UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND
EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C.
20549
FORM 10-K
(Mark One)
☒ ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the fiscal
year ended December 31 , 2024
or
☐ TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
Commission File
Number 001-41364
TENON MEDICAL,
INC.
(Exact name of
registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware 45-5574718
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization) (I.R.S. Employer
Identification No.)
104 Cooper Court
Los Gatos , CA
95032
(Address of principal
executive offices) (Zip Code)
(408) 649-5760
(Registrant’s
telephone number, including area code)
Securities registered
pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
Title of Each Class Trading Symbol Name of Each Exchange on Which Registered
Common stock, par value $0.001 per share TNON The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC
Warrants to purchase shares of Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share TNONW 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 preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports),
and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes ☒ No ☐
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule
405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant
was required to submit such files). Yes ☒ No ☐
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting
company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,”
“smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
Large accelerated filer ☐ Accelerated filer ☐
Non-accelerated filer ☒ Smaller reporting company ☒
Emerging growth company ☒
If
an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying
with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐
Indicate by check
mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal
control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting
firm that prepared or issued its audit report. ☐
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 Act). Yes ☐
No ☒
The aggregate market
value of voting and non-voting common equity held by non-affiliates of the registrant on June 30, 2024 (the last business day of
the registrant’s most recently completed second quarter) was approximately $ 1,830,927 , which is based on a closing price per share
of $4.88 on such date.
As of March 26, 2025, the registrant had a total
of 5,584,965 shares of its common stock, $0.001 par value per share, outstanding.
Tenon Medical,
Inc.
Annual Report
on Form 10-K
For the Fiscal
Year ended December 31, 2024
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PART I
1
Item 1
Business
1
Item 1A
Risk Factors
16
Item 1B
Unresolved Staff Comments
44
Item 1C
Cybersecurity
45
Item 2
Properties
45
Item 3
Legal Proceedings
45
Item 4
Mine Safety Disclosures
45
PART II
46
Item 5
Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters, and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities
46
Item 6
[Reserved]
47
Item 7
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
48
Item 7A.
Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk
54
Item 8
Financial Statements and Supplementary Data
F-1
Item 9.
Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure
55
Item 9A
Controls and Procedures
55
Item 9B
Other Information
56
Item 9C
Disclosure Regarding Foreign Jurisdictions that Prevent Inspections
56
PART III
57
Item 10
Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance
57
Item 11
Executive Compensation
63
Item 12
Security ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters
65
Item 13
Certain Relationships and Related party Transactions, and Director Independence
67
Item 14
Principal Accounting Fees and Services
67
PART IV
68
Item 15
Exhibit and Financial Statement Schedules
68
Item 16
Form 10-K Summary
69
i
CAUTIONARY STATEMENT
REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This Annual Report
on Form 10-K contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of
1995, 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”). We have based these forward-looking statements largely on our current expectations
and projections about future events and financial trends impacting the financial condition of our business. Forward-looking statements
should not be read as a guarantee of future performance or results and will not necessarily be accurate indications of the times at,
or by, which such performance or results will be achieved. Forward-looking statements are based on information available at the time
those statements are made and/or management’s good faith belief as of that time with respect to future events and are subject to
risks and uncertainties that could cause actual performance or results to differ materially from those expressed in or suggested by the
forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking
statements include all statements that are not historical facts. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terms
such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “could,” “would,” “expect,”
“intend,” “seek,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,”
“project,” “predict,” “potential,” “might,” “forecast,” “continue,”
or the negative of those terms, and similar expressions and comparable terminology intended to reference future periods. Forward-looking
statements include, but are not limited to, statements about:
● Our ability to effectively
operate our business segments;
● Our ability to manage our research,
development, expansion, growth and operating expenses;
● Our ability to evaluate and
measure our business, prospects and performance metrics;
● Our ability and our national
distributor’s ability to compete, directly and indirectly, and succeed in the highly competitive medical devices industry;
● Our ability to respond and
adapt to changes in technology and customer behavior;
● Our ability to protect our
intellectual property and to develop, maintain and enhance a strong brand; and
● Other factors (including the
risks contained in the section of this report entitled “Risk Factors”) relating to our industry, our operations, and results
of operations.
Should one or more
of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should the underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may differ significantly
from those anticipated, believed, estimated, expected, intended or planned.
Factors or events
that could cause our actual results to differ may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for us to predict all of them. We
cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. Accordingly, the forward-looking statements in this
Annual Report on Form 10-K should not be regarded as representations that the results or conditions described in such statements will
occur or that our objectives and plans will be achieved, and we do not assume any responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of
any of these forward-looking statements.
Use of Certain
Defined Terms
Except where the
context otherwise requires and for the purposes of this report only:
● all references to the “Company,”
“Tenon,” the “registrant” (whether capitalized or not), “we,” “our,” or “us”
in this report mean Tenon Medical, Inc.;
● “year” or “fiscal
year” means the year ending December 31 st ;
● all dollar or $ references,
when used in this report, refer to United States dollars;
● “Exchange Act”
refers the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended;
● “SEC” refers to
the Securities and Exchange Commission; and
● “Securities Act”
refers to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
ii
Risk Factors
Summary
Our
business is subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, any one of which could materially adversely affect our results of operations,
financial condition or business. These risks include, but are not limited to, those listed below. This list is not complete, and should
be read together with Item 1A, “Risk Factors” and should not be relied upon as an exhaustive summary of the material risks
we face.
● We have incurred losses in
the past, our financial statements have been prepared on a going concern basis and we may be unable to achieve or sustain profitability
in the future;
● If hospitals, clinicians, and
other healthcare providers are unable to obtain and maintain coverage and reimbursement from third-party payors for procedures performed
using our products, adoption of our products may be delayed, and it is unlikely that they will gain further acceptance;
● We may not be able to convince
physicians that the Catamaran™ SI Joint Fusion System (“The Catamaran System”) is an attractive alternative to our
competitors’ products and that our procedure is an attractive alternative to existing surgical and non-surgical treatments of the
SI-Joint;
● Clinicians and payors may not
find our clinical evidence to be compelling, which could limit our sales, and ongoing and future research may prove our products to be
less safe and effective than initially anticipated;
● Pricing pressure from our competitors,
changes in third-party coverage and reimbursement, healthcare provider consolidation, payor consolidation and the proliferation of “physician-owned
distributorships” may impact our ability to sell our product at prices necessary to support our current business strategies;
● Practice trends or other factors,
including the COVID-19 pandemic, may cause procedures to shift from the hospital environment to ambulatory surgical centers, or ASCs,
where pressure on the prices of our products is generally more acute;
● We operate in a very competitive
business environment and if we are unable to compete successfully against our existing or potential competitors, our sales and operating
results may be negatively affected and we may not grow;
● We currently manufacture (through
third parties) and sell products used in a single procedure, which could negatively affect our operations and financial condition;
● If we are unable to hire and
train sales managers, clinical specialists, and expand our network of independent sales representatives, we may not be able to generate
anticipated sales;
● We are dependent on a limited
number of contract manufacturers, some of them single-source and some of them in single locations, for our product, and the loss of any
of these contract manufacturers, or their inability to provide us with an adequate supply of products in a timely and cost-effective
manner, could materially adversely affect our business;
● We and our contract manufacturers
are subject to extensive governmental regulation both in the United States and abroad, and failure to comply with applicable requirements
could cause our business to suffer;
● We and our independent sales
representatives must comply with U.S. federal and state fraud and abuse laws, including those relating to physician kickbacks and false
claims for reimbursement;
● If we are unable to protect
the confidentiality of our trade secrets, our business and competitive position could be harmed;
iii
● We may incur product liability
losses, and insurance coverage may be inadequate or unavailable to cover these losses;
● We are increasingly dependent
on information technology, and our systems and infrastructure face certain risks, including cybersecurity and data leakage risks;
● The medical device industry
is characterized by patent litigation and we could become subject to litigation that could be costly, result in the diversion of management’s
time and efforts, require us to pay damages, and/or prevent us from developing or marketing our existing or future products;
● Our business could suffer if
we lose the services of key members of our senior management, key advisors or personnel;
● Various factors outside our
direct control may adversely affect manufacturing and distribution of our product;
● We may seek to grow our business
through acquisitions of or investments in new or complementary businesses, products or technologies, and the failure to manage acquisitions
or investments, or the failure to integrate them with our existing business, could have a material adverse effect on us;
● Our ability to protect our
intellectual property and proprietary technology is uncertain;
● The size and future growth
in the market for the SI-Joint fixation market have not been established based on market reports and our estimates are based on our own
review and analysis of public information and may be smaller than we estimate, possibly materially. In addition, our estimates of cost
savings to the economy and healthcare system as a result of The Catamaran System procedure are based on our internal estimates and market
research and could also be smaller than we estimate, possibly materially. If our estimates and projections overestimate the size of this
market or cost savings, our sales growth may be adversely affected;
● We have a limited operating
history and may face difficulties encountered by early-stage companies in new and rapidly evolving markets;
● Our failure to adequately protect
personal information in compliance with evolving legal requirements could harm our business; and
● Geopolitical conditions, including
trade disputes and direct or indirect acts of war or terrorism, could have an adverse effect on our operations and financial results.
iv
PART I
Item 1. Business
Introduction
Tenon Medical,
Inc. (the “Company”), was incorporated in the State of Delaware on June 19, 2012 and was headquartered in San Ramon, California
until June 2021 when it relocated to Los Gatos, California. The Company is a medical device company that has developed The Catamaran™
SI Joint Fusion System (“The Catamaran System”) that offers a novel, less invasive approach to the sacroiliac joint (the
“SI Joint”) using a single, robust, titanium implant for treatment of the most common types of SI Joint disorders that cause
lower back pain. The Company received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) clearance in 2018 for The Catamaran System
and is currently focused on the US market. Since the national launch of The Catamaran System in October 2022, the Company is focused
on three commercial opportunities: 1) Primary SI Joint procedures, 2) Revision procedures of failed SI Joint implants and 3) SI Joint
fusion adjunct to a spine fusion construct.
The Opportunity
We estimate that
over 30 million American adults have chronic lower back pain. Published clinical studies have shown that 15% to 30% of all chronic lower
back pain is associated with the SI-Joint. For patients whose chronic lower back pain stems from the Sacroiliac Joint (“SI-Joint”),
our experience in both clinical trials and commercial settings indicates the system to be introduced by Tenon could be beneficial for
patients who are properly diagnosed and screened for surgery by trained healthcare providers.
In 2019, approximately
475,000 patients in the United States were estimated to have received an aesthetic injection to temporarily alleviate pain emanating
from the SI-Joint and/or to diagnose SI-Joint pain. Additionally, several non-surgical technologies have been introduced in the past
10 years to address patients who do not respond to conservative options, including systemic oral medications, opioids, physical therapy
and injection therapy.
To date, the penetration
of a surgical solution for this market has been relatively low (5-7%). We believe this is due to complex surgical approaches and suboptimal
implant design of existing options. The penetration of this market with an optimized surgical solution is Tenon’s focus.
We believe the
SI-Joint is the last major joint to be successfully addressed by the spine implant industry. Studies have shown that disability resulting
from disease of the SI-Joint is comparable to the disability associated with a number of other serious spine conditions, such as knee
and hip arthritis and degenerative disc disease, each of which has surgical solutions where an implant is used, and a multi-billion-dollar
market exists.
The SI-Joint
The SI-Joint is
a strong weight bearing synovial joint situated between the lumbar spine and the pelvis and is aligned along the longitudinal load bearing
axis of the human spine when in an upright posture. It functions as a force transfer conduit where it transfers axial loads bi-directionally
from the spine to the pelvis and lower extremities and allows forces to be transmitted from the extremities to the spine. It also provides
load sharing between the hip and spine to contribute towards attenuation of impact shock and stress from activities of daily living.
1
The SI-Joint is
a relatively immobile joint that connects the sacrum (the spinal segment that is attached to the base of the lumbar spine at the L5 vertebra)
and the ilium of the pelvis. Each SI-Joint is approximately 2-4mm wide and irregularly shaped.
Motion of the SI-Joint
features vertical shear and rotation. Although the rotational forces about the SI-Joint are relatively low, repetitive motions created
by daily activities such as walking, jogging, twisting at the hips, and jumping can increase the stresses on the SI-Joint. If the SI-Joint
is compromised through injury or degeneration, the load bearing and motion restraints from the surrounding anatomical structures of the
SI-Joint will be compromised resulting in abnormal stress transfers across the joint to these structures, thereby further augmenting
the degenerative cascade of the SI-Joint. Eventual pain and cessation of an individual’s normal activities due to a painful and
unstable SI-Joint have led to an increase in the recent development of SI-Joint stabilization devices.
Non-Surgical Treatment
of Sacroiliac Joint Disease
Several non-surgical treatments
exist for suspected sacroiliac joint pain. These conservative steps often provide desired relief for the patient. Non-surgical treatments
include:
● Drug Therapy : including
opiates and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications.
● Intra-Articular Injections
of Steroid Medications : which are typically performed by physicians who specialize in pain treatment or anesthesia.
● Radiofrequency Ablation :
or the cauterizing of the lateral branches of the sacral nerve roots.
When
conservative steps fail to deliver sustained pain relief and return to quality of life, specific diagnostic protocols are utilized to
explore if a surgical option should be considered.
Diagnosis
Historically, diagnosing
pain from the SI-Joint was not routinely a focus of orthopedic or neurosurgery training during medical school or residency programs.
Due to its invasiveness, post-operative pain, and muscle disruption along with a difficult procedure overall, the open SI-Joint fusion
procedure was rarely taught in these settings.
The emergence of
various SI-Joint surgical technologies has generated a renewed discussion of SI-Joint issues. Of particular focus is the diagnostic protocol
utilized to properly select patients for SI-Joint surgery. Patients with low back pain typically start with primary care physicians who
often refer to pain specialists. Here, the patient will undergo traditional physical therapy combined with oral medications (anti-inflammatory,
narcotic, etc.). If the patient fails to respond to these steps the pain specialist may move to therapeutic injections of the SI-Joint.
These injections may serve to lessen inflammation to the point that the patient is satisfied. However, the impact from these injections
is often transient. In this case the patient is often referred to a clinician to determine if the patient may be a candidate for surgical
intervention. A series of provocative tests in clinic, combined with a specific injection protocol to isolate the SI-Joint as the pain
generator is then utilized to confirm the need for surgical intervention. Published literature has shown this technique to be a very
effective step to determine the best treatment to alleviate pain.
Limitations
of Existing Treatment Options
Surgical fixation
and fusion of the SI-Joint with an open surgical technique was first reported in 1908, with further reports in the 1920s. The open procedure
uses plates and screws, requires a 6 to 12-inch incision and is extremely invasive. Due to the high invasiveness
and associated morbidity, the use of this procedure is limited to cases involving significant trauma, tumor, etc.
Less invasive surgical
options along with implant design began to emerge over the past 15 years. These options feature a variety of approaches and implant designs
and have been met with varying degrees of adoption. Lack of a standard and accepted diagnostic approach, complexity of approach, high
morbidity of approach, abnormally high complication rates and inability to radiographically confirm fusion have all been cited as reasons
for low adoption of these technologies.
2
Commercialization
Tenon initiated
its national commercial launch of The Catamaran System in October 2022 to address what we believe is a large market opportunity. The
Catamaran System includes instruments and implants designed to prepare and fixate the SI-Joint for fusion. The Catamaran System is distinct
from other competitive offerings in the following ways:
● Transfixes the SI-Joint
● Inferior / Posterior Sacroiliac
Fusion Approach
● Reduced Approach Morbidity
● Direct And Visualized Approach
to the SI-Joint
● Single Implant Technique
● Insertion Trajectory Away from
the Neural Foramen
● Insertion Trajectory Away from
Major Lateral Vascular Structures
● Autologous Bone Grafting in
the Ilium, Sacrum and Bridge
● Radiographic Confirmation of
Bridging Bone Fusion of the SI-Joint
The
fixation device and its key features are shown below:
Key Features
“Pontoon” in the ilium
“Pontoon” in the sacrum
“Pontoons and Bridge”
filled with autologous bone from drilling process
Leading edge osteotome creates defect and facilitates ease of insertion
The Catamaran System
is a singular implant designed with several proprietary components which allow for it to be explicitly formatted to address the SI-Joint
with a single approach and implant. This contrasts with several competitive implant systems that require multiple approach pathways and
implants to achieve fixation. In addition, the inferior-posterior approach is designed to be direct to the joint and through limited
anatomical structures which may minimize the morbidity of the approach. The implant features a patented dual pontoon open cell design
which enables the clinician to pack the pontoons with the patient’s own autologous bone designed to promote bone fusion across
the joint. The Catamaran System is designed specially to resist vertical shear and rotation of the joint in which it was implanted, helping
stabilize the joint in preparation for eventual fusion.
The instruments
we have developed are proprietary to The Catamaran System and specifically designed to transfix the SI-Joint and facilitate an inferior-posterior
approach that is unique to the system.
Tenon also has
developed a proprietary 2D placement protocol as well as a protocol for 3D navigation utilizing the latest techniques in spine surgery.
These Tenon advancements are intended to further enhance the safety of the procedure and encourage more physicians to adopt the procedure.
In October 2022,
we received Institutional Review Board (“IRB”) approval from WCG IRB for two separate Tenon-sponsored post market clinical
studies of The Catamaran System. The approval by WCG allows designated Catamaran study centers to begin recruiting and enrolling patients
into the clinical studies. The first approval from WCG IRB supports a prospective, multi-center, single arm post market study that
will evaluate the clinical outcomes of patients with sacroiliac joint disruptions or degenerative sacroiliitis treated with The Catamaran
System. Patients will be followed out to 24 months assessing various patient reported outcomes, radiographic assessments, and adverse
events. The second prospective, multi-center, Catamaran study will evaluate 6-to-12-month radiographic outcomes to assess fusion of patients
that have already undergone treatment with The Catamaran System. In addition, retrospective and prospective clinical outcomes will be
evaluated.
The Market
Based on market
research and internal estimates, Tenon believes the potential market for surgical intervention of the SI-Joint to be 279,000 procedures
annually in the U.S. alone, for a potential annual market of approximately $2.0 billion. These estimates are driven by coding data for
SI-Joint injections to treat pain and informed assumptions relative to surgical intervention candidacy
3
Based on public
information, we believe that the largest clinical device supplier in this market does approximately 16,000 SI-Joint fixations a year
representing the largest market share. The other competitive devices that are offered are all products generally part of much larger
companies with a variety of orthopedic devices and as such do not specifically call out the number of specific SI-Joint procedures performed
with their products. It is our belief that all other competitive devices represent approximately another 5,000 potential SI-Joint procedures.
Based on this analysis
we believe the market is vastly underserved and only penetrated 5-7%, leaving tremendous upside for a next generation device that meets
the needs of this market.
Competitive
Landscape
We believe Tenon
is the first company to develop and manufacture a novel Inferior-Posterior approach featuring a dual pontoon fixation technology cleared
by the FDA expressly for SI-Joint fusion. The approach, referred to as Inferior Posterior Sacroiliac Fusion is focused on these critical
aspects of the surgical procedure:
1. Designed for Safety :
the approach trajectory and angle are away from the neural foramen and major vascular structures.
2. Focus on Efficiency :
the approach is designed to be direct to the SI-Joint, which allows for visualization of the joint and is designed to pass through minimal
muscle structures, which may result in a faster and more efficient surgical procedure and reduced post-op pain for the patient.
3. Targeted Anatomy : the
approach places the implant in the aspect of the SI-Joint with the densest bone, designed to provide maximum fixation and resistance
to vertical shear. This is designed to provide a secure press fit of the implant, reducing the incidence of revision surgery due to implant
loosening, which we believe is the reason for many competitive device failures as reported to the FDA Medical Device Reporting (MDR).
Note the trajectory
used in the Inferior Posterior approach:
The following are the primary factors
on which companies compete in our industry:
● product and clinical procedure
effectiveness;
● ease of surgical technique
and use of associated instruments;
● safety;
● published clinical outcomes
and evidence;
● sales force knowledge and service
levels;
● product support and service,
and customer service;
● comprehensive training, including
disease, anatomy, diagnosis, and treatment;
4
● product innovation and the
speed of innovation;
● intellectual property;
● accountability and responsiveness
to customers’ demands;
● pricing and reimbursement;
● scientific (biomechanics) data;
and
● attracting and retaining key
personnel.
Tenon believes
that refined approaches and improved implant design will open the door to enhanced adoption and further penetration of this important
market.
The Catamaran™
SI-Joint Fusion System Solution
Until October 2022,
Tenon sold The Catamaran System to a limited number of clinician advisors to refine the product for a full commercial launch. In October
2022, Tenon initiated a full commercial launch at the NASS meeting in Chicago. The Catamaran System includes instruments and implants
designed to prepare and fixate the SI-Joint for fusion. We believe The Catamaran System will address a large market opportunity with
a superior product and is distinct from other competitive offerings in the following ways:
● Transfixes the SI joint
● Inferior-Posterior Sacroiliac
Fusion Approach
● Reduced Approach Morbidity
● Direct And Visualized Approach
to the SI-Joint
● Single Implant Technique
● Insertion Trajectory Away from
the Neural Foramen
● Insertion Trajectory Away from
Major Vascular Structures
● Autologous Bone Grafting in
the Ilium, Sacrum and Bridge
● Radiographic Confirmation of
Bridging Bone Fusion of the SI-Joint
The fixation device
and its key features are shown below:
Key Features
“Pontoon” in the ilium
“Pontoon” in the sacrum
“Pontoons and Bridge”
filled with autologous bone from drilling process
Leading edge osteotome creates defect and facilitates ease of insertion
The Catamaran System
is a singular implant designed with several proprietary components which allow for it to be explicitly formatted to transfix the SI-Joint
with a single approach and implant. This contrasts with several competitive implant systems that require multiple approach pathways and
implants to achieve fixation. In addition, the Inferior-Posterior approach is designed to be direct to the joint and through limited
anatomical structures which may minimize the morbidity of the approach. The implant features a patented dual pontoon open cell design
which enables the clinician to pack the pontoons with the patient’s own autologous bone designed to promote bone fusion across
the joint. The Catamaran System is designed specially to resist vertical shear and rotation of the joint in which it was implanted, helping
stabilize the joint in preparation for eventual fusion.
The instruments
we have developed are proprietary to The Catamaran System and specifically designed to facilitate an Inferior Posterior approach that
is unique to the system.
5
Tenon also has
developed a proprietary 2D placement protocol as well as a protocol for 3D navigation utilizing the latest techniques in spine surgery.
These Tenon advancements are intended to further enhance the safety of the procedure and encourage more physicians to adopt the procedure.
The Catamaran System,
as mentioned previously, is placed in the densest aspect of the SI-Joint as confirmed by the pre-op planning images below:
Surgical Plan Key:
Yellow: Guidewire
Purple: Lateral
Pontoon (Ilium)
Green:
Medial Pontoon (Sacrum)
Notes:
Upper Right Quadrant: The green
and purple pontoons represent the placement in the dense bone inferior – contrasted with the dorsal gap superiorly where competitive
systems are most often placed.
Lower Right Quadrant: The yellow
and purple outlines represent The Catamaran System pontoons, illustrating the angle of insertion is away from the sacral neuro
foramen providing for a much safter trajectory for device implantation.
The Procedure
We believe The
Catamaran System and its differentiated characteristics allow for an efficient and effective procedure designed to deliver short-term
stabilization and long-term fusion that can be confirmed radiographically. Shown below is an illustration demonstrating the unique placement
of The Catamaran System inserted Inferior-Posterior and coming directly down to and transfixing the joint
6
The Catamaran System
procedure is typically performed under general anesthesia using a specially designed instrument set we provide to prepare for the Inferior-Posterior
access to the SI-Joint. Specially designed imaging and navigation protocols are designed to ensure the clinician has the proper entry
point, trajectory, angle and depth so that the pontoons of The Catamaran System are placed for maximum fixation. The Catamaran System
incorporates two pontoons and is designed so that when the system is impacted into the bone one pontoon is on the Illum side and the
other is in the Sacrum side with the bridge spanning the joint, preventing shear and rotation of the joint. The device also features
an open cell design where the patient’s own (autologous) bone is packed into the pontoons and the bridge to facilitate fusion across
the joint. The leading edge of the bridge is designed to act as an osteotome, providing a self-created deficit upon insertion. These
features are designed to create an ideal environment for bone ingrowth and fusion. Below is a fluoroscopic image of an implanted Catamaran
Fixation Device spanning the SI-Joint.
Tenon believes
the surgical approach and implant design it has developed, along with the 2D and 3D protocols for proper implantation will be received
well by the clinician community who have been looking for a next generation device. Our initial clinical results indicate that The Catamaran
System is promoting fusion across the joint as evidenced by post-op CT scans (the recognized gold standard widely accepted by the Clinical
community).
Post-Op fluoroscopic image of
implant spanning the SI-Joint
6-Month CT-Scan showing clear
bridging bone fusion
A preliminary 18
case series (Michael Joseph Chaparro, MD, F.A.A.N.S., F.A.C.S.) has documented that The Catamaran System does in fact promote fusion
across the SI-Joint, which many of our competitors have not been able to demonstrate. While products from some of our competitors use
screws and triangular wedges to treat the SI-Joint, most do not effectively resist the vertical shear and twisting within the joint.
This 18 patient series was presented at the North American Spine Society Annual Meeting in Chicago, IL in October 2022.
An independent
biomechanical study (Lisa Ferrara, Ph.D. OrthoKinetic Technologies, LLC now part of Element) demonstrated that a single Catamaran SIJ
Fixation Device was superior to predicate device in the areas of Fixation Strength, Shear Stiffness, Dynamic Endurance and Pullout Strength.
We hold issued patents on The Catamaran System and its unique features including the dual pontoons and the open cell structure for bone
graft packing. We also hold an issued patent for the method of placing The Catamaran System into the SI-Joint where one pontoon is in
the ilium and the other in the sacrum.
The Catamaran System’s
unique design has already demonstrated radiographically confirmed fusion in initial patients. We believe that this beneficial advantage
along with a simpler, safer, and less painful procedure will make this the procedure of choice for most physicians. Tenon has initiated
post market, IRB controlled clinical trials to demonstrate this technology delivers on these advantages.
Coverage and Reimbursement
When a Tenon procedure
utilizing The Catamaran System is performed, the healthcare facility, either a hospital (inpatient or outpatient clinic), and the
clinician submit claims for reimbursement to the patient’s insurer. Generally, the facility obtains a lump sum payment, or facility
fee, for SI-Joint fusions. Our products are purchased by the facility, along with other supplies used in the procedure. The facility
must also pay for its own fixed costs of operation, including certain operating room personnel involved in the procedure, ICD and other
medical services care. If these costs exceed the facility reimbursement, the facility’s managers may discourage or restrict clinicians
from performing the procedure in the facility or using certain technologies, such as The Catamaran System, to perform the procedure.
The Medicare 2023
national average hospital inpatient payment for SI-Joint procedures ranges from approximately $25,661 to approximately $46,437 depending
on the procedural approach and the presence of Complication and Comorbidity/Major Complication and Comorbidity.
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The Medicare 2023
national average hospital outpatient clinic payment is $17,756. We believe that insurer payments to facilities are generally adequate
for these facilities to offer The Catamaran System procedure.
Physicians are
reimbursed separately for their professional time and effort to perform a surgical procedure. Depending on the surgical approach, the
incision size, type and extent of imaging guidance, indication for procedure, and the insurer, The Catamaran System procedure may be
reported by the physician using any one of the applicable following CPT® codes 27279, 27280, 27299. The Medicare 2022 national average
payment for CPT® 27279 is $807 and $1,352 for 27280. CPT® 27299 has no national valuation. Clinicians, however, can present a
crosswalk to another procedure believed to be fairly equivalent and/or comparison to a code for which there is an existing valuation.
For some governmental
programs, such as Medicaid, coverage and reimbursement differ from state to state, and some state Medicaid programs may not pay an adequate
amount for the procedures performed with our products, if any payment is made at all. Similar to Medicaid, many private payors’
coverage and payment may differ from one payer to another.
We believe that
some clinicians view the current Medicare reimbursement amount as insufficient for current SI-Joint procedures, given the work effort
involved with the procedure, including the time to diagnose the patient and obtain prior authorization from the patient’s health
insurer when necessary. Many private payors require extensive documentation of a multi-step diagnosis before authorizing SI-Joint fusion
for a patient. We believe that some private payors apply their own coverage policies and criteria inconsistently, and clinicians may
experience difficulties in securing approval and coverage for sacroiliac fusion procedures. Additionally, many private payors limit coverage
for open SI-Joint fusion to trauma, tumors or extensive spine fusion procedures involving multiple levels.
We believe the
unique design of The Catamaran System and the fact The Catamaran System may be placed both via an open procedure based on the clinician’s
determination of trauma induced SI-Joint pain or as a minimally invasive approach provides a unique and differentiated approach for the
clinician to determine the reimbursement code that best fits the clinical problem. We believe this is a significant advantage over competitive
devices by providing the clinician the clinical flexibility of offering the best clinical solution and approach for patients.
Sales and Marketing
We market and sell
The Catamaran System primarily through independent distributors and sales representatives specializing in orthopedics and spine sales.
Our target customer base includes approximately 12,000 physicians who perform spine and/or pelvic surgical procedures.
We provide general
sales and marketing training to our independent sales representative along with comprehensive, hands-on cadaveric and dry-lab training
sessions focusing on the clinical benefits of The Catamaran System and the importance of using the 2D and 3D protocols we have developed.
We believe many clinicians have already been trained using one of the alternative products but have not been satisfied with the approach
and technology. This provides us with an opportunity to demonstrate to an already-trained-clinician the unique attributes of The Catamaran
System.
Our business objective
is to introduce the Next Generation Implant for SI-Joint Fixation. The past 10 years has seen an acceleration in recognition and discussion
of the SI-Joint as a cause of pain that can be treated. However, adoption has been hindered by complexity of the procedure as evidenced
by the significant number of reported Medical Device Records (MDR’s). The need for multiple implants and resulting post-op pain
has also contributed to low adoption numbers. Our strategy is to provide a safer, faster, and better surgical experience and a significant
pain reduction benefit for the patient. Our goals are simple but impactful and as such we plan on the following:
● Educate and inform physicians
and other healthcare providers, payors, and patients about the growing body of evidence supporting what we believe is the safety, durable
clinical effectiveness, economic benefit, and reduction in opioid use associated with SI-Joint fixation and The Catamaran System procedure.
● Utilize the most effective
means of training via video and in-person labs demonstrating the ease of use with 2D and 3D navigation. Since many physicians have already
been trained but have not incorporated SI-Joint fixation into their practices we will work with these physicians to reengage and train
them on the Next Generation of an SI-Joint implant which incorporates a safer and simpler approach.
● Utilize the best approaches
of direct-to-consumer outreach to educate patients that there is a safe solution to help them improve their quality of life. Additionally,
to reach the broadest physician and patient audience on case study results from around the United States we plan to implement an active
social media campaign incorporating Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, etc.
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● Invest in our independent sales
representative network to ensure that all Tenon representatives have the latest in marketing and education tools to reduce the time from
training to adoption.
● Remain true to our next generation
product development strategy by continually bringing out new advancements in and around the SI-Joint and pelvic region.
● Continue to grow our existing
intellectual property portfolio.
● Execute post-market clinical
research to confirm the benefits of the distinct approach and implant.
Regulatory Status
We have received
FDA 510(k) clearance to market and sell The Catamaran System for sacroiliac joint fusion for conditions including sacroiliac joint disruptions
and degenerative sacroiliitis.
Research & Development
Our initial development
of The Catamaran System has incorporated several differentiating features which we believe will make an important contribution for many
patients suffering from SI-Joint pain. To our knowledge, no other competitive product incorporates these Next Generation features:
● Dual Pontoon implant that transfixes
the targeted joint;
● Open cell design designed for
utilizing the patient’s own autologous bone for promotion of fusion;
● Bridge design between the dual
pontoons for enhanced strength;
● Leading edge of the implant
designed to function as an osteotome providing a self-creating defect feature not available with competitive systems;
● Single implant designed with
varying pontoon sizes to ensure a robust fixation based on anatomy; and
● Additional smaller Catamaran
designed for smaller anatomy and/or revision surgery.
Our development
plan is to expand The Catamaran System offering by introducing a series of progressively longer pontoons so that the clinician has a
full complement of sized implants to choose from depending on the patient’s anatomy. These product enhancements will enable the
clinician to optimize the size of each implant to ensure full fixation based on anatomy. We believe, based on literature searches of
prior SI-Joint fixation technologies, that adverse event incidence where the implant has loosened or been misplaced thereby requiring
a revision surgery could reach 20%. We believe that our ability to make The Catamaran System a specifically sized fixation device will
benefit many patients requiring a revision surgery.
The Catamaran System
shown below has been cleared by the FDA for commercialization. This patented titanium implant incorporates the Catamaran SI-Joint Fixation
Device pontoon design and the open cell configuration which we believe, when filled with the patient’s autologous bone, promotes
fusion. The two images below show a comparison of a competitive implant requiring three implants and The Catamaran System unique pontoon
design showing the need of only one implant to cover the same amount of the SI-Joint.
The Catamaran™ SIJ Fusion
System Single Implant
SI Bone
iFuse® Three Implants
Our mission will
be to continue developing enhancements to The Catamaran System to meet our customers’ changing needs and to improve the surgery’s
effectiveness. This includes revision surgery options as well as options as an adjunct to long fusion constructs in the lumbar spine.
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Additionally, we
will initiate various post marketing clinical studies in accordance with FDA cleared indications for use. Since we have already received
FDA 510(k) clearance to market The Catamaran System, our clinical study activities will be focused on capturing post-market safety and
efficacy data. Tenon has received IRB approval for two post-market trials, including a 50 patient, 10 center multi-center trial and a
prospective CT trial to demonstrate fusion in patient who have already been treated with The Catamaran System. Clinical study endpoints
may include but are not limited to; pain scoring, length of surgical procedure, blood loss, post-op pain, length of stay, duration of
non-weight-bearing post-op, radiographic confirmation of fusion and surgical complication rates. Statistical analysis plans may be designed
to demonstrate non-inferiority to historical control, as reported in published literature, which may be used for submission to peer reviewed
articles / posters / presentations and the like.
Intellectual
Property
Developing and
maintaining a strong intellectual property position is an important element of our business. We maintain the intellectual property through
a combination of patent protection, trademarks, and trade secrets. We have sought, and will continue to seek, patent protection for our
technology, for improvements to our technology, as well as for any of our other technologies where we believe such protection will be
advantageous.
As of March 26, 2025, we own eight issued U.S. utility patents, 21
pending U.S. utility patent applications, four issued foreign utility patents in Australia, Canada, Japan and Israel, and two pending
foreign utility patent applications in the European Community, Brazil and Japan. We also have thirteen registered trademarks (seven U.S.
and six foreign) and twelve pending trademark applications in the U.S.
Our utility patents
and patent applications are directed to several different aspects of our sacroiliac (SI) joint stabilization technology and related patent
platform. By way of example, our granted patents and pending patent applications cover various structural features of our unique Catamaran
SI-Joint prosthesis and means for employing same to stabilize a dysfunctional SI-Joint.
The term of individual
patents depends on the legal term for patents in the countries in which they are granted. In most countries, including the United States,
the patent term for a utility patent is generally 20 years from the earliest claimed filing date of a nonprovisional patent application
in the applicable country. Our issued U.S. and foreign utility patents are anticipated to naturally expire around 2031, and our U.S.
pending utility patent applications, if issued into patents, are similarly anticipated to naturally expire around 2031, excluding any
additional patent term adjustment(s) or extension(s), and assuming payment of all applicable maintenance or annuity fees. Once a patent
expires, patent protection ends and an invention enters the public domain allowing anyone to commercially exploit the invention without
infringing the patent.
We cannot guarantee
that patents will be issued from any of our pending applications or that issued patents will be of sufficient scope or strength to provide
meaningful protection for our technology. Notwithstanding the scope of the patent protection available to us, a competitor could develop
methods or devices that are not covered by our patents or circumvent these patents. Furthermore, although, at present, we are unaware
of any patent applications that may result in one or more issued patents that our existing products or technologies may be alleged to
infringe, since U.S. and foreign applications can take many months to publish, there may be applications unknown to us that may result
in one or more issued patents that our existing products or technologies may be alleged to infringe.
As of March 26, 2025, we also have priority rights in and to several
significant trademarks that support our products and brand, including seven registered U.S. trademarks, twelve U.S. trademark applications
and six foreign trademark applications in the European Community (excluding the United Kingdom), Australia and Japan.
Regulation
Domestic
Regulation of Our Products and Business. Our research, development and clinical programs, as well as our manufacturing and marketing
operations, are subject to extensive regulation in the United States and other countries. Most notably, all of our products sold in the
United States are subject to the federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (the “FDCA”), as implemented and enforced by the FDA.
The FDA governs the following activities that we perform or that are performed on our behalf, to ensure that medical products distributed
domestically or exported internationally are safe and effective for their intended uses:
● product design, development,
and manufacture;
● product safety, testing, labeling,
and storage;
● record keeping procedures;
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● product marketing, sales, distribution
and export; and
● post-marketing surveillance,
complaint handling, medical device reporting, reporting of deaths, serious injuries or device malfunctions, and repair or recall of products.
There are numerous
FDA regulatory requirements governing the clearance or approval and marketing of our products. These include:
● product listing and establishment
registration, which helps facilitate FDA inspections and other regulatory action;
● investigational device exemptions
to conduct premarket clinical trials, which include extensive monitoring, recordkeeping, and reporting requirements;
● QSR, which requires manufacturers,
including contract manufacturers, to follow stringent design, testing, control, documentation and other quality assurance procedures
during all aspects of the manufacturing process;
● labeling regulations and FDA
prohibitions against the promotion of products for uncleared, unapproved or off-label use or indication;
● clearance of product modifications
that could significantly affect safety or effectiveness or that would constitute a major change in intended use of one of our cleared
devices;
● approval of product modifications
that affect the safety or effectiveness of one of our approved devices;
● medical device reporting regulations,
which require that manufacturers comply with FDA requirements to report if their device may have caused or contributed to a death or
serious injury, or has malfunctioned in a way that would likely cause or contribute to a death or serious injury if the malfunction of
the device or a similar device were to recur;
● post-approval restrictions
or conditions, including post-approval study commitments;
● post-market surveillance regulations,
which apply when necessary to protect the public health or to provide additional safety and effectiveness data for the device;
● the FDA’s recall authority,
whereby it can ask, or under certain conditions order, device manufacturers to recall from the market a product that is in violation
of governing laws and regulations;
● regulations pertaining to voluntary
recalls; and
● notices of corrections or removals.
The FDA has broad
post-market and regulatory enforcement powers. We and our contract manufacturers are subject to announced and unannounced inspections
by the FDA to determine our compliance with the QSR and other regulations and these inspections may include the manufacturing facilities
of our suppliers. Tenon has a robust Supplier Qualification and Audit process as part of our quality system that ensures contract manufacturers,
and their suppliers meet all requirements.
An FDA pre-approval
inspection is not required for The Catamaran System due to its lower device classification, class II versus the higher class III. As
is the case for most medical device firms, Tenon is subject to routine and “for cause” FDA inspections. Routine inspections are
mandated by law every 2 years for class II and class III device manufacturers and make up the majority of FDA’s inspections. If a serious
public health risk is identified during a routine inspection, the inspection may convert to a “for cause” inspection. In
the current environment, FDA has limited compliance resources and has not been able to perform routine inspections in accordance with
the 2-year mandate. Therefore, FDA uses a risk-based approach when deciding which firms should be selected for a routine inspection.
Using the Establishment Registration and Device Listing databases, FDA identifies who manufactures and/or distributes which devices.
The firms are then prioritized by risk, class III > class II > class I. Firms that have recently introduced a new device to the
market also are given higher priority, as well as those that have had significant prior violations and complaints. At present, Tenon
has not been selected for an FDA inspection. Tenon uses best practices to secure and maintain regulatory compliance by engaging
with suppliers and contract manufacturing firms that are ISO 13485 (or equivalent) compliant and by periodically performing internal,
external, and third-party inspections and audits of the facilities and systems to assess compliance.
FDA Premarket
Clearance and Approval Requirements. Unless an exemption applies, each medical device we wish to commercially distribute in the
United States will require either premarket notification, or 510(k), clearance or approval of a PMA from the FDA. The FDA classifies
medical devices into one of three classes. Devices deemed to pose lower risks are placed in either Class I or II, which typically
requires the manufacturer to submit to the FDA a premarket notification requesting permission to commercially distribute the device.
This process is generally known as 510(k) clearance. Some low-risk devices are exempted from this requirement. Devices deemed by the
FDA to pose the greatest risks, such as life-sustaining, life- supporting or implantable devices, or devices deemed not substantially
equivalent to a previously cleared 510(k) device, are placed in Class III, requiring a PMA. If the FDA agrees that the device is
substantially equivalent to a predicate device currently on the market, it will grant 510(k) clearance to commercially market the device.
If the FDA determines that the device is “not substantially equivalent” to a previously cleared device, the device is automatically
designated as a Class III device. The device sponsor must then fulfill more rigorous PMA requirements or can request a risk-based
classification determination for the device in accordance with the “de novo” process, which is a route to market for novel
medical devices that are low to moderate risk and are not substantially equivalent to a predicate device. All of our currently marketed
products are Class II devices, subject to 510(k) clearance.
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After a device
receives 510(k) marketing clearance, any modification that could significantly affect its safety or effectiveness, or that would constitute
a major change or modification in its intended use, will require a new 510(k) marketing clearance or, depending on the modification,
PMA approval. The determination as to whether or not a modification could significantly affect the device’s safety or effectiveness
is initially left to the manufacturer using available FDA guidance. Many minor modifications today are accomplished by a “letter
to file” in which the manufacture documents the rationale for the change and why a new 510(k) is not required. However, the FDA
may review such letters to file to evaluate the regulatory status of the modified product at any time and may require the manufacturer
to cease marketing and recall the modified device until 510(k) clearance or PMA approval is obtained. The manufacturer may also be subject
to significant regulatory fines or penalties.
Clinical
Trials. Clinical trials are generally required to support a PMA application and are sometimes required for 510(k) clearance.
Such trials for implanted devices such as the Catamaran SIJ Fixation Device generally require an investigational device exemption application,
or IDE, approved in advance by the FDA for a specified number of subjects and study sites, unless the product is deemed a nonsignificant
risk device eligible for more abbreviated IDE requirements. Clinical trials are subject to extensive monitoring, recordkeeping, and reporting
requirements. Clinical trials must be conducted under the oversight of an institutional review board, or IRB, for the relevant clinical
trial sites and must comply with FDA regulations, including but not limited to those relating to good clinical practices. To conduct
a clinical trial, we also are required to obtain the subjects’ informed consent in form and substance that complies with both FDA
requirements and state and federal privacy and human subject protection regulations. We, the FDA, or the institutional review board,
or IRB, could suspend a clinical trial at any time for various reasons, including a belief that the risks to study subjects outweigh
the anticipated benefits. Even if a trial is completed, the results of clinical testing may not adequately demonstrate the safety and
effectiveness of the device or may otherwise not be sufficient to obtain FDA clearance or approval to market the product in the United
States.
Pervasive
and Continuing Regulation. After a device is placed on the market, numerous regulatory requirements continue to apply. These
include:
● Product listing and establishment
registration, which helps facilitate FDA inspections and other regulatory action;
● QSR, which requires manufacturers,
including contract manufacturers, to follow stringent design, testing, control, documentation, and other quality assurance procedures
during all aspects of the manufacturing process;
● labeling regulations and FDA
prohibitions against the promotion of products for uncleared, unapproved, or off-label use or indication;
● clearance of product modifications
that could significantly affect safety or effectiveness or that would constitute a major change in intended use of one of our cleared
devices;
● approval of product modifications
that affect the safety or effectiveness of one of our approved devices;
● post-approval restrictions
or condition, including post-approval study commitments;
● post-market surveillance regulations,
which apply when necessary to protect the public health or to provide additional safety and effectiveness data for the device;
● the FDA’s recall authority,
whereby it can ask, or under certain conditions order, device manufacturers to recall from the market a product that is in violation
of governing laws and regulations;
● regulations pertaining to voluntary
recalls; and
● notices of corrections or removals.
The FDA has broad
post-market and regulatory enforcement powers. We are subject to unannounced inspections by the FDA to determine our compliance with
the QSR and other regulations, and these inspections may include the manufacturing facilities of some of our subcontractors. Failure
by us or by our suppliers to comply with applicable regulatory requirements can result in enforcement action by the FDA or other regulatory
authorities, which may result in sanctions including, but not limited to:
● untitled letters, warning letters,
fines, injunctions, consent decrees, and civil penalties;
● unanticipated expenditures
to address or defend such actions
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● customer notifications for
repair, replacement, refunds;
● recall, detention, or seizure
of our products;
● operating restrictions or partial
suspension or total shutdown of production;
● refusing or delaying our requests
for 510(k) clearance or PMA approval of new products or modified products;
● operating restrictions;
● withdrawing 510(k) clearances
or PMA approvals that have already been granted:
● refusal to grant export approval
for our products; or
● criminal prosecution.
The FDA has not yet inspected our contract
manufacturer’s manufacturing facilities.
Promotional
Materials “Off-Label” Promotion. Advertising and promotion of medical devices, in addition to being regulated by
the FDA, are also regulated by the Federal Trade Commission and by state regulatory and enforcement authorities. If the FDA determines
that our promotional materials or training constitutes promotion of an unapproved use, it could request that we modify our training or
promotional materials or subject us to regulatory or enforcement actions, including the issuance of an untitled letter, a warning letter,
injunction, seizure, civil fine, or criminal penalties. It is also possible that other federal, state, or foreign enforcement authorities
might take action if they consider our promotional or training materials to constitute promotion of an unapproved use, which could result
in significant fines or penalties under other statutory authorities, such as laws prohibiting false claims for reimbursement. In that
event, our reputation could be damaged, and adoption of the products would be impaired.
In addition, under
the federal Lanham Act and similar state laws, competitors, and others can initiate litigation relating to advertising claims.
Healthcare Fraud
and Abuse
Federal and state
governmental agencies and equivalent foreign authorities subject the healthcare industry to intense regulatory scrutiny, including heightened
civil and criminal enforcement efforts. These laws constrain the sales, marketing and other promotional activities of medical device
manufacturers by limiting the kinds of financial arrangements we may have with hospitals, physicians and other potential purchases of
our products. Federal healthcare fraud and abuse laws apply to our business when a customer submits a claim for an item or service that
is reimbursed under Medicare, Medicaid, or other federally funded healthcare programs. Descriptions of some of the laws and regulations
that may affect our ability to operate follows.
The federal Anti-Kickback
Statute prohibits, among other things, persons from knowingly and willfully soliciting, receiving, offering, or paying remuneration,
directly or indirectly, in cash or in kind, to induce or reward either the referral of an individual for, or the purchase, order or recommendation
of, items or services for which payment may be made, in whole or in part, under federal healthcare programs. The term “remuneration”
has been broadly interpreted to include anything of value, and the government can establish a violation of the Anti-Kickback Statute
without proving that a person or entity had actual knowledge of, or a specific intent to violate, the law. The Anti-Kickback Statute
is subject to evolving interpretations and has been applied by government enforcement officials to a number of common business arrangements
in the medical device industry. There are a number of statutory exceptions and regulatory safe harbors protecting some common activities
from prosecution; however, those exceptions and safe harbors are drawn narrowly, and there is no exception or safe harbor for many common
business activities. Failure to meet all of the requirements of a particular statutory exception or regulatory safe harbor does not make
the conduct per se illegal under the Anti-Kickback Statute, but the legality of the arrangement will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis
based on the totality of the facts and circumstances. A number of states also have anti-kickback laws that establish similar prohibitions
that may apply to items or services reimbursed by government programs, as well as by any third-party payors, including commercial payors.
The civil False
Claims Act prohibits, among other things, knowingly presenting or causing the presentation of a false or fraudulent claim for payment
of federal funds, or knowingly making, or causing to be made, a false record or statement material to a false or fraudulent claim to
avoid, decrease or conceal an obligation to pay money to the federal government. A claim including items or services resulting from a
violation of the Anti- Kickback Statute constitutes a false or fraudulent claim for purposes of the False Claims Act. Actions under the
False Claims Act may be brought by the government or as a qui tam action by a private individual in the name of the government.
Qui tam actions are filed under seal and impose a mandatory duty on the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate such allegations.
Most private citizen actions are declined by the Department of Justice or dismissed by federal courts. However, the investigation costs
for a company can be significant and material even if the allegations are without merit. There are also criminal penalties, including
imprisonment and criminal fines, for making or presenting a false or fictitious or fraudulent claim to the federal government.
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False Claims Act
liability is potentially significant in the healthcare industry because the statute provides for treble damages and mandatory penalties
of $11,181 to $22,363 per claim (adjusted annually for inflation). Because of the potential for large monetary exposure, healthcare companies
often resolve allegations without admissions of liability for significant and sometimes material amounts to avoid the uncertainty of
treble damages and per claim penalties that may awarded in litigation proceedings. Moreover, to avoid the risk of exclusion from federal
healthcare programs as a result of a False Claims Act settlement, companies may enter into corporate integrity agreements with the government,
which may impose substantial costs on companies to ensure compliance.
In addition, HIPAA
created federal criminal statutes that prohibit, among other actions, knowingly and willfully executing, or attempting to execute, a
scheme to defraud any healthcare benefit program, including private third-party payors, knowingly and willfully embezzling or stealing
from a healthcare benefit program, willfully obstructing a criminal investigation of a healthcare offense, and knowingly and willfully
falsifying, concealing or covering up a material fact or making any materially false, fictitious or fraudulent statement in connection
with the delivery of or payment for healthcare benefits, items or services.
The federal Physician
Payment Sunshine Act, implemented by CMS as the Open Payments program, requires manufacturers of drugs, devices, biologics and medical
supplies for which payment is available under Medicare, Medicaid, or the Children’s Health Insurance Program to report annually
to CMS information related to payments or other “transfers of value” made to physicians and teaching hospitals, and requires
applicable manufacturers to report annually to CMS ownership and investment interests held by physicians and their immediate family members
and payments or other “transfers of value” to such physician owners.
Certain states
also mandate implementation of corporate compliance programs, impose restrictions on device manufacturer marketing practices, and/or
require tracking and reporting of gifts, compensation, and other remuneration to healthcare professionals and entities.
The Foreign Corrupt
Practices Act and similar anti-bribery laws in other countries, such as the UK Bribery Act, generally prohibit companies and their intermediaries
from making improper payments to government officials and/or other persons for the purpose of obtaining or retaining business. Our policies
mandate compliance with these anti-bribery laws.
Violations of these
federal and state fraud abuse laws can subject us to administrative, civil, and criminal penalties, including imprisonment, substantial
fines, penalties, damages, and exclusion from participation in federal healthcare programs, including Medicare and Medicaid.
Data Privacy
and Security Laws
HIPAA requires
the notification of patients, and other compliance actions, in the event of a breach of unsecured PHI. If notification to patients of
a breach is required, such notification must be provided without unreasonable delay and in no event later than 60 calendar days after
discovery of the breach. In addition, if the PHI of 500 or more individuals is improperly used or disclosed, we could be required to
report the improper use or disclosure to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, or HHS, which would post the violation on
its website, and to the media. Failure to comply with the HIPAA privacy and security standards can result in civil monetary penalties
up to $55,910 per violation, not to exceed $1.68 million per calendar year for non-compliance of an identical provision, and, in
certain circumstances, criminal penalties with fines up to $250,000 per violation and/or imprisonment.
In addition, even
when HIPAA does not apply, according to the FTC, failing to take appropriate steps to keep consumers’ personal information secure
constitutes unfair acts or practices in or affecting commerce in violation of Section 5(a) of the FTCA, 15 U.S.C § 45(a). The
FTC expects a company’s data security measures to be reasonable and appropriate in light of the sensitivity and volume of consumer
information it holds, the size and complexity of its business, and the cost of available tools to improve security and reduce vulnerabilities.
Medical data is considered sensitive data that merits stronger safeguards. The FTC’s guidance for appropriately securing consumers’
personal information is similar to what is required by the HIPAA Security Rule.
We are subject
to the supervision of local data protection authorities in those jurisdictions where we are established or otherwise subject to applicable
law. We depend on a number of third parties in relation to our provision of our services, a number of which process personal data on
our behalf. With each such provider we enter into contractual arrangements to ensure that they only process personal data according to
our instructions, and that they have sufficient technical and organizational security measures in place. Where we transfer personal data
outside the EEA, we do so in compliance with the relevant data export requirements. We take our data protection obligations seriously,
as any improper disclosure, particularly with regard to our customers’ sensitive personal data, could negatively impact our business
and/or our reputation.
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Manufacturing and Supply
We do not manufacture
any products or component parts and currently use five contract manufacturers to produce all of our instruments, implants and sterilization
cases. The majority of our instruments have a secondary manufacturing supplier, and we continually work with additional manufacturers
to establish secondary manufacturing suppliers. Our contract manufacturers source and purchase all raw materials used in the manufacture
of The Catamaran System which includes mainly stainless steel and aluminum for our instruments and sterilization cases and titanium for
our implants.
We do not currently
have manufacturing agreements with any of our contract manufacturers and orders are controlled through purchase orders. The Company does
not believe its relationship with any one contract manufacturer is material to its business.
We believe the
manufacturing operations of our contract manufacturers, and those of the suppliers of our manufacturers, comply with regulations mandated
by the FDA, as well as Medical Devices Directive regulations in the EEA. Manufacturing facilities that produce medical devices or component
parts intended for distribution world-wide are subject to regulation and periodic planned and unannounced inspection by the FDA and other
domestic and international regulatory agencies.
In the United States,
the product we sell is required to be manufactured in compliance with the QSR, which covers the methods used in, and the facilities used
for, the design, testing, control, manufacturing, labelling, quality assurance, packaging, storage, and shipping.
We are required
to demonstrate continuing compliance with applicable regulatory requirements and will be subject to FDA inspections. Further, we and
certain of our contract manufacturers are required to comply with all applicable regulations and current good manufacturing practices.
As set forth above, these FDA regulations cover, among other things, the methods and documentation of the design, testing, production,
control, quality assurance, labeling, packaging, sterilization, storage, and shipping of our products. Compliance with applicable regulatory
requirements is subject to continual review and is monitored rigorously through periodic inspections. If we or our manufacturers fail
to adhere to current good manufacturing practice requirements, this could delay production of our products and lead to fines, difficulties
in obtaining regulatory approvals, recalls, enforcement actions, including injunctive relief or consent decrees, or other consequences,
which could, in turn, have a material adverse effect on our financial condition or results of operations.
Product Liability
and Insurance
The manufacture
and sale of our products subjects us to the risk of financial exposure to product liability claims. Our products are used in situations
in which there is a risk of serious injury or death. We carry insurance policies which we believe to be customary for similar companies
in our industry. We cannot assure you that these policies will be sufficient to cover all or substantially all losses that we experience.
We endeavor to
maintain executive and organization liability insurance in a form and with aggregate coverage limits that we believe are adequate for
our business purposes.
Human Capital
Resources
As of March 26, 2025, we have a total of 27 employees, all of whom
are full-time, and four senior consulting advisors of various specialty including product development, general administrative and accounting.
None of our employees is subject to a collective bargaining agreement, and we consider our relationship with our employees to be good.
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.
Corporate Information
We were incorporated
on June 6, 2012, in Delaware. Our principal executive offices are located at 104 Cooper Court, Los Gatos, CA 95032 and our telephone
number is (408) 649-5760. Our website address is www.tenonmed.com. The information on, or that can be accessed through,
our website is not part of this report. We have included our website address as an inactive textual reference only.
15
Item 1A. Risk Factors
Our business
is subject to many risks and uncertainties, which may affect our future financial performance. If any of the events or circumstances
described below occur, our business and financial performance could be adversely affected, our actual results could differ materially
from our expectations, and the price of our stock could decline. The risks and uncertainties discussed below are not the only ones we
face. There may be additional risks and uncertainties not currently known to us or that we currently do not believe are material that
may adversely affect our business and financial performance. You should carefully consider the risks described below, together with all
other information included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, including our financial statements and related notes, before making an
investment decision. If any of the adverse developments described in the following risk factors actually occurs, our business, financial
condition, or results of operations could be harmed. In that case, the trading price of our common stock could decline, and investors
in our securities may lose all or part of their investment.
Risks Related to Our Business and
Operations
We have incurred losses in the
past, our financial statements have been prepared on a going concern basis and we may be unable to achieve or sustain profitability in
the future.
To date, we have
financed our operations primarily through the issuance of public and private equity and convertible notes. We have devoted substantially
all of our resources to research and development, creating the infrastructure for a publicly traded medical device company, preparing
for our national commercial launch, and clinical and regulatory matters for our products. There can be no assurances that we will be
able to generate sufficient revenue from our existing products or from any future product candidates to transition to profitability and
generate consistent positive cash flows. We expect that our operating expenses will continue to increase as we continue to build our
commercial infrastructure, develop, enhance, and commercialize our existing and new products and incur additional operating and reporting
costs associated with being a public company. As a result, we expect to continue to incur operating losses for the foreseeable future
and may never achieve profitability. Furthermore, even if we do achieve profitability, we may not be able to sustain or increase profitability
on an ongoing basis. If we do not achieve profitability, it will be more difficult for us to finance our business and accomplish our
strategic objectives.
Our recurring losses
from operations and negative cash flows raise substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern. As a result, our independent
registered public accounting firm included an explanatory paragraph in its report on our financial statements for the fiscal year ended,
December 31, 2024, describing the existence of substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern. Our expected
future capital requirements may depend on many factors including expanding our clinician base, increasing the rate at which we train
clinicians, the number of additional clinical papers initiated, and the timing and extent of spending on the development of our technology
to increase our product offerings. We may need additional funding to fund our operations but additional funds may not be available to
us on acceptable terms on a timely basis, if at all. We may seek funds through borrowings or through additional rounds of financing,
including private or public equity or debt offerings. If we raise additional funds by issuing equity securities, our stockholders may
experience dilution. Any future debt financing into which we enter may impose upon us additional covenants that restrict our operations,
including limitations on our ability to incur liens or additional debt, pay dividends, repurchase our common stock, make certain investments,
and engage in certain merger, consolidation or asset sale transactions. Any future debt financing or additional equity that we raise
may contain terms that are not favorable to us or our stockholders. Furthermore, we cannot be certain that additional funding will be
available on acceptable terms, if at all. If we are unable to raise additional capital or generate sufficient cash from operations to
adequately fund our operations, we will need to curtail planned activities to reduce costs, which will likely harm our ability to execute
on our business plan and continue operations.
If hospitals,
clinicians, and other healthcare providers are unable to obtain coverage and reimbursement from third-party payors for procedures performed
using our products, adoption of our products may be delayed, and it is unlikely that they will gain further acceptance.
Growing sales of
our product depends on the availability of adequate coverage and reimbursement from third-party payors, including government programs
such as Medicare and Medicaid, private insurance plans, and managed care programs. Hospitals, clinicians, and other healthcare providers
that purchase or use medical devices generally rely on third-party payors to pay for all or part of the costs and fees associated with
the procedures performed with these devices.
Adequate coverage
and reimbursement for procedures performed with our products is central to the acceptance of our current and future products. We may
be unable to sell our products on a profitable basis if third-party payors deny coverage, continue to deny coverage or reduce their current
levels of payment, or if our costs for the product increase faster than increases in reimbursement levels.
16
Many private payors
refer to coverage decisions and payment amounts determined by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, or CMS, which administers
the Medicare program, as guidelines for setting their coverage and reimbursement policies. By June 30, 2016, all Medicare Administrative
Contractors were regularly reimbursing for minimally invasive and/or open SI-Joint fusion. Private payors that do not follow the Medicare
guidelines may adopt different coverage and reimbursement policies for procedures performed with our products. Private commercial payors
have been slower to adopt positive coverage policies for minimally invasive and/or open SI-Joint fusion, and many private payors still
have policies that treat the procedure as experimental or investigational and do not regularly reimburse for the procedure. Future action
by CMS or third-party payors may further reduce the availability of payments to physicians, outpatient surgery centers, and/or hospitals
for procedures using our products.
The healthcare
industry in the United States has experienced a trend toward cost containment as government and private insurers seek to control healthcare
costs. Payors are imposing lower payment rates and negotiating reduced contract rates with service providers and being increasingly selective
about the technologies and procedures they choose to cover. There can be no guarantee that we will be able to provide the scientific
and clinical data necessary to overcome these policies. Payors may adopt policies in the future restricting access to medical technologies
like ours and/or the procedures performed using such technologies. Therefore, we cannot be certain that the procedures performed with
each of our products will be reimbursed. There can be no guarantee that, should we introduce additional products in the future, payors
will cover those products or the procedures in which they are used.
If the reimbursement
provided by third-party payors to hospitals, clinicians, and other healthcare providers for procedures performed using our products is
insufficient, adoption and use of our products and the prices paid for our implants may decline.
When a Tenon procedure
utilizing The Catamaran System is performed, both the clinician and the healthcare facility, a hospital (inpatient or outpatient
clinic), submit claims for reimbursement to the patient’s insurer. Generally, the facility obtains a lump sum payment, or facility
fee, for SI-Joint fusions. Our products are purchased by the facility, along with other supplies used in the procedure. The facility
must also pay for its own fixed costs of operation, including certain operating room personnel involved in the procedure, and other medical
services care. If these costs exceed the facility reimbursement, the facility’s managers may discourage or restrict clinicians
from performing the procedure in the facility or using certain technologies, such as The Catamaran System, to perform the procedure.
The Medicare 2023
national average hospital inpatient payment ranges from approximately $25,661 to approximately $46,437 depending on the procedural approach
and the presence of Complication and Comorbidity (CC)/Major Complication and Comorbidity ( MCC ) .
The Medicare 2023
national average hospital outpatient clinic payment is $17,756. We believe that insurer payments to facilities are generally adequate
for these facilities to offer The Catamaran System. However, there can be no guarantee that these facility payments will not decline
in the future. The number of procedures performed, and the prices paid for our implants may in the future decline if payments
to facilities for SI-Joint fusions decline.
Clinicians are
reimbursed separately for their professional time and effort to perform a surgical procedure. Depending on the surgical approach, the
incision size, type and extent of imaging guidance, indication for procedure, and the insurer, The Catamaran System procedure may be
reported by the clinician using any one of the applicable following CPT® codes 27279, 27280, 27299. The Medicare 2022 national average
payment for CPT® 27279 is $807 and $1,325 for 27280. CPT® 27299 has no national valuation. Clinicians, however, can present a
crosswalk to another procedure believed to be fairly equivalent and/or comparison to a code for which there is an existing valuation.
For some governmental
programs, such as Medicaid, coverage and reimbursement differ from state to state, and some state Medicaid programs may not pay an adequate
amount for the procedures performed with our products, if any payment is made at all. Similar to Medicaid, many private payors’
coverage and payment may differ from one payer to another as well.
We believe that
some clinicians view the current Medicare reimbursement amount as insufficient for the procedure, given the work effort involved with
the procedure, including the time to diagnose the patient and obtain prior authorization from the patient’s health insurer when
necessary. Many private payors require extensive documentation of a multi-step diagnosis before authorizing SI-Joint fusion for a patient.
We believe that some private payors apply their own coverage policies and criteria inconsistently, and clinicians may experience difficulties
in securing approval and coverage for sacroiliac fusion procedures. Additionally, many private payors limit coverage for open SI-Joint
fusion to trauma, tumors or extensive spine fusion procedures involving multiple levels. The perception by physicians that the reimbursement
for SI-Joint fusion is insufficient to compensate them for the work required, including diagnosis, documentation, obtaining payor approval
for the procedure, and burden on their office staff, may negatively affect the number of procedures performed and may therefore impede
the growth of our revenues or cause them to decline.
17
We may not
be able to convince physicians that The Catamaran System is an attractive alternative to our competitors’ products and that our
procedure is an attractive alternative to existing surgical and non-surgical treatments of the SI-Joint.
Clinicians play
the primary role in determining the course of treatment in consultation with their patients and, ultimately, the product that will be
used to treat a patient. In order for us to sell The Catamaran System successfully, we must convince clinicians through education and
training that treatment with The Catamaran System is beneficial, safe, and cost-effective for patients as compared to our competitors’
products. If we are not successful in convincing clinicians of the merits of The Catamaran System, they may not use our product, and
we will be unable to increase our sales and achieve or grow profitability.
Historically, most
spine clinicians did not include SI-Joint pain in their diagnostic work-up because they did not have an adequate surgical procedure to
perform for patients diagnosed with the condition. As a result, some patients with lower back pain resulting from SI-Joint dysfunction
are misdiagnosed. We believe that educating clinicians and other healthcare professionals about the clinical merits and patient benefits
of The Catamaran System is an important element of our growth. If we fail to effectively educate clinicians and other medical professionals,
they may not include a SI-Joint evaluation as part of their diagnosis and, as a result, those patients may continue to receive unnecessary
or only non-surgical treatment.
Clinicians may also hesitate to change
their medical treatment practices for other reasons, including the following:
● lack of experience with minimally
invasive procedures;
● perceived liability risks generally
associated with the use of new products and procedures;
● costs associated with the purchase
of new products; and
● time commitment that may be
required for training.
Furthermore, we
believe clinicians may not widely adopt The Catamaran System unless they determine, based on experience, clinical data, and published
peer-reviewed publications, that surgical intervention provides benefits or is an attractive alternative to non-surgical treatments of
SI-Joint dysfunction. In addition, we believe support of our products relies heavily on long-term data showing the benefits of using
our product. If we are unable to provide that data, clinicians may not use our product. In such circumstances, we may not achieve expected
sales and may be unable to achieve profitability.
Clinicians
and payors may not find our clinical evidence to be compelling, which could limit our sales, and on-going and future research may prove
our product to be less safe and effective than initially anticipated.
All of the component
parts of The Catamaran System have either received premarket clearance under Section 510(k) of the U.S. federal Food, Drug, and
Cosmetic Act, or FDCA, or are exempt from premarket review. The 510(k) clearance process of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or
FDA, requires us to document that our product is “substantially equivalent” to another 510(k) -cleared product. The 510(k)
process is shorter and typically requires the submission of less supporting documentation than other FDA approval processes, such as
a premarket approval, or PMA, and does not usually require pre-clinical or clinical studies. Additionally, to date, we have not been
required to complete clinical studies in connection with the sale of our product. For these reasons, clinicians may be slow to adopt
our product, third-party payors may be slow to provide coverage, and we may be subject to greater regulatory and product liability risks.
Further, future patient studies or clinical experience may indicate that treatment with our product does not improve patient outcomes.
Such results would slow the adoption of our product by clinicians, significantly reduce our ability to achieve expected sales, and could
prevent us from achieving profitability. Moreover, if future results and experience indicate that our product causes unexpected or serious
complications or other unforeseen negative effects, we could be subject to mandatory product recalls, suspension, or withdrawal of FDA
clearance.
Pricing pressure
from our competitors, changes in third-party coverage and reimbursement, healthcare provider consolidation, payor consolidation and the
proliferation of “physician-owned distributorships” may impact our ability to sell our product at prices necessary to support
our current business strategies.
If competitive
forces drive down the prices we are able to charge for our product, our profit margins will shrink, which will adversely affect our ability
to invest in and grow our business. The SI-Joint fusion market has attracted numerous new companies and technologies. As a result of
this increased competition, we believe there will be continued and increased pricing pressure, resulting in lower gross margins, with
respect to our product.
18
Even to the extent
our product and procedures using our product are currently covered and reimbursed by third-party private and public payors, adverse changes
in coverage and reimbursement policies that affect our product, discounts, and number of implants used may also drive our prices down
and harm our ability to market and sell our product.
We are unable to
predict what changes will be made to the reimbursement methodologies used by third-party payors. We cannot be certain that under current
and future payment systems, in which healthcare providers may be reimbursed a set amount based on the type of procedure performed, such
as those utilized by Medicare and in many privately managed care systems, the cost of our product will be justified and incorporated
into the overall cost of the procedure. In addition, to the extent there is a shift from inpatient setting to outpatient settings, we
may experience pricing pressure and a reduction in the number of The Catamaran System procedures performed.
Consolidation in
the healthcare industry, including both third-party payors and healthcare providers, could lead to demands for price concessions or to
the exclusion of some suppliers from certain of our markets, which could have an adverse effect on our business, results of operations,
or financial condition. Because healthcare costs have risen significantly over the past several years, numerous initiatives and reforms
initiated by legislators, regulators, and third-party payors to curb these costs have resulted in a consolidation trend in the healthcare
industry to aggregate purchasing power. As the healthcare industry consolidates, competition to provide products and services to industry
participants has become and will continue to become more intense. This in turn has resulted and will likely continue to result in greater
pricing pressures and the exclusion of certain suppliers from important market segments as group purchasing organizations, independent
delivery networks, and large single accounts continue to use their market power to consolidate purchasing decisions for hospitals. We
expect that market demand, government regulation, third-party coverage, and reimbursement policies and societal pressures will continue
to change the worldwide healthcare industry, resulting in further business consolidations and alliances among our customers, which may
reduce competition, exert further downward pressure on the price of our product, and adversely impact our business, results of operations,
or financial condition. As we continue to expand into international markets, we will face similar risks relating to adverse changes in
coverage and reimbursement procedures and policies in those markets.
We operate
in a very competitive business environment and if we are unable to compete successfully against our existing or potential competitors,
our sales and operating results may be negatively affected and we may not grow.
