UNITED
STATES
SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington,
D.C. 20549
FORM
10-Q
(Mark
One)
☒
QUARTERLY
REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For
the quarterly period ended September 30, 2024
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 001-36457
PROVECTUS
BIOPHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
(Exact
name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware
90-0031917
(State
or other jurisdiction
of
incorporation or organization)
(I.R.S.
Employer
Identification
No.)
800
S. Gay Street , Suite 1610
Knoxville ,
Tennessee
37929
(Address
of principal executive offices)
(Zip
Code)
866 - 594-5999
(Registrant’s
telephone number, including area code)
Not
Applicable
(Former
name, former address, and former fiscal year, if changed since last report)
Securities
registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
Title
of each class
Trading
Symbol(s)
Name
of each exchange on which registered
None
N/A
N/A
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 is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). ☐ Yes ☒ No
The
number of shares outstanding of the registrant’s common stock, par value $ 0.001 per share, as of November 11, 2024, was 420,279,879 .
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
Page
PART
I - FINANCIAL INFORMATION
Cautionary
Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
1
Item
1. Financial Statements (unaudited)
2
Condensed
Consolidated Balance Sheets
2
Condensed
Consolidated Statements of Operations
3
Condensed
Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Loss
4
Condensed
Consolidated Statements of Changes in Stockholders’ Deficit
5
Condensed
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
7
Notes
to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements
8
Item
2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
18
Item
3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk
29
Item
4. Controls and Procedures
29
PART
II - OTHER INFORMATION
Item
1. Legal Proceedings
30
Item
1A. Risk Factors
30
Item
2. Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds
30
Item
3. Defaults Upon Senior Securities
30
Item
4. Mine Safety Disclosures
30
Item
5. Other Information
30
Item
6. Exhibits
31
SIGNATURES
32
Cautionary
Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This
Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q contains “forward-looking statements” as defined under U.S. federal securities laws. These
statements reflect management’s current knowledge, assumptions, beliefs, estimates, and expectations. These statements also express
management’s current views of future performance, results, and trends and may be identified by their use of terms such as “anticipate,”
“believe,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “goal,” “intend,” “may,”
“plan,” “predict,” “project,” “should,” “strategy,” “will,” and
other similar terms. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results
to materially differ from those described in the forward-looking statements. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking
statements. Such statements are made as of the date of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, and we undertake no obligation to update such
statements after this date, unless otherwise required by law.
Risks
and uncertainties that could cause our actual results to materially differ from those described in forward-looking statements include
those discussed in our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) (including those described in
Item 1A of Part I of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023), and:
●
The
uncertainty of generating (i) sales from rose bengal sodium-based drug candidates (if and when approved), such as PV-10 ®
and PH-10 ® , and/or any other halogenated xanthene-based drug candidates (if and when approved), (ii) licensing,
milestone, royalty, and/or other payments related to these drug candidates, and/or (iii) payments from the Company’s liquidation,
dissolution, or winding up, or any sale, lease, conveyance, or other disposition of any intellectual property relating to these drug
candidates and/or rose bengal sodium- and other halogenated xanthene-based active pharmaceutical ingredients;
●
The
uncertainty of raising additional capital through the proceeds of private placement transactions of debt and/or equity securities,
the exercise of existing warrants and outstanding stock options, and/or public offerings of debt and/or equity securities; and
●
The
disruptions from the widespread outbreak of an illness or communicable/infectious disease, such as severe acute respiratory syndrome
coronavirus 2, or another public health crisis to our business that could adversely affect our operations and financial condition.
1
PART
I - FINANCIAL INFORMATION
ITEM
1. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
PROVECTUS
BIOPHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
CONDENSED
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
September
30,
December 31,
2024
2023
(Unaudited)
Assets
Current Assets:
Cash
$ 187,457
$ 76,576
Restricted cash
426,732
950,223
Short-term receivables
-
476
Prepaid
expenses and other current assets
145,814
337,522
Total Current Assets
760,003
1,364,797
Equipment and furnishings, less accumulated
depreciation of $ 117,685 and $ 110,994 , respectively
5,329
12,020
Operating lease right-of-use
asset
36,701
72,026
Total
Assets
$ 802,033
$ 1,448,843
Liabilities and Stockholders’
Deficit
Current Liabilities:
Accounts payable
$ 1,381,027
$ 1,675,891
Unearned grant revenue
350,440
953,248
Other accrued expenses
1,558,339
3,240,436
Accrued interest
19,558
22,600
Accrued interest - related
parties
114,141
123,828
Accrued interest
114,141
123,828
Notes payable
110,544
277,815
Convertible notes payable
453,000
800,000
Convertible notes payable
- related parties
2,200,000
1,875,000
Convertible notes payable
2,200,000
1,875,000
Operating
lease liability, current portion
37,714
48,077
Total Current Liabilities
6,224,763
9,016,895
Operating lease liability,
non-current portion
-
25,299
Total
Liabilities
6,224,763
9,042,194
Commitments, contingencies, and litigations
(Note 12)
-
-
Stockholders’ Deficit:
Preferred stock; par value
$ 0.001 per
share; 25,000,000 shares
authorized;
Series D Convertible Preferred Stock; 957,100 and 12,374,000 shares designated
at September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively; 956,985 and 12,373,247 shares issued and outstanding at September
30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively; aggregate liquidation preference of $ 1,095,556 and $ 14,164,889 at September
30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively
957
12,373
Series D-1 Convertible
Preferred Stock; 23,042,900 and 11,241,000 shares designated at September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively; 13,011,823
and 10,361,097 shares issued and outstanding at September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively; aggregate liquidation
preference of $ 148,959,354 and $ 118,613,136 at September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively
13,012
10,361
Preferred stock , value
Common stock; par value $ 0.001
per share; 1,000,000,000
shares authorized; 420,279,879
and 419,447,119 shares issued and outstanding at September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023
420,280
419,522
Additional paid-in capital
249,258,870
244,714,967
Accumulated other comprehensive loss
( 60,199 )
( 60,165 )
Accumulated deficit
( 255,055,650 )
( 252,690,409 )
Total
Stockholders’ Deficit
( 5,422,730 )
( 7,593,351 )
Total
Liabilities and Stockholders’ Deficit
$ 802,033
$ 1,448,843
See
accompanying notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.
2
PROVECTUS
BIOPHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
CONDENSED
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
(Unaudited)
For the Three
Months Ended
For the Nine
Months Ended
September
30,
September
30,
2024
2023
2024
2023
Grant Revenue
$ 109,745
$ 69,733
$ 602,808
$ 436,600
Operating Expenses:
Research and development
413,987
350,792
1,442,449
1,333,399
General
and administrative
651,486
433,089
1,358,206
1,399,765
Total
Operating Expenses
1,065,473
783,881
2,800,655
2,733,164
Total
Operating Loss
( 955,728 )
( 714,148 )
( 2,197,847 )
( 2,296,564 )
Other Income/(Expense):
Research and development
tax credit
56
( 167 )
9,357
15,798
Interest
expense, net
( 58,679 )
( 61,524 )
( 176,751 )
( 157,589 )
Total
Other Expense, Net
( 58,623 )
( 61,691 )
( 167,394 )
( 141,791 )
Net
Loss
$ ( 1,014,351 )
$ ( 775,839 )
$ ( 2,365,241 )
$ ( 2,438,355 )
Basic
and Diluted Loss Per Common Share
$ ( 0.00 )
$ ( 0.00 )
$ ( 0.01 )
$ ( 0.01 )
Weighted
Average Number of Common Shares Outstanding - Basic and Diluted
419,906,732
419,515,869
419,651,259
419,503,438
See
accompanying notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.
3
PROVECTUS
BIOPHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
CONDENSED
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE LOSS
(Unaudited)
For
the Three Months Ended
For the Nine
Months Ended
September
30,
September
30,
2024
2023
2024
2023
Net Loss
$ ( 1,014,351 )
$ ( 775,839 )
$ ( 2,365,241 )
$ ( 2,438,355 )
Other Comprehensive Income/(Loss):
Foreign
currency translation adjustments
255
( 441 )
( 34 )
( 528 )
Total Comprehensive
Loss
$ ( 1,014,096 )
$ ( 776,280 )
$ ( 2,365,275 )
$ ( 2,438,883 )
See
accompanying notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.
