SANUWAVE Health, Inc. - Annual Report: 2017 (Form 10-K)

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

FORM 10-K

 

(Mark One)

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

 

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017

 

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

 

For the transition period from ________ to

 

Commission File Number 000-52985

 

SANUWAVE Health, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Nevada	20-1176000
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)	(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
3360 Martin Farm Road, Suite 100 Suwanee, GA	30024
(Address of principal executive offices)	(Zip Code)

 

(770) 419-7525

(Registrant's telephone number, including area code)

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

Title of each class		Name of each exchange on which registered
N/A		N/A

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

 

Common Stock, $0.001 par value per share

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

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

 

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

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically 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 if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K (§229.405 of this chapter) is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K. ☒

 

 

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

 

Large accelerated filer	☐	Accelerated filer	☐
Non-accelerated filer	☐ (Do not check if a smaller reporting company)	Smaller reporting company	☒
		Emerging growth company	☐

 

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

 

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

 

The aggregate market value of the registrant’s common stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant (assuming, for purposes of this calculation only, that the registrant’s directors, executive officers and greater than 10% shareholders are affiliates of the registrant), based upon the closing sale price of the registrant’s common stock on June 30, 2017, the last business day of the registrant’s most recently completed second fiscal quarter, was $14.1 million.

 

As of March 28, 2018, there were issued and outstanding 140,966,236 shares of the registrant’s common stock.

 

 

 SANUWAVE Health, Inc.

 

Table of Contents

 

			Page
PART I
Item 1.	Business		5
Item 1A.	Risk Factors		21
Item 1B.	Unresolved Staff Comments		35
Item 2.	Properties		36
Item 3.	Legal Proceedings		36
Item 4.	Mine Safety Disclosure		36
PART II
Item 5.	Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of
	Equity Securities		37
Item 6.	Selected Financial Data		38
Item 7.	Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations		38
Item 7A.	Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk		48
Item 8.	Financial Statements and Supplementary Data		48
Item 9.	Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure		48
Item 9A.	Controls and Procedures		48
Item 9B.	Other Information		49
PART III
Item 10.	Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance		50
Item 11.	Executive Compensation		55
Item 12.	Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder
	Matters		59
Item 13.	Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence		60
Item 14.	Principal Accountant Fees and Services		61
PART IV
Item 15.	Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules		63
Item 16.	Form 10-K Summary		63

 

 

PART I

 

Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

 

This Annual Report on Form 10-K of SANUWAVE Health, Inc. and its subsidiaries (“SANUWAVE” or the “Company”) contains forward-looking statements. All statements in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, including those made by the management of the Company, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements. Examples of forward-looking statements include statements regarding the Company’s future financial results, the Company’s near term cash requirements and cash sources, clinical trial results, regulatory approvals, operating results, business strategies, projected costs, products, competitive positions, management’s plans and objectives for future operations, and industry trends. These forward-looking statements are based on management’s estimates, projections and assumptions as of the date hereof and include the assumptions that underlie such statements. Forward-looking statements may contain words such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “could,” “would,” “expect,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “potential” and “continue,” the negative of these terms, or other comparable terminology. Any expectations based on these forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties and other important factors, including those discussed in this report, including the sections titled “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.” Other risks and uncertainties are and will be disclosed in the Company’s prior and future Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) filings. These and many other factors could affect the Company’s future financial condition and operating results and could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations based on forward-looking statements made in this document or elsewhere by the Company or on its behalf. The Company undertakes no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statements.

 

Except as otherwise indicated by the context, references in this Annual Report on Form 10-K to “we,” “us” and “our” are to the consolidated business of the Company.

 

 

 

 

Item 1. BUSINESS

 

Overview

 

We are a shock wave technology company using a patented system of noninvasive, high-energy, acoustic shock waves for regenerative medicine and other applications. Our initial focus is regenerative medicine – utilizing noninvasive, acoustic shock waves to produce a biological response resulting in the body healing itself through the repair and regeneration of tissue, musculoskeletal and vascular structures. Our lead regenerative product in the United States is the dermaPACE® device, used for treating diabetic foot ulcers, which was subject to two double-blinded, randomized Phase III clinical studies.  On December 28, 2017, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (the "FDA") notified the Company to permit the marketing of the dermaPACE System for the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers in the United States.

 

Our portfolio of healthcare products and product candidates activate biologic signaling and angiogenic responses, including new vascularization and microcirculatory improvement, helping to restore the body’s normal healing processes and regeneration. We intend to apply our Pulsed Acoustic Cellular Expression (PACE®) technology in wound healing, orthopedic, plastic/cosmetic and cardiac conditions. In 2018, we plan to begin marketing our dermaPACE System for sale in the United States and will continue to generate revenue from sales of the European Conformity Marking (CE Mark) devices and accessories in Europe, Canada, Asia and Asia/Pacific.

 

Our lead product candidate for the global wound care market, dermaPACE, has received FDA approval for commercial use to treat diabetic foot ulcers in the United States and the CE Mark allowing for commercial use on acute and chronic defects of the skin and subcutaneous soft tissue. We believe we have demonstrated that our patented technology is safe and effective in stimulating healing in chronic conditions of the foot and the elbow through our United States FDA Class III PMA approved OssaTron® device, and in the stimulation of bone and chronic tendonitis regeneration in the musculoskeletal environment through the utilization of our orthoPACE®, OssaTron, and Evotron® devices in Europe and Asia.

 

We are focused on developing our Pulsed Acoustic Cellular Expression (PACE) technology to activate healing in:

 

 

In addition to healthcare uses, our high-energy, acoustic pressure shock waves, due to their powerful pressure gradients and localized cavitational effects, may have applications in secondary and tertiary oil exploitation, for cleaning industrial waters and food liquids and finally for maintenance of industrial installations by disrupting biofilms formation. Our business approach will be through licensing and/or partnership opportunities.

 

We were formed as a Nevada corporation in 2004.

 

Pulsed Acoustic Cellular Expression (PACE) Technology for Regenerative Medicine

 

Our PACE product candidates, including our lead product candidate, dermaPACE, deliver high-energy acoustic pressure waves in the shock wave spectrum to produce compressive and tensile stresses on cells and tissue structures. These mechanical stresses at the cellular level have been shown in pre-clinical work to promote angiogenic and positive inflammatory responses, and quickly initiate the healing cascade. This has been shown in pre-clinical work to result in microcirculatory improvement, including increased perfusion and blood vessel widening (arteriogenesis), the production of angiogenic growth factors, enhanced new blood vessel formation (angiogenesis) and the subsequent regeneration of tissue such as skin, musculoskeletal and vascular structures. PACE procedures trigger the initiation of an accelerated inflammatory response that speeds wounds into proliferation phases of healing and subsequently returns a chronic condition to an acute condition to help reinitiate the body’s own healing response. We believe that our PACE technology is well suited for various applications due to its activation of a broad spectrum of cellular events critical for the initiation and progression of healing.

 

High-energy, acoustic pressure shock waves are the primary component of our previously developed product, OssaTron®, which was approved by the FDA and marketed in the United States for use in chronic plantar fasciitis of the foot in 2000 and for elbow tendonitis in 2003. Previously, acoustic pressure shock waves have been used safely at much higher energy and pulse levels in the lithotripsy procedure (breaking up kidney stones) by urologists for over 25 years and has reached the care status of “golden standard” for the treatment of kidney stones.

 

We research, design, manufacture, market and service our products worldwide and believe we have already demonstrated that our technology is safe and effective in stimulating healing in chronic musculoskeletal conditions of the foot and the elbow through our United States FDA Class III PMA approved OssaTron device, and in the stimulation of bone and chronic tendonitis regeneration in the musculoskeletal environment through the utilization of our orthoPACE, Evotron and OssaTron devices in Europe, Asia and Asia/Pacific.

 

We believe our experience from our preclinical research and the clinical use of our predecessor legacy devices in Europe and Asia, as well as our OssaTron device in the United States, demonstrates the safety, clinical utility and efficacy of these products. In addition, we have preclinical programs focused on the development and better understanding of treatments specific to our target applications.

 

Currently, there are limited biological or mechanical therapies available to activate the healing and regeneration of skin, musculoskeletal tissue and vascular structures. As baby boomers age, the incidence of their targeted diseases and musculoskeletal injuries and ailments will be far more prevalent. We believe that our pre-clinical and clinical studies suggest that our PACE technology will be effective in targeted applications. We anticipate that future clinical studies should lead to regulatory approval of our regenerative product candidates in the Americas, Middle East and Africa. If approved by the appropriate regulatory authorities, we believe that our product candidates will offer new, effective and noninvasive (extracorporeal) treatment options in wound healing, orthopedic injuries, plastic/cosmetic uses and cardiovascular procedures, improving the quality of life for millions of patients suffering from injuries or deterioration of tissue, bones and vascular structures.

 

dermaPACE – Our Lead Product Candidate

 

The FDA granted approval of our Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) to conduct two double-blinded, randomized clinical trials utilizing our lead device product for the global wound care market, the dermaPACE device, in the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers.

 

The dermaPACE system was evaluated using two studies under IDE G070103. The studies were designed as prospective, randomized, double-blind, parallel-group, sham-controlled, multi-center 24-week studies at 39 centers. A total of 336 subjects were enrolled and treated with either dermaPACE plus conventional therapy or conventional therapy (a.k.a. standard of care) alone. Conventional therapy included, but was not limited to, debridement, saline-moistened gauze, and pressure reducing footwear. The objective of the studies was to compare the safety and efficacy of the dermaPACE device to sham-control application. The prospectively defined primary efficacy endpoint for the dermaPACE studies was the incidence of complete wound closure at 12 weeks post-initial application of the dermaPACE system (active or sham). Complete wound closure was defined as skin re-epithelialization without drainage or dressing requirements, confirmed over two consecutive visits within 12-weeks. If the wound was considered closed for the first time at the 12 week visit, then the next visit was used to confirm closure. Investigators continued to follow subjects and evaluate wound closure through 24 weeks.

 

The dermaPACE device completed its initial Phase III, IDE clinical trial in the United States for the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers in 2011 and a PMA application was filed with the FDA in July 2011. The patient enrollment for the second, supplemental clinical trial began in June 2013. We completed enrollment for the 130 patients in this second trial in November 2014 and suspended further enrollment at that time.

 

The only significant difference between the two studies was the number of applications of the dermaPACE device. Study one (DERM01; n=206) prescribed four (4) device applications/treatments over a two-week period, whereas, study two (DERM02; n=130) prescribed up to eight (8) device applications (4 within the first two weeks of randomization, and 1 treatment every two weeks thereafter up to a total of 8 treatments over a 10-week period). If the wound was determined closed by the PI during the treatment regimen, any further planned applications were not performed.

 

 

Between the two studies there were over 336 patients evaluated, with 172 patients treated with dermaPACE and 164 control group subjects with use of a non-functional device (sham). Both treatment groups received wound care consistent with the standard of care in addition to device application. Study subjects were enrolled using pre-determined inclusion/exclusion criteria in order to obtain a homogenous study population with chronic diabetes and a diabetic foot ulcer that has persisted a minimum of 30 days and its area is between 1cm2 and 16cm2, inclusive. Subjects were enrolled at Visit 1 and followed for a run-in period of two weeks. At two weeks (Visit 2 – Day 0), the first treatment was applied (either dermaPACE or Sham Control application). Applications with either dermaPACE or Sham Control were then made at Day 3 (Visit 3), Day 6 (Visit 4), and Day 9 (Visit 5) with the potential for 4 additional treatments in Study 2. Subject progress including wound size was then observed on a bi-weekly basis for up to 24 weeks at a total of 12 visits (Weeks 2-24; Visits 6-17).

 

A total of 336 patients were enrolled in the dermaPACE studies at 37 sites. The patients in the studies were followed for a total of 24 weeks. The studies’ primary endpoint, wound closure, was defined as “successful” if the skin was 100% re-epithelialized at 12 weeks without drainage or dressing requirements confirmed at two consecutive study visits.

 

A summary of the key study findings were as follows:

 

We retained Musculoskeletal Clinical Regulatory Advisers, LLC (MCRA) in January 2015 to lead the Company’s interactions and correspondence with the FDA for the dermaPACE, which have already commenced. MCRA has successfully worked with the FDA on numerous Premarket Approvals (PMAs) for various musculoskeletal, restorative and general surgical devices since 2006.

Working with MCRA, we submitted to FDA a de novo petition on July 23, 2016. Due to the strong safety profile of our device and the efficacy of the data showing statistical significance for wound closure for dermaPACE subjects at 20 weeks, we believe that the dermaPACE device should be considered for classification into Class II as there is no legally marketed predicate device and there is not an existing Class III classification regulation or one or more approved PMAs (which would have required a reclassification under Section 513(e) or (f)(3) of the FD&C Act). On December 28, 2017, the FDA determined that the criteria at section 513(a)(1)(A) of (B) of the FD&C Act were met and granted the de novo clearance classifying dermaPACE as Class II and available to be marketed immediately.

Finally, our dermaPACE device has received the European CE Mark approval to treat acute and chronic defects of the skin and subcutaneous soft tissue, such as in the treatment of pressure ulcers, diabetic foot ulcers, burns, and traumatic and surgical wounds. The dermaPACE is also licensed for sale in Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Korea.

We are actively marketing the dermaPACE to the European Community, Canada and Asia/Pacific, utilizing distributors in select countries.

Growth Opportunity in Wound Care Treatment

 

We are focused on the development of products that treat unmet medical needs in large market opportunities. Our FDA approval in the United States for our lead product candidate, dermaPACE, is the first step in providing an option to a currently unmet need in the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers. Diabetes is common, disabling and deadly. In the United States, diabetes has reached epidemic proportions. Based on our research, foot ulcerations are one of the leading causes of hospitalization in diabetic patients and lead to billions of dollars in health care expenditures annually.  According to a 2015 report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 30.3 million people (diagnosed and undiagnosed), roughly 9.4% of the United States population, have diabetes and 1.5 million new cases of diabetes were diagnosed in people aged 18 years or older in 2015. According to the same study, approximately 25% of diabetics will develop a diabetic foot ulceration ("DFU") during their lifetime. Foot ulcers are a significant complication of diabetes mellitus and often precede lower-extremity amputation. The most frequent underlying etiologies are neuropathy, trauma, deformity, high plantar pressures, and peripheral arterial disease. Over 50% of DFUs will become infected, resulting in high rates of hospitalization, increased morbidity and potential lower extremity amputation. Diabetic foot infections ("DFI") are one of the most common diabetes related cause of hospitalization in the United States, accounting for 20% of all hospital admissions. Readmission rates for DFI patients are approximately 40% and nearly one in six patients die within 1 year of their infection. In a large prospective study of patients with DFU, the presence of infection increased the risk of a minor amputation by 50% compared to ulcer patients without infection. DFUs account for more than half of the non-traumatic lower-extremity amputations in the world. The Advanced Medical Technology Association (“AdvaMed”) estimates that chronic leg wounds (ulcers) account for the loss of many workdays per year, at a cost of approximately $20.8 billion in lost productivity. Advanced, cost-effective treatment modalities for diabetes and its comorbidities, including diabetic foot ulcers, are in great need globally, yet in short supply. According to the International Diabetes Federation, 1 in 11 adults has diabetes (approximately 425 million people) and 12% of global health expenditure is spent on diabetes (approximately $727 billion).

A majority of challenging wounds are non-healing chronic wounds and in addition, chronic diabetic foot ulcers and pressure ulcers are often slow-to-heal wounds, which often fail to heal for many months, and sometimes, for several years. These wounds often involve physiologic, complex and multiple complications such as reduced blood supply, compromised lymphatic systems or immune deficiencies that interfere with the body’s normal wound healing processes. These wounds often develop due to a patient’s impaired vascular and tissue repair capabilities. Wounds that are difficult to treat do not always respond to traditional therapies, which include hydrocolloids, hydrogels and alginates, among other treatments. We believe that physicians and hospitals need a therapy that addresses the special needs of these chronic wounds with high levels of both clinical and cost effectiveness.

 

 

We believe we are developing a safe and advanced technology in the wound healing and tissue regeneration market with PACE. dermaPACE is noninvasive and does not require anesthesia, making it a cost-effective, time-efficient and painless approach to wound care. Physicians and nurses look for therapies that can accelerate the healing process and overcome the obstacles of patients’ compromised conditions, and prefer therapies that are easy to administer. In addition, since many of these patients are not confined to bed, healthcare providers want therapies that are minimally disruptive to the patient’s or the caregiver’s daily routines. dermaPACE’s noninvasive treatments are designed to elicit the body’s own healing response and, followed by simple standard of care dressing changes, are designed to allow for limited disruption to the patients’ normal lives and have no effect on mobility while their wounds heal.

 

Developing Product Opportunities - Orthopedic

 

We launched the orthoPACE device in Europe, which is intended for use in orthopedic, trauma and sports medicine indications, following CE Marking approval in 2010. The device features four types of applicators including a unique applicator that is less painful for some indications and may reduce or completely eliminate anesthesia for some patients. In the orthopedic setting, the orthoPACE is being used to treat tendinopathies and acute and nonunion fractures, including the soft tissue surrounding the fracture to accelerate healing and prevent secondary complications and their associated treatment costs. In 2013, we obtained approval from South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety to market orthoPACE in that country.

 

We believe there are significant opportunities in the worldwide orthopedic market, driven by aging baby boomers and their desire for active lifestyles well into retirement and the growth in the incidence of osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, obesity, diabetes and other diseases that cause injury to musculoskeletal tissues and/or impair the ability of the body to heal injuries.

 

We have experience in the sports medicine field (which generally refers to the non-surgical and surgical management of cartilage, ligament and tendon injuries) through our legacy devices, OssaTron and Evotron. Common examples of these injuries include extremity joint pain, torn rotator cuffs (shoulder), tennis elbow, Achilles’ tendon tears and torn meniscus cartilage in the knee. Injuries to these structures are very difficult to treat because the body has a limited natural ability to regenerate these kinds of tissues. Cartilage, ligament and tendons seldom return to a pre-injury state of function.  Due to a lack of therapies that can activate healing and regenerate these tissues, many of these injuries will result in a degree of permanent impairment and chronic pain. Prior investigations and pre-clinical work indicate that PACE can activate various cell types and may be an important adjunct to the management of sports medicine injuries.

 

Trauma injuries are acute and result from any physical damage to the body caused by violence or accident or fracture. Surgical treatment of traumatic fractures often involves fixation with metallic plates, screws and rods (internal fixation) and include off-loading to prevent motion, permitting the body to initiate a healing response. In the United States, six million traumatic fractures are treated each year, and over one million internal fixation procedures are performed annually. The prevalence of non-union among these fractures is between 2.5% and 10.0% depending on the fracture type and risk factors such as diabetes and smoking history or other systemic diseases. At the time of surgery, adjunctive agents (such as autograft, cadaver bone and synthetic filling materials) are often implanted along with internal fixation to fill bony gaps or facilitate the healing process to avoid delayed union or non-union (incomplete fracture healing) results. Both pre-clinical and clinical investigations have shown positive results, suggesting our technology could potentially be developed as an adjunct to these surgeries or primary treatment protocol for delayed or non-union events.

 

Non-Medical Uses For Our Shock wave Technology

 

We believe there are significant license/partnership opportunities for our acoustic pressure shock wave technology in non-medical uses, including in the energy, water, food, and industrial markets.

 

Due to their powerful pressure gradients and localized cavitational effects, we believe that high-energy, acoustic pressure shock waves can be used to clean, in an energy efficient manner, contaminated fluids from impurities, bacteria, viruses, and other harmful micro-organisms, which provides opportunities for our technology in cleaning industrial and domestic/municipal waters. Based on the same principles of action of the acoustic pressure shock waves against bacteria, viruses, and harmful micro-organisms, we believe our technology can be applied for cleaning or sterilization of various foods such as milk, natural juices, and meats.

 

 

In the energy sector, we believe that the acoustic pressure shock waves can be used to improve oil recovery (IOR), as a supplement to or in conjunction with existing fracking technology, which utilizes high pressurized water/gases to crack the rocks that trapped oil in the underground reservoir. Through the use of our high-energy, acoustic pressure shock waves the efficiency can be improved and in the same time the environmental impact of the fracking process can be reduced. Furthermore, we believe our technology can be used for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) based on the changes in oil flow characteristics resulting from acoustic pressure shock wave stimulation, as a tertiary method of oil recovery from older oil fields.

 

Additionally, we demonstrated through three studies performed at Montana State University that high-energy, acoustic pressure shock waves are disrupting biofilms and thus can be used for surface cleaning monuments, ship hulls, and underwater structure cleaning, or to unclog pipes in the energy industry (shore or off-shore installations), food industry, and water management industry, which will reduce or eliminate down times with significant financial benefits for maintenance of existing infrastructure. Also, our technology should have a significant environmental impact by eliminating or reducing the use of harmful chemicals, which are the preferred biofilm cleaning method at this time.

 

Market Trends

 

We are focused on the development of regenerative medicine products that have the potential to address substantial unmet clinical needs across broad market indications. We believe there are limited therapeutic treatments currently available that directly and reproducibly activate healing processes in the areas in which we are focusing, particularly for wound care and repair of certain types of musculoskeletal conditions.

 

According to AdvaMed and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services data and our internal projections, the United States advanced wound healing market for the dermaPACE is estimated at $20 billion, which includes diabetic foot ulcers, pressure sores, burns and traumatic wounds, and chronic mixed leg ulcers. We also believe there are significant opportunities in the worldwide orthopedic and spine markets, driven by aging baby boomers and their desire for active lifestyles well into retirement and the growth in the incidence of osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, obesity, diabetes and other diseases that cause injury to orthopedic tissues and/or impair the ability of the body to heal injuries.

