UNITED
STATES
SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON ,
D . C . 20549
FORM
10-K
☒
ANNUAL REPORT UNDER SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For
the Fiscal Year Ended December 31 , 2024
☐
TRANSITION REPORT UNDER SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For
the transition period from ______ until ______
Commission
File Number: 001-41719
60
DEGREES PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
(Exact
name of Registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware 45-2406880
(State or other jurisdiction of (I.R.S. Employer
incorporation or organization) Identification No.)
1025 Connecticut Avenue NW Suite 1000
Washington , D.C.
20036
(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)
Registrant’s
telephone number, including area code: (202) 327-5422
Securities
registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
Title of each class Trading Symbol(s) Name of each exchange on which registered
Common Stock, par value $0.0001 per share SXTP The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC
Warrants, each warrant to purchase one share of Common Stock SXTPW The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC
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 Section 15(d) of the Act.
Yes ☐ No ☒
Indicate
by check mark whether the Registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934 during the past 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 post 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. ☐
If
securities are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act, indicate by check mark whether the financial statements of the registrant
included in the filing reflect the correction of an error to previously issued financial statements. ☐
Indicate
by check mark whether any of those error corrections are restatements that required a recovery analysis of incentive-based compensation
received by any of the registrant’s executive officers during the relevant recovery period pursuant to §240.10D-1(b). ☐
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 of the Registrant on June 30, 2024 (which is the last business day of Registrant’s most recently
completed second fiscal quarter) based upon checking the closing market price of such stock on The Nasdaq Capital Market on June 28, 2024,
the closest trading day, was approximately $ 2.70 million.
As of March 27, 2025 the Registrant had 1,472,891 shares of common
stock, par value $0.0001 per share, issued and outstanding.
DOCUMENTS
INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
None .
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
PAGE
PART
I
1
Item
1. Description of Business
1
Item
1A. Risk Factors
39
Item
1B. Unresolved Staff Comments
39
Item
1C. Cybersecurity
39
Item
2. Properties
40
Item
3. Legal Proceedings
40
Item
4. Mine Safety Disclosures
40
PART
II
41
Item
5. Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities
41
Item
6. [Reserved]
46
Item
7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
46
Item
7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk
58
Item
8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data
F-1
Item
9. Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure
59
Item
9A. Controls and Procedures
59
Item
9B. Other Information
60
Item
9C. Disclosure Regarding Foreign Jurisdictions that Prevent Inspections
60
PART
III
61
Item
10. Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance
61
Item
11. Executive Compensation
67
Item
12. Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters
75
Item
13. Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence
77
Item
14. Principal Accountant Fees and Services
77
PART
IV
78
Item
15. Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules
78
Item
16. Form 10-K Summary
81
SIGNATURES
8 2
In
this Annual Report on Form 10-K, unless otherwise stated or as the context otherwise requires, references to “60 Degrees Pharmaceuticals,
Inc.,” “60 Degrees Pharmaceuticals,” “60P,” the “Company,” “we,” “us,”
“our” and similar references refer to 60 Degrees Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a Delaware corporation. Our logo and other trademarks
or service marks of the Company appearing in this Annual Report on Form 10-K are the property of 60 Degrees Pharmaceuticals, Inc. This
Annual Report on Form 10-K also contains registered marks, trademarks and trade names of other companies. All other trademarks, registered
marks and trade names appearing in this Annual Report on Form 10-K are the property of their respective holders.
i
Cautionary
Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements and Industry Data
This
Annual Report on Form 10-K, in particular, Part II Item 7 “ Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition
and Results of Operations ,” contains certain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended (the “Exchange Act”). These forward-looking statements represent our expectations, beliefs, intentions or strategies
concerning future events, including, but not limited to, any statements regarding our assumptions about financial performance; the continuation
of historical trends; the sufficiency of our cash balances for future liquidity and capital resource needs; the expected impact of changes
in accounting policies on our results of operations, financial condition or cash flows; anticipated problems and our plans for future
operations; and the economy in general or the future of the industry in which we operate, all of which were subject to various risks
and uncertainties.
When
used in this Annual Report on Form 10-K and other reports, statements and information we have filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (“SEC”), in our press releases, presentations to securities analysts or investors, in oral statements made by
or with the approval of an executive officer, the words or phrases “believes,” “may,” “will,” “expects,”
“should,” “continue,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “will likely result,” “estimates,”
“projects” or similar expressions and variations thereof are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. However,
any statements contained in this Annual Report on Form 10-K that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking
statements. These statements are only predictions. All forward-looking statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K are based
on information available to us on the date hereof, and we assume no obligation to update any such forward-looking statements. Any or
all of our forward-looking statements in this document may turn out to be wrong. Actual events or results may differ materially. Our
forward-looking statements can be affected by inaccurate assumptions we might make or by known or unknown risks, uncertainties and other
factors.
This
Annual Report on Form 10-K also contains estimates, projections and other information concerning our industry, our business and particular
markets, including data regarding the estimated size of those markets. Information that is based on estimates, forecasts, projections,
market research or similar methodologies is inherently subject to uncertainties and actual events or circumstances may differ materially
from events and circumstances reflected in this information. Unless otherwise expressly stated, we obtained this industry, business,
market and other data from reports, research surveys, studies and similar data prepared by market research firms and other third parties,
industry, general publications, government data and similar sources.
ii
PART
I
Item
1. Description of Business.
Overview
We
are a specialty pharmaceutical company with a goal of using cutting-edge biological science and applied research to further develop and
commercialize new therapies for the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases. We have successfully achieved regulatory approval
of Arakoda, a malaria preventative treatment that has been on the market since late 2019. Currently, 60P’s pipeline under development
covers development programs for vector-borne, fungal, and viral diseases utilizing three of the Company’s future products: (i)
new products that contain the Arakoda regimen of Tafenoquine; (ii) new products that contain Tafenoquine; and (iii) Celgosivir. Additionally,
we are conducting due diligence activities in relation to potential in-licensing of a product relevant to Lyme disease and an antimalarial
combination partner for Tafenoquine for P. vivax malaria.
Corporate
History
60
Degrees Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a Delaware corporation that was incorporated on June 1,
2022. On June 1, 2022, 60 Degrees Pharmaceuticals, LLC, a District of Columbia limited liability
company (“60P LLC”), entered into the Agreement and Plan of Merger with 60 Degrees
Pharmaceuticals, Inc., pursuant to which 60P LLC merged into 60 Degrees Pharmaceuticals,
Inc. The value of each outstanding member’s membership interest in 60P LLC was correspondingly
converted into common stock of 60 Degrees Pharmaceuticals, Inc., par value $0.0001 per share,
with a cost-basis equal to $300.00 per share.
We
also operate one subsidiary. A summary of our majority-owned subsidiary is below.
We
own 97% equity in 60P Australia Pty Ltd, a Sydney-Australia based subsidiary (“60P Australia”). 60P Australia holds sub-licensing
rights for several ex-U.S. territories for our product.
60P
Australia previously solely owned a Singaporean subsidiary company, 60P Singapore Pte. Ltd., which dissolved at our election in the second
quarter of 2022.
1
Recent
Developments
Reverse Split
On November 6, 2024, our Board of Directors (“Board”)
approved a reverse stock split of our Common Stock at a split ratio ranging between 1:3 and 1:5, as determined by the Board in its sole
discretion. On November 6, 2024, a majority of the stockholders of the Company approved the proposed reverse stock split. On February
10, 2025, the Board approved a 1-for-5 reverse split ratio. On February 24, 2025, the Company effectuated a 1-for-5 reverse stock split
of our common stock (the “1:5 Reverse Stock Split”). Beginning February 24, 2025, our common stock traded on The Nasdaq Capital
Market on a split adjusted basis. All common share and applicable per share amounts in this Annual Report on Form 10-K have been retroactively
restated to reflect the effect of the 1:5 Reverse Stock Split.
Previously, at the 2024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders
in July 2024, our stockholders approved an amendment to our Certificate of Incorporation to effect reverse stock split of our common
stock at a range of ratios between 1:5 to 1:12, and on July 19, 2024, our Board approved the implementation of the reverse stock split
at a ratio of 1:12 (the “1:12 Reverse Stock Split”, and together with the 1:5 Reverse Stock Split, the “Reverse Stock
Splits”). On August 12, 2024, we effectuated a 1-for-12 reverse stock split of our common stock. Beginning August 12, 2024, our
common stock began trading on The Nasdaq Capital Market on a split adjusted basis.
The Reverse Stock Splits did not change the authorized
number of shares of common stock or preferred stock. Proportional adjustments were made to the number of shares of common stock issuable
upon exercise or conversion of our equity awards, warrants, and other equity instruments convertible into common stock, as well as the
respective exercise prices, if applicable in accordance with the terms of the instruments. No fractional shares of common stock were
issued in connection with the Reverse Stock Splits and all fractional shares were rounded up to the nearest whole share with respect
to outstanding shares of common stock. Unless otherwise noted, all references to numbers of shares of our common stock and per share
information presented in this Annual Report on Form 10-K have been retroactively adjusted, as appropriate, to reflect the Reverse Stock
Splits.
February
2025 Offering
On
February 5, 2025, we entered into a securities purchase agreement (the “February 2025 Securities Purchase Agreement”) with
certain institutional investors (the “February 2025 Purchasers”) pursuant to which the Company sold, in a registered direct
offering an aggregate of 300,700 shares (the “February 2025 Shares”) of common stock at a purchase price of $3.575 per share
in a registered direct offering priced at-the-market under the rules of Nasdaq (the “February 2025 Offering”).
The
February 2025 Shares were offered pursuant to a “shelf” registration statement on Form S-3 (Registration No. 333-280796),
which was declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on July 18, 2024 as supplemented by a
prospectus supplement dated February 5, 2025, filed with the SEC on February 6, 2025 and accompanying base prospectus, pursuant to Rule
424(b)(5) promulgated under the Securities Act.
In
a concurrent private placement, the Company also issued to the February 2025 Purchasers unregistered warrants (the “February 2025
Warrants”) to purchase up to an aggregate of 300,700 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $2.95 per share. The February
2025 Warrants are exercisable upon issuance and expire twenty-four months from the date of issuance.
Pursuant
to the February 2025 Securities Purchase Agreement, the Company is required to file a registration statement with the SEC within 45 days
after the date of the February 2025 Securities Purchase Agreement to register the shares underlying the February 2025 Warrants under
the Securities Act. The Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause such registration statement to become effective within
75 days following the closing date of the February 2025 Offering and to keep such registration statement effective at all times until
no February 2025 Purchaser owns any February 2025 Warrants or shares underlying the February 2025 Warrants issuable upon exercise thereof.
Any
holder will not have the right to exercise any portion of the February 2025 Warrants if the holder (together with its affiliates) would
beneficially own more than 4.99% (or, upon the election of the holder, 9.99%) of the number of shares of the common stock outstanding
immediately after giving effect to the exercise, as such percentage ownership is determined in accordance with the terms of the February
2025 Warrants. However, any holder may increase or decrease such percentage, provided that any increase will not be effective until the
61st day after such election.
The
exercise price of the February 2025 Warrants is subject to customary adjustment in the event of certain stock dividends and distributions,
stock splits, stock combinations, reclassifications or similar events affecting the common stock and also upon any distributions of assets,
including cash, stock or other property to the stockholders of the Company.
The
issuance of the February 2025 Warrants pursuant to the February 2025 Securities Purchase
Agreement and issuance of the February 2025 Placement Agent Warrants (defined below) were
made pursuant to the exemption from the registration requirements under the Securities Act,
available to the Company under Section 4(a)(2) promulgated thereunder and Rule 506 of Regulation
D promulgated under the Securities Act due to the fact the offering of the February 2025
Common Warrants and the February 2025 Placement Agent Warrants thereunder did not involve
a public offering of securities.
2
The
February 2025 Securities Purchase Agreement contained customary representations and warranties. The February 2025 Offering closed on
February 6, 2025.
Pursuant
to the Engagement Agreement, the Placement Agent acted as the Company’s exclusive placement agent in connection with the offering.
Pursuant
to the terms of the Engagement Agreement, the Company paid the Placement Agent a cash transaction fee equal to 7.5% of the aggregate
gross cash proceeds in the offering and a management fee equal to 1.0% of the aggregate gross cash proceeds in the offering. In addition,
the Company paid for certain non-accountable expenses in the amount of $15,000 and a clearing fee in the amount of $10,000. The Company
also issued to the Placement Agent (or its designees) warrants to purchase up to 22,554 shares of Common Stock (the “February 2025
Placement Agent Warrants”). The February 2025 Placement Agent Warrants have an exercise price equal to $4.469 per share and are
exercisable upon issuance and expire twenty-four months from the date of issuance.
The
Company received net proceeds of $908,627 from the offering, after deducting estimated offering
expenses paid by the Company, including the Placement Agent fees. The Company intends to
use the net proceeds from the offering for general corporate purposes, including working
capital.
January
2025 Offering
On January 28, 2025, we entered into a securities
purchase agreement (the “January 2025 Securities Purchase Agreement”) with certain institutional investors (the “January
2025 Purchasers”) pursuant to which the Company sold, in a registered direct offering an aggregate of 204,312 shares (the “January
2025 Shares”) of common stock at a purchase price of $5.105 per share in a registered direct offering priced at-the-market under
the rules of The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (“Nasdaq”).
The
January 2025 Shares were offered pursuant to a “shelf” registration statement on Form S-3 (Registration No. 333-280796),
which was declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on July 18, 2024 as supplemented by a
prospectus supplement dated January 28, 2025, filed with the SEC on January 30, 2025, and accompanying base prospectus, pursuant to Rule
424(b)(5) promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”).
In
a concurrent private placement, the Company also issued to the January 2025 Purchasers unregistered
warrants (the “January 2025 Warrants”) to purchase up to an aggregate of 408,621
shares of common stock at an exercise price of $3.855 per share. The January 2025 Warrants
are exercisable upon issuance and expire twenty-four months from the date of issuance.
Pursuant
to the January 2025 Securities Purchase Agreement, the Company is required to file a registration
statement with the SEC within 45 days after the date of the January 2025 Securities Purchase
Agreement to register the shares underlying the January 2025 Warrants under the Securities
Act. The Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause such registration statement
to become effective within 75 days following the closing date of the January 2025 Offering
and to keep such registration statement effective at all times until no January 2025 Purchaser
owns any January 2025 Warrants or shares underlying the January 2025 Warrants issuable upon
exercise thereof.
Any
holder will not have the right to exercise any portion of the January 2025 Warrants if the
holder (together with its affiliates) would beneficially own more than 4.99% (or, upon the
election of the holder, 9.99%) of the number of shares of the common stock outstanding immediately
after giving effect to the exercise, as such percentage ownership is determined in accordance
with the terms of the January 2025 Warrants. However, any holder may increase or decrease
such percentage, provided that any increase will not be effective until the 61st day after
such election.
The
exercise price of the January 2025 Warrants is subject to customary adjustment in the event of certain stock dividends and distributions,
stock splits, stock combinations, reclassifications or similar events affecting the common stock and also upon any distributions of assets,
including cash, stock or other property to the stockholders of the Company.
The
issuance of the January 2025 Warrants pursuant to the January 2025 Securities Purchase Agreement and issuance of the January 2025 Placement
Agent Warrants (defined below) were made pursuant to the exemption from the registration requirements under the Securities Act of 1933,
as amended (the “Securities Act”), available to the Company under Section 4(a)(2) promulgated thereunder and Rule 506 of
Regulation D promulgated under the Securities Act due to the fact the offering of the January 2025 Warrants and the January 2025 Placement
Agent Warrants thereunder did not involve a public offering of securities.
The
January 2025 Securities Purchase Agreement contained customary representations and warranties. The January 2025 Offering closed on January
30, 2025.
Pursuant
to an engagement letter agreement between and H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC (the “Placement Agent”) dated August 30, 2024,
as amended on September 3, 2024 and January 24, 2025 (the “Engagement Agreement”), the Placement Agent acted as the Company’s
exclusive placement agent in connection with the offering.
3
Pursuant
to the terms of the Engagement Agreement, the Company paid the Placement Agent a cash transaction
fee equal to 7.5% of the aggregate gross cash proceeds in the offering and a management fee
equal to 1.0% of the aggregate gross cash proceeds in the offering. In addition, the Company
paid for certain non-accountable expenses in the amount of $15,000 and a clearing fee in
the amount of $10,000. The Company also issued to the Placement Agent (or its designees)
warrants to purchase up to 15,325 shares of common stock (the “January 2025 Placement
Agent Warrants”). The January 2025 Placement Agent Warrants have an exercise price
equal to $6.382 per share and are exercisable upon issuance, or January 30, 2025, for twenty-four
months from the date of issuance, or January 30, 2027.
The
Company received net proceeds of approximately $804,346 from the offering, after deducting
estimated offering expenses paid by the Company, including the Placement Agent fees. The
Company intends to use the net proceeds from the offering for general corporate purposes,
including working capital.
Supply
Chain Updates
In
February 2025, the FDA authorized the importation of Kodatef from Australia, to cover any future disruption of Arakoda in the U.S. market.
Kodatef is the branded version of tafenoquine for malaria prevention approved by the TGA for use in Australia. The Company made this
request of the FDA due to robust demand for Arakoda in late 2024/early 2025, and the potential for delays in the completion of new lots
of Arakoda currently being commercially validated by our key supplier, PCI. Although we anticipate that new commercial Arakoda lots will
enter the supply chain prior to the exhaustion of existing inventory, Kodatef will be available to cover any shortage through a specialty
pharmacy that already carries Arakoda, and has the capacity to ship to customers in all 50 states.
IRB
Approval of Phase II Study to Evaluate Tafenoquine for Chronic Babesiosis
On January 8, 2025, we announced that the approval
of an Investigational Review Board (IRB) sanctioned Phase II clinical study. The study (NCT06656351) will evaluate the efficacy and safety
of the ARAKODA® regimen (tafenoquine) over 90 days for treating patients with a presumptive diagnosis of chronic babesiosis who have
experienced severe fatigue with significant functional impairment for at least six months upon enrollment. Patient enrollment is expected
to begin in Q3 2025.
First
Patient in Tafenoquine Expanded Access Clinical Study for Persistent (B. microti) Babesiosis
On
January 8, 2025, we announced that the first patient has been enrolled in NCT06478641, an expanded access clinical study intended to
confirm the activity of tafenoquine in treating patients with persistent babesiosis who have failed standard of care treatment and are
at high risk of experiencing a relapse.
Patent
License Agreement
On
December 23, 2024, we and Tufts Medical Center announced signing of a Patent License Agreement to jointly advance the development and
commercialization of tafenoquine for the treatment and prevention of babesiosis. Tafenoquine is not currently approved by the U.S. Food
and Drug Administration (“FDA”) for the treatment and prevention of babesiosis. The agreement follows initiation of collaboration
between researchers from both organizations to study the activity of tafenoquine against babesiosis, a serious tick-borne disease caused
by microscopic parasites that infect red blood cells. The study formed the basis of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/461,060,
and related U.S. utility and PCT applications, granting the parties shared intellectual property rights to tafenoquine’s potential
future use for babesiosis.
Expansion
of Tafenoquine Clinical Trial for Babesiosis to Brigham and Women’s Hospital
On
December 11, 2024, we entered into a clinical trial agreement with Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) in Boston to conduct a double-blind,
placebo-controlled study evaluating the safety and efficacy of tafenoquine in combination with standard of care treatment for hospitalized
babesiosis patients. The trial (NCT06207370) evaluates tafenoquine combined with standard treatment for babesiosis, addressing a critical
unmet medical need. The double-blind, placebo-controlled trial will examine outcomes for hospitalized patients with severe babesiosis,
a tick-borne illness often found as a co-infection of Lyme disease.
4
ARAKODA®
Promotional Pilot in Advance of Expanded U.S. Launch
On October 3, 2024, we announced that we have
commenced a nine-month promotional pilot to bring greater awareness of ARAKODA® (tafenoquine) and its benefits to patients and healthcare
providers who prescribe it. The pilot program includes inside, or virtual, sales representatives who will conduct outreach to prospective
and current ARAKODA customers to promote the co-pay program and increase sales. The status of this program is outlined in the “Strategy”
section.
Amendments
to 2022 Equity Incentive Plan
On July 16, 2024 and November 6, 2024, our
stockholders approved an amendment to the 60 Degrees Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 2022 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2022 Plan”)
to increase the number of shares of Common Stock authorized for issuance by 83,334 shares and 100,000 shares, respectively, which
were previously approved by the Board. The total number of shares that remain available for issuance under the 2022 Plan is 57,068
shares effective as of March 27, 2025, which additional reservation of shares provides us with flexibility to address future equity
compensation needs. These increases are essential to attract and retain qualified employees, directors and consultants, and to align
their interests with those of our stockholders.
September 2024 Private Placement
On September 4, 2024, we entered into a securities
purchase agreement (the “Purchase Agreement”) with a single institutional investor. The Purchase Agreement provided
for the sale and issuance by us of an aggregate of: (i) Pre-Funded Warrants to purchase up to 579,711 Shares of our Common Stock, (ii)
579,711 shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of Series A Warrants, and (iii) 579,711 shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise
of Series B Warrants.
The Pre-Funded Warrants are exercisable immediately
upon issuance and expire when exercised in full at an exercise price of $0.005 per share. The Series A Warrants and Series B Warrants
have an exercise price of $6.90 per share and were exercisable beginning on the effective date of stockholder approval of the issuance
of the shares of Common Stock upon exercise of the Common Warrants and the Placement Agent Warrants (discussed below), which was received
November 6, 2024 (the “Stockholder Approval”). The Series A Warrants will expire five years from Stockholder Approval and
the Series B Warrants will expire eighteen (18) months from Stockholder Approval.
H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC acted
as the exclusive placement agent in connection with the Private Placement. In connection with the Private Placement, we issued to Wainwright
the Placement Agent Warrants to purchase 43,479 shares of our Common Stock. The Placement Agent Warrants have an exercise price equal
to $8.625 per share and are exercisable beginning on the effective date of Stockholder Approval for five years from Stockholder Approval.
The Registered Securities were subsequently registered
pursuant to a registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-282221) that was originally filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission
on September 19, 2024, and which was declared effective on September 30, 2024.
ATM Offering
On July 12, 2024, we entered into an At-the-Market
Issuance Sales Agreement (the “ATM Agreement”) with WallachBeth Capital LLC (“WallachBeth”) to sell shares of
Common Stock having an aggregate offering price of up to $1,253,603 from time to time, through an “at the market offering”
program (the “ATM Offering”). On July 22, 2024, we filed an amendment to the prospectus supplement with the SEC to increase
the amount of Common Stock that may be offered and sold in the ATM Offering to $1,774,640 in the aggregate, inclusive of the shares of
Common Stock previously sold in the ATM Offering. On July 24, 2024, we filed a second amendment to the prospectus supplement with the
SEC to further increase the amount of Common Stock that may be offered and sold in the ATM Offering to $1,890,705 in the aggregate, inclusive
of the shares of Common Stock previously sold in the ATM Offering. On July 26, 2024, we filed a third amendment to the prospectus supplement
with the SEC to further increase the amount of Common Stock that may be offered and sold in the ATM Offering to $2,190,416 in the aggregate,
inclusive of the shares of Common Stock previously sold in the ATM Offering. On August 2, 2024, we filed a fourth amendment to the prospectus
supplement with the SEC to further increase the amount of Common Stock that may be offered and sold in the ATM Offering to $2,295,192
in the aggregate, inclusive of the shares of Common Stock previously sold in the ATM Offering. The offer and sale of shares of Common
Stock from the ATM Offering were made pursuant to our effective “shelf” registration statement on Form S-3 and an accompanying
base prospectus contained therein (Registration Statement No. 333-280796) which became effective on July 18, 2024. From July 19, 2024
to August 2, 2024, the Company sold a total of 135,568 shares in the ATM Offering for gross proceeds of $1,994,583.
Mission
Our
mission is to address the unmet medical need associated with infectious diseases through the development and commercialization of new
small molecule therapeutics, focusing on synthetic drugs (made by chemists in labs, excluding biologics) with good safety profiles based
on prior clinical studies, in order to reduce cost, risk, and capitalize on existing research. We are seeking to expand Arakoda’s
use beyond malaria prevention and to demonstrate clinical benefit for other disease indications. We are further testing the viability
of another product (Celgosivir) to determine whether to advance it into further clinical development, and may seek to develop and license
other molecules in the future. Celgosivir is being considered for development as an antiviral product for a number of diseases.
Market
Opportunity
Malaria
Prevention
In
2018, the FDA approved Arakoda for malaria prevention in individuals 18 years and older. Arakoda entered the U.S. supply chain in the
third quarter of 2019, just prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. As the approved indication is for travel medicine, and international travel
was substantially impacted by the pandemic, we did not undertake any active marketing efforts for Arakoda. Following our financing in
January 2024, the Company hired a Chief Commercial Officer and commissioned IQVIA market data and a qualitative marketing demand study.
That research, recently completed, suggests that prescribing for malaria prevention therapies has returned to pre-pandemic levels, and
that the total U.S. market represents around 1.1 million prescriptions (one prescription per three weeks of travel). Based on consumer
and HCP demand research, the Company estimates that the accessible market for Arakoda represents about one third of this volume (about
330,000 prescriptions). Barriers to entry include low brand awareness in the prescriber community and the low cost of some of the generic
alternatives. In the second half of 2024 we will conduct a pilot commercialization study to confirm these barriers can be overcome (see
“Strategy”).
5
Treatment
and Prevention of Tick-Borne Disease (Babesiosis)
We
are repositioning the Arakoda regimen of Tafenoquine for several potential new therapeutic indications that have substantial U.S. caseloads,
as further described below:
●
Treatment
of Chronic Tick-Borne Disease (Babesiosis) . Babesia parasites are co-transmitted by the same ticks that transmit Borrelia ,
the Lyme disease bacterium. Although Lyme in the acute phase is generally viewed by the medical community as being treatable with
antibiotics, individuals who are not treated, or fail treatment, may go on to develop long term, and potentially debilitating, chronic
symptoms such as fatigue, body aches, and cognitive problems. 1 This condition is defined by the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention (“CDC”) as Post-Treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome (“PTLDS”) or simply as Lyme in the patient
community. 1 Although there are no published estimates, key opinion leaders have stated that as many as 50% of Lyme/PTLDS
patients are believed to be co-infected with Babesia parasites, a diagnosis referred to in the Lyme community as “Chronic
Babesiosis.” Prescribers in the Lyme disease community utilize a number of therapeutic modalities to manage the symptoms of
Chronic Babesiosis, including FDA-approved pharmaceuticals such as atovaquone and azithromycin (these are assumed to suppress the
growth of Babesia parasites). 2
Recent market data shows that Tafenoquine
appears to be increasingly prescribed by Lyme physicians to manage Chronic Babesiosis. This trend may follow the recent publication of
several case reports demonstrating activity in immunosuppressed patients with acute babesiosis, and animal data showing eradication of
Babesia parasites with Tafenoquine (primarily as Arakoda). 3 The Company believes the recent increases in sales of Arakoda
have been driven by organic growth of these activities. There are no formal epidemiological publications articulating the incidence or
prevalence of Chronic Babesiosis, so these metrics must be inferred based on data for PTLDS and the rate of coinfection with Babesia
parasites. Thus, the cumulative case load of Chronic Babesiosis may be as high as1.01 million patients in the United States. 4
We believe, based on our market research that at least 37% of this market, or 375,000 cases, may be addressable with Tafenoquine
during the remainder of its market exclusivity window for malaria. We are undertaking additional research to determine how much additional
market capture might be feasible.
Acute
infection with many different organisms (e.g. Borrelia, SARS-Cov-2, Epstein Barr virus) trigger “Long Syndromes” in a minority
of cases, characterized by cognitive dysfunction, fatigue and post-exertional malaise. 5 For many years, such conditions have
been confusing to the mainstream medical community because there may not be formal diagnostic criteria or an established theory of disease.
This is changing with the advent of Long COVID, and a recent prominent paper outlined the pathophysiological mechanisms for the first
time. 6 Although there is not yet supporting evidence in the medical literature, some key opinion leaders in the Lyme community
have postulated, using the veterinary literature as an analog, that life-long infection by sequestering forms of Babesia (e.g.,
B. odocoilei ) may be a significant driver of chronic fatigue symptoms. 7 If this is true, the addressable market for
antibabesial drugs may be substantially larger than stated above, since the prevalence of chronic fatigue syndrome in the U.S. is at
least 3.3 million cases (excluding Long COVID and PTLDS). 8
●
Treatment
of Acute Babesiosis . There are up to 38,000 cases of potentially treatable acute symptomatic babesiosis (red blood cell infections
caused by deer tick bites) in the United States each year. 9 Approximately 650 of these cases are hospitalizations, a smaller
fraction of which represents immunosuppressed individuals. 10 Symptomatic babesiosis is usually treated with a minimum
ten day course of atovaquone and azithromycin which is extended to six weeks in the immunosuppressed, who may also experience relapses
requiring multiple hospitalizations. 11 This is much longer than equivalent serious parasitic diseases such as malaria
where the goal is a three-day regimen. In a recently published case series Tafenoquine in combination with standard of care cured
80% of immunosuppressed patients with relapsing babesiosis and the investigators stated in a press release that “Tafenoquine
is going to make a huge difference, I think, in people who are severely immunocompromised.” 12
1
See https://www.cdc.gov/lyme/signs-symptoms/chronic-symptoms-and-lyme-disease.html.
2
Conclusions
from Company-commissioned market research.
3
Conclusions
from Company-commissioned market research.
4
Maximum
prevalence determined by multiplying the rate of Babesia coinfection in PTLDS patients (52%, from Parveen & Bhanot, Pathogens
2019;8(3):117) by the highest estimate of the cumulative prevalence of PTLDS (1,994,189, from Delong et al. BMC Public Health 2019;19(1):352).
Maximum new cases determined by multiplying the number of new Lyme cases per year (476,000, from Krugeler et al (Emerg Infect Dis
2021;27:616-61) by the number of new cases that subsequently become chronic cases (up to 10%, from Delong et al. BMC Public Health
2019;19(1):352) by the proportion of such patients coinfected with Babesia (52%, from Parveen & Bhanot, Pathogens 2019;8(3):117).
5
See https://www.cdc.gov/lyme/signs-symptoms/chronic-symptoms-and-lyme-disease.html.
6
Walitt
et al Nature Communications 2024;15:907.
7
Lindner
HH. 2022. Chronic babesiosis caused by B. odocoilei: Diagnosis, pathophysiology & treatment. Presentation at the 2022 ILADS scientific
meeting, Orlando Florida.
8
See https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db488.pdf.
9
This estimate is based
on the observations of Krugeler et al ( Emerg Infect Dis 2021;27:616-61) who reported that 476,000 cases of Lyme disease occur
in U.S. states where babesiosis is endemic and Krause et. al. (JAMA 1996;275:1657-16602) who reported that 10% of Lyme disease patients
are co-infected with babesiosis and that according to Krause et al (AJTMH 2003;6:431-436) fact that about 80% of cases are symptomatic
(thus 476,000*10%*80% = 38,000 cases of babesiosis per year).
10
Bloch et al Open Forum
Infect Dis 2022;9(11):ofac597.
11
According to IDSA guidelines.
12
See Krause et al Clin Infect Dis 2024; doi:10.1093/cid/ciae238 and https://ysph.yale.edu/news-article/antimalarial-drug-is-effective-against-tick-borne-infection-babesiosis/.
6
●
Prevention
of Tick-Borne Diseases . Post-exposure prophylaxis or early treatment with, respectively, a single dose or several week regimen
of doxycycline following a tick-bite is a recognized indication to prevent the complications of Lyme disease. There may be more than
400,000 such tick bites in the United States requiring medical treatment each year. This estimate is based on the observation that
approximately 50,000 tick bites are treated in U.S. hospital emergency rooms each year; however, this calculation represents only
about 12% of actual treated tick bites based on observations from comparable ex-U.S health systems. 13 Unlike Lyme disease,
there is no characteristic rash associated with early infection and no reliable diagnostic tests. Thus, an individual bitten by a
tick cannot know whether they have also been infected with babesiosis. It is likely that a drug proven to be effective for this indication
for babesiosis would also be used in conjunction with Lyme prophylaxis.
●
Veterinary Indications . Based on estimates
from industry experts, there may be somewhere between several hundred and several thousand cases of canine babesiosis each year in
the United States, and thousands more globally. Currently, standard of care treatment for babesiosis in dogs is a ten-day course
of atovaquone and azithromycin, which costs about $1,350 out of pocket. A treatment course of Tafenoquine mirroring the human prophylactic
dose in dogs might cost < $300, offering a compelling alternative to standard of care. The additional resources required to generate
enabling data for veterinary uses are much less expensive than human clinical trials and we are already funding a pilot study at
North Carolina State University related to this indication. Separately, the Company is exploring the potential utility of Tafenoquine
to manage equine Theileria (a tick-borne disease related to babesiosis). Horses entering the United States are required to be tested
prior to quarantine release and treated if positive.
Treatment
and Prevention of Fungal Infections
We
are evaluating Tafenoquine for potential utility in the following fungal diseases:
●
Treatment
of Candida infections . According to the CDC, there are 50,000 reported cases of candidiasis (a type of fungal infection)
each year in the United States and up to 1,900 clinical cases of C . auris , for which there are few available treatments. 14
Since it has broad-spectrum activity against drug-resistant Candida spp in culture, Tafenoquine, has the potential to
be a market leading therapy for treatment/prevention of C. auris , and to be added to the standard of care regimens for other
Candida infections. 15
●
Prevention
of fungal pneumonias . There are up to ~ 91-92,000 new patient cases each year in the United States for which antifungal prophylaxis
is recommended, including acute lymphoblastic leukemia (up to 6,540 cases) and large B-cell lymphoma (up to 18,000 cases) patients
receiving CAR-T therapy, solid organ transplant patients (up to 42,887 cases), allogeneic (~ 9,000 cases) and autologous (~ 15,000
cases) hematopoietic stem cell transplant patients. 16 Despite the availability and use of antifungal prophylaxis, the
risk of some patient groups contracting fungal pneumonia exceeds the risk of contracting malaria during travel to West Africa. 17
Since it has broad spectrum antifungal effects in cell culture, and activity against Pneumocystis in animal models,
Tafenoquine has the potential to be added to existing standard of care regimens for the prevention of fungal pneumonias. 18
Viral
Diseases
Celgosivir, a potential clinical candidate of
60P’s, has activity in a number of animal models of important viral diseases such as Dengue and RSV. According to the European
CDC, Dengue is associated with at least 4.1 million cases globally. 19 And, according to the U.S. CDC, RSV is responsible for
up to 240,000 hospitalizations in children less than five years of age and adults greater than 65 years of age in the United States each
year. 20 As outlined in the “ Strategy ” section below, we expect to evaluate Celgosivir in additional non-clinical
disease models before making a decision regarding clinical development.
13
Marx et. al., MMWR 2021;70:612-616.
14
https://www.cdc.gov/fungal/diseases/candidiasis/invasive/statistics.html.; https://www.cdc.gov/fungal/candida-auris/tracking-c-auris.html.
15
Dow and Smith New Microb
New Infect 2022;45:100964.
16
See statistics for solid
organ transplants at the Organ Transplant and Procurement Network at: National data - OPTN (hrsa.gov); See statistics for hematopoietic
stem cell transplant in Dsouza et al Biology of Blood and Bone Marrow Transplantation 202;26: e177-e182; See statistics for acute
lymphoblastic leukemia at: Key Statistics for Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL) (cancer.org); See statistics for large cell large
B-cell lymphoma at; Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma - Lymphoma Research Foundation; Treatment guidelines recommending antifungal prophylaxis
for these diseases can be reviewed in (i) Fishman et al Clinical Transplantation. 2019;33:e13587, (ii) Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation
(cancernetwork.com), (iii) Cooper et al Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network 2016;14:882-913 and (iv) Los Arcos et
al Infection (2021) 49:215–231.
17
Aguilar-Guisado et al Clin
Transplant 2011;25:E629–38; Mace et al MMWR 202;70:1–35.
18
Queener et al JID
1997;165:764-768; Dow and Smith New Microb New Infect 2022;45:100964
19
https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/dengue-monthly#:~:text=This%20is%20an%20increase%20of%2032%20653%20cases% 20and%2032,853%20deaths%20have%20been%20reported.
20
https://www.cdc.gov/rsv/php/surveillance/index.html#cdc_survey_profile_surveys_used-rsv-burden-estimates.
7
More
information about our products is provided in the next section, and the status of various development efforts for the above-mentioned
diseases is outlined in Figure A, below.
Figure
A
Products
Arakoda
(Tafenoquine) for malaria prevention
We
entered into a cooperative research and development agreement with the United States Army in 2014 to complete development of Arakoda
for prevention of malaria. 21 With the U.S. Army, and other private sector entities as partners, we coordinated the execution
of two clinical trials, development of a full manufacturing package, gap-filling non-clinical studies, compilation of a full regulatory
dossier, successful defense of our program at an FDA advisory committee meeting and submitted a new drug application (“NDA”)
to the FDA in 2018. The history of that collaboration has been publicly communicated by the U.S. Army. 22
21
In 2014, we signed a cooperative
research and development agreement with the United States Army Medical and Materiel Development Activity (Agreement W81XWH-14-0313).
Under this agreement, we agreed to submit an NDA for Tafenoquine to the FDA (as Arakoda), while the US Army agreed to finance the
bulk of the necessary development activities in support of that goal.
22
Zottig et al Military Medicine
2020; 185 (S1): 687.
8
The
FDA and Australia’s medicinal regulatory agency, the Therapeutic Goods Administration, subsequently approved Arakoda (brand name
in the U.S.) and Kodatef (brand name in Australia), respectively, for prevention of malaria in travelers in 2018. Prescribing information
and guidance for patients can be found at www.arakoda.com . The features and benefits of Tafenoquine for malaria prophylaxis, some
of which have been noted by third-party experts, include: convenient once weekly dosing following a three day load; the absence of reports
of drug resistance during malaria prophylaxis; activity against liver and blood stages of malaria as well as both the major malaria species
( Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium falciparum ); absence of any black-box safety warnings; good tolerability, including in
women and individuals with prior psychiatric medical history; and a comparable adverse event rate to placebo with up to 12 months continuous
dosing. 23 Tafenoquine entered the commercial supply chains in the U.S. and Australia in the third quarter of 2019.
