EFTA01083743.pdf
dataset_9 pdf 856.3 KB • Feb 3, 2026 • 11 pages
CONFIDENTIAL
William H. Gates
Dear Bill:
RE: Letter of Agreement Regarding Purchase of Partnership Interest
Effective September 3, 2013, this letter sets forth the "Agreement" by and between you, William
H. Gates ("Gates"), and me, Dr. Boris Nikolic ("Dr. Nikolic"), with respect to the purchase by
Gates from Dr. Nikolic of Dr. Nikolic's interest in a partnership, under the terms of which we
discussed potential investment in a range up to $100 Million in certain investments discovered
and researched by Dr. Nikolic (the "Investment Entity"). Only two of such investments, totaling
Twenty Million Dollars, as detailed below, were ever made. The partnership was formed
effective April 1, 2013. We now agree to dissolve and wind up the Investment Entity and Gates
shall purchase from Dr. Nikolic Dr. Nikolic's interest in the Investment Entity. Gates and Dr.
Nikolic have agreed as follows:
Dissolution and Dr. Nikolic acknowledges and agrees to the dissolution and winding up of
Winding Up the the Investment Entity, that he has disassociated himself from the
Partnership Investment Entity, and that Gates shall have the exclusive authority to wind
up the Investment Entity.
Sale and Purchase As part of the dissolution and winding up of the Investment Entity, Dr.
of Interest in Nikolic shall, and does hereby agree to, sell, transfer and convey to Gates,
Investment Entity and Gates shall purchase from Dr. Nikolic, all of Dr. Nikolic's right, title
and interest in and to the Investment Entity and the underlying partnership
assets for a purchase price equal to the aggregate of all amounts payable
under all Investment Entity Payment Demands (as hereinafter defined) to
be made by Dr. Nikolic to Gates during the Payment Period (as hereinafter
defined) pursuant to this Agreement. Such sale and purchase shall be
deemed to have been completed, effective upon Gates' payment in full to
Dr. Nikolic of all amounts payable under all Investment Entity Payment
Demands to be made under this Agreement.
Advance Gates will pay or cause to be paid to Dr. Nikolic the sum of Two Million
Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($2,500,000) within —7 days ef-after the
execution of this Agreement; (the "Advance"), as an advance against
Gates' payment to Dr. Nikolic of the amounts due under the Investment
Entity Payment Demands to be made by Dr. Nikolic to Gates pursuant to
this Agreementr: provided, however, that Dr. Nikolic shall be entitled to
retain such Advance even if there is no increase in value in the Foundation
Medicine Investment or the ResearchGate Investment and no Investment
Entity Payment Demand is made prior to the end of the expiration of the
Payment Period, and there is no guaranty that the Foundation Medicine
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Investment or the ResearchGate Investment will result in any additional
values above and beyond the Advance, upon which Dr. Nikolic can call
under the terms of this Agreement. The Advance will only be offset
against an Investment Entity Payment Demand if the parties hereto
reasonably determine in good faith that if such offset is not applied to such
Investment Entity Payment Demand, there will likely be insufficient
amounts payable in respect of any subsequent Investment Entity Payment
Demands against which the offset may be applied ("Determination"). Such
Advance payment shall be made by wire transfer to a proper account
designated in writing by Dr. Nikolic to Gates.
Foundation Gates, through one or more affiliated entities (the "Gates Purchaser"), has
Medicine, Inc. and heretofore made an investment in Foundation Medicine, Inc., a Delaware
ResearchGate corporation with principal offices located in Cambridge, Massachusetts
GmbH ("Foundation Medicine"), in the amount of Ten Million Dollars
($10,000,000) (such investment, together with any and all dividends,
payments, distributions, securities or other items of value at any time
previously or hereafter distributed or paid by Foundation Medicine to the
Gates Purchaser in respect of such investment shall be referred to herein as
the "Foundation Medicine Investment"), and an investment in
ResearchGate GmbH, a German company with limited liability located in
Berlin, Germany ("ResearchGate"), in the amount of Ten Million Dollars
($10,000,000) (such investment, together with any and all dividends,
payments, distributions, securities or other items of value at any time
distributed or paid by ResearchGate to the Gates Purchaser in respect of
such investment shall be referred to herein as the "ResearchGate
Investment").
