CEL SCI CORP - Quarter Report: 2022 June (Form 10-Q)

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-Q

 (Mark One)

☒      QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15 (d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the quarterly period ended June 30, 2022

OR

☐     TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15 (d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the transition period from _______________ to ______________.

Commission File Number 001-11889

 8229 Boone Boulevard, Suite 802

 Vienna, Virginia 22182

 Address of principal executive offices

 (703) 506-9460

 Registrant’s telephone number, including area code

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

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) had 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 and posted 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 and post such files). Yes ☒ No ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer”, “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act:

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 is a shell company (as defined in Exchange Act Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).Yes ☐     No ☒

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PART I FINANCIAL INFORMATION

CEL-SCI CORPORATION

STATEMENTS OF STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY continued

(UNAUDITED)

CEL-SCI CORPORATION

NOTES TO CONDENSED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

NINE MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30, 2022 AND 2021 (UNAUDITED)

A. BASIS OF PRESENTATION AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying condensed financial statements of CEL-SCI Corporation (the Company) are unaudited and certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in the annual financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (U.S. GAAP) have been omitted pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission. While management of the Company believes that the disclosures presented are adequate to make the information presented not misleading, these interim condensed financial statements should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and notes included in the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2021.

In the opinion of management, the accompanying unaudited condensed financial statements contain all adjustments necessary for a fair presentation of the Company’s financial position as of June 30, 2022 and the results of its operations for the nine and three months then ended. The condensed balance sheet as of September 30, 2021 is derived from the September 30, 2021 audited financial statements. All accounting policies have been consistently applied in the interim financial statements and the annual financial statements. The results of operations for the nine and three months ended June 30, 2022 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the entire year.

The financial statements have been prepared assuming that the Company will continue as a going concern, but due to recurring losses from operations and future liquidity needs, there is substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern. The financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty. Refer to the discussion in Note B.

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies:

Cash and Cash Equivalents – Cash and cash equivalents consist principally of unrestricted cash on deposit and short-term money market funds. The Company considers all highly liquid investments with a maturity when purchased of less than three months as cash equivalents.

Property and Equipment – Property and equipment is recorded at cost and depreciated using the straight-line method over estimated useful lives of five to seven years. Leasehold improvements are depreciated over the shorter of the estimated useful life of the asset or the term of the lease. Repairs and maintenance which do not extend the life of the asset are expensed when incurred. Property and equipment are reviewed on a quarterly basis to determine if any of the assets are impaired.

Patents - Patent expenditures are capitalized and amortized using the straight-line method over the shorter of the expected useful life or the legal life of the patent (17 years). In the event changes in technology or other circumstances impair the value or life of the patent, appropriate adjustment to the asset value and period of amortization is made. An impairment loss is recognized when estimated future undiscounted cash flows expected to result from the use of the asset, and from disposition, are less than the carrying value of the asset. The amount of the impairment loss would be the difference between the estimated fair value of the asset and its carrying value.

Leases – The Company accounts for contracts that convey the right to control the use of identified property, plant or equipment over a period of time in exchange for consideration as leases upon inception. The Company leases certain real estate, machinery, laboratory equipment and office equipment over varying periods. Many of these leases include an option to either renew or terminate the lease. For purposes of calculating lease liabilities, these options are included in the lease term when it is reasonably certain that the Company will exercise such options. The incremental borrowing rate utilized to calculate the lease liabilities is based on the information available at the commencement date, as most of the leases do not provide an implicit borrowing rate. Short-term leases, defined as leases with initial terms of 12 months or less, are not reflected on the balance sheet. Lease expense for such short-term leases is not material.

Derivative Instruments – The Company has financing arrangements that consist of freestanding derivative instruments that contain embedded derivative features. The Company accounts for these arrangements in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) 815, Accounting for Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities. In accordance with ASC 815, derivative instruments and hybrid instruments are recognized as either assets or liabilities on the balance sheet and are measured at fair value with gains or losses recognized in earnings or other comprehensive income depending on the nature of the derivative or hybrid instruments. The Company determines the fair value of derivative instruments and hybrid instruments based on available market data using appropriate valuation models considering all the rights and obligations of each instrument. The derivative liabilities are re-measured at fair value at the end of each interim period.

The Company adopted Accounting Standards Update (ASU) 2020-06, Debt—Debt with Conversion and Other Options (Subtopic 470-20) and Derivatives and Hedging—Contracts in Entity’s Own Equity (Subtopic 815-40): Accounting for Convertible Instruments and Contracts in an Entity’s Own Equity effective October 1, 2021. The amendments in this Update simplify and clarify the guidance in Subtopic 815-40. There was no financial impact upon adoption.  

The Company adopted ASU 2021-04, Earnings Per Share (Topic 260), Debt—Modifications and Extinguishments (Subtopic 470-50), Compensation—Stock Compensation (Topic 718), and Derivatives and Hedging—Contracts in Entity’s Own Equity (Subtopic 815-40): Issuer’s Accounting for Certain Modifications or Exchanges of Freestanding Equity-Classified Written Call Options. This standard was issued to clarify and reduce diversity in an issuer’s accounting for modifications or exchanges of freestanding equity-classified written call options (for example, warrants) that remain equity classified after modification or exchange. ASU 2021-04 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2021, however, as permitted, the Company has elected to prospectively adopt the standard this quarter, effective as of October 1, 2021. Adoption of this standard had no impact on prior quarters within this fiscal year.

Stock-Based Compensation – Compensation cost for all stock-based awards is measured at fair value as of the grant date in accordance with the provisions of ASC 718, Compensation – Stock Compensation. The fair value of stock options is calculated using the Black-Scholes option pricing model. The Black-Scholes model requires various judgmental assumptions including volatility and expected option life. The stock-based compensation cost is recognized using the straight-line allocation method as expense over the requisite service or vesting period.

The Company has Incentive Stock Option Plans, Non-Qualified Stock Option Plans, Stock Compensation Plans, Stock Bonus Plans and an Incentive Stock Bonus Plan. These plans are collectively referred to as the “Plans.” All Plans have been approved by the Company’s stockholders.

The Company’s stock options are not transferable, and the actual value of the stock options that an employee may realize, if any, will depend on the excess of the market price on the date of exercise over the exercise price. For options issued with service conditions only, the assumption for stock price volatility is based on the variance of daily closing prices of the Company’s stock. The risk-free interest rate assumption is based on the U.S. Treasury rate at the date of grant with the term equal to the expected life of the option. Forfeitures are accounted for when they occur. The expected term of options represents the period that options granted are expected to be outstanding and has been determined based on an analysis of historical exercise behavior. If any of the assumptions used in the Black-Scholes model change significantly, stock-based compensation expense for new awards may differ materially in the future from that recorded in the current period.

Restricted stock granted under the Incentive Stock Bonus Plan and options granted under the 2021 and 2020 Non-Qualified Stock Option Plans are subject to service, performance and market conditions and meet the classification of equity awards. These awards were measured at fair value on the grant dates using a Monte Carlo simulation for issuances where the attainment of performance criteria is uncertain. The total compensation cost will be expensed over the estimated requisite service period.

Research and Development Costs - Research and development costs are expensed as incurred. Management accrues Clinical Research Organization (CRO) expenses and clinical trial study expenses based on services performed and relies on the CROs to provide estimates of those costs applicable to the completion stage of a study. Estimated accrued CRO costs are subject to revisions as such studies progress to completion. The Company records revisions to estimated expense in the period in which the facts that give rise to the revision become known.

Net Loss Per Common Share – The Company calculates net loss per common share in accordance with ASC 260, “Earnings Per Share” (ASC 260). Basic and diluted net loss per common share was determined by dividing net loss applicable to common shareholders by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period. The Company’s potentially dilutive shares, which include outstanding common stock options, unvested restricted stock and common stock warrants, have not been included in the computation of diluted net loss per share for all periods as the result would be anti-dilutive.

Income Taxes – The Company uses the asset and liability method of accounting for income taxes. Under the asset and liability method, deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases and operating and tax loss carryforwards. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates is recognized in income in the period that includes the enactment date. The Company records a valuation allowance to reduce the deferred tax assets to the amount that is more likely than not to be recognized. A full valuation allowance was recorded against the deferred tax assets as of June 30, 2022 and September 30, 2021.

The Company adopted ASU No. 2019-12, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes, effective October 1, 2021. The new standard includes several provisions that simplify accounting for income taxes by removing certain exceptions to the general principles in Topic 740 and increasing consistency and clarity for the users of financial statements. The adoption of ASU 2019-12 had no impact on the Company’s financial statements.

