10-K
1
form10-k.htm
UNITED
STATES
SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON,
D.C. 20549
FORM
10-K
[X]
ANNUAL
REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2020
or
[ ]
TRANSITION
REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 For the transition period from ___________ to
___________
Commission
file number: 001-37492
ANIXA
BIOSCIENCES, INC.
(Exact
Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)
Delaware
11-2622630
(State
or Other Jurisdiction of
Incorporation
or Organization)
(I.R.S.
Employer
Identification
No.)
3150
Almaden Expressway, Suite 250
San
Jose, CA 95118
(408)
708-9808
(Address,
Including Zip Code, and Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Registrant’s Principal Executive Offices)
Securities
registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
Title
of Each Class:
Trading Symbol:
Name
of Each Exchange on Which Registered:
Common
Stock, $.01 par value
ANIX
The
NASDAQ Stock Market LLC
Securities
registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:
None
Indicate
by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes [ ] No [X]
Indicate
by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act. Yes [ ] No
[X]
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant: (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such
reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes [X] No [ ]
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant
to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that
the registrant was required to submit such files). Yes [X] No [ ]
Indicate
by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K (§229.405 of this chapter) is not
contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements
incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K. [ ]
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting
company or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,”
“smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
Large
accelerated filer [ ]
Accelerated
filer [ ]
Non-accelerated
filer [X]
Smaller
reporting company [X]
Emerging
growth company [ ]
If
an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for
complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. [ ]
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness
of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered
public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report. [ ]
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act). Yes [ ] No [X]
Aggregate
market value of the voting stock (which consists solely of shares of common stock) held by non-affiliates of the registrant as
of April 30, 2020 (the last business day of the registrant’s most recently completed second fiscal quarter), computed by
reference to the closing sale price of the registrant’s common stock on the NASDAQ on such date ($1.89): $35,235,950
On
January 7, 2021, the registrant had outstanding 26,076,819 shares of common stock, par value $.01 per share, which
is the registrant’s only class of common stock.
DOCUMENTS
INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE:
NONE
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
Page
PART I
Item
1.
Business
1
Item
1A.
Risk Factors
11
Item
1B.
Unresolved Staff Comments
32
Item
2.
Properties
33
Item
3.
Legal Proceedings
33
Item
4.
Mine Safety Disclosures
33
PART II
Item
5.
Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities
33
Item
6.
Selected Financial Data
33
Item
7.
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
34
Item
7A.
Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk
38
Item
8.
Financial Statements and Supplementary Data
38
Item
9.
Changes in and Disagreements With Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure
39
Item
9A.
Controls and Procedures
39
Item
9B.
Other Information
40
PART III
Item
10.
Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance
40
Item
11.
Executive Compensation
46
Item
12.
Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters.
52
Item
13.
Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence
54
Item
14.
Principal Accounting Fees and Services
55
PART IV
Item
15.
Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedules
55
Item
16.
Form 10-K Summary
57
i
CAUTIONARY
STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING
STATEMENTS
Information
included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K (this “Report”) contains forward-looking statements within the meaning
of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and Section 21E of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). Forward-looking statements are not statements of historical
facts, but rather reflect our current expectations concerning future events and results. We generally use the words “believes,”
“expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “likely,” “will”
and similar expressions to identify forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements, including those concerning our
expectations, involve risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond our control, which may cause our actual
results, performance or achievements, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance or
achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These risks, uncertainties and factors include, but are
not limited to, those factors set forth in this Report under “Item 1A. – Risk Factors” below. Except as required
by applicable law, including the securities laws of the United States, we undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise
any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. You are cautioned not to unduly
rely on such forward-looking statements when evaluating the information presented in this Report.
CERTAIN
TERMS USED IN THIS REPORT
References
in this Report to “we,” “us,” “our,” the “Company” or “Anixa” means
Anixa Biosciences, Inc. unless otherwise indicated.
PART
I
Item 1.
Business.
Overview
Anixa
Biosciences, Inc., incorporated on November 5, 1982 under the laws of the State of Delaware, is a biotechnology company developing
therapies and vaccines that are focused on critical unmet needs in oncology and infectious disease. Our therapeutics programs
include the development of a chimeric endocrine receptor T-cell technology, a novel form of chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (“CAR-T”)
technology, initially focused on treating ovarian cancer, and the discovery and ultimately development of anti-viral drug candidates
for the treatment of COVID-19 focused on inhibiting certain viral protein functions of the virus. Our vaccine programs include
the development of a vaccine against triple negative breast cancer (“TNBC”), the most lethal form of breast cancer,
and a vaccine against ovarian cancer.
Our
subsidiary, Certainty Therapeutics, Inc. (“Certainty”), is developing immuno-therapy drugs against cancer. Certainty
holds an exclusive worldwide, royalty-bearing license to use certain intellectual property owned or controlled by The Wistar Institute
(“Wistar”), the nation’s first independent biomedical research institute and a leading National Cancer Institute
designated cancer research center, relating to Wistar’s chimeric endocrine receptor targeted therapy technology. We have
initially focused on the development of a treatment for ovarian cancer, but we also may pursue future applications of the technology
for the development of treatments for additional solid tumors. The license agreement requires Certainty to make certain cash and
equity payments to Wistar upon achievement of specific development milestones. With respect to Certainty’s equity obligations
to Wistar, Certainty issued to Wistar shares of its common stock equal to five percent (5%) of the common stock of Certainty.
Certainty,
in collaboration with the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Inc. (“Moffitt”), is advancing toward
human clinical testing the CAR-T technology licensed by Certainty from Wistar aimed initially at treating ovarian cancer. Certainty
is working with researchers at Moffitt to complete and submit an Investigational New Drug (“IND”) application with
the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) and to perform human clinical trials. In collaboration with researchers
at Moffitt, Certainty is currently performing tests on the clinical materials and assuming successful and timely completion of
those tests, we anticipate an IND application will be submitted with the FDA during the first calendar quarter of 2021.
In
April 2020, we entered into a collaboration with OntoChem GmbH (“OntoChem”) to discover and ultimately develop anti-viral
drug candidates against COVID-19. Through this collaboration, we utilized advanced computational methods, machine learning, and
molecular modeling techniques to perform in silico screening of over 1.2 billion compounds in chemical libraries (including
publicly available compounds and OntoChem’s proprietary libraries) to evaluate if any of these compounds could disrupt one
of two key enzymes of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes the disease COVID-19.
The
screening process resulted in identifiying over 30 potentially effective compounds that could disrupt either the function of a
viral enzyme called an endoribonuclease, known as Non-Structural Protein-15 (“NSP-15”), or the main protease (“M pro ”)
of the virus. Our in silico molecular modeling indicates that any of the NSP-15 or M pro inhibitors might disrupt
the virus’ ability to replicate in humans. Several of the most promising compounds have been synthesized and in vitro
biological assays of the compounds are ongoing. If the biological activity of any of these compounds is verified, they will
be tested in animal studies to further evaluate their candidacy as COVID-19 therapeutics.
While
a number of preventative vaccines have recently been or will soon be approved for emergency use by the FDA, we believe that there
is and will continue to be a need for effective treatments for COVID-19. There are a number of factors that may limit the effectiveness,
both in the near and long term, of the vaccines currently in use, including, but not limited to, vaccine persistence, viral escape
and long-term safety. Furthermore, all current treatments require administration in a hospital setting, thus potentially continuing
to overburden the healthcare system, while we anticipate our treatment to use an oral formulation and to be available at pharmacies.
We
hold an exclusive worldwide, royalty-bearing license to use certain intellectual property owned or controlled by The Cleveland
Clinic Foundation (“Cleveland Clinic”) relating to certain breast cancer vaccine technology developed at Cleveland
Clinic. This technology pertains to the use of vaccines for the treatment or prevention of TNBC and other breast cancers which
express the α-lactalbumin protein. The α-lactalbumin protein is only expressed during lactation in healthy women,
but may also be expressed in individuals with certain breast cancers, most notably TNBC.
Working
with researchers at Cleveland Clinic, in November 2020, we submitted an IND application with the FDA to begin human clinical trials
of the vaccine. In December 2020, we received authorization from the FDA to commence enrollment and treatment of patients in a
Phase 1a clinical trial. We have commenced activities necessary to prepare for treatment of patients in the Phase 1a trial, and
we anticipate being prepared to treat the first enrolled patient in the spring of 2021.
In
November 2020, we executed a license agreement with Cleveland Clinic pursuant to which the Company was granted an exclusive worldwide,
royalty-bearing license to use certain intellectual property owned or controlled by Cleveland Clinic relating to certain ovarian
cancer vaccine technology. This technology pertains to among other things, the use of vaccines for the treatment or prevention
of ovarian cancers which express the anti-Mullerian hormone receptor 2 protein containing an extracellular domain (“AMHR2-ED”).
In healthy tissue, this protein regulates growth and development of egg-containing follicles in the ovary. While expression of
AMHR2-ED naturally and markedly declines after menopause, this protein is expressed at high levels in the ovaries of postmenopausal
women with ovarian cancer. Researchers at Cleveland Clinic believe that a vaccine targeting AMHR2-ED could prevent the occurrence
of ovarian cancer.
1
On
July 2, 2020, we implemented a strategic realignment of our business and redirected resources to exclusively focus on the development
of therapeutics and vaccines. Accordingly, we suspended operations of our subsidiary, Anixa Diagnostics Corporation, and the development
of the Cchek™ artificial intelligence driven platform of non-invasive blood tests for the early detection of cancer.
Over
the next several quarters, we expect the development of our breast and ovarian cancer vaccines, our COVID-19 therapeutic discovery
program and Certainty’s CAR-T technology to be the primary focus of the Company. As part of our legacy operations, the Company
remains engaged in limited patent licensing activities regarding the Cchek™ liquid biopsy platform, as well as in the area
of encrypted audio/video conference calling. We do not expect these activities to be a significant part of the Company’s
ongoing operations nor do we expect these activities to require material financial resources or attention of senior management.
Over
the past several years, our revenue was derived from technology licensing and the sale of patented technologies, including revenue
from the settlement of litigation. We have not generated any revenue to date from our therapeutics or vaccine programs. In addition,
while we pursue our therapeutics and vaccine programs, we may also make investments in and form new companies to develop additional
emerging technologies. We do not expect to begin generating revenue with respect to any of our current therapy or vaccine programs
in the near term. We hope to achieve a profitable outcome by eventually licensing our technologies to large pharmaceutical companies
that have the resources and infrastructure in place to manufacture, market and sell our technologies as therapeutics or vaccines.
The eventual licensing of any of our technologies may take several years, if it is to occur at all, and may depend on positive
results from human clinical trials.
CAR-T
therapeutics
Certainty
was formed to develop immuno-therapy drugs against cancer, and in November 2017, we entered into a license with Wistar whereby
we obtained rights to certain intellectual property surrounding Wistar’s chimeric endocrine receptor targeted therapy technology.
CAR-T
therapeutics have demonstrated positive results in B-cell cancers, but very little progress has been made on solid tumors. Our
CAR-T technology is initially focused on ovarian cancer and is based on engineering killer T-cells with the Follicle Stimulating
Hormone (“FSH”) to target ovarian cells that express the FSH-Receptor. Data on this technology, including the animal
studies showing efficacy, was published in January 2017 in the journal, Clinical Cancer Research. The FSH-Receptor has been shown
to be a very exclusive protein found on a large percentage of ovarian cancer cells, but not on a significant number of non-ovarian
healthy tissues in adult females.
Studies
have shown that the FSH-Receptor is also expressed in endothelial cells of the vasculature of neoplasias We anticipate performing
further studies to evaluate the ability of our CAR-T to disrupt the vasculature of other cancers, after we commence clinical trials
of this technology against ovarian cancer.
We
are working with researchers at Moffitt to complete studies necessary to submit an IND application with the FDA. We then anticipate
taking this therapy into human clinical testing for patients suffering from ovarian cancer. Moffitt is one of the top cancer centers
in the country with pre-clinical and clinical expertise with CAR-T technology. Moffitt has conducted many of the highest profile
CAR-T trials in the world.
2
We
have performed numerous studies in preparation for an IND application. In those studies, several groups of tumor free, female
mice were intra-peritoneally infused with increasing concentrations of the murine CAR-T construct and their health status was
monitored for up to five months. The following summarizes the results of these studies:
●
No
treated mice showed any signs of pain/stress, difficulty breathing or increased respiratory rate, reduced movement, reduced
grooming or feeding, dehydration, anorexia or any other sign of distress. Control mice also did not show any distress.
●
The
treated mice did not show any weight loss. Control mice also did not show any weight loss.
●
One
cohort of treated mice also had blood drawn periodically for measurement of markers for liver function (AST-Aspartate transaminase/ALT-Alanine
transaminase), kidney function (creatinine), and metabolic function (glucose). No abnormal values were observed, as was the
case for control mice.
●
Serum
IL-6 (interleukin-6) increased in the treated mice, as well as mice treated with control T-cells. This indicated that the
T-cells were inducing the expected inflammatory response.
●
Histological
analysis of the ovaries showed that 60% of the treated mice had significant reduction in ovarian mass, while the control mice
exhibited no reduction. This observation confirms that the CAR-T was successfully attacking the ovaries, as we hoped and expected.
While
these results are positive, there are many uncertainties in drug development, and most drugs fail to reach commercialization.
In the future, we hope to achieve a profitable outcome by eventually licensing our technology to a large pharmaceutical company
that has the resources and infrastructure in place to manufacture, market and sell our technology as a cancer treatment.
In
October 2018, we attended a pre-IND meeting with the FDA to discuss numerous aspects of the planned clinical trial of our CAR-T
therapy for ovarian cancer. The FDA answered a number of questions, providing a good understanding of the design for the clinical
trial in our IND application.
We
have completed the manufacturing of the clinical grade vector and are in the process of testing the materials and completing the
IND application. We anticipate filing the IND in the first calendar quarter of 2021. The IND application, after review and approval
by the FDA, will enable us to begin testing our therapy in ovarian cancer patients. Assuming the FDA approves our IND application,
we anticipate beginning the human clinical trial as early as mid-2021.
The
Market
We
believe that our CAR-T technology may be used as an effective treatment against multiple solid tumor types, however, we have initially
focused on ovarian cancer. According to American Cancer Society statistics, ovarian cancer accounts for just 2.4% of all female
cancer cases, but 5% of cancer deaths in women due to the disease’s low survival rate. It is estimated that in 2020, 22,000
new cases of ovarian cancer will be diagnosed and 14,000 American women will die from this disease. Despite continuous advances
made in the field of cancer research every year, there remains a significant unmet medical need, as the overall five-year relative
survival rate for ovarian cancer patients is 48%. However, ovarian cancer survival varies substantially by age, with the overall
five-year survival rate for women 65 and older of only 31%.
3
Competition
The
biopharmaceutical industry is characterized by intense and dynamic competition to develop new technologies and proprietary therapies.
Any product candidates that we successfully develop and commercialize will have to compete with existing therapies and new therapies
that may become available in the future. While we believe that our proprietary FSH-Receptor targeted immuno-therapy platform for
treating solid tumors and scientific expertise in the field of cell therapy provide us with competitive advantages, we face potential
competition from various sources, including larger and better-funded pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, as well as from
academic institutions, governmental agencies and public and private research institutions.
Many
of our competitors, either alone or with their strategic partners, have substantially greater financial, technical and human resources
than we do and significantly greater experience in the discovery and development of product candidates, obtaining FDA and other
regulatory approvals of treatments and commercializing those treatments. Accordingly, our competitors may be more successful than
us in obtaining approval for treatments and achieving widespread market acceptance. Our competitors’ treatments may be more
effective, or more effectively marketed and sold, than any treatment we may commercialize and may render our treatments obsolete
or non-competitive before we can recover the expenses of developing and commercializing any of our treatments.
Mergers
and acquisitions in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries may result in even more resources being concentrated among
a smaller number of our competitors. These competitors also compete with us in recruiting and retaining qualified scientific and
management personnel and establishing clinical study sites and subject registration for clinical studies, as well as in acquiring
technologies complementary to, or necessary for, our program. Smaller or early-stage companies may also prove to be significant
competitors, particularly through collaborative arrangements with large and established companies.
We
anticipate that we will face intense and increasing competition as new drugs enter the market and advanced technologies become
available. We expect any treatments that we develop and commercialize to compete on the basis of, among other things, efficacy,
safety, convenience of administration and delivery, price and the availability of reimbursement from government and other third-party
payers.
Our
commercial opportunity could be reduced or eliminated if our competitors develop and commercialize products that are safer, more
effective, have fewer or less severe side effects, are more convenient or are less expensive than any products that we may develop.
Our competitors also may obtain FDA or other regulatory approval for their products more rapidly than we may obtain approval for
ours, which could result in our competitors establishing a strong market position before we are able to enter the market.
COVID-19
therapeutics
Coronavirus
disease 2019 (“COVID-19”) is an infectious disease caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (“SARS-CoV-2”).
The disease was first identified in December 2019 in Wuhan, the capital of China’s Hubei province, and has since spread
globally, resulting in the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. SARS-CoV-2 is highly infectious, and while in the majority of cases results
in mild symptoms, in many cases the symptoms progress to viral pneumonia and multi-organ failure.
4
There
are currently no proven broadly effective treatments. Further, all treatments that are currently being employed require administration
in a hospital setting, thus continuing to overburden the healthcare system. In addition, nearly all treatments currently in clinical
trials were originally developed for other indications, and were not designed specifically against SARS-CoV-2, and therefore may
have limited effectiveness. We believe that newly designed drugs that are purposefully developed to specifically target SARS-CoV-2,
enabled by recent studies of the molecular biology of the virus, will have the potential to be far more effective than repurposing
existing drugs.
In
April 2020, we entered into a collaboration agreement with OntoChem for the purpose of discovering and ultimately developing anti-viral
drug candidates for COVID-19. Our collaboration has focused on two specific proteins of the coronavirus. The first protein is
the main protease (“M pro ”), which is an enzyme of the virus that severs a large poly-peptide into functional
proteins that enable the virus to replicate in a human host. Our program will attempt to identify molecules that inhibit the function
of this enzyme, and potentially stop or slow the virus’ ability to replicate and cause disease. Since this protease does
not have human analogs, potential inhibitors may not affect any human proteins and therefore toxic side effects may be minimized.
The
second target is an endoribonuclease, Non-Structural Protein-15 (“NSP-15”), which plays a role in breaking up the
ribonucleic acid, or the genetic content, of the virus. Recent studies have demonstrated that the endoribonuclease of many viruses,
including the SARS virus of 2003 and, it is believed the SARS-CoV-2, binds to a human host protein. This protein-protein interaction
appears to dramatically increase the infectivity of the virus. Because this interaction between a viral protein and a human protein
appears to be common to many viruses, compounds that are able to effectively disrupt this interaction, could function as broad
spectrum anti-virals in addition to addressing COVID-19.
Through
our collaboration, we utilized advanced computational methods, machine learning and molecular modeling techniques to perform in
silico screening of over 1.2 billion compounds in OntoChem’s chemistry and gene ontology database (including publicly
available compounds and OntoChem’s proprietary libraries) to evaluate if any of these compounds could disrupt M pro
or NSP-15 and to evaluate the molecules’ potential side effects, as well as their drug-like characteristics. This
screening process resulted in identifying a large number of compounds that could potentially be safe and effective against COVID-19.
We
selected the ten most promising compounds for synthesis and biological analysis. Biological testing of these compounds requires
use of live virus, which limits the laboratories qualified to perform the necessary assays to Biosafety Level 3 (“BSL-3”)
or Biosafety Level 4 labs. While availability of these labs is limited, we successfully established a relationship with a BSL-3
government lab in Europe, where biological assays, including binding assays, cellular assays, and viral activity assays, are currently
being performed. Further, this lab has animal facilities and upon completion of the biological testing, will be prepared to test
the compounds in animals to determine which compound may be appropriate for clinical evaluation.
The
Market
According
to U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”) data, as of the date of this Report, in the U.S., there
have been over 20 million cases of COVID-19 and over 350,000 deaths. According to World Health Organization (“WHO”)
data, globally, there have been over 85 million cases and approximately 1.9 million people have died. Furthermore,
over the last three months, infections and deaths have increased.
Currently,
there are no broadly effective treatments for COVID-19. Further, the treatments that are currently being employed, such as Remdesivir
and various steroid and antibody treatments, are all in-patient therapeutics and require hospitalization, adding to the burden
on the healthcare system. A better approach, which we are employing, would be a therapeutic that can be formulated as a pill and
taken as soon as there is a positive test for COVID-19.
5
The
market for an orally delivered COVID-19 treatment that would dramatically reduce hospitalization rates would be significant given
the current infection rates. The most recent CDC predictions indicate that in the U.S. alone new infections will remain at over
1.3 million cases per week and deaths will be nearly 20,000 per week through January 2021.
Competition
Competition
in the COVID-19 treatment and prevention market is fierce, with hundreds of therapies and vaccines currently in development. Recently,
a number of preventative vaccines have received regulatory approvals in the U.S. and Europe. There are still many questions
about these vaccines, such as persistence and viral escape, and it will take time before it is known how well and for how long
they will provide protection from infection. Any product candidates that we successfully develop and commercialize will have to
compete with existing therapies and vaccines and new therapies and vaccines that may become available in the future. While we
believe that our proprietary compounds for treating COVID-19 and scientific expertise in the field of synthetic chemistry provide
us with competitive advantages, we face potential competition from various sources, including larger and better-funded pharmaceutical
and biotechnology companies, as well as from academic institutions, governmental agencies and public and private research institutions.
Many
of our competitors, either alone or with their strategic partners, have substantially greater financial, technical and human resources
than we do and significantly greater experience in the discovery and development of product candidates, obtaining FDA and other
regulatory approvals of treatments and commercializing those treatments. Accordingly, our competitors may be more successful than
us in obtaining approval for treatments and achieving widespread market acceptance. Our competitors’ treatments may be more
effective, or more effectively marketed and sold, than any treatment we may commercialize and may render our treatments obsolete
or non-competitive before we can recover the expenses of developing and commercializing any of our treatments.
Mergers
and acquisitions in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries may result in even more resources being concentrated among
a smaller number of our competitors. These competitors also compete with us in recruiting and retaining qualified scientific and
management personnel and establishing clinical study sites and subject registration for clinical studies, as well as in acquiring
technologies complementary to, or necessary for, our program. Smaller or early-stage companies may also prove to be significant
competitors, particularly through collaborative arrangements with large and established companies.
We
anticipate that we will face intense and increasing competition as new drugs enter the market and advanced technologies become
available. We expect any treatments that we develop and commercialize to compete on the basis of, among other things, efficacy,
safety, convenience of administration and delivery, price and the availability of reimbursement from government and other third-party
payers.
Our
commercial opportunity could be reduced or eliminated if our competitors develop and commercialize products that are safer, more
effective, have fewer or less severe side effects, are more convenient or are less expensive than any products that we may develop.
Our competitors also may obtain FDA or other regulatory approval for their products more rapidly than we may obtain approval for
ours, which could result in our competitors establishing a strong market position before we are able to enter the market.
6
Breast
and Ovarian Cancer vaccines
We
licensed certain technology from Cleveland Clinic to develop vaccines for the treatment or prevention of TNBC and other breast
cancers which express the α-lactalbumin protein. This protein is only expressed during lactation in healthy women, but may
also be expressed in individuals with certain breast cancers, most notably TNBC, the most lethal form of breast cancer. Further,
we have licensed certain technology from Cleveland Clinic to develop vaccines for the treatment or prevention of ovarian cancers
which express AMHR2-ED. This protein regulates growth and development of egg-containing follicles in the ovary and its expression
naturally and markedly declines after menopause. However, AMHR2-ED is expressed at high levels in the ovaries of postmenopausal
women with ovarian cancer.
Typically,
vaccines harness the immune system to protect people from infectious diseases. Broad-based vaccination programs have essentially
eliminated some of the most deadly and debilitating diseases in history, small pox and polio among them. However, there has been
little success developing a preventative (prophylactic) vaccine against cancer.
Vaccines
work by exposing a benign form of a disease agent to an individual’s immune system. The immune system identifies the agent
and learns to attack and destroy it, retaining a memory of the agent so the immune system knows to react quickly if an individual
is exposed to the disease agent months or years later.
Most
vaccines attack pathogens, such as viruses and bacteria. The immune system is better able to assail these agents because they
come from outside the body. Cancer, however, is caused by aberrant cells that arise out of our resident cells, which can make
it difficult for our immune system to find the diseased cells, especially as advancing age weakens our immune system. Once these
aberrant cells gain critical mass, they become cancer.
Despite
the lack of success with cancer vaccines, recently gained knowledge about the human immune system has led to the development,
approval and commercialization of revolutionary immuno-therapy drugs. These drugs do not attack cancer directly, but rather modulate
the immune system in ways that enable it to destroy or dramatically impair cancer cells.
The
breast cancer vaccine technology licensed from Cleveland Clinic has identified a protein, alpha-lactalbumin, that is present in
healthy breast tissue only when a woman is lactating and disappears when she stops nursing her child. Alpha-lactalbumin is never
present on any other cell in the body. However, it does show up in many types of breast cancer, including TNBC, an aggressive
and deadly form of the disease. By developing a vaccine that targets alpha-lactalbumin, we feel the immune system can destroy
these breast cancer cells as they arise and ultimately prevent breast tumors from forming.
Cleveland
Clinic researchers have demonstrated in animal studies that vaccination against alpha-lactalbumin completely prevented breast
cancer in mice that were specifically bred to develop breast cancer. Data on this technology, including the animal studies showing
efficacy, was published in March 2016 in the journal, Cancers.
The
ovarian cancer vaccine technology licensed from Cleveland Clinic has identified the AMHR2-ED protein, the expression of which
is involved in egg production in the ovaries and is no longer expressed after menopause. AMHR2-ED is not meaningfully present
on any other cell in the body. However, it does appear in nearly all cases of ovarian epithelial cancers, the most common type
of ovarian cancer. By developing a vaccine that targets AMHR2-ED, we feel the immune system can destroy these ovarian cancer cells
as they arise and ultimately prevent tumors from forming. Data on this technology, including animal studies showing efficacy,
was published in November 2017 in the journal, Cancer Prevention Research.
7
While
the data thus far for both of our cancer vaccines has been positive, there are many uncertainties in drug development, and most
drugs fail to reach commercialization.
We
have been working with researchers at Cleveland Clinic to advance the breast cancer vaccine technology toward human clinical testing,
and recently submitted an IND application to the FDA. In December 2020, we received authorization from the FDA to commence enrollment
and treatment of patients in a Phase 1a clinical trial.
The
Breast Cancer Market
According
to American Cancer Society statistics, breast cancer accounts for 30% of all female cancer cases, and 15% of cancer deaths in
women. It is estimated that in 2020, 276,000 new cases of breast cancer will be diagnosed in the U.S. and 42,000 women will die
from this disease. Despite continuous advances made in the field of cancer research every year, there has been little change in
breast cancer incidence rate over the last ten years.