Investment Entity At any time and from time to time commencing on the date hereof and
Payment Demands continuing through and including September 3, 2016 (the "Payment
Period"), Dr. Nikolic shall have the right, exercisable by written notice to
Gates, to demand payment of the increase in value in respect of all or a
portion of the Foundation Medicine Investment and/or in respect of up to
fifty percent (50%) or a portion of fifty percent (50%) of the ResearchGate
Investment (an "Investment Entity Payment Demand"). Dr. Nikolic may
deliver to Gates up to an aggregate of four (4) Investment Entity Payment
Demands during the Payment Period. Subject to there having been a
Determination as set forth in the Advance provision above (in which case
the Advance may be offset against the following sum), the amount of each
Investment Entity Payment Demand shall be equal to the sum of:
1. The portion of the Foundation Medicine Investment, expressed as a
percentage, as to which Dr. Nikolic in his sole discretion elects to
make such Investment Entity Payment Demand, multiplied by the
difference of (a) the fair market value of the Foundation Medicine
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Investment (including all dividends, payments, distributions,
securities and other items of value at any time previously or
hereafter distributed or paid by Foundation Medicine in respect of
such investment) as of the date of such Investment Entity Payment
Demand, less (b) Ten Million Dollars ($10,000,000)); and-less-any
pcier-payments-unikr--this-Agreemenwand
2. The portion of the ResearchGate Investment, expressed as a
percentage, as to which Dr. Nikolic in his sole discretion elects to
make such Investment Entity Payment Demand, multiplied by the
difference of (a) the fair market value of the ResearchGate
Investment (including all dividends, payments, distributions,
securities and other items of value at any time previously or
hereafter distributed or paid by ResearchGate in respect of such
investment) as of the date of such Investment Entity Payment
Demand, less (b) Ten Million Dollars ($10,000,000) and-any-prier
payments-under-thisagreement,
The portion of the Foundation Medicine Investment as to which any
Investment Entity Payment Demand may be made at any given time may
not exceed the difference of 100% less the aggregate percentage of the
Foundation Medicine Investment as to which all then prior Investment
Entity Payment Demands were paid by Gates to Dr. Nikolic. The portion
of the ResearchGate Investment as to which any Investment Entity
Payment Demand may be made at any given time may not exceed the
difference of 50% less the aggregate percentage of the ResearchGate
Investment as to which all then prior Investment Entity Payment Demands
were paid by Gates to Dr. Nikolic.
In the event that all but not less than all of the shares of Foundation
Medicine or ResearchGate are acquired in an arm's length transaction by a
third party entity, not affiliated with either of the parties to this Agreement,
then the remaining in4erest-of-DF Ilolikelierunder-this-Agreementr in-the
which the final interest of the Gates Purchacer in the acquired company iü
knewn-and-suell-aniount-shall-be-paid-out-by-Gates-te-Dnamount that may
be payable to Dr. Nikolic under this Agreement in connection with any
Investment Entity Payment Demand with respect to the Gates Purchaser's
investment in the acquired company (i.e., Foundation Medicine or
ReasearchGate) shall be calculated immediately following the effective
date of acquisition of 100% of the acquired company by such unaffiliated
third party. Gates shall give Dr. Nikolic notice of such acquistion within
three (3) business days prior to the effective date thereof, and the amount
so calculated shall be paid by Gates to Dr. Nikolic within fifteen (15) days
theFeafterafter the date of such acquisition, and upon such payment Dr.
Nikolic shall have no further claim under this Agreement as to that
panieularthe Gates Purchaser's investment, in the acquired company.
Such payment by Gates shall be made in cash and/or in kind at the written
election of Dr. Nikolic, which shall be in Dr. Nikolic's sole discretion. In
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the event that Dr. Nikolic elects that any portion of such payment shall be
"in-kind", the elected portion shall be paid using the securities distributed
by the unaffiliated third party as consideration in connection with its
acquisition of 100% of the acquired company. Anything to the contrary
provided herein notwithstanding, the calculation and payment of provided
for in this paragraph shall not constitute one of the four (4) Investment
Entity Payment Demands that Dr. Nikolic is entitled to deliver to Gates
pursuant to this Agreement.
Fair Market Values For purposes of calculating the fair market value of the Foundation
Medicine Investment and the ResearchGate Investment, the following shall
apply:
1. Fair market values shall be determined jointly by Gates and Dr.
Nikolic, reasonably, in good faith and in accordance with the
provisions hereof.
2. No discounts (including, without limitation, minority discounts or
discounts for lack of marketability) will be applied in determining
fair market values.
3. Whether or not the Gates Purchaser shall hereafter sell, transfer,
convey, encumber or otherwise dispose of all or any portion of the
Foundation Medicine Investment or the ResearchGate Investment,
other than as provided for in the foregoing paragraph related to an
acquisition of the entire company by aan unaffiliated third party, the
fair market value of each of the Foundation Medicine Investment
and the ResearchGate Investment shall be calculated as if no such
sale, transfer, conveyance, encumbrance or other disposition ever
occurred.
4. Securities traded on any domestic or foreign exchange or included
in the NASDAQ Stock Market are valued at their last sale prices
reported on the day as of which the value is being determined, or if
a security did not trade on such day, the last sale price on the next
preceding day on which a sale price was reported. Values in any
currency other than U.S. Dollars shall be converted to U.S. Dollars
at prevailing exchange rates mutually agreed to by the parties in
good faith.
5. In valuing privately held, illiquid equity securities of an issuer, the
value of the issuer's total equity will be determined using the
valuation of the specific class of equity in the company as
determined by the company for purposes of that company's most
recent round of financing to have occurred prior to the date that Dr.
Nikolic makes a given Investment Entity Payment Demand;
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provided, however, that if any such valuation is more than twelve
(12) months old at the time that Dr. Nikolic makes an Investment
Entity Payment Demand, then the parties agree to engage a
mutually agreed upon independent third party appraiser to provide
them with a then current appraisal of the interest held by the Gates
Purchaser in such company.
6. During the period that Dr. Nikolic is permitted to make Investment
Entity Payment Demands hereunder, upon request from Dr. Nikolic,
Gates shall give Dr. Nikolic written notice of any dividends,
payments, distributions, securities or other items of value
distributed or paid by Foundation Medicine in connection with the
Foundation Medicine Investment or by ResearchGate in connection
with the ResearchGate Investment. Such notice shall include all
relevant terms, provisions and other details regarding any such
dividends, payments, distributions, securities and other items of
value so distributed or paid.
7. At all times while Dr. Nikolic is permitted to make an Investment
Entity Payment Demand hereunder, upon request from Dr. Nikolic,
Gates shall provide Dr. Nikolic with true and correct copies of all
valuations, financial statements (whether audited or unaudited),
reports and other communications which Gates or the Gates
Purchaser receives from or delivers to Foundation Medicine or
ResearchGate promptly after receiving or delivering the same,
provided Gates is not otherwise legally or contractually prohibited
from sharing any such information with a third party.
Payment of Gates shall pay Dr. Nikolic the full amount of each Investment Entity
Investment Entity Payment Demand within fifteen (15) days after Gates receives such
Payment Demands Investment Entity Payment Demand. Payment shall be made by wire
transfer to a proper account designated in writing by Dr. Nikolic to Gates.
Default interest shall accrue and be due and payable by Gates to Dr.
