10-K
1
f10k2020_senestechinc.htm
ANNUAL REPORT
UNITED
STATES
SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington,
D.C. 20549
FORM
10-K
(Mark
One)
☒
ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For
the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020
OR
☐ TRANSITION
REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For
the transition period from to
Commission
file number: 001-37941
SENESTECH,
INC.
(Exact
name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware
20-2079805
(State
or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
(I.R.S.
Employer
Identification No.)
23460
N. 19 th Avenue, Suite 110
Phoenix, AZ
85027
(Address
of principal executive offices)
(Zip Code)
(928)
779-4143
(Registrant’s
telephone number, including area code)
(Former
name, former address and former fiscal year, if changed since last report)
Securities
registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934:
Securities
registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
Title
of each class
Trading
symbol
Name
of each exchange on
which registered
Common
Stock, $0.001 par value
SNES
The
NASDAQ Stock Market LLC (NASDAQ Capital Market)
Securities
registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:
NONE
Indicate
by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes ☐ No ☒
Indicate
by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act.
Yes ☐ No ☒
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports),
and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes ☒ No ☐
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant
to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§ 232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that
the registrant was required to submit such files). Yes ☒ No ☐
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting
company or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,”
“smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.:
Large
accelerated
filer ☐
Accelerated
filer ☐
Non-accelerated
filer ☐
Smaller
reporting
company ☒
Emerging
growth
company ☒
If
an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for
complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☒
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness
of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered
public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report. ☐
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes ☐ No ☒
The
aggregate market value of the registrant’s common stock held by non-affiliates on June 30, 2020 (the last business day of
the registrant’s most recently completed second fiscal quarter) as reported by The NASDAQ Capital Market on such date was
approximately $6,662,272. There were 3,398,832* shares of the registrant’s common stock outstanding on June 30, 2020.
The number of shares of common stock outstanding as of March 29, 2021:
12,164,046
Documents
Incorporated by Reference: None.
*
Reflects a 1-for-20 reverse stock split of our outstanding common stock on February 4, 2020.
SENESTECH,
INC.
FORM
10-K
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
Page
PART
I
Item
1
Business
1
Item
1A
Risk
Factors
9
Item
1B
Unresolved
Staff Comments
22
Item
2
Properties
22
Item
3
Legal
Proceedings
22
Item
4
Mine
Safety Disclosures
22
PART
II
Item
5
Market
for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities
23
Item
6
Selected
Financial Data
23
Item
7
Management’s
Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
24
Item
7A
Quantitative
and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk
33
Item
8
Financial
Statements and Supplementary Data
F-1
Item
9
Changes
in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure
33
Item
9A
Controls
and Procedures
33
Item
9B
Other
Information
33
PART
III
Item
10
Directors,
Executive Officers and Corporate Governance
34
Item
11
Executive
Compensation
38
Item
12
Security
Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters
45
Item
13
Certain
Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence
47
Item
14
Principal
Accounting Fees and Services
48
PART
IV
Item
15
Exhibits,
Financial Statement Schedules
49
Item
16
Form
10-K Summary
51
Signatures
52
i
CAUTIONARY
NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This
Annual Report on Form 10-K contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the safe-harbor provisions
of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can often be identified by words such
as: “expect,” “believe,” “estimate,” “plan,” “strategy,” “future,”
“potential,” “continue,” “may,” “should,” “will,” and similar references
to future periods. Examples include, among others, statements about:
●
The
impacts and implications of the COVID-19 pandemic;
●
Our
commercialization and promotion strategy and plans, including key elements to our business strategy, how we commercialize,
our sales approach, the tools we use, our hiring and retention strategy; our areas and markets of focus, our pricing strategy,
our strategic relationships and which geographic markets we target;
●
Our
seeking, obtaining or maintaining regulatory approvals for our product candidates;
●
Our
expectations regarding the potential market size for our products and how the market may develop;
●
Our
estimates or expectations related to our revenue, cash flow, expenses, capital requirements and need for additional financing;
●
Our
ability, and the time required, to improve our cost structure and gross margins, and limit our cash burn;
●
Our
plans for our business, including for research and development;
●
Our
ability to enter into strategic arrangements and to achieve the expected results from such arrangements;
●
The
adequacy of our facilities to meet our current needs;
●
The
initiation, timing, progress and results of field studies and other studies and trials and our research and development programs;
●
Our
financial performance, including our ability to fund operations
●
Developments
and projections relating to our projects, competitors and our industry, including legislative developments and impacts from
those developments; and
●
Other
risks and uncertainties, including those described or incorporated by reference under the caption “Risk Factors”
in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
These
forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and situations
that are difficult to predict and that may cause our own, or our industry’s, actual results to be materially different from
the future results that are expressed or implied by these statements. Accordingly, actual results may differ materially from those
anticipated or expressed in such statements as a result of a variety of factors, including those discussed in Item 1A-“Risk
Factors” of Part II of in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Readers
are cautioned not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. Except as required
by law, we undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events
or otherwise.
Any
forward-looking statement made by us in this report is based only on information available to us on the date of this report. Except
as may be required by law, we undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of
new information, future developments or otherwise.
ContraPest
is a registered trademark of SenesTech Inc. This Annual Report on Form 10-K may also include trademarks and trade names owned
by other parties, and all other such trademarks and trade names mentioned in this Annual Report on Form 10-K are the property
of their respective owners.
ii
PART
I
Item
1.
Business.
Overview
SenesTech,
Inc. (referred to in this report as “SenesTech,” the “Company,” “we” or “us”)
has developed and is commercializing a global, proprietary technology for managing animal pest populations, initially rat populations,
through fertility control.
Although
there are myriad tools available to control rat populations, most rely on some form of lethal method to achieve effectiveness.
Each of these solutions is inherently limited by rat species’ resilience and survival mechanisms as well as their extraordinary
rate of reproduction. ContraPest®, our initial product, is unique in the pest control industry in attacking the reproductive
systems of both male and female rats, which our field data shows results in a sustained reduction of the rat population.
Rats have plagued humanity throughout history. They pose significant
threats to the environment, and to the health and food security of many communities. In addition, rodents cause extensive product
loss and damage through consumption and contamination. Rats also cause significant damage to critical infrastructure by burrowing
beneath foundations and gnawing on electrical wiring, insulation, fire proofing systems, electronics and computer equipment.
The most prevalent solution to rat infestations is the use of
increasingly powerful rodenticides. Although these solutions provide short term results, there are growing concerns about secondary
exposure and bioaccumulation of rodenticides in the environment, as well as concerns about rodenticides that have no antidotes.
The pest management industry and Pest Management Professionals (“PMPs”) are being asked for new solutions that are
both effective and less toxic. Our goal is to provide customers with not only a solution to combat their most difficult rat problems,
but also offer an effective, non-lethal option to serve customers that are looking to decrease or remove the amount of rodenticide
used in their pest control programs.
ContraPest
is a liquid bait containing the active ingredients 4-vinylcyclohexene diepoxide (“VCD”) and triptolide. ContraPest
limits reproduction of male and female rats beginning with the first breeding cycle following consumption. ContraPest is being
marketed for use in controlling Norway and roof rat populations.
SenesTech
began the registration process with the United States Environmental Protection Agency (the “EPA”) for ContraPest on
August 23, 2015. On August 2, 2016, the EPA granted an unconditional registration for ContraPest as a Restricted Use Product (“RUP”),
due to the need for applicator expertise for deployment. On October 18, 2018, the EPA approved the removal of the RUP designation.
We believe ContraPest is the first and only non-lethal, fertility control product approved by the EPA for the management of rodent
populations.
In
addition to the EPA registration of ContraPest in the United States, ContraPest must obtain registration from the various state
regulatory agencies prior to selling in each state. We have received registration for ContraPest in all 50 states and the District
of Columbia, 47 of which have approved the removal of the RUP designation.
We
expect to continue to pursue regulatory approvals and amendments to the existing U.S. registration for ContraPest to broaden the
marketability and use of ContraPest, and if ContraPest begins to generate sufficient revenue, regulatory approvals for additional
jurisdictions beyond the United States. In certain cases, our EPA and state registrations require completion of testing and certifications
even though we have received approval for the product or its labelling. We continue to seek to comply with these requirements.
The
Company also continues to research and develop enhancements to ContraPest that align with our target verticals and other potential
fertility control options for additional species.
We were formed in July 2004 and incorporated in the state of
Nevada. The Company subsequently reincorporated in the state of Delaware in November 2015. Our corporate headquarters and manufacturing
site are in Phoenix, Arizona. On December 8, 2016, we went public and are currently traded on Nasdaq under the symbol SNES.
On
February 4, 2020, we amended our amended and restated certificate of incorporation to effect a 1-for-20 reverse split of our issued
and outstanding shares of our common stock. The accompanying condensed financial statements and notes thereto give retrospective
effect to the reverse stock split for all periods presented. All issued and outstanding common stock, options and warrants exercisable
for common stock, restricted stock units, preferred stock conversions to common stock and per share amounts contained in our condensed
financial statements have been retrospectively adjusted.
1
Current
Challenges in Pest Control Methodologies
Lethal rodenticides are often at the forefront of pest management
programs but are rarely expected to immediately be 100% effective in removing all rats. Rat behavior, genetic resistance and reproduction
can affect pest control programs and often negatively impact actual results. Studies have shown that successful bait uptake is
influenced by rodent behavior and their interaction with their environment. Some of these behaviors are thought to be inherited
as rats have evolved with humans and control campaigns, while others are conditioned through adverse effects learned in their environment.
In addition, rats that survive the initial exposure to a rodenticide
may be genetically resistant to the effects and will pass that resistance onto their offspring who will carry this resistant trait
to future generations. Because of this, conventional rodenticide producers are continually challenged to develop new, more lethal
chemicals to control future rat populations.
Rats can reproduce multiple times throughout the year, producing
approximately 6 litters a year with 12 pups each. This rapid reproduction rate can cause populations to rebound quickly after implementing
a lethal control program. This means that PMPs typically need to visit a site often to combat not only the initial infestation,
but also subsequent population spikes, or rebounds.
Rodenticides also have significant drawbacks, in that they persist
in tissue and the environment and are indiscriminate in their effects. Consequently, there is growing concern about the adverse
effects that rodenticides may have on children and pets due to accidental exposure, as well as on species that prey on rats, including
birds of prey and large cats, due to the persistence of the rodenticide in the rat tissue. As a result, PMPs will need to include
a wide variety of controls and alternative solutions that minimize these concerns.
Integrated
Pest Management and Fertility Control
The
most effective, long-term way to manage rats is by using a combination of tools that work together to magnify the efficacy of
the pest management protocol; integrated pest management (IPM) is based upon this concept. An effective IPM program needs to reduce
the existing rat population but also prevent that population from rebounding either through reproduction or through invasion by
rodents in adjacent areas. In addition, an IPM program should focus on reducing the factors that make a particular location attractive
to rats, such as abundant food and shelter. Regulatory agencies and industry experts recognize that fertility control is or can
be an essential component of a safe and sustainable IPM program.
ContraPest
is an innovative fertility control technology that targets the reproductive capabilities of both sexes in rat populations, inducing
egg loss in female rats and impairing sperm development in males. Targeting both males and females with fertility control allows
us to drive populations down and to sustain that population reduction. Its effectiveness has been demonstrated in numerous internal
and third-party studies.
Using
a proprietary bait delivery method, ContraPest is dispensed in a highly palatable liquid formulation that promotes sustained consumption
by rat communities, helping to both reduce and keep populations down. Rats require 10% of their body weight in water per day,
making ContraPest an attractive bait to add to pest management programs. The high fat content and sweet taste leads to repeated
consumption even when other sought-after food sources are present. In both field and laboratory settings, ContraPest was chosen
by rats even in the presence of abundant water sources and plentiful food choices including animal feed, trash and other options.
Consumption of ContraPest does not cause illness in rats, and therefore, it does not change behavior or result in bait aversion.
2
We
believe ContraPest can establish a new paradigm in rodent control. Adding ContraPest to an IPM program allows PMPs to bring the
rodent population down initially and keep it at a manageable level by minimizing reproduction and thereby limiting population
rebounds. Continued maintenance baiting of ContraPest at lower population levels dramatically reduces the risk of future population
spikes, allowing PMPs to be more focused on eliminating the causes of future invasions through exclusion and sanitation initiatives.
ContraPest’s delivery system is designed to minimize handler exposure and is dispensed inside tamper-resistant bait stations,
minimizing risks to non-target species.
The
following graphs illustrate the incremental benefit of adding ContraPest to integrated pest management with conventional rodenticides.
The data is derived from three programs we began in late 2019 to demonstrate the effectiveness of ContraPest to potential end-users
and our study of the results through monitoring rat activity by camera. The data presented show the incremental benefit of ContraPest
deployment beyond that achieved through rodenticides. Ongoing monitoring of the program locations has indicated that there has
been no rebound in the rodent population from the current low levels.
(source:
Company studies)
ContraPest
can also be used as a standalone, non-lethal solution which allows for a decreased reliance on lethal rodenticides, where requested
by the customer.
Other
Applications
While
our proprietary technology is effective on rodent species, there is a scientific basis to believe that our technology can be applied
to other mammalian species. We have developed preliminary data with feral dogs, feral pigs, wallabies, mice and brushtail possums.
While this data indicates potential for the continued development of fertility control technology in general, we are not pursuing
these opportunities at this time. We believe that the size of the rat control market is sufficient for our near-term focus. We
remain open to the potential to license our technology to other strategic partners to explore its applicability to other mammalian
species.
3
Business
Strategy
Our
goal is to be a leader in the pest management industry; utilizing fertility control technologies to limit the adverse effects
caused by rodent infestations, educate PMP’s and the general public on alternatives or enhancements to lethal rodenticides
and to develop additional product lines to address the needs of our customers. Key elements of our strategy are:
●
Work
to maximize market acceptance for, and generate sales of, our products, including by conducting field demonstrations at potential
lead customers;
●
Explore
strategic partnerships to enable us to penetrate additional target markets and geographical locations;
●
Manage
the infrastructure for sales, marketing and distribution of ContraPest and any other product candidates for which we may receive
regulatory approval;
●
Seek
additional regulatory approvals for ContraPest, including to more fully expand the market and use for ContraPest and, if we
believe there is commercial viability, for our other product candidates;
●
Further
develop our manufacturing processes to contain costs while being able to scale to meet future demand of ContraPest and any
other product candidates for which we receive regulatory approval;
●
Continue
product development of ContraPest and advance our research and development activities and, as our operating budget permits,
advance the research and development programs for other product candidates;
●
Maintain
and protect our intellectual property portfolio; and
●
Add
operational, financial and management information systems and personnel, including personnel to support our product development
and commercialization efforts and operations as a public company.
Marketing
and Sales Approach
The
pest control industry is highly competitive with a number of large competitors developing and marketing pest control products,
particularly rodenticides, and services. Because fertility control in general and ContraPest specifically may be considered a
disruptive technology, we have encountered resistance to initial adoption. We continue to build a robust set of case studies to
demonstrate efficacy and cost efficiency, identify lead users and expand within market segments. In order to enhance the likelihood
of success, we have currently targeted a few key market segments with the highest likelihood to add ContraPest into their IPM
programs. These include agribusiness (egg hen farms, grain and protein production and grain storage, transport and sales facilities),
municipalities and government agencies, D2C (direct to consumer) residential, zoos and sanctuaries, and commercial accounts.
In
the United States, ContraPest is most commonly deployed and serviced by a licensed PMP, although some customers have in house
pest management service personnel. In some circumstances, customers of pest management services will direct these PMPs to use
certain products in the provision of their service. Initially, our marketing strategy involved sales to and through large distributors
of pest control products. In 2019, we substantially modified this strategy to create two different sources of pull-through-demand:
sales to PMPs and marketing and sales directly to end-user customers. We believe that by making end users aware of the existence
and benefits of ContraPest, we are more likely to create demand through PMPs that would otherwise simply continue to use their
existing rodenticide-based IPM models. We currently market ContraPest both to pest management companies and directly to target
segments, using a direct to PMP sales channel; indirectly through distributor sales; and through our own direct sales force. In
addition, in the fourth quarter of 2019, we added a new e-Commerce tool to enable customers in each of our target segments to
buy directly from us. Finally, we have been pursuing strategic relationships with large pest management companies and key end-user
organizations in our target segments for the distribution and sale of ContraPest.
In
each of our target segments we have identified potential lead customers with whom we are working on large scale projects to demonstrate
the efficacy of ContraPest in real world situations. We provide significant product support to these customers to make sure that
we are not only achieving desired results, but also obtaining the data to support sales in the related market vertical. We believe
that successful field trials with these influential end users will help drive significant subsequent sales to other participants
in the relevant market.
We
are also focused on expanding regulatory approvals for ContraPest to make the product more user friendly and available for use
in an increased number of applications. These include alternative delivery methods and expansion of the label to additional applications
and/or species.
4
Pricing
and Value
Our
pricing strategy takes into account the cost of goods sold, the cost of competitive products and the value of our product to the
end user. We believe ContraPest will be perceived as a significant value as a complement to existing pest control products or
as a non-lethal stand-alone solution for managing rat infestations and, as such, should command a premium price. Our experience
is that once potential customers understand the advantages of ContraPest, they recognize that the benefits of long term sustained
rodent reduction dramatically offsets the cost of the product. We plan to continue to use promotional efforts to support the value
message and to justify our product’s premium price, built around the following proposed advantages:
●
ContraPest
targeted delivery for maximum efficacy.
●
Our
proprietary gravity feeding system optimizes consumption.
●
ContraPest
can be used as an anchor or enhancement for an IPM program, or as a stand-alone solution to decrease reliance on lethal control
options.
●
ContraPest
is designed, formulated and dispensed in a manner that minimizes the exposure hazard for handlers and non-targeted species
such as wildlife, livestock and pets.
●
Over
time, as the pest population decreases, the quantity deployed and consequently cost of ContraPest will decrease, bringing
the long-term cost of ContraPest in line with other elements of integrated pest management.
We
also focus on specific advantages for the individual customer and expect to position our product as having the following additional
general advantages:
●
Savings
by reducing loss or contamination of food and product inventories;
●
Savings
by reducing damage to infrastructure and major production equipment;
●
Reduction
in labor and servicing costs due to dramatically reduced rodent populations;
●
Creation
of a more predictable cost model based on prevention versus treatment of spikes in population seen with rebound effect;
●
Reduction
in disease vectors; and
●
Public
relations and risk reduction advantages when reducing usage of lethal rodenticides and traps.
Raw
Materials and Manufacturing Process
ContraPest
contains two active ingredients, VCD, an industrial chemical, and triptolide, a plant derived chemical. ContraPest also contains
several other inactive, Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS), ingredients. Currently, we source VCD from standard industrial chemical
supply providers. Triptolide is derived from the Thunder God Vine, Tripterygium wilfordii, which is commonly cultivated and harvested
wild in southeastern China and other Asian countries. Triptolide is available from a variety of sources, but the process to purify
triptolide for use in ContraPest is expensive. Thus, we are investigating other, less costly sources of triptolide.
Our
manufacturing process involves the incorporation of our two active ingredients, in low concentrations, into several inactive ingredients.
Once incorporated, the entire product goes through a micro-encapsulation process in order to stabilize the final formulation.
This process allows ContraPest to be delivered to rats in a palatable, non-lethal and effective manner.
Currently,
we have production scale capability in our facilities in Arizona to manufacture ContraPest. Our internal production capabilities
allow us to meet our current and anticipated demand during 2020 for ContraPest.
Scientific
Background Regarding our Product
ContraPest
is a liquid bait containing the active ingredients VCD and triptolide. When consumed, ContraPest targets reproduction, limiting
fertility in male and female rats beginning with the first breeding cycle following consumption.
The
female rat is born with a finite number of eggs, or oocytes. She remains fertile and will reproduce until the day she dies. Within
the ovary, eggs develop within structures called follicles. The non-regenerating and least mature follicles are called primordial.
The primordial follicles mature through primary, secondary and antral stages and ultimately ovulate. Once the primordial follicles
have become depleted, ovarian failure occurs, which terminates reproductive capability.
VCD
causes specific loss of small ovarian follicles (both primordial and primary). Because oocytes do not regenerate, repeated dosing
causes loss of these follicles and leads to ovarian failure. Triptolide causes specific loss of growing follicles (secondary and
antral). Female rats treated with triptolide ovulate fewer eggs because the follicles stop growing. In males, triptolide exerts
a significant suppression of male fertility by preventing sperm maturation and impairing the movement of sperm.
5
The
safety and efficacy of VCD and triptolide in fertility control are supported by considerable evidence. Because they induce follicle
loss, both VCD and triptolide are considered ovotoxic, but they do not affect hormonal function and so are not endocrine disruptors.
Studies show that VCD and triptolide do not persist within the bodies of rats and therefore do not bioaccumulate within the environment.
VCD is so rapidly metabolized by ovarian tissue that the plasma half-life of VCD is 14.2 minutes. Triptolide has a plasma half-life
of 21.7 minutes and is inactivated by liver enzymes. Less than 1% of VCD remains within rat tissues because metabolites of VCD,
primarily tetrol and glutathione, are eliminated in urine and have no ovotoxic effects. There is no measurable accumulation of
triptolide within rat internal organs. The speed with which VCD is metabolized makes it “an ideal fertility control agent
(Sobinoff et al. 2008),” and makes its tendency to bioaccumulate negligible.
ContraPest
is a contraceptive. The average duration of infertility ranges from 77 to over 180 days (2 to 6 months) but averages 119 days
(± 4.6 days, N=61; Dyer and Mayer 2014; Siers et al. 2014; Shuster unpubl. SenesTech data). Both in the lab and in the
field, ContraPest consumption has documented effects on fertility reduction and therefore in reducing rat populations.
Other
Potential Products
We
have developed a pipeline of potential additional fertility control and animal health products, with diverse applications, as
outlined in the following chart below. As we currently focus on the commercialization of ContraPest, only minimal progress is
expected on new product development during the coming year.
In
addition, we have begun work on new formulations of ContraPest – particularly solid and semi-solid variants. Although solid
bait is not essential to our near-term plans, the non-liquid formulations may expand the potential uses of ContraPest as well
as pave the way for future sales through retail stores. Our plan is to attempt to accelerate the reformulation process through
partnerships with others in the industry that will be able to give us access to proven technologies, thus reducing potential development
time.
Product
Candidate/Area
Development
Status
Segment
Primary
Target
Feral
animal fertility control
Pilot
study
Population
management
Feral
dogs and hogs
Non-surgical
spay and neutering
Pilot
study
Companion
animal health
Companion
dogs and cats
Boar
taint
Laboratory
and initial pilot study
Food
production and safety
Boars
Animal
cancer treatment
Concept
Companion
animal health
Companion
dogs
Competition
Currently,
we are unaware of any other non-lethal fertility control products that target rats. However, there are other tools in IPM that
may be used to control rat populations. These include:
●
Sanitation
-- a beginning component in the IPM program that addresses conditions that attract rodents in the first place (e.g., designated
trash location with routine pickup or decluttering areas of attraction);
●
Exclusion
-- a preventative strategy of sealing up areas of a building where pests are likely to enter, in turn, denying pests access
to the facility;
●
Mechanical
measures -- used initially through devices to trap and monitor rodents, which is low risk and least harmful to the environment;
●
Biological
controls -- the introduction of predators to manage rodents; and
●
Chemical
measures -- the deployment of agents that poison or repel rodents.
Our
principal competition is the substitution of other tools that PMPs use in their IPM.
6
Government
Regulation and Product Approval
Federal,
state and local government authorities in the United States regulate, among other things, the testing, manufacturing, quality
control, approval, labeling, packaging, storage, record-keeping, distribution and marketing of the products we develop. Our rat
fertility control product must be approved by the EPA Office of Pesticide Programs before they can be legally marketed and sold
in the United States. The process for obtaining regulatory approval and compliance with appropriate federal, state and local regulations
is rigorous and requires the expenditure of substantial time and financial resources.
United
States Review and Approval Processes
In
the United States, the EPA regulates the sale, distribution and use of any pesticide under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide
and Rodenticide Act, or FIFRA. The EPA’s definition of a pesticide includes “any substance or mixture of substances
intended for preventing, destroying, repelling, or mitigating any pest.” FIFRA defines a pest as “any insect, rodent,
nematode, fungus, or weed.” To register a new product with the EPA, all active ingredients within the product must be registered
with the EPA.
The
EPA granted registration for ContraPest effective August 2, 2016. This initial EPA approval labeled ContraPest as a restricted-use
product, due to the need for applicator expertise for deployment. On October 18, 2018, the EPA removed the Restricted Use designation,
meaning that we can sell ContraPest to consumers who do not have applicator expertise. ContraPest is currently limited by EPA
requirements to indoor use and to use within one foot of manmade structures. We intend to diligently pursue additional related
regulatory approvals from the EPA to support our product evolution, including seeking approval for full outdoor use, alternative
formulations and for additional rodent species. This may entail the need to complete and submit to EPA additional studies, principally
related to the effects on other animals and fish if ingested or if the product enters the water supply.
In
addition to the EPA registration of ContraPest in the United States, we must obtain registration from the various state regulatory
agencies prior to selling in each state. To date, we have received registration for ContraPest in all 50 states and the District
of Columbia, 47 of which have approved the removal of the Restricted Use designation.
In
addition to product registration, the EPA also approves all labeling (the container label, instructional inserts, and the Safety
Data Sheet (SDS)) of ContraPest. Generally, states accept the EPA approved label as is. ContraPest’s labeling was submitted
to states at initial registration and is resubmitted during state scheduled reregistration or for any significant labeling change
requiring EPA approval.
In certain cases, our EPA and state registrations require completion
of testing and certifications even after we have received approval for the product or its labelling. We continue to seek to comply
with these requirements.
International
Review and Approval Processes
We
are researching potential international markets and will evaluate the regulatory landscapes of each prospective market. Country-specific
regulatory laws have provisions that include requirements for certain labeling, safety, efficacy and manufacturers’ quality
control procedures to assure the consistency of the product, as well as company records and reports. Some specific in-country
studies will be required for particular countries, but others will generally accept an EPA or EU compliant dossier.
Personnel
As
of December 31, 2020, we had 29 full-time employees. Within our workforce, 7 employees are engaged in research and development
and 22 in sales, business development, finance, regulatory, human resources, facilities, information technology and general management
and administration.
None
of our employees are represented by labor unions or covered by collective bargaining agreements.
Intellectual
Property and Other Proprietary Rights
Maintaining
a strong position in the rodenticide market requires constant innovation along with a healthy research program to evolve product
lines to remain competitive and relevant to the needs of the changing global marketplace. We seek to protect our proprietary data
and trade secrets with attention to data exchanges among employees, consultants, collaborators and research and trade partners.
7
Patent
Filings
Our
intellectual property portfolio supporting ContraPest consists of nine international patent filings (in the United States, Europe,
Canada, Brazil, Russia, Japan, Mexico, South Korea, and Australia) addressing the ContraPest compound. Claims directed toward
the compound include composition-of-matter involving a diterpenoid epoxide or salts thereof in combination with an organic diepoxide,
use claims for inducing follicle depletion and for reducing the reproductive capability of a mammalian animal or non-human mammalian
population. Issued claims will have a patent term extending to 2033 or longer based on patent term determinations in each of the
filing countries. The novelty of ContraPest extends to its method of field distribution and has required innovation to perfect
the dosing of our product to rodents. We have filed U.S. and international patent applications covering our novel bait station
device to effectively and efficiently deliver our rodent bait at individual bait sites that would, if issued, offer patent term
protection through at least 2036.
License
Agreements
We
have an exclusive patent license with the University of Arizona for background intellectual property that we plan to employ for
future product development in the domestic animal fertility control market. The patent claims in the United States, Australia
and New Zealand cover the use of 4-vinylcyclohexene diepoxide to deplete ovarian follicles in individual mammals and mammal populations.
The license agreement, signed in 2005, will terminate with the last-to-expire patent claims, which have a term extending to 2026.
Trade
Secrets and Trademarks
Beyond
our patent right holdings, we broaden our intellectual property position with trademark, trade secret, know-how and continuous
scientific discovery to accompany our product development efforts. We protect these proprietary assets with a combination of confidentiality
terms in all commercial agreements or stand-alone confidentiality agreements along with rights-ownership agreements and structured
information transfer understandings prior to beginning any collaborative projects. We own and maintain the ContraPest trademark
and intend to register new trademarks for products from our evolving rodenticide product line and for products for mammalian species
beyond rodentia.
Data
Sets
We
have exclusive use status with the EPA for the data sets we have developed and submitted to the EPA as part of our application
for ContraPest. The exclusive use status applies to new active ingredients and the final formulation of the ContraPest product
for a period of 10 years. For five years after the 10-year period of exclusivity, if another applicant or the EPA Administrator
chooses to rely on one or more data sets that we submitted in support of an application submitted by another applicant, the new
applicant must make a binding offer to compensate us and certify to the EPA that it has done so. If we and the offeror cannot
reach agreement on the terms of the compensation for the use of such data sets, FIFRA requires resolution by binding arbitration.
The EPA rules do not describe how the compensation should be determined, and there is publicly available information about some,
but not all, binding arbitration decisions.
Where
You Can Find Additional Information
We
electronically file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) 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 or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a)
or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. We make available on our website at www.senestech.com, free of charge, copies
of these reports, as soon as reasonably practicable after electronically filing such reports with, or furnishing them to, the
Securities and Exchange Commission. The information contained in, or that can be accessed through, our website is not part of,
and is not incorporated into, this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
8
Item
1A.
Risk
Factors
As
discussed immediately prior to Item 1 of Part I, “Business” under “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking
Statements,” our actual results could differ materially from those expressed in our forward-looking statements. Factors
that might cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to, those discussed below. Additional risks and
uncertainties not presently known to us, or that we currently deem immaterial, may also impair our business operations. If any
of the following risks occur, our business, financial condition, operating results, cash flows and the trading price of our common
stock could be materially adversely affected.
Risks
Relating to our Business
The
impacts of the coronavirus pandemic could adversely affect our business, and other similar crises could result in similar or other
harms.
The
outbreak of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has resulted in widespread travel and transportation restrictions and closures
of commercial spaces, industrial facilities and other spaces and businesses in and across the United States and the world, including
in the locations we operate or target sales. As a result, our business has been impacted and we could face continued or more adverse
effects. In addition, our results and financial condition may be adversely affected by federal or state legislation, or other
similar laws, regulations, orders or other governmental or regulatory actions or best practices, that would impose new restrictions
on our ability to operate our business or customers to operate their businesses. For example, our sales and technical field forces
have been restricted from traveling or limited in travel, which adversely affects our ability to sell our products and complete
field studies. While we have implemented cautionary procedures at our manufacturing facility, there may be disruptions to our
ability to manufacture due to current and additional workplace controls. Our customers may be less inclined or unable to purchase
our products or continue product studies due to restrictions under which they may be operating. Those restrictions have been and
are more severe in some jurisdictions, such as California. If financial markets tighten, we may have more limited ability to raise
necessary financing. The COVID-19 pandemic is also placing a significant budgetary burden on federal, state and local governments,
which may impede or delay their ability to purchase our products. We source some of our critical raw materials from Asia, and
the coronavirus has caused supply chain disruptions, which could limit a timely supply of materials. Each of these could have
negative effects on our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows. Even if the coronavirus pandemic
passes, another crisis with similar effects could develop and harm our business, financial results and liquidity. The degree to
which the COVID-19 pandemic may impact our results of operations and financial condition is unknown at this time and will depend
on future developments, including the ultimate severity and the duration of the pandemic, and further actions that may be taken
by governmental authorities or businesses or individuals on their own initiatives in response to the pandemic.
