UNITED
STATES
SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON,
D.C. 20549
FORM
10-K
(Mark
One)
☒
ANNUAL
REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For
the fiscal year ended June 30 , 2022
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 001-39825
GBS
Inc.
(Exact
name of Registrant as specified in its Charter)
Delaware
82-1512711
(State
or other jurisdiction of
incorporation
or organization)
(I.R.S.
Employer
Identification
No.)
WeWork c/o GBS Inc.,
142
West, 57 th Street , 11 th
Floor , New
York , NY
10019
(Address
of principal executive offices)
(Zip
Code)
Registrant’s
telephone number, including area code: (646) 828-8258
Securities
registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
Title
of each class
Trading
Symbol(s)
Name
of each exchange on which registered
Common
Stock, par value $0.01 per share
GBS
Nasdaq
Capital Market
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 ☒
Indicate
by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Act. YES ☐ NO ☒
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 ☒ 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 ☒ NO ☐
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
☒
Smaller
reporting company
☒
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 ☒
The
aggregate market value of the Common Stock (based on the closing price of these shares on the Nasdaq Capital Market) on June 30, 2022,
the last business day of the registrant’s most recently completed fiscal year, held by nonaffiliates, was $ 9,857,116 .
As
of September 22, 2022, there were 14,889,904 of the registrant’s Common Stock issued and outstanding.
Table
of Contents
Page
PART I
Item
1.
Business
3
Item
1A.
Risk Factors
17
Item
1B.
Unresolved Staff Comments
42
Item
2.
Properties
42
Item
3.
Legal Proceedings
42
Item
4.
Mine Safety Disclosures
43
PART II
Item
5.
Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Shareholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities
43
Item
6.
Reserved
43
Item
7.
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
43
Item
7A.
Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk
50
Item
8.
Financial Statements and Supplementary Data
50
Item
9.
Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure
50
Item
9A.
Controls and Procedures
50
Item
9B.
Other Information
52
Item
9C.
Disclosure Regarding Foreign Jurisdictions That Prevent Inspection
52
PART III
Item
10.
Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance
52
Item
11.
Compensation of executive officers and directors
58
Item
12.
Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management
63
Item
13.
Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence
64
Item
14.
Principal Accounting Fees and Services
65
PART IV
Item
15.
Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedules
67
Item
16.
Form 10-K Summary
70
Signatures
71
ii
PART
I
Cautionary
Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
All
statements other than statements of historical fact or relating to present facts or current conditions included in this Annual Report
on Form 10-K are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding expectations,
hopes, beliefs, intentions or strategies regarding the future. In addition, any statements that refer to projections, forecasts or other
characterizations of future events or circumstances, including any underlying assumptions, are forward-looking statements. These statements
may include words such as “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “project,” “plan,”
“intend,” “believe,” “may,” “should,” “can have,” “likely” and
other words and terms of similar meaning, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking.
The
forward-looking statements contained in this Annual Report on Form 10-K are based on our current expectations and beliefs concerning
future developments and their potential effects on us. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties
and assumptions, including those described in “Risk Factors.” Moreover, we operate in a very competitive and rapidly changing
environment. New risks emerge from time to time. It is not possible for our management to predict all risks, nor can we assess the impact
of all factors on our business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially
from those contained in any forward-looking statements we may make. In light of these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, the future
events and trends discussed in this prospectus may not occur and actual results could differ materially and adversely from those anticipated
or implied in the forward-looking statements.
You
should not rely upon forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. The events and circumstances reflected in the forward-looking
statements may not be achieved or occur. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable,
we cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity, performance, or achievements. Except as required by the federal securities laws,
we are under no duty to update any of these forward-looking statements after the date of this Annual Report on Form 10-K or to conform
these statements to actual results or revised expectations.
In
this Annual Report on Form 10-K, the terms “we,” “us,” “our,” “Company,” or “GBS”
refer to GBS Inc. together with its wholly owned subsidiaries.
ITEM
1. BUSINESS.
Overview
GBS
Inc. and its wholly owned subsidiary, GBS Operations Inc. were each formed on December 5, 2016 under the laws of the state of
Delaware. Glucose Biosensor Systems (Greater China) Pty Ltd (“GBSPL”) was formed on August 4, 2016 under the laws of New
South Wales, Australia and was renamed to GBS (APAC) Pty Ltd on October 14, 2020. Glucose Biosensor Systems (Japan) Pty Ltd and
Glucose Biosensor Systems (APAC) Pty Ltd were formed under the laws of New South Wales, Australia on February 22, 2017 and February
23, 2017 respectively. These companies (collectively, “we,” “us,” “our,” or the
“Company,”) were formed to provide a non-invasive, pain free innovation to make it easier for people to manage diabetes
using the Company’s Saliva Glucose Biosensor (“SGB” and, together with the software app that interfaces the SGB
with the Company’s digital information system, the “SGT”). Our headquarters are in New York, New York.
We
are a biosensor diagnostic technology company operating across the Asia-Pacific region (the “APAC Region”) and an
interest in the North America region with the biosensor platform comprising of biochemistry, immunology, tumor markers, hormones,
and nucleic acid diagnostic modalities, and worldwide with our SARS-CoV-2 test.
3
Our
objective is to introduce and launch initially the SGB, the diagnostic test that stems from the Biosensor Platform that we license from
Life Science Biosensor Diagnostics Pty Ltd (“LSBD” or the “Licensor”), in our regions and the SARS-CoV-2 test
globally. This will be followed by developing the platform to its full capacity testing across the diagnostic modalities of immunology,
hormones, chemistry, tumor markers and nucleic acid tests.
Highlights
of Achievements
Our
major highlights of achievements for the fiscal year 2022:
-
The
Company and University of Newcastle have identified and selected an initial site to begin construction of a pilot manufacturing facility
on campus. Management along with university leadership and staff will commence the next phase of the commercial buildout that will
utilize the already delivered equipment, while the architectural design phase is finalized later this year. The Company anticipates
construction to commence before end of calendar year 2022.
-
On June 16, 2022, the Company executed an exclusivity agreement (the “Exclusivity Agreement”) with Intelligent Fingerprinting
Limited (“IFP”), providing the Company with the exclusive right until December 31, 2022, to evaluate and negotiate a transaction to acquire IFP or its assets (or a similar transaction).
In consideration for this exclusivity, on June 16, 2022, the Company entered into a Bridge Facility Agreement with IFP (the
“Bridge Facility Agreement”) through which the Company provided IFP with an unsecured term loan facility in the
amount of $500,000 (the “Loan”), which amount is payable on the earliest of the consummation of an acquisition, 30 days following
the termination of exclusivity under the exclusivity agreement, an event of default under the Bridge Facility Agreement, or December 31,
2022. The Loan contains customary representations and warranties by IFP and bears interest at two percent per annum (or four percent per
annum in the event the Loan is not repaid in full when due) above the Sterling Barclays Bank Base Rate from time to time. The proposed
acquisition If consummated would potentially combine Intelligent Fingerprinting’s leadership position as a revolutionary point of
care fingerprint sweat-based drug screening technology with our saliva-based glucose biosensor platform and manufacturing expertise. The
Company would be able to serve a wider spectrum of patients at point of care across global diagnostic markets. This proposed acquisition,
if consummated, could provide the Company with a clear opportunity to build long-term shareholder value, accelerate revenue growth through
an expanded portfolio of tests, and allow the Company to further solidify its leadership as a developer of rapid non-invasive diagnostic
solutions. Completion of the proposed transaction contemplated by the Exclusivity Agreement is subject to the negotiation of a definitive
agreement providing for the transaction and satisfaction of any conditions negotiated therein. Accordingly, there can be no assurance
that a definitive agreement will be entered into or that the proposed transaction will be consummated, or if a transaction is consummated,
as to its terms, structure, or timing.]
-
GBS
has obtained and completed Institutional Review Board (IRB) approved clinical studies at the Diabetes Research Institute of Sutter
Health’s Mills-Peninsula Medical Center (MPMC) in San Mateo, California. The study design was intended to support the clinical
development of its next-generation Saliva Glucose Biosensor. A total of 40 adult subjects with type 2 diabetes were recruited for
the study. Nearly 1,400 samples of blood and oral fluids were collected and analyzed. Analysis of the resulting data will explore
the degree of agreement among glucose levels in oral fluid and blood samples. The full details of the analysis will is expected to
be announced in September 2022.
-
Receiving
$1,003,904 in Australian government support as a Research and Development (R&D) incentives for the development of the technology
during the fiscal year 2022.
The
Saliva Glucose Biosensor
The
APAC Region includes over 164 million people living with diabetes, which accounts for 38% of the world’s diabetic population. Rapid
urbanization, unhealthy diets and increasingly sedentary lifestyles have resulted in ever increasing rates of obesity and diabetes across
the region.
Self-testing
blood glucose monitors were introduced to the market in the 1970s and, since then, the method of glucose self-monitoring has not meaningfully
changed. The industry remains dominated by invasive methods that ultimately use blood or interstitial fluid to measure glucose. We believe
the methodology of the SGB represents a breakthrough in glucose monitoring as it represents the only non-invasive, painless, and cost-effective
saliva-based method of measuring glucose levels. The biosensor technology has been developed over several decades of university-based
scientific research and has been extensively referenced in scientific literature.
The
SGB is an organic, thin-film transistor, which in its structure embeds the glucose oxidase enzyme (referred to as “ GOX ”).
When the single-use SGB interacts with saliva it initiates a sequence of enzymatic and electrochemical reactions, producing an electrical
signal directly correlated to the amount of glucose present in the saliva. This measurement is then converted into a real-time saliva
glucose reading, through the biosensor app installed on a smart device or a dedicated reader. The reading may then be stored in a cloud-based
digital information system.
4
The
patent protected SGB is able to detect glucose in saliva at concentrations between 8 and 200 µM and exhibits linear glucose sensing
characteristics at these concentrations, sensing glucose at levels 100 times lower than blood.
In
our development of the SGT, we aim to go beyond the innovation of changing the sampling medium from blood to saliva, and further create
value for the patient and the payers by decreasing the cost of managing diabetes, improving the outcomes of the disease and providing
convenience in testing methodology. This will be achieved by directly transferring the SGB reading from the smart device or dedicated
reader to a cloud-based digital information system to enable all patients the option to create their own medical records where the SGB
results will be uploaded.
Our
digital information system is intended to be interfaced to an artificial intelligence system and will be able to, at the patient’s
or authorized care giver’s direction, disseminate patient data to a remote caregiver, a service for consultation or to any other
individual with whom the patient chooses to share his or her glucose level measurements. We believe patients and payers will be able
to leverage our digital information system to decrease cost and improve outcomes and convenience.
With
the SGB we aim to drive economic value beyond the revenue stemming from the sale of the SGB units – it also allows for monetization
and the creation of separate revenue streams from the patient network and other data that resides within our digital information system,
by way of the following:
●
Data
usage. The usage of the data, and the analysis and interpretation of the data, to improve patients’ conditions and leveraging
this insight to improve patient care.
●
Safe
data sharing. The provision of data sharing services between users/patients, authorized care givers and authorized medical practitioners.
●
Data
collection. The collection of anonymized data, its aggregation with other data from multiple sources and multiple health devices
and its combination with non-health data.
We
plan to leverage this usage, safe sharing and collection of data in the following four revenue-generating channels:
Direct
Monetization Channel . This channel focuses on the development of revenue based on commercial relationships for the use of anonymized
and compliant information derived from data generation. These services may include, but will not be limited to:
●
Fee
for service, per performed action by pharma, or other commercial partners.
●
Subscription,
regular recurring payments for continued access to service.
●
Prescription,
value acknowledged by payer reimbursement per active user.
●
Third
party coverage, other industry/retail players pay fee for their own customers.
●
Risk
sharing/profit sharing, success-based payment models.
●
Advertising,
third party ads tailored to demographic data leveraging characteristics unique to channel.
●
Added
value of GBS brand loyalty.
Commercial
Adjacencies Channel . This channel focuses on the development of revenue from data generated through patient engagement and market
insights from a clinical and medical perspective. These services may include, but will not limited to:
●
Medical
– Generation of Patient Reported Outcomes, or “PROs”.
●
Data
– Market insights, clinical trial recruitment for third parties, e.g., pharmaceutical companies or clinical research organizations.
●
Consumer
– e-commerce platform, third party customer care, advertising.
5
Product
and Service Bundles Channel . This channel focuses on ancillary revenue generated through bespoke service opportunities across the
industry, for example, by working with insurers to develop products that integrate the usage of testing as part of their service offering.
These services may include, but will not be limited to:
●
Over-the-counter
model.
●
Bundle
payment model with insurance subsidy.
●
Pay
for outcomes model.
Core
Operations Synergy Channel . Through combining the data generation with the use of artificial intelligence, we expect to have a deep
insight into our customer base, providing an elevated level of customer insight. It is expected that this insight will drive high customer
retention levels and generate a considerable number of broader revenue opportunities through direct and specific interaction with our
customer base. These opportunities may include, but will not be limited to:
●
Direct
access to customers for better experience in customer care.
●
Peer
learning and support to decrease customer care resource commitment.
●
Direct
market and customer insights (including better understanding of customer journey).
●
More
customer data for targeted marketing & marketing impact monitoring.
●
New
cost effective, digital marketing channel enabling agile marketing approach.
●
PRO
data to support unique marketing claims.
●
Higher
engagement, customer loyalty and customer lifetime value.
●
Consumer
driven innovation and customer involvement in development.
●
Involvement
in testing & refining to develop demand-oriented products rapidly.
●
Easy
and fast clinical evaluation recruitment.
●
PRO
to support regulatory approval / market access for platform tests under development.
The
SGB has been under continuous development for over seven years, first by the University of Newcastle, Australia, then by the Licensor
and us. The SGB development program is currently at the design and manufacturing process development stage, which includes the testing
needed to verify and validate the final product. This stage involves implementation of the clinical evidence module, which incorporates
the commercial production of the investigative biosensor devices to commence the clinical evaluation of analytical performance of the
device and generate the clinical evidence necessary to gain regulatory approval.
On
May 1, 2020, the Licensor filed a submission with the FDA for the Saliva Glucose Biosensor Diagnostic Test, currently in development
as a point-of-care test intended to replace blood glucose testing for diabetes management. Following the 513(g) submission to the FDA
(Submitted May 1, 2020), it was determined that the Company could seek the De Novo application pathway for the Saliva Glucose Biosensor
Diagnostic Test, we were appointed an expert contact person, Acting Branch Chief from the Diabetes Diagnostic Devices Branch. We have
further commenced planning discussions with the FDA Office of In Vitro Diagnostics and Radiological Health and the Office of Product
Evaluation and Quality pertaining to the clinical development and study plan of the Saliva Glucose Biosensor. We expect to leverage synergies
from the planned approval process with the FDA within the Asia Pacific region, We will first seek regulatory approval with the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) in
Australia. However, we intend to apply for regulatory approval in each jurisdiction across the APAC Region.
The
SGB is manufactured using modified reel-to-reel printing technology that was developed at the Australian National Fabrication Facility.
This technology allows mass volume printing at a low cost. Previous research published in the journal Solar Energy Materials and Solar
Cells has shown that the cost of manufacture of printed organic electronic devices (like the SGB) using mass volume printing is $7.85
per square meter, with an uncertainty of 30%. The size of the printed biosensors is approximately one square centimeter, resulting in
a manufacturing cost per biosensor of approximately $0.01.
We
anticipate that the non-invasive nature of saliva-based glucose testing will make patients more amenable to glucose monitoring, with
the expected result of increasing the number of times a patient tests per day. The data generated by the SGB, combined with the interface
of the smart device or dedicated reader with our digital information system and the artificial intelligence feedback, will allow the
patient to achieve better glucose control through a practical understanding of lifestyle factors that affect glucose levels, thereby
helping prevent or delay diabetes complications and ultimately personalizing diabetes management.
6
The
SARS-CoV-2 Biosensor
The
COVID-19 pandemic will not simply go away, and we believe it will remain with us for many years. Development of an improved antibody
assays to detect prior infection with SARS-CoV-2 has been identified as one of the top unmet needs in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic response.
Precise knowledge of SARS-CoV-2 infection at the individual level can potentially inform clinical decision-making, whereas at the population
level, precise knowledge of prior infection, immunity, and attack rates (particularly asymptomatic infection) is needed to prioritize
risk management decision-making about social distancing, treatments, and vaccination (once the latter two become available). If saliva
can support measurements of both the presence of SARS-CoV-2 as well as antibodies against SARS-CoV-2, this sample type could provide
an important opportunity to monitor individual and population-level SARS-CoV-2 transmission, infection, and immunity dynamics over place
and time.
We anticipate there to be 3 different applications
for the near future:
●
Population
Screening – SARS-CoV-2 antibody testing is urgently needed to estimate the incidence and prevalence of COVID-19 at the general
population level. Precise knowledge of population immunity could allow government bodies to make informed decisions about how and
when to relax stay-at-home directives and to reopen the economy.
●
Diagnosis
– The SARS-CoV-2 Biosensor test can be used as a complement to the (RNA) virus detection tests for patients presenting
late after symptoms onset to healthcare facilities and where virus detection tests are negative despite strong indications of infection.
In addition, they can potentially be used for informing the decision on discharge of patients who recovered from COVID-19 but remain
RNA-positive by RT-PCR for a long time after symptoms have subsided. The degree of protective immunity conferred by or correlated
with the antibodies detected in subjects with past SARS-CoV-2 infection is still under investigation. Once this is clarified, the
SARS-CoV-2 antibody tests could be, together with the (RNA) direct virus detection, an essential tool in de-escalation strategies.
Currently antibody tests are used for sero-epidemiological surveys and studies.
●
Post
vaccination screening – To assess the degree of the elicited potent antigen-specific antibody responses, to COVID-19 vaccines
when developed and administered to humans.
We
believe our SARS-CoV-2 test will have significant advantages and we anticipate it will be a ground-breaking development in the
management of COVID-19.
Based
on a recent paper publicly available and authored by the team at Johns Hopkins Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Bloomberg
School of Public Health, results indicate it is feasible to accurately measure the salivary IgG response to identify individuals with
a prior SARS-CoV-2 infection. A saliva-based approach could serve as a non-invasive approach for accurate and large-scale SARS-CoV-2
“sero”-surveillance.
A
saliva antibody test can greatly increase the scale of testing—particularly among susceptible populations—compared to blood
and could clarify population immunity and susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2. The team at John Hopkins further demonstrated in the laboratory
that when saliva was collected ≥10 days post symptom onset, the anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG assay detects SARS-CoV-2 infection with 100% sensitivity
and 99% specificity. In addition, the team demonstrated that the temporal kinetics of SARS CoV-2-specific IgG responses in saliva are
consistent with those observed in serum and indicate that most individuals seroconvert approximately 10 days after COVID-19 symptom onset
or approximately two weeks post-presumed infection.
By
utilizing the biosensor platform for detecting SARS-CoV-2 we expect to have lower detection limits, improve on sensitivity and specificity
characteristics of current diagnostic methods, be able to provide real time results at the point of care and provide quantitative results
as opposed to negative or positive which is how other point of care testing (“POCT”) report the results.
Accurate
and scalable point-of-care (POC) tests for the diagnosis of COVID-19 would increase the scope for diagnosis to be made in the community
and outside the laboratory setting They would have the potential to reduce the time to obtaining an actionable result, could support
early identification of those with COVID-19 and could also support appropriate use of isolation resources, infection control measures,
and recruitment into clinical trials of treatments.
7
Our
Products
Biosensor
Platform Technology
The
“ Biosensor Platform ” on which the SGB is based is a modified Organic Thin Film Transistor (OTFT). The OTFT structure
consists of a source and drain electrode, a semiconducting layer, a gate electrode, an optional separation (or dielectric) layer, all
printed on a substrate material and superimposed by a polyelectrolyte membrane/enzyme layer onto which the analyte is placed. The layered
biosensor architecture and fabrication allows the recognition element within the biosensor to be exchanged. The sensing principle for
the SARS-CoV-2 Test is similar to the Saliva Glucose Test: an enzymatic reaction causes changes at the OTFT surface that lead to a measurable
change in electrical current that is detected by the transistor. The major difference is that a binding reaction between immunoglobulin
to SARS-CoV-2 in the sample amplifies the transistor signal by bringing and enzyme conjugate into close proximity with the transistor
surface. The underlying layers of the OTFT remain unchanged. This significantly simplifies our development effort to make a blood- or
saliva-based SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic test.
The
Saliva Glucose Test (SGT)
The
SGT consists of:
●
The
SGB – a single use disposable saliva biosensor, and
●
Software
app on a smart device or a dedicated reader that interfaces the SGB with our digital information system.
The
Saliva Glucose Biosensor (SGB)
The
SGB was invented at the Centre for Organic Electronics (COE) at the University of Newcastle, Australia. Patents for the SGB technology
have been granted in the United States (9,766,199) and China (ZL201380022888.2). The core innovative characteristic of the SGB is the
sensitivity of the glucose biosensor that enables it to detect glucose in saliva at concentrations between 8-200 µM and exhibits
linear glucose sensing characteristics at these concentrations, sensing glucose at levels 100 times lower than in blood. In addition
to the patent disclosures, details of the SGB design have been published in Applied Physical Letters, a peer-reviewed physics journal.
The Licensor owns patents in Australia, China and the United States protecting the following technological claims of the SGB: the architecture
of a biofunctional organic thin film transistor device comprising a gate electrode, a dielectric layer, a partially-organic semiconducting
layer, a source electrode, a drain electrode, a substrate and an enzyme; the method for producing the organic thin film transistor device;
and the method for determining the concentration of a compound in a sample by interpreting the amperometric signals generated by the
device. The Chinese and the United States patent belong to the same patent family, originating from the Australian patent. As such, all
of the patents relate to identical technology claims.
The
basic OTFT structure consists of a source and drain electrode on a semiconducting material which is itself separated from a third gate
electrode by a thin insulating layer. The COE has pioneered the fabrication of these novel biosensors based on integrating biomolecules,
such as enzymes, directly into the architecture of organic transistors; producing electronic devices with both high sensitivity and high
specificity for the target analyte. In these biosensors, a molecular recognition element can simply be integrated directly into the device
structure, and in the case of the SGB, the recognition element is GOX.
The
SGB interacts with the glucose in the saliva and initiates an enzymatic reaction whereby GOX enzyme produces hydrogen peroxide from glucose,
which modifies the properties of the OTFT gate material, producing an electrical signal directly correlated to the amount of glucose
present in the saliva. This measurement is then converted into a real-time saliva glucose reading, through the software app installed
on a smart device or a dedicated smart reader. The data may then be transferred to our digital information system coupled with an artificial
intelligence system, which will provide the patient with personalized healthcare advice enabling a practical understanding of lifestyle
factors that may affect their glucose levels.
High
quality OTFTs have been routinely fabricated at the materials node of the Australian National Fabrication Facility. The COE has pioneered
the fabrication of novel biosensors based on integrating biomolecules, such as enzymes, directly into the architecture of organic transistors,
producing electronic devices with both high sensitivity and high specificity for the target analyte and in this case, glucose.
8
The
development of an intermediate device that communicates to the smart device has been completed. The intermediate device emulates a glucometer,
providing the mechanical and electrical interfaces to receive and power the SGB as well as the required circuitry for accurately reading
the amperometric signals. We intend to transfer the responsibilities of the intermediate device to the SGB. A possible route to achieve
this technical aim is to leverage near-field-communication, or “ NFC ,” tags, available off the shelf and routinely
used in consumer electronics, to power the SGB and implement the communication protocol. NFC tags are compatible with flexible electronics
and widely used in “internet of things” applications in view of their low cost. We believe that NFC tags suitable for integration
with the SGB can be purchased for approximately $0.10 per tag, even at low volumes. The cost of electronic components is well known to
significantly reduce as volume increases. Due to the large, expected volumes of the SGB, we believe it is reasonable to assume that the
cost of suitable NFC tags will be viable and less than $0.04.
The
use of saliva as a meaningful proxy for estimating blood glucose level has been reported in scientific literature, including articles
published in independent journals such as the Journal of Obesity , the Journal of International Oral Health , the Journal
of Clinical and Experimental Dentistry , the Journal of Oral Biology and Craniofacial Research, Diabetes & Metabolic Syndrome ,
the Journal of Biological Regulators and Homeostatic Agents and Diabetologia , among others. However, a few articles have reported
finding little or no significant correlation, including articles in the Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research and the Journal
of Oral Science . Consequently, GBS is performing clinical research to determine if saliva can be utilized as a non-invasive alternative
to blood to monitor glycemic status in diabetes patients.
At
this time, GBS has concluded the in-clinic portion of a clinical study to measure glucose in oral fluids and blood. The study consented
40 subjects with type 2 diabetes, and collected saliva, gingival crevicular fluid, venous blood and fingerstick capillary blood over
the course of a two-hour oral glucose tolerance test. GBS is in the process of analyzing the data from this study.
History
and Background of the Saliva Glucose Biosensor
The
SGB leverages the decades of history of all-polymer printed OTFTs. Through the research conducted at COE, this OTFT technology has been
transformed into a medical device and expected to conform to the highest medical device standards globally. The SGB is based on a modified
OTFT architecture incorporating GOX as the recognition element. It has been demonstrated that the SGB exhibits linear glucose sensing
at concentrations of 8-200 µM (micro molar) offering a saliva-based test for diabetes diagnosis and monitoring.
Fundamentals
of the biosensor technology have been well-characterized and have deep scientific foundations. Since their invention in 1947, transistors
have dominated the mainstream microelectronics industry. Field Effect Transistors, or “ FETs ,” are a class of transistor
in which the current between a pair of source and drain electrodes separated by a semiconductor is controlled by a voltage applied to
a third electrode known as the gate. The gate electrode is separated from the source-drain region by a thin (~100 nm) insulating dielectric
region and thus is coupled to the semiconductor. By altering the bias voltage applied to the gate region, the source-drain region can
be altered from conducting to insulating and thus the device can be turned on or off. Importantly, the presence of a relatively small
number of charges on the gate electrode alters the flow of a great many charges between the source and drain electrodes. Accordingly,
the FET acts as a switch as well as an amplifier.
The
SGB integrates another scientific discovery known as organic electronic polymers. This work, which was conducted in the 1970s, focused
on the development of doped polyacetylene. Historically conductive polymers can also be traced back to the early 1960s. Conductive polymers
have several advantages over other organic conductors with regard to their processability and hence their use is becoming increasingly
widespread. The polymers that show the most promise in this area are based on the polythiophene structure. The flexible nature of these
polymers allows them to be processed into almost any desired shape or form, making them attractive for the low-cost production of flexible
electronic circuits, such as FETs.
The
first demonstrated combination of FETs and organic electronic polymers was in the solid-state OTFT developed in 1986 using polythiophene
(an organic electronic polymer) as the semi-conducting layer, with a similar device being reported in 1988. The performance of OTFTs
in comparison with conventional silicon-based transistors has been considered encouraging and they have already been used in applications
in logic circuits or as the driving elements in active matrix displays. Biosensor fabrication based on organic electronics is also well-established,
primarily driven by the appealing features offered by these materials such as flexible and adjustable chemical properties, and room temperature
operation.
9
One
of the most attractive features of organic electronics is the potential for flexible low-cost fabrication. A common feature of early
OTFTs was the use of silicon as the substrate material, and thus since these hybrid devices are not truly all-polymer-based they do not
offer all the advantages with respect to fabrication. In the world of sensors, the vast majority of previous scientific research and
subsequent technological implementation of organic sensors has involved electrochemically grown films exhibiting performance levels that
are, in most cases, inadequate for real applications. Solution-processed polymers, on the other hand, offer the greatest potential for
the fabrication of low-cost electronics since they can be easily processed as liquids, unlike the organic crystals and short chain oligomers
which are typically vapor deposited. Combining these unique material properties with low-cost techniques, such as ink-jet or reel-to-reel
printing, offers the ability to rapidly produce disposable printed electronic circuits.
The
first all-polymer printed OTFT was reported in 1994. OTFTs are an exciting class of devices within the organic electronics field. The
prospect of low cost organic electronic modules incorporating OTFTs fabricated at low temperatures using low energy techniques is very
attractive. Low temperature solution-based processes, such as ink-jet printing, allow for compatibility with flexible substrates, upon
which it would be impossible to fabricate conventional electronics. In addition, conducting polymers can be synthesized in a laboratory
without using rare or expensive materials.
Other
Tests Based on the Biosensor Platform
As
discussed above, the architecture of the Biosensor Platform allows the recognition element of the biosensor to be exchanged. Accordingly,
the GOX element used to detect glucose in the case of the SGB can be substituted for a different enzyme, or with antibodies specific
to SARS-CoV-2, cancer biomarkers, immunological tests, hormones and other biomarkers. The substitute recognition element will catalyze
a reaction leading to a signal that is proportional to the amount of analyte, or participate in a binding reaction of labelled antibodies
that will lead to a signal proportional to the amount of analyte of interest. Given the underlying sensing mechanism is unaltered, we
believe the technical risk associated with the development and manufacturing scale-up of other tests for biomarkers other than glucose
is considered to be relatively low.
Performance
Testing, Current State of Development and Next Steps
Preliminary
Analytical Performance Testing
Regulatory
Approval SARS-CoV-2 Test
For
the SARS-CoV-2 Test we intend to use the section 564 of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic (FD&C) Act, that there is a public health
emergency that has a significant potential to affect national security or the health and security of United States citizens living abroad,
and that involves a novel (new) coronavirus (nCoV) first detected in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China in 2019 (2019-nCoV). The virus
is now named severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which causes the disease COVID-19.
On
the basis of this determination, the Secretary of HHS has subsequently declared that circumstances exist justifying the Emergency Use
Authorization (“EUA”) of in vitro diagnostics for the detection and/or diagnosis of COVID-19 (February 4, 2020), personal
respiratory protective devices (March 2, 2020), and other medical devices, including alternative products used as medical devices (March
24, 2020), for use during the COVID-19 outbreak pursuant to section 564 of the Act and subject to the terms of any authorization issued
under that section.
The
criteria for issuance of EUA are the following:
●
Serious
or life-threatening disease
●
Evidence
of effectiveness the “may be effective” standard for EUAs provides for a lower level of evidence than the “effectiveness”
standard that FDA uses for product approvals. FDA intends to assess the potential effectiveness of a possible EUA product on a case-by-case
basis using a risk-benefit analysis, If, based on the totality of the scientific evidence available, it is reasonable to believe
that the product may be effective for the specified use, FDA may authorize its emergency use, provided that other statutory criteria
for issuing an EUA also are met.
10
Commercialization
It
is the Company’s intent to introduce and launch the test globally, through assignment of a sublicense and or distributors agreements.
The development path will follow the geographical regulatory path, beginning by the North American markets. The Saliva Glucose Biosensor
has been designed and developed to meet the ISO 15197:2013 standard and we intend to seek regulatory approval under the specifications
of this standard. The research team at the University of Newcastle, in order to benchmark the performance of the biosensor prototype
systems, compared it with the partial requirements of the ISO standard ISO 15197:2013. This standard dictates the analytical standards
and performance evaluation of a blood-glucose monitoring system for self-testing in managing diabetes mellitus. The standard dictates
that at least 95 % of results for a given system have to be within ± 15 mg/dL at glucose concentrations less than 100 mg/dL and
within ± 15 % at glucose concentrations greater than or equal to 100 mg/dL. Artificial saliva was prepared based on the most widely
used Fusayama Meyer solution consisting of 11 different glucose concentrations of 0, 0.18, 0.36, 0.9, 1.8, 3.6, 9.01, 18.02, 36.04, 90.1,
180.2 mg/dL. Only the first seven concentrations are clinically relevant in saliva (0 – 9.01 mg/dL)3. However, at this stage of
product development we wanted to assess the dynamic range of the biosensor to 20-fold of the upper physiological range (9.01 mg/dL)3.
The concentration range of greater than 9.01-180.2 mg/dL is not clinically relevant criteria for glucose in saliva. The results of the
116 prototype biosensors that were assessed for precision and accuracy by implementing the ISO standard. In conclusion, from the 116
devices assessed 110 devices (94.8 %) met the blood glucose ISO standard in relation to the adapted system accuracy (i.e. 95 % of the
measured results must fall within ± 15 mg/dL at glucose concentrations less than 100 mg/dL).
We
believe the deficiency of the 6 prototype devices that failed to meet the ISO standard is attributable to the previously non-validated
manual printing process of the biosensors, rather than a biosensor technology deficiency. Currently the biosensor is in the process of
transferring to a quality-controlled pilot production phase , standardizing the automated processes, and characterization procedures
which will eliminate such manufacturing deviations in the released biosensor product format. Regardless, 110 prototype sensors in this
test performed at a level to allow compliance with the ISO standard. It is important to note that the ISO standard references blood glucose
monitors rather than salivary glucose monitors so a direct application of the standard here is not entirely practical.
Manufacturing
The
facilities required for the fabrication of these OTFT devices are all in place at the Australian National Fabrication Facility, which
we have used for fabrication and testing. These facilities are being extensively used, and we anticipate they can also be used for initial
manufacturing and charged under a cost recovery basis.
We
received approval for $4.7 million (excluding GST/VAT) Medical Products Priority Grant funding by the Australian Government in June 2021
as contributions towards the establishment of a high-tech manufacturing facility in Australia. Amounts will be paid under this grant
upon GBS in achieving certain deliverables.
Inherent
in the manufacturing process is a separate calibration process that is batch dependent and ensures analytical performance quality control.
Further to this an authenticity validation process verifies that the biosensor is authentic or otherwise flags a device.
The
Company and University of Newcastle have identified and selected an initial site to begin operations on campus. Management along with
university leadership and staff will commence this next phase of the commercial buildout that will utilize the already delivered equipment,
while the architectural design phase is finalized later this year and the primary manufacturing and construction begins on this second
site location. The Company anticipates construction to commence before end of calendar year 2022.
11
Distribution
We
intend, assuming the completion of development and regulatory approval, to market and distribute the SGT in the APAC Region. We propose
to enter into arrangements with distributors to market and sell the SGB. We have entered into an agreement in principle with a medical
affairs commercialization company to drive prelaunch activity with the scope to create awareness and build “share of voice”
with local referring physicians, diabetes educators, patient associations, government organizations and general practitioners. We also
recently entered into non-binding memoranda of understanding with two large distributors in China, which express our intent to enter
into definitive agreements to collaborate on the manufacture, regulatory approval, and distribution and sale of, and the medical affairs,
marketing, and identification of strategic opportunities for, the SGB in China. We engaged L.E.K Consulting to assist in expanding the
scope of commercial partners.
Our
strategy will depend in part on finding qualified distributors for the marketing and sale of our products. We will work with these distributors
to market our products. These distributors typically would sell a variety of other, non-competing products and will be expected to devote
certain resources to selling the SGB. We expect to devote suitable time and effort to recruiting and retaining qualified third-party
distributors and training them in our technology and product offering. We plan to adopt a multiple channel strategy to balance the marketing
and sales efforts.
The
Glucose Monitoring Industry
The
Self-Monitoring of Blood Glucose
Self-Monitoring
of blood glucose is the main approach for glucose monitoring and has been used for over 40 years. Currently, self-monitoring of blood
glucose is conducted periodically by the patient using a blood glucose measuring device. Blood glucometers require pricking a finger
with a lancet and applying a drop of blood on the test strip. The test strip is then inserted into the device which provides a reading
of glucose level in blood. Test strips are supplied by the glucometer manufacturer and are generally device-specific, although generic
test strips are also available. There are more than 100 types of blood glucometers currently are commercially available and they differentiate
based on size and weight, cost, data storage capacity, test accuracy, blood sample size and screen visibility (users with poor eyesight
may prefer larger screens).
Continuous
Glucose Monitoring
Continuous
glucose monitoring is not an alternative to finger prick self-monitoring of blood glucose. Only one system to date has been deemed of
equivalent use “as an aid to monitor the effectiveness of diabetes control” or non-adjunctive use. The procedure is invasive
and involves the insertion of a glucose biosensor into the subcutaneous tissue layer or the hypodermis. The biosensor, which measures
glucose levels in interstitial fluid, is attached to a transmitter that sends signals to either an insulin pump or a portable meter.
These devices are generally worn for about one week and require regular calibration through conventional blood glucose detection, about
twice a day. While the accuracy of these devices has been an issue, it has improved in recent years. Continuous glucose monitoring can
track a patients’ glucose throughout the day and night, notifying the patient of highs and lows so the person can act. Subcutaneous
glucose levels change more slowly than plasma glucose, which can be a restriction to their effectiveness, particularly if glucose levels
are changing rapidly. Subcutaneous glucose levels have a time lag compared to blood glucose measurements, and measurements may not always
match blood glucose. Continuous glucose monitoring is commonly used in conjunction with continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion, or
“ CSII ,” which involves a patient wearing an insulin pump and infusion set that infuses insulin into the body. Although
pumps are currently manually controlled by the patient, continuous glucose monitoring combined with CSII could potentially be used as
part of a closed-loop. CSII is generally restricted to Type 1 diabetics, where the need for ongoing insulin infusion is highest. Continuous
glucose monitoring is mainly used in a limited proportion of diabetics, particularly those concerned about severe, nocturnal hypoglycemia,
pregnant women who require meticulous glucose control or those who may not be able to easily administer a self-monitoring test (e.g.,
those living in remote or hostile environments). However, continuous glucose monitoring is more expensive than traditional self-monitoring
of blood glucose and in many cases is not eligible for reimbursement.
Importance
of Glucose Monitoring
One
of the main aims of diabetes monitoring and management is to maintain blood glucose levels within a specified target range. Self-monitoring
of blood glucose should be part of a regular management plan for patients with diabetes to enable this. Self-monitoring provides information
regarding an individual’s dynamic blood glucose profile. This information can help with the appropriate scheduling of food, activity,
and medication. It is also required for understanding of the timing of blood glucose variations. Lack of regular self-monitoring predicts
hospitalization for diabetes-related complications. Self-monitoring of blood glucose is an essential tool for people with diabetes who
are taking insulin or for those who experience fluctuations in their blood glucose levels, especially hypoglycemia. For patients taking
insulin and adjusting their dose, self-monitoring is needed for self-management. For others receiving oral medication, profiling glucose
trends and the confirmation of high or low blood glucose can be a useful addendum to successful management.
12
Self-monitoring
of blood glucose aids the management of diabetes by:
●
facilitating
the development of an individualized blood glucose profile, which can then guide health care professionals in treatment planning
for an individualized diabetic regimen;
●
giving
people with diabetes and their families the ability to make appropriate day-to-day treatment choices in diet and physical activity
as well as administration of insulin or other agents;
●
improving
patients’ recognition of hypoglycemia or severe hyperglycemia; and
●
enhancing
patient education and patient empowerment regarding the effects of lifestyle and pharmaceutical intervention on glycemic control.
The
role of blood glucose control in preventing the development and progression of complications has been proven in both type 1 and type
2 diabetes, with an especially strong relationship between intensive blood glucose control and complications such as neuropathy (affecting
limbs) and diabetic retinopathy (leading to blindness).
Over
time, glucose measurements are expected to provide the patient and their health care professionals with the information and insights
required to determine the best management strategy for diabetes, potentially minimizing the fluctuations in their glucose levels and
resulting in better health outcomes.
The
role of blood glucose monitoring and control in preventing the development and progression of diabetes complications has been well established.
Studies show that those who properly monitored blood glucose levels had better health outcomes (such as reduced complications of diabetes)
compared to those who did not.
For
a person with diabetes, however, this daily process is not only painful but can be exhausting, disruptive, frustrating, frightening and
consuming, which often leads to poor compliance and poor health outcomes. People with diabetes have reported that stigma is a significant
concern to them. This causes tension and anxiety and, because the procedure is perceived as inconvenient and difficult, leads to suboptimal
monitoring and poor adherence. Many people with diabetes do not test as often as clinically recommended, increasing the risk of complications.
Technology
License Agreement
On
June 23, 2020, we entered into a certain Technology License Agreement, or the “License Agreement,” with Life Science Biosensor
Diagnostics Pty Ltd, (“LSBD” or “Licensor”).
The
License Agreement sets forth our contractual rights and responsibilities relating to the Licensed Products. The “Licensed Products”
include: (i) a biosensor strip for antibodies against SARS-CoV-2; (ii) a proprietary smartphone application for the purpose reading,
storing, analyzing and providing patient support programs for any one or more of the Indicators for the purpose of measuring the amount
or concentration of immunoglobulins (IgG, IgM, IgA) specific to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2); and/or
(iii) a dedicated sensor strip reading device for any one or more of the Indicators for the purpose of measuring the amount or concentration
of immunoglobulins (IgG, IgM, IgA) specific to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).
An
“Authorized Supplier” includes us, the Licensor, any of our affiliates or any affiliates of the Licensor, or any third party
manufacturer and/or reseller that the Licensor has expressly identified or approved in advance in writing for the purpose of quality
control for the supply of Licensed Products to us.
13
Pursuant
to the License Agreement, the Licensor granted to us an exclusive license to the Licensor’s proprietary rights to the biosensor
technology used in the Licensed Products, worldwide and solely to:
●
act
as the authorized party for the purpose of prosecuting the application of, and obtaining any, regulatory approval for the Licensed
Product, including being authorized to prosecute the approval for an investigational device required for the purpose of carrying
out clinical studies;
●
manufacture,
promote, market, import, offer, sell and distribute the Licensed Products;
●
provide
reasonable customer support services on the use of the Licensed Products to end users of, and health care practitioners referring
end users to, the Licensed Products;
●
use
the Licensed Products only for the purposes identified and permitted pursuant to regulatory approval; and
●
collect
data acquired from the Licensed Products.
We
are required to collect and anonymize demographic information about the end users of the Licensed Products and data acquired from the
Licensed Products. While the anonymized data will be owned by the Licensor, we will own during the term of the License Agreement the
personally identifiable data, including health data, collected by us. In addition, the Licensor will provide us with certain of the data
acquired from the Licensed Products. The demographic information and personally identifiable information will be used, following patient
consent, as a disease management tool to offer patients value-added services, i.e., personalized education services for lifestyle, diet
and glucose management. These services will be in accordance with the applicable local medical codes and regulatory environment. The
use of such consensual information will be in accordance with privacy laws of the relevant countries and territories.
The
license is non-transferable, non-assignable and non-sublicensable, except that the Licensor will in good faith consider any request by
us for any sublicense.
Commencing
after the receipt of regulatory approval in a jurisdiction, and the earning of revenue we will be required to pay the Licensor a minimum
royalty fee with respect to such jurisdiction for each year, or the “Minimum Royalty,” in four equal quarterly installments.
The Minimum Royalty will be 13% of the projected net sales in such jurisdiction for each such year. The projected net sales will be an
amount mutually agreed between us and the Licensor for the first such year. For each ensuing year after the first year, the projected
net sales will be the number of Licensed Products sold in such jurisdiction in the prior year, as adjusted for the mutually agreed expected
market growth. In addition to the expected market growth, there will be an additional growth rate percentage of 7% for each year through
the tenth year. In the event of a dispute between us and the Licensor regarding the determination of the expected market growth or the
additional growth percentage, the License Agreement provides for resolution by an independent third party. At the end of each quarter,
if the quarterly installment of the Minimum Royalty is less than 13% of the actual net sales of Licensed Products in such jurisdiction
for such quarter, or the “Actual Royalty,” we will pay Licensor the difference between the quarterly installment of the Minimum
Royalty and the Actual Royalty. The royalty fee rate will be reduced from 13% to 3% upon the expiration of the patent portfolio covered
by the License Agreement.
As
between us and the Licensor, the Licensor solely owns all right, title and interest to, among other items of intellectual property, the
biosensor technology (including any improvements made to the biosensor technology by us), the anonymized data collected by us and any
other technology of the Licensor, and all derivations based on, and all proprietary rights in, the foregoing. The Licensor will have
the right to decide whether to protect or enforce, and the right to control any action relating to the protection and enforcement of,
any of the foregoing intellectual property and proprietary rights.
There
is no set expiration date for the License Agreement. However, the exclusivity of the license granted under the License Agreement runs
until the expiration of the patent portfolio covered by the License Agreement, which is currently until 2033. We expect that the patent
portfolio will be extended as new patents are created throughout product development, thereby extending the exclusivity of the License
Agreement. For instance, we expect to seek additional patents in connection with the development of the Prostate Specific Antigen test,
the Peanut Kernel Allergen test and the Luteinizing Hormone test. The License Agreement may be terminated by us in the event of a material
breach by the Licensor, if the Licensor does not cure the breach within 30 days after receiving notice of the breach; or in the event
the Licensor discontinues its business operations or in the case of certain events related to insolvency or bankruptcy. The License Agreement
also may be terminated by us at any time after the tenth anniversary of the License Agreement upon 180 days’ prior written notice.
14
On
March 31, 2021, the Company, entered into an Option Agreement with LSBD and BiosensX (North America) Inc. (“BIOX”). Under
the terms of this Option Agreement, LSBD granted to the Company an exclusive option (the “Option”) to purchase an exclusive
license to use, make, sell and offer to sell products under the intellectual property rights in connection with the Biosensor technology
the glucose/diabetes management field in the United States, Mexico and Canada (the “NA Territory”). The Company is entitled
to exercise this Option at any time during the 2-year term from the effective date of the Option Agreement by paying the option fee in
the amount of $5 million to LSBD at the time of the option exercise. Upon such exercise, (i) LSBD and BIOX will promptly terminate their
respective agreement with respect to the NA Territory, and (ii) LSBD and the Company will promptly enter into a license agreement pursuant
to which LSBD will grant an exclusive license (with the right to sublicense) to the Company, substantially on the same set of terms as
the LSBD-BIOX license agreement currently in place, provided that the license agreement between LSBD and the Company will also contain
a commercialization milestone payment to the LSBD for the equivalent of 5 years’ of royalties based upon agreed maintainable sales
due 90 days from the end of the first royalty year. The terms and provisions of the foregoing transaction have been reviewed and approved
by the Company’s Board of Directors and the Audit Committee of the Board.
Intellectual
Property
Our
business depends on the proprietary biosensor technologies licensed by us from the Licensor. The Licensor has secured and continues to
pursue intellectual property rights related to this technology in China, the United States and other countries. The original patent application,
which claims a priority date of March 2012, has been granted in the United States (9,766,199) and China (ZL201380022888.2). A second
international patent application (PCT/AU2016/050555) claiming iterations to the device design has been filed with a priority date of
June 2016 and will soon enter national phase in certain jurisdictions, and further patent applications are in preparation. The patents
protect the following technological claims of the SGB: the architecture of a biofunctional organic thin film transistor device comprising
a gate electrode, a dielectric layer, a partially-organic semiconducting layer, a source electrode, a drain electrode, a substrate and
an enzyme; the method for producing the organic thin film transistor device; and the method for determining the concentration of a compound
in a sample by interpreting the amperometric signals generated by the device. The Chinese and the United States patent belong to the
same patent family, originating from the Australian patent. As such, all of the patents relate to identical technology claims.
We
believe that the Licensor intends to aggressively prosecute these patent applications and file further applications, as appropriate,
to protect the proprietary biosensor technologies, including improvements thereon, in the United States as well as in the APAC Region,
and to take any necessary action to maintain and enforce its patent and other intellectual property rights. There can be no assurance,
however, that the Licensor will take such actions, and under the License Agreement, we have no right to compel them to do so. If the
Licensor elects not to protect or enforce its intellectual property rights, we would be permitted take action to protect or enforce these
rights in the APAC Region, but any such action would be at our cost and expense.
We
intend to vigorously protect our intellectual property rights in any technologies owned by us through patents and copyrights, as available
through registration in the United States and internationally. We also will rely upon trade secrets, know-how, and continuing technological
innovation to develop and maintain our competitive position. We intend to protect any of our proprietary rights through a variety of
methods, including confidentiality agreements and/or proprietary information agreements with suppliers, employees, consultants, independent
contractors and other entities who may have access to proprietary information. We will generally require employees to assign patents
and other intellectual property to us as a condition of employment with us. All of our consulting agreements will pre-emptively assign
to us all new and improved intellectual property that arise during the term of the agreement. In addition, we may license additional
technologies from the Licensor or third parties. Prior to any further acquisition or licensing of technology from a third party, we will
evaluate the existing proprietary rights, our ability to obtain and protect these rights, and the likelihood or possibility of infringement
upon competing rights of others.
The
issuance of a patent does not ensure that it is valid or enforceable. The term of individual patents depends upon the legal term of the
patents in the countries in which they are obtained. In most countries in which we file, the patent term is 20 years from the earliest
date of filing a non-provisional patent application. In the United States, a patent’s term may be shortened if a patent is terminally
disclaimed over another patent or as a result of delays in patent prosecution by the patentee, and a patent’s term may be lengthened
by patent term adjustment, which compensates a patentee for administrative delays by the United States Patent and Trademark Office in
granting a patent.
15
We
conduct our business using the licensed trademark “Glucose Biosensor” and our logo, as well as domain names incorporating
either or both of these trademarks. Our trademarks are not registered. We own the domain name glucosebiosensor.com .
Competition
The
medical device industry is highly competitive, subject to rapid change and significantly affected by new product introductions and other
activities of industry participants. We face potential competition from major medical device companies worldwide, many of which have
longer, more established operating histories, and significantly greater financial, technical, marketing, sales, distribution, and other
resources. Our overall competitive position is dependent upon a number of factors, including product performance and reliability, connectivity,
manufacturing cost, and customer support.
The
glucose monitoring industry currently is dominated by blood glucometers that require pricking a finger with a lancet and applying a drop
of blood on a test strip. Our major competitors for glucose testing solutions include Bayer, Abbott, and Roche.
Government Regulation
We
operate in a highly regulated industry. Our present and future business has been, and will continue to be, subject to a variety of laws
globally regarding quality, safety and efficacy, and governing, among other things, clinical evaluations, marketing authorization, commercial
sales and distribution of our products.
Internationally, various regulatory bodies monitor and supervise the administration of
pharmaceutical products, as well as medical devices and equipment. Their primary responsibilities include evaluating, registering and
approving new drugs, generic drugs and imported drugs; approving and issuing permits for the manufacture, export and import of pharmaceutical
products and medical appliances; approving the establishment of enterprises for pharmaceutical manufacture and distribution; formulating
administrative rules and policies concerning the supervision and administration of food, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals; and handling
significant accidents involving these products.
We
also will be subject to numerous post-marketing regulatory requirements, which may include labeling regulations and medical device reporting
regulations, and which may require us to report to different regulatory agencies if our device causes or contributes to a death or serious
injury, or malfunctions in a way that would likely cause or contribute to a death or serious injury. We may be subject to further regulations
in the areas of import and export restrictions and tariff regulations, duties and tax requirements. In addition, these regulatory requirements
may change in the future.
Employees
In
the past, we have utilized for our benefit certain employees of the Licensor. We have not incurred or accrued any financial or other
obligations other than certain shared corporate overhead as required in connection with this utilization. We have reimbursed the Licensor
for any costs the Licensor incurs on our behalf.
Recently,
in anticipation of product commercialization, we have expanded our team. We currently have 12 full time employees. We also rely on
the services of contractors, collaborators and consultants. We have assembled an outstanding team of 17 people, including our 12 employees,
our scientific advisory board and personnel at the University of Newcastle through a collaboration with the institution, to execute on
our mission to create next generation non-invasive diagnostic tools to help patients suffering with diabetes. Our employees, including
our management, have extensive experience in the research, development and commercialization of life science assets and are leaders in
their respective fields.
Our
team, including our employees, contractors, and collaborators, comprises multiple cross-functional units, including strategy, project
management, technical engineering, manufacturing and supply chain, and quality assurance, legal and compliance, regulatory affairs, clinical
affairs, product management & marketing, systems engineering, human resources, IT, investor relations, and finance. We believe our
team collectively possesses industry leading capabilities and positions us to build a strong life science company focused on developing
next generation non-invasive diagnostic tools for the tens of millions of diabetes patients worldwide.
Access
to Information
Our
website is at www.gbs.inc. We make available, free of charge, on our corporate website, our annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly
reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K and amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d)
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), as soon as reasonably practicable after they are
electronically filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). The SEC maintains an internet site that contains
reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC at www.sec.gov .
Information contained on our website does not, and shall not be deemed to, constitute part of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Our reference
to the URL for our website is intended to be an inactive textual reference only.
.
16
ITEM
1A. RISK FACTORS.
Our
business is subject to a number of risks. You should carefully consider the following risk factors, together with all of the other information
included or incorporated by reference in this report, before you decide whether to purchase our common stock. These factors are not intended
to represent a complete list of the general or specific risks that may affect us. It should be recognized that other risks may be significant,
presently or in the future, and the risks set forth below may affect us to a greater extent than indicated. If any of the following risks
occur, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially adversely affected. In such case, the trading
price of our common stock could decline, and you many lose all or part of your investment.
Forward-looking
statements in this document and those we make from time to time through our senior management are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions
of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements concerning the expected future revenue or earnings
or concerning projected plans, performance, or development of products and services, as well as other estimates related to future operations
are necessarily only estimates of future results. We cannot assure you that actual results will not materially differ from expectations.
Forward-looking statements represent our current expectations and are inherently uncertain. We do not undertake any obligation to update
forward-looking statements.
Summary
of Risk Factors
The
summary below provides a non-exhaustive overview of the risks that if realized could materially harm our business, prospects, operating
results and financial condition. This summary is qualified by reference to the full set of risk factors set forth in this Item.
● COVID-19
has impacted our operations.
● We
will need to raise additional capital to fund our operations in the future. If we are unsuccessful
in attracting new capital, we may not be able to continue operations or may be forced to
sell assets to do so. Alternatively, capital may not be available to us on favorable terms,
or if at all. If available, financing terms may lead to significant dilution of our stockholders’
equity.
● We
are subject to the risks associated with new businesses generally.
● We
have incurred significant losses since inception and continue to incur significant losses
and may not be able to achieve revenues or profitability.
● Given
our lack of revenue and our negative cash flow, we may need to raise additional capital,
which may be unavailable to us or, even if consummated, may cause dilution or place significant
restrictions on our ability to operate.
● The
License Agreement with the Licensor, which covers the license of the core technology used
in our products, contains significant risks that may threaten our viability or otherwise
have a material adverse effect on us and our business, assets and its prospects.
● Neither
we nor the Licensor have yet launched the SGT and the ability to do so will depend on the
acceptance of the SGT in the Global healthcare market.
● We
cannot accurately predict the volume or timing of any sales, making the timing of any associated
revenues uncertain and difficult to predict.
● If
the SGT fails to satisfy current or future customer requirements, we may be required to make
significant expenditures to redesign the product candidate, and we may have insufficient
resources to do so.
● We
are yet to finalize the manufacturing plan for the production of the SGT and its components
on a mass market commercial scale, and may be dependent upon third-party manufacturers and
suppliers, making us vulnerable to contractual relationships and market forces, supply shortages
and problems and price fluctuations, which could harm our business.
17
● We
expect to rely in part on third-party distributors to effectively distribute our products,
if our distributors fail to effectively market and sell the SGT in full compliance with applicable
laws, our operating results and business may suffer.
● Failure
in our conventional, online and digital marketing efforts could impact our ability to generate
sales.
● The
SGT may utilize a smart device platform and, in the future, other software platforms. If
we are unable to achieve or maintain a good relationship with the providers of these platforms,
or if a platform’s application store (such as the App Store for iOS devices or the
Google Play Store for Android devices), or any other applicable platform resource were unavailable
for any prolonged period of time, our business and prospects may be negatively impacted.
● As
we intend to conduct business internationally, we are susceptible to risks associated with
international relationships, which could adversely impact our results of operations and financial
condition
● If
third-party payors do not provide coverage and reimbursement for the use of the SGT, our
business and prospects may be negatively impacted.
● Non-United
States governments often impose strict price controls, which may adversely affect our future
profitability.
● The
SGT, including its software and systems, may contain undetected errors, which could limit
our ability to provide our products and services and diminish the attractiveness of our service
offerings.
● We
will rely on the proper function, security and availability of our information technology
systems and data to operate our business, and a breach, cyber-attack or other disruption
to these systems or data could materially and adversely affect our business, results of operations,
financial condition, cash flows, reputation or competitive position.
● Our
future performance will depend on the continued engagement of key members of our management
team, and the loss of one or more of the key members of our management team could have a
negative impact on our business.
● If
we are not able to attract and retain highly skilled managerial, scientific and technical
personnel, we may not be able to implement our business model successfully.
● If
we or our manufacturers fail to comply with applicable regulatory quality system regulations
or any applicable equivalent regulations, our proposed operations could be interrupted, and
our operating results may be negatively impacted.
● We
may be subject to healthcare fraud and abuse laws and regulations which, if violated, could
subject us to substantial penalties. Additionally, any challenge to or investigation into
our practices under these laws could cause adverse publicity and be costly to respond to,
and thus could harm our business.
● Product
liability suits, whether or not meritorious, could be brought against us due to an alleged
defective product or for the misuse of the SGT. These suits could result in expensive and
time-consuming litigation, payment of substantial damages, and an increase in our insurance
rates.
● If
we are found to have violated laws protecting the confidentiality of patient health information,
we could be subject to civil or criminal penalties, which could increase our liabilities
and harm our reputation or our business.
● We
are party to agreements pursuant to which we may be required to make payments to certain
of our affiliates, which may reduce our cash flow and profits.
18
● We could be party to litigation or other legal proceedings that could adversely affect our business, results of operations and reputation.
● The
regulatory approval process which we may be required to navigate may be expensive, time-consuming,
and uncertain and may prevent us from obtaining clearance for the product launch of the SGT
or our any future product.
● Clinical
data obtained subsequent to the implementation of the clinical evidence module may not meet
the required objectives, which could delay, limit or prevent additional regulatory approval.
● We
may be unable to complete required clinical evaluations, or we may experience significant
delays in completing such clinical evaluations, which could prevent or significantly delay
our targeted product launch timeframe and impair our viability and business plan
● We
are subject to the risk of reliance on third parties to conduct our clinical evaluation work,
their inability to comply with good clinical practice and relevant regulation could adversely
affect the clinical development of our product candidates and harm our business.
● We
depend on intellectual property licensed from the Licensor, and any absence of legal effect
of the license or dispute over the license would significantly harm our business.
● We
will depend primarily on the Licensor to file, prosecute, maintain, defend and enforce intellectual
property that we license from it and that is material to our business.
● We
and the Licensor may be unable to protect or enforce the intellectual property rights licensed
to us, which could impair our competitive position.
● We
and/or the Licensor may be subject to claims alleging the violation of the intellectual property
rights of others, which could involve in lawsuits to protect or enforce our intellectual
property rights, which could be expensive, time consuming and unsuccessful
● The
Licensor has limited foreign intellectual property rights and may not be able to protect
its intellectual property rights, which could not prevent third parties from practicing our
inventions or from selling or importing products made using our inventions
● We
and the Licensor rely on confidentiality agreements that could be breached and may be difficult
to enforce, which could result in third parties using our intellectual property to compete
against us.
● We
and the Licensor may be subject to claims challenging the invention of the intellectual property
that we license from the Licensor.
● We
face intense competition in the self-monitoring of glucose market, particularly blood-based
products, and as a result we may be unable to effectively compete in our industry.
● If
we or the Licensor fail to respond quickly to technological developments, our products may
become uncompetitive and obsolete.
● We
are susceptible to economic conditions and conducting operations in the Asia Pacific region.
● The
medical device and other medical product industries in the APAC Region generally are highly
regulated and such regulations are subject to change.
● Fluctuation
in the value of foreign currencies may have a material adverse effect on your investment.
● We
may be subject to tax inefficiencies and have not ascertained the impact on us of the new
United States tax laws
● Changes
in the economic, political or social conditions or government policies in the APAC Region
could have a material adverse effect on our business and operations.
● We
are subject to laws and regulations governing business conduct, which will require us to
develop and implement costly compliance programs.
19
● Our
customers for the Saliva Glucose Test initially may be concentrated in China; in which case
we may be susceptible to risks specifically associated with business activities in China.
● We
may not be able to satisfy the continued listing requirements of the NASDAQ Capital Market
in order to maintain the listing of our common stock.
● The
market price of our common stock may be significantly volatile.
● We
are obligated to develop and maintain a system of effective internal control over financial
reporting. We may not complete our analysis of our internal control over financial reporting
in a timely manner, or these internal controls may not be determined to be effective, which
may harm investor confidence in our company and, as a result, the value of our common stock.
● We
are an emerging growth company and currently have limited accounting personnel and other
supervisory resources. This can result in lack of necessary resources to adequately execute
its accounting processes and address its internal controls over financial reporting requirements
● We
will incur increased costs as a result of operating as a public company and our management
will be required to devote substantial time to new compliance initiatives and corporate governance
practices. Moreover, our ability to comply with all applicable laws, rules and regulations
is uncertain given our management’s relative inexperience with operating United States
public companies.
● Completion of the acquisition, the failure to complete the acquisition and delays completing the acquisition could adversely affect the
market price of our common stock.
● We will incur transaction, integration and restructuring costs in connection with the proposed acquisition.
● Our licensor is undergoing equity recapitalization the outcome with which could materially and adversely affect our business, financial
condition and operating results.
● Our independent registered public accounting firm has included an explanatory paragraph relating to our ability to continue as a going
concern in its report on our audited financial statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Risks
Related to Our Business
COVID-19
has impacted our operations.
Our
business, including our workforce, supply chain, and research partners has been adversely affected by COVID-19. COVID-19 has caused several
states and countries around the world to implement restrictions on travel, and/or quarantines in certain areas, and forced closures for
certain types of public places and businesses. In addition, affected regions, including several states within the United States, have
previously implemented work restrictions that limited many employees from going to work. Moreover, COVID-19 has resulted in business
closures and a substantial reduction in economic activity in the United States and worldwide. The emergence of new variants of the SARS-CoV-2
virus raises the possibility that recurring cycles of restrictions will be imposed in the future, notwithstanding increasing vaccination,
and immunity levels.
While
significant uncertainty remains as to the future impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our operations, and on the global economy,
COVID-19 had a negative impact on Research and Development Activities in 2021 and 2022. While we have seen some recovery in our work
force and research partners returning to work, we believe this period of reduced research and development will continue into fiscal
year 2023 as many have not returned to historical operating levels, are not yet allowing visitors on site at their facilities or
have not resumed previously planned studies. The extent of this impact is likely to vary from stakeholders to stakeholders depending
upon how they are or have been directly or indirectly impacted by local stay-at-home orders and other social distancing
measures.
The
effects of the stay-at-home orders and our work-from-home policies may negatively impact productivity, disrupt our business and delay
our development programs and regulatory timelines and negatively impact our commercial activities, the magnitude of which will depend,
in part, on the length and severity of the restrictions and other limitations on our ability to conduct our business in the ordinary
course. In addition, these widespread outbreaks of illness could adversely affect our workforce resulting in serious health issues and
absenteeism.
It
is also possible that further COVID-19 outbreaks will continue to impact our workforce, research partners and our ability to conduct
planned research and development programs. Governmental mandates may require forced shutdowns of our research facilities for extended
or indefinite periods. Pandemic outbreaks, including the COVID-19, could also substantially interfere with general commercial activity
related to our supply chain and customer base, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations,
business or prospects. While we do not know the full extent of potential delays or impacts on the global economy, these effects could
have a material adverse impact on our operations, financial position and liquidity
20
We
will need to raise additional capital to fund our operations in the future. If we are unsuccessful in attracting new capital, we may
not be able to continue operations or may be forced to sell assets to do so. Alternatively, capital may not be available to us on favorable
terms, or if at all. If available, financing terms may lead to significant dilution of our stockholders’ equity .
We
are not profitable and have had negative cash flow from operations since our inception. To fund our operations and develop and commercialize
our products, we have relied primarily on equity and debt financings and government support income. We cannot be certain that our existing
resources will be sufficient to fund our planned operations and expenditures for at least the next 12 months from the date of this report.
Potentially changing circumstances, including those related to COVID-19, may also result in the depletion of our capital resources more
rapidly than we currently anticipate. These circumstances raise substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern. We
will need to obtain additional funds to finance our operations. Additional capital may not be available at such times or amounts as needed
by us. Historically we have financed our business in part by access to the capital markets. Even if capital is available, it might be
available only on unfavorable terms. Any additional equity or convertible debt financing into which we enter could be dilutive to our
existing stockholders. Any future debt financing into which we enter may impose covenants upon us that restrict our operations, including
limitations on our ability to incur liens or additional debt, pay dividends, repurchase our stock, make certain investments and engage
in certain merger, consolidation or asset sale transactions. Any debt financing or additional equity that we raise may contain terms
that are not favorable to us or our stockholders. If we raise additional funds through collaboration and licensing arrangements with
third parties, we may need to relinquish rights to our technologies or our products or grant licenses on terms that are not favorable
to us. If access to sufficient capital is not available as and when needed, our business will be materially impaired, and we may be required
to cease operations, curtail one or more product development or commercialization programs, or significantly reduce expenses, sell assets,
seek a merger or joint venture partner, file for protection from creditors or liquidate all of our assets. Any of these factors could
harm our operating results.
We
are subject to the risks associated with new businesses generally.
We
were formed in December 2016 as a new business with a plan to commercialize our licensed technology. Our limited operating history may
not be adequate to enable you to fully assess our ability to develop and market the SGT and other tests based on the Biosensor Platform,
achieve market acceptance of the SGT and such other tests and respond to competition. Our efforts to date have related to the organization
and formation of our company, strategic planning, product research and development and preparation for commencing regulatory trials.