 

With the success of negative pressure wound therapy devices in the wound care market over the last decade and the recognition of the global epidemic associated with certain types of wounds, as well as deteriorating musculoskeletal conditions attributed to obesity, diabetes, vascular and heart disease, as well as sports injuries, we believe that Medicare and private insurers have become aware of the high costs and expenditures associated with the adjunctive therapies being utilized for wound healing and orthopedic conditions that have limited efficacies in full skin closure, or bone and tissue regeneration. We believe the wound healing and orthopedic markets are undergoing a transition, and market participants are interested in biological response activating devices that are applied noninvasively and seek to activate the body’s own capabilities for regeneration of tissue at injury sites in a cost-effective manner.

 

Strategy

 

Our primary objective is to be a leader in the development and commercialization of our acoustic pressure shock wave technology for regenerative medicine and other applications. Our initial focus is regenerative medicine – utilizing noninvasive (extracorporeal), acoustic pressure shock waves to produce a biological response resulting in the body healing itself through the repair and regeneration of skin, musculoskeletal tissue and vascular structures. Our lead regenerative product in the United States is the dermaPACE device for treating diabetic foot ulcers, which was subject to two double-blinded, randomized Phase III clinical studies and cleared by the FDA on December 28, 2017.

 

Our portfolio of healthcare products and product candidates activate biologic signaling and angiogenic responses, including new vascularization and microcirculatory improvement, helping to restore the body’s normal healing processes and regeneration. We intend to apply our Pulsed Acoustic Cellular Expression (PACE) technology in wound healing, orthopedic, plastic/cosmetic and cardiac conditions.

 

Our immediate goal for our regenerative medicine technology involves leveraging the knowledge we gained from our existing human heel and elbow indications to enter the advanced wound care market with innovative treatments.  

 

 

The key elements of our strategy include the following:

 

 

We initially focused on obtaining FDA approval in the United States for our lead product candidate, dermaPACE, for the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers, which we believe represents a large, unmet need.  On December 28, 2017, the FDA notified the Company to permit the marketing of the dermaPACE System for the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers in the United States.  We plan to begin the commercialization of dermaPACE in the United States in 2018 through strategic partnerships or commercialize the product ourselves.  For example, in February 2018, we entered into an agreement with Premier Shockwave Wound Care, Inc. ("PSWC") and Premier Shockwave, Inc. ("PS") for the purchase by PSWC and PS of dermaPACE Systems and related equipment sold by us, including a minimun purchase of 100 units over 3 years, and granting PSWC and PS limited but exclusive distribution rights to provide dermaPACE Systems to certain government healthcare facilities in exchange for the payment of certain royalties to us.

 

 

We intend to use our proprietary technologies and know-how in the use of high-energy, acoustic pressure shock waves to address unmet medical needs in wound care, orthopedic, plastic/cosmetic and cardiac indications, possibly through potential license and/or partnership arrangements.

 

 

We intend to use our acoustic pressure shock wave technology and know-how for non-medical uses, including energy, food, water cleaning and other industrial markets, through license/partnership opportunities.

 

 

Our portfolio of products, the dermaPACE and orthoPACE, are CE Marked and sold through select distributors in certain countries in Europe, Canada, Asia and Asia/Pacific. Our revenues will continue from sales of the devices and related applicators in these markets. We intend to continue to add additional distribution partners in the Americas, Middle East, Africa, Europe and Asia/Pacific.

 

Scientific Advisors

 

We have established a network of scientific advisors that brings expertise in wound healing, orthopedics, cosmetics, clinical and scientific research, and FDA experience. We consult our scientific advisors on an as-needed basis on clinical and pre-clinical study design, product development, and clinical indications.

 

We pay consulting fees to certain members of our scientific advisory board for the services they provide to us, in addition to reimbursing them for incurred expenses. The amounts vary depending on the nature of the services. We paid our advisors aggregate consulting fees through the issuance of stock options and warrants in 2017 and 2016 and recorded stock-based compensation expense of $39,127 and $30,421 for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively.

 

Sales, Marketing and Distribution

 

Following FDA approval in December 2017, we intend to seek a development and/or commercialization partnership or commercialize the product ourselves. Outside the United States, we retain distributors to represent our products in selective international markets. These distributors have been selected based on their existing business relationships and the ability of their sales force and distribution capabilities to effectively penetrate the market with our PACE product line. We rely on these distributors to manage physical distribution, customer service and billing services for our international customers. Two distributors accounted for 38% and 8% of revenues for the year ended December 31, 2017, and 17% and 69% of accounts receivable at December 31, 2017.

 

 

Manufacturing

 

We have developed a network of suppliers, manufacturers and contract service providers to provide sufficient quantities of our products.

 

We are party to a manufacturing supply agreement with Swisstronics Contract Manufacturing AG in Switzerland, a division of Cicor Technologies Ltd., covering the generator box component of our products. Our generator boxes are manufactured in accordance with applicable quality standards (EN ISO 13485) and applicable industry and regulatory standards. We produce the applicators and applicator kits for our products. In addition, we program and load software for both the generator boxes and applicators and perform the final product testing and certifications internally.

 

Our facility in Suwanee, Georgia consists of 7,500 square feet and provides office, research and development, quality control, production and warehouse space. It is a FDA registered facility and is ISO 13485 certified (for meeting the requirements for a comprehensive management system for the design and manufacture of medical devices).

 

Intellectual Property

 

Our success depends in part on our ability to obtain and maintain proprietary protection for our products, product candidates, technology, and know-how, to operate without infringing on the proprietary rights of others and to prevent others from infringing upon our proprietary rights. We seek to protect our proprietary position by, among other methods, filing United States and selected foreign patent applications and United States and selected foreign trademark applications related to our proprietary technology, inventions, products, and improvements that are important to the development of our business. Effective trademark, service mark, copyright, patent, and trade secret protection may not be available in every country in which our products are made available. The protection of our intellectual property may require the expenditure of significant financial and managerial resources.

 

Patents

 

We consider the protection afforded by patents important to our business. We intend to seek and maintain patent protection in the United States and select foreign countries where deemed appropriate for products that we develop. There are no assurances that any patents will result from our patent applications, or that any patents that may be issued will protect our intellectual property, or that any issued patents or pending applications will not be successfully challenged, including as to ownership and/or validity, by third parties. In addition, if we do not avoid infringement of the intellectual property rights of others, we may have to seek a license to sell our products, defend an infringement action or challenge the validity of intellectual property in court. Any current or future challenges to our patent rights, or challenges by us to the patent rights of others, could be expensive and time consuming.

 

We derive our patent rights, including as to both issued patents and “patent pending” applications, from three sources: (1) assignee of patent rights in technology we developed; (2) assignee of patent rights purchased from HealthTronics, Inc. (“HealthTronics”); and (3) as licensee of certain patent rights assigned to HealthTronics. In August 2005, we purchased a significant portion of our current patents and patent applications from HealthTronics, to whom we granted back perpetual and royalty-free field-of-use license rights in the purchased patent portfolio primarily for urological uses. We believe that our owned and licensed patent rights provide a competitive advantage with respect to others that might seek to utilize certain of our apparatuses and methods incorporating extracorporeal acoustic pressure shock wave technologies that we have patented; however, we do not hold patent rights that cover all of our products, product components, or methods that utilize our products. We also have not conducted a competitive analysis or valuation with respect to our issued and pending patent portfolio in relation to our current products and/or competitor products.

 

 

We are the assignee of twenty-eight issued United States patents and eighteen issued foreign patents, which on average have remaining useful lives of ten years with the longest useful life extending to 2036. Our current issued United States and foreign patents include patent claims directed to particular electrode configurations, piezoelectric fiber shock wave devices, chemical components for shock wave generation, reflector geometries, medical systems general construction, and detachable therapy heads with data storage devices. Our United States patents also include patent claims directed to methods of using acoustic pressure shock waves, including devices such as our products, to treat ischemic conditions, spinal cord scar tissue and spinal injuries, bone fractures and osteoporosis, blood sterilization, stem cell stimulation, tissue cleaning, and, within particular treatment parameters, diabetic foot ulcers and pressure sores. While such patented method claims may provide patent protection against certain indirect infringing promotion and sales activities of competing manufacturers and distributors, certain medical methods performed by medical practitioners or related health care entities may be subject to exemption from potential infringement claims under 35 U.S.C. § 287(c) and, therefore, may limit enforcement of claims of our method patents as compared to device and non-medical method patents.

 

We also currently maintain eleven United States non-provisional patent applications and seven foreign patent applications. Our patent-pending rights include inventions directed to certain shock wave devices and systems, ancillary products, and components for acoustic pressure shock wave treatment devices, and various methods of using acoustic pressure shock waves. Such patent-pending methods include, for example, using acoustic pressure shock waves to treat soft tissue disorders, bones, joints, wounds, skin, blood vessels and circulatory disorders, lymphatic disorders, cardiac tissue, fat and cellulite, cancer, blood and fluids sterilization, to destroy pathogens, to process fluids, meat and dairy products, to destroy blood vessels occlusions and plaques, and to perform personalized medical treatments. All of our United States and foreign pending applications either have yet to be examined or require response to an examiner’s office action rejections and, therefore, remain subject to further prosecution, the possibility of further rejections and appeals, and/or the possibility we may elect to abandon prosecution, without assurance that a patent may issue from any pending application.

 

Under our license to HealthTronics, we reserve exclusive rights in our purchased portfolio as to orthopedic, tendonopathy, skin wounds, cardiac, dental, neural medical conditions and to all conditions in animals (Ortho Field). HealthTronics receives field-exclusive and sublicensable rights under the purchased portfolio as to (1) certain HealthTronics lithotripsy devices in all fields other than the Ortho Field, and (2) all products in the treatment of renal, ureteral, gall stones and other urological conditions (Litho Field). HealthTronics also receives non-exclusive and non-sublicensable rights in the purchased portfolio as to any products in all fields other than the Ortho Field and Litho Field.

 

Pursuant to mutual amendment and other assignment-back rights under the patent license agreement with HealthTronics, we are also a licensee of certain patents and patent applications that have been assigned to HealthTronics. We received a perpetual, non-exclusive and royalty-free license to nine issued foreign patents. Our non-exclusive license is subject to HealthTronics’ sole discretion to further maintain any of the patents and pending applications assigned back to HealthTronics.

 

As part of the sale of the veterinary business in June 2009, we have also granted certain exclusive and non-exclusive patent license rights to Pulse Veterinary Technologies, LLC for most of our patent portfolio issued before 2009 to utilize acoustic pressure shock wave technologies in the field of non-human mammals.

 

Given our international patent portfolio, there are growing risks of challenges to our existing and future patent rights. Such challenges may result in invalidation or modification of some or all of our patent rights in a particular patent territory and reduce our competitive advantage with respect to third party products and services. Such challenges may also require the expenditure of significant financial and managerial resources.

 

If we become involved in future litigation or any other adverse intellectual property proceeding, for example, as a result of an alleged infringement, or a third party alleging an earlier date of invention, we may have to spend significant amounts of money and time and, in the event of an adverse ruling, we could be subject to liability for damages, including treble damages, invalidation of our intellectual property and injunctive relief that could prevent us from using technologies or developing products, any of which could have a significant adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operation. In addition, any claims relating to the infringement of third party proprietary rights, or earlier date of invention, even if not meritorious, could result in costly litigation or lengthy governmental proceedings and could divert management’s attention and resources and require us to enter into royalty or license agreements which are not advantageous, if available at all.

 

 

Trademarks

 

Since other products on the market compete with our products, we believe that our product brand names are an important factor in establishing and maintaining brand recognition. 

 

We have the following trademark registrations:  SANUWAVE® (United States, European Community, Canada, Japan, Switzerland, Taiwan and under the Madrid Protocol), dermaPACE® (United States, European Community, Japan, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, Canada and under the Madrid Protocol), angioPACE® (Australia, European Community and Switzerland), PACE® (Pulsed Acoustic Cellular Expression) (United States, European Community, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Switzerland, Taiwan, and Canada), orthoPACE® (United States and European Community), DAP® (Diffused Acoustic Pressure) (United States and European Community) and Profile™ (United States, European Community and Switzerland). 

 

We also maintain trademark registrations for: OssaTron® (United States and Germany), evoPACE® (Australia, European Community and Switzerland), Evotron® (Germany and Switzerland), Evotrode® (Germany and Switzerland), Orthotripsy® (United States). We are phasing out the Reflectron® (Germany and Switzerland) and Reflectrode® (Germany and Switzerland) trademarks due to the fact that these two products are no longer available for sale in any market.

 

Potential Intellectual Property Issues

 

Although we believe that the patents and patent applications, including those that we license, provide a competitive advantage, the patent positions of biotechnology and medical device companies are highly complex and uncertain. The medical device industry is characterized by the existence of a large number of patents and frequent litigation based on allegations of patent infringement. Our success will depend in part on us not infringing on patents issued to others, including our competitors and potential competitors, as well as our ability to enforce our patent rights. We also rely on trade secrets, know-how, continuing technological innovation and in-licensing opportunities to develop and maintain our proprietary position.

 

Despite any measures taken to protect our intellectual property, unauthorized parties may attempt to copy aspects of our products and product candidates, or to obtain and use information that we regard as proprietary. In enforcement proceedings in Switzerland, we assisted HealthTronics as an informer of misappropriation by a Swiss company called SwiTech and related third parties of intellectual property rights in legacy proprietary software and devices relating to assets we purchased from HealthTronics in August 2005. As a result of this action, SwiTech was forced into bankruptcy. We also pursued the alleged misappropriation by another Swiss company called SwiTalis and related third parties of intellectual property rights in legacy proprietary software and devices relating to assets we purchased from HealthTronics in August 2005. In 2016, SwiTalis claimed copyright rights on the High Voltage Modules that were used in our devices and the old line of Pulse Vet devices during the manufacturing process at Swisstronics in Switzerland.  At this time, however, no such court action against Swisstronics is pending in Switzerland and we believe that it is unlikely that SwiTalis will pursue their earlier allegations against SwissTronics and indirectly, us.  In 2017, we abandoned our action against SwiTalis.  There can be no assurance, however, that future claims or lawsuits against us may not be brought, and such present or future actions against violations of our intellectual property rights may result in us incurring material expense and divert the attention of management.

 

Third parties that license our proprietary rights, such as trademarks, patented technology or copyrighted material, may also take actions that diminish the value of our proprietary rights or reputation. In addition, the steps we take to protect our proprietary rights may not be adequate and third parties may infringe or misappropriate our copyrights, trademarks, trade dress, patents, and similar proprietary rights.

 

We collaborate with other persons and entities on research, development, and commercialization activities and expect to do so in the future. Disputes may arise about inventorship and corresponding rights in know-how and inventions resulting from the joint creation or use of intellectual property by us and our collaborators, researchers, licensors, licensees and consultants. In addition, other parties may circumvent any proprietary protection that we do have. As a result, we may not be able to maintain our proprietary position.

 

 

Competition

 

We believe the advanced wound care market can benefit from our technology which up-regulates the biological factors that promote wound healing. Current medical technologies developed by Acelity (formerly Kinetic Concepts, Inc.), Organogenesis, Inc., Smith & Nephew plc, Derma Sciences, Inc., MiMedx Group, Inc., Osiris Therapeutics, Inc., Molnlycke Health Care, and Systagenix Wound Management (US), Inc. (now owned by Acelity) manage wounds, but, in our opinion, do not provide the value proposition to the patients and care givers like our PACE technology has the potential to do. The leading medical device serving this market is the Vacuum Assisted Closure (“V.A.C.”) System marketed by KCI. The V.A.C. is a negative pressure wound therapy device that applies suction to debride and manage wounds.

 

There are also several companies that market extracorporeal shock wave device products targeting lithotripsy and orthopedic markets, including Dornier MedTech, Storz Medical AG, Electro Medical Systems (EMS) S.A., CellSonic Medical and Tissue Regeneration Technologies, LLC, and could ultimately pursue the wound care market. Nevertheless, we believe that dermaPACE has a competitive advantage over all of these existing technologies by achieving wound closure by means of a minimally invasive process through innate biological response to PACE.

 

Developing and commercializing new products is highly competitive. The market is characterized by extensive research and clinical efforts and rapid technological change. We face intense competition worldwide from medical device, biomedical technology and medical products and combination products companies, including major pharmaceutical companies. We may be unable to respond to technological advances through the development and introduction of new products. Most of our existing and potential competitors have substantially greater financial, marketing, sales, distribution, manufacturing and technological resources. These competitors may also be in the process of seeking FDA or other regulatory approvals, or patent protection, for new products. Our competitors may commercialize new products in advance of our products. Our products also face competition from numerous existing products and procedures, which currently are considered part of the standard of care. In order to compete effectively, our products will have to achieve widespread market acceptance.

 

Regulatory Matters

 

FDA Regulation

 

Each of our products must be approved or cleared by the FDA before it is marketed in the United States. Before and after approval or clearance in the United States, our product candidates are subject to extensive regulation by the FDA under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and/or the Public Health Service Act, as well as by other regulatory bodies. FDA regulations govern, among other things, the development, testing, manufacturing, labeling, safety, storage, record-keeping, market clearance or approval, advertising and promotion, import and export, marketing and sales, and distribution of medical devices and pharmaceutical products.

   

In the United States, the FDA subjects medical products to rigorous review. If we do not comply with applicable requirements, we may be fined, the government may refuse to approve our marketing applications or to allow us to manufacture or market our products, and we may be criminally prosecuted. Failure to comply with the law could result in, among other things, warning letters, civil penalties, delays in approving or refusal to approve a product candidate, product recall, product seizure, interruption of production, operating restrictions, suspension or withdrawal of product approval, injunctions, or criminal prosecution.

 

The FDA has determined that our technology and product candidates constitute “medical devices.” The FDA determines what center or centers within the FDA will review the product and its indication for use, and also determines under what legal authority the product will be reviewed. For the current indications, our products are being reviewed by the Center for Devices and Radiological Health. However, we cannot be sure that the FDA will not select a different center and/or legal authority for one or more of our other product candidates, in which case the governmental review requirements could vary in some respects.

 

 

FDA Approval or Clearance of Medical Devices

 

In the United States, medical devices are subject to varying degrees of regulatory control and are classified in one of three classes depending on the extent of controls the FDA determines are necessary to reasonably ensure their safety and efficacy:

 

 

Each of our product candidates require FDA authorization prior to marketing, by means of either a 510(k) clearance or a PMA approval.

 

To request marketing authorization by means of a 510(k) clearance, we must submit a pre-market notification demonstrating that the proposed device is substantially equivalent to another legally marketed medical device, has the same intended use, and is as safe and effective as a legally marketed device and does not raise different questions of safety and effectiveness than does a legally marketed device. 510(k) submissions generally include, among other things, a description of the device and its manufacturing, device labeling, medical devices to which the device is substantially equivalent, safety and biocompatibility information, and the results of performance testing. In some cases, a 510(k) submission must include data from human clinical studies. Marketing may commence only when the FDA issues a clearance letter finding substantial equivalence. After a device receives 510(k) clearance, any product modification that could significantly affect the safety or effectiveness of the product, or that would constitute a significant change in intended use, requires a new 510(k) clearance or, if the device would no longer be substantially equivalent, would require a PMA. If the FDA determines that the product does not qualify for 510(k) clearance, then a company must submit and the FDA must approve a PMA before marketing can begin.

 

In the past, the 510(k) pathway for product marketing required only the proof of significant equivalence in technology for a given indication with a previously cleared device. Currently, there has been a trend of the FDA requiring additional clinical work to prove efficacy in addition to technological equivalence.  Thus, no matter which regulatory pathway we may take in the future towards marketing products in the United States, we will be required to provide clinical proof of device effectiveness.

 

Within the past few years, the FDA has released guidelines for the FDA’s reviewers to use during a product’s submission review process.  This guidance provides the FDA reviewers with a uniform method of evaluating the benefits verses the risks of a device when used for a proposed specific indication.  Such a benefit/risk evaluation is very useful when applied to a novel device or to a novel indication and provides the FDA with a consistent tool to document their decision process.  While intended as a guide for internal FDA use, the public availability of this guidance allows medical device manufacturers to use the review matrix to develop sound scientific and clinical backup to support proposed clinical claims and to help guide the FDA, through the decision process, to look at the relevant data. We intend to use this benefit/risk tool in our FDA submissions.

 

A PMA application must provide a demonstration of safety and effectiveness, which generally requires extensive pre-clinical and clinical trial data. Information about the device and its components, device design, manufacturing and labeling, among other information, must also be included in the PMA. As part of the PMA review, the FDA will inspect the manufacturer’s facilities for compliance with Quality System Regulation requirements, which govern testing, control, documentation and other aspects of quality assurance with respect to manufacturing. If the FDA determines the application or manufacturing facilities are not acceptable, the FDA may outline the deficiencies in the submission and often will request additional testing or information. Notwithstanding the submission of any requested additional information, the FDA ultimately may decide that the application does not satisfy the regulatory criteria for approval. During the review period, an FDA advisory committee, typically a panel of clinicians and statisticians, is likely to be convened to review the application and recommend to the FDA whether, or upon what conditions, the device should be approved. The FDA is not bound by the advisory panel decision. While the FDA often follows the panel’s recommendation, there have been instances where the FDA has not. If the FDA finds the information satisfactory, it will approve the PMA. The PMA approval can include post-approval conditions, including, among other things, restrictions on labeling, promotion, sale and distribution, or requirements to do additional clinical studies post-approval. Even after approval of a PMA, a new PMA or PMA supplement is required to authorize certain modifications to the device, its labeling or its manufacturing process. Supplements to a PMA often require the submission of the same type of information required for an original PMA, except that the supplement is generally limited to that information needed to support the proposed change from the product covered by the original PMA.