Our
success is dependent on the successful commercialization of ContraPest.
The
EPA granted registration approval for ContraPest effective August 2, 2016, and as of July 12, 2018, we have received registration
for ContraPest in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. However, we have not yet had significant sales of ContraPest, which
is our only product to date that is available for commercialization and the generation of revenue.
ContraPest
and our other product candidates, if approved, may not achieve adequate market acceptance necessary for commercial success.
Even
following receipt of regulatory approval for ContraPest or future regulatory approval of our other product candidates, such products
may not gain market acceptance. Market acceptance of any of our product candidates for which we receive approval depends on a
number of factors, including:
●
The
potential and perceived advantages of product candidates over alternative or complementary products;
●
The
effectiveness of our sales and marketing efforts and those of our collaborators;
●
The
efficacy and safety of such product candidates as demonstrated in trials;
●
The
uses, indications or limitations for which the product candidate is approved;
●
Product
labeling or product insert requirements of the EPA or other regulatory authorities;
●
The
timing of market introduction of our products as well as future competitive or alternative products;
●
Relative
convenience and ease of use; and
●
Unfavorable
publicity relating to the product.
9
If
we cannot successfully commercialize our products, especially ContraPest, we will not become profitable.
If
any of our approved product candidates fail to achieve sufficient market acceptance, we will not be able to generate significant
revenues or become profitable. The commercial success of ContraPest will depend on a number of factors, including the following:
●
The
execution of a viable commercial strategy and the successful establishment of a commercial organization;
●
Our
success in educating end users about the benefits, administration and use of ContraPest;
●
The
effectiveness of our own or our potential strategic partners’ marketing, sales and distribution strategy and operations;
●
Convincing
PMPs to deploy ContraPest in quantity as an enhancement to, or replacement of their current strategy of use of rodenticides;
●
Establishment
of commercially viable pricing;
●
Our
ability to manufacture quantities of ContraPest using commercially acceptable processes and at a scale sufficient to meet
anticipated demand and enable us to reduce our cost of manufacturing; and
●
A
continued acceptable safety profile of ContraPest.
Many
of these factors are beyond our control. If we are unable to successfully commercialize ContraPest, we may not be able to earn
sufficient revenues or profits to continue our business.
We
will require additional capital to fund our operations. Failure to obtain this necessary capital if needed may force us to delay,
limit, or terminate our product development efforts or other operations.
Commercialization
of ContraPest and developing further product candidates, including conducting experiments and field studies, obtaining and maintaining
regulatory approval and commercializing any products approved for sale, is a time-consuming, expensive and uncertain process that
takes years to complete. We expect our expenses to continue and to increase in connection with our ongoing activities, particularly
as we advance our commercialization activities. We may expand our operations, and as a result of many factors, some of which may
be currently unknown to us, our expenses may be higher than expected. Securing additional financing may divert our management
from their day-to-day activities, which may adversely affect our ability to develop and commercialize our product candidates,
including ContraPest. In addition, we cannot guarantee that future financing will be available in sufficient amounts or on terms
acceptable to us, if at all. If we are unable to raise additional capital when required or on acceptable terms, we may be required
to:
●
Significantly
delay, scale back or discontinue the development or commercialization of our product candidates, including ContraPest;
●
Seek
strategic partners for the manufacturing, sales and distribution of ContraPest or any of our other product candidates at an
earlier stage than otherwise would be desirable or on terms that are less favorable than might otherwise be available; and
●
Relinquish,
or license on unfavorable terms, our rights to technologies or product candidates that we otherwise would seek to develop
or commercialize ourselves.
The
occurrence of any of the events described above would have a material adverse effect on our business, operating results and prospects
and on our ability to develop our product candidates.
ContraPest
is the first product we have marketed, and if we are unable to establish and maintain an effective sales force and marketing and
distribution infrastructures, or enter into and rely upon acceptable third-party relationships, we may be unable to generate any
revenue.
We
continue to develop a functional infrastructure for the sales, marketing, and distribution of our products and the cost of establishing
and maintaining such an infrastructure may exceed the cost-effectiveness of doing so. In order to market ContraPest and any other
products that may be approved by the EPA and comparable foreign regulatory authorities, we must continue to build our sales, marketing,
managerial and other non-technical capabilities or make arrangements with third parties to perform these services for which we
would incur substantial costs. If we are unable to establish and maintain adequate sales, marketing, and distribution capabilities,
whether independently or with third parties, we may not be able to generate product revenue and become profitable. Without an
effective internal commercial organization or the support of a third party to perform sales and marketing functions, we may be
unable to compete successfully.
10
Risks
Regulations Have on Our Business
Regulatory
approval processes of the EPA and comparable foreign regulatory authorities are lengthy, time-consuming and unpredictable, and
if we are ultimately unable to obtain regulatory approval for our product candidates, our business may fail.
The
EPA review process for a product with one or more new active ingredients typically takes approximately two years to complete and
approval is never guaranteed. In addition, we continue to seek approvals to expand labels and use designations for ContraPest
to broaden its market and usability. Our efforts could fail to receive marketing approval from the EPA or, with respect to ContraPest
or our product candidates, from a comparable foreign regulatory authority for many reasons, including:
●
Disagreement
over the design or implementation of our trials;
●
Failure
to demonstrate a product candidate is safe or works according to our claims;
●
Failure
to demonstrate a product candidate’s benefits outweigh its risks;
●
Disagreement
over our interpretation of data;
●
Disagreement
over whether to accept efficacy results from trials;
●
The
insufficiency of data collected from trials to obtain regulatory approval;
●
Irreparable
or critical compliance issues relating to our manufacturing process; or
●
Changes
in the approval policies or regulations that render our data insufficient for approval.
Any
of these factors, some of which are beyond our control, could jeopardize our ability to obtain regulatory approval for and successfully
market any of our product candidates. Any such setback in our pursuit of regulatory approval could have a material adverse effect
on our business and prospects.
Even
following receipt of any regulatory approval for ContraPest and our other product candidates, we will continue to face extensive
regulatory requirements and our products may face future development and regulatory difficulties.
Even
following receipt of any regulatory approval for ContraPest or our product candidates, our products will be subject to ongoing
requirements by the EPA and comparable state and foreign regulatory authorities governing the manufacture, quality control, further
development, labeling, packaging, storage, distribution, safety surveillance, import, export, advertising, promotion, recordkeeping
and reporting of safety and other post-market information.
The safety profile of any product will continue to be closely
monitored by the EPA and comparable foreign regulatory authorities after approval. In addition, we may be required, from time
to time, to provide further testing results and certifications to the EPA and state regulatory agencies for ContraPest.
For instance, we have found it challenging to produce applicable
stability test results for certain of our active ingredients, due in part to the small quantities used in the final product, and
continue to work with the EPA to develop appropriate biological or chemical measurements of product stability. Because
our data continue to demonstrate the long-term efficacy of ContraPest, we believe that the testing is a matter we will resolve.
If the EPA or comparable foreign regulatory authorities
become aware of new information after approval of ContraPest or any other product candidate, or we are unable to adequately complete
required testing and certification requirements, a number of potentially significant negative consequences could result, including:
●
We
may be forced to suspend marketing of such product;
●
Regulatory
authorities may withdraw their approvals of such product after certain procedural requirements have been met;
●
Regulatory
authorities may require additional warnings on the label that could diminish the usage or otherwise limit the commercial success
of such product;
●
The
EPA or other regulatory bodies may issue safety alerts, press releases or other communications containing warnings about such
product;
●
The
EPA may require the establishment or modification of restricted use or a comparable foreign regulatory authority may require
the establishment or modification of a similar strategy that may, for instance, restrict distribution of our product and impose
burdensome implementation requirements on us;
●
We
may be required to change the way the product is administered or conduct additional trials;
●
We
could be sued and held liable for harm caused;
●
We
may be subject to litigation or product liability claims; and
●
Our
reputation may suffer.
11
Any of these events could prevent us from achieving or maintaining
market acceptance of the particular product candidate, if approved, and could significantly harm our business, results of operations
and prospects.
Moreover, existing government regulations may change, and additional
government regulations may be enacted that could prevent, limit or delay regulatory approval of ContraPest or any other product
candidates. If we are slow or unable to adapt to changes in existing requirements or the adoption of new requirements or policies,
or if we are not able to maintain regulatory compliance, we may lose any marketing approval that we may have obtained and/or be
subject to different marketing requirements or fines or enhanced government oversight and reporting obligations, which would adversely
affect our business, prospects, and ability to achieve or sustain profitability.
Our
future success is also dependent on regulatory approval and commercialization of our other product candidates.
We
are working on a semi-solid product as well as an alternative dispenser. We cannot commercialize our product candidates in the
United States without first obtaining regulatory approval for each product and each use pattern from the EPA or, if applicable,
the Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, and from any related applicable state authorities. Before obtaining regulatory approvals
for the commercial sale of any product candidate for a target indication, the law requires that applicants demonstrate through
laboratory and field studies and related data showing that the product candidate will perform its intended function without causing
unreasonable adverse effects on the environment. The EPA or a comparable foreign regulatory authority may require more information,
including additional data to support approval that may delay or prevent approval.
Even
following receipt of any regulatory approval for ContraPest and our other product candidates, we will continue to be subject to
regulation of our manufacturing processes and advertising practices.
As
a manufacturer of pest control products, we are subject to continual government oversight and periodic inspections by the EPA
and other regulatory authorities. If we or a regulatory agency discover problems with a facility where our products are manufactured,
a regulatory agency may impose restrictions on the manufacturing facility, including requiring recall or withdrawal of the product
from the market or suspension of manufacturing until certain procedural requirements have been met. The occurrence of any such
event or penalty could limit our ability to market ContraPest or any other product candidates and generate revenue.
In
addition, the EPA strictly regulates the advertising and promotion of pest control products, and these pest control products may
only be marketed or promoted for their EPA approved uses, consistent with the product’s approved labeling. Advertising and
promotion of any product candidate that obtains approval in the U.S. will be heavily scrutinized by the EPA, other applicable
state regulatory agencies and the public. Violations, including promotion of our products for unapproved or off-label uses, are
subject to enforcement actions, inquiries and investigations, and civil, criminal and/or administrative sanctions imposed by the
EPA.
Failure
to obtain regulatory approval in foreign jurisdictions would prevent ContraPest or any other product candidates from being marketed
in those jurisdictions.
To
market and sell our products globally, we must obtain separate marketing approvals and comply with numerous and varying regulatory
requirements. The approval procedure varies among countries and can involve additional testing. Obtaining foreign regulatory approvals
and maintaining compliance with foreign regulatory requirements could result in significant delays, difficulties, and cost for
us and could delay or prevent the introduction of our products in certain countries. Approval by the EPA does not ensure approval
by regulatory authorities in other countries or jurisdictions, but EPA approval may influence decisions by the foreign regulatory
authority. If we are unable to obtain approval of ContraPest or for any of our other product candidates by regulatory authorities
in the world market, the commercial prospects of that product candidate may be significantly diminished and our business prospects
could decline.
Risks
Related to our Operations and Supply Chain
We
depend on key personnel to operate our business. If we are unable to retain, attract and integrate qualified personnel, our ability
to develop and successfully grow our business could be harmed.
We
believe that our success is highly dependent on our ability to attract and retain highly skilled and experienced sales, research
and development, and other personnel. If one or more of our executive officers or key employees terminates employment or becomes
disabled or experiences long-term illness, we may not be able to replace their expertise, fully integrate new personnel or replicate
the prior working relationships, and the loss of their services might significantly delay or prevent the achievement of our research,
development and business objectives. Qualified individuals with the breadth of skills and experience in our industry that we require
are in high demand, and we may incur significant costs to attract them. Many of the other companies that we compete against for
qualified personnel have greater financial and other resources, different risk profiles and a more established history in the
industry. They also may provide more diverse opportunities and better chances for career advancement. Our failure to attract or
retain key personnel could impede the achievement of our research, development and commercialization objectives.
12
We
have internal manufacturing capabilities to meet our current and near term forecasted demand for ContraPest, however, we must develop
additional manufacturing capability or rely upon third parties to manufacture our products to meet future demand and our single location
manufacturing operations could be disrupted.
Our existing internal manufacturing platform is adequate for
meeting our current and near term forecasted demand for ContraPest. We may be required to spend significant time and resources
to expand these manufacturing facilities to fully meet future demand. If we are unable to develop full-scale manufacturing capabilities,
we may not be able to meet demand of our products without relying on third party manufacturers, which could adversely affect our
operations or financial condition.
In addition, if our manufacturing operations fail or becomes disrupted
for any reason, including because of labor, disasters, and equipment malfunctions, among others, our ability to timely produce ContraPest
may be adversely affected, which would harm our sales and reputation . We only operate in single location, which means we do not
have back-up facilities to produce our products during a time when our manufacturing facility becomes unavailable.
We
will need to expand our operations and grow the size of our organization, and we may experience difficulties in managing this
growth.
As
of December 31, 2020, we had 29 full-time employees. As our development and commercialization plans and strategies develop, we
will need additional managerial, operational, sales, marketing, scientific, financial headcount and other resources. Our management,
personnel, and systems currently in place may not be adequate to support this future growth. Future growth would impose significant
added responsibilities on members of management, including:
●
Identifying,
recruiting, maintaining, motivating and integrating additional employees with the expertise and experience we will require;
●
Managing
our internal development efforts effectively while complying with our contractual obligations to licensors, licensees, contractors
and other third parties;
●
Managing
additional relationships with various strategic partners, suppliers and other third parties;
●
Managing
our trials effectively, which we anticipate being conducted at numerous field study sites;
●
Improving
our managerial, development, operational, marketing, production and finance reporting systems and procedures; and
●
Expanding
our facilities.
Our
failure to accomplish any of these tasks could prevent us from successfully growing our business.
Business
or supply chain disruptions could seriously harm our future revenues and financial condition and increase our costs and expenses,
particularly because we have limited suppliers and a critical ingredient is sourced from China.
Our
operations could be subject to a variety of potential business disruptions, including power shortages, telecommunications failures,
water shortages, floods, fires, earthquakes, extreme weather conditions, medical epidemics and other natural or manmade disasters
or other interruptions, for which we are predominantly self-insured. We do not carry insurance for all categories of risk that
our business may encounter. The occurrence of any of these business disruptions could seriously harm our operations and financial
condition and increase our costs and expenses. Moreover, we rely on third parties to supply various ingredients and other items
which are critical for producing our product candidates.
We
currently use one supplier for each of our two active ingredients, triptolide and VCD. Our ability to produce our product candidates
would be disrupted if the operations of these suppliers are affected by a manmade or natural disaster or other business interruption.
Because triptolide is sourced from China and other Asian countries, we have a greater risk of supply interruption, including as
a result of tariff and trade disputes, or disruptive events like the outbreak of the Coronavirus. The ultimate impact on our operations
from any business interruption impacting us or any of our significant suppliers is unknown, but our operations and financial condition
would likely suffer adverse consequences. Further, any significant uninsured liability may require us to pay substantial amounts,
which would adversely affect our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows from future prospects.
We
are dependent on triptolide, a key ingredient for ContraPest, which has limited sources and must be in a very refined condition.
If
we are unable to develop additional sources of or alternatives to triptolide, a key ingredient for ContraPest, our long-term ability
to produce ContraPest at a cost effective price could be in jeopardy. If market demand for triptolide causes the price to increase
beyond our ability to market at a competitive price or causes the quality of the refined ingredient to be less than needed for
our production, our ability to commercialize ContraPest could be limited or delayed, which would adversely affect our business,
results of operations and financial condition.
13
A
variety of risks associated with marketing our product candidates internationally could materially adversely affect our business.
We
may seek regulatory approval of our product candidates outside of the U.S. and, in that case, we expect that we will be subject
to additional risks related to operating in foreign countries if we obtain the necessary approvals, including:
●
Differing
regulatory requirements in foreign countries;
●
Unexpected
changes in tariffs, trade barriers, price and exchange controls and other regulatory requirements;
●
Economic
weakness, including inflation or political instability in particular foreign economies and markets;
●
Compliance
with tax, employment, immigration and labor laws for employees living or traveling internationally;
●
Foreign
taxes, including withholding of payroll taxes;
●
Foreign
currency fluctuations, which could result in increased operating expenses and reduced revenue, and other obligations incident
to doing business in another country;
●
Difficulties
staffing and managing foreign operations;
●
Workforce
uncertainty in countries where labor unrest is more common than in the United States;
●
Potential
liability under the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, or the FCPA, or comparable foreign regulations;
●
Challenges
enforcing our contractual and intellectual property rights, especially in those foreign countries that do not respect and
protect intellectual property rights to the same extent as the United States;
●
Production
shortages resulting from any events affecting raw material supply or manufacturing capabilities internationally; and
●
Business
interruptions resulting from geopolitical actions, including war and terrorism.
These
and other risks associated with our international operations may materially adversely affect our ability to attain or maintain
profitable operations.
14
Risks
Relating to Protections of our Intellectual Property and Legal Actions
If
we fail to obtain or protect intellectual property rights, our competitive position could be harmed.
We
depend on our ability to protect our proprietary technology. We rely on trade secret, patent, copyright and trademark laws, and
confidentiality, licensing, and other agreements with employees and third parties, all of which offer only limited protection.
Our commercial success will depend in part on our ability to obtain and maintain intellectual property protection in the United
States and other countries with respect to our proprietary technology and products. Where we deem appropriate, we seek to protect
our proprietary position by filing patent applications in the United States and internationally related to our novel technologies
and products that are important to our business. However, our financial resources constrain us from seeking protection in every
instance, so we may rationalize and selectively pursue expensive patent protection. Patent positions can be highly uncertain,
involve complex legal and factual questions and be the subject of litigation. As a result, the issuance, scope, validity, enforceability
and commercial value of our patents, including those patent rights licensed to us by third parties, are highly uncertain.
The
steps we have taken to protect our proprietary rights may not be adequate to preclude misappropriation of our proprietary information
or infringement of our intellectual property rights, both inside and outside the United States. The rights already granted under
any of our currently issued patents and those that may be granted under future issued patents may not provide us with the proprietary
protection or competitive advantages we are seeking. If we are unable to obtain and maintain protection for our technology and
products, or if the scope of the protection obtained is not sufficient, our competitors could develop and commercialize technology
and products similar or superior to ours, and our ability to successfully commercialize our technology and products may be adversely
affected.
With
respect to patent rights, we do not know whether any of our pending patent applications for any of our technologies or products
will result in the issuance of patents that protect such technologies or products, or if our licensed patent will effectively
prevent others from commercializing competitive technologies and products. Our pending patent applications cannot be enforced
against third parties practicing the technology claimed in such applications unless and until a patent issues from such applications.
Further, the examination process may require us to narrow the claims for our pending patent applications, which may limit the
scope of patent protection that may be obtained if these applications issue. Because the issuance of a patent is not conclusive
as to its inventorship, scope, validity or enforceability, issued patents that we own or have licensed from third parties may
be challenged in the courts or patent offices in the U.S. and internationally. Such challenges may result in the loss of patent
protection, the narrowing of claims in such patents, or the invalidity or unenforceability of such patents, which could limit
our ability to stop others from using or commercializing similar or identical technology and products or limit the duration of
the patent protection for our technology and products. Protecting against the unauthorized use of our patented technology, trademarks
and other intellectual property rights, is expensive, difficult, and in some cases, may not be possible. In some cases, it may
be difficult or impossible to detect third party infringement or misappropriation of our intellectual property rights, even in
relation to issued patent claims, and proving any such infringement may be even more difficult.
Intellectual
property rights do not necessarily address all potential threats to any competitive advantage we may have.
The
degree of future protection afforded by our intellectual property rights is uncertain because intellectual property rights have
limitations, and may not adequately protect our business, or permit us to maintain our competitive advantage. The following examples
are illustrative:
●
Others
may be able to make compounds that are the same as or similar to our future products but that are not covered by the claims
of the patents that we own or have exclusively licensed;
●
We
might not have been the first to file patent applications covering certain of our inventions;
●
Others
may independently develop similar or alternative technologies or duplicate any of our technologies without infringing on our
intellectual property rights;
●
Issued
patents that we own or have exclusively licensed may not provide us with any competitive advantages, or may be held invalid
or unenforceable, as a result of legal challenges by our competitors;
●
Our
competitors might conduct research and development activities in the U.S. and other countries that provide a safe harbor from
patent infringement claims for certain research and development activities, as well as in countries where we do not have patent
rights and then use the information learned from such activities to develop competitive products for sale in our major commercial
markets;
●
We
may not develop additional proprietary technologies that are patentable or otherwise protectable;
●
Employees
may violate confidentiality and proprietary invention assignment agreements and we may not have the resources to enforce those
agreements or otherwise enforce our patent rights; and
●
The
patents of others may have an adverse effect on our business.
15
Our
technology may be found to infringe third party intellectual property rights.
Third
parties may in the future assert claims or initiate litigation related to their patent, copyright, trademark and other intellectual
property rights in technology that is important to us. The asserted claims and/or litigation could include claims against us,
our licensors, or our suppliers alleging infringement of intellectual property rights with respect to our product candidates or
components of those products. Regardless of the merit of the claims, they could be time consuming, resulting in costly litigation
and diversion of technical and management personnel, or require us to develop non-infringing technology or enter into license
agreements. We cannot assure you that licenses will be available on acceptable terms, if at all. Furthermore, because of the potential
for significant damage awards, which are not necessarily predictable, it is not unusual to find even arguably unmeritorious claims
resulting in large settlements. If any infringement or other intellectual property claim made against us by any third party is
successful, or if we fail to develop non-infringing technology or license the proprietary rights on commercially reasonable terms
and conditions, our business, operating results and financial condition could be materially adversely affected.
If
our product candidates, methods, processes and other technologies infringe the proprietary rights of other parties, we could incur
substantial costs and we may have to:
●
Obtain
licenses, which may not be available on commercially reasonable terms, if at all;
●
Redesign
our product candidates or processes to avoid infringement;
●
Stop
using the subject matter claimed to be held by others;
●
Pay
damages; or
●
Defend
litigation or administrative proceedings which may be costly whether we win or lose, and which could result in a substantial
diversion of our financial and management resources.
We
may need to license intellectual property from third parties, and such licenses may not be available or may not be available on
commercially reasonable terms.
A
third party may hold intellectual property, including patent rights that are important or necessary to the development of our
product candidates. It may be necessary for us to use the patented or proprietary technology of a third party to manufacture or
otherwise commercialize our own technology or products, in which case we would be required to obtain a license from such third
party. Licensing such intellectual property may not be available or may not be available on commercially reasonable terms, which
could have a material adverse effect on our business and financial condition.
We
may be subject to legal proceedings in the ordinary course of our business that could result in significant harm to our business,
financial condition and operating results.
We
could be subject to legal proceedings and claims from time to time in the ordinary course of our business, including actions arising
from tort, contract or other claims. See “Legal Proceedings” elsewhere in this filing for more information. Litigation
is expensive, time consuming, and could divert management’s attention away from running our business. The outcome of litigation
or other proceedings is subject to significant uncertainty, and it is possible that an adverse resolution of one or more such
proceedings could result in reputational harm and/or significant monetary damages, injunctive relief or settlement costs that
could adversely affect our results of operations or financial condition as well as our ability to conduct our business as it is
presently being conducted. Insurance might not cover such claims, might not provide sufficient payments to cover all the costs
to resolve one or more such claims and might not be available on terms acceptable to us. In addition, regardless of merit or outcome,
claims brought against us that are uninsured or underinsured could result in unanticipated costs, which could harm our business,
financial condition and operating results and reduce the trading price of our stock.
For
example, we have become aware that we were involved in a transaction in which an investor of the Company may have resold approximately
175,000 shares of our common stock pursuant to a registration statement that was not declared effective by the Securities and
Exchange Commission (SEC). As a result, it is possible that the SEC brings an action against us, or we may ultimately be responsible
for an action for rescission by purchasers of the securities that were resold. If the SEC were to bring such an enforcement action
against us, or if purchasers were to bring such an action for rescission, it may have a material adverse effect on our financial
position.
16
Product
liability lawsuits against us could cause us to incur substantial liabilities and to limit commercialization of any products that
we may develop.
We
face an inherent risk of product liability exposure related to the use of ContraPest and any of our other products. If we cannot
successfully defend ourselves against claims from our product users, we could incur substantial liabilities. Regardless of merit
or eventual outcome, liability claims may result in:
●
Decreased
demand for any product that we may develop;
●
Termination
of field studies or other research and development efforts;
●
Injury
to our reputation and significant negative media attention;
●
Significant
costs to defend the related litigation;
●
Substantial
monetary awards to plaintiffs;
●
Loss
of revenue;
●
Diversion
of management and scientific resources from our business operations; and
●
The
inability to commercialize our product candidates.
We
may be unable to obtain commercially reasonable product liability insurance for any products approved for marketing. Large judgments
have been awarded in class action lawsuits based on products that had unanticipated side effects, including, without limitation,
any potential adverse effects of our products on humans or other species. A successful product liability claim or series of claims
brought against us, particularly if judgments exceed our insurance coverage, could decrease our cash and adversely affect our
business.
Risks
Related to our Reporting and Cybersecurity
We
have not fully assessed our internal control over financial reporting. If we experience material weaknesses in the future or otherwise
fail to maintain an effective system of internal controls, we may not be able to accurately or timely report our financial condition
or results of operations, which may adversely affect investor confidence in us and, as a result, the value of our Common Stock.
A
material weakness is a deficiency, or combination of deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting such that there
is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of our financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely
basis.
This
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020 does not include an attestation report of the company’s
registered public accounting firm due to a transition period established by rules of the SEC for smaller reporting companies and
emerging growth companies. As a result, we have not yet fully assessed our internal control over financial reporting and are unable
to assure that the measures we have taken to date, together with any measures we may take in the future, will be sufficient to
remediate the control deficiencies that led to our material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting, or to
avoid potential future material weaknesses.
If
we are unable to develop and maintain an effective system of internal control over financial reporting, successfully remediate
any existing or future material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting, or identify any additional material
weaknesses, the accuracy and timing of our financial reporting may be adversely affected, we may be unable to maintain compliance
with securities law requirements regarding timely filing of periodic reports and Nasdaq listing requirements, investors may lose
confidence in our financial reporting, and our stock price may decline as a result.
17
Privacy
breaches and other cyber security risks related to our business could negatively affect our reputation, credibility and business.
We
expect to begin making direct-to-consumer sales through our new e-Commerce tool, which depends on information technology systems
and networks. We are also responsible for storing data relating to our customers and employees and rely on third party vendors
for the storage, processing and transmission of personal and Company information. Consumers, lawmakers and consumer advocates
alike are increasingly concerned over the security of personal information transmitted over the Internet, consumer identity theft
and privacy. We do not control our third-party service providers and cannot guarantee that they have implemented reasonable security
measures to protect our employees’ and customers’ identity and privacy, or that no electronic or physical computer
break-ins or security breaches will occur in the future. Our systems and technology are vulnerable from time-to-time to damage,
disruption or interruption from, among other things, physical damage, natural disasters, inadequate system capacity, system issues,
security breaches, “hackers,” email blocking lists, computer viruses, power outages and other failures or disruptions
outside of our control. A significant breach of customer, employee or Company data could damage our reputation and our relationship
with customers, and could result in lost sales, sizable fines, significant breach-notification costs and lawsuits, as well as
adversely affect our results of operations. We may also incur additional costs in the future related to the implementation of
additional security measures to protect against new or enhanced data security and privacy threats, or to comply with state, federal
and international laws that may be enacted to address those threats.
Risks
Related to our Capital Stock, Funding and Trading in our Stock
We
have incurred significant operating losses every quarter since our inception and anticipate that we will continue to incur significant
operating losses in the future.
Investment
in product development is highly speculative because it entails substantial upfront capital expenditures and significant risk
that any potential product candidate will fail to become commercially viable or gain regulatory approval. To date, we have financed
our operations primarily through the sale of equity securities and debt financings as well as research grants. We have generated
minimal revenue from product sales to date. We continue to incur significant sales, marketing, research, development, and other
expenses related to our ongoing operations. As a result, we are not profitable and have incurred losses in every reporting period
since our inception. For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, we reported net losses of $8.4 million and $10.0 million,
respectively. As of December 31, 2020, we had an accumulated deficit since inception of $104.2 million.
Since
inception, we have dedicated a majority of our resources to the discovery and development and marketing of our proprietary product
candidates. We expect to continue to incur significant expenses and operating losses for the foreseeable future. The size of our
losses will depend, in part, on the rate of future expenditures and our ability to generate revenues. In particular, we expect
to incur substantial and increased expenses as we:
●
Attempt
to achieve market acceptance for our products;
●
Continue
to establish an infrastructure for the sales, marketing and distribution of ContraPest and any other product candidates for
which we may receive regulatory approval;
●
Scale
up manufacturing processes and quantities to prepare for the commercialization of ContraPest and any other product candidates
for which we receive regulatory approval;
●
Continue
the research and development of ContraPest and our other product candidates, including engaging in any necessary field studies;
●
Seek
regulatory approvals for ContraPest in various jurisdictions and for our other product candidates;
●
Expand
our research and development activities and advance the discovery and development programs for other product candidates;
●
Maintain,
expand and protect our intellectual property portfolio; and
●
Add
operational, financial and management information systems and personnel, including personnel to support our clinical development
and commercialization efforts and operations as a public company.
18
We
may encounter unforeseen expenses, difficulties, complications, delays, and other unknown factors that may adversely affect our
financial condition. Our prior losses and expected future losses have had, and will continue to have, an adverse effect on our
financial condition. If ContraPest or any other product candidate does not gain or maintain sufficient regulatory approval, or
if approved, fails to achieve market acceptance, we may never become profitable. Even if we achieve profitability in the future,
we may not be able to sustain profitability in subsequent periods. Our failure to become and remain profitable would decrease
the value of our company and could impair our ability to raise capital, expand our business, diversify our product offerings or
continue our operations. A decline in the value of our company could cause you to lose all or part of your investment.
If
we are unable to continue as a going concern, our securities will have little or no value.
We
have incurred operating losses since our inception, and we expect to continue to incur significant expenses and operating losses
for the foreseeable future. Our financial statements as of December 31, 2020 and 2019 have been prepared under the assumption
that we will continue as a going concern. Our independent registered public accounting firm included in its opinion for the years
ended December 31, 2020 and 2019 an explanatory paragraph referring to our net loss from operations and net capital deficiency
and expressing substantial doubt in our ability to continue as a going concern without additional capital becoming available.
If we encounter continued issues or delays in the commercialization of ContraPest or greater than anticipated expenses, our prior
losses and expected future losses could have an adverse effect on our financial condition and negatively impact our ability to
fund continued operations, obtain additional financing in the future and continue as a going concern. There are no assurances
that such financing, if necessary, will be available to us at all or will be available in sufficient amounts or on reasonable
terms. Our financial statements do not include any adjustments that may result from the outcome of this uncertainty. If we are
unable to generate additional funds in the future through financings, sales of our products, licensing fees, royalty payments
or from other sources or transactions, we will exhaust our resources and will be unable to continue operations. If we cannot continue
as a going concern, our stockholders would likely lose most or all of their investment in us.
Raising
additional capital may cause dilution to our existing stockholders, restrict our operations or require us to relinquish rights
to our technologies or product candidates.
Until
such time, if ever, as we can generate sufficient product revenues, we expect to finance our cash needs primarily through the
sale of equity securities and debt financings, and possibly through credit facilities and government and foundation grants. We
may also seek to raise capital through third party collaborations, strategic alliances and similar arrangements. We currently
do not have any committed external source of funds.
Raising
funds in the future may present additional challenges and future financing may not be available in sufficient amounts or on terms
acceptable to us, if at all. The terms of any financing arrangements we enter into may adversely affect the holdings or the rights
of our stockholders and the issuance of additional securities by us, or the possibility of such issuance, may cause the market
price of our shares to decline. For example, during 2020, we completed equity financings that resulted in the issuance of shares
of Common Stock and warrants to purchase Common Stock, resulting in substantial dilution to the existing stockholders. Similarly,
in the first quarter of 2021, we again issued shares of Common Stock and warrants to purchase Common Stock, resulting in additional
substantial dilution to the existing stockholders. We generally have raised capital as the opportunity arises.
Certain
of our agreements with investors and our outstanding warrants contain provisions that impose limitations on our ability to participate
in certain variable rate transactions, including at-the-market transactions, which may limit our opportunities to obtain financing
in sufficient amounts or on acceptable terms. The sale of additional equity or convertible debt securities would dilute all of
our stockholders, and if such sales occur at a deemed issuance price that is lower than the current exercise price of our outstanding
warrants sold to investors in November 2017, the exercise price for those warrants would adjust downward to the deemed issuance
price pursuant to price adjustment protection contained within those warrants. Our various warrants contain other terms that may
affect our fundraising.
The
incurrence of indebtedness through credit facilities would result in increased fixed payment obligations and, potentially, the
imposition of restrictive covenants. Those covenants may include limitations on our ability to incur additional debt, making capital
expenditures or declaring dividends, and may impose limitations on our ability to acquire, sell, or license intellectual property
rights and other operating restrictions that could adversely impact our ability to conduct our business.
19
If
we raise additional funds through collaborations, strategic alliances, or licensing arrangements or other marketing or distribution
arrangements with third parties, we may have to relinquish valuable rights to our technologies, future revenue streams, research
programs or product candidates or grant licenses on terms that may not be favorable to us. If we are unable to expand our operations
or otherwise capitalize on our business opportunities, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially
adversely affected.
If
we are unable to raise additional funds through equity or debt financings when needed, we may be required to delay, limit, reduce
or terminate our product development or commercialization efforts, or grant others rights to develop and market product candidates
that we would otherwise prefer to develop and market ourselves.
Our
share price may be volatile, which could subject us to securities class action litigation and your investment in our securities
could decline in value.
Our
stock could be subject to wide fluctuation in response to many risk factors listed in this section, and others beyond our control,
including:
●
Market
acceptance and commercialization of our products;
●
Our
being able to timely demonstrate achievement of milestones, including those related to revenue generation, cost control, cost
effective source supply, and regulatory approvals;
●
Our
ability to remain listed on The Nasdaq Capital Market;
●
Results
and timing of our submissions with the regulatory authorities;
●
Failure
or discontinuation of any of our development programs;
●
Regulatory
developments or enforcements in the United States and non-U.S. countries with respect to our products or our competitors’
products;
●
Failure
to achieve pricing acceptable to the market;
●
Regulatory
actions with respect to our products or our competitors’ products;
●
Actual
or anticipated fluctuations in our financial condition and operating results or our continuing to sustain operating losses;
●
Competition
from existing products or new products that may emerge;
●
Announcements
by us or our competitors of significant acquisitions, strategic arrangements, joint ventures, collaborations or capital commitments;
●
Issuance
of new or updated research or reports by securities analysts;
●
Announcement
or expectation of additional financing efforts, particularly if our cash available for operations significantly decreases
or if the financing efforts result in a price adjustment to certain outstanding warrants;
●
Fluctuations
in the valuation of companies perceived by investors to be comparable to us;
●
Share
price and volume fluctuations attributable to inconsistent trading volume levels of our shares;
●
Disputes
or other developments related to proprietary rights, including patents, litigation matters and our ability to obtain patent
protection for our technologies;
●
Entry
by us into any material litigation or other proceedings;
●
Sales
of our Common Stock by us, our insiders, or our other stockholders;
●
Exercise
of outstanding warrants;
●
Market
conditions for equity securities; and
●
General
economic and market conditions unrelated to our performance.
20
Furthermore,
the capital markets can experience extreme price and volume fluctuations that may affect the market prices of equity securities
of many companies. These broad market and industry fluctuations, as well as general economic, political, and market conditions
such as recessions, interest rate changes, or international currency fluctuations, may negatively impact the market price of shares
of our Common Stock. In addition, such fluctuations could subject us to securities class action litigation, which could result
in substantial costs and divert our management’s attention from other business concerns, which could seriously harm our
business. You may not realize any return on your investment in us and may lose some or all of your investment.
Future
sales, or the possibility of future sales, of a substantial number of our common shares could adversely affect the price of the
shares and dilute stockholders.
Future sales of a substantial number of shares of our Common
Stock, or the perception that such sales will occur, could cause a decline in the market price of our Common Stock. This is particularly
true if we sell our stock at a discount. As of March 29, 2021, we had 143,501 shares of our Common Stock subject to outstanding
warrants that contain anti-dilution adjustments that provide for an adjustment to the exercise price for certain dilutive issuances
of securities. If we offer or issue additional securities at a deemed price lower than the current exercise price of these outstanding
warrants, these warrants will adjust pursuant to the price adjustment protection contained within these warrants. For example,
our January 2020 registered direct offering resulted in an additional downward adjustment of the exercise price of these warrants
from $19.00 per share to $7.126 per share and our inducement offering in October 2020 resulted in an additional downward adjustment
of the exercise price of these warrants from $7.126 per share to $1.3659 per share. Any future issuance of Common Stock or securities
convertible or exercisable into our Common Stock could cause a further downward adjustment of the exercise price of these warrants
to the deemed issuance price if the issuance price is less than the exercise price of the warrants at the time of the new issuance.
Also,
in the future, we may issue additional shares of our Common Stock or other equity or debt securities convertible into Common Stock
in connection with a financing, acquisition, litigation settlement, employee arrangements, or otherwise. Any such issuance could
result in substantial dilution to our existing stockholders and could cause our common share price to decline.
An
active market in the shares may not continue to develop in which investors can resell our Common Stock.
We
cannot predict the extent to which an active market for our Common Stock will continue to develop or be sustained, or how the
development of such a market might affect the market price for our Common Stock. Market conditions in effect at the time you acquire
our stock may not be indicative of the price at which our Common Stock will trade in the future. Investors may not be able to
sell their Common Stock at or above the price they acquired it.
If
securities or industry analysts, or other sources of information, do not publish research, or publish inaccurate or unfavorable
research or other information about our business, our stock price and trading volume could decline.
The
trading market for our Common Stock may depend on the research, reports and other information that securities or industry
analysts, or other third-party sources of information, publish about us or our business. We do not have any control over these
analysts or other third-party sources of information. From time to time inaccurate or unfavorable research or other information
about our business, financial condition, results of operations and stock ownership may be published. We cannot assure that
analysts will cover us or provide favorable coverage. If one or more of the analysts who cover us downgrade our stock or change
their opinion of our stock, our share price could decline. If one or more of these analysts cease coverage of us or fail to regularly
publish reports on us, we could lose visibility in the financial markets, which could cause our stock price or trading volume
to decline. If incorrect or misleading information is disseminated publicly by third parties about us, our stock price could decline.
We
may not be able to comply with all applicable listing requirements or standards of The Nasdaq Capital Market and Nasdaq could
delist our Common Stock.
Our
Common Stock is listed on The Nasdaq Capital Market. In order to maintain that listing, we must satisfy minimum financial and
other continued listing requirements and standards. On November 12, 2019, we received an initial deficiency letter from the
listing qualifications staff of The Nasdaq Stock Market (“Nasdaq”) providing notification that the bid price for our
Common Stock had closed below $1.00 per share for the previous 30 consecutive business days and that as a result our Common Stock
no longer met the minimum bid price requirement for listing on The Nasdaq Capital Market. We were provided with an initial compliance
period of 180 calendar days, or until May 11, 2020, to regain compliance with the minimum bid price requirement. We implemented
a 1-for-20 reverse stock split on February 4, 2020. On February 20, 2020 we received notification from Nasdaq that we had regained
compliance with the minimum bid price requirement. However, we can provide no assurance that we will be able to maintain compliance
with the minimum bid price requirement.
In
the event that we are unable to maintain compliance with the applicable Nasdaq listing requirements or standards of The Nasdaq
Capital Market, our Common Stock could be delisted from The Nasdaq Capital Market, which could have a material adverse effect
on our financial condition and which could cause the value of our Common Stock to decline. If our Common Stock is not eligible
for listing or quotation on another market or exchange, trading of our Common Stock could be conducted in the over-the-counter
market or on an electronic bulletin board established for unlisted securities such as the Pink Sheets or the OTC Bulletin Board.
In such event, it could become more difficult to dispose of, or obtain accurate price quotations for, our Common Stock, and there
would likely be a reduction in our coverage by security analysts and the news media, which could cause the price of our Common
Stock to decline further. In addition, it may be difficult for us to raise additional capital if we are not listed on a national
securities exchange.
21
Our
corporate documents, Delaware law and certain warrants contain provisions that could discourage, delay or prevent a change in
control of our company.
Provisions
in our certificate of incorporation and our bylaws may discourage, delay or prevent a merger or acquisition involving us that
our stockholders may consider favorable. For example, our certificate of incorporation currently provides for a staggered board
of directors, whereby directors serve for three-year terms, with approximately one-third of the directors coming up for reelection
each year. Having a staggered board will make it more difficult for a third party to obtain control of our board of directors
through a proxy contest, which may be a necessary step in an acquisition of us that is not favored by our board of directors.
Additionally, most of our warrants provide a Black Scholes value-based payment to the warrant holders in connection with certain
transactions that may discourage, delay or prevent a merger or acquisition.
We
are also subject to the anti-takeover provisions of Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law. Under these provisions,
if anyone becomes an “interested stockholder,” we may not enter into a “business combination” with that
person for three years without special approval, which could discourage a third party from making a takeover offer and could delay
or prevent a change of control. For purposes of Section 203, “interested stockholder” means, generally, someone
owning 15% or more of our outstanding voting stock or an affiliate of ours that owned 15% or more of our outstanding voting stock
during the past three years, subject to certain exceptions as described in Section 203.
We
are an “emerging growth company” as that term is used in the JOBS Act, and we intend to take advantage of reduced
disclosure and governance requirements applicable to emerging growth companies, which could result in our Common Stock being less
attractive to investors and adversely affect the market price of our Common Stock or make it more difficult to raise capital as
and when we need it.
We
are an “emerging growth company” as that term is used in the JOBS Act, and we intend to take advantage of certain
exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not emerging growth companies
including, but not limited to, not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley
Act, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports and proxy statements, exemptions
from the requirements of holding a nonbinding advisory vote on executive compensation and stockholder approval of any golden parachute
payments not previously approved, and exemptions from any rules that the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board may adopt requiring
mandatory audit firm rotation or a supplement to the auditor’s report on the financial statements. We currently intend to
take advantage of some of the reduced regulatory and reporting requirements that will be available to us under the JOBS Act, so
long as we qualify as an “emerging growth company.” For example, so long as we qualify as an “emerging growth
company,” we may elect not to provide you with certain information, including certain financial information and certain
information regarding compensation of our executive officers, that we would have otherwise been required to provide in filings
we make with the SEC, which may make it more difficult for investors and securities analysts to evaluate us.
Because
of the exemptions from various reporting requirements provided to us as an “emerging growth company,” we may be less
attractive to investors and it may be difficult for us to raise additional capital as and when we need it. We may take advantage
of these reporting exemptions until we are no longer an emerging growth company. If some investors find our Common Stock less
attractive as a result, there may be a less active trading market for our Common Stock and our stock price may be more volatile.
Investors may be unable to compare our business with other companies in our industry if they believe that our financial accounting
is not as transparent as other companies in our industry. If we are unable to raise additional capital as and when we need it,
our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows, and future prospects may be materially and adversely
affected.
Item
1B.
Unresolved
Staff Comments.
Not
applicable.
Item
2.
Properties.
As
of December 31, 2020, our corporate headquarters is located in Phoenix, Arizona, where we lease and occupy approximately 5,529
square feet of office space pursuant to a lease that commenced on December 1, 2019 and expires in November 2024. Also, as of December
31, 2020, our manufacturing facility completed it’s relocation from Flagstaff, Arizona, where we occupied a total of 7,632
square feet of space, to a facility in Phoenix, Arizona, where we lease and occupy approximately 5,105 square feet of space. The
lease for our manufacturing facility that commenced on August 1, 2020 and expires on November 30, 2024. We believe that our existing
facilities are adequate and meet our current needs for business, manufacturing and research.
Item
3.
Legal
Proceedings.
None.
Item
4.
Mine
Safety Disclosures.
Not
applicable.
22
PART
II
Item
5.
Market
for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities.
Market
Information
Our
common stock is traded on the NASDAQ Capital Market under the symbol “SNES.” Our common stock was initially listed
for trading on the NASDAQ Capital Market on December 8, 2016.
Holders
As of March 29, 2021, there were approximately 703 holders of
record of our common stock. Because many shares of our common stock are held by brokers and other institutions on behalf of stockholders,
we are unable to determine the total number of beneficial owners represented by these holders of record.
Dividends
We
have never declared or paid any cash dividends on our common stock. We currently intend to retain all available funds and any
future earnings to support our operations and finance the growth and development of our business. We do not intend to pay cash
dividends on our common stock for the foreseeable future. Any future determination related to our dividend policy will be made
at the discretion of our board of directors and will depend upon, among other factors, our results of operations, financial condition,
capital requirements, contractual restrictions, business prospects and other factors our board of directors may deem relevant.
Recent
Sales of Unregistered Securities
None.
Purchases
of Equity Securities by the Company
We
withhold shares of common stock in connection with the vesting of restricted stock units to satisfy required tax withholding obligations
when they occur. There were no purchases of our equity securities during the twelve months ended December 31, 2020.
Item
6.
Selected
Financial Data.
Information
for Item 6, Selected Financial Data, has been omitted pursuant to SEC modernization rules that are effective as of the filing
date of this report.
23
Item
7.
Management’s
Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.
You
should read the following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations in conjunction with the
consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. In addition to
historical financial information, the following discussion contains forward-looking statements that reflect our plans, estimates,
beliefs and expectations that involve risks and uncertainties. Our actual results and the timing of events could differ materially
from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to these differences include those
discussed below and elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, particularly in the sections of this report titled “Risk
Factors” and “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements.”
Overview
Since
our inception, we have sustained significant operating losses in the course of our research and development activities and commercialization
efforts and expect such losses to continue for the near future. We have generated limited revenue to date from product sales,
research grants and licensing fees received under a former license. We have primarily funded our operations to date through the
sale of equity securities, including convertible preferred stock, common stock and warrants to purchase common stock; and debt
financing, consisting primarily of convertible notes.
Through
December 31, 2020, we had received net proceeds of $75.7 million from our sales of common stock, preferred stock and issuance
of convertible and other promissory notes and an aggregate of $1.7 million from research grants and licensing fees and an aggregate
of $0.9 million in product sales. At December 31, 2020, we had an accumulated deficit of $104.2 million and cash and cash equivalents
of $3.6 million.
On
April 15, 2020, the Company also received cash proceeds of $645,700 from the Paycheck Protection Program (or “PPP”)
of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act. We used the proceeds from the PPP Loan to retain employees, maintain
payroll and make lease, interest and utility payments.
In
addition, we entered into a security private placement agreement on February 2, 2021, which resulted in gross proceeds to the
Company of approximately $10.00 million, before deducting fees payable to the placement agent and other estimated offering expenses
payable by us.
We
have incurred significant operating losses every year since our inception. Our net losses were $8.4 million and $10.0 million
for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. We expect to continue to incur significant expenses and generate
operating losses for at least the next 12 months.
We
have historically utilized, and intend to continue to utilize, various forms of stock-based awards in order to hire, retain and
motivate talented employees, consultants and directors and encourage them to devote their best efforts to our business and financial
success. In addition, we believe that our ability to grant stock-based awards is a valuable and necessary compensation tool that
aligns the long-term financial interests of our employees, consultants and directors with the financial interests of our stockholders.
As a result, a significant portion of our operating expenses includes stock-based compensation expense. Stock-based compensation
expense has been, and will continue to be for the foreseeable future, a significant recurring expense in our business and an important
part of our compensation strategy. Specifically, our stock-based compensation expense for the year ended December 31, 2020 and
December 31, 2019 was $0.6 million and $0.9 million, respectively, which represented 8.1% and 8.5%, respectively, of our total
operating expenses for those periods.
24
Components
of our Results of Operations
Grant
Revenue
Grant
revenue is comprised entirely of grant funding provided by the City of Phoenix, Arizona for jobs created in the City of Phoenix,
Arizona during the year ended December 31, 2020.
Sales
Sales
are comprised primarily of sales, net of discounts and promotions, of ContraPest and related components, to our distributors and
customers, as well as consulting and implementation services provided in conjunction with ContraPest deployments.
Cost
of Sales
Cost
of sales consist primarily of cost of products sold, including scrap and reserves for obsolescence. We continue to focus on improving
our cost structure, with the goals of shifting resources to commercialization, significantly reducing our year-over-year burn
rate and achieving a 50% or greater gross margin. Steps have included relocating to more cost-efficient space, organizational
restructuring, and improving our manufacturing and supply processes and reducing staffing. We expect to realize the benefits from
these steps in the coming quarters.
Operating
Expenses
Research
and Development Expenses
Research
and development expenses consist primarily of costs incurred in connection with the research and development of ContraPest and
our other product candidates, which costs include:
●
Employee
related expenses, including salaries, related benefits, travel and stock-based compensation expense for employees engaged
in research and development functions;
●
Expenses
incurred in connection with the development of our product candidates; and
●
Facilities,
depreciation and other expenses, which include direct and allocated expenses for rent and maintenance of facilities, insurance
and supplies.
We
expense research and development costs as incurred.
We
continue to investigate other applications of our core technology to other product candidates, which includes laboratory tests
and academic collaborations. We also continue to develop our supply chain, particularly identifying and improving our sourcing
of triptolide, a key active ingredient for our product candidates. At this time, we cannot reasonably estimate the costs for further
development of ContraPest or the cost associated with the development of any of our other product candidates.
Selling,
General and Administrative Expenses
Selling,
general and administrative expenses consist primarily of salaries and related costs, including stock-based compensation, for personnel
in executive, finance, sales, marketing and administrative functions. Selling, general and administrative expenses also include
direct and allocated facility-related costs as well as professional fees for legal, consulting, accounting and audit services.
25
We
plan to continue to utilize various forms of stock-based compensation awards in order to attract and retain qualified employees.
As a result, we anticipate that stock-based compensation expense will continue to represent a significant portion of our selling,
general and administrative expenses for the foreseeable future.
Interest
Income
Interest
income consists primarily of interest income earned on cash and cash equivalents.
Interest
Expense
Interest
expense consists primarily of interest accrued on our finance lease and note commitments.
Other
Income (Expense), Net
Other
income (expense), net, consists primarily of recognized change in value of short-term investments, income (expense) related to
the year-over-year fair market value adjustment of our derivative warrant and any recognized gains or losses related to the sale
of fixed assets.
Income
Taxes
Deferred
tax assets and liabilities are determined based on differences between the financial statement and tax basis of assets and liabilities,
as well as a consideration of net operating loss and credit carry forwards, using enacted tax rates in effect for the period in
which the differences are expected to impact taxable income. A valuation allowance is established, when necessary, to reduce deferred
tax assets to the amount that is more likely than not to be realized. The Company’s effective tax rate for the years ended
December 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019 has been affected by the valuation allowance on the Company’s deferred tax assets.
Since
our inception, we have not recorded any U.S. federal or state income tax benefits for the net losses we have incurred in each
year or for our earned research and development tax credits, due to our uncertainty of realizing a benefit from those items. At
December 31, 2020, the Company has federal and state net operating loss carryforwards of approximately $69.5 million and $56.1
million, respectively, not considering the IRC Section 382 annual limitation discussed below. The federal loss carryforwards begin
to expire in 2029, unless previously utilized. In addition, the Company has approximately $25.1 million of the total $69.5 million
of net operating losses that do not expire, as these losses were generated after the law change introduced as part of the Tax
Cuts and Jobs Act.
Additionally,
the utilization of the net operating loss carryforwards are subject to an annual limitation under Section 382 and 383 of the Internal
Revenue Code od 1986, and similar state tax provisions due to ownership change limitations that have occurred previously or that
could occur in the future. These ownership changes limit the amount of net operating loss carryforwards and other deferred tax
assets that can be utilized to offset future taxable income and tax, respectively. In general, an ownership change, as defined
by Section 382 and 383. results from transactions increasing ownership of certain stockholders or public groups in the stock of
the corporation by more than 50 percent points over a three-year period. The Company has not conducted an analysis of an ownership
change under section 382. To the extent that a study is completed and an ownership change is deemed to occur, the Company’s
net operating losses could be limited
Comparison
of the Years December 31, 2020 to 2019
The
following table summarizes our results of operations for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019:
26
SENESTECH,
INC.
CONDENSED
STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE LOSS
(In
thousands, except shares and per share data)
For
the Years
Ended
December 31,
2020
2019
Revenue:
Grant
revenue
$ 24
$ -
Sales
258
143
Cost
of sales
281
101
Gross
profit
1
42
Operating
expenses:
Research
and development
1,494
1,908
Selling,
general and administrative
6,440
8,421
Total
operating expenses
7,934
10,329
Net
operating loss
(7,933 )
(10,287 )
Other
income (expense):
Interest
income
3
45
Interest
expense
(28 )
(42 )
Other
income (expense)
21
266
Total
other income (expense)
(4 )
269
Net
loss and comprehensive loss
(7,937 )
(10,018 )
Warrant
revaluation
-
11
Deemed
dividend-warrant price protection-revaluation adjustment
436
-
Net
loss attributable to common shareholders
$ (8,373 )
$ (10,029 )
Weighted
average common shares outstanding - basic and fully diluted
3,006,475
1,304,045
Net
loss per common share - basic and fully diluted
$ (2.78 )
$ (7.69 )
Grant
Revenue
Grant
revenue for the year ended December 31, 2020 was $24,000 compared to $0 in 2019 as the grant was earned for jobs created in the
City of Phoenix, Arizona during the 12 months ended December 31, 2020.
Sales
Sales,
shown net of sales discounts and promotions, were $258,000 for the year ended December 31, 2020, compared to $143,000 for year
ended December 31, 2019. Sales increased by $115,000 in 2020 due, in part, to our implementation of an internet sales capability,
augmenting our existing pull through sales strategy, where demand from the consumer market encourages, or pulls, resellers and
pest management professionals to offer our products, as well as billings of $18,500 for customer product implementation services.
These initiatives have shown initial promise. However, we believe the benefit has been offset by reduced sales, reflecting continued
reduced spending by customers due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
27
Cost
of Sales
Cost
of sales was $281,000 or 108.9% of net sales for the year ended December 31, 2020, compared to $101,000 or 70.6% of net sales
for the year ended December 31, 2019. The increase in cost of goods sold of $180,000 in 2020 is primarily due to a reserve for
obsolete product delivery system supplies of $119,000 and higher sales volume, offset by reduced scrap expense and continued process
improvement and efficiencies. Without the reserve for delivery system supplies, cost of sales for the year ended December 31,
2020 would have been $162,000 or 62.8% of net sales, reflecting the impact of reduced scrap expense and continued process improvement
and efficiencies. We anticipate cost of goods sold as a percentage of sales will improve in the future due to manufacturing efficiencies
as a result of scale-up activities.
Gross
Profit
Gross
profit for the year ended December 31, 2020 was $1,000 or less than 1% of net sales, compared to a gross profit of $42,000 or
29.4% of net sales, for the year ended December 31, 2019. The decrease in gross profit was primarily due to a reserve for obsolete
product delivery system supplies of $119,000. Gross profit for the year ended December 31, 2020 would have been $120,000 or 42.6%
of net sales without this reserve, reflecting the impact of reduced scrap expense and continued process improvement and efficiencies.,
Research
and Development Expenses
Year
Ended
December 31,
Increase
2020
2019
(Decrease)
(in
thousands)
Direct
research and development expenses:
Personnel
related (including stock-based compensation)
$ 604
$ 807
$ (203 )
Facility
related
167
261
(94 )
Other
723
840
(117 )
Total
research and development expenses
$ 1,494
$ 1,908
$ (414 )
Research
and development expenses were $1.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2020, compared to $1.9 million for the year ended December
31, 2019. The $414,000 decrease in research and development expenses was primarily due to a decrease of $203,000 in personnel-related
costs, including stock-based compensation expense, due to the classification of certain field support employees to sales and marketing,
a decrease in facility related expenses of $94,000 and a decrease in other research and development expenses of $117,000.
With
our continued focus on commercialization of ContraPest, we determined that certain field support employees previously classified
as research and development are now refocused on sales and marketing efforts and thus, reclassified as such.
Facility-related
expenses decreased $94,000 due primarily to the cancellation of a facility lease of 1,954 square feet of research and development
space in Flagstaff, Arizona at December 31, 2019 and reduced allocation of facility expenses to research and development with
the renewal of only a portion of the Flagstaff facilities in December 2019, offset by rent expense at the new manufacturing facility
in Phoenix, Arizona, as discussed in Note 13 - Commitments and Contingencies.
The
year over year decrease in other research and development expenses of $117,000 was primarily due to increased consulting expenses
related to certain product testing and development expenses offset by lower depreciation expense allocation due to sale of certain
fixed assets and certain assets becoming fully depreciated during the year ended December 31, 2020, and a reclass of other expenses
related to certain field support employees to sales and marketing as described above.
We
also continue to develop our supply chain, particularly identifying and improving our sourcing key ingredients for our product
candidates.
28
Selling,
General and Administrative Expenses
Selling,
general and administrative expenses were $6.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2020, compared to $8.4 million for the year
ended December 31, 2019. The decrease of $2.0 million in selling, general and administrative expenses was primarily due to a reduction
of $1.4 million in net salary costs, including stock compensation expenses, $309,000 reduction in travel related expenses, $190,000
reduction in professional services and a reduction in marketing costs of $150,000.
Net
salaries and wages were lower due primarily to a decrease in salaries and wages of $645,000 due to a provision for severance expense
booked in December of 2019 for the termination of certain executive service contracts, a reduction of stock compensation expenses
of $228,000 related to option grants fully vesting and resulting in lower stock compensation expense and the impact of temporary
salary reductions by management to control expenses during the COVID-19 pandemic during 2020, offset by increased salaries and
wages due to the reclassification of certain field support employees to sales and marketing, as noted above. The decrease in travel
expenses of $309,000 for the year ended December 31, 2020, as compared to the same period in 2019, was a direct result of COVID-19
travel restrictions put in place in March 2020. The reduction in professional services expense was due to termination of an outside
sales force contract, reduced utilization of field study consultants and lower Board of Director compensation expense as a result
of voluntary reductions in compensation to control costs during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, the pandemic restricted
access to trade shows and other marketing activities during the year ended December 31, 2020 resulting in lower marketing expenses
than the same period in 2019.
Interest
Income/Expense Net
We
recorded $25,000 of interest expense, net for the year ended December 31, 2020, as opposed to interest income, net of $3,000 for
the year ended December 31, 2019. The increase in interest expense, net of $28,000 was a result of decreased interest income as
a result of significantly lower interest rates during the year ended December 31, 2020, offset by reduced interest expense as
a result of finance leases and promissory notes that expired during the year ended December 31, 2020.
Other
Income (Expense), Net
We
recorded $21,000 of other income, net for the year ended December 31, 2020, compared to $266,000 of other income for the year
ended December 31, 2019. The $245,000 net decrease in other income was primarily due to the reversal of a previously recorded
litigation reserve of $269,000 in the year ended December 31, 2019, offset by higher income recognized for gains on sale of certain
fixed assets during the year ended December 31, 2020.
Liquidity
and Capital Resources
Since
our inception, we have sustained significant operating losses in the course of our research and development activities and commercialization
efforts and expect such losses to continue for the near future. We have generated limited revenue to date from product sales,
research grants and licensing fees received under a former license. We have primarily funded our operations to date through the
sale of equity securities, including convertible preferred stock, common stock and warrants to purchase common stock; and debt
financing, consisting primarily of convertible notes.
Through
December 31, 2020, we had received net proceeds of $75.7 million from our sales of common stock, preferred stock and warrant exercises
and issuance of convertible and other promissory notes, and an aggregate of $1.7 million from licensing fees and an aggregate
of $0.9 million from product sales. At December 31, 2020, we had an accumulated deficit of $104.2 million and cash and cash equivalents
of $3.6 million.
As
discussed in Note 8 - Borrowings, of our Notes to Condensed Financial Statements, on April 15, 2020, the Company also received
cash proceeds of $645,700 from the Paycheck Protection Program (or “PPP”) of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic
Security Act. We are using the proceeds from the PPP Loan to retain employees, maintain payroll and make lease, interest and utility
payments.
In
addition, as described in Note 14 - Subsequent Events, we entered into a security private placement agreement on February 2, 2021,
which resulted in gross proceeds to the Company of approximately $10.00 million, before deducting fees payable to the placement
agent and other estimated offering expenses payable by us.
29
Our
ultimate success depends upon the outcome of a combination of factors, including: (i) successful commercialization of ContraPest
and maintaining and obtaining regulatory approval of our products and product candidates; (ii) market acceptance, commercial viability
and profitability of ContraPest and other products; (iii) the ability to market our products and establish an effective sales
force and marketing infrastructure to generate significant revenue; (iv) the success of our research and development; (v) the
ability to retain and attract key personnel to develop, operate and grow our business; and (vi) our ability to meet our working
capital needs.
Based
upon our current operating plan, we expect that cash and cash equivalents at December 31, 2020, in combination with the security
private placement on February 2, 2021, anticipated revenue and any additional sales of our equity securities, will be sufficient
to fund our current operations for at least the next 12 months. We have taken and will continue to take actions to reduce our
operating expenses and to concentrate our resources toward the successful commercialization of ContraPest in the United States.
However, if anticipated revenue targets and margin targets are not achieved or expenses are more than we have budgeted, we may
need to raise additional financing before that time. If we need more financing and we are unable to raise necessary capital through
the sale of our securities, we may be required to take other measures that could impair our ability to be successful and operate
as a going concern. In any event, we may require additional capital in order to fund our operating losses and research and development
activities before we become profitable and may opportunistically raise capital. We may never achieve profitability or generate
positive cash flows, and unless and until we do, we will continue to need to raise capital through equity or debt financing. If
such equity or debt financing is not available at adequate levels or on acceptable terms, we may need to delay, limit or terminate
commercialization and development efforts or discontinue operations.
Additional
Funding Requirements
We
expect our expenses to continue or increase in connection with our ongoing activities, particularly as we focus on marketing and
sales of ContraPest. Further, the COVID-19 pandemic will likely delay completion of field studies and achievement of sales, which
will further increase our need for financing. In addition, we will continue to incur costs associated with operating as a public
company.
In
particular, we expect to incur substantial and increased expenses as we:
●
Work
to maximize market acceptance for, and generate sales of, our products;
●
Manage
the infrastructure for the sales, marketing and distribution of ContraPest and any other product candidates for which we may
receive regulatory approval;
●
Continue
the development of ContraPest and our other product candidates, including engaging in any necessary field studies;
●
Seek
additional regulatory approvals for ContraPest and our other product candidates;
●
Scale
up manufacturing processes and quantities to meet future demand of ContraPest and any other product candidates for which we
receive regulatory approval;
●
Continue
product development of ContraPest and advance our research and development activities and advance the research and development
programs for other product candidates;
●
Maintain,
expand and protect our intellectual property portfolio;
●
Add
operational, financial and management information systems and personnel, including personnel to support our product development
and commercialization efforts and operations as a public company; and
●
Increase
our expenses to expand regulatory approvals for ContraPest, with an effort to make the product more user friendly and available
for use in an increased number of applications.
We
believe we may need additional financing to fund these continuing and additional expenses.
30
Cash
Flows
The
following table summarizes our sources and uses of cash for each of the years presented:
Year
Ended
December 31,
2020
2019
Cash
used in operating activities
$ (7,108 )
$ (8,058 )
Cash
used in investing activities
(67 )
(71 )
Cash
provided by financing activities
8,882
5,145
Net
increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents
$ 1,707
$ (2,984 )
Operating
Activities .
During
the year ended December 31, 2020, operating activities used $7.1 million of cash, primarily resulting from our net loss of $7.9
million, changes in our operating assets and liabilities of $0.1 million offset by non-cash charges of $0.9 million. Our net loss
was primarily attributed to research and development activities and our selling, general and administrative expenses, as we generated
limited product sales and no research grant and licensing revenue during the year. Net cash used by changes in our operating assets
and liabilities for the year ended December 31, 2020 consisted primarily of a $524,000 decrease in accrued expenses and accounts
payable offset by a decrease in prepaid expenses of $79,000, a decrease in inventories of $235,000 and a net increase in accounts
receivable and other assets of $127,000.
During
the year ended December 31, 2019, operating activities used $8.1 million of cash, primarily resulting from our net loss of $10.0
million, changes in our operating assets and liabilities of $0.5 million and non-cash charges of $1.4 million. Our net loss was
primarily attributed to research and development activities and our selling, general and administrative expenses, as we generated
limited product sales and no research grant and licensing revenue during the year. Net cash used by changes in our operating assets
and liabilities for the year ended December 31, 2019 consisted primarily of a $547,000 increase in accrued expenses and accounts
payable, a decrease in prepaid expenses and deposits of $85,000 and a decrease in inventories of $81,000 offset by a decrease
in deferred rent of $16,000 and a net increase in accounts receivable and deposits of $139,000.
Investing
Activities
During
the year ended December 31, 2020, we used $67,000 of cash in investing activities, which consisted of $114,000 for the purchases
of property and equipment, offset by $47,000 of cash received on the sales of property and equipment.
During
the year ended December 31, 2019, we used $71,000 of cash in investing activities, which consisted entirely of the purchases of
property and equipment.
Financing
Activities
During
the year ended December 31, 2020, net cash provided by financing activities was $8.9 million as a result of $5.7 million in net
proceeds from the issuance of common stock, $2.6 million in proceeds from warrant exercises and $646,000 from the issuance of
notes payable, partially offset by $135,000 of repayments related to notes payable and finance lease obligations.
During
the year ended December 31, 2019, net cash provided by financing activities was $5.1 million as a result of $3.6 million in net
proceeds from the issuance of common stock, $1.8 million in proceeds from warrant exercises, partially offset by $220,000 of repayments
related to notes payable and $55,000 of payments for employee withholding taxes related to share-based awards.
Critical
Accounting Policies and Significant Judgments and Estimates
Our
financial statements are prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States, or U.S. GAAP.
The preparation of our financial statements and related disclosures requires us to make estimates and judgments that affect the
reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenue, costs and expenses, and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities
in our financial statements. We base our estimates on historical experience, known trends and events and various other factors
that we believe are reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying
values of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. We evaluate our estimates and assumptions on
an ongoing basis. Our actual results may differ from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions.
While
our significant accounting policies are described in more detail in Note 1 — Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
to our financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, we believe that the following accounting policies
are those most critical to the judgments and estimates used in the preparation of our financial statements.
31
Revenue
Recognition
Effective
January 1, 2018, the Company adopted Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 606 — Revenue from Contracts
with Customers (“ASC 606”) . Under ASC 606, the Company recognizes revenue from the commercial sales of
products, licensing agreements and contracts to perform pilot studies by applying the following steps: (1) identify the contract
with a customer; (2) identify the performance obligations in the contract; (3) determine the transaction price; (4) allocate the
transaction price to each performance obligation in the contract; and (5) recognize revenue when each performance obligation is
satisfied. For the comparative periods, revenue has not been adjusted and continues to be reported under ASC 605 — Revenue
Recognition (“ASC 605”) . Under ASC 605, revenue is recognized when the following criteria are met: (1)
persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists; (2) the performance of service has been rendered to a customer or delivery has occurred;
(3) the amount of the fee to be paid by a customer is fixed and determinable; and (4) the collectability of the fee is reasonably
assured. The performance obligations identified by the Company under ASC 606 are straightforward and similar to the unit of account
and performance obligation determination under ASC Topic 605, Revenue Recognition .
The
Company recognizes revenue when product is shipped at a fixed selling price on payment terms of 30 to 120 days from invoicing.
The Company recognizes other revenue earned from pilot studies, consulting and implementation services upon the performance of
specific services under the respective service contract.
The
Company derives revenue primarily from commercial sales of products, net of discounts and promotions, as well as consulting and
implementation services provided in conjunction with our product deployments.
Stock-Based
Compensation
We
recognize compensation costs related to stock options granted to employees based on the estimated fair value of the awards on
the date of grant, net of estimated forfeitures, in accordance with ASC Topic 718 — Stock Compensation .
We estimate the grant date fair value of the awards, and the resulting stock-based compensation expense, using the Black-Scholes
option-pricing model. The grant date fair value of stock-based awards is expensed on a straight-line basis over the vesting period
of the respective award.
We
recorded stock-based compensation expense of approximately $645,000 and $873,000 for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019,
respectively. We expect to continue to grant stock options and other equity-based awards, such as restricted stock units, in the
future and to continue to recognize stock-based compensation expense in future periods.
The
Black-Scholes option-pricing model requires the use of highly subjective and complex assumptions, which determine the fair value
of stock-based awards. If we had made different assumptions, our stock-based compensation expense, net loss and loss per share
of common stock could have been significantly different. Our assumptions are as follows:
●
Expected
term . The expected term represents the period that the stock-based awards are expected to be outstanding. Our historical
share option exercise experience does not provide a reasonable basis upon which to estimate an expected term because of a
lack of sufficient data. Therefore, we estimate the expected term by using the simplified method, which calculates the expected
term as the average of the time-to-vesting and the contractual life of the options.
●
Expected
volatility . Expected volatility is derived from the average historical volatilities of publicly traded companies within
our industry that we consider to be comparable to our business over a period approximately equal to the expected term. We
intend to continue to consistently apply this process using the same or similar public companies unless circumstances change
such that the identified companies are no longer similar to us, in which case, more suitable companies whose share prices
are publicly available would be utilized in the calculation.
●
Risk-free
interest rate . The risk-free interest rate is based on the U.S. Treasury yield in effect at the time of grant for zero
coupon U.S. Treasury notes with maturities approximately equal to the expected term.
●
Expected
dividend . The expected dividend is assumed to be zero as we have never paid dividends and have no current plans to pay
any dividends on our common stock.
●
Expected
forfeitures . We use historical data to estimate pre-vesting option forfeitures and record stock-based compensation
expense only for those awards that are expected to vest. To the extent actual forfeitures differ from the estimates, the difference
will be recorded as a cumulative adjustment in the period that the estimates are revised.
32
Significant
Factors, Assumptions and Methodologies Used in Determining Fair Value of Our Common Stock
As
noted above, we are required to estimate the fair value of the common stock underlying our stock-based awards when performing
the fair value calculations using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model. In the absence of an active market for our common stock,
we utilized methodologies in accordance with the framework of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants’ Technical
Practice Aid, Valuation of Privately-Held Company Equity Securities Issued as Compensation , to estimate the fair value
of our common stock. In addition, we have conducted periodic assessments of the valuation of our common stock.
The
assumptions underlying these valuations represent management’s best estimates, which involve inherent uncertainties and
the application of management’s judgment. The fair value per share of our common stock for purposes of determining stock-based
compensation expense is the closing price of our common stock as reported on the applicable grant date. The compensation cost
that has been included in the statements of operations and comprehensive loss for all stock-based compensation arrangements is
as follows:
Years
Ended
December 31,
2020
2019
(in
thousands)
Selling,
general and administrative expenses
$ 636
$ 859
Research
and development expense
9
14
Total
stock-based compensation expense
$ 645
$ 873
The
intrinsic value of stock options outstanding as of December 31, 2020 is $0.
Emerging
Growth Company Status
The
Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012, or the JOBS Act, permits an “emerging growth company” such as us to take
advantage of an extended transition period to comply with new or revised accounting standards applicable to public companies until
those standards would otherwise apply to private companies. We have irrevocably elected to “opt out” of this provision
and, as a result, we intend to comply with new or revised accounting standards when they are required to be adopted by public
companies that are not emerging growth companies.
Off-Balance
Sheet Arrangements
None.
Item
7A.
Quantitative
and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk.
Not
applicable.
33
Item
8.
Financial
Statements and Supplementary Data.
SENESTECH,
INC.
INDEX
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Report
of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
F-2
Balance
Sheets as of December 31, 2020 and 2019
F-3
Statements
of Operations and Comprehensive Loss for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019
F-4
Statements
of Changes in Stockholders’ Equity (Deficit) for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019
F-5
Statements
of Cash Flows for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019
F-6
Notes
to Financial Statements
F-7
F- 1
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
To
the Board of Directors and
Stockholders of SenesTech, Inc.
Opinion
on the Financial Statements
We
have audited the accompanying balance sheets of SenesTech, Inc. (the Company) as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, and the related
statements of operations and comprehensive loss, stockholders’ equity (deficit), and cash flows for each of the years in
the two-year period ended December 31, 2020, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the financial statements). In
our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of December
31, 2020 and 2019, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the years in the two-year period ended December
31, 2020, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
Basis
for Opinion
These
financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on
the Company’s financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company
Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB) and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance
with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the
PCAOB.
We
conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit
to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error
or fraud. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial
reporting. As part of our audits, we are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, but
not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.
Accordingly, we express no such opinion.
Our
audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to
error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence
regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles
used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements.
We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
Critical
Audit Matters
The
critical audit matters communicated below are matters arising from the current period audit of the financial statements that were
communicated or required to be communicated to the audit committee and that: (1) relate to accounts or disclosures that are material
to the financial statements and (2) involved our especially challenging, subjective, or complex judgments. The communication of
critical audit matters does not alter in any way our opinion on the financial statements, taken as a whole, and we are not, by
communicating the critical audit matters below, providing separate opinions on the critical audit matters or on the accounts or
disclosures to which they relate.
As
discussed in Note 9 and 10 to the financial statements, the Company had complex equity transactions due to a warrant inducement
and ratchet provisions related to the execution of a warrant transaction.
Auditing
management’s evaluation of these transactions can be complex due to the unusual nature of these transactions.
To
evaluate the appropriateness of the equity transactions, we examined and evaluated the financial information that was the initial
cause along with management’s evaluations and management’s disclosure on the equity transactions.
As
discussed in Note 2 to the financial statements, the Company evaluated inventory for potential allowance.
Auditing
management’s evaluation of the inventory can be a significant judgment given the fact that the Company uses management estimates
in evaluating the ability to recuperate the costs involved in acquiring these assets.
To
evaluate the appropriateness of the inventory allowance, we examined and evaluate the financial information that was the initial
cost along with management’s plans, management’s evaluation for reserve and management’s disclosure on inventory.
Going
Concern
The
accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared assuming that the Company will continue as a going concern.
As discussed in Note 1 to the financial statements, the Company suffered a net loss from operations and has a net capital deficiency,
which raises substantial doubt about its ability to continue as a going concern. Management's plans regarding those matters are
also described in Note 1. The consolidated financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome
of this uncertainty.
/s/
M&K CPAS, PLLC
We
have served as the Company’s auditor since 2017.
Houston,
TX
March
29, 2021
F- 2
SENESTECH,
INC.
CONDENSED
BALANCE SHEETS
(In
thousands, except shares and per share data)
December
31,
December
31,
2020
2019
ASSETS
Current
assets:
Cash
$ 3,643
$ 1,936
Accounts
receivable trade, net
25
26
Accounts
receivable-other
-
123
Prepaid
expenses
178
257
Inventory
945
1,180
Deposits
28
20
Total
current assets
4,819
3,542
Right
to use asset-operating leases
665
699
Property
and equipment, net
538
738
Total
assets
$ 6,022
$ 4,979
LIABILITIES
AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Current
liabilities:
Short-term
debt
$ 98
$ 123
Accounts
payable
404
265
Accrued
expenses
292
1,193
Total
current liabilities
794
1,581
Long-term
debt, net
673
137
Operating
lease liability
671
694
Total
liabilities
2,138
2,412
Commitments
and contingencies (See note 12)
-
-
Stockholders’
equity:
Common
stock, $0.001 par value, 100,000,000 shares authorized, 5,099,512 and 1,414,671 shares issued and outstanding at December
31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively
5
1
Additional
paid-in capital
108,119
98,433
Accumulated
deficit
(104,240 )
(95,867 )
Total
stockholders’ equity
3,884
2,567
Total
liabilities and stockholders’ equity
$ 6,022
$ 4,979
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
F- 3
SENESTECH,
INC.
CONDENSED
STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE LOSS
(In
thousands, except shares and per share data)
For
the Years
Ended
December 31,
2020
2019
Grant
revenue
$ 24
$ -
Sales
258
143
Cost
of sales
281
101
Gross
profit
1
42
Operating
expenses:
Research
and development
1,494
1,908
Selling,
general and administrative
6,440
8,421
Total
operating expenses
7,934
10,329
Net
operating loss
(7,933 )
(10,287 )
Other
income (expense):
Interest
income
3
45
Interest
expense
(28 )
(42 )
Other
income (expense)
21
266
Total
other income (expense)
(4 )
269
Net
loss and comprehensive loss
(7,937 )
(10,018 )
Warrant
revaluation
-
11
Deemed
dividend-warrant price protection-revaluation adjustment
436
-
Net
loss attributable to common shareholders
$ (8,373 )
$ (10,029 )
Weighted
average common shares outstanding - basic and fully diluted
3,006,475
1,304,045
Net
loss per common share - basic and fully diluted
$ (2.78 )
$ (7.69 )
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
F- 4
SENESTECH,
INC.
STATEMENT
OF CHANGES IN STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY (DEFICIT)
(In
thousands, except shares and per share data)
For
The Years Ended December 31, 2019 and 2020
Additional
Total
Common
Stock
Paid-In
Accumulated
Stockholders’
Shares
Amount
Capital
Deficit
Equity (Deficit)
Balance,
December 31, 2018
1,173,854
$ 1
$ 92,151
$ (85,838 )
$ 6,314
Issuance
of common stock, sold for cash, net
151,838
-
3,631
-
3,631
Issuance
of common stock for services
7,203
-
34
-
34
Stock-based
compensation
-
-
873
-
873
Issuance
of common stock upon exercise of warrants
80,511
-
1,788
-
1,788
Issuance
of common stock upon exercise of stock options
1,265
-
-
-
-
Payments
for employee withholding taxes related to share-based awards
-
-
(55 )
-
(55 )
Warrant
revaluation
-
-
11
-
11
Net
loss for the year ended December 31, 2019
-
-
-
(10,029 )
(10,029 )
Balance,
December 31, 2019
1,414,671
$ 1
$ 98,433
$ (95,867 )
$ 2,567
Issuance
of common stock for services
4,543
-
-
-
-
Stock-based
compensation
-
-
645
-
645
Issuance
of common stock upon cashless exercise of warrants
51,414
-
238
-
238
Issuance
of common stock upon exercise of warrants, net
1,700,680
2
2,628
-
2,630
Issuance
of common stock, sold for cash, net
1,928,180
2
5,739
-
5,741
Warrant
antidilution price protection adjustment
-
-
436
-
436
Issuance
of common stock for fractional shares-20-1 reverse split
24
-
-
-
-
Net
loss for the year ended December 31, 2020
-
-
-
(8,373 )
(8,373 )
Balance,
December 31, 2020
5,099,512
$ 5
$ 108,119
$ (104,240 )
$ 3,884
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
F- 5
SENESTECH,
INC.
CONDENSED
STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(In
thousands)
For the Years Ended
December 31,
2020
2019
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES
Net loss
$ (7,937 )
$ (10,018 )
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization
288
413
Stock-based compensation
645
873
Bad debt expense
-
123
(Gain) loss on sale of equipment
(21 )
3
(Increase) decrease in current assets:
Accounts receivable - trade
1
(10 )
Accounts receivable - other
123
(123 )
Other assets
11
(5 )
Prepaid expenses
79
85
Inventory
235
81
Deposits
(8 )
(11 )
Increase (decrease) in current liabilities:
Accounts payable
139
92
Accrued expenses
(663 )
455
Deferred rent
-
(16 )
Net cash used in operating activities
(7,108 )
(8,058 )
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Cash received on sale of property and equipment
47
-
Purchase of property and equipment
(114 )
(71 )
Net cash used in investing activities
(67 )
(71 )
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Proceeds from the issuance of common stock, net
5,741
3,631
Proceeds from the issuance of notes payable-Payroll Protection Program
646
-
Repayments of notes payable
(73 )
(220 )
Repayments of finance lease obligations
(62 )
-
Proceeds from the exercise of warrants
2,630
1,789
Payment of employee withholding taxes relating to share-based awards
-
(55 )
Net cash provided by financing activities
8,882
5,145
NET CHANGE IN CASH
1,707
(2,984 )
CASH AT BEGINNING OF PERIOD
1,936
4,920
CASH AT END OF PERIOD
$ 3,643
$ 1,936
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION:
Interest paid
$ 28
$ 42
Income taxes paid
$ -
$ -
NON-CASH INVESTING AND FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Common stock warrant revaluation
$ -
$ 11
Forgiveness of accrual in warrant exercise
$ 238
$ -
Deemed dividend
$ 436
$ -
Common stock issued on accrued bonus
$ -
$ 33
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
F- 6
SENESTECH,
INC.
NOTES
TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(In
thousands, except share and per share data)
1.
Organization
and Description of Business
SenesTech,
Inc. (referred to in this report as “SenesTech,” the “Company,” “we” or “us”)
was formed in July 2004 and incorporated in the state of Nevada. The Company subsequently reincorporated in the state of Delaware
in November 2015. Our corporate headquarters is in Phoenix, Arizona. We have developed and are commercializing a global, proprietary
technology for managing animal pest populations, initially rat populations, through fertility control.
Although
there are myriad tools available to control rat populations, most rely on some form of lethal method to achieve effectiveness.
Each of these solutions is inherently limited by rat species’ resilience and survival mechanisms as well as their extraordinary
rate of reproduction. ContraPest®, our initial product, is unique in the pest control industry in attacking the reproductive
systems of both male and female rats, which our field data shows will result in a sustained reduction of the rat population.
Rats
have plagued humanity throughout history. They pose significant threats to the health and food security of many communities. In
addition, rodents cause significant product loss and damage through consumption and contamination. Rats also cause significant
damage to critical infrastructure by burrowing beneath foundations and gnawing on electrical wiring, insulation, fire proofing
systems, electronics and computer equipment.
The
most prevalent solution to rat infestations is the use of increasingly powerful rodenticides. Although these solutions provide
short term results, there are growing concerns about secondary exposure and bioaccumulation of rodenticides in the environment,
as well as concerns about rodenticides that have no antidotes. The pest management industry and Pest Management Professionals
(“PMPs”) are being asked for new solutions that are both effective and less toxic. Our goal is to provide customers
with not only a solution to combat their most difficult rat problems, but also offer a non-lethal option to serve customers that
are looking to decrease or remove the amount of rodenticide used in their pest control programs.
ContraPest
is a liquid bait containing the active ingredients 4-vinylcyclohexene diepoxide (“VCD”) and triptolide. ContraPest
limits reproduction of male and female rats beginning with the first breeding cycle following consumption. ContraPest is being
marketed for use in controlling Norway and roof rat populations.
SenesTech
began the registration process with the United States Environmental Protection Agency (the “EPA”) for ContraPest on
August 23, 2015. On August 2, 2016, the EPA granted an unconditional registration for ContraPest as a Restricted Use Product (“RUP”),
due to the need for applicator expertise for deployment. On October 18, 2018, the EPA approved the removal of the RUP designation.
We believe ContraPest is the first and only non-lethal, fertility control product approved by the EPA for the management of rodent
populations.
In
addition to the EPA registration of ContraPest in the United States, ContraPest must obtain registration from the various state
regulatory agencies prior to selling in each state. We have received registration for ContraPest in all 50 states and the District
of Columbia, 47 of which have approved the removal of the RUP designation.
We
expect to continue to pursue regulatory approvals and amendments to the existing U.S. registration for ContraPest, and if ContraPest
begins to generate sufficient revenue, regulatory approvals for additional jurisdictions beyond the United States. In certain
cases, our EPA and state registrations require completion of testing and certifications even though we have received approval
for the product or its labelling. We continue to seek to comply with these requirements.
The
Company also continues to research and develop enhancements to ContraPest that align with our target verticals and other potential
fertility control options for additional species.
Reverse
Stock Split
On
February 4, 2020, we amended our amended and restated certificate of incorporation to effect a 1-for-20 reverse split of our issued
and outstanding shares of our common stock. The accompanying condensed financial statements and notes thereto give retrospective
effect to the reverse stock split for all periods presented. All issued and outstanding common stock, options and warrants exercisable
for common stock, restricted stock units, preferred stock conversions to common stock and per share amounts contained in our condensed
financial statements have been retrospectively adjusted.
F- 7
SENESTECH,
INC.
NOTES
TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(In
thousands, except share and per share data)
1.
Organization
and Description of Business – (continued)
Going
Concern
Although
our audited financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2020 were prepared under the assumption that we would continue
our operations as a going concern, the report of our independent registered public accounting firm that accompanies our financial
statements for the year ended December 31, 2020 contains a going concern qualification in which such firm expressed substantial
doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern, based on the financial statements at that time. Specifically, as noted
above, we have incurred operating losses since our inception, and we expect to continue to incur significant expenses and operating
losses for the foreseeable future. These prior losses and expected future losses have had, and will continue to have, an adverse
effect on our financial condition. If we cannot continue as a going concern, our stockholders would likely lose most or all of
their investment in us.
Need
for Additional Capital
Since
our inception, we have sustained significant operating losses in the course of our research and development and commercialization
activities and expect such losses to continue for the near future. We have generated limited revenue to date from product sales,
research grants and licensing fees received under our former license agreement with Neogen. In 2017, we began to prepare and launch
commercialization of our first product, ContraPest. We have primarily funded our operations to date through the sale of equity
securities, including convertible preferred stock, common stock and warrants to purchase common stock. See Note 9 for a description
of our public equity sales.
We
have also raised capital through debt financing, consisting primarily of convertible notes and government loan programs, and,
to a lesser extent, payments received in connection with product sales, research grants and licensing fees.
Through
December 31, 2020, we had received net proceeds of $75.7 million from our sales of common stock, preferred stock and warrant exercises
and issuance of convertible and other promissory notes, an aggregate of $1.7 million from licensing fees and an aggregate of $0.9
million in net product sales. At December 31, 2020, we had an accumulated deficit of $104.2 million and cash and cash equivalents
of $3.6 million.
As
discussed in Note 8 - Borrowings, of our Notes to Condensed Financial Statements, on April 15, 2020, the Company also received
cash proceeds of $645,700 from the Paycheck Protection Program (or “PPP”) of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic
Security Act. We are using the proceeds from the PPP Loan to retain employees, maintain payroll and make lease, interest and utility
payments.
In
addition, as described in Note 14 - Subsequent Events, we entered into a security private placement agreement on February 2, 2021,
which resulted in gross proceeds to the Company of approximately $10.00 million, before deducting fees payable to the placement
agent and other estimated offering expenses payable by us.
Our
ultimate success depends upon the outcome of a combination of factors, including: (i) successful commercialization of ContraPest
and maintaining and obtaining regulatory approval of our products and product candidates; (ii) market acceptance, commercial viability
and profitability of ContraPest and other products; (iii) the ability to market our products and establish an effective sales
force and marketing infrastructure to generate significant revenue; (iv) the success of our research and development; (v) the
ability to retain and attract key personnel to develop, operate and grow our business; and (vi) our ability to meet our working
capital needs.
Based
upon our current operating plan, we expect that cash and cash equivalents at December 31, 2020, in combination with the security
private placement on February 2, 2021, anticipated revenue and any additional sales of our equity securities, will be sufficient
to fund our current operations for at least the next 12 months. We have taken and will continue to take actions to reduce our
operating expenses and to concentrate our resources toward the successful commercialization of ContraPest in the United States.
However, if anticipated revenue targets and margin targets are not achieved or expenses are more than we have budgeted, we may
need to raise additional financing before that time. If we need more financing and we are unable to raise necessary capital through
the sale of our securities, we may be required to take other measures that could impair our ability to be successful and operate
as a going concern. In any event, we may require additional capital in order to fund our operating losses and research and development
activities before we become profitable and may opportunistically raise capital. We may never achieve profitability or generate
positive cash flows, and unless and until we do, we will continue to need to raise capital through equity or debt financing. If
such equity or debt financing is not available at adequate levels or on acceptable terms, we may need to delay, limit or terminate
commercialization and development efforts or discontinue operations.
Major
Customer
The
Company one major customer that accounted for approximately 15% and $44 of sales for the year ended December 31, 2020 and two
customers that accounted for approximately 12% and 20% and $17 and $28 of sales for the year ended December 31, 2019. The Company
expects to maintain these relationships with these customers.
F- 8
SENESTECH,
INC.
NOTES
TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(In
thousands, except share and per share data)
2.
Summary of
Significant Accounting Policies
Use
of Estimates
The
preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect
the reported amounts and classification of assets and liabilities, disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date
of the financial statements and reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. The significant estimates
in the Company’s financial statements include the valuation of preferred stock, if issued, common stock and related warrants,
and other stock-based awards. Actual results could differ from such estimates.
Reclassifications
Certain
prior year amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current year presentation. These reclassifications had no impact on
net earnings, financial position or cash flows.
Cash
and Cash Equivalents
The
Company considers money market fund investments to be cash equivalents. The Company had cash equivalents in the form of money
market fund investment of $1,500 and $1,766 at December 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively, included in cash as reported.
Accounts
Receivable-Trade
Accounts
receivable-trade consist primarily of receivables from customers. The Company provides an allowance for doubtful trade receivables
equal to the estimated uncollectible amounts. That estimate is based on historical collection experience, current economic and
market conditions and a review of the current status of each customer’s trade accounts receivable. The allowance for doubtful
trade receivables was $0 and less than $123 at December 31, 2020 and at December 31, 2019, respectively.
Accounts
Receivable-Other
Accounts
receivable-other at December 31, 2019 consist primarily of receivables related to insurance reimbursements due the Company.
Inventories
Inventories
are stated at the lower of cost or market value, using the first-in, first-out convention. Inventories consist of raw materials,
work in progress and finished goods. Raw materials are stocked to reduce the risk of impact on manufacturing for potential supply
interruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic or long lead times on certain ingredients.
Reserves
for obsolete inventory consist of reserves primarily related to obsolete product containers and delivery systems.
Components
of inventory are:
December 31,
2020
2019
Raw
materials
$ 950
$ 1,035
Work
in progress
24
-
Finished
goods
94
149
Total
inventory
1,068
1,184
Less:
Reserve
for obsolete
(123 )
(4 )
Total
net inventory
$ 945
$ 1,180
F- 9
SENESTECH,
INC.
NOTES
TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(In
thousands, except share and per share data)
2.
Summary of
Significant Accounting Policies – (continued)
Prepaid
Expenses
Prepaid
expenses consist primarily of payments made for director and officer insurance, director compensation, rent, legal and inventory
purchase deposits and seminar fees to be expensed in the current year.
Property
and Equipment
Property
and equipment are stated at cost less accumulated depreciation. Equipment held under finance leases are stated at the present
value of minimum lease payments less accumulated amortization.
Depreciation
on property and equipment is computed using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the respective assets.
The cost of leasehold improvements is amortized over the life of the improvement or the term of the lease, whichever is shorter.
Equipment held under finance leases are amortized over the shorter of the lease term or estimated useful life of the asset. The
Company incurs maintenance costs on its major equipment. Repair and maintenance costs are expensed as incurred.
Impairment
of Long-Lived Assets
Long-lived
assets, such as property and equipment, are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that
the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. If circumstances require long-lived assets or asset groups to be tested
for possible impairment, the Company compares the undiscounted cash flows expected to be generated from the use of the asset or
asset group to its carrying amount. If the carrying amount of the long-lived asset or asset group is not recoverable on an undiscounted
cash flow basis, an impairment charge is recognized to the extent that the carrying amount exceeds its fair value. Fair value
is determined through various valuation techniques, such as discounted cash flow models and the use of third- party independent
appraisals. The Company has not recorded an impairment of long-lived assets since its inception.
Revenue
Recognition
Effective
January 1, 2018, the Company adopted Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 606 — Revenue from Contracts
with Customers (“ASC 606”) . Under ASC 606, the Company recognizes revenue from the commercial sales of
products, licensing agreements and contracts to perform pilot studies by applying the following steps: (1) identify the contract
with a customer; (2) identify the performance obligations in the contract; (3) determine the transaction price; (4) allocate the
transaction price to each performance obligation in the contract; and (5) recognize revenue when each performance obligation is
satisfied.
The
Company recognizes revenue when product is shipped at a fixed selling price on payment terms of 30 to 120 days from invoicing.
The Company recognizes other revenue earned from pilot studies, consulting and implementation services upon the performance of
specific services under the respective service contract.
The
Company derives revenue primarily from commercial sales of products, net of discounts and promotions, as well as consulting and
implementation services provided in conjunction with our product deployments.
Research
and Development
Research
and development costs are expensed as incurred. Research and development expenses primarily consist of salaries and benefits for
research and development employees, stock-based compensation, consulting fees, lab supplies, costs incurred related to conducting
scientific trials and field studies, regulatory compliance costs, and manufacturing costs associated with process improvement.
Research and development expenses include an allocation of facilities related costs, including depreciation of research and development
equipment.
Stock-based
Compensation
Stock-based
awards, consisting of restricted stock units and stock options expected to be settled in shares of the Company’s common
stock, are recorded as equity awards. The grant date fair value of these awards is measured using the Black-Scholes option pricing
model for stock options and the grant date market value for restricted stock units. The Company expenses the grant date fair value
of its stock options on a straight-line basis over their respective vesting periods.
F- 10
SENESTECH,
INC.
NOTES
TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(In
thousands, except share and per share data)
2.
Summary of
Significant Accounting Policies – (continued)
The
stock-based compensation expense recorded for the twelve months ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, is as follows:
Twelve
Months Ended
December 31,
2020
2019
Research
and development
$ 9
$ 14
General
and administrative
636
859
Total
stock-based compensation expense
$ 645
$ 873
See
Note 11 for additional discussion on stock-based compensation.
Income
Taxes
The
Company accounts for income taxes under the asset and liability method, which requires the recognition of deferred tax assets
and liabilities for the expected future tax consequences of events that have been included in the financial statements. Under
this method, deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined based on the differences between the financial statements and
tax bases of assets and liabilities and net operating loss carryforwards using enacted tax rates in effect for the year in which
the differences are expected to reverse. The effect of a change in tax rates on deferred tax assets and liabilities is recognized
in the period that includes the enactment date.
The
Company records net deferred tax assets to the extent it believes these assets will more likely than not be realized. These deferred
tax assets are subject to periodic assessments as to recoverability and if it is determined that it is more likely than not that
the benefits will not be realized, valuation allowances are recorded which would increase the provision for income taxes. In making
such determination, the Company considers all available positive and negative evidence, including future reversals of existing
taxable temporary differences, projected future taxable income, tax planning strategies and recent financial operations.
The
Company applies a more-likely-than-not recognition threshold for all tax uncertainties. Only those benefits that have a greater
than fifty percent likelihood of being sustained upon examination by the taxing authorities are recognized. Based on its evaluation,
the Company has concluded there are no significant uncertain tax positions requiring recognition in its financial statements.
The
Company recognizes interest and/or penalties related to uncertain tax positions in income tax expense. There are no uncertain
tax positions as of December 31, 2020 or December 31, 2019 and as such, no interest or penalties were recorded in income tax expense.
Comprehensive
Loss
Net
loss and comprehensive loss were the same for all periods presented; therefore, a separate statement of comprehensive loss is
not included in the accompanying financial statements.
Loss
Per Share Attributable to Common Stockholders
Basic
loss per share attributable to common stockholders is calculated by dividing the net loss attributable to common stockholders
by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period. Diluted loss per share attributable to common stockholders
is computed by dividing the loss attributable to common stockholders by the weighted average number of common shares and potentially
dilutive securities outstanding for the period determined using the treasury stock and if-converted methods. For purposes of the
computation of diluted loss per share attributable to common stockholders, common stock purchase warrants, restricted stock units
and common stock options are considered to be potentially dilutive securities but have been excluded from the calculation of diluted
loss per share attributable to common stockholders because their effect would be anti-dilutive given the net loss reported for
the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019. Therefore, basic and diluted loss per share attributable to common stockholders was
the same for all periods presented.
F- 11
SENESTECH,
INC.
NOTES
TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(In
thousands, except share and per share data)
2.
Summary of
Significant Accounting Policies – (continued)
The
following table sets forth the outstanding potentially dilutive securities that have been excluded in the calculation of diluted
loss per share attributable to common stockholders (in common stock equivalent shares):
December
31,
2020
2019
Common
stock purchase warrants
2,582,697
489,176
Restricted
stock unit
32,072
5,877
Common
stock options
496,471
136,489
Total
3,111,240
631,542
In
February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, Leases (“ASU 2016-02”). This standard amends various aspects of
existing accounting guidance for leases, including the recognition of a right-of-use asset and a lease liability on the balance
sheet for all leases with terms longer than 12 months. Leases will be classified as either finance or operating, with classification
affecting the pattern of expense recognition in the income statement. This standard also introduces new disclosure requirements
for leasing arrangements. ASU 2016-02 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods
within those fiscal years for public business entities. Early adoption was permitted, and the new standard had been adopted using
a modified retrospective approach and provides for certain practical expedients.
Effective
January 1, 2019, the Company adopted Accounting Standards Updated (“ASU”) No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842) (“ASU
No. 2016-02”). Under ASU No. 2016-02, an entity is required to recognize right-of-use lease assets and lease liabilities
on its balance sheet and disclose key information about leasing arrangements. The Company elected the optional transition
method provided by the FASB in ASU 2018-11, Leases (Topic 842): Targeted Improvements , and as a result, has not restated
its condensed consolidated financial statements for prior periods presented. The Company has elected the practical expedients
upon transition to retain the lease classification and initial direct costs for any leases that existed prior to adoption. The
Company has also not reassessed whether any contracts entered into prior to adoption are leases. The Company applied the new guidance
to all operating leases within the scope of the standard that were in effect on January 1, 2019, or entered into after, the adoption
date. Comparative information for prior periods has not been restated and continues to be reported under the accounting
standards in effect for those periods. The adoption did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated
statement of comprehensive income (loss). However, the new standard established $87 of liabilities and corresponding
right-of-use assets of $87 on the Company’s consolidated balance sheet for leases, primarily related to operating leases
on rented office properties, that existed as of the January 1, 2019, adoption date.
At
December 31, 2020, the balance in Right to Use Asset-Long Term and Lease Liability-Long Term was $665 and ($671) respectively.
The
Company’s leases primarily relate to operating leases of rented office properties. For contracts entered into
on or after January 1, 2019, at the inception of a contract the Company assesses whether the contract is, or contains, a lease. The
Company’s assessment is based on: (1) whether the contract involves the use of a distinct identified asset, (2) whether
the Company obtains the right to substantially all the economic benefit from the use of the asset throughout the period, and (3)
whether the Company has the right to direct the use of the asset. At inception of a lease, the Company allocates the
consideration in the contract to each lease component based on its relative stand-alone price to determine the lease payments.
For
leases with terms greater than 12 months, the Company records the related asset and obligation at the present value of lease payments
over the term. The right-of-use lease asset represents the right to use the leased asset for the lease term. The lease
liability represents the present value of the lease payments under the lease.
F- 12
SENESTECH,
INC.
NOTES
TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(In
thousands, except share and per share data)
2.
Summary of
Significant Accounting Policies – (continued)
The
right-of-use lease asset is initially measured at cost, which primarily comprises the initial amount of the lease liability, plus
any initial direct costs incurred. All right-of-use lease assets are reviewed for impairment. The lease
liability is initially measured at the present value of the lease payments, discounted using the interest rate implicit in the
lease or, if that rate cannot be readily determined, the Company’s secured incremental borrowing rate for the same term
as the underlying lease.
The
Company identified and assessed the following significant assumptions in recognizing the right-of-use lease assets and corresponding
liabilities.
Expected
lease term – The expected lease term includes both contractual lease periods and, when applicable, cancelable option
periods. When determining the lease term, the Company includes options to extend or terminate the lease when it is
reasonably certain that the Company will exercise that option.
Incremental
borrowing rate – As the Company’s leases do not provide an implicit rate, the Company obtained the incremental
borrowing rate (“IBR”) based on the remaining term of each lease. The IBR is the rate of interest that
a lessee would have to pay to borrow on a collateralized basis over a similar term an amount equal to the lease payments in a
similar economic environment.
The
Company has elected not to recognize right-of-use lease assets and lease liabilities for short-term leases that have a term of
12 months or less.
The
Company reports right-of-use lease assets within non-current assets in its consolidated balance sheet. The Company
reports the lease liabilities within long-term liabilities in its consolidated balance sheet.
See
Note 13, Commitments and Contingencies, for future minimum lease payments and maturities.
In
August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-15 Accounting for Implementation Costs Related to Cloud Computing or Hosting Arrangements .
This standard provides authoritative guidance intended to address a customer’s accounting for implementation costs incurred
in a cloud computing arrangement that is a service contract. This guidance aligns the requirements for capitalizing implementation
costs incurred in a hosting arrangement that is a service contract with the requirements for capitalizing implementation costs
incurred to develop or obtain internal-use software. The guidance also requires presentation of the capitalized implementation
costs in the statement of financial position and in the statement of cash flows in the same line item that a prepayment for the
fees of the associated hosting arrangement would be presented, and the expense related to the capitalized implementation costs
to be presented in the same line item in the statement of operations as the fees associated with the hosting element (service)
of the arrangement. The Company adopted the provisions of ASU 2018-15 Accounting for Implementation Costs Related to Cloud
Computing or Hosting Arrangements effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2019, including interim periods
within those annual periods. There was no impact on our financial position, results of operations and statement of cash flows
upon adoption of this guidance.
Accounting
Standards Issued but Not Yet Adopted
There
have been no new accounting pronouncements not yet effective or adopted in the current year that we believe have a significant
impact, or potential significant impact, to our unaudited condensed consolidated interim financial statements.
3.
Fair Value
Measurements
The
Company issued common stock warrants to purchase shares of common stock in June of 2015 (see Note 9 - Common Stock Warrants and
Common Stock Warrant Liability) that expired in June of 2020. These warrants contained a cash settlement provision that resulted
in a common stock warrant liability that was revalued at the end of each reporting period.
We
valued these warrant derivatives at fair value. The accounting guidance for fair value, among other things, establishes a consistent
framework for measuring fair value and expands disclosure for each major asset and liability category measured at fair value on
either a recurring or nonrecurring basis. Fair value is defined as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to
transfer a liability (an exit price) in an orderly transaction between market participants at the reporting date. The framework
for measuring fair value consists of a three-level valuation hierarchy that prioritizes the inputs to valuation techniques used
to measure fair value based upon whether such inputs are observable or unobservable. Observable inputs reflect market data obtained
from independent sources, while unobservable inputs reflect market assumptions made by the reporting entity. The three-level hierarchy
for the inputs to valuation techniques is briefly summarized as follows:
F- 13
SENESTECH,
INC.
NOTES
TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(In
thousands, except share and per share data)
3
- Fair Value Measurements – (continued)
Level
1 —Inputs are unadjusted, quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities at the measurement date;
Level
2 —Inputs are observable, unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for similar assets or liabilities, unadjusted quoted
prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in markets that are not active, or other inputs that are observable or can
be corroborated by observable market data for substantially the full term of the related assets or liabilities; and
Level
3 —Unobservable inputs that are significant to the measurement of the fair value of the assets or liabilities that are
supported by little or no market data.
An
asset’s or liability’s fair value measurement level within the fair value hierarchy is based on the lowest level of
any input that is significant to the fair value measurement. Valuation techniques used need to maximize the use of observable
inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs.
Assets
and liabilities measured at fair value are based on one or more of the following three valuation techniques:
A.
Market
approach: Prices and other relevant information generated by market transactions involving identical or comparable assets
or liabilities.
B.
Cost
approach: Amount that would be required to replace the service capacity of an asset (replacement cost).
C.
Income
approach: Techniques to convert future amounts to a single present amount based upon market expectations, including present
value techniques, option-pricing and excess earnings models.
The
Company’s common stock warrant liabilities were classified as Level 3 because there was limited activity or less transparency
around the inputs to valuation.
Financial
Instruments Not Carried at Fair Value
The
carrying amounts of the Company’s financial instruments, including accounts payable and accrued liabilities, approximate
fair value due to their short maturities. The estimated fair value of the convertible notes and other notes, not recorded at fair
value, are recorded at cost or amortized cost which was deemed to estimate fair value.
4.
Credit Risk
The
Company is potentially subject to concentrations of credit risk in its accounts receivable. Credit risk with respect to receivables
is limited due to the number of companies comprising the Company’s customer base, however the Company did identify a potentially
uncollectable account and at December 31, 2019 and maintained a reserve for this receivable balance of $123. At December 31, 2020,
the account was deemed uncollectable and offset against the reserve. The Company did not have any potentially uncollectable account
at December 31, 2020 and therefore, did not record a reserve for uncollectable accounts at December 31, 2020. The Company does
not require collateral or other securities to support its accounts receivable.
F- 14
SENESTECH,
INC.
NOTES
TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(In
thousands, except share and per share data)
5.
Prepaid expenses
Prepaid
expenses consist of the following:
December
31,
2020
2019
Director
compensation
$ -
$ 9
Director,
officer and other insurance
18
115
Marketing
programs and conferences
106
80
Legal
retainer
25
25
Professional
service retainer
8
8
Rent
18
11
Equipment
service deposits
-
1
Engineering,
software licenses and other
3
8
Total
prepaid expenses
$ 178
$ 257
6.
Property
and Equipment
Property
and equipment, net consist of the following:
December
31,
Useful
Life
2020
2019
Research
and development equipment
5
years
$ 1,397
$ 1,585
Office
and computer equipment
3
years
733
753
Autos
5
years
54
54
Furniture
and fixtures
7
years
41
41
Leasehold
improvements
*
283
283
Construction
in progress
115
-
2,623
2,716
Less
accumulated depreciation and amortization
2,085
1,978
Total
$ 538
$ 738
*
Shorter
of lease term or estimated useful life
(1)
For
the years ended December 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, the Company received net proceeds of $47 and $0 in the sale of research
and development equipment and office and computer equipment, respectively, resulting in gains on the sale of these assets
of $21 and $0 for the years ended December 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively.
Depreciation
and amortization expense was approximately $288 and $413 for the year ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively.
7.
Accrued Expenses
Accrued
expenses consist of the following:
December
31,
2020
2019
Compensation,
severance and related benefits
$ 218
$ 935
Accrued
Litigation
-
238
Personal
property and franchise tax
57
2
Board
Compensation
3
17
Other
14
1
Total
accrued expenses
$ 292
$ 1,193
F- 15
SENESTECH,
INC.
NOTES
TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(In
thousands, except share and per share data)
8.
Borrowings
A
summary of the Company’s borrowings, including finance lease obligations, is as follows:
At
December 31,
2020
2019
Short-term
debt:
Current
portion of long-term debt
98
123
Total
short-term debt
$ 98
$ 123
Long-term
debt:
Finance
lease obligations
$ 79
$ 155
Other
unsecured promissory notes
692
105
Total
771
260
Less:
current portion of long-term debt
98
123
Total
long-term debt
$ 673
$ 137
Finance
Lease Obligations
Finance
lease obligations at December 31, 2020 are for computer and lab equipment leased through GreatAmerica Financial Services and ENGS
Commercial Finance Co. These finance leases expire at various dates through April 2022 and carry interest rates ranging from 11.4%
to 18.3%.
Other
Promissory Notes
Also
included in the table above are notes payable to Direct Capital, M2 Financing and Fidelity Capital, all for the financing of fixed
assets. These notes expire at various dates through June 2022 and carry interest rates ranging from 13.1% to 13.3%.
Also
included in the table above is a loan agreement payable to BMO Harris Bank National Association as the lender in an aggregate
principal amount of $645,700 pursuant to the Paycheck Protection Program (the “PPP”) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief,
and Economic Security Act (the “CARES Act”). The loan is evidenced by a promissory note dated April 15, 2020 and matures
April 15, 2022. The loan bears interest at a rate of 1.00% per annum and contains customary events of default including, among
other things, payment defaults. The loan closed and was funded April 20, 2020. Under the terms of the CARES Act, PPP loan recipients
can apply for and be granted forgiveness for all or a portion of loans granted under the PPP. The loan is subject to forgiveness
to the extent proceeds are used for qualifying expenses, including certain payroll, utility, rent and mortgage interest expenses.
No assurance is provided that the Company will obtain forgiveness of the loan in whole or in part.
Pursuant
to amendments to the CARES Act, as long as the Company submits its application for loan forgiveness within ten months after the
expiration of the applicable covered period, the Company will not be required to make any payments until the forgiveness amount
is remitted to the lender by the SBA. In the event the PPP loan is not forgiven in whole or in part, the lender is responsible
for notifying the Company of the date on which the Company’s first repayment is due.
9.
Common Stock
Warrants and Common Stock Warrant Liability
The
table summarizes the common stock warrant activity as of December 31, 2020 as follows:
Issue Date
Warrant Type
Term
Date
Exercise
Price
Balance
December 31, 2018
Issued
Exercised
Expired
Balance
December 31, 2019
Issued
Exercised
Expired
Balance
December 31, 2020
2016
and prior
Various
Various-2020/2021
Various
17,059
-
-
-
17,059
-
(9,375 )
(7,684 )
-
November 21,2017
Common
Stock Offering Warrants
November 21, 2022
$ 1.3659 (1)
159,092
-
(15,591 )
-
143,501
-
-
143,501
November
21,2017
Dealer
Manager Warrants
November
21, 2022
$ 30.00
47,250
-
-
-
47,250
-
(47,250 )
-
-
June
20,2018
Warrant
Reissue
December
20, 2023
$ 36.40
56,696
-
-
-
56,696
-
-
-
56,696
August
13,2018
Rights
Offering Warrants
July
25, 2023
$ 23.00
267,853
-
(64,910 )
-
202,943
-
-
-
202,943
August
13,2018
Dealer
Manager Warrants
August
13, 2023
$ 34.50
13,393
-
-
-
13,393
-
-
-
13,393
July
16,2019
Dealer
Manager Warrants
July
11, 2024
$ 33.75
-
8,334
-
-
8,334
-
-
-
8,334
January
28,2020
Registered
Direct Offering
July
28, 2025
$ 9.00
-
-
-
-
-
177,500
-
-
177,500
January
28,2020
Dealer
Manager Warrants
July
28, 2025
$ 10.00
-
-
-
-
-
13,315
-
-
13,315
March
6,2020
Registered
Direct Offering
September
8, 2025
$ 2.88
-
-
-
-
-
176,372
(176,372 )
-
-
March
6,2020
Dealer
Manager Warrants
March
4, 2025
$ 3.76
-
-
-
-
-
13,228
-
-
13,228
April
21,2020
Dealer
Manager Warrants
April
21, 2025
$ 3.97
-
-
-
-
-
118,073
-
-
118,073
April
24,2020
Registered
Direct Offering
April
24, 2025
$ 3.05
-
-
-
-
-
1,574,308
(1,524,308 )
-
50,000
October
26, 2020
Private Warrant Inducement
April
27, 2026
$ 1.73
-
-
-
-
-
1,700,680
1,700,680
October
26, 2020
Dealer Manager Warrants
April
27, 2026
$ 2.16
-
-
-
-
-
85,034
85,034
561,343
489,176
2,582,697
(1)
The
initial exercise price of these warrants was $30.00 per share. Pursuant to antidilution price adjustment protection contained
within these warrants, the initial exercise price of these warrants was adjusted downward to $29.40 on July 24, 2018, the
record date of the Right’s Offering and downward to $19.00 per share on August 13, 2018. These warrants were further
adjusted downward from $19.00 to $7.13 and to $2.1122 on January 28, 2020 and March 4, 2020, respectively, in connection with
separate Registered Direct Offerings. These warrants were further adjusted downward from $2.1122 to $1.3659 on
October 26, 2020 in connection with a Registered Direct Offering. These warrants are subject to further
adjustment pursuant to antidilution price adjustment protection.
F- 16
SENESTECH,
INC.
NOTES
TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(In
thousands, except share and per share data)
9.
Common Stock
Warrants and Common Stock Warrant Liability – (continued)
As
of December 31, 2020, we had 2,582,697 shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of outstanding common stock warrants, at
a weighted-average exercise price of $5.11 per share.
On
November 21, 2017, the Company issued a total of 232,875 detachable common stock warrants issued with the second public offering
of 293,000 shares of its common stock at $20.00 per share. The common stock warrant is exercisable until five years from the date
of grant. The common shares of the Company’s stock and detachable warrants exist independently as separate securities. As
such, the Company estimated the fair value of the common stock warrants, exercisable at $30.00 per share, to be $661 using a lattice
model based on the following significant inputs: common stock price of $20.00; comparable company volatility of 73.8%; remaining
term 5 years; dividend yield of 0% and risk-free interest rate of 1.87. The initial exercise price of these warrants was $30.00
per share, which adjusted downward to $29.40 on July 24, 2018, the record date of the Right’s Offering and downward to $19.00
per share on August 13, 2018, the date of the Rights Offering, pursuant to antidilution price adjustment protection contained
within these warrants. The exercise price of the warrants was adjusted downward to $7.13 on January 28, 2020 in connection with
a private placement of common stock. Per guidance of ASC 260, the Company recorded a deemed dividend of $285 on the 143,501 unexercised
warrants that contained this antidilution price adjustment protection provision and was calculated as the difference between the
fair value of the warrants immediately prior to downward exercise price adjustment and immediately after the adjustment using
a Black Scholes model based on the following significant inputs: On January 28, 2020, common stock price of $7.90; comparable
company volatility of 73.8%; remaining term 2.82 years; dividend yield of 0% and risk-free interest rate of 1.45%.
The
exercise price of the warrants was adjusted downward to $2.1122 on March 4, 2020 in connection with a private placement of common
stock. Per guidance of ASC 260, the Company recorded a deemed dividend of $129 on the 143,501 unexercised warrants that contained
this antidilution price adjustment protection provision and was calculated as the difference between the fair value of the warrants
immediately prior to downward exercise price adjustment and immediately after the adjustment using a Black Scholes model based
on the following significant inputs: On March 4, 2020, common stock price of $2.88; comparable company volatility of 74.5%; remaining
term 2.71 years; dividend yield of 0% and risk-free interest rate of 0.68%.
The
exercise price of the warrants was adjusted downward to $1.3659 on October 26, 2020 in connection with an inducement offering
of common stock. Per guidance of ASC 260, the Company recorded a deemed dividend of $22 on the 143,501 unexercised warrants that
contained this antidilution price adjustment protection provision and was calculated as the difference between the fair value
of the warrants immediately prior to downward exercise price adjustment and immediately after the adjustment using a Black Scholes
model based on the following significant inputs: On October 26, 2020, common stock price of $1.47; comparable company volatility
of 96.5%; remaining term 2.08 years; dividend yield of 0% and risk-free interest rate of 0.18%.
On
June 20, 2018, the Company entered into an agreement with a holder of 56,696 of the November 2017 warrants to exercise its original
warrant representing 56,696 shares of common stock for cash at the $30.00 exercise price for gross proceeds of $1.7 million and
the Company issued to holder a new warrant to purchase 56,696 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $36.40 per share.
The new warrant did not contain the antidilution price adjustment protection that was contained within the exercised warrants.
In June 2018, the Company recorded stock compensation expense of $1,700 representing the fair value of the of 56,696 inducement
warrants issued. The Company estimated the fair value of the common stock warrants, exercisable at $36.40 per share, to be $1,700
using a Black Scholes model based on the following significant inputs: common stock price of $42.20; comparable company volatility
of 72.6%; remaining term 5 years; dividend yield of 0% and risk-free interest rate of 2.8%. Also, in June 2018, an additional
17,088 of the November 8, 2017 warrants that were in the money at the time of exercise, were exercised for gross proceeds of $513.
On
August 13, 2018, in connection with a Rights Offering of 267,853 shares of its common stock, the Company issued 267,853 warrants
to purchase shares of its common stock at an exercise price of $23.00 per share. The Company estimated the fair value of the common
stock warrants, exercisable at $23.00 per share, to be $3,600 using a Monte Carlo model based on the following significant inputs:
common stock price of $18.80; comparable company volatility of 159.0%; remaining term 5 years; dividend yield of 0% and risk-free
interest rate of 2.77%.
In
connection with the closing of the Rights Offering, the Company issued a warrant to purchase 13,393 shares of common stock to
Maxim Partners LLC, an affiliate of the dealer-manager of the Rights Offering. The Company estimated the fair value of the common
stock warrants, exercisable at $34.50 per share, to be $169 using a using a Monte Carlo model based on the following significant
inputs: common stock price of $18.80; comparable company volatility of 159.0%; remaining term 5 years; dividend yield of 0% and
risk-free interest rate of 2.77%.
F- 17
SENESTECH,
INC.
NOTES
TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(In
thousands, except share and per share data)
9.
Common Stock
Warrants and Common Stock Warrant Liability – (continued)
Common
Stock Warrant Issued to Underwriter of Common Stock Offering
In
July 2019, the Company issued to H.C. Wainwright & Co., as placement agent, a warrant to purchase 8,334 shares of common stock
at an exercise price of $33.75 per share as consideration for providing services in connection with a common stock offering in
July 2019. The warrant was fully vested and exercisable on the date of issuance. The common stock warrant is exercisable until
five years from the date of grant. The Company estimated the fair value of the common stock warrants, exercisable at $33.75 per
share, to be $127 using a lattice model based on the following significant inputs: common stock price of $26.80; comparable company
volatility of 133.3%; remaining term 5 years; dividend yield of 0% and risk-free interest rate of 2.07%.
University
of Arizona Common Stock Warrant
In
connection with the June 2015 amended and restated exclusive license agreement with the University of Arizona (“University”),
the Company issued to the University a common stock warrant to purchase 750 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $150.00
per share. The warrant was fully vested and exercisable on the date of grant, and expires, if not exercised, five years from the
date of grant. In the event of a “terminating change” of the Company, as defined in the warrant agreement, the warrant
holder would be paid in cash the aggregate fair market value of the underlying shares immediately prior to the consummation of
the terminating change event. Due to the cash settlement provision, the derivative warrant liability was recorded at fair value
and is revalued at the end of each reporting period. The changes in fair value are reported in other income (expense) in the statements
of operations and comprehensive loss. The estimated fair value of the derivative warrant liability was $53 at the date of grant.
These warrants expired, unexercised, on June 26, 2020.
Common
Stock Warrants Issued in January and March 2020 Private Placements
In
January and March 2020, in separate private placements concurrent with registered direct offerings (collectively, the “2020
Registered Direct Offerings”) of shares of the Company’s common stock, the Company also issued warrants to purchase
an aggregate of up to 353,872 shares of common stock to certain institutional and accredited investors that participated in the
2020 Registered Direct Offerings (the “2020 Warrants”). The warrants were issued in reliance on the exemption from
registration provided by Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act and Rule 506(b) of Regulation D promulgated thereunder. Terms used
but not otherwise defined herein will have the meanings given them in the warrants, attached as Exhibit 4.1 to our Form 8-K
filed on January 28, 2020, and our Form 8-K filed on March 6, 2020.
The
warrants issued in January 2020 to purchase 177,500 shares of common stock have an exercise price of $9.00 per share, are exercisable
after July 28, 2020 and will expire July 28, 2025. The Company estimated the fair value of the common stock warrants, exercisable
at $9.00 per share, to be $813 using a Black Scholes model based on the following significant inputs: common stock price of $7.90;
comparable company volatility of 73.8%; remaining term 5 years; dividend yield of 0% and risk-free interest rate of 1.53%.
The
warrants issued in March 2020 to purchase 176,372 shares of common stock have an exercise price of $2.88 per share, are immediately
exercisable and will expire September 8, 2025. The Company estimated the fair value of the common stock warrants, exercisable
at $2.88 per share, to be $242 using a Black Scholes model based on the following significant inputs: common stock price of $2.35;
comparable company volatility of 74.8%; remaining term 5.5 years; dividend yield of 0% and risk-free interest rate of 0.39%.
For
so long as the 2020 Warrants remain outstanding, the exercise price and number of shares of common stock issuable upon exercise
of the warrants are subject to adjustment as follows: (a) upon payment of a stock dividend or other distribution on a class
or series of shares common stock, not including shares issued under this warrant; (b) upon subdivision (by stock spilt, stock
dividend, recapitalization, or otherwise) or combination (by reverse stock split or otherwise) of shares of common stock; or (c)
upon the issuance of any shares of capital stock by reclassification of shares of the common stock.
F- 18
SENESTECH,
INC.
NOTES
TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(In
thousands, except share and per share data)
9.
Common Stock
Warrants and Common Stock Warrant Liability – (continued)
In
the event that the Company declares or makes any dividend or other distribution of its assets to holders of its common stock,
each 2020 Warrant holder will be entitled to participate in such distribution to the same extent that such holder would have participated
therein if the holder had held the number of shares of common stock acquirable upon exercise of the 2020 Warrant.
In
the event of a Fundamental Transaction, as described in the 2020 Warrants and generally including the sale, transfer or other
disposition of all or substantially all of our properties or assets; our consolidation or merger with or into another person or
reorganization; a recapitalization, reorganization or reclassification in which our common stock is converted into other securities,
cash or property; or any acquisition of our outstanding common stock that results in any person or group becoming the beneficial
owner of 50% of the voting power represented by our outstanding common stock, then the holders of the 2020 Warrants will be entitled
to receive upon exercise of such warrants the kind and amount of securities, cash, assets or other property that the holders would
have received had they exercised the 2020 Warrants immediately prior to such Fundamental Transaction. Subject to certain limitations,
in the event of a Fundamental Transaction the 2020 Warrant holder may at its option require the Company or any Successor Entity
to purchase such warrant from the holder by paying to the holder an amount of cash equal to the Black Scholes Value of the remaining
unexercised portion of the 2020 Warrant on the date of the consummation of the Fundamental Transaction.
Any
time that the Company grants, issues, or sells any securities pro rata to all of the record holders of the common stock (the “2020
Purchase Right”), each holder of 2020 Warrants will be entitled to acquire the aggregate amount of securities that the holder
could have acquired if the holder had held the number of shares of common stock acquirable upon exercise of the applicable 2020
Warrant. However, to the extent that an exercise of a 2020 Purchase Right would exceed the Beneficial Ownership Limitation (defined
below), then to such extent the 2020 Purchase Right will be held in abeyance until such time, if ever, that complete exercise
of the 2020 Purchase Right would not exceed the Beneficial Ownership Limitation.
After
the Initial Exercisability Date, the 2020 Warrants will be exercisable, at the option of each holder, in whole or in part, by
delivering to us a duly executed exercise notice accompanied by payment in full for the number of shares of our common stock purchased
upon such exercise. If, at the time a holder exercises the 2020 Warrant (but not sooner than six months following the date of
such warrant), a registration statement registering the issuance of the shares of common stock underlying the 2020 Warrants under
the Securities Act is not then effective or available, nor is any current prospectus thereto available, and an exemption from
registration under the Securities Act is not available for the issuance of such shares, then in lieu of making the cash payment
otherwise contemplated to be made to us upon such exercise in payment of the aggregate exercise price, the holder may elect instead
to receive upon such exercise (either in whole or in part) the number of shares of common stock determined according to a formula
set forth in the 2020 Warrant.
Limitations
on Exercise . A holder (together with its affiliates) may not exercise any portion of the 2020 Warrants to the extent that
the holder would own more than 4.99% of the outstanding common stock after exercise (the “Beneficial Ownership Limitation”),
except that upon at least 61 days’ prior notice from the holder to us, the holder may increase the Beneficial Ownership
Limitation up to 9.99% of the number of shares of our common stock outstanding immediately after giving effect to the exercise,
as such percentage ownership is determined in accordance with the terms of the 2020 Warrants. No fractional shares of common stock
will be issued in connection with the exercise of a 2020 Warrant. In lieu of fractional shares, we will either pay the holder
an amount in cash equal to the fractional amount multiplied by the exercise price or round up to the next whole share.
Except
as otherwise provided in the 2020 Warrants or by virtue of such holder’s ownership of shares of our common stock, the holders
of the 2020 Warrants do not have the rights or privileges of holders of our common stock, including any voting rights, unless
and until they exercise such warrants.
Common
Stock Warrants Issued in April 2020 Public Offering
On
April 24, 2020, in connection with a previously announced public offering of 145,586 Class A Units and 1,428,722 Class B Units,
the Company issued warrants to purchase 1,574,308 shares of common stock to the participants in the public offering and have an
exercise price of $3.05 per share (the “April 2020 Warrants”). These warrants are immediately exercisable and will
expire April 24, 2025.
F- 19
SENESTECH,
INC.
NOTES
TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(In
thousands, except share and per share data)
9.
Common Stock
Warrants and Common Stock Warrant Liability – (continued)
The
Common Stock, Pre-Funded Warrants and Warrants sold in this Public Offering were offered and sold pursuant to a registration statement
on Form S-1 (File No. 333-236302) initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “ SEC ”) on
February 7, 2020, as amended (“Registration Statement”), which was declared effective by the SEC on February 14, 2020.
The Post-Effective Amendment No. 2 to the Registration Statement was declared effective by the SEC on April 21, 2020.
The
Company estimated the fair value of the common stock warrants, exercisable at $3.05 per share, to be $2,402 using a Black Scholes
model based on the following significant inputs: common stock price of $2.40; comparable company volatility of 87.9%; remaining
term 5 years; dividend yield of 0% and risk-free interest rate of 0.18%.
Common
Stock Warrants Issued to Placement Agent in 2020 Registered Direct Offerings and Private Placement
In
connection with the separate private placements concurrent with registered direct offerings of shares of the Company’s common
stock in January and March 2020, the Company issued to H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC, as placement agent, a warrant to purchase
13,228 shares of common stock and a warrant to purchase 13,313 shares of common stock. The warrants were issued in reliance on
the exemption from registration provided by Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act and Rule 506(b) of Regulation D promulgated
thereunder. These warrants have substantially similar terms as the 2020 Warrants described above, except that the placement agent
warrant issued in January 2020 has an exercise price of $10.00 per share, and the placement agent warrant issued in March 2020
has an exercise price of $3.7563 per share.
The
Company estimated the fair value of the common stock warrants issued in January, with an exercise price of $10.00 per share, to
be $58 using a Black Scholes model based on the following significant inputs: common stock price of $7.90; comparable company
volatility of 73.8%; remaining term 5 years; dividend yield of 0% and risk-free interest rate of 1.53%.
The
Company estimated the fair value of the common stock warrants issued in March, with an exercise price of $3.7563 per share, to
be $17 using a Black Scholes model based on the following significant inputs: common stock price of $2.35; comparable company
volatility of 74.8%; remaining term 5.5 years; dividend yield of 0% and risk-free interest rate of 0.39%.
In
connection with the public offering of 145,586 Class A Units and 1,428,722 Class B Units on April 24, 2020, the Company issued
to H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC, as placement agent, warrants to purchase 118,073 shares of common stock. The warrants were
issued in reliance on the exemption from registration provided by Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act and Rule 506(b) of Regulation
D promulgated thereunder. These warrants have substantially similar terms as the April 2020 Warrants described above, except that
the placement agent warrant issued has an exercise price of $3.97 per share.
The
Company estimated the fair value of the common stock warrants issued in April, with an exercise price of $3.97 per share, to be
$167 using a Black Scholes model based on the following significant inputs: common stock price of $2.40; comparable company volatility
of 87.9%; remaining term 5.5 years; dividend yield of 0% and risk-free interest rate of 0.18%.
Common
Stock Warrants Issued in October 2020 Private Warrant Inducement
In
October 2020, in connection with an inducement agreement with an existing accredited investor to exercise 1,700,680 outstanding
warrants to purchase an equal number of shares of the Company’s common stock, the Company issued new unregistered warrants
to purchase up to an aggregate of 1,700,680 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $1.725 per share. The warrants issued
were immediately exercisable with an exercise period of five and one-half years from the date of issuance. The Original Warrants
were issued on March 6, 2020 and on April 24, 2020. Pursuant to the Letter Agreement, the per share exercise price of the Original
Warrants were reduced from $2.88 and $3.05, respectively, to $1.725. The Company estimated the fair value of the common stock
warrants, exercisable at $1.725 per share, to be $1,806 using a Black Scholes model based on the following significant inputs:
common stock price of $1.47; comparable company volatility of 96.5%; remaining term 5.5 years; dividend yield of 0% and risk-free
interest rate of 0.18%.
F- 20
SENESTECH,
INC.
NOTES
TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(In
thousands, except share and per share data)
9.
Common Stock
Warrants and Common Stock Warrant Liability – (continued)
Common
Stock Warrants Issued to Placement Agent in October 2020 Inducement Offering
In
connection with the private warrant inducement in October 2020 of 1,700,680 shares of the Company’s common warrants, the
Company issued to H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC, as placement agent, warrants to purchase 85,034 shares of common stock. These
warrants have substantially similar terms as the 2020 Warrants described above, except that the placement agent warrant issued
in October 2020 has an exercise price of $2.156 per share.
The
Company estimated the fair value of these common stock warrants, with an exercise price of $2.156 per share, to be $86 using a
Black Scholes model based on the following significant inputs: common stock price of $1.47; comparable company volatility of 96.5%;
remaining term 5.5 years; dividend yield of 0% and risk-free interest rate of 0.18%.
Deemed
Dividend Adjustment-Warrant Modified Terms Revaluation
On
December 2, 2019, in connection with the settlement of a filed lawsuit against the Company on February 20, 2018 by New Enterprises,
Ltd. (“New Enterprises”), the Company agreed to modify the terms of 6,934 common stock warrants that were originally
issued to New Enterprises between September 2015 and February 2016. Specifically, the original strike price was reduced to $20.00
per warrant from $150.00 per warrant and the expiration date of these warrants was extended one year to December 13, 2020.
Per
guidance of ASC 260, the Company recorded a deemed dividend of $11 on the 6,934 unexercised warrants that were affected by the
modification of terms. The dividend was calculated as the difference between the fair value of the warrants immediately prior
to modification of terms and immediately after the adjustment using a Black Scholes model based on the following significant inputs:
On December 2, 2019: common stock price of $12.00; comparable company volatility of 73.2%; remaining term 0.01 years; dividend
yield of 0% and risk-free interest rate of 1.63. As adjusted, common stock price of $12.00; comparable company volatility of 73.2%;
remaining term 1.01 years; dividend yield of 0% and risk-free interest rate of 1.63.
On
March 3, 2020, the Company issued an aggregate of 51,414 common shares in a cashless exercise of 56,625 warrants issued in December
2016 and November 2017. Consideration for the exercise of these warrants was the full settlement of an outstanding litigation
reserve of $238.
On
October 26, 2020, in connection with the private warrant inducement with an existing accredited investor to exercise 1,700,680
outstanding warrants (“Original Warrants”), the Company agreed to modify the terms of the Original Warrants that were
originally issued on March 6, 2020 and on April 24, 2020. Pursuant to the agreement, the per share exercise price of the Original
Warrants were reduced from $2.88 and $3.05, respectively, to $1.725.
Per
recent proposed guidance of ASC 260, the Company determined that this was an exchange of the existing 1,700,680 warrants that
were affected and the difference between the fair value of the warrants immediately prior to modification of terms and immediately
after the adjustment was a cost of raising capital and was recorded as a reduction of equity. The difference between the fair
value of the warrants immediately prior to modification of terms and immediately after the adjustment was calculated as $237,
using a Black Scholes model based on the following significant inputs: On October 26, 2020: common stock price of $1.47; comparable
company volatility of 96.5%; remaining term 4.5-4.8 years; dividend yield of 0% and risk-free interest rate of 0.18.
F- 21
SENESTECH,
INC.
NOTES
TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(In
thousands, except share and per share data)
10.
Stockholders’
Deficit
Capital
Stock
The
Company was organized under the laws of the state of Nevada on July 27, 2004 and was subsequently reincorporated under the laws
of the state of Delaware on November 10, 2015. In connection with the reincorporation, as approved by the stockholders, the Company
changed its authorized capital stock to consist of (i) 100 million shares of common stock, $.001 par value, and (ii) 2 million
shares of preferred stock, $0.001 par value, designated as Series A convertible preferred stock. In December 2015, the Company
amended its Certificate of Incorporation to change its authorized capital stock to provide for 15 million authorized shares of
preferred stock of which 7,515,000 was designated as Series B convertible preferred stock, par value $.001 per share.
Prior
to November 10, 2015, the Company’s authorized capital stock consisted of 100 million shares of common stock, $.001 par
value, and 10 million shares of preferred stock, $.001 par value.
Common
Stock
The
Company had 5,099,512 and 1,414,671 shares of common stock issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019,
respectively.
During
the year ended December 31, 2020, the Company issued 3,684,841 shares of common stock as follows:
●
an
aggregate of 177,500 shares in connection with a registered direct offering generating net proceeds to the Company in January
2020 of approximately $973, as further described below;
●
an
aggregate of 176,372 shares in connection with a registered direct offering generating
net proceeds to the Company in March 2020 of approximately $462, as further described
below;
●
an
aggregate of 1,700,680 shares in connection with an inducement offering exercise of warrants,
generating net proceeds to the Company in October 2020 of approximately $2,600, as further
described below;
●
an
aggregate of 1,574,308 shares in connection with a public offering and exercise of pre-funded warrants issued in connection
with said public offering, generating net proceeds to the Company in April 2020 of approximately $4,306, as further described
below;
●
an
aggregate of 51,414 shares for the exercise of outstanding warrants in settlement of an outstanding litigation reserve of
$238 (see Note 9 - Common Stock Warrants and Common Stock Warrant Liability for further details);
●
an
aggregate of 4,543 shares for service as a result of the vesting of restricted stock units; and
●
an
aggregate of 24 shares for true up of shares as a result of the 1-for-20 reverse stock split effected in February 2020.
Public
Offerings and Registered Direct Offerings
On
October 26, 2020, the Company closed a private warrant inducement agreement with an existing accredited investor to exercise certain
outstanding warrants to purchase an aggregate of 1,700,680 shares of the Company’s common stock at an exercise price per
share of $1.725 (the “Original Warrants”). The Original Warrants were issued on March 6, 2020 and on April 24, 2020.
Pursuant to the agreement, the per share exercise price of the Original Warrants were reduced from $2.88 and $3.05, respectively,
to $1.725.
F- 22
SENESTECH,
INC.
NOTES
TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(In
thousands, except share and per share data)
10.
Stockholders’
Deficit – (continued)
1,524,308
shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of the Original Warrants issued on March 6, 2020 are registered for resale pursuant
to an effective registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-237563) and all 176,372 shares of common stock issuable upon
exercise of the Original Warrants issued on April 24, 2020 are registered for resale pursuant to an effective registration statement
on Form S-3 (File No. 333-236302). The net proceeds to the Company from the Exercise were approximately $2.6 million, after deducting
placement agent fees and offering expenses.
In
consideration for the immediate exercise of the Original Warrants for cash, the exercising holder will receive a new unregistered
warrant to purchase up to an aggregate of 1,700,680 shares of common stock (the “New Warrant”) in a private placement
pursuant to Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). The New Warrant will
have an exercise price of $1.725 per share, with an exercise period of five and one-half years from the date of issuance.
In
connection with the agreement, the Company agreed to issue the placement agent warrants to purchase up to 85,034 shares of common
stock (the “Placement Agent Warrants”). The Placement Agent Warrants have substantially the same terms as the Warrants,
except that the exercise price is $2.156 per share. The Placement Agent Warrants, and the shares of issuable upon exercise thereof,
will be issued in reliance on the exemption from registration provided in Section 4(a)(2) under of the Securities Act of 1933,
as amended (“Securities Act”) and Regulation D promulgated thereunder.
On
April 24, 2020, the Company closed a public offering of 145,586 Class A Units and 1,428,722 Class B Units. Each unit is comprised
of one share of common stock, par value $0.001 per share or common stock equivalent in the form of a pre-funded warrant and one
warrant to purchase one share of common stock. The Class A Units were offered at a public offering price of $3.176 per unit, and
the Class B Units were offered at a public offering price of $3.175 per unit priced at-the-market under Nasdaq rules, generating
net proceeds of approximately $4,306, including the full exercise of the pre-funded warrants sold in this offering and after deducting
certain fees due to the placement agent and other estimated transaction expenses.
Also,
in connection with the public offering noted above, the Company issued warrants to purchase 1,574,308 shares of common stock to
the participants in the public offering, with an exercise price of $3.05 per share. These warrants are immediately exercisable
and will expire April 24, 2025.
On
March 6, 2020, the Company closed a registered direct offering of an aggregate of 176,372 shares of our common Stock at a purchase
price of $3.005 per share for aggregate net proceeds of approximately $462, after deducting certain fees due to the placement
agent and other estimated transaction expenses. In addition, we also issued warrants exercisable for an aggregate of up to 176,372
shares of our common stock with an exercise price of $2.88 per share. In addition, in connection with the offering, we issued
the placement agent five-year warrants to purchase up to 13,228 shares of our common Stock at an exercise price of $3.7563 per
share.
On
January 28, 2020, the Company closed a registered direct offering of an aggregate of 177,500 shares of our common stock at a purchase
price of $8.00 per share for aggregate net proceeds of approximately $973, after deducting certain fees due to the placement agent
and other estimated transaction expenses. In addition, in a concurrent private placement, we also issued and sold warrants exercisable
for an aggregate of up to 177,500 shares of our common stock with an exercise price of $9.00 per share. In connection with the
offering, we issued the placement agent five-year warrants to purchase up to 13,312 shares of our common stock at an exercise
price of $10.00 per share.
F- 23
SENESTECH,
INC.
NOTES
TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(In
thousands, except share and per share data)
11.
Stock-based
Compensation
On
June 12, 2018, the Company’s stockholders approved the 2018 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2018 Plan”) to replace
the Company’s 2015 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2015 Plan”). On July 8, 2020, the Company’s stockholders
approved an amendment to the 2018 Plan to increase the number of shares of common stock available for issuance under the 2018
Plan by 800,000 shares from 50,000 to 850,000. In addition, up to 122,279 shares of our common stock previously reserved for issuance
under the 2015 Plan are available for issuance under the 2018 Plan to the extent such shares were available for issuance under
the 2015 Plan as of June 12, 2018 or thereafter cease to be subject to awards outstanding under the 2015 Plan, such as by expiration,
cancellation, or forfeiture of such awards.
Stock
options are generally issued with a per share exercise price equal to no less than fair market value of our common stock at the
date of grant. Options granted under the 2018 Plan generally vest immediately, or ratably over a two- to 36-month period coinciding
with their respective service periods. Options under the 2018 Plan generally have a term of five years. Certain stock option awards
provide for accelerated vesting upon a change in control.
As
of December 31, 2020, the Company had 430,622 shares of common stock available for issuance under the 2018 Plan.
Stock
Options
The
Company measures the fair value of stock options with service-based vesting criteria to employees, directors and consultants on
the date of grant using the Black-Scholes option pricing model. The Black-Scholes valuation model requires the Company to make
certain estimates and assumptions, including assumptions related to the expected price volatility of the Company’s stock,
the period under which the options will be outstanding, the rate of return on risk-free investments, and the expected dividend
yield for the Company’s stock.
The
weighted-average assumptions used in the Black-Scholes option-pricing model used to calculate the fair value of options granted
during the year ended December 31, 2020 were as follows:
Employee
Expected
volatility
88.1%-96.0%
Expected dividend
yield
-
Expected term
(in years)
5.0
Risk-free
interest rate
0.11-0.26%
The
weighted average grant date fair value of options granted during the year ended December 31, 2020 was $1.37 per share, as per
the table below.
The
weighted-average assumptions used in the Black-Scholes option-pricing model used to calculate the fair value of options granted
during the year ended December 31, 2019, were as follows:
Employee
Expected
volatility
71.0%-79.8%
Expected
dividend yield
-
Expected
term (in years)
3.0-5.0
Risk-free
interest rate
1.63%-2.48%
Due
to the Company’s limited operating history and lack of company-specific historical or implied volatility, the expected volatility
assumption was determined based on historical volatilities from traded options of biotech companies of comparable size and stability,
whose share prices are publicly available. The expected term of options granted to employees is calculated based on the mid-point
between the vesting date and the end of the contractual term according to the simplified method as described in SEC Staff Accounting
Bulletin 110 because the Company does not have sufficient historical exercise data to provide a reasonable basis upon which to
estimate the expected term due to the limited period of time its awards have been outstanding. For non-employee options, the expected
term of options granted is the contractual term of the options. The risk-free interest rate is determined by reference to the
implied yields of U.S. Treasury securities with a remaining term equal to the expected term assumed at the time of grant. The
expected dividend assumption is based on the Company’s history and expectation of dividend payouts. The Company has not
paid and does not intend to pay dividends.
F- 24
SENESTECH,
INC.
NOTES
TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(In
thousands, except share and per share data)
11.
Stock-based
Compensation – (continued)
The table
summarizes the stock option activity, for both the 2018 and 2015 Plans, for the periods indicated as follows:
Number
of
Options
Weighted
Average
Exercise
Price
Per
Share
Weighted
Average
Remaining
Contractual
Term
(years)
Aggregate
Intrinsic
Value
(1)
Outstanding
at December 31, 2018
86,059
$ 31.40
4.0
$ -
Granted
58,396
$ 25.80
4.9
$ -
Exercised
(3,450 )
$ 13.00
-
$ -
Forfeited
(3,445 )
$ -
-
$ -
Expired
(1,071 )
$ -
-
$ -
Outstanding
at December 31, 2019
136,489
$ 27.85
3.9
$ -
Granted
370,397
$ 1.37
4.9
$ -
Exercised
-
$ -
-
$ -
Forfeited
(10,415 )
$ -
-
$ -
Expired
-
$ -
-
$ -
Outstanding
at December 31, 2020
496,471
$ 8.63
3.9
$ -
Exercisable
at December 31, 2020
199,862
$ 15.75
1.8
$ -
(1)
The
aggregate intrinsic value on the table was calculated based on the difference between the estimated fair value of the Company’s
stock and the exercise price of the underlying option. The estimated stock values used in the calculation was $1.73 and $11.00
per share for each of the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively.
The weighted
average grant date fair value of options granted to employees for the year ended December 31, 2020 was $1.37 per share.
At December
31, 2020, the total compensation cost related to non-vested options not yet recognized was $850, which will be recognized over
a weighted average period of 27 months, assuming the grantees complete their service period required for vesting.
Restricted
Stock Units
The following
table summarizes restricted stock unit activity for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019:
Number
of
Units
Weighted
Average
Grant Date Fair Value Per Unit
Outstanding
as of December 31, 2018
6,813
$
19.60
Granted
6,191
(1)
$
30.20
Vested
(7,127
)
$
22.00
Forfeited
-
$
-
Outstanding
as of December 31, 2019
5,877
$
30.28
Granted
30,738
(2)
$
1.97
Vested
(4,543
)
$
1.42
Forfeited
-
$
-
Outstanding
as of December 31, 2020
32,072
$
4.05
(1)
314
restricted stock units were granted on February 14, 2019 with a weighted average grant date fair value of $17.09. 3,877 restricted
stock units were granted on June 18, 2019 with a weighted average grant date fair value of $28.40. 2,000 restricted stock
units were granted on June 30, 2019 with a weighted average grant date fair value of $36.00.
(2)
30,738
restricted stock units were granted on July 23, 2020 with a weighted average grant date fair value of $1.97.
F- 25
SENESTECH,
INC.
NOTES
TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(In
thousands, except share and per share data)
11.
Stock-based
Compensation – (continued)
The stock-based
compensation expense was recorded as follows:
Years
Ended December 31,
2020
2019
Research
and development
$ 9
$ 14
General
and administrative
636
859
Total
stock-based compensation expense
$ 645
$ 873
The allocation
between research and development and general and administrative expense was based on the department and services performed by
the employee or non-employee.
12.
Income Taxes
The components
of the pretax loss from operations for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019 are as follows (in thousands)
Years
Ended December 31,
2020
2019
U.S.
Domestic
(8,373 )
(10,029 )
Foreign
-
-
Pretax
loss from operations
(8,373 )
(10,029 )
The provision
for income taxes from continuing operations for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019 are as follows:
Years
Ended December 31,
2020
2019
Current
Federal
-
-
State
-
-
Foreign
-
-
Total
current
-
-
Deferred
Federal
-
-
State
-
-
Foreign
-
-
Total
deferred
-
-
Total
income tax expense (benefit)
-
-
Tax
Rate Reconciliation
A reconciliation
of income taxes to the amount computed by applying the statutory federal income tax rate to the net loss is summarized as follows
(in thousands):
Years
Ended December 31,
2020
2019
Income
tax benefit at statutory rates
(1,758 )
(2,106 )
State
income tax, net of federal benefit
(309 )
(337 )
Permanent
items
1
5
Stock-based
compensation
84
27
Tax
Rate Adjustment – TCJA
-
-
Change
in rate
-
-
Stock
Compensation DTA Adjustment
-
-
Change
in Valuation Allowance
1982
2,408 )
RTP
and Other
-
3
Income
tax expense (benefit)
-
-
F- 26
SENESTECH,
INC.
NOTES
TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(In
thousands, except share and per share data)
12.
Income
Taxes – (continued)
Significant
components of the Company’s deferred tax assets as of December 31, 2020 and 2019 are shown below.
A valuation
allowance has been recognized to offset the net deferred tax assets as realization of such deferred tax assets have not met the
more likely than not threshold.
December
31,
2020
2019
Deferred
tax assets:
ASC
842 Leases
167
173
Federal
and State Net Operating Loss Carryovers
17,548
15,492
Stock
Based Compensation
289
230
Compensation
Accruals and Other
84
245
Depreciation
17
-
Total
deferred tax assets
18,105
16,140
Valuation
Allowance for deferred tax assets
(17,940 )
(15,958 )
Deferred
tax assets, net of valuation allowance
165
182
Deferred
tax liabilities:
Depreciation
-
(8 )
ASC
842 Assets
(165 )
(174
Total
deferred tax liabilities
(165 )
(182 )
-
-
At December
31, 2020, the Company has federal and state net operating loss carryforwards of approximately $69.5 million and $56.1 million,
respectively, not considering the IRC Section 382 annual limitation discussed below. The federal loss carryforwards begin to expire
in 2029, unless previously utilized. In addition, the Company has approximately $25.1 million of the total $69.5 million of net
operating losses that do not expire, as these losses were generated after the law change introduced as part of the Tax Cuts and
Jobs Act.
Additionally,
the utilization of the net operating loss carryforwards could be subject to an annual limitation under Section 382 and 383 of
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, and similar state tax provisions due to ownership change limitations that have occurred previously
or that could occur in the future. These ownership changes limit the amount of net operating loss carryforwards and other deferred
tax assets that can be utilized to offset future taxable income and tax, respectively. In general, an ownership change, as defined
by Section 382 and 383, results from transactions increasing ownership of certain stockholders or public groups in the stock of
the corporation by more than 50 percentage points over a three-year period. The Company has not conducted an analysis of an ownership
change under section 382. To the extent that a study is completed and an ownership change is deemed to occur, the Company’s
net operating losses could be limited.
The following
table summarizes the activity related to the Company’s gross unrecognized tax benefits at the beginning and end of the years
ended December 31, 2020 and 2019 (in thousands):
Years
Ended December 31,
2020
2019
Gross
unrecognized tax benefits at the beginning of the year
-
-
Increases
related to current year positions
-
-
Increases
related to prior year positions
-
-
Decreases
related to prior year positions
-
-
Expiration
of unrecognized tax benefits
-
-
Gross
unrecognized tax benefits at the end of the year
-
-
None
of the unrecognized tax benefits would affect the Company’s annual effective tax rate.
The
Company does not expect a significant change in unrecognized tax benefits over the next 12 months.
The
Company files income tax returns in the United States and Arizona with general statutes of limitations of 3 and 4 years, respectively.
Due to net operating losses incurred, the Company’s tax returns from inception to date are subject to examination by taxing
authorities. The Company’s policy is to recognize interest expense and penalties related to income tax matters as a component
of income tax expense. As of December 31, 2020, the Company had no interest or penalties accrued for uncertain tax positions.
F- 27
SENESTECH,
INC.
NOTES
TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(In
thousands, except share and per share data)
12.
Income
Taxes – (continued)
On
March 27, 2020, the United States enacted the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). The Cares Act is
an emergency economic stimulus package that includes spending and tax breaks to strengthen the United States economy and fund
a nationwide effort to curtail the effect of COVID-19. While the CARES Act provides sweeping tax changes in response to the COVID-19
pandemic, some of the more significant provisions which are expected to impact the Company’s financial statements include
removal of certain limitations on utilization of net operating losses, increasing the loss carryback period for certain losses
to five years, and increasing the ability to deduct interest expense, as well as amending certain provisions of the previously
enacted Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. The Company has concluded that the CARES Act did not have a material impact on its financial position,
results of operations, or cash flows.
On
December 27, 2020, the United States enacted the Consolidated Appropriations Act which extended many of the benefits of the CARES
Act that were scheduled to expire. The Company is evaluating the impact of the Consolidated Appropriations Act on its consolidated
financial statements and related disclosures, but does not anticipate the impact to be material.
13.
Commitments
and Contingencies
Legal
Proceedings
The
Company may be subject to legal proceedings and claims arising from contracts or other matters from time to time in the ordinary
course of business. Management is not aware of any pending or threatened litigation where the ultimate disposition or resolution
could have a material adverse effect on its financial position, results of operations or liquidity.
Lease
Commitments
The
Company is obligated under finance leases for certain research and computer equipment that expire on various dates through July
2023. At December 31, 2020, the gross amount of office and computer equipment, and research equipment and the related accumulated
amortization recorded under the finance leases was $478 and $356, respectively.
In
February 2012, the Company entered into an operating lease for its then corporate headquarters in Flagstaff, Arizona. The lease
was originally due to expire in January 2015. In December 2013, the Company amended its lease to expand into the remaining area
in the building and extended the term to December 31, 2019. In February 2014, the Company further amended the lease to expand
into an adjacent building. The lease requires escalating rental payments over the lease term. Minimum rental payments under the
operating lease are recognized on a straight-line basis over the term of the lease and accordingly, the Company records the difference
between the cash rent payments and the recognition of rent expense as a deferred rent liability. The lease was guaranteed by the
former President of the Company. In December 2019, we extended the current lease for only our manufacturing facilities are located
in Flagstaff, Arizona, occupying a total of 7,632 square feet of space. The lease for our manufacturing facilities expired in
December 2020.
On
November 16, 2016, we leased an additional 1,954 square feet of research and development space, also in Flagstaff. This lease
expired on November 15, 2018 but was extended for an additional 24 months, through November 2020. A subsequent amendment to the
lease allows for the Company to cancel the lease at any time through the lease term with 30 days notice. The Company provided
a 30-day cancellation notice effective February 2020.
On
December 1, 2019, we entered into a lease for our corporate headquarters in Phoenix, Arizona where we lease and occupy approximately
5,529 square feet of office space. This lease expires in November 2024.
On
August 1, 2020, we entered into a lease for our manufacturing and research facility in Phoenix, Arizona where we occupy approximately
5,105 square feet of manufacturing and warehouse space. This lease expires on November 30, 2024.
We
believe that our existing facilities are adequate and meet our current needs for business, manufacturing and research.
Rent
expense was $286 and $253 for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. The future minimum lease payments under
non-cancellable operating lease and future minimum finance lease payments as of December 31, 2020 are follows:
Finance
Leases
Operating
Lease
Years
Ending December 31,
2021
58
190
2022
28
194
2023
-
198
2024
-
186
Total
minimum lease payments
$ 86
$ 768
F- 28
SENESTECH,
INC.
NOTES
TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(In
thousands, except share and per share data)
13.
Commitments
and Contingencies – (continued)
Finance
Leases
Less:
amounts representing interest (6.39%, ranging from 10.48% to 11.56%)
$ (7 )
Present
value of minimum lease payments
79
Less:
current installments under finance lease obligations
(52 )
Total
long-term portion
$ 27
14.
Subsequent
Events
On
February 2, 2021, the Company consummated a private placement agreement with certain institutional and accredited investors and
issued an aggregate of 3,968,854 shares of its common stock, par value $0.001 per share at a purchase price of $2.2785 per share,
pre-funded warrants to purchase up to an aggregate of 420,000 shares of common stock at a purchase price of $2.2775 per pre-funded
warrant and associated warrants to purchase up to an aggregate of 2,194,427 shares of common stock, for gross proceeds of approximately
$10.0 million, prior to deducting placement agent fees and offering expenses.
The
pre-funded warrants have an exercise price of $0.001 per share, are exercisable immediately, and may be exercised at any time
until such pre-funded warrants are exercised in full. The warrants have an exercise price of $2.216 per share, are exercisable
immediately, and have an exercise period of five and one-half years from the date of issuance. A holder of a pre-funded warrant
or the warrant may not exercise any portion of such holder’s pre-funded warrants or warrants to the extent that the holder,
together with its affiliates, would beneficially own more than 4.99% (or, at the election of the holder, 9.99%) of the Company’s
outstanding shares of common stock immediately after exercise, except that upon at least 61 days’ prior notice from the
holder to the Company, the holder may increase the beneficial ownership limitation to up to 9.99% of the number of shares of common
stock outstanding immediately after giving effect to the exercise. At March 29, 2021, all 420,000 pre-funded shares had been distributed.
The
net proceeds to the company from the private placement were approximately $9.2 million, after deducting placement agent fees and
expenses and estimated offering expenses payable by the Company. The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the private
placement for general corporate purposes.
In
connection with the private placement agreement, the Company entered into a registration rights agreement with the purchasers,
pursuant to which, among other things, the Company will prepare and file with the Securities and Exchange Commission a registration
statement on Form S-3 to register for resale the shares and the shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise of the pre-funded
warrants and the warrants.
H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC acted as exclusive placement agent for
the private placement. In connection with the private placement, the Company agreed to pay the placement agent a cash fee equal to 7.5%
of the gross proceeds of the private placement and a management fee of 1.0% of the gross proceeds of the private placement and reimburse
the placement agent for a non-accountable expense allowance of $25 and accountable expenses of $50. The Company also agreed to issue
the placement agent warrants to purchase up to 7.5% of the aggregate number of shares issuable to the investors in the private placement,
or 329,164 shares of Common Stock with an exercise price of $2.8481 per share. The warrants are exercisable immediately and have an exercise
period of five and one-half years from the date of issuance.
On March 23, 2021, the Company consummated a registered direct
offering with certain institutional investors and issued an aggregate of 1,975,000 shares of the Company’s common stock, par value
$0.001 per share at a purchase price of $2.00 per share for gross proceeds to the Company of approximately $3.95 million, before deducting
fees payable to the placement agent and other estimated offering expenses payable by the Company. The 1,975,000 shares of Common Stock
sold in the Offering were offered and sold pursuant to a prospectus, dated August 24, 2018, and a prospectus supplement, dated March
22, 2021, in connection with a takedown from the Company’s shelf registration statement (“ Registration Statement ”)
on Form S-3 (File No. 333-225712).
In connection with the Offering, the Company agreed to pay the placement
agent a cash fee equal to 7.5% of the gross proceeds of the Offering, a management fee of 1% of the gross proceeds of the Offering,
a non-accountable expense allowance of $25 and up to $50 for reasonable and documented out-of-pocket expenses. The Company also
agreed to issue the placement agent warrants to purchase up to 7.5% of the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock sold in the
Offering, or 148,125 shares of Common Stock. The Placement Agent Warrants will be exercisable commencing six months following the
date of issuance, expire five years following the date of sale and have an exercise price per share of $2.50 per share. The Placement
Agent Warrants, and the shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise thereof, will be issued in reliance on the exemption from
registration provided in Section 4(a)(2) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Regulation D promulgated thereunder.
On March 19, 2021, the Company issued an aggregate of 700,680 shares
of commons stock for the exercise of certain warrants. The net proceeds to the Company for these exercises was $1,209.
COVID-19
The
travel and other restrictions that began in March 2020 in response to the COVID-19 global pandemic have resulted in a significant
slowdown in our field studies and sales efforts. We were able to resume some projects by late-April 2020, however, we still have
delays on certain projects that might remain on hold until certain government restrictions are lifted. These delays have impacted
our results of operations and could impact our results in future quarters. In addition, stay at home orders and other social distancing
initiatives continue to severely limit our ability to communicate with current and potential commercial customers. The COVID-19
pandemic is also placing a significant budgetary burden on federal, state and local governments, which may impede or delay their
ability to purchase our products.
The Company has evaluated subsequent events from the balance sheet
date through March 29, 2021, the date at which the financial statements were issued, and determined that there were no other items that
require adjustment to or disclosure in the financial statements.
F- 29
Item
9. Changes
in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure .
None.
Item
9A. Controls
and Procedures.
Evaluation
of Disclosure Controls and Procedures
We maintain
disclosure controls and procedures that are designed to ensure that the information required to be disclosed in the reports that
we file or submit under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (“Exchange Act”) is recorded, processed, summarized and
reported within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms, and that such information is accumulated and communicated
to our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions
regarding required disclosure.
In connection
with the preparation of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, our management carried out an evaluation, under the supervision and with
the participation of our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, as of December 31, 2020, of the effectiveness of
the design and operation of our disclosure controls and procedures, as such term is defined under Rule 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)
under the Exchange Act. Based upon this evaluation, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that our
disclosure controls and procedures were effective as of December 31, 2020.
Management’s
Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
Management
is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting as defined in Rules 13a-15(f)
or 15d-15(f) under the Exchange Act of 1934. Our internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable
assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in
accordance with U.S. GAAP. All internal control systems, no matter how well designed, have inherent limitations. Even those systems
determined to be effective can provide only reasonable assurance with respect to financial statement preparation and presentation.
Management is committed to continue monitoring our internal controls over financial reporting and will modify or implement additional
controls and procedures that may be required to ensure the ongoing integrity of our consolidated financial statements.
With
the participation of our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, management conducted an evaluation of the effectiveness
of internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2020. In making this assessment, the Company used the framework
established in Internal Control—Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway
Commission, (COSO). Based on this assessment, management has concluded that internal control over financial reporting was effective
as of December 31, 2020 based on those criteria.
This
annual report does not include an attestation report of the company’s registered public accounting firm due to a transition
period established by rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission for smaller reporting companies and emerging growth companies.
Changes
in Internal Control over Financial Reporting
There
was no change in our internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the quarter ended December 31, 2020, that
has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.
Item
9B. Other
Information.
None.
33
PART
III
Item
10. Directors,
Executive Officers and Corporate Governance.
Executive
Officers and Directors
Set
forth below is a list of the names, ages, positions and a brief account of the business experience of the individuals who serve
as our current executive officers and directors.
Name of Director
Age
Position
Director
Since
Term
Expires
Kenneth Siegel
65
Chief Executive Officer and Director
2019
2022 (Class III)
Thomas C. Chesterman
61
Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and Assistant Secretary
N/A
N/A
Jamie Bechtel, JD, Ph.D
48
Chair of the Board and Director
2018
2021 (Class II)
Delphine François Chiavarini
45
Director
2018
2021 (Class II)
Marc Dumont
77
Director
2016
2023 (Class I)
Steven Krause, Ph.D.
61
Executive Vice President, Sales and Marketing
N/A
N/A
Matthew Szot
46
Director
2015
2022 (Class III)
Phil Grandinetti
49
Director
2020
2021 (Class II)(1)
K.C. Kavanagh
51
Director
2020
2022 (Class III)(1)
Jake Leach
43
Director
2020
2023 (Class I)(1)
Kim Wolin
65
Executive Vice President, Operations and Secretary
N/A
N/A
(1) On November 5, 2020, the Board appointed Phil Grandinetti, K.C.
Kavanagh and Jake Leach to serve on the Board as independent directors.
Kenneth
Siegel was appointed to our board of directors in February 2019 and appointed Chief Executive Officer in May 2019. Mr. Siegel
has over 25 years of experience as an executive and senior leader of major corporations. From December 2016 to November 2018,
Mr. Siegel served in key leadership roles at Diamond Resorts International Inc., a global vacation ownership company, most recently
as President since March 2017. Prior to Diamond Resorts, he served as Chief Administrative Officer and General Counsel of Starwood
Hotels & Resorts, a branded lifestyle hospitality company. An instrumental member of the Starwood leadership team, Mr. Siegel
was intimately involved in Starwood’s emergence as an industry leader before its acquisition by Marriott International in
2016. Part of Mr. Siegel’s role included leading Starwood’s Corporate Social Responsibility Programs. He introduced
industry-leading initiatives in sustainability, energy and water conservation and education. He implemented numerous programs
to reduce the Company’s impact on the planet and became a passionate advocate for methods that could be both effective and
environmentally sustainable. Prior to joining Starwood in 2000, Mr. Siegel spent four years as the Senior Vice President and General
Counsel of Cognizant Corporation and its successor companies. Mr. Siegel has a bachelor’s degree from Cornell University
and a juris doctorate degree from New York University. We believe that Mr. Siegel is qualified to serve as a member of our board
of directors because of his experience and knowledge in all facets of corporate operations and governance, including business,
operational, corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions, marketing and branding gained as a senior executive of major public
corporations.
Thomas
Chesterman joined our company in September 2015 and has served as our Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer
and Assistant Secretary since December 2015. He has over 25 years of experience as the chief financial officer of a public company
in the life science, technology and telecommunications industries. Most recently, he was the vice president and treasurer of General
Communication Inc., a telecommunications company in Alaska, from 2013 to 2015. Previously, he was the chief financial officer
of life science companies Bionovo Inc. from 2007 to 2012, Aradigm Corp. from 2002 to 2007 and Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. from
1996 to 2002. Mr. Chesterman is adept at a variety of capital market access techniques and has significant experience in developing
the operational and financial infrastructures in companies to help support successful and rapid growth. Mr. Chesterman earned
a bachelor’s degree from Harvard University and an M.B.A. from the University of California at Davis.
34
Steven
Krause, Ph.D. joined our company in February 2020 as Executive Vice President, Sales and Marketing. Mr. Krause has over 25
years of experience in the agriculture and public health pest management markets worldwide. He has held a variety of positions
in sales, marketing, and business management at Paramount Pest, Abbott Labs and Valent BioSciences Corporation, most recently
serving from January 2014 until February 2020 as Director, Global Public Health and Forest Business Unit at Valent BioSciences
Corporation, a provider of technologies and products for the agricultural, public health, forestry and household markets. Mr.
Krause has significant experience integrating new biorational-based product solutions into operational programs. As a specialist
in integrated pest management, he spearheaded a program with the World Health Organization to launch a new class of pesticide
to the global B2B and B2G vector control markets. He is a recipient of Abbott’s Summit Award for sales excellence, and his
team was recognized for halting transmission of the Zika virus in Miami with a Chicago Innovation Award 2017. Mr. Krause earned
a BS from James Madison University, an MS from the University of Delaware, a Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin and an MBA
from Loyola University Chicago.
Kim
Wolin joined our company as a marketing technologist in May 2013, and in May 2014 was appointed executive vice president of
operations. From January 2009 to May 2013, she was a vice president, branch sales and service manager of Sunwest Bank, a community
bank located in Flagstaff, Arizona. From November 1996 to December 2009, Ms. Wolin held the positions of assistant vice president,
branch manager and Licensed Financial Advisor at Wells Fargo Bank. She has owned and operated Creative Net Solutions, a website
design and hosting business, since 1994. From 1984 to 1992, Ms. Wolin owned and operated Kodas Produce Market, a health food and
organic produce store in Oakland, California. Ms. Wolin earned a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the State University
of New York at Buffalo in 1977.
Jamie
Bechtel, JD, Ph.D. was elected to the board of directors in January 2018. Dr. Bechtel is the co-founder and a board member
of New Course, an organization focused on women-led conservation initiatives, and founder and chief executive officer of Kito
Impact Foundation, a non-profit focused on integrating corporate social responsibility into small and medium sized businesses.
Before founding Kito Impact Foundation and New Course, Dr. Bechtel worked for seven years at Conservation International, where
she worked in over 20 countries including Costa Rica, Fiji, Mexico, and South Africa. Dr. Bechtel was also an advisor to the Clinton
Global Initiative. Dr. Bechtel holds a Ph.D. from Boston University, a law degree from Boston College and a bachelor’s degree
from Boston University. We believe that Dr. Bechtel is qualified to serve as a member of our board of directors because she is
a highly regarded leader in international conservation, and her work has led to strategic advances in the fields of conservation,
sustainable finance and biology.
Delphine
François Chiavarini was elected to the board of directors in June 2018. Ms. Chiavarini is vice president and general
manager of U.S. at Moen, a faucet manufacturing company. She joined Moen in June 2017 and is responsible for developing strategies
for profitable growth, increasing Moen’s market share and ensuring winning execution in the U.S. market. Before joining
Moen, from August 2014 to June 2017, Ms. Chiavarini was senior vice president and general manager Food and Beverage North America
at Ecolab, a global leader in water, hygiene and energy technologies and services that protect people and vital resources. She
also held several executive positions with Newell Brands, where she was responsible for leadership in brand and business transformation
through impactful P&L management, strategic planning and change management. Prior to Newell, Ms. Chiavarini spent time in
sales and marketing in the luxury goods and retail sectors, spanning B2C and B2B in multiple geographies and categories. Ms. Chiavarini
earned both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree from Audencia Business School in Nantes, France, and attended executive
programs at The University of Chicago Booth School of Business and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. We believe
that Ms. Chiavarini is qualified to serve as a member of our board of directors because of her experience developing strategies
for profitable growth and her experience as an executive at multiple companies.
Marc
Dumont was elected to our board of directors in January 2016. Mr. Dumont is owner, chairman and chief executive officer of
Chateau de Messey Wineries in Burgundy, France, a wine producer, a position he has held since March 1995. Mr. Dumont served as
the president of PSA International SA (a PSA Peugeot Citroen Group company) from January 1981 to March 1995. Prior to that, he
held various positions for Chrysler Corporation in Detroit, Mexico City and London. He is an international financial consultant
and advisor for clients in Europe and Asia, as well as the United States. He has served as the chairman of Sanderling Ventures
(a European affiliate of a U.S. venture capital firm) since 1996. In the past, Mr. Dumont has served as director of Finter Bank
Zurich, Irvine Sensors Corporation and Novalog Corporation in Costa Mesa, CA, NUKO Information Systems Inc. in San Jose, CA, and
Banque Internationale in Luxembourg, all of which were public companies. Mr. Dumont holds a degree in Electrical Engineering and
Applied Economics from the University of Louvain, Belgium and an MBA from the University of Chicago. We believe Mr. Dumont is
qualified to serve as a member of our board of directors because of his experience and knowledge of corporate finance, international
business development and operations, and his experience as a past director of other public and private companies.
35
Matthew
Szot was elected to our board of directors in December 2015 and has served as Chairman of our Audit Committee Chairman since
then. Since March 2010, he has served as the chief financial officer of S&W Seed Company, a Nasdaq-listed agricultural seed
technology company. Since September 2020, Mr. Szot has served on the board of directors and as Chairman of the Audit and Compensation
committees of INVO Bioscience, Inc, a Nasdaq-listed medical device company. From June 2018 to August 2019, Mr. Szot served on
the board of directors and as Chairman of the Audit Committee of Eastside Distilling, Inc. a Nasdaq-listed craft spirits company.
From February 2007 until October 2011, Mr. Szot served as the chief financial officer for Cardiff Partners, LLC, a strategic consulting
company that provided executive financial services to various publicly traded and privately held companies. From 2003 to December
2006, Mr. Szot served as chief financial officer and secretary of Rip Curl, Inc., a market leader in wetsuit and action sports
apparel products. From 1996 to 2003, Mr. Szot was a Certified Public Accountant with KPMG and served as an Audit Manager for various
publicly traded companies. Mr. Szot has a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Economics/Accountancy from the University
of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana and is a Certified Public Accountant in the State of California. We believe that Mr. Szot is qualified
to serve as a member of our board of directors because of his experience and knowledge of corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions,
corporate governance, as well as other operational, financial and accounting matters gained as a past and present chief financial
officer and director of other public and private companies.
Julia
Williams, M.D. was elected to our board of directors in August 2011. Since February 2019, she has been practicing in a critical
access area in rural Arizona at Little Colorado Medical Center. Dr. Williams is also the founder and President of Humanitarian
Efforts Reaching Out, or HERO, a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that provides humanitarian services including medical and dental
care, alternative power sources, solar cookers, vitamins, eyeglasses, nutritional support and animal care. HERO’s mission
is to help build healthy sustainable communities in underdeveloped nations around the world. After retiring in March 2017 from
17 years of practice as an Emergency Department physician at Flagstaff Medical Center, she worked for TeamHealth, an American
hospital staffing firm, doing interim work in subacute medicine from January 2018 through October 2018. Dr. Williams received
her Doctor of Medicine from the University of Maryland School of Medicine and her Bachelor of Science from the University of Maryland.
On November 5, 2020, Dr. Julia Williams notified the Company of her intention to resign from the Board and its Compensation Committee
effective November 5, 2020. Dr. Williams will continue her involvement with the Company as a Director Emeritus with Board observer
rights. We believe that Dr. Williams is qualified to serve as a member of our board of directors because of her medical and scientific
background, commitment to and experience with animal care, and long commitment to our vision.
K.C.
Kavanagh was appointed to the board of directors by affirmative vote on November 5, 2020 . Ms. Kavanagh is a C-level
communications leader. A current member of Bacardi Limited’s Global Leadership Team and formerly a member of the 12-person
Senior Leadership Team of Starwood Hotels & Resorts, K.C. has significant experience leading global communications efforts
across 150+ countries, including a deep understanding of emerging markets like China, India, and the Middle East. Ms. Kavanagh
has led communications teams that have played an outsized role in influencing corporate culture, innovation, brand positioning,
unit growth, and financial results. During her time at Starwood, Ms. Kavanagh was a key member of the M&A team and a leader
of the Company’s integration team during a high-profile merger with Marriott International, delivering sensitive and transparent
communications internally and externally.
An
experienced speechwriter and seasoned 24/7 crisis manager, she has managed global-scale crises, beginning with the events of 9/11,
when she was tasked by Starwood’s Board to spearhead a new 60-person Crisis Management Team that strengthened protocols,
operations, and communications globally. Adept at taking complex strategies and making them understandable and exciting across
a diverse and global employee population, Ms. Kavanagh has helped create cultures that embrace change centered on technology,
globalization, and lifestyle brands. We believe that Ms. Kavanagh is qualified to serve as a member of our board of directors
because of her experience in communications, marketing, branding and public relations as well as her superior leadership skills.
36
Phil
Grandinetti was also appointed to the board of directors by affirmative vote on November 5, 2020. Mr. Grandinetti co-founded
WITHit after eight years as VP of Sales at LightWedge—a global e-book, e reader and tablet accessories brand. All told,
Grandinetti has spent the last 18 years in a leadership role for consumer products companies, including serving as Sr. VP of Sales
for GSM Products in Oceanside, CA. As co-founder of WITHit, he was instrumental in launching the company’s line of Wearable
Tech Accessories in 2014. WITHit products are sold through the largest and most influential retailers in the US with retail partners
including Walmart, Target, Best Buy, Sam’s Club, QVC, HSN, Kohl’s, and Barnes & Noble. Mr. Grandinetti joined
GSM Products as the U.S. Director of Sales and was quickly promoted to VP of Worldwide Sales, leading the company into Canada,
Mexico, U.K., and the Pacific Rim. Within a year, he was promoted again to Sr. VP Worldwide Sales. During his tenure at GSM, the
company realized unprecedented growth under Grandinetti’s guidance. Mr. Grandinetti has a J.D. from the University of San
Diego School of Law and is licensed in the State of California, as well as a B.A. from the University of Iowa in Economics and
Political Science. We believe that Mr. Grandinetti is qualified to serve as a member of our board of directors because of his
experience with retail sales and and marketing and the development and commercialization of new products.
Jake
Leach was also appointed to the board of directors by affirmative vote on November 5, 2020. As the Chief Technology Officer
at Dexcom, Mr. Leach is responsible for the leadership of scientific research, engineering, product development, and project management.
He oversees the development of next generation products and leads a large organization of people and his teams are responsible
for delivering best in class glucose monitoring technology paired with an exceptional user experience. Mr. Leach joined Dexcom
in March 2004 to lead the development of sensor electronics which were part of the first generation Dexcom system. He has served
in various roles within Dexcom including Senior Vice President of R&D, Senior Director of R&D, and Manager of Engineering.
From 1996 to 2004, Mr. Leach held positions in research and development at MiniMed and subsequently Medtronic Diabetes, focusing
on the development of glucose sensing systems. Mr. Leach holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering with a minor
in Biomedical Engineering from the University of California, Los Angeles. We believe that Mr. Leach is qualified to serve as a
member of our board of directors because of his R&D and innovative technology experience coupled with his commitment to quality
and extensive knowledge of domestic and international regulatory requirements.
Other
Involvement in Certain Legal Proceedings
We
are not aware of any of our directors or officers being involved in any legal proceedings in the past ten years relating to any
matters in bankruptcy, insolvency, criminal proceedings (other than traffic and other minor offenses), or being subject to any
of the items set forth under Item 401(f) of Regulation S-K that we consider material to the evaluation of the ability and integrity
of any director or executive officer.
Delinquent
Section 16(a) Reports
Section
16(a) of the Exchange Act requires our officers and directors and persons who own more than 10% of a registered class of our equity
securities to file with the SEC reports of ownership on Form 3 and changes in ownership on Form 4 and Form 5. Officers, directors
and greater-than-10% stockholders are required by Commission regulations to furnish to us copies of all Section 16(a) forms they
file. Based solely on our review of the copies of such forms received by us, forms filed electronically by the reporting person
or written representations from certain reporting persons, we believe that all Section 16(a) filing requirements during the fiscal
year ended December 31, 2020 were met in a timely manner by our officers, directors and greater-than-10% beneficial owners, except
for the following: one late Form 3 report was filed in 2020 by Mr. Krause, two late Forms 4 reports were filed disclosing two
transactions in 2020 by Mr. Dumont, one late Form 4 report disclosing one transaction in 2020 was filed by each of Ms. Bechtel,
Ms. Chiavarini, Mr. Szot, and Ms. Williams.
Audit
Committee
Our
audit committee currently consists of Matthew Szot, who is the chair of the audit committee, Delphine François Chiavarini
and Marc Dumont. The board of directors has designated Mr. Szot as an “audit committee financial expert” as defined
under applicable SEC rules and has determined that Mr. Szot possesses the requisite “financial sophistication” under
applicable Nasdaq rules. The board of directors has determined that, after consideration of all relevant factors, Mr. Szot qualifies
as an “independent” director under applicable SEC and Nasdaq rules.
Code
of Business Conduct and Ethics
We
have adopted a Code of Business Conduct and Ethics in compliance with applicable rules of the SEC that applies to all of our directors,
officers and other employees and consultants. A copy of this policy is available on our website at http://senestech.investorroom.com/
on the “Documents and Policies” page under the heading “Corporate Governance,” or free of charge upon
written request to the attention of our Secretary, by regular mail at our principal executive offices, email to inquiries@senestech.com
or fax at 928-526-0243. We will disclose, on our website, any amendment to, or a waiver from, a provision of our Code of Business
Conduct and Ethics that applies to our principal executive officer, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer
or controller, or persons performing similar functions and that relates to any element of the Code of Business Conduct and Ethics
enumerated in applicable rules of the SEC. In addition, we have adopted a policy for research misconduct, which also applies to
all officers, directors and employees.
37
Item
11. Executive
Compensation.
2020
DIRECTOR COMPENSATION
The
following table sets forth information regarding compensation earned by or paid to our non-employee directors during the year
ended December 31, 2020.
Name
Fees
Earned or
Paid in Cash
($) (1)
Stock
Awards
($) (2)
Option
Awards
($) (3)
Total
($)
Jamie
Bechtel, JD, Ph.D (6)
$
112,588
$
-
$
59,001
$
171,589
Delphine
François Chiavarini
$
43,438
$
-
$
59,001
$
102,439
Marc
Dumont
$
27,500
$
-
$
33,000
$
60,500
Matthew
K. Szot
$
43,750
$
-
$
43,001
$
86,751
Julia
Williams, M.D. (5)
$
20,625
$
-
$
29,000
$
49,625
Phil
Grandinetti (4)
$
-
$
-
$
27,387
$
27,387
K.C.
Kavanagh (4)
$
-
$
-
$
16,302
$
16,302
Jake
Leach (4)
$
-
$
-
$
27,387
$
27,387
(1)
These cash awards represent one half of 2020-2021 cash compensation for board service to be provided through the Annual Meeting in June 2021 (as detailed below) that was paid in calendar year 2020. The annual award is paid in four equal payments on July 1, 2020, October 1, 2020, January 2, 2021 and April 1, 2021. Only two of these quarterly payments were made in calendar year 2020. The fees earned or paid in cash reflects a 25% voluntary reduction in the quarterly cash compensation paid on April 1, 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
(2)
The amounts in this column reflect the aggregate grant date fair value of stock awards, none of which were granted in 2020. As of December 31, 2020, there were no unvested restricted stock units (“ RSUs ”) held by non-employee directors.
(3)
The amounts in this column reflect the aggregate grant date fair value of option awards granted in 2020, determined in accordance with ASC 718. As of December 31, 2020, the total number of shares subject to outstanding stock options held by each non-employee director was as follows: Dr. Bechtel, 52,230; Ms. Chiavarini, 31,076; Mr. Dumont, 29,212; Mr. Szot, 36,320; Dr. Williams, 24,981; Mr. Leach, 27,046; Mr. Grandinetti, 27,046; and Ms. Kavanagh, 16,099.
(4)
Mr. Grandinetti, Ms. Kavanagh and Mr. Leach were appointed to the board of directors in November 2020 and did not receive any cash (prorated) compensation in 2020. Mr. Grandinetti and Mr. Leach both elected to receive their prorated compensation in option awards.
(5)
On November 5, 2020, Dr. Williams notified the Company of her intention to resign from the Board and its Compensation Committee effective November 5, 2020. Dr. Williams will continue her involvement with the Company as an uncompensated Director Emeritus with Board observer rights. Compensation reflected on the table above represents compensation prior to November 5, 2020.
(6)
Included
in the $112,588 cash compensation paid to Ms. Bechtel is $50,400 paid to Kito Impact Foundation, of which Ms. Bechtel serves
as chief executive officer, in fiscal year 2020 for consulting services.
38
Non-Employee
Director Compensation Program
On
July 10, 2020, the board adopted a revised non-employee director compensation program (the “ Director Compensation Program ”)
for providing cash and equity compensation to its non-employee directors for their service on the board and committees of the
board. The components of the Director Compensation Program are as follows:
Cash Compensation:
Amount
Annual general retainer for service on the Board
$ 17,000
Annual general retainer for service on the Board-Chair
$ 20,000
Incremental annual retainers for chair of committees:
Audit
$ 15,000
Compensation
$ 15,000
Nominating and Corporate Governance
$ 15,000
Commercialization Committee (1)
$ -
Incremental annual retainers for members of committees:
Audit
$ 5,000
Compensation
$ 5,000
Nominating and Corporate Governance
$ 5,000
Commercialization Committee (1)
$ 5,000
Equity
Compensation:
Grant
details
(value of grant in $)
Annual
stock option grant for serving on the board
$25,000
Annual
stock option grant for serving on the board-Lead Director
$20,000
Annual
equity grants for serving as chair of committees:
Audit
$10,000
(Stock option)
Compensation
$10,000
(Stock option)
Nominating
and Corporate Governance
$10,000
(Stock option)
Commercialization
Committee (1)
$25,000(Stock
option)
Annual
equity grants for serving as member of committees:
Audit
$4,000
(Stock option)
Compensation
$4,000
(Stock option)
Nominating
and Corporate Governance
$4,000
(Stock option)
Commercialization
Committee (1)
$4,000
(Stock option)
(1) The
Commercialization / Sales Committee was eliminated at the June 18, 2020 meeting but was
reinstated as the Commercialization Committee on March 3, 2021.
The
options granted to non-employee directors pursuant to the Director Compensation Program will have an exercise price equal to the
closing market price of the Company’s Common Stock on the date of grant. The options will vest in equal quarterly installments
over a one-year period, and the options will expire on the fifth anniversary of the date of the grant.
In
addition, we reimburse non-employee directors for reasonable travel expenses for participation in board meetings and for travel
conducted on behalf of our business.
39
EXECUTIVE
OFFICER COMPENSATION
As
a smaller reporting company, we are not required to provide a separately-captioned “Compensation Discussion and Analysis”
section. However, in order to provide a greater understanding to our stockholders regarding our compensation policies and decisions
with respect to our “named executive officers” identified in the 2020 Summary Compensation Table below, we are including
the following narrative disclosure to highlight salient portions of our executive compensation program. This narrative disclosure
should be read in conjunction with the 2020 Summary Compensation Table below and the related tables that follow it.
As
a result of the challenges presented the impact of the coronavirus (or COVID-19) on the global economy and our business and financial
results, salaries to certain of our executive officers were voluntarily reduced by 25% for part of calendar year 2020 as described
below. A similar voluntary reduction was made to the cash retainers for non-employee directors as described under “2020
Director Compensation.”
Compensation
Philosophy and Processes
Compensation
for our executives and key employees is designed to attract and retain people who share our vision and values and who can consistently
perform in such a manner that enables us to achieve our strategic goals. The compensation committee believes that the total compensation
package for each of our executive officers is competitive with the market, thereby allowing us to retain executive talent capable
of leveraging the skills of our employees and our unique assets in order to increase stockholder value.
Our
executive compensation programs are designed to (1) motivate and reward our executive officers, (2) retain our executive officers
and encourage quality service, (3) incentivize our executive officers to appropriately manage risks while improving our financial
results, and (4) align executive officers’ interests with those of our stockholders. Under these programs, our executive
officers are rewarded for the achievement of Company objectives and the realization of increased stockholder value.
The
program seeks to remain competitive with the market while also aligning the executive compensation program with stockholder interests
through the following types of compensation: (i) base salary; (ii) annual cash-based incentive bonuses; and (iii) equity-based
incentive awards.
Key
Executive Compensation Objectives
The
compensation policies developed by the compensation committee are based on the philosophy that compensation should reflect both
Company-wide performance, financial and operational performance, and the individual performance of the executive, including management
of personnel under his or her supervision. The compensation committee’s objectives when setting compensation for our executive
officers include:
●
Setting
compensation levels that are sufficiently competitive such that they will motivate and reward the highest quality individuals
to contribute to our goals, objectives and overall financial success. This is done in part through reviewing and comparing
the compensation of other companies in our peer group.
●
Retaining
executives and encouraging their continued quality service, thereby encouraging and maintaining continuity of the management
team. Our competitive base salaries combined with cash and equity incentive bonuses, retirement plan benefits and the vesting
requirements of our equity-based incentive awards, encourage high-performing executives to remain with the Company.
●
Incentivizing
executives to appropriately manage risks while attempting to improve our financial results, performance and condition.
●
Aligning
executive and stockholder interests. The compensation committee believes the use of equity compensation as a key component
of executive compensation is a valuable tool for aligning the interests of our executive officers with those of our stockholders.
Our
compensation program is designed to reward superior performance of both the Company and of each individual executive and seeks
to encourage actions that drive our business strategy. Our compensation strategy is to provide a competitive opportunity for senior
executives, taking into account their total compensation packages.
40
Oversight
of Executive Compensation
The
Role of the Compensation Committee in Setting Compensation . Our compensation committee determines the compensation of our
executive officers other than that of our chief executive officer. The compensation committee also approves or makes recommendations
to our board of directors regarding equity compensation under our 2018 Plan. The compensation committee reviews base salary levels
for executive officers of our Company and approves raises and bonuses based upon the Company’s achievements, individual
performance and competitive and market conditions. The compensation of the Chief Executive Officer is evaluated and recommended
to the Board of Directors by the Nominating and Governance Committee. The Board of Directors has final authority to determine
the compensation of the Chief Executive Officer.
The
Role of Executives in Setting Compensation. While the compensation committee does not delegate any of its functions to others
in setting the compensation of senior management, it includes members of senior management in the compensation committee’s
executive compensation process. We have asked each of our senior executives to annually provide us with input with regard to their
goals for the coming year. These proposals include suggested Company-wide and individual performance goals. The individual goals
include not only the goals of such executive but also goals of the employees for whom the executive is responsible. The compensation
committee reviews these proposals with the executives and provides the committee’s perspective on them.
The Role of Consultants in Setting Compensation. As the
compensation committee deems necessary or helpful, it may retain the services of compensation consultants in connection with the
establishment and development of our compensation philosophy and programs in the future. In fiscal year 2020 the compensation committee
retained FW Cook, an independent compensation consultant, to assist it in its review of executive compensation.
Compensation
Risk Assessment
As
part of its risk assessment process, the compensation committee reviewed material elements of executive and non-executive employee
compensation. The compensation committee concluded that these policies and practices do not create risk that is reasonably likely
to have a material adverse effect on us.
The
structure of our compensation program for our executive officers does not incentivize unnecessary or excessive risk taking. The
base salary component of compensation does not encourage risk taking because it is a fixed amount. The incentive plan awards have
risk-limiting characteristics:
●
Annual
incentive awards to each of our executive officers are limited to the fixed maximum specified in the incentive plan;
●
Annual
incentive awards are based on a review of a variety of performance factors, thus diversifying the risk associated with any
single aspect of performance;
●
The
compensation committee, which is composed of independent members of our board of directors, approves final incentive plan
cash and stock awards in its discretion after reviewing executive and corporate performance; and
●
The
significant portion of long-term value is delivered in shares of our Company with a multi-year vesting schedule, which aligns
the interests of our executive officers to the long-term interests of our stockholders.
Elements
of Compensation
The
material elements of the compensation program for our named executive officers include: (i) base salary; (ii) cash-based incentive
bonuses; and (iii) equity-based incentive awards.
Base
Salaries. We provide each of our named executive officers with a base salary to compensate them for services rendered during
the fiscal year and sustained performance. The purpose of the base salary is to reflect job responsibilities, value to the Company
and competitiveness of the market. Salaries for our named executive officers are determined by the compensation committee, and
for the CEO, recommended by the Nominating and Governance Committee to the board of directors, based on the following factors:
nature and responsibility of the position and, to the extent available, salary norms for comparable positions; the expertise of
the individual executive; and the competitiveness of the market for the executive’s services.
Performance
Cash-Based Incentive Bonuses . Our practice is to award cash-based incentive bonuses, based in part on the achievement of performance
objectives or significant accomplishments as established by the compensation committee from time-to-time in its discretion. These
performance objectives and significant accomplishments are, in part, developed in partnership with the executive and are discussed
on an ongoing basis throughout the year.
Equity-Based
Incentive Awards. Our equity-based incentive awards are designed to align the interests of our employees and consultants,
including our named executive officers, with those of our stockholders. Our compensation committee is responsible for approving
equity grants. Vesting of the stock option and restricted stock unit awards is tied to continuous service with the Company and
serves as an additional retention measure and long-term incentive. During 2020, Steven Krause, Ph.D. received an option grant
for 25,000 shares per the terms of his employment agreement, which vests monthly over three years of continuous service. Mr. Siegel
received an option grant for 101,965 shares and Mr. Chesterman received an option grant for 25,000 shares, each of which vests
quarterly over three years of continuous service.
41
Key
Compensation Decisions and Developments for Fiscal Year 2020
Following
the completion of the 2020 fiscal year, each of our executive officers self-evaluated him or herself against his or her
specific goals. The compensation committee also performed its own assessment. Based on the year-end assessments, the compensation
committee elected not to grant our executive officers incentive bonuses for calendar year 2019.
●
Base
Pay . Pursuant to their respective employment agreements, the 2020 base salaries for
our named executive officers were as follows: The amounts below were voluntarily reduced
by 25%, except for Ms. Wolin between April 1, 2020 and June 30, 2020 to control costs
in response to the COVID-19 pandemic:
Kenneth
Siegel
Chief Executive Officer
$
275,000
Thomas
C. Chesterman,
Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and Assistant Secretary
$
250,000
Kim
Wolin
Executive Vice President, Operations and Secretary
$
145,000
Steven
Krause, Ph.D.
Executive Vice President, Sales and Marketing
$
200,000
2020
Summary Compensation Table
The
following table sets forth the compensation earned during the past two fiscal years by (i) the person who served as our principal
executive officer at the end of 2020; and (ii) the three most highly compensated executive officers other than the principal executive
officer who were serving as executive officers at the end of 2020 and whose total compensation for 2020 exceeded $100,000.
Name and Position
Fiscal
Year
Salary
($) (5)
Cash
Bonus
($)
Stock
Awards ($)(1)
Option
Awards ($)(2)
Non-Equity
Incentive Plan
Compensation ($)
All Other
Compensation
($)(3)
Total ($)
Kenneth Siegel
2020
$ 241,356
$ -
$ -
$ 127,477
$ -
$ 4,896
$ 373,729
Chief Executive Officer (4)
2019
$ 182,573
$ -
$ 5,350
$ 808,198
$ -
$ 355
$ 996,476
Thomas Chesterman
2020
$ 217,083
$ -
$ -
$ 31,255
$ -
$ 4,236
$ 252,574
Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and Assistant Secretary
2019
$ 250,000
$ -
$ -
$ 31,080
$ -
$ 10,981
$ 292,061
Kim Wolin
2020
$ 76,910
$ -
$ 60,554
$ -
$ -
$ 3,931
$ 141,395
Executive Vice President, Operations and Secretary
2019
$ 145,000
$ -
$ -
$ 24,864
$ -
$ 3,575
$ 173,439
Steven Krause, Ph.D.
2020
$ 142,831
$ 85,000
$ -
$ 41,325
$ -
$ -
$ 269,156
Executive Vice President, Sales and Marketing
2019
$ -
$ -
$ -
$ -
$ -
$ -
$ -
(1)
The
amounts in this column reflect the aggregate grant date fair value of stock awards granted in 2020 and 2019, determined in
accordance with ASC 718 for stock-based compensation. Assumptions used in the calculation of these award amounts are set
forth in Note 11 (Stock-based Compensation) to the financial statements included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the
fiscal year ended December 31, 2020.
(2)
The
amounts in this column reflect the aggregate grant date fair value of stock options granted in 2020, determined in accordance
with ASC 718 for stock-based compensation. Assumptions used in the calculation of these award amounts are set forth in Note
11 (Stock-based Compensation) to the financial statements included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended
December 31, 2020.
(3)
The
amounts in this column reflect the payment by the Company of life insurance and disability insurance premiums pursuant to
respective employment agreements.
(4)
Mr.
Siegel was appointed to the board in February 2019 by our board to fill a vacancy. On May 15, 2019, Mr. Siegel was named Chief
Executive Officer of the Company. $10,698 of the $182,573 salary above represented non-employee director compensation for
his service as a board member. Stock awards with a grant date fair value of $5,350 as well as option grants with a $4,598
grant date fair value (of option grants totaling $808,198 in grant date fair value) were issued in Mr. Siegel’s role
as a board member, prior to his commencement as Chief Executive Officer of the Company. All outstanding options granted in
2019 have exercise prices significantly in excess of the stock’s current fair market value.
(5)
The
amounts in this column for 2020 salary, except for that of Ms. Wolin, reflects a 25%
voluntary reduction in the quarterly cash compensation paid between April 1, 2020 and
June 30, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic
42
Outstanding
Equity Awards at December 31, 2020
The
following table sets forth all outstanding equity awards held by each of our named executive officers as of December 31, 2020.
Equity Awards
Name
Number of
securities
underlying
unexercised
equity
grants (#)
exercisable
Number of
securities
underlying
unexercised
equity grants
(#)
unexercisable
Equity
grant
exercise
price ($)(1)
Equity grant
expiration
date
Kenneth Siegel
415
-
17.08
2/14/2024
17,500
17,500 (2)
28.40
6/18/2024
16,994
84,971 (6)
1.80
7/31/2025
Thomas C. Chesterman
6,000
-
10.00
12/01/2025
1,042
1,458 (3)
19.96
9/20/2024
4,167
20,833 (6)
1.80
7/31/2025
Kim Wolin
1,000
-
10.00
7/3/2025
5,250
-
10.00
11/16/2025
833
1,167 (3)
19.96
9/20/2024
(4) 30,738
-
N/A
N/A
Steven Krause, Ph.D.
5,556
19,444 (5)
1.97
4/28/2025
(1)
The
option exercise price is the closing price of our Common Stock on the grant date.
(2)
1/12th
of the option vested on August 16, 2019, and the remainder vests in equal 1/12th quarterly installments thereafter.
(3)
1/12th
of the option vested on December 20, 2019, and the remainder vests in equal 1/12th quarterly installments thereafter.
(4)
Represents
a restricted stock unit award granted Ms. Wolin on July 23, 2020 that fully vests on April 29, 2021.
(5)
1/36th
of the option vested on May 28, 2020, and the remainder vests in equal 1/36th monthly installments thereafter.
(6)
1/12th
of the option vested on September 30, 2020, and the remainder vests in equal 1/12 th quarterly installments thereafter.
Employment
Agreements
We
have entered into agreements with our named executive officers, which include provisions regarding post-termination compensation.
We do not have a formal severance policy or plan applicable to our executive officers as a group.
Agreement
with Kenneth Siegel. We entered into an employment letter agreement with Mr. Siegel on May 15, 2019, to serve as the Company’s
Chief Executive Officer, effective May 16, 2019. Under the terms of the employment letter agreement, Mr. Seigel received an annual
base salary of $275,000 and a one-time signing bonus of a stock option representing 35,000 shares of Common Stock, which vests
quarterly over a three-year period and is subject to the terms and conditions of the Company’s 2018 Plan and standard form
of option agreement. Mr. Siegel is also eligible to receive an annual incentive bonus with a target value equal to 50% of his
annual base salary, payable in cash, subject to his achievement of performance objectives to be determined by the compensation
committee or board of directors. In addition, after each full year of employment with the Company, subject to board approval,
Mr. Siegel will receive an annual option grant (each, an “ Additional Option ”) valued at 35% of his then base
salary, subject to such vesting terms as determined by the board in its discretion. The initial option and Additional Options
that are granted to Mr. Siegel will remain exercisable for five years following the end of his continuous service with the Company.
Mr. Seigel will also be eligible to participate in the standard benefits, vacation and expense reimbursement plans offered to
similarly situated employees. Mr. Siegel entered into the Company’s standard form of indemnification agreement applicable
to its directors and officers.
43
In
the event of Mr. Siegel’s termination by the Company without Cause (as defined in the employment letter agreement) or if
Mr. Siegel resigns for Good Reason (as defined in the employment letter agreement), Mr. Siegel will be entitled to severance benefits
equal to 12 months’ continuation of his then base salary. In addition, the Company will reimburse Mr. Siegel for COBRA premiums
in effect on the date of termination for coverage in effect for him and, if applicable, his spouse and dependent children on such
date under the Company’s group health plan(s). Finally, the vesting of Mr. Siegel’s initial option and Additional
Options will be accelerated such that he will be deemed vested in those shares subject to the options that would have vested in
the 12-month period following his separation date had his employment not ended.
Agreement
with Mr. Chesterman . We entered into an employment offer letter with Mr. Chesterman dated November 20, 2015 to serve as our
Chief Financial Officer. Pursuant to this agreement, we pay Mr. Chesterman a salary of $250,000 per year, and in accordance with
the employment offer letter, Mr. Chesterman’s salary may be paid up 50% in stock options until we are in the financial position
to pay the salary entirely in cash, to be determined by the Chief Executive Officer. In addition, Mr. Chesterman is eligible for
a performance bonus, which amounts will be determined at least annually by mutual agreement based on achievement of personal and
Company goals, and which will be targeted to be no less than $200,000 per year.
Mr.
Chesterman is entitled to accrue four weeks paid vacation and ten days of sick leave per calendar year and may participate in
our standard benefits plans.
Per
the employment offer letter, on November 20, 2015, we granted Mr. Chesterman a stock option to purchase 6,000 shares of our Common
Stock at an exercise price equal to $10.00 per share, which option vests over a four-year vesting schedule, with 1⁄48th
of the option vesting monthly beginning on January 1, 2016, until such option is vested in full or Mr. Chesterman’s employment
is terminated.
Agreement
with Ms. Wolin . We entered into an employment letter agreement with Ms. Wolin on January 28, 2020 to serve as our Executive
Vice President of Operations, effective January 31, 2020. Pursuant to this agreement, Ms. Wolin is eligible to receive an annual
salary of $75,000 per year. Ms. Wolin is also eligible to receive a restricted stock unit award having a value of $75,000, subject
to approval by the compensation committee. The award will vest over one year, subject to accelerated vesting upon a termination
of employment. Mr. Wolin remains subject to the terms of the Company’s confidential information and inventions assignment
agreement.
Agreement
with Mr. Krause . We entered into an employment offer letter with Mr. Krause dated January 9, 2020 to serve as our Executive
Vice President of Sales and Marketing. Pursuant to this agreement, we pay Mr. Krause a salary of $200,000 per year. In addition,
Mr. Krause is eligible for a performance bonus, which amounts will be determined at least annually by mutual agreement based on
achievement of personal and Company goals, and which is targeted at 25% of his base salary and stock option incentives as determined
by performance against targets.
Mr.
Krause was also granted a one-time signing bonus in the amount of $25,000 that was paid in April of 2020 and a “foregone
compensation bonus” of $60,000 that was paid in May 2020.
Mr.
Krause is entitled to accrue four weeks paid vacation and five days of sick leave per calendar year and may participate in our
standard benefits plans.
Per
the employment offer letter, on April 28, 2020, we granted Mr. Krause a stock option to purchase 25,000 shares of our Common Stock
at an exercise price equal to $2.44 per share, which option vests over a three-year vesting schedule, with 1⁄36th of the
option vesting monthly beginning on May 28, 2020, until such option is vested in full or Mr. Krause’s employment is terminated.
Insurance
Premiums
We
pay 75% of premiums for medical insurance and dental insurance for all full-time employees, including our named executive officers.
We also offer high deductible plan options that include a healthcare flexible spending account component for all full-time employees,
including our named executive officers. These benefits are available to all full-time employees, subject to applicable laws.
44
Item
12. Security
Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters.
Employee
Benefit Plans
Equity
Compensation Plan Information
The
following table presents certain information regarding our Common Stock that may be issued under our equity plans, including upon
the exercise of options and vesting of RSUs granted to employees, consultants or directors as of December 31, 2020:
Number
of securities to be issued upon exercise
of outstanding options, warrants and rights
Weighted-
average exercise
price of outstanding options, warrants and rights
Number
of securities remaining available for future issuance under equity compensation plans (excluding securities reflected in column
(a))
Plan
category
(a)
(b)
(c)
Equity
compensation plans approved by security holders
528,543
(1)
$
8.11
430,622
Equity compensation
plans not approved by security holders
-
$
-
-
Total
528,543
(1)
8.11
430,622
(1)
Amount
includes 32,072 RSUs granted and unvested as of December 31, 2020.
Options
to purchase Common Stock and RSUs are outstanding under our 2018 Plan and options are outstanding under our 2015 Equity Incentive
Plan (the “ 2015 Plan ”). The 2018 Plan was approved by our stockholders at our 2018 Annual Meeting of Stockholders
and replaces our 2015 Equity Incentive Plan for purposes of new equity grants. The 2018 Plan enables us to grant options, restricted
stock, RSUs and certain other equity-based compensation to our officers, directors, employees and consultants. On July 8, 2020,
the Company’s stockholders approved an amendment to the 2018 Plan to increase the number of shares of common stock available
for issuance under the 2018 Plan by 800,000 shares.
SECURITY
OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT
The
following table sets forth, as of March 10, 2021, information regarding beneficial ownership of our Common Stock by:
●
each
person, or group of affiliated persons, known by us to beneficially own more than 5% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock;
●
each
of our named executive officers;
●
each
of our directors; and
●
all
of our current executive officers and directors as a group.
Beneficial
ownership is determined in accordance with the rules of the SEC and generally includes any shares over which a person exercises
sole or shared voting or investment power.
45
The
number of shares listed below under the heading “Total Shares Beneficially Owned” is the aggregate beneficial ownership
for each stockholder and includes:
●
Common
Stock beneficially owned;
●
Common
Stock warrants exercisable;
●
currently
vested options and RSUs; and
●
stock
options and RSUs that are not currently vested but will become vested within 60 days of March 10, 2021.
Of
this total amount, the number of shares of Common Stock underlying options and RSUs that are currently vested and stock options
and RSUs that are not currently vested but will become vested within 60 days after March 10, 2021 are deemed outstanding for the
purpose of computing the percentage ownership of Common Stock outstanding beneficially owned by a stockholder, director or executive
officer (the “ Deemed Outstanding Shares ”) and are also separately listed below under the heading “Number
of Shares Issuable Upon Exercise of Warrants, Options and Vesting of RSUs Exercisable or Vested” but the Deemed Outstanding
Shares are not treated as outstanding for the purpose of computing the percentage ownership of Common Stock outstanding beneficially
owned by any other person. This table is based on information supplied by officers, directors, principal stockholders and filings
made with the SEC. Percentage ownership is based on 9,488,366 shares of Common Stock outstanding as of March 10, 2021.
Unless
otherwise indicated below, to our knowledge, all persons named in the table have sole voting and dispositive power with respect
to their shares of common stock, except to the extent authority is shared by spouses under community property laws.
Unless
otherwise indicated, the address of each beneficial owner listed in the table below is c/o SenesTech, Inc., 23460 N 19 th
Ave., Suite 110, Phoenix, AZ 85027.
Number of
Shares Issuable
Upon
Exercise
of Warrants,
Options
and Vesting of
RSUs
Exercisable or
Number of
Vested
Shares Beneficially
as of
March 10,
Total Shares
Beneficially Owned
Name of Beneficial Owner
Held
2021
Shares
Percent
5% Owners:
None
Directors, Named Executive Officers and Executive Officers:
Thomas C. Chesterman
494
13,500
13,994
*
Jamie Bechtel
2,812
36,459
39,271
*
Delphine François Chiavarini
1,314
23,956
25,270
*
Marc Dumont (1)
7,420
23,188
30,608
*
Kenneth Siegel
35,129
46,319
81,448
*
Matthew K. Szot
4,657
28,470
33,127
*
Julia Williams, M.D. (2)
10,003
19,687
29,690
*
Steven Krause, Ph.D.
-
8,333
8,333
*
Kim Patrice Wolin
5,863
37,988
43,851
*
Phil Grandinetti
-
19,703
19,703
*
K.C, Kavanagh
-
11,000
11,000
*
Phil Leach
-
18,031
18,031
*
All current executive officers and directors as a group (12 persons) (6)
67,692
286,634
354,326
3.7 %
*
Represents
beneficial ownership of less than one percent (1%).
(1)
Includes
shares of Common Stock held by Marc Dumont and Patrick Dumont, JTWROS, an affiliate of Mr. Dumont.
(2)
Includes
shares of Common Stock held by Julia A. Williams MD Trust, an affiliate of Dr. Williams.
46
Item
13. Certain
Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence.
CERTAIN
RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS
For
the fiscal years ended December 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, we were not a party to any transactions that require disclosure
under Item 404 of Regulation S-K.
Indemnification
Agreements
We
have entered into indemnification agreements with each of our directors and executive officers. These agreements provide for the
indemnification of such persons for all reasonable expenses and liabilities incurred in connection with any action or proceeding
brought against them by reason of the fact they are or were serving in such capacity. We believe that these charter provisions
and indemnification agreements are necessary to attract and retain qualified persons as directors, officers and employees. Furthermore,
we have obtained director and officer liability insurance to cover liabilities our directors and officers may incur in connection
with their services to us.
Policies
and Procedures for Transactions with Related Persons
We
have adopted a policy that our executive officers, directors, nominees for election as a director, beneficial owners of more than
5% of any class of our common stock and any members of the immediate family of any of the foregoing persons are not permitted
to enter into a related person transaction with us without the prior consent of our audit committee. Any request for us to enter
into a transaction with an executive officer, director, nominee for election as a director, beneficial owner of more than 5% of
any class of our voting securities or any member of the immediate family of any of the foregoing persons, in which the amount
involved requires disclosure under Item 404 of Regulation S-K and such person would have a direct or indirect interest, must first
be presented to our audit committee for review, consideration and approval. In approving or rejecting any such proposal, our audit
committee is to consider the material facts of the transaction, including, but not limited to, whether the transaction is on terms
no less favorable than terms generally available to an unaffiliated third party under the same or similar circumstances and the
extent of the related person’s interest in the transaction.
In
addition, if a related person transaction will compromise the independence of one of our directors, our audit committee may recommend
that our board of directors reject the transaction if it could affect our ability to comply with securities laws and regulations
or Nasdaq listing requirements.
DIRECTOR
INDEPENDENCE
Generally, under the continued listing requirements and rules
of Nasdaq, independent directors must comprise a majority of a listed company’s board of directors. Our board of directors
has undertaken a review of its composition, the composition of its committees and the independence of each director. Our board
of directors has determined that Drs. Bechtel and Williams, Ms. Chiavarini and Ms. Kavanagh and Messrs. Dumont, Leach, Grandinetti
and Szot are independent within the meaning of Nasdaq listing standards and that none of such directors has any relationship with
the Company that would interfere with the exercise of their independent business judgment. The board also determined that Kenneth
Siegel, our current Chief Executive Officer, is not independent. Accordingly, a majority of our directors are independent, as required
under applicable Nasdaq rules. In making this determination, our board of directors considered the current and prior relationships
that each non-employee director has with our company and all other facts and circumstances our board of directors deemed relevant
in determining their independence, including the beneficial ownership of our capital stock by each non-employee director. Additionally,
in determining the independence of Ms. Bechtel, the board of directors considered her position as the chief executive officer of
Kito Impact Foundation, which received $50,400 from the Company in fiscal year 2020 for consulting services. There are no arrangements
or understandings between any director or nominee and any other person or entity other than the Company pursuant to which the director
or nominee receives compensation in connection with that person’s candidacy or service as a director.
Our
board of directors includes an audit committee, a compensation committee, a nominating and corporate governance committee and
a commercialization committee. All of our committees are comprised solely of independent board members.
47
Item
14. Principal
Accounting Fees and Services.
Principal
Accountant Fees and Services
The
aggregate fees billed by M&K for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019 for professional services described below are
as follows:
Year
Ended December 31,
2020
2019
Audit
fees (1)
$
50,330
$
57,983
Audit-related
fees (2)
$
26,500
$
7,900
Tax fees
$
-
$
-
All
other fees
$
-
$
-
Total
fees
$
76,830
$
65,883
(1)
Includes
audit fees related to professional services rendered in connection with the audit of our annual consolidated financial statements,
the reviews of the consolidated financial statements included in each of our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, and accounting
services that relate to the audited consolidated financial statements and are necessary to comply with generally accepted
auditing standards.
(2)
Includes
audit-related fees related to attestation services rendered in connection with our 1) private placement offerings in January
and March 2020, 2) a public offering in April 2020 and 3) a private warrant inducement in October 2020. Such services were
reasonably related to the performance of M&K’s audit of our financial statements and not reported under the caption
“Audit fees.”
Pre-Approval
Policies and Procedures
We
have implemented pre-approval policies and procedures related to the provision of audit and non-audit services. Under these procedures,
our audit committee pre-approves all services to be provided by M&K and the estimated fees related to these services.
All
audit, audit-related, and tax services were pre-approved by the audit committee, which concluded that the provision of such services
by M&K was compatible with the maintenance of that firm’s independence in the conduct of its auditing functions. Our
pre-approval policies and procedures provide for the audit committee’s pre-approval of specifically described audit, audit-related,
and tax services on an annual basis, but individual engagements anticipated to exceed pre-established thresholds must be separately
approved. The policies and procedures also require specific approval by the audit committee if total fees for audit-related and
tax services would exceed total fees for audit services in any fiscal year. The policies and procedures authorize the audit committee
to delegate to one or more of its members pre-approval authority with respect to permitted services.
48
PART
IV
Item
15. Exhibits,
Financial Statement Schedules.
(a)
Financial
Statements and Schedules
1.
Financial
Statements .
The
following consolidated financial statements are filed as part of this report under Item 8 of Part II, “Financial Statements
and Supplementary Data.”
A.
Balance
Sheets as of December 31, 2020 and 2019.
B.
Statements
of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Loss) for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019.
C.
Statements
of Stockholders’ Equity for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019.
D.
Statements
of Cash Flows for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019.
2.
Financial
Statement Schedules .
Financial
statement schedules not included herein have been omitted because they are either not required, not applicable, or the information
is otherwise included herein.
3.
Exhibits
Exhibits
are incorporated herein by reference or are filed with this report as indicated below (numbered in accordance with Item 601 of
Regulation S-K).
(b)
Exhibits
The
exhibits listed in the accompanying Index to Exhibits are filed with this report or incorporated herein by reference.
49
SENESTECH,
INC.
INDEX
TO EXHIBITS
Exhibit
Number
Description
3.1
Amended
and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as amended by the Certificate of Amendment to the Amended and Restated Certificate
of Incorporation (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed with
the SEC on March 17, 2020 (File no. 001-37941))
3.2
Amended
and Restated Bylaws (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.5 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form S-
1, filed with the SEC on September 21, 2016 (File no. 333-213736))
4.1
Description
of Securities (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K/A, filed with
the SEC on April 21, 2020 (File no. 001-37941))
4.2
Form
of the Registrant’s Common Stock certificate (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Registrant’s Amendment
No. 1 to Registration Statement on Form S-1, filed with the SEC on October 7, 2016 (File no. 333-213736))
4.3+
Form
of Restricted Stock Unit Agreement (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form
8-K, filed with the SEC on December 21, 2016 (File no. 001-37941))
4.4
Form
of Warrant (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.2 to the Registrant’s Amendment No. 1 to Registration Statement on
Form S-1, filed with the SEC on November 16, 2017 (File no. 333-221433))
4.5
Form
of Underwriter’s Warrant, as amended (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Registrant’s Current Report
on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on November 21, 2017 (File no. 001-37941))
4.6
Form
of Restricted Stock Unit Notice and Agreement (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.6 to the Registrant’s Annual Report
on Form 10-K, filed with the SEC on March 17, 2020 (File no. 001-37941))
4.7
Form
of New Warrant (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with
the SEC on June 20, 2018 (File no. 001-37941))
4.8
Form
of Warrant issued to investors in Rights Offering (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Registrant’s Quarterly
Report on Form 10-Q, filed with the SEC on August 14, 2018 (File no. 001-37941))
4.9
Form
of Warrant issued to dealer-manager in Rights Offering (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.2 to the Registrant’s
Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, filed with the SEC on August 14, 2018 (File no. 001-37941))
4.10
Warrant
Agency Agreement, dated August 13, 2018, between the Registrant and Transfer Online, Inc. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit
4.3 to the Registrant’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, filed with the SEC on August 14, 2018 (File no. 001-37941))
4.11
Form
of Placement Agent Warrant (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K,
filed with the SEC on July 17, 2019 (File no. 001-37941))
4.12
Form
of Warrant (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the
SEC on January 28, 2020 (File no. 001-37941))
4.13
Form
of Placement Agent Warrant (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.2 to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K,
filed with the SEC on January 28, 2020 (File no. 001-37941))
4.14
Form
of Warrant (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the
SEC on March 6, 2020 (File no. 001-37941))
4.15
Form
of Placement Agent Warrant (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.2 to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K,
filed with the SEC on March 6, 2020 (File no. 001-37941))
4.16
Form
of New Warrant (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with
the SEC on October 27, 2020 (File no. 001-37941))
4.17
Form
of Placement Agent Warrant (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K,
filed with the SEC on October 27, 2020 (File no. 001-37941))
4.18
Form
of Pre-Funded Warrant (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed
with the SEC on February 2, 2021 (File no. 001-37941))
4.19
Form
of Warrant (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.2 to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the
SEC on February 2, 2021 (File no. 001-37941))
4.20
Form
of Placement Agent Warrant (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.3 to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K,
filed with the SEC on February 2, 2021 (File no. 001-37941))
10.1+
SenesTech,
Inc. 2008 – 2009 Non-Qualified Stock Option Plan and form of agreement thereunder (incorporated by reference to Exhibit
10.1 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form S-1, filed with the SEC on September 21, 2016 (File no. 333-213736))
10.2+
SenesTech,
Inc. 2015 Equity Incentive Plan and forms of agreement thereunder (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the Registrant’s
Registration Statement on Form S-1, filed with the SEC on September 21, 2016 (File no. 333-213736))
10.3+
SenesTech,
Inc. 2018 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended, and forms of agreement thereunder (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3
to the Registrant’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, filed with the SEC on August 13, 2020 (File no. 001-37941))
10.4+
Form
of Indemnification Agreement (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.6 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on
Form S-1, filed with the SEC on September 21, 2016 (File no. 333-213736))
50
10.5+
Separation
Agreement between the Registrant and Loretta P. Mayer, Ph.D., dated December 18, 2019 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit
10.5 to the Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed with the SEC on March 17, 2020 (File no. 001-37941))
10.6+
Separation
Agreement between the Registrant and Cheryl A. Dyer, Ph.D., dated December 18, 2019 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit
10.7 to the Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed with the SEC on March 17, 2020 (File no. 001-37941))
10.7+
Employment
Letter Agreement by and between the Registrant and Kenneth Siegel dated May 16, 2019 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit
10.1 to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on May 20, 2019 (File no. 001-37941))
10.8+
Employment
Offer Letter by and between the Registrant and Thomas Chesterman dated November 20, 2015 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit
10.9 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form S-1, filed with the SEC on September 21, 2016 (File no. 333-213736))
10.9+
Employment
Letter Agreement by and between the Registrant and Kim Wolin dated January 28, 2020 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit
10.7 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form S-1, filed with the SEC on February 13, 2020 (File no. 333-236302))
10.10+
Employment
Letter Agreement by and between the Registrant and Steven Krause, dated January 12, 2020 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit
10.1 to the Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K/A, filed with the SEC on April 21, 2020 (File no. 001-37941))
10.11
Promissory
Note, dated April 15, 2020, by and between the Company and BMO Harris Bank National Association (incorporated by reference
to Exhibit 10.1 to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on April 21, 2020 (File no. 001-37941))
10.12
Lease
by and between the Registrant and Caden Court, LLC, dated as of December 20, 2011 and amendments thereto dated December 6,
2013 and February 27, 2014 (collectively, the “Caden Court Lease”) (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.5
to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form S-1, filed with the SEC on September 21, 2016 (File no. 333-213736))
10.13
Lease
Addendum #3 to the Caden Court Lease by and between the Registrant and Caden Court, LLC, dated as of December 20, 2019 (incorporated
by reference to Exhibit 10.7 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form S-1, filed with the SEC on February
13, 2020 (File no. 333-236302))
10.14
Lease
by and between the Registrant and Pinnacle Campus Office-Retail, LLC, dated as of November 18, 2019 (incorporated by reference
to Exhibit 10.7 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form S-1, filed with the SEC on February 13, 2020 (File
no. 333-236302))
10.15
Standard
Industrial/Commercial Multi-Tenant Lease, between the Company and Duke Go PP, LLC, dated as of June 22, 2020 (incorporated
by reference to Exhibit 10.4 to the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, filed with the SEC on August 13, 2020 (File
no. 001-37941))
10.16
Form
of Securities Purchase Agreement (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form
8-K, filed with the SEC on July 17, 2019 (File no. 001-37941))
10.17
Form
of Securities Purchase Agreement (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form
8-K, filed with the SEC on January 28, 2020 (File no. 001-37941))
10.18
Form
of Securities Purchase Agreement (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form
8-K, filed with the SEC on March 6, 2020 (File no. 001-37941))
10.19
Form
of Securities Purchase Agreement (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form
8-K, filed with the SEC on April 24, 2020 (File no. 001-37941))
10.20
Form
of Letter Agreement, dated as of October 23, 2020, between the Company and the purchaser thereto (incorporated by reference
to Exhibit 10.1 to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on October 27, 2020 (File no. 001-37941))
10.21
Form
of Securities Purchase Agreement, dated as of January 27, 2021 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Registrant’s
Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on February 2, 2021 (File no. 001-37941))
10.22
Form
of Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of January 27, 2021 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the Registrant’s
Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on February 2, 2021 (File no. 001-37941))
21.1*
List
of Subsidiaries of the Registrant
23.1*
Consent
of M&K CPAS, PLLC, independent registered public accounting firm
31.1*
Certification of Chief Executive Officer pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
31.2*
Certification of Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
32.1*
Certification of Chief Executive Officer Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as Adopted Pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
32.2*
Certification of Chief Financial Officer Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as Adopted Pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
101.INS*
XBRL
Instance Document
101.SCH*
XBRL
Taxonomy Extension Schema Document
101.CAL*
XBRL
Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document
101.DEF*
XBRL
Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase
101.LAB*
XBRL
Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase Document
101.PRE*
XBRL
Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document
*
Filed
herewith.
+
Indicates
a management contract or compensatory plan.
(c)
Financial
Statement Schedules
None
Item
16. Form
10-K Summary.
Not
applicable.
51
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.
SENESTECH,
INC.
Date:
March 29, 2021
By:
/s/
Kenneth Siegel
Kenneth
Siegel
Chief
Executive Officer
Date: March
29, 2021
By:
/s/
Thomas C. Chesterman
Thomas
C. Chesterman
Chief
Financial Officer and Treasurer
Pursuant
to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been signed below by the following persons on March
29, 2021, on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities indicated.
Signature
Title
/s/
Kenneth Siegel
Chief
Executive Officer
Kenneth
Siegel
(Principal
Executive Officer)
/s/
Thomas C. Chesterman
Chief
Financial Officer and Treasurer
Thomas
C. Chesterman
(Principal
Financial and Accounting Officer)
/s/
Jamie Bechtel
Chair
of the Board
Jamie
Bechtel
/s/
Marc Dumont
Director
Marc
Dumont
/s/
Delphine Francois Chiavarini
Director
Delphine
Francois Chiavarini
/s/
Phil Grandinetti
Director
Phil
Grandinetti
/s/
K.C. Kavanagh
Director
K.C.
Kavanagh
/s/
Jake Leach
Director
Jake
Leach
/s/
Matthew K. Szot
Director
Matthew
K. Szot
52
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.