We have not yet generated revenue, and we cannot guarantee we will ever be able to generate revenues. Therefore, we are, and expect for
the foreseeable future to be, subject to all the risks and uncertainties, inherent in a new business focused on the development and sale
of new medical devices and related software applications. As a result, we may be unable to further develop, obtain regulatory approval
for, manufacture, market, sell and derive revenues from the SGT and the other products in our pipeline based on the Biosensor Platform,
and our inability to do so would materially and adversely impact our viability. In addition, we still must optimize many functions necessary
to operate a business, including expanding our managerial, personnel and administrative structure, continuing product research and development,
and assessing and commencing our marketing activities.
Accordingly,
you should consider our prospects in light of the costs, uncertainties, delays and difficulties frequently encountered by companies that
have not yet commercialized their products or services, particularly those in the medical device and digital health fields. In particular,
potential investors should consider that there is a significant risk that we will not be able to:
●
implement
or execute our current business plan, or that our business plan is sound;
●
maintain
our management team and Board of Directors;
●
determine
that the technologies that have been developed are commercially viable;
21
●
attract,
enter into or maintain contracts with, and retain customers; and
●
raise
any necessary additional funds in the capital markets or otherwise to effectuate our business plan.
In
the event that we do not successfully address these risks, our business, prospects, financial condition, and results of operations could
be materially and adversely affected.
We
have incurred significant losses since inception and continue to incur significant losses and may not be able to achieve significant
revenues or profitability.
Since
our inception, we have engaged primarily in development activities. We have financed our operations primarily through financing from
private capital raising and support from our licensor, and have incurred losses since inception, including a net loss of $5,020,383
for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2018, a net loss of $7,336,686 for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2019, a net loss of $3,163,776
for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2020, a net loss of $7,037,286 for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2021 and a net loss of
$8,306,051 for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2022. We do not know whether or when we will become profitable. Our ability to
generate revenue and achieve profitability depends upon our ability, alone or with others, to complete the development process of
our products, including regulatory approvals, and thereafter achieve substantial acceptance in the marketplace for our products. We
may be unable to achieve any or all of these goals.
Given
our lack of revenue and our negative cash flow, we may need to raise additional capital, which may be unavailable to us or, even if consummated,
may cause dilution or place significant restrictions on our ability to operate.
We cannot be certain we have sufficient capital resources to enable us to continue to implement our business plan and remain in operation for at least
the next 12 months from the date this report. We cannot yet forecast revenues, if at all, and our revenues will not immediately be sufficient
to finance our ongoing operations. In addition, available resources may be consumed more rapidly than currently anticipated, and there
can be no assurance that we will be successful in developing the SGT and generating sufficient revenue in the timeframe set forth above,
or at all. We may also need additional funding for developing new products and services and for additional sales, marketing and promotional
activities. Accordingly, we may need to seek additional equity or debt financing earlier than anticipated to provide the capital required
to maintain or expand our operations. We may raise additional capital through sales of equity securities or the incurrence of debt. If
such financing is not available on satisfactory terms, or is not available at all, we may be required to delay, scale back or eliminate
the development of business opportunities and our operations and financial condition may be materially adversely affected.
The
License Agreement with the Licensor, which covers the license of the core technology used in our products, contains significant risks
that may threaten our viability or otherwise have a material adverse effect on us and our business, assets and its prospects.
Under
the terms of the Technology License Agreement executed by the Company and LSBD dated as of June 23, 2020, the Company has the global
licensee for COV2 diagnostic tests.
The
Amended and Restated License Agreement dated September 12, 2019, which amends and restates all previous license agreements (the “SGT
License Agreement”) is limited to the APAC Region and includes the terms and related risks set forth below. We have no contractual
rights to the intellectual property covered in the License Agreement other than as expressly set forth therein. Our plans, business,
prospects and viability are substantially dependent on that intellectual property and subject to the limitations relating thereto as
set forth in the License Agreement:
●
The
SGT license granted to us is limited in territorial scope. The Licensor granted us a license to its proprietary rights in the biosensor
technology used in the Licensed Products solely in the APAC Region, and primarily to act as authorized party for obtaining regulatory
approval and to manufacture (subject to being approved as an Authorized Supplier by the Licensor) for use in the APAC Region, and
to promote, market, import, offer sell and distribute the Licensed Products in the APAC Region. We may not exploit or seek to exploit
any rights in respect of the Licensed Product outside of the APAC Region through any means, including digitally or online where the
end user is not physically resident in the APAC Region. Accordingly, to the extent that such users are prohibited, we will be unable
to realize any commercialization from such users and ensure that such users do not do business with us, even as such commercialization
and business might be appropriate, related, synergistic or enhanced by our operations. In addition, we may be responsible for costs
and other liabilities that might arise to the extent that users outside the APAC Region obtain such access and may incur costs to
comply with these prohibitions. Further, the non-coverage of digital or online use for users not physically in the APAC Region may
constitute a material limitation on our ability to freely conduct business digitally, online or through any other medium that may
reach outside of the APAC Region. This limitation may have a material adverse effect on our marketing, sales, operational and other
business efforts.
22
●
After
the receipt of regulatory approval in a jurisdiction, we may be required to pay the Minimum Royalty with respect to such jurisdiction
regardless of the actual amount of sales by us of Licensed Products. Accordingly, although the Minimum Royalty is based on our projected
sales in each such jurisdiction, and although the determination of the Minimum Royalty is subject to agreement between us and the
Licensor as to certain parameters, as described elsewhere in this prospectus, with disputes generally resolved by an independent
third party, we could be obligated to pay royalties even though we have generated no or limited revenue. Such payments could materially
and adversely affect our profitability and could limit our investment in our business.
●
The
Licensed Products include only products that are supplied by an Authorized Supplier. Accordingly, we will not have unfettered right
to select our suppliers, regardless of whether an unauthorized supplier could provide products on better pricing, delivery, quality
or other terms, thus potentially materially and adversely impacting those aspects of our business, economies, profitability and prospects.
●
We
are required to collect and anonymize demographic information about the end users of the Licensed Products, as well as data acquired
from the Licensed Products. The data collection and retention may be expensive in cost, resources, legal and regulatory compliance
and other ways, none of which costs can be quantified at this time. Further, changing regulations with respect to medical and similar
such data may make such compliance beyond the scope of our capabilities. Any failure to comply may result in financial liability,
as well as reputational harm.
●
The
license is non-transferable, non-assignable and non-sublicensable, except that the Licensor will in good faith consider any request
by us for any sublicense. The Licensor is not obligated to agree to any such sub-license. These restrictions may limit our flexibility
to structure our operations in the most advantageous manner.
●
We
must manufacture, promote, market, import, offer, sell, distribute and supply the Licensed Products in accordance with certain distribution
requirements set forth in the License Agreement. For instance, we may not package the Licensed Products with other products, and
we may deliver them only as supplied by an Authorized Supplier. Accordingly, the limitations imposed by the License Agreement may
impact our ability to pursue certain marketing strategies and distribution channels, which may have a material adverse effect on
us and our business, assets and prospects.
●
The
Licensor may require any change to any Licensed Product by any Authorized Supplier and may make any change to any sales or promotional
literature made available by the Licensor, provided that such changes do not affect any regulatory approvals we obtain. This right
of the Licensor may create material expense for us, may be practically difficult to accomplish and may cause relationship, reputational
and other adverse harm to us, our business and our prospects, without our having any control over these changes. Further, the Licensor
is not liable for any of the costs to us of such changes.
●
We
must file for, prosecute the application for, and obtain all regulatory approvals for each of the Licensed Products and all legal
permits necessary for promoting, marketing, offering or selling each Licensed Product. The regulatory approval process can be expensive
and time consuming, and there can be no assurances that we will be able to obtain or maintain any or all required permits.
23
●
Except
with respect to the Licensor’s ownership of all intellectual property rights in respect of the licensed property and the non-infringement
by our exercise of those rights, the Licensor provides no, and disclaims all, representations, warranties or covenants relating to
the licensed intellectual property or any other matters under the License Agreement and in particular disclaims any fitness of the
property for any purpose. These provisions limit our recourse in the event that the licensed intellectual property is flawed, defective,
inadequate, incomplete, uncommercial, wrongly described or otherwise not useful for our purposes. We have not independently verified
any of the technical, scientific, commercial, legal, medical or other circumstances or nature of the licensed intellectual property
and therefore there can be no assurances that any of the foregoing risks have been reduced or eliminated. These provisions represent
a significant risk of a material adverse impact on us, our business and our prospects.
Neither
we nor the Licensor have yet launched the SGT and the ability to do so will depend on the acceptance of the SGT in the Global healthcare
market.
Neither
we nor the Licensor has yet launched the SGT and neither has received regulatory approvals in any country or territory. We are faced
with the risk that the SGT will be accepted in their respective jurisdictions over competing products and that we will be unable to enter
the marketplace or compete effectively. Factors that could affect our ability to establish the SGT or any future diagnostic test based
on the Biosensor Platform include:
●
sales
of the SGT across their respective jurisdictions may be limited due to the complex nature of the healthcare system in each country
and territory in the region, low average personal income, lack of patient cost reimbursement and pricing controls
●
the
development of products or devices which could result in a shift of customer preferences away from our device and services and significantly
decrease revenue;
●
the
increased use of improved diabetes drugs that could encourage certain diabetics to test less often, resulting in less usage of self-monitoring
(saliva-based, blood-based or otherwise) test device for certain types of diabetics;
●
the
challenges of developing (or acquiring externally developed) technology solutions that are adequate and competitive in meeting the
requirements of next-generation design challenges;
●
the
significant number of current competitors in the glucose monitoring market who have significantly greater brand recognition and more
recognizable trademarks and who have established relationships with diabetes healthcare providers and payors; and
●
intense
competition to attract acquisition targets, which may make it more difficult for us to acquire companies or technologies at an acceptable
price or at all.
We
cannot assure you that the SGT or any future diagnostic test based on the Biosensor Platform will gain market acceptance. If the market
for the SGT or any future test fails to develop or develops more slowly than expected, or if any of the technology and standards supported
by us do not achieve or sustain market acceptance, our business and operating results would be materially and adversely affected.
We
cannot accurately predict the volume or timing of any sales, making the timing of any associated revenues uncertain and difficult to
predict.
We
may be faced with lengthy and unpredictable customer evaluation and approval processes associated with the SGT. Consequently, we may
incur substantial expenses and devote significant management effort and expense in developing customer adoption of the SGT, which may
not result in revenue generation. We must also obtain regulatory approvals of SGT in each respective jurisdiction, which is subject to
risk and potential delays, and may actually occur. The same risks apply to other tests we may develop based on the Biosensor Platform.
As such, we cannot accurately predict the volume, if any, or timing of any future sales.
24
If
the SGT fails to satisfy current or future customer requirements, we may be required to make significant expenditures to redesign the
product candidate, and we may have insufficient resources to do so.
The
SGT is being designed to address an existing marketplace and must comply with current and evolving customer requirements in order to
gain market acceptance. There is a risk that the SGT will not meet anticipated customer requirements or desires. If we are required to
redesign our products to address customer demands or otherwise modify our business model, we may incur significant unanticipated expenses
and losses, and we may be left with insufficient resources to engage in such activities. If we are unable to redesign our products, develop
new products or modify our business model to meet customer desires or any other customer requirements that may emerge, our operating
results would be materially adversely affected, and our business might fail.
We
are yet to finalize the manufacturing plan for the production of the SGT and its components on a mass market commercial scale, and may
be dependent upon third-party manufacturers and suppliers, making us vulnerable to contractual relationships and market forces, supply
shortages and problems and price fluctuations, which could harm our business.
While
we are using the facilities of Australian National Fabrication Facility to manufacture the SGB for clinical evaluation, we are yet to
finalize the manufacturing plan for the production of the SGT and its components on a mass market commercial scale. We presently do not
possess the manufacturing and processing capacity to meet the production requirements of consumer demand in a timely manner. Accordingly,
we may rely on outsourcing the manufacturing of the SGT or its components. Our capacity to conduct clinical evaluation and launch our
products in the market will depend in part on our ability or the ability of third-party manufacturers to provide our products on a large
scale, at a competitive cost and in accordance with regulatory requirements. We cannot guarantee that we or our third-party manufacturers
or suppliers will be able to provide the SGT and its components in mass-market quantities in a timely or cost-effective manner, or at
all. Delays in providing or increasing production or processing capacity could result in additional expense or delays in our clinical
evaluation, regulatory submissions and the market launch of our products. In addition, we or our third-party manufacturers or suppliers
could make errors that could adversely affect the efficacy or safety of the SGT or cause delays in shipment. Any third-party party manufacturers
or suppliers may encounter problems for a variety of reasons, including, for example, failure to follow specific protocols and procedures,
failure to comply with applicable legal and regulatory requirements, equipment malfunction and environmental factors, failure to properly
conduct their own business affairs, and infringement of third-party intellectual property rights, any of which could delay or impede
their ability to meet our requirements. Reliance on these third-party manufacturers or suppliers also subjects us to other risks where:
●
we
may have difficulty locating and qualifying alternative manufacturers or suppliers;
●
switching
manufacturers or suppliers may require product redesign and possibly submission to regulatory bodies, which could significantly impede
or delay our commercial activities;
●
sole-source
manufacturers or suppliers could fail to supply the SGT or components of the SGT; and
●
manufacturers
or suppliers could encounter financial or other business hardships unrelated to us, interfering with their fulfilment of our orders
and requirements.
We
may not be able to quickly establish additional or alternative manufacturers or suppliers, if necessary, in part because we may need
to undertake additional activities to establish such manufacturers or suppliers as required by the regulatory approval process. We potentially
will rely on certain single-source manufacturers or suppliers, and to the extent we do so, these risks will be intensified. Any interruption
or delay in obtaining products or components from our third-party manufacturers or suppliers, or shortages of products or components,
could impair our ability to meet the demand of our customers and cause them to switch to competing products.
25
We
expect to rely in part on third-party distributors to effectively distribute our products, if our distributors fail to effectively market
and sell the SGT in full compliance with applicable laws, our operating results and business may suffer.
We
will depend in part on qualified distributors for the marketing and selling of our products. We will depend on these distributors’
efforts to market our products, yet we will be unable to control their efforts completely. While we entered into non-binding memoranda
of understanding with two large distributors in China for the SGT, we have not yet executed any definitive distribution agreements in
this regard and there can be no assurances that suitable distributors will be engaged on terms acceptable to us. These distributors typically
would sell a variety of other, non-competing products that may limit the resources they dedicate to selling the SGT. In addition, we
are unable to ensure that our distributors will comply with all applicable laws regarding the sale of our products. If our distributors
fail to effectively market and sell the SGT in full compliance with applicable laws, our operating results and business may suffer. Recruiting
and retaining qualified third-party distributors and training them in our technology and product offering will require significant time
and resources. To develop and expand our distribution, we will be required to scale and improve our processes and procedures that support
our distributors. Further, if our relationship with a successful distributor terminates, we may be unable to replace that distributor
without disruption to our business. If we fail to develop or maintain positive relationships with our distributors, including in new
markets, fail to manage, train or incentivize these distributors effectively, or fail to provide distributors with competitive products
on attractive terms, or if these distributors are not successful in their sales efforts, we may not achieve or may have a reduction in
revenue and our operating results, reputation and business would be harmed.
Failure
in our conventional, online and digital marketing efforts could impact our ability to generate sales.
We
intend to engage in conventional marketing strategies and also may utilize online and digital marketing in order to create awareness
to the SGT. Our management believes that using a wide variety of marketing strategies, including online advertisement and a variety of
other pay-for-performance methods may be effective for marketing and generating sales of the SGT, as opposed to relying exclusively on
traditional, expensive retail channels. In any event, there is a risk that any or all of our marketing strategies could fail. We cannot
predict whether the use of traditional and/or non-traditional retail sales tools, in combination with reliance on healthcare providers
to educate our customers about the SGT, will be successful in effectively marketing the SGT. The failure of our marketing efforts could
negatively impact our ability to generate sales.
The
SGT may utilize a smart device platform and, in the future, other software platforms. If we are unable to achieve or maintain a good
relationship with the providers of these platforms, or if a platform’s application store (such as the App Store for iOS devices
or the Google Play Store for Android devices), or any other applicable platform resource were unavailable for any prolonged period of
time, our business and prospects may be negatively impacted.
A
key component of the SGT is a smart device application that includes tools to help patients manage their disease. This application will
be compatible with various operating platforms. We will be subject to each of the standard terms and conditions for application developers,
which govern the promotion, distribution and operation of applications through their respective app stores. If we are unable to make
the SGT application compatible with these platforms, or if we fail to comply with the standard terms and conditions for developers or
there is any deterioration in our relationship with either platform providers or others after our application is available, our business
would be materially harmed.
As
we intend to conduct business internationally, we are susceptible to risks associated with international relationships, which could adversely
impact our results of operations and financial condition
We
are based in the United States, and expect to market, promote and sell our products globally. The international nature of our business
requires significant management attention, which could negatively affect our business if it diverts their attention from their other
responsibilities. In addition, doing business with foreign customers subjects us to additional risks that companies do not generally
face if they operate exclusively within a single jurisdiction. These risks and uncertainties include:
●
different
regulatory requirements for medical product approvals in foreign countries;
●
different
standards of care in various countries that could complicate the evaluation of our product candidates;
26
●
different
medical product import and export rules;
●
different
labor laws;
●
reduced
protection for intellectual property rights in certain countries;
●
unexpected
changes in tariffs, trade barriers and regulatory requirements;
●
different
reimbursement systems and different competitive medical products indicated for glucose testing;
●
localization
of products and services, including translation of foreign languages;
●
delivery,
logistics and storage costs;
●
longer
accounts receivable payment cycles and difficulties in collecting accounts receivable;
●
difficulties
providing customer services;
●
economic
weakness, including inflation, or political instability in particular foreign economies and markets;
●
compliance
with tax, employment, immigration and labor laws for employees living or traveling abroad;
●
compliance
with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, or the “ FCPA ,” and other anti-corruption and anti-bribery laws;
●
foreign
taxes, including withholding of payroll taxes;
●
foreign
currency fluctuations, which could result in increased operating expenses and reduced revenues, and other obligations incident to
doing business in another country;
●
restrictions
on the repatriation of earnings;
●
workforce
uncertainty in countries where labor unrest is more common than in the United States;
●
potential
liability resulting from development work conducted by third party foreign distributors; and
●
business
interruptions resulting from geopolitical actions, including war and terrorism, or natural disasters, management, communication and
integration problems resulting from cultural differences and geographic dispersion.
The
occurrence of any or all of these risks could adversely affect our business. In the event that we are unable to manage the complications
associated with international operations, our results of operations, financial condition and business prospects could be materially and
adversely affected.
If
third-party payors do not provide coverage and reimbursement for the use of the SGT, our business and prospects may be negatively impacted.
Third-party
payors, whether governmental or commercial, are developing increasingly sophisticated methods of controlling healthcare costs. In addition,
in certain countries, no uniform policy of coverage and reimbursement for medical device products and services exists among third-party
payors. Therefore, coverage and reimbursement for medical device products and services can differ significantly from payor to payor.
In addition, payors continually review new technologies for possible coverage and can, without notice, deny coverage for these new products
and procedures. As a result, the coverage determination process is often a time-consuming and costly process that will require us to
provide scientific and clinical support for the use of our products to each payor separately, with no assurance that coverage and adequate
reimbursement will be obtained or maintained if obtained. Reimbursement systems in international markets vary significantly by country
and by region within some countries, and reimbursement approvals must be obtained on a country-by-country basis. In many international
markets, a product must be approved for reimbursement before it can be approved for sale in that country. Further, many international
markets have government-managed healthcare systems that control reimbursement for new devices and procedures. For example, no government
in the areas where we hold our license has approved reimbursement of the SGT in particular. We believe that reimbursement will not be
an issue as we intend to put this in the market at the same price as current reimbursed blood finger tests. In most markets, there are
private insurance systems as well as government-managed systems. If sufficient coverage and reimbursement is not available for our current
or future products, in any country where our license operates, the demand for our products and our revenues will be adversely affected.
27
Non-United
States governments often impose strict price controls, which may adversely affect our future profitability.
We
intend to seek approval to market the SGT across the APAC Region. If we obtain approval in one or more of the jurisdictions within our
License Agreement, we will be subject to rules and regulations in those jurisdictions relating to our products. In some countries, pricing
may be subject to governmental control under certain circumstances, which may vary country by country. In these countries, pricing negotiations
with governmental authorities can take considerable time after the receipt of requisite marketing approval. To obtain reimbursement or
pricing approval in some countries, we may be required to conduct a clinical evaluation that compares the cost-effectiveness of our product
to other available products. If reimbursement of our product candidates is unavailable or limited in scope or amount, or if pricing is
set at unsatisfactory levels, we may be unable to achieve or sustain profitability. Price controls may reduce prices to levels significantly
below those that would prevail in less regulated markets or limit the volume of products which may be sold, either of which may have
a material and adverse effect on potential revenues from sales of the SGT. Moreover, the process and timing for the implementation of
price restrictions is unpredictable, which may cause potential revenues from the sales of the SGT to fluctuate from period to period.
The
SGT, including its software and systems, may contain undetected errors, which could limit our ability to provide our products and services
and diminish the attractiveness of our service offerings.
The
SGT may contain undetected errors, defects or bugs. As a result, our customers or end users may discover errors or defects in our products,
software or systems, or our products, software or systems may not operate as expected. We may discover significant errors or defects
in the future that we may not be able to fix. Our inability to fix any of those errors could limit our ability to provide our products
and services, impair the reputation of our brand and diminish the attractiveness of our product and service offerings to our customers.
In addition, we may utilize third party technology or components in our products, and we rely on those third parties to provide support
services to us. The existence of errors, defects or bugs in third party technology or components, or the failure of those third parties
to provide necessary support services to us, could materially adversely impact our business.
We
will rely on the proper function, security and availability of our information technology systems and data to operate our business, and
a breach, cyber-attack or other disruption to these systems or data could materially and adversely affect our business, results of operations,
financial condition, cash flows, reputation or competitive position.
We
will depend on sophisticated software and other information technology systems to operate our business, including to process, transmit
and store sensitive data, and our products and services will include information technology systems that collect data regarding patients.
We could experience attempted or actual interference with the integrity of, and interruptions in, our technology systems, as well as
data breaches, such as cyber-attacks, malicious intrusions, breakdowns, interference with the integrity of our products and data or other
significant disruptions. Furthermore, we may rely on third-party vendors to supply and/or support certain aspects of our information
technology systems. These third-party systems could also become vulnerable to cyber-attack, malicious intrusions, breakdowns, interference
or other significant disruptions, and may contain defects in design or manufacture or other problems that could result in system disruption
or compromise the information security of our own systems. Our international operations mean that we are subject to laws and regulations,
including data protection and cybersecurity laws and regulations, in many jurisdictions. Furthermore, there has been a developing trend
of civil lawsuits and class actions relating to breaches of consumer data held by large companies or incidents arising from other cyber-attacks.
Any data security breaches, cyber-attacks, malicious intrusions or significant disruptions could result in actions by regulatory bodies
and/or civil litigation, any of which could materially and adversely affect our business, results of operations, financial condition,
cash flows, reputation or competitive position. In addition, our information technology systems require an ongoing commitment of significant
resources to maintain, protect, and enhance existing systems and develop new systems to keep pace with continuing changes in information
processing technology, evolving legal and regulatory standards, the increasing need to protect patient and customer information, changes
in the techniques used to obtain unauthorized access to data and information systems, and the information technology needs associated
any new products and services. There can be no assurance that our process of consolidating, protecting, upgrading and expanding our systems
and capabilities, continuing to build security into the design of our products, and developing new systems to keep pace with continuing
changes in information processing technology will be successful or that additional systems issues will not arise in the future. If our
information technology systems, products or services or sensitive data are compromised, patients or employees could be exposed to financial
or medical identity theft or suffer a loss of product functionality, and we could lose existing customers, have difficulty attracting
new customers, have difficulty preventing, detecting, and controlling fraud, be exposed to the loss or misuse of confidential information,
have disputes with customers, physicians, and other health care professionals, suffer regulatory sanctions or penalties, experience increases
in operating expenses or an impairment in our ability to conduct our operations, incur expenses or lose revenues as a result of a data
privacy breach, product failure, information technology outages or disruptions, or suffer other adverse consequences including lawsuits
or other legal action and damage to our reputation.
28
Our
future performance will depend on the continued engagement of key members of our management team, and the loss of one or more of the
key members of our management team could have a negative impact on our business..
Our
future performance depends to a large extent on the continued services of members of our current management including, in particular,
our Interim Chief Executive Officer, President Asia Pacific Sales and Marketing and Chief Financial Officer. In the event that we lose
the continued services of such key personnel for any reason, this could have a material adverse effect on our business, operations and
prospects.
If
we are not able to attract and retain highly skilled managerial, scientific and technical personnel, we may not be able to implement
our business model successfully.
We
believe that our management team must be able to act decisively to apply and adapt our business model in the markets in which we will
compete. In addition, we will rely upon technical and scientific employees or third-party contractors to effectively establish, manage
and grow our business. Consequently, we believe that our future viability will depend largely on our ability to attract and retain highly
skilled managerial, sales, scientific and technical personnel. In order to do so, we may need to pay higher compensation or fees to our
employees or consultants than we currently expect, and such higher compensation payments would have a negative effect on our operating
results. Competition for experienced, high-quality personnel is intense and we cannot assure that we will be able to recruit and retain
such personnel. We may not be able to hire or retain the necessary personnel to implement our business strategy. Our failure to hire
and retain such personnel could impair our ability to develop new products and manage our business effectively.
If
we or our manufacturers fail to comply with applicable regulatory quality system regulations or any applicable equivalent regulations,
our proposed operations could be interrupted, and our operating results may be negatively impacted.
We
and any third-party manufacturers and suppliers of ours will be required, to the extent of applicable regulation, to follow the quality
system regulations of each jurisdiction we will seek to penetrate and also will be subject to the regulations of these jurisdictions
regarding the manufacturing processes. If we or any third-party manufacturers or suppliers of ours are found to be in significant non-compliance
or fail to take satisfactory corrective action in response to adverse regulatory findings in this regard, regulatory agencies could take
enforcement actions against us and such manufacturers or suppliers, which could impair or prevent our ability to produce our products
in a cost-effective and timely manner in order to meet customers’ demands. Accordingly, our operating results would suffer.
29
We
may be subject to healthcare fraud and abuse laws and regulations which, if violated, could subject us to substantial penalties. Additionally,
any challenge to or investigation into our practices under these laws could cause adverse publicity and be costly to respond to, and
thus could harm our business.
There
are numerous U.S. federal and state, as well as foreign, laws pertaining to healthcare fraud and abuse, including anti-kickback, false
claims and transparency laws. Many international healthcare laws and regulations apply to the glucose monitoring business and medical
devices. We will be subject to certain regulations regarding commercial practices false claims. The federal civil and criminal false
claims laws, including the federal civil False Claims Act, which prohibit, among other things, individuals, or entities from knowingly
presenting, or causing to be presented, claims for payment from Medicare, Medicaid or other federal healthcare programs that are false
or fraudulent. Private individuals can bring False Claims Act “qui tam” actions, on behalf of the government and such individuals,
commonly known as “whistleblowers,” may share in amounts paid by the entity to the government in fines or settlement. When
an entity is determined to have violated the federal civil False Claims Act, the government may impose substantial penalties plus three
times the amount of damages which the government sustains because of the submission of a false claim, and exclude the entity from participation
in Medicare, Medicaid and other federal healthcare programs.
If
our operations or arrangements are found to be in violation of governmental regulations, we may be subject to civil and criminal penalties,
damages, fines and the curtailment of our operations. All of these penalties could adversely affect our ability to operate our business
and our financial results.
Product
liability suits, whether or not meritorious, could be brought against us due to an alleged defective product or for the misuse of the
SGT. These suits could result in expensive and time-consuming litigation, payment of substantial damages, and an increase in our insurance
rates.
If
the SGT or any future diagnostic test based on the Biosensor Platform is defectively designed or manufactured, contains defective components
or is misused, or if someone claims any of the foregoing, whether or not meritorious, we may become subject to substantial and costly
litigation. Misusing our devices or failing to adhere to the operating guidelines or our devices producing inaccurate meter readings
could cause significant harm to patients, including death. In addition, if our operating guidelines are found to be inadequate, we may
be subject to liability. Product liability claims could divert management’s attention from our core business, be expensive to defend
and result in sizable damage awards against us. While we expect to maintain product liability insurance, we may not have sufficient insurance
coverage for all future claims. Any product liability claims brought against us, with or without merit, could increase our product liability
insurance rates or prevent us from securing continuing coverage, could harm our reputation in the industry and could reduce revenue.
Product liability claims in excess of our insurance coverage would be paid out of cash reserves harming our financial condition and adversely
affecting our results of operations.
If
we are found to have violated laws protecting the confidentiality of patient health information, we could be subject to civil or criminal
penalties, which could increase our liabilities and harm our reputation or our business.
Part
of our business plan includes the storage and potential monetization of data of users of the SGT. There are several laws around the world
protecting the confidentiality of certain patient health information, including patient records, and restricting the use and disclosure
of that protected information. Privacy rules protect medical records and other personal health information by limiting their use and
disclosure, giving individuals the right to access, amend and seek accounting of their own health information and limiting most use and
disclosures of health information to the minimum amount reasonably necessary to accomplish the intended purpose. We may face difficulties
in holding such information in compliance with applicable law. If we are found to be in violation of the privacy rules, we could be subject
to civil or criminal penalties, which could increase our liabilities, harm our reputation and have a material adverse effect on our business,
financial condition and results of operations.
30
We
are party to agreements pursuant to which we may be required to make payments to certain of our affiliates, which may reduce our cash
flow and profits.
We
are party to agreements (including the License Agreement) pursuant to which we may be required to make payments to certain of our affiliates
as described in “ Certain Transactions .” For instance, commencing after the receipt of SGT regulatory approval in any
jurisdiction in the APAC Region, we may be required to pay the Minimum Royalty with respect to such jurisdiction to the Licensor, although
the determination of the Minimum Royalty is subject to agreement between us and the Licensor as to certain parameters, as described elsewhere
in this prospectus, with disputes generally resolved by an independent third party.
We
could be party to litigation or other legal proceedings that could adversely affect our business, results of operations and reputation.
We
may be subject to litigation and other legal proceedings that may adversely affect our business. These legal proceedings may involve
claims brought by employees, government agencies, suppliers, shareholders or others through private actions, class actions, administrative
proceedings, regulatory actions, or other litigation. These legal proceedings may involve allegations of illegal, unfair or inconsistent
employment practices, including wage and hour, employment of minors, discrimination, harassment, wrongful termination, and vacation and
family leave laws; data security or privacy breaches; violation of the federal securities laws or other concerns.
We
could be involved in litigation and legal proceedings in the future. Even if the allegations against us in future legal matters are unfounded
or we ultimately are not held liable, the costs to defend ourselves may be significant and the litigation may subject us to substantial
settlements, fines, penalties or judgments against us and may consume management’s bandwidth and attention, some or all of which
may negatively impact our financial condition and results of operations. Litigation also may generate negative publicity, regardless
of whether the allegations are valid, or we ultimately are liable, which could damage our reputation, and adversely impact our sales
and our relationship with our employees, clients, and guests.
Risks
Related to Product Development and Regulatory Approval
The
regulatory approval process which we may be required to navigate may be expensive, time-consuming, and uncertain and may prevent us from
obtaining clearance for the product launch of the SGT or our any future product.
We
intend to market the SGT following regulatory approval. To date, we have not received regulatory approval in any jurisdiction. The research,
design, testing, manufacturing, labelling, selling, marketing and distribution of medical devices are subject to extensive regulation
by country-specific regulatory authorities, which regulations differ from country to country. There can be no assurance that, even after
such time and expenditures, we will be able to obtain necessary regulatory approvals for clinical testing or for the manufacturing or
marketing of any products. In addition, during the regulatory process, other companies may develop other technologies with the same intended
use as our products. We also will be subject to numerous post-marketing regulatory requirements, which may include labelling regulations
and medical device reporting regulations, which may require us to report to different regulatory agencies if our device causes or contributes
to a death or serious injury, or malfunctions in a way that would likely cause or contribute to a death or serious injury. In addition,
these regulatory requirements may change in the future in a way that adversely affects us. If we fail to comply with present or future
regulatory requirements that are applicable to us, we may be subject to enforcement action by regulatory agencies, which may include,
among others, any of the following sanctions:
●
untitled
letters, warning letters, fines, injunctions, consent decrees and civil penalties;
●
customer
notification, or orders for repair, replacement or refunds;
●
voluntary
or mandatory recall or seizure of our current or future products;
●
imposing
operating restrictions, suspension or shutdown of production;
●
refusing
our requests for clearance or pre-market approval of new products, new intended uses or modifications to the SGT or future products;
●
rescinding
clearance or suspending or withdrawing pre-market approvals that have already been granted; and
●
criminal
prosecution.
The
occurrence of any of these events may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Clinical
data obtained subsequent to the implementation of the clinical evidence module may not meet the required objectives, which could delay,
limit or prevent additional regulatory approval.
There
can be no assurance that we will successfully complete any clinical evaluations necessary to receive regulatory approvals. While preliminary
results have been encouraging and indicative of the potential performance of the SGT, data already obtained, or in the future obtained,
from clinical studies do not necessarily predict the results that will be obtained from later clinical evaluations. The failure to adequately
demonstrate the analytical performance characteristics of the device under development could delay or prevent regulatory approval of
the device, which could prevent or result in delays to market launch and could materially harm our business. There can be no assurance
that we will be able to receive approval for any potential applications of our principal technology, or that we will receive regulatory
clearances from targeted regions or countries.
31
We
may be unable to complete required clinical evaluations, or we may experience significant delays in completing such clinical evaluations,
which could prevent or significantly delay our targeted product launch timeframe and impair our viability and business plan.
The
completion of any future clinical evaluations for the SGT, or other studies that we may be required to undertake in the future for the
SGT or other products based on the Biosensor Platform, could be delayed, suspended or terminated for several reasons, including:
●
we
may fail to or be unable to conduct the clinical evaluation in accordance with regulatory requirements;
●
sites
participating in the trial may drop out of the trial, which may require us to engage new sites for an expansion of the number of
sites that are permitted to be involved in the trial;
●
patients
may not enroll in, remain in or complete, the clinical evaluation at the rates we expect; and
●
clinical
investigators may not perform our clinical evaluation on our anticipated schedule or consistent with the clinical evaluation protocol
and good clinical practices.
If
our clinical evaluations are delayed it will take us longer to ultimately launch the SGT and our other products based on the Biosensor
Platform in the market and generate revenues. Moreover, our development costs will increase if we have material delays in our clinical
evaluation or if we need to perform more or larger clinical evaluations than planned.
We
are subject to the risk of reliance on third parties to conduct our clinical evaluation work, their inability to comply with good clinical
practice and relevant regulation could adversely affect the clinical development of our product candidates and harm our business.
We
will depend on independent clinical investigators to conduct our clinical evaluations. Contract research organizations may also assist
us in the collection and analysis of data. These investigators and contract research organizations will not be our employees and we will
not be able to control, other than by contract, the amount of resources, including time that they devote to products that we develop.
If independent investigators fail to devote sufficient resources to our clinical evaluations, or if their performance is substandard,
it will delay the approval or clearance and ultimately the market launch of any products that we develop. Further, regulatory bodies
require that we comply with standards, commonly referred to as good clinical practice, for conducting, recording and reporting clinical
evaluations to assure that data and reported results are credible and accurate and that the rights, integrity and confidentiality of
trial subjects are protected. If our independent clinical investigators and contract research organizations fail to comply with good
clinical practice, the results of our clinical evaluations could be called into question and the clinical development of our product
candidates could be delayed. Failure of clinical investigators or contract research organizations to meet their obligations to us or
comply with applicable regulations could adversely affect the clinical development of our product candidates and harm our business. Moreover,
we intend to have several clinical evaluations in order to support our marketing efforts and business development purposes. Such clinical
evaluations will be conducted by third parties as well. Failure of such clinical evaluations to meet their primary endpoints could adversely
affect our marketing efforts.
Risks
Related to Our Intellectual Property
We
depend on intellectual property licensed from the Licensor, and any absence of legal effect of the license or dispute over the license
would significantly harm our business.
We
are dependent on the intellectual property licensed from the Licensor. Although the License Agreement may not be terminated by the Licensor
as long as we are continuing our operations, any absence of legal effect of the license could result in the loss of significant rights
and could harm our ability to launch the SGT in the market. Disputes may also arise between us and the Licensor regarding intellectual
property subject to the License Agreement. If disputes over intellectual property that we have licensed prevent or impair our ability
to maintain our current licensing arrangements on acceptable terms, or are insufficient to provide us the necessary rights to use the
intellectual property, we may be unable to successfully develop and launch the SGT and our other product candidates. If we or the Licensor
fail to adequately protect this intellectual property, our ability to launch our products in the market also could suffer. For so long
as we are dependent on the intellectual property covered by the License Agreement for the pursuit of our business, any such disputes
relating to the License Agreement or failure to protect the intellectual property could threaten our viability.
32
We
will depend primarily on the Licensor to file, prosecute, maintain, defend and enforce intellectual property that we license from it
and that is material to our business.
The
intellectual property relating to the COV2T and/or SGT is owned by the Licensor. Under the License Agreement, the Licensor generally
has the right to file, prosecute, maintain and defend the intellectual property we have licensed from the Licensor. If the Licensor fails
to conduct these activities for intellectual property protection covering any of our product candidates, our ability to develop and launch
those product candidates may be adversely affected and we may not be able to prevent competitors from making, using or selling competing
products. In addition, pursuant to the terms of the License Agreement with the Licensor, the Licensor generally has the right to control
the enforcement of our licensed intellectual property and the defense of any claims asserting the invalidity of that intellectual property.
We cannot be certain that the Licensor will allocate sufficient resources to and otherwise prioritize the enforcement of such intellectual
property or the defense of such claims to protect our interests in the licensed intellectual property. In the absence of action by the
Licensor, we may be unable to protect and enforce the proprietary rights on which our business relies. Even if we are not a party to
these legal actions, an adverse outcome could harm our business because it might prevent us from continuing to use the licensed intellectual
property that we need to operate our business. In addition, even if we take control of the prosecution of licensed intellectual property
and related applications, enforcement of licensed intellectual property, or defense of claims asserting the invalidity of that intellectual
property, we may still be adversely affected or prejudiced by actions or inactions of the Licensor and its counsel that took place prior
to or after our assuming control, and we cannot ensure the cooperation of the Licensor in any such action. Furthermore, if we take action
to protect, enforce or defend the licensed intellectual property, we may incur significant costs and the attention of our management
may be diverted from our normal business operations. As a result, our business, results of operations and financial condition could be
materially and adversely affected.
We
and the Licensor may be unable to protect or enforce the intellectual property rights licensed to us, which could impair our competitive
position.
For
our business to be viable and to compete effectively, the proprietary rights with respect to the technologies and intellectual property
used in our products must be developed and maintained. The Licensor relies primarily on patent protection and trade secrets, as well
as a combination of copyright and trademark laws and nondisclosure and confidentiality agreements to protect its technology and intellectual
property rights. There are significant risks associated with the Licensor’s ability (or our ability, in the absence of action by
the Licensor) to protect the intellectual property licensed to us, including:
●
pending
intellectual property applications may not be approved or may take longer than expected to result in approval in one or more of the
countries in which we operate;
●
the
Licensor’s intellectual property rights may not provide meaningful protection;
●
other
companies may challenge the validity or extent of the Licensor’s patents and other proprietary intellectual property rights
through litigation, oppositions and other proceedings. These proceedings can be protracted as well as unpredictable;
●
other
companies may have independently developed (or may in the future independently develop) similar or alternative technologies, may
duplicate the Licensor’s technologies or may design their technologies around the Licensor’s technologies;
●
enforcement
of intellectual property rights is complex, uncertain and expensive, and may be subject to lengthy delays. In the event we take control
of any such action under the License Agreement, our ability to enforce our intellectual property protection could be limited by our
financial resources; and
●
the
other risks described in “— Risks Related to Our Intellectual Property. ”
33
If
any of the Licensor’s patents or other intellectual property rights fail to protect the technology licensed by us, it would make
it easier for our competitors to offer similar products. Any inability on the Licensor’s part (or on our part, in the absence of
action by the Licensor) to adequately protect its intellectual property may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial
condition and results of operations.
We
and/or the Licensor may be subject to claims alleging the violation of the intellectual property rights of others, which could involve
in lawsuits to protect or enforce our intellectual property rights, which could be expensive, time consuming and unsuccessful
We
may face significant expense and liability as a result of litigation or other proceedings relating to intellectual property rights of
others. In the event that another party has intellectual property protection relating to an invention or technology licensed by us from
the Licensor, we and/or the Licensor may be required to participate in an interference proceeding declared by the regulatory authorities
to determine priority of invention, which could result in substantial uncertainties and costs for us, even if the eventual outcome was
favorable to us. We and/or the Licensor also could be required to participate in interference proceedings involving intellectual property
of another entity. An adverse outcome in an interference proceeding could require us and/or the Licensor to cease using the technology,
to substantially modify it or to license rights from prevailing third parties, which could delay or prevent the launch of our products
in the market or adversely affect our profitability. The cost to us of any intellectual property litigation or other proceeding relating
the intellectual property licensed by us from the Licensor, even if resolved in our favor, could be substantial, especially given our
early stage of development. A third party may claim that we and/or the Licensor are using inventions claimed by their intellectual property
and may go to court to stop us and/or the Licensor from engaging in our normal operations and activities, such as research, development
and the sale of any future products. Such lawsuits are expensive and would consume significant time and other resources. There is a risk
that a court will decide that we and/or the Licensor are infringing the third party’s intellectual property and will order us to
stop the activities claimed by the intellectual property. In addition, there is a risk that a court will order us and/or the Licensor
to pay the other party damages for having infringed their intellectual property. While the Licensor is required to indemnify us for certain
losses in connection with such proceedings, there can be no assurance that the Licensor will be able to satisfy any such obligation.
Moreover, there is no guarantee that any prevailing intellectual property owner would offer us a license so that we could continue to
engage in activities claimed by the intellectual property, or that such a license, if made available to us, could be acquired on commercially
acceptable terms.
The
Licensor has limited foreign intellectual property rights and may not be able to protect its intellectual property rights, which could
not prevent third parties from practicing our inventions or from selling or importing products made using our inventions
Our
intellectual property rights consist primarily of intellectual property licensed from the Licensor. The Licensor has determined that
filing, prosecuting and defending intellectual property on devices in all countries globally would be prohibitively expensive, and intellectual
property rights in some countries can be less extensive than those in the United States. In addition, the laws of some foreign countries
do not protect intellectual property to the same extent as laws in the United States. Consequently, we and/or the Licensor may not be
able to prevent third parties from practicing our inventions or from selling or importing products made using our inventions. Competitors
may use our technologies in jurisdictions where we have not obtained intellectual property rights to develop their own products and further,
may export otherwise infringing products to territories where we have intellectual property protection, but enforcement is not as strong
as that in the United States. Policing unauthorized use of proprietary technology is difficult and expensive. The legal systems of certain
countries do not favor the enforcement of trade secrets and other intellectual property, particularly those relating to medical device
products, which could make it difficult for us to stop the infringement of our intellectual property or marketing of competing products
industry of our proprietary rights generally. An adverse determination or an insufficient damage award in any such litigation could
materially impair our intellectual property rights and may otherwise harm our business. In addition, some developing countries in the
APAC Region have compulsory licensing laws under which an intellectual property owner may be compelled to grant licenses to third parties.
In those countries, we and/or the Licensor may have limited remedies if our intellectual property is infringed or if we and/or the Licensor
are compelled to grant a license to a third party, which could materially diminish the value of that intellectual property. Furthermore,
we may not be able to register or otherwise protect the trademark “Glucose Biosensor” in developing countries in the APAC
Region.
34
We
and the Licensor rely on confidentiality agreements that could be breached and may be difficult to enforce, which could result in third
parties using our intellectual property to compete against us.
Although
we believe that we and the Licensor take reasonable steps to protect our intellectual property, including the use of agreements relating
to the non-disclosure of confidential information to third parties, as well as agreements that purport to require the disclosure and
assignment to us of the rights to the ideas, developments, discoveries and inventions of our employees and consultants while we or the
Licensor employ them, the agreements can be difficult and costly to enforce. Although we and the Licensor seek to enter into these types
of agreements with contractors, consultants, advisors and research collaborators, to the extent that employees and consultants utilize
or independently develop intellectual property in connection with any of our projects, disputes may arise as to the intellectual property
rights associated with our technology. If a dispute arises, a court may determine that the right belongs to a third party. In addition,
enforcement of our rights and the rights of the Licensor can be costly and unpredictable. We and the Licensor also rely on trade secrets
and proprietary know-how that we and the Licensor may seek to protect in part by confidentiality agreements with employees, contractors,
consultants, advisors or others. Despite the protective measures we employ, we and the Licensor still face the risk that:
●
these
agreements may be breached;
●
these
agreements may not provide adequate remedies for the applicable type of breach;
●
our
proprietary know-how will otherwise become known; or
●
our
competitors will independently develop similar technology or proprietary information.
We
and the Licensor may be subject to claims challenging the invention of the intellectual property that we license from the Licensor.
We
and the Licensor may be subject to claims that former employees, collaborators or other third parties have an interest in intellectual
property as an inventor or co-inventor. For example, we and the Licensor may have inventorship disputes arising from conflicting obligations
of consultants or others who are involved in developing our product candidates. Litigation may be necessary to defend against these and
other claims challenging inventorship. If we and the Licensor fail in defending any such claims, in addition to paying monetary damages,
we and the Licensor may lose valuable intellectual property rights, such as exclusive ownership of, or right to use, valuable intellectual
property. Such an outcome could have a material adverse effect on our business. Even if we are successful in defending against such claims,
litigation could result in substantial costs and be a distraction to management and other employees. As a result, it is unclear whether
and, if so, to what extent employees of ours and the Licensor may be able to claim compensation with respect to our future revenue. We
may receive less revenue from future products if any of employees of the Licensor or us successfully claim compensation for their work
in developing our intellectual property, which in turn could impact our future profitability.
Risks
Related to Our Industry
We
face intense competition in the self-monitoring of glucose market, particularly blood-based products, and as a result we may be unable
to effectively compete in our industry.
With
our second product from the platform, the SGT, we expect to compete directly and primarily with large medical device companies, as well
as with second and third tier companies having various levels of sophistication and resources. The large companies have most of the glucose
monitoring business and strong research and development capacity. Their dominant market position over the last few decades and significant
control over markets could significantly limit our ability to introduce the SGT or effectively market and generate sales of the product.
We have not yet entered the revenue stage and most of our competitors have long histories and strong reputations within the industry.
They have significantly greater brand recognition, financial and human resources than we do. They also have more experience and capabilities
in researching and developing testing devices, obtaining and maintaining regulatory clearances and other requirements, manufacturing
and marketing those products than we do. There is a significant risk that we may be unable to overcome the advantages held by our competition,
and our inability to do so could lead to the failure of our business. Competition in the glucose monitoring markets is intense, which
can lead to, among other things, price reductions, longer selling cycles, lower product margins, loss of market share and additional
working capital requirements. To succeed, we must, among other critical matters, gain consumer acceptance for the SGT, technical solutions,
prices and response time, or a combination of these factors, other than those of other competitors. If our competitors offer significant
discounts on certain products, we may need to lower our prices or offer other favorable terms in order to compete successfully. Moreover,
any broad-based changes to our prices and pricing policies could make it difficult to generate revenues or cause our revenues, if established,
to decline. Moreover, if our competitors develop and commercialize products that are more desirable than the SGT or the other products
that we may develop, we may not convince customers to use our products. Any such changes would likely reduce our commercial opportunity
and revenue potential and could materially adversely impact our operating results.
35
If
we or the Licensor fail to respond quickly to technological developments, our products may become uncompetitive and obsolete.
The
glucose monitoring market may experience rapid technology developments, changes in industry standards, changes in customer requirements
and frequent new product introductions and improvements. If we or the Licensor are unable to respond to these developments, we may lose
competitive position, and the SGT or any other device or technology may become uncompetitive or obsolete, causing our business and prospects
to suffer. In order to compete, we and the Licensor may have to develop, license or acquire new technology on a schedule that keeps pace
with technological developments and the requirements for products addressing a broad spectrum and designers and designer expertise in
our industries.
We
are susceptible to economic conditions and conducting operations in the Asia Pacific Region
General
economic conditions in APAC and China have an impact on our business and financial results. Weak economic conditions or softness in the
consumer or business demand in APAC and China could result in lower demand for our services, which would likely have an adverse impact
on our earnings and cash flows. Economic rebalancing policies recently adopted by the Chinese government have had a positive effect on
the economic development of the country, but the government can change these economic reforms or any of the legal systems at any time.
This could either benefit or damage our operations and profitability.
The
medical device and other medical product industries in the APAC Region generally are highly regulated and such regulations are subject
to change.
The
medical device and other medical product industries in the APAC Region generally are subject to comprehensive government regulation and
supervision, encompassing the approval, registration, manufacturing, packaging, licensing and marketing of new products. In addition,
the regulatory frameworks in the APAC Region regarding our industry are subject to change. Any such changes may result in increased compliance
costs on our business or cause delays in or prevent the successful development or launch of our product candidates in the APAC Region.
The regulatory authorities in the countries and territories constituting the APAC Region also may launch investigations of individual
companies or on an industry-wide basis. The costs and time necessary to respond to an investigation can be material. Any failure by us
or our partners to maintain compliance with applicable laws and regulations or obtain and maintain required licenses and permits may
result in the suspension or termination of our business activities in certain countries and territories in the APAC Region or in the
region as a whole.
Fluctuation
in the value of foreign currencies may have a material adverse effect on your investment.
A
substantial portion of our revenues and costs may be denominated in foreign currencies, such as the Australian Dollar or Japanese Yen.
Any significant change in value of these foreign currencies against the U.S. dollar may materially affect our cash flows, net revenues,
earnings and financial position, and the value of, and any dividends payable on, our common stock in U.S. dollars. For example, an appreciation
of any such foreign currency against the U.S. dollar would make any new investments or expenditures denominated in the foreign currency
costlier to us, to the extent that we need to convert U.S. dollars into the foreign currency for such purposes. Conversely, a significant
depreciation of any such foreign currency against the U.S. dollar may significantly reduce the U.S. dollar equivalent of our earnings,
which in turn could adversely affect the price of our common stock. If we decide to convert any such foreign currency into U.S. dollars
for the purpose of making payments for dividends on our common stock, strategic acquisitions or investments or other business purposes,
appreciation of the U.S. dollar against the foreign currency would have a negative effect on the U.S. dollar amount available to us.
We do not expect to hedge against the risks associated with fluctuations in exchange rates and, therefore, exchange rate fluctuations
could have an adverse impact on our future operating results. As a result, fluctuations in exchange rates may have a material adverse
effect on your investment.
36
We
may be subject to tax inefficiencies and have not ascertained the impact on us of the new United States tax laws.
The
tax regulations of the United States and other jurisdictions in which we operate are extremely complex and subject to change. New laws,
new interpretations of existing laws, such as the Base Erosion Profit Shifting project initiated by the Organization for Economic Co-operation
and Development and any legislation proposed by the relevant taxing authorities, or limitations on our ability to structure our operations
and intercompany transactions may lead to inefficient tax treatment of our revenue, profits, royalties and distributions, if any are
achieved. In the United States, in December 2017, comprehensive tax reform was enacted. We have not yet ascertained what impact the new
law will have on our future effective tax rate, corporate structure and us in general. In addition, we and our foreign subsidiaries will
have various intercompany transactions. We may not be able to obtain certain benefits under relevant tax treaties to avoid double taxation
on certain transactions among our subsidiaries. If we are not able to avail ourselves of the tax treaties, we could be subject to additional
taxes, which could adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.
We
are subject to laws and regulations governing business conduct, which will require us to develop and implement costly compliance programs.
We
must comply with a wide range of laws and regulations to prevent corruption, bribery, and other unethical business practices, including
the FCPA, anti-bribery and anti-corruption laws in other countries. The creation and implementation of international business practices
compliance programs is costly and such programs are difficult to enforce, particularly where reliance on third parties is required. Anti-bribery
laws prohibit us, our employees, and some of our agents or representatives from offering or providing any personal benefit to covered
government officials to influence their performance of their duties or induce them to serve interests other than the missions of the
public organizations in which they serve. Certain commercial bribery rules also prohibit offering or providing any personal benefit to
employees and representatives of commercial companies to influence their performance of their duties or induce them to serve interests
other than their employers. The FCPA also obligates companies whose securities are listed in the United States to comply with certain
accounting provisions requiring us to maintain books and records that accurately and fairly reflect all transactions of the corporation,
including international subsidiaries, and devise and maintain an adequate system of internal accounting controls for international operations.
The anti-bribery provisions of the FCPA are enforced primarily by the Department of Justice. The SEC is involved with enforcement of
the books and records provisions of the FCPA. Compliance with these anti-bribery laws is expensive and difficult, particularly in countries
in which corruption is a recognized problem. In addition, the anti-bribery laws present particular challenges in the medical products
industries because in many countries, a majority of hospitals are state-owned or operated by the government, and doctors and other hospital
employees are considered civil servants. Furthermore, in certain countries, hospitals and clinics are permitted to sell medical devices
to their patients and are primary or significant distributors of medical devices. Certain payments to hospitals in connection with clinical
studies, procurement of medical devices and other work have been deemed to be improper payments to government officials that have led
to vigorous anti-bribery law enforcement actions and heavy fines in multiple jurisdictions, particularly in the United States and China.
It is not always possible to identify and deter violations, and the precautions we take to detect and prevent this activity may not be
effective in controlling unknown or unmanaged risks or losses or in protecting us from governmental investigations or other actions or
lawsuits stemming from a failure to be in compliance with such laws or regulations. In the medical products industries, corrupt practices
include, among others, acceptance of kickbacks, bribes or other illegal gains or benefits by the hospitals and medical practitioners
from medical device manufacturers, distributors or their third-party agents in connection with the prescription of certain medical devices
or disposables. If our employees, affiliates, distributors or third-party marketing firms violate these laws or otherwise engage in illegal
practices with respect to their sales or marketing of our products or other activities involving our products, we could be required to
pay damages or heavy fines by multiple jurisdictions where we operate, which could materially and adversely affect our financial condition
and results of operations. Our potential customers also may deny access to sales representatives from medical device companies because
the potential customers want to avoid the perception of corruption, which could adversely affect our ability to promote our products.
As we expand our operations in the APAC Region, we will need to increase the scope of our compliance programs to address the risks relating
to the potential for violations of the FCPA and other anti-bribery and anti-corruption laws. Our compliance programs will need to include
policies addressing not only the FCPA, but also the provisions of a variety of anti-bribery and anti-corruption laws in multiple jurisdictions,
including provisions relating to books and records that apply to us as a public company, and will need to include effective training
for our personnel throughout our organization. The creation and implementation of anti-corruption compliance programs is costly and such
programs are difficult to enforce, particularly where reliance on third parties is required. Violation of the FCPA and other anti-corruption
laws can result in significant administrative and criminal penalties for us and our employees, including substantial fines, suspension
or debarment from government contracting, prison sentences, or even the death penalty in extremely serious cases in certain countries.
The SEC also may suspend or bar us from trading securities on United States exchanges for violation of the FCPA’s accounting provisions.
Even if we are not ultimately punished by government authorities, the costs of investigation and review, distraction of company personnel,
legal defense costs, and harm to our reputation could be substantial and could limit our profitability or our ability to develop or launch
our product candidates. In addition, if any of our competitors are not subject to the FCPA, they may engage in practices that will lead
to their receipt of preferential treatment from potential customers and enable them to secure business from potential customers in ways
that are unavailable to us.
37
Changes
in the economic, political or social conditions or government policies in the APAC Region could have a material adverse effect on our
business and operations.
The
economies and societies of certain countries and territories in the APAC Region, continue to undergo significant change. Adverse changes
in the political and economic policies in these countries and territories could have a material adverse effect on the overall economic
growth of these countries and territories, which could adversely affect our ability to conduct business in these countries and territories.
The governments of these countries and territories continue to adjust economic policies to promote economic growth. Some of these measures
may benefit the overall economy, but may also have a negative effect on us. As the medical product industry grows and evolves in these
countries and territories, the governments may also implement measures to change the structure of foreign investment in this industry.
We are unable to predict any such policy changes, any of which could materially and adversely affect our ability to finance or conduct
our business in these countries and territories. Any failure on our part to comply with changing government regulations and policies
could result in the loss of our ability to develop and launch our product candidates in these countries and territories.
Our
customers for the Saliva Glucose Test initially may be concentrated in China; in which case we may be susceptible to risks specifically
associated with business activities in China.
On
May 1, 2020, our Licensor, LSBD (Life Science Biosensor Diagnostics Pty Ltd), filed a submission with the FDA for the Saliva Glucose
Biosensor Diagnostic Test, currently in development as a point-of-care test intended to replace blood glucose testing for diabetes
management. Following the 513(g) submission to the FDA (Submitted May 1, 2020), it was determined that the Company could seek the De
Novo application pathway for the Saliva Glucose Biosensor Diagnostic Test, we were appointed an expert contact person, Acting Branch
Chief from the Diabetes Diagnostic Devices Branch. We have further commenced planning discussions with the FDA Office of In Vitro
Diagnostics and Radiological Health and the Office of Product Evaluation and Quality pertaining to the clinical development and
study plan of the Saliva Glucose Biosensor. LSBD have completed the supplier evaluation process and identified a suitable partner to
implement the clinical plan once approved by the FDA. We expect to leverage synergies from the approval process with the FDA within
the Asia Pacific region, where China has the highest number of people with diabetes. We will first seek regulatory approval for the
SGT with the NMPA of China and also other regulatory agencies that serve as reference regulators, such as the FDA, the European CE
approval bodies and the Japanese regulatory bodies. To the extent we have operations in China and our customers initially are
concentrated in China, we may be subject to additional risks specific to China that companies do not generally face if they operate
primarily outside of China. These risks and uncertainties include:
●
the
Ministry of Commerce in China or its local counterpart must approve the amount and use of any capital contributions from us to our
Chinese subsidiary, which may inhibit our ability to contribute additional capital to fund our Chinese operations;
38
●
the
Chinese government imposes controls on the convertibility of the Renminbi into foreign currencies and the remittance of foreign currency
out of China for certain transactions, which may restrict the ability of our operating subsidiary in China to remit sufficient foreign
currency to pay dividends or other payments to us;
●
the
legal system of China is a civil law system that continues to rapidly evolve, and the laws, regulations and rules are not always
uniformly interpreted or enforced, which may limit legal protections available to us;
●
our
operations in China subject us to various Chinese labor and social insurance laws, and any failure to comply with such laws could
subject us to late fees, fines and penalties, or cause the suspension or termination of our ability to conduct business in China;
and
●
failure
to make adequate contributions to various employee benefit plans as required by Chinese regulations may subject us to penalties.
In
the event that we are unable to manage the complications associated with operations in China, our results of operations, financial condition
and business prospects could be materially and adversely affected.
Risks
Related to the Ownership of Our Common Stock
We
may not be able to satisfy the continued listing requirements of the NASDAQ Capital Market in order to maintain the listing of our common
stock.
On
March 17, 2022, GBS Inc. (the “Company”) received a letter (the “Notice”) from the Listing Qualifications Department
of The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (“Nasdaq”) notifying the Company that the minimum closing bid price per share for its common
stock was below $1.00 for 30 consecutive business days preceding the date of the Notice, and that the Company did not meet the $1.00
per share minimum bid price requirement set forth in Nasdaq Listing Rule 5450(a)(1).
The
Notice has no immediate effect on the listing or trading of the Company’s common stock on the Nasdaq Capital
Market.
Pursuant
to Nasdaq Listing Rule 5810I(3)(A), the Company has a compliance period of 180 calendar days, or until September 13, 2022 (the “Compliance
Period”), to regain compliance with Nasdaq’s minimum bid price requirement. If at any time during the Compliance Period,
the closing bid price per share of the Company’s common stock is at least $1.00 for a minimum of 10 consecutive business days,
Nasdaq will provide the Company a written confirmation of compliance and the matter will be closed.
On
September 8, 2022, the Company filed second 180-day period within which to evidence compliance with the $1.00 bid price requirement following
the expiration of the current compliance period on September 13, 2022. No further extension has been granted by NASDAQ as at the date
of this report.
As part of its review process, Nasdaq will make a determination of whether it believes the Company will be
able to cure the deficiency. If Nasdaq concludes that the Company will not be able to cure the deficiency, or if the Company determine
not to submit a transfer application or make the required representation, Nasdaq will provide notice that the Company’s securities
will be subject to delisting. If the Company chooses to implement a reverse stock split, it must complete the split no later than ten
business days prior to the expiration of the second compliance period.
39
The
market price of our common stock may be significantly volatile.
The
market price for our common stock may be significantly volatile and subject to wide fluctuations in response to factors including the
following:
●
developments
prior to commercial sales relating to regulatory approval, manufacturing and distribution of our products;
●
actual
or anticipated fluctuations in our quarterly or annual operating results;
●
changes
in financial or operational estimates or projections;
●
conditions
in markets generally;
●
changes
in the economic performance or market valuations of companies similar to ours; and
●
general
economic or political conditions in the United States or elsewhere.
In
particular, the market prices for securities of medical device companies have historically been particularly volatile. Some of the factors
that may cause the market price of our common stock to fluctuate include:
●
any
delay in or the results of our clinical evaluations;
●
any
delay in manufacturing of our products;
●
any
delay with the approval for reimbursement for the patients from their insurance companies;
●
our
failure to comply with regulatory requirements;
●
the
announcements of clinical evaluation data, and the investment community’s perception of and reaction to those data;
●
the
results of clinical evaluations conducted by others on products that would compete with ours;
●
any
delay or failure to receive clearance or approval from regulatory agencies or bodies;
●
our
inability to commercially launch products or market and generate sales of our products, including the SGT;
●
failure
of the SGT or any other products, even if approved for marketing, to achieve any level of commercial success;
●
our
failure to obtain intellectual property protection for any of our technologies and products (including those related to the SGT)
or the issuance of third-party intellectual property that cover our proposed technologies or products;
●
developments
or disputes concerning our product’s intellectual property rights;
●
our
or our competitors’ technological innovations;
●
general
and industry-specific economic conditions that may affect our expenditures;
●
changes
in market valuations of similar companies;
●
announcements
by us or our competitors of significant contracts, acquisitions, strategic partnerships, joint ventures, capital commitments, new
technologies, or intellectual property;
●
failure
to adequately manufacture the SGT or any other products through third parties;
●
future
sales of our common stock or other securities, including shares issuable upon the exercise of outstanding warrants or otherwise issued
pursuant to certain contractual rights;
40
●
period-to-period
fluctuations in our financial results; and
●
low
or high trading volume of our common stock due to many factors, including the terms of our financing arrangements.
In
addition, if we fail to reach an important research, development or commercialization milestone or result by a publicly expected deadline,
even if by only a small margin, there could be significant impact on the market price of our common stock. Additionally, as we approach
the announcement of anticipated significant information and as we announce such information, we expect the price of our common stock
to be volatile and negative results would have a substantial negative impact on the price of our common stock. In some cases, following
periods of volatility in the market price of a company’s securities, stockholders have often instituted class action securities
litigation against those companies. Such litigation, if instituted, could result in substantial costs and diversion of management attention
and resources, which could significantly harm our business operations and reputation.
We
are obligated to develop and maintain a system of effective internal control over financial reporting. We may not complete our analysis
of our internal control over financial reporting in a timely manner, or these internal controls may not be determined to be effective,
which may harm investor confidence in our company and, as a result, the value of our common stock.
We
will be required, pursuant to Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, to furnish a report by management on, among other things, the effectiveness
of our internal control over financial reporting. This assessment will need to include disclosure of any material weaknesses identified
by our management in our internal control over financial reporting. However, our auditors will not be required to formally attest to
the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting pursuant to Section 404 until we are no longer an “emerging
growth company” as defined in the JOBS Act, if we take advantage of the exemptions available to us through the JOBS Act. Even after
we cease to be an “emerging growth company,” our auditors will not be required to formally attest to the effectiveness of
our internal control over financial reporting unless we are an accelerated filer or a large accelerated filer (as defined under the Exchange
Act). We are in the very early stages of the costly and challenging process of compiling the system and process documentation necessary
to perform the evaluation needed to comply with Section 404. In this regard, we will need to continue to dedicate internal resources,
engage outside consultants and adopt a detailed work plan to assess and document the adequacy of internal control over financial reporting,
continue steps to improve control processes as appropriate, validate through testing that controls are functioning as documented and
implement a continuous reporting and improvement process for internal control over financial reporting. As we transition to the requirements
of reporting as a public company, we may need to add additional finance staff. We may not be able to complete our evaluation and testing
in a timely fashion. During the evaluation and testing process, if we identify one or more material weaknesses in our internal control
over financial reporting, we will be unable to assert that our internal controls are effective. We may not be able to remediate any material
weaknesses in a timely fashion. If we are unable to complete our evaluation and testing, or if we are unable to assert that our internal
control over financial reporting is effective, particularly if we have been unable to remediate any material weaknesses identified, or
if or our auditors, when required to do so, are unable to express an opinion that our internal controls are effective, investors could
lose confidence in the accuracy and completeness of our financial reports, which could harm our stock price.