The
market for prophylactic cancer vaccines is sizable—bigger in fact than the market for any type of cancer therapeutic. After
all, doctors administer cancer drugs only after a patient has been diagnosed, while a prophylactic vaccine may be administered
to all people who have a possibility of developing the disease.
While
in the U.S., 276,000 women are estimated to be diagnosed with breast cancer this year, there are approximately 80 million women
over the age of 40—the time in life when women face an increased risk of developing breast cancer. Worldwide, the number
is dramatically larger.
The
Ovarian Cancer Market
According
to American Cancer Society statistics, ovarian cancer accounts for just 2.4% of all female cancer cases, but 5% of cancer deaths
in women due to the disease’s low survival rate. It is estimated that in 2020, 22,000 new cases of ovarian cancer will be
diagnosed and 14,000 American women will die from this disease. Despite continuous advances made in the field of cancer research
every year, there remains a significant unmet medical need, as the overall five-year relative survival rate for ovarian cancer
patients is 48%. However, ovarian cancer survival varies substantially by age, with the overall five-year survival rate for women
65 and older of only 31%.
The
market for prophylactic cancer vaccines is sizable—bigger in fact than the market for any type of cancer therapeutic. While
in the U.S., 22,000 women are estimated to be diagnosed with ovarian cancer this year, there are approximately 40 million women
over the age of 60—the time in life when women face an increased risk of developing ovarian cancer. Worldwide, the number
is dramatically larger.
Competition
The
biopharmaceutical industry is characterized by intense and dynamic competition to develop new technologies and proprietary therapies.
Any product candidates that we successfully develop and commercialize will have to compete with existing therapies and new therapies
that may become available in the future. While we believe that our proprietary breast and ovarian cancer vaccine technologies
and scientific expertise in the field of cell therapy provide us with competitive advantages, we face potential competition from
various sources, including larger and better-funded pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, as well as from academic institutions,
governmental agencies and public and private research institutions.
8
Many
of our competitors, either alone or with their strategic partners, have substantially greater financial, technical and human resources
than we do and significantly greater experience in the discovery and development of product candidates, obtaining FDA and other
regulatory approvals of vaccines and commercializing those vaccines. Accordingly, our competitors may be more successful than
us in obtaining approval for vaccines and achieving widespread market acceptance. Our competitors’ vaccines may be more
effective, or more effectively marketed and sold, than any vaccine we may commercialize and may render our vaccines obsolete or
non-competitive before we can recover the expenses of developing and commercializing any of our vaccines.
Mergers
and acquisitions in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries may result in even more resources being concentrated among
a smaller number of our competitors. These competitors also compete with us in recruiting and retaining qualified scientific and
management personnel and establishing clinical study sites and subject registration for clinical studies, as well as in acquiring
technologies complementary to, or necessary for, our programs. Smaller or early-stage companies may also prove to be significant
competitors, particularly through collaborative arrangements with large and established companies.
We
anticipate that we will face intense and increasing competition as new drugs and vaccines enter the market and advanced technologies
become available. We expect any vaccines that we develop and commercialize to compete on the basis of, among other things, efficacy,
safety, convenience of administration and delivery, price and the availability of reimbursement from government and other third-party
payers.
Our
commercial opportunities could be reduced or eliminated if our competitors develop and commercialize products that are safer,
more effective, have fewer or less severe side effects, are more convenient or are less expensive than any products that we may
develop. Our competitors also may obtain FDA or other regulatory approvals for their products more rapidly than we may obtain
approvals for ours, which could result in our competitors establishing a strong market position before we are able to enter the
market.
Employees
As
of October 31, 2020, we had four employees, three full-time and one part time, working for our Company and subsidiaries.
Summary
Risk Factors
The
risk factors described below are a summary of the principal risk factors associated with an investment in us. These are not the
only risks we face. You should carefully consider these risk factors, together with the risk factors set forth in Item 1A. of
this Report and the other reports and documents filed by us with the SEC.
Risks
Relating to Our Financial Condition and Operations
●
We
have a history of losses and may incur additional losses in the future.
●
We
will need additional funding in the future which may not be available on acceptable terms, or at all, and, if available, may
result in dilution to our stockholders.
●
We
may have difficulty in raising capital and may consume resources faster than expected.
●
Our
business activities are expected to be adversely affected by the global COVID-19 pandemic.
9
Risks
Related to our Research & Development, Clinical and Commercialization Activities
●
Our
therapeutic and vaccine programs are pre-revenue, and subject to the risks of an early stage biotechnology company.
●
Our
current business model relies on strategic collaborations with commercial partners to provide the resources and infrastructure
to manufacture and ultimately market and/or sell our technologies. We may have difficulty in timing the establishment of these
partnerships to achieve the greatest economic benefit for the Company, or in establishing these partnerships at all.
●
If
product liability lawsuits are brought against us, we may incur substantial liabilities and may be required to limit commercialization
of our product candidates.
●
We
have never generated any revenue from biotechnology and pharmaceutical product sales and our biotechnology and pharmaceutical
products may never be profitable.
●
The
therapeutics and vaccines that we are developing are novel and present significant challenges to successfully reaching market.
●
While
pre-clinical testing of our product candidates has been positive, we may experience unfavorable results once we commence human
clinical trials.
●
We
are dependent on third parties to conduct our pre-clinical and clinical trials.
●
If
we encounter difficulties enrolling patients in our clinical trials, our clinical development activities could be delayed
or otherwise adversely affected.
●
We
face significant competition from other biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, and our operating results will suffer
if we fail to compete effectively.
Risks
Related to our Intellectual Propery
●
We
rely on licenses from Wistar for our CAR-T technology and Cleveland Clinic for our breast and ovarian cancer vaccine technologies,
and if we lose any of these licenses we may be subjected to future litigation.
Risks
Related to our Common Stock
●
The
issuance or sale of shares in the future to raise money or for strategic purposes, including through our current ATM program,
could reduce the market price of our common stock.
●
We
have issued a significant number of securities pursuant to our incentive plans and may continue to do so in the future. The
vesting and, if applicable, exercise of these securities and the sale of the shares of common stock issuable thereunder may
dilute your percentage ownership interest and may also result in downward pressure on the price of our common stock.
Other
Our
principal executive offices are located at 3150 Almaden Expressway, San Jose, California 95118, our telephone number is (408)
708-9808 and our Internet website address is www.anixa.com. We make available free of charge on or through our Internet website
our annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, proxy statements on Schedule 14A,
and amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act as soon as reasonably
practicable after we electronically file such materials with, or furnish them to, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
“SEC”). Alternatively, you may also access our reports at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.
10
Item 1A.
Risk Factors.
Our
business involves a high degree of risk and uncertainty, including the following risks and uncertainties:
Risks
Related to Our Financial Condition and Operations
We
have a history of losses and may incur additional losses in the future .
On
a cumulative basis we have sustained substantial losses and negative cash flows from operations since our inception. As of October
31, 2020, our accumulated deficit was approximately $191,836,000. As of October 31, 2020, we had approximately $9,057,000 in cash,
cash equivalents and short-term investments, and working capital of approximately $8,180,000. In fiscal year 2020, we incurred
losses of approximately $10,092,000 and we experienced negative cash flows from operations of approximately $6,176,000. We expect
to continue incurring material research and development and general and administrative expenses in connection with our operations.
As a result, we anticipate that we will incur losses in the future.
We
will need additional funding in the future which may not be available on acceptable terms, or at all, and, if available, may result
in dilution to our stockholders.
Based
on currently available information as of January 7, 2021, we believe that our existing cash, cash equivalents, short-term
investments and expected cash flows will be sufficient to fund our activities for the next 12 months. However, our projections
of future cash needs and cash flows may differ from actual results. If current cash on hand, cash equivalents, short term investments
and cash that may be generated from our business operations are insufficient to continue to operate our business, or if we elect
to invest in or acquire a company or companies that are synergistic with or complementary to our technologies, we may be required
to obtain more working capital. We may seek to obtain working capital through sales of our equity securities or through bank credit
facilities or public or private debt from various financial institutions where possible. We cannot be certain that additional
funding will be available on acceptable terms, or at all. If we do identify sources for additional funding, the sale of additional
equity securities or convertible debt could result in dilution to our stockholders. Additionally, the sale of equity securities
or issuance of debt securities may be subject to certain security holder approvals or may result in the downward adjustment of
the exercise or conversion price of our outstanding securities. We can give no assurance that we will generate sufficient cash
flows in the future to satisfy our liquidity requirements or sustain future operations, or that other sources of funding, such
as sales of equity or debt, would be available or would be approved by our security holders, if needed, on favorable terms or
at all. If we fail to obtain additional working capital as and when needed, such failure could have a material adverse impact
on our business, results of operations and financial condition. Furthermore, such lack of funds may inhibit our ability to respond
to competitive pressures or unanticipated capital needs, or may force us to reduce operating expenses, which would significantly
harm the business and development of operations.
We
may have difficulty in raising capital and may consume resources faster than expected.
We
currently do not generate any revenue from our therapeutics or vaccines nor do we generate any other recurring revenues and as
of October 31, 2020, the Company only had approximately $9,057,000 in cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments. Therefore,
we have a limited source of cash to meet our future capital requirements, which may include the expensive process of obtaining
FDA approvals for our CAR-T ovarian cancer therapeutic, our breast and ovarian cancer vaccines and our COVID-19 therapy. We do
not expect to generate significant revenues for the foreseeable future, and we may not be able to raise funds in the future, which
would leave us without resources to continue our operations and force us to resort to raising additional capital in the form of
equity or debt financings, which may not be available to us. We may have difficulty raising needed capital in the near or longer
term as a result of, among other factors, the very early stage of our therapeutics and vaccine businesses and our lack of revenues
as well as the inherent business risks associated with an early stage, biotechnology company and present and future market conditions.
Also, we may consume available resources more rapidly than currently anticipated, resulting in the need for additional funding
sooner than anticipated. Our inability to raise funds could lead to decreases in the price of our common stock and the failure
of our cancer diagnostic and therapeutics businesses which would have a material adverse effect on the Company.
11
Failure
to effectively manage our potential growth could place strains on our managerial, operational and financial resources and could
adversely affect our business and operating results .
Our
business strategy and potential growth may place a strain on managerial, operational and financial resources and systems. Although
we may not grow as we expect, if we fail to manage our growth effectively or to develop and expand our managerial, operational
and financial resources and systems, our business and financial results will be materially harmed.
We
may use our financial and human resources to pursue a particular research program or product candidate and fail to capitalize
on programs or product candidates that may be more profitable or for which there is a greater likelihood of success.
Because
we have limited resources, we may forego or delay pursuit of opportunities with certain programs or product candidates or for
indications that later prove to have greater commercial potential. Our resource allocation decisions may cause us to fail to capitalize
on viable commercial products or profitable market opportunities. Our spending on current and future research and development
programs for product candidates may not yield any commercially viable products. If we do not accurately evaluate the commercial
potential or target market for a particular product candidate, we may relinquish valuable rights to that product candidate through
strategic collaboration, licensing or other royalty arrangements in cases in which it would have been more advantageous for us
to retain sole development and commercialization rights to such product candidate, or we may allocate internal resources to a
product candidate which it would have been more advantageous to enter into a partnering arrangement.
Our
ability to use our net operating loss carryforwards and certain other tax attributes may be limited.
We
have incurred net losses since our inception and we may never achieve or sustain profitability. Generally, losses incurred will
carry forward until such losses expire (for losses generated prior to January 1, 2018) or are used to offset future taxable income,
if any. Under Sections 382 and 383 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Internal Revenue Code”),
if a corporation undergoes an “ownership change,” generally defined as a greater than 50 percentage point change (by
value) in its equity ownership by certain stockholders over a three-year period, the corporation’s ability to use its pre-change
net operating loss, or NOL, carryforwards and other pre-change tax attributes (such as research tax credits) to offset its post-change
income or taxes may be limited. We have not completed a study to assess whether an ownership change for purposes of Section 382
or 383 has occurred, or whether there have been multiple ownership changes since our inception. We may have experienced ownership
changes in the past and may experience ownership changes in the future as a result of shifts in our stock ownership (some of which
shifts are outside our control). As a result, if we earn net taxable income, our ability to use our pre-change NOL carryforwards
to offset such taxable income will be subject to limitations. Similar provisions of state tax law may also apply to limit our
use of accumulated state tax attributes. As a result, even if we attain profitability, we may be unable to use a material portion
of our NOL carryforwards and other tax attributes, which could adversely affect our future cash flows.
12
Risks
Related to our Research & Development, Clinical and Commercialization Activities
Our
therapeutic and vaccine programs are pre-revenue, and subject to the risks of an early stage biotechnology company.
Since
the Company’s primary focus for the foreseeable future will likely be our therapeutics and vaccine businesses, shareholders
should understand that we are primarily an early stage biotechnology company with no history of revenue-generating operations,
and our only assets consist of our proprietary and licensed technologies and the know-how of our officers and employees. Therefore
we are subject to all the risks and uncertainties inherent in a new business, in particular new businesses engaged in CAR-T cancer
therapeutics, cancer vaccines and anti-viral therapeutics. Our CAR-T ovarian cancer therapeutic, our breast and ovarian cancer
vaccines and our COVID-19 treatment are in their early stages of development, and we still must establish and implement many important
functions necessary to commercialize the technologies.
Accordingly,
you should consider the Company’s prospects in light of the costs, uncertainties, delays and difficulties frequently encountered
by companies in their pre-revenue generating stages, particularly those in the biotechnology field. Shareholders should carefully
consider the risks and uncertainties that a business with no operating history will face. In particular, shareholders should consider
that there is a significant risk that we will not be able to:
●
complete
studies that successfully identify one or more clinical candidates to treat COVID-19;
●
successfully
complete animal studies necessary to submit an IND application to the FDA for our COVID-19 treatment;
●
successfully
complete testing of clinical materials necessary to submit an IND application to the FDA for our CAR-T ovarian cancer therapeutic;
●
obtain
FDA approval to commence human clinical trials of our CAR-T ovarian cancer therapeutic;
●
successfully
enroll sufficient numbers of qualified patients to participate in our clinical trials;
●
obtain
sufficient quantity and quality of materials manufactured for use in our clinical trials;
●
successfully
meet the primary endpoints in our clinical trials;
●
implement
or execute our current business plan, or that our current business plan is sound;
●
raise
sufficient funds in the capital markets or otherwise to fully effectuate our business plan;
●
maintain
our management team, including the members of our scientific advisory board;
●
determine
that the processes and technologies that we have developed or will develop are commercially viable; and/or
●
attract,
enter into or maintain contracts with potential commercial partners such as licensors of technology and suppliers or licensees
of our technologies.
Any
of the foregoing risks may adversely affect the Company and result in the failure of our business. In addition, we expect to encounter
unforeseen expenses, difficulties, complications, delays and other known and unknown factors. Over the next several quarters,
we will need to transition from a company with a research and development focus to a company capable of supporting clinical trials
and commercial activities. We may not be able to reach such achievements, which would have a material adverse effect on our Company.
13
Our
current business model relies on strategic collaborations with commercial partners to provide the resources and infrastructure
to manufacture and ultimately market and/or sell our technologies. We may have difficulty in timing the establishment of these
partnerships to achieve the greatest economic benefit for the Company, or in establishing these partnerships at all.
We
do not currently have the resources and infrastructure to manufacture, market or sell our products or technologies. While our
technologies have generated interest from multiple potential strategic partners, due to the early stage of development of our
technologies, we can give no assurance that we will be able to successfully establish any strategic partnerships. Further, even
if we elect to engage with a potential strategic partner, development of these partnerships can take an extended period of time
in which significant analysis is performed by the potential strategic partner on our technologies and our intellectual property,
as well as on the market opportunities and how well our technologies may fit strategically with the partner’s existing business.
Accordingly, it will be difficult for us to time the establishment of a strategic partnership to achieve the greatest economic
benefit for the Company.
If
product liability lawsuits are brought against us, we may incur substantial liabilities and may be required to limit commercialization
of our product candidates.
We
will face an inherent risk of product liability as a result of the upcoming human clinical testing and commercialization of our
product candidates. For example, we may be sued if our product candidates cause or are perceived to cause injury or are found
to be otherwise unsuitable during clinical testing, manufacturing, marketing or sale. Any such product liability claims may include
allegations of defects in manufacturing, defects in design, a failure to warn of dangers inherent in the product, negligence,
strict liability or a breach of warranties. Claims could also be asserted under state consumer protection acts. If we cannot successfully
defend ourselves against product liability claims, we may incur substantial liabilities or be required to limit or cease commercialization
of our product candidates. Even successful defense would require significant financial and management resources. Regardless of
the merits or eventual outcome, liability claims may result in:
●
decreased
demand for our product candidates;
●
injury
to our reputation;
●
withdrawal
of clinical trial participants;
●
initiation
of investigations by regulators;
●
costs
to defend the related litigation;
●
a
diversion of management’s time and our resources;
●
substantial
monetary awards to clinical trial participants or patients;
●
product
recalls, withdrawals or labeling, marketing or promotional restrictions;
●
loss
of revenue;
●
exhaustion
of any available insurance and our capital resources;
●
the
inability to commercialize any product candidate; and
●
a
decline in our share price.
We
do not currently carry product liability insurance, but intend to obtain such coverage prior to commencement of our clinical trials.
Our inability to obtain sufficient product liability insurance at an acceptable cost to protect against potential product liability
claims could prevent or inhibit the commercialization of any products we develop, alone or with corporate collaborators.
If
we cannot license rights to use technologies on reasonable terms, we may not be able to commercialize new products in the future.
In
the future, we may identify third-party technology we need, including to develop or commercialize new products or services. In
return for the use of a third party’s technology, we may agree to pay the licensor royalties based on sales of our products
or services. Royalties are a component of cost of products or services and affect the margins on our products or services. We
may also need to negotiate licenses to patents or patent applications before or after introducing a commercial product. We may
not be able to obtain necessary licenses to patents or patent applications, and our business may suffer if we are unable to enter
into the necessary licenses on acceptable terms or at all, if any necessary licenses are subsequently terminated, if the licensors
fail to abide by the terms of the licenses or fail to prevent infringement by third parties, or if the licensed patents or other
rights are found to be invalid or unenforceable.
14
Biotechnology
and pharmaceutical product development is a highly speculative undertaking and involves a substantial degree of uncertainty. We
have never generated any revenue from biotechnology and pharmaceutical product sales and our biotechnology and pharmaceutical
products may never be profitable.
We
are in the discovery stage of developing our COVID-19 treatment and our ovarian cancer vaccine technology, in the pre-clinical
stage of developing our CAR-T therapeutic technology and about to enter the clinical stage with our breast cancer vaccine technology.
Our ability to generate revenue depends in large part on our ability, alone or with partners, to successfully complete the development
of, obtain the necessary regulatory approvals for, and commercialize, product candidates. We do not anticipate generating revenues
from sales of such products for the foreseeable future. Our ability to generate future revenues from product sales of our technologies
depends heavily on our success in:
●
progressing
our discovery stage programs into pre-clinical testing;
●
progressing
our pre-clinical programs into human clinical trials;
●
completing
requisite clinical trials through all phases of clinical development of our product candidates;
●
seeking
and obtaining marketing approvals for our product candidates that successfully complete clinical trials, if any;
●
launching
and commercializing our product candidates for which we obtain marketing approval, if any, with a partner or, if launched
independently, successfully establishing a manufacturing, sales force, marketing and distribution infrastructure;
●
identifying
and developing new product candidates;
●
establishing
and maintaining supply and manufacturing relationships with third parties;
●
maintaining,
protecting, expanding and enforcing our intellectual property; and
●
attracting,
hiring and retaining qualified personnel.
Because
of the numerous risks and uncertainties associated with biologic and pharmaceutical product development, we are unable to predict
the likelihood or timing for when we may receive regulatory approval of our product candidates or when we will be able to achieve
or maintain profitability, if ever. If we are unable to establish a development and or commercialization partnership, or do not
receive regulatory approvals, our business, prospects, financial condition and results of operations will be adversely affected.
Even if we or a partner obtain the regulatory approvals to market and sell one or more of our product candidates, we may never
generate significant revenues from any commercial sales for several reasons, including because the market for our products may
be smaller than we anticipate, or products may not be adopted by physicians and payors or because our products may not be as efficacious
or safe as other treatment options. If we fail to successfully commercialize one or more products, by ourselves or through a partner,
we may be unable to generate sufficient revenues to sustain and grow our business and our business, prospects, financial condition
and results of operations will be adversely affected.
15
Cancer
vaccines are novel and present significant challenges.
The
development of preventive and therapeutic cancer vaccines is difficult, with very few cancer vaccines successfully reaching the
market. The only vaccines shown to be effective in preventing cancer have been vaccines against cancer causing agents, not the
cancer itself. Vaccines work by exposing a benign form of a disease agent to an individual’s immune system. The immune system
identifies the agent and learns to attack and destroy it, retaining a memory of the agent so the immune system knows to react
quickly if an individual is exposed to the disease agent months or years later. Most vaccines attack pathogens, such as viruses
and bacteria. The immune system is better able to assail these agents because they come from outside the body. Cancer, however,
is caused by aberrant cells that arise out of our resident cells, which can make it difficult for our immune system to find the
diseased cells, especially as advancing age weakens our immune system. Once these aberrant cells gain critical mass, they become
cancer.
CAR-T
cell therapies are novel and present significant challenges.
CAR-T
product candidates represent a relatively new field of cellular immunotherapy. Advancing this novel and personalized therapy creates
significant challenges for us, or a partner, including:
●
obtaining
regulatory approval, as the FDA and other regulatory authorities have limited experience with commercial development of T-cell
therapies for cancer;
●
sourcing
clinical and, if approved, commercial supplies for the materials used to manufacture and process our product candidates;
●
developing
a consistent and reliable process, while limiting contamination risks, for engineering and manufacturing T cells ex vivo and
infusing the engineered T cells into the patient;
●
educating
medical personnel regarding the potential safety benefits, as well as the challenges, of incorporating our product candidates
into their treatment regimens;
●
establishing
sales and marketing capabilities upon obtaining any regulatory approval to gain market acceptance of a novel therapy; and
●
the
availability of coverage and adequate reimbursement from third-party payors for our novel and personalized therapy.
Our
inability to successfully develop CAR-T cell therapies or develop processes related to the manufacture, sales and marketing of
these therapies would adversely affect our business, results of operations and prospects.
While
CAR-T technology has shown positive results in B-cell cancers by others, its safety and efficacy has not been seen in solid tumors
and we cannot guarantee our CAR-T technology will be safe or effective in ovarian or other cancers.
CAR-T
therapies function through the binding of a genetically engineered killer T-cell to a cancer cell. However, these engineered T-cells
destroy the cell they are bound to whether it is a cancer cell or a healthy cell. Therefore, the engineered T-cells must be designed
to only bind to either cancer cells or other target cells to minimize toxicity. Our CAR-T technology relies on the natural affinity
of FSH to FSH-Receptor. Research by others has shown that in women the FSH-Receptor protein is found on ovary cells and generally
in no other healthy tissue, and therefore, we engineer our T-cells with FSH. However, as the research in this field is still new,
we cannot guarantee that there is no FSH-Receptor on any other healthy tissue in the human body.
16
While
our CAR-T technology has shown favorable results from in-vitro and in-vivo testing, including in large numbers of animals under
the Good Laboratory Practice (“GLP”) conditions necessary for inclusion in an IND application, we cannot guarantee
that these results will be sufficient for the FDA to allow us to commence human clinical trials.
While
studies on our CAR-T ovarian cancer therapeutic have generated promising results in large numbers of mice under GLP conditions,
and toxicity studies have been performed and have had favorable results, there can be no assurance that the FDA will find these
results sufficient to allow us to commence testing of our ovarian cancer therapy in human patients. If we are unable to commence
human clinical trials for our product candidate, or if commencement of such trial is significantly delayed, we may be required
to expend significant additional resources, which may not be available to us, and our business, prospects, financial condition
and results of operations may be adversely affected.
There
is no guarantee that our collaboration with OntoChem will produce a successful anti-viral drug for COVID-19.
On
April 14, 2020, we entered into a collaboration agreement with OntoChem for the purpose of discovering and ultimately developing
anti-viral drug candidates for COVID-19. Through this collaboration, we utilized advanced computational methods, machine learning
and molecular modeling techniques to perform in silico screening of over 1.2 billion compounds in OntoChem’s chemistry
and gene ontology database (including publicly available compounds and OntoChem’s proprietary libraries) to evaluate if
any of these compounds could disrupt one of two key enzymes of COVID-19. While, to date, we have synthesized several potential
COVID-19 compounds and are in the process of performing biological assays, there is no guarantee that any of these compounds (or
any other future compounds that we may identify) will demonstrate sufficient potency as predicted by the molecular modeling algorithms.
Further, even if these compounds do demonstrate sufficient potency, there is no guarantee that the compounds will be effective
in animal or human testing and that they will ultimately be effective anti-viral drugs for COVID-19. In addition, based on the
current stage of development, while considering the streamlined regulatory processes for COVID-19 therapies, it may take up to
two or more years before we could obtain Emergency Use Authorization from the FDA.
There
is significant competition in the search for a treatment for COVID-19.
There
is significant competition, including from other companies and governmental organizations, to find treatments for COVID-19. Many
of these entities have substantially greater resources (including capital and personnel) than we do and many of these entities
are much further ahead in pursuit of a treatment than we are. Even if we are successful in identifying a compound that may act
as an effective treatment for COVID-19, there is no guarantee that we will have the only effective treatment for COVID-19 or that
we will be able to get our treatment to market prior to our competitors.
A
successful preventative vaccine will likely limit the market for a COVID-19 treatment.
A
number of preventative vaccines have recently been approved for use in human populations by regulatory agencies in the U.S. and
Europe. The anticipated effectiveness of these vaccines will likely limit the spread of COVID-19 and potentially reduce the market
size for a COVID-19 treatment.
While
pre-clinical testing of our product candidates have been positive, we may experience unfavorable results once we commence human
clinical trials.
We
have not initiated clinical trials for any of our product candidates and we may not be able to commence clinical trials on the
time frames we expect. As these product candidates have only been tested in animals, we face significant uncertainty regarding
how effective and safe they will be in human patients and the results from preclinical studies may not be indicative of the results
of clinical trials. Preclinical and clinical data are often susceptible to varying interpretations and analyses, and many companies
that have believed their product candidates performed satisfactorily in preclinical studies and clinical trials have nonetheless
failed to obtain marketing approval for their products.
17
Even
if clinical trials are successfully completed, the FDA or foreign regulatory authorities may not interpret the results as we do,
and more clinical trials could be required before we submit our product candidates for approval. To the extent that the results
of our clinical trials are not satisfactory to the FDA or foreign regulatory authorities for support of a marketing application,
approval of our product candidates may be significantly delayed, or we may be required to expend significant additional resources,
which may not be available to us, to conduct additional clinical trials in support of potential approval of our product candidates.
We
are dependent on third parties to conduct our pre-clinical and clinical trials.
We
depend and will continue to depend upon independent investigators and collaborators, such as universities, medical institutions,
and strategic partners such as Moffitt for our CAR-T therapy, Cleveland Clinic for our breast and ovarian cancer vaccines and
OntoChem, as well as other European partners, for our COVID-19 therapy to conduct our preclinical and clinical trials under agreements
with us. Negotiations of budgets and contracts with study sites may result in delays to our development timelines and increased
costs. We will rely heavily on these third parties over the course of our clinical trials, and we control only certain aspects
of their activities. Nevertheless, we are responsible for ensuring that each of our studies is conducted in accordance with applicable
protocol, legal, regulatory and scientific standards, and our reliance on third parties does not relieve us of our regulatory
responsibilities. We and these third parties are required to comply with current good clinical practices, or cGCPs, which are
regulations and guidelines enforced by the FDA and comparable foreign regulatory authorities for product candidates in clinical
development. Regulatory authorities enforce these cGCPs through periodic inspections of clinical trial sponsors, principal investigators
and clinical trial sites. If we or any of these third parties fail to comply with applicable cGCP regulations, the clinical data
generated in our clinical trials may be deemed unreliable and the FDA or comparable foreign regulatory authorities could require
us to perform additional clinical trials before approving our marketing applications. It is possible that, upon inspection, such
regulatory authorities could determine that any of our clinical trials fail to comply with the cGCP regulations. In addition,
our clinical trials must be conducted with biologic product produced under current good manufacturing practices, or cGMPs, and
will require a large number of test patients. Our failure or any failure by these third parties to comply with these regulations
or to recruit a sufficient number of patients may require us to repeat clinical trials, which would delay the regulatory approval
process. Moreover, our business may be implicated if any of these third parties violates federal or state fraud and abuse or false
claims laws and regulations or healthcare privacy and security laws.
Any
third parties conducting our clinical trials are not and will not be our employees and, except for remedies available to us under
our agreements with these third parties, we cannot control whether they devote sufficient time and resources to our ongoing preclinical,
clinical and nonclinical programs. These third parties may also have relationships with other commercial entities, including our
competitors, for whom they may also be conducting clinical trials or other drug development activities, which could affect their
performance on our behalf. If these third parties do not successfully carry out their contractual duties or obligations or meet
expected deadlines, if they need to be replaced or if the quality or accuracy of the clinical data they obtain is compromised
due to the failure to adhere to our clinical protocols or regulatory requirements or for other reasons, our clinical trials may
be extended, delayed or terminated and we may not be able to complete development of, obtain regulatory approval of or successfully
commercialize our product candidates. As a result, our financial results and the commercial prospects for our product candidates
would be harmed, our costs could increase and our ability to generate revenue could be delayed.
18
Switching
or adding third parties to conduct our clinical trials involves substantial cost and requires extensive management time and focus.
In addition, there is a natural transition period when a new third party commences work. As a result, delays occur, which can
materially impact our ability to meet our desired clinical development timelines.
If
we encounter difficulties enrolling patients in our clinical trials, our clinical development activities could be delayed or otherwise
adversely affected.
Even
if we are permitted to conduct clinical trials for our product candidates, we may experience difficulties in patient enrollment
in our clinical trials for a variety of reasons. The timely completion of clinical trials in accordance with their protocols depends,
among other things, on our ability to enroll a sufficient number of patients who remain in the study until its conclusion. The
enrollment of patients depends on many factors, including:
●
the
patient eligibility criteria defined in the clinical trial protocol;
●
the
size of the patient population required for analysis of the trial’s primary endpoints;
●
the
proximity of patients to the study site;
●
the
design of the clinical trial;
●
our
ability to retain clinical trial investigators with the appropriate competencies and experience;
●
our
ability to obtain and maintain patient consents;
●
the
risk that patients enrolled in clinical trials will drop out of the clinical trials before completion; and
●
competing
clinical trials and approved therapies available for patients.
In
particular, our CAR-T ovarian cancer clinical trial will look to enroll patients with late stage ovarian cancer who have failed
conventional treatment, and are willing and able to be treated at Moffitt. Our first breast cancer vaccine clinical trial will
look to enroll patients who have undergone standard of care treatment for TNBC. Our second breast cancer vaccine clinical trial
will look to enroll healthy women who, as a result of testing positive for the BRCA1 gene mutation which is a leading predictor
of future incidence of breast cancer, have elected to have prophylactic mastectomies. These potential trial participants have
to be willing and able to undergo treatment at the Cleveland Clinic.
Our
clinical trials will compete with other companies’ clinical trials for product candidates that are in the same therapeutic
areas as our product candidates, and this competition will reduce the number and types of patients available to us, because some
patients who might have opted to enroll in our clinical trials may instead opt to enroll in a trial being conducted by one of
our competitors. We expect to conduct our clinical trials at the same clinical trial sites that some of our competitors may use,
which will reduce the number of patients who are available for our clinical trial in these clinical trial sites. Moreover, because
our product candidates represent a departure from more commonly used methods for cancer treatment, potential patients and their
doctors may be inclined to use experimental therapies that use conventional technologies, such as chemotherapy and antibody therapy,
rather than enroll patients in our future clinical trials. Patients may also be unwilling to participate in our clinical trials
because of negative publicity from adverse events in the biotechnology or gene therapy industries.
Additionally,
due to the design of our breast cancer vaccine trials it is unlikely that any of the trial participants will experience a positive
therapeutic effect which may further reduce the number of patients who may enroll in our trials.
19
Delays
in patient enrollment may result in increased costs or may affect the timing or outcome of our planned clinical trials, which
could prevent completion of the clinical trials and adversely affect our ability to advance the development of our ovarian cancer
CAR-T therapy and our breast cancer vaccine.
Any
adverse developments that occur during any clinical trials conducted by academic investigators, our collaborators or other entities
conducting clinical trials under independent INDs may negatively affect the conduct of our clinical trials or our ability to obtain
regulatory approvals or commercialize our product candidates.
CAR-T,
vaccines and other immuno-therapy technologies are being used by third parties in clinical trials for which we are collaborating
or in clinical trials which are completely independent of our development programs. We have little to no control over the conduct
of those clinical trials. If serious adverse events occur during these or any other clinical trials using technologies similar
to ours, the FDA and other regulatory authorities may delay our clinical trial, or could delay, limit or deny approval of our
product candidates or require us to conduct additional clinical trials as a condition to marketing approval, which would increase
our costs. If we receive regulatory approval for any product candidate and a new and serious safety issue is identified in connection
with clinical trials conducted by third parties, the applicable regulatory authorities may withdraw their approval of our products
or otherwise restrict our ability to market and sell our products. In addition, treating physicians may be less willing to administer
our products due to concerns over such adverse events, which would limit our ability to commercialize our products.
Adverse
side effects or other safety risks associated with our product candidates could cause us to suspend or discontinue clinical trials
or delay or preclude approval.
In
third party clinical trials involving CAR-T cell therapies, the most prominent acute toxicities included symptoms thought to be
associated with the release of cytokines, such as fever, low blood pressure and kidney dysfunction. Some patients also experienced
toxicity of the central nervous system, such as confusion, cranial nerve dysfunction and speech impairment. Adverse side effects
attributed to CAR-T therapies were severe and life-threatening in some patients. The life-threatening events were related to kidney
dysfunction and toxicities of the central nervous system or other organ failure. Severe and life-threatening toxicities occurred
primarily in the first two weeks after cell infusion and generally resolved within three weeks. In the past, several patients
have also died in clinical trials by others involving CAR-T cells.
Side
effects of our breast cancer vaccine may include mild effects such as injection site pain or irritation, or more severe side effects
such as fever, inflammation, organ failure or other adverse effects.
Undesirable
side effects observed in our clinical trials, whether or not they are caused by our product candidates, could result in the delay,
suspension or termination of clinical trials, by the FDA or other regulatory authorities or us for a number of reasons. In addition,
because the patients who will be enrolled in our clinical trials may be suffering from a life-threatening disease and may often
be suffering from multiple complicating conditions it may be difficult to accurately assess the relationship between our product
candidate and adverse events experienced by very ill patients. If we elect or are required to delay, suspend or terminate any
of our clinical trials, the commercial prospects of such therapy will be harmed and our ability to generate product revenues from
such therapy will be delayed or eliminated. In addition, serious adverse events observed in clinical trials could hinder or prevent
market acceptance of the product candidate at issue. Any of these occurrences may harm our business, prospects, financial condition
and results of operations significantly.
20
Clinical
trials are expensive, time-consuming and difficult to design and implement.
Human
clinical trials are expensive and difficult to design and implement, in part because they are subject to rigorous regulatory requirements.
Because our CAR-T ovarian cancer therapy is based on relatively new technology and engineered on a patient-by-patient basis, we
expect that it will require extensive research and development and have substantial manufacturing and processing costs. In addition,
costs to treat patients with relapsed/refractory cancer and to treat potential side effects that may result from therapies such
as our current and future product candidates can be significant. Accordingly, our clinical trial costs are likely to be significantly
higher than for more conventional therapeutic technologies or drug products. In addition, our proposed personalized product candidates
involve several complex and costly manufacturing and processing steps, the costs of which will be borne by us.
In
one of our planned breast cancer vaccine clinical trials, we will treat healthy women who, as a result of testing positive for
the BRCA1 gene mutation, have elected to have prophylactic mastectomies. Delivering an experimental treatment to a healthy individual
is more complex and subject to more rigorous regulatory requirements and is more difficult to design and implement. In addition,
in future clinical trials we will need to determine efficacy of the breast cancer vaccine as a cancer prevention which will be
a considerably more complex clinical trial and will have significantly greater costs.
The
costs of our clinical trials may increase if the FDA does not agree with our clinical development plans or requires us to conduct
additional clinical trials to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of our product candidates.
We
face significant competition from other biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, and our operating results will suffer if we
fail to compete effectively.
The
biopharmaceutical industry is characterized by intense competition and rapid innovation. Our competitors may be able to develop
other compounds or drugs that are able to achieve similar or better results. Our potential competitors include major multinational
pharmaceutical companies, established biotechnology companies, specialty pharmaceutical companies and universities and other research
institutions. Many of our competitors have substantially greater financial, technical and other resources, such as larger research
and development staff and experienced marketing and manufacturing organizations and well-established sales forces. Smaller or
early-stage companies may also prove to be significant competitors, particularly through collaborative arrangements with large,
established companies. Mergers and acquisitions in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries may result in even more resources
being concentrated in our competitors. Competition may increase further as a result of advances in the commercial applicability
of technologies and greater availability of capital for investment in these industries. Our competitors, either alone or with
collaborative partners, may succeed in developing, acquiring or licensing on an exclusive basis drug or biologic products that
are more effective, safer, more easily commercialized or less costly than our product candidates or may develop proprietary technologies
or secure patent protection that we may need for the development of our technologies and products.
Cell-based
therapies rely on the availability of specialty raw materials, which may not be available to us on acceptable terms or at all.
Gene-modified
cell therapy manufacture requires many specialty raw materials, some of which are manufactured by small companies with limited
resources and experience to support a commercial product. Some suppliers typically support biomedical researchers or blood-based
hospital businesses and may not have the capacity to support commercial products manufactured under cGMP by biopharmaceutical
firms. The suppliers may be ill-equipped to support our needs, especially in non-routine circumstances like a FDA inspection or
medical crisis, such as widespread contamination. We also do not have commercial supply arrangements with many of these suppliers,
and may not be able to contract with them on acceptable terms or at all. Accordingly, we may experience delays in receiving key
raw materials to support clinical or commercial manufacturing.
21
In
addition, some raw materials are currently available from a single supplier, or a small number of suppliers. We cannot be sure
that these suppliers will remain in business, or that they will not be purchased by one of our competitors or another company
that is not interested in continuing to produce these materials for our intended purpose.
We
may form or seek strategic alliances or enter into additional licensing arrangements in the future, and we may not realize the
benefits of such alliances or licensing arrangements.
We
may form or seek strategic alliances, create joint ventures or collaborations and enter into additional licensing arrangements
with third parties that we believe will complement or augment our development and commercialization efforts with respect to our
product candidates and any future product candidates that we may develop. Any of these relationships may require us to incur non-recurring
and other charges, increase our near and long-term expenditures, issue securities that dilute our existing stockholders or disrupt
our management and business. In addition, we face significant competition in seeking appropriate strategic partners and the negotiation
process is time-consuming and complex. Moreover, we may not be successful in our efforts to establish a strategic partnership
or other alternative arrangements for our product candidates because they may be deemed to be at too early of a stage of development
for collaborative effort and third parties may not view our product candidates as having the requisite potential to demonstrate
safety and efficacy. If we license products or businesses, we may not be able to realize the benefit of such transactions if we
are unable to successfully integrate them with our existing operations and company culture. It is possible that, following a strategic
transaction or license, we may not achieve the revenue or specific net income that justifies such transaction. Any delays in entering
into new strategic partnership agreements related to our product candidates could delay the development and commercialization
of our product candidates in certain geographies for certain indications, which would harm our business prospects, financial condition
and results of operations.
The
FDA regulatory approval process is lengthy and time-consuming, and we may experience significant delays in the clinical development
and regulatory approval of our product candidates.
We
have not previously submitted a Biologics License Application (“BLA”) or a New Drug Application (“NDA”)
to the FDA, or similar approval filings to other foreign authorities. A BLA or NDA must include extensive preclinical and clinical
data and supporting information to establish the product candidate’s safety, purity and potency for each desired indication.
It must also include significant information regarding the chemistry, manufacturing and controls for the product. We expect the
novel nature of our product candidates to create further challenges in obtaining regulatory approval. For example, the FDA has
limited experience with commercial development of T-cell therapies and vaccines for cancer. The regulatory approval pathway for
our product candidates may be uncertain, complex, expensive and lengthy, and approval may not be obtained.
We
may also experience delays in completing planned clinical trials for a variety of reasons, including delays related to:
●
the
availability of financial resources to commence and complete our planned clinical trials;
●
reaching
agreement on acceptable terms with prospective clinical trial sites, the terms of which can be subject to extensive negotiation
and may vary significantly among different clinical trial sites;
●
recruiting
suitable patients to participate in a clinical trial;
●
having
patients complete a clinical trial or return for post-treatment follow-up;
22
●
clinical
trial sites deviating from clinical trial protocol, failing to follow GCPs, or dropping out of a clinical trial;
●
adding
new clinical trial sites; or
●
manufacturing
sufficient quantities of qualified materials under cGMPs and applying them on a subject by subject basis for use in clinical
trials.
Also,
before a clinical trial can begin at an NIH-funded institution, that institution’s independent institutional review board,
or IRB, and its Institutional Biosafety Committee must review the proposed clinical trial to assess the safety of the trial. In
addition, adverse developments in clinical trials of gene therapy products conducted by others may cause the FDA or other regulatory
bodies to change the requirements for approval of any of our product candidates.
We
could also encounter delays if physicians encounter unresolved ethical issues associated with enrolling patients in clinical trials
of our product candidates in lieu of prescribing existing treatments that have established safety and efficacy profiles. Further,
a clinical trial may be suspended or terminated by us, the IRBs for the institutions in which such clinical trials are being conducted,
the Data Monitoring Committee for such clinical trial, or by the FDA or other regulatory authorities due to a number of factors,
including failure to conduct the clinical trial in accordance with regulatory requirements or our clinical protocols, inspection
of the clinical trial operations or clinical trial site by the FDA or other regulatory authorities resulting in the imposition
of a clinical hold, unforeseen safety issues or adverse side effects, failure to demonstrate a benefit from using a product candidate,
changes in governmental regulations or administrative actions or lack of adequate funding to continue the clinical trial. If we
experience termination of, or delays in the completion of, any clinical trial of our product candidates, the commercial prospects
for our product candidates will be harmed, and our ability to generate product revenue will be delayed. In addition, any delays
in completing our clinical trials will increase our costs, slow down our product development and approval process and jeopardize
our ability to commence product sales and generate revenue.
Many
of the factors that cause, or lead to, a delay in the commencement or completion of clinical trials may ultimately lead to the
denial of regulatory approval of our product candidates.
Even
if we obtain regulatory approval of our product candidates, the products may not gain market acceptance among physicians, patients,
hospitals, cancer treatment centers, third-party payors and others in the medical community.
The
use of engineered T-cells as a potential cancer treatment and the use of therapeutic and prophylactic cancer vaccines are recently
developed technologies and may not become broadly accepted by physicians, patients, hospitals, cancer treatment centers, third-party
payors and others in the medical community. Many factors will influence whether our product candidates are accepted in the market,
including:
●
the
clinical indications for which our product candidates are approved;
●
physicians,
hospitals, cancer treatment centers and patients considering our product candidates as a safe and effective treatment;
●
the
potential and perceived advantages of our product candidates over alternative treatments;
●
the
prevalence and severity of any side effects;
●
product
labeling or product insert requirements of the FDA or other regulatory authorities;
●
limitations
or warnings contained in the labeling approved by the FDA or other regulatory authorities;
23
●
the
extent and quality of the clinical evidence supporting the efficacy and safety of our product candidates;
●
the
timing of market introduction of our product candidates as well as competitive products;
●
the
cost of treatment in relation to alternative treatments;
●
the
availability of adequate reimbursement and pricing by third-party payors and government authorities;
●
the
willingness and ability of patients to pay out-of-pocket in the absence of coverage by third-party payors, including government
authorities;
●
relative
convenience and ease of administration, including as compared to alternative treatments and competitive therapies; and
●
the
effectiveness of our or any of our strategic partners’ sales and marketing efforts.
If
our product candidates are approved but fail to achieve market acceptance among physicians, patients, hospitals, cancer treatment
centers or others in the medical community, we will not be able to generate significant revenue. Even if our products achieve
market acceptance, we may not be able to maintain that market acceptance over time if new products or technologies are introduced
that are more favorably received than our products, are more cost effective or render our products obsolete.
Risks
Related to Our Intellectual Property
If
we are unable to obtain and maintain intellectual property protection, our competitive position will be harmed.
Our
ability to compete and to achieve sustained profitability will be impacted by our ability to protect our CAR-T cancer therapeutics
technologies, our breast cancer vaccine technologies, our ovarian cancer vaccine technologies, our COVID-19 therapeutic technologies
and other proprietary discoveries and technologies. We expect to rely on a combination of patent protection, copyrights, trademarks,
trade secrets, know-how, and regulatory approvals to protect our technologies. Our intellectual property strategy is intended
to help develop and maintain our competitive position. While we have been granted multiple patents related to our technologies,
there is no assurance that we will be able to obtain further patent protection for our technologies or any other technologies,
nor can we be certain that the steps we will have taken will prevent the misappropriation and unauthorized use of our technologies.
If we are not able to obtain and maintain patent protection our competitive position may be harmed.
Third
parties may initiate legal proceedings alleging that we are infringing their intellectual property rights, the outcome of which
would be uncertain and could have a material adverse effect on the success of our business.
Our
commercial success depends upon our ability to develop, manufacture, market and sell our CAR-T therapeutics, our breast cancer
vaccine, our ovarian cancer vaccine, our COVID-19 treatment and other proprietary discoveries and technologies without infringing,
misappropriating or otherwise violating the proprietary rights or intellectual property of third parties. We may become party
to, or be threatened with, future adversarial proceedings or litigation regarding intellectual property rights with respect to
our CAR-T therapeutics, our breast cancer vaccine, our ovarian cancer vaccine, our COVID-19 treatment and other proprietary discoveries
and technologies. Third parties may assert infringement claims against us based on existing patents or patents that may be granted
in the future. If we are found to infringe a third-party’s intellectual property rights, we could be required to obtain
a license from such third-party to continue developing our CAR-T therapeutics, our breast cancer vaccine, our ovarian cancer vaccine,
our COVID-19 treatment and other proprietary discoveries and technologies. However, we may not be able to obtain any required
license on commercially reasonable terms or at all. Even if we were able to obtain a license, it could be non-exclusive, thereby
giving our competitors access to the same technologies licensed to us. We could be forced, including by court order, to cease
developing the infringing technology or product. In addition, we could be found liable for monetary damages. Claims that we have
misappropriated the confidential information or trade secrets of third parties can have a similar negative impact on our business.
24
We
rely on licenses from Wistar for our CAR-T technology and Cleveland Clinic for our breast and ovarian cancer vaccine technologies,
and if we lose any of these licenses we may be subjected to future litigation.
We
are party to royalty-bearing license agreements that grant us rights to use certain intellectual property, including patents and
patent applications. We may need to obtain additional licenses from others to advance our research, development and commercialization
activities. Our license agreement imposes, and we expect that future license agreements if necessary will impose, various development,
diligence, commercialization and other obligations on us.
In
spite of our efforts, our licensors might conclude that we have materially breached our obligations under such license agreements
and might therefore terminate the license agreements, thereby removing or limiting our ability to develop and commercialize products
and technology covered by these license agreements. If these in-licenses are terminated, or if the underlying patents fail to
provide the intended exclusivity, competitors or other third parties might have the freedom to seek regulatory approval of, and
to market, products identical to ours and we may be required to cease our development and commercialization activities. Any of
the foregoing could have a material adverse effect on our competitive position, business, financial conditions, results of operations
and prospects.
Moreover,
disputes may arise with respect to any one of our licensing agreements, including:
●
the
scope of rights granted under the license agreement and other interpretation-related issues;
●
the
extent to which our product candidates, technology and processes infringe on intellectual property of the licensor that is
not subject to the licensing agreement;
●
the
sublicensing of patent and other rights under the licensing agreement and our collaborative development relationships;
●
our
diligence obligations under the license agreement and what activities satisfy those diligence obligations;
●
the
inventorship and ownership of inventions and know-how resulting from the joint creation or use of intellectual property by
our licensors and us and our partners; and
●
the
priority of invention of patented technology.
If
we do not prevail in such disputes, we may lose any of such license agreements.
In
addition, the agreements under which we currently license intellectual property or technology from third parties are complex,
and certain provisions in such agreements may be susceptible to multiple interpretations. The resolution of any contract interpretation
disagreement that may arise could narrow what we believe to be the scope of our rights to the relevant intellectual property or
technology, or increase what we believe to be our financial or other obligations under the relevant agreement, either of which
could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects. Moreover, if disputes
over intellectual property that we have licensed prevent or impair our ability to maintain our current licensing arrangements
on commercially acceptable terms, we may be unable to successfully develop and commercialize the affected product candidates,
which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial conditions, results of operations and prospects.
25
Our
failure to maintain such licenses could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Any of these licenses could be terminated, such as if either party fails to abide by the terms of the license, or if the licensor
fails to prevent infringement by third parties or if the licensed patents or other rights are found to be invalid or unenforceable.
Absent the license agreements, we may infringe patents subject to those agreements, and if the license agreements are terminated,
we may be subject to litigation by the licensor. Litigation could result in substantial costs and be a distraction to management.
If we do not prevail, we may be required to pay damages, including treble damages, attorneys’ fees, costs and expenses,
royalties or, be enjoined from selling our products, which could adversely affect our ability to offer products, our ability to
continue operations and our financial condition.
If
our efforts to protect the proprietary nature of our technologies are not adequate, we may not be able to compete effectively
in our market.
Any
disclosure to or misappropriation by third parties of our confidential proprietary information could enable competitors to quickly
duplicate or surpass our technological achievements, thus eroding our competitive position in our markets. Certain intellectual
property which is covered by our in-license agreements has been developed at academic institutions which have retained non-commercial
rights to such intellectual property.
There
are several pending U.S. and foreign patent applications in our portfolio, and we anticipate additional patent applications will
be filed both in the U.S. and in other countries, as appropriate. However, we cannot predict:
●
if
and when patents will issue;
●
the
degree and range of protection any issued patents will afford us against competitors including whether third parties will
find ways to invalidate or otherwise circumvent our patents;
●
whether
or not others will obtain patents claiming aspects similar to those covered by our patents and patent applications; or
●
whether
we will need to initiate litigation or administrative proceedings which may be costly whether we win or lose.
Composition
of matter patents for biological and pharmaceutical products are generally considered to be the strongest form of intellectual
property. We cannot be certain that the claims in our pending patent applications directed to compositions of matter for our product
candidates will be considered patentable by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (the “USPTO”) or by patent offices
in foreign countries, or that the claims in any of our issued patents will be considered valid by courts in the U.S. or foreign
countries. Method of use patents have claims directed to the use of a product for the specified method. This type of patent does
not prevent a competitor from making and marketing a product that is identical to our product for an indication that is outside
the scope of the patented method. Moreover, even if competitors do not actively promote their product for our targeted indications,
physicians may prescribe these products “off-label.” Although off-label prescriptions may infringe or contribute to
the infringement of method of use patents, the practice is common and such infringement is difficult to prevent or prosecute.
26
The
strength of patents in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical field involves complex legal and scientific questions and can be uncertain.
The patent applications that we own or in-license may fail to result in issued patents with claims that cover our product candidates
or uses thereof in the U.S. or in other foreign countries. Even if the patents do successfully issue, third parties may challenge
the validity, enforceability or scope thereof, which may result in such patents being narrowed, invalidated or held unenforceable.
Furthermore, even if they are unchallenged, patents in our portfolio may not adequately exclude third parties from practicing
relevant technology or prevent others from designing around our claims. If the breadth or strength of our intellectual property
position with respect to our product candidates is threatened, it could dissuade companies from collaborating with us to develop,
and threaten our ability to commercialize, our product candidates. Further, if we encounter delays in our clinical trials, the
period of time during which we could market our product candidates under patent protection would be reduced. Since patent applications
in the U.S. and most other countries are confidential for a period of time after filing, it is possible that patent applications
in our portfolio may not be the first filed patent applications related to our product candidates. Furthermore, for U.S. applications
in which all claims are entitled to a priority date before March 16, 2013, an interference proceeding can be provoked by a third-party
or instituted by the USPTO, to determine who was the first to invent any of the subject matter covered by the patent claims of
our applications. For U.S. applications containing a claim not entitled to priority before March 16, 2013, there is a greater
level of uncertainty in the patent law with the passage of the America Invents Act (2012) which brings into effect significant
changes to the U.S. patent laws that are yet untried and untested, and which introduces new procedures for challenging pending
patent applications and issued patents. A primary change under this reform is the creation of a “first to file” system
in the U.S. This will require us to be cognizant going forward of the time from invention to filing of a patent application.
Obtaining
and maintaining our patents depends on compliance with various procedural, document submission, fee payment and other requirements
imposed by governmental patent agencies, and our patent position could be reduced or eliminated for non-compliance with these
requirements.
Periodic
maintenance fees on any issued patent are due to be paid to the USPTO and foreign patent agencies in several stages over the lifetime
of the patent. The USPTO and various foreign governmental patent agencies require compliance with a number of procedural, documentary,
fee payment and other similar provisions during the patent application process. While an inadvertent lapse can in many cases be
cured by payment of a late fee or by other means in accordance with the applicable rules, there are situations in which noncompliance
can result in abandonment or lapse of the patent or patent application, resulting in partial or complete loss of patent rights
in the relevant jurisdiction. Noncompliance events that could result in abandonment or lapse of a patent or patent application
include, but are not limited to, failure to respond to official actions within prescribed time limits, non-payment of fees and
failure to properly legalize and submit formal documents. Such noncompliance events are outside of our direct control for (1)
non-U.S. patents and patent applications owned by us, and (2) patents and patent applications licensed to us by another entity.
In such an event, our competitors might be able to enter the market, which would have a material adverse effect on our business.