 

 

During the review of either a PMA application or 510(k) submission, the FDA may request more information or additional studies and may decide that the indications for which we seek approval or clearance should be limited. We cannot be sure that our product candidates will be approved or cleared in a timely fashion or at all. In addition, laws and regulations and the interpretation of those laws and regulations by the FDA may change in the future. We cannot foresee what effect, if any, such changes may have on us.

 

Obtaining medical device clearance, approval, or licensing in the United States or abroad can be an expensive process. The fees for submitting an original PMA to the FDA for consideration of device approval are substantial. Fees for supplement PMA’s are less costly but still can be substantial. International fee structures vary from minimal to substantial, depending on the country. In addition, we are subject to annual establishment registration fees in the United States and abroad. Device licenses require periodic renewal with associated fees as well. In the United States, there is an annual requirement for submitting device reports for Class III/PMA devices, along with an associated fee. Currently, we are registered as a Small Business Manufacturer with the FDA and as such are subject to reduced fees. If, in the future, our revenues exceed a certain annual threshold limit, we may not qualify for the Small Business Manufacturer reduced fee amounts and will be required to pay full fee amounts.

 

Clinical Trials of Medical Devices

 

One or more clinical trials are almost always required to support a PMA application and more recently are becoming necessary to support a 510(k) submission. Clinical studies of unapproved or un-cleared medical devices or devices being studied for uses for which they are not approved or cleared (investigational devices) must be conducted in compliance with FDA requirements. If an investigational device could pose a significant risk to patients, the sponsor company must submit an IDE application to the FDA prior to initiation of the clinical study. An IDE application must be supported by appropriate data, such as animal and laboratory test results, showing that it is safe to test the device on humans and that the testing protocol is scientifically sound. The IDE will automatically become effective 30 days after receipt by the FDA unless the FDA notifies the company that the investigation may not begin. Clinical studies of investigational devices may not begin until an institutional review board (IRB) has approved the study.

 

During the study, the sponsor must comply with the FDA’s IDE requirements. These requirements include investigator selection, trial monitoring, adverse event reporting, and record keeping. The investigators must obtain patient informed consent, rigorously follow the investigational plan and study protocol, control the disposition of investigational devices, and comply with reporting and record keeping requirements. We, the FDA, or the IRB at each institution at which a clinical trial is being conducted, may suspend a clinical trial at any time for various reasons, including a belief that the subjects are being exposed to an unacceptable risk. During the approval or clearance process, the FDA typically inspects the records relating to the conduct of one or more investigational sites participating in the study supporting the application.

 

Post-Approval Regulation of Medical Devices

 

After a device is cleared or approved for marketing, numerous and pervasive regulatory requirements continue to apply. These include:

 

 

We continue to be subject to inspection by the FDA to determine our compliance with regulatory requirements, as are our suppliers, contract manufacturers, and contract testing laboratories.

 

 

International sales of medical devices manufactured in the United States that are not approved or cleared by the FDA are subject to FDA export requirements. Exported devices are subject to the regulatory requirements of each country to which the device is exported. Exported devices may also fall under the jurisdiction of the United States Department of Commerce/Bureau of Industry and Security and compliance with export regulations may be required for certain countries.

 

Manufacturing cGMP Requirements

 

Manufacturers of medical devices are required to comply with FDA manufacturing requirements contained in the FDA’s current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP) set forth in the quality system regulations promulgated under section 520 of the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. cGMP regulations require, among other things, quality control and quality assurance as well as the corresponding maintenance of records and documentation. The manufacturing facility for our products must meet cGMP requirements to the satisfaction of the FDA pursuant to a pre-PMA approval inspection before we can use it. We and some of our third party service providers are also subject to periodic inspections of facilities by the FDA and other authorities, including procedures and operations used in the testing and manufacture of our products to assess our compliance with applicable regulations. Failure to comply with statutory and regulatory requirements subjects a manufacturer to possible legal or regulatory action, including the seizure or recall of products, injunctions, consent decrees placing significant restrictions on or suspending manufacturing operations, and civil and criminal penalties. Adverse experiences with the product must be reported to the FDA and could result in the imposition of marketing restrictions through labeling changes or in product withdrawal. Product approvals may be withdrawn if compliance with regulatory requirements is not maintained or if problems concerning safety or efficacy of the product occur following the approval.

 

International Regulation

     

We are subject to regulations and product registration requirements in many foreign countries in which we may sell our products, including in the areas of product standards, packaging requirements, labeling requirements, import and export restrictions and tariff regulations, duties and tax requirements. The time required to obtain clearance required by foreign countries may be longer or shorter than that required for FDA clearance, and requirements for licensing a product in a foreign country may differ significantly from FDA requirements.

 

The primary regulatory environment in Europe is the European Union, which consists of 28 member states encompassing most of the major countries in Europe. In the European Union, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the European Union Commission have determined that dermaPACE, orthoPACE, OssaTron and Evotron will be regulated as medical device products. These devices have been determined to be Class IIb devices. These devices are CE Marked and as such can be marketed and distributed within the European Economic Area.

 

The primary regulatory body in Canada is Health Canada. In addition to needing appropriate data to obtain market licensing in Canada, we must have an ISO 13485 certification, as well as meet additional requirements of Canadian laws. We currently maintain this certification. We maintain a device license for dermaPACE with Health Canada for the indication of “devices for application of shock waves (pulsed acoustic waves) on acute and chronic defects of the skin and subcutaneous soft tissue”.

     

The primary regulatory bodies and paths in Asia and Australia are determined by the requisite country authority. In most cases, establishment registration and device licensing are applied for at the applicable Ministry of Health through a local intermediary. The requirements placed on the manufacturer are typically the same as those contained in ISO 9001 or ISO 13485.

 

European Good Manufacturing Practices

 

In the European Union, the manufacture of medical devices is subject to current good manufacturing practice (cGMP), as set forth in the relevant laws and guidelines of the European Union and its member states. Compliance with cGMP is generally assessed by the competent regulatory authorities. Typically, quality system evaluation is performed by a Notified Body, which also recommends to the relevant competent authority for the European Community CE Marking of a device. The Competent Authority may conduct inspections of relevant facilities, and review manufacturing procedures, operating systems and personnel qualifications. In addition to obtaining approval for each product, in many cases each device manufacturing facility must be audited on a periodic basis by the Notified Body. Further inspections may occur over the life of the product.

 

 

United States Anti-Kickback and False Claims Laws

 

In the United States, there are Federal and state anti-kickback laws that prohibit the payment or receipt of kickbacks, bribes or other remuneration intended to induce the purchase or recommendation of healthcare products and services. Violations of these laws can lead to civil and criminal penalties, including exclusion from participation in Federal healthcare programs. These laws are potentially applicable to manufacturers of products regulated by the FDA as medical devices, such as us, and hospitals, physicians and other potential purchasers of such products. Other provisions of Federal and state laws provide civil and criminal penalties for presenting, or causing to be presented, to third-party payers for reimbursement, claims that are false or fraudulent, or which are for items or services that were not provided as claimed. In addition, certain states have implemented regulations requiring medical device and pharmaceutical companies to report all gifts and payments over $50 to medical practitioners. This does not apply to instances involving clinical trials. Although we intend to structure our future business relationships with clinical investigators and purchasers of our products to comply with these and other applicable laws, it is possible that some of our business practices in the future could be subject to scrutiny and challenge by Federal or state enforcement officials under these laws.

 

Third Party Reimbursement

 

We anticipate that sales volumes and prices of the products we commercialize will depend in large part on the availability of coverage and reimbursement from third party payers. Third party payers include governmental programs such as Medicare and Medicaid, private insurance plans, and workers’ compensation plans. These third party payers may deny coverage and reimbursement for a product or therapy, in whole or in part, if they determine that the product or therapy was not medically appropriate or necessary. The third party payers also may place limitations on the types of physicians or clinicians that can perform specific types of procedures. In addition, third party payers are increasingly challenging the prices charged for medical products and services. Some third party payers must also pre-approve coverage for new or innovative devices or therapies before they will reimburse healthcare providers who use the products or therapies. Even though a new product may have been approved or cleared by the FDA for commercial distribution, we may find limited demand for the device until adequate reimbursement has been obtained from governmental and private third party payers.

     

In international markets, reimbursement and healthcare payment systems vary significantly by country, and many countries have instituted price ceilings on specific product lines and procedures. There can be no assurance that procedures using our products will be considered medically reasonable and necessary for a specific indication, that our products will be considered cost-effective by third party payers, that an adequate level of reimbursement will be available or that the third party payers’ reimbursement policies will not adversely affect our ability to sell our products profitably.

 

In the United States, some insured individuals are receiving their medical care through managed care programs, which monitor and often require pre-approval of the services that a member will receive. Some managed care programs are paying their providers on a per capita basis, which puts the providers at financial risk for the services provided to their patients by paying these providers a predetermined payment per member per month, and consequently, may limit the willingness of these providers to use products, including ours.

     

One of the components in the reimbursement decision by most private insurers and governmental payers, including the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, which administers Medicare, is the assignment of a billing code. Billing codes are used to identify the procedures performed when providers submit claims to third party payers for reimbursement for medical services. They also generally form the basis for payment amounts. We will seek new billing codes for the wound care indications of our products as part of our efforts to commercialize such products.

 

The initial phase of establishing a professional billing code for a medical service typically includes applying for a CPT Category III code for both hospital and in-office procedures. This is a tracking code without relative value assigned that allows third party payers to identify and monitor the service as well as establish value if deemed medically necessary. The process includes CPT application submission, clinical discussion with Medical Professional Society CPT advisors as well as American Medical Association (AMA) CPT Editorial Panel review. A new CPT Category III code will be assigned if the AMA CPT Editorial Panel committee deems it meets the applicable criteria and is appropriate. In 2018, we applied for two, new CPT Category III codes for extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) in wound healing. It is anticipated these codes will be published by AMA/CPT for use beginning in 2020.

 

 

The secondary phase in the CPT billing code process includes the establishment of a permanent CPT Category I code in which relative value is analyzed and established by the AMA. The approval of this code, is based on, among other criteria, widespread usage and established clinical efficacy of the medical service.

 

There are also billing codes that facilities, rather than health care professionals, utilize for the reimbursement of operating costs for a particular medical service. For the hospital outpatient setting, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services automatically classified the new ESWT wound healing CPT Category III codes into interim APC groups. The APC groups are services grouped together based on clinical characteristics and similar costs. An APC classification does not guarantee payment.

 

We believe that the overall escalating costs of medical products and services has led to, and will continue to lead to, increased pressures on the healthcare industry to reduce the costs of products and services. In addition, recent healthcare reform measures, as well as legislative and regulatory initiatives at the Federal and state levels, create significant additional uncertainties. There can be no assurance that third party coverage and reimbursement will be available or adequate, or that future legislation, regulation, or reimbursement policies of third party payers will not adversely affect the demand for our products or our ability to sell these products on a profitable basis. The unavailability or inadequacy of third party payer coverage or reimbursement would have a material adverse effect on our business, operating results and financial condition.

 

Confidentiality and Security of Personal Health Information

 

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, as amended (“HIPAA”), contains provisions that protect individually identifiable health information from unauthorized use or disclosure by covered entities and their business associates. The Office for Civil Rights of HHS, the agency responsible for enforcing HIPAA, has published regulations to address the privacy (the “Privacy Rule”) and security (the “Security Rule”) of protected health information (“PHI”). HIPAA also requires that all providers who transmit claims for health care goods or services electronically utilize standard transaction and data sets and to standardize national provider identification codes. In addition, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (“ARRA”) enacted the HITECH Act, which extends the scope of HIPAA to permit enforcement against business associates for a violation, establishes new requirements to notify the Office for Civil Rights of HHS of a breach of HIPAA, and allows the Attorneys General of the states to bring actions to enforce violations of HIPAA. Rules implementing various aspects of HIPAA are continuing to be promulgated.

 

We anticipate that, as we expand our dermaPACE business, we will in the future be a covered entity under HIPAA. We intend to adopt policies and procedures to comply with the Privacy Rule, the Security Rule and the HIPAA statute as such regulations become applicable to our business and as such regulations are in effect at such time.

 

In addition to the HIPAA Privacy Rule and Security Rule described above, we may become subject to state laws regarding the handling and disclosure of patient records and patient health information. These laws vary widely. Penalties for violation include sanctions against a laboratory’s licensure as well as civil or criminal penalties. Additionally, private individuals may have a right of action against us for a violation of a state’s privacy laws. We intend to adopt policies and procedures to ensure material compliance with state laws regarding the confidentiality of health information as such laws become applicable to us and to monitor and comply with new or changing state laws on an ongoing basis.

 

Environmental and Occupational Safety and Health Regulations

 

Our operations are subject to extensive Federal, state, provincial and municipal environmental statutes, regulations and policies, including those promulgated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the United States Environmental Protection Agency, Environment Canada, Alberta Environment, the Department of Health Services, and the Air Quality Management District, that govern activities and operations that may have adverse environmental effects such as discharges into air and water, as well as handling and disposal practices for solid and hazardous wastes. Some of these statutes and regulations impose strict liability for the costs of cleaning up, and for damages resulting from, sites of spills, disposals, or other releases of contaminants, hazardous substances and other materials and for the investigation and remediation of environmental contamination at properties leased or operated by us and at off-site locations where we have arranged for the disposal of hazardous substances. In addition, we may be subject to claims and lawsuits brought by private parties seeking damages and other remedies with respect to similar matters. We have not to date needed to make material expenditures to comply with current environmental statutes, regulations and policies. However, we cannot predict the impact and costs those possible future statutes, regulations and policies will have on our business.

 

Research and Development

 

For the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016, we spent $1,292,531 and $1,128,640, respectively, on research and development activities which consists of fixes to the dermaPACE device software per FDA request, responses to FDA questions and research costs from partnering universities for non-medical uses of the PACE technology.

 

Employees

 

As of March 20, 2018, we had a total of eight full time employees in the United States. Of these, five were engaged in research and development which includes clinical, regulatory and quality. None of our employees are represented by a labor union or covered by a collective bargaining agreement. We believe our relationship with our employees is good.

 

 

Item 1A. RISK FACTORS

 

Risks Related to our Business

 

Our recurring losses from operations and dependency upon future issuances of equity or other financing to fund ongoing operations have raised substantial doubts as to our ability to continue as a going concern. We will be required to raise additional funds to finance our operations and remain a going concern; we may not be able to do so, and/or the terms of any financings may not be advantageous to us. 

 

The continuation of our business is dependent upon raising additional capital. We expect to devote substantial resources for the commercialization of the dermaPACE and will continue to research and develop the non-medical uses of the PACE technology, both of which will require additional capital resources. We incurred a net loss of $5,537,936 and $6,439,040 for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively. These operating losses create uncertainty about our ability to continue as a going concern.

 

At December 31, 2017, we had cash and cash equivalents totaling $730,184 and negative working capital of $9,955,113. For the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016, our net cash used by operating activities was $1,528,971 and $3,199,453, respectively. Management expects the cash used in operations for the Company will be approximately $225,000 to $300,000 per month for the first quarter of 2018 and $275,000 to $350,000 per month for the second quarter of 2018 as resources are devoted to the expansion of our international business, preparations for commercialization of the dermaPACE product including hiring of new employees and continued research and development of non-medical uses of our technology.

 

The continuation of our business is dependent upon raising additional capital during the second quarter of 2018 and potentially into 2019 to fund operations. Management’s plans are to obtain additional capital in 2018 through investments by strategic partners for market opportunities, which may include strategic partnerships or licensing arrangements, or raise capital through the conversion of outstanding warrants, the issuance of common or preferred stock, securities convertible into common stock, or secured or unsecured debt. These possibilities, to the extent available, may be on terms that result in significant dilution to our existing shareholders. Although no assurances can be given, management believes that potential additional issuances of equity or other potential financing transactions as discussed above should provide the necessary funding for us. If these efforts are unsuccessful, we may be forced to seek relief through a filing under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. Our consolidated financial statements do not include any adjustments relating to the recoverability of assets and classification of assets and liabilities that might be necessary should we be unable to continue as a going concern.

 

We have a history of losses and we may continue to incur losses and may not achieve or maintain profitability.

 

For the year ended December 31, 2017, we had a net loss of $5,537,936 and used $1,528,971 of cash in operations. For the year ended December 31, 2016, we had a net loss of $6,439,040 and used $3,199,453 of cash in operations. As of December 31, 2017, we had an accumulated deficit of $104,971,384 and a total stockholders' deficit of $9,880,827. As a result of our significant research, clinical development, regulatory compliance and general and administrative expenses, we expect to incur losses as we continue to incur expenses related to commercialization of the dermaPACE System and research and development of the non-medical uses of the PACE technology. Even if we succeed in developing and commercializing the dermaPACE System or any other product candidates, we may not be able to generate sufficient revenues and we may never achieve or be able to maintain profitability.

 

If we are unable to successfully raise additional capital, our viability may be threatened; however, if we do raise additional capital, your percentage ownership as a shareholder could decrease and constraints could be placed on the operations of our business.

 

We have experienced negative operating cash flows since our inception and have funded our operations primarily from proceeds received from sales of our capital stock, the issuance of convertible promissory notes, the issuance of notes payable to related parties, the issuance of promissory notes, the sale of our veterinary division in June 2009 and product sales. We will seek to obtain additional funds in the future through equity or debt financings, or strategic alliances with third parties, either alone or in combination with equity financings. These financings could result in substantial dilution to the holders of our common stock, or require contractual or other restrictions on our operations or on alternatives that may be available to us. If we raise additional funds by issuing debt securities, these debt securities could impose significant restrictions on our operations. Any such required financing may not be available in amounts or on terms acceptable to us, and the failure to procure such required financing could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations, or threaten our ability to continue as a going concern. Additionally, we will be required to make mandatory prepayments of principal to HealthTronics, Inc. on the notes payable, related parties equal to 20% of the proceeds received through the issuance or sale of any equity securities in cash or through the licensing of our patents or other intellectual property rights.

 

 

A variety of factors could impact our need to raise additional capital, the timing of any required financings and the amount of such financings. Factors that may cause our future capital requirements to be greater than anticipated or could accelerate our need for funds include, without limitation:

 

 

In addition, although we have no present commitments or understandings to do so, we may seek to expand our operations and product line through acquisitions. Any acquisition would likely increase our capital requirements.

 

Our product candidates may not be developed or commercialized successfully.

 

Our product candidates are based on a technology that has not been used previously in the manner we propose and must compete with more established treatments currently accepted as the standards of care. Market acceptance of our products will largely depend on our ability to demonstrate their relative safety, efficacy, cost-effectiveness and ease of use.

 

We are subject to risks that:

 

 

 

In addition, our product development program may be curtailed, redirected, eliminated or delayed at any time for many reasons, including:

 

 

We cannot predict whether we will successfully develop and commercialize our product candidates. If we fail to do so, we will not be able to generate substantial revenues, if any.

 

The medical device/therapeutic product industries are highly competitive and subject to rapid technological change. If our competitors are better able to develop and market products that are safer and more effective than any products we may develop, our commercial opportunities will be reduced or eliminated.

 

Our success depends, in part, upon our ability to maintain a competitive position in the development of technologies and products. We face competition from established medical device, pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, as well as from academic institutions, government agencies, and private and public research institutions in the United States and abroad. Many of our principal competitors have significantly greater financial resources and expertise than we do in research and development, manufacturing, pre-clinical testing, conducting clinical trials, obtaining regulatory approvals and marketing approved products. Smaller or early-stage companies may also prove to be significant competitors, particularly through collaborative arrangements, or mergers with, or acquisitions by, large and established companies, or through the development of novel products and technologies.

 

The industry in which we operate has undergone, and we expect it to continue to undergo, rapid and significant technological change, and we expect competition to intensify as technological advances are made. Our competitors may develop and commercialize pharmaceutical, biotechnology or medical devices that are safer or more effective, have fewer side effects or are less expensive than any products that we may develop. We also compete with our competitors in recruiting and retaining qualified scientific and management personnel, in establishing clinical trial sites and patient registration for clinical trials, and in acquiring technologies complementary to our programs or advantageous to our business.

 

If our products and product candidates do not gain market acceptance among physicians, patients and the medical community, we may be unable to generate significant revenues, if any.

 

Even if we obtain regulatory approval for our product candidates, they may not gain market acceptance among physicians, healthcare payers, patients and the medical community. Market acceptance will depend on our ability to demonstrate the benefits of our approved products in terms of safety, efficacy, convenience, ease of administration and cost effectiveness. In addition, we believe market acceptance depends on the effectiveness of our marketing strategy, the pricing of our approved products and the reimbursement policies of government and third party payers. Physicians may not utilize our approved products for a variety of reasons and patients may determine for any reason that our product is not useful to them. If any of our approved products fail to achieve market acceptance, our ability to generate revenues will be limited.

We may not successfully establish and maintain licensing and/or partnership arrangements for our technology for non-medical uses, which could adversely affect our ability to develop and commercialize our non-medical technology.

 

    Our strategy for the development, testing, manufacturing, and commercialization of our technology for non-medical uses generally relies on establishing and maintaining collaborations with licensors and other third parties. We may not be able to obtain, maintain or expand these or other licenses and collaborations or establish additional licensing and collaboration arrangements necessary to develop and commercialize our product candidates. Even if we are able to obtain, maintain or establish licensing or collaboration arrangements, these arrangements may not be on favorable terms and may contain provisions that will restrict our ability to develop, test and market our product candidates. Any failure to obtain, maintain or establish licensing or collaboration arrangements on favorable terms could adversely affect our business prospects, financial condition or ability to develop and commercialize our technology for non-medical uses.

    

 

  

We have entered into an agreement with companies owned by a current board member and stockholder that could delay or prevent an acquisition of our company and could result in the dilution of our shareholders in the event of our change of control.

 

    On February 13, 2018, the Company entered into an Agreement for Purchase and Sale, Limited Exclusive Distribution and Royalties, and Servicing and Repairs with Premier Shockwave Wound Care, Inc. (“PSWC”) and Premier Shockwave, Inc. (“PS”), each of which is owned by A. Michael Stolarski, a member of the Company’s board of directors and an existing shareholder of the Company. Among other terms, the agreement contains provisions whereby in the event of a change of control of the Company (as defined in the agreement), the stockholders of PSWC have the right and option to cause the Company to purchase all of the stock of PSWC, and whereby the Company has the right and option to purchase all issued and outstanding shares of PSWC, in each case based upon certain defined purchase price provisions and other terms. Such provision may have the effect of delaying or deterring a change in control of us, and as a result could limit the opportunity for our stockholders to receive a premium for their shares of our common stock and could also affect the price that some investors are willing to pay for our common stock. In addition, in the event we do experience a change of control, such provision may cause dilution of our existing shareholders in the event that PSWC exercises its option to require the Company to purchase all issued and outstanding shares of PSWC and the Company finances some or all of such purchase price through equity issuances.

 

The loss of our key management would likely hinder our ability to execute our business plan.

 

As a small company with seven employees, our success depends on the continuing contributions of our management team and qualified personnel. Our success depends in large part on our ability to attract and retain highly qualified personnel. We face intense competition in our hiring efforts from other pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device companies, as well as from universities and nonprofit research organizations, and we may have to pay higher salaries to attract and retain qualified personnel. The loss of one or more of these individuals, or our inability to attract additional qualified personnel, could substantially impair our ability to implement our business plan.

 

We face an inherent risk of liability in the event that the use or misuse of our product candidates results in personal injury or death.

 

The use of our product candidates in clinical trials and the sale of any approved products may expose us to product liability claims which could result in financial loss. Our clinical and commercial product liability insurance coverage may not be sufficient to cover claims that may be made against us. In addition, we may not be able to maintain insurance coverage at a reasonable cost, or in sufficient amounts or scope, to protect us against losses. Any claims against us, regardless of their merit, could severely harm our financial condition, strain our management team and other resources, and adversely impact or eliminate the prospects for commercialization of the product candidate, or sale of the product, which is the subject of any such claim. Although we do not promote any off-label use, off-label uses of products are common and the FDA does not regulate a physician’s choice of treatment. Off-label uses of any product for which we obtain approval may subject us to additional liability.

 

We are dependent on information technology and our systems and infrastructure face certain risks, including from cybersecurity breaches and data leakage.

 

We rely to a large extent upon sophisticated information technology systems to operate our businesses, some of which are managed, hosted, provided and/or used by third parties or their vendors. We collect, store and transmit large amounts of confidential information, and we deploy and operate an array of technical and procedural controls to maintain the confidentiality and integrity of such confidential information. A significant breakdown, invasion, corruption, destruction or interruption of critical information technology systems or infrastructure, by our workforce, others with authorized access to our systems or unauthorized persons could negatively impact our operations. The ever-increasing use and evolution of technology, including cloud-based computing, creates opportunities for the unintentional dissemination or intentional destruction of confidential information stored in our or our third-party providers’ systems, portable media or storage devices. We could also experience a business interruption, theft of confidential information or reputational damage from industrial espionage attacks, malware or other cyber-attacks, which may compromise our system infrastructure or lead to data leakage, either internally or at our third-party providers. While we have invested in the protection of data and information technology, there can be no assurance that our efforts will prevent service interruptions or security breaches. Any such interruption or breach of our systems could adversely affect our business operations and/or result in the loss of critical or sensitive confidential information or intellectual property, and could result in financial, legal, business and reputational harm to us.

 

We generate a portion of our revenue internationally and are subject to various risks relating to our international activities which could adversely affect our operating results.

 

    A portion of our revenue comes from international sources, and we anticipate that we will continue to expand our overseas operations. Engaging in international business involves a number of difficulties and risks, including:

 

 

    As we expand internationally, our results of operations and cash flows will become increasingly subject to fluctuations due to changes in foreign currency exchange rates. Our expenses are generally denominated in the currencies in which our operations are located, which is in the United States. If the value of the U.S. dollar increases relative to foreign currencies in the future, in the absence of a corresponding change in local currency prices, our future revenue could be adversely affected as we convert future revenue from local currencies to U.S. dollars.

 

 

 

Regulatory Risks

 

The results of our clinical trials may be insufficient to obtain regulatory approval for our product candidates.

 

We will only receive regulatory approval to commercialize a product candidate if we can demonstrate to the satisfaction of the FDA or the applicable foreign regulatory agency, in well designed and conducted clinical trials, that the product candidate is safe and effective. If we are unable to demonstrate that a product candidate is safe and effective in advanced clinical trials involving large numbers of patients, we will be unable to submit the necessary application to receive regulatory approval to commercialize the product candidate. We face risks that:

 

 

We are subject to extensive governmental regulation, including the requirement of FDA approval or clearance, before our product candidates may be marketed.

 

The process of obtaining FDA approval is lengthy, expensive and uncertain, and we cannot be sure that our product candidates will be approved in a timely fashion, or at all. If the FDA does not approve or clear our product candidates in a timely fashion, or at all, our business and financial condition would likely be adversely affected. The FDA has determined that our technology and product candidates constitute “medical devices”, and are thus subject to review by the Center for Devices and Radiological Health. However, we cannot be sure that the FDA will not select a different center and/or legal authority for one or more of our other product candidates, in which case applicable governmental review requirements could vary in some respects and be more lengthy and costly.

 

Both before and after approval or clearance of our product candidates, we and our product candidates, our suppliers and our contract manufacturers are subject to extensive regulation by governmental authorities in the United States and other countries. Failure to comply with applicable requirements could result in, among other things, any of the following actions:

 

 

In addition to the approval and clearance requirements, numerous other regulatory requirements apply, both before and after approval or clearance, to us and our products and product candidates, our suppliers and contract manufacturers. These include requirements related to the following:

 

 

 

We are also subject to inspection by the FDA and other international regulatory bodies to determine our compliance with regulatory requirements, as are our suppliers and contract manufacturers, and we cannot be sure that the FDA and other international regulatory bodies will not identify compliance issues that may disrupt production or distribution or require substantial resources to correct.

 

The FDA’s requirements and international regulatory body requirements may change and additional regulations may be promulgated that could affect us, our product candidates, and our suppliers and contract manufacturers. We cannot predict the likelihood, nature or extent of government regulation that may arise from future legislation or administrative action. There can be no assurance that we will not be required to incur significant costs to comply with such laws and regulations in the future, or that such laws or regulations will not have a material adverse effect upon our business.

 

Patients may discontinue their participation in our clinical studies, which may negatively impact the results of these studies and extend the timeline for completion of our development programs.

 

Clinical trials for our product candidates require sufficient patient enrollment. We may not be able to enroll a sufficient number of patients in a timely or cost-effective manner. Patients enrolled in our clinical studies may discontinue their participation at any time during the study as a result of a number of factors, including withdrawing their consent or experiencing adverse clinical events, which may or may not be judged to be related to our product candidates under evaluation. If a large number of patients in a study discontinue their participation in the study, the results from that study may not be positive or may not support a filing for regulatory approval of the product candidate.

 

In addition, the time required to complete clinical trials is dependent upon, among other factors, the rate of patient enrollment. Patient enrollment is a function of many factors, including the following:

 

 

We rely on third parties to conduct our clinical trials, and their failure to perform their obligations in a timely or competent manner may delay development and commercialization of our device.

 

We engage a clinical research organization (CRO) and other third party vendors to assist in the conduct of our clinical trials. There are numerous sources that are capable of providing these services. However, we may face delays outside of our control if these parties do not perform their obligations in a timely or competent fashion or if we are forced to change service providers. Any third party that we hire to conduct clinical trials may also provide services to our competitors, which could compromise the performance of their obligations to us. If we experience significant delays in the progress of our clinical trials, the commercial prospects for the product could be harmed and our ability to generate product revenues would be delayed or prevented. Any failure of the CRO and other third party vendors to successfully accomplish clinical trial monitoring, data collection, safety monitoring and data management and the other services they provide for us in a timely manner and in compliance with regulatory requirements could have a material adverse effect on our ability to complete clinical development of our product and obtain regulatory approval. Problems with the timeliness or quality of the work of the CRO may lead us to seek to terminate the relationship and use an alternate service provider. However, making such changes may be costly and may delay our clinical trials, and contractual restrictions may make such a change difficult or impossible. Additionally, it may be difficult to find a replacement organization that can conduct our trials in an acceptable manner and at an acceptable cost.

 

 

We may be required to suspend or discontinue clinical trials due to unexpected side effects or other safety risks that could preclude approval of our product candidates.

 

Our clinical trials may be suspended at any time for a number of reasons. For example, we may voluntarily suspend or terminate our clinical trials if at any time we believe that they present an unacceptable risk to the clinical trial patients. In addition, the FDA or other regulatory agencies may order the temporary or permanent discontinuation of our clinical trials at any time if they believe that the clinical trials are not being conducted in accordance with applicable regulatory requirements or that they present an unacceptable safety risk to the clinical trial patients.

 

Administering any product candidate to humans may produce undesirable side effects. These side effects could interrupt, delay or halt clinical trials of our product candidates and could result in the FDA or other regulatory authorities denying further development or approval of our product candidates for any or all targeted indications. Ultimately, some or all of our product candidates may prove to be unsafe for human use. Moreover, we could be subject to significant liability if any patient suffers, or appears to suffer, adverse health effects as a result of participating in our clinical trials.

 

Regulatory approval of our product candidates may be withdrawn at any time.

 

After regulatory approval has been obtained for medical device products, the product and the manufacturer are subject to continual review, including the review of adverse experiences and clinical results that are reported after our products are made available to patients, and there can be no assurance that such approval will not be withdrawn or restricted. Regulators may also subject approvals to restrictions or conditions or impose post-approval obligations on the holders of these approvals, and the regulatory status of such products may be jeopardized if such obligations are not fulfilled. If post-approval studies are required, such studies may involve significant time and expense.

 

The manufacturing facilities we use to make any of our products will also be subject to periodic review and inspection by the FDA or other regulatory authorities, as applicable. The discovery of any new or previously unknown problems with the product or facility may result in restrictions on the product or facility, including withdrawal of the product from the market. We will continue to be subject to the FDA or other regulatory authority requirements, as applicable, governing the labeling, packaging, storage, advertising, promotion, recordkeeping, and submission of safety and other post-market information for all of our product candidates, even those that the FDA or other regulatory authority, as applicable, had approved. If we fail to comply with applicable continuing regulatory requirements, we may be subject to fines, suspension or withdrawal of regulatory approval, product recalls and seizures, operating restrictions and other adverse consequences.

Federal regulatory reforms may adversely affect our ability to sell our products profitably.

 

From time to time, legislation is drafted and introduced in the United States Congress that could significantly change the statutory provisions governing the clearance or approval, manufacture and marketing of a medical device. In addition, FDA regulations and guidance are often revised or reinterpreted by the agency in ways that may significantly affect our business and our products. It is impossible to predict whether legislative changes will be enacted or FDA regulations, guidance or interpretations changed, and what the impact of such changes on us, if any, may be.

 

Failure to obtain regulatory approval in foreign jurisdictions will prevent us from marketing our products abroad.

 

International sales of our products and any of our product candidates that we commercialize are subject to the regulatory requirements of each country in which the products are sold. Accordingly, the introduction of our product candidates in markets outside the United States will be subject to regulatory approvals in those jurisdictions. The regulatory review process varies from country to country. Many countries impose product standards, packaging and labeling requirements, and import restrictions on medical devices. In addition, each country has its own tariff regulations, duties and tax requirements. The approval by foreign government authorities is unpredictable and uncertain and can be expensive. Our ability to market our approved products could be substantially limited due to delays in receipt of, or failure to receive, the necessary approvals or clearances.

 

Prior to marketing our products in any country outside the United States, we must obtain marketing approval in that country. Approval and other regulatory requirements vary by jurisdiction and differ from the United States’ requirements. We may be required to perform additional pre-clinical or clinical studies even if FDA approval has been obtained.

 

 

If we fail to obtain an adequate level of reimbursement for our approved products by third party payers, there may be no commercially viable markets for our approved products or the markets may be much smaller than expected.

 

The availability and levels of reimbursement by governmental and other third party payers affect the market for our approved products. The efficacy, safety, performance and cost-effectiveness of our product and product candidates, and of any competing products, will determine the availability and level of reimbursement. Reimbursement and healthcare payment systems in international markets vary significantly by country and include both government sponsored healthcare and private insurance. To obtain reimbursement or pricing approval in some countries, we may be required to produce clinical data, which may involve one or more clinical trials, that compares the cost-effectiveness of our approved products to other available therapies. We may not obtain international reimbursement or pricing approvals in a timely manner, if at all. Our failure to receive international reimbursement or pricing approvals would negatively impact market acceptance of our approved products in the international markets in which those pricing approvals are sought.

 

We believe that, in the future, reimbursement for any of our products or product candidates may be subject to increased restrictions both in the United States and in international markets. Future legislation, regulation or reimbursement policies of third party payers may adversely affect the demand for our products currently under development and limit our ability to sell our products on a profitable basis. In addition, third party payers continually attempt to contain or reduce the costs of healthcare by challenging the prices charged for healthcare products and services. If reimbursement for our approved products is unavailable or limited in scope or amount, or if pricing is set at unsatisfactory levels, market acceptance of our approved products would be impaired and our future revenues, if any, would be adversely affected.

 

Uncertainty surrounding and future changes to reform healthcare law in the United States, may have a material adverse effect on us.

The healthcare regulatory environment in the United States is currently subject to significant uncertainty and the industry may in the future continue to experience fundamental change as a result of regulatory reform.  In March 2010, the former U.S. President signed into law the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, as amended by the Health Care and Education Affordability Reconciliation Act (collectively the PPACA), which substantially changes the way healthcare is financed by both governmental and private insurers, encourages improvements in the quality of healthcare items and services, and significantly impacts the biotechnology and medical device industries. The PPACA includes, among other things, the following measures:

 

However, some of the provisions of the PPACA have yet to be fully implemented and certain provisions have been subject to judicial and Congressional challenges. Furthermore, President Trump has vowed to repeal the PPACA, and it is uncertain whether new legislation will be enacted to replace the PPACA. On January 20, 2017, President Trump signed an executive order stating that the administration intended to seek prompt repeal of teh healthcare reform law, and, pending repeal, directed the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and other executive departments and agencies to take all steps necessary to limit any fiscal or regulatory burdens of the healthcare reform law.  On October 12, 2017, President Trump signed another executive order directing certain federal agencies to propose regulations or guidelines to permit small businesses to form association health plans, expand the availability of short-term, limited duration insurance, and expand the use of health reimbursement arrangements, which may circumvent some of the requirements for health insurance mandated by the healthcare reform law.  The U.S. Congress has also made several attempts to repeal or modify healthcare reform law.  In the coming years, there may continue to be additional proposals relating to the reform of the United States healthcare system. Certain of these proposals could limit the prices we are able to charge for our products or the amounts of reimbursement available for our products, and could limit the acceptance and availability of our products. The adoption of some or all of these proposals could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

 

 

Additionally, initiatives sponsored by government agencies, legislative bodies and the private sector to limit the growth of healthcare costs, including price regulation and competitive pricing, are ongoing in the United States and other markets. We could experience an adverse impact on our operating results due to increased pricing pressure these markets. Governments, hospitals and other third party payors could reduce the amount of approved reimbursement for our products or deny coverage altogether. Reductions in reimbursement levels or coverage or other cost-containment measures could adversely affect our future operating results.

 

If we fail to comply with the United States Federal Anti-Kickback Statute, False Claims Act and similar state laws, we could be subject to criminal and civil penalties and exclusion from the Medicare and Medicaid programs, which would have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations.

 

A provision of the Social Security Act, commonly referred to as the Federal Anti-Kickback Statute, prohibits the offer, payment, solicitation or receipt of any form of remuneration in return for referring, ordering, leasing, purchasing or arranging for, or recommending the ordering, purchasing or leasing of, items or services payable by Medicare, Medicaid or any other Federal healthcare program. The Federal Anti-Kickback Statute is very broad in scope and many of its provisions have not been uniformly or definitively interpreted by existing case law or regulations. In addition, most of the states have adopted laws similar to the Federal Anti-Kickback Statute, and some of these laws are even broader than the Federal Anti-Kickback Statute in that their prohibitions are not limited to items or services paid for by Federal healthcare programs, but instead apply regardless of the source of payment. Violations of the Federal Anti-Kickback Statute may result in substantial civil or criminal penalties and exclusion from participation in Federal healthcare programs.

 

Our operations may also implicate the False Claims Act.  If we fail to comply with federal and state documentation, coding and billing rules, we could be subject to liability under the federal False Claims Act, including criminal and/or civil penalties, loss of licenses and exclustion from the Medicare and Medicaid programs.  The False Claims Act prohibits individuals and companies from knowingly submitting false claims for payments to, or improperly retaining payments from, the government.

 

All of our financial relationships with healthcare providers and others who provide products or services to Federal healthcare program beneficiaries are potentially governed by the Federal Anti-Kickback Statute, False Claims Act and similar state laws. We believe our operations are in compliance with the Federal Anti-Kickback Statute, False Claims Act and similar state laws. However, we cannot be certain that we will not be subject to investigations or litigation alleging violations of these laws, which could be time-consuming and costly to us and could divert management’s attention from operating our business, which in turn could have a material adverse effect on our business. In addition, if our arrangements were found to violate the Federal Anti-Kickback Statute, False Claims Act or similar state laws, the consequences of such violations would likely have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

 

Failure to comply with the HIPAA Privacy, Security and Breach Notification Regulations, as such rules become applicable to our business, may increase our operational costs.

 

The HIPAA privacy and security regulations establish comprehensive federal standards with respect to the uses and disclosures of PHI by certain entities including health plans and health care providers, and set standards to protect the confidentiality, integrity and availability of electronic PHI. The regulations establish a complex regulatory framework on a variety of subjects, including, for example: the circumstances under which uses and disclosures of PHI are permitted or required without a specific authorization by the patient. a patient’s right to access, amend and receive an accounting of certain disclosures of PHI. the content of notices of privacy practices describing how PHI is used and disclosed and individuals’ rights with respect to their PHI. and implementation of administrative, technical and physical safeguards to protect privacy and security of PHI. We anticipate that, as we expand our dermaPACE business, we will in the future be a covered entity under HIPAA. We intend to adopt policies and procedures to comply with the Privacy Rule, the Security Rule and the HIPAA statute as such regulations become applicable to our business and as such regulations are in effect at such time; however, there can be no assurance that our policies and procedures will be adequate or will prevent all incidents of non-compliance with such regulations.

 

The privacy regulations establish a uniform federal standard but do not supersede state laws that may be more stringent. Therefore, as we expand our deramPACE business, we may also be required to comply with both federal privacy and security regulations and varying state privacy and security laws and regulations. The federal privacy regulations restrict the ability to use or disclose certain individually identifiable patient health information, without patient authorization, for purposes other than payment, treatment or health care operations (as defined by HIPAA), except for disclosures for various public policy purposes and other permitted purposes outlined in the privacy regulations.

 

The HITECH Act and its implementing regulations also require healthcare providers to notify affected individuals, the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and in some cases, the media, when PHI has been breached as defined under and following the requirements of HIPAA. Many states have similar breach notification laws. In the event of a breach, to the extent such regulations are applicable to our business, we could incur operational and financial costs related to remediation as well as preparation and delivery of the notices, which costs could be substantial. Additionally, HIPAA, the HITECH Act, and their implementing regulations provide for significant civil fines, criminal penalties, and other sanctions for failure to comply with the privacy, security, and breach notification rules, including for wrongful or impermissible use or disclosure of PHI. Although the HIPAA statute and regulations do not expressly provide for a private right of action for damages, private parties may also seek damages under state laws for the wrongful or impermissible use or disclosure of confidential health information or other private personal information. Additionally, amendments to HIPAA provide that the state Attorneys General may bring an action against a covered entity for a violation of HIPAA. As we expand our business such that federal and state laws regarding PHI and privacy apply to our operations, any noncompliance with such regulations could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

 

We face periodic reviews and billing audits from governmental and private payors and these audits could have adverse results that may negatively impact our business.

