NOTE 9 – EQUITY

Series A and B Convertible Redeemable Preferred Stock

On May 2, 2022, the Company consummated an offering with certain institutional investors for the private placement of 1,000,006 shares of the Company’s Series A Convertible Redeemable Preferred Stock (the “Series A Preferred Stock”) and 250,005 shares of the Company’s Series B Convertible Redeemable Preferred Stock (the “Series B Preferred Stock” and together with the Series A Preferred Stock, the “Preferred Stock”). The shares, which have since been redeemed in accordance with their terms described below and were thus no longer outstanding as of December 31, 2022, had an aggregated stated value of $25.0 million. Each share of the Preferred Stock had a purchase price of $19.00, representing an original issue discount of 5% of the stated value. In connection with this offering, the Company had net proceeds of $22.5 million and recognized a deemed dividend of $3.8 million. In connection with this transaction, the Company placed $26.3 million into an escrow account for any future redemption which consisted of the gross proceeds of $25.0 million and the redemption value of $1.3 million.

The Preferred Stock was convertible, at the option of the holders and, in certain circumstances, by the Company, into shares of common stock at a conversion price of $11.25 per share. The holders of the Series A Preferred Stock and Series B Preferred Stock had the right to require the Company to redeem their shares of preferred stock for cash at 105% of the stated value of such shares commencing after the earlier of the receipt of stockholder approval of an amendment to the Company’s Restated Certificate of Incorporation to effect a reverse stock split and 60 days after the closing of the issuances of the Series A Preferred Stock and Series B Preferred Stock and until 90 days after such closing. The Company had the option to redeem the Series A Preferred Stock for cash at 105% of the stated value commencing after the 90th day following the closing of the issuance of the Series A Preferred Stock, subject to the holders’ rights to convert the shares prior to such redemption. As a result, the Preferred Stock was recorded separately from stockholders’ equity because it was redeemable upon the occurrence of redemption events that were considered not solely withing the Company’s control. As such, during the year ended December 31, 2022, the Company recognized $3.8 million in deemed dividends related to the Preferred Stock in the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss and the consolidated statements of changes in stockholders’ equity.

On June 17, 2022, the holders of all 1,000,006 shares of Series A Preferred Stock and 250,005 shares of Series B Preferred Stock exercised their right to cause the Company to redeem all such shares for $26.3 million, which represented a price equal to 105% of the stated value. The redemption of these shares was paid out of the escrow account noted above.

Common Stock and Warrants

Reverse Stock Split

Effective July 1, 2022, the Company’s stock underwent a 25:1 Reverse Stock Split. The number of authorized shares of common stock immediately after the Reverse Stock Split remained at 200,000,000 shares.

Public Offerings

On December 21, 2021, the Company closed an underwritten public offering of 1,788,000 post-split shares of common stock at a public offering price of $9.75 post-split per share and stock purchase warrants to purchase 1,788,000 post-split shares of common stock at an exercise price of $9.75 post-split. The net proceeds to the Company were $16.0 million, after deducting $1.5 million of underwriting discounts and commissions and offering expenses payable by the Company. The net proceeds were allocated to the warrant liability as noted below with the remainder of $7.0 million recorded in common stock and additional paid-in capital. In the event of certain fundamental transactions involving the Company, the holders of the stock purchase warrants may require the Company to make a payment based on a Black-Scholes valuation, using specific inputs that are not considered indexed to the Company’s stock in accordance with ASC 815, Derivatives and Hedging (“ASC 815”). Therefore, the Company accounted for the stock purchase warrants as liabilities, which were recorded at the closing date fair value of $9.0 million which was based on a Black-Scholes option pricing model. The remainder of the proceeds were allocated to common stock issued and recorded as a component of equity.

As of December 31, 2023, there were 1,788,000 post-split stock purchase warrants outstanding. These stock purchase warrants expire on December 21, 2026. During such time as each warrant is outstanding, the holder of the warrant is entitled to participate in any dividends or other distribution of assets along with the holders of shares of common stock. There was no warrant activity during the year ended December 31, 2023, other than the change in fair value of the warrants.

Open Market Sale Agreement

On August 17, 2018, the Company entered into an open market sale agreement (as amended, the “ATM Agreement”) with Jefferies LLC (“Jefferies”) pursuant to which, the Company may sell from time to time, through Jefferies, shares of its common stock for an aggregate sales price of up to $150.0 million. Any sales of shares pursuant to this agreement are made under the Company’s effective “shelf” registration statement on Form S-3 that is on file with and has been declared effective by the SEC. The Company sold 3,659,882 and 3,479,016 shares of its common stock under the ATM Agreement during the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively, resulting in net proceeds of $14.4 million and $12.8 million during the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. Subsequent to December 31, 2023 and through March 1, 2024, the Company sold 724,659 shares of its common stock under the ATM Agreement resulting in $5.3 million in net proceeds.

Private Placement Offering

On November 3, 2022, the Company sold 7,065,946 shares of its common stock, and in lieu of shares of common stock, pre-funded warrants exercisable for 543,933 shares of common stock and accompanying warrants to purchase 7,609,879 shares of its common stock to a group of new and existing institutional investors in a private placement. The offering price for each share of common stock and accompanying warrant was $4.60, and the offering price for each pre-funded warrant and accompanying warrant was $4.59, which equaled the offering price per share of the common stock and accompanying warrant, less the $0.01 per share exercise price of each pre-funded warrant. Each accompanying warrant represents the right to purchase one share of the Company’s common stock at an exercise price of $4.75 per share of common stock. The pre-funded warrants were exercised in December 2022 and converted to 543,933 shares of commons stock. Total shares sold and converted during the year ended December 31, 2022 were 7,609,879 for an aggregate purchase price of $35.0 million gross, or $32.6 million net of related costs of $1.5 million which was expensed to general and administrative expenses and $0.9 million which was recorded as a reduction to additional paid-in-capital. The net proceeds were allocated to the warrant liability as noted below with the remainder of $12.9 million and $0.1 million recorded in additional paid-in capital and common stock, respectively.

In the event of certain fundamental transactions involving the Company, the holders of the stock purchase warrants may require the Company to make a payment based on a Black-Scholes valuation, using specific inputs that are not considered indexed to the Company’s stock in accordance with ASC 815. Therefore, the Company is accounting for the stock purchase warrants as liabilities. On November 3, 2022, the stock purchase warrants were recorded at the closing date fair value of $22.0 million which was based on a Black-Scholes option pricing model. The remainder of the proceeds were allocated to common stock issued and recorded as a component of equity.

As of December 31, 2023, there were 7,609,879 warrants outstanding related to this private placement offering. The warrants expire on November 3, 2027. During such time as each warrant is outstanding, the holder of the warrant is entitled to participate in any dividends or other distribution of assets to holders of shares of common stock. There was no warrant activity during the year ended December 31, 2023, other than the change in fair value of the warrants.

Direct Placement Offering

On July 6, 2023, the Company sold 3,284,407 shares of its common stock, and in lieu of shares of common stock, pre-funded warrants exercisable for 2,919,140 shares of common stock (the “2023 Pre-Funded Warrants”), to a group of existing institutional investors for an aggregate purchase price of $25.0 million gross, or $23.0 million net of related costs. The offering price for each share of common stock was $4.03, and the offering price for the 2023 Pre-Funded Warrants was $4.0299, which represents the per share offering price for the Company’s common stock less a $0.0001 per share exercise price for each such 2023 Pre-Funded Warrant. The 2023 Pre-Funded Warrants are immediately exercisable at a nominal exercise price of $0.0001 per share, may be exercised at any time and do not have an expiration date. None of the 2023 Pre-Funded Warrants have been exercised as of December 31, 2023. The prefunded warrants are classified as equity in accordance with ASC 815, Derivatives and Hedging, given the prefunded warrants are indexed to the Company’s own shares of common stock and meet the requirements to be classified in equity. The prefunded warrants were recorded at their relative fair value at issuance in the stockholders’ equity section of the consolidated balance sheet and the prefunded warrants are considered outstanding shares in the basic earnings per share calculation for the year ended December 31, 2023 given their nominal exercise price.