The
only limitation of Arakoda is the requirement for a G6PD test prior to administration. 24 The G6PD test must be administered
to a prospective patient prior to administration of Arakoda in order to prevent the potential occurrence of hemolytic anemia in individuals
with G6PD deficiency. 25 G6PD is one of the most common enzyme deficiencies and is implicated in hemolysis following administration/ingestion
of a variety of oxidant drugs/food. G6PD must also be ruled out as a possible cause when diagnosing neonatal jaundice. As a consequence,
G6PD testing is widely available in the United States through commercial pathology service providers (e.g., Labcorp, Quest Diagnostics,
etc.). Although these tests have a turn-around time of up to 72 hours, the test needs only to be administered once. Thus, existing U.S.
testing infrastructure is sufficient to support the FDA-approved use of the product (malaria prevention) by members of the armed forces
(who automatically have a G6PD test when they enlist), civilian travelers with a long planning horizon, or repeat travelers.
Tafenoquine
for Other (Infectious) Diseases
During
the pandemic, we also worked with NIH to evaluate the utility of Tafenoquine as an antifungal. We, and the NIH, found that Tafenoquine
exhibits a Broad Spectrum of Activity in cell culture against Candida and other yeast strains via a different Mode of Action than
traditional antifungals and also exhibits antifungal activity against some fungal strains at clinically relevant doses in animal models. 26
Our work followed Legacy Studies that show Tafenoquine is effective for treatment and prevention of Pneumocystis pneumonia
in animal models. 27 We believe that if added to the standard of care for anti-fungal and yeast infection treatments for general
use, Tafenoquine has the potential to improve patient outcomes in terms of recovery from yeast infections, and prevention of fungal pneumonias
in immunosuppressed patients. There are limited treatment options available for these indications, and Tafenoquine’s novel mechanism
of action might also mitigate problems of resistance. Clinical trial(s) to prove safety and efficacy, and approval by the FDA and other
regulators, would be required before Tafenoquine could be marketed for these indications.
Tafenoquine
monotherapy, or use in combination with other antibabesial medications, clears and eradicates Babesia infections, respectively,
in both immunocompetent and immunocompromised animal models of babesiosis (tick borne red blood cell infections). 28 In up
to 80% of cases Tafenoquine administered in combination with antibabesial drugs after prior failure of conventional antibiotics in immunosuppressed
babesiosis patients resulted in cures. 29 Tafenoquine is also increasingly being utilized by Lyme disease prescribers to manage
symptoms of Chronic Babesiosis. Consequently, we believe that (i) if combined with standard of care products, Tafenoquine has the potential
to accelerate parasite clearance and reduce the duration of illness and treatment with antibiotic therapy in immunosuppressed patients
hospitalized with severe illness, (ii) once appropriate clinical studies have been conducted, it is likely that Tafenoquine would be
quickly embraced for post-exposure prophylaxis of babesiosis in patients with tick bites, and (iii) Tafenoquine could become the leading
treatment for Chronic Babesiosis. Clinical trial(s) to prove safety and efficacy, and approval by FDA and other regulators, would be
required before Tafenoquine could be marketed for these indications.
23
Tan and Hwang Journal of
Travel Medicine, 2018, 1–2; Baird Journal of Travel Medicine 2018:, 1–13; Schlagenhauf et al Travel Medicine and Infectious
Disease 2022; 46:102268; See Arakoda prescribing information at www.arakoda.com; McCarthy et al CID 2019:69:480-486; Dow et al. Malar
J (2015) 14:473; Dow et al. Malaria Journal 2014, 13:49; Novitt-Moreno et al Travel Med Infect Dis 2022 Jan-Feb;45:102211.
24
See prescribing information
at www.arakoda.com.
25
See prescribing information
at www.arakoda.com.
26
Dow and Smith, New Microbe
and New Infect 2022; 45: 100964.
27
Queener et al Journal of
Infectious Diseases 1992;165:764-8).
28
Liu et al. Antimicrobial
Agents Chemo 2021;65:e00204-21, Marcos et al. IDCases 2022;27:e01460; Rogers et al. Clin Infect Dis. 2022 Jun 10:ciac473, Prasad
and Wormsner. Pathogens 2022;11:1015.
29
Krause et al Clin Infect
Dis 2024; doi:10.1093/cid/ciae238.
9
Celgosivir
Celgosivir
is a host targeted glucosidase inhibitor that was developed separately by other sponsors for HIV then for hepatitis C. 30 The
sponsors abandoned Celgosivir after completion of Phase II clinical trials involving 700+ patients, because other antivirals in development
at the time had superior activity. The National University of Singapore initiated development of Celgosivir independently for Dengue
fever. A clinical study, conducted in Singapore, the results of which were accepted for publication in the peer-reviewed journal Lancet
Infectious Diseases, confirmed its safety but the observed reduction in viral load was lower than what the study was powered to detect. 31
Celgosivir (as with other Dengue antivirals) exhibits greater capacity to cure Dengue infections in animal models when administered
prior to symptom onset when compared to administration post-symptom onset. In animal models, this problem can be addressed by administering
the same dose of drug split into four doses per day rather than two doses per day (as was the case in the Singaporean clinical trial). 32
This observation led to the filing and approval of a patent related to Dengue, which we licensed from the National University of
Singapore.
Additional
clinical studies would be required to prove that such a 4x daily dosing regimen would be safe and effective in Dengue patients to regulators’
satisfaction. To that end, earlier in our history, we, in partnership with the National University of Singapore, and Singapore General
Hospital, successfully secured a grant from the government of Singapore for a follow-on clinical trial. Unfortunately, we were unable
at that time to raise matching private sector funding. We concluded as a result that development of Repositioned Molecules for Dengue,
solely and without simultaneous development for other therapeutic use, despite substantial morbidity and mortality in tropical countries,
was an effort best suited for philanthropic entities. Accordingly, during the pandemic, we undertook an effort (in partnership with NIH’s
Division of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases program and Florida State University) to determine whether Celgosivir might be more
broadly useful for respiratory diseases that have impact in both tropical and temperate countries. Preliminary data suggest that Celgosivir
inhibits the replication of the virus that causes COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) in cell culture, and the RSV virus in cell culture and provides
benefits in animals. We have filed and/or licensed patents in relation to Celgosivir for these other viruses as we believe there is potential
applications to fight respiratory diseases that might have more commercial viability than historical development of Celgosivir to combat
Dengue fever.
Competitive
Strengths
Our
main competitive strength has been our ability to achieve important clinical milestones inexpensively in therapeutic areas that other
entities have found extremely challenging. With a small virtual management team, we have successfully built productive research partnerships
with public and academic entities, and licensed products with well characterized safety profiles in prior clinical studies, thereby reducing
the cost and risk of clinical development. This business and product model enabled Arakoda to be approved in 2018, with a total operating
expense of < $10 million. We plan to focus in the future on generating proof of concept clinical data sets for the approved Arakoda
regimen of Tafenoquine in other therapeutic areas, all of which is expected to foster and continue our existing tradition of inexpensive
product development.
Strategy
Following
our initial public offering in July 2023, our initial strategic priority was to conduct a Phase IIB that would have evaluated the potential
of the Arakoda regimen of Tafenoquine to accelerate disease recovery in COVID-19 patients with low risk of disease progression. In October
2023, we made a decision to suspend this study. This was a consequence of advice previously received from the FDA, which we interpreted
to mean that the Agency would not have granted clearance for the study to proceed unless we redesigned it to (i) enroll a patient population
in which receipt of Paxlovid or Lagevrio would be medically contraindicated, or (ii) compare Tafenoquine to placebo in patients taking
a “standard of care” regimen (defined by the FDA as Lagevrio or Paxlovid). The FDA’s position was somewhat surprising
given that neither Paxlovid nor Lagevrio is indicated for treatment of COVID-19 in low-risk patients. We determined that conducting our
study in an alternate population in the United States would be unfeasible, and that conducting an add-on-to standard of care study might
not be Phase III enabling. Accordingly, the Company made a decision to pivot back to continue commercialization of Arakoda for malaria,
and further evaluation of the Arakoda regimen of Tafenoquine for babesiosis and other diseases. We believe such an approach is both less
risky and less expensive.
Moving
forward, our general strategy to achieve profitability and grow shareholder value has three facets: (i) increase sales of Arakoda; (ii)
conduct clinical trials to expand the number of patients who can use Tafenoquine for new indications in the future; and (iii) reposition
small molecule therapeutics with good clinical safety profiles for new indications.
30
Sorbera et al, Drugs of
the Future 2005; 30:545-552.
31
Low et. al., Lancet ID
2014; 14:706-715.
32
Watanabe et al, Antiviral
Research 2016; 10:e19.
10
Expansion of U.S. Arakoda Sales
Hiring
of Chief Commercial Officer . In February 2024, we hired Kristen Landon to lead our commercial efforts to reintroduce Arakoda for
malaria prevention and conduct new product planning initiatives in tick-borne disease for babesiosis. We spent the first quarter of 2024
analyzing the current landscape in the malaria prevention market, conducting primary market research among providers and consumers, and
assessing agency partners for a virtual/digital marketing pilot program. Additionally, we kicked off a market assessment on the babesiosis
space including desk top research and qualitative interviews with Key Opinion Leaders in the Infectious Disease and Lyme Community. We
plan to initiate quantitative research in Q2 2025 to assess the market opportunity for a potential development program for Chronic Babesiosis.
We will include a patient survey to measure self-reported prevalence of babesiosis and other relevant conditions across geographic
regions.
P&L Contract Review . We will conduct
a review of all of our supply chain and formulary contracts to determine whether it is possible to increase our margin on Arakoda without
increasing prices, or to compensate for any price adjustments which may be necessary to support repositioning efforts (see below). We
plan to introduce an 8-count bottle of ARAKODA NCD # 71475-257-02 into the supply chain in Q2.
Repositioning of Arakoda Relative to Malarone
and Generic Equivalent Atovaquone-Proguanil . A malaria demand study was conducted to assess the attractiveness and acceptability
of the Arakoda product profile and current pricing among health care providers and consumers. The product profile was well received among
both stakeholders; however, price sensitivity on out-of-pocket costs was noted among both groups. Generic atovaquone-proguanil, our primary
competitor is substantially cheaper than Arakoda for the average trip length (three weeks) and has superior formulary positioning (Tier
1 vs. Tier 3). However, generic-atovaquone proguanil does not provide the same level of confidence a traveler may experience from taking
a product with a convenient weekly dosing regimen during travel, that works everywhere in the world against all malaria species and drug-resistant
strains, and which requires only a single dose for post-exposure prophylaxis upon return from a malarious area. The value those advantages
confer needs to be communicated with key stakeholders.
Market Segment, Targeting, and Commercial Pilot .
We purchased market data to understand the malaria market landscape over the past decade and identified the current prescribers of Malarone
and the generic equivalent atovaquone-proguanil, the main generic competitor to Arakoda for malaria prophylaxis. The ARAKODA commercial
pilot program will commence on March 17, 2025, with three main objectives: 1. Increase ARAKODA awareness and communicate ARAKODA’s
value proposition. 2. Drive ARAKODA trial and usage and 3. Facilitate access and affordability. The pilot includes a three-pronged approach
utilizing Virtual Sales Representatives (VSRs), a programmatic email campaign, and a co-pay offering for commercially insured patients.
We do not initially plan to target U.S. government agencies as these organizations are either contracting their ex-U.S footprints or,
as in the case of the Department of Defense, are expected to be extremely price sensitive until operational considerations justify the
use of superior products – for example, the DOD used inexpensive doxycycline for malaria prevention in the low malaria risk setting
of Afghanistan, but chose superior weekly mefloquine, despite safety concerns, for the Ebola mission to west Africa in 2014, where malaria
rates were extremely high.
Digital Revamp and Collateral: Our marketing
strategy and objectives for the promotional pilot include marketing assets that we believe best highlight the features and benefits of
Arakoda, namely the convenience of the travel and post-travel regimen, and global effectiveness and a co-pay benefit to reduce the out-of-pocket
expense for individuals with commercial insurance. All marketing assets will reside on ARAKODA.com including a convenient dosing card,
access to the co-pay offer, and information on how to get ARAKODA.
Revised Forecast. We have developed an internal
forecast for the malaria and indication and will do the same for the Babesiosis indication after completion of market research studies.
Development of the Arakoda Regimen of Tafenoquine for Babesiosis
In animal models, Tafenoquine monotherapy has been
shown to suppress acute babesiosis infections to the point where the immune system can control them following single or multiple doses
similar to those effective against malaria parasites, and longer regimens alone or in combination with atovaquone leads to complete radical
cure and to the conference of sterile immunity. 33 In three case studies in individuals with immunosuppression and/or refractory
parasites, Tafenoquine alone or in combination with various standard of care antimalarials and antibiotics successfully cleared parasites,
leading to three consecutive negative PCR tests, and prevention of further relapses in two of three individuals. 34 Our market
research has revealed that recent sales growth for Arakoda is primarily attributable to organic growth in prescribing by Lyme community
prescribers for Chronic Babesiosis. Collectively these data suggest Tafenoquine might have utility alone or in combination as treatment
or post-exposure prophylaxis of babesiosis (both acute and chronic).
The Company is planning three clinical trials to aid further development
and commercialization of a Babesiosis indication for Tafenoquine. Trial 1 is a randomized, placebo-controlled, evaluation of Tafenoquine
in patients hospitalized with babesiosis who are also taking standard of care treatment (10 days of atovaquone-azithromycin). The primary
endpoint will be time to clinical recovery of 11 common babesiosis symptoms as reported by patients. Based on an analysis of blinded data
from the six patients who have completed the study to date and further advice from the FDA, we are planning to modify the key secondary
endpoint of time to molecular cure so it will be assessed using the commercially available Mayo clinic Babesia PCR assay rather than the
FDA-approved Babesia nucleic acid test that is used for blood donation screening. Additionally, the dosing regimen will be extended so
that Tafenoquine is administered at a dose of 200 mg/day on Days 1,2,3,4,11,18,25 and 32 (extended from administration of 200 mg/day on
Days 1,2,3&4). The study will enroll a minimum of 24 and up to 33 patients before an interim analysis is conducted, which will include
both a test of significance and a sample size re-estimation in case this is required. We have signed clinical trial agreements with Tufts
Medical Group, Yale, Rhode Island Hospital, and Brigham & Women’s Hospital. The first patient was randomized on June 25, 2024,
and six patients completed the study prior to implementation of the protocol modifications disclosed above. The earliest possible date
that date would be available from the interim analysis would be January 31, 2026, assuming a minimum of 24 patients are enrolled prior
to September 30, 2025. Further details are available on the clinicaltrials.gov website. 35
33
Liu et
al. Antimicrobial Agents Chemo 2021;65:e00204-21. Vydyam et al. J Infect Dis. 2024 Jan 3:jiad315. doi:10.1093/infdis/jiad315.
34
Marcos
et al. IDCases 2022;27:e01460; Rogers et al. Clin Infect Dis. 2022 Jun 10:ciac473, Prasad and Wormsner. Pathogens 2022;11:1015.
35
See: https://classic.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT06207370.
11
Trial 2 will be an expanded use study utilizing
commercially available Arakoda. The Company, if approved by an Institutional Review Board (“IRB,” also known as an ethics
committee), plans to offer up to one year of Arakoda at no cost to about 10 patients per year (i.e., immunocompromised patients who have
previously failed standard of care treatment). Informed consent will be obtained from patients to collect a blood sample for PCR testing
at the end of treatment, and patients will be asked to complete a babesiosis symptom questionnaire. The goal of the study is to generate
additional prospective data to confirm the observation by Krause et al in a recent publication that an extended regimen of Tafenoquine
cured 80% of immunocompromised patients with relapsing babesiosis. As of the date of this filing, we had enrolled one patient in this
study. More details about the study can be found on the clinicaltrials.gov website. 36
Trial 3 will be a Phase II open label study utilizing commercially
available Arakoda. The Company, plans to offer an approximately three-month supply of Arakoda at no cost to patients who have a clinical
diagnosis, are willing to submit biological samples for testing, and answer babesiosis and standardized fatigue inventories before and
after treatment. The goal of this study will be to ascertain whether Arakoda treatment improves patient-reported fatigue symptoms in individuals
who have symptoms of severe fatigue lasting more than six months and a diagnosis of chronic babesiosis. Secondary objectives include assessing
confirmable Babesia infection rates in these populations using validated molecular assays, and assessing the safety and tolerability
profile of Arakoda in this patient population.
In May 2024, we signed a research and collaboration
agreement with North Carolina State University in which the College of Veterinary Medicine will screen archived blood samples from 50
patients exhibiting symptoms consistent with chronic fatigue symptoms by PCR for the presence of Babesia spp by digital PCR and DNA sequencing.
This work is now complete, and a manuscript for publication is now in preparation. While the data cannot be disclosed at this time, the
Company believes they are supportive of the feasibility of executing Trial 3.
We believe, if the Company does not become capital-limited,
and no recruitment issues are encountered, that the results of one or more of the above studies will come to fruition in the first quarter
of 2026, potentially facilitating submission of a supplementary new drug application (or other appropriate regulatory filing) to FDA,
with the goal of obtaining marketing approval of Arakoda for treatment of Babesiosis. If successful, this will allow the Company to actively
market Arakoda for Babesiosis.
In
March 2024, we initiated, in collaboration with the North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine, a pilot study of
Tafenoquine for treatment of canine babesiosis in the United States under a sponsored research program. Should this potential collaboration
be successful, we believe that the data from that study may provide supportive data for the clinical babesiosis development program,
and could provide proof of concept for an expanded study to prove utility for veterinary indications.
Parenteral Tafenoquine for Fungal Infections
We plan to support a series of studies in animal
models to determine whether single dose parenteral administration of Tafenoquine exhibits efficacy against Candida spp including
C. auris . These studies are being conducted under a sponsored research agreement with Monash University in Melbourne, Australia,
and should be completed by Q2 2025.
Combination Partner for Tafenoquine for Malaria
Most new antimalarial treatment products are
developed as drug combinations to proactively combat drug resistance. We believe that Tafenoquine, due to its long half-life and activity
against all parasite species and strains, would be an ideal partner in a drug combination. Recently, Kentucky Technology Inc. (“KTI”),
completed Phase IIA studies in P. vivax malaria, in which they evaluated the safety and efficacy of SJ733, their ATP4 inhibitor
in combination with Tafenoquine as the combination partner drug. It was recently announced that the SJ733 development program would be
partially supported by a grant from the Global Health Innovative Technology Fund (“GHIT”). As part of its shares for services
agreement with KTI, the Company recently received a detailed feasibility assessment and business plan for the project, including an assessment
of potential PRV eligibility. The Company has provided KTI with a right of reference to its Arakoda IND, in order to assist with regulatory
approvals of forthcoming clinical trials.
Celgosivir for Antiviral Diseases
Reviewing prior studies of Celgosivir for Zika, Dengue and RSV, it
is evident that the drug protects against the pathological effects of viruses through a combination of anti-inflammatory and antiviral
effects. These properties suggest it might have a beneficial effect in several viral diseases. Celgosivir is synthesized from Castanospermine,
which is obtained from botanical sources in low yield, making its inherent cost of goods potentially high. Castanospermine is also quite
water soluble, making it amenable to intravenous formulation. As of the date of this report, Florida State University Research Foundation
(“FSURF”) had sold their remaining SXTP shares, and funds raised therefrom were insufficient to cover the cost of the proof
of concept studies in a hamster model of COVID-19 that we had originally planned. We instead intend to investigate the potential activity
of celgosivir in other respiratory viruses in different non-clinical models.
Post-Marketing Requirements
We have an FDA post-marketing requirement to
conduct a malaria prophylaxis study of Arakoda in pediatric and adolescent subjects. We proposed to the FDA, in late 2021, that this
might not be safe to execute given that malaria prevention is administered to asymptomatic individuals and that methemoglobinemia (damage
to the hemoglobin in blood that carries oxygen) occurred in 5% of patients, and exceeded a level of 10% in 3% of individuals in a study
conducted by another sponsor in pediatric subjects with symptomatic vivax malaria. 37 The FDA has asked us to propose an alternate
design, for which we submitted a concept protocol in the fourth quarter of 2022, and submitted a full protocol in July, 2024. We estimate
the cost of conducting the study proposed by the FDA, if conducted in the manner suggested by the FDA, would be $2 million, and, due
to the time periods required to secure protocol approvals from the FDA and Ethics Committees, could not be initiated any earlier than
the Second quarter of 2026.
36 See: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06478641.
37 Velez
et al 2021 - Lancet Child Adolesc Health 2022; 6: 86–95.
12
Intellectual
Property
We
are co-owners, with the U.S. Army, of patents in the United States and certain foreign jurisdictions directed toward use of Tafenoquine
for malaria and have obtained an exclusive worldwide license from the U.S. Army to practice these inventions. We also have an exclusive
worldwide license to use manufacturing information and non-clinical and clinical data that the U.S. Army possesses relating to use of
Tafenoquine for all therapeutic applications and uses excluding radical cure of symptomatic vivax malaria. We have submitted patent applications
in the United States and certain foreign jurisdictions for use of Tafenoquine for COVID-19, fungal lung infections, tick-borne diseases,
and other infectious and non-infectious diseases in which induction of host cytokines/inflammation is a component of the disease process.
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”) recently allowed our first COVID-19 patent for Tafenoquine. We have
optioned or licensed patents involving Celgosivir for the treatment and prevention of Dengue (from the National University of Singapore),
COVID-19 & Zika (Florida State University), and have pending patent applications related to Celgosivir for RSV. We have optioned
or own manufacturing methods related to Celgosivir. A detailed list of our intellectual property is as follows:
Patents
Title
Patent No.
Country
Status
US Patent Date
Application No.
Estimated/
Anticipated
Expiration
Date
Dosing Regimen For Use Of Celgosivir As An Antiviral
Therapeutic For Dengue Virus Infections
2013203400
Australia
2013203400 +
10-April-2033*
Novel Dosing Regimens Of Celgosivir For The Treatment Of Dengue
2014228035
Australia
2014228035
14-Mar-2034*
Novel Dosing Regimens Of Celgosivir For The Treatment Of Dengue
MY-170991-A
Malaysia
PI2015002372
14-Mar-2034*
Novel Dosing Regimens Of Celgosivir For The Treatment Of Dengue
378015
Mexico
MX/a/2015/013115
14-Mar-2034*
Novel Dosing Regimens Of Celgosivir For The Treatment Of Dengue
11201507254V
Singapore
11201507254V
14-Mar-2034*
Novel Dosing Regimens Of Celgosivir For The Treatment Of Dengue
Pending
Singapore
Pending
10201908089V
14-Mar-2034*
Novel Dosing Regimens Of Celgosivir For The Treatment Of Dengue
9763921
US
9/19/2017
14/772,873
14-Mar-2034 ^
Novel Dosing Regimens Of Celgosivir For The Treatment Of Dengue
10517854
US
12/31/2019
15/706,845
14-Mar-2034 ^
Dosing Regimens Of Celgosivir For The Treatment Of Dengue
11219616
US
1/11/2022
16/725,387
14-Mar-2034 ^
Novel Regimens Of Tafenoquine For Prevention Of Malaria In
Malaria-Naïve Subjects
2015358566
Australia
2015358566
02-Dec-2035*
Regimens Of Tafenoquine For Prevention Of Malaria In Malaria-Naïve
Subjects
2968694
Canada
2968694
02-Dec-2035*
Novel Regimens Of Tafenoquine For Prevention Of Malaria In
Malaria-Naïve Subjects
10342791
US
7/9/2019
15/532,280
02-Dec-2035 ^
Regimens Of Tafenoquine For Prevention Of Malaria In Malaria-Naive
Subjects
10888558
US
1/12/2021
16/504,533
02-Dec-2035 ^
Novel Regimens Of Tafenoquine For Prevention Of Malaria In
Malaria-Naïve Subjects
Pending
Singapore
Pending
10201904908Q
02-Dec-2035*
Novel Regimens Of Tafenoquine For Prevention Of Malaria In
Malaria-Naïve Subjects
Pending
EP
Pending
15865264.4
02-Dec-2035*
Novel Regimens Of Tafenoquine For Prevention Of Malaria In
Malaria-Naïve Subjects
Pending
Hong Kong
Pending
18103081.4
02-Dec-2035*
13
Title
Patent No.
Country
Status
US Patent
Date
Application
No.
Estimated/
Anticipated
Expiration
Date
Regimens Of Tafenoquine For Prevention Of Malaria In Malaria-Naive
Subjects
11,744,828
US
9/5/2023
17/145,530
02-Dec-2035 ^
Novel Regimens Of Tafenoquine For Prevention Of Malaria In
Malaria-Naïve Subjects
Pending
New Zealand
Pending
731813
02-Dec-2035*
Regimens of Tafenoquine for Prevention of Malaria in Malaria-Naive
Subjects
Pending
US
Pending
18/240,049
02-Dec-2035 ^
Novel Dosing Regimens Of Celgosivir For The Prevention Of Dengue
2016368580
Australia
2016368580
09-Dec-2036*
Novel Dosing Regimens Of Celgosivir For The Prevention Of Dengue
Pending
Singapore
Pending
10201912141Y
09-Dec-2036*
Dosing Regimens Of Celgosivir For The Prevention Of Dengue
11000516
US
5/11/2011
16/060,945
09-Dec-2036 ^
Methods For The Treatment And Prevention Of Lung Infections
By Administration Of Tafenoquine
Pending
EP
Pending
21764438.4
02-Mar-2041*
Methods For The Treatment And Prevention Of Lung Infections
By Administration Of Tafenoquine
Pending
China
Pending
202180029643.7
02-Mar-2041*
Methods For The Treatment And Prevention Of Lung Infections
By Administration Of Tafenoquine
Pending
Australia
Pending
2021231743
02-Mar-2041*
Methods For The Treatment And Prevention Of Lung Infections
Caused By Gram-Positive Bacteria, Fungus, Or Virus By Administration Of Tafenoquine
Pending
Hong Kong
Pending
62023078645.6
02-Mar-2041*
Methods For The Treatment And Prevention Of Lung Infections
Caused By Gram-Positive Bacteria, Fungus, Or Virus By Administration Of Tafenoquine
11,633,391
US
4/25/2023
17/189,544
05-May-2041 ^
Methods For The Treatment And Prevention Of Lung Infections
Caused By Gram-Positive Bacteria, Fungus, Or Virus By Administration Of Tafenoquine
Pending
US
Pending
18/300,805
02-Mar-2041 ^
Methods For The Treatment And Prevention Of Lung Infections
Caused By Fungus By Administration Of Tafenoquine
Pending
US
Pending
17/683,679
02-Mar-2041 ^
Methods For The Treatment And Prevention Of Lung Infections
Caused By Sars-Cov-2 Virus By Administration Of Tafenoquine
Pending
US
Pending
17/683,718
02-Mar-2041 ^
14
Title
Patent No.
Country
Status
US Patent
Date
Application
No.
Estimated/
Anticipated
Expiration
Date
Treatment Of Human Coronavirus Infections Using
Alpha-Glucosidase Glycoprotein Processing Inhibitors
11369592
US
6/28/2022
17/180,140 #
19-Feb-2041 ^
Treatment Of Human Coronavirus Infections Using Alpha-Glucosidase
Glycoprotein Processing Inhibitors
Pending
US
Pending
17/664,693 #
19-Feb-2041 ^
Treatment Of Human Coronavirus Infections Using Alpha-Glucosidase
Glycoprotein Processing Inhibitors
Pending
EP
Pending
2021757552 #
19-Feb-2041*
Methods For The Treatment And Prevention Of Non-Viral Tick-Borne
Diseases And Symptoms Thereof
Provisional
US
Provisional
63/461,060
~21-Apr-2044 &
Methods To Treat Respiratory Infection Utilizing Castanospermine
Analogs
Pending
US
Pending
18/218,202
05-Jul-2043 ^
Methods To Treat Respiratory Infection Utilizing Castanospermine
Analogs
Pending
PCT
Pending
PCT/US23/26884
05-Jul-2043*
Methods For The Treatment And Prevention Of Diseases Or Infections
With MCP-1 Involvement By Administration Of Tafenoquine
Pending
US
Pending
18/375,070
30-Sep-2043 ^
Methods For The Treatment And Prevention Of Diseases Or Infections
With MCP-1 Involvement By Administration Of Tafenoquine
Pending
PCT
Pending
PCT/US23/34169
30-Sep-2043
Treatment Of Zika Virus Infections Using Alpha Glucosidase
Inhibitors
10,328,061 +
US
6-25-2019
15/584,952 +
2-May-37
Treatment Of Zika Virus Infections Using Alpha Glucosidase
Inhibitors
10,561,642 +
US
2-18-2020
15/856,377 +
2-May-37
* =
For foreign patents and
applications, the estimated and/or anticipated patent expiration is the date that is twenty years from the PCT filing date. For all
issued Australian patents, this estimated date was also confirmed through the Australian patent office web database.
^ =
For issued U.S. patents,
the estimated patent expiration was calculated using information from the front cover of the patent, i.e. , 20 years from the
date of the nonprovisional filing plus any listed Patent Term Adjustment less any time disclaimed through a Terminal Disclaimer.
For pending U.S. applications, the anticipated patent expiration is the date twenty years from the earliest nonprovisional filing
date and does not account for possible Patent Term Adjustment (PTA), Patent Term Extension (PTE), or Terminal Disclaimers.
& =
For U.S. provisional applications
that are not yet the subject of a nonprovisional or PCT application, the anticipated patent expiration was determined using the assumption
that a non-provisional application or PCT will be filed one year after filing the provisional application with a term lasting twenty
years from the date of that nonprovisional or PCT filing. This does not account for possible Patent Term Adjustment (PTA), Patent
Term Extension (PTE), or Terminal Disclaimers.
+ =
60 Degrees Pharmaceuticals,
Inc. is not a listed Applicant and Geoffrey S. Dow, Ph.D. is not a listed inventor.
# =
60 Degrees Pharmaceuticals,
Inc. is not a listed Applicant, but Geoffrey S. Dow, Ph.D. is a listed inventor.
All
patents not designated with a “+” list Geoffrey S. Dow, Ph.D. as an inventor.
All
patents not designated with a “+” or a “#” list 60 Degrees Pharmaceuticals, Inc. as an applicant.
All
estimated patent expiration dates and anticipated patent expiration assume payment of any maintenance/annuity fees during the patent
term.
15
Trademarks
Country
Mark
Status
Application
Number
Date
Filed
Registration
Date
Registration
Number
BIR
Ref Number
Due
Date
Due
Date Description
Australia
KODATEF
Registered
1774631
2-Jun-16
6/2/2016
1774631
0081716-000029
2-Jun-26
Renewal
Due
Canada
KODATEF
Registered
1785098
1-Jun-16
11/26/2019
TMA1,064,371
0081716-000028
26-Nov-29
Renewal
Due
Canada
ARAKODA
Registered
1899317
15-May-18
8/20/2020
TMA1,081,180
0081716-000053
20-Aug-30
Renewal
Due
China
KODATEF
Registered
20842242
2-Aug-16
9/28/2017
20842242
0081716-000035
27-Sep-27
Renewal
Due
European
Union
KODATEF
Registered
15508872
3-Jun-16
9/21/2016
15508872
0081716-000034
3-Jun-26
Renewal
Due
European
Union
ARAKODA
Registered
17900852
16-May-18
9/20/2018
17900852
0081716-000054
16-May-28
Renewal
Due
Israel
KODATEF
Registered
285476
6-Jun-16
6/6/2016
285476
0081716-000033
6-Jun-26
Renewal
Due
New
Zealand
KODATEF
Registered
1044407
7-Jun-16
12/8/2016
1044407
0081716-000031
6-May-26
Renewal
Due
Russian
Federation
KODATEF
Registered
2016720181
6-Jun-16
7/10/2017
623174
0081716-000032
6-Jun-26
Renewal
Due
Singapore
KODATEF
Registered
40201707950V
2-May-17
11/8/2017
40201707950V
0081716-000040
2-May-27
Renewal
Due
United
Kingdom
ARAKODA
Registered
17900852
16-May-18
9/20/2018
UK00917900852
0081716-000054
16-May-28
Renewal
Due
United
Kingdom
KODATEF
Registered
15508872
3-Jun-16
9/21/2016
UK009015508872
0081716-000072
3-Jun-26
Renewal
Due
United
States of America
TQ
100 & TABLET DESIGN
Registered
87608493
14-Sep-17
9/11/2018
5562900
0081716-000037
11-Sep-24
Section
8 & 15 Due
United
States of America
ARAKODA
Registered
87688137
16-Nov-17
12/31/2019
5950691
0081716-000050
31-Dec-25
Section
8 & 15 Due
United
States of America
KODATEF
Abandoned-
90072885
24-Jul-20
0081716-000069
16-Aug-23
Statement of Use/3rd Extension of Time Due
United States
of America
KODATEF
Allowed
98/363,219
18-Jan-24
0081716-000074
12-May-25
Statement
of Use/1 st Extension of Time Due
Key
Relationships & Licenses
On May 30, 2014, we entered into the Exclusive
License Agreement (the “2014 NUS-SHS Agreement”) with National University of Singapore (“NUS”) and Singapore
Health Services Pte Ltd (“SHS”) in which we were granted a license from NUS and SHS with respect to their share of patent
rights regarding “Dosing Regimen for Use of Celgosivir as an Antiviral Therapeutic for Dengue Virus Infection” to develop,
market and sell licensed products. The 2014 NUS-SHS Agreement continues in force until the expiration of the last to expire of any patents
under the patent rights unless terminated earlier in accordance with the 2014 NUS-SHS Agreement. We are obligated to pay royalties at
the rate of 1.5% of gross sales.
16
On July 15, 2015, we entered into the Exclusive
License Agreement with the U.S. Army Medical Materiel Development Activity (the “U.S. Army”), which was subsequently amended
(the “U.S. Army Agreement”), in which we obtained a license to develop and commercialize the licensed technology with respect
to all therapeutic applications and uses excluding radical cure of symptomatic vivax malaria. This exclusion does not impact our ability
to market Arakoda for the FDA-approved use, which is the prevention of malaria utilizing the indicated dose in asymptomatic individuals
traveling to malarious areas (whereas the license exclusion relates to its use to treat symptomatic vivax malaria in a patient already
presenting with that disease). The term of the U.S. Army Agreement will continue until the expiration of the last to expire of the patent
application or valid claim of the licensed technology, or 20 years from the start date of the U.S. Army Agreement, unless terminated
earlier by the parties. We will be required to make a minimum annual royalty payment of 3% of net sales for net sales < $35 million,
and 5% of net sales greater than $35 million, with US government sales excluded from the definition of net sales. In addition, we were
required to pay a sales-based milestone fee of $75,000 once cumulative net sales from all sources exceeds $6 million, a change of control
payment of $100,000 if the company is acquired or merges, and regulatory approval milestone payments once marketing authorizations are
achieved in Canada ($5,000) and Europe ($5,000). We achieved the sales-based milestone target during the year ended December 31, 2023,
which milestone payment was made in full in June 2024. Also, we will be required to obtain the U.S. Army Medical Materiel Development
Activity’s consent prior to a change of control of the Company, which consent was obtained on September 2, 2022.
On
September 15, 2016, we entered into the Exclusive License Agreement (the “2016 NUS-SHS Agreement”) with National University
of Singapore (“NUS”) and Singapore Health Services Pte Ltd (“SHS”) in which we were granted a license from NUS
and SHS with respect to their share of patent rights regarding “Novel Dosing Regimens of Celgosivir for The Prevention of Dengue”
to develop, market and sell licensed products. The 2016 NUS-SHS Agreement continues in force until the expiration of the last to expire
of any patents under the patent rights unless terminated earlier in accordance with the 2016 NUS-SHS Agreement. We are obligated to pay
at the rate of 1.5% of gross sales or minimum annual royalty ($5,000 in 2022 and $15,000 in 2023). In July 2022, the Company renegotiated
the timing of a license fee of $85,000 Singapore Dollars, payable to the National University of Singapore, such that payment would be
due at the earlier of (i) enrollment of a patient in a Phase II clinical trial involving Celgosivir, (ii) two years from the agreement
date and (iii) an initial public offering.
On
December 4, 2020, we entered into the Other Transaction Authority for Prototype Agreement (“OTAP Agreement”) with the Natick
Contracting Division of the U.S. government in which we will, among other things, conduct activities for a Phase II clinical trial to
assess the safety and efficacy of Tafenoquine for the treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19 disease, with the goal of delivering Tafenoquine
with an FDA Emergency Use Authorization (“EUA”) approved as a countermeasure against COVID-19. The total amount of the OTAP
Agreement is $4,999,814. The term of the OTAP Agreement commenced on December 4, 2020, and was completed in the third quarter of 2022.
The U.S. government may terminate the OTAP Agreement for any or no reason by providing us with at least thirty (30) calendar days’
prior written notice. Pursuant to the OTAP Agreement, we will not offer, sell or otherwise provide the EUA or licensed version of the
prototype (Tafenoquine) that is FDA approved for COVID-19 or any like product to any entity at a price lower than that offered to the
DoD, which applies only to products sold in the U.S., European Union and Canada related to COVID-19.
On February 15, 2021, we entered into the Inter-Institutional Agreement
with FSURF (the “FSURF Agreement”) in which FSURF granted us the right to manage the licensing of intellectual property created
at FSURF. The term of the FSURF Agreement expires five years from February 15, 2021. After deduction of a 5% administrative fee by FSURF,
capped at $15,000 annually, and reimbursement of patent prosecution expenses, we will receive 20% of license income and FSURF will receive
80% of license income. Payments of license income shall be paid in U.S. dollars quarterly each year. On February 19, 2021, we entered
into an agreement with FSURF, subsequently amended on February 15, 2023, and effective on March 24, 2025, that collectively granted an
option, effective through March 23, 2026, to us to license methods for purifying castanospermine and its use for the treatment of COVID-19.
On August 19, 2021, we entered into an agreement with FSURF, subsequently amended on February 15, 2023, and effective on March 24, 2025,
that collectively granted an option, effective through March 23, 2026, to us to license a patent relating to the use of alpha glucosidase
inhibitors (including castanospermine and Celgosivir) for treatment of Zika infections.
Ending
upon July 12, 2033 or the conversion or redemption in full of all of the shares of Series A Preferred Stock owned by Knight, we will
pay Knight a royalty equal to 3.5% of our net sales, where “net sales” has the same meaning as in our license agreement with
the U.S. Army for Tafenoquine. Due to the success of the qualified IPO, at the end of the quarter and each quarter thereafter the
royalty will be calculated, and payment will be made within fifteen days.
17
Sales
and Marketing
In 2025, we plan to “relaunch” Arakoda
for malaria prevention in the United States as described in the “Strategy” section.
In
2023, we began to see named-patient sales in Europe, without any adjustments to pricing, triggering the purchase of another partial lot
of Arakoda by our European distributor. Sales volume has increased in Australia in response to repricing of Kodatef by our local distributor
to be more competitive with atovaquone-proguanil.
Manufacturing
We
do not currently own or operate manufacturing facilities for the production of clinical or commercial quantities of our product candidates.
Australian Research Tax Credit and Overseas Finding Process
Under Section 27 of the Industry Research and
Development Act 1986 38 , the Australian government offers a research tax credit of 43.5% on registered research and development
activities executed in Australia by eligible Australian domiciled entities. Companies are eligible to receive tax credits if they meet
the following criteria: (i) are domiciled in Australia, (ii) have incurred at least $20,000 in eligible research and development expenses,
(iii) have conducted at least one eligible research and development activity, (iv) beneficial owner(s) with > 40 % beneficial ownership
when considered together do not have > $20 million AUD aggregated turnover on an annual basis. 60P Australia Pty Ltd meets all these
criteria, and will continue to do so in the future unless, considered together with any of our shareholders who have > 40% beneficial
ownership, have > $20 million AUD in aggregate annual turnover.
Under Section 28D of the Industry Research and
Development Act 1986 39 , research and development activities conducted outside Australia are also potentially eligible if they
meet the following criteria: (i) they are approved in advance, (ii) they are linked to a core research and development activity conducted
in Australia, (iii) cannot be conducted in Australia for various reasons and (iv) the value of activities conducted overseas is less
than the value of activities conducted in Australia.
Government Regulation and Product Approvals
Government authorities in the United States,
at the federal, state and local level, and in other countries and jurisdictions, including the European Union, extensively regulate,
among other things, the research, development, testing, manufacture, quality control, approval, packaging, storage, recordkeeping, labeling,
advertising, promotion, distribution, marketing, post-approval monitoring and reporting, and import and export of pharmaceutical products.
The processes for obtaining regulatory approvals in the United States and in foreign countries and jurisdictions, along with subsequent
compliance with applicable statutes and regulations and other regulatory authorities, require the expenditure of substantial time and
financial resources.
38
See Industry Research and Development Act 1986 (legislation.gov.au).
39
See Australian Government R&D Tax Incentive - Overseas R&D:
Information Sheet.
18
Review and Approval of Drugs in the United States
In the United States, the FDA regulates, among
other things, the research, development, testing, manufacturing, approval, labeling, storage, recordkeeping, advertising, promotion and
marketing, distribution, post approval monitoring and reporting and import and export of drugs in the U.S. to assure the safety and effectiveness
of medical products for their intended use under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (“FDCA”), and implementing regulations.
The failure to comply with applicable U.S. requirements at any time during the product development process, approval process or after
approval may subject an applicant and/or sponsor to a variety of administrative or judicial sanctions, including refusal by the FDA to
approve pending applications, withdrawal of an approval, imposition of a clinical hold, issuance of warning letters and other types of
letters, product recalls, product seizures, total or partial suspension of production or distribution, injunctions, fines, refusals of
government contracts, denial of the ability to import and export certain products, restitution, disgorgement of profits, or civil or
criminal investigations and penalties brought by the FDA and the Department of Justice or other governmental entities.
An applicant seeking approval to market and distribute
a new drug product in the United States must typically undertake the following:
● completion
of preclinical laboratory tests, animal studies and formulation studies in compliance with
the FDA’s good laboratory practice regulations;
●
submission to the FDA of an IND, which must take effect before human
clinical trials may begin;
●
approval by an independent institutional review board representing
each clinical site before each clinical trial may be initiated;
●
performance of adequate and well-controlled human clinical trials in
accordance with good clinical practices to establish the safety and efficacy of the proposed drug product for each indication;
●
preparation and submission to the FDA of a new drug application;
●
review of the product by an FDA advisory committee, where appropriate
or if applicable;
●
satisfactory completion of one or more FDA inspections of the manufacturing
facility or facilities at which the product, or components thereof, are produced to assess compliance with cGMP, requirements and
to assure that the facilities, methods and controls are adequate to preserve the product’s identity, strength, quality and
purity;
●
satisfactory completion of FDA audits of clinical trial sites to assure
compliance with GCPs and the integrity of the clinical data;
●
payment of user fees and securing FDA approval of the NDA; and
●
compliance with any post-approval requirements, including Risk Evaluation
and Mitigation Strategies and post-approval studies required by the FDA.
19
Preclinical Studies
Preclinical studies include laboratory evaluation
of the purity and stability of the manufactured drug substance or active pharmaceutical ingredient and the formulated drug or drug product,
as well as in vitro and animal studies to assess the safety and activity of the drug for initial testing in humans and to establish
a rationale for therapeutic use. The conduct of preclinical studies is subject to federal regulations and requirements, including GLP
regulations. The results of the preclinical tests, together with manufacturing information, analytical data, any available clinical data
or literature and plans for clinical trials, among other things, are submitted to the FDA as part of an IND. Some long-term preclinical
testing, such as animal tests of reproductive adverse events and carcinogenicity, may continue after the IND is submitted.
Companies usually must complete some long-term
preclinical testing, such as animal tests of reproductive adverse events and carcinogenicity, and must also develop additional information
about the chemistry and physical characteristics of the investigational product and finalize a process for manufacturing the product
in commercial quantities in accordance with cGMP requirements. The manufacturing process must be capable of consistently producing quality
batches of the product candidate and, among other things, the manufacturer must develop methods for testing the identity, strength, quality
and purity of the final product. Additionally, appropriate packaging must be selected and tested, and stability studies must be conducted
to demonstrate that the product candidate does not undergo unacceptable deterioration over its shelf life.
The IND and IRB Processes
An IND is an exemption from the FDCA that allows
an unapproved drug to be shipped in interstate commerce for use in an investigational clinical trial and a request for FDA authorization
to administer an investigational drug to humans. Such authorization must be secured prior to interstate shipment and administration of
any new drug that is not the subject of an approved NDA. In support of a request for an IND, applicants must submit a protocol for each
clinical trial and any subsequent protocol amendments must be submitted to the FDA as part of the IND. In addition, the results of the
preclinical tests, together with manufacturing information, analytical data, any available clinical data or literature and plans for
clinical trials, among other things, are submitted to the FDA as part of an IND. The FDA requires a 30-day waiting period after the filing
of each IND before clinical trials may begin. This waiting period is designed to allow the FDA to review the IND to determine whether
human research subjects will be exposed to unreasonable health risks. At any time during this 30-day period, the FDA may raise concerns
or questions about the conduct of the trials as outlined in the IND and impose a clinical hold. In this case, the IND sponsor and the
FDA must resolve any outstanding concerns before clinical trials can begin.
Following commencement of a clinical trial under
an IND, the FDA may also place a clinical hold or partial clinical hold on that trial. A clinical hold is an order issued by the FDA
to the sponsor to delay a proposed clinical investigation or to suspend an ongoing investigation. A partial clinical hold is a delay
or suspension of only part of the clinical work requested under the IND. For example, a specific protocol or part of a protocol is not
allowed to proceed, while other protocols may do so. No more than 30 days after imposition of a clinical hold or partial clinical hold,
the FDA will provide the sponsor a written explanation of the basis for the hold.
Following issuance of a clinical hold or partial
clinical hold, an investigation may only resume after the FDA has notified the sponsor that the investigation may proceed. The FDA will
base that determination on information provided by the sponsor correcting the deficiencies previously cited or otherwise satisfying the
FDA that the investigation can proceed.
20
A sponsor may choose, but is not required, to
conduct a foreign clinical study under an IND. When a foreign clinical study is conducted under an IND, all FDA IND requirements must
be met unless waived. When the foreign clinical study is not conducted under an IND, the sponsor must ensure that the study complies
with certain FDA requirements in order to use the study as support for an IND or application for marketing approval.
In addition to the IND requirements, an IRB representing
each institution participating in the clinical trial must review and approve the plan for any clinical trial before it commences at that
institution, and the IRB must conduct continuing review and reapprove the study at least annually. The IRB must review and approve, among
other things, the study protocol and informed consent information to be provided to study subjects. An IRB must operate in compliance
with FDA regulations. An IRB can suspend or terminate approval of a clinical trial at its institution, or an institution it represents,
if the clinical trial is not being conducted in accordance with the IRB’s requirements or if the product candidate has been associated
with unexpected serious harm to patients.
Additionally, some trials are overseen by an
independent group of qualified experts organized by the trial sponsor, known as a data safety monitoring board or committee. This group
provides authorization for whether or not a trial may move forward at designated check points based on access that only the group maintains
to available data from the study. Suspension or termination of development during any phase of clinical trials can occur if it is determined
that the participants or patients are being exposed to an unacceptable health risk. Other reasons for suspension or termination may be
made by us based on evolving business objectives and/or competitive climate.
Information about certain clinical trials must
be submitted within specific timeframes to the National Institutes of Health, for public dissemination on its ClinicalTrials.gov
website.
Human Clinical Studies in Support of
an NDA
Clinical trials involve the administration of
the investigational product to human subjects under the supervision of qualified investigators in accordance with GCP requirements, which
include, among other things, the requirement that all research subjects provide their informed consent in writing before their participation
in any clinical trial. Clinical trials are conducted under written study protocols detailing, among other things, the inclusion and exclusion
criteria, the objectives of the study, the parameters to be used in monitoring safety and the effectiveness criteria to be evaluated.
Human clinical trials are typically conducted
in the following sequential phases, which may overlap or be combined:
●
Phase 1: The drug is initially introduced into healthy human subjects
or, in certain indications such as cancer, patients with the target disease or condition and tested for safety, dosage tolerance,
absorption, metabolism, distribution, excretion and, if possible, to gain an early indication of its effectiveness and to determine
optimal dosage.
●
Phase 2: The drug is administered to a limited patient population to
identify possible adverse effects and safety risks, to preliminarily evaluate the efficacy of the product for specific targeted diseases
and to determine dosage tolerance and optimal dosage.
●
Phase 3: The drug is administered to an expanded patient population,
generally at geographically dispersed clinical trial sites, in well-controlled clinical trials to generate enough data to statistically
evaluate the efficacy and safety of the product for approval, to establish the overall risk-benefit profile of the product, and to
provide adequate information for the labeling of the product.
●
Phase 4: Post-approval studies, which are conducted following initial
approval, are typically conducted to gain additional experience and data from treatment of patients in the intended therapeutic indication.
21
Progress reports detailing the results of the
clinical trials must be submitted at least annually to the FDA and more frequently if serious adverse events occur. In addition, IND
safety reports must be submitted to the FDA for any of the following: serious and unexpected suspected adverse reactions; findings from
other studies or animal or in vitro testing that suggest a significant risk in humans exposed to the drug; and any clinically
important increase in the case of a serious suspected adverse reaction over that listed in the protocol or investigator brochure. Phase
1, Phase 2 and Phase 3 clinical trials may not be completed successfully within any specified period, or at all. Furthermore, the FDA
or the sponsor may suspend or terminate a clinical trial at any time on various grounds, including a finding that the research subjects
are being exposed to an unacceptable health risk. Similarly, an IRB can suspend or terminate approval of a clinical trial at its institution,
or an institution it represents, if the clinical trial is not being conducted in accordance with the IRB’s requirements or if the
drug has been associated with unexpected serious harm to patients. The FDA will typically inspect one or more clinical sites to assure
compliance with GCP and the integrity of the clinical data submitted.
Concurrent with clinical trials, companies often
complete additional animal studies and must also develop additional information about the chemistry and physical characteristics of the
drug as well as finalize a process for manufacturing the product in commercial quantities in accordance with cGMP requirements. The manufacturing
process must be capable of consistently producing quality batches of the drug candidate and, among other things, must develop methods
for testing the identity, strength, quality, purity, and potency of the final drug. Additionally, appropriate packaging must be selected
and tested and stability studies must be conducted to demonstrate that the drug candidate does not undergo unacceptable deterioration
over its shelf life.
Submission of an NDA to the FDA
Assuming successful completion of required clinical
testing and other requirements, the results of the preclinical studies and clinical trials, together with detailed information relating
to the product’s chemistry, manufacture, controls and proposed labeling, among other things, are submitted to the FDA as part of
an NDA requesting approval to market the drug product for one or more indications. Under federal law, the submission of most NDAs is
additionally subject to an application user fee and the sponsor of an approved NDA is also subject to annual product and establishment
user fees. These fees are typically increased annually. Certain exceptions and waivers are available for some of these fees, such as
an exception from the application fee for products with orphan designation and a waiver for certain small businesses, an exception from
the establishment fee when the establishment does not engage in manufacturing the product during a particular fiscal year, and an exception
from the product fee for a product that is the same as another product approved under an abbreviated pathway.
The FDA conducts a preliminary review of an NDA
within 60 days of its receipt and strives to inform the sponsor by the 74th day after the FDA’s receipt of the submission to determine
whether the application is sufficiently complete to permit substantive review. The FDA may request additional information rather than
accept an NDA for filing. In this event, the application must be resubmitted with additional information. The resubmitted application
is also subject to review before the FDA accepts it for filing. Once the submission is accepted for filing, the FDA begins an in-depth
substantive review. The FDA has agreed to certain performance goals in the review process of NDAs. Most such applications are meant to
be reviewed within ten months from the date of filing, and most applications for “priority review” products are meant to
be reviewed within six months of filing. The review process may be extended by the FDA for three additional months to consider new information
or clarification provided by the applicant to address an outstanding deficiency identified by the FDA following the original submission.
22
Before approving an NDA, the FDA typically will
inspect the facility or facilities where the product is or will be manufactured. These pre-approval inspections may cover all facilities
associated with an NDA submission, including drug component manufacturing (such as active pharmaceutical ingredients), finished drug
product manufacturing, and control testing laboratories. The FDA will not approve an application unless it determines that the manufacturing
processes and facilities comply with cGMP requirements and adequate to assure consistent production of the product within required specifications.
Additionally, before approving an NDA, the FDA will typically inspect one or more clinical sites to assure compliance with GCP. Under
the FDA Reauthorization Act of 2017 (“FDARA”), the FDA must implement a protocol to expedite review of responses to inspection
reports pertaining to certain drug applications, including applications for drugs in a shortage or drugs for which approval is dependent
on remediation of conditions identified in the inspection report.
In addition, as a condition of approval, the
FDA may require an applicant to develop a REMS. REMS use risk minimization strategies beyond professional labeling to ensure that the
benefits of the product outweigh the potential risks. To determine whether a REMS is needed, the FDA will consider the size of the population
likely to use the product, seriousness of the disease, expected benefit of the product, expected duration of treatment, seriousness of
known or potential adverse events, and whether the product is a new molecular entity. REMS can include medication guides, physician communication
plans for healthcare professionals, and elements to assure safe use, or ETASU. ETASU may include, but is not limited to, special training
or certification for prescribing or dispensing, dispensing only under certain circumstances, special monitoring, and the use of patient
registries. The FDA may require a REMS before approval or post-approval if it becomes aware of a serious risk associated with use of
the product. The requirement for a REMS can materially affect the potential market and profitability of a product.
The FDA may refer an application for a novel
drug to an advisory committee or explain why such referral was not made. Typically, an advisory committee is a panel of independent experts,
including clinicians and other scientific experts, that reviews, evaluates and provides a recommendation as to whether the application
should be approved and under what conditions. The FDA is not bound by the recommendations of an advisory committee, but it considers
such recommendations carefully when making decisions.
Fast-Track, Breakthrough Therapy and
Priority Review Designations
The FDA is authorized to designate certain products
for expedited review if they are intended to address an unmet medical need in the treatment of a serious or life-threatening disease
or condition. These programs are referred to as fast-track designation, breakthrough therapy designation and priority review designation.
Specifically, the FDA may designate a product
for fast-track review if it is intended, whether alone or in combination with one or more other products, for the treatment of a serious
or life-threatening disease or condition, and it demonstrates the potential to address unmet medical needs for such a disease or condition.
For fast-track products, sponsors may have greater interactions with the FDA and the FDA may initiate review of sections of a fast-track
product’s application before the application is complete. This rolling review may be available if the FDA determines, after preliminary
evaluation of clinical data submitted by the sponsor, that a fast-track product may be effective. The sponsor must also provide, and
the FDA must approve, a schedule for the submission of the remaining information and the sponsor must pay applicable user fees. However,
the FDA’s time period goal for reviewing a fast-track application does not begin until the last section of the application is submitted.
In addition, the fast track designation may be withdrawn by the FDA if the FDA believes that the designation is no longer supported by
data emerging in the clinical trial process.
Second, a product may be designated as a breakthrough
therapy if it is intended, either alone or in combination with one or more other products, to treat a serious or life-threatening disease
or condition and preliminary clinical evidence indicates that the product may demonstrate substantial improvement over existing therapies
on one or more clinically significant endpoints, such as substantial treatment effects observed early in clinical development. The FDA
may take certain actions with respect to breakthrough therapies, including holding meetings with the sponsor throughout the development
process; providing timely advice to the product sponsor regarding development and approval; involving more senior staff in the review
process; assigning a cross-disciplinary project lead for the review team; and taking other steps to design the clinical trials in an
efficient manner.
23
Third, the FDA may designate a product for priority
review if it is a product that treats a serious condition and, if approved, would provide a significant improvement in safety or effectiveness.
The FDA determines, on a case-by-case basis, whether the proposed product represents a significant improvement when compared with other
available therapies. Significant improvement may be illustrated by evidence of increased effectiveness in the treatment of a condition,
elimination or substantial reduction of a treatment-limiting product reaction, documented enhancement of patient compliance that may
lead to improvement in serious outcomes, and evidence of safety and effectiveness in a new subpopulation. A priority designation is intended
to direct overall attention and resources to the evaluation of such applications, and to shorten the FDA’s goal for taking action
on a marketing application from ten months to six months.
Tropical Disease PRVs
The Tropical Disease Priority Review Voucher
(“PRV”) program was created by Congress under the Food and Drug Administration Amendments Act of 2007 (“FDAAA”)
in order to encourage innovation and public access to new medicines. Pursuant to Section 1102 of FDAAA, which amended section 524 of
the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (“FFDCA”), along with later amendments, the FDA must award a PRV to certain applicants
that obtain an approved NDA to treat certain tropical diseases. Congress later expanded the scope of diseases that were eligible for
a PRV (e.g., a PRV for obtaining approval for a drug to treat rare pediatric diseases). A PRV entitles the holder of the voucher to designate
a different drug application as qualifying for priority review from FDA. When a drug application is designated for priority review through
use of a priority review voucher, that application must be reviewed by FDA no later than 6 months after receipt. 40 This guarantees
a much more rapid review by FDA compared to the standard review time.
Tropical disease PRVs were created under the
FDAAA to encourage pharmaceutical companies to develop treatments for specific neglected tropical diseases. As defined by the statute,
tropical diseases refer to certain “infectious disease[s] for which there is no significant market in developed nations and that
disproportionately affects poor and marginalized populations.” 41 Because tropical diseases occur rarely in the United
States, obtaining approval from the FDA for treating these diseases would normally be unprofitable for pharmaceutical companies due to
the limited domestic market and the scope and significant financial costs of the post-marketing requirements imposed by FDA. Congress
intended to incentivize companies to turn their attentions to tropical diseases by providing a PRV to those companies that obtained approval
from FDA for a tropical disease drug product, and the granted PRV could then be sold to another company for money.
A PRV is an extremely valuable property interest.
For example, Rhythm Pharmaceutical, Inc. announced in 2021 that it had sold a PRV for $100,000,000. 42
Accelerated Approval Pathway
The FDA may grant accelerated approval to a drug
for a serious or life-threatening condition that provides meaningful therapeutic advantage to patients over existing treatments based
upon a determination that the drug has an effect on a surrogate endpoint that is reasonably likely to predict clinical benefit. The FDA
may also grant accelerated approval for such a condition when the product has an effect on an intermediate clinical endpoint that can
be measured earlier than an effect on irreversible morbidity or mortality (“IMM”), and that is reasonably likely to predict
an effect on IMM or other clinical benefit, taking into account the severity, rarity or prevalence of the condition and the availability
or lack of alternative treatments. Drugs granted accelerated approval must meet the same statutory standards for safety and effectiveness
as those granted traditional approval.
40
21 U.S.C. § 360n(a)(1).
41
21 U.S.C. § 360n(a)(3).
42
Ben Adams, Newly acquired Alexion pays $100M for Rhythm’s
speedy review voucher , Fierce Biotech (Jan 6, 2021, 10:23 AM), available at https://www.fiercebiotech.com/biotech/newly-acquired-alexion-pays-100m-for-rhythm-s-speedy-review-voucher.
24
For the purposes of accelerated approval, a surrogate
endpoint is a marker, such as a laboratory measurement, radiographic image, physical sign or other measure that is thought to predict
clinical benefit, but is not itself a measure of clinical benefit. Surrogate endpoints can often be measured more easily or more rapidly
than clinical endpoints. An intermediate clinical endpoint is a measurement of a therapeutic effect that is considered reasonably likely
to predict the clinical benefit of a drug, such as an effect on IMM. There is limited experience with accelerated approvals by the FDA
based on intermediate clinical endpoints. However, the FDA has indicated that such endpoints generally may support accelerated approval
where the therapeutic effect measured by the endpoint is not itself a clinical benefit and basis for traditional approval, if there is
a basis for concluding that the therapeutic effect is reasonably likely to predict the ultimate clinical benefit of a drug.
The accelerated approval pathway is most often
used in settings in which the course of a disease is long, and an extended period of time is required to measure the intended clinical
benefit of a drug, even if the effect on the surrogate or intermediate clinical endpoint occurs rapidly. Thus, accelerated approval has
been used extensively in the development and approval of drugs for treatment of a variety of cancers in which the goal of therapy is
generally to improve survival or decrease morbidity and the duration of the typical disease course requires lengthy and sometimes large
trials to demonstrate a clinical or survival benefit.
The accelerated approval pathway is usually contingent
on a sponsor’s agreement to conduct, in a diligent manner, additional post-approval confirmatory studies to verify and describe
the drug’s clinical benefit. As a result, a drug candidate approved on this basis is subject to rigorous post-marketing compliance
requirements, including the completion of Phase 4 or post-approval clinical trials to confirm the effect on the clinical endpoint. Failure
to conduct required post-approval studies, or confirm a clinical benefit during post-marketing studies, would allow the FDA to withdraw
the drug from the market on an expedited basis. All promotional materials for drug candidates approved under accelerated regulations
are subject to prior review by the FDA.
The FDA’s Decision on an NDA
On the basis of the FDA’s evaluation of
the NDA and accompanying information, including the results of the inspection of the manufacturing facilities, the FDA may issue an approval
letter or a complete response letter. An approval letter authorizes commercial marketing of the product with specific prescribing information
for specific indications. A complete response letter generally outlines the deficiencies in the submission and may require substantial
additional testing or information in order for the FDA to reconsider the application. If and when those deficiencies have been addressed
to the FDA’s satisfaction in a resubmission of the NDA, the FDA will issue an approval letter. The FDA has committed to reviewing
such resubmissions in two or six months depending on the type of information included. Even with submission of this additional information,
the FDA ultimately may decide that the application does not satisfy the regulatory criteria for approval.
If the FDA approves a product, it may limit the
approved indications for use for the product, require that contraindications, warnings or precautions be included in the product labeling,
require that post-approval studies, including Phase 4 clinical trials, be conducted to further assess the drug’s safety after approval,
require testing and surveillance programs to monitor the product after commercialization, or impose other conditions, including distribution
restrictions or other risk management mechanisms, including REMS, which can materially affect the potential market and profitability
of the product. The FDA may prevent or limit further marketing of a product based on the results of post-market studies or surveillance
programs. After approval, many types of changes to the approved product, such as adding new indications, manufacturing changes and additional
labeling claims, are subject to further testing requirements and FDA review and approval.
Post-Approval Requirements
Drugs manufactured or distributed pursuant to
FDA approvals are subject to pervasive and continuing regulation by the FDA, including, among other things, requirements relating to
recordkeeping, periodic reporting, product sampling and distribution, advertising and promotion and reporting of adverse experiences
with the product. After approval, most changes to the approved product, such as adding new indications or other labeling claims, are
subject to prior FDA review and approval. There also are continuing, annual user fee requirements for any marketed products and the establishments
at which such products are manufactured, as well as new application fees for supplemental applications with clinical data.
25
In addition, drug manufacturers and other entities
involved in the manufacture and distribution of approved drugs are required to register their establishments with the FDA and state agencies,
and are subject to periodic unannounced inspections by the FDA and these state agencies for compliance with cGMP requirements. Changes
to the manufacturing process are strictly regulated and often require prior FDA approval before being implemented. FDA regulations also
require investigation and correction of any deviations from cGMP and impose reporting and documentation requirements upon the sponsor
and any third-party manufacturers that the sponsor may decide to use. Accordingly, manufacturers must continue to expend time, money,
and effort in the area of production and quality control to maintain cGMP compliance.
Once an approval is granted, the FDA may withdraw
the approval if compliance with regulatory requirements and standards is not maintained or if problems occur after the product reaches
the market. Later discovery of previously unknown problems with a product, including adverse events of unanticipated severity or frequency,
or with manufacturing processes, or failure to comply with regulatory requirements, may result in revisions to the approved labeling
to add new safety information; imposition of post-market studies or clinical trials to assess new safety risks; or imposition of distribution
or other restrictions under a REMS program. Other potential consequences include, among other things:
●
restrictions on the marketing or manufacturing of the product, complete
withdrawal of the product from the market or product recalls;
●
fines, warning letters or holds on post-approval clinical trials;
●
refusal of the FDA to approve pending NDAs or supplements to approved
NDAs, or suspension or revocation of product license approvals;
●
product seizure or detention, or refusal to permit the import or export
of products; or
●
injunctions or the imposition of civil or criminal penalties.
The FDA strictly regulates the marketing, labeling,
advertising and promotion of prescription drug products placed on the market. This regulation includes, among other things, standards
and regulations for direct-to-consumer advertising, communications regarding unapproved uses, industry-sponsored scientific and educational
activities, and promotional activities involving the Internet and social media. Promotional claims about a drug’s safety or effectiveness
are prohibited before the drug is approved. After approval, a drug product generally may not be promoted for uses that are not approved
by the FDA, as reflected in the product’s prescribing information. In the United States, healthcare professionals are generally
permitted to prescribe drugs for such uses not described in the drug’s labeling, known as off-label uses, because the FDA does
not regulate the practice of medicine. However, the FDA’s regulations impose rigorous restrictions on manufacturers’ communications,
prohibiting the promotion of off-label uses. It may be permissible, under very specific, narrow conditions, for a manufacturer to engage
in nonpromotional, non-misleading communication regarding off-label information, such as distributing scientific or medical journal information.
If a company is found to have promoted off-label uses, it may become subject to adverse public relations and administrative and judicial
enforcement by the FDA, the Department of Justice, or the Office of the Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services,
as well as state authorities. This could subject a company to a range of penalties that could have a significant commercial impact, including
civil and criminal fines and agreements that materially restrict the manner in which a company promotes or distributes drug products.
The federal government has levied large civil and criminal fines against companies for alleged improper promotion, and has also requested
that companies enter into consent decrees or permanent injunctions under which specified promotional conduct is changed or curtailed.
In addition, the distribution of prescription
pharmaceutical products is subject to the Prescription Drug Marketing Act (“PDMA”), and its implementation regulations, as
well as the Drug Supply Chain Security Act (“DSCSA”), which regulates the distribution of and tracing of prescription drugs
and prescription drug samples at the federal level, and sets minimum standards for the regulation of drug distributors by the states.
The PDMA, its implementing regulations and state laws limit the distribution of prescription pharmaceutical product samples, and the
DSCSA imposes requirements to ensure accountability in distribution and to identify and remove counterfeit and other illegitimate products
from the market.
26
Abbreviated New Drug Applications for
Generic Drugs
In 1984, with passage of the Hatch-Waxman Amendments
to the FDCA, Congress authorized the FDA to approve generic drugs that are the same as drugs previously approved by the FDA under the
NDA provisions of the statute. To obtain approval of a generic drug, an applicant must submit an ANDA to the agency. In support of such
applications, a generic manufacturer may rely on the preclinical and clinical testing previously conducted for a drug product previously
approved under an NDA, known as the reference-listed drug (“RLD”).
Specifically, in order for an ANDA to be approved,
the FDA must find that the generic version is identical to the RLD with respect to the active ingredients, the route of administration,
the dosage form, and the strength of the drug. At the same time, the FDA must also determine that the generic drug is “bioequivalent”
to the innovator drug. Under the statute, a generic drug is bioequivalent to a RLD if “the rate and extent of absorption of the
drug do not show a significant difference from the rate and extent of absorption of the listed drug...”
Upon approval of an ANDA, the FDA indicates whether
the generic product is “therapeutically equivalent” to the RLD in its publication “Approved Drug Products with Therapeutic
Equivalence Evaluations,” also referred to as the “Orange Book.” Physicians and pharmacists consider a therapeutic
equivalent generic drug to be fully substitutable for the RLD. In addition, by operation of certain state laws and numerous health insurance
programs, the FDA’s designation of therapeutic equivalence often results in substitution of the generic drug without the knowledge
or consent of either the prescribing physician or patient.
Under the Hatch-Waxman Amendments, the FDA may
not approve an ANDA until any applicable period of non-patent exclusivity for the RLD has expired. The FDCA provides a period of five
years of non-patent data exclusivity for a new drug containing a new chemical entity. For the purposes of this provision, a new chemical
entity (“NCE”), is a drug that contains no active moiety that has previously been approved by the FDA in any other NDA. An
active moiety is the molecule or ion responsible for the physiological or pharmacological action of the drug substance. In cases where
such NCE exclusivity has been granted, an ANDA may not be filed with the FDA until the expiration of five years unless the submission
is accompanied by a Paragraph IV certification, in which case the applicant may submit its application four years following the original
product approval.
The FDCA also provides for a period of three
years of exclusivity if the NDA includes reports of one or more new clinical investigations, other than bioavailability or bioequivalence
studies, that were conducted by or for the applicant and are essential to the approval of the application. This three-year exclusivity
period often protects changes to a previously approved drug product, such as a new dosage form, route of administration, combination
or indication. Three-year exclusivity would be available for a drug product that contains a previously approved active moiety, provided
the statutory requirement for a new clinical investigation is satisfied. Unlike five-year NCE exclusivity, an award of three-year exclusivity
does not block the FDA from accepting ANDAs seeking approval for generic versions of the drug as of the date of approval of the original
drug product. The FDA typically makes decisions about awards of data exclusivity shortly before a product is approved.
Under FDARA, a priority review track will be
established for certain generic drugs, requiring the FDA to review a drug application within eight months for a drug that has three or
fewer approved drugs listed in the Orange Book and is no longer protected by any patent or regulatory exclusivities, or is on the FDA’s
drug shortage list. The new legislation also authorizes the FDA to expedite review of “competitor generic therapies” or drugs
with inadequate generic competition, including holding meetings with or providing advice to the drug sponsor prior to submission of the
application.
27
Hatch-Waxman Patent Certification and
the 30-Month Stay
Upon approval of an NDA or a supplement thereto,
NDA sponsors are required to list with the FDA each patent with claims that cover the applicant’s product or an approved method
of using the product. Each of the patents listed by the NDA sponsor is published in the Orange Book. When an ANDA applicant files its
application with the FDA, the applicant is required to certify to the FDA concerning any patents listed for the reference product in
the Orange Book, except for patents covering methods of use for which the ANDA applicant is not seeking approval. To the extent that
the Section 505(b)(2) applicant is relying on studies conducted for an already approved product, the applicant is required to certify
to the FDA concerning any patents listed for the approved product in the Orange Book to the same extent that an ANDA applicant would.
Specifically, the applicant must certify with
respect to each patent that:
●
the required patent information has not been filed;
●
the listed patent has expired;
●
the listed patent has not expired, but will expire on a particular
date and approval is sought after patent expiration; or
●
the listed patent is invalid, unenforceable or will not be infringed
by the new product.
A certification that the new product will not
infringe the already approved product’s listed patents or that such patents are invalid or unenforceable is called a Paragraph
IV certification. If the applicant does not challenge the listed patents or indicates that it is not seeking approval of a patented method
of use, the ANDA application will not be approved until all the listed patents claiming the referenced product have expired (other than
method of use patents involving indications for which the ANDA applicant is not seeking approval).
If the ANDA applicant has provided a Paragraph
IV certification to the FDA, the applicant must also send notice of the Paragraph IV certification to the NDA and patent holders once
the ANDA has been accepted for filing by the FDA. The NDA and patent holders may then initiate a patent infringement lawsuit in response
to the notice of the Paragraph IV certification. The filing of a patent infringement lawsuit within 45 days after the receipt of a Paragraph
IV certification automatically prevents the FDA from approving the ANDA until the earlier of 30 months after the receipt of the Paragraph
IV notice, expiration of the patent, or a decision in the infringement case that is favorable to the ANDA applicant.
Pediatric Studies and Exclusivity
Under the Pediatric Research Equity Act of 2003,
an NDA or supplement thereto must contain data that are adequate to assess the safety and effectiveness of the drug product for the claimed
indications in all relevant pediatric subpopulations, and to support dosing and administration for each pediatric subpopulation for which
the product is safe and effective. With enactment of the Food and Drug Safety and Innovation Act (“FDASIA”), in 2012, sponsors
must also submit pediatric study plans prior to the assessment data. Those plans must contain an outline of the proposed pediatric study
or studies the applicant plans to conduct, including study objectives and design, any deferral or waiver requests, and other information
required by regulation. The applicant, the FDA, and the FDA’s internal review committee must then review the information submitted,
consult with each other, and agree upon a final plan. The FDA or the applicant may request an amendment to the plan at any time. For
drugs intended to treat a serious or life-threatening disease or condition, the FDA must, upon the request of an applicant, meet to discuss
preparation of the initial pediatric study plan or to discuss deferral or waiver of pediatric assessments.
In addition, FDARA requires the FDA to meet early
in the development process to discuss pediatric study plans with drug sponsors. The legislation requires the FDA to meet with drug sponsors
no later than the end-of-phase 1 meeting for serious or life-threatening diseases and by no later than 90 days after the FDA’s
receipt of the study plan.
The FDA may, on its own initiative or at the
request of the applicant, grant deferrals for submission of some or all pediatric data until after approval of the product for use in
adults, or full or partial waivers from the pediatric data requirements. Additional requirements and procedures relating to deferral
requests and requests for extension of deferrals are contained in FDASIA. Unless otherwise required by regulation, the pediatric data
requirements do not apply to products with orphan designation.
28
Pediatric exclusivity is another type of non-patent
marketing exclusivity in the United States and, if granted, provides for the attachment of an additional six months of marketing protection
to the term of any existing regulatory exclusivity, including the non-patent and orphan exclusivity. This six-month exclusivity may be
granted if an NDA sponsor submits pediatric data that fairly responds to a written request from the FDA for such data. The data do not
need to show the product to be effective in the pediatric population studied; rather, if the clinical trial is deemed to fairly respond
to the FDA’s request, additional protection is granted. If reports of requested pediatric studies are submitted to and accepted
by the FDA within the statutory time limits, whatever statutory or regulatory periods of exclusivity or patent protection cover the product
are extended by six months. This is not a patent term extension, but it effectively extends the regulatory period during which the FDA
cannot approve another application. With regard to patents, the six-month pediatric exclusivity period will not attach to any patents
for which a generic (ANDA or 505(b)(2) NDA) applicant submitted a paragraph IV patent certification, unless the NDA sponsor or patent
owner first obtains a court determination that the patent is valid and infringed by a proposed generic product.
Orphan Drug Designation and Exclusivity
Under the Orphan Drug Act, the FDA may designate
a drug product as an “orphan drug” if it is intended to treat a rare disease or condition (generally meaning that it affects
fewer than 200,000 individuals in the United States, or more in cases in which there is no reasonable expectation that the cost of developing
and making a drug product available in the United States for treatment of the disease or condition will be recovered from sales of the
product). A company must request orphan product designation before submitting an NDA. If the request is granted, the FDA will disclose
the identity of the therapeutic agent and its potential use. Orphan product designation does not convey any advantage in or shorten the
duration of the regulatory review and approval process.
If a product with orphan status receives the
first FDA approval for the disease or condition for which it has such designation or for a select indication or use within the rare disease
or condition for which it was designated, the product generally will be receiving orphan product exclusivity. Orphan product exclusivity
means that the FDA may not approve any other applications for the same product for the same indication for seven years, except in certain
limited circumstances. Those circumstances include instances in which another sponsor’s application for the same drug product and
indication is shown to be “clinically superior” to the previously approved drug. In this context, clinically superior means
that the drug provides a significant therapeutic advantage over and above the already approved drug in terms of greater efficacy, greater
safety or by providing a major contribution to patient care. Competitors may receive approval of different products for the indication
for which the orphan product has exclusivity and may obtain approval for the same product but for a different indication. If a drug or
drug product designated as an orphan product ultimately receives marketing approval for an indication broader than what was designated
in its orphan product application, it may not be entitled to exclusivity.
