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RenovoRx, Inc.: Form 10-Q for the period ended Mar 31, 2024

Filed with the SEC on May 10, 2024 and accepted by EDGAR at May 10, 2024, 17:21 ET.

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Management's discussion and analysis

As filed, 38,477 characters, with its headings, lists and tables. Extracted from the main document; charts and exhibits are in the original on sec.gov.

Unless the context otherwise requires, all references in this section to the “Company,” “we,” “us,” or “our” refer to RenovoRx, Inc. You should read the following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations in conjunction with our unaudited interim condensed financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this Report, our management’s discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations for the year ended December 31, 2023, included in our 2023 Annual Report and our final prospectus, dated August 25, 2021, filed with the SEC pursuant to Rule 424(b)(4) under the Securities Act.

This discussion contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act that reflect our plans, estimates, and beliefs that involve risks and uncertainties, including those described in the section titled “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements.” Our actual results and the timing of selected events could differ materially from those discussed below. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to, those identified below and those set forth under the section titled “Risk Factors” included elsewhere in this Report and in the 2023 Annual Report.

Overview

We are a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing novel precision oncology therapies based on a local drug delivery platform for high unmet medical need with a goal to improve therapeutic outcomes for cancer patients undergoing treatment. Our proprietary Trans-Arterial Micro-Perfusion (TAMPTM) therapy platform is designed to ensure precise therapeutic delivery to directly target the tumor while potentially minimizing a therapy’s toxicities versus systemic (intravenous (“IV”) therapy). Our novel approach to targeted treatment offers the potential for increased safety, tolerance, and improved efficacy.

Our novel and patented approach to targeted treatment offers the potential for increased safety, tolerance, and improved efficacy. Phase III lead product candidate, RenovoGemTM, an oncology drug-device combination product, is being investigated under a U.S. Investigational New Drug Application (“IND”) that is regulated by U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) under the 21 CFR 312 pathway. RenovoGem is currently being evaluated for the treatment of locally advanced pancreatic cancer (“LAPC”) by the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (the drug division of FDA). We also plan to evaluate RenovoGem as a potential therapy in other potential pipeline indication opportunities to follow including bile duct cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, uterine tumors, glioblastoma, and sarcoma. RenovoGem received Orphan Drug Designation for pancreatic cancer and bile duct cancer which provides 7 years of market exclusivity upon New Drug Application (“NDA”) approval.

We have completed our RR1 Phase I/II and RR2 observational registry studies, with 20 and 25 patients respectively, in LAPC. These studies demonstrated a median Overall Survival (“OS”) of 27.9 months in LAPC patients pre-treated with radiation followed by treatment with RenovoGem. Based on previous large randomized clinical trials, the expected survival of LAPC patients is 12 to 15 months in patients receiving only IV systemic chemotherapy or IV chemotherapy plus radiation (which are both considered standard of care). Unlike the randomized trials that established these standard of care results, our RR1 and RR2 clinical trials did not prospectively control the standard of care therapy received prior to administration of RenovoGem. Based on an FDA safety review of our Phase I/II study, the FDA allowed us to proceed to evaluate RenovoGem within our Phase III registrational clinical trial.

Our Phase III clinical trial of RenovoGem for the treatment of LAPC is called TIGeR-PaC. This trial is an ongoing randomized multi-center study using TAMP to evaluate RenovoGem. The study is evaluating trans-arterial delivery, a form of intra-arterial (“IA”) administration, of an FDA-approved chemotherapy, gemcitabine, to treat LAPC following stereotactic body radiation therapy (“SBRT”). The study is comparing treatment of an FDA-approved cancer drug, gemcitabine, with TAMP versus systemic IV administration of gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel.

Our protocol for TIGeR-PaC involves systemic chemotherapy and only SBRT during the induction phase of the study (prior to randomization). Patients receiving SBRT during the induction phase are required to complete 5 treatments, over 5 consecutive days, and do not receive oral chemotherapy vs. previously utilized intensity-modulated radiation therapy (“IMRT”) where patients must complete 25 radiation treatments in combination with oral chemotherapy during the induction phase of the study, which takes between 35 and 56 days to complete. In December 2021, we amended our protocol and statistical analysis plan for TIGeR-PaC (the “Modified SAP”) to (i) analyze only patients receiving SBRT during the induction phase, (ii) include a second interim analysis, (iii) change the total number of patients randomized in the study to 114 with a total of 86 deaths from SBRT patients, and (iv) repower the study from 90% to 80%, which is commonly used in clinical trials. We believe this design will shorten the timeframe needed to complete the study and also significantly decrease our costs. We have not discussed the protocol amendment or the Modified SAP with the FDA, and we cannot provide any assurance that the FDA will agree with these modifications, but these modifications have been submitted to the FDA

The first interim analysis in the TIGeR-PaC study at the 26th event of the specified events (deaths), was completed in March 2023, with the Data Monitoring Committee recommending a continuation of the study. The TIGeR-PaC study’s primary endpoint is a 6-month OS benefit with secondary endpoints including reduced side effects versus standard of care. The data was first presented at the 2023 American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting in April 2023 and then as a Late Breaker Oral Presentation with additional secondary endpoint data at the 2023 European Society of Medical Oncology World Congress on Gastrointestinal Cancer in June 2023. The second interim analysis for this study will be triggered by the 52nd event, which is estimated to occur in late 2024. The second interim data read out would follow thereafter, with the timing for such read out depending on customary factors such as time needed for analysis.

Our TAMP therapy platform is focused on optimizing drug concentration in solid tumors using approved small molecule chemotherapeutics. Our platform enables physicians to isolate segments of the vascular anatomy closest to tumors and force chemotherapy across the blood vessel wall to bathe these difficult-to-reach solid tumors in chemotherapy. Specifically, our patented approach allows physicians to combine, on the one hand, pre-treatment of the local blood vessels and tissue with standard-of-care radiation therapy to decrease chemotherapy washout and, on the other hand, local delivery via our patented RenovoCath delivery system which utilizes pressure to force small molecule chemotherapy into the tumor tissue. We believe there are many advantages to our TAMP therapy platform, including:

  • Application of Approved Small Molecule Chemotherapeutic Agents: We use approved small molecule chemotherapeutic agents, such as gemcitabine, with well-known safety and efficacy profiles.
  • Targeted Approach: In a preclinical study using our therapy platform, we demonstrated up to 100 times higher local drug concentration compared to systemic chemotherapy. We believe our TAMP therapy platform allows for a targeted approach that can decrease systemic exposure and improve patient outcomes.
  • Delivery Method Independent of Tumor Vascularity: Our therapy platform is designed to deliver small molecule chemotherapeutic agents to solid tumors resistant to systemic chemotherapy due to lack of tumor feeder blood vessels. If approved, our product candidates have the potential to treat tumors that are not directly supported by blood vessels.
  • Broad Application for Solid Tumor Indications: Our therapy platform is not restricted to a single small molecule chemotherapeutic agent or solid tumor type. As such, it may be applied for use in additional solid tumor indications, including in solid tumors without identifiable tumor feeder blood vessels.

In a further validation of our TAMP platform, in July 2023, we announced a collaboration with Imugene (ASX: IMU) to explore expansion of our TAMP product pipeline with Imugene’s CF33 oncolytic virus therapy for the treatment of difficult-to-access tumors. We are constantly in discussions regarding similar collaborations and potentially out-licenses of RenovoGem as we gear up for the NDA filing (assuming we meet our study endpoints) and commercialization of RenovoGem (if approved by FDA) as well as other collaborations with our TAMP platform.

Since our inception, we have devoted substantially all of our efforts to developing our cancer therapy platform and product candidates, raising capital and organizing and staffing our Company. As of December 31, 2023, we have received over $41.8 million in gross proceeds and have financed our operations primarily through issuance of convertible preferred stock, convertible notes, securities in our IPO, common stock purchase warrants, an RDO in April 2023 and a loan pursuant to the Paycheck Protection Program under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (the “CARES Act”). After deducting underwriting discounts, commissions, placement fees, legal fees, and other professional expenses of $3.5 million, our net offering proceeds were $38.3 million.

Subsequent to December 31, 2023, we have raised additional funding from two private placements, in January and April 2024, of shares of common stock and warrants to purchase shares of common stock for gross proceeds of $17.2 million.

We have incurred significant operating losses and generated negative cash flows from operations since our inception. As of March 31, 2024, we had cash and cash equivalents of $4.4 million. As of March 31, 2024, we had an accumulated deficit of $42.5 million. We expect to continue to incur significant expenses, increasing operating losses and negative cash flows for the foreseeable future. We do not expect to generate revenues from product sales unless and until we successfully complete development and obtain regulatory approval for one or more product candidates or engage in other activities that generate revenue sooner (including collaborations, licensing arrangements or other strategic or commercial activities relating to our technology). Given economic and market conditions and timing of regulatory approval, we expect that our expenses will increase in connection with our ongoing research and development activities, particularly if and when we decide to:

  • Advance clinical development of RenovoGem and our platform technology by continuing to enroll patients in our ongoing Phase III TIGeR-PaC clinical trial, expanding the number of clinical trials including our potential clinical trial in eCCA, and advancing RenovoGem through preclinical and clinical pipeline indication opportunities;
  • Hire additional research, development, engineering, and general and administrative personnel;
  • Pursue collaborations, licensing arrangements or other strategic or commercial activities relating to our technology;
  • Maintain, expand, enforce, defend, and protect our intellectual property portfolio; and
  • Expand our operational, financial and management systems and increase personnel, including personnel to support our clinical development, manufacturing and commercialization efforts and our operations as a public company.

In addition to the variables described above, if and when any of our product candidates successfully complete development, we will incur substantial additional costs associated with establishing a sales, marketing, medical affairs and distribution infrastructure to commercialize our products for which we may obtain marketing approval, regulatory filings, marketing approval, and post-marketing requirements, in addition to other commercial costs. We cannot reasonably estimate these costs at this time.

Components of Our Results of Operations

Revenue

We have not generated any revenue from product sales and do not currently expect to generate any revenue for the foreseeable future, if at all. If our development efforts for our current or future product candidates are successful and result in marketing approval or collaboration or license agreements with third parties, we may generate revenue in the future from a combination of product sales or payments from collaboration or license agreements. We may also pursue a strategy of commercializing our proprietary catheter delivery device, called RenovoCath, as a standalone device as a means of generating revenue.

Operating Expenses

Research and Development

Research and development expenses consist of costs related to the research and development of our platform technology. Clinical trial costs are a significant component of research and development expenses and include costs associated with third-party contractors and consultants. We outsource a substantial portion of our clinical trial activities, utilizing the service of third-party clinical trial sites and third-party vendors to assist us with the execution of our clinical trials. In addition, we have FDA 510(k) clearance for our proprietary catheter delivery device RenovoCath, which comprises part of the RenovoGem product. Accordingly, we are able to charge our clinical trial sites for the RenovoCath delivery device. To date, payments from clinical trial sites in consideration for RenovoCath delivery devices have been adequate to cover our direct manufacturing costs. Any payments we receive from clinical trial sites as consideration for use of RenovoCath delivery devices offset a portion of our research and development expenses. We expect our research and development expenses to increase for the foreseeable future as we continue the development of our product candidates and enroll subjects in our ongoing Phase III clinical trial, initiate new clinical trials and pursue regulatory approval of our product candidates. It is difficult to predict with any certainty the duration and costs of completing our current or future clinical trials of our product candidates or if, when or to what extent we will achieve regulatory approval and generate revenue from the commercialization and sale of our product candidates. The duration, costs and timing of clinical trials and other development of our product candidates will depend on a variety of factors, including uncertainties in clinical trial enrollment, timing and extent of future clinical trials, development of new product candidates and significant and changing government regulation. We may never succeed in achieving regulatory approval for any of our product candidates.

Our research and development expenses include:

  • expenses incurred under agreements with clinical trial sites, third-party vendors, and consultants that are involved in conducting our clinical trials;
  • costs of acquiring and developing clinical trial materials;
  • personnel costs, including salaries, benefits, bonuses, and stock-based compensation for employees engaged in preclinical and clinical research and development;
  • costs related to compliance with regulatory requirements;
  • third-party vendor costs related to manufacturing materials and testing;
  • costs related to preclinical studies and pilot testing;
  • travel expenses; and
  • allocated general and administrative expenses which includes facilities and other indirect administrative expenses to support research and development activities.

Research and development costs are expensed as incurred. Costs for certain development activities, such as clinical trials and preclinical studies, are recognized based on evaluation of progress to completion of specific tasks using data such as subject enrollment, clinical site activations or information provided to us by third party vendors.

General and Administrative

General and administrative expenses consist of salaries, benefits, and stock-based compensation for personnel in executive, finance and administrative functions, professional services and associated costs related to accounting, tax, audit, legal, intellectual property other matters, consulting costs, conferences, travel, and allocated expenses for rent, insurance, and other general overhead costs. We expect to continue to incur additional expenses as a result of operating as a public company, including costs to comply with the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, and Nasdaq listing standards and increased expenses in the areas of insurance, professional services and investor relations. As a result, we expect our general and administrative expenses to increase in the foreseeable future. General and administrative expenses are expensed as incurred.

Other Income (Expenses), Net

Interest and Dividend Income (Expense), Net

Interest expense consists of expense for the amortization of Directors and Officers liability insurance premiums.

Interest income and dividend income are earned from cash deposited in our short-term marketable securities and money market accounts.

Change in Fair Value of Common Warrant Liability

Change in fair value of warrant liability represents the gain or loss reported from the change in the fair value of the warrant liability associated with the April 2023 Warrant. The fair value per share of the April 2023 Warrant was $0.99 and $1.69 on March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively. The decrease in the fair value was primarily due to the decrease in our stock price.

Income Tax Expense

We account for income taxes using the asset and liability method. Under this method, deferred income tax assets and liabilities are recorded based on the estimated future tax effects of differences between the financial statement and income tax basis of existing assets and liabilities. Deferred income tax assets and liabilities are recorded net and classified as noncurrent on the balance sheets. A valuation allowance is provided against our deferred income tax assets when their realization is more likely than not.

We are subject to income taxes in the federal and state jurisdictions. Tax regulations within each jurisdiction are subject to the interpretation of the related tax laws and regulations and require significant judgment to apply. In accordance with the authoritative guidance on accounting for uncertainty in income taxes, we recognize tax liabilities for uncertain tax positions when it is more likely than not that a tax position will not be sustained upon examination and settlement with various taxing authorities. Liabilities for uncertain tax positions are measured based upon the largest amount of benefit that is more-likely-than-not (greater than 50%) of being realized upon settlement. Our policy is to recognize interest and/or penalties related to income tax matters in income tax expense.

On March 27, 2020, the CARES Act was enacted. The CARES Act includes several significant provisions for corporations, including the usage of net operating losses, interest deductions and payroll benefits. Corporate taxpayers may carryback net operating losses, or NOLs, originating during 2018 through 2020 for up to five years.

Results of Operations

Comparison of the Three Months Ended March 31, 2024, and 2023

The following table summarizes the significant components of our results of operations for the periods presented (in thousands, except percentages):

(unaudited)

Operating expenses: Three Months Ended March 31, 2024 2023 Increase / (Decrease) $%
Research and development $1,257 $1,338 $(81) (6)%
General and administrative 1,219 1,923 (704) (37)%
Total operating expenses 2,476 3,261 (785) (24)%
Loss from operations (2,476) (3,261) 785 (24)%
Other income/(expense), net
Interest and dividend income 37 4 33 825%
Change in fair value of common warrant liability 1,363 - 1,363 n/a
Total other income/(expense), net 1,400 4 1,396 34,900%
Net loss $(1,076) $(3,257) $2,181 (67)%

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Research and Development

Research and development expenses were $1.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2024, remaining flat compared to the same period last year. Higher clinical costs due to our ongoing Phase III clinical trial cost of $0.1 million, and an increase in employee and related benefits costs of $0.1 million, partially offset by a decrease in costs associated with clinical and regulatory consulting of $0.1 million. Allocated general and administrative support costs for personnel, facility and office supply expenses decreased by $0.1 million compared to the same period last year. We anticipate research and development expenses to increase as we increase manufacturing costs for our device and continue advancing our lead programs throughout the year.

General and Administrative

General and administrative expenses were $1.2 million for the three months ended March 31, 2024, a decrease of $0.7 million compared to $1.9 million in the same period last year. This decrease was primarily due to lower costs in employee and related benefits costs due to decreased headcount of $0.1 million, legal, professional and consulting fees of $0.2 million, investor and public relations of $0.3 million, directors’ and officers’ liability insurance expense of $0.1 million, were partially offset by in lower allocated general and administrative costs of $0.1 million compared to the same period last year. We anticipate general and administrative expenses to increase somewhat throughout the year as we progress with our lead program.

Other Income/(Expense), Net

Other income/(expense), net was $1.4 million for the three months ended March 31, 2024, compared to nil in the same prior period. The increase was primarily due to a $1.4 million change in the fair value of the common warrant liability due to a decrease in our common stock price during the period.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

For the three months ended March 31, 2024, we incurred a net loss of $1.1 million. As of March 31, 2024, our accumulated deficit stood at $42.5 million. We anticipate incurring further losses and increasing operating expenses in future periods.

On April 3, 2023, we completed a RDO under our shelf registration statement on Form S-3 for the purchase and sale of 1,557,632 shares of common stock (or pre-funded common warrants) at a purchase price of $3.21 per share of common stock (or pre-funded warrants) to a certain institutional investor. Additionally, in a concurrent private placement, we issued to the investor common warrants to purchase up to 1,947,040 shares of our common stock. The aggregate gross proceeds from this RDO were $5.0 million, and the net offering proceeds were $4.4 million after deducting placement agent fees and placement agent’s expenses of $0.4 million and other professional expenses of $0.2 million.

On January 26, 2024, we completed a private placement to 92 accredited investors with gross proceeds of $6.1 million. The private placement included issuing 6,133,414 shares of our common stock and common stock warrants to purchase 6,133,414 million shares of common stock which expire five years from the date of issuance. In connection with the private placement, we entered into a placement agent agreement, as additional compensation to the placement agent, and issued common stock warrants to purchase 511,940 shares of common stock which expire five years from the issuance date.

As of March 31, 2024, we have received over $48.0 million in gross proceeds through various financial arrangements to include the issuance of preferred stock, convertible debt, securities in our IPO, the RDO, private placements and various loans. After deducting underwriting discounts, commissions, placement fees, legal fees, and other professional expenses of $4.9 million, our net offering proceeds from these activities were $43.1 million.