Issued
patents covering our product candidates could be found invalid or unenforceable if challenged in court or the USPTO.
If
we or one of our licensing partners initiate legal proceedings against a third party to enforce a patent covering one of our product
candidates, the defendant could counterclaim that the patent covering our product candidate, as applicable, is invalid and/or
unenforceable. In patent litigation in the U.S., defendant counterclaims alleging invalidity and/or unenforceability are commonplace,
and there are numerous grounds upon which a third party can assert invalidity or unenforceability of a patent. Third parties may
also raise similar claims before administrative bodies in the U.S. or abroad, even outside the context of litigation. Such mechanisms
include re-examination, post grant review, and equivalent proceedings in foreign jurisdictions, for example, opposition proceedings.
Any such proceedings could result in revocation or amendment to our patents in such a way that they no longer cover our product
candidates. The outcome following legal assertions of invalidity and unenforceability is unpredictable. With respect to the validity
question, for example, we cannot be certain that there is no invalidating prior art and that prior art that was cited during prosecution,
but not relied on by the patent examiner, will not be revisited. If a defendant were to prevail on a legal assertion of invalidity
and/or unenforceability, we would lose at least part, and perhaps all, of the patents directed to our product candidates. A loss
of patent rights could have a material adverse impact on our business.
27
Changes
in U.S. patent law could diminish the value of patents in general, thereby impairing our ability to protect our products.
As
is the case with other biopharmaceutical companies, our success is heavily dependent on intellectual property, particularly patents.
Obtaining and enforcing patents in the biopharmaceutical industry involve both technological and legal complexity, and is therefore
costly, time-consuming and inherently uncertain. In addition, the U.S. has recently enacted and is currently implementing wide-ranging
patent reform legislation. Recent U.S. Supreme Court rulings have narrowed the scope of patent protection available in certain
circumstances and weakened the rights of patent owners in certain situations. In addition to increasing uncertainty with regard
to our ability to obtain patents in the future, this combination of events has created uncertainty with respect to the value of
patents, once obtained. Depending on decisions by the U.S. Congress, the federal courts, and the USPTO, the laws and regulations
governing patents could change in unpredictable ways that would weaken our ability to obtain new patents or to enforce our existing
patents and patents that we might obtain in the future. For example, in the case, Assoc. for Molecular Pathology v. Myriad Genetics,
Inc., the U.S. Supreme Court held that certain claims to DNA molecules are not patentable. While we do not believe that any of
the patents owned or licensed by us will be found invalid based on this decision, we cannot predict how future decisions by the
courts, the U.S. Congress or the USPTO may impact the value of our patents.
We
have limited foreign intellectual property rights and may not be able to protect our intellectual property rights throughout the
world.
We
have limited intellectual property rights outside the U.S. Filing, prosecuting and defending patents on product candidates in
all countries throughout the world would be prohibitively expensive, and our intellectual property rights in some countries outside
the U.S. can be less extensive than those in the U.S. In addition, the laws of some foreign countries do not protect intellectual
property to the same extent as federal and state laws in the U.S. Consequently, we may not be able to prevent third parties from
practicing our inventions in all countries outside the U.S., or from selling or importing products made using our inventions in
and into the U.S. or other jurisdictions. Competitors may use our technologies in jurisdictions where we have not obtained patents
to develop their own products and further, may export otherwise infringing products to territories where we have patents, but
enforcement is not as strong as that in the U.S. These products may compete with our products and our patents or other intellectual
property rights may not be effective or sufficient to prevent them from competing.
Many
companies have encountered significant problems in protecting and defending intellectual property in foreign jurisdictions. The
legal systems of certain countries, particularly China and certain other developing countries, do not favor the enforcement of
patents, trade secrets and other intellectual property, particularly those relating to biopharmaceutical products, which could
make it difficult for us to stop the infringement of our patents or marketing of competing products in violation of our proprietary
rights generally. To date, we have not sought to enforce any issued patents in these foreign jurisdictions. Proceedings to enforce
our patent rights in foreign jurisdictions could result in substantial costs and divert our efforts and attention from other aspects
of our business, could put our patents at risk of being invalidated or interpreted narrowly and our patent applications at risk
of not issuing and could provoke third parties to assert claims against us. We may not prevail in any lawsuits that we initiate,
and the damages or other remedies awarded, if any, may not be commercially meaningful. The requirements for patentability may
differ in certain countries, particularly developing countries. Furthermore, generic drug manufacturers or other competitors may
challenge the scope, validity or enforceability of our or our licensors’ patents, requiring us or our licensors to engage
in complex, lengthy and costly litigation or other proceedings. Certain countries in Europe and developing countries, including
China and India, have compulsory licensing laws under which a patent owner may be compelled to grant licenses to third parties.
In those countries, we and our licensors may have limited remedies if patents are infringed or if we or our licensors are compelled
to grant a license to a third party, which could materially diminish the value of those patents. This could limit our potential
revenue opportunities. Accordingly, our efforts to enforce our intellectual property rights around the world may be inadequate
to obtain a significant commercial advantage from the intellectual property that we develop or license.
28
Risks
Related to Our Common Stock
The
issuance or sale of shares in the future to raise money or for strategic purposes could reduce the market price of our common
stock.
In
the future, we may issue securities to raise cash for operations, to pay down then existing indebtedness, as consideration for
the acquisition of assets, as consideration for receipt of goods or services, to pay for the development of our CAR-T cancer therapeutics,
to pay for the development of our breast cancer vaccine, to pay for the development of our ovarian cancer vaccine, to pay for
the development of our COVID-19 therapeutic and for acquisitions of companies. We have an at-the-market equity offering under
which, as of January 7, 2021 we may issue up to approximately $35 million of common stock, which is currently effective
and under which we commenced selling shares in November 2019, and which may remain available to us in the future. We have and
in the future may issue securities convertible into our common stock. Any of these events may dilute stockholders’ ownership
interests in our company and have an adverse impact on the price of our common stock.
In
addition, sales of a substantial amount of our common stock in the public market, or the perception that these sales may occur,
could reduce the market price of our common stock. This could also impair our ability to raise additional capital through the
sale of our securities.
Any
actual or anticipated sales of shares by our stockholders may cause the trading price of our common stock to decline. The sale
of a substantial number of shares of our common stock by our stockholders, or anticipation of such sales, could make it more difficult
for us to sell equity or equity-related securities in the future at a time and at a price that we might otherwise wish to effect
sales.
We
may fail to meet market expectations because of fluctuations in quarterly operating results, which could cause the price of our
common stock to decline.
Our
reported revenues and operating results have fluctuated in the past and may continue to fluctuate significantly from quarter to
quarter in the future, specifically as we continue to devote our resources towards our CAR-T cancer therapeutics, our breast and
ovarian cancer vaccines and our COVID-19 therapeutic. It is possible that in future periods, we will have no revenue or, in any
event, revenues could fall below the expectations of securities analysts or investors, which could cause the market price of our
common stock to decline. The following are among the factors that could cause our operating results to fluctuate significantly
from period to period:
●
patient
enrollment rates for our clinical trials;
●
delays
with respect to our clinical trials;
●
clinical
trial results relating to our CAR-T cancer therapeutics;
●
clinical
trial results relating to our breast cancer vaccine;
●
progress
with regulatory authorities towards the certification/approval of our CAR-T cancer therapeutics, our breast cancer vaccine,
our ovarian cancer vaccine or our COVID-19 therapeutic;
●
costs
related to acquisitions, alliances and licenses.
29
Biotechnology
company stock prices are especially volatile, and this volatility may depress the price of our common stock.
The
stock market has experienced significant price and volume fluctuations, and the market prices of biotechnology companies have
been highly volatile. We believe that various factors may cause the market price of our common stock to fluctuate, perhaps substantially,
including, among others, the following:
●
announcements
of developments in the fields of CAR-T therapeutics, cancer vaccines or COVID-19 treatments;
●
developments
in relationships with third party vendors and laboratories;
●
developments
or disputes concerning our patents and other intellectual property;
●
our
or our competitors’ technological innovations;
●
variations
in our quarterly operating results;
●
our
failure to meet or exceed securities analysts’ expectations of our financial results;
●
a
change in financial estimates or securities analysts’ recommendations;
●
changes
in management’s or securities analysts’ estimates of our financial performance;
●
announcements
by us or our competitors of significant contracts, acquisitions, strategic partnerships, joint ventures, capital commitments,
new technologies, or patents; and
●
the
timing of or our failure to complete significant transactions.
In
addition, we believe that fluctuations in our stock price during applicable periods can also be impacted by changes in governmental
regulations in the drug development industry and/or court rulings and/or other developments in our remaining patent licensing
and enforcement actions.
In
the past, companies that have experienced volatility in the market price of their stock have been the objects of securities class
action litigation. If our common stock was the object of securities class action litigation due to volatility in the market price
of our stock, it could result in substantial costs and a diversion of management’s attention and resources, which could
materially harm our business and financial results.
Our
common stock is currently listed on NASDAQ Capital Market, however if our common stock is delisted for any reason, it will become
subject to the SEC’s penny stock rules which may make our shares more difficult to sell.
If
our common stock is delisted from NASDAQ Capital Market, our common stock will then fit the definition of a penny stock and therefore
would be subject to the rules adopted by the SEC regulating broker-dealer practices in connection with transactions in penny stocks.
The SEC rules may have the effect of reducing trading activity in our common stock making it more difficult for investors to sell
their shares. The SEC’s rules require a broker or dealer proposing to effect a transaction in a penny stock to deliver the
customer a risk disclosure document that provides certain information prescribed by the SEC, including, but not limited to, the
nature and level of risks in the penny stock market. The broker or dealer must also disclose the aggregate amount of any compensation
received or receivable by him in connection with such transaction prior to consummating the transaction. In addition, the SEC’s
rules also require a broker or dealer to make a special written determination that the penny stock is a suitable investment for
the purchaser and receive the purchaser’s written agreement to the transaction before completion of the transaction. The
existence of the SEC’s rules may result in a lower trading volume of our common stock and lower trading prices.
30
We
have issued a significant number of securities pursuant to our incentive plans and may continue to do so in the future. The vesting
and, if applicable, exercise of these securities and the sale of the shares of common stock issuable thereunder may dilute your
percentage ownership interest and may also result in downward pressure on the price of our common stock.
As
of the date of this Report, we have issued and outstanding options to purchase 8,641,254 shares of our common stock with a weighted
average exercise price of $3.16 and 1,500,000 restricted stock awards (including options to purchase 1,500,000 shares of our common
stock and a restricted stock award of 1,500,000 shares of our common stock that vest based upon achievement of certain stock price
based milestones issued to Dr. Kumar in May 2018). Further, as of the date of this Report, our Board of Directors and Compensation
Committee have the authority to issue awards totaling an additional 2,000,000 shares of our common stock. Additionally,
we have registered for resale all of the shares of common stock issuable under our incentive plans. Because the market for our
common stock is thinly traded, the sales and/or the perception that those sales may occur, could adversely affect the market price
of our common stock. Furthermore, the mere existence of a significant number of shares of common stock issuable upon vesting and,
if applicable, exercise of these securities may be perceived by the market as having a potential dilutive effect, which could
lead to a decrease in the price of our common stock.
We
are a smaller reporting company and the reduced reporting requirements applicable to smaller reporting companies may make our
common stock less attractive to investors.
We
are a smaller reporting company (“SRC”) and a non-accelerated filer, which allows us to take advantage of exemptions
from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not SRCs or non-accelerated filers,
including not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002,
as amended, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our Annual Report and our periodic reports and
proxy statements and providing only two years of audited financial statements in our Annual Report and our periodic reports. We
will remain an SRC until (a) the aggregate market value of our outstanding common stock held by non-affiliates as of the last
business day our most recently completed second fiscal quarter exceeds $250 million or (b) (1) we have over $100 million in annual
revenues and (2) the aggregate market value of our outstanding common stock held by non-affiliates as of the last business day
our most recently completed second fiscal quarter exceeds $700 million. We cannot predict whether investors will find our common
stock less attractive if we rely on certain or all of these exemptions. If some investors find our common stock less attractive
as a result, there may be a less active trading market for our common stock and our stock price may be more volatile and may decline.
Changes
in accounting rules, assumptions and/or judgments could materially and adversely affect us.
Accounting
rules and interpretations for certain aspects of our operations are highly complex and involve significant assumptions and judgment.
These complexities could lead to a delay in the preparation and dissemination of our financial statements. Furthermore, changes
in accounting rules and interpretations or in our accounting assumptions and/or judgments, such as asset impairments, could significantly
impact our financial statements. In some cases, we could be required to apply a new or revised standard retroactively, resulting
in restating prior period financial statements. Any of these circumstances could have a material adverse effect on our business,
prospects, liquidity, financial condition and results of operations.
31
We
do not anticipate declaring any cash dividends on our common stock which may adversely impact the market price of our stock.
We
have never declared or paid cash dividends on our common stock and do not plan to pay any cash dividends in the near future. Our
current policy is to retain all funds and any earnings for use in the operation and expansion of our business. If we do not pay
dividends, our stock may be less valuable to you because a return on your investment will only occur if our stock price appreciates.
Risks
related to the COVID-19 pandemic
Our
business activities are expected to be adversely affected by the global COVID-19 pandemic.
COVID-19
has spread globally and the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared it a pandemic. While still evolving, the COVID-19 pandemic
has caused significant worldwide economic and financial turmoil, and has fueled concerns that it will lead to a global recession.
On March 13, 2020, the United States declared a national emergency with respect to COVID-19 and the majority of states and U.S.
territories, including the State of California, have since issued orders requiring the closure of non-essential businesses and/or
requiring residents to stay at home. As the pandemic has evolved since March 2020, some restriction have eased, however, with
the recent surge of infection and hospitalization rates, more severe restrictions are being implemented by local government agencies.
The Company is following the recommendations of local health authorities to minimize exposure risk for its team members and visitors,
including requiring its employees to work from home. The continued and prolonged implementation of restrictions by federal, state
and local authorities to slow the spread of COVID-19 have disrupted and, we expect, will continue to disrupt, our business and
operations.
Specifically,
the pandemic has caused periodic shutdowns of the laboratories and other service providers that we rely on to develop our programs,
and those laboratories and service providers that have been operating or that have begun operating recently have been doing so
with limited capacity due to social distancing requirements. As a result, our progress has been slowed and there is no assurance
that we will be able to meet our previously announced timelines regarding the development of our programs.
The
extent to which the COVID-19 pandemic impacts our business, operations and financial results will depend on numerous evolving
factors that we may not be able to accurately predict, including: the duration and scope of the pandemic; governmental, business
and individuals’ actions that have been and continue to be taken in response to the pandemic; the impact of the pandemic
on economic activity and actions taken in response; our ability to continue daily operations, including as a result of travel
restrictions and people working from home; and any closures of our and our business partners’ offices and facilities.
While
the Company is currently implementing solutions designed to reduce the potential impact of COVID-19, there can be no assurance
that our efforts will adequately mitigate the risks of business disruptions and interruptions. Further, events such as natural
disasters and public health emergencies divert our attention away from normal operations and limited resources. Our inability
to timely resume normal operations following the pandemic disruption could adversely affect our business, financial condition
or results of operations in a material manner.
Any
of these events could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and/or stock price.
Item
1B.
Unresolved Staff Comments.
None.
32
Item 2.
Properties.
We
lease approximately 2,000 square feet of office space at 3150 Almaden Expressway, San Jose, California (our principal executive
offices) from an unrelated party pursuant to a lease that expires September 30, 2021. Our base rent is approximately $5,000 per
month and the lease provides for annual increases of approximately 3% and an escalation clause for increases in certain operating
costs.
Item 3.
Legal Proceedings.
Other
than lawsuits we bring to enforce our patent rights, we are not a party to any material pending legal proceedings, nor are we
aware of any pending litigation or legal proceeding against us that would have a material adverse effect on our financial position
or results of operations.
Item
4.
Mine
Safety Disclosures.
Not
applicable.
PART
II
Item 5.
Market for the Registrant’s Common Equity,
Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities.
Market
Information
Our
common stock trades on the NASDAQ Capital Market under the symbol “ANIX”.
Holders
As
of January 6, 2021, the approximate number of record holders of our common stock was 334 and the closing price of
our common stock was $3.36 per share.
Securities
Authorized for Issuance Under Equity Compensation Plans
See
“Item 12. Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters.”
Dividend
Policy
No
cash dividends have been paid on our common stock since our inception. We have no present intention to pay any cash dividends
in the foreseeable future.
Recent
Sales of Unregistered Securities
The
Company did not issue any unregistered securities during the three months ended October 31, 2020.
Item 6.
Selected Financial Data.
Not
required for a smaller reporting company.
33
Item 7.
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of
Financial Condition and Results of Operations.
General
In
reviewing Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations, you should refer to our
Consolidated Financial Statements and the notes related thereto.
Results
of Operations
Fiscal
Year ended October 31, 2020 compared with Fiscal Year ended October 31, 2019
Revenue
We
did not have any revenue in fiscal year 2020. In fiscal year 2019, we recorded revenue of $250,000 from one license agreement.
The license agreement provided for a one-time, non-recurring, lump sum payment in exchange for a non-exclusive retroactive and
future license, and covenant not to sue. Pursuant to the terms of the agreement, we have no further obligations with respect to
the granted intellectual property rights, including no obligation to maintain or upgrade the technology, or provide future support
or services. Accordingly, the performance obligations from the license were satisfied and 100% of the revenue was recognized upon
execution of the license agreement. As discussed in Note 1 to our Consolidated Financial Statements, as part of our legacy operations,
the Company remains engaged in limited patent licensing activities which we do not expect to be a significant part of our ongoing
operations or revenue.
Inventor
Royalties, Contingent Legal Fees, Litigation and Licensing Expenses Related to Patent Assertion
We
did not have any inventor royalties, contingent legal fees, litigation and licensing expenses related to patent assertion activities
in fiscal year 2020. In fiscal year 2019 inventor royalties, contingent legal fees, litigation and licensing expenses related
to patent assertion activities were approximately $166,000. Inventor royalties and contingent legal fees are expensed in the period
that the related revenues are recognized. Litigation and licensing expenses related to patent assertion, other than contingent
legal fees, are expensed in the period incurred.
Amortization
of Patents
Amortization
of patents was $-0- in fiscal year 2020 compared to approximately $419,000 in fiscal year 2019. We capitalize patent and patent
rights acquisition costs and amortize the cost over the estimated economic useful life. The carrying value of capitalized patents
was reduced to $-0- as of October 31, 2019. During fiscal year 2020, we did not capitalize any patents or patent rights.
Research
and Development Expenses
Research
and development expenses are related to the development of our cancer diagnostics and therapeutics programs and our anti-viral
drug program, and decreased by approximately $1,092,000 to approximately $4,381,000 in fiscal year 2020, from approximately $5,473,000
in fiscal year 2019. The decrease in research and development expenses was primarily due to a decrease in employee stock award
compensation expense of approximately $1,251,000 and a decrease in Certainty’s outside research and development expenses
related to development of CAR-T therapeutics of approximately $547,000, offset by an increase in Anixa Diagnostics Corporation’s
outside research and development expense to develop the Cchek™ artificial intelligence driven platform of non-invasive blood
tests for the early detection of cancer of approximately $561,000 and an increase in outside research and development to develop
anti-viral drug candidates against COVID-19 of approximately $141,000.
34
Research
and development expenses incurred in fiscal year 2020 associated with each of our development programs consisted of approximately
$2,455,000 for our suspended as of July 2020 cancer diagnostics program, approximately $1,048,000 for CAR-T therapeutics, approximately
$510,000 for anti-viral therapeutics, and approximately $368,000 for cancer vaccines.
General
and Administrative Expenses
General
and administrative expenses decreased by approximately $66,000 to approximately $5,597,000 in fiscal year 2020, from approximately
$5,663,000 in fiscal year 2019. The decrease in general and administrative expenses was principally due to a decrease in employee
stock award compensation expense of approximately $704,000, a decrease in legal and accounting fees of approximately $423,000
in fiscal year 2020 primarily related to fees incurred in fiscal year 2019 in connection with a putative shareholder derivative
complaint which was settled in August 2019, a decrease in expense resulting from the discharge in January 2020 of a disputed liability
of approximately $337,000 upon the expiration of the vendor’s statutory right to pursue collection of the disputed liability,
a decrease in patent expense of approximately $144,000 primarily related to a patent expense reimbursement to Cleveland Clinic
in fiscal year 2019, a decrease in investor and public relations expense of approximately $107,000, offset by an increase in employee
compensation and related costs, other than equity-based compensation, of approximately $748,000, an increase in employee and director
stock option expense of approximately $460,000, an increase in corporate insurance expense of approximately $230,000 primarily
due to an increase in our directors and officers insurance premium, an increase in consultant expense related to our Cchek™
program of approximately $120,000 and an increase in consultant stock option expense of approximately $94,000.
Impairment
in Carrying Amount of Patent Assets
The
impairment in carrying amount of patent assets related to our legacy patent licensing activities recorded in fiscal year 2020
was $-0- compared to approximately $419,000 in the fiscal year 2019. The impairment recorded in fiscal year 2019 resulted from
the write down of the value of our patent assets to the estimated undiscounted future cash flows we anticipated receiving from
the patent assets. The estimated undiscounted future cash flows was based on our assessment of the market for potential licensees,
as well as the status of ongoing negotiations with potential licensees.
Loss
on Disposal of Property and Equipment
Other
expense was $148,000 in fiscal year 2020 compared to $-0- in fiscal year 2019. The other expense recorded in fiscal year 2020
represents loss on disposal of property and equipment as a result of suspension of development of our Cchek™ program.
Interest
Income
Interest
income decreased to approximately $34,000 in fiscal year 2020 compared to approximately $71,000 in fiscal year 2019, due to a
decrease in interest rates.
35
Net
Loss Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest
The
net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest, representing Wistar’s 5% ownership interest in Certainty’s net loss,
decreased by approximately $98,000 to approximately $74,000 in fiscal year 2020, from approximately $172,000 in fiscal year 2019,
as Certainty’s net loss decreased. The decrease in Certainty’s net loss was primarily due to a decrease in employee
stock option and stock award compensation expense of approximately $1,315,000 and a decrease in research and development expense
of approximately $547,000.
Liquidity
and Capital Resources
Our
primary sources of liquidity are cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments.
Based
on currently available information as of January 7, 2021, we believe that our existing cash, cash equivalents, short-term
investments and expected cash flows will be sufficient to fund our activities for the next twelve months. We have implemented
a business model that conserves funds by collaborating with third parties to develop our technologies. However, our projections
of future cash needs and cash flows may differ from actual results. If current cash on hand, cash equivalents, short term investments
and cash that may be generated from our business operations are insufficient to continue to operate our business, or if we elect
to invest in or acquire a company or companies or new technology or technologies that are synergistic with or complementary to
our technologies, we may be required to obtain more working capital. During fiscal year 2020, we raised approximately $9,266,000,
net of expenses, through at-the-market equity offerings of 3,854,305 shares of common stock. This included approximately $427,000,
net of expenses, through the sale of 112,238 shares of common stock in an at-the market equity offering which expired in November
2019 and approximately $8,839,000, net of expenses, through the sale of 3,742,067 shares of common stock in an at-the-market equity
offering under which we may issue up to $50 million of common stock. Under our current at-the-market equity program which is currently
effective and may remain available for us to use in the future, as of October 31, 2020, we may sell an additional approximately
$40,811,000 of common stock. We may seek to obtain working capital during our fiscal year 2021 or thereafter through sales of
our equity securities or through bank credit facilities or public or private debt from various financial institutions where possible.
We cannot be certain that additional funding will be available on acceptable terms, or at all. If we do identify sources for additional
funding, the sale of additional equity securities or convertible debt could result in dilution to our stockholders. We can give
no assurance that we will generate sufficient cash flows in the future to satisfy our liquidity requirements or sustain future
operations, or that other sources of funding, such as sales of equity or debt, would be available or would be approved by our
security holders, if needed, on favorable terms or at all. If we fail to obtain additional working capital as and when needed,
such failure could have a material adverse impact on our business, results of operations and financial condition. Furthermore,
such lack of funds may inhibit our ability to respond to competitive pressures or unanticipated capital needs, or may force us
to reduce operating expenses, which would significantly harm the business and development of operations.
During
the year ended October 31, 2020, cash used in operating activities was approximately $6,176,000. Cash used in investing activities
was approximately $306,000, resulting from the purchases of certificates of deposit totaling $5,010,000 and the purchase of property
and equipment of approximately $16,000, which was offset by the proceeds on maturities of certificates of deposit totaling $4,720,000.
Cash provided by financing activities was approximately $9,407,000, resulting from the sale of 3,854,305 shares of common stock
in at-the-market equity offerings of approximately $9,266,000, the proceeds from exercise of stock options of approximately $122,000
and the proceeds from the sale of common stock pursuant to employee stock purchase plan of approximately $18,000. As a result,
our cash, cash equivalents, and short-term investments at October 31, 2020 increased approximately $3,215,000 to approximately
$9,057,000 from approximately $5,842,000 at the end of fiscal year 2019.
Off-Balance
Sheet Arrangements
We
have no variable interest entities or other significant off-balance sheet obligation arrangements.
36
Critical
Accounting Policies
The
Company’s consolidated financial statements are prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in
the United States of America. In preparing these financial statements, we make assumptions, judgments and estimates that can have
a significant impact on amounts reported in our consolidated financial statements. We base our assumptions, judgments and estimates
on historical experience and various other factors that we believe to be reasonable under the circumstances. Actual results could
differ materially from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions. On a regular basis, we evaluate our assumptions,
judgments and estimates and make changes accordingly.
We
believe that, of the significant accounting policies discussed in Note 2 to our Consolidated Financial Statements, the following
accounting policies require our most difficult, subjective or complex judgments:
●
Revenue
Recognition; and
●
Stock-Based
Compensation.
Revenue
Recognition
Our
revenue has been derived solely from technology licensing and the sale of patented technologies. Revenue is recognized upon transfer
of control of intellectual property rights and satisfaction of other contractual performance obligations to licensees in an amount
that reflects the consideration we expect to receive.
On
November 1, 2018 we adopted Accounting Standards Update 2014-09 (“ASU 2014-09”), “Revenue from Contracts with
Customers” using the modified retrospective method. Upon adoption of ASU 2014-09 we are required to make certain judgments
and estimates in connection with the accounting for revenue. Such areas may include determining the existence of a contract and
identifying each party’s rights and obligations to transfer goods and services, identifying the performance obligations
in the contract, determining the transaction price and allocating the transaction price to separate performance obligations, estimating
the timing of satisfaction of performance obligations, determining whether a promise to grant a license is distinct from other
promised goods or services and evaluating whether a license transfers to a customer at a point in time or over time.
Our
revenue arrangements provide for the payment of contractually determined, one-time, paid-up license fees in settlement of litigation
and in consideration for the grant of certain intellectual property rights for patented technologies owned or controlled by the
Company. These arrangements typically include some combination of the following: (i) the grant of a non-exclusive, retroactive
and future license to manufacture and/or sell products covered by patented technologies owned or controlled by the Company, (ii)
a covenant-not-to-sue, (iii) the release of the licensee from certain claims, and (iv) the dismissal of any pending litigation.
