Item 1A. Risk Factors
ITEM
1A. RISK FACTORS
Risks
Related to Our Business
If
we are unable to keep up with rapid technological changes, our products may become obsolete.
The
market for our products is characterized by significant and rapid change. Although we will continue to expand our product line capabilities
to remain competitive, research and discoveries by others may make our processes, products, or brands less attractive or even obsolete.
Competition
could adversely affect our business.
Our
industry in general is competitive. It is possible that future competitors could enter our market, thereby causing us to lose market
share and revenues. In addition, some of our current or future competitors may have significantly greater financial, technical, marketing,
and other resources than we do or may have more experience or advantages in the markets in which we will compete that will allow them
to offer lower prices or higher quality products. If we do not successfully compete with these competitors, we could fail to develop
market share and our future business prospects could be adversely affected.
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If
we are unable to develop and maintain our brand and reputation for our product offerings, our business and prospects could be materially
harmed.
Our
business and prospects depend, in part, on developing and then maintaining and strengthening our brand and reputation in the markets
we serve. If problems with our products cause our customers to have a negative experience or failure or delay in the delivery of our
products to our customers, our brand and reputation could be diminished. If we fail to develop, promote and maintain our brand and reputation
successfully, our business and prospects could be materially harmed.
We
are subject to government regulation, and unfavorable changes could substantially harm our business and results of operations.
We
are subject to general business regulations and laws as well as regulations and laws specifically governing our industries in the U.S.
and other countries in which we operate. Uncertainty surrounding existing and future laws and regulations may impede our services and
increase the cost of providing such services. These regulations and laws may cover taxation, tariffs, user pricing, distribution, consumer
protection and the characteristics and quality of services.
Existing
or probable governmental regulations relating to CBD products may harm or prevent our ability to sell our product offering.
A
majority of state governments in the United States have legalized the growing, production, and use of CBD. However, cannabis remains
illegal under federal law. In addition, in July 2017, the United States Drug Enforcement Agency issued a statement that certain CBD extractions
fall within the definition of marijuana, and are therefore a Schedule I controlled substance under the Controlled Substances Act of 1970,
as amended. Thus, the cannabis industry, including companies which sell products containing CBD, faces very uncertain regulation by the
federal government. While the federal government has for several years chosen to not intervene in the cannabis business conducted legally
within the states that have legislated such activities, there is, nonetheless, potential that the federal government may at any time
choose to begin enforcing its laws against the manufacture, possession, or use of cannabis-based products such as CBD. Similarly, there
is the possibility that the federal government may enact legislation or rules that authorize the manufacturing, possession or use of
those products under specific guidelines. Local, state and federal cannabis laws and regulations are broad in scope and subject to evolving
interpretations. In the event the federal government was to tighten its regulation of the industry, we would likely suffer a material
adverse effect on our business, including substantial losses.
Laws
and regulations affecting our industry are evolving under the Farm Bill, FDA and other regulatory authorities and changes to any regulation
may materially affect our CBD products
In
conjunction with the enactment of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (the “Farm Bill”), the FDA released a statement
about the status of CBD as a nutritional supplement, and the agency’s actions in the short term with regards to CBD will guide
the industry. While our sun care products are not nutritional supplements, the statement noted that the Farm Bill explicitly preserved
the FDA’s authority to regulate products containing cannabis or cannabis-derived compounds under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic
Act and Section 351 of the Public Health Service Act. As a company whose sun care products contain infused CBD, we will strive to meet
all FDA guidelines as the regulations evolve. Any difficulties in compliance with future government regulation could increase our operating
costs and adversely impact our results of operations in future periods.
In
addition, as a result of the Farm Bill’s recent passage, we expect that there will be a constant evolution of laws and regulations
affecting the CBD industry which could affect our operations. Local, state and federal hemp laws and regulations may be broad in scope
and subject to changing interpretations. These changes may require us to incur substantial costs associated with legal and compliance
fees and ultimately require us to alter our business plan. Furthermore, violations of these laws, or alleged violations, could disrupt
our business and result in a material adverse effect on our operations. In addition, we cannot predict the nature of any future laws,
regulations, interpretations or applications, and it is possible that regulations may be enacted in the future that will be directly
applicable to our business.
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We
do not currently believe that we are required to seek FDA approval for our sun care products, and as such we do not plan to seek FDA
approval. If regulation evolves such that we are required to seek approval, we will endeavor to do so. This may require us to incur substantial
costs associated with legal and compliance fees and adversely affect our results of operations.
We
depend heavily on key personnel, and turnover of key senior management could harm our business.
Our
future business and results of operations depend in significant part upon the continued contributions of our senior management personnel.
If we lose their services or if they fail to perform in their current positions, or if we are not able to attract and retain skilled
personnel as needed, our business could suffer. Significant turnover in our senior management could significantly deplete our institutional
knowledge held by our existing senior management team. We depend on the skills and abilities of these key personnel in managing the product
acquisition, marketing and sales aspects of our business, any part of which could be harmed by turnover in the future. We may not have
written employment agreements with all of our senior management. We do not have any key person insurance.
Our
products may not meet health and safety standards or could become contaminated.
We
do not have control over all of the third parties involved in the manufacturing of our products and their compliance with government
health and safety standards. Even if our products meet these standards, they could otherwise become contaminated. A failure to meet these
standards or contamination could occur in our operations or those of our manufacturers, distributors or suppliers. This could result
in expensive production interruptions, recalls and liability claims. Moreover, negative publicity could be generated from false, unfounded
or nominal liability claims or limited recalls. Any of these failures or occurrences could negatively affect our business and financial
performance.
The
sale of our products involves product liability and related risks that could expose us to significant insurance and loss expenses.
We
face an inherent risk of exposure to product liability claims if the use of our products results in, or is believed to have resulted
in, illness or injury. Our products contain combinations of ingredients, and there is little long-term experience with the effect of
these combinations. In addition, interactions of these products with other products, prescription medicines and over-the-counter treatments
have not been fully explored or understood and may have unintended consequences.
Any
product liability claim may increase our costs and adversely affect our revenue and operating income. Moreover, liability claims arising
from a serious adverse event may increase our costs through higher insurance premiums and deductibles and may make it more difficult
to secure adequate insurance coverage in the future. In addition, our product liability insurance may fail to cover future product liability
claims, which, if adversely determined, could subject us to substantial monetary damages.
The
success of our business will depend upon our ability to create and expand our brand awareness.
The
sun care and CBD markets we compete in, and the skin care market we intend to compete in, are highly competitive, with many well-known
brands leading the industry. Our ability to compete effectively and generate revenue will be based upon our ability to create and expand
awareness of our products distinct from those of our competitors. It is imperative that we are able to convey to consumers the benefits
of our products. However, advertising and packaging and labeling of such products will be limited by various regulations. Our success
will be dependent upon our ability to convey to consumers that our products are superior to those of our competitors.
