Exhibit 10.63
RESEARCH COLLABORATION AGREEMENT
— INVENTIONS AND MATERIALS
—
This Agreement, effective as of
September 21, 2005 (the “Effective Date”), is between
the University of Massachusetts Lowell (“UML” or
“Institution”), a public institution of higher
education of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and MFIC
Corporation, a Delaware corporation
(“Sponsor”),
WHEREAS: UML has identified
Sponsor’s proprietary Microfluidizer® processor and
Microfluidizer® Mixer/Reactor technology as a potentially
important sizing and reaction process component to its
nanomanufacturing initiative,
WHEREAS: UML desires to evaluate
this premise via research and development using Microfluidizer
equipment,
WHEREAS: MIFC desires to evaluate
their Microfluidizer® materials processor and
Microfluidizer® Mixer/Reactor technologies for
nanomanufacturing opportunities,
THEN: Institution and Sponsor
hereby agree to this Research Collaboration Agreement as defined by
the following terms:
1. Definitions .
1.1.
“ Confidential
Information ” means confidential or proprietary
information furnished by one party (the “Disclosing
Party”) to the other party (the “Receiving
Party”) in connection with the performance of the Research
Project, provided that the information is specifically designated
as confidential. Confidential Information includes, without
limitation, trade secrets, know-how, inventions, technical data or
specifications, testing methods, and research and development
activities.1.2. “ Indemnitees ” means
either Institution and its trustees, officers, faculty, students,
employees, and agents and their respective successors, heirs and
assigns of Sponsor and its directors, officers, employees, and
agents and their respective successors, heirs and
assigns.
1.3.
“ Inventions ”
means any potentially patentable or copyrightable innovation based
on the Research Results, which is conceived during the term of this
Agreement by employees of Institution or Sponsor.
1.4.
“ Materials ”
means any tangible materials, including recorded data, writings,
etc.
1.5.
“ Patent Rights ”
means all United States and foreign patent applications claiming an
Invention, including any divisional, continuation,
continuation-in-part (to the extent that the
claims are directed to an Invention), and
foreign equivalents thereof, as well as any patents issued thereon
or reissues or reexaminations thereof. “ Institution
Patent Rights ” means Patent Rights claiming Inventions
that are conceived or reduced to practice solely by employees of
Institution or by employees of Sponsor utilizing Institution
facilities, as determined under the patent laws of the United
States, and assigned to Institution. “ Joint Patent
Rights ” means Patent Rights claiming Inventions that are
conceived or reduced to practice jointly by employees of
Institution and employees of Sponsor, as determined under the
patent laws of the United States, and assigned to institution or
Sponsor.
1.6.
“ Principal
Investigator ” means an employee of Institution who has
primary responsibility for the performance of the Research Project.
The Principal Investigator is identified in Section 2.1
below.
1.7.
“ Proprietary Materials
” means any proprietary Materials other than Project
Materials that are furnished by one party (the
“Supplier”) to the other party (the
“Recipient”) in connection with performance of the
Research Project.
1.8.
“ Research Project
” means the activities described on Exhibit A
(“Description of Research Project”), which Institution
agrees to perform under the terms and conditions of this
Agreement.
1.9.
“ Research Results
” means all data, test results, laboratory notes, techniques,
know-how, and any other information obtained in the performance of
the Research Project. The term “Research Results” does
not include Project Materials, patentable inventions, copyrighted
or copyrightable works, trademarks or service marks, or other
intellectual property based on the Research Results. As a matter of
policy, Institution ordinarily will not assert trade secret
protection for Research Results.
1.10. “ Technical Representative ”
means an individual designated by Sponsor as its principal contact
for consultation and communications with Institution and the
Principal Investigator. The Technical Representative is identified
in Section 2.1 below.
2. Performance of Research Project
.
2.1.
