Nuwellis, Inc. - Annual Report: 2020 (Form 10-K)

For the Fiscal Year Ended: December 31, 2020

For the Transition Period from     to    

Commission file number 001-35312

12988 Valley View Road

Eden Prairie, Minnesota 55344

(952) 345-4200

This Annual Report on Form 10-K contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). These forward-looking statements relate to us, our business prospects and our results of operations and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties posed by many factors and events that could cause our actual business, prospects and results of operations to differ materially from those anticipated by such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to, those described under the heading “Risk Factors” included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this report. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by the following words: “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “ongoing,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “should,” “will,” “would” or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words. We undertake no obligation to revise any forward-looking statements in order to reflect events or circumstances that might subsequently arise. Readers are urged to carefully review and consider the various disclosures made by us in this report and in our other reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) that advise interested parties of the risks and factors that may affect our business.

We are a medical device company dedicated to changing the lives of patients suffering from fluid overload through science, collaboration, and innovative technology. The company is focused on developing, manufacturing, and commercializing medical devices used in ultrafiltration therapy, including the Aquadex FlexFlow® and the Aquadex SmartFlow® systems (collectively the “Aquadex System”). The Aquadex System is indicated for temporary (up to eight hours) or extended (longer than 8 hours in patients who require hospitalization) use in adult and pediatric patients weighing 20kg or more whose fluid overload is unresponsive to medical management, including diuretics.

Fluid overload, also known as hypervolemia, is a condition in which there is too much fluid in the blood and generally refers to the expansion of the extracellular fluid volume. Although the body does need some amount of fluid to remain healthy, too much can cause an imbalance and damage to an individual’s health.

The signs and symptoms of fluid overload are not always the same in each patient and may vary. However, possible signs and symptoms of fluid overload include: pulmonary edema/pleural effusion, peripheral edema, anasarca (swelling of the skin) ascites, jugular vein distention and dyspnea. Medical conditions or diseases where excess fluid accumulates in the body are: heart failure, kidney failure, nephrotic syndrome, cirrhosis, or burn injuries/trauma. Individuals may also suffer from temporary fluid overload following certain surgical procedures, such as cardiac surgery. The diagnosis of fluid overload can be made through a variety of tests/exams such as a physical exam (weight and edema), blood chemistry, electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG), glomerular filtration rate (GFR), liver enzymes, and urinalysis, or serum/urine sodium test. Fluid overload has a significant association with the combined events of death, infection, bleeding, arrhythmia, and pulmonary edema¹ and is a leading cause of readmissions with patients suffering from heart failure and patients following cardiac surgery.

The condition of fluid overload is often observed in patients with heart failure and secondary oliguric states.² Most of the symptoms of congestive heart failure result from extracellular fluid volume. For this reason, diuretics have been the cornerstone of heart failure treatment for more than 50 years. Over the past 20 years, approaches to treatment have changed dramatically.³ These dramatic improvements include new medications and new technologies, such as ultrafiltration, to help treat fluid overload.

Treatment for fluid overload has traditionally been achieved through use of loop diuretics which may be accompanied by use of other categories of medications, such as ACE inhibitors, beta-blockers, and inotropic drugs. Although diuretics are the mainstay of treatment for congestion or fluid overload, no randomized trials have shown the effects of diuretics on mortality in chronic heart failure patients. Furthermore, appropriate titration of diuretics, specifically in the heart failure population, is unclear. Increasing concern exists that diuretics, particularly at high doses, may be deleterious in the inpatient setting. In addition, patients with heart failure and cardiorenal syndrome have diminished response to loop diuretics, making these agents less effective at relieving congestion.⁴ Also, long term use of diuretics has been associated with kidney damage.⁵ Approximately 40% of heart failure patients have poor diuretic response.⁶ This poor response is possibly due to noncompliance or high intake of salt, poor drug absorption, insufficient kidney response to drug, and reduced

diuretic secretion.⁷ Despite treatment with loop diuretics, patients are frequently hospitalized and treated for recurrent symptoms and signs of fluid overload. Among more than 50,000 patients enrolled in the Acute Decompensated Heart Failure National Registry (“ADHERE”) study, only 33% lost ≥ 2.27 kg (5 lbs), and 16% gained weight during hospitalization.⁸

Nearly one-half of hospitalized patients with heart failure are discharged with residual fluid excess after receiving conventional diuretic therapies.⁹ Regardless of diuretic strategy, 42% of acutely decompensated heart failure subjects in the DOSE (Diuretic Optimization Strategies Evaluation) trial reached the composite endpoint of death, rehospitalization, or emergency department visit at 60 days.¹⁰ There is an association of chronic loop diuretic therapy and greater resource utilization at hospitals.¹¹ Therefore, an alternative therapy to help stabilize or improve patient care is needed.

Ultrafiltration, or aquapheresis, is an alternative therapy to diuretics for fluid removal in patients. Ultrafiltration has been a well-documented technique in the treatment of fluid overload in heart failure patients for 25-30 years.¹² Ultrafiltration is a safe and effective alternative therapy to remove extra fluid and salt by gently filtering blood through an ultrafiltration system. With ultrafiltration, medical practitioners can specify and control the amount of fluid to be extracted at a safe, predictable, and effective rate. The use of ultrafiltration therapy in subgroups of patients, such as heart failure and post-cardiac surgery, has demonstrated clinical benefits in treating fluid overload signs and symptoms. In addition to the clinical benefits of ultrafiltration, the therapy provides economic advantages. A recent hospital cost analysis demonstrated a total cost savings of $3,975, or 14.4%, per patient when using ultrafiltration as compared to diuretic therapy over 90 days.¹³

The Aquadex System is designed and clinically proven to simply, safely, and precisely remove excess fluid (primarily excess salt and water) from patients suffering from fluid overload who have failed diuretic therapy. With the Aquadex System, medical practitioners can specify and control the amount of fluid to be extracted at a safe, predictable, and effective rate. The Aquadex System has been shown to have no clinically significant impact on electrolyte balance, blood pressure or heart rate.¹⁴ Unlike other forms of ultrafiltration, which typically require administration specifically by a nephrologist, the Aquadex System may be prescribed by any physician and administered by a healthcare provider, both of whom have received training in extracorporeal therapies.

The Aquadex System offers a safe approach to treating fluid overload and:

The Aquadex System consists of:

The Aquadex blood circuit set is proprietary and the Aquadex System can only be used with the Aquadex blood circuit set. The dual lumen extended length catheter (dELC) is designed for use with the Aquadex System, although it is one of many potential catheter options available to the healthcare provider.

The Aquadex System is indicated for the treatment of patients suffering from fluid overload who have failed diuretics. We are currently focusing our commercial activities in three primary clinical areas where fluid overload is prevalent: critical care, pediatrics and heart failure.

Patients suffer from fluid overload in connection with a variety of critical care procedures and treatments, including cardiac surgery, liver and other organ transplants, ventricular assist device (“VAD”) implants, extra corporeal membrane oxygenation (“ECMO”) therapy, treatment for coronavirus disease 2019 (“COVID-19”), sepsis, liver disease and severe burns. According to the National Center for Health Sciences, over 7.3 million cardiovascular operations are performed each year in the United States, including an estimated 340,000 coronary-artery bypass grafting (CABG) procedures¹⁹, 180,000 valve procedures²⁰, and 3,000 VAD implants²¹. Cardiac surgery is associated with a degree of fluid overload due to cardio pulmonary bypass. Cardio pulmonary bypass often requires a physician to administer a high volume of pre- and post-operative fluids (e.g. cardio pulmonary bypass pumps prime fluid, fluid used for cardioplegia, other fluids administered to address hypotension or post-operative crystalloid). Fluid overload in post-cardiac surgery can readily occur because surgery can affect the pumping actions of the heart, leading to postoperative hemodynamic instability. The condition often remains symptomless for several days until clinical symptoms become apparent, when treatment is almost always too late and ineffective.²²

The potential complications (e.g. renal failure, stroke, infection, arrhythmias, or prolonged intubation) are reported to be associated with high mortality, particularly when renal replacement therapy is required. Major complications after cardiac operations are associated with an increased risk for operative death, longer hospital

length of stay, and higher rates of discharge to a location other than home.²³ Readmissions are a common problem in cardiac surgery and remain high. Approximately 20% of patients who undergo cardiac operations require readmission, an outcome with significant health economic implications. Volume overload was among the top three most prevalent causes for first readmission within 30 days and beyond 30 days.²⁴ It is estimated that 13.5% of post cardiac surgery patients are readmitted due to fluid overload within 30 days of discharge, which equates to an estimated 70,000 fluid overload-related readmissions for CABG, valve, and VAD procedures per year in the United States.²⁵

Heart failure is one of the leading causes of death in the United States and other developed countries. In fact, approximately 50% of patients who develop heart failure die within five years of diagnosis. Based on data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/National Center for Health Statistics from 2011 to 2014, the American Heart Association estimates that 6.5 million people in the United States, age 20 and over, had heart failure²⁶. Based on the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study from 2005 to 2013, conducted by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, there are an estimated 960,000 new heart failure cases annually²⁷. Annual hospitalizations for heart failure exceed one million in both the United States and Europe, and more than 90% are due to symptoms and signs of fluid overload²⁸. In addition, approximately 68% of patients are discharged with sub-optimal results.²⁹ As such, there are over 600,000 heart failure patients in the United States who might benefit from new technologies to treat fluid overload.

Heart failure is a progressive disease caused by impairment of the left side of heart’s ability to pump blood to the various organs of the body. Patients with heart failure commonly experience shortness of breath, fatigue, difficulty exercising and swelling of the legs. The heart becomes weak or stiff and enlarges over time, making it harder for the heart to pump the blood needed for the body to function properly. The severity of heart failure depends on how well a person’s heart pumps blood throughout the body.

According to a nationwide study of over 140,000 patients suffering from acute decompensated heart failure, over 38% of patients discharged were still symptomatic and about half of the patients were discharged with less than five pounds lost.³⁰ This clinical evidence from the ADHERE registry clearly shows patients are discharged too early, while still showing evidence of fluid overload.

By not truly addressing the fluid overload problem, patients are being readmitted to the hospital too frequently, with 30-day readmissions of 22% and 6-month readmissions of 44%, while 78% of patients are admitted directly to the emergency department as the first point of care.^{31, 32}

Heart failure often requires inpatient treatment and it carries a huge economic burden in the United States, costing the nation an estimated $60.2 billion each year with hospital costs accounting for 62% of the economic burden.³³ As the population ages, healthcare expenditures are expected to increase substantially.³⁴ Therefore, therapies aimed at treating congestion and fluid overload is essential from a patient care and health economic perspective.

To remove the excess fluid, patients suffering from heart failure may receive ultrafiltration therapy in two settings: (i) inpatient care: provided to a patient admitted to a hospital, extended care facility, nursing home or other longer-term care facility; and (ii) outpatient care: provided to a patient who is not admitted to a facility, but receives treatment at a doctor’s office, clinic, or hospital outpatient department.

Hospitals in the United States also face potential penalties for heart failure readmissions. As part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2012, as amended (the “Affordable Care Act”), Medicare instituted the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program (HRRP), which penalizes hospitals with high 30-day readmission rates for heart failure and other common diseases and procedures. This penalty can be as high as 3% of reimbursement for all Medicare admissions. Technologies that help reduce readmissions, such as the Aquadex System, can help hospitals mitigate these penalties.

Many of the conditions and procedures faced by adult patients also occur in pediatric patients, such as cardiac surgery, organ transplants, heart failure and ECMO therapy. Similar to adult patients, these conditions and procedures may lead to fluid overload. While incidence data is not readily available, it is estimated that there are approximately 10,000 to 14,000 pediatric patients with heart failure³⁵ and approximately 18,000 receiving cardiac surgery, ECMO therapy, and solid organ transplantation.^{36, 37, 38} In addition to these conditions, babies born prematurely may not have functioning kidneys and need kidney replacement therapy for survival. It is estimated that approximately 11,000 newborn babies require neonatal kidney replacement therapy each year in the United States.³⁹

Our vision is to change the lives of patients suffering from fluid overload through science, collaboration and innovation. We provide healthcare professionals with a reliable and sophisticated, yet easy to use, mechanical pump and filtration system to remove excess fluid in fluid overloaded patients. We believe that our technology will provide a competitive advantage in the fluid management market by providing improved clinical benefits and reducing the cost of care relative to other treatment alternatives.

Our strategic focus is to demonstrate a strong business model by driving revenue growth. Growing revenue is the key metric employees, stockholders and potential investors will use to judge our performance. Our field-based employees include both sales representatives and clinical specialists in 13 sales territories in the United States. We also have distribution agreements in several countries in Europe, South America and Asia. We intend to focus on the acute needs of fluid overloaded patients in cardiac surgery and other areas of critical care, while continuing to support heart failure patients in the inpatient setting, and eventually the outpatient setting. With the recent U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) 510(k) clearance for use in pediatric patients weighing 20kg or more, we have expanded our commercialization efforts to treatments for pediatric patients.

Critical Care: At the end of the third quarter of 2018, we launched a marketing campaign focused on the benefits of the Aquadex System in treating patients suffering from fluid overload following cardiac surgery procedures, such as CABG, valve repairs and replacements procedures, VAD implants and other cardiac surgical procedures. In September 2019, we realigned our sales force to further focus on the acute needs of fluid overloaded patients in the critical care setting. We believe that we will continue to grow revenue in this faster growing segment of our business by leveraging the synergies between heart failure cardiologists and cardiovascular surgeons, traditional technology adoption rates of cardiac surgeons, and product purchase cycle of the cardiac surgical and other critical care centers at large hospitals.

Pediatrics: Ultrafiltration is used by physicians to treat fluid overload in various conditions in pediatric patients, including heart failure, cardiac surgery⁴⁰, ECMO therapy⁴¹, solid organ transplantation⁴², and kidney replacement therapy for neonatal patients. In February 2020, the Company received 510(k) clearance of the Aquadex System to include pediatric patients who weigh 20kg or more. With this clearance, we expanded our commercialization efforts to include promotion to physicians and hospitals who treat this pediatric population in March 2020, and we expect to evaluate additional improvements to the Aquadex System to further address the needs of the pediatric population. We are investing in the development of new clinical evidence around use of ultrafiltration in pediatric patients, including the December 2020 launch of the ULTRA pediatrics registry, a multi-center, single-arm study, which we anticipate will involve over 500 patients. We plan to invest in other clinical studies in this patient population.

Heart Failure In-Patients: Heart failure patients suffering from fluid overload may be treated in an inpatient setting, such as a hospital, extended care facility or nursing home. Historically, our commercial efforts have been primarily focused on use of the Aquadex System in the inpatient setting in large hospital accounts. We intend to continue to support our sales efforts on inpatient facilities, leveraging the clinical benefits and economic advantages of using the Aquadex System over diuretic therapy.

Heart Failure Out-Patients: Further, we intend to expand the use of the Aquadex System with heart failure patients in the outpatient setting, such as an infusion clinic or hospital outpatient department (e.g. observation unit). While currently not reimbursed by Medicare and private payors, outpatient clinics are still using the Aquadex System to treat patients suffering from fluid overload because it can be a financial benefit to use the Aquadex System without reimbursement rather than to incur Medicare penalties for readmission into the inpatient setting. We are supporting the development of new evidence regarding the economic impact of ultrafiltration in the outpatient setting, including a clinical study on outpatient use that was initiated by the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Tampa, Florida in the fourth quarter of 2019. We plan to use such new evidence to seek reimbursement and gain broader adoption of the Aquadex System in the outpatient market.

Outside of the United States, the Aquadex System is sold by independent specialty distributors who in turn sell to hospitals and clinics in their geographic regions. We currently have distribution relationships in Austria, Brazil, Brunei, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, India, Israel, Italy, Palestine, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand and the United Kingdom. We intend to continue to establish distribution partners in additional countries outside of the United States.

Besides driving near term revenue growth through sales of the Aquadex System, we intend to develop product enhancements to improve performance and customer satisfaction. We have projects designed to improve venous access for the Aquadex catheter and enhance the functionality of the hematocrit sensor that is part of the Aquadex console. We also are collaborating with partners to evaluate diagnostic tools for physicians to use during an Aquadex therapy to more precisely determine the amount of excess fluid to be removed, the rate of ultrafiltration, and when to stop therapy as dry weight is approached. As we expand our commercialization efforts in the pediatric market, we expect to evaluate additional improvements to the Aquadex System to further address the needs of the pediatric population.

As of March 19, 2021, we had 30 full-time employees in sales and marketing. We have 13 sales territories in the United States. Our U.S. sales force includes account managers, as well as field clinical specialists who provide training, technical and other support services to our customers. Following the acquisition of the business associated with the Aquadex System (the “Aquadex Business”) from Baxter International, Inc. (“Baxter”) in August 2016, our direct sales force was focused initially on re-engaging hospital accounts that ordered Aquadex blood sets in prior years, re-educating customers on the therapy, and assessing each hospital’s use of the Aquadex System to gain additional opportunity for increased utilization, primarily in heart failure. In 2018, we expanded our commercialization efforts to include post-cardiac surgery. In September 2019, we realigned our sales force to further focus on the acute needs of fluid overloaded patients in the critical care setting, while still supporting heart failure. We expanded our commercialization efforts to include pediatrics, following receipt of 510(k) clearance of the Aquadex System to include pediatric patients who weigh 20kg or more in February 2020.

In the United States, our target customers for the Aquadex System include health care systems and academic hospitals specializing in advanced treatment of chronic heart failure and/or critical care patients. With the 510(k) clearance of the Aquadex SmartFlow system for pediatric patients weighing over 20 kg, we are also targeting pediatric hospitals. Our largest customer represented 10.5% of our 2020 annual revenue. The loss of this customer would have a material adverse effect on our revenue.

Several large-scale, multi-center, randomized, controlled trials have evaluated the use of ultrafiltration using the Aquadex System patients in patients with acute decompensated heart failure compared to standard-of-care treatment with intravenous diuretics. These trials followed early-stage studies which primarily focused on safety of ultrafiltration treatment with the Aquadex System.

The UNLOAD trial enrolled 200 patients and showed that average weight and fluid loss were greater in the ultrafiltration group 48 hours following randomization. No differences were noted in symptoms of dyspnea between the groups. In addition, through 90 days of follow-up, the ultrafiltration group experienced fewer re-hospitalizations for heart failure, while renal function assessed by serum creatinine level was not significantly different between the groups.

The CARRESS trial studied 188 randomized acute decompensated heart failure patients over the course of 96 hours and found no difference in weight loss and an increase in creatinine level relative to the control group treated with intravenous diuretics. The creatinine increase was interpreted as a sign of potential worsening renal function in the ultrafiltration group. Results of CARRESS have been criticized on several limitations, particularly that trial results were impacted by centers unfamiliar with the use of ultrafiltration therapy, different ultrafiltration rates should have utilized per patient characteristics, and that the diuretic regimen employed was not representative of standard-of-care. In addition, recent analyses of the CARRESS study cohort were published since the original study results. One-protocol analysis showed that ultrafiltration had higher net fluid loss and weight reduction compared to intravenous diuretics, and there was no significant differences in long-term outcomes.⁴³ An additional sub-study analysis on urinary biomarkers showed that although further worsening creatinine levels was reported, decongestion and renal function recovery at 60 days were superior in patients with increased tubular injury markers.⁴⁴ The data suggests that the benefits of decongestion may outweigh modest or transient increases in serum creatinine during ultrafiltration. Thus, a change in creatinine should not dissuade the use of ultrafiltration.

