Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Significant Vendors

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Significant Vendors
9 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2020
Significant Vendors  
Significant Vendors

8.   Significant Vendors

Novici Biotech, LLC

In January 2012, the Company entered into an agreement with Novici Biotech, LLC (“Novici”) in which iBio’s President is a minority stockholder. Novici performs laboratory feasibility analyses of gene expression, protein purification and preparation of research samples. In addition, the Company and Novici collaborate on the development of new technologies and product candidates for exclusive worldwide commercial use by the Company. The accounts payable balance includes amounts due to Novici of approximately $0 and $65,000 at March 31, 2020 and June 30, 2019, respectively. Research and development expenses related to Novici were approximately $0 and $217,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively, and $97,000 and $761,000 for the nine months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively.

Fraunhofer

Previously, Fraunhofer had been the Company’s most significant vendor solely on the basis of the three-party Yellow Fever vaccine development program among Fiocruz/Bio-Manguinhos, the Company, and Fraunhofer (described in greater detail below) but expenses have decreased due to changes and a decrease in technology services performed pursuant to the agreement with Fiocruz. The accounts payable balance under this three-party agreement includes amounts due Fraunhofer of approximately $75,000 as of both March 13, 2020 and June 30, 2019. See Note 16 – Commitments and Contingencies.

On January 4, 2011, the Company entered into the Collaboration and License Agreement (the "CLA") which is a three-party agreement involving the Company, Fraunhofer and Fiocruz, a public entity, member of the Indirect Federal Public Administration and linked to the Health Ministry of Brazil, acting through its unit Bio-Manguinhos. The CLA provides for the development of a yellow fever vaccine to be manufactured and distributed within Latin America and Africa by Fiocruz. The CLA was supplemented by a bilateral agreement between iBio and Fraunhofer dated December 27, 2010, in which the Company engaged Fraunhofer as a contractor to provide the research and development services (both, together, the "Agreement"). The services are billed to Fiocruz at Fraunhofer’s cost, so the Company’s revenue is equivalent to expense and there is no profit.

On June 12, 2014, Fiocruz, Fraunhofer and iBio executed an amendment to the CLA (the "Amended Agreement") which provides for revised research and development, work plans, reporting, objectives, estimated budget, and project billing process. iBio and Fiocruz are currently evaluating plans for further collaboration without prospective reliance on older Fraunhofer-derived technology and data.

In September 2013, the Company and Fraunhofer completed the Terms of Settlement for the TTA Seventh Amendment (the "Settlement Agreement"). Under the terms of the Settlement Agreement, various contractual obligations existing at June 30, 2013 were released, terminated or modified. See Note 16 - Commitments and Contingencies for significant modifications.

On March 17, 2015, the Company filed a Verified Complaint in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware against Fraunhofer and Vidadi Yusibov, Fraunhofer’s Executive Director. On November 3, 2017, the Company filed a Verified Complaint (the “Second Complaint”) in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware against Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, the European unit of Fraunhofer. The Second Complaint followed iBio’s pending litigation filed in March 2015 against Fraunhofer USA, Inc., the U.S. unit of Fraunhofer, and the dismissal of the Second Complaint has no effect on the action against the U.S. unit of Fraunhofer.

The complaint against Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft was dismissed by the Delaware Chancery Court on December 14, 2018 as untimely filed. The dismissal of this action has no effect on the action against the U.S. unit of Fraunhofer. On January 6, 2020, the Company filed a motion in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware to initiate new litigation against Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft through an amendment to its Verified Amended Complaint.  The motion asserts that new evidence reveals that Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft exercised complete dominion and control over its US subsidiary to wrongfully access and direct use of iBio’s intellectual property on many occasions with new and different third parties.  The motion to amend is pending and has not been ruled on by the Court of Chancery. The Company is unable to predict the outcome of this action at this time. See Lawsuits under Note 16 - Commitments and Contingencies for additional information.