Note 8 - Commitments and Contingencies

Litigations, Claims and Assessments

The Company may be involved in legal proceedings, claims and assessments arising in the ordinary course of business. Such matters are subject to many uncertainties, and outcomes are not predictable with assurance. There are no such loss contingencies that are included in the financial statements as of December 31, 2015.

Licensing Agreements

The Company is a party to an Exclusive License Agreement (the “2011 Exclusive Agreement”) with The Regents of the University of California (“The Regents”) whereby The Regents granted to the Company an exclusive license for the use of certain patents. The 2011 Exclusive Agreement remains in effect for the life of the last-to-expire patent or last to be abandoned patent application, whichever is later. The Company agreed to pay the licensors specified development milestone payments aggregating up to $765,000 for the first product sold under the license. Milestone payments for additional products developed and sold under the license are reduced by 50%. The Company is also required to pay annual maintenance fees to the licensors. Aggregate maintenance fees for the first five years following execution of the agreement are $80,000. Thereafter, the Company is required to pay maintenance fees of $50,000 annually until the first sale of a licensed product. In addition, for the duration of the 2011 Exclusive Agreement, the Company is required to pay the licensors royalties equal to 2% of its worldwide net sales of drugs, therapies or other products developed from claims covered by the licensed patents, subject to a minimum royalty payment of $75,000 annually, beginning after the first commercial sale of a licensed product. The Company is required to pay royalties ranging from 8% of worldwide sublicense sales of covered products (if the sublicense is entered after commencement of phase II clinical trials to 12% of worldwide sublicense sales (if the sublicense is entered prior to commencement of phase I clinical trials). The agreement also requires the Company to meet certain diligence and development milestones, including filing of an Investigational New Drug (“IND”) Application for a product covered by the agreement on or before the seventh anniversary of the agreement date. Through December 31, 2015, no royalties have been incurred under the agreement. All maintenance fees due and payable as of that date have been paid.

Effective August 6, 2013, the Company entered into an Exclusive License Agreement (the “2013 Exclusive Agreement”) with The Regents whereby The Regents granted to the Company an exclusive license for the use of certain other patents.  The 2013 Exclusive Agreement remains in effect for the life of the last-to-expire patent or last to be abandoned patent application, whichever is later. The Company paid Regents an initial license issue fee of $10,000 for these other patents, which was charged to General and Administrative expense, as incurred. The Company is also required to pay annual maintenance fees to the licensors. Aggregate maintenance fees for the first three years following execution of the agreement are $7,500. Thereafter, the Company is required to pay maintenance fees of $5,000 annually until the first sale of a licensed product. The Company agreed to pay The Regents specified development milestone payments aggregating up to $765,000 for the first product sold under the 2013 Exclusive Agreement. Milestone payments for additional products developed and sold under the 2013 Exclusive Agreement are reduced by 50%. In addition, for the duration of the 2013 Exclusive Agreement, the Company is required to pay The Regents royalties equal to 2% of the Company’s worldwide net sales of drugs, therapies or other products developed from claims covered by the licensed patent, subject to a minimum royalty payment of $75,000 annually, beginning after the first commercial sale of a licensed product. The Company is required to pay The Regents royalties ranging from 8% of worldwide sublicense sales of covered products (if the sublicense is entered after commencement of phase II clinical trials to 12% of worldwide sublicense sales (if the sublicense is entered prior to commencement of phase I clinical trials). The agreement also requires the Company to meet certain diligence and development milestones, including filing of an IND Application for a product covered by the agreement on or before the seventh anniversary of the agreement date.  Through December 31, 2015, no royalties have been incurred under the agreement. All maintenance fees due and payable as of that date have been paid.

Operating Lease

In February 2015, the Company entered into a lease agreement for a new and expanded laboratory facility. The laboratory space is leased on a month-to month basis and is part of a shared facility in Menlo Park, California. The Company also terminated a previous month-to-month lease for the laboratory space in Pasadena, California effective March 31, 2015.

Rent expense amounted to $107,385 and $21,600 for the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively.