Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Commitments and Contingencies

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Commitments and Contingencies
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2011
Commitments and Contingencies [Abstract]  
Commitments and Contingencies
11.
Commitments and Contingencies
 
Collaborative Agreements, Royalties and Milestone Payments

The Company is obligated to pay royalties, ranging generally from 1.5% to 14% of the selling price of the licensed component and up to 40% of any sublicense fees to various universities and other research institutions based on future sales or licensing of products that incorporate certain products and technologies developed by those institutions.

In addition, the Company has committed to make potential future “milestone” payments to third parties as part of licensing and development programs. Payments under these agreements become due and payable only upon the achievement of certain developmental, regulatory and/or commercial milestones. Because it is uncertain if and when these milestones will be achieved, such contingencies, aggregating up to $96 million (assuming one product per contract meets all milestones events) have not been recorded on the consolidated balance sheet. The Company is unable to determine precisely when and if payment obligations under the agreements will become due as these obligations are based on milestone events, the achievement of which is subject to a significant number of risks and uncertainties.
 
Leases

As of December 31, 2011, the Company leased administrative, research facilities, and office equipment under operating leases expiring on various dates through May 2014. These leases generally require the Company to pay taxes, insurance, maintenance and minimum lease payments.

The Company estimates future minimum lease commitments to be (in thousands):

   
Operating
 Leases
 
2012
    8,190  
2013
    3,522  
2014
    872  
Minimum lease payments
  $ 12,584  
 
Total rental expense, including other costs required under the Company's leases, was approximately $5.1 million, $5.1 million and $5.2 million for the years ended December 31, 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively. Rental expense based on leases allowing for escalated rent payments are recognized on a straight-line basis. The Company is required to restore certain of its leased property to certain conditions in place at the time of lease. The Company believes these costs will not be material to its operations.

As a result of the restructuring in the second quarter of 2009, the Company vacated one of its leased buildings. Effective December 2010, the Company entered into a sublease agreement for this building through May of 2014. For the year ended December 31, 2011, the Company recognized $0.1 million in sublease income under this agreement. The Company will receive future sublease income of $0.3 million under this agreement.

Legal Proceedings
 
On April 9, 2009, a complaint was filed in the Superior Court of Alameda County, California, in a lawsuit captioned Hedrick et al. v. Genentech, Inc. et al, Case No. 09-446158. The complaint asserts claims against Genentech, the Company and others for alleged strict liability for failure to warn, strict product liability, negligence, breach of warranty, fraudulent concealment, wrongful death and other claims based on injuries alleged to have occurred as a result of three individuals' treatment with RAPTIVA®. The complaint seeks unspecified compensatory and punitive damages. Since then, additional complaints have been filed in the same court, bringing the total number of filed cases to seventy seven.  The cases have been consolidated as a coordinated proceeding.  All of the complaints allege the same claims and seek the same types of damages based on injuries alleged to have occurred as a result of the plaintiffs' treatment with RAPTIVA®.  On January 31, 2011, the parties selected ten bellwether cases to prepare for trial.  On July 15, 2011, the Court dismissed with prejudice one of the bellwether cases, White v. Genentech, Inc., et al, Case No. RG-09-484026.  On September 8, 2011, the Court granted defendants' Motions for Summary Judgment in two bellwether cases, Guerrero (Case No. RG-10-518396) and Harwell (Case No. RG-09-464039), and dismissed both cases. On September 19, 2011, the Court sustained defendants' Demurrer to another case (Young, Case No. RG-11-569879) and dismissed the complaint.  On October 19, 2011, the Court granted defendants' Motion for Summary Judgment in another bellwether case, Krawiec v. Genentech, Inc., et al., Case No. RG10-524963, and dismissed the case.  On December 15, 2011, the Court granted defendants' Motions for Summary Judgment and dismissed these three bellwether cases:  Davidson (Case No. RG10-538635);  Hilditch (Case No. RG10-538642); and Ortiz (Case No. RG09-484075).  The first trial of a bellwether case (Johnson, Case No. RG10-494957) has been set for June 4, 2012.  The Company's agreement with Genentech provides for an indemnity of XOMA and payment of legal fees by Genentech which the Company believes is applicable to these matters. The Company believes the claims against it to be without merit and intends to defend against them vigorously.
 
On August 4, 2010, a petition was filed in the District Court of Dallas County, Texas in a case captioned McCall v. Genentech, Inc., et al., No. 10-09544.  The defendants filed a Notice of Removal to the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas on September 3, 2010.  The removed case is captioned McCall v. Genentech, Inc., et al., No. 3:10-cv-01747-B.  The petition asserts personal injury claims against Genentech, the Company, and others arising out of the plaintiff's treatment with RAPTIVA®.  The petition alleges claims based on negligence, strict liability, misrepresentation and suppression, conspiracy, and actual and constructive fraud.  The petition seeks compensatory damages and punitive damages in an unspecified amount.  On June 6, 2011, the Court dismissed plaintiff's claims of negligent misrepresentation, fraud, and conspiracy.  The Company's agreement with Genentech provides for an indemnity of XOMA and payment of legal fees by Genentech which the Company believes is applicable to this matter. The Company believes the claims against it to be without merit and intends to defend against them vigorously.  The Court has issued a scheduling order setting the case for trial between July 9 and August 9, 2012.
 
On January 7, 2011, a complaint was filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas in a case captioned Massa v. Genentech, Inc., et al., No. 4:11CV70.  On January 11, 2011, a complaint was filed in the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts in a case captioned Sylvia, et al. v. Genentech, Inc., et al., No. 1:11-cv-10054-MLW.  On June 13, 2011, a complaint was filed in the Supreme Court for the State of New York, Onondaga County.  Defendants removed the case to the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York on November 3, 2011.  These three complaints allege the same claims against Genentech, the Company and others and seek the same types of damages as the complaints filed in the Superior Court of Alameda County, California referenced above. The Company's agreement with Genentech provides for an indemnity of XOMA and payment of legal fees by Genentech which the Company believes is applicable to these matters. The Company believes the claims against it to be without merit and intends to defend against them vigorously.
 
On April 8, 2011, four complaints were filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.  The cases are captioned:  Muniz v. Genentech, et al., 5:11-cv-11489-JCO-RSW; Tifenthal v. Genentech, et al., 2:11-cv-11488-DPH-LJM; Blair v. Genentech, et al., 2:11-cv-11463-SFC-MJH; and Marsh v. Genentech, et al., 2:11-cv-11462-RHC-MKM.  The complaints allege the same claims against Genentech, the Company and others and seek the same types of damages as the complaints filed in the Superior Court of Alameda County, California referenced above.  All four cases were transferred to the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan.  On October 26, 2011, the Court granted the Motions to Dismiss filed by Genentech and the Company in all four actions.  On October 31, 2011, Plaintiffs filed a Notice of Appeal in each case in the United States Court of Appeal for the Sixth Circuit.  The Company's agreement with Genentech provides for an indemnity of XOMA and payment of legal fees by Genentech which the Company believes is applicable to this matter. The Company believes the claims against it to be without merit and intends to defend against them vigorously.