Disparate results between UNLOAD and CARRESS led to initiation of the AVOID-HF trial. AVOID-HF was designed to prospectively address the question of patient outcomes when treated with ultrafiltration versus intravenous diuretics for acute decompensated heart failure. Trial design assumptions indicated that 810 patients would need to be randomized to achieve adequate statistical power. However, the study was terminated at 224 patients for business reasons by Baxter. Despite being underpowered, the results of AVOID-HF indicated distinct trends toward reduced composite heart-failure events in the ultrafiltration group over 90 days. In addition, pre-specified secondary endpoints demonstrated significant reductions in heart failure and cardiovascular events re-hospitalization at 30 days. No significant differences were observed in creatinine level between the groups during treatment and up to 90 days following treatment. In totality, AVOID-HF recapitulated the results of both UNLOAD and CARRESS while providing evidence that had AVOID-HF been followed to completion it would likely have met its primary endpoint of improved outcome in acute decompensated heart failure patients.

In October 2020, a third party real-world retrospective study of 335 patients treated with the Aquadex FlexFlow® System, “10 years of real world data with UF for ADHF patients,”¹ compared previous RCT trials with ultrafiltration and demonstrated that ultrafiltration compares favorably in reducing heart failure rehospitalizations, renal function response, and weight/volume loss.

In November 2020, we launched the ULTRA pediatrics registry, a multi-center, single-arm study. This registry involves at least ten clinical sites and we anticipate involving over 500 patients. We expect to conduct additional clinical studies to provide further evidence of the safety and effectiveness of the Aquadex System.

Research and development costs include activities related to research, development, design, and testing improvements to the Aquadex System and potential related products. The Aquadex system software may require periodic modifications for feature additions and performance improvements. We will make such design changes as needed based on pro-active and reactive mechanisms. Research and development costs also include expenses related to clinical research.

In 2020, we initiated a product development projects designed to improve peripheral venous access for the Aquadex FlexFlow® catheter and minimize filter clotting during the use of Aquadex System and expect to initiate a product development project in the near future designed to enhance the functionality of the hematocrit sensor that is part of the Aquadex console. As we expand our commercialization efforts in the pediatric market, we expect to evaluate product opportunities to further address the needs of the pediatric population. We are also evaluating diagnostic tools for physicians to use during an Aquadex therapy to more precisely determine the amount of excess fluid to be removed, the rate of ultrafiltration, and when to stop therapy as dry weight is approached.

We manufacture the Aquadex System at our 23,000 square foot facility in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. Since the transfer of manufacturing from Baxter following the acquisition of the Aquadex Business, we have been manufacturing Aquadex FlexFlow® consoles and blood circuits in-house since the fourth quarter of 2017 and Aquadex FlexFlow® catheters in-house since the third quarter of 2018. We have manufactured the Aquadex SmartFlow® console since its development in 2019. We purchase parts and components for the Aquadex System from third-party manufactures and suppliers. We believe that our current manufacturing facility is suitable and adequate to meet anticipated manufacturing demands, and that, if necessary, suitable additional or substitute space will be available to accommodate expansion of our operations.

We have established an intellectual property portfolio through which we seek to protect our system and technology. In connection with our acquisition of the Aquadex Business, we entered into a patent license agreement with Baxter pursuant to which we obtained, for no additional consideration, a world-wide license to 49 exclusively licensed and 9 non-exclusively licensed patents used in connection with the Aquadex System to make, have made, use, sell, offer for sale and import, the Aquadex System in the “field of use.” Under the patent license agreement, Baxter has agreed to use commercially reasonable efforts to continue maintenance of seven “required maintenance patents,” and we have agreed to reimburse Baxter for all fees, costs, and expenses (internal or external) incurred by Baxter in connection with such continued maintenance. The rights granted to us under the patent license agreement will automatically revert to Baxter in the event we cease operation of the Aquadex Business or we file for, have filed against us, or otherwise undertake any bankruptcy, reorganization, insolvency, moratorium, or other similar proceeding. We estimate that the patents licensed from Baxter will expire between approximately 2020 and 2025.

We have nine pending patent applications. The first application is based on our design for a wearable device designed to assist in maintaining peripheral venous blood flow access in the arm during ultrafiltration treatment. The second application includes multiple potential new features and improvements to the diagnostic and ultrafiltration capabilities of the Aquadex System, which, to the extent incorporated into the product, would be designed to help patient fluid balance and to improve usability for healthcare providers. The third application involves a vacuum pump-controlled garment to increase vein diameter and venous flow for peripheral ultrafiltration. The fourth application involves plasma and blood volume measurement during ultrafiltration therapy. The fifth application involves updates to the Aquadex System for use with pediatric patients. The sixth application involves a dual-lumen ultrafiltration catheter. The seventh application involves improved diagnostic parameters. The eight application involves a multi-stage cytokine filtration system. The ninth application involves peripheral venous access technology.

In addition, as of March 19, 2021, we owned 37 issued patents and one pending patent applications in the United States and in foreign jurisdictions related to our prior technology, the C-Pulse® Heart Assist System (the “C-Pulse System”) for treatment of Class III and ambulatory Class IV heart failure. We estimate that most of our currently issued U.S. patents will expire between approximately 2020 and 2025. Given the strategic

refocus away from C-Pulse System and towards the Aquadex System, we have chosen to limit the maintenance of issued C-Pulse System related patents to those innovations that are of the highest value. Further, we have elected to emphasize a few of the most critical jurisdictions rather than maintain the earlier approach that involved multiple countries. Our pending and future patent applications may not issue as patents or, if issued, may not issue in a form that will provide us any financial return. Even if issued, existing or future patents may be challenged, narrowed, invalidated or circumvented, which could limit our ability to obtain commercial benefits from them.

We have developed technical knowledge that, although non-patentable, we consider to be significant in enabling us to compete. It is our policy to enter into confidentiality agreements with each of our employees and consultants prohibiting the disclosure of any confidential information or trade secrets. In addition, these agreements provide that any inventions or discoveries by employees and consultants relating to our business will be assigned to us and become our sole property.

Despite our patent rights and policies with regard to confidential information, trade secrets and inventions, we may be subject to challenges to the validity of our patents, claims that our system infringes the patent rights of others and the disclosure of our confidential information or trade secrets. These and other risks are described more fully under the heading “Risk Factors—Risks Relating to our Intellectual Property”.

At this time, we are not a party to any material legal proceedings that relate to patents or proprietary rights.

Competition from medical device companies and medical device divisions of health care companies, pharmaceutical companies and gene- and cell-based therapies is intense and expected to increase. The vast majority of patients with fluid overload receive pharmacological treatment (diuretics) as a standard of care. There are no direct competitors for the Aquadex System in heart failure or critical care in the United States, other than diuretics. Other systems, such as Baxter’s Prismaflex, a filter-based device that is approved for continuous renal replacement therapy for patients weighing 20kg or more with acute renal failure and/or fluid overload, represent indirect competitors, as they can also be used to conduct ultrafiltration with significant limitations. In pediatrics, the Carpediem system distributed by Medtronic is indicated for use in acute kidney injury or fluid overloaded patients requiring hemodialysis or hemofiltration therapy and Baxter’s HF20 Set is authorized under an Emergency Use Authorization to deliver continuous renal replacement therapy (“CRRT”) to treat patients of low weight (8-20 kg) in an acute care environment during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Our ability to compete effectively depends upon our ability to demonstrate the advantages of ultrafiltration as compared to diuretics, a pharmacological treatment that is currently the standard of care. In addition, we need to distinguish Aquadex System from the indirect competition of other devices that can also be used to conduct ultrafiltration.

In the United States, our products are purchased primarily by customers, such as hospitals or other health care providers. Customers bill various third-party payers for covered services provided to patients. These payers, which include federal health care programs (e.g., Medicare and Medicaid), state health care programs, private health insurance companies, and managed care organizations, then reimburse our customers based on established payment formulas that take into account part or all of the cost associated with these devices and the related procedures performed.

While the agency responsible for administering the Medicare program, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has not issued a favorable national coverage determination under its Investigational Device Exception Studies Program for ultrafiltration using the Aquadex System, a number of private insurers have approved reimbursement for use of the products included in the Aquadex System for specific indications and points of service. In addition, patients and providers may seek insurance coverage on a case-by-case basis. We are exploring the ability to increase the range of coverage for uses of the Aquadex System, such as use in the outpatient setting and other indicated uses under its approved labeling.

Legislative proposals can substantially change the way health care is financed by both governmental and private insurers and may negatively impact payment rates for our system. Also, from time to time, there are a number of legislative, regulatory and other proposals both at the federal and state levels that may impact payment rates for

our system. It remains uncertain whether there will be any future changes that will be proposed or finalized and what effect, if any, such legislation or regulations would have on our business. However, in the United States and international markets, we expect that both government and third-party payers will continue to attempt to contain or reduce the costs of health care by challenging the prices charged, or deny coverage, for health care products and services.

Regulation by governmental authorities in the United States and foreign countries is a significant factor in the manufacture and marketing of our current system and any future products and in our ongoing research and development activities. In particular, medical devices are subject to rigorous preclinical testing as a condition of approval by the FDA and by similar authorities in foreign countries. Any proposed products will require regulatory approval prior to commercialization.

The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (“FDC Act”) and the FDA’s implementing regulations govern medical device design and development, preclinical and clinical testing, premarket clearance or approval, registration and listing, manufacturing, labeling, storage, advertising and promotion, sales and distribution, export and import, and post market surveillance. Medical devices and their manufacturers are also subject to inspection by the FDA. The FDC Act, supplemented by other federal and state laws, also provides civil and criminal penalties for violations of its provisions. We manufacture and market medical devices that are regulated by the FDA, comparable state agencies and regulatory bodies in other countries.

Unless an exemption applies, each medical device we wish to commercially distribute in the U.S. will require marketing authorization from the FDA prior to distribution. The two primary types of FDA marketing authorization are premarket notification (also called 510(k) clearance) and premarket approval (“PMA”). The type of marketing authorization applicable to a device—510(k) clearance or PMA—is generally linked to classification of the device. The FDA classifies medical devices into one of three classes (Class I, II or III) based on the degree of risk the FDA determines to be associated with a device and the extent of control deemed necessary to ensure the device’s safety and effectiveness. Devices requiring fewer controls because they are deemed to pose lower risk are placed in Class I or II. Class I devices are deemed to pose the least risk and are subject only to general controls applicable to all devices, such as requirements for device labeling and adherence to the FDA’s current good manufacturing practice requirements, as reflected in its Quality System Regulation (“QSR”). Class II devices are intermediate risk devices that are subject to general controls and may also be subject to special controls such as performance standards, product-specific guidance documents, special labeling requirements, patient registries or post market surveillance. Class III devices are those for which insufficient information exists to assure safety and effectiveness solely through general or special controls, and include life-sustaining, life-supporting or implantable devices, and devices not “substantially equivalent” to a device that is already legally marketed.

Most Class I devices and some Class II devices are exempted by regulation from the 510(k) clearance requirement and can be marketed without prior authorization from FDA. Class I and Class II devices that have not been exempted are eligible for marketing through the 510(k) clearance pathway. By contrast, devices placed in Class III generally require PMA prior to commercial marketing. The PMA process is generally more stringent, time-consuming and expensive than the 510(k) clearance process.

510(k) Clearance. To obtain 510(k) clearance for a medical device, an applicant must submit a premarket notification to the FDA demonstrating that the device is “substantially equivalent” to a predicate device legally marketed in the United States. A device is substantially equivalent if, with respect to the predicate device, it has the same intended use and has either (i) the same technological characteristics or (ii) different technological characteristics and the information submitted demonstrates that the device is as safe and effective as a legally marketed device and does not raise different questions of safety or effectiveness. A showing of substantial equivalence sometimes, but not always, requires clinical data. The 510(k) clearance process can exceed 90 days and may extend to a year or more.

After a device has received 510(k) clearance for a specific intended use, any modification to that device that could “significantly affect its safety or effectiveness,” such as a significant change in the design, materials, method of manufacture or which results in “major change” to the intended use, will require a new 510(k)

clearance or PMA (if the device as modified is not substantially equivalent to a legally marketed predicate device). The determination as to whether new authorization is needed is initially left to the manufacturer; however, the FDA may review this determination to evaluate the regulatory status of the modified product at any time and may require the manufacturer to cease marketing the modified device until 510(k) clearance or PMA is obtained. The manufacturer may also be subject to significant regulatory fines or penalties.

The Aquadex FlexFlow® system was granted FDA 510(k) clearance for commercial use on June 3, 2002. Additional 510(k) clearances have been received for the Aquadex FlexFlow® system in subsequent years. In February 2020, we received 510(k) clearance of the Aquadex SmartFlow system to include pediatric patients who weigh 20kg or more.

Clinical Trials. To obtain FDA approval to market certain devices, clinical trials may be required to support a PMA application. Clinical trials generally require submission of an application for an Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) to the FDA prior to commencing the trial. FDA approval of an IDE allows clinical testing to go forward, but does not bind the FDA to accept the results of the trial as sufficient to prove the product’s safety and efficacy, even if the trial meets its intended success criteria.

All clinical trials must be conducted in accordance with regulations and requirements collectively known as “Good Clinical Practices”. Good Clinical Practices include the FDA’s IDE regulations, which describe the conduct of clinical trials with medical devices. They also prohibit promotion, test marketing or commercialization of an investigational device and any representation that such a device is safe or effective for the purposes being investigated. Good Clinical Practices also include the FDA’s regulations for institutional review board approval and for protection of human subjects (such as informed consent), as well as disclosure of financial interests by clinical investigators. Required records and reports are subject to inspection by the FDA

The results of clinical testing may be unfavorable or, even if the intended safety and efficacy success criteria are achieved, may not be considered sufficient for the FDA to grant approval or clearance of a product. The commencement or completion of any clinical trials may be delayed or halted or be inadequate to support approval of a PMA application or clearance of a premarket notification for numerous reasons.

Continuing Regulation. After a device is cleared or approved for use and placed in commercial distribution, numerous regulatory requirements continue to apply. These include:

In addition, the FDA may require a company to conduct post market surveillance studies or order it to establish and maintain a system for tracking its products through the chain of distribution to the patient level.

Failure to comply with applicable regulatory requirements, including those applicable to the conduct of clinical trials, can result in enforcement action by the FDA, which may lead to any of the following sanctions:

We and our contract manufacturers are also required to manufacture our products in compliance with Current Good Manufacturing Practice requirements set forth in the QSR. The QSR requires a quality system for the design, manufacture, packaging, labeling, storage, installation and servicing of marketed devices, and includes extensive requirements with respect to quality management and organization, device design, buildings, equipment, purchase and handling of components, production and process controls, packaging and labeling controls, device evaluation, distribution, installation, complaint handling, servicing and record keeping. The FDA enforces the QSR through periodic announced and unannounced inspections that may include the manufacturing facilities of subcontractors. If the FDA believes that we or any of our contract manufacturers or regulated suppliers is not in compliance with these requirements, it can shut down our manufacturing operations, require recall of our products, refuse to clear or approve new marketing applications, institute legal proceedings to detain or seize products, enjoin future violations or assess civil and criminal penalties against us or our officers or other employees. Any such action by the FDA would have a material adverse effect on our business.

In order to import and sell our products in member countries of the European Union, or EU, medical devices currently must comply with the essential requirements of the European Union Medical Devices Directive (Council Directive 93/42/EEC). Compliance with these requirements is a prerequisite to be able to affix the Conformité Européene, or CE, Mark (“CE Mark”) to our products, without which they cannot be sold or marketed in the EU. To demonstrate compliance with the essential requirements we must undergo a conformity assessment procedure, which varies according to the type of medical device and its classification. Except for low-risk medical devices (Class I non-sterile, non-measuring devices), where the manufacturer can issue an EC Declaration of Conformity based on a self-assessment of the conformity of its products with the essential requirements of the European Union Medical Devices Directive, a conformity assessment procedure requires the intervention of a Notified Body, an organization accredited by a member state of the EU to conduct conformity assessments. Depending on the relevant conformity assessment procedure, the Notified Body would typically audit and examine the technical file and the quality system for the manufacture, design and final inspection of our devices. The Notified Body issues a certificate of conformity following successful completion of a conformity assessment procedure conducted in relation to the medical device and its manufacturer and their conformity with the essential requirements. This certificate entitles the manufacturer to affix the CE Mark to its medical devices after having prepared and signed a related EC Declaration of Conformity.

Recently, the EU replaced the Medical Devices Directive (93/42/EEC) (MDD) with the new European Medical Devices Regulation, or MDR. The MDR will apply after a transitional period ending on May 26, 2021. Manufacturers have the duration of the transition period to update their technical documentation and processes to meet the new requirements in order to obtain a CE Mark or to issue an EC Declaration of Conformity. After May 26, 2021, medical devices can still be placed on the market under the provision of the MDD or the Active Implantable Medical Devices Directive (“AIMDD”) 90/385/EEC ( “MDD/AIMDD”) until May 27, 2024; provided the CE Mark was issued prior to this date, the manufacturer continues to comply with either one of the directives, and that no significant changes are made in the design and intended purpose of the applicable medical device. By May 27, 2024, all medical devices entering the EU will need to have a new CE Mark under the MDR, even if they have been on the market previously under the MDD/AIMDD.

We received renewal of our CE Mark for the Aquadex FlexFlow® circuit in the second quarter of 2019 and CE Mark for the Aquadex SmartFlow console in January of 2020, which allows us to import blood circuit and console inventory into the EU and satisfy future distributor demand.

As of March 19, 2021, we had 64 full-time employees and one part-time employee. None of our employees are covered by a collective bargaining agreement. We consider relations with our employees to be good.

Prior to July 2016, we were focused on developing the C-Pulse System for treatment of Class III and ambulatory Class IV heart failure. In August 2016, we acquired the Aquadex Business from a subsidiary of Baxter. In September 2016, we announced a strategic refocus of our strategy that included halting all clinical evaluations of the C-Pulse System related technology to fully focus our resources on our recently acquired Aquadex Business. On May 23, 2017, we announced that we were changing our name from Sunshine Heart, Inc. to CHF Solutions, Inc. to more appropriately reflect the direction of our business.

CHF Solutions, Inc. was incorporated in Delaware on August 22, 2002. We began operating our business in November 1999 through Sunshine Heart Company Pty Limited, which currently is a wholly owned Australian subsidiary of CHF Solutions, Inc. Our common stock began trading on the Nasdaq Capital Market (“Nasdaq”) on February 16, 2012.

Our principal executive offices are located at 12988 Valley View Road, Eden Prairie, Minnesota 55344, and our telephone number is (952) 345-4200. Our website address is www.chf-solutions.com. Our Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K and amendments to reports filed or furnished pursuant to Sections 13(a) and 15(d) of the Exchange Act will be made available free of charge on our website as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such material with, or furnish it to, the SEC. These reports are also available on the SEC’s website, www.sec.gov. The information on, or that may be accessed through, any websites noted herein is not incorporated by reference into and should not be considered a part of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

We are, and will remain, a “smaller reporting company” as long as our public float remains less than $250 million as of the last business day of our most recently-completed second fiscal quarter. A smaller reporting company may take advantage of specified reduced reporting and other requirements that are otherwise applicable generally to U.S. public companies. As long as our public float remains below $75 million as of the last business day of our most recently completed second fiscal quarter, we are exempt from the attestation requirement in the assessment of our internal control over financial reporting by our independent auditors pursuant to section 404 (b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”) but are required to make our own internal assessment of the effectiveness of our internal controls over financial reporting.

Our business faces many risks. We believe the risks described below are the material risks we face. However, the risks described below may not be the only risks we face. Additional unknown risks or risks that we currently consider immaterial may also impair our business operations. If any of the events or circumstances described below actually occurs, our business, financial condition or results of operations could suffer, and the trading price of our shares of common stock could decline significantly. Investors should consider the specific risk factors discussed below, together with the “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” and the other information contained in this Annual Report on Form 10-K and the other documents that we will file from time to time with the SEC.

Prior to our acquisition of the Aquadex Business in August 2016, we did not have a product approved for commercial sale and focused our resources on developing and manufacturing our C-Pulse System. On September 29, 2016, we announced a strategic refocus of our strategy that included halting all clinical evaluations of the C-Pulse System to fully focus our resources on commercializing our Aquadex System, taking actions to reduce our cash burn in connection with such strategic refocus and reviewing potential strategic alliances and financing alternatives. In addition, our business strategy depends in part on our ability to grow our business by establishing an effective sales force and selling our products to hospitals and other healthcare facilities while controlling costs. In addition to heart failure, we have expanded our commercialization efforts into critical care and post-cardiac surgery. In February 2020, we received 510(k) clearance of the Aquadex SmartFlow system to include pediatric patients who weigh 20kg or more. With this 510(k) clearance, we have expanded our commercialization efforts into pediatrics. We have limited prior experience with respect to sales or marketing of the Aquadex System in both heart failure, critical care, post-cardiac surgery and pediatrics. If we are unsuccessful at marketing and selling our Aquadex System, our operations and potential revenues will be materially adversely affected.

We are an emerging company with a history of incurring net losses. We have incurred net losses since our inception, including net losses of $15.8 million and $18.1 million for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. As of December 31, 2020, our accumulated deficit was $233.3 million.

Prior to August 2016, we did not have any products approved for commercialization, generated only limited revenue from our clinical studies and had significant operating losses as we incurred costs associated with the conduct of clinical studies and our research and development programs for our C-Pulse System. We became a revenue generating company only after acquiring the Aquadex Business from a subsidiary of Baxter in August 2016. We expect to incur additional losses in the near-term as we grow the Aquadex Business, including investments in expanding our sales and marketing capabilities, manufacturing components, and complying with the requirements related to being a U.S. public company listed on Nasdaq. To become and remain profitable, we must succeed in expanding the adoption and market acceptance of the Aquadex System. This will require us to succeed in a range of challenging activities, including training personnel at hospitals and effectively and efficiently manufacturing, marketing and distributing the Aquadex System and related components. There can be no assurance that we will succeed in these activities, and we may never generate revenues sufficient to achieve profitability. If we do achieve profitability, we may not be able to sustain it.

We believe that we will need to raise additional capital to fund our operations beyond the fourth quarter of 2022. Changing circumstances may cause us to consume capital significantly faster than we currently anticipate and could adversely affect our ability to raise additional capital. Additional financing may not be available when we need it or may not be available on terms that are favorable to us. In addition, the risk that we may not be able to continue as a going concern may make it more difficult to obtain necessary additional funding on terms favorable

to us, or at all. If we raise additional funding through the issuance of equity securities, our stockholders may suffer dilution and our ability to use our net operating losses to offset future income may be limited. If we raise additional funding through debt financing, we may be required to accept terms that restrict our ability to incur additional indebtedness, require us to use our cash to make payments under such indebtedness, force us to maintain specified liquidity or other ratios or restrict our ability to pay dividends or make acquisitions. If we are unable to secure additional funding, our development programs and our commercialization efforts would be delayed, reduced or eliminated, our relationships with our suppliers and manufacturers may be harmed, and we may not be able to continue our operations.

Our near-term prospects are highly dependent on revenues from a single product, the Aquadex System, and we have no other commercial products or products in active development at this time. The established market or customer base for our Aquadex System is limited and our success depends on our ability to increase adoption and utilization of the Aquadex System. Acceptance of our product in the marketplace by health care providers is uncertain, and our failure to achieve sufficient market acceptance will significantly limit our ability to generate revenue and be profitable. Market acceptance will require substantial marketing efforts and the expenditure of significant funds by us to inform health care providers of the benefits of using the Aquadex System and to provide further training on its use. We may not be able to build key relationships with health care providers to drive further sales in the United States or sell the Aquadex System outside the United States. Product orders may be cancelled, patients or customers currently using our products may cease to do so and patients or customers expected to begin using our products may not. In addition, market acceptance of the Aquadex System may require that we make enhancements to the system or its components. We cannot be sure that we will be able to successfully develop such enhancements, or that if developed they will be viewed favorable by the market. Our ability to achieve acceptance of our Aquadex System depends on our ability to demonstrate the safety, efficacy, ease-of-use and cost-effectiveness of the system. We may not be able to expand the adoption and market acceptance of the Aquadex System to both the inpatient and outpatient markets and our potential sales could be harmed.

Our ten largest customers represented 47.5% and 45.1% of our revenues in the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively, with our largest customer representing 10.5% and 10.0%, respectively, of our revenues during such periods. Customer ordering patterns may vary significantly from quarter to quarter, or customers may discontinue providing therapies using our products. If one of our largest customers reduced its purchases in a fiscal period, our revenues for that period may be materially adversely affected. Further, if one of our largest customers discontinued the use of our products, our revenues may be materially adversely affected.

We have limited experience in commercial manufacturing of the Aquadex System. Following the acquisition of the Aquadex Business in 2016, we began manufacturing Aquadex FlexFlow consoles and blood circuits in-house in the fourth quarter of 2017 and Aquadex FlexFlow catheters in-house in the third quarter of 2018. We have manufactured the Aquadex SmartFlow console since its development in 2019. However, because we have limited prior commercial manufacturing experience, we may incur manufacturing inefficiencies, delays or interruptions. We may not be able to achieve low-cost manufacturing capabilities and processes that will enable us to manufacture the Aquadex System or related components in significant volumes, while meeting the legal, regulatory, quality, price, durability, engineering, design and production standards required to market our products successfully. If we experience difficulties with our manufacturing operations, we may experience delays in providing products and services to our customers, and our business could be harmed.

We will rely on third-party suppliers, including single source suppliers, to provide us with certain components of the Aquadex System. We have no long-term contracts with third-party suppliers that guarantee volume or the continuation of payment terms. We depend on our suppliers to provide us with materials in a timely manner that meet our quality, quantity and cost requirements. The forecasts of demand we use to determine order quantities and lead times for components purchased from outside suppliers may be incorrect. If we do not increase our sales volumes, which drive our demand for our suppliers’ products, we may not procure volumes sufficient to receive favorable pricing, which could impact our gross margins if we are unable to pass along price differences to our customers. Our failure to obtain required components or subassemblies when needed and at a reasonable cost would adversely affect our business. These suppliers may encounter problems during manufacturing for a variety of reasons, any of which could delay or impede their ability to meet our demand. Any difficulties in locating and hiring third-party suppliers, or in the ability of third-party suppliers to supply quantities of our products at the times and in the quantities we need, could have a material adverse effect on our business.

During 2020, we faced challenging social and economic conditions caused by the outbreak of the novel strain of coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, and the resulting COVID-19 pandemic. The rapidly evolving COVID-19 pandemic disrupted our operations and forced us to implement changes to keep our customers, their patients, and our employees safe. These changes included restrictions on hospital access imposed on our field employees by customers working on the front lines of COVID-19 and managing the spread of the virus, changes to employees work practices by requiring employees to work remotely and increased protocols to ensure the safety of those employees that remained on site. The ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our operational and financial performance will depend on certain future developments, including the duration and spread of the outbreak, the ongoing impact on our customers and hospital access restrictions imposed on our field employees, and effect on our vendors, all of which remain uncertain and cannot be predicted.

We may experience curtailed customer demand or constrained supply that could materially adversely impact our business, results of operations and overall financial performance in future periods. Specifically, we may experience negative impacts from changes in how we conduct business due to the COVID-19 pandemic, including but not limited to restrictions on travel and in-person meetings, production delays, warehouses and staffing disruptions and shortages, decreases or delays in customer demand and spending, and difficulties or changes to our sales process and customer support.

Several hospitals in the U.S. have included the Aquadex System into their treatment protocol for fluid management of COVID-19, especially when dialysis equipment and staff are limited. In March 2020, we increased production of the Aquadex System to meet anticipated demand due to its use in treatment protocols for COVID-19. We estimate that approximately 14% of our U.S. revenue for the year ended December 31, 2020, was driven by hospitals treating patients with COVID-19. However, we have also seen changes to our sales practices due to restrictions on hospital access and believe that such restrictions negatively affected revenue in other areas. In addition, the disruption created by COVID-19 has created significant uncertainty about our ability to access the capital markets in future periods. As of the filing date of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, the extent to which the COVID-19 pandemic may continue to impact our financial condition or results of operations or guidance is uncertain and cannot be reasonably estimated but could be material and last for an extended period of time. The effect of the COVID-19 pandemic may not be fully reflected in our results of operations and overall financial performance until future periods.

The COVID-19 pandemic and accompanying market volatility, uncertainty and economic disruption also have the effect of heightening many of the other risks described herein.

Our strategy requires us to provide a significant amount of customer service, maintenance, and other technical service to our customers. To provide these services, we have begun, and will need to continue, to develop a network of distribution and a staff of employees and independent contractors in each of the areas in which we

intend to operate. We cannot assure that we will be able to organize and manage this network on a cost-effective basis. If we cannot effectively organize and manage this network, then it may be difficult for us to distribute our products and to provide competitive service and support to our customers, in which case customers may be unable, or decide not, to order our products and our sales will suffer.

Competition from medical device companies and medical device divisions of health care companies, pharmaceutical companies and gene- and cell-based therapies is intense and expected to increase. The vast majority of patients with fluid overload receive pharmacological treatment (diuretics) as a standard of care. There are no direct competitors for the Aquadex System in heart failure or critical care in the U.S., other than diuretics. Other systems, such as Baxter’s Prismaflex, a filter-based device that is approved for continuous renal replacement therapy for patients weighing 20kg or more with acute renal failure and/or fluid overload. In pediatrics, the Carpediem system distributed by Medtronic is indicated for use in acute kidney injury or fluid overloaded patients requiring hemodialysis or hemofiltration therapy and Baxter’s HF20 Set is authorized under an Emergency Use Authorization to deliver CRRT to treat patients of low weight (8-20 kg) in an acute care environment during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Our ability to compete effectively depends upon our ability to demonstrate the advantages of ultrafiltration as compared to diuretics, a pharmacological treatment that is currently the standard of care. In addition, we need to distinguish Aquadex System from the indirect competition of other devices that can also be used to conduct ultrafiltration.

Our business strategy depends in part on our ability to expand the use of the Aquadex System in the market as quickly as possible. To achieve expanded market use of the Aquadex System, we may develop additional enhancements to the system or its components. Depending on their nature, such enhancements may be subject to review by the FDA and regulatory authorities outside of the United States under the applicable regulations. Any regulatory delay in our ability to implement enhancements to the Aquadex System or its components could have an adverse effect on our potential sales.

Health care laws in the United States and other countries are subject to ongoing changes, including changes to the amount of reimbursement for hospital services. Additional laws and regulations, or changes to existing laws and regulations that are applicable to our business may be enacted or promulgated, and the interpretation, application or enforcement of the existing laws and regulations may change. Legislative proposals can substantially change the way health care is financed by both governmental and private insurers and may negatively impact payment rates for our system. We cannot predict the nature of any future laws, regulations, interpretations, applications or enforcements or the specific effects any of these might have on our business. However, in the United States and international markets, we expect that both government and third-party payers will continue to attempt to contain or reduce the costs of health care by challenging the prices charged, or deny coverage, for health care products and services. Any future laws, regulations, interpretations, applications or enforcements could delay or prevent regulatory approval or clearance of our Aquadex System and our ability to market our Aquadex System. Moreover, changes that result in our failure to comply with the requirements of applicable laws and regulations could result in the types of enforcement actions by the FDA and/or other agencies as described above, all of which could impair our ability to have manufactured and to sell the affected products.

In the United States, the products included in the Aquadex System are purchased primarily by customers, such as hospitals or other health care providers. Customers bill various third-party payers for covered therapies involving the Aquadex System provided to patients. These payers, which include federal health care programs (e.g., Medicare and Medicaid), state health care programs, private health insurance companies and managed care organizations, then reimburse our customers based on established payment formulas that take into account part or all of the cost associated with these devices and the related procedures performed.

While the agency responsible for administering the Medicare program, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, has not issued a favorable national coverage determination under its Investigational Device Exception Studies Program for ultrafiltration using the Aquadex System, a number of private insurers have approved reimbursement for the products included in the Aquadex System for specific indications and points of service. In addition, patients and providers may seek insurance coverage on a case-by-case basis. We are exploring the ability to increase the range of coverage for uses of the Aquadex System, such as use in the outpatient setting and use for decompensated heart failure and other indicated uses under its approved labeling, although we may not be successful in doing so.

The design, manufacture and marketing of medical devices involve certain inherent risks. Manufacturing or design defects, unanticipated use of a product or inadequate disclosure of risks relating to the use of the product can lead to injury or other adverse events. These events could lead to recalls or safety alerts relating to a product (either voluntary or required by the FDA or similar governmental authorities in other countries), and could result, in certain cases, in the removal of a product from the market. Any recall of our Aquadex System or any related components could result in significant costs, as well as negative publicity and damage to our reputation that could reduce demand for our products. Personal injuries relating to the use of our products could also result in product liability claims being brought against us. In some circumstances, such adverse events could also cause delays in new product approvals.

We may be held liable if any product we develop or commercialize causes injury or is found otherwise unsuitable during product testing, manufacturing, marketing, sale or consumer use. The safety studies we must perform and the regulatory approvals required to commercialize our products will not protect us from any such liability. We carry product liability insurance with a $6.0 million aggregate limit. However, if there are product liability claims against us, our insurance may be insufficient to cover the expense of defending against such claims, or may be insufficient to pay or settle such claims. Furthermore, we may be unable to obtain adequate product liability insurance coverage for commercial sales of any approved product. If such insurance is insufficient to protect us, our business, results of operations and financial condition will be harmed. If any product liability claim is made against us, our reputation and future sales will be damaged, even if we have adequate insurance coverage. Even if a product liability claim against us is without merit or if we are not found liable for any damages, a product liability claim could result in decreased interest in our registry studies, decreased demand for our system, if approved for commercialization, injury to our reputation, diversion of management’s attention from operating our business, withdrawal of study participants, significant costs of related litigation, loss of revenue or the inability to commercialize our products.

We market our products globally. Our international operations are subject to a number of risks, including the following: fluctuations in exchange rates of the United States dollar could adversely affect our results of operations, we may face difficulties in enforcing and collecting accounts receivable under some countries’ legal systems, have our products serviced or conduct other operations, political instability could disrupt our operations, some governments and customers may have longer payment cycles, with resulting adverse effects on our cash flow, and some countries could impose additional taxes or restrict the import of our products. In addition, regulations in individual countries or regions may restrict our ability to sell our products. Most countries, including the countries in the EU, require approval or registration to import and/or sell our products in the country.

In the EU, we are required to hold a CE, Mark to import our product into the EU. To hold the CE Mark, we must demonstrate compliance with the essential requirements of the European Union Medical Devices Directive (93/42/EEC). Recently, the EU replaced the Medical Devices Directive with the new European Medical Devices Regulation, or MDR. The MDR will apply after a transitional period ending on May 26, 2021. Manufacturers have the duration of the transition period to update their technical documentation and processes to meet the new requirements in order to obtain a CE Mark or to issue a EC Declaration of Conformity. After May 26, 2021, medical devices can still be placed on the market under the provision of the MDD or the Active Implantable Medical Devices Directive (“AIMDD”) 90/385/EEC ( “MDD/AIMDD”) until May 27, 2024;

provided the CE Mark was issued prior to this date, the manufacturer continues to comply with either one of the directives, and that no significant changes are made in the design and intended purpose of the applicable medical device. By May 27, 2024, all medical devices entering the EU will need to have a new CE Mark under the MDR, even if they have been on the market previously under the MDD/AIMDD. We received renewal for the CE Mark for the Aquadex FlexFlow circuit in the second quarter of 2019 and the CE Mark for the Aquadex SmartFlow console in January 2020.

Any one or more of these factors associated with international operations could increase our costs, reduce our revenues, or disrupt our operations, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Approval or clearance of our products could be withdrawn, delayed or denied by the EU, the FDA and the relevant authorities of other countries if our manufacturing facilities do not comply with their respective manufacturing requirements. The EU imposes requirements on quality control systems of manufacturers, which are inspected and certified on a periodic basis and may be subject to additional unannounced inspections. Failure to comply with these requirements could prevent us from marketing our products in the European Community. The FDA also imposes requirements through quality system requirements, or QSR, regulations, which include requirements for good manufacturing practices, or GMP. Failure to comply with these requirements could prevent us from obtaining FDA approval of our products and from marketing such products in the United States. Our manufacturing facilities have not been inspected and certified by a worldwide testing and certification agency (also referred to as a notified body) that performs conformity assessments to EU requirements for medical devices. A “notified body” is a group accredited and monitored by governmental agencies that inspects manufacturing facilities and quality control systems at regular intervals and is authorized to carry out unannounced inspections. We cannot be sure that our facilities or the processes we use will comply or continue to comply with their respective requirements on a timely basis or at all, which could delay or prevent obtaining the approvals we need to market our products in the European Community and the United States.

To market our products in the European Community, the United States and other countries, where approved, manufacturers of such products must continue to comply or ensure compliance with the relevant manufacturing requirements. Although we cannot control the manufacturers of our products, if we choose to subcontract manufacturing to a contract manufacturer, we may need to expend time, resources and effort in product manufacturing and quality control to assist with their continued compliance with these requirements. If violations of applicable requirements are noted during periodic inspections of the manufacturing facilities of our manufacturers or we fail to address issues raised by the FDA in these inspections, then we may not be able to continue to market the products manufactured in such facilities and our revenues may be materially adversely affected.

We face a significant compliance burden under the FDC Act and other applicable statutes and regulations which govern the testing, labeling, storage, record keeping, distribution, sale, marketing, advertising and promotion of our medically approved products.

If we violate the FDC Act or other regulatory requirements at any time during or after the product development and/or approval process, we could be subject to enforcement actions by the FDA or other agencies, including: fines, injunctions, civil penalties, recalls or seizures of products, total or partial suspension of the production of our products, withdrawal of any existing approvals or pre-market clearances of our products, refusal to approve or clear new applications or notices relating to our products, recommendations that we not be allowed to enter into government contracts and criminal prosecution. Any of the above could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We cannot assure you that our products will prove to be safe or that there will not be serious injuries or product malfunctions, which could trigger recalls, class action lawsuits and other events that could cause us to incur significant expenses, limit our ability to market our products and generate revenues from such products or cause us reputational harm.

Under the FDC Act, we are required to submit medical device reports, or MDRs, to the FDA to report device-related deaths, serious injuries and malfunctions of medically approved products that could result in death or serious injury if they were to recur. Depending on their significance, MDRs could trigger events that could cause us to incur expenses and may also limit our ability to generate revenues from such products, such as the following: information contained in the MDRs could trigger FDA regulatory actions such as inspections, recalls and patient/physician notifications; because the reports are publicly available, MDRs could become the basis for private lawsuits, including class actions; and if we fail to submit a required MDR to the FDA, the FDA could take enforcement action against us.

If any of these events occur, then we could incur significant expenses and it could become more difficult for us to market and sell our products and to generate revenues from sales. Other countries may impose analogous reporting requirements that could cause us to incur expenses and may also limit our ability to generate revenues from sales of our products.

The Affordable Care Act, as well as other healthcare reform may have a significant impact on our business. The Affordable Care Act is extremely complex, and, as a result, additional legislation is likely to be considered and enacted over time. The impact of the Affordable Care Act on the health care industry is extensive and includes, among other things, the federal government assuming a larger role in the health care system, expanding healthcare coverage of United States citizens and mandating basic healthcare benefits. The uncertainties regarding the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, including possible repeal of the Affordable Care Act, ongoing legal challenges, and further judicial interpretations, create unpredictability for the health care industry, which itself constitutes a risk.

The Affordable Care Act contains many provisions designed to generate the revenues necessary to fund the coverage expansions and to reduce costs of Medicare and Medicaid, including imposing a 2.3% excise tax on domestic sales of many medical devices by manufacturers that began in 2013. The medical device excise tax has been suspended in 2018 and 2019 and was repealed effective January 1, 2020.