Nikolic on all such late, outstanding amounts at the default rate of twenty
five percent (25%) per annum until all such outstanding amounts are paid
in full.
No Sale of Nothing provided in this Agreement shall be deemed to require Gates or the
Investments Gates Purchaser to make any sale or other disposition of all or any portion
Required of the Foundation Medicine Interest or the ResearchGate Interest in
connection with any or all of the Investment Entity Payment Demands by
Dr. Nikolic; it being understood that Dr. Nikolic holds no interest
whatsoever in the Foundation Medicine Investment or the ResearchGate
Investment and that the Gates Purchaser shall be free in its sole discretion
to hold for as long as it shall so desire, or to sell, encumber or otherwise
dispose of at any time and from time to time, all or any portion of the
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Foundation Medicine Investment and the ResearchGate Investment,
whether before or after Dr. Nikolic makes any or all Investment Entity
Payment Demands. Gates has no obligation to make any further
investments in either Foundation Medicine or ResearchGate, or in any
other entity.
Notices All notices, requests, permissions or other communications which either
party hereto may be required or desire to give to the other party hereto
under this Agreement must be in writing and as to Dr. Nikolic, sent by (1)
first class U.S. certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, with
postage prepaid, (2) telecopy, facsimile or email (with a copy sent by first
class U.S. certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, with postage
prepaid) or (3) express mail or courier (for either same day or next
Business Day delive , and as to Gates, to Larry Cohen by email, text and
by phone/call at . A notice or other communication sent to
Dr. Nikolic in compliance with the provisions of this Section shall be
deemed given and received on (x) the fifth (5th) Business Day following
the date it is deposited in the U.S. mail, (y) the date of confirmed
transmission to the intended recipient if sent by facsimile, telecopy or email
(provided that a copy thereof is sent by mail the same day in the manner
provided in clause (2) above), or (z) the date it is delivered to the other
party's address if sent by express mail or courier. A notice or other
communication sent to Gates in compliance with the provisions of this
Section shall be deemed given and received upon confirmation of receipt,
which shall be given promptly upon actual receipt. All notices, requests,
permissions and other communications to Gates shall be addressed to:
Larry Cohen
All notices, requests, permissions and other communications to Dr.
Nikolic shall be addressed to:
PROVIDE NOTICE ADDRESS, FAX AND EMAIL
Either party hereto may change his contact or address for receiving
notices and other communications hereunder by a notice given to the other
party hereto in the manner provided in this Section.
Governing Law This Agreement will be governed, interpreted, and construed under the
laws of the State of Washington without regard to its conflicts of law
provisions.
Expenses Each party will be responsible for its or his own costs and expenses
(including any fees and expenses of their representatives or advisors)
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incurred at any time in connection with this Agreement or any other
agreements, instruments or other documents entered into in connection with
the matters addressed by this Agreement.
Dr. Nikolic, on behalf of himself and his heirs, executors, administrators,
Release assigns, and any marital community, expressly waives against Gates,
Melinda F. Gates, the families of Gates and Melinda F. Gates, bgC3 LLC,
the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and any other entities owned or
controlled by Gatesr tegether—with—their—ptedesessecsr sueeessers—and
empleyeesr agentsr reptesentativesr and—attemeys (all of which are
collectively referred to as "Released Parties"), any and all claims,
damages, causes of action or disputes of any kind or nature whatsoever,
whether known or unknown, based upon acts or omissions occurring or that
could be alleged to have occurred at the time of or prior to the execution of
this Agreement, including without limitation, those related to the
Investment Entity ("Gates Released Claims"); and further releases,
discharges and acquits Released Parties, individually and in their
representative capacities, from any and all Gates Released Claims.— Dr.
Nikolic represents and warrants that he is the sole and exclusive owner of
all Gates Released Claims, and that no other party has any right, title or
interest whatsoever in any of the matters referred to herein, including
without limitation, any interest he has in the Investment Entity or its
underlying assets, and that he is unaware of any basis to assert any form of
charge or claim of unlawful discrimination:: provided, however, that Dr.
Nikolic shall be permitted to assign to a wholly owned affiliate all of his
rights, title and interest in and to the Investment Entity and to assign all
rights and obligations under this Agreement with respect to such
Investment Entity to such affiliate.
Gates on behalf of himself and his heirs, executors, administrators, assigns,
and marital community, expressly waives against Dr. Nikolic and any
marital community any and all claims, damages, causes of action or
disputes of any kind or nature whatsoever, whether known or unknown,
based upon acts or omissions occurring or that could be alleged to have
occurred at the time of or prior to the execution of this Agreement,
including without limitation, those related to the Investment Entity
("Nikolic Released Claims"); and further releases, discharges and acquits
Dr. Nikolic from any and all Nikolic Released Claims. Gates represents
and warrants that he is the sole and exclusive owner of all Nikolic Released
Claims, and that no other party has any right, title or interest whatsoever in
any of the matters referred to herein, including without limitation, any
interest he has in the Investment Entity or its underlying assets. Gates
further agrees to indemnify, defend and hold harmless Dr. Nikolic from and
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against any elaimr demandr c-auseand all claims damages causes of action
or aetienr '£disputes of any kind or nature whatsoever, whether known or
unknown, based upon acts or omissions occurring or that could be alleged
to have occurred at the time of or prior to the execution of this Agreement,
including without limitation, those related to the Investment Entity, that
Melinda F. Gates, the families of Gates and Melinda F. Gates, bgC3 LLC
the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and/or any other entities owned or
controlled by Gates may assert or make against Dr. Nikolic.
Nliscellaneous 1. Entire Agreement. Except as noted below, this Agreement
constitutes the entire agreement of the parties hereto with respect to
the subject matter hereof and supersedes any and all prior
understandings, agreements, representations and warranties by or
among the parties hereto or their affiliates, written or oral, with
respect to such subject matter, which prior understandings,
agreements, representations and warranties are hereby canceled,
except any other contract or agreement executed by Dr. Nikolic in
favor of any Released Party, such as any confidentiality agreement
or assignment of intellectual property.
2. Amendment. This Agreement may not be amended, modified or
supplemented other than in writing signed by both parties hereto.
3. Waiver. Any waiver of any provision hereof must be in writing
and shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the
specific purpose for which such waiver is given. No failure on the
part of either party hereto to exercise, and no delay in exercising,
any right, power or privilege under this Agreement shall operate as
a waiver thereof; nor shall any single or partial exercise of any
right, power or privilege under this Agreement preclude any other
or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, power
or privilege hereunder.
4. Binding Effect; Assignability. This Agreement shall be binding
upon, and inure to the benefit of, the parties hereto and their
respective heirs, devisees, successors, and permitted assigns. This
Agreement (including the rights and obligations hereunder) shall
not be assignable by either party hereto except with the prior written
consent of the other party hereto; provided, however, that, without
the prior written consent of Gates, Dr.-Niketierinay-assign-his-righis
te—reeeive—payments—under—ihis—Agreerneni—ie—a—whially—ewned
affiliate-4f ri tten
Nikolic shall be permitted to assign to a wholly owned affiliate of
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Dr. Nikolic all of his rights title and interest in and to the
Investment Entity, all of his obligations under this Agreement with
respect to the Investment Entity and/or all rights he has to receive
payments under this Agreement.
5. Severability. If any of the covenants, terms, conditions or
provisions of this Agreement are held invalid for any reason, such
invalidity shall not affect the other covenants, terms, conditions and
provisions hereof which can be given effect without the invalid
covenant, term, condition or provision, as the covenants, terms
conditions and provisions of this Agreement are intended to be and
shall be deemed severable.
6. Counterparts; Delivery. This Agreement may be executed in
counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of
which together shall constitute one and the same instrument. This
Agreement may be executed and delivered by delivery of a
facsimile copy of an executed signature page or counterpart hereof
or by e-mailing a PDF version of a signed signature page or
counterpart hereof, and each shall have the same force and effect as
the delivery of an originally executed signature page or counterpart
hereof.
7. Construction. This Agreement shall be deemed to have been
prepared, and negotiations shall be deemed to have occurred in
connection with such preparation, pursuant to the joint efforts of all
of the parties to this Agreement. This Agreement therefore shall be
construed simply and fairly and not for or against any party to this
Agreement.
8. Dispute Resolution. Subject to the parties' right to seek equitable
or injunctive relief in court to enforce Section 9 of the
Miscellaneous provisions, any and all disputes that arise under this
Agreement that are not informally resolved shall be resolved by
final and binding arbitration by a sole, neutral arbitrator in Seattle,
Washington, under the applicable rules of the American Arbitration
Association. In any arbitration or litigation arising from this
Agreement, the prevailing party shall be entitled to an award of his
costs and attorneys' fees.
9. Confidentiality. Beth-paptiesEach party hereto shall treat the terms
of this Agreement as confidential and, without the prior written
consent of the other party hereto shall not disclose any information
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related hereto, nor any non-public information regarding
Foundation Medicine or ResearchGate to any third party; provided,
however, that (a)-a party hereto may diselese-payment-terms-and
ether—similar—incerfaafienmake such disclosure (i) to his
accountants, attorneys. tax er-legal-advisors ep-a-neeel-te-kneverbfrsis
previded-soeli-individsals-alseand other advisors who require the same
for the purpose of performing their services for such party and who
agree to maintain the confidentiality of thisagreement-and-its-tems
apd—eenditiefisr and—(19)—nething—the disclosed information; (ii) as
required by any law, rule or regulation. or rule of a court or
government authority or agency; (iii) in this-Seetien-will-preient-a
pafty-from-giying-teithful-testimeny-if--pcopeply-subpeenaed-to
testify under oath. In either party is subpoenaed to tcstil5. under
eath-relatingconnection with any pleadings, motions, discovery or
other filings in any way-te-etteh-etherrthis-Agreement-or-the
netiee-and-a-c-egy-of-such—legal proceedings or arbitration arising
out of this agreement; or (iv) in response to a duly authorized
subpoena-te-the-other-as-seen-as-pmetieable-upon-reeeipt-but-in-no
eyent-lateNthan-3-1,usiness-days-after-reeeipt-and-or-within-ene
business-day-follewing-reeeipt-in-the-even4-that-the-retum-date-of
the-subpeena-is-less-than-5-daysThe-pacty-whe-has-reeeiyed-sugh
sobpoefia-shall-net-respond-te-it-pfiete-giying-the-other--pofty-the
opportunity to try to seek relief from disclosure and will cooperate
with-the-ether-party-te-seek-te-Fimit-diselesure-te-the-futlest-ex-teitt
allewed-by-law-ef-equity,, court order, order from any government
authority or other duly authorized discovery or information request.
At least five business days prior to making any disclosure pursuant
to clause (iv) above (other than in connection with legal
proceedings or arbitration arising out of this Agreement pursuant to
clause (iii) above), to the extent permissible by applicable laws,
rules and regulations, and by rule or order of the applicable court or
government authority, the party being asked to make the disclosure
shall inform the other party hereto of the disclosure request, so as to
permit the other party hereto to seek a protective order or other
appropriate relief if he so desires, and the party being asked to make
the disclosure will reasonably cooperate with any such effort by the
other party hereto: provided, however that nothing provided herein
shall prohibit the party being asked to make the disclosure from
timely complying with any such subpoena, court order, order from
government authority or other duly authorized discovery or
information request.
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AGREED TO AND ACCEPTED
Boris Nikolic
AGREED TO AND ACCEPTED
William H. Gates
EFTA01083753
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- Feb 3, 2026