Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

INVESTMENTS

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INVESTMENTS
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2024
Investments [Abstract]  
INVESTMENTS

NOTE 5 — INVESTMENTS

Investment in convertible bond - On September 28, 2020, the Company entered into a convertible bond purchase agreement pursuant to which it purchased at face value a convertible bond of Telcon in the principal amount of approximately $26.1 million which matures on October 16, 2030 and bears interest at the rate of 2.1% per year, payable quarterly. Beginning October 16, 2021, the Company became entitled on a quarterly basis to call for early redemption of all or any portion of the principal amount of the convertible bond. The convertible bond is convertible at the holder’s option at any time and from time to time into common shares of Telcon at an initial conversion price of KRW9,232, or approximately $8.00 per share. The initial conversion price is subject to downward adjustment monthly based on the volume-weighted average market price of Telcon shares as reported on Korean Securities Dealers Automated Quotations Market and in the event of the issuance of Telcon shares or share equivalents at a price below the market price of Telcon shares and to customary antidilution adjustments upon a merger or similar reorganization of Telcon or a stock split, reverse stock split, stock dividend or similar event. As of June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, the principal amount of the convertible note was KRW20.1 billion and KRW 23.6 billion, or approximately $14.7 million and $18.2 million, respectively. The conversion price as of June 30, 2024 is set forth in the “Investment in convertible bond” table below. The convertible bond and any proceeds therefrom, including proceeds from any exercise of the early redemption right described above or the call option described

below, are pledged as collateral to secure the Company’s obligations under the revised API Supply Agreement with Telcon described in Notes 6 and 11.

Concurrent with the purchase of the convertible bond, the Company entered into an agreement dated September 28, 2020 with Telcon pursuant to which Telcon or its designee is entitled to repurchase, at par, up to 50% in principal amount of the convertible bond at any time and from time to time commencing October 16, 2021 and prior to maturity.

The investment in convertible bond is classified as an available for sale security and remeasured at fair value on a recurring basis using Level 3 inputs, with any changes in the fair value option recorded in other comprehensive loss. The fair value and any changes in fair value in the convertible bond is determined using a binominal lattice model. The model produces an estimated fair value based on changes in the price of the underlying common stock over successive periods of time.

 

The revised API agreement with Telcon described in Note 6 provides for target annual revenue of more than $5 million and annual “profit” (i.e., sales margin) to Telcon of $2.5 million. To the extent these targets are not met, which management refers to as a “target shortfall,” Telcon may be entitled to payment of the target shortfall or to settle the target shortfall by exchange of principal and interest on the Telcon convertible bond and proceeds thereof that are pledged as a collateral to secure the Company’s obligations under the API Supply Agreement and the revised API Agreement.

 

In April 2023, Telcon offset KRW2.9 billion, or approximately $2.2 million, against the principal amount of the Telcon convertible bond and release of KRW307 million, or approximately $236,000, in cash proceeds to Telcon in satisfaction the target shortfall for the year ended 2022. The offset is reflected as a sale of the convertible bond in the “Investment in convertible bond” table below. As a result, the Company realized a net gain on investment in convertible bond of $106,000, which previously was classified as unrealized loss on debt securities available-for-sale in the other comprehensive loss.

 

In April 2024, Telcon offset KRW3.5 billion, or approximately $2.5 million, against the principal amount of the Telcon convertible bond and we released KRW893 million, or approximately $640,000, in cash proceeds to Telcon in satisfaction the target shortfall for the year ended 2023. As a result, the Company realized a net loss on investment in convertible bond of $347,000, which previously was classified as unrealized gain on debt securities available-for-sale in the other comprehensive loss.

The following table sets forth the fair value and changes in fair value of the investment in the Telcon convertible bond as of June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023 (in thousands):

 

Investment in convertible bond

 

June 30, 2024

 

 

December 31, 2023

 

Balance, beginning of period

 

$

20,978

 

 

$

19,971

 

Sales of convertible bond

 

 

(2,508

)

 

 

(2,232

)

Net gain (loss) on investment on convertible bond

 

 

(347

)

 

 

106

 

Change in fair value included in the statement of other comprehensive income

 

 

(3,461

)

 

 

3,133

 

Balance, end of period

 

$

14,662

 

 

$

20,978

 

The fair value as of June 30, 2023 and December 31, 2023 was based upon following assumptions:

 

 

June 30, 2024

 

 

December 31, 2023

 

Principal outstanding (South Korean won)

 

KRW 20.1 billion

 

 

KRW 23.6 billion

 

Stock price

 

KRW727

 

 

KRW 873

 

Expected life (in years)

 

 

6.29

 

 

 

6.79

 

Selected yield

 

 

14.50

%

 

 

12.25

%

Expected volatility (Telcon common stock)

 

 

65.60

%

 

 

71.90

%

Risk-free interest rate (South Korea government bond)

 

 

3.22

%

 

 

3.16

%

Expected dividend yield

 

 

 

 

 

 

Conversion price

 

KRW705(US$0.51)

 

 

KRW705(US$0.54)

 

Equity method investment – In 2018, the Company and Japan Industrial Partners, Inc., or JIP, formed EJ Holdings, Inc., or EJ Holdings, to acquire, own and operate a former amino acids manufacturing facility in Ube, Japan. In connection with the formation, the Company invested approximately $32,000 in exchange for 40% of EJ Holdings' capital shares. JIP owned 60% of EJ Holdings' capital shares. In October 2018, the Company entered into a loan agreement with EJ Holdings under which the Company made an unsecured loan to EJ Holdings in the amount of $13.6 million bearing interest at the rate of 1%, payable annually. The loan proceeds were used by EJ Holdings to purchase the Ube facility in December 2019 and pay related taxes. One half of the principal amount of the loan (JPY 1,818,667,860) becomes due and payable on December 28, 2027 and the remaining principal balance become

due on September 30, 2028. During the year ended December 31, 2023, the Company made additional loans to EJ Holdings of $2.6 million. The Company suspended any further loans to EJ Holdings in August 2023.

EJ Holdings is engaged in seeking to refurbish and phase in the Ube facility with objective of eventually obtaining regulatory clearance for the manufacture of PGLG in accordance with cGMP. EJ Holdings has had no substantial revenues since its inception, has depended on loans from the Company to acquire the Ube facility and fund its operations and will be dependent on loans from other financing unless and until its plant is activated and it can secure customers for its products. There is no assurance that needed funding will be available from other sources. If EJ Holdings fails to obtain needed funding, it may need to suspend activities at the Ube plant. Under the asset purchase agreement by which EJ Holdings purchased the Ube plant, the seller has the right to repurchase the plant at the purchase price, plus certain taxes, paid by EJ Holdings if the plant does not become operational within a reasonable period of time not to exceed five years, or approximately the end of 2024. In such event, it is likely that EJ Holdings would be unable to pay some or all the Company's loans.

 

On December 28, 2023, the Company sold and assigned its EJ Holdings shares at their cost of JPY3.6 million or US$25,304 to Niihara International, Inc., which was formed by Yutaka Niihara, M.D., Ph. D., the former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Company and a principal stockholder of the Company. In connection with the sale and assignment, the Company derecognized its investment in EJ Holdings, including $1.5 million of currency translation adjustments recorded in other comprehensive loss. As of June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, the loan receivable from EJ Holdings was $25.8 million. The net loan receivable from EJ Holdings was $16.9 million as reflected in net loan receivable from EJ Holdings as contra-equity on the condensed consolidated balance sheets.