The Catamaran System
is subject to intense competition. Many of our competitors are major medical device companies that have substantially greater financial,
technical, and marketing resources than we do, and they may succeed in developing products that would render our product obsolete or
non-competitive. In addition, many of these competitors have significantly longer operating histories and more established reputations
than we do. Our field is intensely competitive, subject to rapid change and highly sensitive to the introduction of new products or other
market activities of industry participants. Our ability to compete successfully will depend on our ability to develop proprietary products
that reach the market in a timely manner, receive adequate coverage and reimbursement from third-party payors, and are safer, less invasive,
and more effective than alternatives available for similar purposes as demonstrated in peer-reviewed clinical publications. Because of
the size of the potential market, we anticipate that other companies will dedicate significant resources to developing competing products.
In the United States,
we believe that our primary competitors are currently SI-bone, Inc., Globus Medical, Inc., Medtronic plc, XTant Medical Holdings, Inc.,
and RTI Surgical, Inc. At any time, these or other industry participants may develop alternative treatments, products or procedures for
the treatment of the SI-Joint that compete directly or indirectly with our product. If alternative treatments are, or are perceived to
be, superior to our product, sales of our product and our results of operations could be negatively affected. Some of our larger competitors
are either publicly traded or divisions or subsidiaries of publicly traded companies. These competitors may enjoy several competitive
advantages over us, including:
● greater financial, human, and
other resources for product research and development, sales and marketing, and legal matters;
● significantly greater name
recognition;
● established relationships with
clinicians, hospitals, and other healthcare providers;
● large and established sales
and marketing and distribution networks;
● greater experience in obtaining
and maintaining domestic and international regulatory clearances or approvals, or CE Certificates of Conformity for products and product
enhancements;
● more expansive portfolios of
intellectual property rights; and
● greater ability to cross-sell
their products or to incentivize hospitals or clinicians to use their products.
19
New participants
have increasingly entered the medical device industry. Many of these new competitors specialize in a specific product or focus on a particular
market segment, making it more difficult for us to increase our overall market position. The frequent introduction by competitors of
products that are or claim to be superior to our product or that are alternatives to our existing or planned products may make it difficult
to differentiate the benefits of our product over competing products. In addition, the entry of multiple new products and competitors
may lead some of our competitors to employ pricing strategies that could adversely affect the pricing of our product and pricing in the
market generally.
As a result, without
the timely introduction of new products and enhancements, our product may become obsolete over time. If we are unable to develop innovative
new products, maintain competitive pricing, and offer products that clinicians and other physicians perceive to be as reliable as those
of our competitors, our sales or margins could decrease, thereby harming our business.
We currently
manufacture (through third parties) and sell products used in a single procedure, which could negatively affect our operations and financial
condition.
Presently we do
not sell any products other than The Catamaran System and related tools and instruments. Therefore, we are solely dependent on widespread
market adoption of The Catamaran System and we will continue to be dependent on the success of this single product for the foreseeable
future. There can be no assurance that The Catamaran System will gain a substantial degree of market acceptance among clinicians, patients
or healthcare providers. Our failure to successfully increase sales of The Catamaran System or any other event impeding our ability to
sell The Catamaran System, would result in a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial condition and continuing
operations.
We have a
limited operating history and may face difficulties encountered by early-stage companies in new and rapidly evolving markets.
Even though we
were formed in 2012 we have just built the infrastructure necessary to commercially launch The Catamaran System. Accordingly, we have
a limited operating history upon which to base an evaluation of our business and prospects. In assessing our prospects, you must consider
the risks and difficulties frequently encountered by early-stage companies in new and rapidly evolving markets, particularly companies
engaged in the development and sales of medical devices. These risks include our inability to:
● obtain coverage by third-party,
private, and government payors;
● establish and increase awareness
of our brand and strengthen customer loyalty;
● attract and retain qualified
personnel;
● find and develop relationships
with contract manufacturers that can manufacture the necessary volume of product;
● manage our independent sales
representatives to achieve our sales growth objectives;
● commercialize new products
and enhance our existing product;
● manage rapidly changing and
expanding operations;
● implement and successfully
execute our business and marketing strategy;
● respond effectively to competitive
pressures and developments.
We can also be
negatively affected by general economic conditions. Because of our limited operating history, we may not have insight into trends that
could emerge and negatively affect our business. As a result of these or other risks, our business strategy might not be successful.
20
Our sales
volumes and our operating results may fluctuate over the course of the year.
Since we had our
first sales in April 2021 and our official national launch commenced in October 2022, we have limited history with respect to how rapidly
adoption of The Catamaran System will occur. Sales growth could be slower than we have projected. Our sales and results of operations
will be affected by numerous factors, including, among other things:
● payor coverage and reimbursement;
● maintaining our training schedule
with clinicians;
● the number of procedures performed
in the quarter and our ability to drive increased sales of our product;
● our ability to identify and
sign-up independent sales representatives and their performance;
● pricing pressure applicable
to our product, including adverse third-party coverage and reimbursement outcomes;
● timing of new product offerings,
acquisitions, licenses or other significant events by us or our competitors;
● our ability to find and develop
relationships with contract manufacturers and their ability to timely provide us with an adequate supply of products;
● the evolving product offerings
of our competitors;
● the demand for, and pricing
of, our product and the products of our competitors;
● factors that may affect the
sale of our product, including seasonality and budgets of our customers;
● interruption in the manufacturing
or distribution of our product;
● the effect of competing technological,
industry and market developments;
● our ability to expand the geographic
reach of our sales and marketing efforts;
● the costs of maintaining adequate
insurance coverage, including product liability insurance;
● the availability and cost of
components and materials needed by our contract manufacturers;
● the number of selling days
in the quarter; and
● impairment and other special
charges.
Some of the products
we may seek to develop and introduce in the future will require FDA clearance or approval before commercialization in the United States.
As a result, it will be difficult for us to forecast demand for these products with any degree of certainty. In addition, we will be
increasing our operating expenses as we expand our commercial capabilities. Accordingly, we may experience significant, unanticipated
quarterly losses. If our quarterly or annual operating results fall below the expectations of investors or securities analysts, the price
of our common stock could decline substantially. Furthermore, any quarterly or annual fluctuations in our operating results may, in turn,
cause the price of our common stock to fluctuate substantially. Quarterly comparisons of our financial results may not always be meaningful
and should not be relied upon as an indication of our future performance.
If we do
not successfully implement our business strategy, our business and results of operations will be adversely affected.
Our business strategy
was based on assumptions about the market that might prove wrong. We believe that various demographics and industry-specific trends will
help drive growth in the market and our business, but these demographics and trends have been and will continue to be uncertain. Actual
demand for our product could differ materially from projected demand if our assumptions regarding these factors prove to be incorrect
or do not materialize, or if alternative treatments to those offered by our product gains widespread acceptance. Also, our strategy of
focusing exclusively on the SI-Joint market may limit our ability to grow. In addition, in order to increase our sales, we will need
to identify and contract with independent sales representatives in existing and new regions as well, and in the future, commercialize
new products. Moreover, we may decide to alter or discontinue aspects of our business strategy and may adopt different strategies due
to business or competitive factors not currently foreseen, such as new medical technologies that would make our product obsolete. Any
failure to implement our business strategy may adversely affect our business, results of operations, and financial condition.
21
Our business
could suffer if we lose the services of key members of our senior management, key advisors or personnel.
We are dependent
upon the continued services of key members of our senior management and a number of key advisors and personnel. The loss of members of
our senior management team, key advisors or personnel, or our inability to attract or retain other qualified personnel or advisors, could
have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, and financial condition. We do not maintain “key person”
insurance for any of our executives or employees. In addition, several of the members of our executive management team are not subject
to non-competition agreements that restrict their ability to compete with us. Accordingly, the adverse effect resulting from the loss
of certain executives could be compounded by our inability to prevent them from competing with us.
Various factors
outside our direct control may adversely affect manufacturing and distribution of our product.
The manufacture
and distribution of our product is challenging. Changes that our contract manufacturers may make outside the purview of our direct control
can have an impact on our processes, quality of our product, and the successful delivery of products to our customers. Mistakes and mishandling
are not uncommon and can affect supply and delivery. Some of these risks include:
●
failure to manufacture in compliance with the required regulatory standards;
●
transportation risk;
●
the cost and availability of components and supplies required by our
contract manufacturers to manufacture our products;
●
delays in analytical results or failure of analytical techniques that
we will depend on for quality control and release of products;
●
natural disasters, labor disputes, financial distress, raw material
availability, issues with facilities and equipment, or other forms of disruption to business operations affecting our manufacturers
or their suppliers; and
●
latent defects that may become apparent after products have been released
and that may result in a recall of such products.
If any of these
risks were to materialize, our ability to provide our product to customers on a timely basis would be adversely impacted.
We are dependent
on a limited number of contract manufacturers, some of them single-source and some of them in single locations, for our product, and
the loss of any of these contract manufacturers, or their inability to provide us with an adequate supply of products in a timely and
cost-effective manner, could materially adversely affect our business.
We rely on contract
manufacturers to supply our product. For us to be successful, our contract manufacturers must be able to provide us with product in substantial
quantities, in compliance with regulatory requirements, in accordance with agreed upon specifications, at acceptable prices, and on a
timely basis. We have a limited history with our current contract manufacturers and do not have long-term supply contracts with them.
We are in the process of identifying and evaluating new contract manufacturers for our product. The inability to find the required contract
manufacturers or the time required to switch contract manufacturers could adversely affect sales.
In addition, our
anticipated growth could strain the ability of our contract manufacturers to deliver an increasingly large supply of product. Contract
manufacturers often experience difficulties in scaling up production, including financial issues, or problems with production yields
and quality control and assurance.
We use a small
number of contract manufacturers for our instruments. Our dependence on such a limited number of contract manufacturers exposes us to
risks, including, among other things:
●
contract manufacturers may fail to comply with regulatory requirements
or make errors in manufacturing that could negatively affect the safety or effectiveness of our product or cause delays in shipments
of our product;
●
some of our contract manufacturers have long lead times of 12 to 16
weeks and we may not be able to respond to unanticipated changes in customer orders, and if orders do not match forecasts, we or
our contract manufacturers may have excess or inadequate inventory of materials and components;
●
our contract manufacturers may be subject to price fluctuations due
to a lack of long-term supply arrangements for key components;
22
●
our contract manufacturers may lose access to critical services and
components, resulting in an interruption in the manufacture, assembly and shipment of our product;
●
we may experience delays in delivery by our contract manufacturers
due to changes in demand from us or their other customers;
●
fluctuations in demand for products that our contract manufacturers
manufacture for others may affect their ability or willingness to deliver our product to us in a timely manner;
●
our contract manufacturers may wish to discontinue supplying products
or services to us for risk management reasons;
●
we may not be able to find new or alternative contract manufacturers
in a timely manner if our current contract manufacturers stop producing products; and
●
our contract manufacturers may encounter financial hardships unrelated
to our demand, which could inhibit their ability to fulfil our orders and meet our requirements.
If any one or more
of these risks materialize, it could significantly increase our costs and impact our ability to meet demand for our product. If we are
unable to satisfy commercial demand for our product in a timely manner, our ability to generate revenue would be impaired, market acceptance
of our product could be adversely affected, and customers may instead purchase or use our competitors’ products. Additionally,
we could be forced to seek alternative sources of supply.
Because of the
nature of our internal quality control requirements, regulatory requirements, and the custom and proprietary nature of our product, we
may not be able to quickly engage additional or replacement contract manufacturers for our product and accessories. We may also be required
to assess any potential new contract manufacturer’s compliance with all applicable regulations and guidelines, which could further
impede our ability to obtain our product in a timely manner. As a result, we could incur increased product costs, experience delays in
deliveries of our product, suffer damage to our reputation, and experience an adverse effect on our business and financial results. Failure
of any of our contract manufacturers to meet our product demand level would limit our ability to meet our sales commitments to our customers
and could have a material adverse effect on our business.
We may also have
difficulty obtaining similar product from other contract manufacturers that are acceptable to the FDA and the failure of our contract
manufacturers to comply with strictly enforced regulatory requirements could expose us to delays in obtaining clearances or approvals,
regulatory action including warning letters, product recalls, termination of distribution, product seizures, civil, administrative, or
criminal penalties. We could incur delays while we locate and engage qualified alternative contract manufacturers, and we may be unable
to engage alternative contract manufacturers on favorable terms or at all. Any such disruption or increased expenses could harm our commercialization
efforts and adversely affect our ability to generate sales.
In addition, we
expect that most of our contract manufacturers will operate at a facility in a single location and substantially all their inventory
of component supplies and finished goods will be held at these locations. We, and our contract manufacturers, will take precautions to
safeguard facilities, including acquiring insurance, adopting health and safety protocols, and utilizing off-site storage of computer
data. However, vandalism, terrorism, or a natural or other disaster, such as an earthquake, fire, or flood, could damage or destroy equipment
or component supplies or finished product, cause substantial delays in our operations, result in the loss of key information, and cause
us to incur additional expenses. Our insurance may not cover our losses in any particular case. In addition, regardless of the level
of insurance coverage, damage to our or our contract manufacturers’ facilities could harm our business, financial condition, and
operating results.
As our sales
grow, our contract manufacturers may encounter problems or delays in the manufacturing of our product or fail to meet certain regulatory
requirements which could result in an adverse effect on our business and financial results.
To become profitable,
our contract manufactures must manufacture our product in adequate quantities in compliance with regulatory requirements and at an acceptable
cost. Increasing their capacity to manufacture and inspect our product may require them to improve internal efficiencies or require us
to re-design or change the specifications of our product. Our contract manufacturers may encounter several difficulties in increasing
this capacity, including:
●
managing production yields;
●
maintaining quality control and assurance;
●
providing component and service availability;
23
●
maintaining adequate control policies and procedures;
●
hiring and retaining qualified personnel; and
●
complying with state, federal, and foreign regulations.
If we are unable
to satisfy commercial demand for The Catamaran System due to our contract manufacturer’s inability to manufacture and inspect our
product, our ability to generate revenue would be impaired, market acceptance of our product could be adversely affected and customers
may instead purchase or use our competitors’ products.
The size
and future growth in the market for the SI-Joint fixation market have not been established based on market reports and our estimates
are based on our own review and analysis of public information and may be smaller than we estimate, possibly materially. In addition,
our estimates of cost savings to the economy and healthcare system as a result of The Catamaran System procedure are based on our internal
estimates and market research and could also be smaller than we estimate, possibly materially. If our estimates and projections overestimate
the size of this market or cost savings, our sales growth may be adversely affected.
We are not aware
of an independent third-party study that reliably reports the potential market size for the SI-Joint fixation market. Therefore, our
estimates of the size and future growth in the market for The Catamaran System product, including cost savings to the economy overall,
including patients and employers, and to the healthcare system and the number of people currently suffering from lower back pain who
may benefit from and be amenable to our procedure, is based on a number of internal and third-party studies, surveys, reports, and estimates.
While we believe these factors have historically provided and may continue to provide us with effective tools in estimating the total
market for our product and procedures and health cost savings, these estimates may not be correct and the conditions supporting our estimates
may change at any time, thereby reducing the predictive accuracy of these underlying factors. For example, we have consulted with our
clinical advisors and utilized public information as the basis for our market projections. Additionally, the surveys we have conducted
are based on a small number of respondents and are not statistically significant and may have other limitations. The actual incidence
of lower back pain, and the actual demand for our product or competitive products, could differ materially from our projections if our
assumptions and estimates are incorrect. As a result, our estimates of the size and future growth in the market for our product may prove
to be incorrect. In addition, actual health cost savings to the healthcare system as a result of The Catamaran System procedure may materially
differ from those presented in this report. If the actual number of people with lower back pain who would benefit from The Catamaran
System and the size and future growth in the market and related costs savings to the healthcare system is smaller than we have estimated,
it may impair our projected sales growth and have an adverse impact on our business.
In the future
our product may become obsolete, which would negatively affect operations and financial condition.
The medical device
industry is characterized by rapid and significant change. There can be no assurance that other companies will not succeed in developing
or marketing devices, and products that are more effective than The Catamaran System or that would render The Catamaran System obsolete
or non-competitive. Additionally, new surgical procedures, medications and other therapies could be developed that replace or reduce
the importance of our product. Accordingly, our success will depend in part on our ability to respond quickly to medical and changes
through the development and introduction of new products. Product development involves a high degree of risk and there can be no assurance
that our new product development efforts will result in any commercially successful products.
If we experience
significant disruptions in our information technology systems , our business, results of operations, and financial condition
could be adversely affected.
The efficient operation
of our business depends on our information technology systems. We will rely on our information technology systems to effectively manage:
●
sales and marketing, accounting, and financial functions;
●
inventory management;
●
engineering and product development tasks; and
●
our research and development data.
24
Our information
technology systems are vulnerable to damage or interruption from:
●
earthquakes, fires, floods, and other natural disasters;
●
terrorist attacks and attacks by computer viruses or hackers;
●
power losses; and
●
computer systems, or Internet, telecommunications, or data network
failures.
The failure of
our information technology systems to perform as we anticipate or our failure to effectively implement new systems could disrupt our
entire operation and could result in decreased sales, increased overhead costs, excess inventory and product shortages, and legal liability
issues, all of which could have a material adverse effect on our reputation, business, results of operations, and financial condition.
We may seek
to grow our business through acquisitions of or investments in new or complementary businesses, products or technologies, and the failure
to manage acquisitions or investments, or the failure to integrate them with our existing business, could have a material adverse effect
on us.
From time to time,
we expect to consider opportunities to acquire or make investments in other technologies, products, and businesses that may enhance our
capabilities, complement our current product, or expand the breadth of our markets or customer base. Potential and completed acquisitions
and strategic investments involve numerous risks, including:
●
problems assimilating the purchased technologies, products, or business
operations;
●
issues maintaining uniform standards, procedures, controls, and policies;
●
unanticipated costs and liabilities associated with acquisitions;
●
diversion of management’s attention from our core business;
●
adverse effects on existing business relationships with suppliers and
customers;
●
risks associated with entering new markets in which we have limited
or no experience;
●
potential loss of key employees of acquired businesses; and
●
increased legal and accounting compliance costs.
We have no current
commitments with respect to any acquisition or investment. We do not know if we will be able to identify acquisitions, we deem suitable,
whether we will be able to successfully complete any such acquisitions on favorable terms or at all, or whether we will be able to successfully
integrate any acquired business, product, or technology into our business or retain any key personnel, suppliers, or distributors. Our
ability to successfully grow through acquisitions depends upon our ability to identify, negotiate, complete, and integrate suitable target
businesses and to obtain any necessary financing. These efforts could be expensive and time consuming and may disrupt our ongoing business
and prevent management from focusing on our operations. If we are unable to successfully integrate any acquired businesses, products,
or technologies effectively, our business, results of operations, and financial condition will be materially adversely affected.
We may enter
into collaborations, in-licensing arrangements, joint ventures, strategic alliances, or partnerships with third-parties that may not
result in the development of commercially viable products or the generation of significant future revenue.
In the ordinary
course of our business, we may enter into collaborations, in-licensing arrangements, joint ventures, strategic alliances, partnerships,
or other arrangements to develop products and to pursue new markets. We have not entered into any collaboration arrangements to date.
Proposing, negotiating, and implementing collaborations, in-licensing arrangements, joint ventures, strategic alliances, or partnerships
may be a lengthy and complex process. Other companies, including those with substantially greater financial, marketing, sales, technology,
or other business resources, may compete with us for these opportunities or arrangements. We may not identify, secure, or complete any
such transactions or arrangements in a timely manner, on a cost-effective basis, on acceptable terms or at all. We have limited institutional
knowledge and experience with respect to these business development activities, and we may also not realize the anticipated benefits
of any such transaction or arrangement. These collaborations may not result in the development of products that achieve commercial success
or result in significant revenue and could be terminated prior to developing any products.
25
Additionally, we
may not be able to exercise sole decision-making authority regarding the transaction or arrangement, which could create the potential
risk of creating impasses on decisions, and our future collaborators may have economic or business interests or goals that are, or that
may become, inconsistent with our business interests or goals. It is possible that conflicts may arise with our collaborators, such as
conflicts concerning the achievement of performance milestones, or the interpretation of significant terms under any agreement, such
as those related to financial obligations or the ownership or control of intellectual property developed during the collaboration. If
any conflicts arise with any future collaborators, they may act in their self- interest, which may be adverse to our best interest, and
they may breach their obligations to us. In addition, we may have limited control over the amount and timing of resources that any future
collaborators devote to our or their future products.
Disputes between
us and our collaborators may result in litigation or arbitration which would increase our expenses and divert the attention of our management.
Further, these transactions and arrangements will be contractual in nature and will generally be terminable under the terms of the applicable
agreements and, in such event, we may not continue to have rights to the products relating to such transaction or arrangement or may
need to purchase such rights at a premium. If we enter into in-bound intellectual property license agreements, we may not be able to
fully protect the licensed intellectual property rights or maintain those licenses. Future licensors could retain the right to prosecute
and defend the intellectual property rights licensed to us, in which case we would depend on the ability of our licensors to obtain,
maintain and enforce intellectual property protection for the licensed intellectual property. These licensors may determine not to pursue
litigation against other companies or may pursue such litigation less aggressively than we would. Further, entering into such license
agreements could impose various diligence, commercialization, royalty, or other obligations on us. Future licensors may allege that we
have breached our license agreement with them, and accordingly seek to terminate our license, which could adversely affect our competitive
business position and harm our business prospects.
We are increasingly
dependent on information technology, and our systems and infrastructure face certain risks, including cybersecurity and data leakage
risks.
Significant disruptions
to our information technology systems or breaches of information security could adversely affect our business. In the ordinary course
of business, we will collect, store and transmit large amounts of confidential information, and it is critical that we do so in a secure
manner to maintain the confidentiality and integrity of such information. We have also outsourced significant elements of our information
technology infrastructure; as a result, we manage independent vendor relationships with third parties who are responsible for maintaining
significant elements of our information technology systems and infrastructure and who may or could have access to our confidential information.
The size and complexity of our information technology systems, and those of our third-party vendors, make such systems potentially vulnerable
to service interruptions and security breaches from inadvertent or intentional actions by our employees, partners or vendors. These systems
are also vulnerable to attacks by malicious third parties and may be susceptible to intentional or accidental physical damage to the
infrastructure maintained by us or by third parties. Maintaining the secrecy of confidential, proprietary and/or trade secret information
is important to our competitive business position. While we have taken steps to protect such information and have invested in systems
and infrastructures to do so, there can be no guarantee that our efforts will prevent service interruptions or security breaches in our
systems or the unauthorized or inadvertent wrongful use or disclosure of confidential information that could adversely affect our business
operations or result in the loss, dissemination or misuse of critical or sensitive information. The increasing sophistication and frequency
of cybersecurity threats, including targeted data breaches, ransomware attacks designed to encrypt our data for ransom and other malicious
cyber activities, pose a significant risk to the integrity and confidentiality of our data systems. A breach our security measures or
the accidental loss, inadvertent disclosure, unapproved dissemination, misappropriation or misuse of trade secrets, proprietary information
or other confidential information, whether as a result of theft, hacking, fraud, trickery or other forms of deception, or for any other
cause, could enable others to produce competing products, use our proprietary technology or information, and/or adversely affect our
business position. Further, any such interruption, security breach, loss or disclosure of confidential information could result in financial,
legal, business and reputational harm to us and could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial position, results of
operations and/or cash flow.
Geopolitical
conditions, including trade disputes and direct or indirect acts of war or terrorism, could have an adverse effect on our operations
and financial results.
Our operations
could be disrupted by geopolitical conditions, political and social instability, acts of war, terrorist activity or other similar events.
In February 2022, Russia initiated significant military action against Ukraine. In response, the U.S. and certain other countries imposed
significant sanctions and export controls against Russia, Belarus and certain individuals and entities connected to Russian or Belarusian
political, business, and financial organizations, and the U.S. and certain other countries could impose further sanctions, trade restrictions,
and other retaliatory actions should the conflict continue or worsen. It is not possible to predict the broader consequences of the conflict,
including related geopolitical tensions, and the measures and retaliatory actions taken by the U.S. and other countries in respect thereof
as well as any counter measures or retaliatory actions by Russia or Belarus in response, including, for example, potential cyberattacks
or the disruption of energy exports, is likely to cause regional instability, geopolitical shifts, and could materially adversely affect
global trade, currency exchange rates, regional economies and the global economy. In addition, the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East
may further impact global economic conditions and market sentiments. This, in turn, could adversely affect the trading price of our shares
of common stock and investor interest in us. The outcome of the Russia-Ukraine war and conflicts in the Middle East remain uncertain,
and while it is difficult to predict the impact of any of the foregoing, the conflict and actions taken in response to the conflict could
increase our costs, disrupt our supply chain, reduce our sales and earnings, impair our ability to raise additional capital when needed
on acceptable terms, if at all, or otherwise adversely affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
26
Inflation
may adversely affect our operations and financial results.
In periods of rising
inflation, the cost of raw materials, components and labor essential for manufacturing The Catamaran System may increase and as a consequence,
our overall profit margin may be adversely affected. In addition, inflation may result in limitations on healthcare spending, specifically
for procedures that are deemed elective or non-critical, which may include treatments utilizing The Catamaran System. A decrease in demand
for these procedures may significantly impact our financial condition and results of operations.
Risks Related
to Our Legal and Regulatory Environment
We and our
contract manufacturers are subject to extensive governmental regulation both in the United States and abroad, and failure to comply with
applicable requirements could cause our business to suffer.
The medical device
industry is regulated extensively by governmental authorities, principally the FDA and corresponding state and foreign regulatory agencies.
The FDA and other U.S. and foreign governmental agencies regulate, among other things, with respect to medical devices:
●
design, development, and manufacturing;
●
testing, labeling, content, and language of instructions for use and
storage;
●
clinical trials;
●
product safety;
●
marketing, sales, and distribution;
●
premarket clearance and approval;
●
conformity assessment procedures;
●
record keeping procedures;
●
advertising and promotion;
●
compliance with good manufacturing practices requirements;
●
recalls and field safety corrective actions;
●
post-market surveillance, including reporting of deaths or serious
injuries and malfunctions that, if they were to recur, could lead to death or serious injury;
●
post-market approval studies; and
●
product import and export.
The regulations
to which we are subject are complex and have tended to become more stringent over time. Regulatory changes could result in restrictions
on our ability to carry on or expand our operations, difficulties achieving new product clearances, higher than anticipated costs or
lower than anticipated sales.
27
Before we can market
or sell a new regulated product or make a significant modification to an existing product in the United States, with very limited exception,
we must obtain either clearance under Section 510(k) of the FDCA for Class II devices or approval of a premarket approval application
from the FDA for a Class III device. In the 510(k) clearance process, the FDA must determine that a proposed device is “substantially
equivalent” to a device legally on the market, known as a “predicate” device, with respect to intended use, technology,
and safety and effectiveness, in order to clear the proposed device for marketing. Clinical data is sometimes required to support substantial
equivalence. The PMA pathway requires an applicant to demonstrate the safety and effectiveness of the device based, in part, on extensive
data, including, but not limited to, technical, preclinical, clinical trial, manufacturing, and labeling data. The PMA process is typically
required for devices that are deemed to pose the greatest risk, such as life-sustaining, life-supporting, or implantable devices. Products
that are approved through a PMA application generally need FDA approval before they can be modified. Similarly, some modifications made
to products cleared through a 510(k) may require a new 510(k). Both the 510(k) and PMA processes can be expensive and lengthy and require
the payment of significant fees, unless exempt. The FDA’s 510(k) clearance process usually takes from three to 12 months but may
last longer. The process of obtaining a PMA is much more costly and uncertain than the 510(k) clearance process and generally takes from
one to three years, or even longer, from the time the application is submitted to the FDA until an approval is obtained. The process
of obtaining domestic and international regulatory clearances or approvals to market a medical device can be costly and time consuming,
and we may not be able to obtain these clearances or approvals on a timely basis, if at all.
In the United States,
all of the components to The Catamaran System have either received premarket clearance under Section 510(k) of the FDCA or are exempt
from premarket review. If the FDA requires us to go through a lengthier, more rigorous examination for future products or modifications
to existing products than we had expected, our product introductions or modifications could be delayed or canceled, which could cause
our sales to decline. In addition, the FDA may determine that future products will require the more costly, lengthy, and uncertain PMA
process. Although we do not currently market any devices under PMA, the FDA may demand that we obtain a PMA prior to marketing certain
of our future products. In addition, if the FDA disagrees with our determination that a product, we currently market is subject to an
exemption from premarket review, the FDA may require us to submit a 510(k) or PMA in order to continue marketing the product. Further,
even with respect to those future products where a PMA is not required, we cannot assure you that we will be able to obtain the 510(k)
clearances with respect to those products.
The FDA can delay,
limit or deny clearance or approval of a device for many reasons, including:
●
we may not be able to demonstrate to the FDA’s satisfaction that
our product is safe and effective for their intended users;
●
the data from our pre-clinical studies and clinical trials may be insufficient
to support clearance or approval, where required; and
●
the manufacturing process or facilities we use may not meet applicable
requirements.
In addition, the
FDA may change its clearance and approval policies, adopt additional regulations or revise existing regulations, or take other actions
which may prevent or delay clearance or approval of our product under development or impact our ability to modify our currently approved
or cleared product on a timely basis.
Any delay in, or
failure to receive or maintain, clearance or approval for our product under development could prevent us from generating revenue from
these products or achieving profitability.
In addition, even
after we have obtained the proper regulatory clearance or approval to market a product, the FDA has the power to require us to conduct
post-market surveillance on our product. These studies can be very expensive and time consuming to conduct. Failure to comply with those
studies in a timely manner could result in the revocation of the 510(k) clearance for a product that is subject to such surveillance
and the recall or withdrawal of the product, which could prevent us from generating sales from that product in the United States.
Additionally, as
part of the conformity assessment process, medical device manufacturers must carry out a clinical evaluation of their medical devices
to verify that they comply with the relevant Essential Requirements covering safety and performance. A clinical evaluation includes an
assessment of whether a medical device’s performance is in accordance with its intended use and that the known and foreseeable
risks linked to the use of the device under normal conditions are minimized and acceptable when weighed against the benefits of its intended
purpose. The clinical evaluation conducted by the manufacturer must also address any clinical claims, the adequacy of the device labeling
and information (particularly claims, contraindications, precautions/ warnings) and the suitability of related Instructions for Use.
This assessment must be based on clinical data, which can be obtained from (i) clinical studies conducted on the devices being assessed;
(ii) scientific literature from similar devices whose equivalence with the assessed device can be demonstrated; or (iii) both
clinical studies and scientific literature.
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The FDA and other
regulatory authorities have broad enforcement powers. Regulatory enforcement or inquiries, or other increased scrutiny on us, could dissuade
some clinicians from using our product and adversely affect our reputation and the perceived safety and effectiveness of our product.
Failure to comply
with applicable regulations could jeopardize our ability to sell our product and result in enforcement actions such as:
●
warning letters;
●
fines;
●
injunctions;
●
civil penalties;
●
termination of distribution;
●
recalls or seizures of products;
●
delays in the introduction of products into the market;
●
total or partial suspension of production;
●
facility closures;
●
refusal of the FDA other regulators to grant future clearances or approvals; or
●
in the most serious cases, criminal penalties.
Adverse action
by an applicable regulatory agency the FDA could result in inability to produce our product in a cost-effective and timely manner, or
at all, decreased sales, higher prices, lower margins, additional unplanned costs or actions, damage to our reputation, and could have
material adverse effect on our reputation, business, results of operations, and financial condition.
We and our
independent sales representatives must comply with U.S. federal and state fraud and abuse laws, including those relating to physician
kickbacks and false claims for reimbursement.
Healthcare providers,
distributors, physicians, and third-party payors play a primary role in the distribution, recommendation, ordering, and purchasing of
any implant or other medical device for which we have or obtain marketing clearance or approval. Through our arrangements with customers
and third-party payors, we are exposed to the risk that our employees, independent contractors, principal investigators, consultants,
vendors, or independent sales representatives may engage in fraudulent or other illegal activity. Misconduct by these parties could include,
among other infractions or violations, intentional, reckless and/or negligent conduct or unauthorized activity that violates FDA regulations,
manufacturing standards, federal and state healthcare fraud and abuse laws and regulations, laws that require the true, complete, and
accurate reporting of financial information or data, other commercial or regulatory laws or requirements, and equivalent foreign rules.
We plan to implement a compliance program, code of conduct, and associated policies and procedures, but it is not always possible to
identify and deter misconduct by our employees and other third parties, and the precautions we plan to take to detect and prevent this
activity may not be effective in controlling unknown or unmanaged risks or losses or in protecting us from governmental investigations
or other actions or lawsuits stemming from a failure to be in compliance with such laws or regulations, and government authorities may
conclude that our business practices do not comply with applicable fraud and abuse or other healthcare laws and regulations or guidance
despite our good faith efforts to comply.
There are numerous
U.S. federal and state laws pertaining to healthcare fraud and abuse, including anti-kickback and false claims laws. Our relationships
with clinicians, other healthcare professionals, and hospitals are subject to scrutiny under these laws.
Healthcare fraud
and abuse laws and related regulations are complex, and even minor irregularities can potentially give rise to claims that a statute
or prohibition has been violated. The laws that may affect our ability to operate include:
●
the federal Anti-Kickback Statute, which prohibits, among other things,
knowingly and willfully soliciting, receiving, offering or paying remuneration, directly or indirectly, in cash or in kind, to induce
or reward either the referral of an individual for, or the purchase, order or recommendation of, items or services for which payment
may be made, in whole or in part, under federal healthcare programs, such as the Medicare and Medicaid programs;
29
●
the federal False Claims Act, which prohibits, among other things,
individuals or entities from knowingly presenting, or causing to be presented, false or fraudulent claims for payment of government
funds; knowingly making, using, or causing to be made or used, a false record or statement to get a false claim paid or to avoid,
decrease, or conceal an obligation to pay money to the federal government. A claim including items or services resulting from a violation
of the federal Anti-Kickback Statute constitutes a false or fraudulent claim for purposes of the False Claims Act. There are also
criminal penalties for making or presenting a false or fictitious or fraudulent claim to the federal government;
●
the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of
1996, which imposes criminal and civil liability for, among other actions, knowingly and willfully executing, or attempting to execute,
a scheme to defraud any healthcare benefit program including private third-party payors, or knowingly and willfully falsifying, concealing,
or covering up a material fact or making a materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement or representation, or making or
using any false writing or document knowing the same to contain any materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement or entry
in connection with the delivery of or payment for healthcare benefits, items, or services;
●
the federal Physician Payment Sunshine Act, which requires manufacturers
of drugs, devices, biologics and medical supplies for which payment is available under Medicare, Medicaid, or the Children’s
Health Insurance Program to report annually to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services information related to payments
or other “transfers of value” made to physicians and teaching hospitals, and requires applicable manufacturers to report
annually to CMS ownership and investment interests held by physicians and their immediate family members and payments or other “transfers
of value” to such physician owners; and
●
analogous state law equivalents of each of the above federal laws,
such as anti-kickback and false claims laws, which may apply to items or services reimbursed by any third-party payor, including
commercial insurers; state laws that require device companies to comply with the industry’s voluntary compliance guidelines
and the applicable compliance guidance promulgated by the federal government or otherwise restrict payments that may be made to healthcare
providers and other potential referral sources; state beneficiary inducement laws, and state laws that require device manufacturers
to report information related to payments and other transfers of value to physicians and other healthcare providers or marketing
expenditures, many of which differ from each other in significant ways and may not have the same effect, thus complicating compliance
efforts.
