Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis
Item
2. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
The
following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations should be read together with our financial statements
and the related notes and the other financial information included elsewhere in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. This discussion contains
forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Our actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in
these forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including those discussed below and elsewhere in this Quarterly Report
on Form 10-Q, in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024 and in other reports we file with the Securities
and Exchange Commission, particularly those under “Risk Factors.” Dollars in tabular format are presented in thousands, except
per share data, or as otherwise indicated.
CAUTIONARY
NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This
report on Form 10-Q contains forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995 under Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange
Act”). Forward-looking statements include statements with respect to our beliefs, plans, objectives, goals, expectations, anticipations,
assumptions, estimates, intentions and future performance, and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which
may be beyond our control, and which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from future
results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of
historical fact are statements that could be forward-looking statements. You can identify these forward-looking statements through our
use of words such as “may,” “can,” “anticipate,” “assume,” “should,” “indicate,”
“would,” “believe,” “contemplate,” “expect,” “seek,” “estimate,”
“continue,” “plan,” “point to,” “project,” “predict,” “could,”
“intend,” “target,” “potential” and other similar words and expressions of the future.
There
are a number of important factors that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking
statement made by us. These factors include, but are not limited to:
●
our ability to complete
one or more strategic transactions that will maximize our assets or otherwise provide value to stockholders;
●
our ability to raise capital
when needed;
●
our ability to maintain
or protect the validity of our patents and other intellectual property; and
●
the factors listed under
the heading “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, elsewhere in this
report and other reports that we file with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
All
forward-looking statements are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary notice. You are cautioned not to place undue
reliance on any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this report or the date of the document incorporated by
reference into this report. We have no obligation, and expressly disclaim any obligation, to update, revise or correct any of the forward-
looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. We have expressed our expectations, beliefs and
projections in good faith, and we believe they have a reasonable basis. However, we cannot assure you that our expectations, beliefs
or projections will result or be achieved or accomplished.
Overview
We
are a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on delivering groundbreaking therapies using our lipid nanocrystal (LNC) platform
delivery technology (LNC Platform).
Key
elements of our strategy now include:
●
Securing one or more partners
to monetize the value of MAT2203 in the short term and raise additional non-dilutive capital through the licensing or sale of our
lead LNC Platform product candidate. A partnership would likely seek to advance MAT2203 into Phase 3 development as quickly as possible,
which could position a partner to commercialize MAT2203 upon approval and which could bring additional longer-term value to the Company
and its shareholders.
●
Conserving our cash resources
while identifying and evaluating other strategic options for the Company, which could include the in-license of one or more assets
or seeking a merger partner for the Company.
For
the six month periods ended June 30, 2025 and 2024, our net loss was $6,901 and $11,543, respectively. We have incurred losses for each
period from our inception and expect to incur additional losses for the foreseeable future. We will seek to fund our operations through
public or private equity offerings, debt financing, government or other third-party funding, collaborations and licensing arrangements.
Adequate additional financing may not be available to us on acceptable terms, or at all. Our failure to raise capital as and when needed
would impact our going concern and would have a negative impact on our financial condition and our ability to pursue our business strategy
and continue as a going concern. We will need to generate significant revenues to achieve profitability, and we may never do so.
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Financial
Operations Overview
Research
and Development Expenses
Research
and development expenses consist of costs incurred for the development of product candidate MAT2203 and advancement of our LNC platform,
which include:
●
the cost of acquiring,
developing, and manufacturing pre-clinical and human clinical trial materials;
●
costs for consultants and
contractors associated with Chemistry and Manufacturing Controls (CMC), pre-clinical and clinical activities and regulatory operations;
●
expenses incurred under
agreements with contract research organizations, or CROs, including the NIH, that conduct our pre-clinical or clinical trials; and
●
employee-related expenses,
including salaries and stock-based compensation expense for those employees involved in the research and development process.
Research
and development activities are central to our business model. We expect our research and development expenses to increase over time because
product candidates in later stages of clinical development generally have higher development costs than those in earlier stages of clinical
development, primarily due to the increased size and duration of later-stage human trials. However, we anticipate that our research and
development expenses during 2025 will be lower compared with expenses incurred during 2024 until such time, if at all, as we are able
to secure additional funding to support initiation of our Phase 3 registration trial for MAT2203 and advancement of our LNC platform
delivery technology.
General
and Administrative Expenses
General
and administrative expense for the three and six months ended June 30, 2025 were $1,837 and $3,698, respectively, and the three and six
months ended June 30, 2024 were $2,468 and $4,925, respectively. General and administrative expenses consist principally of salaries
and related costs for personnel in executive and finance functions. Other general and administrative expenses include facility costs,
insurance, investor relations expenses, professional fees for legal, patent review, consulting and accounting/audit services. We anticipate
that our general and administrative expenses during 2025 will decrease slightly compared to expenses incurred during 2024 as a result
of cost-cutting measures implemented to conserve cash.
