Note 8. Commitments and Contingencies

Commitments with Samsung BioLogics Co., Ltd. (“Samsung”)

In April 2019, the Company entered into several agreements with Samsung, pursuant to which Samsung agreed to perform technology transfer, process validation, manufacturing, pre-approval inspection, and supply services for the commercial supply of leronlimab bulk drug substance. In 2020, the Company entered into an additional agreement, pursuant to which Samsung agreed to perform technology transfer, process validation, vial filling, and storage services for clinical, pre-approval inspection, and commercial supply of leronlimab drug product. Under the agreements, Samsung is obligated to procure necessary raw materials for the Company and manufacture a specified minimum number of batches, and the Company is required to provide a rolling three-year forecast of future estimated manufacturing requirements to Samsung that are binding.

On January 6, 2022, Samsung provided written notice to the Company alleging that the Company had materially breached the parties’ Master Services and Project Specific Agreements (the “Samsung Agreements”) for failure to pay $13.5 million due on December 31, 2021. An additional $22.8 million became due under the agreements on January 31, 2022.

On November 21, 2023, Samsung informed the Company of Samsung’s intent to terminate the Samsung Agreements, effective January 5, 2024. As of the date of this filing, the parties remain in communication about the outstanding issues under the agreements and potential options moving forward with Samsung. Under the Samsung Agreements, Samsung may be entitled to terminate its services if the parties cannot agree on the past-due balance. The Company currently holds sufficient leronlimab to conduct its prospective clinical trial(s) in the short term. Management continues to be in contact with Samsung regarding potential approaches to resolve these issues. Samsung paused manufacturing for all unfulfilled commitments not needed by the Company starting in January 2022. Accordingly, the Company has not recorded any accruals associated with the unfulfilled commitments as of November 30, 2023. In the event negotiations are unsuccessful, the Company may have to accrue a liability related to the unfulfilled commitments.

As of November 30, 2023, the Company had past due balances of approximately $32.0 million due to Samsung, which were included in accounts payable.

As of November 30, 2023, the future commitments pursuant to these agreements were estimated as follows (in thousands):

​

​

Operating lease commitments

We lease our principal office location in Vancouver, Washington (the “Vancouver Lease”). The Vancouver Lease expires on April 30, 2026. Consistent with the guidance in ASC 842, Leases, we have recorded this lease in our consolidated balance sheet as an operating lease. For the purpose of determining the right of use asset and associated lease liability, we determined that the renewal of the Vancouver lease was not reasonably probable. The lease does not include any restrictions or covenants requiring special treatment under ASC 842, Leases. Operating lease costs for the three months ended November 30, 2023 and 2022 were $32.0 thousand and $46.4 thousand, respectively, and for the six months ended November 30, 2023 and 2022 were approximately $0.1 million and $0.1 million, respectively. Operating lease right-of-use assets are included in other non-current assets and the current portion of operating lease liabilities are included in accrued liabilities and compensation on the consolidated balance sheets. The long-term operating lease liabilities are presented separately as operating lease on the consolidated balance sheets. The following table summarizes the operating lease balances:

​

​

​

The minimum (base rental) lease payments are expected to be as follows as of November 30, 2023 (in thousands):

​

​

Supplemental information related to operating leases was as follows:

​

​

Distribution and licensing commitments

Refer to Note 10, Commitments and Contingencies, in the 2023 Form 10-K for additional information.

Legal proceedings

As of November 30, 2023, the Company did not record any accruals related to the outcomes of the legal matters described below. It may not be possible to determine the outcome of these proceedings, including the defense and other litigation-related costs and expenses that may be incurred by the Company, as the outcomes of legal proceedings are inherently uncertain. Therefore, it is possible that the ultimate outcome of any proceeding, if in excess of a recognized accrual, if any, could be material to the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

Securities Class Action Lawsuits

On March 17, 2021, a stockholder filed a putative class-action lawsuit (the “March 17, 2021 lawsuit”) in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington against the Company and certain former officers. The complaint generally alleges the defendants made false and misleading statements regarding the viability of leronlimab as a potential treatment for COVID-19. On April 9, 2021, a second stockholder filed a similar putative class action lawsuit in the same court, which the plaintiff voluntarily dismissed without prejudice on July 23, 2021. On August 9, 2021, the court appointed lead plaintiffs for the March 17, 2021 lawsuit. On December 21, 2021, lead plaintiffs filed an amended complaint, which is brought on behalf of an alleged class of those who purchased the Company’s common stock between March 27, 2020 and May 17, 2021. The amended complaint generally alleges that the defendants violated Sections 10(b) and/or 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder by making purportedly false or misleading statements concerning, among other things, the safety and efficacy of leronlimab as a potential treatment for COVID-19, the Company’s CD10 and CD12 clinical trials, and its HIV Biologic License Application (“BLA”). The amended complaint also alleges that the individual defendants violated Section 20A of the Exchange Act by selling shares of the Company’s common stock purportedly while in possession of material nonpublic information. The amended complaint seeks, among other relief, a ruling that the case may proceed as a class action and unspecified damages and attorneys’ fees and costs. On February 25, 2022, the defendants filed a motion to dismiss the amended complaint. On June 24, 2022, lead plaintiffs filed a second amended complaint. The second amended complaint is brought on behalf of an alleged class of those who purchased the Company’s common stock between March 27, 2020 and March 30, 2022, makes similar allegations, names the same defendants, and asserts the same claims as the prior complaint, adds a claim for alleged violation of Section 10(b) of the Exchange Act and Rule 10b-5(a) and (c) promulgated thereunder, and seeks the same relief as the prior complaint. All defendants have filed motions to dismiss the second amended complaint in whole or in part. The Company and the individual defendants deny all allegations of wrongdoing in the complaint and intend to vigorously defend the matter. Since this case is in an early stage where the number of plaintiffs is not known, and the claims do not specify an amount of damages, the Company is unable to predict the ultimate outcome of the lawsuit and cannot reasonably estimate the potential loss or range of loss the Company may incur.

2021 Shareholder Derivative Lawsuits

On June 4, 2021, a stockholder filed a purported derivative lawsuit against certain of the Company’s former officers and directors, and the Company as a nominal defendant, in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington. Two additional shareholder derivative lawsuits were filed against the same defendants in the same court on June 25, 2021 and August 18, 2021, respectively. The court has consolidated these three lawsuits for all purposes (“Consolidated Derivative Suit”). On January 20, 2022, the plaintiffs filed a consolidated complaint. The consolidated complaint generally alleges that the director defendants breached their fiduciary duties by allowing the Company to make false and misleading statements regarding, among other things, the safety and efficacy of leronlimab as a potential treatment for COVID-19, the Company’s CD10 and CD12 clinical trials and its HIV BLA, and by failing to maintain an adequate system of oversight and controls. The consolidated complaint also asserts claims against one or more individual defendants for waste of corporate assets, unjust enrichment, contribution for alleged violations of the federal securities laws, and for breach of fiduciary duty arising from alleged insider trading. The consolidated complaint seeks declaratory and equitable relief, an unspecified amount of damages, and attorneys’ fees and costs. The Company and the individual

defendants deny all allegations of wrongdoing in the complaints and intend to vigorously defend the litigation. In light of the fact that the Consolidated Derivative Suit is in an early stage and the claims do not specify an amount of damages, the Company cannot predict the ultimate outcome of the Consolidated Derivative Suit and cannot reasonably estimate the potential loss or range of loss the Company may incur.

Securities and Exchange Commission and Department of Justice Investigations

The Company has received subpoenas from the SEC and the United States Department of Justice (“DOJ”) requesting documents and information concerning, among other matters, leronlimab, the Company’s public statements regarding the use of leronlimab as a potential treatment for COVID-19, HIV, and triple-negative breast cancer, related communications with the FDA, investors, and others, litigation involving former employees, the Company’s retention of investor relations consultants, and trading in the Company’s securities. Certain former Company executives and directors have received subpoenas concerning similar issues and have been interviewed by the DOJ and SEC, including the Company’s former CEO, Nader Z. Pourhassan.