 

As a result of our participation in the Medicare and Medicaid programs, we are subject to various governmental reviews and audits to verify our compliance with these programs and applicable laws and regulations. We also are subject to audits under various government programs in which third-party firms engaged by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services conduct extensive reviews of claims data and medical and other records to identify potential improper payments under the Medicare program. Private pay sources also reserve the right to conduct audits. If billing errors are identified in the sample of reviewed claims, the billing error can be extrapolated to all claims filed which could result in a larger overpayment than originally identified in the sample of reviewed claims. Our costs to respond to and defend reviews and audits may be significant and could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. Moreover, an adverse review or audit could result in:

 

 

Any one of these results could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

 

 

 

Risks Related to Intellectual Property

 

The protection of our intellectual property is critical to our success and any failure on our part to adequately protect those rights could materially adversely affect our business.

 

Our commercial success depends to a significant degree on our ability to:

 

 

The degree of intellectual property protection for our technology is uncertain, and only limited intellectual property protection may be available for our product candidates, which may prevent us from gaining or keeping any competitive advantage against our competitors. Although we believe the patents that we own or license, and the patent applications that we own, generally provide us a competitive advantage, the patent positions of biotechnology, biopharmaceutical and medical device companies are generally highly uncertain, involve complex legal and factual questions and have been the subject of much litigation. Neither the United States Patent & Trademark Office nor the courts have a consistent policy regarding the breadth of claims allowed or the degree of protection afforded under many biotechnology patents. Even if issued, patents may be challenged, narrowed, invalidated or circumvented, which could limit our ability to stop competitors from marketing similar products or limit the length of term of patent protection we may have for our products. Further, a court or other government agency could interpret our patents in a way such that the patents do not adequately cover our current or future product candidates. Changes in either patent laws or in interpretations of patent laws in the United States and other countries may diminish the value of our intellectual property or narrow the scope of our patent protection.

 

We also rely upon trade secrets and unpatented proprietary know-how and continuing technological innovation in developing our products, especially where we do not believe patent protection is appropriate or obtainable. We seek to protect this intellectual property, in part, by generally requiring our employees, consultants, and current and prospective business partners to enter into confidentiality agreements in connection with their employment, consulting or advisory relationships with us, where appropriate. We also require our employees, consultants, researchers, and advisors who we expect to work on our products and product candidates to agree to disclose and assign to us all inventions conceived during the work day, developed using our property or which relate to our business. We may lack the financial or other resources to successfully monitor and detect, or to enforce our rights in respect of, infringement of our rights or breaches of these confidentiality agreements. In the case of any such undetected or unchallenged infringements or breaches, these confidentiality agreements may not provide us with meaningful protection of our trade secrets and unpatented proprietary know-how or adequate remedies. In addition, others may independently develop technology that is similar or equivalent to our trade secrets or know-how. If any of our trade secrets, unpatented know-how or other confidential or proprietary information is divulged to third parties, including our competitors, our competitive position in the marketplace could be harmed and our ability to sell our products successfully could be severely compromised. Enforcing a claim that a party illegally obtained and is using trade secrets that have been licensed to us or that we own is also difficult, expensive and time consuming, and the outcome is unpredictable. In addition, courts outside the United States may be less willing to protect trade secrets. Costly and time consuming litigation could be necessary to seek to enforce and determine the scope of our proprietary rights, and failure to obtain or maintain trade secret protection could have a material adverse effect on our business. Moreover, some of our academic institution licensees, evaluators, collaborators and scientific advisors have rights to publish data and information to which we have rights. If we cannot maintain the confidentiality of our technologies and other confidential information in connection with our collaborations, our ability to protect our proprietary information or obtain patent protection in the future may be impaired, which could have a material adverse effect on our business.

 

 

In particular, we cannot assure you that:

 

 

Accordingly, we may fail to secure meaningful patent protection relating to any of our existing or future product candidates or discoveries despite the expenditure of considerable resources. Further, there may be widespread patent infringement in countries in which we may seek patent protection, including countries in Europe and Asia, which may instigate expensive and time consuming litigation that could adversely affect the scope of our patent protection. In addition, others may attempt to commercialize products similar to our product candidates in countries where we do not have adequate patent protection. Failure to obtain adequate patent protection for our product candidates, or the failure by particular countries to enforce patent laws or allow prosecution for alleged patent infringement, may impair our ability to be competitive. The availability of infringing products in markets where we have patent protection, or the availability of competing products in markets where we do not have adequate patent protection, could erode the market for our product candidates, negatively impact the prices we can charge for our product candidates, and harm our reputation if infringing or competing products are manufactured to inferior standards.

 

Patent applications owned by us or licensed to us may not result in issued patents, and our competitors may commercialize the discoveries we attempt to patent.

 

The patent applications that we own and that have been licensed to us, and any future patent applications that we may own or that may be licensed to us, may not result in the issuance of any patents. The standards that the United States Patent & Trademark Office and foreign patent agencies use to grant patents are not always applied predictably or uniformly and can change. Consequently, we cannot be certain as to the type and scope of patent claims to which we may in the future be entitled under our license agreements or that may be issued to us in the future. These applications may not be sufficient to meet the statutory requirements for patentability and, therefore, may not result in enforceable patents covering the product candidates we want to commercialize. Further, patent applications in the United States that are not filed in other countries may not be published or generally are not published until at least 18 months after they are first filed, and patent applications in certain foreign countries generally are not published until many months after they are filed. Scientific and patent publication often occurs long after the date of the scientific developments disclosed in those publications. As a result, we cannot be certain that we will be the first creator of inventions covered by our patents or applications, or the first to file such patent applications. As a result, our issued patents and our patent applications could become subject to challenge by third parties that created such inventions or filed patent applications before us or our licensors, resulting in, among other things, interference proceedings in the United States Patent & Trademark Office to determine priority of discovery or invention. Interference proceedings, if resolved adversely to us, could result in the loss of or significant limitations on patent protection for our products or technologies. Even in the absence of interference proceedings, patent applications now pending or in the future filed by third parties may prevail over the patent applications that may be owned by us or licensed to us or that we may file in the future, or may result in patents that issue alongside patents issued to us or our licensors or that may be issued or licensed to us in the future, leading to uncertainty over the scope of the patents owned by us or licensed to us or that may in the future be owned by us or impede our freedom to practice the claimed inventions.

 

 

Our patents may not be valid or enforceable and may be challenged by third parties.

 

We cannot assure you that the patents that have been issued or licensed to us would be held valid by a court or administrative body or that we would be able to successfully enforce our patents against infringers, including our competitors. The issuance of a patent is not conclusive as to its validity or enforceability, and the validity and enforceability of a patent is susceptible to challenge on numerous legal grounds, including the possibility of reexamination proceedings brought by third parties in the United States Patent & Trademark Office against issued patents and similar validity challenges under foreign patent laws. Challenges raised in patent infringement litigation brought by us or against us may result in determinations that patents that have been issued to us or licensed to us or any patents that may be issued to us or our licensors in the future are invalid, unenforceable or otherwise subject to limitations. In the event of any such determinations, third parties may be able to use the discoveries or technologies claimed in these patents without paying licensing fees or royalties to us, which could significantly diminish the value of our intellectual property and our competitive advantage. Even if our patents are held to be enforceable, others may be able to design around our patents or develop products similar to our products that are not within the scope of any of our patents.

 

In addition, enforcing the patents that we own or license and any patents that may be issued to us in the future against third parties may require significant expenditures regardless of the outcome of such efforts. Our inability to enforce our patents against infringers and competitors may impair our ability to be competitive and could have a material adverse effect on our business.

 

Issued patents and patent licenses may not provide us with any competitive advantage or provide meaningful protection against competitors.

 

The discoveries or technologies covered by issued patents we own or license may not have any value or provide us with a competitive advantage, and many of these discoveries or technologies may not be applicable to our product candidates at all. We have devoted limited resources to identifying competing technologies that may have a competitive advantage relative to ours, especially those competing technologies that are not perceived as infringing on our intellectual property rights. In addition, the standards that courts use to interpret and enforce patent rights are not always applied predictably or uniformly and can change, particularly as new technologies develop. Consequently, we cannot be certain as to how much protection, if any, will be afforded by these patents with respect to our products if we, our licensees or our licensors attempt to enforce these patent rights and those rights are challenged in court.

 

The existence of third party patent applications and patents could significantly limit our ability to obtain meaningful patent protection. If patents containing competitive or conflicting claims are issued to third parties, we may be enjoined from pursuing research, development or commercialization of product candidates or may be required to obtain licenses, if available, to these patents or to develop or obtain alternative technology. If another party controls patents or patent applications covering our product candidates, we may not be able to obtain the rights we need to those patents or patent applications in order to commercialize our product candidates or we may be required to pay royalties, which could be substantial, to obtain licenses to use those patents or patent applications.

 

In addition, issued patents may not provide commercially meaningful protection against competitors. Other parties may seek and/or be able to duplicate, design around or independently develop products having effects similar or identical to our patented product candidates that are not within the scope of our patents.

 

Limitations on patent protection in some countries outside the United States, and the differences in what constitutes patentable subject matter in these countries, may limit the protection we have under patents issued outside of the United States. We do not have patent protection for our product candidates in a number of our target markets. The failure to obtain adequate patent protection for our product candidates in any country would impair our ability to be commercially competitive in that country.

 

 

  

Litigation or any other proceeding relating to intellectual property rights, even if resolved in our favor, may cause us to incur significant expenses, divert the attention of our management and key personnel from other business concerns and, in certain cases, result in substantial additional expenses to license technologies from third parties. Some of our competitors may be able to sustain the costs of complex patent litigation more effectively than we can because they have substantially greater resources. An unfavorable outcome in any patent infringement suit or other adverse intellectual property proceeding could require us to pay substantial damages, including possible treble damages and attorneys’ fees, cease using our technology or developing or marketing our products, or require us to seek licenses, if available, of the disputed rights from other parties and potentially make significant payments to those parties. There is no guarantee that any prevailing party would offer us a license or that we could acquire any license made available to us on commercially acceptable terms. Even if we are able to obtain rights to a third party’s patented intellectual property, those rights may be nonexclusive and, therefore, our competitors may obtain access to the same intellectual property. Ultimately, we may be unable to commercialize our product candidates or may have to cease some of our business operations as a result of patent infringement claims, which could materially harm our business. We cannot guarantee that our products or technologies will not conflict with the intellectual property rights of others.

 

If we need to redesign our products to avoid third party patents, we may suffer significant regulatory delays associated with conducting additional clinical studies or submitting technical, clinical, manufacturing or other information related to any redesigned product and, ultimately, in obtaining regulatory approval. Further, any such redesigns may result in less effective and/or less commercially desirable products, if the redesigns are possible at all.

 

Additionally, any involvement in litigation in which we, our licensees or our licensors are accused of infringement may result in negative publicity about us or our products, injure our relations with any then-current or prospective customers and marketing partners, and cause delays in the commercialization of our products.

 

Risks Related to our Common Stock

 

Our stock price is volatile.

 

The market price of our common stock is volatile and could fluctuate widely in response to various factors, many of which are beyond our control, including the following:

 

 

 

In addition, the securities markets have from time to time experienced significant price and volume fluctuations that are unrelated to the operating performance of particular companies. These market fluctuations may also materially and adversely affect the market price of our common stock.

 

There is currently a limited trading market for our common stock and we cannot predict how liquid the market might become.

 

To date, there has been a limited trading market for our common stock and we cannot predict how liquid the market for our common stock might become. Our common stock is quoted on the Over-the-Counter market (OTCQB), which is an inter-dealer market that provides significantly less liquidity than the New York Stock Exchange or the NASDAQ Stock Market. The quotation of our common stock on the OTCQB does not assure that a meaningful, consistent and liquid trading market exists. The market price for our common stock is subject to volatility and holders of our common stock may be unable to resell their shares at or near their original purchase price, or at any price. In the absence of an active trading market:

 

 

Trading for our common stock is limited under the SEC’s penny stock regulations, which has an adverse effect on the liquidity of our common stock.

 

The trading price of our common stock is less than $5.00 per share and, as a result, our common stock is considered a “penny stock,” and trading in our common stock is subject to the requirements of Rule 15g-9 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the Exchange Act). Under this rule, broker-dealers who recommend low-priced securities to persons other than established customers and accredited investors must satisfy special sales practice requirements. Generally, the broker-dealer must make an individualized written suitability determination for the purchaser and receive the purchaser’s written consent prior to the transaction.

 

Regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) also require additional disclosure in connection with any trades involving a “penny stock,” including the delivery, prior to any penny stock transaction, of a disclosure schedule explaining the penny stock market and its associated risks. These requirements severely limit the liquidity of securities in the secondary market because only a few brokers or dealers are likely to undertake these compliance activities. Compliance with these requirements may make it more difficult for holders of our Common Stock to resell their shares to third parties or to otherwise dispose of them in the market.

 

As an issuer of “penny stock”, the protection provided by the federal securities laws relating to forward looking statements does not apply to us.

 

Although federal securities laws provide a safe harbor for forward-looking statements made by a public company that files reports under the federal securities laws, this safe harbor is not available to issuers of penny stocks. As a result, we will not have the benefit of this safe harbor protection in the event of any legal action based upon a claim that the material provided by us contained a material misstatement of fact or was misleading in any material respect because of our failure to include any statements necessary to make the statements not misleading. Such an action could hurt our financial condition.

 

We have not paid dividends in the past and do not expect to pay dividends in the future. Any return on investment may be limited to the value of our common stock.

 

We have never paid cash dividends on our common stock and do not anticipate doing so in the foreseeable future. The payment of dividends on our common stock will depend on earnings, financial condition and other business and economic factors affecting us at such time as our board of directors may consider relevant. If we do not pay dividends, our common stock may be less valuable because a return on your investment will only occur if our stock price appreciates.

 

 

The rights of the holders of common stock may be impaired by the potential issuance of preferred stock.

 

Our board of directors has the right, without stockholder approval, to issue preferred stock with voting, dividend, conversion, liquidation or other rights which could adversely affect the voting power and equity interest of the holders of common stock, which could be issued with the right to more than one vote per share, and could be utilized as a method of discouraging, delaying or preventing a change of control. The possible negative impact on takeover attempts could adversely affect the price of our common stock.

 

On January 12, 2016, the Company filed a Certificate of Designation of Preferences, Right and Limitations of Series B Convertible Preferred Stock of the Company with the Nevada Secretary of State which amended our Articles of Incorporation to designate 293 shares of our preferred stock as Series B Convertible Preferred Stock. The holders of Series B Convertible Preferred Stock will participate on an equal basis per-share with holders of our common stock in any distribution upon winding up, dissolution, or liquidation. Holders of Series B Convertible Preferred Stock are entitled to convert each share of Series B Preferred Stock into 2,000 shares of common stock. Holders of the Series B Preferred Stock are entitled to vote on all matters affecting the holders of the common stock of the Company on an “as converted” basis, provided that the holder of such Series B Preferred Stock does not hold in excess of 9.99% of our common stock at the time of measurement.

 

Although we have no present intention to issue any additional shares of preferred stock or to create any additional series of preferred stock, we may issue such shares in the future.

We have never held an annual meeting for the election of directors.

Pursuant to the provisions of the Nevada Revised Statutes (the “NRS”), directors are to be elected at the annual meeting of the stockholders. Pursuant to the NRS and our bylaws, our board of directors is granted the authority to fix the date, time and place for annual stockholder meetings. No date, time or place has yet been fixed by our board for the holding of an annual stockholder meeting. Pursuant to the NRS and our bylaws, each of our directors holds office after the expiration of his term until a successor is elected and qualified, or until the director resigns or is removed. Under the provisions of the NRS, if an election of our directors has not been made by our stockholders within 18 months of the last such election, then an application may be made to the Nevada district court by stockholders holding a minimum of 15% of our outstanding stockholder voting power for an order for the election of directors in the manner provided in the NRS.

We have not sought an advisory stockholder vote to approve the compensation of our named executive officers.

Rule 14a-21 under the Exchange Act requires us to seek a separate stockholder advisory vote at our annual meeting at which directors are elected to approve the compensation of our named executive officers, not less frequently than once every three years (say-on-pay vote), and, at least once every six years, to seek a separate stockholder advisory vote on the frequency with which we will submit advisory say-on-pay votes to our stockholders (say-on-frequency vote). In 2013, the year in which Rule 14a-21 became applicable to smaller reporting companies, and in 2014, we did not submit to our stockholders a say-on-pay vote to approve an advisory resolution regarding our compensation program for our named executive officers, or a say-on-frequency vote. Consequently, the board of directors has not considered the outcome of our say-on-pay vote results when determining future compensation policies and pay levels for our named executive officers.

Item 1B. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS

 

 

 

 

Item 2. PROPERTIES

 

Our operations, production and research and development office is in a leased facility in Suwanee, Georgia, consisting of 7,500 square feet of space under a lease which expires on December 31, 2021. Under the terms of the lease, we pay monthly rent of $10,844, subject to a 3% adjustment on an annual basis.

Item 3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

 

    

 We are engaged in various legal actions, claims and proceedings arising in the ordinary course of business, including claims related to breach of contracts and intellectual property matters resulting from our business activities. As with most actions such as these, an estimation of any possible and/or ultimate liability cannot always be determined.

 

There are no material proceedings known to us to be contemplated by any governmental authority.

 

There are no material proceedings known to us, pending or contemplated, in which any of our directors, officers or affiliates or any of our principal security holders, or any associate of any of the foregoing, is a party or has an interest adverse to us.

 

Item 4. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURE

Not applicable.

 

 

 

PART II

 

 

Market Information

 

The Company’s common stock is quoted on the OTCQB under the symbol “SNWV”. The following table sets forth, for the periods indicated, the high and low sales prices per share of our common stock, as reported on the OTCQB. The quotations reflect inter-dealer prices, without mark-up, mark-down or commissions, and may not represent actual transactions:

 

	Price Range
	High	Low
2017
First Quarter	$0.19	$0.11
Second Quarter	$0.14	$0.08
Third Quarter	$0.18	$0.09
Fourth Quarter	$0.28	$0.10

 

	Price Range
	High	Low
2016
First Quarter	$0.09	$0.05
Second Quarter	$0.06	$0.04
Third Quarter	$0.16	$0.03
Fourth Quarter	$0.20	$0.12

 

Holders of Common Stock

 

As of March 2, 2018, there were 135 holders of record of the Company’s common stock.

 

Dividends

 

The Company has never declared or paid any cash dividends on its common stock. The Company intends to retain future earnings, if any, to finance the expansion of its business. As a result, the Company does not anticipate paying any cash dividends in the foreseeable future.

 

 

Securities Authorized for Issuance under Equity Compensation Plans

 

Plan Category	Number of securities to be issued upon exercise of outstanding options and rights	Weighted-average exercise price of outstanding options and rights	Number of securities remaining available for future issuance under equity compensation plans (excluding securities reflected in column (a))
	(a)	(b)	(c)
Equity compensation plans approved by security holders	-	$0.00	-
Equity compensation plans not approved by security holders	21,593,385	$0.31	2,238,281
Total	21,593,385	$0.31	2,238,281

 

Stock Incentive Plans

 

During 2006, the Company adopted the 2006 Stock Incentive Plan of SANUWAVE, Inc., and certain non-statutory stock option agreements with key employees outside of the 2006 Stock Incentive Plan. The non-statutory stock option agreements have terms substantially the same as the 2006 Stock Incentive Plan. The stock options granted under the plans were non-statutory options which vest over a period of up to four years and have a ten year term. The options were granted at an exercise price equal to the fair market value of the common stock on the date of the grant, which was approved by the board of directors of the Company.

 

 On November 1, 2010, the Company approved the Amended and Restated 2006 Stock Incentive Plan of SANUWAVE Health, Inc. effective as of January 1, 2010 (the “Stock Incentive Plan”). The Stock Incentive Plan permits grants of awards to selected employees, directors and advisors of the Company in the form of restricted stock or options to purchase shares of common stock. Options granted may include non-statutory options as well as qualified incentive stock options. The Stock Incentive Plan is currently administered by the board of directors of the Company. The Stock Incentive Plan gives broad powers to the board of directors of the Company to administer and interpret the particular form and conditions of each option. The stock options granted under the Stock Incentive Plan are non-statutory options which vest over a period of up to three years and have a ten year term. The options are granted at an exercise price equal to the fair market value of the common stock on the date of the grant which is approved by the board of directors of the Company.

 

 

Not required under Regulation S-K for “smaller reporting companies”.

 

 

Overview

 

We are a shock wave technology company using a patented system of noninvasive, high-energy, acoustic shock waves for regenerative medicine and other applications. Our initial focus is regenerative medicine – utilizing noninvasive, acoustic shock waves to produce a biological response resulting in the body healing itself through the repair and regeneration of tissue, musculoskeletal and vascular structures. Our lead regenerative product in the United States is the dermaPACE® device, used for treating diabetic foot ulcers, which was subject to two double-blinded, randomized Phase III clinical studies and cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on December 28, 2017.

 

 

Our portfolio of healthcare products and product candidates activate biologic signaling and angiogenic responses, including new vascularization and microcirculatory improvement, helping to restore the body’s normal healing processes and regeneration. We intend to apply our Pulsed Acoustic Cellular Expression (PACE®) technology in wound healing, orthopedic, plastic/cosmetic and cardiac conditions. In 2018, we plan to begin marketing our dermaPACE System for sale in the United States and will continue to generate revenue from sales of the European Conformity Marking (CE Mark) devices and accessories in Europe, Canada, Asia and Asia/Pacific.

 

We believe we have demonstrated that our patented technology is safe and effective in stimulating healing in chronic conditions of the foot and the elbow through our United States FDA Class III PMA approved OssaTron® device, and in the stimulation of bone and chronic tendonitis regeneration in the musculoskeletal environment through the utilization of our OssaTron, Evotron®, and orthoPACE® devices in Europe and Asia. Our lead product candidate for the global wound care market, dermaPACE, has received the CE Mark allowing for commercial use on acute and chronic defects of the skin and subcutaneous soft tissue.

 

We are focused on developing our Pulsed Acoustic Cellular Expression (PACE) technology to activate healing in:

 

 

In addition to healthcare uses, our high-energy, acoustic pressure shock waves, due to their powerful pressure gradients and localized cavitational effects, may have applications in secondary and tertiary oil exploitation, for cleaning industrial waters, for sterilizing food liquids and finally for maintenance of industrial installations by disrupting biofilms formation. Our business approach will be through licensing and/or partnership opportunities.

 

Recent Developments

 

                On December 28, 2017, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (the "FDA"), notified the Company to permit the marketing of teh dermaPACE System for the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers in teh United States.

 

                On September 27, 2017, we entered into a binding term sheet with MundiMed Distribuidora Hospitalar LTDA ("MundiMed"), effective as of September 25, 2017, for a joint venture for the manufacture, sale and distribution of our dermaPACE device.  Under the binding term sheet, MundiMed will pay the Company an initial upfront distribution fee with monthly upfront distribtuion fees payable thereafter over the following eighteen months.  Profts from the joint venture are distributed as follows:  45% to the Company, 45% to MundiMed and 5% each to LHS Latina Health Solutions Gestao Empresarial Ltda. and Universus Global Advisors LLC, who acted as advisors in the transaction.  The initial upfront distritbution fee was received on October 6, 2017.

 

                On February 13, 2018, the Company entered into an Agreement for Purchase and Sale, Limited Exclusive Distribution and Royalties, and Servicing and Repairs with Premier Shockwave Wound Care, Inc., a Georgia Corporation ("PSWC") adn Premier Shockwave, Inc., a Georgia Corporation ("PS").  The agreement provides for the purchase by PSWC and PS of dermaPACE System and related equipment sold by the Company and includes a minimum purchase of 100 units over 3 years.  The agreement grants PSWC and PS limited but exclusive distribution rights to provide dermaPACE Systems to certain governmental healthcare facilities in exchange for the payment of certain royalties to the Company.  Under the agreement, the Company is responsible for the servicing and repairs of such dermaPACE Systems and equipment.  The agreement also contains provisions whereby in the event of a change of control of the Company (as defined in the agreement), the stockholders of PSWC have the right and option to cause the Company to purchase all of the stock of PSWC, and whereby the Company has the right and option to purchase all issued and outstanding shares of PSWC, in each case based on certain defined purchase price provisions and other terms.  The agreement also contains certain transfer restrictions on the sotck of PSWC.  Each of PC and PSWC is owned by A. Michael Stolarski, a member of the Company's board of directors and an existing shareholder of the Company.

Clinical Trials and Marketing

 

The FDA granted approval of our Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) to conduct two double-blinded, randomized clinical trials utilizing our lead device product for the global wound care market, the dermaPACE device, in the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers.

 

The dermaPACE system was evaluated using two studies under IDE G070103. The studies were designed as prospective, randomized, double-blind, parallel-group, sham-controlled, multi-center 24-week studies at 39 centers. A total of 336 subjects were enrolled and treated with either dermaPACE plus conventional therapy or conventional therapy (a.k.a. standard of care) alone. Conventional therapy included, but was not limited to, debridement, saline-moistened gauze, and pressure reducing footwear. The objective of the studies was to compare the safety and efficacy of the dermaPACE device to sham-control application. The prospectively defined primary efficacy endpoint for the dermaPACE studies was the incidence of complete wound closure at 12 weeks post-initial application of the dermaPACE system (active or sham). Complete wound closure was defined as skin re-epithelialization without drainage or dressing requirements, confirmed over two consecutive visits within 12-weeks. If the wound was considered closed for the first time at the 12 week visit, then the next visit was used to confirm closure. Investigators continued to follow subjects and evaluate wound closure through 24 weeks.

 

The dermaPACE device completed its initial Phase III, IDE clinical trial in the United States for the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers in 2011 and a PMA application was filed with the FDA in July 2011. The patient enrollment for the second, supplemental clinical trial began in June 2013. We completed enrollment for the 130 patients in this second trial in November 2014 and suspended further enrollment at that time.

 

 

The only significant difference between the two studies was the number of applications of the dermaPACE device. Study one (DERM01; n=206) prescribed four (4) device applications/treatments over a two-week period, whereas, study two (DERM02; n=130) prescribed up to eight (8) device applications (4 within the first two weeks of randomization, and 1 treatment every two weeks thereafter up to a total of 8 treatments over a 10-week period). If the wound was determined closed by the PI during the treatment regimen, any further planned applications were not performed.

 

Between the two studies there were over 336 patients evaluated, with 172 patients treated with dermaPACE and 164 control group subjects with use of a non-functional device (sham). Both treatment groups received wound care consistent with the standard of care in addition to device application. Study subjects were enrolled using pre-determined inclusion/exclusion criteria in order to obtain a homogenous study population with chronic diabetes and a diabetic foot ulcer that has persisted a minimum of 30 days and its area is between 1cm2 and 16cm2, inclusive. Subjects were enrolled at Visit 1 and followed for a run-in period of two weeks. At two weeks (Visit 2 – Day 0), the first treatment was applied (either dermaPACE or Sham Control application). Applications with either dermaPACE or Sham Control were then made at Day 3 (Visit 3), Day 6 (Visit 4), and Day 9 (Visit 5) with the potential for 4 additional treatments in Study 2. Subject progress including wound size was then observed on a bi-weekly basis for up to 24 weeks at a total of 12 visits (Weeks 2-24; Visits 6-17).

 

A total of 336 patients were enrolled in the dermaPACE studies at 37 sites. The patients in the studies were followed for a total of 24 weeks. The studies’ primary endpoint, wound closure, was defined as “successful” if the skin was 100% re-epithelialized at 12 weeks without drainage or dressing requirements confirmed at two consecutive study visits.

 

A summary of the key study findings were as follows:

 

 

We retained Musculoskeletal Clinical Regulatory Advisers, LLC (MCRA) in January 2015 to lead the Company’s interactions and correspondence with the FDA for the dermaPACE, which have already commenced. MCRA has successfully worked with the FDA on numerous Premarket Approvals (PMAs) for various musculoskeletal, restorative and general surgical devices since 2006.

Working with MCRA, we submitted to FDA a de novo petition on July 23, 2016. Due to the strong safety profile of our device and the efficacy of the data showing statistical significance for wound closure for dermaPACE subjects at 20 weeks, we believe that the dermaPACE device should be considered for classification into Class II as there is no legally marketed predicate device and there is not an existing Class III classification regulation or one or more approved PMAs (which would have required a reclassification under Section 513(e) or (f)(3) of the FD&C Act). On December 28, 2017, the FDA determined that the criteria at section 513(a)(1)(A) of (B) of the FD&C Act were met and granted the de novo clearance classifying dermaPACE as Class II and available to be marketed immediately.

 

Finally, our dermaPACE device has received the European CE Mark approval to treat acute and chronic defects of the skin and subcutaneous soft tissue, such as in the treatement of pressure ulcers, diabetic foot ulcers, burns, and traumatic and surgical wounds.  The dermaPACE is also licensed for sale in Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Korea.

 

We are actively marketing the dermaPACE to the European Community, Canada and Asia/Pacific utilizing distributors in select countries.

 

Financial Overview

 

Since inception in 2005, our operations have primarily been funded from the sale of capital stock and convertible debt securities.  We expect to devote substantial resources for the commercialization of the dermaPACE System and will continue to research and develop the non-medical uses of the PACE technology, both of which will require additional capital resources. We incurred a net loss of $5,537,936 and $6,439,040 for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively. These operating losses create uncertainty about our ability to continue as a going concern.

 

The continuation of our business is dependent upon raising additional capital during the second quarter of 2018 to fund operations. Management’s plans are to obtain additional capital in 2018 through investments by strategic partners for market opportunities, which may include strategic partnerships or licensing arrangements, or raise capital through the conversion of outstanding warrants, the issuance of common or preferred stock, securities convertible into common stock, or secured or unsecured debt. These possibilities, to the extent available, may be on terms that result in significant dilution to our existing shareholders. Although no assurances can be given, management believes that potential additional issuances of equity or other potential financing transactions as discussed above should provide the necessary funding for us. If these efforts are unsuccessful, we may be forced to seek relief through a filing under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. Our consolidated financial statements do not include any adjustments relating to the recoverability of assets and classification of assets and liabilities that might be necessary should we be unable to continue as a going concern.

 

Since our inception, we have incurred losses from operations each year. As of December 31, 2017, we had an accumulated deficit of $104,971,384. Although the size and timing of our future operating losses are subject to significant uncertainty, we expect that operating losses may continue over the next few years as we prepare for the commercialization of the dermaPACE System for the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers but if we are able to successfully commercialize, market and distribute the dermaPACE System, then we hope to partially or completely offset these losses within the next few years. Although no assurances can be given, we believe that potential additional issuances of equity, debt or other potential financing, as discussed above, will provide the necessary funding for us to continue as a going concern for the next year.

 

 

We cannot reasonably estimate the nature, timing and costs of the efforts necessary to complete the development and approval of, or the period in which material net cash flows are expected to be generated from, any of our products, due to the numerous risks and uncertainties associated with developing products, including the uncertainty of:

 

 

Any failure to complete the development of our product candidates in a timely manner, or any failure to successfully market and commercialize our product candidates, would have a material adverse effect on our operations, financial position and liquidity. A discussion of the risks and uncertainties associated with us and our business are set forth under the section entitled “Risk Factors – Risks Related to Our Business”.

 

Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates

     

The discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations are based on our consolidated financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles. The preparation of our consolidated financial statements requires us to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses.

 

On an ongoing basis, we evaluate our estimates and judgments, including those related to the recording of the allowances for doubtful accounts, estimated reserves for inventory, estimated useful life of property and equipment, the determination of the valuation allowance for deferred taxes, the estimated fair value of warrants and warrant liability, and the estimated fair value of stock-based compensation. We base our estimates on authoritative literature and pronouncements, historical experience and on various other assumptions that we believe are reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying value of assets and liabilities that arenot readily apparent from other sources. Our actual results may differ from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions. The results of our operations for any historical period are not necessarily indicative of the results of our operations for any future period.

     

While our significant accounting policies are more fully described in Note 2 to our consolidated financial statements filed with this Annual Report on Form 10-K, we believe that the following accounting policies relating to revenue recognition, research and development costs, inventory valuation, liabilities related to warrants issued, stock-based compensation and income taxes are significant and; therefore, they are important to aid you in fully understanding and evaluating our reported financial results.

 

Revenue Recognition

     

Sales of medical devices, including related applicators and applicator kits, are recognized when shipped to the customer. Shipments under agreements with distributors are invoiced at a fixed price, are not subject to return, and payment for these shipments is not contingent on sales by the distributor. We recognize revenues on shipments to distributors in the same manner as with other customers. We recognize fees from services performed when the service is performed. Fees for upfront distribution license agreements will be recognized as identified performance obligations are satisfied.

 

Research and Development Costs

     

We expense costs associated with research and development activities as incurred. We evaluate payments made to suppliers, research collaborators and other vendors and determine the appropriate accounting treatment based on the nature of the services provided, the contractual terms, and the timing of the obligation. Research and development costs include payments to third parties that specifically relate to our products in clinical development, such as payments to contract research organizations and collaborators, clinical investigators, clinical monitors, clinical related consultants and insurance premiums for clinical studies. In addition, employee costs (salaries, payroll taxes, benefits and travel) for employees of the regulatory affairs, clinical affairs, quality assurance, and research and development departments are classified as research and development costs.

 

 

Inventory Valuation

 

Inventory is carried at the lower of cost or market, which is valued using the first in, first out (FIFO) method, and consists primarily of devices and the component material for assembly of finished products, less reserves for obsolescence.We regularly review existing inventory quantities and expiration dates of existing inventory to evaluate a provision for excess, expired, obsolete and scrapped inventory based primarily on our historical usage and anticipated future usage. Although we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our forecasts of future product demand, any significant unanticipated change in demand or technological developments could have an impact on the value of our inventory and our reported operating results.

 

Intangible Assets

 

Intangible assets subject to amortization consist of patents which are recorded at cost. Patents are amortized on a straight-line basis over 11.4 years. We regularly review intangible assets to determine if facts and circumstances indicate that the useful life is shorter than we originally estimated or that the carrying amount of the assets may not be recoverable. If such facts and circumstances exist, we assess the recoverability of the intangible assets by comparing the projected undiscounted net cash flows associated with the related asset or group of assets over their remaining lives against their respective carrying amounts. If recognition of an impairment charge is necessary, it is measured as the amount by which the carrying amount of the intangible asset exceeds the fair value of the intangible asset.

 

Liabilities Related to Warrants Issued

 

We record certain common stock warrants we issued at fair value and recognize the change in the fair value of such warrants as a gain or loss, which we report in the Other Income (Expense) section in our Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Loss. We report these warrants at fair value and classified as liabilities because they contain certain down-round provisions allowing for reduction of their exercise price. We estimate the fair value of these warrants using a binomial options pricing model.

 

Warrants Related to Debt Issued

 

We record a warrant discount related to warrants issued with debt at fair value and recognize the cost using the straight-line method over the term of the related debt as interest expense, which we report in the Other Income (Expense) section in our Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Loss. We report this warrant discount as a reduction of the related debt liability.

 

Beneficial Conversion Feature on Convertible Debt

 

We record a beneficial conversion feature related convertible debt at fair value and recognize the cost using the straight-line method over the term of the related debt as interest expense, which we report in the Other Income (Expense) section in our Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Loss. We report this beneficial conversion feature as a reduction of the related debt liability.

 

Stock-based Compensation

     

The Stock Incentive Plan provides that stock options, and other equity interests or equity-based incentives, may be granted to key personnel, directors and advisors at the fair value of the common stock at the time the option is granted, which is approved by our board of directors. The maximum term of any option granted pursuant to the Stock Incentive Plan is ten years from the date of grant.

 

In accordance with ASC 718, Compensation – Stock Compensation, Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation, the fair value of each option award is estimated on the date of grant using the Black-Scholes option pricing model. The expected terms of options granted represent the period of time that options granted are estimated to be outstanding and are derived from the contractual terms of the options granted. We amortize the fair value of each option over each option’s vesting period.

 

Income Taxes

     

We account for income taxes utilizing the asset and liability method prescribed by the provisions of ASC 740, Income Taxes, Accounting for Income Taxes. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined based on differences between the financial reporting and tax basis of assets and liabilities and are measured using the enacted tax rates and laws that will be in effect when the differences are expected to reverse. A valuation allowance is provided for the deferred tax assets, including loss carryforwards, when it is more likely than not that some portion or all of a deferred tax asset will not be realized.

 

 

We account for uncertain tax positions in accordance with the related provisions of ASC 740, Income Taxes, Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes (FIN 48). ASC 740 specifies the way public companies are to account for uncertainties in income tax reporting, and prescribes a methodology for recognizing, reversing, and measuring the tax benefits of a tax position taken, or expected to be taken, in a tax return. ASC 740 requires the evaluation of tax positions taken or expected to be taken in the course of preparing our tax returns to determine whether the tax positions would “more-likely-than-not” be sustained if challenged by the applicable tax authority. Tax positions not deemed to meet the more-likely-than-not threshold would be recorded as a tax benefit or expense in the current year.

 

Results of Operations for the Years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016

 

Revenues and Cost of Revenues

 

Revenues for the year ended December 31, 2017 were $738,527, compared to $1,376,063 for the same period in 2016, a decrease of $637,536, or 46%. Revenue resulted primarily from sales in Europe, Asia, and Asia/Pacific of our orthoPACE devices and related applicators and upfront distribution fee from our Brazilian distribution agreement with MundiMed. The decrease in revenue for 2017 is primarily due to a decrease in sales of orthoPACE devices in Asia/Pacific and the European Community, as compared to the prior year, as well as lower sales of new and refurbished applicators.

 

Cost of revenues for the year ended December 31, 2017 were $241,970, compared to $565,129 for the same period in 2016. Gross profit as a percentage of revenues was 67% for the year ended December 31, 2017, compared to 59% for the same period in 2016. The increase in gross profit as a percentage of revenues in 2017 was primarily due to higher revenue for refurbishment license and upfront distribution fee which have little or no related cost, as compared to 2016. Gross profit as a percentage of revenues excluding refurbishment license and upfront distribution fee revenue decreased for the year ended December 31, 2017, compared to the same period in 2016 due to reduced pricing to customers for refurbishments and higher shipping costs.

 

Research and Development Expenses

 

Research and development expenses for the year ended December 31, 2017 were $1,292,531, compared to $1,128,640 for the same period in 2016, an increase of $163,891, or 15%. Research and development expenses include the costs associated with the dermaPACE submission to the FDA, which incurred costs related to responses to questions from the FDA including the hiring of an independent consultant to perform software updates. In addition, a medical device and separate technical audit was performed related to our ISO certification in 2017.

 

General and Administrative Expenses

 

General and administrative expenses for the year ended December 31, 2017 were $3,004,803, as compared to $2,673,773 for the same period in 2016, an increase of $331,030, or 12%. The increase in general and administrative expenses in 2017, as compared to 2016, was due to an increase in board of director’s fees related to adding a member to the board, costs associated with symposium hosted in December 2017, increased costs associated with investor relations consultants, and increased non-cash stock based compensation related to stock option and stock warrants issued in 2017.

 

Depreciation and Amortization

 

Depreciation for the year ended December 31, 2017 was $24,069, compared to $19,858 for the same period in 2016, an increase of $4,211, or 21%. The increase was due to the full year of depreciation related to devices added to fixed assets in the prior year.

 

Amortization for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016 was $0 and $306,756, respectively. The decrease is due to the intangible assets being fully amortized as of December 31, 2016.

 

 

Other Income (Expense)

 

Other income (expense) was a net expense of $1,713,490 for the year ended December 31, 2017 as compared to a net expense of $3,122,541 for the same period in 2016, a decrease of $1,409,051 in the net expense. The net expense in 2017 included a non-cash loss of $568,729 for a valuation adjustment on outstanding warrants, as compared to a net expense in 2016 included a non-cash loss of $2,223,718 for a valuation adjustment on outstanding warrants and conversion of Series A Warrants. The is partially offset by increased interest expense, beneficial conversion discount and debt discount in 2017, as compared to 2016, mainly due to convertible promissory notes issued in the fourth quarter of 2017.

 

Provision for Income Taxes

 

At December 31, 2017, we had federal net operating loss carryforwards of $78,455,234 that will begin to expire in 2025. Our ability to use these net operating loss carryforwards to reduce our future federal income tax liabilities could be subject to annual limitations. In connection with possible future equity offerings, we may realize a “more than 50% change in ownership” which could further limit our ability to use our net operating loss carryforwards accumulated to date to reduce future taxable income and tax liabilities. Additionally, because United States tax laws limit the time during which net operating loss carryforwards may be applied against future taxable income and tax liabilities, we may not be able to take advantage of our net operating loss carryforwards for federal income tax purposes.

 

Net Loss

 

Net loss for the year ended December 31, 2017 was $5,537,936, or ($0.04) per basic and diluted share, compared to a net loss of $6,439,040, or ($0.06) per basic and diluted share, for the same period in 2016, a decrease in the net loss of $901,104, or 14%. The decrease in the net loss was primarily a result of decreased loss on warrant valuation that is partially offset by increase in operating expenses.

 

 We anticipate that our operating losses will continue over the next few years as we prepare for the commercialization of the dermaPACE System for the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers in the United States but if we are able to successfully commercialize, market and distribute the dermaPACE System, then we hope to partially or completely offset these losses within the next few years.

 

Liquidity and Capital Resources

 

We expect to devote substantial resources for the commercialization of the dermaPACE System and will continue to research and develop the non-medical uses of the PACE technology, both of which will require additional capital resources. We incurred a net loss of $5,537,936 and $6,439,040 for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively. These operating losses create uncertainty about our ability to continue as a going concern.

 

At December 31, 2017, the Company's distributor in South Korea accounted for 69% of the total oustanding accounts receivable.  Due to the political climate and uncertainty in South Korea, this distributor has not been able to finalize its expected sales in late 2016 and 2017 and therefore has been unable to pay the Company in a timely manner.  The Company has accounted for 38% of their outstanding balance as bad debt reserve as of December 31, 2017 and continues to work with the distributor on a payment plan to get the distributor's account current by April 30, 2018.

 

The continuation of our business is dependent upon raising additional capital during or before the second quarter of 2018 to fund operations. Management expects the cash used in operations for the Company will be approximately $225,000 to $300,000 per month for the first quarter of 2018 and $275,000 to $350,000 per month for the second quarter of 2018 as resources are devoted to the expansion of our international business, preparations for commercialization of the dermaPACE product including hiring of new employees and continued research and development of non-medical uses of our technology. Management’s plans are to obtain additional capital in 2018 through investments by strategic partners for market opportunities, which may include strategic partnerships or licensing arrangements, or raise capital through the conversion of outstanding warrants, issuance of common or preferred stock, securities convertible into common stock, or secured or unsecured debt. These possibilities, to the extent available, may be on terms that result in significant dilution to our existing shareholders. Although no assurances can be given, management believes that potential additional issuances of equity or other potential financing transactions as discussed above should provide the necessary funding for us. If these efforts are unsuccessful, we may be forced to seek relief through a filing under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. Our consolidated financial statements do not include any adjustments relating to the recoverability of assets and classification of assets and liabilities that might be necessary should we be unable to continue as a going concern.