If we or our employees
are found to have violated any of the above laws we may be subjected to administrative, civil and criminal penalties, including imprisonment,
exclusion from participation in federal healthcare programs, such as Medicare and Medicaid, and significant fines, monetary penalties
and damages, and damage to our reputation. Additional information about these laws is provided in “ Business—Regulation .”
We have entered
into consulting agreements with clinicians who are also customers. We anticipate entering into additional agreements with clinicians
who use our product as we continue to commercialize our product. The primary mission of these clinician advisors is research and development
and clinician education. Medical device technology development requires thoughtful clinician input from experienced healthcare professionals.
Medical device clinician education requires experienced faculty for didactic and anatomic lab activities in a peer-to-peer setting. We
believe these engagements will allow us to successfully meet the expectations of the physician community. In addition, a small number
of clinicians (which are or may become customers) own less than 1.0% of our stock, or were granted stock options which they either purchased
in an arm’s length transaction on terms identical to those offered to others or received from us as fair market value consideration
for consulting services performed. While all of these transactions were structured with the intention of complying with all applicable
laws, including the federal Anti-Kickback Statute, state anti-kickback laws and other applicable laws, to the extent applicable, it is
possible that regulatory agencies may view these transactions as prohibited arrangements that must be restructured, or discontinued,
or for which we could be subject to significant penalties. We would be materially and adversely affected if regulatory agencies interpret
our financial relationships with clinicians who order our product to be in violation of applicable laws and we were unable to comply
with such laws, which could subject us to, among other things, monetary penalties for non-compliance, the cost of which could be substantial.
In certain cases,
federal and state authorities pursue actions for false claims on the basis that manufacturers and distributors are promoting unapproved,
or “off-label” uses of their products. Pursuant to FDA regulations, we can only market our product for cleared or approved
uses. Although clinicians are permitted to use medical devices for indications other than those cleared or approved by the FDA, we are
prohibited from promoting products for “off-label” uses. We market our product and provide promotional materials and training
programs to clinicians regarding the use of our product. If it is determined that our marketing, promotional materials or training programs
constitute promotion of unapproved uses, we could be subject to significant fines in addition to regulatory enforcement actions, including
the issuance of a warning letter, injunction, seizure, criminal penalty, and damage to our reputation. Federal and state authorities
also pursue actions for false claims based upon improper billing and coding advice or recommendations, as well as decisions related to
the medical necessity of procedures, including the site-of-service where procedures are performed. Actions under the federal False Claims
Act may also be brought by whistleblowers under its qui tam provisions.
30
To enforce compliance
with the federal laws, the U.S. Department of Justice has increased its scrutiny of interactions between healthcare companies and healthcare
providers, which has led to a number of investigations, prosecutions, convictions and settlements in the healthcare industry. Dealing
with investigations can be time and resource consuming and can divert management’s attention from the business. Additionally, if
a healthcare company settles an investigation with the Department of Justice or other law enforcement agencies, it may need to agree
to additional onerous compliance and reporting requirements as part of a consent decree or corporate integrity agreement. Any such investigation
or settlement could increase our costs or otherwise have an adverse effect on our business. Even if we are not determined to have violated
these laws, government investigations into these issues typically require the expenditure of significant resources and generate negative
publicity, which could harm our financial condition and divert resources and the attention of our management from operating our business.
The scope and enforcement
of these laws is uncertain and subject to rapid change. The shifting compliance environment and the need to build and maintain robust
and expandable systems to comply with different compliance and/or reporting requirements in multiple jurisdictions increase the possibility
that we may run afoul of one or more of the requirements or that federal or state regulatory authorities might challenge our current
or future activities under these laws. Additionally, we cannot predict the impact of any changes in these laws, whether or not retroactive.
Our failure
to adequately protect personal information in compliance with evolving legal requirements could harm our business.
In the ordinary
course of our business, we plan to collect and store sensitive data, including legally protected personally identifiable information.
We may collect this kind of information during the course of future clinical trials and for possible post-marketing safety vigilance,
helping enable clinicians and their patients to pursue claims for reimbursement for procedures using The Catamaran System and servicing
potential warranty claims.
There are a number
of state, federal, and international laws protecting the privacy and security of health information and personal data. These data protection
and privacy-related laws and regulations are evolving and may result in ever-increasing regulatory and public scrutiny of companies’
data practices and escalating levels of enforcement and sanctions. As part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act 2009, or ARRA,
Congress amended the privacy and security provisions of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, or HIPAA. HIPAA imposes
certain requirements regarding the privacy, security, use, and disclosure of an individual’s protected health information, or PHI,
by certain health care providers, health care clearinghouses, and health insurance plans, collectively referred to as “covered
entities,” and their “business associates,” or subcontractors who provide services to covered entities that involve
the creation, use, maintenance, or disclosure of PHI. ARRA included significant increases in the penalties for improper use or disclosure
of an individual’s PHI under HIPAA and extended enforcement authority to state attorneys general. The amendments also created notification
requirements applicable to covered entities and business associates in certain cases when PHI in their control has been inappropriately
accessed or disclosed. In the case of a breach of unsecured PHI, covered entities may be required to provide notification to individuals
affected by the breach, federal regulators, and, in some cases, local and national media. In addition to HIPAA, most states have laws
requiring notification of affected individuals and state regulators in the event of a breach of “personal information,” which
is a broader class of information than the PHI protected by HIPAA. Certain states also have data privacy requirements applicable to individually
identifiable health information. Privacy laws in different states may contain different requirements, and such laws may not be pre-empted
by HIPAA, which could complicate our efforts to comply.
In addition, even
when HIPAA does not apply, according to the FTC, failing to take appropriate steps to keep consumers’ personal information secure
constitutes unfair acts or practices in or affecting commerce in violation of Section 5(a) of the FTCA, 15 U.S.C § 45(a). The
FTC expects a company’s data security measures to be reasonable and appropriate in light of the sensitivity and volume of consumer
information it holds, the size and complexity of its business, and the cost of available tools to improve security and reduce vulnerabilities.
Medical data is considered sensitive data that merits stronger safeguards. The FTC’s guidance for appropriately securing consumers’
personal information is similar to what is required by the HIPAA Security Rule.
Our failure to
comply with applicable laws and regulations, or to protect such data, could result in enforcement actions against us, including fines,
imprisonment of company officials and public censure, claims for damages by end-customers, and other affected individuals, and the imposition
of integrity obligations and agency oversight, damage to our reputation, and loss of goodwill, any of which could harm on our operations,
financial performance, and business. Evolving and changing definitions of personal data and personal information, within the United States,
and elsewhere, may limit or inhibit our ability to operate or expand our business, including limiting strategic partnerships that may
involve the sharing of data. Moreover, if the relevant laws and regulations change, or are interpreted and applied in a manner that is
inconsistent with our data practices or the operation of our product, or if we expand into new regions and are required to comply with
new requirements, we may need to expend resources in order to change our business operations, data practices, or the manner in which
our product operates. Even the perception of privacy concerns, whether or not valid, may harm our reputation and inhibit adoption of
our product.
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Even if
our product is approved by regulatory authorities if our contract manufacturers fail to comply with ongoing FDA, or if we experience
unanticipated problems with our products, these products could be subject to restrictions or withdrawal from the market.
Any product for
which we obtain regulatory clearance or approval, and the manufacturing processes, reporting requirements, post-approval clinical data,
and promotional activities for such product, will be subject to continued regulatory review, oversight and periodic inspections by the
FDA and other domestic bodies. In particular, we and our contract manufacturers are required to comply with FDA’s Quality System
Regulations (“QSR”) for the manufacture of our product and other regulations which cover the methods and documentation of
the design, testing, production, control, quality assurance, labeling, packaging, storage, and shipping of any product for which we obtain
regulatory clearance or approval.
The failure by
us or one of our contract manufacturers to comply with applicable statutes and regulations, or the failure to timely and adequately respond
to any adverse inspectional observations or product safety issues, could result in, among other things, any of the following enforcement
actions:
●
untitled letters, warning letters, fines, injunctions, consent, and
civil penalties;
●
unanticipated expenditures to address or defend such actions;
●
customer notifications for repair, replacement, refunds;
●
recall, detention, or seizure of our product;
●
operating restrictions or partial suspension or total shutdown of production;
●
refusing or delaying our requests for 510(k) clearance or premarket
approval and conformity assessments of new products or modified products;
●
limitations on the intended uses for which the product may be marketed;
●
operating restrictions;
●
withdrawing 510(k) clearances or PMA approvals that have already been
granted; or
●
criminal prosecution.
In addition, we
may be required to conduct costly post-market testing and surveillance to monitor the safety or effectiveness of our product, and we
must comply with medical device reporting requirements, including the reporting of adverse events and malfunctions related to our product.
Later discovery of previously unknown problems with our product, including unanticipated adverse events or adverse events of unanticipated
severity or frequency, manufacturing problems, or failure to comply with regulatory requirements such as QSR, may result in changes to
labeling, restrictions on such products or manufacturing processes, withdrawal of the products from the market, voluntary or mandatory
recalls, a requirement to repair, replace, or refund the cost of any medical device we manufacture or distribute, fines, suspension,
variation, or withdrawal of regulatory approvals product seizures, injunctions, or the imposition of civil, administrative, or criminal
penalties which would adversely affect our business, operating results, and prospects.
If the FDA determines
that our promotional materials, labeling, training or other marketing or educational activities constitute promotion of an unapproved
use, it could request that we cease or modify our training or promotional materials or subject us to regulatory enforcement actions.
It is also possible that other federal, state or foreign enforcement authorities might take action if they consider our training or other
promotional materials to constitute promotion of an unapproved use, which could result in significant fines or penalties under other
statutory authorities, such as laws prohibiting false or fraudulent claims for payment of government funds.
32
If any of these
actions were to occur it would harm our reputation and cause our product sales and profitability to suffer and may prevent us from generating
revenue. Furthermore, our key component suppliers may not currently be or may not continue to be in compliance with all applicable regulatory
requirements, which could result in our failure to produce our product on a timely basis and in the required quantities, if at all.
The FDA has
not yet inspected our facility, but we expect an inspection in the future.
Our employees,
independent contractors, consultants, contract manufacturers, and our independent sales representatives may engage in misconduct or other
improper activities, relating to regulatory standards and requirements.
We are exposed
to the risk that our employees, independent contractors, consultants, contract manufacturers, and our independent sales representatives
may engage in fraudulent conduct or other illegal activity. Misconduct by these parties could include intentional, reckless and/or negligent
conduct or disclosure of unauthorized activities to us that violates FDA regulations, including those laws requiring the reporting of
true, complete and accurate information to the FDA, manufacturing standards, federal and state healthcare laws and regulations, and laws
that require the true, complete and accurate reporting of financial information or data. These laws and regulations may restrict or prohibit
a wide range of pricing, discounting, marketing and promotion, sales commission, customer incentive programs, and other business arrangements.
Misconduct by these parties could also involve the improper use of individually identifiable information, including, without limitation,
information obtained in the course of clinical trials, which could result in regulatory sanctions and serious harm to our reputation.
We plan to implement a compliance program, code of conduct and associated policies and procedures, but it is not always possible to identify
and deter misconduct, and the precautions we take to detect and prevent this activity may not be effective in controlling unknown or
unmanaged risks or losses or in protecting us from governmental investigations or other actions or lawsuits stemming from a failure to
be in compliance with such laws or regulations. If any such actions are instituted against us, and we are not successful in defending
ourselves or asserting our rights, those actions could have a significant impact on our business, including the imposition of significant
civil, criminal, and administrative penalties, including, without limitation, damages, fines, disgorgement of profits, imprisonment,
exclusion from participation in government healthcare programs, such as Medicare and Medicaid, and the curtailment or restructuring of
our operations.
We may be
subject to enforcement action, including fines, penalties or injunctions, if we are determined to be engaging in the off-label promotion
of our product.
Our promotional
materials and training methods must comply with FDA and other applicable laws and regulations, including the prohibition of the promotion
of off-label use. Physicians may use our product off-label, as the FDA does not restrict or regulate a physician’s choice of treatment
within the practice of medicine. In the United States, the full indication for The Catamaran System is: “The Tenon Catamaran Sacroiliac
Joint Fixation System (CAT SIJ Fixation System) is intended for sacroiliac joint fusion for conditions including sacroiliac joint disruptions
and degenerative sacroiliitis.” Contraindications are patients with the following conditions: skeletally immature spines; deformities;
severe osteoporosis; morbid obesity, tumor resection and active infection at treatment site.
We believe that
the specific surgical procedures for which our product are marketed fall within the scope of the surgical applications that have been
cleared by the FDA. However, if the FDA determines that our promotional materials or training constitutes promotion of an off-label use,
it could request that we modify our training or promotional materials, require us to stop promoting our product for those specific procedures
until we obtain FDA clearance or approval for them, or subject us to regulatory or enforcement actions, including the issuance of an
untitled letter, a warning letter, injunction, seizure, civil fines, and criminal penalties. It is also possible that other federal,
state or foreign enforcement authorities might take action if they consider our promotional or training materials to constitute promotion
of an unapproved use, which could result in significant fines or penalties under other statutory authorities, such as laws prohibiting
false or fraudulent claims for payment of government fund. In that event, our reputation could be damaged, and adoption of the product
would be impaired. Although our policy is to refrain from statements that could be considered off-label promotion of our product, the
FDA or another regulatory agency could disagree and conclude that we have engaged in off-label promotion. In addition, the off-label
use of our product may increase the risk of injury to patients, and, in turn, the risk of product liability claims. Product liability
claims are expensive to defend and could divert our management’s attention, result in substantial damage awards against us and
harm our reputation.
We are required
to report certain malfunctions, deaths, and serious injuries associated with our product, which can result in voluntary corrective actions
or agency enforcement actions.
Further, under
the FDA’s medical device reporting regulations, we are required to report to the FDA any information that our product may have
caused or contributed to a death or serious injury or in which our product malfunctioned and, if the malfunction were to recur, would
likely cause or contribute to death or serious injury. If we fail to report these events to the FDA within the required timeframes, or
at all, FDA could take enforcement action against us. Any such adverse event involving our product or repeated product malfunctions may
result in a voluntary or involuntary corrective actions, such as recalls or customer notifications, or agency action, such as inspection
or enforcement action. Any corrective action, whether voluntary or involuntary, as well as defending ourselves in a lawsuit could divert
managerial and financial resources, impair our ability to manufacture our product in a cost-effective and timely manner, and have an
adverse effect on our reputation, results of operations, and financial condition.
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Any adverse event
involving our product in the United States could result in future voluntary corrective actions, such as recalls, including corrections,
or customer notifications, or agency action, such as inspection or enforcement actions. If malfunctions do occur, we may be unable to
correct the malfunctions adequately or prevent further malfunctions, in which case we may need to cease manufacture and distribution
of the affected products, initiate voluntary recalls, and redesign the products. Regulatory authorities may also take actions against
us, such as ordering recalls, imposing fines, or seizing the affected products. Any corrective action, whether voluntary or involuntary,
will require the dedication of our time and capital, distract management from operating our business, and may harm our reputation and
financial results.
A recall
of our product, either voluntarily or at the direction of the FDA or the discovery of serious safety issues or malfunctions with our
product, can result in voluntary corrective actions or agency enforcement actions, which could have a significant adverse impact on us.
The FDA has the
authority to require the recall of commercialized products in the event of material deficiencies or defects in design or manufacture
or in the event that a product poses an unacceptable risk to health. Manufacturers may, under their own initiative, recall a product
if any material deficiency in a device is found.
In the case of
the FDA, the authority to require a recall must be based on an FDA finding that there is an unreasonable risk of substantial public harm.
In addition, foreign governmental bodies have the authority to require the recall of our product in the event of material deficiencies
or defects in design or manufacture. A government-mandated or voluntary recall by us or one of the independent sales representatives
could occur as a result of an unacceptable risk to health, component failures, manufacturing errors, design or labeling defects, or other
deficiencies and issues. Recalls of any of our product would divert managerial and financial resources and have an adverse effect on
our reputation, results of operations, and financial condition, which could impair our ability to produce our product in a cost-effective
and timely manner in order to meet our customers’ demands. We may also be required to bear other costs or take other actions that
may have a negative impact on our future sales and our ability to generate profits.
The FDA requires
that certain classifications of recalls be reported to FDA within 10 working days after the recall is initiated. Companies are required
to maintain certain records of recalls, even if they are not reportable to the FDA. We may initiate voluntary recalls involving our product
in the future that we determine do not require notification of the FDA. If the FDA disagrees with our determinations, they could require
us to report those actions as recalls. A future recall announcement could harm our reputation with customers and negatively affect our
sales. In addition, the FDA could take enforcement action for failing to report the recalls when they were conducted.
Modifications
to our product may require new 510(k) clearances or premarket approvals may require us to cease marketing or recall the product until
clearances
Any modification
to a 510(k)-cleared device that could significantly affect its safety or effectiveness, or that would constitute a major change in its
intended use, design, or manufacture, requires a new 510(k) clearance or, possibly, a PMA. The FDA requires every manufacturer make and
document this determination in the first instance. A manufacturer may determine that a modification could not significantly affect safety
or effectiveness and does not represent a major change in its intended use, so that no new 510(k) clearance is necessary. FDA may review
any manufacturer’s decision and may not agree with our decisions regarding whether new clearances or approvals are necessary. The
FDA may also on its own initiative determine that a new clearance or approval is required.
We have modified
our product and have determined based on our review of the applicable FDA guidance that a new 510(k) clearances or PMAs is not required.
If the FDA disagrees with our determination and requires us to submit new 510(k) clearances or PMAs for modifications to our previously
cleared products for which we have concluded that new clearances or approvals are unnecessary, we may be required to cease marketing
or to recall the modified product until we obtain clearance or approval, and we may be subject to significant enforcement action, regulatory
fines, or penalties.
If a manufacturer
determines that a modification to an FDA-cleared device could significantly affect its safety or effectiveness or would constitute a
major change in its intended use, then the manufacturer must file for a new 510(k) clearance or possibly a premarket approval application.
Where we determine that modifications to our product require a new 510(k) clearance or premarket approval application, we may not be
able to obtain those additional clearances or approvals for the modifications or additional indications in a timely manner, or at all.
FDA’s ongoing review of the 510(k) programs may make it more difficult for us to make modifications to our previously cleared products,
either by imposing more strict requirements on when a new 510(k) for a modification to a previously cleared product must be submitted
or applying more onerous review criteria to such submissions.
34
Clinical trials
necessary to support a 510(k) or reimbursement may require the enrollment of large numbers of patients, and suitable patients may be
difficult to identify and recruit. Delays or failures in our clinical trials could affect third party reimbursement as many of the payors
want to see peer reviewed articles to maintain coverage and lack of changes in reimbursement could materially slow down our commercial
efforts and affect our revenue projections.
The results
of our clinical trials may not support our product candidate claims or may result in the discovery of adverse side effects.
If our clinical
trials are completed as planned, we cannot be certain that their results will support our product marketing claims or third party reimbursors
will agree with our conclusions regarding them. The clinical trial process may fail to demonstrate efficacy and cost effectiveness of
our product and may hinder the adoption of our product or ability to obtain payor coverage. It is also possible that patients enrolled
in clinical trials will experience adverse side effects that are not currently part of the product candidate’s profile.
We may incur
product liability losses, and insurance coverage may be inadequate or unavailable to cover these losses.
Our business exposes
us to potential product liability claims that are inherent in the testing, design, manufacture, and sale of medical devices for SI-Joint
surgery procedures. SI-Joint surgery involves significant risk of serious complications, including bleeding, nerve injury, paralysis,
and even death. In addition, if longer-term patient results and experience indicates that our product or any component of such product
cause tissue damage, motor impairment, or other adverse effects, we could be subject to significant liability. Clinicians may misuse
or ineffectively use our product, which may result in unsatisfactory patient outcomes or patient injury. We could become the subject
of product liability lawsuits alleging that component failures, manufacturing flaws, design defects, or inadequate disclosure of product-related
risks or product-related information resulted in an unsafe condition or injury to patients. Product liability lawsuits and claims, safety
alerts, or product recalls, regardless of their ultimate outcome, could have a material adverse effect on our business and reputation,
our ability to attract and retain customers and our results of operations or financial condition.
Although we maintain
third-party product liability insurance coverage, it is possible that claims against us may exceed the coverage limits of our insurance
policies or cause us to record a self-insured loss. Even if any product liability loss is covered by an insurance policy, these policies
typically have substantial retentions or deductibles that we are responsible for. Product liability claims in excess of applicable insurance
coverage could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, and financial condition.
In addition, any
product liability claim brought against us, with or without merit, could result in an increase of our product liability insurance rates.
Insurance coverage varies in cost and can be difficult to obtain, and we cannot guarantee that we will be able to obtain insurance coverage
in the future on terms acceptable to us or at all.
We are subject
to environmental laws and regulations that can impose significant costs and expose us to potential financial liabilities.
Our business and
facility and those of our contract manufacturer are subject to foreign, federal, state, and local laws and regulations relating to the
protection of human health and the environment, including those governing the use, manufacture, storage, handling, and disposal of, and
exposure to, such materials and wastes. In addition, under some environmental laws and regulations, we could be held responsible for
costs relating to any contamination at our past or present facilities and at third-party waste disposal sites even if such contamination
was not caused by us. A failure to comply with current or future environmental laws and regulations could result in severe fines or penalties.
Any such expenses or liability could have a significant negative impact on our business, results of operations, and financial condition.
U.S. tax
legislation may materially affect our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
The Tax Cuts and
Jobs Act (the “Tax Act”) has significantly changed the U.S. federal income taxation of U.S. businesses, including by reducing
the U.S. corporate income tax rate, limiting interest deductions, permitting immediate expensing of certain capital expenditures, modifying
or repealing many business deductions and credits.
35
The Coronavirus
Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the “CARES Act”) modifies certain provisions of the Tax Act, including increasing
the amount of interest expense that may be deducted.
The Tax Act as
modified by the CARES Act is unclear in many respects and could be subject to potential amendments and technical corrections, as well
as interpretations and implementing regulations by the Treasury and IRS, any of which could lessen or increase certain adverse impacts
of the legislation. In addition, it is unclear how these U.S. federal income tax changes will affect state and local taxation, which
often uses federal taxable income as a starting point for computing state and local tax liabilities. Our analysis and interpretation
of this legislation is preliminary and ongoing and there may be material adverse effects resulting from the legislation that we have
not yet identified. While some of the changes made by the tax legislation may adversely affect us, other changes may be beneficial. We
continue to work with our tax advisors to determine the full impact that the recent tax legislation as a whole will have
on us. We urge our investors to consult with their legal and tax advisors with respect to such legislation and its potential effect on
an investment in our common stock.
Risks Related
to Our Intellectual Property
Our ability
to protect our intellectual property and proprietary technology is uncertain.
We rely primarily on patent, copyright, trademark and trade secret
laws, as well as confidentiality and non- disclosure agreements and other methods, to protect our proprietary technologies and know-how.
As of March 26, 2025, we owned 12 issued patents (eight domestic and four foreign), 23 pending patent applications (21 domestic and two
foreign), thirteen registered trademarks (seven domestic and six foreign) and twelve pending domestic trademark applications.
We have applied
for patent protection relating to certain existing and proposed products and processes. While we generally apply for patents in those
countries where we intend to make, have made, use, or sell patented products, we may not accurately predict all the countries where patent
protection will ultimately be desirable. If we fail to timely file a patent application in any such country, we may be precluded from
doing so later. Furthermore, we cannot assure you that any of our patent applications will be approved. The rights granted to us under
our patents, including prospective rights sought in our pending patent applications, may not be meaningful or provide us with any commercial
advantage. In addition, those rights could be opposed, contested, or circumvented by our competitors or be declared invalid or unenforceable
in judicial or administrative proceedings. The failure of our patents to adequately protect our technology might make it easier for our
competitors to offer the same or similar products or technologies. Competitors may be able to design around our patents or develop products
that provide outcomes which are comparable to ours without infringing on our intellectual property rights. Due to differences between
foreign and U.S. patent laws, our patented intellectual property rights may not receive the same degree of protection in foreign countries
as they would in the United States. Even if patents are granted outside the United States, effective enforcement in those countries may
not be available. Since most of our issued patents are for the United States only, we lack a corresponding scope of patent protection
in other countries. In countries where we do not have significant patent protection, we may not be able to stop a competitor from marketing
products in such countries that are the same as or similar to our product.
We plan to rely
on our trademarks, trade names and brand names to distinguish our product from the products of our competitors and have registered or
applied to register many of these trademarks. We cannot assure you that our trademark applications will be approved. Third parties may
also oppose our trademark applications, or otherwise challenge our use of the trademarks. In the event that our trademarks are successfully
challenged, we could be forced to rebrand our product, which could result in loss of brand recognition, and could require us to devote
resources to advertising and marketing new brands. Further, we cannot assure you that competitors will not infringe upon our trademarks,
or that we will have adequate resources to enforce our trademarks.
We also rely on
trade secrets, know-how, and technology, which are not protected by patents, to maintain our competitive position. We try to protect
this information by entering into confidentiality and intellectual property assignment agreements with parties that develop intellectual
property for us and/or have access to it, such as our officers, employees, consultants, contract manufacturers and advisors. However,
in the event of unauthorized use or disclosure or other breaches of such agreements, we may not be provided with meaningful protection
for our trade secrets or other proprietary information. In addition, our trade secrets may otherwise become known or be independently
discovered by competitors. To the extent that our commercial partners, collaborators, employees, and consultants use intellectual property
owned by others in their work for us, disputes may arise as to the rights in related or resulting know-how and inventions. If any of
our trade secrets, know-how or other technologies not protected by a patent were to be disclosed to or independently developed by a competitor,
our business, financial condition, and results of operations could be materially adversely affected.
36
In the future,
we may enter into licensing agreements to maintain our competitive position. If we enter into in-bound intellectual property license
agreements, we may not be able to fully protect the licensed intellectual property rights or maintain those licenses. Future licensors
could retain the right to prosecute and defend the intellectual property rights licensed to us, in which case we would depend on the
ability of our licensors to obtain, maintain, and enforce intellectual property protection for the licensed intellectual property. These
licensors may determine not to pursue litigation against other companies or may pursue such litigation less aggressively than we would.
Further, entering into such license agreements could impose various diligence, commercialization, royalty, or other obligations on us.
Future licensors may allege that we have breached our license agreement with them, and accordingly seek damages or to terminate our license,
which could adversely affect our competitive business position and harm our business prospects.
If a competitor
infringes upon one of our patents, trademarks, or other intellectual property rights, enforcing those patents, trademarks, and other
rights may be difficult and time consuming. Even if successful, litigation to defend our patents and trademarks against challenges or
to enforce our intellectual property rights could be expensive and time consuming and could divert management’s attention from
managing our business. Moreover, we may not have sufficient resources to defend our patents or trademarks against challenges or to enforce
our intellectual property rights. In addition, if third parties infringe any intellectual property that is not material to the products
that we make, have made, use, or sell, it may be impractical for us to enforce this intellectual property against those third parties.
We may be
subject to damages resulting from claims that we, our employees, or independent distributors along with their independent sales representatives
have wrongfully used or disclosed alleged trade secrets of our competitors or are in breach of non-competition or non-solicitation agreements
with our competitors.
Many of our employees
were previously employed at other medical device companies, including our competitors or potential competitors, in some cases until recently.
Some independent distributors and their independent sales representatives sell, or in the past have sold, products of our competitors.
We may be subject to claims that we, our employees or independent sales personnel have inadvertently or otherwise used or disclosed trade
secrets or other proprietary information of these former employers or competitors. In addition, we have been and may in the future be
subject to claims that we caused an employee to breach the terms of his or her non-competition or non-solicitation agreement. Even if
we are successful in defending against these claims, litigation could result in substantial costs, divert the attention of management
from our core business and harm our reputation. If our defense to those claims fails, in addition to paying monetary damages, we may
lose valuable intellectual property rights or personnel. There can be no assurance that this type of litigation will not continue, and
any future litigation or the threat thereof may adversely affect our ability to hire additional direct sales representatives. A loss
of key personnel or their work product could hamper or prevent our ability to commercialize product candidates, which could have an adverse
effect on our business, results of operations, and financial condition.
The medical
device industry is characterized by patent litigation, and we could become subject to litigation that could be costly, result in the
diversion of management’s time and efforts, require us to pay damages, and/or prevent us from developing or marketing our existing
or future products.
Our commercial
success will depend in part on not infringing the patents or violating the other proprietary rights of third parties. Significant litigation
regarding patent rights exists in our industry. Our competitors in both the United States and abroad, many of which have substantially
greater resources and have made substantial investments in competing technologies, may have applied for or obtained or may in the future
apply for and obtain, patents that will prevent, limit, or otherwise interfere with our ability to make and sell our product. We have
conducted a limited review of patents issued to third parties. The large number of patents, the rapid rate of new patent issuances, the
complexities of the technology involved, and the uncertainty of litigation increase the risk of business assets and management’s
attention being diverted to patent litigation. Any litigation or claim against us, even those without merit, may cause us to incur substantial
costs, and could place a significant strain on our financial resources, divert the attention of management from our core business, and
harm our reputation. Further, as the number of participants in the medical device industry grows, the possibility of intellectual property
infringement claims against us increases. If we are found to infringe the intellectual property rights of third parties, we could be
required to pay substantial damages, including treble, or triple, damages if an infringement is found to be willful, and/or royalties
and could be prevented from selling our product unless we obtain a license or are able to redesign our product to avoid infringement.
Any such license may not be available on reasonable terms, if at all, and there can be no assurance that we would be able to redesign
our product in a way that would not infringe the intellectual property rights of others. If we fail to obtain any required licenses or
make any necessary changes to our product or technologies, we may have to withdraw our existing product from the market or may be unable
to commercialize one or more of our future products, all of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations,
and financial condition. If passed into law, patent reform legislation currently pending in the U.S. Congress could significantly change
the risks associated with bringing or defending a patent infringement lawsuit. For example, fee shifting legislation could require a
non-prevailing party to pay the attorney fees of the prevailing party in some circumstances.
37
Patent terms
are limited, and we may not be able to effectively protect our product and business.
Patents have a
limited lifespan. In the U.S., the natural expiration of a patent is generally 20 years after it is filed. Although various extensions
may be available, the life of a patent, and the protection it affords, is limited. In addition, upon issuance in the U.S., the patent
term may be extended based on certain delays caused by the applicant(s) or the USPTO. Even if we obtain effective patent rights for all
our current patent applications, we may not have sufficient patent terms or regulatory exclusivity to protect our product, and our business
and results of operations would be adversely affected.
Changes in
U.S. patent law could diminish the value of patents in general, thereby impairing our ability to protect our product.
As is the case
with other medical devices companies, our success is heavily dependent on intellectual property, particularly patents. Obtaining and
enforcing patents in the medical devices industry involves both technological and legal complexity. Therefore, obtaining and enforcing
patents is costly, time-consuming, and inherently uncertain. In addition, the U.S. has recently enacted and is currently implementing
wide-ranging patent reform legislation. Recent U.S. Supreme Court rulings have narrowed the scope of patent protection available in certain
circumstances and weakened the rights of patent owners in certain situations. In addition to increasing uncertainty with regard to our
ability to obtain patents in the future, this combination of events has created uncertainty with respect to the value of patents, once
obtained. Depending on future actions by the U.S. Congress, the federal courts and the USPTO, the laws and regulations governing patents
could change in unpredictable ways that would weaken our ability to obtain new patents or to enforce our existing patents and patents
that we might obtain in the future.
We may not
be able to protect our intellectual property rights throughout the world.
Filing, prosecuting,
and defending patents on product candidates in all countries throughout the world would be prohibitively expensive, and our intellectual
property rights in some countries outside the U.S. can be less extensive than those in the U.S. In addition, the laws of some foreign
countries do not protect intellectual property rights to the same extent as federal and state laws in the U.S. Competitors may use our
technologies in jurisdictions where we have not obtained patent protection to develop their own products and may also export otherwise
infringing products to territories where we have patent protection, but enforcement is not as strong as that in the U.S. These products
may compete with our product and our patents or other intellectual property rights may not be effective or sufficient to prevent them
from competing.
Many companies
have encountered significant problems in protecting and defending intellectual property rights in foreign jurisdictions. The legal systems
of certain countries, particularly certain developing countries, do not favor the enforcement of patents, trade secrets and other intellectual
property protection, particularly those relating to biotechnology products, which could make it difficult for us to stop the infringement
of our patents or marketing of competing products in violation of our proprietary rights generally. Proceedings to enforce our patent
rights in foreign jurisdictions, whether or not successful, could result in substantial costs and divert our efforts and attention from
other aspects of our business, could put our patents at risk of being invalidated or interpreted narrowly and our patent applications
at risk of not issuing and could provoke third parties to assert claims against us. We may not prevail in any lawsuits that we initiate,
and the damages or other remedies awarded, if any, may not be commercially meaningful. Accordingly, our efforts to enforce our intellectual
property rights around the world may be inadequate to obtain a significant commercial advantage from the intellectual property that we
develop or license.
If we are
unable to protect the confidentiality of our trade secrets, our business and competitive position could be harmed.
In addition to
patent protection, we also rely upon copyright and trade secret protection, as well as non-disclosure agreements and invention assignment
agreements with our employees, consultants, contract manufacturers and third parties, to protect our confidential and proprietary information.
In addition to contractual measures, we try to protect the confidential nature of our proprietary information using commonly accepted
physical and technological security measures. Such measures may not, for example, in the case of misappropriation of a trade secret by
an employee or third party with authorized access, provide adequate protection for our proprietary information. Our security measures
may not prevent an employee or consultant from misappropriating our trade secrets and providing them to a competitor, and recourse we
take against such misconduct may not provide an adequate remedy to protect our interests fully. Unauthorized parties may also attempt
to copy or reverse engineer certain aspects of our product that we consider proprietary. Enforcing a claim that a party illegally disclosed
or misappropriated a trade secret can be difficult, expensive, and time-consuming, and the outcome is unpredictable. Even though we use
commonly accepted security measures, trade secret violations are often a matter of state law, and the criteria for protection of trade
secrets can vary among different jurisdictions. In addition, trade secrets may be independently developed by others in a manner that
could prevent legal recourse by us. If any of our confidential or proprietary information, such as our trade secrets, were to be disclosed
or misappropriated, or if any such information was independently developed by a competitor, our business and competitive position could
be harmed.
38
Third parties
may assert that our employees or consultants have wrongfully used or disclosed confidential information or misappropriated trade secrets.
We employ individuals
who previously worked with other companies, including our competitors or potential competitors. Although we try to ensure that our employees
and consultants do not use the proprietary information or know-how of others in their work for us, we may be subject to claims that we
or our employees, consultants or independent contractors have inadvertently or otherwise used or disclosed intellectual property, including
trade secrets or other proprietary information, of a former employer or other third party. Litigation may be necessary to defend against
these claims. If we fail in defending any such claims or settling those claims, in addition to paying monetary damages or a settlement
payment, we may lose valuable intellectual property rights or personnel. Even if we are successful in defending against such claims,
litigation could result in substantial costs and be a distraction to management and other employees.
Risks Related
to the Ownership of our Common Stock and Warrants
An active
trading market for our shares may not be sustained.
Although our shares
are listed on The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC, the market for our shares has demonstrated varying levels of trading activity. The current
level of trading may not be sustained in the future. The lack of an active market for our shares may impair investors’ ability
to sell their shares at the time they wish to sell them or at a price that they consider reasonable, may reduce the fair market value
of their shares and may impair our ability to raise capital to continue to fund operations by selling shares and may impair our ability
to acquire additional intellectual property assets by using our shares as consideration.
Future sales
of substantial amounts of our common stock could adversely affect the market price of our common stock.
We may choose to raise additional capital due
to market conditions or strategic considerations even if we believe we have sufficient funds for our current or future operating plans.
If additional capital is raised through the sale of equity or convertible debt securities, or perceptions that those sales could occur,
the issuance of these securities could result in further dilution to investors purchasing our common stock in this offering or result
in downward pressure on the price of our common stock, and our ability to raise capital in the future. We currently have an equity financing
facility with Lincoln Park Capital Fund, LLC (“Lincoln Park”), pursuant to which we may sell up to $10 million in shares of
common stock to Lincoln Park, all of which are covered by an effective registration statement that we have filed with the SEC. As of March
26, 2025, we have issued and sold 48,848 shares to Lincoln Park and may further sell approximately $9.7 million in additional shares to
Lincoln Park.
We have effected
one for eight and a one for ten reverse stock splits in the last two years and we may not be able to cure a Nasdaq listing deficiency
if our stock price falls below $0.32 per share.
Under Nasdaq rules,
a reverse stock split taken together with all other reverse stock splits that are effected in a two year period that is in excess of
one for two hundred fifty (1:250) will not be accepted by Nasdaq as a method to regain compliance with the Bid Price Rule. Since November
2, 2023, we have affected two reverse stock splits which collectively are considered to have a ratio of one for eighty (1:80). Therefore,
until November 3, 2025, Nasdaq will not accept additional reverse stock splits effected by us with a ratio greater than 1:3.125 as a
method to regain compliance with the Bid Price Rule. Accordingly, until November 3, 2025, a reverse stock split acceptable to Nasdaq
would likely not cure noncompliance with the Bid Price Rule if our stock was trading at or about $0.32 per share. If such an event were
to occur, there is no certainty that any corporate action we could take or any event would occur that would result in an increase in
our stock price necessary for us to regain compliance prior or allow for a reverse stock split with a ratio of 1:3.125 or less to result
in compliance prior to a delisting of our common stock.
A delisting of
our common stock and our inability to list on another national securities market could negatively impact us by: (i) reducing the liquidity
and market price of our common stock; (ii) reducing the number of investors willing to hold or acquire our common stock, which could
negatively impact our ability to raise equity financing; (iii) limiting our ability to use certain registration statements to offer and
sell freely tradable securities, thereby limiting our ability to access the public capital markets; and (iv) impairing our ability to
provide equity incentives to our employees.
The trading
price of our common stock has been and is likely to continue to be highly volatile and could be subject to wide fluctuations in response
to various factors, some of which are beyond our control.
Our share price
is highly volatile. During the period from January 1, 2023, to March 26, 2025 the closing price of our common stock ranged from a high
of $208.80 per share to a low of $0.98 per share. The stock market in general has experienced extreme volatility that has often been
unrelated to the operating performance of particular companies. As a result of this volatility, you may not be able to sell your common
stock at or above the public offering price and you may lose some or all of your investment.
39
Our Series
A Preferred Stock and Series B Preferred Stock rank senior to our common stock.
Our Series A Preferred
Stock and Series B Preferred Stock rank, with respect to rights on the distribution of assets on any voluntary or involuntary liquidation,
dissolution or winding up of the affairs of our company, and redemption rights, senior to our common stock and each other class or series
of securities now existing or hereafter authorized classified or reclassified, the terms of which do not expressly provide that such
class or series ranks on a parity basis with or senior to the Series A Preferred Stock and Series B Preferred Stock as to rights on the
distribution of assets on any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of our company, and redemption
rights.
Conversion
of Series A Preferred Stock, the Series B Preferred Stock or the exercise of the Tradeable Warrants, Note Warrants, the Series A Warrants,
the Series B Warrants, the New Warrants may cause significant dilution to our stockholders.
As of March 26, 2025, we have issued 256,968 shares of Series A Preferred
Stock, which are convertible into 788,587 shares of common stock; 86,454 shares of Series B Preferred Stock, which are convertible into
108,074 shares of common stock; Tradeable Warrants with 250,000 underlying shares of common stock; Note Warrants with 5,625 underlying
shares of common stock; Series A Warrants with 48,187 underlying shares of common stock, Series B Warrants with 16,214 underlying shares
of common stock and New Warrants with 3,668,550 underlying shares of common stock. The issuance of shares of common stock upon the conversion
of such shares of preferred stock or exercise of any of such warrants would dilute the percentage ownership interest of holders of our
common stock, dilute the book value per share of our common stock, and increase the number of our publicly traded shares, which could
further depress the market price of our common stock.
In addition, the
Series A Warrants, Series B Warrants and the Note Warrants contain weighted average anti-dilution provisions which, subject to limited
exceptions, would increase the number of shares issuable upon exercise of such securities (by reducing the exercise price) in the event
that we in the future issue common stock, or securities convertible into or exercisable to purchase common stock, at a price per share
lower than the exercise price then in effect.
If securities
or industry analysts do not publish research or publish inaccurate or unfavorable research about our business, our stock price and trading
volume could decline.
The trading market
for our common stock will depend in part on the research and reports that securities or industry analysts publish about us or our business.
If too few securities or industry analysts provide coverage or if one or more of the analysts who cover us downgrade our stock or publish
inaccurate or unfavorable research about our business, the price of our stock would likely decline. If one or more of these analysts
cease coverage of us or fail to publish reports on us regularly, demand for our stock could decrease, which might cause the price of
our stock and trading volume to decline.
The price
of our common stock may be volatile, and you may be unable to resell your shares at or above the price paid.
The trading price
of our common stock may fluctuate substantially. The market price of our common stock may fluctuate higher or lower, depending on many
factors, some of which are beyond our control and may not be related to our operating performance. These fluctuations could cause you
to lose all or part of your investment in our common stock. Factors that could cause fluctuations in the trading price of our common
stock include the following:
●
actual or anticipated fluctuations in our financial condition and operating results;
●
actual or anticipated changes in our growth rate relative to our competitors;
●
commercial success and market acceptance of our product;
●
success of our competitors in developing or commercializing products;
●
ability to commercialize or obtain regulatory approvals for our product, or delays in commercializing
or obtaining regulatory approvals;
●
strategic transactions undertaken by us;
●
additions or departures of key personnel;
●
product liability claims;
40
●
prevailing economic conditions;
●
disputes concerning our intellectual property or other proprietary rights;
●
FDA or other U.S. or foreign regulatory actions affecting us or the healthcare industry;
●
healthcare reform measures in the United States;
●
sales of our common stock by our officers, directors or significant stockholders;
●
future sales or issuances of equity or debt securities by us;
●
business disruptions caused by earthquakes, fires or other natural disasters;
●
the exercise and sale of any outstanding warrants or options;
●
issuance of new or changed securities analysts’ reports or recommendations regarding us;
●
changes in our capital structure, such as future issuances of debt or equity securities;
●
short sales, hedging and other derivative transactions involving our capital stock; and
●
general economic and geopolitical conditions, including the current or anticipated impact of military
conflict and related sanctions imposed on Russia by the United States and other countries due to Russia’s recent invasion of
Ukraine.
In addition, if
the market for medical device or healthcare stocks or the stock market, in general, experience a loss of investor confidence, the trading
price of our common stock could decline for reasons unrelated to our business, results of operations, or financial condition. The trading
price of our common stock might also decline in reaction to events that affect other companies in our industry even if these events do
not directly affect us. In the past, following periods of volatility in the market price of a company’s securities, securities
class action litigation has often been brought against that company. If our stock price is volatile, we may become the target of securities
litigation. Securities litigation could result in substantial costs and divert our management’s attention and resources from our
business. This could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, and financial condition.
Our failure to maintain effective
internal controls over financial reporting could have an adverse impact on us .
We are required
to establish and maintain appropriate internal controls over financial reporting. Failure to establish those controls, or any failure
of those controls once established, could adversely impact our public disclosures regarding our business, financial condition, or results
of operations. In addition, management’s assessment of internal controls over financial reporting may identify weaknesses and conditions
that need to be addressed in our internal controls over financial reporting or other matters that may raise concerns for investors. Any
actual or perceived weaknesses and conditions that need to be addressed in our internal control over financial reporting, disclosure
of management’s assessment of our internal controls over financial reporting or disclosure of our public accounting firm’s
attestation to our report on management’s assessment of our internal controls over financial reporting may have an adverse impact
on the price of our common stock.
A control system,
no matter how well conceived and operated, can provide only reasonable, not absolute, assurance that the objectives of the control system
are met. In addition, the design of a control system must reflect the fact that there are resource constraints, and the benefit of controls
must be relative to their costs. Because of the inherent limitations in all control systems, no system of controls can provide absolute
assurance that all control issues and instances of fraud, if any, within our Company have been detected. These inherent limitations include
the realities that judgments in decision-making can be faulty and that breakdowns can occur because of simple error or mistake. Further,
controls can be circumvented by individual acts of some persons, by collusion of two or more persons, or by management override of the
controls. The design of any system of controls is also based in part upon certain assumptions about the likelihood of future events,
and there can be no assurance that any design will succeed in achieving its stated goals under all potential future conditions. Over
time, a control may become inadequate because of changes in conditions or the degree of compliance with policies or procedures may deteriorate.
Because of inherent limitations in a cost-effective control system, misstatements due to error or fraud may occur and may not be detected.
41
At present, management
has identified a material weakness due to lack of segregation of duties. The lack of segregation of duties existed as a result of our
having no employees until June 2021. Management has taken steps to remedy this deficiency by its hiring of a Chief Financial Officer, a
director of SEC reporting and compliance, a senior accountant, a cost accountant and external financial consultants, and plans to continue
to add additional resources, technology and headcount as warranted by our growth. We are in the process of putting proper policies and
procedures in place to ensure that proper documentation is established and maintained for transactions that we enter into. On May 20,
2024, it was announced that our Chief Financial Officer was retiring effective July 31, 2024 while continuing to assist us as Chief Financial
Officer Advisor. On August 27, 2024, we announced the hiring of our new Chief Financial Officer, effective September 3, 2024.
While we believe
these efforts will improve our internal controls and address the underlying causes of the material weakness, such material weakness will
not be remediated until our remediation plan has been fully implemented and we have concluded that our controls are operating effectively
for a sufficient period of time. We cannot be certain that the steps we are taking will be sufficient to remediate the control deficiencies
that led to our material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting or prevent future material weaknesses or control deficiencies
from occurring. While we are working to remediate the material weakness as timely and efficiently as possible, at this time we cannot
provide an estimate of costs expected to be incurred in connection with the implementation of this remediation plan, nor can we provide
an estimate of the time it will take to complete this remediation plan. Even if management does establish effective remedial measures,
we cannot guarantee that those internal controls and disclosure controls that we put in place will prevent all possible errors, mistakes,
or all fraud.
Our financial
controls and procedures may not be sufficient to ensure timely and reliable reporting of financial information, which, as a public company,
could materially harm our stock price.
We will require
significant financial resources to maintain our public reporting status. We cannot assure you we will be able to maintain adequate resources
to ensure that we will not have any future material weakness in our system of internal controls. The effectiveness of our controls and
procedures may in the future be limited by a variety of factors including:
●
faulty human judgment and simple errors, omissions or mistakes;
●
fraudulent action of an individual or collusion of two or more people;
●
inappropriate management override of procedures; and
●
the possibility that any enhancements to controls and procedures may
still not be adequate to assure timely and accurate financial information.
Our internal control
over financial reporting will be a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting
and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the
United States of America. Our internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (i) pertain to the
maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the
Company; (ii) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements
in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the Company are being made only in
accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the Company; and (iii) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention
or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the Company’s assets that could have a material effect
on the financial statements.
Despite these anticipated
controls, because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Therefore,
even those systems determined to be effective can provide only reasonable assurance of achieving their control objectives. Furthermore,
smaller reporting companies like us face additional limitations. Smaller reporting companies employ fewer individuals and can find it
difficult to employ resources for complicated transactions and effective risk management. Additionally, smaller reporting companies tend
to utilize general accounting software packages that lack a rigorous set of software controls.
If we fail to have
effective controls and procedures for financial reporting in place, we could be unable to provide timely and accurate financial information
and be subject to investigation by the SEC and civil or criminal sanctions.
We must implement
additional and expensive procedures and controls in order to grow our business and organization and to satisfy reporting requirements,
which will increase our costs and require additional management resources.
As a public company,
we are required to comply with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”) and the related rules and regulations
of the SEC, including the requirements that we maintain disclosure controls and procedures and adequate internal control over financial
reporting. Compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and other SEC and national exchange requirements will increase our costs and require
additional management resources. We have begun the process of upgrading our procedures and controls and will need to begin implementing
additional procedures and controls as we grow our business and organization and to satisfy new reporting requirements. If we are unable
to complete the required assessment as to the adequacy of our internal control over financial reporting, as required by Section 404 of
the Sarbanes-Oxley Act or if we fail to establish and maintain internal control over financial reporting, our ability to produce timely,
accurate and reliable periodic financial statements could be impaired.
42
If we do not establish
and maintain adequate internal control over financial reporting, investors could lose confidence in the accuracy of our periodic reports
filed under the Exchange Act. Additionally, our ability to obtain additional financing could be impaired or a lack of investor confidence
in the reliability and accuracy of our public reporting could cause our stock price to decline.
We may be
subject to securities litigation, which is expensive and could divert our management’s attention.
The market price
of our securities may be volatile, and in the past companies that have experienced volatility in the market price of their securities
have been subject to securities class action litigation. We may be the target of this type of litigation in the future. Securities litigation
against us could result in substantial costs and divert our management’s attention from other business concerns.
We are an
“emerging growth company” under the JOBS Act of 2012 and we cannot be certain if the reduced disclosure requirements applicable
to emerging growth companies will make our common stock less attractive to investors.
We are an “emerging
growth company,” as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (the “JOBS Act”), and we may take advantage
of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not “emerging
growth companies” including, but not limited to, not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section
404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports and proxy statements,
and exemptions from the requirements of holding a nonbinding advisory vote on executive compensation and shareholder approval of any
golden parachute payments not previously approved. We cannot predict if investors will find our common stock less attractive because
we may rely on these exemptions. If some investors find our common stock less attractive as a result, there may be a less active trading
market for our common stock and our stock price may be more volatile.
In addition, Section
107 of the JOBS Act also 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 of 1933 (the “Securities Act”) for complying with new or revised accounting
standards. In other words, an “emerging growth company” can delay the adoption of certain accounting standards until those
standards would otherwise apply to private companies. We are choosing to take advantage of the extended transition period for complying
with new or revised accounting standards.
We will remain
an “emerging growth company” until the last day of the fiscal year following the fifth anniversary of the date of the first
sale of our common stock pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act, although we will lose that status
sooner if our revenues exceed $1.235 billion, if we issue more than $1 billion in non-convertible debt in a three year period, or we
are deemed to be a large accelerated filer under applicable SEC rules.
Our status
as an “emerging growth company” under the JOBS Act may make it more difficult to raise capital as and when we need it.
Because of the
exemptions from various reporting requirements provided to us as an “emerging growth company” and because we will have an
extended transition period for complying with new or revised financial accounting standards, we may be less attractive to investors,
and it may be difficult for us to raise additional capital as and when we need it. Investors may be unable to compare our business with
other companies in our industry if they believe that our financial accounting is not as transparent as other companies in our industry.
If we are unable to raise additional capital as and when we need it, our financial condition and results of operations may be materially
and adversely affected.
We have not
paid dividends in the past and do not expect to pay dividends in the future, and any return on investment may be limited to the value
of our stock.
We have never paid
cash dividends on our common stock and do not anticipate paying cash dividends on our common stock in the foreseeable future. We currently
intend to retain any future earnings to support the development of our business and do not anticipate paying cash dividends in the foreseeable
future. Our payment of any future dividends will be at the discretion of our board of directors after taking into account various factors,
including, but not limited to, our financial condition, operating results, cash needs, growth plans and the terms of any credit agreements
that we may be a party to at the time. In addition, our ability to pay dividends on our common stock may be limited by Delaware state
law. Accordingly, investors must rely on sales of their common stock after price appreciation, which may never occur, as the only way
to realize a return on their investment. Investors seeking cash dividends should not purchase our common stock.
43
The elimination
of personal liability against our directors and officers under Delaware law and the existence of indemnification rights held by our directors,
officers and employees may result in substantial expenses.
Our amended and
restated certificate of incorporation, as amended (“Certificate of Incorporation”), and our bylaws (“Bylaws”)
eliminate the personal liability of our directors and officers to us and our stockholders for damages for breach of fiduciary duty as
a director or officer to the extent permissible under Delaware law. Further, our Certificate of Incorporation allows for us to and our
Bylaws provide that we are obligated to indemnify each of our directors or officers to the fullest extent authorized by Delaware law
and, subject to certain conditions, advance the expenses incurred by any director or officer in defending any action, suit or proceeding
prior to its final disposition. Those indemnification obligations could expose us to substantial expenditures to cover the cost of settlement
or damage awards against our directors or officers, which we may be unable to afford. Further, those provisions and resulting costs may
discourage us or our stockholders from bringing a lawsuit against any of our current or former directors or officers for breaches of
their fiduciary duties, even if such actions might otherwise benefit our stockholders.
Our Certificate
of Incorporation designates the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware as the exclusive forum for certain litigation that may be
initiated by our stockholders, which could limit our stockholders’ ability to obtain a favorable judicial forum for disputes with
us.
Our Certificate
of Incorporation specifies that, except for claims arising under federal securities laws, unless we consent in writing to the selection
of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware shall be the sole and exclusive forum for (a) any derivative
action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Company, (b) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any director,
officer, employee or agent of the Company to the Company or the Company’s stockholders, (c) any action asserting a claim arising
pursuant to any provision of the Delaware General Corporation Law, our Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws, or (d) any action asserting
a claim governed by the internal affairs doctrine, in each case subject to said Court of Chancery having personal jurisdiction over the
indispensable parties named as defendants therein. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in shares of our
capital stock shall be deemed to have notice of and to have consented to the provisions of our Certificate of Incorporation as described
above.
This choice of
forum provision may limit a stockholder’s ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum that it finds favorable for disputes with
us or any of our directors, officers, other employees or stockholders, which may discourage lawsuits with respect to such claims. As
such, stockholders of the Company seeking to bring a claim regarding the internal affairs of the Company may be subject to increased
costs associated with litigating in Delaware as opposed to their home state or other forum, precluded from bringing such a claim in a
forum they otherwise consider to be more favorable, and discouraged from bringing such claims as a result of the foregoing or other factors
related to forum selection. Alternatively, if a court were to find the choice of forum provision contained in our Certificate of Incorporation
to be inapplicable or unenforceable in an action, we may incur additional costs associated with resolving such action in other jurisdictions,
which could harm our business, operating results and financial condition.
We believe these
provisions benefit us by providing increased consistency in the application of Delaware law by chancellors particularly experienced in
resolving corporate disputes, efficient administration of cases on a more expedited schedule relative to other forums and protection
against the burdens of multi-forum litigation. However, the provision may have the effect of discouraging lawsuits against our directors,
officers, employees, and agents as it may limit any stockholder’s ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum that such stockholder
finds favorable for disputes with us or our directors, officers, employees or agents. The enforceability of similar choice of forum provisions
in other companies’ certificates of incorporation has been challenged in legal proceedings, and it is possible that, in connection
with any applicable action brought against us, a court could find the choice of forum provisions contained in our Certificate of Incorporation
to be inapplicable or unenforceable in such action. If a court were to find the choice of forum provision contained in our Certificate
of Incorporation to be inapplicable or unenforceable in an action, we may incur additional costs associated with resolving such action
in other jurisdictions, which could adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations.
Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments
None.
44
Item 1C. Cybersecurity
Cybersecurity Risk Management and Strategy . We maintain a cyber-risk
management program which is intended to assist in assessing, identifying, and managing material risks from cybersecurity threats to our
data and information systems. This program is to ensure that cybersecurity considerations are included in decision-making processes throughout
the Company.
Our approach consists of, among other things, cybersecurity threat
and vulnerability prevention, detection, mitigation and remediation of potential cybersecurity risks. We employ cybersecurity intrusion
detection systems and continuous monitoring, in order to help defend against unauthorized access. We also employ identity-based access
controls and identity authentication requirements. Access to the Company’s data is monitored and controlled according to access
control policies. Data protection and privacy practices, including data loss prevention, help to safeguard sensitive information. We have
also outsourced significant elements of our information technology infrastructure; as a result, we manage independent vendor relationships
with third parties who are responsible for maintaining significant elements of our information technology systems and infrastructure.
Our Board of Directors is responsible for oversight of our cyber-risk
management program and management’s role is to assist the Board of Directors in identifying and considering material cybersecurity
risks, ensure implementation of management and employee level cybersecurity practices and training and provide the Board of Directors
with regular reports regarding any cybersecurity attacks or vulnerabilities .
As of the date of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, we have not experienced
any significant cybersecurity attacks and, to date, the risks from cybersecurity threats have not materially affected, or are reasonably
likely to materially affect, our business strategy, results of operations, or financial condition. For more information regarding the
risks the Company faces from cybersecurity threats, see “Item 1A. Risk Factors––Risks Related to Our Business and Operations––We
are increasingly dependent on information technology, and our systems and infrastructure face certain risks, including cybersecurity and
data leakage risks.”
Item 2. Properties
We lease and maintain our primary offices at 104 Cooper Court, Los
Gatos, CA 95032. We do not currently own any real estate.
Item 3. Legal Proceedings
None.
Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures
Not applicable.
45
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 trading on the Nasdaq Capital
Market under the symbol “TNON.”
Holders
As of March 26, 2025, we have issued and outstanding
5,584,965 shares of common stock issued and outstanding held by 61 stockholders of record. Because many of our shares of common stock
are held by brokers and other institutions on behalf of stockholders, this number is not representative of the total number of beneficial
owners of our stock.
We also have outstanding as of March 26, 2025:
●
2,445,700 shares of our common stock issuable pursuant to the exercise
of our Series C-1 Warrants at $1.25 per share;
●
1,222,850 shares of our common stock issuable pursuant to the exercise of our Series C-2 Warrants at $1.25 per share;
●
788,587 shares of our common stock issuable pursuant to conversion of our Series A Preferred Stock;
●
108,074 shares of our common stock issuable pursuant to conversion of our Series B Preferred Stock;
●
48,187 shares of our common stock issuable upon the exercise of warrants issued to investors of our Series A Preferred Stock at $4.28 per share;
●
16,214 shares of our common stock issuable upon the exercise of warrants issued to investors of our Series B Preferred Stock at $4.28 per share;
●
5,625 shares of our common stock issuable upon the exercise of warrants issued to investors in our November 2023 private placement at $15.52 per share;
●
207,484 shares of our common stock issuable upon the exercise of warrants issued to investors in our June 2023 public offering at $25.168 per share;
●
1,200 shares of our common stock issuable upon the exercise of warrants issued to the underwriters in our initial public offering that closed on April 29, 2022 at $400.00 per share; and
●
31,546 shares of our common stock issuable pursuant to options and restricted stock units granted pursuant to our equity incentive plan.
Dividends
We have never declared or paid any cash dividend
on our common stock. We intend to retain any future earnings to be used to provide working capital, to support our operations, and to
finance the growth and development of our business, including potentially the acquisition of, or investment in, businesses, technologies
or products that complement our existing business. We do not expect to pay cash dividends in the foreseeable future.
Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities
Set forth below is information as to all of our equity securities sold
by us during our fiscal year ended December 31, 2024, which was not registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
(a)
Issuance of Capital Stock.
None.
(b)
Option Grants.
None.
(c) Warrants.
None.
(d) Issuance of Notes.
None.
46
Securities Authorized for Issuance under Equity
Compensation Plans
In January and February 2022, our Board and our
shareholders approved our 2022 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2022 Plan,” together with the 2012 Plan, the “Plans”).
The 2022 Plan governs equity awards to our employees, directors, officers, consultants and other eligible participants. Initially, the
maximum number of shares of our common stock that may be subject to awards under the 2022 Plan is equal to (i) 20,000 plus (ii) the lesser
of (a) 75,000 shares of our common stock and (b) the number of shares of our common stock subject to awards granted under the 2012 Plan
that after the 2012 Plan is terminated are canceled, expired or otherwise terminated without having been exercised in full, are tendered
to or withheld by the Company for payment of an exercise price or for tax withholding obligations, or are forfeited to or repurchased
by the Company due to failure to vest. The maximum number of shares that are subject to awards under the 2022 Plan is subject to an annual
increase equal to the lesser of (i) 13,750 shares of our common stock, (ii) a number of shares of our common stock equal to 4% of the
prior year’s maximum number and (iii) such number of shares of our common stock as determined by the 2022 Plan administrator. On
July 23, 2024, at our annual meeting, our stockholders voted to amend the 2022 Plan to increase the number of shares reserved for issuance
under the 2022 Plan by 137,500 shares.
The types of awards permitted under the Plans
include nonqualified stock options, incentive stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock, restricted stock units, performance
shares, performance units and other awards. Each option shall be exercisable at such times and subject to such terms and conditions as
the Board may specify.
The Board has the power to amend, suspend or terminate
the Plans without stockholder approval or ratification at any time or from time to time. No change may be made that increases the total
number of shares of our common stock reserved for issuance pursuant to incentive awards or reduces the minimum exercise price for options
or exchange of options for other incentive awards, unless such change is authorized by our stockholders within one year.
Equity Compensation
Plan Information
The table below sets forth
information as of December 31, 2024.
Plan Category
Number of
securities to be
issued upon
exercise of
outstanding
options, warrants
and rights
Weighted-average
exercise price of
outstanding
options, warrants
and rights
Number of
securities
remaining
available for
future issuance
under equity
compensation
plans (excluding
securities
reflected in
column (a))
(a)
(b)
(c)
Equity compensation plans approved by security holders
31,546
$ 20.79
135,971
Equity compensation plans not approved by security holders
—
$ —
—
Total
31,546
$ 20.79
135,971
Use of Proceeds from our Initial Public Offering
of Common Stock
Not applicable.
Transfer Agent
The transfer agent for the common stock is Vstock
Transfer LLC, 18 Lafayette Place, Woodmere, New York, telephone (212) 828-8436.
Purchases of Equity Securities by the Issuer
and Affiliated Purchasers
None.
Item 6. [Reserved]
47
Item 7. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL
CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
You should read the following
discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations together with our financial statements and the notes to those
statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. In addition to historical financial information, this discussion
and analysis contains forward-looking statements that reflect our plans, estimates and beliefs. You should not place undue reliance on
these forward-looking statements, which involve risks and uncertainties. As a result of many factors, including but not limited to those
set forth under “Risk Factors,” our actual results may differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking
statements. See “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements.”
Overview
Tenon Medical, Inc., a
medical device company formed in 2012, has developed a proprietary, U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) approved
surgical implant-system, which we call The Catamaran™ SI Joint Fusion System (“The Catamaran System”). The
Catamaran System offers a novel, less invasive inferior-posterior approach to the sacroiliac joint (“SI Joint”) using a
single, robust titanium implant to treat SI Joint dysfunction that often causes severe lower back pain. The system features the
Catamaran™ Fixation Device which passes through both the axial and sagittal planes of the ilium and sacrum, transfixing the SI
Joint along its longitudinal axis. Published clinical studies have shown that 15% to 30% of all chronic lower back pain is
associated with the SI Joint.
With an entry similar
to the SI Joint injection, the surgical approach is direct to the joint. The angle and trajectory of the inferior-posterior approach
is designed to point away from critical neural and vascular structures and into the strongest cortical bone. Joined by a patented
osteotome bridge, the implant design consists of two hollow fenestrated pontoons with an open framework to facilitate bony in-growth
through the SI Joint. One pontoon fixates into the ilium and the other into the sacrum. The osteotome is designed to disrupt the
articular portion of the joint to help facilitate a fusion response.
Our initial clinical results
indicate that the Catamaran System implant is promoting fusion across the joint as evidenced by computerized tomography (CT) scans which
is the gold standard widely accepted by the clinical community. We had our national launch of The Catamaran System in October 2022 and
are building a sales and marketing infrastructure to market our product and address the greatly underserved market opportunity that exists.
We believe that the implant
design and procedure we have developed, along with the 2D and 3D protocols for proper implantation will be received well by the clinician
community who have been looking for a next generation device.
We have incurred net losses
since our inception in 2012. As of December 31, 2024, we had an accumulated deficit of approximately $68.7 million. To date, we have financed
our operations primarily through public equity offerings, private placements of equity securities, certain debt-related financing arrangements,
and sales of our product. We have devoted substantially all of our resources to research and development, regulatory matters and sales
and marketing of our product.
Reverse Stock Splits
On November 2, 2023, we effected
a 1-for-10 reverse stock split (the “2023 Reverse Stock Split”) by filing an amendment to our Amended and Restated Certificate
of Incorporation, as amended, with the Delaware Secretary of State. The 2023 Reverse Stock Split combined every ten shares of our common
stock issued and outstanding immediately prior to effecting the 2023 Reverse Stock Split into one share of common stock. No fractional
shares were issued in connection with the 2023 Reverse Stock Split.
On September 6, 2024, we
effected a 1-for-8 reverse stock split (the “2024 Reverse Stock Split”) by filing an amendment to the our Amended and Restated
Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, with the Delaware Secretary of State. The 2024 Reverse Stock Split combined every eight shares
of our common stock issued and outstanding immediately prior to effecting the 2024 Reverse Stock Split into one share of common stock.
No fractional shares were issued in connection with the 2024 Reverse Stock Split.
All historical share and
per share amounts reflected throughout this document have been adjusted to reflect the 2023 Reverse Stock Split and the 2024 Reverse Stock
Split. The authorized number of shares and the par value per share of our common stock were not affected by the 2023 Reverse Stock Split
or the 2024 Reverse Stock Split.
48
Critical Accounting Policies and Significant Judgments and Estimates
Our management’s discussion
and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations is based on our audited consolidated financial statements, which have
been prepared in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles (“U.S. GAAP”). The preparation of
these financial statements requires us to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and
the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, as well as the reported results of operations
during the reporting periods. Our estimates are based on our historical experience and on various other factors that we believe are reasonable
under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities
that are not readily apparent from other sources. Actual results could differ from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions.
While our significant accounting policies are described in more detail in the notes to our consolidated financial statements included
elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, we believe that the accounting policies discussed below are those that are most critical
to understanding our historical and future performance, as these policies relate to the more significant areas involving management’s
judgments and estimates. For more detail on our critical accounting policies, see Note 2 to our consolidated financial statements.
Revenue Recognition
Our revenue is derived from
the sale of our products to medical groups and hospitals in the United States. Revenue is recognized when control is transferred to the
customer, in an amount that reflects the consideration we expect to be entitled to in exchange for the goods or services, using the following
five step approach: (1) identify the contract with a customer, (2) identify the performance obligations in the contract, (3) determine
the transaction price, (4) allocate the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract, and (5) recognize revenue when
a performance obligation is satisfied.
We generate our revenue from
the sale of products to hospitals or medical facilities where our products are delivered in advance of a procedure. The performance obligation
is the delivery of the products along with the completion of the surgery and therefore, revenue is recognized upon delivery to the customers
and completion of the surgery, net of rebates and price discounts. We account for rebates and price discounts as a reduction to revenue.
Sales prices are specified prior to the transfer of control to the customer, via either the customer contract, agreed price list, purchase
order, or written communication with the customer. For direct sales to end-user customers, our standard payment terms are generally net
30 days.
We offer our standard warranty
to all customers. We do not sell any warranties on a standalone basis. Our warranty provides that our products are free of material defects
and conform to specifications, and includes an offer to replace or refund the purchase price of defective products. This assurance does
not constitute a service and is not considered a separate performance obligation. We estimate warranty liabilities at the time of revenue
recognition and record them as a charge to cost of goods sold.
Stock-Based Compensation
We account for all stock-based
compensation awards using a fair-value method on the grant date and recognize the fair value of each award as an expense over the requisite
service period.
We recognize compensation
costs related to stock-based awards granted to employees, directors, and consultants, including restricted stock units and stock
options, based on the estimated fair value of the awards on the date of grant. For restricted stock units, we estimate grant date
fair value based on the closing market price on the date of grant. For stock options, we estimate the grant date fair value using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model. The grant date fair value of the stock-based awards is
generally recognized on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period, which is generally the vesting period of the
respective awards.
49
The Black-Scholes option-pricing
model requires the use of subjective assumptions to determine the fair value of stock-based awards. These assumptions include:
Expected Term —The
expected term represents the period that stock-based awards are expected to be outstanding. The expected term for option grants is determined
using the simplified method. The simplified method deems the expected term to be the midpoint between the vesting date and the contractual
life of the stock-based awards.
Expected Volatility —Since
we have only been publicly held since April 2022 and do not have any trading history for our common stock, the expected volatility was
estimated based on the average volatility for comparable publicly traded companies over a period equal to the expected term of the stock
option grants. The comparable companies were chosen based on their similar size, stage in the life cycle, or area of specialty.
Risk-Free Interest Rate —The
risk-free interest rate is based on the U.S. Treasury zero coupon issues in effect at the time of grant for periods corresponding with
the expected term of option.
Expected Dividend —We
have never paid dividends on our common stock and have no plans to pay dividends on our common stock. Therefore, we used an expected dividend
yield of zero.
We account for forfeitures
as they occur.
Our board of directors intends
all options granted to be exercisable at a price per share not less than the per share fair value of our common stock underlying those
options on the date of grant.
Common Stock Warrants
We account for warrants for shares
of common stock as equity or liabilities in accordance with the accounting guidance for derivatives. The accounting guidance provides
a scope exception from classifying and measuring as a financial liability a contract that would otherwise meet the definition of a derivative
if the contract is both (i) indexed to the entity’s own stock and (ii) classified in the stockholders’ deficit section of
the consolidated balance sheet. We estimate the fair value of our warrants for shares of common stock by using the Black-Scholes option
pricing model. Warrants classified as equity are recorded as additional paid-in capital on the consolidated balance sheet and no further
adjustments to their valuation are made after the issuance of the warrants.
50
Financial Operations Overview
Revenue
We derive substantially all
our revenue from sales of The Catamaran System to a limited number of clinicians. Revenue from sales of The Catamaran System fluctuates
based on volume of cases (procedures performed), discounts, rebates, and the number of implants used for a particular patient. Similar
to other orthopedic companies, our revenue can also fluctuate from quarter to quarter due to a variety of factors, including reimbursement,
changes in independent sales representatives and physician activities.
Cost of Goods Sold, Gross Profit, and Gross Margin
We utilize contract manufacturers
for production of The Catamaran System implants and Catamaran Tray Sets. Cost of goods sold consists primarily of costs of the components
of The Catamaran System implants and instruments, overhead related to operation personnel and facility costs, quality inspection, packaging,
scrap and inventory obsolescence, as well as distribution-related expenses such as logistics and shipping costs. We anticipate that certain
of our cost of goods sold will increase in absolute dollars as case levels increase.
Our gross margins have been
and will continue to be affected by a variety of factors, including the cost to have our product manufactured for us, pricing pressure
from increasing competition, and the factors described above impacting our revenue.
Operating Expenses
Our operating expenses consist
of sales and marketing, research and development, and general and administrative expenses. Personnel costs are the most significant component
of operating expenses and consist of consulting expenses, salaries, sales commissions and other cash and stock-based compensation related
expenses. We expect operating expenses to increase in absolute dollars as we continue to invest and grow our business.
Sales and Marketing Expenses
Sales and marketing expenses
primarily consist of salaries, commissions, stock-based compensation expense and travel and entertainment expenses of our sales and market
personnel along with commissions paid to our independent distributors. We expect our sales and marketing expenses to increase in absolute
dollars with the increased sales of The Catamaran System resulting in higher commissions and salaries, increased clinician and sales representative
training, and the cost to complete our clinical study to gain wider clinician adoption of The Catamaran System. Our sales and marketing
expenses may fluctuate from period to period due to the timing of sales and marketing activities related to the commercial activity of
our product.
Research and Development Expenses
Our research and development
expenses primarily consist of engineering, product development, regulatory expenses, and consulting services, outside prototyping services,
outside research activities, materials, and other costs associated with the development and refinement of our product. Research and development
expenses also include related personnel and consultants’ compensation and stock-based compensation expense. We expense research
and development costs as they are incurred. We expect research and development expense to increase in absolute dollars as we improve The
Catamaran System, develop new products, add research and development personnel, and undergo clinical activities that may be required for
regulatory clearances of future products.
General and Administrative Expenses
General and administrative
expenses primarily consist of salaries, consultants’ compensation, stock-based compensation expense, and other costs for finance,
accounting, legal, compliance, and administrative matters. We expect our general and administrative expenses to increase in absolute dollars
as we add personnel and information technology infrastructure to support the growth of our business. We also expect to incur additional
general and administrative expenses as a result of operating as a public company, including but not limited to: expenses related to compliance
with the rules and regulations of the SEC and those of The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC on which our securities are traded; additional insurance
expenses; investor relations activities; and other administrative and professional services. While we expect the general and administrative
expenses to increase in absolute dollars, we anticipate that it will decrease as a percentage of revenue over time.
Gain (Loss) on Investments
Gain (loss) on investments
consists of interest income and realized gains and losses from the sale of our investments in money market and corporate debt securities.
Interest Expense
Interest expense is related
to borrowings and includes deemed interest derived from the beneficial conversion prices of notes payable.
Other Income (Expense), Net
Other income and expenses
have not been significant to date.
51
Results of Operations (in thousands, except percentages)
Years Ended
December 31,
Consolidated Statements of Operations Data in Dollars:
2024
2023
Revenue
$ 3,277
$ 2,928
Cost of goods sold
1,566
1,687
Gross profit
1,711
1,241
Operating expenses:
Research and development
2,603
3,163
Sales and marketing
5,109
6,778
General and administrative
7,765
7,027
Total operating expenses
15,477
16,968
Loss from operations
(13,766 )
(15,727 )
Interest and other income (expense), net:
Gain on investments
183
167
Interest expense
(34 )
(21 )
Other expense
(56 )
—
Net loss
$ (13,673 )
$ (15,581 )
Years Ended
December 31,
Consolidated Statements of Operations Data as a Percent of Revenue:
2024
2023
Revenue
100 %
100 %
Cost of goods sold
48
58
Gross profit
52
42
Operating expenses:
Research and development
79
108
Sales and marketing
156
231
General and administrative
237
240
Total operating expenses
472
580
Loss from operations
(420 )
(537 )
Interest and other income (expense), net:
Gain on investments
6
6
Interest expense
(1 )
(1 )
Other expense
(2 )
—
Net loss
(417 )%
(532 )%
Comparison of the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023 (in
thousands, except percentages)
Revenue, Cost of Goods Sold, Gross Profit, and Gross Margin
Years Ended December 31,
2024
2023
$ Change
% Change
Revenue
$ 3,277
$ 2,928
$ 349
12 %
Cost of goods sold
1,566
1,687
(121 )
(7 )%
Gross profit
$ 1,711
$ 1,241
$ 470
38 %
Gross profit percentage
52 %
42 %
Revenue. The increase in revenue for
the year ended December 31, 2024 as compared to 2023 was primarily due to an increase in revenue per surgical procedure on a 0% change
in the number of surgical procedures in which The Catamaran System was used.
Cost of Goods Sold, Gross Profit, and Gross
Margin. The change in cost of goods sold for the year ended December 31, 2024 as compared to 2023 was due to the absorption of
production overhead costs into our standard cost and operating leverage created due to lower relative fixed costs.
52
Operating Expenses
Years Ended December 31,
2024
2023
$ Change
% Change
Research and development
$ 2,603
$ 3,163
$ (560 )
(18 )%
Sales and marketing
5,109
6,778
(1,669 )
(25 )%
General and administrative
7,765
7,027
738
11 %
Total operating expenses
$ 15,477
$ 16,968
$ (1,491 )
(9 )%
Research and Development Expenses. Research
and development expenses for the year ended December 31, 2024 decreased as compared to 2023 primarily due to decreased professional fees
($528), stock-based compensation ($73) and payroll expenses ($39) as we move our focus from research to sustaining our Catamaran portfolio.
Sales and Marketing Expenses. Sales
and marketing expenses for the year ended December 31, 2024 decreased as compared to 2023 primarily due to SpineSource transition fees
in 2023 ($932), decreased payroll and employee expenses ($499), and consulting and professional fees ($178), partially offset by increased
commission expense ($21) due to restructuring of our sales operations.
General and Administrative Expenses . General
and administrative expenses for the year ended December 31, 2024 increased as compared to 2023 primarily due to increased insurance costs
($331), legal and professional service fees ($289), payroll and employee expenses ($146), and bad debt expense ($41), partially offset
by decreases in stock-based compensation ($147) due to continued operating expenses.
Gain on Investments, Interest Expense
and Other Expense, Net
Years Ended December 31,
2024
2023
$ Change
% Change
Gain on investments
$ 183
$ 167
$ 16
10 %
Interest expense
(34 )
(21 )
(13 )
62 %
Other expense, net
(56 )
—
(56 )
Total operating expenses
$ 93
$ 146
$ (53 )
Gain on Investments. Gain on investments
for the year ended December 31, 2024 increased as compared to 2023 due to interest on our higher amounts of investments in money market
and corporate debt securities.
Interest Expense. Interest expense for
the year ended December 31, 2024 increased as compared to 2023 primarily due to the convertible debt.
Other Expense, Net . Other expense, net
for the year ended December 31, 2024 was related to foreign exchange losses on the liquidation of our Swiss subsidiary.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
As of December 31, 2024, we had cash and cash
equivalents of $6.5 million. Since inception, we have financed our operations through private placements of preferred stock, debt
financing arrangements, our initial public offering, additional stock offerings and the sale of our products. As of December 31, 2024,
we had no outstanding debt.
In March 2025, we raised net proceeds of $2.7 million from the exercise of warrants under an inducement agreement.
Under the inducement agreement, the holder of the existing warrants to purchase an aggregate of 2,445,700 agreed to exercise the warrants
at a reduced exercise price of $1.25 per share in consideration for our agreement to issue new unregistered five-year warrants to purchase
up to an aggregate of 2,445,700 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $1.25 per share and new unregistered three-year warrants
to purchase up to an aggregate of 1,222,850 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $1.25 per share.
On March 25, 2025, we entered into a securities
purchase agreement for the issuance of 733,500 shares of our common stock (or common stock equivalents in lieu thereof) in a registered
direct offering at a purchase price of $2.00 per share. In a concurrent private placement, we also agreed to issue to the same investor
warrants to purchase up to 733,500 shares of our common stock at an exercise price of $2.00 per share, which will be exercisable immediately,
and will expire five years following the date of issuance. Pursuant to the agreements, we received proceeds, net of financial advisor
fees and other transaction expenses, of $1,234.
Also on March 25, 2025, we entered into a securities
purchase agreement for the issuance of 1,271,500 shares of our common stock (or common stock equivalents in lieu thereof) in a registered
direct offering at a purchase price of $2.00 per share. In a concurrent private placement, we also agreed to issue to the same investor
warrants to purchase up to 1,271,500 shares of our common stock at an exercise price of $2.00 per share, which will be exercisable immediately,
and will expire five years following the date of issuance. Pursuant to the agreements, we received proceeds, net of financial advisor
fees and other transaction expenses, of $2,290.
53
As of December 31, 2024, we had an accumulated
deficit of $68.7 million and we expect to incur additional losses in the future. We have not achieved positive cash flow from operations
to date. Based upon our current operating plan, our existing cash and cash equivalents will not be sufficient to fund our operating expenses
and working capital requirements through at least the next 12 months from the date these consolidated financial statements were available
to be released. We plan to raise the necessary additional capital through one or a combination of public or private equity offerings,
debt financings, and collaborations. We continue to face challenges and uncertainties and, as a result, our available capital resources
may be consumed more rapidly than currently expected due to (a) the uncertainty of future revenues from The Catamaran System; (b) changes
we may make to the business that affect ongoing operating expenses; (c) changes we may make in our business strategy; (d) regulatory developments
affecting our existing products; (e) changes we may make in our research and development spending plans; and (f) other items affecting
our forecasted level of expenditures and use of cash resources.
As we attempt to raise additional capital to fund
our operations, funding may not be available to us on acceptable terms, or at all. If we are unable to obtain adequate financing when
needed, we may have to delay, reduce the scope of or suspend one or more of our sales and marketing efforts, research and development
activities, or other operations. We may seek to raise any necessary additional capital through a combination of public or private equity
offerings, debt financings, and collaborations. If we do raise additional capital through public or private equity offerings, the ownership
interest of our existing stockholders will be diluted, and the terms of these securities may include liquidation or other preferences
that adversely affect our stockholders’ rights. If we raise additional capital through debt financing, we may be subject to covenants
limiting or restricting our ability to take specific actions, such as incurring additional debt, making capital expenditures, or declaring
dividends. If we are unable to raise capital, we will need to delay, reduce, or terminate planned activities to reduce costs. Doing so
will likely harm our ability to execute our business plans. Due to the uncertainty in our ability to raise capital, management believes
that there is substantial doubt in our ability to continue as a going concern for the next twelve months from the issuance of these consolidated
financial statements.
Cash Flows (in thousands, except percentages)
The following table sets forth the primary sources
and uses of cash for each of the periods presented below:
Years Ended December 31,
2024
2023
$ Change
% Change
Net cash (used in) provided by:
Operating activities
$ (9,878 )
$ (12,183 )
$ 2,305
19 %
Investing activities
(186 )
6,142
(6,328 )
(103 )%
Financing activities
14,125
6,302
7,823
124 %
Effect of foreign currency translation on cash flow
46
38
8
21 %
Net increase in cash and cash equivalents
$ 4,107
$ 299
$ 3,808
1274 %
The decrease in net cash used in operating activities
for the year ended December 31, 2024 as compared to 2023 was primarily attributable to our decreased net loss ($1,908) and decreased prepaid
expenses ($484) and increased depreciation and amortization ($209), partially offset increases in accounts receivable ($96) and decreases
in non-cash stock-based compensation expenses ($300).
Cash used in investing activities for the year
ended December 31, 2024 related to purchases of property and equipment ($186). Cash provided by investing activities for the year ended
December 31, 2023 consisted primarily of the net sales of short-term investments ($6,503) to fund operations, partially offset by purchases
of property and equipment ($361) as we acquired the components for our surgical tray sets.
Cash provided by financing activities for the
year ended December 31, 2024 consisted primarily of net proceeds from the issuance of common stock and warrants ($3,846), the exercise
of warrants under the inducement agreement ($4,306), the issuance of Series A Convertible Preferred Stock ($2,567) and Series B Convertible
Preferred Stock ($489) and from issuances of common stock ($2,105). Cash provided by financing activities for the year ended December
31, 2023 consisted of the net proceeds received from our offerings of stock in 2023 ($5,303) in addition to proceeds from the issuance
of the Convertible Notes ($1,250).
Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements
As of December 31, 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.
Item 7A. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET
RISK
The Company is a smaller reporting company as
defined by Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act and is not required to provide the information required under this item.
54
Item 8. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA
Tenon Medical, Inc.
Consolidated Financial Statements
December 31, 2024 and 2023
Contents
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm (PCAOB ID No. 200 ) F-2
Audited Consolidated Financial Statements:
Consolidated Balance Sheets F-3
Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Loss F-4
Consolidated Statements of Convertible Preferred Stock and Stockholders’ Equity F-5
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows F-6
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements F-7
F- 1
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING
FIRM
To the Stockholders and Board of Directors
Tenon Medical, Inc.
Opinion on the Consolidated Financial Statements
We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Tenon Medical,
Inc. (the “Company”) as of December 31, 2024 and 2023, the related consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive
loss, convertible preferred stock and stockholders’ equity, and cash flows for each of the years then ended, and the related notes
(collectively, the “consolidated financial statements”). In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements present fairly,
in all material respects, the consolidated financial position of the Company as of December 31, 2024 and 2023, and the consolidated results
of its operations and its cash flows for each of the years then ended, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.
Going Concern
The accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared
assuming that the Company will continue as a going concern. As described in Note 2 to the consolidated financial statements, the Company
has experienced recurring losses, negative cash flows from operations, and has limited capital resources. These matters raise substantial
doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern. Management’s plans regarding these matters are also described
in Note 2. The consolidated financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty.
Basis for Opinion
These consolidated financial statements are
the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s
consolidated financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting
Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB) and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S.
federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.
We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB.
Those standards require that we plan and perform the audits to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the consolidated financial statements
are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform,
an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audits, we are required to obtain an understanding of internal
control over financial reporting but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal
control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion.
Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material
misstatement of the consolidated financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those
risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the consolidated financial
statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as
evaluating the overall presentation of the consolidated financial statements. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for
our opinion.
/s/ Haskell & White LLP
We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2023.
Irvine, California
March 26, 2025
F- 2
Tenon Medical, Inc.
Consolidated Balance Sheets
(In thousands, except share data)
December 31,
December 31,
2024
2023
ASSETS
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents
$ 6,535
$ 2,428
Accounts receivable, net
863
518
Inventory, net
606
554
Prepaid expenses and other current assets
206
389
Total current assets
8,210
3,889
Property and equipment, net
752
961
Deposits
51
51
Operating lease right-of-use asset
399
646
Deferred offering costs
431
798
TOTAL ASSETS
$ 9,843
$ 6,345
Liabilities and Stockholders’ EQUITY
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable
$ 369
$ 433
Accrued expenses
910
808
Current portion of accrued commissions
303
470
Current portion of operating lease liability
287
256
Convertible notes payable and accrued interest, net of debt discount of $ 0 and $ 77 at December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively
—
1,173
Total current liabilities
1,869
3,140
Accrued commissions, net of current portion
1,862
1,999
Operating lease liability, net of current portion
141
428
Total liabilities
3,872
5,567
Commitments and contingencies (Note 9)
Stockholders’ equity:
Series A convertible preferred stock, $ 0.001 par value; 4,500,000 shares authorized at December 31, 2024 and 2023; 256,968 and 0 shares issued and outstanding at December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively
3,300
—
Series B convertible preferred stock, $ 0.001 par value; 491,222 shares authorized at December 31, 2024 and 2023; 86,454 and 0 shares issued and outstanding at December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively
452
—
Common stock, $ 0.001 par value; 130,000,000 shares authorized at December 31, 2024 and 2023; 3,138,804 and 325,039 shares issued and outstanding at December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively
3
—
Additional paid-in capital
70,962
55,897
Accumulated deficit
( 68,746 )
( 55,073 )
Accumulated other comprehensive loss
—
( 46 )
Total stockholders’ equity
5,971
778
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
$ 9,843
$ 6,345
The accompanying notes are an integral part
of these consolidated financial statements.
See Report of Independent Registered Public
Accounting Firm.
F- 3
Tenon Medical, Inc.
Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive
Loss
(In thousands, except per share data)
Years Ended
December 31,
2024
2023
Revenue
$ 3,277
$ 2,928
Cost of sales
1,566
1,687
Gross Profit
1,711
1,241
Operating Expenses
General and administrative
7,765
7,027
Sales and marketing
5,109
6,778
Research and development
2,603
3,163
Total Operating Expenses
15,477
16,968
Loss from Operations
( 13,766 )
( 15,727 )
Other Income (Expense)
Gain on investments
183
167
Interest expense
( 34 )
( 21 )
Other expense, net
( 56 )
—
Total Other Income (Expense), net
93
146
Net Loss
$ ( 13,673 )
$ ( 15,581 )
Net Loss Per Share of Common Stock
Basic and diluted
$ ( 11.26 )
$ ( 68.64 )
Weighted-Average Shares of Common Stock Outstanding
Basic and diluted
1,214
227
Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Loss:
Net loss
$ ( 13,673 )
$ ( 15,581 )
Unrealized loss on investments
—
16
Foreign currency translation adjustment
46
38
Total Comprehensive Loss
$ ( 13,627 )
$ ( 15,527 )
The accompanying notes are an integral part
of these consolidated financial statements.
See Report of Independent Registered Public
Accounting Firm.
F- 4
Tenon Medical, Inc.
Consolidated Statements of Convertible Preferred
Stock and Stockholders’ Equity
(In thousands, except share data)
Series A Convertible Preferred Stock
Series B Convertible Preferred Stock
Common Stock
Additional
Paid-In
Accumulated
Accumulated
Other
Comprehensive
Shares
Amount
Shares
Amount
Shares
Amount
Capital
Deficit
Loss
Total
Balance at December 31, 2022
—
$ —
—
$ —
140,460
$ —
$ 45,844
$ ( 39,492 )
$ ( 100 )
$ 6,252
Stock-based compensation expense
—
—
—
—
—
—
4,145
4,145
Release of restricted stock units
—
—
—
—
7,650
—
—
—
Issuance of common stock and warrants, net of issuance costs
—
—
—
—
125,000
—
4,808
4,808
Issuance of common stock, net of issuance costs
—
—
—
—
29,013
—
495
495
Common stock issued for services
—
—
—
—
12,364
—
289
289
Issuance of common stock upon exercise of warrants
—
—
—
—
10,250
—
258
258
Warrants issued in connection with convertible debt
—
—
—
—
—
—
58
58
Shares issued for reverse stock split
—
—
—
—
303
—
—
—
Other comprehensive income
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
54
54
Net loss
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
( 15,581 )
( 15,581 )
Balance at December 31, 2023
—
—
—
—
325,039
—
55,897
( 55,073 )
( 46 )
778
Stock-based compensation expense
—
—
—
—
—
—
3,845
3,845
Release of restricted stock units
—
—
—
—
9,926
—
—
—
Issuance of Series A preferred stock and warrants, net of issuance costs
256,968
3,300
—
—
—
—
254
—
—
3,554
Issuance of Series B preferred stock and warrants, net of issuance costs
—
—
86,454
452
—
—
37
—
—
489
Issuance of common stock, prefunded warrants, and warrants, net of issuance costs
—
—
—
—
55,000
—
3,846
—
—
3,846
Issuance of common stock upon exercise of prefunded warrants
—
—
—
—
1,167,850
1
( 1 )
—
—
—
Issuance of common stock and warrants under inducement agreement, net of issuance costs
—
—
—
—
1,222,850
1
4,305
—
—
4,306
Issuance of common stock upon exercise of warrants
—
—
—
—
32,266
—
812
—
—
812
Issuance of common stock, net of issuance costs
—
—
—
—
178,048
—
1,968
—
—
1,968
Issuance of common stock for reverse stock split
—
—
—
—
147,825
1
( 1 )
—
—
—
Other comprehensive income
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
46
46
Net loss
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
( 13,673 )
( 13,673 )
Balance at December 31, 2024
256,968
$ 3,300
86,454
$ 452
3,138,804
$ 3
$ 70,962
$ ( 68,746 )
$ —
$ 5,971
The accompanying notes are an integral part
of these consolidated financial statements.
See Reports of Independent Registered Public
Accounting Firms.
F- 5
Tenon Medical, Inc.
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
(In thousands)
Years Ended December 31,
2024
2023
Cash Flows from Operating Activities
Net loss
$ ( 13,673 )
$ ( 15,581 )
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities:
Stock-based compensation expense
3,845
4,145
Depreciation and amortization
408
199
Provision for losses on accounts receivable
41
—
Amortization of operating right-of-use asset
247
227
Increase (decrease) in cash resulting from changes in:
Accounts receivable
( 386 )
( 290 )
Inventory
( 52 )
( 139 )
Prepaid expenses and other assets
183
( 301 )
Accounts payable
( 64 )
( 117 )
Accrued expenses
( 171 )
( 99 )
Operating lease liability
( 256 )
( 227 )
Net cash used in operating activities
( 9,878 )
( 12,183 )
Cash Flows from Investing Activities
Sales of short-term investments
—
6,996
Purchases of short-term investments
—
( 493 )
Purchases of property and equipment
( 186 )
( 361 )
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities
( 186 )
6,142
Cash Flows from Financing Activities
Gross proceeds from issuance of Series A convertible preferred stock
2,605
—
Gross proceeds from issuance of Series B convertible preferred stock
550
—
Gross proceeds from issuance of common stock, prefunded warrants, and warrants
4,500
—
Gross proceeds from exercise of warrants under inducement agreement
4,648
—
Gross proceeds from issuance of common stock and warrants
—
4,808
Gross proceeds from issuance of common stock
2,106
495
Gross proceeds from issuance of convertible notes payable
—
1,250
Gross proceeds from exercise of warrants
812
258
Offering costs
( 1,096 )
( 509 )
Net cash provided by financing activities
14,125
6,302
Effect of foreign currency translation on cash flow
46
38
Net Increase in Cash and Cash Equivalents
4,107
299
Cash and Cash Equivalents at Beginning of Year
2,428
2,129
Cash and Cash Equivalents at End of Year
$ 6,535
$ 2,428
Cash at End of Year
$ 6,535
$ 2,428
Cash Equivalents at End of Year
$ —
$ —
Supplemental Disclosures of Cash Flow Information
Non-cash investment and financing activities:
Preferred stock issued upon conversion of debt and accrued interest, net of unamortized debt issuance costs
$ 1,186
$ —
Reclassification of deferred offering costs to additional paid-in capital
$ 367
$ —
Warrant modification costs
$ 992
$ —
The accompanying notes are an integral part
of these consolidated financial statements.
See Report of Independent Registered Public
Accounting Firm.
F- 6
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (in
thousands, except share and per-share data)
1. Organization and Business
Nature of operations
Tenon Medical, Inc. (the “Company”)
was incorporated in the State of Delaware on June 19, 2012 and was headquartered in San Ramon, California until June 2021 when it relocated
to Los Gatos, California. The Company is a medical device company that has developed The Catamaran™ SI Joint Fusion System (“The
Catamaran System”) that offers a novel, less invasive approach to the sacroiliac joint (the “SI Joint”) using a single,
robust, titanium implant for treatment of the most common types of SI Joint disorders that cause lower back pain. The Company received
U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) clearance in 2018 for The Catamaran System and is currently focused on the US market.
Since the national launch of The Catamaran System in October 2022, the Company is focused on three commercial opportunities: 1) Primary
SI Joint procedures, 2) Revision procedures of failed SI Joint implants and 3) SI Joint fusion adjunct to a spine fusion construct.
Basis of consolidation
The consolidated financial statements of the
Company for the year ended December 31, 2023 include the accounts of its wholly-owned subsidiary, Tenon Technology AG
(“TTAG”), a Swiss company. All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. The
financial statements of TTAG are prepared for the same reporting period as the parent, using consistent accounting policies in all
material respects. In 2024, TTAG was dissolved and, as such, the financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2024 only
include the accounts of the Company since the date of dissolution. TTAG had no substantial operations.
2. Summary of Significant Accounting Principles
Basis of presentation
The accompanying
consolidated financial statements have been prepared on the accrual basis in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles
as promulgated in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”).
Going concern uncertainty and liquidity requirements
The accompanying consolidated financial statements
have been prepared assuming the Company will continue as a going concern, which contemplates the realization of assets and the settlement
of liabilities and commitments in the normal course of business. There is substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue
as a going concern for one year after the date that these financial statements are issued.
Since inception, the Company has incurred losses
and negative cash flows from operations. Management expects to incur additional operating losses and negative cash flows from operations
in the foreseeable future as the Company continues its product development programs and the commercialization of The Catamaran System.
Based on the Company’s expected level of revenues and expenditures, the Company believes that its existing cash and cash equivalents
as of December 31, 2024 will not provide sufficient funds to enable it to meet its obligations for a period of at least twelve months
from the date of the filing of these consolidated financial statements. The Company plans to raise the necessary additional capital through
one or a combination of public or private equity offerings, debt financings, and collaborations (see Note 13). The consolidated financial
statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty.
Use of estimates
The preparation of the consolidated financial
statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect certain reported amounts and
disclosures. Accordingly, actual results could differ from those estimates. Significant estimates made by management include, but are
not limited to, realization of deferred tax assets, accrued liabilities, obsolescence of inventory, the fair value of accrued commissions
and stock-based compensation.
Reverse Stock Splits
On November 2, 2023, the Company effected a 1-for-10
reverse stock split (the “2023 Reverse Stock Split”) by filing an amendment to the Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate
of Incorporation, as amended, with the Delaware Secretary of State. The 2023 Reverse Stock Split combined every ten shares of our common
stock issued and outstanding immediately prior to effecting the 2023 Reverse Stock Split into one share of common stock. No fractional
shares were issued in connection with the 2023 Reverse Stock Split.
On September 6, 2024, the Company effected a 1-for-8
reverse stock split (the “2024 Reverse Stock Split”) by filing an amendment to the Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate
of Incorporation, as amended, with the Delaware Secretary of State. The 2024 Reverse Stock Split combined every eight shares of our common
stock issued and outstanding immediately prior to effecting the 2024 Reverse Stock Split into one share of common stock. No fractional
shares were issued in connection with the 2024 Reverse Stock Split.
F- 7
All historical share and per share amounts reflected
throughout this document have been adjusted to reflect the 2023 Reverse Stock Split and the 2024 Reverse Stock Split. The authorized number
of shares and the par value per share of the Company’s common stock were not affected by the 2023 Reverse Stock Split or the 2024
Reverse Stock Split.
Segments
The Company operates in one business segment.
Although the Company’s Swiss subsidiary is located in a different geographical area, management uses one measurement of profitability
and does not segregate its business for internal reporting. See Note 12.
Cash and cash equivalents
The Company considers all highly liquid investments
with maturities of 90 days or less at the date of purchase to be cash equivalents.
Investments
The Company classifies its investments in marketable
securities as available-for-sale and records them at fair value in its consolidated balance sheets. The net unrealized gains and losses
are recorded as a separate component of stockholders’ equity. Realized gains and losses are recorded in the consolidated statements
of operations and comprehensive loss. The Company determines any realized gains or losses on the sale of marketable debt securities on
a specific identification method and records such gains and losses as a component of other income (expense) net.
Accounts receivable and expected credit
losses
Accounts receivable are derived from products
delivered to customers and are stated at their net realizable value. The Company records an allowance for estimated uncollectible accounts
in an amount approximating anticipated losses. Individual uncollectible accounts are written off against the allowance when collection
of the individual accounts appears doubtful. In determining the amount of the allowance, the Company considers its historical level of
credit losses. The Company also makes judgments about the creditworthiness of significant customers based on ongoing credit evaluations,
and the Company assesses current economic trends that might impact the level of credit losses in the future. Historically, the Company
has had no significant write-offs of accounts receivable. However, since the Company cannot reliably predict future changes in the financial
stability of its customers, it cannot guarantee that its allowances will continue to be adequate. If actual credit losses are significantly
greater than the allowance, the Company would increase its general and administrative expenses and increase its reported net losses. The
Company’s allowance for expected credit losses was $ 41 and $0 at December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively.
Inventory
Inventory is stated at lower of cost or net
realizable value. The Company establishes the inventory basis by determining the cost based on standard costs approximating the
purchase costs on a first-in, first-out basis. The excess and obsolete inventory is estimated based on quantities on hand,
expectations of future demand and market conditions. Inventory write-downs are charged to cost of goods sold. As of December 31,
2024 and 2023, inventory consisted of finished goods and raw materials.
Deferred offering costs
Deferred offering costs, which consist of
direct incremental legal, consulting, banking, and accounting fees relating to the Company’s future offerings, are
capitalized, and are offset against proceeds received upon the effectiveness of the offering or the closing of an equity
transaction. In the event an anticipated offering is terminated, deferred offering costs will be expensed.
Property and equipment, net
Property and equipment are stated at cost less accumulated
depreciation. Depreciation is computed using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets. Equipment, computers,
software, and furniture and fixtures are depreciated over periods ranging from three to seven years , and leasehold improvements over the
shorter of the lease term or the life of the asset. Construction in progress pertains to the cost of individual components of a custom
instrument set used for surgical placement of the Company’s products that have not yet been placed into service. The cost of maintenance
and repairs is charged to expense as incurred; significant renewals and betterments are capitalized. Deductions are made for retirements
resulting from renewals or betterments.
Leases
The Company leases its headquarters in Los Gatos,
California. At the inception of a contract, the Company assesses whether that contract is, or contains, a lease. The Company’s assessment
is based on: (1) whether the contract involves the use of a distinct identified asset, (2) whether the Company obtains the right to substantially
all the economic benefit from the use of the asset throughout the term, and (3) whether the Company has the right to direct the use of
the asset. At inception of a lease, the Company allocates the consideration in the contract to each lease and non-lease component based
on the component’s relative stand-alone price to determine the lease payments. Lease and non-lease components are accounted for
separately.
F- 8
Leases are classified as either finance leases
or operating leases based on criteria in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 842, Leases . The
Company’s facility lease is classified as an operating lease. Right-of-use assets represent the Company’s right to use an
underlying asset for the lease term and lease liabilities represent the obligation to make lease payments arising from the lease. Operating
lease right-of-use assets and liabilities are recognized at the lease’s commencement date based on the present value of lease payments
over the lease term. When a lease did not provide an implicit rate, the Company used its estimated incremental borrowing rate based on
the information available at the commencement date in determining the present value of future payments. The Company has elected not to
recognize ROU assets and lease liabilities for short-term operating leases that have a term of 12 months or less. Lease expense for operating
leases is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term and is included in operating expenses in the consolidated statements
of operations and comprehensive loss.
Long-lived assets
The Company regularly reviews the carrying value
and estimated lives of all of its long-lived assets, including property and equipment, to determine whether indicators of impairment may
exist that warrant adjustments to carrying values or estimated useful lives. The determinants used for this evaluation include management’s
estimate of the asset’s ability to generate positive income from operations and positive undiscounted cash flow in future periods
as well as the strategic significance of the assets to the Company’s business objectives.
Fair value measurements
In accordance with ASC 820,
Fair Value Measurement , fair value is the price that would be received from selling an asset or paid to transfer a liability (i.e.,
the exit price) in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. ASC 820 establishes a fair value hierarchy
for inputs used in measuring fair value that maximizes the use of observable inputs and minimizes the use of unobservable inputs by requiring
that the most observable inputs be used when available.
Observable inputs are those that market participants
would use in pricing the asset or liability based on market data obtained from sources independent of the Company. Unobservable inputs
reflect the Company’s assumptions about the inputs that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability based on
the best information available in the circumstances.
The fair value hierarchy is categorized into three
levels based on the inputs as follows:
Level 1 – Quoted prices are available
in active markets for identical assets or liabilities as of the reported date.
Level 2 – Pricing inputs are other
than quoted prices in active markets, which are either directly or indirectly observable as of the reported date. The nature of these
financial instruments includes cash instruments for which quoted prices are available but are traded less frequently, derivative instruments
whose fair values have been derived using a model where inputs to the model are directly observable in the market and instruments that
are fair valued using other financial instruments, the parameters of which can be directly observed.
Level 3 – Instruments that have
little to no pricing observability as of the measurement date. These financial instruments are measured using management’s best
estimate of fair value, where the inputs into the determination of fair value require significant management judgment or estimation.
The degree of judgment exercised by the Company
in determining fair value is greatest for assets categorized in Level 3. In certain cases, the inputs used to measure fair value may fall
into different levels of the fair value hierarchy. In such cases, for disclosure purposes, the level in the fair value hierarchy within
which the fair value measurement falls in its entirety is determined by the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement.
Income taxes
Income taxes are recorded in accordance with
ASC 740, Income Taxes , which provides for deferred taxes using an asset and liability approach. Under
this method, the Company records deferred tax assets and liabilities for the expected future tax consequences of temporary differences
between the financial statement carrying amounts and the tax basis of assets and liabilities using enacted tax rates expected to be in
effect when the differences are expected to reverse. Valuation allowances are provided when necessary to reduce net deferred tax assets
to the amount that is more likely than not to be realized. Based on the available evidence, the Company is unable, at this time, to support
the determination that it is more likely than not that its deferred tax assets will be utilized in the future. Accordingly, the Company
recorded a full valuation allowance as of December 31, 2024 and 2023. The Company intends to maintain valuation allowances until sufficient
evidence exists to support its reversal.
Current income taxes are based upon the year’s
income taxable for federal, state, and foreign tax reporting purposes. Deferred income taxes are provided for certain income and expenses,
which are recognized in different periods for tax and financial reporting purposes.
F- 9
The Company’s policy is not to record deferred
income taxes on the undistributed earnings of foreign subsidiaries that are indefinitely reinvested in foreign operations.
Revenue recognition
The Company’s revenue is derived from the
sale of its products to medical groups and hospitals in the United States. Revenue is recognized when control is transferred to the customer,
in an amount that reflects the consideration we expect to be entitled to in exchange for the goods or services, using the following five
step approach: (1) identify the contract with a customer, (2) identify the performance obligations in the contract, (3) determine the
transaction price, (4) allocate the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract, and (5) recognize revenue when a
performance obligation is satisfied.
The Company generates revenue from the sale of
products to hospitals or medical facilities where its products are delivered in advance of a procedure. The performance obligation is
the delivery of the products along with the completion of the surgery and therefore, revenue is recognized upon delivery to the customers
and completion of the surgery, net of rebates and price discounts. The Company accounts for rebates and price discounts as a reduction
to revenue. Sales prices are specified prior to the transfer of control to the customer, via either the customer contract, agreed price
list, purchase order, or written communication with the customer. For direct sales to end-user customers, the Company’s standard payment
terms are generally net 30 days.
The Company offers its standard warranty to all
customers and does not sell any warranties on a standalone basis. The Company’s warranty provides that its products are free of
material defects and conform to specifications, and includes an offer to replace or refund the purchase price of defective products. This
assurance does not constitute a service and is not considered a separate performance obligation. The Company estimates warranty liabilities
at the time of revenue recognition and records them as a charge to cost of goods sold.
Contract modifications generally do not occur
during the performance of the Company’s contracts.
Payments received prior to satisfying the revenue
recognition criteria are recorded as deferred revenue on the consolidated balance sheets. As of December 31, 2024 and 2023, there were
no remaining performance obligations that would give rise to deferred revenue.
Except as described in Note 9, sales commissions are recorded in sales and marketing
expenses during the same period as the corresponding revenues.
Research and development
The Company engages in improving existing products
and new product development efforts. Research and development expenses relating to these efforts are expensed as incurred.
Stock-based compensation
The Company accounts for all stock-based compensation
awards using a fair-value method on the grant date and recognizes the fair value of each award as an expense over the requisite service
period.
The Company recognizes compensation costs
related to stock-based awards granted to employees, directors, and consultants, including restricted stock units and stock options,
based on the estimated fair value of the awards on the date of grant. For restricted stock units, the Company estimates grant
date fair value based on the closing market price on the date of grant. For stock options, the company estimates the grant date fair
value using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model. The grant date fair value of the stock-based
awards is generally recognized on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period, which is generally the vesting period of
the respective awards.
The Black-Scholes option-pricing model requires
the use of subjective assumptions to determine the fair value of stock-based awards. These assumptions include:
Expected Term —The expected term
represents the period that stock-based awards are expected to be outstanding. The expected term for option grants is determined
using the simplified method as the Company does not have significant stock option exercises in its history. The simplified method
deems the expected term to be the midpoint between the vesting date and the contractual life of the stock-based awards.
Expected Volatility —Since the Company
has only been publicly held since April 2022 and does not have any trading history for its common stock prior to that date, the expected
volatility was estimated based on the average volatility for comparable publicly traded companies over a period equal to the expected
term of the stock option grants. The comparable companies were chosen based on their similar size, stage in the life cycle, or area of
specialty.
Risk-Free Interest Rate —The risk-free
interest rate is based on the U.S. Treasury zero coupon issues in effect at the time of grant for periods corresponding with the expected
term of option.
Expected Dividend s—The Company has
never paid dividends on its common stock and has no plans to pay dividends on its common stock. Therefore, an expected dividend yield
of zero is used.
The Company accounts for forfeitures as they occur.
F- 10
The Company’s board of directors intends
all options granted to be exercisable at a price per share not less than the per share fair value of our common stock underlying those
options on the date of grant.
Foreign currency translation and other comprehensive
income
The functional currency of Tenon Technology AG
is the Swiss franc. Accordingly, TTAG’s assets and liabilities are translated from their respective functional currency into U.S.
Dollars at period-end rates, and TTAG’s revenue and expenses are translated at the weighted-average exchange rate for the period.
Adjustments resulting from this translation process are classified as other comprehensive income or loss and shown as a separate component
of equity.
When intercompany foreign currency transactions
between entities included in the consolidated financial statements are of a long-term investment nature (i.e., those for which settlement
is not planned or anticipated in the foreseeable future) foreign currency translation adjustments resulting from those transactions are
included in stockholders’ equity as accumulated other comprehensive loss or income. When intercompany transactions are
deemed to be of a short-term nature, translation adjustments are required to be included in the consolidated statements of operations.
Net loss per share
Basic net loss per share is based upon the weighted-average
number of common shares outstanding. Diluted net loss per share is based on the assumption that all potential common stock equivalents
(convertible preferred stock, stock options, and warrants) are converted or exercised. The calculation of diluted net loss per share excludes
potential common stock equivalents if the effect is anti-dilutive. For the periods presented, the Company’s weighted-average common
shares outstanding for basic and diluted are the same because the effect of the potential common stock equivalents is anti-dilutive.
The Company had the following dilutive common
stock equivalents as of December 31, 2024 and 2023 which were excluded from the calculation because their effect was anti-dilutive.
December 31,
2024
2023
Outstanding restricted stock units
20,224
9,615
Outstanding stock options
11,322
12,761
Outstanding warrants
2,728,160
240,950
Outstanding Convertible Preferred Shares
896,661
—
Total
3,565,367
263,326
Adoption of New Accounting Pronouncements
In November 2023, the Financial Accounting Standards
Board (the “FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2023-07, Segment Reporting (Topic 280):
Improvements to Reportable Segment Disclosures , which increases the disclosures about reportable segments including more detailed
information about a reportable segment’s expenses. This guidance is effective for the Company for the fiscal year ended December
31, 2024 and the interim periods thereafter. Adoption of this guidance had no effect on the Company’s results of operations, as the
changes are disclosure related. See Note 12.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted
In December 2023, the FASB issued ASU
2023-09, Income Taxes (Topic 740) – Improvements to Income Tax Disclosures , which requires additional tax
disclosures about a reporting entity’s effective tax rate reconciliation as well as information on income taxes paid. This
guidance will be effective on a prospective basis, with the option to apply it retrospectively, for fiscal years beginning after
December 15, 2024. We are currently evaluating the impact of adopting this new accounting guidance.
In November 2024, the FASB issued ASU 2024-03,
Disaggregation of Income Statement Expenses , which requires additional disclosure of specific types of expenses included in the
expense captions presented on the face of the income statement as well as disclosures about selling expenses. ASU 2024-03 is effective
for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2026 and interim reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2027. The requirements
will be applied prospectively with the option for retrospective application. Early adoption is permitted. We are currently evaluating
the impact of adopting this new accounting guidance.
F- 11
3. Inventory, net
Inventory, net of reserves, consisted of the following:
December 31,
2024
December 31,
2023
Raw materials
$ 21
$ 22
Finished goods
585
532
Inventory
$ 606
$ 554
4. Propety and Equipment, net
Property and equipment, net, consisted of the following:
December 31,
2024
December 31,
2023
Construction in progress
$ 541
$ 602
Catamaran tray sets
785
538
IT equipment
56
56
Leasehold improvements
15
15
Lab equipment
14
14
Office furniture
9
9
Property and equipment, gross
1,420
1,234
Less: accumulated depreciation
( 668 )
( 273 )
Property and equipment, net
$ 752
$ 961
Construction in progress is made up of reusable
components that are intended to be assembled into Catamaran Tray Sets. Depreciation expense was approximately $ 395 and $ 193 for the years ended December 31,
2024 and 2023, respectively.
5. Accrued Expenses
Accrued expenses consisted of the following:
December 31,
2024
December 31,
2023
Accrued compensation
$ 416
$ 334
Accrued professional services fees
271
244
Other accrued expenses
223
230
Total accrued expenses
$ 910
$ 808
6. Debt
Convertible notes payable
In November 2023, the Company entered into Securities
Purchase Agreements with certain investors (the “Investors”), pursuant to which the Company sold to the Investors a total
of $ 1,250 ,000 in secured notes (the “Convertible Notes”) and warrants to purchase 5,625 shares of the Company’s common
stock at an exercise price equal to $ 15.52 per share.
The Convertible Notes bear an interest rate of
10 % per annum with a default rate of 12 % per annum and have a maturity date of November 21, 2024 . All principal and accrued interest is
payable at maturity. At any time during the term of the Convertible Notes, the principal amount together with all accrued interest thereon
(the “Prepayment Amount”) may be paid in full, but not in part, by the Company. The Prepayment Amount may be paid by the Company
in cash or by the issuance to the Investors of shares of Series A Preferred Stock, if prior to such payment with Series A Preferred Stock
(i) certain stockholder proposals described in the Convertible Notes are approved by the Company’s stockholders; and (ii) the Company
has commitments from investors other than the Investors to purchase shares of Series A Preferred Stock with a stated value of at least
$ 3,750 ,000. The Convertible Notes are secured by a first priority security interest in all of the assets of the Company. The warrants
expire five years from the issuance date. The warrants contain a “cashless exercise” feature and contain anti-dilution rights
on subsequent issuances of equity or equity equivalents.
On February 20, 2024, the Investors agreed to
a complete prepayment of the Company’s obligations under the Convertible Notes, including accrued interest, in exchange for 84,729
shares of Series A Preferred Stock and warrants to purchase 19,637 shares of our common stock at $ 10.164 per share and the Convertible
Notes were cancelled. See Note 8.
F- 12
7. Leases
In June 2021, the Company entered into a facility
lease agreement for its company headquarters in Los Gatos, California. This non-cancellable operating lease expires in June 2026 . Operating
lease costs for the facility lease were $ 292 and $ 292 for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively.
Supplemental balance sheet information related
to leases was as follows:
December 31,
December 31,
2024
2023
Operating lease right-of-use asset
$ 399
$ 646
Operating lease liability, current
$ ( 287 )
$ ( 256 )
Operating lease liability, noncurrent
( 141 )
( 428 )
Total operating lease liabilities
$ ( 428 )
$ ( 684 )
Future maturities of operating lease liabilities
as of December 31, 2024 were as follows:
2025
$ 311
2026
144
Total lease payments
455
Less: imputed interest
( 27 )
Present value of operating lease liabilities
$ 428
Other information:
Cash paid for operating leases for the year ended December 31, 2024 $ 301
Cash paid for operating leases for the year ended December 31, 2023 $ 293
Remaining lease term - operating leases (in years) 1.50
Average discount rate - operating leases 8.0 %
8. Stockholders’ Equity
The Company’s current Amended and Restated
Certificate of Incorporation dated February 18, 2014 authorizes the issuance of 130,000,000 shares of common stock and 20,000,000 shares
of preferred stock, both with a par value of $ 0.001 per share. With respect to the preferred stock, 4,500,000 shares are designated Series
A Preferred Stock and 491,222 shares are designated Series B Preferred Stock.
At-the-Market Offering Program
On May 4, 2023, the Company entered into an Equity
Distribution Agreement to establish an at-the-market offering program, under which the Company may sell from time to time, at its option,
shares of its common stock having an aggregate gross sales price of $ 5.5 million. The Company is required to pay the Sales Agents a commission
of 3 % of the gross proceeds from the sale of shares and has also agreed to provide the Sales Agents with customary indemnification rights.
During the year ended December 31, 2023, 29,013 shares of the Company’s common stock were sold under the program at a weighted-average
price of $ 18.16 per share with aggregate net proceeds of $ 495 . During the year ended December 31, 2024, 129,199 shares of the Company’s
common stock were sold under the program at a weighted-average price of $ 14.63 per share with aggregate proceeds, net of issuance costs,
of $ 1,709 .
2023 Registered Offering
On June 16, 2023, the Company closed the Registered Offering of a total of 1,000,000 units (the “Units”)
for proceeds, net of issuance costs, of $ 4,808 , with each Unit consisting of (i) one share of the Company’s common stock, and (ii)
two warrants, each warrant to purchase one share of the Company’s common stock at an exercise price equal to $ 44.80 per share (the
“Offering Warrants”). The Offering Warrants were exercisable upon issuance and will expire five years from the date of issuance.
Per the terms of the Offering Warrants, the exercise price reset on July 16, 2023 to $ 25.168 per share.
Equity Line of Credit
On July 24, 2023, the Company entered into a purchase
agreement (“Purchase Agreement”) with Lincoln Park Capital Fund, LLC (“Lincoln Park”), under which, subject to
specified terms and conditions, the Company may sell to Lincoln Park up to $ 10 million of shares of common stock from time to time during
the term of the Purchase Agreement. On September 22, 2023 (the “Commencement Date”) and on May 10, 2024, the Company filed
registration statements with the SEC covering the resale of shares of common stock issued to Lincoln Park under the Purchase Agreement.
F- 13
Beginning on the Commencement Date and for a period
of 24 months thereafter, under the terms and subject to the conditions of the Purchase Agreement, from time to time, at the Company’s
discretion, the Company has the right, but not the obligation, to sell to Lincoln Park, and Lincoln Park is obligated to purchase, up
to $ 10 million of shares of common stock, subject to certain limitations set forth in the Purchase Agreement. Specifically, from time
to time from and after the Commencement Date, the Company may, at its discretion, direct Lincoln Park to purchase on any single business
day on which the closing price of its common stock on The Nasdaq Capital Market (“Nasdaq”) is equal to or greater than $ 1.50
up to 10,000 shares of common stock (a “Regular Purchase”); provided, that the Company may direct Lincoln Park to purchase
in a Regular Purchase (i) up to 12,500 shares of common stock, if the closing sale price of its common stock on Nasdaq on such business
day is at least $15.00 per share and (ii) up to 15,000 shares of common stock, if the closing sale price of its common stock on Nasdaq
on such business day is at least $25.00 per share . In no case, however, will Lincoln Park’s commitment with respect to any single
Regular Purchase exceed $ 500,000 ; provided, that the parties may mutually agree at any time to increase the maximum number of shares of
common stock the Company may direct Lincoln Park to purchase in any single Regular Purchase to up to 100,000 shares or any number of shares
that shall not exceed 4.99 % of the then outstanding shares of common stock. The foregoing share amounts and per share prices will be adjusted
for any reorganization, recapitalization, non-cash dividend, stock split, reverse stock split or other similar transaction occurring after
the date of the Purchase Agreement with respect to our common stock. The purchase price per share for each such Regular Purchase will
be based on prevailing market prices of the Company’s common stock immediately preceding the time of sale, as determined under the
Purchase Agreement.
During the year ended December 31, 2024, 48,849
shares of the Company’s common stock were sold under the program at a weighted-average price of $ 5.56 per share with aggregate net
proceeds of $ 260 .
Series A Preferred Stock
On February 20, 2024, the Company entered into
a Securities Purchase Agreement with certain investors, pursuant to which the Company agreed to sell, issue and deliver to these investors,
in a private placement offering, a total of 172,239 shares of the Company’s Series A Preferred Stock and warrants (the “Series
A Warrants”) to purchase 258,374 shares of Common Stock at an exercise price equal to $ 1.2705 per share for net proceeds of $ 2,437
after deducting offering costs.
Additionally, on February 20, 2024, the Investors
agreed to a complete prepayment of the Company’s obligations under the Convertible Notes, including accrued interest, in exchange
for 84,729 shares of Series A Preferred Stock and warrants to purchase 157,094 shares of our common stock at $ 1.2705 per share and the
Convertible Notes were cancelled. The Series A Warrants are immediately exercisable and expire five years from the date of issuance.
The Series A Preferred Stock is convertible, at
any time, at the option of the holder into shares of Common Stock. Each share of Series A Preferred Stock shall be convertible, at any
time after the date of issuance, at the option of the holder thereof (or, upon a Required Conversion (as defined below), at the option
of the Corporation), into that number of shares of Common Stock determined by dividing the Stated Value (as defined below) for such share
of Series A Preferred Stock by the Conversion Price (as defined below). “Stated Value” means for any share of Series A Preferred
Stock, an amount equal to the product of (x) $15.125 multiplied by (y) the sum of 1 plus the product of (A) 0.06 multiplied by (B) a fraction
equal to the number of days that such share of Series A Preferred Stock has been issued divided by 365. “Conversion Price”
means (i) for the shares of Series A Preferred Stock issued on the Closing Date, $1.5125 and (ii) for each share of Series A Preferred
Stock issued thereafter, an amount equal to the greater of (x) $1.5125 and the average of the VWAPs for the 10 Trading Days prior the
issuance date of such share of Series A Preferred Stock, in each case subject to adjustment as set forth herein. On any date that ten
out of the last 15 daily VWAPs of the Common Stock is 250% higher than the Conversion Price on such date, then the Company will have the
right to require 50% of the Preferred Stock to be converted into shares of Common Stock. Additionally, on and after the time on which
the Company has $2.25 million in revenues in any single financial quarter, the Company will have the right to require 50% of the Preferred
Stock to be converted into shares of Common Stock (a “Required Conversion”). No dividends are payable on the Series A Preferred
Stock. The Series A Preferred Stock will vote together with the Common Stock on all matters other than as required by law; provided however
that any additional shares underlying the Series A Preferred Stock as a result of the anti-dilution provision described below shall not
vote on an “as converted” basis and shall only vote when issued upon conversion. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the vote of
an individual holder of Series A Preferred Stock (and underlying Common Stock) shall be capped at 9.99% (or 4.99% if selected by the holder).
The Conversion Price is subject to anti-dilution
adjustment as the result of any subdivision, combination of shares or recapitalization, stock dividends, stock splits and similar transactions
affecting the Common Stock. In addition, the Series A Preferred Stock will have weighted average anti-dilution protection providing for
adjustment of the Conversion Price in the event of issuance of, or commitments to issue, Common Stock for less than the Conversion Price
then in effect immediately prior to such issue or sale (a “Dilutive Issuance”), subject to customary exceptions; provided
however the anti-dilution for Dilutive Issuances shall not be operative until the stockholders of the Company have approved the terms
of the Series A Preferred Stock, which approval was granted at the annual shareholder meeting on July 23, 2024. Upon any liquidation or winding up of the Company (a “Liquidation”), the holders of Series
A Preferred Stock will be entitled to receive in preference to any other class or series of the Company’s equity securities the
greater of (i) the Stated Value plus accrued and unpaid dividends and (ii) what would be paid if the Series A Preferred Stock plus accrued
and unpaid dividends had been converted into Common Stock. A consolidation or merger of the Company or sale or transfer of all or substantially
all of its assets, or any transaction which results in the stockholders of the Company owning less than 50 % of the equity or voting power
of the surviving entity (excluding the issuance of Common Stock in any financing transaction unless more than 50 % of the Company’s
shares are issued to one stockholder or a number of stockholders who act as a one group) shall be deemed a Liquidation (a “Deemed
Liquidation”) with respect to the shares of Series A Preferred Stock of any holder who opts to have such occurrence treated as a
Deemed Liquidation; provided that if the liquidation preference payable on a Deemed Liquidation is less than 110 % of the stated value
of the Series A Preferred Stock, the dividend rate on any accrued and unpaid dividends payable with respect to such Deemed Liquidation
will increase to 10 %. All liquidation preferences payable in respect of a Deemed Liquidation will be payable in shares of Common Stock
based on the closing price of the Common Stock on the date of such Deemed Liquidation. Consent of the majority of the holders will be
required to (i) amend the Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws of the Company so as to adversely alter the rights, preferences, privileges
of the Series A Preferred Stock, (ii) create any new class of shares pari passu or senior to the Series A Preferred Stock or increase
or decrease the number of authorized shares of Common Stock or preferred stock, (iii) pay or declare any dividend on Common Stock or other
junior securities, or incur indebtedness in any single transaction in excess of $ 1 million or (iv) redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire
any share or shares of preferred stock or Common Stock (other than (a) the repurchase of shares of Common Stock pursuant to a written
benefit plan or employment or consulting agreement, or (b) the repurchase of any equity securities in connection with the Company’s
right of first offer with respect to those securities contained in any written agreement with the Company).
F- 14
Series B Preferred Stock
On September 5, 2024, the Company entered into
a Securities Purchase Agreement (the “Purchase Agreement”) with certain investors, pursuant to which the Company agreed to
sell, issue and deliver to the Investors, in a private placement offering, a total of 86,454 shares of the Company’s Series B Preferred
Stock (the “Series B Preferred Stock”) and warrants (the “Series B Warrants”) to purchase 16,214 shares of Common
Stock at an exercise price equal to $ 4.2756 per share for net proceeds of $ 489,000 after deducting offering costs. The Series B Warrants
are immediately exercisable and expire five years from the date of issuance.
The Series B Preferred Stock is convertible, at
any time, at the option of the holder into shares of Common Stock. Each share of Series B Preferred Stock shall be convertible, at any
time after the date of issuance, at the option of the holder thereof (or, upon a Required Conversion (as defined below), at the option
of the Corporation), into that number of shares of Common Stock determined by dividing the Stated Value (as defined below) for such share
of Series B Preferred Stock by the Conversion Price (as defined below). “Stated Value” means for any share of Series B Preferred
Stock, an amount equal to the product of (x) $6.3625 multiplied by (y) the sum of 1 plus the product of (A) 0.06 multiplied by (B) a fraction
equal to the number of days that such share of Series B Preferred Stock has been issued divided by 365. “Conversion Price”
means $5.09 per share, subject to adjustment as set forth herein. On any date that ten out the last 15 daily VWAPs of the Common Stock
is 250% higher than the Conversion Price on such date, then the Company will have the right to require 50% of the Preferred Stock to be
converted into shares of Common Stock. Additionally, on and after the time on which the Company has $2.25 million in revenues in any single
financial quarter, the Company will have the right to require 50% of the Preferred Stock to be converted into shares of Common Stock (a
“Required Conversion”). No dividends are payable on the Series B Preferred Stock. The Series B Preferred Stock will vote together
with the Common Stock on all matters other than as required by law; provided however that any additional shares underlying the Series
B Preferred Stock as a result of the anti-dilution provision described below shall not vote on an “as converted” basis and
shall only vote when issued upon conversion. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the vote of an individual holder of Series B Preferred Stock
(and underlying Common Stock) shall be capped at 9.99% (or 4.99% if selected by the holder).
The Conversion Price is subject to anti-dilution
adjustment as the result of any subdivision, combination of shares or recapitalization, stock dividends, stock splits and similar transactions
affecting the Common Stock. In addition, the Series B Preferred Stock will have weighted average anti-dilution protection providing for
adjustment of the Conversion Price in the event of issuance of, or commitments to issue, Common Stock for less than the Conversion Price
then in effect immediately prior to such issue or sale (a “Dilutive Issuance”), subject to customary exceptions; provided
however the anti-dilution for Dilutive Issuances shall not be operative until the stockholders of the Company have approved the terms
of the Series B Preferred Stock. Upon any liquidation or winding up of the Company (a “Liquidation”), the holders of Series
B Preferred Stock will be entitled to receive in preference to any other class or series of the Company’s equity securities the
greater of (i) the Stated Value plus accrued and unpaid dividends and (ii) what would be paid if the Series B Preferred Stock plus accrued
and unpaid dividends had been converted into Common Stock. A consolidation or merger of the Company or sale or transfer of all or substantially
all of its assets, or any transaction which results in the stockholders of the Company owning less than 50 % of the equity or voting power
of the surviving entity (excluding the issuance of Common Stock in any financing transaction unless more than 50 % of the Company’s
shares are issued to one stockholder or a number of stockholders who act as a one group) shall be deemed a Liquidation (a “Deemed
Liquidation”) with respect to the shares of Series B Preferred Stock of any holder who opts to have such occurrence treated as a
Deemed Liquidation; provided that if the liquidation preference payable on a Deemed Liquidation is less than 110 % of the stated value
of the Series B Preferred Stock, the dividend rate on any accrued and unpaid dividends payable with respect to such Deemed Liquidation
will increase to 10 %. All liquidation preferences payable in respect of a Deemed Liquidation will be payable in shares of Common Stock
based on the closing price of the Common Stock on the date of such Deemed Liquidation. Consent of the majority of the holders will be
required to (i) amend the Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws of the Company so as to adversely alter the rights, preferences, privileges
of the Series B Preferred Stock, (ii) create any new class of shares pari passu or senior to the Series B Preferred Stock or increase
or decrease the number of authorized shares of Common Stock or preferred stock, (iii) pay or declare any dividend on Common Stock or other
junior securities, or incur indebtedness in any single transaction in excess of $ 1 million or (iv) redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire
any share or shares of preferred stock or Common Stock (other than (a) the repurchase of shares of Common Stock pursuant to a written
benefit plan or employment or consulting agreement, or (b) the repurchase of any equity securities in connection with the Company’s
right of first offer with respect to those securities contained in any written agreement with the Company)
2024 Public Offering
On September 12, 2024, the Company entered into
a placement agency agreement (the “Placement Agency Agreement”) with A.G.P./Alliance Global Partners (the “Placement
Agent”), and a securities purchase agreement (the “Purchase Agreement”) with a single health-care focused institutional
investor pursuant to which the Company agreed to issue and sell, in a “reasonable best efforts” public offering (the “Offering”),
(i) 55,000 shares (the “Shares”) of the Company’s common stock, par value $ 0.001 (the “Common Stock”), (ii)
pre-funded warrants to purchase up to 1,167,850 shares of Common Stock (the “Pre-Funded Warrants”) and (iii) warrants to purchase
up to 1,222,850 shares of Common Stock at an exercise price of $ 3.55 per share (the “Common Warrants”) at a combined offering
price of $ 3.68 per Share and accompanying Common Warrant, and $ 3.68 , less $ 0.0001 per Pre-Funded Warrant and accompanying Common Warrant
for net proceeds of $ 3,846 after deducting offering costs. The Common Warrants were exercisable upon issuance and will expire five years
from the date of issuance.
F- 15
2024 Warrant Inducement
On September 16, 2024, the Company entered into
an Inducement Letter with Armistice Capital, LLC (the “Selling Stockholder”) who held all of the Common Warrants. Pursuant
to the Inducement Letter, the Selling Stockholder agreed to exercise the Common Warrants for cash at the exercise price of $ 3.55 per share
in consideration for the Company’s agreement to issue, for an additional payment of $ 0.125 per New Warrant, (i) the Series A New
Warrants to purchase up to an aggregate of 1,222,850 shares of Common Stock at an exercise price of $ 4.28 per share, which are exercisable
for five years after issuance and (ii) the Series B New Warrants to purchase up to an aggregate of 1,222,850 shares of Common Stock at
an exercise price of $ 4.28 per share, which are exercisable for three years after issuance. The Company received net proceeds of approximately
$ 4,306 from the exercise of the Common Warrants and the placement of the New Warrants, after deducting financial advisor fees and other
transaction expenses. The warrant inducement was accounted for as a modification of the Common Warrants.
Voting rights
The holders of vested shares of common stock are
entitled to vote on any matter submitted to a vote of the stockholders and each such holder is entitled to one vote per share of common
stock held. The holders of Series A and Series B Preferred Stock are entitled to vote together with the common stock as a single class
on any matter submitted to a vote of the stockholders. Holders of Series A and Series B Preferred Stock are entitled to the number of
votes equal to the number of common stock issuable upon conversion of their respective Series A and Series B Preferred Stock at the time
such shares are voted. The holders of a majority of the preferred stock had additional voting rights as specified in the Company’s
Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as amended.
Equity awards
In 2012, the Board of Directors of the Company
(the “Board”) approved the Tenon Medical, Inc. 2012 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2012 Plan”). The 2012 Plan provides
for the issuance of common stock options, appreciation rights, and other awards to employees, directors, and consultants. Options issued
under the 2012 Plan generally vest over a period of two to four years and have a 10-year expiration date. In April 2021, the Board increased
the number of shares of common stock reserved for issuance under the 2012 Plan to 662,516 . In July 2021, the Board increased the number
of shares of common stock reserved for issuance under the 2012 Plan to 737,516 . In August 2021, the Board increased the number of shares
of common stock reserved for issuance under the 2012 Plan from 737,516 shares to 799,266 shares and approved the form of a 2022 Equity
Incentive Plan.
On January 10, 2022 and February 2, 2022, the
Board and stockholders, respectively, of the Company approved the Tenon Medical, Inc. 2022 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2022 Plan”),
which was effective on April 25, 2022. The number of shares of common stock that may be subject to awards and sold under the 2022 Plan
is equal to 1,600,000 . Automatic annual increases in number of shares available for issuance under the 2022 Plan is equal to the least
of (a) 1,100,000 shares, (b) 4 % of the total number of shares of all classes of common stock outstanding on the last day of the immediately
preceding fiscal year, or (c) such number determined by the 2022 Plan administrator no later than the last day of the immediately preceding
fiscal year. Annual increases will continue until the tenth anniversary of the earlier of the Board or stockholder approval of the 2022
Plan, which is January 10, 2032. Upon the effective date of the 2022 Plan, the Board terminated the 2012 Plan such that no new equity
awards will be issued by the 2012 Plan.
Option Exchange
On April 8, 2024, the Company issued an offer
to holders of outstanding stock options to purchase an aggregate of 11,387 shares of the Company’s common stock to exchange their
options for a lesser number of new restricted stock units (“RSUs”) to be granted under the 2022 Plan upon the terms and subject
to the conditions set forth in the Offer to Exchange Certain Outstanding Stock Options for Restricted Stock Units (the “Offer to
Exchange”). The Offer to Exchange expired on May 6, 2024. A total of 27 eligible participants participated in the exchange. The
Company accepted for exchange options to purchase an aggregate of 10,436 shares of common stock of the Company. All surrendered options
were cancelled effective as of the expiration of the Option Exchange, and immediately thereafter, in exchange therefor, the Company granted
a total of 5,226 new RSUs under the 2022 Plan. The incremental fair value of the new RSUs that were vested at the issuance date was $ 32
and was immediately expensed.
Compensation expense for the years ended December
31, 2024 and 2023 includes the portion of awards vested in the periods for all equity-based awards granted, based on the grant date fair
value as estimated using a Black-Scholes option valuation model. Grant date fair value for restricted stock units is estimated using the
fair value of the Company’s common stock on the date of grant. Grant date fair value for stock options is estimated using a Black-Scholes
option valuation model using the weighted-average assumptions in the table below:
Years ended December 31,
2024 2023
Expected volatility 68.37 % 63.89 %
Dividend yield 0 % 0 %
Risk-free interest rate 4.41 % 4.28 %
Expected term in years 5.61 5.85
F- 16
Estimates of fair value are not intended to predict
actual future events or the value ultimately realized by employees who receive equity awards, and subsequent events are not indicative
of the reasonableness of the original estimates of fair value made by the Company in accordance with authoritative guidance.
A summary of the Company’s share option
and restricted stock unit activity under its plans is as follows:
Options RSUs
Number
of Options
Weighted-
Average
Exercise
Price per Share
Weighted-
Average
Remaining
Contractual
Term
(In Years)
Number of
RSUs Weighted
Average Grant
Date Fair
Value per
Share
Balance as of December 31, 2022 11,252 $ 379.44 8.10 16,492 $ 634.20
Granted 1,882 $ 103.25 938 $ 23.28
Released —
—
( 7,637 ) $ 656.51
Canceled ( 357 ) $ 319.39 ( 156 ) $ 708.80
Balance as of December 31, 2023 12,777 $ 340.44 7.41 9,637 $ 555.85
Granted 10,621 $ 5.59 21,309 $ 6.67
Released —
—
( 10,072 ) $ 344.54
Canceled ( 12,076 ) $ 346.20 ( 650 ) $ 22.64
Balance as of December 31, 2024 11,322 $ 20.79 9.32 20,244 $ 99.58
Exercisable at December 31, 2024 2,733 $ 66.44 8.89
The weighted-average grant-date fair value of
options granted during the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023 was $ 3.95 and $ 61.00 , respectively. The aggregate intrinsic value of
outstanding options at December 31, 2024 was $0 . The aggregate intrinsic value is equal to the difference between the exercise price of
the underlying option and the fair value of the Company’s common stock for in-the-money options. As of December 31, 2024, total
compensation cost not yet recognized related to unvested options was $ 29 , which is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period
of 1.57 years, and total compensation costs not yet recognized related to unvested RSUs was $ 1,443 , which is expected to be recognized
over a weighted-average period of 0.48 years.
The following table sets forth stock-based compensation
expense recognized for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023:
Years ended December 31,
2024
2023
Research and development
$ 1,431
$ 1,504
Sales and marketing
137
217
General, and administrative
2,277
2,424
Total stock-based compensation expense
$ 3,845
$ 4,145
At December 31, 2024, there were 135,971 shares
available for issuance under the 2022 Plan.
Warrants
In April 2022, in association with the Company’s
initial public offering, the Company granted to The Benchmark Company, LLC and Valuable Capital Limited warrants to purchase a total of
1,200 shares of Common Stock. The warrants were immediately exercisable at an exercise price of $ 400.00 per share and expire on the fifth
anniversary of the commencement of sales under the IPO. The fair value of the warrants on the grant date was $ 220.00 per warrant, which
was calculated using a Black-Scholes option valuation model with an expected term of 5.00 years, expected volatility of 62.55 %, dividend
yield of 0 %, and risk-free interest rate of 2.92 %. The Company recorded the fair value of these warrants of $ 264 as an issuance cost to
additional paid-in capital in 2022.
F- 17
In June 2023, in connection with a registered
offering of stock, the Company issued warrants to purchase a total of 250,000 shares of Common Stock (the “Offering Warrants”).
The Offering Warrants were exercisable upon issuance and will expire five years from the date of issuance. Per the terms of the Offering
Warrants, the exercise price of the Offering Warrants reset on July 16, 2023, to $ 25.168 per share. The fair value of the Offering Warrants
on the grant date of $ 3,164 , or $ 12.64 per warrant, was calculated using a Monte-Carlo simulation to estimate the final exercise price,
which is considered a Level 3 fair value measurement, using as inputs; the starting value of $ 24.00 per share, the Company’s VWAP
on June 16; an assumed daily distribution of returns; a mean daily return of 5.18 %; a short-term annual volatility of 100 % and a standard
deviation of 6.3 %. The model used Black-Scholes to then calculate the estimated fair value of the Offering Warrants, using an estimated
time to maturity of 4.9 years, a risk-free interest rate of 3.99 % and a long-term volatility of 60 %.
In November 2023, in connection with the issuance
of the Convertible Notes, the Company issued warrants to purchase a total of 5,625 shares of Common Stock at an exercise price equal to
$ 15.52 per share. The warrants expire five years from the issuance date. The fair value of the warrants on the grant date was $ 10.32 per
warrant, which was calculated using a Black-Scholes option valuation model with an expected term of 5 .00 years, expected volatility of
68.89 %, dividend yield of 0 %, and risk-free interest rate of 4.41 %. The Company recorded the fair value of these warrants of approximately
$ 58 as an issuance cost to additional paid-in capital in 2023.
On February 20, 2024, in connection with the issuance
of Series A Preferred Stock, the Company issued the Series A Warrants to purchase a total of 51,937 shares of Common Stock at an exercise
price equal to $ 4.28 per share. The Series A Warrants are immediately exercisable and expire five years from the date of issuance. The
fair value of the Series A Warrants on the grant date was $ 4.88 per warrant, which was calculated using a Black-Scholes option valuation
model with an expected term of 5 .00 years, expected volatility of 68.24 %, dividend yield of 0 %, and risk-free interest rate of 4.3 %. The
Company recorded the fair value of these warrants of $ 254 to additional paid-in capital in 2024.
On September 5, 2024, in connection with the issuance
of Series B Preferred Stock, the Company issued the Series B Warrants to purchase a total of 16,214 shares of Common Stock at an exercise
price equal to $ 4.28 per share. The Series B Warrants are immediately exercisable and expire five years from the date of issuance. The
fair value of the Series B Warrants on the grant date was $ 2.25 per warrant, which was calculated using a Black-Scholes option valuation
model with an expected term of 5 .00 years, expected volatility of 68.40 %, dividend yield of 0 %, and risk-free interest rate of 3.5 %. The
Company recorded the fair value of these warrants of $ 37 to additional paid-in capital in 2024.
On September 16, 2024, in connection with the
Warrant Inducement agreement, the Company issued Series A New Warrants to purchase a total of 1,222,850 shares of Common Stock at an exercise
price of $ 4.28 per share, which are exercisable for five years after issuance and Series B New Warrants to purchase a total of 1,222,850
shares of Common Stock at an exercise price of $ 4.28 per share, which are exercisable for three years after issuance. The fair value of
the Series A New Warrants on the grant date was $ 5.49 per warrant, which was calculated using a Black-Scholes option valuation model with
an expected term of 5.00 years, expected volatility of 68.40 %, dividend yield of 0 %, and risk-free interest rate of 3.4 %.The fair value
of the Series B New Warrants on the grant date was $ 4.87 per warrant, which was calculated using a Black-Scholes option valuation model
with an expected term of 3.00 years, expected volatility of 68.40 %, dividend yield of 0 %, and risk-free interest rate of 3.4 %. The Company
recorded the fair value of these warrants to additional paid-in capital in 2024.
9. Commitments and Contingencies
Sales Representative Agreement
In April 2020, the Company entered into an Exclusive
Sales Representative Agreement, under which the counterparty to the agreement (the “Representative”) received exclusive rights
to market, promote, and distribute The Catamaran System in the United States and Puerto Rico. The agreement is for an initial period of
five years , and automatically renews for an additional five years unless written notice is given by either party prior to April 27, 2023.
The agreement provides for a bonus to be paid to the Representative upon an acquisition or IPO. In May 2021, the Company entered into
an Amended and Restated Exclusive Sales Representative Agreement (the “Restated Sales Agreement”). In connection with the
amended agreement, the Company paid $ 500 cash and issued 53,757 shares of common stock to the Representative, for which the Company recorded
a combined total of $ 880 as sales and marketing expense. In addition, the Representative received anti-dilution protections to maintain
ownership of 3.0 % of the fully diluted equity of the Company through the date of an initial public offering. In October 2021, the Company
issued 4,445 shares of common stock with a fair value of approximately $ 333 to the Representative in accordance with the anti-dilution
provision. In April 2022, the Company issued 31,235 shares of common stock to the Representative in accordance with the anti-dilution
provision, fully satisfying the Company’s obligations.
The Restated Sales Agreement restructured the
calculation of the bonus paid to the Representative upon an acquisition, removed the bonus payable upon an IPO, and allows the Company
to terminate the Restated Sales Agreement as long as the bonus paid to the Representative is at least $ 6,000 .
F- 18
On October 6, 2022, the Company entered into
the Terminating Amended and Restated Exclusive Sales Representative Agreement (the “Termination Agreement”) with the
Representative, which terminated the Restated Sales Agreement. In accordance with the Termination Agreement, (i) the Company paid
the Representative $1,000 in cash; and (ii) the Company agreed to pay the Representative (a) $85 per month during the six months
after the date of the Termination Agreement in return for efforts by the Representative to transition operations to the Company, (b)
20% of net sales of the product sold in the United States and Puerto Rico until December 31, 2023 and (c) after December 31, 2023,
10% of net sales until such time as the aggregate amount paid to the Representative under this clause (c) and clause (b) above equal
$3,600. In the event of an acquisition of the Company, the Company will pay the Representative $3,600 less previous amounts paid
pursuant to clause (b) and clause (c) above. The Company recorded a charge of $1,000 for the payment to the Representative in the
fourth quarter of 2022 and expensed the $85 per month charges as incurred over the six-month period. For payments under clause (b)
and clause (c) above, the Company estimated the fair value of the liability using level 3 hierarchy inputs based on a Monte Carlo
simulation of future revenues with a 25% quarterly estimated standard deviation of growth rates and a 10% probability of
dissolution, discounted at an estimated discount rate of 15.4%. Based on the Company’s fair value analysis, a total of $2,611
was charged to sales and marketing expense in the 2022 consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss and recorded as
accrued commissions in the consolidated balance sheets.
A reconciliation of the liability under clause
(b) and clause (c) for the year ended December 31, 2024 is as follows:
2024
Balance at January 1, 2024
$ 2,377
Amounts paid during 2024
( 324 )
Accretion
48
Balance at December 31, 2024
$ 2,101
Per the terms of the Termination Agreement, the
Company ultimately expects to expense $ 3,600 under clause (b) and clause (c).
Simultaneously with the execution of the Termination
Agreement, the Company entered into a Consulting Agreement dated October 6, 2022, with the Representative (the “Consulting Agreement”).
Under the terms and conditions of the Consulting Agreement, the Representative is tasked with organizing, recruiting, training, and coordinating
the Company’s Clinical Specialist program, Physician Education program and Sales Education program as more specifically described
in the Consulting Agreement.
The term of the Consulting Agreement was from
October 6, 2022, until October 5, 2023, when it terminated in accordance with the terms of the Consulting Agreement. In consideration
for the services to be provided, the Company paid the Representative a base consulting fee of $ 700 per year, payable in monthly instalments,
along with additional compensation of $ 62.5 per quarter, if certain sales targets were met, for four quarters; along with any travel and
related out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Representative in connection with the performance of the services.
Litigation
In the normal course of business, the Company
may possibly be named as a defendant in various lawsuits.
10. Concentrations of Risk
Credit risk
Financial instruments that potentially subject
the Company to concentrations of credit risk consist principally of cash and cash equivalents.
The Company maintains cash balances at financial
institutions located in California and Switzerland. Accounts at the U.S. financial institutions are secured by the Federal Deposit Insurance
Corporation. At times, balances may exceed federally insured limits. The Company has not experienced any losses in such accounts. Management
believes that the Company is not exposed to any significant credit risk with respect to its cash and cash equivalents.
The Company grants unsecured credit to its customers
based on an evaluation of the customer’s financial condition and a cash deposit is generally not required. Management believes its
credit policies do not result in significant adverse risk and historically has not experienced significant credit-related losses.
Currency risk
The Company’s subsidiary, Tenon Technology
AG, realizes a portion of its expenses in Swiss francs. Consequently, certain assets and liabilities are exposed to foreign currency fluctuations.
At December 31, 2024 and 2023, approximately $0 and $ 741 , respectively, of the Company’s net monetary assets were denominated in
Swiss francs. The Company has not entered into any hedging transactions to reduce the exposure to currency risk.
F- 19
11. Income Taxes
The components of loss before income taxes are
as follows:
Years ended December 31,
2024
2023
United States
$ ( 13,673 )
$ ( 15,570 )
International
—
( 11 )
Loss before income taxes
$ ( 13,673 )
$ ( 15,581 )
The components of current income tax expense are
as follows:
Years ended December 31,
2024
2023
Federal
$ —
$ —
State
—
—
Foreign
—
—
Total income tax expense
$ —
$ —
A reconciliation of the expected tax computed
at the U.S. statutory federal income tax rate to the total provision for income taxes for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023 is
as follows:
Years ended December 31,
2024
2023
Statutory rate
( 21 )%
( 21 )%
State taxes, net of federal benefit
( 5 )%
( 7 )%
Non-deductible differences
4 %
3 %
Change in valuation allowance
22 %
25 %
Provision for taxes
—
—
Significant components of the Company’s net deferred
tax assets at December 31, 2024 and 2023 are as follows:
Years ended December 31,
2024
2023
Deferred tax assets:
Net operating loss carryforwards
$ 10,803
$ 9,504
Credit carryforwards
193
220
Property and equipment
114
52
Accruals and reserves
689
111
Stock-based compensation
1,274
1,802
Intangibles
124
220
Operating lease liability
114
188
Capitalized research and development
645
514
Total deferred tax assets
13,956
12,611
Valuation allowance
( 13,848 )
( 12,433 )
Net deferred tax assets
108
178
Deferred tax liabilities:
Unrecognized tax benefits
( 2 )
—
Operating lease right of use
( 106 )
( 178 )
Total deferred tax liabilities
( 108 )
( 178 )
Net deferred tax assets
$ —
—
F- 20
In assessing the realizability of deferred tax
assets at December 31, 2024, management considered whether it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets
will be realized, and determined that a valuation allowance was required for those deferred tax assets that are not expected to provide
future tax benefits. The ultimate realization of deferred tax assets is dependent upon the generation of future taxable income during
the periods in which those temporary differences become deductible.
At December 31, 2024, the Company has available
net operating loss carryforwards of approximately $ 41,551 for federal income tax purposes, of which approximately $ 41,239 was generated
after 2017 and can be carried forward indefinitely under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. The remaining federal net operating loss of approximately
$ 222 , which was generated prior to 2018, will start to expire in 2034 if not utilized.
At December 31, 2024, the net operating loss
carryforwards for state purposes are approximately $ 27,347 and will begin to expire in 2032 if not utilized. In addition, the
Company had foreign net operating loss carryforwards of approximately $ 1,378 at December 31, 2024 that will start to expire in 2025
if not utilized.
The Company had credit carryforwards of approximately
$ 100 for federal income tax purposes. The federal tax credits will begin to expire in 2041.
The Company also had credit carryforwards of
approximately $ 30 for California income tax purposes. These credits have no expiration.
The Company has not completed a study to determine whether any ownership
change per the provisions of Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, as well as similar state provisions, has occurred;
however, it believes that, given the equity transactions undertaken, such a change has most likely occurred. In general, an “ownership
change” as defined by Section 382 of the Code results from a transaction or series of transactions over a three-year period resulting
in an ownership change of more than 50 percentage points of the outstanding stock of a company by certain stockholders. Utilization of
the Company’s net operating loss and income tax credit carryforwards may be subject to a substantial annual limitation due to ownership
changes that may have occurred or that could occur in the future. These ownership changes may limit the amount of the net operating loss
and income tax credit carryover that can be utilized annually to offset future taxable income.
Uncertain tax positions
In accordance with authoritative guidance, the
impact of an uncertain income tax position on the income tax return must be recognized at the largest amount that is more likely than
not to be sustained upon audit by the relevant taxing authority. An uncertain income tax position will not be recognized if it has less
than a 50 % likelihood of being sustained. The following shows the changes in the gross amount of recognized tax benefits:
Years ended December 31,
2024
2023
Unrecognized tax benefits, beginning of year
$ 79
$ 38
Increases related to prior year tax positions
—
5
Decreases related to prior year tax positions
( 35 )
—
Increases related to current year tax positions
—
36
Unrecognized tax benefits, end of year
$ 44
$ 79
The Company recognizes interest and penalties
related to unrecognized tax positions within the income tax expense line in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations and
comprehensive loss. The Company does not anticipate that its total unrecognized tax benefits will significantly change due to settlement
of examination or the expiration of statute of limitations during the next 12 months. Due to the full valuation allowance at December
31, 2024, current adjustments to the unrecognized tax benefit will have no impact on our effective income tax rate.
The Company currently has no federal or state
tax examinations in progress nor has it had any federal or state tax examinations since its inception. As a result of the Company’s net
operating loss and credit carryforwards, all of its years are subject to federal and state examination.
F- 21
12. Reportable Segment
The Company operates in one business segment,
the SI Joint segment. The SI Joint segment derives revenue from the sale of the Catamaran System for treatment of the most common types
of SI Joint disorders that cause lower back pain, which is the Company’s only product. The accounting policies of the SI Joint segment
are the same as those described in the summary of significant accounting principles in Note 2. The chief operating decision maker, which
is the Company’s senior executive committee that includes the chief executive officer, the chief financial officer and the chief
technology officer, assesses the performance of the SI Joint segment and decides how to allocate resources based on net income which is
reported in the consolidated statements of operations as net loss. The measure of segment assests is reported on the balance sheet as
total assets.
The chief operating decision maker uses net loss
to evaluate income generated from segment assets in deciding whether to continue investing in the segment. Net loss is used to monitor
budget versus actual results, to prepare operating budgets, and to assess the performance of the segment and in establishing management
compensation. The Company does not have intra-entity sales or transfers.
The following table presents selected financial
information for the Company’s single business segment for the year ended December 31, 2024:
Year ended December 31,
2024
Revenue
$ 3,277
Less:
Cost of sales
1,566
Sales and marketing
5,109
Research and development
2,603
General and administrative
7,765
Other expenses, net
93
Net loss
$ ( 13,673 )
13. Subsequent Events
On March 11, 2025, the Company entered into a
warrant exercise inducement offer letter agreement (the “Inducement Letter”) with the holder (the “Holder”) of
the Series A New Warrants and Series B New Warrants (the “Existing Warrants”), pursuant to which, the Holder agreed to exercise
the Existing Warrants at a reduced exercise price of $ 1.25 per share in consideration for the Company’s agreement to issue (i) new
unregistered five-year warrants (the “Series C-1 Warrants”) to purchase up to an aggregate of 2,445,700 shares of common stock
at an exercise price of $1.25 per share and (ii) new unregistered three-year warrants (the “Series C-2 Warrants,” and together
with the Series C-1 Warrants, the “New Warrants”) to purchase up to an aggregate of 1,222,850 shares of common stock at an
exercise price of $1.25 per share (the “Inducement Transaction”). The New Warrants are not exercisable without approval by
the Company’s stockholders (“Stockholder Approval”), which, pursuant to the Inducement Letter, the Company is required
to obtain at a meeting of stockholders no later than 165 days after the consummation of the Inducement Transaction. The Series C-1 Warrants
will be exercisable five years from the date on which Stockholder Approval is obtained, and the Series C-2 Warrants will be exercisable
three years from the date on which Stockholder Approval is obtained. Pursuant to the Inducement Transaction, the Company received proceeds,
net of financial advisor fees and other transaction expenses, of $ 2,727 .
The Company has agreed to file a registration statement on Form S-3 (or other appropriate form, including on
Form S-1, if it is not eligible to utilize Form S-3) providing for the resale of the shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise
of the New Warrants within 30 calendar days following the date of the Inducement Letter. The Company has also agreed not to issue, enter
into any agreement to issue or announce the issuance or proposed issuance of any common stock or common stock equivalents or file any
registration statement or any amendment or supplement to any existing registration statement, subject to certain exceptions, for a period
of 60 calendar days after the effectiveness of the Resale Registration Statement. Furthermore, the Company is also prohibited from entering
into any agreement to issue common stock or common stock equivalents involving a variable rate transaction (as defined in the Inducement
Letter), subject to certain exceptions, for a six-month period commencing on March 12, 2025.
On March 25, 2025, the Company
entered into a securities purchase agreement for the issuance of 733,500 shares of its common stock (or common stock equivalents in lieu
thereof) in a registered direct offering at a purchase price of $ 2.00 per share. In a concurrent private placement, the Company also
agreed to issue to the same investor warrants to purchase up to 733,500 shares of its common stock at an exercise price of $ 2.00 per
share, which will be exercisable immediately, and will expire five years following the date of issuance. Pursuant to the agreements,
the Company received proceeds, net of financial advisor fees and other transaction expenses, of $ 1,234 .
Also on March 25, 2025, the Company entered into
a securities purchase agreement for the issuance of 1,271,500 shares of its common stock (or common stock equivalents in lieu thereof)
in a registered direct offering at a purchase price of $ 2.00 per share. In a concurrent private placement, the Company also agreed to
issue to the same investor warrants to purchase up to 1,271,500 shares of its common stock at an exercise price of $ 2.00 per share, which
will be exercisable immediately, and will expire five years following the date of issuance. Pursuant to the agreements, the Company received
proceeds, net of financial advisor fees and other transaction expenses, of $ 2,290 .
F- 22
Item 9. Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants
on Accounting and Financial Disclosures
None.
Item 9A. Controls and Procedures
Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures
Disclosure controls and procedures are the controls
and other procedures that are designed to provide reasonable assurance that information required to be disclosed by the issuer in the
reports that it files or submits under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) is recorded, processed,
summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms. Disclosure controls and procedures include,
without limitation, controls and procedures designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by an issuer in the reports that
it files or submits under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to the issuer’s management, including the principal executive
and principal financial officer, or persons performing similar functions, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding required
disclosure. Any controls and procedures, no matter how well designed and operated, can provide only reasonable assurance of achieving
the desired control objectives.
We have carried out an evaluation, under the supervision and with
the participation of our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, of the effectiveness of the design and operation of our
disclosure controls and procedures, as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) of the Exchange Act as of December 31, 2024. Based upon
that evaluation, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer have identified a material weakness in our disclosure controls
and procedures due to lack of segregation of duties and have therefore concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures are not
effective at the reasonable assurance level.
A material weakness is a deficiency, or combination
of deficiencies, in our internal control over financial reporting such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement
of our consolidated financial statements would not be prevented or detected on a timely basis.
Our size has prevented us from being able to employ
sufficient resources to enable us to have an adequate level of supervision and segregation of duties. Therefore, it is difficult to effectively
segregate accounting duties which comprises a material weakness in internal controls. This lack of segregation of duties leads management
to conclude that the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures are not effective to give reasonable assurance that the information
required to be disclosed in reports that the Company files under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported as and
when required.
To the extent reasonably possible given our limited
resources, we intend to take measures to cure the aforementioned weaknesses, including, but not limited to, increasing the capacity of
our qualified financial personnel to ensure that accounting policies and procedures are consistent across the organization and that we
have adequate controls over our Exchange Act reporting disclosures.
55
Management’s Report on Internal Controls
over Financial Reporting
Management is responsible for establishing and
maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting as defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the Exchange Act. Our
internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial
reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.
Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections
of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in
conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.
Management utilized the criteria established
in the Internal Control – Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway
Commission (COSO) to conduct an evaluation of the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as of December 31,
2024. Based on that evaluation, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer have identified a material weakness due to
lack of segregation of duties and have therefore concluded that our internal controls over financial reporting are not effective at
the reasonable assurance level. A material weakness is a deficiency, or combination of deficiencies, in our internal controls over
financial reporting such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of our consolidated financial
statements would not be prevented or detected on a timely basis.
Our size has prevented us from being able to employ
sufficient resources to enable us to have an adequate level of supervision and segregation of duties. Therefore, it is difficult to effectively
segregate accounting duties which comprises a material weakness in internal controls. To the extent reasonably possible given our limited
resources, we intend to take measures to cure the aforementioned weaknesses, including, but not limited to, increasing the capacity of
our qualified financial personnel to ensure that accounting policies and procedures are consistent across the organization and that we
have adequate controls over our Exchange Act reporting disclosures.
As an emerging growth company, management’s
assessment of internal control over financial reporting was not subject to attestation by our independent registered public accounting
firm.
Changes in Internal Controls over Financial
Reporting
There were no changes in our internal control
over financial reporting during the three months ended December 31, 2024 that have materially affected, or are reasonably
likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.
Item 9B. Other Information
None.
Item 9C. Disclosure Regarding Foreign Jurisdictions
that Prevent Inspections.
None .
56
PART III
Item 10. Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance
The following are our executive officers and directors and their respective
ages and positions as of March 26, 2025.
Name
Age
Position
Steven M. Foster
57
Chief Executive Officer and President, Director
Richard Ginn
59
Chief Technology Officer and Director
Kevin Williamson
39
Chief Financial Officer
Richard Ferrari
70
Executive Chairman of the Board
Ivan Howard
57
Director
Kristine M. Jacques
57
Director
Robert K. Weigle
64
Director
Stephen H. Hochschuler, M.D.
81
Director
Steven M. Foster is our Chief Executive
Officer and President, and is also a director of the Company. Mr. Foster has over 30 years of marketing, sales, operations and general
management experience. From 2015 to present Mr. Foster has been a principal with CTB Advisors, LLC in Brentwood, Tennessee. CTB Advisors
was founded as a single member limited liability company for the purpose of providing medical device organizations and physicians with
consultative assistance on commercialization focused projects. Projects included: CRM based clinician engagement program design, training
and implementation for NuVasive (NUVA). Valuation assessment / business plan development of early-stage spine technology including IP
assessment and regulatory pathway definition. M&A (SafeOp Surgical) integration project, Alphatec Spine (ATEC). Current Status: Exclusive
to ATEC. From 2012 to 2014 Mr. Foster was Global Commercialization President of Safe Orthopedics SAS, Paris, FR (based in Michigan): There
Mr Foster worked on early-stage commercialization of a novel single-use / sterile / traceable surgical kit for lumbar spine fusion. His
focus included pre-clinical design, clinician advisor team development, early marketing, web design, convention presence and P&L preparation
and management. Technology reached 200 global surgeries in first 12 months of commercialization. From 1992 to 2012 Mr. Foster was part
of the Danek Group Inc., Sofamor Danek, Medtronic Spine organization where he held a variety of marketing, sales administration and general
management roles, including as VP / GM of Medtronic Spine’s Western Europe operations from 2007-2010. Mr. Foster received a Bachelor
of Science, Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing and Management from Central Michigan University in 1990.
Richard Ginn is a founder, the Chief Technology
Officer and a director of the Company. Mr. Ginn’s focus is primarily on intellectual property and product development, he has travelled
throughout the world to train physicians and participated in multiple FIH trials and is a named inventor on more than 300 patents for
medical devices. Over the course of his career, he has helped raise more than $100 million in venture capital and has provided an average
10x return to his investors. Mr. Ginn is the founder of TransAortic Medical, an embolic protection device company, and is its President,
CEO and a director from 2013 to present. At TransAortic, Mr. Ginn Managed all corporate operations, raised capital to support company
needs; managed acquisition of technology by strategic partner; managed all Intellectual Property; and set up European distribution for
CE Marked device. Mr. Ginn is the founder of Promed, a large hole femoral closure device company and was the CEO, President and a director
from 2012 to 2019. At Promed he managed all corporate operations; raised capital to support company needs; and managed all intellectual
property.
Kevin Williamson is our Chief Financial
Officer. Mr. Williamson has been the Chief Financial Officer since September 3, 2024. Kevin Williamson most recently served as the Chief
Financial Officer at Accelus Inc., a Florida-based medical device company focused on expandable spinal implant technology. In this role,
from 2020 to 2024, Mr. Williamson was responsible for the Finance organization, Investor Relations and information technology functions.
Prior to this role, Mr. Williamson served as the Director of Finance at Accelus Inc. from 2019 to 2020, where he was responsible for Financial
Planning and Analysis. From 2015 to 2019 Mr. Williamson held various roles of increasing responsibility in the Corporate Finance department
at NuVasive, Inc., a California-based medical device company focused on minimally invasive spine surgery. Mr. Williamson holds a B.S.
in Business Administration, Finance from San Diego State University and an M.B.A. from the University of San Diego - Knauss School of
Business.
57
Richard Ferrari is a founder, a director
and Executive Chairman of the Company. Since 2000, Mr. Ferrari has been and currently is a Managing Director of Denovo Ventures, a $650 million
venture firm specializing in Medical Devices and Biotechnology. From January 2019 until April 2021 Mr. Ferrari was employed as CEO and
Chairman of the Board of Directors of PQ Bypass which culminated is a successful acquisition by Endologix. During the last five years
Mr. Ferrari has been and currently is a board member (Executive Chairman) of Medlumics, S.L., a medical device company founded in 2011;
a board member (Vice Chairman) of ABS Interventional; a board member (Executive Chairman) of Heart Beam Inc.; a board member of Biomodex
Corporation; a board member of Retriever Medical Inc.; a board member of RMx Medical; a board member of Hawthorne Effect, Inc.; a board
member and co-founder of TransAortic acquired by Medtronic; Executive Chairman of Sentreheart acquired by Atricure, a board member of
Spinal Modualtion sold to St Jude and a board member of Hands of Hope. Mr. Ferrari has raised over $1 billion for the companies he has
been involved with and been a key member of the various boards M&A teams achieving over $2 billion in Acquisitions. Mr. Ferrari continues
to mentor and advise a number of CEO’s and start-up companies on strategy and building organizations dedicated to delivering excellence.
Mr. Ferrari is the creator of Excellence by Choice a series of lectures and presentations to help early-stage companies perform at the
highest level of execution. Mr. Ferrari received a Bachelor’s Degree in Education from Ashland University and a MBA from University
of South Florida.
Ivan Howard is a director of the Company.
Mr. Howard has been since 2019 and currently is a Vice President and Sr. Specialist in Alternative Investment Fiduciary Risk for Banco
Santander, a multinational financial services company. From 2020, Mr. Howard has been and currently serves as Director on the Collier County
Farm Bureau board of directors. From 2016, Mr. Howard has been and currently serves as Chairman of the Hendry/Glades County Farm Service
Agency. From 2020, Mr. Howard has been and currently serves on the U.S. Department of Agriculture Advisory Committee on Minority Farmers.
From 2018 Mr. Howard has been and is currently a member of the University of Florida College of Biomedical Engineering External Advisory
board. Mr. Howard holds an MBA from Mercer University and a Master’s Degree in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Florida.
We believe that Mr. Howard is well qualified to
serve as a Director on our Board with his financial services and board membership experience.
Kristine M. Jacques was appointed as a
director of the Company on March 25, 2024. From 2017 until 2023, Ms. Jacques was Vice President and General Manager, Interventional Pain
Therapies at Vivex Biologics, Inc., a medical device company where she implemented a comprehensive strategic plan of a disruptive technology
in the interventional spine market serving a significant unmet clinical need and potential $38 billion plus total addressable market,
non-surgical treatment for chronic low back pain. From 2007 to 2017, Ms. Jacques was a Vice President at Alphatec Spine, Inc (Nasdaq:ATEC),
a medical device company where she led the development and execution of a 3-year portfolio strategy to grow market share through identifying
opportunities for innovation, maximizing product positioning and differentiation and delivering high quality products to meet the clinical
and unmet needs of surgeons and their patients. From 1995 until 2007, Ms. Jacques served in various management positions at General Electric
Corporation, prior to which she served from 1991 until 1994 at various management positions at Smith & Nephew, PLC, both of which
are publicly traded. Previously, she was an Account Manager, Senior Investment Analyst for General Electric Capital Corporation from 1988
until 1991. Ms. Jacques received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Finance Administration from Michigan State University.
We believe that Ms. Jacques is well qualified
to serve as a Director on our Board with her experience as a senior executive in the spine and medical device industries.
Robert K. Weigle is a director of the Company.
He currently is and has been since October 2020, the CEO of Prime Genomics, a saliva-based diagnostics company utilizing Genomics. Mr.
Weigle is also currently an executive in residence with DigitalDX, a venture capital firm. Mr. Weigle was CEO and a director of Benvenue
Medical from May 2009 until August 2020. Benvenue was a Silicon Valley based medical device company, which raised over $200 million in
funding. At Benvenue Mr. Weigle led growth from pre-clinical to successful clinical trials to commercial launch of first-generation devices
in two distinct markets, one for the treatment of compression fractures in the spine and the second for the treatment of degenerative
disc disease, resulting in a first full-year run rate exceeding $1 million per month. Mr. Weigle oversaw all early aspects of corporate
strategy, including defining, communicating and executing the company’s overall business model; and represented Benvenue to the
investment community. Mr. Weigle was also a senior executive at numerous healthcare/medical device companies, including TherOx, Inc, Cardiac
Pathways, Baxter Healthcare and Cardima Corporation. Mr. Weigle also has relevant experience at Johnson & Johnson. Mr. Weigle holds
a BA in Political Science from University of California, Berkeley.
We believe that Mr. Weigle is well qualified to
serve as a Director on our Board with his experience in leading medical device companies both as a senior executive and as a member of
the board of directors.
Stephen H. Hochschuler, M.D. is a director
of the Company. Dr. Hochschuler is a world-renowned orthopedic spine surgeon. Dr. Hochschuler is the co-founder of the Texas Back Institute
and founder of Back Systems, Inc., and founding Chairman of Innovative Spinal Technologies, Dr. Hochschuler has severed on numerous boards
of directors and advisory boards for medical and scientific institutions. Dr. Hochschuler is a member of numerous national and international
professional organizations including the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons; the American Pain Society; North American Spine Society;
and the Southwest Chapter of the Society of International Business Fellows. Internationally, he is a member of the International Intradiscal
Therapy Society; the International Society for Minimal Intervention in Spinal Surgery; the International Society for the Study of the
Lumbar Spine; and is a founding board member of the Spinal Arthroplasty Society. He has also been a founding board member of The American
Board of Spine Surgery and The American College of Spine Surgery. He is published in a wide range of professional journals and has delivered
numerous presentations worldwide. Dr. Hochschuler holds a BA from Columbia College and his medical degree from Harvard Medical School.
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We believe that Dr. Hochschuler is well qualified
to serve as a Director on our Board with his experience as an orthopedic spine surgeon and his service on boards of directors and advisory
boards of medical and scientific institutions as a member of the board of directors.
Board Composition
Our business and affairs are managed under the
direction of our Board. Our Board currently consists of seven members, four of whom qualify as “independent” under the listing
standards of Nasdaq.
Directors serve until the next annual meeting
and until their successors are elected and qualified. Officers are appointed to serve for one year until the meeting of the Board following
the annual meeting of shareholders and until their successors have been elected and qualified.
Director Independence
Our
Board is composed of a majority of “independent directors” as defined under the rules of Nasdaq. We use the definition of
“ independence ” applied by Nasdaq to make this determination. Nasdaq Listing Rule 5605(a)(2) provides that an “ independent
director ” is a person other than an officer or employee of the company or any other individual having a relationship which,
in the opinion of the Board, would interfere with the exercise of independent judgment in carrying out the responsibilities of a director.
The Nasdaq listing rules provide that a director cannot be considered independent if:
●
the director is, or at any time during the past three
years was, an employee of the company;
●
the director or a family
member of the director accepted any compensation from the company in excess of $120,000 during any period of 12 consecutive months
within the 3 years preceding the independence determination (subject to certain exemptions, including, among other things, compensation
for board or board committee service);
●
the director or a family
member of the director is a partner in, controlling shareholder of, or an executive officer of an entity to which the company made,
or from which the company received, payments in the current or any of the past three fiscal years that exceed 5% of the recipient’s
consolidated gross revenue for that year or $200,000, whichever is greater (subject to certain exemptions);
●
the director or a family
member of the director is employed as an executive officer of an entity where, at any time during the past three years, any of the
executive officers of the company served on the compensation committee of such other entity; or
●
the director or a family
member of the director is a current partner of the Company’s outside auditor, or at any time during the past three years was
a partner or empl oyee of the Company’s outside auditor, and who worked on the company’s
audit.
Under such definitions, our Board has undertaken
a review of the independence of each director. Based on the information provided by each director concerning his or her background, employment,
and affiliations, our Board has determined that Ivan Howard, Kristine M. Jacques, Robert K. Weigle and Stephen H. Hochschuler, M.D. are
independent directors of the Company.
Board Committees
The Board has established three standing committees:
(i) Audit Committee; (ii) Compensation Committee; and (iii) Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. Each of the committees operates
pursuant to its charter. The committee charters will be reviewed annually by the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. If appropriate,
and in consultation with the chairs of the other committees, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee may propose revisions to
the charters. The responsibilities of each committee are described in more detail below.
59
Audit Committee . The Audit Committee
consists of three directors, Ivan Howard, Kristine Jacques and Robert Weigle, all of which are currently “independent” as defined by Nasd aq
and includes an audit committee financial expert, Mr. Howard, within the meaning of Item 407(d) of Regulation S-K under the Securities
Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act. The audit committee’s duties are specified in a charter and include, but not be
limited to:
●
reviewing and discussing
with management and the independent auditor the annual audited financial statements, and recommending to the board whether the audited
financial statements should be included in our annual disclosure report;
●
discussing with management
and the independent auditor significant financial reporting issues and judgments made in connection with the preparation of our financial
statements;
●
discussing with management
major risk assessment and risk management policies;
●
monitoring the independence of the independent auditor;
●
verifying the rotation of the lead (or coordinating)
audit partner having primary responsibility for the audit and the audit partner responsible for reviewing the audit as required by
law;
●
reviewing and approving all related-party transactions;
●
inquiring and discussing with management our compliance
with applicable laws and regulations;
●
pre-approving all audit
services and permitted non-audit services to be performed by our independent auditor, including the fees and terms of the services
to be performed;
●
appointing or replacing the independent auditor;
●
determining the compensation
and oversight of the work of the independent auditor (including resolution of disagreements between management and the independent
auditor regarding financial reporting) for the purpose of preparing or issuing an audit report or related work;
●
establishing procedures
for the receipt, retention and treatment of complaints received by us regarding accounting, internal accounting controls or reports
which raise material issues regarding our financial statements or accounting policies; and
●
approving reimbursement
of expenses incurred by our management team in identifying potential target businesses.
The
Audit Committee is composed exclusively of “independent directors” who are “financially literate” as defined
under the Nasdaq listing standards. The Nasdaq listing standards define “financially literate” as being able to read and
understand fundamental financial statements, including a company’s balance sheet, income statement and cash flow statement.
Compensation
Committee . The Compensation Committee consists of two directors, Kristine Jacques and Robert Weigle, both of which are “independent”
as defined by Nasdaq. The Compensation Committee’s duties are specified in a charter and include, but not be limited to:
●
reviews, approves and determines, or makes recommendations
to our Board regarding, the compensation of our executive officers;
●
administers our equity compensation plans;
●
reviews and approves, or
makes recommendations to our Board regarding incentive compensation and equity compensation plans; and
●
establishes and reviews general policies relating to
compensation and benefits of our employees.
60
Nominating
and Corporate Governance Committee. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee consists of two directors, Robert Weigle
and Stephen Hochschuler, both of which are “independent” as defined by Nasdaq. The nominating and corporate governance committee’s
duties are specified in a charter and include, but not be limited to:
●
identifying, reviewing
and evaluating candidates to serve on our Board consistent with criteria approved by our board of directors;
●
evaluating director performance
on our board of directors and applicable committees of our Board and determining whether continued service on our Board is appropriate
●
evaluating nominations
by stockholders of candidates for election to our Board; and
●
corporate gov ernance
matters
Role of Board in Risk Oversight Process
Our Board has responsibility for the oversight
of our risk management processes and, either as a whole or through its committees, regularly discusses with management our major risk
exposures, their potential impact on our business and the steps we take to manage them. The risk oversight process includes receiving
regular reports from board committees and members of senior management to enable our Board to understand our risk identification, risk
management, and risk mitigation strategies with respect to areas of potential material risk, including operations, finance, legal, regulatory,
cybersecurity, strategic, and reputational risk.
Code of Ethics
Our Board adopted a written code of business conduct
an
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.