7. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES In late October and early November 2013, following the Company s announcement of the results of its Phase 3 trial of Allovectin ® and the subsequent decline of the price of its common stock, two putative, securities class action complaints were filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California against the Company and certain of its current and former officers. On February 26, 2014, the two cases were consolidated into one action and a lead plaintiff and lead counsel were appointed. On April 3, 2014, the lead plaintiff filed a consolidated complaint alleging that the defendants violated Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 by making materially false and misleading statements regarding the Company s business prospects and the prospects for Allovectin ® , thereby artificially inflating the price of the Company s common stock. On April 25, 2014, the parties filed a joint motion asking the court to permit plaintiffs to amend the complaint, which the court granted. The lead plaintiff s deadline to file an amended complaint is May 9, 2014. The defendants  response will be due 28 days after lead plaintiff files an amended complaint. The Company plans to vigorously defend against the claims advanced. At this time, the Company is unable to estimate possible losses or ranges of losses for ongoing legal actions. In the ordinary course of business, the Company may become a party to additional lawsuits involving various matters. The Company is unaware of any such lawsuits presently pending against it which, individually or in the aggregate, are deemed to be material to the Company s financial condition or results of operations. The Company prosecutes its intellectual property vigorously to obtain the broadest valid scope for its patents. Due to uncertainty of the ultimate outcome of these matters, the impact on future operating results or the Company s financial condition is not subject to reasonable estimates.