 

 

On December 29, 2017, the Company entered into a line of credit agreement with A. Michael Stolarski, a member of the Company's board of directors and an existing shareholder of the Company.  The agreement established a line of credit in the amount of $370,000 with an annualized interest rate of 6%.  The line of credit may be called for payment upon demand.  On January 26, 2018, the Company entered into a Master Equipment Lease with NFS Leasing Inc. to provide financing for equipment purchases to enable the Company to begin placing the dermaPACE System in the marketplace.  This agreement provides for a lease line of up to $1,000,000 with a lease term of 36 months, and grants NFS a security interest in the Company's accounts receivable, personal property and money and deposit accounts of the Company.

 

We may also attempt to raise additional capital if there are favorable market conditions or other strategic considerations even if we have sufficient funds for planned operations. To the extent that we raise additional funds by issuance of equity securities, our shareholders will experience dilution and we may be required to use some or all of the net proceeds to repay our indebtedness, and debt financings, if available, may involve restrictive covenants or may otherwise constrain our financial flexibility. To the extent that we raise additional funds through collaborative arrangements, it may be necessary to relinquish some rights to our intellectual property or grant licenses on terms that are not favorable to us. In addition, payments made by potential collaborators or licensors generally will depend upon our achievement of negotiated development and regulatory milestones. Failure to achieve these milestones would harm our future capital position.

 

For the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016, net cash used by operating activities was $1,528,971 and $3,199,453, respectively, primarily consisting of compensation costs, research and development activities and general corporate operations. The decrease in the use of cash for operating activities for the year ended December 31, 2017, as compared to the same period for 2016, of $1,670,482, or 52%, was primarily due to the increase in accounts receivable of $250,678 and in accounts payable and accrued expenses of $1,082,071. Net cash used by investing activities in 2017 was $0 as compared to net cash provided by investing activities in 2016 of $8,770 from the purchase of property and equipment. Net cash provided by financing activities for the year ended December 31, 2017 was $2,117,298, which primarily consisted of the net proceeds from convertible promissory notes of $1,384,232, proceeds from related party line of credit of $370,000, proceeds from advances from related parties of $310,000 and proceeds from warrant exercises of $93,066. Net cash provided by financing activities for the year ended December 31, 2016 was $3,207,771, which primarily consisted of the net proceeds from 2016 Public Offering of $1,596,855, 2016 Private Placement of $1,528,200, and proceeds from warrant exercises of $67,466. Cash and cash equivalents increased by $596,613 for the year ended December 31, 2017 and cash and cash equivalents decreased by $19,359 for the year ended December 31, 2016.

 

Contractual Obligations

 

Our major outstanding contractual obligations relate to our operating lease for our facility, purchase and supplier obligations for product component materials and equipment, and our notes payable, related parties.

 

In August 2016, we entered into a lease agreement for 7,500 square feet of office space for office, research and development, quality control, production and warehouse space which expires on December 31, 2021. Under the terms of the lease, we pay monthly rent of $10,844, subject to a 3% adjustment on an annual basis.

 

We have developed a network of suppliers, manufacturers, and contract service providers to provide sufficient quantities of product component materials for our products through the development, clinical testing and commercialization phases. We have a manufacturing supply agreement with Swisstronics Contract Manufacturing AG in Switzerland, a division of Cicor Technologies Ltd., covering the generator box component of our devices.

 

In August 2005, as part of the purchase of the orthopedic division assets of HealthTronics, Inc., we issued two notes to HealthTronics, Inc. for $2,000,000 each. The notes bear interest at 6% annually. Quarterly interest through June 30, 2010 was accrued and added to the principal balance. Interest is paid quarterly in arrears beginning September 30, 2010. All remaining unpaid accrued interest and principal was due August 1, 2015. Accrued interest on the notes which matured in August 2015 totaled $1,372,743 at December 31, 2017 and 2016.

     

On June 15, 2015, we entered into an amendment (the “Note Amendment”) with HealthTronics, Inc. to amend certain provisions of the notes payable, related parties. The Note Amendment provides for the extension of the due date to January 31, 2017. In connection with the Note Amendment, we entered into a security agreement with HealthTronics, Inc. to provide a first security interest in the assets of the Company. The notes payable, related parties will bear interest at 8% per annum effective August 1, 2015 and during any period when an Event of Default occurs, the applicable interest rate shall increase by 2% per annum.  Events of Default under the notes payable, related parties have occurred and are continuing on account of the failure of SANUWAVE, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company and the borrower under the notes payable, related parties, to make the required payments of interest which were due on December 31, 2016, March 31, 2017, June 30, 2017, September 30, 2017, and December 31, 2017 (collectively, the "Defaults").  As a result of the Defaults, the notes payable, related parties have been accruing interest at the rate of 10% per annum since January 2, 2017 and continue to accrue at such rate.  The Company will be required to make mandatory prepayments of principal on the notes payable, related parties equal to 20% of the proceeds received by the Company through the issuance or sale of any equity securities in cash or through the licensing of the Company’s patents or other intellectual property rights.

 

In addition, in connection with the Note Amendment, we issued to HealthTronics, Inc. on June 15, 2015, an aggregate total of 3,310,000 warrants (the “Class K Warrants”) to purchase shares of the Company’s common stock, $0.001 par value (the “Common Stock”), at an exercise price of $0.55 per share, subject to certain anti-dilution protection. Each Class K Warrant represents the right to purchase one share of Common Stock. The warrants vested upon issuance and expire after ten years.

 

 

On June 28, 2016, the Company and HealthTronics, Inc. entered into a second amendment (the “Second Amendment”) to amend certain provisions of the notes payable, related parties. The Second Amendment provides for the extension of the due date to January 31, 2018.

 

In addition, the Company, in connection with the Second Amendment, issued to HealthTronics, Inc. on June 28, 2016, an additional 1,890,000 Class K Warrants to purchase shares of the Company’s Common Stock at an exercise price of $0.08 per share, subject to certain anti-dilution protection. The exercise price of the 3,310,000 Class K Warrants issued on June 15, 2015 was decreased to $0.08 per share.

On August 3, 2017, the Company and HealthTronics, Inc. entered into a third amendment (the “Third Amendment”) to amend certain provisions of the notes payable, related parties. The Third Amendment provides for the extension of the due date to December 31, 2018, revision of the mandatory prepayment provisions and the future issuance of additional warrants to HealthTronics upon certain conditions.

 

In addition, the Company, in connection with the Third Amendment, issued to HealthTronics, Inc. on August 3, 2017, an additional 2,000,000 Class K Warrants to purchase shares of the Company’s Common Stock at an exercise price of $0.11 per share, subject to certain anti-dilution protection. Each Class K Warrant represents the right to purchase one share of Common Stock. The warrants vested upon issuance and expire after ten years.

 

Recently Issued Accounting Standards

 

New accounting pronouncements are issued by the Financial Standards Board (“FASB”) or other standards setting bodies that the Company adopts according to the various timetables the FASB specifies. The Company does not expect the adoption of recently issued accounting pronouncements to have a significant impact on the Company’s results of operations, financial position or cash flow.

 

In May 2014, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (ASU 2014-09), which supersedes nearly all existing revenue recognition guidance under U.S. GAAP. The core principle of ASU 2014-09 is to recognize revenues when promised goods or services are transferred to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which an entity expects to be entitled for those goods or services. ASU 2014-09 defines a five step process to achieve this core principle and, in doing so, more judgment and estimates may be required within the revenue recognition process than are required under existing U.S. GAAP. The standard is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2017, and interim periods therein, using either of the following transition methods: (i) a full retrospective method, which requires the standard to be applied to each prior period presented, or (ii) a modified retrospective method, which requires the cumulative effect of adoption to be recognized as an adjustment to the opening retained earnings in the period of adoption. In July 2015, the FASB confirmed a one-year delay in the effective date of ASU 2014-09, making the effective date for the Company the first quarter of fiscal 2018 instead of the current effective date, which was the first quarter of fiscal 2017. This one year deferral was issued by the FASB in ASU 2015-14, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606). The Company can elect to adopt the provisions of ASU 2014-09 for annual periods beginning after December 31, 2017, including interim periods within that reporting period. The FASB also agreed to allow entities to choose to adopt the standard as of the original effective date. The Company will adopt the standard effective January 1, 2018 and currently anticipates using the modified retrospective approach with a cumulative effect adjustment to opening retained earnings. The evaluation of our contracts is substantially complete and, based upon the results of our evaluation, we do not expect the application of the new standard to these contracts to have a material impact to our consolidated statements of comprehensive loss, balance sheets, or cash flows either at initial implementation or on an ongoing basis. We will be finalizing our assessment in advance of the filing of our first quarter 2018 Form 10-Q. The disclosures related to revenue recognition will be significantly expanded under the standard, specifically around the quantitative and qualitative information about performance obligations and disaggregation of revenue. The expanded disclosure requirements will be included in our first quarter 2018 Form 10-Q.

 

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842), which requires lessees to recognize most leases on the balance sheet. The provisions of this guidance are effective for the annual periods beginning after December 15, 2018, and interim periods within those years, with early adoption permitted. Management is evaluating the requirements of this guidance and has not yet determined the impact of the adoption on the Company’s financial position or results of operations.

 

 

In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-15, Statement of Cash Flows: Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments (Topic 230). This ASU will make eight targeted changes to how cash receipts and cash payments are presented and classified in the statement of cash flows. The ASU will be effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017. This standard will require adoption on a retrospective basis unless it is impracticable to apply, in which case it would be required to apply the amendments prospectively as of the earliest date practicable. The new standard will be adopted during the first quarter of 2018 using a retrospective transition method. The adoption of this guidance will not have significant impact on our financial statements.

 

In July 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-11, Earnings Per Share (Topic 260); Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity (Topic 480): Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815): (Part I) Accounting for Certain Financial Instruments with Down Round Features, (Part II) Replacement of the Indefinite Deferral for Mandatorily Redeemable Financial Instruments of Certain Nonpublic Entities and Certain Mandatorily Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests with a Scope Exception. Part I of this ASU addresses the complexity and reporting burden associated with the accounting for freestanding and embedded instruments with down round features as liabilities subject to fair value measurement. Part II of this ASU addresses the difficulty of navigating Topic 480. Part I of this ASU will be effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018. Early adoption is permitted for an entity in an interim or annual period. Management is evaluating the requirements of this guidance and has not yet determined the impact of the pending adoption on the Company’s financial position or results of operations.

 

In February 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-02, Reclassification of Certain Tax Effects from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income. This ASU requires reclassification from accumulated other comprehensive income to retained earnings for stranded tax effects resulting from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. The amount of the reclassification is the difference between the historical 35% corporate income tax rate and the newly enacted 21% corporate income tax rate. Because the amendments only relate to the reclassification of the income tax effects of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, the underlying guidance that requires that the effect of a change in tax laws of rates be included in income from continuing operations is not affected. This ASU is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018. Early adoption is permitted. We have elected early adoption of this ASU.  The impact of the newly enacted 21% corporate income tax rate of teh Tax Cuts and Jobs Act was a $11.1 million adjustment to the gross deferred tax assets which was offset by the same adjustment to the valuation adjustment at December 31, 2017.

 

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

     

Since inception, we have not engaged in any off-balance sheet activities, including the use of structured finance, special purpose entities or variable interest entities.

 

Effects of Inflation

     

Due to the fact that our assets are, to an extent, liquid in nature, they are not significantly affected by inflation. However, the rate of inflation affects such expenses as employee compensation, office space leasing costs and research and development charges, which may not be readily recoverable during the period of time that we are bringing the product candidates to market. To the extent inflation results in rising interest rates and has other adverse effects on the market, it may adversely affect our consolidated financial condition and results of operations.

 

 

Not required under Regulation S-K for “smaller reporting companies”.

 

 

The consolidated financial statements required by this item and an index thereto are contained in Part IV, Item 15 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

 

Item 9.     CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE

  

None.

Item 9A.  CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES

Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures

We maintain disclosure controls and procedures, as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), that are designed to provide reasonable assurance that information required to be disclosed by us in the reports that we file or submit under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms. Disclosure controls and procedures include, without limitation, controls and procedures designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management, including its principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.

We carried out an evaluation under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including our Acting Chief Executive Officer (principal executive officer) and Chief Financial Officer (principal financial officer and accounting officer), of the effectiveness of the design and operation of our disclosure controls and procedures as of December 31, 2017. Based on this evaluation, the Acting Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures were not operating effectively as of December 31, 2017. Our disclosure controls and procedures were not effective because of the “material weakness” described below under “Management’s Annual Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting.”

Management’s Annual Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting

Management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the Exchange Act) for the Company. The Company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with U.S. GAAP.

Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Therefore, even those systems determined to be effective can provide only reasonable assurance of achieving their control objectives.

 Management, with the participation of the Acting Chief Executive Officer (principal executive officer) and the Chief Financial Officer (principal financial and accounting officer), evaluated the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2017. In making this assessment, management used the criteria set forth by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission in Internal Control — Integrated Framework (2013).

A “material weakness” is defined under SEC rules as a deficiency, or a combination of deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of a company’s annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis by the company’s internal controls. As a result of its review, management concluded that we had three material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting process. The first material weakness is due to the lack of internal expertise and resources to analyze and properly apply generally accepted accounting principles to complex and non-routine transactions such as complex financial instruments and derivatives and complex sales distribution agreements. The second material weakness is due to the lack of internal resources to analyze and properly apply generally accepted accounting principle to accounting for equity components of service agreements with select vendors. The third material weakness is due to the lack of internal expertise and resources to ensure that generally accepted accounting principle disclosures are complete and accurate. As a result, management concluded that our internal control over reporting was not effective as of December 31, 2017.

Management believes the material weaknesses identified above were due to the complex and non-routine nature of the Company’s complex financial instruments and derivatives and complexity of new sales distribution agreements, as well as lack of internal resources and expertise.

Management’s Plan to Remediate Material Weaknesses

Management will develop an updated remediation plan to address the material weaknesses related to its processes and procedures surrounding the accounting for complex financial instruments and derivatives, accounting for complex sales distribution agreements, accounting for equity component of service agreements and ensuring that generally accepted accounting principle disclosures are complete and accurate. The updated remediation plan could consist of, among other things, redesigning the procedures to enhance their identification, capture, review, approval and recording of terms and components of complex financial instruments and derivatives, complex sales distribution agreements, and any equity components of service agreements as well as identify necessary disclosures.  Management will research where to obtain additional interpretive guidance on identifying and accounting for these identified areas of material weakness as well as engage, as necessary, an outside consultant to assist in the application of United States GAAP to these areas. The updated remediation plan will be reviewed by the Board of Director’s and be implemented upon the board’s approval. These measures are intended both to address the identified material weaknesses and to enhance our overall internal control environment.

Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting

There have been changes in our internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the period covered by this report that materially affect, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting. Management is in the process of designing updated changes to its controls as discussed above in “Management’s Plan to Remediate Material Weaknesses.”

Item 9B. OTHER INFORMATION

    

None.

 

 

PART III

Item 10. DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

 

MANAGEMENT

 

Below are the names and certain information regarding the Company’s executive officers and directors.

 

Name		Age		Position Held
Kevin A. Richardson, II		49		Director, Chairman and Acting Chief Executive Officer
Lisa E. Sundstrom		48		Chief Financial Officer
Peter Stegagno		58		Vice President, Operations
Iulian Cioanta, PhD		55		Vice President, Research and Development
John F. Nemelka		52		Director
Alan L. Rubino		63		Director
A. Michael Stolarski		47		Director
Maj-Britt Kaltoft		54		Director

 

Kevin A. Richardson, II joined the Company as chairman of the board of directors in October of 2009 and joined SANUWAVE, Inc. as chairman of the board of directors in August of 2005. In November 2012, upon the resignation of the Company’s former President and Chief Executive Officer, Christopher M. Cashman, Mr. Richardson assumed the role of Active Chief Executive Officer, in addition to remaining Chairman of the Board, through the hiring of Mr. Chiarelli in February 2013. In April 2014, Mr. Richardson assumed the role of Co-Chief Executive Officer. When Mr. Chiarelli departed the Company in 2014, Mr. Richardson again assumed the role as Acting Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Richardson brings to our board of directors a broad array of financial knowledge for healthcare and other industries. Since 2004, Mr. Richardson served as managing partner of Prides Capital LLC, an investment management firm, until its liquidation in September 2015.

 

Lisa E. Sundstrom joined the Company as Controller in October of 2006, and in August of 2015, assumed the responsibilities of Interim Chief Financial Officer. In December 2015, Ms. Sundstrom was promoted to Chief Financial Officer. Ms. Sundstrom has extensive financial accounting experience with Automatic Data Processing (ADP) and Mitsubishi Consumer Electronics. She began her career with a small public accounting firm, Carnevale & Co., P.C., was Senior Accountant at Mitsubishi Consumer Electronics responsible for the close process and was Accounting Manager for the Benefit Services division of ADP and assisted in the documentation of internal controls for Sarbanes-Oxley compliance. Ms. Sundstrom holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the State University of New York at Geneseo.

 

Peter Stegagno joined the Company as Vice President, Operations in March 2006. Mr. Stegagno brings to the Company sixteen years of experience in the medical device market encompassing manufacturing, design and development, quality assurance and international and domestic regulatory affairs. He most recently served as Vice President of Quality and Regulatory Affairs for Elekta, and other medical device companies including Genzyme Biosurgery. Before focusing on the medical field, Mr. Stegagno enjoyed a successful career encompassing production roles in the space industry, including avionics guidance systems for military applications and control computers for the space shuttle. Mr. Stegagno graduated from Tufts University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering.

 

Iulian Cioanta, PhD joined the Company in June 2007 as Vice President of Research and Development. Dr. Cioanta most recently served as Business Unit Manager with Cordis Endovascular, a Johnson & Johnson company. Prior to that, Dr. Cioanta worked as Director of Development Engineering with Kensey Nash Corporation, Research Manager at ArgoMed Inc. and Project Manager and Scientist with the Institute for the Design of Research Apparatus. Dr. Cioanta also worked in academia at Polytechnic University of Bucharest in Romania, Leicester University in the United Kingdom and Duke University in the United States. Dr. Cioanta received a Master of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering and Technology form the Polytechnic University of Bucharest and he earned his PhD degree in Biomedical Engineering from Duke University in the field of extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy.

 

 

John F. Nemelka joined the Company as a member of the board of directors in October of 2009 and joined SANUWAVE, Inc. as a member of the board of directors in August of 2005. Mr. Nemelka founded NightWatch Capital Group, LLC, an investment management business, and served as its Managing Principal since its incorporation in July 2001 until its liquidation in December 2015. From 1997 to 2000, he was a Principal at Graham Partners, a private investment firm and affiliate of the privately-held Graham Group. From 2000 to 2001, Mr. Nemelka was a Consultant to the Graham Group.  Mr. Nemelka brings to our board of directors a diverse background with both financial and operations experience. He holds a B.S. degree in Business Administration from Brigham Young University and an M.B.A. degree from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

Alan L. Rubino joined the Company as a member of the board of directors in September of 2013. Mr. Rubino has served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Emisphere Technologies, Inc. since September, 2012. Previously, Mr. Rubino served as the CEO and President of New American Therapeutics, Inc., CEO and President of Akrimax Pharmaceuticals, LLC., and President and COO of Pharmos Corporation. Mr. Rubino has continued to expand upon a highly successful and distinguished career that included Hoffmann-La Roche Inc. where he was a member of the U.S. Executive and Operating Committees and a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) corporate officer. During his Roche tenure, he held key executive positions in marketing, sales, business operations, supply chain and human resource management, and was assigned executive committee roles in marketing, project management, and globalization. Mr. Rubino also held senior executive positions at PDI, Inc. and Cardinal Health. He holds a BA in economics from Rutgers University with a minor in biology/chemistry and completed post-graduate educational programs at the University of Lausanne and Harvard Business School. Mr. Rubino serves on the boards of Aastrom Biosciences, Inc. and Genisphere, LLC and is also on the Rutgers University Business School Board of Advisors.

A. Michael Stolarski joined the Company as a member of the board of directors in April 2016. Mr. Stolarski founded Premier Shockwave, Inc. in October 2008 and has since served as its President & CEO. From 2005 to 2008, Mr. Stolarski was the Vice President of Business Development and, previously, Acting CFO of SANUWAVE, Inc. From 2001 to 2005, he was the President – Orthopedic Division and Vice President of Finance for HealthTronics Surgical Services, Inc. From 1994 to 2001, he was the CFO and Controller of the Lithotripsy Division, Internal Auditor, and Paralegal of Integrated Health Services, Inc. Mr. Stolarski brings to our board an in-depth understanding of the orthopedic and podiatric shock wave market. In addition to being a Certified Public Accountant in the state of Maryland (inactive), he holds a M.S. in Finance from Loyola College, Baltimore a B.S. in Accounting and a B.S. in Finance from the University of Maryland, College Park.

Dr. Maj-Britt Kaltoft joined the Company as a member of the board of directors in June 2017.  Since January 2017,  Dr. Kaltoft heads the business development and patent functions at the Danish State Serum Institute, an institution under the Danish Ministry of Health. From 2011 to 2016, she was the Vice President - Corporate Alliance Management, Licensing Director and Business Development with Nov Nordisk headquartered in Bagsvaerd, Denmark.  She has obtained outstanding results in the areas of business development, licensing and alliance management in the pharmaceutical and biotech industry at Lundbeck, Nycomed, and EffRx.  Dr. Kaltoft brings 20 years of international specialization in development and successful execution of business development strategies, contractual structures and alliance management within all sectors of the life science industry.

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE AND BOARD MATTERS

 

The Company adopted a formal Corporate Governance policy in January 2012 which included establishing formal board committees and a code of conduct for the board of directors and the Company.

 

The Board of Directors

 

Recent Developments

 

The Company’s current board of directors consists of five members, two of whom have been determined by the board to be “independent” as defined under the rules of the NASDAQ stock market. The Company expects to add additional independent directors in 2018.

 

 

Board’s Leadership Structure

 

The Company’s board of directors elects the Company’s chief executive officer and its chairman, and each of these positions may be held by the same person or may be held by two persons. The chairman’s primary responsibilities are to manage the board and serve as the primary liaison between the board of directors and the chief executive officer, while the primary responsibility of the chief executive officer is to manage the day-to-day affairs of the Company, taking into account the policies and directions of the board of directors. Such an arrangement promotes more open and robust communication among the board, and provides an efficient decision making process with proper independent oversight. The Company’s board of directors has determined that it is currently in the best interest of the Company and its shareholders to combine the roles of chairman of the board and chief executive officer.

 

The Company believes, however, that there is no single leadership structure that is the best and most effective in all circumstances and at all times. Accordingly, the board of directors retains the authority to later combine these roles if doing so would be in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders.

 

The Company’s board of directors is authorized to have an audit committee, a compensation committee and a nominating and corporate governance committee, to assist the Company’s board of directors in discharging its responsibilities. The Company’s current board of directors consists of five members, two of whom has been determined by the board to be “independent” as defined under the rules of the NASDAQ stock market. The board of directors has determined that Mr. Richardson, Mr. Nemelka and Mr. Stolarski are not independent under the applicable marketplace rules of the NASDAQ stock market and Rule 10A-3 under the Exchange Act. The Company expects to add additional independent directors in 2018.

 

Board’s Role in Risk Oversight

 

While the Company’s management is responsible for the day-to-day management of risk to the Company, the board of directors has broad oversight responsibility for the Company’s risk management programs. The various committees of the board of directors assist the board of directors in fulfilling its oversight responsibilities in certain areas of risk. In particular, the audit committee focuses on financial and enterprise risk exposures, including internal controls, and discusses with management and the Company’s independent registered public accountants the Company’s policies with respect to risk assessment and risk management. The compensation committee is responsible for considering those risks that may be implicated by the Company’s compensation programs and reviews those risks with the Company’s board of directors and chief executive officer.

 

Audit Committee

 

The current members of the Company’s audit committee are John F. Nemelka (Chairperson), Kevin A. Richardson, II, and A. Michael Stolarski. Mr. Nemelka, who chairs the committee, has been determined by the board of directors to be an audit committee financial expert as defined pursuant to the rules of the SEC. Pursuant to the Company’s Audit Committee Charter, the audit committee is required to consist of at least two independent directors. The Company expects to add additional independent directors to the board of directors in 2018.

 

The audit committee operates under a written charter adopted by the board of directors which is available on the Company’s website at www.sanuwave.com. The primary responsibility of the audit committee is to oversee the Company’s financial reporting process on behalf of the board of directors. Among other things, the audit committee is responsible for overseeing the Company’s accounting and financial reporting processes and audits of the Company’s financial statements, reviewing and discussing with the independent auditors the critical accounting policies and practices for the Company, engaging in discussions with management and the independent auditors to assess risk for the Company and management thereof, and reviewing with management the effectiveness of the Company’s internal controls and disclosure controls and procedures. The audit committee is directly responsible for the appointment, compensation, retention and oversight of the work of the Company’s independent auditors, currently Cherry Bekaert, LLP, including the resolution of disagreements, if any, between management and the auditors regarding financial reporting. In addition, the audit committee is responsible for reviewing and approving any related party transaction that is required to be disclosed pursuant to Item 404 of Regulation S-K promulgated under the Exchange Act.

 

 

Compensation Committee

 

The current members of the Company’s compensation committee are Alan L. Rubino (Chairperson), Kevin A. Richardson II, A. Michael Stolarski and Maj-Britt Kaltoft. The primary purpose of the compensation committee is to discharge the responsibilities of the board of directors relating to compensation of the Company’s executive officers. Pursuant to the Company’s Compensation Committee Charter, the compensation committee is required to consist of at least two independent directors. The Company expects to add additional independent directors to the board of directors in 2018.

 

The compensation committee operates under a written charter adopted by the board of directors which is available on the Company’s website at www.sanuwave.com. Specific responsibilities of the compensation committee include reviewing and recommending approval of compensation of the Company’s named executive officers, administering the Company’s stock incentive plan, and reviewing and making recommendations to the Company’s board of directors with respect to incentive compensation and equity plans.

 

Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee

 

The current members of the Company’s nominating and corporate governance committee are Maj-Britt Kaltoft (Chairperson), Kevin A. Richardson, II, John F. Nemelka, and Alan L. Rubino. Pursuant to the Company’s Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee Charter, the nominating and corporate governance committee is required to consist of at least two independent directors.  The Company expects to add additional independent directors to the board of directors in 2018.

 

The nominating and corporate governance committee operates under a written charter adopted by the board of directors which is available on the Company’s website at www.sanuwave.com. Specific responsibilities of the nominating and corporate governance committee include: identifying and recommending nominees for election to the Company’s board of directors; developing and recommending to the board of directors the Company’s corporate governance principles; overseeing the evaluation of the board of directors; and reviewing and approving compensation for non-employee members of the board of directors.

 

The nominating and corporate governance committee’s charter outlines how the nominating and corporate governance committee fulfills its responsibilities for assessing the qualifications and effectiveness of the current board members, assessing the needs for future board members, identifying individuals qualified to become members of the board and its committees, and recommending candidates for the board of director’s selection as director nominees for election at the next annual or other properly convened meeting of shareholders.

 

The nominating and corporate governance committee considers director candidates recommended by shareholders for nomination for election to the board of directors. The committee applies the same standards in considering director candidates recommended by the shareholders as it applies to other candidates. Any shareholder entitled to vote for the election of directors may recommend a person or persons for consideration by the committee for nomination for election to the board of directors. The Company must receive written notice of such shareholder’s recommended nominees(s) no later than January 31st of the year in which the shareholder wishes such recommendation to be considered by the committee in connection with the next meeting of shareholders at which the election of directors will be held. To submit a recommendation, a shareholder must give timely notice thereof in writing to the Secretary of the Company. A shareholder’s notice to the Secretary shall set forth: (i) the name and record address of the shareholder making such recommendation and any other shareholders known by such shareholder to be supporting such recommendation; (ii) the class and number of shares of the Company which are beneficially owned by the shareholder and by any other shareholders known by such shareholder to be supporting such recommendation; (iii) the name, age and five year employment history of such recommended nominee; (iv) the reasons why the shareholder believes the recommended nominee meets the qualifications to serve as a director of the Company; and (v) any material or financial interest of the shareholder and, if known, the recommended nominee in the Company.

 

 

Shareholder Communications with the Board of Directors

 

The board of directors has implemented a process for shareholders to send communications to the board of directors. Shareholders who wish to communicate directly with the board of directors or any particular director should deliver any such communications in writing to the Secretary of the Company. The Secretary will compile any communications they receive from shareholders and deliver them periodically to the board of directors or the specific directors requested. The Secretary of the Company will not screen or edit such communications, but will deliver them in the form received from the shareholder.

 

Code of Conduct and Ethics

 

It is the Company’s policy to conduct its affairs in accordance with all applicable laws, rules and regulations of the jurisdictions in which it does business. The Company has adopted a code of business conduct and ethics with policies and procedures that apply to all associates (all employees are encompassed by this term, including associates who are officers) and directors, including the chief executive officer, chief financial officer, controller, and persons performing similar functions.

 

The Company has made the code of business conduct and ethics available on its website at www.sanuwave.com. If any substantive amendments to the code of business conduct and ethics are made or any waivers are granted, including any implicit waiver, the Company will disclose the nature of such amendment or waiver on its website or in a report on Form 8-K.

 

No Family Relationships Among Directors and Officers

 

There are no family relationships between any director or executive officer of the Company and any other director or executive officer of the Company.

 

Director Independence

 

Our board of directors has determined that Alan L. Rubino and Dr. Maj-Britt Kaltoft qualify as independent directors based on the NASDAQ Stock Market definition of “independent director.”

 

Limitation of Directors Liability and Indemnification

 

The Nevada Revised Statutes authorize corporations to limit or eliminate, subject to certain conditions, the personal liability of directors to corporations and their stockholders for monetary damages for breach of their fiduciary duties. Our certificate of incorporation limits the liability of our directors to the fullest extent permitted by Nevada law.

 

We have director and officer liability insurance to cover liabilities our directors and officers may incur in connection with their services to us, including matters arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. Our certificate of incorporation and bylaws also provide that we will indemnify our directors and officers who, by reason of the fact that he or she is one of our officers or directors, is involved in a legal proceeding of any nature.

 

There is no pending litigation or proceeding involving any of our directors, officers, employees or agents in which indemnification will be required or permitted. We are not aware of any threatened litigation or proceeding that may result in a claim for such indemnification.

 

SECTION 16(a) BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP REPORTING COMPLIANCE

 

Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act requires our directors and executive officers, and persons who own more than 10% of our equity securities which are registered pursuant to Section 12 of the Exchange Act, to file with the SEC initial reports of ownership and reports of changes in ownership of our equity securities. Officers, directors and greater than 10% shareholders are required by SEC regulations to furnish us with copies of all Section 16(a) reports they file.

 

Based solely upon a review of the Forms 3, 4 and 5 (and amendments thereto) furnished to us for our fiscal year ended December 31, 2017, we have determined that our directors, officers and greater than 10% beneficial owners complied with all applicable Section 16 filing requirements.

 

 

Item 11. EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

 

Summary Compensation Table for Fiscal Years 2017 and 2016

 

The following table provides certain information concerning compensation earned for services rendered in all capacities by our named executive officers during the fiscal years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016.

 

Name and Principal Position	Year	Salary ($)	Bonus ($)	Stock Awards ($)	Option Awards ($)	Non Equity Incentive Plan Compensation ($)	Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Earnings ($)	All Other Compensation ($)(3)	Total ($)
(a)	(b)	(c)	(d)	(e)	(f)	(g)	(h)	(i)	(j)
Kevin A. Richardson, II	2017	$120,000(1)	-	$130882(2)	-	-	-	-	$250,882
Chairman of the Board and Acting Chief Executive Officer (principal executive officer)	2016	$120,000(1)	-	$114,021(2)	-	-	-	-	$234,021
Lisa E. Sundstrom	2017	$115,000	-	$88,352(2)	-	-	-	$12,652	$216,004
Chief Financial Officer (principal financial officer)	2016	$115,000	-	$81,444(2)	-	-	-	$13,284	$209,728
Peter Stegano	2017	$200,000	-	$88,352(2)	-	-	-	$13,498	$301,850
Vice President, Operations	2016	$200,000	-	$81,444(2)	-	-	-	$13,339	$294,783
Iulian Cioanta	2017	$200,000	-	$88,352(2)	-	-	-	$19,583	$307,935
Vice President, Research and Development	2016	$200,000	-	$81,444(2)	-	-	-	$19,892	$301,336

(1) Mr. Richardson has been the Company's Chairman of the Board since the Company's inception.  Since 2014, Mr. Richardson has also been our Acting Chief Executive Officer.  We continue to compensate Mr. Richardson as a director as described in "Discussion of Director Compensation" below, however we pay him an additional $10,000 per month in recognition of his additional role as Acting Chief Executive Officer.

(2) This dollar amount reflects the full fair value of the grant at the date of issuance and is recognized for financial statement reporting purposes with respect to each fiscal year over the vesting terms in accordance with ASC 718-10.

(3) Includes health, dental, life and disability insurance premiums and 401(k) matching contributions.

 

Stock Incentive Plan

 

On October 24, 2006, SANUWAVE, Inc.’s board of directors adopted the 2006 Stock Incentive Plan of SANUWAVE, Inc. (the “2006 Plan”). On November 1, 2010, the Company approved the Amended and Restated 2006 Stock Incentive Plan of SANUWAVE Health, Inc. effective as of January 1, 2010 (previously defined as the “Stock Incentive Plan”). The Stock Incentive Plan permits grants of awards to selected employees, directors and advisors of the Company in the form of restricted stock or options to purchase shares of common stock. Options granted may include nonstatutory options as well as qualified incentive stock options. The Stock Incentive Plan is currently administered by the board of directors of the Company. The Stock Incentive Plan gives broad powers to the board of directors of the Company to administer and interpret the particular form and conditions of each option. The stock options granted under the Stock Incentive Plan are nonstatutory options which vest over a period of up to three years, and have a maximum ten year term. The options are granted at an exercise price equal to the fair market value of the common stock on the date of the grant which is approved by the board of directors of the Company. The Stock Incentive Plan had 22,500,000 shares of common stock reserved for grant at December 31, 2017 and 2016.

 

 

The terms of the options granted under the Stock Incentive Plan expire as determined by individual option agreements (or on the tenth anniversary of the grant date), unless terminated earlier, on the first to occur of the following: (1) the date on which the participant’s service with the Company is terminated by the Company for cause; (2) 60 days after the participant’s death; or (3) 60 days after the termination of the participant’s service with the Company for any reason other than cause or the participant’s death; provided that, if during any part of such 60 day period the option is not exercisable solely because of specified securities law restrictions, the option will not expire until the earlier of the expiration date or until it has been exercisable for an aggregate period of 60 days after the termination of the participant’s service with the Company. The options vest as provided for in each individual’s option agreement and the exercise prices for the options are determined by the board of directors at the time the option is granted; provided that the exercise price shall in no event be less than the fair market value per share of the Company’s common stock on the grant date. In the event of any change in the common stock underlying the options, by reason of any merger or exchange of shares of common stock, the board of directors shall make such substitution or adjustment as it deems to be equitable to (1) the class and number of shares underlying such option, (2) the exercise price applicable to such option, or (3) any other affected terms of such option.

 

In the event of a change of control, unless specifically modified by an individual option agreement: (1) all options outstanding as of the date of such change of control will become fully vested; and (2) notwithstanding (1) above, in the event of a merger or share exchange, the board of directors may, in its sole discretion, determine that any or all options granted pursuant to the Stock Incentive Plan will not vest on an accelerated basis if the board of directors, the surviving corporation or the acquiring corporation, as the case may be, has taken such action that in the opinion of the board of directors is equitable or appropriate to protect the rights and interests of the participants under the Stock Incentive Plan.

 

On December 31, 2017, there were 2,238,281 shares of common stock available for grant under the Stock Incentive Plan. For the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016, there were 2,700,000 and 4,067,800 options, respectively, granted to the Company’s executive officers under the Stock Incentive Plan.

 

Outstanding Equity Awards at 2017 Fiscal Year End

 

The following table provides certain information concerning the outstanding equity awards for each named executive officer as of December 31, 2017.

 

 

	Option Awards					Stock Awards
Name	Number of Securities Underlying Unexercised Options/ Warrants (#) Exercisable	Number of Securities Underlying Unexercised Options/ Warrants (#) Unexercisable	Equity Incentive Plan Awards:  Number of Securities Underlying Unexercised Unearned Options (#)	Option/ Warrant Exercise Price ($)	Option/ Warrant Expiration Date	Number of Shares or Units of Stock That Have Not Vested (#)	Market Value of Shares or Units of Stock That Have Not Vested ($)	Equity Incentive Plan Awards:  Number of Unearned Shares, Units or Other Rights That Have Not Vested (#)	Equity Incentive Plan Awards:  Market or Payout Value of Unearned Shares, Units or Other Rights That Have Not Vested ($)
(a)	(b)	(c)	(d)	(e)	(f)	(g)	(h)	(i)	(j)
Kevin A. Richardson, II	115,000(1)	-	-	$0.35	02/21/2023	-	-	-	-
Chairman of the Board and Co-Chief Executive Officer (principal executive officer)	452,381(3)	-	-	$0.11	10/1/25	-	-	-	-
	297,619(3)	-	-	$0.06	10/1/25	-	-	-	-
	700,000(4)	-	-	$0.04	6/16/26	-	-	-	-
	594,300(5)	-	-	$0.18	11/9/26	-	-	-	-
	900,000(6)	-	-	$0.11	6/14/27	-	-	-	-
	640,000(7)	-	-	$0.11	3/17/19	-	-	-	-
Lisa Sundstrom	65,000(1)	-	-	$0.35	02/21/2023	-	-	-	-
Chief Finanical Officer (principal financial officer)	25,000(2)	-	-	$0.55	5/7/24	-	-	-	-
	301,587(3)	-	-	$0.11	10/1/25	-	-	-	-
	198,413(3)	-	-	$0.06	10/1/25	-	-	-	-
	500,000(4)	-	-	$0.04	6/16/26	-	-	-	-
	424,500(5)	-	-	$0.18	11/9/26	-	-	-	-
	600,000(6)	-	-	$0.11	6/14/27	-	-	-	-
	440,000(7)	-	-	$0.11	3/17/19	-	-	-	-
Peter Stegano	333,644(1)	-	-	$0.35	02/21/2023	-	-	-	-
Vice President, Operations	50,000(2)	-	-	$0.55	5/7/24	-	-	-	-
	301,587(3)	-	-	$0.11	10/1/25	-	-	-	-
	198,413(3)	-	-	$0.06	10/1/25	-	-	-	-
	500,000(4)	-	-	$0.04	6/16/26	-	-	-	-
	424,500(5)	-	-	$0.18	11/9/26	-	-	-	-
	600,000(6)	-	-	$0.11	6/14/27	-	-	-	-
	440,000(7)	-	-	$0.11	3/17/19	-	-	-	-
Iulian Cioanta	296,241(1)	-	-	$0.35	02/21/2023	-	-	-	-
Vice President, Research and Development	50,000(2)	-	-	$0.55	5/7/24	-	-	-	-
	301,587(3)	-	-	$0.11	10/1/25	-	-	-	-
	198,413(3)	-	-	$0.06	10/1/25	-	-	-	-
	500,000(4)	-	-	$0.04	6/16/26	-	-	-	-
	424,500(5)	-	-	$0.18	11/9/26	-	-	-	-
	600,000(6)	-	-	$0.11	6/14/27	-	-	-	-
	440,000(7)	-	-	$0.11	3/17/19	-	-	-	-

(1) On February 21, 2013, the Company, by mutual agreement with all active employees and directors of the Company, cancelled options granted to the active employees and directors in the year ended December 31, 2011 and prior.  In exchange for these options, the active employees and directors received new options to purchase shares of common stock at an exercise price of $0.35 per share.  The Company cancelled all options which were previously granted to Mr. Richardson, Ms. Sundstrom, Mr. Stegagno and Mr. Cioanta.  The Company granted Mr. Richardson 115,000 options, Ms. Sundstrom 65,000 options, Mr. Stegagno 333,644 options and Mr. Cioanta 296,241 options on February 21, 2013 which vests one-third at grant date, one-third on February 21, 2014 and one-third on February 21, 2015.

(2) The Company granted Ms. Sundstrom 25,000 options, Mr. Stegagno 50,000 options and Mr. Cioanta 50,000 options on May 7, 2014 which vests one-third at grant date, one-third on May 7, 2015 and one-third on May 7, 2016.

(3) The Company granted Mr. Richardson 750,000 options, Ms. Sundstrom 500,000 options, Mr. Stegagno 500,000 options and Mr. Cioanta 500,000 options on October 1, 2015 which vests at grant date.

(4) The Company granted Mr. Richardson 700,000 options, Ms. Sundstrom 500,000 options, Mr. Stegagno 500,000 options and Mr. Cioanta 500,000 options on June 16, 2016 which vests at grant date.

(5) The Company granted Mr. Richardson 594,300 options, Ms. Sundstrom 424,500 options, Mr. Stegagno 424,500 options and Mr. Cioanta 424,500 options on November 9, 2016 which vests at grant date.

(6) The Company granted Mr. Richardson 900,000 options, Ms. Sundstrom 600,000 options, Mr. Stegagno 600,000 options and Mr. Cioanta 600,000 options on June 15, 2017 which vests at grant date.

(7) The Company granted Mr. Richardson 640,000 warrants, Ms. Sundstrom 440,000 warrants, Mr. Stegagno 440,000 warrants and Mr. Cioanta 440,000 warrants on Deccember 11, 2017 which vests at grant date.

 

 

Director Compensation Table for Fiscal 2017

 

The following table provides certain information concerning compensation for each director during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017.

 

Name	Fees Earned or Paid in Cash ($)	Stock Awards ($)	Option Awards ($)	Non Equity Incentive Plan Compensation ($)	Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Earnings ($)	All Other Compensation ($)	Total ($)
(a)	(b)	(c)	(d)	(e)	(f)	(g)	(h)
Kevin A. Richardson, II (1)	$24,000	-	$130,882	-	-	-	$154,882
John F. Nemelka	$24,000	-	$42,530	-	-	-	$66,530
Alan L. Rubino	$24,000	-	$42,530	-	-	-	$66,530
A. Michael Stolarski	$24,000	-	$42,530	-	-	-	$66,530
Maj-Britt Kaltoft	$13,000	-	$42,530	-	-	-	$55,530