The Affordable Care Act includes a Hospital Readmission Reduction program and is designed to reduce payments to hospitals with excess heart failure readmissions, among other conditions. The penalty to hospitals can be significant, as much as 3% of total Medicare reimbursement. We believe the Aquadex System may offer hospitals an economic benefit for using the device on a regular basis for in-patient or out-patient usage to avoid readmissions for heart failure; however, if the Hospital Readmission Reduction program is repealed, hospitals may not be as inclined to take measures to reduce readmissions.

In addition, any healthcare reforms enacted in the future may, like the Affordable Care Act, be phased in over a number of years, but if enacted, could reduce our revenue, increase our costs, or require us to revise the ways in which we conduct business or put us at risk for loss of business. In addition, our results of operations, financial position and cash flows could be materially adversely affected by changes under the Affordable Care Act and changes under any federal or state legislation adopted in the future.

Moreover, the Physician Payment Sunshine Act (the “Sunshine Act”), which was enacted as part of the Affordable Care Act, requires applicable medical device companies to track and publicly report, with limited exceptions, all payments and other transfers of value to physicians and teaching hospitals in the U.S. Implementing regulations for these tracking and reporting obligations were finalized in 2013, and companies

have been required to track payments made since August 1, 2013. In 2019, payments to certain nurses, who prescribe treatments, has been added to the list of recipients that companies need to track. If we fail to comply with the data collection and reporting obligations imposed by the Sunshine Act, we may be subject to substantial civil monetary penalties.

Our operations are directly, or indirectly through customers, subject to various state and federal fraud and abuse laws, including, without limitation, the federal Anti-Kickback Statute, the Stark law and federal False Claims Act (the “FCA”). These laws may impact, among other things, our sales, marketing and education programs.

The federal Anti-Kickback Statute prohibits persons from knowingly and willfully soliciting, offering, receiving or providing remuneration, directly or indirectly, in exchange for or to induce either the referral of an individual, or the furnishing or arranging for a good or service, for which payment may be made under a federal healthcare program such as the Medicare and Medicaid programs. Several courts have interpreted the statute’s intent requirement to mean that if any one purpose of an arrangement involving remuneration is to induce referrals of federal healthcare covered business, the statute has been violated. The Anti-Kickback Statute is broad and, despite a series of narrow safe harbors, prohibits many arrangements and practices that are lawful in businesses outside of the healthcare industry. Penalties for violations of the federal Anti-Kickback Statute include criminal penalties and civil sanctions such as fines, imprisonment and possible exclusion from Medicare, Medicaid and other federal healthcare programs. Many states have also adopted laws similar to the federal Anti-Kickback Statute, some of which apply to the referral of patients for healthcare items or services reimbursed by any source, not only the Medicare and Medicaid programs. The physician self-referral laws, commonly referred to as the Stark law, is a strict liability statute that generally prohibits physicians from making referrals for the furnishing of any “designated health services,” for which payment may be made under the Medicare or Medicaid programs, to any entity with which the physician (or an immediate family member) has an ownership interest or compensation arrangement, unless an applicable exception applies. Moreover, many states have adopted or are considering adopting similar laws, some of which extend beyond the scope of the Stark law to prohibit the payment or receipt of remuneration for the prohibited referral of patients for designated healthcare services and physician self-referrals, regardless of the source of the payment for the patient’s care. If it is determined that any of the relationships we may have with physicians violate the Stark law or similar statutes, we could become subject to civil and criminal penalties. The imposition of any such penalties could harm our business.

The FCA prohibits persons from knowingly filing, or causing to be filed, a false claim to, or the knowing use of false statements to obtain payment from the federal government. Suits filed under the FCA, known as “qui tam” actions, can be brought by any individual on behalf of the government and such individuals, commonly known as “whistleblowers,” may share in any amounts paid by the entity to the government in fines or settlement. The frequency of filing qui tam actions has increased significantly in recent years, causing greater numbers of medical device, pharmaceutical and healthcare companies to have to defend a FCA action. When an entity is determined to have violated the federal FCA, it may be required to pay up to three times the actual damages sustained by the government, plus civil penalties for each separate false claim. Various states have also enacted laws modeled after the federal FCA.

We are unable to predict whether we could be subject to actions under any of these laws, or the impact of such actions. If we are found to be in violation of any of the laws described above or other applicable state and federal fraud and abuse laws, we may be subject to penalties, including civil and criminal penalties, damages, fines, exclusion from government healthcare reimbursement programs and the curtailment or restructuring of our operations.

We are subject to the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (“FCPA”), the U.K. Bribery Act and other anti-corruption, anti-bribery and anti-money laundering laws in various jurisdictions both domestic and abroad. The FCPA prohibits any U.S. individual or business from paying, offering, authorizing payment or offering of anything of value, directly or

indirectly, to any foreign official, political party or candidate for the purpose of influencing any act or decision of the foreign entity in order to assist the individual or business in obtaining or retaining business. The U.K. Bribery Act is similar but even broader in scope in that it prohibits bribery of private (non-government) persons as well. The FCPA also obligates companies whose securities are listed in the United States to comply with certain accounting provisions requiring the company to maintain books and records that accurately and fairly reflect all transactions of the corporation, including international subsidiaries, and to devise and maintain an adequate system of internal accounting controls for international operations. Our distribution arrangements outside of the U.S. presents some risk under these laws. Our distributors may sell to our products to healthcare providers that are owned, controlled or managed by a foreign government and its employees, including healthcare providers may be deemed to be a foreign official under the FCPA. We could be held liable for the actions of our distributors. While we have policies and procedures to address compliance with these laws, we cannot assure you that our distributors will not take actions in violation of our policies and applicable law, for which we may be ultimately held responsible. Noncompliance with these laws could subject us to investigations, sanctions, settlements, prosecution, other enforcement actions, disgorgement of profits, significant fines, damages, other civil and criminal penalties or injunctions, adverse media coverage and other consequences. Any investigations, actions or sanctions could adversely affect our business, operating results and financial condition.

We may pursue acquisitions to obtain complementary businesses, products or technologies. Any such acquisition may not produce the revenues, earnings or business synergies that we anticipate and an acquired business, product or technology might not perform as we expect. Our management could spend a significant amount of time, effort and money in identifying, pursuing and completing the acquisition. If we complete an acquisition, we may encounter significant difficulties and incur substantial expenses in integrating the operations and personnel of the acquired businesses, products or technologies into our operations. In particular, we may lose the services of key employees and we may make changes in management that impair the acquired business’s relationships with employees, vendors and customers. Additionally, we may acquire development-stage companies that are not yet profitable and which require continued investment, which could decrease our future earnings or increase our futures losses.

Any of these outcomes could prevent us from realizing the anticipated benefits of an acquisition. To pay for an acquisition, we might use stock or cash. Alternatively, we might borrow money from a bank or other lender. If we use stock, our stockholders would experience dilution of their ownership interests. If we use cash or debt financing, our financial liquidity would be reduced.

As a result of a potential acquisition, we may be required to capitalize a significant amount of intangibles, including goodwill. We would be required review our definite-lived intangible assets for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of the assets may not be recoverable through the estimated undiscounted future cash flows derived from such assets. In addition, we would be required to evaluate goodwill for impairment annually, or to the extent events or conditions indicate a risk of possible impairment during the interim periods prior to its annual impairment test. In the year ended December 31, 2017, we recognized impairment charges of $4.0 million related to goodwill and intangibles assets from our acquisition of the Aquadex Business. If we were required to recognize impairment charges related to future acquisitions, those charges could decrease our future earnings or increase our future losses.

Our success depends in part on our ability to obtain and maintain protection in the United States and other countries of the intellectual property relating to or incorporated into our Aquadex System and related components. On August 5, 2016, upon closing of our acquisition of the Aquadex Business, we entered into a patent license agreement with Baxter pursuant to which we obtained, for no additional consideration, a world-wide license to 49 exclusively licensed and 9 non-exclusively licensed patents used in connection with the Aquadex System to make, have made, use, sell, offer for sale and import, the Aquadex System in the “field of use” as defined in the license. The license is exclusive, with respect to some patents, and non-exclusive, with

respect to other patents. Under the patent license agreement, Baxter has agreed to use commercially reasonable efforts to continue maintenance of seven “required maintenance patents,” and we have agreed to reimburse Baxter for all fees, costs, and expenses (internal or external) incurred by Baxter in connection with such continued maintenance. The rights granted to us under the patent license agreement will automatically revert to Baxter in the event we cease operation of the Aquadex Business or we file for, or have filed against us, or otherwise undertake any bankruptcy, reorganization, insolvency, moratorium, or other similar proceeding. For two years following the closing, the patent license agreement is not assignable by us (including in connection with a change of control) without Baxter’s prior written consent. We estimate that the patents licensed from Baxter will expire between approximately 2021 and 2025.

We have nine pending patent applications. The first application is based on our design for a wearable device designed to assist in maintaining peripheral venous blood flow access in the arm during ultrafiltration treatment. The second application includes multiple potential new features and improvements to the diagnostic and ultrafiltration capabilities of the Aquadex System, which, to the extent incorporated into the product, would be designed to help patient fluid balance and to improve usability for healthcare providers. The third application involves a vacuum pump-controlled garment to increase vein diameter and venous flow for peripheral ultrafiltration. The fourth application involves plasma and blood volume measurement during ultrafiltration therapy. The fifth application involves updates to the Aquadex System for use with pediatric patients. The sixth application involves a dual-lumen ultrafiltration catheter. The seventh application involves improved diagnostic parameters. The eight application involves a multi-stage cytokine filtration system. The ninth application involves peripheral venous access technology.

In addition, as of March 19, 2021, we owned 37 issued patents and one pending patent applications in the United States and in foreign jurisdictions related to our C-Pulse System and had one pending application for neuromodulation. We estimate that most of our currently issued U.S. patents will expire between approximately 2021 and 2027. Given the strategic refocus away from the C-Pulse System and towards the Aquadex System, we have chosen to limit the maintenance of issued C-Pulse System related patents to those innovations that are of the highest value. Further, we have elected to emphasize a few of the most critical jurisdictions rather than maintain the earlier approach that involved multiple countries.

Our pending and future patent applications may not issue as patents or, if issued, may not issue in a form that will provide us any financial return. Even if issued, existing or future patents may be challenged, narrowed, invalidated or circumvented, which could limit our ability to obtain commercial benefits from them. Changes in patent laws or their interpretation in the United States and other countries could also diminish the value of our intellectual property or narrow the scope of our patent protection. In addition, the legal systems of certain countries do not favor the aggressive enforcement of patents, and the laws of foreign countries may not protect our rights to the same extent as the laws of the United States. In order to preserve and enforce our patent and other intellectual property rights, we may need to make claims or file lawsuits against third parties. This can entail significant costs to us and divert our management’s attention from our business.

In recent years, there has been significant litigation involving intellectual property rights in the medical device industry. From time to time, third parties may assert patent, copyright, trademark and other intellectual property rights to technologies used in our business. Any claims, with or without merit, could be time-consuming, result in costly litigation, divert the efforts of our technical and management personnel or require us to pay substantial damages. If we are unsuccessful in defending ourselves against these types of claims, we may be required to do one or more of the following:

In the event a claim against us were successful and we could not obtain a license to the relevant technology on acceptable terms or license a substitute technology or redesign our system to avoid infringement, our business, results of operations and financial condition would be significantly harmed.

In addition to patented technology, we rely on our unpatented proprietary technology, trade secrets, processes and know-how. We generally seek to protect this information by confidentiality agreements with our employees, consultants, scientific advisors and third parties. These agreements may be breached, and we may not have adequate remedies for any such breach. In addition, our trade secrets may otherwise become known or be independently developed by competitors. To the extent that our employees, consultants or contractors use intellectual property owned by others in their work for us, disputes may arise as to the rights in related or resulting know-how and inventions.

Our commercial success depends, in part, on our ability to increase adoption of the Aquadex System without infringing the patents and other proprietary rights of third parties. As our industry expands and more patents are issued, the risk increases that there may be patents issued to third parties that relate to our system and technologies of which we are not aware or that we must challenge to continue our operations as currently contemplated. Our system may infringe or may be alleged to infringe these patents.

In addition, some patent applications in the United States may be maintained in secrecy until the patents are issued because patent applications in the United States and many foreign jurisdictions are typically not published until 18 months after filing, and because publications in the scientific literature often lag behind actual discoveries, we cannot be certain that others have not filed patent applications for technology covered by our issued patents or our pending applications or that we were the first to invent the technology. Another party may have filed, and may in the future file, patent applications covering our system or technology similar to ours. Any such patent application may have priority over our patent applications or patents, which could further require us to obtain rights to issued patents covering such technologies. If another party has filed a U.S. patent application on inventions similar to ours, we may have to participate in an interference or derivation proceeding declared by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to determine priority of invention in the United States. The costs of these proceedings could be substantial, and it is possible that such efforts would be unsuccessful if the other party had independently arrived at the same or similar invention prior to our own invention, resulting in a loss of our U.S. patent position with respect to such inventions.

As is common in our industry, we employ individuals who were previously employed at other medical device companies, including our competitors or potential competitors. Although no claims against us are currently pending, we may be subject to claims that these employees, or we, have used or disclosed trade secrets or other proprietary information of their former employers. Litigation may be necessary to defend against these claims. Even if we are successful in defending against these claims, litigation could result in substantial costs and be a distraction to management.

In the ordinary course of our business, we may collect and store sensitive data, including legally protected health information, personally identifiable information, intellectual property and proprietary business information owned or controlled by ourselves or others. At times we may have access to limited amounts of protected health information as part of other healthcare providers’ provision of treatment to patients with our medical devices. We manage and maintain our applications and data utilizing on-site systems. These applications and data encompass a wide variety of business-critical information including research and development information, commercial information, and business and financial information. We face four primary risks relative to protecting this critical information, including: loss of access risk; inappropriate disclosure risk; inappropriate modification risk; and the risk of our being unable to adequately monitor our controls over the first three risks.

The secure processing, storage, maintenance, and transmission of this critical information is vital to our operations and business strategy. Although we take measures to protect sensitive information from unauthorized

access or disclosure, our information technology and infrastructure may be vulnerable to attacks by hackers or viruses or breached due to employee error, malfeasance, or other disruptions. Any such breach or interruption could compromise our networks and the information stored there could be accessed by unauthorized parties, publicly disclosed, lost, or stolen. Any such access, disclosure or other loss of information could result in legal claims or proceedings, liability under laws and regulations that protect the privacy of personal information and regulatory penalties. To the extent that we may engage in activities regulated by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and the Health Information Technology for Clinical and Economic Health Act (HITECH) we may have additional regulatory and reporting obligations. We are also subject to the General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679 due to our business in the EU. Although we believe we have implemented security measures, there is no guarantee we can protect our systems and data from unauthorized access, loss or dissemination that could also disrupt our operations, including our ability to conduct our analyses, conduct research and development activities, collect, process, and prepare company financial information, provide information about our products and other patient and physician education and outreach efforts through our website, manage the administrative aspects of our business, and damage our reputation, any of which could adversely affect our business.

In addition, the interpretation and application of consumer, health-related, and data protection laws in the United States, Europe and elsewhere are often uncertain, contradictory, and in flux. It is possible that these laws may be interpreted and applied in a manner that is inconsistent with our practices. If so, this could result in government- imposed fines or orders requiring that we change our practices, which could adversely affect our business. In addition, these privacy regulations may differ from country to country, and may vary based on whether testing is performed in the United States or in the local country. Complying with these various laws could cause us to incur substantial costs or require us to change our business practices and compliance procedures in a manner adverse to our business.

On December 17, 2019, we received the Notice from Nasdaq advising that for 30 consecutive trading days preceding the date of the Notice, the bid price of our common stock had closed below the $1.00 per share minimum required under the Minimum Bid Price Requirement. Under Nasdaq Listing Rule 5810(c)(3)(A), if during the 180-calendar day Compliance Period, the closing bid price of our common stock was at or above $1.00 for a minimum of 10 consecutive business days, we would regain compliance with the Minimum Bid Price Requirement and our common stock would continue to be eligible for listing on the Nasdaq, absent noncompliance with any other requirement for continued listing. The Notice further stated that if compliance with the Minimum Bid Price Requirement cannot be demonstrated by the end of the 180-day period, we may be eligible for a second 180-day period to regain compliance. To be eligible for the second 180 day compliance period, (i) we had to meet the market value of publicly held shares requirement for continued listing and all other applicable standards for initial listing on the Nasdaq set forth in Marketplace Rule 5505 (except the Minimum Bid Price Requirement), (ii) we had to provide Nasdaq with written notice of our intention to cure the deficiency, through a reverse stock split, if necessary, and (iii) Nasdaq had to determine that the Company will be able to cure the deficiency. If we did not regain compliance with the Minimum Bid Price. Requirement by the end of the Compliance Period (or the Compliance Period as may be extended) the Company’s common stock would be subject to delisting. At such time, we could appeal Nasdaq’s delisting determination.

On April 17, 2020, Nasdaq notified us that the 180-day period to regain compliance with the Minimum Bid Price Requirement had been extended due to the global market impact caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. More specifically, Nasdaq stated that the compliance periods for any company previously notified about non-compliance are suspended effective April 16, 2020, until June 30, 2020. On July 1, 2020, companies received the balance of any pending compliance period exception to regain compliance with the Minimum Bid Price Requirement. As a result of this extension, we had until August 28, 2020 to regain compliance with the Minimum Bid Price Requirement.

On September 1, 2020, we announced the receipt of written notification from Nasdaq that it had granted the Company’s request for a 180-day extension to regain compliance the Minimum Bid Price Requirement, effectively providing us until February 24, 2021 to meet the requirement.

On October 16, 2020, we effected a 1-for-30 reverse split of our outstanding common stock. This reverse stock split did not change the par value of our common stock or the number of common or preferred shares authorized by the Company’s Fourth Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as amended (the “Certificate of Incorporation”). The Company was notified by Nasdaq on November 2, 2020 that it was now in compliance with the minimum bid price requirement.

Additionally, Nasdaq has the authority, pursuant to Nasdaq Listing Rule 5550(b)(1), to delist our common stock if our stockholders’ equity falls below $2.5 million. As of December 31, 2020, our stockholders’ equity was $16.3 million. It is possible that our stockholders’ equity could be reduced below $2.5 million as a result of operating losses or other reasons. If that occurs, or if we are unable to demonstrate to Nasdaq’s satisfaction that we will be able to sustain compliance with this requirement, Nasdaq may delist our common stock.

If our common stock is delisted, our common stock would likely then trade only in the over-the-counter market. If our common stock were to trade on the over-the-counter market, selling our common stock could be more difficult because smaller quantities of shares would likely be bought and sold, transactions could be delayed, and we could face significant material adverse consequences, including: a limited availability of market quotations for our securities; reduced liquidity with respect to our securities; a determination that our shares are a “penny stock,” which will require brokers trading in our securities to adhere to more stringent rules, possibly resulting in a reduced level of trading activity in the secondary trading market for our securities; a reduced amount of news and analyst coverage for our Company; and a decreased ability to issue additional securities or obtain additional financing in the future. These factors could result in lower prices and larger spreads in the bid and ask prices for our common stock and would substantially impair our ability to raise additional funds and could result in a loss of institutional investor interest and fewer development opportunities for us.

