Innovation Pharmaceuticals Inc. - Annual Report: 2023 (Form 10-K)

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2023

OR

FOR THE TRANSITION PERIOD FROM ________ TO __________

Commission File Number: 001-37357

301 Edgewater Place- Suite 100

Wakefield, MA 01880

(Address of principal executive offices, Zip Code)

(978) 921-4125

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

Securities registered under Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act: none

Securities registered under Section 12(g) of the Exchange Act: common stock, Class A, par value $0.0001 per share

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes ☐     No ☒

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act. Yes ☐     No ☒

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes ☒ No ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). Yes ☒ No ☐

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

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report. ☐

If securities are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act, indicate by check mark whether the financial statements of the registrant included in the filing reflect the correction of an error to previously issued financial statements. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether any of those error corrections are restatements that required a recovery analysis of incentive-based compensation received by any of the registrant’s executive officers during the relevant recovery period pursuant to §240.10D-1(b). ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act). Yes ☐     No ☒

The aggregate market value of the registrant’s voting and non-voting common equity held by non-affiliates on December 31, 2022 was $9,197,344 (484,070,733 shares), based on the closing price of the registrant’s common stock of $0.019.

The number of shares outstanding of each of the issuer’s classes of common equity, as of September 10, 2023 is as follows:

INNOVATION PHARMACEUTICALS INC.

FORM 10-K

For the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 2023

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PART I

PRELIMINARY NOTES

References in this report to “Innovation Pharmaceuticals,” “Company,” “we,” “us,” and “our” refer to Innovation Pharmaceuticals Inc., unless the context requires otherwise. References herein to our common stock refer to our Class A common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, unless the context requires otherwise. The Company’s common stock is traded under the stock symbol “IPIX” on the OTC Pink.

Our fiscal year ends on June 30. When we refer to a fiscal year or quarter, we are referring to the year in which the fiscal year ends and the quarters during that fiscal year. Therefore, fiscal 2023 refers to the fiscal year ended June 30, 2023.

GLOSSARY OF TERMS

Set forth below are definitions of certain technical terms used in this report that are commonly used in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries.

ABSSSI: Acute Bacterial Skin and Skin Structure Infection.

Coronavirus, SARS, SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19: Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) is the disease caused by SARS-CoV-2, which is a new strain of coronavirus. SARS-CoV-2 is a positive sense, single-strand enveloped RNA virus. The Coronavirus name is derived from the Latin corona, meaning crown. The viral envelope under electron microscopy appears crown-like due to small bulbar projections formed by the viral spike (S) peplomers. SARS is the acronym for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome.

EMA: The European Medicines Agency.

Emergency Use Authorization: An Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) is a mechanism to facilitate the availability and use of medical countermeasures during public health emergencies.

FDA: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

HNC: Head and Neck Cancer. Head and neck cancer is a term used to define cancer that develops in the mouth, throat, nose, salivary glands, oral cancers or other areas of the head and neck. Most of these cancers are squamous cell carcinomas, or cancers that begin in the lining of the mouth, nose and throat.

IBD: Inflammatory Bowel Disease. An umbrella term for chronic, hard-to-treat conditions of the Gastrointestinal tract, with ulcerative colitis, and Crohn’s disease being common examples of extensive forms of the disease and ulcerative proctitis / proctosigmoiditis being more limited in distribution.

IND: Investigational New Drug. A substance that has been tested in the laboratory and has been approved by the FDA for testing in people.

In Vitro: Refers to the technique of performing a given experiment in a test tube, or, generally, in a controlled environment outside a living organism.

NDA: A New Drug Application with the FDA.

OM: Oral Mucositis. Oral mucositis is a common complication of cancer chemotherapy/ chemoradiation or radiation therapy. Oral mucositis causes the mucosal lining of the mouth to atrophy and break down, forming ulcers.

Small Molecule Drug: A medicinal drug compound having a low molecular weight.

Ulcerative Proctitis/Ulcerative Proctosigmoiditis: A mucosal inflammation involving only the rectum or rectum and sigmoid colon (lower end of the colon); a limited form of ulcerative colitis.

CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This report contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. Any statements contained in this report that are not statements of historical fact may be forward-looking statements. When we use the words “intends,” “estimates,” “predicts,” “potential,” “continues,” “anticipates,” “plans,” “expects,” “believes,” “should,” “could,” “may,” “will” or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology, we are identifying forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, any statements regarding our future financial performance, results of operations or sufficiency of capital resources to fund our operating requirements; statements relating to potential licensing, partnering or similar arrangements concerning our drug compounds; statements concerning our future drug development plans and projected timelines for the initiation and completion of preclinical and clinical trials; the potential for the results of ongoing preclinical or clinical trials; other statements regarding our future product development and regulatory strategies, including with respect to specific indications; statements relating to future developments at BT BeaMedical Technologies Ltd.; and any other statements which are other than statements of historical fact. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements. These factors include, but are not limited to, our ability to continue as a going concern and our capital needs; our ability to fund and successfully progress internal research and development efforts; our ability to create effective, commercially-viable drugs; our ability to effectively and timely conduct clinical trials; our ability to ultimately distribute our drug candidates; our ability to achieve certain future regulatory, development and commercialization milestones under our license agreement with Alfasigma S.p.A.; BT BeaMedical Technologies Ltd.’s ability to develop and commercialize its technology; and compliance with regulatory requirements, as well as other factors described elsewhere in this report and our other reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, we cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements.

Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made. Except as may be required by applicable law, we do not undertake or intend to update or revise our forward-looking statements, and we assume no obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this report as a result of new information or future events or developments. Thus, you should not assume that our silence over time means that actual events are bearing out as expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements. You should carefully review and consider the various disclosures we make in this report and our other reports filed with the SEC that attempt to advise interested parties of the risks, uncertainties and other factors that may affect our business. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

For further information about these and other risks, uncertainties and factors, please review the disclosure included in this report under “Part I, Item 1A, Risk Factors.”

SUMMARY RISK FACTORS

The following is a summary of the risks and uncertainties that could cause the Company’s business, financial condition or operating results to be harmed. Prospective investors should carefully consider all of the information in this report and, in particular, the disclosure included in this report under “Part I, Item 1A, Risk Factors,” before deciding whether to invest in the Company’s common stock.

Risks Related to Our Business

Risks Related to the Securities Markets and Investments in Our Class A Common Stock

ITEM 1. BUSINESS

OVERVIEW OF OUR BUSINESS

Overview

Innovation Pharmaceuticals Inc. is a clinical stage pharmaceutical company developing innovative therapies with anti-infective, oncology, anti-inflammatory and dermatology applications. The Company’s lead drug candidate Brilacidin is in a class of compounds called defensin-mimetics, small compounds that mimic the structure and function of defensins, also known as host defense peptides. The Company’s efforts are primarily focused on business development for the advancement of Brilacidin in the treatment of infectious diseases and Oral Mucositis. Ongoing activities include Brilacidin drug manufacturing, scientific report writing, and supportive research activities. The Company also owns an interest in BT BeaMedical Technologies Ltd. (“BTL”), formerly known as Squalus Medical Ltd., a private company developing a novel image guided surgical laser platform. Management is focused on other avenues of business development, including, but not limited to, joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions, strategic investments, and licensing agreements, for the purpose of diversifying corporate assets, although there can be no assurances that any agreement will be consummated in the future.

Recent Developments

As of the date of this filing, Brilacidin is being studied by NIH/NIAID-affiliated and other independent researchers funded by US Government grants, as a potential broad-spectrum antifungal. We anticipate these studies to continue as long as researchers remain positive about the antifungal properties and therapeutic potential of Brilacidin and government funding is available.

On April 17, 2023, the Company reported the publication of Brilacidin antifungal research in Nature Communications, discussing combinations of Brilacidin and other antifungal drugs toward improving treatment outcomes in fungal diseases. To date, Brilacidin has exhibited varying degrees of antifungal activity in multiple hard-to-treat fungal pathogens.

On June 5, 2023, the Company announced a milestone in the development of BTL’s StingRay Laser System. BTL has completed the manufacture of MRI compatible fiber optic probes, allowing for additional comprehensive integration tests to be performed.

On June 21, 2023, the Company provided an update on U.S. patent applications for Brilacidin. Patents covering Brilacidin use in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases and Coronaviruses have been allowed, with a separate Brilacidin patent application in fungal diseases undergoing review.

Business Development and Licensing

The Company is actively engaged in business development and licensing initiatives with specialty and global pharmaceutical companies. The Company may also seek to enter into agreements with other third-party entities for research, development, and commercialization of other types of technologies or products. The goal of these efforts is to diversify and add value to the Company’s assets. From time to time, the Company may be party to various indications of interest and term sheets and participate in preliminary discussions and negotiations regarding potential licensing or partnership arrangements. It remains the Company’s primary objective to complete licensing deals, territorial and/or global, to provide access to non-dilutive capital to advance clinical assets forward in the most expeditious and cost-effective manner. The Company can make no assurance that partnerships will occur, but is committed toward executing on these potential alliance and partnership opportunities.

In July 2019, the Company entered into a license agreement with Alfasigma S.p.A. (“Alfasigma”), granting Alfasigma the worldwide right to develop, manufacture and commercialize rectally administered Brilacidin for ulcerative proctitis/ulcerative proctosigmoiditis (“UP/UPS”). The license agreement provides Alfasigma with a right of first refusal for Brilacidin for the treatment of more extensive forms of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease, as well as a right of first negotiation for Brilacidin in other gastrointestinal indications. Phase 1 studies in healthy volunteers using Brilacidin in a proprietary Alfasigma formulation have successfully completed. In late September 2022, Alfasigma notified the Company that a revised clinical development plan for UP/UPS, incorporating regulatory authority feedback, is being enacted. In July 2023, Alfasigma confirmed further delay in the progress of the UP/UPS clinical program, without providing an updated timeline. Brilacidin drug substance is manufactured under direction of the Company as part of the licensing agreement with Alfasigma. The Company is eligible to receive $24 million in upfront and milestone payments, and a 6 percent royalty (net sales) upon the successful marketing of Brilacidin for UP/UPS. There can be no assurance that Alfasigma will meet their estimated timeline.

The Company and Fox Chase Chemical Diversity Center, Inc. (“FCCDC”) have a collaborative research agreement related to an antifungal drug discovery program.  In exchange for a six percent fee tied to all potential future proceeds, the Company granted FCCDC all discovery, intellectual property and commercialization rights related to its share of this joint antifungal drug program which is for a compound other than Brilacidin. On May 3, 2022, the Company received payment of $18,000 from FCCDC based on FCCDC’s third-party license of this compound. Subsequently in January 2023, this third party license was terminated.

Development Programs

We have no product sales to date and we will not receive any product revenue until we receive approval from the FDA or equivalent foreign regulatory agencies to begin marketing a pharmaceutical product. Milestone payments from our licensee are also dependent on clinical/regulatory milestones. We are actively engaged in business development for partnering Brilacidin. Developing pharmaceutical products, however, is a lengthy and very expensive process and there can be no assurance that we will complete such development or commercialize such pharmaceutical products for several years, if ever. Advancement of our Brilacidin clinical programs is dependent on securing sufficient working capital.

The Company devotes most of its efforts and resources on Brilacidin. We expect to concentrate on product development and engage in a limited way in product discovery, avoiding the significant investment of time and financial resources that is generally required for a promising compound to be identified and brought into clinical trials.

Set forth below is an overview of our most recent research and development efforts on Brilacidin through the date of this Annual Report on Form 10-K:

Brilacidin

Oral Mucositis (OM) study - In a randomized, double-blind Phase 2 study of Brilacidin for the prevention and control of OM in patients receiving chemoradiation for treatment of Head and Neck Cancer (HNC), Brilacidin (administered three times daily as an oral rinse) markedly reduced the rate of severe OM (WHO Grade ≥ 3), delayed onset of severe OM and decreased duration of severe OM. The Company and the FDA have completed an End-of-Phase 2 meeting concerning the continuing development of Brilacidin oral rinse to decrease the incidence of severe OM in HNC patients receiving chemoradiation. Both parties agreed to an acceptable Brilacidin Phase 3 development pathway, including studying Brilacidin oral rinse effects on severe OM when cisplatin, the preferred chemotherapy regimen in HNC care, is administered in higher concentrations (80-100 mg/m2) every 21 days, and at lower concentrations (30-40 mg/m2) administered weekly as part of the chemoradiation regimen.

An optimized oral rinse formulation has been developed, and 12-month stability testing shows it to be stable. Further advancement in the indication of oral mucositis requires additional drug formulation/analytical work, followed by clinical trial supply manufacturing prior to progressing to Phase 3 clinical trials. Given the low price per share of our common stock and the many multiple million dollar costs associated with a Phase 3 program, at this time clinical trial supply manufacturing and Phase 3 clinical trial conduct are delayed, with such activities pending securing sufficient working capital and/or partnership.

IBD, Ulcerative Proctitis/Proctosigmoiditis (UP/UPS) study - A Phase 2a trial has previously been completed by the Company, comprised of three sequential cohorts, with progressive dose escalation by cohort: cohort A (6 patients) - 50 mg, cohort B (6 patients) - 100 mg, and cohort C (5 patients) - 200 mg, respectively. Treatment with Brilacidin by daily enema administration was performed for 42 days. The primary efficacy endpoint of clinical remission (accounting for stool frequency, rectal bleeding and endoscopy findings subscores) was met by the majority of patients across the cohorts. Brilacidin was generally well-tolerated. Patient quality of life (as assessed by the short inflammatory bowel disease questionnaire, or SIBDQ) showed notable improvements. Limited systemic exposure to Brilacidin was demonstrated as measured by plasma Brilacidin concentrations. In July 2019, the Company entered into a license agreement with Alfasigma, granting Alfasigma the worldwide right to develop, manufacture and commercialize rectally administered Brilacidin for UP/UPS. Phase 1 studies in healthy volunteers using Brilacidin in a proprietary Alfasigma formulation have successfully completed, and Alfasigma has advised the Company that the Phase 2 study has been further delayed without providing an updated timeline.  

IBD, Ulcerative Colitis (UC) - Brilacidin has also been developed as a treatment in more extensive forms of IBD. Development of a delayed release oral formulation has been in progress, with development work expanding into immediate release formulations due to unexpected findings encountered. Such findings appear due to the inherent physiochemical properties of the compound, and those of polymers used to achieve delayed release. An immediate release, multi-particulate, capsule formulation has been developed, although further work has since been halted due to instability of that formulation being identified. Hence, further advancement in the indication of ulcerative colitis requires conduct of additional formulation development work prior to Phase 1 testing of that oral formulation. Completion of formulation/analytical development work, clinical trial supply manufacturing, and subsequent progression into clinical trials, are pending securing sufficient drug supply and working capital.

COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2), Additional Viruses - In December 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administrations (FDA) approved the Company’s Investigational New Drug (IND) application to proceed with initiation of a randomized, placebo-controlled Phase 2 clinical trial (NCT04784897) of Brilacidin in moderate-to-severe hospitalized patients with COVID-19. Similar regulatory approval was obtained from the Russian Ministry of Health. This Phase 2 clinical trial of intravenously-administered Brilacidin (3- and 5-day dosing) for COVID-19 conducted at sites in the United States and Russia has since completed (n=120). While the trial’s primary endpoint of time to sustained recovery through Day 29 was not met, patients who started study treatment within fewer than 7 days of onset of COVID-19 symptoms achieved sustained recovery more quickly (Brilacidin 5-dose group versus pooled placebo, p=0.03). Other beneficial treatment effects based on the trial’s primary endpoint of sustained recovery were also observed in subgroups of patients with the highest (upper quartile) baseline values for key COVID-19 biomarkers. On two secondary endpoints, more patients treated with Brilacidin (5-dose group) achieved clinical improvement by 10 days as measured by National Emergency Warning Score 2 (NEWS2) criteria, and the mean change from baseline in NEWS2 was greater for Brilacidin treatment groups at all assessment timepoints. Additionally, under compassionate use of Brilacidin in critical cases of COVID-19, where Brilacidin was administered more frequently and over a longer duration than in the Phase 2 trial, investigators reported positive changes to subject status. Pursing a biomarker-driven approach, increasing Brilacidin dosing, targeting different patient populations, testing Brilacidin in combination with other drugs (e.g., remdesivir, given synergistic in vitro data) -- all are areas under consideration for potential future Brilacidin COVID-19 clinical trials pending obtaining government, partnership-based or other financial support. Antiviral data on Brilacidin in non-SARS-CoV-2 viruses has been generated and presented at scientific conferences.

ABSSSI - In February 2016, the Company submitted a Special Protocol Assessment (SPA) request, along with a final protocol, to the FDA, for a Phase 3 clinical trial of Brilacidin for the treatment of Acute Bacterial Skin and Skin Structure Infection (ABSSSI) caused by gram-positive bacteria, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). We received from the FDA comments and considerations for incorporation into our study design. Management decided to delay its response to the FDA due to the low price per share of our common stock and the many multiple million dollar costs associated with a Phase 3 program. Our strategy, for now, is to achieve success with other trials and attract partnering opportunities that may provide significant upfront payments and milestone payments, which can then be used to fund the ABSSSI program. We see ABSSSI as the appropriate gateway indication in infectious diseases, enabling potential further studies of Brilacidin’s use for implant coating and biofilm infections.

Antifungal - Recent data generated from independent researchers suggest Brilacidin has potential to be developed as a novel antifungal agent. Brilacidin converted caspofungin from a fungistatic into a fungicidal drug, enabling it to overcome both drug resistance and biofilm formation. Brilacidin exerted, to a lesser degree, synergistic effects with voriconazole in A. fumigatus. Further in vitro testing showed Brilacidin synergized with caspofungin in C. albicans, C. auris and C. neoformans. In an A. fumigatus immunosuppressed mouse model in invasive pulmonary aspergillosis, Brilacidin plus caspofungin cleared infection in the lungs by almost 95 percent, compared to ~50 percent when each compound was administered individually. In an A. fumigatus mouse model in ocular keratitis, compared to control, Brilacidin reduced fungal burden and disease severity, while also improving corneal thickness. Brilacidin also showed in vitro an additive inhibitory effect when combined with posaconazole in several species of Mucorales, the main etiological agents of mucormycosis, commonly referred to as black fungus. Brilacidin further showed potent in vitro stand-alone efficacy in C. neoformans, a major driver of illness in people living with HIV/AIDS. Brilacidin antifungal data has been presented at scientific conferences. Additional Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) in vitro testing, via NIH-NIAID-affiliated researchers and a third-party vendor, has shown promising Brilacidin activity in numerous fungal pathogens. Further preclinical testing of Brilacidin is planned in C. albicans and C. neoformans., including additional in vivo testing in efficacy models.

Expenditures on Brilacidin were approximately $0.3 million and $3.3 million during the years ended June 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively.

We have no product sales to date and we will not receive any product revenue until we receive approval from the FDA or equivalent foreign regulatory agencies to begin marketing a pharmaceutical product. Developing pharmaceutical products, however, is a lengthy and very expensive process and there can be no assurance that we will complete such development or commercialize such for several years, if ever.

BT BEAMEDICAL TECHNOLOGIES LTD.

On June 9, 2022, the Company entered into a Series A Preferred Share Purchase Agreement (the “Purchase Agreement”) with BT BeaMedical Technologies Ltd. (formerly known as Squalus Medical Ltd.) (“BTL”), the inventing company and developer of a novel laser-based thermal ablation technology designed for treatment of previously inoperable cases of epilepsy and for improvement of outcomes and enablement of new treatment options for oncology procedures, including those treating brain, prostate, liver, breast and lung cancers.

The new fiber optic technology with an advanced laser console and computerized intelligent control is being designed to allow a match between the structure of tumors and epileptic focal points and the energy delivery, while protecting vital functional areas against thermal damage. The console integrates advanced imaging modalities, and guides the physician, making sure the treatment is adjusted to the specific patient needs with real time energy control.

BTL is pursuing the FDA 510(k) pathway for marketing clearance in the U.S. and the corresponding process for a CE Mark in Europe.

Pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, the Company purchased 55,556 shares of BTL’s Series A Redeemable Preferred Shares (the “Series A Shares”) and a warrant to purchase 27,778 Series A Shares for aggregate consideration of $4,000,000, or approximately $72.00 per Series A Share. Following the closing under the Purchase Agreement, the Company owns approximately 35.7% of BTL’s issued and outstanding equity securities and approximately 41.6% of BTL’s equity securities on a fully diluted basis. The Company also entered into customary investor rights and indemnification agreements with BTL.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

As of June 30, 2023, we had 8 issued patents, and 1 pending patent application relating to Brilacidin, in the United States and other countries. Our issued patents expire between 2024 and 2036. We rely on a combination of patents and trade secrets, as well as confidentiality and non-use agreements to protect our intellectual property. Our patent strategy is designed to facilitate commercialization of our current and future product candidates, and create barriers to entry.

Patent Write Off

During the fiscal years ended June 30, 2023 and 2022, the Company has written off the patent costs relating to Kevetrin of approximately $0 and $141,000, respectively and included these in general and administrative expenses.

Payments Related to Assignment of Compounds

In September 2013, the Company acquired substantially all of the assets of Polymedix Inc, and Polymedix Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (together, “Polymedix”), including Polymedix’s rights to Brilacidin under a patent license agreement with the Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania (“Penn”). Under the terms of the patent license agreement, the Company will pay to Penn a royalty on gross sales of the compounds licensed thereunder ranging from 0.5% to 3.0%, plus certain other payments as provided therein. In addition, the Company will pay Penn 10% of all consideration received from sublicensees.

MANUFACTURING

The Company does not intend to establish manufacturing capabilities or facilities. The Company believes it can contract or partner with third parties for manufacturing at sites registered with the FDA and contract with third-party scientists for pharmaco-kinetic, pharmaco-dynamic and toxicology studies. Such studies generally must be completed prior to filing an investigational new drug (IND) application with the FDA, and an IND is necessary to begin human safety and efficacy trials (Phase 1, 2 and 3).

GOVERNMENT REGULATION

Our operations and activities are subject to extensive regulation by numerous government authorities in the United States and other countries. In the United States, drugs are subject to rigorous regulation by the FDA. The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA) and other federal and state statutes and regulations govern the testing, development, manufacture, quality control, distribution, safety, effectiveness, labeling, storage, record keeping, reporting, approval, advertising and promotion, and import and export of our investigational products. Failure to comply with FDA requirements may result in enforcement action, including warning letters, fines, civil or criminal penalties, suspension or delays in clinical development, recall or seizure of products, partial or total suspension of production or withdrawal of a product from the market. Although the discussion below focuses on regulation in the United States, which is our primary initial focus, we anticipate seeking approval to market our products in other countries. Generally, our activities in other countries will be subject to regulation that is similar in nature and scope as that imposed in the U.S., although there can be important differences.

Development and Approval

Product development and the product approval process are very expensive and time consuming, and we cannot be certain that the FDA will grant approval for any of our drug product candidates on a timely basis, if at all. Under the FDCA, the FDA must approve any new drug before it can be sold in the United States. The general process for obtaining FDA approval of a drug is as follows:

Preclinical Testing

Before we can test a drug candidate in humans, we must develop extensive preclinical data, generally derived from laboratory evaluations of product chemistry and formulation, as well as toxicological and pharmacological studies in animals, to generate data to support the drug’s quality and potential safety and benefits. Certain animal studies must be performed in compliance with the FDA’s Good Laboratory Practice, or GLP, regulations and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal Welfare Act.

We submit this preclinical data and other information to the FDA in an IND. Human clinical trials cannot commence until an IND application is submitted and becomes effective. Based on the data and information contained in the IND, the FDA must determine whether there is an adequate basis for testing the drug candidate in initial clinical studies in human volunteers. Unless the FDA raises concerns, the IND becomes effective 30 days following its receipt by the FDA.

Clinical Trials

Once the IND goes into effect, we study an investigational drug in human clinical trials to determine if the drug is safe and effective for a particular use. Clinical trials involve the administration of the drug to healthy human volunteers or to patients under the supervision of a qualified investigator. The conduct of clinical trials is subject to extensive regulation, including compliance with the FDA’s bioresearch monitoring regulations and Good Clinical Practice, or GCP, requirements, which establish standards for conducting, recording data from, and reporting the results of clinical trials, and are intended to assure that the data and reported results are credible and accurate, and that the rights, safety, and well-being of study participants are protected. Clinical trials must be conducted under protocols that detail the study objectives, parameters for monitoring safety, and the efficacy criteria, if any, to be evaluated. FDA reviews each protocol that is submitted to the IND. In addition, each clinical trial must be reviewed and approved by, and conducted under the auspices of, an Institutional Review Board, or IRB, for each institution conducting the clinical trial. Companies sponsoring the clinical trials, investigators, and IRBs also must comply with regulations and guidelines for obtaining informed consent from the study subjects, complying with the protocol and investigational plan, adequately monitoring the clinical trial, and timely reporting adverse events. Foreign studies conducted under an IND must meet the same requirements that apply to studies being conducted in the U.S. Data from a foreign study not conducted under an IND may be submitted in support of an NDA if the study was conducted in accordance with GCP and, if necessary, the FDA is able to validate the data through an on-site inspection, if the agency deems such inspection necessary.

In general, clinical trials involve three separate phases that often overlap, can take many years to complete, and are very expensive. These three phases are as follows:

Phase 1. The investigational drug is given to a small number of human subjects to test for safety, dose tolerance, pharmacokinetics, metabolism, distribution and excretion. In most disease states Phase 1 studies are performed in healthy volunteers. In cancer, Phase 1 studies generally are performed in cancer patients.

Phase 2. The investigational drug is given to a limited patient population to determine the initial effect of the drug in treating the disease, the best dose of the drug, and the possible side effects and safety risks of the drug. Phase 2 trials typically are controlled studies.

Phase 3. If Phase 2 clinical trials of a compound yield promising data regarding safety and effectiveness, the compound may be advanced to Phase 3 clinical trials to confirm those results. Phase 3 clinical trials typically are long-term, involve a significantly larger population of patients, are conducted at numerous sites in different geographic regions, and are carefully designed to provide reliable and conclusive data regarding the safety and benefits of a drug and to form the basis for labeling. It is not uncommon for a drug that appears promising in Phase 2 clinical trials to fail in the more rigorous and reliable Phase 3 clinical trials.

At any point in this process, the development of a drug could be stopped for a number of reasons, including safety concerns and lack of treatment benefit. We cannot be certain that any clinical trials that we are currently conducting, or any that we conduct in the future, will be completed successfully or within any specified time period. We may choose, or the FDA or an IRB may require us, to delay or suspend our clinical trials at any time if, for example, it appears that the patients are being exposed to an unacceptable health risk or if the drug candidate does not appear to have sufficient treatment benefit. Success in early-stage clinical trials does not assure success in later-stage clinical trials, and data obtained from clinical activities are not always conclusive and may be subject to alternative interpretations that could delay, limit or prevent further development and regulatory approval.

FDA Approval Process

If we believe that the data from the Phase 3 clinical trials show an adequate level of safety and effectiveness, we will file a new drug application (NDA) with the FDA seeking approval to sell the drug for a particular use. When an NDA is submitted, the FDA conducts a preliminary review to determine whether the application is sufficiently complete to be accepted for filing. If it is not, the FDA may refuse to file the application and request additional information, in which case the application must be resubmitted with the supplemental information, and review of the application is delayed.

Upon accepting the NDA for filing, the FDA will review the NDA and may hold a public hearing where an independent advisory committee of expert advisors considers key questions regarding the drug. This advisory committee makes a recommendation to the FDA, which is not binding on the FDA, but is generally followed.