We
are an emerging growth company and currently have limited accounting personnel and other supervisory resources. This can result in lack
of necessary resources to adequately execute its accounting processes and address its internal controls over financial reporting requirements .
The
Company is an emerging growth company which completed the IPO in December 2020. Prior to the IPO, the Company was a private corporation
with limited accounting personnel and other supervisory resources necessary to adequately execute its accounting processes and address
its internal controls over financial reporting requirements. As a result, previously existing internal controls are no longer sufficient,
and the Company is in the process of updating these controls. The design and implementation of internal control over financial reporting
for the Company’s post-IPO has required and will continue to require significant time and resources from management and other personnel.
41
As
part of this updating process, our management identified a material weakness in its internal control over financial reporting. A material
weakness is a deficiency, or combination of deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting, such that there is a reasonable
possibility that a material misstatement of our annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely
basis. The material weakness identified relates to the fact that the Company has not yet designed and maintained an effective control
environment commensurate with its financial reporting requirements, including a) has not yet completed the formally documented policies
and procedures with respect to the review, supervision and monitoring of the Company’s accounting and reporting functions and b)
lack of evidence to support the performance of controls and the adequacy of review procedures, including the completeness and accuracy
of information used in the performance of controls.
We
will incur increased costs as a result of operating as a public company and our management will be required to devote substantial time
to new compliance initiatives and corporate governance practices. Moreover, our ability to comply with all applicable laws, rules and
regulations is uncertain given our management’s relative inexperience with operating United States public companies.
As
a public company, and particularly after we are no longer an “emerging growth company,” we will incur significant legal,
accounting and other expenses that we did not incur as a private company. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and
Consumer Protection Act of 2010, the listing requirements of the NASDAQ Capital Market and other applicable securities rules and regulations
impose various requirements on public companies. Our management and other personnel will need to devote a substantial amount of time
to compliance with these requirements. Moreover, these rules and regulations will increase our legal and financial compliance costs and
will make some activities more time-consuming and costly. For example, we expect that these rules and regulations may make it more difficult
and more expensive for us to obtain directors’ and officers’ liability insurance, which could make it more difficult for
us to attract and retain qualified members of our board of directors. Furthermore, new or changing laws, regulations and standards are
subject to varying interpretations in many cases due to their lack of specificity, and, as a result, their application in practice may
evolve over time as new guidance is provided by regulatory and governing bodies, which could result in continuing uncertainty regarding
compliance matters and higher costs necessitated by ongoing revisions to disclosure and governance practices. We cannot predict or estimate
the amount of additional costs we will incur as a public company or the timing of such costs. Moreover, our executive officers have little
experience in operating a United States public company, which makes our ability to comply with applicable laws, rules and regulations
uncertain. Our failure to company with all laws, rules and regulations applicable to United States public companies could subject us
or our management to regulatory scrutiny or sanction, which could harm our reputation and stock price.
Risks
Relating to Our Potential Acquisition of Intelligent Fingerprinting Limited
Completion
of the acquisition, the failure to complete the acquisition and delays completing the acquisition could adversely affect the market price
of our common stock.
Failure
by the Company to complete an acquisition of Intelligent Fingerprinting Limited (“IFP”) would prevent us from realizing the
anticipated benefits of the acquisition. We would also remain liable for significant transaction costs, including legal,
accounting and financial advisory fees. The completion of, the failure to complete, or any delay in the completion of any
such acquisition could result in a significant adverse change in the market price of our common stock, particularly to the extent that
the current market price reflects a market assumption that the potential acquisition will be completed.
We
will incur transaction, integration and restructuring costs in connection with the proposed acquisition.
We
expect to incur significant transaction costs in connection with the potential acquisition, including fees of our attorneys, accountants
and financial advisors. In addition, we will incur integration and restructuring costs following the completion of the acquisition,
if it is consummated, as we integrate the businesses of IFP with those of the Company.
Our
Licensor is undergoing equity recapitalization the outcome with which could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition
and operating results.
We
are party to a Technology License Agreement (the “Technology License Agreement”) with Life Science Biosensor Diagnostics
Pty Ltd. (“LSBD”), pursuant to which, among other things, the Company licenses certain products from LSBD (the “Licensed
Products”), and an option agreement with LSBD and BiosensX (North America) Inc., pursuant to which, among other things, LSBD granted
to the Company an exclusive option (the “Option”) to purchase an exclusive license to use, make, sell and offer to sell products
under the intellectual property rights in connection with the Biosensor technology the glucose/diabetes management field in the United
States, Mexico and Canada. See exhibits 10.2, exhibits 10.3, exhibits 9, 5– Technology License Agreements for a description of
the Technology License Agreement, the Licensed Products, and the Option. According to the Australian Securities and Investment Commission’s
(ASIC’s), Companies and Organizations Register, on May 10, 2022, LSBD filed a Notice of Appointment of External Administrator,
followed by a filing of a Deed of Company Arrangement on the August 2, 2022. Pursuant this filing we understand that LSBD is proposing
to undergo a recapitalization of its equity structure on or before October 2, 2022. The terms of such recapitalization or other outcome
of such administration of LSBD could result in, among other things, change in control of the Licensor or more parties other than LSBD
becoming the owner of the Intellectual Property (IP) rights. Accordingly, this has an inherent risk of the possibility of modifications
to, or the Company’s ability to use, the Licensed Products, which could materially and adversely affect the Company’s business,
financial condition and operating results.
Our
independent registered public accounting firm has included an explanatory paragraph relating to our ability to continue as a going concern
in its report on our audited financial statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
The
report from our independent registered public accounting firm for the year ended June 30, 2022, includes an explanatory paragraph stating
that our losses from operations and required additional funding to finance our operations raise substantial doubt about our ability to
continue as a going concern for a period of one year after the date the financial statements are issued. See Note 2 to our consolidated
financial statements appearing elsewhere in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for additional information on our assessment. If we are unable
to obtain sufficient funding, our business, prospects, financial condition and results of operations will be materially and adversely
affected, and we may be unable to continue as a going concern. If we are unable to continue as a going concern, we may have to liquidate
our assets and may receive less than the value at which those assets are carried on our audited financial statements, and it is likely
that investors will lose all or a part of their investment. If we seek additional financing to fund our business activities in the future
and there remains substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern, investors or other financing sources may be unwilling
to provide additional funding to us on commercially reasonable terms or at all. There can be no assurance that the current operating
plan will be achieved in the time frame anticipated by us, or that our cash resources will fund our operating plan for the period anticipated
by the Company or that additional funding will be available on terms acceptable to us, or at all.
ITEM
1B. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS.
None.
ITEM
2. PROPERTIES.
Effective
August 1, 2022, we moved our principal executive office from 420 Lexington Ave, New York, NY, 10170 to WeWork c/o GBS Inc., 142
West, 57 th Street, 11 th Floor, New York, NY 10019, where we lease approximately 500 square feet of office space
pursuant to a monthly lease.
We
believe that we have adequate space for our anticipated needs and that suitable additional space will be available at commercially reasonable
prices as needed.
ITEM
3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS.
From
time to time, we may be subject to legal proceedings and claims arising in the ordinary course of business. We are not currently engaged
in any material legal proceedings.
42
ITEM
4. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES.
Not
applicable.
PART
II
ITEM
5. MARKET FOR REGISTRANT’S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED SHAREHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES.
Market
Information
Our
common stock is traded on The Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “GBS”.
Holders
As
of September 21, 2022, there were approximately 382 holders of record of our common stock. As many of our shares of common stock are held
by brokers or other institutions on behalf of shareholders, we are unable to estimate the total number of individual shareholders represented
by the record holders.
Dividends
We
have not paid any dividends on our common stock to date and we currently expect that, for the foreseeable future, all earnings (if any)
will be retained for the development of our business and no dividends will be declared or paid. In the future, our Board of Directors
may decide, at their discretion, whether dividends may be declared and paid, taking into consideration, among other things, our earnings
(if any), operating results, financial condition and capital requirements, general business conditions and other pertinent facts, including
restrictions imposed by foreign jurisdictions on paying dividends or making other payments to us.
Stock
Performance Graph
We
are a smaller reporting company as defined by Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act and are not required to provide the information otherwise
required under this item.
Recent
Sales of Unregistered Securities
None.
Purchase
of Our Equity Securities
None.
Securities
Authorized for Issuance Under Equity Compensation Plans
See
Item 12. “ Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management Related Stockholders Matters ” for information
with respect to our compensation plans under which equity securities are authorized for issuance.
ITEM
6. RESERVED
ITEM
7. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS.
In
addition to historical information, this discussion contains forward-looking statements based upon management’s current expectations
that are subject to risks and uncertainties which may cause our actual results to differ materially from plans and results discussed
herein. We encourage you to review the risks and uncertainties discussed in the sections entitled Item 1A. “Risk Factors”
and “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” included at the beginning of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
43
We
caution readers not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements made by us, which speak only as of the date they are made.
In addition, statements that “we believe” and similar statements reflect our beliefs and opinions on the relevant subject.
These statements are based upon information available to us as of the date of this report, and while we believe such information forms
a reasonable basis for such. We disclaim any obligation, except as specifically required by law and the rules of the SEC, to publicly
update or revise any such statements to reflect any change in our expectations or in events, conditions or circumstances on which any
such statements may be based, or that may affect the likelihood that actual results will differ from those set forth in the forward-looking
statements.
Overview
We are a biosensor diagnostic technology company operating across the Asia-Pacific Region (“APAC”) Region and an interest
in the North America region with the biosensor platform comprising of biochemistry, immunology, tumor markers, hormones, and nucleic acid
diagnostic modalities, and worldwide with our COV2 test. We were incorporated under the laws of Delaware on December 5, 2016. Our headquarters
are located in New York, New York. Our headquarter is in New York. We were formed to provide a non-invasive,
pain free innovation to make it easier for people to manage diabetes using the Company’s Saliva Glucose Biosensor (“SGB”
and, together with the software app that interfaces the SGB with the Company’s digital information system, the “SGT”)
Life
Science Biosensor Diagnostics Pty Ltd (“LSBD” or Licensor) is an Australian company that owns the worldwide intellectual
property rights to the biosensor platform from University of Newcastle, Australia. LSBD has licensed to us that technology for us to
introduce and launch the platform in the APAC Region. We will commence this process with the SGT.
Our
objective is to introduce and launch SGB, our diagnostic tests that stem from the Biosensor Platform that we license, in the APAC Region.
In the next four years we intend on developing the platform to its full capacity testing across the following diagnostic modalities:
immunology, hormones, chemistry, tumor markers and nucleic acid tests.
We
believe that the COVID-19 pandemic is likely to remain with us for many years. Development of an improved antibody assays to detect prior
infection with SARS-CoV-2 has been identified as one of the top unmet needs in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic response. Precise knowledge
of SARS-CoV-2 infection at the individual level can potentially inform clinical decision-making, whereas at the population level, precise
knowledge of prior infection, immunity, and attack rates (particularly asymptomatic infection) is needed to prioritize risk management
decision-making about social distancing, treatments, and vaccination. If saliva can support measurements of both the presence of SARS-CoV-2
RNA26-28 as well as antibodies against SARS-CoV-2, this sample type could provide an important opportunity to monitor individual and
population-level SARS-CoV-2 transmission, infection, and immunity dynamics over place and time.
We
anticipate there to be 3 different applications for the foreseeable future:
1.
Population
Screening - SARS-CoV-2 antibody testing is urgently needed to estimate the incidence and prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection at the
general population level. Precise knowledge of population immunity could allow government bodies to make informed decisions about
how and when to relax stay-at-home directives and to reopen the economy.
2.
Diagnosis
– The COV2 Biosensor test can be used as a complement to the (RNA) virus detection tests for patients presenting late after
symptoms onset to healthcare facilities and where virus detection tests are negative despite strong indications of infection. In
addition, they can potentially be used for informing the decision on discharge of patients who recovered from SARS-CoV-2 infection
but remain RNA-positive by RT-PCR for a long time after symptoms have subsided. The degree of protective immunity conferred by or
correlated with the antibodies detected in subjects with past SARS-CoV-2 infection is still under investigation. Once this is clarified,
the SARS-CoV-2 antibody tests could be, together with the (RNA) direct virus detection, an essential tool in de-escalation strategies.
Currently antibody tests are used for sero-epidemiological surveys and studies.
3.
Post
vaccination screening - To assess the degree of the elicited potent antigen-specific antibody responses, to COVID-19 vaccines when
developed and administered to humans.
44
Based
on a recent paper publicly available and authored by the team at Johns Hopkins Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Bloomberg
School of Public Health, results indicate it is feasible to accurately measure the salivary IgG response to identify individuals with
a prior SARS-CoV-2 infection. A saliva-based approach could serve as a non-invasive approach for accurate and large-scale SARS-CoV-2
“sero”-surveillance.
A
saliva antibody test can greatly increase the scale of testing—particularly among susceptible populations—compared to blood
and could clarify population immunity and susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2. The team at John Hopkins further demonstrated in the laboratory
that when saliva was collected ≥10 days post symptom onset, the anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG assay detects SARS-CoV-2 infection with 100% sensitivity
and 99% specificity. In addition, the team demonstrated that the temporal kinetics of SARS CoV-2-specific IgG responses in saliva are
consistent with those observed in serum and indicate that most individuals seroconvert approximately 10 days after COVID-19 symptom onset
or approximately two weeks post-presumed infection.
By
utilizing the biosensor platform for detecting SARS-CoV-2 we expect to have lower detection limits, improve on sensitivity and specificity
characteristics of current diagnostic methods, be able to provide real time results at the point of care and provide quantitative results
as opposed to negative or positive which is how other POCT report the results.
Accurate
and scalable point-of-care (POC) tests for the diagnosis of COVID-19 would increase the scope for diagnosis to be made in the community
and outside the laboratory setting They would have the potential to reduce the time to obtaining an actionable result, could support
early identification of those with COVID-19 and could also support appropriate use of isolation resources, infection control measures,
and recruitment into clinical trials of treatments.
We
are progressing with the milestone of integrating Harvard University’s technology with our biosensor applications for SARS-Cov-2
antibody test for COVID-19 by entering on January 5, 2021, into a Research Collaboration Agreement with Harvard College for the purposes
of facilitating mutual collaboration in scientific research in connection with the Company’s non-exclusive royalty free license
to combat COVID-19 coronavirus. The contemplated collaboration includes research teams from the Company and Harvard and will include,
among others, exchange of materials and research data.
Our
Company has not generated any revenues to date. As such, the Company is subject to all of the risks associated with emerging growth companies.
Since inception, the Company has incurred losses and negative cash flows from operating activities. The Company does not expect to generate
positive cash flows from operating activities in the near future until such time, if at all, the Company completes the development process
of its products, including regulatory approvals, and thereafter, begins to commercialize and achieve substantial acceptance in the marketplace
for the first of a series of products in its medical device portfolio.
Recent
Developments
On
June 16, 2022, the Company executed an agreement with Intelligent Fingerprinting Limited (“IFP”),
providing the Company with the exclusive right until December 31, 2022 (subject to IFP’s right to terminate the agreement early
after August 31, 2022), to evaluate and negotiate a transaction to acquire IFP or its assets (or a similar transaction). In consideration
for this exclusivity, on June 16, 2022, the Company entered into a Bridge Facility Agreement with IFP (the “Bridge Facility Agreement”)
through which the Company has provided IFP with an unsecured term loan facility in the amount of $500,000 (the “Loan”),
which amount is payable on the earliest of the consummation of an acquisition, 30 days following the termination of exclusivity under
the exclusivity agreement, an event of default under the Bridge Facility Agreement, or December 31, 2022. The Loan contains customary
representations and warranties by IFP and bears interest at two percent per annum (or four percent per annum in the event the Loan is
not repaid in full when due) above the Sterling Barclays Bank Base Rate from time to time.
Since
completion of the initial public offering in December 2020, Series A and Series B warrants held by certain shareholders were exercised.
Each warrant is convertible into 1 share of the Company’s common stock. A total of 59,800 Series A warrants and 1,408,777 Series
B warrants were exercised and converted into common stock. In addition to this, a total of 1,300,000 Series B Convertible Preferred Stock
was converted into common stock. Each share of Series B Convertible Preferred Stock is convertible into 1 share of the Company’s
common stock as described in the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1, File No. 333-242277 with the U.S. Securities and
Exchange Commission .
45
Point-of-Care
Test Commercialization Ecosystem Established
●
Received
approval from the Harvard Longwood campus Institutional Review Board (IRB) to commence a study to test clinical samples from a COVID-19
repository and to commence clinical studies on the COVID-19 Antibody Biosensor;
●
Onboarded
and aligned with word-class institutions, Johns Hopkins University, The Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, and
the University of Newcastle for the development of saliva-based POCTs for both glucose monitoring and COVID-19 antibody detection;
●
Onboarded
new top-tier members to GBS’s scientific team to formulate and execute its commercialization plan.
COVID-19
Key Developments
●
Commenced
research protocols with The Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering to progress with the milestone of integrating this
technology with the Company’s Biosensor for SARS-Cov-2 antibody tests;
●
Initiated
study for the salivary collection protocol with Johns Hopkins University, Bloomberg School of Public Health;
●
Completed
technical optimization of the Wyss’s eRapid assay performance in relation to SARS-Cov-2 antibody detection at The Wyss Institute
to align with the fastest antibody tests currently on market using clinical samples.
Glucose
Key Developments
●
Developing
a clinical plan for regulatory submission and subsequent approval with Precision Medicine Architects, LLC;
●
Completed
a clinical study for oral fluid (including saliva) and blood collection with the Diabetes
Research Institute at Mills-Peninsula Medical Center;
Collaborated
with Johns Hopkins Hospital in the development of a traceable reference method for glucose in saliva and blood;
●
Completed
global voice of customer survey with Precision Medicine Architects, LLC as part of the process to finalize product development of
the device and usability;
●
Further
development of prototyping for middleware and smart phone application;
●
Executed
option agreement to acquire the rights to use, make, market, sell and offer to sell Products under the Intellectual Property Rights
in the Glucose Field in the North American market for the Saliva Glucose Biosensor.
Initial
public offering & share structure
On
December 28, 2020, the Company closed its initial public offering (“IPO”) and sold 1,270,589 units, consisting of (a) one
share of the Company’s common stock (or, at the purchaser’s election, one share of Series B Convertible Preferred Stock),
(b) one Series A warrant (the “Series A Warrants”) to purchase one share of the Company’s common stock at an exercise
price equal to $8.50 per share, exercisable until the fifth anniversary of the issuance date, and (c) one Series B warrant (the “Series
B Warrants”) to purchase one share of the Company’s common stock at an exercise price equal to $17.00 per share, exercisable
until the fifth anniversary of the issuance date and subject to certain adjustment and cashless exercise provisions. The public offering
price of the shares sold in the IPO was $17.00 per unit. In aggregate, the units issued in the offering generated $17,732,448 in net
proceeds, which amount is net of $1,714,001 in underwriters’ discount and commissions, and $2,153,564 in offering costs. The Company
also issued to the underwriter an option, exercisable one or more times in whole or in part, to purchase up to 190,588 additional shares
of common stock and/or Series A Warrants to purchase up to an aggregate of 190,588 shares of common stock and/or Series B Warrants to
purchase up to an aggregate of 190,588 shares of common stock, in any combinations thereof, from us at the public offering price per
security, less the underwriting discounts and commissions, for 45 days after the date of the IPO to cover over-allotments, if any (the
“Over-Allotment Option”).
46
Upon
the closing of the IPO, all shares of preferred stock then outstanding were automatically converted into 2,810,190 shares of common stock,
and all convertible notes then outstanding were automatically converted into 710,548 shares of common stock.
Certain
preferred shareholders were issued warrants that, following the Company’s completed IPO, allow the holder to acquire 2,736,675
shares of common stock at the IPO price during years two through three following the IPO. At the exercise date, the shareholder must
hold for each warrant to be exercised, one underlying common share to exercise the option. The warrants are not transferable and apply
to the number of shares that were subscribed for.
Accordingly,
the share structure as of September 21, 2022 was as follows:
●
14,889,904
of Issued Common Stock
●
1,401,377
of Series A warrants exercisable at $8.50
●
59,782
of Series B warrants exercisable at $0 (subject to a cashless exercise provision)
●
63,529
of Warrants issued to the underwriter exercisable at $18.70
●
2,736,675
of the Pre-IPO Warrants exercisable at $8.50 (during year two through year three after the IPO)
●
3,000,000
Warrants issued to LSBD exercisable at $17.00
Results
of Operations:
Comparison
of the Years Ended June 30, 2022 and 2021
Revenue
Government
support income
Government
support income decreased by $1,543,338 to $437,146 from $1,980,484 for the year ended June 30, 2022 compared to same period in 2021.
This decrease was primarily attributable to GBS’s subsidiary companies receiving COVID-19 related government support in the
previous financial year which was discontinued in April 2021 and qualifying research & development expenditure for research & development government subsidies.
The
grant support income is primarily attributable to GBS’s subsidiary companies recognizing R&D tax refund as the Company
believes that it is probable that the certain amount will be recovered in full through a future claim (see note 3 on R&D tax refund).
Operating
expenses
General
and administrative expenses
General
and administrative expenses increased by $1,561,038 to $4,920,103 from $3,359,065 for the year ended June 30, 2022 compared to the same
period in 2021. This increase was primarily driven by an increase in operational activities following completion of the IPO in December 2020.
As
the Company’s operating activities increase, we expect its general and administrative costs will include additional costs in overhead
contribution, consultancy, as well as an increase in employee related costs associated with a higher headcount.
Development
and regulatory expenses
Development
and regulatory expenses increased by $18,216 to $3,853,919 from $3,835,703 for the year ended June 30, 2022 compared to the same period
in 2021. This increase is primarily driven by funding availability since completion of the IPO in December 2020 that has allowed the
Company to progress on its milestones as well as expensing of the prepaid R&D contribution of $2,600,000.
47
As
the Company’s operating activities increase, we expect its development and regulatory expenses to increase in future periods.
Prospectus
and capital raising expenses
Prospectus
and capital raising expenses decreased by $359,198 to zero from $359,198 for the year ended June 30, 2022 as compared to the same period
in 2021. There were no capital raising activities in 2022.
Other
income and expenses
Interest
expense
Interest
expense decreased by $1,086,069 to $7,539 from $1,093,608 for the year ended June 30, 2022 as compared to the same period in 2021. This
decrease was attributable to the non-cash recognition of a beneficial conversion feature associated with convertible notes in the last
period and no interest paid to convertible notes since the completion of the IPO last year due to their conversion into common stock.
Loss from unconsolidated equity method investment
Loss
from equity method investment decreased by $135,692 to zero from $135,692 for the year ended June 30, 2022 as compared to the same period
in 2021. This decrease was mainly due to the reduction in the carrying amount of its investment in BiosensX (North America) Inc to zero
last fiscal year.
Realized
foreign exchange loss
Realized
foreign exchange loss decreased by $267,238 to $3,987 from $271,225 for the year ended June 30, 2022 compared to the same period in 2021.
This decrease in loss was largely attributable to the Company’s settled translations in currencies other than its functional currencies.
Income
tax (expense) benefit
There
was no income tax expense for the year ended June 30, 2022 and 2021, respectively, as the Company has established a full valuation allowance
for all its deferred tax assets.
Other
comprehensive income
Foreign
currency translation gain/(loss)
Unrealized
foreign currency translation loss decreased by $170,434 to a loss of $126,875 from a loss of $297,309 for the year ended June 30, 2022
compared to the same period in 2021. It is calculated based on the Company’s unsettled transactions in currencies other than its
functional currency.
Net
loss
Net
loss attributable to GBS increased by $1,268,765 to $8,306,051 from $7,037,286 for the year ended June 30, 2022 compared to the same
period in 2021. This increase in loss is primarily due to more government support income last fiscal year as a result of qualifying
research & development expenditure in that period and increase in general and
administration expenses due to expansion in operational activities in order to progress on its regulatory and development
milestones.
Liquidity
and Capital Resources
We
use working capital and cash measures to evaluate the performance of our operations and our ability to meet our financial obligations.
We define Working Capital as current assets less current liabilities. This measure should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute
for any standardized measure under GAAP. This information is intended to provide investors with information about our liquidity. Other
companies in our industry may calculate this measure differently than we do, limiting its usefulness as a comparative measure.
48
Since
our inception, our operations have primarily been financed through the issuance of our common stock, redeemable convertible
preferred stock and the incurrence of debt. As of June 30, 2022, we had $8,238,301 in cash and cash equivalents and $6,204,989 in
working capital.
See
“Initial public offering & share structure” herein for details about our IPO.
The Company expects that its cash and cash equivalents as of June 30, 2022, of $8.23 million, may be insufficient to allow the Company
to fund its current operating plan through at least the next twelve months from the issuance of these financial statements, taking into
the accounts the proposed acquisition of Intelligent Fingerprinting Limited (IFP). Should revenue not be generated during this period
to cover expenses, then these conditions may raise substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern
for a period of at least one year from the date these financial statements are issued. It appears that the Company may be required to
raise additional funds during the next 12 months. The company is currently evaluating potential raising additional funds through private
placements and or public equity financing. However, there can be no assurance that, in the event that the Company requires additional
financing, such financing will be available on terms which are favorable to us, or at all.
We
do not anticipate generating any revenue in the near future, until such time, if at all, the Company completes the development process
of its products, including regulatory approvals, and thereafter, begins to commercialize and achieve substantial acceptance in the marketplace
for the first of a series of products in its medical device portfolio. In addition, available resources may be consumed more rapidly
than currently anticipated, and there can be no assurance that we will be successful in developing the SGT and generating sufficient
revenue in the timeframe set forth above, or at all. We may be unable to meet our targets for regulatory approval and market launch,
or we may be unable to generate anticipated amounts of revenue from sales of the system. We may also need additional funding for developing
new products and services and for additional sales, marketing and promotional activities. Should this occur, we may need to seek additional
capital earlier than anticipated.
In
the event we require additional capital, there can be no assurances that we will be able to raise such capital on acceptable terms, or
at all. Failure to generate sufficient revenues or raise additional capital through debt or equity financings, or through collaboration
agreements, strategic alliances or marketing and distribution arrangements, could have a material adverse effect on our ability to meet
our long-term liquidity needs and achieve our intended long-term business plan. Our failure to obtain such funding when needed could
create a negative impact on our stock price or could potentially lead to a reduction in our operations or the failure of our company.
Extended
Transition Period for “Emerging Growth Companies”
We
have elected to use the extended transition period for complying with new or revised accounting standards under Section 102(b)(1) of
the JOBS Act. This election allows us to delay the adoption of new or revised accounting standards that have different effective dates
for public and private companies until those standards apply to private companies. As a result of this election, our financial statements
may not be comparable to companies that comply with public company effective dates. Because our financial statements may not be comparable
to companies that comply with public company effective dates, investors may have difficulty evaluating or comparing our business, performance
or prospects in comparison to other public companies, which may have a negative impact on the value and liquidity of our common stock.
Critical
Accounting Estimates
The
preparation of our consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make judgments, estimates and assumptions
that impact the amounts reported in our consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes that are not readily apparent from other
sources. The estimates and associated assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors that are considered relevant.
Actual results may differ from these estimates.
49
The
estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognized in the period
in which the estimate is revised, if the revision affects only that period, or in the period of the revision and future periods, if the
revision affects both current and future periods.
Note
3 to the consolidated financial statements included in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, and incorporated herein by
reference, describes the Company’s accounting policies. The following discussion should be read in conjunction with Note 3, as
it presents uncertainties involved in applying the accounting policies and provides insight into the quality of management’s estimates
and variability in the amounts recorded for these critical accounting estimates. While all accounting policies impact the consolidated
financial statements, certain policies may be viewed to be critical. Management believes that the accounting policies which involve more
significant judgments and estimates used in the preparation of our consolidated financial statements include research and development
tax refunds.
R&D
tax Refund
The
Company measures the research and development grant income and receivable by taking into account the time spent by employees on eligible
research and development activities and research and development costs incurred to external service providers. The research and development
tax refund receivable is recognized as the Company believes that it probable that the amount will be recovered in full through a future
claim.
Recently
issued Accounting Pronouncements
For
the impact of recently issued accounting pronouncements on the Company’s consolidated financial statements, see Note 3 to the consolidated
financial statements included in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K and incorporated herein by reference.
ITEM
7A. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK.
We
are a smaller reporting company as defined by Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act and are not required to provide the information otherwise
required under this item.
ITEM
8. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA.
The
consolidated financial statements required pursuant to this item are included in Part IV, Item 15 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K,
beginning on page F-1, and incorporated herein by reference.
ITEM
9. CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURES.
None.
ITEM
9A. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES.
Evaluation
of Disclosure Controls and Procedures
Our
management, with the participation of our Interim Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, evaluated the effectiveness of
our disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) as of the end of the period covered
by this Annual Report on Form 10-K, and have concluded that, based on such evaluation, our disclosure controls and procedures were not
effective due to the material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting as of June 30, 2022 as described below.
50
Notwithstanding
the conclusion that our disclosure controls and procedures were not effective as of the end of the period covered by this report, we
believe that our consolidated financial statements and other information contained in this annual report on Form 10-K present fairly,
in all material respects, our business, financial condition and results of operations for the periods presented.
Material
Weakness
The
Company completed the IPO in December 2020. Prior to the IPO, the Company was a private corporation with limited accounting personnel
and other supervisory resources necessary to adequately execute its accounting processes and address its internal controls over financial
reporting requirements. As a result, previously existing internal controls are no longer sufficient, and the Company is in the process
of updating these controls. The design and implementation of internal control over financial reporting for the Company’s post-IPO
has required and will continue to require significant time and resources from management and other personnel.
As
part of this updating process, our management identified a material weakness in its internal control over financial reporting. A material
weakness is a deficiency, or combination of deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting, such that there is a reasonable
possibility that a material misstatement of our annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely
basis. The material weakness identified relates to the fact that the Company has not yet designed and maintained an effective control
environment commensurate with its financial reporting requirements, including a) has not yet completed the formally documented policies
and procedures with respect to the review, supervision and monitoring of the Company’s accounting and reporting functions, b) lack
of evidence to support the performance of controls and the adequacy of review procedures, including the completeness and accuracy of
information used in the performance of controls and c) as an emerging growth company we currently have limited accounting personnel and
other supervisory resources necessary to adequately execute the Company’s accounting processes and address its internal controls
over financial reporting.
Remediation
Plan
Management
is committed to continuing with the steps necessary to remediate the control deficiencies that constituted the above material weakness.
Since the IPO, we made the following enhancements to our control environment:
a.
We added accounting and finance personnel to provide additional individuals to allow for segregation of duties in the preparation and
review of schedules, calculations, and journal entries that support financial reporting, to provide oversight, structure and reporting
lines, and to provide additional review over our disclosures;
b.
We enhanced our controls to improve the preparation and review over complex accounting measurements, and the application of GAAP to significant
accounts and transactions, and our financial statement disclosures; and,
c.
We are in the process of engaging outside consultants to assist us in our evaluation of the design, implementation, and documentation
of internal controls that address the relevant risks, and that provide for appropriate evidence of performance of our internal controls
(including completeness and accuracy procedures).
Under
the direction of the audit committee of the board of directors, management will continue to take measures to remediate the material weakness
in 2023. As such, we will continue to enhance corporate oversight over process-level controls and structures to ensure that there is
appropriate assignment of authority, responsibility, and accountability to enable remediation of our material weakness. We believe that
our remediation plan will be sufficient to remediate the identified material weakness and strengthen our internal control over financial
reporting.
As
we continue to evaluate, and work to improve, our internal control over financial reporting, management may determine that additional
measures to address control deficiencies or modifications to the remediation plan are necessary.
51
Inherent
Limitation on the Effectiveness of Internal Controls
The
effectiveness of any system of internal control over financial reporting, including ours, is subject to inherent limitations, including
the exercise of judgment in designing, implementing, operating, and evaluating the controls and procedures, and the inability to eliminate
misconduct completely. Accordingly, in designing and evaluating the disclosure controls and procedures, management recognizes that any
system of internal control over financial reporting, including ours, no matter how well designed and operated, can only provide reasonable,
not absolute assurance of achieving the desired control objectives. In addition, the design of disclosure controls and procedures must
reflect the fact that there are resource constraints, and that management is required to apply its judgment in evaluating the benefits
of possible controls and procedures relative to their costs. Moreover, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods
are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the
policies or procedures may deteriorate. We intend to continue to monitor and upgrade our internal controls as necessary or appropriate
for our business, but cannot assure you that such improvements will be sufficient to provide us with effective internal control over
financial reporting
Management’s
Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
This
Annual Report on Form 10-K does not include a report of management’s assessment regarding internal control over financial reporting
or an attestation report of our independent registered public accounting firm due to a transition period established by the rules of
the SEC for newly public companies.
