8. Commitments and Contingencies

Operating Lease

The Company leases office space on a month-to-month basis. The rent expense for the three months ended September 30, 2022 and 2021 was less than $0.1 million and less than $0.1 million, respectively, and for the nine months ended September 30, 2022 and 2021 was less than $0.1 million and $0.1 million, respectively.

Sponsored Research Agreement with National Jewish Health

On February 8, 2021, the Company entered into a Sponsored Research Agreement (“Research Agreement”) with National Jewish Health (“NJ Health”), a Colorado not-for-profit institution. Under the terms of the Research Agreement, the Company agreed to sponsor a research study at NJ Health relating to the impact of the Company’s' Aviptadil on propagation of SARS-CoV-2 in alveolar type II cells in vitro (the “Study”). In return for performance of the Study under the Research Agreement, the Company has committed to pay NJ Health approximately $0.4 million upon finalization of the work. As of September 30, 2022, the Company has paid NJ Health $0.3 million of the total committed amount.

Relief Therapeutics Collaboration Agreement

On September 18, 2020, the Company entered into a collaboration agreement (the “Collaboration Agreement”) with Relief Therapeutics for the clinical development and, if approved, the sale of Aviptadil. The Collaboration Agreement provides for funding by Relief Therapeutics of certain clinical trials, formulation and manufacturing of Aviptadil, as well as establishing specified sales territories for each party and share of the profits in those territories for “Product” as defined in the Collaboration Agreement. On October 6, 2021, Relief Therapeutics filed a lawsuit against the Company and its former CEO claiming that the Company failed to honor its obligations under the Collaboration Agreement, which was followed by a counter claim from the Company for breach and repudiation of the Collaboration Agreement by Relief Therapeutics.  

On November 12, 2022, the Company and Relief Therapeutics entered into a Settlement Agreement and an Asset Purchase Agreement (“APA”), which are intended to resolve the parties’ claims. The parties have thirty (30) days to implement the terms of the Settlement Agreement and APA and achieve closing.  Upon closing, the parties will dismiss their respective claims.  Please See Section 14 - Subsequent Events for a description of the settlement arrangements.

Legal Proceedings

From time to time the Company is involved in litigation, claims, and other proceedings arising in the ordinary course of business. Litigation and other disputes are inherently unpredictable and subject to substantial uncertainties and unfavorable resolutions could occur.

Share Subscription Facility Agreement — GEM

NeuroRx previously entered into a share subscription facility agreement (“GEM Agreement”) with GEM Global Yield LLC SCS and GEM Yield Bahamas Limited (collectively, referred to as “GEM”) with a three-year term which expired in October 2022. Subject to the successful listing of the shares of NeuroRx on an Exchange (any nationally recognized stock exchange or exchange platform in the world on which the Company will list its shares), GEM grants NeuroRx an option to require GEM to subscribe for shares from the Company for up to an aggregate value of approximately $95.6 million. The agreement also included certain provisions which would not meet the U.S. requirements to issue registered shares thus preventing its usage. If NeuroRx was listed or completes a private transaction which results in a change of control of the Company, NeuroRx would issue GEM a warrant and pay a commitment fee of $1.9 million. Absent a listing of NeuroRx shares or a private transaction with a change of control during the three-year term, NeuroRx would have no obligations under the agreement. The reverse merger contemplated by the Merger Agreement would not have resulted in a listing of NeuroRx shares or a change in control.

In November 2020, GEM introduced NeuroRx to BRPA. To resolve uncertainties around the application of the GEM Agreement post-Merger, NeuroRx and GEM agreed in March 2021 to issue a warrant to GEM and for the parties to use their good faith efforts to amend the GEM Agreement to meet U.S. requirements to issue registered shares. The warrant was not conditional upon any further events or completion of the merger.

The warrant was issued March 28, 2021, for 3,329,812 shares of NeuroRx common stock at an exercise price of $3.19 per share (the “GEM Warrant”) and the parties agreed that GEM would immediately partially exercise the warrant for the purchase of 1,496,216 shares (“Initial Exercised Shares”) for $7.5 million. The GEM Warrant will be valid for a period of three years from the date NeuroRx’s stock is listed for trading on a national securities exchange or consummation of a reverse merger transaction of the type contemplated by the Merger Agreement.

As of December 31, 2020, the Company recognized a contingent liability for its obligation to issue to GEM certain equity instruments at a discounted per share price. Specifically, as the amount was deemed probable and estimable at December 31, 2020, NeuroRx recorded a liability and settlement expense of $39.5 million to reflect the fair value of the expected GEM Warrant to be issued. On March 28, 2021, when the GEM Warrant was issued, the Company recorded an additional charge of $21.4 million to reflect the increased fair value of the GEM Warrant on its grant date.  Upon issuance, the GEM Warrant was equity classified and was determined to be within the scope of ASC 718, Share-Based Payments (“ASC 718”).

NeuroRx was required to register the Initial Exercised Shares on (a) the same registration statement on Form S-4 (or such other registration statement, if changed) in connection with the Merger, or (b) such other registration statement in connection with any other transaction which results in a public listing of NeuroRx. In addition, no later than 90 days following the consummation of the Big Rock merger, the Company was required to file with the SEC a registration statement to register under the Securities Act the resale by GEM of all shares issuable under the GEM Warrant other than the Initial Exercised Shares, which was filed with the Company's S-1 in July 2021. The GEM Warrant also includes “piggyback” registration rights.

The GEM Warrants that were not exercised as of the Merger were modified and became Substitute Warrants (1,833,596 shares, adjusted for the Merger as discussed in Note 11). These Substitute Warrants were liability classified (see Note 9).   The changes in fair value of these Substitute Warrants were recognized as a gain or loss in the statement of operations until these Substitute Warrants were exercised in July 2021, at which time they were reclassified to additional paid-in capital.

On August 12, 2022, the Company received a demand for arbitration (the “Demand”) from GEM.  The Demand claims that the Company’s subsidiary, NeuroRx, failed to satisfy its obligation to pay GEM a commitment fee in the amount of HK$15.0 million (approximately US$1.9 million at current exchange rates) pursuant to the GEM Agreement.  NeuroRx expects to vigorously defend its position that payment of the commitment fee is neither due nor owing under the terms of the Agreement.

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