Principal Investigator and
Technical Representative . Dr. Robert Nicolosi, who shall serve as
the Project Manager, will have overall responsibility for the
Research Project and will be one of the three faculty
representatives that serve on the Advisory Committee. The Principal
Investigator shall be Dr. Julie Chen, Director – UML
Nanomanufacturing Center. She will manage the interaction required
to identify specific research initiatives recommended by the
Advisory Committee to be set up under this agreement. This Advisory
Committee will be composed of Dr. Chen, Dr. Nicolosi and
one other faculty representative and two Technical Representatives
of Sponsor. When a project is identified, Dr. Chen will
recommend a specific Principal Investigator for that project. If
Dr. Chen ceases to serve as Principal Investigator for any
reason, Institution will promptly notify Sponsor and Institution
and Sponsor shall use good faith efforts to identify a mutually
acceptable replacement within sixty (60) days. If a suitable
replacement Principal Investigator cannot be identified within the
sixty-day period, Sponsor may
terminate this Agreement as provided in
Section 6.2. The Sponsor may change its Technical
Representative upon thirty (30) days written notice to
Institution.
2.2.
Performance of Research
Project . Institution
shall use reasonable efforts to complete the Research Project;
however, Institution makes no warranties regarding the completion
of the Research Project or the achievement of any particular
results. The Technical Representative may consult informally
with the Principal Investigator, both in person and by telephone,
regarding the performance of the Research Project. The Institution
shall provide the Technical Representative reasonable access to
Institution facilities where the Research Project is being
conducted.
2.3
Records, Materials, and
Reports . The Project
Manager shall prepare and maintain records containing all Research
Results, including laboratory notebooks maintained in accordance
with customary academic practice. During the term of this
Agreement, at his/her convenience, the Principal Investigator shall
provide the Technical Representative reasonable access to research
records, and the Project Manager shall furnish Sponsor, upon
request, reasonable amounts of any Project Materials, subject to
availability. Within ninety (90) days after the expiration or
termination of this Agreement, the Principal Investigator shall
deliver to sponsor a final report describing all significant
Research Results in reasonable detail. However, the Principal
Investigator may extend this ninety-day deadline for a period
of up to an additional thirty (30) days with the consent of
Sponsor, which consent shall not be unreasonably
withheld.
3. Responsibilities of Sponsor
.
3.1.
Contributions to Research
Project . Sponsor shall
contribute to the Research Project the support, equipment,
personnel, technology, and other resources listed on
Exhibit B (“Sponsor Contributions”).
Sponsor may also furnish Institution and the Principal
Investigator with certain Confidential Information or Proprietary
Materials, which shall remain the property of Sponsor. Institution
and the Principal Investigator reserve the right to refuse to
accept any Confidential Information or Proprietary Materials
offered by Sponsor. Exhibit C (“Sponsor Value
Contribution to the Research Collaboration Agreement”)
provides an estimated value of $545,000 as Sponsor’s
contribution to this collaboration.
3.2.
Consideration to
Institution . The primary
consideration is related to access to the Microfluidizer
technologies for purposes of evaluation in UML’s
Nanomanufacturing program directed towards new product applications
and formulations.
In addition, for each project
approved by the Advisory Committee, MFIC will bear the first $3,000
for each discrete project. Any additional monies required for the
project will be provided by UML if the monies are available. A
Project will proceed only if the Scope of Work, appropriate joint
UML and MFIC personnel, a budget, and funds are
available.
4. Confidential Information: Proprietary Materials:
Publications .
4.1.
Confidential
information .
(a) Designation . Confidential Information that is disclosed in
writing shall be marked with a legend (such as,
“Confidential” or “Proprietary”),
indicating its
confidential status. Confidential
Information that is disclosed orally or visually shall be
designated as such at the time of its disclosure and shall be
documented in a written notice prepared by the Disclosing Party and
delivered as soon as possible to the Receiving Party but at latest
within thirty (30) days of the date of disclosure; the notice shall
summarize the Confidential Information disclosed to the Receiving
Party and reference the time and place of disclosure.
(b) Obligations . During the term of this Agreement and
thereafter for a period of five (5) years, the Receiving Party
shall (i) maintain all Confidential Information in confidence,
except that the Receiving Party may disclose or permit the
disclosure of Confidential Information to its directors, officers,
employees, consultants, and advisors who are obligated to maintain
the confidential nature of Confidential Information and who need to
know Confidential Information for the performance of the Research
Project; (ii) use all Confidential Information solely for the
performance or furtherance of the Research Project; and
(iii) allow its directors, officers, employees, consultants,
and advisors to reproduce the Confidential Information only to the
extent necessary for performance of the Research Project, with all
reproductions being considered Confidential Information.
(c) Exceptions . The obligations of the Receiving Party under
Section 4.1.(b) above do not apply to the extent that the
Receiving Party can demonstrate that Confidential Information
(i) was in the public domain prior to the time of its
disclosure under this Agreement; however this exception shall not
apply to any specific information merely because it is included in
more general non-confidential information, nor to any specific
combination of information merely because individual elements, but
not the combination, are included in non-confidential information,
(ii) entered the public domain after the time of its
disclosure under this Agreement through means other than an
unauthorized disclosure resulting from an act or omission by the
Receiving Party; (iii) was independently developed or
discovered by the Receiving Party without use of the Confidential
Information, (iv) is or was disclosed to the Receiving Party
at any time by a third party having no fiduciary relationship with
the Disclosing Party and having no obligation of confidentiality
with respect to the Confidential Information; or (v) is, in
the opinion of legal counsel to the Receiving Party required to be
disclosed to comply with applicable laws or regulations, or with a
court or administrative order, provided that the Disclosing Party
receives reasonable prior written notice of that disclosure in
order to afford the Disclosing Party the opportunity, at election
and expense of the Disclosing Party, to respond to such request and
/or to attempt to block such disclosure. Further, if such
disclosure is compelled the Receiving Party shall disclose only the
minimum of the Confidential Information that is required to be
disclosed to comply with such order, law or regulation.
(d) Ownership and Return . The Receiving Party acknowledges that the
Disclosing Party (or any third party entrusting its own information
to the Disclosing Party) owns its Confidential Information in the
possession of the Receiving Party. Upon the expiration or
termination of this Agreement or at the request of the Disclosing
Party, the Receiving party shall return to the Disclosing Party all
originals, copies, and summaries of documents, materials, and other
tangible manifestations of Confidential Information in
the possession or control of the
Receiving Party, except that the Receiving Party may retain
one (1) copy of the Confidential Information in the possession
of its legal counsel solely for the purpose of monitoring its
obligations under this Agreement.
4.2.
Proprietary Materials
.
(a) Limited Use and Transfer . The Recipient shall use Proprietary Materials
only for the performance of the Research Project. The Recipient
shall use the Proprietary Materials only in compliance with all
applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations. The
Recipient shall not use the Proprietary Materials in any in
vivo experiments on human subjects. The Recipient shall not
transfer any Proprietary Materials to any third party without the
prior written consent of the Supplier.
(b) Warranty Disclaimer . THE SUPPLIER MAKES NO REPRESENTATIONS,
AND EXTENDS NO WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR
IMPLIED, WITH RESPECT TO PROPRIETARY MATERIALS. THERE ARE NO
EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A
PARTICULAR PURPOSE, OR THAT THE USE OF PROPRIETARY MATERIALS WILL
NOT INFRINGE ANY PATENT RIGHTS OR OTHER PROPRIETARY RIGHTS OF A
THIRD PARTY.
(c) The Recipient acknowledges that the Supplier
(or any third party entrusting its Materials to the Supplier)
claims ownership of its Proprietary Materials in the possession of
the Recipient. The Recipient agrees to cause its employees to
execute and deliver any documents of assignment or conveyance to
effectuate the ownership rights of the Supplier in Proprietary
Materials. Upon the expiration or termination of this Agreement,
the Recipient shall at the instruction of Supplier either destroy
or return any unused Proprietary Materials.