On January 24, 2022, Mr. Pourhassan was terminated and removed from the Board of Directors and has had no role at the Company since. On December 20, 2022, the DOJ announced the unsealing of a criminal indictment charging both Mr. Pourhassan, and Kazem Kazempour, CEO of Amarex, a subsidiary of NSF International, Inc., and which had formerly served as the Company’s contract research organization (“CRO”). Mr. Pourhassan was charged with one count of conspiracy, four counts of securities fraud, three counts of wire fraud, and three counts of insider trading. Mr. Kazempour was charged with one count of conspiracy, three counts of securities fraud, two counts of wire fraud, and one count of making a false statement. That same day, the SEC announced charges against both Mr. Pourhassan and Mr. Kazempour for alleged violations of federal securities laws.

The Company is committed to cooperating fully with the DOJ and SEC investigations, which are ongoing, and which the Company’s counsel frequently engages with them on. Further, the Company has made voluminous productions of information and made witnesses available for voluntary interviews. The Company will continue to comply with the requests of the SEC and DOJ. The Company cannot predict the ultimate outcome of the DOJ and SEC investigations or the case against Mr. Pourhassan, nor can it predict whether any other governmental authorities will initiate separate investigations or litigation. The investigations and any related legal and administrative proceedings could include a wide variety of outcomes, including the institution of administrative, civil injunctive, or criminal proceedings involving the Company and/or former executives and/or former directors in addition to Mr. Pourhassan, the imposition of fines and other penalties, remedies and/or sanctions, modifications to business practices and compliance programs, and/or referral to other governmental agencies for other appropriate actions. It is not possible to accurately predict at this time when matters relating to the investigations will be completed, the final outcome of the investigations, what additional actions, if any, may be taken by the DOJ or SEC or by other governmental agencies, or the effect that such actions may have on our business, prospects, operating results, and financial condition, which could be material.

The DOJ and SEC investigations, including any matters identified in the investigations and indictments, could also result in (1) third-party claims against the Company, which may include the assertion of claims for monetary damages, including but not limited to interest, fees, and expenses, (2) damage to the Company's business or reputation, (3) loss of, or adverse effect on, cash flow, assets, results of operations, business, prospects, profits, or business value, including the possibility of certain of the Company's existing contracts being cancelled, (4) adverse consequences on the Company's ability to obtain or continue financing for current or future projects, and/or (5) claims by directors, officers, employees, affiliates, advisors, attorneys, agents, debt holders or other interest holders, or constituents of the Company or its subsidiaries, any of which could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, prospects, operating results, and financial condition. Further, to the extent that these investigations and any resulting third-party claims yield adverse results over time, such results could jeopardize the Company's operations, exhaust its cash reserves, and could cause stockholders to lose their entire investment.

Amarex Dispute

On October 4, 2021, the Company filed a complaint for declaratory and injunctive relief and a motion for a preliminary injunction against NSF International, Inc. and its subsidiary Amarex, the Company’s former CRO. Over the

past eight years, Amarex provided clinical trial management services to the Company and managed numerous clinical studies of the Company’s drug product candidate, leronlimab. On December 16, 2021, the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland issued a preliminary injunction requiring Amarex to provide the Company with access to all of its materials in the possession of Amarex. The court also granted CytoDyn the right to conduct an audit of Amarex’s work for CytoDyn. That case has been administratively closed. The Company simultaneously filed a demand for arbitration with the American Arbitration Association. In response, Amarex filed a counterclaim alleging that CytoDyn has failed to pay certain invoices due under the contract between the parties.

On July 10, 2023, the Company filed a Statement of Particulars and requested a final hearing date be set in the proceeding against Amarex. The Statement of Particulars alleges that Amarex failed to perform services to an acceptable professional standard and failed to perform certain services required by the parties’ agreements. Further, the Statement of Particulars alleges that Amarex billed the Company for services it did not perform. The Company contends that, due to Amarex’s failures, it has suffered avoidable delays in obtaining regulatory approval of leronlimab and has paid for services not performed, among other damages. As the formal arbitration process is still at an early stage, the Company cannot predict the ultimate outcome of the lawsuit and cannot reasonably estimate the potential loss or range of loss that the Company may incur.

Following a formal scheduling request by the Company, the final arbitration hearing was recently ordered to commence on August 19, 2024, and the parties are now in the discovery phase of the litigation.