Change
in fair value of warrant liability
In
a series of transactions on February 13, 2025, and April 8, 2025, the Company closed a private placement investment with certain investors
in which the investors received shares of Series C Preferred Stock and Warrants to purchase shares the Company’s common stock.
The Warrants were initially classified as a liability upon each issuance date with the fair value estimated using a Monte Carlo simulation
model. The terms of the Warrants were amended after issuance enabling for reclassification of the Warrants as equity. Changes in fair
value between the dates of issuance and the date of amendment were recognized in other (expense)/income, net at each reporting period.
A
loss of $3,161 was recognized for the six months ended June 30, 2025, representing the change in fair value of the warrant liability
between the issuance dates of February 13, 2025 and April 8, 2025 and the amendment date of June 26, 2025.
Gain
on sale of assets, net
During
the six months ended June 30, 2025, the company sold equipment with a net book value of $210. Proceeds from the sale were $320, resulting
in a gain of $110.
Other
(expense)/income, net
Other
(expense)/income, net for the six months ended June 30, 2025 and 2024 were ($67) and $199, respectively. Other (expense)/income, net
decreased compared to the prior period primarily due to recording issuance costs of $251 in connection with the Company’s private
placement of Series C Preferred Stock and warrants.
Application
of Critical Accounting Policies and Accounting Estimates
A
critical accounting policy is one that is both important to the portrayal of our financial condition and results of operations and requires
management’s most difficult, subjective or complex judgments, often as a result of the need to make estimates about the effect
of matters that are inherently uncertain.
18
For
a description of our significant accounting policies, refer to “Note 3 – Summary of Significant Accounting Policies ”
in our 2024 Form 10-K. Of these policies, the following are considered critical to an understanding of our Unaudited Condensed Consolidated
Financial Statements as they require the application of the most difficult, subjective and complex judgments: (i) Other intangible assets,
and (ii) Warrants.
Warrants
We
account for warrants as either equity-classified or liability-classified instruments based on an assessment of the warrant’s specific
terms and applicable authoritative guidance in ASC 480, Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity and ASC 815, Derivatives and Hedging.
Warrants classified as equity are recorded at fair value as of the date of issuance on our condensed consolidated balance sheets and
no further adjustments to their valuation are made. Warrants that require separate accounting as liabilities are recorded on our condensed
consolidated balance sheets at their fair value on the date of issuance and are revalued on each subsequent balance sheet date until
such instruments are exercised or expire, with any changes in the fair value between reporting periods recorded on the condensed consolidated
statement of operations. The assessment of whether the warrants are accounted for as equity-classified or liability-classified instruments
is re-evaluated on a periodic basis. See Note 9 - Stockholders’ Equity for a discussion on the Company’s warrants.
Recent
Accounting Pronouncements
Refer
to “Note 3 – Summary of Significant Accounting Policies” in the Notes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial
Statements for a discussion of recently adopted accounting pronouncements and their expected impact on our financial positions and results
of operations.
Current
Operating Trends
Our
current R&D efforts are focused on advancing our lead LNC product candidate, MAT2203. Our R&D expenses consist of fees paid to
consultants for work related to clinical trial design and regulatory activities, fees paid to providers for conducting various clinical
studies as well as for the analysis of the results of such studies, and for other medical research addressing the potential efficacy
and safety of our drugs. We believe that significant investment in product development is a competitive necessity, and we are seeking
a partner to assist us in continuing to make these investments to be in a position to realize the potential of our product candidates
and proprietary technologies.
We
expect that most of our R&D expenses in the near-term, if any, will be incurred in support of MAT2203 and positioning that drug for
a partnership with a well-funded and experienced third party biotech or pharmaceutical company.
Results
of Operations
Comparison
of the three months ended June 30, 2025 to the three months ended June 30, 2024
The
following tables summarize our revenues and operating expenses for the periods presented:
Three Months Ended June 30,
2025
2024
Expenses:
Research and development
$ —
$ 3,371
General and administrative
1,837
2,468
Operating Expenses
$ 1,837
$ 5,839
Research
and Development expenses. Research and Development (R&D) expense for the three months ended June 30, 2025 and 2024 were $0
and $3,371, respectively. The decrease in R&D expenses were primarily attributable to the decrease in clinical trial consulting costs
related to the pause of our MAT2203 development program and in headcount costs resulting from our reduction in force.
19
General
and Administrative expenses. General and Administrative (G&A) expense for the three months ended June 30, 2025 and 2024 was
$1,837 and $2,468, respectively. The decrease in G&A expenses were primarily attributable to lower stock based compensation expense
and decreased headcount partially offset by increased legal and consulting fees.
Comparison
of the six months ended June 30, 2025 to the six months ended June 30, 2024
The
following tables summarize our revenues and operating expenses for the periods presented:
Six Months Ended June 30,
2025
2024
Expenses:
Research and development
$ 85
$ 6,817
General and administrative
3,698
4,925
Operating Expenses
$ 3,783
$ 11,742
Research
and Development expenses. Research and Development (R&D) expense for the six months ended June 30, 2025 and 2024 were $85
and $6,817, respectively. The decrease in R&D expenses were primarily attributable to the decrease in clinical trial consulting costs
related to the pause of our MAT2203 development program and in headcount costs resulting from our reduction in force.
General
and Administrative expenses. General and Administrative (G&A) expense for the six months ended June 30, 2025 and 2024 was
$3,698 and $4,925, respectively. The decrease in G&A expenses were primarily attributable to lower stock based compensation expense
and decreased headcount partially offset by increased legal and consulting fees.
Liquidity
and capital resources
Sources
of Liquidity
We
have funded our operations since inception primarily through private placements of our preferred stock and our common stock and common
stock warrants. As of June 30, 2025, we have raised a total of $170,207 in gross proceeds and $156,465, net, from sales of our equity
securities.
As
of June 30, 2025, we had cash and cash equivalents, excluding restricted cash, totaling $6,525.
2025
Private Placement
On
February 13, 2025, we entered into a Securities Purchase Agreement (the “Purchase Agreement”) with certain investors (the
“Purchasers”), pursuant to which we agreed to issue and sell, in a private placement (the “Offering”), an aggregate
of 3,300 shares of our Series C Convertible Preferred Stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Preferred Stock”), initially
convertible into up to 5,631,404 shares of our common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Common Stock”), with a stated
value of $1,000 per share (the “Stated Value”), and warrants (the “Warrants”) to purchase up to an aggregate
of 200% of the shares of Common Stock into which the shares of Preferred Stock are initially convertible, or 11,262,808 shares of Common
Stock, for an offering price of $1,000 per share of Preferred Stock and accompanying Warrants. The Purchase Agreement contains customary
representations, warranties and agreements by us and customary conditions to closing.
Pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, on February 13, 2025, we issued
and sold in an initial closing of the Offering 1,650 shares of Preferred Stock, initially convertible into up to 2,815,702 shares of Common
Stock, and accompanying Warrants, initially exercisable for up to 5,631,404 shares of Common Stock, for gross proceeds of $1.65 million.
On April 4, 2025, we obtained shareholder approval for the issuance of the Preferred Stock and Warrants, as required by the rules and
regulations of NYSE American LLC, including Section 713 of the NYSE American Company Guide, and issued and sold, in a second closing of
the Offering, an additional 1,650 shares of Preferred Stock, initially convertible into up to 2,815,702 shares of Common Stock, and accompanying
Warrants, initially exercisable for up to 5,631,404 shares of Common Stock, for gross proceeds of $1.65 million.
20
Under
the terms of the Securities Purchase Agreement, we are prohibited, subject to certain exceptions, from issuing, entering into any agreement
to issue, or announcing the issuance or proposed issuance of any shares of common stock or common stock equivalents until November 2025.
2024
Registered Direct Offering
On
April 5, 2024, the Company closed a registered direct offering of 666,667 shares of its common stock and warrants to purchase up to an
aggregate of 666,667 additional shares of common stock, at a combined purchase price of $15.00 per share and accompanying warrant. The
Company generated gross proceeds of approximately $10,000 and net proceeds of approximately $9,125, after deducting underwriting discounts
and commissions and other offering expenses.
2020
At-The-Market Sales Agreement
On
July 2, 2020, we entered into an At-The-Market Sales Agreement (the “Sales Agreement”) with BTIG, LLC (“BTIG”),
pursuant to which we may offer and sell, from time to time, through BTIG, as sales agent and/or principal, shares of our common stock
having an aggregate offering price of up to $50 million, subject to certain limitations on the amount of common stock that may be offered
and sold by us set forth in the Sales Agreement. BTIG will be paid a 3% commission on the gross proceeds from each sale. We may terminate
the Sales Agreement at any time; BTIG may terminate the Sales Agreement in certain limited circumstances. The Company did not sell any
shares under the sales agreement during the six months ended June 30, 2025. During the six months ended June 30, 2024, the Company sold
4 shares of its common stock generating net proceeds of $54. As of June 30, 2025, the Sales Agreement’s available capacity is $44,191.
Cash
Flows
The
following table sets forth the primary sources and uses of cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash for each of the periods set forth
below:
Six Months Ended June 30,
2025
2024
Cash used in operating activities
$ (4,028 )
$ (8,875 )
Cash used in investing activities
—
(938 )
Cash provided by financing activities
3,269
9,242
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash
$ (759 )
$ (571 )
Operating
Activities
Net
cash used in operating activities was $4,028 and $8,875 for the six month periods ended June 30, 2025 and 2024, respectively. Net losses
of $6,901 and $11,543 for the six month periods ended June 30, 2025 and 2024, respectively, were partially offset by working capital
adjustments due to the timing of receipts and payments in the ordinary course of business, adjustments for non-cash stock based compensation
expense and change in fair value of the warrant liability.
Investing
Activities
Net
cash used in investing activities was $0 and $938 for the six month periods ended June 30, 2025 and 2024, respectively. The decrease
of cash used in investing activities was primarily due to a $7,938 decrease purchase of marketable securities offset by a $7,000 decrease
in maturities of marketable debt securities.
21
Financing
Activities
Net
cash provided by financing activities was $3,269 and $9,242 for the six month periods ended June 30, 2025 and 2024, respectively. The
decrease in cash provided by financing activities is primarily due to the net proceeds from the sale of our Series C preferred stock
of $3,020 during the six months ended June 30, 2025, being less than the net proceeds from the registered direct sale of our common stock
of $9,250 during the six months ended June 30, 2024.
Funding
Requirements and Other Liquidity Matters
We
expect to continue to incur significant expenses and operating losses for the foreseeable future. We anticipate that our expenses will
increase substantially if and as we:
●
conduct further preclinical
and clinical studies of MAT2203, our lead product candidate, even if such studies are primarily financed with non-dilutive funding
from the NIH;
●
seek to discover and develop
additional product candidates;
●
seek regulatory approvals
for any product candidates that successfully complete clinical trials;
●
require the manufacture
of larger quantities of product candidates for clinical development and potentially commercialization;
●
maintain, expand and protect
our intellectual property portfolio;
●
hire additional clinical,
quality control and scientific personnel; and
●
add operational, financial
and management information systems and personnel, including personnel to support our product development and planned future commercialization
efforts and personnel and infrastructure necessary to help us comply with our obligations as a public company.
We
do not believe that our existing cash and cash equivalents will be sufficient to fund our operating expenses and capital expenditures
requirements beyond the next twelve months from the filing date of this Quarterly Report. As a result, substantial doubt exists about
the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern.
Until
such time, if ever, that we can generate revenues sufficient to achieve profitability, we expect to finance our cash needs through a
combination of private and public equity offerings, debt financings, government or other third-party funding, collaborations, and licensing
arrangements. To the extent that we raise additional capital through the sale of common stock, convertible securities or other equity
securities, the ownership interest of our stockholders may be materially diluted, and the terms of these securities may include liquidation
or other preferences that adversely affect your rights of our common stockholders. Debt financing and preferred equity financing, if
available, would result in increased fixed payment obligations and may involve agreements that include covenants limiting or restricting
our ability to take specific actions, such as incurring additional debt, making capital expenditures, or declaring dividends, that could
adversely impact our ability to conduct our business. Securing additional financing could require a substantial amount of time and attention
from our management and may divert a disproportionate amount of their attention away from day-to-day activities, which may adversely
affect our management’s ability to secure one or more partners to monetize the value of MAT2203 or future product candidates. Moreover,
under the terms of a recent financing, we are prohibited, subject to certain exceptions, from issuing, entering into any agreement to
issue, or announcing the issuance or proposed issuance of any shares of common stock or common stock equivalents until November 2025.
If
we raise additional funds through collaborations, strategic alliances or marketing, distribution, or licensing arrangements with third
parties, we may have to relinquish valuable rights to our technologies, future revenue streams, research programs or product candidates
or grant licenses on terms that may not be favorable to us.
Our
financial condition and results of operations may also be impacted by other factors we may not be able to control, such as global supply
chain disruptions, global trade disputes and/or political instability. Increases in interest rates, especially if coupled with reduced
government spending and volatility in financial markets, may have the effect of further increasing economic uncertainty and heightening
these risks. Additionally, rising inflation rates may affect us by increasing operating expenses, such as employee-related costs and
clinical trial expenses, negatively impacting our results of operations.
22
Off-Balance
Sheet Arrangements
We
did not have during the periods presented, and we do not currently have, any off-balance sheet arrangements, as defined under SEC rules,
such as relationships with unconsolidated entities or financial partnerships, which are often referred to as structured finance or special
purpose entities, established for the purpose of facilitating financing transactions that are not required to be reflected on our balance
sheets.
Item
3. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK.
Not
applicable.
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