We
must develop and introduce new products to succeed.
Our
industry is subject to rapid change. New products are constantly introduced to the market. Our ability to remain competitive depends
in part on our ability to enhance existing products, to develop and manufacture new products in a timely and cost-effective manner, to
accurately predict market transitions, and to effectively market our products. Our future financial results will depend to a great extent
on the successful introduction of several new products. We cannot be certain that we will be successful in selecting, developing, manufacturing
and marketing new products or in enhancing existing products.
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The
success of new product introductions depends on various factors, including, without limitation, the following:
●
Successful sales and marketing efforts;
●
Timely delivery of new products;
●
Availability of raw materials;
●
Pricing of raw materials;
●
Regulatory allowance of the products; and
●
Customer acceptance of new products
Possible
yet unanticipated changes in federal and state law could cause any of our current products, as well as products that we intend to launch,
containing hemp-derived CBD oil to be illegal, or could otherwise prohibit, limit or restrict any of our products containing CBD.
We
recently launched and commenced distribution of certain products containing hemp-derived CBD, and we currently intend to develop and
launch additional products containing hemp-derived CBD in the future. Until 2014, when 7 U.S. Code §5940 became federal law as part
of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (the “2014 Farm Act”), products containing oils derived from hemp, notwithstanding a minimal
or non-existing THC content, were classified as Schedule I illegal drugs. The 2014 Farm Act expired on September 30, 2018, and was thereafter
replaced by the Farm Bill, which amended various sections of the U.S. Code, thereby removing hemp, defined as cannabis with less than
0.3% THC, from Schedule 1 status under the Controlled Substances Act, and legalizing the cultivation and sale of industrial-hemp at the
federal level, subject to compliance with certain federal requirements and state law, amongst other things. THC is the psychoactive component
of plants in the cannabis family generally identified as marihuana or marijuana. There is no assurance that the Farm Bill will not be
repealed or amended such that our products containing hemp-derived CBD would once again be deemed illegal under federal law.
The
Farm Bill delegates the authority to the states to regulate and limit the production of hemp and hemp-derived products within their territories.
Although many states have adopted laws and regulations that allow for the production and sale of hemp and hemp-derived products under
certain circumstances, no assurance can be given that such state laws may not be repealed or amended such that our intended products
containing hemp-derived CBD would once again be deemed illegal under the laws of one or more states now permitting such products, which
in turn would render such intended products illegal in those states under federal law even if the federal law is unchanged. In the event
of either repeal of federal or of state laws and regulations, or of amendments thereto that are adverse to our intended products, we
may be restricted or limited with respect to those products that we may sell or distribute, which could adversely impact our intended
business plan with respect to such intended products.
Additionally,
the FDA has indicated its view that certain types of products containing CBD may not be permissible under the Food, Drug and Cosmetic
Act, or FDCA. The FDA’s position is related to its approval of Epidiolex, a marijuana-derived prescription medicine to be available
in the United States. The active ingredient in Epidiolex is CBD. On December 20, 2018, after the passage of the Farm Bill, FDA Commissioner
Scott Gottlieb issued a statement in which he reiterated the FDA’s position that, among other things, the FDA requires a cannabis
product (hemp-derived or otherwise) that is marketed with a claim of therapeutic benefit, or with any other disease claim, to be approved
by the FDA for its intended use before it may be introduced into interstate commerce and that the FDCA prohibits introducing into interstate
commerce food products containing added CBD, and marketing products containing CBD as a dietary supplement, regardless of whether the
substances are hemp-derived. Our CBD product offerings must comply with applicable federal and state laws and regulations, and legal
proceedings alleging violations of such laws could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of
operations.
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Sources
of hemp-derived CBD depend upon legality of cultivation, processing, marketing and sales of products derived from those plants under
state law.
Hemp-derived
CBD can only be legally produced in states that have laws and regulations that allow for such production and that comply with the Farm
Bill, apart from state laws legalizing and regulating medical and recreational cannabis or marijuana, which remains illegal under federal
law and regulations. We purchase all of our hemp-derived CBD from licensed growers and processors in states where such production is
legal. As described in the risk factor, possible yet unanticipated changes in federal and state law could cause any of our current products,
as well as products that we intend to launch, containing hemp-derived CBD oil to be illegal, or could otherwise prohibit, limit or restrict
any of our products containing CBD in the event of repeal or amendment of laws and regulations which are now favorable to the cannabis/hemp
industry in such states, we would be required to locate new suppliers in states with laws and regulations that qualify under the Farm
Bill. If we were to be unsuccessful in arranging new sources of supply of our raw ingredients, or if our raw ingredients were to become
legally unavailable, our intended business plan with respect to such products could be adversely impacted.
Because
our distributors may only sell and ship our products containing hemp-derived CBD in states that have adopted laws and regulations qualifying
under the Farm Bill, a reduction in the number of states having such qualifying laws and regulations could limit, restrict or otherwise
preclude the sale of intended products containing hemp-derived CBD.
The
interstate shipment of hemp-derived CBD from one state to another is legal only where both states have laws and regulations that allow
for the production and sale of such products and that qualify under the Farm Bill. Therefore, the marketing and sale of our intended
products containing hemp-derived CBD is limited by such factors and is restricted to such states. Although we believe we may lawfully
sell any of our finished products, including those containing CBD, in a majority of states, a repeal or adverse amendment of laws and
regulations that are now favorable to the distribution, marketing and sale of finished products we intend to sell could significantly
limit, restrict or prevent us from generating revenue related to our products that contain hemp-derived CBD. Any such repeal or adverse
amendment of now favorable laws and regulations could have an adverse impact on our business plan with respect to such products.
Due
to recent expansion into the CBD industry, we may have a difficult time obtaining the various insurances that are desired to operate
our business, which may expose us to additional risk and financial liability.
Insurance
that is otherwise readily available, such as general liability, and directors and officer’s insurance, may become more difficult
for us to find, and more expensive, due to our launch of products containing hemp-derived CBD. There are no guarantees that we will be
able to find such insurances in the future, or that the cost will be affordable to us. If we are forced to go without such insurances,
it may prevent us from entering into certain business sectors, may inhibit our growth, and may expose us to additional risk and financial
liabilities.
Adverse
publicity associated with our products or ingredients, or those of similar companies, could adversely affect our sales and revenue.
Adverse
publicity concerning any actual or purported failure by us to comply with applicable laws and regulations regarding any aspect of our
business could have an adverse effect on the public perception of us. This, in turn, could negatively affect our ability to obtain financing,
endorsers and attract distributors or retailers for our products, which would have a material adverse effect on our ability to generate
sales and revenue.
Our
distributors’ and customers’ perception of the safety and quality of our products or even similar products distributed by
others can be significantly influenced by national media attention, publicized scientific research or findings, product liability claims
and other publicity concerning our products or similar products distributed by others. Adverse publicity, whether or not accurate, that
associates consumption of our products or any similar products with illness or other adverse effects, will likely diminish the public’s
perception of our products. Claims that any products are ineffective, inappropriately labeled or have inaccurate instructions as to their
use, could have a material adverse effect on the market demand for our products, including reducing our sales and revenue.
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We
do not have and may never have any products on the market that have been approved for the treatment of disease. Our business is highly
dependent upon receiving approvals from various U.S. and international governmental agencies and will be severely harmed if we are not
granted approval to manufacture and sell our product candidates.
In
order for us to commercialize a product for the treatment of any disease, we must obtain regulatory approvals of such treatment for that
indication. Satisfying regulatory requirements is an expensive process that typically takes many years and involves compliance with requirements
covering research and development, testing, manufacturing, quality control, labeling, and promotion of drugs for human use. To obtain
necessary regulatory approvals, we must, among other requirements, complete clinical trials demonstrating that our products are safe
and effective for a particular indication. There can be no assurance that our products will prove to be safe and effective, that our
clinical trials will demonstrate the necessary safety and effectiveness of our product candidates, or that we will succeed in obtaining
regulatory approval for any treatment we develop even if such safety and effectiveness are demonstrated.
Any
delays or difficulties we encounter in our clinical trials may delay or preclude regulatory approval from the FDA or from international
regulatory organizations. Any delay or preclusion of regulatory approval would be expected to delay or preclude the commercialization
of our products. Examples of delays or difficulties that we may encounter in our clinical trials include without limitation the following:
●
Clinical
trials may not yield sufficiently conclusive results for regulatory agencies to approve the use of our products;
●
Our
products may fail to be more effective than current therapies, or to be effective at all;
●
We
may discover that our products have adverse side effects, which could cause our products to be delayed or precluded from receiving
regulatory approval or otherwise expose us to significant commercial and legal risks;
●
It
may take longer than expected to determine whether or not a treatment is effective;
●
Patients
involved in our clinical trials may suffer severe adverse side effects even up to death, whether as a result of treatment with our
products, the withholding of such treatment, or other reasons (whether within or outside of our control);
●
We
may fail to be able to enroll a sufficient number of patients in our clinical trials;
●
Patients
enrolled in our clinical trials may not have the characteristics necessary to obtain regulatory approval for a particular indication
or patient population;
●
We
may be unable to produce sufficient quantities of product to complete the clinical trials;
●
Even
if we are successful in our clinical trials, any required governmental approvals may still not be obtained or, if obtained, may not
be maintained;
●
If
approval for commercialization is granted, it is possible the authorized use will be more limited than is necessary for commercial
success, or that approval may be conditioned on completion of further clinical trials or other activities, which will cause a substantial
increase in costs and which we might not succeed in performing or completing; and
●
If
granted, approval may be withdrawn or limited if problems with our products emerge or are suggested by the data arising from their
use or if there is a change in law or regulation.
Any
success we may achieve at a given stage of our clinical trials does not guarantee that we will achieve success at any subsequent stage,
including without limitation final FDA approval.
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We
may encounter delays or rejections in the regulatory approval process because of additional government regulation resulting from future
legislation or administrative action, or from changes in the policies of the FDA or other regulatory bodies during the period of product
development, clinical trials, or regulatory review. Failure to comply with applicable regulatory requirements may result in criminal
prosecution, civil penalties, recall or seizure of products, total or partial suspension of production, or an injunction preventing certain
activity, as well as other regulatory action against our product candidates or us. We have no experience in successfully obtaining regulatory
approval for a product and thus may be poorly equipped to gauge, and may prove unable to manage, risks relating to obtaining such approval.
Outside
the U.S., our ability to market a product is contingent upon receiving clearances from appropriate non-U.S. regulatory authorities. Non-U.S.
regulatory approval typically includes all of the risks associated with FDA clearance discussed above as well as geopolitical uncertainties
and the additional uncertainties and potential prejudices faced by U.S. pharmaceutical companies conducting business abroad. In certain
cases, pricing restrictions and practices can make achieving even limited profitability very difficult.
We
have limited experience in completing regulatory filings and any delays in regulatory filings could materially affect our financial condition.
We
are currently initiating clinical trials of our product candidates. We have not, however, demonstrated the ability to obtain marketing
approvals, manufacture product candidates at a commercial scale, or conduct sales and marketing activities necessary for the successful
commercialization of a product. Consequently, we have no historical basis as a company by which one can evaluate or predict reliably
our future success or viability.
Additionally,
while our team has experience at prior companies with regulatory filings, we have limited experience with regulatory filings with agencies
such as the FDA or the European Medicines Agency, or EMA, and will rely on third-party expertise for this. Any delay in our regulatory
filings for our product candidates, and any adverse development or perceived adverse development with respect to the applicable regulatory
authority’s review of such filings, including, without limitation, the FDA’s issuance of a “refuse to file” letter
or a request for additional information, could materially affect our financial condition.
If
serious adverse or undesirable side effects are identified during the development of our product candidates, we may abandon or limit
our development or commercialization of such product candidates.
If
our product candidates are associated with undesirable side effects or have unexpected characteristics, we may need to abandon their
development or limit development to certain uses or subpopulations in which the undesirable side effects or other characteristics are
less prevalent, less severe or more acceptable from a risk-benefit perspective.
If
we elect or are forced to suspend or terminate any clinical trial with one of our product candidates, the commercial prospects of such
product candidate will be harmed, and our ability to generate revenue from such product candidate will be delayed or eliminated. Any
of these occurrences may harm our business, financial condition and prospects significantly.
With
regard to our lead product candidates, unforeseen side effects could arise either during clinical development or, if approved, after
products have been marketed. This could cause regulatory approvals for, or market acceptance of our products harder and costlier to obtain.
The
results of our planned or any future clinical trials may show that the side effects are unacceptable or intolerable, which could interrupt,
delay or halt clinical trials, and result in delay of, or failure to obtain, marketing approval from the FDA or EMA and other regulatory
authorities, or result in marketing approval from the FDA or EMA and other regulatory authorities with restrictive label warnings.
If
any product receives marketing approval and we or others later identify undesirable or unacceptable side effects caused by the use of
the products:
●
regulatory
authorities may withdraw their approval of the product, which would force us to remove products from the market;
●
regulatory
authorities may require the addition of labeling statements, specific warnings, a contraindication, or field alerts to physicians
and pharmacies;
●
we
may be required to change instructions regarding the way the product is administered, conduct additional clinical trials or change
the labeling of the product;
●
we
may be subject to limitations on how we may promote the product;
●
sales
of the product may decrease significantly;
●
we
may be subject to litigation or product liability claims; and
●
our
reputation may suffer.
Any
of these events could prevent us or our potential future collaborators from achieving or maintaining market acceptance of our products
and/or could substantially increase commercialization costs and expenses, which in turn could delay or prevent us from generating significant
revenues from the sale of those products.
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If
we experience delays or difficulties in the enrollment of subjects to our clinical trials, our receipt of necessary regulatory approvals
could be delayed or prevented, which could materially affect our financial condition.
Identifying,
screening and enrolling patients to participate in clinical trials of our product candidates is critical to our success, and we may not
be able to identify, recruit, enroll and dose a sufficient number of patients with the required or desired characteristics to complete
our clinical trials in a timely manner. The timing of our clinical trials depends on our ability to recruit patients to participate as
well as to subsequently dose these patients and complete required follow-up periods. In particular, because our planned clinical trials
may be focused on indications with relatively small patient populations, our ability to enroll eligible patients may be limited or may
result in slower enrollment than we anticipate.
In
addition, we may experience enrollment delays related to increased or unforeseen regulatory, legal and logistical requirements at certain
clinical trial sites. These delays could be caused by reviews by regulatory authorities and contractual discussions with individual clinical
trial sites. Any delays in enrolling and/or dosing patients in our planned clinical trials could result in increased costs, delays in
advancing our product candidates, delays in testing the effectiveness of our product candidates or in termination of the clinical trials
altogether.
Patient
enrollment may be affected if our competitors have ongoing clinical trials with products for the same indications as our product candidates,
and patients who would otherwise be eligible for our clinical trials instead enroll in our competitors’ clinical trials. Patient
enrollment may also be affected by other factors, including:
●
coordination
with clinical research organizations to enroll and administer the clinical trials;
●
coordination
and recruitment of collaborators and investigators at individual sites;
●
size
of the patient population and process for identifying patients;
●
design
of the clinical trial protocol;
●
eligibility
and exclusion criteria;
●
perceived
risks and benefits of the product candidates under study;
●
availability
of competing commercially available therapies and other competing products’ clinical trials;
●
time
of year in which the trials are initiated or conducted;
●
severity
of the diseases under investigation;
●
ability
to obtain and maintain subject consents;
●
ability
to enroll and treat patients in a timely manner;
●
risk
that enrolled subjects will drop out before completion of the trials;
●
proximity
and availability of clinical trial sites for prospective patients;
●
ability
to monitor subjects adequately during and after treatment; and
●
patient
referral practices of physicians.
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Our
inability to enroll a sufficient number of patients for clinical trials would result in significant delays and could require us to abandon
one or more clinical trials altogether. Enrollment delays in these clinical trials may result in increased development costs for our
product candidates, which could materially affect our financial condition.
If
we or our licensees, development collaborators, or suppliers are unable to manufacture our products in sufficient quantities or at defined
quality specifications, or are unable to obtain regulatory approvals for the manufacturing facility, we may be unable to develop or meet
demand for our products and lose time to market and potential revenues.
Completion
of our clinical trials and commercialization of our product candidates require access to, or development of, facilities to manufacture
a sufficient supply of our product candidates. We intend to utilize third parties to manufacture our products.
In
the future we may become unable, for various reasons, to rely on our sources for the manufacture of our product candidates, either for
clinical trials or, at some future date, for commercial distribution. We may not be successful in identifying additional or replacement
third-party manufacturers, or in negotiating acceptable terms with any we do identify. We may face competition for access to these manufacturers’
facilities and may be subject to manufacturing delays if the manufacturers give other clients higher priority than they give to us. Even
if we are able to identify an additional or replacement third-party manufacturer, the delays and costs associated with establishing and
maintaining a relationship with such manufacturer may have a material adverse effect on us.
Before
we can begin to commercially manufacture any product candidate, we must obtain regulatory approval of the manufacturing facility and
process. Manufacturing of drugs for clinical and commercial purposes must comply with current Good Manufacturing Practices requirements,
commonly known as “cGMP.” The cGMP requirements govern quality control and documentation policies and procedures. Complying
with cGMP and non-U.S. regulatory requirements will require that we expend time, money, and effort in production, recordkeeping, and
quality control to ensure that the product meets applicable specifications and other requirements. We, or our contracted manufacturing
facility, must also pass a pre-approval inspection prior to FDA approval. Failure to pass a pre-approval inspection may significantly
delay or prevent FDA approval of our products. If we fail to comply with these requirements, we would be subject to possible regulatory
action and may be limited in the jurisdictions in which we are permitted to sell our products and will lose time to market and potential
revenues.
It
is uncertain whether product liability insurance will be adequate to address product liability claims, or that insurance against such
claims will be affordable or available on acceptable terms in the future.
Clinical
research involves the testing of new drugs on human volunteers pursuant to a clinical trial protocol. Such testing involves a risk of
liability for personal injury to or death of patients due to, among other causes, adverse side effects, improper administration of the
new drug, or improper volunteer behavior. Claims may arise from patients, clinical trial volunteers, consumers, physicians, hospitals,
companies, institutions, researchers, or others using, selling, or buying our products, as well as from governmental bodies. In addition,
product liability and related risks are likely to increase over time, in particular upon the commercialization or marketing of any products
by us or parties with which we enter into development, marketing, or distribution collaborations. Although we are contracting for general
liability insurance in connection with our ongoing business, there can be no assurance that the amount and scope of such insurance coverage
will be appropriate and sufficient in the event any claims arise, that we will be able to secure additional coverage should we attempt
to do so, or that our insurers would not contest or refuse any attempt by us to collect on such insurance policies. Furthermore, there
can be no assurance that suitable product liability insurance (at the clinical stage and/or commercial stage) will continue to be available
on terms acceptable to us or at all, or that, if obtained, the insurance coverage will be appropriate and sufficient to cover any potential
claims or liabilities.
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If
the market opportunities for our current and potential future drug candidates are smaller than we believe they are, our ability to generate
product revenues may be adversely affected and our business may suffer.
Our
understanding of the number of people who suffer from dermatitis or eczema, whom our products may have the potential to treat, is based
upon estimates. These estimates may prove to be incorrect, and new studies may demonstrate or suggest a lower estimated incidence or
prevalence of this condition. The number of patients in the U.S. or elsewhere may turn out to be lower than expected, may not be otherwise
amenable to treatment, or treatment-amenable patients may become increasingly difficult to identify and access, all of which would adversely
affect our business prospects and financial condition. In particular, the treatable population for our products may further be reduced
if our estimates of addressable populations are erroneous or sub-populations of patients do not derive benefit from those products.
If
we are unable to establish relationships with licensees or collaborators to carry out sales, marketing, and distribution functions or
to create effective marketing, sales, and distribution capabilities, we will be unable to market our products successfully.
Our
business strategy may include out-licensing product candidates to or collaborating with larger firms with experience in marketing and
selling pharmaceutical products. There can be no assurance that we will successfully be able to establish marketing, sales, or distribution
relationships with any third-party, that such relationships, if established, will be successful, or that we will be successful in gaining
market acceptance for any products we might develop. To the extent that we enter into any marketing, sales, or distribution arrangements
with third parties, our product revenues per unit sold are expected to be lower than if we marketed, sold, and distributed our products
directly, and any revenues we receive will depend upon the efforts of such third parties.
If
we are unable to establish such third-party marketing and sales relationships, or choose not to do so, we would have to establish in-house
marketing and sales capabilities. To market any products directly, we would have to establish a marketing, sales, and distribution force
that has technical expertise and could support a distribution capability. Competition in the biopharmaceutical industry for technically
proficient marketing, sales, and distribution personnel is intense and attracting and retaining such personnel may significantly increase
our costs. There can be no assurance that we will be able to establish internal marketing, sales, or distribution capabilities or that
these capabilities will be sufficient to meet our needs.
Commercial
success of our non-OTC product candidates will depend on the acceptance of these products by physicians, payers, and patients.
Any
non-OTC product candidate that we may develop may not gain market acceptance among physicians and patients. Market acceptance of and
demand for any non-OTC product that we may develop will depend on many factors, including without limitation:
●
Comparative
superiority of the effectiveness and safety in the treatment of the disease indication compared to alternative treatments;
●
Less
prevalence and severity of adverse side effects;
●
Potential
advantages over alternative treatments;
●
Cost
effectiveness;
●
Convenience
and ease of administration;
●
Sufficient
third-party coverage and/or reimbursement;
●
Strength
of sales, marketing and distribution support; and
●
Our
ability to provide acceptable evidence of safety and efficacy.
If
any non-OTC product candidate developed by us receives regulatory approval but does not achieve an adequate level of market acceptance
by physicians, payers, and patients, we may generate insufficient, little, or no product revenue and may not become profitable.
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In
addition, pandemics, including the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, could decrease consumer spending and adversely affect demand for our
products.
Our
non-OTC products may not be accepted for reimbursement or properly reimbursed by third-party payers.
The
successful commercialization of any non-OTC products we might develop will depend substantially on whether the costs of our non-OTC products
and related treatments are reimbursed at acceptable levels by government authorities, private healthcare insurers, and other third-party
payers, such as health maintenance organizations. Reimbursement rates may vary, depending upon the third-party payer, the type of insurance
plan, and other similar or dissimilar factors. If our non-OTC products do not achieve adequate reimbursement, then the number of physician
prescriptions of our products may not be sufficient to make our non-OTC products profitable.
Comparative
effectiveness research demonstrating benefits of a competitor’s non-OTC product could adversely affect the sales of our non-OTC
product candidates. If third-party payers do not consider our products to be cost-effective compared to other available therapies, they
may not cover our products as a benefit under their plans or, if they do, the level of payment may not be sufficient to allow us to sell
our non-OTC products on a profitable basis.
Adequate
third-party reimbursement may not be available to enable us to maintain price levels sufficient to realize an appropriate return on our
investment in the product development of that non-OTC product. In addition, in the U.S. there is a growing emphasis on comparative effectiveness
research, both by private payers and by government agencies. To the extent other drugs or therapies are found to be more effective than
our non-OTC products, payers may elect to cover such therapies in lieu of our products or reimburse our non-OTC products at a lower rate.
The
effects of economic and political pressure to lower pharmaceutical prices are a major threat to the economic viability of new research-based
pharmaceutical products, and any development along these lines could materially and adversely affect our prospects.
Emphasis
on managed care in the U.S. has increased and we expect this will continue to increase the pressure on pharmaceutical pricing. Coverage
policies and third-party reimbursement rates may change at any time. Even if favorable coverage and reimbursement status is attained
for one or more products for which we receive regulatory approval, less favorable coverage policies and reimbursement rates may be implemented
in the future.
Any
development along these lines could materially and adversely affect our prospects. We are unable to predict what legislative or regulatory
changes relating to the healthcare industry, including without limitation any changes affecting governmental and/or private or third-party
coverage and reimbursement, may be enacted in the future, or what effect such legislative or regulatory changes would have on our business.
If
we obtain FDA approval for any of our product candidates, we will be subject to various federal and state fraud and abuse laws; these
laws may impact, among other things, our proposed sales, marketing and education programs. Fraud and abuse laws are expected to increase
in breadth and in detail, which will likely increase our operating costs and the complexity of our programs to insure compliance with
such enhanced laws.
If
we obtain FDA approval for any of our product candidates and begin commercializing those products in the U.S., our operations may be
directly, or indirectly through our customers, distributors, or other business partners, subject to various federal and state fraud and
abuse laws, including, without limitation, anti-kickback statutes and false claims statutes which may increase our operating costs. These
laws may impact, among other things, our proposed sales, marketing and education programs.
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If
our operations are found to be in violation of any of the federal and state fraud and abuse laws or any other governmental regulations
that apply to us, we may be subject to criminal actions and significant civil monetary penalties, which would adversely affect our ability
to operate our business and our results of operations.
If
our operations are found to be in violation of any of the federal and state fraud and abuse laws, including, without limitation, anti-kickback
statutes and false claims statutes or any other governmental regulations that apply to us, we may be subject to penalties, including
criminal and significant civil monetary penalties, damages, fines, imprisonment, exclusion from participation in government healthcare
programs, and the curtailment or restructuring of our operations, any of which could adversely affect our ability to operate our business
and our results of operations. To the extent that any of our product candidates are ultimately sold in a foreign country, we may be subject
to similar foreign laws and regulations, which may include, for instance, applicable post-marketing requirements, including safety surveillance,
anti-fraud and abuse laws, and implementation of corporate compliance programs and reporting of payments or transfers of value to healthcare
professionals.
We
face business disruption and related risks resulting from the recent pandemic of COVID-19, which could have, and has had, a material
adverse effect on our business plan.
Our supply chain and the development
of our product candidates, including that of our subsidiaries, could be, and have been, disrupted and materially adversely affected by
the recent outbreak of COVID-19. As a result of measures imposed by the governments in affected regions, businesses and schools have been
suspended due to quarantines intended to contain this outbreak. We are still assessing our business plans and the impact COVID-19 may
have on our supply chain and ability to conduct our clinical trials, but there can be no assurance that this analysis will enable us to
avoid part or all of any impact from the spread of COVID-19 or its consequences, including downturns in business sentiment generally.
The extent to which the COVID-19 pandemic and global efforts to contain its spread will impact our operations will depend on future developments,
which are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted at this time, and include the duration, severity and scope of the pandemic and the
actions taken to contain or treat the COVID-19 pandemic. Our subsidiary SRM, was materially adversely affected by COVID-19 and its impact
on the amusement park industry. SRM’s sales to amusement parks materially decreased during 2021 and 2020. SRM’s revenue for
the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019 was $7,046,073 and were reduced to $2,958,199 for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020 and
further reduced to $2,876,273 for the year ended December 31, 2021, which was a result of the closing of amusement and theme parks in
2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. We generated $6,196,743 in revenues for the year ended December 31, 2022 compared to $2,876,273
revenues for the year ended December 31, 2021. The large increase is due to the Company having more nominal-like operations during 2022.