4.3.
Publications
. Institution and its employees
may publicly disclose (through journals, lectures, or
otherwise) the Research Results, provided that the Institution
shall have provided a copy of the proposed disclosure to Sponsor at
least sixty (60) days prior to the submission of any written
publication and at least thirty (30) days prior to any oral public
disclosure (the “Review Period”) to allow Sponsor to
determine whether any Invention or its Confidential Information
would be disclosed. The parties expressly agree that research grant
proposals submitted to federal, state, or local agencies or
non-profit organizations should not be subject to review under this
Section. If Sponsor reasonably determines that the proposed
disclosure would reveal an Invention or Sponsor Confidential
Information, then Sponsor shall notify Institution and the
Principal Investigator of the determination and its basis prior to
the expiration of the Review Period. With respect to disclosure of
an Invention, upon receipt of timely notice by Sponsor, the
Institution agrees to delay submission of the written publication
or presentation of the oral public disclosure until one (1) of
the following events occurs: (i) Sponsor and Institution agree
that no patentable Invention exists; (ii) Institution or
Sponsor files a patent application claiming the relevant Invention
pursuant to Article 5; (iii) Sponsor and Institution
jointly agree upon deletions that prevent disclosure of any
Invention; or (iv) a period of sixty (60) days elapses
commencing with the effective date of notice to Institution. With
respect to disclosure of Sponsor Confidential
Information, upon receipt of timely notice by
Sponsor, the Institution shall use reasonable efforts to cause its
employees to delete the Confidential Information from any proposed
disclosure.
5.0
Intellectual Property
.
The parties agree to the following:
5.1.
Assignment of Rights in
Inventions and Project Materials . Either the Principal Investigator or the
Project Manager, as appropriate, shall assign to Institution all
rights in Inventions and commercial rights in Project Materials.
The Principal Investigator shall certify that every person involved
in the Research Project shall have signed the University
Participation Agreement, which assigns to Institution all rights in
Inventions and commercial rights in Project Materials. Sponsor
represents and warrants that all of its employees and consultants
who may be involved in the Research Project shall have agreed
to assign to Sponsor all rights in Inventions and all commercial
rights in Project Materials.
5.2.
0wnership of Patent Rights and
Project Materials . In
accordance with United States patent law, Institution shall have
sole ownership of all Institution Patent Rights and Institution and
Sponsor shall have joint, undivided ownership of all Joint Patent
Rights. Institution shall have sole ownership of commercial rights
in Project Materials not claimed in the Patent Rights; however, if
a Project Material incorporates one or more Sponsor Proprietary
Materials, Institution may not exploit commercial rights in
that Project Material without the written consent of
Sponsor.
5.3.
Notice of Inventions and Project
Materials . The Principal
Investigator or the Project Manager, as appropriate, shall promptly
disclose to Institution the conception or reduction to practice of
any Invention and the development or discovery of any commercially
valuable Project Material that is not otherwise disclosed as an
Invention. Institution and Sponsor shall provide prompt written
notice to the other of the internal disclosure by its employees of
any Invention. Institution and Sponsor shall discuss whether to
obtain Patent Rights for the Invention and whether the Patent
Rights would constitute Institution Patent Rights or Joint Patent
Rights. Institution shall provide prompt written notice to Sponsor
of the internal disclosure of any commercially valuable Project
Material that is not otherwise disclosed as an
Invention.
5.4.
Responsibility for Patent
Rights .
Subject to any Inter-Institutional Patent
Management Agreement resulting from joint inventions, the following
procedures will be followed.
(a) Primary Responsibility with
Institution . Institution
shall have primary responsibility for the preparation, filing,
prosecution, and maintenance of all Institution Patent Rights,
using patent couns