Use of Estimates – The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and the accompanying disclosures. These estimates are based on management’s best knowledge of current events and actions the Company may undertake in the future. Estimates are used in accounting for, among other items, obsolescence of supplies used for R&D and manufacturing, accruals, stock options, useful lives for depreciation and amortization of long-lived assets, right of use assets and lease liabilities, deferred tax assets and the related valuation allowance, and the valuation of derivative liabilities. Actual results could differ from estimates, although management does not generally believe such differences would materially affect the financial statements in any given year. However, regarding the valuation of derivative liabilities determined using the Black-Scholes pricing model, significant fluctuations may materially affect the financial statements in a given year. Additionally, in calculating the right of use assets and lease liabilities, estimates and assumptions were used to determine the incremental borrowing rates and the expected lease terms. The Company considers the estimates used in valuing the derivative liabilities, stock options and the lease assets and liabilities to be significant.

New Accounting Pronouncements

The Company has considered all recently issued accounting pronouncements and does not believe the adoption of such pronouncements will have a material impact on its financial statements.

B. OPERATIONS AND FINANCING

On June 28, 2021, the Company announced results from its 9.5-year pivotal Phase 3 study for its immunotherapy Multikine® (Leukocyte Interleukin, Injection) in the treatment of advanced (stages III and IV) primary (previously untreated) squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN). The Phase 3 results showed a long-term 5-year overall survival (OS) benefit in the treatment arm that received Multikine treatment followed by surgery and radiation. This survival benefit was robust and durable, with no safety issues, something not commonly seen with cancer drugs. In fact, the survival benefit increased over time and at 5 years the overall survival benefit reached an absolute 14.1% advantage for the Multikine treated arm over control (n=380, total study patients treated with surgery plus radiation), control arm 48.6%, Multikine arm 62.7% survival.

The study used the standard of care treatment for advanced primary head and neck cancer patients as a comparison. The patients received surgery followed by either radiation or chemoradiation (chemotherapy and radiation at the same time), as determined by the physician. This meant that there were two treatment arms: (1) surgery plus radiation or (2) surgery plus chemoradiation. The arm that received Multikine treatment followed by surgery and radiation showed great survival benefit, but when chemotherapy was added in the second treatment arm, the immunological effect of Multikine was negated. Therefore, when the two treatment arms were combined the study did not achieve its primary endpoint of a 10% improvement in overall survival.

Multikine is given for three weeks after cancer diagnosis, but before surgery and other treatments.  In the peer-reviewed abstract presented at ASCO, a clear survival advantage for patients treated with Multikine prior to surgery in the surgery-plus-radiation arm of the IT-MATTERS study was described. The survival advantage was driven by objective data derived from patients in the intent-to-treat (ITT) population who had a significant number of early complete and partial tumor responses which occurred prior to surgery.  Five patients in the study had their tumors completely disappear (confirmed by pathology) before surgery. In the ITT population as a whole, 8.5% of all Multikine-treated patients had a tumor response before surgery, but not a single tumor response before surgery was seen in the ITT control group before surgery, statistically a highly significant finding (p-value of less than 0.00000000001).   This indicates that the likelihood of seeing these results by chance is less than 1 in ten billion. These results confirm findings from the Phase 1 and 2 studies with Multikine and provide direct evidence of Multikine’s anticancer activity.

Liquidity

The Company has incurred significant costs since its inception for the acquisition of certain proprietary technology and scientific knowledge relating to the human immunological defense system, patent applications, research and development, administrative costs, construction and expansion of manufacturing and laboratory facilities, and participation in clinical trials. The Company has funded such costs primarily with proceeds from loans and the public and private sale of its securities. The Company will be required to raise additional capital or find additional long-term financing to continue with its efforts to bring Multikine to market. The ability to raise capital may be dependent upon market conditions that are outside the control of the Company. The ability of the Company to obtain approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the sale of products to be developed on a commercial basis is uncertain. Ultimately, the Company must complete the development of its products, obtain the appropriate regulatory approvals and obtain sufficient revenues to support its cost structure. The Company believes there is a high likelihood that it will continue to receive funds from private and public offerings and warrant exercises similar to the way it has funded operations in the past. However, there can be no assurance that the Company will be able to raise sufficient capital to support its operations.

To finance the Company through marketing approval, the Company plans to raise additional capital in the form of warrant exercises, corporate partnerships, and debt and/or equity financings. The Company believes that it will be able to obtain additional financing because it has done so consistently in the past and because it showed great survival benefit in the Phase 3 study in one of the two treatment arms for advanced primary head and neck cancer. However, there can be no assurance that the Company will be successful in raising additional funds on a timely basis or that the funds will be available to the Company on acceptable terms or at all. If the Company does not raise the necessary amounts of money, it may have to curtail its operations until such time as it is able to raise the required funding.

Primarily because of the losses incurred to date, the expected continued future losses, and the uncertainties associated with obtaining regulatory approval and ultimately commercializing its products, management has identified conditions and events that raise substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern. Management has evaluated the significance of those conditions and has concluded that there is sufficient cash on hand to meet the Company’s budgeted cash requirements. As a result, substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern for more than twelve months from the date of these financial statements has been alleviated.

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic

In response to the global outbreak of COVID-19 and the World Health Organization’s classification of the outbreak as a pandemic, the Company continues to take the necessary precautions to ensure the safety of its employees and to minimize interruptions to its operations. Management follows the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) guidance and the recommendations and restrictions provided by state and local authorities. The full impact of the COVID-19 outbreak continues to evolve as of the date of this report. As such, it is uncertain as to the full impact the pandemic will have on the Company’s future financial condition, liquidity and results of operations. Management is actively monitoring the risks to public health and the impact of overall global business activity on the Company’s financial condition, liquidity, operations, suppliers, industry, and workforce.

C. STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

Proceeds from the Sale of Common Stock

In June 2021, the Company sold 1,400,000 shares of common stock at a public offering price of $22.62 per share and received aggregate net proceeds of approximately $29.4 million. The Company also granted the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to 210,000 additional shares of common stock to cover over-allotments. The underwriters fully exercised this option in June 2021, resulting in additional net proceeds to the Company of approximately $4.4 million.

In December 2020, the Company sold 1,000,000 shares of common stock at a public offering price of $14.65 per share and received aggregate proceeds of approximately $13.6 million.

Equity Compensation

Underlying share information for equity compensation plans as of June 30, 2022 is as follows:

Stock option activity:

During the three months ended June 30, 2022, the Company adopted the 2022 Non-Qualified Stock Option Plan, which provides for the issuance of up to 2,000,000 options to purchase shares of common stock.

During the nine months ended June 30, 2022, the Company granted 250,000 performance-based stock options from the 2020 Non-Qualified Stock Option Plan to officers. Each option entitles the holder to purchase one share of the Company’s common stock at a price of $10.48 per share, the fair value on the date of issuance. The stock options will vest 100% upon approval of the first marketing application for any pharmaceutical based upon the Company’s Multikine technology in the USA, Canada, UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, or Australia. None of the options will be exercisable before November 19, 2022. All options which have not vested as of November 18, 2031 will be canceled. On the grant date, the options were valued using a Monte Carlo Simulation approach. A Monte Carlo Simulation is a statistical technique that is used to model probabilistic systems and establish the probabilities for a variety of outcomes. However, because attainment of the performance condition cannot be considered probable, no compensation cost is recognized relating to these options as of June 30, 2022. Management re-assesses the probability of achieving the performance condition at each reporting date.

Stock-Based Compensation Expense

Employee compensation expense includes the expense related to options and restricted stock that is expensed over the vesting periods. Non-employee expense includes the expense related to options and stock issued to consultants expensed over the period of the related service contracts.

Warrants and Non-Employee Options

The table below presents the fair value of the warrant liabilities as of:

The table below presents the net gains (losses) on the warrant liabilities for the nine months ended June 30:

The table below presents the net gains (losses) on the warrant liabilities for the three months ended June 30:

The Company reviews all outstanding warrants in accordance with the requirements of ASC 815. This topic provides that an entity should use a two-step approach to evaluate whether an equity-linked financial instrument (or embedded feature) is indexed to its own stock, including evaluating the instrument’s contingent exercise and settlement provisions. The warrant agreements provide for adjustments to the exercise price for certain dilutive events. Under the provisions of ASC 815, the warrants are not considered indexed to the Company’s stock because future equity offerings or sales of the Company’s stock are not an input to the fair value of a “fixed-for-fixed” option on equity shares, and equity classification is therefore precluded.

In accordance with ASC 815, derivative liabilities must be measured at fair value upon issuance and re-valued at the end of each reporting period through expiration. Any change in fair value between the respective reporting dates is recognized as a gain or loss.

During the nine months ended June 30, 2022, 15,205 Series CC warrants were exercised at an exercise price of $5.00 for gross proceeds of $76,025. No warrants were exercised during the three months ended June 30, 2022.

The following warrants recorded as liabilities were exercised during the following periods: