Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Contingent Liabilities

v3.8.0.1
Contingent Liabilities
3 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2017
Contingent Liabilities [Abstract]  
Contingent Liabilities

Note 10 - Contingent Liabilities



The testing, manufacturing and marketing of consumer products by the Company entail an inherent risk that product liability claims will be asserted against the Company.  The Company maintains product liability insurance coverage for claims arising from the use of its products.  The coverage amount is currently $10 million.



Litigation



In connection with the APP Acquisition, two purported derivative and class action lawsuits were filed against the Company in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois, which were captioned Glotzer v. The Female Health Company, et al., Case No. 2016-CH-13815, and Schartz v. Parrish, et al., Case No. 2016-CH-14488.  On January 9, 2017 these two lawsuits were consolidated.  On March 31, 2017, the plaintiffs filed a consolidated complaint.  The consolidated complaint named as defendants Veru, the members of our board of directors prior to the closing of the APP Acquisition and the members of our board of directors after the closing of the APP Acquisition.  The consolidated complaint alleges, among other things, that our directors breached their fiduciary duties, or aided and abetted such breaches, by consummating the APP Acquisition in violation of the Wisconsin Business Corporation Law and NASDAQ voting requirements and by causing us to issue the shares of our common stock and Series 4 Preferred Stock to the former stockholders of APP pursuant to the APP Acquisition in order to evade the voting requirements of the Wisconsin Business Corporation Law. The consolidated complaint also alleges that Mitchell S. Steiner, a director and the President and Chief Executive Officer of Veru and a co-founder of APP, and Harry Fisch, a director of Veru and a co-founder of APP, were unjustly enriched in receiving shares of our common stock and Series 4 Preferred Stock in the APP Acquisition.  Based on these allegations, the consolidated complaint seeks equitable relief, including rescission of the APP Acquisition, money damages, disgorgement of the shares of our common stock and Series 4 Preferred Stock issued to Dr. Steiner and Dr. Fisch, and costs and expenses of the litigation, including attorneys' fees.  On May 5, 2017, the defendants filed a motion to dismiss the consolidated complaint.  On August 15, 2017, the court entered an order dismissing without prejudice the claims that the post-acquisition directors aided and abetted the alleged breaches of fiduciary duties by the pre-acquisition directors and that Dr. Steiner and Dr. Fisch were unjustly enriched.  The court did not dismiss the claims that the pre-acquisition directors breached their fiduciary duties and the claims that Veru consummated the APP Acquisition in violation of the Wisconsin Business Corporation Law and NASDAQ voting requirements, and the action is continuing as to those claims.  Veru believes that this action is without merit and is vigorously defending itself.  No amount has been accrued for possible losses relating to this litigation as any such losses are not both probable and reasonably estimable.



License and Purchase Agreements



From time to time, we license or purchase rights to technology or intellectual property from third parties. These licenses and purchase agreements require us to pay upfront payments as well as development or other payments upon successful completion of preclinical, clinical, regulatory or revenue milestones. In addition, these agreements may require us to pay royalties on sales of products arising from the licensed or acquired technology or intellectual property. Because the achievement of these milestones is not reasonably estimable, we have not recorded a liability in the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements for any of these contingencies.



In connection with the Company's acquisition of intellectual property rights associated with Solifenacin DRG and Tadalafil/Finasteride combination capsules in December 2017, the Company will be obligated to make upfront payments totaling $500,000 by March 2018, as well as future installment payments and milestone payments. The $500,000 is included in accrued expenses on the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2017.