In such instances, the intellectual property rights granted have been perpetual in nature, extending until the expiration of the
related patents. Pursuant to the terms of these agreements, we have no further obligations with respect to the granted intellectual
property rights, including no obligation to maintain or upgrade the technology, or provide future support or services. Licensees
obtained control of the intellectual property rights they have acquired upon execution of the agreement. Accordingly, the performance
obligations from these agreements were satisfied and 100% of the revenue was recognized upon the execution of the agreements.
37
Stock-Based
Compensation
The
compensation cost for service-based stock options granted to employees and directors is measured at the grant date, based on the
fair value of the award using the Black-Scholes pricing model, and is expensed on a straight-line basis over the requisite service
period (the vesting period of the stock option). For employee options vesting if the trading price of the Company’s common
stock exceeds certain price targets, we use a Monte Carlo Simulation in estimating the fair value at grant date and recognize
compensation cost over the implied service period.
For
stock awards granted to employees and directors that vest at date of grant we recognize expense based on the grant date market
price of the underlying common stock. For restricted stock awards vesting upon achievement of a price target of our common stock
we use a Monte Carlo Simulation in estimating the fair value at grant date and recognize compensation cost over the implied service
period (median time to vest).
On
November 1, 2018 we adopted Accounting Standards Update 2018-07 (“ASU 2018-027”) for stock-based compensation to non-employees.
Upon adoption of ASU 2018-07 we estimated the fair value of unvested awards at the date of adoption, using the Black-Scholes pricing
model. Future grants to consultants will be measured at the grant date, based on the fair value of the award using the Black-Scholes
pricing model, consistent with our policy for grants to employees and directors.
The
Black-Scholes pricing model and the Monte Carlo Simulation we use to estimate fair values requires valuation assumptions of expected
term, expected volatility, risk-free interest rates and expected dividend yield. The expected term of stock options represents
the weighted average period the stock options are expected to remain outstanding. For employees we use the simplified method,
which is a weighted average of the vesting term and contractual term, to determine expected term. The simplified method was adopted
since we do not believe that historical experience is representative of future performance because of the impact of the changes
in our operations and the change in terms from historical options. For consultants we use the contract term for expected term.
We estimate the expected volatility of our shares of common stock based upon the historical volatility of our share price over
a period of time equal to the expected term of the grants. We estimate the risk-free interest rate based on the implied yield
available on the applicable grant date of a U.S. Treasury note with a term equal to the expected term of the underlying grants.
We made the dividend yield assumption based on our history of not paying dividends and our expectation not to pay dividends in
the future.
We
will reconsider use of the Black-Scholes pricing model and Monte Carlo Simulation if additional information becomes available
in the future that indicates other models would be more appropriate. If factors change and we employ different assumptions in
future periods, the compensation expense that we record may differ significantly from what we have recorded in the current period.
See Note 2 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information.
Effect
of Recent Accounting Pronouncements
We
discuss the effect of recently issued pronouncements in Note 2 to the Consolidated Financial Statements.
Item 7A.
Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About
Market Risk.
Not
required for a smaller reporting company.
Item 8.
Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.
See
accompanying “Index to Consolidated Financial Statements.”
38
Item 9.
Changes in and Disagreements With Accountants
on Accounting and Financial Disclosure.
None.
Item 9A.
Controls and Procedures.
Disclosure
Controls and Procedures
We
maintain disclosure controls and procedures, as such term is defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Exchange Act.
Under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including our President and Chief Executive Officer and our
Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer, we evaluated the effectiveness of the design and operation of our disclosure
controls and procedures pursuant to Rule 13a-15 and 15d-15 of the Exchange Act. Based upon that evaluation, our President and
Chief Executive Officer and our Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that our disclosure controls and
procedures were effective as of the end of fiscal year 2020.
Management’s
Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
Our
management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting as such term is
defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) of the Exchange Act. Our management, including the principal executive officer and principal
financial officer, does not expect that our internal controls over financial reporting will prevent all errors and all fraud.
A control system, no matter how well designed and operated, cannot provide full assurance that the objectives of the control system
are met, and no evaluation of controls can provide absolute assurance that all control issues and instances of fraud, if any,
within a company have been detected. Our internal control over financial reporting is designed to provide reasonable assurance
regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of consolidated financial statements for external purposes
in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.
Under
the supervision and with the participation of our management, including the principal executive officer and principal financial
officer, we conducted an evaluation as to the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as of October 31,
2020. In making this assessment, our management used the criteria for effective internal control set forth by the Committee of
Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission in the 2013 Internal Control – Integrated Framework . Based on
this assessment, our management concluded that our internal control over financial reporting was effective as of October 31, 2020.
This
Annual Report on Form 10-K does not include an attestation report of our independent registered public accounting firm regarding
internal control over financial reporting. Management’s report was not subject to attestation by the Company’s independent
registered public accounting firm pursuant to a permanent exemption of the Commission that permits the Company to provide only
management’s report in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Accordingly, our management’s assessment of the effectiveness
of our internal control over financial reporting as of October 31, 2020 has not been audited by our auditors, Haskell & White
LLP.
39
Changes
in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
There
were no changes in our internal control over financial reporting during the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2020 that has materially
affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.
Item 9B.
Other Information.
On
January 7, 2021, the Board of Directors of the Company confirmed its intention to hold the Company’s 2021 Annual
Meeting of Shareholders (the “2021 Annual Meeting”) on Friday, May 21, 2021. The time and location of the 2021 Annual
Meeting, and the matters to be considered, will be as set forth in the Company’s definitive proxy statement for the 2021
Annual Meeting to be filed in due course with the SEC.
Since
the date of the 2021 Annual Meeting has been changed by more than 30 days from the anniversary date of the Company’s last
annual meeting of shareholders, the Company is informing shareholders of this change and the updated deadline for shareholders
to submit nominations for director or proposals for consideration at the 2021 Annual Meeting in accordance with the rules and
regulations of the SEC and the Company’s By-laws. Accordingly, shareholders wishing to nominate a candidate for director
or to propose other business at the 2021 Annual Meeting must ensure proper notice is received by the Company at its offices no
later than March 17, 2021. The notice must include all of the information required by the Company’s By-laws.
PART
III
Item
10. Directors,
Executive Officers and Corporate Governance.
Our
Directors and Executive Officers
The
following table sets forth certain information with respect to all of our directors and executive officers:
Name
Position
with the Company and Principal Occupation
Age
Director
and/or Executive Officer Since
Dr.
Amit Kumar
Chairman
of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer
56
2012
Lewis
H. Titterton, Jr.
Lead
Independent Director
76
2017
Dr.
Arnold Baskies
Director
71
2018
David
Cavalier
Director
51
2018
Emily
Gottschalk
Director
60
2019
Dr.
John Monahan
Director
74
2016
Michael
J. Catelani
Chief
Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer
54
2016
We
believe that our Board represents a desirable mix of backgrounds, skills, and experiences. The principal occupation and business
experience during the last five years for our executive officers and directors and some of the specific experiences, qualifications,
attributes or skills that led to the conclusion that each person should serve as one of our directors in light of our business
and structure is as follows:
40
Amit
Kumar, Ph.D., 56, Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer. Dr. Kumar has served as our President
and Chief Executive Officer since July 2017, as a director of the Company since November 2012 and as Chairman of the Board since
August 2016. From June 2015 until August 2016, he served as Vice Chairman of the Board. Dr. Kumar served as a strategic advisor
to the Company from September 2012 until July 2017. He has been Executive Chairman of the board of directors of Anixa Diagnostics
Corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company since June 2015. Upon his appointment as Executive Chairman of Anixa Diagnostics,
Dr. Kumar resigned from his position as the CEO of Geo Fossil Fuels LLC, an energy company, which he had held since December 2010.
From September 2001 to June 2010, he was President and CEO of CombiMatrix Corporation, a NASDAQ listed biotechnology company and
also served as director from September 2000 to June 2012. He was Vice President of Life Sciences of Acacia Research Corporation,
a publicly traded investment company, from July 2000 to August 2007 and also served as a director from January 2003 to August
2007. Dr. Kumar has served as Chairman of the board of directors of Ascent Solar Technologies, Inc., a publicly-held solar energy
company, since June 2007. He served as a director of Aeolus Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a publicly traded biotechnology company, from
June 2004 to June 2018. Dr. Kumar is Chairman of Actym Therapeutics, a private biotechnology company. Dr. Kumar has served on
the board of the American Cancer Society since 2016. Dr. Kumar holds an A.B. in Chemistry from Occidental College. After graduate
studies at Stanford University and Caltech, he received his Ph.D. from Caltech and completed his post-doctoral training at Harvard
University. He has experience in technology driven startups, both at the board of directors and operating levels, in a broad variety
of areas including finance, acquisitions, research and development, and marketing, and, as described above, has served as a director
and/or officer of various publicly traded companies.
Lewis
H. Titterton, Jr., 76, Director. Mr. Titterton has served as a director since July 2017, and as Lead Independent Director
since July 2018. He previously served as a director of the Company from August 2010 through August 2016, as the Chairman of the
Board from July 2012 through August 2016, and interim Chief Executive Officer from August 2012 until September 2012. He served
on the board of directors of ParkerVision, Inc., a publicly traded wireless technology company, from September 2018 to April 2019.
His background is in high technology with an emphasis on health care and he was the Chairman of the Board of Directors of NYMED,
Inc., a diversified health services company, from 1989 until October 2018. Mr. Titterton founded MedE America, Inc. in 1986 and
was Chief Executive Officer of Management and Planning Services, Inc. from 1978 to 1986. Mr. Titterton also served as one of our
Directors from July 1999 to January 2003. He holds an MBA from the State University of New York at Albany, and a B.A. degree from
Cornell University. Mr. Titterton has been involved with our Company as a director or investor for over twenty years. Mr. Titterton
also has substantial experience with advising on the strategic development of technology companies and over forty years of experience
in various aspects of the technology industry.
41
Arnold
Baskies, MD, FACS, 71, Director. Dr. Baskies has served on our Board since September 2018. He previously served as a director
of the Company from August 2016 until September 2017. Dr. Baskies is a surgical oncologist affiliated with Virtua Health Systems
in southern New Jersey, where he specializes in surgical oncology and general surgery, and is Clinical Professor of Surgery at
Rowan School of Medicine. He trained at Boston University Medical Center and the Surgery Branch of the National Cancer Institute
where his early research involved immunotherapy. He has extensive experience in all facets of general surgical and surgical oncologic
problems, with special interests in the treatment of breast cancer, gastrointestinal cancers, thyroid cancer, melanoma, and parathyroid
disease, and is a co-investigator in several national studies dealing with breast cancer prevention. Dr. Baskies has served as
a director of Baudax Bio, Inc., a publicly-held biotechnology company, since August 2020. He served as chairman of the New Jersey
Governor’s Task Force on Early Detection, Prevention and Treatment of Cancer, having created and chaired the cancer control
plan for the state from 2000-2016, and is a member of numerous societies, including the Society of Surgical Oncology, the American
Society of Breast Surgeons, and the American College of Surgeons. Dr. Baskies has been involved with the American Cancer Society
for 40 years. He was awarded the Society’s Silver Chalice Award in 1998 and the Society’s St. George National Award
in 2009. He has held leadership positions at many levels of the organization, including service as the first board scientific
officer for the American Cancer Society Board of Directors in 2015, and was the chief medical officer and Chairman of the Board
of Directors of the former Eastern Division of the American Cancer Society. In 2017, he served as the Chairman of the National
Board of Directors of the American Cancer Society. He helped develop the current guidelines for breast cancer screening and colon
cancer screening which are used on a daily basis in the United States and internationally. He chairs the Global Cancer Control
Advisory Council for the society and the St. Baldrick’s Foundation/ACS Alliance. He has helped set the standards for cancer
care accreditation through his involvement with the Commission on Cancer. He received a medical degree from Boston University
School of Medicine in 1975 and a bachelor of arts degree from Boston University College of Liberal Arts in 1971.
David
Cavalier, 51, Director . Mr. Cavalier has served on our Board since September 2018. He is a seasoned executive and investor
with over 20 years of experience in the biotechnology sector. He is currently the Chief Operating Officer of Mab & Stoke,
Inc., a direct-to-consumer health and wellness company. He was the Chairman, from 2004 to 2018, and Chief Financial Officer, from
2013 to 2018, of Aeolus Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biotechnology company where in 2011 he was instrumental in winning and managing
a $118 million advanced research and development contract from the U.S. Government. Prior to Aeolus, Mr. Cavalier was the founder,
portfolio manager and Chief Operating Officer of Xmark Opportunity Partners, a biotechnology investment firm. Xmark was an activist
fund, focused on creating positive change at the board and management level for portfolio companies. He began his biotech investment
career at Brown Simpson Asset Management, where he co-managed the life sciences investment group. Mr. Cavalier previously worked
for Tiger Real Estate, a private investment fund sponsored by Tiger Management Corporation. He began his career in the Investment
Banking Division of Goldman, Sachs & Co. working on debt and equity offerings for public and private real estate companies.
Mr. Cavalier currently serves as the Chairman of the New York Advisory Board for Enterprise Community Partners, a non-profit focused
on policy, program and capital solutions for affordable housing. He received his B.A. from Yale University and his M.Phil. from
Oxford University.
Emily
Gottschalk, 60, Director. Ms. Gottschalk has served on our Board since October 2019. She is an experienced marketer with
over 30 years of developing products for the consumer marketplace. She has been the CEO of The Garr Group, Inc. since 1997, a
diverse entertainment and new product development company that she founded that sells entertainment and general merchandise to
the mass, specialty and on-line market. Ms. Gottschalk co-founded IdeationUSA, LLC in 2017, a product development company focused
on bringing innovative electronics to the consumer market. IdeationUSA identifies “white space” opportunities in the
marketplace and defines and develops products that uniquely touch consumers lives. Ideation is equally focused on brick and mortar,
on-line and emerging distribution channels. Previously, she was Marketing Director of Zany Brainy, a children’s educational
toy store that she launched. Since 1997, Ms. Gottschalk’s companies have produced over 150 million CD’s/DVD’s
to the US retail market, developed a proprietary Android tablet called “RealPad, by AARP” with Intel and has created
private label brands across the home and craft market. She is a graduate of Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration
and serves on the board of several philanthropic organizations.
42
John
Monahan, Ph.D., 74, Director. Dr. Monahan has served on our Board since August 2016. He is an experienced executive and
has served on a number of biotechnology company boards over the years. He is currently a director of Synthetic Biologics, Inc.,
a publicly traded biotechnology company, and from 2010 through 2015 he was the Senior Executive Vice President of Research &
Development at Synthetic Biologics, Inc. He is also a director of Heat Biologics, Inc., a publicly traded biotechnology company,
a position that he has held since 2011. In 1992 he founded Avigen, Inc., a biotechnology company that pioneered the development
of gene medicines based on adeno-associated virus vectors, now an industry standard. Over a 12-year period as its Chief Executive
Officer, Dr. Monahan took Avigen public through an initial public offering raising over $235 million and led the company through
several IND applications. Prior to Avigen, Dr. Monahan served as Vice President - Research and Development at Somatix Therapy
Corp., and Director of Molecular & Cell Biology at Triton Biosciences, Inc. He was also previously Research Group Chief, Department
of Molecular Genetics at Hoffmann-LaRoche Inc., and Adjunct Assistant Professor, Department of Cell Biology at New York University.
Dr. Monahan earned a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada, and a B.S. in Science from University College,
Dublin, Ireland. Dr. Monahan has over 50 publications in scientific literature and has made hundreds of presentations and public
TV appearances, to scientific groups, investors and the general public over the years.
Michael
J. Catelani, 54, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Catelani has served as our Chief Operating Officer
since July 2017 and as Chief Financial Officer since November 2016. Mr. Catelani is a seasoned executive with over 30 years of
experience in finance and operations. From October 2012 to July 2017, he served as a contract Chief Financial Officer to a number
of established privately held businesses in the biotechnology field. In July 2006, he co-founded Tacere Therapeutics, Inc., a
privately held biotechnology company, and served as its Chairman, President and Chief Financial Officer until its sale in October
2012. While at Tacere, Mr. Catelani was instrumental in establishing and managing a $150 million drug development collaboration
with Pfizer, Inc. Prior to Tacere, he served on the Board of Directors and was the Chief Financial Officer of Benitec Biopharma
Limited, an Australian Stock Exchange-listed biotechnology company. Prior to Benitec, Mr. Catelani served as Vice President and
Chief Financial Officer at Axon Instruments, Inc., a U.S. corporation publicly traded on the Australian Stock Exchange that was
a leading designer and manufacturer of instrumentation and software systems for biotechnology and diagnostics research. Previously,
he served as the Vice President of Finance for Media Arts Group, Inc., an NYSE-listed company. Mr. Catelani has also worked with
several early stage start-up companies in a variety of industries, including biotechnology, cleantech and retail, in both advisory
and management roles. Mr. Catelani began his professional career at Ernst & Young and is a CPA (Inactive). He holds a B.S.
degree in Business Administration, with a concentration in Accountancy, from Sacramento State University and an MBA from the University
of California, Davis.
Of
our current directors and executive officers, Drs. Kumar, Baskies and Monahan and Messrs. Titterton and Cavalier have served as
a director of another public company within the past five years.
Our
Significant Employees
We
have no significant employees other than our executive management team.
Family
Relationships
There
are no family relationships between or among the directors, executive officers or persons nominated or chosen by the Company to
become directors or executive officers.
43
Involvement
of Certain Legal Proceedings
To
the best of our knowledge, during the past ten years, none of the following occurred with respect to a present or former director
or executive officer of the Company: (1) any bankruptcy petition filed by or against any business of which such person was a general
partner or executive officer either at the time of the bankruptcy or within two years prior to that time; (2) any conviction in
a criminal proceeding or being subject to a pending criminal proceeding (excluding traffic violations and other minor offenses);
(3) being subject to any order, judgment or decree, not subsequently reversed, suspended or vacated, of any court of competent
jurisdiction, permanently or temporarily enjoining, barring, suspending or otherwise limiting his or her involvement in any type
of business, securities or banking activities; (4) being found by a court of competent jurisdiction (in a civil action), the Commission
or the Commodities Futures Trading Commission to have violated a federal or state securities or commodities law, and the judgment
has not been reversed, suspended or vacated; (5) being subject of, or a party to, any Federal or State judicial or administrative
order, judgment, decree or finding relating to an alleged violation of the federal or state securities, commodities, banking or
insurance laws or regulations or any settlement thereof or involvement in mail or wire fraud in connection with any business entity
not subsequently reversed, suspended or vacated and (6) being subject of, or a party to, any disciplinary sanctions or orders
imposed by a stock, commodities or derivatives exchange or other self-regulatory organization.
Section
16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance
Section
16(a) of the Exchange Act requires our directors, executive officers and ten percent stockholders to file initial reports of ownership
and reports of changes in ownership of our common stock with the Commission. Directors, executive officers and ten percent stockholders
are also required to furnish us with copies of all Section 16(a) forms that they file. Based upon a review of these filings, we
believe that all required Section 16(a) reports were made on a timely basis during fiscal year 2020.
Code
of Ethics
We
have adopted a formal code of ethics that applies to our principal executive officer, principal financial officer, principal accounting
officer or controller or persons performing similar functions. We will provide a copy of our code of ethics to any person without
charge, upon request. For a copy of our code of ethics write to Secretary, Anixa Biosciences, Inc., 3150 Almaden Expressway, Suite
250, San Jose, California 95118. A current copy of our code of ethics is also available on our website at http://ir.anixa.com/governance-docs.
Nomination
Procedures
On
July 9, 2015, the Board established a nominating and corporate governance committee (the “Nominating Committee”).
The Nominating Committee has a charter which will be reviewed on an annual basis by members of the committee and will be at all
times composed of exclusively independent directors. The principal duties and responsibilities of the Nominating Committee are
to identify qualified individuals to become board members, recommend to the Board individuals to be designated as nominees for
election as directors at the annual meetings of stockholders, and develop and recommend to the Board the Company’s corporate
governance guidelines. In selecting directors, the Nominating Committee will consider candidates that possess qualifications and
expertise that will enhance the composition of the Board, including the considerations set forth below. The considerations set
forth below are not meant as minimum qualifications, but rather as guidelines in weighing all of a candidate’s qualifications
and expertise.
●
Candidates
should be individuals of personal integrity and ethical character.
●
Candidates
should have background, achievements, and experience that will enhance our Board. This may come from experience in areas important
to our business, substantial accomplishments or prior or current associations with institutions noted for their excellence.
●
Candidates
should have demonstrated leadership ability, the intelligence and ability to make independent analytical inquiries and the
ability to exercise sound business judgment.
44
●
Candidates
should be free from conflicts that would impair their ability to discharge the fiduciary duties owed as a director to Anixa
and its stockholders, and we will consider directors’ independence from our management and stockholders.
●
Candidates
should have, and be prepared to devote, adequate time and energy to the Board and its committees to ensure the diligent performance
of their duties, including by attending meetings of the Board and its committees.
●
Due
consideration will be given to the Board’s overall balance of diversity of perspectives, backgrounds and experiences,
as well as age, gender and ethnicity.
●
Consideration
will also be given to relevant legal and regulatory requirements.
We
are of the view that the continuing service of qualified incumbents promotes stability and continuity in the board room, contributing
to the Board’s ability to work as a collective body, while giving us the benefit of the familiarity and insight into our
affairs that our directors accumulate during their tenure. Accordingly, the process of the Nominating Committee for identifying
nominees for directors will reflect our practice of generally re-nominating incumbent directors who continue to satisfy the Board’s
criteria for membership on the Board, whom the Nominating Committee believes continue to make important contributions and who
consent to continue their service on the Board. If the Nominating Committee determines that an incumbent director consenting to
re-nomination continues to be qualified and has satisfactorily performed his or her duties as director during the preceding term,
and that there exist no reasons, including considerations relating to the composition and functional needs of the Board as a whole,
why in the Nominating Committee’s view the incumbent should not be re-nominated, the Nominating Committee will, absent special
circumstances, generally propose the incumbent director for re-election. Although we do not have a formal policy regarding the
consideration of diversity in identifying and evaluating potential director candidates, the Nominating Committee will take into
account the personal characteristics (gender, ethnicity and age), skills and experience, qualifications and background of current
and prospective directors’ diversity as one factor in identifying and evaluating potential director candidates, so that
the Board, as a whole, will possess what the nominating and corporate governance committee believes are appropriate skills, talent,
expertise and backgrounds necessary to oversee our Company’s business.
If
the incumbent directors are not nominated for re-election or if there is otherwise a vacancy on the Board, the Nominating Committee
may solicit recommendations for nominees from persons that the Nominating Committee believes are likely to be familiar with qualified
candidates, including from members of the Board and management. While the Nominating Committee may also engage a professional
search firm to assist in identifying qualified candidates, the Nominating Committee did not engage any third party to identify
or evaluate or assist in identifying or evaluating the Director Nominees. We do not have a policy with regard to the consideration
of director candidates recommended by stockholders. Due to the size of our Company and Board, the Nominating Committee does not
believe that such a policy is necessary.
Depending
on its level of familiarity with the candidates, the Nominating Committee may choose to interview certain candidates that it believes
may possess qualifications and expertise required for membership on the Board. It may also gather such other information it deems
appropriate to develop a well-rounded view of the candidate. Based on reports from those interviews or from Board members with
personal knowledge and experience with a candidate, and on all other available information and relevant considerations, the Nominating
Committee will select and nominate candidates who, in its view, are most suited for membership on the Board.
The
members of the nominating committee are Dr. Arnold Baskies (Chairman), Dr. John Monahan and Lewis H. Titterton, Jr.
45
Audit
Committee and Audit Committee Financial Expert
On
July 9, 2015, the Board established a separately-designated standing audit committee (the “Audit Committee”) established
in accordance with Section 3(a)(58)(A) of the Exchange Act, and Nasdaq Listing Rules. The Audit Committee has a charter which
will be reviewed on an annual basis by members of the committee and will be at all times composed of exclusively independent directors
who are “financially literate,” meaning they are able to read and understand fundamental financial statements, including
the Company’s balance sheet, income statement and cash flow statement. In addition, the committee will have at least one
member who qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert” as defined in rules and regulations of the SEC.
The
principal duties and responsibilities of the Company’s Audit Committee are to appoint the Company’s independent auditors,
oversee the quality and integrity of the Company’s financial reporting and the audit of the Company’s financial statements
by its independent auditors and in fulfilling its obligations, the Company’s Audit Committee will review with the Company’s
management and independent auditors the scope and result of the annual audit, the auditors’ independence and the Company’s
accounting policies.
The
Audit Committee will be required to report regularly to the Board to discuss any issues that arise with respect to the quality
or integrity of the Company’s financial statements, its compliance with legal or regulatory requirements and the performance
and independence of the Company’s independent auditors.
The
members of the Audit Committee are David Cavalier (Chairman), Lewis H. Titterton, Jr. and Dr. John Monahan. Our Board has determined
that Mr. Cavalier qualifies as an Audit Committee financial expert as defined by SEC rules, based on his education, experience
and background. Please see Mr. Cavalier’s biographical information above for a description of his relevant experience.
Item
11. Executive
Compensation.
The
following table sets forth certain information for the fiscal years ended October 31, 2020 and 2019, with respect to compensation
awarded to, earned by or paid to our Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer and our Chief Operating Officer
and Chief Financial Officer (the “Named Executive Officers”). No other executive officer received total compensation
in excess of $100,000 during fiscal year 2020.
SUMMARY COMPENSATION TABLE
Name and
Principal Position
Year
Salary
($)
Bonus
($)
Option Awards
($) (1)
All Other Compensation
($) (2)
Total Compensation
($)
Dr. Amit Kumar
Chairman of the Board,
2020
$ 521,625
$ 160,000
$ 1,674,400
$ 39,240
$ 2,395,265
President and Chief Executive Officer
2019
$ 476,250
$ 150,000
$ -
$ 39,240
$ 665,490
Michael J. Catelani
2020
$ 287,219
$ 50,000
$ 322,000
$ -
$ 659.219
Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer
2019
$ 263,021
$ 50,000
$ -
$ -
$ 313,021
46
(1)
These
amounts have been calculated in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 718. A discussion of
assumptions used in valuation of option awards may be found in Note 2 to our Consolidated Financial Statements for fiscal
year ended October 31, 2020, included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. These amounts reflect our accounting expense
for these stock options and restricted stock awards and do not correspond to the actual value that may be recognized by our
Named Executive Officers.
(2)
These
amounts reflect the sum of the incremental cost to us of all perquisites and personal benefits, which consisted of compensation
for use of a home office and reimbursement of medical insurance benefits for Dr. Kumar.
Employment
Agreements
Consulting
Agreement with Dr. Amit Kumar
On
September 19, 2012, the Company entered into a Consulting Agreement with Dr. Amit Kumar (the “Kumar Agreement”) pursuant
to which Dr. Kumar agreed to provide business consulting services for an initial annual consulting fee of $120,000. On June 15,
2015, Dr. Kumar was appointed Vice Chairman of the Company and Executive Chairman of Anixa Diagnostics. As a result of this appointment,
Dr. Kumar’s annual cash compensation was increased to $300,000 by the Board. On August 23, 2016, Dr. Kumar was appointed
Executive Chairman of the Company, and on July 6, 2017, Dr. Kumar was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company.
As of the beginning of each subsequent calendar year, Dr. Kumar’s salary has been reviewed and adjusted by the Board’s
Compensation Committee. On January 1, 2021, Dr. Kumar’s annual salary was $582,085.
If
Dr. Kumar’s services are terminated by the Company or he terminates his services for any reason or no reason, the Company
shall be obligated to pay to Dr. Kumar only any earned compensation and/or bonus due under the Kumar Agreement and any earned
and unused paid time off and any unpaid reasonable and necessary expenses, due to him through the date of termination. All such
payments shall be made in a lump sum immediately following termination.
47
Stock
Options
Outstanding
Stock Option Awards
The
following table sets forth certain information with respect to unexercised stock options held by the Named Executive Officers
outstanding on October 31, 2020:
OUTSTANDING OPTION AWARDS
Name
Number of Securities Underlying Unexercised Options (#)
Exercisable
Number of Securities Underlying Unexercised Options (#)
Un-Exercisable
Option Exercise Price
($)
Option Expiration Date
Time-based Option Awards
Dr. Amit Kumar
320,000
$ 2.575
9/19/2022
106,667
$ 2.575
9/19/2022
213,333
$ 2.575
9/19/2022
40,000
$ 2.575
11/8/2023
200,000
$ 2.92
2/18/2026
500,000 (1)
100,000 (1)
$ 3.70
5/8/2028
158,889 (2)
361,111 (2)
$ 3.84
12/12/29
Michael J. Catelani
50,000
$ 4.85
11/15/2026
162,500 (3)
37,500 (3)
$ 0.96
7/6/2027
416,667 (1)
83,333 (1)
$ 3.70
5/8/2028
30,556 (2)
69,444 (2)
$ 3.84
12/12/29
Performance-based Option Awards
Dr. Amit Kumar
500,000 (4)
1,000,000 (4)
$ 3.70
5/8/2028
(1)
Options
vest and become exercisable in 36 consecutive monthly installments, beginning May 31, 2018 and continuing through April 30,
2021.
(2)
Options
vest and become exercisable in 36 consecutive monthly installments, beginning December 31, 2019 and continuing through November
30, 2022.
(3)
Options
vest and become exercisable in one installment of 50,000 on July 6, 2018 and the remainder in twelve consecutive quarterly
installments, beginning October 31, 2018 and continuing through July 31, 2021.
(4)
Options
shall vest as follows: (i) 500,000 shares vest if during any 20 trading day period on or before May 31, 2021, the average
closing stock price of the Company’s Common Stock is at least $5.00, (ii) 500,000 shares vest if during any 20 trading
day period on or before May 31, 2021, the average closing stock price of the Company’s Common Stock is at least $7.00,
and (iii) 500,000 shares vest if during any 20 trading day period on or before May 31, 2021, the average closing stock price
of the Company’s Common Stock is at least $8.00.
48
Stock
Option Grants
The
following table summarizes stock option grants during fiscal year 2020.
GRANTS OF OPTION AWARDS
Name
Grant Date
Number of Securities Underlying Options
(#)
Exercise Price of Option Awards
($)
Grant Date Fair Value
($) (1)
Amit Kumar
12/12/19
520,000
$ 3.84
$ 1,674,400
Michael J. Catelani
12/12/19
100,000
$ 3.84
$ 322,000
(1)
These
amounts have been calculated in accordance with ASC 718. A discussion of assumptions used in valuation of option awards may
be found in Note 2 to our Consolidated Financial Statements for fiscal year ended October 31, 2020, included elsewhere in
this Annual Report on Form 10-K. These amounts reflect our accounting expense for these stock options and restricted stock
awards and do not correspond to the actual value that may be recognized by our Named Executive Officers.
Stock
Option Exercises
During
the year ended October 31, 2020, no stock options were exercised by Named Executive Officers.
Stock
Awards
On
May 8, 2018, a restricted stock award of 1,500,000 shares of common stock was granted under our 2018 Share Incentive Plan to Dr.
Kumar. The restricted stock award vests in its entirety if during any 20 trading day period on or before May 31, 2021, the average
closing stock price of the Company’s Common Stock is at least $11.00. The grant date fair value of this restricted stock
award was $4,814,265.
Potential
Payments upon Termination or Change in Control
Dr.
Amit Kumar
The
time-based and performance-based options granted Dr. Kumar on May 8, 2018 provide for the vesting of the unvested portion of his
options to be accelerated and such accelerated options to become immediately exercisable upon a change in control as defined below.
The intrinsic value of options granted on May 8, 2018 would be $-0-, which was calculated by multiplying (a) 1,100,000 options
(being the number of options granted to him on May 8, 2018 that would be accelerated) by (b) an amount equal to the excess of
(x) our closing share price on October 31, 2020 of $2.06 and (y) the options’ exercise price of $3.70 per share.
Options
granted Dr. Kumar on December 12, 2019 provide for the vesting of the unvested portion of his options to be accelerated and such
accelerated options to become immediately exercisable upon a change in control as defined below. The intrinsic value of options
granted on December 12, 2019 would be $-0-, which was calculated by multiplying (a) 361,111 options (being the number of options
granted to him on December 12, 2019 that would be accelerated) by (b) an amount equal to the excess of (x) our closing share price
on October 31, 2020 of $2.06 and (y) the options’ exercise price of $3.84 per share.
49
Michael
J. Catelani
Options
granted Mr. Catelani on July 6, 2017 provide for the vesting of the unvested portion of his options to be accelerated and such
accelerated options to become immediately exercisable if Mr. Catelani is terminated without cause or upon a change in control
as defined below. The intrinsic value of options granted on July 6, 2017 would be $41,250, which was calculated by multiplying
(a) 37,500 options (being the number of options granted to him on July 6, 2017 that would be accelerated) by (b) an amount equal
to the excess of (x) our closing share price on October 31, 2019 of $2.06 and (y) the options’ exercise price of $0.96 per
share.
Options
granted Mr. Catelani on May 8, 2018 provide for the vesting of the unvested portion of his options to be accelerated and such
accelerated options to become immediately exercisable upon a change in control as defined below. The intrinsic value of options
granted on May 8, 2018 would be $-0-, which was calculated by multiplying (a) 83,333 options (being the number of options granted
to him on May 8, 2018 that would be accelerated) by (b) an amount equal to the excess of (x) our closing share price on October
31, 2020 of $2.06 and (y) the options’ exercise price of $3.70 per share.
Options
granted Mr. Catelani on December 12, 2019 provide for the vesting of the unvested portion of his options to be accelerated and
such accelerated options to become immediately exercisable upon a change in control as defined below. The intrinsic value of options
granted on December 12, 2019 would be $-0-, which was calculated by multiplying (a) 69,411 options (being the number of options
granted to him on December 12, 2019 that would be accelerated) by (b) an amount equal to the excess of (x) our closing share price
on October 31, 2020 of $2.06 and (y) the options’ exercise price of $3.84 per share.
Change
in Control
Under
our 2010 Share Incentive Plan and our 2018 Share Incentive Plan, “change in control” means:
●
Change
in Ownership: A change in ownership of the Company occurs on the date that any one person, or more than one person acting
as a group, acquires ownership of stock of the Company that, together with stock held by such person or group, constitutes
more than 50% of the total fair market value or total voting power of the stock of the Company, excluding the acquisition
of additional stock by a person or more than one person acting as a group who is considered to own more than 50% of the total
fair market value or total voting power of the stock of the Company.
●
Change
in Effective Control: A change in effective control of the Company occurs on the date that either:
○
any
one person, or more than one person acting as a group, acquires (or has acquired during the 12-month period ending on the
date of the most recent acquisition by such person or persons) ownership of stock of the Company possessing 30% or more of
the total voting power of the stock of the Company; or
○
a
majority of the members of the Board is replaced during any 12-month period by directors whose appointment or election is
not endorsed by a majority of the members of the Board before the date of the appointment or election; provided, that this
paragraph will apply only to the Company if no other corporation is a majority shareholder.
●
Change
in Ownership of Substantial Assets: A change in the ownership of a substantial portion of the Company’s assets occurs
on the date that any one person, or more than one person acting as a group, acquires (or has acquired during the 12-month
period ending on the date of the most recent acquisition by such person or persons) assets from the Company that have a total
gross fair market value equal to or more than 40% of the total gross fair market value of the assets of the Company immediately
before such acquisition or acquisitions. For this purpose, “gross fair market value” means the value of the assets
of the Company, or the value of the assets being disposed of, determined without regard to any liabilities associated with
such assets.
50
It
is the intent that this definition be construed consistent with the definition of “Change of Control” as defined under
Code Section 409A and the applicable treasury regulations, as amended from time to time.
Director
Compensation
On
August 13, 2020, after a review of non-employee director compensation at comparable companies, the Board approved cash and equity
compensation of directors. Each non-employee director shall receive cash compensation of $50,000 paid in four quarterly installments,
and the grant of a 10 year nonqualified stock option to purchase 30,000 shares of common stock exercisable at $2.68, such option
vesting monthly over a one year period. Our employee director, Dr. Amit Kumar, did not receive any additional compensation for
services provided as a director during fiscal year 2020.
The
2010 Share Incentive Plan provides that on January 1 st of each year, each non-employee director (a “Director
Participant”) of the Company at that time shall automatically be granted a 10 year nonqualified stock option to purchase
12,000 shares of common stock (or 16,000 in the case of the Chairman of the Board to the extent he qualifies as a Director Participant),
with an exercise price equal to the closing price on the date of grant, that will vest in four equal quarterly installments in
the year of grant (the “Annual Grant”). Effective January 1, 2018 through the expiration of the 2010 Share Incentive
Plan, each Director Participant waived their right to receive the Annual Grant.
The
following table sets forth compensation of Lewis H. Titterton, Jr., Dr. Arnold Baskies, David Cavalier, Emily Gottschalk and Dr.
John Monahan, our non-employee directors, for fiscal year 2020:
DIRECTORS’ COMPENSATION
Name
Cash
($)
Option Awards
($) (1)(2)
Total
Compensation
($)
Lewis H. Titterton, Jr.
$ 12,500
$ 64,320
$ 76,820
Dr. Arnold Baskies
$ 12,500
$ 64,320
$ 76,820
David Cavalier
$ 12,500
$ 64,320
$ 76,820
Emily Gottschalk
$ 12,500
$ 64,320
$ 76,820
Dr. John Monahan
$ 12,500
$ 64,320
$ 76,820
(1)
These
amounts have been calculated in accordance with ASC 718. A discussion of assumptions used in valuation of option awards may
be found in Note 2 to our Consolidated Financial Statements for fiscal year ended October 31, 2020, included elsewhere in
this Annual Report on Form 10-K. These amounts reflect our accounting expense for these stock options and do not correspond
to the actual value that may be recognized by our directors.
(2)
At
October 31, 2020, Mr. Titterton, Dr. Baskies, Mr. Cavalier, Ms. Gosttschalk and Dr. Monahan held unexercised stock options
to purchase 685,000, 158,000, 120,000, 75,000 and 188,000 shares respectively, of our common stock.
51
Item 12.
Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners
and Management and Related Stockholder Matters.
The
following table sets forth certain information with respect to our common stock beneficially owned as of January 7, 2021
(or exercisable within 60 days of such date) by (a) each person who is known by our management to be the beneficial owner of more
than 5% of our outstanding common stock, (b) each of our directors and executive officers, and (c) all directors and executive
officers as a group:
Name and Address of Beneficial Owner
Amount and Nature of Beneficial Ownership
(1)(2)(3)(4)(5)
Percent of Class
(6)
Directors and Officers of the Company
Dr. Amit Kumar
3150 Almaden Expressway, Suite 250
San Jose, CA 95118
4,008,667
14.2 %
Lewis H. Titterton, Jr.
3150 Almaden Expressway, Suite 250
San Jose, CA 95118
1,642,826
6.2 %
Michael J. Catelani
3150 Almaden Expressway, Suite 250
San Jose, CA 95118
754,971
2.8 %
Dr. John Monahan
3150 Almaden Expressway, Suite 250
San Jose, CA 95118
226,400
* %
Dr. Arnold Baskies
3150 Almaden Expressway, Suite 250
San Jose, CA 95118
186,500
* %
David Cavalier
3150 Almaden Expressway, Suite 250
San Jose, CA 95118
109,500
* %
Emily Gottschalk
3150 Almaden Expressway, Suite 250
San Jose, CA 95118
62,500
* %
All Directors and Executive Officers as a Group (7 persons)
6,991,364
23.2 %
*
Less than 1%.
(1)
A
beneficial owner of a security includes any person who directly or indirectly has or shares voting power and/or investment
power with respect to such security or has the right to obtain such voting power and/or investment power within sixty (60)
days. Except as otherwise noted, each designated beneficial owner in this Annual Report on Form 10-K has sole voting power
and investment power with respect to the shares of common stock beneficially owned by such person.
(2)
Includes
240,000 shares, 474,000 shares, 225,000 shares, 113,000 shares, 83,000 shares, 45,000 shares and 1,180,000 shares which Dr.
Amit Kumar, Lewis H. Titterton, Jr., Michael J. Catelani, Dr. John Monahan, Dr. Arnold Baskies, David Cavalier and all directors
and executive officers as a group, respectively, have the right to acquire within 60 days upon exercise of options granted
pursuant to the 2010 Share Incentive Plan.
(3)
Includes
1,366,667 shares, 62,500 shares, 522,222 shares, 62,500 shares, 62,500 shares, 62,500 shares, 62,500 shares and 2,201,389
shares which Dr. Amit Kumar, Lewis H. Titterton, Jr., Michael J. Catelani, Dr. John Monahan, Dr. Arnold Baskies, David Cavalier,
Emily Gottschalk and all directors and executive officers as a group, respectively, have the right to acquire within 60 days
upon exercise of options granted pursuant to the 2018 Share Incentive Plan.
52
(4)
Includes
640,000 shares, 86,000 shares and 726,000 shares which Dr. Amit Kumar, Lewis H. Titterton, Jr. and all directors and executive
officers as a group, respectively, have the right to acquire within 60 days pursuant to option agreements with the Company.
(5)
Includes
1,500,000 restricted shares of common stock awarded to Dr. Amit Kumar pursuant to the 2018 Share Incentive Plan for which
Dr. Kumar has voting rights but that vest only if during any twenty (20) trading day period on or before May 31, 2021 in which
Dr. Kumar is employed by Anixa, the average closing stock price of the Company’s common stock is at least $11.00.
(6)
Based
on 26,076,819 shares of common stock outstanding as of January 7, 2020.
Change
in Control
We
are not aware of any arrangement that might result in a change in control of the Company in the future.
Equity
Compensation Plan Information
The
following is information as of October 31, 2020 about shares of our common stock that may be issued upon the exercise of options,
warrants and rights under all equity compensation plans in effect as of that date, including our our 2010 Share Incentive Plan
and our 2018 Share Incentive Plan. See Note 4 to our Consolidated Financial Statements for more information on these plans.
Plan category
Number of securities to be issued upon exercise of outstanding options, warrants and rights
(a)
Weighted average exercise price of outstanding options, warrants and rights
Number of securities remaining available for future issuance under equity compensation plans (excluding securities reflected in column (a))
Equity compensation plans not approved by security holders (1)
3,605,534
$ 2.70
-
Equity compensation plans approved by security holders (2)
4,346,661
$ 3.69
2,388,339
(1)
On
July 14, 2010 the Board adopted the 2010 Share Incentive Plan. Officers, key employees and non-employee directors of, and
consultants to, the Company or any of its subsidiaries and affiliates are eligible to participate in the 2010 Share Incentive
Plan. The 2010 Share Incentive Plan provides for the grant of stock options, stock appreciation rights, stock awards, and
performance awards and stock units (the “2010 Benefits”). The maximum number of shares of common stock available
for issuance under the 2010 Share Incentive Plan was initially 600,000 shares. On July 6, 2011 and August 29, 2012, the 2010
Share Incentive Plan was amended by our Board to increase the maximum number of shares of common stock that may be granted
to 1,080,000 and 1,200,000 shares, respectively. On November 8, 2013, the Board approved an amendment to provide that effective
and following November 8, 2013, the maximum aggregate number of shares available for issuance will be 800,000 shares. Additionally,
commencing on the first business day in 2014 and on the first business day of each calendar year thereafter, the maximum aggregate
number of shares available for issuance shall be replenished such that, as of such first business day, the maximum aggregate
number of shares available for issuance shall be 800,000 shares. Current and future non-employee directors are automatically
granted a 10 year nonqualified stock option to purchase 12,000 shares of Common Stock (or 16,000 in the case of the Chairman
of the Board) on January 1st of each year that will vest in four equal quarterly installments. The 2010 Share Incentive Plan
was administered by the Stock Option Committee through August 2012, from August 2012 through November 2012, by the Executive
Committee of the Board of Directors, from November 2012 through July 2015, by the Board of Directors and since July 2015,
by the Compensation Committee, which determines the option price, term and provisions of the 2010 Benefits. The 2010 Share
Incentive Plan terminated with respect to additional grants on July 14, 2020.
53
(2)
The
2018 Share Incentive Plan was adopted by the Board on January 25, 2018 and approved by our shareholders on March 29, 2018.
Officers, key employees and non-employee directors of, and consultants to, the Company or any of its subsidiaries and affiliates
are eligible to participate in the 2018 Share Incentive Plan. The 2018 Share Incentive Plan provides for the grant of incentive
stock options, nonqualified stock options, stock appreciation rights, stock awards, performance awards and stock units (the
“2018 Benefits”). The maximum number of shares of common stock available for issuance under the 2018 Share Incentive
Plan was initially 5,000,000 shares. Additionally, commencing on the first business day in January 2019 and on the first business
day of each calendar year thereafter, the maximum aggregate number of shares available for issuance shall be replenished such
that, as of such first business day, the maximum aggregate number of shares available for issuance shall be 2,000,000 shares.
The 2018 Share Incentive Plan is administered by the Compensation Committee, which determines the option price, term and provisions
of the 2018 Benefits. The 2018 Share Incentive Plan terminates with respect to additional grants on March 28, 2028. The Board
may amend, suspend or terminate the 2018 Share Incentive Plan at any time, subject in certain respects to obtaining shareholder
approval.
Item 13.
Certain Relationships and Related Transactions,
and Director Independence.
Transactions
with Related Persons
Aside
from compensation arrangements with executive officers described above, there are no other transactions entered into by the Company
with related persons.
Related
Person Transaction Approval Policy
While
we have no written policy regarding approval of transactions between us and a related person, our Board, as matter of appropriate
corporate governance, reviews and approves all such transactions, to the extent required by applicable rules and regulations.
Generally, management would present to the Board for approval at the next regularly scheduled Board meeting any related person
transactions proposed to be entered into by us. The Board may approve the transaction if it is deemed to be in the best interests
of our stockholders and the Company.
54
Director
Independence
Our
Board oversees the activities of our management in the handling of the business and affairs of our company. Our common stock trades
on the NASDAQ Capital Market and we are subject to listing requirements which include the requirement that our Board be comprised
of a majority of “independent” directors. Lewis H. Titterton, Jr., Dr. Arnold Baskies, David Cavalier, Emily Gottschalk
and Dr. John Monahan currently meet the definition of “independent” as defined by the SEC. Dr. Amit Kumar is an employee
of the Company and as such does not qualify as an “independent” director. The Board of Directors has separately designated
audit, nominating and compensation committees.
Item
14. Principal
Accounting Fees and Services.
The
following table describes fees for professional audit services rendered and billed by Haskell & White LLP, our present independent
registered public accounting firm and principal accountant, for the audit of our consolidated financial statements and for other
services during fiscal years 2020 and 2019.
Type of Fee
2020
2019
Audit Fees (1)
$ 79,650
$ 79,850
Audit Related Fees (2)
1,000
6,500
Tax Fees (3)
28,000
33,000
All Other Fees (4)
7,500
8,150
Total
$ 116,150
$ 127,500
(1)
Audit
fees for fiscal years 2020 and 2019 represent fees billed for services rendered by Haskell & White LLP for the audit of
our consolidated financial statements and review of our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q.
(2)
Audit
related fees for fiscal years 2020 and 2019 represent fees billed for services rendered by Haskell & White LLP in connection
with our Registration Statements filed during fiscal years 2020 and 2019.
(3)
Tax
Fees for fiscal years 2020 and 2019 represent fees billed for services rendered by Haskell & White LLP for the preparation
of Federal and State income tax returns.
(4)
All
other fees for fiscal years 2020 and 2019 represent fees billed for services rendered by Haskell & White LLP in connection
with the preparation of comfort letters and research of various tax subjects.
Procedures
For Board of Directors Pre-Approval of Audit and Permissible Non-Audit Services of Independent Auditor
Our
Board is ultimately responsible for reviewing and approving, in advance, any audit and any permissible non-audit engagement or
relationship between us and our independent registered public accounting firm. On July 9, 2015, the Board established an Audit
Committee which was authorized to assume these responsibilities. Haskell & White LLP’s engagement to conduct all
audit and permissible non-audit related activities incurred during fiscal years 2020 and 2019 were approved by our audit committee
in accordance with these procedures.
PART
IV
Item 15.
Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedules.
(a)(1)(2)
Financial Statement Schedules
See
accompanying “Index to Consolidated Financial Statements.”
55
(b)
Exhibits
3.1
Certificate of Incorporation, as amended. (Incorporated by reference to Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended July 31, 1992 and Form S-3, dated February 11, 2014.)
3.2
Amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.2 to our Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2013.)
3.3
Certificate of Amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to our Form 8-K, dated September 4, 2014.)
3.4
Certificate of Designations, Preferences and Rights of Series A Convertible Preferred Stock. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to our Form 8-K, dated September 10, 2014.)
3.5
Certificate of Amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to our Form 8-K, dated June 25, 2015.)
3.6
Certificate of Amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to our Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended April 30, 2018.)
3.7
Certificate of Amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to our Form 8-K, dated October 1, 2018.)
3.8
Certificate of Amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to our Form 8-K, dated August 13, 2020.)
3.9
Amended and Restated By-laws. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.8 to our Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2019.)
4.1
Form of Warrant issued to Adaptive Capital LLC. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.2 to our Form 10-K, dated December 7, 2016.).
4.2
Form of Warrant issued to Acorn Management Partners LLC. (Filed herewith.).
10.1
2010 Share Incentive Plan. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to our Form 8-K, dated July 20, 2010.)
10.2
Amendment No. 1 to the 2010 Share Incentive Plan. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to our Form 8-K, dated July 7, 2011.)
10.3
Amendment No. 2 to the 2010 Share Incentive Plan. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to our Form 8-K, dated September 5, 2012.)
10.4
Amendment No. 3 to the 2010 Share Incentive Plan. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to our Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended January 31, 2014.)
10.5
2018 Share Incentive Plan. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.13 to our Form S-8 dated October 1, 2018.)
10.6
Consulting Agreement, dated as of September 19, 2012, between the Company and Amit Kumar. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.37 to our Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2012.) (Portions of this exhibit have been redacted pursuant to a request for confidential treatment. The redacted portions have been separately filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.)
10.7
License Agreement, dated November 13, 2017, between Certainty Therapeutics, Inc. and The Wistar Institute of Anatomy and Biology. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.14 to our Form 10-K, dated January 9, 2018.) (Portions of this exhibit have been redacted pursuant to a request for confidential treatment. The redacted portions have been separately filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.)
10.8
Collaboration Agreement, dated November 17, 2017, between Certainty Therapeutics, Inc. and H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Inc. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.15 to our Form 10-K, dated January 9, 2018.) (Portions of this exhibit have been redacted pursuant to a request for confidential treatment. The redacted portions have been separately filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.)
10.9
Amendment 1 to the Collaboration Agreement between Certainty Therapeutics, Inc. and H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Inc. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to our Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended July 31, 2019.)
56
10.10
Amendment 2 to the Collaboration Agreement between Certainty Therapeutics, Inc. and H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Inc. (Filed herewith.) (Certain information has been redacted in the marked portions of the exhibit.)
10.11
Exclusive License Agreement, dated July 8, 2019, between the Company and The Cleveland Clinic Foundation. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to our Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended July 31, 2019.) (Certain information has been redacted in the marked portions of the exhibit.)
10.12
Collaboration Agreement, dated April 14, 2020, between the Company and OntoChem GmbH. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to our Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended April 30, 2020.) (Certain information has been redacted in the marked portions of the exhibit.)
10.13
Amendement to Collaboration Agreement between the Company and OntoChem GmbH. (Filed herewith.)
10.14
Exclusive License Agreement, dated October 20, 2020, between the Company and The Cleveland Clinic Foundation. (Filed herewith.) (Certain information has been redacted in the marked portions of the exhibit.)
10.15
At Market Issuance Sales Agreement, dated June 21, 2019, between the Company and B. Riley FBR, Inc. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to our Registration Statement of Form S-3 filed June 11, 2019.)
14
Code of Conduct (Filed herewith.)
21
Subsidiaries of Anixa Biosciences, Inc. (Filed herewith.)
23.1
Consent of Haskell & White LLP. (Filed herewith.)
31.1
Certification
of Chief Executive Officer, pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, dated January 7, 2021. (Filed
herewith.)
31.2
Certification
of Chief Financial Officer, pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, dated January 7, 2021. (Filed
herewith.)
32.1
Statement
of Chief Executive Officer, pursuant to Section 1350 of Title 18 of the United States Code, dated January 7, 2021.
(Filed herewith.)
32.2
Statement
of Chief Financial Officer, pursuant to Section 1350 of Title 18 of the United States Code, dated January 7, 2021.
(Filed herewith.)
Item
16.
Form 10-K Summary.
The Company has elected
not to include a summary pursuant to this Item 16.
57
SIGNATURES
Pursuant
to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report
to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
Anixa
Biosciences, Inc.
By:
/s/
Amit Kumar
Dr.
Amit Kumar
Chairman
of the Board, President and
January
7, 2021
Chief
Executive Officer
Pursuant
to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf
of the registrant and in the capacities and on the date indicated.
By :
/s/ Amit Kumar
Dr.
Amit Kumar
Chairman
of the Board, President and
Chief
Executive Officer
January 7, 2021
(Principal Executive Officer)
By:
/s/
Michael J. Catelani
Michael
J. Catelani
Chief
Operating Officer and
Chief
Financial Officer
January
7, 2021
(Principal
Financial and Accounting Officer)
By:
/s/
Lewis H. Titterton, Jr.
Lewis
H. Titterton, Jr.
January
7, 2021
Director
By:
/s/
Arnold Baskies
Dr.
Arnold Baskies
January
7, 2021
Director
By:
/s/
David Cavalier
David
Cavalier
January
7, 2021
Director
By:
/s/
Emily Gottschalk
Emily
Gottschalk
January
7, 2021
Director
By:
/s/
John Monahan
Dr.
John Monahan
January
7, 2021
Director
58
ANIXA
BIOSCIENCES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
INDEX
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
OCTOBER 31, 2020
Page
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
F-1
Consolidated Balance Sheets as of October 31, 2020 and 2019
F-2
Consolidated Statements of Operations for the years ended October 31, 2020 and 2019
F-3
Consolidated Statements of Equity for the years ended October 31, 2020 and 2019
F-4
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the years ended October 31, 2020 and 2019
F-5
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
F-6
Additional
information required by schedules called for under Regulation S-X is either not applicable or is included in the consolidated
financial statements or notes thereto.
REPORT
OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
To
the Board of Directors and Shareholders
Anixa
Biosciences, Inc.
Opinion
on the Consolidated Financial Statements
We
have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Anixa Biosciences, Inc. (the “Company”)
as of October 31, 2020 and 2019, and the related consolidated statements of operations, shareholders’ equity, and
cash flows for each of the two years in the period ended October 31, 2020, and the related notes (collectively, the “consolidated
financial statements”). In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements present fairly, in all material respects,
the consolidated financial position of the Company as of October 31, 2020 and 2019, and the consolidated results of its operations
and its cash flows for each of the two years in the period ended October 31, 2020, in conformity with accounting principles generally
accepted in the United States.
Basis
for Opinion
These
consolidated financial statements are the responsibility of
the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s consolidated financial statements
based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States)
(“PCAOB”) and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities
laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.
We
conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audits
to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the consolidated financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether
due to error or fraud. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over
financial reporting. As part of our audit, we are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting
but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.
Accordingly, we express no such opinion.
Our
audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the consolidated financial statements, whether
due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis,
evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the consolidated financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating
the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of
the consolidated financial statements. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
/s/
Haskell & White LLP
HASKELL
& WHITE LLP
We
have served as the Company’s auditor since 2013.
Irvine,
California
January 7, 2021
F- 1
ANIXA
BIOSCIENCES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED
BALANCE SHEETS
October
31,
October
31,
2020
2019
ASSETS
Current
assets:
Cash
and cash equivalents
$ 6,417,061
$ 3,491,625
Short–term
investments in certificates of deposit
2,640,000
2,350,000
Receivables
2,231
66,527
Prepaid
expenses and other current assets
309,332
184,972
Total
current assets
9,368,624
6,093,124
Property
and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation of $-0- and $95,015, respectively
-
200,569
Operating
lease right-of-use asset
54,340
-
Other
assets
30,000
-
Total
assets
$ 9,452,964
$ 6,293,693
LIABILITIES
AND EQUITY
Current
liabilities:
Accounts
payable
$ 232,368
$ 585,817
Accrued
expenses
901,025
895,498
Operating
lease liability
55,198
-
Total
current liabilities
1,188,591
1,481,315
Commitments
and contingencies (Note 6)
Equity:
Shareholders’
equity:
Preferred
stock, par value $100 per share; 19,860 shares authorized; no shares issued or outstanding
-
-
Series
A convertible preferred stock, par value $100 per share; 140 shares authorized; no shares issued or outstanding
-
-
Common
stock, par value $.01 per share; 100,000,000 and 48,000,000
shares authorized, respectively; 24,248,695 and 20,331,754
shares issued and outstanding, respectively
242,486
203,317
Additional
paid-in capital
200,354,488
186,849,299
Accumulated
deficit
(191,835,618 )
(181,817,263 )
Total
shareholders’ equity
8,761,356
5,235,353
Noncontrolling
interest (Note 2)
(496,983 )
(422,975 )
Total
equity
8,264,373
4,812,378
Total
liabilities and equity
$ 9,452,964
$ 6,293,693
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of these statements.
F- 2
ANIXA
BIOSCIENCES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED
STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
For
the years ended October 31,
2020
2019
Revenue
$ -
$ 250,000
Operating
costs and expenses:
Inventor
royalties, contingent legal fees, litigation and licensing expenses
-
166,250
Amortization
of patents
-
418,750
Research
and development expenses (including non-cash share based
compensation expenses of $1,484,545 and $2,825,630, respectively)
4,381,205
5,473,427
General
and administrative expenses (including non-cash share based
compensation expenses of $2,652,915 and $2,888,115,
respectively)
5,596,997
5,662,828
Impairment
in carrying amount of patent assets (Note 2)
-
418,750
Total
operating costs and expenses
9,978,202
12,140,005
Loss
from operations
(9,978,202 )
(11,890,005 )
Loss
on disposal of property and equipment
(148,084 )
-
Interest
income
33,923
71,353
Net
loss
(10,092,363 )
(11,818,652 )
Less:
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest
(74,008 )
(171,598 )
Net
loss attributable to common stockholders
$ (10,018,355 )
$ (11,647,054 )
Net
loss per share:
Basic
and diluted
$ (0.45 )
$ (0.59 )
Weighted
average common shares outstanding:
Basic
and diluted
22,229,042
19,789,795
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of these statements.
F- 3
ANIXA
BIOSCIENCES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED
STATEMENTS OF EQUITY
FOR
THE YEARS ENDED OCTOBER 31, 2020 and 2019
Additional
Total
Non-
Common
Stock
Paid-in
Accumulated
Shareholders
controlling
Total
Shares
Par
Value
Capital
Deficit
Equity
Interest
Equity
BALANCE,
October 31, 2018
18,908,632
$ 189,086
$ 175,415,931
$ (170,170,209 )
$ 5,434,808
$ (251,377 )
$ 5,183,431
Stock
option compensation to employees and directors
-
-
3,560,883
-
3,560,883
-
3,560,883
Stock
options and warrants issued to consultants
-
-
198,421
-
198,421
-
198,421
Common
stock issued upon exercise of stock options
47,600
476
121,594
-
122,070
-
122,070
Restricted
stock award compensation to employee pursuant to stock incentive plan
-
-
1,954,441
-
1,954,441
-
1,954,441
Common
stock issued pursuant to employee stock purchase plan
11,650
116
38,970
-
39,086
-
39,086
Common
stock issued in at-the-market offering
1,363,872
13,639
5,513,789
-
5,527,428
-
5,527,428
Shareholder
derivative complaint settlement
-
-
45,270
-
45,270
-
45,270
Net
Loss
-
-
-
(11,647,054 )
(11,647,054 )
(171,598 )
(11,818,652
)
BALANCE,
October 31, 2019
20,331,754
$ 203,317
$ 186,849,299
$ (181,817,263 )
$ 5,235,353
$ (422,975 )
$ 4,812,378
Stock
option compensation to employees and directors
-
-
3,922,719
-
3,922,719
-
3,922,719
Stock
options issued to consultants
-
-
214,741
-
214,741
-
214,741
Common
stock issued upon exercise of stock options
51,100
511
121,759
-
122,270
-
122,270
Common
stock issued pursuant to employee stock purchase plan
11,536
115
18,336
-
18,451
-
18,451
Common
stock issued in at-the-market offering
3,854,305
38,543
9,227,634
-
9,266,177
-
9,266,177
Net
Loss
-
-
-
(10,018,355 )
(10,018,355 )
(74,008 )
(10,092,363
)
BALANCE,
October 31, 2020
24,248,695
$ 242,486
$ 200,354,488
$ (191,835,618 )
$ 8,761,356
$ (496,983 )
$ 8,264,373
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of these statements.
F- 4
ANIXA
BIOSCIENCES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED
STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
For the years ended October 31,
2020
2019
Cash flows from operating activities:
Reconciliation of net loss to net cash used in operating activities:
Net loss
$ (10,092,363 )
$ (11,818,652 )
Stock option compensation to employees and directors
3,922,719
3,560,883
Stock options and warrants issued to consultants
214,741
198,421
Restricted stock award compensation to employee pursuant to stock incentive plan
-
1,954,441
Amortization of patents
-
418,750
Depreciation of property and equipment
38,276
47,558
Loss on disposal of property and equipment
148,084
-
Amortization of operating lease right-of-use asset
51,881
-
Impairment in carrying amount of patent assets
-
418,750
Change in operating assets and liabilities:
Receivables
64,296
271,700
Prepaid expenses and other current assets
(124,360 )
(9,481 )
Accounts payable
(353,449 )
3,805
Accrued expenses
5,527
212,399
Operating lease liability
(51,023 )
-
Net cash used in operating activities
(6,175,671 )
(4,741,426 )
Cash flows from investing activities:
Disbursements to acquire short-term investments in certificates of deposit
(5,010,000 )
(3,850,000 )
Proceeds from maturities of short-term investments in certificates of deposit
4,720,000
3,500,000
Purchase of property and equipment
(15,791 )
(175,457 )
Net cash used in investing activities
(305,791 )
(525,457 )
Cash flows from financing activities:
Proceeds from sale of common stock in at-the-market offering
9,266,177
5,527,428
Proceeds from sale of common stock pursuant to employee stock purchase plan
18,451
39,086
Proceeds from settlement of shareholder derivative complaint
-
14,034
Proceeds from exercise of stock options and warrants
122,270
122,070
Net cash provided by financing activities
9,406,898
5,702,618
Net increase in cash and cash equivalents
2,925,436
435,735
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year
3,491,625
3,055,890
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year
$ 6,417,061
$ 3,491,625
Supplemental cash flow information:
Cash proceeds from interest income
$ 39,890
$ 55,729
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing activity:
Disposal of fully depreciated property and equipment
$ -
$ (6,343 )
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash financing activity:
Note receivable issued for settlement of shareholder derivative complaint
$ -
$ 31,236
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of these statements.
F- 5
ANIXA
BIOSCIENCES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
1.
BUSINESS AND FUNDING
Description
of Business
As
used herein, “we,” “us,” “our,” the “Company” or “Anixa” means Anixa
Biosciences, Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries. Our primary operations involve developing therapies and vaccines that are
focused on critical unmet needs in oncology and infectious disease. Our therapeutics programs include the development of a chimeric
endocrine receptor T-cell technology, a novel form of CAR-T technology, initially focused on treating ovarian cancer, and the
discovery and ultimately development of anti-viral drug candidates for the treatment of COVID-19 focused on inhibiting certain
viral protein functions of the virus. Our vaccine programs include the development of a vaccine against triple negative breast
cancer (“TNBC”), the most lethal form of breast cancer, and a vaccine against ovarian cancer.
Our
subsidiary, Certainty Therapeutics, Inc. (“Certainty”), is developing immuno-therapy drugs against cancer. Certainty
holds an exclusive worldwide, royalty-bearing license to use certain intellectual property owned or controlled by The Wistar Institute
(“Wistar”) relating to Wistar’s CAR-T technology. We have initially focused on the development of a treatment
for ovarian cancer, but we may also pursue applications of the technology for the development of treatments for additional solid
tumors. The license agreement requires Certainty to make certain cash and equity payments to Wistar. With respect to Certainty’s
equity obligations to Wistar, Certainty issued to Wistar shares of its common stock equal to five percent (5%) of the common stock
of Certainty. Certainty, in collaboration with the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Inc. (“Moffitt”),
is advancing toward human clinical testing its CAR-T technology for treating ovarian cancer.
In
April 2020, in collaboration with OntoChem GmbH (“OntoChem”), we commenced a project to discover and ultimately develop
anti-viral drug candidates against COVID-19. Through this collaboration, we utilized advanced computational methods, machine learning,
and molecular modeling techniques to perform in silico screening of over 1.2 billion compounds in chemical libraries (including
publicly available compounds and OntoChem’s proprietary libraries) to evaluate if any of these compounds could disrupt one
of two key enzymes of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes the disease COVID-19. We are working with researchers at OntoChem and
other collaboration partners to advance the compounds discovered through this screening process toward human clinical testing.
We
hold an exclusive worldwide, royalty-bearing license to use certain intellectual property owned or controlled by The Cleveland
Clinic Foundation (“Cleveland Clinic”) relating to certain breast cancer vaccine technology developed at Cleveland
Clinic. We are working in collaboration with Cleveland Clinic to develop a method to vaccinate women against contracting breast
cancer, focused specifically on TNBC. A specific protein, alpha-lactalbumin, has been identified that is only present during lactation
in healthy women, but reappears in many forms of breast cancer, especially TNBC. Studies have shown that vaccinating against this
protein prevents breast cancer in mice. We are working with researchers and clinicians at Cleveland Clinic to prepare for treatment
of patients in a Phase 1a clinical trial.
In
November 2020, we executed a license agreement with Cleveland Clinic pursuant to which the Company was granted an exclusive worldwide,
royalty-bearing license to use certain intellectual property owned or controlled by Cleveland Clinic relating to certain ovarian
cancer vaccine technology. This technology pertains to the use of vaccines for the treatment or prevention of ovarian cancers
which express the extracellular domain of anti-Mullerian hormone receptor II (“AMHR2-ED”). In healthy tissue, this
protein regulates growth and development of egg-containing follicles in the ovary. While expression of AMHR2-ED naturally and
markedly declines after menopause, AMHR2-ED is expressed at high levels in the ovaries of postmenopausal women with ovarian cancer.
Researchers at Cleveland Clinic believe that a vaccination targeting AMHR2-ED could prevent the occurrence of ovarian cancer.
F- 6
ANIXA
BIOSCIENCES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
On
July 2, 2020, we implemented a strategic realignment of our business and redirected resources to exclusively focus on the development
of therapeutics and vaccines. Accordingly, we suspended operations of our subsidiary, Anixa Diagnostics Corporation, and the development
of the Cchek™ artificial intelligence driven platform of non-invasive blood tests for the early detection of cancer.
Over
the next several quarters, we expect the development of our breast and ovarian cancer vaccines, our COVID-19 therapeutic discovery
program and Certainty’s CAR-T technology to be the primary focus of the Company. As part of our legacy operations, the Company
remains engaged in limited patent licensing activities regarding the Cchek™ liquid biopsy platform, as well as in the area
of encrypted audio/video conference calling. We do not expect these activities to be a significant part of the Company’s
ongoing operations nor do we expect these activities to require material financial resources or attention of senior management.
Over
the past several years, our revenue was derived from technology licensing and the sale of patented technologies, including revenue
from the settlement of litigation. We have not generated any revenue to date from our therapeutics or vaccine programs. In addition,
while we pursue our therapeutics and vaccine programs, we may also make investments in and form new companies to develop additional
emerging technologies. We do not expect to begin generating revenue with respect to any of our current therapy or vaccine programs
in the near term. We hope to achieve a profitable outcome by eventually licensing our technologies to large pharmaceutical companies
that have the resources and infrastructure in place to manufacture, market and sell our technologies as therapeutics or vaccines.
The eventual licensing of any of our technologies may take several years, and may depend on positive results from human clinical
trials.
Funding
Based
on currently available information as of January 7, 2021, we believe that our existing cash, cash equivalents, short-term
investments and expected cash flows will be sufficient to fund our activities for the next twelve months. We have implemented
a business model that conserves funds by collaborating with third parties to develop our technologies. However, our projections
of future cash needs and cash flows may differ from actual results. If current cash on hand, cash equivalents, short term investments
and cash that may be generated from our business operations are insufficient to continue to operate our business, or if we elect
to invest in or acquire a company or companies or new technology or technologies that are synergistic with or complementary to
our technologies, we may be required to obtain more working capital. During fiscal year 2020, we raised approximately $9,266,000,
net of expenses, through at-the-market equity offerings of 3,854,305 shares of common stock. This included approximately $427,000,
net of expenses, through the sale of 112,238 shares of common stock in an at-the market equity offering which expired in November
2019 and approximately $8,839,000, net of expenses, through the sale of 3,742,067 shares of common stock in an at-the-market equity
offering under which we may issue up to $50 million of common stock. Under our current at-the-market equity program which is currently
effective and may remain available for us to use in the future, we may sell an additional approximately $40,811,000 of common
stock. We may seek to obtain working capital during our fiscal year 2021 or thereafter through sales of our equity securities
or through bank credit facilities or public or private debt from various financial institutions where possible. We cannot be certain
that additional funding will be available on acceptable terms, or at all. If we do identify sources for additional funding, the
sale of additional equity securities or convertible debt could result in dilution to our stockholders. We can give no assurance
that we will generate sufficient cash flows in the future to satisfy our liquidity requirements or sustain future operations,
or that other sources of funding, such as sales of equity or debt, would be available or would be approved by our security holders,
if needed, on favorable terms or at all. If we fail to obtain additional working capital as and when needed, such failure could
have a material adverse impact on our business, results of operations and financial condition. Furthermore, such lack of funds
may inhibit our ability to respond to competitive pressures or unanticipated capital needs, or may force us to reduce operating
expenses, which would significantly harm the business and development of operations.
F- 7
ANIXA
BIOSCIENCES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
2.
SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
Basis
of Presentation
The
consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Anixa Biosciences, Inc. and its wholly and majority owned subsidiaries.
All intercompany transactions have been eliminated.
Noncontrolling
Interest
Noncontrolling
interest represents Wistar’s equity ownership in Certainty and is presented as a component of equity. The following table
sets forth the changes in noncontrolling interest for the two years ended October 31, 2020:
Balance October 31, 2018
$ (251,377 )
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest
(171,598 )
Balance October 31, 2019
(422,975 )
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest
(74,008 )
Balance October 31, 2020
$ (496,983 )
Revenue
Recognition
Since
fiscal 2016 our revenue has been derived solely from technology licensing and the sale of patented technologies. Revenue is recognized
upon transfer of control of intellectual property rights and satisfaction of other contractual performance obligations to licensees
in an amount that reflects the consideration we expect to receive.
On
November 1, 2018 we adopted Accounting Standards Update 2014-09 (“ASU 2014-09”), “Revenue from Contracts with
Customers” using the modified retrospective method. Upon adoption of ASU 2014-09 we are required to make certain judgments
and estimates in connection with the accounting for revenue. Such areas may include determining the existence of a contract and
identifying each party’s rights and obligations to transfer goods and services, identifying the performance obligations
in the contract, determining the transaction price and allocating the transaction price to separate performance obligations, estimating
the timing of satisfaction of performance obligations, determining whether a promise to grant a license is distinct from other
promised goods or services and evaluating whether a license transfers to a customer at a point in time or over time.
Our
revenue arrangements provide for the payment of contractually determined, one-time, paid-up license fees in settlement of litigation
and in consideration for the grant of certain intellectual property rights for patented technologies owned or controlled by the
Company. These arrangements typically include some combination of the following: (i) the grant of a non-exclusive, retroactive
and future license to manufacture and/or sell products covered by patented technologies owned or controlled by the Company, (ii)
a covenant-not-to-sue, (iii) the release of the licensee from certain claims, and (iv) the dismissal of any pending litigation.
In such instances, the intellectual property rights granted have been perpetual in nature, extending until the expiration of the
related patents. Pursuant to the terms of these agreements, we have no further obligations with respect to the granted intellectual
property rights, including no obligation to maintain or upgrade the technology, or provide future support or services. Licensees
obtained control of the intellectual property rights they have acquired upon execution of the agreement. Accordingly, the performance
obligations from these agreements were satisfied and 100% of the revenue was recognized upon the execution of the agreements.
F- 8
ANIXA
BIOSCIENCES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Cost
of Revenues
Cost
of revenues include the costs and expenses incurred in connection with our patent licensing and enforcement activities, including
inventor royalties paid to original patent owners, contingent legal fees paid to external counsel, other patent-related legal
expenses paid to external counsel, licensing and enforcement related research, consulting and other expenses paid to third-parties
and the amortization of patent-related investment costs. These costs are included under the caption “Operating costs and
expenses” in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations.
Research
and Development Expenses
Research
and development expenses, consisting primarily of employee compensation, payments to third parties for research and development
activities and other direct costs associated with developing a platform for non-invasive blood tests for early detection of cancer,
developing immuno-therapy drugs against cancer, development of our breast cancer vaccine, development of our ovarian cancer vaccine
and development of anti-viral drug candidates for COVID-19, are expensed in the consolidated financial statements in the year
incurred.
Fair
Value Measurements
Accounting
Standards Codification (“ASC”) 820 “Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures” (“ASC 820”) defines
fair value, establishes a framework for measuring fair value under U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), and expands
disclosures about fair value measurements. In accordance with ASC 820, we have categorized our financial assets and liabilities,
based on the priority of the inputs to the valuation technique, into a three-level fair value hierarchy as set forth below. If
the inputs used to measure the financial instruments fall within different levels of the hierarchy, the categorization is based
on the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement of the instrument.
Financial
assets and liabilities recorded in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets are categorized based on the inputs to the valuation
techniques as follows:
Level
1 – Financial instruments whose values are based on unadjusted quoted prices for identical assets or liabilities in an active
market which we have the ability to access at the measurement date.
Level
2 – Financial instruments whose values are based on quoted market prices in markets where trading occurs infrequently or
whose values are based on quoted prices of instruments with similar attributes in active markets.
Level
3 – Financial instruments whose values are based on prices or valuation techniques that require inputs that are both unobservable
and significant to the overall fair value measurement. These inputs reflect management’s own assumptions about the assumptions
a market participant would use in pricing the instrument.
F- 9
ANIXA
BIOSCIENCES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
The
following table presents the hierarchy for our financial assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis as of October 31,
2020:
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Total
Money market funds:
Cash and cash equivalents
$ 3,902,292
$ -
$ -
$ 3,902,292
Certificates of deposit:
Cash and cash equivalents
2,250,000
-
-
2,250,000
Short term investments
-
2,640,000
-
2,640,000
Total financial assets
$ 6,152,292
$ 2,640,000
$ -
$ 8,792,292
The
following table presents the hierarchy for our financial assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis as of October 31,
2019:
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Total
Money market funds:
Cash and cash equivalents
$ 2,706,944
$ -
$ -
$ 2,706,944
Certificates of deposit:
Cash and cash equivalents
500,000
-
500,000
Short term investments
-
2,350,000
-
2,350,000
Total financial assets
$ 3,206,944
$ 2,350,000
$ -
$ 5,556,944
Our
non-financial assets that are measured on a non-recurring basis include our property and equipment which are measured using fair
value techniques whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate a condition of impairment exists. The estimated fair value
of accounts receivable, prepaid expenses, accounts payable and accrued expenses approximates their individual carrying amounts
due to the short-term nature of these measurements. Cash and cash equivalents are stated at carrying value which approximates
fair value.
Cash
and Cash Equivalents
Cash
equivalents consists of highly liquid, short-term investments with original maturities of three months or less when purchased.
Short-term
Investments
At
October 31, 2020 and 2019, we had certificates of deposit with maturities greater than 90 days and less than 12 months when acquired
of $2,640,000 and $2,350,000, respectively, that were classified as short-term investments and reported at fair value.
Patents
Our
only identifiable intangible assets are patents and patent rights. We capitalize patent and patent rights acquisition costs and
amortize the cost over the estimated economic useful life. No patent acquisition costs were capitalized during the years ended
October 31, 2020 and 2019. We recorded patent amortization expense of $-0- and approximately $419,000, respectively, during the
years ended October 31, 2020 and 2019.
In
evaluating the carrying amount of capitalized patents at January 31, 2019, we determined that a write-down of the carrying amount
of approximately $419,000, to a carrying value of approximately $168,000, should be recorded as of January 31, 2019. The write-down
was based on estimated undiscounted future cash flows of the capitalized patents compared to the carrying value.
F- 10
ANIXA
BIOSCIENCES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Our
estimates of future cash flows was based on our most recent assessment of the market for potential licensees, as well as the status
of ongoing negotiations with potential licensees. While we may be able to generate future cash flows from this patent portfolio,
as of October 31, 2020 and 2019, we could not reasonably determine an estimate of any such future cash flows. The carrying value
of capitalized patents is $-0- as of October 31, 2020 and 2019.
Property
and equipment
We
capitalized computers and test equipment used in our cancer diagnostics and therapeutics programs and charged depreciation on
a straight-line basis over 60 months. Equipment purchases during the years ended October 31, 2020 and 2019 were approximately
$16,000 and $175,000, respectively. We recorded depreciation expense of approximately $38,000 and 48,000, respectively, during
the years ended October 31, 2020 and 2019. As a result of the suspension of operations of our subsidiary, Anixa Diagnostics Corporation,
as discussed in Note 1, we recorded a loss on disposal of property and equipment of approximately $148,000 during the year ended
October 31, 2020.
Income
Taxes
We
recognize deferred tax assets and liabilities for the estimated future tax effects of events that have been recognized in our
financial statements or tax returns. Under this method, deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined based on the difference
between the financial statement and tax bases of assets and liabilities using enacted tax rates in effect in the years in which
the differences are expected to reverse. A valuation allowance is established, when necessary, to reduce deferred tax assets to
the amount expected to be realized.
Stock-Based
Compensation
We
maintain stock equity incentive plans under which we may grant non-qualified stock options, incentive stock options, stock appreciation
rights, stock awards, performance awards and stock units to employees, non-employee directors and consultants.
Stock
Option Compensation Expense
We
account for stock options granted to employees and directors using the accounting guidance in ASC 718 “Stock Compensation”
(“ASC 718”). In accordance with ASC 718, we estimate the fair value of service-based options on the date of grant,
using the Black-Scholes pricing model. We recognize compensation expense for stock option awards over the requisite or implied
service period of the grant. We recorded stock-based compensation expense, related to service-based stock options granted to employees
and directors, of approximately $3,923,000 and $3,185,000, during the years ended October 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively.
Included
in stock-based compensation cost for service-based options granted to employees and directors during the years ended October 31,
2020 and 2019 was approximately $3,011,000 and $3,166,000, respectively, related to the amortization of compensation cost for
stock options granted in prior periods but not yet vested. As of October 31, 2020, there was unrecognized compensation cost related
to non-vested service-based stock options granted to employees and directors of approximately $2,605,000, which will be recognized
over a weighted-average period of 1.5 years.
F- 11
ANIXA
BIOSCIENCES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
For
stock options granted to employees that vest based on market conditions, such as the trading price of the Company’s common
stock exceeding certain price targets, we use a Monte Carlo Simulation in estimating the fair value at grant date and recognize
compensation cost over the implied service period (median time to vest). On May 8, 2018, we issued market condition options to
purchase 1,500,000 shares of common stock, to our Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, vesting at target trading prices
of $5.00 to $8.00 per share before May 31, 2021, with implied service periods of three to seven months. The assumptions used in
the Monte Carlo Simulation were stock price on date of grant and exercise price of $3.70, contract term of 10 years, expected
volatility of 119.6% and risk-free interest rate of 2.97%. We recorded stock-based compensation expense related to market condition
stock options granted to employees of $-0- and approximately $376,000 during the years ended October 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively,
which included $-0- and approximately $376,000, respectively, of expense related to the amortization of compensation cost for
stock options granted in prior periods but not yet vested. As of October 31, 2020, there was no unrecognized compensation cost
related to market condition stock options.
On
November 1, 2018 we adopted Accounting Standards Update 2018-07 (“ASU 2018-07”) for stock options granted to consultants.
Upon adoption of ASU 2018-07 we estimated the fair value of unvested service-based and performance-based stock options at the
date of adoption, using the Black-Scholes pricing model. Subsequent to adoption of ASU 2018-07, future grants to consultants are
measured at the grant date, based on the fair value of the award using the Black-Scholes pricing model, consistent with our policy
for grants to employees and directors. In prior periods, in accordance with U.S. GAAP, we estimated the fair value of service-based
and performance-based stock options granted to consultants at each reporting period using the Black-Scholes pricing model. We
recognize the fair value of stock options granted to consultants as consulting expense over the requisite or implied service period
of the grant.
We
recorded consulting expense, related to service based and performance-based stock options granted to consultants, during the years
ended October 31, 2020 and 2019 of approximately $215,000 and $113,000, respectively. Included in stock-based consulting expense
for the years ended October 31, 2020 and 2019 was approximately $123,000 and $99,000, respectively, related to compensation cost
for stock options granted in prior periods but not yet vested. As of October 31, 2020, there was unrecognized consulting expense
related to non-vested stock options granted to consultants, related to service-based options of approximately $340,000, which
will be recognized over a weighted-average period of --1.9 years.
Fair
Value Determination
We
use the Black-Scholes pricing model in estimating the fair value of stock options granted to employees, directors and consultants
which vest over a specific period of time. The stock options we granted during each of the years ended October 31, 2020 and 2019
consisted of awards with 5-year and 10-year terms that vest over 12 to 36 months.
F- 12
ANIXA
BIOSCIENCES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
The
following weighted average assumptions were used in estimating the fair value of stock options granted during the years ended
October 31, 2020 and 2019:
For the Year
Ended October 31,
2020
2019
Weighted average fair value at grant date
$ 2.97
$ 3.87
Valuation assumptions:
Expected life (years)
5.86
5.47
Expected volatility
114.22 %
116.72 %
Risk-free interest rate
1.45 %
1.61 %
Expected dividend yield
0 %
0 %
The
expected term of stock options represents the weighted average period the stock options are expected to remain outstanding. For
employees and directors, we use the simplified method, which is a weighted average of the vesting term and contractual term, to
determine expected term. The simplified method was adopted since we do not believe that historical experience is representative
of future performance because of the impact of the changes in our operations and the change in terms from historical options which
vested immediately to terms including vesting periods of up to three years. For consultants we use the contract term for expected
term. Under the Black-Scholes pricing model, we estimated the expected volatility of our shares of common stock based upon the
historical volatility of our share price over a period of time equal to the expected term of the options. We estimated the risk-free
interest rate based on the implied yield available on the applicable grant date of a U.S. Treasury note with a term equal to the
expected term of the underlying grants. We made the dividend yield assumption based on our history of not paying dividends and
our expectation not to pay dividends in the future.
Under
ASC 718, the amount of stock-based compensation expense recognized is based on the portion of the awards that are ultimately expected
to vest. Accordingly, if deemed necessary, we reduce the fair value of the stock option awards for expected forfeitures, which
are forfeitures of the unvested portion of surrendered options. Based on our historical experience and future expectations, we
have not reduced the amount of stock-based compensation expenses for anticipated forfeitures.
We
will reconsider use of the Black-Scholes pricing model if additional information becomes available in the future that indicates
another model would be more appropriate. If factors change and we employ different assumptions in the application of ASC 718 in
future periods, the compensation expense that we record under ASC 718 may differ significantly from what we have recorded in the
current period.
Stock
Award Compensation Expense
We
account for stock awards granted to employees and directors in accordance with ASC 718. On May 8, 2018, a restricted stock award
of 1,500,000 shares of common stock was granted to our Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer. The restricted stock award
vests in its entirety upon achievement of a target trading price of $11.00 per share of the Company’s common stock before
May 31, 2021. For restricted stock awards vesting upon achievement of a price target of our common stock we use a Monte Carlo
Simulation in estimating the fair value at grant date and recognize compensation cost over the implied service period (median
time to vest). The assumptions used in the Monte Carlo Simulation were stock price on date of grant of $3.70, contract term of
3.06 years, expected volatility of 128.8% and risk-free interest rate of 2.66%. During the years ended October 31, 2020 and 2019
we recorded compensation expense related to the restricted stock award of $-0- and approximately $1,954,000, respectively. We
did not issue any stock awards during the years ended October 31, 2020 and 2019. As of October 31, 2020, there was no unrecognized
compensation cost related to the restricted stock awards.
F- 13
ANIXA
BIOSCIENCES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Warrants
For
warrants granted to consultants for services rendered we estimate the fair value using the Black-Scholes pricing model on the
date of grant. During the years ended October 31, 2020 and 2019 we recorded consulting expense, based on the fair value, of $-0-
and approximately $85,000, respectively, for warrants granted to consultants.
Net
Loss Per Share of Common Stock
In
accordance with ASC 260, “Earnings Per Share”, basic net loss per common share (“Basic EPS”) is computed
by dividing net loss by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding. Diluted net loss per common share (“Diluted
EPS”) is computed by dividing net loss by the weighted average number of common shares and dilutive common share equivalents
and convertible securities then outstanding. Diluted EPS for all years presented is the same as Basic EPS, as the inclusion of
the effect of common share equivalents then outstanding would be anti-dilutive. For this reason, excluded from the calculation
of Diluted EPS for the years ended October 31, 2020 and 2019 were options to purchase 7,952,195 and 7,632,068 shares, respectively,
and warrants to purchase 560,000 shares and 525,000 shares, respectively.
Use
of Estimates
The
preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America
requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure
of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses
during the reporting period. Estimates and assumptions are used for, but not limited to, determining stock-based compensation,
asset impairment evaluations, tax assets and liabilities, license fee revenue, the allowance for doubtful accounts, depreciation
lives and other contingencies. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
Effect
of Recently Issued Pronouncements
In
February 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update 2016-02 (“ASU 2016-02”)
Accounting Standards Codification Topic 842, Leases (“ASC 842”), which supersedes Topic 840, Leases, and which requires
lessees to recognize most leases on the balance sheet. The new lease standard does not substantially change lessor accounting.
For public companies, the standard was effective for the first interim reporting period within annual periods beginning after
December 15, 2018, although early adoption was permitted. Lessees and lessors were required to apply the new standard at the beginning
of the earliest period presented in the financial statements in which they first apply the new guidance. In July 2018, FASB issued
ASU 2018-11, Leases, which provides an additional transition option for an entity to apply the provisions of ASC 842 by recognizing
a cumulative effect adjustment at the effective date of adoption without adjusting the prior comparative periods presented. The
requirements of this standard include a significant increase in required disclosures. The Company adopted ASU 2016-02 on November
1, 2019. The adoption of this standard did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements. See Note 5 regarding
the accounting and disclosures related to our office lease.
Concentration
of Credit Risks
Financial
instruments that potentially subject us to concentrations of credit risk are cash equivalents, short-term investments and accounts
receivable. Cash equivalents are primarily highly rated money market funds. Short-term investments are certificates of deposit
within federally insured limits. Where applicable, management reviews our accounts receivable and other receivables for potential
doubtful accounts and maintains an allowance for estimated uncollectible amounts. Our policy is to write-off uncollectable amounts
at the time it is determined that collection will not occur. One licensee accounted for 100% of revenues from patent licensing
activities during fiscal year 2019.
F- 14
ANIXA
BIOSCIENCES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
3.
ACCRUED EXPENSES
Accrued
liabilities consist of the following as of:
October 31,
2020
2019
Payroll and related expenses
415,331
72,850
Accrued royalty and contingent legal fees
449,691
449,691
Accrued collaborative research and license expense
30,000
371,710
Accrued other
6,003
1,247
$ 901,025
$ 895,498
4.
SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Stock
Option Plans
During
the year ended October 31, 2020, we had three stock option plans: the Anixa Biosciences, Inc. 2003 Share Incentive Plan (the “2003
Share Plan”), the Anixa Biosciences, Inc. 2010 Share Incentive Plan (the “2010 Share Plan”) and the Anixa Biosciences,
Inc. 2018 Share Incentive Plan (the “2018 Share Plan”) which were adopted by our Board of Directors on April 21, 2003,
July 14, 2010 and January 25, 2018, respectively. The 2018 Share Plan was approved by our shareholders on March 29, 2018
During
the years ended October 31, 2020 and 2019, stock options to purchase 51,100 and 47,600 shares of common stock, respectively, were
exercised with aggregate proceeds of approximately $122,000 and $122,000, respectively.
2003
Plan
The
2003 Share Plan provided for the grant of nonqualified stock options, stock appreciation rights, stock awards, performance awards
and stock units to employees, directors and consultants. The exercise price with respect to all of the options granted under the
2003 Share Plan since its inception was equal to the fair market value of the underlying common stock at the grant date. In accordance
with the provisions of the 2003 Share Plan, the plan terminated with respect to the grant of future options on April 21, 2013.
Information regarding the 2003 Share Plan for the two years ended October 31, 2020 is as follows:
Shares
Weighted
Average Exercise
Price Per Share
Aggregate
Intrinsic
Value
Options Outstanding at October 31, 2018
12,000
$ 2.77
Exercised
(11,600 )
$ 2.94
Options Outstanding at October 31, 2019
400
$ 17.00
Forfeited/Expired
(400 )
$ 17.00
Options Outstanding and Exercisable at October 31, 2020
-
$ -0-
$ -0-
F- 15
ANIXA
BIOSCIENCES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
2010
Plan
The
2010 Share Plan provides for the grant of nonqualified stock options, stock appreciation rights, stock awards, performance awards
and stock units to employees, directors and consultants. On the first business day of each calendar year the maximum aggregate
number of shares available for future issuance is replenished such that 800,000 shares are available. The exercise price with
respect to all of the options granted under the 2010 Share Plan was equal to the fair market value of the underlying common stock
at the grant date. In accordance with the provisions of the 2010 Share Plan, the plan terminated with respect to the grant of
future options on July 14, 2020. Information regarding the 2010 Share Plan for the two years ended October 31, 2020 is as follows:
Shares
Weighted
Average Exercise
Price Per Share
Aggregate Intrinsic
Value
Options Outstanding at October 31, 2018
2,131,868
$ 2.11
Granted
10,000
$ 3.64
Exercised
(32,000 )
$ 2.27
Forfeited
(111,200 )
$ 3.89
Options Outstanding at October 31, 2019
1,998,668
$ 2.80
Exercised
(51,100 )
$ 2.39
Forfeited/Expired
(40,034 )
$ 2.34
Options Outstanding at October 31, 2020
1,907,534
$ 2.82
$ 327,340
Options Exercisable at October 31, 2020
1,791,284
$ 2.84
$ 280,878
The
following table summarizes information about stock options outstanding under the 2010 Share Plan as of October 31, 2020:
Options Outstanding
Options Exercisable
Range of
Exercise Prices
Number
Outstanding
Weighted
Average
Remaining
Contractual Life
(in years)
Weighted
Average
Exercise Price
Number
Exercisable
Weighted
Average
Remaining
Contractual Life
(in years)
Weighted
Average
Exercise Price
$
0.67 - $2.30
549,000
5.45
$
1.57
507,750
5.35
$
1.62
$
2.58 - $3.13
834,000
2.84
$
2.79
834,000
3.13
$
2.79
$
3.46 - $5.75
524,534
7.25
$
4.17
449,534
7.17
$
4.49
F- 16
ANIXA
BIOSCIENCES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
2018
Plan
The
2018 Share Plan provides for the grant of incentive stock options, nonqualified stock options, stock appreciation rights, stock
awards, performance awards and stock units to employees, directors and consultants. On the first business day of each calendar
year the maximum aggregate number of shares available for future issuance is replenished such that 2,000,000 shares are available.
The exercise price with respect to all of the options granted under the 2018 Share Plan was equal to the fair market value of
the underlying common stock at the grant date. As of October 31, 2020, the 2018 Share Plan had 2,388,339 shares available for
future grants. Information regarding the 2018 Share Plan for the two years ended October 31, 2020 is as follows:
Shares
Weighted
Average Exercise
Price Per Share
Aggregate Intrinsic Value
Options Outstanding at October 31, 2018
3,482,000
$ 3.73
Granted
465,000
$ 3.87
Exercised
(4,000 )
$ 3.84
Forfeited/Expired
(8,000 )
$ 3.84
Options Outstanding at October 31, 2019
3,935,000
$ 3.74
Granted
1,045,000
$ 3.56
Forfeited/Expired
(633,339 )
$ 3.83
Options Outstanding at October 31, 2020
4,346,661
$ 3.69
$ -0-
Options Exercisable at October 31, 2020
2,456,109
$ 3.74
$ -0-
The
following table summarizes information about stock options outstanding under the 2018 Share Plan as of October 31, 2020:
Options Outstanding
Options Exercisable
Range of
Exercise
Prices
Number
Outstanding
Weighted
Average
Remaining
Contractual Life
(in
years)
Weighted
Average
Exercise Price
Number
Exercisable
Weighted
Average
Remaining
Contractual Life
(in
years)
Weighted
Average
Exercise Price
$
2.09 - $3.70
3,247,781
7.70
$ 3.62
1,861,948
7.58
$ 3.68
$
3.84 - $4.61
1,098,880
8.49
$ 3.90
594,161
8.25
$ 3.92
Non-Plan
Options
In
addition to options granted under the 2003 Share Plan, the 2010 Share Plan and the 2018 Share Plan, during the years ended October
31, 2012 and 2013, the Board of Directors approved the grant of stock options to certain employees and directors (the “Non-Plan
Options”).
Information
regarding the Non-Plan Options for the two years ended October 31, 2020 is as follows:
Shares
Weighted
Average Exercise
Price Per Share
Aggregate
Intrinsic
Value
Options Outstanding at October 31, 2018
1,780,000
$ 1.58
Forfeited
(82,000 )
$ 5.32
Options Outstanding and Exercisable at October 31, 2019 and 2020
1,698,000
$ 2.58
$ -0-
F- 17
ANIXA
BIOSCIENCES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
The
following table summarizes information about outstanding and exercisable Non-Plan Options as of October 31, 2020:
Range
of
Exercise Prices
Number
Outstanding
and
Exercisable
Weighted Average
Remaining
Contractual Life
(in
years)
Weighted
Average
Exercise
Price
$ 2.58
1,698,000
1.75
$ 2.58
Re-Priced
Stock Options
On
August 21, 2019, the Company entered into a settlement agreement in connection with a putative shareholder derivative complaint
filed in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware on November 5, 2018. Pursuant to the settlement agreement the Company
agreed, among other things, to reprice certain stock options that were repriced on September 6, 2017 to $0.67 to the option price
immediately prior to that repricing. Accordingly, 4,000 stock options in the 2003 Share Plan with exercise prices of $2.58, 878,400
stock options in the 2010 Share Plan with exercise prices ranging from $0.96 to $5.30 and 1,046,000 Non-Plan Options with exercise
prices of $2.58, were re-priced to the option price immediately prior to the September 6, 2017 repricing. In addition, certain
individual defendants in the derivative complaint who had exercised stock options that were re-priced in the 2017 re-pricing and
sold the underlying shares paid approximately $45,000 to the Company representing a portion of the amount received for those shares.
Employee
Stock Purchase Plan
The
Company maintains the Anixa Biosciences, Inc. Employee Stock Purchase Plan which permits eligible employees to purchase shares
at not less than 85% of the market value of the Company’s common stock on the offering date or the purchase date of the
applicable offering period, whichever is lower. The plan was adopted by our Board of Directors on August 13, 2018 and approved
by our shareholders on September 27, 2018. During the years ended October 31, 2020 and 2019, employees purchased 11,536 and 11,650
shares, respectively, with aggregate proceeds of approximately $18,000 and $39,000, respectively.
Common
Stock Purchase Warrants
During
the year ended October 31, 2019 we issued a warrant, expiring on November 1, 2023, to purchase 25,000 shares of common stock at
$4.04 per share, vesting over 12 months, to a consultant for investor relations services. On November 1, 2019 the warrant was
exchanged for a stock option with the same terms as the warrant. We recorded consulting expense of approximately $85,000 during
the year ended October 31, 2019, based on the fair value of the warrant recognized on a straight-line basis over the vesting period.
On
October 30, 2020 we issued a warrant, expiring on October 30, 2025, to purchase 60,000 shares of common stock at $2.06 per share,
vesting over five months, to a consultant for investor relations services.
Information
regarding the Company’s warrants for the two years ended October 31, 2020 is as follows:
Shares
Weighted
Average Exercise
Price Per
Share
Warrants Outstanding at October 31, 2018
829,400
$ 7.04
Issued
25,000
$ 4.04
Expired
(329,400 )
$ 10.09
Warrants Outstanding at October 31, 2019
525,000
$ 4.98
Issued
60,000
$ 2.06
Exchanged
(25,000 )
$ 4.04
Warrants Outstanding at October 31, 2020
560,000
$ 4.71
Warrants Exercisable at October 31, 2020
510,000
$ 4.97
F- 18
ANIXA
BIOSCIENCES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
5.
LEASES
We
lease approximately 2,000 square feet of office space at 3150 Almaden Expressway, San Jose, California (our principal executive
offices) from an unrelated party pursuant to an operating lease that expires September 30, 2021. Our base rent is approximately
$5,000 per month and the lease provides for annual increases of approximately 3% and an escalation clause for increases in certain
operating costs. Under an operating lease that expired on May 31, 2019 we also leased approximately 3,000 square feet of office
space at 12100 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, California (our former executive offices) from an unrelated party. As of August
1, 2018, we had subleased these facilities. Rent expense was approximately $64,000 and $60,000, respectively, for the years ended
October 31, 2020 and 2019.
On
November 1, 2019, the Company adopted ASC 842, which increases transparency and comparability by recognizing a lessee’s
rights and obligations resulting from leases by recording them on the balance sheet as lease assets and lease liabilities. The
new guidance requires the recognition of the right-of-use (“ROU”) assets and related operating lease liabilities on
the balance sheet. The Company adopted the new guidance using the modified retrospective approach on November 1, 2019. As a result,
the consolidated balance sheet as of October 31, 2019 was not restated and is not comparative.
The
adoption of ASC 842 resulted in the recognition of ROU assets of $106,221, and lease liabilities for operating leases of $106,299
on the Company’s consolidated balance sheet as of November 1, 2019. The difference between the ROU assets and the operating
lease liability represents the difference between the lease cost and the amount of rent paid in October 2019.
The
Company elected the package of practical expedients permitted within the standard, which allow an entity to forgo reassessing
(i) whether a contract contains a lease, (ii) classification of leases, and (iii) whether capitalized costs associated with a
lease meet the definition of initial direct costs. Also, the Company elected the expedient allowing an entity to use hindsight
to determine the lease term and impairment of ROU assets and the expedient to allow the Company to not have to separate lease
and non-lease components. The Company has also elected the short-term lease accounting policy under which Anixa would not recognize
a lease liability or ROU asset for any lease that at the commencement date has a lease term of twelve months or less and does
not include a purchase option that Anixa is more than reasonably certain to exercise.
For
operating leases, the lease liability is initially and subsequently measured at the present value of the unpaid lease payments.
The remaining 11-month lease term as of October 31, 2020 for the Company’s lease includes the noncancelable period of the
lease. The lease does not contain a Company option to extend the lease or an option to extend the lease controlled by the lessor.
All ROU assets are reviewed for impairment.
Balance
sheet information related to the Company’s lease is presented below:
Balance Sheet
Location
October 31,
2020
November 1,
2019
October 31,
2019
Operating Lease:
Right-of-use asset
Operating
lease right- of-use asset
$ 54,340
$ 106,221
$ -
Right-of-use liability,
current
Operating lease liability
55,198
51,101
-
Right-of-use liability,
long-term
Not presented
-
55,198
-
F- 19
ANIXA
BIOSCIENCES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
As
of October 31, 2020, the annual minimum lease payments of our operating lease liability were as follows:
Operating Leases
Fiscal year 2021 future minimum payments, undiscounted
$ 59,136
Less: Imputed interest
3,938
Present value of future minimum lease payments
$ 55,198
6.
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
Litigation
Matters
Other
than lawsuits we bring to enforce our patent rights, we are not involved in any litigation or other legal proceedings and management
is not aware of any pending litigation or legal proceeding against us that would have a material adverse effect upon our results
of operations or financial condition.
Collaborative
Research and License Commitments
As
of October 31, 2020, our commitments under the collaborative and license agreements with Moffitt, Wistar, Cleveland Clinic and
OntoChem for the year ending October 31, 2021 were approximately $188,000.
7.
INCOME TAXES
Income
tax provision (benefit) consists of the following:
Year Ended October 31,
2020
2019
Federal:
Current
$
-
$
-
Deferred
404,000
(948,000 )
State:
Current
-
-
Deferred
(800,000 )
(995,000 )
Adjustment to valuation allowance related to net deferred tax assets
396,000
1,943,000
$
-
$
-
The
tax effects of temporary differences that give rise to significant portions of the deferred tax asset, net, at October 31, 2020
and 2019, are as follows:
October 31,
2020
2019
Long-term deferred tax assets:
Federal and state NOL and tax credit carryforwards
$ 19,727,000
$ 19,593,000
Deferred compensation
8,009,000
7,619,000
Intangibles
828,000
943,000
Other
192,000
205,000
Subtotal
28,756,000
28,360,000
Less: valuation allowance
(28,756,000 )
(28,360,000 )
Deferred tax asset, net
$ -
$ -
F- 20
ANIXA
BIOSCIENCES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
As
of October 31, 2020, we had tax net operating loss and tax credit carryforwards of approximately $81,316,000 and $1,545,000, respectively,
available within statutory limits (expiring at various dates between 2021 and 2040), to offset any future regular Federal corporate
taxable income and taxes payable. If the tax benefits relating to deductions of option holders’ income are ultimately realized,
those benefits will be credited directly to additional paid-in capital. Certain changes in stock ownership can result in a limitation
on the amount of net operating loss and tax credit carryovers that can be utilized each year. As of October 31, 2020, management
has not determined the extent of any such limitations, if any.
We
had California tax net operating loss carryforwards of approximately $26,671,000 as of October 31, 2020, available within statutory
limits (expiring at various dates between 2021 and 2040), to offset future corporate taxable income and taxes payable, if any,
under certain computations of such taxes.
We
have provided a valuation allowance against our deferred tax asset due to our current and historical pre-tax losses and the uncertainty
regarding their realizability. The primary differences from the Federal statutory rate of 21% and the effective rate of 0% is
attributable to expiring net operating losses and a change in the valuation allowance. The following is a reconciliation of income
taxes at the Federal statutory tax rate to income tax expense (benefit):
Year Ended October 31,
2020
2019
Income tax benefit at U.S. Federal statutory income tax rate
$ (2,119,000 )
(21.00 )%
$ (2,482,000 )
(21.00 )%
State income taxes
(705,000 )
(6.98 )%
(1,045,000 )
(8.84 )%
Permanent differences
32,000
0.32 %
30,000
0.25 %
Expiring net operating losses, credits and other
2,396,000
23.74 %
1,554,000
13.15 %
Change in valuation allowance
396,000
3.92 %
1,943,000
16.44 %
Income tax provision
$ -
0.00 %
$ -
0.00 %
During
the two fiscal years ended October 31, 2020, we incurred no Federal and no State income taxes. We have no unrecognized tax benefits
as of October 31, 2020 and 2019 and we account for interest and penalties related to income tax matters in general and administrative
expenses. Tax years to which our net operating losses relate remain open to examination by Federal and California authorities
to the extent which the net operating losses have yet to be utilized.
F- 21
ANIXA
BIOSCIENCES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
8.
SEGMENT INFORMATION
We
follow the accounting guidance of ASC 280 “Segment Reporting” (“ASC 280”). Reportable operating segments
are determined based on the management approach. The management approach, as defined by ASC 280, is based on the way that the
chief operating decision-maker organizes the segments within an enterprise for making operating decisions and assessing performance.
While our results of operations are primarily reviewed on a consolidated basis, the chief operating decision-maker manages the
enterprise in five reportable segments, each with different operating and potential revenue generating characteristics: (i) CAR-T
Therapeutics, (ii) Cancer Vaccines, (iii) Anti-Viral Therapeutics, (iv) Cancer Diagnostics and (v) our legacy Patent Licensing
activities. The following represents selected financial information for our segments for the years ended October 31, 2020 and
2019:
Year Ended October 31,
2020
2019
Net loss:
CAR-T Therapeutics
$ (2,241,443 )
$ (5,074,868 )
Cancer Vaccines
(828,136 )
(677,450 )
Anti-Viral Therapeutics
(1,168,969 )
-
Cancer Diagnostics
(5,836,594 )
(5,196,471 )
Patent Licensing
(17,221 )
(869,863 )
Total
$ (10,092,363 )
$ (11,818,652 )
Total operating costs and expenses
$ 9,978,202
$ 12,140,005
Less non-cash share-based compensation
(4,137,460 )
(5,713,746 )
Operating costs and expenses excluding non-cash share-based compensation
$ 5,840,742
$ 6,426,259
Operating costs and expenses excluding non-cash share based compensation:
CAR-T Therapeutics
$ 1,141,542
$ 2,212,090
Cancer Vaccines
365,681
458,392
Anti-Viral Therapeutics
739,140
-
Cancer Diagnostics
3,581,377
2,689,761
Patent Licensing
13,002
1,066,016
Total
$ 5,840,742
$ 6,426,259
October 31,
2020
2019
Total assets:
CAR-T Therapeutics
$ 2,988,124
$ 2,382,460
Cancer Vaccines
946,923
489,881
Anti-Viral Therapeutics
2,464,361
-
Cancer Diagnostics
2,869,529
2,921,784
Patent Licensing
184,027
499,568
Total
$ 9,452,964
$ 6,293,693
Operating
costs and expenses excluding non-cash share-based compensation is the measurement the chief operating decision-maker uses in managing
the enterprise.
The
Company’s consolidated revenue of $250,000, inventor royalties, contingent legal fees, litigation and licensing expense
of $166,250, amortization of patents of $418,750 and impairment in carrying amount of patent assets of $418,750 for the year ended
October 31, 2019 were solely related to our patent licensing segment. All our revenue is generated domestically (United States)
based on the country in which the licensee is located.
F- 22
ANIXA
BIOSCIENCES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
9.
IMPACT OF CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC
On
March 10, 2020, the World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic. The virus and actions taken to mitigate
its spread have had and are expected to continue to have a broad adverse impact on the economies and financial markets of many
countries, including the geographical areas in which the Company operates and conducts its business and which the Company’s
partners operate and conduct their business. We are currently following the recommendations of local health authorities to minimize
exposure risk for our team members and visitors. However, the scale and scope of this pandemic is unknown and the duration of
the business disruption and related financial impact cannot be reasonably estimated at this time. While we have implemented specific
business continuity plans to reduce the potential impact of COVID-19, there is no guarantee that our continuity plans will be
successful.
We
have already experienced certain disruptions to our business such as temporary closure of our offices and similar disruptions
have occurred for our partners. Specifically, the outbreak has caused shutdowns of the laboratories and other service providers
that we rely on to develop our programs, and those laboratories and service providers that have been operating or that have begun
operating recently have been doing so with more limited capacity due to social distancing requirements. As a result, our progress
has been slowed and there is no assurance that we will be able to meet our previously announced timelines regarding the advancement
of our programs.
The
extent to which COVID-19 or any other health epidemic may impact our results will depend on future developments, which are highly
uncertain and cannot be predicted, including new information which may emerge concerning the severity of COVID-19 and the actions
to contain COVID-19 or treat its impact, among others. Accordingly, COVID-19 could have a material adverse effect on our business,
results of operations, financial condition and prospects.
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