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

As discussed elsewhere in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-K, pursuant to the Merger, we acquired our primary operating subsidiary Coeptis Therapeutics, Inc. The Merger was accounted for as a “reverse merger,” and Coeptis Therapeutics, Inc. was deemed to be the accounting acquirer in the Merger. Consequently, the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows discussed in this Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations discussed below are those of Coeptis Therapeutics, Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries. When we use words in this section like “we,” “us”, “our,” the “Company” and words of the like, unless otherwise indicated, we are referring to the operations of our wholly-owned subsidiaries, including Coeptis Therapeutics, Inc.

Forward-Looking Statements

This Report contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 12E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, including or related to our future results, certain projections and business trends. Assumptions relating to forward-looking statements involve judgments with respect to, among other things, future economic, competitive and market conditions and future business decisions, all of which are difficult or impossible to predict accurately and many of which are beyond our control. When used in this Report, the words “estimate,” “project,” “intend,” “believe,” “expect” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Although we believe that assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements are reasonable, any of the assumptions could prove inaccurate, and we may not realize the results contemplated by the forward-looking statement. Management decisions are subjective in many respects and susceptible to interpretations and periodic revisions based on actual experience and business developments, the impact of which may cause us to alter our business strategy or capital expenditure plans that may, in turn, affect our results of operations. In light of the significant uncertainties inherent in the forward-looking information included in this Report, you should not regard the inclusion of such information as our representation that we will achieve any strategy, objective or other plans. The forward-looking statements contained in this Report speak only as of the date of this Report as stated on the front cover, and we have no obligation to update publicly or revise any of these forward-looking statements. These and other statements which are not historical facts are based largely on management’s current expectations and assumptions and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, among others, the failure to successfully develop a profitable business, delays in identifying customers, and the inability to retain a significant number of customers, as well as the risks and uncertainties described in “Risk Factors” section to our Annual Report for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023.

When we use works like “we,” “us”, “our,” the “company” and words of the like, unless otherwise indicated, we are referring to the operations of us and our wholly-owned subsidiaries Coeptis Therapeutics, Inc. and Coeptis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (“Coeptis”).

Objective

The objective of our Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations (“MD&A”) is to provide users of our financial statements with the following:

• A narrative explanation from the perspective of management of our financial condition, results of operations, cash flows, liquidity and certain other factors that may affect future results;
• Useful context to the financial statements; and
• Information that allows assessment of the likelihood that past performance is indicative of future performance.

Our MD&A is provided as a supplement to, and should be read together with, our unaudited financial statements for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023, included in Part I, Item 1 of this Form 10-Q.

Company History

General. The Company was originally incorporated in the British Virgin Islands on November 27, 2018 under the name Bull Horn Holdings Corp. On October 27, 2022, Bull Horn Holdings Corp. domesticated from the British Virgin Islands to the State of Delaware. On October 28, 2022, in connection with the closing of the Merger, the Company changed its corporate name from Bull Horn Holdings Corp. to “Coeptis Therapeutics Holdings, Inc.”

The Merger Transaction. On October 28, 2022, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bull Horn Holdings Corp., merged with and into Coeptis Therapeutics, Inc., with Coeptis Therapeutics, Inc. as the surviving corporation of the Merger. As a result of the Merger, the Company acquired the business of Coeptis Therapeutics, Inc., which now continues its existing business operations as the Company’s wholly-owned subsidiary.

About the Company’s Subsidiaries. The Company now operates through its direct and indirect wholly-owned subsidiaries Coeptis Therapeutics, Inc., Coeptis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Coeptis Pharmaceuticals, LLC.

Issuance under Merger Transaction. Simultaneously with the closing of the Merger, all of the issued and outstanding shares of Coeptis Therapeutics, Inc. common stock (including the shares of common stock underlying Coeptis’ series B preferred stock) converted, on a 2.96851721 for 1 basis, into shares of our Common Stock. As of the Merger, there were no Coeptis options outstanding, and there were warrants outstanding to purchase an aggregate of 4,642,500 shares of Coeptis common stock at an average exercise price of $2.67 per share, which warrants converted on the closing of the Merger into warrants to purchase an aggregate of 1,563,912 shares of our Common Stock at an average exercise price of $7.93 per share.

