GB SCIENCES INC - Annual Report: 2021 (Form 10-K)

PART I

DISCLOSURE REGARDING FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

This Annual Report on Form 10-K of GB Sciences, Inc., a Nevada corporation and its subsidiaries (the “Company”), contains “forward-looking statements,” as defined in the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as “may”, “will”, “should”, “could”, “expects”, “plans”, “intends”, “anticipates”, believes”, “estimates”, “predicts” or “continue”, which list is not meant to be all-inclusive and other such negative terms and comparable technology. These forward-looking statements, include, without limitation, statements about market opportunity, strategies, competition, expected activities and expenditures as we pursue business our plan, and the adequacy of available cash reserves. Although we believe the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, we cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. Actual results may differ materially from the predictions discussed in these forward-looking statements. The economic environment within which we operate could materially affect actual results. Additional factors that could materially affect these forward-looking statements and/or predictions include among other things: (i) product demand, market and customer acceptance of any or all of the Company’s products, equipment and other goods, (ii) ability to obtain financing to expand its operations, (iii) ability to attract qualified personnel, (iv) competition pricing and development difficulties, (v) ability to increase cultivation production, (vi) the timing and extent of changes in prices for medical and adult-use cannabis, (vii) agricultural risks of growing and harvesting medical and adult-use cannabis, (viii) the availability of equipment, such as extraction equipment, (ix) the adequacy of capital reserves and liquidity including, but not limited to, access to additional borrowing capacity, (x) our ability to close the sale of the Company's Nevada cannabis cultivation and production facilities, (xi) and general industry and market conditions and growth rates, unexpected natural disasters, and other factors, which we have little or no control: and any other factors discussed in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”).

Any forward-looking statements are based on information available to us today and we undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of future events, new information or otherwise.

ITEM 1. DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS

Unless the context indicates otherwise, all references to “GB” and “GB Sciences” refers solely to GB Sciences, Inc., a Nevada corporation, and all references to “the Company,” “we”, “us” or “our” in this Annual Report refers to GB Sciences and its consolidated subsidiaries.

Overview

GB Sciences, Inc. (“the Company”, “GB Sciences”, “we”, “us”, or “our”) is a phytomedical research and biopharmaceutical drug development company whose goal is to create patented formulations of plant-inspired, complex therapeutic mixtures for the prescription drug market that target a variety of medical conditions. The Company is engaged in the research and development of plant-based medicines and plans to produce plant-inspired, complex therapeutic mixtures based on its portfolio of intellectual property.

Through its wholly owned Canadian subsidiary, GBS Global Biopharma, Inc. (“GBSGB”), the Company is engaged in the research and development of plant-based medicines, primarily cannabinoid medicines, with virtual operations in North America and Europe. GBSGB’s assets include a portfolio of intellectual property containing both proprietary cannabinoid-containing formulations and our AI-enabled drug discovery platform, as well as critical research contracts and key supplier arrangements. GBSGB’s intellectual property covers a range of medical conditions and several programs are in the pre-clinical animal stage of development including Parkinson’s disease, neuropathic pain, and cardiovascular therapeutic programs. GBSGB runs a lean drug development program and takes effort to minimize expenses, including personnel, overhead, and fixed capital expenses through strategic partnerships with Universities and Contract Research Organizations (“CROs”). GBSGB’s intellectual property portfolio includes five USPTO issued patents, nine USPTO nonprovisional patent applications pending in the US, and one provisional patent application in the US. In addition to the USPTO patents and patent applications, the company has filed 35 patent applications internationally to protect its proprietary technology. We recently filed a provisional USPTO patent application to further protect aspects of our proprietary drug discovery engine, “Phytomedical Analytics for Research Optimization at Scale," or PhAROS™.

We were incorporated in the State of Delaware on April 4, 2001, under the name “Flagstick Venture, Inc.” On March 28, 2008, stockholders owning a majority of our outstanding common stock approved changing our then name “Signature Exploration and Production Corp.” as our business model had changed.

On April 4, 2014, we changed our name from Signature Exploration and Production Corporation to Growblox Sciences, Inc. Effective December 12, 2016, the Company amended its Certificate of Corporation pursuant to shareholder approval, and the Company’s name was changed from Growblox Sciences, Inc. to GB Sciences, Inc.

Effective April 8, 2018, Shareholders of the Company approved the change in corporate domicile from the State of Delaware to the State of Nevada and increase in the number of authorized capital shares from 250,000,000 to 400,000,000. Effective August 15, 2019, Shareholders of the Company approved an increase in authorized capital shares from 400,000,000 to 600,000,000.

Business Strategy

Drug Discovery and Development of Novel Cannabis-Based Therapies

Through its wholly owned Canadian subsidiary, GBS Global Biopharma, Inc. ("GBSGB"), the Company has conducted ground-breaking research embracing the rational design of plant-based medicines led by Dr. Andrea Small-Howard, the Company’s Chief Science Officer and Director, and Dr. Helen Turner, Vice President of Innovation and Dean of the Natural Sciences and Mathematics Department at Chaminade University.  Small-Howard and Turner posited that complex mixtures of plant-based ingredients would provide more targeted and effective treatments for specific disease conditions than either single ingredient or whole plant formulations.  They developed a rapid screening and assaying system which tested thousands of combinations of cannabinoids and terpenes in vitro against cell-based models of disease.  This process identified precise mixtures of cannabinoids and terpenes, many of which contained no THC, to treat categories of disease conditions, including neurological disorders, inflammation, heart disease, metabolic syndrome, chronic and neuropathic pain. 

GBSGB’s drug discovery engine involves both high throughput screening of cell models of disease and a data analytics/machine learning tool to expedite drug discovery. Initially, GBSGB explored the potential medical uses of specific mixtures derived from cannabis-based raw materials, but these tools are also effective for investigating the medical applications of complex therapeutic mixtures from any plant-derived starting material. In 2014, GBSGB developed its first rapid screening and assaying system which tested thousands of combinations of cannabinoids and terpenes against cell-based models of diseases. This process has been refined over the years and now has identified precise mixtures of cannabinoids and terpenes, many of which contained no THC, to treat categories of disease conditions, including neurological disorders, inflammation, heart disease, metabolic syndrome, chronic and neuropathic pain. GBSGB has filed for patent protection on these plant-inspired, complex therapeutic mixtures, and they are testing them in disease-specific animal models in preparation for human trials.

GBSGB’s drug discovery process combines: 1) HTS: high throughput screening of tens of thousands of combinations of compounds derived from plants in well-established cellular models of diseases, and 2) PhAROS™: Phytomedical Analytics for Research Optimization at Scale for the prediction of complex therapeutic mixtures from plant-based materials. This combined approach to drug discovery increases research efficiency and accuracy reducing the time from ideation to patenting from 7 years to 1.5 years. Screening of plant-based mixtures for drug discovery involves the testing of specific combinations of plant chemicals from many naturally occurring plants and the use of live models for these diseases that have been well established by other researchers. First, the Company finds plant materials that show some therapeutic activity, and then refines these natural mixtures to optimize their effectiveness in cellular assays by removing compounds that do not act synergistically with the others in the mixtures. The Company also use its PhAROS™ Platform to prioritize and eliminate some potential combinations, which reduces the time in the discovery period. PhAROS™ can also be used to identify and predict the efficacy of plant-derived, complex therapeutic mixtures for specific diseases in silico, which are then tested in the cell models.

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office allows complex mixtures to be claimed as Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients ("APIs"). GBSGB has three issued patents and a series of pending patents containing cannabis-derived complex mixtures that act as therapeutic agents for specific disease categories, as described below. GBSGB’s pending patents are protected whether the individual compounds are derived from the cannabis plant, another plant, synthetically produced, or derived from a combination of sources for the individual chemical compounds in these mixtures.

Drug Development Progress

GBS Global Biopharma, Inc. has made significant strides in the past year with respect to both its drug discovery research and product development programs. Our lead pharmaceutical programs in both Parkinson’s disease and chronic neuropathic pain are now in preclinical animal studies with Dr. Lee Ellis of the National Research Council ("NRC") Canada in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Our complex therapeutic mixtures for the treatment of Cytokine Release Syndrome in COVID-19 and other severe hyperinflammatory conditions are now being tested in preclinical studies with Dr. Norbert Kaminski at Michigan State University. In addition, the two patents which protect GBSGB’s formulations in our lead development programs have been issued by the US Patent and Trademark Office ("USPTO"). On December 8, 2020, our third US patent was issued on complex therapeutic mixtures for the treatment of the hyper inflammatory condition, Mast Cell Activation Syndrome ("MCAS"). Achieving these significant milestones is driving interest in these novel therapeutic programs.

For its lead program in PD therapeutics, GBSGB announced that it has obtained the statistically significant reduction of Parkinson’s-disease like symptoms using its proprietary complex mixtures in an animal model of Parkinson’s disease ("PD"). Several of GBSGB’s PD formulations significantly reduced the symptoms, while the most effective formula reduced the symptoms back to the baseline activity of normal animals. In addition, the toxicity studies for these PD formulas came back without any significant negative findings. These important preclinical results will be included in GBS’ Investigational New Drug ("IND") application with the US FDA to enter human clinical trials as soon as possible. New therapies to address Parkinson’s disease symptoms are needed to help those afflicted with this debilitating disease. The combined direct and indirect costs associated with Parkinson’s disease are estimated at $52 billion in the U.S. alone.

For Parkinson’s disease, the initial clinical prototypes of GBSGB’s Cannabinoid-Containing Complex Mixtures ("CCCM™") are being formulated by Catalent Pharma using Catalent’s Zydis® Orally Disintegrating Tablet ("ODT") technology. This ODT format was selected for the PD formulas because it dissolves on the tongues of patients without the need to swallow for ease of use in patients with PD, who often have difficulties with swallowing. GBSGB selected Catalent as its development partner for the PD therapies due to Catalent’s prior experience in working on US FDA-approved, cannabinoid-containing drugs, their Schedule I drug manufacturing facilities, their familiarity with US FDA and international regulatory and manufacturing requirements, their expertise in tackling formulation challenges, and their ability to achieve the stability and dosing necessary for these novel complex mixtures. In addition to its Zydis® technology, Catalent has early drug development services and additional oral drug delivery solutions available for the efficient delivery of GBSGB's proprietary APIs.

For its lead chronic neuropathic pain program, GBSGB is testing its Cannabinoid-Containing Complex Mixtures and Myrcene-Containing Complex Mixtures ("MCCM") both as encapsulated, time-released nanoparticles, as well as in non-encapsulated forms of these therapeutic mixtures in an animal model at the NRC in Halifax, Nova Scotia. In preparation for human clinical trials, our standard MCCM and the time-released MCCM are currently being compared in an animal model that demonstrates their potential effectiveness at treating chronic pain. The early results from this preclinical research project look very promising.

The three patents which protect formulations in the Company’s lead therapeutic programs have been issued by the USPTO. The issuance of U.S. Patent No. 10,653,640 entitled "Cannabinoid-Containing Complex Mixtures for the Treatment of Neurodegenerative Diseases" on May 19, 2020 protects methods of using GBSGB’s proprietary cannabinoid-containing complex mixtures (CCCM™) for treating Parkinson’s Disease. This was an important milestone in the development of these vitally-important therapies and validates GBSGB’s drug discovery platform. In the US alone, the combined direct and indirect costs associated with Parkinson’s disease are estimated at $52 billion, and new therapies to address Parkinson’s disease symptoms are greatly needed. This was also the first time that a US patent has been awarded for a cannabis-based complex mixture defined using this type of drug discovery method. The first US patent for PD therapies validated our drug discovery platform and strengthened our intellectual property portfolio of unique CCCM’s™, each targeting one of up to 60 specific clinical applications.

The issuance of GBSGB’s second US patent for active pharmaceutical ingredients that are complex mixtures identified by our biotech platform further confirms that GBSGB’s pharmaceutical compositions can be patent-protected for use as biopharmaceutical and nutraceutical products. The US Patent entitled “Myrcene-Containing Complex Mixtures Targeting TRPV1” protects methods of using GBSGB’s proprietary Myrcene-Containing Complex Mixtures for the treatment of pain disorders related to arthritis, shingles, irritable bowel syndrome, sickle cell disease, and endometriosis. In the US alone, chronic pain represents an estimated health burden of between $560 and $650 billion dollars, and an estimated 20.4% of U.S. adults suffer from chronic pain that significantly decreases their quality of life. Despite the widespread rates of addiction and death, opioids remain the standard of care treatment for most people with chronic pain. The Company believes that it is important to create safer, less addictive alternatives to opioids for the treatment of chronic pain disorders, like GBSGB’s myrcene-containing complex mixtures.

Favorable Research Updates from our university collaborators reveal the promise in our discovery programs with Michigan State University (HIV-Associated Neurodegenerative Disorder and COVID-19 therapies), Chaminade University (Chronic Neuropathic Pain, Metabolic Syndrome, Cannabis Metabolomics with the University of Athens), the University of Athens, Greece (Cannabis Metabolomics), the University of Seville, Spain (Time-Released Nanoparticles), and the National Research Council of Canada (Parkinson’s Disease, Chronic Neuropathic Pain).

Intellectual Property

GBSGB retained Fenwick & West, a Silicon Valley based law firm focusing on life sciences and high technology companies with a nationally top-ranked intellectual property practice, to develop strategies for the protection of the Company's intellectual property. The status of the intellectual property portfolio is as follows. Unless otherwise indicated, all patents listed below are assigned to the Company's wholly-owned subsidiary, GBS Global Biopharma, Inc.

Issued Patents

In addition to the issued patents listed above, GBSGB's intellectual property portfolio includes a total of ten USPTO and thirty-five international patents pending:

Partnering Strategy 

GBSGB runs a lean drug development program and minimizes expenses, including personnel, overhead, and fixed capital expenses (such as lab and diagnostic equipment), through strategic partnerships with Universities and Contract Research Organizations (“CROs”). Through these research and development agreements, GBSGB has created a virtual pipeline for the further development of novel medicines extracted from the cannabis plant. The partners bring both expertise and infrastructure at a reasonable cost to the life sciences program. In most instances, GBSGB has also negotiated with these partners to keep 100% of the ownership of the IP within GBSGB for original patent filings.

GBSGB currently has on-going research agreements with the following institutions covering the indicated areas of research:

Chaminade University: Broad-based research program to support the drug discovery platform that has yielded many of GBSGB’s original patents to date in the areas of neurodegenerative diseases, heart disease, inflammatory diseases, neuropathic and chronic pain. They have also performed the bioassay portion of the Cannabis Metabolomics study performed with the University of Athens, Greece and GBSGB.

University of Athens: Broad-based metabolomics analysis of over 100 cannabis genotypes including both hemp and THC-producing cannabis varieties, in combination with GBSGB’s bioassay data linking genotypes and potential disease-remediations. This project has the potential to define active ingredients from plant-derived mixtures beyond the standard cannabinoids and terpenoids. The discovery potential is huge, and novel agents have recently been discovered.

Michigan State University: Discovery work using a cutting-edge, multi-cellular model of the human immune system and a multi-cell model of the brain to explore CCCM™s for use in the prevention of HIV-Associated Neurocognitive Disorders (HAND). Although combination antiretroviral therapy keeps symptoms for most HIV-patients well controlled, between 40% and 70% of these well-controlled HIV patients end up with HAND symptoms that range from movement disorders to dementia-like symptoms. The results from this work were included in a new patent application that will be filed in Q3 of 2020. In addition, MSU has performed experiments using their novel model of the human-immune system that have allowed GBSGB to prepare cannabis-based formulas for the potential treatment of virally-induced hyperinflammation/cytokine storm syndrome that has led to the majority of COVID-19 deaths. The new patent application for our novel, cannabinoid-containing complex mixtures (CCCM™) for the treatment of hyperinflammation and cytokine release syndrome in COVID-19 patients was filed August 18, 2020.

The University of Seville: Bringing their novel expertise to the development and functional testing of time-released and disease-targeted nanoparticles of cannabis-based complex mixtures for oral administration. These specialized nanoparticles are being used for the precise and time-released delivery of several of our therapies, including GBSGB’s MCCM™ and CCCM™’s used in the preclinical animal testing performed at the NRC Canada. The University of Seville has completed functional testing on nanoparticles containing myrcene, nerolidol, and beta-caryophyllene for our Myrcene-Containing Complex Mixtures. In these cell-based assays, the effectiveness and kinetics of the nanoparticle-forms of these terpenes were compared with the “naked” terpenes both individually and in mixtures. In all cases, the effectiveness of the nanoparticles were superior to the naked terpenes, however, the mixtures were dramatically more effective than the individuals. These results from Seville are very promising as these nanoparticles have entered the animal testing phase at the NRC in Halifax.

The National Research Center (NRC) of Canada, Halifax, Nova Scotia: Two animal-phase studies are being performed by Dr. Lee Ellis’ group at the NRC. An animal safety and efficacy study was initiated in Q4 of 2018 for GBSGB’s Parkinson’s disease therapies, and the NRC has demonstrated that the company’s PD formulations were able to reduce behavioral changes associated with the loss of dopamine-producing neurons, which underlies the pathology of Parkinson’s disease in the animal model. Based on achieving the statistically significant reduction in Parkinson’s disease symptomology, GBSGB has signed an amendment to include a final phase of testing, which will study the mechanism of action for these promising formulations. In Q1 of 2019, GBSGB started a safety and efficacy study in animals for GBSGB’s Chronic Neuropathic Pain (CNP) formulas. The midterm results for these preclinical pain studies are promising.

The University of Cadiz: Testing the safety and efficacy of the above-mentioned time-released nanoparticles in rodent models of chronic pain. Proof of concept complete for one formulation.

University of Hawaii: Validating the efficacy of a complex cannabis-based mixture for the treatment of cardiac hypertrophy and cardiac disease in a rodent model. Proof of concept work is complete.

Path to Market: Drug Development Stages and Proposed Clinical Trials

GBSGB has plant-based therapeutic products in the following stages of drug development: Discovery, Pre-Clinical, and entering the Clinical Phase. It has also licensed therapeutic products that the Company intends to develop through partners, labeled Partner Programs.

The completion of pre-clinical studies, clinical trials, and obtaining FDA-approvals for pharmaceutical products is traditionally a long and expensive process. However, GBSGB asserts that its plant-based drug discovery engine, lean development program, novel regulatory strategy, experienced development partners, and aggressive licensing of these products at early clinical stages can mitigate some of the risks. The Company uses a combination of in silico discovery methods and automated screening of cellular models of disease to decrease the time in Discovery prior to filing novel patent applications for disease-specific therapeutics. GBSGB’s original patent applications cover new chemical entities (“NCE”) based on complex combinations of plant-derived compounds. Its Exploratory IND/Phase 0 Program gets the Company to First-in-Man sooner than traditional programs, which reduces translational risks, and includes preliminary efficacy measures for responsible development decisions. In contrast, a traditional phased-development path would not provide any efficacy measures until Phase II. After the completion of our Phase 0 study, which compares the efficacies of multiple related cannabis-based formulations, the Company plans to advance the lead drug candidate using an adaptive trial design that is more efficient than the traditional phased-development pathway. GBSGB has entered into research contracts, partnerships, and/or joint ventures with several respected, independent contract research organizations, medical schools, universities, and other scientific researchers to increase developmental efficiencies. If and when one or more of GBSGB’s drugs, therapies or treatments are approved by the FDA, GBSGB will seek to market them under licensing arrangements with major biotechnology or pharmaceutical companies.

There can be no assurance that we will ever be able to enter into any joint ventures or other arrangements with third parties to finance our drug development program or that if we are able to do so, that any of our projected therapies will ever be approved by the FDA. It also may be anticipated that even if we enter into a joint venture development with a financially stable pharmaceutical or institutional partner, we will still be required to raise significant additional capital in the future to achieve the strategic goals of GBSGB. There can be no assurance that we will be able to obtain such additional capital on reasonable terms, if at all. If GBSGB fails to achieve its goal of producing one or more plant-based pharmaceuticals or therapies, it would have a material adverse effect on our future financial condition and business prospects.

Other Operations

In addition to our biopharmaceutical research and development activities described in detail above, the Company has operated in the medical and adult-use cannabis markets under State-issued cultivation and production licenses.  Our wholly owned subsidiary GB Sciences Nevada, LLC (“GBSN”) leases a warehouse facility at 3550 W. Teco Avenue, Las Vegas Nevada (the "Teco Facility") and operates a cannabis cultivation facility under Nevada licenses for the medical and adult-use markets. Our wholly owned subsidiary GB Sciences Las Vegas, LLC ("GBLV") holds Nevada certificates for medical and adult-use cannabis production and produces extracts and concentrates for the wholesale market.

On November 15, 2019, we entered into a Binding Letter of Intent (the "LOI") to sell the Company's membership interest interests in GBSN and GBLV (together, the "Teco Subsidiaries"). In connection with the LOI, we entered into a Management Agreement with the purchaser whereby the facilities will be managed by an affiliate of the purchaser until the close of the sale. On March 24, 2020, we entered into the Membership Interest Purchase Agreement ("Teco MIPA") which formalized the sale of the Teco Subsidiaries and modified the terms of the sale. Pursuant to the Teco MIPA, the Company will sell 100% of its membership interests in GBSN and GBLV for $4,000,000 cash upon close and $4,000,000 in the form of an 8% promissory note.

On November 27, 2019, we entered into a Binding Letter of Intent to sell the Company's 100% interest in GB Sciences Nopah, LLC. On August 10, 2020, the Company entered into the Membership Interest Purchase Agreement ("Nopah MIPA") and Promissory Note Modification Agreement with the purchaser of GB Sciences Nopah, LLC. The Company will receive $300,000 upon closing, and the purchaser will pay all expenses related to the upkeep and maintenance of the Nopah License from the date of the agreement. The $300,000 purchase price will be paid as a reduction to the balance of the 0% Note payable dated October 23, 2017, which is held by an affiliate of the purchaser of the Nopah license.

The sales of the Teco and Nopah Subsidiaries are expected to close upon the successful transfer of the Nevada cannabis cultivation and production licenses held by those subsidiaries. The transfer of cannabis licenses in the State of Nevada has been subject to an indefinite moratorium since October 2019. In a meeting held on July 21, 2020, the Nevada Cannabis Compliance Board lifted the moratorium, however, the board has indicated that there were initially 90 requests pending, and it will take up to several months to process the entire backlog of pending license transfers. Based on this information, we cannot provide any assurances as to the timing of the close of the sale. In addition, the lifting of the moratorium and processing of cannabis license transfers have been delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic and could be further delayed if the pandemic continues.

Sale of Membership Interest in GB Sciences Louisiana, LLC

On November 15, 2019, the Company entered into a Membership Interest Purchase Agreement (the “Agreement”) with Wellcana Plus, LLC, a Louisiana limited liability company ("Wellcana"), whereby Wellcana would acquire the Company’s 50.01% membership interest (the “Membership Interest”) in GB Sciences Louisiana LLC, a Louisiana limited liability company. Since entering into the agreement, certain modifications of the Agreement were made. It was ultimately agreed that Wellcana would pay the Company $4,900,000 in cash for the Membership Interest. On December 16, 2020, Wellcana made the final payment totaling $4,900,000 which completed the disposition of the Membership Interest.

Competition

The biotech industry is subject to intense and increasing competition. We face potential competition from many different sources, including large pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, specialty pharmaceutical and generic drug companies, and medical technology companies. Any product candidates that we successfully develop and commercialize will compete with existing therapies and new therapies that may become available in the future. Some of our competitors may have substantially greater capital resources, facilities and infrastructure then we have, which may enable them to compete more effectively in this market. These competitors include Cara Therapeutics Inc., Corbus Pharmaceuticals Holdings Inc., Zynerba Pharmaceuticals Inc., Tetra Bio-Pharma, Inc., Revive Therapeutics, Inc., Axim Biotechnologies, Inc., and Emerald BioScience,  Inc., among others.

There are several organizations that may be developing or marketing therapies for the indications that we are pursuing. Many of our competitors, including many of the organizations named above, have substantially greater financial, technical and human resources than we do and significantly greater experience in the development of product candidates, obtaining FDA and other regulatory approvals of products and the commercialization of those products. Mergers and acquisitions in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries may result in even more resources being concentrated among a smaller number of competitors.

We believe the key competitive factors that will affect the development and commercial success of our product candidates, if approved for marketing, are likely to be their safety, efficacy and tolerability profile, reliability, convenience of dosing, price and reimbursement from government and third-party payers. Our commercial opportunity could be reduced or eliminated if our competitors develop and commercialize products that are safer, more effective, have fewer or less severe side effects, are more convenient or are less expensive than any products that we may develop. Our competitors also may obtain FDA or other regulatory approval for their products more rapidly than we may obtain approval for ours, which could result in our competitors establishing a strong market position before we are able to enter the market. In addition, our ability to compete may be affected in many cases by insurers or other third-party payers seeking to encourage the use of generic products. Generic products that broadly address these indications are currently on the market for the indications that we are pursuing, and additional products are expected to become available on a generic basis over the coming years. If our product candidates achieve marketing approval, we expect that they will be priced at a significant premium over competitive generic products.

Government Regulation and Federal Policy

Government authorities in the U.S. (including federal, state and local authorities) and in other countries extensively regulate, among other things, the manufacturing, research and clinical development, marketing, labeling and packaging, storage, distribution, post-approval monitoring and reporting, advertising and promotion, export and import of pharmaceutical products, such as those we are developing. The process of obtaining regulatory approvals and the subsequent compliance with appropriate federal, state, local and foreign statutes and regulations require the expenditure of substantial time and financial resources. Moreover, failure to comply with applicable regulatory requirements may result in, among other things, warning letters, clinical holds, civil or criminal penalties, recall or seizure of products, injunction, disbarment, partial or total suspension of production or withdrawal of the product from the market. Any agency or judicial enforcement action could have a material adverse effect on us.

FDA Regulation

In the U.S., the FDA regulates drugs under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (“FDCA”) and its implementing regulations. Drugs are also subject to other federal, state and local statutes and regulations. The process required by the FDA before product candidates may be marketed in the U.S. generally involves the following:

●completion of extensive preclinical laboratory tests and preclinical animal studies, all performed in accordance with the FDA’s Good Laboratory Practice (“GLP”) regulations. Preclinical testing generally includes evaluation of our product candidates in the laboratory or in animals to characterize the product and determine safety and efficacy; 

●submission to the FDA of an Investigational New Drug application ("IND"), which must become effective before human clinical trials may begin and must be updated annually; 

●performance of adequate and well-controlled human clinical trials to establish the safety and efficacy of the product candidate for each proposed indication; 

●submission to the FDA of a New Drug Application ("NDA") after completion of all pivotal clinical trials; 

●a determination by the FDA within 60 days of its receipt of an NDA to file the NDA for review; 

●satisfactory completion of an FDA pre-approval inspection of the manufacturing facilities at which the active pharmaceutical ingredient (“API”) and finished drug product are produced and tested to assess compliance with cGMP regulations; 

●satisfactory completion of an FDA pre-approval inspection of one or more of the clinical sites at which the clinical trials were conducted; 

●at the discretion of the FDA, a public Advisory Committee Meeting where the data is reviewed by experts who discuss the data and give their opinion (which the FDA is not obliged to follow) of the adequacy of the data to support an approval; and 

●FDA review and approval of an NDA prior to any commercial marketing or sale of the drug in the U.S. 

We rely, and expect to continue to rely on third parties for the production, distribution, shipping and storage of clinical and commercial quantities of our product candidates. Future FDA and state inspections may identify compliance issues at our facilities or at the facilities of our contract manufacturers that may disrupt production or distribution or require substantial resources to correct. In addition, discovery of previously unknown problems with a product or the failure to comply with applicable requirements may result in restrictions on a product, manufacturer or holder of an approved NDA, including withdrawal or recall of the product from the market or other voluntary, FDA-initiated or judicial action that could delay or prohibit further marketing. Newly discovered or developed safety or effectiveness data may require changes to a product’s approved labeling, including the addition of new warnings and contraindications, and also may require the implementation of other risk management measures. Also, new government requirements, including those resulting from new legislation, may be established, or the FDA’s policies may change, which could delay or prevent regulatory approval of our product candidates under development.

In addition to regulations in the U.S., we will be subject to a variety of regulations in other jurisdictions governing, among other things, clinical trials and any commercial sales and distribution of our products. Whether or not we obtain FDA approval for a product, we must obtain the requisite approvals from regulatory authorities in foreign countries prior to the commencement of clinical trials or marketing of the product in those countries. Certain countries outside of the U.S. have a similar process that requires the submission of a clinical trial application much like the IND prior to the commencement of human clinical trials. In Europe, for example, a clinical trial application (“CTA”) must be submitted to each country’s national health authority and an independent ethics committee, much like the FDA and IRB, respectively. Once the CTA is approved in accordance with a country’s requirements, clinical trial development may proceed.

The requirements and process governing the conduct of clinical trials, product licensing, pricing and reimbursement vary from country to country. In all cases, the clinical trials are conducted in accordance with GCP and the applicable regulatory requirements and the ethical principles that have their origin in the Declaration of Helsinki.

To obtain regulatory approval of an investigational drug under European Union regulatory systems, we must submit a marketing authorization application. The application used to file the NDA in the U.S. is similar to that required in Europe, with the exception of, among other things, country-specific document requirements. For other countries outside of the European Union, such as countries in Eastern Europe, Latin America or Asia, the requirements governing the conduct of clinical trials, product licensing, pricing and reimbursement vary from country to country. In all cases, again, the clinical trials are conducted in accordance with GCP and the applicable regulatory requirements and the ethical principles that have their origin in the Declaration of Helsinki.

If we fail to comply with applicable foreign regulatory requirements, we may be subject to, among other things, fines, suspension or withdrawal of regulatory approvals, product recalls, seizure of products, operating restrictions and criminal prosecution.

Cannabis Regulation

Although the Company intends to completely divest of its cannabis cultivation and production facilities, which will be complete upon the close of the sale of its Teco and Nopah facilities located in Las Vegas, Nevada, the Company has owned and operated and continues to own subsidiaries that are involved in the manufacturing and distribution of cannabis products under State law. These facilities have been and continue to be subject to prohibition under United States federal law.

Under the Controlled Substances Act (“CSA”), the policies and regulations of the Federal government and its agencies are that cannabis (marijuana) is a Schedule 1 narcotic that is addictive and has no medical benefit. Accordingly, and a range of activities including cultivation and the personal use of cannabis is prohibited and subject to prosecution and criminal penalties. Unless and until Congress amends the CSA with respect to medical cannabis, there is a risk that the federal authorities may enforce current federal law, and we may be deemed to be engaged in producing, cultivating, or dispensing cannabis in violation of federal law, or we may be deemed to be facilitating the sale or distribution of drug paraphernalia in violation of federal law with respect to our Company’s business operations. Active enforcement of the current federal regulatory position on cannabis may thus indirectly and adversely affect our strategic goals, revenues and profits. The risk of strict enforcement of the CSA in light of Congressional activity, judicial holdings, and stated federal policy remains uncertain. See “Risk Factors” below. The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear a case brought by San Diego County, California that sought to establish federal preemption over state medical cannabis laws. The preemption claim was rejected by every court that reviewed the case. The California 4th District Court of Appeals wrote in its unanimous ruling, “Congress does not have the authority to compel the states to direct their law enforcement personnel to enforce federal laws.” However, in another case, the U.S. Supreme Court held that, as long as the CSA contains prohibitions against cannabis, under the Commerce Clause of the United States Constitution, the United States may criminalize the production and use of cannabis even where states approve its use for medical purposes.

In an effort to provide guidance to federal law enforcement, the Department of Justice (“DOJ”) has issued Guidance Regarding Cannabis Enforcement to all United States attorneys in a memorandum from Deputy Attorney General David Ogden on October 19, 2009, in a memorandum from Deputy Attorney General James Cole on June 29, 2011 and in a memorandum from Deputy Attorney General James Cole on August 29, 2013. Each memorandum provides that the DOJ is committed to the enforcement of the CSA, but, the DOJ is also committed to using its limited investigative and prosecutorial resources to address the most significant threats in the most effective, consistent and rational way.

The August 29, 2013 memorandum provides updated guidance to federal prosecutors concerning cannabis enforcement in light of state laws legalizing medical and recreational cannabis possession in small amounts.

The memorandum sets forth certain enforcement priorities that are important to the federal government:

On January 4, 2018, Attorney General Jeff Sessions revoked the Ogden Memo and the Cole Memos.

The DOJ has not historically devoted resources to prosecuting individuals whose conduct is limited to possession of small amounts of cannabis for use on private property but has relied on state and local law enforcement to address cannabis activity. In the event the DOJ reverses its stated policy and begins strict enforcement of the CSA in states that have laws legalizing medical cannabis and recreational cannabis in small amounts, there may be a direct and adverse impact to our business and our revenue and profits. Furthermore, H.R. 83, enacted by Congress on December 16, 2014, provides that none of the funds made available to the DOJ pursuant to the 2015 Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act may be used to prevent certain states, including Nevada and California, from implementing their own laws that authorized the use, distribution, possession, or cultivation of medical cannabis.

In contrast to federal policy, the majority of U.S. states, four U.S. territories, and the District of Columbia have laws and/or regulations that recognize, in one form or another, legitimate medical uses for cannabis and adult recreational use of cannabis. Many other states are considering similar legislation.

Employees

As of March 31, 2021, we had 30 employees, including 16 full-time employees.

ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS

You should carefully consider the risks, uncertainties and other factors described below, in addition to the other information set forth in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, including our financial statements and the related notes thereto. Any of these risks, uncertainties and other factors could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operation and cash flows. In that case, the trading price of our common stock could decline, and you may lose all or part of your investment. An investment in our securities is speculative and involves a high degree of risk. You should not invest in our securities if you cannot bear the economic risk of your investment for an indefinite period of time and cannot afford to lose your entire investment. There may be additional risks that we do not presently know of or that we currently believe are immaterial which could also impair our business and financial position. See also “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements.”

RISKS RELATING TO OUR BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY

We have a limited operating history, which may make it difficult for investors to predict future performance based on current operations.

We have a limited operating history upon which investors may base an evaluation of our potential future performance. In particular, we have not proven that we can supply growing equipment in a manner that enables us to be profitable and meet customer requirements, develop intellectual property to enhance our product lines, obtain the necessary permits to develop medical grade cannabis, develop and maintain relationships with key manufacturers and strategic partners to extract value from our intellectual property, raise sufficient capital in the public and/or private markets, or respond effectively to competitive pressures. As a result, there can be no assurance that we will be able to develop or maintain consistent revenue sources, or that our operations will be profitable and/or generate positive cash flows.

Any forecasts we make about our operations may prove to be inaccurate. We must, among other things, determine appropriate risks, rewards, and level of investment in our product lines, respond to economic and market variables outside of our control, respond to competitive developments and continue to attract, retain and motivate qualified employees. There can be no assurance that we will be successful in meeting these challenges and addressing such risks and the failure to do so could have a materially adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition. Our prospects must be considered in light of the risks, expenses, and difficulties frequently encountered by companies in the early stage of development. As a result of these risks, challenges and uncertainties, the value of your investment could be significantly reduced or completely lost.

Our independent auditors’ report for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2021 and 2020 have expressed doubts about our ability to continue as a going concern;

Due to the uncertainty of our ability to meet our current operating and capital expenses, in our audited annual financial statements as of and for the years ended March 31, 2021 and 2020 our independent auditors included a note to our financial statements regarding concerns about our ability to continue as a going concern. The Company has incurred recurring losses and has generated limited revenue since inception. These factors and the need for additional financing in order for the Company to meet its business plan, raise substantial doubt about the ability to continue as a going concern. The presence of the going concern note to our financial statements may have an adverse impact on the relationships we are developing and plan to develop with third parties as we continue the commercialization of our products and could make it challenging and difficult for us to raise additional financing, all of which could have a material adverse impact on our business and prospects and result in a significant or complete loss of your investment.

We have incurred significant losses in prior periods, and losses in the future could cause the quoted price of our Common Stock to decline or have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, our ability to pay our debts as they become due and on our cash flows.

We have incurred significant losses in prior periods. For the years ended March 31, 2021 and 2020, we incurred net losses of $3,725,027 and $12,373,579 respectively, and we had an accumulated deficit of $103,886,232 and $97,387,205 respectively. Any losses in the future could cause the quoted price of our common stock to decline or have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, our ability to pay our debts as they become due, and on our cash flows.

We will need additional capital to sustain our operations and will need to seek further financing, which we may not be able to obtain on acceptable terms or at all. If we fail to raise additional capital, as needed, our ability to implement our business plan could be compromised.

We have limited capital resources and operations. To date, our operations have been funded primarily from the proceeds of debt and equity financings. We expect to require substantial additional capital in the near future to implement our strategies, develop our intellectual property base, and establish our targeted levels of commercial production. There is no assurance that we will be able to raise the amount of capital needed for future growth plans.

Even if financing is available, it may not be on terms that are acceptable. If unable to raise the necessary capital at the times required, the Company may have to materially change the business plan, including delaying implementation of aspects of the business plan or curtailing or abandoning the business plan. Even if we obtain financing for our near-term operations, we expect that we will require additional capital thereafter, especially if we are to develop our Science division and start to conduct, individually or with joint venture partners, pre-clinical and clinical trials for potential pharmaceutical, or nutraceutical products derived from cannabis. Our capital needs will depend on numerous factors including: (i) our profitability; (ii) the release of competitive products by our competition; (iii) the level of our investment requirements for research and development; and (iv) the amount of our capital expenditures, including acquisitions. We cannot assure you that we will be able to obtain capital in the future to meet our needs.

If we raise additional funds through the issuance of equity or convertible debt securities, the percentage ownership held by our existing stockholders will be reduced and our stockholders may experience significant dilution. In addition, new securities may contain rights, preferences or privileges that are senior to those of our common stock. If we raise additional capital by incurring debt, this will result in increased interest expense. If we raise additional funds through the issuance of securities, market fluctuations in the price of our shares of common stock could limit our ability to obtain equity financing.

We cannot give you any assurance that any additional financing will be available to us, or if available, will be on terms favorable to us. If we are unable to raise capital when needed, our business, financial condition, and results of operations would be materially adversely affected, and we could be forced to reduce or discontinue our operations.

Drug research and development programs typically involves huge expenditures, long periods to obtain FDA approvals and the potential that such prospective pharmaceutical products will not prove to be safe and effective.

The production of FDA-approved pharmaceutical products and related drug is typically a highly expensive a long and drawn out process, typically involving hundreds of millions of dollars and a decade or more to achieve. Although we believe that some, if not all, of our planned cannabinoid based pharmaceutical protocols can qualify for “orphan drug” status and be accelerated through the FDA approval process, there can be no assurance that this will be the case.

In addition, we do not now have, and do not expect in the foreseeable future to have, the capital resources to fund our drug discovery programs, nor do we have the infrastructure to conduct such program alone. For that reason, we intend to engage in joint ventures with third parties, including hospitals, clinics, foundations and other qualified sources. Although we are in preliminary discussions with various potential partners, to date, we have not entered into any definitive drug development joint venture or partnership agreement. Our failure or inability to enter into one or more drug development agreements will materially and adversely affect our ability to develop our Science division. Even if we are able to obtain such joint drug development agreements there can be no assurance that it will be on terms and conditions that will be favorable to us.

There is the further risk that the anticipated costs of producing an FDA approved drug will not escalate to the point that will cause us and any of our prospective development partners to abandon such efforts.

Even if we do develop an FDA-approved pharmaceutical product, there is the risk that it will not be saleable to a major pharmaceutical company (either before or after completion of the FDA approval process), or that other competing drugs will not be produced providing the same medical benefits.

Accordingly, there is a significant risk that we will never be able to generate a return on our investment, and we could lose our entire investment in GBS Global Biopharma, Inc.. Either of such events, would have a material adverse effect on our business prospects and equity value.

There has been limited study on the effects of cannabinoids and future clinical research studies may lead to conclusions that dispute or conflict with our understanding and belief regarding the medical benefits, viability, safety, efficacy, dosing and social acceptance of cannabinoid-based active ingredients.

Research regarding the medical benefits, viability, safety, efficacy and dosing of cannabinoids (such as CBD) remains in relatively early stages. There have been few clinical trials on the benefits of cannabinoids conducted by us or by others, but the number of trials is growing.

Future research and clinical trials may draw opposing conclusions to statements contained in the articles, reports and studies we have relied on or could reach different or negative conclusions regarding the medical benefits, viability, safety, efficacy, dosing or other facts and perceptions related to cannabinoid-containing prescription medicines. However, our proprietary formulations will have been through the rigorous premarket approval process of the US FDA prior to marketing.

Federal law prohibits the use of cannabis for the purposes in which the Company expects to engage.

Under the federal Controlled Substances Act (“CSA”), cannabis is deemed to be a Schedule One narcotic that has no medical benefit. Therefore, a range of activities including cultivation and the personal use of cannabis is prohibited and is a criminal offense. Unless and until Congress amends the CSA with respect to medical cannabis, as to the timing or scope of any which amendments there can be no assurance, there is a risk that federal authorities may enforce current federal law. The risk of strict enforcement of the CSA in light of Congressional activity, judicial holdings, and stated federal policy remains uncertain.

The current policy and regulations of the Federal government and its agencies, including the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency and the FDA, are that cannabis has no medical benefit and a range of activities including cultivation and use of cannabis for personal use is prohibited on the basis of Federal law. Although thirty-three states and District of Columbia have passed legislation permitting the cultivation and dispensing of medical cannabis, these laws are, in many jurisdictions, subject to strict regulation and limitations and are still being developed. Active enforcement of the current federal regulatory position on cannabis on a regional or national basis may directly and adversely affect the ability of the Company to develop its business plan even though it is allowed by state regulation in the various states in which the Company intends to operate. Although research and development in the growing and processing of cannabis products for medicinal purposes and in seeking to obtain state permits for the cultivation and sale of cannabis products are not in violation of Federal law, our business plan to conduct our Solutions and Products divisions, even if conducted within the parameters of any state licenses or permits we are able to obtain, will violate federal laws, as currently in effect. Accordingly, although the Company was successful in obtaining a cultivation and production license in Nevada or other states and operates pursuant to such licenses, if federal law does not change, we believe the Company will at that time be in violation of federal law. If existing federal laws are enforced by the United States Department of Justice or the FDA, it is likely that our proposed business will be significantly and materially adversely affected.

Because the Company's sales are subject to IRC 280E, we may owe federal income taxes even though we are incurring losses.

Under the federal Controlled Substances Act (“CSA”), cannabis is deemed to be a Schedule One narcotic that has no medical benefit. The production and distribution of Schedule One narcotics is subject to Internal Revenue Code Section 280E, which prohibits the Company from deducting any ordinary and necessary business expenses from taxable gross profit related to the sale of cannabis products. Without the deduction of business expenses, it is possible that the Company will owe income taxes while generating losses. If we are unable to pay those taxes we may be subject to penalties and IRS enforcement action.

FDA regulation of marijuana and the possible registration of facilities where medical marijuana is grown could negatively affect the cannabis industry which would directly affect our financial condition.

Should the federal government legalize marijuana for medical use, it is possible that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) would seek to regulate it under the Food, Drug and Cosmetics Act of 1938. Additionally, the FDA may issue rules and regulations including cGMPs (current good manufacturing practices) related to the growth, cultivation, harvesting and processing of medical marijuana. Clinical trials may be needed to verify efficacy and safety. It is also possible that the FDA would require that facilities where medical marijuana is grown be registered with the FDA and comply with certain federally prescribed regulations. In the event that some or all of these regulations are imposed, we do not know what the impact would be on the medical marijuana industry, what costs, requirements and possible prohibitions may be enforced.

If no additional states allow the medicinal use of cannabis, or if one or more states that currently allow it reverse their position, we may not be able to continue our growth, or the market for our products and services may decline.

Currently, thirty-three states and the District of Columbia allow the use of medicinal cannabis.   While we believe that the number of states that allow the use of medicinal cannabis will grow, there can be no assurance that it will, and if it does not, there can be no assurance that the thirty-three existing states and/or the District of Columbia won’t reverse their position and disallow it.  If either of these things happens, then not only will the growth of our business be materially impacted, we may experience declining revenue as the market for our products and services declines.

Because the business activities of some of our customers are illegal under Federal law, we may be deemed to be aiding and abetting illegal activities through the services that we provide to those customers. As a result, we may be subject to actions by law enforcement authorities which would materially and adversely affect our business.

We provide services to customers that are engaged in businesses involving the possession, use, cultivation, and transfer of cannabis. As a result, law enforcement authorities may seek to bring an action or actions against us, including, but not limited, to a claim of aiding and abetting another’s criminal activities. Such an action would have a material effect on our business and operations.

In the states where medicinal cannabis is permitted, local laws and regulations could adversely affect our clients, including causing some of them to close, which would materially and adversely affect our business.

Even in areas where the medicinal use of cannabis is legal under state law, there are also local laws and regulations that affect our clients.  These local laws and regulations may cause some of our customers to close and having a material effect on our business and operations. In addition, the enforcement of identical rules or regulations as it pertains to medicinal cannabis may vary from municipality to municipality, or city to city.

Variations in state and local regulation and enforcement in states that have legalized medical cannabis that may restrict cannabis-related activities, including activities related to medical cannabis may negatively impact our revenues and profits. 

Individual state laws do not always conform to the federal standard or to other states laws. A number of states have decriminalized cannabis to varying degrees, other states have created exemptions specifically for medical cannabis, and several have both decriminalization and medical laws. Variations exist among states that have legalized, decriminalized, or created medical cannabis exemptions. For example, Colorado has limits on the number of cannabis plants that can be homegrown. In most states, the cultivation of cannabis for personal use continues to be prohibited except for those states that allow small-scale cultivation by the individual in possession of medical cannabis needing care or that person’s caregiver. Active enforcement of state laws that prohibit personal cultivation of cannabis may indirectly and adversely affect our business and our revenue and profits.

It is possible that federal or state legislation could be enacted in the future that would prohibit us from selling our products or any resulting cannabis products, and if such legislation were enacted, it could prevent us from generating revenue, leading to a loss in your investment.

We are not aware of any federal or state regulation that regulates the sale of indoor cultivation equipment to medical or recreational cannabis growers. The extent to which the regulation of drug paraphernalia under the CSA is applicable to our business and the sale of our products is found in the definition of “drug paraphernalia.” Drug paraphernalia means any equipment, product, or material of any kind that is primarily intended or designed for use in manufacturing, compounding, converting, concealing, producing processing, preparing, injecting, ingesting, inhaling, or otherwise introducing into the human body a controlled substance, possession of which is unlawful.

If federal and/or state legislation is enacted which prohibits the sale of our growing equipment to medical cannabis growers, our revenues would decline, leading to a loss of a material portion of your investment.

Prospective customers may be deterred from doing business with a company with a significant nationwide online presence because of fears of federal or state enforcement of laws prohibiting possession and sale of medical or recreational cannabis.

Internet websites are visible by people everywhere, not just in jurisdictions where the medical or recreational use of cannabis is considered legal. Our website is visible in jurisdictions where medicinal and/or recreational use of cannabis is not permitted and, as a result, we may be found to be violating the laws of those jurisdictions. We could lose potential customers as they could fear federal prosecution. In most states in which the production and sale of cannabis have been legalized, there are additional laws or licenses required and some states altogether prohibit home cultivation, all of which could make the loss of potential customers more likely.

We may not obtain the necessary permits and authorizations to operate the cannabis business.

We may not be able to obtain or maintain the necessary licenses, permits, authorizations, or accreditations, or may only be able to do so at great cost, to operate its medical cannabis business. In addition, we may not be able to comply fully with the wide variety of laws and regulations applicable to the medical cannabis industry. Failure to comply with or to obtain the necessary licenses, permits, authorizations, or accreditations could result in restrictions on our ability to operate the medical cannabis business, which could have a material adverse effect on our business.

Any failure on our part to comply with applicable regulations could prevent us from being able to carry on our business.

Nevada Department of Taxation inspectors routinely assess the Teco Facility for compliance with applicable regulatory requirements. Any failure by us to comply with the applicable regulatory requirements could require extensive changes to our operations; result in regulatory or agency proceedings or investigations, increased compliance costs, damage awards, civil or criminal fines or penalties or restrictions on our operations; and harm our reputation or give rise to material liabilities or a revocation of our licenses and other permits. There can be no assurance that any pending or future regulatory or agency proceedings, investigations or audits will not result in substantial costs, a diversion of management’s attention and resources or other adverse consequences to us and our business.

If we incur substantial liability from litigation, complaints, or enforcement actions, our financial condition could suffer.

Our participation in the medical cannabis industry may lead to litigation, formal or informal complaints, enforcement actions, and inquiries by various federal, state, or local governmental authorities against these subsidiaries. Litigation, complaints, and enforcement actions involving these subsidiaries could consume considerable amounts of financial and other corporate resources, which could have a negative impact on our sales, revenue, profitability, and growth prospects.

We are subject to risks inherent in an agricultural business, including the risk of crop failure.

We grow cannabis, which is an agricultural process. As such, our business is subject to the risks inherent in the agricultural business, including risks of crop failure presented by weather, insects, plant diseases and similar agricultural risks.

We have difficulty accessing the service of banks, which may make it difficult for us to operate.

Since the use of cannabis is illegal under Federal law, there is an argument that banks should not accept for deposit funds from businesses involved with the cannabis industry. Consequently, such businesses often have difficulty finding a bank willing to accept their business.

On February 14, 2014, the U.S. government issued rules allowing banks to legally provide financial services to state licensed marijuana businesses. A memorandum issued by the Justice Department to federal prosecutors re-iterated guidance previously given, this time to the financial industry that banks can do business with legal marijuana businesses and “may not” be prosecuted. The Treasury Department's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) issued guidelines to banks that “it is possible to provide financial services" to state-licensed marijuana businesses and still be in compliance with federal anti-money laundering laws.

Notwithstanding the above federal guidelines and in addition to potential federal sanctions, regulators in the states in which we are able to conduct business may make it difficult for local banks to do business with companies considered to be engaged in cultivating and dispensing cannabis. Failure to establish a permanent banking relationship could have a material and adverse effect on our future business operations.

We face intense competition and many of our competitors have greater resources that may enable them to compete more effectively.

The industry in which we operate is subject to intense and increasing competition. Some of our competitors have greater capital resources, facilities and diversity of product lines, which may enable them to compete more effectively in this market. Our competitors may devote their resources to developing and marketing products that will directly compete with our product lines. Due to this competition, there is no assurance that we will not encounter difficulties in obtaining revenues and market share or in the positioning of our products. There are no assurances that competition in our respective industries will not lead to reduced prices for our products. If we are unable to successfully compete with existing companies and new entrants to the market this will have a negative impact on our business and financial condition.

If we fail to protect or develop our intellectual property, our business could be adversely affected.

Our viability will depend, in part, on our ability to develop and maintain the proprietary aspects of our technology to distinguish our products from our competitors’ products. We will rely on patents, copyrights, trademarks, trade secrets, and confidentiality provisions to establish and protect our intellectual property.

Any infringement or misappropriation of our intellectual property could damage its value and limit our ability to compete. We may have to engage in litigation to protect the rights to our intellectual property, which could result in significant litigation costs and require a significant amount of our time. In addition, our ability to enforce and protect our intellectual property rights may be limited in certain countries outside the United States, which could make it easier for competitors to capture market position in such countries by utilizing technologies that are similar to those developed or licensed by us.

Competitors may also harm our sales by designing products that mirror the capabilities of our products or technology without infringing on our intellectual property rights. If we do not obtain sufficient protection for our intellectual property, or if we are unable to effectively enforce our intellectual property rights, our competitiveness could be impaired, which would limit our growth and future revenue.

We may also find it necessary to bring infringement or other actions against third parties to seek to protect our intellectual property rights. Litigation of this nature, even if successful, is often expensive and time-consuming to prosecute and there can be no assurance that we will have the financial or other resources to enforce our rights or be able to enforce our rights or prevent other parties from developing similar technology or designing around our intellectual property.

Although we believe that our intellectual property does not and will not infringe upon the patents or violate the proprietary rights of others, it is possible such infringement or violation has occurred or may occur, which could have a material adverse effect on our business.

We are not aware of any infringement by us of any person’s or entity’s intellectual property rights. In the event that products we sell are deemed to infringe upon the patents or proprietary rights of others, we could be required to modify our products or obtain a license for the manufacture and/or sale of such products or cease selling such products. In such event, there can be no assurance that we would be able to do so in a timely manner, upon acceptable terms and conditions, or at all, and the failure to do any of the foregoing could have a material adverse effect upon our business.

There can be no assurance that we will have the financial or other resources necessary to enforce or defend a patent infringement or proprietary rights violation action. If our products or proposed products are deemed to infringe or likely to infringe upon the patents or proprietary rights of others, we could be subject to injunctive relief and, under certain circumstances, become liable for damages, which could also have a material adverse effect on our business and our financial condition.

Our trade secrets may be difficult to protect.

Our success depends upon the skills, knowledge, and experience of our scientific and technical personnel, our consultants and advisors, as well as our licensors and contractors. Because we operate in several highly competitive industries, we rely in part on trade secrets to protect our proprietary technology and processes. However, trade secrets are difficult to protect. We enter into confidentiality or non-disclosure agreements with our corporate partners, employees, consultants, outside scientific collaborators, developers, and other advisors. These agreements generally require that the receiving party keep confidential and not disclose confidential information developed by the receiving party or made known to the receiving party by us during the course of the receiving party’s relationship with us. These agreements also generally provide that inventions conceived by the receiving party in the course of rendering services to us will be our exclusive property, and we enter into assignment agreements to perfect our rights.

These confidentiality, inventions and assignment agreements may be breached and may not effectively assign intellectual property rights to us. Our trade secrets also could be independently discovered by competitors, in which case we would not be able to prevent the use of such trade secrets by our competitors. The enforcement of a claim alleging that a party illegally obtained and was using our trade secrets could be difficult, expensive and time consuming and the outcome would be unpredictable. In addition, courts outside the United States may be less willing to protect trade secrets. The failure to obtain or maintain meaningful trade secret protection could adversely affect our competitive position.

Our future success depends on our key executive officers and our ability to attract, retain, and motivate qualified personnel.

Our future success largely depends upon the continued services of our executive officers and management team. If one or more of our executive officers are unable or unwilling to continue in their present positions, we may not be able to replace them readily, if at all. Additionally, we may incur additional expenses to recruit and retain new executive officers. If any of our executive officers joins a competitor or forms a competing company, we may lose some of our potential customers. Finally, we do not maintain “key person” life insurance on any of our executive officers. Because of these factors, the loss of the services of any of these key persons could adversely affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations, and thereby an investment in our stock.

Our continuing ability to attract and retain highly qualified personnel will also be critical to our success because we will need to hire and retain additional personnel as our business grows. There can be no assurance that we will be able to attract or retain highly qualified personnel. We face significant competition for skilled personnel in our industry. This competition may make it more difficult and expensive to attract, hire, and retain qualified managers and employees. Because of these factors, we may not be able to effectively manage or grow our business, which could adversely affect our financial condition or business. As a result, the value of your investment could be significantly reduced or completely lost.

We may not be able to effectively manage our growth or improve our operational, financial, and management information systems, which would impair our results of operations.

In the near term, we intend to expand the scope of our operations activities significantly. If we are successful in executing our business plan, we will experience growth in our business that could place a significant strain on our business operations, finances, management and other resources. The factors that may place strain on our resources include, but are not limited to, the following:

Additionally, our strategy could produce a period of rapid growth that may impose a significant burden on our administrative and operational resources. Our ability to effectively manage growth will require us to substantially expand the capabilities of our administrative and operational resources and to attract, train, manage, and retain qualified management and other personnel. There can be no assurance that we will be successful in recruiting and retaining new employees or retaining existing employees.

We cannot provide assurances that our management will be able to manage this growth effectively. Our failure to successfully manage growth could result in our sales not increasing commensurately with capital investments or otherwise materially adversely affecting our business, financial condition, or results of operations.

If we are unable to continually innovate and increase efficiencies, our ability to attract new customers may be adversely affected.

In the area of innovation, we must be able to develop new technologies and products that appeal to our customers. This depends, in part, on the technological and creative skills of our personnel and on our ability to protect our intellectual property rights. We may not be successful in the development, introduction, marketing, and sourcing of new technologies or innovations, that satisfy customer needs, achieve market acceptance, or generate satisfactory financial returns.

Litigation may adversely affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

From time to time in the normal course of our business operations, we may become subject to litigation that may result in liability material to our financial statements as a whole or may negatively affect our operating results if changes to our business operations are required. The cost to defend such litigation may be significant and may require a diversion of our resources. There also may be adverse publicity associated with litigation that could negatively affect customer perception of our business, regardless of whether the allegations are valid or whether we are ultimately found liable. Insurance may not be available at all or in sufficient amounts to cover any liabilities with respect to these or other matters. A judgment or other liability in excess of our insurance coverage for any claims could adversely affect our business and the results of our operations.

If we fail to implement and maintain proper and effective internal controls and disclosure controls and procedures pursuant to Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, our ability to produce accurate and timely financial statements and public reports could be impaired, which could adversely affect our operating results, our ability to operate our business, and investors’ views of us.

As of March 31, 2021, management assessed the effectiveness of our internal controls over financial reporting. Management concluded, as of the fiscal year ended March 31, 2021, that our internal controls and procedures were not effective to detect the inappropriate application of U.S. GAAP rules. Management concluded that our internal controls were adversely affected by deficiencies in the design or operation of our internal controls, which management considered to be material weakness; specifically, no member of our board of directors qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert” as defined in Item 407(d)(5) of Regulation S-K promulgated under the Securities Act.

The failure to implement and maintain proper and effective internal controls and disclosure controls could result in material weaknesses in our financial reporting such as errors in our financial statements and in the accompanying footnote disclosures that could require restatements. Investors may lose confidence in our reported financial information and disclosure, which could negatively impact our stock price.

We do not expect that our internal controls over financial reporting will prevent all errors and all fraud. A control system, no matter how well designed and operated, can provide only reasonable, not absolute, assurance that the control system’s objectives will be met. Further, the design of a control system must reflect the fact that there are resource constraints, and the benefits of controls must be considered relative to their costs. Controls can be circumvented by the individual acts of some persons, by collusion of two or more people, or by management override of the controls. Over time, controls may become inadequate because changes in conditions or deterioration in the degree of compliance with policies or procedures may occur. Because of the inherent limitations in a cost-effective control system, misstatements due to error or fraud may occur and not be detected.

Our insurance coverage may be inadequate to cover all significant risk exposures; because we are in the cannabis industry, we have a difficult time obtaining the various insurances that are desired to operate our business, which may expose us to additional risk and financial liabilities.

We will be exposed to liabilities that are unique to the products we provide. While we intend to maintain insurance for certain risks, the amount of our insurance coverage may not be adequate to cover all claims or liabilities, and we may be forced to bear substantial costs resulting from risks and uncertainties of our business. It is also not possible to obtain insurance to protect against all operational risks and liabilities. The failure to obtain adequate insurance coverage on terms favorable to us, or at all, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. We do not have any business interruption insurance. Any business disruption or natural disaster could result in substantial costs and diversion of resources. We do not have directors' and officers' liability insurance in place and could incur substantial costs to indemnify our directors and officers against any claims that may arise.

Currently we have insurance coverage in place for business personal properties located at 3550 W. Teco Avenue, Las Vegas, Nevada 89118, workers’ compensation insurance, and general liability insurance.

Insurance that is otherwise readily available is more difficult for us to find, and more expensive, because we engaged in the medicinal cannabis industry. There are no guarantees that we will be able to find such insurances in the future, or that the cost will be affordable to us. If we are forced to go without such insurances, it may prevent us from entering into certain business sectors, may inhibit our growth, and may expose us to additional risk and financial liabilities.

RISKS RELATED TO AN INVESTMENT IN OUR SECURITIES

We expect to experience volatility in the price of our common stock, which could negatively affect stockholders’ investments.

The trading price of our common stock may be highly volatile and could be subject to wide fluctuations in response to various factors, some of which are beyond our control. The stock market in general has experienced extreme price and volume fluctuations that have often been unrelated or disproportionate to the operating performance of companies with securities traded in those markets. Broad market and industry factors may seriously affect the market price of companies’ stock, including ours, regardless of actual operating performance. All of these factors could adversely affect your ability to sell your shares of common stock or, if you are able to sell your shares, to sell your shares at a price that you determine to be fair or favorable.

Our common stock is categorized as “penny stock,” which may make it more difficult for investors to sell their shares of common stock due to suitability requirements.

Our common stock is categorized as “penny stock”. The Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) has adopted Rule 15g-9 which generally defines “penny stock” to be any equity security that has a market price (as defined) less than $5.00 per share or an exercise price of less than $5.00 per share, subject to certain exceptions. The price of our common stock is significantly less than $5.00 per share and is therefore considered “penny stock.” This designation imposes additional sales practice requirements on broker-dealers who sell to persons other than established customers and accredited investors. The penny stock rules require a broker-dealer buying our securities to disclose certain information concerning the transaction, obtain a written agreement from the purchaser and determine that the purchaser is reasonably suitable to purchase the securities given the increased risks generally inherent in penny stocks. These rules may restrict the ability and/or willingness of brokers or dealers to buy or sell our common stock, either directly or on behalf of their clients, may discourage potential stockholders from purchasing our common stock, or may adversely affect the ability of stockholders to sell their shares.

Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) sales practice requirements may also limit a stockholder’s ability to buy and sell our common stock, which could depress the price of our common stock.

In addition to the “penny stock” rules described above, FINRA has adopted rules that require a broker-dealer to have reasonable grounds for believing that the investment is suitable for that customer before recommending an investment to a customer. Prior to recommending speculative low-priced securities to their non-institutional customers, broker-dealers must make reasonable efforts to obtain information about the customer’s financial status, tax status, investment objectives and other information. Under interpretations of these rules, FINRA believes that there is a high probability that speculative, low-priced securities will not be suitable for at least some customers. Thus, the FINRA requirements make it more difficult for broker-dealers to recommend that their customers buy our common stock, which may limit your ability to buy and sell our shares of common stock, have an adverse effect on the market for our shares of common stock, and thereby depress our price per share of common stock.

The elimination of monetary liability against our directors, officers, and employees under Nevada law and the existence of indemnification rights for or obligations to our directors, officers, and employees may result in substantial expenditures by us and may discourage lawsuits against our directors, officers, and employees.

Our Articles of Incorporation contain a provision permitting us to eliminate the personal liability of our directors to us and our stockholders for damages for the breach of a fiduciary duty as a director or officer to the extent provided by Nevada law. We may also have contractual indemnification obligations under any future employment agreements with our officers. The foregoing indemnification obligations could result in us incurring substantial expenditures to cover the cost of settlement or damage awards against directors and officers, which we may be unable to recoup. These provisions and the resulting costs may also discourage us from bringing a lawsuit against directors and officers for breaches of their fiduciary duties and may similarly discourage the filing of derivative litigation by our stockholders against our directors and officers even though such actions, if successful, might otherwise benefit us and our stockholders. We do not have directors' and officers' liability insurance in place and could incur substantial costs to indemnify our directors and officers against any claims that may arise.

We may issue additional shares of common stock in the future, which could cause significant dilution to all stockholders.

Our Articles of of Incorporation authorize the issuance of up to 600,000,000 shares with a par value of $0.0001 per share. As of July 2, 2021, we had 317,012,411 shares of common stock outstanding. However, we require additional capital and will likely issue additional shares of Common Stock in the future in connection with one or more financings or an acquisition. Such issuances may not require the approval of our stockholders. In addition, certain of our outstanding rights to purchase additional shares of common stock or securities convertible into our common stock are subject to full-ratchet anti-dilution protection, which could result in the right to purchase significantly more shares of common stock being issued or a reduction in the purchase price for any such shares or both. Any issuance of additional shares of our common stock, or equity securities convertible into our common stock, including but not limited to, warrants, and options, will dilute the percentage ownership interest of all stockholders, may dilute the book value per share of our common stock, and may negatively impact the market price of our common stock. 

Because we do not intend to pay any cash dividends on our common stock, our stockholders will not be able to receive a return on their shares unless they sell them.

We intend to retain any future earnings to finance the development and expansion of our business. We do not anticipate paying any cash dividends on our common stock in the foreseeable future. Declaring and paying future dividends, if any, will be determined by our Board, based upon earnings, financial condition, capital resources, capital requirements, restrictions in our Articles of Incorporation, contractual restrictions, and such other factors as our Board deems relevant. Unless we pay dividends, our stockholders will not be able to receive a return on their shares unless they sell them. There is no assurance that stockholders will be able to sell shares when desired. 

ITEM 1B. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS

None

ITEM 2. PROPERTY

Our executive offices, Science and Cultivation divisions are located at 3550 W. Teco Avenue, Las Vegas, NV 89118 under a  lease with ten-year initial term and one option to extend for five years, or until December 31, 2030. The monthly rent payments per the Amended Lease Agreement were $45,020 as of  March 31, 2021. Rent charges increase by 3% on January 1 of each year through the expiration of the lease.

ITEM 3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

A nonemployee individual filed a Charge of Discrimination with the Nevada Equal Rights Commission ("NERC") against the Company on April 2, 2019, alleging sexual harassment and retaliatory discharge. The matter was amicably resolved, and the charges against the Company were dismissed on May 11, 2021.

On April 22, 2020, the Company failed to repay any of the outstanding balance of the Convertible Promissory Note Payable to Iliad Research and Trading, L.P., resulting in a default. On May 20, 2020, Iliad filed a lawsuit against the Company in the Third Judicial District Court of Salt Lake County in the State of Utah demanding repayment of the note. On July 14, 2020, the Court entered judgment in favor of Iliad in the amount of $3,264,594. The Company's obligation to Iliad was satisfied in full on December 16, 2020 upon payment of $3,006,014 pursuant to the Judgment Settlement Agreement.

On April 22, 2020, the Company was served notice of a lawsuit filed in the Eighth Judicial District Court in Clark County, Nevada, filed by a contractor who had been hired to perform architectural and design services. The lawsuit demanded payment of $73,050 for the services provided. On September 17, 2020, the Company entered into a Mutual Compromise, Settlement, and Release Agreement with the contractor and made payment of $25,000 in full satisfaction of the alleged debt, and the lawsuit was dismissed.

We are currently not involved in any other material legal proceedings.

ITEM 4. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES

Not Applicable

PART II

ITEM 5. MARKET FOR REGISTRANT’S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES

GB Sciences, Inc.’s common stock is quoted on the OTCQB under the symbol "GBLX".

For the periods indicated, the following table sets forth the high and low per share intra-day sales prices per share of common stock. These prices represent inter-dealer quotations without retail markup, markdown, or commission and may not necessarily represent actual transactions.

As of June 29, 2021, there were 183 holders of record of our common stock. Because many of our shares are held by brokers and other institutions on behalf of shareholders, we are unable to estimate the total number of beneficial holders.

Dividend Policy

Cash dividends have never been declared or paid on common stock and dividends are not anticipated on common stock in the foreseeable future. Future earnings, if any, will be retained to finance the expansion business and for general corporate purposes. There is no assurance we will pay dividends in the future. Future dividend policy is within the discretion of the board of directors and will depend upon various factors, including results of operations, financial condition, capital requirements and investment opportunities.

Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities

On April 1, 2020, the Company entered into the Advisory Agreement with its brokers and effected a temporary decrease in the exercise price of the Company's outstanding warrants to $0.03-$.05 per share. As a result of the price reduction, the Company received notice of the exercise of 35,798,809 warrants during the year ended March 31, 2021, and received proceeds of $968,023, net of brokerage fees of $(107,373). The Company recorded inducement dividends totaling $1,591,080 as the difference between the reduced exercise price of the warrants and the stock price on the date of exercise.

During the year ended March 31, 2021, the Company issued a total of 788,000 warrants to convertible note holders with a term of three years and an exercise price of $0.10 per share in exchange for a three-year extension of notes having an aggregate principal balance of $197,000. Using the Black-Scholes model, the Company valued the warrants at $13,396.

During the quarter ended March 31, 2021, the Company received notice of the conversion of $160,000 total principal balance of the note payable to CSW Ventures, L.P. at $0.04 per share and issued 4,000,000 shares of common stock to the note holder.

On February 8, 2021, the board of directors approved the issuance of 42,705,809 replacement warrants to investors who had exercised warrants at prices that were near or at-the-money beginning in December of 2019 in order to provide working capital to the Company. The replacement warrants expire three years from the date of the initial warrant exercise and have a strike price of $0.10 per share. The Company valued the warrants at $1,182,920 using the Black-Scholes model and recorded the value of the warrants as an inducement dividend.

ITEM 6. SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA

As a "smaller reporting company" as defined by Item 10 of Regulation S-K, the Company is not required to provide information required by this Item.

ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATION

The following discussion of the plan of operation, financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with the Company’s financial statements, and notes thereto, included elsewhere herein. This discussion contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of various factors including, but not limited to, those discussed in this Annual Report.

Executive Overview

GB Sciences, Inc. (“the Company”, “GB Sciences”, “we”, “us”, or “our”) is a phytomedical research and biopharmaceutical drug development company whose goal is to create patented formulations of plant-inspired, complex therapeutic mixtures for the prescription drug market that target a variety of medical conditions. The Company is engaged in the research and development of plant-based medicines and plans to produce plant-inspired, complex therapeutic mixtures based on its portfolio of intellectual property.

Through its wholly owned Canadian subsidiary, GBS Global Biopharma, Inc. (“GBSGB”), the Company is engaged in the research and development of plant-based medicines, primarily cannabinoid medicines, with virtual operations in North America and Europe. GBSGB’s assets include a portfolio of intellectual property containing both proprietary cannabinoid-containing formulations and our AI-enabled drug discovery platform, as well as critical research contracts and key supplier arrangements. GBSGB’s intellectual property covers a range of medical conditions and several programs are in the pre-clinical animal stage of development including Parkinson’s disease, neuropathic pain, and cardiovascular therapeutic programs. GBSGB runs a lean drug development program and takes effort to minimize expenses, including personnel, overhead, and fixed capital expenses through strategic partnerships with Universities and Contract Research Organizations (“CROs”). GBSGB’s intellectual property portfolio includes five USPTO issued patents, nine USPTO nonprovisional patent applications pending in the US, and one provisional patent application in the US. In addition to the USPTO patents and patent applications, the company has filed 35 patent applications internationally to protect its proprietary technology. We recently filed a provisional USPTO patent application to further protect aspects of our proprietary drug discovery engine, “Phytomedical Analytics for Research Optimization at Scale," or PhAROS™.

 Recent Developments

Sale of Membership Interest in GB Sciences Louisiana, LLC

On November 15, 2019, the Company entered into a Membership Interest Purchase Agreement (the “Agreement”) with Wellcana Plus, LLC, a Louisiana limited liability company ("Wellcana"), whereby Wellcana would acquire the Company’s 50.01% membership interest (the “Membership Interest”) in GB Sciences Louisiana LLC, a Louisiana limited liability company. Since entering into the agreement, certain modifications of the Agreement were made. It was ultimately agreed that Wellcana would pay the Company $4,900,000 in cash for the Membership Interest. On December 16, 2020, Wellcana made the final payment totaling $4,900,000 which completed the disposition of the Membership Interest.

Convertible Note Payable to Iliad Research and Trading, L.P.

On April 23, 2019, the Company issued an 8% Convertible Promissory Note (the “Note”) in the face amount of $2,765,000 to Iliad Research and Trading, L.P. (“Iliad”). On April 22, 2020, the Company defaulted on its obligation to pay the Note by that date. Based upon the default, Iliad filed a lawsuit against the Company in the Third Judicial District Court of Salt Lake County, State of Utah (the “Court”). On July 14, 2020, the Court issued a judgment in favor of Iliad in the amount of $3,264,594 (the “Judgment”).

On  November 20, 2020, the Company, Iliad, and Wellcana entered into the Judgment Settlement Agreement (the Agreement), in which the Company agreed to pay Iliad $3,006,015 on or before December 8, 2020, in full satisfaction of the Judgment. In addition to the Company and Iliad, the Agreement was signed by Wellcana Plus LLC (“Wellcana”). By signing the Agreement, Wellcana agreed to pay $3,006,015 of what it owed the Company, directly to Iliad to satisfy the Company’s obligation to Iliad. Of the $4,150,000 paid by Wellcana, $3,006,015 was sent directly by Wellcana to Iliad in satisfaction of the Company’s obligation pursuant to the Settlement Agreement.

Intellectual Property Portfolio

On October 14th, 2020, GB Sciences filed a provisional patent application to protect its machine learning algorithm for the prediction of novel active ingredients from traditional, plant-based medical preparations. The new provisional patent application is entitled “In Silico Meta-Pharmacopeia Assembly from Non-Western Medical Systems Using Advanced Data Analytic Techniques to Identify and Design Phytotherapeutic Strategies”. GBSGB’s proprietary data analytics tool uses in silico convergence analysis to deconvolve modes of action and predict desirable components of plant-based formulations established in traditional medical practice based on computational consensus analysis across cultures and medical systems.

On September 23rd, GB Sciences received a Notice of Allowance from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for claims protecting their Cannabinoid Containing Complex Mixtures (CCCMs) for the Treatment of Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS). The patent is owned by the Company’s Canadian entity, GBS Global Biopharma, Inc. MCAS is a severe immunological condition in which mast cells inappropriately and excessively release inflammatory mediators, resulting in a range of severe chronic hyperinflammatory symptoms and life-threatening anaphylaxis attacks. There is no single recommended treatment for MCAS patients. Instead, patients, with their doctor’s guidance, attempt to manage MCAS symptoms primarily by avoiding ‘triggers’ and using rescue medicines for their severe hyperinflammatory attacks. Therefore, MCAS patients need new therapeutic options to control their mast cell related symptoms, and the Company’s CCCM™ were designed to simultaneously control multiple inflammatory pathways within mast cells as a comprehensive treatment option. The application, entitled “Cannabinoid-Containing Complex Mixtures for the Treatment of Mast Cell-Associated or Basophil-Mediated Inflammatory Disorders” was originally filed on January 31, 2018  and describes CCCMs that can be used for the treatment of Crohn's disease, Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, allergic asthma, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), psoriasis, eczema, urticarias, dermatitis, mastocytosis, or anaphylactic sting.  Claims for these additional indications will be examined by the USPTO in the future. On  December 8, 2020, the patent was issued as United States Patent 10,857,107.

On April 7th, 2020, GB Sciences received a Notice of Allowance from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for claims protecting Cannabinoid Containing Complex Mixtures ("CCCMs") for the Treatment of Parkinson’s disease (PD), which is owned by the Company’s Canadian entity, GBS Global Biopharma, Inc. On May 19, 2020, the patent was issued as United States Patent 10,653,640.

On May 12th, 2020, GB Sciences received a Notice of Allowance from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for claims protecting Myrcene Containing Complex Mixtures ("MCCMs") for the Treatment of Neuropathic Pain. Intellectual property rights to this application and the MCCM contained within it are owned by the Company’s Canadian entity, GBS Global Biopharma, Inc. The Company's MCCMs are protected for use in the treatment of pain related to arthritis, shingles, irritable bowel syndrome, sickle cell disease, and endometriosis. The patent was issued on July 14, 2020 as United States Patent 10,709,670.

Planned Divestiture of Nevada Cannabis Operations

On November 15, 2019, we entered into a Binding Letter of Intent (the "LOI") to sell the Company's membership interest interests in GBSN and GBLV (together, the "Teco Subsidiaries"). In connection with the LOI, we entered into a Management Agreement with the purchaser whereby the facilities will be managed by an affiliate of the purchaser until the close of the sale. On March 24, 2020, we entered into the Membership Interest Purchase Agreement ("Teco MIPA") which formalized the sale of the Teco Subsidiaries and modified the terms of the sale. Pursuant to the Teco MIPA, the Company will sell 100% of its membership interests in GBSN and GBLV for $4,000,000 cash upon close and $4,000,000 in the form of an 8% promissory note.

On November 27, 2019, we entered into a Binding Letter of Intent to sell the Company's 100% interest in GB Sciences Nopah, LLC. On August 10, 2020, the Company entered into the Membership Interest Purchase Agreement ("Nopah MIPA") and Promissory Note Modification Agreement with the purchaser of GB Sciences Nopah, LLC. The Company will receive $300,000 upon closing, and the purchaser will pay all expenses related to the upkeep and maintenance of the Nopah License from the date of the agreement. The $300,000 purchase price will be paid as a reduction to the balance of the 0% Note payable dated October 23, 2017, which is held by an affiliate of the purchaser of the Nopah license.

The sales of the Teco and Nopah Subsidiaries are expected to close upon the successful transfer of the Nevada cannabis cultivation and production licenses held by those subsidiaries. The transfer of cannabis licenses in the State of Nevada had been subject to an indefinite moratorium beginning in October 2019. In a meeting held on July 21, 2020, the Nevada Cannabis Compliance Board lifted the moratorium, however, the board has indicated that there were initially 90 requests pending, and it will take up to several months to process the entire backlog of pending license transfers. Based on this information, we cannot provide any assurances as to the timing of the close of the sale. In addition, the lifting of the moratorium and processing of cannabis license transfers have been delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic and could be further delayed if the pandemic continues.

Results of Operations

The following table sets forth certain of our Statement of Operations data from continuing operations:  

General and Administrative Expenses. General and administrative expense decreased $(3,739,897) to $2,001,617 for the year ended March 31, 2021 as compared to $5,741,514 for the same period last year. The decrease is attributable to a company-wide initiative to reduce general and administrative costs, including a substantial reduction in the number of employees involved in administrative functions and related salaries & wages expense.

Gain/(Loss) on extinguishment. The gain on extinguishment of $467,872 for the year ended March 31, 2021 relates to the Judgment Settlement Agreement with Iliad Research & Trading, L.P. In order to settle the lawsuit brought by Iliad, the Company paid $3,006,014 in full satisfaction of the principal and accrued interest balance of $3,473,886. Prior year losses on extinguishment of $216,954 relate to modifications of the note payable to CSW Ventures, LP, which were accounted for as extinguishments.

Gain on settlement of accounts payable. During the year ended March 31, 2021, the Company settled accounts payable at a discount in exchange for immediate lump sum payments and recorded income from cancellation of accounts payable totaling $422,414, compared to $0 in the prior year.

Gain on deconsolidation. The Company recorded a gain on deconsolidation of $4,393,242 related to the sale of its 50% membership interest in GB Sciences Louisiana, LLC during the year ended March 31, 2020, compared to $0 in the current year.

Interest Expense. Interest for the year ended March 31, 2021 was $1,285,460, compared to $1,109,031 for the year ended March 31, 2020. The increase is primarily due to interest income of $509,265 related to the Wellcana note receivable included in the prior year amount as a net reduction, and offset by a decrease in interest expense resulting from the amortization of note discounts. Primarily as the result of the Company's largest outstanding notes payable becoming fully amortized during the year, interest expense from amortization of debt discounts decreased from $1,150,995 in the prior year to $776,122 in the current year.

Loss on modification of line of credit. As a result of the Omnibus Amendment dated December 29, 2020, the Company accrued a modification expense of $650,000. The amount represents an increase to the note balance to a total of $1,025,000, which will reduce the note receivable issued to the Company at the closing of the sale of the Teco Facility.

Loss on modification of note receivable. As the result of the Company's August 24, 2020 letter agreement with Wellcana, the Company determined that the amount of the note receivable from Wellcana that was collectible as of March 31, 2020 was $5,224,423 and recorded a loss on modification of note receivable in the amount of $1,895,434.

Debt default penalty. The Company recorded a default penalty of $286,059 related to the Company's failure to timely repay the principal and interest owed under the note payable to Iliad Research and Trading, L.P. on April 1, 2020. The penalty is 10% of the principal and accrued interest balances outstanding at the time of default.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

Current Liquidity

The Company will need additional capital to implement our strategies. There is no assurance that it will be able to raise the amount of capital needed for future growth plans. Even if financing is available, it may not be on terms that are acceptable. If unable to raise the necessary capital at the times required, the Company may have to materially change the business plan, including delaying implementation of aspects of the business plan or curtailing or abandoning the business plan. The Company represents a speculative investment and investors may lose all of their investment. In order to be able to achieve the strategic goals, the Company needs to further expand its business and financing activities. Based upon the cash position, it is necessary to raise additional capital by the end of the next quarter in order to continue to fund current operations. These factors raise substantial doubt about the ability to continue as a going concern.  The Company is pursuing several alternatives to address this situation, including the raising of additional funding through equity or debt financings. In order to finance existing operations and pay current liabilities over the next twelve months, the Company will need to raise additional capital. No assurance can be given that the Company will be able to operate profitably on a consistent basis, or at all, in the future.

The principal sources of liquidity to date have been cash generated from sales of debt and equity securities.

At March 31, 2021, the Company had a cash balance of $793,040, other current assets excluding cash were $2,750,815, current assets from discontinued operations were $2,494,564, and our working capital deficit was $5,054,593, net of working capital of $439,979 from discontinued operations. Current liabilities were $8,598,448, which consisted principally of $3,594,804 in notes and convertible notes payable, $1,412,459 in accounts payable, $1,451,687 in accrued liabilities, and $2,054,585 current liabilities from discontinued operations. At March 31, 2020, the Company had a cash balance of $2,406, other current assets excluding cash were $6,998,474, current assets from discontinued operations were $1,755,275, and our working capital deficit was $3,884,877, including a working capital deficit of $243,787 from discontinued operations. Current liabilities were $10,885,757, which consisted principally of $5,054,728 in notes and convertible notes payable, $1,913,049 in accounts payable, $1,180,483 in accrued liabilities, and $1,999,062 from discontinued operations.

Sources and Uses of Cash

Operating Activities

Cash used in operations was $2,185,220 including $118,644 used in discontinued operations for the year ended March 31, 2021, compared to cash used of $4,479,713 including $2,215,434 used in discontinued operations for the year ended March 31, 2020. We anticipate that cash flows from operations will be insufficient to fund business operations for the next twelve-month period. Accordingly, we will have to generate additional liquidity or cash flow to fund our current and anticipated operations. This will likely require the sale of additional common stock or other securities. There is no assurance that we will be able to realize any significant proceeds from such sales, if at all.

Investing Activities

Cash flows provided by investing activities were $4,655,519, net of $103,729 used in discontinued operations for the year ended March 31, 2021, compared to cash used in investing activities of $538,784 including $446,922 used in discontinued operations for the year ended March 31, 2020. Cash provided by investing activities of continuing operations for the year ended March 31, 2021 relates to $5,051,923 proceeds of the Wellcana note receivable, offset by $292,675 used to pay our attorneys and researchers to draft and file patent applications. Cash used in prior year investing activities was used to pay our attorneys and researchers to draft and file patent applications.

Financing Activities

During the year ended March 31, 2021 cash used in financing activities was $1,476,432 including $161,768 used in discontinued operations. For the year ended March 31, 2020, cash provided by financing activities was $4,988,208, including $741,655 provided by discontinued operations, respectively.

Cash flows from financing activities of continuing operations for the year ended March 31, 2021 relate primarily to $3,156,014 used for principal payments of the note payable to Iliad Research and Trading, L.P., principal repayment of a related party note in the amount of $151,923, brokerage fees of $107,373, and debt issuance fees of $74,750, offset by $1,075,396 from warrant exercises, $725,000 in proceeds from the issuance of convertible notes, and $375,000 in proceeds from a line of credit.

Cash flows from financing activities of continuing operations for the year ended March 31, 2020 consisted of $790,225 proceeds from issuance of common stock, $1,274,790 from warrant exercises, and $2,630,000 proceeds from convertible notes, offset by $188,593 in brokerage fees, $175,000 in fees for convertible note issuances, and $84,869 of principal payments on debt and lease obligations.

Notes and Convertible Notes Payable

0% Note Payable dated October 23, 2017

On October 23, 2017, the Company amended the existing Nevada Medical Marijuana Production License Agreement (“Amended Production License Agreement”). Per the terms of the Amended Production License Agreement, GB Sciences purchased the remaining percentage of the production license resulting in the 100% ownership of the license. GB Sciences also received 100% ownership of the cultivation license included in the original Nevada Medical Marijuana Production License Agreement. In exchange, GB Sciences made one-time payment of $500,000 and issued a 0% Promissory Note in the amount of $700,000 payable in equal monthly payments over a three-year period commencing on January 1, 2018. The present value of the note was $521,067 on the date of its issuance based on an imputed interest rate of 20.3% and the Company recorded a discount on notes payable of $178,933 related to the difference between the face value and present value of the note.

To date, the Company has made principal payments totaling $330,555 and the principal balance of the note was $369,445 at March 31, 2021. During the year ended March 31, 2021, the Company recorded interest expense of $13,929 related to amortization of the note discount. The remaining unamortized discount as of March 31, 2021 was $0.

On August 10, 2020, the Company entered into the Membership Interest Purchase Agreement ("Nopah MIPA") for the sale of its interest in  GB Sciences Nopah, LLC. The Nopah MIPA will close upon successful transfer of the Nevada Medical Marijuana Cultivation Facility Registration Certificate. Upon close, the principal balance of the note will be reduced to $190,272. The maturity date of the note was extended to July 31, 2021, with no payments of principal or interest due until maturity. In addition, the note will no longer bear interest at the penalty rate of 15% unless there is a new event of default.

8% Line of Credit dated November 27, 2019

In connection with the Binding Letter of Intent dated November 27, 2019, the Teco Subsidiaries entered into a promissory note and line of credit for up to $470,000 from the purchaser of the membership interests in the Teco Subsidiaries. The purpose of the line of credit is to supply working capital for the Teco Subsidiaries, and the note matures upon the close of the sale of the Teco Subsidiaries. The principal and accrued interest balances outstanding at the time of closing will be considered paid in full upon closing and will not reduce the purchase price received by GB Sciences. As of March 31, 2021, the Teco Subsidiaries have received $485,000 in advances under the line of credit, reflecting an informal agreement with the lender to increase the line of credit by $15,000. The Company accrued interest of $38,767 on the line of credit for the year ended March 31, 2021, and the balance of the line of credit was $485,000 at March 31, 2021. The note and related interest expense are included in current liabilities from discontinued operations and loss from discontinued operations.

8% Note Payable dated May 7, 2020

On May 7, 2020, the Company received $135,000 cash from an investor, net of $15,000 in brokerage fees, and issued a $150,000 promissory note. The note bears interest at a rate of 8.0% per annum. The note was to be repaid upon the first proceeds received from the $8,000,000 promissory note related to the sale of the Company's membership interest in GB Sciences Louisiana, LLC, or from the proceeds of the sale of the Teco Facility. As inducement to enter into the note transaction, the Company repriced 8,002,500 preexisting warrants held by the investor to an exercise price of $0.04. The repriced warrants were valued at $272,085 on the date of the transaction using the Black-Scholes Model, which exceeded the value of the warrants prior to the price reduction of $49,525 by $222,560. As the result of the increase in the estimated fair value of the warrants, the Company recorded a full discount on notes payable of $150,000. During the year ended March 31, 2021, the Company recorded interest expense of $154,964 related to the note consisting of accrued interest of $4,964 and $150,000 related to amortization of the note discount. The Company paid $154,964 on October 5, 2020 in full satisfaction of the note.

8% Line of Credit dated July 24, 2020

On July 24, 2020, the Company entered into the Loan Agreement, 8% Secured Promissory Note, and Security Agreement (together, the "July 24 Note") with AJE Management, LLC, which established a revolving loan of up to $500,000 that the Company may draw on from time to time. The loan is collateralized by the Teco Facility, subject to the pre-existing lien held by CSW Ventures, L.P. in connection with the 8% Senior Secured Convertible Promissory Note dated February 28, 2019. Any advances will be made at the sole discretion of the lender following a written request made by the Company. Contemporaneously with the Loan Agreement, the Company and AJE Management entered into the Amendment to the Membership Interest Purchase Agreement with AJE Management. The amendment provides that any balances outstanding under the July 24 Note at the time of the close of the sale of the Teco Facility will be forgiven in exchange for a reduction to the $4,000,000 note receivable that the Company will receive as consideration for the sale of the Teco Facility. The reduction to the note receivable will be equal to 3 times the balance outstanding under the July 24 Note on the date of the close of the sale of the Teco Facility. The balance outstanding under the note plus accrued interest may be repaid at any time prior to the close of the sale of the Teco facility.

On December 29, 2020, the Company entered into the Omnibus Amendment with the purchaser of the Teco Facility. The Omnibus Amendment reduces the amount of the note receivable that the Company will receive from the sale of the Teco Facility by $975,000 (three times $325,000 in advances made under the July 24 Note) to $3,025,000. Any advances made to the Company under the July 24 Note in excess of $325,000 will reduce the amount of cash received upon close of the sale of Teco one-for-one, i.e. such advances will be considered advance payments of the $4,000,000 cash purchase price. The Company also agreed that it will not repay the balances outstanding under the July 24 Note prior to the closing of the Teco sale. As a result of the Omnibus Amendment, the Company accrued a modification expense of $650,000 (two times $325,000 in addition to $325,000 in advances already recorded under the July 24 Note). The Company has received $50,000 in additional advances above $325,000 bringing the total balance to $1,025,000 at March 31, 2021. Interest expense was $12,510 for the year ended March 31, 2021.

March 2017 and July 2017 Convertible Note Offerings

In March 2017, the Company entered into a Placement Agent’s Agreement with a third-party brokerage firm to offer units consisting of a $1,000 6% promissory note convertible into 4,000 shares of the Company’s common stock at $0.25 per share and 4,000 warrants to purchase shares of the Company’s’ common stock at an exercise price of $0.60 per share for the period of three years. Between March 2017 and May 2017, the Company issued short-term Promissory Notes (“Notes”) to various holders with combined face value of $2,000,000. The Notes are payable within three years of issuance and are convertible into 8,000,000 shares of the Company’s common stock. The Company also issued 8,000,000 common stock warrants to the Noteholders. The warrants are exercisable at any time and from time to time before maturity at the option of the holder. Each warrant gives the Noteholder the right to purchase one share of common stock of the Company at an exercise price of $0.60 per share for a period of three years. The Company recorded an aggregate discount on convertible notes of $1,933,693, which included $904,690 related to the relative fair value of beneficial conversion features and $1,029,003 for the relative fair value of the warrants issued with each note. The fair value of warrants was derived using the Black-Scholes valuation model.

In July 2017, the Company entered into a Placement Agent’s Agreement with a third-party brokerage firm to offer units consisting of a $1,000 6% promissory note convertible into 4,000 shares of the Company’s common stock at $0.25 per share and 4,000 warrants to purchase shares of the Company’s’ common stock at an exercise price of $0.65 per share for the period of three years. Between July 2017 and December 2017, the Company issued short-term Promissory Notes (“Notes”) to various holders with combined face value of $7,201,000. The Notes are payable within three years of issuance and are convertible into 28,804,000 shares of the Company’s common stock. The Company also issued 28,804,000 common stock warrants to the Noteholders. The warrants are exercisable at any time and from time to time before maturity at the option of the holder. Each warrant gives the Noteholder the right to purchase one share of common stock of the Company at an exercise price of $0.60 per share for a period of three years. The Company recorded an aggregate discount on convertible notes of $7,092,796, which included $3,142,605 related to the relative fair value of beneficial conversion features and $3,950,191 for the relative fair value of the warrants issued with each note. The fair value of warrants was derived using the Black-Scholes valuation model.

All notes from the March and July 2017 offerings have passed their maturity dates. During the year ended March 31, 2021, the Company agreed to extensions with the holders of a total of $197,000 of the $1,257,000 that remains outstanding. For the $197,000 of extended notes, the Company agreed to reduce the conversion price to $0.10 per share and issued a total of 788,000 additional warrants to the holders of the notes with a term of three years and an exercise price of $0.10 per share. In exchange, the maturity date of the notes was extended to September 30, 2023. Using the Black-Scholes model, the Company valued the warrants at $13,396 and the change in the fair value of the conversion feature at $33,490. Because the change in the fair value of the conversion feature exceeded 10% of the carrying amount of the notes, the Company accounted for the modification of the notes as an extinguishment and recorded a discount on the new convertible notes of $46,886 related to the fair value of the new warrants issued and the change in the fair value of the conversion feature. The Company recorded interest expense of $28,306 on the new notes during the year ended March 31, 2021, of which $22,412 represented amortization of the note discounts. Accrued interest on the $197,000 extended notes is $44,332 at March 31, 2021, which includes $38,438 accrued prior to the extinguishments.

Three convertible notes totaling $1,060,000 held by the same investor are past maturity and are currently in default. The Company is negotiating the terms of an extension with the note holder. The notes do not provide for a default penalty or penalty interest rate. Interest expense during the year ended March 31, 2021, was $208,779, of which $139,253 represents amortization of the note discount. Accrued interest on the $1,060,000 notes was $228,373 at March 31, 2021.

8% Senior Secured Convertible Promissory Note dated February 28, 2019

On February 28, 2019, the Company issued a $1,500,000 8% Senior Secured Convertible Promissory Note and entered into the Note Purchase Agreement and Security Agreement with CSW Ventures, L.P. (together, “CSW Note”). The note matured on August 28, 2020 and was convertible at any time until maturity into 8,823,529 shares of the Company’s common stock at $0.17 per share. Collateral pledged as security for the note includes all of the Company’s 100% membership interests in GB Sciences, Nevada, LLC and GB Sciences Las Vegas, LLC, which together represent substantially all of the Company’s cannabis cultivation and production operations and assets located at the Teco facility in Las Vegas, Nevada. The intrinsic value of the beneficial conversion feature resulting from the market price of the Company’s common stock in excess of the conversion price was $176,471 on the date of issuance, and the Company recorded a discount on the CSW Note in that amount.

On May 28, 2019, the Company received notice from CSW Ventures, L.P. of the conversion of a total of $170,000 of the principal balance of the 8% Senior Secured Promissory Note dated February 28, 2019. Accordingly, the Company issued 1,000,000 shares of its common stock based on a $0.17 per share conversion price. In connection with the conversions, $17,225 in unamortized discount was recorded as interest expense and the Company reduced the carrying amount of convertible notes payable by $152,775. After conversion, the remaining balance outstanding was $1,330,000.

On July 12, 2019, the Company entered into the Amendment to Note Documents and the Amended and Restated 8% Senior Secured Promissory Note (together, “Amended CSW Note”). The Amended CSW Note increased the note balance by $100,000 to reflect an additional $100,000 advanced to the Company on July 12, 2019 and by $41,863 to add accrued interest to date to the principal balance, and decreased the conversion price to $0.11 per share, with the remaining terms substantially unchanged from the original CSW Note.

The Company evaluated the modification under the guidance in ASC 470-50 and determined that the amendment represents an extinguishment because the change in the fair value of the conversion feature exceeded 10% of the carrying value of the CSW Note on the amendment date. The carrying value of the amended note on the date of extinguishment was $1,338,057, net of a beneficial conversion feature discount of $133,806, and we recorded a loss on extinguishment of $124,158.

On August 1, 2019, the Company received notice from CSW Ventures, L.P. of the conversion of a total of $110,000 of the principal balance of the Amended CSW Note at $0.11 per share. Accordingly, the Company issued 1,000,000 shares of its common stock. In connection with the conversions, $9,579 in unamortized discount was recorded as interest expense and the Company has reduced the carrying amount of convertible notes payable by $100,421. After conversion, the remaining balance outstanding was $1,361,863.

On October 23, 2019, the Company entered into the Amendment to Promissory Note. The October 23, 2019 amendment decreased the conversion price to $0.08 per share, with the remaining terms substantially unchanged from the Amended CSW Note.

We evaluated the modification under the guidance in ASC 470-50 and determined that the amendment represents an extinguishment because the change in the fair value of the conversion feature exceeded 10% of the carrying value of the Amended CSW Note immediately prior to the 2nd Amended CSW Note. The carrying value of the Amended CSW Note on the date of extinguishment was $1,269,067, net of a beneficial conversion feature discount of $92,796, and we recorded a loss on extinguishment of $92,796 during the year ended March 31, 2020.

On November 27, 2019, the Company entered into the Second Amendment to Note Documents and the Second Amended and Restated 8% Senior Secured Promissory Note (together, “2nd Amended CSW Note”). The 2nd Amended CSW Note decreased the conversion price to $0.04 per share and increased the note balance by $30,000 to reflect an advance received on that date, with the remaining terms substantially unchanged from the Amended CSW Note.

We evaluated the modification under the guidance in ASC 470-50 and determined that the 2nd Amended CSW Note represents an extinguishment because the change in the fair value of the conversion feature exceeded 10% of the carrying value of the Amended CSW Note immediately prior to the 2nd Amended CSW Note; however, no loss on extinguishment was recorded because the net consideration paid for the 2nd Amended CSW Note was equal to the extinguished carrying value of the Amended CSW Note. The carrying value of the Amended CSW Note on the date of extinguishment was $1,361,863.

On December 16, 2019, the Company received notice from CSW Ventures, L.P. of the conversion of a total of $120,000 of the principal balance of the Amended CSW Note at $0.04 per share and we issued 3,000,000 shares of common stock. In connection with the conversions, $57,551 in unamortized discount was recorded as interest expense, and the Company has reduced the carrying amount of convertible notes payable by $62,449. After conversion, the remaining balance outstanding was $1,271,863 and the carrying amount of the note was $687,021, net of $584,842 in unamortized discount from the beneficial conversion feature.

On December 29, 2020, the Company entered into the Omnibus Amendment, and the note holder agreed to cease interest accrual on the CSW Note after November 30, 2020.

During the quarter ended March 31, 2021, the Company received notice of the conversion of $160,000 total principal balance at $0.04 per share and issued 4,000,000 shares of common stock to the note holder. After the conversions, the remaining principal balance and carrying amount of the note is $1,111,863 as of March 31, 2021.

During the year ended March 31, 2021, we recorded interest expense of $477,500 related to the CSW Note and its amendments consisting of $68,019 in stated interest and $409,481 related to amortization of the note discount. The total outstanding balance of principal and accrued interest totaling $1,256,857 will reduce the $4,000,000 cash payment received by the Company upon the close of the sale of the Teco Facility, and no further interest expense will be accrued on the note.

8% Convertible Promissory Note dated April 23, 2019

On April 23, 2019, the Company entered into the Note Purchase Agreement with Iliad Research and Trading, L.P. ("Iliad") and issued an 8% Convertible Promissory Note with a face value of $2,765,000. The Note was issued with original issue discount of $265,000 and is convertible into shares of the Company’s common stock at a price of $0.17 per share at the option of the note holder at any time until the Note is repaid. The Note matured on April 22, 2020. A total discount of $440,000 was recorded on the note, which includes $265,000 of original issue discount and $175,000 in fees paid to brokers.

During the year ended March 31, 2020, the Company honored the conversion of a total of a total of $125,000 of accrued interest on the Iliad Note at reduced conversion rates. On October 30, 2019, the Company received notice of the conversion of $75,000 at $0.06 per share and issued 1,250,000 shares of its common stock. The fair value of the shares issued exceeded the fair value of the shares issuable under the original terms of the Note by $64,706, and the Company recorded an induced conversion expense. On November 18, 2019, the Company received notice of the conversion of $50,000 of the note balance at $0.0375 per share and issued 1,333,333 shares of its common stock.

On April 22, 2020, the Company failed to make payment of the principal and accrued interest due under the Iliad Note, resulting in a default. Upon the occurrence of the default, the principal and accrued interest balances outstanding increased by 10%. As the result of the default, Company recorded an expense of $9,559 related to a 10% increase in the accrued interest balance, which is recorded in interest expense, and $276,500 related to the 10% increase in the principal balance, which is recorded in debt default penalty and other expense.

On May 20, 2020, Iliad filed a lawsuit against the Company in the Third Judicial District Court of Salt Lake County in the State of Utah demanding repayment of the note. The lawsuit further sought to compel the Company to participate in arbitration pursuant to the arbitration provisions contained within the Note Purchase Agreement and to prohibit the Company to raise funds through the issuance of its common stock unless the note is paid in full simultaneously with such issuance. On July 14, 2020, the Court entered judgment in favor of Iliad in the amount of $3,264,594 plus reasonable attorney's fees and costs and accrued post-judgment interest at the default rate of 15% per annum.

On November 20, 2020, the Company, Iliad, and Wellcana Plus, LLC entered into the Judgment Settlement Agreement, whereby Iliad agreed to discharge all amounts owed to it by the Company upon receipt of payment totaling $3,006,014 directly from the proceeds of the Wellcana Note Receivable on or before December 8, 2020. On December 8, 2020, Wellcana failed to make payment to the Company. On December 9, 2020, the Company entered into a letter agreement with Iliad extending the Judgment Settlement agreement in exchange for payment of $25,000 plus $25,000 per week until the payment totaling $3,006,014 is received by Iliad, with such payments not reducing the amount owed under the Judgment Settlement Agreement. On December 16, 2020, Wellcana made payment of the full amount owed to the Company, of which $3,006,014 was paid directly to Iliad in full satisfaction of the Judgment Settlement Agreement. On December 18, 2020, Iliad filed a Satisfaction of Judgment in the Third Judicial District Court of Salt Lake County in the State of Utah, and the lawsuit was dismissed. The Company has no further obligations to Iliad.

During the year ended March 31, 2021, interest expense related to the Iliad Note was $379,956, of which $29,831 relates to amortization of the note discount, $140,833 relates to accrued interest prior to the judgment, and $209,292 was accrued post-judgment interest. The Company also recorded $25,000 in other expense as the result of the letter agreement to extend the Judgment Settlement Agreement. As of the date of final payment, the outstanding judgment balance of $3,264,594 plus accrued post-judgment interest of $209,292 totaled $3,473,886, and the Company recorded a gain on extinguishment of $467,872.

Variables and Trends

We have limited operating history with respect to the current business plan. In the event we are able to obtain the necessary financing to move forward with the business plan, we expect business expenses to increase significantly as we go operational. Accordingly, the comparison of the financial data for the periods presented may not be a meaningful indicator of future performance and must be considered in light these circumstances.

Off Balance Sheet Arrangements

We have no off-balance sheet arrangements that have or are reasonably likely to have a current or future effect on the financial condition, changes in financial condition, revenues or expenses, results of operations, liquidity, capital expenditures or capital resources that are material to investors.

Critical Accounting Policies

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. The Company regularly evaluates estimates and assumptions related to allowances for doubtful accounts, inventory valuation, valuation of initial right-of-use assets and corresponding lease liabilities, valuation of beneficial conversion features in convertible debt, valuation of the assets and liabilities of discontinued operations, stock-based compensation expense, purchased intangible asset valuations, deferred income tax asset valuation allowances, uncertain tax positions, litigation and other loss contingencies. These estimates and assumptions are based on current facts, historical experience and various other factors that the Company believes to be reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities and the recording of costs and expenses that are not readily apparent from other sources. The actual results the Company experiences may differ materially and adversely from these estimates.

Discontinued Operations

Discontinued operations comprise those activities that were disposed of during the period or which were classified as held for sale at the end of the period and represent a separate major line of business or geographical area that can be clearly distinguished for operational and financial reporting purposes. The Company has included its subsidiaries GB Sciences Louisiana, LLC, GB Sciences Nevada, LLC, GB Sciences Las Vegas, LLC, and GB Sciences Nopah, LLC in discontinued operations due to the sale of the Company's Louisiana cultivation and extraction facility and the pending sale of the Company's Nevada cultivation and extraction facilities.

Inventory

We value our inventory at the lower of the actual cost of our inventory, as determined using the first-in, first-out method, or its current estimated market value. We periodically review our physical inventory for excess, obsolete, and potentially impaired items and reserve accordingly. Our reserve estimate for excess and obsolete inventory is based on expected future use. Indirect costs, which primarily relate to the lease and operation costs of the Teco Facility, are allocated based on square footage of the facility used in the production of inventory.

Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets

Our indefinite-lived intangible assets primarily represent the value of our patents pending and includes the costs paid to draft and file patent applications. Upon issuance of the patents, the indefinite-lived intangible assets will have finite lives. Intangible assets also include the acquisition cost of a cannabis production license with an indefinite life. We amortize our finite-lived intangible assets over their estimated useful lives using the straight-line method, and we periodically evaluate the remaining useful lives of our finite-lived intangible assets to determine whether events or circumstances warrant a revision to the remaining period of amortization. During the year ended March 31, 2020, the Company entered into the Membership Interest Purchase Agreement ("Teco MIPA") to sell 100% of the membership interests in the Teco Facility. As a result of this agreement, the Company determined that the long-lived assets of the Teco Facility including a production license acquired through purchase might be impaired due to the current expectation that the asset group will more likely than not be disposed of by sale significantly before the end of its previously estimated useful life. The Company recorded an impairment loss of $449,801 related to the license for the year ended March 31, 2020, and reduced the carrying value of the related intangible asset from $1,021,067 to $571,264. The license asset and the impairment loss are included in discontinued operations in the accompanying financial statements.

Long-Lived Assets

Property and equipment comprise a significant portion of our total assets. We evaluate the carrying value of property and equipment if impairment indicators are present or if other circumstances indicate that impairment may exist under authoritative guidance. The annual testing date is March 31. When management believes impairment indicators may exist, projections of the undiscounted future cash flows associated with the use of and eventual disposition of property and equipment are prepared. If the projections indicate that the carrying value of the property and equipment are not recoverable, we reduce the carrying values to fair value. These impairment tests are heavily influenced by assumptions and estimates that are subject to change as additional information becomes available.

During the year ended March 31, 2020, the Company entered into the Membership Interest Purchase Agreement ("Teco MIPA") to sell 100% of the membership interests in the Teco Facility. As a result of this agreement, the Company determined that the long-lived assets of the Teco Facility might be impaired due to the current expectation that the asset group will more likely than not be disposed of by sale significantly before the end of its previously estimated useful life. The Company estimated future undiscounted cash flows related to the Teco Facility to be $8.0 million, which was less than the carrying amount of the Teco Facility asset group of  $11.9 million. Using a discounted cash flow approach, the Company estimated the fair value of the asset group to be approximately $7.3 million, resulting in a write-down of $4,645,054 related to the Teco Facility asset group. Fair value was based on expected future cash flows using level 3 inputs under ASC 820. The cash flows are the proceeds expected to be generated from the sale of the assets under the Teco MIPA, discounted to present value at a rate of 17%. The impairment loss and the related long-lived assets are included in discontinued operations in the accompanying financial statements.

Beneficial Conversion Feature of Convertible Notes Payable

The Company accounts for convertible notes payable in accordance with the guidelines established by the Financial Accounting Standards Board’s (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 470-20, Debt with Conversion and Other Options and Emerging Issues Task Force (“EITF”) 00-27, “Application of Issue No. 98-5 to Certain Convertible Instruments”.  A beneficial conversion feature (“BCF”) exists on the date a convertible note is issued when the fair value of the underlying common stock to which the note is convertible into is in excess of the remaining unallocated proceeds of the note after first considering the allocation of a portion of the note proceeds to the fair value of any attached equity instruments, if any related equity instruments were granted with the debt. In accordance with this guidance, the BCF of a convertible note is measured by allocating a portion of the note's proceeds to the warrants, if applicable, and as a reduction of the carrying amount of the convertible note equal to the intrinsic value of the conversion feature, both of which are credited to additional paid-in-capital. The Company calculates the fair value of warrants issued with the convertible notes using the Black-Scholes valuation model and uses the same assumptions for valuing any employee options in accordance with ASC Topic 718 Compensation – Stock Compensation. The only difference is that the contractual life of the warrants is used.

The value of the proceeds received from a convertible note is then allocated between the conversion features and warrants on a relative fair value basis. The allocated fair value is recorded in the financial statements as a debt discount (premium) from the face amount of the note and such discount is amortized over the expected term of the convertible note (or to the conversion date of the note, if sooner) and is charged to interest expense.

Equity-Based Compensation

The Company accounts for equity instruments issued to employees in accordance with the provisions of ASC 718 Stock Compensation (ASC 718) and Equity-Based Payments to Non-employees pursuant to ASC 505-50 (ASC 505-50). The computation of the expense associated with stock-based compensation requires the use of a valuation model. The FASB-issued accounting guidance requires significant judgment and the use of estimates, particularly surrounding Black-Scholes assumptions such as stock price volatility, expected option lives, and expected option forfeiture rates, to value equity-based compensation. We currently use a Black-Scholes option pricing model to calculate the fair value of our stock options. We primarily use historical data to determine the assumptions to be used in the Black-Scholes model and have no reason to believe that future data is likely to differ materially from historical data. However, changes in the assumptions to reflect future stock price volatility and future stock award exercise experience could result in a change in the assumptions used to value awards in the future and may result in a material change to the fair value calculation of stock-based awards. This accounting guidance requires the recognition of the fair value of stock compensation in net income. Although every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of our estimates and assumptions, significant unanticipated changes in those estimates, interpretations and assumptions may result in recording stock option expense that may materially impact our financial statements for each respective reporting period.

Income Taxes

The Company recognizes deferred tax assets and liabilities for the expected future tax consequences of events that have been included in financial statements or tax returns. Deferred tax items are reflected at the enacted tax laws and statutory tax rates applicable to the periods in which the differences are expected reverse. Valuation allowances are established when necessary to reduce deferred tax assets to the amount expected to be realized. Due to the uncertainty regarding the success of future operations, management has valued the deferred tax asset allowance at 100% of the related deferred tax assets.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

Recently Adopted Standards

In August 2018, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued ASU No. 2018-13, Disclosure Framework-Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement. This ASU eliminates, adds and modifies certain disclosure requirements for fair value measurements as part of its disclosure framework project. The standard is effective for all entities for financial statements issued for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, and interim periods within those fiscal years. The Company adopted the standard on April 1, 2020 and it did not have a material impact on the Company’s financial statements.

Standards Not Yet Adopted

In May 2021, the FASB issued ASU No. 2021-04, Issuer's Accounting for Certain Modifications or Exchanges of Freestanding Equity-Classified Written Call Options. This guidance clarifies and reduces diversity in an issuer’s accounting for modifications or exchanges of freestanding equity-classified written call options due to a lack of explicit guidance in the FASB Codification. The ASU 2021-04 is effective for The Company's fiscal year beginning April 1, 2022. Early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of adopting ASU 2021-04 on its consolidated financial statements.

On June 16, 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13, Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments. The standard requires the use of an “expected loss” model on certain types of financial instruments. The standard also amends the impairment model for available-for-sale debt securities and requires estimated credit losses to be recorded as allowances instead of reductions to amortized cost of the securities. The amendments in this ASU are effective for the Company's fiscal year beginning April 1, 2023. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of ASU 2016-13 on its financial statements.

In June 2020, the FASB issued ASU No. 2020-06, Accounting for Convertible Instruments and Contracts in an Entity's Own Equity. The guidance simplifies the current guidance for convertible instruments and the derivatives scope exception for contracts in an entity’s own equity. Additionally, the amendments affect the diluted EPS calculation for instruments that may be settled in cash or shares and for convertible instruments. This ASU will be effective for the Company's fiscal year beginning April 1, 2024. Early adoption is permitted. The amendments in this update must be applied on either full retrospective basis or modified retrospective basis through a cumulative-effect adjustment to retained earnings/(deficit) in the period of adoption. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of ASU 2020-06 on its consolidated financial statements and related disclosures, as well as the timing of adoption.

All other newly issued accounting pronouncements have been deemed either immaterial or not applicable.

ITEM 7A QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK

As a "smaller reporting company" as defined by Item 10 of Regulation S-K, the Company is not required to provide information required by this Item.

ITEM 8. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

INDEX TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

To the Audit Committee of
GB Sciences, Inc.

Opinion on the Financial Statements

We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheet of GB Sciences, Inc. (the Company) as of March 31, 2021 and 2020, and the related consolidated statements of operations, stockholders’ deficit and cash flows for each of the years in the two-year period ended March 31, 2021 and the related notes (collectively referred to as the “consolidated financial statements”). In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of March 31, 2021 and 2020, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the years in the two-year period ended March 31, 2021, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

Explanatory Paragraph- Going Concern

The accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared assuming that the Company will continue as a going concern. As discussed in Note 3 to the financial statements, the Company has suffered recurring losses for the year ended March 31, 2021. The Company had a net loss of $3,725,027, accumulated deficit of $103,886,232, net cash used in operating activities of $2,185,220 and had negative working capital of $5,054,593. These factors raise substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern. Management’s plans in regard to these matters are also described in Note 3. The consolidated financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty.

Basis for Opinion

These consolidated financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s consolidated financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB) and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the consolidated financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audits, we are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion.

Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the consolidated financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the consolidated financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the consolidated financial statements. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

Critical Audit Matters

The critical audit matters communicated below are matters arising from the current period audit of the financial statements that were communicated or required to be communicated to the audit committee and that: (1) relate to accounts or disclosures that are material to the financial statements and (2) involved our especially challenging, subjective, or complex judgments. The communication of critical audit matters does not alter in any way our opinion on the financial statements, taken as a whole, and we are not, by communicating the critical audit matters below, providing separate opinions on the critical audit matters or on the accounts or disclosures to which they relate.

Inventory Costs

As summarized in Note 2 “Inventory” to the consolidated financial statements, the Company’s inventory consists of three categories, Raw materials, which consists of supplies, materials, and consumables used in the cultivation and extraction processes; work-in-progress which includes live plants and cannabis in the drying, curing, and trimming processes and finished goods includes completed cannabis flower, trim, and extracts in bulk and packaged forms. The inventory, net of reserve was $1,689,304 as of March 31, 2021. Management records the cost of inventory on the consolidated balance sheet based on the costs incurred throughout the year in each category less the amounts transferred to cost of goods sold for sales in the year. Labor costs and overhead costs comprise the majority of overall inventory cost.

We identified the allocation of labor and overhead costs to inventory as a critical audit matter because of the significant estimates management used in the allocation of labor and overhead costs to inventory. Auditing management’s allocations of internal costs to the inventory was complex and involved a high degree of subjectivity.

The primary procedures we performed to address this critical audit matter included (a) Obtained an understanding of management’s process for allocating labor and overhead costs, (b) Tested the accuracy and completeness of allocated labor, including testing, on a sample basis, total labor costs incurred, (c) Tested the accuracy and completeness of overhead costs allocated, including testing, on a sample basis, overhead costs incurred (d) Evaluated the reasonableness of management’s significant assumptions used in such allocation, (e) compared the Company’s inventory ratios and per unit production costs to industry data, and (f) Recomputed the unit cost and total inventory costs.

GB SCIENCES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements

GB SCIENCES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements

GB SCIENCES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY/(DEFICIT)

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements

GB SCIENCES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements

GB SCIENCES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

SUPPLEMENTAL DISCLOSURE OF CASH FLOW INFORMATION

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements