aggregate development and regulatory contingent payments of up to $275.0 million, if approved in multiple indications, and tiered royalties ranging from mid to high single digit percentages on worldwide sales of any resulting commercial products.  

With respect to the remaining three collaboration programs (BCMA-CD3, PD1-LAG3 and PD1-TIM3), during the second quarter of 2019 Celgene notified the Company that it decided not to exercise the option to acquire U.S. clinical development and commercialization rights to a second collaboration program. Therefore, Celgene was not required to pay the Company the $12.5 million option maintenance fee that would have been due upon IND clearance for the first collaboration program, as described above. Consequently, the U.S. clinical development and commercialization rights to the other three collaboration programs remain owned by the Company, without any further option to Celgene. Further, upon the expiration of the research term defined by the Celgene agreement, ex-U.S. clinical development and commercialization rights to these three collaboration programs reverted to the Company in the third quarter of 2020. Therefore, the Company now solely holds worldwide rights to the BCMA-CD3, PD1-LAG3, and PD1-TIM3 programs.  

The contingent payments under the Celgene Agreement are not considered to be substantive milestones because the receipt of such payments is based solely on the performance of Celgene.  

The Company has received financial support for research and development services assigned to the Company by Celgene, based on an agreed-upon level of FTE personnel effort and related reimbursement rate, which was recognized as revenue as the related reimbursable activities approved by Celgene and the Company were performed by the Company.

Celgene may terminate the Celgene Agreement at any time with 120 days’ prior written notice. Either the Company or Celgene has the right to terminate the Celgene Agreement based on the other party’s uncured material breach, challenge of the validity and enforceability of intellectual property, or bankruptcy.

In accounting for this arrangement under ASC 606, applying the practical expedients, the Celgene Agreement was treated as a single arrangement that had been modified in 2017, in the form it was last modified prior to the adoption of ASC 606.  

Given the modification of the Celgene Agreement in 2017, the Company determined that the remaining deferred revenue balance of $8.2 million as of the date of the modification, related to certain prior Celgene payments to the Company, together with the $12.5 million option fee payment received in August 2017, would comprise the transaction price of $20.7 million to be allocated on a relative basis among the Company’s performance obligations based on the Company’s best estimate of each SSP or fair value. The Company identified the three performance obligations relating to the Celgene Agreement as: (1) access by Celgene to worldwide development and commercialization rights on the first collaboration program to achieve IND clearance; (2) the Company’s estimated future services on the collaboration Joint Steering Committee (“JSC”); and (3) Celgene’s use of certain technology and the option to acquire worldwide development and commercialization rights to a second collaboration program.

Based on its estimated SSP, relative to the total estimated SSP values of all identified performance obligations, the portion of the transaction price allocated to the first performance obligation was $8.2 million, which performance obligation was satisfied as of the modification date of the Celgene Agreement, as the BCMA ADC program was the most advanced of the four collaboration programs and estimated by the Company to be the one for which Celgene would first achieve IND clearance and gain worldwide development and commercialization rights. The second and third performance obligations identified above were unsatisfied as of the modification date of the Celgene Agreement. The Company determined the portion of the transaction price to be allocated to the JSC performance obligation was $0.2 million. Revenue related to such performance obligation was recognized by the Company over the estimated period during which it performed its JSC services. The Company determined that the portion of the transaction price to be allocated to the third performance obligation, which provided Celgene with an option to acquire worldwide development and commercialization rights to a second collaboration program, was $12.3 million. Although Celgene decided not to exercise this option, the Company still had the continuing performance obligation to provide Celgene access to the Company’s technology. As such, the Company’s revenue related to such performance obligation was recognized over the period from August 2017 through September 2020, the estimated term of the use of the technology.  

Upon the adoption of ASC 606 on January 1, 2019, the Company recorded a $4.5 million adjustment to decrease its deferred revenue for performance obligations that were satisfied in prior periods, with the corresponding adjustment being a reduction to the Company’s accumulated deficit.

During the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019 under ASC 606, the Company recognized $3.0 million and $3.9 million, respectively, of revenue associated with the Company’s ongoing performance related to partially unsatisfied performance obligations, and $0.6 million and $0.6 million, respectively, from research and development services. During the year ended December 31, 2018 under ASC 605, the Company recognized $16.6 million of revenue associated with the Company’s ongoing performance related to partially unsatisfied performance obligations, and $0.1 million from research and development services.  

As of December 31, 2020 and 2019, there was zero and $3.0 million, respectively, of deferred revenue related to payments received by the Company under the Celgene Agreement.  

2018 Celgene Master Services Agreement

In March 2018, the Company entered into a Master Development and Clinical Manufacturing Services Agreement (the “2018 Celgene Master Services Agreement”) with Celgene, wherein Celgene requested the Company to provide development, manufacturing and supply chain management services, including clinical product supply. The consideration for the services is based on an agreed-upon level of FTE personnel effort and related reimbursement rate in addition to agreed-upon pricing for the clinical product supply.   

Upon adoption of ASC 606 on January 1, 2019, this was deemed a modification of the arrangement and the consideration terms were at fair value and materials are to be provided on an as agreed upon basis.  Accordingly, the Company will recognize revenue upon the performance of such services.

During the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018, the Company earned $7.8 million, $6.8 million and $4.5 million, respectively, under the 2018 Celgene Master Services Agreement.

As of December 31, 2020 and 2019, there was $1.2 million and zero, respectively, of deferred revenue under the 2018 Celgene Master Services Agreement.  

2018 Merck Agreement

In July 2018, the Company entered into the 2018 Merck Agreement with Merck to jointly develop up to three research programs focusing on cytokine derivatives for cancer and autoimmune disorders.

Under the 2018 Merck Agreement, the Company received from Merck a non-refundable, non-creditable, upfront payment of $60.0 million in August 2018 for access to the Company’s technology and the identification and preclinical research and development of two target programs, with an option for Merck to engage the Company to continue these activities for a third program upon the payment of an additional amount. The option to expand activities to a third program expired in January 2021; the research phase of the collaboration continues, focusing on two cytokine derivative programs. Under ASC 606, the Company identified the five performance obligations under the 2018 Merck Agreement as: (1) access to certain intellectual property rights; (2) performance of services related to the first target program; (3) performance of services related to the second target program; (4) the Company’s estimated future services on the collaboration JSC; and (5) a material right pertaining to the performance of services related to a contingent third target program upon the payment of an additional amount. The transaction price of $60.0 million was allocated among the performance obligations using the Company’s best estimate of SSP for each of the associated performance obligations.  Based on its estimated SSP, relative to the estimated total SSP values of all identified performance obligations, the portion of the transaction price allocated to the first performance obligation was $7.3 million.  It was determined that such performance obligation was satisfied as of the effective date of the 2018 Merck Agreement, and accordingly revenue associated with this performance obligation would, pursuant to ASC 606, have been recorded on the effective date of the Merck Agreement. Revenue allocated to the first and second target programs, which totaled $47.1 million, was being recognized on a proportion of performance basis, using the FTE cost as the basis of measurement, with such performance expected to occur over an estimated service period of three years for each target program. As it pertains to the JSC performance obligation, the revenue allocated to such performance obligation was $0.7 million, which was being recognized as revenue on a proportion of performance basis using FTE cost as the basis, and such effort is expected to be incurred on a relatively consistent basis throughout the term of the 2018 Merck Agreement. The Company allocated $4.9 million of the transaction price to the material right associated with the contingent third program. Recognition of the $4.9 million as revenue will begin upon commencement of the third program or upon the determination that the contingent third target program is no longer a performance obligation.

Additionally, under ASC 606, the Company determined there was a financing component associated with the $60.0 million upfront payment, and has calculated total interest expense of $7.3 million as of December 31, 2020 on the unearned revenue portion beyond one year from the effective date of the agreement, which amount is expected to be recognized as revenue over the estimated service period for the first and second target programs.

Upon adoption of ASC 606 on January 1, 2019, the Company recorded a $6.3 million adjustment to decrease its deferred revenue for performance obligations that were satisfied in prior periods, with the corresponding adjustment being a reduction to the Company’s accumulated deficit.        

In March 2020, the Company adjusted revenue recognized for the first and second target programs as the parties determined additional resources should be assigned to the first target program with a reduction of resources attributed to the second target program. This resulted in a decrease in the measure of proportional performance for the first target program by $6.2 million and an increase in the measure of proportional performance for the second target program of $1.1 million for a collective decrease in revenue of $5.1 million. See Note 2 above for further explanation.

Also, in March 2020, Merck exercised its option to extend the research term of the collaboration’s first cytokine-derivative program by one year, which, pursuant to the terms of the 2018 Merck Agreement, triggered a payment of $5.0 million. The $5.0 million was, in prior periods, considered to be a fully constrained variable consideration. Removal of the constraint on this variable consideration resulted in a change to the total transaction price, from $60.0 million to $65.0 million. The Company allocated the updated transaction price to all identified performance obligations on the same basis as the initial allocation upon inception of the 2018 Merck Agreement, with any adjustments recorded as a cumulative catch-up in the current period. Based upon the adjusted transaction price, revenue allocated to the access to intellectual property rights was $7.8 million and incremental revenue of $0.5 million was recognized in the period as this performance obligation was previously completed. Revenue allocated to the first and second target programs totaled $50.5 million, to be recognized on a proportion of performance basis, using FTE cost as the basis of measurement, with such performance expected to occur over an estimated service period of three years for each target program. Incremental revenue of $1.5 million was recognized in the quarter ended March 31, 2020. The Company allocated $5.9 million of the adjusted transaction price to the material right associated with the contingent third program. No revenue for this performance obligation has been recognized and recognition of the $5.9 million as revenue will begin upon the earlier of (i) the commencement of the third program; or (ii) upon the determination that the contingent third target program is no longer a performance obligation. As it pertains to the JSC performance obligation, the incremental transaction price allocation was immaterial. As a result of the change in transaction price, the Company recorded a $2.0 million cumulative catch-up in revenue in the quarter ended March 31, 2020.

During the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019 under ASC 606, the Company recognized revenue of $18.5 million and $14.7 million, respectively, associated with the Company’s ongoing performance related to the partially unsatisfied performance obligations, $1.9 million and $3.1 million, respectively, related to the interest component described above, and $5.5 million and $3.6 million, respectively, for FTE funding provided by Merck. During the year ended December 31, 2018 under ASC 605, the Company recognized revenue of $7.0 million associated with the Company’s ongoing performance related to the partially unsatisfied performance obligations, zero related to the interest component described above, and $1.5 million for FTE funding provided by Merck.  

As of December 31, 2020 and 2019, there was $18.5 million and $31.9 million, respectively, of deferred revenue related to the transaction price under the 2018 Merck Agreement.

The Company is also eligible to receive aggregate contingent payments of up to approximately $0.5 billion for each of the target programs selected by Merck, assuming the development and sale of the therapeutic candidate and all possible indications identified under the collaboration. If one or more products from each of the target programs are developed for non-oncology or a single indication, the Company will be eligible for reduced aggregate milestone payments. In addition, the Company is eligible to receive tiered royalties ranging from mid-single digit to low teen percentages on the worldwide sales of any commercial products that may result from the collaboration.

Merck may terminate the 2018 Merck Agreement at any time with 60 days’ prior written notice. Either the Company or Merck has the right to terminate the 2018 Merck Agreement based on the other party’s uncured material breach or bankruptcy.

2020 Merck Master Services Agreement

In August 2020, the Company entered into a Pre-Clinical and Clinical Supply Agreement (the “2020 Merck Master Services Agreement”) with Merck, wherein Merck requested the Company to provide development, manufacturing and supply chain management services, including clinical product supply, upon completion of the research programs under the 2018 Merck Agreement. The consideration for the services is based on an agreed-upon level of FTE personnel effort and related reimbursement rate in addition to agreed-upon pricing for the clinical product supply. Consideration terms are at fair value and materials are to be provided on an agreed upon basis. Accordingly, the Company will recognize revenue upon the performance of such services.

During the year ended December 31, 2020, the Company earned $0.3 million under the 2020 Merck Master Services Agreement.

EMD Serono Agreement

The Company signed a Collaboration Agreement and a License Agreement with EMD Serono in May 2014 and September 2014, respectively, which were entered into in contemplation of each other and therefore treated as a single agreement for accounting purposes. The Collaboration Agreement was subsumed into the License Agreement (the “MDA Agreement”), which agreement is to develop ADCs for multiple cancer targets. Under the MDA Agreement, a novel bispecific ADC product candidate targeting EGFR and MUC1, known as M1231, is undergoing development.

Upon signing the Collaboration Agreement, the Company received an upfront, nonrefundable, non-creditable payment totaling $10.0 million. Upon signing the MDA Agreement, the Company received an additional upfront, nonrefundable payment totaling $10.0 million and will receive financial support for research and development services to be provided by the Company, based on an agreed-upon level of FTE personnel effort and related reimbursement rate.

The Company is eligible to receive up to $52.5 million for M1231 under the MDA Agreement, primarily from pre-commercial contingent payments. Relatedly, in August 2020, the Company earned a $1.0 million clinical supply milestone payment under the MDA Agreement, which payment was received by the Company in October 2020. Additionally, in September 2019, the Company earned a $1.5 million contingent payment under the MDA Agreement upon designation by EMD Serono of a specific bispecific antibody drug conjugate as a clinical development candidate with their approval to advance it to IND-enabling studies, which payment was received by the Company in November 2019. In addition, the Company is eligible to receive tiered royalties ranging from low-to-mid single digit percentages, along with certain additional one-time royalties, on worldwide sales of any commercial products that may result from the MDA Agreement. The MDA Agreement term expires on a product-by-product and country-by-country basis. Upon expiration, EMD Serono will have a fully paid-up, royalty-free, perpetual, and irrevocable non-exclusive license, with the right to grant sublicenses, under certain Company intellectual property rights. EMD Serono may terminate the MDA Agreement at any time with 90 days’ prior written notice or upon the inability of the Company to provide EMD Serono access to a specified number of cancer drug targets. Either the Company or EMD Serono has the right to terminate the MDA Agreement based on the other party’s uncured material breach or bankruptcy.

Upon adoption of ASC 606 on January 1, 2019, the Company identified a single performance obligation under the MDA Agreement, which consists of the technology license, research and development activities and JSC participation over the estimated period of the agreement, as each are interrelated and not distinct within the overall context of the agreement. The transaction price was recognized on a proportion of performance basis, using the FTE cost as the basis of measurement, with such performance occurring over the estimated service period of the agreement, from June 2014 through May 2019.

Upon adoption of ASC 606 on January 1, 2019, the Company recorded a $0.6 million adjustment to increase its deferred revenue for performance obligations that were unsatisfied in prior periods, with the corresponding adjustment being an increase to the Company’s accumulated deficit.  

During the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019 under ASC 606, the Company earned zero and $3.8 million, respectively, associated with the Company’s ongoing performance related to the partially unsatisfied performance obligations, and zero and $1.7 million, respectively, from research and development services. During the year ended December 31, 2018 under ASC 605, the Company earned $4.1 million associated with performance under the deliverables, and $3.1 million from research and development services.

2019 EMD Serono Supply Agreement

In April 2019, the Company entered into an ADC Product Preclinical and Phase I Clinical Supply Agreement (the “2019 EMD Serono Supply Agreement”) with EMD Serono, wherein EMD Serono requested the Company to provide development, manufacturing and supply chain management services, including clinical product supply. The consideration for the services is based on an agreed-upon level of FTE personnel effort and related reimbursement rate in addition to agreed-upon pricing for the clinical product supply. Consideration terms are at fair value and materials are to be provided on an agreed upon basis. Accordingly, the Company will recognize revenue upon the performance of such services.

During the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019 under ASC 606, the Company earned $4.0 million and $3.4 million, respectively, under the 2019 EMD Serono Supply Agreement.

As of December 31, 2020 and 2019, there was $1.0 million and $0.8 million, respectively, of deferred revenue related to payments received by the Company under the 2019 EMD Serono Supply Agreement.  

Vaxcyte Supply Agreement

In May 2018, the Company entered into a Supply Agreement (the “Supply Agreement”) with Vaxcyte, wherein Vaxcyte engaged the Company to supply extracts and custom reagents, as requested by Vaxcyte. The pricing is based on an agreed upon cost plus arrangement. For the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018, the Company recognized revenue of $0.2 million, $1.1 million and $1.5 million, respectively, under the Supply Agreement.

As the Company has a right to consideration from Vaxcyte in an amount that corresponds directly with the value of the Company’s supplied extracts and custom reagents, the Company’s supply of extracts and custom reagents in discrete unit form are recognized as revenue at the time when such supplies are shipped to Vaxcyte, in line with the “right to invoice” practical expedient in ASC 606.  

During 2020, upon Vaxcyte’s request and their agreement to reimburse the related costs, the Company entered into agreements with third-party contract manufacturers (“CMOs”) to conduct process transfers to allow for such CMOs to manufacture and supply extract and custom reagents for Vaxcyte. The agreed-upon reimbursements by Vaxcyte of the costs associated with such arrangements, principally for pass-through costs from the CMOs and Company personnel costs incurred in performing and managing the process transfer, will be accounted for by the Company as a reduction to research and development expense.  

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Inc.

In August 2018, the Company entered into a Research, Development and Commercialization Agreement (the “LLS Agreement”) with The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (“LLS”), under which LLS has agreed to contribute up to $6.0 million in clinical development funding for STRO-001, the Company’s CD74-targeting ADC to treat relapsed and/or refractory multiple myeloma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The funding will be provided in installments based upon the achievement of funding milestones, with any excess funding above actual expenditures refundable to LLS. The initial payment of $0.5 million was received by the Company upon execution of the LLS Agreement. To date, the Company has received total payments from LLS of $1.0 million. In consideration for the funding to the Company under the LLS Agreement, the Company may be required in the future to make payments to LLS, contingent upon reaching certain pre-specified late-stage clinical development, regulatory and commercialization milestones and should the Company enter into certain transactions relating to STRO-001 with a third party, which payments in the aggregate could total up to a maximum of $19.5 million, assuming receipt by the Company from LLS of the entire $6.0 million in clinical development funding for STRO-001. As of December 31, 2020, no events have occurred that would require such payments to LLS. The LLS Agreement terminates upon the earlier of (a) fulfillment of all payment obligations by both parties or (b) 12 years after the effective date.  LLS may terminate the LLS Agreement at any time with 60 days’ prior written notice. Either the Company or LLS has the right to terminate the LLS Agreement based on the other party’s uncured material breach.

The Company concluded that the contingent payments were an embedded derivative and recorded a related liability of approximately $0.2 million and $0.1 million, respectively, as a part of other noncurrent liabilities as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, with the corresponding change in estimated fair value recorded in the statements of operations as interest and other expense, net. The value of the embedded derivative was estimated based on the probability-adjusted and discounted value of future payments.