4
PROVECTUS
BIOPHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
CONDENSED
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN STOCKHOLDERS’ DEFICIT
FOR
THE THREE AND NINE MONTHS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2024
(Unaudited)
Accumulated
Preferred
Stock
Preferred
Stock
Additional
Other
Series
D
Series
D-1
Common
Stock
Paid-In
Comprehensive
Accumulated
Shares
Amount
Shares
Amount
Shares
Amount
Capital
Loss
Deficit
Total
Balance at January 1, 2024
12,373,247
$ 12,373
10,361,097
$ 10,361
419,522,119
$ 419,522
$ 244,714,967
$ ( 60,165 )
$ ( 252,690,409 )
$ ( 7,593,351 )
Conversion of 2021 Note
to Series D-1 Preferred Stock
-
-
226,474
226
-
-
647,935
-
-
648,161
Comprehensive loss:
Net loss
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
( 504,042 )
( 504,042 )
Other
comprehensive loss
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
( 415 )
-
( 415 )
Balance at March 31, 2024
12,373,247
$ 12,373
10,587,571
$ 10,587
419,522,119
$ 419,522
$ 245,362,902
$ ( 60,580 )
$ ( 253,194,451 )
$ ( 7,449,647 )
Forfeited shares of Series
D Preferred Stock
( 11,416,262 )
( 11,416 )
-
-
-
-
11,416
-
-
-
Issuance
of Series D-1 Preferred Stock for forfeited shares of Series D Preferred Stock
-
-
1,141,626
1,141
-
-
( 1,141 )
-
-
-
Conversion of 2021 Note
to Series D-1 Preferred Stock
-
-
273,691
275
-
-
783,021
-
-
783,296
Comprehensive Income (loss):
Net loss
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
( 846,848 )
( 846,848 )
Other comprehensive income
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
126
-
126
Balance at June 30, 2024
956,985
$ 957
12,002,888
$ 12,003
419,522,119
$ 419,522
$ 246,156,198
$ ( 60,454 )
$ ( 254,041,299 )
$ ( 7,513,073 )
Conversion of 2022 Note
to Series D-1 Preferred Stock
-
-
339,833
339
-
-
972,261
972,600
Conversion of accrued directors’
fees to Series D-1 Preferred Stock
-
-
744,878
745
-
-
2,131,094
-
-
2,131,839
Conversion of Series D-1
Preferred Stock to Common Stock
-
-
( 75,776 )
( 75 )
757,760
758
( 683 )
-
-
-
Comprehensive Income (loss):
Net loss
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
( 1,014,351 )
( 1,014,351 )
Other
comprehensive income
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
255
-
255
Balance at September
30, 2024
956,985
$ 957
13,011,823
$ 13,012
420,279,879
$ 420,280
$ 249,258,870
$ ( 60,199 )
$ ( 255,055,650 )
$ ( 5,422,730 )
5
FOR
THE THREE AND NINE MONTHS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2023
(Unaudited)
Accumulated
Preferred
Stock
Preferred
Stock
Additional
Other
Series
D
Series
D-1
Common
Stock
Paid-In
Comprehensive
Accumulated
Shares
Amount
Shares
Amount
Shares
Amount
Capital
Loss
Deficit
Total
Balance at January 1, 2023
12,373,247
$ 12,373
9,746,626
$ 9,747
419,497,119
$ 419,497
$ 242,954,193
$ ( 35,679 )
$ ( 249,588,641 )
$ ( 6,228,510 )
Conversion of 2021 Note
to Series D-1 Preferred Stock
-
-
18,872
18
-
-
53,992
-
-
54,010
Comprehensive loss:
Net loss
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
( 827,454 )
( 827,454 )
Other comprehensive income
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
191
-
191
Balance at March 31, 2023
12,373,247
12,373
9,765,498
9,765
419,497,119
419,497
243,008,185
( 35,488 )
( 250,416,095 )
( 7,001,763 )
Conversion of 2021 Note
to Series D-1 Preferred Stock
-
-
188,757
189
-
-
540,033
-
-
540,222
Comprehensive loss:
Net loss
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
( 835,062 )
( 835,062 )
Other
comprehensive loss
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
( 278 )
-
( 278 )
Balance at June 30, 2023
12,373,247
$ 12,373
9,954,255
$ 9,954
419,497,119
$ 419,497
$ 243,548,218
$ ( 35,766 )
$ ( 251,251,157 )
( 7,296,881 )
Balance
12,373,247
$ 12,373
9,954,255
$ 9,954
419,497,119
$ 419,497
$ 243,548,218
$ ( 35,766 )
$ ( 251,251,157 )
( 7,296,881 )
Common stock issued for
services
-
-
-
-
25,000
25
2,825
-
-
2,850
Conversion of 2021 Note
to Series D-1 Preferred Stock
-
-
122,725
122
-
-
351,110
351,232
Conversion of 2022 Note
to Series D-1 Preferred Stock
-
-
69,838
70
-
-
199,805
199,875
Conversion of Note to Series D-1 Preferred Stock
122,725
122
-
-
351,110
351,232
Comprehensive loss:
Net loss
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
( 775,839 )
( 775,839 )
Other
comprehensive loss
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
( 441 )
-
( 441 )
Balance at September
30, 2023
12,373,247
$ 12,373
10,146,818
$ 10,146
419,522,119
$ 419,522
$ 244,101,958
$ ( 36,207 )
$ ( 252,026,996 )
$ ( 7,519,204 )
Balance
12,373,247
$ 12,373
10,146,818
$ 10,146
419,522,119
$ 419,522
$ 244,101,958
$ ( 36,207 )
$ ( 252,026,996 )
$ ( 7,519,204 )
See
accompanying notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.
6
PROVECTUS
BIOPHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
CONDENSED
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(Unaudited)
For the Nine
Months Ended
September
30,
2024
2023
Cash Flows From Operating
Activities:
Net loss
$ ( 2,365,241 )
$ ( 2,438,355 )
Adjustments to reconcile
net loss to net cash used in operating activities:
Stock-based compensation
-
2,850
Non-cash operating lease
expense
35,325
33,613
Depreciation
6,691
6,691
Changes in operating assets
and liabilities
Short term receivables
465
( 553 )
Prepaid expenses and other
current assets
267,991
359,572
Accounts payable
( 294,892 )
( 308,728 )
Unearned grant revenue
( 602,808 )
( 436,600 )
Other accrued expenses
449,721
653,664
Operating lease liability
( 35,662 )
( 32,938 )
Accrued
interest
166,327
150,017
Net
Cash Used In Operating Activities
( 2,372,083 )
( 2,010,767 )
Cash Flows From Financing
Activities:
Proceeds from issuance
of convertible notes payable
353,000
700,000
Proceeds from issuance
of convertible notes payable - related parties
1,950,000
1,525,000
Repayment of short-term
note payable
( 243,554 )
( 234,997 )
Repayment
of 2021 convertible note payable - related party
( 100,000 )
-
Net
Cash Provided By Financing Activities
1,959,446
1,990,003
Effect
of exchange rates on cash and restricted cash
27
( 736 )
Net
Decrease In Cash and Restricted Cash
( 412,610 )
( 21,500 )
Cash
and Restricted Cash, Beginning of Period
1,026,799
1,431,707
Cash
and Restricted Cash, End of Period
$ 614,189
$ 1,410,207
Cash and restricted cash consisted of the following:
Cash
$ 187,457
$ 367,250
Restricted
cash
426,732
1,042,957
Cash
and Restricted Cash, End of Period
$ 614,189
$ 1,410,207
Supplemental Disclosures
of Cash Flow Information:
Cash paid during the year
for:
Interest
$ -
$ -
Income
taxes
$ -
$ -
Non-cash investing and
financing activities:
Conversion
of 2021 Notes and related accrued interest to Series D-1 Preferred Stock
$ -
$ 804,533
Conversion
of 2022 Notes and related accrued interest to Series D-1 Preferred Stock
$ 2,404,057
$ 170,126
Conversion
of accrued directors’ fees to Series D-1 Preferred Stock
$ 2,131,839
$ -
Forfeited
shares of Series D Preferred Stock
$ ( 11,416 )
$ -
Issuance of Series D-1
Preferred Stock for forfeited shares of Series D Preferred Stock
$ 1,141
$ -
Purchase
of insurance policies financed by short-term note payable
$ ( 76,283 )
$ ( 73,669 )
See
accompanying notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.
7
PROVECTUS
BIOPHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
NOTES
TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(Unaudited)
1.
Business Organization, Nature of Operations and Basis of Presentation
Provectus
Biopharmaceuticals, Inc., a Delaware corporation (together with its subsidiaries, “Provectus” or “the Company”),
is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing immunotherapy medicines for different diseases based on a class of bioactive synthetic
small molecule halogenated xanthenes (“HXs”). Our lead HX molecule is named rose bengal sodium (“RBS”).
The
Company’s proprietary, patented, pharmaceutical-grade RBS is the active pharmaceutical ingredient (“API”) in the drug
candidates of our current clinical development programs and the formulations of our current non-clinical in vivo proof-of-concept
and in vitro early discovery programs. Importantly, our pharmaceutical-grade RBS displays different therapeutic effects at different
concentrations and can be formulated for delivery by different routes of administration.
The
Company believes that RBS targets disease in a bifunctional multi-modal manner. Direct contact by RBS with disease may lead to cell death
or repair, depending on the disease being treated and the concentration of RBS being utilized in the therapeutic formulation, by one
or more targeting mechanisms. Multivariate innate and adaptive immune activation, signaling, and response may follow that may manifest
as stimulatory, inhibitory, or both.
The
Company believes that it is the first entity to advance an RBS formulation into clinical trials for the treatment of a disease, such
as those trials reported on the clinical trials registry at ClinicalTrials.gov. The Company believes that it is the first and only entity
to date to make pharmaceutical-grade RBS successfully, reproducibly, and consistently at a purity of nearly 100%.
The
Company’s small molecule platform comprises several different drug candidates and non-clinical targets using different concentrations
delivered by different routes of administration specific to each disease area and/or disease indication, including:
●
Clinical
development programs in oncology (intratumoral administration), dermatology (topical), and ophthalmology (topical),
●
In
vivo: Proof-of-concept programs in oncology (oral), hematology (oral), wound healing (topical), and canine cancers (intratumoral),
and
●
In
vitro: Early discovery programs in infectious diseases and tissue regeneration and repair.
Risks
and Uncertainties
The
Company’s activities are subject to significant risks and uncertainties, including failing to successfully develop and license
or commercialize the Company’s prescription drug candidates.
8
Basis
of Presentation
The
accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally
accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) for interim financial information pursuant to Regulation S-X. Accordingly,
they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by GAAP for complete financial statements and should be reviewed in
conjunction with the Company’s audited consolidated financial statements included in the Company’s Form 10-K for the year
ended December 31, 2023 filed with the SEC on March 28, 2024. In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring
accruals) considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included. Operating results for the nine months ended September 30,
2024 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2024.
2.
Liquidity and Going Concern
To
date, the Company has not generated any revenues or profits from planned principal operations.
The
Company’s cash and restricted cash were $ 614,189 at September 30, 2024 which includes $ 426,732 of restricted cash resulting from
a grant received from the State of Tennessee. The Company’s working capital deficit was $ 5,464,760 and $ 7,652,098 as of September
30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively, net loss for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023 was $ 2,365,241 and $ 2,438,355 ,
respectively, and cash used in operations was $ 2,372,083 and $ 2,010,767 for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively.
The Company continues to incur significant operating losses. Management expects that significant on-going operating expenditures will
be necessary to successfully implement the Company’s business plan and develop and market its products. These circumstances raise
substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern within one year after the date that these unaudited
condensed consolidated financial statements are issued. Implementation of the Company’s plans and its ability to continue as a
going concern will depend upon the Company’s ability to develop PV-10, PH-10, and/or any other HX-based drug products, and to raise
additional capital.
The
Company plans to access capital resources through possible public or private equity offerings, including additional convertible debt
issuance pursuant to the 2024 Financing (see Note 5 and Note 13), exchange offers, debt financings, corporate collaborations, or
other means. In addition, the Company continues to explore opportunities to strategically monetize its lead drug candidates, PV-10
and PH-10, through potential co-development and licensing transactions, although there can be no assurance that the Company will be
successful with such plans. The Company has historically been able to raise capital through equity offerings, although there can be
no assurance that it will continue to be successful in the future. If the Company is unable to raise sufficient capital, it will not
be able to pay its obligations as they become due.
The
primary business objective of management is to build the Company into a commercial-stage biotechnology company; however, there can be
no assurance that it will be successful in co-developing, licensing, and/or commercializing PV-10, PH-10, and/or any other HX-based drug
candidate developed by the Company or entering into any financial transaction. Moreover, even if the Company is successful in improving
its current cash flow position, the Company nonetheless plans to seek additional funds to meet its long-term requirements in 2024 and
beyond. The Company anticipates that these funds will otherwise come from the proceeds of private placement transactions, the exercise
of existing warrants and outstanding stock options, or public offerings of debt or equity securities. While the Company believes that
it has a reasonable basis for its expectation that it will be able to raise additional funds, there can be no assurance that it will
be able to obtain funds on commercially acceptable terms, or complete additional financing in a timely manner. Any such financing may
result in significant dilution to stockholders.
These
factors raise substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern. The consolidated financial statements do not include
any adjustments relating to the recoverability and classification of liabilities that may be necessary should we be unable to continue
as a going concern.
Our
condensed consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q have been prepared in conformity
with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”), which contemplate our continuation
as a going concern and the realization of assets and satisfaction of liabilities in the normal course of business. The carrying amounts
of assets and liabilities presented in the consolidated financial statements do not necessarily purport to represent realizable or settlement
values.
9
3.
Significant Accounting Policies
Since
the date the Company’s December 31, 2023 consolidated financial statements were issued in its 2023 Annual Report on March 28, 2024,
there have been no material changes to the Company’s significant accounting policies.
Principles
of Consolidation
Intercompany
balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.
Use
of Estimates
The
preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”)
requires management to make estimates, judgments and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure
of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during
the reporting period. The Company’s significant estimates and assumptions include the recoverability and useful lives of long-lived
assets, accrued liabilities, and the valuation allowance related to the Company’s deferred tax assets.
Restricted
Cash
Restricted
cash consists of a grant award received from the State of Tennessee. Restricted cash available as of September 30, 2024 is $ 426,732 .
See Note 10, Grants.
Cash
Concentrations
Cash
and restricted cash are maintained at financial institutions and, at times, balances may exceed federally insured limits of $ 250,000 ,
although the Company seeks to minimize this through treasury management. The Company has never experienced any losses related to these
balances although there can be no assurance that it will not experience any losses in the future. As of September 30, 2024 and December
31, 2023, the Company had cash and restricted cash balances in excess of FDIC insurance limits of $ 364,189 and $ 776,799 , respectively.
10
Basic
and Diluted Loss Per Common Share
Basic
loss per common share is computed by dividing net loss by the weighted average number of vested common shares outstanding during the
period. Diluted earnings per share reflects the potential dilution that could occur if securities or other instruments to issue common
stock were exercised or converted into common stock. The following securities are excluded from the calculation of weighted average dilutive
common shares because their inclusion would have been anti-dilutive:
Schedule of Securities Excluded from Calculation of Weighted Average Dilutive Common Shares
2024
2023
September
30,
2024
2023
Warrants
-
437,500
Options
3,075,000
3,225,000
Convertible preferred stock
131,075,215
113,841,427
2021 unsecured convertible notes and accrued
interest
517,451
817,766
2022 unsecured convertible notes and accrued
interest
7,641,022
10,115,192
2024 unsecured convertible
notes and accrued interest
1,578,423
-
Total potentially dilutive
shares
143,887,111
128,436,885
Recently
Issued Accounting Pronouncements
In
November 2023, the FASB issued ASU 2023-07 “ Segment Reporting (Topic 280): Improvements to Reportable Segment Disclosures .”
These amendments require a public entity to disclose significant segment expenses and other segment items on an annual and interim basis
and to provide in interim periods all disclosures about a reportable segment’s profit or loss and assets that are currently required
annually. Public entities with a single reporting segment are required to provide both the new disclosures and all of the existing disclosures
required under ASC 280. The guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2023, and interim periods within fiscal
years beginning after December 15, 2024, with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently evaluating any new disclosures that
may be required upon adoption of ASU 2023-07.
In
December 2023, the FASB issued ASU 2023-09, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Improvements to Income Tax Disclosures . The amendments in
this update address investor requests for more transparency about income tax information through improvements to income tax disclosures
primarily related to the rate reconciliation and income taxes paid information. This update also includes certain other amendments to
improve the effectiveness of income tax disclosures. The amendments in ASU 2023-09 are effective for the Company for annual periods beginning
after December 15, 2024, with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently evaluating any new disclosures that may be required
upon adoption of ASU 2023-09.
4.
Other Accrued Expenses
The
following table summarizes the other accrued expenses at September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023:
Schedule of Other Accrued Expenses
September
30,
December
31,
2024
2023
Accrued
payroll and taxes
$
1,280,049
$
719,460
Accrued
vacation
118,264
92,985
Accrued
directors’ fees
-
2,330,589
Accrued
other expenses
160,026
97,402
Total
other accrued expenses
$
1,558,339
$
3,240,436
11
5.
Convertible Notes Payable
2024
Financing
On
July 11, 2024, the Board approved a Financing Term Sheet (the “2024 Term Sheet”), which set forth the terms under which the
Company will use its best efforts to arrange for financing of a maximum of $ 10,000,000 (the “2024 Financing”), which amounts
will be obtained in several tranches.
Pursuant
to the 2024 Term Sheet, the 2024 Notes (defined below) will automatically convert into shares of the Company’s Series D-1
Preferred Stock twelve months after the issue date of a 2024 Note, subject to certain exceptions.
The
2024 Financing will be in the form of an unsecured convertible loan (the “2024 Loan”) from the investors (the “2024
Loan Investors”) and evidenced by convertible promissory notes (individually, a “2024 Note” and collectively, the “2024
Notes”). In addition to customary provisions, the 2024 Notes will contain the following provisions:
(i)
The
2024 Loan will bear interest at the rate of eight percent ( 8 %) per annum on the outstanding principal amount of the Loan that has
been funded to the Company;
(ii)
In
the event there is a change of control of the Board, the term of the 2024 Notes will be accelerated and all amounts due under the
2024 Notes may be immediately due and payable at the 2024 Loan Investors’ option;
(iii)
The
outstanding principal amount and interest payable under the 2024 Loan may be convertible at the 2024 Loan Investors’ option
into shares of Series D-1 Convertible Preferred Stock at a price per share equal to $ 2.8620 . The Series D-1 Convertible Preferred
Stock is convertible into ten ( 10 ) shares of common stock; and
(iv)
The
outstanding principal amount and interest payable under the 2024 Loan will be automatically convertible into shares of the Company’s
Series D-1 Preferred Stock twelve (12) months after the issue date of a 2024 Note at a price per share equal to $ 2.8620 .
The
following summarizes convertible notes payable activity during the nine months ended September 30, 2024:
2021
Financing
Schedule of Convertible Notes Payable
Non-Related
Party
Related
Party
Face
Amount
Face
Amount
Total
Balance
as of January 1, 2024
$
-
$
200,000
$
200,000
Repayment
-
( 100,000
)
( 100,000
)
Balance
as of September 30, 2024
$
-
$
100,000
$
100,000
2022
Financing
Non-Related
Party
Related
Party
Face
Amount
Face
Amount
Total
Balance
as of January 1, 2024
$
800,000
$
1,675,000
$
2,475,000
Issued
353,000
1,500,000
1,853,000
Conversion
( 700,000 )
( 1,525,000
)
( 2,225,000
)
Balance
as of September 30, 2024
$
453,000
$
1,650,000
$
2,103,000
On
July 11, 2024, the board of directors (the “Board”) approved the closure of the 2022 Financing. Through September 30, 2024,
the Company received 2022 Notes proceeds in the aggregate amount of $ 5,080,500 ,
of which $ 3,852,500
is from a related party investor (a Company officer/director).
2024
Financing
Non-Related
Party
Related
Party
Face
Amount
Face
Amount
Total
Balance
as of January 1, 2024
$
-
$
-
$
-
Issued
-
450,000
450,000
Balance
as of September 30, 2024
$
-
$
450,000
$
450,000
Balance
$
-
$
450,000
$
450,000
Through
September 30, 2024, the Company received 2024 Notes proceeds in the aggregate amount of $ 450,000 , all of which is from a related party
investor (a Company officer/director). See Note 12 for details on 2024 Notes received subsequent to September
30, 2024.
12
2024
Repayment of 2021 Notes
During
the nine months ended September 30, 2024, the Company repaid $ 100,000
of principal owed on the 2021 Note. As of September 30, 2024, principal and interest in the amount of $ 100,000
and $ 48,094 ,
respectively, remains outstanding on the 2021 Note.
2024
Conversions of 2022 Notes into Preferred Stock
During
the three months ended September 30, 2024, principal and interest in the aggregate amount of $ 972,600 , owed in connection with the 2022
Notes were converted into 339,833 shares of Series D-1 Preferred Stock at the Conversion Price of $ 2.862 . Any fractional shares issuable
pursuant to the formula were rounded up to the next whole share of Series D-1 Preferred Stock. See Note 8, Stockholders’ Deficit
for additional information on the Series D-1 Preferred Stock.
During
the nine months ended September 30, 2024, principal and interest in the aggregate amount of $ 2,404,057 , owed in connection with the 2022
Notes were converted into 839,998 shares of Series D-1 Preferred Stock at the Conversion Price of $ 2.862 . Any fractional shares issuable
pursuant to the formula were rounded up to the next whole share of Series D-1 Preferred Stock. See Note 8, Stockholders’ Deficit
for additional information on the Series D-1 Preferred Stock.
Interest
expense on Convertible Notes Payable
During
the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024, the Company incurred $ 55,193 and $ 166,327 , respectively of interest expense on outstanding
2021, 2022 and 2024 Notes. As of September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, accrued interest on the convertible notes was $ 133,699 and
$ 146,428 , respectively.
6.
Notes Payable
The
Company obtained short-term financing from AFCO Insurance Premium Finance for our commercial insurance policies. As of September 30,
2024 and December 31, 2023, the balance of the note payable was $ 110,544 and $ 277,815 , respectively.
7.
Related Party Transactions
During
the three months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, the Company incurred consulting fees of $ 0
and $ 63,600
and during the nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, the Company incurred consulting fees of $ 63,600
and $ 190,800 ,
respectively, for services rendered by Bruce Horowitz (Capital Strategists) a former member of the Board and former Chief Operating
Officer (“COO”). As of March 25, 2024, Mr. Horowitz resigned as COO and member of the Board. On March 26, 2024, the Company paid Mr.
Horowitz $ 250,000
and on June 27, 2024, the Company paid $ 258,000
for outstanding consulting fees.
Directors’ fees for Mr. Horowitz for
the nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023 were $ 0 and $ 56,250 , respectively. Accrued director fees for Mr. Horowitz as
of September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023 were $ 0 and $ 431,250 , respectively. Mr.
Horowitz waived the amount of $ 450,000
due to him in directors’ fees upon his resignation.
See
Note 5 for details of other related party transactions.
Directors’
fees incurred during the three months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, were $ 77,500 and $ 96,250 , respectively. Directors’ fees
incurred during the nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, were $ 251,250 and $ 288,750 , respectively. Accrued directors’
fees as of September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023 were $ 0 and $ 2,330,589 , respectively.
13
8.
Stockholders’ Deficit
Common
Stock
During
the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024, holders of 75,776 shares of Series D-1 Preferred Stock voluntarily converted their
Preferred Stock into 757,760 shares of Common Stock.
Preferred
Stock
During
the three months ended September 30, 2024, the Company issued 339,833
shares of Series D-1 Convertible Preferred Stock upon the conversion of $ 900,000
of principal and $ 72,600
of accrued interest outstanding on the 2022 Notes.
During
the nine months ended September 30, 2024, the Company issued 839,998
shares of Series D-1 Convertible Preferred Stock upon the conversion of $ 2,225,000
of principal and $ 179,057
of accrued interest outstanding on the 2022 Notes.
During
the three months ended September 30, 2024, the Company issued 744,878 shares of Series D-1 Convertible Preferred Stock for accrued directors’
fees of $ 2,131,839 at a stock price of $ 2.862 .
On
June 21, 2024, the Board approved the conversion of 11,416,242
Series D Preferred Shares held by Dominic Rodrigues,
our President and Board vice chairman, into 1,141,626
shares of Series D-1 Preferred shares.
See Note 12 for details on conversions of 2022 Notes
into Series D-1 Preferred Stock subsequent to September 30, 2024.
Number
of Preferred Shares
On
June 24, 2024, the Company filed an amended Series D Certificate of Designation to decrease the authorized shares from 12,374,000 to
957,100 shares of Series D Convertible Preferred Stock. The Series D-1 Certificate of Designation was also amended to increase the authorized
shares from 11,241,000 to 23,042,900 shares of Series D-1 Convertible Preferred Stock.
2024
Equity Compensation Plan
At
the shareholder meeting held on June 20, 2024, the proposal for the new 2024 Equity Compensation Plan was approved. The approval
gives the Company the authority to grant Options and award Restricted Stock under the 2024 Equity Compensation Plan for up to 100,000,000
shares of our common stock, which are approximately fifteen percent ( 15 %)
of the issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock on an as converted basis as of the effective date of the 2024 Equity
Compensation Plan.
Options
During
the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, the Company did not have any issuances, grants, or exercises of options.
The
following table summarizes option activities during the nine months ended September 30, 2024:
Schedule
of Option Activity
Weighted
Average
Weighted
Average Remaining
Aggregate
Intrinsic
Shares
Exercise
Price
Life
in Years
Value
Outstanding
and exercisable at January 1, 2024
3,225,000
$
0.27
$
-
Expired
( 150,000 )
0.88
Outstanding
and exercisable at September 30, 2024
3,075,000
$
0.27
1.13
$
-
14
The
following table summarizes information about outstanding and exercisable options at September 30, 2024:
Schedule of Stock Options Outstanding
Options
Outstanding
Options
Exercisable
Outstanding
Weighted Average
Exercisable
Number of
Remaining Life
Number of
Exercise
Price
Options
In
Years
Options
$ 0.12
2,425,000
1.10
2,425,000
$ 0.29
100,000
1.10
100,000
$ 0.75
550,000
1.20
550,000
3,075,000
1.13
3,075,000
Warrants
During
the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, the Company did not have any issuances, grants, or exercises of warrants.
The
following table summarizes warrant activities during the nine months ended September 30, 2024:
Schedule
of Warrant Activity
Number
of
Weighted
Average
Weighted
Average Remaining
Aggregate
Intrinsic
Warrants
Exercise
Price
Life
in Years
Value
Outstanding
and exercisable at January 1, 2024
412,500
$
1.07
Expired
( 412,500
)
1.07
Outstanding
and exercisable at September 30, 2024
-
$
-
-
$
-
Annual Stockholder Meeting Proposals
The Company held its annual meeting of stockholders on June 20, 2024. Stockholders authorized the Company’s
board of directors (the “Board”) to amend the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation, as amended by the Certificate
of Designation of Series D Convertible Preferred Stock and Certificate of Designation of Series D-1 Convertible Preferred Stock (the “Certificates
of Designation”), to effect a reverse stock split of the Company’s common stock, Series D Convertible Preferred Stock, and
Series D-1 Convertible Preferred Stock at a ratio of between 1-for-10 and 1-for-50, where the ratio would be determined by the Board at
its discretion, and to make corresponding amendments to the Certificates of Designation to provide for the proportional adjustment of
certain terms upon a reverse stock split, consistent with the Board’s recommendation. The Company’s stockholders also authorized
the Board to amend the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation, as amended by the Certificates of Designation, to decrease the number
of authorized shares of the Company’s common stock and preferred stock by the same reverse stock split ratio determined by the Board,
consistent with the Board’s recommendation. The Board has not acted on these stockholder authorizations as of the filing date.
15
9.
Leases
On
June 18, 2022, the Company leased 2,700 square feet of corporate office space in Knoxville, Tennessee through an operating lease agreement
for a term of three years ending on June 30, 2025. The monthly base rent ranges from $ 4,053 to $ 4,278 over the term of the lease.
Total
operating lease expense for the three months ended September 30, 2024 was $ 12,842 , of which $ 8,561 was included within research and development
and $ 4,281 was included within general and administrative expenses on the condensed consolidated statements of operations. Total operating
lease expense for the three months ended September 30, 2023 was $ 12,560 of which $ 8,373 was included within research and development
and $ 4,187 was included within general and administrative expenses on the condensed consolidated statements of operations.
Total
operating lease expense for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 was $ 38,686 , of which $ 25,791 was included within research and development
and $ 12,895 was included within general and administrative expenses on the condensed consolidated statements of operations. Total operating
lease expense for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 was $ 38,739 of which $ 25,826 was included within research and development
and $ 12,913 was included within general and administrative expenses on the condensed consolidated statements of operations.
A
summary of the Company’s right-of-use assets and liabilities is as follows:
Schedule
of Right-of-use Assets and Liabilities
For
the Nine Months Ended
September
30,
2024
2023
Cash
paid for amounts included in the measurement of lease liabilities:
Operating
cash flows used in operating leases
$
35,662
$
32,938
Right-of-use
assets obtained in exchange for lease obligations:
Operating
leases
$
-
$
-
Weighted
Average Remaining Lease Term
Operating
leases
9
months
1
year 9 months
Weighted
Average Discount Rate
Operating
leases
5.0
%
5.0
%
Future
minimum payments under the Company’s non-cancellable lease obligations as of September 30, 2024 were as follows:
Future
Minimum Payments
Schedule of Future Minimum Payments Under Non-cancellable Lease
Years
Amount
2024
$
12,835
2025
25,669
Total
lease payments
38,504
Less:
amount representing imputed interest
( 790
)
Present
value of lease liability
37,714
Less:
current portion
( 37,714
)
Lease
liability, non-current portion
$
-
10.
Grants
On
October 25, 2021, the Company received a grant award of $ 2,500,000 from the State of Tennessee for the study of animal cancers and dermatological
disorders for the period October 15, 2021 to June 30, 2022 (“the Tennessee Grant” or “the Grant”). The Tennessee
Grant was pre-funded; therefore, the funds do not need to be used in full by June 30, 2022. The Tennessee Grant was provided as reimbursement
of research and development expenses related to the development of animal health drug products. The Company has elected gross presentation
of the Tennessee Grant income whereby grant revenue is recognized as qualifying costs are incurred and there is reasonable assurance
that the conditions of the grant have been met. Qualifying costs are presented as research and development expenses included in the Company’s
statement of operations, in the period that such costs are incurred.
As
of September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, $ 350,440 and $ 953,248 , respectively, are included in unearned grant revenue liability on
the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheets, respectively. The Company recorded grant revenue of $ 109,745 and $ 602,808 during
the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024, respectively, and $ 69,733 and $ 436,600 during the three and nine months ended September
30, 2023, respectively.
16
11.
License Transactions
In
the third quarter of 2019, the Company entered into a dialog with Bascom Palmer Eye Institute (“BPEI”) regarding collaboration
on BPEI’s ophthalmic photodynamic antimicrobial therapy (“PDAT”) using the Company’s pharmaceutical-grade RBS.
On February 16, 2022, and later amended on May 11, 2022, the Company entered into an option agreement with the University of Miami (“UM”)
for an exclusive worldwide license of intellectual property (“IP”) developed by the Ophthalmic Biophysics Center (“OBC”)
of BPEI that included the use of OBC’s PDAT medical device in combination with formulations of the Company’s pharmaceutical-grade
RBS for the treatment of bacterial, fungal, and viral infections of the eye. The Company completed the arrangements of this collaboration
during the third quarter of 2022, whereby the Company paid $5,000 for the option that expires on May 31, 2023; agreed to pay up to $10,000
of new UM patent expenses for this IP during the period of the option and up to $25,000 of past UM patent expenses for this IP; and entered
into a sponsored research agreement with UM on September 16, 2022 to study the combination of OBC’s PDAT and PV-305, a formulation
of the Company’s pharmaceutical-grade RBS, for the treatment of infectious keratitis.
