Panbela Therapeutics, Inc. - Quarter Report: 2016 March (Form 10-Q)

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-Q

Commission File No.: 000-55242

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

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files). Yes ☑   No ☐ *

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

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

On May 10, 2016, there were 29,930,306 shares of the registrant’s common stock, par value $0.001, outstanding.

Sun BioPharma, Inc.
Index to Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q

PART I – FINANCIAL INFORMATION

Item 1.     Financial Statements.

Sun BioPharma, Inc.
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets

(In thousands, except share amounts)

See accompanying notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.

Sun BioPharma, Inc.

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Loss
(In thousands, except share and per share amounts)

 (Unaudited)

See accompanying notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.

Sun BioPharma, Inc.

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Shareholders’ Deficit

(In thousands except share and per share amounts)

(Unaudited)

See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.

Sun BioPharma, Inc.

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
(In thousands)

(Unaudited)

See accompanying notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.

Sun BioPharma, Inc.
Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

The following discussion contains various 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”). Although we believe that, in making any such statement, our expectations are based on reasonable assumptions, any such statement may be influenced by factors that could cause actual outcomes and results to be materially different from those projected. When used in the following discussion, the words “anticipates,” “believes,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “estimates” and similar expressions, as they relate to us or our management, are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated, certain of which are beyond our control, are set forth herein and in Part I, Item 1A under the caption “Risk Factors” in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Our actual results, performance or achievements could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, forward-looking statements. Accordingly, we cannot be certain that any of the events anticipated by forward-looking statements will occur or, if any of them do occur, what impact they will have on us. We caution you to keep in mind the cautions and risks described in this document and to refrain from attributing undue certainty to any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of the document in which they appear. We do not undertake to update any forward-looking statement.

Overview

Sun BioPharma, Inc., formerly known as Cimarron Medical, Inc., (“Cimarron”) and its wholly-owned subsidiaries, Sun BioPharma Research, Inc. (“SBR”) and Sun BioPharma Australia Pty Ltd. (collectively with Cimarron and SBR, “we,” “us,” “our,” and the “Company”) exist for the primary purpose of advancing the commercial development of a proprietary polyamine analogue for pancreatic cancer and for a second indication in chronic pancreatitis. We have exclusively licensed the worldwide rights to this compound, which has been designated as SBP-101, from the University of Florida Research Foundation, Inc. (“UFRF”).

In August 2015, the U.S. FDA granted an Investigational New Drug (“IND”) approval for our SBP-101 product candidate and we began enrolling patients in a Phase 1 clinical trial on January 4, 2016. We estimate that completion of our Phase 1 clinical trial in pancreatic cancer and the completion of necessary preclinical development work and initiation of a Phase 1 clinical trial in pancreatitis, will require additional funding of at least $10 million to $20 million. Additional clinical trials will likely be required for FDA or other similar approvals if the results of the first clinical trial of our SBP-101 product candidate is positive. We estimate that the additional time and cost to obtain FDA and European Medicines Agency (“EMA”) approval and to bring our SBP-101 product candidate to market in these two indications will be 6 to 7 years with related costs up to $200 million.

Financial Overview 

We have incurred losses of $14.5 million since inception. For the three months ended March 31, 2016 and 2015, we incurred net losses of $824,000 and $2.2 million, respectively, and negative cash flows from operating activities of $542,000 and $907,000, respectively. We expect to incur substantial losses, which will continue to generate negative net cash flows from operating activities, as we continue to pursue research and development activities and commercialize our SBP-101 product candidate.

Our cash and cash equivalents were $383,000 as of March 31, 2016, compared to $925,000 as of December 31, 2015.

We will need to obtain additional funds to continue our operations and execute our current business plans, including completing our current Phase 1 clinical trial, planning for required future trials and pursuing regulatory approvals in the United States, the European Union and other international markets. We historically have financed our operations principally from the sale of convertible debt and equity securities. While we have been successful in the past in obtaining the necessary capital to support our operations, and have similar future plans to obtain additional financing, there is no assurance that we will be able to obtain additional financing under commercially reasonable terms and conditions, or at all. This risk would increase if our clinical data is inconclusive or not positive or economic conditions worsen in the market as a whole or in the pharmaceutical or biotechnology markets individually.

On March 1, 2016 we instituted substantial salary deferrals for all senior employees in order to conserve cash. If we are unable to obtain additional financing when needed, we will need to reduce our operations by taking actions that may include, among other things, reducing use of outside professional service providers, reducing staff or further reducing staff compensation, significantly modifying or delaying the development of our SBP-101 product candidate, licensing rights to third parties, including the right to commercialize our SBP-101 product candidate for pancreatic cancer, acute pancreatitis or other applications that we would otherwise seek to pursue, or discontinue operations entirely.

Results of Operations

Comparison of the three-months ended March 31, 2016 to the three-months ended March 31, 2015 (in thousands):

General and administrative expense

Our general and administrative (“G&A”) expenses decreased 59.8% to $481,000 in the first quarter of 2016 down from $1.2 million in the first quarter of 2015. The decrease was due primarily to a reduction in share-based compensation. Decreased legal and accounting fees associated related to pursuing the merger with Cimarron Medical, Inc. during the first quarter of 2015 also contributed to the decline.

Research and development expense

Our research and development (“R&D”) expenses decreased 49.9% to $494,000 in the first quarter of 2016 down from $987,000 in the first quarter of 2015. The decrease in R&D expenses is due primarily to decreases in preclinical studies and other product development costs which were partially offset by increased expenses associated with the initiation of study sites and patient enrollments in our Phase 1 clinical trial.

Other expense, net

Other income and expense, net, was a net income of $36,000 in the current quarter, up from a net expense of $65,000 in the first quarter of 2015. Other income and expense, net, consists primarily of interest expense on convertible promissory notes and long-term debt and foreign currency transaction gains and losses. The current year increase was due to increases in foreign currency transaction gains realized by SBA during the current quarter.

Income tax benefit

Income tax benefit increased to $115,000 for the three-months ended March 31, 2016 up from $57,000 during the three-months ended March 31, 2015. Our income tax benefit is derived primarily from refundable tax credits associated with our R&D activities conducted in Australia.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

The following table summarizes our liquidity and capital resources as of March 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015 and our cash flow data for the three months ended March 31, 2016 and 2015 and is intended to supplement the more detailed discussion that follows (in thousands):

Working Capital

Our total cash resources, including short-term investments, totaled $383,000 as of March 31, 2016, compared to $925,000 as of December 31, 2015. We had $1.9 million in current liabilities, and a working capital deficit of $457,000 as of March 31, 2016, compared to $1.4 million in current liabilities and $357,000 in working capital as of December 31, 2015. On May 5, 2016, we received $772,000 of the $904,000 income tax receivable reported as of March 31, 2016. This receivable related to refundable tax credits for the 2015 research and development activities of our subsidiary Sun BioPharma Australia Pty Ltd.

Cash Flows

Net Cash Used in Operating Activities

Net cash used in operating activities was $542,000 in the three-months ended March 31, 2016 compared to $907,000 in the three-months ended March 31, 2015. The net cash used in each of these periods primarily reflects the net loss for these periods, and in the partially offset by the effects of changes in operating assets and liabilities and, in the three months ended March 31, 2015, by non-cash charges recorded for share-based compensation.

Net Cash Provided by Financing Activities

Net cash provided by financing activities was zero for the three-months ended March 31, 2016, compared to $434,000 in the three-months ended March 31, 2015. Net cash provided by financing activities was comprised of net proceeds from the exercise of stock options and stock purchase warrants.

Capital Requirements

We expect to incur substantial losses, which will continue to generate negative net cash flows from operating activities, as we continue to pursue research and development activities and commercialize our SBP-101 product candidate.

Our future capital uses and requirements depend on numerous current and future factors. These factors include, but are not limited to, the following:

To date, we have used primarily convertible debt and equity financings to fund our ongoing business operations and short-term liquidity needs, and we expect to continue this practice for the foreseeable future.

Our cash and cash equivalents were $383,000 as of March 31, 2016, compared to $925,000 as of December 31, 2015. Although we do not have any current capital commitments, we expect that we will increase our projected expenditures once we have additional capital on hand in order to continue our efforts to grow our business and complete our Phase 1 clinical trial for our SBP-101 product candidate. Accordingly, we expect to make additional expenditures in product development to continue enhancing our current products. We also expect to invest in research and development efforts of follow-on products. However, we do not have any definitive plans as to the exact amounts or particular uses at this time, and the exact amounts and timing of any expenditure may vary significantly from our current intentions.

As of March 31, 2016, we did not have any existing credit facilities under which we could borrow funds. We historically have financed our operations principally from the sale of convertible debt and equity securities. While we have been successful in the past in obtaining the necessary capital to support our operations, and have similar future plans to obtain additional financing, there is no assurance that we will be able to obtain additional financing under commercially reasonable terms and conditions, or at all.

We will need to obtain additional funds to continue our operations thereafter and execute our business plans, including completing our current Phase 1 clinical, planning for required future trials and pursuing regulatory approvals in the United States, the European Union and other international markets. We historically have financed our operations principally from the sale of convertible debt and equity securities. While we have been successful in the past in obtaining the necessary capital to support our operations, and have similar future plans to obtain additional financing, there is no assurance that we will be able to obtain additional financing under commercially reasonable terms and conditions, or at all. This risk would increase if our clinical data is inconclusive or not positive or economic conditions worsen in the market as a whole or in the pharmaceutical or biotechnology markets individually.

On March 1, 2016 we instituted substantial salary deferrals for all senior employees in order to conserve cash. If we are unable to obtain additional financing when needed, we will need to reduce our operations by taking actions which may include, among other things, reducing use of outside professional service providers, reducing staff or further reduce staff compensation, significantly modifying or delaying the development of our SBP-101 product candidate, licensing rights to third parties, including the right to commercialize our SBP-101 product candidate for pancreatic cancer, acute pancreatitis or other applications that we would otherwise seek to pursue, or discontinuing operations entirely.

To the extent that we raise additional capital through the sale of equity or convertible debt securities, the interests of our current shareholders would be diluted, and the terms may include liquidation or other preferences that adversely affect the rights of our current shareholders. If we issue preferred stock, it could affect the rights of our shareholders or reduce the value of our common stock. In particular, specific rights granted to future holders of preferred stock may include voting rights, preferences as to dividends and liquidation, conversion and redemption rights, sinking fund provisions, and restrictions on our ability to merge with or sell our assets to a third party. Debt financing, if available, may involve agreements that include covenants limiting or restricting our ability to take specific actions, such as incurring additional debt, making capital expenditures or declaring dividends. Any of these events could adversely affect our ability to achieve our regulatory approvals and commercialization goals and harm our business.

Our future success is dependent upon our ability to obtain additional financing, the success of our current Phase 1 clinical trial and required future trials, our ability to obtain marketing approval for our SBP-101 product candidate in the United States, the European Union and other international markets. If we are unable to obtain additional financing when needed, if our Phase 1 clinical trial is not successful, if we do not receive regulatory approval required future trials or if once these studies are concluded, we do not receive marketing approval for our SBP-101 product candidate, we would not be able to continue as a going concern and would be forced to cease operations. The interim financial statements included in this report have been prepared assuming that we will continue as a going concern and do not include any adjustments relating to the recoverability or classification of assets or the amounts of liabilities that might result from the outcome of these uncertainties.

Indebtedness

We currently have $2,775,000 outstanding in convertible promissory notes that accrue annual interest of 5%, payable quarterly, and are convertible into common stock at $1.125 per share. These notes mature in December 2018. We have $300,000 outstanding in an unsecured loan that accrues annual interest of 4.125%. All principal and accrued interest on this loan are payable in October 2017. We also have $250,000 of unsecured demand notes which we assumed in connection with the September 2015 merger with Cimarron Medical, Inc.. These demand notes have no stated interest rate or maturity date.

Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates

Our significant accounting policies are set forth in notes accompanying the condensed consolidated financial statements included in this document. The accounting policies used in preparing our interim fiscal 2016 condensed consolidated financial statements are the same as those described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 8, 2016.

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

We do not have any off-balance sheet arrangements as defined in Regulation S-K Item 303(a)(4), that have or are reasonably likely to have a material effect on our financial condition, revenue or expenses, results of operations, liquidity, capital expenditures or capital resources. As a result, we are not materially exposed to any financing, liquidity, market or credit risk that could arise if we had engaged in these arrangements.

As a smaller reporting company, we are not required to provide disclosure pursuant to this item.

Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures

Our management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting for the Company. As of the date of this filing, management has not identified any material weaknesses but believes that it does have a significant deficiency in that it has insufficient personnel resources within the accounting function to fully segregate the duties over financial transaction processing and reporting. Management has mitigated this deficiency primarily through greater involvement in the review and monitoring of financial transaction processing and reporting by executive and senior management.

We believe that our internal control system provides reasonable assurance to our management and Board of Directors regarding the preparation and fair presentation of published financial statements. All internal controls over financial reporting, no matter how well designed, have inherent limitations, including the possibility of human error and the circumvention or overriding of controls. Therefore, even effective internal controls over financial reporting can provide only reasonable assurance with respect to financial statement preparation and presentation. Further, because of changes in conditions, the effectiveness of internal controls over financial reporting may vary over time.

As of the end of the period covered by this quarterly report, we conducted an evaluation, under the supervision and with the participation of our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, of the effectiveness of the design and operation of our disclosure controls and procedures, pursuant to Rules 13a-15 and 15d-15 of the Exchange Act. Based on such evaluation, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer have concluded that, as of March 31, 2016, our disclosure controls and procedures were effective in ensuring that information relating to the Company required to be disclosed in the reports that we file or submit under the Securities Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms, including ensuring that such information is accumulated and communicated to our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.

Changes to Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

We have not identified any change in our internal control over financial reporting during our most recently completed fiscal quarter that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting. 

PART II – OTHER INFORMATION

None

There have been no material changes to the risk factors described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016.

In February 2016, we issued an aggregate of 37,500 shares of our common stock to two vendors who agreed to provide services to the Company upon terms that provided for a portion of their consideration to be paid in shares of our common stock. The fair value of each share of common stock was determined by our Board of Directors, and accordingly, we recorded a charge of $75,000. These securities were issued pursuant to the exemption from registration provided in Section 4(2) of the Securities Act. We did not receive any cash proceeds from the issuance of these securities.

None.

Not applicable.

None.

The exhibit index appearing after the signature page is incorporated herein by reference.

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

EXHIBIT INDEX

Unless otherwise indicated, all documents incorporated into this quarterly report on Form 10-Q by reference to a document filed with the SEC pursuant to the Exchange Act are located under SEC file number 000-55242.

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