In 2021 and 2020, Covid had a negative impact on the revenues of the Company with the closure of amusement and theme parks which were
not fully open until the end of 2021.
Natural
disasters and other events beyond our control could materially adversely affect us.
Natural
disasters or other catastrophic events may cause damage or disruption to our operations, international commerce and the global economy,
and thus could have a strong negative effect on us. Our business operations are subject to interruption by natural disasters, fire, power
shortages, pandemics and other events beyond our control. Such events could make it difficult or impossible for us to deliver our services
to our customers and could decrease demand for our services. The World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic.
The extent of the impact of COVID-19 on our operational and financial performance will depend on certain developments, including the
duration and spread of the outbreak, the impact on our customers and employees, all of which are uncertain and cannot be predicted. At
this point, the overall extent to which COVID-19 may impact our financial condition or results of operations is uncertain.
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We
have a limited operating history upon which investors can evaluate our future prospects.
We
have a limited operating history upon which an evaluation of its business plan or performance and prospects can be made. The business
and prospects of the Company must be considered in the light of the potential problems, delays, uncertainties and complications encountered
in connection with a newly established business and new industry. The risks include, but are not limited to, the possibility that we
will not be able to develop functional and scalable products and services, or that although functional and scalable, our products and
services will not be economical to market; that our competitors hold proprietary rights that preclude us from marketing such products;
that our competitors market a superior or equivalent product; that we are not able to upgrade and enhance our technologies and products
to accommodate new features and expanded service offerings; or the failure to receive necessary regulatory clearances for our products.
To successfully introduce and market our products at a profit, we must establish brand name recognition and competitive advantages for
our products. There are no assurances that we can successfully address these challenges. If it is unsuccessful, we and our business,
financial condition and operating results could be materially and adversely affected.
The
current and future expense levels are based largely on estimates of planned operations and future revenues rather than experience. It
is difficult to accurately forecast future revenues because our business is new and our market has not been developed. If our forecasts
prove incorrect, the business, operating results and financial condition of the Company may be materially and adversely affected. Moreover,
we may be unable to adjust our spending in a timely manner to compensate for any unanticipated reduction in revenues. As a result, any
significant reduction in revenues may immediately and adversely affect our business, financial condition and operating results.
We
may not meet our product development and commercialization milestones.
We
have established milestones, based upon our expectations regarding our technologies at that time, which we use to assess our progress
toward developing our products. These milestones relate to technology and design improvements as well as dates for achieving development
goals. If our products exhibit technical defects or are unable to meet cost or performance goals, our commercialization schedule could
be delayed and potential purchasers of our initial commercial products may decline to purchase such products or may opt to pursue alternative
products.
We
may also experience shortages equipment due to manufacturing difficulties. Multiple suppliers provide the components used in manufacturing
our products. Our manufacturing operations could be disrupted by fire, earthquake or other natural disaster, a labor-related disruption,
failure in supply or other logistical channels, electrical outages or other reasons. If there were a disruption to manufacturing facilities,
we would be unable to manufacture until we have restored and re-qualified our manufacturing capability or developed alternative manufacturing
facilities.
Our
operations in international markets involve inherent risks that we may not be able to control.
Our
business plan includes the marketing and sale of our proposed products in international markets. Accordingly, our results could be materially
and adversely affected by a variety of uncontrollable and changing factors relating to international business operations, including:
●
Macroeconomic
conditions adversely affecting geographies where we intend to do business;
●
Foreign
currency exchange rates;
●
Political
or social unrest or economic instability in a specific country or region;
●
Higher
costs of doing business in foreign countries;
●
Infringement
claims on foreign patents, copyrights or trademark rights;
●
Difficulties
in staffing and managing operations across disparate geographic areas;
●
Difficulties
associated with enforcing agreements and intellectual property rights through foreign legal systems;
●
Trade
protection measures and other regulatory requirements, which affect our ability to import or export our products from or to various
countries;
●
Adverse
tax consequences;
●
Unexpected
changes in legal and regulatory requirements;
●
Military
conflict, terrorist activities, natural disasters and medical epidemics; and
●
Our
ability to recruit and retain channel partners in foreign jurisdictions.
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Risks
Related to our Financial Position and Capital Needs
Our
accountant has indicated doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern.
As of December 31, 2022, the Company
had $1,931,068 in cash, accumulated deficit of $50,597,674 and cash flow used in operations of $6,395,942. The Company has incurred and
expects to continue to incur significant costs in pursuit of its expansion and development plans. These conditions raise doubt about the
Company’s ability to continue as a going concern and accordingly our auditors have included a going concern opinion in our annual
report. Management has taken certain action and continues to implement changes designed to improve the Company’s financial results
and operating cash flows. The actions involve certain cost-saving initiatives and growing strategies, including (a) engage in very limited
activities without incurring any liabilities that must be satisfied in cash; and (b) offer noncash consideration and seek for equity lines
as a means of financing its operations. Additionally, the Company’s plan includes certain scheduled research and development activities
and related clinical trials which may be deferred as needed. If the Company is unable to obtain revenue producing contracts or financing
or if the revenue or financing it does obtain is insufficient to cover any operating losses it may incur, it may substantially curtail
its operations or seek other business opportunities through strategic alliances, acquisitions or other arrangements that may dilute the
interests of existing stockholders.
Raising
additional capital may cause dilution to our existing stockholders, restrict our operations or require us to relinquish rights to our
technologies or other assets.
We
may seek additional capital through a combination of private and public equity offerings, debt financings, strategic partnerships and
alliances and licensing arrangements. To the extent that we raise additional capital through the sale of equity or convertible debt securities,
existing ownership interests will be diluted and the terms of such financings may include liquidation or other preferences that adversely
affect the rights of existing stockholders. Debt financings may be coupled with an equity component, such as warrants to purchase shares,
which could also result in dilution of our existing stockholders’ ownership. The incurrence of indebtedness would result in increased
fixed payment obligations and could also result in certain restrictive covenants, such as limitations on our ability to incur additional
debt, limitations on our ability to acquire or license intellectual property rights and other operating restrictions that could adversely
impact our ability to conduct our business and may result in liens being placed on our assets and intellectual property. If we were to
default on such indebtedness, we could lose such assets and intellectual property.
Our
potential for rapid growth and our entry into new markets make it difficult for us to evaluate our current and future business prospects,
and we may be unable to effectively manage any growth associated with these new markets, which may increase the risk of your investment
and could harm our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flow.
Our
proliferation into new markets may place a significant strain on our resources and increase demands on our executive management, personnel
and systems, and our operational, administrative and financial resources may be inadequate. We may also not be able to effectively manage
any expanded operations, or achieve planned growth on a timely or profitable basis, particularly if the number of customers using our
technology significantly increases or their demands and needs change as our business expands. If we are unable to manage expanded operations
effectively, we may experience operating inefficiencies, the quality of our products and services could deteriorate, and our business
and results of operations could be materially adversely affected.