Under the Pediatric Research Equity Act, certain applications for approval must include an assessment, generally based on clinical study data, of the safety and effectiveness of the subject drug in relevant pediatric populations. The FDA may waive or defer the requirement for a pediatric assessment, either at the company’s request or by the agency’s initiative. The FDA may determine that a Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy, or REMS, is necessary to ensure that the benefits of a new product outweigh its risks. A REMS may include various elements, ranging from a medication guide or patient package insert to limitations on who may prescribe or dispense the drug, depending on what the FDA considers necessary for the safe use of the drug.

Before approving an NDA, the FDA will inspect the facilities at which the product will be manufactured. The FDA will not approve the product unless it determines that the manufacturing processes and facilities for the drug, including those of companies who manufacture our drugs for us and including foreign establishments that may manufacture the product for sale in the U.S., comply with cGMP requirements (described below) and are adequate to assure consistent production of the product within required specifications.

If the FDA concludes that an NDA does not meet the regulatory standards for approval, the FDA typically issues a Complete Response letter communicating the agency’s decision not to approve the application and outlining the deficiencies in the submission. The Complete Response letter also may request further information, including additional preclinical or clinical data or improvements to manufacturing processes, procedures, or facilities. Even if such additional information and data are submitted, the FDA may decide that the NDA still does not meet the standards for approval.

The FDA may reject an application because, among other reasons, it believes that the drug is not safe enough, or effective enough, or because it does not believe that the data submitted are reliable or conclusive. FDA may interpret data differently than the sponsor. Obtaining regulatory approval often takes a number of years, involves the expenditure of substantial resources, and depends on a number of factors, including the nature of the disease or condition the drug is intended to address, the availability of alternative treatments, and the risks and benefits demonstrated in clinical trials.

If the FDA agrees that the drug candidate has met the required level of safety and effectiveness for a particular use, it will approve the NDA, allowing the Company to sell the drug in the United States for that use. As a condition of approval, the FDA may impose restrictions that could affect the commercial success of a drug. For example, the FDA could require post-approval commitments, including completion within a specified time period of additional clinical studies, which often are referred to as “Phase 4” or “post-marketing” studies. The FDA also may limit the scope of the approved uses of the drug. Certain post-approval modifications to the drug product, such as changes in indications, labeling, or manufacturing processes or facilities, may require a sponsor to develop additional data or conduct additional preclinical or clinical trials, to be submitted in a new or supplemental NDA, which would require FDA approval.

Should our products be approved for marketing, we would also be subject to various other state and federal laws concerning the marketing and cost reimbursement of our products.

Major jurisdictions outside the United States, such as the European Union, Japan and Canada, have similarly rigorous regulatory processes. They may also require studies not required by the FDA, which can add to the cost and risk of development. Products approved by the FDA might not be approved in these other countries. After review by the health authorities, pricing and cost reimbursement are also subject to separate approvals in many of these countries.

Post-Approval Regulation

Even if regulatory approval is granted, a marketed drug product is subject to continuing comprehensive requirements under federal, state and foreign laws and regulations, including requirements and restrictions regarding adverse event reporting, recordkeeping, marketing, and compliance with current good manufacturing practices (cGMP). Adverse events reported after approval of a drug can result in additional restrictions on the use of a drug or requirements for additional post-marketing studies or clinical trials. The FDA or similar agencies in other countries may also require labeling changes to products at any time based on new safety information. If ongoing regulatory requirements are not met or if safety problems occur after the product reaches the market, the FDA or similar agencies in other countries may at any time withdraw product approval or take actions that would suspend marketing or approval.

Good Manufacturing Practices. Companies engaged in manufacturing drug products or their components must comply with applicable cGMP requirements and product-specific regulations enforced by the FDA and other regulatory agencies. If, after approval, a company makes a material change in manufacturing equipment, location, or process (all of which are, to some degree, incorporated in the NDA), additional regulatory review and approval may be required. The FDA also conducts regular, periodic visits to re-inspect equipment, facilities, and processes following the initial approval of a product. Failure to comply with applicable cGMP requirements and conditions of product approval may lead the FDA to seek sanctions, including fines, civil penalties, injunctions, suspension of manufacturing operations, operating restrictions, withdrawal of FDA approval, seizure or recall of products, and criminal prosecution.

Advertising and Promotion. The FDA and other federal regulatory agencies closely regulate the marketing and promotion of drugs through, among other things, standards and regulations for advertising, promotion to physicians and patients, communications regarding unapproved uses, and industry-sponsored scientific and educational activities. Failure to comply with applicable FDA requirements and other restrictions in this area may subject a company to adverse publicity and enforcement action by the FDA, the Department of Justice, the Office of the Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services, and state authorities, as well as civil and criminal fines and agreements that may materially restrict the manner in which a company promotes or distributes drug products.

Other Requirements. In addition, companies that manufacture or distribute drug products or that hold approved NDAs must comply with other regulatory requirements, including submitting annual reports, reporting information about adverse drug experiences, submitting establishment registrations and drug listings, and maintaining certain records.

Orphan Drug Exclusivity

The Orphan Drug Act established incentives for the development of drugs intended to treat rare diseases or conditions, which generally are diseases or conditions affecting less than 200,000 individuals in the U.S. at the time of the request for orphan designation. If a sponsor demonstrates that a drug is intended to treat a rare disease or condition and meets other applicable requirements, the FDA grants orphan drug designation to the product for that use. The benefits of orphan drug designation include tax credits for clinical testing expenses and exemption from user fees. A drug candidate that is approved for the orphan drug designated use typically is granted seven years of orphan drug exclusivity. During that period, the FDA generally may not approve any other application for the same product for the same indication, although there are exceptions, most notably when the later product is shown to be clinically superior to the product with exclusivity. There may be opportunities for the Company to pursue Orphan Drug designation for Brilacidin.

Pediatric Exclusivity

Section 505A of the FDCA provides for six months of additional exclusivity if an NDA sponsor submits pediatric data that fairly respond to a written request from the FDA for such data. The data do not need to show the product to be safe and effective in the pediatric population studied; rather, if the clinical trial is deemed to fairly respond to the FDA’s request, the additional protection is granted. If reports of requested pediatric studies are submitted to and accepted by the FDA within the statutory time limits, whatever statutory or regulatory periods of exclusivity or Orange Book listed patent protection that cover the drug are extended by six months.

Qualified Infectious Disease Product Exclusivity

The Generating Antibiotic Incentives Now (GAIN) Act amended the FDCA to encourage pharmaceutical companies to develop new antimicrobial drugs to treat serious and life-threatening infections. Among other measures, GAIN grants an additional five years of marketing exclusivity for new antibacterial or antifungal human drugs designated under the law as a “qualified infectious disease product” (QIDP). This five-year period of exclusivity is in addition to any existing regulatory exclusivity, including Hatch-Waxman, orphan drug, or pediatric exclusivity. In addition, QIDPs are eligible for fast-track designation and priority review to facilitate expedited development and review processes with the FDA. Our investigational drug Brilacidin has been granted QIDP designation as a potential new treatment for ABSSSI. There may be additional opportunities for the Company to pursue QIDP designation for Brilacidin.

Fast Track Designation and Priority Review

Brilacidin, for the indications of SARS-CoV-2 and Oral Mucositis, has been awarded Fast Track designation. The Fast Track program is intended to expedite or facilitate the process for reviewing new drugs that demonstrate the potential to address unmet medical needs involving serious or life-threatening diseases or conditions. If a drug receives Fast Track designation, the FDA may consider reviewing sections of the NDA on a rolling basis, rather than requiring the entire application to be submitted to begin the review. Products with Fast Track designation also may be eligible for more frequent meetings and correspondence with the FDA about the product’s development.

Brilacidin also may qualify for priority review. Priority review is available to a drug that treats a serious condition and that, if approved, would provide a significant improvement in safety or effectiveness. Priority review designation provides for a six-month review goal for an NDA, rather than the standard 10-month review timeframe.

Other FDA programs intended to expedite development and review include accelerated approval, which allows the FDA to approve a drug on the basis of a surrogate endpoint that is reasonably likely to predict clinical benefit, and Breakthrough Therapy designation, which is intended to expedite the development and review of drugs for serious or life-threatening conditions and where preliminary clinical evidence shows that the drug may have substantial improvement on at least one clinically significant endpoint over available therapy.

Even if a product qualifies for Fast Track designation or Breakthrough Therapy designation, the FDA may later decide that the product no longer meets the conditions for qualification and may rescind the designation. Moreover, none of these programs assures ultimate approval of an investigational product. FDA may determine that the product does not meet the standards for approval.

Expanded Access

Sometimes called “compassionate use”, expanded access is a potential pathway for a patient with an immediately life-threatening condition or serious disease or condition to gain access to an investigational medical product (drug, biologic, or medical device) for treatment outside of clinical trials when no comparable or satisfactory alternative therapy options are available.

Expanded access may be appropriate when all the following apply:

Investigational drugs, biologics or medical devices have not yet been approved or cleared by FDA and FDA has not found these products to be safe and effective for their specific use. Furthermore, the investigational medical product may, or may not, be effective in the treatment of the condition, and use of the product may cause unexpected serious side effects.

PAYCHECK PROTECTION PROGRAM

On May 10, 2020 and April 19, 2021, the Company received loan proceeds in the amount of approximately $93,000 and $79,000, respectively, under the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) and it was recorded under loan payable. The PPP, established as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”), provides for loans to qualifying businesses for amounts up to 2.5 times of the average monthly payroll expenses of the qualifying business. The loans and accrued interest are forgivable after eight weeks as long as the borrower uses the loan proceeds for eligible purposes, including payroll, benefits, rent and utilities, and maintains its payroll levels. The amount of loan forgiveness will be reduced if the borrower terminates employees or reduces salaries during the eight-week period.

During the year ended June 30, 2022, the Company obtained the approval of the forgiveness of the above mentioned two loans, and the Company recorded the total loan forgiveness of $172,000 under other income. There was no other income in 2023.

COMPETITION

Competition in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries is intense and upon any successful drug approval we will have to compete with existing therapies. In addition, a large number of companies are pursuing the development of pharmaceuticals that target the same diseases and conditions that we are targeting. Many pharmaceutical or biotechnology companies have products on the market and are actively engaged in the research and development of products that are competitive with our potential products. Many of these companies and institutions, either alone or together with their collaborative partners, have substantially greater financial, manufacturing, sales, distribution and technical resources and more experience in research and development, clinical trials and regulatory matters, than we do. In addition, our competitors may succeed in developing technologies and drugs that are more effective, better tolerated or less costly than any which are being developed by us or which would render our technology or potential drugs obsolete or noncompetitive.

With respect to Brilacidin, our drug candidate, there are many drugs approved to treat illnesses and infections in the therapeutic areas we are targeting, including inflammatory bowel disease, and ABSSSI, and many more in the publicly disclosed development pipeline. There is no drug yet approved for preventing severe oral mucositis in head and neck cancer patients.

The key competitive factors affecting the success of our drug candidate, if approved, is likely to be its efficacy, safety, convenience and price, the effectiveness of alternative products, the level of competition and the availability of coverage and adequate reimbursement from government and other third-party payors.

Our commercial opportunity could be reduced or eliminated if our competitors develop and commercialize products or therapies that are safer, more effective, have fewer or less severe side effects, are more convenient or are less expensive than any product that we may develop. Our competitors also may obtain FDA, European Medicines Agency (EMA), 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 payors seeking to encourage the use of generic products.

Our success depends on our ability to identify types of these respective diseases where our drug has an advantage over existing therapies and those in the publicly disclosed development pipeline.

EMPLOYEES

As of June 30, 2023, the Company had 4 employees. The Company also conducts its operations using contractors and consultants.

CORPORATE INFORMATION

Innovation Pharmaceuticals Inc. was incorporated on August 1, 2005 in the State of Nevada. The Company has as its corporate headquarters 301 Edgewater Place - Suite 100, Wakefield, MA 01880, a facility that maintains our virtual offices, and if needed, the use of physical offices, meeting rooms, and business support services on a fee for use basis. All our employees and consultants work remotely. The Company’s telephone number is (978) 921-4125. The Company maintains an internet website at www.IPharmInc.com. The Company makes available, free of charge, through the Investors section of its website, its Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K, and all amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, as soon as reasonably practicable after such material is electronically filed with, or furnished to, the SEC. The information on the Company’s website is not, and shall not be deemed to be, a part hereof or incorporated into this or any of our other filings with the SEC.

ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS

Investing in the Company’s common stock involves a high degree of risk. Prospective investors should carefully consider the risks described below, together with all of the other information included or referred to in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, before purchasing shares of the Company’s common stock. There are numerous and varied risks, known and unknown, that may prevent the Company from achieving its goals. The risks described below are not the only ones the Company will face. If any of these risks actually occur, the Company’s business, financial condition or results of operation may be materially adversely affected. In such case, the trading price of the Company’s common stock could decline and investors in the Company’s common stock could lose all or part of their investment.

Risks Related to Our Business

There are doubts about our ability to continue as a going concern.

We have generated revenue of $0 and $18,000 for the fiscal years ended June 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively and have an accumulated deficit of $125.3 million through June 30, 2023. These factors raise substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern.

There can be no assurance that sufficient funds required during the next year or thereafter will be generated from operations or that funds will be available from external sources, such as debt or equity financings or other potential sources. The lack of additional capital resulting from the inability to generate cash flow from operations, or to raise capital from external sources would force us to substantially curtail or cease operations and would, therefore, have a material adverse effect on our business. Furthermore, there can be no assurance that any such required funds, if available, will be available on attractive terms or that they will not have a significant dilutive effect on our existing stockholders.

We seek to overcome the circumstances that impact our ability to remain a going concern through a combination of the growth of revenues, with interim cash flow deficiencies being addressed through additional equity and debt financing. We anticipate raising additional funds through public or private financing, strategic relationships or other arrangements in the near future to support our business operations; however, we may not have commitments from third parties for a sufficient amount of additional capital. We cannot be certain that any such financing will be available on acceptable terms, or at all, and our failure to raise capital when needed could limit our ability to continue operations. Our ability to obtain additional funding will determine the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern. Failure to secure additional financing in a timely manner and on favorable terms would have a material adverse effect on our financial performance, results of operations and stock price and require us to curtail or cease operations, sell off our assets, seek protection from our creditors through bankruptcy proceedings, or otherwise. Furthermore, additional equity financing may be dilutive to the holders of our common stock, and debt financing, if available, may involve restrictive covenants, and strategic relationships, if necessary, to raise additional funds, and may require that we relinquish valuable rights.

We need to raise substantial additional capital in the future to fund our operations and we may be unable to raise such funds when needed and on acceptable terms, which could prevent us from fully implementing our business, operating and development plans.

The accompanying financial statements have been prepared assuming that the Company will continue as a going concern. The Company has a history of losses, primarily due to being a mid-stage developmental pharmaceutical company. The Company intends on financing its future development activities largely from a variety of sources, including the sale of equity securities and seeking relationships with partners to help fund future clinical trial costs. However, there is no assurance these plans will be realized and that any additional financing will be available to us on satisfactory terms and conditions, if at all. In the event that we are unable to raise additional funds, we may be required to delay, reduce or severely curtail our operations or otherwise impede our ongoing efforts to develop our drug candidates, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, operating results, financial condition and long-term prospects.

We currently have an approximate $1.0 million cash balance as of the date of this filing, but that is insufficient to complete the development and commercialization of any of our proposed products. We expect to incur costs of approximately $1.8 million in the upcoming fiscal year ending June 30, 2024 to operate our business in accordance with our business plans and budgets.

If we raise additional funds by issuing equity securities, our stockholders will experience dilution. Debt financing, if available, would result in increased fixed payment obligations and may involve agreements that include covenants limiting or restricting our ability to take specific actions, such as incurring additional debt, making capital expenditures or declaring dividends. Any debt financing or additional equity that we raise may contain terms, such as liquidation and other preferences, which are not favorable to us or our stockholders. If we raise additional funds through collaboration and licensing arrangements with third parties, it may be necessary to relinquish valuable rights to our technologies, future revenue streams or product candidates or to grant licenses on terms that may not be favorable to us.

Should the financing we require to sustain our working capital needs be unavailable or prohibitively expensive when we require it, it may be necessary to significantly reduce our current rate of spending through reductions in staff and delaying, scaling back or stopping certain research and development programs, including costly Phase 2 and Phase 3 clinical trials, and our business, operating results, financial condition and prospects could be materially and adversely affected and we may be unable to continue our operations. In the event that we cannot obtain acceptable financing, we would be unable to complete preclinical development projects, and further clinical trials for Brilacidin. This will delay:

The amount of capital we may require will depend on many factors, including the:

Our fixed expenses, such as contractual commitments, may increase in the future, as we may:

Our business could be adversely affected by the effects of health epidemics, including the global COVID-19 pandemic.

In December 2019, a novel strain of coronavirus, since named SARS-CoV-2, causing COVID-19 disease, was reported in China. Since then, COVID-19 has spread globally, including throughout the United States. The spread of COVID-19 has resulted in the World Health Organization (WHO) declaring the outbreak of COVID-19 as a “pandemic,” or a worldwide spread of a new disease, on March 11, 2020. Many countries around the world, including the United States, have imposed quarantines and restrictions on travel and mass gatherings to slow the spread of the virus, and have closed non-essential businesses.

The extent to which COVID-19 may impact our business, operations and clinical trials will depend on future developments, including the duration of the outbreak, travel restrictions and social distancing in the United States and other countries, the effectiveness of actions taken in the United States and other countries to contain and treat the disease and whether the United States and additional countries are required to move to complete lock-down status. The ultimate long-term impact of COVID-19 is highly uncertain and cannot be predicted with confidence.

We have no products approved for commercial sale to generate revenue, however we signed an Exclusive License Agreement in 2019.

We currently have no products approved for commercial sale. On July 18, 2019, the Company entered into an Exclusive License Agreement (the “License Agreement”) with Alfasigma S.p.A., a global pharmaceutical company (“Alfasigma”), granting Alfasigma the worldwide right to develop, manufacture and commercialize locally-administered Brilacidin for the treatment of ulcerative proctitis/ulcerative proctosigmoiditis (UP/UPS).

Our ability to generate revenue depends heavily on:

If we and/or our licensee do not successfully develop and commercialize Brilacidin, we will not achieve revenues or profitability in the foreseeable future, if at all. If we are unable to generate revenues or achieve profitability, we may be unable to continue our operations.

In our existing or any future potential collaborations or partnerships, we will likely not be able to control all aspects of the development and commercialization of our drug candidate (compound). This lack of control could subject us to additional risks that could harm our business.

Collaborations or license agreements involving our compound, including our current license agreement with Alfasigma S.p.A. and any future collaboration or partnering arrangement with other pharmaceutical companies, are subject to numerous risks, which may include:

We depend on license agreements for the development and commercialization of certain compounds.

On July 18, 2019, we entered into a license agreement with Alfasigma, under which we granted Alfasigma the worldwide right to develop, manufacture and commercialize locally-administered Brilacidin for the treatment of ulcerative proctitis/ulcerative proctosigmoiditis (UP/UPS). Pursuant to the terms of the license agreement, Alfasigma is obligated to use commercially reasonable efforts (as defined in the license agreement) to develop, manufacture and commercialize Brilacidin for UP/UPS, and to achieve specified developmental milestones.

Under the terms of the license agreement, Alfasigma will make payments of up to $24.0 million to the Company based upon the achievement of certain milestones. In addition, Alfasigma will pay a royalty to the Company equal to six percent of net sales of Brilacidin for UP/UPS, subject to adjustment as provided in the license agreement.

The right to potential future payments under the license agreement represents a significant portion of the value of the license agreement to us. We cannot be certain that we will receive any future payments under the license agreement, which would adversely affect the trading price of our common stock and our business prospects.

Additionally, if Alfasigma were to breach or terminate the license agreement, we may not be able to obtain, or may be delayed in obtaining, marketing approvals for Brilacidin for UP/UPS and will not be able to, or may be delayed in our efforts to, successfully commercialize Brilacidin for UP/UPS. We may not be able to seek and obtain a viable, alternative collaborator to partner for the development and commercialization of the licensed products on similar terms or at all.

In addition, on July 22, 2020, the Company granted to Fox Chase Chemical Diversity Center, Inc. (“FCCDC”) all discovery, intellectual property and commercialization rights related to its share of their joint antifungal drug program in exchange for a six percent fee tied to all potential future proceeds. Acquisitions of royalties from development-stage biopharmaceutical product candidates are subject to a number of uncertainties, and there can be no assurance that the FDA, the EMA or other regulatory authorities will approve such products or that such products will be brought to market timely or at all, or that the market will be receptive to such products. On January 18, 2023, the Company was notified by FCCDC that its third-party license with Basilea Pharmaceutica for development of broad-spectrum antifungals was terminated by the licensee.

We have limited experience in drug and formulation development, the conduct of clinical trials, and may not be able to successfully develop any drugs.

We have limited experience in drug and formulation development and may not be able to successfully develop any drugs or drug formulations necessary to achieve a drug’s potential as seen in preclinical research and early clinical studies. Our ability to achieve revenues and profitability in our business will depend, among other things, on our ability to:

We have limited experience conducting clinical trials and obtaining regulatory approvals, and we may not be successful in some or all of these activities. We have not previously conducted a Phase 3 or later stage clinical trial such as the Phase 3 clinical trials planned (contingent upon sufficient funding) for our drug candidate Brilacidin.

We have no experience as a company in the sales, marketing and distribution of pharmaceutical products and do not currently have a sales and marketing organization. To the extent we are unable to, or determine not to develop these resources internally, we may be forced to rely on third parties for these capabilities, which could subject us to costs and to delays that are outside our control. If we are unable to establish adequate capabilities independently or with others, we may be unable to generate product revenues for certain candidates. If we are unable to achieve revenues and profitability, then we will be forced to cease operations, which could cause you to lose all of your investment.

Development of pharmaceutical products is a risky and time-consuming process subject to a number of factors, many of which are outside of our control. We are subject to regulatory authority permissions and approvals, most importantly the FDA. Our drug candidate(s)/indications are at early and mid-stages of development. Consequently, we can provide no assurance of the successful and timely development of new drugs, and the failure to do so could cause us to cease operations.

The drug discovery and development process is highly uncertain and we have not developed, and may never develop, a drug candidate that ultimately leads to a commercially viable drug. Our drug candidate, Brilacidin, is in early and mid-stages of development, and has only completed Phase 2 testing. Further development and extensive testing will be required to determine their technical feasibility and commercial viability.

Conducting clinical trials is a complex, time-consuming and expensive process that requires an appropriate number of trial sites and patients to support the product label claims being sought. The length of time, number of trial sites and number of patients required for clinical trials vary substantially according to their type, complexity, novelty and the drug candidate’s intended use, and we may spend several years completing certain trials. The time within which we can complete our clinical trials depends in large part on the ability to enroll eligible patients who meet the enrollment criteria and who are in proximity to the trial sites. We face competition with other clinical trials for eligible patients. As a result, there may be limited availability of eligible patients, which can result in increased development costs, delays in regulatory approvals and associated delays in drug candidates reaching the market. We experienced these issues in our psoriasis and oral mucositis clinical trials.

At any time, we, the FDA (or foreign regulatory authority) or an institutional review board (“IRB”), may temporarily or permanently stop a clinical trial, for a variety of reasons. We may experience numerous unforeseen events during, or as a result of, the clinical development process that could delay or prevent our drug candidates from being approved, including:

As our drug candidate advances to later stage clinical trials, it is customary that various aspects of the development program, such as manufacturing, formulation and other processes, and methods of administration, may be altered to optimize the candidates and processes for scale-up necessary for later stage clinical trials and potential approval and commercialization. These changes may not produce the intended optimization, including production of drug substance and drug product of a quality and in a quantity sufficient for Phase 3 clinical stage development or for commercialization, which may cause delays in the initiation or completion of clinical trials and greater costs. We may also need to conduct “bridging studies” to demonstrate comparability between newly manufactured drug substance and/or drug product for commercialization relative to previously manufactured drug substance and/or drug product for clinical trials. Demonstrating comparability may require us to incur additional costs or delay initiation or completion of clinical trials and, if unsuccessful, could require us to complete additional preclinical studies or clinical trials.

If we fail to adequately manage the increasing number, size and complexity of clinical trials, the clinical trials and corresponding regulatory approvals may be delayed or we or our partners may fail to gain approval for our drug candidates altogether. Even if we successfully conduct clinical trials, we may not obtain favorable clinical trial results and may not be able to obtain regulatory approval on this basis. If we are unable to market and sell our drug candidate or are unable to obtain approvals in the time frame needed to execute our product strategies, our business and results of operations would be materially adversely affected.

Our success will depend on our ability to achieve scientific and technological advances and to translate such advances into reliable, commercially competitive drugs on a timely basis. The length of time required to complete clinical studies, submit an application for marketing approval, and obtain approval can vary considerably from one product to another, and may be difficult to predict or control. Drugs that we may develop are not likely to be commercially available for several years, if ever. The proposed development schedules for our drug candidate may be affected by a variety of factors, including technological difficulties, proprietary technology of others, and changes in government regulation, many of which will not be within our control.

Any delay in the development, introduction or marketing of our drug candidate could result either in such a drug being marketed at a time when their cost and performance characteristics would not be competitive in the marketplace or in the shortening of their commercial lives. In light of the long-term nature of our projects, the unproven technology involved and the other factors described elsewhere in “Risk Factors”, we may not be able to complete successfully the development or marketing of our drug candidate.

We may fail to successfully develop and commercialize our drug candidate for multiple reasons, including because it:

Drug development failure can occur at any stage of clinical trials and as a result of many factors and there can be no assurance that we will reach any clinical targets. Promising results in preclinical development or early clinical trials may not be predictive of results obtained in later clinical trials. Many pharmaceutical companies have experienced significant setbacks in advanced clinical trials, even after obtaining promising results in earlier preclinical studies and clinical trials. Clinical results are susceptible to varying interpretations that may delay, limit, or prevent regulatory approvals.

Even if we complete our clinical trials, we do not know what the long-term effects of exposure to our drug candidate will be. Furthermore, our drug candidate may be used in combination with other treatments and there can be no assurance that such use will not lead to unique safety issues. Failure to complete clinical trials or to prove that our drug candidate is safe and effective would have a material adverse effect on our ability to generate revenue and could require us to reduce the scope of or discontinue our operations, which could cause you to lose all of your investment.

At any time, we may decide to discontinue the development of, or to not commercialize, a drug candidate, such as our decision in December 2018 to discontinue the Prurisol psoriasis program, and our decision in September 2022 to discontinue the Kevetrin oncology program. If we terminate a program in which we have invested significant resources, we will not receive any return on our investment and we will have missed the opportunity to allocate those resources to potentially more productive uses.

We have limited experience in conducting or supervising clinical trials and must outsource all clinical trials, which exposes us to risks which could have a materially adverse effect on our business.

We have limited experience in conducting and supervising clinical trials that must be performed to obtain data to submit in applications for approval by the FDA. Because we have limited experience in conducting or supervising clinical trials, we outsource a significant amount of the work relating to our clinical trials to third parties. We therefore have less control over the conduct of our clinical trials, the timing and completion of the trials, the required reporting of adverse events, and the management of data developed through the trials than would be the case if we were relying entirely upon our own staff.

We also have more limited control over compliance with procedures and protocols used to complete clinical trials. If these contractors fail to meet applicable regulatory standards, the testing of our drugs would be adversely affected, causing a delay in our ability to engage in revenue-generating operations that could have a materially adverse effect on our business.

Communicating with outside parties can also be challenging, potentially leading to mistakes, as well as difficulties in coordinating activities. Outside parties may have staffing difficulties, may undergo changes in priorities or may become financially distressed, adversely affecting their willingness or ability to conduct our trials. We may experience unexpected cost increases that are beyond our control. Problems with the timeliness or quality of the work of a contract research organization may lead us to seek to terminate the relationship and use an alternative service provider. However, making this change may be costly and may delay our trials and contractual restrictions may make such a change difficult or impossible. Additionally, it may be impossible to find a replacement organization that can conduct our trials in an acceptable manner and at an acceptable cost.

Success in early clinical trials may not be predictive or indicative of results in current ongoing clinical trials or potential future clinical trials. Likewise, preliminary data from clinical trials should be considered carefully and with caution since the final data may be materially different from the preliminary data, particularly as more patient data become available.

A number of new drugs and biologics have shown promising results in preclinical studies and initial clinical trials, but subsequently have failed to establish sufficient safety and efficacy data to obtain necessary regulatory approvals to initiate commercial sale. There is typically an extremely high rate of attrition from the failure of product candidates proceeding through clinical trials. Data obtained from preclinical and clinical activities are subject to varying interpretations, which may delay, limit or prevent regulatory approval. Product candidates in later stages of clinical trials may fail to show the desired benefit-risk profile despite having progressed through preclinical studies and initial clinical trials. As a result, data from our preclinical studies and Phase 1 and Phase 2 clinical trials of our drug candidate, Brilacidin, as well as the results of the past or future internal data reviews, should not be relied upon as predictive or indicative of future clinical results. The results we have previously obtained, as well as any future results, may not predict the future therapeutic benefit of our drug candidate.

In addition, from time-to-time, preliminary or interim data from clinical trials or other research, such as relating to the Brilacidin Phase 2, open-label, UP/UPS Proof-of-Concept (PoC) clinical trial, the Brilacidin Phase 2 COVID-19 clinical trial, the ongoing research relating to Brilacidin as a potential therapeutic for the treatment of viruses, or potential future clinical trials, may be reported or announced by us or the clinical investigators and medical institutions with which we work. Such data are preliminary and the data from any final analysis may be materially different. Even if final safety and/or efficacy data are positive, significant additional clinical testing will be necessary to advance the future development of our drug candidate. Preliminary or interim results may also not be reproduced in any potential future clinical trials. Accordingly, preliminary or interim data should be considered carefully and with caution.

We are subject to risks inherent in conducting clinical trials. Non-compliance with the FDA-approved good clinical practices by clinical investigators, clinical sites, or data management services could delay or prevent us from developing or commercializing our drug candidate, which could cause us to cease operations.

Agreements with clinical investigators and medical institutions for clinical testing and with other third parties for data management services place substantial responsibilities on these parties, which could result in delays in, or termination of, our clinical trials if these parties fail to perform as expected. For example, if any of our clinical trial sites fail to comply with FDA-approved good clinical practices, we may be unable to use the data gathered at those sites. If these clinical investigators, medical institutions or other third parties do not carry out their contractual duties or obligations or fail to meet expected deadlines, or if the quality or accuracy of the clinical data they obtain is compromised due to their failure to adhere to our clinical protocols or for other reasons, our clinical trials may be extended, delayed or terminated, and we may be unable to obtain regulatory approval for or successfully commercialize our drug candidate.

We or regulators may suspend or terminate our clinical trials for a number of reasons. We may voluntarily suspend or terminate our clinical trials if at any time we believe that they present an unacceptable risk to the patients enrolled in our clinical trials. In addition, regulatory agencies may order the temporary or permanent discontinuation of our clinical trials at any time if they believe that the clinical trials are not being conducted in accordance with applicable regulatory requirements or that they present an unacceptable safety risk to the patients enrolled in our clinical trials. In addition, clinical trials may have independent monitoring boards composed of experts in the field. These boards may also have the authority to suspend or terminate clinical trials.

Our clinical trial operations are and will be subject to regulatory inspections at any time. If regulatory inspectors conclude that we or our clinical trial sites are not in compliance with applicable regulatory requirements for conducting clinical trials, we may receive reports of observations or warning letters detailing deficiencies, and we will be required to implement corrective actions. If regulatory agencies deem our responses to be inadequate, or are dissatisfied with the corrective actions that we or our clinical trial sites have implemented, our clinical trials may be temporarily or permanently discontinued, we may be fined, we or our investigators may be precluded from conducting any ongoing or any future clinical trials, the government may refuse to approve our marketing applications or allow us to manufacture or market our drug candidate or we may be criminally prosecuted. If we are unable to complete clinical trials and have our products approved due to our failure to comply with regulatory requirements, we will be unable to commence revenue-generating operations, which could force us to cease operations.

Delays in the commencement or completion of clinical testing could result in increased costs to us and delay or limit our ability to generate revenues.

Delays in the commencement or completion of clinical testing of our products or products could significantly affect our product development costs and our ability to generate revenue. We do not know whether the FDA will agree with the trial designs for future clinical trials or whether future clinical trials will begin on time or be completed on schedule, if at all. The commencement and completion of clinical trials can be delayed for a number of reasons, including delays related to our ability to do the following:

Clinical trials may also be delayed as a result of ambiguous or negative interim results. In addition, a clinical trial may be suspended or terminated by us or our partner, the FDA, an IRB, a clinical trial site with respect to that site, or other regulatory authorities due to a number of factors, including:

Additionally, we may need to amend clinical trial protocols for a variety of reasons, including changes in regulatory requirements and guidance. Such amendments may require us to, for example, resubmit our clinical trial protocols to IRBs for reexamination, which may impact the costs, timing or successful completion of a clinical trial. We may decide to terminate a clinical study for commercial reasons including increased market availability of generic treatments. If we experience delays in completion of, or if we terminate, any of our clinical trials, the commercial prospects for our product candidates may be harmed and our ability to generate product revenues will be delayed and/or reduced. In addition, many of the factors that cause, or lead to, a delay in the commencement or completion of clinical trials may also ultimately lead to the denial of regulatory approval of a product candidate.

We must comply with significant and complex government regulations, compliance with which may delay or prevent the commercialization of our drug candidate, which could have a materially adverse effect on our business.

The research and development (R&D), manufacture and marketing of drug candidates are subject to regulation, primarily by the FDA in the United States, and by comparable authorities in other countries. These national agencies and other federal, state, local and foreign entities regulate, among other things, R&D activities (including testing in animals and in humans) and the testing, manufacturing, handling, labeling, storage, record keeping, approval, advertising and promotion of the products that we are developing. Noncompliance with applicable requirements can result in various adverse consequences, including approval delays or refusals to approve drug licenses or other applications, suspension or termination of clinical investigations, revocation of approvals previously granted, fines, criminal prosecution, recalls or seizures of products, injunctions against shipping drugs and total or partial suspension of production and/or refusal to allow a company to enter into governmental supply contracts.

The process of obtaining FDA approval for a drug has historically been costly and time consuming. Current FDA requirements for a new human drug or biological product to be marketed in the United States include: (i) the successful conclusion of pre-clinical laboratory and animal tests, if appropriate, to gain preliminary information on the product’s safety; (ii) filing with the FDA of an IND application to conduct human clinical trials for drugs or biologics; (iii) the successful completion of adequate and well-controlled human clinical investigations to establish the safety and efficacy of the product for its recommended use; and (iv) filing by a company and acceptance and approval by the FDA of a New Drug Application (“NDA”), for a drug product or a biological license application (“BLA”), for a biological product to allow commercial distribution of the drug or biologic. A delay in one or more of the procedural steps outlined above could be harmful to the Company in terms of getting our drug candidates through clinical testing and to market.

The FDA reviews the results of the clinical trials and may order the temporary or permanent discontinuation of clinical trials at any time if it believes the drug candidate exposes clinical subjects to an unacceptable health risk. Investigational drugs used in clinical studies must be produced in compliance with cGMP rules pursuant to FDA regulations.

Sales outside the United States of products that we may develop will also be subject to additional regulatory requirements governing human clinical trials and marketing for drugs and biological products and devices. The requirements vary widely from country to country, but typically the registration and approval process takes several years and requires significant resources.

We also are subject to the following risks and obligations, related to the approval of our products:

If we do not have the requisite resources to comply with all applicable regulations, then we could be forced to cease operations, which could cause you to lose all of your investment.

We or third-party manufacturers we rely on may encounter failures or difficulties in manufacturing or formulating clinical development and commercial supplies of drugs, which could delay the clinical development or regulatory approval of our drug candidates, or their ultimate commercial production if approved.

Currently, third parties manufacture our drug candidates on our behalf. Third-party manufacturers may lack capacity to meet our needs, go out of business or fail to perform. In addition, supplies of raw materials needed for manufacturing or formulation of clinical supplies may not be available or in short supply. Furthermore, should we obtain FDA or EMA approval for any of our drug candidates, we expect to rely, at least to some extent, on third-party manufacturers for commercial production. Our dependence on others for the manufacture of our drug candidates may adversely affect our ability to develop and deliver such drug candidates on a timely and competitive basis.

The most recent manufacturing campaign activities for production of Brilacidin drug substance are ongoing; the process conducted at scale has encountered delays at the third party manufacturing facility with cost overruns, and such delays have prevented the Company from delivering sufficient Brilacidin drug substance requested under a license agreement. There is no assurance the drug substance from this campaign will meet specifications or be received timely.

Any performance failure on the part of a third-party manufacturer could delay clinical development, regulatory approval or, ultimately, sales of our drug candidate. Our third-party manufacturers may encounter difficulties involving production yields, regulatory compliance, lot release, quality control and quality assurance, as well as shortages of qualified personnel. Approval of our drug candidate could be delayed, limited or denied if the FDA does not approve our or a third-party manufacturer’s processes or facilities. Moreover, the ability to adequately and timely manufacture and supply a drug candidate is dependent on the uninterrupted and efficient operation of the manufacturing facilities, which is impacted by many manufacturing variables including:

In addition, our third-party manufacturers may encounter delays and problems in manufacturing our drug candidate or drug for a variety of reasons, including accidents during operation, failure of equipment, delays in receiving materials, natural or other disasters, political or governmental changes, or other factors inherent in operating complex manufacturing facilities. Supply chain management is complex, and involves sourcing from a number of different companies and foreign countries. Commercially available starting materials, reagents and excipients may become scarce or more expensive to procure, and we may not be able to obtain favorable terms in agreements with contractors or subcontractors. Our third-party manufacturers may not be able to operate their respective manufacturing facilities in a cost-effective manner or in a time frame that is consistent with our expected future manufacturing needs. If we or our third-party manufacturers cease or interrupt production or if our third-party manufacturers and other service providers fail to supply materials, products or services to us for any reason, such interruption could delay progress on our programs, or interrupt the commercial supply, with the potential for additional costs and lost revenues. If this were to occur, we may also need to seek alternative means to fulfill our manufacturing needs.

We may not be able to enter into agreements for the manufacture of our drug candidate with manufacturers whose facilities and procedures comply with applicable law. Manufacturers are subject to ongoing periodic unannounced inspection by the FDA and corresponding state and foreign authorities to ensure strict compliance with cGMP and other applicable government regulations and corresponding foreign standards. We do not have control over a third-party manufacturer’s compliance with these regulations and standards. If one of our manufacturers fails to maintain compliance, we or they could be subject to enforcement, the production of our drug candidates could be interrupted or suspended, and/or our product could be recalled or withdrawn, among other consequences. Any of these events could result in delays, additional costs and potentially lost revenues.

We can provide no assurance that our drug candidate will obtain regulatory approval or that the results of clinical studies will be favorable, and if we fail to obtain such approval or if clinical studies are not favorable, we could be forced to cease operations.

Our drug candidate Brilacidin will require lengthy and costly studies in humans to obtain approval from the FDA before it can be marketed. We cannot predict with any certainty that the study results will be satisfactory to the FDA for approval to ultimately be granted. Preclinical and clinical trials may reveal that one or more products are ineffective or unsafe, in which event further development of such products could be seriously delayed or terminated.

Approval of a drug candidate as safe and effective for use in humans is never certain and regulatory agencies may delay or deny approval of drug candidates for commercialization. For example, even though our product candidate Brilacidin has received QIDP designation, such designation may not result in a faster development process, review, or approval than drugs considered for approval under conventional FDA procedures; nor does such designation assure ultimate approval by the FDA or related exclusivity benefits. Regulatory agencies also may delay or deny approval based on additional government regulation or administrative action, changes in regulatory policy during the period of clinical trials in humans and regulatory review, or the availability of alternative treatments.

Delays in obtaining, or failure to obtain, FDA or any other necessary regulatory approvals of any proposed drugs would have an adverse effect on the drug’s potential commercial success and on our business, prospects, financial condition and results of operations. In addition, it is possible that a proposed drug may be found to be ineffective or unsafe due to conditions or facts that arise after development has been completed and regulatory approvals have been obtained. In this event, we may be required to withdraw such drug from the market. To the extent that our success will depend on any regulatory approvals from government authorities outside of the United States that perform roles similar to that of the FDA, uncertainties similar to those stated above will also exist.

Even if we obtain regulatory approvals, our marketed drug candidate will be subject to ongoing regulation. If we fail to comply with U.S. and foreign regulations, we could be subject to adverse consequences, including loss of our approvals to market the drug, and our business would be seriously harmed.

Following any initial regulatory approval of our drug candidate, we will also be subject to continuing regulation of the manufacture, labeling, storage, recordkeeping, reporting, distribution, advertising, promotion, marketing, sale, import, and export of those drugs. Such regulation includes review of adverse experiences and the results of any clinical trials completed after our drug candidate is made commercially available, including any post marketing requirements that were required as a condition of approval. The contract manufacturers that make our drug candidate will also be subject to periodic review and inspection by the FDA. If our products, if approved, or the manufacturing facilities for our products fail to comply with applicable regulatory requirements, a regulatory agency may suspend any ongoing clinical trials; issue warning letters or untitled letters; suspend or withdraw regulatory approval; refuse to approve pending applications or supplements to applications; suspend or impose restrictions on operations; seize or detain products, prohibit the export or import of products, or require us to initiate a product recall; or seek other monetary or injunctive remedies, or impose civil or criminal penalties. We do not have, and currently do not intend to develop, the ability to manufacture material for our clinical trials or on a commercial scale. Reliance on third-party manufacturers entails risks to which we would not be subject if we manufactured the drug ourselves, including reliance on the third-party manufacturer for regulatory compliance.

Our drug promotion and advertising also would be subject to regulatory requirements and continuing FDA review. Our marketing of a drug also may be heavily scrutinized by the Department of Justice, the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General, state attorneys general, members of Congress and the public. Our promotional activities will be regulated not only by the FDCA and FDA regulations, but also by federal and state laws pertaining to health care “fraud and abuse,” such as:

Many states have similar laws applicable to items or services reimbursed by commercial insurers. Violations of fraud and abuse laws can result in costly litigation, fines and/or imprisonment, exclusion from participation in federal health care programs, and burdensome reporting and compliance obligations.

Compliance with ongoing regulation consumes substantial financial and management resources and may expose us to the potential for other adverse circumstances. For example, approval for a drug may be conditioned on costly post-marketing follow-up studies. Based on these studies, if a regulatory authority does not believe that the drug demonstrates an appropriate benefit-risk profile to patients, it could limit the indications for which a drug may be sold or revoke the drug’s marketing approval. In addition, identification of certain side effects after a drug is on the market may result in the subsequent withdrawal of approval, reformulation of a drug, additional preclinical and clinical trials, changes in labeling or distribution. Alternatively, we may be required by the FDA to develop and implement a REMS to ensure the safe use of our products. REMS may include costly risk management measures such as enhanced safety surveillance, restricted distribution and use, patient education, enhanced labeling, special packaging or labeling, expedited reporting of certain adverse events, pre-approval of promotional materials and restrictions on direct-to-consumer advertising. Any of these events could delay or prevent us from generating revenue, or limit the revenue, from the commercialization of a drug and/or cause us to incur significant additional costs.

Any of these events could prevent us from achieving or maintaining market acceptance of a particular product candidate, if approved, and could significantly harm our business, results of operations and prospects. If we are required to withdraw all or most of our drug from the market as a result of actions or inactions on our part or that of a third party, we may be unable to continue revenue-generating operations, which could cause you to lose all of your investment.

All of our Polymedix drug product candidates are licensed from or based upon licenses from the University of Pennsylvania. Upon our purchase of the Polymedix Assets we assumed all contractual rights and obligations of the licenses. If any of these license agreements are terminated, our ability to advance our Polymedix product candidates or develop new product candidates will be materially adversely affected which could have a materially adverse effect on our business.

We now depend, and will continue to depend, on our Polymedix licenses and potentially on other licensing arrangements and/or strategic relationships with third parties for the research, development, manufacturing and commercialization of our Polymedix product candidates. If any of our licenses or relationships are terminated or breached, we may:

If we experience any of the foregoing, it could have a materially adverse effect on our business and could force us to cease operations which could cause you to lose all of your investment.

We or our third-party manufacturers may fail to comply with manufacturing regulations.

All facilities and manufacturing processes used in the production of active pharmaceutical ingredient, or API, and drug products for clinical use in the U.S. must be operated in conformity with cGMP as established by the FDA. Similar requirements in other countries exist for manufacture of drug products for clinical use. These requirements include, among other things, quality control, quality assurance and the maintenance of records and documentation. Before we can commercialize a drug, we must obtain regulatory approval of our cGMP manufacturing facility and process, if any, or the cGMP manufacturing facility and process of the third party or parties with whom we may outsource our manufacturing activities.

In connection with any application for commercial approval, and if any drug candidate is approved by the FDA or other regulatory agencies for commercial sale, a significant scale-up in manufacturing may require additional validation studies. If we are unable to successfully increase the manufacturing capacity for a drug candidate, the regulatory approval or commercial launch of that drug candidate may be delayed, or there may be a shortage of supply, which could limit our ability to develop or commercialize the drug.

Our manufacturing facilities, if any in the future, and the manufacturing facilities of our third-party manufacturers will be subject to inspection by the FDA and other state, local and foreign regulatory authorities, before and after product approval. We cannot guarantee that we, or any potential third-party manufacturer of our products, will be able to comply with the cGMP regulations or other applicable manufacturing regulations.

Failure on our or our third party manufacturers’ part to comply with applicable regulations and specific requirements or specifications of other countries could result in the termination of ongoing research, disqualification of data for submission to regulatory authorities, delays or denials of new product approvals, warning letters, fines, consent decrees restricting or suspending manufacturing operations, injunctions, civil penalties, recall or seizure of products and criminal prosecution. Any of these consequences could have a materially adverse effect on our business.

Controls we or our third-party service providers have in place to ensure compliance with laws may not be effective to ensure compliance with all applicable laws and regulations.

The development of our investigational products and our general operations are subject to extensive regulation in the U.S. and in foreign countries. Although we have developed and instituted controls to comply with applicable regulatory requirements, we cannot assure you that we, our employees, our consultants or our contractors will operate at all times in full compliance with all potentially applicable U.S. federal and state regulations and/or laws or all potentially applicable foreign law and/or regulations. Further, we have a limited ability to monitor and control the activities of third-party service providers, suppliers and manufacturers to ensure compliance by such parties with all applicable regulations and/or laws. We may be subject to direct liabilities or be required to indemnify such parties against certain liabilities arising out of any failure by them to comply with such regulations and/or laws. If we or our employees, consultants or contractors fail to comply with any of these regulations and/or laws a range of consequences could result, including, but not limited to, the termination of clinical trials, the failure to obtain approval of a product candidate, restrictions on our products or manufacturing processes, withdrawal of our products from the market, significant fines, exclusion from government healthcare programs or other sanctions or litigation that could adversely affect our results of operations.

The Company is exposed to product liability, clinical and preclinical liability risks which could place a substantial financial burden upon the Company should it be sued.

The Company could be exposed to potential product liability and other liability risks that are inherent in the testing, manufacturing and marketing of pharmaceutical products. In addition, the use in the Company’s clinical trials of its investigational products and the potential subsequent sale of these products by the Company or its potential collaborators may cause the Company to bear some or all of the associated product liability risks. A successful liability claim or series of claims brought against the Company could have a material adverse effect on its business, financial condition and results of operations.

The Company has $5,000,000 per occurrence / $10,000,000 in aggregate in liability insurance for our clinical trials. The Company cannot assure that such insurance will provide adequate coverage against the Company’s potential liabilities. Claims or losses in excess of any product liability insurance coverage obtained by the Company could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Confidentiality agreements with employees and others may not adequately prevent disclosure of trade secrets and other proprietary information. Disclosure of our trade secrets or proprietary information could compromise any competitive advantage that we have, which could have a materially adverse effect on our business.

We depend upon confidentiality and non-use agreements with our officers, employees, consultants, and subcontractors to maintain the proprietary nature of the technology. These measures may not afford us sufficient or complete protection, and may not afford an adequate remedy in the event of an unauthorized disclosure of confidential information. In addition, others may independently develop technology similar to ours, otherwise avoiding the confidentiality agreements, or produce patents that would materially and adversely affect our business, prospects, financial condition, and results of operations.

We may be unable to obtain or protect intellectual property rights relating to our products, and we may be liable for infringing upon the intellectual property rights of others, which could have a materially adverse effect on our business.

Our ability to compete effectively will depend on our ability to maintain the proprietary nature of our compounds and the proprietary compounds of others with which we have entered into licensing agreements. We have filed patent applications and expect to file a number of additional patent applications in the coming years. There can be no assurance that any of these patent applications will ultimately result in the issuance of a patent with respect to the proprietary compounds owned by us or licensed to us. The patent position of pharmaceutical or biotechnology companies, including ours, is generally uncertain and involves complex legal and factual considerations. The standards that the United States Patent and Trademark Office use to grant patents are not always applied predictably or uniformly and can change. There is also no uniform, worldwide policy regarding the subject matter and scope of claims granted or allowable in pharmaceutical or biotechnology patents. Accordingly, we do not know the degree of future protection for our proprietary rights or the breadth of claims that will be allowed in any patents issued to us or to others. Further, we rely on a combination of trade secrets, know-how, technology and nondisclosure, and other contractual agreements and technical measures to protect our rights in the proprietary compounds. If any trade secret, know-how or other proprietary information and/or compounds not protected by a patent were to be disclosed to or independently developed by a competitor, our business and financial condition could be materially adversely affected.

We do not believe that the compounds we are currently developing infringe upon the rights of any third parties nor are they infringed upon by third parties; however, there can be no assurance that our compounds will not be found in the future to infringe upon the rights of others or be infringed upon by others. In such a case, others may assert infringement claims against us, and should we be found to infringe upon their patents, or otherwise impermissibly utilize their intellectual property, we might be forced to pay damages, potentially including treble damages, if we are found to have willfully infringed on such parties’ patent rights. In addition to any damages we might have to pay, we may be required to obtain licenses from the holders of this intellectual property, enter into royalty agreements, or redesign our drug candidates so as not to utilize this intellectual property, each of which may prove to be uneconomical or otherwise impossible. Conversely, we may not always be able to successfully pursue our claims against others that infringe upon our proprietary compounds. Thus, the proprietary nature of our technology or technology licensed by us may not provide adequate protection against competitors.

Moreover, the cost to us of any litigation or other proceeding relating to our patents and other intellectual property rights, even if resolved in our favor, could be substantial, and the litigation would divert our management’s efforts. Uncertainties resulting from the initiation and continuation of any litigation could limit our ability to continue our operations.

Our potential collaborative relationships with third parties could cause us to expend significant resources and incur substantial business risk with no assurance of financial return, which could have a materially adverse effect on our business.

We may have to rely substantially upon strategic collaborations for R&D, marketing and commercialization. Our business will depend on our ability to sell drugs to both government agencies and to the general pharmaceutical market. We may have to sell our drugs through strategic partnerships with other pharmaceutical companies. If we are unable to establish or manage such strategic collaborations on terms favorable to us in the future, our revenue and drug development may be limited. To date, we have not yet commercialized any of our drug candidates.

If we determine to enter into R&D collaborations during the early phases of drug development, our success will in part depend on the performance of our research collaborators. We will not directly control the amount or timing of resources devoted by our research collaborators to activities related to our drug candidates. Our research collaborators may not commit sufficient resources to our programs. If any research collaborator fails to commit sufficient resources, our preclinical or clinical development programs related to this collaboration could be delayed or terminated. Also, our collaborators may pursue existing or other development-stage products or alternative technologies in preference to those being developed in collaboration with us. Finally, if we fail to make required milestone or royalty payments to our collaborators, or to observe other obligations in our agreements with them, our collaborators may have the right to terminate those agreements.

Management of our relationships with our collaborators will require:

Establishing strategic collaborations is difficult and time-consuming. Our discussion with potential collaborators may not lead to the establishment of collaborations on favorable terms, if at all. Potential collaborators may reject collaborations based upon their assessment of our financial, regulatory or intellectual property position. Even if we successfully establish new collaborations, these relationships may never result in the successful development or commercialization of our drug candidates or the generation of sales revenue. To the extent that we enter into collaborative arrangements, our drug revenues are likely to be lower than if we directly marketed and sold any drugs that we may develop.

In addition, on June 9, 2022, we invested $4.0 million in BT BeaMedical Technologies Ltd. (“BTL”). We rely on the management team of BTL to advance BTL’s technology, and BTL faces many of the risks described elsewhere in “Risk Factors” that are applicable to the Company. We may not receive an adequate return on our investment in BTL or any return at all.

We determined that a material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting existed as of June 30, 2023. If we fail to properly remediate this or any future material weakness or deficiencies, our ability to produce accurate and timely financial statements may be impaired.

We have identified a material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting and have concluded that our internal control over financial reporting and our disclosure controls and procedures were not effective as of June 30, 2023. A material weakness is a deficiency, or a combination of deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting, such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of our annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis.

Management concluded that the Company’s accounting procedures relevant to an unconsolidated foreign investment are not sufficiently formal that management can determine whether the applicable control objectives are met and adequate documentation supporting the procedures is in place. Specifically, the Company does not have sufficient controls to conclude that data from the unconsolidated foreign investee underlying the Company’s financial statements is captured completely, accurately and timely, in accordance with the Company’s policies and procedures. This material weakness could result in a misstatement of the recorded equity investment as well as the equity in loss from equity investment that would not be prevented or detected on a timely basis. We may not have the resources to remediate this material weakness in the coming quarters and even if we remediate this material weakness, there can be no assurance that we will not have material weaknesses or deficiencies in our internal control over financial reporting in the future. If we are unable to assert that our internal control over financial reporting is effective, we could lose investor confidence in the accuracy and completeness of our financial reports, which could cause the price of our common stock to decline, and we may be subject to investigation or sanctions by the SEC.

We may not be able to attract and retain highly skilled personnel or consultants, which could have a materially adverse effect on our business.

Our ability to attract and retain highly skilled personnel or consultants is critical to our operations and expansion. We face competition for these types of personnel from other pharmaceutical companies and more established organizations, many of which have significantly larger operations and greater financial, technical, human and other resources than us. We may not be successful in attracting and retaining qualified personnel or consultants on a timely basis, on competitive terms, or at all. If we are not successful in attracting and retaining these personnel or consultants, our business, prospects, financial condition and results of operations will be materially adversely affected.

We depend upon our senior management and their loss or unavailability could put us at a competitive disadvantage.

We depend upon the efforts and abilities of our senior management team. Leo Ehrlich, the Company’s Chief Executive and Financial Officer presently has no employment agreement with the Company. The loss of a member of the senior management team could have an adverse impact on our business. Competition for senior management is intense, and we may not be successful in attracting and retaining key personnel to replace such loss of a member of the senior management team, the inability of which could have an adverse effect on our business and results of operations.

The biotechnology and biopharmaceutical industries are characterized by rapid technological developments and a high degree of competition. We may be unable to compete with enterprises equipped with more substantial resources than us, which could cause us to cease operations.

The biotechnology and biopharmaceutical industries are characterized by rapid technological developments and a high degree of competition based primarily on scientific and technological factors. These factors include the availability of patent and other protection for technology and products, the ability to commercialize technological developments and the ability to obtain government approval for testing, manufacturing and marketing.

We compete with biopharmaceutical firms in the United States, Europe and elsewhere, as well as a growing number of large pharmaceutical companies that are applying biotechnology to their operations. Many biopharmaceutical companies have focused their development efforts in the human therapeutics area, including cancer. Many major pharmaceutical companies have developed or acquired internal biotechnology capabilities or made commercial arrangements with other biopharmaceutical companies. These companies, as well as academic institutions, government agencies and private research organizations, also compete with us in recruiting and retaining highly qualified scientific personnel and consultants. Our ability to compete successfully with other companies in the pharmaceutical field will also depend to a considerable degree on the continuing availability of capital on terms and conditions acceptable to us.

We are aware of numerous products under development or manufactured by competitors that are used for the prevention or treatment of certain diseases we have targeted for drug development. Various companies are developing biopharmaceutical products that potentially directly compete with our drug candidate even though their approach to such treatment is different.

For example, with respect to Brilacidin, numerous drugs are already FDA approved for the treatment of IBD, ABSSSI, and COVID-19. Although there is presently no drug approved for the prevention and treatment of oral mucositis for head and neck cancers, there are numerous clinical trials in progress and Kepivance is approved for limited use in patients with hematologic malignancies.

Our competition will be determined in part by the potential indications for which our investigational drug is developed and ultimately approved by regulatory authorities. Additionally, the timing of the market introduction of our potential drug or of competitors’ products may be an important competitive factor. Accordingly, the relative speed with which we can develop a drug; complete pre-clinical testing, clinical trials, and approval processes; and supply commercial quantities to market are likely to be important competitive factors. We expect that competition among drugs approved for sale will be based on various factors, including product efficacy, safety, reliability, availability, price and patent protection.

The successful development of biopharmaceuticals is highly uncertain. A variety of factors, including, but not limited to, unfavorable pre-clinical study results or failure to obtain regulatory approvals, could cause us to abandon development of our drug candidate, which could also cause us to cease operations and you may lose your entire investment.

Risks Related to the Securities Markets and Investments in Our Class A Common Stock

In addition to potential dilution associated with future fundraising transactions, we currently have significant numbers of securities outstanding that are exercisable for our common stock, which will result in significant additional dilution and downward pressure on our stock price.

As of September 28, 2023, there were 514.0 million shares of our Class A common stock outstanding and 4.3 million shares of our Class B common stock outstanding. In addition, as of June 30, 2023, there were outstanding stock options, a convertible note and preferred stock representing the potential issuance of approximately an additional 43.8 million shares of our common stock. The issuance of these shares in the future would result in significant dilution to our current stockholders and could adversely affect the price of our common stock and the terms on which we could raise additional capital. In addition, the issuance and subsequent trading of shares could cause the supply of our common stock available for purchase in the market to exceed the purchase demand for our common stock. Such supply in excess of demand could cause the market price of our common stock to decline.

We may elect to deregister our common stock under the Exchange Act and suspend our reporting obligations. Such deregistration and suspension would result in less disclosure about us and may negatively affect the liquidity and trading prices of our common stock.

Due to the relatively high cost of being a public company in the United States and our limited resources, our Board of Directors may elect to voluntarily deregister our Class A common stock under the Exchange Act and suspend our reporting obligations with the SEC, possibly in combination with beginning to satisfy the alternative reporting standard of the OTC Markets to continue the quotation of our Class A common stock on the OTC Pink. No Board approval of deregistration has taken place, but in the future, the Board may authorize the Company to file with the SEC a Form 15 to voluntarily deregister our Class A common stock under Section 12(g) of the Exchange Act and suspend our reporting obligations under Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act. If the Board approves such deregistration, we would file a Form 15 and our obligations to file periodic reports, such as annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and current reports on Form 8-K, would be suspended immediately upon the filing of the Form 15 with the SEC, and our proxy statement, Section 16 and other Section 12(g) reporting responsibilities would terminate effective 90 days after the filing of the Form 15. Following any such deregistration and suspension, we would not expect to publish periodic financial information or furnish such information to our stockholders except as may be required by applicable laws or, if the Board so elects, as part of the alternative reporting standard of the OTC Markets, which requires companies to provide less information compared to the requirements under Section 13 and Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act. As a result of the foregoing factors, deregistration may result in less disclosure about us and may negatively affect the liquidity and trading prices of our Class A common stock.

Because our common stock is quoted on the OTC your ability to sell your shares in the secondary trading market may be limited.

Our Class A Common Stock is currently quoted on the OTC. Consequently, the liquidity of our Class A Common Stock is impaired, not only in the number of shares that are bought and sold, but also through delays in the timing of transactions, and coverage by security analysts and the news media, if any, of our Company. As a result, prices for shares of our Class A Common Stock may be lower than might otherwise prevail if our Class A Common Stock were listed on a national securities exchange.

Because our Class A Common Stock is considered “penny stock” you may have difficulty selling them in the secondary trading market.

Federal regulations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”) regulate the trading of so-called “penny stocks,” which are generally defined as any security not listed on a national securities exchange, priced at less than $5.00 per share and offered by an issuer with limited net tangible assets and revenues. Since our Class A Common Stock currently is quoted on the OTC at less than $5.00 per share, our shares are “penny stocks” and may not be traded unless a disclosure schedule explaining the penny stock market and the risks associated therewith is delivered to a potential purchaser prior to any trade.

In addition, because our Class A Common Stock is not listed on any national securities exchange and currently is quoted at and trades at less than $5.00 per share, trading in our Class A Common Stock is subject to Rule 15g-9 under the Exchange Act. Under this rule, broker-dealers must take certain steps prior to selling a “penny stock,” which steps include:

If these penny stock rules are not followed by the broker-dealer, the investor has no obligation to purchase the shares. The application of these comprehensive rules will make it more difficult for broker-dealers to sell our Class A Common Stock and our stockholders, therefore, may have difficulty in selling their shares in the secondary trading market.

Our stock price may be volatile and your investment in our Class A Common Stock could suffer a decline in value.

As of June 30, 2023, the last closing price of our Class A Common Stock, as quoted on the OTC, was $0.02 per share, and on September 28, 2023, the last closing price was $0.01 per share. The price may fluctuate significantly in response to a number of factors, many of which are beyond our control. These factors include:

We do not intend to pay any cash dividends in the foreseeable future and, therefore, any return on your investment in our Class A Common Stock must come from increases in the fair market value and trading price of the Class A Common Stock.

We have not paid any cash dividends on our Class A Common Stock and do not intend to pay cash dividends on our Class A Common Stock in the foreseeable future. We intend to retain future earnings, if any, for reinvestment in the development and expansion of our business. Any credit agreements, which we may enter into with institutional lenders, may restrict our ability to pay dividends. Whether we pay cash dividends in the future will be at the discretion of our board of directors and will be dependent upon our financial condition, results of operations, capital requirements and any other factors that the board of directors decides is relevant. Therefore, any return on your investment in our Class A Common Stock must come from increases in the fair market value and trading price of the Class A Common Stock.

We may issue additional equity shares to fund the Company’s operational requirements which would dilute your share ownership.

The Company’s continued viability depends on its ability to raise capital. Changes in economic, regulatory or competitive conditions may lead to cost increases. Management may also determine that it is in the best interest of the Company to develop new services or products. In any such case additional financing is required for the Company to meet its operational requirements. There can be no assurances that the Company will be able to obtain such financing on terms acceptable to the Company and at times required by the Company, if at all. In such event, the Company may be required to materially alter its business plan or curtail all or a part of its operational plans.

ITEM 1B. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS

None

ITEM 2. PROPERTIES

Our current Company headquarters is located at 301 Edgewater Place - Suite 100, Wakefield, MA 01880, a suite that maintains our virtual offices, and if needed, the use of physical offices, meeting rooms, and business support services on a fee for use basis. All our employees and consultants work remotely.

ITEM 3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

On January 22, 2020, the Company filed a complaint against Cummings Properties, LLC in the Superior Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (C.A. No. 20-77CV00101), seeking, among other things, declaratory relief that the lease terminated in September 2018, as the Company’s prior principal executive offices did not automatically extend for an additional five years, return of the Company’s security deposit, and damages. On August 29, 2023, the trial for this case commenced and as of September 28, 2023, this trial is ongoing. The Company is currently unable to determine the probability of the trial outcome or reasonably estimate the loss or gain, if any.

The information called for by this item is incorporated herein by reference to the information set forth in Note 10. Commitment and contingencies of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in Part II, Item 8 in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

ITEM 4. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES

None

PART II

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

The Company’s Class A Common Stock symbol is “IPIX” and is quoted on the OTC Pink. Quotations on the OTC Pink reflect inter-dealer prices, without retail mark-up, mark-down or commission, and may not represent actual transactions.

Number of Shareholders

As of September 28, 2023, a total of approximately 514,013,755 shares of the Company’s Class A common stock are outstanding and held by approximately 66 shareholders of record, including Cede & Co., the nominee for the Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation and consequently that number does not include beneficial owners of our common stock who hold their stock in “street name” through their brokers. In addition, as of September 28, 2023, a total of shares of 4,333,936 shares of the Company’s Class B common stock are outstanding and held by one stockholder of record.

Dividends

The Company has not paid any cash dividends to our shareholders since its inception. The Company currently intends to retain any earnings for use in its business, and therefore does not anticipate paying cash dividends to holders of our common stock in the foreseeable future. The accrued dividend on the balance sheet represents a portion of the unpaid accrued dividend to our Series B 5% convertible preferred stockholders. See Notes 15 and 16 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in Part II, Item 8 in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

ITEM 6. [RESERVED]

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

The following discussion of our financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with our accompanying audited financial statements and related notes to those statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. In addition, the following discussion includes certain forward-looking statements. For a discussion of important factors, including factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from the results referred to in the forward-looking statements, see “Item 1A. Risk Factors” and “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” contained in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Our fiscal year ends on June 30. When we refer to a fiscal year, we are referring to the year in which the fiscal year ends. Therefore, fiscal 2023 refers to the fiscal year ended June 30, 2023.

Management’s Plan of Operation

The Company historically devoted most of its efforts and resources on business development, regulatory matters, and clinical trials. Presently, the Company does not have sufficient financial resources to advance our drug candidates meaningfully. Contingent upon sufficient funding, we anticipate that our efforts would primarily focus on advancement of our drug candidate Brilacidin for decreasing the incidence of severe oral mucositis as a complication of chemoradiation in Oral Mucositis. The antiviral and antifungal properties of Brilacidin also present potential clinical development opportunities going forward should sufficient funding be obtained via grants and/or pharmaceutical company partnerships. In general, we expect to concentrate on product development and engage in a limited way in product discovery, avoiding the significant investment of time and financial resources that is generally required for a promising compound to be identified and brought into clinical trials.

In the ordinary course of business, we engage in a continual review of opportunities to license our drug compound(s)/ indications and enter into partnering, joint development or similar arrangements with other companies. We may generally at any time have such opportunities in various stages of active review, including, for example, entry into indications of interest and term sheets and participation in preliminary discussions and negotiations. Any such transaction could be material to us.

The Company is monitoring BTL’s progress in advancing its novel laser-based thermal ablation technology platform targeting epilepsy and oncology procedures. BTL will use the FDA 510(k) pathway to achieve its goal of marketing approval in the United States. BTL recently received certification of ISO13485 for their new facility. ISO 13485 is the medical industry’s medical device standard, which is designed to ensure that all medical devices meet the proper regulatory compliance laws and customer needs.

Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles of the United States (“GAAP”) requires estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, revenues and expenses in the financial statements and accompanying notes. Critical accounting estimates are those estimates made in accordance with GAAP that involve a significant level of estimation uncertainty and have had or are reasonably likely to have a material impact on the financial condition or results of operations of the Company. We also have other key accounting policies, which involve the use of estimates, judgments, and assumptions that are significant to understanding our results which are found in Note 3 – Significant Accounting Policies and Recent Accounting Pronouncements, to the financial statements included in Part II, Item 8 of this 2023 Annual Report on Form 10-K. We base our estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions that we believe are reasonable under the circumstances. These estimates are the basis for our judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities, which in turn may impact our reported revenue and expenses. Although we believe that our estimates, assumptions, and judgments are reasonable, they are based upon information presently available. Actual results may differ significantly from these estimates under different assumptions, judgments, or conditions.

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements

See Note 3. Significant Accounting Policies and Recent Accounting Pronouncements to the consolidated financial statements, included in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, for a discussion of recent accounting pronouncements and their effect, if any, on our financial statements.

Results of Operations

We expect to incur losses from operations for the next few years. Contingent upon sufficient funding, we expect to incur increasing research and development expenses, including expenses related to additional clinical trials for our proprietary programs. We currently anticipate that future budget expenditures will be approximately $1.8 million for the next 12 months, including approximately $0.6 million for development activities, supportive research, and drug manufacturing. However, continuing operations for the next 12 months from the date of this filing is very much dependent upon our ability to raise capital from existing or new financing sources. There can be no assurance as to the availability or terms upon which such financing and capital might be available.

Revenue

We generated revenue of $0 and $18,000 for the fiscal years ended June 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively. Revenue during the fiscal year ended June 30, 2022 represented the payment of $18,000 from FCCDC based on FCCDC’s third-party license of broad-spectrum anti-fungals and a separate agreement between the Company and FCCDC (see Note 8. Exclusive License Agreement and Patent Assignment Agreement of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in Part II, Item 8 in this Annual Report on Form 10-K).

We incurred operating expenses of approximately $2.9 million and $6.9 million for the fiscal years ended June 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively.

Research and Development Expenses for Proprietary Programs

Below is a summary of our research and development expenses for our proprietary programs by categories of costs for the fiscal years presented (rounded to nearest thousand):

Fiscal 2023 compared to Fiscal 2022 - Research and development expenses for proprietary programs decreased during the year ended June 30, 2023 compared with the year ended June 30, 2022, primarily due to less spending on our Brilacidin program for the fiscal year 2023.

Employees payroll and payroll tax expenses decreased during the year ended June 30, 2023 compared with the year ended June 30, 2022, primarily due to no bonus paid during the year ended June 30, 2023.

Stock-based compensation for employees decreased during the year ended June 30, 2023 compared with the year ended June 30, 2022, primarily due to no new stock options being issued to employees during the year ended June 30, 2023.

Stock-based compensation - consultants decreased during the year ended June 30, 2023 compared with the year ended June 30, 2022, primarily due to no new stock options being issued to consultants during the year ended June 30, 2023.

Our research and development expenses include costs related to preclinical and clinical trials, outsourced services and consulting, officers’ payroll and related payroll tax expenses, other wages and related payroll tax expenses, stock-based compensation, depreciation and amortization expenses. Clinical studies and development expenses may decrease in future reporting periods depending on the Company’s current and future financial liquidity. We manage our proprietary programs based on scientific data and achievement of research plan goals. Accordingly, the accurate assignment of time and costs to a specific project is difficult and may not give a true indication of the actual costs of a particular project. As a result, we do not report costs on an individual program basis.

General and Administrative Expenses

General and administrative expenses consist mainly of compensation and associated fringe benefits not included in the cost of research and development expenses for proprietary programs and include other management, business development, accounting, information technology and administration costs, including patent filing and prosecution, recruiting, consulting and professional services, travel and meals, sales commissions, facilities, depreciation and other office expenses.

Below is a summary of our general and administrative expenses (rounded to nearest thousand):

Fiscal 2023 compared to Fiscal 2022 - General and administrative expenses decreased during the year ended June 30, 2023 compared with the year ended June 30, 2022, primarily due to the decrease in stock-based compensation - officers & directors of $262,000, a decrease in patent write off relating to Kevetrin of $141,000, and a decrease in other G&A expense of $23,000 due to less business development consultants’ fees and business events during the year ended June 30, 2023. Stock-based compensation for officers and directors decreased during the year ended June 30, 2023 due to no new stock options being issued to officers and directors during the year ended June 30, 2023 compared with the year ended June 30, 2022.

Officer’s payroll and payroll tax expenses

Below is a summary of our officer’s payroll and payroll tax expenses (rounded to nearest thousand):

Fiscal 2023 compared to Fiscal 2022 – Officers’ payroll and payroll tax expenses increased during the year ended June 30, 2023 compared with the year ended June 30, 2022, primarily due to the increase in officers’ payroll taxes.

Professional fees

Below is a summary of our professional fees (rounded to nearest thousand):

Fiscal 2023 compared to Fiscal 2022 - Professional fees decreased during the year ended June 30, 2023 compared with the year ended June 30, 2022, primarily related to fewer transactions in fiscal 2023. Professional fees during the year ended June 30, 2022 primarily related to the 2020 Securities Purchase Agreement and issuance of Series B-2 preferred stock.

Other Operating Income and (Loss)

Fiscal 2023 compared to Fiscal 2022 – Other operating loss increased during the year ended June 30, 2023 compared with the year ended June 30, 2022, primarily due to the increase in equity loss from the equity investment (see Note 4. - Equity Investment of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in Part II, Item 8 in this Annual Report on Form 10-K).

Other Income (Expense)

Below is a summary of our other income (expense) (rounded to nearest thousand):

Fiscal 2023 compared to Fiscal 2022 - Other income (expense), net decreased during the year ended June 30, 2023 compared with the year ended June 30, 2022, primarily due to the decrease in other income of $172,000 related to no forgiveness of the PPP Loan in 2023, a decrease in change in fair value of preferred stock of $177,000 related to series B-2 preferred stock, and a decrease in interest expense of $40,000, because the Company repaid $1,033,000 of note payable to Mr. Ehrlich, the Company’s Chairman and CEO during the year ended June 30, 2022.

There was a decrease in interest expense - preferred stock liability during the year ended June 30, 2023 compared with the year ended June 30, 2022, due to the less outstanding of series B-2 preferred stock during the year ended June 30, 2023.

Net Losses

We incurred net losses of $3.2 million and $7.0 million for the years ended June 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively, because of the above-mentioned factors.

Liquidity, Going Concern and Capital Resources

Projected Future Working Capital Requirements - Next 12 Months

As of June 30, 2023, we had approximately $1.5 million in cash compared to $3.8 million of cash as of June 30, 2022, and as of the date of this filing, we have approximately $1.0 million in cash. Contingent upon sufficient funding, we currently anticipate that future budget expenditures will be approximately $1.8 million for the next 12 months, including approximately $0.6 million for development activities, supportive research, and drug manufacturing.

This assessment is based on current estimates and assumptions regarding our clinical development programs and business needs. Actual working capital requirements could differ materially from this above working capital projection.

Our ability to successfully raise sufficient funds through the sale of equity securities, when needed, is subject to many risks and uncertainties and even if we are successful, future equity issuances would result in dilution to our existing stockholders. Our risk factors are described under the heading “Risk Factors” in Part I, Item 1A and elsewhere in our Annual Report on Form 10-K.

In the event that we are unable to raise additional funds from others, we may be required to delay, reduce or severely curtail our operations or otherwise impede our on-going business efforts, which could have a material adverse effect on our future business, operating results, financial condition and long-term prospects. The Company expects to seek to obtain additional funding through business development activities (for example licensing and partnerships) and future equity issuances. There can be no assurance as to the availability or terms upon which such financing and capital might be available to us.

Going Concern

Our financial statements were prepared assuming we will continue as a going concern which contemplates the realization of assets and satisfaction of liabilities in the normal course of business. We have negative working capital of $3.4 million and have incurred losses since inception of $125.3 million. We expect to incur further losses in the development of our business and have been dependent on raising capital to fund operations from inception. These conditions raise substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern. Management’s plans include continuing to finance operations through the private or public placement of debt and/or equity securities and the reduction of expenditures. However, no assurance can be given at this time as to whether we will be able to achieve these objectives. The financial statements do not include any adjustment relating to the recoverability and classification of recorded asset amounts or the amounts and classification of liabilities that might be necessary should we be unable to continue as a going concern.

Shelf Registration Statement - Current Status

The Company does not satisfy the conditions for use of Form S-3 for primary offerings of securities, and as a result, the Company generally may only utilize Form S-1 to register the sale of its securities. Form S-1 offers less flexibility on the timing and types of offerings compared to Form S-3.

Cash Flows

The following table provides information regarding our cash position, cash flows and capital expenditures for the years ended June 30, 2023 and 2022 (rounded to nearest thousand):

Operating Activities

Net cash used in operating activities for the years ended June 30, 2023 and 2022 was $2.1 million and $6.3 million, a decrease of $4.2 million. For the year ended June 30, 2023, operating cash flows reflect our net loss of $3.2 million, noncash charges (stock-based compensation expense, amortization expense and equity in loss from investment) of $0.8 million and a net increase from changes in operating assets and liabilities of approximately $0.3 million. Changes in operating assets and liabilities include an increase in accounts payable of $0.4 million and an increase in accrued officers’ salaries and payroll taxes of $0.1 million, offset by a decrease in operating lease liability of $0.2 million.

For the year ended June 30, 2022, operating cash flows reflect our net loss of $7.0 million, noncash charges (stock-based compensation expense, amortization expense and equity in loss from investment) of $1.1 million and a net decrease from changes in operating assets and liabilities of approximately $0.4 million. Changes in operating assets and liabilities include a decrease in accrued expense of $0.2 million, a decrease in accrued officers’ salaries and payroll taxes of $0.4 million, a decrease in operating lease liability of $0.2 million, offset by an increase in accounts payable of $0.4 million.

Investing activities

Net cash used in our investing activities for the year ended June 30, 2023, as compared to net cash used in our investing activities in 2022, decreased by approximately $4.0 million. The decrease was due primarily to a decrease in the contribution of equity investment in 2023 as compared to the investment in BTL in 2022.

Financing activities

Net cash used in financing activities for the year ended June 30, 2023, as compared to net cash provided by our financing activities in 2022, decreased by approximately $4.1 million. The decrease was due primarily to decreases in proceeds from exercise of warrants to purchase Series B Preferred stock.

During the year ended June 30, 2023, the Company did not raise any funds and repaid a note payable of $37,000 and paid dividends on preferred stock of $86,000.

During the year ended June 30, 2022, the Company raised $5.0 million in net cash proceeds, from exercise of warrants to purchase preferred stock and repaid $1.0 million of a note payable to officer.

Requirement for Additional Working Capital

The Company, contingent on future sales of its securities, currently expects to incur total operating expenses of approximately $1.8 million for the next 12 months, including approximately $0.6 million for development activities, supportive research, and drug manufacturing. The Company has limited experience with pharmaceutical product development. As such, this budget estimate may change in the future. In addition, the actual work to be performed is not known at this time, other than a broad outline, as is normal with any scientific work. As further work is performed, additional work may become necessary or a change in plans or workload may occur. Such changes may have an adverse impact on our estimated budget and on our projected timeline of drug development.

In the event that we are unable to raise additional funds from others, we may be required to delay, reduce or severely curtail our operations or otherwise impede our on-going business efforts, which could have a material adverse effect on our future business, operating results, financial condition and long-term prospects. The Company expects to seek to obtain additional funding through business development activities (for example licensing and partnerships) and future equity issuances. There can be no assurance as to the availability or terms upon which such financing and capital might be available to us.

Commitments and Contingencies

Please see Note 10. Commitments and Contingencies of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in Part II, Item 8 in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, for a discussion of contractual commitments and contingent liability - disputed invoices.

Equity Transactions

During the year ended June 30, 2023, the 2020 Series B-2 5% convertible preferred stockholder converted a total of 260 shares of Series B-2 preferred stock into a total of approximately 25,690,759 shares of common stock. With regard to conversions, the Company reversed Series B-2 5% convertible preferred stock liability relating to the conversion and recorded $0.3 million as additional paid-in capital at par value. The Company reversed the amount of approximately $0.3 million based on the proportion of Series B-2 5% convertible preferred stock converted relative to the original total issued.

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

The Company does not have any off-balance sheet arrangements, as defined in Item 304(a)(4)(ii) of Regulation S-K under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements

We do not expect the adoption of recently issued accounting pronouncements to have a significant impact on our results of operation, financial position or cash flow.

ITEM 7A. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK

Not applicable.

ITEM 8. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA

INNOVATION PHARMACEUTICALS INC.

INDEX TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTAL DATA

REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

To the Board of Directors and Stockholders

Innovation Pharmaceutical, Inc.

Opinion on the Financial Statements

We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Innovation Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (the Company) as of June 30, 2023 and 2022, and the related consolidated statements of operations, changes in stockholders’ equity, and cash flows for the years then ended, 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 June 30, 2023 and 2022, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for the years then ended, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

Going Concern Considerations

The accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared assuming that the Company will continue as a going concern.  The Company has negative working capital, has suffered losses and negative cash flow from operations, which raise substantial doubt about its ability to continue as a going concern.  Management’s plans in regard to these matters are described in Note 2. The consolidated financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty.

Basis for Opinion

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

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audits to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the 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 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 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 financial statements. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

Critical Audit Matter

The critical audit matter communicated below is a matter arising from the current period audit of the consolidated financial statements that was communicated or required to be communicated to the audit committee and that: (1) relates to accounts or disclosures that are material to the consolidated 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 consolidated financial statements, taken as a whole, and we are not, by communicating the critical audit matter below, providing a separate opinion on the critical audit matter or on the accounts or disclosures to which it relates.

Stock-Based Compensation

As described in Note 14 to the consolidated financial statements, the Company recorded stock-based compensation related to the issuance of common stock and stock options issued to employees and third-party service providers. Management establishes their estimates for the value of the stock-based compensation related to common stock issued for services using historical stock price information.  Management uses a valuation model requiring various inputs to establish their estimates for the value of stock options.

The principal considerations for our determination that performing procedures relating to stock-based compensation is a critical audit matter are due to the material impact it has on the consolidated financial statements.

Addressing the matter involved performing procedures and evaluating audit evidence in connection with forming our overall opinion on the consolidated financial statements. These procedures included, among others, evaluating the reasonableness of the historical stock price information used by management for the valuation of the common stock along with evaluating the reasonableness of the input’s management used in the valuation model related to the stock options and warrants to determine the stock-based compensation expense.

/s/ Pinnacle Accountancy Group of Utah

We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2018.

Pinnacle Accountancy Group of Utah

(a dba of Heaton & Company, PLLC)

Farmington, Utah

September 28, 2023

INNOVATION PHARMACEUTICALS INC.

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

AS OF JUNE 30, 2023 AND 2022

(Rounded to nearest thousand except for share data) 

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

INNOVATION PHARMACEUTICALS INC.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

FOR THE YEARS ENDED JUNE 30, 2023 AND 2022

(Rounded to nearest thousand except for shares and per share data)

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

INNOVATION PHARMACEUTICALS INC.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

FOR THE YEARS ENDED JUNE 30, 2023 AND 2022

(Rounded to nearest thousand, except for shares data):