Under FDARA, orphan exclusivity will not bar
approval of another orphan drug under certain circumstances, including if a subsequent product with the same drug for the same indication
is shown to be clinically superior to the approved product on the basis of greater efficacy or safety, or providing a major contribution
to patient care, or if the company with orphan drug exclusivity is not able to meet market demand. The new legislation reverses prior
precedent holding that the Orphan Drug Act unambiguously required the FDA to recognize orphan exclusivity regardless of a showing of
clinical superiority.
Patent Term Restoration and Extension
A patent claiming a new drug product may be eligible
for a limited patent term extension under the Hatch-Waxman Act, which permits a patent restoration of up to five years for patent term
lost during product development and the FDA regulatory review. The restoration period granted is typically one-half the time between
the effective date of an IND and the submission date of an NDA, plus the time between the submission date of an NDA and the ultimate
approval date. Patent term restoration cannot be used to extend the remaining term of a patent past a total of 14 years from the product’s
approval date. Only one patent applicable to an approved drug product is eligible for the extension, and the application for the extension
must be submitted prior to the expiration of the patent in question. A patent that covers multiple drugs for which approval is sought
can only be extended in connection with one of the approvals. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office reviews and approves the application
for any patent term extension or restoration in consultation with the FDA.
29
Review and Approval of Medical Devices
in the United States
Medical devices in the United States are strictly
regulated by the FDA. Under the FDCA, a medical device is defined as an instrument, apparatus, implement, machine, contrivance, implant,
in vitro reagent, or other similar or related article, including a component part, or accessory which is, among other things:
intended for use in the diagnosis of disease or other conditions, or in the cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease, in
man or other animals; or intended to affect the structure or any function of the body of man or other animals, and which does not achieve
its primary intended purposes through chemical action within or on the body of man or other animals and which is not dependent upon being
metabolized for the achievement of any of its primary intended purposes. This definition provides a clear distinction between a medical
device and other FDA regulated products such as drugs. If the primary intended use of the product is achieved through chemical action
or by being metabolized by the body, the product is usually a drug. If not, it is generally a medical device.
Medical devices are classified into one of three
classes on the basis of the controls deemed by the FDA to be necessary to reasonably ensure their safety and effectiveness. Class I devices
have the lowest level or risk associated with them, and are subject to general controls, including labeling, premarket notification and
adherence to the Quality System Regulation (“QSR”). Class II devices are subject to general controls and special controls,
including performance standards. Class III devices, which have the highest level of risk associated with them, such as life sustaining,
life supporting or some implantable devices, or devices that have a new intended use, or use advanced technology that is not substantially
equivalent to that of a legally marketed device, are subject to most of the aforementioned requirements as well as to premarket approval.
A 510(k) must demonstrate that the proposed device
is substantially equivalent to another legally marketed device, or predicate device, which did not require premarket approval. In evaluating
a 510(k), the FDA will determine whether the device has the same intended use as the predicate device, and (a) has the same technological
characteristics as the predicate device, or (b) has different technological characteristics, and (i) the data supporting substantial
equivalence contains information, including appropriate clinical or scientific data, if deemed necessary by the FDA, that demonstrates
that the device is as safe and as effective as a legally marketed device, and (ii) does not raise different questions of safety and effectiveness
than the predicate device. Most 510(k)s do not require clinical data for clearance, but the FDA may request such data. The FDA seeks
to review and act on a 510(k) within 90 days of submission, but it may take longer if the agency finds that it requires more information
to review the 510(k). If the FDA concludes that a new device is not substantially equivalent to a predicate device, the new device will
be classified in Class III and the manufacturer will be most likely required to submit a PMA to market the product.
Under the PMA application process, the applicant
must demonstrate that the device is safe and effective for its intended use. This PMA approval process applies to most Class III devices,
and generally requires clinical data to support the safety and effectiveness of the device, obtained in conformance with Investigational
Device Exemption regulations. The FDA will approve a PMA application if it finds that there is a reasonable assurance that the device
is safe and effective for its intended purpose, and that the proposed manufacturing is in compliance with the QSRs. For novel technologies,
the FDA will seek input from an advisory panel of medical experts regarding the safety and effectiveness of, and their benefit-risk analysis
for the device. The PMA process is generally more detailed, lengthier and more expensive than the 510(k) process, though both processes
can be expensive and lengthy, and require payment of significant user fees, unless an exemption is available.
Modifications to a 510(k)-cleared medical device
may require the submission of another 510(k) or a PMA if the changes could significantly affect safety or effectiveness or constitute
a major change in the intended use of the device. Modifications to a 510(k)-cleared device frequently require the submission of a traditional
510(k), but modifications meeting certain conditions may be candidates for FDA review under a Special 510(k). If a device modification
requires the submission of a 510(k), but the modification does not affect the intended use of the device or alter the fundamental technology
of the device, then summary information that results from the design control process associated with the cleared device can serve as
the basis for clearing the application. A Special 510(k) allows a manufacturer to declare conformance to design controls without providing
new data. When the modification involves a change in material, the nature of the “new” material will determine whether a
traditional or Special 510(k) is necessary.
30
Review and Approval of Drug Products
in the European Union
In order to market any product outside of the
United States, a company must also comply with numerous and varying regulatory requirements of other countries and jurisdictions regarding
quality, safety and efficacy and governing, among other things, clinical trials, marketing authorization, commercial sales and distribution
of products. Whether or not it obtains FDA approval for a product, the company would need to obtain the necessary approvals by the comparable
foreign regulatory authorities before it can commence clinical trials or marketing of the product in those countries or jurisdictions.
The approval process ultimately varies between countries and jurisdictions and can involve additional product testing and additional
administrative review periods. The time required to obtain approval in other countries and jurisdictions might differ from and be longer
than that required to obtain FDA approval. Regulatory approval in one country or jurisdiction does not ensure regulatory approval in
another, but a failure or delay in obtaining regulatory approval in one country or jurisdiction may negatively impact the regulatory
process in others.
Procedures Governing Approval of Drug
Products in the European Union
Pursuant to the European Clinical Trials Directive,
a system for the approval of clinical trials in the European Union has been implemented through national legislation of the member states.
Under this system, an applicant must obtain approval from the competent national authority of an E.U. member state in which the clinical
trial is to be conducted. Furthermore, the applicant may only start a clinical trial after a competent Ethics Committee has issued a
favorable opinion. Clinical trial application must be accompanied by an investigational medicinal product dossier with supporting information
prescribed by the European Clinical Trials Directive and corresponding national laws of the member states and further detailed in applicable
guidance documents.
To obtain marketing approval of a product under
European Union regulatory systems, an applicant must submit a marketing authorization application (“MAA”), either under a
centralized or decentralized procedure. The centralized procedure provides for the grant of a single marketing authorization by the European
Commission that is valid for all E.U. member states. The centralized procedure is compulsory for specific products, including for medicines
produced by certain biotechnological processes, products designated as orphan medicinal products, advanced therapy products and products
with a new active substance indicated for the treatment of certain diseases. For products with a new active substance indicated for the
treatment of other diseases and products that are highly innovative or for which a centralized process is in the interest of patients,
the centralized procedure may be optional.
Under the centralized procedure, the Committee
for Medicinal Products for Human Use (the “CHMP”), established at the European Medicines Agency (“EMA”), is responsible
for conducting the initial assessment of a product. The CHMP is also responsible for several post-authorization and maintenance activities,
such as the assessment of modifications or extensions to an existing marketing authorization. Under the centralized procedure in the
European Union, the maximum timeframe for the evaluation of an MAA is 210 days, excluding clock stops, when additional information or
written or oral explanation is to be provided by the applicant in response to questions of the CHMP. Accelerated evaluation might be
granted by the CHMP in exceptional cases, when a medicinal product is of major interest from the point of view of public health and in
particular from the viewpoint of therapeutic innovation. In this circumstance, the EMA ensures that the opinion of the CHMP is given
within 150 days.
The decentralized procedure is available to applicants
who wish to market a product in various E.U. member states where such a product has not previously received marketing approval in any
E.U. member states. The decentralized procedure provides for approval by one or more other, or concerned, member states of an assessment
of an application performed by one member state designated by the applicant, known as the reference member state. Under this procedure,
an applicant submits an application based on identical dossiers and related materials, including a draft summary of product characteristics,
and draft labeling and package leaflet, to the reference member state and concerned member states. The reference member state prepares
a draft assessment report and drafts of the related materials within 210 days after receipt of a valid application. Within 90 days of
receiving the reference member state’s assessment report and related materials, each concerned member state must decide whether
to approve the assessment report and related materials.
If a member state cannot approve the assessment
report and related materials on the grounds of potential serious risk to public health, the disputed points are subject to a dispute
resolution mechanism and may eventually be referred to the European Commission, whose decision is binding on all member states.
31
Clinical Trial Approval
Requirements for the conduct of clinical trials
in the European Union including Good Clinical Practice, are set forth in the Clinical Trials Directive 2001/20/EC and the GCP Directive
2005/28/EC. Pursuant to Directive 2001/20/EC and Directive 2005/28/EC, as amended, a system for the approval of clinical trials in the
European Union has been implemented through national legislation of the E.U. member states. Under this system, approval must be obtained
from the competent national authority of each E.U. member state in which a study is planned to be conducted. To this end, a clinical
trial application is submitted, which must be supported by an investigational medicinal product dossier (“IMPD”), and further
supporting information prescribed by Directive 2001/20/EC and Directive 2005/28/EC and other applicable guidance documents. Furthermore,
a clinical trial may only be started after a competent Ethics Committee has issued a favorable opinion on the clinical trial application
in that country.
In April 2014, the European Union passed the
new Clinical Trials Regulation, (EU) No 536/2014, which will replace the current Clinical Trials Directive 2001/20/EC. To ensure that
the rules for clinical trials are identical throughout the European Union, the new E.U. clinical trials legislation was passed as a regulation
that is directly applicable in all E.U. member states. All clinical trials performed in the European Union are required to be conducted
in accordance with the Clinical Trials Directive 2001/20/EC until the new Clinical Trials Regulation (EU) No 536/2014 becomes applicable.
According to the current plans of EMA, the new Clinical Trials Regulation will become applicable in 2019. The Clinical Trials Directive
2001/20/EC will, however, still apply three years from the date of entry into application of the Clinical Trials Regulation to (i) clinical
trials applications submitted before the entry into application and (ii) clinical trials applications submitted within one year after
the entry into application if the sponsor opts for old system.
The new Clinical Trials Regulation aims to simplify
and streamline the approval of clinical trials in the European Union. The main characteristics of the regulation include: a streamlined
application procedure via a single entry point, the E.U. portal; a single set of documents to be prepared and submitted for the application
as well as simplified reporting procedures that will spare sponsors from submitting broadly identical information separately to various
bodies and different member states; a harmonized procedure for the assessment of applications for clinical trials, which is divided in
two parts-Part I is assessed jointly by all member states concerned. Part II is assessed separately by each member state concerned; strictly
defined deadlines for the assessment of clinical trial applications; and the involvement of the Ethics Committees in the assessment procedure
in accordance with the national law of the member state concerned but within the overall timelines defined by the Clinical Trials Regulation.
Data and Market Exclusivity in the European
Union
In the European Union, new chemical entities
qualify for eight years of data exclusivity upon marketing authorization and an additional two years of market exclusivity. This data
exclusivity, if granted, prevents regulatory authorities in the European Union from referencing the innovator’s data to assess
a generic (abbreviated) application for eight years, after which generic marketing authorization can be submitted, and the innovator’s
data may be referenced, but not approved for two years. The overall ten-year period will be extended to a maximum of eleven years if,
during the first eight years of those ten years, the marketing authorization holder obtains an authorization for one or more new therapeutic
indications which, during the scientific evaluation prior to their authorization, are held to bring a significant clinical benefit in
comparison with existing therapies. Even if a compound is considered to be a new chemical entity and the sponsor is able to gain the
prescribed period of data exclusivity, another company nevertheless could also market another version of the product if such company
can complete a full MAA with a complete database of pharmaceutical tests, preclinical tests and clinical trials and obtain marketing
approval of its product.
In order to market any product outside of the
United States, a company must also comply with numerous and varying regulatory requirements of other countries and jurisdictions regarding
quality, safety and efficacy and governing, among other things, clinical trials, marketing authorization, commercial sales and distribution
of drug products. Whether or not it obtains FDA approval for a product, the company would need to obtain the necessary approvals by the
comparable foreign regulatory authorities before it can commence clinical trials or marketing of the product in those countries or jurisdictions.
The approval process ultimately varies between countries and jurisdictions and can involve additional product testing and additional
administrative review periods. The time required to obtain approval in other countries and jurisdictions might differ from and be longer
than that required to obtain FDA approval. Regulatory approval in one country or jurisdiction does not ensure regulatory approval in
another, but a failure or delay in obtaining regulatory approval in one country or jurisdiction may negatively impact the regulatory
process in others.
32
Periods of Authorization and Renewals
Marketing authorization is valid for five years
in principle and the marketing authorization may be renewed after five years on the basis of a re-evaluation of the risk-benefit balance
by the EMA or by the competent authority of the authorizing member state. To this end, the marketing authorization holder must provide
the EMA or the competent authority with a consolidated version of the file in respect of quality, safety and efficacy, including all
variations introduced since the marketing authorization was granted, at least six months before the marketing authorization ceases to
be valid. Once renewed, the marketing authorization is valid for an unlimited period, unless the European Commission or the competent
authority decides, on justified grounds relating to pharmacovigilance, to proceed with one additional five-year renewal. Any authorization
which is not followed by the actual placing of the drug on the European Union market (in case of centralized procedure) or on the market
of the authorizing member state within three years after authorization ceases to be valid (the so-called sunset clause).
Orphan Drug Designation and Exclusivity
Regulation 141/2000 provides that a drug shall
be designated as an orphan drug if its sponsor can establish: that the product is intended for the diagnosis, prevention or treatment
of a life-threatening or chronically debilitating condition affecting not more than five in ten thousand persons in the European Community
when the application is made, or that the product is intended for the diagnosis, prevention or treatment of a life-threatening, seriously
debilitating or serious and chronic condition in the European Community and that without incentives it is unlikely that the marketing
of the drug in the European Community would generate sufficient return to justify the necessary investment. For either of these conditions,
the applicant must demonstrate that there exists no satisfactory method of diagnosis, prevention or treatment of the condition in question
that has been authorized in the European Community or, if such method exists, the drug will be of significant benefit to those affected
by that condition.
Regulation 847/2000 sets out criteria and procedures
governing designation of orphan drugs in the European Union. Specifically, an application for designation as an orphan product can be
made any time prior to the filing of an application for approval to market the product. Marketing authorization for an orphan drug leads
to a ten-year period of market exclusivity. This period may, however, be reduced to six years if, at the end of the fifth year, it is
established that the product no longer meets the criteria for orphan drug designation, for example because the product is sufficiently
profitable not to justify market exclusivity. Market exclusivity can be revoked only in very selected cases, such as consent from the
marketing authorization holder, inability to supply sufficient quantities of the product, demonstration of “clinically relevant
superiority” by a similar medicinal product, or, after a review by the Committee for Orphan Medicinal Products, requested by a
member state in the fifth year of the marketing exclusivity period (if the designation criteria are believed to no longer apply). Medicinal
products designated as orphan drugs pursuant to Regulation 141/2000 shall be eligible for incentives made available by the European Community
and by the member states to support research into, and the development and availability of, orphan drugs.
33
Regulatory Framework in Australia
The Therapeutic Goods Administration, through
the Therapeutic Goods Act 1989 and the Therapeutic Goods Regulations is responsible for the efficacy, quality, safety and timely availability
of drugs and medical devices in Australia. The mission statement of the TGA is “To ensure the safety, quality and efficacy of therapeutic
goods available in Australia at a standard equal to that of comparable countries, and that premarket assessment of therapeutic goods
is conducted within a reasonable time.”
The drug regulation process in Australia is complex
and resource intensive. It must be accountable in terms of the quality, safety and efficacy of drugs made available in Australia. This
accountability includes an acceptance of a balance between safety and efficacy. The approval process is a detailed evaluation of the
data supplied by the company sponsoring an application.
A drug may first come to the attention of the
TGA when an application for marketing is received or when an Australian clinical trial is being planned. For clinical trials, the sponsoring
company may submit preliminary data for evaluation to the TGA or notify the TGA that the trial has been approved by an institutional
Ethics Committee.
The drug evaluation process for new chemical
entities is as follows:
Application
●
Check to see data complies with Australian guidelines.
●
Invoice sponsor for 75% of evaluation fee.
Evaluation
●
Evaluate pharmaceutical and chemical data.
●
Evaluate animal pharmacology and toxicology data.
●
Evaluate clinical data.
●
Evaluation Unit reviews reports (coordinates external evaluations if
used), prepares a summary and makes an initial recommendation.
●
Pre ADEC consultation with sponsor.
●
Prepare approved product information and consider consumer product
information.
●
Submit final package of summaries and recommendations to the ADEC (six
meetings per year).
Approval
●
ADEC review and advice to the TGA.
●
Final decision by the TGA.
●
Finalize conditions of registration.
●
Advice to sponsor, invoice final 25% of evaluation fee.
●
For new chemical entity, advise drug information centers, forensic
laboratories, etc.
Registration
●
Sponsor applies to register the product on the Australian Register
of Therapeutic Goods.
●
Supply is permitted once the applicable number is allocated.
34
The drug’s chemistry, toxicology and clinical
use are evaluated using data submitted by the sponsoring company. Most of the evaluations are done within the TGA, but external evaluations
can be used. When all the data have been evaluated, the application is considered by the Australian Drug Evaluation Committee (“ADEC”).
This committee is a group of doctors appointed by the Minister to advise on the suitability of drugs for marketing in Australia. The
TGA takes into consideration the advice received from the ADEC when making a final recommendation.
The evaluation process relates to pre-marketing
activity, but the TGA is also responsible for drugs after they are marketed.
Other activities under the control of the TGA
include:
●
maintenance of the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods for the registration and listing of
products;
●
control of drug and device exports from Australia;
●
inspection and licensing of manufacturing premises;
●
post marketing surveillance;
●
adverse drug reaction monitoring;
●
reports were received by the Adverse Drug Reactions Advisory Committee;
●
medical device complaint reporting;
●
drug and device recalls;
●
laboratory testing, sample testing;
●
complaint reporting and follow up; and
●
drug and device advertising controls
The performance of the TGA is monitored in quarterly
performance reports which are reviewed by the Industry/Government Consultative Committee. This committee has membership from the TGA,
the Department of Finance, the Department of Industry, Science and Technology, and the peak industry organizations representing the manufacturers
of prescription drugs, non-prescription drugs, medical devices and herbal and nutritional products.
If the TGA does not meet the statutory timelines
in approving a drug, then it forgoes 25% of the evaluation fee as a penalty. The sponsor concerned can also consider the outcome as a
“deemed refusal” and appeal to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal for a resolution. For variations to the registration of
a drug, the TGA must raise an objection within 45 working days, otherwise the application is deemed to be approved.
Pharmaceutical Coverage, Pricing and Reimbursement
Significant uncertainty exists as to the coverage
and reimbursement status of products approved by the FDA and other government authorities. Sales of products will depend, in part, on
the extent to which third-party payors, including government health programs in the United States such as Medicare and Medicaid, commercial
health insurers and managed care organizations, provide coverage, and establish adequate reimbursement levels for, such products. The
process for determining whether a payor will provide coverage for a product may be separate from the process for setting the price or
reimbursement rate that the payor will pay for the product once coverage is approved. Third-party payors are increasingly challenging
the prices charged, examining the medical necessity, and reviewing the cost-effectiveness of medical products and services and imposing
controls to manage costs. Third-party payors may limit coverage to specific products on an approved list, or formulary, which might not
include all of the approved products for a particular indication.
35
In order to secure coverage and reimbursement
for any product that might be approved for sale, a company may need to conduct expensive pharmacoeconomic studies in order to demonstrate
the medical necessity and cost-effectiveness of the product, in addition to the costs required to obtain FDA or other comparable regulatory
approvals. Nonetheless, product candidates may not be considered medically necessary or cost effective. Additionally, a payor’s
decision to provide coverage for a drug product does not imply that an adequate reimbursement rate will be approved. Further, one payor’s
determination to provide coverage for a drug product does not assure that other payors will also provide coverage for the drug product.
Third-party reimbursement may not be sufficient to maintain price levels high enough to realize an appropriate return on investment in
product development.
The containment of healthcare costs also has
become a priority of federal, state and foreign governments and the prices of drugs have been a focus in this effort. Governments have
shown significant interest in implementing cost-containment programs, including price controls, restrictions on reimbursement and requirements
for substitution of generic products. Adoption of price controls and cost-containment measures, and adoption of more restrictive policies
in jurisdictions with existing controls and measures, could further limit our net revenue and results. Coverage policies and third-party
reimbursement rates may change at any time. Even if favorable coverage and reimbursement status is attained for one or more products
for which a company or its collaborators receive regulatory approval, less favorable coverage policies and reimbursement rates may be
implemented in the future.
Outside the United States, ensuring adequate
coverage and payment for our product candidates will face challenges. Pricing of prescription pharmaceuticals is subject to governmental
control in many countries. Pricing negotiations with governmental authorities can extend well beyond the receipt of regulatory marketing
approval for a product and may require us to conduct a clinical trial that compares the cost effectiveness of our product candidates
or products to other available therapies. The conduct of such a clinical trial could be expensive and result in delays in our commercialization
efforts.
In the European Union, pricing and reimbursement
schemes vary widely from country to country. Some countries provide that drug products may be marketed only after a reimbursement price
has been agreed. Some countries may require the completion of additional studies that compare the cost-effectiveness of a particular
drug candidate to currently available therapies. For example, the European Union provides options for its member states to restrict the
range of drug products for which their national health insurance systems provide reimbursement and to control the prices of medicinal
products for human use. European Union member states may approve a specific price for a drug product or it may instead adopt a system
of direct or indirect controls on the profitability of the company placing the drug product on the market. Other member states allow
companies to fix their own prices for drug products, but monitor and control company profits. The downward pressure on health care costs
in general, particularly prescription drugs, has become intense. As a result, increasingly high barriers are being erected to the entry
of new products. In addition, in some countries, cross-border imports from low-priced markets exert competitive pressure that may reduce
pricing within a country. Any country that has price controls or reimbursement limitations for drug products may not allow favorable
reimbursement and pricing arrangements.
Healthcare Law and Regulation
Healthcare providers and third-party payors play
a primary role in the recommendation and prescription of drug products that are granted regulatory approval. Arrangements with providers,
consultants, third-party payors and customers are subject to broadly applicable fraud and abuse and other healthcare laws and regulations
that may constrain our business and/or financial arrangements. Such restrictions under applicable federal and state healthcare laws and
regulations, include the following:
●
the federal Anti-Kickback Statute, which prohibits, among other things,
persons and entities from knowingly and willfully soliciting, offering, receiving or providing remuneration (including any kickback,
bribe or rebate), directly or indirectly, in cash or in kind, to induce or reward either the referral of an individual for, or the
purchase, lease or order of, any good or service, for which payment may be made, in whole or in part, under a federal healthcare
program such as Medicare and Medicaid;
36
●
the federal civil and criminal false claims laws, including the civil
False Claims Act, and civil monetary penalties laws, which prohibit individuals or entities from, among other things, knowingly presenting,
or causing to be presented, to the federal government, claims for payment that are false or fraudulent or making a false statement
to avoid, decrease or conceal an obligation to pay money to the federal government;
●
the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of
1996, which created additional federal criminal laws that prohibit, among other things, knowingly and willingly executing, or attempting
to execute, a scheme or making false statements in connection with the delivery of or payment for health care benefits, items, or
services;
●
HIPAA, as amended by the Health Information Technology for Economic
and Clinical Health Act and its implementing regulations, which also imposes obligations, including mandatory contractual terms,
with respect to safeguarding the privacy, security and transmission of individually identifiable health information on covered entities
and their business associates that associates that perform certain functions or activities that involve the use or disclosure of
protected health information on their behalf;
●
the federal transparency requirements known as the federal Physician
Payments Sunshine Act, under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, as amended by the Health Care Education Reconciliation
Act (collectively the “ACA”), which requires certain manufacturers of drugs, devices, biologics and medical supplies
for which payment is available under Medicare, Medicaid, or the Children’s Health Insurance Program, with specific exceptions,
to report annually to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (“CMS”), within the U.S. Department of Health
and Human Services, information related to payments and other transfers of value to physicians and teaching hospitals and information
regarding ownership and investment interests held by physicians and their immediate family members; and
●
analogous state and foreign laws and regulations, such as state anti-kickback
and false claims laws, which may apply to healthcare items or services that are reimbursed by non-governmental third-party payors,
including private insurers.
Some state laws require pharmaceutical companies
to comply with the pharmaceutical industry’s voluntary compliance guidelines and the relevant compliance guidance promulgated by
the federal government in addition to requiring drug manufacturers to report information related to payments to physicians and other
health care providers or marketing expenditures. State and foreign laws also govern the privacy and security of health information in
some circumstances, many of which differ from each other in significant ways and often are not pre-empted by HIPAA, thus complicating
compliance efforts.
Healthcare Reform
A primary trend in the United States healthcare
industry and elsewhere is cost containment. There have been a number of federal and state proposals during the last few years regarding
the pricing of pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical products, limiting coverage and reimbursement for drugs and other medical products,
government control and other changes to the healthcare system in the United States.
In March 2010, the United States Congress enacted the Affordable Care
Act (the “ACA”), which, among other things, includes changes to the coverage and payment for drug products under government
health care programs. Among the provisions of the ACA of importance to our potential product candidates are:
●
an annual, non-deductible fee on any entity that manufactures or imports
specified branded prescription drugs and biologic agents, apportioned among these entities according to their market share in certain
government healthcare programs;
●
expansion of eligibility criteria for Medicaid programs by, among other
things, allowing states to offer Medicaid coverage to certain individuals with income at or below 133% of the federal poverty level,
thereby potentially increasing a manufacturer’s Medicaid rebate liability;
37
●
expanded manufacturers’ rebate liability under the Medicaid Drug
Rebate Program by increasing the minimum rebate for both branded and generic drugs and revising the definition of “average
manufacturer price,” or AMP, for calculating and reporting Medicaid drug rebates on outpatient prescription drug prices;
●
addressed a new methodology by which rebates owed by manufacturers
under the Medicaid Drug Rebate Program are calculated for drugs that are inhaled, infused, instilled, implanted or injected;
●
expanded the types of entities eligible for the 340B drug discount
program;
●
established the Medicare Part D coverage gap discount program by requiring
manufacturers to provide a 50% point-of-sale-discount off the negotiated price of applicable brand drugs to eligible beneficiaries
during their coverage gap period as a condition for the manufacturers’ outpatient drugs to be covered under Medicare Part D;
and
●
a new Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute to oversee, identify
priorities in, and conduct comparative clinical effectiveness research, along with funding for such research.
Other legislative changes have been proposed and
adopted in the United States since the ACA was enacted. In August 2011, the Budget Control Act of 2011, among other things, created measures
for spending reductions by Congress. A Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction, tasked with recommending a targeted deficit reduction
of at least $1.2 trillion for the years 2013 through 2021, was unable to reach required goals, thereby triggering the legislation’s
automatic reduction to several government programs. This includes aggregate reductions of Medicare payments to providers of up to 2% per
fiscal year, which went into effect in April 2013 and, due to subsequent legislative amendments to the statute, will remain in effect
through 2030 unless additional Congressional action is taken. The reductions have been suspended temporarily through December 2021 in
response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In January 2013, President Obama signed into law the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012, which, among
other things, further reduced Medicare payments to several providers, including hospitals, imaging centers and cancer treatment centers,
and increased the statute of limitations period for the government to recover overpayments to providers from three to five years.
Since enactment of the ACA, there have been numerous
legal challenges and Congressional actions to repeal and replace provisions of the law. In May 2017, the U.S. House of Representatives
passed legislation known as the American Health Care Act of 2017. Thereafter, the Senate Republicans introduced and then updated a bill
to replace the ACA known as the Better Care Reconciliation Act of 2017. The Senate Republicans also introduced legislation to repeal the
ACA without companion legislation to replace it, and a “skinny” version of the Better Care Reconciliation Act of 2017. In
addition, the Senate considered proposed healthcare reform legislation known as the Graham-Cassidy bill. None of these measures were passed
by the U.S. Senate. The ACA has also been challenged numerous times in various court cases, including challenges before the U.S. Supreme
Court. In the most recent case (decided in June 2021) the Supreme Court held that the individual plaintiffs and states lacked standing
to challenge the constitutionality of the ACA.
Previously in January 2017, President Trump signed
an Executive Order directing federal agencies with authorities and responsibilities under the ACA to waive, defer, grant exemptions from,
or delay the implementation of any provision of the ACA that would impose a fiscal or regulatory burden on states, individuals, healthcare
providers, health insurers, or manufacturers of pharmaceuticals or medical devices. In October 2017, President Trump signed a second Executive
Order allowing for the use of association health plans and short-term health insurance, which may provide fewer health benefits than the
plans sold through the ACA exchanges. At the same time, the Administration announced that it will discontinue the payment of cost-sharing
reduction (“CSR”), payments to insurance companies until Congress approves the appropriation of funds for such CSR payments.
The loss of the CSR payments is expected to increase premiums on certain policies issued by qualified health plans under the ACA.
For CSR claims made by health insurance companies
for years 2018 and later, further litigation will be required to determine the amounts due, if any. Further, in June 2018, the U.S. Court
of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ruled that the federal government was not required to pay more than $12 billion in Affordable Care
Act risk corridor payments to third-party payors who argued the payments were owed to them. In April 2020, the United States Supreme Court
reversed the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit’s decision and remanded the case to the U.S. Court of Federal Claims,
concluding the government has an obligation to pay these risk corridor payments under the relevant formula.
A bipartisan bill to appropriate funds for CSR
payments was introduced in the Senate, but the future of that bill is uncertain. Further, each chamber of Congress has put forth multiple
bills designed to repeal or repeal and replace portions of the ACA. Although none of these measures have been enacted by Congress to date,
Congress may consider other legislation to repeal and replace elements of the ACA. Congress will likely consider other legislation to
replace elements of the ACA, during the next Congressional session. We will continue to evaluate the effect that the ACA and its possible
repeal and replacement could have on our business.
Most recently, on August 16, 2022, the Inflation
Reduction Act of 2022 was signed into law which provides for (i) the government to set or negotiate prices for select high-cost Medicare
Part D (beginning in 2026) and Medicare Part B drugs (beginning in 2028) that are more than nine years (for small-molecule drugs) or 13
years (for biological products) from their FDA approval, (ii) manufacturers to pay a rebate for Medicare Part B and Part D drugs when
prices increase faster than inflation beginning in 2022 for Medicare Part D and 2023 for Medicare Part B drugs, and (iii) Medicare Part
D redesign which replaces the current coverage gap provisions and establishes a $2,000 cap for out-of-pocket limits costs for Medicare
beneficiaries beginning in 2025, with manufacturers being responsible for 10% of costs up to the $2,000 cap and 20% after that cap is
reached.
Future indications for Arakoda may justify higher pricing in principle, but cumulative health-care reforms inclusive of the IRA limit
price increases and/or indication-based pricing without financial penalties if manufacturers’ products have Medicare coverage. The
impact of these reforms on the pharmaceutical industry generally is in its infancy, and will depend on how or if they are implemented
by regulators. We will monitor this issue to determine the effects of this legislation on our business – full implementation of
the reforms may have a negative impact on maximizing the profitability, but the actual impact at this juncture is uncertain.
38
Human Capital Resources
As of December 31, 2024, we had a total of three
employees, all of whom are full-time. We also utilize the services of two part-time contractors.
Our human capital resources objectives include,
as applicable, identifying, recruiting, retaining, incentivizing and integrating our existing and new employees, advisors and consultants.
The principal purposes of our equity and cash incentive plans are to attract, retain and reward personnel through the granting of stock-based
and cash-based compensation awards, in order to increase stockholder value and the success of our Company by motivating such individuals
to perform to the best of their abilities and achieve our objectives.
Available Information
Our website address is https://60degreespharma.com .
Our Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K, any amendments to those reports, proxy and
registration statements filed or furnished with the SEC, are available free of charge through our website. We make these materials available
through our website as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such materials with, or furnish such materials to,
the SEC. The reports filed with the SEC by our executive officers and directors pursuant to Section 16 under the Exchange Act are also
made available, free of charge on our website, as soon as reasonably practicable after copies of those filings are provided to us by
those persons. These materials can be accessed through the “Investor Relations” section of our website. The information contained
in, or that can be accessed through, our website is not part of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Item 1A. Risk Factors.
As a “smaller reporting company,”
as defined by Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act, we are not required to provide the information in this Item.
Item 1B. Unresolved Staff
Comments.
None.
Item 1C. Cybersecurity.
We acknowledge the increasing importance of cybersecurity
in today’s digital and interconnected world. Cybersecurity threats pose significant risks to the integrity of our systems and data,
potentially impacting our business operations, financial condition and reputation.
As a smaller reporting company, we currently
do not have formalized cybersecurity measures, a dedicated cybersecurity team or specific protocols in place to manage cybersecurity
risks. Our approach to cybersecurity is in the developmental stage, and we have not yet conducted comprehensive risk assessments, established
an incident response plan or engaged with external cybersecurity consultants for assessments or services .
Given our current stage of cybersecurity development, we have not experienced
any significant cybersecurity incidents to date. However, we recognize that the absence of a formalized cybersecurity framework may leave
us vulnerable to cyberattacks, data breaches and other cybersecurity incidents. Such events could potentially lead to unauthorized access
to, or disclosure of, sensitive information, disrupt our business operations, result in regulatory fines or litigation costs and negatively
impact our reputation among customers and partners. In addition, cybersecurity incidents could have material adverse effects on our business
strategy, financial condition, and results of operations (e.g., a significant breach could result in direct financial losses due to fraud,
system downtime impacting revenue generation, increased compliance costs or contractual liabilities with third-party vendors and customers).
39
We are in the process of evaluating our cybersecurity
needs and developing appropriate measures to enhance our cybersecurity posture. This includes considering the engagement of external
cybersecurity experts to advise on best practices, conducting vulnerability assessments and developing an incident response strategy.
Our goal is to establish a cybersecurity framework that is commensurate with our size, complexity and the nature of our operations, thereby
reducing our exposure to cybersecurity risks.
In addition, the Board will oversee any cybersecurity risk management
framework and a dedicated committee of the Board or an officer appointed by the Board will review and approve any cybersecurity policies,
strategies and risk management practices . The Board (or designated committee or officer) will receive periodic updates on cybersecurity
risks, including emerging threats, mitigation efforts and incident response activities. The updates will be provided at least annually,
or more frequently as needed, to ensure cybersecurity risks are appropriately managed and integrated into our broader risk oversight strategy.
Despite our efforts to improve our cybersecurity
measures, there can be no assurance that our initiatives will fully mitigate the risks posed by cyber threats. The landscape of cybersecurity
risks is constantly evolving, and we will continue to assess and update our cybersecurity measures in response to emerging threats .
For a discussion of potential cybersecurity risks
affecting us, please refer to the “Risk Factors” section of our Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the Securities
and Exchange Commission on February 14, 2025 titled “ Cybersecurity risks could adversely affect our business and disrupt our
operations .”
Item 2. Properties.
Our corporate headquarters are located at 1025
Connecticut Avenue NW Suite 1000, Washington, D.C. 20036. We do not own any physical property, plant or labs. We currently lease one
office at the above address and in December 2024, we renewed our lease for an additional one-year term that expires March 31, 2026.
Item 3. Legal Proceedings.
From time to time, we may become involved in
various claims and legal proceedings. We are not currently a party to any legal proceedings that, in the opinion of our management, are
likely to have a material adverse effect on our business. Regardless of the outcome, litigation can have an adverse impact on us because
of defense and settlement costs, diversion of management resources and other factors.
Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures.
Not applicable.
40
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 currently listed on The Nasdaq Capital Market under
the symbol “SXTP,” and warrants under the symbol “SXTPW.” Trading in our common stock has historically lacked
consistent volume, and the market price has been volatile.
On March 26, 2025 the closing price for our common
stock and warrants as reported on The Nasdaq Capital Market was $1.88 per share and $0.024, respectively.
Holders of Common Stock
On March 27, 2025, there were 21 holders of record of our common stock.
Reverse Stock Split
On November 6, 2024, our Board approved a reverse
stock split of our Common Stock at a split ratio ranging between 1:3 and 1:5, as determined by the Board in its sole discretion. On November
6, 2024, a majority of the stockholders of the Company approved the proposed reverse stock split. On February 10, 2025, the Board approved
a 1-for-5 reverse split ratio. On February 24, 2025, the Company effectuated a 1-for-5 reverse stock split of our common stock (the “1:5
Reverse Stock Split”). Beginning February 24, 2025, our common stock traded on The Nasdaq Capital Market on a split adjusted basis.
In July 2024, our Board approved a reverse stock
split of our Common Stock at a split ratio ranging between 1:5 and 1:12, as determined by the Board in its sole discretion. On July 16,
2024, a majority of the stockholders of the Company approved the proposed reverse stock split. On July 19, 2024, our Board approved a
1-for-12 reverse split ratio. On August 12, 2024, the Company effectuated a 1-for-12 reverse stock split of our common stock (the “1:12
Reverse Stock Split” and together, with the 1:5 Reverse Stock Split, the “Reverse Stock Splits”). Beginning August 12,
2024, our common stock traded on The Nasdaq Capital Market on a split adjusted basis.
All common share and applicable per share amounts in this Annual Report
on Form 10-K have been retroactively restated to reflect the effect of the Reverse Stock Splits.
Transfer Agent
The transfer agent for our common stock is Equity
Stock Transfer, LLC (“Equity Stock Transfer”), located at 237 West 37th Street, Suite 602, New York, NY 10018. The phone
number and facsimile number for Equity Stock Transfer are (212) 575-5757 and (347) 584-3644, respectively. Additional information about
Equity Stock Transfer can be found on its website at www.equitystock.com .
Dividend Policy
We have never paid any cash dividends on our
common stock. We anticipate that we will retain funds and future earnings to support operations and to finance the growth and development
of our business. Therefore, we do not expect to pay cash dividends in the foreseeable future. Any future determination to pay dividends
will be at the discretion of our Board and will depend on our financial condition, results of operations, capital requirements, and other
factors that our Board deems relevant. In addition, the terms of any future debt or credit financings may preclude us from paying dividends.
Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities
Common Stock
●
On July 22, 2024 and July 26,
2024, we issued 8,000 and 6,667 shares of common stock to Knight, respectively, upon conversion of
1,291 and 1,032 shares of Series A Preferred Stock, respectively, at the conversion price detailed
in Note 6 to the accompanying consolidated financial statements.
●
From October 2024 to January 2025,
we issued an aggregate of 579,711 shares of common stock upon the exercise of pre-funded warrants
issued to investors in the September 2024 private placement.
The issuances of shares of common stock listed
above were deemed exempt from registration under Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act or Regulation D promulgated thereunder in that
the issuance of securities did not involve a public offering.
41
Warrants
On September 4, 2024, we issued 579,711 pre-funded
warrants, 579,711 Series A Warrants and 579,711 Series B Warrants to investors in a private offering. The Pre-Funded Warrants are exercisable
immediately upon issuance and expire when exercised in full at an exercise price of $0.005 per share. The Series A Warrants and Series
B Warrants have an exercise price of $6.90 per share and were exercisable beginning on the effective date of stockholder approval of
the issuance of the shares of Common Stock (the “Stockholder Approval”), which was received on November 6, 2024. The Series
A Warrants will expire five years from Stockholder Approval and the Series B Warrants will expire eighteen (18) months from Stockholder
Approval. H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC acted as the exclusive placement agent in connection with the Private Placement. In connection
with the Private Placement, we issued to Wainwright the Placement Agent Warrants to purchase 43,479 shares of Common Stock. The Placement
Agent Warrants have an exercise price equal to $8.625 per share and are exercisable beginning on the effective date of the Stockholder
Approval for five years from Stockholder Approval.
In January 2025, we issued warrants to purchase
up to an aggregate of 408,621 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $3.855 per share. The January 2025 Warrants are exercisable
upon issuance and expire twenty-four months from the date of issuance. We issued to the Placement Agent (or its designees) warrants to
purchase up to 15,325 shares of common stock. The January 2025 Placement Agent Warrants have an exercise price equal to $6.382 per share
and are exercisable upon issuance, or January 30, 2025, for twenty-four months from the date of issuance, or January 30, 2027.
On February 5, 2025, we issued warrants to purchase
up to an aggregate of 300,700 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $2.95 per share. The February 2025 Warrants are exercisable
upon issuance and expire twenty-four months from the date of issuance. We issued to the Placement Agent (or its designees) warrants to
purchase up to 22,554 shares of common stock. The February 2025 Placement Agent Warrants have an exercise price equal to $4.469 per share
and are exercisable upon issuance, or February 6, 2025, for twenty-four months from the date of issuance, or February 8, 2027.
The warrants described above were deemed exempt
from registration in reliance on Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act or Regulation D promulgated thereunder in that the issuance of
securities were made to an accredited investor and did not involve a public offering. The recipients of such securities represented its
intention to acquire the securities for investment purposes only and not with a view to or for sale in connection with any distribution
thereof.
Option Grants
On July 16, 2024, the effective date of shareholder
approval to increase the number of shares authorized under the 2022 Plan, we granted a total of 504 fully vested, non-qualified options
to purchase shares of common stock at a per share exercise price of $318.00 to the following directors and in the amounts listed: (i)
Stephen Toovey (126 common stock options), (ii) Charles Allen (126 common stock options), (iii) Paul Field (126 common stock options)
and (iv) Cheryl Xu (126 common stock options).
42
On July 16, 2024, the effective date of shareholder
approval to increase the number of shares authorized under the 2022 Plan, we granted a total of 12,334 options to purchase shares of
common stock at a per share exercise price of $60.00 to Geoff Dow, our Chief Executive Officer, (5,000 common stock options), Tyrone
Miller, our Chief Financial Officer (4,000 common stock options), and Bryan Smith, an external consultant, (3,334 common stock options).
These options vest in five equal tranches on the last date of each fiscal year, with the first vesting date being December 31, 2024.
On September 26, 2024, we granted 4,167 options
to purchase shares of common stock at a per share exercise price of $6.85 to Kristen Landon, our Chief Commercial Officer, which vest
in five equal tranches on the last date of each fiscal year, with the first vesting date being December 31, 2024.
On January 2, 2025, we granted a total of 120,000
options to purchase shares of common stock at a per share exercise price of $6.55 to Geoff Dow, our Chief Executive Officer, (105,000
common stock options) and Tyrone Miller, our Chief Financial Officer (15,000 common stock options), which vest in five equal tranches.
The first tranche was fully vested on the date of grant and thereafter, the options vest on the last date of each fiscal year beginning
December 31, 2025.
Issuance
of Notes
On May 14, 2020, we issued the Note to the U.S.
Small Business Administration with a principal amount of $150,000 and a per annum interest rate of 3.75%.
On May 19, 2022, we issued the Convertible Promissory
Note to Geoffrey Dow, as assigned to the Geoffrey S. Dow Revocable Trust dated August 27, 2018 (the “Dow Note”), in the amount
of $44,444.44 and a per annum interest rate of 6%. Immediately prior to the closing of our initial public offering, the balance of the
Dow Note converted at a price equal to 80% of the IPO price.
On May 19, 2022, we issued the Mountjoy Note
in the amount of $294,444.42 and a per annum interest rate of 6%. Immediately prior to the closing of our initial public offering, the
balance of the Mountjoy Note converted at a price equal to 80% of the IPO price.
On May 24, 2022, we issued the Bigger Capital
Fund Note in the amount of $333,333.30 to Bigger Capital Fund, LP. On the date of the pricing of our initial public offering, we delivered
to Bigger Capital Fund, LP shares of our common stock equal to the number of shares of common stock calculated using a share price of
the IPO price.
On May 24, 2022, we issued the Cavalry Investment
Fund Note in the amount of $277,777.78 to Cavalry Investment Fund, LP. On the date of the pricing of our initial public offering, we
delivered to Cavalry Investment Fund, LP shares of our common stock equal to the number of shares of common stock calculated using a
share price of the IPO price.
43
On May 24, 2022, we issued the Walleye Note in
the amount of $277,777.78 to Walleye Opportunities Master Fund Ltd. On the date of the pricing of our initial public offering, we delivered
to Walleye Opportunities Master Fund Ltd shares of our common stock equal to the number of shares of common stock calculated using a
share price of the IPO price.
On May 8, 2023, we issued the Cyberbahn Note
in the amount of $111,111.10 to Cyberbahn Federal Solutions, LLC with a 10% original issue discount. On the date of the pricing of our
initial public offering, we delivered to Cyberbahn Federal Solutions, LLC shares of our common stock equal to the number of shares of
our common stock calculated using a share price of the IPO price.
On May 8, 2023, we issued the Ariana Note in
the amount of $111,111.10 to Ariana Bakery Inc with a 10% original issue discount. On the date of the pricing of our initial public offering,
we delivered to Ariana Bakery Inc shares of our common stock equal to the number of shares of our common stock calculated using a share
price of the IPO price.
On May 8, 2023, we issued the Sabby Note in the
amount of $333,333.30 to Sabby Volatility Warrant Master Fund, Ltd. with a 10% original issue discount. On the date of the pricing of
our initial public offering, we delivered to Sabby Volatility Warrant Master Fund, Ltd. shares of our common stock equal to the number
of shares of our common stock calculated using a share price of the IPO price.
On May 8, 2023, we issued the Anderson Note in
the amount of $55,555.55 to Steel Anderson with a 10% original issue discount. On the date of the pricing of our initial public offering,
we delivered to Steel Anderson shares of our common stock equal to the number of shares of our common stock calculated using share price
of the IPO price.
On May 8, 2023, we issued the Gao & Wang
Note in the amount of $111,111.10 to Bixi Gao & Ling Ling Wang with a 10% original issue discount. On the date of the pricing of
our initial public offering, we delivered to Bixi Gao & Ling Ling Wang shares of our common stock equal to the number of shares of
our common stock calculated using a share price of the IPO price.
The notes described above were deemed exempt
from registration in reliance on Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act or Regulation D promulgated thereunder in that the issuance of
securities were made to an accredited investor and did not involve a public offering. The recipients of such securities represented its
intention to acquire the securities for investment purposes only and not with a view to or for sale in connection with any distribution
thereof.
Preferred
Stock
●
On July
14, 2023, we converted the accumulated interest from the debt owed to Knight into 80,965 shares of our Series A Preferred Stock,
of which were issued to Knight.
The issuance of shares of Series A Preferred
Stock listed above was deemed exempt from registration under Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act or Regulation D promulgated thereunder
in that the issuance of securities did not involve a public offering.
44
2022 Equity Incentive Plan
On November 22, 2022, the Board and majority
stockholder adopted the 60 Degrees Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 2022 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2022 Plan”). The 2022 Plan provides
for the grant of the following types of stock awards: (i) incentive stock options, (ii) nonstatutory stock options, (iii) stock appreciation
rights, (iv) restricted stock awards, (v) restricted stock unit awards and (vi) other stock awards. The 2022 Plan is intended to help
us secure and retain the services of eligible award recipients, provide incentives for such persons to exert maximum efforts for our
success and any of our affiliates and provide a means by which the eligible recipients may benefit from increases in value of the common
stock. Initially, the Board reserved 3,977 shares of common stock issuable upon the grant of awards under the 2022 Plan. The 2022 Plan
provides for an automatic increase in the number of shares available for issuance beginning on January 1, 2023 and each January 1 thereafter,
by 4% of the number of outstanding shares of common stock on the immediately preceding December 31, or such number of shares as determined
by the Board of Directors.
On July 16, 2024 and November 6, 2024, our stockholders approved an
increase to the number of shares available under the 2022 Plan by 83,334 shares and 100,000 shares, respectively, which increases were
previously approved by the Board. The total number of shares that remain available for issuance under the 2022 Plan is 57,068 shares effective
as of March 27, 2025, which additional reservation of shares provides us with flexibility to address future equity compensation needs.
This increase is essential to attract and retain qualified employees, directors and consultants, and to align their interests with those
of our stockholders.
EQUITY PLAN INFORMATION
Plan Category:
Number
of
securities
to be
issued upon
exercise or issuance of
outstanding
options, units,
warrants and
rights (1) :
Weighted
average
exercise
price of
outstanding
options,
warrants and
rights (1) :
Number
of
securities
remaining
available for
future
issuance (1) :
2022 Equity Incentive Plan:
Equity compensation plans approved by security holders
4,437
$ 116.07
154,392
Equity compensation plans not approved by security holders
—
—
—
Total
4,437
$ 116.07
154,392
(1)
Balances
presented as of December 31, 2024
45
Purchases of Equity Securities by the Issuer
and Affiliated Purchasers
None.
Item 6. [Reserved]
Not applicable.
Item 7. Management’s
Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
Prospective investors should read the following
discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations together with our financial statements and the related notes
and other financial information included elsewhere in this annual report. Some of the information contained in this discussion and analysis
or set forth elsewhere in this annual report, including information with respect to our plans and strategy for our business, includes
forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. See “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements . ”
This discussion should be read in conjunction with our audited consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto included elsewhere
in this report. In this discussion, we may use certain non-generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) financial measures. An explanation
of these non-GAAP financial measures and a reconciliation to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures are included in this
“Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.” Investors should not consider
non-GAAP financial measures in isolation or as substitutes for financial information presented in compliance with GAAP.
1. Overview
We are a specialty pharmaceutical company with
a goal of using cutting-edge biological science and applied research to further develop and commercialize new therapies for the prevention
and treatment of infectious diseases. We have successfully achieved regulatory approval of Arakoda® (“Arakoda”), a malaria
preventative treatment that has been on the market since late 2019. Currently, 60P’s pipeline under development covers development
programs for vector-borne, fungal, and viral diseases utilizing three of the Company’s future products: (i) new products that contain
the Arakoda regimen of Tafenoquine; (ii) new products that contain Tafenoquine; and (iii) Celgosivir.
46
Following our initial public offering in July
2023, our initial strategic priority was to conduct a Phase IIB study that would have evaluated the potential of the Arakoda regimen
of Tafenoquine to accelerate disease recovery in COVID-19 patients with low risk of disease progression. In October 2023, we made a decision
to suspend this study. This was a consequence of advice previously received from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which we
interpreted to mean that the agency would not have granted clearance for the study to proceed unless we redesigned it to (i) enroll a
patient population in which receipt of Paxlovid or Lagevrio would be medically contraindicated, or (ii) compare Tafenoquine to placebo
in patients taking a “standard of care” regimen (defined by the FDA as Lagevrio or Paxlovid). The FDA’s position was
somewhat surprising given that neither Paxlovid nor Lagevrio is indicated for treatment of COVID-19 in low-risk patients. We determined
that conducting our study in an alternate population in the United States would be unfeasible, and that conducting an add-on-to standard
of care study might not be Phase III enabling. Accordingly, we made a decision to pivot back to continue commercialization of Arakoda
for malaria, and further evaluation of the Arakoda regimen of Tafenoquine for babesiosis and other diseases. We believe such an approach
is both less risky and less expensive.
Moving forward, our general strategy to achieve
profitability and grow shareholder value has three facets: (i) increase sales of Arakoda; (ii) conduct clinical trials to expand the
number of patients who can use Tafenoquine for new indications in the future; and (iii) reposition small molecule therapeutics with good
clinical safety profiles for new indications.
2. Components of Results of Operations
Product Revenues - net of Discounts and Rebates
We receive the majority of our product revenues
from sales of our Arakoda product to resellers in the U.S. and abroad. Foreign sales to both Australia and Europe are further subject
to profit sharing agreements for boxes sold to customers. Sales to resellers in the US are subject to considerable discounts and rebates
for services provided by our third-party logistics (“3PL”) partner and wholesalers and pharmacy benefit managers (“PBMs”).
Cost of Revenues, Gross Profit (Loss), and Gross Margin
Cost of revenues associated with our products
is primarily comprised of direct materials, shipping, manufacturing related costs incurred in the production process, serialization costs
and inventory write-downs due to expiration.
Other Operating Revenues
Other operating revenues for the periods presented
include research revenue earned from the Australian Tax Authority for research activities conducted in Australia. Beginning in the third
quarter of 2024, we began to recognize research revenues associated with our new contract with the United States Army Medical Materiel
Development Activity (USAMMDA) for Arakoda supply chain upgrade support. Research revenue under this contract is recognized when we incur
the direct costs eligible for reimbursement, up to the maximum allowable amount.
Operating Expenses
Research and Development
Research and development costs for the periods
presented primarily consist of contracted R&D services and costs associated with preparation for and conducting our Babesiosis trial
in 2024 and, in 2023, related to our halted COVID-19 clinical trial. We expense all research and development costs in the period in which
they are incurred. Payments made prior to the receipt of goods or services to be used in research and development are recognized as prepaid
assets and expensed over the service period as the services are provided. We have also issued shares of our common stock to vendors in
exchange for research and development services.
47
General and Administrative Expenses
Our general and administrative expenses primarily
consist of salaries, advertising and promotion expenses, professional services fees, such as consulting, audit, accounting and legal
fees, general corporate costs and allocated costs, including facilities, information technology and amortization of intangibles.
Interest and Other Income (Expense), Net
Prior to the IPO, our interest expense consisted
of interest accrued on our outstanding debt obligations and amortization of debt discounts and deferred issuance costs. Subsequently,
interest expense is mostly limited to a single, $150,000 SBA loan. Other components of other income and expense include changes in the
fair value of financial instruments, gains and losses on extinguishments of debt, and other miscellaneous income or expenses. We also
earn interest income from cash invested in interest-bearing accounts, as well as cash equivalents and short-term investments consisting
of certificates of deposits with original maturities ranging from three to six months.
3. Results of Operations
The following table sets forth our results of
operations for the periods presented:
For the Year Ended
December 31,
Consolidated Statements of Operations Data:
2024
2023
Product Revenues – net of Discounts and Rebates
$ 607,574
$ 253,573
Cost of Revenues
384,765
474,550
Gross Profit (Loss)
222,809
(220,977 )
Research Revenues
73,771
-
Net Revenue (Loss)
296,580
(220,977 )
Operating Expenses:
Research and Development
4,986,526
691,770
General and Administrative Expenses
5,024,985
4,241,836
Total Operating Expenses
10,011,511
4,933,606
Loss from Operations
(9,714,931 )
(5,154,583 )
Interest Expense
(7,912 )
(2,286,637 )
Derivative Expense
-
(399,725 )
Change in Fair Value of Derivative Liabilities
1,665,966
(37,278 )
Loss on Debt Extinguishment
-
(1,231,480 )
Change in Fair Value of Promissory Note
-
5,379,269
Other Income (Expense), net
101,464
(83,116 )
Total Interest and Other Income (Expense), net
1,759,518
1,341,033
Loss from Operations before Provision for Income Taxes
(7,955,413 )
(3,813,550 )
Provision for Income Taxes (Note 9)
250
250
Net Loss including Noncontrolling Interest
(7,955,663 )
(3,813,800 )
Net Loss – Noncontrolling Interest
(8,556 )
(48,098 )
Net Loss – attributed to 60 Degrees Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
$ (7,947,107 )
$ (3,765,702 )
48
The following table sets forth our results of
operations as a percentage of revenue:
For the Year Ended
December 31,
Consolidated Statements of Operations Data:
2024
2023
Product Revenues – net of Discounts and Rebates
100.00 %
100.00 %
Cost of Revenues
63.33
187.15
Gross Profit (Loss)
36.67
(87.15 )
Research Revenues
12.14
-
Net Revenue (Loss)
48.81
(87.15 )
Operating Expenses:
Research and Development
820.73
272.81
General and Administrative Expenses
827.06
1,672.83
Total Operating Expenses
1,647.78
1,945.64
Loss from Operations
(1,598.97 )
(2,032.78 )
Interest Expense
(1.30 )
(901.77 )
Derivative Expense
-
(157.64 )
Change in Fair Value of Derivative Liabilities
274.20
(14.70 )
Loss on Debt Extinguishment
-
(485.65 )
Change in Fair Value of Promissory Note
-
2,121.39
Other Income (Expense), net
16.70
(32.78 )
Total Interest and Other Income (Expense), net
289.60
528.85
Loss from Operations before Provision for Income Taxes
(1,309.37 )
(1,503.93 )
Provision for Income Taxes (Note 9)
0.04
0.10
Net Loss including Noncontrolling Interest
(1,309.41 )
(1,504.02 )
Net Loss – Noncontrolling Interest
(1.41 )
(18.97 )
Net Loss – attributed to 60 Degrees Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
(1,308.01 )%
(1,485.06 )%
4. Comparison of the Years Ended December
31, 2024, and 2023
Product Revenues - net of Discounts and Rebates, Cost of Revenues,
Gross Profit (Loss), and Gross Margin
For the Year Ended
December 31,
Consolidated Statements of Operations Data:
2024
2023
$ Change
% Change
Product Revenues – net of Discounts and Rebates
$ 607,574
$ 253,573
$ 354,001
139.61 %
Cost of Revenues
384,765
474,550
(89,785 )
(18.92 )
Gross Profit (Loss)
$ 222,809
$ (220,977 )
$ 443,786
(200.83 )%
Gross Margin %
36.67 %
(87.15 )%
Product Revenues - net of Discounts and Rebates
Our product revenues - net of discounts and rebates
were $607,574 for the year ended December 31, 2024, as compared to $253,573 for the year ended December 31, 2023. For the year ended
December 31, 2024, our U.S. pharmaceutical distributor accounted for 95% of our total net product sales and Kodatef sales to our Australian
distributor accounted for 5% of total net product sales (72% and 21% for the year ended December 31, 2023, respectively). Domestic commercial
product sales are primarily driving increased sales volume during the period.
49
We offer discounts and rebates to the civilian
U.S. supply chain distribution channel. We record sales when our 3PL partner transfers boxes into their title model. Discounts and rebates
offered to our 3PL partner amount to 12% (lower rates available upon reaching larger revenue tiers) along with a $5,500 fixed monthly
fee that started in 2023. The product is then transferred usually to one of the three large U.S. pharmaceutical distributors where rebates
are 10%. Lastly, we have relationships with several large pharmacy benefit managers (“PBMs”) that allow patients to purchase
Arakoda at a discount. The rebate associated with PBMs ranges from 30% to 41.25% depending on the amount of coverage provided. For the
year ended December 31, 2024, discounts and rebates were $476,218 compared to $216,031 for the year ended December 31, 2023.
Arakoda entered the U.S. civilian supply chain
in the third quarter of 2019. For the year ended December 31, 2023, 1,632 boxes were sold to pharmacies and dispensaries. Sales volume
increased by 214% to 5,119 boxes sold to pharmacies and dispensaries for the year ended December 31, 2024. Based on IQVIA data, this
growth in sales volume appears to be driven primarily by organic growth in the Lyme disease community, whose prescribers utilize Arakoda
for treatment of babesiosis.
Kodatef sales to our distributor Biocelect in
Australia for the year ended December 31, 2024 were $30,652 ($53,718 for the year ended December 31, 2023). Sales to Biocelect are currently
subject to a profit share distribution once the original transfer price has been recouped. The most recent sale of boxes to Biocelect
reached profit share at the end of Q1 2024. Biocelect reported approximately 105% year-over-year growth, the equivalent of 1,850 boxes
sold for the year ended December 31, 2024, compared to 903 boxes for the year ended December 31, 2023. As of December 31, 2024, Biocelect’s
unsold inventory that remains subject to profit share was the equivalent of 385 boxes. While growth in Australia is similarly positive
to that in the US, Biocelect has achieved that growth by competing directly with Malarone in terms of price in their market for the approved
antimalarial prophylaxis indication. As of December 31, 2024, $9,444 of profit share was due to us ($0 as of December 31, 2023).
Arakoda sales volume is also showing signs of
sales growth in Europe. We first shipped Arakoda to our distributor Scandinavian Biopharma (“SB”) in September 2022. For
the year ended December 31, 2024, SB reported 147 boxes sold (0 for the year ended December 31, 2023). According to our distributor,
this is due to greater interest in treating babesiosis.
Cost of Revenues, Gross Profit (Loss), and
Gross Margin
Cost of revenues was $384,765 for the year ended
December 31, 2024, as compared to $474,550 for the year ended December 31, 2023. While net product sales increased over the same periods,
the decrease in cost of goods sold is primarily attributable to the fixed part of cost of goods. As the sales volume has increased, the
gross margin has improved as the variable cost of goods of each unit sold is substantially less than the sales price. Additionally, write-downs
for expired inventory were significantly higher during the year ended December 31, 2023 at $191,111, as compared to $22,046 during the
year ended December 31, 2024. Due to these factors, the Gross Margin % increased significantly from (87.15%) for the year ended December
31, 2023 to 37.78% for the year ended December 31, 2024.
Other Operating Revenues
For the Year Ended
December 31,
Consolidated Statements of Operations Data:
2024
2023
$ Change
% Change
Research Revenues
$ 73,771
$ -
$ 73,771
N/A
The research revenues earned by us were $73,771
for the year ended December 31, 2024, as compared to $0 for the year ended December 31, 2023. Our research revenues for the year ended
December 31, 2024 primarily relate to research revenues earned from the Australian Tax Authority for research expenses conducted in Australia,
and we earned $55,395 during the year ended December 31, 2024 ($0 during the year ended December 31, 2023). We did not earn research
revenues from the Australian Tax Authority in 2023 due to the cancellation of our COVID-19 trial, after which we made the decision not
to file for the research rebate. In 2024, we also began to recognize research revenues related to the new USAMMDA contract we were awarded
in July 2024 to facilitate commercial validation of a new bottle and replacement blister packaging of Arakoda.
Operating Expenses
For the Year Ended
December 31,
Consolidated Statements of Operations Data:
2024
2023
$ Change
% Change
Research and Development
$ 4,986,526
$ 691,770
$ 4,294,756
620.84 %
General and Administrative Expenses
5,024,985
4,241,836
783,149
18.46
Total Operating Expenses
$ 10,011,511
$ 4,933,606
$ 5,077,905
102.92 %
50
Research and Development
Research and development costs increased during
the year ended December 31, 2024 when compared to the year ended December 31, 2023. Research and development costs incurred during the
year ended December 31, 2023 consisted of initiation costs related to our Phase IIB COVID-19 clinical trial, which was later suspended
in the fourth quarter of 2023. Direct COVID-19-related trial costs represent less than 1% of the total research and development costs
for the year ended December 31, 2024 at $16,247 and 83% of the costs for the year ended December 31, 2023 at $574,609. During the year
ended December 31, 2024, $3,225,000, or 65% of the total research and development costs, relate to share-based payments granted to two
vendors in January 2023, which payments were initially deferred and capitalized. Kentucky Technology, Inc. delivered us a report on the
potential development of SJ733 + tafenoquine in the second quarter of 2024 and Trevally completed the synthesis of 8.8 kilograms of castanospermine
in the third quarter of 2024, resulting in $2,625,000 and $600,000, respectively, of research and development expense recognized for the
year ended December 31, 2024. We also incurred $1,359,532 in costs related to our babesiosis trial for tafenoquine during the year ended
December 31, 2024 ($0 during the year ended December 31, 2023).
General and Administrative Expenses
For the year ended December 31, 2024, our general
and administrative expenses increased by 18.46% or $783,149 from the year ended December 31, 2023. During the year ended December 31,
2024, we recorded higher compensation expenses including $275,114 of bonus expense and $662,951 of salaries, taxes, and benefits expense,
respectively (compared to $0 and $492,780 for the year ended December 31, 2023, respectively) due to certain sales and performance bonuses
payable to our executives, and higher salaries due to hiring of our new Chief Commercial Officer in February 2024. Additionally, during
the year ended December 31, 2024, we incurred $410,016 in legal and professional fees, $549,912 of insurance expenses, $1,019,111 of
investor outreach expenses, and $433,884 of advertising and promotion expenses (up from $268,611, $304,581, $668,639, and $172,551 for
the year ended December 31, 2023, respectively). These were partially offset by a significant decrease in stock-based compensation, which
decreased from $528,926 for the year ended December 31, 2023 to $32,767 for the year ended December 31, 2024. The decrease is, in part,
due to a decrease in the average grant date fair value of stock-based awards granted in 2024 as compared to 2023, as well as certain
fully vested stock-based awards granted to our directors on the closing date of our IPO, and to our executives at the end of 2023.
Interest and Other Income (Expense), Net
For the Year Ended
December 31,
Consolidated Statements of Operations Data:
2024
2023
$ Change
% Change
Interest Expense
$ (7,912 )
$ (2,286,637 )
$ 2,278,725
(99.65 )%
Derivative Expense
-
(399,725 )
399,725
(100.00 )
Change in Fair Value of Derivative Liabilities
1,665,966
(37,278 )
1,703,244
(4,569.03 )
Loss on Debt Extinguishment
-
(1,231,480 )
1,231,480
(100.00 )
Change in Fair Value of Promissory Note
-
5,379,269
(5,379,269 )
(100.00 )
Other Income (Expense), net
101,464
(83,116 )
184,580
(222.08 )
Total Interest and Other Income (Expense), net
$ 1,759,518
$ 1,341,033
$ 418,485
31.21 %
Interest Expense
For the year ended December 31, 2024, we recognized
$7,912 of interest expense ($2,286,637 for the year ended December 31, 2023). The decrease in interest expense is the result of the settlement
or conversion of a majority of our outstanding debt obligations upon the closing of our IPO on July 14, 2023. Cash paid for interest
was $8,772 and $179,117 for the years ended December 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively.
51
Derivative Expense
For the year ended December 31, 2023, we recognized
$399,725 of derivative expense in connection with the raising of $555,000 in net proceeds from our bridge funding in May 2023. We record
derivative expense when the initial fair value of the related derivative liabilities exceeds the cash proceeds received. We did not record
derivative expense for the year ended December 31, 2024 as we did not complete any debt financing transactions during the period.
Change in Fair Value of Derivative Liabilities
For the year ended December 31, 2024, we recognized a net gain on the
change in fair value of derivative liabilities of $1,665,966 compared to a net loss of $37,278 for the year ended December 31, 2023. During
the year ended December 31, 2024, derivative liabilities include the contingent milestone payment due to Knight upon a future sale of
Arakoda or a Change of Control. The fair value of the contingent milestone payment is inversely related to the net present value of future
investments in the Company and anticipated timing to profitability within our budget models. During the year ended December 31, 2023,
derivative liabilities consisted of bridge shares, certain warrants, and embedded conversion features in our convertible notes, which
were each converted or reclassified to equity upon the closing of our IPO. We use a probability-weighted expected return method or a Monte
Carlo simulation model to estimate the fair value of these instruments.
Loss on Debt Extinguishment
For the year ended December 31, 2024, we did
not recognize a gain or loss on debt extinguishment ($1,231,480 loss recognized during the year ended December 31, 2023). The decrease
is related, in part to the conversion of the cumulative outstanding debt pursuant to the Knight Debt Conversion Agreement in January
2023, which was accounted for as a debt extinguishment, as well as losses recognized upon extinguishment of our interim bridge financing
notes, all of which were settled or converted upon our IPO in July 2023. The net amount for the year ended December 31, 2023 was partially
offset by a debt extinguishment gain of $223,077 recognized on conversion of the Xu Yu promissory note on the date of our IPO.
Change in Fair Value of Promissory Note
For the year ended December 31, 2023, we recognized
a net gain of $5,379,269 related to the change in the fair value of the Convertible Knight Loan, which was held at fair value beginning
on the modification date in January 2023. The gain relates to the mark to market adjustment recognized immediately prior to the automatic
conversion of the outstanding debt obligation into our equity shares upon the closing of our IPO. We no longer have any debt obligations
measured at fair value on a recurring basis, hence we recorded a $0 change in fair value for the year ended December 31, 2024.
Other Income (Expense), net
For the year ended December 31, 2024, we recognized
$101,464 in other income compared to $83,116 in other expense for the year ended December 31, 2023. As a result of the IPO as well as
additional equity financing transactions completed in 2024, we have earned higher interest income from investing certain cash proceeds
in interest-bearing accounts and short-term certificates of deposit. We recognized interest income of $103,299 during the year ended
December 31, 2024 ($19,985 during the year ended December 31, 2023). Additionally, during the year ended December 31, 2024, we recognized
$10,789 in service revenue in association with the final payment from the USAMMDA for storing Arakoda purchases ($0 for the year ended
December 31, 2023), upon the final resolution of storage fees payable from the USAMMDA under the original development contract entered
into in 2014. As the development contract ended on August 31, 2022, additional storage revenue is not expected in the near future. Other
expense during the year ended December 31, 2023, was primarily related to net foreign exchange transaction losses as well as a one-time
write off of an uncollectible receivable from our 3PL for an uninvoiced return of $48,236.
52
5. Liquidity and Capital Resources
As of December 31, 2024, we had cash and cash
equivalents of $1,659,353 ($2,142,485 as of December 31, 2023). For the year ended December 31, 2024 and 2023, our net cash used in operating
activities was $5,648,088 and $4,542,910, respectively. To date, we have financed our operations primarily through the issuance of common
stock, warrants to purchase common stock, and proceeds from the issuance of convertible debt and promissory notes. Based on current internal
projections, taking into consideration the net proceeds of approximately $1.9 million received under the ATM Agreement, an additional
$5.127 million in cumulative net proceeds received from the September, 2024 Private Placement and 2025 offerings, and recent growth in
Arakoda sales, we estimate that we will have sufficient funds to remain viable through August 31, 2025, excluding the additional costs
of conducting the expanded access study for chronic babesiosis patients (currently being planned), and assuming no additional capital
raises. We cannot give assurance that we can increase our cash balances or limit our cash consumption and thus maintain sufficient cash
balances for our planned operations or future acquisitions. Future business demands may lead to cash utilization at levels greater than
recently experienced. We may need to raise additional capital in the future. However, we cannot assure you that we will be able to raise
additional capital on acceptable terms, or at all.
Going Concern
In their audit report for the fiscal year ended
December 31, 2024, our auditors have expressed their concern as to our ability to continue as a going concern. Our ability to continue
as a going concern is dependent upon our ability to generate cash flows from operations and obtain financing. The audited consolidated
financial statements for the years ended December 31, 2024, and December 31, 2023, respectively, included an explanatory note referring
to our recurring operating losses and expressing substantial doubt in our ability to continue as a going concern.
Our future results are subject to substantial
risks and uncertainties. Since our inception, we have not demonstrated the ability to generate enough revenues to date to cover operating
expenses and we have accumulated losses to date. To date, we have funded our operations primarily with proceeds from sales of common stock
and warrants for the purchase of common stock, sales of preferred stock, proceeds from the issuance of convertible debt and borrowings
under loan and security agreements.
Continuation as a going concern is dependent upon
our ability to meet our financial requirements, raise additional capital, and achieve gross profitability from our single marketed product.
To achieve profitability, we expect we will need to raise additional capital to fund our activities relating to commercial support for
our existing product and any future clinical research trials and operating activities. However, there can be no assurance that we
will ever achieve or maintain profitability. These conditions, among others, raise substantial doubt about our ability to continue as
a going concern for one year from the date these financial statements are issued.
We plan to fund our operations through third party
and related party debt/advances, private placement of restricted securities and the issuance of stock in a subsequent offering until such
a time as the business achieves profitability or a business combination may be achieved. However, there can be no assurance that we will
be successful in raising additional capital or that such capital, if available, will be on terms that are favorable to us. Debt financing
and equity financing, if available, may involve agreements that include covenants limiting or restricting our ability to take specific
actions, such as incurring additional debt, making capital expenditures or declaring dividends. If we raise funds through collaborations,
or other similar 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 and/or may reduce the value of our
common stock. 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 future commercialization efforts or grant rights to develop and market our product candidates
even if we would otherwise prefer to develop and market such product candidates ourselves.
As such, we have concluded that such plans do
not alleviate the substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern for one year from the date the accompanying financial
statements are issued.
The accompanying financial statements have been prepared on a going
concern basis, which contemplates the realization of assets and the satisfaction of obligations in the normal course of business, and
do not include any adjustments to the amount and classification of assets and liabilities that may be necessary should we be unable to
continue as a going concern.
53
Contractual Obligations
The following table summarizes our contractual obligations as of December
31, 2024:
Payments Due By Period
Total
Less than
1 year
1-3 years
4-5 years
More than
5 Years
Principal obligations on the debt arrangements
$ 150,000
$ -
$ 3,621
$ 6,799
$ 139,580
Interest obligations on the debt arrangements
104,797
8,772
13,923
10,746
71,356
Accounts payable and accrued expenses
1,007,618
1,007,618
-
-
-
Total
$ 1,262,415
$ 1,016,390
$ 17,544
$ 17,545
$ 210,936
Amounts related to contingent milestone payments
are not considered contractual obligations as they are contingent on the achievement of certain milestones. These contingent milestones
may or may not be achieved. We have not included any of these amounts in the table above as we cannot estimate or predict when, or if,
these amounts will become due.
Cash Flows
Year Ended December 31,
2024
2023
$ Change
% Change
Net Cash (Used In) Provided By :
Operating Activities
$ (5,648,088 )
$ (4,542,910 )
$ (1,105,178 )
24.33 %
Investing Activities
(1,889,114 )
(115,888 )
(1,773,226 )
1,530.12
Financing Activities
7,053,571
6,474,565
579,006
8.94
Effect of Foreign Currency Translation on Cash Flow
499
61,853
(61,354 )
(99.19 )
Net (Decrease) Increase in Cash and Cash Equivalents
$ (483,132 )
$ 1,877,620
$ (2,360,752 )
(125.73 )%
Cash Used in Operating Activities
Net cash used in operating activities was $5,648,088
for the year ended December 31, 2024, as compared to $4,542,910 for the year ended December 31, 2023. Our net cash used in operating
activities increased, in part due to higher general and administrative expenses of $5,024,985 for the year ended December 31, 2024 ($4,241,836
for the year ended December 31, 2023) primarily due to higher cash compensation and related expenses, legal and professional fees, insurance
expenses, investor outreach expenses, and advertising and promotion expenses, as discussed above. In addition, we incurred $1,304,183
in costs related to our planned babesiosis trial for tafenoquine during the year ended December 31, 2024 ($0 during the year ended December
31, 2023).
Cash Used in Investing Activities
Net cash used in investing activities was $1,889,114
for the year ended December 31, 2024, as compared to $115,888 for the year ended December 31, 2023. The increase in cash used in investing
activities is primarily driven by purchases of short-term certificates of deposit for a total cost of $1,708,000 during the year ended
December 31, 2024 ($0 during the year ended December 31, 2023), purchased for the purposes of earning interest income. Additionally,
purchases of computer and lab equipment totaled $103,773 during the year ended December 31, 2024 ($57,623 during the year ended December
31, 2023), and capitalized website development costs and patent costs totaled $25,374 and $51,967, respectively, for the year ended December
31, 2024 ($18,283 and $39,982 for the year ended December 31, 2023, respectively).
54
Cash Provided by Financing Activities
Net cash provided by financing activities was
$7,053,571 for the year ended December 31, 2024, as compared to $6,474,565 for the year ended December 31, 2023. The increase in net
cash provided by financing activities is primarily attributable to (i) net proceeds of $1,914,513 received for the sale of common stock
and warrants in January 2024, (ii) net proceeds of $1,790,670 from the sale of common stock pursuant to the At-the-Market Sales Agreement
in July and August 2024, and (iii) $3,439,502 received from the sale of warrants in our Private Placement offering that closed in September
2024, in each case partially offset by payment of deferred offering costs. Cash provided by financing activities for the year ended December
31, 2023 related to net proceeds of $6,454,325 generated from our IPO, which closed on July 14, 2023, as well as $1,131,771 received
from the exercise of warrants, but partially offset by repayments of certain of our outstanding debt obligations in July 2023.
Effect of Foreign Currency Translation on
Cash Flow
Our foreign operations were small relative to
U.S. operations for the years ended December 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, thus effects of foreign currency translation have been minor.