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Changes
in tax laws and unanticipated tax liabilities could adversely affect our effective income tax rate and ability to achieve profitability.
Our
effective income tax rate in the future could be adversely affected by a number of factors including changes in the mix of earnings in
countries with differing statutory tax rates, changes in the valuation of deferred tax assets and liabilities and changes in tax laws.
We regularly assess all of these matters to determine the adequacy of our tax provision which is subject to discretion. If our assessments
are incorrect, it could have an adverse effect on our business and financial condition. There can be no assurance that income tax laws
and administrative policies with respect to the income tax consequences generally applicable to us or to our subsidiaries will not be
changed in a manner which adversely affects our shareholders.
Risks
Related to our Intellectual Property
We
may incur substantial costs as a result of litigation or other proceedings relating to patent and other intellectual property rights.
A
third party may sue us or one of our strategic collaborators for infringing its intellectual property rights. Likewise, we may need to
resort to litigation to enforce licensed rights or to determine the scope and validity of third-party intellectual property rights.
The
cost to us of any litigation or other proceeding relating to intellectual property rights, even if resolved in our favor, could be substantial,
and the litigation would divert our efforts. Some of our competitors may be able to sustain the costs of complex patent litigation more
effectively than we can because they have substantially greater resources. If we do not prevail in this type of litigation, we or our
strategic collaborators may be required to pay monetary damages; stop commercial activities relating to the affected products or services;
obtain a license in order to continue manufacturing or marketing the affected products or services; or attempt to compete in the market
with a substantially similar product.
Uncertainties
resulting from the initiation and continuation of any litigation could limit our ability to continue some of our operations. In addition,
a court may require that we pay expenses or damages, and litigation could disrupt our commercial activities.
Any
inability to protect our intellectual property rights could reduce the value of our products and brands, which could adversely affect
our financial condition, results of operations and business.
Our
business is partly dependent upon our trademarks, trade secrets, copyrights and other intellectual property rights. Effective intellectual
property rights protection, however, may not be available under the laws of every country in which we and our sub-licensees may operate.
There is a risk of certain valuable trade secrets, beyond what is described publicly in patents, being exposed to potential infringers.
Regardless of our technology being protected by patents or otherwise, there is a risk that other companies may employ the technology
without authorization and without recompensing us.
The
efforts we have taken to protect our proprietary rights may not be sufficient or effective. Any significant impairment of our intellectual
property rights could harm our business or our ability to compete. In addition, protecting our intellectual property rights is costly
and time consuming. There is a risk that we may have insufficient resources to counter adequately such infringements through negotiation
or the use of legal remedies. It may not be practicable or cost effective for us to fully protect our intellectual property rights in
some countries or jurisdictions. If we are unable to successfully identify and stop unauthorized use of our intellectual property, we
could lose potential revenue and experience increased operational and enforcement costs, which could adversely affect our financial condition,
results of operations and business.
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The
intellectual property behind our products may include unpublished know-how as well as existing and pending intellectual property protection.
All intellectual property protection eventually expires, and unpublished know-how is dependent on key individuals.
The
commercialization of our licensed products is partially dependent upon know-how and trade secrets held by certain individuals working
with and for us. Because the expertise runs deep in these few individuals, if something were to happen to any or all of them, the ability
to properly manufacture our products without compromising quality and performance could be diminished greatly.
Knowledge
published in the form of any future intellectual property has finite protection, as all patents and trademarks have a limited life and
an expiration date. While continuous efforts will be made to apply for patents and trademarks if appropriate, there is no guarantee that
additional patents or trademarks will be granted. The expiration of patents and trademarks relating to our products may hinder our ability
to sub-license or sell our products for a long period of time without the development of a more complex licensing strategy.
If
we are not able to adequately protect our intellectual property, then we may not be able to compete effectively, and we may not be profitable.
Our
existing proprietary rights may not afford remedies and protections necessary to prevent infringement, reformulation, theft, misappropriation
and other improper use of our products by competitors. We own the formulations contained in our products and we consider these product
formulations to be our critical proprietary property, which must be protected from competitors. Although trade secret, trademark, copyright
and patent laws generally provide a certain level of protection, and we attempt to protect ourselves through contracts with manufacturers
of our products, we may not be successful in enforcing our rights. In addition, enforcement of our proprietary rights may require lengthy
and expensive litigation. We have attempted to protect some of the trade names and trademarks used for our products by registering them
with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, but we must rely on common law trademark rights to protect our unregistered trademarks. Common
law trademark rights do not provide the same remedies as are granted to federally registered trademarks, and the rights of a common law
trademark are limited to the geographic area in which the trademark is actually used. Our inability to protect our intellectual property
could have a material adverse impact on our ability to compete and could make it difficult for us to achieve a profit.
Risks
Related to Our Securities and Other Risks
We
are an “emerging growth company” and we cannot be certain if the reduced disclosure requirements applicable to emerging growth
companies will make our common stock less attractive to investors.
We
are an “emerging growth company” as defined in the JOBS Act, and we intend to take advantage of certain exemptions from various
reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not “emerging growth companies” including,
but not limited to, not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and
reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports and proxy statements. We cannot predict whether
investors will find our common stock less attractive if we rely on 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.
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The
requirements of being a public company may strain our resources and distract our management, which could make it difficult to manage
our business, particularly after we are no longer an “emerging growth company.”
We
are required to comply with various regulatory and reporting requirements, including those required by the SEC. Complying with these
reporting and other regulatory requirements is time-consuming and results in increased costs to us and could have a negative effect on
our results of operations, financial condition or business.
As
a public company, we are subject to the reporting requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (as amended, the “Exchange
Act”) and the requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. These requirements may place a strain on our systems and resources. The Exchange
Act requires that we file annual, quarterly and current reports with respect to our business and financial condition. The Sarbanes-Oxley
Act requires that we maintain effective disclosure controls and procedures and internal controls over financial reporting. To maintain
and improve the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures, we will need to commit significant resources, hire additional
staff and provide additional management oversight. We will be implementing additional procedures and processes for the purpose of addressing
the standards and requirements applicable to public companies. Sustaining our growth also will require us to commit additional management,
operational and financial resources to identify new professionals to join our firm and to maintain appropriate operational and financial
systems to adequately support expansion. These activities may divert management’s attention from other business concerns, which
could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial condition or business.
As
an “emerging growth company” as defined in the JOBS Act, we intend to take advantage of certain temporary exemptions from
various reporting requirements including, but not limited to, not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements
of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports
and proxy statements. We may also delay adoption of new or revised accounting pronouncements applicable to public companies until such
pronouncements are made applicable to private companies, as permitted by the JOBS Act.