Based upon our current operating plan, management believes that its existing cash and cash equivalents as of March 31, 2024, will be sufficient to allow us to fund operating, investing and financing cash flow needs for at least twelve months from the date of issuance of these unaudited condensed interim financial statements. Given our financing activities subsequent to March 31, 2024 (see “Note 10. Subsequent Events” in Notes to the Unaudited Condensed Interim Financial Statements), as of the date of this Report we believe that we have sufficient cash resources to allow us to fund our operating, investing and financing cash flow needs at least through 12 months. The accompanying unaudited condensed interim financial statements have been prepared assuming that 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. The accompanying unaudited condensed interim financial statements do not reflect any adjustments relating to the recoverability and reclassification of assets and liabilities that might be necessary if the Company is unable to continue as a going concern.

We believe we will continue to be able to raise additional capital through debt financing, private or public equity financings, license agreements, obtain a credit facility or other loan or at-the-market offering, collaborative agreements or other arrangements with other companies, or other sources of financing. Our ability to obtain additional required financing will be subject to a number of factors, including market conditions, fluctuations in interest rates, our operating performance and investor sentiment. However, there can be no assurances that such financing will be available or will be at terms acceptable to us, or at all. If we are unable to raise capital when needed or on attractive terms, we would be forced to delay, reduce or eliminate our clinical trials, discontinue the development and/or commercialization of our product candidates, restrict or cease our operations or obtain funds by entering into agreements on unfavorable terms. If any of these events occur, our ability to achieve our operational goals would be adversely affected. Our future capital requirements and the adequacy of available funds will depend on many factors, including those described in the section titled “Risk Factors in Part I item 1A on Form 10-K on our 2023 Annual Report.” Depending on the severity and direct impact of these factors on us, we may be unable to secure additional financing to meet our operating requirements on commercially acceptable terms favorable to us, or at all.

Sources of Liquidity

Since our inception, we have not generated any revenue from product sales and we have incurred significant operating losses and negative cash flows from operations. We anticipate that we will continue to incur net losses for the foreseeable future. We do not have any products that have achieved regulatory marketing approval and we do not expect to generate revenue from sales of any product candidates for several years, if ever.

On April 11, 2024, we completed a private placement to approximately 170 accredited investors with gross proceeds of approximately $11.1 million before deducting placement agent fees and other offering expenses of approximately $1.1 million. The private placement included issuing 6,960,864 shares of our common stock, a prefunded common stock warrant to purchase 951,500 shares of common stock, five-year Series A warrants to purchase 7,921,364 shares of common stock, two-year Series B warrants to purchase 3,956,182 shares of common stock and placement agent warrants to purchase 701,243 shares of common stock (see “Note 10. Subsequent Events” in Notes to the Unaudited Condensed Interim Financial Statements).

We have financed our operations through the date of this Report primarily through the issuance and sale of convertible preferred stock and convertible debt. Through the date of this report, we have raised an aggregate of $59.2 million from private placements of our convertible preferred stock, convertible debt securities, the issuance of securities in our IPO, RDO and other private placement offerings, various loans and the exercise of warrants and common stock options. During the first four months of 2024 alone, we raise new capital for aggregate gross proceeds of $17.2 million, which provides us with a cash runway at least through 12 months.

Cash Flows

Our primary uses of cash are to fund our operations including research and development and general and administrative expenses. We will continue to incur operating losses in the future and expect that our research and development and general and administrative expenses will continue to increase as we continue our research and development efforts with respect to clinical development of our product candidates, further develop our therapy platform and ensure that we are complying with the requirements of being a public company. The cash used to fund operating expenses is impacted by the timing of when we pay expenses, as reflected in the change in our outstanding accounts payable and accrued expenses.

The following table summarizes our cash flows for the period indicated (in thousands):

Net cash provided by (used in): Three Months Ended March 31, 2024 2023
Operating activities $(2,204) $(2,706)
Investing activities - 2,032
Financing activities 5,420 6
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents $3,216 $(668)

Net Cash Used in Operating Activities

Cash used in operating activities for the three months ended March 31, 2024, reflected a net loss of $1.1 million, offset by non-cash charges of $0.9 million, and net change in our operating assets and liabilities of $0.2 million.

Cash used in operating activities for the three months ended March 31, 2023, reflected a net loss of $3.3 million, offset by non-cash charges of $0.4 million, consisting of stock-based compensation expense and a net change in our operating assets and liabilities of $0.2 million.

Cash Provided by Investing Activities

Cash provided by investing activities for the three months ended March 31, 2023, consisted of U.S. Treasury bills held to maturity.

Cash Provided by Financing Activities

Net cash provided by financing activities for the three months ended March 31, 2024 was $5.4 million, consisting primarily of net proceeds from private placement offering.

Net cash provided by financing activities for the three months ended March 31, 2023 was $6,000, consisting of proceeds from the exercise of stock options.

Contractual Obligations and Other Commitments

There have been no significant changes in our contractual obligations or other commitments as of March 31, 2024.

Critical Accounting Policies and Significant Judgments and Estimates

The accompanying management’s discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations are based upon our unaudited condensed interim financial statements and the related disclosures, which have been prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP. The preparation of these unaudited condensed interim financial statements requires us to make estimates, assumptions and judgments that affect the reported amounts in our unaudited condensed interim financial statements and accompanying notes. We base our estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions that we believe to be 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 may differ from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions. To the extent that there are material differences between these estimates and actual results, our future financial statement presentation, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows will be affected. Our critical accounting policies and estimates are detailed in our 2023 Annual Report.

There have been no significant changes to our critical accounting policies or significant judgments and estimates for the three months ended March 31, 2024, from those previously disclosed in our 2023 Annual Report.

Convertible Instruments and Embedded Derivatives

We evaluate all of our agreements to determine whether such instruments have derivatives or contain features that qualify as embedded derivatives. We account for certain redemption features that are associated with the terms of convertible notes as liabilities at fair value and adjust the instruments to their fair value at the end of each reporting period. For derivative financial instruments that are accounted for as liabilities, the derivative instrument is initially recorded at its fair value and is then re-valued at each reporting date, with changes in the fair value reported in other income (expenses), net in the statements of operations. Derivative instrument liabilities are classified in the balance sheets as current or non-current based on whether or not net-cash settlement of the derivative instrument could be required within 12 months of the balance sheet date.

April 2023 Warrants

We evaluate pre-funded warrant and April 2023 Warrant issued in connection with registered direct financing in April 2023 to determine where such warrants qualify for equity classification, or meet the definition of a derivative instrument, classified as a liability on the condensed balance sheets and measured at fair value at inception and at each reporting date with changes in fair value recognized in the Condensed Statements of Operations in the period of change.

Direct Offering Costs

Direct offering costs consist principally of commissions, placement fees and other expenses, including other professional expenses incurred. We evaluate the terms under the financing agreement to determine the classification of direct costs in the accompanying Condensed Statements of Operations.

Emerging Growth Company and Smaller Reporting Company Status

We are an “emerging growth company” as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012, as amended, or the JOBS Act. Under the JOBS Act, companies have extended transition periods available for complying with new or revised accounting standards. We have elected this exemption to delay adopting new or revised accounting standards. We will remain an emerging growth company until the earlier of (1) December 31, 2026, (2) the last day of the fiscal year in which we have total annual gross revenues of at least $1.07 billion, (3) the date on which we are deemed to be a “large accelerated filer” as defined in Rule 12b-2 under the Exchange Act, or (4) the date on which we have issued more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible debt securities during the prior three-year period. An emerging growth company may take advantage of specified reduced reporting requirements and is relieved of certain other significant requirements that are otherwise generally applicable to public companies. As an emerging growth company,

  • we may present only two years of audited financial statements, plus unaudited interim condensed financial statements for any interim period, and related Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations;
  • we may avail ourselves of the exemption from the requirement to obtain an attestation and report from our auditors on the assessment of our internal control over financial reporting pursuant to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act;
  • we may provide reduced disclosure about our executive compensation arrangements; and
  • we do not require stockholder non-binding advisory votes on executive compensation or golden parachute arrangements.

We have elected to take advantage of certain of the reduced disclosure obligations in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and may elect to take advantage of other reduced reporting requirements in future filings. As a result, the information that we provide to our stockholders may be different than you might receive from other public reporting companies in which you hold equity interests.

We are also a “smaller reporting company,” meaning that the market value of our stock held by non-affiliates plus the proposed aggregate amount of gross proceeds to us as a result of this offering is less than $700.0 million and our annual revenue is less than $100.0 million during the most recently completed fiscal year. We may continue to be a smaller reporting company if either (1) the market value of our stock held by nonaffiliates is less than $250.0 million or (2) our annual revenue is less than $100.0 million during the most recently completed fiscal year and the market value of our stock held by non-affiliates is less than $700.0 million. If we are a smaller reporting company at the time we cease to be an emerging growth company, we may continue to rely on exemptions from certain disclosure requirements that are available to smaller reporting companies. Specifically, as a smaller reporting company we may choose to present only the two most recent fiscal years of audited financial statements in our Annual Report on Form 10-K and, like emerging growth companies, smaller reporting companies have reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation.

Recently Issued and Adopted Accounting Pronouncements

There were no new accounting pronouncements that were issued or became effective since the issuance of our 2023 Annual Report that had, or are expected to have, a material impact on our unaudited condensed balance sheets, unaudited condensed statement of operations or unaudited condensed statement of cash flows.

Market risk

As filed, 129 characters, with its headings, lists and tables. Extracted from the main document; charts and exhibits are in the original on sec.gov.

The disclosures in this section are not required because we qualify as a smaller reporting company under federal securities laws.

Controls and procedures

As filed, 7,123 characters, with its headings, lists and tables. Extracted from the main document; charts and exhibits are in the original on sec.gov.

Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures

Under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Principal Accounting Officer, we conducted an evaluation of the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15I and 15d-15(e) under the Exchange Act) as of the end of the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2023. Based on this evaluation, our Chief Executive Officer and Principal Accounting Officer have concluded that, during the period covered by this Report, our disclosure controls and procedures were not effective due to our previously identified material weaknesses in internal control over financial reporting. As a result, we have performed additional analysis as deemed necessary to ensure that our financial statements were prepared in accordance with GAAP. Accordingly, notwithstanding the identified material weaknesses, management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Principal Accounting Officer, believes the financial statements included in this Report are fairly presented, in all material respects, in accordance with GAAP.

We maintain disclosure controls and procedures that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by us in our Exchange Act reports is recorded, processed, summarized, and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms, and that such information is accumulated, communicated and discussed with our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Principal Accounting Officer or persons performing similar functions, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. Management recognizes that controls and procedures, no matter how well designed and operated, can only provide reasonable, not absolute, assurance the desired control objectives will be met. In reaching a reasonable level of assurance, management has weighed the cost of contemplated controls against their intended benefits. The design of any system of controls is based on management’s assumptions about the likelihood of future events. We cannot assure you that our controls will achieve their stated goals under all possible conditions. Changes in future conditions may render our controls inadequate or may cause our degree of compliance with them to deteriorate. Because of the inherent limitations in a cost-effective control system, misstatements due to error or fraud may occur and not be detected.

Management’s Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting

For the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2024, our management identified a material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting related to our control environment. A material weakness is a deficiency, or combination of significant deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting, such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of our annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented or detected and corrected on a timely basis.

Specifically, we have determined that we have not maintained adequate formal accounting policies, processes and controls related to complex transactions as a result of a lack of finance and accounting staff with the appropriate GAAP technical expertise needed to identify, evaluate and account for complex and non-routine transactions. We also determined that we have not maintained sufficient staffing or written policies and procedures for accounting and financial reporting, which contributed to the lack of a formalized process or controls for management’s timely review and approval of financial information. More specifically, we have determined that our financial statement close process includes significant control gaps mainly driven by the small size of our accounting and finance staff and, as a result, a significant lack of appropriate segregation of duties. This includes the ability of users to create and post journal entries without adequate compensating review controls as well as review of system rights on the journal entry and financial close process. In addition, we did not have proper information technology general controls related to user access, including the performance of user access reviews, access to edit data in applications was not properly restricted, and formal approval of application access was not documented and retained.

We are in the process of implementing a number of measures to address the material weaknesses that has been identified including: (i) engaging additional accounting and financial reporting personnel with GAAP and SEC reporting experience, (ii) developing, communicating and implementing an accounting policy manual for our accounting and financial reporting personnel for recurring transactions and period-end closing processes, and (iii) establishing effective monitoring and oversight controls for non-recurring and complex transactions to ensure the accuracy and completeness of our financial statements and related disclosures.

These additional resources and procedures are designed to enable us to broaden the scope and quality of our internal review of underlying information related to financial reporting and to formalize and enhance our internal control procedures. With the oversight of senior management and our Audit Committee, we have begun taking steps and plan to take additional measures to remediate the underlying causes of the material weaknesses.

We intend to complete the implementation of our remediation plan when we have sufficient cash to remediate our material weakness. Although we believe that our remediation plan will improve our internal control over financial reporting, additional time may be required to fully implement it and to make conclusions regarding the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting. Our management will closely monitor and modify, as appropriate, the remediation plan to eliminate the identified material weakness.

This Report does not include a report of management’s assessment regarding internal control over financial reporting or an attestation report of the Company’s registered public accounting firm due to a transition period established by SEC rules for newly public companies. For as long as we remain an emerging growth company under the JOBS Act, our independent registered public accounting firm will not be required to attest to the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting. When we lose our status as an emerging growth company and reach an accelerated filer threshold, our independent registered public accounting firm will be required to attest to the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting.

Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting

There were no changes in our internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the Exchange Act) during the last fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2024 that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

Risk factors

As filed, 5,169 characters, with its headings, lists and tables. Extracted from the main document; charts and exhibits are in the original on sec.gov.

An investment in our securities is speculative and involves a high degree of risk. You should carefully consider the risk factors below, as well as the other information in this Report, including our unaudited interim condensed financial statements and the related notes and the section titled “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” and in our other public filings in evaluating our business, including those risk factors included in our 2023 Annual Report. The occurrence of any of the events or developments described in our 2023 Annual Report, or summarized below or described elsewhere in this Report could harm our business, financial condition, results of operations, growth prospects or stock price. In such an event, the market price of our common stock could decline, and you may lose all or part of your investment. Additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial may also impair our business operations and the market price of our common stock.

Risk Factors Summary

The following is a summary of principal factors and uncertainties that make investing in shares of our common stock risky and impact our ability to execute on our business strategy include risks regarding the following. This summary is not exhaustive, and readers are therefore encouraged to review the “Risk Factors” section and the “Risk Factors” section in our 2023 Annual Report in their entirety:

  • We are a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company, have a limited operating history and have no drug/device combination products approved for commercial sale, which makes it difficult to evaluate our current business and predict our future success and viability.
  • We have incurred significant net losses in each period since inception, and we expect to continue to incur net losses for the foreseeable future.
  • We will need to raise substantial additional capital to develop and commercialize RenovoGem, and our failure to obtain funding when needed may force us to delay, reduce or eliminate our product development programs or collaboration efforts.
  • We may consider strategic alternatives in order to maximize stockholder value, including financing, strategic alliances, and licensing arrangements. We may not be able to identify or consummate any suitable strategic alternatives and any consummated strategic alternatives may not be successful.
  • Our product candidates’ commercial viability remains subject to current and future preclinical studies, clinical trials, regulatory approvals, and the risks generally inherent in the development of a pharmaceutical product candidate. If we are unable to successfully advance or develop our product candidates, our business will be materially harmed.
  • If we do not achieve our projected development goals in the timeframes we announce and expect, our stock price may decline.
  • Our product candidates may exhibit undesirable side effects when used alone or in combination with other approved pharmaceutical products or investigational new drugs, which may delay or preclude further development or regulatory approval or limit their use if approved.
  • If the results of preclinical studies or clinical trials for our product candidates are negative, we could be delayed or precluded from the further development or commercialization of our product candidates, which could materially harm our business.

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  • If we are unable to satisfy regulatory requirements, we may not be able to commercialize our product candidates.
  • If our product candidates are unable to compete effectively with marketed drugs targeting similar indications as our product candidates, our commercial opportunity will be reduced or eliminated.
  • We may delay or terminate the development of our product candidates at any time if we believe the perceived market or commercial opportunity does not justify further investment, which could materially harm our business.
  • Our future success depends on our ability to retain our key personnel and to attract, retain, and motivate qualified personnel, especially in light of an acute workforce shortage and hyper-competitive compensation environment.
  • If we are unable to protect our intellectual property effectively, we may be unable to prevent third parties from using our technologies, which would impair our competitive advantage.
  • The patents issued to us may not be broad enough to provide any meaningful protection, one or more of our competitors may develop more effective technologies, designs, or methods without infringing our intellectual property rights and one or more of our competitors may design around our proprietary technologies.
  • The market price of our common stock may be volatile and fluctuate substantially, which could result in substantial losses for our investors.
  • We issued a large number of shares of common stock and warrants to purchase common stock in connection with our 2024 financing activities. Substantial future sales of such shares of our common stock could cause the market price of our common stock to decline or have other adverse effects on our company.

Figures reported in this filing

Standardized line items from the XBRL in this filing, for the period ended 2024-03-31. Comparative periods it repeats are left out.

Figures reported in this filing
Line itemPeriodValueXBRL concept
Research and development3 months2024-01-01 to 2024-03-31$1.3mus-gaap:ResearchAndDevelopmentExpense
Operating income3 months2024-01-01 to 2024-03-31−$2.5mus-gaap:OperatingIncomeLoss
Net income3 months2024-01-01 to 2024-03-31−$1.1mus-gaap:NetIncomeLoss
Diluted EPS3 months2024-01-01 to 2024-03-31−$0.07us-gaap:EarningsPerShareDiluted
Basic EPS3 months2024-01-01 to 2024-03-31−$0.07us-gaap:EarningsPerShareBasic
Diluted shares (weighted)3 months2024-01-01 to 2024-03-3114,947,500 sharesus-gaap:WeightedAverageNumberOfDilutedSharesOutstanding
Operating cash flow3 months2024-01-01 to 2024-03-31−$2.2mus-gaap:NetCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivities
Cash and equivalentsAt period end2024-03-31$4.4mus-gaap:CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue
Total assetsAt period end2024-03-31$4.8mus-gaap:Assets
Current liabilitiesAt period end2024-03-31$1.1mus-gaap:LiabilitiesCurrent
Total liabilitiesAt period end2024-03-31$3.0mus-gaap:Liabilities
Shareholders' equityAt period end2024-03-31$1.8mus-gaap:StockholdersEquity

Source: SEC EDGAR, the filing index for accession 0001493152-24-018704. Last ingested by Listed: Nov 6, 2026, 17:30 ET. Listed shows no prices and gives no investment advice.