On the closing of the Merger, the former Coeptis common stock was exchanged for the right to receive 17,270,079 shares of our Common Stock (including 2,694,948 shares of Common Stock issued in exchange for the Coeptis series B preferred stock issued and outstanding). Our common stockholders before the Merger retained 2,246,760 shares of our Common Stock. As a result, immediately following the closing of the Merger, Coeptis’ former stockholders and our then existing stockholders held approximately 88% and 12%, respectively, of the total combined voting power of all classes of our stock entitled to vote.

The Merger was treated as a recapitalization of the Company, and was accounted for as a “reverse merger,” and Coeptis was deemed to be the acquirer in the reverse merger. Consequently, the assets and liabilities and the historical operations reflected in the financial statements prior to the Merger are those of Coeptis, and the consolidated financial statements after completion of the Merger include the assets and liabilities of Coeptis, historical operations of Coeptis and operations of Coeptis from the closing of the Merger.

Company History of Coeptis Therapeutics, Inc.

Coeptis Pharmaceuticals, LLC was formed on July 12, 2017 as a Pennsylvania multi-member limited liability company. On December 1, 2018, the members of LLC contributed their interest to a newly formed corporation, Coeptis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. As of December 1, 2018, the LLC became a disregarded single-member limited liability company which is wholly owned by the newly formed corporation. On February 12, 2021, Vinings Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Vinings”), merged (the “Merger”) with and into Coeptis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. On July 12, 2021, the company has legally changed its name from Vinings Holdings, Inc. to Coeptis Therapeutics, Inc. Coeptis was the surviving corporation of that Merger. As a result of the Merger, Vinings acquired the business of Coeptis and will continue the existing business operations of Coeptis as a wholly owned subsidiary. The Merger was treated as a recapitalization of the Company for financial accounting purposes. The historical financial statements of Vinings before the Merger were replaced with the historical financial statements of Coeptis before the Merger in all future filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”).

Overview and Outlook

We are a biopharmaceutical company which owns, acquires, and develops cell therapy technologies for cancer and other diseases Our products and technologies are intended to be commercialized in the US and other major markets throughout the world. Since our inception in 2017, we have acquired and commercialized two drug products for the US market, which were approved as 505b2 applications. These anti-hypertension products were launched into the US market during 2020 through a marketing partner. At launch, the sales and promotional efforts were significantly impeded by the limitation of the global pandemic and as such, we have since abandoned all activities and ownership pertaining to both products. We also began the development of several ANDA products which we divested in 2019 to a larger generic pharmaceutical drug manufacturer, and have moved away from focusing on the commercialization of generic products. In early 2021, we entered into strategic partnerships to co-develop improved therapies for the auto-immune and oncology markets. Following the reverse merger transaction, we continue to focus on identifying and investing resources into innovative products and technologies which we believe will significantly transform our current products and therapies.

During 2020 and continuing through 2021, we faced several operational challenges related to the COVID-19 global pandemic, which we continue to work to overcome. The launch of both 5050b2 products was impacted because of various COVID-19 limitations, most notably field sales personnel were not able to make healthcare provider visits in person; thereby limiting the awareness of the availability of these products. We explored and implemented several non-personal promotion efforts, but given the global limitations and dynamics, it was challenging to achieve expected sales. We have since abandoned all activities and ownership pertaining to both products.

Vy-Gen-Bio, Inc.

In May 2021, we entered into two exclusive option agreements (the “CD38 Agreements”) relating to separate technologies designed to improve the treatment of CD38-related cancers (e.g., multiple myeloma, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and acute myeloid leukemia) with Vy-Gen-Bio, Inc. (“Vy-Gen”), a majority-owned subsidiary of Vycellix, Inc., a Tampa, Florida-based private, immuno-centric discovery life science company focused on the development of transformational platform technologies to enhance and optimize next-generation cell and gene-based therapies, including T-cell and Natural Killer (NK) cell-based cancer therapies.

The CD38 Agreements relate to two separate Vy-Gen drug product candidates, as follows:

CD38-GEAR-NK. This Vy-Gen drug product candidate is designed to protect CD38+ NK cells from destruction by anti-CD38 monoclonal antibodies, or mAbs. CD38-GEAR-NK is an autologous, NK cell-based therapeutic that is derived from a patient’s own cells and gene-edited to enable combination therapy with anti-CD38 mAbs. We believe CD38-GEAR-NK possesses the potential to minimize the risks and side effects from CD38-positive NK cell fratricide.

Market Opportunity. We believe CD38-GEAR-NK could potentially revolutionize how CD38-related cancers are treated, by protecting CD38+ NK cells from destruction by anti-CD38 mAbs, thereby promoting the opportunity to improve the treatment of CD38-related cancers, including multiple myeloma, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and acute myeloid leukemia.

Multiple myeloma is the first cancer indication targeted with CD38-GEAR-NK. The global multiple myeloma market was $19.48B in 2018 and is expected to reach $31B by 2026 [Source: Fortune Business Reports].

CD38-Diagnostic. This Vy-Gen product candidate is an in vitro diagnostic tool to analyze if cancer patients might be appropriate candidates for anti-CD38 mAb therapy. CD38-Diagnostic is an in vitro screening tool that provides the ability to pre-determine which cancer patients are most likely to benefit from targeted anti-CD38 mAb therapies, either as monotherapy or in combination with CD38-GEAR-NK. CD38-Diagnostic also has the potential to develop as a platform technology beyond CD38, to identify patients likely to benefit for broad range of mAb therapies across myriad indications.

Market Opportunity. We believe CD38-Diagnostic provides opportunity to make more cost-effective medical decisions for the treatment of B cell malignancies with high CD38 expression, including multiple myeloma, which may help to avoid unnecessary administration of anti-CD38 therapies. CD38-Diagnostic could prevent patients from being subjected to ineffective therapy and enable significant savings to healthcare systems.

CD38-Diagnostic could be offered as an in-vitro diagnostic for determining patient suitability and likelihood of positive treatment outcomes for CD38-GEAR-NK and/or CD38 monoclonal antibody therapies.

On September 28, 2023, we received FDA’s response to our 513(g) request for information submission pertaining to the classification of the CD38-Diagnostic. The CD38-Diagnostic has been designated a Class II type device. The confirmation of this classification is beneficial as we’re now better able to plan for and execute future development activities.

GEAR-NK Product Overview. GEAR-NK is an autologous, gene-edited, natural killer cell-based therapeutic development platform that allows for modified NK cells to be co-administered with targeted mAbs, which, in the absence of the GEAR-NK, would otherwise be neutralized by mAb therapy.

In May 2021, we made initial payments totaling $750,000 under the CD38 Agreements, to acquire the exclusive options to acquire co-development rights with respect to CD38-GEAR-NK and CD38-Diagnostic. On August 15, 2021, we entered into amendments to each of the CD38 Agreements. In connection with the two amendments, we delivered to Vy-Gen promissory notes aggregating $3,250,000 with maturity dates of December 31, 2021, and made a cash payment of $1,000,000, upon which cash payment we exercised the two definitive option purchase agreements. In December 2021, we completed our payment obligations to secure the 50% ownership interest in the CD38-Diagnostic, and subsequently in November 2022 we completed our purchase of the 50% ownership interest for the CD38-GEAR-NK product candidate. Details of the two August amendments and the December amendment are summarized in the amendments attached at Exhibits 4.1 and 4.2 to our Current Report on Form 8-K dated August 19, 2021 and Exhibits 4.2 to the our Current Report on Form 8-K dated December 27, 2021.

In connection with the Vy-Gen relationship and the Company’s ownership in the two product candidates described above, in December 2021 the Company and Vy-Gen entered into a co-development and steering committee agreement. The co-development and steering committee agreement provides for the governance and economic agreements between the Company and Vy-Gen related of the development of the two Vy-Gen drug product candidates and the revenue sharing related thereto, including each company having a 50% representation on the steering committee and each company receiving 50% of the net revenues related to the Vy-Gen product candidates. Details of the co-development and steering committee agreement are summarized in our Current Report on Form 8-K dated December 27, 2021, including Exhibits 4.1 and 4.2 thereto.

Deverra Therapeutics, Inc.

On August 16, 2023, the Company entered into an exclusive licensing arrangement (the “License Agreement”) with Deverra Therapeutics Inc. (“Deverra”), pursuant to which the Company completed the exclusive license of key patent families and related intellectual property related to a proprietary allogeneic stem cell expansion and directed differentiation platform for the generation of multiple distinct immune effector cell types, including natural killer (NK) and monocyte/macrophages. The License Agreement provides the Company with exclusive rights to use the license patents and related intellectual property in connection with development and commercialization efforts in the defined field of use (the “Field”) of (a) use of unmodified NK cells as anti-viral therapeutic for viral infections, and/or as a therapeutic approach for treatment of relapsed/refractory AML and high-risk MDS; (b) use of Deverra’s cell therapy platform to generate NK cells for the purpose of engineering with Coeptis SNAP-CARs and/or Coeptis GEAR Technology; and (c) use of Deverra’s cell therapy platform to generate myeloid cells for the purpose of engineering with the Company’s current SNAP-CAR and GEAR technologies. In support of the exclusive license, the Company also entered into with Deverra (i) an asset purchase agreement (the “APA”) pursuant to which the Company purchased certain assets from Deverra, including but not limited to two Investigational New Drug (IND) applications and two Phase 1 clinical trial stage programs (NCT04901416, NCT04900454) investigating infusion of DVX201, an unmodified natural killer (NK) cell therapy generated from pooled donor CD34+ cells, in hematologic malignancies and viral infections and (ii) a non-exclusive sublicense agreement (the “Sublicense Agreement”), in support of the assets obtained by the exclusive license, pursuant to which the Company sublicensed from Deverra certain assets which Deverra has rights to pursuant a license agreement (“FHCRC Agreement”) by and between Deverra and The Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (“FHCRC”).

As consideration for the transactions described above, the Company paid Deverra approximately $570,000 in cash, issued to Deverra 4,000,000 shares of the Company’s common stock and assumed certain liabilities related to the ongoing clinical trials. Total consideration paid was $4,937,609, which was fully expensed in accordance with ASC 730, and is reflected within research and development in the accompanying condensed consolidated statement of operations for the year ended December 31, 2023. In addition, in accordance with the terms of the Sublicense Agreement, the Company agreed to pay FHCRC certain specified contingent running royalty payments and milestone payments under the FHCRC Agreement, in each case to the extent such payments are triggered by the Company’s development activities.

On October 26, 2023, the Company entered into a Shared Services Agreement (“SSA”) with Deverra, in accordance with requirements set forth in the APA. Under the terms of the SSA, Coeptis and Deverra will share resources and collaborate to further the development of Coeptis’ GEAR and SNAP-CAR platforms, as well as the purchased and licensed assets under the License Agreement and APA. The term of the SSA is six months from the effective date.

Vici Health Sciences, LLC.

In 2019, we entered into a co-development agreement with Vici Health Sciences, LLC (“Vici”). Through this partnership, we would co-develop, seek FDA approval and share ownership rights with Vici to CPT60621, a novel, ready to use, easy to swallow, oral liquid version of an already approved drug used for the treatment of Parkinson’s Disease (PD). As we continue to direct its operational focus towards the Vy-Gen opportunities previously described, we have recently stopped allocating priority resources to the development of CPT60621. We are currently in negotiations in which Vici intends to buy-out most or all of our remaining ownership rights.

Our Results of Operations

Revenue. To date, we have generated minimal revenue mostly from consulting arrangements and product sales. Due to the COVID-19 global pandemic and the resulting market dynamics, it is uncertain if the current marketed products can generate sufficient sales to cover expenses.

Operating Expenses. General and administrative expenses consist primarily of warrant expense related to strategic financing costs, salaries and related costs for personnel and professional fees for consulting services related to regulatory, pharmacovigilance, quality, legal, and business development. We expect that our general and administrative expenses will increase in the future as we increase our headcount to support the business growth. We also anticipate that we will incur increased accounting, audit, legal, regulatory, compliance, insurance, and investor relation expenses associated with operating as a public company.

Research and Development Costs. Research and developments costs will continue to be dependent on the strategic business collaborations and agreements will are anticipating in the future. We expect development costs to increase to support our new strategic initiatives.

Comparison of the three months ended March 31, 2024 and March 31, 2023

Revenues. Revenues recorded in the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023 respectively, continue to be minimal. The Company’s activities primarily include product development, raising capital, and building infrastructure. Management does not expect the Company to generate any significant revenue for at least the next two years, during which time drug development will continue toward the goal of commercializing, through a partnership or otherwise, one or more of the Company’s target products or technologies.

Operating Expenses

Overview. Operating expenses decreased from $6,538,951 in the three months ended March 31, 2023 to $2,922,383 in the three months ended March 31, 2024. The decrease is mainly due to lower professional services expense related to equity transactions.

General and Administrative Expenses. For the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023, general and administrative expenses are included in operating expenses. All costs incurred can be attributed to the planned principal operations of product development, raising capital, and building infrastructure.

Interest Expense. Interest expense was $31,417 for the three months ended March 31, 2023 and was $200,505 for the three months ended March 31, 2024. Interest was related to notes payable, which are discussed in detail in the notes to the condensed consolidated financial statements, incorporated by reference herein.

Financial Resources and Liquidity. The Company had limited financial resources during the three months ended March 31, 2023 with cash of $1,469,134. For the period ended March 31, 2024, cash and cash equivalents decreased to $1,029,244. During both these time periods, the Company continues to operate a minimal infrastructure in order to maintain its ability to fund operations, keep full focus on all product development targets and to stay current with all of the Company’s scientist consultants, legal counsel, and accountants. During 2024, the Company believes that the ability to raise capital through equity transactions will increase liquidity and enable the execution of management’s operating strategy.

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 under this Item.

Disclosure controls and procedures as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Exchange Act are controls and other procedures that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed in our reports filed or submitted under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time periods specified in the Securities and Exchange Commission’s rules and forms. Disclosure controls and procedures include, without limitation, controls and procedures designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed in our reports filed or submitted under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to management, including our principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.

Our management, with the participation of our chief executive officer (our principal executive officer) and our chief financial officer (our principal financial officer) evaluated the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures as of the end of the period covered by this Report on Form 10-Q. Based upon that evaluation, and as a result of the self-identified material weaknesses described below, our principal executive officer and principal financial officer concluded that, as of March 31, 2024, our disclosure controls and procedures were not operating effectively. Management anticipates that such disclosure controls and procedures will not be effective until the self-diagnosed material weaknesses are remediated.

Our Annual Report on Form 10-K contains information regarding self-identified material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2023. For example, the Company’s system of internal controls, as designed and implemented, were not operating effectively. Additionally, the Company’s financial statement close process and disclosure controls and procedures were not operating effectively.

In an effort to address the Company’s internal accounting personnel deficiencies, in May 2023 we appointed a new Chief Financial Officer. Accordingly, the Company believes, based on its knowledge, that: (i) this quarterly report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report; and (ii) the financial statements, and other financial information included in this quarterly report, fairly present in all material respects our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows as of and for the periods presented in this quarterly report.

In addition to the other information set forth in this report, you should carefully consider the risk factors discussed in Part I, “Item 1A. Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, which could materially affect our business, financial condition or future results. The risks described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K are not the only risks facing our company. Additional risks and uncertainties not currently known to us or that we currently deem to be immaterial also may materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and/or operating results.