6. Critical Accounting Policies, Significant
Judgments, and 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 of assets and liabilities and disclosures
of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during
the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
Revenue Recognition
We recognize revenue in accordance with FASB
ASC Topic No. 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (“ASC 606”). Revenues are recognized when control is transferred
to customers in amounts that reflect the consideration we expect to be entitled to receive in exchange for those goods. Revenue recognition
is evaluated through the following five steps: (i) identification of the contract, or contracts, with a customer; (ii) identification
of the performance obligations in the contract; (iii) determination of the transaction price; (iv) allocation of the transaction price
to the performance obligations in the contract; and (v) recognition of revenue when or as a performance obligation is satisfied. As part
of the accounting for these arrangements, we may be required to make significant judgments, including identifying performance obligations
in the contract, estimating the amount of variable consideration to include in the transaction price and allocating the transaction price
to each performance obligation.
Revenues from product sales are recorded at the
net sales price, or “transaction price,” which may include estimates of variable consideration that result from product returns.
We determine the amount of variable consideration by using either the expected value method or the most-likely-amount method. We include
the unconstrained amount of estimated variable consideration in the transaction price, which reflects the amount for which it is probable
that a significant reversal of cumulative revenue recognized will not occur. At the end of each subsequent reporting period, we re-evaluate
the estimated variable consideration included in the transaction price and any related constraint, and if necessary, adjust our estimate
of the overall transaction price. Any such adjustments are recorded on a cumulative catch-up basis in the period of adjustment. Reserves
are established for the estimates of variable consideration based on the amounts we expect to be earned or to be claimed on the related
sales.
We record U.S. commercial revenues as a receivable
when our American distributor transfers shipped product to their title model for 60P. Foreign sales to both Australia and Europe are
recognized as a receivable at the point product is shipped to distributor. The shipments to Australia and Europe are further subject
to profit sharing agreements for boxes sold to customers.
55
Inventory
We report inventories at the lower of cost or
net realizable value. Cost is comprised of direct materials and, where applicable, costs we incur in bringing the inventories to their
present location and condition. We use the Specific Identification method per lot. A box price is calculated per lot number and sales
are recognized by their lot number.
We regularly monitor our inventory levels to
identify inventory that may expire or has a cost basis in excess of its estimated realizable value, and record write-downs for inventory
that has expired, inventory that has a cost basis in excess of its expected net realizable value, and inventory in excess of expected
sales requirements. We charge any write-downs of inventories to Cost of Revenues in the Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive
Loss.
Share-Based Payments
We account for share-based payments in accordance
with ASC Subtopic 718, Compensation - Stock Compensation (“ASC 718”). We measure compensation for all share-based
payment awards granted to employees, directors, and nonemployees, based on the estimated fair value of the awards on the date of grant.
For awards that vest based on continued service, the service-based compensation cost is recognized on a straight-line basis over the
requisite service period, which is generally the vesting period of the awards. For service vesting awards with compensation expense recognized
on a straight-line basis, at no point in time does the cumulative grant date value of vested awards exceed the cumulative amount of compensation
expense recognized. The grant date is determined based on the date when a mutual understanding of the key terms of the share-based awards
is established. We account for forfeitures as they occur.
We estimate the fair value of all stock option
awards as of the grant date by applying the Black-Scholes option pricing model. The application of this valuation model involves assumptions,
including the fair value of the common stock, expected volatility, risk-free interest rate, expected dividends and the expected term
of the option. Due to the lack of a public market for our common stock prior to the IPO and lack of company-specific historical implied
volatility data, we base our computations of expected volatility on the historical volatility of a representative group of public companies
with similar characteristics of the Company, including stage of development and industry focus. The historical volatility is calculated
based on a period of time commensurate with the expected term assumption. We generally use the simplified method as prescribed by the
SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin Topic 14, Share-Based Payment , to estimate the expected term for stock options, whereby, the expected
term equals the midpoint of the weighted average remaining time to vest, vesting period and the contractual term of the options due to
our lack of historical exercise data. For certain options granted out-of-the-money, our best estimate of the expected term is the contractual
term of the award. The risk-free interest rate is based on U.S. Treasury securities with a maturity date commensurate with the expected
term of the associated award. The expected dividend yield is assumed to be zero as we have never paid dividends and have no current plans
to pay any dividends on our common stock. The assumptions used in calculating the fair value of share-based awards represent our best
estimates and involve inherent uncertainties and the application of significant judgment.
We recognize compensation expense for restricted
stock units (“RSUs”) with only service-based vesting conditions on a straight-line basis over the vesting period. Compensation
cost for service-based RSUs is based on the grant date fair value of the award, which is the closing market price of our common stock
on the grant date multiplied by the number of shares awarded.
For awards that vest upon a liquidity event or
a change in control, the performance condition is not probable of being achieved until the event occurs. As a result, no compensation
expense is recognized until the performance-based vesting condition is achieved, at which time the cumulative compensation expense is
recognized. Compensation cost related to any remaining time-based service for share-based awards after the liquidity-based event is recognized
on a straight-line basis over the remaining service period.
For fully vested, nonforfeitable equity instruments
that are granted at the date we enter into an agreement for goods or services with a nonemployee, we recognize the fair value of the
equity instruments on the grant date. The corresponding cost is recognized as an immediate expense or a prepaid asset and expensed over
the service period depending on the specific facts and circumstances of the agreement with the nonemployee.
56
Derivative Liabilities
We assess the classification of our derivative
financial instruments each reporting period, which formerly consisted of bridge shares, convertible notes payable, and certain warrants,
and determined that such instruments initially qualified for treatment as derivative liabilities as they met the criteria for liability
classification under ASC 815. As of December 31, 2024, our derivative financial instruments consist of contingent payment arrangements.
We analyze all financial instruments with features of both liabilities
and equity under the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic
No. 480, Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity (“ASC 480”), and FASB ASC Topic No. 815, Derivatives and Hedging
(“ASC 815”). Derivative liabilities are adjusted to reflect fair value at each reporting period, with any increase or decrease
in the fair value recorded in the results of operations, as a component of other income or expense as change in fair value of derivative
liabilities. We use a Monte Carlo simulation model or a probability-weighted expected return method to determine the fair value of these
instruments.
Upon conversion or repayment of a debt or equity
instrument in exchange for equity shares, where the embedded conversion option has been bifurcated and accounted for as a derivative
liability (generally convertible debt and warrants), we record the equity shares at fair value on the date of conversion, relieve all
related debt, derivative liabilities, and unamortized debt discounts, and recognize a net gain or loss on debt extinguishment, if any.
Equity or liability instruments that become subject
to reclassification under ASC Topic 815 are reclassified at the fair value of the instrument on the reclassification date.
Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements
During 2024 and 2023, we did not have any relationships
with unconsolidated organizations or financial partnerships, such as structured finance or special purpose entities that would have been
established for the purpose of facilitating off-balance sheet arrangements or other contractually narrow or limited purposes.
57
JOBS Act Accounting Election
In April 2012, the JOBS Act was enacted. Section
107(b) of the JOBS Act provides that an “emerging growth company” can take advantage of the extended transition period provided
in Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act for complying with new or revised accounting standards. Thus, an emerging growth company
can delay the adoption of certain accounting standards until those standards would otherwise apply to private companies. We have elected
to avail ourselves of this exemption and, therefore, we will not be subject to the same new or revised accounting standards as other
public companies that are not emerging growth companies.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
From time to time, the FASB issues Accounting
Standards Update (“ASUs”) to amend the authoritative literature in the ASC. We regularly evaluate new ASUs to determine the
impact that these pronouncements may have on our consolidated financial statements. Other than the pronouncements listed below, management
believes that those issued to date either (i) provide supplemental guidance, (ii) are technical corrections, or (iii) are not applicable
to our consolidated financial statements or related disclosures.
In November 2023, the FASB issued ASU 2023-07,
Segment Reporting (Topic 280): Improvements to Reportable Segment Disclosures (“ASU 2023-07”) which expands annual
and interim disclosure requirements for reportable segments, primarily through enhanced disclosures about significant segment expenses
and segment profit or loss. ASU 2023-07 also requires entities with a single reportable segment to provide all segment disclosures under
ASC 280, including the new required disclosures under the ASU. We adopted ASU 2023-07 on a retrospective basis for the 2024 annual period,
and for interim periods beginning in 2025. The impact is limited to our financial statement disclosures, which are presented in Note
2 to the accompanying consolidated financial statements.
In December 2023, the FASB issued ASU 2023-09,
Income Taxes (ASC 740): Improvements to Income Tax Disclosures (“ASU 2023-09”) which requires disaggregated information
about a reporting entity’s effective tax rate reconciliation as well as information on income taxes paid. ASU 2023-09 is effective
for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2024, with early adoption permitted. We are currently evaluating the impact that ASU 2023-09
will have on our financial statement disclosures.
In November 2024, the FASB issued ASU 2024-03,
Income Statement – Reporting Comprehensive Income – Expense Disaggregation Disclosures (Subtopic 220-40): Disaggregation
of Income Statement Expenses (“ASU 2024-03”), which applies to all public business entities that file financial statements
with the SEC. The amendments in this ASU require public business entities to disclose on an annual and interim basis, disaggregated information
about certain income statement expense line items. The new standard is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2026,
with early adoption permitted. We are currently evaluating the impact that ASU 2024-03 will have on our financial statement disclosures.
Item 7A. Quantitative
and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk.
We qualify as a smaller reporting company, as
defined by SEC Rule 229.10(f)(1) and are not required to provide the information required by this Item.
58
Item 8. Financial Statements
and Supplementary Data.
INDEX TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Report
of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
F-2
Audited
Consolidated Balance Sheets at December 31, 2024 and 2023
F-3
Audited
Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Loss for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023
F-4
Audited
Consolidated Statements of Shareholders’ Equity for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023
F-6
Audited
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023
F-7
Notes
to Audited Consolidated Financial Statements
F-8
F- 1
REPORT
OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
To the Board of Directors and Stockholders of
60 Degrees Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Opinion on the Financial Statements
We have audited the accompanying consolidated
balance sheets of 60 Degrees Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and subsidiary (“the Company”) as of December 31, 2024 and 2023, and the
related statements of operations and comprehensive loss, shareholders’ equity, and cash flows for each of the years in the two-year
period ended December 31, 2024, 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, 2024 and 2023, and the results
of its operations and its cash flows for each of the years in the two-year period ended December 31, 2024, in conformity with accounting
principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
The Company’s Ability to Continue as a Going Concern
The accompanying consolidated financial statements
have been prepared assuming that the Company will continue as a going concern. As discussed in Note 1 to the consolidated financial statements,
the Company has an accumulated deficit, recurring losses and expects future losses that raise substantial doubt about the Company’s
ability to continue as a going concern. Management’s evaluation of the events and conditions and management’s plans regarding
these matters are also described in Note 1. The consolidated financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from
the outcome of this uncertainty.
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.
/s/ RBSM LLP
PCAOB ID Number 587
We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2022.
Las Vegas, Nevada
March 27, 2025
F- 2
60
DEGREES PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE
SHEETS
December 31,
December 31,
2024
2023
ASSETS:
Current Assets:
Cash and Cash Equivalents
$ 1,659,353
$ 2,142,485
Accounts Receivable
486,748
231,332
Prepaid and Other Assets
1,068,940
4,402,602
Short-Term Investments
1,728,472
-
Inventory (Note 3)
442,764
466,169
Total Current Assets
5,386,277
7,242,588
Property and Equipment, net (Note 4)
149,808
57,761
Other Assets:
Right of Use Asset (Note 11)
-
13,517
Long-Term Prepaid Expense
66,176
242,647
Intangible Assets, net (Note 5)
157,084
227,258
Total Other Assets
223,260
483,422
Total Assets
$ 5,759,345
$ 7,783,771
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY:
Current Liabilities:
Accounts Payable and Accrued Expenses
$ 1,007,618
$ 506,206
Lease Liability (Note 11)
-
13,650
SBA
EIDL (including accrued interest) (Note 7)
8,772
8,772
Derivative Liabilities (Note 8)
640,830
2,306,796
Total Current Liabilities
1,657,220
2,835,424
Long-Term Liabilities:
SBA
EIDL (including accrued interest) (Note 7)
147,119
150,251
Total Long-Term Liabilities
147,119
150,251
Total Liabilities
1,804,339
2,985,675
Commitments and Contingencies (Note 11)
SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY:
Series A Preferred Stock, $ 0.0001 par value, 1,000,000 shares authorized; 76,480 and 78,803 issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively (Note 6)
9,567,439
9,858,040
Common Stock, $ 0.0001 par value, 150,000,000 shares authorized; 566,908 and 96,847 issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively (1) (Note 6)
57
10
Additional Paid-in Capital (1)
34,860,590
27,457,373
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income
135,471
135,561
Accumulated Deficit
( 40,527,957 )
( 32,580,850 )
60P Shareholders’ Equity:
4,035,600
4,870,134
Noncontrolling Interest
( 80,594 )
( 72,038 )
Total Shareholders’ Equity
3,955,006
4,798,096
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity
$ 5,759,345
$ 7,783,771
(1) Periods presented have been adjusted to reflect the 1:12 reverse stock split on August 12, 2024 and the 1:5 reverse stock split on February 24, 2025.
See accompanying notes
to these consolidated financial statements which are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
F- 3
60 DEGREES PHARMACEUTICALS,
INC.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE
LOSS
For the Years Ended
December
31,
2024
2023
Product Revenues – net of Discounts and Rebates
$ 607,574
$ 253,573
Cost of Revenues
384,765
474,550
Gross Profit (Loss)
222,809
( 220,977 )
Research Revenues
73,771
-
Net Revenue (Loss)
296,580
( 220,977 )
Operating Expenses:
Research and Development
4,986,526
691,770
General and Administrative Expenses
5,024,985
4,241,836
Total Operating Expenses
10,011,511
4,933,606
Loss from Operations
( 9,714,931 )
( 5,154,583 )
Interest Expense
( 7,912 )
( 2,286,637 )
Derivative Expense
-
( 399,725 )
Change in Fair Value of Derivative Liabilities
1,665,966
( 37,278 )
Loss on Debt Extinguishment
-
( 1,231,480 )
Change in Fair Value of Promissory Note
-
5,379,269
Other Income (Expense), net
101,464
( 83,116 )
Total Interest and Other Income (Expense), net
1,759,518
1,341,033
Loss from Operations before Provision for Income Taxes
( 7,955,413 )
( 3,813,550 )
Provision for Income Taxes (Note 9)
250
250
Net Loss including Noncontrolling Interest
( 7,955,663 )
( 3,813,800 )
Net Loss – Noncontrolling Interest
( 8,556 )
( 48,098 )
Net Loss – attributed to 60 Degrees Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
( 7,947,107 )
( 3,765,702 )
Comprehensive Loss:
Net Loss
( 7,955,663 )
( 3,813,800 )
Unrealized Foreign Currency Translation (Loss) Gain
( 90 )
61,853
Total Comprehensive Loss
( 7,955,753 )
( 3,751,947 )
Net Loss – Noncontrolling Interest
( 8,556 )
( 48,098 )
Comprehensive Loss – attributed to 60 Degrees Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
( 7,947,197 )
( 3,703,849 )
Cumulative Dividends on Series A Preferred Stock
( 483,301 )
( 220,714 )
Net Loss - attributed to common stockholders
$ ( 8,430,498 )
$ ( 3,924,563 )
Net Loss per Common Share:
Basic and Diluted
$ ( 18.55 )
$ ( 59.18 )
Weighted Average Number of Common Shares Outstanding
Basic and Diluted
454,582
66,314
See accompanying notes to these consolidated
financial statements which are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
F- 4
60 DEGREES PHARMACEUTICALS,
INC.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF SHAREHOLDERS’
EQUITY
For
the Year Ended December 31, 2024
Series
A
Preferred Stock
Common
Stock (1)
Additional
Paid-In
Accumulated
Accumulated
Other Comprehensive
Total
Shareholders’
Equity
Attributable
Noncontrolling
Interest
on
Total
Shareholders’
Shares
Amount
Shares
Amount
Capital (1)
Deficit
Income
(Loss)
to
60P
Shareholders
Equity
Balance—December
31, 2023
78,803
$ 9,858,040
96,847
$ 10
$ 27,457,373
$ ( 32,580,850 )
$ 135,561
$ 4,870,134
$ ( 72,038 )
$ 4,798,096
Issuance
of common stock and warrants, net of underwriting discounts and offering costs paid at closing and deferred offering costs (Note 6)
-
-
87,683
9
1,898,287
-
-
1,898,296
-
1,898,296
Issuance
of common stock upon exercise of Pre-Funded Warrants
-
-
211,163
21
10,942
-
-
10,963
-
10,963
Issuance
of shares for RSUs
-
-
4,270
-
-
-
-
-
-
Voluntary
return of shares issued to vendor for services
-
-
( 2,000 )
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Voluntary
conversion of Series A Preferred Stock into common stock
( 2,323 )
( 290,601 )
14,667
1
290,600
-
-
-
-
-
Issuance of common stock pursuant to ATM Offering, net of offering costs paid at closing and deferred offering costs of $ 264,774
-
-
135,568
14
1,729,796
-
-
1,729,810
-
1,729,810
Issuance of warrants in Private Placement, net of offering costs paid at closing and deferred offering costs of $ 582,600
-
-
-
-
3,414,502
-
-
3,414,502
-
3,414,502
Issuance
of common stock for fractional shares pursuant to Reverse Stock Split rounding adjustment
-
-
18,710
2
( 2 )
-
-
-
-
-
Share-based
compensation to vendors for services
-
-
-
-
26,325
-
-
26,325
-
26,325
Share-based
compensation expense
-
-
-
-
32,767
-
-
32,767
-
32,767
Net
foreign translation loss
-
-
-
-
-
-
( 90 )
( 90 )
-
( 90 )
Net
loss
-
-
-
-
-
( 7,947,107 )
-
( 7,947,107 )
( 8,556 )
( 7,955,663 )
Balance—December
31, 2024
76,480
$ 9,567,439
566,908
$ 57
$ 34,860,590
$ ( 40,527,957 )
$ 135,471
$ 4,035,600
$ ( 80,594 )
$ 3,955,006
F- 5
For
the Year Ended December 31, 2023
Series
A
Preferred Stock
Common
Stock (1)
Additional
Paid-In
Accumulated
Accumulated
Other Comprehensive
Total
Shareholders’ Equity (Deficit) Attributable
Noncontrolling
Interest on
Total
Shareholders’ Equity
Shares
Amount
Shares
Amount
Capital (1)
Deficit
Income
(Loss)
to
60P
Shareholders
(Deficit)
Balance—December
31, 2022
-
$ -
39,768
$ 4
$ 5,164,696
$ ( 28,815,148 )
$ 73,708
$ ( 23,576,740 )
$ ( 572,320 )
$ ( 24,149,060 )
Cancellation
of common stock
-
-
( 24,186 )
( 2 )
2
-
-
-
-
-
Share-based
compensation to vendors for services
-
-
24,717
3
5,683,053
-
-
5,683,056
-
5,683,056
Conversion
of debt into common stock upon initial public offering
-
-
28,460
3
7,989,595
-
-
7,989,598
-
7,989,598
Conversion
of debt into Series A Preferred Stock upon initial public offering
80,965
10,128,500
-
-
-
-
-
10,128,500
-
10,128,500
Reclassification
of liability-classified warrants to equity-classified
-
-
-
-
838,748
-
-
838,748
-
838,748
Issuance of common stock pursuant to IPO, net of underwriting discounts, commissions, and deferred offering costs of $ 1,266,740
-
-
23,585
2
6,235,274
-
-
6,235,276
-
6,235,276
Issuance
of common stock upon exercise of warrants
-
-
3,075
-
1,131,771
-
-
1,131,771
-
1,131,771
Voluntary
conversion of Series A Preferred Stock into common stock
( 2,162 )
( 270,460 )
760
-
270,460
-
-
-
-
-
Share-based
compensation under 2022 Equity Incentive Plan
-
-
668
-
528,926
-
-
528,926
-
528,926
Contribution
from noncontrolling interest
-
-
-
-
( 548,380 )
-
-
( 548,380 )
548,380
-
Deemed
capital contribution for related party compensation expense (Note 11)
163,228
-
-
163,228
163,228
Net
foreign translation gain
-
-
-
-
-
-
61,853
61,853
-
61,853
Net
loss
-
-
-
-
-
( 3,765,702 )
-
( 3,765,702 )
( 48,098 )
( 3,813,800 )
Balance—December
31, 2023
78,803
$ 9,858,040
96,847
$ 10
$ 27,457,373
$ ( 32,580,850 )
$ 135,561
$ 4,870,134
$ ( 72,038 )
$ 4,798,096
(1) Periods presented have been adjusted to reflect the 1:12 reverse stock split on August 12, 2024 and the 1:5 reverse stock split on February 24, 2025.
See accompanying notes to these consolidated
financial statements which are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
F- 6
60 DEGREES
PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
For the Years Ended December 31,
2024
2023
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES
Net Loss
$ ( 7,955,663 )
$ ( 3,813,800 )
Adjustments to Reconcile Net Loss to Net Cash Used in Operating Activities:
Depreciation
11,726
21,162
Amortization
38,502
29,157
Amortization of Debt Discount
-
669,148
Amortization of ROU Asset
13,517
50,053
Amortization of Note Issuance Costs
-
67,728
Amortization of Capitalized Share-Based Payments
3,575,881
994,643
Share-Based Compensation to Vendors for Services
-
212,605
Share-Based Compensation under Equity Incentive Plan
32,767
528,926
Deemed Capital Contribution for Related Party Compensation Expense (Note 10)
163,228
Loss on Debt Extinguishment
-
1,231,480
Change in Fair Value of Derivative Liabilities
( 1,665,966 )
37,278
Derivative Expense
-
399,725
Change in Fair Value of Promissory Note
-
( 5,379,269 )
Write-offs of Capitalized Patents
108,424
-
Inventory Reserve
-
( 160,338 )
Changes in Operating Assets and Liabilities:
Accounts Receivable
( 255,416 )
( 185,367 )
Prepaid and Other Assets
( 39,423 )
( 522,370 )
Inventory
23,405
212,747
Accounts Payable and Accrued Liabilities
501,412
( 214,734 )
Accrued Interest, net
( 23,604 )
1,265,361
Reduction of Lease Liability
( 13,650 )
( 50,273 )
Deferred Compensation
-
( 100,000 )
Net Cash Used in Operating Activities
( 5,648,088 )
( 4,542,910 )
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Capitalization of Patents
( 51,967 )
( 39,982 )
Purchases of Fixed Assets
( 103,773 )
( 57,623 )
Acquisition of Intangibles
( 25,374 )
( 18,283 )
Purchase of Short-Term Investments
( 1,708,000 )
-
Net Cash Used in Investing Activities
( 1,889,114 )
( 115,888 )
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Net Proceeds from January 2024 Offering
1,898,296
-
Proceeds from IPO and Over-Allotment, net of underwriting discounts, commissions, and deferred offering costs paid in 2023 of $ 1,198,111
-
6,303,905
Proceeds from ATM Offering, net of offering costs paid at closing and deferred offering costs of $ 264,774
1,729,810
-
Proceeds from Private Placement, net of offering costs paid at closing and deferred offering costs of $ 582,600
3,414,502
-
Proceeds from Exercise of Warrants
-
1,131,771
Proceeds from Exercise of Pre-Funded Warrants
10,963
-
Proceeds from Notes Payable
-
650,000
Repayment of Notes Payable
-
( 1,611,111 )
Proceeds from Advances - Related Party
-
250,000
Repayment of Related Party Advances
-
( 250,000 )
Net Cash Provided by Financing Activities
7,053,571
6,474,565
Effect of Exchange Rate Changes on Cash
499
61,853
Change in Cash and Cash Equivalents
( 483,132 )
1,877,620
Cash and Cash Equivalents—Beginning of Period
2,142,485
264,865
Cash and Cash Equivalents—End of Period
$ 1,659,353
$ 2,142,485
SUPPLEMENTAL DISCLOSURE OF CASH FLOW INFORMATION
Cash paid During the Year for Interest
$ 8,772
$ 179,117
Cash paid During the Year for Income Taxes
$ 2,000
$ 1,000
NONCASH INVESTING/FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Conversion of Debt into Common Stock
$ -
$ 7,989,598
Conversion of Debt into Series A Preferred Stock
$ -
$ 10,128,500
Conversion of Series A Preferred Stock into Common Stock
$ 290,601
$ 270,460
Capitalized Share-Based Payments to Vendors
$ 26,325
$ 4,916,555
Fair Value of Warrants Issued to Underwriters
$ 71,364
$ 301,416
Reclassification of Liability-classified Warrants to Equity-classified
$ -
$ 838,748
Additions to ROU Assets for Lease Renewal
$ -
$ 50,922
Additions to Lease Liabilities for Lease Renewal
$ -
$ 50,570
Debt Discount Recorded in Connection with Derivative Liabilities
$ -
$ 650,000
Stock Issued for Payment of Deferred Compensation
$ -
$ 520,000
Stock Issued for Acquisition of Intangibles
$ -
$ 33,895
See accompanying notes to these consolidated
financial statements which are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
F- 7
60 DEGREES PHARMACEUTICALS,
INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
1. NATURE OF OPERATIONS
60 Degrees Pharmaceuticals, Inc. was incorporated
in Delaware on June 1, 2022 and merged on the same day with 60 Degrees Pharmaceuticals, LLC, a District of Columbia limited liability
company organized on September 9, 2010 (“60P LLC”). 60 Degrees Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and its subsidiary (referred to collectively
as the “Company”, “60P”, or “60 Degrees Pharmaceuticals”) is a specialty pharmaceutical company that
specializes in the development and marketing of new medicines for the treatment and prevention of infectious diseases. 60P achieved FDA
approval of its lead product, ARAKODA® (tafenoquine), for malaria prevention, in 2018. Currently, 60P’s pipeline under development
covers development programs for tick-borne fungal and other viral diseases utilizing three of the Company’s future products: (i)
new products that contain the Arakoda regimen of tafenoquine; (ii) new products that contain tafenoquine; and (iii) celgosivir. The Company’s
headquarters are located in Washington, D.C., with a majority-owned subsidiary in Australia.
Initial Public Offering
On July 14, 2023, the Company closed its initial
public offering consisting of 23,585 units at a price of $ 318.00 per unit for $ 6,454,325 in net proceeds, after deducting the underwriting
discount and commission and other estimated offering expenses paid by the Company at closing (the “IPO”). Each unit consisted
of one share of common stock, one tradeable warrant to purchase one share of common stock at an exercise price of $ 365.70 per share (a
“Tradeable Warrant”), and one non-tradeable warrant to purchase one share of the Company’s common stock at an exercise
price of $ 381.60 per share (a “Non-tradeable Warrant”). The Tradeable Warrants and Non-Tradeable Warrants were immediately
exercisable on the date of issuance and will expire five years from the date of issuance (July 12, 2023 to July 12, 2028).
The Company granted the underwriters a 45-day
over-allotment option to purchase up to 3,538 shares of the Company’s common stock at a price of $ 316.80 per share and/or 3,538
Tradeable Warrants at a price of $ 0.60 per Tradeable Warrant and/or 3,538 Non-tradeable Warrants at $ 0.60 per Non-tradeable Warrant,
or any combination thereof (the “IPO Over-Allotment”). On July 13, 2023, the underwriters partially exercised the Over-Allotment
and purchased an additional 1,678 Tradeable Warrants and 1,678 Non-tradeable Warrants. The Company also issued to the underwriters warrants
to purchase 1,416 shares of the Company’s common stock, at an exercise price of $ 349.80 per share, equal to 110 % of the offering
price per unit (the “IPO Representative Warrants”). The IPO Representative Warrants are exercisable for a period of five
years from the date of issuance (July 14, 2023 to July 14, 2028).
The units were offered and sold pursuant to the
Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1, as amended (File No. 333-269483), originally filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the “SEC”) on January 31, 2023 (the “IPO Registration Statement”) and the final prospectus filed
with the SEC pursuant to Rule 424(b)(4) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. The Registration Statement was declared effective
by the SEC on July 11, 2023. The common stock and tradeable warrants began trading on The Nasdaq Capital Market on July 12, 2023 under
the symbols “SXTP” and “SXTPW,” respectively. The closing of the IPO occurred on July 14, 2023.
Risks and Uncertainties
The Company is subject to risks common to companies
in the biopharmaceutical industry including, but not limited to, the risks associated with developing product candidates and successfully
launching and commercializing its drug/device combination products, the Company’s ability to obtain regulatory approval of its
such products in the United States and other geography markets, the uncertainty of the broad adoption of its approved products by physicians
and consumers, and significant competition.
F- 8
In addition, higher rates of inflation have resulted
in the U.S. Federal Reserve raising interest rates. Increases in interest rates, especially if coupled with reduced government spending
and volatility in financial markets, may further increase economic uncertainty and heighten these risks. Furthermore, if additional banks
and financial institutions enter receivership or become insolvent in the future in response to financial conditions affecting the banking
system and financial markets, the Company or its partners’ ability to access existing cash, cash equivalents and investments may
be threatened and could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business and financial condition, including the Company’s
ability to access additional capital on favorable terms, or at all, which could in the future negatively affect the Company’s ability
to pursue its business strategy.
Going Concern
The Company’s future results are subject to substantial risks
and uncertainties. Since its inception, the Company has not demonstrated the ability to generate enough revenues to date to cover operating
expenses and has accumulated losses to date. At December 31, 2024, the Company had cash and cash equivalents totaling $ 1,659,353 , as compared
to cash and cash equivalents totaling $ 2,142,485 at December 31, 2023. During the year ended December 31, 2024, the Company used cash
of $ 5,648,088 in its operating activities ($ 4,542,910 during the year ended December 31, 2023). The Company’s capital commitments
over the next twelve months include interest payments on the Company’s debt arrangements of $ 8,772 and $ 1,007,618 to satisfy accounts
payable and accrued expenses.
To date, the Company has funded its operations primarily with proceeds
from sales of common stock and warrants for the purchase of common stock, sales of preferred stock, proceeds from the issuance of convertible
debt and borrowings under loan and security agreements.
Continuation as a going concern is dependent upon the Company’s
ability to meet its financial requirements, raise additional capital, and achieve gross profitability from the Company’s single
marketed product. To achieve profitability, the Company expects it will need to raise additional capital to fund its activities relating
to commercial support for its existing product and any future clinical research trials and operating activities. However, there can be
no assurance that it will ever achieve or maintain profitability. These conditions, among others, raise substantial doubt about the
ability of the Company to continue as a going concern for one year from the date these financial statements are issued.
Management plans to fund operations of the Company
through third party and related party debt/advances, private placement of restricted securities and the issuance of stock in a subsequent
offering until such a time as the business achieves profitability or a business combination may be achieved. However, there can be no
assurance that the Company will be successful in raising additional capital or that such capital, if available, will be on terms that
are favorable to the Company. Debt financing and equity financing, if available, may involve agreements that include covenants limiting
or restricting the Company’s ability to take specific actions, such as incurring additional debt, making capital expenditures or
declaring dividends. If the Company raises funds through collaborations, or other similar arrangements with third parties, it may have
to relinquish valuable rights to its technologies, future revenue streams, research programs or product candidates or grant licenses on
terms that may not be favorable to the Company and/or may reduce the value of its common stock. If the Company is unable to raise additional
funds through equity or debt financings when needed, it may be required to delay, limit, reduce or terminate its product development or
future commercialization efforts or grant rights to develop and market its product candidates even if the Company would otherwise prefer
to develop and market such product candidates itself.
As such, management concluded that such plans
do not alleviate the substantial doubt about the ability of the Company to continue as a going concern for one year from the date these
financial statements are issued.
These financial statements have been prepared on a going concern basis,
which contemplates the realization of assets and the satisfaction of obligations in the normal course of business, and do not include
any adjustments to the amount and classification of assets and liabilities that may be necessary should the Company be unable to continue
as a going concern.
F- 9
2. SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT
ACCOUNTING POLICIES
Basis of Presentation
The financial statements of 60P and its subsidiary
are prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”). The
Company has prepared the accompanying consolidated financial statements pursuant to the instructions to Form 10-K and Article 8 of Regulation
S-X of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). In the opinion of management, all adjustments considered necessary
for a fair presentation of the Company’s financial position, results of operations and cash flows have been included and are of
a normal and recurring nature.
Principles of Consolidation and Noncontrolling Interest
The Company’s consolidated financial statements
include the financial statements of its majority owned subsidiary 60P Australia Pty Ltd. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions
have been eliminated in consolidation.
On August 2, 2023, Geoffrey Dow assigned his
interest in 60P Australia Pty Ltd, of 904,436 common shares of 60P Australia Ltd, to the Company for no consideration, thereby increasing
the proportional ownership of 60P, Inc. in 60P Australia Pty Ltd from 87.53 % to 96.61 %. The purpose of this assignment was to eliminate
the related party conflict associated with Geoffrey Dow’s ultimate beneficial ownership in 60P Australia Pty Ltd being greater
than that of other 60P, Inc. shareholders. The increase in the Company’s proportional interest is reflected as a Contribution from
Noncontrolling Interest in the Consolidated Statements of Shareholders’ Equity.
For entities that are consolidated, but not 100 %
owned, a portion of the income or loss and corresponding equity is allocated to owners other than the Company. The aggregate of the income
or loss and corresponding equity that is not owned by us is included in Noncontrolling Interest in the consolidated financial statements.
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 of assets and liabilities and disclosures
of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during
the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates, and those estimates may be material. Significant estimates include
the reserve for inventory, the fair value of derivative liabilities, and stock-based compensation.
Reverse Stock Splits
Following stockholder approval in July 2024,
the Company effected a reverse stock split at a ratio of 1:12 (the “1:12 Reverse Stock Split”), which was effective as of
August 12, 2024. Following stockholder approval in November 2024, the Company effected an additional reverse stock split at a ratio of
1:5 (the “1:5 Reverse Stock Split”, and together with the 1:12 Reverse Stock Split, the “Reverse Stock Splits”),
which was effective as of February 24, 2025 (See Note 12 – Subsequent Events).
F- 10
Proportional adjustments were made to the number
of shares of common stock issuable upon exercise or conversion of the Company’s equity awards, warrants, and other equity instruments
convertible into common stock, as well as the respective exercise prices, if applicable, in accordance with the terms of the instruments.
Unless otherwise noted, all references to numbers of shares of the Company’s common stock and per share information presented in
these consolidated financial statements have been retroactively adjusted, as appropriate, to reflect the Reverse Stock Splits, including
reclassifying an amount equal to the reduction in par value of common stock to additional paid-in capital.
Cash and Cash Equivalents
The Company’s cash consists of cash deposited
in demand accounts at financial institutions, which are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”). The
Company considers short-term highly liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less to be cash equivalents. The Company’s
cash and cash equivalents, at times, may exceed the FDIC insurable limits (currently $ 250,000 ). The Company has not experienced any losses
related to amounts in excess of FDIC Limits. The Company periodically assesses the credit risk associated with these financial institutions
and believes that the risk of loss is minimal.
Short-term Investments
Short-term investments consist of certificates
of deposit with original maturities of greater than three months and less than twelve months, which are classified as held-to-maturity
as the Company has the intent and ability to hold these investments until they mature. The classification of short-term investments is
determined at the time of purchase and is reevaluated at each balance sheet date. Short-term investments are reported at amortized cost.
Accounts Receivable and Allowance for Doubtful Accounts
The Company records accounts receivable at net
realizable value. This value includes an appropriate allowance for estimated uncollectible accounts to reflect any loss anticipated on
the trade accounts receivable balances and charged to the provision for doubtful accounts. Based on the Company’s history there
has been no need to make a recording to Allowance for Doubtful Accounts. Most of the Company’s revenue has been earned via government
contracts, an Australian pharmaceutical distributor and a large American pharmaceutical distributor. There was no allowance as of December
31, 2024 and December 31, 2023. As the Company continues to engage with smaller distributors, it will continue to analyze whether an
allowance should be established. As of December 31, 2024, the U.S. pharmaceutical distributor accounted for 95 % of the accounts receivable
balance ( 79 % as of December 31, 2023) and the U.S. government accounted for none of the outstanding accounts receivable balance ( 13 %
as of December 31, 2023).
Inventory
Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or
net realizable value. Cost is comprised of direct materials and, where applicable, costs that have been incurred in bringing the inventories
to their present location and condition. The Company uses the Specific Identification method per lot. A box price is calculated per lot
number and sales are recognized by their lot number.
The Company regularly monitors its inventory
levels to identify inventory that may expire or has a cost basis in excess of its estimated realizable value, and records write-downs
for inventory that has expired, inventory that has a cost basis in excess of its expected net realizable value, and inventory in excess
of expected sales requirements. Any write-downs of inventories are charged to Cost of Revenues in the Consolidated Statements of Operations
and Comprehensive Loss. During the year ended December 31, 2024, write-downs for expired inventory totaled $ 22,046 ($ 191,111 for the
year ended December 31, 2023).
F- 11
Property and Equipment
Property and equipment are stated at cost. Normal
repairs and maintenance costs are charged to earnings as incurred and additions and major improvements are capitalized. The cost of assets
retired or otherwise disposed of and the related depreciation are eliminated from the accounts in the period of disposal and the resulting
gain or loss is credited or charged to earnings.
Depreciation is computed over the estimated useful
lives of the related asset type or term of the operating lease using the straight-line method for financial statement purposes. The estimated
service lives for Property and Equipment is either three (3), five (5) or seven (7) years.
Impairment of Long-lived Assets
Long-lived assets, such as property and equipment
and identifiable intangibles with finite useful lives, are periodically evaluated for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances
indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. The Company monitors for potential indicators of a trigger event
for asset impairment, including whether there is an adverse change in the extent or manner in which an asset is being used or its physical
condition. Assets are grouped and evaluated for impairment at the lowest level of which there are identifiable cash flows, which is generally
at a location level. Assets are reviewed using factors including, but not limited to, future operating plans and projected cash flows.
The determination of whether impairment has occurred is based on an estimate of undiscounted future cash flows directly related to the
assets, compared to the carrying value of the assets. If the sum of the undiscounted future cash flows of the assets does not exceed
the carrying value of the assets, full or partial impairment may exist. If the asset’s carrying amount exceeds its fair value,
an impairment charge is recognized in the amount by which the carrying amount exceeds the fair value of the asset. Fair value is determined
using an income approach, which requires discounting the estimated future cash flows associated with the asset.
Intangible Assets
The Company capitalizes its patent and filing
fees and legal patent and prosecution fees in connection with internally developed pending patents. When pending patents are issued,
patents will be amortized over the expected period to be benefitted, not to exceed the patent lives, which may be as long as ten to fifteen
years.
Website Development Costs
The Company accounts for website development
costs in accordance with the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”)
Subtopic No. 350-50, Website Development Costs . Accordingly, all costs incurred in the planning stage are expensed as incurred,
costs incurred in the website application and infrastructure development stage that meet specific criteria are capitalized and costs
incurred in the day-to-day operation of the website are expensed as incurred. All costs associated with the websites are subject to straight-line
amortization over a three-year period.
Gain or Loss on Debt Extinguishment
Gain or loss on debt extinguishment is generally
recorded upon an extinguishment of a debt instrument or the conversion of certain of the Company’s convertible debt determined
to have variable share settlement features. Gain or loss on extinguishment of debt is calculated as the difference between the reacquisition
price and net carrying amount of the debt, which includes unamortized debt issuance costs and the fair value of any related derivative
instruments. In the case of debt instruments for which the fair value option has been elected, the net carrying value is equal to its
fair value on the date of extinguishment and no gain or loss is recognized.
Derivative Liabilities
The Company assesses the classification of its
derivative financial instruments each reporting period, which formerly consisted of bridge shares, convertible notes payable, and certain
warrants, and determined that such instruments initially qualified for treatment as derivative liabilities as they met the criteria for
liability classification under ASC 815. As of December 31, 2024, the Company’s derivative financial instruments consist of contingent
payment arrangements.
F- 12
The Company analyzes all financial instruments
with features of both liabilities and equity under FASB ASC Topic No. 480, Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity (“ASC
480”), and FASB ASC Topic No. 815, Derivatives and Hedging (“ASC 815”). Derivative liabilities are adjusted
to reflect fair value at each reporting period, with any increase or decrease in the fair value recorded in the results of operations,
as a component of other income or expense as change in fair value of derivative liabilities. The Company uses a Monte Carlo simulation
model or a probability-weighted expected return method to determine the fair value of these instruments.
Upon conversion or repayment of a debt or equity
instrument in exchange for equity shares, where the embedded conversion option has been bifurcated and accounted for as a derivative
liability (generally convertible debt and warrants), the Company records the equity shares at fair value on the date of conversion, relieves
all related debt, derivative liabilities, and unamortized debt discounts, and recognizes a net gain or loss on debt extinguishment, if
any.
Equity or liability instruments that become subject
to reclassification under ASC Topic 815 are reclassified at the fair value of the instrument on the reclassification date.
Equity-Classified Warrants
As of December 31, 2024, the Company accounts
for all outstanding warrants to purchase common stock as equity-classified instruments based on an assessment of the warrants’
specific terms and applicable authoritative guidance in ASC 480 and ASC 815. This assessment considers whether the warrants are freestanding
financial instruments pursuant to ASC 480, meet the definition of a liability pursuant to ASC 480, whether the warrants meet all of the
requirements for equity classification under ASC 815, including whether the warrants are indexed to the Company’s own common stock
and whether the warrant holders could potentially require “net cash settlement” in a circumstance outside of the Company’s
control, among other conditions for equity classification. This assessment, which requires the use of professional judgment, is conducted
at the respective issuance dates and as of each subsequent reporting period while the warrants are outstanding.
IPO and Over-Allotment
The Over-Allotment option granted to the underwriters
in connection with the IPO was evaluated in accordance with the guidance in ASC 480 and ASC 815 and was determined to meet all of the
criteria for equity classification. The Company allocated the proceeds from the sale of the IPO units (net of offering costs paid at
closing and deferred offering costs incurred prior to the IPO) between the common stock, the Tradeable Warrants, the Non-tradeable Warrants,
and the Over-Allotment, using the relative fair value method.
Original Issue Discount (“OID”)
For certain notes issued, the Company may from
time to time provide the debt holder with an original issue discount. The original issue discount, if any, is recorded as a debt discount
and is amortized to interest expense using the effective interest method over the life of the debt in the Consolidated Statements of
Operations and Comprehensive Loss.
Debt Issuance Costs
Debt issuance costs paid to lenders, or third
parties are recorded as debt discounts and amortized to interest expense over the life of the underlying debt instrument, in the Consolidated
Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Loss, with the exception of certain debt for which we elect the fair value option. Debt issuance
costs associated with debt for which the fair value option is elected are expensed as incurred.
Income Taxes
60 Degrees Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a corporation
for U.S. Federal and state income tax purposes. The tax years that remain subject to examination by major tax jurisdictions include the
years ended December 31, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024. 60P Australia Pty Ltd. is subject to taxation by the Australian Taxation Office.
F- 13
Management assesses, on a jurisdictional basis,
the available means of recovering deferred tax assets, including the ability to carry-back net operating losses, the existence of reversing
temporary differences, the availability of tax planning strategies and available sources of future taxable income. On the basis of this
evaluation, the Company has determined that it is not more likely than not that the Company will recognize the benefits of its net deferred
tax assets, and, as a result, a full valuation allowance has been recorded against its net deferred tax assets as of December 31, 2024
and December 31, 2023.
During the ordinary course of business, there
are many transactions and calculations for which the ultimate tax determination is uncertain. The Company establishes reserves for tax-related
uncertainties based on estimates of whether, and the extent to which, additional taxes will be due. These reserves are established when
the Company believes that certain positions might be challenged despite its belief that its tax return positions are fully supportable.
The Company adjusts these reserves in light of changes in facts and circumstances, such as the outcome of tax examinations. As of December
31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, no reserves for uncertain tax positions have been established.
The Company recognizes interest and penalties
accrued related to unrecognized tax benefits as income tax expense. During the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023, the Company did
not recognize interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits.
Concentrations
Financial instruments that potentially subject
the Company to concentrations of credit risk consist primarily of cash and cash equivalents, short-term investments, accounts receivable,
inventory purchases, and borrowings.
Significant customers represent any customer
whose business makes up 10 % of receivables or revenues. At December 31, 2024, significant customers represented 95 % of receivables (consisting
of three customers and one significant customer) and 95 % of total net product revenues (consisting of three customers and one significant
customer). At December 31, 2023, significant customers represented 92 % of receivables (consisting of three customers and two significant
customers at 79 % and 13 %, respectively) and 93 % of total net product revenues (consisting of two significant customers at 72 % and 21 %,
respectively).
Currently, the Company has exclusive relationships with distributors
in Australia and Europe. A failure to perform by any of our current distributors would create disruption for patients in those markets.
Since the Company first started working on tafenoquine
all inventory has been acquired in a collaborative relationship from a sole vendor. Should the vendor cease to supply tafenoquine it
would take significant costs and efforts to rebuild the supply chain with a new sole vendor sourcing the active pharmaceutical ingredient
(“API”).
Segment Information
Since its inception, the Company operates and
manages its business as a single identifiable segment, focused on the development and marketing of new medicines for the treatment and
prevention of infectious diseases. The determination of a single business segment is consistent with the consolidated financial information
regularly provided to the Company’s chief operating decision maker (“CODM”).
The Company’s CODM is its Chief Executive
Officer, who reviews and evaluates consolidated net income or loss for purposes of evaluating performance, making operating decisions,
allocating resources, and planning and forecasting for future periods. The significant components of consolidated net income or loss
regularly provided to the CODM include net product revenues and the significant expense categories presented in the accompanying Consolidated
Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Loss (cost of revenues, research and development, and general and administrative expenses).
These are presented at the consolidated level and used by the CODM to monitor budgeted versus actual results to make key operating decisions.
The information and operating expense categories presented in the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive
Loss are fully reflective of the significant expense categories and amounts that are regularly provided to the CODM.
The measure of segment assets that is regularly
reported to the CODM includes cash and cash equivalents and short-term investments, each as reported on the Consolidated Balance Sheets.
Total consolidated cash and cash equivalents and short-term investments were $ 3,387,825 and $ 2,142,485 as of December 31, 2024 and December
31, 2023, respectively.
F- 14
Revenue Recognition
The Company recognizes revenue in accordance
with FASB ASC Topic No. 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (“ASC 606”). Revenues are recognized when control
is transferred to customers in amounts that reflect the consideration the Company expects to be entitled to receive in exchange for those
goods. Revenue recognition is evaluated through the following five steps: (i) identification of the contract, or contracts, with a customer;
(ii) identification of the performance obligations in the contract; (iii) determination of the transaction price; (iv) allocation of
the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract; and (v) recognition of revenue when or as a performance obligation
is satisfied. As part of the accounting for these arrangements, the Company may be required to make significant judgments, including
identifying performance obligations in the contract, estimating the amount of variable consideration to include in the transaction price
and allocating the transaction price to each performance obligation.
Revenues from product sales are recorded at the
net sales price, or “transaction price,” which may include estimates of variable consideration that result from product returns.
The Company determines the amount of variable consideration by using either the expected value method or the most-likely-amount method.
The Company includes the unconstrained amount of estimated variable consideration in the transaction price, which reflects the amount
for which it is probable that a significant reversal of cumulative revenue recognized will not occur. At the end of each subsequent reporting
period, the Company re-evaluates the estimated variable consideration included in the transaction price and any related constraint, and
if necessary, adjusts its estimate of the overall transaction price. Any such adjustments are recorded on a cumulative catch-up basis
in the period of adjustment. Reserves are established for the estimates of variable consideration based on the amounts the Company expects
to be earned or to be claimed on the related sales.
The Company receives the majority of its revenues
from sales of its Arakoda™ product to resellers in the US and abroad. The Company records US commercial revenues as a receivable
when our American distributor transfers shipped product to their title model for 60P. Foreign sales to both Australia and Europe are
recognized as a receivable at the point product is shipped to distributor. The shipments to Australia and Europe are further subject
to profit sharing agreements for boxes sold to customers.
Research and Development Costs
The Company accounts for research and development
costs in accordance with FASB ASC Subtopic No. 730-10, Research and Development (“ASC 730-10”). Under ASC 730-10,
research and development costs are expensed as incurred. Accordingly, internal research and development costs are expensed as incurred.
Prepayments for research and development services are deferred and amortized over the service period as the services are provided. Advance
payments for specific materials, equipment, or facilities determined to have no alternative future use are initially deferred and recognized
as research and development expense when the related goods are delivered.
The Company recorded $ 4,986,526 in research and
development costs during the year ended December 31, 2024 ($ 691,770 for the year ended December 31, 2023). The Company has also issued
shares of common stock to nonemployees in exchange for research and development services. The Company recognizes prepaid research and
development costs on the grant date, as defined in FASB ASC Subtopic No. 718, Compensation – Stock Compensation . See Note
10 for further details.
Fair Value of Financial Instruments and the Fair Value Option
(“FVO”)
The inputs used to measure fair value are based
on a hierarchy that prioritizes observable and unobservable inputs used in valuation techniques. These levels, in order of highest to
lowest priority, are described below:
Level
1
-
Quoted
prices (unadjusted) in active markets that are accessible at the measurement date for identical assets or liabilities.
Level
2
-
Observable
prices that are based on inputs not quoted on active markets but corroborated by market data.
Level
3
-
Unobservable
inputs reflecting the Company’s assumptions, consistent with reasonably available assumptions made by other market participants.
These valuations require significant judgment.
F- 15
The Company may choose to elect the FVO for certain
eligible financial instruments, such as certain Promissory Notes, in order to simplify the accounting treatment. Items for which the
FVO has been elected are presented at fair value in the Consolidated Balance Sheets and any change in fair value unrelated to credit
risk is recorded in Other Expense, net in the Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Loss. Changes in fair value related
to credit risk are recognized in Other Comprehensive Loss. As a result of the completion of the IPO, all financial instruments for which
the FVO was elected were extinguished. See Note 7 for more information on the extinguishment of the Promissory Notes.
The Company’s financial instruments recorded
at fair value on a recurring basis at December 31, 2024, and December 31, 2023 include the derivative liability associated with the contingent
milestone payment due to Knight upon a future sale of Arakoda™ or a Change of Control, which is carried at fair value based on Level
3 inputs. The Company uses a probability-weighted expected return method to determine the fair value of the contingent milestone payment
using significant inputs such as the timing and probability of discrete potential exit scenarios, forward interest rate curves, and discount
rates based on implied and market yields. See Note 8 for more information on Derivative Liabilities.
Liabilities measured at fair value at December 31, 2024 and 2023 are
as follows:
December 31, 2024
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Total
Liabilities:
Derivative Liabilities
$ -
$ -
$ 640,830
$ 640,830
Total
$ -
$ -
$ 640,830
$ 640,830
December 31, 2023
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Total
Liabilities:
Derivative Liabilities
$ -
$ -
$ 2,306,796
$ 2,306,796
Total
$ -
$ -
$ 2,306,796
$ 2,306,796
There were no transfers of financial instruments
between Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3 during the periods presented. However, certain liabilities measured at fair value and using Level
3 inputs were extinguished during the year ended December 31, 2023. A rollforward of liabilities measured at fair value using Level 3
inputs outstanding during the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023 are presented in Notes 7 (Debt) and 8 (Derivative Liabilities).
Assets and Liabilities Not Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring
Basis
In addition to assets and liabilities that are
measured at fair value on a recurring basis, the Company also measures certain assets and liabilities at fair value on a nonrecurring
basis. The Company’s non-financial assets, including Intangible Assets and Property and Equipment, are measured at fair value when
there is an indication of impairment and the carrying amount exceeds the asset’s projected undiscounted cash flows. These assets
are recorded at fair value only when an impairment charge is recognized.
As of December 31, 2024 and 2023, the carrying
value of the Company’s financial instruments included in current assets and current liabilities (such as cash, accounts receivable,
accounts payable, and accrued expenses) approximate their fair value due to the short-term nature of such instruments. Certificates of
deposit, classified as cash equivalents or short-term investments depending on the instrument’s original time to maturity, are
measured at amortized cost, which approximates fair value as of December 31, 2024. The Company did not have any investments in certificates
of deposit as of December 31, 2023.
Foreign Currency Transactions and Translation
The individual financial statements of each group
entity are measured and presented in the currency of the primary economic environment in which the entity operates (its functional currency).
The consolidated financial statements of the Company are presented in US dollars, which is the functional currency of the Company and
the presentation currency for the consolidated financial statements.
For the purpose of presenting consolidated financial
statements, the assets and liabilities of the Company’s foreign operations are mostly translated at exchange rates prevailing on
the reporting date. Income and expense items are translated at the average exchange rates for the period, unless exchange rates fluctuate
significantly during that period, in which case the exchange rates at the dates of the transactions are used. Exchange differences arising,
if any, are recognized as a component of other comprehensive income (loss) as Unrealized Foreign Currency Translation Gain or Loss.
Exchange rates along with historical rates used
in these financial statements are as follows:
Average
Exchange Rate
Year
Ended December 31,
As of
Currency
2024
2023
December 31,
2024
December 31,
2023
1 AUD =
0.66 USD
0.66 USD
0.62 USD
0.68 USD
Reclassifications
Certain prior period amounts have been reclassified
for consistency with the current period presentation. These reclassifications had no material effect on the consolidated results of operations
and comprehensive loss, shareholders’ equity, or cash flows.
F- 16
Share-Based Payments
On November 22, 2022, the Company adopted the
2022 Equity Incentive Plan also referred to as (“2022 Plan”). The 2022 Plan and related share-based awards are discussed
more fully in Note 10.
The Company accounts for share-based payments
in accordance with ASC Subtopic 718, Compensation - Stock Compensation (“ASC 718”). The Company measures compensation
for all share-based payment awards granted to employees, directors, and nonemployees, based on the estimated fair value of the awards
on the date of grant. For awards that vest based on continued service, the service-based compensation cost is recognized on a straight-line
basis over the requisite service period, which is generally the vesting period of the awards. For service vesting awards with compensation
expense recognized on a straight-line basis, at no point in time does the cumulative grant date value of vested awards exceed the cumulative
amount of compensation expense recognized. The grant date is determined based on the date when a mutual understanding of the key terms
of the share-based awards is established. The Company accounts for forfeitures as they occur.
The Company estimates the fair value of all stock
option awards as of the grant date by applying the Black-Scholes option pricing model. The application of this valuation model involves
assumptions, including the fair value of the common stock, expected volatility, risk-free interest rate, expected dividends and the expected
term of the option. Due to the lack of a public market for the Company’s common stock prior to the IPO and lack of company-specific
historical implied volatility data, the Company has based its computations of expected volatility on the historical volatility of a representative
group of public companies with similar characteristics of the Company, including stage of development and industry focus. The historical
volatility is calculated based on a period of time commensurate with the expected term assumption. The Company generally uses the simplified
method as prescribed by the SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin Topic 14, Share-Based Payment , to estimate the expected term for stock
options, whereby, the expected term equals the midpoint of the weighted average remaining time to vest, vesting period and the contractual
term of the options due to its lack of historical exercise data. For certain options granted out-of-the-money, the Company’s best
estimate of the expected term is the contractual term of the award. The risk-free interest rate is based on U.S. Treasury securities
with a maturity date commensurate with the expected term of the associated award. The expected dividend yield is assumed to be zero as
the Company has never paid dividends and has no current plans to pay any dividends on its common stock. The assumptions used in calculating
the fair value of share-based awards represent management’s best estimates and involve inherent uncertainties and the application
of significant judgment.
Compensation expense for restricted stock units
(“RSUs”) with only service-based vesting conditions is recognized on a straight-line basis over the vesting period. Compensation
cost for service-based RSUs is based on the grant date fair value of the award, which is the closing market price of the Company’s
common stock on the grant date multiplied by the number of shares awarded.
For awards that vest upon a liquidity event or
a change in control, the performance condition is not probable of being achieved until the event occurs. As a result, no compensation
expense is recognized until the performance-based vesting condition is achieved, at which time the cumulative compensation expense is
recognized. Compensation cost related to any remaining time-based service for share-based awards after the liquidity-based event is recognized
on a straight-line basis over the remaining service period.
For fully vested, nonforfeitable equity instruments
that are granted at the date the Company and a nonemployee enter into an agreement for goods or services, the Company recognizes the
fair value of the equity instruments on the grant date. The corresponding cost is recognized as an immediate expense or a prepaid asset
and expensed over the service period depending on the specific facts and circumstances of the agreement with the nonemployee. See Note
10 for further details.
Leases
The Company applies ASC Topic 842, Leases
(“ASC 842”) to its operating leases, which are reflected on the consolidated balance sheets within Right of Use (ROU)
Asset and the related current and non-current operating Lease Liability. ROU assets represent the right to use an underlying asset for
the lease term, and lease liabilities represent the obligation to make lease payments arising from lease agreements. Leases with an initial
term of twelve months or less are not recorded on the balance sheet. Operating lease expense is recognized on a straight-line basis over
the lease term, subject to any changes in the lease or expectation regarding the terms. Variable lease costs such as common area maintenance,
property taxes and insurance are expensed as incurred.
The Company determines if an arrangement is a
lease at contract inception. The Company’s contracts are determined to contain a lease when all of the following criteria, based
on the specific circumstances of the arrangement, are met: (1) there is an identified asset for which there are no substantive substitution
rights; (2) the Company has the right to obtain substantially all of the economic benefits from the identified asset; and (3) the Company
has the right to direct the use of the identified asset.
At the commencement date, operating lease liabilities
and their corresponding right-of-use assets are recorded based on the present value of future lease payments over the expected lease
term. The Company’s lease agreement does not provide an implicit rate. As a result, the Company utilizes an estimated incremental
borrowing rate (“IBR”), to discount lease payments, which represents the rate of interest the Company would pay to borrow,
on a collateralized basis over a similar term, an amount equal to the lease payments in a similar economic environment.
F- 17
Net Loss per Common Share
Net Loss per Common Share is computed by dividing
net loss attributable to common shareholders by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during each period. The Company
has included the Pre-Funded Warrants issued in January 2024 and September 2024 (See Note 6) in its computation of basic and diluted net
loss per share due to their nominal exercise prices. The cumulative dividends accrued on the Series A Preferred Stock during the period
are reflected as an addition to net loss in determining basic and diluted net loss attributable to common stockholders.
As the Company has reported a net loss for all
periods presented, the calculation of diluted net loss per common share is the same as basic net loss per common share for those periods.
As a result of the Reverse Stock Splits, which
were effective as of August 12, 2024 at a ratio of 1:12 and February 24, 2025 at a ratio of 1:5 , all shares of outstanding common stock
and net loss per common share calculations have been retroactively adjusted for all periods presented.
Related Parties
Parties are considered to be related to the Company
if the parties, directly or indirectly, through one or more intermediaries, control, are controlled by, or are under common control with
the Company. Related parties also include principal owners of the Company, its management, members of the immediate families of principal
owners of the Company and its management and other parties with which the Company may deal with if one party controls or can significantly
influence the management or operating policies of the other to an extent that one of the transacting parties might be prevented from
fully pursuing its own separate interests.
Subsequent Events
The Company considers events or transactions
that occur after the balance sheet date, but prior to the issuance of the financial statements to provide additional evidence relative
to certain estimates or to identify matters that require additional disclosure. Subsequent events have been evaluated through March 27,
2025, which is the date the financial statements were issued. See Note 12.
Recently Adopted and Issued Accounting Pronouncements
From time to time, the FASB issues Accounting
Standards Updates (“ASU”) to amend the authoritative literature in the ASC. The Company regularly evaluates new ASUs to determine
the impact that these pronouncements may have on the consolidated financial statements. Other than the pronouncements listed below, the
Company believes that those issued to date either (i) provide supplemental guidance, (ii) are technical corrections, or (iii) are not
applicable to the Company’s consolidated financial statements or related disclosures.
In November 2023, the FASB issued ASU 2023-07,
Segment Reporting (Topic 280): Improvements to Reportable Segment Disclosures (“ASU 2023-07”) which expands annual
and interim disclosure requirements for reportable segments, primarily through enhanced disclosures about significant segment expenses
and segment profit or loss. ASU 2023-07 also requires entities with a single reportable segment to provide all segment disclosures under
ASC 280, including the new required disclosures under the ASU. The Company adopted ASU 2023-07 on a retrospective basis for the 2024
annual period, and for interim periods beginning in 2025. The impact is limited to the Company’s financial statement disclosures,
which are presented in the Segment Information section above.
In December 2023, the FASB issued ASU 2023-09,
Income Taxes (ASC 740): Improvements to Income Tax Disclosures (“ASU 2023-09”) which requires disaggregated information
about a reporting entity’s effective tax rate reconciliation as well as information on income taxes paid. ASU 2023-09 is effective
for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2024, with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact that
ASU 2023-09 will have on its financial statement disclosures.
In November 2024, the FASB issued ASU 2024-03,
Income Statement – Reporting Comprehensive Income – Expense Disaggregation Disclosures (Subtopic 220-40): Disaggregation
of Income Statement Expenses (“ASU 2024-03”), which applies to all public business entities that file financial statements
with the SEC. The amendments in this ASU require public business entities to disclose on an annual and interim basis, disaggregated information
about certain income statement expense line items. The new standard is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2026,
with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact that ASU 2024-03 will have on its financial statement disclosures.
F- 18
3. INVENTORY
Inventory consists of the following major classes:
December 31,
2024
December 31,
2023
Work in Process
$ 284,883
$ 278,987
Finished Goods
157,881
187,182
Inventory
$ 442,764
$ 466,169
4. PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT
As of December 31, 2024 and 2023, Property and Equipment, net consists
of:
December 31,
December 31,
2024
2023
Lab Equipment
$ 233,411
$ 132,911
Machinery
55,800
55,800
Computer Equipment
7,000
14,084
Furniture
3,030
3,030
Property and Equipment, at cost
299,241
205,825
Accumulated Depreciation
( 149,433 )
( 148,064 )
Property and Equipment, Net
$ 149,808
$ 57,761
Machinery of $ 55,800 has not yet been placed
into service and therefore depreciation has not commenced as of December 31, 2024. Depreciation expenses for the years ended December
31, 2024 and 2023 were in the amount of $ 11,726 and $ 21,162 , respectively.
5. INTANGIBLE ASSETS
As of December 31, 2024 and 2023, Intangible
Assets, net consist of:
December 31,
2024
December 31,
2023
Patents
$ 127,603
$ 185,595
Website Development Costs
104,622
79,248
Intangible Assets, at cost
232,225
264,843
Accumulated Amortization
( 75,141 )
( 37,585 )
Intangible Assets, net
$ 157,084
$ 227,258
During the years ended December 31, 2024 and
2023, the Company capitalized website development-related costs of $ 25,374 and $ 52,178 , respectively, in connection with the upgrade
and enhancement of functionality of the corporate website at www.60degreespharma.com. Amortization expense for the years ended December
31, 2024, and 2023 was in the amount of $ 38,502 and $ 29,157 , respectively.
The following table summarizes the estimated
future amortization expense for our patents and website development costs as of December 31, 2024:
Period
Patents
Website Development Costs
2025
$ 6,810
$ 31,761
2026
6,810
12,432
2027
6,810
3,094
2028
6,810
-
2029
6,810
-
Thereafter
35,953
-
Total
$ 70,003
$ 47,287
The Company additionally has $ 40,172 in capitalized
patent expenses that will become amortizable as the patents they are associated with are awarded.
F- 19
6. STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Pursuant to the Certificate of Incorporation
of 60 Degrees Pharmaceuticals, Inc., the Company’s authorized shares consist of (a) 150,000,000 shares of common stock, par value
$ 0.0001 per share and (b) 1,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $ 0.0001 per share, of which 80,965 have been designated as Series
A Non-Voting Convertible Preferred Stock (“Series A Preferred Stock”). As of December 31, 2024, 566,908 shares of Common
Stock and 76,480 shares of Series A Preferred Stock are issued and outstanding.
Following stockholder approval in July 2024,
on July 30, 2024, the Company filed an Amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation with the Secretary of State of Delaware to effect
the 1:12 Reverse Stock Split of the issued and outstanding shares of the Company’s common stock, which was effective as of August
12, 2024. As of the effective time of the 1:12 Reverse Stock Split, every twelve (12) issued and outstanding shares of the Company’s
common stock were automatically combined and converted into one (1) issued and outstanding share of the Company’s common stock,
reducing the number of shares of common stock outstanding from 21,219,937 shares to 1,768,337 shares (not including the effects of the
1:5 Reverse Stock Split discussed below). No fractional shares of common stock were issued in connection with the Reverse Stock Split
and all fractional shares were rounded up to the nearest whole share with respect to outstanding shares of common stock. The Company
issued an additional 18,710 shares of common stock on August 19, 2024 for rounding due to fractional shares ( 93,563 not including the
effects of the 1:5 Reverse Stock Split discussed below).
Following stockholder approval in November 2024,
on February 18, 2025, the Company filed an additional Amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation with the Secretary of State of Delaware
to effect the 1:5 Reverse Stock Split of the issued and outstanding shares of the Company’s common stock, which was effective as
of February 24, 2025. As of the effective time of the 1:5 Reverse Stock Split, every five (5) issued and outstanding shares of the Company’s
common stock were automatically combined and converted into one (1) issued and outstanding share of the Company’s common stock,
reducing the number of shares of common stock outstanding from 7,364,554 shares to 1,472,891 shares. No fractional shares of common stock
were issued in connection with the 1:5 Reverse Stock Split. All fractional shares were rounded up to the nearest whole share with respect
to outstanding shares of common stock. See Note 12 - Subsequent Events.
The Reverse Stock Splits did not change the authorized
number of shares of common stock or preferred stock, the par value of the common stock, or the number of issued and outstanding shares
of Series A Preferred Stock. All references to numbers of shares of the Company’s common stock and per share information in these
consolidated financial statements have been retroactively adjusted, as appropriate, to reflect the Reverse Stock Splits, including reclassifying
an amount equal to the reduction in par value of common stock to additional paid-in capital.
Common Stock
In January and March 2023, the Board of Directors,
with the consent of Tyrone Miller and Geoffrey S. Dow, respectively, approved resolutions to cancel an aggregate of 3,203 shares of common
stock issued to Tyrone Miller and 20,983 shares of common stock issued to the Geoffrey S. Dow Revocable Trust to allow the Company to
issue new shares to vendors in exchange for valuable services to be provided for use in the Company’s operations. In January and
March 2023, the Company issued a total of 24,053 shares of common stock to certain vendors as payment for services rendered or to be
provided to the Company.
In connection with the closing of the Company’s
IPO as discussed in Note 1, the Company issued common stock as follows:
● As a result of the effectiveness of the Registration Statement on July 11, 2023, the Company issued a total of 668 restricted shares of common stock to the following directors and in the amounts listed: (i) Stephen Toovey ( 167 restricted shares of common stock), (ii) Charles Allen ( 167 restricted shares of common stock), (iii) Paul Field ( 167 restricted shares of common stock) and (iv) Cheryl Xu ( 167 restricted shares of common stock), by virtue of the directors’ agreements discussed in Note 11.
● On July 14, 2023, the IPO closed, and the Company issued 23,585 shares of common stock from the sale of units at a price of $ 318.00 per unit, generating $ 6,454,325 in net proceeds, after deducting the underwriting discount and commission and other estimated IPO expenses. As a result of the completion of the IPO and as required under the terms of the respective agreements, on July 14, 2023:
o The Company issued an aggregate of 28,460 shares of common stock upon conversion of the Company’s outstanding debt obligations as follows: (i) 6,404 shares issued to the holders of the 2022 and 2023 Bridge Notes and the Related Party Notes, (ii) 3,583 shares issued pursuant to the Xu Yu Note, including the Amendment, and (iii) 18,473 shares issued to Knight upon conversion of the principal amount of the Convertible Knight Loan, in each case at the conversion prices detailed in Note 8.
o The Company issued 488 shares of common stock to BioIntelect as deferred equity compensation valued in the amount of $ 155,000 .
In July 2023, the Company issued an aggregate
of 3,075 shares of common stock upon the exercise of (i) 525 Bridge Warrants (as defined below), (ii) 1,000 Non-tradeable Warrants, and
(iii) 1,550 Tradeable Warrants.
On July 25, 2023, the Company converted 2,162
shares of Series A Preferred Stock held by Knight into 760 shares of common stock.
F- 20
On December 28, 2023, the Company issued 176
shares of common stock to Red Chip as deferred equity compensation valued in the amount of $ 40,000 based on the 30-day average price
of the publicly traded common shares after the IPO, as required by the terms of the investment relations consulting agreement signed
in March 2023.
On January 29, 2024, the Company, entered into
an Underwriting Agreement with WallachBeth Capital LLC, relating to the Company’s public offering (the “January 2024 Offering”)
of 87,682 units at an offering price of $ 23.10 per unit and 16,652 pre-funded units at an offering price of $ 22.50 per pre-funded unit.
Each unit consisted of one share of common stock and one warrant exercisable for one share of common stock (the “January 2024 Warrants”).
Each pre-funded unit consists of one pre-funded warrant exercisable for one share of common stock (the “January 2024 Pre-Funded
Warrants”) and one warrant identical to the January 2024 Warrants included in the units. The January 2024 Pre-Funded Warrants have
an exercise price of $ 0.60 per share, were immediately exercisable beginning on January 31, 2024 until exercised in full. The January
2024 Warrants have an exercise price of $ 25.41 per share and are exercisable beginning on January 31, 2024 until January 31, 2029.
The Company granted WallachBeth Capital LLC a
45-day over-allotment option to purchase up to 13,153 shares of the Company’s common stock at a price of $ 23.10 per share and/or
15,650 January 2024 Warrants at a price of $ 0.60 per warrant and/or 2,498 January 2024 Pre-Funded Warrants at a price of $ 22.50 per pre-funded
warrant, or any combination thereof, in all cases less the underwriting discount. WallachBeth Capital LLC partially exercised its over-allotment
option with respect to 13,637 January 2024 Warrants on January 31, 2024, and purchased an additional one share of common stock at a purchase
price of $ 22.50 per share and one January 2024 Warrant at a purchase price of $ 0.60 per warrant on February 14, 2024.
The Company also issued to WallachBeth Capital
LLC warrants (the “January 2024 Representative Warrants”) to purchase 6,260 shares of the Company’s common stock at
an exercise price of $ 25.41 per share. The January 2024 Representative Warrants are exercisable beginning on January 31, 2024 until January
31, 2029.
The units and pre-funded units were offered
and sold pursuant to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-276641), declared effective by the SEC on
January 29, 2024. The closing of the January 2024 Offering occurred on January 31, 2024, generating net proceeds to the Company of
approximately $ 1.9 million, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and the payment of other offering expenses
payable by the Company of approximately $ 510,000 .
On February 1, 2024 and April 9, 2024, the Company
issued 8,326 shares and 8,326 shares of common stock, respectively upon the exercise of 8,326 and 8,326 January 2024 Pre-Funded Warrants,
respectively, resulting in aggregate proceeds to the Company of $ 9,990 .
On April 1, 2024, the Company entered into an
Amendment to the Debt Exchange Agreement with Trevally, LLC (“Trevally”), which amends the original agreement with Trevally
(executed in January 2023). Pursuant to the Amendment, Trevally agreed to return 2,000 shares of the Company’s common stock, initially
issued to Trevally in January 2023 as advance consideration for agreeing to complete the synthesis of research materials for the Company.
Trevally returned the previously issued shares for no consideration on April 3, 2024. Trevally delivered the completed research materials
to the Company on July 1, 2024.
On July 12, 2024, the Company entered into an
At-the-Market Issuance Sales Agreement (the “ATM Agreement”) with WallachBeth Capital LLC as sales agent, to sell shares
of common stock having an aggregate offering price of up to $ 1,253,603 from time to time, through an “at the market offering”
program (the “ATM Offering”). The offer and sale of shares of common stock from the ATM Offering were made pursuant to the
Company’s shelf registration statement on Form S-3 and accompanying base prospectus (Registration Statement No. 333-280796) contained
therein which became effective on July 18, 2024. The prospectus supplement was subsequently amended four times to increase the maximum
aggregate offering price under the ATM Agreement. From July 19, 2024 to August 1, 2024, the Company sold a total of 135,568 shares in
the ATM Offering for gross proceeds of $ 1,994,583 .
On July 22, 2024 and July 26, 2024, the Company
converted 1,291 and 1,032 shares of Series A Preferred Stock, respectively, held by Knight Therapeutics Inc. into 8,000 shares and 6,667
shares of common stock, respectively.
On October 1, 2024 and October 31, 2024, the
Company issued 41,311 shares and 45,800 shares of common stock, respectively upon the exercise of 41,311 and 45,800 September 2024 Pre-Funded
Warrants, respectively, resulting in aggregate cash proceeds to the Company of $ 436 .
F- 21
On December 10, 2024 and December 11, 2024, the
Company issued 50,800 shares and 56,600 shares of common stock, respectively, upon the exercise of 50,800 and 56,600 September
2024 Pre-Funded Warrants, respectively, resulting in aggregate cash proceeds to the Company of $ 537 .
Common Stock Warrants
As of December 31, 2024, the Company accounts
for all issued and outstanding warrants to purchase common stock as equity-classified instruments based on the guidance in ASC 480 and
ASC 815.
In May 2022 and May 2023, in connection with
the issuance of the Related Party Notes and the 2022 and 2023 Bridge Notes as described in Note 7, the Company issued five-year warrants
to each of the noteholders with an exercise price dependent on the IPO price (collectively, the “Bridge Warrants”). The number
of shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants was contingent on the number of shares issued upon conversion of the notes following
the Company’s IPO. As of the closing of the Company’s IPO, the Bridge Warrants became exercisable into an aggregate of 3,870
shares of the Company’s common stock, 1,333 of which have an exercise price of $ 286.20 ( 90 % of the IPO price), and 2,537 with an
exercise price of $ 349.80 ( 110 % of the IPO Price). Prior to the IPO, the Bridge Warrants were classified as derivative liabilities in
accordance with the provisions of ASC 815 and were carried at their respective fair values. (See Note 8). In connection with the IPO,
the terms of the Bridge Warrants became fixed. The Company determined the event resulted in equity classification for the Bridge Warrants
and, accordingly, the Company remeasured the warrant liabilities to fair value and reclassified the warrants to additional paid-in capital.
On September 4, 2024, the Company entered into
a Securities Purchase Agreement with an institutional investor, agreeing to issue and sell in a private placement offering (the “Private
Placement”) (i) pre-funded warrants to purchase 579,711 shares of common stock (the “September 2024 Pre-Funded Warrants”),
(ii) series A warrants to purchase 579,711 shares of common stock (the “Series A Warrants”), and (iii) series B warrants
to purchase 579,711 shares of common stock (the “Series B Warrants) at a price of $ 6.895 per Pre-Funded Warrant and accompanying
Series A and Series B Warrants. The Private Placement closed on September 5, 2024, generating net proceeds to the Company of $ 3,414,502 ,
after deducting placement agent fees and offering expenses.
The September 2024 Pre-Funded Warrants have an
exercise price of $ 0.005 per share and were immediately exercisable on September 5, 2024 and may be exercised at any time until exercised
in full. The Series A and Series B Warrants have an exercise price of $ 6.90 per share and were exercisable beginning on the effective
date of stockholder approval to approve the issuance of the shares underlying the Series A and Series B Warrants and the September 2024
Agent Warrants, defined below, to comply with applicable listing rules and regulations of the Nasdaq Stock Market (“Stockholder
Approval”), which was later received on November 6, 2024 (the “Stockholder Approval Date”). The Series A Warrants expire
five years after the Stockholder Approval Date or November 6, 2029, and the Series B Warrants will expire 18 months after the Stockholder
Approval Date, or May 6, 2026.
As compensation for acting as the placement agent
for the Private Placement, the Company issued to H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC warrants to purchase up to 43,479 shares of stock (the
“September 2024 Agent Warrants”). The September 2024 Agent Warrants have substantially the same terms as the Series A Warrants,
except that the September 2024 Agent Warrants have an exercise price equal to $ 8.63 per share.
The following table presents a summary of the
activity for the Company’s equity-classified warrants during the year ended December 31, 2023:
Number of
Warrants Weighted
Average
Exercise Price Weighted
Average
Remaining
Contractual
Life (Years)
Total outstanding, December 31, 2022 -
$ -
-
Reclassified from derivative liabilities 3,870 327.89 4.15
Granted 51,942 373.00 5.00
Exercised ( 3,075 ) 368.16 5.00
Forfeited -
-
-
Expired -
-
-
Total outstanding, December 31, 2023 52,737 $ 369.98 4.47
Total exercisable, December 31, 2023 52,737 $ 369.98 4.47
F- 22
During the year ended December 31, 2023, the
Company received aggregate cash proceeds of $ 1,131,771 upon the exercise of 525 Bridge Warrants, 1,000 Non-tradeable Warrants, and 1,550
Tradeable Warrants.
The following table presents a summary of the
activity for the Company’s equity-classified warrants during the year ended December 31, 2024:
Number of
Warrants Weighted Average
Exercise Price Weighted
Average
Remaining
Contractual Life
(Years)
Total outstanding, December 31, 2023 52,737 $ 369.98 4.47
Granted (1) 1,923,496 6.00 3.47
Exercised ( 211,163 ) 0.05 Indefinite
Forfeited -
-
-
Expired -
-
-
Total outstanding, December 31, 2024 (1) 1,765,070 $ 17.59 3.26
Total exercisable, December 31, 2024 (1) 1,765,070 $ 17.59 3.26
(1) Weighted average remaining contractual life calculations exclude (i) 16,652 Pre-Funded Warrants issued January 2024 that do not have a contractual expiration date, for which 0 remain outstanding at December 31, 2024 and (ii) 579,711 Pre-Funded Warrants granted September 2024 that do not have a contractual expiration date, for which 385,200 remain outstanding and are exercisable at December 31, 2024.
During the year ended December 31, 2024, the
Company received aggregate cash proceeds of $ 10,963 upon the exercise of 16,652 January 2024 Pre-Funded Warrants and 194,511 September
2024 Pre-Funded Warrants.
The following table summarizes the significant
assumptions used in determining the fair value of equity classified warrants on the respective grant or reclassification dates for the
years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023:
2024
2023
Stock price
$ 7.20 – 16.80
$ 280.80 – 318.00
Exercise price
$ 6.90 – 25.41
$ 286.20 – 381.60
Risk-free interest rate
3.54 % – 3.98 %
4.07 % – 4.40 %
Expected volatility
95.00 %
90.00 – 105.00 %
Expected term (years)
1.50 – 5.00
3.86 – 5.00
Expected dividend yield
0.00 %
0.00 %
Series A Preferred Stock
As described in Note 7, as a result of the completion
of the IPO and as required under the terms of the Knight Debt Conversion Agreement, the Company converted the entirety of the accumulated
interest on the Convertible Knight Loan as of March 31, 2022 into 80,965 shares of Series A Preferred Stock at the Conversion Price detailed
below. During the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023, the Company converted an aggregate of 2,323 and 2,162 shares of Series A Preferred
Stock, respectively, into 14,667 and 760 shares of common stock, respectively, at the conversion rate detailed below.
The holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock
have the rights, preferences, powers, restrictions and limitations as set forth below.
Voting Rights - The holders of shares
of Series A Preferred Stock are not entitled to any voting rights.
Dividends - From and after the date of
issuance of any share of Series A Preferred Stock, cumulative dividends shall accrue, whether or not declared by the Board and whether
or not there are funds legally available for the payment of dividends, on a daily basis in arrears at the rate of 6.0 % per annum on the
sum of the Liquidation Value (as defined below). Accrued dividends shall be paid in cash only when, as and if declared by the Board out
of funds legally available therefor or upon a liquidation or redemption of the Series A Preferred Stock. On March 31 of each calendar
year, any accrued and unpaid dividends shall accumulate and compound on such date and are cumulative until paid or converted. Holders
of shares of Series A Preferred Stock are entitled to receive accrued and accumulated dividends prior to and in preference to any dividend,
distribution, or redemption on shares of Common Stock or any other class of securities that is designated as junior to the Series A Preferred
Stock. From the issuance date of the Series A Preferred Stock, or July 14, 2023, to December 31, 2023, accrued dividends on outstanding
shares of Series A Preferred Stock totaled $ 220,714 . During the year ended December 31, 2024, dividends in the amount of $ 483,301 accrued
on outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock. As of December 31, 2024, cumulative dividends on outstanding shares of Series A Preferred
Stock amount to $ 704,015 . To date, the Company has not declared or paid any dividends.
F- 23
Liquidation Rights - In the event of any
voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, the holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock then
outstanding will share ratably in any distribution of the remaining assets and funds of the Company with all other stockholders as if
each share of Series A Preferred Stock had been converted by the Company to Common Stock as described below.
Conversion Rights - The Company has the
right, in its sole discretion, to convert all or any portion of the outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock (including any fraction
of a share), plus the aggregate accrued or accumulated and unpaid dividends thereon into a number of shares of Common Stock determined
by (i) multiplying the number of shares to be converted by $ 100 per share, as adjusted for any stock splits, stock dividends, recapitalizations
or similar transactions with respect to the Series A Preferred Stock (but unchanged as a result of the Reverse Stock Splits impacting
the common stock on August 12, 2024 and February 24, 2025) (the “Liquidation Value”), (ii) plus all accrued and accumulated
and unpaid dividends on such shares to be converted, and then (ii) dividing the result by the then-effective Conversion Price in effect,
provided that such conversion would not result in the holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock owning more than 19.9 % of the outstanding
shares of common stock on an as-converted basis. The “Conversion Price” is equal to the lesser of (a) the Liquidation Value,
(b) the offering price per share of Common Stock in the Company’s IPO, as adjusted for the 1:12 Reverse Stock Split after August
12, 2024 and the 1:5 Reverse Stock Split after February 24, 2025 , or $ 300 per share or (c) the 10-day volume weighted average price per
share of Common Stock, as reasonably determined by the Company.
7.
DEBT
Knight Therapeutics, Inc.
On December 27, 2019 the Company restructured
its cumulative borrowing with its senior secured lender, Knight Therapeutics, Inc. (‘Knight’), into a note for the principal
amount of $ 6,309,823 and accrued interest of $ 4,160,918 and a debenture of $ 3,483,851 (collectively, the ‘Knight Loan’).
The Knight Loan had a maturity date of December 31, 2023. The principal and accrued interest portion of the Knight Loan bore an annual
interest rate of 15 %, compounded quarterly, whereas the debenture had a 9 % interest rate until April 23, 2023 at which point interest
ceased accruing. In January 2023, the Company and Knight executed the Knight Debt Conversion Agreement, pursuant to which the parties
agreed to add a conversion feature to the cumulative outstanding Knight Loans, which was accounted for as a debt extinguishment, described
further below.
Note, including Amendment
The Company executed a promissory note (the “Note”)
with an individual investor on October 11, 2017, later amended on December 11, 2022 (the “Amendment”). The Note, including
the Amendment was set to mature 60 days after the Knight Loans were repaid, and contained a provision to automatically convert the outstanding
principal and accumulated interest through March 31, 2022 into common shares in the event the Company consummated an IPO. Amortization
of the discount on the Note, including the Amendment for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023 was $ 0 and $ 52,628 , respectively.
Interest expense related to the Note, including the Amendment, for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023 was $ 0 and $ 66,558 , respectively.
As a result of the completion of the IPO and
as required under the terms of the Note, including the Amendment, the outstanding principal and accrued interest through March 31, 2022
converted to 3,583 shares of our common stock at a conversion rate equal to the IPO price, in full satisfaction of the outstanding debt
obligation. The Company recognized a debt extinguishment gain of $ 223,077 upon conversion, representing the difference between (i) the
reacquisition price, consisting of the fair value of the common shares issued, and (ii) the net carrying value of the debt, inclusive
of unamortized discounts and issuance costs, on the date of conversion. As a result, as of December 31, 2024 and 2023 there were no amounts
outstanding under the Note.
Convertible Promissory Notes and Warrants
During May 2022 and May 2023 (the “2022
Bridge Notes” and “2023 Bridge Notes,” respectively), the Company executed promissory notes with various investors.
The notes were due at the earlier of one year from the issuance date or the closing of an IPO. In connection with the issuance of the
2022 and 2023 Bridge Notes, the Company agreed to issue common stock to each noteholder equivalent to 100 % of the face amount of the
note divided by the IPO price per share. Additionally, each of these note holders received five-year ( 5 ) fully vested warrants upon the
closing of the IPO, with an exercise price of 110 % of the IPO price.
The Company performed an evaluation of the conversion
features embedded in the Bridge Notes and the warrants and concluded that such instruments qualified for treatment as derivative liabilities
under ASC 815 and required bifurcation from the host contract. Derivative liabilities are carried at fair value at each balance sheet
date, and any changes in fair value are recognized in the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Loss.
See Note 8 for further details.
F- 24
As a result of the completion of the IPO and
as required under the terms of the 2022 and 2023 Bridge Notes, the Company issued the holders 5,071 shares of common stock, determined
by the outstanding principal balance of each note divided by the IPO price. In addition, the Company made cash payments to the holders
of the 2022 and 2023 Bridge Notes totaling $ 1,749,488 in full settlement of the outstanding debt obligations. The embedded derivative
liability (conversion feature) was marked to market on the settlement date, and the Company recognized a debt extinguishment loss of
$ 614,670 upon settlement, representing the difference between (i) the reacquisition price, consisting of cash and shares, and (ii) the
net carrying value of the debt including associated derivative liabilities on the date of conversion. As such, as of December 31, 2024
and 2023 there were no amounts outstanding under the 2022 and 2023 Bridge Notes.
Related Party Notes
During May 2022, the Company executed convertible
promissory notes with the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and a family member related to the Chief Executive Officer. The notes
were initially due at the earlier of one-year from the issuance date or the closing of an IPO (the “Related Party Notes”).
Upon the closing of the IPO, these notes were mandatorily convertible at a conversion rate determined at a 20 % discount to the IPO price,
discussed further below. Additionally, each of these note holders received five-year (5) fully vested warrants upon the closing of the
IPO, with an exercise price of 90 % of the IPO price.
The Company performed an evaluation of the conversion
features embedded in the Related Party Notes and the warrants and concluded that such instruments qualified for treatment as derivative
liabilities under ASC 815 and required bifurcation from the host contract. See Note 8 for further details.
As a result of the completion of the IPO and
as required under the terms of the Related Party Notes, the entirety of the outstanding principal balance converted to 1,333 shares of
common stock at a conversion rate equal to 80 % of the IPO price, fully satisfying the Company’s obligations with respect to the
principal amount. In addition, the Company made cash payments to the related party holders totaling $ 31,968 in full settlement of the
outstanding debt obligation. As such, as of December 31, 2024 and 2023 there were no amounts outstanding under the Related Party Notes.
Significant terms of the Bridge Notes and Related
Party Notes are summarized as follows:
2022
Bridge
Notes Related
Party
Notes 2023
Bridge
Notes
Issuance date of promissory notes May 2022 May 2022 May 2023
Maturity date of promissory notes 1 1 2
Interest rate 10 % 6 % 10 %
Default interest rate 15 % 15 % 15 %
Collateral Unsecured Unsecured Unsecured
Conversion rate 3 3 3
1 -
earlier
of 1 year from date of issuance or closing of IPO, later extended to July 2023
2 -
earlier
of 1 year from date of issuance or closing of IPO
3 -
see discussion above for Bridge
Notes and Related Party Notes, respectively
For the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023,
the Company recorded amortization of debt discounts, including issuance costs, of $ 0 and $ 670,550 , respectively.
F- 25
Knight Debt Conversion
On January 9, 2023, and in two subsequent amendments,
the Company and Knight Therapeutics agreed to extinguish Knight’s debt in the event of an IPO. Key points of this agreement are
as follows:
● The Parties agreed to fix Knight’s cumulative debt to the value as it stood on March 31, 2022, which consisted of $ 10,770,037 in principal and $ 8,096,486 in accumulated interest should the Company execute an IPO that results in gross proceeds of at least $ 7,000,000 prior to December 31, 2023. If a Qualifying IPO did not occur by January 1, 2024, then all terms of the original debt would have resumed including any interest earned after March 31, 2022.
● The Parties agreed to (i) convert the fixed principal amount into that number of shares of common stock equal to dividing the principal amount by an amount equal to the offering price of the common stock in the IPO discounted by 15 %, rounding up for fractional shares, in a number of common shares up to 19.9 % of the Company’s outstanding common stock after giving effect of the IPO; (ii) the Company will make a milestone payment of $ 10 million to Knight if, after the date of a Qualifying IPO, the Company sells Arakoda™ or if a Change of Control (as per the definition included in the original loan agreement dated on December 10, 2015) occurs, provided that the purchaser of Arakoda™ or individual or entity gaining control of the Borrower is not the Lender or an affiliate of the Lender; (iii) following the License and Supply agreement dated on December 10, 2015 and subsequently amended on January 21, 2019, an expansion of existing distribution rights to tafenoquine/Arakoda™ to include COVID-19 indications as well as malaria prevention across the Territory as defined in said documents, subject to US Army approval; and (iv) Company will retain Lender or an affiliate to provide financial consulting services, management, strategic and/or regulatory advice of value $ 30,000 per month for five years (the parties will negotiate the terms of that consulting agreement separately in good faith).
● The parties agreed to convert the accrued interest into that number of shares of a new class of preferred stock (the “Preferred Stock”) by dividing the fixed accumulated interest by $ 100.00 , then rounding up. The Preferred Stock shall have the following rights, preferences, and designations: (i) have a 6 % cumulative dividend accumulated annually on March 31; (ii) shall be non-voting stock; (iii) are not redeemable, (iv) be convertible to shares of common stock at a price equal to the lower of (1) the price paid for the shares of common stock in the initial public offering, as adjusted after the effective date of the Reverse Stock Splits and (2) the 10 day volume weighted average share price immediately prior to conversion; and (v) conversion of the preferred stock to common shares will be at the Company’s sole discretion. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Preferred Stock shall not be converted into shares of common stock if as a result of such conversion Knight will own 19.9 % or more of our outstanding common stock.
● In addition to the conversion of the debt, for a period commencing on January 1, 2022 and ending upon the earlier of 10 years after the Closing or the conversion or redemption in full of the Preferred Stock, Company shall pay Lender a royalty equal to 3.5 % of the Company’s net sales (the “Royalty”), where “Net Sales” has the same meaning as in the Company’s license agreement with the U.S. Army for tafenoquine. Upon success of the Qualified IPO, the Company shall calculate the royalty payable to Knight at the end of each calendar quarter. The Company shall pay to Knight the royalty amounts due with respect to a given calendar quarter within fifteen (15) business days after the end of such calendar quarter. Each payment of royalties due to Knight shall be accompanied by a statement specifying the total gross sales, the net sales and the deductions taken to arrive at net sales. For clarification purposes, the first royalty payment will be performed following the above instructions, on the first calendar quarter in which the Qualified IPO takes place and will cover the sales for the period from January 1, 2022 until the end of said calendar quarter.
The Company evaluated the January 9, 2023 exchange
agreement in accordance with ASC 470-50 and concluded that the debt qualified for debt extinguishment because a substantial conversion
feature was added to the debt terms. Upon extinguishment, in January 2023, the Company recorded a loss upon extinguishment in the amount
of $ 839,887 and elected to recognize the new debt under the ASC 825 fair value option until it was settled, which occurred in the third
quarter of 2023 (see below). Therefore, there were no amounts outstanding as of December 31, 2024 or December 31, 2023.
F- 26
A reconciliation of the beginning and ending
balances for the Convertible Knight Note, which was measured at fair value on a recurring basis using significant unobservable inputs
(Level 3) is as follows for the year ended December 31, 2023:
Convertible
Knight
Note,
at fair
value
Promissory Notes, at fair value at December 31, 2022
$ -
Fair value at modification date - January 9, 2023
21,520,650
Change in fair value
( 5,379,269 )
Accrued interest recognized
1,293,549
Extinguishment of Promissory Notes
( 17,434,930 )
Promissory Notes, at fair value at December 31, 2023
$ -
As a result of the completion of the IPO and
as required under the terms of the Knight Debt Conversion Agreement, the cumulative outstanding principal as of March 31, 2022 converted
to 18,473 shares of common stock (representing 19.9 % ownership of the Company’s common stock after giving effect to the IPO). In
addition, the entirety of the accumulated interest as of March 31, 2022 converted into 80,965 shares of Series A Preferred Stock at the
conversion rate detailed above, in full satisfaction of the Company’s obligations with respect to the accumulated interest. Upon
consummation of the IPO and under the terms of the Knight Debt Conversion Agreement, the Company became obligated to the contingent milestone
payments and the accumulated Royalty discussed above, which value was included in the reacquisition price of the debt upon extinguishment.
The Company recognized a final mark-to-market adjustment of $ 6,105,066 to adjust the Convertible Knight Loan to its fair value on the
date of settlement, and as a result, no gain or loss was recognized on the debt extinguishment.
The Company performed an evaluation of the contingent
payment features and concluded that the contingent milestone payment is a freestanding financial instrument that meets the definition
of a derivative under ASC 815, and accordingly, the fair value of the derivative liability is marked to market each reporting period
until settled. The future Royalty payment due to Knight was determined to be an embedded component of the Series A Preferred Stock, however,
is exempt from derivative accounting under the ASC 815 scope exception for specified volumes of sales or service revenues. Therefore,
the Company accrues a royalty expense within cost of sales as sales are made.
Debenture
On April 24, 2019, 60P entered into the Knight
debenture of $ 3,000,000 with an original issue discount of $ 2,100,000 , which was being amortized using the effective interest method.
The Company subsequently restructured the Knight Loans, including the debenture, pursuant to the Knight Debt Conversion Agreement (see
above). $ 13,696 of the original issue discount was amortized to interest expense prior to the amendment during the year ended December
31, 2023. The Knight Debt Conversion Agreement in January 2023 was accounted for as an extinguishment of the Debenture, as discussed
above. Therefore, there were no amounts outstanding as of December 31, 2024 or December 31, 2023.
SBA COVID-19 EIDL
On May 14, 2020, the Company received COVID-19
EIDL lending from the Small Business Administration (SBA) in the amount of $ 150,000 . The loan bears interest at an annual rate of 3.75 %
calculated on a monthly basis. Monthly payments of $ 731 were required beginning in November 2022, with a final balloon payment equal
to the remaining principal due at the maturity date of October 12, 2050 . The balance as of December 31, 2024 and 2023 is $ 155,891 and
$ 159,023 , respectively. The current maturity at December 31, 2024 is $ 8,772 and the long-term liability is $ 147,119 ($ 8,772 and $ 150,251
at December 31, 2023, respectively). The loan is collateralized by all tangible and intangible personal property of the Company. The
Company is prohibited from accepting future advances under any superior liens on the collateral without the prior consent of SBA.
The current future payment obligations of the principal are as follows:
Period
Principal
Payments
2025
$ -
2026
404
2027
3,217
2028
3,332
2029
3,467
Thereafter
139,580
Total
$ 150,000
F- 27
Related Party Advances
In March 2023, the Company received a $ 200,000
short term advance from the Geoffrey S. Dow Revocable Trust. In April 2023, the Company received $ 50,000 as a short-term advance from
management. The Geoffrey S. Dow Revocable Trust contributed $ 23,000 and Tyrone Miller contributed $ 27,000 . On May 11, 2023, these short
term advances were refunded in full for an aggregate amount of $ 250,000 .
8. DERIVATIVE LIABILITIES
In accordance with the provisions of ASC 815,
derivative liabilities are initially measured at fair value at the commitment date and subsequently remeasured at each reporting period,
with any increase or decrease in the fair value recorded in the results of operations within other income/expense as the change in fair
value of derivative liabilities.
As discussed in Notes 6 and 7 above, certain
of the Company’s bridge shares, warrants and convertible notes (containing an embedded conversion feature) were previously accounted
for as derivative liabilities. The bridge shares and related conversion features were derecognized upon conversion of the related debt
obligations on the date of the IPO. In addition, certain of the Company’s common stock warrants were previously accounted for as
derivative liabilities as there was an unknown exercise price and number of shares associated with each instrument. In connection with
the IPO, the terms of these warrants became fixed, at which point the Company determined the warrants met all of the criteria for equity
classification and reclassified the warrants to additional paid-in capital at their fair value on the IPO date.
As of December 31, 2024, derivative liabilities
consist of the contingent milestone payment due to Knight upon a future sale of Arakoda™ or a Change of Control (See Note 7). The
valuation of the contingent milestone payment includes significant inputs such as the timing and probability of discrete potential exit
scenarios, forward interest rate curves, and discount rates based on implied and market yields.
In connection with the valuation of the Company’s
derivative liabilities related to the 2023 Bridge Notes and warrants, the Company determined a fair value on the commitment date (May
8, 2023) of $ 954,725 . As the fair value of the derivative liabilities exceeded the net proceeds received of $ 555,000 , the Company recorded
a debt discount at the maximum amount allowed (the face amount of the debt less the original issue discount and issuance costs) and recorded
the excess as derivative expense.
Derivative expense recorded during the year ended December 31, 2023
is summarized as follows:
Commitment Date
May 8,
2023
Fair value of derivative liabilities
$ 954,725
Less: face amount of debt
( 555,000 )
Derivative expense
$ 399,725
A reconciliation of the beginning and ending
balances for the derivative liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis using significant unobservable inputs (Level 3) is
as follows for the year ended December 31, 2024:
Contingent Milestone
Payment
Total
Derivative liabilities – December 31, 2023
$ 2,306,796
$ 2,306,796
Change in fair value
( 1,665,966 )
( 1,665,966 )
Derivative liabilities – December 31, 2024
$ 640,830
$ 640,830
A reconciliation of the beginning and ending
balances for the derivative liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis using significant unobservable inputs (Level 3) is
as follows for the year ended December 31, 2023:
Bridge Shares
Warrants
Convertible
Notes Payable
Contingent
Milestone
Payment
Total
Derivative liabilities – December 31, 2022
$ 834,352
$ 578,164
$ 81,684
$ -
$ 1,494,200
Change in fair value
13,798
( 15,320 )
( 1,312 )
-
( 2,834 )
Fair value at commitment date
680,276
274,449
-
-
954,725
Change in fair value prior to conversion or reclassification
( 105,790 )
1,455
( 45,207 )
-
( 149,542 )
Conversion of convertible promissory notes
( 1,422,636 )
-
( 35,165 )
-
( 1,457,801 )
Reclassification of warrants to equity
-
( 838,748 )
-
-
( 838,748 )
Recognition of contingent milestone liability
-
-
-
2,117,142
2,117,142
Change in fair value
-
-
-
189,654
189,654
Derivative liabilities - December 31, 2023
$ -
$ -
$ -
$ 2,306,796
$ 2,306,796
F- 28
Changes in the fair value of derivative liabilities
are included in other income (expense) in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss. During the years
ended December 31, 2024 and 2023, the Company recorded a net gain (loss) on the change in the fair of derivative liabilities of $ 1,665,966
and ($ 37,278 ), respectively.
Prior to the Company’s IPO, the fair value
of the Company’s potential future issuances of common stock related to common stock issued with promissory notes, warrants and
embedded conversion features in convertible promissory notes was established with an estimate using the Monte Carlo Simulation Model
to compute fair value as of each reporting date. The Monte Carlo simulation requires the input of assumptions, including our stock price,
the volatility of our stock price, remaining term in years, expected dividend yield, and risk-free rate. In addition, the valuation model
considered the probability of the occurrence or nonoccurrence of an IPO within the terms of liability-classified financial instruments,
as an IPO could potentially impact the settlement. The Company used the Monte Carlo Simulation Model to re-measure the liability-classified
bridge shares, warrants and embedded conversion features in convertible promissory notes to their respective fair values at each subsequent
reporting date prior to the IPO.
9. INCOME TAXES
Loss before provision (benefit) for income taxes
for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023 consisted of the following:
For the Year Ended
December 31,
2024
2023
United States
$ ( 7,372,032 )
$ ( 3,006,861 )
Foreign
( 583,381 )
( 806,689 )
Total Loss before Income Taxes
$ ( 7,955,413 )
$ ( 3,813,550 )
The components of the provision (benefit) for
income taxes consisted of the following:
For the Year Ended
December 31,
2024
2023
Current:
Federal
$
-
$
-
State
250
250
Foreign
-
-
Total current provision (benefit)
250
250
Deferred:
Federal
-
-
State
-
-
Foreign
-
-
Total deferred provision (benefit)
-
-
Total Benefit
$ 250
$ 250
The reconciliation between income taxes computed
at the U.S. statutory income tax rate to the Company’s provision (benefit) for income taxes for the years ended December 31, 2024
and 2023 are as follows:
For the Year Ended December 31,
2024
2023
Benefit for income taxes at 21% rate
$ ( 1,670,637 )
21.0 %
$ ( 800,846 )
21.0 %
State income taxes, net of federal benefit
( 587,971 )
7.4
( 364,618 )
9.6
Tax credits
( 437,296 )
5.5
-
-
Impact of non-U.S. earnings
( 22,103 )
0.3
( 33,994 )
0.9
Permanent differences
( 347,008 )
4.4
280,654
( 7.4 )
Change in fair value of promissory note
-
-
( 1,129,646 )
29.6
Non-deductible interest expense
-
-
304,962
( 8.0 )
Other reconciling items, net
30,411
( 0.4 )
2,042,657
( 53.6 )
Change in valuation allowance
3,034,854
( 38.1 )
( 298,919 )
7.8
Benefit for Income Taxes
$ 250
0.0 %
$ 250
( 0.1 )%
F- 29
Significant components of the Company’s
deferred tax assets (liabilities) as of December 31, 2024 and 2023 are as follows:
As of December 31,
2024
2023
Deferred tax assets:
Net operating loss carry-forward
$ 4,191,575
$ 3,498,043
Tax credits
437,296
-
Non-deductible reserves
44,733
1,058
Capitalized R&D costs
1,268,685
189,892
Lease liability
-
3,756
Share-based compensation
41,830
94,034
Gross deferred tax assets
5,984,119
3,786,783
Less valuation allowance
( 5,915,350 )
( 3,088,051 )
Total deferred tax assets, net of valuation allowance
68,769
698,732
Deferred tax liabilities:
Fixed asset depreciation
( 2,783 )
-
Right of use asset
-
( 3,719 )
Prepaid expenses
( 65,986 )
( 695,013 )
Total deferred tax liabilities
( 68,769 )
( 698,732 )
Net deferred tax liabilities
$ -
$ -
The valuation allowance increased by $ 2,872,215
during 2024. In determining the need for a valuation allowance, the Company has given consideration to its worldwide cumulative loss
position when assessing the weight of the sources of taxable income that can be used to support the realization of deferred tax assets.
The Company has assessed, on a jurisdictional basis, the available means of recovering deferred tax assets, including the ability to
carry-back net operating losses, the existence of reversing temporary differences, the availability of tax planning strategies and available
sources of future taxable income. The Company has determined that it is more likely than not that the Company will not recognize the
benefits of the U.S. Federal, state and net deferred tax assets, and, as a result, a full valuation allowance has been set against its
net deferred tax assets as of December 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023.
At December 31, 2024, the Company had U.S. federal
and state net operating loss carryforwards of approximately $ 9,235,194 and $ 9,234,194 respectively, and U.S. federal tax credits of $ 437,296 .
At December 31, 2023, the Company had U.S. federal and state net operating loss carryforwards of approximately $ 6,339,101 and $ 6,338,851
respectively, and U.S. federal tax credits of $ 0 . The U.S. federal and state net operating losses carryforward indefinitely but may only
be used to offset 80 % of annual taxable income due to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. The U.S. federal tax credits begin to expire in 2042.
The Company had $ 6,601,381 and $ 6,835,123 of foreign net operating loss carryforwards at December 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively,
which carryforward indefinitely. Utilization of the NOL carryforwards may be subject to limitation under Section 382 of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986 due to ownership change limitations that have occurred previously or that could occur in the future. These ownership
changes may limit the amount of NOL and interest limitation carryforwards that can be utilized annually to offset future taxable income
and tax, respectively. There could be additional ownership changes in the future, which may result in additional limitations on the utilization
of the NOL and tax credit carryforwards.
The Company conducts business globally and, as
a result, it files income tax returns in U.S. federal and state jurisdictions and in Australia. In the normal course of business, the
Company may be subject to examination by taxing authorities throughout the world. The tax years that remain subject to examination by
major tax jurisdictions include the years ended December 31, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024. As of December 31, 2024, the Company is not under
income tax examination in any jurisdiction.
During the ordinary course of business, there
are many transactions and calculations for which the ultimate tax determination is uncertain. The Company establishes reserves for tax-related
uncertainties based on estimates of whether, and the extent to which, additional taxes will be due. These reserves are established when
the Company believes that certain positions might be challenged despite its belief that its tax return positions are fully supportable.
The Company adjusts these reserves in light of changing facts and circumstances, such as the outcome of tax examinations. As of December
31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, no reserves for uncertain tax positions have been established.
F- 30
The Company recognizes interest and penalties
accrued related to unrecognized tax benefits as income tax expense. During the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023 the Company did
not recognize interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits.
10. SHARE-BASED COMPENSATION
The following is a summary of share-based compensation
expenses reported in the Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Loss for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023:
For the Year Ended
December 31,
2024
2023
Research and Development
$ 3,227,300
$ 192,371
General and Administrative Expenses
381,348
1,543,803
Total Share-Based Compensation Expense Included in Operating
Expenses
$ 3,608,648
$ 1,736,174
Share-Based Compensation under 2022 Equity Incentive Plan
On November 22, 2022, the Company adopted the
2022 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2022 Plan”), which provides for the grant of stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted
stock, restricted stock units and performance awards to eligible employees, directors and consultants, to be granted from time to time
by the Board of Directors of the Company. The 2022 Plan provides for an automatic increase in the number of shares available for issuance
beginning on January 1, 2023 and each January 1 thereafter, by 4 % of the number of outstanding shares of common stock on the immediately
preceding December 31, or such number of shares as determined by the Board of Directors. Additionally, on July 16, 2024 and November
6, 2024 the Company’s stockholders approved an increase to the number of shares available under the 2022 Plan by 83,334 shares
and 100,000 shares, respectively. As of December 31, 2024, the number of remaining shares available for issuance under the 2022 Plan
is equal to 154,392 .
Stock Grants
On July 11, 2023, the Company recognized $ 187,200
of share-based compensation expense upon the one-time issuance of 668 shares of common stock to the Company’s Board of Directors,
by virtue of the terms of the agreements described in Note 11, which is reflected in general and administrative expenses in the consolidated
statement of operations and comprehensive loss.
Stock Options
The Company grants stock options to employees,
non-employees, and Directors with exercise prices equal to the closing price of the underlying shares of the Company’s common stock
on the Nasdaq Capital Market on the date that the options are granted. Options granted generally have a term of five to ten years from
the grant date and are subject to vesting as determined in the individual award agreement. The Company estimates the fair value of stock
options on the grant date by applying the Black-Scholes option pricing valuation model.
The following table summarizes the significant
assumptions used in determining the fair value of options granted or modified during the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023:
2024 2023
Weighted-average grant date fair value $ 8.78 $ 189.60
Risk-free interest rate 3.62 %- 4.17 % 4.33 %
Expected volatility 86.00 %- 87.00 % 110.00 %
Expected term (years) 6.41 - 10.00 3.18
Expected dividend yield 0.00 % 0.00 %
F- 31
The following table summarizes the Company’s
stock option activities during the year ended December 31, 2024:
Number of
Options Weighted
Average
Exercise
Price Aggregate
Intrinsic
Value Weighted
Average
Remaining
Contractual Life
(Years)
Options outstanding, December 31, 2023 632 $ 318.00 $ -
4.53
Granted 17,005 54.62 -
10.00
Exercised -
-
-
-
Forfeited -
-
-
-
Expired -
-
-
-
Options outstanding, December 31, 2024 17,637 $ 64.06 $ -
9.38
Options vested and exercisable, December 31, 2024 4,437 $ 116.07 $ -
8.73
The following table summarizes the Company’s
stock option activities during the year ended December 31, 2023:
Number of
Options Weighted
Average
Exercise
Price Aggregate
Intrinsic
Value Weighted
Average
Remaining Contractual Life
(Years)
Options outstanding, December 31, 2022 -
$ -
$ -
-
Granted 632 318.00 -
5.00
Exercised -
-
-
-
Forfeited -
-
-
-
Expired -
-
-
-
Options outstanding, December 31, 2023 632 $ 318.00 $ -
4.53
Options vested and exercisable, December 31, 2023 632 $ 318.00 $ -
4.53
The aggregate intrinsic value in the tables above
reflects the difference between the Company’s closing stock price on the last trading day of the period and the exercise price
of the options, multiplied by the number of in-the-money stock options. The intrinsic value of stock options changes based on the price
of the Company’s common stock.
On July 16, 2024, the effective date of shareholder
approval to increase the number of shares available under the 2022 Plan, the Company determined that the grant date criteria (as defined
in ASC 718) was met, and therefore granted 12,838 stock options to certain directors, executives, and non-employees, in accordance with
the terms of the individuals’ employment or directors’ agreements, as applicable. On September 26, 2024, the Board of Directors
approved the grant of an additional 4,167 stock options to an executive.
For the year ended December 31, 2024, the Company
recognized $ 32,767 of compensation expense related to stock option awards ($ 119,246 for the year ended December 31, 2023). No stock options
were exercised, forfeited, or expired during the period presented. As of December 31, 2024, the Company had $ 116,466 of unrecognized
share-based compensation expense related to unvested options that is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of approximately
4.0 years.
F- 32
Awards Not Yet Granted
In December 2024, the Board approved the grant
of a total of 120,000 stock options to two executives at a per share exercise price equal to the closing price of our common stock on
January 2, 2025. These options are subject to vesting annually in five equal tranches, with the first tranche fully vested on the date
of grant (January 2, 2025) and thereafter, vest on the last date of each fiscal year beginning December 31, 2025. For accounting and
disclosure purposes, no fair value has been ascribed to these stock option awards as of December 31, 2024 as the grant date (as defined
in ASC 718) had not been established.
Restricted Stock Units
Compensation cost for service-based RSUs is based
on the grant date fair value of the award, which is the closing market price of the Company’s common stock on the grant date multiplied
by the number of shares awarded.
The following table summarizes the Company’s
RSU activity for the year ended December 31, 2024:
Number
of
Units
Weighted
Average
Grant
Date Fair
Value
Unvested balance, December 31, 2023
-
$ -
Granted
-
-
Vested
-
-
Forfeited
-
-
Unvested balance, December 31, 2024
-
$ -
The following table summarizes the Company’s
RSU activity for the year ended December 31, 2023:
Number of
Units
Weighted
Average
Grant
Date Fair
Value
Unvested balance, December 31, 2022
-
$ -
Granted
4,270
52.20
Vested
( 4,270 )
52.20
Forfeited
-
-
Unvested balance, December 31, 2023
-
$ -
The Company recognized $0 of compensation expense
related to vested RSUs for the year ended December 31, 2024 ($ 222,480 for the year ended December 31, 2023). During the year ended December
31, 2024, 0 shares of common stock underlying RSUs vested ( 4,270 during the year ended December 31, 2023). During the year ended December
31, 2024, the Company issued 4,270 shares of common stock pursuant to RSUs which were fully vested as of December 31, 2023. At December
31, 2024, the Company had no unrecognized compensation cost related to unvested RSUs.
F- 33
Annual Performance Bonus
In December 2024, the Board approved the payment
of 2024 performance bonuses to executives of the Company. Each executive was provided the option of receiving up to $ 20,000 in cash,
with the remainder paid in shares of common stock determined based on the closing market price on January 2, 2025. All shares issued
are eligible for net settlement up to the maximum allowable amount according to the IRS of 22 %. As the number of shares is variable,
the Company determined this represents a liability for the fixed monetary amount that will be settled in shares. As of December 31, 2024,
the share-based liability amounted to $ 121,544 , which is presented as a component of Accounts Payable and Accrued Expenses on the accompanying
Consolidated Balance Sheets. The share-based portion of the 2024 performance bonuses was settled by the Company on January 20, 2025.
See Note 12.
Share-Based Payments to Vendors for Services
During the years ended December 31, 2024 and
2023, the Company issued 0 and 15,500 fully vested, nonforfeitable common stock shares, respectively, as share-based payments to two
nonemployees, Florida State University Research Fund, Inc. and Kentucky Technology Inc, in exchange for research and development services
to be rendered to the Company in the future. The Company recognizes prepaid research and development costs on the grant date, as defined
in ASC 718. Florida State University Research Fund, Inc. agreed to render research and development services related to the development
of celgosivir over a period of up to five years using the proceeds from the sale of the Company’s common shares to fund the services.
Prepaid research and development costs recognized associated with the Florida State University Research Fund, Inc. are expected to be
rendered within one year. Kentucky Technology Inc. agreed to furnish a written report on the potential development of SJ733 + tafenoquine
in exchange for fully vested shares of the Company’s common stock. On May 3, 2024, the Company indicated to Kentucky Technology,
Inc. that the report (delivered in April 2024) was acceptable to the Company. Upon acceptance, the Company recognized $ 2,625,000 of share-based
compensation expense, which is reflected in Research and Development expense in the results of operations for the year ended December
31, 2024. As of December 31, 2024, the unamortized balance of prepaid assets related to these share-based payments for research and development
costs for which the grant date criteria has been met and the services are expected to be rendered within one year is $ 129,710 ($ 2,730,685
at December 31, 2023), which is presented as a component of Prepaid and Other Assets on the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets.
In addition to share-based payments for research
and development services, during the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023, 0 and 9,217 common stock shares, respectively, were issued
as fully vested, nonforfeitable equity instruments to nonemployees. As of December 31, 2024, the unamortized balance of current prepaid
assets related to these share-based payments for which the services are expected to be rendered within one year is $ 176,471 ($ 948,581
at December 31, 2023), which is reported in Prepaid and Other Assets on the Consolidated Balance Sheets. The unamortized balance of noncurrent
prepaid assets related to these share-based payments for which the services are expected to be rendered beyond one year is $ 66,176 ($ 242,647
at December 31, 2023), reported i
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.