On March 21, 2024, the Company entered into an Exclusive
License Agreement with the UM for the license and development of the University’s IP related to photodynamic antimicrobial therapy
in ophthalmology. The License Agreement grants the Company exclusive, worldwide rights to research, develop, make, use, or sell Licensed
Products and/or Licensed Processes based upon patent-related rights.
As consideration for the rights granted in the License
Agreement, the Company paid an upfront fee of $ 10,000 , royalties equal to 10% of net sales of Licensed Products and/or Licensed Processes,
and annual payments of $ 1,000 on the first through fourth anniversaries of the License Agreement and $ 10,000 on every anniversary thereafter.
In the event of a sublicense to a third party, the Company is obligated to pay royalties to the University equal to a percentage of sublicense
income ranging from 10 % to 30 % depending on the phase of clinical trials.
The License Agreement provides that, within one year,
the Company will create a corporation (“NewCo”) for the purpose of developing and commercializing Licensed Products and Licensed
Processes, assign the License Agreement to NewCo, and enter into an equity agreement with respect to NewCo’s securities. Pursuant
to the equity agreement, NewCo will be required to issue to the University 5 % of the total number of issued and outstanding shares of
NewCo. The University will have certain anti-dilution rights related to additional issuances of NewCo securities before NewCo receives
a total of $ 2,000,000 in cash.
The License Agreement sets forth certain diligence
milestones that include forming NewCo, creating a Licensed Product suitable for submission to the Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”),
generating Licensed Product data suitable for required submission to the FDA, submitting a drug-device combination application to the
FDA, and receiving clearance, approval or other authorization from the FDA for the Licensed Product portion of the drug device combination.
The License Agreement also provides for development milestone payments of $5,000 upon the first commercial sale of an approved Licensed Product
and $50,000 upon net sales of Licensed Product of at least $500,000 .
The term of the License Agreement is the later of (i) the expiration or
abandonment of all issued patents and patent applications related to patent rights under the License Agreement and/or no royalties are
due, (ii) any regulatory exclusivity has expired, and (iii) 20 years from the first commercial sale of Licensed Product and/or Licensed
Process. The License Agreement provides that the Company may terminate the License Agreement upon 90 days’ written notice to the
University, and each party has the right to terminate the License Agreement if the other party commits a material breach of the terms
of the License Agreement and such breach remains uncured for thirty days after receipt of written notice
12.
Commitments, Contingencies and Litigation
The
Company may, from time to time, be involved in litigation arising from the ordinary course of business. The Company is not aware of any
pending or threatened litigation that, if resolved against the Company, would have a material adverse effect on the Company’s condensed
consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows.
13.
Subsequent Events
The
Company has evaluated events that have occurred after the balance sheet and through the date the financial statements were issued. Based
upon the evaluation, the Company did not identify any recognized or non-recognized subsequent events that would have required adjustment
or disclosure in the financial statements, except as disclosed below.
Convertible
Notes Payable
Subsequent
to September 30, 2024, the Company entered into 2024 Notes with a related party investor (Executive Officer) in the aggregate principal
amount of $ 50,000 .
Subsequent to September 30, 2024, the Company
entered into 2024 Notes with non-related party investors in the aggregate principal amount of $ 400,000 .
Series
D-1 Preferred Stock
Subsequent
to September 30, 2024, principal and interest in the aggregate amount of $ 54,033 , owed in connection with 2022 Notes was converted into
18,880 shares of Series D-1 Preferred Stock at the Conversion Price of $ 2.862 . Any fractional shares issuable pursuant to the formula
were rounded up to the next whole share of Series D-1 Preferred Stock.
NewCo
Subsequent to September 30, 2024 and in connection
with the License Agreement with UM, the Company entered into an agreement with non-related party investors for a seed round investment
in NewCo, subject to negotiation, preparation, and execution of definitive agreements, after NewCo is created.
17
ITEM
2. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS.
The
following discussion is intended to assist in the understanding and assessment of significant changes and trends related to our results
of operations and our financial condition together with our consolidated subsidiaries. This discussion and analysis should be read in
conjunction with the accompanying unaudited condensed financial statements and our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December
31, 2023 filed with the SEC on March 28, 2024 (“2023 Form 10-K”), which includes additional information about our critical
accounting policies and practices and risk factors. Historical results and percentage relationships set forth in the consolidated statement
of operations, including trends which might appear, are not necessarily indicative of future operations.
Clinical
Development and Drug Discovery
The
Company’s small molecule platform, which comprises different drug candidates and non-clinical formulations made from pharmaceutical-grade
RBS using different concentrations and delivered by different routes of administration specific to each disease and/or disease indication,
includes:
Clinical
Development Programs
●
Oncology:
Intratumoral (“ITU”) formulation PV-10 (“ITU PV-10”) has undergone and is undergoing multiple, monotherapy
and combination therapy, early- to late-stage clinical trials, expanded access programs (“EAPs”) for groups of and individual
patients, and/or quality of life (“QOL”) study at multiple clinical sites in Australia, Europe, and the U.S. for the
treatments of Stage III and IV melanoma and different types of liver cancers. ITU PV-10 has undergone clinical monotherapy and combination
therapy mechanism of action and mechanism of immune response study for melanoma, metastatic uveal melanoma, and metastatic neuroendocrine
tumors at Moffitt Cancer Center (“Moffitt”) in Tampa, Florida, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Adelaide, Australia, and
MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. The Company’s current lead indication is FOLRINOX-refractory pancreatic ductal
adenocarcinoma metastatic to the liver, where patients may receive the combination therapy of ITU PV-10 and systemically administered
gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel.
●
Dermatology:
Topical (“TOP”) formulation PH-10 (“TOP PH-10”) has undergone multiple mid-stage, monotherapy clinical
trials for the treatments of psoriasis and atopic dermatitis at different clinical sites in the U.S. TOP PH-10 has undergone clinical
monotherapy mechanism of action and mechanism of immune response study for psoriasis at The Rockefeller University in New York, New
York (“TRU”). Different formulations have undergone non-clinical combination therapy study for psoriasis and are undergoing
non-clinical monotherapy study for skin inflammation and skin aging at TRU.
●
Ophthalmology:
The Company believes that clinical proof-of-concept (“POC”) of TOP administration of non-pharmaceutical grade rose
bengal in combination with a medical device for the treatment of infectious keratitis has been shown by clinicians and researchers
at the University of Miami’s Bascom Palmer Eye Institute (“BPEI”) in Miami, Florida, who are now collaborating
with the Company to evaluate the potential use of our pharmaceutical-grade RBS. TOP PV-305 has undergone non-clinical monotherapy
study for diseases and disorders of the eye, such as infectious keratitis, at BPEI.
18
Non-clinical
Proof-of-Concept In Vivo Programs
●
Oncology:
ITU PV-10 has undergone non-clinical monotherapy and combination therapy study for the treatment of pancreatic cancer and human
papillomavirus-positive and negative head and neck squamous cell carcinoma at Moffitt. ITU PV-10 has undergone non-clinical monotherapy
study for the treatment of penile squamous cell carcinoma at an academic medical center. ITU PV-10 has undergone non-clinical monotherapy
and combination therapy study for the treatment of relapsed and refractory pediatric solid tumor cancers at the University of Calgary’s
Cumming School of Medicine in Calgary, Canada (“UCal”). The Company believes that the UCal researchers have achieved
in vivo monotherapy POC of ITU administration.
Oral
(“PO”) formulations are undergoing non-clinical monotherapy study for high-risk and refractory adult solid tumor cancers
at UCal. The Company believes that the UCal researchers and the Company have both achieved in vivo monotherapy POC of PO administration,
that the Company has achieved in vivo monotherapy POC of PO administration in both prophylactic and therapeutic settings,
and that the Company has achieved in vivo monotherapy POC of intravenous (“IV”) administration.
●
Hematology:
PO formulations have undergone non-clinical monotherapy study for the treatment of refractory and relapsed pediatric and other
blood cancers, including leukemias, at UCal. The Company believes that the UCal researchers have achieved in vivo monotherapy
POC of PO administration.
●
Wound
Healing: Different formulations are undergoing non-clinical monotherapy study for the healing of full-thickness cutaneous wounds.
The Company believes that in vivo monotherapy POC of TOP administration of non-pharmaceutical grade rose bengal for the treatment
of this indication has been shown by researchers at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Texas, who are now collaborating
with the Company to use our pharmaceutical-grade RBS.
●
Animal
Health: Different formulations are undergoing non-clinical monotherapy study for the treatment of canine soft tissue sarcomas
at the University of Tennessee’s College of Veterinary Medicine in Knoxville, Tennessee. The Company believes that it has achieved
monotherapy POC of ITU administration in canines.
Non-clinical
Early Drug Discovery (In Vitro) Programs
●
Immune
vaccine adjuvant: Different formulations have undergone and are undergoing non-clinical study as a vaccine adjuvant to enhance
T cell responses for anti-viral and anti-cancer vaccines.
●
Infectious
Diseases: PO and intranasal (“IN”) formulations have undergone and are undergoing non-clinical monotherapy study
for the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 at UCal, another Canadian academic research center, the University of Tennessee Health Science Center
(“UTHSC”) in Memphis, Tennessee, and a U.S. contract research organization. Different formulations have undergone non-clinical
monotherapy and combination therapy study for the treatment of gram-positive and gram-negative bacterial infections (including multi-drug-resistant strains) and have undergone non-clinical monotherapy study for the treatment of oral bacterial infections at UTHSC. Different
formulations have undergone non-clinical monotherapy study for the treatment of fungal infections at UTHSC.
●
Tissue
Regeneration and Repair : Different formulations have undergone non-clinical monotherapy study for vertebrate development, wound
healing, and tissue regrowth at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada.
●
Proprietary:
Different formulations are undergoing non-clinical study for proprietary diseases at an academic medical center.
19
Business
Strategy
The
Company is selectively continuing ongoing and planning to initiate new monotherapy and combination therapy ITU PV-10 clinical trials
in melanoma and liver cancer indications to generate more and/or new clinical data and appropriately utilizing clinical data from historical
ITU PV-10 trials, EAPs, and/or QOL study of these oncology indications. Our goals are to pursue drug approval pathways and/or co-development
relationships with commercial pharmaceutical companies for ITU PV-10 based on these indications and data.
The
Company is developing a systemically administered formulation of pharmaceutical-grade RBS for the treatment of cancer. Our goals, when
this work is complete, are to file an investigational new drug application (“IND”) with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
(“FDA”), take an initial systemic drug candidate into an early-stage clinic trial for an initial oncology or hematology indication,
and/or pursue a co-development collaboration or out-license arrangement for this route of administration and disease area.
The
Company is developing different formulations of pharmaceutical-grade RBS using different concentrations and different routes of administration
for other disease areas by endeavoring to show non-clinical activity and lack of toxicity. Our goals, when each task of this work is
completed, are to file an IND with the FDA, take an initial drug candidate into an early-stage clinic trial for an initial indication,
and/or pursue a co-development collaboration or out-license arrangement for the respective disease area and route of administration.
The
Company is endeavoring to fully elucidate the traits and characteristics of the RBS molecule using different academic medical centers
under sponsored research and testing agreements. Our goal is to gain and communicate additional knowledge of the RBS molecule’s
targeting, mechanism, signaling, immune response, and other features that are common to and/or different from each disease area and indication
under research.
The
Company is doing rigorous chemical analytical comparisons of non-pharmaceutical grades of rose bengal from specialty chemical suppliers
against the Company’s pharmaceutical-grade RBS. Our goal is to demonstrate the proprietary nature of the Company’s pharmaceutical-grade
RBS and that our pharmaceutical-grade RBS meets the necessary uniformity and purity requirements for commercial pharmaceutical use.
20
RBS
API and Drug Candidate Manufacturing
Our
pharmaceutical-grade RBS resulted from the Company’s innovation of a proprietary, patented, commercial-scale process to synthesize
and utilize the RBS molecule into a viable active pharmaceutical ingredient (“API”) for commercial pharmaceutical use; the
development of unique chemistry, manufacturing, and control (“CMC”) specifications for API and drug candidate manufacturing
processes; the production and multi-year stability testing of multiple API and drug candidate lots; the comprehensive documentation of
lot composition and reproducibility; and the review and acceptance of CMC data from these lots by seven different national drug regulatory
agencies for use in a prior, multi-country, multi-center Phase 3 randomized control trial of the Company.
The
Company’s API and drug candidate manufacturing processes employ Quality-by-Design principles, current good manufacturing practice
(“cGMP”) regulations, and the guidelines of The International Council for Harmonization (ICH) of Technical Requirements for
Pharmaceuticals for Human Use. These processes utilize controls that eliminate the formation of historical impurities and avoid the introduction
of potentially hazardous impurities that the Company believes may have been and could be present in uncontrolled and unreported amounts
in non-pharmaceutical grades of rose bengal.
The
Company’s processes of synthesizing the RBS molecule into pharmaceutical-grade RBS and manufacturing RBS API and ITU PV-10 drug
candidate, the processes’ CMC specifications, and the CMC data from the production of stability lots of API and drug candidate
have been reviewed by multiple national drug regulatory agencies prior to granting clinical trial authorizations for the Company to commence
a historical Phase 3 study of ITU PV-10 for the treatment of the Company’s former lead indication of locally advanced cutaneous
melanoma, including the U.S. FDA, Germany’s Bundesinstitut für Arzneimittel und Medizinprodukte (BfArM), Australia’s
Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) under a clinical trial notification, France’s Agence Nationale de Sécurité
du Médicament et des Produits de Santé (ANSM), Italy’s Agenzia Italiana del Farmaco (AIFA), Mexico’s Comisión
Federal para la Protección contra Riesgos Sanitarios (COFEPRIS), and Argentina’s Administración Nacional de Medicamentos,
Alimentos y Tecnología Médica (ANMAT).
RBS
Non-proprietary Name
The
RBS name for the Company’s pharmaceutical-grade API was selected by and passed the review of the World Health Organization (“WHO”)
Expert Advisory Panel on the International Pharmacopoeia and Pharmaceutical Preparations after the Company applied for a non-proprietary
name in the third quarter of 2020 and reached the status of recommended International Non-proprietary Names (“INN”). INN
Recommended List 88, which includes the RBS name, was published with the No. 3 issue of the WHO Drug Information, Volume 36 in the fourth
quarter of 2022.
21
Non-Pharmaceutical
Grades of Rose Bengal
Commercial
Grade
Commercial
grade rose bengal can be purchased from specialty chemical suppliers in the U.S. and in other parts of the world that manufacture it
under non-cGMP conditions. Commercial grade rose bengal appears to have reported purities that may vary between 80% and 95% and may contain
substantial amounts of unreported impurities and/or gross contaminants. Commercial grade rose bengal is typically used by researchers
unaffiliated with the Company for non-clinical study of the rose bengal molecule for potential biomedical therapeutic applications.
We
believe that commercial grade rose bengal is still manufactured using the original historical process, or a variant thereof, developed
by the molecule’s original Swiss creator Rudolph Gnehm in 1881. Some chemical manufacturers may, however, apply purification techniques
that the Company believes still result in commercial grade rose bengal possessing questionable purity and contaminants and substantial
lot-to-lot manufacturing variability.
Diagnostic
Grade
Diagnostic
grade rose bengal describes non-approved rose bengal that is used as an ingredient in historical or current ophthalmic solutions, strips,
and devices, has been historically or is presently compounded by pharmacists for ophthalmic use, and has been or is in other non-ophthalmic
diagnostic tests such as the rose bengal test for human brucellosis.
We
presume, but have not yet confirmed, that diagnostic grade rose bengal is derived from commercial grade rose bengal that may have undergone
a form of purification under cGMP regulations and/or may have been compounded by a pharmacist, academic medical researcher, or commercial
entity under cGMP regulations. Here too, the Company believes that purification may not sufficiently improve the amounts and accuracy
of diagnostic grade rose bengal purity and lot contents and may not adequately reduce or eliminate lot-to-lot manufacturing variability.
Chemical
Analytical Comparison
In
the first quarter of 2022, the Company began work with a U.S. contract development and manufacturing organization to assess rigorously
and methodically three lots of commercial grade rose bengal, one each from three different specialty chemical suppliers, and compare
these non-pharmaceutical grade materials with the Company’s pharmaceutical-grade RBS. This chemical analytical work was substantially
completed by the end of the third quarter of 2022. The Company believes that the preliminary results of these analyses indicate that
all three lots of commercial grade rose bengal had rose bengal purity that was drastically different from what was represented on their
respective certificates of analysis (“CofAs”), and that one of the three lots contained gross contaminants that were not
represented on its CofA.
Potential
Barriers to Entry
The
Company believes that the Company’s proprietary, patented, pharmaceutical-grade RBS possesses several competitive advantages over
non-pharmaceutical-grade rose bengal (i.e., commercial and diagnostic grades) that researchers, clinicians, and academic, business, and/or
governmental competitors have used, are using, and/or may attempt to use for potential biomedical applications. The Company believes
that non-pharmaceutical-grade rose bengal may suffer from the uncontrolled presence of substance-related impurities and/or gross contaminants,
substantial lot-to-lot manufacturing variability, inaccurately reported and/or misrepresented purity and contents, and the lack of reproducible,
consistent, and fulsome CMC specifications and documentation. The Company believes that historical and potentially hazardous impurities
and other manufacturing and handling issues facing non-pharmaceutical grade rose bengal may pose significant scientific, technological,
and economic challenges to overcome and validate for compliance with modern drug regulatory standards.
22
Components
of Operating Results
Grant
Revenue
Grant
revenue is recognized when qualifying costs are incurred and there is reasonable assurance that the conditions of the grant have been
met. Cash received from grants in advance of incurring qualifying costs is recorded as unearned grant revenue and recognized as grant
revenue when qualifying costs are incurred.
Research
and Development Expenses
A
large component of our total operating expenses is the Company’s investment in research and development activities, including the
clinical development of our product candidates. Research and development expenses represent costs incurred to conduct research and undertake
clinical trials to develop our drug candidates. These expenses consist primarily of:
●
Costs
of conducting clinical trials, including amounts paid to clinical centers, clinical research organizations and consultants, among
others;
●
Salaries
and related expenses for personnel, including stock-based compensation expense;
●
Other
outside service costs including cost of contract manufacturing;
●
The
costs of supplies and reagents; and,
●
Occupancy
and depreciation charges.
We
expense research and development costs as incurred.
Research
and development activities are central to our business model. We expect our research and development expenses to increase in the future
as we advance our existing product candidates through clinical trials and pursue their regulatory approval. Undertaking clinical development
and pursuing regulatory approval are both costly and time-consuming activities. As a result of known and unknown uncertainties, we are
unable to determine the duration and completion costs of our research and development activities, or if, when, and to what extent we
will generate revenue from any subsequent commercialization and sale of our drug candidates.
General
and Administrative Expenses
General
and administrative expenses consist primarily of salaries, stock-based compensation expense and other related costs for personnel in
executive, finance, accounting, business development, legal, information technology and corporate communication functions. Other costs
include facility costs not otherwise included in research and development expense, insurance, and professional fees for legal, patent
and accounting services.
23
Results
of Operations
Comparison
of the Three Months Ended September 30, 2024 and September 30, 2023
Overview
Grant
revenue was $109,745 for the three months ended September 30, 2024, an increase of $40,012 or 57.4% compared to the three months
ended September 30, 2023. Total operating expenses were $1,065,473 for the three months ended September 30, 2024, an increase of
$281,592 or 35.9% compared to the three months ended September 30, 2023. The increase was driven primarily by (i) increased payroll
and taxes for the addition of two officers, (ii) higher clinical trial costs related to study closure, (iii) higher legal expenses
related to patent costs, partially offset by (iv) lower directors’ fees and professional fees due to the resignation of Mr.