We
have broad discretion in the use of the net proceeds from any offerings and may not use them effectively.
Our
management will have broad discretion in the application of the net proceeds from any offerings and may spend or invest these proceeds
in a way with which our stockholders disagree. The failure by our management to apply these funds effectively could harm our business
and financial condition. Pending their use, we may invest the net proceeds from any offering in a manner that does not produce income
or that loses value.
Our
management has limited experience in managing the day-to-day operations of a public company and, as a result, we may incur additional
expenses associated with the management of our Company.
We
only became a public company in October 2020. The management team is responsible for the operations and reporting of the Company. The
requirements of operating as a public company are many and sometimes difficult to navigate. This may require us to obtain outside assistance
from legal, accounting, investor relations, or other professionals that could be more costly than planned. If we lack cash resources
to cover these costs of being a public company in the future, our failure to comply with reporting requirements and other provisions
of securities laws could negatively affect our stock price and adversely affect our potential results of operations, cash flow and financial
condition after we commence operations.
Compliance
with changing corporate governance regulations and public disclosures may result in additional risks and exposures.
Changing
laws, regulations and standards relating to corporate governance and public disclosure, including the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and
new regulations from the SEC, have created uncertainty for public companies such as ours. These laws, regulations, and standards are
subject to varying interpretations in many cases, and as a result, their application in practice may evolve over time as new guidance
is provided by regulatory and governing bodies. This could result in continuing uncertainty regarding compliance matters and higher costs
necessitated by ongoing revisions to disclosure and governance practices. As a result, our efforts to comply with evolving laws, regulations,
and standards have resulted in, and are likely to continue to result in, increased expense and significant management time and attention.
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Certain
of our stockholders hold a significant percentage of our outstanding voting securities, which could reduce the ability of minority stockholders
to effect certain corporate actions.
At
December 31, 2022, our officers and directors are the beneficial owners of approximately 18% our issued and outstanding voting securities.
As a result, they possess significant influence over our elections and votes. As a result, their ownership and control may have the effect
of facilitating and expediting a future change in control, merger, consolidation, takeover or other business combination, or encouraging
a potential acquirer to make a tender offer. Their ownership and control may also have the effect of delaying, impeding, or preventing
a future change in control, merger, consolidation, takeover or other business combination, or discouraging a potential acquirer from
making a tender offer.
If
securities or industry analysts publish inaccurate or unfavorable research about our business, our stock price could decline.
The
trading market for our common stock will depend in part on the research and reports that securities or industry analysts publish about
us or our business. Once our common stock is quoted, if one or more of the analysts who cover us downgrade our common stock or publish
inaccurate or unfavorable research about our business, our common stock price would likely decline.
We
do not intend to pay dividends for the foreseeable future.
We
currently intend to retain any future earnings to finance the operation and expansion of our business, and we do not expect to declare
or pay any dividends on our common stock in the foreseeable future.
Our
Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation contains an exclusive forum provision for certain claims, which could limit
our stockholders’ ability to obtain a favorable judicial forum for disputes with us or our directors, officers or employees.
Our
Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation provides that, unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative
forum, New York shall be the sole and exclusive forum for (a) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Company, (b)
any action asserting a claim for breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any director, officer, employee, or agent of the Company to the Company
or the Company’s shareholders or (c) any action asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs doctrine, in each case subject
to said court having personal jurisdiction over the indispensable parties named as defendants therein. This provision may limit a shareholder’s
ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum that it finds favorable for disputes with the company and its directors, officers, or other
employees and may discourage lawsuits with respect to such claims. This provision does not apply to actions arising under the Exchange
Act or Securities Act.
Our
issuance of additional common stock or preferred stock may cause our common stock price to decline, which may negatively impact your
investment.
Issuances
of a substantial number of additional shares of our common or preferred stock, or the perception that such issuances could occur, may
cause prevailing market prices for our common stock to decline. In addition, our board of directors is authorized to issue additional
series of shares of preferred stock without any action on the part of our stockholders. Our board of directors also has the power, without
stockholder approval, to set the terms of any such series of shares of preferred stock that may be issued, including voting rights, conversion
rights, dividend rights, preferences over our common stock with respect to dividends or if we liquidate, dissolve or wind up our business
and other terms. If we issue cumulative preferred stock in the future that has preference over our common stock with respect to the payment
of dividends or upon our liquidation, dissolution or winding up, or if we issue preferred stock with voting rights that dilute the voting
power of our common stock, the market price of our common stock could decrease.
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Anti-takeover
provisions in the Company’s charter and bylaws may prevent or frustrate attempts by stockholders to change the board of directors
or current management and could make a third-party acquisition of the Company difficult.
The
Company’s certificate of incorporation and bylaws contain provisions that may discourage, delay or prevent a merger, acquisition
or other change in control that stockholders may consider favorable, including transactions in which stockholders might otherwise receive
a premium for their shares. Furthermore, the Board of Directors has the ability to increase the size of the Board and fill newly created
vacancies without stockholder approval. These provisions could limit the price that investors might be willing to pay in the future for
shares of the Company’s common stock.
Our
common stock may become subject to the SEC’s penny stock rules and accordingly, broker-dealers may experience difficulty in completing
customer transactions and trading activity in our securities may be adversely affected.
The
SEC has adopted regulations, which generally define “penny stock” to be an equity security that has a market price of less
than $5.00 per share, subject to specific exemptions. The market price of our common stock is less than $5.00 per share and therefore
would be a “penny stock” according to SEC rules, unless we are listed on a national securities exchange. Under these rules,
broker-dealers who recommend such securities to persons other than institutional accredited investors must:
●
Make a special written suitability determination for the purchaser;
●
Receive the purchaser’s prior written agreement to the
transaction;
●
Provide the purchaser with risk disclosure documents which
identify certain risks associated with investing in “penny stocks” and which describe the market for these “penny stocks”
as well as a purchaser’s legal remedies; and
●
Obtain a signed and dated acknowledgment from the purchaser
demonstrating that the purchaser has actually received the required risk disclosure document before a transaction in a “penny stock”
can be completed.
Although
our common stock is not currently subject to these rules, it were to become subject to such rules, broker-dealers may find it difficult
to effectuate customer transactions and trading activity in our securities may be adversely affected. As a result, the market price of
our securities may be depressed, and you may find it more difficult to sell your securities.
ITEM
1B. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS
Not
applicable.
ITEM
2. PROPERTIES
Our
principal executive office is located in leased premises of approximately 6,908 square feet at 1061 E. Indiantown Rd., Ste. 110, Jupiter,
FL 33477. We believe that these facilities are adequate for our needs, including providing the space and infrastructure to accommodate
our development work based on our current operating plan. We do not own any real estate.
Text extracted from the filing as submitted to EDGAR. Formatting, tables and exhibits are simplified for reading; the original document is authoritative for anything you rely on.