Changes
in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
There
have been no changes to the Company’s internal controls over financial reporting (as defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d 15(f) under
the Exchange Act) during the most recent fiscal quarter that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect,
our internal control over financial reporting.
ITEM
9B. OTHER INFORMATION.
ITEM
9C. DISCLOSURE REGARDING FOREIGN JURISDICTIONS THAT PREVENT INSPECTION
Not
applicable.
PART
III
ITEM
10. DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
Information
about Directors and Executive Officers
Board
of Directors
The
current number of directors on our Board of Directors is five. Under our bylaws, the number of directors on our Board will not be less
than one, nor more than ten, and is fixed, and may be increased or decreased by resolution of the Board. There are no family relationships
among any of our directors or executive officers.
Our
business is managed under the direction of our Board, which currently consists of the individual listed below:
Director
Age
Position(s)
with the Company
Director
Since
Steven
Boyages
64
Interim
CEO & Chairman of the Board
July
2020
Lawrence
Fisher*
83
Director
August
2020
Jonathan
Hurd*
52
Director
April
2018
George
Margelis*
61
Director
June
2019
Christopher
Towers*
36
Director
August
2020
*
Independent
52
Steven
Boyages MB BS PhD
Dr.
Steven Boyages is a practicing clinician in diabetes and endocrinology with more than 31 years’ experience in medicine,
including multiple executive positions. Dr. Boyages previously held the position of Chief Executive of the Sydney West Area Health
Service (SWAHS) from February 2002 to May 2011, which is now known as Western Sydney Local Health District, covering a population of
approximately 1.2 million people, SWAHS employed more than 15,000 staff and had a gross operating budget of $2 billion, managing
$1.6 billion worth of assets. Dr. Boyages has also served as Medical Director for eHealth New South Wales and was the founding
Chief Executive of the Clinical Education and Training Institute (CETI) New South Wales, Australia, set up to ensure the development
and the delivery of clinical education and training across the NSW public health system. Previous to this, Dr. Boyages was the
Director of Diabetes and Endocrinology at Westmead Hospital, from February 1990 to December 1999. During this time, Dr.
Boyages’ major achievements were to define the pathophysiology of thyroid hormone deficiency on brain development secondary to
iodine deficiency; to develop prevention strategies in iodine deficient communities in China, India, Indonesia and Northern Italy;
to define the impact of Growth Hormone excess and deficiency in adults and to develop innovative population health models of care
for people with diabetes. Dr. Boyages continues an active research career in a range of fields, but mostly in the pursuit of
better models of chronic disease prevention and management. Dr. Boyages was the founding director of the Centre for Research
and Clinical Policy in NSW Health in 1999, during which he established the Priority Health Programs (receiving $15 million in
funding per annum), doubled the Research Infrastructure Grants Program, established the Quality Branch of NSW Health and was
appointed as Clinical Advisor to the Director General to implement the Government Action Plan for Health Reform. Additionally,
Dr. Boyages was instrumental in establishing and securing funding for the NSW biotechnology strategy, BioFirst, a $150 million
investment. We believe that Dr. Boyages is well-qualified to serve on our Board of Directors due to his medical expertise and
research and development experience. He also has extensive experience in financial management, board and corporate governance,
government relations and regulatory affairs.
Lawrence
Fisher
Lawrence
Fisher, 83, has been a member of our Board since August 2020. Mr. Fisher has practiced as a securities lawyer in New York City for more
than 40 years, and retired in 2002. He is a graduate of Columbia College and Columbia University Law School, and a Research Fellow of
the London School of Economics. Lawrence has extensive experience representing public companies and investment banking firms in connection
with Initial Public Offerings. During his career, he was a partner at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe law firm for 11 years and partner
at Kelley, Drye & Warren law firm for 10 years, and Parker, Chapin & Flattau for 20 years, serving on all firms’ Executive
Committees. Furthermore, he is experienced in various board positions, including Audit Committee of Viking Energy Group since August
2018, a member of the Board and Audit Committee of National Bank of New York City for more than 20 years to December 2018, and Financial
Federal Corporation (NYSE listed) for over five years until February 2010. We believe that Mr. Fisher is well-qualified to serve on our
Board of Directors due to his extensive experience as a lawyer in the field of capital markets and will assist with understanding the
legal and compliance issues pertaining to publicly listed companies.
Jonathan
S. Hurd
Mr.
Hurd, 52, has been a member of our Board of Directors since April 2018. He previously served as our Chairman of the Board from August
2018 to November 2019. Mr. Hurd has expertise in broker-dealer and investment advisory regulations and is well versed in FINRA and SEC
rules and regulations. Mr. Hurd has served as Founder and CEO at Asgard Regulatory Group, or “Asgard,” since founding the
firm in 2008. Asgard provides consulting, advisory and risk management services to broker-dealer, investment adviser, hedge funds, private
equity, and banking clients both domestically and abroad. Prior to starting Asgard, Mr. Hurd was the Chief Compliance Officer for several
financial institutions. His experience involved full-service broker-dealers, investment advisory firms, bank-broker-dealers and mortgage-backed
securities. Mr. Hurd also served on the Board of Directors for many of these companies. Prior to working at these financial institutions,
Mr. Hurd was a Supervisor of Examiners at FINRA, previously NASD, in the New York District Office. While with FINRA, he supervised routine
examinations of FINRA member firms, and conducted large-scale enforcement cases jointly with the Justice Department and Federal Bureau
of Investigations. Mr. Hurd also assisted the District Office with its ongoing training of new examiners. In addition, from 2005 to 2011,
Mr. Hurd was a Senior Adjunct Professor in the Townsend School of Business at Dowling College, where he instructed MBA students in matters
relating to the United States securities markets and financial institutions. He was responsible for introducing students to the subjects
of financial derivatives, foreign stock exchange, hedge transactions and risk management. Mr. Hurd is also a Certified Anti-Money Laundering
Specialist (CAMS) and holds the Series 7, 14, 24, 27, 53, 57, 63, 66, 79 and 99 licenses as well as his NYS Life and Health Insurance
licenses. We believe Mr. Hurd is well-qualified to serve on our Board of Directors due to his substantial experience in corporate finance,
his expertise in the regulation and functioning of securities markets and his widespread relationships in the financial industry.
53
George
Margelis, MB BS, M.Optom.
Dr.
Margelis, 61, has been a member of our Board of Directors since June 2019. He is a medical practitioner who has been deeply involved in technology
for the last 31 years. In 2019, he was appointed independent chair of the Aged Care Industry Information Technology Council in Australia.
Since November 2013, he also has been a board member and the medical advisor of Multicultural Care, an aged care provider in Sydney.
In June 2013, he was appointed an Adjunct Associate Professor at the University of Western Sydney with the TeleHealth Research &
Innovation Laboratory. From July 2013 to August 2018, he served as a member of Ignition Labs, a start-up incubator in the health space,
where he acted as a mentor and adviser to selected start-ups, assisting them in developing their initial products and taking a small
initial investment. From 2005 to 2011, he was Health Industry Lead ANZ at Intel, and then General Manager Asia-Pacific at Intel-GE Innovations
as it spun off in 2011. In 2014, he returned to Intel serving as its Health & Life Sciences Lead until 2016. During this time he
also acted as senior adviser to HIMSS, the international peak body for health technology, and as Asia Pacific chair of the Continua Alliance,
an industry consortium for developing interoperability standards for health technology products that was later renamed the Personal Connected
Health Alliance. From 2002 to 2005, he was Chief Information Officer of Macquarie Health Corporation, a private hospital group, and also
managed an innovative software development team at Macquarie that produced a number of online health applications. In 2014 he was appointed
to the IT in Aged Care Hall of Fame for his work in the use of technology in aged care. Dr. Margelis originally trained as an optometrist
with a Master’s degree from the University of New South Wales, Australia and later graduated from the University of Sydney with
a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery. We believe that Dr. Margelis is well-qualified to serve on our Board of Directors due
to his medical expertise and his extensive experience with information technology systems in the healthcare sector.
Christopher
Towers BSc CPA
Christopher
Towers, 36, has been a member of our Board of Directors since August 2020 and chairs the Company’s Audit Committee. Mr. Towers
is a Certified Public Accountant with 14 years’ experience in auditing, accounting, and financial reporting. Mr. Towers is Chief
Accounting Officer of Katapult Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: KPLT) since February 2021 and was previously EVP, Chief Accounting Officer and
Principal Financial Officer of Newtek Business Services Corp. (NASDAQ: NEWT) from September 2014 to February 2021. Prior to Newtek, Mr.
Towers held previous roles with Pall Corporation and PwC. His expertise includes auditing, SEC reporting, US GAAP, experience in leading
equity & debt raisings, due diligence on business mergers & acquisitions, SOX compliance, FP&A, treasury, and tax. He holds
a Bachelor of Science from Hofstra University and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. We believe that
Mr. Towers is well-qualified to serve on our Board of Directors due to his extensive experience and expertise in financial reporting
to capital markets and an understanding of compliance and the audit process.
Corporate
Governance
Overview
We
set high standards for the Company’s employees, officers, and directors. Implicit in this philosophy is the importance of
sound corporate governance. We regularly monitor developments in the area of corporate governance and review our processes, policies
and procedures in light of such developments. Key information regarding our corporate governance initiatives can be found on the
Governance section of our website, www.gbs.inc , including our Corporate Governance Guidelines, our Code of Business Conduct
and Ethics (“Code of Ethics”) and the charters for our Audit, Compensation and Nominating Committees. We believe that
our corporate governance policies and practices, including the majority of independent directors on our Board, empower our
independent directors to effectively oversee our management—including the performance of our Interim Chief Executive
Officer—and provide an effective and appropriately balanced board governance structure.
54
Committees
Our
Board of Directors has established an Audit Committee, a Compensation Committee, and a Nominating Committee. The following table provides
the current membership information for each of the Board committees:
Name
Audit
Committee
Compensation
Committee
Nominating
Committee
Steven
Boyages
Lawrence
Fisher
X
X
Jonathan
S. Hurd
X
X
(Chairperson)
Dr.
George Margelis
X
X
(Chairperson)
X
Christopher
Towers
X
(Chairperson)
X
Below
is a description of each committee of the Board of Directors. The Board has adopted written charters for each of the committees, which
are available in the Investors Relations section of our website at https://investors.gbs.inc/corporate-governance/corporate-governance.
Audit
Committee
We
have established an Audit Committee of the Board of Directors in accordance with Section 3(a)58(A) of the Exchange Act, which consists
of Mr. Fisher, Mr. Towers and Dr. Margelis, each of whom is an independent director under the Nasdaq listing standards applicable to
audit committees. Christopher Towers qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert” as defined in the rules and regulations
established by the SEC. Our Audit Committee oversees our corporate accounting, financial reporting practices and the audits of financial
statements. The Audit Committee’s duties, which are specified in the Audit Committee Charter, include, but not be limited to:
●
reviewing
and discussing with management and the independent auditor the annual audited financial statements, and recommending to the Board
of Directors whether the audited financial statements should be included in our Form 10-K;
●
discussing
with management and the independent auditor significant financial reporting issues and judgments made in connection with the preparation
of our financial statements;
●
discussing
with management major risk assessment and risk management policies;
●
monitoring
the independence of the independent auditor;
●
verifying
the rotation of the lead (or coordinating) audit partner having primary responsibility for the audit and the audit partner responsible
for reviewing the audit as required by law;
●
reviewing
and approving all related-party transactions;
●
inquiring
and discussing with management our compliance with applicable laws and regulations;
●
pre-approving
all audit services and permitted non-audit services to be performed by our independent auditor, including the fees and terms of the
services to be performed;
●
appointing
or replacing the independent auditor;
55
●
determining
the compensation and oversight of the work of the independent auditor (including resolution of disagreements between management and
the independent auditor regarding financial reporting) for the purpose of preparing or issuing an audit report or related work; and
●
establishing
procedures for the receipt, retention and treatment of complaints received by us regarding accounting, internal accounting controls
or reports which raise material issues regarding our financial statements or accounting policies.
Nominating
Committee and Stockholder Nomination of Directors
We
have established a Nominating Committee of the Board of Directors that consists of Mr. Hurd, Dr. Margelis and Mr. Fisher, each of whom
is an independent director under the NASDAQ Stock Market listing standards applicable to nominating committees. The Nominating Committee
is responsible for identifying individuals qualified to become members of the Company’s Board of Directors and accordingly recommends
director nominees for the annual meeting of stockholders. The Nominating Committee also recommends and implements policies and procedures
intended to assist the Board operations and all obligations to the Company and its stockholders.
The
Nominating Committee will consider nominees for the Board recommended by stockholders in accordance with the Company’s Bylaws (the
“Bylaws”). Stockholders wishing to propose Director candidates for consideration by the Nominating Committee may do so by
writing, by deadlines specified in the Bylaws, to the Secretary of the Company and providing information concerning the nominee and his
or her proponent(s) required by the Bylaws. The Bylaws set forth further requirements for stockholders wishing to nominate Director candidates
for consideration by stockholders including, among other things, that a stockholder must give timely written notice of an intent to make
such a nomination to the Secretary of the Company.
Code
of Business Conduct and Ethics
The
Company has adopted a written Code of Business Conduct and Ethics that applies to all officers, directors, and employees, including our
principal executive officer, principal financial officer and principal accounting officer or controller, or persons performing similar
functions. The Code of Business Conduct and Ethics is available in the Investor Relations section of our website at www.gbs.inc. If the
Company makes any substantive amendments to the Code of Business Conduct and Ethics or grants any waiver from a provision of the Code
of Business Conduct and Ethics to any executive officer or director, the Company will promptly disclose the nature of the amendment or
waiver on its website.
Delinquent
Section 16(a) Reports
Section
16(a) of the Exchange Act requires the Company’s directors and executive officers, and persons who own more than 10% of a registered
class of the Company’s equity securities, to file with the SEC initial reports of ownership and reports of changes in ownership
of common stock and other equity securities of the Company. Officers, directors and greater than ten percent shareholders are required
by SEC regulation to furnish the Company with copies of all Section 16(a) forms they file.
To
the Company’s knowledge, based on a review of the copies of such reports furnished to the Company and written representations,
during the fiscal year ended June 30, 2022, all Section 16(a) filing requirements applicable to its officers, directors and greater than
ten percent beneficial owners were complied, other than the inadvertent late filings by LSBD of ten reports reporting 11 transactions and by Mr. Sakiris of one report reporting
one transaction.
56
Executive
Officers
The
names of our executive officers, their ages, their positions with the Company, and other biographical information as of June 30, 2022,
are set forth below.
Name
Age
Positions
Officer
Since
Steven
Boyages
64
Interim
Chief Executive Officer
Chairman
October
2021-Present (1)
July
2020-Present (1)
Spiro
Sakiris
60
Chief
Financial Officer
April
2019 - Present
Harry
Simeonidis
54
President
Asia Pacific, Sales and Marketing
Chief
Executive Officer
President
October
2021- Present (2)
January
2020- October 2021 (2)
September
2017- October 2021 (2)
(1) Dr.
Boyages was appointed to the additional position of Interim Chief Executive Officer of the
Company effective October 29, 2021. He has served as
both a director of the Company and Chairman of the Board since July 2020.
(2) Mr.
Simeonidis, who served as CEO and President of the
Company, vacated these positions prior to Dr. Boyages’ appointment as Interim
CEO and was appointed to the position of President Asia Pacific, Sales and Marketing, effective
October 29, 2021.
Steven
Boyages
Dr.
Boyages’ biographical information is provided above in the section entitled “ Information about Directors and Executive
Officers - Board of Directors ”.
Spiro
Sakiris
Mr.
Spiro Sakiris has served as our Chief Financial Officer since April 2019. He is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accounts of Australia
& New Zealand. He also served as the Special Projects Lead at The iQ Group Global from January 2018 to April 2019, and was a registered
Series 28 principal with IQ Capital (USA) LLC, a registered broker-dealer with FINRA, from November 2016 to August 2021, and continues
as a Responsible Manager for Australian Financial Services License held by iQX Investment Services Pty Ltd. From 2013 to December 2017,
Mr. Sakiris served as Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer for listed entities at The iQ Group Global. He worked at Economos
Chartered Accountants from 1986 to 2013, which included 23 years as a partner where he was instrumental in the development of the firm’s
practice. During his 33 years of experience, Mr. Sakiris has been involved in advising businesses in the areas of accounting and taxation,
business advisory, initial public offerings and capital raising, business risks identification and management and business systems designs
across many industries, including the application of IFRS and U.S. GAAP for the life science industry. Mr. Sakiris is also well versed
in dealings with companies based in overseas jurisdictions such as Asia, Europe and the United States. He is also a registered company
auditor experienced in United States reporting under Public Company Accounting Oversight Board in the United States and a registered
tax agent in Australia.
Harry
Simeonidis
Mr.
Harry Simeonidis has served as our President Asia Pacific, Sales and Marketing since October 2021. Mr. Simeonidis has also served as
our President and a member of our Board of Directors since September 2017 until October 2021, and Chief Executive Officer from January
2020 till October 2021. Mr. Simeonidis has more than 26 years of experience in senior management roles in healthcare, pharmaceutical
and life sciences businesses across the APAC Region. Previously, from March 2017 to December 2019, he served as the General Manager of
FarmaForce Limited, an Australian company listed on the Australian Stock Exchange From April 2015 to March 2017, Mr. Simeonidis operated
a private consulting firm, offering services predominantly to clients from the healthcare sector in Australia. From 2013 to April 2015,
Mr. Simeonidis was General Manager of Surgery, Asia Pacific, at GE Healthcare. From 2003 to 2012, Mr. Simeonidis was the CEO for Australia
and New Zealand at GE Healthcare.
57
ITEM
11. COMPENSATION OF EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS
Summary
Compensation Table
The
following table provides information regarding the compensation earned during the fiscal years ended June 30, 2022 and 2021 by (i) individuals
serving as our principal executive officer during the fiscal year ended June 30, 2022, (ii) our two other highest compensated executive
officers (other than our principal executive officer) who were serving as executive officers as of June 30, 2022, and (iii) up to two
additional individuals for whom disclosure would have been provided pursuant to the preceding clause (ii) but for the fact that the individual
was not serving as an executive officer of the Company at the end of the fiscal year ended June 30, 2022 (the “Named Executive
Officers”).
Name and principal position
Year
Salary
($)
All other
compensation
($)
Total
($)
Steven Boyages
2022
29,032
42,408 (1)(2)
71,440
Interim Chief Executive Officer and Chairman
2021
-
20,507
20,507
Spiro Sakiris
Chief Financial Officer
2022
210,482
81,973 (2)(4) (6)
292,455
2021
233,204
32,380
265,584
Harry Simeonidis
Former Chief Executive Officer and President (Current position – President Asia Pacific, Sales and Marketing)
2022
249,535
105,179 (2)(3)(5)(7)
354,714
2021
240,466
62,133
302,599
1)
Includes
the directors’ fees paid to Dr. Boyages of $36,363. He was compensated since March 22 for his additional responsibility as
an Interim Chief Executive Officer.
2)
Includes
the contributions that are mandatory in Australia to a retirement fund known in Australia as a superannuation fund for each of Dr.
Boyages, Mr. Sakiris and Mr. Simeonidis, at the applicable rate of 10%.
3)
Includes
the directors’ fees paid to Mr. Simeonidis of $11,557 until October 29, 2021, the date of his resignation as a director.
4)
Includes
an annual automobile allowance of $14,516.
5)
Includes
an annual automobile allowance of $17,419.
6)
Includes performance-based cash bonus of $42,096.
7)
Includes performance-based cash bonus of $46,744.
Outstanding
Equity Awards at Fiscal Year End
Our
Named Executive Officers did not hold any outstanding equity awards as of June 30, 2022.
Employment
and Related Agreements
● During
the fiscal year ended June 30, 2019, we, through our 99% owned subsidiary, Glucose Biosensor
Systems (APAC) Pty Ltd (“GBS Pty Ltd.”), entered into an employment agreement
with each of Messrs. Simeonidis and Sakiris. Mr. Simeonidis’ and Mr. Sakiris’
employment agreements provide for them to serve as President and Chief Financial Officer,
respectively, of our majority-owned subsidiary, and in accordance with their respective agreements.
The company entered into a revised agreement in July 2022 with each of Messrs. Simeonidis
and Sakiris after the revision in their respective salaries, as approved by the Compensation Committee.
● In
March 2022, we, through our 99% owned subsidiary, GBS (APAC) Pty Ltd (formerly Glucose Biosensor
Systems (APAC) Pty Ltd) entered into an employment agreement with Interim Chief Executive
Officer Steven Boyages to compensate him for his additional responsibility to oversee the
operations of the Company as approved by the Compensation Committee.
Messrs.
Boyages, Sakiris and Simeonidis
In
accordance with their respective employment agreement, Dr. Boyages, Mr Sakiris and Mr Simeonidis receives an annual salary of $82,668,
$248,004, and $282,449 respectively.
58
In
addition, each of Mr. Simeonidis and Mr. Sakiris is eligible to receive an annual bonus of up to 20% of his gross base salary, of which
50% will be based on meeting company objectives and the remainder will be based on meeting mutually agreed employee objections or as
otherwise determined by the Company. We also make certain contributions that are mandatory in Australia to a retirement fund for each
of Dr. Boyages, Mr. Sakiris and Mr. Simeonidis, known in Australia as a superannuation fund, currently at the rate of 10.5% subject to
contribution cap of $18,944 per annum. We also provide an annual automobile allowance to Mr. Sakiris of $13,778 and an annual car allowance
to Mr. Simeonidis of $16,534.
Dr.
Boyages also receives annual directors’ fees of $40,000.
Mr.
Simeonidis’ employment agreement is terminable on six months’ notice and Mr. Sakiris’ employment agreement –
on six month’s notice either by our subsidiary or by the executive upon six months’ notice. However, we may terminate either
executive without notice if he engages in serious or willful misconduct, is seriously negligent in the performance of his duties, commits
a serious or persistent breach of his employment agreement, brings our company into disrepute or is convicted of a criminal offense.
Each
employment agreement contains provisions protecting our confidential information and intellectual property. Each employment agreement
also contains provisions restricting each executive’s ability to compete with us during his employment and for a period of up to
six months thereafter in a specified geographic region. The non-compete provisions will generally impose restrictions on inducing our
employees to leave our employment or soliciting clients of our company. Pursuant to each employment agreement, each executive must devote
all of his time, attention and skill to the performance of his duties, and neither executive may engage in any other business outside
GBS without our prior written consent.
Superannuation
Fund
As
required by Australian law, we contribute to standard defined contribution superannuation funds on behalf of all our Australian employees
at an amount required by law, currently 10.5% of each such employee’s salary subject to a contribution cap of $18,944 per annum.
Superannuation is a compulsory savings program whereby employers are required to pay a portion of an employee’s remuneration to
an approved superannuation fund that the employee is typically not able to access until they are retired. We permit employees to choose
an approved and registered superannuation fund into which the contributions are paid.
2019
Long Term Incentive Plan (“2019 Plan”)
The
2019 Plan was adopted by the Board and approved by the Company’s stockholders on June 18, 2019. The purpose of the 2019 Plan is
to enable us to offer our employees, officers, directors and consultants whose past, present and/or potential future contributions to
us have been, are, or will be important to our success, an opportunity to acquire a proprietary interest in us. The various types of
incentive awards that may be provided under the 2019 Plan are intended to enable us to respond to changes in compensation practices,
tax laws, accounting regulations and the size and diversity of our business.
Administration
The
2019 Plan is administered by the Compensation Committee. Subject to the provisions of the plan, the Compensation Committee determines, among other things, the persons to whom from time to time
awards may be granted, the specific type of awards to be granted, the number of shares subject to each award, share prices, any restrictions
or limitations on the awards, and any vesting, exchange, surrender, cancellation, acceleration, termination, exercise or forfeiture provisions
related to the awards..
59
Stock
Subject to the 2019 Plan
500,000
shares of our common stock are available for issuance under the 2019 Plan. Shares of stock subject to other awards that are forfeited
or terminated will be available for future award grants under the 2019 Plan. If a holder pays the exercise price of a stock option by
surrendering any previously owned shares of common stock or arranges to have the appropriate number of shares otherwise issuable upon
exercise withheld to cover the exercise price or tax withholding liability associated with the stock option exercise, the shares surrendered
by the holder or withheld by us will not be available for future award grants under the plan.
Under
the 2019 Plan, in the event of a change in the number of shares of our common stock as a result of a dividend on shares of common stock
payable in shares of common stock, common stock forward split or reverse split or other extraordinary or unusual event that results in
a change in the shares of common stock as a whole, the committee will determine whether such change equitably requires an adjustment
in the terms of any award in order to prevent dilution or enlargement of the benefits available under the plan or the aggregate number
of shares reserved for issuance under the plan.
Eligibility
We
may grant awards under the 2019 Plan to employees, officers, directors, and consultants of GBS and our subsidiaries and affiliates who
are deemed to have rendered, or to be able to render, significant services to us or our subsidiaries or affiliates and who are deemed
to have contributed, or to have the potential to contribute, to our success. An incentive stock option may be granted under the plan
only to a person who, at the time of the grant, is an employee of ours or our subsidiaries. Based on the current number of employees
and consultants to the Company and on the current size of our Board of Directors, we estimate that approximately 20 individuals are eligible
for awards under the 2019 Plan.
Types
of Awards
Options .
The 2019 Plan provides both for “incentive” stock options as defined in Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code of
1986, as amended, or the “ Code ,” and for options not qualifying as incentive options, both of which may be
granted with any other stock based award under the plan. The committee determines the exercise price per share of common stock
purchasable under an incentive or non-qualified stock option, which may not be less than 100% of the fair market value on the day of
the grant or, if greater, the par value of a share of common stock. However, the exercise price of an incentive stock option granted
to a person possessing more than 10% of the total combined voting power of all classes of our stock may not be less than 110% of the
fair market value on the date of grant. The aggregate fair market value of all shares of common stock with respect to which
incentive stock options are exercisable by a participant for the first time during any calendar year (under all of our plans),
measured at the date of the grant, may not exceed $100,000.
An
incentive stock option may only be granted within 10 years from the effective date of the 2019 Plan. An incentive stock option may only
be exercised within ten years from the date of the grant, or within five years in the case of an incentive stock option granted to a
person who, at the time of the grant, owns common stock possessing more than 10% of the total combined voting power of all classes of
our stock.
Subject
to any limitations or conditions the committee may impose, stock options may be exercised, in whole or in part, at any time during the
term of the stock option by giving written notice of exercise to us specifying the number of shares of common stock to be purchased.
The notice must be accompanied by payment in full of the purchase price, either in cash or, if provided in the agreement, in our securities
or in a combination of the two.
Generally,
stock options granted under the plan may not be transferred other than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution and all stock
options are exercisable, during the holder’s lifetime, only by the holder, or in the event of legal incapacity or incompetency,
the holder’s guardian or legal representative. However, a holder, with the approval of the committee, may transfer a non-qualified
stock option by gift to a family member of the holder or by domestic relations order to a family member of the holder or may transfer
a non-qualified stock option to an entity in which more than 50% of the voting interests are owned by family members of the holder or
the holder.
60
Generally,
if the holder is an employee, no stock options granted under the plan may be exercised by the holder unless he or she is employed by
us or one of our subsidiaries or affiliates at the time of the exercise and has been so employed continuously from the time the stock
options were granted. However, in the event the holder’s employment is terminated due to disability or normal retirement, the holder
may still exercise his or her vested stock options for a period of 12 months, or such other greater or lesser period as the committee
may determine, from the date of termination or until the expiration of the stated term of the stock option, whichever period is shorter.
Similarly, should a holder die while employed by us or one of our subsidiaries or affiliates, his or her legal representative or legatee
under his or her will may exercise the decedent holder’s vested stock options for a period of 12 months from the date of his or
her death, or such other greater or lesser period as the Board or committee may determine, or until the expiration of the stated term
of the stock option, whichever period is shorter. If the holder’s employment is terminated for any reason other than death, disability
or normal retirement, the stock option will automatically terminate, except that if the holder’s employment is terminated by us
without cause, then the portion of any stock option that is vested on the date of termination may be exercised for the lesser of three
months after termination of employment, or such other greater or lesser period as the committee may determine but not beyond the balance
of the stock option’s term.
Stock
Appreciation Rights . Under the 2019 Plan, we may grant stock appreciation rights to participants who have been, or are being, granted
stock options under the plan as a means of allowing the participants to exercise their stock options without the need to pay the exercise
price in cash, or we may grant them alone and unrelated to an option. In conjunction with non-qualified stock options, stock appreciation
rights may be granted either at or after the time of the grant of the non-qualified stock options. In conjunction with incentive stock
options, stock appreciation rights may be granted only at the time of the grant of the incentive stock options. A stock appreciation
right entitles the holder to receive a number of shares of common stock having a fair market value equal to the excess fair market value
of one share of common stock over the exercise price of the related stock option, multiplied by the number of shares subject to the stock
appreciation rights. The granting of a stock appreciation right in tandem with a stock option will not affect the number of shares of
common stock available for awards under the plan. In such event, the number of shares available for awards under the plan will, however,
be reduced by the number of shares of common stock acquirable upon exercise of the stock option to which the stock appreciation right
relates.
Restricted
Stock and Restricted Stock Units. Under the 2019 Plan, we may award shares of restricted stock and restricted stock units. Restricted
stock units are the right to receive at a future date share of common stock, or an amount in cash or other consideration determined by
the committee to be of equal value as of such settlement date, in accordance with the terms of such grant. The committee determines the
persons to whom grants of restricted stock or restricted stock units are made, the number of shares to be awarded, the price (if any)
to be paid for the restricted stock or restricted stock units by the person receiving the stock from us, the time or times within which
awards of restricted stock or restricted stock units may be subject to forfeiture, the vesting schedule and rights to acceleration thereof,
and all other terms and conditions of the awards. Restrictions or conditions could also include, but are not limited to, the attainment
of performance goals. A holder of restricted stock units will have no rights of a stockholder with respect to shares subject to any restricted
stock unit award unless and until the shares are delivered in settlement of the award, except to the extent the committee provides for
the right to receive dividend equivalents.
Other
Stock-Based Awards . Under the 2019 Plan, we may grant other stock-based awards, subject to limitations under applicable law that
are denominated or payable in, valued in whole or in part by reference to, or otherwise based on, or related to, shares of common stock,
as deemed consistent with the purposes of the plan. These other stock-based awards may be in the form of purchase rights, shares of common
stock awarded that are not subject to any restrictions or conditions, convertible or exchangeable debentures or other rights convertible
into shares of common stock and awards valued by reference to the value of securities of, or the performance of, one of us or one of
our subsidiaries. These other stock-based awards may include performance shares or options, whose award is tied to specific performance
criteria. These other stock-based awards may be awarded either alone, in addition to, or in tandem with any other awards under the 2019
Plan or any of our other plans.
Accelerated
Vesting and Exercisability
If
any one person, or more than one person acting as a group, acquires the ownership of our stock that, together with the stock held by
such person or group, constitutes more than 50% of the total fair market value or combined voting power of our stock, and the Board of
Directors does not authorize or otherwise approve such acquisition, then the vesting periods of any and all stock options and other awards
granted and outstanding under the 2019 Plan shall be accelerated and all such stock options and awards will immediately and entirely
vest, and the respective holders thereof will have the immediate right to purchase and/or receive any and all common stock subject to
such stock options and awards on the terms set forth in the plan and the respective agreements respecting such stock options and awards,
and all performance goals will be deemed achieved at 100% of target levels. An increase in the percentage of stock owned by any one person,
or persons acting as a group, as a result of a transaction in which we acquire our stock in exchange for property is not treated as an
acquisition of stock.
61
In
the event of an acquisition by any one person, or more than one person acting as a group, together with acquisitions during the 12-month
period ending on the date of the most recent acquisition by such person or persons, of assets from us that have a total gross fair market
value equal to or more than 50% of the total gross fair market value of all of our assets immediately before such acquisition or acquisitions,
or if any one person, or more than one person acting as a group, acquires the ownership of our stock that, together with the stock held
by such person or group, constitutes more than 50% of the total fair market value or combined voting power of our stock, which has been
approved by the Board of Directors, the committee may (i) accelerate the vesting of any and all stock options and other awards granted
and outstanding under the 2019 Plan, (ii) require a holder of any award granted under the plan to relinquish such award to us upon the
tender by us to the holder of cash in an amount equal to the repurchase value of such award, and/or (iii) terminate all incomplete performance
periods in respect of awards in effect on the date the acquisition occurs, determine the extent to which performance goals have been
met based upon such information then available as it deems relevant and cause to be paid all or the applicable portion of the award based
upon the committee’s determination. For this purpose, gross fair market value means the value of our assets, or the value of the
assets being disposed of, determined without regard to any liabilities associated with such assets.
Term
and Amendments
Unless
terminated by the Board, the 2019 Plan will continue to remain effective until no further awards may be granted, and all awards granted
under the plan are no longer outstanding. Notwithstanding the foregoing, grants of incentive stock options may be made only until ten
years from the initial effective date of the plan. The Board may at any time, and from time to time, amend the plan or any award agreement,
but no amendment will be made that would impair the rights of a holder under any agreement entered pursuant to the plan without the holder’s
consent.
Securities
Authorized for Issuance Under Equity Compensation Plans
Equity Compensation Plan Information
As of June 30, 2022
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
(b)
Number
of
securities
remaining
available for
future
issuance under equity compensation plans
(excluding
shares reflected
in
column (a))
(c)
Equity compensation plans approved by security holders
-
-
500,000 (1)
Equity compensation plans not approved by security holders
-
-
-
Total
-
-
500,000
(1)
Securities remaining available for issuance under the 2019 Plan. The Company filed a registration statement (Form S-8) on August 5, 2022
for the registration of 500,000 shares of the Company’s common stock at $0.001 par value per share, issuable pursuant to the GBS
Inc. 2019 Long Term Incentive Plan.
62
Director
Compensation
The
table below sets forth the compensation earned by our non-employee directors for service on our Board of Directors during the year ended
June 30, 2022. Compensation paid to Messrs. Steven Boyages, our Interim Chief Executive Officer and Chairman and Harry Simeonidis, our
ex-director, President Asia Pacific, Sales and Marketing for his service on the Board of Directors is set forth in Summary Compensation
Table for named executive officers.
Name
Fees earned or
paid
in cash
($)
All other
compensation
($)
Total
($)
Lawrence Fisher
30,000
—
30,000
Jonathan Hurd
30,000
—
30,000
Leon Kempler(1)
24,657
—
24,657
George Margelis
30,000
—
30,000
Tom Parmakellis(2)
22,172
—
22,172
Jonathan Sessler(3)
20,000
—
20,000
Christopher Towers
40,000
—
40,000
(1)
Resigned from the Board of the Directors on April 27, 2022
(2)
Resigned from The Board of Directors on March 19, 2022
(3)
Resigned from The Board of the Directors on February 22, 2022
Non-Employee
Director Compensation Arrangements
Our
non-employee directors are entitled to cash fees of $30,000 (plus $10,000 each for the Chairman of the Board and Financial Expert/Chair
of the Audit Committee) per year of service on our Board of Directors. Service rendered on any of the committees of the Board do not
entitle our non-employee directors to any additional compensation.
ITEM
12. SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT
The
following table sets forth certain information regarding the ownership of our common stock as of September 15, 2022 by: (i) each director
and nominee for director; (ii) each of the executive officers named in the Summary Compensation Table; (iii) all executive officers and
directors of the Company as a group; and (iv) all those known by us to be beneficial owners of more than five percent of our common stock.
This
table is based upon information supplied by officers and directors as well as Schedules 13D or 13G filed with the SEC by beneficial owners
of more than five percent of our common stock. Unless otherwise indicated in the footnotes to this table and subject to community property
laws, where applicable, we believe that each of the stockholders named in this table has sole voting and investment power with respect
to the shares indicated as beneficially owned.
Applicable
percentages are based on 14,889,904 shares of our common stock outstanding on September 15 2022. Beneficial ownership is determined in
accordance with the rules of the SEC, which generally attribute beneficial ownership of securities to persons who possess sole or shared
voting power or investment power with respect to those securities and includes shares of our common stock issuable pursuant to the exercise
of stock options, warrants, or other securities that are immediately exercisable or convertible or exercisable or convertible within
60 days of September 15 2022. Unless otherwise indicated, the persons or entities identified in this table have sole voting and investment
power with respect to all shares shown as beneficially owned by them.
63
Unless
otherwise indicated, the address of each person listed below is WeWork c/o GBS Inc., 142 West, 57 th Street,
11 th Floor, New York, NY 10019.
Name of Beneficial Owner
Shares of
Common Stock
Beneficially
Owned
Percentage of
Common
Stock
Beneficially
Owned
Executive officers and directors:
Dr. Steven Boyages
0
*
Lawrence Fisher
0
*
Jonathan S. Hurd
0
*
Dr. George Margelis
0
*
Spiro Sakiris (1)
51,707
*
Harry Simeonidis (2)
600
*
Christopher Towers (3)
800
*
All Executive Officers and Directors as a group (7 persons)
53,107
*
*
Less than 1%.
(1)
Consists
of 50,228 shares of common stock and currently exercisable Series A Warrants to purchase 1,479 shares of the common stock. Does not
include 3,000 of common stock that will be issuable upon exercise of the pre-IPO warrants held by Mr. Sakiris during the one-year
period commencing on the second anniversary of the consummation of December 2020 IPO.
(2)
Consists
of 600 shares of common stock.
(3)
Consists
of 800 shares of common stock.
ITEM
13. CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS, AND DIRECTOR INDEPENDENCE
Independence
of the Board of Directors
Our
Board of Directors has determined that each of our director nominees standing for election, except Dr. Boyages, is an independent director
(as currently defined in Rule 5605(a)(2) of the NASDAQ listing rules). In determining the independence of our directors, the Board of
Directors considered all transactions in which the Company and any director had any interest, including those discussed under “Certain
Related-Person Transactions” below.
Our
independent directors together constitute a majority of our full Board of Directors. The independent directors meet as often as necessary
to fulfil their responsibilities and will have regularly scheduled meetings at which only independent directors are present.
Related-Person
Transactions
Our
code of ethics will require that we avoid, wherever possible, all related party transactions that could result in actual or potential
conflicts of interests, except under guidelines approved by the Board of Directors. Related party transactions are defined under SEC
rules as transactions in which (1) the aggregate amount involved will or may be expected to exceed the lesser of $120,000 or
one percent of the average of our total assets for the last two completed fiscal years, (2) we or any of our subsidiaries is a participant,
and (3) any (a) executive officer, director or nominee for election as a director, (b) greater than 5% beneficial owner of our shares
of common stock, or (c) immediate family member, of the persons referred to in clauses (a) and (b), has or will have a direct or indirect
material interest (other than solely as a result of being a director or a less than 10% beneficial owner of another entity). A conflict-of-interest
situation can arise when a person takes actions or has interests that may make it difficult to perform his or her work objectively and
effectively. Conflicts of interest may also arise if a person, or a member of his or her family, receives improper personal benefits
as a result of his or her position.
64
All
future and ongoing related party transactions (as defined under SEC rules) will require prior review and approval by the Audit Committee,
which will have access, at our expense, to our attorneys or independent legal counsel. We will not enter into any such transaction without
the approval of the Audit Committee. The Audit Committee will consider all relevant factors when determining whether to approve a related
party transaction, including whether the related party transaction is on terms no less favorable than terms generally available to an
unaffiliated third-party under the same or similar circumstances and the extent of the related party’s interest in the transaction.
No
director may participate in the approval of any transaction in which he is a related party, but that director is required to provide
the other members of the board with all material information concerning the transaction. Additionally, we require each of our directors
and executive officers to complete a directors’ and officers’ questionnaire that elicits information about related party
transactions.
These
procedures are intended to determine whether any such related party transaction impairs the independence of a director or presents a
conflict of interest on the part of a director, employee, or officer.
Certain
Related-Person Transactions
The
following is a summary of certain relationships and transactions, including transactions since July 1, 2021 and any currently proposed
transactions, to which we were or are to be a participant, in which
(1)
the amount involved exceeded or will exceed the lesser of (i) $120,000 or (ii) 1% of the average of our total assets for the last two
completed fiscal years, and
(2)
any of our directors, executive officers or holders of more than 5% of any class of our capital stock, or any affiliate or member of
the immediate family of the foregoing persons, had or will have a direct or indirect material interest, other than compensation and other
arrangements which are described in the sections titled “Executive Compensation” and “Director Compensation”
in this Proxy Statement.
Transactions .
We believe the terms obtained or consideration that we paid or received, as applicable, in connection with the transactions described
below were, unless otherwise noted below, comparable to terms available or the amounts that we would pay or received, as applicable,
in arm’s-length transactions.
● Under the employee
sharing arrangements, which have not been pursuant to any written agreement, the Licensor has allocated a portion of its general office
expenses, rent and wages to us based on our percentage usage of the Licensor’s office and personnel resources. From 1 July 2021
to November 30, 2021, we incurred to the Licensor a total of $145,733 in relation to overhead and general administration expenses.
● Since the end of
the Fiscal Year ended June 30, 2022, to the date of this filing GBS has incurred a total of nil to its Licensor in connection with rent,
other occupancy costs and shared labor recharges.
ITEM
14. PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANT FEES AND SERVICES
The
following table represents aggregate fees billed to the Company for the fiscal years ended June 30, 2021, and June 30, 2022, by BDO Audit
Pty Ltd, the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm.
65
Pre-Approval
Policies and Procedures.
The
Audit Committee has procedures in place for the pre-approval of audit and non-audit services rendered by the Company’s independent
registered public accounting firm, BDO Audit Pty Ltd. The Audit Committee generally pre-approves specified services in the defined categories
of audit services, audit-related services, and tax services. Pre-approval may also be given as part of the Audit Committee’s approval
of the scope of the engagement of the independent auditor or on an individual, explicit, case-by-case basis before the independent auditor
is engaged to provide each service. The pre-approval of services may be delegated to one or more of the Audit Committee’s members,
but the decision must be reported to the full Audit Committee at its next scheduled meeting.
Principal
Accountant Fees and Services
The
following table represents aggregate fees billed to the Company for the fiscal years ended June 30, 2021 and June 30, 2022, by BDO Audit
Pty Ltd, the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm.
June 30, 2022
June 30, 2021
Audit Fees (1)
210,128
297,428
Audit-Related Fees (2)
-
-
Tax Fees (3)
9,073
16,735
All Other Fees (4)
31,211
-
Total Fees
250,412
314,163
(1)
Audit
fees relate to professional services rendered in connection with the audit of annual financial statements, quarterly review of financial
statements, and audit services provided in connection with other statutory and regulatory filings.
(2)
Audit-related
fees relate to professional services that are reasonably related to the performance of the audit or review of financial statements.
(3)
Tax
fees relate to professional services rendered in connection with tax compliance and preparation relating to tax returns and tax audits,
as well as for tax consulting and planning services.
(4)
All
other fees relate to professional services not included in the categories above, including services related to other regulatory reporting
requirements.
The
Audit Committee has determined that the rendering of services other than audit services by BDO Audit Pty Ltd is compatible with maintaining
the principal accountant’s independence.
66
PART
IV
ITEM
15. EXHIBITS, FINANCIAL STATEMENTS SCHEDULES
(a)
Documents
filed as part of this Annual Report on Form 10-K:
(1)
Financial
Statements. The financial statements required to be included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K are listed in the Table of Contents
to Financial Statements appearing immediately after the signature page of this Form 10-K and are included herein by reference.
(2)
Financial
Statement Schedules. All schedules are omitted because they are not applicable, or the required information is shown in the Financial
Statements or notes thereto.
(3)
See
attached Exhibit Index of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
(b)
The
following exhibits are provided as required by Item 601 of Regulation S-K
Exhibit
No.
Description
3.1
Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation ((incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.4 to the Company’s Amended Registration Statement on Form S-1/A (File No. 333-232557) filed with the Commission on December 21, 2020)
3.2
Amended and Restated By-laws, as amended (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.2 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K (File No.001-39825) filed with the Commission on July 21, 2022)
3.3.
Certificate of Designation of Series B Preferred Stock ((incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.3 to the Company’s Amended Registration Statement on Form S-1/A (File No. 333-232557) filed with the Commission on October 20, 2020.)
4.1
Specimen Common Stock Certificate ((incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Company’s Amended Registration Statement on Form S-1/A (File No. 333-232557) filed with the Commission on September 19, 2019.)
4.2
Form of Series A Warrant ((incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.2 to the Company’s Amended Registration Statement on Form S-1/A (File No. 333-232557) filed with the Commission on October 20, 2020.)
4.3
Form of Series B Warrant ((incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.3 to the Company’s Amended Registration Statement on Form S-1/A (File No. 333-232557) filed with the Commission on October 20, 2020.)
4.4
Form of Warrant Agency Agreement ((incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.4 to the Company’s Amended Registration Statement on Form S-1/A (File No. 333-232557) filed with the Commission on October 20, 2020.)
4.5
Form LSBD Warrant ((incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.6 to the Company’s Amended Registration Statement on Form S-1/A (File No. 333-232557) filed with the Commission on December 21, 2020)
67
4.6 #
Description of Registrant’s Securities Registered Pursuant to Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
10.1*
2019 Incentive Equity Plan ((incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Amended Registration Statement on Form S-1/A (File No. 333-232557) filed with the Commission on August 2, 2019)
10.2
Amended and Restated License Agreement between the Company and Life Science Biosensor Diagnostics Pty Ltd. ((incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the Company’s Amended Registration Statement on Form S-1/A (File No. 333-232557 ) filed with the Commission on October 13, 2020)
10.3*
Form of Employment Agreement between the Company and Mr. Simeonidis (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on September 15, 2022
10.4*
Form of Employment Agreement between the Company and Mr. Sakiris (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on September 15, 2022).
68
10.5
Technology License Agreement between the Company and Life Science Biosensor Diagnostics Pty Ltd. ((incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.13 to the Company’s Amended Registration Statement on Form S-1/A (File No. 333-232557 ) filed with the Commission on October 13, 2020)
10.6
Form of Exchange Agreement ((incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.15 to the Company’s Amended Registration Statement on Form S-1/A (File No. 333-232557) filed with the Commission on December 21, 2020)
10.7
Form of Registration Rights Agreement ((incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.16 to the Company’s Amended Registration Statement on Form S-1/A (File No. 333-232557) filed with the Commission on December 21, 2020)
10.8
Form of Purchase and Assignment Agreement ((incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.16 to the Company’s Amended Registration Statement on Form S-1/A (File No. 333-232557) filed with the Commission on December 21, 2020)
10.9
Option Agreement ((incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on April 2, 2021).
10.10
Bridge Facility Agreement, dated as of June 16, 2022, between the Company and Intelligent Fingerprinting Limited.
14.1
Code of Ethics ((incorporated by reference to Exhibit 14.1 to the Company’s Amended Registration Statement on Form S-1/A (File No. 333-232557) filed with the Commission on August 6, 2020)
21.1 #
List of Subsidiaries
31.1 #
Certification of Chief Executive Officer pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
69
31.2 #
Certification of Principal Financial Officer pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
32.1 #
Certification of the Principal Executive Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
32.2 #
Certification of the Principal Financial Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
101.INS #
XBRL
Instance Document - the instance document does not appear in the Interactive Data File because its XBRL tags are embedded within
the Inline XBRL document
101.SCH #
XBRL
Taxonomy Extension Schema Document.
101.CAL #
XBRL
Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document.
101.DEF #
XBRL
Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase Document.
101.LAB #
XBRL
Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase Document.
101.PRE #
XBRL
Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document.
104 #
Cover
Page Interactive Data File (formatted as inline XBRL and contained in Exhibit 101)
* Indicates
management contract or compensatory plan.
#
Filed herewith.
ITEM
16. FORM 10-K SUMMARY.
None.
70
SIGNATURES
Pursuant
to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant caused this report to be signed on its behalf
by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
GBS
Inc.
Date:
September 22, 2022
By:
/s/
Steven Boyages
STEVEN
BOYAGES
INTERIM
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER AND CHAIRMAN
(Principal
Executive Officer)
Date:
September 22, 2022
By:
/s/
Spiro Sakiris
SPIRO
SAKIRIS
CHIEF
FINANCIAL OFFICER
(Principal
Financial Officer)
Pursuant
to the requirements of the 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 dates indicated.
Signature
Title
Date
/s/
Steven Boyages
Interim
Chief Executive Officer, Chairman and Director
September
22, 2022
Steven
Boyages
(Principal
Executive Officer)
/s/
Spiro Sakiris
Chief
Financial Officer
September
22, 2022
Spiro
Sakiris
(Principal
Financial Officer)
/s/
Jonathan Hurd
Jonathan
Hurd
Director
September
22, 2022
/s/
George Margelis
Dr.
George Margelis
Director
September
22, 2022
/s/
Lawrence Fisher
Lawrence
Fisher
Director
September
22, 2022
/s/
Christopher Towers
Christopher
Towers
Director
September
22, 2022
71
GBS
Inc.
Index
to the Consolidated Financial Statements
REPORT
OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM (BDO Audit Pty Ltd, Sydney, Australia, PCAOB ID # 02256 )
F-2
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
F-3
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS AND OTHER COMPREHENSIVE LOSS
F-4
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
F-5
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
F-6
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
F-7
F- 1
Report
of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
Shareholders
and Board of Directors
GBS
Inc.
New
York, New York
Opinion
on the Consolidated Financial Statements
We
have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of GBS Inc. (the ‘Company’) as of June 30, 2022 and 2021, the related
consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss, changes in shareholders’ equity, and cash flows for each of the years
then ended, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the ‘consolidated financial statements’). In our opinion,
the consolidated financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company at June 30, 2022
and 2021, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for the years then ended , in conformity with accounting principles
generally accepted in the United States of America.
Substantial
doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a Going Concern
The
accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared assuming that the Company will continue as a going concern. As described
in Note 2 to the consolidated financial statements, the Company has stated that substantial doubt exists about the Company’s ability
to continue as a going concern. Management’s evaluation of the events and conditions and management’s plans regarding these
matters are also described in Note 2. The consolidated financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the
outcome of this uncertainty. Our opinion is not modified with respect to this matter.
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 and 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 audit 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 audits, 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
regarding 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/
BDO Audit Pty Ltd
We
have served as the Company’s auditor since 2017.
Sydney,
Australia
September
21, 2022
F- 2
GBS
Inc.
Consolidated
Balance Sheets
June 30, 2022
June 30, 2021
ASSETS
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents
$ 8,238,301
$ 12,573,685
Grant receivable, current portion
1,529,882
2,098,884
Research and development tax incentive receivable
353,048
1,025,455
Other current assets
746,761
2,509,017
Total current assets
10,867,992
18,207,041
Long-term grant receivable
1,092,773
3,148,328
Construction in progress
391,408
-
Other non-current assets
-
504,000
TOTAL ASSETS
$ 12,352,173
$ 21,859,369
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable and accrued expenses
$ 1,625,089
$ 1,467,968
Related party payables
-
13,323
Current portion of deferred grant income
2,836,582
2,098,884
Current employee benefit liabilities
201,332
102,475
Total current liabilities
4,663,003
3,682,650
Employee benefit liabilities
50,626
21,770
Long-term deferred grant income
1,092,773
3,148,328
Total liabilities
5,806,402
6,852,748
Commitments and contingencies (Note 10)
-
-
Shareholders’ equity:
Preferred stock, $ 0.01 par value, 10,000,000 shares authorized, 0 and 1,300,000 shares issued and outstanding at June 30, 2022 and June 30, 2021, respectively
-
13,000
Common stock, $ 0.01 par value, 100,000,000 shares authorized, 14,889,904 and 13,582,122 shares issued and outstanding at June 30, 2022 and June 30, 2021, respectively
148,899
135,821
Additional paid-in capital
38,440,011
38,440,089
Accumulated deficit
( 31,175,853 )
( 22,869,803 )
Accumulated other comprehensive loss
( 788,135 )
( 661,260 )
Total consolidated GBS Inc. equity
6,624,922
15,057,847
Non-controlling interest
( 79,151 )
( 51,226 )
Total shareholders’ equity
6,545,771
15,006,621
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
$ 12,352,173
$ 21,859,369
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
F- 3
GBS
Inc.
Consolidated
Statements of Operations and Other Comprehensive Loss
Year Ended June 30,
2022
2021
Revenue:
Other income:
Government support income
$ 437,146
$ 1,980,484
Total revenue and other income
437,146
1,980,484
Operating expenses:
General and administrative expenses
4,920,103
3,359,065
Development and regulatory approval expenses
3,853,919
3,835,703
Prospectus and capital raising expenses
-
359,198
Total operating expenses
8,774,022
7,553,966
Loss from operations
( 8,336,876 )
( 5,573,482 )
Other income (expense):
Interest expense
( 7,539 )
( 1,093,608 )
Loss from unconsolidated equity method investment
-
( 135,692 )
Realized foreign exchange loss
( 3,987 )
( 271,225 )
Interest income
14,426
13,806
Total other income (expense)
2,900
( 1,486,719 )
Net loss
( 8,333,976 )
( 7,060,201 )
Net loss attributable to non-controlling interest
( 27,925 )
( 22,915 )
Net loss attributable to GBS Inc.
$ ( 8,306,051 )
$ ( 7,037,286 )
Other comprehensive loss, net of tax:
Foreign currency translation loss
$ ( 126,875 )
$ ( 297,309 )
Total other comprehensive loss
( 126,875 )
( 297,309 )
Comprehensive loss
( 8,460,851 )
( 7,357,510 )
Comprehensive loss attributable to non-controlling interest
( 27,925 )
( 22,915 )
Comprehensive loss attributable to GBS Inc.
$ ( 8,432,926 )
$ ( 7,334,595 )
Net loss per share, basic and diluted
$ ( 0.57 )
$ ( 0.68 )
Weighted average shares outstanding, basic and diluted
14,665,263
10,414,886
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
F- 4
GBS
Inc.
Consolidated
Statements of Changes in Shareholders’ Equity
Total
Additional
Other
Non-
shareholders’
Preferred
stock
Common
stock
paid
in
Accumulated
comprehensive
controlling
equity
Shares
Amount
Shares
Amount
capital
deficit
loss
interest
(deficit)
Balance, June 30, 2020
2,370,891
$ 23,709
8,630,000
$ 86,300
$ 10,899,942
$ ( 15,832,517 )
$ ( 363,951 )
$ ( 28,311 )
$ ( 5,214,828 )
Issuance of convertible preferred shares
439,299
4,393
-
-
3,290,352
-
-
-
3,294,745
Issuance of common stock at
initial public offering
-
-
1,270,589
12,706
21,587,307
-
-
-
21,600,013
Issuance cost of common stock
at initial public offering
-
-
-
-
( 3,867,565 )
-
-
-
( 3,867,565 )
Cancellation of common stock
in exchange for preferred shares
3,000,000
30,000
( 3,000,000 )
( 30,000 )
-
-
-
-
-
Conversion of convertible notes
into common stock at initial public offering
-
-
710,548
7,105
5,126,601
-
-
-
5,133,706
Conversion of convertible preferred
shares into common stock at initial public offering
( 2,810,190 )
( 28,102 )
2,810,190
28,102
-
-
-
-
-
Beneficial conversion feature
-
-
-
-
905,948
-
-
-
905,948
Series A warrants exercised
to purchase common shares
-
-
59,800
598
507,702
-
-
-
508,300
Series B warrants exercised
to purchase common shares
-
-
1,400,995
14,010
( 14,010 )
-
-
-
-
Series A and B warrants acquired
-
-
-
-
3,812
-
-
-
3,812
Conversion of convertible preferred
shares into common stock
( 1,700,000 )
( 17,000 )
1,700,000
17,000
-
-
-
-
-
Foreign currency translation
loss
-
-
-
-
-
-
( 297,309 )
-
( 297,309 )
Net
loss
-
-
-
-
-
( 7,037,286 )
-
( 22,915 )
( 7,060,201 )
Balance, June 30,
2021
1,300,000
$ 13,000
13,582,122
$ 135,821
$ 38,440,089
$ ( 22,869,803 )
$ ( 661,260 )
$ ( 51,226 )
$ 15,006,621
Balance
1,300,000
$ 13,000
13,582,122
$ 135,821
$ 38,440,089
$ ( 22,869,803 )
$ ( 661,260 )
$ ( 51,226 )
$ 15,006,621
Series B warrants exercised
to purchase common shares
-
-
7,782
78
( 78 )
-
-
-
-
Conversion of convertible preferred
shares into common shares
( 1,300,000 )
( 13,000 )
1,300,000
13,000
-
-
-
-
-
Foreign currency translation
loss
-
-
-
-
-
-
( 126,875 )
-
( 126,875 )
Net
loss
-
-
-
-
-
( 8,306,051 )
-
( 27,925 )
( 8,333,976 )
Balance, June 30,
2022
-
$ -
14,889,904
$ 148,899
$ 38,440,011
$ ( 31,175,853 )
$ ( 788,135 )
$ ( 79,151 )
$ 6,545,771
Balance
-
$ -
14,889,904
$ 148,899
$ 38,440,011
$ ( 31,175,853 )
$ ( 788,135 )
$ ( 79,151 )
$ 6,545,771
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
F- 5
GBS
Inc.
Consolidated
Statements of Cash Flows
Year Ended June 30,
2022
2021
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net loss
$ ( 8,333,976 )
$ ( 7,060,201 )
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities:
Non-cash (loss) gain on foreign currency translation, net
( 3,987 )
( 271,225 )
Loss on investment in affiliate
-
135,692
Contingent beneficial conversion feature on convertible notes
-
905,948
Non-cash research and development charge
2,600,000
-
Non cash refund of R&D expenditure claims
( 50,958 )
-
Non-cash other operating activities
( 8,179 )
( 66,055 )
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Grant receivable
1,828,891
-
Research and development tax incentive receivable
672,407
( 1,025,455 )
Other current assets
( 333,743 )
( 2,459,955 )
Other non-current assets
-
( 504,000 )
Accounts and other payables
255,978
782,974
Accounts payable - related party
( 13,323 )
( 1,755,970 )
Other long-term liabilities
28,856
21,770
Net cash used in operating activities
( 3,358,034 )
( 11,296,477 )
Cash flows from investing activities:
Issuance of note receivable
( 500,000 )
-
Amount invested on construction in progress
( 380,221 )
-
Net cash used in investing activities
( 880,221 )
-
Cash flows from financing activities:
Proceeds from issuance of warrants
-
3,812
Proceeds from warrant holders for common shares
-
508,300
Proceeds from issuance of preferred stock
-
3,294,745
Proceeds from initial public offering
-
21,600,013
Payment of equity issuance costs
-
( 2,003,952 )
Net cash provided by financing activities
-
23,402,918
Effect of foreign exchange rates on cash and cash equivalents
( 97,129 )
39,971
(Decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents
( 4,335,384 )
12,146,412
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period
12,573,685
427,273
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period
$ 8,238,301
$ 12,573,685
Non-cash investing and financing activities
Reclassification of deferred charges to additional paid in capital upon completion of initial public offering
$ -
$ 1,863,613
Conversion of notes to common shares at initial public offering
-
5,133,706
Cancellation of common stock in exchange for preferred shares
-
30,000
Conversion of preferred shares into common shares
13,000
45,102
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Cash paid for interest
$ -
$ 185,301
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
F- 6
GBS
Inc.
Notes
to the Consolidated Financial Statements
NOTE
1. ORGANIZATION AND DESCRIPTION OF THE BUSINESS
GBS
Inc. and its wholly owned subsidiary, GBS Operations Inc. were formed on December 5, 2016 under the laws of the state of Delaware. Glucose
Biosensor Systems (Greater China) Pty Ltd (“GBSPL”) was formed on August 4, 2016 under the laws of New South Wales, Australia
and was renamed to GBS (APAC) Pty Ltd on October 14, 2020. Glucose Biosensor Systems (Japan) Pty Ltd and Glucose Biosensor Systems (APAC)
Pty Ltd were formed under the laws of New South Wales, Australia on February 22, 2017 and February 23, 2017 respectively. These companies
(collectively, the “Company”) were formed to provide a non-invasive, pain free innovation to make it easier for people to
manage diabetes using the Company’s Saliva Glucose Biosensor (“SGB” and, together with the software app that interfaces
the SGB with the Company’s digital information system, the “SGT”).
We
are a biosensor diagnostic technology company operating across the Asia-Pacific Region (“APAC”) region and an interest
in the North America Region with the biosensor platform comprising of biochemistry, immunology, tumor markers, hormones, and nucleic
acid diagnostic modalities, and worldwide with our COV2 test. We were incorporated under the laws of Delaware on December 5, 2016.
Our headquarters are located in New York, New York.
Our
objective is to introduce and launch initially the Saliva Glucose Biosensor (referred to as the “SGB”), the diagnostic test
that stems from the Biosensor Platform that we license, in our regions and the COV2 test globally. This will be followed by developing
the platform to its full capacity testing across the diagnostic modalities of Immunology, Hormones, Chemistry, Tumor markers and Nucleic
Acid tests.
Initial
public offering
On
December 28, 2020, the Company closed its initial public offering (“IPO”) and sold 1,270,589 units, consisting of (a) one
share of the Company’s common stock (or, at the purchaser’s election, one share of Series B Convertible Preferred Stock),
(b) one Series A warrant (the “Series A Warrants”) to purchase one share of the Company’s common stock at an exercise
price equal to $ 8.50 per share, exercisable until the fifth anniversary of the issuance date, and (c) one Series B warrant (the “Series
B Warrants”) to purchase one share of the Company’s common stock at an exercise price equal to $ 17.00 per share, exercisable
until the fifth anniversary of the issuance date and subject to certain adjustment and cashless exercise provisions. The public offering
price of the shares sold in the IPO was $ 17.00 per unit. In aggregate, the units issued in the offering generated $ 17,732,448 in net
proceeds, which amount is net of $ 1,714,001 in underwriters’ discount and commissions, and $ 2,153,564 in offering costs. Offering
costs include underwriters’ warrants to acquire up to 63,529 shares with an exercise price of $ 18.70 per share, exercisable until
the fifth anniversary of the issuance date. The Company also issued to the underwriter an option, exercisable one or more times in whole
or in part, to purchase up to 190,588 additional shares of common stock and/or Series A Warrants to purchase up to an aggregate of 190,588
shares of common stock and/or Series B Warrants to purchase up to an aggregate of 190,588 shares of common stock, in any combinations
thereof, from us at the public offering price per security, less the underwriting discounts and commissions, for 45 days after the date
of the IPO to cover over-allotments, if any (the “Over-Allotment Option”).
Upon
the closing of the IPO, all shares of preferred stock then outstanding were automatically converted into 2,810,190 shares of common stock,
and all convertible notes then outstanding were automatically converted into 710,548 shares of common stock.
Pre-IPO
preferred shareholders were issued warrants following the Company’s completed IPO, that allows the holder to acquire 2,736,675
shares of common stock at the IPO price during year two through to year three following the completion of the IPO. At exercise date,
the shareholder must hold, for each warrant to be exercised, the underlying common share to exercise the warrant. The warrants are not
transferable and apply to the number of shares that were subscribed for.
F- 7
NOTE
2. LIQUIDITY
The
Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 205-40, Presentation
of Financial Statements - Going Concern (ASC 205-40) requires management to assess an entity’s ability to continue as a going
concern within one year of the date of the financial statements are issued. In each reporting period, including interim periods, an entity
is required to assess conditions known and reasonably knowable as of the financial statement issuance date to determine whether it is
probable an entity will not meet its financial obligations within one year from the financial statement issuance date. Substantial doubt
about an entity’s ability to continue as a going concern exists when conditions and events, considered in the aggregate, indicate
it is probable the entity will be unable to meet its financial obligations as they become due within one year after the date the financial
statements are issued.
The
Company is an emerging growth company and has not generated any revenues to date. As such, the Company is subject to all of the risks
associated with emerging growth companies. Since inception, the Company has incurred losses and negative cash flows from operating activities.
The Company does not expect to generate positive cash flows from operating activities in the near future until such time, if at all,
the Company completes the development process of its products, including regulatory approvals, and thereafter, begins to commercialize
and achieve substantial acceptance in the marketplace for the first of a series of products in its medical device portfolio.
The
Company incurred a net loss of $ 8,306,051 for the year ended June 30, 2022 (net loss of $ 7,037,286 for the year ended June 30, 2021).
As of June 30, 2022, the Company had shareholders’ equity of $ 6,545,771 , working capital of $ 6,204,989 , and an accumulated deficit
of $ 31,175,853 .
In the near future, the Company anticipates incurring operating losses and does not expect to experience positive cash flows from operating
activities and may continue to incur operating losses until it completes the development of its products and seeks regulatory approvals
to market such products.
The
Company has evaluated whether there are conditions and events, considered in agreement that raise the substantial doubt about its ability
to continue as going concern within one year after the date of signing of the consolidated financial statements. The Company expects
that its cash and cash equivalents as of June 30, 2022, of $ 8.23 million, may be insufficient to allow the Company to fund its current
operating plan through at least the next twelve months from the issuance of these financial statements, taking into the accounts the
proposed acquisition of Intelligent Fingerprinting Limited (IFP). Should revenue not be generated during this period to cover expenses,
then these conditions may raise substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at
least one year from the date these financial statements are issued. Accordingly, it appears that the Company may be required to raise
additional funds during the next 12 months. The company is currently evaluating potential raising additional funds through private placements
and or public equity financing. However, there can be no assurance that, in the event that the Company requires additional financing,
such financing will be available on terms which are favorable to us, or at all. If we are unable to raise additional funding to meet
our working capital needs in the future, we will be forced to delay or reduce the scope of our research programs and/or limit or cease
our operations. Accordingly, there appears to be substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern unless we can successfully
raise additional capital. The report from our independent registered public accounting firm for the year ended June 30, 2022, includes
an explanatory paragraph stating that our losses from operations and required additional funding to finance our operations may raise
substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern for a period of one year after the date the financial statements are
issued.
Company’s
consolidated financial statements have been prepared on a going concern basis which contemplates the realization of assets and satisfaction
of liabilities and commitments in the normal course of business. The consolidated financial statements do not include any adjustments
relating to the recoverability and classification of recorded asset amounts or the amounts and classification of liabilities should the
Company be unable to continue as a going concern.
NOTE
3. SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
Basis
of presentation
The
consolidated financial statements of the Company have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the
United States of America (“GAAP”) and the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”)
as of June 30, 2022 and 2021.
Principles
of consolidation
These
consolidated financial statements as of and for the years ended June 30, 2022 and 2021 include the accounts of the Company, all wholly-owned
and majority-owned subsidiaries in which the Company has a controlling voting interest and, when applicable, variable interest entities
(“VIEs”) in which the Company has a controlling financial interest or is the primary beneficiary. Investments in affiliates
where the Company does not exert a controlling financial interest are not consolidated.
All
significant intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated upon consolidation.
F- 8
Equity
offering costs
The
Company complies with the requirements of ASC 340 with regards to offering costs. Prior to the completion of an offering, offering costs
were capitalized as deferred offering costs on the consolidated balance sheets. The deferred offering costs were charged to shareholders’
equity (deficit) upon the completion of an offering.
Use
of estimates
The
preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP 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 consolidated financial
statements, and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could materially differ from
those estimates.
Revenue
recognition
Revenue
from contracts with customers is recognized when, or as, the Company satisfies its performance obligations by delivering the promised
goods or service deliverables to the customers. A good or service deliverable is transferred to a customer when, or as, the customer
obtains control of that good or service deliverable.
Deferred
grant income
On
June 30, 2021, the Company executed a definitive grant agreement with the Australian Government to assist with building a manufacturing
facility. The grant has a total value of up to $ 4.7 million upon the achievement of certain milestones. Proceeds from the grant will
be used primarily to reimburse the Company for costs incurred in the construction of the manufacturing facility.
Accounting
for the grant does not fall under ASC 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers , as the Australian Government will not benefit
directly from our manufacturing facility. As there is no authoritative guidance under U.S. GAAP on accounting for grants to for-profit
business entities, we applied International Accounting Standards 20 (“IAS 20”), Accounting for Government Grants and Disclosure
of Government Assistance by analogy when accounting for the Australian Government grant to the Company.
The
Australian Government grant proceeds, which will be used to reimburse construction costs incurred, meet the definition of grants related
to assets as the primary purpose for the payments is to fund the construction of a capital asset. Under IAS 20, government grants related
to assets are presented in the statement of financial position either by setting up the grant as deferred income that is recognized in
the statement of operation on a systematic basis over the useful life of the asset or by deducting the grant in arriving at the carrying
amount of the asset. Either of these two methods of presentation of grants related to assets in financial statements are regarded as
acceptable alternatives under IAS 20. The Company has elected to record the grants received initially as deferred income and deducting
the grant proceeds received from the gross costs of the assets or CIP and deferred grant income liability.
Under
IAS 20, government grants are initially recognized when there is reasonable assurance the conditions of the grant will be met and the
grant will be received. As of June 30, 2021, management concluded that there was reasonable assurance the grant conditions will be met
and all milestone payment received. The total grant value of $ 4.7 million was recognized as both a grant receivable and deferred grant
income on the grant effective date. The grant receivable was reduced by $ 2.1 million for payments received during the twelve months ended
June 30, 2022 (no payments were received during the three months ended June 30, 2022) and $ 2.6 million remains in grant receivable on
the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets.
After
initial recognition, under IAS 20, government grants are recognized in earnings on a systematic basis in a manner that mirrors the manner
in which the Company recognizes the underlying costs for which the grant is intended to compensate. Further, IAS 20 permits for recognition
in earnings either separately under a general heading such as other income, or as a reduction of the cost of the asset. The Company has
elected to recognize government grant income separately within other income for operating expenditures. Similarly, for capital expenditures,
the carrying amount of assets purchased or constructed out of the grant funds are presented net by deducting the grant proceeds received
from the gross costs of the assets or CIP and deferred grant income liability. A total of $ 51,258 deferred grant income was recognized
within other income during the current period.
F- 9
Development
and regulatory approval costs
Expenditures
relating to R&D are expensed as incurred and recorded in development and regulatory approval in the Consolidated Statements of Operations
and Other Comprehensive Loss. R&D expenses include external expenses incurred under arrangements with third parties; salaries and
personnel-related costs; license fees to acquire in-process technology and other expenses. The Company recognizes the benefit of refundable
R&D tax refunds as a R&D tax refund income when there is reasonable assurance that the amount claimed will be recovered (refer
to the R&D tax refund discussion below).
Intellectual
property acquired for a particular research and development project and that have no alternative future uses (in other research and development
projects or otherwise) are expensed in research and development costs at the time the costs are incurred.
In
certain circumstances, the Company may be required to make advance payments to vendors for goods or services that will be received in
the future for use in R&D activities. In such circumstances, the non-refundable advance payments are deferred and capitalized, even
when there is no alternative future use for the R&D, until the related goods or services are provided. In circumstances where amounts
have been paid in excess of costs incurred, the Company records a prepaid expense.
R&D
tax refund
The
Company measures the R&D grant income and receivable by considering the time spent by employees on eligible R&D activities and
R&D costs incurred to external service providers. The R&D tax refund receivable is recognized as the Company believes that it
is probable that the amount will be recovered in full through a future claim. A total of $ 385,888 and $ 1,850,175 of R&D tax refund
income is recognized in other income during the years end June 30, 2022, and 2021, respectively.
Foreign
currency translation
Assets
and liabilities of foreign subsidiaries are translated from local (functional) currency to reporting currency (U.S. dollar) at the rate
of exchange in effect on the consolidated balance sheets date; income and expenses are translated at the average rate of exchange prevailing
during the year. The functional currency of GBS is the United States dollar. Foreign currency movements resulted a loss of $ 126,875
and $ 297,309 for the years ended June 30, 2022 and 2021, respectively.
Income
taxes
In
accordance with the provisions of FASB ASC 740, Income Taxes , tax positions initially need to be recognized in the consolidated
financial statements when it is more likely than not that the positions will be sustained upon examination by taxing authorities. It
also provides guidance for de-recognition, classification, interest and penalties, accounting in interim periods, disclosure, and transition.
As
of June 30, 2022, and 2021, the Company had no uncertain tax positions that qualified for either recognition or disclosure in the consolidated
financial statements. Additionally, the Company had no interest and penalties related to income taxes.
The
Company accounts for current and deferred income taxes and, when appropriate, deferred tax assets and liabilities are recorded with respect
to temporary differences in the accounting treatment of items for financial reporting purposes and for income tax purposes. Where, based
on the weight of all available evidence, it is more likely than not that some amount of the recorded deferred tax assets will not be
realized, a valuation allowance is established for that amount that, in management’s judgment, is sufficient to reduce the deferred tax
asset to an amount that is more likely than not to be realized.
F- 10
Licensing
rights
During
the first quarter of the fiscal year ended June 30, 2020, the Company purchased the license right procurement assets from LSBD for an
amount of $ 976,308 in relation to the development and approval process for the Glucose Biosensor Technology. The Company recorded the
license at the historical carrying value in the books of LSBD which was $nil and recorded the amount paid as a deemed dividend. The Company
has agreed to pay royalties of sales & milestones payments as defined.
On
September 12, 2019, the Company entered into an amended and restated license agreement for Saliva Biosensor Technology. On June 23, 2020,
the Company entered into a license agreement with LSBD for the worldwide rights to SARS-CoV-2 application of the Saliva Glucose Biosensor.
In
relation to these licenses, there is no set expiration date for the license. However, the exclusivity of the license granted under the
license agreement runs until the expiration of the patent portfolio covered by the agreement which is currently until 2033. No royalties
have been incurred through to June 30, 2022 (June 30, 2021: $nil).
On
March 31, 2021, the Company entered into an agreement with LSBD to provide the Company an option to acquire an exclusive license to use
LSBD’s intellectual property in the Saliva Glucose Biosensor in North America (the “Option Agreement”). The Option
Agreement has a term of two years and the exercise price for the option is $ 5,000,000 . The fee of $ 500,000 incurred for the option was
expensed in the period incurred.
Trade,
note and other receivables
Trade,
note and other receivables are recorded net of allowances for uncollectible accounts. The Company evaluates the collectability of its
accounts receivable based on various factors including historical experience, the length of time the receivables are past due and the
financial health of the customer. The Company reserves specific receivables if collectability is no longer reasonably assured. Based
upon the assessment of these factors, the Company did not record an allowance for uncollectible accounts as of June 30, 2022, and 2021.
Net
loss per share attributable to common shareholders (“EPS”)
The
Company calculates earnings per share attributable to common shareholders in accordance with ASC Topic 260, Earning Per Share .
Basic net loss per share attributable to common shareholders is calculated by dividing net loss attributable to common
shareholders by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period. Diluted net loss per common share
is calculated by dividing net loss attributable to common shareholders by weighted average common shares outstanding during
the period plus potentially dilutive common shares, such as share warrants.
Potentially
dilutive common shares shall be calculated in accordance with the treasury share method, which assumes that proceeds from the exercise
of all warrants are used to repurchase common share at market value. The number of shares remaining after the proceeds are exhausted
represents the potentially dilutive effect of the securities.
As
the Company has incurred net losses in all periods, certain potentially dilutive securities, including convertible preferred stock, warrants
to acquire common stock, and convertible notes payable have been excluded in the computation of diluted loss per share as the effects
are antidilutive.
F- 11
Property,
Plant and Equipment (PPE) & Construction in Progress (CIP)
In
accordance with the ASC 360, Property, Plant, and Equipment , the Company’s PPE, except land, is stated at cost net of accumulated
depreciation and impairment losses, if any. Land is stated at cost less any impairment losses. Costs incurred to acquire, construct,
or install PPE, before the assets is ready for use, are capitalized in CIP at historical cost. The carrying amount of assets purchased
or constructed out of the grant funds are presented net by deducting the grant proceeds received from the gross costs of the assets or
CIP. Construction in progress is not depreciated until such time when the asset is substantially completed and ready for its intended
use.
Recently
issued but not yet effective accounting pronouncements
As
the Company is an emerging growth company, we have elected to defer the adoption of new accounting pronouncements until they would apply
to private companies.
In
November 2021, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No.
2021-10, Government Assistance (“ASU 2021-10”). This update requires annual disclosures about transaction with a government
that are accounted for by applying a grant or contribution accounting model by analogy. Required disclosures include (1) information
about the nature of the transactions and the related accounting policy used to account for the transactions, (2) the line items on the
balance sheet and income statement that are affected by the transactions, and the amounts applicable to each financial statement line
item, and (3) significant terms and conditions of the transactions, including commitments and contingencies. ASU 2021-10 is applicable
for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2021, with early adoption permitted. The Company has not early adopted and continues to
evaluate the impact of the provisions of ASU 2021-10 on its consolidated financial statement disclosures.
In
October 2021, the FASB issued ASU No. 2021-08, Business Combinations (Topic 805) – Accounting for Contract Assets and Contract
Liabilities from Contracts with Customers (“ASU 2021-08”). ASU 2021-08 requires that an acquirer recognize and measure
contract assets and contract liabilities acquired in a business combination in accordance with Topic 606, as if it had originated the
contracts. Prior to this ASU, an acquirer generally recognized contract assets acquired and contract liabilities assumed that arose from
contracts with customers at fair value on the acquisition date. The ASU is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2023,
with early adoption permitted. The ASU is to be applied prospectively to business combinations occurring on or after the effective date
of the amendment. The Company has not early adopted and continues to evaluate the impact of the provisions of ASU 2021-08 on its consolidated
financial statements.
In
August 2020, the FASB issued ASU No. 2020-06, Debt – Debt with Conversion and Other Options (“ASU 2020-06”),
which simplifies the guidance on the issuer’s accounting for convertible debt instruments by removing the separation models for
(1) convertible debt with a cash conversion feature and (2) convertible instruments with a beneficial conversion feature. As a result,
entities will not separately present in equity an embedded conversion feature in such debt and will account for a convertible debt instrument
wholly as debt, unless certain other conditions are met. The elimination of these models will reduce reported interest expense and increase
reported net income for entities that have issued a convertible instrument that is within the scope of ASU 2020-06. Also, ASU 2020-06
requires the application of the if-converted method for calculating diluted earnings per share and treasury stock method will be no longer
available. ASU 2020-06 is applicable for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2021, with early adoption permitted no earlier than
fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020. The Company has not early adopted and continues to evaluate the impact of the provisions
of ASU 2020-06 on its consolidated financial statements.
In
December 2019, the FASB issued ASU No. 2019-12, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes (“ASU
2019-12”), which is intended to simplify various aspects of the accounting for income taxes. ASU 2019-12 removes certain exceptions
to the general principles in Topic 740 and clarifies and amends existing guidance to improve consistent application. This standard is
effective for fiscal years and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2020. Early adoption is permitted.
The Company adopted ASU 2019-12 as of July 1, 2021 and the adoption did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated
financial statements.
In
June 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13 (Topic 326), Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (“ASU 2016-13”).
This update (i) significantly changes the impairment model for most financial assets that are measured at amortized cost and certain
other instruments from an incurred loss model to an expected loss model which will be based on an estimate of current expected credit
loss (“CECL”) (ASC 326-20); and (ii) provides for recording credit losses on available-for-sale (“AFS”) debt
securities through an allowance account (ASC 326-30). The standard also requires certain incremental disclosures. Subsequently, the FASB
issued several ASUs to clarify, improve, or defer the adoption of ASU 2016-13. ASU 2016-13, as amended by ASU 2019-10, is applicable
for Smaller Reporting Companies (“SRCs”) for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2022, with early adoption permitted.
The Company has not early adopted the standard and continues to evaluate the impact.
F- 12
In
February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases (“ASU 2016-02”). This update requires all leases with a term
greater than 12 months to be recognized on the balance sheet through a right-of-use asset and a lease liability and the disclosure of
key information pertaining to leasing arrangements. This new guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2021,
and interim period within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2022, as amended by ASU 2020-05 with early adoption permitted. The
Company has not early adopted the standard and continues to evaluate the impact.
Concentration
of credit risk
The
Company places its cash and cash equivalents, which may at times be in excess of the Australia Financial Claims Scheme or the United
States’ Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation insurance limits, with high credit quality financial institutions and attempts to
limit the amount of credit exposure with any one institution.
Fair
value of financial instruments
The
accounting guidance defines fair value, establishes a consistent framework for measuring fair value and expands disclosure for each major
asset and liability category measured at fair value on either a recurring or non-recurring basis. Fair value is defined as an exit price,
representing the amount that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market
participants. As such, fair value is a market-based measurement that should be determined based on assumptions that market participants
would use in pricing an asset or liability. As a basis for considering such assumptions, the accounting guidance establishes a three-tier
fair value hierarchy, which prioritizes the inputs used in measuring fair value as follows:
Level
1 -Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.
Level
2 -Observable inputs other than Level 1 prices, such as quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities, quoted prices in markets
that are not active, or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by observable market data for substantially the full
term of the assets or liabilities.
Level
3 -Unobservable inputs that are supported by little or no market activity and that are significant to the fair value of the assets
or liabilities.
Assets
and liabilities measured at fair value are classified in their entirety based on the lowest level of input that is significant to the
fair value measurement. The Company’s assessment of the significance of a particular input to the fair value measurement in its
entirety requires management to make judgments and consider factors specific to the asset or liability.
The
carrying amounts of cash equivalents, prepaid and other assets, accounts payable and accrued liabilities are representative of their
respective fair values because of the short-term nature of those instruments.
NOTE
4. OTHER CURRENT ASSETS
Other
current assets consist of the following:
SCHEDULE OF OTHER CURRENT ASSETS
June 30, 2022
June 30, 2021
Intelligent Fingerprinting Limited note receivable
$ 500,445
$ —
Prepayments
116,525
2,424,143
Goods and services tax receivable
57,746
83,278
Deposits
46,602
—
Other receivables
25,443
1,596
Total
$ 746,761
$ 2,509,017
On
June 16, 2022, the Company entered into an agreement with Intelligent Fingerprinting Limited (“IFP”), providing the Company
with the exclusive right, until December 31, 2022, to evaluate and negotiate a transaction to acquire IFP or its assets. In consideration
for this exclusivity, on June 16, 2022, the Company provided IFP with an unsecured term loan facility in the amount of $ 500,000 , which
is payable by IFP on the earliest of the consummation of an acquisition, 30 days following the termination of exclusivity under the exclusivity
agreement, an event of default under the term loan facility agreement, or December 31, 2022. This $ 500,000 short term note receivable
bears an interest rate of 2 % per annum above the Sterling Barclays Bank Base Rate from time to time.
As
of the year ended June 30, 2021, the Company made $ 2,600,000 in prepayments for research and development. Of the total prepayments, $ 504,000
was recorded as a non-current asset based on the expected outflow of the budgeted research and development costs. Under the terms of
the R&D agreement with BiosensX North America Inc., dated April 20, 2021, in which LSBD also committed to fund $ 2,600,000 as a direct
50 % shareholder in BiosensX North America Inc., the Company would have the right to apply any differences in contributions between LSBD
and the Company towards any amounts owing between the Company and LSBD, including the exercise price of the option ($ 5,000,000 ) as included
in the Option Agreement dated March 31, 2021 with LSBD (see Note 3).
During
the year ended June 30, 2022, the Company assessed the current status of the R&D activities and determined that the most likely outcome
of the prepaid R&D contribution would be to be application against the exercise price in the Option Agreement and/or future royalty
payments due for the Glucose Biosensor intellectual property. As this payment for the license of the Glucose Biosensor intellectual property
occurred prior to regulatory approval and there is no alternative future use, the prepayment of $ 2,600,000 has been expensed as development
and regulatory approval costs in the Consolidated Statements of Operations and Other Comprehensive Loss during the year ended June 30,
2022.
NOTE
5. ACCOUNTS PAYABLE AND ACCRUED EXPENSES
Accounts
payable and accrued expenses consist of the following:
SCHEDULE OF ACCOUNTS PAYABLE AND ACCRUED EXPENSES
June 30, 2022
June 30, 2021
Accounts and other payables
$ 715,902
$ 1,355,894
Accruals
909,187
112,074
Total
$ 1,625,089
$ 1,467,968
As
on June 30, 2022 the company accrued $ 909,187 of which $ 634,518 relates to development and regulatory approval expenses, legal &
consulting fees $ 136,324 , audit and accounting service fees $ 99,454 , and other general and administrative expenses $ 38,891 .
F- 13
NOTE
6. CONVERTIBLE NOTES PAYABLE
The
Company’s previously outstanding notes mandatorily converted, at a conversion price equal to 85 % of 50 % of the unit offering price
of the IPO (or $ 7.23 ), for an aggregate of 710,548 shares based on $ 5,133,706 of principal and zero accrued interest outstanding at the
date of conversion.
The
convertible notes had a contingent Beneficial Conversion Features (“BCF”), with the contingency being the event of IPO. As
such, a financing cost of $ 905,948 was recognized as interest expense in the consolidated statements of operations and other comprehensive
loss in relation to this contingent BCF during the year ended June 30, 2021.
NOTE
7. SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
As
of June 30, 2022, 1,401,377 Series A warrant and 52,400 Series B warrants were held by certain shareholders, respectively. Each warrant
is convertible into 1 share of the Company’s common stock.
On
January 1, 2022, and September 9, 2021, the Company issued 7,382 and 400 shares, respectively, of common stock as a result of Series
B warrants that were exercised pursuant to the cashless exercise provision offered during the December 2020 IPO (see Note 1) and converted
into common stock.
On
August 31, 2021, all 1,300,000 Series B Convertible Preferred Stock was converted into common stock. Each share of Series B Convertible
Preferred Stock was converted into 1 share of the Company’s common stock.
A
total of 59,800 Series A warrants and 1,400,995 Series B warrants were exercised and converted into common stock during the period from
the initial public offering to June 30, 2022.
A
total of 1,700,000 Series B Convertible Preferred Stock was also converted into common stock as of June 30, 2021. Each share of Series
B Convertible Preferred Stock was converted into 1 share of the Company’s common stock.
On
December 28, 2020, the Company completed its initial public offering. See Note 1.
On
December 18, 2020, the Company entered into an Exchange Agreement (the “EA”) with LSBD to exchange 3,000,000 shares of its
common stock held by LSBD for 3,000,000 shares of the Company’s Series B Convertible Preferred Stock (“Exchange”).
In addition, the parties to the Exchange Agreement entered into a Registration Rights Agreement (the “RRA”) pursuant to which
the Company agreed to prepare and file within 30 days following the closing of the IPO with the Securities and Exchange Commission a
registration statement to register for resale the shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of the Series B Convertible Preferred
Stock. If and to the extent the Company fails to, among other things, file such resale registration statement or have it declared effective
as required under the terms of the RRA, the Company will be required to pay to the holder of such registration rights partial liquidated
damages payable in cash in the amount equal to the product of 1.0% multiplied by the aggregate purchase price paid by such holder pursuant
to the EA. The EA and the RRA contain customary representations, warranties, agreements and, indemnification rights and obligations of
the parties. The common stock acquired in the Exchange was immediately retired. Each share of Series B Convertible Preferred Stock is
convertible into 1 shares of the Company’s common stock, subject to proportional adjustment and beneficial ownership limitations.
In the event of the Company’s liquidation, dissolution or winding up, holders of Series B Convertible Preferred Stock will participate
pari passu with any distribution of proceeds to holders of the Company’s common stock. Holders of Series B Convertible Preferred
Stock are entitled to receive dividends on shares of Series B Preferred equal (on an as converted to common stock basis) to and in the
same form as dividends actually paid on the Company’s common stock. Shares of Series B Convertible Preferred Stock generally have
no voting rights, except as required by law.
On
December 14, 2020, the Company agreed to issue to LSBD, in consideration of LSBD’s contribution towards the research and development
of applications other than glucose and COVID-19 applications to a maximum of $ 2 million over a 5 -year period, a 5 -year non-transferable
warrant to purchase 3,000,000 shares of the Company’s common stock at the exercise price of $ 17.00 per share. As this was a transaction
between entities under common control, the $ 2 million receivable due from LSBD has been recognized as contra-equity.
F- 14
NOTE
8. RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
The
Company completed certain financing transactions with, LSBD as described in Note 7.
Sales
to, and purchases from, related parties are made at normal market prices and on normal commercial terms. The following transactions occurred
with LSBD during the period July 1, 2021, to June 30, 2022 (FY 2021: July 1, 2020 to June 30, 2021):
The
Company incurred a total of $ 0 (FY 2021: $ 523,767 ) towards the services in connection with development and regulatory approval pathway
for the technology, including payments made or expenses incurred on behalf of the Company. Fiscal year 2021 includes a fee of $ 500,000 that was
paid to acquire an option and has been recognized as an expense within development and regulatory approval expenses. On March 31, 2021,
GBS entered into an Option Agreement with LSBD to provide GBS the option to acquire an exclusive license for LSBD’s intellectual
property. For further details, refer to Note 4.
The
Company incurred a total of $ 145,733 (FY 2021: $ 212,032 ) towards overhead cost reimbursement which includes salaries, rents and other
related overheads directly attributable to the Company which are included in general and administration expenses.
During
the year ended June 30, 2022, the Company contributed a total of $ 2,600,000 towards budgeted development and commercialization costs
to be incurred by BiosensX (North America) Inc. relating to the development and preparation for submission of the Saliva Glucose Biosensor
connected with regulatory approval for the U.S. market by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration. For further details, refer to Note
4.
As
of June 30, 2022, $ 9,054 (June 30, 2021: $ 13,323 ) remains payable to LSBD in relation to overhead reimbursements detailed above.
NOTE
9. INVESTMENT IN AFFILIATE
On
May 29, 2020, LSBD, issued 14,000,000 common shares of BiosensX (North America) Inc. to the Company at par value of $ 0.001 per share.
This transaction provided the Company with a 50 % interest in BiosensX (North America) Inc., the holder of the technology license for
the North America region.
The
investment in BiosensX (North America) Inc. is accounted for by use of the equity method in accordance with ASC 323, Investments -
Equity Method and Joint Ventures .
At
the date of this transaction, LSBD was the parent of both the Company and BiosensX (North America) Inc., the transfer of BiosensX shares
to the Company was deemed to be a common control transaction. As a result of the share transfer, the Company has significant influence
over BiosensX (North America) Inc.
During
the year ended June 30, 2022, LSBD sold all its shares in GBS. GBS determined whether it has a controlling financial interest in BiosensX
(North America) Inc. by first evaluating whether the entity is a voting interest entity or a VIE under GAAP. Voting interest entities
are entities in which the total equity investment at risk is sufficient to enable the entity to finance itself independently and provides
the equity holders with the obligation to absorb losses, the right to receive residual returns and the right to make decisions about
the entity’s activities. The Company consolidates voting interest entities in which it has all, or at least a majority of, the
voting interests. As defined in applicable accounting standards, VIEs are entities that lack one or more of the characteristics of a
voting interest entity. A controlling financial interest in a VIE is present when an enterprise has both the power to direct the activities
of the VIE that most significantly impact the VIE’s economic performance and an obligation to absorb losses or the right to receive
benefits that could potentially be significant to the VIE. The enterprise with a controlling financial interest, known as the primary
beneficiary, consolidates the VIE. We concluded that GBS does not have a controlling financial interest in BiosensX (North America) Inc.,
hence it continues to recognize its investments in BiosensX (North America) Inc. using the equity method.
F- 15
The
following table summarizes the amount recorded in the consolidated financial statements:
SUMMARY OF AMOUNT RECORDED IN THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
June 30, 2022
June 30, 2021
Investment value
$ —
$ 135,692
Loss from the affiliate
—
( 135,692 )
Carrying amount
$ —
$ —
NOTE
10. CONSTRUCTION IN PROGRESS
During
the period ending June 30, 2022, the Company incurred costs of $ 782,816
towards the construction of a building at the University of Newcastle. The Australian government reimbursed the Company 50 %
of the incurred costs. Therefore, the Company deducted the total cost incurred by the amount of grant proceeds received to arrive at
the carrying amount of CIP as of June 30, 2022.
The
following table summarizes the amount of CIP recorded in the Consolidated Balance Sheets:
SUMMARY
OF AMOUNT RECORDED IN THE CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
June 30, 2022
June 30, 2021
Investments in construction in progress
$ 782,816
$ —
Less: 50 % contributed under government grant
( 391,408 )
—
Carrying amount
$ 391,408
$ —
NOTE
11. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
On
January 21, 2021, the Company entered into a sponsored research agreement with Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health to accelerate
the development of next-generation saliva-based diagnostic tests. The Company is collaborating with the Bloomberg School of Public Health
to optimize the collection of saliva and monitoring of diverse biomarkers across a number of modalities including clinical chemistry
and infectious diseases. Johns Hopkins intend to utilize biosensor products to conduct in-field epidemiological studies. The Company
agreed to pay Johns Hopkins a total amount of $ 423,589 as a part of this sponsored research agreement of which $ 0 remains payable as
of June 30, 2022.
During
February 2021 the Company signed a deed of confirmation and variation with the University of Newcastle for the research and development
of the Saliva Glucose Biosensor and the SARS-CoV-2 Antibody Biosensor. The Company agreed to pay the University of Newcastle $ 2,054,880
of which $ 517,502 remains payable as of June 30, 2022.
The
Company has no material future minimum lease commitments or purchase commitments.
From
time to time, the Company may become a party to various legal proceedings arising in the ordinary course of business. Based on information
currently available, the Company is not involved in any pending or threatened legal proceedings that it believes could reasonably be
expected to have a material adverse effect on its financial condition, results of operations or liquidity. However, legal matters are
inherently uncertain, and the Company cannot guarantee that the outcome of any potential legal matter will be favorable to the Company.
NOTE
12. INCOME TAX
We
compute income taxes using the asset and liability method in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 740, Income Taxes . Under the asset
and liability method, we determine deferred income tax assets and liabilities based on the differences between the financial reporting
and tax bases of assets and liabilities and measure them using currently enacted tax rates and laws. We provide a valuation allowance
for deferred tax assets that, based on available evidence, are more likely than not to be realized. Realization of our net operating
loss carry forward was not reasonably assured as of June 30, 2022 and 2021, and we have recorded a valuation allowance of $ 6,064,025
and $ 5,946,731 , respectively, against deferred tax assets in excess of deferred tax liabilities.
F- 16
The
components of net deferred taxes are as follows:
SCHEDULE OF DEFERRED TAX ASSETS AND LIABILITIES
June 30, 2022
June 30, 2021
Deferred tax assets (liabilities):
Net operating loss - U.S.
4,321,600
$ 4,742,347
Net operating loss - Foreign
1,682,879
1,179,984
Employee benefits
59,546
24,400
Total deferred tax assets, net
6,064,025
5,946,731
Less: valuation allowance
( 6,064,025 )
( 5,946,731 )
Net deferred taxes
$ —
$ —
Our
statutory income tax rate is expected to be approximately 21 %. The provision for income taxes consisted of the following:
SCHEDULE OF PROVISION FOR INCOME TAXES
2022
2021
Year Ended June 30,
2022
2021
Current
$ —
Deferred
—
Total
$ —
$ —
The
reconciliation between the income tax expense (benefit) calculated by applying statutory rates to net loss and the income tax expense
reported in the accompanying consolidated financial statements is as follows:
SCHEDULE OF RECONCILIATION OF INCOME TAX EXPENSE (BENEFIT)
2022
2021
Year Ended June 30,
2022
2021
U.S. federal statutory rate applies to pretax income (loss)
( 1,770,915 )
$ ( 1,452,905 )
Different tax rate of subsidiary
( 106,634 )
( 87,360 )
State taxes, net of federal benefit
—
Permanent differences
117,039
281,730
Benefit of federal operating loss carryforwards
—
Cumulative adjustment to deferred taxes
1,643,216
( 512,847 )
Change in state tax rates and other
—
Change in valuation allowance
( 117,294 )
( 1,771,382 )
Total
$ —
$ —
As
of June 30, 2022, and 2021, we had federal and foreign income tax net operating loss carry forwards of approximately $ 27,310,563
and $ 19,291,293 , respectively, which expire at various dates ranging from 2038 through unlimited expiration .
NOTE
13. LOSS PER SHARE
Basic
loss per common share is computed by dividing net loss allocable to common shareholders by the weighted average number of shares of common
stock or common stock equivalents outstanding. Diluted loss per common share is computed similar to basic loss per common share except
that it reflects the potential dilution that could occur if dilutive securities or other obligations to issue common stock were exercised
or converted into common stock.
SCHEDULE OF BASIC LOSS PER COMMON SHARE POTENTIAL DILUTIVE SECURITIES
2022
2021
Year Ended June 30,
2022
2021
Net loss attributable to GBS Inc.
$ ( 8,306,051 )
$ ( 7,037,286 )
Basic and diluted net loss per share attributed to common shareholders
$ ( 0.57 )
$ ( 0.68 )
Weighted-average number of shares outstanding
14,665,263
10,414,886
The
following outstanding warrants, options and preferred shares were excluded from the computation of diluted net loss per share for the
periods presented because their effect would have been anti-dilutive:
SCHEDULE OF ANTI-DILUTIVE WARRANTS
2022
2021
Year Ended June 30,
2022
2021
Warrants - Series A
1,401,377
1,401,377
Warrants - Series B
52,400
60,182
Warrants issued to underwriters
63,529
63,529
Pre IPO warrants
2,736,675
2,736,675
Warrants issued to parent entity
3,000,000
3,000,000
Preferred stock - Series B
-
1,300,000
Anti-dilutive securities
-
1,300,000
NOTE
14. SUBSEQUENT EVENTS
The Company filed a registration statement (Form S-8) on August 5, 2022, for the registration of 500,000 shares of the Company’s
common stock at $ 0.001 par value per share, issuable pursuant to the GBS Inc. 2019 Long Term Incentive Plan. However, the Company has
not issued these shares to its employees and directors as of the date of filing these accounts.
F- 17
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.