Horowitz, our former COO, and (v) lower other general and administrative costs primarily attributable to a refund
received in July 2024 from the State of Tennessee following the repeal of the franchise/excise property tax measure. Net loss for
the three months ended September 30, 2024 was $1,014,351, an increase of $238,512 or 30.7% compared to the three months ended
September 30, 2023.
For the Three
Months Ended
September
30,
2024
2023
Increase/(Decrease)
%
Change
Grant Revenue
$ 109,745
$ 69,733
$ 40,012
57.4 %
Operating Expenses:
Research and development
413,987
350,792
63,195
18.0 %
General
and administrative
651,486
433,089
218,397
50.4 %
Total
Operating Expenses
1,065,473
783,881
281,592
35.9 %
Total
Operating Loss
(955,728 )
(714,148 )
(241,580 )
-33.8 %
Other Income/(Expense):
Research and development
tax credit
56
(167 )
223
133.5 %
Interest
expense, net
(58,679 )
(61,524 )
2,845
4.6 %
Total
Other Expense, Net
(58,623 )
(61,691 )
3,068
5.0 %
Net
Loss
$ (1,014,351 )
$ (775,839 )
$ (238,512 )
- 30.7 %
Grant
Revenue
For
the three months ended September 30, 2024 and September 30, 2023, there was $109,745 and $69,733, respectively, of grant revenue recognized
related to qualifying expenses that were incurred and included within research and development expenses on the condensed consolidated
statements of operations.
Research
and Development Expenses
Research
and development expenses were $413,987 for the three months ended September 30, 2024, an increase of $63,195 or 18.0% compared to $350,792
for the three months ended September 30, 2023. The increase was primarily due to higher clinical trial costs associated with study
closure.
The
following table summarizes research and development expenses for the three months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023.
For the Three
Months Ended
September
30,
2024
2023
Increase/(Decrease)
%
Change
Operating Expenses:
Research and development:
Clinical trial
and research expenses
$ 278,885
$ 198,002
$ 80,883
40.8 %
Depreciation/amortization
1,764
1,764
-
0.0 %
Insurance
57,416
57,409
7
0.0 %
Payroll and taxes
67,360
85,244
(17,884 )
-21.0 %
Rent
and utilities
8,562
8,373
189
2.3 %
Total
research and development
$ 413,987
$ 350,792
$ 63,195
18.0 %
24
General
and Administrative Expenses
General
and administrative expenses were $651,486 for the three months ended September 30, 2024, an increase of $218,397 or 50.4% compared to
$433,089 for the three months ended September 30, 2023. The increase was primarily due to (i) increased payroll and taxes for the addition
of two new officers, and (ii) increased legal fees related to patents, partially offset by (iii) lower directors’ fees and professional
fees due to the resignation of Mr. Horowitz, our former COO.
The
following table summarizes general and administrative expenses for the three months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023.
For the Three
Months Ended
September
30,
2024
2023
Increase/(Decrease)
%
Change
Operating Expenses:
General and administrative:
Depreciation
$ 466
$ 466
$ -
0.0 %
Directors’ fees
77,500
96,250
(18,750 )
-19.5 %
Insurance
41,580
45,302
(3,722 )
-8.2 %
Legal and litigation
199,791
71,222
128,569
180.5 %
Other general and administrative
cost
8,063
15,724
(7,661 )
-48.7 %
Payroll and taxes
201,623
60,829
140,794
231.5 %
Professional fees
117,657
138,620
(20,963 )
-15.1 %
Rent and utilities
4,806
4,676
130
2.8 %
Total
general and administrative
$ 651,486
$ 433,089
$ 218,397
50.4 %
Other
Expense, Net
Interest
expense decreased by $2,845 or 4.6% from $61,524 for the three months ended September 30, 2023 to $58,679 for the three months ended
September 30, 2024. The decrease was mainly due to the interest expense costs incurred in connection with the lower average notes
payable balances.
Research
and development tax credit in Australia increased by $223 or 133.5% from ($167) for the three months ended September 30, 2023 to $56
for the three months ended September 30, 2024. The increase was mainly due to currency fluctuations in Australia.
25
Comparison
of the Nine Months Ended September 30, 2024 and September 30, 2023
Overview
Grant
revenue was $602,808 for the nine months ended September 30, 2024, an increase of $166,208 or 38.1% compared to the nine months ended
September 30, 2023. Total operating expenses were $2,800,655 for the nine months ended September 30, 2024, an increase of $67,491 or
2.5% compared to the nine months ended September 30, 2023. The increase was driven primarily by (i) higher clinical trial costs related
to study closure, (ii) increased payroll and taxes due to the addition of two new officers, (iii) higher legal costs related to patents
and general corporate matters, partially offset by (iv) reduced directors’ fees and professional fees due to the resignation of
Mr. Horowitz, our former COO. Net loss for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 was $2,365,241, a decrease
of $73,114 or 3.0% compared to the nine months ended September 30, 2023.
For the Nine
Months Ended
September
30,
2024
2023
Increase/(Decrease)
%
Change
Grant Revenue
$ 602,808
$ 436,600
$ 166,208
38.1 %
Operating Expenses:
Research and development
1,442,449
1,333,399
109,050
8.2 %
General
and administrative
1,358,206
1,399,765
(41,559 )
-3.0 %
Total
Operating Expenses
2,800,655
2,733,164
67,491
2.5 %
Total
Operating Loss
(2,197,847 )
(2,296,564 )
98,717
4.3 %
Other Income/(Expense):
Research and development
tax credit
9,357
15,798
(6,441 )
- 40.8 %
Interest
expense, net
(176,751 )
(157,589 )
(19,162 )
- 12.2 %
Total
Other Expense, Net
(167,394 )
(141,791 )
(25,603 )
- 18.1 %
Net
Loss
$ (2,365,241 )
$ (2,438,355 )
$ 73,114
3.0 %
Grant
Revenue
For
the nine months ended September 30, 2024 and September 30, 2023, there was $602,808 and $436,600, respectively, of grant revenue recognized
related to qualifying expenses that were incurred and included within research and development expenses on the condensed consolidated
statements of operations.
Research
and Development Expenses
Research
and development expenses were $1,442,449 for the nine months ended September 30, 2024, an increase of $109,050 or 8.2% compared to $1,333,399
for the nine months ended September 30, 2023. The increase was primarily due to higher clinical trial costs associated with study
closure.
The
following table summarizes research and development expenses for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023.
For the Nine
Months Ended
September
30,
2024
2023
Increase/(Decrease)
%
Change
Operating Expenses:
Research and development:
Clinical trial
and research expenses
1,037,706
913,881
$ 123,825
13.5 %
Depreciation/amortization
5,294
5,294
-
0.0 %
Insurance
172,503
172,065
438
0.3 %
Payroll and taxes
201,155
216,333
(15,178 )
-7.0 %
Rent
and utilities
25,791
25,826
(35 )
-0.1 %
Total
research and development
$ 1,442,449
$ 1,333,399
$ 109,050
8.2 %
26
General
and Administrative Expenses
General
and administrative expenses were $1,358,206 for the nine months ended September 30, 2024, a decrease of $41,559 or 3.0% compared to $1,399,765
for the nine months ended September 30, 2023. The decrease was primarily due to (i) lower directors’ fees and professional fees
due to the resignation of Mr. Horowitz, our former COO, partially offset by (ii) higher legal fees related to patents and corporate matters pertaining to the 2024 proxy statement and
officer’s resignation, (iii) higher payroll and taxes due to addition of two new officers, and (iv) higher other general and administrative
costs due to a refund received in 2023 for employee retention.
The
following table summarizes general and administrative expenses for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023.
For the Nine
Months Ended
September
30,
2024
2023
Increase/(Decrease)
%
Change
Operating Expenses:
General and administrative:
Depreciation
$ 1,397
$ 1,397
$ -
0.0 %
Directors’ fees
(198,750 )
288,750
(487,500 )
-168.8 %
Insurance
128,843
134,390
(5,547 )
-4.1 %
Legal and litigation
513,271
278,819
234,452
84.1 %
Other general and administrative
cost
49,410
28,634
20,776
72.6 %
Payroll and taxes
437,244
189,262
247,982
131.0 %
Professional fees
411,779
464,122
(52,343 )
-11.3 %
Rent and utilities
14,503
14,391
112
0.8 %
Foreign
currency translation
509
-
509
100.0 %
Total
general and administrative
$ 1,358,206
$ 1,399,765
$ (41,559 )
-3.0 %
Other
Expense, Net
Interest
expense increased by $19,162 or 12.2% from $157,589 for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 to $176,751 for the nine months
ended September 30, 2024. The increase was mainly due to the interest expense costs incurred in connection with the higher average
note payables balances.
Research
and development tax credit in Australia decreased by $6,441 or 40.8% from $15,798 for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 to $9,357
for the nine months ended September 30, 2024. The decrease was mainly due to no active clinical trials currently in Australia.
Liquidity
and Capital Resources
The
Company’s cash and restricted cash were $614,189 at September 30, 2024 which includes $426,732 of restricted cash resulting from
a grant received from the State of Tennessee, compared to $1,026,799 at December 31, 2023, which included $950,223 of restricted cash.
The Company’s working capital deficit was $5,464,760 and $7,652,098 as of September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively.
We have continuing net losses and negative cash flows from operating activities. In addition, we have an accumulated deficit of $255,055,650
as of September 30, 2024. These conditions raise substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern for a period within
one year from the date that the financial statements included elsewhere in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q are issued. The condensed
consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q have been prepared on a basis that
contemplates the realization of assets and the satisfaction of liabilities and commitments in the normal course of business. Our financial
statements do not include any adjustments to the amounts and classification of assets and liabilities that may be necessary should we
be unable to continue as a going concern. Our ability to continue as a going concern depends on our ability to obtain additional financing
as may be required to fund current operations.
As
of September 30, 2024, cash required for our current liabilities included approximately $2,977,080 for accounts payable and other accrued
expenses (including operating lease liabilities) and a $110,544 note payable related to our short-term financing of our commercial insurance
policies. Also, if not converted prior to maturity, convertible debt in the amount of $2,653,000 plus accrued interest will mature one
year from the date of the notes. The Company intends to meet these cash requirements from its current cash balance and from future financing.
Management’s
plans include selling our equity securities and obtaining other financing, including the issuance of 2024 unsecured convertible notes
(the “2024 Financing”), to fund our capital requirements and on-going operations; however, there can be no assurance that
the Company will be successful in these efforts. Significant funds will be needed to continue and complete our ongoing and planned clinical
trials.
27
Access
to Capital
Management
plans to access capital resources through possible public or private equity offerings, including the 2024 Financing, equity financings,
debt financings, corporate collaborations, or other means. If we are unable to raise sufficient capital, we will not be able to pay our
obligations as they become due.
The
primary business objective of management is to build the Company into a commercial-stage biotechnology company; however, there can be
no assurance that management will be successful in implementing the Company’s business plan of developing, licensing, and/or commercializing
our prescription drug candidates. Moreover, even if we are successful in improving our current cash flow position, we nonetheless plan
to seek additional funds to meet our current and long-term requirements in 2024 and beyond. We anticipate that these funds will otherwise
come from the proceeds of private placement transactions, the exercise of outstanding stock options, or public offerings of debt or equity
securities. While we believe that we have a reasonable basis for our expectation that we will be able to raise additional funds, there
can be no assurance that we will be able to obtain funds on commercially acceptable terms, or complete additional financing in a timely
manner. In addition, any such financing may result in significant dilution to stockholders.
Critical
Accounting Estimates
We
prepare our condensed consolidated financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP, which require our management to make estimates
that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities and disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities at the balance sheet dates,
as well as the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting periods. To the extent that there are material differences
between these estimates and actual results, our financial condition or results of operations would be affected. We base our estimates
on our own historical experience and other assumptions that we believe are reasonable after taking account of our circumstances and expectations
for the future based on available information. We evaluate these estimates on an ongoing basis.
We
consider an accounting estimate to be critical if: (i) the accounting estimate requires us to make assumptions about matters that were
highly uncertain at the time the accounting estimate was made, and (ii) changes in the estimate that are reasonably likely to occur from
period to period or use of different estimates that we reasonably could have used in the current period, would have a material impact
on our financial condition or results of operations. There are items within our financial statements that require estimation but are
not deemed critical, as defined above.
Off-Balance
Sheet Arrangements
We
do not have any off-balance sheet arrangements, financings, or other relationships with unconsolidated entities or other persons, also
known as special purpose entities (“SPEs”).
Available
Information
Our
website is located at www.provectusbio.com. We make available free of charge through this website our annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly
reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, and amendments to those reports filed with or furnished to the SEC pursuant to Section
13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, as soon as reasonably practicable after they are electronically filed with or furnished to the SEC.
Reference to our website does not constitute incorporation by reference of the information contained on the site and should not be considered
part of this document.
The
SEC maintains an Internet site that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding issuers that file
electronically with the SEC as we do. The website is http://www.sec.gov.
The
Company also intends to use press releases, the Company’s website and certain social media accounts as a means of disclosing information
and observations about the Company and its business, and for complying with the Company’s disclosure obligations under Regulation
FD: the Provectus Substack account (provectus.substack.com), the @ProvectusBio X account (twitter.com/provectusbio), and the Company’s
LinkedIn account (linkedin.com/company/provectus-biopharmaceuticals). The information and observations that the Company posts through
these social media channels may be deemed material. Accordingly, investors should monitor these social media channels in addition to
following the Company’s press releases, SEC filings, and website. The social media channels that the Company intends to use as
a means of disclosing the information described above may be updated from time to time.
The
contents of the websites provided above are not intended to be incorporated by reference into this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q or our
Annual Report on Form 10-K or in any other report or document we file with the SEC. Further, our references to the URLs for these websites
are intended to be inactive textual references only.
28
ITEM
3. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK.
Not
applicable.
ITEM
4. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES.
Evaluation
of Disclosure Controls and Procedures
Our
management, with the participation of our principal executive officer and principal financial officer, carried out an evaluation of the
effectiveness of the design and operation of our disclosure controls and procedures, as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). Based on this evaluation, our principal executive officer
and principal financial officer concluded that, as of the end of the period covered in this report, our disclosure controls and procedures
were effective to provide reasonable assurance that the information required to be disclosed by us in reports that we file or submit
under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized, and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and
forms, and is accumulated and communicated to our management, including our principal executive officer and principal financial officer,
as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.
Inherent
Limitations on Effectiveness of Controls
Even
assuming the effectiveness of our controls and procedures, our management, including our principal executive officer and principal financial
officer, does not expect that our disclosure controls or our internal control over financial reporting will prevent or detect all error
or all fraud. A control system, no matter how well designed and operated, can provide only reasonable, not absolute, assurance that the
control system’s objectives will be met. In general, our controls and procedures are designed to provide reasonable assurance that
our control system’s objective will be met, and our principal executive officer and principal financial officer has concluded that
our disclosure controls and procedures are effective at the reasonable assurance level. The design of a control system must reflect the
fact that there are resource constraints, and the benefits of controls must be considered relative to their costs. Further, because of
the inherent limitations in all control systems, no evaluation of controls can provide absolute assurance that misstatements due to error
or fraud will not occur or that all control issues and instances of fraud, if any, within the Company have been detected. These inherent
limitations include the realities that judgments in decision-making can be faulty and that breakdowns can occur because of simple error
or mistake. Controls can also be circumvented by the individual acts of some persons, by collusion of two or more people, or by management
override of the controls. The design of any system of controls is based in part on certain assumptions about the likelihood of future
events and there can be no assurance that any design will succeed in achieving its stated goals under all potential future conditions.
Projections of any evaluation of the effectiveness of controls in future periods are subject to risks. Over time, controls may become
inadequate because of changes in conditions or deterioration in the degree of compliance with policies or procedures.
Changes
in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
There
has been no change in our internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the fiscal quarter covered by this Quarterly
Report on Form 10-Q that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.
29
PART
II - OTHER INFORMATION
ITEM
1. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS.
The
information required by this item is incorporated by reference from Part I, Item 1. Financial Statements, Notes to Condensed Consolidated
Financial Statements, Note 12.
ITEM
1A. RISK FACTORS.
There
have been no material changes to the risk factors that were disclosed in the 2023 Form 10-K.
ITEM
2. UNREGISTERED SALES OF EQUITY SECURITIES AND USE OF PROCEEDS.
2022
Financing
During
the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024, the Company received aggregate proceeds of $215,000 and $1,853,000, respectively
pursuant to certain unsecured convertible notes (the “2022 Notes”). Through September 30, 2024, the Company had drawn down
$5,080,500 under the 2022 Notes.
For
further details on the terms of the 2022 Notes, refer to our Form 10-K as filed with the SEC on March 28, 2024.
2024
Financing
During
the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024, the Company received aggregate proceeds of $450,000 pursuant to certain unsecured
convertible notes (the “2024 Notes”). Through September 30, 2024, the Company had drawn down $450,000 under the 2024 Notes.
The 2024 Financing will be in the form of an unsecured convertible loan (the “2024 Loan”) from the investors
(the “2024 Loan Investors”) and evidenced by convertible promissory notes (individually, a “2024 Note” and collectively,
the “2024 Notes”). In addition to customary provisions, the 2024 Notes will contain the following provisions:
(i)
The 2024 Loan will bear interest at the rate of eight percent (8%) per annum on the outstanding principal amount of the Loan that has been funded to the Company;
(ii)
In the event there is a change of control of the Board, the term of the 2024 Notes will be accelerated and all amounts due under the 2024 Notes may be immediately due and payable at the 2024 Loan Investors’ option;
(iii)
The outstanding principal amount and interest payable under the 2024 Loan may be convertible at the 2024 Loan Investors’ option into shares of Series D-1 Convertible Preferred Stock at a price per share equal to $2.8620. The Series D-1 Convertible Preferred Stock is convertible into ten (10) shares of common stock; and
(iv)
The outstanding principal amount and interest payable under the 2024 Loan will be automatically convertible into shares of the Company’s Series D-1 Preferred Stock twelve (12) months after the issue date of a 2024 Note at a price per share equal to $2.8620.
Preferred
Convertible Stock
During
the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024, the Company issued 339,833 and 839,998 shares, respectively, of restricted Series
D-1 Convertible Preferred Stock upon the conversion of $900,000 and $2,225,000 of principal and $72,600 and $179,056 accrued interest,
respectively, outstanding on the Company’s convertible notes.
The
Company believes that such transactions were exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, (the
“Securities Act”), in reliance on Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act (or Rule 506(b) of Regulation D promulgated thereunder)
as transactions by an issuer not involving a public offering.
ITEM
3. DEFAULTS UPON SENIOR SECURITIES.
None.
ITEM
4. Mine Safety Disclosures.
Not
applicable.
ITEM
5. OTHER INFORMATION.
None.
30
ITEM
6. EXHIBITS.
Exhibit
No.
Description
4.1
Form
of Unsecured Convertible Promissory Note (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 of the Company’s current report on Form
8-K filed with the SEC on July 17, 2024).
10.1
2024 Financing Term Sheet (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 of the Company’s current report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on July 17, 2024).
31.1**
Certification
of Principal Executive Officer Pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) (Section 302 Certification).
31.2**
Certification
of Chief Financial Officer Pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) (Section 302 Certification).
32***
Certification
of Principal Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350 (Section 906 Certification).
101.INS**
Inline
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**
Inline
XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document.
101.CAL**
Inline
XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document.
101.LAB**
Inline
XBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase Document.
101
PRE**
Inline
XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document.
101.DEF**
Inline
XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase Document.
104**
Cover
Page Interactive Data File (formatted as Inline XBRL and contained in Exhibit 101)
**
Filed herewith.
***
Furnished herewith.
31
SIGNATURES
Pursuant
to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by
the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.
PROVECTUS
BIOPHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
November
12, 2024
By:
/s/
Dominic Rodrigues
Dominic
Rodrigues
President
(Principal Executive Officer)
By:
/s/
Heather Raines
Heather
Raines, CPA
Chief
Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer)
32
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.