In addition to the foregoing, if our common stock is delisted from Nasdaq and it trades on the over-the-counter market, the application of the “penny stock” rules could adversely affect the market price of our common stock and increase the transaction costs to sell those shares. The SEC has adopted regulations which generally define a “penny stock” as an equity security that has a market price of less than $5.00 per share, subject to specific exemptions. If our common stock is delisted from Nasdaq and it trades on the over-the-counter market at a price of less than $5.00 per share, our common stock would be considered a penny stock. The SEC’s penny stock rules require a broker-dealer, before a transaction in a penny stock not otherwise exempt from the rules, to deliver a standardized risk disclosure document that provides information about penny stocks and the risks in the penny stock market. The broker-dealer must also provide the customer with current bid and offer quotations for the penny stock, the compensation of the broker-dealer and the salesperson in the transaction, and monthly account statements showing the market value of each penny stock held in the customer’s account. In addition, the penny stock rules generally require that before a transaction in a penny stock occurs, the broker-dealer must make a special written determination that the penny stock is a suitable investment for the purchaser and receive the purchaser’s agreement to the transaction. If applicable in the future, these rules may restrict the ability of brokers-dealers to sell our common stock and may affect the ability of investors to sell their shares, until our common stock no longer is considered a penny stock.

The number of shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of our outstanding preferred stock and exercise of outstanding warrants is significant in relation to the number of shares of our common stock currently outstanding.

As of March 19, 2021, we have warrants to purchase 1,631,882 shares of common stock outstanding, with exercise prices ranging from $5.50 to $53,550 with a weighted-average exercise price of $32.05.

As of March 19, 2021, there were 127 shares of Series F Preferred Stock outstanding, convertible into 23,114 shares of common stock. The certificate of designation for our Series F Preferred Stock contains an anti-dilution provision, which provision requires the lowering of the applicable conversion price, as then in effect, to the purchase price per share of common stock or common stock equivalents issued in the future. If the effective price per share on a common-stock equivalent basis in a future equity offering is lower than the then-current conversion price of the Series F Convertible Preferred Stock, then such conversion price shall be reduced to such

lower price and additional shares of common stock will be issuable upon the conversion of the of the Series F Convertible Preferred Stock. To the extent the outstanding shares of Series F Convertible Preferred Stock become exercisable for additional shares of common stock, holders of our common stock will experience further dilution.

If any security holder determines to sell a substantial number of shares into the market at any given time, there may not be sufficient demand in the market to purchase the shares without a decline in the market price for our common stock. Moreover, continuous sales into the market of a number of shares in excess of the typical trading volume for our common stock could depress the trading market for our common stock over an extended period of time.

In addition, the fact that our stockholders, option holders and warrant holders can sell substantial amounts of our common stock in the public market, whether or not sales have occurred or are occurring, could make it more difficult for us to raise additional financing through the sale of equity or equity-related securities in the future at a time and price that we deem reasonable or appropriate, or at all.

Our board of directors has authority, without further stockholder approval, to issue additional shares of preferred stock with such rights, preferences and privileges as our board may determine. These rights, preferences and privileges may include dividend rights, conversion rights, voting rights and liquidation rights that may be greater than the rights of our common stock.

Our board of directors has previously approved, pursuant to this authority, the issuance of preferred stock, and we have 127 shares of Series F Preferred Stock outstanding as of March 19, 2021. Upon liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of the Company, holders of our Series F Preferred Stock have the right to receive, out of the assets, whether capital or surplus, of the Company an amount equal to the par value, plus any accrued and unpaid dividends thereon, for each share of such preferred stock held by such holder before any distribution or payment shall be made to the holders of our common stock, and, following such payment, such holders are entitled to receive the same amount that a holder of common stock would receive if such preferred stock was fully converted, pari passu with all the holders of common stock.

Our board of directors may issue additional series of preferred stock. As a result, the rights of holders of our capital stock will be subject to, and could be adversely affected by, the rights of holders of any stock that may be issued in the future.

On October 12, 2020, we effected a 1-for-30 reverse split of our outstanding common stock. This reverse stock split did not change the par value of our common stock or the number of common or preferred shares authorized by our Certificate of Incorporation. Because the number of authorized shares of our common stock was not reduced proportionately, the reverse stock split increased our board of directors’ ability to issue authorized and unissued shares without further stockholder action. As of March 19, 2021, our certificate of incorporation provides for 100,000,000 shares of authorized common stock and 40,000,000 shares of authorized preferred stock, 30,000 of which are designated Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, 127 of which are designated Series F Preferred Stock, and we have 6,531,942 shares of common stock outstanding, 1,795,167 shares reserved for issuance upon the conversion, exercise or vesting of outstanding preferred stock, warrants and options, and 729,455 shares of common stock reserved for future grant under the Company’s equity incentive plans.

With respect to authorized but unissued and unreserved shares, we could also use such shares to oppose a hostile takeover attempt or delay or prevent changes in control or changes in or removal of management. The issuance of additional shares of common stock or securities convertible into common stock may have a dilutive effect on earnings per share and relative voting power and may cause a decline in the trading price of our common stock. We could use the shares that are available for future issuance in dilutive equity financing transactions, or to oppose a hostile takeover attempt or delay or prevent changes in control or changes in or removal of management, including transactions that are favored by a majority of the stockholders or in which the stockholders might otherwise receive a premium for their shares over then-current market prices or benefit in some other manner.

The price of our common stock constantly changes. The price of our common stock could fluctuate significantly for many reasons, including the following:

In addition, stock markets in general, and the market for shares of health care stocks in particular, have experienced extreme price and volume fluctuations in recent years, fluctuations that frequently have been unrelated to the operating performance of the affected companies. These broad market fluctuations may adversely affect the market price of our common stock. The market price of our common stock could decline below its current price and the market price of our shares may fluctuate significantly in the future. These fluctuations may be unrelated to our performance. We expect that the market price of our common stock will continue to fluctuate.

As of December 31, 2020, we had U.S. net operating loss (“NOL”) carryforwards of approximately $168.2 million for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Approximately $120.1 million of NOL carryforwards will expire from 2024 through 2037. Pursuant to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, the NOL generated in 2018 through 2020 totaling approximately $48.1. million does not expire. The expiration of state NOL carryforwards will vary by jurisdiction. In addition, future utilization of NOL carryforwards in the U.S. may be subject to certain limitations under Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code. As of December 31, 2020, the Company no longer has tax loss carryforwards in the Commonwealth of Australia due to the dissolution of the subsidiary in November 2020.

We may have experienced additional ownership changes in earlier years further limiting the NOL carryforwards that may be utilized. We have not yet completed a formal Section 382 analysis. As a result, prior or future changes in ownership, could put limitations on the availability of our NOL carryforwards. In addition, our ability to utilize the current NOL carryforwards might be further limited by future issuances of our common stock.

Australian tax loss carry-forwards are no longer available. As of December 31, 2019, we had tax losses in the Commonwealth of Australia of approximately AU$49.1 million. In November 2020, the Company dissolved its Australia subsidiary as no further business purpose existed. The carryforward tax losses will be eliminated on the final 2020 Australia tax return filed.

We have never declared or paid any cash dividends on our common stock, and we currently do not anticipate paying any cash dividends in the foreseeable future. We intend to retain any earnings to finance the development and expansion of our products and business. Accordingly, our stockholders will not realize a return on their investments unless the trading price of our common stock appreciates.

Delaware law and certain provisions of our Certificate of Incorporation and bylaws make it harder for a third party to acquire us, even if doing so might be beneficial to our stockholders. These provisions include, among other things: authorizing our board of directors to issue, from time to time, any series of preferred stock and fix the designation, powers, preferences and rights of the shares of such series of preferred stock; prohibiting stockholders from acting by written consent; requiring advance notice of stockholder intention to put forth director nominees or bring up other business at a stockholders’ meeting; prohibiting stockholders from calling a special meeting of stockholders; and requiring at least two-thirds of the voting power of our outstanding stock entitled to vote to amend or repeal our Certificate of Incorporation or bylaws. Section 203 of the DGCL, from which we did not elect to opt out, provides that if a holder acquires 15% or more of our stock without prior approval of our board of directors, that holder will be subject to certain restrictions on its ability to acquire us within three years. These provisions may delay or deter a change in control of us, and could limit the price that investors might be willing to pay in the future for shares of our common stock.

Further, our Certificate of Incorporation establishes that, unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware will be the exclusive forum for any derivative action or proceeding brought on our behalf; any action asserting a breach of fiduciary duty; any action asserting a claim against us arising pursuant to the Delaware General Corporation Law; or any action asserting a claim against us that is governed by the internal affairs doctrine. This choice of forum provision may limit a stockholder’s ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum of its choosing for disputes with us or our directors, officers or other employees, which may discourage lawsuits against us and our directors, officers and other employees..

We are a “smaller reporting company” under federal securities laws. For as long as we continue to be a smaller reporting company, we may take advantage of exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies, including reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports and proxy statements. We will remain a smaller reporting company so long as our public float remains less than $250 million as of the last business day of our most recently-completed second fiscal quarter. We cannot predict if investors will find our common stock less attractive because we may rely on these exemptions. If some investors find our common stock less attractive as a result, there may be a less active trading market for our common stock and our stock price may decline or be more volatile.

Not applicable.

We lease a 23,000 square foot facility located in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. The lease period commenced December 1, 2011 and extends through March 31, 2022. This facility serves as our corporate headquarters and houses substantially all of our functional areas, including manufacturing. Monthly rent and common area maintenance charges, including an estimate for property taxes for our headquarters, total approximately $27,000. The lease contains provisions for annual inflationary adjustments.

We believe that our current facilities are suitable and adequate to meet our current needs, and that suitable additional or substitute space will be available as needed to accommodate expansion of our operations.

We are not currently subject to any material pending legal proceedings.

Not applicable.

Market Information. Commencing February 16, 2012, our shares of common stock began trading on Nasdaq, where it now trades under the symbol “CHFS.” See “Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Common Stock—Nasdaq may delist our common stock from its exchange which could limit your ability to make transactions in our securities and subject us to additional trading restrictions” under Part I, Item 1A of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Stockholders of Record.As of March 19, 2021, we had 6,531,942 shares of common stock issued and outstanding, and there were 4 holders of record of our common stock. A substantially greater number of stockholders may be “street name” or beneficial holders, whose shares are held of record by banks, brokers and other financial institutions.

Dividends. We have not historically paid cash dividends on our capital stock. We intend to retain our future earnings, if any, to finance the expansion and growth of our business, and we do not expect to pay cash dividends on our common stock in the foreseeable future. Payment of future cash dividends, if any, will be at the sole discretion of our board of directors after taking into account various factors, including our financial condition, earnings, capital requirements of our operating subsidiaries, covenants associated with any debt obligations, legal requirements, regulatory constraints and other factors deemed relevant by our board of directors. Moreover, if we determine to pay any dividends in the future, there can be no assurance that we will continue to pay such dividends.

Not applicable.

The following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations should be read together with our audited consolidated financial statements and related notes which are included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Our actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements included in this discussion as a result of certain factors, including, but not limited to, those discussed in “Risk Factors” included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

We are a medical device company dedicated to changing the lives of patients suffering from fluid overload through science, collaboration, and innovative technology. The company is focused on developing, manufacturing, and commercializing medical devices used in ultrafiltration therapy, including the Aquadex System. The Aquadex SmartFlow system is indicated for temporary (up to eight hours) or extended (longer than 8 hours in patients who require hospitalization) use in adult and pediatric patients weighing 20kg or more whose fluid overload is unresponsive to medical management, including diuretics.

Prior to July 2016, we were focused on developing the C-Pulse System for treatment of Class III and ambulatory Class IV heart failure. In August 2016, we acquired the Aquadex Business from a subsidiary of Baxter, a global leader in the hospital products and dialysis markets. In September 2016, we announced a strategic refocus of our strategy that included halting all clinical evaluations of the C-Pulse System related technology to fully focus our resources on our recently acquired Aquadex Business.

On May 23, 2017, we announced that we were changing our name from Sunshine Heart, Inc. to CHF Solutions, Inc. to more appropriately reflect the direction of our business.

During the year ended December 31, 2020, we were subject to challenging social and economic conditions created as a result of the outbreak of the novel strain of coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2. The resulting impact of the COVID-19 pandemic created disruptions in our operations resulting from rapid and evolving changes

implemented to keep our customers, their patients, and our employees safe. These changes included restrictions on hospital access imposed on our field employees by customers dealing in the front lines of COVID-19 and managing the spread of the virus, changes to employees work practices by requiring employees to work remotely and increased protocols to ensure the safety of those employees that remained on site. The ongoing impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on our operational and financial performance will depend on certain future developments, including the duration and spread of the outbreak, the ongoing impact on our customers and hospital access restrictions imposed on our field employees, and effect on our vendors, all of which remain uncertain and cannot be predicted.

We may experience curtailed customer demand or constrained supply that could materially adversely impact our business, results of operations and overall financial performance in future periods. Specifically, we may experience negative impacts from changes in how we conduct business due to the COVID-19 pandemic, including but not limited to restrictions on travel and in-person meetings, production delays, warehouses and staffing disruptions and shortages, decreases or delays in customer demand and spending, difficulties or changes to our sales process and customer support.

Several hospitals in the U.S. have included the Aquadex System into their treatment protocol for fluid management of COVID-19, especially when dialysis equipment and staff are limited. In March 2020, we increased production of the Aquadex System to meet anticipated demand due to its use in treatment protocols for COVID-19. We estimate that approximately 14% of our U.S. revenue for the year ended December 31, 2020, was driven by hospitals treating patients with COVID-19. However, we have also seen changes to our sales practices due to restrictions on hospital access and believe that revenue in other areas was negatively impacted by these restrictions. In addition, the disruption created by COVID-19 has created significant uncertainty about our ability to access the capital markets in future periods. As of the filing date of this Form 10-K, the extent to which COVID-19 may continue to impact our financial condition or results of operations or guidance is uncertain and cannot be reasonably estimated but could be material and last for an extended period of time. The effect of the COVID-19 pandemic may not be fully reflected in our results of operations and overall financial performance until future periods. See Part 1, Item 1-A “Risk Factors” in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

In February 2020, we received 510(k) clearance of the Aquadex System to include pediatric patients who weigh 20kg or more. The Aquadex System is being prescribed by physicians to treat various conditions in pediatric patients, including heart failure, cardiac surgery, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) therapy, solid organ transplantation, and kidney replacement therapy for neonatal patients.

On October 16, 2020, we effected a 1-for-30 reverse split of our outstanding common stock (the “2020 Reverse Stock Split”). The 2020 Reverse Stock Split did not change the par value of our common stock or the number of common or preferred shares authorized by the Certificate of Incorporation. All share and per-share amounts have been retroactively adjusted to reflect the reverse stock split for all periods presented.

On March 19, 2021, we closed on an underwritten public offering of 3,795,816 shares of common stock, which includes the full exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option, for gross proceeds of approximately $20.9 million. Net proceeds totaled approximately $19.0 million after deducting the underwriting discounts and commissions and other costs associated with the offering and after giving effect to the underwriters’ full exercise of their overallotment option.

On August 21, 2020, we closed on an underwritten public offering of 1,064,678 shares of common stock and warrants to purchase 1,064,678 shares of common stock, which includes the full exercise of the underwriter’s over-allotment option, for gross proceeds of approximately $14.4 million. Net proceeds totaled approximately $13.0 million after deducting the underwriting discounts and commissions and other costs associated with the offering and after giving effect to the underwriters’ full exercise of their overallotment option.

On May 5, 2020, we closed on a registered direct offering of 119,930 shares of common stock for gross proceeds of approximately $1.7 million, prior to deduction of commissions and offering expenses related to the

transaction. In a concurrent private placement, we agreed to issue to the investors in the registered direct offering warrants to purchase up to 59,966 shares our common stock. The warrants were exercisable immediately and will expire five and a half years from the date of issuance.

On April 1, 2020, we closed on a registered direct offering of 171,008 shares of common stock for gross proceeds of approximately $2.2 million, prior to deduction of commissions and offering expenses related to the transaction. In a concurrent private placement, we agreed to issue to the investors in the registered direct offering warrants to purchase up to 85,506 shares of our common stock. The warrants were exercisable immediately and will expire five and a half years from the date of issuance.

On March 23, 2020, we closed on a registered direct offering of 138,715 shares of common stock for gross proceeds of approximately $1.2 million, before deducting commissions and offering expenses related to the transaction. In a concurrent private placement, we agreed to issue to the investors in the registered direct offering warrants to purchase up to 138,715 shares of our common stock. The warrants were exercisable six months from the date of issuance and will expire five and a half years from the date of issuance.

On December 17, 2019, we received the Notice from Nasdaq advising that for 30 consecutive trading days preceding the date of the Notice, the bid price of our common stock had closed below the $1.00 per share minimum required under the Minimum Bid Price Requirement. Under Nasdaq Listing Rule 5810(c)(3)(A), if during the 180-calendar day Compliance Period, the closing bid price of our common stock was at or above $1.00 for a minimum of 10 consecutive business days, we would regain compliance with the Minimum Bid Price Requirement and our common stock would continue to be eligible for listing on the Nasdaq, absent noncompliance with any other requirement for continued listing. The Notice further stated that if compliance with the Minimum Bid Price Requirement cannot be demonstrated by the end of the 180-day period, we may be eligible for a second 180-day period to regain compliance. To be eligible for the second 180 day compliance period, (i) we had to meet the market value of publicly held shares requirement for continued listing and all other applicable standards for initial listing on the Nasdaq set forth in Marketplace Rule 5505 (except the Minimum Bid Price Requirement), (ii) we had to provide Nasdaq with written notice of our intention to cure the deficiency, through a reverse stock split, if necessary, and (iii) Nasdaq had to determine that the Company will be able to cure the deficiency. If we did not regain compliance with the Minimum Bid Price. Requirement by the end of the Compliance Period (or the Compliance Period as may be extended) the Company’s common stock would be subject to delisting. At such time, we could appeal Nasdaq’s delisting determination.

On April 17, 2020, Nasdaq notified us that the 180-day period to regain compliance with the Minimum Bid Price Requirement had been extended due to the global market impact caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. More specifically, Nasdaq stated that the compliance periods for any company previously notified about non-compliance are suspended effective April 16, 2020, until June 30, 2020. On July 1, 2020, companies received the balance of any pending compliance period exception to regain compliance with the Minimum Bid Price Requirement. As a result of this extension, we had until August 28, 2020 to regain compliance with the Minimum Bid Price Requirement.

On September 1, 2020, we announced the receipt of written notification from Nasdaq that it had granted the Company’s request for a 180-day extension to regain compliance the Minimum Bid Price Requirement, effectively providing us until February 24, 2021 to meet the requirement. After implementing the 2020 Reverse Stock Split described above, we received confirmation from Nasdaq on November 2, 2020, that we had regained compliance with the minimum bid price rule and the listing matter was closed.

On January 19, 2021, we announced that Nestor Jaramillo, Jr., our President and Chief Operating Officer, was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer effective immediately. John Erb, the predecessor Chief Executive Officer will remain a part-time employee for a period of six months to assist with the transition and thereafter will continue to serve as the Company’s Chairman of the Board.

We have adopted various accounting policies to prepare the consolidated financial statements in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (U.S. GAAP). Our most significant accounting policies are disclosed in Note 1 to the consolidated financial statements in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

The preparation of the consolidated financial statements, in conformity with U.S. GAAP, requires us to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Our estimates and assumptions, including those related to stock-based compensation, valuation of equity instruments, inventory and accounts receivable reserves, potential impairment of long-lived assets and income tax reserves are updated as appropriate, which in most cases is quarterly. We base our estimates on historical experience, valuations, or various assumptions that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances.

We recognize revenue in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification (ASC), Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers. Accordingly, we recognize revenue when our customers obtain control of their products or services, in an amount that reflects the consideration that we expect to receive in exchange for those goods and services. See Note 2 to the consolidated financial statements included in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Our accounts receivable have terms that require payment in 30 days. We did not establish an allowance for doubtful accounts at December 31, 2020 as we have not experienced any write offs or a deterioration in the aging of our receivables to date and do not expect to experience in the future.

Inventories represent primarily finished goods, raw materials and subassemblies and are recorded as the lower of cost or net realizable value using the first-in, first out method.

We recognize all share-based payments to employees and directors, including grants of stock options, and common stock awards in the consolidated statement of operations and comprehensive loss as an operating expense based on their fair values as established at the grant date. Equity instruments issued to non-employees consist of warrants to purchase shares of our common stock. These warrants are either fully vested and exercisable at the date of grant or vest over a certain period during which services are provided.

We compute the estimated fair values of stock options and warrants using the Black-Scholes option pricing model and market-based warrants using a Monte Carlo valuation model. Market price at the date of grant is used to calculate the fair value of restricted stock units and common stock awards.

We expense the fair market value of fully vested awards at the time of grant, and of unvested awards over the period in which the related services are received. Stock-based compensation expense is based on awards ultimately expected to vest and is reduced for estimated forfeitures except for market-based warrants which are expensed based on the grant date fair value regardless of whether the award vests. Forfeitures are estimated at the time of grant and revised, if necessary, in subsequent periods if actual forfeitures differ from those estimates.

Basic loss per share is computed based on the net loss for each period divided by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding. The net loss allocable to common stockholders for the twelve months ended December 31, 2020, reflects a $1.8 million increase for the net deemed dividend to preferred stockholders provided in connection with the close of the public offering of Series H Convertible Preferred Stock on January 28, 2020. This net deemed dividend includes $0.2 million that resulted from the subsequent reduction in the exercise of price of the warrants as a result of the March 2020 offering. The net loss allocable to common

stockholders for the year ended December 31, 2019, reflects a $4.5 million increase for the net deemed dividend to preferred stockholders provided in connection with the close of the public offering of Series G Convertible Preferred Stock on March 12, 2019 (see Note 5 – Stockholder’s Equity to the consolidated financial statements included in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K), representing the intrinsic value of the shares at the time of issuance.

Diluted earnings per share is computed based on the net loss allocable to common stockholders for each period divided by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding, increased by the number of additional shares that would have been outstanding had the potentially dilutive common shares been issued, and reduced by the number of shares the Company could have repurchased from the proceeds from issuance of the potentially dilutive shares. Potentially dilutive shares of common stock include shares underlying outstanding convertible preferred stock, warrants, stock options and other stock-based awards granted under stock-based compensation plans.

Long-lived assets are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset or asset group may not be recoverable. If the impairment tests indicate that the carrying value of the asset, or asset group is greater than the expected undiscounted cash flows to be generated by such asset or asset group, further analysis is performed to determine the fair value of the asset or asset group. To the extent the fair value of the asset or asset group is less than its carrying value, an impairment loss is recognized equal to the amount the fair value of the asset or asset group is exceeded by its carrying amount. Assets to be disposed of are carried at the lower of their carrying value or fair value less costs to sell. Considerable management judgment is necessary to estimate the fair value of assets or asset groups, and accordingly, actual results could vary significantly from such estimates.

The Company continues to report operating losses and negative cash flows from operations, both of which it considers to be indicators of potential impairment. Therefore, the Company evaluates its long-lived assets for potential impairment at each reporting period. The Company has concluded that its cash flows from the various long-lived assets are highly interrelated and, as a result, the Company consists of a single asset group. As the Company expects to continue incurring losses in the foreseeable future, the undiscounted cash flow step was bypassed and the Company proceeded to fair value the asset group. The Company has determined the fair value of the asset group using expected cash flows associated with its loaner units by considering sales prices for similar assets and by estimating future discounted cash flows expected from the units. For recently acquired assets within the asset group, primarily equipment, the Company determined the fair value based on the replacement cost. Because the Company consists of one asset group, consideration is also given to the relationship between the Company’s market capitalization and its carrying value to further support the Company’s determination of fair value. There have been no impairment losses recognized for the years ended December 31, 2020 or 2019.

Our consolidated financial statements have been prepared and presented on a basis assuming we continue as a going concern. During the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, we incurred losses from operations and net cash outflows from operating activities as disclosed in the consolidated statements of operations and cash flows, respectively. At December 31, 2020, we had an accumulated deficit of $233.3 million and we expect to incur losses for the foreseeable future. To date, we have been funded by debt and equity financings, and although we believe that we will be able to successfully fund our operations, there can be no assurance that we will be able to do so or that we will ever operate profitably.

We became a revenue generating company after acquiring the Aquadex Business in August 2016. We expect to incur additional losses in the near-term as we grow the Aquadex Business, including investments in expanding our sales and marketing capabilities, purchasing inventory, manufacturing components, and complying with the requirements related to being a U.S. public company. To become and remain profitable, we must succeed in expanding the adoption and market acceptance of the Aquadex System. This will require us to succeed in training personnel at hospitals and effectively and efficiently manufacturing, marketing and distributing the Aquadex System and related components. There can be no assurance that we will succeed in these activities, and we may never generate revenues sufficient to achieve profitability.

During 2019, 2020 and through March 19, 2021, we closed on underwritten public and other equity offerings for aggregate net proceeds of approximately $57.7 million after deducting the underwriting discounts and commissions or placement agents’ fees and offering expenses, as applicable, and other costs associated with the offerings. In addition, during 2020, we received $4.1 million in proceeds from the exercise of investor warrants. See Note 5 –Stockholder’s Equity, and Note 14 –Subsequent Events to the consolidated financial statements included in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. The Company will require additional funding to grow its business, which may not be available on terms favorable to the Company, or at all. The Company may receive those funds from the proceeds from future warrant exercises, issuances of equity securities, or other financing transactions.

We believe that our existing capital resources will be sufficient to support our operating plan through December 31, 2022. However, we may seek to raise additional capital to support our growth or other strategic initiatives through debt, equity or a combination thereof.

Our independent registered public accounting firm is not yet required to formally attest to the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting and will not be required to do so for as long as our public float remains below $75 million as of the last business day of our most recently completed second fiscal quarter. However, management is subject to Section 404(a) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and is required to report annually on effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting.

Information regarding new accounting pronouncements, when applicable, is included in Note 1 to the condensed consolidated financial statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. There are no new accounting pronouncements not yet adopted that we believe will have a material impact on the consolidated financial statements of the Company.

We are a medical device company focused on commercializing the Aquadex System for ultrafiltration treatment of patients with fluid overload who have failed diuretic therapy. Activities since inception have consisted principally of raising capital, performing research and development and conducting preclinical and clinical studies. During 2016, we acquired the Aquadex Business and announced that we were halting all clinical evaluations of our prior technology, the C-Pulse System. Since then, our activities have consisted mainly of expanding our sales and marketing capabilities and transferring manufacturing capabilities of the Aquadex System from Baxter to our facilities in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. At December 31, 2020, we had an accumulated deficit of $233.3 million and we expect to incur losses for the foreseeable future. To date, we have been funded by public and private equity financings, and debt. Although we believe that we will be able to successfully fund our operations in the future, there can be no assurance that we will be able to do so or that we will ever operate profitably.

Revenue is generated mainly from the sale of disposable blood filters and catheters used in conjunction with the Aquadex System. We sell primarily in the United States to hospitals and clinics through our direct salesforce. We sell outside of the United States to independent specialty distributors who in turn sell to hospitals and clinics in their geographic regions. The increase in sales is driven by execution of our commercialization strategy which includes continued expansion of our commercial footprint by the hiring of new sales representatives, clinical education specialists, and marketing personnel.

Our costs and expenses were as follows:

In the first quarter of 2019, we began selling our internally manufactured inventory, after successfully transitioning all manufacturing activities from Baxter during 2018. As volumes continue to increase in future periods, we expect our gross margins will continue to improve as a result of higher efficiencies of scale.

The increase in selling, general and administrative expense reflect primarily on-going investment in our commercial organization as we continue to expand our outreach in the field with incremental clinical specialists and marketing support. Our general and administrative costs have remained consistent with the prior year.

We expect investments in our commercial organization to increase modestly in 2021 as we annualize the impact of hiring made in 2020. We expect that in 2021 general and administrative expenses will remain consistent with 2020 levels.

The decrease in research and development expenses relate to investments we made to improve the functionality of our Aquadex system, and to support our 510(k) submission for pediatric label modification, which were completed during 2019. We expect that future research and development expenditures will increase modestly as we invest in a pediatric registry and other pediatric product development activities.

In November 2020, we dissolved our Australian subsidiary as no further business purpose existed and recognized a gain of $1.2 million related to cumulative foreign currency translation adjustments, previously recorded as part of other comprehensive income on our consolidated balance sheet.

We have not recognized any income tax benefit in our statement of operations related to our U.S. operating losses, as all tax benefits are fully reserved. We generate minimal amounts of income tax expense in connection with activities incurred by our Irish subsidiary.

We have funded our operations primarily through cash on hand and a series of equity and debt issuances.

On March 12, 2019, we closed on an underwritten public offering for gross proceeds of $12.4 million. Net proceeds totaled approximately $11.0 million after deducting the underwriting discounts and commissions and other costs associated with the offering, which included the full exercise of the underwriter’s over-allotment option to purchase additional shares and warrants. In connection with this offering, we issued a total of 15,173 shares of common stock, approximately 1.9 million shares of Series G convertible preferred stock and warrants to purchase 157,726 shares of common stock. See Note 5 to the consolidated financial statements in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

On October 25, 2019, we closed on a registered direct offering of common stock, for gross proceeds of approximately $660,000, prior to deducting commissions and expenses related to the transaction. In a concurrent private placement, we agreed to issue to the investors in the registered direct offering unregistered warrants to purchase up to 19,196 shares of our common stock. See Note 5 to the consolidated financial statements in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

On November 6, 2019, we closed on a registered direct offering of common stock, for gross proceeds of approximately $1.36 million, prior to deducting commissions and expenses related to the transaction. In a concurrent private placement, we agreed to issue to the investors in the registered direct offering unregistered warrants to purchase up to 40,638 shares of our common stock. See Note 5 to the consolidated financial statements in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

On January 28, 2020, we closed on an underwritten public offering of 201,546 shares of common stock, 383,909 shares of Series H Preferred Stock and warrants to purchase 585,460 shares of common stock, which included the full exercise of the underwriter’s over-allotment option, for gross proceeds of approximately $9.7 million. Net proceeds totaled approximately $8.6 million after deducting the underwriting discounts and commissions and other costs associated with the offering. See Note 5 to the consolidated financial statements in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

On March 23, 2020, we closed on a registered direct offering of 138,715 shares of common stock for gross proceeds of approximately $1.2 million, prior to deduction of commissions and offering expenses related to the transaction. In a concurrent private placement, we agreed to issue to the investors in the registered direct offering warrants to purchase up to 138,715 shares of the Company’s common stock. See Note 5 to the consolidated financial statements in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

On April 1, 2020, we closed on a registered direct offering of 171,008 shares of common stock for gross proceeds of approximately $2.2 million, prior to deduction of commissions and offering expenses payable related to the transaction. In a concurrent private placement, we agreed to issue to the investors in the registered direct offering warrants to purchase up to 85,506 shares of the Company’s common stock. The warrants are exercisable immediately and expire five and a half years from the date of issuance. See Note 5 to the consolidated financial statements included in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

On May 5, 2020, we closed on a registered direct offering of 119,930 shares of common stock for gross proceeds of approximately $1.7 million, prior to deduction of commissions and offering related to the transaction. In a concurrent private placement, we agreed to issue to the investors in the registered direct offering warrants to purchase up to 59,966 shares of the Company’s common stock. The warrants are exercisable immediately and will expire five and a half years from the date of issuance. See Note 5 to the consolidated financial statements included in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

On August 21, 2020, we closed on an underwritten public offering of 1,064,678 shares of common stock and warrants to purchase 1,064,678 shares of common stock, which included the full exercise of the underwriter’s over-allotment option, for gross proceeds of approximately $14.4 million. Net proceeds totaled approximately $13.0 million after deducting the underwriting discounts and commissions and other costs associated with the offering. See Note 5 to the consolidated financial statements included in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

On March 19, 2021, we closed on an underwritten public offering of 3,795,816 shares of common stock, which includes the full exercise of the underwriter’s over-allotment option, for gross proceeds of approximately $20.9 million. Net proceeds totaled approximately $19.0 million after deducting the underwriting discounts and commissions and other costs associated with the offering and after giving effect to the underwriters’ full exercise of their overallotment option. See Note 14 to the consolidated financial statements included in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

As of December 31, 2020, and 2019, cash and cash equivalents were $14.4 million and $1.3 million, respectively. Our business strategy and ability to fund our operations in the future depends in part on our ability to grow the Aquadex Business by establishing a sales force, selling our products to hospitals and other healthcare facilities and controlling costs. While we expect to continue to receive proceeds from the exercise of warrants,

we will likely need to seek additional financing in the future, which, to date, has been through offerings of our equity. The disruption created by COVID-19 in our operations, our sales outlook, and the capital markets where we would seek such financing, have created uncertainty about our ability to access the capital markets in future periods.

Net cash used in operating activities was $16.6 million and $16.4 million in 2020 and 2019, respectively. The net cash used in each of these periods primarily reflects the net loss for those periods, offset in part by stock-based compensation, depreciation and amortization, the gain on the dissolution of a foreign subsidiary, and the effects of changes in operating assets and liabilities.

Net cash used in investing activities was $0.3 million and $0.5 million in 2020 and 2019, respectively. The majority of cash used in investing activities was for the purchase of manufacturing, laboratory and office equipment.

Net cash provided by financing activities was $30.0 million and $12.7 million in 2020 and 2019, respectively.

The following table summarizes our contractual obligations as of December 31, 2020, which represent material expected or contractually committed future obligations:

We lease a 23,000 square foot facility located in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. The lease period commenced December 1, 2011 and extends through March 31, 2022. This facility serves as our corporate headquarters and houses substantially all of our functional areas. Monthly rent and common area maintenance charges, including estimated property tax for our headquarters total approximately $27,000. The lease contains provisions for annual inflationary adjustments. Rent expense is being recorded on a straight-line basis over the term of the lease. The Company also entered into two finance leases in 2020 for computer hardware and audio-visual equipment with monthly payments of approximately $2,400 due through August 2023.

As of December 31, 2020, we did not have any material commitments for capital expenditures.

We have no off-balance sheet transactions, arrangements, obligations (including contingent obligations), or other relationships with unconsolidated entities or other persons that have, or may have, a material effect on our financial condition, changes in financial condition, revenues or expenses, results of operations, liquidity, capital expenditures or capital resources

Not Applicable

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

To the shareholders and the board of directors of CHF Solutions, Inc.:

We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of CHF Solutions, Inc. and subsidiaries (the “Company”) as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, the related consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss, 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 December 31, 2020 and 2019, and the results of their operations and their cash flows for each of the years then ended, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

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

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

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

The critical audit matters communicated below are matters arising from the current period audit of the consolidated financial statements that were communicated or required to be communicated to the audit committee and that: (1) relate to accounts or disclosures that are material to the 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 matters below, providing separate opinions on the critical audit matters or on the accounts or disclosures to which they relate.

As described in Note 5 to the consolidated financial statements, the Company completed several equity offerings during the year and each included the issuance of warrants. The terms and conditions included in the warrant agreements varied for each offering as discussed in Note 5. Management determined the proper classification of the warrants by reviewing the terms and conditions of each warrant and applying the applicable accounting guidance, including Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) 480 Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity and ASC 815 Derivatives and Hedging. Management has concluded that all of the warrants outstanding are properly classified within permanent equity.

The accounting guidance for determining the proper classification of warrants is highly complex and is subject to interpretation. A slight variation in the terms and conditions of the warrant could result in the warrant being classified as a liability, which would also impact the consolidated statement of operations and comprehensive loss, as the subsequent accounting for warrants treated as liabilities is significantly different from those classified as permanent equity. Due to the complexity in the accounting guidance, and the fact that a slight change in terms can result in significant changes in both the initial accounting and subsequent accounting for the warrants, we identified the evaluation of the classification of the various warrants issued during the year as a critical audit matter.

As part of our risk assessment procedures, we evaluated the design and implementation of the Company’s controls over the evaluation and application of the relevant accounting guidance to the specific terms and conditions within the warrant agreements. We obtained the Company’s accounting analysis for each offering. We compared the terms described in the Company’s analysis to the terms of the respective agreement to determine the completeness and accuracy of the analysis performed. With the assistance of firm personnel having expertise in the accounting for complex equity instruments, we performed a detailed examination of the warrant agreements for each offering, with a primary focus on the key terms and conditions regarding the treatment of the warrants upon the occurrence of a fundamental transaction, as well as other unique terms and conditions depending on the specific agreement. As warrant holders are able to obtain cash from the Company only when a fundamental transaction is deemed to be within the Company’s control, we agreed with the conclusion to classify the warrants within permanent equity. We discussed with the Company’s internal legal counsel the impact of these terms and conditions within the warrant agreements to support the Company’s conclusion.

As described in Note 1 to the consolidated financial statements, the Company evaluates its long-lived assets, primarily property and equipment, for impairment whenever events and circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset or asset group may not be recoverable. The Company continues to report operating losses and negative cash flows from operations, both of which it considers to be indicators of potential impairment. Therefore, the Company evaluates its long-lived assets for potential impairment at each reporting period. The Company has concluded that its cash flows from the various long-lived assets are highly interrelated and, as a result, the Company consists of a single asset group. As the Company expects to continue incurring losses in the foreseeable future, the undiscounted cash flow step was bypassed and the Company proceeded to fair value the asset group. The Company has determined the fair value of the asset group using expected cash flows associated with its loaner units by considering sales prices for similar assets and by estimating future discounted cash flows expected from the units. For recently acquired assets within the asset group, primarily equipment, the Company determined the fair value based on the replacement cost. Because the Company consists of one asset group, consideration is also given to the relationship between the Company’s market capitalization and its carrying value as a final reasonableness check of management’s determination of fair value. Considerable management judgment is necessary to estimate the fair value of the asset group; therefore, we considered the evaluation of long-lived assets for impairment as a critical audit matter.

As part of our risk assessment procedures, we evaluated the design and implementation of the Company’s controls over its process to evaluate the presence of indicators of potential impairment at each reporting period. We also evaluated the design and implementation of the Company’s controls over its use of estimates and assumptions in the calculation of the asset group’s fair value. We assessed the Company’s conclusions regarding the interrelation of its cash flows between its various long-lived assets to determine if we agreed with the determination that there is one asset group to fair value as part of the impairment test. As the Company bypassed the undiscounted cash flows test, we obtained the Company’s analysis for estimating the fair value and tested the completeness and accuracy of the relevant inputs. We performed testing on the estimated discounted cash flows expected from certain assets within the asset group by considering historical cash flows from these assets and analyzing the appropriateness of assumptions regarding the future discounted cash flows. We tested a sample of sales prices of similar assets to those assets within the asset group and tested a sample of the costs paid for acquisition of long-lived assets in the current year to corroborate the replacement cost of these assets. We also

evaluated the discount rate used in the analysis. We performed inquiries to corroborate the expected cash flows with individuals within the Company’s sales and marketing team. Finally, we compared the fair value of the asset group to the market capitalization of the Company in order to further support the Company’s determination of fair value for the asset group.

/s/ Baker Tilly US, LLP (formerly known as Baker Tilly Virchow Krause, LLP)

We have served as the Company's auditor since 2017.

Minneapolis, Minnesota

March 25, 2021

CHF Solutions, Inc. (the “Company”) is a medical device company focused on developing, manufacturing and commercializing the Aquadex FlexFlow® and Aquadex SmartFlow™ systems (collectively, the “Aquadex System”) for ultrafiltration therapy. The Aquadex SmartFlow™ system is indicated for temporary (up to eight hours) or extended (longer than 8 hours in patients who require hospitalization) use in adult and pediatric patients weighing 20kg or more whose fluid overload is unresponsive to medical management, including diuretics. CHF Solutions, Inc. is a Delaware corporation headquartered in Minneapolis with wholly owned subsidiaries in Ireland and Delaware. The Company has been listed on Nasdaq since February 2012.

In August 2016, the Company acquired the business associated with the Aquadex System (the “Aquadex Business”) from a subsidiary of Baxter International, Inc. (“Baxter”), and refocused its strategy to fully devote its resources to the Aquadex Business.

On October 6, 2020, the Company’s stockholders approved a reverse split of its outstanding common stock at a ratio in the range of 1-for-5 to 1-for-30 and, on October 9, 2020, the board of directors approved a 1-for-30 reverse split of the Company’s outstanding common stock that became effective after trading on October 16, 2020. This reverse stock split did not change the par value of the Company’s common stock or the number of common or preferred shares authorized by the Company’s Fourth Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as amended. All share and per-share amounts have been retroactively adjusted to reflect the reverse stock splits for all periods presented.

The Company’s consolidated financial statements have been prepared and presented on a basis assuming it continues as a going concern. During the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, the Company incurred losses from operations and net cash outflows from operating activities as disclosed in the consolidated statements of operations and cash flows, respectively. At December 31, 2020, the Company had an accumulated deficit of $233.3 million and it expects to incur losses for the immediate future. To date, the Company has been funded by debt and equity financings, and although the Company believes that it will be able to successfully fund its operations, there can be no assurance that it will be able to do so or that it will ever operate profitably.

The Company became a revenue generating company after acquiring the Aquadex Business in August 2016. The Company expects to incur additional losses in the near-term as it grows the Aquadex Business, including investments in expanding its sales and marketing capabilities, purchasing inventory, manufacturing components, and complying with the requirements related to being a U.S. public company. To become and remain profitable, the Company must succeed in expanding the adoption and market acceptance of the Aquadex System. This will require the Company to succeed in training personnel at hospitals and effectively and efficiently manufacturing, marketing and distributing the Aquadex System and related components. There can be no assurance that the Company will succeed in these activities, and it may never generate revenues sufficient to achieve profitability.

During 2019, 2020 and through March 19, 2021, the Company closed on underwritten public equity offerings for aggregate net proceeds of approximately $57.7 million after deducting the underwriting discounts and commissions and other costs associated with the offerings (see Note 5 –Stockholders’ Equity and Note 14 –Subsequent Events). The Company will require additional funding to grow its Aquadex Business, which may not be available on terms favorable to the Company, or at all. The Company may receive those funds from the proceeds from future warrant exercises, issuances of equity securities, or other financing transactions.

The Company believes that its existing capital resources will be sufficient to support its operating plan through December 31, 2022. However, the Company may seek to raise additional capital to support its growth or other strategic initiatives through debt, equity or a combination thereof.

The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of CHF Solutions, Inc. and its wholly-owned subsidiaries, CHF Solutions, LLC, Sunshine Heart Company Pty Ltd (through November 2020)

and Sunshine Heart Ireland Limited. All intercompany accounts and transactions between consolidated entities have been eliminated. During the year ended December 31, 2020, the Company closed its Australian subsidiary and recognized a gain of $1.2 million on the dissolution of the entity, due to the recognition of previously unrealized foreign currency translation gains. This subsidiary represented an immaterial portion of our operations and the dissolution did not represent a strategic shift and therefore, is not presented as a discontinued operation.

The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts and disclosures in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Cash and cash equivalents consist of cash and term deposits with original maturities of three months or less. The carrying value of these instruments approximate fair value. The balances, at times, may exceed federally insured limits. The Company has not experienced any losses on its cash and cash equivalents.

Accounts receivable are unsecured, recorded at net realizable value, and do not bear interest. The Company makes judgments as to its ability to collect outstanding receivables based upon significant patterns of collectability, historical experience, and managements’ evaluation of specific accounts and will provide an allowance for credit losses when collection becomes doubtful. The Company performs credit evaluations of its customers’ financial condition on an as-needed basis. Payment is generally due 30 days from the invoice date and accounts past 30 days are individually analyzed for collectability. When all collection efforts have been exhausted, the account is written off against the related allowance. To date the Company has not experienced any write-offs or significant deterioration of the aging of its accounts receivable, and therefore, no allowance for doubtful accounts was considered necessary as of December 31, 2020 or December 31, 2019. As of December 31, 2020, no customer represented over 10% of the accounts receivable balance. As of December 31, 2019, two customers represented 13% and 12% of the accounts receivable balance.

Inventories are recorded as the lower of cost or net realizable value using the first-in, first-out method. Overhead is allocated to manufactured finished goods inventory based on the normal capacity of the Company’s production facilities. Abnormal amounts of overhead, if any, are expensed as incurred. Inventories consisted of the following as of December 31:

Other current assets represent prepayments and deposits made by the Company.

Property and equipment is stated at cost less accumulated depreciation. Depreciation is computed based upon the estimated useful lives of the respective assets. Leasehold improvements are amortized using the straight-line method over the shorter of the lease term or the estimated useful life of the assets. Repairs and maintenance

costs are expensed as incurred. The cost and accumulated depreciation of property, plant and equipment retired, or otherwise disposed of are removed from the related accounts, and any residual values are charged to expense. Depreciation expense has been calculated using the following estimated useful lives:

Depreciation expense was $376,000 and $239,000 for the years ended December 31, 2020, and 2019, respectively.

Property and equipment are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset or asset group may not be recoverable. If the impairment tests indicate that the carrying value of the asset, or asset group is greater than the expected undiscounted cash flows to be generated by such asset or asset group, further analysis is performed to determine the fair value of the asset or asset group. To the extent the fair value of the asset or asset group is less than its carrying value, an impairment loss is recognized equal to the amount the fair value of the asset or asset group is exceeded by its carrying amount. Assets to be disposed of are carried at the lower of their carrying value or fair value less costs to sell. Considerable management judgment is necessary to estimate the fair value of assets or asset groups, and accordingly, actual results could vary significantly from such estimates.

The Company continues to report operating losses and negative cash flows from operations, both of which it considers to be indicators of potential impairment. Therefore, the Company evaluates its long-lived assets for potential impairment at each reporting period. The Company has concluded that its cash flows from the various long-lived assets are highly interrelated and, as a result, the Company consists of a single asset group. As the Company expects to continue incurring losses in the foreseeable future, the undiscounted cash flow step was bypassed and the Company proceeded to fair value the asset group. The Company has determined the fair value of the asset group using expected cash flows associated with its loaner units by considering sales prices for similar assets and by estimating future discounted cash flows expected from the units. For recently acquired assets within the asset group, primarily equipment, the Company determined the fair value based on the replacement cost. Because the Company consists of one asset group, consideration is also given to the relationship between the Company’s market capitalization and its carrying value to further support the Company’s determination of fair value. There have been no impairment losses recognized for the years ended December 31, 2020 or 2019.

The Company recognizes revenue in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”), Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers. Accordingly, the Company recognizes revenue when its customers obtain control of its products or services, in an amount that reflects the consideration that the Company expects to receive in exchange for those goods and services. See Note 2 – Revenue Recognition, for additional disclosures. For the years ended December 31, 2020, and 2019, one customer represented 10.5% and 10.0% of net sales, respectively.

Sales and expenses denominated in foreign currencies are translated at average exchange rates in effect throughout the year. Assets and liabilities of foreign operations are translated at period-end exchange rates with the impacts of foreign currency translation recognized to cumulative translation adjustment, a component of accumulated other comprehensive income. Foreign currency transactions gains and losses are included in other expense, net in the consolidated statements of operations and other comprehensive loss.

The Company recognizes all share-based payments to employees and directors, including grants of stock options and common stock awards in the consolidated statement of operations and comprehensive loss as an operating expense based on their fair values as established at the grant date. Equity instruments issued to non-employees

include common stock awards or warrants to purchase shares of our common stock. These common stock awards or warrants are either fully-vested and exercisable at the date of grant or vest over a certain period during which services are provided. The Company expenses the fair market value of fully vested awards at the time of grant, and of unvested awards over the period in which the related services are received

The Company computes the estimated fair values of stock options and warrants using the Black-Scholes option pricing model and market-based warrants using a Monte Carlo valuation model. Market price at the date of grant is used to calculate the fair value of restricted stock units and common stock awards.

Stock-based compensation expense is based on awards ultimately expected to vest and is reduced for estimated forfeitures except for market-based warrants which are expensed based on the grant date fair value regardless of whether the award vests. Forfeitures are estimated at the time of grant and revised, if necessary, in subsequent periods if actual forfeitures differ from those estimates.

See Note 6- Stock-Based Compensation, for further information regarding the assumptions used to calculate the fair value of share-based compensation.

Deferred income taxes are provided on a liability method, whereby deferred tax assets are recognized for deductible temporary differences and operating loss and tax credit carryforwards. Deferred tax liabilities are recognized for taxable temporary differences, which are the differences between the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and their tax bases. Deferred tax assets are reduced by a valuation allowance when, in the opinion of management, it is more likely than not that some portion or all the deferred tax assets will not be realized. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are adjusted for the effects of changes in tax laws and rates on the date of enactment. The Company recognizes the financial statement benefit of a tax position only after determining that the relevant tax authority would more likely than not sustain the position following an audit. For tax positions meeting the more-likely-than-not threshold, the amount recognized in the consolidated financial statements is the largest benefit that has a greater than 50 percent likelihood of being realized upon ultimate settlement with the relevant tax authority.

Basic loss per share is computed based on the net loss for each period divided by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding. The net loss allocable to common stockholders for the year ended December 31, 2020, reflects a $1.8 million increase for the net deemed dividend to preferred stockholders provided in connection with the close of the public offering of Series H Convertible Preferred Stock on January 28, 2020. This net deemed dividend includes $0.2 million that resulted from the subsequent reduction in the exercise of price of the warrants as a result of the March 2020 offering. The net loss allocable to common stockholders for the year ended December 31, 2019, reflects a $4.5 million increase for the net deemed dividend to preferred stockholders provided in connection with the close of the public offering of Series G Convertible Preferred Stock on March 12, 2019 (see Note 5 – Stockholders’ Equity), representing the intrinsic value of the shares at the time of issuance.

Diluted earnings per share is computed based on the net loss allocable to common stockholders for each period divided by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding, increased by the number of additional shares that would have been outstanding had the potentially dilutive common shares been issued, and reduced by the number of shares the Company could have repurchased from the proceeds from issuance of the potentially dilutive shares. Potentially dilutive shares of common stock include shares underlying outstanding convertible preferred stock, warrants, stock options and other stock-based awards granted under stock-based compensation plans.

The following table sets forth the potential shares of common stock that are not included in the calculation of diluted net loss per share because to do so would be anti-dilutive as of the end of each year presented:

The following table reconciles reported net loss with reported net loss per share for the years ended December 31:

Research and development costs include activities related to research, development, design, and testing improvements of the Aquadex System and potential related products. Research and development costs also include expenses related to clinical research that the Company may sponsor or conduct to enhance understanding of the product and its use. Research and development expenses are expensed as incurred.

The Company evaluates events through the date the consolidated financial statements are filed for events requiring adjustment to or disclosure in the consolidated financial statements. There are no new accounting pronouncements not yet adopted that the Company believes will have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.

The Company sells its products in the United States primarily through a direct sales force. Customers who purchase the Company’s products include hospitals and clinics throughout the United States. In countries outside the United States, the Company sells its products through a limited number of specialty healthcare distributors in Austria, Brazil, Brunei, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, India, Israel, Italy, Palestine, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand and the United Kingdom. These distributors resell the Company’s products to hospitals and clinics in their respective geographies.

Revenue from product sales are recognized when the customer or distributor obtains control of the product, which occurs at a point in time, most frequently upon shipment of the product or receipt of the product, depending on shipment terms. The Company’s standard shipping terms are FOB shipping point, unless the customer requests that control and title to the inventory transfer upon delivery.

Revenue is measured as the amount of consideration we expect to receive, adjusted for any applicable estimates of variable consideration and other factors affecting the transaction price, which is based on the invoiced price, in exchange for transferring products. All revenue is recognized when the Company satisfies its performance obligations under the contract. The majority of the Company’s contracts have a single performance obligation and are short term in nature. The Company has entered into extended service plans with customers which are recognized over time. This revenue represents less than 1% of net sales for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019. The unfulfilled performance obligations related to these extended service plans is included in deferred revenue, which is included in other current liabilities on the consolidated balance sheets. The majority of the deferred revenue is expected to be recognized within one year.

Sales taxes and value added taxes in foreign jurisdictions that are collected from customers and remitted to governmental authorities are accounted for on a net basis and therefore are excluded from net sales. Revenue includes shipment and handling fees charged to customers. Shipping and handling costs associated with outbound freight after control over a product has transferred to a customer are accounted for as a fulfillment cost and are included in cost of goods sold. Customers that are part of a group purchasing organization and have agreements with the Company receive administrative fees for purchases which are netted against revenues.

Product Returns: The Company offers customers a limited right of return for its product in case of non-conformity or performance issues. The Company estimates the amount of its product sales that may be returned by its customers and records this estimate as a reduction of revenue in the period the related product revenue is recognized. The Company currently estimates product return liabilities using available industry data and its own historical sales and returns information. The Company has not received any returns to date and believes that future returns of its products will be minimal. Therefore, revenue recognized is not currently impacted by variable consideration related to product returns.

Property, plant and equipment were as follows:

On August 5, 2016, the Company entered into a loan and security agreement with Silicon Valley Bank (the Bank). Under this agreement, the Bank agreed to provide the Company with up to $5.0 million in debt financing, consisting of a term loan in an aggregate original principal amount not to exceed $4.0 million (the “Term Loan”) and a revolving line of credit in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $1.0 million outstanding at any time (the “Revolving Line”). Proceeds from the loans were to be used for general corporate and working capital purposes. Advances under the Term Loan were available to the Company until November 30, 2016 and were subject to the Company’s compliance with liquidity covenants. The Term Loan expired unused on November 30, 2016 and is no longer available to be drawn. Advances under the Revolving Line were available to the Company until March 31, 2020 and were to accrue interest at a floating annual rate equal to 1.75% or 1.0% above the prime rate, depending on liquidity factors. Outstanding borrowings, if any, were to be collateralized by all of the Company’s assets, excluding intellectual property which was subject to a negative pledge. The Revolving Line expired unused on March 31, 2020. There were no borrowings outstanding under this facility as of December 31, 2019.

Series F Convertible Preferred Stock: On November 27, 2017, the Company closed on an underwritten public offering Series F Convertible Preferred Stock and warrants to purchase shares of common stock for gross proceeds of $18.0 million. Net proceeds totaled approximately $16.2 million after deducting the underwriting discounts and commissions and other costs associated with the offering.

The offering was comprised of Series F convertible preferred stock, convertible into shares of the Company’s common stock at an initial conversion price of $1,890.00 per share. Each share of Series F convertible preferred stock was accompanied by a Series 1 warrant, which was to expire on the first anniversary of its issuance, to purchase 16 shares of the Company’s common stock at an exercise price of $1,890.00 per share, and a Series 2

warrant, which expires on the seventh anniversary of its issuance, to purchase 16 shares of the Company’s common stock at an exercise price of $1,890.00 per share. The Series F convertible preferred stock has full ratchet price based anti-dilution protection, subject to customary carve outs, in the event of a down-round financing at a price per share below the conversion price of the Series F convertible preferred stock (which protection will expire if, during any 20 of 30 consecutive trading days, the volume weighted average price of the Company’s common stock exceeds 300% of the then-effective conversion price of the Series F convertible preferred stock and the daily dollar trading volume for each trading day during such period exceeds $200,000). The exercise price of the warrants is fixed and does not contain any variable pricing features, nor any price based anti-dilutive features, apart from customary adjustments for stock splits, combinations, reclassifications, stock dividends or fundamental transactions. A total of 18,000 shares of Series F convertible preferred stock initially convertible into 9,557 shares of common stock and warrants to purchase 19,122 shares of common stock were issued in the offering.

Effective March 12, 2019, the conversion price of the Series F convertible preferred stock was reduced from $890.40 to $157.50, the per share price to the public of the Series G convertible preferred stock issued in the March 2019 Offering, described below. Effective October 25, 2019, the conversion price of the Series F convertible preferred stock was reduced from $157.50 to $42.30, and on November 6, 2019 from $42.30 to $29.83, the per share price to the public in the October and November 2019 transactions, respectively, described below. Effective January 28, 2020, the conversion price of the Series F convertible preferred stock was reduced from $29.83 to $16.50, the per share price to the public of the Series H convertible preferred stock which closed in an underwritten public offering on January 28, 2020, described below. Effective March 23, 2020, the conversion price of the Series F convertible preferred stock was reduced from $16.50 to $9.00, the per share price to the public in the March 2020 transaction, described below.

As of December 31, 2020, and December 31, 2019, 127 and 535 shares, respectively, of the Series F convertible preferred stock remained outstanding.

Series G Convertible Preferred Stock and March 2019 Offering: On March 12, 2019, the Company closed on an underwritten public offering of common stock, Series G convertible preferred stock and warrants to purchase shares of common stock for gross proceeds of $12.4 million, which included the full exercise of the underwriter’s over-allotment option to purchase additional shares and warrants (“March 2019 Offering”). Net proceeds totaled approximately $11.0 million after deducting the underwriting discounts and commissions and other costs associated with the offering. The Series G convertible preferred stock included a beneficial conversion amount of $4.5 million, representing the intrinsic value of the shares at the time of issuance. This amount is reflected as an increase to the loss per share allocable to common stockholders in the years ended December 31, 2019.

The March 2019 Offering was comprised of 15,173 shares of common stock priced at $157.50 per share and 1,910,536 shares of Series G convertible preferred stock, convertible into common stock at $157.50 per share. Each share of Series G convertible preferred stock and each share of common stock was accompanied by a Series 1 warrant and a Series 2 warrant. The Series 1 warrants are exercisable into 78,863 shares of common stock and the Series 2 warrants are exercisable into 78,863 shares of common stock. Series 1 warrants expire on the fifth anniversary of the date of issuance and are exercisable at $157.50 to purchase one share of common stock. Series 2 warrants expire on the earlier of: (i) the eighteen-month anniversary of the date of issuance and (ii) the 30th trading day following the public announcement of the receipt from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of clearance or approval of a modification to the product label for the Aquadex System to include pediatric patients. Series 2 warrants are exercisable at $157.50 per share of common stock. The Company announced it had received FDA clearance for use of its Aquadex System in pediatric patients on February 26, 2020, effectively setting the date of expiration of these warrants for April 8, 2020. The conversion price of the Series G convertible preferred stock as well as the exercise price of the warrants are fixed and do not contain any variable pricing features, nor any price based anti-dilutive features apart from customary adjustments for splits and reverse splits of common stock. The Series G convertible preferred stock included a beneficial ownership limitation of 4.99% but had no dividend preference (except to extent dividends are also paid on the common stock), liquidation preference or other preferences over common stock. The securities comprising the units were immediately separable and were issued separately.

As of December 31, 2019, all 63,685 shares of the Series G convertible preferred stock had been converted into common stock and none remained outstanding.

October and November 2019 Offerings: On October 25, 2019, the Company closed on a registered direct offering of 19,195 shares of common stock at a price of $34.50 per share, for gross proceeds of approximately $660,000, prior to deducting commissions and expenses related to the transaction. In a concurrent private placement, the Company agreed to issue to the investors in the registered direct offering unregistered warrants to purchase up to 19,196 shares of its common stock at an exercise price of $42.30 per share, which became exercisable six months from the date of issuance and will expire five years from the initial exercise date. On November 6, 2019, the Company closed on a registered direct offering of 40,637 shares of common stock, or common equivalents, at a price of $33.60 per share, for gross proceeds of approximately $1.36 million prior to deduction of commissions and offering expenses related to the transaction. In a concurrent private placement, the Company agreed to issue to the investors in the registered direct offering warrants to purchase up to 40,638 shares of our common stock at an exercise price of $29.83 per share, which were exercisable upon the date of issuance, and will expire five years from the initial exercise date.

Series H Convertible Preferred Stock and January 2020 Offering: On January 28, 2020, the Company closed on an underwritten public offering of common stock, Series H convertible preferred stock and warrants to purchase shares of common stock for gross proceeds of $9.7 million, which included the full exercise of the underwriter’s over-allotment option to purchase additional shares and warrants (“January 2020 Offering”). Net proceeds totaled approximately $8.6 million after deducting the underwriting discounts and commissions and other costs associated with the offering. The Series H convertible preferred stock included a beneficial conversion amount of $1.6 million, representing the intrinsic value of the shares at the time of issuance, and $0.2 million of down-round protection in connection with the re-pricing of the warrants following the March 2020 offering described below. This amount is reflected as an increase to the loss per share allocable to common stockholders in the year ended December 31, 2020.

The January 2020 Offering was comprised of 201,546 shares of common stock priced at $16.50 per share and 11,517,269 shares of Series H convertible preferred stock, convertible into common stock at $16.50 per share, including the full exercise of the over-allotment option. Each share of Series H convertible preferred stock and each share of common stock was accompanied by a warrant to purchase common stock. The warrants are exercisable into 585,460 shares of common stock. The conversion price of the preferred stock issued in the transaction is fixed and does not contain any variable pricing feature or any price based anti-dilutive feature. The preferred stock issued in this transaction includes a beneficial ownership blocker but has no dividend rights (except to the extent that dividends are also paid on the common stock) or liquidation preference, and, subject to limited exceptions, has no voting rights. The securities comprising the units are immediately separable and were issued separately. The warrants were exercisable beginning on the closing date and expire on the fifth anniversary of the closing date and had an initial exercise price per share equal to $16.50 per share, subject to appropriate adjustment in the event of subsequent equity sales of common stock or securities convertible into common stock for an exercise price per share less than the exercise price per share of the warrants then in effect (but in no event lower than 10% of the applicable Unit offering price), or in the event of recapitalization events, stock dividends, stock splits, stock combinations, reclassifications, reorganizations or similar events affecting our common stock. Effective March 23, 2020, the exercise price of these warrants was reduced from $16.50 to $9.00, the per share price to the public in the March 2020 offering, described below.

As of December 31, 2020, all 11,517,269 shares of the Series H convertible preferred stock had been converted into common stock and none remained outstanding. As of December 31, 2020, warrants to purchase 455,162 shares of common stock had been exercised for total cash proceeds of $4.1 million.

March 2020 Offering: On March 23, 2020, the Company closed on a registered direct offering of 138,715 shares of its common stock at a price to the public of $9.00 per share, for gross proceeds of approximately $1.2 million, or $1.0 million net after deducting commissions and offering expenses payable by CHF Solutions. In a concurrent private placement, the Company agreed to issue to the investors in the registered direct offering warrants to purchase up to 138,715 shares of the Company’s common stock. The warrants to purchase up to 138,715 shares of common stock have an exercise price of $11.18 per share, were exercisable six months from the date of issuance, and will expire five and a half years from the date of issuance.

April 2020 Offering: On April 1, 2020 the Company closed on a registered direct offering of 171,008 shares of its common stock at a price to the public of $13.02 per share, for gross proceeds of approximately $2.2 million, prior to deduction of commissions and offering expenses related to the transaction. In a concurrent private

placement, the Company agreed to issue to the investors in the registered direct offering warrants to purchase up to 85,506 shares of the Company’s common stock. The warrants have an exercise price of $11.15 per share, were exercisable immediately, and will expire five and a half years from the date of issuance.

May 2020 Offering: On May 5, 2020 the Company closed on a registered direct offering of 119,930 shares of its common stock at a price to the public of $14.18 per share, for gross proceeds of approximately $1.7 million, prior to deduction of commissions and offering expenses related to the transaction. In a concurrent private placement, the Company agreed to issue to the investors in the registered direct offering warrants to purchase up to 59,966 shares of the Company’s common stock. The warrants have an exercise price of $12.30 per share, were exercisable immediately, and will expire five and a half years from the date of issuance.

August 2020 Offering: On August 21, 2020, the Company closed on an underwritten public offering of common stock and warrants to purchase shares of common stock for gross proceeds of approximately $14.4 million, which included the full exercise of the underwriter’s over-allotment option to purchase additional shares and warrants (“August 2020 Offering”). Net proceeds totaled approximately $13.0 million after deducting the underwriting discounts and commissions and other costs associated with the offering. The August 2020 Offering was comprised of 1,064,678 shares of common stock priced at $13.50 per share. Each share of common stock was accompanied by a warrant to purchase common stock. The warrants are exercisable into 1,064,678 shares of common stock. The securities comprising the units are immediately separable and were issued separately. The warrants were exercisable beginning on the effective date of our stockholders’ approval of a reverse stock split in an amount sufficient to permit the exercise in full of the warrants, which occurred on October 6, 2020, and will expire on the five-year anniversary of the closing date.

Placement Agent Fees: In connection with the offerings described above, the Company paid the placement agents an aggregate cash placement fee equal to 8% of the aggregate gross proceeds raised in each of the offerings.

Market-Based Warrants: On May 30, 2019, the Company granted a market-based warrant to a consultant in exchange for investor relations services. The warrant represents the right to acquire up to 3,334 shares of the Company’s common stock at an exercise price of $95.40 per share, the closing stock price of the Company’s common shares on May 30, 2019. The warrant is subject to a vesting schedule based on the Company achieving certain market stock prices within a specified period of time. The warrant expires on May 30, 2024. The warrant was valued at $57.90 per share using the Monte Carlo valuation methodology and was expensed over the term of the consulting engagement which was twelve months. Significant inputs used for the Monte Carlo valuation were the expected stock price volatility of 136.21%, and management’s expectations regarding the timing of regulatory clearance for an expanded label in pediatrics. None of these warrants had vested as of December 31, 2020.

The Company has various share-based compensation plans, including the Amended and Restated 2002 Stock Plan, the Third Amended and Restated 2017 Equity Incentive Plan, the 2013 Non-Employee Directors’ Equity Incentive Plan and the New-Hire Equity Incentive Plan (collectively, the “Plans”). The Plans are designed to assist in attracting, motivating and retaining employees and directors and to recognize the importance of employees to the long-term performance and success of the Company. The Company has also granted stock options to certain non-employees outside of the Plans.

The Company recognized stock-based compensation expense related to grants of stock options, RSUs and common stock awards to employees, directors and consultants of $1.3 million, and $1.5 million during the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. The following table summarizes the stock-based compensation expense which was recognized in the consolidated statements of operations for the years ended December 31,

The majority of the RSUs and options to purchase common stock vest on the anniversary of the date of grant, which ranges from one to four years. Stock-based compensation expense related to these awards is recognized on

a straight-line basis over the related vesting term in most cases, which generally is the service period. It is the Company’s policy to issue new shares upon the exercise of options.

Stock Options: The following is a summary of the Plans’ stock option activity during the years ended December 31:

For options outstanding and vested at December 31, 2020, the weighted average remaining contractual life was 8.47 years and 8.07 years, respectively. There were no option exercises in 2020 or 2019. The total fair value of options that vested in 2020 and 2019 was $1.7 million, and $2.4 million, respectively, at the fair value of the options as of the date of grant.

Valuation Assumptions: The fair value of each stock option is estimated at the grant date using the Black-Scholes option pricing model. The fair value of stock options under the Black-Scholes option pricing model requires management to make assumptions regarding projected employee stock option exercise behaviors, risk-free interest rates, volatility of the Company’s stock price, and expected dividends.

The Company has not historically paid cash dividends to its stockholders, and currently does not anticipate paying any cash dividends in the foreseeable future. As a result, the Company has assumed a dividend yield of 0%. The risk-free interest rate is based upon the rates of U.S. Treasury bills with a term that approximates the expected life of the option. Since the Company has limited historical exercise data to reasonably estimate the expected life of its option awards, the expected life is calculated using a simplified method. Expected volatility is based on historical volatility of the Company’s stock.

The following table provides the weighted average assumptions used in the Black-Scholes option pricing model for the years ended December 31:

The weighted-average fair value of stock options granted in 2020 and 2019 was $8.79 and $62.37, respectively. As of December 31, 2020, the total compensation cost related to all non-vested stock option awards not yet recognized was approximately $1.5 million and is expected to be recognized over the remaining weighted-average period of 2.53 years.

Warrants to purchase 1,631,948 and 231,629 shares of common stock were outstanding at December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. As of December 31, 2020, warrants outstanding were exercisable at prices ranging from $9.00 to $53,550 per share, and are exercisable over a period ranging from 10 months to 4.9 years.

The Company’s financial instruments consist of cash and cash equivalents and warrants.

Pursuant to the requirements of ASC Topic 820 “Fair Value Measurement,” the Company’s financial assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis are classified and disclosed in one of the following three categories:

The fair value of the market-based warrants described in Note 5 was calculated using a Monte Carlo valuation model and was classified as Level 3 in the fair value hierarchy. These warrants were classified as permanent equity and as a result, were measured at the grant date and are not required to be remeasured to fair value at each reporting period end.

All cash equivalents are considered Level 1 measurements for all periods presented. The Company does not have any financial instruments classified as Level 2 or Level 3 and there were no movements between these categories as of December 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019. The Company believes that the carrying amounts of all remaining financial instruments approximate their fair value due to their relatively short maturities.

Domestic and foreign loss before income taxes, consists of the following for the years ended December 31:

The components of income tax expense consist of the following for the years ended December 31:

Actual income tax expense differs from statutory federal income tax expense as follows for the years ended December 31:

Deferred taxes consist of the following as of December 31:

As of December 31, 2020, the Company had federal net operating loss (“NOLs”) carryforwards of approximately $168.2 million and $30.9 million of state NOL carryforwards. Approximately $120.1 million of federal NOL carryforwards will expire between 2024 and 2037. Pursuant to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, NOLs generated after 2017 of approximately $48.1 million do not expire. The expiration of state NOL carryforwards will vary by jurisdiction. In addition, future utilization of NOL carryforwards in the U.S. may be subject to certain limitations under Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code. As of December 31, 2020, the Company no longer has tax loss carryforwards in the Commonwealth of Australia due to the dissolution of the subsidiary in November 2020.

The Company provides for a valuation allowance when it is more likely than not that it will not realize a portion of the deferred tax assets. The Company has established a valuation allowance for U.S. and foreign deferred tax assets due to the uncertainty that enough taxable income will be generated in those taxing jurisdictions to utilize the assets. Therefore, the Company has not reflected any benefit of such deferred tax assets in the accompanying consolidated financial statements. For the years ended December 31, 2020, and 2019, the valuation allowance decreased by $7.2 million and increased by $3.4 million, respectively. The current year decrease was primarily due to the dissolution of the Australian subsidiary and corresponding elimination of their net operating loss carryforwards previously subject to a valuation allowance.

During 2018, 2019 and 2020, the Company believes it experienced an ownership change as defined in Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code which will limit the ability to utilize the Company’s net operating losses (NOLs). The Company may have experienced additional ownership changes in earlier years further limiting the NOL carry-forwards that may be utilized. The Company has not yet completed a formal Section 382 analysis. The general limitation rules allow the Company to utilize its NOLs subject to an annual limitation that is determined by multiplying the federal long-term tax-exempt rate by the Company’s value immediately before the ownership change.

The accounting guidance related to uncertain tax positions prescribes a recognition threshold and measurement attribute for recognition and measurement of a tax position taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. It also provides guidance on de-recognition, classification, interest and penalties, accounting in interim periods, disclosure and transition. The Company had no material uncertain tax positions as of December 31, 2020 or 2019.

The Company recognizes interest and penalties on unrecognized tax benefits as well as interest received from favorable tax settlements within income tax expense. At December 31, 2020 and 2019, the Company recorded no accrued interest or penalties related to uncertain tax positions.

The tax years ended December 31, 2017 through December 31, 2020 remain open to examination by the Internal Revenue Service and for the various states where the Company is subject to taxation. Additionally, the returns of the Company’s Australian (through November 2020) and Irish subsidiary are subject to examination by tax authorities of those jurisdictions for the tax years ended and subsequent to June 30, 2015 and December 31, 2015, respectively.

The Company leases office and manufacturing space under a non-cancelable operating lease that expires in March 2022. In August 2018, the Company entered into a third amendment to the lease, extending the term of the lease from March 31, 2019 to March 31, 2022. Beginning on April 1, 2019, the annual base rent is $9.00 per square foot, subject to annual increases of $0.25 per square foot.

The cost components of the Company’s operating lease were as follows for the year ended December 31, :

Variable lease costs consist primarily of taxes, insurance, and common area or other maintenance costs for our leased office and manufacturing space.

Maturities of our lease liability for the Company’s operating lease are as follows as of December 31, :

As of December 31, 2020, and 2019, the remaining lease terms were 1.25 and 2.25 years, respectively, and discount rates were 7.5% for each year. For the years ended December 31, 2020, and 2019, the operating cash outflows from the Company’s operating lease for office and manufacturing space were $213,000 and $206,000, respectively.

In 2020, the Company entered into lease agreements to finance equipment valued at $98,000. The equipment consisted of computer hardware and audio-visual equipment and is included in Property, Plant and Equipment in the accompanying consolidated financial statements. The principal amount under the lease agreements was $93,000 at the date the lease commenced, the implied interest rate is 7.5%, and the term of the lease is 39 months.

The Company has a 401(k)-profit sharing plan that provides retirement benefit to substantially all full-time U.S. employees. Eligible employees may contribute a percentage of their annual compensation, subject to Internal Revenue Service limitations, with the Company matching a portion of the employee’s contributions at the discretion of the Company. Matching contributions totaled $234,000 and $227,000 for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively.

In connection with the Company’s purchase of the Aquadex Business in August 2016, the Company had an obligation to pay additional consideration that was contingent upon the occurrence of certain future events. Contingent consideration was recognized at the acquisition date at $126,000, the estimated fair value of the contingent milestone payments. The fair value of the contingent consideration was remeasured to its estimated fair value at the end of each reporting period, with changes recorded to earnings. During 2019, this contingency had expired, therefore its fair value was $0.

In January 2019, we entered into a consulting agreement with Steven Brandt, one of our non-employee directors, pursuant to which Mr. Brandt provided services, on an interim basis, until May 31, 2019, to support our commercial strategy under the direction of our Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Brandt was paid a fee of $19,000 per month, for a total of $76,000 for his services. Mr. Brandt also received $2,453 for reimbursement of expenses. There were no related party transactions requiring disclosure during the year ended December 31, 2020.

The Company has one reportable segment, cardiac and coronary disease products.

At December 31, 2019 and 2018, long-lived assets were located primarily in the United States.

On January 19, 2021, the Company announced that Nestor Jaramillo, Jr. was appointed as Chief Executive Officer and President of the Company. In connection with such appointment, he entered into an Executive Employment Agreement with the Company. Mr. Jaramillo had served as the Company’s chief operating officer and president since June 2020 and as the Company’s chief commercial officer from May 2019 to June 2020. John Erb, the predecessor Chief Executive Officer will remain a part-time employee for a period of six months to assist with the transition and thereafter will continue to serve as the Company’s Chairman of the Board.

On March 19, 2021, the Company closed on an underwritten public offering of 3,795,816 shares of common stock, which includes the full exercise of the underwriter’s over-allotment option, for gross proceeds of approximately $20.9 million. Net proceeds totaled approximately $19.0 million after deducting the underwriting discounts and commissions and other costs associated with the offering and after giving effect to the underwriters’ full exercise of their overallotment option.

In connection with this transaction, the conversion price of the Series F convertible preferred stock was reduced from $9.00 to $5.50, the per share price to the public in the March 2021 transaction, described above. In addition, the exercise price of the common stock warrants issued in connection with the January 2020 Offering was reduced from $9.00 to $5.50, the per share price to the public in the March 2021 offering, described above.

None.

We maintain disclosure controls and procedures that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed in our Exchange Act reports is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC rules and forms and that such information is accumulated and communicated to our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer (together, the “Certifying Officers”), as appropriate, to allow for timely decisions regarding required disclosure.

In designing and evaluating disclosure controls and procedures, management recognizes that any controls and procedures, no matter how well designed and operated, can provide only reasonable, not absolute, assurance of achieving the desired objectives. Also, the design of a control system must reflect the fact that there are resource constraints and the benefits of controls must be considered relative to their costs. Because of the inherent limitations in all control systems, no evaluation of controls can provide absolute assurance that misstatements due to error or fraud will not occur or that all control issues and instances of fraud, if any, have been detected. These inherent limitations include the realities that judgments in decision-making can be faulty and that breakdowns can occur because of simple error or mistake. The design of any system of controls is based, in part, upon certain assumptions about the likelihood of future events and there can be no assurance that any design will succeed in achieving its stated goals under all potential future conditions.

As of December 31, 2020, the end of the period covered by this report, we conducted an evaluation, under the supervision and with the participation of management, including the Certifying Officers, of the effectiveness of the design and operation of our disclosure controls and procedures as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) of the Exchange Act. Our disclosure controls and procedures are designed to provide reasonable assurance of achieving their stated objectives. Based on their evaluation, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures were effective at a reasonable assurance level as of December 31, 2020.

Our management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of our financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. Internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that: (i) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of our assets; (ii) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles, and that our receipts and expenditures are being made only in accordance with authorizations of our management and Board; and (iii) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use or disposition of our assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.

Our management, including our Certifying Officers, recognizes that our internal control over financial reporting cannot prevent or detect all error and all fraud. A control system, no matter how well designed and operated, can provide only reasonable, not absolute, assurance that the control system’s objectives will be met. The design of a control system must reflect the fact that there are resource constraints, and the benefits of controls must be considered relative to their costs. Further, because of the inherent limitations in all control systems, no evaluation of controls can provide absolute assurance that misstatements due to error or fraud will not occur or that all control issues and instances of fraud, if any, have been detected. The design of any system of controls is based in part on certain assumptions about the likelihood of future events, and there can be no assurance that any design will succeed in achieving its stated goals under all potential future conditions.

Management, with the participation of the Certifying Officers, assessed our internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2020, the end of our fiscal year. Management based its assessment on criteria established in Internal Control—Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission. Based on this assessment, management has concluded that our internal control over financial reporting was effective as of December 31, 2020.

This report does not include an attestation report of our independent registered public accounting firm regarding internal control over financial reporting. Management’s report was not subject to attestation by our independent registered public accounting firm pursuant to rules of the SEC that permit us to provide only management’s report in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

There were no changes in our internal control over financial reporting that occurred during our most recent fiscal quarter ended December 31, 2020 that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

None.

The information required by this item is set forth under the following captions in our proxy statement to be filed with respect to the 2020 annual meeting of stockholders (the “Proxy Statement”), all of which is incorporated herein by reference: “Proposal 1 — Election of Directors,” “Board Matters — Board Committees ,” “Board Matters — Corporate Governance,” “Executive Officers” and “Additional Matters — Delinquent Section 16(a) Reports.”

The information required by this item is set forth under the following captions in the Proxy Statement, all of which is incorporated herein by reference: “Board Matters — Director Compensation,” and “Named Executive Officer Compensation Tables”.

The information required by this item is set forth under the following captions in the Proxy Statement, all of which is incorporated herein by reference: “Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management” and “Additional Matters — Equity Compensation Plan Information.”

The information required by this item is set forth under the following captions in the Proxy Statement, all of which is incorporated herein by reference: “Proposal 1 — Election of Directors — Director Independence” and “Certain Relationships and Related Transactions.”

The information required by this item is set forth under the following captions in the Proxy Statement, all of which is incorporated herein by reference: “Audit Committee Matters.”

The following documents are filed as a part of this Annual Report on Form 10-K: