8. Commitments and contingencies

Legal Proceedings

From time to time, the Company is a party to various lawsuits, claims, and other legal proceedings that arise in the ordinary course of its business. While the outcomes of these matters are uncertain, management does not expect that the ultimate costs to resolve these matters will have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial position, results of operations, or cash flows.

License Agreements

The Company has entered into a Discovery Collaboration Agreement (the “Collaboration Agreement”) with XOMA (US) LLC (“XOMA”), pursuant to which XOMA granted to Sonnet a non-exclusive, non-transferrable license and/or right to use certain materials, technologies and related information related to discovery, optimization and development of antibodies and related proteins and to develop and commercialize products thereunder. Sonnet is obligated to make contingent milestone payments to XOMA totaling $3.8 million on a product-by-product basis upon the achievement of certain development and approval milestones related to a product. Sonnet has also agreed to pay XOMA low single-digit royalties on net sales of products sold by Sonnet. Royalties on each product are payable on a country-by-country basis until the later of (i) a specified period of time after the first commercial sale, and (ii) the date of expiration of the last valid claim in the last-to-expire of the issued patents covered by the Collaboration Agreement.

The Company has entered into a License Agreement (the “ARES License Agreement”) with Ares Trading, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Merck KGaA (“ARES”). Under the terms of the ARES License Agreement, ARES has granted the Company a sublicensable, exclusive, worldwide, royalty-bearing license on proprietary patents to research, develop, use and commercialize products using atexakin alfa (“Atexakin”), a low dose formulation of human interleukin-6 in peripheral neuropathies and vascular complications. Pursuant to the ARES License Agreement, the Company will pay ARES high single-digit royalties on net sales of products sold by the Company. Royalties are payable on a product-by-product and country-by-country basis until the later of (i) a specified period of time after the first commercial sale in such country, and (ii) the last date on which such product is covered by a valid claim in such country.

Employment Agreements

The Company has entered into employment contracts with its officers and certain employees that provide for severance and continuation of benefits in the event of termination of employment either by the Company without cause or by the employee for good reason, both as defined in the contract. In addition, in the event of termination of employment following a change in control, as defined, either by the Company without cause or by the employee for good reason, any unvested portion of the employee’s initial stock option grant becomes immediately vested.